Aoyama

Chapter 324 Shared hatred and hatred
When the Zhang family's carriage passed through Xuanwu Gate, the Five Cities Army on duty did not even bother to check and stood straighter than usual.

After leaving Pao Ge and Er Dao in front of the inn, the six carriages drove separately but did not go to the Yulin Army Governor's Mansion, but finally gathered in Cheng'en Temple Hutong next to the pot foundry.

In the carriage, Xiaoman asked curiously: "Second sister, where is this?"

Zhang Xia sat in the car with her face covered, silently reciting scriptures without answering. When she arrived at the destination, she got out of the car by herself and waved for everyone to follow.

This place is a remote spot in the southwest corner of the inner city. To the north is Cheng'en Temple and to the south is Shideng Temple. With a few families sandwiched in between, it seems exceptionally quiet.

Zhang Xia walked to a house's door and knocked on it three times quickly and twice slowly. Someone opened the door from the inside.

The Yulin soldiers filed in, only to see more than a dozen men still awake in the yard, guarding a brazier with two lamb legs roasting on it.

When they saw Zhang Xia coming in with his face covered, they immediately stood up and bowed in silent greeting.

Chen Ji recognized these people.

They were in the team when they left Luo City earlier. Zhang Zhuo once said that these were all Zhang family's death warriors.

Zhang Xia entered the main hall, found a sheet of rice paper and spread it on the table. She picked up the brush and silently recited the scriptures while casually drawing a map of "Zhengxifang", marking the names of Baishun Hutong, Hanjiatan Hutong, Yanzhi Hutong, etc.

Dual-purpose.

Chen Ji waited quietly on the side. Seeing that Chen Ji did not urge him, the Yulin Army also controlled their temper.

After the map was finished, Zhang Xia finally spoke, pointing to Lishamao Hutong on the map and saying, "Hutchison has placed 84 people here, 63 people in Hanjiatan Hutong, 21 people in Shitou Hutong, and 42 people in Wangguangfu Street..."

The Yulin Army looked at Zhang Xia at the same time, as if they had not expected that Zhang Xia had just joined in the fun but had silently observed so many details.

Li Xuan covered his face and said in a deep voice, "Their men are all surrounding Li Shamao Hutong. Are they guarding against us?"

Chen Ji said calmly: "Hutchison lost the fight, but he has no intention of giving up Li Shamao Hutong. He is not guarding against us, but against Fu Ruixiang."

Li Xuan nodded: "No wonder there are so many people."

Chen Ji thought, "When we go again tomorrow, we can't fight from Li Shamao Hutong. Since Heji doesn't follow the rules, we won't stick to the stick anymore. We should first tire Heji out, then wear it down and create a local advantage."

However, Li Xuan suddenly said, "We can just train our troops. We don't have to be enemies with Hutchison and defeat it. We don't know who Hutchison relies on. If the people behind them come forward, it will be a bad ending."

Zhang Xia glanced at Li Xuan. She knew that Chen Ji was talking about training troops, but the purpose was far more than training troops. If they wanted to pocket the money from the Eight Great Hutongs, they would have to pull down Hutchison and crush him underfoot.

She thought for a few breaths and said, "We must defeat Hutchison. Otherwise, how do you know how the enemy will react when they are cornered? Now everyone is still restrained and dare not kill people without restraint, but the real battlefield is not like this. We must kill until we are red-eyed to complete the last step of training. Otherwise, it will always be a game... As for how to end it, we will figure it out when the time comes."

Chen Ji hummed and echoed, "This formation is new. We must put ourselves in danger to know whether it can be used."

Li Xuan thought for a moment: "That makes sense."

Duo Bao and the others were a little excited: "After returning from Guyuan, I was on duty every day and couldn't muster any energy. Now that I finally found something to do, I'm going to start with this useless Hutchison Whampoa."

Li Cen also echoed: "After beating Hutchison, we will beat Fu Ruixiang!"

