Drenched in cold sweat, Yang Ling went to take a bath first and changed his clothes. He had just returned to the rear courtyard when Eunuch Miao rushed over and said anxiously, "Duke, I heard that you were assassinated?"
The sharp-tongued guard had already reported the matter to him.
Yang Ling smiled and said, "It's nothing. I decided to send Feng Lei away at the last minute. No one could predict my whereabouts. Moreover, I have not left the military camp yet, so I was too careless. I really did not expect that someone would follow me out of the camp."
As he spoke, he walked to a chair and sat down. He looked strangely at the fake Zhengde who was still sitting calmly on the side. He did not know what he was doing with such a serious expression.
Miao Kui followed over and grumbled, "Your carelessness nearly scared my soul out of my body. Who in the court doesn't know that you are the white jade pillar that holds up the sky and the purple golden beam that supports the sea in Ming Destiny's court? As the saying goes, a tall tree attracts the wind. His Majesty lives deep in the palace. Those who want to harm the court can't have any ideas about His Majesty, so of course they will think about making a move against you. You have to be careful … "
Miao Kui was bowing and talking to Yang Ling when he also realized that someone was getting in the way. He looked strangely at the fake Zhengde who was sitting there carelessly and did not take the two of them seriously. He could not help but roll his eyes and said unhappily, "I say, why don't you have any eyesight at all? Can't you see that I am talking to Duke? You should move your nest! "
The fake Zhengde was stunned and said, "Gong-gong, didn't you tell me that I must have an imposing manner? No matter who comes, no matter how big the matter is, I must be steady and steady?"
Miao Kui shook his sleeves and did not know whether to laugh or cry. He said, "Then you also have to look at the time. Didn't I tell you to act like one? "
Yang Ling smiled and said, "Hmm, not bad, not bad. You are right to think that way. You must first think of yourself as the Emperor before you can have that kind of imposing manner. Alright, you can go and rest first. Raise your shoulders, make sure you have a good posture. Yes, yes, yes. "
The fake Zhengde was encouraged and became more courageous. He walked out with a swagger. Miao Kui chased after him and said, "Don't wander around in the yard. I have to teach you how to eat later. You have to learn everything. Who knows when I will let you out."
When the fake Zhengde walked out, the Imperial Bodyguards in the rear courtyard had already been ordered by Miao Kui to always treat him as if he was the Emperor. Therefore, as soon as they saw him come out, they immediately saluted him respectfully, and completely in accordance with the standard of serving the Emperor, led him to the most luxurious bedroom.
In the room, Miao Kui poured a cup of tea for Yang Ling and asked nervously, "Duke, what's going on? I heard that they turned from enemies to friends? "
Yang Ling nodded and said, "Hmm, that man is the second master of the Cui family's stronghold, Eldest Cui's sworn brother, Cheng Laoshi. Madman Zhao failed to attack Nanjing. When he crossed the river to break through the siege, he fell into the river and carried a piece of the boat with him. He lost contact with Red Lady's troops.
