Under the sky

Chapter 341 Side Story: The Shaosong Controversy

Autumn and September of the 33rd year of Kunlun
The forest where the morning mist has not dissipated was gloomy, and thick smoke was still rising from the scattered afterburns. There were piles of corpses on the devastated battlefield, most of them were monks wearing leather armor outside monk robes, and a few in blue and leather armor were disciples of Songshan Mountain.

There was a slight groan from the pile of corpses, and a weak hand slowly lifted up, its curled fingers trembling.Juzheng, who was looking for a living person, rushed forward and pulled the injured person out from under a corpse.This is person No. 12 tonight. He is a monk. The wounds are on his arms, waist, and chest. The wounds are very deep. I don’t know if they can be saved.

"Don't worry, it's okay." Juezheng was not sure, but he still comforted him with gentle words and struggled to drag the injured to the fire more than ten feet away.He was only wearing a thin monk's robe, and his whole body was soaked with sweat. There were other injured people there, and the fire could make up for the cold caused by excessive blood loss.

"Be patient." Juezheng comforted him.There was no mulberry thread on his hands, and he didn't even have gold wound medicine. Jue Zheng tore the cloth from the deceased's body. He used hot water to wash away the blood on the wound, and used cotton thread boiled in boiling water to sew the injured. Weak moans.

The sound of horse hooves came closer and closer, and I felt my heart tighten. I sped up my sewing speed, and waited until I tied the cotton thread into a knot before I stood up.

"Fuck, there is still a living monk!" someone shouted.

Twenty or so horses circled around Awakening, almost blinding him.This group of people were all wearing blue clothes and leather armor, and their bodies were covered with dirt and dried blood. The leader of the group was a strong man with a thick beard and a new scab on the lower edge of his left eye. The Songshan disciple behind him pulled out a knife, and the strong man waved to stop him. got them.

"Rescuing your fellow disciples?" the leader of the strong men asked, seeming to be curious about Awakening's calmness.

Juezheng shook his head: "The poor monk is a doctor. No matter where the doctor saves people, there is no distinction between Shaolin and Songshan. All living beings are equal."

The strong man in the lead yelled, raised his whip and pointed at the injured beside the fire: "Count!" He then asked Juezheng: "What's your name?"

"The poor monk's name is Juezheng, he is the medicine monk of Shaolin Temple." Juezheng answered truthfully.

"Terminally ill?" The strong man couldn't help but laugh, "What a stinking Dharma name!" There was a sneer of laughter from all around.

"Seven monks, five of our own, are all dying!" The counting Songshan disciples shouted back.The strong man dismounted and walked toward the fire. Juezheng was startled and wanted to stop him, but was blocked by two Songshan disciples with their swords.

"Donor!" Jie Zheng's throat felt dry.After treating the wounded all night, he was too tired, and his martial arts could not cope with so many people.

The strong man drew his saber, bent down and cut the throats of the two seriously injured monks. "This is fair now." The strong man raised his voice, got on his horse, and shouted to his men, "Leave some medicine for this doctor!"

A package was thrown in front of Juezheng, and the Songshan disciples walked away.Awakening picked up the package and felt a surge of sadness in his heart. He bowed his hands to the corpse and said, "Amitabha."

■

The sun is huge, the steam is steaming, and the scenery is distorted and blurred.People gathered in circles in the busy city. Some people squeezed forward, while others stood on tiptoes to look inside. Although they were watching the excitement, it was very quiet, with only the rustling of whispers.

In the center of the crowd, more than a dozen well-dressed men, each holding a weapon, surrounded an open space of more than ten feet. There were two corpses on the ground, a man and a woman, with blood still flowing from the wounds.The three children were kneeling face to face, with their heads lowered, almost touching the ground. Judging from their body shapes, the oldest boy was only thirteen or fourteen years old, and the youngest girl was only about ten years old. Her clothes were stained with dust, and her red and swollen face should have been touched. He received a lot of slaps, and his nose and tears made his shoulders and sleeves wet and sticky.

A slender man kept walking around the three children: "This matter is quite difficult. I have been thinking about it for a long time and don't know what to do."

A dagger fell in the middle of the three children. The oldest child hunched his back like a frightened cat.

"I'm a soft-hearted person and can't bear to kill my children. You can make your own decision." The thin man said with a straight face, as if he was talking about something serious. "It doesn't matter whether you commit suicide or kill the other two, leaving one to annihilate the family." , leave.”

The surrounding people showed unbearable expressions, some covered their faces, and some left.The three children raised their heads and glanced at each other. The youngest sister cried "Wow" and called her mother loudly. She wanted to run to her mother's body to seek shelter, but was kicked back by the slender man.

"Don't waste time." The slender man was impatient and kicked the oldest child with his toes. "You are the eldest brother, you make the decision."

The child looked at the crying sister and helpless brother, then looked at the dagger, and finally picked it up.

The younger brother was surprised: "Brother!..."

The eldest brother raised the dagger, first pointed it at his chest, and then pointed it at his neck with trembling hands.His hands were shaking so much that he couldn't move his hands, and everyone else hid their faces and couldn't bear to watch.Finally, the eldest brother turned his attention to his younger brother. The younger brother's eyes were horrified, and he couldn't help but shrink, fell to the ground, and shouted in panic: "Brother!"

The eldest brother reluctantly stood up and staggered towards his younger brother. His steps were slow and his legs were shaking, as if he was about to fall down at any time.

A loud shout was heard outside the crowd: "What are you doing here!" The slender man turned around and saw a handsome young man in his thirties, strong and wearing a dark blue satin shorts, leading seven or eight people in a row. The crowd came.He guessed that he was from the local sect, so he did not panic at the moment. He took out Zhang Zhuyin's official document from his arms and said loudly: "Duan Xiu of the Qinglongmen under the jurisdiction of Hengshan has killed three generations of Zhao Ping's family in the name of revenge. Anyone who has nothing to do with it should give way!"

A strong man whispered in the ear of the young man in blue: "This is a personal feud. Even if it is within our jurisdiction, we have nothing to do with it."

The young man in blue frowned and looked around. No one dared to come forward. He looked at the three children again. The boss looked at him with pleading eyes.

When Duan Xiu saw that no one was speaking, he put away the complaint and urged the child: "Hurry!"

The eldest child almost collapsed, his hands were trembling, and the knife he raised seemed to fall off if the wind blew. Everyone could see that even if it stabbed someone with the knife, it would not kill anyone. The younger brother looked at his elder brother with horrified eyes.

How much punishment does it take to die?Someone sighed.

There was a "snatch" sound, and without knowing what happened, the dagger was nailed into the wall of the small house next to it, and the handle of the knife shook slightly.The eldest brother looked at his hand in surprise, the dagger disappeared, while the other two children stared blankly at the young man in blue standing next to the eldest brother.

Duan Xiu felt a slight heat on her face. She reached out and touched her cheek and felt blood.Everyone was surprised, and the subordinates of the young man in blue shouted in surprise: "Master!"

"My Majesty Yang Jingyao, please help Zhao Ping's family!"

As soon as he finished speaking, his men drew their swords one after another and confronted Duan Xiu's men.

■

Pairs of hanging bare feet were spaced in an orderly manner, swaying in the wind.The twenty-mile-long galloping road had a monk hanging on every tree along the way, which looked eerie and terrifying under the setting sun.

Twelve neatly dressed cavalrymen, six in front and six behind, escorted a luxurious double carriage on the galloping road, with banners with green bamboos and swords crossed flying on the roof.Shen Huai looked at the hanging corpses by the roadside, feeling both cruel and pitiful. He sighed and was about to close the car window when he suddenly heard someone shouting loudly: "Slow! Slow!"

An old man jumped out from the side of the road, raised his hands in the air and shouted: "Walk the way, come the way! Give me a ride!"

Xu Yi, the leading guard captain, raised his whip, pointed at the old man and shouted loudly: "Looking for death! Didn't you see the Qingcheng flag?"

Shen Huaiyou looked around and saw that the old man was missing his lower front teeth, his hair was gray, and he was barefoot. He was only wearing plain clothes and shorts, but his clothes were clean. It didn't look like he was fleeing or being robbers, so he was quite suspicious.Pitying him for his old age and the fact that this place is far away from the town, Shen Huaiyou still said: "Let me get in the car." After hearing this, the old man was stunned for a moment, muttering something in his mouth, and waited for the carriage to stop. , didn’t hesitate and got into the car swaggeringly.

There was only one suitcase of luggage in the carriage, which was quite spacious. The old man seemed to be relieved but also complained: "It's difficult to travel in this world." As he said this, he pulled out a sheathed knife from under his back clothes.Shen Huaiyou couldn't help but look sideways and alert. The old man was not polite and sat down in front of him. He put the knife beside him and said, "I was carrying the knife before. Everyone who saw me thought I was a bandit. I had to hide it to stop him." Car. Fortunately I met you."

It's hard to believe that he has such a knife hidden behind his back, making any big movements awkward.

Shen Huaiyou didn't panic and asked, "Where are you going, old man?"

The old man was angry: "What the hell, bro, I'm only 35 this year!" He said with cupped hands, "I'm Peng Zhenhao, nicknamed Old Beggar Peng. I always talk about my appearance, not my age!"

Shen Huaiyou was surprised and said: "The hero Peng who bravely rescued an orphan eight years ago? The leader of the Fuzhou branch of the Beggar Clan? Mr. Peng... a beggar?" He couldn't hold back his smile and said, "He is indeed well-deserved."

