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Chapter 167 The Emperor's Visit, Taizu's Treasures

"Hysteria?!"

Meng Quji didn't believe it at all: "Old Zhan, go take two tranquilizers first, and have a good sleep after the retreat is over."

"Commander!"

Zhan Taiming pointed at the letter and said, "I'm not talking nonsense, this is true!"

"Really?"

Meng Quji slapped himself hard: "Three thousand men, fighting against one hundred thousand men, without being annihilated, and defeating the enemy army? Impossible, absolutely impossible!"

"Marshal! Look for yourself!"

Zhan Taiming stuffed the battle report into the other party's hands: "We killed 20,000 enemies and captured 40,000. You Jingzhi and Ran Jingxuan were all killed in the battle. Fan Shuzhen and Fan Jiaxiao were captured alive! Among them, Fan Jiaxiao was captured alive twice!"

"Is this true or false?"

Even though Meng Quji saw the words written in black and white with his own eyes, he still couldn't accept it for a long time: "General, am I being too aggressive?

"Or is this Nan Xu's strategy to lure the enemy in?

"After they captured Hulao Pass, I don't know how they captured the Saker Falcon alive. The false information they sent was intended to trick us into staying in Yongle Prefecture and surround us in one fell swoop!
"Yes, that must be the case!"

"Marshal, how is that possible?"

Zhan Taiming said: "If a Gerschner is captured alive, it will cry desperately to warn others when it comes back."

"Drug it, right? They drugged the Saker Falcon."

Meng Quji refused to believe it.

Such incredible things happen in the world.

until……

"Report——"

"Commander!"

"General Chen!"

"The general and his men have already set out from Hulao Pass and are preparing to return to Yongle Mansion to help. I saw it with my own eyes!"

"Boom!"

Meng Quji actually found it difficult to accept this reality. He began to feel tinnitus and heart palpitations, as if he had not won a great victory but a great defeat.

After a full cup of tea had passed.

He finally recovered and said, "Quick! Tell the people in Yongle Mansion about this first and ask them to leave the city and surrender. If they don't obey, we will start to surround them without attacking. I want to see how long their food and grass can last."

Hulao Pass is stable.

No more worries.

We can continue to adopt the strategy of surrounding but not attacking.

……

Yongle Mansion.

"What a ghost."

Li Gong paced back and forth in the room.

"I have already set the conditions to the sky, why haven't Fan Shuzhen and the others taken action yet?"

"According to the time, Fang Qingyun's head should have been hung by now."

"Especially that Deng Feng! We must chop him into pieces and remove all his bones and tendons!"

"..."

"Report——"

"Your Majesty!"

"It's bad. The people outside the city are shouting that the 100,000-strong army of Nanxu has been defeated. They want us to surrender, or else they will kill everyone after the city is broken."

"joke!"

Li Gong sneered: "Meng Quji, this scoundrel, has been driven completely crazy by me. He can even talk in his sleep like this."

"Chirp—"

The words have not yet fallen.

A black hawk flew over.

"Your Majesty."

Liu Huanrong said: "This is the prince's letter. Hurry, there should be news from Hulao Pass."

"Ah."

Li Gong calmly took out the secret letter, and then the blue veins on his forehead began to throb wildly as if they were alive, and his hands holding the paper trembled uncontrollably.

"Your Majesty? Could it be that the villain Nanxu is still raising the price and wavering?"

Liu Huanrong saw that something was wrong and moved closer cautiously.

Then, you can see the details above.

Nanxu was defeated, and the whereabouts of the crown prince was unknown, and his life or death was uncertain.

"One hundred thousand people!"

Li Gong roared in despair: "One hundred thousand people! That's a full one hundred thousand people!

“Do you know.

“How much food do 100,000 people need every day?
"One hundred thousand people, how much iron ore will their weapons consume?"

“One hundred thousand people, how long would it take to build their armor!
"There are four more Xuan Xiang generals! Four!

"Even if they were all wild boars and rushed to Hulao Pass all at once, they should have been able to capture it. How, how could it turn out like this? It's so ridiculous, so ridiculous!"

"My Lord, what should I do?!"

Liu Huanrong was also at a loss: "One hundred thousand soldiers from Nanxu are gone, and there is no breakthrough in the battle of Luling Mountain. The most important thing is that we don't have much food and grass in the city. If this continues, I'm afraid we will be in danger."

