Fu Shifeng

Chapter 217
"I heard that various states and counties in the south of the Yangtze River are mobilizing manpower to search for those who rebel against the party?"

When Cheng Sanwu and Afu discussed going to Huzhou, Changqing suddenly arrived.

Afu did not blame Changqing for intervening in this matter, but said: "Who did you listen to about this?"

"I just came back from the governor's house and heard his family mention this."

After Changqing installed the statue of Taoist ancestors, he had no other busy things. On weekdays, he interacted with dignitaries and Taoist scholars in Suzhou. The Suzhou governor knew from somewhere that Changqing was the son of Prime Minister Lu, so he wanted to attach himself to him. Chang Qing was given a banquet and his daughter was invited to accompany him.

Cheng Sanwu asked curiously: "I think the daughter of the governor of Suzhou is not bad. She is proficient in music, chess, calligraphy and painting, and can also embroider birds. She should be just right for you."

"Stop gossiping!" Chang Qing did not argue, and simply said: "Aren't you going to conduct a secret search this time to deal with the rebels? Now that it's become a big deal and everyone in the city knows about it, isn't it just a warning?"

Cheng Sanwu smiled and said nothing, and Afu said: "I won't hide this from you, I just want to alert the snake."

"Why?" Changqing was puzzled.

"Right now, it's not just the rebel party trying to support the deposed emperor's heirs, but the Ministry of Internal Affairs itself is involved," Afu said.

How smart Chang Qing is, he can understand at one point: "Are there people who rebel against the party and are introspective?"

Afu pointed at Cheng Sanwu beside her: "You must have heard the news about Lord Zhaoyang, right?"

Changqing nodded and said, "I heard about it when I was dealing with some local Taoist people in Suzhou, but the news was complicated. Some said he was the flower-picking thief who harmed the woman back then, and some said he killed the thief."

"This is obviously someone deliberately spreading news to confuse the public." Afu said: "It's hard to say elsewhere, but if you want to stir up noise and spread rumors, the Ministry of Internal Affairs has a whole set of rules and regulations. Although I am not responsible for these things, I can do something about it. I can tell."

Changqing still didn't understand: "But why did they do this? Are they going to deal with Cheng Sanwu?"

"Hey, if you want to come, come quickly. My hands are itchy." Cheng Sanwu had no scruples.

"I'm afraid it's not that simple, and the situation of the deposed emperor's heir is also unclear at the moment..." Afu walked and pondered for a moment, then raised his eyes and looked at Changqing: "What do you think?"

"Me?" Changqing was stunned and didn't understand why Afu asked this question.

Cheng Sanwu patted him on the shoulder: "It's okay, just think of yourself as the emperor's illegitimate son among the people. If so, what will you do?"

Changqing couldn't laugh or cry: "Can you say this casually?"

"Just talking casually."

Changqing sighed helplessly and could only say: "If it were me, I probably don't want to cause this kind of trouble at all. I would rather run away as far as possible."

Cheng Sanwu smiled and said: "I thought you were planning to lead the troops to Chang'an to ascend the throne and proclaim yourself emperor!"

"Don't mention the lies!" Chang Qing said sternly: "The name of the deposed emperor's heir is difficult to call others to participate in the rebellion. Today is no better than in the past. Don't mention a deposed emperor's heir who is difficult to distinguish between true and false, even if he is really a saint today. It is absolutely impossible for an illegitimate son left among the people to aspire to the throne."

"Is it really impossible?" Cheng Sanwu asked.

"Raising the flag to rebel needs to be justified." Chang Qing said: "And let me put it bluntly, Jiangnan has been peaceful for decades, and the people have long been ignorant of soldiers. Even if someone really rebels, or even separats one side, then what? ?
"I have been traveling around Suzhou during these days. Even in the south of the Yangtze River in autumn and winter, the climate is pleasant. In addition, the local fish and rice are abundant and the products are abundant. As long as they are not overly exploited, ordinary people can get enough food and clothing. It is difficult for such people to participate in the rebellion. .”

"So, do you think this is impossible?" Afu said, "But now we have received news that in Muzhou, Wuzhou and other places, people have fled into the mountains and built fortresses to resist the government."

"Then in the final analysis, isn't it because of government exploitation that forces the people to take desperate risks?" Changqing said with a helpless smile: "Under such circumstances, if a deposed emperor's heir is brought out, the people will definitely follow and respond?"

Cheng Sanwu said: "Isn't it just making up a story? At worst, I will give this scion of the deposed emperor a bunch of names and say that he is the reincarnation of some kind of god. Back in the Western Regions, couldn't An Quti have deceived a group of people into following him? Are you risking your life?"

Chang Qing's face turned ugly: "This move will only drag more innocent people into the killings and wars!"

"That's why I allowed all the prefectures and counties to mobilize manpower to search for the rebels." Afu said: "If we can really alert the enemy, disrupt the rebels' plans, and force them to be exposed in broad daylight without preparation, it will be easier for us to act."

