Under the sky

Chapter 203 Desperate
"What are you going to do if the eldest lady doesn't come with you?" Miao Ziyi asked, "How many of us can go up and plot time? Can we win?"

Xie Gubai said: "There will always be other ways."

"Honestly, I don't know why you are taking such a risk." Miao Ziyi said, "This is no different than risking death. It is better to bet on Bazhong or Jialing River. The chance of winning is ten times higher."

"You don't have to win every battle, you have to win the most important one." Xie Gubai looked out the window. The Xiangyang Gang's Anyun was next to the Qingcheng warship. Bundles of bows and arrows, gunpowder, and rice were Food is sent from the deck.

Zheng Bao, the boss of the An Yun ship, once rescued the Shen Yuqing brothers and sisters. Yu Jien sent him to lead a team to escort the military supplies. Shen Weichen saw his old friend and came up to greet him. Zheng Bao informed that if a Xiangyang gang ship is seen on the Han River in the future, it will be tied with a red flag under the Wudang flag. The person holding the towel was the baggage given to Qingcheng, and asked Shen Weichen: "Have you heard about brother Jingfeng?"

Shen Weichen heard him mention Li Jingfeng and asked, "What are you talking about about Kunlun Palace?"

"Who in the world doesn't know about that? I'm talking about another one." Zheng Bao shook his head, "He assassinated the Stinky Wolf in Jiangxi and caused a lot of noise."

Shen Weichen was surprised and said: "What's going on?"

It turned out that after the failure of the wolf slaughter, Peng Naner conducted a large-scale search, and everyone related to Yu Xuanqing was captured and executed, and many innocent people were implicated.Li Jingfeng's profile was leaked, and when he compared it with the wanted drawings, he was immediately recognized, and the whole of Jiangxi was turned upside down.Hubei and Jiangxi are adjacent, and the Xiangyang Gang is in charge of the water transport trade route. When I heard the news from merchants, Qingcheng was busy fighting, and no one paid attention.

"There has been a huge incident and many people have died. Fuzhou is now in a state of chaos and chaos." Zheng Baodao said, "The stinky wolf is still lying down. Some say he is dead, some say he is not dead. There is no certainty."

Shen Weichen asked: "Is there any news about Jingfeng?"

Zheng Bao shook his head: "I thought he would come to me to avoid the limelight like last time, but he didn't see anyone. I don't know where he is hiding."

Xie Gubai sent someone to find Zheng Bao, but Zheng Bao resigned and left.Shen Weichen thought to himself that there were only two places in Hubei and Hunan to escape from Jiangxi. He knew that it was useless to ask, so he thanked Zheng Bao, but he became suspicious again and asked Gu Qingshang.Gu Qingshang looked around and talked about him, and Shen Weichen complained: "You knew he was going to Jiangxi to assassinate Peng Qianqi, but you didn't tell me."

Gu Qingshang shook his head: "So what if my sister knows? It's just useless to worry. Everyone has his own way, and there is no help."

Shen Weichen said sadly: "That's what my sister said."

Gu Qingshang saw her expression was different and asked, "What's wrong, sister?"

Shen Weichen said: "It's okay. Mr. Xie said that Master can be released. I will go and apologize to Master."

She came to the cabin where the master was imprisoned. Ji Shaoguang's hands and feet were tied. When she saw Shen Weichen coming in, she shouted anxiously: "Miss, turn back quickly! Turn back!"

Shen Weichen pulled out his Tang Dao to loosen his master's bonds and said, "It's too late. Three days have passed. If we turn back now, Wudang will stop us. The fleet is in a dilemma and has no choice but to go north."

Ji Shaoguang knew in his heart that what the eldest lady said was true, so he sat blankly on the edge of the bed. After a while, he stood up and pulled a chair to Shen Weichen: "Miss, please sit down. Ji has something to say to you."

Shen Weichen said apologetically: "I injured Master, just stand and listen to the training."

Ji Shaoguang said: "Miss, there is no turning back when you draw your bow. While we are not far from the border of Wudang, please disembark and return to Qingcheng as soon as possible. If something happens to you, Ji will die, and the whole family may be dragged down."

Shen Weichen said hurriedly: "I went voluntarily, how can I blame the master? The leader must understand."

"The master understands, does Mr. Ya understand? Does Mrs. Ya understand too?" Ji Shaoguang's tone turned stern, "Miss, I don't know the danger. That Xie Gu is just talking on paper and will only harm you. Ji is already on the ship, and he is bound to be Qing. He died in the city, but the eldest lady is different."