"In imminent danger? No, I will continue to defend it!"

Li Gong crushed the paper to pieces and said in a roaring voice: "Chen Sanshi's 3,000 troops were able to defeat Nanxu's 100,000 strong army. Can't I defend a city against 100,000 strong troops with my 40,000 elite troops?

"Keep guarding!

"When the food is gone, eat the horses. When the rolling stones and logs are used up, tear down the house. Keep guarding!"

The rage in his heart could no longer be controlled.

Yongle Prefecture City.

In a flash, another half month passed.

"Your Majesty!"

"Oh no!"

"What's wrong with that?!"

"Chen Sanshi is leading his troops here!"

"Afraid of shit!"

Li Gong has been swearing these days, and has lost his image as a nobleman: "He has only 3,000 men, so what can we do about it!"

"Your Majesty, it's not three thousand people..."

Liu Huanrong said with an unpleasant expression: "Chen Sanshi brought 40,000 people!"

"Forty thousand? Nonsense!"

Li Gong cursed: "Where did he get 40,000 people?"

"Nanxu, they are all from Nanxu!"

Liu Huanrong was equally angry: "Fan Shuzhen, that son of a bitch, surrendered to Dasheng just to save his life. He is the crown prince and commanded his remaining tens of thousands of people to serve as a shield for the people of Dasheng! In total, there are now 150,000 troops outside the city!
"Your Majesty!
“I can’t hold on any longer!

“There are only two days left of food and fodder!

"There's been no movement from His Majesty!"

"Damn them all, damn them all!"

Apart from going crazy, Li Gong was unable to make any useful decisions.

Finally, he had to lower his voice and said, "Liu Huanrong, notify everyone to leave the city and counterattack at midnight tonight. Also... gather the generals above the rank of lieutenant general and lead 500 light cavalry with me to seize the opportunity to abandon the city... and break out!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!
……

"Rumble--"

child time.

The Qing army defenders in Yongle Mansion suddenly launched an all-out counterattack.

Chen Sanshi realized that they could no longer defend the city and prepared to leave the city for a counterattack, but Meng Quji had also thought of this and had made preparations in advance, so he didn't have to be responsible.

He cannot participate in the Martial Saint level for the time being.

The Black Armor Army had just made great contributions, but they were also exhausted. They were basically responsible for escorting grain behind Dafang.

A night of fighting.

Until dawn.

Yongle Prefecture was declared defeated, and the last 20,000 people in the city surrendered.

However, King Tang Li Gong and others were nowhere to be found.

……

Valley.

The five hundred cavalrymen who broke through the encirclement were long gone.

Only three or five people were left. They abandoned their horses and fled into the mountains and forests on foot, preparing to find a way to escape back to Qing after the situation stabilized.

among them.

The Martial Saint Li Gong was ambushed by Meng Quji and was surrounded and killed by a large army, leaving him seriously injured.

But fortunately, for the Martial Saint, as long as he can keep his life, he can easily return to Qing Kingdom after recovering his strength.

"There are animals, fruits, and wild vegetables in this mountain, enough for us to hide for several months!"

"A few months later, it will be the time for us to escape!"

"It's a pity that the three states will definitely be lost!"

"After we go back, we can consider joining forces with the ancient people for revenge."

Every imperial court has neighboring countries.

The difference is that Da Sheng is surrounded by enemies on all sides, and the other countries also have their own enemies.

The continent is huge and boundless. If we include the ocean, there is no telling where it ends.

"Your Highness is right. As long as the green mountains remain, there will be no shortage of firewood!"

Just when Li Gong and others breathed a sigh of relief, there was a rustling noise suddenly from all directions of the forest, followed by shadowy figures, which quickly surrounded them and blocked all their escape routes.

"Lord Li!"

"I'll give you a chance to live, do you want it or not?"

……

After the fall of Yongle Prefecture.

The war in the East is coming to an end.

A few days later, the army of the Qing Kingdom in the east announced its withdrawal and sent a letter of peace, promising to return the three states to Dasheng. In this way, the two families would maintain peace and no longer fight each other.

In fact.

After Laizhou was completely lost, Qing State was unable to continue fighting even if it had the will. If it lost again, it would shake the foundation of the country, and giving up the three states was basically a foregone conclusion.

Saying that it was returned voluntarily was just a way to preserve the last bit of dignity.

Follow-up in two and a half months.

