Chapter 15 The 14th Jianguang Chongzheng Palace Candle Shadow Zhaoyang Palace
When Yuan Chengzhi turned around and was about to stab Huang Taiji again, the Taoist's whisk was already blowing towards the back of his head, and the whisk was stimulated by his inner strength, and he poked it straight, like a stick.Yuan Chengzhi had no choice but to turn his sword back to block it.
As soon as the two of them joined hands, they immediately fought fast, and in an instant, more than twenty moves were dismantled.Yuan Chengzhi tried his best in his life, but he couldn't gain the upper hand at all. The more he fought, the more frightened he became. Suddenly, the wind passed, and his right cheek was swept by the dust. It was expected that there were dozens of bloodstains on his cheek. Suddenly, Qingqing's words came to mind In a flash: "Brother Chengzhi, it's really good if the emperor can get stabbed, it's fine if he can't get stabbed, you must take care of yourself." Seeing that the enemy is so powerful, he had no choice but to escape first.While fighting, he moved his steps and gradually moved towards the entrance of the hall.The Taoist sneered and said, "Do you want to escape under my Yu Zhenzi's hands? Wishful thinking!" As he spoke, Fu Chen made three moves in a row, all coming from unexpected directions.Yuan Chengzhi didn't know how to parry for a while, so he naturally used the "God's Variety of Changes" footwork taught by Mu Sang, slanting east and west, avoiding it.
Unexpectedly, this Yuzhenzi followed him like a shadow, and he knew his acrobatic footwork well. Yuan Chengzhi flashed to the east, he followed to the east, jumped to the west, and he chased to the west.Although Yuan Chengzhi gave way to those three moves, he couldn't get rid of his steady stream of attacks.
As a result, both of them were very surprised.Yu Zhenzi exclaimed: "What's your name? Are you a disciple of Taoist Mu Sang?" Yuan Chengzhi said: "No." Yu Zhenzi asked: "How do you know the footwork of Tiejianmen?" Yuan Chengzhi asked back: " You are a Han, how can you help the Tartars?" Yu Zhenzi said angrily: "Stubborn boy, you are still talking nonsense when you are about to die." Make two moves.
Yuan Chengzhi saw that the opponent was very good, and if he was a little distracted, his life would be in danger. He immediately concentrated his attention and used the sword technique of Kaiben Huashan School to take the move.Yu Zhenzi looked at the tricks and exclaimed: "Ah, you are the little monkey of the Huashan School's Mu Laohou'er, aren't you?" Cangsong welcomes the guest", the long sword is slanted out, the internal force is sent out from the sword body, the posture is straight, and the stroke is fast and powerful.Yu Zhenzi praised: "Good swordsmanship, the little monkey is not bad!"
Yuan Chengzhi scolded: "You are a traitor!" Yu Zhenzi smiled and said: "The old monkey is not my opponent, and you don't have to think about it, little monkey." Yuan Chengzhi stopped talking and concentrated on making sword moves .Yu Zhenzi was slightly distracted, and the sharp hook of the Golden Snake Sword made a shallow cut on his left arm.As a result, he no longer dared to hold his ground, and waved his fly whisk to attack.
The two fought over and over for more than 200 moves, and it was hard to tell who was the winner, both of them were secretly astonished.Yuan Chengzhi didn't dare to mess with the Golden Snake Sword Technique and the Kung Fu taught by Mu Sang. The former is not very proficient, and the latter seems to be well known to the other side, and all the recruits are the Huashan School's own sword technique.The Golden Snake Sword was originally extremely sharp and invincible, but Yu Zhenzi's whisk was soft and unaffected, so he cut it continuously.The moves of the Golden Snake Sword and Fuchen changed, the strong wind blew, and the giant candles around the Chongzheng Hall flickered.
After dismantling dozens of stances, suddenly heard Huang Taiji yelling in Manchurian, six Buku warriors rushed forward from three sides.Yuan Chengzhi expected that he would not be able to stab the Emperor Tartar today, so he swung his long sword and made two quick attacks, then turned around and ran towards the gate of the palace.Yu Zhenzi swung out the dust whisk, and the dust thread had wrapped around the sharp hook of the Golden Snake Sword.The two tugged at the same time and couldn't stand for a moment.At this moment, two warriors rushed forward and grabbed Yuan Chengzhi's arms at the same time.
Yuan Chengzhi yelled, let go and withdrew his sword, and slapped his palms on the backs of the two warriors. With the inner strength of Hunyuan Gong, the two warriors involuntarily slammed into Yu Zhenzi. Yu Zhenzi had no choice but to let go He opened the handle of the whisk, and pushed the two warriors away with his palm. With a clang, the whisk and the Golden Snake Sword fell to the ground at the same time.At this moment, two warriors hugged Yuan Chengzhi's legs.
Yu Zhenzi patted Yuan Chengzhi's chest with his right palm.Yuan Chengzhi stood with both feet and clapped his palms.The two warriors pulled desperately to bring him down, but how could they pull him down?Yu Zhenzi's palms came like the wind, and he made twelve palms in a row.Yuan Chengzhi untied them one by one, suddenly his neck tightened, and a warrior threw himself on his back, stretching out his arms and strangling his throat.Yuan Chengzhi slammed his left elbow back and hit him between his chest and abdomen.The warrior spurted blood wildly, all on the back of Yuan Chengzhi's neck, and the hot blood flowed from his collar to the vest, and the arm holding his throat gradually loosened.Yuan Chengzhi was waiting for Yun Jin to get rid of it, when a warrior rushed up and twisted his right arm.Yu Zhenzi took the opportunity to move his finger, and Han Chengzhi stretched out his left hand to block.Although he only had his left arm left, he still blocked Yu Zhenzi's seven-finger connection.
Yu Zhenzi pointed with his right hand and tapped again, and patted Yuan Chengzhi's face with his left palm.Yuan Chengzhi hurriedly turned his head to avoid it, but his left arm was hugged by a warrior again.Yu Zhenzi tapped three times in a row, tapped three big acupuncture points on his chest, and said with a smile: "Let go, he can't move anymore." The four warriors who hugged Yuan Chengzhi's hands and legs said nothing to let go.
The captain of Huang Taiji's guard took the iron chain and wrapped it around Yuan Chengzhi's body and hands and feet several times. Then the warriors let go, and when they helped down the warrior who stretched his arms around Yuan Chengzhi's neck, he saw him protruding his eyes and sticking out his tongue. , has already died of exhaustion.
Huang Taiji said: "President Yuzhen and all the warriors and all the guards have done meritorious service, and they will be rewarded. Lao Bao, Lao Ning, are you injured?" Can't speak.
Huang Taiji returned to the dragon chair and sat down, smiling and said: "Hey, you young man is very good at martial arts, what's your name?" Yuan Chengzhi said proudly: "I can't assassinate, kill me quickly, ask more questions What?" Huang Taiji said, "Who ordered you to stab me?"
Yuan Chengzhi thought to himself: "I will tell the truth, so that the Tartars know that Governor Yuan has a son." He said loudly: "I am the son of Yuan Gong, the former governor of Jiliao, and my name is Yuan Chengzhi. Your Tartars invaded I am a great Ming country, I have tens of thousands of Han people, and I wish to eat your flesh. I came to assassinate today to avenge my father and the thousands of Han people who died under your hands."
Huang Taiji froze and asked, "Are you Yuan Chonghuan's son?" Yuan Chengzhi said: "Exactly. My name is Yuan Chengzhi, and I want to inherit my father's will and resist your Tartar invasion."
All the guards shouted repeatedly: "Kneel down!" Yuan Chengzhi ignored them.Huang Taiji waved his hand and ordered the guards not to drink any more, and said gently: "Yuan Chonghuan has a queen, that's great. Do you have any brothers?" Yuan Chengzhi was stunned, thinking: "Why is he asking this?" He said: "No !" Huang Taiji asked: "Are you injured?" Yuan Chengzhi shouted: "Kill me quickly, you don't need to be hypocritical."
Huang Taiji sighed: "Your father Yuan Gong, I admire it very much. It's a pity that Emperor Chongzhen didn't know what was right and wrong, and killed Zhongliang. Back then, your father and I had a peace negotiation, and the Ming and Qing Dynasties stopped their troops and rested their people, and it will always be good for the world. It's a pity that the peace negotiation failed, but Chongzhen said it was your father's serious crime, and I was very sad when I heard it. Chongzhen killed your father, do you know which two crimes it was?"
Yuan Chengzhi was silent.He knew that Chongzhen killed his father for two crimes, one was negotiating peace with the chief of the Qing Dynasty and colluding with foreign enemies, and the other was killing Mao Wenlong, the general soldier of Pidao without authorization.Sun Zhongshou, Ying Song and others made it clear that the peace talks between Governor Yuan and Huang Taiji were just a temporary measure. The Qing soldiers were brave and good at fighting, and their bow and horse skills were unparalleled in the world. , Only when there is a chance to defeat the enemy, the purpose of the peace negotiation is to train troops and improve the city defense.As for Mao Wenlong, who is greedy and domineering, plunders the people, does not obey the orders of the court, does not obey the command, and does not kill him, there is no way to clean up the military discipline.
Huang Taiji said: "Your father was killed by Chongzhen, but I am your father's friend. Why don't you distinguish between good and evil, and instead of killing Chongzhen, come to assassinate me?" Yuan Chengzhi said: "My father is your enemy. How could it be your friend? You cheated Chongzhen and killed my father by cheating him. If Chongzhen wants to kill you, you will kill him too." Huang Taiji shook his head and said, "You are young and ignorant, and you don't understand anything." Turning his head to Fan Wencheng, he said, "Mr. Fan, enlighten him." Yuan Chengzhi said loudly, "Do you want me to learn from Hong Chengchou? Hmph, will Governor Yuan's son surrender to Manchuria?"
At this time, many civil and military officials had gathered outside the Chongzheng Hall, and they all heard that there were assassins committing crimes, and Kui Ye came to escort them.Huang Taiji said: "Is Zu Dashou here?" A general at the bottom of the steps said: "I am here!" He went to the hall, knelt down and kowtowed.
Yuan Chengzhi's heart trembled. Zu Dashou was the number one general under his father's command back then. When his father ordered Chongzhen to capture him, he was indignant and led his troops out of Beijing. Later, his father wrote a book in prison to persuade him, and he accepted the order of Chongzhen again.He fought dozens of bloody battles with Qing soldiers, but Chongzhen was suspicious of him and refused to reinforce him every time. As a result, he was besieged by Huang Taiji in Daling River and had to surrender; The backup did not continue, and he was captured and surrendered.I thought: "Although he is good to my father, it is always wrong to surrender to the Tartars." I couldn't help but yelled loudly: "Zu Dashou, you shameless traitor!"
Zu Dashou stood up and turned to look at him.Yuan Chengzhi saw that he had shaved his forehead hair, dragged a braid, his hair was already gray, his face was haggard, and he lacked half of the heroic spirit of a general in command, so he shouted: "Zu Dashou, do you still have the face to see me? Are you going to meet my father?"
