The gods began by supporting Guo Jing to become emperor

Chapter 101: Measuring China's Material Resources and Winning the Favor of the Kingdom of Jin

Qiu Qianzhang stroked his beard and said with a smile: "It's nothing serious. I have not yet finished my earthly ties. I want to find a quiet place to rest my feet. We can talk about it in detail in the evening."

Although Lu Chengfeng had never seen Qiu Qianren's martial arts, he knew of his reputation. When the East Evil, West Poison, South Emperor, North Beggar, and Central God of War held a sword fight on the top of Mount Hua, they had invited him to attend, but he had important matters to attend to. However, since he was invited, his martial arts skills must be outstanding and formidable. Even if he is not as good as Wang Chongyang and the other four, he is probably not far behind.

Masters of this level must not be neglected.

However, when martial arts have reached a certain level, working in isolation is not very useful. Communicating with masters of the same level can lead to greater progress. During the first Huashan Sword Meeting, Qiu Qianren was actually not far from the level of the Five Supremes.

But by the time of the second Huashan Sword Contest, the Five Great Masters were at a much higher level than him. Competition was one aspect, and mutual communication and common progress were another.

The two men sat in the hall chatting, Qiu Qianzhang imitating his elder brother's swindling, this scene was not false at all, after a while, Lu Guanying and Guo Jing walked in from outside.

Guo Jing walked up to Lu Chengfeng and bowed in thanks, "Thank you for your help, uncle."

"It's just a small matter, don't worry about it." Lu Chengfeng nodded slightly, not taking it to heart. Instead, he valued Guo Jing and introduced Qiu Qianzhang to him, "This is Senior Qiu, known as the 'Iron Palm Floating on Water'. Come and meet the senior."

Guo Jing turned his gaze to Qiu Qianzhang and took a look at him. Seeing that he had white hair and beard, was vigorous, had an extraordinary bearing, and looked like a master, he did not doubt him and said, "Greetings, senior."

Qiu Qianzhang looked at Guo Jing, then at Lu Guanying, and suddenly burst into laughter, "Manor Master Lu has these two younger generations, so Guiyun Manor has successors, but..." He stopped talking halfway.

"Just what? Please explain clearly, Senior."

Qiu Qianzhang stroked his beard lightly, with a cunning light in his eyes, "Master Lu is in his prime, leading a group of heroes, and troubled times are coming. Why not take this opportunity to build a career and glorify Guiyun Manor?"

Lu Chengfeng waved his feather fan and declined, saying, "I am disabled, incompetent and without moral integrity. Although the teachings of the elders are sound advice, I am unable to follow them."

The smile on Qiu Qianren's face deepened, "Brother, you are too modest. There is a clear way right now, but I wonder if you are interested?" There was a hint of instigation in his words.

Lu Chengfeng sensed something was wrong, but due to Qiu Qianren's reputation, he could not refuse directly, so he said, "May I ask for your guidance, old senior." He thought to himself that this man had been hiding his identity for more than 20 years and now suddenly came to Guiyun Manor. He must have come for a reason, so he decided to test his background first.

However, Qiu Qianren just smiled slightly and pretended to be mysterious.

Since she didn't say anything, Lu Chengfeng didn't want to continue asking, so he changed the subject. Guo Jing and Lu Guanying, who were sitting next to her, didn't say anything.

After a while, Qiu Qianren asked to take a break, and Lu Chengfeng quickly arranged a room for him to rest.

On the other side, Huang Rong was wandering around Guiyun Villa when she suddenly saw the white-bearded Qiu Qianzhang being brought to the mansion to stay. She followed him out of curiosity, but Qiu Qianzhang just went into the room, closed the door, and made no sound at all.

She quietly leaned over, poked a hole in the window paper with her finger, and looked inside. She saw Qiu Qianzhang sitting cross-legged with his eyes slightly closed, and wisps of smoke were blowing out of his mouth continuously.

What kind of martial arts is this?
Huang Rong came from a family of martial arts experts and had heard many anecdotes from Huang Yaoshi, but she had never heard of the kung fu of making smoke come out of the mouth.

At this time, outside the yard, Lu Chengfeng was pushed in. Seeing Huang Rong leaning on the window and peeking, he coughed lightly.

Huang Rong was caught on the spot, her face immediately turned red, "Master Lu."

Lu Chengfeng didn't dare to disturb Qiu Qianzhang inside, so he asked someone to push him forward, "Miss Huang, please don't disturb the senior."

Huang Rong hesitated and said embarrassedly, "I'm just curious about what kind of martial arts the old senior practices, but I don't think I've ever heard of his martial arts. If you don't believe me, just take a look."

Lu Chengfeng's curiosity was aroused, and he looked through the window, just in time to see smoke coming out of Qiu Qianzhang's mouth. He also felt strange, but Qiu Qianzhang was so famous that even though he was surprised, he did not have any doubts.

"Senior, the banquet is ready, please come and enjoy it."

"Okay, you step back first and wait for me to finish my work."

