Knife splashing

Chapter 583: Building the plank road openly, secretly destroying Chencang

Rumble!
The black horse crushed the snow on the long street.

The blood-red cloak fluttered and the divine fire gun was carried on the shoulder.

The black kite flew up and down in the sky, passing over the snow-covered roof.

The Black Feather Guards’ greatest advantage is during the day.

With a good field of vision and specially trained birds and war horses, the power of the magic gun can be brought into play to the maximum.

Even Li Yan didn't want to face this group of people during the day.

They spurred their horses and rushed to the streets of Chengdu, showing off their power and shouting, "Royal edict - at 3:00 pm, the god of joy from the Wuhou Temple will visit and bless you with a stone of rice!"

On the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, the people of Shu also opened their doors to welcome good luck, but when they saw the Black Feather Guards riding horses through the streets, they were all frightened and closed their doors.

After the sound of horse hooves faded away, he opened the door carefully, half believing and half doubting, while at the same time wishing a happy new year to his neighbors.

"Mr. Wang, Happy New Year!"

"Happy New Year, Mr. Yang!"

"Look, what's going on?"

"I don't know. I thought the door was locked and no one was allowed to go out this year. The King of Shu hasn't participated in the Xishen Tour for many years. It's really a bit strange..."

"Are you going?"

"Go, why not?! Didn't you hear that we'll give them rice? Anyway, they said they won't disturb the people, so just watch the fun."

"I'm afraid it's not appropriate. Never mind. I'll go alone."

"Yeah, it's better to be safe."

The Salt Gang's generous welfare distribution a few days ago has worked. Although the people are worried, they don't want to abandon the New Year custom, and they can also get rice, so every household decided to send someone to participate.

Some even the whole family joins in just to get a little more advantage.

The streets gradually became lively.

Someone was setting off firecrackers, and the smoke wrapped in red confetti spread all over the sky. From a distance, the streets and alleys seemed to be stained red with blood.

In a dark alley, Li Yan walked out wearing a bamboo hat.

After witnessing Yang Chenghua's methods last night, he made a request after daybreak, asking him to help him enter the Grand Prince's Mansion.

As long as the Grand Prince's spell of bewitching soul is removed and those garrison generals are summoned and all the spells are removed, there will be a chance to seize military power.

This is a crucial step in reversing the situation.

Originally, he was at a loss, but with the help of Yang Chenghua and the lobbying of Censor Wang, there was a chance of success.

Just find the right moment.

He hurried back to arrange this matter, but he didn't expect to see this scene as soon as he entered the city gate.

The King of Shu arranged for the "God of Joy to Travel"?
There is definitely another intention!
Li Yan frowned slightly, turned around and left.

He returned to the entrance of the secret passage he had left yesterday, and found several yamen runners standing at the door. The old butler bowed his head and said, "Thank you for making this trip. Maybe we were dazzled. Please accept this little gift."

As he said this, he stuffed in a hundred coins.

The yamen runner got the benefit and spoke in a friendly manner, "Alas, don't say that. There were indeed a lot of strange things happening in Chengdu last night. They were all caused by the rebels and evil people. It's a good thing to be cautious."

"Don't worry, we searched, nothing..."

Li Yan shook his head slightly and left quickly.

This exit cannot be used to avoid exposure.

He came to the river in Chengdu, looked around to see if there was anyone around, then jumped under the nine-hole stone bridge, pushed aside the weeds, and revealed a stone pier with taotie patterns.

The stone pier is very old and is severely eroded by moss.

It looked very heavy, but Li Yan just pushed it lightly to reveal a secret door. He got in and pushed it closed again, fitting perfectly.

From the outside, there is no flaw.

This is another entrance to a secret passage.

It was dark and gloomy inside, with water still seeping in some places. Li Yan took out a fire starter and blew it up, then checked the map and gradually fell into darkness.

This period of time has not been without gains.

After several rounds of negotiations, Master Wuxiang gave him more maps of secret passages to facilitate his activities in Chengdu Prefecture.

