You, a tyrannical ruler, roam the heavens; you cannot understand my joy.

The author's mental illness has somewhat improved, and he's waiting for you with "Wandering Among the Heavens as a Tyrant, You Don't Understand My Happiness".

Several days later, in Niujia Village, Lin'an Prefecture.

It was nearly noon, and the warm spring sunshine shone on a spacious mud-brick courtyard at the east end of the village.

Two figures moved swiftly and agilely in the courtyard, the sound of weapons cutting through the air constantly filling the air, carrying the unique fierce and brave spirit of the countryside.

"Watch out for your gun!"

With a sharp shout, Yang Tiexin stood as straight as a pine tree, his long spear unfurling in his hand, creating a dazzling display of spear blossoms, like pear blossoms falling in the snow—the very Yang family spear technique passed down through generations.

The spear tip gleamed coldly, never straying from the vital points of the man opposite him. The moves were precise, the power contained yet not revealed, carrying with it a tragic aura from the depths of the battlefield.

"Well done!"

Guo Xiaotian's eyes were wide open, and he wielded a thick-backed mountain-chopping knife with great force. There were not many fancy moves, but his strength and momentum were overwhelming, and his moves were wide and sweeping.

"break!"

He roared, neither dodging nor yielding, and his blade flashed out like a bolt of lightning, intending to use brute force to overcome skill and directly confront the spear shadow.

clang!

A dull clang of metal rang out, and the two men each took a step back, raising a small cloud of dust.

Guo Xiaotian laughed heartily, his voice booming like thunder: "Brother Yang, your Yang Family Spear technique has become even more refined!"

"My 'door-breaking blade' almost couldn't withstand it!"

Yang Tiexin sheathed his gun, his breath slightly short, and clasped his hands in a fist salute, saying, "Brother Guo, you flatter me."

"Your swordsmanship is unparalleled in its power and skill. I only managed to use some tricks because of the length of my spear."

"If it really comes down to a life-or-death struggle, the outcome is unpredictable."

As the two were talking, a woman in simple clothes and plain clothes, with a simple yet resolute face, came out of the house carrying a basin of water. She was Guo Xiaotian's wife, Li Ping.

She soaked and wrung out a cloth, walked to Guo Xiaotian's side, and while wiping the fine beads of sweat from his forehead, smiled and said to Yang Tiexin:

"Brother Yang, you're not getting any younger, all you do all day is practice martial arts and drink with your Brother Guo."

"Look how good Xiruo is."

"Since your two families live close by and know each other well, why don't you hire a matchmaker as soon as possible to settle things and save us the trouble of worrying about it?"

Upon hearing this, Yang Tiexin's wheat-colored face flushed slightly. He awkwardly scratched the back of his head and stammered, "Sister-in-law is joking..."

"I... I'm such a rough man, and my family has fallen on hard times. How could I possibly be worthy of my precious little sister Xiruo..."

Before the words were finished, a series of soft yet slightly hurried footsteps came from outside the courtyard gate, mixed with unfamiliar footsteps.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a woman leading several people into the courtyard.

The woman was about eighteen or nineteen years old, dressed in a faded light blue coarse cloth dress. She had a slender and graceful figure, like a fresh orchid in the wind.

She was extremely beautiful, with exquisite eyebrows and eyes, and fair skin. Although she was not adorned with fancy clothes and hairpins, she possessed a gentle and delicate temperament that made people feel sorry for her.

Especially her eyes, clear as water, with a hint of shyness, made her even more captivating.

At this moment, her delicate eyebrows were slightly furrowed and her cheeks were slightly flushed. She seemed to be walking in a hurry. She was Bao Xiruo, the orphan girl who lived next door.

Behind her were two local yamen runners dressed in black robes, and a young eunuch with fair skin dressed in the everyday clothes of an eunuch.

"Brother Yang, Brother Guo."

