It was also the Mid-Autumn Festival.
In the west of Jiangning, there was a hall called the "New Tiger Palace" that was brightly lit.
Jiangning was the place where the Kang King, Zhou Yong, had lived for most of his life. Ever since he became the Emperor, although he had encountered a great calamity in the early stages of the Jianshuo Dynasty and was so frightened that he had to flee out to sea in the later stages, eventually dying at sea, Jiangnan had absorbed the population of the Central Plains in the eight or nine years of the Jianshuo Dynasty and could be said to have prospered. Back then, many people had boasted about this situation as the Jianshuo Emperor's' peaceful rule '. Therefore, a few temporary imperial residences and gardens were built in his hometown, Jiangning.
This "New Tiger Palace" was one of them. It was originally called the "Changyu Garden", but after the Equity Party entered Jiangning, it changed hands twice. After it landed in Xu Zhaonan's hands, it changed its name. This was to make it a stronghold for the Chakravarti King's faction.
At this moment, the main hall of the palace was resplendent and filled with heroes.
The figure sitting at the very top of the hall had a huge body and was shaped like an ancient Buddha. It was the 'number one martial artist in the world', the 'Cult Leader of the Great Radiant Sect', Lin Zongwu, who had arrived in Jiangning a few days ago.
On the left side of Lin Zongwu sat a blue-robed burly man. This person had a wide forehead, eyes like a phoenix, and a solemn expression. He had an awe-inspiring aura, and next to him was one of the Five Great Kings of the Equity Party, the 'Chakravarti King', Xu Zhaonan, who was extremely famous in the entire Jiangnan.
Before the uprising, Xu Zhaonan had been a branch leader of the Great Radiant Sect. He had made use of the Great Radiant Sect's foundation to make a rallying cry, and many responded. At this moment, the followers of the 'Chakravarti King' numbered in the millions. Even the elite troops numbered in the hundreds of thousands. In terms of structure, his faction had already firmly suppressed the Great Radiant Sect which had a loose structure. However, he was different from the vicious and cunning 'Descended Mystic Maiden' in the Land of Jin. From this seating arrangement, it could be seen that this powerful 'Chakravarti King' still maintained absolute respect for the old cult leader of the past.
On the right side of Xu Zhaonan was the Vice Cult Leader of the Great Radiant Sect, Lin Zongwu's junior brother, 'Mad Tiger' Wang Nantuo.
When Wang Nantuo was young, he had made a name for himself with his fists and kicks. After Fang La's uprising failed, he, Lin Zongwu, and Sikong Nan made a comeback. His martial arts were still on par with Chen Fan, who was one of the strongest in the younger generation. However, he had injured his arm in a baffling battle in Vaud a few years ago. Coupled with his age, his actual skills were no longer as good as before.
However, in Jianghu, martial arts often didn't decide everything. Wang of was the time. was Yi of Wang was was Li, Fang of World, Wang, and the Sect. Yang City. where he, and, and, and, and, of the Sect had. Wang, he, Xu Xu Palace, had, and had, he, and had, had, and had, he had, and had, Of Of., Now that Lin Zongwu had arrived, no one dared to look down on this ferocious tiger who was past his prime, even with their past friendship.
Further down from Wang Nantuo, 'Heaven Blade' Tan Zheng, 'Jackdaw' Chen Juefang, 'Martial Tyrant' Gao Huiyun, 'Monkey King' Li Yanfeng, 'Five Net Slash' Tang Qinghua, 'Tuohe Sanren' Xu Longbiao, and many other famous experts, members of the Great Radiant Sect, and members of the Fairness Party's' Chakravarti King 'lined up in the hall.
These people were either highly respected and renowned grandmasters in the Jianghu, or they already had amazing skills at a young age. Some of them had an astonishing force of influence, and some of them had already proven their abilities on the battlefield. In the past, they were all arrogant and unruly, and it was difficult for them to submit to others. Only a small portion of them had received pointers from the old cult leader, Lin Zongwu.
However, this was the fourth day since Lin Zongwu had arrived in Jiangning. In the past three days, he had been commenting on everyone's skills and sparring with them. However, with just this display, the terrifying skills under his huge body had already shocked everyone. Even the Chakravarti King's Great General 'Martial Tyrant' Gao Huiyun, who was said to be proficient in all kinds of weapons and was more focused on military affairs, truly understood what it meant to be able to defeat an entire country.
