Chapter 233 Chapter Five

That night Xu Ziling left Liangdu, and drove a light boat all night south along the Tongji Canal to the confluence of the Tongji Canal and the Huai River. At this time, traveling south along the canal would take less than half a day to reach Jiangdu. The transportation is very convenient.It's a pity that Li Zitong has warships stationed here, and the canal is horizontal with iron, and no ships are allowed to pass through. Xu Ziling didn't want to make troubles, so he abandoned his boat and landed westward, started his footwork, passed the clock without entering, and changed to southward. As long as he reached the Yangtze River, he could try to go westward by boat, saving time and effort.

Along the way, he drank water from mountain springs, picked two wild fruits to satisfy his hunger when he was hungry, and studied the handwritten secret books handed down by Lu Miaozi when he rested.Not only is there no sense of loneliness, but also a relaxed feeling of being free and carefree. Now that he has made up his mind to rescue Susu's mother and son, he can put aside his worries and stop digging into the dead end in this regard. On the way, he encountered deserted villages from time to time, which were full of devastation, which made him feel sad!So he searched for deserted and uninhabited mountains and fields, crossing mountains and ridges, at his feet, the poor mountains and valleys were as convenient as walking on flat ground.

In this midsummer season, flowers are blooming everywhere and the scenery is beautiful.The climate in the Qianzhi Henan area is mild and the rainfall is abundant. Different types of trees form a large forest, covering the hillside grassland.Sika deer, golden monkeys, and various birds inhabit and reproduce, full of natural wildness and vitality, which made him forget the miserable wind and rain in the world. At noon that day, he crossed a high mountain and arrived at the rich plain on the north bank of the Yangtze River. With his eyes full of fruits and branches, flowers undefeated, and in a good mood, he walked to the top of a small hill and looked around.

There is a strange mountain not far from the south, the color of the rock is as red as cinnabar, and the strange peaks and cliffs emerge endlessly, which is extremely strange.I saw a hidden temple in the middle of the mountain, and suddenly became interested in wandering. I thought I would follow the road anyway, so I drove towards Qishan. After a while, he came to the foot of the mountain, where a river meandered, and there was a bridge across the river, connecting the winding path up the mountain. Xu Ziling was curious, he never imagined that there would be such a beautiful place in such a barren mountain with no trace of people.

But when I think about it, people built temples here to avoid the secular world. If I climbed the mountain like this, it might disturb people's cultivation. I was about to give up my original intention and change my way. came from afar. Xu Ziling was moved when he heard this. Kou Zhong and Xuan Yong studied more than a dozen topographic maps of the Liangdu area in the study of the General Manager's Mansion. Xuan Yongdao: "With our current strength, if we directly attack the East China Sea, it will be the end of forging feathers. But if we make good use of the favorable situation in front of us, maybe we can take the East China Sea as our own without a single soldier. , the young marshal will not have to travel long distances to the Pegasus Ranch to recruit reinforcements."

Kou Zhongda said with great interest, "Let's hear it." Xuanyong pointed to a large lake in the east of Pengcheng, across Luliang Mountain and Yi Mountain, and said: "This lake is called Luoma Lake. It is the confluence of rivers. It is not only rich in fish, but also has ten thousand hectares of fertile land along the lakeside. It is the lifeblood of the nearby counties. .As long as Xiapi is captured, the lake can be controlled. At that time, there is no need for the young commander to speak, and all nearby cities and counties will surrender obediently." Kou Zhong was surprised: "There is such a cheap thing? Who controls Xiapi now?"

Xuan Yongdao: "Xiapi has now fallen into the hands of a group of strong men called the Luoma Gang. The leader of the gang is Du Ren, and there are 3,000 people under him. They have to pay to buy the road, and they rob everywhere from time to time, which has already caused anger and resentment. If we can replace them and implement a benevolent government, with the current prestige of the young commander, the hearts of the people will return. At that time, we will get Huairen, Langya, and Northwest of the East China Sea. The four counties of Lanling and Liangcheng, and the three counties of Muyang, Lianshui, and Huaiyang in the southwest, together with Xiapi, can completely cut off the land transportation to Donghai County, and the East China Sea will be in our pocket at that time."