Bao Xiruo spoke softly, with the distinctive Wu dialect of a woman from Jiangnan, pointing to Li Fu'an beside her: "This eunuch from the palace says he's here to see you."

Eunuchs in the palace?

Yang Tiexin and Guo Xiaotian exchanged a glance, both seeing astonishment and deep confusion in each other's eyes.

They were just two ordinary hunters from Niujia Village in Qiantang County, with little contact with the government. How could they have alarmed the inner palace and had eunuchs come to find them?

Li Ping also stopped what she was doing and looked at the strange combination with a puzzled expression.

Guo Xiaotian, having seen more of the world, was still filled with doubt and surprise, but he quickly stepped forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "This humble subject, Guo Xiaotian, greets Your Excellency."

"I wonder what brings you, sir, from so far away to seek out my brother and me?"

Yang Tiexin followed suit and bowed, but his heart was in turmoil.

The Imperial Palace...

That's the emperor's residence; commoners like them have absolutely no connection to it!

Is it...

Did you unintentionally offend someone you can't afford to offend?

With a smile on his face, Li Fu'an politely said to Guo and Yang, "There's no need for such formalities, you two righteous men."

"My name is Li Fu'an. I have come here on His Majesty's orders to find the two brave men, Guo Xiaotian and Yang Tiexin."

His Majesty's oral decree?

Guo Xiaotian and Yang Tiexin were shocked, almost doubting that they had misheard.

Bao Xiruo also covered her mouth in surprise, her beautiful eyes wide open.

Li Ping almost dropped the cloth in her hand.

Li Fu'an continued, his voice clear: "His Majesty has decreed that Guo Xiaotian and Yang Tiexin be summoned to the capital immediately to meet His Majesty in Yingtian Prefecture."

"Gentlemen, please pack your essentials. Let's set off together."

To...to pay homage to the Emperor?

To meet the emperor?

Guo Xiaotian and Yang Tiexin were completely stunned, their minds blank.

Why would the emperor want to see these two country bumpkins?

Guo Xiaotian composed himself and tentatively asked, "Eunuch, how could His Majesty, with his many duties, know about my brother and me?"

"Why have you summoned us?"

Li Fu'an: "How could I possibly fathom His Majesty's thoughts?"

"Your Majesty's grace is boundless. You two should not delay any longer and should prepare immediately. The carriages and horses are already waiting outside the village."

At this moment, Yang Tiexin recovered slightly from his great shock. He glanced at Bao Xiruo, who was also at a loss and looked pale, and his heart tightened.

Who knows when they will return? It's a pity that a frail woman like her is left alone in the village. How can anyone feel at ease?

He gritted his teeth, stepped forward, and bowed to Li Fu'an, saying, "Sir, I have a request."

"This young lady, Bao Xiruo, is my neighbor, and also..."

"She was also a lonely orphan with no one to rely on."

"If we both leave, she will be left all alone, and she will probably have a hard time making a living."

"I wonder if it would be possible for her to come with us to Yingtian?"

Upon hearing this, Li Fu'an's gaze swept over Bao Xiruo's beautiful and refined face, which was also filled with fear and helplessness.

His Majesty only said he would take Guo and Yang with him, but before they left, he also instructed them to "handle things properly".

This woman surnamed Bao was an orphan and had a close relationship with Yang Tiexin. Taking her along would put Yang Tiexin at ease and prevent any unexpected complications on the road.

It also makes it seem like His Majesty's benevolence is widespread.

Thinking of this, Li Fu'an said, "Since they are all alone and helpless, it won't hurt to take them along."

"Then please pack your things, Miss Bao, we'll be leaving shortly."

……

At this moment, in the palace.

Lu Zuo continued his life as a tyrannical ruler, indulging in pleasure every day and using his cheat ability to gain cultivation.

Today, he finally mastered the three martial arts techniques taught to him by the commander of the Imperial Guard.

"Don't let him get away!"

"Release the arrows!"

"Beware the Emperor!"