Zu Dashou had already heard the second half of the conversation between Huang Taiji and Yuan Chengzhi when he was downstairs, and suddenly tears flowed down his cheeks, and he said in a trembling voice: "Mr. Yuan, you...you have grown so big, you... When you were three years old, I...I hugged you." Yuan Chengzhi said angrily: "Bah, it's my bad luck to hug you traitor." Zu Dashou trembled all over, opened his arms, and took two steps, as if He wanted to hug him again, but finally stopped, opened his mouth to speak, but his voice became hoarse, only a few "ah, ah, ah".
Huang Taiji said: "Zu Dashou, take this Yuan with you, and persuade him to submit. If you really don't surrender, let's cut him into pieces. Hmph, this kid is so courageous that he came to assassinate me, hehe, Hehe." Zu Dashou knelt down and kowtowed, and said: "The emperor's grace, I should do my best to enlighten you." Huang Taiji nodded and said; "Okay, take him there!"
Zu Dashou walked to Yuan Chengzhi's side and stretched out his hand to help.Yuan Chengzhi took two steps back, the iron chains on his hands and feet rang loudly, and shouted: "Don't touch me!" Zu Dashou retracted his hands, bowed and withdrew.Two guards put their hands under Yuan Chengzhi's armpit and followed behind Zu Dashou.Yuan Chengzhi turned his head to look at Huang Taiji, only to see that his eyes were also looking at him, and his expression was very kind.
Yuan Chengzhi was at a loss, and thought to himself: "I don't know what kind of plans this Emperor Tartar has in his stomach."
Arriving outside the palace, Zu Dashou personally helped Yuan Chengzhi onto his mount, and rode another horse by himself, and went to his mansion together.Zu Dashou personally helped Yuan Chengzhi into the study, and said, "Go out!" The four followers bowed out of the room. Zu Dashou closed the door of the room, and without saying a word, he went to untie the iron chains on Yuan Chengzhi's body.When Yuan Chengzhi was in the palace, he was slowly getting lucky. Most of the acupoints sealed on his chest had been untied. Seeing that he had come to untie the iron chains on his body, he thought to himself: "You only said that my acupoints were tapped, but I couldn't move them automatically. Humph!" Hmph, this is too big!" Zu Dashou slowly unwound the iron chain from Yuan Chengzhi's body round and round, without saying a word.Yuan Chengzhi was secretly lucky, feeling that the breath at the Tanzhong acupoint on his chest was still quite suffocated, and thought: "That Taoist's hand strength is really good. I wear the gold silk vest given by Taoist Mu Sang, and I received his three fingers. It's still like this. If I don't have this vest to protect my body, what's the point?" Then I thought: "Zu Dashou wants to persuade me to surrender to the Tartars, but I'll pretend to listen to him and delay the time. Once the breath in my chest is free, I will shoot him to death with my palm. Get rid of this traitor and escape through the window." After Zu Dashou untied the iron chain, he said in a low voice, "Young Master Yuan, you can go now." Yuan Chengzhi was taken aback, hardly believing his ears, and asked: "You...what did you say?" Zu Dashou said: "It is very rare to assassinate the Qing emperor. You should go." Yuan Chengzhi said: "You let me go." Go?" Zu Dashou said: "Yes, are you injured?" Yuan Chengzhi said: "No." Zu Dashou said: "You ride my horse and leave the city immediately at dawn." Yuan Chengzhi said: "Why did you let me go?" Zu Dashou said sadly: "You are the blood of Master Yuan, and Zu Dashou has received the kindness of Master Yuan, and he has nothing to repay." Yuan Chengzhi said: "If you let me go, Tomorrow the emperor of the Tartars will be questioned, and you will be punished with death." Zu Dashou said: "Let's wait and see. The emperor of the Qing Dynasty said that he would not kill me." Yuan Chengzhi said: "You release the assassin privately, the crime is too great , the emperor may still suspect that you are the mastermind of the assassination. I can't be greedy for my own life, but I took your life." Zu Dashou smiled wryly and said: "What is my life worth? On the day Dalinghe City was destroyed, I should have died long ago. On the day Jinzhou City was destroyed, I should have died even more. Mr. Yuan, don't worry about me, just go by yourself " Yuan Chengzhi said: "Then you run away with me." Zu Dashou shook his head and said: "My mother, wife, children, brothers, nephews, and a family of more than 80 people are all in Shengjing. I can't escape." Yuan Chengzhi was in a state of mind Agitated, suddenly the breath in the chest was reversed, and I couldn't help coughing repeatedly, thinking: "He surrendered to the Tartars, he is a traitor. I should have killed him with one palm, but I didn't expect him to let me go. As soon as I leave, Nianzi The emperor must kill him. It makes no difference whether I kill him or the Tartars kill him. But should I just let him die in my place? If I don’t leave, I will be killed by the Tartars. How can I die so easily when there are still so many important things to do? Of course I don’t want to die, and dying for a traitor is even more unworthy. But...but..." The harder it is to decide in my heart, the more I cough Terrible, blushing, almost out of breath. Zu Dashou patted him on the back lightly, and said, "Mr. Yuan, you lost your strength just now, lie down and rest for a while." Yuan Chengzhi nodded and sat cross-legged, no longer thinking about it, only focusing on luck.That Yu Zhenzi's acupuncture skills are really good. At first, he thought that the sealed acupuncture points had been untied, but when he got lucky, he felt that his chest was not smooth after all, and he knew that it would be fine if he sat still, but if he touched someone, or If you perform lightness kung fu, jump and run, you will inevitably faint with breathlessness.So according to the method of regulating the inner breath taught by the master, slowly circulate a wave of true energy in the meridians. I don't know how long it took before I realized that the true energy flowed unimpeded, let alone suffocated. I slowly opened my eyes, but saw the sun shining in through the window, and it was already dawn.He was slightly startled, seeing Zu Dashou sitting at the side with his hands on his knees, dazed in a daze.Yuan Chengzhi stood up and said, "You stayed with me in the middle of the night?" Zu Dashou showed a slight joy on his face, and said, "Is your son better?" Yuan Chengzhi said: "It's all over! What is the origin of the Taoist Yuzhenzi? His martial arts are so powerful." Zu Dashou said: "He recently came from Tibet. Last month, the Taoist master Buku in the palace defeated twenty-three He was a first-class Buku warrior. Later, four or five warriors joined forces to fight against him, and he defeated them all. The emperor was very happy, and gave him the title of "Real Protector of the Country" and asked him to be the head coach of Buku. Your son , you drink this bowl of chicken soup and eat some cakes, let's go now." He walked to the table and brought a bowl of soup with both hands. Yuan Chengzhi thought to himself: "I concentrate on my practice, and I don't know if someone brings food in. He could have killed me without poisoning me." He took the soup bowl and took a few sips, which tasted slightly bitter.Zu Dashou said: "This is stewed with ginseng from Laoshan Mountain in Liaodong. It is the most invigorating and refreshing." Yuan Chengzhi ate two pieces of cake and said, "You take me to see the Emperor Tartar, I surrender." Zu Dashou was taken aback, staring at him, and then understood that he didn't want to die for him, first pretended to surrender, and then tried to get away, pondered for a moment, and said: "Okay!" Taking him out of the mansion, the two The man got on the horse.Zu Dashou didn't bring any entourage, he rode on the horse first, and Yuan Chengzhi followed. After walking a few streets, Yuan Chengzhi saw him urging his horse towards the city gate. He saw three big characters "Deshengmen" written on the city gate, and there was a line of Manchurian characters next to it. He knew it was the South Gate of Shengjing. Those who came in through the city gate were surprised and asked, "How do we get out of the city?" Zu Dashou said, "The emperor is hunting in Halsa Mountain in the south of the city." The two traveled about ten miles out of the city.Zu Dashou reined in his horse and said, "Young master, let's leave now. Take care, I beg Bodhisattva to bless you day and night." Yuan Chengzhi said in surprise: "Why? We're not going to see the Emperor Tartar What?" Zu Dashou shook his head and smiled wryly, and said, "Master Yuan is loyal and righteous, how can his son be as shameless as me, and surrender to the Tartars?" He took off the sword around his waist and threw it at him with its sheath, Yuan Chengzhi had no choice but to catch.Zu Dashou suddenly turned the horse's head around, whipped twice violently, and the mount galloped away along the way back to the city. Yuan Chengzhi shouted: "Uncle Zu, Uncle Zu." He couldn't make up his mind for a while, whether to chase him back or go back to the city with him, he hesitated for a while, Zu Dashou urged the horse to go far, and only listened to him far away. Called: "Thank you for calling me uncle twice!"