On this basis, in addition to the fact that everyone talked about the Great Radiant Sect's efforts in resisting the Jin Dynasty over the years, as well as the tragic and stirring way in which countless members of the Great Radiant Sect had advanced wave after wave under the Sect Master's lead, even the most rebellious person had to admit that this Sacred Sect Master's life was a legend. They showed their respect to him.
In reality, the Fairness Party now had a vast territory. Chakravarti King Xu Zhaonan had been working near Lake Tai, but after hearing the news of Lin Zongwu's arrival, he had rushed back to Jiangning through the night. He had only entered the city this afternoon.
When he saw Lin Zongwu, this leader, who could be considered one of the top powers in the world, immediately apologized for his negligence and even knelt down to apologize. Lin Zongwu was very pleased with his respect. After a harmonious conversation, Xu Zhaonan immediately gathered all the important members of the Chakravarti King's faction in Jiangning. After this mid-autumn meeting, Lin Zongwu's honor and status as the 'Grand Emperor' of the 'Chakravarti King's' faction was basically established.
The grand meeting was solemn at first, but it gradually became joyous and harmonious. After the meeting ended, Lin Zongwu and Xu Zhaonan walked to the side hall at the back. The two of them set up a tea table in the courtyard of the side hall and chatted for a long time in private.
After Xu Zhaonan took his leave, Wang Nantuo walked into the side hall. The table, chairs, and tea that Lin Zongwu and Xu Zhaonan had sat down and chatted with were still in the courtyard. On the side, there was a platform that led upwards. The palace wall on the other side of the platform had already collapsed, so when they walked up here and looked through the dilapidated wall, it became a small balcony that overlooked half of Jiangning. He saw his massive senior brother standing there with his hands behind his back, muttering to himself as he faced the bright moon and the lights that filled the entire city.
"... Senior Brother," Wang Nantuo said.
Wang Nantuo said as he stood beside Lin Zongwu, looking at the flames in the city with him. He knew that Lin Zongwu and Xu Zhaonan had probably exchanged words for the first time. However, he did not ask about how things had developed or what plans Lin Zongwu had.
"Junior Brother." After a while, Lin Zongwu spoke. "... Do you still remember Fang La?"
"... Of course I do." Wang Nantuo nodded.
Lin Zongwu stood there and looked forward. After another period of silence, he said, "... Thirty years ago, his martial arts were extraordinary and he unified the sacred cult. From then on, heroes gathered from all over the world and suppressed the world. Among those people at that time, not to mention the shockingly talented Tyrant Blade Liu Dabiao, Fang Baihua, Shi Bao, Li Tianrun, and the other characters, just the two brothers Fang La and Fang Qifo were vaguely invincible in the world. I once said that there would be a day when they would replace him. "
Lin Zongwu's words were calm but also slow as he told the last person he had confided in the world about what had happened back then.
"Say, if we were to fight today and you and I were to fight against Brother Fang La, who do you think would win?"
Wang Nantuo thought for a moment. "Senior Brother's martial arts have improved immeasurably over the years. No matter if it's Fang La or Fang Qifo, they would definitely lose to Senior Brother. However, if we were to fight against the two of them, he would probably still win and I would lose … It's me, Junior Brother, who has dragged them down. "
Lin Zongwu turned his head to look at Wang Nantuo, whose hair was as messy as a lion's, and shook his head with a smile. "I'm old. Fang La and Fang Qifo have both passed away in their prime. None of them have lived to our age, so based on this, it's you and I who have won."
Wang Nantuo frowned. "Senior Brother … But that Xu Zhaonan …"
"It has nothing to do with Xu Zhaonan. I think of Zhou Dong. "
In front of the small balcony was a dilapidated palace wall. On the other side of the gap, a bright moon descended from the vast sky. In front of the gap, the huge monk had his hands behind his back as he raised his head to look at the bright moon in the sky. Previously, he had been talking about Fang La, but for some reason, the one he was thinking of now was Zhou Dong. His tone was slightly melancholic.
When Wang Nantuo saw this, he could not help but feel complicated. What suddenly appeared in his mind was a poem that had been rather popular in the martial world for the past few years. It was called:
A cup of wine in the spring breeze of peaches and plums, ten years of lanterns in the martial world during the night rain.
For over ten years, the lanterns had been scattered, and the only thing the two of them had to face was the dilapidated city in front of them. Although they had a lofty status, in reality, who could understand the regrets in their hearts?
...
"Xu Zhaonan is a good seedling. I also know why Junior Brother called me down south this time."
