Knife splashing

Chapter 762 Cutting the Trouble with a Quick Sword

The rooster crowed three times, and the night fog dissipated.

As dawn broke, heavy footsteps echoed along the long bluestone streets of Tai'an City.

Li Yan led the way, his simple cloth clothes shrouded in the chilling wind as he walked ahead, his hand on the hilt of his sword.

Behind them were Lin Yaozong, Zhao Bingzhong, and Zhou Xian, who were bound hand and foot.

The three wealthy merchants and officials who were the masterminds behind the scenes last night were now ashen-faced, their mouths stuffed with hemp seeds, only able to make indistinct hoarse sounds. They were being held tightly by Sha Lifeng, Fatty Lin and others with cowhide ropes, stumbling forward with each step.

What's even more worrying is what's happening in the team.

Ninety rescued boys and girls, the oldest no more than ten years old and the youngest only five or six, were like frightened lambs, dressed in tattered clothes, huddled in the middle of the line, carefully protected by Kong Shangzhao and Lü San.

The children's faces were dirty, and their eyes still held the fear of the previous night. They shivered in the morning breeze.

The sound was like cold water being poured into a pot of boiling oil.

Bang!

The old man selling spicy soup on the street corner smashed his long-handled copper ladle into the soup pot, his cloudy old eyes wide open, "Good heavens! Isn't that Master Zhou from the government office? How come he's been tied up!"

"Why are the soldiers and officials with Master Zhao and the others... have they... committed a crime?"

An elderly pilgrim, who had gotten up early to visit the Dai Temple, suddenly stopped in his tracks, carrying a basket full of yellow paper.

"Look at those dolls!"

"This...this is a kidnapped child!"

"That damned kidnapper!"

Suddenly, a burly man from central Shandong roared and grabbed the carrying pole leaning against the shop entrance.

Shalifei chuckled and stepped forward to explain the reason.

This immediately attracted even more people.

"You beasts! Kidnapping children to fill evil spells!"

"May you die a horrible death! You wretched thing, born without an anus! Why doesn't the mountain god take you away?!"

"I recognize that one, he's a government official!"

"Let's go, let's get an explanation from them!"

The pent-up emotions ignited instantly, and the crowd surged with righteous indignation.

Those offering incense, setting up stalls, and hurrying along the way—the ordinary people who were originally just watching the spectacle—had their anger completely ignited at this moment.

The crowd surged like a flood, carrying gnashing curses and angry shouts, closely following Li Yan and his group, and surging towards the government office.

With such a commotion, the officials in charge of the government had naturally already received the news.

When the pair of stone lions in front of the government office came into view, the atmosphere was already tense and filled with murderous intent.

Below the steps, rows of soldiers in black uniforms had already formed a formidable human wall, as if facing a formidable enemy.

They didn't use knives, spears, or clubs, but instead a whole line of new-style fast guns that gleamed with a cold black light and had sleek, whirring springs!

The dark muzzle of the gun, carrying a chilling aura, was firmly pointed at the surging, angry crowd!
Cheng Yong, the prefect of Tai'an, stood before the vermilion gate with a livid face, his official robes fluttering in the wind.

Beside him, the burly, armored garrison commander drew his gleaming sword with a clang and roared at the crowd, his voice booming: "Rebellion! Outrageous! You thugs dare to hold officials hostage and storm the government office!"

"Anyone who gets close is to be killed without mercy! Get your sights on me!"

The last sentence was shouted at the soldiers, full of ruthlessness and ferocity.

Wow!
The sound of bolts being pulled back filled the air.

Like a venomous snake flicking its tongue, the chilling aura of death instantly locked onto those charging at the forefront.

The chorus of curses from the crowd abruptly stopped, as if the dark muzzle of a gun had gripped their necks.

The flush of anger on the faces of the men who had charged ahead faded, and they swallowed hard before involuntarily retreating.

Impulsive as they may be, people still have a lot to consider when faced with life and death.