Old Beggar Peng rolled his eyes angrily.

Shen Huaiyou asked curiously: "How could the sub-rudder end up in... such a situation?"

"Fuck, there was a war between Songshan and Shaolin, and there were victims all along the way. I was going to Fuzhou to Fengxian County. I had cars, horses, money, food, and clothes. On the way, I saw a family carrying a father with a broken leg, so I gave it away. In the carriage, I met a couple who wanted to sell their daughter, so I gave them money, and when I saw a starving man, I also gave them food. What kind of world do you think this is? I happened to bump into a man without clothes... Damn! This one If we continue on the road, sooner or later even the mallet will have to be stored in the shop!"

Old Beggar Peng finished cursing in one breath and looked at Shen Huaiyou with his squinting eyes like a pair of mountain thieves: "Look at your Shu brocade uniform. I'm afraid you can't afford it if you don't have more than ten taels of silver. This kind of style is not ordinary." Don’t have much carriage food, silver, and clothes? Give more to a poor man like me.”

Shen Huaiyou laughed loudly, cupped his hands and said, "Brother Peng is really a wonderful man. Now, Shen Huaiyou happens to be going to Fengxian County. If Brother Peng doesn't mind, you can go with Shen."

Old Beggar Peng was surprised.Just by using the banner of Qingcheng and his attire, he could guess that this scholar had an extraordinary identity, but the prince of the nine great families still surprised him: "Prince Qingcheng? What are you doing in this dangerous place?"

"My father is concerned about the war and asked me to come and check it out."

Shen Huaiyou looked out the window and saw row after row of big trees hanging monks' corpses. He said worriedly: "I heard that Songshan has the support of Huashan behind it, and Shaolin is trapped. It seems that it will be completely defeated..."

Old Beggar Peng shook his head: "It's hard to say. There is a powerful figure in Shaolin, but it's a pity that he is a lay disciple."

Shen Huaiyou knew who Old Beggar Peng was talking about, the famous iron pen painting Chao Zhang Qiuchi.

■

The razor shaved off the hair inch by inch.Zhang Qiuchi did not shave his head in front of the Buddha. The people who watched him lose his hair were not the Buddha, but the ancestors in the Zhang family ancestral hall, and the mother beside him who was comforting his wife with tears in his eyes.

When the last strand of hair fell, Zhang Qiuchi felt as refreshed as ever before, as if his thoughts were much clearer, and those difficult problems were no longer difficult.He did not see the road in front of the Buddha. He never believed in the Buddha, only believed in himself.Buddha cannot solve anything. Buddha is in heaven, and heaven cannot control the human world, just like Wudang cannot control Shaolin.

As he walked through the corridor, Zhang Qiuchi noticed the shocked looks in the eyes of the maids and servants. These people were busy using salutes and greetings to cover up their gaffes.When they arrived at the hall, the master, Master Zhiwu, and the two uncles, Zhidu and Zhixing, were still arguing.

Uncle Zhixing anxiously recounted how the battle was tragic, the abbot was ambushed, and there were heavy casualties. Zhidu kept mumbling that the disciples in Hebei were being held back by Mount Song, and if they didn't set off, the Shaolin Temple would be lost.They have said the same thing several times in the past three days, but they have no countermeasures. They only know how to drive a wheel, and the anxious Amitabha blurts out faster than usual.

"It's better to invite Qiuchi to discuss it." This was the master's voice.

"Qiuchi is a lay disciple and is not allowed to participate in temple affairs..."

"Why should I care about the rules at this time!"

"Shaolin's ancestral teachings state that non-monks are not allowed to enter the temple or participate in temple affairs."

"What if Shaolin falls?"

"That was also Shaolin's disaster."

The person who said the last words was Master Zhixing, probably, but Zhang Qiuchi didn't want to tell.With their heads shaved and wearing the same monk robes, every monk looks similar, at least that's what Zhang Qiuchi thinks.If the monks were about the same size and had only seen each other a few times, he was too lazy to tell who was who.

When he pushed open the door of the hall, the three monks in the dispute looked up at him at the same time, all showing surprise.He walked up to the incredulous master, and Zhiwu choked with sobs and reached out to gently touch his head.

It turns out that the feeling of being touched on a bald head is really different from that on a hairy head.

Zhiwu's eyes were red: "Qiuchi...it's hard for you."

Zhang Qiuchi clasped his hands together and said, "My disciple Zhang Qiuchi would like to be ordained as a monk. I sincerely ask Master to give me the Dharma title."

Zhiwu hurriedly said: "Master gives you the Dharma name Ziqiu. Today, no, from this moment on, you will be the counselor monk of the poor monk."

Zhiwu hurriedly took Ziqiu's hand to the desk, pointed at the map he had read many times, and asked urgently: "Quick, think of a way! You have always been resourceful, is there any way to save Shaolin?"

"Fengxian, first defend Fengxian." Ziqiu replied.

Uncle Zhixing was a little angry: "If you are asked to relieve the siege of Shaolin, what are you going to do to defend Feng County?"

Ziqiu replied: "There is no need to rush to relieve the siege of Shaolin. The Taishan sect is Songshan's backup, and Fengxian is an important place for victory and defeat. Songshan must be captured. Defending Fengxian will cut off the connection between Taishan and Songshan. Then we can coordinate the disciples from all over the place and launch a counterattack." "

Ziqiu put away the map and did not allow his uncle to question: "Let's go now. If we are slow, it will be too late!"

Zhixing hurriedly said: "Wait a minute, we don't have all the food and grass yet!"

Ziqiu said: "Robbing people's food along the road, wherever you go, you will grab it!"

The expressions of the three old monks were even more panicked than when they saw him getting shaved. Zhixing shouted: "How can you rob! Shaolin is to protect the people, not to disturb the people, let alone harm the people!"

Ziqiu closed his eyes and took a deep breath to suppress the anger in his heart: "How long will it take Uncle Zhixing to prepare food and fodder?"

Zhixing muttered: "Let this poor monk think about it..."

While Zhixing turned to look at the map, Ziqiu picked up the paperweight on the table and smashed it on his uncle's head. Zhixing staggered and fell to the ground without making a sound.Ziqiu leaned over and smashed the paperweight against his uncle's head, causing blood and brain matter to splatter on the embroidered robe he bought for 15 taels.

Zhixing's death was mysterious, exactly the same as when he was alive.

Only then did Zhiwu recover from the shock and exclaimed: "Ziqiu, what are you doing!"

Ziqiu threw down the paperweight, took out a handkerchief to wipe his hands, glanced at Zhidu who dared not speak anymore, and said to Zhiwu: "Master, gather the disciples. I will change my clothes and leave." After that, he strode out of the door.

■

Shen Huaiyou didn't come to this dangerous place where soldiers were fighting for no reason.After the Shaosong War began, the other eight families stood aside and watched. Before the leader of the alliance, Taoist Gusong, intervened, Qingcheng wanted to investigate the situation. Of course, he could send his men, just like Old Beggar Peng did.He believed that Old Beggar Peng did not come to Feng County for no reason. He must have been entrusted by the Beggar Gang. However, this did not prevent him from communicating with Old Beggar Peng. He had long wanted to get acquainted with this hero who had become famous in recent years. There is nothing suspicious about this man except his age.

Dad sent him here for some training purposes, Shen Huai thought. A generation has passed since 30 years of peace. Will the Shao-song controversy set off a wave of chaos in the world, or will it be an insignificant ripple?
The Qingcheng motorcade stopped outside Mujiazhuang, a small town built by Mu Qing, a wealthy businessman from Yudi.The old city of Fengxian County was destroyed in the war more than thirty years ago. After the Kunlun Conference, the people were exhausted and the soldiers were exhausted. The county wall has still not been repaired.

He believed that Shaolin would send people to garrison Mujiazhuang and use this small city to cut off the road from Mount Tai to aid Songshan and make it easier to detect news on the battlefield.

Shen Huayou opened the door and saw that the outside of the carriage was not much brighter than the inside.The dark clouds were so low that he felt uncomfortable, and he could even feel the sticky moisture on his body.

There were more than ten guardians standing on the city wall, and there were six people guarding the city gate. The number was surprisingly small.The head nurse took over Shen Huaiyou's documents and tokens from Xu Yi, and was shocked to learn that it was the Crown Prince of Qingcheng who came to stay for the night.

Beggar Peng, who had been bored all the way, jumped off the carriage to get some air. He raised his sleeves and looked at his nondescript scholar's attire with a waist knife. He said with a smile: "This dress fits well, but it doesn't fit. It's like a monkey wearing a theatrical robe." What a great sage."

Shen Huai smiled sadly and said, "When we enter Mu's Manor, I will buy some clothes that I want for the sub-ruler."

Old Beggar Peng bowed his hands and said with a smile, "Thank you for your kind uncle."

While the two were talking, a strong man pulled a trolley over.The strong man was wearing a dark blue robe, with lean muscles, a gentle appearance, bright eyes, and a heroic look between his brows.There is a child on each side of the cart helping to push the cart, one big and one small. The older one is about thirteen or fourteen years old, and the younger one is about eleven or twelve years old. There is also a monk following behind the cart, holding a child about ten years old in his arms. girl child.

