From the Ming Dynasty, we will conquer the world

Chapter 58 The Great Dao is like the sky, I will open up a new path for you, and I hope all living beings will see peace (7500)

In mid-August, a piece of good news came to the capital.

Since the demise of the two great leaders, Zhu Tiandu and Zhu Polong, and thirty-six ship owners, the pirates were completely deprived of their backbone and became a group of loose sand. All that remained was a sweeping sweep like a whirlwind.

After the Battle of Aobei Island, Qi Jiguang did not rest, but advanced like a raging wave along the established battle line. Wherever the flags of Qi's army pointed, they only pursued the enemy and chased them northward, without any fighting.

Even Hu Zongxian, the governor of Zhejiang, did not avoid the arrows and stones, but went to the battlefield in person, bravely taking the lead, and was almost willing to die for his country to show his loyalty.

Fortunately, the soldiers of Qi's army fought bravely and Qi Jiguang protected him well, so he did not die in the battlefield. However, he inevitably suffered some injuries, and his old illness relapsed. He could not endure the hardship of traveling by boat, so he had to stay in Taizhou to recuperate.

Within fifteen days, Qi's army marched over a thousand miles, won nine battles in a row, and wiped out thirty-six pirate ships that had plagued the southeast for decades. The suffering of countless people along the coast who had suffered from burning, killing and looting was finally put to an end.

After receiving this news, an unknown person sighed and said, "Sweeping through thousands of troops like a rolling mat."

After this battle, Qi Jiguang was given the title of "the pillar of the southeast, unparalleled in destroying bandits".

At this time of year, this is excellent news.

However, after Qi Jiguang won nine consecutive victories, he did not follow the imperial order to go to the capital to receive the title. Instead, he insisted on staying in the southeast and continuing to wipe out the pirates, which added some haze to this happy event.

In a quiet room in Taizhou City, Hu Zongxian, who was intact, saw this urgent report and slammed the table in anger, saying:

"Xu Wenchang, what on earth do you want to do!"

In the quiet room, Xu Wei looked at the Governor of Zhejiang and smiled slightly. With a gracious attitude that Hu Zongxian had never seen before, he said in a gentle voice:

"Brother Ruzhen, you already have an old illness. Wouldn't it be good to take this opportunity to rest and recuperate?"

Behind him, although Li Shizhen did not say anything, he looked as if he agreed with it.

Hu Zongxian stretched out his hand, pointed at the Southeastern Masters around him, including Yan Pingsheng, and laughed angrily:

"Recuperate? You call this recuperation?! Xu Wenchang, what on earth do you and Qi Yuanjing want to do!"

Xu Wei looked directly at Hu Zongxian, with a chilling calmness in his eyes. He chuckled and said slowly:
"Hu Ruzhen, from the first day we met, I said, let me know what I want to do.

Then I will say it again, since the imperial court is still doing something like "changing rice to mulberry" during this great war, exploiting the people in the southeast and condoning the pirates to plunder...

At this point, Xu Wei's eyes suddenly became extremely sharp, like two sharp swords, piercing straight into Hu Zongxian's heart:
"So what if I represent the Southeast and rebel against the fucking imperial court?!"

When Hu Zongxian heard this, he was furious and wanted to scold Xu Wenchang, but he found that the great boxers around him were all calm and not moved at all.

Even Li Shizhen, a former imperial physician who once worked in the Imperial Medical Bureau, nodded slightly after a moment's silence.

After witnessing this scene, Hu Zongxian felt as if all the strength in his body had been drained away. He suddenly fell down on the bed, lowered his head, looked dejected, and didn't know what to say.

As the Governor-General of Zhejiang, how could he not know what kind of suffering the people in the southeast have endured over the years?
Shouldn't they rise up and rebel? !

Rather, it is an extremely incredible thing that they could endure until now and raise the flag again!

Hu Zongxian let out a long sigh and lamented:

"Wen Chang, you do this, do this..."

In the end, even he couldn't continue.

After learning the news, Hu Zongxian's first reaction was, how could this be possible?
However, after seeing Xu Wei's determined eyes and the expressions of these great boxers who shared a common hatred for the enemy, the courage and belief in Hu Zongxian's heart involuntarily weakened.

——Why can’t it be done?

