Please call me Huanxian

Chapter 356: Jianghu Rules

"Zhang Yun, Lin Wu, you two light torches and go to Tushan Town to report the case overnight. Zheng Guanji, go get some hemp rope to tie up the bandits on the ground, and apply medicine to the bandit with a broken leg to stop the bleeding. Don't let him die on the ground of the Taoist temple. Be careful of the thieves and their accomplices who might be spying on you."

The old abbot methodically assigned three dumbfounded Taoist priests who were hiding in the room.

"Uh... yes, yes, you are awesome, host... just take a rest, let us take care of the small matters."

"Yes, yes, yes. I'll go make a pot of good tea for the host first."

"Luckily the host showed his power, otherwise we would be in trouble today."

Three Taoist priests with bruised faces and noses flattered the robber with fawning smiles on their faces. They quickly got up and tied up the unconscious robber with hemp ropes. They couldn't help but beat and kick the robber to vent the humiliation they had suffered.

The old host waved his hand, rejecting their flattery, signaling them to get down to business, and slowly walked to the side hall room.

Sitting cross-legged on the cushion, I pondered but could not find the answer.

He had traveled here from the Qianlin Temple, which was five thousand miles away. He practiced Taoism and took things as they came. Besides, he liked the quietness of this place, so he took on the responsibility given to him by the former abbot. Every day, he led the miscellaneous Taoist priests to do homework, grow vegetables, and farm, and lived a leisurely life with simple meals.

Perhaps he would take some time to travel a long distance and return to the unfamiliar "Qianlin Temple".

He forgot so many things that he even forgot that he was proficient in fighting and kicking.

After thinking for a long time, I felt exhausted and took a nap with my eyes closed.

When he woke up, the oil lamp had already gone out, and the sky outside the window was slightly bright, with a pure blue color.

The old abbot slowly stood up, opened the door and walked out of the side hall. He did not see the Taoist priest who stayed behind to sweep the fallen leaves on the ground. He turned to the backyard and saw five bandits tied up in a pile with rags stuffed in their mouths, struggling and making "wuuuuuuuuuuu".

He called out several times but received no response from the Taoist priest who stayed behind.

Tear the rag out of the bandit leader's mouth.

"Old Niubi... Taoist priest, if you know what's best for you, please let us go. You can't afford to offend the men in Hunshan Village. The three of them took away all the gold and silver buried in the corner of the courtyard wall and ran away overnight."

The bandit leader glared at the old Taoist priest with a pair of fierce eyes and threatened him viciously.

Xu Yuanchang glanced at the freshly dug soil at the courtyard wall, and slowly stuffed the rag into the robber's mouth.

He was also surprised that he didn't feel any fear in his heart, as if it had nothing to do with him.

He also did not feel angry or dissatisfied about the three servants who secretly escaped in the middle of the night.

The bandits in Hunshan Village were notorious in this area. The villagers nearby would scare their children by saying, "If you don't obey, Hunshan Village will take you away." It was said that the government had surrounded and suppressed them many times, but each time several leading bandits escaped. Even if they caught dozens of bandits and chopped off their heads, it was of no avail.

He turned around and went to the front yard to fetch water to wash his hands and face. The old abbot opened the dilapidated main hall, burned incense and did his homework, then went to the kitchen to make some bread to eat. He took an elm stick half a person's height and as thick as an egg as a walking stick, walked into the backyard to loosen the hemp ropes on the bandits' feet, wrapped all the swords with coarse cloth, carried them on the bandits' backs, and drove them down the mountain towards Tushan Town, twenty miles away.

The robbers suffered many beatings with sticks, and their bones were almost broken. They dared not to act rashly or play tricks anymore, and just kept on going on their way.

The strong man with a knife wound on his leg took one step at a time, the wound burst and blood dripped all the way.

The old host was indifferent, turned a blind eye, and had a heart of stone.

