Di Ming

Chapter 119 Little Buddha?
What surprised Ning Caiwei and the other two women even more was that Instructor Gong actually attacked the disciple of the Indian monk.

Ding Hongying slowly drew her Japanese sword, its cold light piercing the eye.

Galo also nocked his arrow.

The two women drew their swords, ready for battle, and protected Ning Caiwei.

Coach Gong, carrying a blood-stained khadpole, glanced indifferently at the three women, his eyes fixed on them like those of a lion or tiger.

In his terror, Kama no longer cared about maintaining his dignity as a Brahmin elder, screamed, and turned to run away.

Instructor Gong stepped forward, grabbed the Indian monk, and with two snapping sounds, broke both of his legs. Then he tore off his turban and stuffed it into his mouth.

Then... he kicked out at his crotch.

A cracking sound suddenly rang out.

"Agh—!" The Indian monk, his mouth gagged, still let out a scream that was not human, his face contorted in pain, his nose and eyes distorted like a ghost.

His whole body was trembling on the ground.

It hurts to look at it.

"I'll deal with you slowly later," Coach Gong said, then looked at Ning Caiwei and the other two women.

"This bow is just a light bow with a four-bucket length, the kind a child would use. It's useless to me."

He dismissed Galo's bow and arrows with disdain. Even at such close range, the four-bucket soft bow posed no threat to him because its rate of fire was not fast enough.

"I have no grudge against you." Instructor Gong stepped forward with his knife. "But since you witnessed this scene today, I have no choice but to kill you to silence you."

"I will bury you."

"I'm sorry."

As soon as he uttered the words "I'm sorry," he lunged at the three women in a flash.

With a "whoosh," Galo's arrow shot out, striking Gong Jiaotou directly in the face.

Although she was a Jurchen woman who had practiced archery since childhood, she was only thirteen years old and a girl, so she lacked strength. It was already quite remarkable that she could use a light bow with a four-dou weight.

If dealing with an ordinary person, close-range shooting is definitely a major threat, as it is very difficult to dodge.

Unfortunately, she was shooting at Coach Gong.

Coach Gong didn't even look. He could tell the arrow by the sound of the wind and the bowstring. He simply shifted his body and dodged Galo's arrow.

Then he raised his curved sword!
Galo's face turned pale, and he suddenly retreated while simultaneously bending forward to block.

With a "snap," her bow was severed by the incredibly sharp gonka scimitar.

Almost simultaneously, Ding Hongying's Japanese sword also thrust out, as fast as lightning.

"Huh?" Instructor Gong looked a little surprised, not expecting Ding Hongying's knife skills to be so proficient and seasoned.

not simple!
Instructor Gong had no choice but to abandon his plan to kill Galo and instead deal with Ding Hongying.

"Aunt Ning, you all run! I'll hold him off!" Ding Hongying, wielding a knife in both hands, moved like a fierce tiger, her katana flashing with a chilling light as she blocked Instructor Gong's path.

"Don't linger in the fight!" Ning Caiwei shouted, then led Galo towards the valley.

"Someone saw us! Killing us to silence us won't do any good."

Ning Caiwei shouted as she ran without looking back.

He was completely single.

She knew very well that only by escaping herself could Ding Hongying, who was free of burdens, protect herself.

Coach Gong was taken aback and couldn't help but look around.

"Kill!" Ding Hongying shouted, and with a flick of her wrist, she thrust towards Instructor Gong's chest.

"Excellent swordsmanship!" Instructor Gong exclaimed. "I underestimated you, woman!"

With a swift, sweeping motion of his curved blade, he forced Ding Hongying to retreat repeatedly.

As soon as the two exchanged blows, Coach Gong suppressed Ding Hongying.
He was much stronger than Ding Hongying, and his curved sword was swift and fierce; Ding Hongying was clearly no match for him.

However, Ding Hongying relied on her agile movements and relentlessly engaged in combat, refusing to fight head-on, and retreating as she fought.

Instructor Gong tried several times to kill the slippery woman, but failed, and his brows furrowed.

Miscalculated.

