Double penetration: This Three Kingdoms has dragon energy

Chapter 135 The Shadow Behind the Pu Family

"Who?" Gan Ning was startled and sprang up like a cheetah, his eyes warily fixed on the direction from which the voice came.

And in that spot stood Ji Qiu.

Ji Qiu chuckled and said, "Don't worry, I'm not here to cause you any trouble."

Let me briefly introduce myself. My name is Ji Qiu, and I'm the owner of Jin Yu Lou!

"So you're the owner of Jin Yu Lou. Today's events have caused you trouble. If I can extricate myself, I will definitely make up for Jin Yu Lou's losses!" Gan Ning's expression changed slightly, and then he said solemnly.

Of all the forces that suffered the most in today's events, Jin Yulou is probably the one that suffered the most.

The conflict between Gan Ning and Dong Yuan arose because of the girls at the Inner Golden Jade Pavilion.

Dong Yuan died at Jin Yu Lou.

In any case, Jin Yulou cannot escape responsibility.

Gan Ning is a man who clearly distinguishes between gratitude and resentment.

Although Xiu'er is a girl from Jin Yulou, she was sold into the store by her gambling father, and she doesn't have much to do with Jin Yulou.

Jin Yulou did not create any obstacles for Gan Ning in his attempt to redeem Xiu'er from her servitude.

As for the fact that Xiuer was suddenly noticed by Dong Yuan, that was purely accidental.

Therefore, there was no enmity between Gan Ning and Jin Yulou.

On the contrary, I felt a little grateful.

After all, it was Jin Yulou who gave Xiuer a place to stay when she was in her most desperate moment.

Under such circumstances, Gan Ning brought Jin Yulou a great deal of trouble, which naturally made him feel quite uneasy.

Therefore, the apology and the desire to make amends at this time are all the more sincere.

If even Gan Ning felt this way, then Xiu'er's expression naturally showed even more guilt.

Because in her eyes, Jin Yulou had truly saved her life.

If it weren't for Jin Yulou, her father would have sold her to another brothel.

But other brothels probably wouldn't treat her as well as Jin Yu Lou.

So she stepped out from behind Gan Ning, knelt down in front of Ji Qiu, and said sincerely, "Master, today's events were all caused by me. I have brought great trouble to Jin Yu Lou. I beg you to spare Gan Ning. I am willing to return to Jin Yu Lou with you and atone with my life!"

"What? How can you do that! I went through so much trouble to get you out of here, how can I let you go back?"
Besides, I killed the person, what does it have to do with you?
"I'll take responsibility for my actions. Even if it really comes down to murder, I'll just give them my life!"

Gan Ning's expression changed drastically. He immediately rushed out, grabbed Xiu'er, and shouted.

Xiuer said through tears, "No, Brother Ning, you killed someone for me, how can I let you pay with your life?"
Please let me go back.

I'm already very satisfied to have been able to accompany you on this journey today.

From now on, just forget about me!

“Xiuer…” Gan Ning.

Xiuer: "Brother Ning..."

……

Watching this idol drama unfold before him, which was comparable to an idol drama itself, Ji Qiu's face began to twitch involuntarily.

Nima.

This truly shows that art imitates life.

No wonder modern historical dramas are so brainless.

He always thought it was those directors and screenwriters who were brain-dead.

I'm sorry, he was wrong.

I never imagined that there would actually be such brain-dead people in real life!

Damn it, I'm never criticizing the directors and screenwriters of historical romance dramas again!

Seeing that if he didn't say anything soon, the two of them would continue their lovey-dovey chatter until dawn.

Ji Qiu felt that even if it was just for the sake of his good mood in the next few days, he had to say something.

So he quickly interrupted the two of them, saying, "Alright, I didn't intend to take Xiu'er back, so you don't need to worry about Jin Yulou."

Besides being the owner of Jin Yu Lou, I have another identity: the Governor of Yanzhou!

Gan Ning is clearly different from Fa Zheng.

Fa Zheng has always paid close attention to the general trend of the world and knows the various forces and lords in the world like the back of his hand.

So as soon as they heard Ji Qiu's name, they guessed Ji Qiu's identity.

However, Gan Ning was still in his rebellious teenage years, robbing the rich and helping the poor, and did not pay much attention to things outside of Shu County.

They also had no idea what the name Ji Qiu represented in the world today.

This forced Ji Qiu to lower his standards and give a self-introduction.

Fortunately, although he lowered his status, he was still enough to keep the people present in check.

Upon hearing him say that he was the Governor of Yanzhou, not only did Gan Ning and Xiu'er stop their public displays of affection, but they all gave him incredulous looks.