Many villagers gathered along the way to watch. They heard that the Taoist priest of Xishui Temple had caught several thieves who went up the mountain to steal last night, and they were all very excited to watch the fun. They didn't know that the five thieves who were beaten badly were robbers from Hunshan Village. The children threw stones at the thieves whose mouths were blocked, and the young and strong people who were eager to do good ran to the town to report the news.

A young man in green robe was watching with his hands behind his back on the top of a distant mountain, with an evil smile on his face.

"You have an unchangeable character, hate evil, and are very cautious."

"Xiao Xuzi, just bear with it slowly. Doing good things comes at a price. If you don't go through the hardships of ordinary mortal life, how can you be called 'mortal'? If you suffer the pain of a disability, a fallen phoenix is ​​no better than a chicken."

"It's none of my business, just stay out of it and watch the show."

The old abbot led five bandits with rags stuffed in their mouths for more than ten miles, followed by a group of curious people who came to watch the fun. Several bad guys in the town hurried over after hearing the news.

"This is... Wu Sanmazi and Mang Guniu from Hunshan Village. Taoist Master Xu, you..."

The leader of the bad gang was just recognizing the unrecognizable bandit leader and the lame strong man. His face changed color, he looked around, and quickly whispered to one of his men to run back to the town quickly, borrow a donkey and go to the city to report the case.

The small town of Tushan didn't dare to let these bandits stay overnight.

The county constables and yamen runners had to go to the town to pick up these hot potatoes to prevent the prisoners from being kidnapped by bandits on the way.

I don't dare to think about any credit, but I'll be thankful as long as I don't provoke revenge from those desperate criminals in Hunshan Village.

When the villagers who followed behind heard that the old Taoist priest had captured a bandit from Hunshan Village, they immediately dispersed.

"Master Xu, you are in big trouble."

The Bad Guys were pulling the righteous old abbot aside. The only Taoist temple in the area, the two abbots knew each other, and they lowered their voices and said, "The bandits in Hunshan Village cannot be caught. Unless we can wipe out the roots and capture the four bandit leaders in the mountain, they will seek revenge on you."

He was even more worried that the bandits in Hunshan Village would vent their anger on Tushan Town.

Hunshan Village is located at the junction of three prefectures. It has high mountains, dense forests, and countless caves.

It is said that in the past hundred years, thieves and murderers who have committed crimes, gangsters who are hunted by their enemies, men who have been separated from their wives and children and cannot survive, etc., have all gone to the lawless area to seek a living. The government has sent troops to suppress them several times, but each time new thieves and bandits would form within less than ten years.

The Black King Kong, One-Eyed Wolf, Bared-Tooth Rat and Brocade Fox gangs have been rampant in Hunshan for twenty years. It is said that there have been four internal conflicts. There are more than a hundred elite bandits and countless spies scattered in other places.

The old host also lowered his voice and said, "They broke into the Taoist temple at night and wanted to kill people with knives. I had no choice but to knock them down and capture them alive. I can't just let them beat me and kill me without fighting back, right?"

The captain was very surprised. He didn't expect that the skinny and old Taoist Master Xu had such a skill. He whispered, "Why didn't Zhang Yun and the other three come with us?"

"Seeing that something bad had happened, they sneaked away at night."

"Damn you, ungrateful bastards. If it weren't for Daoist Master Hao taking them in and treating them, the three of them would have been covered with grass on their graves. How could they have lived a peaceful life for the past five or six years?"

The captain was cursing in a low voice, and he hesitated for several times, and finally reminded in a low voice: "Master Xu, you are not a local, don't wade into the muddy water of Hunshan Village. After leaving the government office, disguise yourself and sneak away. The Xishui Temple cannot be saved. Don't lose your life for a broken Taoist temple."

The old commander Xu Yuan sighed with a heavy heart, and listened to the captain whispering to him about the strength of Hunshan Village and its many evil and sinister means along the way, and he remained almost silent all the way.

The bandits in Hunshan Village are numerous and powerful, and it is impossible for an old man like him to resist them.