Upon hearing the sound, Lu Zuo quickly got up and walked towards the palace gate.

As soon as I stepped out of the palace gate, I saw a scene of chaos not far away.

Dozens of heavily armored Imperial Guards soldiers, armed with swords, spears, bows, and crossbows, were chasing and intercepting a figure.

The figure was an old man with white hair and beard, dressed in slightly tattered clothes, but with a ruddy complexion and a plump figure, yet his movements were exceptionally agile and nimble.

He was still steadily holding a huge vermilion lacquered food platter in his hand, piled high with all kinds of delicacies, and the aroma was irresistible.

The old man remained unperturbed by the attack, as if strolling leisurely in a garden.

As the arrow hurtled through the air, he slightly turned his body or skillfully deflected it with the edge of his food plate, and the arrow whizzed past him.

As swords and spears slashed and thrust, he shifted his feet, his figure swaying like a ghost, always dodging at the last second, while chewing food and muttering indistinctly:

"Tsk, it's just that a new chef from Suzhou joined the imperial kitchen. His skills are pretty good, so I had a few extra bites..."

"I only slept for a short while, and these monkeys found me..."

"Ugh, what bad luck, disturbing my peaceful sleep..."

He complained as he stuffed the last piece of honey-glazed ham into his mouth and smacked his lips in satisfaction.

Just then, he caught a glimpse of Lu Zuo standing at the palace gate out of the corner of his eye, especially the bright yellow dragon robe Lu Zuo was wearing.

The old man's eyes lit up, and instead of showing fear, he revealed a sly smile that said, "I've got it."

Suddenly, his figure blurred, his feet treading on lotus flowers, his speed so fast that he left only a blur, tearing a gap in the encirclement and rushing straight at Lu Zuo!

His obese body was now as light and agile as a swallow, stirring up a gust of wind!

"Protect the Emperor!"

Wang Ren, the commander of the Imperial Guards, had just arrived when he saw the scene. His eyes widened in fury, and he roared in a hoarse voice, but it was too late to come to the rescue.

He actually wanted to capture the king first, take the emperor hostage, and escape easily!

Lu Zuo's pupils contracted slightly.

The old man's speed far exceeded his expectations; he was definitely not an ordinary martial arts master!

If he had arrived here a few days ago, he probably wouldn't have had time to react.

But at this moment, although he had no internal strength left, his fighting instincts and eyesight, honed through countless life-and-death battles across multiple worlds, remained!

Just as the old man lunged out!

Lu Zuo had already predicted his grappling route from the subtle tremors in his shoulder and neck muscles and the location of his gaze!

This is not based on internal force perception, but purely on battlefield intuition honed through countless trials!

Flashlight!

Instead of retreating, Lu Zuo advanced, taking a half-step forward with his left foot and turning his body at an extremely precise angle, narrowly dodging the old man's lightning-fast claw aimed at his Jianjing acupoint!

At the same time, his right fist, as if it had been ready to be unleashed, followed the slight opening left by the old man's forward lunge and delivered a simple and direct "Bull Charge" straight to his ribs!

In this instant, the dodge and the counterattack were completed almost simultaneously, seamlessly and without any hesitation!

"what?"

The old man let out a surprised cry. His empty hand brushed past Lu Zuo's robe, and the force of the punch coming from his ribs forced him to change his move on the spot, bending his elbow down to block.

Bang!

With a muffled thud, Lu Zuo was forced back two steps by the powerful force from the old man's elbow, his blood surging and his fist aching.

The old man's momentum was also halted by this full-force punch, and his body paused slightly.

The old man steadied himself, looked at Lu Zuo in surprise, raised his white eyebrows, and looked at him with disbelief.

His grab just now, seemingly casual, actually contained exquisite footwork and grappling techniques, and was extremely fast. Even top-notch martial arts masters might not be able to dodge it.

The young emperor's aura was clearly weak, and his lower body seemed unsteady, unlike someone with profound internal strength.

