Chapter 13 Chapter Thirteen

Ji Shan's eyes flashed with a strange light, and he said in a deep voice: "Under normal circumstances, it is impossible to kill J Nieti, but in that strange area, and J Nieti has no guard against Gu Yueming, The most impossible thing will become possible. Yueming killed Jneti, not only for you, Madam, but also for the well-being of himself, the emperor, and the people of the country. I can guarantee on behalf of the emperor that as long as he kills Jneti , everything will be as he wishes." Mrs. Huameng understood that Ji Shan had ill intentions towards her from the very beginning, and her layout was precise, forcing her into a desperate situation step by step. If she didn't follow his wishes, she would die a miserable death. Not a good end.And she, Gu Yueming, Ji Shan, and even the emperor, four people have been hooked by fate.

She simply didn't have another choice. With the power of Eunuch Feng, the paper will never be able to contain the fire. If Ji Nie is brought back to Beijing, the opportunity will never come again. Ji Shandao: "Madam's previous handwritten letter has been secretly sent to our people in Yueyang by Feige. This person has a lot of status in Yueyang, and he can directly meet Zhou Fatty in Hongyelou. Fatty Zhou is exactly as Madam said as reliable?" Mrs. Hua Meng said: "On the surface, it is true that no one thinks he is reliable, but it is only because he cannot get in touch with the real him. Fatty Zhou is a person who can be absolutely trusted, otherwise I would not let Baichun help him improve the style of Hongyelou , let alone support him financially. Father-in-law can rest assured."

Ji Shandao: "So I ask Madam to write a second secret letter to let Yueming understand his situation. For Madam, I believe Yueming will never mind killing one more person." It was getting brighter. Gu Yueming found that he was in the vast and smoky ancient forest. Any tree must be over a hundred years old, even hundreds to thousands of years old. They seem to have existed since ancient times, witnessing the rise and fall of the world and the changes of the sea. . The ancient trees soar into the sky, and the huge buttresses may take more than a dozen people to surround them hand in hand.Several trees entangled and grew, forming a variety of strange shapes, which formed a strong contrast with the water swamp last night.

The forest is full of all kinds of life, the golden monkey jumps between the branches, and the birds and beasts appear everywhere. This is a pure land that has never been invaded by humans.Primitive, simple, quiet and mysterious. In this seemingly forgotten world, there is a long road that is still vaguely identifiable and covered with rotten leaves, shuttling and extending in the vast forest.This post road, which should have been built in ancient times, has been preserved like a miracle. A group of up to a hundred takins crossed the front, and a few of them stared at Gu Yueming warily, and soon sank into the depths of the forest, as if they were divine deer that appeared for a while.

Gu Yueming was amazed.Such a good place, why is there no one?The natural environment where so many wild animals inhabit and multiply should be a treasure land that hunters flock to, how could they miss it? Suddenly Gu Yueming was attracted by the piles of things on the roadside, squatted down to inspect, and waited until he was sure that it was wolf dung, he thought in relief, no wonder Huijian was panicked last night, it turns out that Yunmengze is the territory of wolves, and these dung are the wolves' dung. The mark of the genus issued a warning to other races not to invade.Xuan thought again that Hui Jian had faced wild wolves in the desert without showing panic, how could he panic because of the smell of wolves?I really can't figure it out, I can only have doubts in my heart.

Gu Yueming continued to go deeper and raised his vigilance. Even though he is a first-rate swordsman, he still dare not take the wild wolf lightly.Eunuch Feng is right, death can be done in different ways, such as being divided into corpses by hungry wolves, no matter how much he treats death as home, he can't accept it. Fortunately, after walking for more than an hour, we still did not encounter any evil wolf. At this time, the ancient post road reached the edge of the forest, and the hills outside the forest were undulating. In the distance was a lush bamboo forest, and houses were hidden among them.