He originally thought that although Ding Hongying carried a knife, she was, after all, a young girl, and probably just a martial arts-loving girl. How much combat power could she possibly have?

One strike will finish it off.

If one cut isn't enough, then two cuts will do.

However, to everyone's surprise... this girl was truly a talented swordswoman. Even though she wasn't a master swordsman yet, her swordsmanship was already quite formidable.

She's a natural-born knife expert!

Although his martial arts skills were far superior to hers, he was unable to defeat her in the short term because of her persistent fighting.

He initially thought he could easily kill them and silence them, but these three women were like slippery eels. The youngest one was actually the most cunning.

Seeing that Ning Caiwei was about to run out of the valley and that he was unable to give chase, Instructor Gong couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding.

The Indian monk Kama, who was suffering excruciating pain on the ground, forgot his pain the moment he saw Ding Hongying's heroic figure.

Is this woman really that fierce?
Even if her two disciples survive, they are no match for her!

Even without Coach Gong's intervention, we would have all fallen into this woman's hands.

So, I've come here today to die?
Kama was not stupid; on the contrary, he was quite clever. How could he not see that today was a trap?
Moreover, it was a premeditated trap.

He couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine. That young girl was far too cunning.

She knew all along that she was going to make a move, so she quietly devised a vicious plan and set up this trap!
She's practically a demon!

"Stop running!" Coach Gong shouted helplessly. "If you swear you won't tell anything about what happened today, I won't do anything."

At this point, he suddenly took a step back and stopped attacking Ding Hongying.

He knew very well that with Ding Hongying, a skilled fighter, keeping him occupied, the most cunning little girl would definitely escape from the valley.

At most, they could only kill the woman wielding the knife; their attempt to silence her failed.

Then we have no choice but to negotiate.

However, just as he stepped back and stopped, his expression suddenly changed, and he dodged abruptly, rolling awkwardly to the ground.

"Eternal Mother!" Instructor Gong couldn't help but utter four words that no one else could understand.

At the same time, with a whoosh, an arrow flew past him and stuck in a nearby tree, its fletching trembling.

Coach Gong narrowly avoided the arrow, and when he looked back, he saw a boy standing on the small hill at the mouth of the valley.

To the left of the boy was a tall, imposing young man with a fierce aura and ancient appearance. Behind him was a large bow, and in his hand was a spiked club. He looked very imposing.

To the boy's right was a burly, strong young man holding a bow with a draw weight of at least 100 jin (50 kg).

At this moment, he was drawing his bow and nocking an arrow, preparing to shoot a second arrow.

"Uncle Tiger!" Ding Hongying shouted, brandishing her knife, "You've come at the perfect time! Even I couldn't stop him!"

Zhu Yin looked down at Instructor Gong in the valley from his high vantage point. Although he was just a child, he seemed like a great general who commanded with composure and had everything under control.

"Not bad," Zhu Yin said calmly. "Today I finally witnessed a contest between the Japanese sword and the Korka scimitar."

As Ning Caiwei was fleeing, she saw the tiger cub suddenly appear on the hillside, and her eyes welled up with tears, and her whole body relaxed.

Little tiger, you were worried about me after all, so you still came.

My sister has excellent taste.

She climbed up the small hill, came to Zhu Yin's side, and said with a smile, "Little Tiger, you've got the temperament down perfectly."

"Misunderstanding!" Instructor Gong shouted, "It's a misunderstanding! We can talk! Young man, I meant no harm!"

Zhu Yin smiled mysteriously and said in a childish voice, "Gong Ji, I'll give you a chance. Tell me your background, and I might spare your life."

"Remember, you only have one chance. Whether you live or die depends on your own sincerity."

After he finished speaking, he clapped his hands, and Lancha took the large bow off his back.

When Instructor Gong saw the large bow, his expression immediately became extremely solemn.

This large bow...

Zhu Yin pointed to Lan Cha's bow and said:
"The first-class military bow in the Ming army weighed 120 jin (144 jin in later times), while the large bow of my guard weighed more than 200 jin."

Coach Gong's heart sank.

He definitely couldn't dodge that powerful bow; at that distance, he would surely die.