In terms of wealth, the taxes in the southeast accounted for several percent of the world's total, and it has always been known as a treasure pot. After Qi Jiguang defeated the pirates, he was able to take advantage of the opportunity to control the sea routes.

In terms of military strength, the Qi Family Army was originally an army trained by Qi Jiguang. The middle-level officers among them were all boxers trained by Xu Xing. If they really wanted to start a rebellion, they could be trusted.

More importantly, after this great victory, Xu Xing and Qi Jiguang could be said to have completely let down the people in the southeast. Some ordinary people even secretly built a shrine for the "Great Sage Hun Tian" who tore Zhu Laolong apart with his bare hands.

As for the imperial court, the issue of "changing rice to mulberry" had already caused several civil uprisings in the southeast, and it could be said that it had lost the support of the people.

From this perspective, Xu Wei and others controlled thousands of miles of fertile land, had hundreds of thousands of armored soldiers, and had the hearts of the people, which made them quite popular.

Moreover, the opposing team also has the Great Sage who sits firmly on the throne of the number one person in the world.

You know, Zhu Tiandu alone caused unrest in the southeast for decades, leaving the imperial court helpless. They could only watch him control the sea routes, gradually grow more powerful, and become a serious threat.

If we replace him with the younger, more powerful and more skilled Monkey King Hun Tian, ​​it would not be difficult for him to shatter the mountains and rivers and turn the world upside down.

The more Hu Zongxian thought about it, the more desperate he became, as if he had fallen into an icy cave. His face was sad and dreary, as if he had aged more than ten years in an instant, and had a sense of being in his twilight years.

Xu Wei just sneered:
"Hu Ruzhen, let's be honest, if we were to take over, would we be worse than the old emperor?"

Hu Zongxian raised his head, looked directly at his closest comrade-in-arms, opened his mouth and wanted to say something, but he stopped himself and remained silent.

Seeing him like this, Xu Wei couldn't bear it anymore and stopped threatening him. Instead, he said sincerely:
"We also have helpers in the center. If we can work together from inside and outside, we may not necessarily end up in an all-out war."

When saying this, Xu Wei felt unusually guilty, but he quickly adjusted himself and became even more confident and his words were powerful.

After all, it was Tafa who did it himself, so what could go wrong?
When Hu Zongxian heard this, his eyes flickered for a moment, then he turned around, faced the wall, and said no more.

Xu Wei knew his old friend's temper, so he didn't try to persuade him, but just said:
"The result will be known in two months at the latest. Sir Hu, you won't be unwilling to wait even for this little time, right?"

Hu Zongxian's back remained motionless. After a long while, he finally uttered a sound of gnashing teeth.

"Ah."

Just five days after the war in the southeast was settled, the capital received another victory report. The young cabinet minister Yan Shifan raided King Altan's tent alone and killed the only three remaining masters of the Mongolian tribes.

The light cavalry of the border army arrived soon after, and attacked and defeated the remaining troops of Altan Khan, beheading more than 10,000 of them. They killed so many people along the way that blood flowed and corpses were scattered all over the ground. They seized countless horses, camels, cattle and sheep, and mountains of rare treasures.

For a time, Yan Shifan's name became as famous as Xu Xing, and became very popular.

You know, although Zhu Tiandu was listed at the top of the "Wuzhilu", that was because Altan Khan was the leader of the Mongolian tribes and was not considered a martial artist, so he was not included.

In fact, in the eyes of many people, Altan Khan, the grassland overlord, and Zhu Tiandu, the maritime giant, are the two major threats to the Ming Dynasty in the north and south.

It is difficult to say who is better at boxing between the two since they have never fought each other. But in terms of power, status, military might and men, Altan Khan is definitely better than Zhu Tiandu.

After all, although Zhu Tiandu was famous and powerful, he only conquered Jiangning Prefecture, while Altan Khan actually led his army, showed off his power outside the capital for a long time, and burned and looted for eight days before leaving.

It can be said that he completely trampled on the reputation of the Ming Dynasty and established his own reputation.

Moreover, apart from this contemporary overlord and hero of the time, the other two great lamas are also of great importance. One of them is over 90 years old, almost a hundred years old.