Yuan Chengzhi sat on the horse, dazed, and it took a long time before he set off on the horse south. After walking another ten miles, I saw Qingqing, Hong Shenghai, Sha Tianguang and others waiting outside the agreed ruined temple.Qingqing cheered loudly, ran quickly, threw herself into his arms, and shouted: "You're back! You're back!" Seeing her tired face, Yuan Chengzhi expected that she was anxious and stayed up most of the night. Seeing that he was not excited, Qingqing guessed that the assassination was unsuccessful, and said, "Can't find the emperor of the Tartars?" Yuan Chengzhi shook his head: "The man was found, but he couldn't be stabbed." Briefly explained the process.Everyone's mouth was wide open when they heard it, but they couldn't close it. Qingqing patted her chest, let out a long breath, and said, "Thank God!" Yuan Chengzhi always felt uneasy when he thought that Zu Dashou was going to die for himself, and said: "I have to go to the city tonight. If Uncle Zu is arrested by the Emperor of Tartars, I will save him." Qingqing said: "Everyone together Go! I will never let you go on adventures alone again." When it was time to apply for the license plate, the group of people arrived in Shengjing City again. They were afraid that they had been exposed yesterday, so they went to another inn to stay overnight. Hong Shenghai went to check in front of Zu Dashou's mansion, and reported that he had not heard the message from Zu Dashou that he had locked it for the Tartar emperor, and there was no movement outside the gate of the mansion.Yuan Chengzhi thought to himself: "Mostly, the Emperor Tartar doesn't know that he has let me go. He only knows that he is persuading me to surrender." He ordered Hong Shenghai to inquire again.Tie Luohan said: "I will go too." Qingqing said: "Don't go, don't fight with others again, you will miss a big deal." Tie Luohan pouted and said: "I don't necessarily have to fight." Hu Guinan said : "I'm going with Big Brother Luo Han, if he wants to make trouble, I'll stop him." Yuan Chengzhi nodded and said: "Be careful in everything." In the evening, the three returned to the inn.Tie Luohan was very annoyed, and said: "If Miss Xia didn't tell me first, otherwise I would really have to shake the heads of those boys." When everyone asked the reason, Hong Shenghai said. It turns out that they still haven't heard the news that Zu Dashou was arrested, and there was an assassination in the palace last night, but they didn't hear anyone talking about it in the streets.The three went to a restaurant to drink and saw eight Buku warriors eating and drinking, all speaking Manchurian.Hong Shenghai quietly told the two of them.Only then did Tie Luohan and Hu Guinan realize that they were bragging about how brave and invincible the head coach is. Last night, they got another strange sword with a hook on the head and a curved blade.Isn't this Yuan Chengzhi's Golden Snake Sword?Tie Luohan stood up and wanted to go over and teach them a lesson, but Hu Guinan hurriedly stopped him.After the eight warriors finished eating and went downstairs, the three followed quietly and found out where they were staying. Yuan Chengzhi was captured by mistake, and his weapon was taken away by others. Take it back from the master?He was silent for a while. Hu Guinan laughed and said: "Leader, I will go to 'Miaoshou' to come back tonight. That Yuzhenzi always sleeps, no matter how good his martial arts is, he can't beat me when he falls asleep, right?" Everyone laughed.Yuan Chengzhi said: "Okay, this is too much work for Brother Hu, but you must not ignore it. Brother Hu only needs to steal the sword, and you don't have to kill him. Killing him for no reason in his sleep is not the work of a hero." Hu Guinan Said: "Yes, in the future the leader will compete with him one-on-one, and then he will be convinced." Yuan Chengzhi smiled slightly and said: "Even if I fight alone, I may not be able to win." However, it is because this matter is too dangerous. Even if Yu Zhenzi is in his sleep, if he is hit with a white sword, he will be able to counterattack immediately. It is impossible to kill Hu Guinan. After dinner, Hu Guinan changed into black clothes and was about to go out excitedly.Yuan Chengzhi was afraid that Makoto Yuma would be powerful, so he was finally worried, and said: "Brother Hu, I'll go and watch you." The two went out of the shop together.Qingqing knew that this trip was not as risky as the assassination of the Tartar emperor, and she knew that Hu Guinan was unparalleled in the world, so she was not too worried. Hu Guinan led the way and traveled more than three miles to the place where Buku warriors lived.In the center is a huge cowhide tent, surrounded by huts.Hu Guinan said in a low voice: "The eight warriors all live in the hut in the north, but I don't know if Niubi also lives here." Yuan Chengzhi said: "Let's grab a warrior and ask. It's a pity that we don't know Speak Manchurian." Hu Guinan said: "Wait for me to make a gesture to ask him to lead the way..." Before he finished speaking, Shi Shi came over to see two warriors humming a ditty.When the two were approaching, Yuan Chengzhi jumped out suddenly, stretched out his fingers and tapped each of the acupoints on the backs of the two, and penetrated the key acupoints, and the two were immediately unable to move.When he struck, one warrior fainted immediately, while the other remained insane.He dragged the fainted warrior into the bushes. Hu Guinan put a sharp knife to another warrior's throat with his left hand, gestured with his right hand, and made a bun on his head, and asked him where this Taoist lived. The samurai said: "What are you doing? I don't understand." Unexpectedly, he could speak Chinese.It turned out that Shengjing's real name was Shenyang, which belonged to the Ming Dynasty and was occupied by the Manchurians. It was established as Kyoto in the fifth year of Tianqi, and it was less than 20 years ago.Nineteen of the city's residents are Han Chinese.Most of these Buku warriors hang out in restaurants and gambling houses, and most of them can speak Chinese. Hu Guinan was overjoyed and asked, "Where does your chief instructor, that Taoist priest, live?" The warrior held a sharp knife to his throat, and was frightened. Hearing this, he thought, "You are going to find our chief instructor to die. , That's really wonderful." His mouth moved toward a house in the distance to the east, and he said, "We always live in that house." The house is four or fifty feet away from the other huts Also much taller.Yuan Chengzhi knew it was true, so he added another finger under his pressure, and made him faint for three or four hours.Hu Guinan dragged him into the bushes. The two approached the big house quietly, and saw that the place was pitch black, and there were no lights and candles in the windows.Hu Guinan whispered: "Niubi is asleep, we don't need to wait." The two went around to the back door, Hu Guinan leaned against the wall and climbed up quietly.Then climb down the wall again.Yuan Chengzhi saw that his posture of climbing the wall was very indecent, with his limbs stretched out, his head shrugged, and his movements were slow, like a toad, but he made no sound at all, but he was beyond his reach.He thought to himself: "The master thief is really amazing." He was afraid that if there was any sound when he entered the room, Yu Zhenzi would definitely notice it, so he stood by the wall and listened intently. After a while, I heard a night owl screaming from a tree inside the wall, and then there was silence again.Suddenly, a woman's laughter was faintly heard, and then a man laughed and said a few words.It's far away, but I can't hear clearly, it's Yu Zhenzi vaguely.Yuan Chengzhi thought to himself: "He hasn't slept yet, Brother Hu can't do anything." Fearing that Hu Guinan would be in danger, he jumped over the wall and entered, only to hear the laughter of men and women, and walked along the sound, and suddenly heard Yu Zhenzi laughing Said: "Which place on your body is the slipperiest?" The woman smiled and said: "I don't know." Yu Zhenzi smiled and said: "Let me feel it." Yuan Chengzhi blushed immediately, stood still, and thought: "This thief is doing that. Fortunately, the younger brother didn't come with me." Hearing the woman's wanton laughter, he couldn't help but feel agitated, and immediately went out of the wall quietly, Sitting in the grass. After a while, a gust of wind blew, and I felt a slight chill.At this time, it was just the beginning of autumn, and the weather was not cold, but the people of the northern kingdom were as cold as winter after night.Suddenly, Yu Zhenzi yelled sharply: "Who?" Yuan Chengzhi stood up in surprise, and shouted secretly: "Oops, he found out!" Leaping up the wall, I saw a black shadow rushing towards , it was Hu Guinan, who rushed to approach, but saw that he was holding a lot of things in his hands, and thought for a moment: "Brother Hu has a thieving temper, and I don't know what he stole from him again, such a lot That." Before he could think about it, he jumped down and grabbed him, flew up the wall, jumped down to the ground, and heard Yu Zhenzi shouting: "Mice, you are impatient." He was already on top of the wall. Hu Guinan shouted: "I got it! Let's go!" Yuan Chengzhi was overjoyed. Looking back, he couldn't help but be amazed. Under the dim light of the stars, he saw Yu Zhenzi naked, with a bloated lower body surrounded by a thick quilt, holding the quilt with both hands .Yuan Chengzhi couldn't help laughing.Hu Guinan smiled and said: "Niubi is doing that, I stole all his clothes." He raised his hands, it turned out that he was holding a pile of clothes, turned around and said, "Leader, your sword!" The Golden Snake Sword It's stuck in his lower back. Yuan Chengzhi drew his sword, inserted it into his belt, and ran a few more steps.Yu Zhenzi, who had already been covered with people, jumped down and shouted: "Little thief!" Stretched out his right palm and chopped at Hu Guinan.Yuan Chengzhi slapped him on the shoulder obliquely with his palm, and shouted: "You and I will fight again." Yu Zhenzi only felt that the palm was extremely powerful, so he hurriedly returned the palm to block it.Their palms intersected, and both of them took three steps back.Yu Zhenzi was taken aback, seeing his opponent clearly, he was even more startled, and shouted: "Ah! You...you escaped." At first, he only said that the thief stole the sword, then he chased him naked, and only said one The trick is to kill the thief, but Yuan Chengzhi, a master like Yuan Chengzhi, is hiding outside the wall. After Yuan Chengzhi retreated, he stepped forward again.Yu Zhenzi held the quilt with his left hand, fearing that it would slip off, so he had to use his right palm to meet the enemy.But how cumbersome this big quilt is, it only took two tricks to remove it. When he stumbled and staggered, Yuan Chengzhi took advantage of the situation and punched him hard on the shoulder.Yu Zhenzi was anxious and angry. When he was full of love, he took the opportunity to steal the sword clothes from Hu Guinan. Arms are numb.He has never been naked in front of people since he was eight years old. At this moment, he was in a state of embarrassment, and he didn't expect that it would be no harm to throw away the quilt and fight Yuan Chengzhi naked?It was night and there were not many people around, so even if people saw him, he was a flirtatious man, so it was no big deal.But the custom of dressing was already deeply ingrained in his heart, and he frantically focused on resisting incoming attacks, but his left hand was always tightly grasping the quilt, and he only met the enemy with one hand.Two more moves were removed, and Yuan Chengzhi was hit with a palm on the vest.This palm contained Hunyuan Kungfu internal energy, Yu Zhenzi couldn't bear it anymore, and with a "wow", he spat out blood. Yuan Chengzhi stopped chasing after him, and said with a smile: "Kill you now, I'm sorry you won't be convinced if you die, and fight again next time when you put on your clothes." Hu Guinan said anxiously: "Leader, don't spare him, I'm afraid Yu Zu's life is in danger." Yuan Chengzhi shuddered in his heart: "That's right, he went to sue the Tartar Emperor and aggravated the crime of Uncle Zu, so he must be killed to silence his words." Leaping forward, he punched him at the temple with both fists .Yu Zhenzi saw that the attack was fierce, so he naturally raised his hands to block. Although he blocked the opponent's punch, the quilt had already slipped to his feet, and he exclaimed "Ah", and Yuan Chengzhi's flying feet were firmly eaten by his chest. Kicked.Yu Zhenzi was terrified, and no longer cared about being naked, he ran away.Yuan Chengzhi and Hu Guinan chased after them. This Taoist's martial arts is also really good, he was hit by three moves in a row and was seriously injured, but he still runs like flying, his lightness kung fu is excellent, which is rare in this world.Yuan Chengzhi chased after him hurriedly, seeing him jumping into the big cowhide tent in the middle, he immediately chased after him, determined to kill him to silence him.As soon as he ran to the entrance of the tent, he saw that the candles in the tent were shining brightly like daytime, and the tent was full of people, so he stopped immediately and moved aside, only to hear everyone in the tent exclaiming in unison. At this time, Hu Guinan had also arrived, pulled Yuan Chengzhi's arm, and walked around behind the tent.The two leaned down, opened the legs of the tent, and looked inward.I saw Yu Zhenzi fell to the ground with his back facing the sky, his whole body was completely naked, he could not be seen as a big man, his skin was white all over, but his chest was full of blood, this appearance was both extremely strange and extremely ridiculous. After an exclamation in the tent, there was no sound.All I could hear was a dignified voice speaking Manchurian loudly.Yuan Chengzhi was taken aback, the speaker turned out to be the Manchu Emperor Huang Taiji. Yuan Chengzhi saw that the tent was full of Buku warriors, no fewer than two hundred people, and said in his heart: "Ah, yes, this Tartar emperor likes to watch people compete, and he will come to watch it again tonight. It counts that his eyes are not shallow , I saw the strange appearance of the chief samurai master." He had tasted the kung fu of these Buku warriors last night. It is absolutely impossible, just wait and see what happens. A man who looked like a warrior leader came forward and bowed to report. After Huang Taiji said a few more words, he stood up, as if he was so disappointed that he no longer watched the contest.He walked towards the tent, surrounded by dozens of guards, stepped out of the tent and mounted his horse. Yuan Chengzhi thought to himself: "This is really a god-given opportunity. It is much more convenient for me to strike unexpectedly on the road than to go to the palace to assassinate." He whispered to Hu Guinan: "This is the emperor of the Tartars. You go back first, and I will take the opportunity to kill you." Do it halfway." Hu Guinan was both surprised and happy, and said: "Leader, be careful!"
