The gods began by supporting Guo Jing to become emperor

Chapter 311: Pegasus Ranch, a Key War Site
Song Que's voice was calm, but it revealed an indescribable confidence. "If Brother Shi is referring to the Li and Yuwen clans, then there is no need to say more. Even if they come together, what do I have to fear?"

Shi Zhixuan shook his head slightly, "Not just these two families, I mean the entire Guanlong clan, plus the Hedong clan and the entire Buddhist sect."

"Brother Shi, you came to visit me late at night just to tell me this?"

He picked up the teacup and sipped it, then slowly revealed one of his identities, "Of course not, I actually have another name, Pei Ju."

Song Que's knife-like eyebrows were slightly raised in surprise. Although he had never served as an official in the Sui Dynasty, he was not unfamiliar with the name Pei Ju. In the past, this man was highly valued by two generations of emperors and was also a veteran minister of three dynasties. His name was known throughout the world and he had an excellent reputation among the literati.

If it was anyone else from the Demon Sect, Song Que would not believe it, but Shi Zhixuan could be trusted because one of the inheritances behind him was the Huajian School of the Demon Sect, a school famous for its strategic tactics, and Pei Ju's achievements corresponded exactly to this.

"So Brother Shi is the famous Minister Pei. No wonder Mr. Su wanted to talk to you in Chang'an. When I first talked to him, he said the same thing as you."

Now it was Shi Zhixuan's turn to be curious, "What did you say?"

"The Song clan is in a state of transition, with no successor."

"It will take at least a dozen years for the Valve Master to form an alliance with many forces to be effective, but I have a better solution."

Song Que was shocked and said in a deep voice, "I would like to hear the details."

"The imperial examination was first created by Yang Jian, and the system is not yet perfect. But in my opinion, the imperial examination will replace the aristocratic families and become an important way for the court to select talents. There are so many talented people in the world, but not all of them are from the aristocratic families."

……

"Uncle Master!"

One morning, Li Jing knocked on the door with food in his hand, but there was no response. He pushed hard and the door opened, but there was no one in the room. He walked into the room, but saw only three words on the table, "I'm leaving."

When he got closer, the words on the table seemed to evaporate and disappear into thin air.

On the river bank, Su Ming was walking through the mountains and woods as light as a swallow. Suddenly he turned back with a faint smile on his face. He felt that the spiritual mark he left behind was being touched by someone. He could not do this before, but Li Jing's entry into the realm of Grandmaster gave him a lot of insights and his spiritual power increased a lot, which was an unexpected surprise.

In the southwest of Jingling County, two tributaries of the Yangtze River, the Zhang River and the Ju River, divide a large triangular fertile plain. The two rivers flow gently, irrigating the fertile fields on both sides and finally merging into the Yangtze River.

The climate here is mild, the soil is fertile, and the products are abundant. In one of the fields, the grass is particularly rich. This place is surrounded by mountains on all sides, enclosing more than ten square miles of fertile fields. There are only two east-west gorges for entry and exit. The terrain is dangerous, like a natural shield, easy to defend but difficult to attack.

"Look, there are people on the river!"

On the plain, horses were neighing and several people were riding horses at a rapid speed. The big man in the lead was wearing a grey tight suit with a flying horse with wings on its back embroidered on his collar. He was pointing at the river and shouting. There were twelve people including him. Except for the horse he was riding, the other ten or so horses were wild horses without saddles, tied together with ropes.

At this time, they looked in the direction of the big man's finger, and couldn't help but widen their eyes. They saw a man in a green shirt walking on the waves on the wide river, as if walking on flat ground, and the river surface of dozens of feet passed by in an instant.

In the blink of an eye, Su Ming came in front of them and asked, "Everyone, may I ask if this is the Pegasus Ranch?"

At this time, the team riding wild horses was only about two meters away from Su Ming. The leading knight was a middle-aged strong man with one eye and a crude face, but his one eye was still shining. Seeing someone blocking the road, he shouted, signaling the people following to slow down.

The strong middle-aged man reined in his horse, and the strong horse passed him first. The others saw this and reined in their horses. The whole team stopped just a few feet in front of him.

Twenty-three eyes of the twelve men fell on the two men like twenty-three arrows. Even the horse that was spewing white mist cast a vigilant look at him.

The one-eyed man in the lead was alert. He dismounted and came to Su Ming, clasping his fists towards him. "Senior, this is Pegasus Ranch. I am Liu Zongdao, the second steward of Pegasus Ranch. I wonder if you have any instructions for me."

Su Ming was in a good mood. He had been looking for this place for half a month and finally found it. Now he had saved a lot of trouble by meeting someone from Pegasus Ranch. "That's great. I don't have to look for it anymore. I want to discuss a business deal with the head of your Pegasus Ranch. Lead the way!"