Even the two Jinfan bandits showed expressions of shock at the same time.

The governor is the highest-ranking military and political leader of a state.

The entire Han Dynasty only had eleven provinces.

Moreover, he was also the governor of Yanzhou.

This is the center of ancient Kyushu, and also the most prosperous region in the world today.

The governor of this region probably wields even more power than the governor of Yizhou!
How could they not be shocked that such a high-ranking official would suddenly appear before them, these ordinary people?
"Governor, governor, governor? You are the governor of Yanzhou?" Xiu'er was so shocked that she could not even finish her sentence.

Gan Ning stammered, "How is this possible? How could the Governor of Yan Province be so young? How could the Governor of Yan Province be here?"

"Nothing is impossible, and I have no reason to lie to you."

It's because you're so out of touch with the world that you don't even know who the governors of the eleven states are!

As for why I came to Shu County, there are naturally my reasons, which you don't need to know.

However, I can tell you why I came to see you.

Because I think you're great—you're loyal, righteous, and capable—exactly the kind of talent I need!

So I decided to recruit you.

"So, are you interested in working for me?" Ji Qiu said casually.

Seeing Ji Qiu's matter-of-fact attitude, Gan Ning's doubts gradually disappeared.

After all, in his view, if Ji Qiu were an imposter posing as the governor, he would certainly not be able to be so calm and composed.

Once his doubts were dispelled, thinking about the matter again immediately invigorated him.

The governor of Yanzhou actually recognized his talent and came to recruit him personally?
This is simply pie in the sky!
Gan Ning was never a person who was indifferent to fame and fortune.

He has actually been actively pursuing a political career.

Even before he became a bandit leader, he wanted to join Liu Yan in order to obtain an official position.

Unfortunately, Liu Yan looked down on him because of his humble origins and did not value him.

He was only given the position of a clerk and then dismissed.

Gan Ning was dissatisfied with this, but had no choice. So he resigned from his official post and went to sea to become a pirate, hoping to take the path of murder and arson to be recruited by the imperial court.

But Liu Yan still didn't care about him, only ordering local officials to besiege him, and then nothing more was done.

Historically, after Liu Yan's death, he would leave Yizhou and go to Jingzhou to seek refuge with Liu Biao.

But he was still not given important responsibilities.

It wasn't until after the eighth year of Jian'an that Gan Ning broke away from Huang Zu and, on the recommendation of Zhou Yu and Lü Meng, joined Sun Quan.

This finally gave them a chance to succeed.

He subsequently made numerous military achievements, leaving behind a illustrious name in history!

But Ji Qiu's sudden recruitment has helped him skip the more than ten years of setbacks in history and put him directly on the fast track of life.

How could he not be excited?
Not to mention, behind this autumn's recruitment lies a series of hidden forms of assistance and threats.

For example, the predicament he is currently facing.

Since Ji Qiu dared to come and recruit him at this time, he must have a way to help him get out of trouble.

Now, let's talk about Jin Yulou and Xiu'er. Jin Yulou is Ji Qiu's property, and Xiu'er is also Ji Qiu's person.

If he were to pledge allegiance to Ji Qiu, all of this past would be wiped clean, and Xiu'er would rightfully belong to him.

If he refuses to submit, then Ji Qiu will probably have to come and properly calculate the losses and compensation plan for Jin Yu Lou.

If there are huge prospects and huge benefits ahead, and huge losses and huge threats behind, then what is there to hesitate about?
Gan Ning immediately knelt on the ground and bowed three times to Ji Qiu, saying loudly, "My lord did not consider me lowly and promoted me from among the common people. I am extremely grateful and am willing to go through fire and water for my lord!"

“Excellent! My acquisition of Xingba is like Emperor Gaozu acquiring the Marquis of Wuyang!” Ji Qiu chuckled.

Marquis of Wuyang refers to Fan Kuai, a founding hero and military commander of the Western Han Dynasty.

Born into poverty, he worked as a butcher. He participated in the Pei County Uprising, fought bravely, and repeatedly made meritorious contributions.

He stepped forward to rescue Liu Bang at the Feast at Hongmen.

He successively served as Left Chancellor and Chancellor, and was enfeoffed as Marquis of Wuyang. He participated in the suppression of Zang Tu, Lu Wan, Chen Xi, and Han Wang Xin.

Subduing Gan Ning not only meant subduing this promising general, but also the small force led by Gan Ning.

The specific components of Gan Ning's forces include the Gan family of Linjiang, a middle-class family in the city, as well as the Jinfan bandits under Gan Ning's command!

The Gan family's main skill is shipbuilding; they are able to build a type of dragon-shaped ship called the Brocade Sailboat.