After Yuan Chengzhi followed Huang Taiji and his party, he saw all the guards holding up the torches and walking westward, thinking: "Wait until he goes farther before doing it, lest these Buku warriors come to pester him again. " After less than a mile, I saw all the guards hugging Huang Taiji towards a big house and entered the house.Yuan Chengzhi was very surprised: "If he doesn't go back to the palace, what is he doing in this room?" Then he went around the back of the house and jumped into the wall. He walked closer and looked inward through the crack of the window, only to see that the room was splendidly embroidered, with a pair of big phoenixes embroidered with gold thread on the big red satin curtain.Facing him, a bright red curtain was lifted, and Huang Taiji was walking into the room.Yuan Chengzhi was overjoyed, and secretly shouted: "God help me!" I saw a Manchurian woman standing up to meet her.The woman was dressed luxuriously, and the back of her hat was inlaid with pearls and gems.After Huang Taiji entered the room, the woman turned around. Yuan Chengzhi saw that she was about twenty-eight or nineteen years old, with a very beautiful appearance and full of jewels, and thought: "This woman is not a queen, but a noble concubine. Ah, yes Now, Huang Taiji went to watch the martial arts competition, this lady doesn't like to watch martial arts competitions, so she waited here, this is the emperor's palace." Huang Taiji reached out to touch her face and said a few words.The woman smiled and answered a few words.Huang Taiji sat on the bed, was about to lie down and rest, suddenly sat up, his face was full of doubts, looked around the room, suddenly saw a pair of men's shoes placed crookedly by the bed, he sternly asked.The woman's face was pale, and she covered her face and began to cry.Huang Taiji grabbed her chest and raised his hand to hit her, but the woman bent her knees and fell to the ground.Huang Taiji let go of her, and leaned over to look under the bed. Yuan Chengzhi was amazed, and thought: "Look at this appearance, it must be that the empress and her lover had a tryst here when the emperor went to watch the martial arts competition. Unexpectedly, the real person protecting the country suddenly performed such a good show, and the emperor came back early, so that he could see Could it be that the empress is also stealing someone? Isn’t it outrageous? If her lover is still in the room, she won’t be able to escape this time.” At this moment, the door of the cupboard behind Huang Taiji suddenly opened, and a person jumped out of the cupboard, with the light of the knife shining, a short knife stabbed into the back of Huang Taiji's heart.The woman exclaimed "Ah", the candlelight flickered a few times, and then went out.After a while, the candle was lit again, only to see Huang Taiji bent down on the ground, not moving, the blood on the vest stained the yellow robe. (Note) Yuan Chengzhi's surprise was really no small matter. When he looked at that person, it was Dorgon, Prince Rui whom he had met yesterday.The woman threw herself into his arms.Dorgon hugged him, comforting in a low voice. Seeing this thrilling scene, Yuan Chengzhi's heart pounded wildly, thinking: "I didn't expect this Dorgon to be so bold that he dared to have an affair with his sister-in-law and even killed his brother. The matter is about to become a big mess, so it's better to get out quickly. " Immediately jumped out of the wall and returned to the inn. Qingqing saw that he was surprised and uncertain, and comforted him: "I think the emperor of the Tartars is lucky, if he can't be stabbed, it's fine." Yuan Chengzhi shook his head and said: "The Emperor Tartar was killed by someone, but I didn't kill him." Everyone expected that the murder of the Tazi emperor would cause chaos in the capital, and they left Shengjing and headed south early the next morning. Not a day later, when I entered Shanhaiguan and arrived at the Shuntian Mansion in the capital, I heard that the Manchu emperor Huang Taiji "died without illness" at midnight in August Geng, and Huang Taiji's son Fulin succeeded him as emperor.The little emperor was only six years old, and was assisted by Prince Rui Dorgon. 袁承志道：“这多尔衮也当真厉害，他亲手杀了皇帝，居然一点没事，不知是怎生隐瞒的。”洪胜海道：“睿亲王向来极得皇太极的宠信，手掌兵权，满清的王公亲贵个个都怕他。他说皇太极无疾而终，谁也不敢多口。”袁承志道：“怎么他自己又不做皇帝？”洪胜海道：“这个就不知道了。或许他怕人不服，杀害皇太极的事反而暴露了出来。福临那小孩子是庄妃生的，相公那晚所见的贵妃，定然就是庄妃了。” 袁承志此番远赴辽东，为的是行刺满清巨酋皇太极，以报父仇，结果亲眼见到皇太极毙命，虽非自己所杀，此人终究是死了，可是内心却殊无欢愉之意，又再思忖：“他为什么将我交给祖叔叔？以他知人之明，自然料得到祖叔叔定会私自将我释放。他是不是要收服祖叔叔之心，好为他死心塌地地打仗办事？还是故意示好，想引得我投降？”又想：“祖叔叔投降鞑子，自然是汉奸了。只因他救了我性命，我便冲口而出地叫他叔叔，那岂不是只念小惠，不顾大义？到底该是不该？”想到皇太极临死的情状，当时似乎忍不住便想冲进房去救他性命，要是多尔衮下手稍缓，自己是否会出手相救，此时回思，兀自难说。 再想到皇太极见识高超深远，多尔衮手段狠辣，范文程等人眼光远大，玉真子武功之强，满洲武士之勇，大明朝廷，多有不及。只觉世事多艰，来日大难，心中一片空荡荡的，竟无着落处。
袁承志取出银两，命洪胜海在禁城附近的正条子胡同买了一所大宅第，此次来京要结交王公巨卿、文武官员，以做闯军内应，须得排场豪阔。 袁承志将铁箱中的珍玩、金砖等物慢慢兑成银两，有时差洪胜海到天津、保定、张家口等处兑换，以免引人注目。换成银两后，逐步派人送去马谷山“山宗营”。孙仲寿手中粮饷充裕，派人到关辽一带招纳“山宗”旧人，一提到“袁督师的公子带领我们打仗”一句话，袁崇焕当年的旧部便即纷纷来归。虽然这些人大半已垂垂老矣，但烈士暮年，壮心未已，冲锋陷阵不免力所不逮，然个个久经战阵，深谙用兵之道，整军练兵，皆为良材。数月之间，已将“金蛇三营”练成一路精锐之师。虽还比不上当年袁崇焕手下的锦宁雄兵，但也不再是当日锦阳关伏击之战那样的乌合之众了。袁承志曾乘间轻骑前往马谷山，与孙仲寿、水鉴、朱安国等人相见，更带去一批粮饷。“金蛇三营”招兵买马、打造军械，成为一支劲旅。清军若再来攻，当可与之决一死战。袁承志心想：“那时才不枉了我名字中的'承志'两字。” 这日，青青在大宅中指挥童仆，粉刷布置。袁承志独自在城内大街闲逛。走到一处，见有数十名户部库丁手执兵刃，戒备森严。听途人说，是南方解来漕银入库。他想这是崇祯皇帝的根本，得仔细看看，当下站得远远的，察看附近形势，突见两条黑影从库房屋顶上跃起，身法迅速，一转眼间，已在东方隐没。 袁承志大奇，心想光天化日之下，竟有大盗劫库，倒也奇了。 次日清晨，众人聚在花厅里吃早饭。庭中积雪盈寸，原来昨夜竟下了半夜大雪。院子里两树梅花含苞吐艳，清香浮动，在雪中开得越加精神。 一名家丁匆匆进来，对青青道：“小姐，外面有人送礼来。”另一名家丁捧进礼物，原来是一个宋瓷花瓶，一座沈石田绘的小屏风。袁承志道：“这两件礼物倒也雅致，谁送的呀？”礼物中却无名帖。青青封了一两银子，命家丁拿出去打赏，问清楚是谁家送的礼，过了一会儿，家丁回来禀道：“送礼的人已走了，追他不着。” 众人都笑那送礼人冒失，白受了他的礼，却不见他情。洪胜海道：“袁相公名满天下，这次来京，江湖上多有传闻，总是慕名的朋友向你表示敬意的。”众入都道必是如此。 中午时分，有人挑了整席精雅的酒肴来，乃是北京著名的全聚兴菜馆做的名菜。一问厨师，说是有人付了银子让送来的。众人起了疑心，把酒肴让猫狗试吃，并无异状。 下午又陆续有人送东西来，或是桌椅，或是花木，都是宅第中合用之物。青青只说得一句：“这里须得挂一盏大灯才是。”过不了一个时辰，就有人送来一盏精致华贵的大宫灯。再过片刻，又有人送来绸缎丝绒、鞋帽衣巾，连青青用的胭脂花粉，也都特选上等的送来。铁罗汉一把抓住那送衣服的人，喝道：“你怎知这里有个头陀？连我穿的袈裟也送来了？”那衣店伙计给他一抓，吓了一跳，说道：“不知道啊！今儿一早，有人到小店里来，多出银子吩咐赶做的。” 这时人人奇怪不已，纷纷猜测。青青故意道：“这送礼的人要是真知我心思，给我弄一串珍珠来就好啦。”隔了片刻，只见一个仆人走出厅去。青青向洪胜海道：“快瞧他到哪里去？”不多时那仆人又回来侍候。洪胜海却隔了一个时辰才回。他刚跨进门，珠宝店里已送了两串珠子来。 青青接了珠子，直向内室，袁承志和洪胜海都跟了进去。洪胜海道：“那仆人走到门外，对一个乞丐说了几句话，就回进来。我就跟着那乞丐。见他走过了一条街，就有衙门的一个公差迎上来。两人说了几句话，那乞丐又回到我们门前。”青青道：“那你就盯着那鹰爪？”洪胜海道：“正是。那鹰爪却不上衙门，走到一条胡同的一座大院子里。我见四下无人，上屋去偷偷张望。原来里面聚了十多名公差，中间一个老头儿，瞎了只眼睛，大家叫他单老师，似是他们的头子。我怕他们发觉，就溜回来了。” 青青道：“好啊！官府耳目倒也真灵，咱们一到北京，鹰爪就得了消息。哼，要动咱们的手，只怕也没这么容易呢！”袁承志道：“可是奇在干吗要送东西来，不是明着让咱们知道么？京里吃公事饭的，必定精明强干，决不会做傻事。不知是什么意思？”命洪胜海把程青竹、沙天广、胡桂南等人请来，谈了一会儿，都猜想不透。 青青道：“公差的脏东西，咱们不要！”当晚她与哑巴、铁罗汉、胡桂南、洪胜海等搬了送来各物，都去丢在公差聚会的那大院子里。 次日青青把传递消息的仆人打发走了，却也没难为他。那仆人恭恭敬敬地接了工钱，一再称谢，磕了几个头去了，丝毫没露出不愉的神色。袁承志等严密戒备，静以待变，那天果然没再有人送东西来。 当晚朔风呼号，又下了一晚大雪。次日一早，洪胜海满脸惊诧之色，进来禀报：“屋子前面的积雪，不知是谁给打扫得干干净净，这真奇了。”袁承志道：“这批鹰爪似乎暗中在拼命讨好咱们。”青青笑道：“啊，我知道了。”众人忙问：“怎么？”青青道：“他们怕咱们在京里做出大案来，对付不了，因此先来打个招呼，交个朋友。”沙天广笑道：“说来倒有点像。可是我做了这么多年强盗，从来没听见过这种事。” 程青竹忽道：“我想起啦，那独眼捕快名叫独眼神龙单铁生。不过他退隐已久，这才一时想他不起。” 又过数日，众人见再无异事，也渐渐不把这事放在心上。这天中午，众人在大厅上饮酒闲谈，家丁送上个大红名帖，写着“晚生单铁生请安”的字样，并有八色礼盘。袁承志道：“快请。”家丁道：“这位单爷也真怪，他说给袁相公请安，转头走了，让他坐，却不肯进来。”洪胜海奉了袁承志之命，拿了袁承志、程青竹、沙天广三人的名帖回拜，并把礼物都退了回去。 接连三天，单铁生总是一早就来投送名帖请安。程青竹道：“独眼神龙在北方武林中也不是无名之辈，怎么鬼鬼祟祟地尽搞这一套，明儿待我找上门去问问。”胡桂南道：“这些招数可透着全无恶意，真是邪门。” 铁罗汉忽然大声道：“我知道他干什么。”众人见他平时傻愣愣的，这时居然有独得之见，都感诧异，齐问：“干什么啊？”铁罗汉道：“他见袁相公武功既高，名气又大，因此想招他做女婿。”此言一出，众人无不大笑。沙天广正喝了一口茶，一下子忍不住，全喷在胡桂南身上。胡桂南一面揩身，一面笑道：“独眼龙的女儿也是独眼龙，袁相公怎么会要？”铁罗汉瞪眼道：“你怎知道？”胡桂南笑道：“乌龟生个王八蛋'独眼龙生个独眼种。” 众人开了一阵玩笑。青青口里不说什么，心中却老大的不乐意，暗想那独眼龙可恶，别真的要招大哥做女婿。这天晚上，取来七张白纸，都画了个独眼龙老公差的图形，写上“独眼神龙单铁生盗”的字样，夜里飞身跃入七家豪门大户，每家盗了些首饰银两，再给放上一张独眼龙肖像。 次日清晨，洪胜海在她房门上敲了几声，说道：“小姐，独眼龙来啦。袁相公陪他在厅上说话。”青青换上男装，走到厅上，果见袁承志、程青竹、沙天广陪着一个瘦削矮小的老头在喝茶。袁承志给她引见了。青青见这单铁生已有六十上下年纪，须眉皆白，一只左眼炯炯发光，显得十分精朋干练。只听他道：“小老儿做这等事，当真十分冒昧。不过实是有件大事，想恳请袁相公跟各位鼎力相助，小老儿和各位又不相识，只得出此下策。不想招恼了各位，小老儿谨此谢过。”说着爬下来磕头。 袁承志连忙扶起，正要问他何事相求，青青忽道：“令爱好吧？怎不跟你同来？”单铁生一愣，道：“小老儿光身一人，连老伴也没有，别说子女啦！”青青又问：“那你有孙女儿没有？有干女儿没有？”单铁生道：“都没有。”青青嫣然一笑，返身入房，捧了盗来的首饰银两，都还了给他，笑道：“在下跟你开个玩笑，请别见怪。不过若非如此，也请不到你大驾光临。”单铁生谢了，心想：“这玩笑险些害了我的老命。”又想：“这个女扮男装的姑娘怎地老问我有没干女儿？总不是想拜我为干爹吧？” 众人都觉奇怪，正要相询，忽然外面匆匆进来一名捕快，向众人行了礼，对单铁生道：“单老师，又失了二千两库锒。”单铁生倏然变色，站起身来作了个揖，道：“小老儿有件急事要查勘，待会再来跟各位请安。”收了青青交还的物事，随着那捕快急急去了。
到得下午，鹅毛般的大雪漫天而下。青青约了袁承志，到城外西郊饮酒赏雪。两人没单独共游已久，这时偷得半日清闲，甚是畅快。这一带四下里都是芦苇，芦上盖雪，望出去一片白茫茫的。青青带着食盒，盛了酒菜。两人在一座凉亭中喝酒闲谈，观赏雪景。当地平时就已荒凉，这日天寒大雪，游人更稀。 袁承志问起交还了什么东西给单铁生，青青笑着把昨晚的事说了。袁承志道：“唉，我刚赞你变得乖了，哪知仍是这般顽皮。”青青道：“你几时赞过我呀？”袁承志道：“我心里赞你，你自然不知道。”青青很是高兴，笑道：“谁叫他不肯露面，暗中捣鬼？” 袁承志道：“不知他想求咱们什么事？”青青道：“这种人哪，哼，不管他求什么，都别答允。”两人喝了一会儿酒，说到在衢州静岩中夜喝酒赏花之事，青青想起故乡和亡母，不觉泫然欲泣。袁承志忙说笑话岔开。