This is not strange. What is strange is the cart. There are five injured people lying on the cart - three monks and two Songshan disciples.Songshan disciples and Shaolin monks sleep on the same cart?Shen Huaiyou and Old Beggar Peng looked at each other, feeling strange.

The guard stopped the strong man, who cupped his hands and said, "I am Yang Jingyao, the head of the Xianxia Sect under Wudang. This is our sect's token. This is the Shaolin Temple's medicine monk Awakening Master. These three children have relatives in the village. Please be accommodating as you work." Yang Jingyao said, taking out a gold medal and handing it to the guard.

The Xianxia sect is a small sect. The guard only glanced at it without reaching out to take it, and directly refused: "Songshan is in chaos, and Mujiazhuang does not accept outsiders."

Yang Jingyao said: "The relatives of these three children are in Mujiazhuang. I will help them recognize their relatives and leave the city without any delay. How about you help inform them?"

The guard said: "There are hundreds or even thousands of people working in Mujiazhuang. Who has time for you to visit your relatives at this time of year?"

Another person stepped forward to take a look, and his expression changed: "There are two Songshan disciples!" After saying that, he picked up his spear and was about to stab him.Awakening hurriedly stood in front of the car: "They were abandoned on the battlefield by their companions. Donor, don't offend Bo Luo Yi lightly."

The guard seemed to be a lay disciple from Shaolin and said angrily: "Should I, a Shaolin disciple, die?"

Juezheng said: "Songshan is originally under the command of Shaolin, and the disciples of Songshan are also Shaolin disciples."

The guard said angrily: "Bullshit! Talk to your dead comrades!" After saying that, he pushed Juezheng away and stabbed the Songshan disciples on the cart with a gun. Yang Jingyao made a quick move and grabbed the handle of the gun. Weapon shouted, and the two children shrank behind Juezheng in fear.

Old Beggar Peng shouted hurriedly: "Slow! Slow! Don't rush to kill, there is a child here!" Shen Huaiyou silently took a step forward. Although it was only one step, he was guarding Awakening's side and was about to speak, Mu Qing came with a group of guards. When he saw his men holding weapons, he thought it was disrespectful to the Qingcheng Crown Prince, and he quickly yelled: "What are you doing! Put down the weapons!"

Shen Huaiyou stepped forward quickly, cupped his hands and said, "I'm going down there."

Mu Qing hurriedly said respectfully: "I am the owner of the Mu Village, Mu Qing. Why are you here, Mr. Shen?"

Shen Huai said worriedly: "I'm just passing by, spending the night and leaving."

The other party was the prince of Qingcheng. Mu Qing was just a wealthy businessman with a reserved personality. He did not dare to dig into Shen Huaiyou's intentions. He only said: "There is no peace in Shaolin. I'm afraid that he will be implicated. Mr. Shen, please forgive the invitation at Mujiazhuang." Sorry."

Shen Huai said worriedly: "I am not afraid, Master Mu, there is no need to worry. If there is an accident, Mu's Village will not be implicated."

While Mu Qing was hesitating, Old Beggar Peng stepped forward and put his arms around his shoulders, pulled him aside and whispered: "Master Mu, everyone knows that there is chaos outside. If something happens to Qingcheng Prince Yesu, let people know that it is Mu Family Village. If you don’t take him in, won’t sending away the Buddha bring disaster?”

Mu Qing thought it was reasonable and bowed to Shen Huaiyou: "Young Master Shen is willing to give in, so Mujiazhuang has no choice but to welcome the Buddha respectfully. Please invite Young Master Shen."

Yang Jingyao shouted: "Master, wait a minute, we want to enter the village too!"

Mu Qing didn't recognize him and looked to the left and right. The guard replied: "He is said to be the head of a sect under Wudang that he has never heard of. There are two Songshan disciples in the car. I'm afraid they are spies."

Mu Qing shook his head: "Mujiazhuang does not accept outsiders for the time being."

Yang Jingyao couldn't hold back his anger: "Why can they get in but we can't?"

Juezheng said: "These children and their families are working in Mu's Village. Owner of the village, if you are kind to others, you will be blessed. You might as well just let the three of them enter the village to find relatives."

Mu Qing still shook his head.Shen Huaiyou's shoulders tightened, knowing that it was Old Beggar Peng who pushed him, so he stepped forward and said: "Master Mu, this Yang Zhuangshi is the leader of the Xianxia Sect under Wudang. He has a token and documents, so he cannot be a spy. Besides, there are Shaolin disciples among the injured, so for the sake of my dignity, let’s let a few children go into the city to find their relatives.”

Mu Qing pondered for a long time: "Master Shen is an honored guest. When an honored guest speaks, Mu does not dare to disobey, but this Songshan disciple..."

Shen Huai said worriedly: "If you are injured like this and you can't do any evil, just find a cell and be locked up."

Mu Qing didn't want to offend the Qingcheng Crown Prince, so he said: "Then just follow Master Shen's instructions. Please come to the mansion, and let me take care of Master Shen tonight. I hope that Master Shen will attend."

When Yang Jingyao heard that he could enter the city, he picked up his cart and left without thanking Shen Huaiyou or even looking at him.Shen Huaiyou was about to ask Old Beggar Peng to get on the bus, when he saw Old Beggar Peng ducking around the cart and shouting: "Give me a seat." He squeezed Yang Jingyao away, held the handle, and said, "Let's go together." The two of them pulled the cart together and walked towards the city.

Yang Jingyao asked: "I wonder what you call me, senior?"

Old beggar Peng said angrily: "Senior! I'm Peng Zhenhao, I'm only 35 this year!"

Yang Jingyao asked in surprise: "Eight years ago, Old Beggar Peng bravely rescued an orphaned girl on the Xiang Tunnel alone, fighting against twenty riders?" As he said this, he looked at Old Beggar Peng's appearance and couldn't believe it.

Old Beggar Peng said dissatisfied: "Don't mention that nonsense!"

Yang Jingyao became suspicious: "But at your age..."

Old Beggar Peng raised his voice: "I'm just a little impatient. If you don't like it, tell my mother!"

Yang Jingyao couldn't help laughing and said hurriedly: "Don't dare, don't dare."

Old Beggar Peng asked, "What did you say your name was?"

"My Excellency, Yang Jingyao, has admired Master Peng for a long time."

"No, if you want to flatter me, you should also flatter the person in the car..." Old Beggar Peng winked at Shen Huaiyou's motorcade behind him.

Yang Jingyao shook his head: "Whoever helps me pull the car will be flattered by me."

Old Beggar Peng asked, "Do you know the man in the car?"

"I recognize it." Yang Jingyao looked back at Qingcheng's flag, "a man-eating tiger cub."

Old Beggar Peng raised his eyebrows and did not defend Shen Huaiyou.

The carriage followed, and Shen Huaiyou stuck his head out and asked, "Self-rudder, Master Yang, Master Awakening, Master Mu, take over for me, why don't you go with us?"

Old Beggar Peng said: "Who are you and who am I? They entertain you but not me. Mujiazhuang is so big, I just need to find a place to eat."

Shen Huai said with a sad smile: "The sub-rudder takes my carriage, wears my clothes, takes my silver, and later I have to send a horse to take you back to Fuzhou. You call yourself a young man, how can you let me, a big man, get along with you?"

Old Beggar Peng said with a smile: "It's hard to say. There has always been some charity but not enough. Without benefit, who still owes the ancestors?"

Shen Huai said worriedly: "Friends are meant to make money. If you accept my money and call me brother, you will see friendship."

Old Beggar Peng laughed: "We should not be ancestors but brothers. You will be the head of Qingcheng from now on. I am afraid that I will not be able to support you as a relative. Okay, brother Shen, I will have to rely on you to help me when I return to Fuzhou later. This meal Our brothers will find an inn to eat at, and you can come later to collect some money."

Shen Huaiyou replied: "That's it, don't be polite."

"Brother, I'm polite to the poor. Just hold your purse and don't let me make you poor." As he was talking, Old Beggar Peng suddenly got wet on his face and shouted, "It's raining, brother Yang, hurry up!"

Yang Jingyao turned around and called to the children following him: "Get in the car, hurry up!"

The three children hurriedly climbed into the car. The two siblings shrank when they saw their eldest brother getting into the car.The eldest brother was sitting at the front of the car, and the younger brother and sister would rather sit at the back of the car than step forward. They were obviously a little afraid of the eldest brother. Old Beggar Peng saw this and thought it was strange, and shouted to Suizheng: "Monk, you get in the car too!"

"Poor monk?" Juezheng was stunned.

"Hurry up!" Old Beggar Peng urged.

Yang Jingyao shouted: "Are you strong enough?"

Old Beggar Peng shouted: "Young and strong!"

This cart could carry nine people, both large and small. It must weigh at least a thousand kilograms. I don't know where Yang Jingyao got such a sturdy cart.The two shouted in unison and started running against the rain, rushing in front of Shen Huaiyou's carriage. Seeing that they were in high spirits, Shen Huaiyou couldn't help but smile.

The rain was out of control and turned into a downpour in a blink of an eye. The rainwater poured into the carriage. Shen Huaiyou was about to close the window when he suddenly saw more than ten guards hiding under the eaves, but not a single monk soldier among them.

Shen Huai was worried and suspicious, and he couldn't help but take a breath after taking a closer look.

Sure enough, Mujiazhuang only has a guardian courtyard, no monk soldiers, and no garrisoned disciples. It is really just a wealthy businessman's manor and a private city.