This great living Buddha once traveled south to the Central Plains and exchanged Buddhist teachings and martial arts with the great monks of Northern Shaolin, the ancestral home of Zen Buddhism.

On that occasion, the eighteen stick monks from the Northern Shaolin Damo Temple joined forces and besieged the opponent. Within the time of an incense stick, they were unable to even shake the opponent's golden body. From then on, he was nicknamed "Great Vajra King" in the Central Plains martial arts world.

But these three grandmasters and masters who stood at the pinnacle of martial arts were unexpectedly caught and killed by Yan Shifan. What kind of terrible boxing technique is this?

After this battle, the name "Xianguan" spread throughout the country again, and "Huan Tian Dasheng" began to compete with him.

Even with the unremitting advocacy and propaganda of court officials, Yan Shifan's reputation was even better than Xu Xing's.

All the officials in the court were celebrating, as if a mountain had been removed from their heads and they felt much more relaxed. However, there was still a group of officials, a group of officials who were irreconcilable with Yan Song and Yan Shifan, who felt greater pressure and frustration.

Beijing.

It is now late autumn, when the cold dew begins to form and the frost gradually turns colder. Heavy iron clouds cover the sky, obscuring the stars and the moon.

A middle-aged scholar with a slender figure, a beard that flows down to his abdomen, and a clear face was standing under a dead tree in front of the courtyard, gazing at the horizon.

His skin is smooth and delicate, his forehead is full, his limbs are strong and powerful, and his every move shows great energy and vitality. It is obvious that he is a pampered big man who takes good care of himself on a daily basis.

This person was Zhang Juzheng, the official of the Ministry of War of the current dynasty. He entered the cabinet at the age of 35 and was a leader of the Qingliu party. He always acted decisively, with courage and vision, and was therefore highly respected.

Because he is young and in charge of the Ministry of War, this young minister's grace and elegance are mixed with a touch of high spirits and enthusiasm.

However, this young minister, who has always been extremely shrewd and wise, could not help but feel trapped and at a loss when faced with the current situation in the world.

Yan Shifan had just won a great victory in the northwest and would be returning to the court soon. By then, in order to deal with the changes in the situation in the southeast, the emperor would certainly rely on his boxing skills and military power and would not easily touch Yan's party.

Even more, in order to appease Yan Shifan, the emperor might even have to dismiss some upright figures from marriage.

Although Emperor Jiajing had not yet revealed this intention, several major leaders within the Qingliu faction had reached a tacit understanding and had close discussions.

As the youngest and the one with the least experience, Zhang Juzheng was naturally regarded as a discarded pawn who could be retired by the other two Qingliu leaders.

Zhang Juzheng naturally understood the logic behind this. He knew that if he were in other people's shoes, he would definitely make the same choice.

However, after the meeting ended and he returned to his home, looking at the gloomy sky, Zhang Juzheng still felt a deep worry in his heart.

The Yan Party was so powerful at this point. Not only did they have the shrewd Prime Minister Yan Song, but they also had a young cabinet minister Yan Shifan, who was both civil and military and had superb boxing skills. The situation was almost uncontrollable.

Even for His Majesty, who is usually unfathomable, can he really control the situation as usual after losing Lu Qingtian and Eunuch Lu, two great assistants in succession?

At this moment, a tiny sound came from the courtyard.

Zhang Juzheng turned around suddenly and saw a tall, fair-skinned man with his back to him, standing with his hands behind his back, looking at the entire courtyard and saying leisurely:
"Good Feng Shui, good courtyard. I've heard that there is a Master Lan Daoxing in the capital who is proficient in Feng Shui. I guess he is the one who helped you arrange this place?"

As he spoke, the man turned around.

It was Xu Xing who had just arrived from the southeast.

Zhang Juzheng couldn't help but look sideways, not because he recognized his identity, but mainly because this man looked too young and too handsome.

When Xu Xing first opened a martial arts school in Chun'an, he was famous for his beautiful appearance, which was "slender and graceful, with a handsome and elegant figure".

Now that he has become a human immortal, his appearance has reached a new level and his temperament is unique, with both an aloof and detached air, and a sense of scorching heat brought by the fire burning his body.

The two temperaments mixed together made him look like a lonely sun hanging in the sky, but still illuminating all living things.

Therefore, the moment he saw Xu Xing, a word naturally popped up in Zhang Juzheng's mind.