Li Xuan glanced at them and said, "Is it glorious for us to go and beat those guys? Why are you making such a fuss?"

After that, he turned his gaze back to the map: "There may be more sticks in Li Shamao Hutong tomorrow. Where should we enter from?"

Chen Ji and Zhang Xia pointed to one side of the map at the same time and said firmly, "Here."

……

……

After explaining the tactics, Zhang Xia began to point out the people one by one.

She pointed at Qi Chenzhuo and said, "More than thirty of you will be divided into three teams. The three spearmen in the front are the core of the formation. They must be decisive in killing. You are not good enough. Replace me with someone else."

Qi Chenzhuo hesitated to speak. He wanted to refuse, but he knew he was in the wrong.

Zhang Xia looked at the three crossbowmen again: "You can't use your crossbows today. You three can't use your strength, right?"

The three Yulin soldiers nodded: "We can only use spears to support, but we won't have any chance."

Zhang Xia thought for a moment and said, "First, use the slingshot to shoot the iron balls. Your mission is not to kill the enemy, but to harass them. If a colleague is in danger, you have to support him from a distance."

She then looked at the blocker holding the trident and said, "Your role is to cover the four spearmen in the middle to kill the enemies. Don't be too murderous yourself, so as not to disrupt the formation."

Duo Bao raised his hand and said, "Coach, I have something to say. The bamboo is too soft. The branches and leaves brushing against people's faces can only serve as a distraction at best. The enemy was determined and rushed towards me against the bamboo. I tried to block their axes several times, but the bamboo was too soft to be pushed open. After a few hits, it became bald."

Chen Ji explained: "Bamboo should be soaked in tung oil, with an iron spear tip inserted at the front, and arsenic or other poisons coated on the branches, so that it can have a deterrent effect. In addition, I originally wanted a bamboo that was 16 feet long, but there is no bamboo that long in the north, so the deterrent effect is greatly reduced."

Zhang Xia suddenly said, "Change to iron."

Duobao's eyes lit up.

Zhang Xia looked at Chen Ji and said, "If it were an ordinary soldier, he would not be able to swing a six-foot-long iron weapon, so he could only use bamboo."

She pointed at Duobao and the others: "But they are different, they are officials."

Chen Ji lowered his head and thought: "How heavy would a 16-foot-long narrow iron object be?"

Zhang Xia said confidently, "Ninety kilograms. If it is made of hollow iron, it will be thirty-two kilograms, but we don't have time to make a hollow one now."

"If it weighs 90 kilograms, then you need to be at the innate level to do it as you wish," Chen Ji asked loudly, "Who can do it?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Duo Bao, Li Cen, Qi Chenzhuo and others raised their hands. Chen Ji took a look and saw one, two, three, four, five, six, seven... Even in the Yulin Army, there were not many people who could easily control the iron bamboo.

But if they really use iron bamboo, the stickmen will suffer a lot.

Chen Ji asked curiously, "What are the abilities of your official career? Can you tell me about them?"

Duo Bao and the others looked at each other and explained, "Master, our paths to the officialdom were bought by our families at Panjiayuan Ghost Market for several hundred taels of silver. There are too many people practicing the same path, and the path before the Seeking Dao Realm is only useful for strengthening the body. The fact that we can step into the Xiantian Realm is also due to our families spending a lot of money to build it up."

Li Cen smiled bitterly and said, "There is also a disadvantage to having too many people practicing the same path. Two years ago, I went to the Lantern Festival and met several officials from the same path. I had palpitations several times that night and almost thought I was going to die..."

Zhang Xia said, "It's getting late. Everyone, go back and rest. You don't need to bring weapons tomorrow. I will prepare them for you."

……

……

At 11:00 p.m. on the second day, six carriages stopped again in front of the Yulin Army Governor's Mansion.

The soldiers of the Imperial Guards got on the carriages skillfully, covered themselves with gray cloth, and sat in the carriages quietly with their eyes closed to rest. The six carriages separated on Chang'an Avenue, drove out of the inner city through Chongwen Gate, Zhengyang Gate, and Xuanwu Gate, and finally stopped in a small alley next to Zhengyang Avenue.

