Distant Mountain Battle Song

Chapter 87: This is where the pretense of civility ends.
Peng Zengfei wasn't fast enough, and Yun Ce stepped forward and grabbed his left foot, then swung him around by the foot. Peng Zeng endured the churning pain in his abdomen and tried to use his right foot to break free, but his right foot was also grabbed. His body fell rapidly, and Peng Zeng only had time to stretch out his hands to try to support himself and protect his internal organs from injury.

His hands were indeed braced against the ground, but the immense force did not stop; the powerful force was transmitted to his arms the instant his palms touched the ground.

Peng Zeng watched almost with his own eyes how the bone in his forearm pierced through his skin and was exposed to the sunlight. Immediately afterward, his chest and abdomen made contact with the ground, and the shock transmitted from his skin to his internal organs, followed by pain. The pain from the punch he had taken earlier had already disappeared.

Then, because his chest and abdomen were in contact with the ground, his head inevitably came into contact with the earth, first his nose, then his forehead, and then his mouth and chin. The contact was getting deeper. The head is the organ furthest from the feet, so when someone grabs his feet and swings him up to slam him to the ground, the force he receives is the strongest.

So his entire face sank into the hard ground.

Under the watchful eyes of Eji, Feng An, Liang Kun, Anji, and a group of others, Yun Ce grabbed Peng Zeng and slammed him to the ground ten times on each side before stopping.

This time, the ground was covered with marks from Peng Zeng's face. Except for the first mark, which was crystal clear, the subsequent marks became increasingly blurry and were covered in blood.

Yun Ce grabbed Peng Zeng and shook him haphazardly, thinking that many bones must have been broken this time. He wondered if Peng Zeng could recover so quickly.

Finally, he was handed over to that old woman, who was instructed to take good care of him.

After washing his hands, Yun Ce sat back down on his own personal wooden stool and began to eat his dessert fruit.

Feng An grabbed a handful of thawed purple berries, popped one into his mouth, and said, "Shouldn't we just leave people who can't be tamed like this?"

Yun Ce laughed and said, "I'm very curious to know how fast his body can recover."

Liang Kun shook his head and said, "I doubt he'll tell you. This must be his secret to saving his life."

Yun Ce said, "I will learn it slowly. It is a skill worth learning."

Feng An asked curiously, "What if he doesn't teach?"

Eji rested her elbow on Yun Ce's shoulder and said, "Then let's keep fighting until he's willing to teach us."

Life at the foot of Gaoliang Mountain was peaceful and almost uneventful. Peng Zeng's challenge was merely a spectacle for everyone to watch.

The remaining days were so boring that everyone started betting on how long it would take for Peng Zeng, who was wrapped up like a mummy, to wake up.

Eji gambled for three days, five coins.

Feng An gambled for five days, ten coins.

Liang Kun and An Ji thought it was a miracle that such severe injuries could be cured within ten days.

Yun Ce accepted all their bets because he said Peng Zeng would wake up tomorrow morning.

As a result, Yun Ce lost. It wasn't just him who lost; everyone lost. Peng Zeng opened his eyes three hours after being knocked unconscious by Yun Ce. However, his eyes were unfocused, likely due to severe post-concussion syndrome. Nevertheless, he was indeed conscious.

Although he didn't win any money, Yun Ce felt like he had struck gold.

Peng Zeng also felt Yun Ce's concern, because looking at Peng Zeng at this moment was like looking at an unparalleled beauty.

Not knowing whether Peng Zeng's hearing had returned, Yun Ce whispered in his ear, "Why is your recovery so fast?"

Seeing that Peng Zeng did not answer, Yun Ce decided to come back and ask again after dark.

Before finishing his meal, Yun Ce went to ask Peng Zeng again, but Peng Zeng still didn't respond. So Yun Ce went to eat, mainly because Zhang Min had come riding her big bird again today.

Zhang Min used to be a glutton, but today she ate very politely, finishing her meal with a bowl of rice, a few bites of meat, some vegetables, and half a bowl of soup.

Yun Ce looked at the table in surprise. The food on it was delicious, especially the mutton pilaf made by An Ji, which was already 70% cooked.

"Izumo Prefecture is in chaos. Twenty-six cities have declared independence, and villages and strongholds in the wilderness refuse to let government troops in. Everyone takes pride in killing officials. Nowadays, only here can you still see a bit of the peace and stability of the past."

Yun Ce said, "Isn't this what you all want to see?"

Zhang Min immediately cried out in protest, patting his full chest and saying, "We are officials, how could we possibly like to see our territory engulfed in war?"

Unable to bear the woman's disgusting behavior, Yun Ce continued, "Have you caught the notorious bandit, Miss Hong?"

Zhang Min finally dropped her pretense and sighed, "Hong Guniang is spreading rumors that the tribute has been lost. In fact, it was the city lord, the governor, and the Tiger Army who did it. Their aim is to monopolize the tribute and then extract another batch of tribute from everyone in Chuyun Prefecture."

Do you believe that?" Yun Ce nodded and said, "I believe it."

Seeing that Yun Ce didn't seem to be joking, Zhang Min said to him, "Do you remember you owe me a favor?"

Yun Ce shook his head and said, "I don't remember."

