The Song Dynasty was the king for thirteen years before he knew that he was Tianlong.

Chapter 378 Removing the Fire from Underground (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

Everyone immediately fell silent, and Mei Jian blinked, not daring to speak again.

The old woman thought that if Tong Lao was unhappy that Lan Jian left, she would bring up the other woman's dissatisfaction. However, when it was Zhao Ti's turn, she became even angrier.

The old woman said angrily, "What kind of sect leader is he? He stole the token ring by some unknown means, and then tricked me into giving up the Northern Darkness Divine Skill. He came to my Lingjiu Palace to show off his power, bullying me with his superior numbers, and arbitrarily claiming the title of sect leader. How is he any different from those Kunlun people?"

Grandma Yu hesitated and said, "Grandma, there's...a difference, isn't there?"

The old woman said, "What's the difference? Aren't they all trying to seize my Misty Peak and annex my Spirit Vulture Palace?"

Granny Yu said, "No matter what, the sect leader... always has a token as proof. Although it is the ring of the Xiaoyao Sect, it is still of the same origin. Isn't my Lingjiu Palace the Xiaoyao Sect? And there is the Beiming Divine Art. Granny has said more than once that only the sect leader can learn this art, and others cannot learn it."

Fu Minyi also spoke up: "Grandma, the sect leader did not occupy this place. He left after living here for a short time, and he hasn't cared about us at all in the past two years."

The old woman's gaze swept over everyone, her expression angry. "Fine, fine, fine. You keep talking about being the sect leader. I never imagined that you all secretly considered that little thief as the sect leader. Since that's the case, if you want to join him, then go ahead. I won't stop you. Go, all of you!"

Everyone exchanged bewildered glances upon hearing this. Mei Jian smiled obsequiously and said, "Grandma, the Sect Leader didn't treat Lingjiu Palace badly back then; in fact, he took good care of them. Later, when they went south, he even asked Grandma for help. This shows how important Grandma is to the Sect Leader..."

"He asked me for help? He is..." Tong Lao was immediately furious. Thinking of the humiliations she suffered on her journey south to Kunlun, her face not only flushed slightly, but her breathing also became a little rapid.

"Grandma..." Aunt Shi said at this moment, "No matter what, Young Master Zhao has the sect leader's token and the Northern Darkness Divine Skill. Even in the outside world, he will be recognized as the sect leader of our Free and Unfettered Sect. If we don't recognize him, wouldn't these two rules passed down by our ancestors become a joke and be ridiculed by the martial arts world?"

"Hmph!" The corners of Tong Lao's mouth curved up: "What merit does that little thief have to be the leader of my Xiaoyao Sect? Next time we meet, I will definitely take back the Seven Treasures Ring, and as for the Northern Darkness Divine Art... I will no longer let him use it!"

"Yes, yes, Grandma is right." Mei Jian continued with a smile, "Besides the token and the Northern Darkness Divine Art, Sister Lan'er has been following the Sect Leader all along. The Sect Leader can be said to have an inextricable connection with our Lingjiu Palace, and it's not a bad relationship. At least we are of the same lineage. Now that Lingjiu Palace has encountered a change of fortune, we have nowhere to go. Whether it's to see the Sect Leader or to see Sister Lan'er, it's only reasonable to go and stay with them for a while."

The old woman raised her delicate eyebrows: "It seems you're determined to go and join that little thief?"

Some people lowered their heads, while others looked away, each remaining silent. Mei Jian then spoke up, "Didn't Granny just say that if we met the Sect Leader again, she would take back the Seven Treasures Ring and prevent him from using the Northern Darkness Divine Art? I think this is an opportunity. We might as well take this chance to go there, so we can avoid the people of Kunlun and carry out this matter at the same time. Wouldn't that be killing two birds with one stone?"

"Mei'er, you..." Granny Tong's eyes darted around, and she sneered, "That's a brilliant plan. How come I didn't think of it?"

Mei Jian hurriedly said, "Grandma probably already knew, she just used this servant to say it..."

The old woman snorted again: "It's not entirely unfeasible..."

Seeing that she had relented, everyone started discussing again. Grandma Yu said, "Grandma, now that we've decided to evacuate, I think we should act immediately without delay."

The old woman asked, "Have all the important items in the palace been hidden?"

Fu Minyi said, "Everything is hidden. What couldn't be hidden has been destroyed. Take the gold, silver, and valuables with you."

After thinking for a moment, Tong Lao said, "We must bring gold and silver. There are many people in our Lingjiu Palace. We don't want to go to that little thief's place and be looked down upon by him, get a reputation for eating and drinking for free, and be ridiculed and despised by him."

Fu Minyi said, "Grandma, don't worry. Lingjiu Palace has accumulated enough wealth over the years to cover our expenses. We certainly won't let the sect leader complain about us eating for free."

"Well, that's good then." Granny Tong nodded, then frowned again: "I'm afraid that little thief will claim to be the sect leader again, and that all the property inside and outside the palace is his, and all the gold and silver treasures are his."

Mei Jian laughed and said, "If the sect leader says so, isn't that just to provide the subordinates with food and monthly allowances? Whether you say it or not, no one will think that my Lingjiu Palace is eating for free."

