Knife splashing

Chapter 120: New Policies of the Imperial Court
"Master, were there so many people in previous years?"

Sharifei was secretly shocked and asked in a low voice.

"Of course not."

Wang Daoxuan looked solemn and shook his head, saying, "Taibai Mountain is majestic and has no wind or rain. It is only in the hottest month of June that people can pass through, which is called 'opening the mountain'. In other seasons, the road is blocked by fog and snow, and few people go there, which is commonly known as 'closing the mountain'."

"Now that winter has arrived, the roads on the mountain are becoming more difficult to travel. Those devout pilgrims will go to the old temple halfway up the mountain, but the Taoists will definitely climb to the top. The road is dangerous, so there won't be so many people."

Li Yan nodded and said, "That's probably because something happened. Be careful when you go in and find out what happened."

After saying that, the three of them jumped down and led their horses towards the fort.

The gate of the fort was obviously renovated later and was simply made of charred logs. It was wide open at the moment and there was no one guarding it.

Only after entering did Li Yan discover a different world.

The entire fortress is similar to a small village, with an ancestral hall and Sanguan Temple in the center, six large mansions around it, and various large houses on the periphery, which should be warehouses, stables and the like.

Of course, the buildings inside were more seriously damaged. Many old houses had completely collapsed and were simply rebuilt by vendors.

There were shops with flags flying everywhere, including the Bai Family Inn, a teahouse, a tavern, a clothing store, a incense and candle shop, and even a blacksmith shop.

Although the sparrow is small, it has all the organs.

It was approaching dusk, and the light was dim because of the high walls inside the fort. Some people had already lit lanterns. There were the noise of people, the neighing of mules and horses, the rising of steam from the food shops, and the occasional witches and sorcerers passing by, creating a rather bizarre feeling.

"You three, would you like to stay in a hotel?"

Before they could come to their senses, a servant came running over, bowing and asking questions.

Wang Daoxuan asked in confusion: "Wasn't it called Gao's Inn a few years ago? How come it changed owners?"

"How strange..."

The servant sneered and said, "There are always gains and losses in business. If the business fails, the people will leave. The inn has been taken over by our boss."

As he spoke, he raised his eyebrows and said, "To be honest, our boss is the descendant of Bai Qi, a great general during the Qin Dynasty. Legend has it that this fort was built by the Bai family. In fact, it is all our boss's property..."

"Just forget it now."

A blacksmith happened to be walking by and sneered, "Don't even mention whether there was a fort in Qin. Even if there was, it would have been gone long ago. And we all know the situation of your boss."

"Descendant of General Bai, you dare to brag!"

The boy's face flushed red, but he was obviously afraid of the blacksmith, and did not dare to refute. He said to Li Yan and the other two in a harsh voice: "Let's make it clear first, twenty taels of silver per night, no food, hot water is charged separately, do you want to stay here?"

Sharifei glared and said, "Twenty taels of silver, you are robbing me!"

The servant was not afraid at all. He stiffened his neck and shouted, "This is the market price now. It's up to you to choose the place or not!"

After saying that, he turned and walked towards another new guest.

Sharifei was extremely angry, but this boy must have something to rely on for being so rampant. Besides, he had just arrived here and was not familiar with the situation, so he could only hold it in for the time being.

The new guest was a middle-aged woman wearing a black robe, with a seven-star sword and a peach wood sword on her back, and a bamboo armor on the outside. A soul-calming bell hung around her waist. She had a heroic face and her face was weathered. It was obvious that she was a member of the Xuanmen sect.

To their surprise, after hearing the servant's offer, the woman nodded without hesitation and said, "Well, lead the way, I'll give you a room, and you can help me feed the horse on the way."

"Yes, yes, please come in!"

The servant was very enthusiastic and nodded as he took the person away.

At the end, he turned around and shouted, "The rooms are full. Guests who want to stay in the hotel, please wait until tomorrow."

After saying that, he turned around and left quickly.

Sharifei was confused, "Business is so hot?"

Li Yanze looked at the woman's back as she left and whispered, "Master, this woman is not simple. Can you tell what she is up to?"

As soon as she finished speaking, the woman suddenly turned her head, looked at them coldly, and then continued to leave with the servant.

It’s the power of ears!
Li Yan's expression remained unchanged, but he was already on high alert in his heart.

This place gathers many people from the mysterious sect, and each of them has supernatural powers. It seems that one has to be careful in what he says and does.

"Let's find a place to stay first."

Wang Daoxuan shook his head slightly, his eyes full of confusion.

However, trouble came again.

Wang Daoxuan remembered that apart from the Bai family inn, there were some dilapidated houses in other places in the fortress, which could be used for temporary rest. Anyway, they would stay there for one night and then prepare to go up the mountain.

But after walking around the fort, I found that all the places that could shelter from the wind and cold were occupied by people. They were sitting around the campfire, and their eyes were full of defensiveness.

"Brother, I want to ask you something..."

"do not know."

"There is a way in all mountains and rivers. Where do brothers come from?"

"roll!"

When Sharifei tried to inquire about the news, he was met with a cold shoulder. No matter how they greeted him with a smile or used the Jianghu Spring Dian, these people refused to respond.