——The watch of the sun and the sky!
After calming down a bit, Zhang Juzheng showed little emotion when facing this uninvited guest who broke into his courtyard. He bowed to him and said calmly:
"I never thought that my humble home could actually host such a peerless figure like the Great Sage who looks down on the world and is invincible. It is truly a great honor.

Unexpectedly, the Great Sage, at such a young age, not only could he master boxing to the highest level, but he was also well versed in Feng Shui, which really surprised Zhang.

Your eyes are sharp, this place was indeed arranged by Master Lan himself."

Xu Xing waved his hand and said with a smile:

"If you want to reach the pinnacle of martial arts, you must thoroughly study the way of heaven and man. Every move and breath of the human body is subtly in line with and related to the changes of heaven and earth. The truth of this is the same as the way of Feng Shui."

After listening to this, Zhang Juzheng was deeply impressed: "The Great Sage's boxing skills are indeed extraordinary and have reached a level that is beyond compare."

Xu Xing did not continue this topic and got straight to the point:

"I came to the capital this time for two main reasons. The most important one is to see you, and the second is to kill the emperor."

When saying this, Xu Xing looked calm, and his tone did not fluctuate at all, as if this was a normal and trivial matter.

But when Zhang Juzheng heard this "normality", it was like a bolt from the blue.

No matter how good his Qi-cultivation skills were, he was still startled by Xu Xing's direct attack. He was horrified and it took him a long time to calm down. He smiled bitterly and said:

"The Great Sage came to see me, it's not like he wanted to... turn me against you, right?"

By the end of his speech, Zhang Juzheng's expression was extremely strange.

If Xu Xingzheng had not been standing in front of him, he would never have believed that this newly-crowned "number one traitor" would actually set his sights on him.

He really didn't expect that in the eyes of this great sage, meeting him was more important than assassinating the king.

Thinking of this, Zhang Juzheng felt strange but also a little flattered.

Even for a new and powerful official like him who stood at the top of power in the Ming Dynasty and had seen many ups and downs, the "recognition" and "respect" of Xu Xing, the immortal in the world, seemed so precious.

Xu Xing shook his head:

"Strictly speaking, I intend to ask you to help clean up the mess, but also to give you a chance to realize your ambitions."

After saying this, he chuckled:
"I believe that you, Zhang Taiyue, are a smart person. As long as I explain the pros and cons to you, you will definitely make the right choice. We also cooperated quite well in the Southeast."

Southeast, cooperation?
"So, the account book is actually yours. Doesn't that mean you and Xu Wenchang are...?"

Zhang Juzheng was such a smart man that he immediately understood everything after Xu Xing only gave him a slight hint. The situation in the southeast, which he had not been able to understand before, became clear all of a sudden and every detail was clear to him!
What the hell is the Great Sage Hun Tian, ​​what the number one traitor in the world, it was actually all directed and acted by the Southeast side from beginning to end!

Zhang Juzheng only felt his mouth and throat were a little dry, and there was a chill rising from his coccyx, seeping into his skin and flesh, penetrating into his bone marrow, chilling his lungs and going up to his soul.

The way he looked at Xu Xing was as if he was looking at an unpredictable and elusive abnormal monster.

After a long while, Zhang Juzheng finally opened his mouth, smiled bitterly, and said in a hoarse voice:
"People only know that the Great Sage is an unrivaled boxer, but they never expected that he is so cunning and scheming..."

Xu Xingdao didn't think this was a conspiracy, he just said indifferently:

"We just took advantage of the asymmetry in intelligence and followed the trend."

After he killed Lian Sheng, he found a book of accounts on the Black Stone elder that showed the bribes received by the Black Stone organization and the murders committed by various officials.

After entering Taizhou City, Xu Xing handed the account book to Xu Wei. After Xu Wei flipped through the account book, he immediately realized that most of these officials who hired killers were members of Yan's party.

The reason is very simple. Since the Wheel-Turning King escaped from the Palace and took away a group of elite backbones, Black Stone has basically been in name only, and there are only a few masters left.

If it weren't for Lian Sheng, the half-step grandmaster, the Imperial Household Department wouldn't even bother to look at them again.