In the heavy rain, the carriage arrived outside the Mu family courtyard. Mu Qingyan invited Shen Huaiyou into the hall to serve tea and said: "I will immediately order my servants to prepare a banquet. Mr. Shen can have some snacks first." He was about to call his wife and children to see him. , Shen Huaiyou quickly stopped and asked: "May I ask Master Mu, if Shaolin still has disciples stationed in Feng County, and are there any monk soldiers staying at Mu's Village?"

Mu Qing heard him ask about military affairs and said in shock: "Why does Mr. Shen ask this?"

Shen Huaiyou originally thought that the Shaolin Army would use Mujiazhuang as a stronghold to resist the Songtai Allied Forces, but he didn't know that on the way into the city, he only saw guards patrolling the courtyard and not a single Shaolin monk soldier. Seeing Mu Qing's expression at this time, he became even more determined, so He said: "Master Mu, Songshan besieged Shaoshi Mountain because of its convenient location. The Songshan sect was only near Shaolin and caught Abbot Zhiquan off guard. It also relied on the dispute between Shaolin and Huashan Gu Cemetery to block the road to Jidi. Songshan is strong. The reinforcements are from the Taishan sect, and Fengxian is an important place that must be passed through. There is danger here, and the two sects are bound to come and rob it. Didn't Shaolin send people to garrison it?"

Mu Qing said: "Shaoshi Mountain was besieged, and all the disciples of the sects went to save the Shaolin Temple. Even the local Abbot Zhiqing of Lingmiao Temple led his troops to rescue the Shaolin. The Mujiazhuang is not a place of governance, so how can we send monk soldiers to garrison it?"

Shen Huai was worried that the local monks would abandon the defense of Fengxian County, and then he understood that after Shaolin was besieged, the monks in various places were leaderless and went about their own ways. Mu Qing had the kindness to take him in. He couldn't bear to have Mu Qing bring trouble to him, so he hurriedly explained : "The old city wall of Fengxian County collapsed during the war and has not been completely restored. Now the war between the two sides has suddenly broken out. The Mujiazhuang strangles the main road and has a city wall. It is a must-win area. I expect that the Taishan Sect will come to take it soon. .”

Mu Qing was shocked when he heard this, but he managed to calm down and said: "Mujiazhuang is not a sect, and it does not have soldiers. We have had relations with the Songshan Sect in the past years. If the Taishan Sect wants to pass by, why bother us?"

Shen Huai said worriedly: "This small town can rely on danger to station troops, but it can cause trouble."

Mu Qing was surprised and said, "What should we do?"

Shen Huaiyou advised: "Demolish the city wall as soon as possible. Without the city wall, Mujiazhuang is just a place for ordinary wealthy families. The Taishan sect can only take money and food by force, but it is worthless."

Mu Qing froze on the spot, not knowing how to answer.Mujiazhuang was finally built by his own hands with more than [-] years of hard work for three generations of the Mu family, but now he wants to demolish it?

Seeing his hesitation, Shen Huaiyou also knew that his words were too abrupt, so he said: "As soon as things are slowed down, disaster will come. Please make a good plan, Master. I am passing by to make troubles. Master Mu is polite enough. Don't worry about Shen anymore." Even if you are reluctant to part with the city wall, please let your clan members avoid disaster as soon as possible."

Mu Qing said hurriedly: "I will give the order right away."

■

"We are suffering from natural and man-made disasters, so we are happy to open the city gates to welcome the angry king."

"When an angry king comes, the land will have food; when an angry king comes, there will be meat soup."

The sound of rain almost covered up the singing on the stage, and Yang Jingyao stared at the stage blankly.Shen Huaiyou was the prince of Qingcheng. He was not short of money. Old Beggar Peng was not polite. As soon as he entered the inn, he chose the biggest table and ordered big fish and meat. He sent the injured to the hospital. The three The children were starving to death and could not stop eating as if they were reincarnated.

"It was different in the previous dynasty of King Nu. When one person went to the Golden Hall, every household had surplus food." Wu Sheng, who plays Ma Wentao and Li Shuliang, walked onto the stage from both sides.

"The Angry King~"

"Please~"

Although Mujiazhuang is a private city, in addition to the more than 3000 members of the Mu family, there are also more than [-] bodyguards and more than [-] slaves living there. Together with their families and tenants, it is like a village of [-] people, with more than just teahouses. Hotels and shops sell daily necessities.The inn is not far from the city gate. It usually entertains members of the Mu family or merchants. Although it is small, it not only has a stage, but also a theater troupe. The song now is about the final battle between the angry king and the barbarians and the Great Wall Cavalry after he entered the capital. "Three Dragon Pass".

"It was different in the previous dynasty of King Nu. When one person went to the Golden Hall, every household had surplus food?" Yang Jingyao sneered, "Hey, when King Nu came to the capital, did he ever think about the current situation in the world?"

Old Beggar Peng asked while eating rice: "Brother Yang, I see that you don't like Mr. Shen. How come Qingcheng has a grudge against you?"

Yang Jingyao sneered: "Who dares to be the heir of the Nine Families?"

Old Beggar Peng rolled his eyes: "You talk too much, you are such a weirdo. This is not the way of the angry king. You have to live one day at a time."

The eldest brother among the three children took a chicken leg to the younger brother opposite. The younger brother held the bowl and chopsticks and shrank back, as if he was extremely scared. The older brother did not dare to speak, so he just stared blankly, with his chopsticks stretched out in the air, neither moving forward nor retreating. No, it's a little embarrassing.Old beggar Peng noticed something strange, stretched out his chopsticks to pick up the chicken legs, and passed it to his younger brother. Then the younger brother held the bowl and whispered in a low voice: "Thank you, grandpa."

Old Beggar Peng winked, got up with Yang Jingyao, walked to the door of the inn, and asked in a low voice: "What's going on with these three brothers and sisters?"

Yang Jingyao said: "Their family was issued a complaint of enmity. Their parents died in a busy city under the jurisdiction of our Xianxia sect. According to the rules, the enemy family wanted to leave a legacy for the family to be exterminated, so they threw a knife and let the three brothers and sisters kill each other." He paused for a moment when he said this. Then he continued, "The eldest brother was afraid of death. He pointed a knife at his younger brother and sister. He wanted to kill but didn't dare to kill him. I couldn't stand it, so I rescued him. Since then, the younger brother and the younger brother have been afraid of his brother."

Old Beggar Peng flew into a rage and yelled: "Fuck you, don't stop me!" His voice alarmed everyone and the three brothers and sisters were startled.

I saw Old Beggar Peng coming angrily, grabbing his brother off the table, and angrily yelled: "You even want to kill your brother, you idiot!" Then he threw his brother out, knocking over the table and chairs, and there was a crackling sound. A big movement.There were not many people in the inn, and everyone was paying attention. Even the troupe stopped singing to watch. Old Beggar Peng pushed the eldest brother to the ground, slapped him several times, and punched him so hard that his nose started to bleed.

The elder brother hit his head on the corner of the table, his face covered with blood, and he cried and begged for mercy: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I don't dare, I'm afraid, I'm sorry!" Seeing his brother being beaten, the younger brothers and sisters hugged each other and trembled.

Old Beggar Peng drew out his knife and shouted: "You unscrupulous beast, if you keep it, it will be useless. I will take you!" After saying this, he raised his knife to chop him.The younger brother yelled, rushed forward and hugged Old Beggar Peng's thigh, begging: "Don't kill my brother!" The younger sister ran towards Yang Jingyao: "Uncle Yang, save brother, save brother quickly!"

Old Beggar Peng pushed his younger brother away and swung his knife. Yang Jingyao grabbed Old Beggar Peng's wrist and said in a deep voice: "Brother, he is just a child!"

The eldest brother burst into tears, fell to his knees and kept kowtowing: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so scared... I'm so scared... Brother, brother is really scared..."

The younger sister stepped forward and grabbed her brother's clothes. The three siblings hugged each other and cried. The older brother kept apologizing: "Brother is really scared... I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I don't want to harm you..."

Old Beggar Peng sheathed his sword and returned to his seat to sit down. Only then did Yang Jingyao understand his intention. Seeing the three brothers and sisters hugging each other, he felt sad. He stepped forward and touched their heads and comforted them: "You will be better in the future." We are dependent on each other, so we have to take care of each other.”

Old Beggar Peng shouted: "Cry a little longer, and when you've cried enough, come to the table and eat!"

"Amitabha, you have to treat illnesses from the heart. The donor cured the heart illnesses of these three brothers and sisters, and his merits are immeasurable." Awakening said from the side.

After Juezheng arranged for the injured, he came to the inn to meet Yang Jingyao and saw this scene.Old Beggar Peng pointed at the corner of the table with his chopsticks: "Master, don't talk. Let's eat first. I've prepared a vegetarian meal for you, right there."

The heavy rain continued outside, and the people in the inn lost sight of the excitement and continued to eat. The actors on the stage continued to sing, and You Changbo brandished a spear and fought with the Barbarian King.

"Sa Shen'an, bless this Khan, break through the Hongxia Pass! The blood has dried, and it is difficult to return to heaven. A hero born in a century, General You~ accept the surrender!"

"Turn the tide, stagger, raise your sword and shout to the sky! The king may die, the people may perish, but the country cannot be destroyed!"

You Changbo died on the stage, and the angry king came on stage again, which attracted cheers from the audience. The battle between the angry king and the barbarian king was the finale.