He then returned to Qianlin Temple to avoid disaster and also to find out his past which he could not remember.

After entering the town, the team was arranging for Master Xu to rest in the guest room of the government office, and provided hot water, tea and meals.

In another room where the robbers were imprisoned, they served good wine and delicious food, and sent several servants to serve them. They were afraid to untie the robbers. At the end of the afternoon, a team of constables and runners arrived on horseback pulling a prison cart, and more than 20 soldiers with guns and bows and arrows were ready for battle.

Xu Yuanchang followed the escort team of the prisoner van and got a donkey to ride. When it was getting dark, he arrived at the county town in a dusty state.

The county lieutenant interrogated the five Hunshanzhai robbers overnight, and summoned the old abbot for questioning the next day. He checked the certificate the old abbot carried with him and praised the old abbot for his righteous act. As for the thieves' counterattack, which accused the dilapidated Taoist temple of having a large amount of silver and money of unknown origin, he did not take it seriously.

Xishui Temple was extremely poor, and the robes of the two previous and current abbots were patched. How could they make any money?
It is very likely that the three servants who escaped took away the hidden gold and silver.

After staying in the county town for three days, the old abbot had used up all the copper coins he had. Finally, he received approval from the county government and could go back.

The old host felt a little regretful. He should have searched the five robbers for some copper coins in advance.

A penny can make a hero fail. He wanted to set up a fortune-telling stall, but he had no tools and couldn't even disguise himself. He helped the county government catch five robbers, but didn't get a single copper coin as reward.

He wanted to see the county lieutenant, but was driven out by the bailiffs.

The old host walked out of the county town with a wooden stick. He was at a loss for a long time and still returned to the southeast. He had nowhere to go.

If you want to travel, you have to take fortune-telling banners and buckets with you. On the way, you can pick some sour wild fruits in the mountains to satisfy your hunger and drink some water. You dare not take the official road. When you rush back to Xishui Temple, it is already dark.

The top of the mountain was burned into a white land, and even the ancient trees in front and behind the Taoist temple were burned black and bare.

The old abbot staggered, wanting to cry but without tears. He felt that he had failed to live up to the trust placed in him by Taoist Master Hao. Xishui Temple was destroyed in his hands.

Sitting on the blackened threshold stone from smoke and fire, the old host's eyes flickered with complex emotions such as hatred, self-blame, and resentment. The house was destroyed and the autumn rain was falling, and it was drizzling heavily from the sky.

In the cold rain and mountain wind, the old host slowly got up and went to search the burned and collapsed kitchen. He took out a flint and steel from the mud and coke and put them on his body. He found a broken rice jar, filled a cloth bag with brown rice mixed with mud and sand, and dug out a smashed copper kettle and other items.

He went down the mountain covered in mud and water, found an abandoned cave at the back of the mountain, tidied it up a bit, and used it as a temporary shelter.

He slowly knocked the copper kettle until it could be used again, then lit a fire and cooked half a pot of brown rice porridge.

The dirty and worn Taoist robe on his body was baked dry, and the firelight reflected on his wrinkled old face, which showed indecision and sorrow.

In the second half of the night, I took a nap leaning against the blackened rock wall.

After daybreak, the old host cooked a pot of thick porridge to fill his stomach, while the autumn rain was falling outside.

Entering the mist and rain, the old abbot walked towards the deep mountains in the east, leaning on a wooden stick. The robbers from Hunshan Village burned his Taoist temple and fortune-telling tools, and he wanted to take revenge on them personally.

Although there was a voice in his heart telling him that if he couldn't afford to offend someone, he could avoid them and just keep quiet.

As long as the mountains remain, there will be no shortage of firewood, etc.

But the old abbot thought about it for half the night and felt that he could not be a coward, otherwise his heart of Taoism would not be clear, and all his lifelong efforts in Taoism would be wasted in one day.

He resolutely decided to venture into Hunshan Village, which was known as a den of dragons and tigers.

I'm willing to die, but I just want to have a clear conscience.

