From the Ming Dynasty, we will conquer the world

Chapter 24: Look at the geese following the sun, each has his own plan for making rice and millet (5500)

After dismissing his attendants, Yan Shifan sat alone in the big tent, his face showing a mixture of joy and sorrow. Suddenly he shouted in a deep voice:
"Soul-chasing horse, red-faced tiger."

Before he finished speaking, two more people appeared in the tent.

One of them was more than eight feet tall, wearing a sleeveless short brown shirt, with bare arms, thin shoulders and chest, but with muscular legs that looked quite spectacular.

The other person was a tall and muscular man with a strong frame and bulging muscles. Just by standing there, he had the domineering and majestic aura of a tiger sitting on a mountain.

Neither of them spoke, but when they looked into Yan Shifan's eyes, their loyalty and devotion to the cause were evident.

Yan Shifan threw the letter to them lightly. When the two of them took it and looked at it, they were both shocked.

Soul Chaser spoke first:

"Your Majesty's move is truly... unfathomable. Now that the Left Commander-in-Chief has died on the battlefield and Eunuch Lu has fled to the southeast, is there only one Grand Master in the palace, the Chakravartin?"

Yan Shifan shook his head and said:

“The King of the Wheels was not in the palace either. After he seized Bodhidharma’s body, he became disloyal. Eunuch Lu personally went after him, and it was I who saved his life.

He is currently recovering from his injuries in secret, which is also a good move for me."

Upon hearing this shocking secret, even with their temperaments, they couldn't help but be shocked, and they even smelled a strong smell of blood.

They had not imagined that in the seemingly stable center of the imperial court, the struggle had become so fierce that even the great masters almost lost their lives.

Besides being shocked, the two of them also admired Yan Shifan even more. How many great things had this young and secretive elder done in secret over the years? !
The red-faced tiger hesitated for a moment and said:
"Since His Majesty has clearly sent out his carriage, why not let Han Tianlong and I go back to the capital to find out the truth."

Yan Shifan's eyes sparkled and he held a wisdom in his hands.

"Over the years, His Majesty has manipulated the civil and military officials like chess pieces, and his mind is deep and difficult to understand. Since he set up this game, he must have some ulterior motive.

It is a waste of time to compete with His Majesty, so we don’t need to care about the changes in the capital, just focus on our own affairs. "

Red-faced Tiger and Soul-chasing Horse had no doubt about Yan Shifan's judgment.

Because they all knew that when it came to understanding the emperor, perhaps only Eunuch Lu, who was known as the "Prime Minister", could compare with this young cabinet minister.

Emperor Jiajing was an extremely intelligent and wise man. When he gave orders to cabinet ministers, he also liked to use notes to pass on messages.

The note was concise and to the point, which was both a sign of the emperor's trust in his ministers and a test for these ministers.

However, Yan Shifan's talent was in no way inferior to that of Jiajing. He could quote all kinds of obscure allusions at will, so he became the best at deciphering secret codes among all the civil and military officials.

It was because Emperor Jiajing discovered that Yan Shifan had this ability that he often summoned him to the palace to help him decipher the hidden codes in the alchemy books and discuss the difficulties in alchemy.

It was during this process that Yan Shifan was gradually taught the martial arts of alchemy by Emperor Jiajing and became an "immortal official" who was "the best in boxing in the court."

It can be said that Yan Shifan himself is the result of Emperor Jiajing's research on alchemy over the years.

Naturally, his understanding of Jiajing was extraordinary.

"Hunhunma, go to the Wa country, bring enough money and goods, and contact the Yagyu family.

Now that Zhu Tiandu has come ashore and both he and Lu Bing have suffered heavy losses, the daimyo of the Japanese Empire will certainly become restless.

Needless to say, just one thing to mention is that Eunuch Lu, who injured Zhu Tiandu in the past, has come to the southeast in person.

Yagyu Muneya was a smart man, and the Oda Nobunaga he assisted was also quite ambitious. Once Zhu Tiandu was no longer there to suppress them, they would take action on their own.

As long as we can slightly restrain Zhu Tiandu's pace and prevent the war in the southeast from ending as soon as possible, the emperor will not do anything to Hu Zongxian. If we save Hu Zongxian, we will save my father. "

Yan Shifan said this nonchalantly, as if for him, starting a war that would sweep across the Wa country was just a matter of turning his hand and he didn't need to think about it at all.

Of course, this is indeed the case.

The Soul-Chasing Horse half-knelt on the ground, clasped his fists and nodded.

After coming up with a countermeasure, Yan Shifan stood up, a vortex like a black hole swirling in his eyes, and an aura that swallowed everything and was like a god or a demon spread out.