The three states were all recovered, including Lingzhou including Ziwei Mountain.

Subsequently.

The court issued an order.

All the heroes of this battle went to Taihu Prefecture to rest.

Most of the troops were transferred to Yushan Prefecture, Jingyang Prefecture, and Laixi Prefecture. These three prefectures have become the new borders. Only by stabilizing the situation in the three prefectures can we ensure that Qing Kingdom will not make a sudden comeback from Yaozhou.

However, there is no Martial Saint in charge for the time being, only the deputy general Zhan Taiming.

Meng Quji, Fan Tianfa, Cui Congyi and others stayed in the city to rest.

Chen Sanshi was not idle.

Basically, you are either practicing or cultivating.

[Kung Fu: Dragon Spear of the Nation. Open Meridians (Minor Success)]

【Progress: 788/2000】

After opening up the eight extraordinary meridians, you can begin to prepare for a breakthrough into the Xuan Xiang realm.

[Skill: Archery. Perfection (Breaking Limit Level 1)]

[Progress: (1518/2000)]

……

Besides.

A lot of medicinal materials were also seized in Lingzhou and other places.

In his spare time, Chen Sanshi also makes medicine for his subordinates to help them improve their cultivation.

[Skills: Medical Skills. Ordinary (Minor Achievement)]

【Progress: 1252/2000】

"The time agreed with the Incense God Cult is almost up."

Chen Sanshi began to practice the art of disguise intensified.

[Skill: Disguise (beginner’s guide)]

【Progress: 355/500】

If he breaks through once more, he will be able to shrink his body and will never be exposed again.

The news of the great victory continued to spread in all directions.

……

Qingguo.

Temporary palace.

Inside the palace.

Orange-gold curtains fell down and floated gently in the breeze. The huge space was filled with wisps of incense, but this fragrance was not like the alluring scent of brothels, nor the graceful scent of ladies from noble families, nor the solemn scent of temples and Taoist temples. It was a kind of pure... majesty!
It was obviously not specially made and no medicine was added. It was just an ordinary incense, but what people smelled in their noses was a supreme majesty.

One after another, the generals, who were clad in armor and filled with murderous intent, had their murderous aura washed away the moment they crossed the threshold of the hall. They knelt down dozens of feet away, not daring to raise their heads to look at the curtain, but staring at the ground with deep awe in their eyes.

"His Majesty……"

"ended."

"Three states have been controlled by the Sheng people."

"Tang King Li Gong..."

"Missing!"

"Half of the 80,000 troops in the three states died, and half surrendered. This is basically equivalent to the annihilation of the entire army!"

"After this battle, I'm afraid that the border of Qing Nation will have to rest and recuperate for three to five years."

"..."

No answer.

silence.

It's as if what they said was pure nonsense.

But there was no intention to let them leave.

So, everyone knelt on the ground and did not dare to move for two hours.

"This……"

A general in the lead said boldly, "Your Majesty, is there anything else you need us to report?"

"That's right!"

A man in the corner slapped his forehead and said, "Chen Sanshi, I brought back the file of Chen Sanshi. I almost forgot about it. He deserves death. Please forgive me, Your Majesty!"

A female official came over, took the file away, and then put it behind the curtain.

"Wow--"

In the quiet hall, the sound of papers flipping gently could be heard, very clearly.

The tip of the jade-like hand was covered with blood-red nail polish, and the wide sleeves of the dragon robe gleaming with golden light overlapped with the yellowed paper pages. After a long time, their owner uttered a cold and oppressive sneer:
"A hunter from the mountains has picked up a huge bargain."

……

Tongnan Prefecture.

"Your Highness!"

"Victory!"

"Victory!"

The guard stumbled into the yard and knelt in front of the old man who was making tea by the stove.

"Three states already!"

"All recovered!"

"..."

"Three thousand, breaking one hundred thousand."

The black-robed monk gasped, "Amitabha, even the founder of military strategy did not have such a brilliant record! Not to mention, there were only two Xuanxiang at Hulao Pass at that time, and Deng Feng was a surrendered general of Qing. Under such circumstances, he was only supposed to hold the fort, but in the end... he defeated Nanxu. It's really unbelievable."

"Yes."

The prince said: "In the future, if we have such a good general in Dasheng, what will we fear even if there are many foreign enemies?"