Yan Shifan took the opportunity to take control of this remaining force. On the one hand, he could use the "palace" as a cover to raise the banner, and on the other hand, he could secretly eliminate the opposition forces in the court.

Although Xu Wei didn't know the whole story, he knew that if he wanted to make good use of this rare weapon and deliver a fatal effect, he needed to find a better user.

He was Hu Zongxian's aide, and Hu Zongxian was Yan Song's close confidant, so it was not appropriate for him to come forward directly.

Therefore, Xu Wei revealed the information in the account book to the Qingliu representative in the southeast, Taizhou prefect Tan Lun.

He hoped that Tan Lun could use the power of the Qingliu Party as a lever to force those Yan Party officials who were in various confidential positions in the southeast to change their ways, or at least not dare to make trouble in secret.

At that time, the Yan Party had already suffered a major blow when Yan Shifan was exiled to the northwest and sent to the battlefields of the Nine Frontiers. As the party leader, Yan Song could only rely on Hu Zongxian, the southeastern pillar.

Therefore, from the standpoint of the Yan Party, they naturally did not want the war to strangle the Japanese pirates to end as soon as possible. Yan Song even sent several private letters, hoping that Hu Zongxian would not kill all the pirates, but let him keep the pirates to himself.

As long as there is war in the southeast, Emperor Jiajing will not touch Hu Zongxian. By saving Hu Zongxian, the entire Yan Party will be saved.

Whether it is for party struggles or for the sake of world peace, the Qingliu naturally would not want to see such a thing.

Therefore, Tan Lun quickly agreed to Xu Wei's request, reported the matter to several major leaders of the Qingliu, and quickly took action.

It is because of this that the entire southeast was able to unite closely and concentrate manpower and material resources to defend Taizhou City.

Zhang Juzheng naturally remembered this incident clearly. After all, they had actually gained a lot of benefits through that account book.

I'm afraid that no one in the court or the public could have imagined that there was not just some tacit understanding between this Great Sage Hun Tian and the government of the Southeast, but a real and deep connection!
After thinking it through, Zhang Juzheng suddenly realized something.

He hesitated several times, but he felt that the Great Sage had no ill intentions, so he asked:
"Since the Great Sage has such a far-reaching plan in the southeast, may I ask if Governor Hu is...?"

Xu Xing raised his head, glanced at him, and asked with interest:
"Why, isn't Hu Ruzhen a member of the Yan Party? Why are you still concerned about his safety?"

Seeing Xu Xing's half-smile, Zhang Juzheng actually felt like he was entering the palace to meet the emperor. He subconsciously felt his breath choked and immediately lowered his head. After a long while, he finally caught his breath.

It was not until this moment that he truly realized that the person in front of him was an unparalleled strong man who was invincible in boxing and was known for his lack of taboos and unbridled behavior.

But in the end, Zhang Juzheng still raised his head, met Xu Xing's gaze, paused for a moment, and whispered:
"Hu Ruzhen is a man who gets things done. If the Great Sage really wants to do something big, he should spare his life."

Xu Xing could naturally feel the undisguised sincerity in Zhang Juzheng's words. Even though they were on different sides, he really felt sorry and regretful for Hu Zongxian.

After realizing this, Xu Xing couldn't help but become more satisfied with Zhang Juzheng. This was indeed a man with a vision and the ability to accomplish great things. He couldn't help but smile and said bluntly:
"The practical things Hu Zongxian has done over the years have been witnessed by the people of the entire southeast, so I will naturally not let him suffer any loss.

To be honest, if it wasn't for saving his life and reputation, I wouldn't bother to do such a troublesome thing."

Zhang Juzheng just breathed a sigh of relief when he heard Xu Xing continue:

"Now that I've done it, I want to do my best. I have a method that may make the world a better place.

Zhang Taiyue, do you want to try it with a madman like me? "

Such a plain and straightforward request is like Xu Xing's boxing style, which is always hard hitting and overwhelming, with little fancy tricks, but inexplicably has a convincing courage.

Zhang Juzheng could even foresee that Xu Xing's next words would completely shake his resolve and even his position as a minister of the Ming Dynasty.

cocoa……

Faced with Xu Xing's confident expression and gaze, Zhang Juzheng found it difficult to look away, nor could he resist his curiosity.