Gu Yueming was surprised, how could there be buildings in this untouched place? He instinctively felt that the mysterious figure he had been following all night was waiting for him there.He didn't understand why he had this idea at all, but he knew that this idea would never be wrong. Qiu Jiushi and Ruan Xiuzhen left the residence and walked towards Banzhulou, accompanied by only two subordinates. Yueyang has the characteristics of a water town in the south of the Yangtze River, with vertical and horizontal rivers and canals, boats connecting in all directions, rivers and streets intersecting, and bridges are convenient.Hundreds of residential buildings are built along the water, with white walls and black tiles, reflecting in the rippling water waves, the scenery is charming.

Ruan Xiu said pointingly: "Did you sleep well last night?" Qiu Jiushi said dejectedly: "After dawn, I managed to sleep for a while. But don't get me wrong, I'm not because of Baichun's insomnia, but because I'm thinking about what you said, but the more I think about it, the more confused I become. Could it be that there are ghosts and gods outside this world?" What's the point of being a human being like this?" Ruan Xiuzhen smiled and said: "I'm so glad you didn't think about Baichun. My thoughts are just the opposite of yours. If there are gods and spirits outside this world, then life will be much more interesting, at least it represents life and death. There are other things besides, such as reincarnation and so on. Now we are facing the unfathomable and unimaginable mysterious power, don’t you find it exciting and interesting?”

Qiu Jiushi smiled bitterly and said, "There are so many disturbing things in the world, and we still have to challenge opponents we can't see or touch. Can we afford it? I really hope it's all just your illusion." Ruan Xiuzhen said: "Although the opponent is invisible, our victory or defeat is clear. As long as we catch the five thieves, we will be the victors in this battle. Do you understand? Don't doubt my judgment , otherwise you can't hold on to one, and you can't help but go to see Baichun." Qiu Jiushi sighed: "Is it really like this?" Then he said "Huh" and looked around.

At this time the two arrived in front of the Banzhu Tower, Ruan Xiuzhen asked, "What's the matter?" Qiu Jiushi said: "Where did the guy who sells snake guts go? He still has half a basket of snakes left to sell, so he's getting lazy so soon." Ruan Xiuzhen said to his subordinates: "Look around for me to see if he is setting up stalls in other streets. If you find him, bring him to meet us." Then he said with a smile: "I really miss that kid's snake gall, I woke up last night Sleeping till dawn has never been so good." Qiu Jiushi looked envious, and dragged Ruan Xiuzhen up the stairs.