He hid for a while and waited for the situation to die down before heading north. When he heard that we had surrounded Red Lady's troops here, he thought of a way to sneak in. He wanted to assassinate me to cause chaos and create an opportunity for Red Lady's troops to break through. Now it's all out. "
Miao Kui sighed and said, "Fortunately it was just a false alarm. I was scared to death. Duke, your current status is not ordinary. You have a high position and power, so you must be careful when you go in and out. You can't be so careless anymore. "
Yang Ling laughed dryly and said, "One can be a thief for a thousand days, but one can't guard against a thief for a thousand days. Who can live like this all the time? We haven't even left the camp yet, who would have thought that we would encounter such a thing? In fact, I was also equipped with a gun at that time, but things happened so suddenly that I forgot to draw it. You're right, I will be more careful in the future. After this incident, I will have more experience. "
Miao Kui thought for a moment and said, "Hmm, I've told the guards to keep this matter a secret. No one is allowed to say anything to avoid alarming the criminal. Duke, do you think that Li Fuda can really see through your plan? Should we make it more obvious? Otherwise, if he can't see the problem from these clues and doesn't take the bait, even if we know he is the Maitreya Cult Leader, we can't do anything to him. "
Yang Ling shook his head and said, "This man has been running the Maitreya Cult for many years and has repeatedly escaped the imperial court's pursuit. In the end, he actually managed to sneak into the imperial court. He is definitely not an ordinary person. This man is very alert. We have already given him enough clues. If we add more, it will only arouse his suspicion. Just wait, he will definitely see some clues. Otherwise, he is not worthy of being called Li Fuda. "
Yang Ling picked up the teacup and made an inviting gesture to Miao Kui. He lifted the teacup lid and took a sip of the fragrant tea. He slowly said, "There is such a big scourge hidden in the imperial court. If it weren't for Hong Niangzi recognizing his unique martial arts and us coincidentally recruiting the White Coat Army, it would have been impossible to dig him out. This can be considered as heaven's net having a long and slow net.
But if we follow the normal path, we won't be able to defeat him. For such an imperial court official, we have to report him to the imperial court, temporarily detain him, and investigate him. With his covert means and connections built with a lot of money, it's hard to say whether we can find out the truth or not. Moreover, during this process, the forces he has hidden must have long been prepared, so it will be difficult to catch him in one fell swoop.
Using this method to lure the snake out of the hole is very risky, but we already know his identity and are more prepared than him. If we change the time, he may not be fooled. Therefore, this is a good way to quickly remove the tumor. I have sent a secret letter to Wang Shouren, the commander-in-chief of the three passes, asking him to pay close attention to the movements in Taiyuan City. If Prince Jin makes any movements, immediately send troops to surround Taiyuan City and trap him.
In the capital, I have also written a detailed memorial, quickly reporting our findings, plans, and possible consequences to His Majesty. I want His Majesty to be careful. Although Marquis Wuding has been a noble family for generations, the possibility of him being deceived by Li Fuda is very high, and it is unlikely that he will rebel, but it is better to be safe than sorry. "
Miao Kui rubbed his hands and said with a smile, "Although it is dangerous, pulling out this poisonous fang is also a great achievement. I am afraid that we can't successfully lure him into the trap. It would be best if we can arouse his suspicion, but I don't know how he will react. "
He turned the teacup, thought for a moment, and said, "What does Duke think Li Fuda will do?"
Yang Ling thought for a moment and said, "Li Fuda will not be careless with such a big matter. He will definitely find an excuse to test again. Once he is sure, he will think of all ways to get rid of the Emperor. As for the method … "
He frowned and thought for a moment, then said, "I think we should focus on assassination. Gather the elites of the Maitreya Sect in the army, launch a surprise attack, and kill the Emperor. What else can we do? Will he dare to mobilize troops to attack? What reason will he use to drive those troops? Unless the soldiers of Taiyuan Guards are all his people. But if he has such a great magical power to turn all the soldiers and horses of Taiyuan Guards into his own people, then what rebellion is there? He can directly take over the world … "
Yang Ling spoke without thinking. His eyelids suddenly twitched involuntarily. He raised his head as if he had sensed something. He saw Miao Kui holding a teacup and watching him nervously. The two of them couldn't help standing up together.
Miao Kui said in a doubtful voice, "The militia, the militia that has just been formed … will there be a problem?"
Yang Ling stared at him for a moment before asking in a hoarse voice, "Is it possible? How big of a move is this? The entire militia … are all his people? "
※ ※ ※
Once Li Fuda confirmed the Emperor's possible reaction, Yang Ling had seriously thought about it beforehand. Sneak attacks, ambushes, plots, sending people to poison, sending aces to assassinate, he had thought of all kinds of countermeasures. The only thing he had not thought of was the possibility of the Maitreya Sect leader commanding an army to attack.
