Liver into a martial arts legend: starting with Embroidered Spring Blade

Chapter 74: Trade, steal treasure, and kill people! [13]

Nanjing, also known as Jinling, is the former capital of the Ming Dynasty.

Two hundred years ago, Emperor Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang proclaimed himself emperor in Nanjing and established the Ming Dynasty.

During the reign of Emperor Chengzu Zhu Di, after the capital was moved to Beiping, Nanjing no longer enjoyed the prosperity it once had, but with the honor of being the former capital of the Ming Dynasty, it remained a prosperous place second only to the capital.

Not only did it have a large population and a prosperous economy, but there was also a Jinyiwei Yamen established in Nanjing City, which echoed the Jinyiwei in the capital.

However, compared with the Jinyiwei in Beijing, the Jinyiwei in Nanjing did not have the Northern Pacification Office and was not involved in the struggles in Beijing.

Usually, many descendants of hereditary military officers, as well as some special talents such as painters, craftsmen, translators who were appreciated by the emperor, were granted the title of Jinyiwei. Royal relatives, descendants of meritorious officials, nephews and nephews of eunuchs, and civil servants were also stuffed into the Nanjing Jinyiwei for retirement. The phenomenon of redundant officials was extremely serious.

It can be said that this is the retirement home for the descendants of civil and military officials with status and position.

The commander of the Nanjing Embroidered Uniform Guard was named Xu Wenjue. He was the son of Xu Hongji, the Duke of Wei. According to seniority, he was the tenth-generation grandson of Xu Da, the founding god of war of the Ming Dynasty.

Ten days later.

A team of 100 people arrived in Nanjing City and headed straight for the Jinyiwei Command Headquarters.

……

"My Lord, my Lord!"

Inside the Commander's Office, a lieutenant hurried in to report, "Your Excellency, the Imperial Guards from the capital are here!"

"Ok?"

Inside the government office, Xu Wenjue, who was teasing several concubines for fun, frowned: "The Imperial Guards of the Capital? What are you doing here?"

"I don't know." The captain shook his head.

"Who is coming?" Xu Wenjue asked.

The captain said, "He is a centurion from the Northern Pacification Division."

Xu Wenjue immediately lost interest and waved his hand, saying, "He's just a centurion, so just send him off as you please."

"But he brought a letter of invitation from Lord Xu, the governor of the Northern Pacification Office." The captain looked embarrassed.

Hearing this, Xu Wenjue frowned tightly.

……

Half an hour later.

Nanjing Jinyiwei Yamen.

Xu Wenjue, dressed in formal official uniform, walked in with a smile on his face. He laughed heartily and said, "Alas, we have guests. I am sorry for not welcoming you. I hope you will forgive me, forgive me!"

Jiang Xuan, who was drinking tea, glanced at Xu Wenjue, then put down his teacup, bowed calmly, and said, "Your humble servant, Jiang Xuan, a captain of the Northern Pacification Division, greets Lord Xu."

Xu Wenjue's eyes flickered slightly: "But is it Jiang Xuan who was just promoted to centurion half a year ago?"

"It's the lower official."

Xu Wenjue smiled and said, "Brother Jiang, you've solved numerous major cases. It's said that you've even mastered the power of a sword, becoming a legendary, rare, and unrivaled master. Even from a thousand miles away, I've heard of your name!"

"I wonder what brings you to Nanjing?"

"Your Excellency, you have given me a reward."

Jiang Xuan bowed and said, "I have come here to apprehend Xiyu, the Black Stone assassin who murdered the family of the former Prime Minister, Lord Zhang Haiduan, half a month ago, and to retrieve half of Rama's remains for Eunuch Wei of the East Factory."

"This operation may require the mobilization of Nanjing troops. I hope you can make it easier for me."

"Rama's body?"

Xu Wenjue's eyes flickered slightly, and he said, "Brother Jiang, are you saying that the female killer Xiyu has come to Nanjing?"

"Exactly."

Jiang Xuan said solemnly, "I have been tracking Xiyu all the way here and saw her enter Nanjing City with my own eyes. Please send people to seal the city gates as soon as possible to prevent her from escaping again."

"This……"

Xu Wenjue pretended to be embarrassed: "To block the city gate, we need the military order of the garrison general. I am only the commander of the Jinyiwei, so I am afraid I can't help you."

"There is no need for the garrison troops to intervene. Your Excellency only needs to mobilize the Jinyiwei to assist."

Jiang Xuan reminded calmly, "The remains of Rama in this woman's hands were specifically requested by Eunuch Wei of the East Depot. When he came, he also instructed me to act in his name, and the soldiers from all regions must cooperate unconditionally in the capture."

