A Scroll of Infinite Glory

Chapter 232 Liu Huiniang's Clever Plan to Save Her Father

In Wanchun Manor on one side of Jinan, Liu Huiniang sat on a small boat, drifting on the lake, wearing mourning clothes for her brother, dressed in white like snowflakes.

With her nimble fingers, she folded many paper cranes out of paper money and placed them in the water to pray for her two brothers who had gone to the underworld.

A whirlpool rose on the lake. Guo Jing flicked his whisk and emerged from the whirlpool, with most of the paper cranes being swept to his feet.

"My dear niece, something terrible has happened. Commander Yun and his men have probably suffered a defeat. The enemy troops have attacked the city and have already reached your residence. Your father is in trouble. I rushed here with great difficulty, but I can only save you."

Guo Jing looked anxious and said, "Come with me quickly, let's go back to Bianliang to find my master Chen Daozi."

Upon hearing the devastating news, Liu Huiniang turned deathly pale. She coughed twice, struggled to her feet on the small boat, and said, "My father is in trouble? Did you witness it yourself, Taoist priest? Could you come back with me and see if my father can still be saved?"

Guo Jing's face darkened: "Does my dear niece not believe me?"

Liu Huiniang coughed, took out a handkerchief and waved it. A wooden rhinoceros floated to the surface of the water. She left the small boat and sat down on the rhinoceros's back.

The rhinoceros horn emitted a faint light, and the surrounding river water was pushed aside by three feet. With its four hooves on the ground, it easily ran ashore.

"It's not that I don't believe you, but you're too neatly dressed. If you really saw my father being killed, the bandit leader must have entered the mansion himself. It probably won't be easy for you to get away from that person."

Upon hearing this, Guo Jing's expression shifted slightly. He then used his magic to ride on a cloud and follow Liu Huiniang.

"You are indeed a clever girl, but I have a few words of advice for you. The bandit leader who stormed into Quancheng is a man who has no scruples and cannot be judged by common sense."

"Others might hesitate to kill officials and rebel, but he's different. Even Liu Yongxi didn't want to bother with him, yet he still chased after him to fight. Yun Tianbiao will probably be killed by him too. He's already killed the Grand Commandant and the Circuit Intendant. Do you think he'd show any mercy to your father, a mere Prefect?"

Sitting on the rhinoceros that divides the water, Liu Huiniang's face was pale. She stubbornly said, "My father may not be dead yet. As a daughter, I cannot abandon my loved ones. Daoist, you can't just leave me like this. Why don't you come back to the city with me and try my method?"

Guo Jing's expression was uncertain. He dared not face Guan Luoyang directly. He had fled too easily and lost Liu Guang. But if the Liu family was wiped out and not a single one was left, it would be difficult to explain to Chen Xizhen. That's why he came to find Liu Huiniang.

"This girl is courting death. We should just knock her unconscious and kidnap her to Bianliang."

Suddenly, screams erupted from all directions, interrupting Guo Jing's thoughts.

The maids assigned to serve Liu Huiniang here, along with the servants who had long managed the estate, were screaming and fleeing in panic.

Tigers, wolves, monkeys, cattle, horses, mules, donkeys, bears, eagles, falcons, pythons, and lizards—the many wild animals in this manor became restless, darting out from the gardens, artificial hills, and the exquisite houses.

They quickly outpaced the servants and maids, but instead of attacking and tearing them apart, they simply knocked over and trampled more than a dozen to death.

These restless beasts had no bloodlust, for they were all carved from wood, lifelike, running and roaring.

Liu Huiniang gently waved the brocade handkerchief in her hand, and a hundred beasts surrounded her, galloping along with her. Two wooden raptors descended from the sky, one landing on her shoulder and the other on the head of the water-dividing rhinoceros.

The two birds of prey turned their heads in unison, their four eyes fixed on Guo Jing. They were clearly just wooden figures, yet their eyes could move freely, emitting a truly fierce gaze.

Guo Jing's heart skipped a beat, and he said, "Very well, I have long heard that my niece is resourceful and wise, a female Zhuge Liang. What ideas do you have? Tell me, and I will go through fire and water for you."

