From the Ming Dynasty, we will conquer the world

Chapter 23: The Palace's Response, the Old Dragon's Decline (5600)

In the Taizhou government office, there stood a man with disheveled hair.

His clothes were tattered, his legs were swollen and purple, and his red and swollen right hand hung by his side as if it was broken. He looked like a disabled beggar, totally out of place in this solemn and dignified government office.

Even so, just by standing here, he had an indescribable presence, causing passers-by to look at him sideways.

But Xu Xing did not care about their gazes. He just closed his eyes and recalled the many details of the fierce battle just now, trying to gain nourishment from it to improve his martial arts.

It was not until he sensed a familiar breath approaching that Xu Xing opened his eyes and looked outside the yamen, only to see his uncle hurriedly stepping over the threshold.

When Xu Wei saw Xu Xing's miserable appearance, he immediately became furious and started to scold him:

"Xu Xing, what are you doing!"

Fortunately, although Xu Wei was angry, he still remembered Xu Xing's current dual identity and did not reveal his courtesy name.

Xu Xing knew that his uncle was always sarcastic, so he did not give Xu Wei a chance to continue speaking and said directly:
"He just had a fight with Zhu Polong outside the city. He will be unable to fight for three months and will be a cripple."

Upon hearing this, Xu Wei's rapid-fire questions were stuck in his throat and chest, his face turned red, and he couldn't catch his breath for a long time.

When they heard the three words "Zhu Polong", all the officials and soldiers coming and going in the hall were stunned. They fell silent and looked Xu Xing up and down in disbelief.

It seemed as if it was not a person's name, but a curse. As long as it was pronounced, the great terror in it would fall upon everyone's head.

Having been in the southeast for a long time, these officials naturally knew the weight of the three words "Zhu Polong".

After the defeat at Xiangshan, they were even more worried day and night, fearing that the Taizhou government would also be assassinated by this elusive man like the Xiangshan camp.

During these days, although Hu Zongxian had stretched the security of Taizhou City to the limit and there were often more than five great boxers in the yamen, this silent fear and pressure still accumulated day by day.

After all, even if a master-level strongman does not take action, his mere presence is enough to make people feel chilling and terrified.

The defeat at Xiangshan is still a lesson for us, Lu Bing’s body is still warm, and Qi Jiguang’s whereabouts are unknown. Who can guarantee now that Taizhou City is truly foolproof and impregnable?

A thief can get away with nothing for a thousand days, but you have to be on guard against thieves for a thousand days. But the one you are on guard against is a big bandit like Zhu Tiandu and Zhu Polong who roam all over the world and gallop across the five oceans. How can you prevent them?

Now this crippled beggar says that he had a fight with the "Crocodile God of the Four Seas" and beat him into a cripple?
Such shocking remarks, coupled with Xu Xing's current appearance, give off an indescribable sense of absurdity.

So much so that the first thought of everyone present was not whether to believe it or not, but whether they should find Doctor Li back for Mr. Xu to take his nephew's pulse and examine his illness.

That's right, he became disabled at such a young age, it would be strange if he didn't have mental problems.

Xu Wei was a man of extraordinary intelligence, and soon calmed down and said solemnly:
"Are you sure?"

Xu Xing nodded, knowing that his uncle had left the family affairs behind and entered work mode, so he could communicate efficiently, so he said:
"This man still had the wounds from Qi Yuanjing, and I kicked him in the abdomen and broke a tendon.

Even if he had the best medicine, he would still need at least three months to recuperate."

The middle-aged swordsman following behind Xu Wei couldn't help but speak up:

"Zhu Polong's physique is the strongest in the world. May I ask how this young master injured him?"

The man was wearing a dark blue robe with cloth belts wrapped around his arms and sleeves tied up. On his waist hung two crude swords, one long and one short. The bronze swords and hilts were shining, and one could tell at a glance that they were items that had been maintained day and night.

This man had a long breath from his mouth and nose, his steps were heavy and light, his posture was like a fish swimming on water, he was definitely a great master, probably the personal guard assigned to Xu Wei by the government.