The two of them looked at the scenery in front of them for a while before Lin Zongwu turned to walk away with his hands behind his back. Wang Nantuo frowned. "Senior Brother …"
Lin Zongwu raised a hand and interrupted him.
"In the few days that we've been in Jiangning, Xu Zhaonan's two sons have been the ones to entertain us. If I wanted to take their lives, it would be as easy as flipping my hand. Little Xu's arrangements have been very sincere. Today, when we entered the city, he disregarded his status and knelt down to greet me. He's already done his best with etiquette. "Adding on the fact that we're in his territory today, he's taking a risk by inviting me to a seat of honor. For a junior to be able to come this far, us seniors should know what's good for us. "
"Senior Brother, this is what he should do."
"Everything in the world depends on who has the power. There's nothing that he's destined to do. However, Junior Brother, you're right. If he wants to inherit the legacy of our Great Radiant Cult, these things are what he should do. "
"Senior Brother …"
Lin Zongwu walked down while Wang Nantuo followed behind him. At this moment, he understood what Lin Zongwu meant and wanted to refute him. However, his words were stuck in his throat. Actually, although he hadn't thought too much about it when he went south to look for his senior brother, it was hard to say if he had such thoughts in the depths of his heart. However, now that he realized it, he only felt terrible.
Lin Zongwu sat down in front of the tea table and pointed to the seat opposite him. Wang Nantuo walked over. "Senior Brother, I actually … didn't …"
"I know. We're brothers, so there's no need to say so much. Actually, I was the one who thought most of this myself. "
He waved his finger and had Wang Nantuo sit opposite him. He then washed the teapot, teacups, and stirred up the charcoal fire. Wang Nantuo stretched out his hand to help, but his hands were clumsy and were far from being as calm as his senior brother.
"… In the 14th year of Jinghan, I heard that the imperial court punished the Right Minister and banned the Office of Secret Investigations. I led a team to the north and intercepted Qin Siyuan at Immortal Vermilion Town. He and his wife committed suicide by consuming poison, looking down on me, a person who could take his life at any time."
"A scholar like that dog Elder Qin has always been arrogant and ignorant."
"He mentioned Zhou Dong." Lin Zongwu sighed slightly. "Zhou Dong's martial arts were known as the best in the world when he was in charge of the Imperial Fist Dojo. During those years, there were heroes from the underworld who came to challenge the dojo, and Zhou Dong received them all. You and I both know that Zhou Dong yearned to be a general in the army and lead a team to kill enemies. But in the end, he only led a group of people from the pugilistic world to assassinate Ni Han in Xinzhou City … "
"He died because of this, and Qin Siyuan, who had always looked down on the people of the pugilistic world, admired him because of this. That old man … used these words to provoke me. Even though his intention was to hurt me, the consistent thoughts of these people were clear. " Lin Zongwu chuckled. "Tonight, I'll be sitting in that seat, looking down at the people below me … Junior Martial Brother, we've always wanted to be Fang La, but in the end, perhaps we can only be Zhou Dong. A martial artist can only take ten steps at most … "
"I've only seen it clearly in recent years," Wang Nantuo said. Wang Nantuo said, "Practicing martial arts and controlling subordinates are two completely different things in the end."
"Yes." Lin Zongwu fiddled with the teapot on the stove. "After the Land of Jin failed to resist the Jin Dynasty, I've been thinking about these things. This time, when you told me about Xu Zhaonan, I was moved. The heroes of the pugilistic world are old, and we will have to leave one day. The Great Radiant Sect has been in my hands for so many years, but other than resisting the Jin Dynasty, it hasn't done much … Of course, the specific plan still depends on Xu Zhaonan's performance in the Jiangning Meeting. If he can handle it, there's no harm in giving it to him. "
Wang Nantuo looked at the flames in the stove. "… Senior Brother, have you ever considered Ping An?"
"Haha … Hahahaha." Speaking of Ping An, Lin Zongwu laughed, and his laughter gradually became louder. "Junior Brother, could it be that you think that I originally planned to pass the Great Radiant Sect to him?"
"… He is, after all, Senior Brother's last disciple."
"Ping An will have his own path. He has to think about it and find it himself. My expectations for him are far from just the conservative Great Radiant Sect. If he's interested in it in the future, he can just snatch it for himself. If he's not interested, he should have freedom in front of him. He should be able to do things that we can't do, or become a general or a minister … "Lin Zongwu said this passionately. At this moment, he paused for a moment, picked up the teacup, and poured tea for Wang Nantuo before pouring tea for himself." … or live a peaceful and happy life. "
After saying this, the two of them fell silent for a moment. Then, Wang Nantuo picked up the teacup, and Lin Zongwu did the same. They raised their cups and drank a mouthful.
