Knife splashing

Chapter 274: The Deep Waters of Jianghu
Drive people away?
Li Yan was a little surprised. A lot of people had already been transferred from Yunyang Prefecture, and they were short of manpower. They also drove away the remaining disciples...

Did I make some mistake?
Although he felt curious, Li Yan did not ask any further questions.

After all, the two parties are not familiar with each other, so there is no need to meddle in their affairs.

After leaving the City God Temple, Sharifei shook his head and said, "It's obvious that we can't get any information here. It's better to go to the Jianghu Inn."

After that, the two of them strolled along the streets in the city, looking for secret signs while also paying attention to the local customs and practices.

For experienced people, a lot of information can be analyzed from these seemingly insignificant things.

For example, commerce is well developed here, and you can see many handicraft workshops along the way. The power of the artisan guild is definitely not small.

It is a little different from Yichang. The city is mainly populated by Han people. Only a few people wearing Tujia and Miao clothing can be seen occasionally, and they all come from far away to buy and sell supplies.

Because there was the Wuchang Garrison with tens of thousands of troops stationed nearby, as well as the Wenjin Academy, where literary culture flourished, there were many people wearing military and Confucian robes on the street.

Finally, after running across half of Hanyang, they found an inn. On the stone base of the pillars at the entrance were carved auspicious clouds and lotus flowers.

Like other Jianghu inns, the lobby was crowded with people, all of whom were ordinary Jianghu people, including Jianghu artists and peddlers carrying loads on their shoulders.

It was very lively inside, even a little noisy.

An old man stood in the middle of the hall, beaming with joy and spitting as he said, "This grand event is rare, so it's inevitable that we'll see many masters..."

The waiter, also with a white towel draped over his shoulders, was leaning against the door, listening to the old man talking.

Seeing Li Yan and the other man coming, he hurried over to greet them.

Sharifei made a direct gesture and said, "Xiangjia (expert), first have a drink of tea, then listen to the wind (inquire about the news)."

The waiter immediately understood, clasped his fists respectfully, and then raised his hand and said, "Dear guests, please come in."

After that, he led the two to a table in the corner.

Sharifei asked in a low voice: "What's going on? Why is it so lively?"

The waiter did not hide it and smiled, "I don't know you two. I'm afraid you have just arrived in Hanyang. In a while, it will be the Dragon Boat Festival. Many fellow martial artists in Ezhou are rushing here."

"The Wuchang Palace wants to hire some expert guards, so they are taking this opportunity to hold a competition. It will be jointly organized by the Three Cities Divine Fist Association. The rewards are very generous, and I am afraid it will attract a lot of people."

"That's Mr. Feng, the drum storyteller. He had a great time drinking today and was talking about this matter."

"Oh? That's a coincidence..."

Li Yan became interested as soon as he heard it. He ordered a pot of "Yuye Changchun" and four kinds of snacks including candied fruit, peanuts, perilla paste and snowflake crisps, then sat down and listened quietly.

"As the saying goes, if you learn martial arts well, you can sell them to the emperor..."

The old man was talking with great interest. He suddenly pulled out a fan from behind his neck, opened it with a rustle, fanned it twice, and then continued:

"The life in the underworld is not easy. The world is a bit chaotic now. If I can live in the palace, it would be a good place to go, and it would also provide many conveniences."

"Therefore, almost all nearby martial arts schools will send out their best disciples. These people are rarely seen on weekdays, let alone gathering together to compete. Don't miss the opportunity."

"If I could enter the palace, why would I have to suffer in the wind and rain?"

"Senior Feng, are you kidding me?"

A peddler said happily: "Our martial arts skills can only be used for self-defense at best. Fighting with those martial artists is just asking for trouble."

"Why don't you tell us which masters there are, so we can go and see them!"

"That's right, Senior Feng is very knowledgeable. Tell us about it!"

"Waiter, serve Senior Feng another pot of good tea!"

The onlookers immediately started to make a noise.

The old man who was criticizing the performance was also a show-off. Seeing so many people coming to show their support, he became even more interested. He folded his fan and clapped it on his hands with a snap.

Like a wake-up call, the hall suddenly became quiet.

The old man from Pingmen then said leisurely: "The wharf of Hanyang and Wuchang is a precious land, connecting the north and the south, linking nine provinces, so the martial arts industry is naturally extremely prosperous."

"In Ezhou, there are Hongmen boxing, Kongmen boxing, Yuejia boxing and Yumen boxing, which have been passed down for a long time and have many practitioners."

"Hongmen boxing originated from Emperor Taizu of Song Dynasty. It is known as '32 hands to rule the world'. It is strong and powerful, with big openings and closings, and wins by force. Cheng Baishan of Cheng's martial arts school is at his peak. It is said that he is about to enter the state of Huajin. If nothing unexpected happens, he will personally take action..."

"Confucian Fist has a close relationship with Confucianism. It is good at combining hardness with softness. It can overcome hardness with hardness and soften hardness with softness. Those who are fighting should be the guards of Wenjin Academy..."