Vaguely, everyone was on guard against each other.

"Damn, this is really weird..." Sharifei cursed inwardly. The atmosphere here made him feel a little uneasy.

Li Yan's heart moved, and he remembered the blacksmith who had mocked him before, so he took the two of them to the blacksmith shop.

There was no furnace in the blacksmith shop.

The blacksmith was tall, with a full beard and a body full of lumps of flesh. He was leading two apprentices to burn incense and worship.

Li Yan and the other two did not disturb them and waited outside.

During the Lower Yuan Festival, some craftsmen would offer sacrifices to the furnace god, who was none other than Laojun, the Lord who burned the furnace and refined elixirs.

Being interrupted during a sacrifice is a big taboo.

After waiting for a whole incense stick of time, the blacksmith finally finished his work, wiped his hands, turned around and said, "Thank you for your kindness, where did you get it from?"

Perhaps it was because the three of them knew etiquette that made his tone much kinder.

Li Yan bowed and said, "Senior, we came from Xianyang and are preparing to go up the mountain."

He had noticed that there was a hot smell of incense lingering in the blacksmith's shop, and it should be the work of a Taoist craftsman.

"Xianyang..." The blacksmith pondered for a moment, "Do you know Manager Wan of Wensheng Pavilion?"

"That's so familiar!"

Sharifei was a quick-witted person, and he immediately tried to get close to her, "We have a special relationship. I lived in Shangyi Village for a while before, and I also know Manager Wan."

The blacksmith nodded and said, "Yes, we are friends. Shopkeeper Wan sent a batch of drums to the mountain a while ago, and he just came down the mountain and left yesterday."

"What a pity, I missed it..."

With Manager Wan as an excuse, the few of them quickly became familiar with each other.

The blacksmith's surname is Hong and his given name is Hong Mushan. He is indeed a Taoist craftsman. He took over the shop from his master and often worked for Taoist temples in the mountains. He never had to worry about business.

"Brother Hong, the atmosphere here is a little strange..."

Li Yan couldn't help but express his doubts.

"You don't know?" Blacksmith Hong was surprised.

"I have been on the road and haven't heard any news."

"No wonder…"

After listening to Li Yan's explanation, Blacksmith Hong shook his head and said, "Originally, there were not many people at this time of year, but something big happened before." "Just after the Cold Clothes Festival, several orthodox imperial masters in the court reported that there was an evil sect in Jiangnan who was bewitching the villagers, hiding during the day and coming out at night, worshipping evil gods, and even calling himself Marshal Sheng Gong, trying to rebel."

"The emperor was furious and ordered the Xuan priest to strictly control the situation. News has spread that in the future, those who want to use the spiritual orifices of the caves and blessed lands occupied by the orthodox sects of various sects must have a Taoist certificate issued by the Xuan priest."

"I heard that it will start after the New Year. Many people received the news and rushed here, wanting to take advantage of this last moment to practice..."

When the three heard this, they looked at each other in surprise.

Sharifei was speechless and said, "This sounds like an excuse. It's obvious that they want to use the blessed land to control the Xuanmen of the world."

Li Yan understood immediately after hearing this.

The knights use force to break the law, the Confucians use literature to disrupt the law, and if the people in the Taoist sect have any evil thoughts, they will bring disaster to the whole world.

The witchcraft chaos in the Han Palace, the emperor's dream of immortality, prophecies in troubled times, civil unrest caused by famine... every dynasty has been troubled by these problems.

But just like the martial arts world, the Xuanmen sect cannot be killed completely, and the imperial court still needs them to calm the people and suppress evil spirits, so it can only rely on control.

Therefore, the Daxuan Dynasty had a law that all people in the Xuanmen, whether monks, Taoists, sorcerers, or witches, had to be registered with the Xuan priests and issued Taoist certificates.

But just like gunpowder, which is difficult to stop despite repeated bans, many folk sorcerers simply ignored this decree, not to mention those who practiced evil ways.

It is extremely difficult for a sorcerer to succeed in building a tower or pavilion in an ordinary place. However, the chances will be greater if he uses the spiritual power of a blessed place or cave.

It seems that the imperial court wants to control this in order to restrain the Xuanmen sect.

Li Yan was not a fraud nor did he use magic to harm others, so he naturally did not reject this. He even asked Luo Mingzi to help him make a list, and he would go to Chang'an to get the Taoist certificate before the New Year.

But this incident caused him trouble.

At Doumu Temple on Mount Taibai, a grand ceremony is held during the winter solstice, during which the caves and acupoints will be temporarily closed until the next year.

You know, although the Dongtian Mountains are large, there are very few innate qi acupoints that have been discovered.

With so many warlocks, there will definitely be some competition.

Thinking of this, Li Yan's heart moved slightly, and he asked: "Senior, so many people are staying at the Bai Family Inn at a high price, there is something wrong with that..."

I felt familiar with this situation just now. It seemed that it was the same as the routine of some scenic spots in my previous life.

"Isn't it?"