This was originally impossible unless Li Fuda had brainwashed the entire army in the two years since he arrived in Taiyuan and completely turned them into his private army. Otherwise, he had no reason to convince all the soldiers to command them to attack the army of the court and the imperial envoy's headquarters.
But if the militia that had just been formed were all Maitreya Sect believers transferred from various places, then this kind of thing was very likely. If this speculation was true, then it would be a matter of great joy. If this force could be completely destroyed, the Maitreya Sect would lose all their elites and suffer a great blow to their vitality. They would not be able to recover to their present scale in a hundred years. But with this, the arrangements that had been made beforehand had to be immediately adjusted, just in case.
Yang Ling did not dare to mobilize a large number of troops to counterattack the militia and the Taiyuan Guards in order to avoid alerting the enemy. He could only use the excuse that the White Bandits in the mountains had run out of provisions to prevent them from forcibly breaking out of the encirclement. He strengthened the defenses of Jingjing Inn. Because of this, the security on the periphery was also tightened. If Li Fuda wanted to use assassination methods, it would be even more difficult to succeed. Using troops to attack was almost his only choice.
But if his prediction was wrong and the militia was not the Maitreya Sect's army, then Li Fuda could not carry out the assassination and did not have the ability to mobilize the troops to take the risk out of desperation. Maybe he would give up this opportunity. Then the plan to lure the snake out of its hole might fail on the verge of success. How to grasp the relationship between the two, how to make an early warning and counterattack, Yang Ling was really racking his brains.
On the afternoon of the second day, Yang Ling and the general of Jingjing Inn's garrison, Lord Luo, had just finalized the defense plan in the study when Liu Dachui hurriedly rushed in and cupped his fists to report, "Lord Duke, the commander of Taiyuan Guards, Lord Zhang, requests an audience."
"Zhang Yin?" Yang Ling's heart thumped. He had finally come!
Although Yang Ling wholeheartedly wanted to lure him into the trap, now that this criminal who had escaped from the imperial court's encirclement many times, the elusive dragon's head and tail for more than ten years, and finally the Maitreya Sect's leader who had mixed into the imperial court as a high-ranking official, had really come, Yang Ling's heart became restless.
Commander Luo observed Yang Ling's expression and thought that Lord Duke and Zhang Yin had a close personal relationship and did not want him to know about their interactions. He hurriedly got up and said, "Lord Duke, you are busy. I will take my leave first."
"Oh? Good, good! " Yang Ling woke up with a start and chuckled, "Dachui, please invite Commander Zhang to the living room to serve tea. I will come back after seeing Commander Luo off."
Lord Luo was flattered. He repeatedly declined and was sent out by Yang Ling. As soon as he left the courtyard, Yang Ling immediately rushed to the backyard to inform Miao Kui, asking him, the captain who disguised as Zhengde, and other bodyguards to prepare and act according to the situation. He hurriedly took a set of soft armor and put it on under his robe. He also took a short gun and loaded it, carefully hiding it in his sleeve. Only then did he calm down and slowly walked to the living room.
Li Fuda's nervousness was no less than Yang Ling's, but he was confident that he could lure Zhengde out.
The Maitreya Sect had attracted many rich and powerful families to join the sect and had amassed a large number of rare treasures, many of which were antiques. The current emperor loved music and martial arts. If such a young emperor heard of the appearance of treasures such as "Jiaowei Zither" and "Mengde Sword", he would not have the patience to wait until he left to appreciate them.
As long as Zhengde was really in the Headquarter, he would definitely come out to see these two treasures. However, Yang Ling knew nothing about his true identity as the Maitreya Sect's leader. In front of a guard commander of the imperial court, he would not be able to conceal it well enough. As long as the emperor appeared, he would definitely be able to see some clues.
As soon as he saw Yang Ling, Li Fuda, who was drinking tea, immediately put down his cup and cupped his hands, smiling, "Greetings, Marquess."