"By the way, Your Highness, the tactics used by Chen Sanshi in this battle were indeed brilliant, but they were still a bit strange."

The black-robed monk paused, "It is said that during the battle at Silver Pine Cliff, thunder rolled down from the sky, and on the day when the 3,000 defeated the 100,000 outside Tiger Prison, a strange thick fog also arose, and Fang Qingyun's flute...

“The Heavenly Book was bestowed by His Majesty, but the effect of listing the battle formations was beyond our expectations.

"I guess Fang Qingyun and the others must have some method to use it."

"That's all for later."

The prince poured himself some tea and said, "At this time, don't provoke Fang Qingyun. After the matter is accomplished, Sun Xiangzong's power will also be a key to stabilizing the situation. It's a pity that even though I have hinted to them many times, they are unwilling to help."

"Amitabha, I guess the grudge between the governor and the royal family is deep."

The black-robed monk said, "Fortunately, the commander-in-chief has a short life span. After the expansion, we only need to quickly divide and control the eight camps. From now on, Liangzhou will be completely under the control of the court. When Your Highness ascends the throne, you must deal with this generation of young generals and never let one dominate the situation again."

"Yes, our Great Sheng Dynasty seems to be calm, but in fact it has been in danger for a long time."

The prince looked at the sky and said, "Old Yao, now that the situation in the East Territory has been settled, the rest depends on you. After that, you will be the state teacher, and you will no longer need to collect incense secretly."

"Thank you, Your Highness. Other than that..."

The black-robed monk said, "Your Highness, don't you think that His Majesty is a little too supportive of this Eastern Expedition? He even went so far as to use the treasury. I think..."

"Treasure of the Great Ancestor?"

The prince suddenly remembered the key information: "It is said that after Taizu founded the country, he left a national treasure for his descendants. To this day, no one knows where it is. Father even dug up Taizu's mausoleum but found nothing. Could it be... in the Imperial Ancestral Temple on Ziwei Mountain?"

"Probably."

The black-robed monk said solemnly: "Your Highness, this is a matter of great importance. We'd better explore it first. If we can get the treasure of Taizu first, the chances of winning will be much greater."

"Then arrange for someone to look for it."

The prince said: "Of course, it is best not to alert the enemy first."

"Your Highness!"

At the gate of the courtyard, the guard reported: "The Crown Prince and General Cui want to see you."

"Let them in."

The prince waved.

"Father!"

Cao Fan hurried in, bowed, and then said, "Father, General Sha is dead, did you know?"

"General Sha? You mean Sha Wenlong?"

The prince said calmly, "In such a big battle, there were only three to five hundred casualties. Isn't it normal to sacrifice a general of Xuanxiang? After the merits are awarded, I will naturally give him the due reward and will not treat any loyal minister of Dasheng unfairly."

"He didn't die in a decisive battle!"

Cao Fan added: "Father, after the war, Chen Sanshi arranged for him to wipe out the remaining cavalry..."

"and many more."

The prince keenly noticed the abnormality in the words: "Tell me, how many enemies have you made for me in Liangzhou!"

"puff"

Cao Fan knelt on the ground and said, "Father, I didn't do that. I just followed your instructions and competed for the top spot to see if I could pull the commander-in-chief to our side. But there is only one top spot, and it is normal for me to have some disagreements with him. Father, please understand!"

"Your Highness, I will bear witness to this."

Eunuch Feng quickly knelt down and said, "Your Highness has always been low-key and humble in Liangzhou. He has never caused any trouble. In order to compete for the top spot in the selection, he even practiced the Fiery Blade and even shortened his lifespan!"

"You..." The prince looked at the prince and said sadly, "Forget it, it was indeed me who asked you to go."

The original plan of carrying people across the river.

From a military point of view, it was actually nothing. After all, the main force of the barbarians was in Anding Prefecture at that time, and they couldn't even send a general over, so in the eyes of most people it was just a risky act.

Who could have imagined that a country boy from the countryside could achieve what he has today?
"Father!"

Cao Fan accused him, "When we were selecting the vanguard, I had a quarrel with him. Later, during the battle of Mingzhou, General Sha just disagreed with his strategy and had a dispute. He just... This man is insidious and vicious. I am afraid that in the future..."

Cui Congyi also said: "Your Highness, before General Sha left, he did say that Chen Sanshi might take revenge on his personal grudges. At that time, he asked General Fan to send someone else."

"okay."