Li Yan also gradually figured out some things.

The underground tunnels in Chengdu were mostly dug along branches of the Jinjiang River. They used blue brick arches as the skeleton and the brick joints were filled with glutinous rice mortar, which has stood the test of thousands of years.

It has a long history, even dating back to the Qin and Han Dynasties.

When Li Bing ruled Shu, he opened two rivers (Pijiang and Jianjiang) to connect the city, and underground canals formed a drainage network...

During the Three Kingdoms period, Zhuge Wuhou expanded the "Jiuli Dike" defense system, and the underground canal also served as a grain transportation channel.

Therefore, along the secret passage in Chengdu, one can go directly to the underground of Wuhou Temple, and Master Wuxiang used this passage to leave at that time.

According to him, there are still remains of the "wooden ox and flowing horse" slide rails inside.

In the Tang Dynasty, Wei Gao, who governed Shu, changed the rammed earth canal into a brick and stone structure. In some places, there are still fragments of "Stone Chamber Fu": The underground veins are connected, which can be equivalent to 30,000 households in Jinguan...

In the previous dynasty, there was a confrontation between the north and the south in Daxing, and it was expanded, and later there was also secret smuggling by the salt gang.

Excavated by successive dynasties, the secret passages are as dense as a spider web, with layers upon layers of things, and coupled with water seepage and collapse, the complexity is overwhelming.

Only Master Wuxiang controls all the secret passages.

Of course, the other party still refuses to give in to the idea of ​​sneaking into the Prince of Shu’s Palace.

Walking along the secret passage for three incense sticks' time, Li Yan finally found the familiar road. He quickened his pace and returned to the underground of Yuwang Temple.

"Brother Yan is back?"

As soon as he came out of the tunnel, Sharifei came over with a smile and whispered, "I heard that there was a lot of strange things going on in Chengdu last night. Was it you and that guy who did it?"

"He was drunk and making a scene."

Li Yan shook his head slightly, and then his expression became solemn, "Is Master Wuxiang here? I'm afraid something big has happened!"

"We also know about Xi Shen You Fang."

Sharifei stopped smiling and said in a deep voice, "They are all inside. Let me wait for you here."

"There are a lot of people coming, be careful..."

Li Yan understood what he meant and followed Sharifei into the backyard.

Sure enough, more than a dozen people had gathered in the hall in the backyard of Yuwang Temple.

The person sitting in the first seat was Censor Wang.

Some time ago, Li Yan helped Dong Cunshan go to Chongqing Prefecture for help through the channel of Master Wuxiang. Unexpectedly, Master Wuxiang actually visited him secretly at night and reached a cooperation.

Master Wuxiang is willing to offer help and overthrow the King of Shu, which is his goal anyway, and he wants some benefits at the same time.

As Censor Wang was in trouble and had no one to rely on, he naturally accepted the helper with a smile and promised to help him remove the helper from the wanted list of the government office after the task was accomplished.

To be honest, what these two did was a bit unkind.

Fortunately, Li Yan also had important things to do and was too lazy to argue with them.

In addition to these two people, there were some men, women, old and young in the lobby. Some were dressed as street performers, and some looked like ordinary merchants and peddlers.

But none of those who can come here are simple people.

"Hahaha, Young Master Li is finally back."

Sure enough, upon seeing him arrive, Master Wuxiang laughed and quickly stood up to introduce him, "Everyone, this is the famous Young Master Li. The Water Ghost Craftsman Tian Qi and the Tangyuan Granny Nie Sangu were both killed by him."

"Young Master Li, this is Elder Yuan of the Cao Gang, this is Chairman Liu of the Changchun Association, and this is Mr. Wang of the Chengdu Chamber of Commerce..."

"Young Master Li is young and promising..."

"I've heard of your great name for a long time. You killed those two old demons. Even Cheng Jianxian couldn't do that back then!"

"I've met you all."

Li Yan clasped his hands together and bowed, his eyelids twitching slightly.