Notes: 清太宗皇太极死因不明。《清史稿·太宗本纪》：“崇德八年八月庚午，上御崇政殿，是夕亥时无疾崩，年五十有二。”当天他还在处理政事，一无异状，突然在半夜里“无疾崩”，后人颇有疑为多尔衮所谋杀，但绝无佐证。顺治六年，“皇父摄政王”多尔衮据说和皇太极的妃子庄妃、即顺治皇帝的母亲孝庄太后正式结婚。张煌言诗有云：“春宫昨进新仪注，大礼恭逢太后婚。”此事普遍流传，但无明文记载。近人孟森认为不确，胡适则对孟森之考证以为不够令人信服。北方游牧渔猎民族之习俗和中原汉人大异，兄终弟及，原属常事。清太后下嫁多尔衮事，近世治清史者大都不否定有此可能。 回目中“烛影”用宋太宗弑兄宋太祖“烛影摇红”故事。“昭阳”用赵合德居昭阳殿故事。赵合德为皇后赵飞燕之妹，封昭仪，与人私通，后致汉成帝于死。清庄妃为太宗孝端皇后之侄女，民间传说称之为“大玉儿”、“小玉儿”者也。汉、宋、清三朝宫闱秘事，未尽可信，荦扯为一，或近于诬。小说家言，史家似不必深究。
Arriving outside the palace, Zu Dashou personally helped Yuan Chengzhi onto his mount, and rode another horse by himself, and went to his mansion together.Zu Dashou personally helped Yuan Chengzhi into the study, and said, "Go out!" The four followers bowed out of the room. Zu Dashou closed the door of the room, and without saying a word, he went to untie the iron chains on Yuan Chengzhi's body.When Yuan Chengzhi was in the palace, he was slowly getting lucky. Most of the acupoints sealed on his chest had been untied. Seeing that he had come to untie the iron chains on his body, he thought to himself: "You only said that my acupoints were tapped, but I couldn't move them automatically. Humph!" Hmph, this is too big!" Zu Dashou slowly unwound the iron chain from Yuan Chengzhi's body round and round, without saying a word.Yuan Chengzhi was secretly lucky, feeling that the breath at the Tanzhong acupoint on his chest was still quite suffocated, and thought: "That Taoist's hand strength is really good. I wear the gold silk vest given by Taoist Mu Sang, and I received his three fingers. It's still like this. If I don't have this vest to protect my body, what's the point?" Then I thought: "Zu Dashou wants to persuade me to surrender to the Tartars, but I'll pretend to listen to him and delay the time. Once the breath in my chest is free, I will shoot him to death with my palm. Get rid of this traitor and escape through the window." After Zu Dashou untied the iron chain, he said in a low voice, "Young Master Yuan, you can go now." Yuan Chengzhi was taken aback, hardly believing his ears, and asked: "You...what did you say?" Zu Dashou said: "It is very rare to assassinate the Qing emperor. You should go." Yuan Chengzhi said: "You let me go." Go?" Zu Dashou said: "Yes, are you injured?" Yuan Chengzhi said: "No." Zu Dashou said: "You ride my horse and leave the city immediately at dawn." Yuan Chengzhi said: "Why did you let me go?" Zu Dashou said sadly: "You are the blood of Master Yuan, and Zu Dashou has received the kindness of Master Yuan, and he has nothing to repay." Yuan Chengzhi said: "If you let me go, Tomorrow the emperor of the Tartars will be questioned, and you will be punished with death." Zu Dashou said: "Let's wait and see. The emperor of the Qing Dynasty said that he would not kill me." Yuan Chengzhi said: "You release the assassin privately, the crime is too great , the emperor may still suspect that you are the mastermind of the assassination. I can't be greedy for my own life, but I took your life." Zu Dashou smiled wryly and said: "What is my life worth? On the day Dalinghe City was destroyed, I should have died long ago. On the day Jinzhou City was destroyed, I should have died even more. Mr. Yuan, don't worry about me, just go by yourself " Yuan Chengzhi said: "Then you run away with me." Zu Dashou shook his head and said: "My mother, wife, children, brothers, nephews, and a family of more than 80 people are all in Shengjing. I can't escape." Yuan Chengzhi was in a state of mind Agitated, suddenly the breath in the chest was reversed, and I couldn't help coughing repeatedly, thinking: "He surrendered to the Tartars, he is a traitor. I should have killed him with one palm, but I didn't expect him to let me go. As soon as I leave, Nianzi The emperor must kill him. It makes no difference whether I kill him or the Tartars kill him. But should I just let him die in my place? If I don’t leave, I will be killed by the Tartars. How can I die so easily when there are still so many important things to do? Of course I don’t want to die, and dying for a traitor is even more unworthy. But...but..." The harder it is to decide in my heart, the more I cough Terrible, blushing, almost out of breath. Zu Dashou patted him on the back lightly, and said, "Mr. Yuan, you lost your strength just now, lie down and rest for a while." Yuan Chengzhi nodded and sat cross-legged, no longer thinking about it, only focusing on luck.That Yu Zhenzi's acupuncture skills are really good. At first, he thought that the sealed acupuncture points had been untied, but when he got lucky, he felt that his chest was not smooth after all, and he knew that it would be fine if he sat still, but if he touched someone, or If you perform lightness kung fu, jump and run, you will inevitably faint with breathlessness.So according to the method of regulating the inner breath taught by the master, slowly circulate a wave of true energy in the meridians. I don't know how long it took before I realized that the true energy flowed unimpeded, let alone suffocated. I slowly opened my eyes, but saw the sun shining in through the window, and it was already dawn.He was slightly startled, seeing Zu Dashou sitting at the side with his hands on his knees, dazed in a daze.Yuan Chengzhi stood up and said, "You stayed with me in the middle of the night?" Zu Dashou showed a slight joy on his face, and said, "Is your son better?" Yuan Chengzhi said: "It's all over! What is the origin of the Taoist Yuzhenzi? His martial arts are so powerful." Zu Dashou said: "He recently came from Tibet. Last month, the Taoist master Buku in the palace defeated twenty-three He was a first-class Buku warrior. Later, four or five warriors joined forces to fight against him, and he defeated them all. The emperor was very happy, and gave him the title of "Real Protector of the Country" and asked him to be the head coach of Buku. Your son , you drink this bowl of chicken soup and eat some cakes, let's go now." He walked to the table and brought a bowl of soup with both hands. Yuan Chengzhi thought to himself: "I concentrate on my practice, and I don't know if someone brings food in. He could have killed me without poisoning me." He took the soup bowl and took a few sips, which tasted slightly bitter.Zu Dashou said: "This is stewed with ginseng from Laoshan Mountain in Liaodong. It is the most invigorating and refreshing." Yuan Chengzhi ate two pieces of cake and said, "You take me to see the Emperor Tartar, I surrender." Zu Dashou was taken aback, staring at him, and then understood that he didn't want to die for him, first pretended to surrender, and then tried to get away, pondered for a moment, and said: "Okay!" Taking him out of the mansion, the two The man got on the horse.Zu Dashou didn't bring any entourage, he rode on the horse first, and Yuan Chengzhi followed. After walking a few streets, Yuan Chengzhi saw him urging his horse towards the city gate. He saw three big characters "Deshengmen" written on the city gate, and there was a line of Manchurian characters next to it. He knew it was the South Gate of Shengjing. Those who came in through the city gate were surprised and asked, "How do we get out of the city?" Zu Dashou said, "The emperor is hunting in Halsa Mountain in the south of the city." The two traveled about ten miles out of the city.Zu Dashou reined in his horse and said, "Young master, let's leave now. Take care, I beg Bodhisattva to bless you day and night." Yuan Chengzhi said in surprise: "Why? We're not going to see the Emperor Tartar What?" Zu Dashou shook his head and smiled wryly, and said, "Master Yuan is loyal and righteous, how can his son be as shameless as me, and surrender to the Tartars?" He took off the sword around his waist and threw it at him with its sheath, Yuan Chengzhi had no choice but to catch.Zu Dashou suddenly turned the horse's head around, whipped twice violently, and the mount galloped away along the way back to the city. Yuan Chengzhi shouted: "Uncle Zu, Uncle Zu." He couldn't make up his mind for a while, whether to chase him back or go back to the city with him, he hesitated for a while, Zu Dashou urged the horse to go far, and only listened to him far away. Called: "Thank you for calling me uncle twice!"