……

As night fell, a banquet was set up in the hall of Guiyun Manor. There were all kinds of dishes on it, including everything that flies in the sky, swims in the water, and crawls on the ground. As a senior, Qiu Qianzhang naturally sat at the chief seat.

Guo Jing and Huang Rong were the guests, sitting at the second table, accompanied by Lu Chengfeng and Lu Guanying, who were the prime ministers. Lu Chengfeng toasted with everyone and chatted about some irrelevant gossip. The atmosphere at the banquet was quite harmonious.

After three rounds of wine and five dishes, Lu Chengfeng gradually got to the point and asked Qiu Qianzhang about his purpose.

Qiu Qianzhang held the wine glass in his hand, looking at him with a half-smile, and with a hint of probing, "Brother Lu, your Guiyun Manor is the leader of the Taihu heroes, and your martial arts are extraordinary. Can you show me one or two tricks to broaden my horizons?"

After Lu Chengfeng was expelled from the sect, he rarely fought with others. He also knew that Qiu Qianzhang was trying to find out his true colors, so he declined, saying, "With my limited skills, how dare I embarrass myself in front of you, old senior? Besides, I have been disabled for a long time, and I have long since abandoned the little skills that my mentor taught me."

Qiu Qianren became even more curious and asked, "Who is your Master? I might know him."

Lu Chengfeng sighed, his face grim. After a long while, he said, "I am a foolish junior who failed to serve my master well. I was dragged down by others and was not accepted by the master's sect. I am ashamed to say this, and I dare not tarnish my master's reputation. I hope you will forgive me."

Huang Rong, who was listening to their conversation with her ears perked up, was suddenly shocked and her expression changed drastically. She was still young when Mei Chaofeng and Chen Xuanfeng fled from Peach Blossom Island. Only when she grew up did she understand the whole story.

The formation in Guiyun Manor, the Iron Bagua used by Lu Chengfeng to practice martial arts, and what he said, everything matched up.

He is Daddy's apprentice!
However, due to the large number of people present, Huang Rong was unable to recognize him for the moment and could only put his thoughts aside for the time being.

Guo Jing looked at Huang Rong strangely. They had known each other for several months, so her abnormality naturally could not be hidden from Guo Jing. However, he did not ask, thinking to ask after the banquet. Then, Qiu Qianzhang did not give up and continued to inquire about the details of Guiyun Manor. Lu Chengfeng did not want to show up, so he pushed Lu Guanying out. Qiu Qianzhang asked him to do a set of boxing, and then he showed his magic skills, and then told him about the five masters' swordsmanship contest on Mount Huashan, and also mentioned the Nine Yin Manual.

As the daughter of the East Evil, Huang Rong knew all these things very well. What Qiu Qianzhang said made sense to her, so she did not have much doubt about him.

Unconsciously, everyone was convinced by his words and deeds. Seeing that the time was almost right, Qiu Qianzhang stood up with a wine glass in hand and looked at the four people, "Within half a year, the Song Dynasty will be in great trouble. Do you know this?"

Everyone was shocked when they heard his shocking words, and Guo Jing's eyes narrowed. He was very concerned about the military operations. After all, when Genghis Khan returned to Mongolia, he would most likely fight against the Jin Dynasty. He had decided to make preparations early.

Since the matter involved confidential information, Lu Guanying immediately dismissed everyone and ordered the farmhands to stand outside the door and the servants who were serving wine and food not to come over.

Qiu Qianzhang said something shocking: "I have received information that within six months, the Jin army will march south on a large scale. This time the army will be extremely powerful, and the Song Dynasty will certainly not be able to survive. This is fate, and there is nothing we can do about it."

Lu Guanying was surprised and said, "The situation is urgent. Why didn't Senior Qiu report it to the Song Dynasty court earlier so that we can take precautions and repel the enemy."

Qiu Qianzhang rolled his eyes at him and said, "What do young people know? If the Song Dynasty had been prepared, the war would have been even worse."

Hearing this, Guo Jing frowned immediately. He thought of the scholars in the court of Song Dynasty who were servile to Jin Dynasty. They measured China's resources and tried to please Jin Dynasty. It was obvious that this person meant not to resist Jin Dynasty and let them attack.

In an instant, the way he looked at Qiu Qianzhang changed, and he labeled him as a running dog of the Jin Kingdom in his mind.

Lu Chengfeng just looked at him without saying anything. If he didn't speak, no one else would speak either.

Qiu Qianzhang thought they were stunned, and a smug smile appeared on his face. "I have thought hard for a long time, and there is only one way to ensure that the people of the world can live and work in peace and that the beautiful country will not be turned into a scorched earth. I have traveled thousands of miles to Jiangnan just to save the people from disaster."

At this time, Guo Jing suddenly spoke up. He looked at Qiu Qianzhang coldly and said bluntly, "Senior, what you are talking about is surrendering to the Jin people, becoming a traitor, and a slave of a conquered nation?"

Seeing Qiu Qianzhang's expression frozen, Lu Chengfeng quickly came to his rescue, "Senior, I am impulsive and I don't know how to speak. Please forgive me."