Liu Zongdao extended his hand to invite, "Senior, please get on the horse."

"No need, just lead the way, I can keep up."

He was not disappointed when his kindness was rejected. He immediately jumped on his horse and led the way. The horses galloped away quickly. Su Ming put one hand behind his back and followed leisurely. His eyes swept over the horses under their crotch and he couldn't help but praise them. Although these horses were not as good as the best northern horses, they were still good horses. As long as they were trained, they could be used as war horses.

Along the way, Su Ming passed a mountain from which he could overlook the pasture. He saw the fields below the mountain like blankets of different sizes, forming beautiful patterns. He couldn't help but feel relaxed and happy. It was like a paradise.

In the colorful grassland dotted with blue, green and dark blue, more than a dozen lakes of different sizes are dotted among them like mirrors. The emerald green lake water and the green grass compete with each other for beauty, shining brightly and full of vitality, so beautiful that the two of them held their breath in admiration.

No matter from which angle you look, the end of the grassland is filled with undulating mountains that stretch endlessly.

In this fairyland-like paradise, various types of livestock are densely populated - white sheep, yellow or gray cattle, and horses of various colors, enjoying their own leisure and rest, making the entire farm and pasture more colorful.

What is even more rare is that there is a magnificent castle built on a higher ground in the northwest corner, with a steep cliff behind it and a winding river in front of it, which is breathtaking.

Su Ming's gaze fell on the sentry towers and bunkers built at various dangerous and key locations. He saw a tower at the exit of the gorge. In front of the tower, a tunnel three meters wide and five meters deep was dug, crossing the gorge. The bottom was covered with spikes and could only be passed by crossing a suspension bridge. It could be said that one man could guard the pass and ten thousand men could not cross.

The craftsmen who built this building were really experts. With such a design, it can be called a dangerous pass.

After entering the farm ranch, Liu Zongdao and others were visibly relaxed. Everyone talked and laughed loudly as if a huge stone had been lifted from their hearts. They got back on their horses and galloped towards Pegasus Castle along the gravel road.

Different types of livestock are separated by wooden fences. Herdsmen run back and forth between the wooden fences, shouting and shouting, while farmers work silently in the fields. The cattle bray from time to time, blending in with the braying of horses and sheep.

Along the way, Liu Zongdao introduced him to the origin of Pegasus Ranch:
The first owner of Pegasus Ranch who built this castle, Shang Xiong, was a military general in the late Jin Dynasty. At that time, Liu Yu replaced the Jin Dynasty and changed the country's name to Song, and the world was divided.

To avoid the war, Shang Xiong led his men and clansmen southward, and by chance found this hidden valley, where he settled down and established a ranch.

During the 160 years from the establishment of the ranch to the unification of the country by the Sui Dynasty, the Pegasus Ranch experienced seven owners, all of whom were inherited by the Shang clan, which had supreme authority. The others were the Liang, Liu, Tao, Wu, Xu, Luo and other clans, who, after more than a hundred years of reproduction, kept migrating to the surrounding areas and formed nearby towns. As for the two major cities of Yuan'an and Dangyang on the Ju River, more than half of their residents came from the Pegasus Ranch.

Pegasus Ranch is also the economic lifeline of this area. The high-quality horses it produces are world-famous. However, since the owner follows the teachings of his ancestors and never gets involved in the affairs of the underworld or the imperial court, he keeps a low profile and always talks about business. That is why Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling have never heard of it.

The first generation owner, Shang Xiong, was a military general. He understood the principle of fists first, so he encouraged his people to learn martial arts and spread martial spirit. As a result, everyone in the ranch was brave and good at fighting, not afraid of bandits and gangsters, and became a force that could ensure the safety of the region and won the respect of residents in nearby towns. It is a bit similar to the effect of dominating the mountain villa on Jingling.

When Pegasus Ranch needs to hire people, it recruits new soldiers from nearby soldiers and rarely seeks help from outside the area.

Soon, the group arrived at the front city gate. Looking from the front, Pegasus Mountain City was even more breathtaking.

The city wall was built along the mountain, with ridges and piles, winding along the undulating terrain, and the situation was steep. Behind the city, the rocks were exposed, the caves were steep, and it was difficult for birds to cross.

The team crossed the river into the city via the suspension bridge. The people guarding the bridge were all friendly and warm, and the atmosphere was harmonious, giving people the feeling of being a big family living in harmony.

After entering the city, there is a wide ramp extending upwards, leading directly to the inner castle where the highest owner of the city lives. There are continuous houses on both sides, and branch roads connect them to the ramp, which has the characteristics of a mountain city.

There were people and cars coming and going on the road, just like a prosperous big city, and children were playing in groups. Even Su Ming couldn't help but marvel at it. He thought that what was said in the book was exaggerated, but he didn't expect that seeing it with his own eyes still made him sigh with admiration. Even without the machinery of later generations, they were still able to build such a blessed place. The wisdom of the ancients was truly amazing.