"Sa God protects me forever, but here comes another reckless man!"

"If you stir up a thousand waves, I will call you Meng Huangliang!"

The three children were lying on the table and fell asleep. Yang Jingyao was leaning against the window, eating vegetarian food. He ate slowly, chewing every bite carefully.Beggar Peng was full of wine and food. He picked his teeth and walked to Yang Jingyao. He had no money and was just waiting for Shen Huaiyou to pay the bill.

Yang Jingyao suddenly asked, "You said... what would King Nu think if he knew that after his death, the martial arts elites and sects fought for more than thirty years to become emperor?"

Old Beggar Peng stretched himself: "What can you think, blaming yourself for dying early? Blame these guys for being so useless. They beat and beat, except for killing people who are living in poverty, and they don't win or lose. No one can be blamed." emperor?"

Yang Jingyao said: "If you ask me, it's not that there is no emperor now, there are nine emperors. Look, there is a Qingcheng Crown Prince in this county."

Old Beggar Peng smiled and said, "I know you want to rebel from what you said. Let me lend you a pen and write a counter-poem on the wall."

Yang Jingyao snorted: "I don't read much, and I can't write poetry."

"How did you meet this monk?"

"Passing by, I saw the master struggling to push five injured patients, so I gave him a hand."

Old Beggar Peng said with a smile: "You are really nosy, so you are not afraid of making enemies and causing trouble? Are the enemies of these children big?"

Yang Jingyao looked at the three children: "Small sect, come to my Xianxia sect, you can afford it."

The worried carriage drove in the heavy rain. "Hey, here comes the money master." Old Beggar Peng stepped forward to greet him with a smile on his face.Xu Yi dismounted and held an umbrella for Shen Huaiyou. Yang Jingyao woke up the three children, called them to his side, lowered his head and said, "I will take you to find your uncle."

The three children nodded. Yang Jingyao took an umbrella and handed it to his eldest brother. They were about to set off in the rain. Shen Huaiyou saw that the four of them only had one umbrella. He smiled and handed the umbrella to Yang Jingyao. Yang Jingyao reached out and took it without saying thank you. , handed it directly to the youngest sister.

Old Beggar Peng shouted: "Take my handful too."

Juezheng hurriedly stood up and took his own umbrella: "This poor monk also has one."

Yang Jingyao took three children, each with an umbrella, and left hand in hand in the heavy rain.Shen Huai looked at the backs of the four people and smiled bitterly at Old Beggar Peng: "Head Yang doesn't seem to like me?"

Old Beggar Peng said: "I don't like it, but it has nothing to do with you." Shen Huaiyou was puzzled: "Who does it have to do with?"

Old beggar Peng said: "The angry king."

Shen Huaiyou was confused: "Wrath King?"

Old Beggar Peng said with a smile: "It's his fault that he died early."

Shen Huaiyou was even more confused and looked at Old Beggar Peng suspiciously. Old Beggar Peng just smiled but did not answer.Shen Huaiyou asked the shopkeeper to make a pot of tea and some snacks, and asked Old Beggar Peng to chat with Juezheng. After asking, he realized that Zheng was a wandering medicine monk who studied medicine in Shaolin. When a war breaks out, they rush to the battlefield to save the dead and heal the wounded.God knows how dangerous it is for a monk to be on the battlefield now. Both Shen Huaiyou and Old Beggar Peng admire his boldness and benevolence.

The three of them chatted for a few words. As the heavy rain gradually subsided, suddenly a horse's hooves rushed past the inn with splashes of water.

Old Beggar Peng frowned: "Something big happened?"

A nurse shouted along the way: "Taishan is coming! Taishan is coming!"

This was exactly what Shen Huai was worried about, and he secretly said something bad.Awakening's face showed compassion and he clasped his hands together: "Amitabha."

Old Beggar Peng joked: "Don't be in a hurry to find Buddha, Shaolin Temple is not busy enough for him."

Shen Huaiyou said: "Brother Peng, let's go take a look?"

Old Beggar Peng nodded: "This is right."

The two of them rushed to the city wall in a carriage, but were stopped by the disciples guarding the courtyard, saying that they could not go to the city without the owner's order.After a while, Mu Qing arrived in a carriage and held an umbrella up the city wall with Shen Huaiyou and old beggar Peng.

I saw a team of more than 300 people under the city wall under the banner of Mount Tai. There was one person standing next to the disciple holding the flag. When they saw Mu Qing and three other people coming up to the city, they shouted loudly: "Is this Master Mu?" The tone was quite arrogant.

These words were sent far away through internal force, reaching directly to the city wall. Everyone could still hear them clearly in the heavy rain, which showed that the leader of the team had profound skills.Not to mention the ordinary nurse, Mu Qing's face had already turned pale with fright. He didn't know martial arts, and was about to shout back, when Old Beggar Peng pulled his sleeve and asked, "What does Master Mu want to say?"

Mu Qing was stunned, and Shen Huaiyou said to him: "Let Brother Peng answer for you."

Mu Qing said with a trembling voice: "Ask them what they are here for."

Old Beggar Peng raised his inner strength and said loudly: "I am the bodyguard of Master Mu. The people living in Mu's Village are ordinary people. What are you doing here?"

His voice was rich, not only full of energy, but also without any trembling in his voice. He seemed confident and confident. Mu Qing calmed down a little when he heard him speak.

The disciples of the Taishan Sect thought that the Mu Family Village was full of ordinary nursing homes and ignored them. After hearing that Old Beggar Peng had deep inner strength, they were all surprised that there was such a master in the Mu Family Village.The team leader said loudly: "A large number of our troops are going to stay in Mujiazhuang for a few days. Please open the city gate!"

"Borrowing" sounds nice. Who doesn't know that the Taishan sect is the Songshan Austrian aid, and it wants to occupy the city.Mu Qing couldn't decide. It was inappropriate to let Taishan's troops enter the city, but if he refused, how could the small Mujiazhuang withstand the ravages of these ferocious gods?

Shen Huai said worriedly: "Brother Peng, are you trying to make an empty city?"

Old Beggar Peng understood this and said, "The Mu's Village is full and there is no room for them!"

These words really aroused suspicion. The leader of the Taishan faction thought for a moment and said loudly: "With the weather like this, I have to go into the city to take shelter from the rain!"

Mu Qing was in a dilemma and asked Shen Huaiyou: "Young Master Shen is the eldest son of Qingcheng. Can you tell them that you are a guest at Mu's Village and ask them to withdraw?"

Shen Huaiyou shook his head: "They won't hurt me, but they won't pay attention to me. The matter is urgent. Master Mu must make a decision quickly."

A sharp arrow shot through the air, and Shen Huai worriedly pulled Mu Qing away.Old Beggar Peng shouted: "They are going to attack the city!"

Another sharp arrow shot through the chest of a guard next to Mu Qing, scaring Mu Qing until his face turned pale.Hearing the sound of killing below the city, Shen Huaiyou looked over and saw that the disciples of the Taishan sect had already attacked the wall, using arrow rain as cover, and swung three hooks in a row up the city wall.

Seeing arrows raining down like rain, Mu Qing screamed in fright, and Shen Huaiyou hurriedly pulled him away from the wall.Mu Qing's legs and feet were weak and he fell down as soon as he pulled him. Shen Huaiyou dragged him two steps away. Another wave of arrows came. Old Beggar Peng stepped forward and with a flash of his sword, he deflected all the arrows away.

Guard captain Xu Yi stepped forward to protect Shen Huaiyou and shouted: "Your Majesty, leave quickly!"

There were several more screams, many guards were hit by arrows, and the rest retreated away from the wall, which gave Taishan disciples more time to climb up the wall.The bodyguards of Mujiazhuang were just ordinary guards. Although they usually practiced guarding the city, their martial arts skills were not as good as those of regular disciples. They had never seen such a battle before, and they all panicked.Gu Junjie, the head coach of the Mujiazhuang team, kept shouting and commanding to resist the enemy, but after all, there was only one person, and he was focused on one thing and not on the other.Seeing that Taishan's disciple had climbed up the wall, Gu Junjie rushed forward and killed him with a knife.Seeing the rain of arrows coming, Shen Huaiyou shouted loudly: "Get away!"

This reminder was still too slow. Gu Junjie was bending down to kill the enemy when a sharp arrow hit his left waist. The Mujiazhuang regiment coach fell forward and fell off the city wall. He was cut into pieces by Taishan disciples below the city.

Mu Qing's eyes were red, he grabbed Shen Huayou's arm and begged: "Master Shen, help me!"

Xu Yi saw Taishan's disciples attacking the city wall. It was obvious that this ragtag group of people could not resist the enemy, so he hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, please get out of here!"

Shen Huaiyou knew that with his status, the Songtai Allied Forces could only hold hostages, and he did not dare to risk his own life and offend Qingcheng. He saw tears in Mu Qing's eyes, and heard the loud killing noises around him. There was no one to command the guards at Mujiazhuang. Responding to the challenge, the disciples of Taishan Sect have climbed up the wall.

"Zhang Liang and Zhang Ming go to the north to command and assist in the defense!" Shen Huaiyou ordered the twelve close guards, "Ma Jing and Cai Guang go to the south! Xu Yi and the rest of the group protect me and Master Mu!"

Xu Yi was surprised and said: "Young Master, the dispute between Shaosong and Qingcheng has nothing to do with Qingcheng. Even if the city is destroyed, Songshan will not dare to harm the Young Master!"

