Chapter 268 Chapter Two Acting Separately

While the Young Marshal was cleaning up the battlefield, the two sat on a pile of rocks beside Zhangshui, studying the precious information provided by Cao Yinglong.Kou Zhong picked up a broken long arrow at his feet, played with it and said, "Cao Yinglong should be telling the truth. Otherwise, he is a genius who fabricated a big braggart. At least the matter of Yang Xuyan's injury is not a lie. And if we use it for comparison Shang Xiuxun's words also fit seamlessly. Alas! This beauty's boss has a really big temper, whoever marries her must be very unlucky, my mother!"

Xu Ziling smiled wryly and said: "This is called different backgrounds. We are blessed by the boss, and we are used to accommodating others since we were young, but she is superior. Although the surroundings are full of people, she hides alone in her small world isolated from the crowd, saying Endless desolation and loneliness. So even if she doesn't know how to put herself in other people's shoes, we can't blame her. We only hope that she will change her mind after she calms down! Otherwise, your plan to recapture Jingling will be dead in your womb." Kou Zhong sighed: "I don't blame her. Life will never go well, otherwise Mother and Sister Su wouldn't have to die. But if I were you, I would let Lao Cao fulfill his wish before death. I guessed right, Shi Qingxuan is the custodian of the classics of the Huajian School, and even took care of the classics of the Butian Sect by the way. And Yang Xuyan pretended to be Hou Xibai, the secret successor of the Huajian School, and went to Sichuan to trick her into harming her. What are you going to do?"

Xu Ziling held his head and said, "Do I have another choice?" Kou Zhong laughed and said: "Don't act like you're in pain. I think you have an excuse to go to Miss Shi, and you're really happy. If you flick your butt, I know whether you're standing or sitting in the latrine." Xu Ziling looked at him in surprise, and said, "I never thought you would be in the mood to make such a dirty joke." Kou Zhong said tragically: "Although we have won a big victory this time, we have lost almost half of our brothers. They have been with me through life and death, but I can't take them back to reunite with their families and share the wealth. How can we get rid of them without saying a few foul words?" filled with grief."

Xu Ziling said in astonishment, "Your way of mourning is really weird." Kou Zhong looked at him carefully and said: "You have always been more compassionate than me, why do you seem a little indifferent?" Xu Ziling pondered for a moment, then sighed softly: "I am not indifferent, but I am a little insensitive to life and death. After Sister Su passed away, I often thought about the issue of life and death. What will happen after death? One is 'yes', one is It is 'nothing'. If there is nothing, it will be over. Pain, sadness, despair and depression are only the things of the living. If there is, it will be really interesting, whether it is reincarnation or being in the heaven and earth, in short, it is another It's a world. Thinking about it this way, death is not so terrible. We cry for death, but we can't see through it. I even look forward to death. God is fair in this regard, whether you are a prince or just ordinary The common people must experience it for themselves.”

Kou Zhong was stunned when he heard this, and he let out a sigh of relief after a while: "Expectation is nothing but expectation, you are not allowed to commit suicide, at least you must not seek death before finding 'Duke Yang's Treasure'." Xu Ziling said unhappily: "Go to your grandma! Good! I must go to Sichuan immediately, where are you going?" Kou Zhong said distressedly: "Of course the most ideal is to accompany you to visit your little Qingxuan, but unfortunately I have to rush to see Chen Changlin and his Jiangnan soldiers, so I have to make an appointment with you, and after meeting, we will go to Guanzhong to try our luck together .Alas! You have to be careful!"

Xu Ziling said calmly: "Are you afraid that I will die to accompany you to hunt for treasure?" Kou Zhong said: "Compared to my good brother, what kind of thing is 'Yanggong Treasure'?" Xu Ziling stood up and said: "I'm just joking, everyone should be careful. We are not only involved in the maelstrom of fighting for the world, but also gradually involved in the secret wrestling between good and evil. A Shushen will fall into a place of eternal doom." Kou Zhonghuo stood up, stared at the sun that was setting in the west, and said word by word: "In fact, since the moment we got the "Longevity Formula", we have been caught in this unknown struggle, and we can't escape. , this is fate."

Xu Ziling rushed for four days and three nights at a stretch, and when he arrived at a county town in the east of Daba, he couldn't hold on any longer, so he had to throw himself into the inn to rest. Since ancient times, the road to Bashu has been known to be difficult because it is surrounded by mountains with many mountains and deep valleys.In the meantime, the big river is like a belt, and the flow of Huichuan is not only majestic, but also full of dangers. On the way to Sichuan, the land route must pass through the Panshan Plank Road on Dalou Mountain and Daba Mountain, while the water route has the natural danger of the Three Gorges.Therefore, no matter how chaotic the place outside Sichuan is, as long as it can be called the king according to Sichuan, with its dense rivers, Dujiangyan self-flow irrigation system, and developed agriculture, it will be temporarily peaceful, and it will be known as the "Land of Abundance".