The young man in green robes in the distance was laughing, not minding the excitement, and said, "In times of crisis, one's true character is revealed. This guy hid himself too deeply before. I didn't expect that he has quite a bit of blood in his bones."

The old host walked over fifty miles of mountain road and finally arrived at nightfall. He was covered in mud and his face was almost unrecognizable.

He did not rush to seek revenge, but found a cave, filled his stomach, and rested for a night to recuperate.

On the second night, the old host found the Hunshan Village, which was steep and had only a narrow winding path. He chose to climb from the back, grabbing onto tree branches and vines, or the cracks in the stone wall, and climbed up and down the steep mountain over 300 feet high freely like an old monkey. It took him less than half an hour to climb the dangerous mountain, and he landed steadily on the rock on the top of the mountain.

The old host laughed at himself, wondering if he was born a bandit. He became more and more aware of his own extraordinary abilities.

But the official official certificate could not be forged, and he was a genuine old cultivator.

Walking from the darkness towards the courtyard where lights and voices were heard, the top of the mountain was a flat land covering an area of ​​about five miles, where crops and vegetables were planted. There was a row of mud and stone sheds on the side. At night, many ragged, skinny men walked by, but no one stopped the old Taoist priest with a wooden stick or questioned him.

The old host came to the stone-walled courtyard in the middle without any obstruction. He saw lights coming from the front of the main gate and a few minions with knives hanging from their waists leaning against pillars, laughing and chatting about dirty jokes.

He leaped onto the wall and landed lightly in the yard, like a silent old cat.

After avoiding several thugs and passing through three courtyard walls, they came to a hall with a plaque that read "Hunshan Hall". The hall was brightly lit and filled with the sound of people shouting and yelling.

The old host leaped under the eaves, raised a wooden stick and stabbed forward, killing two gatekeepers who were startled and wanted to draw their swords. He showed no mercy.

As I stepped into the smoky hall, I heard a sudden noise of overturned tables and chairs and smashed dishes.

"Who are you? How dare you break into our Hunshan Village!"

"Old man, you've come to the wrong place."

"Hurry up and kill him!"

Several men near the door suddenly overturned the table and threw it at the old Taoist priest who came for no apparent reason.

They drew their swords and rushed over to kill. They had all been through many battles and knew that the newcomers were up to bad intentions. The old Taoist priest looked frail and his body was covered in dirt, but he was able to sneak into Hunshan Hall silently, which was enough to explain his problem.

The old host moved his body to the left, tapping the ground with his toes, avoiding the table, cups, dishes and soup. He raised the wooden stick and poked it continuously. The "puff puff puff" sound of piercing the skull and larynx made the robbers shudder.

In a short while, most of the bandits fell in the huge Hunshan Hall, and the smell of blood mixed with the smell of wine and meat was nauseating.

The dark, fat, bald man in the lead drew his sword and shouted, "Friend, if we have offended you, please let us know. We will double the compensation according to the rules of the underworld."

The old host stabbed to death two robbers who tried to rush out of the hall, and took a rest leaning on the wooden stick. Killing people is a physical job, and he felt weak. He wanted to gnaw on a pork elbow that fell on the ground to replenish the fat in his stomach.

"I am the abbot of Xishui Temple. My surname is Xu and my name is Yuan. Every wrong has its perpetrator and every debt has its creditor. Today, I will seek justice for Xishui Temple!"

The old host bent down and picked up a pot of wine, with half left, and poured it into his mouth.

"Wait, don't do anything."

A young man dressed as a scholar shouted, "Old Taoist priest, we are the ones who have offended you. How about this? We will compensate you with one thousand taels of silver and rebuild your Taoist temple. From now on, we will not interfere with each other and settle our grievances."

The old host ate two pancakes and regained his strength. He said, "There is no need to go through so much trouble. I will kill you and all the money will belong to me. So the rules of the martial world must be followed. Prepare to die!"

"Kill him, shoulder to shoulder!"

"Kill!"

"..."

(End of this chapter)