The darkness was like a tide, surging and boiling silently in the dead silent tent; even the air became eerie and mysterious.

The extremely evil spirit of boxing seemed to awaken the night and activate it into a dark pool of magic.

The two big boxers only felt as if something invisible was wrapping around their bodies and piling up on their skin.

Even though they have experienced this countless times, they still feel horrified, their hair stands on end, and their skin is covered with densely packed small bumps.

The two had only one thought in their minds.

The young elder’s boxing skills are even more terrifying!

Yan Shifan said in a low voice:

"These people only know that I was dismissed from my post and exiled to the frontier, but they don't understand the truth that fortune and misfortune often lie behind everything else.

Being away from the center and power is indeed the lowest point in my life. But on the battlefield, winning by boxing alone is also a great opportunity for me to break through the barrier.

It’s a pity that one of the four great Mongolian masters is gone. I hope the remaining three old fellows won’t let me down…”

The situation in the world is such that a single move can affect the entire body.

Zhu Tiandu took the lead in landing in the southeast, crossed the whale waves, and came gracefully, breaking through Xiangshan in one fell swoop, showing the Dragon King's unstoppable skills.

But great men of the time like Hu Zongxian and Yan Shifan were able to use the power of others to their advantage, to fish in troubled waters, and in the turbulent times, they either went against the trend or went with the flow, each struggling to cross the river.

You see, following Yang Yan, each has his own plan.

Outside the capital, Yan Shifan led his troops northward, heading straight for the nine border areas, with smoke and dust billowing all the way, and his momentum was as strong as a dragon.

Along the southeast coast, more than a thousand warships came breaking through the waves, with flags covering the sky. The warriors on the ships all had their hair loose and had tattoos, and their shouts of killing shook the sky.

At dawn, Xu Xing led the drizzle out of Taizhou City, followed by the chattering Xu Wei.

Xu Xing did not show any impatience. He just smiled and responded to his uncle, nodding continuously.

After fighting with Zhu Polong and overcoming many years of psychological barriers, Xu Xing's temperament changed further compared to before.

If the Xu Xing of the past was full of the vigor and vitality of an eagle flapping its wings ready to fly, then the him now has the free and easy spirit of a crane dancing in the clear sky, not bound by any material things.

This is not only a change in temperament, but also a reflection of progress in martial arts.

However, for Xu Xing today, the breakthrough in the spirit of boxing has become a burden.

In the martial arts world, "breaking the void" is called the Extreme of Yin Void for a reason, because no matter how powerful the punch is, it must be based on the flesh.

After the previous battle, Xu Xing's body had not fully recovered, so it was naturally difficult for him to keep up with the breakthrough in his boxing skills.

So, when he got up today, his face looked pale and haggard, as if he had not recovered from a serious illness.

This is also why Xu Wei was so worried and gave instructions along the way.

Even though Xu Xing had explained it many times, Xu Wei still felt that his nephew was clearly injured internally and was just trying not to tell the truth.

In his opinion, with Xu Xing's personality, he was completely capable of doing such a thing.

After walking two miles, Xu Wei stopped talking, not because he was annoyed, but because he was really tired.

Xu Wei wiped the sweat from his forehead, sighed deeply, and repeated and emphasized again:

"Be careful on the road. Be careful. There are so many heroes in the world. If you keep acting like this, you will always meet your rivals."

Xu Xing patted his shoulder and said seriously:

"Uncle, let me make it clear again. First of all, your nephew has never been tyrannical. Secondly, no matter how many heroes there are in the world..."

Xu Xing raised his eyebrows and said slowly in his usual calm tone:

"Compared to me, you have to fight to know who is better."

Before Xu Wei could say anything, Xiyu, who was holding a sword in her arms, had already shown an expression of deep agreement.

As the great boxer who spent the most time with Xu Xing, she was deeply aware of how obvious the progress of this young grandmaster was. From Chun'an to Taizhou, he was completely different every day.

Especially after defeating Zhu Polong this time, Xiyu could clearly feel that some kind of obvious "transformation" had taken place in Xu Xing.

Such a person is certainly qualified to be arrogant.

Xu Wei didn't even bother to pay attention to him and continued talking to himself:
"I have arranged the people under you. I will start working on the matter you mentioned after I return.

However, Hu Ruzhen is a good official. He has been very kind to the people of the southeast over the years. If that day comes, don’t push him too far.”

Xu Xing nodded:

"If I didn't know he was a good person, why would I have arranged so much? Don't worry, don't worry."