When the carriage stopped, a family in the alley opened the door. Zhang Xia recited scriptures silently while waving to the soldiers of the Yulin Army to enter the yard.

She lifted the lid of the cellar, and Chen Ji looked down. The cellar was filled with prepared spears, rattan shields, iron wolf whisks, tridents, and cow-tendon slingshots.

The soldiers of the Imperial Guards moved their weapons to the ground, picked up their own weapons, turned around and walked out of the yard, and rushed to the eight alleys in Zhengxifang. In Lishamao Hutong, Mr. Qian was standing in the air, not stopping for a moment. Gradually, a mist of green smoke floated out from above his head, and the green smoke lingered without dispersing, just like white clouds in the mountains.

But as soon as the white cloud appeared, a man with a stick came over and clasped his fists and said, "Mr. Qian."

The white cloud swayed for a while, and Mr. Qian closed his eyes and asked, "Haven't you found it yet?"

Bagun said ashamedly: "I have searched almost all of the outer city, but I can't find those people at all."

Mr. Qian said calmly, "The only people in the entire outer city who have the ability to hide this group of people are the Sanshan Society and the Cao Gang... or they have gone to the inner city."

The stick whispered, "Today, the leader got really angry and scolded the brothers. He said that if they continued to make trouble, Hutchison would lose face."

Mr. Qian asked slowly, "Where's the dragon head?"

He was embarrassed and kept silent.

Mr. Qian opened his eyes and looked at the other person coldly.

Bagun hurriedly said, "Longtou went to Funing Temple in Chongnanfang. Recently, he was bewitched by the nun in Funing Temple..."

Master Qian said in a low voice: "Is this what you should say?"

Ba Gun shrank his neck and said, "You asked me... What should we do now? We can't find that group of people at all."

Mr. Qian slowly closed his eyes again: "It doesn't matter, they will come again. As long as they come to Li Shamao Hutong again today, we must keep them."

However, at this moment, a stick rushed through the narrow alley: "Mr. Qian, it's bad, that group of people went to Zhujia Hutong, and all the brothers were beaten!"

Mr. Qian stood up suddenly: "Not good."

The stick asked, "Mr. Qian, what should we do?"

Mr. Qian shouted, "Everyone, come out and go to Zhujia Hutong! Remember what I said yesterday, you must cut off the bamboo in their hands first!"

The next moment, a large number of people with sticks rushed out of the brothel in Li Shamao Hutong. These people had been hiding in the brothel waiting for the group of masked men to come, but they didn't expect that the other party would make a feint and shoot somewhere else.

At this time, in Zhujia Hutong, three teams of mandarin ducks stabbed towards the heart of the Bada Hutong like three spears, leaving behind twenty-one men who fell to the ground.

A guest on the second floor opened the window and looked down. Chen Ji, with his face covered, looked back coldly upstairs, and the guest was so frightened that he quickly closed the window, daring only to leave a crack.

The Yulin Army marched quickly through Zhujia Hutong. When they arrived at a crossroads, Chen Ji suddenly shouted, "Stop!"

The Yulin soldiers stood there with spears in their hands, and it only took a moment for them to go from moving to still.

The people who were secretly watching in Zhujia Hutong were a little puzzled. What were these people doing stopping at the intersection?
The next moment, more than twenty Heji Bagun came from the south and west sides of the intersection. They heard the noise and came to support, but were caught off guard and encountered the Yulin Army waiting for them.

Li Xuan shouted: "Kill!"

The three teams of the Mandarin Duck Formation suddenly separated, one team headed south, and the second team headed west, and they rushed forward.

The stickmen changed their weapons to broadswords today, and wanted to cut down the bamboo first. But the moment they touched the bamboo, the broadswords flew out with sparks, and made a harsh sound of metal clashing.

One of the sticks exclaimed, "It's not bamboo! It's iron!"

