I became a saint by picking up corpses in Water Margin

Chapter 367: Calling a Deer a Horse to Solve an Old Case, Shi Xiu's Defeated Army Arouses Suspicion

Yang Chang led Chao Gai inside, and everyone was shocked and stunned, not knowing whether the person coming was a human or a ghost.

Xu Ning was guilty of something, so he was naturally the most nervous among all the people. Yang Chang saw him rubbing his hands repeatedly and thought to himself, "Aren't you as steady as a rock? Why are you finally scared?"

Many people of that era might not be afraid of death, but they were very awed by ghosts and gods.

Yang Chang had no intention of recruiting him, he just wanted to expose Song Jiang's true face, so he took great pains.

Seeing Xu Ning's behavior, Yang Chang immediately pointed at him and said, "I have always been happy to help others. Didn't I ask King Chao to clear your grievances? Now you have got what you asked for. Are you satisfied?"

"He, he, is he a human or a ghost?"

"What do you say?"

Yang Chang's eyes were stern, and he threatened in a deep voice: "If you still don't plead guilty, I will make you perish forever!"

"what?"

The more Xu Ning listened, the more panicked he became, and when he saw Chao Gai getting closer, his whole body began to tremble.

"I know you are not the mastermind, but if you don't tell the truth, I will take you to hell!" Chao Gai spoke in a rough and powerful voice.

Wu Song and Hu Sanniang couldn't help but look at each other, thinking, why does this voice look familiar?
Ruan Xiaoqi also frowned. Although some time had passed, he didn't think it was Chao Gai's voice. Could it be that his brother's voice changed after his death?
Sun Li went up the mountain late. He was one of the people keeping vigil at that time, but he did not have a deep impression of Chao Gai, so he did not suspect anything at this time, but just felt it was incredible.

Only Xu Ning was confused. The other party simply raised his voice and shouted, but he didn't even recognize the voice of Cheng Wang who had just escorted him.

"I I said"

Xu Ning swallowed his saliva and began to tell the truth, saying, "Your Majesty, I would like to inform you that you and the Grand Commandant, Song Jiang, had different ideas and it became impossible to reconcile. He took advantage of your attack on Zengtou City and ordered me to secretly shoot you with a poisoned arrow. I had Tang Long deal with the arrowhead in advance so that he could blame Shi Wengong later."

"I already know what you are saying!"

Yang Chang suddenly interrupted with a sharp voice, and then reminded: "Tell me the details of the process of launching the hidden arrow!"

"Yes Yes."

Xu Ning nodded and said, "You may not know that in addition to my excellent spear skills, I have also mastered archery skills. My strength is not inferior to Hua Rong, but I have never shown off in front of others. If Tang Long had not recommended me, the person who shot the king would have been Hua Rong.
That night I was ordered to guard the perimeter, and when I saw the defeated soldiers I went forward to shout for confirmation. Unexpectedly, the king was running in the front team, and he responded without being on guard, which was just the right time for me to take action."

"Villain, villain!"

Ruan Xiaoqi became excited and took off his sword to kill, but Yang Chang shouted, "Xiaoqi, calm down!"

"Oh"

"King Jin, I am only following orders. I do not ask to live in disgrace, but only to avoid involving my family, King Chao."

Xu Ning looked at Chao Gai pitifully, as if begging him not to harm his family.

Ruan Xiaoqi then plucked up the courage to step forward, stared at Chao Gai, and asked in a low voice: "Brother Tianwang, who are you? Hey? Why is it you?"

"He He."

When Xu Ning saw Chao Gai become a king, his eyes seemed to pop out of their sockets. He pointed his finger at Cheng Wang and then at Yang Chang, asking incoherently: "Why did you... why?"

"Brother, what is going on?"

Ruan Xiaoqi also looked over in confusion. Wu Song, Hu Sanniang and Sun Li were all relatively calm.

Yang Chang pursed his lips and smiled lightly. He stretched out his hand to hold Ruan Xiaoqi's wrist, moved his lips slightly, and then shouted: "Hurry!"