How could someone make such a precise prediction and dodge in an instant?

They even dared to fight back?

Wang Lin, who was not far away, was also stunned, his mouth agape enough to fit an egg.

Your Majesty... Your Majesty's dodge and punch just now... were clearly a combination of "Raging Bull Strength" and basic footwork at an extremely high level!

It's only been a few days?

Your Majesty actually mastered it?

How did it reach such a level of mastery, where it could be used so effectively in combat?

The old man dusted off his sleeves, looked Lu Zuo up and down with great interest, and clicked his tongue in amazement: "Strange, very strange!"

"You're quite an interesting emperor!"

"He may not have much internal energy, but his eyesight and reflexes are quite good!"

"That last move wasn't just a fluke."

Seeing the old man shift slightly, seemingly about to attack again, Lu Zuo suddenly raised his hand, stopping the Imperial Guards who were about to charge forward desperately, and then slowly spoke:

"Wait a minute."

"If I'm not mistaken..."

He paused, his gaze lingering on the old man's missing right index finger, then sweeping over his greasy lips and satisfied expression, his tone resolute:

"You must be that playboy, gourmet, and fond of visiting the imperial kitchen in the palace..."

"The Nine-Fingered Beggar, Hong Qigong, right?"

Upon hearing this, Hong Qigong's playful smile instantly froze.

Hong Qigong paused for a moment, blinked his small eyes, then resumed his nonchalant demeanor, scratched his messy white hair, and grinned:

"Heh heh, I didn't expect even the Emperor would know about the old beggar's name?"

"That's strange. Although I, Old Beggar, love to wander around the Imperial Kitchen, I've never shown my face in front of you, the Emperor."

"How did you know?"

"Could it be that they have some formidable spies working for them, who know everything about us roughnecks?"

As he spoke, his mind raced: This young official is a bit strange; not only did he manage to evade my grasp, but he also managed to identify me immediately.

Judging from his appearance, he doesn't seem to have practiced any profound internal skills. Could it be that he really has a capable person or expert by his side?

Lu Zuo stood with his hands behind his back, not answering his question directly, but looking at him calmly.

How I know is not important.

"The important thing is that Chief Hong has been eating and sleeping in my palace these past few days, and he has also disturbed my guards and caused unrest in the palace."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the gleaming plate in Hong Qigong's hand, and continued:

"My imperial kitchen gathers the best chefs from all over the country, and the ingredients used are all tributes from various regions, which are of great value."

"Since Chief Hong enjoyed himself so much, he can't just pack up and leave, can he?"

"Free food and drink for free is not the behavior of heroes."

Upon hearing this, Hong Qigong's playful expression faded somewhat, and his small eyes darted around as he thought to himself: This young emperor may look young, but his words are actually quite sharp.

He smacked his lips, shook the plate that was now covered in grease, and helplessly spread his hands: "The Emperor is right."

"However, I am just an old beggar. I have nothing of value except this tattered set of clothes and a few rudimentary skills."

"Your palace is overflowing with gold and silver, and you lack nothing in terms of rare treasures. What can I possibly offer in return?"

"I can't exactly perform a feat like breaking a boulder on my chest for you, or... teach you a few moves of the Dog-Beating Stick Technique, can I?"

He found his own words laughable. What use is it for an emperor to beg for food?

Lu Zuo already had a plan in mind.

In the past few days, he has discovered that although some martial arts have been passed down in the Southern Song Dynasty system of this world, most of them are still at the level of external skills and basic physical training.

The true internal martial arts techniques that can cultivate internal energy are mainly passed down in the martial arts world and are monopolized by major sects, families, or top masters.

Although the imperial court and the martial arts world have some overlap, their systems are completely different.

For a top master like Hong Qigong, who is at the level of the Five Greats, his internal energy cultivation method is exactly what he needs right now!

This is not only key to improving individual combat capabilities, but if it can be analyzed and promoted, it may even change the combat effectiveness of the military.