The prince interrupted, "I know."

"Your Highness."

The black-robed monk said, "If my prediction is correct, the Xuanjia Army will also be deployed to Ziwei Mountain. Although the three thousand Xuanjias do not have Martial Saints and Xuanxiangs, they are still a force to some extent."

"..."

The prince held the teacup in one hand and said, "Old Yao, is it possible to win him over?"

"Not very likely."

The black-robed monk analyzed, "This man was promoted by your majesty, and Yan Liang's son has always been under his command. In addition, there is the relationship with Sun Xiangzong... Of course, if you can win him over, you should try your best to win him over. Even if you can't win him over, try not to hurt this talented person. After the matter is accomplished, he will naturally still be your majesty's subject."

"Father!"

Cao Fan pleaded: "Chen Sanshi, he..."

"You are the prince, how dare he?"

The prince sighed and said, "Forget it, Cui Congyi, you and Cao Fan will act together from now on. As for the matter of Zhang Laizi, I will also leave it to you to deal with. Remember, it is better to resolve a feud than to create one. At this critical moment, don't cause any trouble!"

……

Kunlun Mountains.

"His Majesty!"

The chief eunuch Huang Hong presented the battle report: "Congratulations, congratulations!"

"Haha~ Three thousand breaks one hundred thousand."

Emperor Longqing finished browsing the document himself. The emotion in his eyes was no longer just shock and joy, but also fear: "Huang Hong, tell me, if Sun Xiangzong was in charge, could he achieve this?"

"I'm afraid I can't do it."

Huang Hong lowered his head and said, "That's 100,000 people. More importantly, General Chen's 3,000 troops have only been in operation for less than two months. After this battle, there were only 300 to 500 casualties."

"So, he is stronger than Sun Xiangzong?"

The old emperor's mouth curled up with an ambiguous arc: "My great country is really full of talented people."

"I think the main thing is the Heavenly Book."

Huang Hong said slowly: "The formation above is in their hands, but the effect of practicing it in the capital is different. Oh, I am talking too much..."

Emperor Longqing snorted coldly: "I knew that Fang Qingyun and the others were hiding something. Let them do whatever they want. I am not a narrow-minded person. As long as they can be useful to my Great Sheng Dynasty, they are all meritorious officials.

"No matter what, the recovery of the three states and the restoration of the Imperial Ancestral Temple is also a great joyous event.

"Huang Hong, ask the Imperial Household Department to draft the decree.

“The Ministry of Rites also needs to start preparations.

"The ceremony of enshrining the ancestor in Ziwei Mountain is underway. All the civil and military officials in the capital, as well as the heroes of the past few battles, must go to Taihu Mansion and wait.

"I will also go to the southeast in person."

……

Taihu Prefecture.

This place is the ancient capital of three dynasties and the most prosperous city in the East. In addition, the war in Lingzhou was mainly in the Hulao Pass area, and most of the people in other places were fortunately not directly affected.

But it just wasn't directly affected.

The three states in the eastern border have had poor harvests in recent years. After a great war, coupled with the invasion of an army of 100,000 from Nanxu, most of the people's food rations were consumed in just a few months.

It happened to be spring, which is the most difficult time of the year. Famine was occurring in many places. If things continued like this, people would soon start to starve to death.

Chen Sanshi originally planned to follow the previous practice and directly kill a few officials and clans with bad reputations, and then open the warehouses to release grain. However, he was rejected by his superiors, who claimed that these people had already surrendered to Dasheng and that the long-term stability of the region would depend on them, and that "innocent people" should not be killed indiscriminately.

When requested to transfer a small amount of military rations, Marshal Meng politely refused, saying that the army must always have sufficient food and fodder. Civilians can die, but soldiers must not starve to death.

As for transferring food from other states...

It will be even more difficult.

Chen Sanshi has neither the power nor the ability to do so.

but.

Every day people came to him, either to complain or to ask for food.

It was impossible to kill the corrupt official Chen Sanshi, so all he could do was to spend his own money to buy some food and distribute porridge in front of his door every day. Basically, there would be a long queue in front of the mansion where he lived at the hour of Mao every day.

He has enough money now.

The higher your martial arts realm reaches, the more resources you need, which cannot be bought with money, so try your best to help if you can.

Fang Qingyun also took out some silver, and Wang Zhi also took out a lot, but they all warned that the matter should not be made a big deal, otherwise it would have a bad impact on the court and bring trouble to themselves.