"If this mission fails due to any of the lords' disobedience, I will report this to the factory master upon my return to the capital, and he will make the final decision."

When Xu Wenjue heard this, his expression changed slightly and he cursed in his heart.

How dare a mere centurion take advantage of someone else's power and try to control him?
But thinking about the current situation in the court, he suppressed his anger, forced a smile, and said, "Brother Jiang, that's not true. Since you are looking for treasure for the factory owner, how can I not cooperate?"

"Don't worry, my dear brother. I will report this to the garrison commander immediately. Please mobilize the troops, seal off the city, and cooperate in the search for the female killer."

"In that case, thank you very much, Lord Xu. I will take my leave."

Jiang Xuan nodded slightly, stood up and bowed, then turned and left.

Seeing Jiang Xuan and the others leave, Xu Wenjue's face instantly darkened. He spat and cursed, "You're just a bunch of idiots who rely on others' power!"

However, when he thought of the mission objective of Jiang Xuan's trip, a strange light flashed in his eyes, and he murmured, "Rama's body..."

……

After leaving the government office, Lu Jianxing whispered, "Sir, all the Jinyiwei in Nanjing are descendants of founding fathers."

"It is said that these nobles are arrogant and extravagant on a daily basis. They rely on the influence of their fathers to amass wealth here and compete with the people for profits. Such incidents often occur."

"Even Eunuch Wei from the East Factory is a little wary of this group of people and has always adopted the attitude of keeping out of each other's way."

"Your Excellency is using Eunuch Wei to pressure Xu Wenjue this time. I'm afraid he might have some ulterior motives. If he were to secretly hinder us while we're doing things, it would affect Your Excellency's plans."

Jiang Xuan showed a hint of disdain and said, "They are just a bunch of losers who are relying on the glory of their fathers to survive. I never thought I could ask him for help."

"As long as we can spread this matter through his mouth and make some people believe that Xiyu really entered the city and has the upper half of Rama's body in his hands, that will be enough."

Lu Jianxing's eyes flickered slightly: "Sir, do you want to use this upper half of the body to fish out the lower half?"

Jiang Xuan nodded and asked, "How's the investigation going on for me?"

Hearing this, Lu Jianxing's eyes flashed with seriousness, and he said, "We've already found out. Zhang Dajing relied on his ancestors to build his fortune. Now, he controls more than a hundred Tongbao banks across the Ming Dynasty and has connections with many officials in the capital."

"Especially the powerful people in Nanjing, most of them have inextricable ties with Tongbao Money House, and any single move could affect the entire group."

"Also, I heard a rumor, but I don't know if it's true..."

"What rumor?" Jiang Xuan frowned.

Lu Jianxing hesitated and said, "I heard that behind this Tongbao Bank is actually the shadow of Wan Sanqian, the richest man in the Ming Dynasty. And Wan Sanqian is said to be involved with Tiedan Shenhou of Hulong Villa..."

"Thirteen thousand?"

Jiang Xuan's expression changed slightly.

In the original drama "Number One Under Heaven", the richest man in Ming Dynasty, Wan Sanqian, was indeed the financial supporter behind the Iron-hearted Marquis Zhu Wusi.

As for Zhu Wusi, he was even more wary of him than Wei Zhongxian.

After all, Wei Zhongxian only had power.

However, Zhu Wusi had both power and strength, and was extremely ambitious, and was no less powerful than Wei Zhongxian.

However, since Wei Zhongxian came to power, this Iron-hearted Prince has suddenly become much more low-key for some reason, and there has not been any major movement in the past few years. But no one dares to underestimate this prince who holds the Danshu Iron Certificate and the Imperial Sword.

If this person also intervenes in this matter, it will indeed be troublesome.

After pondering for a moment, Jiang Xuan asked, "Has the Wan family made any move regarding Rama's remains?"

"I haven't heard what the Wan family thinks about Rama's body yet." Lu Jianxing shook his head.

Jiang Xuan frowned.

After a long moment, he shook his head and said, "Let's ignore it for now. Keep an eye on the Tongbao Bank and take action tonight."

"Tonight?" Lu Jianxing's expression changed slightly: "Isn't it a bit too hasty?"

"No, delay will lead to changes. The sooner the better!"

Jiang Xuan said in a deep voice, "The reason we spread the news about Xiyu was just to convince Zhang Dajing and trick him into taking out the lower half of the body. If the news gets out and attracts too many people, it will be difficult to act."

"Yes, I understand." Lu Jianxing nodded.

