Knife splashing

Chapter 342 Momen
"Wu Youxu was just covering up. The real owner of this tomb is Wang Su, a great scholar of the Mohist school during the Tang Dynasty. The two of them lived in seclusion in Songshan Mountain and restored and improved the Mohist mechanical techniques..."

"They made the right choice. If this mechanical technology had been introduced during the turmoil at the end of the Tang Dynasty, I wonder how many people would have died as a result..."

"There are two tomb guardian beasts in the tomb. They were both found in the remnant lake of Yunmengze. One is the 'Centipede' you found, and the other is 'Seeing Meat'."

"'Vision Meat' is recorded in the Shanhaijing. It is similar to Tai Sui, but has two eyes and can continue to grow. The most important treasure in its body is its pair of eyes..."

"The two of them used a secret method to refine this 'visual flesh', turning it into a monster that devours gold, stone and soil. They forcibly eroded the mineral veins and created this gold and water mutual generation and iron dome tomb, and then sealed it with mechanical techniques."

"Unfortunately, a sudden earth dragon turned over and destroyed the structure of the tomb. The 'Vision Flesh' was born prematurely and was attracted by the resentment of the sunken Gaochang County, devouring it and turning it into an evil creature..."

After all, their relationship was pretty good, so Chengjue did not hide anything and told everyone everything he found in the tomb.

Li Yan was stunned.

He didn't expect that there were so many secrets.

When he heard that there was a mechanical inheritance inside, his face changed slightly, "The remnants of the Golden Horde and the Maitreya Cult have entered. Have they taken the things away?"

"That's not true."

Cheng Jue shook his head and said, "Although the tomb was destroyed, the 'visual flesh' is the real tomb chamber. After escaping, it swallowed up Gaochang County. It usually hides deep underground and only appears when there is wind, rain, thunder and lightning."

"Whether it was the Xuanbing of the late Tang Dynasty or the remnants of the Golden Horde, they all entered through Gaochang Ghost City, and none of them survived."

"The passage by the lake was not opened until the 'Centipede' was born a few days ago. The Maitreya Sect entered the tomb passage by blood sacrifice, activating the divine fetus outside, but did not enter the tomb chamber..."

"We'll talk about this later!"

The old scholar who had just made a joke couldn't wait to ask, "I heard that you came out of the ghost town and brought out the Luban wooden magpie?"

Master Lin quickly introduced: "Little Brother Li, this is Lord Yuan Fengyuan, the Langzhong of the Yuheng Qingli Division of the Ministry of Works, and he is also the current elder of the Mo Sect."

"I came here from Wenjin Academy and just happened to run into you two on the way. That's when I learned about such a big incident."

Li Yan quickly stood up and bowed, "Greetings, Master Yuan."

A smile appeared on his face.

It's not that he is in awe of officials.

No matter what governor or prince he met, he would just treat them as ordinary people, but the official position of the man in front of him was very important.

The Ministry of Works of the Daxuan court was divided into four Qinglisi, namely the Yingshan Qinglisi, the Yuheng Qinglisi, the Dushui Qinglisi and the Tuntian Qinglisi.

Each department is managed by one to five doctors.

The main responsibility of the Yuheng Qinglisi is to supervise the capture and smelting work in the mountains, forests, rivers and lakes of Shenzhou, and to manage all kinds of bird and animal resources.

In addition, it is also responsible for the production of important items such as military uniforms, weapons, ceramic products, coins and firearms.

If you think about it for a moment, you will know how important it is.

"No need to be polite."

Yuanfeng quickly stood up and asked expectantly, "Can you let me wait a moment?"

"That's natural."

Li Yan smiled and nodded, then brought a few people to the backyard of Shen's house.

"This is the Luban wooden magpie. Look here, everyone. After it is lit, the skin will become bigger, a bit like a Kongming lantern. The direction can be controlled here..."

"I know that this skin is a strange sea creature called 'Dragon Pig'. It is similar to a pufferfish, but it is huge and swells by absorbing water. It is difficult to be harmed by weapons, water or fire. It is very rare."

"Master Yuan is indeed well-informed."

"Hahaha, I've only heard that this wooden magpie is a treasure of the craftsmen. I don't know how it ended up in my Mo family's Juzi's tomb..."

"Mr. Li, can you please spare me a moment to talk?"

Seeing that the two were talking happily, Chengjue shook his head slightly and asked Li Yan, "Donor Li, have you ever seen anyone from the Maitreya sect in the ghost town? Their other altar is located nearby. Do you have any clues?"

“I didn’t see it in the ghost town…”

Li Yan replied, and then a figure suddenly appeared in his mind, and he quickly said: "There is a very strange person, a Taoist priest, with amazing magical powers. It was he who lured the second and third branches of the Shen family into the tomb."

"What does that person look like?"

"He is an old Taoist priest with a white beard. His robe is worn out and covered with patches. He has a hunched body and his eyes are extremely bright."

"That man also died at the altar!"

"You can ask Master Shen."

Soon, Shen Jinghong was invited over. After hearing Li Yan's description, he said thoughtfully, "I have some impression of this person. He is the temple keeper of the nearby Water God Temple. He comes to ask for money every New Year."