Shen Huai said worriedly: "A gentleman must repay his kindness. Master Mu takes us in, so we have to help him! Go quickly, don't delay!"

Everyone took their orders and left.Shen Huaiyou saw Old Beggar Peng huddled by the battlements and pushed forward. Old Beggar Peng said strangely: "Why are you staying? You are the Crown Prince of Qingcheng. Stay away. They won't dare to touch you after the battle."

Shen Huaiyou asked, "What is Brother Peng doing again?"

Old Beggar Peng said: "Help! These Taishan disciples can do good things when they enter the city?"

Shen Huai said worriedly: "We have said that we are brothers, so I have to help you."

Old Beggar Peng laughed loudly: "Okay! Be careful, it's coming!"

Old Beggar Peng stood up and slashed with his sword, knocking two Taishan disciples down from the city.Shen Huaiyou sat on the city wall and commanded the guards to pour oil and light fires. Mujiazhuang lacked the tools to defend the city, so he could only rely on the city wall to block the enemy troops. The guards could not withstand the enemy and they retreated steadily.Not long after, there were more than thirty Taishan disciples standing on the city wall. The guards of Mujiazhuang fled one after another. Some people killed Shen Huaiyou. Xu Yi and others stepped forward to defend themselves against the enemy. Xu Yi shouted: "Young Master, it is better to retreat to the city." Bar!"

Shen Huaiyou saw Taishan disciples climbing up the city wall in the south and shouted: "Brother Peng, the south is weak!"

Old Beggar Peng responded and ran along the city wall.He was really strong in martial arts. He cut down one person and kicked a Taishan disciple off the tower with a spin kick. Then he ducked down and slashed left and right, killing him all the way.However, more and more Taishan disciples climbed up the city wall, and more than ten Taishan disciples were surrounding him. The remaining Mu family guardians lacked fighting spirit and fled early. Old Beggar Peng was trapped in a tight siege, and was in dire straits. He was deeply worried. Although he was anxious, he was also surrounded by Taishan disciples and could not be rescued.

A ball of sword light was involved, killing the Taishan disciples. Old Beggar Peng took a closer look and shouted: "Brother Yang, you are here too!"

Yang Jingyao said: "Master is down below!" After saying that, he slashed at the Taishan disciple with his sword.

The two stood with their backs facing each other, joining forces to fight against the enemy, their swords flashing like lightning. Although they had only known each other for more than an hour, these two bloody men dared to let each other protect their backs.The two of them rushed into the flock like tigers, and the Taishan disciples at the south end of the city wall fell down one after another, clearing an open space.

"It's tight in the north of the city!" Yang Jingyao shouted and charged out first. Old Beggar Peng chased after him, even a few steps ahead of him. Wherever the two of them passed, there was another shower of swords and blood.

He couldn't hold it. Although the battle started less than half an hour ago, Shen Huaiyou already knew that he couldn't hold it.This ragtag group of people in Mujiazhuang are no match for the regular disciples, and their morale is low. Only Peng Lao Beggar, Yang Jingyao, and the twelve riders they brought with them cannot deal with hundreds of Taishan disciples.

Shen Huaiyou said to Mu Qing: "Master Mu, the Mu Village cannot hold on, so we have no choice but to surrender."

Mu Qing's expression changed greatly. Everyone knew what would happen to these Taishan disciples after they entered the city. Do they really think they could stay here for a few days and then leave?Mujiazhuang must at least be looted.The group of nurses he raised were so vulnerable in front of the regular disciples. There were more than 600 relatives in the village, including his wife and son Mu Jie...

"I'll talk to them." Shen Huaiyou thought that he might be able to save the lives of the Mu family members by relying on his status.

Mu Qing couldn't hide his grief and sighed. Just as he was about to order Kaicheng to surrender, a guard rushed up to the city wall and reported: "Master, a group of monks are coming from the west and want to enter the city!"

Shen Huaiyou was overjoyed: "He's saved!"

Mu Qing understood that even if Shaolin entered the city, the Mu family village would not be safe and sound, but compared to the Songtai coalition that had already offended, at least these monks were still compassionate and would have room for mercy.

"Open the west gate!" Mu Qing ordered, "Let the Shaolin disciples enter the city!"

A large number of Shaolin disciples poured in from Ximen...

At dusk, only the sound of mourning was heard on the city wall. The Taishan disciples had retreated, while the Shaolin disciples cheered thunderously.Old Beggar Peng and Yang Jingyao were covered in blood, back to back, panting, and too tired to move.

"Fuck!" Old Beggar Peng yelled.

Shen Huaiyou turned around and looked around, only to hear Yang Jingyao shouting loudly: "I'm hungry!"

Old Beggar Peng said loudly: "I want to eat!"

Yang Jingyao also shouted: "Lots and lots of rice! Beef, want big chunks!"

The two laughed in unison.

Mu Qing grabbed Shen Huayou's arm with tears in his eyes: "Mr. Shen, we have secured the Mu Village!"

Shen Huaiyou shook his head and sighed: "We didn't hold on. They just retreated. Mujiazhuang is an important place. They will definitely come back tomorrow to take it."

Mu Qing was stunned: "You said... they will come tomorrow?"

Shen Huaiyou nodded. There were fewer Shaolin disciples coming to help than expected. There were only about two hundred people. If there were many enemy troops, Mujiazhuang would still not be able to defend it.

Mu Qing felt lost and left the city wall sadly.

■

A bonfire was lit under the city wall, and the monk soldiers and lay disciples from Shaolin struggled to peel off the leather armor from the corpse and search for valuables.

Zixiao, the leader of the Shaolin team, temporarily took over all affairs of Mujiazhuang. Mu Qing was instructing the tribesmen to pack their bags and leave Mujiazhuang, including his wife and children, but he himself had to stay.

Beggar Peng and Yang Jingyao didn't eat the beef they wanted, not even rice.A few hours ago, this was a peaceful town, but now it was in chaos. Shen Huaiyou sat with them in a corner of the city wall to rest, while Yang Jingyao ate the steamed buns he had brought with him.

Xu Yi came over holding a three-layer food box in each hand. "Sir!" He opened the food box, took out the plates and bowls and placed them on the ground one by one. Inside were roasted chicken, fish fillets, braised three delicacies and Beggar Peng's favorite beef.

"Master Zixiao said that we can't entertain you because of the chaos. Please pay attention to the young master and thank him later."

Shen Huaiyou asked: "Brothers, are you okay?"

Xu Yidao: "He was only slightly injured and is resting."

Old Beggar Peng immediately came forward, ignoring Xu Yi's dissatisfied look, and without using chopsticks, he reached out and pinched a piece of chicken and stuffed it into his mouth, praising: "Being the brother of the Qingcheng Crown Prince has this advantage!"

Shen Huaiyou asked Xu Yi to step back and said to Yang Jingyao: "Brother Yang, let's eat together."

Yang Jingyao said, "I'll just eat the steamed buns."

Shen Huaiyou said: "Seeing how delicious Brother Yang is, I'm curious about the taste of this steamed bun. Can I share the second half?"

Yang Jingyao said: "One person has one life. I am destined to eat steamed buns, and you are destined to eat chicken drumsticks. Even if you suddenly want to eat steamed buns today, how many days and how long can you eat them?"

Shen Huai said with a sad smile: "You have to taste it to know what it tastes like."

Yang Jingyao replied: "Not much more."

Shen Huaiyou was not annoyed by his rudeness and asked, "Where is Master Awakening?"

Old Beggar Peng pointed to the other end and said, "Stay there to help."

Shen Huaiyou said: "I'm going to find the master. Brother Peng has to leave some for me."

Old Beggar Peng grunted while eating and could not speak clearly: "You go first, I will eat two more bites, I will starve to death."

Shen Huaiyou stood up and left holding a lantern.Old Beggar Peng put another piece of beef in his mouth and looked at Yang Jingyao: "Did you see Mr. Shen on the city wall today?"

Yang Jingyao said: "I see."

"He didn't have to go up the city wall, but he went up anyway."

Yang Jingyao remained silent.

Old Beggar Peng lifted up the bottom layer of the food box and said, "He also prepared vegetarian dishes for the monk. He was quite thoughtful. He also wanted to eat together."

Yang Jingyao was eating steamed buns silently when a piece of beef hit him in the face.Yang Jingyao raised his head and said dissatisfied: "What are you doing?"

Old Beggar Peng said: "Don't be too proud of yourself, just eat it."

Yang Jingyao silently put the beef into his mouth, stood up with Old Beggar Peng, and followed Shen Huaiyou.

■

Shen Huaiyou carried a lantern and walked along the city wall in search of enlightenment. A faint wailing sound could be heard in the distance.

"Be patient." Juezheng knelt down by the city wall, giving first aid to a lay disciple who was covered in blood under the weak light. He kept pricking needles on the injured person and using special incense to soothe his pain. Keep moaning.

"Master." Shen Huaiyou called softly, and when he got closer, he couldn't help but gasp.The man's stomach was swollen and full of blood. Even though Shen Huaiyou didn't understand medical science, he could tell that the man's stomach was bleeding and his internal organs were severely injured. He felt that he was pressing on the injured man's lower abdomen, asking him to hold on.

"It's hopeless." It was Old Beggar Peng's voice.Shen Huaiyou looked back and saw Old Beggar Peng and Yang Jingyao who were following silently.