Zhang Min continued, "I desperately need your help to catch Hong Guniang. She is the key to unraveling this knot. Once we catch her, everything will have a reasonable explanation."

Yun Ce said, "The robbery of tribute occurred six days after Zhou Chengming left Chuyun City, so this matter has nothing to do with Zhou Chengming, right?"

Zhang Min nodded and said, "When the case occurred, Zhou Chengming's Tiger Army was already 400 miles away, so it had nothing to do with them. This was just a rumor spread by Miss Hong to muddy the waters."

Yun Ce secretly calculated in his mind that the Royal Hunting Grounds were 200 miles away from the scene of the incident, yet he was able to run to Moyan Ridge half a day in advance to rob them. The Tiger Army, 400 miles away, would have plenty of time and motive to run out and double-cross them after Hong Guniang and her group succeeded.

Moreover, they have Thunder Smoke Beasts that can travel a thousand miles a day without getting tired. Zhang Min kept asking him to help capture Red Girl. Now, the person who probably least wants Red Girl to be caught is Zhang Min herself. Otherwise, the fact that the Tiger Legion was involved in the robbery will be impossible to cover up.

"Have you found the 'Ode to the Divine Dragon' you requested?"

Zhang Min shook her head and said, "No, but it is ultimately just a legend. People who have seen the 'Ode to the Divine Dragon' before said that it is just a beautifully crafted golden statue, not very useful. They also said that if anyone finds the 'Ode to the Divine Dragon,' they are willing to exchange it for gold equal to fifty times its weight."

"Has my edict of nobility been issued yet?"

Zhang Min yawned and said, "Let's wait for Hua Chaoyue. Hopefully, the government will still be able to help you with this matter then."

Yun Ce looked into Zhang Min's eyes and said, "You seem to be very powerful now, or rather, something or someone happened that made you suddenly stronger?"

Zhang Min laughed and said, "In the past, Panxing Tower was not valued by some talented people. They always thought we were a group of insects hiding in the gutter, and that we were not worthy of being seen by the public. Now, with the great chaos in Chuyun Prefecture and the impending changes, some people who cannot see the future are thinking of seeking the protection of Panxing Tower."

"You really are heroes in troubled times."

"Actually, we at Panxinglou are not the biggest beneficiaries. The real beneficiary is your old friend, Miss Hong. She has money and manpower now, and she is sure to be able to do something great."

That ghost woman never tells a word of truth, and Yun Ce really wanted to knock out all her beautiful teeth.

The news that Zhou Chengming had participated in the robbery and ultimately profited had already spread, so she couldn't continue to pressure Hong Guniang for the "Ode to the Divine Dragon." Knowing that he was a man who wouldn't act without a reason, she deliberately told him that the "Ode to the Divine Dragon" could be exchanged for a lot of gold, hoping to gradually entice him to go to Hong Guniang for the "Ode to the Divine Dragon."

Yun Ce naturally refused to leave the Royal Hunting Grounds. He only wanted to live a peaceful life here for a while, and see the various changes in Chuyun Prefecture, and see how the changes in people's hearts here differed from the evolution of people's hearts on Earth.

This is very important. As the vanguard on Earth's side, he naturally had to clear a clean beachhead for Yun Linchuan and his men.

One person is certainly not enough; he needs many helpers. He doesn't even know how Feng An and Liang Kun will react after they learn that he is from Earth.

To this day, the only thing he is certain of is that even if he were a demon, Eji would still follow him, which is why he spoils Eji without restraint.

Yun Ce knew that, to the Han Dynasty, someone like him was similar to the Japanese who entered China as pioneers on Earth. He was very worried that his identity would provoke a collective counterattack from the Han people.

Huo Qubing was a pure Earthling, and he was the one who established the Han Dynasty. But what was his fate? He worked hard on the Han Dynasty for six hundred years, only to die and his regime collapsed. He was sealed in a tomb by the Dragon-Slaying Stone, and even his strongest ambitions rotted away with his corpse.

Without a doubt, his attempt to reform this group of Chinese people was a failure.

"What are you thinking about? You seem so engrossed in your thoughts."

Yun Ce looked up at Zhang Min and said, "I know the Red Girls very well. They are not very intelligent, lack political acumen, and couldn't have come up with a plan like the Tiger Army robbing the tribute."

Therefore, there is only one possibility: the Tiger Legion participated in the robbery of tribute. Only they would have the ability to empty five or six hundred carriages overnight and leave no way for others to trace the loot.

"Zhang Min, disrupting Chuyun Prefecture, this is probably something you've been planning for a long time, isn't it?"

Seeing Yun Ce staring intently at her, Zhang Min felt a little flustered. She then shrugged and said, "The Tiger Legion is heading to the Iron Enclosure Pass, a place where they are destined to never return. According to past practice, they are now under the jurisdiction of the Iron Enclosure Pass and no longer belong to the Han Dynasty."

Yun Ce nodded and said, "It seems I guessed right. Zhou Chengming helped you amass wealth, and then you recruited soldiers and horses on a large scale in the chaotic Chuyun Prefecture."

Zhang Min, honestly, what exactly are you guys trying to do?

(End of this chapter)