"I certainly don't lack gold, silver and jewels."

Lu Zuo spoke slowly, his gaze fixed on Hong Qigong: "Chief Hong's martial arts are astonishing, especially his unparalleled internal cultivation, which is truly priceless."

"I am not greedy, and I do not need you to teach me your secret skills."

"All you need is an introductory cultivation method that can build a foundation, cultivate inner energy, and develop internal energy."

"Of course, it must be an authentic method, not some common trick circulating in the martial arts world."

Upon hearing this, Hong Qigong raised his white eyebrows and his small eyes gleamed.

He was about to speak when Lu Zuo changed the subject: "Furthermore, I have also heard that the Beggars' Sect disciples are spread all over the world and have the best information network."

"The Jurchen barbarians from the north have repeatedly invaded our territory and slaughtered our people."

"If I wish to know both myself and my enemy, I must have clear eyes and ears."

"I hope that Chief Hong can command the Beggars' Sect disciples to secretly keep an eye on the movements of the Jin army for the court."

"In particular, important military information such as troop movements, grain stockpiling, and changes in generals was promptly transmitted to the relevant authorities."

"This is not for personal gain, but for the country and its people, to safeguard the land and ensure its security."

The nonchalant look on Hong Qigong's face vanished completely, replaced by deep surprise and scrutiny.

Weak and seeking peace, fearing gold like a tiger...

This is the general impression people have of this official.

But the person before me wants to use the Beggars' Sect to gather intelligence on the Jin army?

How could this be the behavior of a foolish ruler who only knows how to enjoy himself and live a life of ease?

It is clearly...

Did they intend to strengthen their military and even consider taking action against the Jurchens?

Hong Qigong lived a life of wandering and dissipation, but he never compromised his principles and always held the greater good of his country in his heart.

He already had reservations about the court's policy of constantly yielding and suppressing anti-Jin forces.

Hearing Lu Zuo's request, I felt a strange sense of admiration and curiosity.

Has this emperor truly changed his nature?

"Hey!"

Hong Qigong suddenly chuckled and patted his belly: "That sounds rather interesting."

"I, Old Beggar, still have a foundation-building and qi-cultivation technique to offer."

"Although it's not a closely guarded secret of our Beggars' Sect, it's still a good tool for laying the foundation of orthodox Xuanmen (Taoist sects). As for gathering information about the Golden Dog..."

His expression turned serious, his playful smile faded, and he gained a more chivalrous air.

"Even if you don't tell me, when my Beggars' Sect disciples are active in the north and see the Jin dogs oppressing the Han people and mobilizing troops, they will try to inform the righteous heroes who are resisting the Jin."

"Now that Your Majesty is determined to resist the Jin, I, this old beggar, will accept on behalf of my brothers!"

"Even the most rugged outlaws know loyalty and righteousness. Leave the news about this Golden Dog to our Beggars' Sect!"

"As long as your soldiers are truly willing to fight, the message will be delivered promptly!"

His quick agreement surprised Lu Zuo slightly.

However, upon further reflection, Hong Qigong was a chivalrous person who cared deeply about his country in the original story, so such a reaction is reasonable.

"that……"

"Your Majesty, do you think we're even now?"

Lu Zuo waved his hand, interrupting Hong Qigong: "In the future, if Chief Hong wants to enjoy imperial cuisine, he doesn't need to do it so secretly and disturb the palace."

"I will give the order that the Imperial Kitchen can prepare a meal for Chief Hong at any time."

"Just give them a heads-up beforehand, and they won't do that again... scaling walls and rooftops."

What?

Upon hearing this, Hong Qigong's small eyes widened instantly, shining with delight, as if he had heard the most beautiful words in the world. Even his voice rose considerably: "You..."

"You mean, I can openly eat at Old Beggar's Restaurant from now on?"

"I can order whatever I want from the imperial kitchen?!"

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