Three Kingdoms Lords: Starting by walking into the mouth of a giant python

Chapter 132 Geng Gongnan Jiyun

Yuan Shao fell from his horse, his life hanging by a thread. Yan Liang and Wen Chou rushed up, cleaved away the skeletons, and saved Yuan Shao.

On the city walls of Beizhou, another Taoist priest used his sorcery to summon a thick fog that stretched for over a hundred miles.

The bean soldiers and skeletons launched an attack.

In the fog, the Jizhou troops could not withstand the onslaught and collapsed in disarray.

Most of Prefect Liu's confidants were killed, especially those with the surnames Liu and Li; none of them escaped, and they were all beheaded.

Yan Liang and Wen Chou carried Yuan Shao and protected Prefect Liu as they fled.

Taking advantage of his victory, Wang Ze launched a rebellion, ordering Li Yu, Bu Ji, and the monk Danzi to guard the city, while Zhang Luan led Yuan Ji, Dian Wei, and Cao Cao northwards, and Wang Ze, along with Zuo Que'er and Hu Yong'er, attacked Daming Prefecture.

Within a few months, they captured dozens of cities and occupied Bozhou, Jizhou, Zhaozhou, Daming Prefecture and other places.

The world was shaken.

Emperor Renzong was furious and dismissed the treacherous minister Xia Song, appointing Bao Zheng, Wen Yanbo, and others.

While selecting elite soldiers and generals, they also sought out Buddhist masters in famous mountains and rivers, preparing to challenge Wang Ze again.

Seeing that the situation was under control, the king established the state of Anyang and declared himself the King of Dongping.

The emperor bestowed the titles of Empress upon Hu Yong'er, Holy Mother upon the old fox, Imperial Brother-in-law upon Zuo Que'er, Grand Commandant upon Zhang Luan, and Grand Tutor upon Li Yu.

The remaining Bu Ji, Cao Cao, and others were all dismissed from their posts and given official positions.

The monk Danzi was also given the title of Imperial Preceptor.

However, he came from a Buddhist family, and although he believed in destiny, he still had a compassionate heart and did not want to commit any more killings. So he left Beizhou and went to Zijin Mountain in Daming Prefecture to cultivate.

On this day, Li Yu was sorting through his recent gains at the Grand Tutor's mansion.

[Square Pot] now has an additional [Snake Princess].

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[Name] Jiang Lei

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[Level] Strength 78, Intelligence 35

【Characteristics】[Heavenly Laughter], [Stone Soldier], [Metamorphosis], [Petrification]

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[Tianxiao]: Thunder roars and lightning flashes like arrows.

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In the Eastern Wilderness Mountains lies a large stone chamber, where the Eastern King resides. He is ten feet tall, with snow-white hair, a human form, a bird's face, and a tiger's tail. He rides a black bear, looking left and right, and is always playing the game of pitch-pot with a jade maiden. Each time, they throw twelve hundred arrows; if one arrow goes in but doesn't, the heavens sigh. If an arrow goes out but misses and isn't caught, the heavens laugh.

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Lightning flashes in the sky without rain are called "heavenly laughter".

Li Yu moved the Thunder God's Millstone into the Jade Maiden Mountain Temple, and thus obtained the Snake Princess.

To his satisfaction, Jiang Lei could summon thunder without needing props like the Thunder God's Chisel or the Lightning Mirror.

The thought crossed his mind, and lightning struck.

With enough energy, the power is boundless.

Once she advances to a higher rank and her energy limit increases, [Snake Princess] Jiang Lei will be able to create a grand spectacle of "thousands of drums thundering on the ground and thousands of flags blazing in the wind."

Besides [Snake Princess], Li Yu's [Skull] has also changed.

[Ding Gu] has already achieved [Lower Rank of Xuanpin] (Liu - 3/100) after "Slaying Liu" more than 10. [Skeleton King Wu Chen] is only one Li away, 9/10, and promotion is in sight.

In addition, two more [Skeleton Warriors] have been added.

Geng Gong, son of Geng Yan, one of the Twenty-Eight Generals of Yuntai, led troops to garrison the western border cities of Cheshi and Jinpu.