Chen Sanshi then handed the matter over to his subordinates.

"A letter from home!"

A few days later, letters arrived from all over the place.

The cavalry delivered the letters door to door.

The end of the war naturally means unimpeded travel.

Most soldiers were able to get in touch with their families, but it took a long time.

Chen Sanshi's letter was sent urgently by Hai Dongqing from the Governor's Office, and it was much faster.

He put down the rifle in his hand and opened the envelope.

The content of the letter was roughly that everything was fine at home and there was nothing to worry about. Unknowingly, another half a year had passed and even Chen Duhe began to babble, and in another half a year he would be able to speak.

Sun Buqi made a breakthrough in refining internal organs, and Sun Li made a breakthrough in transforming energy.

All kinds of things...

It's basically just gossip about family matters.

In short, just be safe.

"The incense has run out again."

Chen Sanshi held the black bead and sensed the inventory inside.

Incense is something that really cannot be banned.

[Magic: Sword Qi Technique (Minor Success)]

【Progress: 405/2000】

The last time the God of Incense taught me a lot of incense, but it only improved it by a quarter. If I want to cultivate to perfection, I either need spiritual energy or a lot of incense.

There is also white mysterious energy.

Battle of Hulao Pass.

Chen Sanshi used up all the accumulated Xuan Qi at once.

result.

Even though they won a great victory of only 3,000 against 100,000, they were unable to replenish all the consumed Xuan Qi at once.

"The way to replenish Xuan Qi isn't simply to win battles?"

"..."

Fortunately.

The white mysterious energy was not completely exhausted, but was still slowly recovering and accumulating.

These treasures from the fairy world are truly unpredictable.

In short, as long as it is useful.

Chen Sanshi was a little tired after being in seclusion for half a month, so he asked his men to open the door of the mansion and receive some guests.

A month passed.

A large number of officials came to the capital one after another, and many of them came to visit him.

Even local wealthy people often come to seek a meeting.

Anyone knows.

After the Fengshan ceremony at Ziwei Mountain, this young general will become an important figure in the future court.

"Tell the local sects and officials who have surrendered that if they want to make friends with me, they should give me money and food. If they give enough food, they will be my friends, Chen Sanshi, and they will come to the banquet when they have time."

"Yes, my lord!"

Those who came early were basically marginal officials.

Next, Taihu Prefecture will become even more lively.

It is said that the other princes will also follow.

The fourth prince, the eighth prince, the twelfth prince who is the youngest but has a talent for martial arts comparable to that of the Prince of Zhennan, and so on.

After a few days of leisure.

Chen Sanshi received another task.

He and his men, together with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's Tiger Guards, were responsible for taking care of Ziwei Mountain before the Emperor's arrival, and no outsiders were allowed to approach until the Fengshan Ceremony officially began.

This job should have been done by the Jinwu Guards.

But they haven't arrived yet.

For the time being, the Xuanjia Army and the Huben Army, who also came from the capital, will work together to do this.

Ziwei Mountain!
Legend has it that eight thousand years ago, the Purple Emperor Star fell on this place and turned into a giant peak. Since then, emperors of every dynasty would offer sacrifices to the gods here when they ascended the throne. Only those who offered sacrifices to the gods here could be regarded as legitimate emperors. It was a recognition of their status. This is what is meant by "being appointed by heaven and living forever."

and so.

The loss of the three states was a great humiliation for Dasheng.

Because in a sense, Dongqing became the real "Son of Heaven", which means that the imperial seal was still in the hands of Dasheng, otherwise it would be really unjustified.

"grown ups!"

"There's a strange invitation here. It's from... a brothel."

Zhao Kang said, "It seems to be the largest brothel in Taihu Prefecture, and their courtesan wants to invite you over."

"are you crazy!"

Liu Jinkui cursed: "A brothel is worthy of currying favor with the Lord? Next time, don't send such invitations in, just throw them away..."

"give it to me."

Chen Sanshi said lightly.

"..."

Liu Jinkui's face was filled with embarrassment.

After handing out the invitation, the two of them quickly left.

"Old Liu, are you mentally ill? I knew that the master would like this, so I picked it out specially."

"This... I didn't expect that either."

"I heard that the courtesan at Yunxiu Tower in Taihu Prefecture is also a master."