Xu Xing heard the doubt in his words, but didn't find it strange.

Ever since defeating Zhu Polong and getting rid of the demons in his heart, Xu Xing has begun to practice boxing to the point of emptiness, with his boxing moves being restrained and contained without revealing anything.

Even if an ordinary boxer stood next to him, it would be difficult for him to tell that he was a master.

Xu Xing raised his head, glanced at the swordsman, and said casually:
"Zhu Polong's muscles and bones were extremely strong. I used the dragging force of the sword, which was derived from the Spring and Autumn sword technique, to cut one of his tendons.

This move is somewhat similar to the 'Kaiyun' in your Qingcheng Sect's Male and Female Dragon and Tiger Swords. If you meet him on the battlefield in the future, you might as well try this move."

Xu Xing stretched out his left hand, raised his palm like a knife, and gestured slightly.

When the palm blade was chopped out, it was still quite a distance away from the middle-aged swordsman.

But the moment Xu Xing made his move, the big boxer's hair suddenly stood up and he almost jumped back to avoid the attack.

He only felt that it was not an arm, but a Spring and Autumn period broadsword that came across the sky, carrying the murderous aura of thousands of troops, and was going to chop him into pieces on the spot.

"This man is so young, but his boxing skills are so ferocious?"

The middle-aged swordsman was horrified, but he also confirmed that this was indeed the genuine grandmaster's boxing move.

He restrained his expression, clasped his fists and said in a deep voice:
"Yan Pingsheng from Qingcheng Sect just said something rude and offended you. Please forgive me."

Xu Xing nodded at him and waved his hand:

"My name is Xu Qingdao. Please go out first. I want to talk to my uncle about something."

Hearing the name "Xu Qingdao", the swordsman took a deep breath, but said nothing, turned around and walked out.

Yan Pingsheng, the Qingcheng swordsman, was obviously very prestigious in the yamen, so when he made this gesture, everyone was shocked.

These officials and soldiers, who were reminded by Hu Zongxian day and night to remain calm in times of crisis, could no longer restrain themselves and became chattering and noisy.

This important public place, at this moment, became like an early morning market, and it suddenly exploded!

They all realized one thing.

It turns out that Zhu Polong was really defeated!

Defeated! The Crocodile God who roamed the world was really defeated!
The dull and depressing atmosphere completely dissipated, replaced by a festive atmosphere that was almost as festive as beating drums and gongs.

Because they understood that from this moment on, the shadow named "Zhu Po Long" would no longer cover the sky of Taizhou City!

All of this is thanks to the imposing young master in front of us!
Oh my goodness, this young man looks more and more handsome and more and more gifted the more you look at him.

Xu Wei was most afraid of this kind of noisy scene, so he led Xu Xing away from here without saying anything and walked towards a secret room.

On the way, he turned around and looked at this unfamiliar nephew, and said in amazement:
"Yan Pingsheng is a tough guy who usually follows me even when I eat or sleep. How could he listen to you so much?"

Xu Xing said calmly:
"Because he knows that if I can't protect you, then adding him won't help."

Xu Wei was choked again, puffing his beard and glaring:

"Yes, you, Xu Tafa, are the best fighter in the world, how come you were beaten into this state?"

Xu Xing laughed. In front of Xu Wei, he didn't bother to hide his emotions. He said proudly:

“My wounds are just flesh wounds, which may look scary, but my bones and muscles are not damaged, and I will recover in a few days.

By the way, the people I brought are still outside the city, let them in."

Because Zhu Polong and his men have been wandering in the mountains and forests near Taizhou in recent days, in order to prevent these big boxers from disguising and infiltrating, the entry and exit control of Taizhou City is extremely strict.

Qi Dazhu's group consisted of more than 30 people, all of them fully armed with swords and guns. Naturally, the Taizhou defenders would not let them in easily.

Therefore, only Xu Xing, who looked the most miserable, was allowed by the defenders to enter the city first to report because he claimed to be Xu Wei's nephew.

"your people?"

Xu Wei suddenly remembered that the news from Hangzhou mentioned that Xu Xing had once rushed into the prison to save someone, and he couldn't help but glare at him.