Later, when Shule City was besieged by the Northern Xiongnu, Geng Gong led several hundred men to hold out for half a year until the city ran out of food and water. The Chanyu (Xiongnu ruler) tried to persuade him to surrender, but he refused to yield to the death.

When the Han reinforcements arrived, only twenty-six people remained in Shule City.

After overcoming numerous obstacles and entering the Jade Gate Pass, the group was "wearing out their clothes and shoes, and looking emaciated," with only thirteen people remaining.

"With lofty ambitions, we'll feast on the flesh of the barbarians" and "Our integrity surpasses that of Su Wu"—these phrases both refer to them.

[Skeleton Warrior Geng Gong] is a [Yellow Rank] character and possesses the [Special Feature: Slay the Di].

Nan Jiyun was a man of the Tang Dynasty. Born into poverty, he made a living by boating. When An Lushan rebelled, Zhang Zhao, the magistrate of Juye, raised an army to resist the enemy. Nan Jiyun, skilled in riding and archery, became a general. Later, he joined Zhang Xun's army.

With Suiyang besieged, Zhang Xun sent Nan Jiyun to Linhuai to seek help from Helan Jinming.

Helan Jinming refused to send troops, but admired Nan Jiyun's bravery and insisted on keeping him, providing him with food and entertainment. Nan Jiyun said, "When I came, the people of Suiyang had not eaten for more than a month. Although I wanted to eat alone, I could not bear it. Even if I ate, I could not swallow it." He cut off a finger and left without eating.

When Suiyang fell and the enemy forced Zhang Xun to surrender, Zhang Xun shouted at them, "Nanba, a man's life is not for the sake of the dead, but for the sake of injustice!"

Nan Jiyun laughed and said, "If you intend to achieve something, and you have spoken, how could I dare not die!"

He then died.

[Nan Jiyun] is also a [Yellow Grade], possessing the [Special Feature: Exterminate the Rong].

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A knocking sound rang out, and Li Yu waved his hand, sending the skeletons back to [Fanghu].

The three who came to visit were Cao Cao, Yuan Ji, and Dian Wei.

"Greetings, Master."

"Greetings, Martial Uncle."

The three men bowed and presented their gifts, which Li Yu accepted. Smiling, he asked, "Anyang Kingdom has just been established, and everything needs rebuilding. This is precisely the time for the three of you to contribute. Why have you all come here?"

Yuan Ji smiled bitterly.

Dian Wei angrily retorted, "Rotten wood cannot be carved!"

When Cao Cao explained the reason, Li Yu suddenly understood.

However, Wang Ze had not yet fully conquered Hebei, but he had already begun to enjoy himself. First, he transformed the Beizhou government office into a palace, and then he built mansions and palaces for Zuo Que'er, Sheng Gugu, Hu Yong'er, and others, spending countless amounts of money and grain.

The people worked day and night, and all sighed in despair.

Zhang Luan's Grand Commandant's Mansion and Li Yu's Grand Tutor's Mansion were also scheduled for major renovations, but the two stopped them.

Besides undertaking large-scale construction projects, Wang Ze also searched far and wide for beautiful women among the common people and brought them into the palace. He also selected thirty beauties to send to Zuo Que'er, Zhang Luan, and Li Yu.

Li Yu naturally refused. Zhang Luan, being a eunuch, could not be near women, so he also declined.

Only Zuo Que'er, who had already been crippled by an arrow for harassing women, now possessed magical powers and his lustful heart remained unchanged. He took all the beauties as his concubines and indulged in pleasure day and night.

Not yet satisfied, they would occasionally go on incognito visits with Wang Ze to abduct respectable women, indulging in such pleasures as if in a gambling contest.

"This boy is not worth discussing anything with."

Cao Cao made a final comment.

After listening, Li Yu asked them what their plans were for the future.

Yuan Ji said that since Wang Ze and the crippled master were not capable of accomplishing anything, it would be better to abandon them and leave. He then went with his master Zhang Luan to Daming Prefecture to find the Egg Master and retire to the mountains together.

Cultivating immortality and attaining enlightenment, living a carefree and unrestrained life, is far better than living in Anyang, where livestock are restless and insects roam freely.

Cao Cao and Dian Wei both nodded.

Actually, there's something else that the three of them can't say.

This world begins with [Moonlight Scroll - Egg Monk]. Following Egg Monk around is the best choice.