After a while, Wang Nantuo said, "Xu Zhaonan and Senior Brother have discussed everything?"
Lin Zongwu nodded. "What Little Xu said … is very interesting."
"Is there anything that I can know?"
"You and I are brothers, so there's nothing to hide. It's just that I'm also thinking about all the crucial points." Lin Zongwu smiled. "After entering the city for the past few days, I've heard people talking about the gathering of the five factions, or which faction is going to lead the fight against Zhou Shang or Shi Baofeng. Of course, the overall situation is uncertain, but overall, it's still an opportunity for the Equity Party to sort out their differences and get rid of some of the dregs, then unite as one."
"That's what I think too." Wang Nantuo nodded, then smiled. "Although the hatred between Jackdaw and the others and Zhou Shang is hard to resolve, we still have to find a way to let go of these messy grudges for the sake of the big picture.
"However, Little Xu talked to me about a possibility. Although it might not happen, it's … quite sensational."
"…" Wang Nantuo frowned as he looked over.
"Little Xu said … that this time, it might turn into the Equity Party's Wang Hewen against the four factions. When that time comes, it will really become … a huge fight."
Wang Nantuo thought about it and found it hard to believe. "The four factions … discussed to get rid of Hewen? Who really wants to be promoted? "
"It's not him."
Lin Zongwu shook his head.
"It's He Wen's family. They want to get rid of the four factions without negotiation or leaving any leeway. They want to start an all-out war."
"How is that possible?" Wang Nantuo lowered his voice. "Has He Wen gone mad? Although he's the current King of Equity, and the main faction of the Equity Party is on his side, in terms of territory and manpower, whether it's us or King Yanluo Zhou Shang, we've already surpassed him. He can't even fight one against two, let alone four! Isn't that just courting death? "
"I think so too." Lin Zongwu held the teacup, his gaze reserved as doubt flickered in the depths of his eyes. "Indeed, I came down this time because I'm an ordinary man. With my name, I might be able to pull in more followers. With my martial arts, I can suppress the other arenas in Jiangning City. He borrowed a knife to kill, but there are also ways to borrow a knife openly or with ulterior motives … "
"If he told me openly what he wanted and I nodded my head after some consideration, that thing would naturally be his. But if he has ulterior motives and has greater ambitions but is hiding them and not willing to say it clearly, then this trip to Jiangning … won't be so simple. "
Lin Zongwu's voice was calm and slow. He had wandered among the evil intentions of the world for dozens of years. Although he didn't have any achievements in the political arena of the highest level, he wasn't someone who could be easily deceived. The meeting in Jiangning had just begun, and all parties were trying to rope in external help. There were many variables, but even so, there were still some developments that seemed absurd at this moment. Although Xu Zhaonan had some foreshadowing and statements, it was impossible not to think deeply about what was contained within such an absurd conjecture.
Wang Nantuo also thought of this point. After a moment of silence, a fierce glint flashed in his eyes.
"I'll investigate this in private. If it turns out that Little Xu's words are just to trick you into killing He Wen and allowing him to climb higher. Senior Brother, I'll personally take action to clean up the faction. "
"It's still early. Let's wait and see. When it's time to make a move, there's no need for Junior Brother to do it. "
Lin Zongwu smiled. "Moreover, it's not a bad thing to have ambition. We're here because of his ambition. As long as this meeting in Jiangning goes smoothly, the Great Radiant Sect will belong to him. "
At this moment, the moonlight quietly illuminated the land. In the city, the light of torches and oil lamps extended bit by bit. Many figures gathered under the dim light or in the darkness, following their own desires and leaving their own traces. Some were like a group of demons dancing wildly, while others were vague and thought-provoking … There were too many desires here, and there were also too many mysteries.
Under the moonlight of the New Tiger Palace, Lin Zongwu and Wang Nantuo stood up from the tea table and smiled.
"In any case, we still have to do what we need to do. Tomorrow morning, we'll call Chen Juefang and go to Zhou Shang's Five Directions Arena. We'll see how many punches and kicks the arenas set up by these people can withstand."
"With Senior Brother taking action, their arenas are probably going to collapse."