"The war is over, and the lord should be happy now. Have you ever seen him idle? Every time I see him holding a spear or a bow and arrow, it's a bit scary."

"Why don't we go buy a few beauties and present them to the Lord?"

"What do you know? For this kind of thing, you have to go to the brothel in person to experience that kind of atmosphere, understand?"

"..."

Chen Sanshi watched them leave muttering to themselves and ignored them.

He opened the invitation.

Judging from the tone of the voice, it was, as expected, someone from Xunxian Tower.

In all likelihood, it is related to the subsequent actions of the Xianghuo Shen Cult.

"You can go and have a look."

Chen Sanshi and Xunxianlou can no longer be considered friends now, but they are just trading partners.

After informing his senior brother who knew the situation, he went to Yunxiu Tower that night. However, he did not follow the complicated process as he did to Hongxiu Tower. Instead, he was led by a special person and went straight up the stairs through the back door.

After pushing open the door.

The person inside was not the local courtesan, but a man.

A middle-aged man wearing an ordinary robe, with a pale face, a short beard, and a deep aura. The most important thing is that there is obvious spiritual energy flowing in this man's body, which is much stronger than Ningxiang's. He may have already entered the Tao.

Without waiting for Chen Sanshi to speak.

The middle-aged man took the initiative to stand up and greet him: "Master Chen, I have heard a lot about you! My last name is Liao Shizhong, and I am from Xunxian Tower. Thank you Master Chen for your help!"

"Oh?"

Chen Sanshi asked in confusion: "Why did Senior Liao say that?"

"Master Chen, do you still remember~"

Liao Shizhong dragged his voice: "The intermittent grass you found in the Luotian Mountains?"

"Intermittent grass?"

Chen Sanshi naturally remembered this incident.

If that's the case, the intermittent grass might have been used to heal this person's injuries.

The skills he acquired while hunting were not rusty, and with his insight he saw that the man had disguised himself and was using a fake identity, but his disguise was not very good and he could tell at a glance that the beard was glued on.

This person's voice is also a bit shrill, and his temperament is exactly the same as that of Eunuch Hou Bao.

Eunuch in the palace?
There are actually people hiding in Xunxian Tower in the imperial palace.

He replied calmly, "Senior Liao, you don't have to thank me. Xunxianlou and I both get what we need. There is no such thing as one person owing another a favor. I wonder if you called me here today for something important?"

"Exactly."

Liao Shizhong asked him to sit down: "Master Chen, do you know Ziwei Mountain?"

"Of course I know."

Chen Sanshi said, "Otherwise, what's the point of fighting this battle?"

"Does Master Chen know?"

Liao Shizhong said mysteriously: "Emperor and Prince, why do you want to recapture Ziwei Mountain at all costs?"

The prince wanted to rebel, but for some reason he was unable to do so in the capital. The emperor would basically not leave the Wanshou Palace, so if he wanted to go out, he could only take advantage of the opportunity of the Fengshan ceremony at Ziwei Mountain.

So……

Where is the emperor?
Chen Sanshi had been busy with the war and had no time to think about this problem.

For the old emperor, is the achievement of retaking Ziwei Mountain really that important?

Or.

What's inside that the emperor desires?

After all, when Sanqian was sent to guard Hulao Pass, the reason why they sent him there was probably not with the intention of keeping him alive. It was purely a decision to buy time at all costs.

If it weren't for the Heavenly Book and the brave general Deng Feng who was found by chance, if this battle had continued, the national treasury would have been emptied of more than half.

There must be a more important purpose for doing this.

"Is there something?"

Chen Sanshi asked.

"Yes."

Liao Shizhong said: "Taizu Cao Xie killed people with flying swords, broke through 2,200 armors by himself, and killed four martial saints. I believe that Lord Chen has seen these records, but you certainly don't know that Cao Xie disappeared for five years in the early years of his founding.

“We speculate that he has most likely been to the fairyland in the past five years!

“I learned magic there!

“That’s why after coming back, he was able to become the number one martial artist in the world and lay the foundation for the great prosperity of the past three hundred years.

“For hundreds of years, we in Xunxian Tower have been trying to retrace Cao Xie’s steps, but unfortunately we haven’t gained much. We only know that he left something for future generations after his death.

"The emperor is now so eager to recapture Ziwei Mountain, which means that the thing is most likely in the Imperial Ancestral Temple or somewhere in Ziwei Mountain."