"He can't be saved," said Old Beggar Peng.

"The poor monk knows." Awakening replied, still focusing on treating the injured.

"You just made him suffer more." Yang Jingyao said.

"The poor monk knows."

Shen Huaiyou advised: "Master has been tired for a whole day. Save others first, save yourself first, take a breath and eat something..."

Juezheng ignored Shen Huaiyou and only said to the injured: "Hold on, we are about to find him."

Old Beggar Peng and Yang Jingyao looked at each other and were about to step forward to stop him when a monk soldier walked up quickly with a baby in his arms and shouted loudly: "Uncle Master! Found it, found it!"

The monk soldier carried the baby to the injured person: "Your wife can't get out of bed yet, so I brought your son here. This is your son, your son!"

The injured man managed to raise his upper body, took the swaddling clothes and looked at his child. He stretched out his bloody fingers and gently touched the baby's cheek, and said with a smile: "It looks... looks... really like me..."

The wounded man died with a smile. He lowered his head and clasped his hands together, silently recited two verses of scripture, and whispered: "This man told me that when the Taishan faction attacked the city gate in the afternoon, his wife happened to be in labor, and he even gave birth to his own child. Without even seeing him, he climbed up the city wall to defend himself against the enemy."

Shen Huai was worried and felt sad, and asked: "You made him suffer so much just to let him see his son and have a smile on his face?"

Awakening remained silent.The monk soldier stood up with the baby in his arms and said respectfully to Juezheng: "Uncle Master, I took the baby and returned it. His parents are still waiting."

Shen Huaiyou and the other three were stunned.Juezheng nodded, and the monk soldier took the child away. Shen Huaiyou looked in the direction in which the monk soldier left. Not far away, a couple was looking at each other earnestly.

Juezheng said: "His wife heard that he went to the battlefield. She was very upset and had a difficult childbirth. Both mother and child... died. My nephew searched for a long time before he found a newborn child."

Shen Huaiyou patted Juezheng on the shoulder and sighed: "Master, please take a break."

In front of the bonfire, Awakening sat on the ground and ate plain noodles in silence. Old Beggar Peng lay on the ground, using his hands as a pillow and looking up at the sky with his feet raised.

Yang Jingyao threw a steamed bun to Shen Huaiyou. This was the first time Yang Jingyao took the initiative to talk to him. Shen Huaiyou looked up.

"It turns out there is one left," Yang Jingyao said, "I'm afraid you won't be able to get used to it."

Shen Huaiyou felt a warmth and said with a smile, "Thank you."

The steamed bun was dry and hard, and when he held it in his hand, crumbs fell down with a little force. Shen Huaiyou tried to tear the steamed bun apart, but it was too dry, so he could only peel it off piece by piece.

He has never eaten this kind of steamed buns.

"Is it delicious?" Yang Jingyao asked.

Shen Huai smiled sadly and said, "I'm so hungry, everything tastes delicious."

Old Beggar Peng suddenly cursed: "Fuck! What kind of world is this? It's so easy to take care of a whole family, but in just one afternoon, they wiped out the whole family. Not even a name-dropper can be so cruel!"

Awakening stopped his chopsticks, recited Amitabha in a low voice, and continued eating after reciting.

Yang Jingyao said: "Songshan wants to be the tenth master, but instead leaves Shaolin. Let me think about it. How many people will die?"

Old Beggar Peng folded a branch and asked: "Monk recites Buddha's name every day, do you think the Buddha will come to save us? In 50 years, will the world be better or worse?"

Awakening put down his chopsticks, wiped the grease from the corners of his mouth with his sleeves, clasped his hands together, and said: "The nature of dependent origin is empty, cause and effect are self-determined, and a poor monk cannot guess it, but he knows that only the Buddhist Dharma of compassion can influence ignorance, save the world, and save people."

Old Beggar Peng said: "Songshan Sect has not been influenced by Buddhism."

Shen Huai said worriedly: "Brother Peng, please stop picking on the master. Please tell me, what do you think?"

Old Beggar Peng said: "The road is uneven and someone steps on it. If the world is stable, everyone is a good person. If the world is unstable, there will always be a few people who can't stand it and take charge of things."

Yang Jingyao smiled and said: "Peng Zhenhao, Peng Daxia, you rescued an orphan girl on the Xiangbei Road, and defeated the powerful enemy with one against ten. You are the living Bodhisattva who saves the world?"

Old beggar Peng threw a twig in Yang Jingyao's face: "In the morning, he flattered me and called me brother, but in the evening he teased me!"

Yang Jingyao smiled and said: "Senior, this is what you call me, not the younger generation."

Old Beggar Peng sighed and asked Shen Huaiyou: "What do you think, Mr. Shen?"

Shen Huai thought for a long time.The Bodhisattva is too far away and the heroes are too few. Qingcheng is not strong among the nine major families. The only merit is probably that the ancestor Gu Langya proposed the Kunlun consensus and stopped the war for more than thirty years.He said: "Fifty years is too far away, and we still don't know yet. Shen only hopes to pass it on to future generations in a middle way, impartially, and future generations will be responsible for their own affairs."

Old Beggar Peng said with a smile: "Speaking of future generations? You are the eldest son of Qingcheng, and your son will also be the head of Qingcheng in the future. Please tell me, how do you plan to teach your son in this messy world?"

Shen Huai thought about it worriedly: "A humble gentleman is shining with brilliance. If you retreat, you can take care of yourself. If you advance, you can reach the world and bring peace and prosperity to the world again."

Old Beggar Peng said: "Are you planning to teach a saint? Where is Brother Yang?"

Yang Jingyao pondered for a moment and said: "I just hope that my descendants will have backbone, not cling to the powerful, and not bully the weak. I hope they will never give in."

Old Beggar Peng cursed: "Fuck! I just said you always want to rebel. Doesn't this reveal your secret?"

Yang Jingyao said: "Don't just tell us, how are you going to teach your son?"

Old Beggar Peng said: "If he still remembers how to write the word "xia", I would thank God. I said monk..."

Everyone looked at Juezheng, who was stunned for a moment, a little embarrassed, and said, "The poor monk is a monk."

Shen Huaiyou said: "Master has superb medical skills, so it's hard not to find a successor."

Juezheng said: "Then I hope he is an honest person, does not admire vanity, and does not seek enjoyment. It would be better if he could not be close to women and devote himself to Buddha."

Old Beggar Peng scratched his head: "Why do I think this is the most difficult?"

Everyone laughed, even Awakening laughed.

Shen Huaiyou thought about the return of the Taishan sect generals tomorrow, and asked solemnly: "If the Mu family village is destroyed tomorrow, what are your plans?"

Juezheng said: "If the poor monk survives the catastrophe, he must stay in Feng County to treat his injuries."

Old Beggar Peng cursed: "Fuck! How come it's so late at night, monk, that your bald head is still so bright?"

Yang Jingyao said: "I have to find the three brothers and sisters from yesterday. I sent them here and I have to protect them."

Old Beggar Peng smiled and said, "I plan to hide in your car and follow your Qingcheng flag to keep you safe."

Shen Huaiyou cupped his hands and said, "Shen will do his best to take care of everyone."

Old Beggar Peng said: "Just let it go. If you go to bed, you will have to get up early tomorrow to die."

A night without words.Early the next morning, Awakening began to treat the injured.Shen Huaiyou, Peng Laobei and Yang Jingyao climbed up the city wall to meet the Shaolin leader Monk Zixiao.Master Zixiao is a devout monk and has no idea how to defend the city. Hearing that Shen Huaiyou assisted in defending the city yesterday, he said, "Please help Mr. Shen."

"In a fight like this, is it natural to not lose?" Old Beggar Peng whispered in Yang Jingyao's ear. When Shen Huaiyou heard this, he could only smile bitterly.

Mu Qing ordered the city gates to be opened, allowing the Mu family members and people to leave one after another. The motorcade dragged on for a long time.After sending his wife and children away, Mu Qing put aside his cowardice yesterday and stood on the city wall, obviously determined to die for the city.

This is not for Shaolin, but for Mujiazhuang.

Yesterday's heavy rain made the land muddy, and Shen Huai was worried that it would slow down the pace of the Taishan sect.He asked when the Shaolin reinforcements would arrive, but although he helped defend the city, he was still an outsider, and Zi Xiao did not reveal much to him.

Large pots were set up on the city wall, with firewood piled underneath. Monk soldiers and lay disciples prepared their bows and arrows.There were not many arrows, and the urgent reinforcements of the monk soldiers did not bring enough baggage, so the situation of defending the city was not optimistic.

Which reinforcements come first or the enemy?The answer came before noon, with the dark green Mount Tai flag flying in the east.

"Burn oil and prepare bows and arrows!" Shen Huaiyou ordered.

There were at least 500 people, Shen Huan thought, maybe there would be more later.He noticed that there was a man in the Taishan faction who was wearing a particularly eye-catching bright red armor. He was tall and had a horse-killing sword hanging on his horse.

The team lined up and three three-bow crossbows were set up. This was a weapon for attacking the city, and it was also the last thing Shen Huaiyou wanted to see. It seemed that the Taishan faction's army was well prepared.

When they were two hundred feet away from Mujiazhuang, the Taishan faction launched an attack.Shen Huaiyou shouted: "Fire arrows!" Arrows rained down, knocking down many Taishan disciples, who immediately fired back.