Li Yan's gaze suddenly turned cold, and he stepped forward, pressing his knife against his hand.

No matter his status, he cannot change his identity as a member of the martial arts world. There are some things that cannot be crossed. Even grandmasters must be careful to avoid offending the court and causing unnecessary trouble.

However, the situation at Mount Tai is urgent.

On Mount Tai, various factions schemed and plotted against each other, all vying for the position of Prefect.

After all, by elevating their own ancestor to a higher position, they might rise to become a significant force within the Xuanmen (Taoist sect).

Even the earth immortals who had been cultivating in seclusion on Mount Tai were tempted.

There were also unnamed illicit rituals in Tai'an City, in which Japanese people were also involved.

Behind all this lies the machinations of the sorcerers of Jianmu.

With the situation in chaos, Li Yan had no time for detailed investigation and could only act swiftly and decisively.

The biggest problem now is the inaction of the government, and the involvement of certain individuals who are simply manipulating public opinion to paralyze the government.

When I left the city last night, the divine constable Bai Laojiu had already ridden to the post station and sent a message by carrier pigeon.

It seems that officials from Jinan Prefecture are already on their way.

At that time, we can take over Tai'an City and then use our imperial status to suppress the various factions of Mount Tai.

To put it bluntly, this is a classic case of using a stick, a tiger, and a chicken.

Strategize to exploit the weaknesses of different forces.

But what was unexpected was that these corrupt officials, disguised as officials, would not shed a tear until they saw the coffin.

Li Yan would never allow them to slaughter civilians in the streets.

There was no other way but to take drastic measures and first disperse the government troops.

He flicked his fingertips lightly at the Yuan Chen coin hanging from his waist.

On a distant rooftop, Shalifei popped his head out and set up his musket, Wuba picked up his loaded tiger-squatting cannon, and Lü San whistled softly as a swarm of poisonous bees rose like black smoke from the large gourd at his waist.

Not to mention, there's also Long Yan'er's swarm of Gu worms.

They had the capability to suppress these ordinary garrison troops!
"How dare you! What do you think you're doing!"

The Commandant's Office had a skilled officer with exceptional eyesight who immediately noticed something was amiss.

Bound, Commander Zhao Bingzhong strained to pry open the rag in his mouth with his tongue and shouted hoarsely, "Hurry up and kill them! These are all traitors..."

Before he could finish speaking, Kuai Da slapped him so hard that all his teeth were smashed.

Just at this critical moment, the sound of horses' hooves rang out from behind.

"Get out of the way! Everyone get out of the way—!!!"

At the end of the official road, two fast horses, like arrows released from a bow, broke through the sluggish crowd on the outside, their hooves thundering as they approached from afar.

The first rider was a scholar who was about forty years old and dressed in a plain blue cloth robe.

His face was lean and refined, his eyes gleaming with inner strength. Even as he galloped, his body remained as steady as a rock on horseback, revealing the demeanor of a master.

Judging from his attire, he was none other than the teacher of Mingde Academy.

With one hand holding the reins and the other raising a scroll of letter tied with a bright yellow silk ribbon, his clear and impassioned voice rang out:

"Headmaster Lu Hongyuan of Mingde Academy hereby issues this order! No rash use of force is permitted!!"

The bright yellow silk ribbons fluttered in the morning breeze.

Before he finished speaking, on another horse riding alongside him, an official in a green robe dressed in brocade, with a dignified air, also raised his voice, holding up a palm-sized token that shimmered with pure gold in the morning light.

The front of the token features a seal-engraved character "德" (virtue), surrounded by a coiled dragon pattern, exuding majesty.

"By His Highness Prince De's order! The Tai'an Military Commandery is to immediately disarm!!!"

These two shouts were like two heavy hammer blows, striking the hearts of the officers and soldiers.

The commander of the Tai'an Garrison, who had raised his sword, froze in mid-air.