"Brought it from Hangzhou?"

As Xu Wei spoke, he walked to the door and closed it.

Xu Xing knew what his uncle meant and nodded. Before Xu Wei got angry, he emphasized the role of this group of people.

“I have trained more than 30 apprentices who have just started their careers. They all have a solid foundation in boxing and can be of great use.

The four coaches sent by Boss Shen are all masters of martial arts with great accomplishments in boxing. My apprentice is also about to master bone refining and will take a half step towards becoming a great boxer.

Finally, there is a second-level boxer who is proficient in swordsmanship. With a sword in hand, he has infinite killing power. "

Xu Wei was originally frowning, knowing that Xu Xing wanted his help in clearing the identities of these thirty-odd fugitives, but he felt that the situation was a bit tricky.

But after listening to it, his brows relaxed and he waved his hand.

"I did it."

If the group of people brought by Xu Xing were to be deployed to the sea, they would probably be able to compete with the pirates ranked in the middle among the thirty-six ship owners.

Being able to accommodate such a powerful force, Xu Wei would consciously handle those troubles even if Xu Xing did not mention it.

After dealing with the worries, Xu Xing said very quickly:
“I have come all the way from Chun’an and have not found any trace of Qi Yuanjing, so I want to lure Zhu Polong to fight me, so as to hinder his search for Qi Yuanjing.

But now it seems that he hasn't found any clues. There is only one possibility, that Qi Yuanjing never came to Taizhou at all.

I have a guess, and I want to verify it in a few days. "

Xu Wei asked directly:

“Qi Yuanjing is a respected figure in the southeast, a skilled soldier, and a master of boxing, so of course we must do our best to rescue him.

How confident are you, and how much support do you need?"

Xu Xing narrated:

“The man who took Qi Yuanjing away must be a good friend I met when I went north. His name is Lu Zhu, and he is a lay disciple of Shaolin Temple.

He had mentioned at the beginning that he would go to Southern Shaolin to exchange Buddhist teachings and martial arts in the future.

The southeast is in chaos now. If we want to find another place that can treat the master, I think it can only be Southern Shaolin.

If I have to go, it would be most convenient for me to go alone.”

Xu Wei pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "That makes sense. As for the defense of Taizhou City, there is no need to worry too much for the time being. Hu Ruzhen has already sent a letter to the court. Calculating the date, the experts sent by the central government should also be on the way."

Xu Xing frowned and said worriedly:
“The situation in the southeast has deteriorated to this point because of the Qingliu and Yan party’s efforts behind the scenes.

The old emperor is also an inactive clay statue. Under these two constraints, can the central government really react so quickly? "

Xu Wei was a madman to begin with, so he naturally would not take Xu Xing's fabricated words about the emperor seriously.

He nodded first, then shook his head:

“Our emperor is indeed a mean and ungrateful person, but he still has some feelings for the old times. Otherwise, he would have completely eradicated the Yan family and replaced them with new people.

Since those people in the cabinet are trying their best to become the Prime Minister, would they not help him find money?
Lu Bing, who died at the hands of Zhu Tiandu this time, was the emperor's best friend since childhood and held a very important position in his heart.

Throughout the court and the country, perhaps only the Prime Minister Lu Fang can be compared with him.

Therefore, he will definitely take action.”

Xu Xing nodded silently.

After finishing these serious matters, Xu Wei looked at his nephew again, and the bitterness in his heart suddenly surged out. He narrowed his eyes and just sighed.

"You... I know you are a person of heaven, but after doing these things, even if the southeast is pacified, how are you going to survive in this world?"

Xu Xing smiled and said optimistically:

"At worst, I can learn from the old man and raise a big flag to make a living on the sea. Wa is a chaotic country, so it's a good opportunity for me to show my skills and at least make a living."

He paused and then said:
"Moreover, I have a plan in mind. If this can be accomplished, maybe we and that Minister Hu can finally retire with honor, and not end up like the cunning rabbit dies and the running dog is cooked."

Xu Wei suddenly became interested. He came to sit in front of Xu Xing and urged him:
"What's the best plan? Let's discuss it together."