The old woman waved her hand: "Forget about it for now. Go and greet the people outside. Let's leave through the back cave now."

Grandma Yu suddenly said, "By the way, Grandma, that Sword God Zhuo Bufan is still imprisoned. What should we do with him?"

The old woman said, "This person was captured by that little thief and kept in Lingjiu Palace. We can take him with us and return him to that little thief."

Grandma Yu agreed, and then everyone set to work together, soon gathering at the exit of the back hall.

The rear hall of Lingjiu Palace is built against the mountain peak, with a door leading into the mountains. Several roads intersect in the mountains, one of which leads out from the northern foot of Tianshan Mountain.

At this moment, the old woman gave an order, and everyone entered the cave, closed the mechanism of the back hall door, and then walked forward along the road that led out of the mountain.

After walking for a short while, they saw many ancient characters and patterns on the cave walls, including martial arts and Taoist techniques.

Tong Lao pondered for a moment: "Destroy them all. If the thieves from Kunlun find the mechanism and open this place, these things will fall into their hands. We must not let them take advantage of my Lingjiu Palace in the slightest."

The group agreed, and then began to damage the writing on the wall. They finished in a moment and continued to walk deeper into the area.

After a while, they saw light shining in from a distance. After walking for several dozen breaths, a huge rock blocked their way, and sunlight seeped in through the gaps around it.

The group worked together to move the boulder, revealing green grass and branches. The air was instantly fresher than ever. After moving the branches and grass aside, they were already in the outside world.

After everyone had left the cave and pushed the boulder back into place, the old woman turned her head and glanced at it, her expression slightly desolate, her little face full of reluctance.

Grandma Yu said from the side, "Grandma, we should hurry up and leave. The people of Kunlun all have magic powers. I'm afraid they'll notice and chase us here, causing trouble."

The old woman nodded, looked eastward, her eyes darting about like water, and said resentfully, "Let's go, to Xingzhou!"

Everyone agreed, and each used their lightness skills to descend the mountain and head towards the Hexi region...

Inside Zhuozhou City, Zhao Ti sat in the main hall of the military governor's mansion, listening to reports from his generals.

The battlefield has now been cleared, and after three days of investigation, the city and its surrounding areas are largely pacified.

Zhao Ti discussed the future military situation with his generals, then dismissed the meeting and went on to write a memorial to Zhao Xu.

After the memorial was finished, a soldier outside reported: "Your Highness, the Western Army has sent a message."

The Western Army was the force led by Zhang Jie. When Zhao Ti set off from Tokyo, he wrote a letter about how to take Shuozhou.

He had someone bring in Zhang Jie's letter and read it, and his expression turned slightly displeased.

At this time, the Western Army was facing off against Shuozhou. There were quite a few people in the army who were skilled in law enforcement. They had two opportunities to break through the defenses of Shuozhou. Even if they could not take Shuozhou, they would inflict heavy losses on the enemy. However, because the people of Shenxiao Dao did not obey orders and Zhang Jie could not command them, the opportunity was missed and in the end, the battle had to be abandoned.

The Shenxiao Dao members, including Lin Lingsu, only obeyed Zhao Ji's orders. However, Zhao Ji claimed to be ill and did not leave his camp or participate in any meetings. Therefore, Zhang Jie had no way to deal with the Shenxiao Dao members.

As for Zhao Ji's claim of illness, Zhang Jie visited him several times, only to find him drinking and making merry in his camp, composing poems and painting, showing no signs of being unwell. However, he could not investigate further and could only write a letter to Zhao Ti to inquire.

Zhao Ti put down the letter in his hand, thought for a moment, and then picked up his pen to reply to Zhang Jie. After writing it down in a moment, his expression was cold and sharp. He handed it to a soldier from the Western Army and said, "Go and send it back to Prime Minister Zhang. Tell him that Prince Duan is really too ill to leave his tent to participate in military affairs. Send someone to escort him back to Tokyo to recuperate. He doesn't need to be exposed to the elements on the front lines, lest his condition worsen and become uncontrollable."

The soldier readily agreed, hurriedly took the letter, tucked it into his pocket, then went out, mounted his horse, and headed back towards Shuozhou...

In front of Shuozhou City, the Song army camp.

Emperor Huizong of Song was drinking and reciting poetry in his tent. When he got into the mood, he stood up and started gesturing wildly.

Just then, a noise came from outside the door: "Your Highness, this humble official has come to visit you."

Upon hearing Zhang Jie's voice, Zhao Ji frowned and said, "Why are you visiting again? Didn't you just visit me yesterday?"

Zhang Jie, standing outside, said, "This humble official is concerned about Your Highness's condition. The Prince of Yan has sent a military order containing Your Highness's information, which I must also inform Your Highness of."

"Yan, the King of Yan?" Upon hearing this, Zhao Ji threw down his wine cup and asked, "What did his letter contain about me?"

“This…” Zhang Jie said, “This humble official is not comfortable to say, Your Highness will know when you read the letter.”

"Then hurry up and come in!" Zhao Ji said.