Gu Yueming stepped on the path in the forest and went deep into the forest.This is a mottled bamboo forest that covers more than a mile. He is sure that someone has cleared the forest road recently, and there are no weeds on the stone path. After turning a corner, a tall and simple building like a shrine is located at the end of the path.The temple is built with stacked ashlar stones. Although the wall is generally intact, the wall surface is mottled and uneven, with severe weathering and peeling off, which seems to tell the story of its long and long history.The door leaf at the entrance no longer exists, only the doorway remains, and there is a horizontal stone plaque on it, the shape of which is indistinguishable.The roof of the ancestral temple is even more dilapidated, covered by stretched-out bamboos, like a green umbrella.There are three stone beasts on the left and right in front of the temple, but due to the age, they have become six piles of rough stone clusters, but Gu Yueming can still imagine the grandeur of the temple when it was built. This temple is likely to have a history of thousands of years. Could it be that it was built at the same time as Zhuancheng?Xuan You scolded himself secretly, he didn't believe that there was such an ancient city that couldn't be found, why did he insist on pretending that the ancient city really existed. Gu Yueming looked around and thought to himself: If this is a trap, he is already in a desperate situation. As long as the enemy blocks the entrance, he has nowhere to escape.His spiritual nose has already smelled the faint scent of the mysterious person he was following last night, who is facing the door and standing on the other side of the shrine, waiting for him. Gu Yueming didn't feel the slightest murderous intent, but he didn't understand why the other party lured him from Zedi to chase him all the way. Gu Yueming walked towards the shrine.The moment he stepped into the doorway, he was completely unexpected, there was a sound of breaking wind, and something like a long stick stabbed at his chest, as fast as lightning, full of strength, and it happened at the moment before his front foot touched the ground.It was another person who must have been forced out of the door. Gu Yueming has experienced hundreds of battles, and he has never seen any storms. Before he entered the temple, he had already thought of various methods of the opponent, such as firing crossbows, firearms, hidden weapons from a long distance, or casting a net on the top of the door, or setting a trap on the ground. It was a trap, but I never thought that the opponent would attack from a long distance with something as long as two feet.For the opponent, there are advantages and disadvantages. If you let yourself be bullied, the opponent will definitely die, but you have to wait until the opponent's first wave of offensive is blocked. He was caught in the half-chi thick doorway, he had no time to draw his sword, let alone dodge left and right, he was completely at a disadvantage strategically, from this we can see the brilliance of his opponent.But it still didn't bother him. Gu Yueming sneered, bowed left and right, turned his palms into knives, and performed a set of exquisite and delicate kung fu, slashing fiercely on the opponent's attacking weapon, with implied shock force, forcing the opponent's weapon to lose its aim, unable to hurt him at all. The door opening is as solid as a copper wall and an iron wall, not giving an inch. At this time, he had already figured out that the opponent was using a mottled bamboo pole with a length of two and a half feet, which should be obtained locally, and it was really not easy for the opponent to fully display the characteristics of the bamboo pole, which is both hard and soft.Gu Yueru is full of fighting spirit, feeling very exciting and enjoyable. He really doesn't understand himself, it seems that only at this moment of life and death can he feel the meaning of existence.Kill or be killed, there is no other alternative.What made him even more incomprehensible was that every time he killed someone, he would feel extremely lost.This is his secret, no one knows that this ruthless bounty hunter has such a vulnerable side. All of a sudden, the sound of palm splitting bamboo exploded in succession, as dense as setting off firecrackers, resounding through the quiet space of the bamboo forest ancient temple. The mottled bamboo pole retreated swiftly. With Gu Yueming's rich combat experience, he still couldn't figure out what kind of medicine was sold in the opponent's gourd for a while. He only suspected that it was a trick to lure the enemy. "Snapped--" The mottled bamboo pole fell to the ground, and the man opened his hands to signify a truce. At this time, Gu Yueming was already used to the light in the shrine, he couldn't help being shocked when he looked at it calmly, he didn't expect that it was such a person who attacked him, and at the same time he understood why his smell was different from ordinary people, because the other person was a vegetarian monk. This monk is tall and tall, with a delicate and strange appearance. He is dressed in plain white monk clothes, his eyes are shining strangely, his expression is as calm as water, without any surprise or joy. I can't believe he's going to make a big move. The white-clothed monk put