What he didn't know was that even without Lancha's bow and arrow, he was no match for Lancha.

Zhu Yin continued, "I actually know your identity, and I'm not interested in it. If you keep it a secret, then this valley will be your burial ground."

Gong Ji looked at Zhu Yin in disbelief, thinking to himself, "How can this child be so precocious at such a young age? Is he a child prodigy? Or is someone guiding him behind the scenes?"

Gong Ji never expected that he would be defeated by a child today.

He took a deep breath and said, "Young master, I had no ill intentions. I only wanted to kill this Indian monk to avenge him. As for killing him to silence him, it was purely out of necessity. After all, if I killed this monk, those officials would come after me."

"As for my identity, it is truly impossible to reveal. My death is a small matter, but I cannot be disloyal and unjust."

He decided to keep it a secret. Zhu Yin smiled and uttered eight words: "Vacuum Hometown, Eternal Mother! Who in Qingqiao would know that Instructor Gong of the Wang family is a brother of the White Lotus Sect?"

"Instructor Gong, how many sticks of incense did you burn? You've infiltrated the Wang family, you've done quite a feat."

Coach Gong was startled and couldn't help but ask, "You know?"

Although he suddenly realized that he had involuntarily uttered the words "Eternal Mother" when dodging the arrows, the problem was that very few people outside had ever heard of those words.

How did the child know that?

Zhu Yin sneered, "I know far more than you can imagine. I know things about our sect that you don't."

He guessed Gong Ji's identity, which was, of course, the four characters "Eternal Mother".

Most people wouldn't associate these four words with the White Lotus Sect, or even know what the White Lotus Sect is, and wouldn't care if they heard them.

But Zhu Yin was a time traveler, and those four words were enough for him to see through Gong Ji's identity.

Before Xu Hongru's great uprising, the White Lotus Sect was very low-key and mysterious, with few people knowing about it. The imperial court did not care and did not know that the White Lotus Sect was the Ming Cult of that time.

After all, the last major uprising by Tang Sai'er was during the Yongle reign, which was a long time ago.

In other words, even if you tell others now that you are a member of the White Lotus Sect, the government won't arrest you. At least before Xu Hongru's uprising, nobody took the White Lotus Sect seriously.

Zhu Yin knew that the White Lotus Sect was actually a loose alliance, divided by region, with each part independent of the others, but also consisting of several relatively independent power systems.

These are the four major groups: Shandong White Lotus, Hubei-Guangdong White Lotus, Sichuan-Shaanxi White Lotus, and Jiangnan White Lotus.

These four groups are relatively independent and not subordinate to each other. Their doctrines and organizations are not entirely the same, but within their respective regions, they are tightly organized, hierarchical, and closely connected.

Why is it that organizations like the White Lotus Sect are so difficult to eradicate? Besides resisting oppression, there is another overlooked reason: to fill the void of faith among the lower classes.

In short, it has served as a source of spiritual sustenance for many people, becoming their source of spiritual strength.

When legitimate channels for faith cannot satisfy our needs, these underground beliefs persist despite repeated crackdowns. Since the government lacks universally accepted forms of faith, the people will create their own.

If you don't have the ability to conquer the realm of faith, someone else will.

If you ignore it, someone else will take it seriously.

In Zhu Yin's view, dealing with forces like the White Lotus Sect cannot be achieved by relying solely on people's livelihoods; it is also necessary to reshape traditional Chinese beliefs and provide a platform for faith at the official level.

The fact that Gong Ji appeared in Southern Zhili indicates that he belonged to the Jiangnan Bailian (a term referring to a group of people from southern China who are considered "white lotus" in Chinese folklore).

The center of activity for the Jiangnan White Lotus was Yangzhou Prefecture, which was very close to Nanjing.

Upon hearing Zhu Yin's words, Gong Ji couldn't help but feel that Zhu Yin was even more mysterious.

"And who are you, sir?" Gong Ji asked with surprise and doubt. "Young master, are you also a member of our sect? You seem to be wandering around in all directions, so which Buddha do you worship?"

This is a coded message asking Zhu Yin which region his brother is from.