Shen Weichen said warmly: "Master, this disciple is not joking. Like Master, I want to protect Qingcheng, and I have to make this trip even if it takes risks."

"This is not what the eldest lady should do." Ji Shaoguang said, "The eldest lady has no idea what you will encounter."

"If I want to know, I will know too." Shen Weichen said, "This way I can really help my brother."

"I will not lead the fleet northward until the eldest lady leaves." Seeing that Shen Weichen did not listen to the advice, Ji Shaoguang said sternly, "As soon as I went out, I made the ship turn around. Wudang did not dare to touch the eldest lady and tried his best to sink the ship at the mouth of Danjiang River. , I can’t let the eldest lady take risks either.”

Shen Weichen was silent for a long time and said, "I'm sorry, master, if this is true, I can't let you out." After saying this, he bowed and bowed, "Master, please forgive me for a few more days."

■

"Walking along the Han River, there are valleys on both sides. It is not easy to be discovered, and the people may not be able to summon them if they see it. You bless the people who do not have many spies and are not alert." Miao Ziyi said, "Tianchi Ridge is the first level. , there are troops stationed there, and there is also a wharf. There are not many defenders, so we can capture it easily. But it is easy to capture. They only need to send people to send the news. As soon as we enter Shaanxi, we will be caught by Huashan. If the news leaks, we will not arrive. Hanzhong will be beaten."

"How can 88 ships not be discovered? This is a difficult problem." Miao Ziyi pointed to the river map, "Even if you can hide it from the Tianchi Ridge, go west out of the mouth of the Sancha River and there are no mountains to cover it, and there are villages, it will definitely be exposed. This is Second level.”

Xie Gubai looked at Zheng Bao.Zheng Bao was used to walking along the Han River for many years and was very familiar with it. He asked, "You are asking me for help. I don't know how to fight and I don't know what I can do to help."

"I'm asking, if you know, just say it, it will be a big help." Xie Gubai asked, "Is there any sect guarding the Sancha River mouth?"

Zheng Baodao: "There is a Shanshui Sect. There are not many people, four to five hundred disciples, and there are also some boats, maybe twenty or so."

Miao Ziyi said: "There are 88 ships and three five-tooth warships. The blind man also saw them. We will definitely be attacked before we reach Hanzhong and we will have to fight head-on."

Zheng Baodao said: "It is impossible to sneak into Hanzhong secretly. There are mountains in front of the mouth of the Sancha River. When we arrive in Jinzhou, there is a large population and many defenders. It will be a tough battle."

Miao Ziyi said: "This is the third level. You can't get through it. Even if you get through it, you have to protect Yan Feixi from releasing the navy in Jinzhou. Southwest of Jinzhou is Yinghu Lake. The water is wide. You can tell the depth at a glance. If Yan Feixi If Feixi releases his navy there, we’re done.”

Zheng Baodao: "There are usually Huashan warships in Yinghu Lake. The number is variable, ranging from dozens to more than one or two hundred."

Xie Gubai said: "They need ships to transport food and dispatch troops. Maybe there are not many ships on Yinghu Lake now."

Miao Ziyi said: "Maybe there will be a strong wind. Let's take a nap and get up and go to Hanzhong."

Xie Gubai asked Zheng Bao again: "Let's talk about Tianchi Ridge first. Boss Zheng, are you familiar with it?"

"I occasionally unload goods there. There is a local Tianling Gang, a small sect. Gang leader He is familiar with me. He has no airs. He is a poor and remote country and is inevitably greedy for money. I often go to drink with him and give him some money to show my gratitude to the gang leader so as not to make things difficult for him. .”

Xie Gubai pondered for a while and said, "Boss Zheng, I need your help with this matter."

Xie Gubai ordered his people to change into the Xiangyang Clan's flag, and his disciples all changed into the Xiangyang Clan's uniform, hid their weapons, and piled rice and grain on the deck. The disciples hid in the cargo hold, and selected three ships to pile rice and grain inside and outside the cabin. , moving ahead.

Zheng Bao led three boats forward and arrived near the Tianling Gang. The Tianling Gang saw a warship approaching, and the leader of the He Gang led more than 200 disciples to the river bank.Disciples boarded the boat to intercept. Gang leader He was about to call a scout to summon the Jinzhou sect to be alert. Zheng Bao stuck his head out and shouted loudly: "Gang leader He, it's me, Zheng Bao!"