……

In the northwest of Nanjing City, there is a luxurious manor with the words "Zhang Mansion" inscribed on the plaque at the gate.

This is the residence of Zhang Dajing, the richest man in Nanjing and the owner of Tongbao Money House.

at this time.

Inside the mansion, Zhang Dajing, a man over sixty years old and dressed in a wealthy manner, sat on a mahogany armchair. He looked at the two people below him and said calmly, "You two, I am issuing a million-dollar reward for the intact remains of Rama."

"Why are you two here asking for my remains? What's your intention?"

"If I had the body, why would I bother issuing a reward?"

The two people, one old and one young, one male and one female, both had long hair tied in a bun, wore Taoist robes, and carried long swords on their backs. Even the Taoist robes were blue and purple, and they looked like masters.

These two, known as the Purple and Green Swords, were quite famous in the martial arts world.

Because these two people were from Kongtong Sect, a first-class martial arts sect, and were originally a pair of master and apprentice, but because they broke the precepts of adultery and were indecent with each other, which was not tolerated by the secular world, they were expelled from Kongtong Sect. In the past two years, they have been walking on the martial arts world, killing decisively and making a great reputation.

The young woman, Qing Jian, smiled slightly and said, "Master, you have misunderstood. We are here only to borrow the lower half of the body from you. This way, we can know what the upper half looks like and verify its authenticity. We will then retrieve the upper half for you."

Zhang Dajing narrowed his eyes and asked, "How can you be sure that I have the lower half of the body?"

Qing Jian smiled and said, "If the owner of the manor doesn't have the lower half of the body, how can he be so sure that Rama's body really exists in the world? And why would he even offer a million-dollar reward for the complete body?"

Zhang Dajing frowned and his eyes flickered.

He did have the lower half of Rama's body in his hands, so he offered a huge reward in an attempt to lure out the upper half.

However, he did not expect that these two abandoned disciples of Kongtong had guessed his thoughts and came directly to him.

But what Qing Jian said made sense. If they didn't even know what the body looked like, how could they find the upper half of the body for him?
Seeing Zhang Dajing hesitating, the purple and green swords looked at each other, and became more certain of their guess.

Then, Qing Jian continued to stimulate: "Master, don't worry. We are only here for money and have no interest in the remains."

"In addition, we heard that the upper half of Rama's body has appeared in the capital and was obtained by Xiyu, a master of the assassin organization Black Stone."

"Please lend me the lower half of the body for a look. Once we know what it looks like, we'll immediately go find Xiyu and fetch the upper half for you."

"That...whatever."

Hearing this, Zhang Dajing no longer had any worries. He raised his hand and was about to order the guards beside him to take the body.

But at this moment, a guard hurried in, glanced at the purple and green swords, then leaned close to Zhang Dajing's ear and whispered, "Master, there's news from the Jinyiwei that Xiyu, the female killer from Black Stone, has fled to Nanjing with the upper half of the body. She might have come here to answer the reward you issued."

"what?!"

Zhang Dajing was immediately overjoyed. If it weren't for his disabled legs, he would have almost stood up. Then he quickly suppressed his emotions and asked in a low voice, "Is the news credible?"

"It should be true!"

The guard nodded. "I heard that the Jinyiwei in the capital have been tracking Xiyu all the way here, hoping to seize Xiyu's body and present it to Wei Zhongxian, the head of the Eastern Depot."

"Good good!"

Zhang Dajing was overjoyed, but he suppressed his excitement. He glanced at the purple and green swords, narrowed his eyes, and said calmly, "Please go back, the two of you. I don't have any remains in my hands."

Upon hearing this, the Purple and Green Swords stared at each other, their brows furrowed tightly. ...

Dusk.

Nanjing Inner City, Yueyang Tower.

There were two people sitting by the window.

One was about twenty years old, dressed in gorgeous clothes and holding a folding fan, like a young man from a wealthy family. The other man, about thirty years old, was dressed as a guard and stood respectfully beside the young man.

The young man quietly looked at the Tongbao Bank across from the restaurant and asked calmly, "How is it? Have you found out?"

"Your Excellency, I have found out everything."

Lu Jianxing whispered, "Zhang Dajing has hundreds of retainers, but most of them are just ordinary free-hand fighters. There aren't many top-tier masters. Our people can easily deal with them."

"What about Xu Wenjue? Is there any movement?" Jiang Xuan asked.

"No, it's been very peaceful all day. However, the garrison has sent soldiers to seal the city gates and help us arrest people."

Jiang Xuan nodded: "Leave two people to keep an eye on Xu Wenjue and don't let him ruin our plan."

"I understand." Lu Jianxing nodded.