The King of Shu was going to do something big on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. He knew that Master Wuxiang was using this information to contact the people in the city.

There was nothing wrong with this and he had no objection.

After all, the King of Shu is powerful, so we need to find more helpers.

But with so many people here, aren’t you afraid that the news will leak out?
The King of Shu has planted many secret spies.

As if knowing his concerns, Master Wuxiang smiled and said, "Don't worry, young man Li, those who came today are all trustworthy fellows." "The King of Shu is plotting rebellion and has been replaced by a demon. We uphold chivalry and will never let him do evil!"

"Elder Yuan is right!"

"With Lord Wang leading the charge, we will surely be able to slay the evil spirits!"

Everyone echoed and bowed upwards.

Li Yan took one look and immediately understood.

What a great Mr. Wuxiang!

Based on his information alone, these people in the underworld would definitely not take the risk, but with Censor Wang as a guarantor, things would be different.

The Daxuan Dynasty was at its peak, and the influence of the Yang family of Bozhou spread to several states, causing unrest in the entire southwest. However, it was suppressed by the imperial army in just a few months.

What is the use of the King of Shu’s military force?
The imperial army is still in Qianzhou and Ezhou, and can turn around at any time. It is only a matter of time before the King of Shu is suppressed.

Being able to establish a relationship with the Censor through this is really a sure-win deal.

Thinking of this, Li Yan couldn't help but secretly praise.

There is a reason why Master Wuxiang can become the leader of the Chengdu underworld. He has the ability to get along with everyone and use other people's strengths to organize a considerable force.

"You're welcome."

Wang Yushi no longer looked as embarrassed as before. He sat upright in the first seat with a solemn expression. He turned sideways and saluted, saying, "You are all righteous men in the martial arts world. Once you kill the evildoer and put an end to the chaos in Chengdu, I will personally report to His Majesty and ask for credit for you all."

"Thank you, Your Excellency the Imperial Censor."

For a moment, the atmosphere in the lobby was very harmonious.

Master Wuxiang saw this, smiled slightly, and said, "Sir, the King of Shu wants to 'Happy God Travel', what do you think?"

Wang Yushi seemed to be thinking about something, stroking his beard and said, "That evil person has a big plan on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. In order to prevent any trouble, we must eliminate the trouble."

"I suddenly ventured out today, it's probably a trap!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a man hurried into the back hall, came up to Master Wuxiang and whispered a few words to him.

"Your Excellency is wise!"

Young Master Wuxiang turned around, bowed, and said with a smile: "I just sent a spy to check on the people and horses traveling from the Shu Palace."

"The King of Shu didn't bring many people this time, but he has replaced all his followers with the Black Feather Guards and his gang of evil demons. It's really a trap!"

"Your Excellency is wise!"

Everyone started to flatter him.

Li Yan frowned slightly and remained silent.

What news did you just receive?
Master Wuxiang had clearly gathered intelligence long ago and was specifically trying to help Censor Wang improve his reputation in public.

Even if Wang Yushi guessed wrong, there is a way to remedy the situation.

This Mr. Wuxiang is probably already making plans for the future.

But what time is it, and why are you still doing this...

He was unhappy in his heart, but the Imperial Censor Wang above him was very impressed by this. He nodded calmly and said, "This matter is not difficult to guess."

After thinking for a while, he said in a deep voice: "But this is also an opportunity. Since the demon has taken away his elite troops, we should take advantage of the situation and seize the military power!"

"Seize military power?"

Elder Yuan of the Cao Gang frowned slightly and bowed respectfully, saying, "Sir, although we are willing to fight to the death, there are not enough people in the city. Rushing into the guard post is undoubtedly seeking death."

"It would be safer to wait for the reinforcements from Chongqing Prefecture to arrive, and then we can work together from within and without."

"That's a bad word."

Censor Wang stood up, shook his head with a serious expression, and said, "The Chongqing Garrison has no more than 30,000 soldiers at most. Even if we send aid by sea, it will take at least three days for them to arrive."

