Lanting prelude

Chapter 39
After Xiao Junmo and his party left Jingzhou Jiangling, they drove nearly a hundred miles overnight, and then hired a large sailboat at a ferry on the north bank of the Yangtze River, took five Yanqi horses aboard, and then went eastward along the Yangtze River, passing by Yue Zhouzhou, Ezhou and other places, seven or eight days later, they landed in Jiangzhou on the north of Pengli Lake, and then stayed overnight all the way, passing through Huangshan, Shezhou, Muzhou and other places, and finally crossed the river, and finally arrived in more than ten days. Yuezhou Shanyin.

Although there are many checkpoints along the way, because the five of them are all wearing Xuanjiawei uniforms, and Xiao Junmo is originally a Xuanjiawei, able to deal with Yuru, so they can pass the level smoothly every time.This journey was basically unimpeded, and Xiao Junmo relaxed a lot. The only thing that bothered him was that Biancai would drag him to discuss the new leader with everyone every day.

Hua Ling'er was the most active about this, always singing along with Biancai, and calling him "Leader" over and over again, making Xiao Junmo dumbfounded.Chu Lisang obviously agreed with this, but he was more reserved and reserved, not as exaggerated as Hua Linger.Mi Mancang is also very supportive of this, but his reason is not "to fight against Mingzang and protect the world", but because Xiao Junmo is more capable of repaying the twenty gold owed to him after becoming the leader.

These days, it's not that Xiao Junmo hasn't thought about this matter deeply, but after all, he feels that he is too young, lacks experience in the world, and is not capable enough to lead such an ancient and huge organization.On the night of arriving at Shanyin, in an inn in the south of the city, Biancai called everyone together again, and brought up the old story again.Xiao Junmo had no choice but to truthfully express his concerns.After listening to the debate, he said: "Xiao Lang, hasn't the poor monk talked about it many times? I'm afraid you don't have experience, so I can help you!"

"Yes, leader, we can all assist you and be your right-hand man!" Hua Ling'er said happily.

Xiao Junmo was silent for a moment, then suddenly looked at the debater and said, "Master, I have an idea."

"what idea?"

"You come to be the leader, and I will assist you."

The debater was taken aback for a moment, and then smiled wryly: "The poor monk is already at this age. In terms of experience, he still has some experience, but how can he have the ability to be the leader?"

"The mage is too modest." Xiao Junmo said, "You are the left envoy, the number two figure in the Tianxing League. It stands to reason that no one is more qualified to succeed the leader than you."

"What's the use of Zuo Shi? If we really want to talk about seniority, Wang Hongyi is the master of Mingzang and a descendant of Wang Xizhi. Isn't he more qualified than me?"

Xiao Jun was speechless.

"Xiao Lang, you also understand the truth. Only those who have both ability and virtue are qualified to be the leader of the Heavenly Punishment Alliance. Although the poor monk thinks that his virtue is not bad, his talents are really limited!"

Xiao Junmo thought about it again: "Master, there are so many sub-helms in the Tianxing League, can't we find someone who is both loyal and capable?"

"No, I recognize you as the leader now, and I don't recognize anyone else!" Hua Ling'er interjected.

Xiao Junmo smiled wryly: "Miss Hua, everyone knows what you think, so let the envoy Zuo speak first, okay?"

Hua Linger pouted.

"Mage, think about it carefully." Xiao Junmo said to Biancai, "Among the helmsmen of the Heavenly Punishment League, who are reliable and talented?"

Biancai pondered for a while, and said: "Thinking about it carefully, it's not that there is nothing."

Xiao Junmo's eyes lit up: "Quickly tell me, who is there?"

"There is a sub-rudder in Yangzhou. The rudder leader is called Yuan Gongwang. He is loyal and calm. He has done a good job in the tasks assigned by the leader back then. If you want to talk about a person with both ability and political integrity, he can be counted as one."

"What's the name of this branch?"

"Dancing fish."

Xiao Junmo thought about it quickly, and blurted out: "Imagine the Yimin track, and the leftover sound is good to play. The ancients chanted the dance, and today they are also happy with this. Is this person a descendant of Yuan Qiaozhi, the general of Longxiang in the Eastern Jin Dynasty?"

"Exactly."

Yuan Qiaozhi belonged to the Yuan family in Chenjun, and was also one of the famous aristocratic families in the Eastern Jin Dynasty. He wrote a four-character poem and a five-character poem respectively at the Orchid Pavilion.What Xiao Junmo quoted just now was only half of the five-character poem. The full text is:
Looking at Hua Linmao in all directions, looking up at Qingchuan Huan.The strong water flows fragrant mash, and the tired heart is scattered.

Daydream of Yi folk track, the leftover sound is good to play.The ancients chanted and danced with Yu, and today they are also happy with Si.

"Master, besides this Yuan Gongwang, who else?" Xiao Junmo asked.

Biancai thought about it again: "Qizhou, Xuzhou split the helm, Yu Shiqi. This person is shrewd and capable, and he is also very loyal to the leader."

"Looking up at the empty boat, bowing down and sighing at the guests of the world. Although the glory of the morning is like clouds and joy, it will return to itself at night." Xiao Junmo chanted casually, "Is this person the descendant of Yu You and Brother Yu Yun?"

Biancai nodded: "To be precise, it is Yu Yun's descendant. Yu Yun is the first helm master of Xu Zhou."

The brothers Yu You and Yu Yun belonged to the Yu family in Yingchuan, which was also a prominent family in the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Together with the Wang family, Xie family, and Huan family, they were also known as the four major noble families in the Eastern Jin Dynasty.Yu You wrote a four-character poem at the Lanting Meeting, and Yu Yun wrote a five-character poem.What Xiao Junmo just quoted was Yu Yun's poem.

"Master, is there any more?" Xiao Junmo asked again.

Biancai shook his head and sighed: "After hundreds of years of turmoil, some sub-rules have no successors and have disappeared in the rivers and lakes, and some are now in high positions in the court, so I won't mention it."

A high position in the court?
Xiao Junmo suddenly remembered Wei Zheng's Linchuan sub-helm, and the "Xuanquan" lurking in the court, which has not been exposed so far.He just wanted to inquire about the real identity of this Xuanquan with Biancai, but after thinking about it, it is not the time to inquire about it, so he said: "That's enough, mage, these two are enough! The junior thinks, let's take out the "Orchid Pavilion Preface" After reconciling the seal of the alliance, we should go to meet Mr. Wu Yu and Xuzhou for a while. If they are still loyal to the Tianxing League and they are willing, they might as well choose one of them to be the leader of the alliance."

"I don't agree!" Hua Ling'er said loudly, "I don't know them before, why should I push them to be the leader?"

Xiao Junmo smiled wryly: "Miss Hua, didn't we both know each other before? Why do you have to push me?"