Although Shu County is dominated by the Han nationality, there are more than 40 other ethnic minorities such as Qiang and Yi inhabited, which is very rich in local customs. The county seat where Xu Ziling settled is Shangyong City in the north of the water block in Fangling County, Hubei Province. It is one of the major stops on the main route to Shu County. If you walk west for half a day, you can enter the mountainous area of ​​Daba Mountain. The control of this city is nominally in the hands of Zhu Can, but in essence it is controlled by the combination of old Sui officials and local gangs. Therefore, it is lucky that it was not ravaged and harmed by Zhu Can's Jialou Luo army, and it is only limited by it. exploitation.

According to Bai Wenyuan, the gangs in Sichuan and nearby areas are all headed by the Sichuan Gang. This Sichuan Gang is already one of the largest forces outside the Domineering Fort. "Judge" Xie Hui is also an equal and is highly respected by the martial arts. After Xu Ziling went back to his room from the bathhouse happily, he slept for a long time. At dusk, he went to the restaurant on the street to have a big meal. Suddenly, he felt completely new. The non-stop rush for the past few days made him consume a lot of energy and real energy, and also made him have no time to think about anything, and all his troubles were left behind by him.

After the meal, he ordered a jug of wine, but before he had the chance to drink the first sip, he felt a warning, and subconsciously looked towards the entrance, only to see a beautiful young woman, accompanied by four men, boldly lift the curtain and enter. It is Zheng Shuming, the female head of the Yangtze River Union. Zheng Shuming clearly seemed to be looking for him, and walked straight towards him, unceremoniously sat in the chair opposite him, and shouted in a low voice, "It really is you!" The four big men lived in four corners, and the other guests immediately felt the strange atmosphere, and they all checked out and left, even the shop assistants hid somewhere.

