Daqin Zhentiansi

Chapter 122: Big and Small Tianlong Temples, Night Attack on Tonggu Mountain

The second floor of Liyang Tower.

Zhang Yuan sat upright by the windowsill, while the shop owner, Guo Huai, the head of the Black Ice Shop in Liping County, stood beside him with a nervous look on his face.

Liping County belongs to Dingning Prefecture, and above it is Zhengyang County.

He was just a ninth-rank official, with four or five secret agents under his command.

The man in front of him is the commander of the Black Ice Platform in Zhengyang County, a sixth-rank military officer, in charge of eight hundred black armors.

The last Black Ice Platform announcement stated that the new commander would also serve as the leader of the Black Cavalry.

This means that one can seize the military power of the Black Ice Platform in Zhengyang County.

He can be said to be his boss's boss.

"According to what you said, Liangyuan Territory's Buddhist sect has infiltrated Daqin quite a bit, even influencing the local customs. Is it possible that the county government and the county school can't control it?"

Zhang Yuan narrowed his eyes and looked out the window.

He knew about Buddhism.

As for compassion, there is.

Those Buddhists who cultivate their spirits and souls internally and their Vajra externally, seeking the way to achieve unity between the inner and the outer, do indeed talk about compassion.

But to say that all that compassionate thought should be sent to the land of Daqin would be a bit false.

There are many people in Liangyuan who have no food to eat.

"My Qin territory has products and exquisite artifacts, which are used by many Buddhist temples in Liangyuan," Guo Huai said softly. "The finest meats, as well as intricately crafted pagodas and statues, are all transported from Qin."

Having said this, his face stiffened slightly and he quickly lowered his head.

This matter cannot be discussed openly.

Liping County has been infiltrated to this extent, and even he, the head of the Black Ice Platform, is ashamed.

Zhang Yuan didn't say anything harsh.

All the hustle and bustle in the world is for your benefit.

Liang Yuanyu's infiltration is driven by profit, and he also spreads propaganda to mislead the common people. It is indeed very difficult to suppress him.

In fact, as long as the people are rich, they will not buy into the so-called equality of all beings that Buddhism advocates.

At least among the five countries and three regions, the Qin Dynasty has always been powerful and wealthy, and its combat power is the most overwhelming.

The people of Daqin are also proud of their Qin identity.

If the Qin people were asked to shave their heads and go to Liangyuan to suffer, few would go.

"This time, the caravans of Dongming and Xinghe were robbed. What's the news from Black Ice Terrace?"

Zhang Yuan did not dwell on the matter of Buddhist infiltration. He turned to look at Guo Huai and asked.

"The Dongming Trading Company's caravan was robbed in Tonggu Mountain, probably by bandits there. As for the Xinghe Trading Company..."

Guo Huai pondered for a moment, then glanced at Zhang Yuan: "Sir, are you here for the goods shipped by Xinghe Trading Company?"

Zhang Yuan narrowed his eyes.

In an instant, Guo Huai felt cold all over, as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.

The dark shadow of the sky pressed down on him. His legs went weak and he stumbled a few steps, bumping into the table and chairs behind him before he could barely hold on.

When he looked up, he was already sweating profusely.

Martial arts evil energy, martial arts evil energy that is so strong, how many people has it killed!

Guo Huai felt his scalp tingling.

"Sir, Xinghe Trading Company purchased three jade Buddha bodhi seeds from Xiao Tianlong Temple. This angered Da Tianlong Temple, so they sent people to rob the caravan."

"The Great Tianlong Temple in Liangyuan Territory has already issued a Buddhist invitation. Bring Bodhi Seed to the Small Tianlong Temple to question the culprit."

Guo Huai told everything he knew and dared not hide anything.

Among the major sects in Liangyuan Territory, Yuzhao Temple has declined, while the Big and Small Tianlong Temples are considered to be the most powerful.

Because there is a master in charge of the Da Tianlong Temple, it is a powerful force in the Liangyuan area.

Back then, the Big and Small Tianlong Temples were of the same lineage, and there had always been a feud between them, each coveting the other's inheritance and territory.

This time, the Big Tianlong Temple caught Xiao Tianlong Temple selling Bodhi seeds, so naturally they wanted to find a way to give Xiao Tianlong Temple a good beating.

In fact, the reason why Xiaotianlong Temple sells treasures such as Bodhi seeds is because it is related to the Qin Dynasty.

Among the four countries and three regions surrounding Daqin, which one has not been bribed or even controlled by Daqin?

With the prosperity of Qin, it was able to resist the four countries and three regions alone and still have enough strength to spare.

The danger to Qin lies outside Yongtianzhou.

----------------

When Zhang Yuan returned to the posthouse, Xu Changzhi was already waiting with the guards and the innkeeper of the Dongming and Xinghe caravans. Also arriving were Xiao Yunzheng, the eighth-rank official in the Liping County Wuwei, and Cao Shen, the county police chief.

There were only a dozen or so people in the Liping County Wuwei Yamen. Except for a few secret agents, the other eight Wuwei in black clothes came to listen to Zhang Yuan's orders.

Captain Cao also brought ten yamen runners armed with water and fire sticks.

As for the border troops of Liping County, they cannot be mobilized simply by the county magistrate's order.

Xu Changzhi had already argued with Xiao Yun about the captured criminals and it was confirmed that the bandits from Tonggu Mountain had indeed robbed the goods from Dongming Trading Company.