Seeing that they were acquaintances and that they only had three small boats, Gang Leader He ordered a slow attack.Zheng Bao led the ship to the shore, but Gang Leader He was still on guard. Zheng Bao said: "Don't worry, it's a cargo ship."

Gang leader He asked in confusion: "Cargo ship?" He sent people to search the ship, and it was indeed filled with rice grains. He couldn't help but wonder, "How can we use a warship to load rice grains?"

Zheng Baodao: "I carried two kilograms of Maotai and talked while drinking."

When bandits appeared on the Dahan River, Zheng Bao never came to the Tianling Gang again. Even though they hadn't seen each other for about two years, gang leader He was also happy to see him coming. He hurriedly asked people to kill chickens and cook river fresh food to entertain him, and saw him following him. A man with thick eyebrows, whom he didn't recognize, asked, "Who is this?"

Zheng Bao smiled and said, "It's my cousin-in-law, his surname is Zhu. This is my first time leading a fleet, so I'm afraid I'll be too busy, so I asked him to help."

Gang leader He congratulated: "You have been promoted to captain? Congratulations!" He looked at Zhu Menshang and asked doubtfully, "Your cousin-in-law has tender hands and a pale face. He is not like a person who begs for food on the water and does hard work."

Zhu Menshang said: "I was originally a teacher. I couldn't accept students and lost my job. I learned some skills from my brother-in-law and begged for food."

Gang Leader He nodded, and when the banquet was properly arranged, everyone took their seats, and asked Zheng Bao: "I haven't seen you for a long time. Why did Boss Zheng come to the Tianling Gang, and why did he use the warship as a merchant ship?"

Zheng Baodao: "This time the fleet is different from usual. We have to visit the dock first and talk to Gang Leader He to avoid misunderstanding. There are a lot of ships, 88 in total. We are waiting behind, and there are three five-tooth warships among them."

Gang leader He frowned, stood up and asked, "What does this mean?"

Zheng Bao hurriedly stood up and said, "I'm sorry, Gang Leader He, don't get me wrong. I'll speak slowly, slowly."

"This is what the leader of the gang ordered. After the big deal, let's go to Gansu, but there are too many ships, so I'm afraid of misunderstanding... I'm sorry, I can't tell. Brother-in-law, you are a teacher and can speak. Please tell me." Zheng Bao was not good at words, so Xie Gubai was afraid that he would make a mistake, so he specially asked Zhu Menshang to follow him.

I only heard Zhu Menshang say: "Let's start from the beginning. Leader He, have you heard about the Kunlun Palace? The barbarians killed three heads of the Nine Families. There is still a commotion over there. Let's attack first at Cang Heng Mountain. Get up. But no matter how noisy the south is, it has nothing to do with Kongtong. They say that the Iron Sword and Silver Guards will not leave Gansu, and no one can violate the border, right? The south can fight as much as they like, right?"

Leader He nodded and asked, "That is, so?"

Zhu Menshang said: "Although the war in the south does not involve Kongtong, Master Zhu and Third Master still have things to worry about. Guess what Master Zhu and Third Master are afraid of?"

Gang leader He thought for a while and said suddenly: "Barbarians?"

Zhu Menshang clapped his hands and said, "He is so smart, Gang Leader." Zhu Menshang was different when he opened his mouth. He was well-organized, his arguments were clear, and every word was well-founded.

"Brother He, think about it. After the barbarians killed three leaders, will they take the opportunity to attack the border? It's hard to say, right? Mr. Zhu and the others are afraid that the barbarians will attack. What should we do? Stock up on food first. Stocking up on food will never go wrong. Right? But that place in Gansu, alas, is a place with poor mountains, harsh rivers, wasteland and unruly people. If you don’t starve to death in August, you will be considered rich. Where will the surplus come from? If the people’s food is forcibly confiscated, how many people will be killed? If nothing else, Third Master Can it be accommodated?" Zhu Menshang slapped the table, "It definitely can't be accommodated!"

Gang leader He became excited after hearing what he said, and nodded: "If you can't tolerate it, Third Master will definitely not tolerate it!"

"In this case, what should we do? Buy!" Zhu Menshang said, "Kongtong sold iron at the same time. I don't know where to squeeze out tens of thousands of taels of silver, and bought tens of thousands of stones of grain to send to the north. From whom to buy? Who has so much grain? There is a war going on in the south. I heard that even Qingcheng is involved. South of the Yangtze River, the beggars in Hengshan and Cangqingcheng have to eat. There is also a war in Huashan. Who is left? Shaolin and Wudang. But with such a large amount of grain, what rice merchant You can store so much? Besides, who has food in stock and doesn’t stock it up and wait for it to be doubled?”