Kou Zhong said emotionally: "Xiao Yong is indeed a man of insight, this plan is not only ingenious, but also within our capabilities, and it will be of great help to the reconstruction of Pengcheng." Seeing that the strategy was accepted, Xuan Yong cheered up and said, "In this case, the subordinate immediately sent Luo Qifei to Xiapi to find out the background of Du Ren, and see how we can get rid of him in one fell swoop." After Xuanyong left, Kou Zhongzheng wanted to take out Lu Miaozi's secret and come out to work hard. His personal guards came to report, and Gui Xiliang and Xing Rong from Yangzhou asked to see him.

Kou Zhong was overjoyed and hurried out to greet him. The sound of the flute fluctuates slowly in the elegant atmosphere of the natural wind blowing the leaves, and there is no flaw in the connection between the sound and the sound. Although there is no strong change or sudden climax, there is another entanglement that will not rest until death. charm. Xu Ziling couldn't help but stop and listen carefully. The ethereal and transparent voice seemed to be describing the endless beautiful space in the depths of a certain soul. There was no sadness or joy, but it could touch the listener's emotions.The feelings of the performer are like an empty mountain locked in clouds, which is so elusive and predictable if it appears to be hidden.The soft and clear rhyme is like an insider staring at the lingering fate with the indifference of a bystander. The life that makes people feel heavy can also be interpreted with a cold attitude.

The sound of the flute suddenly converges. Xu Ziling seemed to wake up from a dream he didn't want to wake up, and decided to climb the mountain to have a look. He knows who the flute player is. Only she can play such a beautiful and beautiful flute sound without the slightest vulgarity. Kou Zhong welcomes Gui Xiliang and Xing Rong, who were childhood playmates of the party, into his study. After reminiscing about the old days, Gui Xiliang said happily: "It's good to see you, kid. Since we heard the news of your defeat to Yu Wenhuaji, we have rushed here immediately. We are most afraid that you will slip away to another place suddenly."