Xinghe Trading Company was a large trading company in Dingning Prefecture, and the bandits in Tonggu Mountain did not dare to touch them at all.

Although they were also robbed near Tonggu Mountain, the robbers were probably not bandits from Tonggu Mountain.

"General, if we can't find our goods, my Xinghe Trading Company will never come to Liping County again." The leader and manager of Xinghe Trading Company, who was standing in front of Zhang Yuan, spoke with a bit of panic in his eyes.

"My boss and the government sergeant are old friends, you—"

Before the team leader could finish his words, Xu Changzhi drew his sword and pressed the tip of the sword against his neck, causing him to tremble all over and his face to turn pale instantly.

The others looked at each other and took a few steps back.

Zhang Yuan waved his hand and asked Xu Changzhi to sheath his sword.

"Prepare the carriages and horses, and we will go to Tonggu Mountain in a quarter of an hour."

"You all come along."

Going to Tonggu Mountain?

Captain Cao and Xiao Yunzheng were both stunned.

"Sir, is it too late to go today? Should we recruit some able-bodied men tomorrow, and then ask the county magistrate to write a handwritten letter to mobilize two hundred border troops? Otherwise, I'm afraid..." Xiao Yunzheng's words were stopped by Zhang Yuan's gaze.

Although Zhang Yuan's expression was calm, that calmness made him dare not speak anymore.

It wasn't until Zhang Yuan walked out that Xiao Yunzheng said in a low voice with a bitter face: "Old Cao, it is said that Mr. Zhang, the second master of Luyang Mansion, is very righteous and loyal. But it seems that he is just pretending to be loyal..."

"There is no such thing as true righteousness in the world. When you go out, your reputation is earned by yourself." Cao Shen shook his head and turned to look at the yamen runner holding a water and fire stick.

"Laojiu, go to my house and tell my wife that the concubine I kept in Baijiazhuang gave birth to a son for me. If I can't come back, I must raise my son and don't let him take someone else's surname."

The guards and shopkeepers of the caravans looked even more miserable at this moment.

How could they have imagined that this Wuwei captain from Luyang Prefecture would directly ask them to go to Tonggu Mountain together?
A quarter of an hour later, a team of nearly a hundred people slowly came out of the Liping County Posthouse.

When the county magistrate Jiang Qingguang received the news and rushed to the top of the city, he could only see a wisp of smoke under the setting sun.

"Can such a small number of people defeat the bandits in Tonggu Mountain?"

"Ah, Cao Shen's wife is quite pretty. It would be a pity if she became a widow..."

……

Tonggu Mountain is more than 130 miles northwest of Liping County. The mountain is like a bronze drum, long and steep, with only a winding road at the foot of the mountain.

When Zhang Yuan and his companions arrived at the foot of the mountain, it was already the second watch, and a crescent moon was hanging in the sky.

At this time, the snow in the north had not melted yet, and the yamen runners, the armed guards of Liping County, and the armed guards of the caravan were shivering like sieves, whether they were riding horses or in carriages.

When the two caravan managers got off the carriage, their legs were shaking like they were playing the piano.

Cao Shen and Xiao Yunzheng were both warriors in the early stage of the acquired realm. Although they were feeling better now, they were still freezing from riding horses, and their faces were pale.

Unlike them, the thirty armed guards from Luyang Prefecture, as well as Captain Zhang Yuan and Commandant Xu Changzhi who were leading the team in the front, were not cold at all. Instead, their blood and energy were rising, and their bodies were filled with surging heat. Even the war horses under their crotch were covered in mist.

This kind of scene can only be achieved by at least the middle stage of the acquired realm.

But it’s impossible that all of this team of martial guards are in the middle stage of the acquired realm, right?
I heard that the battle formation method can connect the power of qi and blood, and a team is like one person.

Could this be a military formation method?

"Captain Zhang, the mountain path is difficult to walk on, and it's a snowy night. Our brothers can't bear it anymore. Let's set up camp and rest, and look for an opportunity to go up the mountain tomorrow." Cao Shen looked at the dark mountaintop and spoke in a low voice.

The trembling yamen runners and guards in the back nodded repeatedly.

"Xu Changzhi, attack the mountain."

Zhang Yuan dismounted, put his hands on the hilts of the two swords at his waist, stepped onto the rocky path, and walked forward quickly.

Behind him, Xu Changzhi waved his hand and led his guards to dismount. Holding a knife in one hand and a crossbow beside the saddle in the other, they walked along the mountain path.

Attacking the mountain at night?

Is this seeking death?
How can such a small number of people be a match for the bandits on Tonggu Mountain?

"Captain, this is asking all of us brothers to die." Behind Cao Shen, a yamen runner holding a water and fire stick spoke in a low voice.

"Captain Cao, Chief Xiao, how can this be done? The lives of our caravan brothers are also their lives." The manager of the Xinghe Trading Company on the other side rubbed his hands, and his goatee trembled.

Cao Shen turned around, hesitated, and said through gritted teeth, "Well, I'll go up with Chief Xiao and a few brothers, and you all stay here to watch over the carriages and horses."

"If we are defeated," Cao Shen lowered his voice, "with chariots and horses, we can retreat faster, at least we have a better chance of saving our lives."

(Happy Mid-Autumn Festival, I drew a mooncake, O, and I’ll share half with you, D.)
(End of this chapter)