Yuan Chengzhi sat on the horse, dazed, and it took a long time before he set off on the horse south. After walking another ten miles, I saw Qingqing, Hong Shenghai, Sha Tianguang and others waiting outside the agreed ruined temple.Qingqing cheered loudly, ran quickly, threw herself into his arms, and shouted: "You're back! You're back!" Seeing her tired face, Yuan Chengzhi expected that she was anxious and stayed up most of the night. Seeing that he was not excited, Qingqing guessed that the assassination was unsuccessful, and said, "Can't find the emperor of the Tartars?" Yuan Chengzhi shook his head: "The man was found, but he couldn't be stabbed." Briefly explained the process.Everyone's mouth was wide open when they heard it, but they couldn't close it. Qingqing patted her chest, let out a long breath, and said, "Thank God!" Yuan Chengzhi always felt uneasy when he thought that Zu Dashou was going to die for himself, and said: "I have to go to the city tonight. If Uncle Zu is arrested by the Emperor of Tartars, I will save him." Qingqing said: "Everyone together Go! I will never let you go on adventures alone again." When it was time to apply for the license plate, the group of people arrived in Shengjing City again. They were afraid that they had been exposed yesterday, so they went to another inn to stay overnight. Hong Shenghai went to check in front of Zu Dashou's mansion, and reported that he had not heard the message from Zu Dashou that he had locked it for the Tartar emperor, and there was no movement outside the gate of the mansion.Yuan Chengzhi thought to himself: "Mostly, the Emperor Tartar doesn't know that he has let me go. He only knows that he is persuading me to surrender." He ordered Hong Shenghai to inquire again.Tie Luohan said: "I will go too." Qingqing said: "Don't go, don't fight with others again, you will miss a big deal." Tie Luohan pouted and said: "I don't necessarily have to fight." Hu Guinan said : "I'm going with Big Brother Luo Han, if he wants to make trouble, I'll stop him." Yuan Chengzhi nodded and said: "Be careful in everything." In the evening, the three returned to the inn.Tie Luohan was very annoyed, and said: "If Miss Xia didn't tell me first, otherwise I would really have to shake the heads of those boys." When everyone asked the reason, Hong Shenghai said. It turns out that they still haven't heard the news that Zu Dashou was arrested, and there was an assassination in the palace last night, but they didn't hear anyone talking about it in the streets.The three went to a restaurant to drink and saw eight Buku warriors eating and drinking, all speaking Manchurian.Hong Shenghai quietly told the two of them.Only then did Tie Luohan and Hu Guinan realize that they were bragging about how brave and invincible the head coach is. Last night, they got another strange sword with a hook on the head and a curved blade.Isn't this Yuan Chengzhi's Golden Snake Sword?Tie Luohan stood up and wanted to go over and teach them a lesson, but Hu Guinan hurriedly stopped him.After the eight warriors finished eating and went downstairs, the three followed quietly and found out where they were staying. Yuan Chengzhi was captured by mistake, and his weapon was taken away by others. Take it back from the master?He was silent for a while. Hu Guinan laughed and said: "Leader, I will go to 'Miaoshou' to come back tonight. That Yuzhenzi always sleeps, no matter how good his martial arts is, he can't beat me when he falls asleep, right?" Everyone laughed.Yuan Chengzhi said: "Okay, this is too much work for Brother Hu, but you must not ignore it. Brother Hu only needs to steal the sword, and you don't have to kill him. Killing him for no reason in his sleep is not the work of a hero." Hu Guinan Said: "Yes, in the future the leader will compete with him one-on-one, and then he will be convinced." Yuan Chengzhi smiled slightly and said: "Even if I fight alone, I may not be able to win." However, it is because this matter is too dangerous. Even if Yu Zhenzi is in his sleep, if he is hit with a white sword, he will be able to counterattack immediately. It is impossible to kill Hu Guinan. After dinner, Hu Guinan changed into black clothes and was about to go out excitedly.Yuan Chengzhi was afraid that Makoto Yuma would be powerful, so he was finally worried, and said: "Brother Hu, I'll go and watch you." The two went out of the shop together.Qingqing knew that this trip was not as risky as the assassination of the Tartar emperor, and she knew that Hu Guinan was unparalleled in the world, so she was not too worried. Hu Guinan led the way and traveled more than three miles to the place where Buku warriors lived.In the center is a huge cowhide tent, surrounded by huts.Hu Guinan said in a low voice: "The eight warriors all live in the hut in the north, but I don't know if Niubi also lives here." Yuan Chengzhi said: "Let's grab a warrior and ask. It's a pity that we don't know Speak Manchurian." Hu Guinan said: "Wait for me to make a gesture to ask him to lead the way..." Before he finished speaking, Shi Shi came over to see two warriors humming a ditty.When the two were approaching, Yuan Chengzhi jumped out suddenly, stretched out his fingers and tapped each of the acupoints on the backs of the two, and penetrated the key acupoints, and the two were immediately unable to move.When he struck, one warrior fainted immediately, while the other remained insane.He dragged the fainted warrior into the bushes. Hu Guinan put a sharp knife to another warrior's throat with his left hand, gestured with his right hand, and made a bun on his head, and asked him where this Taoist lived. The samurai said: "What are you doing? I don't understand." Unexpectedly, he could speak Chinese.It turned out that Shengjing's real name was Shenyang, which belonged to the Ming Dynasty and was occupied by the Manchurians. It was established as Kyoto in the fifth year of Tianqi, and it was less than 20 years ago.Nineteen of the city's residents are Han Chinese.Most of these Buku warriors hang out in restaurants and gambling houses, and most of them can speak Chinese. Hu Guinan was overjoyed and asked, "Where does your chief instructor, that Taoist priest, live?" The warrior held a sharp knife to his throat, and was frightened. Hearing this, he thought, "You are going to find our chief instructor to die. , That's really wonderful." His mouth moved toward a house in the distance to the east, and he said, "We always live in that house." The house is four or fifty feet away from the other huts Also much taller.Yuan Chengzhi knew it was true, so he added another finger under his pressure, and made him faint for three or four hours.Hu Guinan dragged him into the bushes. The two approached the big house quietly, and saw that the place was pitch black, and there were no lights and candles in the windows.Hu Guinan whispered: "Niubi is asleep, we don't need to wait." The two went around to the back door, Hu Guinan leaned against the wall and climbed up quietly.Then climb down the wall again.Yuan Chengzhi saw that his posture of climbing the wall was very indecent, with his limbs stretched out, his head shrugged, and his movements were slow, like a toad, but he made no sound at all, but he was beyond his reach.He thought to himself: "The master thief is really amazing." He was afraid that if there was any sound when he entered the room, Yu Zhenzi would definitely notice it, so he stood by the wall and listened intently. After a while, I heard a night owl screaming from a tree inside the wall, and then there was silence again.Suddenly, a woman's laughter was faintly heard, and then a man laughed and said a few words.It's far away, but I can't hear clearly, it's Yu Zhenzi vaguely.Yuan Chengzhi thought to himself: "He hasn't slept yet, Brother Hu can't do anything." Fearing that Hu Guinan would be in danger, he jumped over the wall and entered, only to hear the laughter of men and women, and walked