Xu Wei also knew Xu Xing's style of doing things. To put it nicely, it was decisive and sharp, and he was good at cutting the Gordian knot. To put it bluntly, it was simple and rough, and he would kill anyone who came his way.

Now that he is willing to make some arrangements in advance, he probably won't do anything to Hu Ruzhen...

Xu Wei sighed again.

"You've just arrived in Taizhou and you're leaving again. You're really destined to be busy in this life. You're destined to never have a day off."

All the old people in the Governor's Mansion knew that when the first aide was working, he would forget about food and sleep and work day and night.

But in Xu Wei's eyes, his nephew was a real iron man, as if he was always energetic and tireless.

Xu Wei was well aware of the principle of knowing when to relax and work hard, and that too much is as bad as too little.

However, Xu Xing's string was too tight and almost never relaxed, which made Xu Wei worried.

Xu Xing waved his hand and said indifferently:

"The more capable you are, the more work you should do. If I run a little more, maybe a few fewer people will die in Taizhou. Is there any more profitable business in the world than this?" While he was thinking, Xu Xing turned around and bowed, saying:

"Leave Qi Yuanjing's affairs to me, and leave Taizhou's affairs to you, uncle, take care of yourself."

He spoke the last three words very softly, like a faint sound coming from beyond the clouds in the sky, yet with a weight heavier than a thousand pounds.

Xu Wei also stood up solemnly and raised his sleeves to bow.

"Take care of yourself."

Xu Xing nodded slightly, turned and walked away. In a flash, he and Xiyu became two tiny dots in the dim morning light.

Watching the two people leaving, Xu Wei couldn't help but sigh:
“People who practice boxing are cool and unrestrained.”

After running for several miles, Xiyu suddenly spoke with emotion:
"I didn't expect that someone as devoted to martial arts as you would also be attached to family affection?"

After spending these days together, Xiyu has gradually figured out Xu Xing's temper, so when she speaks, she is not as cautious as before and has become much more straightforward.

——After all, she is just a young girl, and it is impossible for her to suppress her nature all the time.

In Xiyu's eyes in the past, Xu Xing was simply a martial arts maniac.

The courage of facing the thunder without fear, disregarding life and death just to prove the martial arts, even Xiyu, the experienced boxer, felt frightened.

When people are with a madman, they will subconsciously feel a sense of fear, because the madman has no scruples, his behavior is unpredictable, and no one can predict his next step.

However, after witnessing the communication between Xu Xing and Xu Wei with her own eyes, Xiyu changed her opinion of Xu Xing.

It turns out that although this person is crazy, he is not without scruples.

Hearing this, Xu Xing raised his eyebrows and laughed.

“Martial arts, although an integral part of my life, is also my greatest hobby.

But this doesn’t mean that this is all there is to my life.

If you want to reach the level of a sincere master in boxing, you must be honest with yourself and draw insights and inspirations from your life experiences.

When you reach my level, you will know that things worth cherishing are not only not a burden on martial arts, but also a great help in improving martial arts."

Xu Xing originally wanted to change the topic to Lu Zhu and gossip about the relationship progress of this couple.

But Xiyu fell into deep thought, making it difficult for him to perform.

In the end, Xu Xing could only shake his head and sigh, and continue on his way.

Although Taizhou is nearly a thousand miles away from Southern Shaolin, with Xu Xing and Xi Yu's pace and full speed, this thousand-mile journey will not take more than a few hours.

Southern Shaolin is a branch of Northern Shaolin. Although not as broad and grand as the main sect of Songshan, it is also a leader in the martial arts world in the southeast.

Six years ago, the old master who represented the Southeastern Martial Arts Circle and participated in the siege of Zhu Tiandu was none other than the head of the Southern Shaolin Discipline Hall.

This temple is surrounded by nine peaks and is majestic. The buildings are hidden deep in the woods, but the scale is extremely large. There are more than a dozen magnificent palaces and hundreds of houses, just like a small city in the mountains.

Except for the bronze hall, all the buildings in Southern Shaolin are covered with tri-color glazed tiles. The colors look as bright as new and they shine brightly when the sun shines on them, just like the glazed pure land described in the Buddhist scriptures.

Inside the main hall, four old monks were sitting on cushions with their eyes closed, like clay or wooden sculptures.

No matter how the middle-aged man in the hall, with a cloth wrapped around his head and wearing a long gown, tried to persuade them, the four remained indifferent.

It turns out that he has a good kung fu of tranquility!

"Masters, I, Li Shizhen, am sincerely exchanging medicines, and I have no intention of deceiving you. Although the tiger bone jade ointment is a rare treasure, this sixth-grade old ginseng is also an ordinary thing."