"But now I know you! Not only do I know you, but I also know you very well. I know that you are a man of courage, strategy, love and justice, and a handsome and handsome man. Isn't that enough?"

Chu Lisang smiled coldly: "Miss Hua, we are electing a leader, not a husband. What does it have to do with being personable and handsome?"

"Of course it has something to do with it!" Hua Ling'er stared, "I'm happy to let me listen to a handsome man's orders; but if I'm asked to listen to a bad old man, then I won't do it!"

When the four present heard the words, except for Mi Mancang who heard it happily, the other three couldn't help frowning.

"Miss Hua," Xiao Junmo couldn't help but his face darkened, "The Zuo envoy is here, who is more suitable to be the leader, and what criteria should be used to select someone should be decided by him, not by you, right?"

"I..." Hua Ling'er was at a loss for words, and turned to ask Biancai, "Zuoshi, tell me, what should I do?"

Biancai let out a long sigh and looked at Xiao Junmo: "Xiao Lang, are you really unwilling to take on this responsibility?"

Xiao Junmo smiled wryly: "Master, this junior is really hard to take on a big responsibility. Taking a step back, even if this junior does not make a shallow promise, he still needs the support and support of the sub-helms below, right? Otherwise, what can an empty leader do? Now that there are still Yuan Gongwang and Yu Shiqi are two suitable candidates. We should go to them and discuss this matter with them. Wouldn't it be more justifiable for the younger generation to be the leader of the alliance, and the younger generation can also do it with peace of mind?"

Hearing the words, the debater couldn't help smiling, and nodded frequently: "Xiao Lang is still thoughtful! You are right, but the poor monk was negligent."

"Left envoy, please forgive me for being disrespectful." Hua Ling'er spoke again, "I think Xiao Lang's words are completely unreasonable."

Xiao Junmo smiled: "Then please tell Miss Hua, why am I being unreasonable?"

"Xiao Lang, let me say that you have been in the officialdom anyway, why don't you understand people's hearts? How many people in this world don't like power? Let alone the power that comes to your door for nothing? According to what you said, let's take the leader's Da Yin sent it to people in a hurry, I think it's strange that the surname Yuan and the surname Yu don't grab their heads, how could they not want to?"

"Miss Hua, don't think of everyone in the world so badly." Xiao Junmo said with a faint smile, "There are many villains in the world who fight for power and profit, but there are also gentlemen who are indifferent to fame and wealth. If Yuan Gongwang and Yu Shiqi are both loyal and loyal as Zuo Shi said I believe that they will consider this matter from the perspective of the survival of the organization and the safety of the world, instead of, as you said, looting as soon as they see the leader's seal."

"Hmph!" Hua Ling'er sneered, "In my opinion, you are the only gentleman who is indifferent to fame and fortune, and others are smart, not as stupid as you!"

"Yeah, I'm just not smart enough, so I said I'm not suitable to be the leader!" Xiao Junmo smiled, grabbed her words, and attacked his own shield with his own spear, "But you still insist on letting me be the leader, Isn't this harming me and the Sky Punishment Alliance?"

"You...you're not smart enough, but you've been smart all your life, and you've been confused for a while!" Hua Ling'er felt that she was clearly reasonable, but for some reason she was at a loss for words.

"Isn't this still very dangerous?" Xiao Junmo spread his hands, "What if I get confused and just kill the organization?"

"I...I can't say no to you." Hua Ling'er stomped her feet angrily, "Anyway, I recognize you as the leader, and I won't recognize anyone else!" After finishing speaking, she turned around angrily and went out, slamming the door behind her .

Everyone looked at each other, Xiao Junmo smiled wryly.

In the early morning of the next day, at dawn, Xiao Junmo and his party came out of the inn in casual clothes. Under the leadership of Biancai, they rode their horses towards the southwest.

Today, they are going to complete the most important thing of this trip - take out the original "Lanting Preface" and the cup of heavenly punishment.

Biancai told them that these two things were buried on Mount Lanzhu.Xiao Junmo couldn't help being a little excited when he thought that after going through all kinds of difficulties and dangers, he would finally see the true face of "Lanting Preface" and see through all the secrets hidden behind it.

Lanzhu Mountain is located more than 20 miles southwest of Shanyin County, and it didn't take long for everyone to arrive at the foot of the mountain.Xiao Junmo already knew when he investigated Biancai before that this is the place where Wang Xizhi and his friends held the Orchid Pavilion.Under the midsummer sun, Xiao Junmo looked around and saw the mountains covered with verdant greenery, and occasionally there were one or two waterfalls hanging on the cliffs like Bailian. It was just as Wang Xizhi described in "The Preface to the Orchid Pavilion": there are lofty mountains here. , luxuriant forests and bamboos, and there are clear and turbulent streams, reflecting the left and right, leading to the flowing water...

The debater took the lead and led the crowd on the winding mountain road.

"Master, as far as I know, when you and Master Zhiyong left Jiangling and returned to Yuezhou, you lived in seclusion in this mountain, right?" Xiao Junmo asked.

Biancai smiled: "Is there anything else that Xiao Lang doesn't know about the poor monk?"

"That's all that this junior knows." Xiao Junmo said, "By the way, when it comes to this, I remembered that a few years ago when King Wei compiled "Kuo Di Zhi", he seemed to have sent many people here Come, I don't know what I'm looking for."

"Now that things are going on, Xiao Lang still can't guess what they are looking for?"

Xiao Junmo smiled: "Of course we can guess now. I think they must be looking for Master Zhiyong's tomb, or a stupa or something like that."

"Xiao Lang's guess is right. It's a pity that even if they dig this mountain all over, they can't find it."

"In my opinion, after Master Zhiyong passed away, he must have not repaired the tomb or erected the pagoda?"

"Xiao Lang is still smart." Biancai smiled wryly, "If the first master built the tomb and erected the pagoda, then all the people in the world who covet the "Lanting Preface", whether it is the king of Wei, the emperor or Ming Zang, can find them one by one according to the map. Yet?"

While talking, the people came to a dense bamboo forest, and the horses could not get in, so they tied the horses to the side of the mountain road, and then walked into the bamboo forest.This bamboo forest is huge, deep and quiet. At this time, the sun is shining brightly outside and the heat is steaming, but the bamboo forest is cool and cool.The mountain breeze is coming slowly, blowing across the cheeks, blowing the rustling of bamboo leaves, which is even more refreshing.

After walking for about a quarter of an hour, Biancai led the crowd out of the bamboo forest, and in front of them was an open space in a mountain depression.What Xiao Junmo didn't expect was that there was actually a forest of pagodas hidden here. Looking around, there were nearly a hundred tomb pagodas of different heights and shapes.In Xiao Junmo's impression, it seems that he has only seen such a magnificent pagoda forest in Shaolin Temple in Songshan.