Xu Xing took out a leather booklet from his arms. This was the account book he had specially taken from Qi Dazhu before entering the city.

"This is something I snatched from Black Stone. It contains records of transactions between officials from various parts of the southeast and Black Stone."

Xu Wei was even more excited to get this thing than a warrior seeing the boxing manual. He had a hundred strategies in his mind, stroked his beard and smiled:

"Okay, okay, this thing came just in time, Tafa, you gave me another big surprise."

-

Capital, Xiyuan, Yuxi Palace.

Since the fire burned down the Wanshou Palace, Emperor Jiajing moved to the Yuxi Palace in the Western Garden, and built a Jinshen Jingshe here, arranging it as an alchemy room for practicing Taoism and cultivating the mysteries, as well as a residence for reading memorials, living and issuing decrees.

Whenever there were important matters, the ministers of the cabinet and several eunuchs of the Imperial Household Department would discuss them here.

At this time, the chief minister Yan Song and the second minister Xu Jie were kneeling in the main hall of Yuxi Palace.

On the east side of the main hall, there is a deep and quiet passage with heavy veils, leading to the Jinshen Jingshe where Jiajing imprisoned himself.

The two of them only heard the whistling of the wind in the passage, the surging of the air, the gauze curtains being constantly rolled up, slapping against the wall, making a crackling sound like a machine gun.

From a distance, it looked like a group of ghosts in white, dancing wildly in the corridor, constantly making heart-wrenching screams.

Such a scene was enough to scare ordinary people to the point of their heart and liver bursting, causing them to fall to the ground and faint, but the two elders were people who had seen the world after all, and they managed to remain motionless.

A moment later, there was another series of thunder-like explosions, rumbling across the room. The two felt as if the entire abode and even the palace were shaken.

Then there was a series of heavy objects falling to the ground and the sound of porcelain breaking.

These two figures who stood at the pinnacle of power in the Ming Dynasty did not even dare to breathe at this moment. They just tried to lower their bodies, lower their brows and eyes, for fear of any overstepping of authority.

Especially Yan Song, who was over eighty years old, appeared extremely humble.

A few days ago, the news of the death of Zheng Michang and He Maocai finally reached the central government, along with a secret letter from Yan Shifan instigating the two to destroy the dikes and flood the fields.

Emperor Jiajing was furious about this.

Although he did not care about Yan Shifan's method of destroying dikes and flooding fields, after all, Emperor Jiajing himself understood that Yan Shifan's move was just to promote the "conversion of rice to mulberry" as soon as possible and make money for him.

——As for how many people would starve to death and how many would become homeless, that was not something Emperor Jiajing cared about.

But he could hardly tolerate Yan Shifan making such a mistake and being caught.

Now that the matter had been exposed, Emperor Jiajing, who had always been careful about his reputation, had to make some comments.

Therefore, the young minister, who was known as "the best boxer in the court", was directly sent to the Nine Frontiers to support the battlefield outside the Great Wall.

Although it is called support, anyone with a discerning eye can see that it is not much different from being exiled.

For a moment, the government and the public were shocked.

The Yan Party, which had once been at its peak, seemed to have suddenly fallen into a precarious situation.

But compared to the urgent news received today, the so-called "shock" before seemed not worthy of being called a "shock".

There were only a few sentences in the emergency report.

"The pirates attacked Xiangshan at night. Lu Bing, the left commander of the rear army, was killed in the battle. Qi Jiguang, the general of Taizhou, is missing."

Hu Zongxian, the governor-general of Zhejiang Province, was a disciple of Yan Song, and the person in charge of changing rice crops to mulberry trees was Yan Song's son. Both of them had an inseparable relationship with him.

The southeast is in chaos now, and even Lu Bing died in battle here. Naturally, the Prime Minister has an unshirkable responsibility.

While Yan Song's legs were trembling, the second assistant Xu Jie was thinking about another problem.

——Since His Majesty is so angry, will he lead the army in person to attack Zhu Tiandu?
Everyone knows that Zhu Tiandu's boxing skills are unrivaled in the world and he is ranked first in the Wuzhilu.