"The bandits came from Liangshan, so they must have entered the city from the south. The people in the city must have been in a state of panic, and the chaos would have spread from south to north."

Liu Huiniang's lips were pale, but she spoke in an orderly manner, "The Taoist priest and I will enter the city from the north. With these mechanical puppets, I can stir up trouble in the north in advance. Once the whole city is in chaos, the Liangshan army will be unable to defend itself, which will be our opportunity to make our move."

Guo Jing frowned: "No matter how chaotic things are in the city, as long as Guan Luoyang is still in the Liu residence, we will never be able to rescue your father from him."

Liu Huiniang turned her head and said, "Then we'll have to rely on the Taoist priest. For bandits who want to fight against the government troops, the most important thing is minerals. The Quancheng Mine Warehouse stores half a year's harvest from the three major mines in Quancheng Prefecture. They are all roughly refined ores, cut into standard sizes, which are most suitable for soldiers to eat while practicing martial arts."

"However, if various ores melt and mix, flowing and solidifying on the ground, it becomes much more troublesome than mining directly from the vein. I heard that the Taoist priest has merged Buddhism and Taoism and cultivated a kind of precious flame. As long as you go to the mine and release the divine light of the precious flame, any expert with good eyesight will be immediately drawn there."

After considering it for a moment, Guo Jing felt that this plan might actually be feasible.

Among the Liangshan troops, only Guan Luoyang came; there was no trace of Lin Lingsu. However, we have three Dragon Tiger Pills in hand. As long as we prepare in advance, use the Heavenly Eye Illusion Technique to hide ourselves, and avoid a direct confrontation with Guan Luoyang, it shouldn't be difficult for us to retreat unscathed.

The two went around to the north of the city. Some of the guards on the north side had gone to scout the south, while others had heard rumors that the enemy had entered the city. They had lost their will to guard the city. There were few flags and sparse people on the city wall.

Liu Huiniang directly commanded the magical beasts to smash open the city gate.

Guo Jing took out a brocade box, swallowed one Dragon Tiger Pill, crushed the other two, smeared them on his eyelids, and then leaped into the air, disappearing as if he had crashed into water.

The beast-shaped armored robots entered the city, their parts rotating and shifting, transforming into strange creatures with animal heads and human bodies. They ran around causing destruction and driving away the city's inhabitants.

Liu Huiniang's sect inherited the art of mechanical puppets. During the pre-Qin period, it was once considered a prestigious sect. Unfortunately, this unorthodox method was extremely wasteful of resources and declined even earlier than the demonic path, making its transmission difficult.

Throughout history, many puppeteers, unable to find a willing patron to support them, could only carry their loads and make a living by manipulating puppets. At most, they were regarded as dabbling in strange and frivolous skills, serving as retainers and performing for their masters' distinguished guests.

However, with Liu Guang's full support, Liu Huiniang's puppetry skills were truly put to good use, almost giving her the power to form an army on her own.

Chaos broke out in the north of the city and quickly spread to other parts of the city.

The rhinoceros that divides the water is huge and eye-catching. Liu Huiniang has already abandoned the rhinoceros and mingled in the crowd. Two wooden kites circle in the sky above, seemingly protecting her.

The Liu residence was located in the eastern part of the center of Jinan. As Liu Huiniang moved closer to that location, she gradually felt that something was amiss.

She had assumed that the south of the city would have already descended into chaos, with streets teeming with pedestrians, wailing and howling, families scattered, and people fleeing north in a sorry state.

The two crowds from the south and north of the city will likely collide, causing even greater chaos.

However, there seemed to be no movement at all in the south of the city, which made the noise in the north of the city seem all the more conspicuous.

Soon, soldiers in red robes leaped down from the rooftops, and cavalrymen also arrived from the streets.

Liu Huiniang secretly glanced at them and recognized the leaders. They were Lin Chong and his men. The soldiers were well-dressed and seemed to have encountered no significant obstacles after entering the city. They did not appear to have engaged in any large-scale killing or looting.

