Ming Dynasty: I am truly not the Emperor of Longevity

"Father's plan is brilliant!"

Li Dali praised,

"The right-wing Mongols have launched a major offensive into Shanxi this time. Jinang's eastern army will plunder all the way to the walls of Taiyuan."

Anda's western army would "abduct" 30,000 "citizens" from Pingding Prefecture.

After the Mongols withdrew, the area around Taiyuan Prefecture was in complete disarray.

No one can explain why Xue Ting, a master of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, vanished without a trace.

As for why his waist token fell into the hands of Mongol spies, that remains an unsolved mystery.

. . .

Two weeks later, in the capital.

Southern Palace, Chonghua Palace.

"Your Highness, Prince Yan disguised himself and changed his identity before leaving the capital this time."

Tang Zhe reported to Lu Chen.

"Along the way, this man did nothing but travel and stay overnight. He never went to the brothels and gambling dens he frequented in the capital."

His first destination was Taiyuan City, but he abandoned the fastest route through Jingxing Pass and Pingding Prefecture, and deliberately took a detour from the north.

After entering Taiyuan City, Wang Ziyan stopped staying at an inn and went directly to the residence of Zhang Yin, the commander of the Taiyuan Left Guard.

Both I and Lord Xue believe that this place is very likely Prince Yan's destination, or at least one of his destinations.

We cannot enter the residence of a third-rank military officer without identifying ourselves.

We have kept Your Highness's instructions in mind and will not make any move to alert Prince Yan, so we will not go in to investigate directly.

After discussing it with me, Lord Xue decided to split the troops into two groups.

After Prince Yan came out, You Chen led his men to continue tracking him, while Lord Xue stayed alone in Taiyuan City.

Two or three days later, he sneaked into the Taiyuan Left Guard Commander's residence again at night, secretly subdued several servants, and asked them who Wang Ziyan had met there.

"Hmm, well done!"

Lu Chen nodded.

"The fact that we tracked down Wang Ziyan and found out where he went is already a success."

Rather than seeking greater gains, it is more important not to alert the enemy.

Xue Ting was highly skilled in martial arts, and it was easy for him to sneak into the residence of a garrison commander at night on his own.

As long as he doesn't reveal his identity, the servants being questioned won't know he's a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

"After we parted ways in Taiyuan with Lord Xue, I led my men to continue tracking Prince Yan to Pingding Prefecture."

Tang Zhe continued,

"I originally thought that he had obtained the medicine that Duan Chaoyong needed from the Taiyuan Left Guard Commandery and planned to return to the capital via Pingding Prefecture, Jingxing Pass, and Zhengding."

However, after arriving in Pingding Prefecture, Wang Ziyan did not head straight for Jingxing Pass, but instead plunged into the Taihang Mountains.

Chen led his men to follow him. They first arrived at a riverbank covered with pebbles, then crossed the riverbank and entered a mountain stronghold located on the opposite cliff.

On that riverbank, I discovered a huge rock with the three large characters "Gorilla Beach" carved on it, which is likely the name of this place.

Orangutan Beach?

Lu Chen was slightly taken aback.

This name sounds familiar, but where have I heard it before?

wrong!

Large apes such as orangutans disappeared from North China tens of thousands of years ago, before Chinese characters even existed!

Even small apes like gibbons only live in the south.

That's the Taihang Mountains!

Since the dawn of human civilization, there have never been any apes here, let alone large apes that could be called "gorillas".

The name "Gorilla Beach" should never appear here!

However, I actually have a vague impression of this name.

Could it be that you heard about "Gorilla Beach" somewhere before you crossed over?

Could it be something I've seen in a novel or movie?

I had long suspected that this dimension was a parallel dimension based on a classical novel from the late Ming and early Qing dynasties!

But it's completely impossible to determine which novel it is!

The name "Gorilla Beach," which might sound familiar, could provide some important clues.

In any case, this place has at least touched upon something that shouldn't exist in a parallel universe based on real history.

In that case, there are likely other clues in that area!

"Besides 'Gorilla Beach,' have you discovered any other place names nearby?"

Lu Chen asked.

"Your Highness, the mountain stronghold that Prince Yan entered was heavily guarded; it must be a large bandit stronghold."

I did not dare approach; I only observed the gate from a distance using a telescope.

Tang Zhe quickly replied,

"Beside the gate of the village, there is also a huge rock with the three large characters 'Blackwood Cliff' carved on it."

"What?!"

Upon hearing Tang Zhe's words, even the usually composed Lu Chen couldn't control his expression.

Say it again!

What are those three characters carved on the huge rock beside the village gate?!

"Your Majesty..."

Tang Zhe had followed Lu Chen since Linqing and knew that His Highness was always very composed and had almost never lost his composure. Clearly, the three words he had just uttered had taken His Highness by surprise.

It's "Blackwood Cliff"!

The "black" in black and white, the "wood" in trees, the "cliff" in cliffs.

It's exactly the same word!

Lu Chen finally remembered where he had heard the words "Gorilla Beach" before!

That was a very famous martial arts novel that spread widely in later generations and was repeatedly adapted into TV series and movies.

Before transmigrating, Lu Chen had seen more than ten different film and television versions.

The place name "Gorilla Beach" appears only briefly in the novel, mentioned only once as background information.

It's perfectly normal to have a vague recollection of something but not be able to recall where you've seen it before!

The name "Blackwood Cliff" carries a completely different weight!

In the world where Lu Chen once lived, if not everyone in the global Chinese community knows where it comes from, at least hundreds of millions of people know.

Hmm, I finally remembered!

It is indeed mentioned in that martial arts novel that "Blackwood Cliff" is located near "Orangutan Beach" in Pingding Prefecture, Shanxi Province.

Could it be that I've actually traveled to a world based on this martial arts novel?

Duan Chaoyong and his disciple Wang Ziyan were both members of the Sun Moon Sect.

It's still not right!

In this wuxia novel, the Sun Moon Cult acts in secrecy and is known as the Demonic Cult, making it indeed difficult for ordinary people to come into contact with them.

But where have all those "reputable and upright families" gone?

Since I transmigrated, how come I've never heard of this before?

It's understandable that ordinary people who don't have access to martial arts circles haven't heard of it, but I've asked several masters of internal martial arts.

Let alone all those various martial arts sects, these internal martial arts masters couldn't even name a single sect with a real lineage.

Moreover, the internal energy cultivation system in this martial arts novel is already very complete.

This is definitely not the situation I've seen in this world, where two completely different cultivation systems, the original internal martial arts and the ancient external martial arts, coexist.

If that's the case, then there's only one possibility left!

Lu Chen couldn't help but burst into laughter.

finally found you!