Zhu Yin sneered, "That Buddha in the North Altar eats the rice from the Grand Canal. As for my status in the North Altar, it's definitely higher than yours in the East Altar."

"If it weren't for the fact that you are a red-flowered, green-leaved, white lotus root, you would have already been shot dead. How could you still be alive?"

Beitan, of course, refers to the Shandong Bailian. The members of the Shandong Bailian were mainly canal laborers and canal workers, so they were said to make a living from the canal.

Gong Ji no longer doubted, thinking that he was so young yet knew so much and had an air of nobility. Could he be a Buddhist disciple from the Northern Altar?
He cupped his hands and said, "So you are a brother from the north. Then I will tell you, young master, that I am the head of the incense hall of the Eastern Altar in this county, in charge of this incense hall."

"In May, the Holy Maiden of the Eastern Altar, who is also the daughter of the sect leader, was abducted on the Dragon Boat Festival. The sect leader personally ordered that the Holy Maiden be found."

"It took us two months to find out that the Holy Maiden had been brought to Qingqiao and had already died tragically at the Liu family's house. The real culprit was this Indian sorcerer monk, who became a guest of honor for all the wealthy families in Qingqiao."

"Moreover, the Liu, Wang, and Zhang families, among other wealthy and powerful clans, all had close ties with this wicked monk, condoning his cruelty towards women. Before the Holy Maiden was humiliated and killed, she became a vessel for some kind of ritual, and the heads of these families, under the guise of cultivating secret arts, all used this to..."

"Therefore, I took advantage of the Wang family's recruitment of a guard captain to infiltrate Qingqiao..."

Zhu Yin said in a serious tone, "Our red flowers, green leaves, and white lotus roots have always been dedicated to eliminating harm for the people and hating evil as if it were our enemy. You have gone to such great lengths not only to get rid of the Indian monk, but also to get rid of the Liu, Zhang, and Wang families who condone and protect him."

Gong Jiu nodded and said, "Young Master, you truly deserve to be a nobleman of the Northern Altar. Indeed, if it were only to kill the demonic monk from India, there would be no need to infiltrate this place. Of course, that demonic monk must be killed, but these powerful families should also be retaliated against."

“Taking revenge on them is not as simple as killing them.”

"But these families are all officials and gentry, wealthy and powerful, and difficult to deal with. We can only proceed slowly and wait for an opportunity. I am not confident either, and it may take ten or eight years to lie low."

“Dongtan cannot rebel, nor can he openly kill officials. If things go wrong, not only will he fail to eliminate them, but Dongtan will also be punished and investigated by the government.”

Zhu Yin laughed and said, "You recruited eighty new guards, and you eliminated all the old guards from the Wang family on the grounds of lacking courage. Do you think this is a clever move?"

"Wang Chaoque is an old fox. He might not suspect you for now, but he might start to feel something's wrong someday. What if he starts to suspect you all at once..."

Upon hearing this, Gong Ji thought about it carefully and immediately broke out in a cold sweat.

That's right!

Wang Chaoque, wanting to win him over, didn't suspect anything for the time being. But once he realized what was going on, he might doubt his loyalty.

Zhu Yin said, "If I were Wang Chaoque, the first thing I would do upon suspecting you is to investigate your place of origin and family. If I find you are lying..."

“If you don’t want to be exposed, you need to make arrangements in advance. Also, if he becomes suspicious, he will test you. He might even plant spies among the servants and guards you recruit to monitor you. Don’t forget, he is a hereditary commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.”

Gong Ji also considered himself a shrewd person, otherwise he wouldn't have infiltrated Qingqiao as the leader of the incense shop.

But it was only then that he realized he was not as good as this child.

This child's meticulousness and thoughtfulness go beyond the description of "a precocious child."

He's absolutely a child prodigy!

He is most likely a Buddhist disciple among the red-flowered, green-leaved, and white-rooted lotus.

"I thank you for your leniency, young master, and for your guidance!" Gong Ji said sincerely, "Regarding today's matter..."

Zhu Yin waved his hand, "If Caiwei doesn't pursue this matter today, then I won't either."