"Hehe, but what's with Chen Juefang's injuries today? His Qinggong is outstanding, but when I looked at him today, he seemed to have knife wounds all over his body … "
Their voices slowly blended into the silver glow of the bright moon. At this moment, in the noisy Jiangning City, Xu Zhaonan was the only one among the Five Kings of the Equity Party who had entered the city early because of Lin Zongwu.
The arrival of the 'Chakravarti King' had stirred up a secret undercurrent. A portion of the 'Chakravarti King's' subordinates had learned of this matter and became even more flamboyant. On the Undead Guard's side, in order to capture the man and woman who had caused trouble last night and force Zhou Shang's people to hand over the traitor Miao Zheng, 'Jackdaw' Chen Juefang had led his men to sweep through several of Zhou Shang's venues after the banquet at the New Tiger Palace. You Hongzhuo walked in the shadows of the city, watching everything that happened helplessly and amusingly...
The moonlight traveled across the horizon. After leaving the boundaries of Jiangning City, there were fewer and fewer lights on the ground. At this moment, on the north bank of the Yangtze River a few miles away from Jiangning City, there was a two-story ship with dim lights floating on the water. From this position, one could faintly see the light of the lights gathering in the distance in Jiangnan.
The 'King of Equity' He Wen was sitting in the cabin reading a book. At this time, someone had already told him about Xu Zhaonan's arrival in Jiangning. In the middle of the night, a small boat approached. The guard on the boat walked in and told him in a low voice that a certain someone had boarded the boat.
A moment later, a figure came in from outside. This figure was covered in a black cloak and handed over a long saber to the guard at the door. After entering, he bowed to He Wen, who had stood up and cupped his hands.
"Greetings, King of Equity."
"How have you been, Lord Qian Ba?"
The hood of the cloak was lowered. The person who had appeared was the 'Feather Blade' Qian Luoning of the Tyrant Blade. In reality, the two of them had been in contact during their time in the three counties of Hedeng, so it was natural for them to meet again.
"It's not easy to travel thousands of miles from the southwest, rushing day and night. Fortunately, we've finally arrived." Qian Luoning looked at the river and the night sky outside the ship and smiled slightly. "King of Equity, you're in a good mood. I wonder if you're admiring the moon and thinking of someone, or are you watching Jiangning and planning something big?"
"To tell you the truth, the moon is full on the Mid-Autumn Festival, and I really think of someone." He Wen wore a long robe and smiled calmly. "Let Lord Qian Ba know that my He family's ancestral home is in Suzhou. I had a wife, children, and parents at home, but they all died in the tenth year of Jianshuo. I'm all alone now. Seeing the moon today, I can't help but feel sad. "
He Wen had been a famous Confucian hero back in the day. He was handsome and had the scholarly air of a scholar. In the past, at Mount Ji, he had pointed out the country and encouraged writing. He had had many debates with a group of young people in the Huaxia army who had been influenced by new ideas, and he had always won over the other party in these debates.
Qian Luoning was the youngest of the Eight Tyrant Blade Heroes. He was even younger than Ning Yi, Watermelon, and the others. He was naturally intelligent, and his talent with the blade went without saying. He was also far more receptive to reading and new ideas than some of his older brothers. Thus, he had been one of those who had debated with He Wen.
When the two of them had met back then, they had their own standpoints and would not give way to each other. Thus, Qian Luoning had mocked him as to whether he was planning something big when they met. This was an act of intimacy, but it also carried some ease and casualness. However, He Wen's chivalrous aura seemed to have completely disappeared. At this moment, his body revealed more of the frailty of a scholar and the clarity of someone who had seen everything in the world. Amidst his smile, his calm and frank words spoke of his longing for his family, causing Qian Luoning to be slightly startled.
He looked at He Wen, and He Wen spread his hands, indicating that he could sit to the side. Qian Luoning hesitated for a moment, then sighed. "You … why did you have to do this …"
"What are you referring to, Brother Qian?"
Qian Luoning did not speak. He sat down on a chair to the side and watched as He Wen sat down as well. He poured tea for him, then swept his gaze over the moonlight and Jiangning outside the window. He said, "How did this happen?"
"What are you referring to, Brother Qian?" He Wen still said the same thing.
"Your Party of Fairness," Qian Luoning said. "And this Jiangning."
He Wen finished pouring tea and put the teapot to the side. He was silent for a moment before he raised his head.
"Did Mr. Ning … say anything?"
"He praised you."
Qian Luoning looked at him.
"Do you believe it?"
Two chapters worth of votes. No need to divide them, just send them out. Everyone just casually counted the votes, and then voted … and so on.
(End of this chapter)
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