"Of course, there is no need to mention the Yue Family Fist. It is very likely Lei Poshan from the Lei Family. At a young age, he has already made a name for himself in the martial arts world..."

"The three Bai brothers of Yumen Fist are top-notch heroes on the Yangtze River docks. They will definitely not miss the fun this time."

"To the south, there are the martial arts schools in Ganzhou and Xiangzhou. The Hard Gate Fist, the Wu Family Fist, and the Xue Family Fist have all been established here for many years, and all have top masters fighting there."

"But the real attraction is the Shaolin, Emei, Wudang, and Qingcheng sects. They might send out masters who are good at martial arts to fight."

"Unfortunately, due to the war in the southwest, Wudang, Emei and other sects have summoned their disciples back to the mountains for protection. I'm afraid that this time, it will be the Zen sect that will stand out."

Someone puzzled and asked, "Speaking of which, they are all top-notch masters in the martial arts world, so naturally they are arrogant. Even if the palace offers a huge reward, they won't fight for that little bit of money, right?"

"Haha, you don't understand this."

The old man stroked his beard and said, "I heard that the prince of Wuchang Palace has reached a certain age. He doesn't like to play with literature and only likes to wield swords and guns. He is a complete martial arts fanatic and has a very high talent."

"The prince dotes on him very much, and this time he probably wants to help him find a master. If anyone can win the championship in the competition and enter the prince's palace, it will also be helpful to the sect behind him in the future."

"Oh I got it."

Hearing this, everyone suddenly realized.

There was a young man sitting in the crowd. He said happily, "I don't know about the others, but the laymen from Wudang will definitely not go. They had an internal fight and were beaten to pieces. They have become a laughing stock in the world."

"This time, I guess I won't even dare to show my face."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone's faces suddenly looked strange.

"Tsk tsk, I heard it was for a woman?"

"Well, it really pissed off the seniors in the sect."

"You are still too young..."

The old man from the review sect did not respond and continued to laugh:

"Everyone, I heard that the arena will be set up on Guishan Mountain, near Qingchuan Tower. There will be guards outside. The number of places to advance is limited. If you have the ability, you should find a way as soon as possible."

"I'm afraid it's difficult to do."

"Yes, I heard that the Ezhou Chamber of Commerce and several other families are going there, so they will definitely not let too many idle people in..."

Everyone was talking about it, while Li Yan was holding his teacup, thinking about something.

Sharifei knew what he was thinking at a glance, and said with a low laugh: "What's the matter, Brother Yan, are you interested?"

Li Yan nodded and said, "This opportunity is rare."

"My boxing skills are still being perfected, and I need a lot of practical experience. The reward from the palace doesn't matter, but the opportunity to fight with masters from all walks of life is something I can't miss."

"That's easy."

Sharifei whispered, "Since the Chamber of Commerce wants to go, Mr. Tian will definitely be able to get a spot. Just ask him to sign up for you."

As they were talking, an old man hurried down from upstairs, came to the two of them, and respectfully bowed and said, "Are you Young Master Li from Guanzhong?" Li Yan narrowed his eyes slightly, "Who are you?"

The old man smiled and said, "I am Yuan Sihai, the owner of the Sanyuan Inn. Young Master Li, please move aside and talk."

After that, he took the two of them to the private room upstairs.

Without waiting for the two to ask, the old man personally brewed tea and explained, "I am from the Gelaohui, so Young Master Li, there is no need to be on guard."

"The news of your defeat of the Ghost Cult in Yichang has spread throughout Ezhou. Ordinary people in the martial arts world don't know about it, but those who know the business have great respect for Young Master Li."

"To be honest, Young Master Li was spotted as soon as he arrived at the dock. I'm afraid many people in the city already know about it."

Li Yan was a little surprised, "Senior, are you exaggerating?"

The old man sighed, "Young Master Li, you probably don't know how famous the Ghost Cult and the Heavenly Saint Cult are in the martial arts world. Everyone is afraid of them."

"Young man, you have been able to disrupt their plots several times and prevent Ezhou from going into chaos. Not only the court, but even we should give you a thumbs up."

As he spoke, he looked worried and asked tentatively, "Young Master Li's visit to Hanyang, could it be related to the Ghost Cult?"

Sharifei was somewhat speechless. "We just happened to be there. How could we be idle and have nothing to do and cause trouble for those people all day long?"

"This time I came to Hanyang just to rest and take a look at the Dragon Boat Festival. I came here just to ask about the depth of the water on the nearby road."

"Oh, all right."

Yuan Sihai breathed a sigh of relief.

Sharifi rolled his eyes and said, "Senior, since you said we are chivalrous, I wonder if this information can be given for free?"

"Brother Sha is joking."

Yuan Sihai shook his head and said, "Rules cannot be broken. Money still needs to be earned. At most, I can give you two a discount. I will never dare to ask for a random price."

"That's okay too."