Li Yu naturally understood their thoughts and agreed with them.

However, he then thought of the two [Skeleton Warriors] he had recently summoned and asked, "You say they are 'uncarvable' and 'not worth plotting against,' so what would constitute 'carvable' and 'plausible'?"

The three of them were taken aback.

Li Yu suddenly changed the subject and asked, "Do you know what the current state of affairs in the world is like?"

Cao Cao and the other two nodded.

The current dynasty is called Song, and its main external enemies are the Northern Liao and the Western Xia.

Six years ago, Li Yuanhao of Xia Prefecture broke with the Song family, declared himself emperor, and established the state of Xia.

The relationship between the Song and Xia dynasties broke down.

In the following years, the Song army suffered defeats in the battles of Sanchuankou, Haoshuichuan, Linfufeng, and Dingchuanzhai, with tens of thousands of soldiers dying far from home.

In June of this year, the Song family paid an annual price of 250,000 taels of silver, silk, and tea to Li Yuanhao, who then submitted to the Song as the "Lord of Western Xia."

Then there's the Northern Liao, which annexed the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun a hundred years ago, expanding its territory to the Great Wall.

Forty years ago, the Treaty of Chanyuan stipulated that Liao and Song would become brother states, but Song would have to pay Liao an annual tribute of 100,000 taels of silver and 200,000 bolts of silk.

Since the year before last, this "annual tribute" has been increasing every year.

All of this infuriated Cao Cao, Dian Wei, and even Yuan Ji.

When have the sons of Han ever suffered such humiliation, ceding territory and paying reparations?

"A true man should command his troops as a general, ride his warhorse beyond the Great Wall, drive out the barbarians, and achieve the feats of Wei Qing and Huo Qubing!" Li Yu said.

Cao Cao and Dian Wei couldn't help but nod in agreement.

Yuan Ji shook his head: "To send troops from Anyang to drive out the barbarians is just wishful thinking."

That's not wrong.

Wang Ze's conquest of Hebei Road was largely due to the magic of Zuo Que'er, Zhang Luan, and others.

As for elite troops and capable generals, they were practically nonexistent.

Li Yu retorted, "If magic can defeat the troops of Ji Province, how can it not defeat the Northern Liao and Western Xia?"

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The next day, Yuan Ji entered the Prince's residence and brought up the idea of ​​"driving out the barbarians," but the Prince resolutely refused.

Yuan Ji then went to find his master.

Zhang Luan disliked the actions of Wang Ze, Zuo Que'er, and others, and was already planning to leave. Upon hearing Yuan Ji's explanation, he became interested.

Next, Dian Wei will go to Daming Prefecture to find his master, the monk Danzi.

The story of "The Three Sui Suppressing Demons" is named after the monk Danzi, who participated in the rebellion in the early part of the story. At the end of the story, he was inspired by the Goddess Jiutian Xuannv and transformed into "Zhuge Suizhi," joining the army of Wen Yanbo, the general sent by the imperial court to quell the rebellion of Wang Ze.

According to the timeline, the current Egg Monk has already met with [the Goddess of the Nine Heavens] and left Zijin Mountain in Daming Prefecture.

Li Yu didn't want to meet the [Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden] so soon, so he made up an excuse to stop Dian Wei.

The next day, with everything in place, the group headed north.

After several instances of "sorcery," a fierce wind raged and a thick fog rose, causing all the prefectures and counties along the way to be utterly defeated.

Hejian Prefecture, Mozhou, Xiongzhou...

After conquering a province or city, Cao Cao and his men would loudly proclaim their vision of "driving out the Di and Rong tribes, conquering the Sixteen Provinces of Yan and Yun, and establishing unparalleled achievements."

Most of the people in the various states watched coldly, but countless young men mounted their horses, shouting, "A man's life is for honor, why should he suffer the hardships of war?" and headed north.

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In the winter of the fourth year of the Qingli era, when the seventy-year-old Wen Yanbo was ordered to suppress the bandits, Jia Desheng, the "Fire Dragon Immortal," was invited to come out of seclusion.

When the menacing Liao envoys rode into Bianliang City.

Emperor Renzong then realized that the focus of the political situation in the Central Plains was no longer the Prince of Hebei, Ze.

(End of this chapter)