"Master, why are there so many tomb towers here?" Xiao Junmo was surprised.

"This place has beautiful mountains and clear waters and is far away from the hustle and bustle. Isn't it the best place for monks to bury their bones?" Biancai said indifferently, "Since the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties for hundreds of years, many famous monks have been buried here, such as Wang Xizhi's friends from other places. Master Zhidun."

Xiao Junmo knew that Zhi Dun was a generation of eminent monks in the Eastern Jin Dynasty. He was proficient in Laozhuang and studied Buddhism deeply. He practiced Taoism in the temple in Shan County. , When he entered, he spoke and chanted the text. He once went to Beijing to preach Buddhism, and later passed away in Shan County, but he didn't know that his tomb tower was here.

When everyone came to the center of the pagoda forest, Biancai pointed to a brick pagoda more than three feet high and said, "This is the spiritual pagoda of Master Zhidun." Xiao Junmo followed his words and saw a hexagonal brick pagoda with a single floor and dense eaves , there is a tower brake on the top, the tower body in the middle, and the Xumizuo below, with seven folded eaves, which looks very imposing.

Generally speaking, there will be a tomb or underground palace under the tomb tower.Xiao Jun thought to himself, what he was looking for today must be hidden under a certain tomb tower.

After a while, Biancai led the crowd to the northwest corner of the tower, and stopped in front of an ordinary tomb tower.

Xiao Junmo immediately realized that there must be an underground palace under this tomb tower, and the area is not small.Because it is located on the edge of the entire Tallinn, there will be enough underground space to build the underground palace.Thinking of this, Xiao Junmo began to look carefully: the tower is square, less than two feet high, with a single layer and single eaves, mixed with brick and stone, the tower gate, tower brake and tower inscription are all carved with bluestone, and the tower body is made of bricks .Xiao Junmo paid attention to the inscription, which was vaguely engraved with the words "Master of the Upper Way and Xiayin".

Master Daoyin?

Xiao Junmo frowned slightly, and tried his best to recall whether there was one of Wang Xizhi's Fangwai friends named Daoyin, but after much deliberation, he found nothing.He only remembered that besides Zhi Dun, there was Zhu Daoqian among Wang Xizhi's other friends, but he had never heard of this Daoyin.

"Xiao Lang was thinking, who is this Master Daoyin?" Biancai saw through his thoughts.

"Yes, the junior is ignorant and knows nothing about this mage."

Biancai chuckled: "It's not that you are ignorant, but that there has never been such a person in the world."

Xiao Junmo was startled, and then burst out laughing.

Obviously, this is a fake tomb tower to deceive people.Before Wang Xizhi passed away, it was undoubtedly a very clever way to build such a fake tomb tower to hide the "Lanting Preface" and the Cup of Heavenly Punishment.Because the so-called Master Daoyin did not exist at all, naturally no one knew his relationship with Wang Xizhi, so it was impossible to suspect that there was something wrong with the tower.Therefore, even if King Wei's people found this tower forest before, they never expected that these two things would be hidden in this tomb tower.

Biancai ordered Chu Lisang and others to pick up some thick branches to use as torches, then went around to the side of the tomb tower, squatted down, and groped around a foot high.Xiao Junmo noticed that a brick seemed to be loose, and then saw Biancai pull out the brick, and then put his hand into the brick hole.Suddenly, there was a muffled sound from the pagoda door, and the heavy stone door slowly moved to the left until it was about a foot wide, allowing one person to enter sideways.Xiao Junmo saw that there were descending stone steps behind the door, and the stone walls on the stone steps and on both sides were covered with moss because they had not seen light for a long time.

The crowd lit the torches with a scythe and flint, and then led by the eloquent, each person filed in with a torch.

The stone steps are not too long, only a dozen or so steps. Halfway down, Biancai groped on the right side of the stone wall again, found a small hole, put his hand in as usual, felt a mechanism, pulled it hard, and the tower door behind him It closed with a bang.

When everyone went down to the bottom of the stone steps, there was a bronze door in front of them. When they illuminated it with a torch, they saw four palm-sized reverse characters engraved on it: "Liu Shang Qu Shui".Xiao Junmo looked at it and immediately understood that these words were the mechanism of the Tongmen, and the three cups they retrieved from Jiangling were undoubtedly the key to open the Tongmen.

To be precise, the key to open the bronze door in front of you is the round cup, because a neat circle is carved out of the four characters "Liu Shang Qu Shui", which is exactly the same size as the round cup, and Xiao Junmo still remembers that the round cup The writing method of the character on it is exactly the same as the character "饭" on the bronze door in front of you.

Sure enough, Biancai took out the round cup from his bosom, and buckled the side holding the engraved word on the word "cup" on the bronze door - the round cup was engraved in Yang, and the bronze door was inscribed in Yin, and the buckle fit perfectly.Immediately afterwards, Biancai pressed hard and turned the round cup to the right, and the copper door made a muffled sound, and slowly moved to the left, revealing a door opening about a foot wide as before.

Chu Lisang, Hua Ling'er, and Mi Mancang looked at each other, feeling that their eyes were wide open.

Everyone entered the bronze gate and walked through a narrow and long corridor. At the end was another bronze gate. The characters engraved on it were "one cup and one chant", and the outer frame of each character was a regular square. The corresponding key is of course Fang Shang.

Looking at the characters on the bronze door, Xiao Junmo suddenly realized that both "Liu Shang Qu Shui" and "One Cup and One Chant" came from "Orchid Pavilion Preface", which means that Wang Xizhi cast and carved the round cup with the former character "cup", and the latter one The character "奶" was cast and engraved on Fang Shang, but Xiao Junmo carefully recalled that the word "奶" only appeared twice in "Orchid Pavilion Preface", so where did the word "饭" on the corner cup come from? Woolen cloth?
At this time, Biancai had already opened the second bronze door with Fang Shang, using exactly the same technique as before.After the door was opened, a square tomb appeared in front of my eyes. I saw a Buddhist niche carved on the stone wall opposite the door. Inside was a three-foot-high standing stone statue of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. On the lotus seat, the upper seat is engraved with "the hell is not empty, and you will not become a Buddha", and the lower is engraved with "only when all living beings are exhausted can you prove Bodhi".

Xiao Junmo looked around the entire tomb, and found that there was nothing but this Bodhisattva statue, and he couldn't help but wonder: what is the use of the remaining cup?Where are the authentic works and the seal of alliance hidden?
Chu Lisang and the others also looked at Biancai suspiciously.

Biancai saw the confusion of the crowd, smiled faintly, went to the stone statue, knelt down and bowed three times, then got up, and stretched his hands behind the lotus seat.I don't know where he moved, but there was a muffled sound, and the lotus seat on the lower floor actually moved, and then slowly moved to the left.