Xu Ziling raised his glass and drank it down, then smiled and said, "What advice does Mr. Zheng have?" Bu Tianzhi and Chen Changlin welcomed the beleaguered Kou Zhong into the secret manor house of the Giant Kun Gang in the southwest of Jiangdu. After sitting down, Chen Changlin said happily: "Fortunately, we have lived up to our fate. The five hundred and twenty-eight good Khitan and Korean horses are all in our possession." Kou Zhong was overjoyed and said: "You two really have the ability to take over many good horses with one backhand. How did you do it?" Bu Tianzhi said with a smile: "Of course it is outsmarting. After we gather all the people in the East China Sea, we release the ship out to the sea, and then rush to the mouth of the Yangtze River at full speed, and lie in ambush at Huduzhou. The three sea ships that transport horses When we arrived, we hung up Li Zitong's flag, put on a gesture of escort and greeted us, and falsely claimed that the front was blocked by Du Jun and we had to land in Ninghai near Jiangdu. Other details can be imagined." Kou Zhong nodded and said: "This is equivalent to crippling Li Zitong and Brother Ku's dog legs. How about the situation of Du and Chen's two armies?" Chen Changlin said: "Brother Luo is monitoring their movement day and night. Since the Jianghuai army is still huddled in Qingliu, it is difficult for us to attack, so we have to stare blankly and wait for their opportunity to enter Jiangdu." Kou Zhong said with confidence: "If my guess is correct, Du Fuwei will definitely send troops to attack Jiangdu in the next two days, because the news of Zhu Can and Xiao Xian's retreat and the annihilation of Cao Yinglong's entire army should have reached Lao Du's ears, so He must capture Jiangdu before I return to Liangdu. Xuanyong is now leading the army back east, and I came here day and night just to take advantage of the excitement." Bu Tianzhi and Chen Changlin were moved at the same time, they did not expect Kou Zhong to have such brilliant and unbelievable results. After Kou Zhong explained it in detail, Luo Qifei sent someone to report that the Jianghuai army's vanguard pathfinding team had left Qingliu and headed towards Jiangdu. Everyone immediately felt like the moon was shining when the clouds opened. Kou Zhong happily said: "It's time for that kid Xiliang to go out!" Zheng Shuming's beautiful eyes were shining, and he looked at Xu Ziling seemingly without malice for a long while, then said softly: "Brother Xu may find it hard to believe that this visit from my family's sincerity is not for reckless violence." Xu Ziling looked unnaturally at her beautiful eyes that seemed to be hiding many incomprehensible things, coughed dryly and said: "This is the best, otherwise it will be of no benefit to anyone." Zheng Shuming said frankly: "Actually, we don't have enough strength to deal with you here, and we don't want to form an insoluble enmity with the Young Marshal Army. It is of no benefit to our Yangtze River Alliance." Xu Ziling was puzzled and said: "Didn't you form an alliance with Yun Yuzhen and Xiao Mian? With Xiao Mian as your backer, you should have no scruples about us." Zheng Shuming smiled and said: "This is called a change in the situation. In the past, our number one public enemy was the rogues headed by Cao Yinglong. This is the reason why the Yangtze River United was established. Now Cao Yinglong has been defeated by you, so we decided to stand in front of you and Xiao Mian." Alas! Who would dare to fight against the two of you unless you have to?" Xu Ziling thought to himself that this was the case, and said with a little embarrassment, "We're not that scary, are we?" Zheng Shuming suddenly called out coquettishly: "Bring me wine!" All the men took orders to pour wine for Zheng Shuming, and refilled Xu Ziling's empty cup. Zheng Shuming raised his glass and said: "Unexpectedly, brother Xu also fell in love with the thing in the cup like a slave. This cup was wiped out by Cao Yinglong's entire army." After Xu Ziling had a drink with her, he smiled wryly and said, "I only recently discovered the benefits of good wine. I used to drink only when I couldn't give up." A blush flew up on each of Zheng Shuming's cheeks, that kind of mature young woman who is a bit too drunk. It made her look even more charming, and she said with a smile: "Shuming only learned to drink to relieve boredom after her husband passed away. What is Brother Xu doing for it?" Xu Ziling's expression darkened, he watched Zheng Shuming fill Mencius with wine, shook his head and said, "It's nothing!" Zheng Shuming distinguished by appearance, knew that he didn't want to confide in his heart, put down the jug, ordered his subordinates to go outside, and said in a low voice: "I heard that Brother Xu released Cao Yinglong after he killed Fang Jianding. I don't know if it is true. Is there something wrong?" Xu Ziling was very upset in his heart, and thought to himself that if this matter got to Yang Xuyan's ears, maybe it could be inferred that Cao Yinglong changed his life secretly, then it would be very bad.But he responded: "Master Zheng is indeed well informed." Zheng Shuming sighed: "Then it really happened. I believe Brother Xu must have a very good reason to spare his life. However, Shuming is a little grateful to you. If Brother Xu hadn't let him go, Shuming would not have let him go again." There is no chance to kill your husband and enemy with a blade." Xu Ziling said in astonishment: "Isn't your husband-in-law a... Hey..." Zheng Shuming said sadly: "My husband just died of a recurrence of his old injuries in the duel with Ba Fenghan, but the culprit for his old injuries was Cao Yinglong." Xu Ziling thought that no one would know what to do with such a muddled account, so he asked casually, "How did Ba Fenghan start fighting with the Jiang family?" Zheng Shuming smiled bitterly and said: "He is here to collect an old debt for Dongming, but if he hadn't been domineering, he would never have made such a mess. Sigh! Can we not talk about these things?" Xu Ziling accidentally learned more about the unpredictable relationship between Shan Wanjing and Ba Fenghan, nodded and was speechless. Zheng Shuming toasted him another glass of wine, saying: "This glass is to wish that Cao Yinglong can be captured and killed, so as to comfort the thousands of innocent souls killed by him." Xu Ziling was stunned