Yang Ling glanced at the two long parcels on the table and smiled, "Hehe, Lord Zhang, sorry to keep you waiting. Lord Zhang is not guarding the camp, why …? "
Zhang Yin smiled apologetically, "Zhang Yin and I are old acquaintances in the capital. Since then, because of the busy military affairs, although we had many opportunities to meet, we could not talk in detail because of the military affairs. Today, this lowly official is here to pay a visit to Daren. The second reason is to find two rare items among the commoners. People like us who lead troops and go to war are not interested in these toys. This lowly official thought that High Duke is knowledgeable and knowledgeable, so you must be an expert in this field. As the saying goes, gifts are given to the expert, so I brought it here for High Duke to appreciate. "
Yang Ling laughed, "You flatter me. Lord Zhang is talented in both literature and martial arts. You are not a martial artist. In front of you, how would I dare to call myself an expert? Hehe, what is it that even Lord Zhang calls it a rare item? "
Zhang Yin smiled proudly and walked to the bulky parcels, revealing a long case. Yang Ling loosened his grip on the spear in his sleeves and smiled, "So it is a zither?"
Zhang Yin replied, "Yes, this zither has a pure color. What is even rarer is that this zither came from a famous master. I wonder if Marquess can guess the origin of this zither?"
As Zhang Yin said this, he took out the zither and placed it on the table. He then sat down on the chair and pressed his fingers on the zither strings. His eyes narrowed as he muttered to himself for a moment. Then he plucked the strings and a melodious tune of "The Wind Enters the Pines" began to play, as if a cool breeze was blowing through a forest.
In fact, it was easy for an expert to discern the quality of an ancient zither from its sound. However, to discern the origin of the zither from its sound and how expensive its quality was would be purely mystifying. It was simply impossible. Zhang Yin did not hope to attract Emperor Zhengde with this tune. This is just a prelude.
He was playing the zither smoothly when suddenly, the tune changed and the tune became strange. Yang Ling had already guessed that he wanted to attract Emperor Zhengde who is good at music. But how is it possible to attract the Emperor with just a random tune? If the Emperor were to appear just like that, it would be too abrupt.
Yang Ling was worried for him for coming up with such a clumsy plan, when he suddenly heard him play the Oceans' Roar. Yang Ling almost laughed out loud. In order to attract 'Zhengde', Zhang Yin really put in a lot of effort. Imagine if 'Zhengde' heard his tune that has not been released to the public and suddenly heard someone playing it, how could he not come out to take a look?
Yang Ling racked his brains to make 'Zhengde' appear without a trace. Now that this tune has been played, 'Zhengde' will be able to make a dazzling appearance. Li Fuda stole a glance and saw Yang Ling's strange expression. He thought that his plan worked and could not help but be secretly pleased. Both of them began to laugh sinisterly in their hearts.
Although Miao Kui is not very cultured, he is very quick-witted. Yang Ling did not have to spend much effort and he led more than ten bodyguards into the hall. Unexpectedly, all of them were dressed in armor. Seeing Zhang Yin, Miao Kui could not help but be startled. He asked curiously: "Official Zhang? How do you know how to play this song … Ah, did Duke tell you? "
Zhang Yin hurriedly pressed down on the zither and stood up. He cupped his hands and said: "This lowly official greets Eunuch Miao. This tune … When I met Duke the other day, I heard someone playing it in the back residence. Zhang Yin likes music and remembered it by heart. Just now, I casually played it. Eunuch Miao is … is he going out? "
As Zhang Yin said this, his eyes quickly swept across the faces of the dozen bodyguards. The handsome young man standing in the middle came into view. Zhang Yin suddenly remembered the image of the young Son of Heaven that he once saw from afar in Datong.
It has been two years and his memory is somewhat blurred. Moreover, the young man has grown fast and his appearance has changed greatly. But this handsome young man still bears a seventy percent resemblance to the image in his mind. More importantly … Li Fuda swept his eyes over and found that the bodyguards were holding their swords and looking around. Rather than saying that they are following behind Miao Kui, it would be better to say that they are surrounding and protecting the young man.