At this moment, a figure wearing a conical hat and a veil covering his face came upstairs and sat down next to Jiang Xuan. He picked up the teapot and poured a cup of tea, then lifted the veil and drank it all.

This person is like drizzle.

"How is it? Did he agree?" Jiang Xuan asked indifferently.

Xiyu nodded and whispered, "Tonight at 11:00 PM, the transaction will be conducted in the lobby of Tongbao Bank."

Jiang Xuan nodded slightly: "It seems that the lower half of the body is indeed in his hands."

Jiang Xuan looked at Lu Jianxing and ordered, "Go and prepare. We will take action tonight, get the body, and return to Beijing immediately."

"Yes." Lu Jianxing turned and left.

Xiyu reminded him, "I see many masters from the Kongtong Sect, including the Purple and Green Twin Swords, the Five Swordsmen of Songyang, the Jiannan Twin Bears, the Divine Constable, the Ghost Lady, and the Ghost Grandson, have gathered in Nanjing City. They must be here for the remains. You'd better be prepared and proceed with caution."

Jiang Xuan smiled faintly and said, "Are you worried about the remains, or about yourself?"

Xiyu snorted softly, "Anyway, if anything goes wrong, I won't be responsible. Anyway, after I help you get the body tonight, we'll be even."

"Let's talk about it after we get it." Jiang Xuan's face was calm and he didn't give a clear answer.

"he came."

At this moment, Xiyu suddenly glanced at the street outside.

I saw a huge team coming from the end of the street.

Dozens of black-clad guards holding various weapons led the way, and in the middle were four people carrying a golden sedan chair, showing wealth and luxury.

When passersby saw this, they all moved to the sides, but when they looked at the team whose sedan chairs were inlaid with gold, envy, awe, and desire appeared in their eyes.

"He came here to wait so soon. It seems that he really wants this body..." Jiang Xuan narrowed his eyes and watched the team walk into the Tongbao Money House opposite.

"The Purple and Green Swords are here too!"

Xiyu whispered, her eyes fixed on two figures walking among the passers-by following the team not far away.

"You dare to covet the remains when you are weak. You are seeking your own death."

Jiang Xuan just glanced at him casually, then looked away and said calmly, "Go ahead and follow the plan. I'll meet you outside."

Xiyu nodded, picked up the Xiyu Sword on the table, stood up and left.

……

It quickly got dark.

Before I knew it, it was the hour of Xu, the stars rose in the southeast, and the moonlight began to appear.

The lobby of Tongbao Money House was as bright as day, yet very quiet.

Zhang Dajing sat on the large mahogany chair in the middle, waiting quietly.

There were more than a dozen retainers waiting beside him, each holding a long sword. Even in the shadows around him, there was a faint sound of breathing, which obviously meant that someone was lying in ambush.

As time passed, the sound of crisp footsteps finally came from the door. A dark figure holding a long sword and carrying a package on his back walked in slowly.

"Master, she is here." The servant beside him reminded in a low voice.

Zhang Dajing opened his eyes and looked at the figure walking towards the door, a hint of excitement appearing in his eyes.

Xiyu walked in and saw the situation in the lobby. She concentrated and sensed it carefully, frowning, obviously she had discovered the people lying in ambush around.

But she remained calm, walked calmly to the opposite side of Zhang Dajing, and said lightly: "Master, the upper half of the body is here."

"As agreed, we pay the money and receive the goods."

Zhang Dajing looked at the package, suppressed his excitement, and waved his hand. The servants beside him immediately brought out several boxes and opened them. Suddenly, a dazzling golden light appeared.

There were several boxes on the left filled with gold, and a box on the right filled with silver bills.

Zhang Dajing said in a deep voice, "One hundred thousand taels of gold, or one million taels of silver notes, please choose."

Looking at the dazzling silver bills and gold, Xiyu was also a little shocked. She took a deep breath and said, "The owner of the manor is indeed a man of his word. The body is here."

As he said this, he took off the package behind him and put it on the table.

Zhang Dajing stared at the package with a fiery gaze and said, "Before the transaction is completed, can I inspect it first?"

"Master, please do as you please."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dajing quickly signaled the two servants to take the package, and then opened it impatiently. When he saw the body, his breathing suddenly became faster.

"The blind can regain their sight, lost teeth can be found again, and lost legs can grow back!"

"As long as I can stand up and walk again, it's worth it even if I lose everything I have... Hurry!"

Zhang Dajing waved his hand, and the servant beside him quickly opened a box from under the chair he was sitting on, and then took out a package from it.

Xiyu's eyes flashed and she stared at the package Zhang Dajing took out.