Leader He nodded frequently: "Yes, yes, the price of rice has become a lot more expensive recently."

"That is to say, Gang Leader Yu is a righteous man." Zhu Menshang said, "I found a rice merchant in Huizhou, Hubei Province, and then I found a way to add more, so I got this batch of rice."

Gang Leader He frowned: "Tens of thousands of stone rice? In just a few months, Gang Leader Yu can get it?"

"There is always food in Wudang." Zhu Menshang said.

Gang Leader He asked: "How can Gang Leader Yu have so much food in reserve?"

Zhu Menshang said: "I said Wudang has it, not the Xiangyang Gang." He suddenly lowered his voice and said, "Wudang's granary in western Hubei is probably watched by the Xiangyang Gang..."

Gang leader He was surprised: "You!..."

Zheng Bao said anxiously: "Where is the dog? Why did you tell me this?"

Zhu Menshang was helpless: "If I don't say anything, I'm afraid He Gang Leader will misunderstand."

Gang Leader He suddenly understood what he meant. It turned out that the Xiangyang Gang was stealing and selling Wudang officials' food. He didn't expect that Yu Jien would dare to commit a serious crime for money. He immediately stood up and said: "This is a beheading business. If we investigate, the Xiangyang Gang will collapse!"

Zhu Menshang said: "Don't worry, those Taoist priests in Wudang know that no one can tell whether the rice or sand is in the granary. Gang Leader Yu will not always be in the red. There is a long way to go. I will slowly make up for it when the price of rice comes down." "

Gang leader He became suspicious again: "Why are you telling me this?"

Zhu Menshang said: "The thing is, Gang Leader Yu can't do this business for a long time, it has to be done quickly, so we will deliver the rice that Gansu wants at once. The quantity is a bit too much, and there are not enough merchant ships. What's more, all the merchant ships on the Han River will be taken." How can we transport food without disturbing people? We have to think of a way, who says a warship is not a ship?"

Leader He said: "So you use warships to transport rice?"

Zheng Baodao: "This method is okay, but the three five-tooth warships are too conspicuous."

Gang leader He said: "I have to report it to the police and conduct an investigation."

Zheng Baodao: "This report, the news is spread without revealing the truth?" As he said this, he took out a stack of banknotes from his arms, all in denominations of fifty taels.

"Just this once." Zheng Baodao, "He Gang Leader is just doing it for convenience."

Gang Leader He took the banknotes and counted them. There were a total of 500 taels, and all of them were under the Huashan Qingyu number. Not only was it easy to exchange, but the discount alone was 30 taels less than that of Wudang Kongtong Bank. He couldn't help but be surprised: "This How embarrassing." He put the banknote into his arms, "Boss Zheng, we are old friends, and Gang Leader Yu was very polite in the past... Well, I will help with this matter, and I hope Gang Leader Yu will remember this favor."

When Zhu Menshang saw him accepting the banknote, he smiled secretly and calmed down a little.Just listen to Zheng Bao say: "Don't worry, this favor will definitely be returned."

The richest man in Wudang, Yu Jien, owes him a favor, Gang Leader He thought, and said: "Eat first. After dinner, I will go to the dock to watch with you later."

The three of them were drinking and chatting, and Zhu Menshang used his sharp tongue to talk about some romance and hearsay, which made Gang Leader He laugh non-stop, making him feel like he was late to meet each other.

After drinking for three rounds, the three of them came to the riverside. Boats of various sizes were piled with rice and grains along the river. The boatmen were wearing Xiangyang gang uniforms and were standing on the deck. Three five-tooth warships were pressing behind them. It was very strange. majestic.

Gang leader He said: "Boss Zheng, invite them into the dock."

Zheng Bao was surprised: "What are you doing at the dock?"

Gang leader He said: "Boss Zheng, it's not that I don't trust you. All the ships in Qingcheng are parked on the Han River. The leader has ordered strict precautions. All warships, large and small, must be inspected. If something happens, my life will be at risk. Don't worry. , it will be released after inspection.”

Zheng Bao came to his senses in a hurry and asked: "How long will it take to check the eighty-odd ships? They will check each ship one by one, and it will take two or three days to complete the investigation. How big is Tianchiling Pier, can the Five-Tooth Warship be able to park there?"