"what?"

"This"

"What happen to you guys?"

Ruan Xiaoqi didn't know yet that he had turned into Chao Gai. At this moment, Xu Ning grabbed his head with both hands with a ferocious look on his face. He felt like he was going crazy.

Wu Song and Hu Sanniang both guessed that it was related to Yang Chang, while Sun Li swallowed hard and said nothing. Ruan Xiaoqi was even more puzzled at this time, thinking, what are you guys looking at? Especially why is Xu Ning so mad?

"Hey, man, how do you want to die?"

"you you."

Xu Ning's eyes went dark, his body went limp, and he instantly collapsed to the ground like mud, and passed out.

"No, brothers, what happened to him just now?"

"Sanlang, what happened to King Cheng just now and Xiao Qi now, is that a trick of yours?"

"Well, it's just a little illusion, it will soon wear off."

"What illusion?"

Ruan Xiaoqi heard the conversation between Wu Song and Yang Chang, but he was still kept in the dark and had no idea what was going on.

Hu Sanniang couldn't bear it any longer, so she took the initiative to remind him: "The king turned you into Chao Tianwang, so Xu Ning was frightened by you."

"what?"

It was really strange to see Ruan Xiaoqi with Chao Gai's face and exaggerated expression.

Yang Chang met his gaze and explained with a smile, "During this trip to the capital, I learned a little magic that can transform people and animals in a short period of time, achieving the effect of 'calling a deer a horse'. If it weren't for this little magic, the return trip would not have been so smooth."

"This is not a small spell, it's a magic trick!"

Ruan Xiaoqi drew his sword back into its sheath, spread out his hands and said to himself, "But no matter how I look at myself, I still see my own hands."

"Haha, the illusionist is not real, he is just deceiving others. Xiao Qi, don't worry about it, it will be normal in a moment."

"Oh"

"Saburo."

Wu Song stepped forward, pointed at Xu Ning and said, "This thief assassinated King Chao. What are you going to do with him?"

"I want to lock him up temporarily, and wait until Song Jiang is captured, and then let Xu Ning expose him in public. It will probably be a great scene. If he is not captured at the end of this battle, let the Ruan brothers, Liu Tang and other old friends of the Heavenly King deal with him, and let them forget their grudges."

"I agree!"

Ruan Xiaoqi remembered that he was going to kill alone just now, and now he felt that Yang Chang's arrangement was the most appropriate, so he immediately expressed his agreement.

Wu Song continued to remind him: "From what Xu Ning said just now, the culprit who killed Chao Tianwang was undoubtedly Song Jiang, and the second was Tang Long."

"Yes, did Tang Long escape?"

Seeing Ruan Xiaoqi exclaiming, Yang Chang shook his head and said, "Tang Long has been killed by me."

"Where is the body? He should take it out and whip it!"

"It's fine if he died, but Chao Tianwang confessed this old case to me before he died, so it can be considered a meritorious service."

"In that case, forget it."

After Yang Changan comforted Ruan Xiaoqi, he ordered everyone to find a place to rest. He did not want to continue insulting Tang Long. He was moved by the other party's courage before his death and thought that there was no need to accuse him anymore.

She County had just been captured, and the people in the city were awakened by the sound of fighting. At this time, they were still in the recovery period, and someone was needed to patrol at night to maintain the stability of the city. Wu Song, Ruan Xiaoqi, and Sun Li were all ordinary people. After a short rest, they had to continue to retake Fengyue Pass. This task fell on Yang Chang and his wife.

Yang Chang is now full of energy and can probably go without sleep for a month. Hu Sanniang had just broken through to the Qi Refining Realm before he left and has now reached the third level of Qi Refining. It doesn't matter if she doesn't rest for a few days.

Of course, the rapid improvement of her cultivation was all due to following the instructions of Yang Chang and bringing the attribute of [Cihang] to its fullest extent, which not only stabilized the people's hearts but also boosted the morale of the army.