Blacksmith Hong got angry when he heard this. "Originally, the inn's owner, Gao, had a good relationship with us. We all made money guarding this fortress, and our lives were pretty carefree."

"This Bai guy, relying on his relationship with the manager of the Taoist temple on the mountain, snatched away Boss Gao's business and forced him to leave his hometown."

As he spoke, he glanced in the direction of the inn and whispered, "After hearing the news from the court, the owner of the Bai Family Inn was tempted to stay with them for twenty taels a night."

"There is a secret here. What they charge is not the accommodation fee, but the opportunity to rent a spiritual orifice from the manager after you go up the mountain with the ticket!"

really!

Li Yan sneered, he guessed right.

"What a coward! I never thought this Xuanmen Holy Land would be filled with so much evil!"

Sharifei cursed, but then asked, "Does buying a ticket mean I have a chance? If so, twenty taels is not expensive."

"hehe!"

Blacksmith Hong sneered and said, "Let me put it this way. Starting from a few days ago, this boss has been selling tickets every day. I secretly estimated that at least more than a hundred tickets have been sold."

"There are only a few spiritual holes on the mountain. I think we'll have to search for them and let you guys bid for them..."

Sharifei was surprised and said, "More than a hundred pieces, each piece is twenty taels, that's easily two thousand taels of silver, just for a meeting."

"It's dark, too dark!"

“Why don’t we have this opportunity…”

"Yes."

Boss Hong responded and then looked at Shalifai, feeling an inexplicable sense of mutual respect.

Wang Daoxuan was somewhat helpless. "I didn't expect this to happen. I'm afraid the money we prepared is not enough. What should I do?"

They dug up a bandit camp in Xianyang, and also got some spoils from Chen Fakui, so they were considered to have made a lot of money.

After deducting the money for building the tower, there was still more than enough money left, so he spent lavishly along the way, hiring people to carry the coffin, renting a horse-drawn carriage, buying fine wine and tea, and enjoying the bath in Shangluo. The expenses were quite considerable.

If I bid, I probably won’t be able to compete with others.

Li Yan pondered for a moment, then asked, "Senior, since you often go to the mountain to help, do you know a Taoist priest named Yu Linzi in Dou Mu Yuan?"

When he left Xianyang City, Luo Mingzi gave him a visiting card, asking him to look for Yu Linzi if he encountered any inconvenience when he came to Taibai Mountain.

The Taixuan Orthodox Church was huge in scale. The Xuan Priests, to which Luo Mingzi belonged, and the Doumuyuan belonged to different factions, but they were ultimately from the same sect and frequently interacted with each other.

Since you sent him a visiting card, it means that you have a very close relationship with him.

"Jade scales?"

Blacksmith Hong was surprised and nodded, "Of course I know. This person is very talented. He has reached the third level of Taoism at such a young age. His master is also a high-level master of Doumuyuan."

"If we can ask him for help, this matter should be easy to handle, but there are too many people going up the mountain now, and I'm afraid you're not the only ones who will use your connections to intercede."

"Then leave at night!"

Sharifei clapped his hands and said fiercely: "Anyway, there is no difference between staying in an inn here and sleeping in the wilderness."

"Didn't the Taoist priest say that the road to Taibai Mountain is not easy to travel? It's scorching hot in the summer at the foot of the mountain, but the mountain is covered with ice and snow. Now it's winter and the mountain is closed, so there must be many people stranded on the road."

"As long as we walk fast, maybe we can grab one!"

Li Yan hesitated for a moment and looked at Wang Daoxuan.

He and Sharifei were naturally fine. They had practiced martial arts for many years and had extraordinary endurance, so they didn't mind the fatigue of the journey.

Wang Daoxuan is different. I’m afraid he can’t hold on.

"Don't worry, I'm poor."

Wang Daoxuan laughed in silence, "Although I am not very strong, I have traveled around before, sometimes it is common for me to climb mountains and cross ridges for two or three days."

"Well."

Li Yan stood up and said, "Let's buy some things and go!"

If you want to go up the mountain, you need to prepare a lot of things.

A thick sheepskin coat, a flint, and some dry food.

There is more than one company taking advantage of the situation. These things are not valuable on normal days, but now their prices have doubled.

Li Yan and others ignored the nonsense and bought the horses directly. They then stored the horses in the stable and left the fort overnight.

The atmosphere in the dock was obviously a little off. Many people were silent, but in fact they were all paying attention to what others were doing.

Seeing the three people leave, some people's faces suddenly changed slightly, and they cursed in a low voice: "Climbing the mountain at night, are you a fool?"

"How about...we go too?"

"Why are you so anxious, my friend? The road on the mountain is steep and you may fall off the cliff if you are not careful. Besides, do you really think you can get it if you go there?"

"No hurry, wait until my disciple brings the money tomorrow, then it won't be too late to leave..."

Without mentioning what these people were thinking, not long after Li Yan and the others left, the middle-aged woman with two swords on her back in the Bai family inn also left the fort in silence.

Outside the fort, three lanterns slowly rose from the skylight.

A vicissitudes of life voice sounded:
"Fasting the three officials, the water official will relieve you from misfortune during the Lantern Festival..."

(End of this chapter)