Gang leader He said: "That's right. I can point out a few ships at will. Just call them over."

Zheng Bao's face turned red with anxiety, and Zhu Menshang said sadly: "He Gang Leader, the Xiangyang Gang is a small gang, what kind of trouble can it cause? Those people in Qingcheng have long been driven out of the Han River by the leader. If these ships are really intruders, they are so close Yes, Tianchi Ridge was leveled in a few seconds, why waste money and effort?"

Gang Leader He thought: "I have collected all the silver. If the warship really comes, the Tianling Gang will not be able to defend it, so I will take advantage of the chaos and send a message to Jinzhou to ask them to take precautions."

Seeing that he was shaken, Zhu Menshang said again: "Otherwise, you can send a few people on a boat to check. Let the boat dock. Are there really soldiers and horses hidden inside? Will we not attract wolves into the house?"

Gang leader He nodded: "That makes sense." Just as he was about to point to the ship, Zhu Menshang said, "How about we go on the five-tooth warship and have a look? That's a big ship, and there are really weird things there."

Gang leader He said: "The boat is too big and it is inconvenient to get on."

Zhu Menshang said: "Then, Gang Leader He, please order the boats. It's getting dark soon, so just point out two or three boats. After checking, let's go back and have a few drinks and talk about some happy things."

Seeing rice and grain piled on the decks of ships of all sizes, Gang Leader He thought for a while and said, "That's it, let's go back and drink."

Zhu Menshang smiled and said: "Let's go drink!"

He drank until dark. Zheng Bao said goodbye and took a boat back with Zhu Menshang. Gang Leader He walked drunkenly to the dock. He took Zhu Menshang's arm and said, "Brother Zhu passed by the Tianling Gang when he came back. Let's drink two more." cup!"

Zhu Menshang smiled secretly, held the hand of Gang Leader He and said, "Of course! Of course!"

The ship caught up with the one in front, and Xie Gubai ordered his men to put down the sling and pick up Zhu Menshang and Zheng Bao.

"Fuck! We have passed the first level," Miao Ziyi said, "The Tianling Gang will not report it to the police unless they are suspicious. As long as the innocent people inform the sect before the mouth of the Sancha River, we will not be in danger."

Xie Gubai stood on the deck and saw the towering peaks on both sides of the bank. It was difficult to see people. The ships were moving forward in a row and said: "It depends on luck again."

Zhu Menshang frowned: "I see you are not a lucky star."

Xie Gubai smiled: "But I'm not dead yet."

Zhu Menshang shrugged, noncommittal.

■

Xia Lijun brought food to Ji Shaoguang.In the past few days, Shen Weichen came to say hello every day. Ji Shaoguang wanted to persuade, so Shen Weichen resigned, and Xia Lijun took care of the rest.

Shen Weichen had just left when she came in. Xia Lijun put the food on the table and said, "The ship just passed Tianchi Ridge and was not discovered."

Ji Shaoguang knew that there was a sect stationed at Tianchi Ridge. He was locked in a cabin and knew nothing about the outside world. He asked, "How come he wasn't discovered?"

Xia Lijun did not answer, but continued: "Miao Ziyi said that ships cannot hide after crossing the mouth of the Sancha River. There will probably be a tough battle in Jinzhou. Commander Ji, will you still stay in the cabin then?"

Ji Shaoguang frowned: "You are the one trying to persuade me? What is your identity and what qualifications do you have to talk to Ji?"

"I am the escort of the eldest lady." Xia Lijun said, "The eldest lady is an eagle. You can't use a cage to trap her. She can do great things."

"Nonsense!" Ji Shaoguang stood up angrily and spoke sternly, "The eldest lady is a phoenix! The phoenix lives in the phoenix tree and has a different identity from us! Don't blame the eldest lady for changing so much. It's because you people around you instigated the eldest lady and turned her into a phoenix. Miss taught you bad things!"

"Whether it's a phoenix or an eagle, I won't compete with you." Xia Lijun said, "I have a low status and low-level skills. I only know one thing. I want to protect the eldest lady and help her achieve great things."

"Commander Ji, when the Jinzhou war comes, will you continue to force the eldest lady, sit in the room and wait for the eldest lady to triumph - or be injured or die in the battle? Or pick up your judge's pen and protect the eldest lady?"

Ji Shaoguang was speechless for a moment.

(End of this chapter)