his hands together, whispered the Buddha's name, and said calmly: "It really is Gu Yueming." Gu Yueming was greatly astonished, and vaguely guessed who the other party was, but of course he was even more confused, and couldn't help but said, "It's not unusual for me to guess that the master is Xue Tinghao, but how does the master know that this is Gu Yueming? That's impossible." The sunlight slanted down through the gaps between the bamboo leaves on the broken roof.The whole ancestral hall is three feet square, the stone ground is cleaned up, the stone statue on the altar is broken and incomplete, it seems to be in the shape of a woman, and the atmosphere is ethereal and mysterious. Xue Tinghao sat down cross-legged, looked at the nose with eyes, and watched the heart with the nose, looking like an eminent monk with drooping eyelids and solemn Dharma, calmly said: "If there is a cause, there must be an effect, and the cause is born from the effect, and there is karma in the dark. This is a jeopardy, so don't be in a hurry if you indulge your desires. Please sit down, benefactor." Although Gu Yueming wished to restrain him immediately and torture him to ask Chu He's whereabouts again, he was moved by his expression that seemed to see through everything, and found it difficult to do it like this, so he took a step forward, squatted down, still sealed the exit, and said: "This is how the same thing?" Xue Tinghao said leisurely, "It's been ten years, and the matter must come to an end. The poor monk brought the benefactor here to explain clearly what happened ten years ago." Gu Yueming is like Monk Zhang Er, confused. Although he vaguely guessed that what happened in Yunmengze ten years ago was not as described by Eunuch Feng, but there are more things he can't figure out. Is it Gu Yueming?" Knowing that the other party was Xue Tinghao, but he looked like an eminent monk, and he couldn't say the layman's name no matter what. Xue Tinghao looked up at him, and said calmly: "The benefactor is sitting here today because I deliberately exposed Xingzang and ordered Feng Gonggong to send Jinie Ti to the south. When Ji Nie Ti exhausted his manpower and material resources, he still couldn't arrest the poor monk. , Eunuch Feng has no choice but to dispatch the number one hunter in his hand to find prey for him. Does the benefactor understand the cause and effect relationship here?" Gu Yueming gasped when he heard this, and was very puzzled, and asked: "When I debuted, the master had already disappeared, and I was afraid that someone would find out where I was, how did I know that I was there?" Xue Tinghao said indifferently: "The eyes and ears of Buddhism are all over the world. The poor monk not only knows that there is a benefactor, but also knows the style of the benefactor's behavior. The most important thing is that the benefactor is a predestined person." Gu Yueming frowned and said, "I came here wholeheartedly to hunt down Master, so what does it have to do with fate?" Xue Tinghao said: "Isn't the benefactor surprised that there are no hunters in this place full of strange birds and beasts? It is a kind of fate that the benefactor can arrive at this temple." Gu Yueming shook his head and said, "I don't understand." Xue Tinghao said: "Yunmengze is the strangest place I have ever been to. Wild wolves come and go in groups. The most powerful hounds will become panic-stricken after entering this area. The horses jump and neigh in shock, which makes hunters far and near It is regarded as a place full of ghosts and ghosts. The closer to the ancient city, the more powerful the spiritual power that dominates Yunmeng Lake is, and it cannot be resisted by human beings. The benefactor can cross Yunmeng Lake without any surprises and arrive at this place at the edge of the lake. Concubine Temple, it must be a kind of fate." Gu Yueming lost his voice: "Does the ancient city really exist?" Yueyang City.noon. Qiu Jiushi and Ruan Xiuzhen sat down in the private seat on the platform yesterday, after hearing the news that the owner of the restaurant came to greet them, Ruan Xiuzhen looked down at the bustling street and said with a smile: "I hope nothing happens today, you don't have to jump down again. " Qiu Jiushi shook his head with a wry smile, and said: "Now I finally understand why it is better to have one thing than one thing less. I really hope that nothing happened yesterday." Ruan Xiuzhen fell silent. Qiu Jiushi asked, "What are you thinking about?" Ruan Xiuzhen showed a thoughtful expression, and said: "According to common sense, if you or I are the five escaped robbers, after we show up, we should retreat in spite of difficulties. Unless he really knows the escape technique, how dare he still fight?" Jade Sword's idea?" Qiu Jiushi was puzzled and said: "Listening to what you said, you are sure that the five escaped robbers are in the city, but what proof do you have?" Ruan Xiuzhen said lightly: "There is no basis at all, it's just a speculation. From the actions of the five-dun robber, we can know that he is a strange person. You can see that he is different from ordinary people just by seeing him take the last one or two silver to the gambling house to give it a go. .With his skills, it should be easy to steal five hundred taels of silver, but he chooses the easy to take the difficult, and he doesn't care about