Xu Xing certainly noticed his inner struggle, but he did not try to persuade him. He just started to talk:

"I didn't come up with this method myself. It was a fragment left by a hermit. If you meet him in the future, you might as well tell him about this method. He might be able to make some new discoveries."

Can the hermit's fragments be encountered again?
Zhang Juzheng felt something was strange, but he did not ask. Instead, he concentrated and waited for Xu Xing's next words.

Xu Xing stated his intention immediately. He had always been a man who liked to do things to the utmost. Since he recognized Zhang Juzheng, he would be honest with him without hiding anything.

Of course, if he had just discovered that Zhang Juzheng showed any signs of being hypocritical or having ulterior motives, he would have killed him immediately without any hesitation.

"This method is called a virtual monarch. The greatest harm to the world is a tyrant who harms the people. The monarch is just that..."

Zhang Juzheng, who worked in the cabinet and experienced Emperor Jiajing's absence from court for decades, was particularly touched by this sentence.

Although he instinctively frowned and wanted to refute, once he thought about it carefully, he felt that it made a lot of sense.

After all, whether it is the Yan Party or anything else, aren’t they just puppets that help the emperor make money?

The "conversion from rice to mulberry" at the beginning of this year has put this problem completely out in the open. Even if the government and the opposition bury their heads in the ground, pretend to be ostriches and say they didn't see it, they can't do it.

It has to be said that the Great Sage Hun Tian and the great changes in the southeast were almost all created by the emperor who was bent on seeking immortals. In this way, can it be considered as being content with what he has done?

After a brief thought, Zhang Juzheng threw himself into Xu Xing's narration, listening with fascination and almost unable to extricate himself.

After listening to it, he sighed and said with deep emotion:
"This is indeed a good remedy for the world. May I ask the name of this hermit master?"

Xu Xing, a fearless and arrogant madman, actually looked solemn at this moment. He sighed and said slowly:
“His name is Huang Zongxi, but you also have to remember that ideas are just ideas. Whether you want to put them into practice ultimately depends on how well you implement them.

Moreover, even if this method is used, it is not a permanent solution. You, you..."

Zhang Juzheng felt the solemnity in Xu Xing's words, and he couldn't help but straighten his expression and slowly raised his head.

Although he was young, he attached great importance to these practical matters and was deeply touched by them, so he naturally understood what Xu Xing meant.

Xu Xing sighed again:
"Sometimes, I wonder what prescription I should teach you to cure this sick world. After much thought, I think this is the most practical.

But this is not the best way.”

Xu Xing shook his head and said with emotion:

“Forget it. Neither the timing nor the era is right, but I sincerely hope that one day you can find a path to a world of great harmony.

A world where the old have a place to live, the strong have a place to work, the young have a place to grow, and everyone gets what they deserve is worth pursuing no matter where we are or what era we are in. "

As he spoke, Xu Xing showed a look of boredom. Zhang Juzheng could sense that there was a deep loneliness emanating from this isolated and aloof Great Sage, deep in his bones.

But this loneliness disappeared as soon as it appeared. After Xu Xing turned around, he once again became the Great Sage Hun Tian that Zhang Juzheng was more familiar with.

“However, the road is like the sky, and it is paved by generations, not taught by me alone. You can go and try.

As long as tomorrow is better than today, my trip will be valuable and meaningful..."

After saying this, Xu Xing turned around and faced Zhang Juzheng. He raised his eyebrows, smiled a little ostentatiously, and asked loudly:

"So, Zhang Taiyue, do you have an answer?"

Zhang Juzheng smiled bitterly again, but the light in his eyes was brighter than ever before tonight.

He straightened his clothes and bowed respectfully to Xu Xing with an unprecedented solemnity, and said word by word:
"I really wish for it, but I dare not ask for it."

Although he did not understand the meaning of Xu Xing's last few words, Zhang Juzheng had understood the way of the nominal monarch very clearly.

He could even more clearly understand Xu Xing's indescribable compassion and the regret that time was running out.

It was for these reasons that Zhang Juzheng was willing to pay high respect to this Great Sage Hun Tian, ​​whom he had only met once.

Xu Xing also flicked his long sleeves and left this place, leaving behind only a long sigh.

"From now on, it's all up to you."

(End of this chapter)