This young man's expression and bearing are also different from the other bodyguards. His back is straight and his demeanor is calm. There is not the slightest trace of humility and respect shown when meeting Duke or following behind the West Factory Supervisor. On the contrary, Miao Kui who is standing in front has his back slightly bent, looking like he is leading the way.
Moreover, this young officer standing behind completely disregards his duties as a bodyguard. His eyes have been looking at the zither on the table with great interest since he entered the room.
Miao Kui made two 'ah' sounds and chuckled. "Lord Zhang has a good memory. You can hear a song once and remember it. I was just about to go to the drill ground to ride a horse and practice my archery, riding, and shooting. I heard someone playing … playing a new song composed by one of my musicians. Out of curiosity, I came in to take a look. "
Li Fuda noticed that the moment those people entered the room, Yang Ling subconsciously turned his head to glance at them. Although he only glanced at them briefly before turning his head back, his gaze clearly paused on the bodyguard for a moment. Miao Kui entered the room and Yang Ling went to look at a bodyguard?
Li Fuda's heart jumped. He almost wanted to jump up and pounce over to kill the officer with one palm strike. It was just that those people were standing quite far away, and those imperial guards were all agile and had a divine light in their eyes. He reckoned that they were imperial guards with unique skills. He might not be able to succeed in one strike, and it was even more impossible for him to escape. Thinking of this, Li Fuda's blazing killing intent cooled down.
"Oh, where did Lord Zhang get this zither from? How did the tail end get burned? It's such a pity. " Eunuch Miao walked over and blocked his view. Li Fuda hurriedly lowered his head, concealing the strange expression on his face. He said with a smile, "Eunuch Miao can see clearly. This zither is famous because of this section of the scorched tail. This zither is the 'Scorched Tail Zither', 'Haozhong', 'Lingering Beam', and 'Green Damask'. It was passed down from Cai Yong of the Eastern Han Dynasty and is one of the four famous zithers of ancient times. "
Yang Ling made an 'ah' sound and quickly walked forward. He asked in surprise, "Is this the famous Scorched Tail Zither?"
The Scorched Tail Zither was very famous. Back when he was reading 'The Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre', when the three saints of Kunlun, He Zudao, challenged Shaolin, he brought this Scorched Tail Zither. The well-read Yang Ling had naturally heard of it.
He also walked forward with a face full of curiosity. He stroked the zither and praised it endlessly. He then looked at the narrow long package and said, "I didn't expect this zither to be so valuable. I wonder what precious treasure is inside?"
Yang Ling walked forward quickly, purposely attracting Li Fuda's attention. He was worried that Li Fuda would see through the fake Emperor. This Emperor was an imposter. He could still pretend to be the real Emperor by standing there, but with more words and actions, with Li Fuda's experience, he was afraid that he would find something fishy.
At least this drummer in the army did not seem to know what the Scorched Tail Zither was. If Li Fuda saw that his expression did not change after hearing the name of the zither, he would definitely be suspicious. Therefore, Yang Ling immediately walked forward so that he could not divert his attention to look at the 'Zhengde'.
"Duke, there is an ancient sword in the box, the Sword of Meng De. Legend has it that Cao Cao once obtained a sword in a secluded valley. The sword was three feet and six inches long, and there were golden characters on it. The characters were 'Meng De', which coincided with Cao Cao's characters. Cao Cao regarded it as a treasure and wore it ever since. This sword is the 'Sword of Meng De'. "
"Cao Cao's sword?" Yang Ling exclaimed and quickly went to the other side of the table. This time, Li Fuda had no choice but to turn around as well, so that his back was facing the guards.
Yang Ling opened the embroidered package. Inside was a sword box with a dark green sharkskin scabbard. Opening the sword box, there was a treasured sword in a scabbard of the same color. The sword handle and the handguard were both inlaid with silver, and there were golden characters' Meng De 'engraved on it. The handle was made of purple copper, and the sword style was extremely ancient.