Ning Caiwei cooperated, saying, "Considering that red flowers, green leaves, and white lotus roots all belong to the same lineage, I'll consider it a misunderstanding. However, Gong Jiu, you owe me a favor."

Gong Ji breathed a sigh of relief. "Yes! I owe Miss Caiwei a favor."

Zhu Yin walked down the hillside. "This Indian monk is mine to deal with; I'll make him wish he were dead. As for you..."

“Caiwei also said that she would not hold it against you because the red flowers, green leaves and white lotus roots are all from the same lineage, so I will not pursue the matter any further.”

Gong Ji cupped his hands in thanks: "Thank you for your magnanimity, young master."

Zhu Yin added, “The Zhang, Liu, and Wang families are not ordinary gentry. They are deeply rooted and powerful local figures. It will indeed be very difficult for you to get rid of them.”

"If anything happens in the future, you can send me a message. I'll do my best to help you if I can. Of course, if you're willing to follow my orders, I guarantee you'll complete the mission within three years."

Gong Ji hesitated upon hearing "obey my orders".

If he obeys Zhu Yin's orders, it means that all his brothers and sisters will be at Zhu Yin's disposal.

He didn't dare to bully Zhu Yin because he was young, but... Zhu Yin wasn't from Dongtan after all.

Gong Ji hesitated for a moment, then said, "May I ask if you, young master, are... a Buddhist disciple at the North Altar?"

"I suppose so," Zhu Yin said calmly.

"Sort of?" Gong Ji didn't understand, but he didn't dare to ask further. But he was certain of one thing: Zhu Yin was not his enemy.

Gong Ji then asked, "Buddha, have you come to Jiangning on a mission? Would you be willing to serve me?"

Zhu Yin laughed and said, "Come to Jiangning to make money! Where in the world is there a better place to make money than Jiangnan? Of course, the money belongs to the sect, not to individuals."

Upon hearing this, Gong Ji no longer hesitated and said, "As long as it is beneficial and harmless to the Eastern Altar, I am willing to lead my brothers and sisters in Jiangning to obey the Buddha's command!"

Zhu Yin nodded, his expression completely unlike that of a child. "Gong Ji, you are indeed a smart man. I guarantee that as long as you follow my orders, you will not only complete the mission, but also enjoy many benefits. Red flowers, green leaves, and white lotus roots—the good stuff will stay in the family."

"Of course, I won't let you move easily, and I will only ask you to cooperate when necessary. In this township and county, as long as you follow my orders, it will definitely be a win-win situation."

Upon hearing this, Gong Ji was still somewhat dazed.

He never expected that he, a sect leader, would be so easily manipulated by a child, and that he would have to admire him.

Even the head of the Yingtian Prefecture didn't possess the confidence and composure of this child.

It should be the Buddhist disciple of the North Altar.

When Zhu Yin asked about the number of people at the Jiangning Incense Festival, Gong Ji replied that there were more than 5,000 "pilgrims".

Gong Ji had more than 5,000 followers, which sounded like a lot, but Zhu Yin knew very well that this included not only men, women, and children, but also their families, making them a complete rabble in terms of military strength.

I estimate that even with a few hundred young and strong men, they would be at most dead.

Of course, they did not want to rebel, nor did they dare to openly gather crowds to cause trouble.

But after all, it's more than 5,000 organized human resources; it all depends on how they're used.

This is just a small gathering.

What if it could influence the incense festival in the entire Yingtian Prefecture?

The two reached a preliminary agreement, and Gong Ji left the valley, handing over the pitiful Indian monk to Zhu Yin.

Zhu Yin sat down on a rock with a half-smile, looking at the Indian monk and said, "Do you know how you will die?"

Speaking of which, take the cloth out of his mouth.

"I'll give you a chance to speak."

The Indian monk discovered for the first time that a child could be so terrifying, like a demon child.

"I have a secret, and I hope it will save my life," Kama said breathlessly. "Anyone from the Ming Dynasty will be interested in this secret of the Ming Dynasty, I promise!"

P.S.: Many people aren't reading novels during this holiday. That's all for today. Thank you everyone for your monthly votes! There are double monthly votes these days, so please give me yours if you have any. Goodnight!

(End of this chapter)