along the sound, and suddenly heard Yu Zhenzi laughing Said: "Which place on your body is the slipperiest?" The woman smiled and said: "I don't know." Yu Zhenzi smiled and said: "Let me feel it." Yuan Chengzhi blushed immediately, stood still, and thought: "This thief is doing that. Fortunately, the younger brother didn't come with me." Hearing the woman's wanton laughter, he couldn't help but feel agitated, and immediately went out of the wall quietly, Sitting in the grass. After a while, a gust of wind blew, and I felt a slight chill.At this time, it was just the beginning of autumn, and the weather was not cold, but the people of the northern kingdom were as cold as winter after night.Suddenly, Yu Zhenzi yelled sharply: "Who?" Yuan Chengzhi stood up in surprise, and shouted secretly: "Oops, he found out!" Leaping up the wall, I saw a black shadow rushing towards , it was Hu Guinan, who rushed to approach, but saw that he was holding a lot of things in his hands, and thought for a moment: "Brother Hu has a thieving temper, and I don't know what he stole from him again, such a lot That." Before he could think about it, he jumped down and grabbed him, flew up the wall, jumped down to the ground, and heard Yu Zhenzi shouting: "Mice, you are impatient." He was already on top of the wall. Hu Guinan shouted: "I got it! Let's go!" Yuan Chengzhi was overjoyed. Looking back, he couldn't help but be amazed. Under the dim light of the stars, he saw Yu Zhenzi naked, with a bloated lower body surrounded by a thick quilt, holding the quilt with both hands .Yuan Chengzhi couldn't help laughing.Hu Guinan smiled and said: "Niubi is doing that, I stole all his clothes." He raised his hands, it turned out that he was holding a pile of clothes, turned around and said, "Leader, your sword!" The Golden Snake Sword It's stuck in his lower back. Yuan Chengzhi drew his sword, inserted it into his belt, and ran a few more steps.Yu Zhenzi, who had already been covered with people, jumped down and shouted: "Little thief!" Stretched out his right palm and chopped at Hu Guinan.Yuan Chengzhi slapped him on the shoulder obliquely with his palm, and shouted: "You and I will fight again." Yu Zhenzi only felt that the palm was extremely powerful, so he hurriedly returned the palm to block it.Their palms intersected, and both of them took three steps back.Yu Zhenzi was taken aback, seeing his opponent clearly, he was even more startled, and shouted: "Ah! You...you escaped." At first, he only said that the thief stole the sword, then he chased him naked, and only said one The trick is to kill the thief, but Yuan Chengzhi, a master like Yuan Chengzhi, is hiding outside the wall. After Yuan Chengzhi retreated, he stepped forward again.Yu Zhenzi held the quilt with his left hand, fearing that it would slip off, so he had to use his right palm to meet the enemy.But how cumbersome this big quilt is, it only took two tricks to remove it. When he stumbled and staggered, Yuan Chengzhi took advantage of the situation and punched him hard on the shoulder.Yu Zhenzi was anxious and angry. When he was full of love, he took the opportunity to steal the sword clothes from Hu Guinan. Arms are numb.He has never been naked in front of people since he was eight years old. At this moment, he was in a state of embarrassment, and he didn't expect that it would be no harm to throw away the quilt and fight Yuan Chengzhi naked?It was night and there were not many people around, so even if people saw him, he was a flirtatious man, so it was no big deal.But the custom of dressing was already deeply ingrained in his heart, and he frantically focused on resisting incoming attacks, but his left hand was always tightly grasping the quilt, and he only met the enemy with one hand.Two more moves were removed, and Yuan Chengzhi was hit with a palm on the vest.This palm contained Hunyuan Kungfu internal energy, Yu Zhenzi couldn't bear it anymore, and with a "wow", he spat out blood. Yuan Chengzhi stopped chasing after him, and said with a smile: "Kill you now, I'm sorry you won't be convinced if you die, and fight again next time when you put on your clothes." Hu Guinan said anxiously: "Leader, don't spare him, I'm afraid Yu Zu's life is in danger." Yuan Chengzhi shuddered in his heart: "That's right, he went to sue the Tartar Emperor and aggravated the crime of Uncle Zu, so he must be killed to silence his words." Leaping forward, he punched him at the temple with both fists .Yu Zhenzi saw that the attack was fierce, so he naturally raised his hands to block. Although he blocked the opponent's punch, the quilt had already slipped to his feet, and he exclaimed "Ah", and Yuan Chengzhi's flying feet were firmly eaten by his chest. Kicked.Yu Zhenzi was terrified, and no longer cared about being naked, he ran away.Yuan Chengzhi and Hu Guinan chased after them. This Taoist's martial arts is also really good, he was hit by three moves in a row and was seriously injured, but he still runs like flying, his lightness kung fu is excellent, which is rare in this world.Yuan Chengzhi chased after him hurriedly, seeing him jumping into the big cowhide tent in the middle, he immediately chased after him, determined to kill him to silence him.As soon as he ran to the entrance of the tent, he saw that the candles in the tent were shining brightly like daytime, and the tent was full of people, so he stopped immediately and moved aside, only to hear everyone in the tent exclaiming in unison. At this time, Hu Guinan had also arrived, pulled Yuan Chengzhi's arm, and walked around behind the tent.The two leaned down, opened the legs of the tent, and looked inward.I saw Yu Zhenzi fell to the ground with his back facing the sky, his whole body was completely naked, he could not be seen as a big man, his skin was white all over, but his chest was full of blood, this appearance was both extremely strange and extremely ridiculous. After an exclamation in the tent, there was no sound.All I could hear was a dignified voice speaking Manchurian loudly.Yuan Chengzhi was taken aback, the speaker turned out to be the Manchu Emperor Huang Taiji. Yuan Chengzhi saw that the tent was full of Buku warriors, no fewer than two hundred people, and said in his heart: "Ah, yes, this Tartar emperor likes to watch people compete, and he will come to watch it again tonight. It counts that his eyes are not shallow , I saw the strange appearance of the chief samurai master." He had tasted the kung fu of these Buku warriors last night. It is absolutely impossible, just wait and see what happens. A man who looked like a warrior leader came forward and bowed to report. After Huang Taiji said a few more words, he stood up, as if he was so disappointed that he no longer watched the contest.He walked towards the tent, surrounded by dozens of guards, stepped out of the tent and mounted his horse. Yuan Chengzhi thought to himself: "This is really a god-given opportunity. It is much more convenient for me to strike unexpectedly on the road than to go to the palace to assassinate." He whispered to Hu Guinan: "This is the emperor of the Tartars. You go back first, and I will take the opportunity to kill you." Do it halfway." Hu Guinan was both surprised and happy, and said: "Leader, be careful!"