exposing his identity. Once this kind of person sets a goal, he will never give up." Qiu Jiushi nodded and said, "It makes sense." At this time, the dishes are on the table like flowing water.After the man left, Ruan Xiuzhen asked casually, "Do you want to see Baichun?" Qiu Jiushi said happily: "Beauty and country, it seems that the latter is much more important in my mind. Ha! It's much lighter today, but yesterday was really hard to bear. The most fearful thing is that the god you said doesn't want me to go see her." Before the words were finished, a carriage drove up to the main entrance of the Banzhu Building. The two recognized the driver, and even more recognized the carriage. For a moment, when you looked at me and I looked at you, they both felt involuntary. For the first time, Xue Tinghao showed a look of unbearable regret, and said: "If there was no ancient city, the poor monk would still be rolling in the world of mortals, chasing fame and wealth. Although the ancient city took away everything the poor monk had, it also awakened the poor monk suddenly. Seeing the world as nothing but a collective illusion." Gu Yueming's scalp tingled when he heard that, if Xue Tinghao hadn't lied, then what Eunuch Feng said was true. Xue Tinghao seemed to be reminded of the past, and said in a low voice: "The Temple of the Concubine Xiang, where the benefactor is now, is three years earlier than Zhuancheng. It was built by the then king of Chu. It is said that Mrs. Xiang cried here for three days and nights. Tears fell on the bamboo leaves, leaving traces that will never fade. Then Mrs. Xiang traveled northward from here, reached the Wuzhong River, climbed a big rock, and jumped into the river to commit suicide. pass." Gu Yueming once heard the myth of Mrs. Xiang, and asked: "How does the master know?" Xue Tinghao said: "Mu Chuan said it. Does the benefactor know who he is?" Gu Yueming nodded to express his understanding. Xue Tinghao continued: "Eunuch Feng should have told the benefactor about the general situation of the day, so that the poor monk can save a lot of words. Let me make a long story short. Back then, we used the Mouchuan's words and died on the 14th day of the seventh month with the Endless River. As a starting point, we walked deep into the east bank to search for the ancient city. Surprisingly, we did not meet a wild wolf. What is even more unbelievable is that without any search effort, the ancient city suddenly appeared on a rocky mountain in front of us, surrounded by clouds and mist. It's like an illusion, like a mirage." Gu Yueming called her mother in her heart, what she didn't understand was why Xue Tinghao was willing to cooperate in this way. Could it be that he was really a "victim" and wanted to avenge him? Xue Tinghao said: "I was in charge of monitoring Mou Chuan. At that time, his expression became very strange, and his eyes shot out a look of almost crazy longing. In retrospect, he knew what was hidden in the Chu box, and he wanted to use it desperately. For yourself." Gu Yueming said in astonishment: "Unless he really becomes a lunatic, or he has the ability to kill you, otherwise he should know that it is impossible." Xue Tinghao had obviously thought about this question, and said in a deep voice: "What if he can completely reverse this one-sided situation after he gets the treasure in the box? In fact, on the first night after entering Yunmengze, he He revealed a lot of secrets about Yunmengze, such as the Xiangfei Temple where we are now. He also persuaded us to open the box to see what is going on after we get the Chu box, in case what is hidden inside is not a treasure but a poisonous thing , only to give Brother Fu a stern refusal, so there is nothing he can do." Gu Yueming couldn't say anything to refute, and asked: "Do you know the method of opening the box?" Xue Tinghao said: "No one has thought about the special way to open a box. At most, there is an exquisite lock. It should not be difficult for the emperor's craftsman. It was not until we saw the Chu box that we realized that opening the Chu box is absolutely impossible. It's not as easy as you think." Gu Yueming said: "What kind of box is that?" Xue Tinghao said: "In the first few years, I would see it every night when I closed my eyes. It was a box about a foot square, very heavy, and the most eye-catching thing was the seven night pearls embedded in the box, like stars in the sky. The Big Dipper starts from the Tianshu star on the surface of the box, and the other six stars are distributed on all sides according to the celestial phenomena. The body of the box is covered with dark lines, the texture is like gold but not gold, copper and not copper, but there is no gap, which makes people want to open the box There is no way to start.” Gu Yueming had forgotten the hostile relationship with Xue Tinghao, and asked, "Did Mou Chuan tell you how to open the Chu box?" Xue Tinghao said: "My husband didn't let Mou Chuan touch the Chu box at all. He put the Chu box in the prepared leather bag and tied it on his back. The process of entering the ancient city and getting the Chu box went smoothly and easily beyond everyone's expectations. Afterwards In retrospect, there is something very unreasonable about it, but the joy of success overshadowed everything, and no one cared." Gu Yueming asked: "What is unreasonable?"