"so……"

Chen Sanshi asked: "Senior, you asked me to come here because you want to..."

"Yes."

Liao Shizhong said frankly: "Master Chen's Xuanjia Army is from the capital, and will most likely be responsible for the safety of the Ziwei Mountain Palace in the future, so I hope that Master can pay more attention to this matter. If you find anything, please discuss it with me in time. If you can really find the secret method to pass through the fairy world, Xunxianlou is willing to share it with Master Chen."

"I see."

Chen Sanshi didn't expect that there was such a secret on Ziwei Mountain. No wonder it caused such a commotion. And it seems that the water in the future will be deeper and muddier than he thought.

He has personally experienced the benefits of sword energy techniques, and if there is a chance, he will naturally give it a try, of course, while ensuring his own safety.

"Senior Liao."

He changed the subject: "Before coming to Lingzhou, other people in Xunxian Tower told you that the Incense God Church was going to make a big move. Do you know what it is now?"

"I don't know."

Liao Shizhong shook his head: "They collected incense along the way and then disappeared. It's very strange~"

Chen Sanshi nodded.

He was not sure whether Xunxianlou was still unaware of the situation or was unwilling to tell him as the situation had developed to this point.

By calculation, it was almost time for him to meet with the Xianghuo Sect.

Since the other party didn't want to talk about this matter, Chen Sanshi didn't ask any more questions: "Senior Liao, if there is nothing else, I will take my leave first. I will pay attention to the matter of Taizu's treasure."

"Master Chen, please excuse me."

Liao Shizhong said with a smile: "Thank you again for the intermittent grass, Master Chen. This herb is very hard to find!"

Chen Sanshi didn't stay any longer and got up and left.

When he went downstairs, he noticed that Liao Shizhong also followed him downstairs and entered the room of a prostitute. Soon, indescribable sounds were heard from inside.

This father-in-law is actually fully functional!

He finally guessed what the intermittent grass was used for.

But aren’t eunuchs usually castrated when they are very young?
How did you connect it?
How could it be preserved for so many years?!

Could it be that he used someone else's?

Thinking of this, Chen Sanshi suddenly felt a chill and quickened his pace to leave.

Moreover, if this person is really a eunuch in the palace, I am afraid he will stay in the palace in Ziwei Mountain and must share this news with me...

Even the people in Xunxian Tower couldn't fully believe it.

It doesn’t mean that it will definitely harm you, but you should always be on guard against others.

The same goes for Ningxiang.

When it comes to fundamental interests, trading partners mean nothing.

It was too early to leave the brothel.

When Chen Sanshi was on his way back to his residence, he found that the streets had suddenly become clean. Not only were there starving people, there was not even a beggar or a vendor.

Until he returned to the door of his residence.

I saw that there were already teams of people filling the alleys. They were all wearing majestic Feiyu costumes and had embroidered spring swords on their waists. They were the Jinyiwei of the Great Sheng Dynasty.

"Wow!"

"Greetings, Master Chen!"

These elite military officers who were directly under the emperor all saluted him with their fists clasped in unison.

Before Chen Sanshi could react, a noble young man dressed in brocade and finery and with an imposing manner came trotting in front of him, raised his hand and clasped his fists in salute: "Master Chen! I have heard of your great name for a long time, and I am glad to finally meet you!
"Oh, I almost forgot to introduce myself.

"My last name is Cao and my given name is Zhi."

Cao Zhi?

"Your Highness."

Chen Sanshi responded with a gift: "You are a member of the royal family, how dare I accept your gift?"

Cao Zhi.

The twelfth son of the emperor.

If he remembered correctly, he was now serving as the commander-in-chief of the Embroidered Uniform Guard in the imperial palace in the capital, in charge of all the Embroidered Uniform Guards including the North and South Pacification Offices.

Apparently, he was the first among the princes to arrive, and he found his doorstep so late at night.

"Oh, that's right!"

Cao Zhi was not arrogant at all and said with a smile on his face: "Master Chen is the most meritorious official in Mingzhou and the Eastern Expedition. It is precisely because of this that he should be treated with even greater courtesy!"

"Your Highness, what are you talking about?"

There was no expression on Chen Sanshi's face, but he was slightly surprised in his heart.

because……

There is spiritual energy in the body of the twelfth prince!
The Cao family is truly amazing.

(End of this chapter)