The buildings of Pegasus Castle are rough and simple, built with stones, and have a magnificent shape. Along the way, there are many bell pavilions, archways, and gates, which are simple and unadorned, showing the heroic spirit of the builders.

The inner fort is even more grand in scale. The main building has five-layered halls and pavilions, as well as side halls and verandas. The large and small buildings are arranged in an orderly manner in the fort, decorated with gardens, flowers and trees, small bridges and waterfalls, which is elegant and pleasant.

Su Ming was brought to the living room. Hanging on the wall was a calligraphy piece that read, "Harmony brings wealth." The writing was vigorous and had the style of an expert.

Then, a maid brought tea and snacks. Su Ming took a sip and it had a familiar taste. It was also tea from Bashu.

Soon, a graceful lady in tight clothes, with beautiful black hair cascading down her knife-like shoulders like two small waterfalls, and who was extraordinarily beautiful, almost comparable to Kankan, walked in.

The elegant outfit further highlights her outstanding face and delicate, tanned skin, which radiates glowing youth and enviable health.

She is also a rare beauty, with a temperament very different from Shi Feixuan, but she gives Su Ming a more natural feeling. Shi Feixuan is beautiful, with a temperament close to that of a fairy. She gives people the feeling that she can only be admired from a distance and not be played with. It is easy for people to have a good impression of her, but it is difficult to get close to her. However, in the eyes of a great master like Su Ming, the evil women in the Demon Sect are more to his taste.

"I'm sorry for not welcoming you, my distinguished guest. I'm Shang Xiuxun, the owner of Pegasus Ranch. I beg for forgiveness." His voice was mellow and neither humble nor overbearing.

Su Ming sat where he was, his eyelids moved, "It's okay, I just came here unexpectedly, ignorance is not a crime."

Shang Xiuxun wrinkled her nose slightly. This man was so arrogant. Then she glanced at the tea and said to the maid beside her, "Why don't you change the tea for me, Senior?"

The maid bowed slightly and went down to prepare tea. She showed a trace of apology on her face, "I am sorry for the poor hospitality, please do not blame me, senior."

Su Ming shook the teacup and said with a smile, "No, this tea alone is enough. The Qingcheng Snow Bud produced in Shu is so expensive out there that I didn't expect Pegasus Ranch to be willing to use it to entertain guests."

Shang Xiuxun was surprised that the other party could actually recognize her?

Little did people know that these teas were made under Su Ming's guidance and then promoted. How could he not be familiar with it?

"Don't you know your senior's surname?"

Su Ming sipped his tea and replied calmly, "I am Su Ming."

What? Jade Taoist?
It has been two months since Ning Daoqi's death. Everyone in the world knows Yu Daoren, but few people know his real name. The reason for this is that the Buddhist sect is fanning the flames behind the scenes and does not want him to become famous, so they use a title instead.

Is he really Jade Taoist?
Just as she was worried, Su Ming's voice sounded again, "Miss Shang, are you worried that I'm an imposter?"

She raised her head, and saw a pair of indifferent eyes that struck her heart, "There are not many people in the world who dare to pretend to be me!"

The plain words were like thunder exploding in her heart. She seemed to see a sword buried deep underground. Although it was not unsheathed, it was still imposing and rare in the world. In a trance, she came to her senses and saw Su Ming sitting opposite her, holding a cup of tea and looking at her with a smile.

Shang Xiuxun quickly stood up and bowed to Su Ming, her pretty face showing a little uneasiness, "Junior Shang Xiuxun greets Taoist Jade. Please forgive me for my impoliteness just now."

But Su Ming waved his hand and said casually, "Don't call me Jade Taoist, that's a nickname given by the Buddhist sect."

Shang Xiuxun was still trembling with fear, looking uneasy, "I wonder what Senior Su is doing here?"

Su Ming put down his teacup and said seriously, "Of course, I want to negotiate a deal with your Pegasus Ranch, a deal that can buy you a bright future and wealth."

Is he going to take control of Pegasus Ranch?

In an instant, such a thought emerged in Shang Xiuxun's mind. A great master came here in person. She didn't believe that he had no other purpose and was just doing business.

She lowered her head even lower, "I am a foolish junior, please explain clearly to me, senior."

"Miss Shang, you probably don't know that I am now the military advisor of the Song Clan, and I am here to cooperate with you on behalf of the Song Clan."

Shang Xiuxun's heart skipped a beat, and he said with a stiff face, "Senior, if you want to buy war horses, I can make the decision and give a batch of war horses to the Song family. However, this cooperation is of great importance, and the ranch is not mine alone. Please give me some time."

Su Ming didn't want to push too hard, so he agreed, "Okay, I'll give you some time."

(End of this chapter)