and said, "Master Zheng's family is here today..." Zheng Shuming said happily: "I rushed to Chengdu this time to hunt down and kill Cao Yinglong. Over the years, we have worked hard to deal with this villain, collecting all the information about him, and we know that he has never stayed anywhere. It lasted more than a month; only he stayed in Chengdu for three months, and later sneaked to Chengdu many times, and went to a rouge and gouache shop to shop. It can be seen that he must raise a woman there, and he is desperate. Here, I'm sure he will hide in Chengdu." Xu Ziling felt dizzy immediately when he heard it, and was hesitating in his heart whether he should tell her that Cao Yinglong only had half a year to live, whether he could show his respect, Zheng Shuming went on to say: "The hatred of killing a husband is irresistible, I will never let this evil go. thief." Xu Ziling had no choice but to swallow the words that came to his lips.Zheng Shuming saw that he hesitated to speak, and asked in surprise: "Brother Xu, what do you want to say? Can I ask you abruptly, why does Brother Xu have to let him go?" Xu Ziling lowered his voice and said, "Master Zheng better not know about it. Otherwise, he will be involved in unnecessary troubles that can easily lead to catastrophe, and it will be of no benefit to the Yangtze River Alliance." Zheng Shuming changed his expression and said, "It's so serious! Then brother Xu, do you have any advice for me to hunt down Cao Yinglong?" Xu Ziling secretly praised her for her intelligence and thoughtfulness, and took the opportunity to laugh and said: "Cao Yinglong is at the end of his life, and his life is not long. It really doesn't make much difference if Mr. Zheng finds him or can't find him. If he can stay out of it, it's a wise move. " Zheng Shuming frowned a pair of beautiful eyebrows like a crescent moon, stared at him for a while, and said with cherry lips: "The pursuit of Cao Yinglong was the unanimous decision of all of us in the Yangtze River Union. Put your material resources into this matter. Otherwise, you can’t find Brother Xu so quickly, and this matter can’t be changed. Can Brother Xu clarify whether he has suffered serious internal injuries.” Xu Ziling sighed inwardly, and said with a wry smile: "Master Zheng, forgive me, I have already said what can be said." Zheng Shuming said softly: "I'm afraid Brother Xu still doesn't trust the slave family!" Xu Ziling's heart moved, and he asked, "Why did Master Zheng walk with Bai Qing'er?" Zheng Shuming said in a low voice: "This is another reason why I want to find you. Why did Kou Zhong call Bai Qing'er a demon girl, and then mentioned to her that he destroyed Jingling City." Xu Ziling's tiger eyes flashed coldly, and he said calmly: "Good question! Does Master Zheng still not understand?" Zheng Shuming's face changed again, and he said in horror: "Then Bai Qing'er is really a member of the Yingui sect?" Xu Ziling said: "Bai Qing'er is a demon girl of the Yingui sect, and Zheng Shiru is a demon of the Yingui sect. I'm afraid even Qian Duguan can't get rid of the relationship. Master Zheng must be careful." Zheng Shuming lost his voice and said: "Zheng Shiru? Brother Xu, what basis does he have? As far as I know, this person has always been independent and self-admired. He doesn't seem to be a demon from the Yingui sect." How could Xu Ziling tell him that he pretended to be Yueshan to see through Zheng Shiru's true face, so he could only say: "If we hadn't been exposed, who would know that Shangguanlong, the leader of the Luoyang gang, is a member of the Yingui sect. Don't ignore it." Zheng Shuming's pretty face was pale, she bit her lower lip tightly, and said nothing. Xu Ziling intuitively felt that she didn't fully believe what he said, and it also involved the relationship between men and women, otherwise her reaction would not be so weird. After sighing, Xu Ziling poured wine for her and himself again, saying: "This cup is my turn to respect Master Zheng, I hope Master Zheng will put the overall situation first, and I will bid farewell with this cup, please!" Before the words were finished, a person strode into the store, and it was Zheng Shiru, the "Henan madman". Kou Zhong jumped down the city wall without making a sound, hid the hook rope, and in a blink of an eye, he had already set foot on the Flower Street in Yangzhou City where countless childhood days had been wasted. He put on a mask and turned into a big man with a beard and hooked nose, and went to Tianxiang Tower to find Mrs. Yuling. Only through her could he contact Gui Xiliang while hiding from others. Or because the news of Du Fuwei's army's invasion has not yet spread, Huajie is still peaceful and lively, making people wonder whether the war inside and outside Yangzhou has nothing to do with it. Along the way, the red sleeves are floating, the lanterns are reflected, and the music is everywhere. Kou Zhong can't help but be trapped in his youth and can only peep at the scene of others spending a lot of money relying on Cui Nonghong, and he feels an indescribable feeling in his heart. All of a sudden, the past took up all his thoughts, and he was like the little gangster on the streets of Yangzhou in the past, living in the days of bitterness and joy, full of longing and anticipation for the future. Another thought rose in his heart at the same time, making him feel dazed and lost. In fact, he can never go back to the past.It is also impossible to recall the past years with thoughts and memories, let alone change the past choices and mistakes. What is lost is lost, and time is a never-returning torrent. He has lost a lot of precious things, people will always make mistakes, make poor choices, and then regret afterwards, this situation is repeated.It seemed that it made him feel at a loss and didn't know what to do. All previous efforts and achievements seem to be insignificant and do not scratch the itch. If Song Yuzhi walked hand in hand with him, wandering in this prosperous Yangzhou resort, it would be such a touching and beautiful thing. Suddenly, a sound of horseshoes brought his thoughts back to the cold reality, and he realized that he had walked through the gate of Tianxiang Tower. A carriage was driving out of the gate, and it was in a hurry. Kou Zhong felt an ominous feeling in his heart when he caught up with this car that should be Madam Yuling's car.