These boats can move swiftly across inland waterways, regardless of the direction of the current.

Unfortunately, it cannot carry too much cargo and can only be used to harass villages along the coast, making it difficult to transport troops on a large scale.

The Brocade Sail Bandits, on the other hand, are a family secret technique for strengthening the army passed down through the Gan family.

This secret technique does not exist in Qianjintang, so even Ji Qiu did not have this secret technique before.

This secret technique can greatly improve soldiers' coordination and swimming ability.

It not only allows soldiers to run and walk on ships as if on flat ground, but also to move underwater.

At the ninth level (beginner level), one can hold their breath underwater for fifteen minutes.

Each subsequent minor level increases the time by five minutes, and each major level increases the time by ten minutes.

Reaching the pinnacle of the first rank allows one to hold their breath underwater for a full four hours!
However, to master this secret technique, one must feed on bighead carp.

Bighead fish is cod.

This is a type of marine fish that is widely distributed in the cold waters of the world's major oceans, including the Pacific Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean. It can be found in the Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea, and North East China Sea in the far east.

While not particularly rare in ancient times, it was certainly not a common type of fish.

With Gan's abilities, he was able to find this fish continuously, but not in large numbers.

Therefore, they could only train eight hundred Jinfan pirates.

But in modern times, this thing is practically everywhere.

Ji Qiu could easily haul over several hundred tons!

Therefore, for him, the Jinfan bandits were as numerous as he wanted to train!

With the Jinfan sailing ships and Jinfan pirates, the inland waterways of the future will not be completely under their control, but they will certainly have a great deal of control.

Most importantly, the Yellow River flows right within Qingzhou.

The border between Le'an County and Pingyuan County in Qingzhou is even better, as it is the mouth of the Yellow River!

In the future, we will send a naval force composed of Jinfan pirates to patrol both banks of the Yellow River. Whether it is offense or defense, it will bring great benefits!

……

Outside Chengdu city, there is Heming Mountain.

At the summit of the towering, cloud-shrouded cliffs, the Pu family's fortress stands like a colossal beast.

Nine colossal bronze gates are arranged in the nine palaces, with ancient runes flowing across their surfaces. These runes shimmer with a mysterious, eerie blue light as they move with the sunlight.

Each door was cast from three zhang thick black iron, and the door hinges were inlaid with the Crimson Sun Pearl, which could melt arrows into molten iron. Behind the door was a hidden channel filled with tung oil. If an enemy attacked, all that was needed was to light the fuse, and a raging fire would engulf the intruders.

Outside Wubao Fortress, three layers of moats shimmered, their seemingly calm surface concealing a hidden secret. The moats were riddled with poisoned barbs, which shimmered and gleamed with an eerie, ghostly green light.

The drawbridge over the moat is paved with meteorite iron engraved with traps. Each piece of meteorite iron is a hidden danger. If an outsider steps on it, it will trigger a barrage of crossbow bolts, and the dense barrage of arrows can instantly turn a person into a hedgehog.

Every ten zhang (approximately 33 meters) along the city wall stands a watchtower, its body constructed of black crystal rock. Inside the towers are the Cloud Piercing Crossbows, uniquely crafted by the Pu family. These crossbows can fire arrows inlaid with stardust, which pierce the air with a sharp, piercing sound and can penetrate black iron armor ten li (approximately 5 kilometers) away.

Deep within Wubao, thirty-six workshops operate day and night.

The crimson flames illuminated the focused faces of the craftsmen. Liquid, star-like metal flowed through the workshop, tumbling in crucibles and emitting a dazzling light.

The master craftsman held a forging hammer engraved with dragon patterns, forging a dragon-themed longsword. With each strike of the hammer, purple lightning burst forth, causing the air within a hundred feet to buzz.

The finished weapons gleamed with a cold, sharp light, and mysterious patterns flowed along their blades; each one contained earth-shattering power.

Behind Wubao was a huge training ground.

Twenty thousand Wudang Flying Army soldiers are currently training.

They were clad in gilded rattan armor, with ferocious beast totems outlined in mithril.

A sleeve crossbow that can fire seven arrows in succession, suspended at the waist. This sleeve crossbow is small and lightweight, yet incredibly powerful, and the bolts it fires can easily penetrate ordinary shields.

He held a horse-slaying saber in his hand, its blade so sharp it could cut an enemy and his horse in two.

These flying troops, operating in units of one hundred men, regularly practiced "Heavenly Gang Breaking Formation" in Wubao.

When they lined up in formation, their imposing presence was so great that it seemed they could shake the heavens and the earth.

Every day at sunset, the Flying Army would shout in unison at the training ground, their voices shaking the heavens and earth, startling countless birds into flight, and their majesty and power could be felt within a radius of a hundred miles.