Yang Ling held the sword in his hand and pulled it out of the scabbard with a 'cha' sound. The sword was three feet and six inches long, about one and a half inches wide, and weighed one and a half catties. The treasured sword was well maintained, and it was as bright as snow.
"Good sword! Good sword! "Yang Ling held the sword in his hand and could not stop praising it.
In fact, rather than saying it was a good sword, it was more accurate to say that it was a precious sword. Yang Ling did not believe that an ancient famous sword would be sharper than the swords of today. Smelting and casting techniques were always improving. The sharpest and most famous treasured sword in ancient times, in terms of hardness and toughness, and sharpness, could only be ranked as below average in the present. However, who would be willing to use an ancient famous sword to slash and kill? This kind of sword, its value was no longer in the weapon itself.
Yang Ling returned the sword to its scabbard and smiled as he handed the sword to Zhang Yin. He said, "Lord Zhang, such a precious gift, I dare not accept it. This' Scorched Tail Zither 'and' Sword of Meng De 'are both invaluable treasures. Yang Ling does not accept undeserved rewards. I cannot accept it, I cannot accept it."
"Ai! A treasured sword is given to a martyr, and a beauty is given to a beauty. The High Duke is the heart of the zither and the courage of the sword, the pillar of the dynasty. Other than the High Duke, who else is worthy of possessing these two treasures? This is Zhang Yin's kind intentions, I hope that the High Duke will not reject it. "
The two of them politely pushed each other to the side. Just as they were exchanging pleasantries, Yang Ling suddenly looked over Zhang Yin's shoulder and changed his words with a smile. He said, "This … … it is difficult to reject such kindness. Since Lord Zhang has good intentions, then … … I, Yang Ling, will kindly accept it. Haha … …"
"That's right, that's right." Zhang Yin said repeatedly, but in his heart, he was laughing coldly. Trying to hide from my discerning eyes? Hmph! That officer … … must be Zhengde!
* * *
The sun was setting in the west, and the distant mountain peaks were dark green in color. Only the peaks of the peaks still had a ray of light. A few goshawks screeched and spread their wings, piercing through the dark blue sky and flying into the distance.
At the foot of the mountain was a winding path and thickets of thorns. The lonely peak was dyed with a layer of golden red by the setting sun. Red Madam and Honest Cheng sat on a bluestone on the peak, their bodies were also gilded with a layer of gold.
"You know, Second Uncle is not good at swimming. Although he has a body full of skills, once he entered the water, he could not use them. At that time, he could only grab the plank of the boat and go down with the water. After much difficulty, he managed to reach the shore and climb up. The officials were searching hard. Fortunately, Second Uncle is old and his appearance is not eye-catching. He mixed in with the refugees and beggars and managed to get away. I did not dare to go to Nanjing, so I headed east until I reached Zhejiang … … "
He paused for a while and said, "Sigh, there is an earth-shattering battle inside, but Zhejiang is peaceful. The people in the villages are harvesting, picking tea leaves, harvesting cocoons, spinning silk, making pottery. When they enter the city, they weave and make yarn. The business is booming.
There are also many foreign merchants from Japan, Korea, Ryukyu, Luzon, and even from faraway places. The yellow-haired, blue-eyed foreigners are doing business in an orderly manner. Many of the small families are quite wealthy. The men are doing business outside while the women are weaving and spinning at home. They earn tens of copper coins every day. "
"After staying there for a period of time, when the commotion has died down, I crossed the river. When I heard that you guys have returned to Taihang, I took the route of Shandong and rushed back. Ying 'er, the people there are now very peaceful. Yang Ling transported a large amount of autumn grain from Shaanxi and sent a portion of the refugees to Liaodong. The lives of the people there are much better than before. As I walked and watched, I felt that the Great Ming Dynasty might really become peaceful. "
"En!" Red Madam nodded her head repeatedly. Her eyes shone brightly. In her heart, Yang Ling was undoubtedly an omnipotent hero. No matter how outstanding a woman is, they would always wish for her man to be a great hero that others could only look up to. Red Madam was no exception.