"Why did you change to iron?!"

Qi Zhuozhuo swung the "Iron Bamboo" towards the stickman's face. The cold "branches" swept across his face, instantly making his face bloody and he retreated in a hurry.

Zhou Chong took advantage of the situation and stepped forward, stabbing the stickman in the abdomen with the butt of his spear, causing the stickman to fall to the ground with a scream.

With just one encounter today, the Yulin Army defeated the guards in the two alleys, leaving Heji helpless. A guard suddenly threw a flying knife in the dark, but it was easily blocked by the rattan shield in the formation.

The crossbowman at the end of the team pulled out his slingshot and fired back, but unfortunately his accuracy was a little off, so he could only scare people but not hit anyone.

The stickmen fled deeper into the alley. The Yulin Army wanted to chase them, but they heard Chen Ji shouting, "Their reinforcements are coming, retreat!"

The Yulin Army turned around and left Zhujia Hutong, leaving only the wailing of sticks. Only after the Yulin Army had left completely did Master Qian arrive with a large group of people.

He looked at the wailing all over the three alleys, raised his head and took a deep breath before asking, "Where are the people? Didn't I tell you to cut bamboo first? Why can't you see any bamboo shavings on the ground?"

He held the stick firmly on the ground and said, "They have changed to iron weapons today, and they are four feet longer than yesterday. We can't resist them at all!"

"Master Qian, that army formation is extremely strange. We have no way to deal with them!"

Mr. Qian was startled: "Change it to iron? Hollow or solid?"

The stick replied: "The knock is dull and solid!"

Mr. Qian asked again: "How many of them are holding that kind of iron weapon?"

"Six!"

Master Qian thought quickly in his mind, how many pounds would a ten-foot-long piece of iron weigh? At least dozens of pounds, and only an official at the Xiantian realm could move it.

There were only thirty-eight people in that group of masked men, among whom there was a great official from the Xundao realm and six innate realms... Where did this group of officials come from?
"Sanshan Society? Cao Gang? Wansui Army? Lights?"

Mr. Qian stood at the dark and gloomy intersection, looking at the darkness at the end of the alley, and whispered to himself: "Hutchison is in big trouble."

While he was thinking, he heard someone shouting in the distance: "Mr. Qian, it's bad, that group of people went to Li Shamao Hutong again!"

Mr. Qian started to leave, but when he led his men to Li Shamao Hutong, the place was in a mess and the group of people had disappeared long ago.

Encountering such a group of officials who came and went as they pleased, as well as an unheard-of formation, Lord Qian suddenly felt somewhat powerless.

He lowered his head and thought for a moment, then whispered to the stick beside him, "Go and ask Fu Ruixiang's leader to come over, and tell him that Heji is willing to give Li Shamao Hutong and Hanjiatan Hutong to Fu Ruixiang. With the enemy at hand, personal grudges will be put aside for the time being. I will ask the 'middleman' to be a witness in front of the statue of the ancestor, and we will swear an oath of blood and share the same hatred for the enemy."

Ba Gun was stunned: "Master Qian, there are only about thirty of them, is it that serious?"

Master Qian said solemnly: "This group of people are hiding their true abilities. We may not have seen their true abilities yet. Just go if you are told to. If you don't prepare now, it will be too late to fight back when they drag you down!"

He turned around and left, but just as he took half a step, Master Qian grabbed him and whispered, "Tell Zhu Guan that he sold the brother personally. If he sits on the other side and watches the fire, he will be the next unlucky one."

After the man left, Master Qian called another officer and said, "Go to Chongnanfang to find the leader and tell him clearly that Hutchison must invite all the officials from the Inner Eight Halls to leave this time... The Dragon from the River is coming."

A gust of wind blew, and Mr. Qian stood under the fluttering red lantern, silently watching the stickmen go to report the news.

When the wind died down, he lifted his clothes and walked deeper into the alley.

A stick asked curiously, "Mr. Qian, where are you going?"

"Three Mountains Society."

(End of this chapter)