"Take us there quickly!"

…………

"Masters, this is it."

The Water God Temple was not far away, and Shen Jinghong quickly led everyone there and said, "This is the Dragon Girl Temple. It is rumored that this is the daughter of the Dragon King of the East China Sea. She married a mortal, and then the people built a temple to worship her. It has been a long time since then."

Among the monks brought by Chengjue, there was one who was skilled in detecting supernatural powers. When his ears moved, he shook his head and said, "There is no one inside."

"Search!"

At Chengjue's command, the monks and soldiers rushed in.

Li Yan followed closely behind, pinched the magic formula, took a deep sniff, and turned his head to look at the main hall, "There is a secret passage behind the statue."

The secret passage created by the Maitreya Sect can only be hidden from ordinary people, but it was not discovered because it was hidden in a remote countryside.

Everyone followed the secret passage and soon found the altar.

The incense master of the Maitreya sect and the few old men here all fell to the ground, their complexion was black, their faces were covered with blood, and they were already dead.

The lotus lanterns were kicked into a mess and all went out.

Looking at the scene in front of him, Cheng Jue's heart sank and his face turned gloomy. "Look around for any clues."

The monks who joined the law enforcement team were all elite. Not only did they have great martial arts skills, but they had also learned a lot of methods from the Duweisi to search for clues.

Soon, they found the traces.

There is also a waterway in the frozen warehouse, cleverly covered with rocks and wooden boards, which leads directly to Liangzi Lake, and there are wooden piles for fixing cables next to it.

"Send an order to block the waterways along the way!"

Chengjue gave the order with a gloomy face and was in a very bad mood.

Li Yan also looked solemn.

Judging from the scene, something must have gone wrong with the ceremony.

It's not a big deal that the Maitreya Sect wants to bring the Ming King Chen Youliang back to life. There are countless people in the world who are more vicious than him.

Just a while ago, Master Huang Liu was a big trouble.

Not many people know about this.

Specifically targeting Maitreya, and the ritual has been successful...

Coming into the world,
Most likely it’s the Dark Lord!

……

On an official road in Jiangxia, a white-haired woodcutter was walking with a bamboo basket on his back. His every move was similar to that of ordinary people.

He turned his head to look at the river in the distance, and said in a low and respectful voice: "My Lord, I used a trick to lure the pursuers to the waterway. As long as we reach Datong, someone will be there to pick us up."

"Ah."

A sharp sound came from inside the bamboo basket.

The old man continued to move forward, but before long, a checkpoint suddenly appeared in front of him. Several guards were patrolling and yawning. "Stop, what are you doing?"

"Your Excellency, I am going to the city to deliver firewood."

"Send firewood?"

A soldier came over with a spear in his hand and without saying a word, he opened the bamboo basket behind the old man.

There was a baby sitting inside, with legs crossed and a strange hand seal made on his hands. His pupils were as black as ink.

The soldier looked into the baby's eyes and was startled. Just as he was about to speak, a trace of black air flashed in his eyes. Then he closed the bamboo basket and said expressionlessly, "Nothing, go ahead."

"Thank you, sir."

The old woodcutter bowed in thanks and then walked away carrying the bamboo basket...

…………

In the following days, inspections in various places became more stringent.

Especially on the road to the north, not only Ezhou, but also the law enforcement halls of Shanzhou, Yuzhou, and Jinzhou were ordered to investigate.

But just as Li Yan expected, nothing was gained.

The sudden arrival of Krishna was like a drop of water merging into the ocean, completely disappearing from the sight of all forces.

Obviously, the remnants of the Golden Horde have been planning for many years and have countermeasures for various situations.

Fortunately, their plan has been leaked. They were going to use the divine fetus to infiltrate a royal palace in the Daxuan Dynasty, and the Duwei Division has made targeted arrangements.

As for Li Yan, he was busy selling Lu Ban's wooden magpies.

That's right, he had no intention of keeping this thing from the very beginning.

Firstly, the news of this item had already been leaked, and it could not be concealed at all. Moreover, the imperial court would not let go of such a powerful military weapon.

Secondly, this thing is really useless to them.

Others looked at it curiously, but Li Yan didn't think much of it at all. Besides, they traveled to various places to practice, so they didn't have the time to guard this thing all the time.

It's not very useful and will cause a lot of trouble.

Therefore, from the moment it landed, Li Yan had already planned to sell this item for a good price.

The only trouble is, who to sell it to?
This item will definitely fall into the hands of the imperial court in the end, but it is very important to consider through whose hands it passes.

If he presented it directly, at most he would get some rewards, and the court would give him a plaque or something, but it would be useless.

Although he had connections with the Duwei Division and the Law Enforcement Hall, he only knew middle-level people, so he was lucky enough not to be snatched away by the big shots.

Yuanfeng arrived at the right time.

This old man is not only a Langzhong of the Yuheng Qingli Division of the Ministry of Works, but also an elder of the Mo Sect.

To be honest, the Mo Sect has long since declined.