Xiao Junmo and everyone were very surprised. They thought that the bottom lotus seat must be used for load bearing, but they didn't expect that it could be separated from the upper lotus seat and the whole statue of Bodhisattva.Xiao Junmo held up the torch and looked around, only to find that the Bodhisattva statue and the back of the upper lotus seat are actually integrated with the stone wall behind, and it is no wonder that they have to bear weight.Such an unexpected design is enough to show how painstaking efforts Wang Xizhi took to hide the "Lanting Preface" and the alliance seal.

After the lotus seat was completely removed, a hole was exposed underneath.Bending down, Biancai struggled to take out a rectangular copper box with a top from the inside.Xiao Junmo hurriedly helped him put the copper letter on the ground together, and then saw the five characters "Three cups to solve the punishment of heaven" engraved on the cover of the letter, and the border of the words was exactly hexagonal.

There is no doubt that the key needed for this copper letter is the horn cup.

Xiao Junmo had been thinking just now, there are only two characters for "饭" in "Lanting Preface", so where did the third character for "饭" come from?Now I finally know that the last word "cup" comes from Wang Xizhi's five-character poem.In other words, Wang Xizhi wrote a total of five or six hundred characters at the Orchid Pavilion, among which he wrote three characters for "cup", two from "Preface to Lanting" and one from a five-character poem, with different writing methods and characters. , and then used these three characters to cast and engrave three cups respectively.

Biancai took out the corner cup, still using the same technique, buckled the positively engraved "cup" on the negatively engraved reversed "cup", then pressed it hard, and turned it to the right again, and the cover of the letter clicked. opened.Biancai lifted the cover of the letter and took a deep breath. Xiao Junmo and others gathered around with torches, only to see that the copper letter was covered with several layers of colorful silk, presumably the original handwriting and the alliance seal were wrapped in it.

The debater looked around at the crowd, then solemnly lifted layers of silk, and took out a complete bronze Pixiu from it.But seeing the word "Heavenly Punishment" engraved on the left side of Pixiu's body, and the word "Zhicup" engraved on the right side, this is the token of the leader of the Heavenly Punishment League.Then, Biancai took out another black paper bag, suddenly raised his head and said to the crowd: "Put the fire away."

Xiao Junmo and others hurriedly took the torch away.

Biancai stared at the paper bag for a while, and then slowly opened the mouth of the bag, and took out a roll of postcards. The postcards were mounted on dark yellow cloud pattern silk, looking solemn and simple.Then, Biancai untied the silk rope on the scroll, and slowly unfolded the copybook with an unusually solemn expression——the true face of Lushan Mountain in the world's first running script "Preface to Lanting", was exposed in front of Xiao Junmo and everyone.

Looking at the words that are floating like clouds and astounding like a dragon, and appreciating the unrestrained, charming and elegant brushwork of this calligrapher, Xiao Junmo seemed to see the Yixing Trent Wang Xizhi holding the mouse whisker brush in his hand, The scene of splashing ink on the silkworm cocoon paper, Li Shimin's evaluation of Wang Xizhi's calligraphy also came to mind at this moment:
A detailed study of ancient and modern times, intensive study of seal script, perfect and perfect, only Wang Yi rarely!Look at the workmanship of pointing and dragging, the ingenious cutting, the smoke is scattered and the dew is knotted, and the shape is broken but still connected;If you don't feel tired after playing, you can't understand it when you look at it...

Apart from appreciating the beauty of calligraphy, Xiao Junmo pays the most attention to the eloquent "Zhi" characters in the original works.As expected, the facts were as he had expected. The [-] characters for "Zhi" written by Wang Xizhi in "Lanting Preface" were indeed different from each other!According to Xiao Junmo's previous speculation, it is likely that Ming Zang did not have the insignia of each sub-rudder in his hand, so he did everything possible to find the authentic "Lanting Preface", so that he could use these different "Zhi" characters to copy the insignia of each sub-rudder, so as to order they.Therefore, Xiao Junmo concluded at that time that these twenty "Zhi" characters with anti-counterfeiting functions are likely to be the core secret of "Lanting Preface", at least one of the core secrets.Now it seems that these inferences should be correct.

Seeing Xiao Junmo's concentration and silence, the debater said: "Xiao Lang, what do you think when you see the calligraphy of the ancient calligrapher?"

"It's as light as a frightened bird, graceful as a wandering dragon, full of chrysanthemums, and luxuriant pine trees. It's as if the moon is covered by light clouds, and the snow flutters like the flowing wind." Xiao Junmo chanted casually, "The younger generation feels that Cao Zhi is here This beautiful sentence in "Luo Shen Fu" is the most suitable to describe the scriptures of the calligrapher."

The debater laughed: "Xiao Lang escorted the poor monk here after a narrow escape, probably not just to appreciate Wang Xizhi's calligraphy?"

Xiao Junmo also smiled, and then explained the secret speculations about "Lanting Preface" and the confirmations he got now.Hearing the words, the debater couldn't help laughing: "Xiao Lang is indeed very wise, and he can even guess this. That's right, these twenty "Zhi" characters are one of the secrets of "Lanting Preface". Tibet will do whatever it takes to get it."

"Father," Chu Lisang asked curiously, "Since this is just one of the secrets, it means that there are other secrets in "Lanting Preface". What exactly are they?"

Biancai glanced at Xiao Junmo, and said with a slight smile: "Unless we elect a new leader, Dad can only say it, otherwise... this secret can only be a secret."

"Leader!" Hua Ling'er couldn't help but said to Xiao Junmo, "you should agree soon, stop moaning! A man, can't you show some courage to do your part? Thanks to me, I have always regarded you as a hero Woolen cloth!"

"That's because you misunderstood the person, I'm not a hero." Xiao Junmo said lightly, "What's more, didn't we agree at the inn before, after taking out these two things, we went to Yuan Gongwang and Yu Shiqi to discuss with them Make a decision later?"

"That's what you said, I didn't agree." Hua Ling'er rolled her eyes.

Xiao Junmo suddenly thought of something, so he ignored her, and said to Biancai: "Master, I still have some questions about the Heavenly Punishment Alliance. I wonder if you can enlighten me?"

The debater smiled, lifted the hem of his robe, and sat cross-legged on the ground: "Xiao Lang, how can you say that you are also a candidate for the new alliance leader now, and you should know about the affairs of the alliance, so why don't you teach me?"

"Then thank you so much, Mage." Xiao Junmo also sat on the ground.Seeing this, the other three people also sat down around the copper box, sitting in a circle invisibly.

"Where does Xiao Lang want to ask?"

"Everything has a destiny, so please start from the beginning." Xiao Junmo said, "First of all, what this junior wants to know most is why Wang Xizhi established the Tianxing League?"