Inside the main hall of Wubao.

Pu Yuan, the head of the Pu family, was respectfully receiving a Taoist priest.

This Taoist's white-haired yet youthful face was like a piece of unpolished jade favored by time. There wasn't a single wrinkle at the corner of his eyes, and his skin was as smooth as cream, white with a rosy glow, just like a peach blossom moistened by morning dew.

Her long, silvery hair was casually tied into a bun, with a few strands falling from her forehead like smoke or mist, adding to her ethereal beauty.

His eyebrows were as black as ink, slanting upwards to his temples; his eyes, when they opened and closed, were as sharp as cold stars, as if they could see through the secrets in people's hearts.
A faint smile always lingered at the corners of her lips, like the warm spring sun, making her enigmatic.

The Taoist robe exudes extraordinary luxury, woven entirely with sky-blue brocade, with hidden patterns of cranes and auspicious clouds embroidered in gold thread, shimmering with subtle light under the sunlight. Every stitch and thread reveals the exquisite craftsmanship of a royal tribute.

On his wide sleeves, the Big Dipper constellation, outlined in silver thread, is vividly depicted, appearing and disappearing with his movements, seemingly containing the ultimate truth of the universe.

A red jade sash was tied around his waist, from which hung a jade pendant that was entirely emerald green. The pendant was exquisitely carved, with patterns resembling the Bagua diagram, and it emitted a warm glow.

She wore a pair of black cloth shoes with cloud patterns, the toes adorned with two round pearls that swayed slightly as she walked, making her appear both ethereal and dignified.

He stood with his hands behind his back, his aura as steady as a mountain, as if he could suppress all evil forces.

Pu Yuan said with a respectful yet smug expression, "Immortal Master, rest assured, the Pu Clan has made full preparations. The Nine Palaces Formation protecting Wu Fortress is open day and night, and the 20,000 Wudang Flying Army is always on standby. No matter how many troops Ji Qiu brings to attack with 100,000 troops, they will not be able to break through the Pu Clan's Wu Fortress!"

“We must not be careless. Since Ji Qiu rose to power, he has won many battles. Even the Tian family of Qi County and the Sun family of Le'an have fallen into his hands one after another.”

Do you think your Pu clan is stronger than the Tian clan of Qi County and the Sun clan of Le'an?
Moreover, he has the ability to transfer troops over extremely long distances at any time, making him extremely flexible in both advancing and retreating, and we must be wary of him!
My demands on you are not high. I only ask that you hold off Ji Qiu's army at Pu Shi Wu Bao for three days.

If you can do this, a large army will come to your aid in three days, and Ji Qiu and his army will be completely annihilated here!
When the time comes to reward those who have made contributions, your Pu family will undoubtedly be the most meritorious!
"But if you perish prematurely, or if Ji Qiu senses something is wrong and runs away, then don't blame me for being ruthless!" the Taoist said coldly.

Its voice was like a booming bell, each word clear and distinct, carrying an undeniable majesty, as if every word contained the laws of heaven and earth, inspiring awe in people.

Pu Yuan was deeply shaken upon hearing this. He quickly suppressed his smugness and lowered his head, saying in a trembling voice, "Yes, thank you for your teachings, Immortal Master. I will keep them in mind and will not dare to be negligent. I will definitely complete the task assigned to us by the Immortal Master!"

"That's good!" the Taoist said calmly.

Then, he looked out the window and gazed into the distance.

He muttered to himself, "Ji Qiu? Could you be the variable that Daoist Master spoke of?"
Regardless of whether it is true or not, since you have mastered the Essentials of Peace, yet refuse to practice the Secret Techniques of Mad Belief according to the principles within the Essentials of Peace, then you are courting death.

"Today, I, this humble Taoist priest, will act on behalf of Heaven and subdue you, you fiend!"

……

Taishan County, the prefectural government office.

Ji Qiu returned to mobilize troops, preparing to assemble a large army to capture Pu Shi Wu Fort.

However, before mobilizing troops, they first received a report from Guo Jia that Xun You had come to surrender.

In fact, Xun You had received this news from Guo Jia as soon as he arrived in Taishan County.

Guo Jia then congratulated him with a smile, saying that he would gain another great talent.

Ji Qiu was naturally full of expectations for this, and then, following Guo Jia's advice, he played the long game and waited for the right opportunity.

And now, as Guo Jia had predicted, Xun You has indeed come to join him.

After many days of waiting, the time for harvest has finally arrived.

He was overjoyed and immediately ordered Guo Jia to bring Xun You over, as he wanted to personally receive Xun You!
(End of this chapter)