Xing Rong said admiringly: "There are not many people who are as famous as you and Xiaoling now! Sigh! If you come two days earlier, you can see Xiaoling." Kou Zhong waited for the two of them to drink the fragrant tea, and said with a smile: "The two elder brothers are indeed well informed. The younger brother only kicked Yu Wenwen's butt a few times, but he couldn't hide it from you. What can I do to help the younger brother this time?" Gui Xiliang stared at him blankly for a while, and then sighed after a long time: "People say that getting rich makes you famous, you guys are already famous all over the world, but the sloppy skin in your bones is no different from before, as if it will never change. Like." Kou Zhong laughed and said: "A good nature can be changed if you change it? Like you bastard, when you become a incense master, you go around pretending to be a big brother, isn't it also in the same line as you used to love being a scene? The difference is only in your It's inferiority!" Gui Xiliang couldn't stand it anymore, he smiled flatly and said, "Everyone is a brother, so you won't let me go?" Xing Rong laughed so hard that he turned his back, and said happily: "I don't know how long I haven't tried to laugh so heartily!" Kou Zhong raised his teacup and said, "Come on! Let the little brother toast the two big brothers." After the three of them restrained their smiles, Gui Xiliang said seriously: "We came here this time because we have something very important to discuss with you." Kou Zhong smiled and said, "With your current status, you won't come to me for trivial matters?" Gui Xiliang pretended to be angry and said: "If you play tricks again, I will beat you up, it doesn't matter how good you are now." Kou Zhong surrendered and said, "Brother Gui calm down, what are your orders?" Xingrong interrupted and said: "Since we beat you and Xiaoling in Jiangyin City back then, we have rectified the gang under the leadership of Junshi Shao. Because of your relationship with the Song family, Brother Liang To be the head of the Luzhu Hall, hey! My little brother has even picked up a deputy head to play with." Kou Zhong sighed: "I also know that Xiliang has been promised by Miss Shao Lan Fang, alas! You are really a blessing." Gui Xiliang blushed and said, "Are you playing tricks on me again?" Xing Rong was afraid that the two would be entangled, so he hurriedly cut in and said, "With the support of the Song family, we have made great progress in the past few years, and we have re-established a good site in Jiangdu. The news of the defeat of Li Mi and Yu Wenhuaji, all the brothers in the gang are proud of you." Kou Zhong smiled and said, "Don't make a fool of yourself, at least that kid Mai Yunfei won't be proud of us, right?" That day in Jiangyin, Mai Yunfei didn't know whether because he regarded Gui Xiliang as a rival in love, he was very rude to Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling. As a result, he suffered a small loss and made them look ashamed and disgraced. Gui Xiliang snorted coldly: "Take care of him! Master Shao is in charge, and he will be the one to speak." Having said that, Kou Zhong knew that Gui Xiliang and Mai Yunfei were still in conflict. Xing Rong said: "Master Shao asked us to invite you to be the leader of the gang!" Kou Zhong was stunned and said, "What?" With his hands behind his back, Xu Ziling embarked on the mountain climbing road, started his footwork, and arrived in the middle of the mountain in a short while. Under the horizontal support of the strange pine branches, there was an octagonal pavilion. Overlook the vast, vast and ever-changing beauty of the setting sun. When Xu Ziling stopped to watch, there was a scream from the foot of the mountain, followed by another response, which was much closer to him than the previous scream. Intuitively feel that the two whistles before and after are full of the taste of violent killing, which makes people feel uncomfortable when they hear it. Xu Ziling's heart moved, he jumped up, hid in the thick branches and leaves of a nearby big tree, and lay still. Gui Xiliang said excitedly: "Since you and Xiaoling assassinated Ren Shaoming, our Bamboo Flower Gang has also become famous. Not only have newcomers join the gang, but even local small gangs will actively ask to merge with us. Tell us if you or I still don’t believe that anyone in the Yangtze River area doesn’t give us some face, even Li Zitong wants to win over us.” Kou Zhong was stunned and said, "Li Zitong?" Xing Rong said: "Junshi Shao and Li Zitong are very friendly, but the fact that we asked you to go back to be the leader of the gang has nothing to do with Li Zitong, but the unanimous decision of the brothers in the gang." Kou Zhong shouted in a low voice: "Wait a minute!" The two were stunned and said in unison: "What's the matter?" Kou Zhong's eyes were shining brightly, and he glanced back and forth between the two of them several times. When he saw that their hearts were trembling, Kou Zhong put back his relaxed expression that had been smiling all the time, and said in a deep voice, "Do you believe me or Shao Lingzhou?" Gui Xiliang wondered: "Well... Hey!" Xing Rong said decisively: "Of course I believe you, Kou Zhong, since I was young I know that you and Xiaoling are the most loyal." Kou Zhong's eyes fell on Gui Xiliang's face, and he said slowly: "Everything you say here will not be leaked out, what the hell are you afraid of?" Gui Xiliang said helplessly: "He has been kind to me for promoting him, and he is willing to marry his daughter to me. I... oh! Of course I trust you a little more." Kou Zhong said triumphantly: "Finally, you two guys understand the difference between closeness and closeness. Now we can start an interesting quiz game. I will ask you to answer. If there is any concealment, the final victim will undoubtedly be you." The two of them were taken aback, but also half-believed, so they had to wait for him to ask questions. The sound of the clothes breaking through the wind came from the mountain road, the man had already arrived in the pavilion, his breathing was still so quiet and long, it can be seen that he is a first-class master of both internal and external cultivation. In this barren mountain and wild place, anyone would be surprised to see a master of this level, but Xu Ziling had been amazed by the appearance of the flute player long ago. The other is deliberately signaling with the flute, telling the visitor that she is waiting somewhere. Although the personal movement in the pavilion is swift, it still cannot be concealed from his sharp eyes. He is a big man in a fast