Qiu Qianzhang didn't expect Guo Jing to come up and ruin his show. He was stunned. After he reacted, his smile disappeared instantly. He stared at Guo Jing and said, "What do you know, little kid? Once the war starts, countless people will die and suffer. How can the Song Dynasty be a match for the Jin Dynasty? If we want to avoid war, there is only one way to go."

"It is said that a man who knows the current situation is a hero. The Song Dynasty is no match for the Jin Dynasty. This is a well-known fact. Why should we die in vain?"

Guo Jing stood up in a flash, "Senior, are you not afraid that Gang Leader Shangguan will not rest in peace in the afterlife when you say these words? Back then, the Iron Palm Gang was a powerful force that stretched across the two lakes, almost as powerful as the Beggars' Gang, and the gang members were even more heroic, fighting against the Jin people together."

"Why is it that today, Senior, you are bowing down to the Jin people? Aren't you afraid that you will fail to win the support of the people and fail to live up to your legacy?"

Qiu Qianzhang was embarrassed to be told this by a junior. "Humph, the Song Dynasty is corrupt and treacherous officials are in power. Even if I want to fight against the Jin, it's like a mantis trying to stop a chariot. Wang Chongyang fought against the Jin people with great momentum, but he also hid from the world. In my opinion, it's better to surrender to the Jin people as soon as possible to avoid suffering from the war."

Lu Guanying could not help but retort, "Senior, the Jin people are brutal and cruel. The humiliation of Jingkang is still fresh in our memory. If the Jin people attack us, Jiangnan will be devastated. If we don't fight back, are we really going to become slaves of a conquered nation?"

Qiu Qianzhang couldn't win the argument, so he looked at Lu Guanying and said, "The Jin army's southward march is a crisis for others, but it is an extraordinary opportunity for you. Your manor has a huge fortune in front of it, why don't you take it, brother Lu?"

Lu Chengfeng said calmly, "I am a humble man, just following the crowd. How can I be rich and noble?"

Qiu Qianzhang stared at his eyes with a burning gaze and said in a deep voice, "The Jin soldiers are heading south, and a war will break out. There will be countless casualties. If you, my brother, make friends with the heroes of Jiangnan, cooperate with the Jin people, become a submissive citizen, and try to put an end to this war, wouldn't that save countless lives?"

Although Guo Jing looked down on the Song Dynasty, he did not want the Han people to perish, so he immediately retorted, "Senior, I don't agree with what you said. I came from the desert and went south. What I saw on the way was shocking. The Jin people were brutal and kept exploiting the people. They wanted to squeeze their bones and marrow. People died. Bandits rose up everywhere in the north. Don't you know that?"

Guiyunzhuang led the Taihu pirates. If they defected to the Jin people, the consequences would be disastrous.

Huang Rong, who was standing by, saw Guo Jing's confident and righteous appearance, and her eyes gradually lit up.

Qiu Qianzhang almost exploded with anger, but at this point, he could only bite the bullet and continue, "Hmph, little kid, the Jin people's exploitation is only a temporary thing. As long as the world is unified and the war is eliminated, the Jin Kingdom will surely recuperate. By then, the people will be able to live a good life." His younger brother had been in seclusion in Iron Palm Peak for many years and had recently come out. He was in contact with the Jin people, so it was not nonsense for him, as an elder brother, to borrow his name.

Lu Chengfeng knew that this matter was of great importance and he could not refuse it immediately. He was at a loss as to how to proceed. Seeing that the atmosphere was tense, he hurriedly said, "Senior, today we are welcoming you. Can we discuss this matter later?"

Lu Chengfeng's attitude made him very unhappy, and Qiu Qianzhang immediately threatened, "Brother Lu, you have to think carefully. If you wait for the Jin army to arrive, it will be too late."

Guo Jing did not want to talk to this person any more, so he immediately said goodbye, "Uncle, senior, I will take my leave first."

"Well, please step back first."

Then, Guo Jing left, and Huang Rong beside him also left.

When they returned to the courtyard, Huang Rong caught up with him and asked, "Guo Jing, what are you going to do?"

Guo Jing has been thinking about countermeasures. If the Jin Kingdom really moves south, it will not be a good thing for him. He does not want the Song Kingdom to be defeated and annexed by the Jin Kingdom from the bottom of his heart. This is the only Han country in the world and the orthodox Han country.

If the Song Dynasty perished, they would truly become slaves of a conquered nation. Even if the Song Dynasty's court was so bad, it was just a banner. As long as the court existed, the Han people could find temporary shelter.

"After the Mid-Autumn Festival, I plan to set off back to the grassland as soon as possible."

Huang Rong was surprised and asked, "The Jin people are heading south to attack the Song Kingdom. Why are you going back to the grassland? Why don't you stay and fight against the Jin people?"

"Even Grandpa Yue Fei is dead. What's the point of staying here?" Guo Jing showed a mocking smile on his face, and said, "I will inform the Khan of this as soon as possible when I return to the grassland. If the Mongols send troops from the grassland while the Jin army is heading south, and the Jin army fights on two fronts, maybe we can force them to withdraw!"

(End of this chapter)