"Dismount from your horse; do not disturb the people!"

Lin Chong saw that the creatures causing the unrest in the north of the city were all made of wood, unusually tall, with heads that resembled tigers, wolves, oxen, or bears. He was overjoyed and immediately gave orders.

"So it was all these ugly things causing trouble. Now I'm not afraid of not being able to distinguish the enemy."

"Come on, let's take those things apart!!"

The number of soldiers from Liangshan increased, and their speed of action far exceeded Liu Huiniang's expectations.

She had initially thought those mechanical puppets could wreak havoc, but now it seemed they wouldn't last long.

Fortunately, from the mine, a golden flame shot into the sky, within which thousands of Sanskrit characters flickered, clearly visible even in daylight.

Liu Huiniang hurried towards the Liu residence. When she arrived at the city center, she glanced south.

The streets were clean and tidy, and the houses were all in good order, with no broken doors or windows, and no fires.

She didn't have time to look around much. She carefully made her way through the streets and alleys to the Liu residence. When she finally saw the state of the Liu residence, her thin body trembled slightly.

The once magnificent mansion with its flying eaves, bracket sets, and winding corridors is now only half intact. The high walls, artificial hills, and other structures have all turned into gravel, lying flat on the ground.

Standing outside, it seemed as if one could see the remaining half of the Liu residence in its entirety.

The dilapidated mansion was quiet, with no soldiers guarding it.

Liu Huiniang moved step by step across the gravel and saw that in what should have been a study, there was the corpse of a Taoist priest wearing a crane-feather cloak, and kneeling beside the corpse was an old man with white hair and luxurious clothes.

"father!"

The old man knelt with his back to her. Liu Huiniang anxiously took a few steps to the front and saw Liu Guang with a blank expression, staring blankly with bloodstains between his seven orifices, but he was still breathing.

Liu Huiniang was heartbroken, which aggravated her illness, causing her to cough up blood. She didn't know what kind of torment her father had suffered to become like this.

But as long as he can save his life, that would be a blessing. Once he gets to Bianliang, there will surely be a way to treat him.

Liu Huiniang looked up to call Mu Yuan, but her face froze as soon as she raised it.

Hundreds of embers, still glowing with fire, were seen being swept up by the wind and drifting down.

Feathers carved from wood, bearing scorch marks, landed on Liu Huiniang's face.

These two wooden kites were masterpieces made by Liu Huiniang herself. They possess immense power and can soar over a hundred feet off the ground, cutting through the wind and flying high. People sitting on them can breathe comfortably and feel as stable as if they were lying in bed. They can travel thousands of miles a day without feeling any cold wind coming towards them.

Yet these two divine artifacts were destroyed without anyone knowing.

Liu Huiniang's body hunched over, clutching her chest, as if her spine had been removed.

"I thought someone had caused such a commotion to lure the tiger away from the mountain, but it turns out it was Liu Guang's daughter."

Guan Luoyang stood a few steps away and looked at her. "You dare to come to me to save people despite your illness. You are truly a filial daughter. But to exchange your filial piety for the chaos caused by half the city's inhabitants is truly disgusting."

Liu Huiniang said sadly, "I just don't understand, when the bandits entered the city and lost the protection of the government, why didn't the people panic and flee?"

"That's a good question."

Guan Luoyang chuckled and said, "Then let me ask you a question too. If I were to hang up your entire family, do you think any household in the city would mourn and shed tears for you?"

Liu Huiniang said, "They are able to enjoy peace and prosperity here, without worrying about food or clothing, all thanks to my father. You bandits are acting against the natural order..."

Guan Luoyang interrupted her, "I've been destroying the Liu family mansion for some time now. Have you seen any family worrying about you or coming out to check on you?"

Liu Huiniang's breath hitched, her gaze swept around, and after a long while, her eyes gradually became fixed, and she spat out another mouthful of blood.

"These...foolish men and women, ungrateful and treacherous, didn't even dare to run away, ruining my grand plan!"