Afu's words did not reveal the truth completely, and she would not explain everything to Changqing.

Changqing nodded silently, and Afu then smiled and said: "We are planning to go to Huzhou. Cheng Sanwu was invited by local martial arts people, and maybe he will also receive a reward."

"Just because he killed a flower picker?" Chang Qing asked.

"That Fan Zhongming was not an ordinary person. I risked my life to kill him." Cheng Sanwu said.

"Nothing matters anyway, just go together."

……

The most convenient way to get to Huzhou from Suzhou is to take a boat across Taihu Lake.

The Taihu Lake is so vast that it looks like a vast ocean, and you can't see the other side at a glance.The lake is dotted with mountains and islands, and it is not a small, narrow piece of land, but a huge island large enough to accommodate rural communities, including the East and West Mountains.

Dongshan is connected to the land, which is not only convenient for ships to dock and load and unload cargo, but also suitable for water thieves to hide and build nests.

In fact, in the early years, Taihu water thieves were a problem in the south of the Yangtze River. They used light boats and fast boats to travel along the surrounding rivers to nearby water towns, plundering businesses and hotels, and robbing homes. fiscal.

In the early years, the Taihu water thieves were repeatedly suppressed and became a persistent disease in the south of the Yangtze River.Even if there are occasional martial arts knights who kill thieves, the waters of Taihu Lake are densely covered with rivers and lakes, making it difficult to contain them.

However, most of the water thieves came in small groups and were not large-scale. Even if the government mobilized soldiers and horses to encircle and destroy the water strongholds, these bandits often collapsed at the first touch, fled far away in an instant, and dispersed into the countryside.As soon as the limelight passes, it will revive and grow again like weeds, making it difficult to prevent and kill.

Until more than 50 years ago, a strong man appeared among the Taihu water thieves, with an elegant name, Shen Yuchi.This person had an unknown adventure. In just a few years, relying on his superb martial arts and accurate judgment of the current situation, he united all the water thieves in the Taihu Lake area, drove out those who disobeyed, forced those who were hesitant to obey orders, and used Taihu Lake to With the east and west mountains as the foundation, he commanded the heroes and became the largest force in Jianghuai Wulin for a while.

But after Shen Yuchi united all the water thieves, he no longer made a living by robbery.Although he is definitely not a law-abiding person, and traders and travelers are not immune to blackmail, but at the same time, he also works hard to maintain a good relationship with the government.

In addition to daily contributions and bribes to local subordinates, Shen Yuchi will also help the government deal with some unsighted guys when necessary. If an official is short of money, Shen Yuchi will also bring his brothers back to his old business.

Therefore, when Shen Yuchi was alive, Taihu water thieves gradually got rid of their bad reputation and even gained the reputation of righteous men in the world.

But after Shen Yuchi's death, his adopted sons immediately fell into internal strife and fought with each other. Various martial arts factions that had been suppressed by Shen Yuchi in the past also took the opportunity to participate and used various means to divide them.

After several bloody battles, the Taihu water thieves were severely weakened and could no longer make waves.

Cheng Sanwu stood on the bow of the ship, listening to Zhang Jida's story about the martial arts in the south of the Yangtze River. He looked up at a sailboat next to him. Captain Shen was on that ship. He couldn't help but smile: "I must have listened to Yulou during this process. Isn’t it a little benefit to yourself?”

Zhang Jida hurriedly said: "Cheng Langjun doesn't know something. Shen Yuchi's men were domineering back then. If there is no restraint, the water thieves will reappear sooner or later. How can we and other martial arts people just sit back and ignore it? This is also a trouble for the court. "

"You're such a talker, it's a waste to just hang out in the martial arts world." Cheng Sanwu said, "I think you should go to the Chang'an court, where you can use your talents."

"Then it's all thanks to Mr. Cheng." If possible, Zhang Jida certainly hopes to go one step further.

Cheng Sanwu smiled and said nothing. Seeing that the other party seemed to be in a good mood, Zhang Jida looked around and asked with a smile: "Mr. Cheng, I don't know how to respect my wife..."

"Who?" Cheng Sanwu was stunned.

Zhang Jida said and gestured to himself: "That's the little lady who placed restrictions on the villain."

"Oh, her." Cheng Sanwu realized that the other party mistakenly thought that Afu was his wife, so he said: "She couldn't get used to the boat and took the land route. What are you looking for her for? Or is it for the ban?"

Zhang Jida nodded very cautiously, but was afraid that the other party would suspect him of being disloyal, so he quickly said: "The villain has no ulterior motives. It's just that I have been busy working for Cheng Langjun these days, and I feel that I can't use my martial arts skills and everything is inconvenient. I'm afraid that I won't be able to do anything good. Let Cheng Langjun be disappointed."

"This sounds... it does make some sense." Cheng Sanwu actually didn't care what Zhang Jida thought at all, but a thought suddenly came to his mind, so he said: "Stretch out your hand."