Although the love between a man and a woman was not everything in life, it was at least the most important part of life. This was especially true for a woman who had been repressed for a long time or had never tasted true love.
The cultivators of the Xuanmen wanted to ascend to the heavens. They purified their hearts and cultivated in alchemy. In the end, the most brilliant aphrodisiac was invented by them. The monks abandoned the seven emotions and six desires and cultivated in karma. However, the most brilliant sexual techniques and the Zen of Joy also came from the monks. The deeper one's desires and emotions were suppressed, the more intense they would be once they were released.
Compared to Red Lady, who had suffered from emotional torture, this kind of mentality caused her heart to be filled with Yang Ling's figure. His words and smile were completely different from the imitation men she was used to seeing since she was young. Yang Ling's way of thinking and the way he spoke deeply captivated her.
The scene described by Honest Cheng was automatically taken as the credit of Yang Ling by Red Madam. She was so happy that even her face turned red. Seeing her expression, Honest Cheng swallowed the words that were about to come out of his mouth. He quietly turned his head away and sighed softly.
He knew the secret of Yang Hu killing his sworn brother, and that was why he asked about the alliance with Yang Ling. Cui Ying 'er had told the truth to this Second Uncle who had watched her grow up and treated her the most kindly. Honest Cheng had already understood everything. From the looks of it, Ying 'er had clearly given her heart to Yang Ling. It was rare for her to be happy, so how could Honest Cheng bear to pour cold water on her?
However, what kind of person was Yang Ling? He was a scholar with a clean background and was now a duke. Even if Ying 'er had never been betrothed, an illiterate pugilistic girl would feel that it was beneath her status to be his concubine. Furthermore, not only was she married, she was also a bandit. How could Yang Ling treat her well in the future? The Yang Family had three titled madams and this child had a strong self-esteem. If she were to be bullied and accompanied by others …
Thinking of this, Honest Cheng frowned and felt a little sad. Cui Ying 'er felt that his attitude was a little strange and was about to ask about it when a bodyguard rushed over and hugged her from afar. "Reporting to Eldest Miss and Second Master Cheng, an old Daoist has barged into the mountain and seeks an audience."
"Daoist?" Cui Ying 'er stood up and looked at Honest Cheng suspiciously. "Bring him up."
The bodyguard cupped his fists and left. Honest Cheng asked doubtfully, "Daoist? The imperial army is heavily surrounded and sneaking in is extremely dangerous. Who would come to see us at this time? Don't tell me … it's his people? "
Cui Ying 'er blushed and whispered, "No way. When he asked to meet me, he would place a signal at the agreed location and I would send my trusted aides to check on it. Moreover, even if it's an emergency, there's no need for him to disguise himself as a Daoist."
Honest Cheng nodded his head and saw two bodyguards escorting an old Daoist with disheveled hair up the mountain peak. Looking at his light footsteps and calm demeanor, it was obvious that he was a martial artist. Honest Cheng couldn't help but take a step forward, getting closer to Red Madame.
Red Madame looked at the old Daoist from head to toe and saw that the old Daoist was dressed in a green robe. His white hair was draped over his shoulders and he had a headband around his forehead. His hands were empty and his sleeves fluttered in the wind. He wore a pair of hemp shoes and he looked like a wandering Daoist. Looking at his appearance, he was around seventy years old. He had a pair of slanted eyebrows and a face full of wrinkles. His eyes shone brightly, making him look both obedient and ferocious.
"Forgive my poor eyesight, but who is this Daoist?" Honest Cheng cupped his fists and asked according to the customs of the pugilistic world.
The old Daoist arrogantly stood with his hands behind his back and chuckled, "Who is in charge of this mountain? This humble Daoist is only here to speak with Miss Cui. "
"Hmph! What arrogance! This is my Second Uncle, I never hide anything from him. If Daoist has something to say, please say it face to face. "Although Red Madame was curious about this Daoist's background, she was disgusted by his arrogant attitude.