Her wisdom and her schemes were not deciphered by any more brilliant sage, but rather because she simply did not understand the people of this city.

Liu Huiniang became increasingly angry, which triggered a relapse of her illness, and she was on the verge of dying on the spot.

As Guan Luoyang watched her vomit blood repeatedly and nearly faint, he flicked his finger, and a bolt of lightning exploded between her chest and abdomen.

Liu Huiniang was jolted awake by the pain and let out a scream that was not human. Electric currents flowed through her body, making a crackling sound.

The stimulation from this electric light, so perfectly controlled, caused her pain, yet it also made her even more acutely aware, allowing her to hear Guan Luoyang's voice as clearly as if it were engraved on her skin.

"You haven't heard my answer yet, how dare you die?"

"Why didn't they run away? It's actually quite simple. The pressure from the enemy entering the city wasn't enough to make them abandon their homes and leave their hometowns."

The people in the city seem to have enough to eat and wear, and are much better off than those in the rural villages and towns outside the city. But in reality, at least 90% of the population in this prosperous city of springs are still just ordinary people at the bottom of society.

These common people had no carriages for transportation, no powerful servants to accompany and protect them, and no gold, silver, or valuables to rebuild their lives in other cities.

They were illiterate and unfamiliar with the world; even if they wanted to escape, they wouldn't know which direction to choose.

Unless Guan Luoyang truly allows his troops to plunder and kill indiscriminately, these people will instinctively hide in their homes, close their doors and windows, and wait anxiously and fearfully.

Those houses with tiles on the roof and walls on the sides, no matter how simple they are, are their greatest wealth and the only thing that can bring them a sense of security.

"What's funny is that in many places, the cities haven't fallen yet, and their prefects, governors, and generals haven't been killed by me, but the common people have already abandoned their houses in a panic, and can't even take care of their families. They are fleeing their hometowns in tattered coarse cloth and barefoot."

Guan Luoyang's voice continued.

"Do you understand now? People like your father are more terrifying than robbers in their actions."

"You reap what you sow; the common people are like the earth, giving only the most truthful feedback."

"They are not being foolish; they are bringing retribution upon you."

click!

The lightning flashed and then disappeared.

Liu Huiniang convulsed and collapsed to the ground, her whole body turning black. She felt as if her internal organs were being burned and her liver and intestines were being torn apart. She died unwillingly in hellish pain.

Guan Luoyang watched coldly. It was one thing to be a villain, since it was going to be a fight anyway, but to be a villain without any remorse was truly disgusting.

Near the mine, a large hole had appeared in the ground for some unknown reason. The soldiers led by Lu Da and Wu Song were falling endlessly into this hole, with nowhere to gain any foothold.

Guo Jing escaped Lu Da and Wu Song's pursuit using his Heavenly Eye Illusion Technique. Knowing that things were hopeless, he decided to flee. Suddenly, a bell rang.

Gongsun Sheng held the Nine Yang Divine Bell in his hand, and with a single strike of the Pine Pattern Ancient Sword, a yang energy permeated the surroundings, instantly shattering the illusion.

With a loud shout, Lu Da broke free from the darkness and shoveled Guo Jing's head off.

The Taoist priest didn't shed a drop of blood. He remained silent, jumped into the air, covered his head, and flew away on a cloud.

Suddenly, a whirlwind of blades swept over from the side, and with a series of sharp, clean cuts, Guo Jing's body was sliced ​​into layers from head to toe.

Wu Song sheathed his sword, and the Taoist priest behind him was torn apart layer by layer, spurting out a large amount of blood that splashed on the ground.

The Nine Yang Divine Bell rang again.

In mid-air, a figure of Guo Jinglai, made of green smoke, inexplicably appeared. His face was identical, but his lower body was a cloud of smoke. Startled by the sound of the bell, his face showed despair. He dissipated in mid-air and vanished into nothingness.

As Guan Luoyang listened to the tolling of the bell, he silently thought: If Heaven is unjust, then my Liangshan should truly act on behalf of Heaven...

May your retribution come sooner!

(End of this chapter)