"Xiao Lang is familiar with history books. He should also know that the ninth year of Yonghe, Emperor Mudi of Jin Dynasty, was the time when the Eastern Jin Dynasty was in trouble at home and abroad. There were powerful enemies outside and generals fighting for power. , and worried about the world, but he was powerless about the current situation, so he took advantage of the Lanting meeting to convene representatives of the major noble families at that time to discuss how to save the world. The core issue was to discuss whether to establish a It is a secret organization that is not swayed by power struggles and can secretly protect the world. Fortunately, this proposal has won the support of most of the participants, so the Tianxing League came into being."

What the debater said was completely consistent with the judgment made by Xiao Junmo when he checked the historical materials in the Secret Pavilion.However, after the establishment of the Tianxingmeng, Xiao Junmo didn't know anything about "protecting the world" things.Thinking of this, he immediately raised a question.

"In the eighth year of Taiyuan, Emperor Xiaowu of Jin Dynasty, the battle of Feishui broke out between the Eastern Jin Dynasty and the former Qin Dynasty. Xiao Lang must be familiar with it, right?" Biancai asked back.

"Of course." Xiao Junmo said, "This is a classic example of the weak defeating the strong in history. The Eastern Jin Dynasty only had [-] soldiers, and defeated the former Qin Fu Jian who claimed to have a million troops. In fact, there were more than [-] troops, which seriously damaged the vitality of the former Qin Dynasty. , and then took advantage of the Northern Expedition to regain a large area of ​​homeland south of the Yellow River in one fell swoop, which can be called a key battle to save the Jin Dynasty from peril."

"That's right. Then Xiao Lang should know who the Eastern Jin side is commanding this battle?"

"It's Xie An, uncle and nephew Xie Xuan. Xie An is the coach at the rear, and Xie Xuan is the general at the front."

"Then do you know who Xie An, Uncle Xie Xuan and Nephew Xie Xuan are except for their identities?"

Xiao Junmo said without hesitation: "Since Xie An participated in the Orchid Pavilion and wrote a poem, he is naturally a member of the Tianxing League."

The debater nodded: "At the Lanting meeting, the Xie family established a sub-rudder called Xitang, Xie An was the first helm of Xitang, Xie Xuan was the right envoy of Xitang. When the Battle of Feishui broke out, Wang Xizhi had passed away for more than 20 years So, Xie An was the actual decision-maker of the Sky Punishment Alliance at that time."

Xiao Junmo came to a sudden: "So, the victory of the Battle of Feishui must have something to do with the Heavenly Punishment Alliance?"

"Exactly. It is no exaggeration to say that if there is no Sky Punishment Alliance, the Battle of Feishui would definitely have a different outcome."

When Xiao Junmo read history when he was young, he was deeply impressed by the Battle of Feishui. At the same time, he also found that many things in it were difficult to explain with common sense. Now that he knows that the Tianxing League participated in it, all the mysteries can be easily solved.

The eloquence seemed to see his thoughts: "Did Xiao Lang have many doubts about this period of history?"

Xiao Junmo nodded: "The younger generation was studying history at the beginning. When I read this passage, I was indeed full of doubts. The first thing I was puzzled was Xie An's attitude before the war. It is said that at that time, the former Qin soldiers suppressed the situation and Jiankang was terrified, but Xie An On the eve of the war, he was calm and composed. Xie Xuan went to ask for instructions on how to fight this battle, and he only said four words: "There is another purpose." At that time, I didn't understand what Xie An meant, let alone I understand why he is so calm in the face of a strong enemy. Now it seems that Xie An has obviously completed the secret deployment of the Tianxing League, so he is so calm. The superficial meaning of "has another purpose" means that the court has another purpose, but the real The meaning should be to imply that Xie Xuan: He has already made arrangements for the Tianxingmeng. After that, Xie An deliberately left the capital Jiankang and ran to the villa in the mountains. According to the history books, it was a "collection of relatives and friends", and played Go with friends Villa. According to common sense, this is also inexplicable. The big battle is imminent, but you invite friends in the mountains, gather and play chess. The rudder masters of the sub-rudders of the subordinates convened together to give instructions. The reason why they left the capital and went to the mountains was precisely to avoid the eyes and ears of the court, and the so-called "go gambling villa" is also an act of deceiving people's eyes and ears."

The eloquent heard the words, smiled and nodded.

Although Chu Lisang, Hua Linger and Mi Mancang were not familiar with history, they all listened to it with great interest.

"Xiao Lang, your analysis is in line with the facts." Biancai said, "Other than that, what doubts do you have?"

"Of course there is." Xiao Junmo continued, "My second doubt is the tactics of the Eastern Jin side in the Battle of Feishui. According to historical records, the former Qin army pressed against the west bank of Feishui to form an array, separated from the Jin army. However, Xie Xuan sent someone to tell Fu Rong, the younger brother of Fu Jian, the forward leader of the Qin army, to ask the Qin army to step back a little, and the Jin army will cross the river to fight them on the west bank. This is obviously a violation of the law of war. Big taboo. First, because Qin is strong and Jin is weak, the Qin army’s strategy must be to strive for a quick battle, while the Jin army’s best strategy should be to avoid the enemy’s edge, fortify the wall and clear the field, and use the Feishui natural danger to fight the enemy for a long time. But the facts are just right On the contrary, it is completely unreasonable and unbelievable that Xie Xuan took the initiative to ask for a battle. Second, in many battles in history, the opponents were "half crossed" when they attacked and won. Fu Jian and Fu Rong were planning to Only by adopting this tactic will we agree to Xie Xuan’s request and take the initiative to retreat. In this way, the Jin army is halfway across the river, and the Qin army can launch an attack. The defeated one must be the Jin army’s side, but the final fact happens On the contrary: Xie Xuan led [-] cavalry to successfully cross the Feishui River, defeated the Qin army in one fell swoop, and beheaded Fu Rong. It seems too strange to win the victory so easily, and it always makes people feel very unreal , if it is not recorded in the history books, I am afraid that this is a fabricated story."

The debater laughed: "Then Xiao Lang, do you still remember, what specific details make you feel like you made up?"

Xiao Junmo thought about it for a while, and said: "I remember, when the history books said that when the Qin army retreated, it used these eight words: 'The Qin army then retreated, and it was impossible to stop.' It means that when the Qin army retreated on its own initiative, suddenly It's a mess, and it's out of control. Such a record is very suspicious, since the Qin army retreated on its own initiative, and Fu Rong is not an idler, how could it be chaotic as soon as it retreats?"

"Yes, Xiao Lang's suspicion is very reasonable. Now the poor monk can give you the answer: among the Qin army, they have already entered the secret operation of the Tianxing League, and there are a lot of people, so although Fu Rong took the initiative to lead the troops Withdrew, but at the critical moment, they were disrupted by the lurking members of the Heavenly Punishment Alliance. It was precisely because Xie An had buried this pawn long ago that Xie Xuan was instructed to take the initiative to invite the battle. If not, it would be as you said, It is a big taboo in the art of war."