After Yuan Chengzhi followed Huang Taiji and his party, he saw all the guards holding up the torches and walking westward, thinking: "Wait until he goes farther before doing it, lest these Buku warriors come to pester him again. " After less than a mile, I saw all the guards hugging Huang Taiji towards a big house and entered the house.Yuan Chengzhi was very surprised: "If he doesn't go back to the palace, what is he doing in this room?" Then he went around the back of the house and jumped into the wall. He walked closer and looked inward through the crack of the window, only to see that the room was splendidly embroidered, with a pair of big phoenixes embroidered with gold thread on the big red satin curtain.Facing him, a bright red curtain was lifted, and Huang Taiji was walking into the room.Yuan Chengzhi was overjoyed, and secretly shouted: "God help me!" I saw a Manchurian woman standing up to meet her.The woman was dressed luxuriously, and the back of her hat was inlaid with pearls and gems.After Huang Taiji entered the room, the woman turned around. Yuan Chengzhi saw that she was about twenty-eight or nineteen years old, with a very beautiful appearance and full of jewels, and thought: "This woman is not a queen, but a noble concubine. Ah, yes Now, Huang Taiji went to watch the martial arts competition, this lady doesn't like to watch martial arts competitions, so she waited here, this is the emperor's palace." Huang Taiji reached out to touch her face and said a few words.The woman smiled and answered a few words.Huang Taiji sat on the bed, was about to lie down and rest, suddenly sat up, his face was full of doubts, looked around the room, suddenly saw a pair of men's shoes placed crookedly by the bed, he sternly asked.The woman's face was pale, and she covered her face and began to cry.Huang Taiji grabbed her chest and raised his hand to hit her, but the woman bent her knees and fell to the ground.Huang Taiji let go of her, and leaned over to look under the bed. Yuan Chengzhi was amazed, and thought: "Look at this appearance, it must be that the empress and her lover had a tryst here when the emperor went to watch the martial arts competition. Unexpectedly, the real person protecting the country suddenly performed such a good show, and the emperor came back early, so that he could see Could it be that the empress is also stealing someone? Isn’t it outrageous? If her lover is still in the room, she won’t be able to escape this time.” At this moment, the door of the cupboard behind Huang Taiji suddenly opened, and a person jumped out of the cupboard, with the light of the knife shining, a short knife stabbed into the back of Huang Taiji's heart.The woman exclaimed "Ah", the candlelight flickered a few times, and then went out.After a while, the candle was lit again, only to see Huang Taiji bent down on the ground, not moving, the blood on the vest stained the yellow robe. (Note) Yuan Chengzhi's surprise was really no small matter. When he looked at that person, it was Dorgon, Prince Rui whom he had met yesterday.The woman threw herself into his arms.Dorgon hugged him, comforting in a low voice. Seeing this thrilling scene, Yuan Chengzhi's heart pounded wildly, thinking: "I didn't expect this Dorgon to be so bold that he dared to have an affair with his sister-in-law and even killed his brother. The matter is about to become a big mess, so it's better to get out quickly. " Immediately jumped out of the wall and returned to the inn. Qingqing saw that he was surprised and uncertain, and comforted him: "I think the emperor of the Tartars is lucky, if he can't be stabbed, it's fine." Yuan Chengzhi shook his head and said: "The Emperor Tartar was killed by someone, but I didn't kill him." Everyone expected that the murder of the Tazi emperor would cause chaos in the capital, and they left Shengjing and headed south early the next morning. Not a day later, when I entered Shanhaiguan and arrived at the Shuntian Mansion in the capital, I heard that the Manchu emperor Huang Taiji "died without illness" at midnight in August Geng, and Huang Taiji's son Fulin succeeded him as emperor.The little emperor was only six years old, and was assisted by Prince Rui Dorgon. 袁承志道：“这多尔衮也当真厉害，他亲手杀了皇帝，居然一点没事，不知是怎生隐瞒的。”洪胜海道：“睿亲王向来极得皇太极的宠信，手掌兵权，满清的王公亲贵个个都怕他。他说皇太极无疾而终，谁也不敢多口。”袁承志道：“怎么他自己又不做皇帝？”洪胜海道：“这个就不知道了。或许他怕人不服，杀害皇太极的事反而暴露了出来。福临那小孩子是庄妃生的，相公那晚所见的贵妃，定然就是庄妃了。” 袁承志此番远赴辽东，为的是行刺满清巨酋皇太极，以报父仇，结果亲眼见到皇太极毙命，虽非自己所杀，此人终究是死了，可是内心却殊无欢愉之意，又再思忖：“他为什么将我交给祖叔叔？以他知人之明，自然料得到祖叔叔定会私自将我释放。他是不是要收服祖叔叔之心，好为他死心塌地地打仗办事？还是故意示好，想引得我投降？”又想：“祖叔叔投降鞑子，自然是汉奸了。只因他救了我性命，我便冲口而出地叫他叔叔，那岂不是只念小惠，不顾大义？到底该是不该？”想到皇太极临死的情状，当时似乎忍不住便想冲进房去救他性命，要是多尔衮下手稍缓，自己是否会出手相救，此时回思，兀自难说。 再想到皇太极见识高超深远，多尔衮手段狠辣，范文程等人眼光远大，玉真子武功之强，满洲武士之勇，大明朝廷，多有不及。只觉世事多艰，来日大难，心中一片空荡荡的，竟无着落处。
袁承志取出银两，命洪胜海在禁城附近的正条子胡同买了一所大宅第，此次来京要结交王公巨卿、文武官员，以做闯军内应，须得排场豪阔。 袁承志将铁箱中的珍玩、金砖等物慢慢兑成银两，有时差洪胜海到天津、保定、张家口等处兑换，以免引人注目。换成银两后，逐步派人送去马谷山“山宗营”。孙仲寿手中粮饷充裕，派人到关辽一带招纳“山宗”旧人，一提到“袁督师的公子带领我们打仗”一句话，袁崇焕当年的旧部便即纷纷来归。虽然这些人大半已垂垂老矣，但烈士暮年，壮心未已，冲锋陷阵不免力所不逮，然个个久经战阵，深谙用兵之道，整军练兵，皆为良材。数月之间，已将“金蛇三营”练成一路精锐之师。虽还比不上当年袁崇焕手下的锦宁雄兵，但也不再是当日锦阳关伏击之战那样的乌合之众了。袁承志曾乘间轻骑前往马谷山，与孙仲寿、水鉴、朱安国等人相见，更带去一批粮饷。“金蛇三营”招兵买马、打造军械，成为一支劲旅。清军若再来攻，当可与之决一死战。袁承志心想：“那时才不枉了我名字中的'承志'两字。” 这日，青青在大宅中指挥童仆，粉刷布置。袁承志独自在城内大街闲逛。走到一处，见有数十名户部库丁手执兵刃，戒备森严。听途人说，是南方解来漕银入库。他想这是崇祯皇帝的根本，得仔细看看，当下站得远远的，察看附近形势，突见两条黑影从库房屋顶上跃起，身法迅速，一转眼间，已在东方隐没。 袁承志大奇，心想光天化日之下，竟有大盗劫库，倒也奇了。 次日清晨，众人聚在花厅里吃早饭。庭中积雪盈寸，原来昨夜竟下了半夜大雪。院子里两树梅花含苞吐艳，清香浮动，在雪中开得越加精神。 一名家丁匆匆进来，对青青道：“小姐，外面有人送礼来。”另一名家丁捧进礼物，原来是一个宋瓷花瓶，一座沈石田绘的小屏风。袁承志道：“这两件礼物倒也雅致，谁送的呀？”礼物中却无名帖。青青封了一两银子，命家丁拿出去打赏，问清楚是谁家送的礼，过了一会儿，家丁回来禀道：“送礼的人已走了，追他不着。” 众人都笑那送礼人冒失，白受了他的礼，却不见他情。洪胜海道：“袁相公名满天下，这次来京，江湖上多有传闻，总是慕名的朋友向你表示敬意的。”众入都道必是如此。 中午时分，有人挑了整席精雅的酒肴来，乃是北京著名的全聚兴菜馆做的名菜。一问厨师，说是有人付了银子让送来的。众人起了疑心，把酒肴让猫狗试吃，并无异状。 下午又陆续有人送东西来，或是桌椅，或是花木，都是宅第中合用之物。青青只说得一句：“这里须得挂一盏大灯才是。”过不了一个时辰，就有人送来一盏精致华贵的大宫灯。再过片刻，又有人送来绸缎丝绒、鞋帽衣巾，连青青用的胭脂花粉，也都特选上等的送来。铁罗汉一把抓住那送衣服的人，喝道：“你怎知这里有个头陀？连我穿的袈裟也送来了？”那衣店伙计给他一抓，吓了一跳，说道：“不知道啊！今儿一早，有人到小店里来，多出银子吩咐赶做的。” 这时人人奇怪不已，纷纷猜测。青青故意道：“这送礼的人要是真知我心思，给我弄一串珍珠来就好啦。”隔了片刻，只见一个仆人走出厅去。青青向洪胜海道：“快瞧他到哪里去？”不多时那仆人又回来侍候。洪胜海却隔了一个时辰才回。他刚跨进门，珠宝店里已送了两串珠子来。 青青接了珠子，直向内室，袁承志和洪胜海都跟了进去。洪胜海道：“那仆人走到门外，对一个乞丐说了几句话，就回进来。我就跟着那乞丐。见他走过了一条街，就有衙门的一个公差迎上来。两人说了几句话，那乞丐又回到我们门前。”青青道：“那你就盯着那鹰爪？”洪胜海道：“正是。那鹰爪却不上衙门，走到一条胡同的一座大院子里。我见四下无人，上屋去偷偷张望。原来里面聚了十多名公差，中间一个老头儿，瞎了只眼睛，大家叫他单老师，似是他们的头子。我怕他们发觉，就溜回来了。” 青青道：“好啊！官府耳目倒也真灵，咱们一到北京，鹰爪就得了消息。哼，要动咱们的手，只怕也没这么容易呢！”袁承志道：“可是奇在干吗要送东西来，不是明着让咱们知道么？京里吃公事饭的，必定精明强干，决不会做傻事。不知是什么意思？”命洪胜海把程青竹、沙天广、胡桂南等人请来，谈了一会儿，都猜想不透。 青青道：“公差的脏东西，咱们不要！”当晚她与哑巴、铁罗汉、胡桂南、洪胜海等搬了送来各物，都去丢在公差聚会的那大院子里。 次日青青把传递消息的仆人打发走了，却也没难为他。那仆人恭恭敬敬地接了工钱，一再称谢，磕了几个头去了，丝毫没露出不愉的神色。袁承志等严密戒备，静以待变，那天果然没再有人送东西来。 当晚朔风呼号，又下了一晚大雪。次日一早，洪胜海满脸惊诧之色，进来禀报：“屋子前面的积雪，不知是谁给打扫得干干净净，这真奇了。”袁承志道：“这批鹰爪似乎暗中在拼命讨好咱们。”青青笑道：“啊，我知道了。”众人忙问：“怎么？”青青道：“他们怕咱们在京里做出大案来，对付不了，因此先来打个招呼，交个朋友。”沙天广笑道：“说来倒有点像。可是我做了这么多年强盗，从来没听见过这种事。” 程青竹忽道：“我想起啦，那独眼捕快名叫独眼神龙单铁生。不过他退隐已久，这才一时想他不起。” 又过数日，众人见再无异事，也渐渐不把这事放在心上。这天中午，众人在大厅上饮酒闲谈，家丁送上个大红名帖，写着“晚生单铁生请安”的字样，并有八色礼盘。袁承志道：“快请。”家丁道：“这位单爷也真怪，他说给袁相公请安，转头走了，让他坐，却不肯进来。”洪胜海奉了袁承志之命，拿了袁承志、程青竹、沙天广三人的名帖回拜，并把礼物都退了回去。 接连三天，单铁生总是一早就来投送名帖请安。程青竹道：“独眼神龙在北方武林中也不是无名之辈，怎么鬼鬼祟祟地尽搞这一套，明儿待我找上门去问问。”胡桂南道：“这些招数可透着全无恶意，真是邪门。” 铁罗汉忽然大声道：“我知道他干什么。”众人见他平时傻愣愣的，这时居然有独得之见，都感诧异，齐问：“干什么啊？”铁罗汉道：“他见袁相公武功既高，名气又大，因此想招他做女婿。”此言一出，众人无不大笑。沙天广正喝了一口茶，一下子忍不住，全喷在胡桂南身上。胡桂南一面揩身，一面笑道：“独眼龙的女儿也是独眼龙，袁相公怎么会要？”铁罗汉瞪眼道：“你怎知道？”胡桂南笑道：“乌龟生个王八蛋'独眼龙生个独眼种。” 众人开了一阵玩笑。青青口里不说什么，心中却老大的不乐意，暗想那独眼龙可恶，别真的要招大哥做女婿。这天晚上，取来七张白纸，都画了个独眼龙老公差的图形，写上“独眼神龙单铁生盗”的字样，夜里飞身跃入七家豪门大户，每家盗了些首饰银两，再给放上一张独眼龙肖像。 次日清晨，洪胜海在她房门上敲了几声，说道：“小姐，独眼龙来啦。袁相公陪他在厅上说话。”青青换上男装，走到厅上，果见袁承志、程青竹、沙天广陪着一个瘦削矮小的老头在喝茶。袁承志给她引见了。青青见这单铁生已有六十上下年纪，须眉皆白，一只左眼炯炯发光，显得十分精朋干练。只听他道：“小老儿做这等事，当真十分冒昧。不过实是有件大事，想恳请袁相公跟各位鼎力相助，小老儿和各位又不相识，只得出此下策。不想招恼了各位，小老儿谨此谢过。”说着爬下来磕头。 袁承志连忙扶起，正要问他何事相求，青青忽道：“令爱好吧？怎不跟你同来？”单铁生一愣，道：“小老儿光身一人，连老伴也没有，别说子女啦！”青青又问：“那你有孙女儿没有？有干女儿没有？”单铁生道：“都没有。”青青嫣然一笑，返身入房，捧了盗来的首饰银两，都还了给他，笑道：“在下跟你开个玩笑，请别见怪。不过若非如此，也请不到你大驾光临。”单铁生谢了，心想：“这玩笑险些害了我的老命。”又想：“这个女扮男装的姑娘怎地老问我有没干女儿？总不是想拜我为干爹吧？” 众人都觉奇怪，正要相询，忽然外面匆匆进来一名捕快，向众人行了礼，对单铁生道：“单老师，又失了二千两库锒。”单铁生倏然变色，站起身来作了个揖，道：“小老儿有件急事要查勘，待会再来跟各位请安。”收了青青交还的物事，随着那捕快急急去了。
到得下午，鹅毛般的大雪漫天而下。青青约了袁承志，到城外西郊饮酒赏雪。两人没单独共游已久，这时偷得半日清闲，甚是畅快。这一带四下里都是芦苇，芦上盖雪，望出去一片白茫茫的。青青带着食盒，盛了酒菜。两人在一座凉亭中喝酒闲谈，观赏雪景。当地平时就已荒凉，这日天寒大雪，游人更稀。 袁承志问起交还了什么东西给单铁生，青青笑着把昨晚的事说了。袁承志道：“唉，我刚赞你变得乖了，哪知仍是这般顽皮。”青青道：“你几时赞过我呀？”袁承志道：“我心里赞你，你自然不知道。”青青很是高兴，笑道：“谁叫他不肯露面，暗中捣鬼？” 袁承志道：“不知他想求咱们什么事？”青青道：“这种人哪，哼，不管他求什么，都别答允。”两人喝了一会儿酒，说到在衢州静岩中夜喝酒赏花之事，青青想起故乡和亡母，不觉泫然欲泣。袁承志忙说笑话岔开。
Notes: 清太宗皇太极死因不明。《清史稿·太宗本纪》：“崇德八年八月庚午，上御崇政殿，是夕亥时无疾崩，年五十有二。”当天他还在处理政事，一无异状，突然在半夜里“无疾崩”，后人颇有疑为多尔衮所谋杀，但绝无佐证。顺治六年，“皇父摄政王”多尔衮据说和皇太极的妃子庄妃、即顺治皇帝的母亲孝庄太后正式结婚。张煌言诗有云：“春宫昨进新仪注，大礼恭逢太后婚。”此事普遍流传，但无明文记载。近人孟森认为不确，胡适则对孟森之考证以为不够令人信服。北方游牧渔猎民族之习俗和中原汉人大异，兄终弟及，原属常事。清太后下嫁多尔衮事，近世治清史者大都不否定有此可能。 回目中“烛影”用宋太宗弑兄宋太祖“烛影摇红”故事。“昭阳”用赵合德居昭阳殿故事。赵合德为皇后赵飞燕之妹，封昭仪，与人私通，后致汉成帝于死。清庄妃为太宗孝端皇后之侄女，民间传说称之为“大玉儿”、“小玉儿”者也。汉、宋、清三朝宫闱秘事，未尽可信，荦扯为一，或近于诬。小说家言，史家似不必深究。