Three stepping arrows were nailed into the city wall, and the hook ropes tightly hooked the city. Shaolin disciples poured oil, set fire, and used bows and arrows to defend against the enemy.

The second row stabbed arrows into the city wall, and the sound of killing was loud.

After the third row of arrows shot into the city wall, it was enough for Taishan disciples to climb. One after another, Taishan disciples climbed onto the city wall. Old Beggar Peng and Yang Jingyao led a group of compassionate Shaolin disciples to kill the enemy.

"Ximian!" A Shaolin disciple rushed over anxiously, "Someone is coming from the west of the city!"

Zi Xiao said happily: "Is it Senior Brother Zhang here?"

"It's the flag of Songshan!"

Shen Huaiyou was surprised. There were only more than [-] of them. The Mu family was unable to protect the courtyard and could not defend the west.But now there is no time to think about the west. There are more and more Taishan disciples on the city wall. Even with the protection of guards, Shen Huaiyou has to draw his sword to fight.

He took advantage of Xu Yi to hold the sharp sword in the hand of a Taishan disciple, and stabbed the opponent's waist with one sword.This was his first time killing someone, and the feeling of the sword penetrating someone else's body was very strange.

There are more and more Taishan disciples on the city wall, and more and more Shaolin disciples have fallen. Although Peng Laogai and Yang Jingyao fought hard to kill the enemy, there were only a lot more enemies around them, and there were no troops stationed in the west. Songshan soon fell. Can break in.

"We can't hold on any longer!" Old Beggar Peng shouted loudly.

Yang Jingyao shouted: "I can kill a few more!"

Shen Huaiyou's personal guards, Zhang Ming and Zhang Liang brothers, were injured and fell down. Four others were trapped in the group of Taishan disciples, and they were looking at danger.

"Young Master, we can't hold on any longer, avoid the enemy first!" Xu Yi shouted.

A figure jumped up high behind Xu Yi, and the sword struck down. Shen Huai said worriedly: "Be careful!"

Xu Yi turned around sharply.He is a direct descendant of the Three Gorges Gang and the personal guard captain of Shen Huaiyou. It is impossible for him to stand in this position without high martial arts skills.He struck out with his sword, fire flew everywhere, and he felt a force pressing down on the sword in his hand, as if his resistance was just a futile display. With a "pop" sound, the Zhanma sword made a deep mark on his chest.

It was the master in red armor who wielded a saber that Shen Huaiyou had noticed early in the morning.

Ma Jing and Cai Guang thrust their swords at the man at the same time. The man swung his saber with his saber and struck first. Ma Jing and Cai Guang were unable to dodge and were wounded at the same time.The man slashed at Shen Huaiyou with his sword. Shen Huaiyou knew that the opponent was strong, so he used the Three Pure Supreme Mind Techniques and raised his sword to meet him. There was a "clang" sound, and fire splashed everywhere. Shen Huaiyou's hand went numb, and he reluctantly Resist this knife.

Is a top master!

boom!Shen Huaiyou was kicked in the lower abdomen by the red-armored master. He felt like the world was spinning. He rolled on the ground several times before he stopped. When he was about to get up, he felt his stomach was churning and he almost vomited.

Just as the red-armored master was about to attack again, Monk Zixiao came at him with his Zen staff. The red-armored master ducked sideways, bent his left elbow, and hit Zixiao's face. Then he swung his sword across the area and killed the Shaolin master in just two moves. The leader cut the army in two.

Xu Yi saw that the other party was highly skilled in martial arts and shouted loudly: "Young Master, leave quickly!"

Shen Huai was so worried that he couldn't stand up straight. He saw the red-armored master approaching and death was imminent. Suddenly he heard a loud shout like a thunderbolt from the blue. Old Beggar Peng jumped up and slashed down with four swords, two horizontally and two vertically.

The master in red armor swung his sword to meet him, and with several crisp sounds, he actually blocked Old Beggar Peng's killing move.Old Beggar Peng knew that his opponent was very powerful, so he fought around him. Although he had exquisite sword skills, his opponent was also a top expert. He was also tall, and his sword was a long weapon. He danced with the sound of wind and hunted, and Old Beggar Peng couldn't get close.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of breaking wind, and a cold arrow came from nowhere and hit Old Beggar Peng's right shoulder. At this opportunity, the master in red armor flew up and kicked Old Beggar Peng off the city wall.Old Beggar Peng fell so hard that his bones were falling apart. When he saw a black shadow coming over him, the red-armored expert jumped down from the city wall and stepped on him with both feet. Old Beggar Peng quickly turned over to avoid it, but was kicked before he could get up. He rolled away from the ground and couldn't help cursing at the pain.

The masters competed for just a few centimeters, and the red-armored master had a huge advantage. He slashed at him with his sword, one after another, without letting Old Beggar Peng breathe at all.

Hearing another shout, Yang Jingyao jumped down from the city wall and slashed at the back of the red-armored master with his knife, forcing the red-armored master to turn around to protect himself.Old Beggar Peng took the opportunity to break the arrow shaft and looked up, only to see Yang Jingyao struggling beside the red-armored master. He was blocked by the long-handled sword and could not get close.

The red-armored master raised his sword above his head with both hands and slashed downwards seven times. The sword was powerful and heavy. This was the top-level sword technique of the Taishan School. Yang Jingyao was able to resist it at first, but when he got to the seventh sword, his arms were numb and he had to dodge in embarrassment. .Old Beggar Peng swung his sword to save him, but before he could get close, the sword was already slashing at him. The two swords struck each other. Old Beggar Peng's right shoulder suffered severe pain and he had to move away. Yang Jingyao came to save him again with his sword.

"Fuck, you can't fight like this!" Old Beggar Peng knew that he was injured and exhausted, so he couldn't get any benefits from a head-on confrontation. He quickly looked around and found an iron shop next to him. He threw away his knife and rushed into the iron shop.

Yang Jingyao fought with the red-armored master and retreated steadily. Old Beggar Peng ran out of the iron shop and attacked the back of the red-armored master with something unknown in his hand. The red-armored master turned around and attacked. Old Beggar Peng put his hands together. He actually caught the blade of the horse-killing sword.

It's a fire tongs.

Old Beggar Peng chuckled and pushed down the sword with both hands.Yang Jingyao swung his knife and hit the red-armored master in the back. However, this man was really strong in martial arts. He kicked Yang Jingyao in the shoulder with a piercing kick from behind. He twisted the knife with both hands to break away from the tongs.Old Beggar Peng flew up and kicked the red-armored master hard in the chest with both feet. The red-armored master vomited blood and fell to the ground. The saber fell out of his hands. Old Beggar Peng was about to step forward to kill him when a loud shout came from behind. Getting up, Old Beggar Peng looked back.

It was the Songshan flag, and the west gate was easily broken through without any hindrance. Hundreds of Songshan disciples rushed to the east gate to help.

Yang Jingyao also saw it.Not only that, the east gate city wall had also been lost. Shen Huaiyou supported Xu Yi, who was seriously injured, and Mu Qing slowly retreated from the city wall under the protection of the only four remaining guards. The Mount Tai flag had been erected on the city wall.

Old Beggar Peng sighed and looked at Yang Jingyao.Yang Jingyao was kicked badly and there was blood at the corner of his mouth. He still smiled at Old Beggar Peng, stood up slowly, and held the knife in front of him.

After losing, Old Beggar Peng smiled, threw away the tongs, spread his hands, and picked up his sword.At least he could hold on for one more night and let the Mujiazhuang people escape, so his work would not be in vain.

The red-armored master staggered to his feet. He was kicked dizzy by Old Beggar Peng. When he saw the saber fell in the middle of the road, he stepped forward and bent down to pick it up.

With a loud "bang", a tall horse from nowhere knocked the red-armored master away. Immediately behind him was a monk wearing armor. This sudden turn of events shocked Shen Huaiyou, Old Beggar Peng, and Yang Jingyao.

"Kill!" The Shaolin flag was raised in the south, and a large number of monk soldiers rushed out on horseback and scattered the Songshan team.Reinforcements are coming?Old Beggar Peng was stunned, took a deep breath, and walked towards Yang Jingyao with tired steps to meet Shen Huaiyou.

The three of them leaned against the city wall, panting, their whole bodies aching, watching the Shaolin monk soldiers fighting with the Songshan disciples.

"Are we holding on?" Yang Jingyao asked.

Shen Huaiyou nodded: "It should be said that Shaolin defended it."

"Where is the monk? Is he okay?" Old Beggar Peng sat softly on the ground, covering his right shoulder where the arrow was hit with his left hand, and bared his teeth and said, "I still have to rely on him to heal my wounds."

"There are many monks here, which one do you want to say?" Yang Jingyao asked.

Shen Huaiyou laughed.

The monk who knocked down the red-armored master rode his horse back to the city gate and looked down at Shen Huaiyou.A sharp arrow came from the side. The monk caught it in the air without looking back.

"Poor monk Ziqiu, who are you?" Ziqiu dropped the arrow and asked coldly.

■

Two days later, Beggar Peng and Yang Jingyao left Mujiazhuang, but Shen Huaiyou was left behind by Zi Qiu.Kunlun has been together for 33 years. These four people met briefly in Mujiazhuang and then went their separate ways. Their descendants did not even know that such a past existed.

And the story that happened in Mujiazhuang has not yet been completed...

(End of this chapter)