Zhang Dajing opened the package tremblingly, and inside was a body with only the lower half, and the skin color was exactly the same as the upper half.

Zhang Dajing put the two halves of the body together tightly, and a complete body appeared before his eyes.

"It's true, it's true!"

Zhang Dajing suddenly became excited and could no longer conceal his excitement. He laughed wildly towards the sky: "The legendary Rama's body is mine, it's mine!"

After that, he raised his head again and looked at Xiyu. His eyes flickered for a moment, and then he said, "Girl, the body is fine. The money is yours."

Xiyu walked calmly to the box, silent.

Zhang Dajing thought she wanted to check it out too, so he waved his hand generously and said, "Miss, you can rest assured to check its authenticity. I won't do anything that will damage my reputation for just a million taels of silver."

Xiyu sighed inwardly and said, "Master, I'm sorry."

Zhang Dajing was stunned for a moment, and before she could react, a sword light suddenly flashed before her eyes, and a long sword light had already pierced into her throat.

The scene suddenly fell silent.

"you you……"

Zhang Dajing's body trembled, his eyes widened, staring at Xiyu, a gurgling sound coming from his throat, but he couldn't even utter a complete sentence.

"Manor owner?!"

The guests around came to their senses and were also shocked.

"kill!"

"Kill her!"

The next moment, dozens of men in black rushed forward, and the people who were lying in ambush around also rushed forward with excited and fiery expressions.

I don’t know whether he wanted to avenge Zhang Dajing, or wanted to steal the silver notes and gold, or was also interested in Rama’s body... It was completely unclear at this time.

The situation suddenly became chaotic.

"Ding ding ding..."

Amidst the dense sword light, the drizzle of sword light was as dense as raindrops. While resisting the attacks of the retainers, he took the opportunity to collect the two bodies, hung them on his back again, and began to break out towards the door.

But there were too many people, and among them were quite a few mediocre masters, and even two first-rate masters. All of a sudden, Xiyu's pressure increased, and she was surrounded in the lobby, unable to escape.

boom!
At this critical moment, the door burst open with a bang, and a dense crowd of Jinyiwei rushed in.

Xiyu glanced over and immediately breathed a sigh of relief, shouting, "Master Jiang, the body is here!"

At the front of the crowd, Jiang Xuan's eyes flashed, and he waved his hand, saying, "Go!"

Lu Jianxing and others immediately led their men in and started fighting with the guests in the lobby.

Jiang Xuan also rushed in with his sword drawn, killing several men in black casually. He walked to Xiyu and stretched out his hand, saying, "Give it to me."

Xiyu hesitated for a moment, then handed the two packages to Jiang Xuan.

Jiang Xuan took the packages, one on each side, and tied them to his back, shouting, "Don't fight any longer, retreat!"

"Yes, my lord!"

Lu Jianxing and others responded and retreated while fighting.

Jiang Xuan glanced at Xiyu and ordered, "Follow me."

Xiyu said nothing and followed Jiang Xuan silently. The two of them, one in front and one behind, quickly broke out of the encirclement.

But as soon as they walked out the door, everyone stopped in their tracks.

Outside the gate of Tongbao Money House, a dense crowd of gangsters surrounded the door, all of them armed with weapons and swords, full of murderous intent.

The two men with the purple and green swords were also among them.

When Qing Jian saw Jiang Xuan and the other two walk out, his gaze immediately focused on the package behind Jiang Xuan. With a fiery look in his eyes, he shouted, "Rama's body is with this man. Kill him and take the body!"

Upon hearing this, a group of people from the martial arts world immediately showed excitement on their faces. The fear and dread they had towards the Jinyiwei were completely replaced by the four words "Rama's body" at this moment.

"kill!"

With a loud shout, a dense crowd of people from the martial arts world rushed forward, including many first-class or even innate level masters.

This terrifying lineup made Xiyu and others change their expressions slightly.

"court death!"

Jiang Xuan's eyes were cold, he swung his sword, leaped out, and rushed into the crowd.

In an instant, the sword light rolled, blood flew everywhere, and screams continued. One after another, the people in the martial arts world were killed on the spot, and most of them could not even catch a glimpse of Jiang Xuan's figure.

Seeing this scene, Xiyu and others were a little shocked. They witnessed Jiang Xuan's terrifying strength for the first time.

After coming to their senses, everyone hurriedly joined the battle with knives.

A dangerous and brutal melee broke out!
at the same time.

On the roof not far away, several figures looked at each other, as if they had not expected this result. Then they talked in low voices for a while, and two figures quietly disappeared into the night.

(End of this chapter)