The Mohist school originated in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. It was mainly composed of business people, including various craftsmen, and was at the bottom of society.

Because of this, their theory of universal love, non-aggression and equality, although very famous, is impossible to enter the mainstream.

Especially after "abolishing all schools of thought and respecting Confucianism alone", the Mohist ideology, which was not conducive to governance, completely lost its foundation and gradually disappeared.

The later Mohist School was only the nominal successor of the Mohist School.

They no longer talk about universal love and non-aggression, and the slogan of universal peace is completely abandoned. It can be said that the lower-level merchants and craftsmen are banding together for warmth.

It was because of this that they were able to survive and were gradually accepted by the court, mainly serving as technical bureaucrats in the Ministry of Works.

In fact, it is a non-threatening organization.

However, Li Yan had a different opinion.

Today is the Age of Discovery. The Xuan Dynasty has implemented a sea-opening strategy and has begun to improve the status of merchants. As long as nothing goes wrong, technological innovation will continue.

The status of Mo Men will only get higher and higher!

Especially since this old man is a Langzhong of the Yuheng Qingli Division, responsible for managing resources in various places in Shenzhou. Even if he is only in charge of statistics, it will be of great benefit to Li Yan and others.

For example, new gunpowder will have a way in the future.

If you want to find something, you know where to start.

And this old man is also a shrewd person.

When he came, he deliberately did not wear official clothes. He was introduced by Master Lin, who spoke with the attitude of a fellow martial artist and showed great interest in Lu Ban's wooden magpie...

Li Yan is not a fool, of course he knows what it means.

Of course, he didn't give in right away, but waited for two days, and only started to reveal his cards when the old man became more and more anxious.

"Elder Yuan."

In the courtyard wing, Li Yan met Yuan Feng alone, poured tea and said with a smile: "I heard that Han Mo, the current Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, is also a member of your Mo Sect?"

"This Lord Han is young and strong, and he is also in charge of forging new firearms for the court. If he can also use the Lu Ban wooden magpie to perform well in the battle in the southwest, will he have a chance to get the position of Minister of Works?"

Different from other sects, the Mohist School now relies closely on the imperial court and serves as an assistant to Confucianism.

Yuanfeng was also an old fox. Seeing that Li Yan had seen through the trick, he drank a sip of tea without changing his expression, shook his head and sighed, "It's difficult. The court is full of twists and turns now."

"The Kaihai faction and the local faction are fighting each other to the death. We dare not offend anyone. We can only continue to make meritorious contributions to please the emperor."

"Elder Yuan is joking."

Li Yan smiled slightly, “I can give this thing to you Momen, just to make friends in the future.”

Yuan Feng was stunned, and his mind became alert. "What do you want?"

He was right about one thing. The status of Mo Men was now rising, and they also controlled the forging of new firearms. Although they were clinging to the emperor's thigh, they were also being watched by many eyes.

Because of this, he had to constantly make meritorious deeds to protect himself, and at the same time he could not get involved in any court struggles, let alone take sides, so as not to arouse the emperor's dislike.

This is the way of survival for Mo Men today.

Although Li Yan is just a wanderer, you can't be sure who is standing behind him.

"Don't misunderstand, Elder Yuan."

Li Yan took off his musket from his waist and placed it on the table. He said in a deep voice, "To be honest, we are all wanderers. Although we spent a lot of money to make this thing, I am afraid that gunpowder will become more and more difficult to obtain. I would like to ask Elder Yuan to help me sometimes."

To refine the new type of gunpowder, you need "coal essence" and "red saltpeter".

They got some "coal essence" last time, and later asked someone to buy "red saltpeter", so they finally managed to make some, but if they encountered a few major wars, it would all be consumed.

These two natural treasures are now monopolized by the imperial court. It is extremely difficult to obtain them, and sooner or later one will be controlled by others.

The same goes for other people or forces.

Putting aside other things, if the Duwei Division wanted to use gunpowder as a bargaining chip to ask them to take on some dangerous jobs, would they be stupid enough to do it?
Being able to exchange this useless Lu Ban wooden magpie for a stable source of gunpowder is enough to make back the investment.

"Oh, that's how it is…"

After hearing this, Yuanfeng heaved a sigh of relief and stroked his beard, saying, "Young Master Li is indeed far-sighted. Now most of the mineral veins in various places have been returned to the court. Private individuals are not allowed to dig for 'coal ore' and 'red saltpeter' at will. I travel to various places just to verify this matter."

"But the court also has rules. My Mo Sect is only responsible for statistics and production, and has no right to allocate. Moreover, many people are watching us, so we can't do anything wrong, otherwise people will make a fuss about it."

Seeing the disappointment in Li Yan's eyes, Yuan Feng immediately smiled and said, "But there is a way to deal with this matter. We can try another way."

Li Yan quickly asked: "What method?"

Yuan Feng took a sip of tea and said, "The imperial court is going to establish a new academy recently..."

Li Yan narrowed his eyes slightly, "Qiankun Academy?"

　Happy National Day, and may our country prosper!
　　Three updates today, the second update will be posted at noon, the third update will be posted in the afternoon
　　
　
(End of this chapter)