"This must be Miss Cui?" The old Daoist looked at her from head to toe and his eyes lit up. He often heard that Red Madame was skilled in boxing and martial arts. She was even more valiant than her husband. She was also beautiful and charming. Unexpectedly, the rumors were true. This woman was charming and charming, even more beautiful than many of the outstanding saintesses in my sect. Her charm was extraordinary and it was indeed tempting to see her.
He cupped his fists and his arrogant expression faded. He chuckled and said, "This humble Daoist is not being disrespectful to Second Master Cheng, but the matter we are discussing is very important and it is not advisable for too many people to know about it before it is settled. Master Cui, this humble Daoist took the risk to break through the heavy encirclement of the soldiers to come here. This is enough to show my sincerity. Please dismiss your attendants and this humble Daoist will tell you everything. "
Seeing that Red Madame was hesitating, he added, "This humble Daoist is here for the life and death of the five thousand troops under Miss' command. This is considered a big matter, right? Miss's troops are all around here. Are you afraid that this humble Daoist has evil intentions? "
Red Madame raised her eyebrows and snorted coldly. She tilted her head and said in a low voice, "Second Uncle, bring them down the peak first. I want to see what this old Daoist is playing."
Honest Cheng nodded and brought a few bodyguards down the peak. Red Madame quietly said, "Now, Daoist can state his identity and purpose of coming here?"
The old Daoist walked up a few steps with a smile and stepped on a square stone. The mountain wind whistled and his Daoist robe fluttered. His expression was a little like 'I am the leader of the Maitreya Sect, Li Fuda. Has Miss Cui heard of me? "
Hearing this, Red Madame's expression changed. The dagger at her waist flashed and was unsheathed. She pointed it at Li Fuda and said sternly, "It's you?"
Li Fuda did not know that the mysterious expert he killed in Datong was Huo Laowu of the Cui Family's mountain village. He had repeatedly used schemes to bewitch and make use of Bazhou's Lulin and Taihang Bandits. Red Madame could not possibly know about it. In Li Fuda's mind, the only conflict between the two was the fight in the capital over whether to kill Yang Ling or to let Yang Ling go.
Liu Banxian 'er, the Protector of the Incense Hall, and a few capable followers of the capital were all killed by Red Madame in the snowy night forest. Speaking of which, he was the one who suffered the loss. These were just small conflicts between the two parties and could not be considered as a big grudge.
What was Red Madame's current situation? Her father and husband died in the hands of the soldiers. This was an irreconcilable enmity with the imperial court. The White Shirt Army was now at a dead end. They were trapped and waiting for death. He was the only one who could save them. As long as he knew the pros and cons, was there any need to say what Red Madame would choose?
Therefore, Cult Leader Li did not care about the sharp dagger pointed at him. He just smiled faintly and said, "Miss Cui, I racked my brains to come to see you in order to give your White Shirt Army a way out. The dispute in the suburbs of the capital in the past was just a small conflict. Miss Cui drew her sword against me because of this? Hehe, Miss Cui, as the leader of an army, can't you tell which is more important and which is more important? "
Red Madame was awakened by his words. She could not help but be frightened. "Yes, I almost made a mistake. If he only wanted to kill Li Fuda, Yang Ling could have done it long ago. Now he has delayed. Isn't it because he wants to uproot the Maitreya Cult in one fell swoop? Fifth Uncle died in his hands, but he did not tell Fifth Uncle his name at that time. He did not know that Fifth Uncle was from the Cui Family Village. I will endure for a while and see what tricks Li Fuda will play. "
Thinking of this, Red Madame clenched her teeth and put the dagger back into the sheath. She said coldly, "Cult Leader Li, let's not talk about what happened in the past. Now you go your own way and I go mine. I don't believe that your Maitreya Cult has any good intentions for my White Shirt Army. You have worked hard to come up the mountain. What tricks do you want to play? "
Li Fuda looked up to the sky and laughed. He wanted to use his glib tongue to persuade this beautiful tigress in front of him to work for him.
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