However, only those cabinet ministers who were qualified to see the emperor frequently knew that the emperor, who had not attended court for decades and had devoted himself to studying the way of alchemy, had truly unfathomable martial arts skills.

After all, even Yan Shifan, who was hailed as the best boxer in the court, was trained by the emperor himself.

I don’t know how much time had passed, but an extremely deep and long sigh was heard from the temple.

"In the eighteenth year of Jiajing, I was on a tour to the south and encountered an assassination attempt. It was Lu Wenming who stepped forward and saved me from the fire.

In the 21st year of Jiajing, the remnants of Wudang joined forces with the White Lotus Sect, bribed the palace maids, and intended to assassinate me. It was Lu Wenming who saved me from danger.

In the 29th year of Jiajing, the four great Mongolian masters joined forces to approach the capital. It was Lu Wenming who rode out of the city alone, rushed across the city, killed one of them in the battle, and forced the Tartars to retreat, thus saving the capital.

"The loyalty between the ruler and his subjects, and the love between brothers, are so deep that when I think about it now, I am still moved. Now that Lu Wenming is dead, I must avenge him."

As they were talking, a tall and thin figure walked out of the temple.

He was dressed in a wide silk robe, with his hair tied in a Taoist bun and his black beard fluttering in the wind. He looked like a god who had been banished to the mortal world, with an air of an immortal, as if he was about to ride the wind to return home.

Xu Jie suddenly looked up, wanting to say something but stopping himself.

Jiajing glanced at Xu Jie and said only:
"I have made up my mind!"

Although his words were not passionate, they contained a kind of majesty and courage that enveloped the entire area, causing Xu Jie to not dare to say anything more.

Xu Jie could only try to think positively. If His Majesty really led the army in person, at least the people in the southeast would be calmed, and the issue of replacing rice with mulberry trees should be temporarily put on hold.

-

To the north, a team of cavalry was galloping towards the northwest frontier. They were all wearing heavy helmets and shining armor, with dazzling swords and holding high flags. There was a cloud of dust all the way, and they were clearly the elite of the army.

Then, among these elite soldiers, there was one man wearing a scarlet cloak, but with no armor underneath. He was just wearing an ordinary cloth garment and had no helmet. He was riding his horse with bare hands.

This man was none other than Yan Shifan, who was banished from the capital and sent to support the nine frontiers as a lieutenant general.

At midnight, the cavalry set up camp on the spot, made a fire and cooked.

Yan Shifan was resting with his eyes closed in the military tent when he suddenly opened his eyes and instructed a personal guard:

"There's a letter outside, go get it."

The guard was a little confused but did not show it. He just walked out of the tent with his sword in hand and waited outside the military camp.

Not long after, a man actually came on horseback and shouted:
"There is a letter from the capital, please pass it on to Lord Yan in person!"

The guard took the letter, returned to the camp, and handed it to Yan Shifan. Yan Shifan did not even light the lamp, but opened the letter directly. There were two sheets of letter paper, and he looked at the first one first.

"Lu Bing died at the hands of Zhu Tiandu?

It seems that my previous sudden feeling was not false.

Your Majesty is furious, pointing his spear to the southeast, intending to lead the army in person?"

Yan Shifan's eyebrows moved, and a thought in his mind faded a little, and he sighed:

"After all, it is your majesty..."

Before he finished speaking, he had already turned to the second page of letter.

"Only Lu Fang was sent?!"

Yan Shifan looked stunned and dazed for a long time.

He leaned back and covered his face with his hands, his expression twitching, but the fiery eyes that showed through his fingers were as bright as a burning flame!

——Your Majesty, it turns out that you are really old!!!

　I went to see my cousin today. He broke his left hand while riding a bicycle. The bone was dislocated and he needs surgery. The update is a bit late. This is a long chapter of 5,600 words. I will take this as my apology to all the readers.

　　When I think about the car accident I had at this time last year, and the radial nerve in my right hand has not recovered yet, I feel very sad. My friends should pay attention to safety in their daily lives.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)