The tent flap was lifted, and Zhang Jie walked in. He immediately saw the mess of cups and plates on the table and smelled the strong stench of alcohol. He couldn't help but twitch his lips, and then handed over Zhao Ti's letter.

Zhao Ji took the letter and read it carefully. The more he read, the uglier his expression became. Finally, he slammed his hand on the table in anger, making the chopsticks and plates jump. He shouted, "What does he mean? He actually wants me to go back to Tokyo to recuperate? What am I supposed to recuperate for? What Tokyo am I supposed to go back to? Is he trying to erase all my previous achievements?"

Zhang Jie cautiously replied, "His Highness the Prince of Yan also sent a message saying that Prince Duan is too ill to leave his tent to participate in military affairs. He ordered me to send someone to escort Prince Duan back to Tokyo to recuperate, so that he doesn't have to endure the wind and rain on the front lines, lest his condition worsen beyond repair."

"What?" Zhao Ji said angrily, "He also asked you to send someone to escort me back? Why should I return to the capital?"

“This…” Zhang Jie said, “The reason has already been explained in the letter from the Prince of Yan. Moreover, Your Highness has been ill for a long time and has not recovered. If something were to happen to you in the army, I would really not be able to bear the responsibility.”

“You…” Zhao Ji looked at Zhang Jie, pointed at him, and trembled with anger.

Zhang Jie smiled wryly and said, "Your Highness, I... I was actually doing this for Your Highness's own good."

"You're doing this for my own good?" Zhao Ji's face turned ashen. "You mean it's for my own good? I think you and the Prince of Yan conspired to steal my credit, which is why you sent me back to the capital!"

“Your Highness’s illness is surely real, isn’t it? It’s been so long since Your Highness participated in military affairs. I’m worried about Your Highness’s health. There’s nothing wrong with that. Why would I want Your Highness to return to the capital just because of some minor merit?” Zhang Jie said, bowing his head.

"I..." Zhao Ji spun around twice in the middle of the ground, so angry that he didn't know what to say.

Originally, he was pretending to be sick and not exert himself to show Zhao Ti his dissatisfaction with the other party's command of the entire army. However, he did not expect the other party to offer any reassurance and instead directly told him to go back to Tokyo to recuperate.

"Good, good..." Zhao Ji returned to the table, gritting his teeth and saying, "What a brilliant plan to cut off the fuel supply from under the cauldron! Don't think I can't see it. This is the 'cut off the fuel supply from under the cauldron' from the Thirty-Six Stratagems. Damn the Prince of Yan, he actually used a scheme against me."

Zhang Jie said, "This... I am ignorant and do not know any strategies. I will go back and arrange for people to be sent away tomorrow."

"Who said I was leaving?" Zhao Ji slammed his fist on the table again in anger. Now that he had learned Taoist magic, his physical strength had increased to some extent. This time, he used too much force and directly knocked down the simple wooden table, and the things on it fell to the ground with a crash.

"Your Highness..." Zhang Jie hurriedly took a step back and reached out to stroke his beard.

"I am cured and do not need to return to Tokyo to recuperate!" Zhao Ji took a deep breath and shouted loudly.

"Has His Highness recovered?"

"Didn't you see that I can drink alcohol? How can I drink alcohol when I'm not well?"

Zhang Jie blinked: "Your Highness... you can participate in military affairs now?"

Zhao Ji said with a dark expression, "Yes, yes, you're cured of your illness, why can't we discuss military matters!"

“Then…” Zhang Jie said hesitantly, “This humble official will not arrange for anyone to escort Your Highness back south. We will send someone to invite Your Highness to the meeting tomorrow.”

"Alright, alright!" Zhao Ji said, waving his hand. "I...I've had a bit too much to drink, and I feel heavy and dizzy. I need to rest for a while. Please, Minister Zhang, make yourself at home."

Zhang Jie nodded: "Then this humble official will take his leave. Your Highness, please rest well."

After he finished speaking, he left. As the footsteps faded into the distance, Zhao Ji glanced at the letter in his hand, tore it to shreds, and muttered, "You cunning warrior! You actually dared to use tricks against me! Did you think I couldn't use tricks? I, I..."

As he spoke, his brow furrowed, clearly unable to devise a solution. After a long pause, he finally called out to the outside of the tent, "Someone, go quickly and invite Master Lin over..."

Along Gyeonggi Road, willows are green and flowers are red, creating a picturesque scene.

Wang Yuyan carried a small floral bag and walked briskly along the official road, with the capital city of Tokyo already visible in the distance.

She did not ride a horse; she walked from Jiangning Prefecture, and she traveled mostly at night, using her light-footed skills to be faster than a horse.

After a while, she entered the city and headed straight for the Prince of Yan's residence. She knew that Zhao Ti had gone to the northwest, but thought that he should return after a long time, so she did not consider the Hexi region this time, but went straight to Kaifeng.

But when he arrived at the Prince's residence and met the steward Zheng Fu, he learned that Zhao Ti had actually led troops to conquer Yan and Yun.

She stayed at the Prince's mansion for one night, and then, ignoring Zheng Fu's advice, left the next day to continue north towards Zhuozhou in search of Zhao Ti.

(End of this chapter)