Just like Yang Chang picking up corpses, as long as you find the right way to practice, your cultivation will naturally increase rapidly.

The couple rode side by side slowly on the street. In fact, during the past few days when they reunited with everyone, they had not been alone for a long time because they each had military duties to attend to. This was a rare moment for the two of them.

"My lord, after we take back Fengyue Pass, do you still want to continue the pursuit?"

"Ok?"

After hearing what Hu Sanniang said, Yang Chang asked curiously, "Madam, why do you ask this? Do you want me to let Song Jiang go because of the old friendship between Song Taigong and Song Qing?"

"No, I am a wife of the Yang family, how can I side with outsiders? It's just that the troops have not been withdrawn yet, and the people in Hedong are on edge. The people in the newly recovered states are in a panic. If we attack Taihang now, I'm afraid that the situation will be too complicated and we might make mistakes in a hurry."

"Haha, it seems that my wife has been worried a lot during my absence."

"The king gave instructions before he left, and my second brother often consults with me, so I have no choice but to worry about it."

Hearing this, Yang Chang felt warm in his heart. He suddenly pulled the reins to stop his horse, touched Hu Sanniang's face, and said tenderly: "Don't worry, my lady. I know what I am doing and I won't be too aggressive."

"That's good, but I haven't heard from the princess for a long time, and I don't know if the army has been pacified."

"Don't worry, princess. Her cultivation is much higher than yours. She can retreat safely no matter what happens. Since I have determined that the Jin army is going to retreat, then it will be easy to pacify them. In fact, the Jin army and Song Jiang are not of the same mind. They both hope to use each other to achieve their own goals. So how can this alliance succeed?"

"If they are of one mind, won't we be in trouble?"

Hu Sanniang drew inferences from her experience and immediately won the praise of Yang Chang: "Madam, you have made great progress. It seems that your status as a princess has played a role. Qiongying is not as careful as you."

"My little sister has also worked very hard. During the time you were away, she worked very hard. The princess also has to do her part. In addition, she still needs the king's help to break through the Qi Refining Realm."

"I know my lady is taking care of her. The three of you are all princesses. As for breaking through the Qi Refining Realm, I will definitely help her do it when everything is settled in the future. The four of us must cultivate together."

As soon as Yang Chang finished speaking, Hu Sanniang asked again: "When will it be considered settled?"

"Well, at least I have helped Huang Er gain half of his territory."

"Only half of the wall?"

Hu Sanniang was surprised and thought to herself, Huang'er is only nine years old this year, you still have plenty of time.

"It is not enough for a qualified king to not understand war. Isn't it just right to leave half of the wall for him to practice with?"

"So when do you plan to let Huang'er practice?"

"I don't have a specific time, but I think it won't be too long. Once I stabilize the internal situation in Hedong, I will send troops to retake Hebei, then drive the Jin people out of the north of the Great Wall, and then take over Guanzhong and other places depending on the situation. By then, half of the country will be in my hands."

Yang Chang didn’t have enough confidence before, so he never told these words to outsiders.

Hu Sanniang was his first audience, but after listening, she asked in confusion: "Although I don't know how to conquer the world, I have seen some military maps. Your Majesty will take Hebei first and then Guanzhong. Isn't that sandwiched between Jin and Song? Isn't this being attacked from both sides? We have been fighting with Jin all the time, why don't we destroy Jin first?"

"My lady, you have never been to the borderland, so you have no idea how vast it is. We don't have enough war horses now, and it will be very costly to fight there with infantry. Even if we win, it will be difficult to defend. So we have to use the Great Wall to slowly consume them at the border. Only when we completely unify the entire Chinese territory will we go north to destroy the Jin Dynasty."

“So that’s how it is”

"When Huang'er is a little older, I will take him to the army for training and try to make him a horse emperor."

Yang Chang said that he would let his son practice and would teach him step by step when the time came, and would also provide help in secret. However, Hu Sanniang reminded him after hearing this: "The king has taught so many brothers, so you must teach your son well."

"That's natural."