suit, with huge iron scissors on his back, hooked nose and deep eyes. He has an indescribably evil smell. What a good character.The weirdest thing is that on the head is wearing a crown that is complete with the emperor's crown and board. While thinking about it, another figure who was approaching extremely fast arrived outside the pavilion, and snorted coldly: "Will Ding Jiuzhong finally come out of your hole? I hope you will make progress in those thirty-six moves, so as not to go to the underworld." Sometimes it’s too late to regret it!” Xu Ziling thought to himself that these two were old enemies, so when they met, they were on the verge of breaking out, as if they could turn their heads and fight at any time. Ding Jiuchong in the pavilion smiled sadly, and said leisurely, "I haven't seen Brother Zhou Laotan for twenty years, but I didn't expect that you are still so angry. No wonder your bare hands have never been able to reach the peak. I heard that The bitch's daughter has been passed down from her mother, I hope you don't have to hate Qi Yun Temple!" Zhou Lao Tan's appearance this week is even more unflattering than that of Ding Jiuzhong, with a broad face, a protruding chin, two thick lips protruding like bird pecks, and those big eyes are like two balls of will-o'-the-wisps. He is short and fat, but his hands are as thick as tree trunks. Although he is wearing a monk's robe, he does not have the slightest demeanor of a foreigner, just like a murderous demon king. There is also a string of blood-red festival beads hanging on his head, which makes people feel even more nondescript. From their answers, it can be seen that they are full of hostility towards Shi Qingxuan who plays the flute. Yandi Zhou Lao sighed and raised his voice, groaned like a frog, stepped forward with his left foot, and stuck his right hand out of his sleeve. Something terrible happened. His already thick hand suddenly swelled by nearly half, the color turned red, and he slashed towards the pavilion with a palm from the air. The surrounding air seemed to be ripped away by his inflated blood-red giant hand, and then turned into a roiling, foul-smelling heat wave, which rolled straight into the pavilion like an overwhelming sea. Xu Ziling already had a high estimate of him, but he still didn't expect his bare hands to be so domineering. He couldn't help worrying about Shi Qingxuan, thinking that he couldn't just sit idly by. "Peng"! Ding Jiuzhong in the pavilion let out a muffled snort, while Zhou Laotan just swayed a little, obviously in a contest of palm strength, Ding Jiuzhong suffered a dark loss. Zhou Laotan withdrew his bare hands, "hehe" said with a stern smile, "Ding Dadi, who has been addicted for 20 years, is reduced to the point where he almost squeezes his balls out of me, it's ridiculous!" The wind picked up. Xu Ziling saw a figure flashing suddenly, and the people in the pavilion rushed out, and the giant iron scissors swung a single direct attack, but in Xu Ziling's eyes, he could see that this blow was not easy.Not only is the technique mysterious, but also the variety of changes shows the tough strength of the hand. Although Zhou Laotan said it easily, his expression was extremely dignified. Two swollen and red hands slid out from his sleeves, turning into bare palm shadows like fireworks in the sky, facing the giant scissors. "Peng"! When the vigor collided, the trees shook and the flowers broke all around, and the branches broke and the leaves fell. When Zhou Laotan staggered to the left, Ding Jiuzhong retreated into the pavilion and said with a sinister smile, "How does the thirty-seventh form 'Xiang Wang has a dream' created by Emperor Ding taste?" Zhou Laotan just stood still at this time, his face turned red and white, he didn't know if it was because of his luck or because of shame. Xu Ziling was secretly startled. These two people randomly find one of them to go to the rivers and lakes, they are all overlords, and now there are as many as two of them, how can it not be surprising. With his current skills, it would be difficult to deal with any one person, let alone confront them at the same time. Before Zhou Laotan had time to retort, a burst of coquettish laughter came from the mountain road, and the voice of a woman as sweet as cotton candy continued: "My great brother, brother Laotan, it has been twenty years! You still have to be like Back then when we met like that, the dog would bite the dog's bone, wouldn't you be afraid to give me the golden ring to twist your ears?" Xu Ziling almost called his mother in his heart!These demons who have retired for twenty years came out of nowhere one after another, because of their old entanglement with Shi Qingxuan's mother, Bi Xiuxin. Naturally, they have deep resentment. Is she capable of dealing with it?And do you have the ability to help her overcome difficulties? Fortunately, he is free and easy, and he will not be upset by this, let alone care about success or failure. He is only determined to do his part for this beautiful woman who has not met yet. In a flash, a charming girl in colorful clothes appeared next to Zhou Laotan, and pretended to walk towards Zhou Laotan. Zhou lao sighed as if he was avoiding a snake and scorpion, he moved sideways for two zhang, he stopped at the intersection up the mountain, and said in amazement: "If you want to find someone to make out with, you should find your Emperor Ding!" Ding Jiuzhong laughed dryly: "Brother Tan is so easy to introduce, I'd better leave it to you!" Xu Ziling became confused when he heard this, and suddenly, Zhou Laotan and Ding Jiuzhong became Yanyan's old friends again, and they didn't feel like gunpowder anymore. Jinhuanzhen's palace costumes, at first glance, seem to be in the middle of the tenth year, but one has to look closely to realize that the years are not forgiving, and there are crow's feet radiating like cobwebs from the corners of the eyebrows and eyes.But her eyebrows are like distant mountains, her eyes are like autumn waters, she is always an out-and-out beauty embryo, but her jade face is so pale that there is no trace of blood, like a beautiful ghost from the underworld. She stomped her feet and said angrily: "What are you guys, how dare you give me the 'Mei Niangzi' golden ring? You push me to give way. One day I will teach you to kneel on the ground and lick my old lady's toes." Zhentian Changxiao approached from far away, and said "slowly" with a rough voice but deliberately pretending to be soft: "They dare not want you, so let me 'reversely act' You Niaojuan took the order Take it!" Xu Ziling's expression finally changed.