The prefect's ashen face instantly lost all color, turning ashen white as paper.

The soldiers of the Commandery lined up at the bottom of the steps were even more shaken.

Royal Palace Token!

A personal edict from Abbot Mingde! A higher rank can have absolute power, especially for these two prominent figures from the land of Qilu.

The guards weren't stupid either; they looked at each other, and silently lowered their guns.

"This official is Xiao Chengyou, Chief Secretary of the Prince De's Palace."

The official in green robes dismounted, his face grim, and strode forward, shunning the soldiers blocking his path.

"His Highness has ordered that since bandits are causing trouble in Tai'an City, Lord Cheng bears at least some responsibility for dereliction of duty. Do not compound your mistakes!"

Prefect Cheng's legs went weak, and he almost collapsed to the ground.

He knew he was completely finished.

The combined forces of Prince Xiao Hong and Lu Hongyuan, the master of Mingde Academy, crushed him like an ant.

The amount of silver hidden under the side rooms in the backyard is too much to explain.

As for the garrison commander, he was even more opportunistic, coming over with a forced smile to apologize.

"My lord, this is Lord Chen's order, and I can only obey..."

"Hmph, stop talking nonsense and hand over the tiger tally!"

Soon, the entire Tai'an prefectural government office and garrison were brought under control.

Wangfu Chief Secretary Xiao Chengyou then solemnly put away the token, walked steadily to Li Yan, and with a cold gaze swept over the pale-faced Lin Yaozong and others on the ground. He said in a deep voice, "Young Master Li, the situation is urgent. Please come in and we can talk in detail."

Once the two reached a secluded spot, Xiao Chengyou whispered, "Young Master Li, you've taken a risky step. The Prince has entrusted me with full assistance. To avoid future troubles, just say that you're here to investigate on the Prince's orders."

Li Yan instantly understood and cupped his hands, saying, "Please thank Your Highness for me. If Chief Secretary Xiao goes to the capital in the future, please take my letter to the academy."

The two understood each other and said no more about the matter.

Xiao Chengyou then inquired, "Detective Bai mentioned some things on the way, but I don't know the details. Does Young Hero Li know how these people got so confused that they started engaging in lewd rituals?"

"They're not senile!"

Li Yan gave a cold laugh and briefly recounted what had happened.

Of course, little was said about the position of the God of Mount Tai.

Even so, when he heard that a terrestrial immortal was involved, and that it also involved Japanese pirates and the Jianmu demons, Chief Secretary Xiao broke out in a cold sweat and quickly cupped his hands and said, "Thank you for your timely intervention, Young Hero Li. Otherwise, this matter would have been difficult to handle."

He turned around abruptly, his eyes blazing with barely suppressed anger.

"Guards, take the criminal in for interrogation and subject him to severe torture!"

…………

The atmosphere in the main hall of the government office was solemn and murderous.

The air was thick with the smells of blood and the acrid stench of meat being scorched by red-hot iron.

Lin Yaozong, Zhao Bingzhong, and Zhou Xian had long lost their former respectable official and gentry demeanor.

They were tortured until their skin was torn and their flesh was mangled, leaving them limp on the ground, barely breathing.

Xiao Chengyou also became ruthless and subjected the torture without any mercy.

The three of them finally couldn't resist and revealed all their hidden sordid secrets.

"I'll confess! I'll confess..."

The barely breathing Zhao Bingzhong spoke first, his voice hoarse and broken, "It's...it's Master Zhao, he subdued me a long time ago..."

Upon hearing this, Li Yan's eyes suddenly narrowed.

"Is your Master Zhao named Zhao Changsheng?"

"Yes."

When will he subdue you?

"Ten years ago, I was still outside the Great Wall, and I was misled by him, but I rose through the ranks and was appointed here..."

It was Zhao Changsheng again, who had planted a spy in Mount Tai long ago.