"No wonder!" Xiao Junmo was stunned, and immediately thought of something, "Also, according to historical records, after the Qin army's formation was in disarray, Fu Rong' rode a little in the formation, and those who retreated with command fell, and were killed by the Jin soldiers'. Such details are also doubtful, Fu Rong stepped forward to press the battle, and the horse he was riding was actually overwhelmed by the rebels, now it seems that it must be the secret work of the Tianxingmeng who is lurking beside him, right?"

The debater smiled: "As far as I know, on the eve of the war, the secret agents of our alliance secretly fed crotons to Fu Rong's mount."

Xiao Junmo laughed dumbly.

Croton is a very powerful laxative. If Fu Rong's horse was really fed with croton, it would definitely be "fed for a thousand miles" and its hooves were weak. No wonder it fell down when it was squeezed by the soldiers.However, how did the people from the Tianxing League break into the Qin army?And he can also lurk around Fu Rong's side and do tricks secretly. The level is definitely not low. Who would such a person be?
Xiao Junmo tried his best to recall the historical materials he had read back then.Suddenly, a name jumped into his mind.

"Mage, could this member of the Heavenly Punishment Alliance lurking inside the Qin army be... Zhu Xu, the former Xiangyang guard of the Jin army?"

"What is the basis for Xiao Lang's judgment?" Biancai looked at him with great interest.

"As far as I know, this Zhu Xu was trapped in Xiangyang for a year, and finally the city was broken and captured, and he surrendered to Fu Jian. After that, he was appreciated by Fu Jian and was appointed Minister of Duzhi. In the battle of Feishui, Zhu Xu also followed Fu Jian Jian and Fu Rong went to the front line. If I remember correctly, this Zhu Xu played a vital role on the battlefield at least twice."

"Oh? Let's hear it."

"The first time, on the eve of the Great War, Fu Jian and Fu Rong captured Shouyang and confronted Xie An's younger brother Xie Shi's troops. Neither of them could figure out the reality of the other. Therefore, Fu Jian sent Zhu Xu to the Jin Army At this time, Zhu Xu provided Xie Shi with important information about the Qin army. He told Xie Shi: Although the Qin army is said to be in the millions, most of its troops are still on the way and have not yet reached the front line. The Jin army should Seize the opportunity to take the initiative to attack, defeat the enemy's vanguard, and dampen their spirit. Xie Shi got the information and ordered Xie Xuan to send the fierce general Liu Laozhi to lead [-] elite troops to attack Luojian. As expected, the Qin army's vanguard was defeated. It is known as the "Luojian Great Victory" ', thus winning the first battle of the Battle of Feishui, which greatly boosted the morale of the Jin army..."

"Is this Fu Jian trusting Zhu Xu so much?" Chu Lisang interjected, "He was sent to persuade him to surrender, but instead of being persuaded to surrender, he sent information instead. Afterwards, Fu Jian didn't suspect him at all?"

"Exactly!" Hua Ling'er also said, "I think this Fu Jian is really out of his mind!"

Xiao Junmo smiled: "To be honest, when I read this paragraph in the book, I had the same doubts as you, but now it seems that the reason why this Zhu Xu was able to win Fu Jian's appreciation was because he held an important position in the former Qin court and was able to When the two armies confronted each other, they got this so-called opportunity to persuade them to surrender, successfully sent out the information, and finally they were safe and sound. The reason why Fu Jian did not arouse suspicion was that he was a member of the Tianxing League. In other words, as an ordinary general, I am afraid that It is impossible, only spies who have received long-term training from secret organizations can be competent. Therefore, I even suspect that this Zhu Xu was originally on a special mission to break into the Qin army on his own initiative..."

The debater laughed loudly: "Xiao Lang is really sharp! You are right, Zhu Xu is an important member of Xitang Duo of the Tian Xing League. At the beginning, he stood in Xiangyang for a year, without food and grass, and without reinforcements. He prepared to die for the country, but received a secret order from Xie An at the last moment. Xie An told him: follow the plan, give up resistance, and pretend to surrender to Fu Jian, so as to break into the Qin army and play a role in the future."

"Xie An is really not a simple person!" Xiao Junmo couldn't help but admire, "This plan not only saved Zhu Xu's life, but also took the opportunity to plant a hidden stake around Fu Jian, laying a solid foundation for future victories, it is really clever In this regard, it is no accident that the Jin Dynasty was able to defeat the strong with the weak in the Battle of Feishui! No wonder Xie An was so calm and confident before the battle."

"By the way, Jun Mo," Chu Lisang said, "You just said that Zhu Xu played two key roles, what is the other one?"

"It's even more powerful this time!" Xiao Junmo said, "According to historical records, on the day of the decisive battle, Xie Xuan had just led his troops across the Feishui River, and when the Qin army's formation was a little bit chaotic, this Zhu Xu was behind the Qin army's formation. Shouting: "The Qin army is defeated!" So the Qin army was in chaos at once, each fled and trampled on each other. Worth a hundred thousand troops!"

The eloquent stroked his beard and nodded: "Xiao Lang's words are very true. Zhu Xu spent four years in the enemy's camp and tried his best. This cry is naturally deafening and resounds through the sky!"

"Then Fu Jian's so-called army of millions lost just like that?" Hua Ling'er looked surprised, "Why do I feel that this battle is a bit confused!"

"This is the power of secret warfare." Xiao Junmo said, "On the surface, it seems that Xie Xuan and the Qin army are facing each other in Feishui, but in fact, it is Xie An who is strategizing in Jiankang, and the people who command the Tianxing League are on the hidden front. A secret battle was waged without anyone noticing. If Zuoshi hadn't revealed the mystery today, none of us would know the truth behind the battle of Feishui."

"Father," Chu Lisang asked Biancai, "Did the Heavenly Punishment League send anyone other than Zhu Xu during the Battle of Feishui?"

"Of course!" Biancai said, "To tell you the truth, Xie An sent out all the nineteen branches of the Heavenly Punishment League at that time, and none of them were left behind."

Hearing this, Xiao Junmo thought about it quickly, and suddenly said: "Master, if my prediction is correct, people from the Heavenly Punishment League should be indispensable for Luojian's great victory."

Biancai smiled: "How did Xiao Lang see it?"

"According to historical records, there were 5 vanguard troops of the Qin Army stationed in Luojian at that time, while Liu Laozhi who attacked Luojian had only 5000 people. It was originally outnumbered, but it is said that Liu Laozhi divided his troops and made a detour. In the rear of the Qin army, such a style of play is obviously contrary to common sense. It is easier to be defeated by the enemy when the army is only [-]% of the opponent's strength. Isn't it easier to be defeated by the enemy? Looking at it now, I dare to conclude that Liu Laozhi definitely did not divide his troops , those who launched a surprise attack from the rear of the Qin army must be the ambush soldiers arranged by Xie An, that is, people from the Tianxing League."