Zhang Jida nervously held out his arm to ask the other party to hold his pulse. This move was especially taboo for martial arts practitioners. Unless he was facing his mentor or a close relative, he would not do it easily.

Cheng Sanwu didn't mean to harm Zhang Jida, but he remembered that Afu could seal other people's bodies for a long time with just one finger, and he couldn't help but feel a desire to win.

The relationship between Cheng Sanwu and Afu is definitely not a secular couple. The beautiful fantasy of respecting each other as guests and raising eyebrows together will not appear in them.

Even with the charming moves of the two cultivators in the room, they were like wild beasts wrestling, refusing to give in to each other.They will support each other, but they will not take care of each other until the end.

Cheng Sanwu pressed Zhang Jida's pulse gate, and a wisp of Sanyang's true energy entered the opponent's meridians and circulated throughout the body.When he sensed the Xuanyin finger power located in the Qi sea of ​​his Dantian, he secretly raised his energy. The three yang true energy wrapped around the Xuanyin finger power, as if untying a lock.By following the trend again, the Xuanyin energy is absorbed into itself.

When this Xuan Yin energy enters the body, it is colder and more stimulating to others than swallowing ice and snow, and its staying power is long-lasting and entangles the meridians and internal organs.

But only for Cheng Sanwu, it felt like washing the body with well water on a hot summer day, which was extremely refreshing.

After all, his and Afu's skills are two sides of the "Liuhe Yuanzhang", and they complement each other.It can be said that apart from herself, Cheng Sanwu may be the only one who can undo the Xuanyin Finger Power exerted by Afu.

"It doesn't seem too difficult." Cheng Sanwu boasted secretly. He turned around and saw Zhang Jida, who was sweating profusely and leaning over twitching.

"Yo? What's wrong with you? Are you hungry?" Cheng Sanwu asked jokingly.

"No, no..."

Zhang Jida felt annoyed and regretful. When Cheng Sanwu lifted the restraint for him, it felt like hundreds of swords were slashing randomly in his Dantian.Although the process was short, the pain it caused and the surge of energy in his body almost made Zhang Jida faint on the spot. His legs just stood numb, and he even forgot to fall.

If the blue-eyed orchids were a sinister and cunning witch, then the Zhaoyang Lord in front of him was a devil even worse than Fan Zhongming!
Zhang Jida couldn't help shouting secretly, why did he provoke such a person? !

"Okay, I have released the finger power in your Dantian, and you can use force as usual from now on." Cheng Sanwu laughed loudly, and slapped Zhang Jida's back repeatedly with his palm as big as a cattail fan, as if to break his heart, liver, spleen and lungs. All the kidneys were photographed.

Just when Zhang Jida was about to beg for mercy, he saw a fast boat approaching from the north. The leader was Xianfeng Daogu, the master of Qian Guan of Zhen Guan on Qionglong Mountain.He first waved to Cheng Sanwu and Zhang Jida, holding a wooden box in his arms, and then used his superb Qinggong skills. The bow of the fast boat dropped, and his figure slid over like a wild goose and landed on the deck of the big ship.

"Guanzhu Qian, you're finally here. I was still wondering when you would arrive?" Cheng Sanwu said.

"I've kept Cheng Langjun and Zhang Louzhu waiting for a long time." Guanzhu Qian handed over the wooden box in his hand. After opening it, a human head was clearly visible: "Cheng Langjun, please take a look."

Cheng Sanwu looked at it curiously, and couldn't help but reach out and pinch it. The head, which was almost identical to Fan Zhongming's, was placed in the wooden box. The bun was fluffy, and the fat face was slightly shriveled, but also full of waxy color.

"This... smells weird." Cheng Sanwu raised his hand and fanned his nose.

Guanzhu Qian hurriedly closed the wooden box and explained: "This is antiseptic spices. We have to make a complete set for the show. If I bring a fresh head over there, I'm afraid I won't be able to deceive Mrs. He. I have followed Cheng Langjun's instructions." , deliberately made old, Fan Zhongming’s face is also a little older than before.”

"Awesome, even if you didn't say it, I really didn't see it was fake." Cheng Sanwu suddenly asked: "Wait, this head is not a replica of a real person's head, right?"

Guanzhu Qian chuckled and said: "To be honest, Mr. Cheng, Pindao is proficient in knife and needle surgery. Some people in the martial arts have committed crimes and want to change their appearance, so they will come to Pindao for help."

This seemed to be an inappropriate answer to the question, but it already explained the truth. Even if he didn't know where the head that could be pretended to be Fan Zhongming came from, Cheng Sanwu didn't ask further.

"Okay, okay, Guanzhu Qian has now made up for the most important thing of this trip, and he should be remembered as a great contribution!" Cheng Sanwu looked to the southwest with a bold face: "I want to see how much Mrs. He has. ability!"

(End of this chapter)