It seems they knew about the change of prefect all along…

Immediately afterward, Zhou Xian, his face ashen, also spoke, "This humble official... it's all my greedy wife's fault!"

"It was Zhao Bingzhong who dragged me into this mess, plus I got seriously ill..."

His reasons were simple: money and women.

Because of her family's corrupt practices, she contracted venereal disease and was dragged into a life of depravity by Zhao Bingzhong.

Finally, everyone's attention focused on the youngest, Lin Yaozong.

Fatty Lin gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with tears. "Uncle, my second brother is dead. Many of the clan's disciples kowtowed to you when they were young, showing you the utmost respect. How could you harm them?!"

Lin Yaozong was tormented even more deeply; his eyes were unfocused, and he trembled, almost sobbing, as he said:
"It's your brother Liang. He was lusting after beautiful women and offended a master of the Xuanmen sect, who cursed him with a curse that would prevent him from having any offspring..."

"When I was desperate, I sought help from a strange person in the martial arts world, and she rescued me."

"What kind of eccentric martial artist is she? She's clearly a demon! What's her name?!"

"Every time she appears, it's in a dream. All I know is that her name is Leiyin Niangniang..."

"what?!"

Upon hearing this, Li Yan suddenly stood up.

At that time, I learned about the fame of the three people from the Ghost Emperor Xuanmo.

Kong Hui, known as "Mr. Rotten Books," and Zhao Qingxu of the capital have both been executed.

The last one was Leiyin, who secretly preached in Jiangsu and Zhejiang.

Unexpectedly, before even reaching Jiangsu and Zhejiang, I had already heard of this sorcerer's great name.

"Explain yourself! Who is Lady Leiyin!" Li Yan's voice suddenly turned cold, like the north wind of a harsh winter.

The air inside the hall seemed to freeze, and even Xiao Chengyou held his breath.

Lin Yaozong was intimidated by Li Yan's imposing presence and dared not conceal anything any longer. He added intermittently, "I have never met her, but she has considerable influence in the Jiangzhe underworld. She even has people in the Lin family. Just as I was about to report her, someone carved a blood letter on my desk that very night."

"It was she who ordered me to reveal the whereabouts of the Lin family's fleet, and it was also she who wanted me to come to Mount Tai to cooperate..."

Under Li Yan's persistent questioning, Lin Yaozong revealed everything he knew.

As for the captured Japanese pirates, while they were being tortured, their backgrounds were also investigated with the help of Kong Shangzhao's translation.

These guys are samurai and ninjas who escaped during the war between the Japanese daimyo and are causing trouble near the Bohai Sea.

They knew nothing; they were simply hired for a large sum of money to take orders from Zhao Bingzhong.

After all, hiring people from the underworld could easily lead to leaks.

Upon hearing this information, everyone in the hall wore solemn expressions.

"What exactly are you trying to do on Mount Tai?"

Li Yan couldn't help but ask Zhao Bingzhong.

"I don't know either."

Zhao Bingzhong was also a spineless coward, afraid of severe torture, and directly revealed the reason.

“A secret letter arrived at that time, which I delivered to the mountain. After that, the immortals on the mountain handled everything.”

Upon hearing this, Li Yan narrowed his eyes slightly.

As expected, the three Earth Immortals of Mount Tai were bewitched by Zhao Changsheng.

I wonder what gives them the confidence to try and get their hands on the position of Prefect?
"Report!"

Just then, a garrison captain rushed into the main hall, clasped his hands together, and knelt on one knee.

His face still bore an expression of disbelief:
"My lord, I was ordered to go up the mountain to inform the abbots of those temples and monasteries, but..."

"But what? Explain yourself!"

"A thick fog has suddenly rolled in over Mount Tai, obscuring the sky. You'll see when you go out and take a look."

The crowd looked at each other in bewilderment and hurriedly left the government office.

Looking up, I saw that the direction of Mount Tai was completely shrouded in thick, dark clouds, as if it had fallen into darkness...

(End of this chapter)