"That's right. Before the battle, the Tianxing League ambushed five sub-helmsmen in Luojian, with a total of no less than 3000 people, and each of them has the courage to stand up to ten."

"Then let me guess again." Xiao Junmo continued, "Historical records show that after the great victory in Luojian, Fu Jian climbed to the top of Shouyang City, looked at the swaying vegetation on Bagong Mountain east of Feishui, and thought it was Jin soldiers in ambush. , so I was very afraid, so later generations came up with the idiom "vegetation and trees are soldiers". But now it seems that what Fu Jian saw was not grass and trees, but real ambushes, but it was not the army of the Jin Dynasty, but the army of the Tianxing League. Split the helm, right?"

"Haha!" Biancai couldn't help laughing, "Xiao Lang guessed right again. At the time on Bagong Mountain, at least seven or eight sub-helms of the League were ambushed. Now, you have seen through the idiom 'every tree is a soldier', and An idiom, I'm afraid it's hard to escape Xiao Lang's eyes."

"Any other idioms?" Chu Lisang asked.

"The wind is rumbling." Xiao Junmo blurted out.

"What do you mean by 'the sound of the wind and the cranes'?" Hua Ling'er rushed to ask.

"According to the history books, after the Qin army was defeated across the Feishui River, the dead who died by self-indulgence, covered the wild Saichuan. Those who left thought that the Jin soldiers were coming, and they dared not rest day and night. Hunger and cold, seventy-eight out of ten dead'. This is the origin of the "sound of wind and cranes". Looking at it now, if there is really an ambush in "All trees and trees are soldiers", then "sound of wind and cranes" is more than just the sound of wind and birdsong. "

"That's right!" Biancai clapped his hands and laughed, "Before the battle, Xie An had predicted the route of the Qin army's rout, so he ambushed the rest of the Heavenly Punishment Alliance's rudders along the way, and then repeated the route of the rout. The harassment, coupled with the freezing weather at the time, eventually killed seven or eight out of ten of Fu Jian's 10,000+ army, and when they returned to Luoyang, there were only more than [-] people left."

"However, even though the Heavenly Punishment Alliance made great contributions in this battle, its existence cannot be known to the world anyway." Xiao Junmo took over, "For this reason, after the Battle of Feishui, Xie An tried his best to cover up the fact that the Heavenly Punishment Alliance The historians of the Jin Dynasty can only vaguely record all the clues in this battle. Because of this, when people of later generations read this period of history, like us, they will be puzzled and feel that many things are hard to explain with common sense. Am I right, mage?"

"Yes, Xie An did cover up afterwards, and it was out of necessity."

"Father, apart from the battle of Feishui, what did the Tianxingmeng do to protect the world?" Chu Lisang asked.

"Later, Xie An led the Northern Expedition and regained a large area of ​​old land south of the Yellow River. Naturally, the Heavenly Punishment League also contributed a lot. It is a pity that Xie An's meritorious achievements were tabooed, so he had to retreat bravely and take the initiative to delegate power. After that, the Heavenly Punishment League temporarily fell silent, but guarded the world. His will has never changed. Over the next two hundred years, whenever the world changed hands and dynasties changed, the Tianxing League actually participated and promoted it behind the scenes. Forces intervene, and even manipulate the change of dynasties, determine the ownership of the monarchy, and determine the direction of history. The Tianxing League has only one purpose in doing this, and that is to assist the Ming Lord and clarify the sea, so that the people of the world can live and work in peace and contentment, no longer subject to war and tyranny For example, the founding monarchs of the Southern Dynasties, Emperor Wu of Song Liu Yu, Emperor Gao of Qi Xiao Daocheng, Emperor Wu of Liang Xiao Yan, Emperor Wu of Chen Chen Baxian, all received the full support of the Tianxing League in the process of achieving their imperial careers. To put it bluntly, this For more than 200 years, the emperors of the Southern Dynasties have changed back and forth like a revolving lantern. It seems that the situation is changing and chaotic. In fact, there is a force behind it that has never changed, and that is the intervention and control of the political situation of the previous dynasties by the Tianxing League.

"However, perhaps it was due to the lack of talent of the successive kings of the Southern Dynasties, or because of God's will, the unification of the world that the Tianxingmeng has always hoped for has never been realized on these people. It was not until the Northern Zhou Dynasty that Yang Jian, the powerful minister of the Northern Dynasty, replaced Zhou Li Sui. In just a few years Then a prosperous and powerful Great Sui Dynasty was established in the north, which seemed like a generation of heroes. Zhi Yongcai, the former teacher of the leader at that time, suddenly realized that the Tianxingmeng had been looking forward to the unification of the world for more than 200 years, and it was likely to be under Yang Jian. Therefore, in the process of the Sui Dynasty conquering the Chen Dynasty and unifying the world, the Tianxing League, which had always regarded the Southern Dynasty as Zhengshuo, resolutely abandoned the licentious Queen Chen and turned to support the Northern Dynasty. Father and son Yang Jian and Yang Guang spared no effort to help.

"After that, the world that had been divided for hundreds of years was finally unified. Yang Jian, Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty, lived up to everyone's expectations and worked hard to create a "rule of the first emperor" of Guotai Minan and Heqing Haiyan. In this regard, Master Zhiyong was very pleased. Unfortunately, this The prosperous age only lasted for more than 20 years. After Sui Yang Emperor Yang Guang succeeded to the throne, he extorted violently and resorted to military tactics, resulting in the rise of warlords from all directions, and the world fell apart again. Adhering to the purpose of the alliance, "if a country has the way, it will be concealed, and if the country has no way, it will be revealed." Zhiyong first The master immediately mobilized the power of the Tianxing League to resume the action of protecting the world, and sent some sub-rudders to Wagang to assist Li Mi. At the same time, he personally led Mingzang, Xitang and other sub-rudders to Jiangling to assist Nanliang Xiaoxian..."

Hearing this, Xiao Junmo discovered that Wei Zheng had concealed the truth from him at the beginning. In fact, Wei Zheng was already a member of the Tianxing League before joining Wagang, including his adoptive father Xiao Henian.Thinking about this, Xiao Junmo couldn't help interrupting the debate: "I'm sorry, mage, but I'm sorry, junior, to hear what you mean, Tian Xingmeng deliberately divided the treasures on several heroes, right?"

Biancai smiled: "The idea of ​​betting is interesting. That's right, in troubled times, the Heavenly Punishment League does this. They never bet on one person, because that would be too risky. Unless the general situation of the world is clear, Only the Sky Punishment Alliance will fully support a certain person."