"But we all go to cultivate immortality. If Huang'er doesn't want to be the emperor, then this country will be ruined."

After hearing Hu Sanniang's fatal question, Yang Chang thought for a long time before muttering, "Every generation has its own things to do. It doesn't mean that he won't do it if he doesn't want to. Besides, breaking through the Qi Refining Realm requires opportunity. I can only ensure that Qiongying can succeed. How can I take care of this kid?"

"Ah? Isn't it hard to find an opportunity for my little sister?"

"It's not easy to find, but we have to find it. I promised to treat everyone equally, and I won't leave anyone behind. Don't worry, ma'am."

Yang Chang’s worst plan was to go to Erxian Mountain to ask for help from Luo Zhenren, but asking someone to take care of his son as well was really a bit too much.

All I can say is that there will be more opportunities in the future, and I will take care of them one by one according to how close we are to each other.

Of course, not everyone wants to become an immortal. Most of the brothers who followed him to conquer the world hope to gain wealth and honor in the world, so Yang Chang did not feel too much pressure.

While the couple was strolling in She County, Shi Xiu was fleeing to Fengyue Pass with his defeated troops.

The next morning, he counted the troops he had gathered and was surprised to find only about 5,000 people. He felt that fate was playing a trick on him.

After running in fear all night, I continued forward dragging my tired body. It was almost noon when I arrived at Fengyue Pass.

Thousands of people fell asleep on the ground, which frightened Pei Xuan, who was on duty at the pass. He hurried down the pass to greet Shi Xiu and asked, "Brother, why did you come here so rashly, and your brothers are in such a state, could it be..."

"It's just as you thought. Yang Chang broke through She County last night. We couldn't stop him at all."

"Why are you alone? Where are the other brothers?"

"I don't know. It might be bad."

Shi Xiu looked miserable. He had been running and waiting for his companions, but in the end he was still alone. He asked again, "Is the commander resting in the pass?"

"The Jin army has arrived. The Grand Commandant, the Military Advisor, and Commander Dai have just gone out five miles to greet them. Brother, please rest for a while at the pass. They should be back soon."

"Forget it, I'll just rest at the pass and share the joys and sorrows with my brothers. When the general comes back later, please let me know in advance."

"Brother, don't worry."

Pei Xuan did not continue to persuade him. He clasped his fists, bowed, and left.

Shi Xiu escaped unscathed twice, and each time he returned with almost the same number of troops, which made people suspicious. In fact, he himself had thought of this, but Song Jiang was grateful to him for his help and would not abandon him even if he was misunderstood.

He acts in an upright manner and believes that sincerity can be rewarded with sincerity.

It was hard to say whether Song Jiang had any doubts or not, but at least Pei Xuan was a little nervous. He didn't want to send anyone to inform Song Jiang, so he just stood at the pass and waited.

After about an incense stick of time, flags were seen covering the sky in front of Fengyue Pass. It was obvious that Song Jiang was leading the Jin army slowly towards us.

Such a huge team shook the earth when it marched.

Even if my name wasn't Shi Xiu, he should have been awakened by the shock, right?
However, Shi Xiu was exhausted and had already fallen into a deep sleep under the south city wall. He was so at ease sleeping in his own territory that he was afraid that he might not wake up even if there was thunder.

Outside the city, under the banner, Song Jiang and Wu Shi walked side by side in the front, while Wu Yong, Dai Zong and other Jin generals followed behind.

The men chatted all the way, and when they saw Fengyue Pass was in front of them, Song Jiang said enthusiastically, "Marshal Wushi, Fengyue Pass is just ahead. I have prepared a banquet and will welcome you when you arrive."

"There's no rush to eat and drink. I heard that General Song is quite capable of commanding an army and is a powerful general under the Emperor of the Song Dynasty. Let's take a look at your army's majestic appearance first."

"You are too kind, Marshal. Song's soldiers are spirited, but not as mighty as your warriors."

"We have to wait and see who is stronger and who is weaker."

(End of this chapter)