Sharifei stopped pestering him.

Yuan Sihai told the two of them about the situation in the surrounding underworld.

"This is one of the most important ports in Shenzhou. The waters of the rivers and lakes are naturally very deep. The martial arts that old man Feng just mentioned are just the tip of the iceberg..."

"The Zen sect has the greatest influence here, and is suppressed by masters sent by the Shaolin Temple. It has a close relationship with the palace and controls the Law Enforcement Hall. We must not provoke them..."

"Wenjin Academy is the head of Confucianism in Ezhou, with many masters. Many important officials in the court came from the academy. It is also closer to the Ezhou Chamber of Commerce, so it should not be underestimated..."

"As for the Wudang Zhenwu Palace, it is relatively weak. There are only some lay disciples here. In addition, there is war in the southwest, so they have no time to take care of other things..."

"The remaining sects and lineages are numerous, with the Pai Sect being the most powerful. There is also the Zen Sect suppressing them, so they dare not act too recklessly."

"The city's craftsmen are also a big force, but they rarely get involved in disputes. They mainly make money with the Ezhou Chamber of Commerce..."

Listening to the old man's narration, Li Yan and Sha Lifei finally gained some understanding of the underworld in this area.

Both of them sighed in their hearts.

Just as Yuan Sihai said, the water here is very deep.

The story took more than half an hour.

Li Yan pondered for a moment, then asked, "To be honest, we have been helping Tian Fengchang and Tian Yuanwai deal with some things recently, and we found something strange. Have you heard anything about it, senior?"

"this…"

Yuan Sihai hesitated for a moment, "This matter is a bit troublesome, and I dare not make random guesses, but I have heard a few things."

"Several sorcerers who helped the Tian family with feng shui, some of them suddenly left a few days ago, and some were attacked, so they dared not say a word."

"Also, Mr. Tian is probably not at peace in the Chamber of Commerce. The Ezhou Chamber of Commerce has made great gains in the past few overseas trips, but its shares were limited in the beginning."

"I think someone is jealous..."

…………

After leaving the inn, Sharifei scratched his head and cursed: "I just feel that there is something wrong with this matter, and Mr. Tian is not honest either!"

Li Yan pondered and said, "I don't think so. Let's ask Tian Yuanwai when we get back. If he intends to hide it, we should leave immediately."

"Let's go. The Taoist priest's place may not be safe either."

The two of them did not delay and immediately rushed back to the Tian family mansion.

Fortunately, Wang Daoxuan was still at home and had not gone out to the Tian family's ancestral tomb.

When Li Yan and his companion entered the room, they found that Wang Daoxuan was leading a group of servants, prying open the stone steps below the front hall one by one.

They were curious, so they stood by and watched.

"Master, have you discovered something?" Sharifei asked.

Wang Daoxuan shook his head slightly, "It's hard to say now."

The servants were also very skillful and soon all the stone steps were pried up. Everyone was stunned when they saw the scene below.

The stone steps were neat and tidy on the outside, but of different lengths and sizes on the inside, and the floor tiles were all raised at both ends, making them look like small coffins.

Li Yan pinched his fingers, took a deep breath, and shook his head, "I can't smell anything. What kind of method is this?"

Wang Daoxuan also stroked his beard and frowned, saying: "I just checked the layout of the Tian Mansion's Yangzhai. There is no problem with other places, but this place is a bit abrupt."

"This should be a sophisticated way of warding off evil."

"But if the evil energy is not gathered, it can cause trouble. This is the first time I have seen it."

"The art of warding off evil..."

Li Yan seemed to be thinking about something. He turned his head and said to the servant in a deep voice, "Please ask Mr. Tian to come back. We have something to ask you."

The servant knew they were sorcerers and did not dare to say anything. He hurried out and rode away on a fast horse.

Less than three sticks of incense time later, Tian Yuanwai rushed back, sweating profusely. Seeing the pried open stone steps and coffin-shaped bricks, he was immediately stunned, "Who... wants to harm me?"

Although he was not a sorcerer, he had heard many things.

Li Yan did not try to hide the truth and asked directly, "Mr. Tian, ​​have you ever offended anyone?"

"Also, the warlocks you invited were attacked. Do you know about this?"

"what?!"

Mr. Tian was obviously a little surprised. "Is there such a thing? I have never heard of it. Those sorcerers were invited by friends and left after receiving the money."

As he said that, he quickly turned around and said, "Quick, go see if Wang Duangong is still at home?"

The Lord Wang Duan he mentioned lived in Hanyang City. The servant rode out on a fast horse and came back soon, clasping his fists and saying, "My lord, the door is locked. People nearby said he has been gone for half a month."

After hearing this, Mr. Tian's eyes were uncertain. He looked at the coffin bricks on the ground and gritted his teeth and said, "I think I know who it is."

Sharifi asked, "Who is it?"

Tian Yuanwai said in a deep voice: "The son of the Chamber of Commerce president, Wu Jiucheng!"

(End of this chapter)