"Then after Li Mi descended to the Tang Dynasty, Wei Zheng and his father turned to assist the then crown prince Li Jiancheng, probably under the order of the leader Zhiyong?"

"Yes, at that time, the leader of the alliance had already seen that among the separatist regimes in the four directions, Li Tang's forces were likely to come from behind, so he issued an order to Wei Zheng."

"Did Lu Shiheng, who was at the helm of Wuya, assist the King Qin at that time, did he also follow the orders of the leader?"

"Lv Shiheng is a pawn that the lord placed next to the King of Qin very early on. It's not an assistant, but just kept there to watch in case of emergencies."

Xiao Junmo was thinking about something, and suddenly became a little confused: "As far as I know, after Mingzang left Jiangling, he also went to Chang'an to assist Prince Yin, so why didn't he know about the existence of Wei Zheng Linchuan Duo?"

"This is exactly the painstaking effort of the leader. Because Mingzang's ambitions had been exposed at that time, the leader was worried that he would deviate, so he didn't tell him about Linchuan. The purpose was to let Wei Zheng spy on Mingzang to prevent him from doing anything. Extraordinary move."

"But Mingzang knows about the existence of Lu Shiheng Wuya Ruo?"

"Of course. Wuya is the secret rudder, and he was originally responsible for defending Mingzang's main rudder, so Mingzang not only knows its existence, but can also directly order Lu Shiheng."

This situation is consistent with what Xiao Junmo had grasped before.He thought about it again, and said, "Master, can it be said that since Li Mi's defeat and Xiao Xian's fall, the lord has actually bet all his treasures on Prince Yin Li Jiancheng?"

"It can be said that. Because the general situation of the world was basically clear at that time, Li Tang's victory was already determined, and Li Jiancheng was the heir of the Tang Dynasty, so there was no reason not to detain him."

"It's just that the lord and the world never expected that there would be a Xuanwu Gate change in the ninth year of Wude?"

"Actually, since the four years of Wude, the king of Qin relied on his unrivaled military exploits to wipe out all the heroes, and his ambition to win the heir became increasingly inflated. In the next few years, the king of Qin and the crown prince fought openly and secretly. Everyone saw it, and the leader naturally knew it clearly. But in the eyes of the leader, with Mingzang and Linchuan protecting the crown prince, and Wu Ya as a hidden stake placed on Qin Wang's side, even if the two sides meet in the end, the chances of winning must be on the crown prince's side." Biancai After a pause, he continued, "To tell you the truth, Xiao Lang, at that time the lord had already issued orders to Linchuan and Wuya respectively. On the one hand, he ordered Linchuan Wei Zheng to urge the prince to act first, and on the other hand, he ordered Wuya Lu Shiheng to look for opportunities to assassinate King Qin." ..."

Xiao Junmo was startled.

If Wu Ya had followed the orders of the leader, the history of the Tang Dynasty would have been different.

"However, the leader did not expect that Prince Li Jiancheng had been indecisive and indecisive, thus missing the opportunity; what the leader did not expect was that Lu Shiheng not only did not obey the leader's order to assassinate King Qin, but also failed to send out the information that King Qin was going to do it in time. On June [-]th, De Nine Years, he defected and helped King Qin kill the prince..."

"So, by doing this, Lu Shiheng betrayed Mingzang and the leader at the same time?"

"Yes."

"Then Ming Zang killed Lu Shiheng later, was it his own idea, or was it ordered by the leader?"

The debater was startled, and then smiled wryly: "Look where Xiao Lang is thinking, the former master Zhiyong is not only the leader of the Heavenly Punishment Alliance, but also a generation of eminent monks, how could he give such an order to kill innocent people?"

Xiao Junmo smiled apologetically: "I'm sorry Master, it's the younger generation who made a slip of the tongue."

"Furthermore, after the outbreak of the Xuanwumen Incident, the former master had already recognized the reality, and reconsidered King Qin. The former master found that although King Qin's practice of murdering his brother and forcing his father and usurping power was disgusting, but But you have to admit that his strategy, courage and ability are all higher than that of Prince Yin. Given time, he may become a talented and generous emperor. The crown prince, the former Ministry of King Qi, this further proves that he has the potential to be a holy lord and Mingjun, and he is very likely to create a peaceful and prosperous world comparable to the "Government of the Kaihuang" in the future. For this reason, the former teacher Zhiyong after repeated thinking and weighing After pros and cons, I finally issued a sleep order to all the sub-helms of the Tianxing League, and told the poor monk before passing away that once King Qin achieves great order in the world, I will take back the three cups, and then destroy the original "Lanting Preface" and the token of the leader. Let the Heavenly Punishment Alliance disappear in the rivers and lakes."

"There should be a factor of Mingzang that prompted the leader to make this determination, right?"

"Yes. In the ninth year of Wude, after the death of Prince Yin, Mingzang returned to Yuezhou, forcing the former teacher to hand over the power of the leader, and prepared to gather the power of the entire Tianxing League to deal with Li Shimin and avenge Prince Yin. The former teacher tried his best to dissuade him. Tell him that the mission of this alliance is not to protect a certain person or a certain force, but to maintain the peace of the world and the peace of the people. Even if Li Shimin's position is not right, as long as he can care about the people and stabilize the world, the Tianxing League should not be with him However, Mingzang couldn't listen to it at all. In desperation, the first teacher had no choice but to issue the order to sleep, and at the same time destroyed the Yin seals of each sub-rudder, and hid the "Lanting Preface" and the League seal in this tomb, and finally passed away safely. Zuo Hua. After the poor monk finished dealing with the funeral of his predecessor, he quietly left Yuezhou and hid in Yique, Luozhou under his name, and Xiao Lang knew everything that happened after that."

Xiao Junmo was stunned.

So far, many mysteries about "Lanting Preface" and Tian Xingmeng have finally been solved one by one. Together with why his adoptive father Xiao Henian risked his life to protect these truths, Xiao Junmo finally found the answer—in fact, whether it is Zhiyong, Biancai, or Wei Zheng With my father, and many members of the Tian Xing League, what they protect at all costs, even with their lives, is neither the original "Lanting Preface" nor the Tian Xing League itself, but the peace of the world and the well-being of the people!
Xiao Junmo suddenly discovered that the mission of the Heavenly Punishment League to protect the world almost coincided with his ambition to help the world and save the people that he had born since he was a child.In this sense, Xiao Junmo felt that the reason why he got involved in the mystery of "Lanting Preface" and went through all kinds of difficulties and dangers step by step to where he is today, is that there are already arrangements in the dark...

Now, there is one last mystery left about "Lanting Preface", that is, besides twenty different "Zhi", what secrets does it hide?
Xiao Junmo had a premonition that this secret must be of great importance, and might even determine the life and death of the Heavenly Punishment League.

(End of this chapter)