"I have checked. Since the twelfth lunar month, the King of Shu has used the Chengdu Lantern Festival as an excuse to have the Salt Gang send a large amount of food and fodder. With the high walls of Chengdu fortification, it will be no problem for them to hold out for a few more months."

"When we attack the city, there will be a huge loss of lives."

"If we can seize the military power, we can avoid this catastrophe!"

Everyone looked at each other and said nothing.

This is the truth, but working hard is another matter.

It was still Master Wuxiang. He looked around and said loudly, "My Lord will not let us die for no reason. He must have a plan."

"Yes."

Wang Yushi said in a deep voice: "The Grand Duke's mother's family is very prestigious in the army. The demon was able to control the military power because he bewitched the Grand Duke with a spell."

"As long as you sneak into the Prince's Mansion and control everyone, and after the spell is removed, coupled with my persuasion, we can use the name of the New Year's banquet to lure those generals into the mansion!"

Young Master Wuxiang also smiled and said, "Your Excellency's move is brilliant. To be honest, I have a secret passage that leads directly to the garden of the Grand Duke's Mansion. It will be easy to control them."

Others noticed it too.

The two of them probably already had a plan.

It's nothing more than singing the same tune and forcing them to agree.

But now, there is no turning back.

"Just follow your advice, sir!"

Everyone bowed their hands in agreement.

Wang Yushi smiled slightly and looked at the silent Li Yan, "Young Master Li, I can't do without your help in this matter. What do you think?"

Li Yan frowned and said, "If it succeeds, there will be no problem, but that demon is not simple. What if it is a series of traps..."

"Don't worry, Young Master Li."

Master Wuxiang said in a deep voice: "This secret passage has never been exposed. As long as we act quickly, there will be no problem."

"And according to custom, when the King of Shu likes to travel around, he must first go to the Black Pagoda of Anfu Temple to climb up and pray for blessings. This is the tradition of 'Looking West from Jincheng' during the Song Dynasty."

"We can send people to harass him along the way, so that he will mistakenly think that we have been tricked. We can also investigate before entering the Grand Duke's Mansion."

"If it is really a trap, we can get away in time."

Li Yan was silent for a moment and nodded slightly.

The plan of these two people is also very thorough.

Such an opportunity is indeed worth a gamble...

…………

Before I knew it, it was almost noon.

Three salutes blasted, and the gate of the Prince of Shu's Palace slowly opened.

The huge guard of honor finally appeared.

In the front were red-clad guards holding eight-sided dragon-patterned sun-moon flags, followed closely by sixteen musicians beating gongs and drums, playing the tune “Chao Tianzi”…

The Shu King's sedan chair in the center was made of golden nanmu wood, covered with bright yellow brocade curtains, embroidered with five-clawed dragon patterns, and topped with a crown with tassels. In front of the sedan chair, a hundred ceremonial guards lined up in two rows, and twenty-four attendants held red lacquer ritual vessels...

The majesty of the Shu Palace is overwhelming.

At this time, many people had taken to the streets and were retreating.

Although I wanted to participate in the God of Joy's parade, I didn't dare to get too close.

But at this moment, the eunuch Liu Gonggong, who was in charge of the seal of the palace, waved his whisk and shouted: "The prince has ordered to cast 'Happy God Money' to reward the people of Chengdu to pray for good weather, good fortune and longevity~"

As soon as he finished speaking, eunuchs in brocade clothes rode up on horseback, each holding a large bag of copper coins, and threw them into the crowd.

"Spread the money! Spread the money!"

The people around immediately rushed up to loot.

"Your Majesty, good luck!"

"May your Majesty live a long and healthy life!"

Many people had smiles on their faces and saluted the sedan chair from afar.

This year's New Year was more enjoyable than any other time.

First they sent salt and gifts, and then they sent rice.

Well, now you’re just throwing money around again.

Could it be that the King of Shu doesn't plan to move on?

(End of this chapter)