Li Shizhen paused, his face was sad, and he said earnestly:
"Now that Zhu Laolong has deployed his troops at Xiangshan, he is not only aiming to overthrow the southeast, but also to bring chaos to the world. Buddhism advocates compassion, and you are all great monks who are well versed in Buddhism. Why can't you be flexible?"

When they heard the word "compassion", one of the tall monks with white eyebrows, white beard and white monk robes raised his head.

He looked directly at Li Shizhen and said in a deep voice:

"Tiger bone jade ointment is our sect's secret medicine, there is absolutely no reason to exchange it."

This man's aura was incredibly powerful. As soon as he opened his mouth, it was as if a strong wind was blowing up the ground, and everyone's clothes fluttered.

Every word he uttered sounded like the sound of an ancient and rich bell, echoing in the solemn hall, clear and melodious.

After the great monk finished speaking, he changed his tone and said bluntly:
"Doctor Li, Zhu Laolong is very powerful after all. Even Lu Qingtian died in his hands. Our Southern Shaolin is really..."

Having said this, the tall monk kept silent, and the other monks also looked up at Li Shizhen, their eyes revealing the intention of seeing him off.

Li Shizhen knew that these monks were not as sanctimonious as they appeared.

He also knew that among the thirty-six ships, there was a ship captain known as the Evil King Kong, who was from Southern Shaolin.

Li Shizhen wanted to say something, but a hand reached out from behind him, patted his shoulder, and said softly:

"Doctor Li, let's go."

It was not until then that everyone noticed that there was a man in gray standing behind Li Shizhen.

He was wearing a gray shirt, gray sleeves, and gray cloth shoes. He looked a little bored, but his eyes were extremely focused.

That kind of focus is not small or narrow, but is directed towards the entire human world. Although he is of medium build, he does not make people feel short.

Not only was he not short, he looked like a giant who was ready to open his arms and embrace the entire world.

At this moment, the four old monks were all shocked by this man's gaze.

The man in gray looked at them and said calmly:

"I understand that you all want to protect yourselves, but please do not go along with the bandits, otherwise..."

Having said that, he raised his eyebrows.

Although the man in gray was dressed simply and had an ordinary face, at this moment, he looked like a general.

A majestic general who commands at least 100,000 soldiers.

Somehow, the four old monks all thought of a poem at the same time.

Killing all the millions of soldiers in Jiangnan, the sword around his waist is still bloody.

They just listened to the man's words:

"I am willing to commit murder and fall into hell."

“Hahahahahahaha, what courage!”

Suddenly, a tall and thin monk walked into the hall.

His eyebrows were raised, and his face was gaunt and thin, but he didn't look old at all. The wrinkles at the corners of his eyes looked like sword marks, and he looked like a statue of a king with a bronze skin and iron bones, with an awe-inspiring majesty.

If the man in gray is a general commanding thousands of troops, then this man is an emperor who commands the world and no one dares to disobey.

When the four old monks saw him, they all stood up and called him "Abbot". Li Shizhen was very surprised to see these four people being so respectful.

He was a man who had traveled all over the world, but he had never seen an abbot of a temple who could make his monks so afraid.

However, when he thought that Southern Shaolin was also a martial arts sect and had experienced long-term wars in the southeast, Li Shizhen's doubts faded a little.

The monk did not look at the four old monks. He just narrowed his eyes, looked at the man in gray, and repeated:
"You have great spirit and excellent boxing skills. May I ask your name and background?"

The gray-clothed man Lu Zhu grinned, revealing two rows of white teeth, smiling brightly:
"My name is Xu Qingdao."

"It turned out to be the northerner Tu Dangmian."

Before he finished speaking, the monk's body sank and rose, and suddenly appeared in front of Lu Zhu. He rolled his feet, and the energy flowed through his body, and he pushed out with a palm.

The palm strike was so powerful that the monk's robes shook suddenly like waves on the water, and the sound of wind whistling seemed to shatter even the air.

For a moment, the whole hall was filled with strong winds and air currents soaring far away.

This is the most powerful and domineering move in Shaolin Kung Fu, the "Vajra Wheel Fist Pushing the Mill Frame".

Lu Zhu, however, remained calm, he sat down sharply with his knees straightened, knowing that he could not stop this "Pushing the Millstone" move, he simply made an eagle claw with one hand and stabbed it towards the monk's throat.

The determination to exchange one's life for another is clearly revealed!
Lu Zhu raised his five fingers, and the power flowed through each of them. Each finger had a sharp power, tearing out five strong winds in the air.

At this moment, the monk shook his feet and stomped them, using Dantian as the center to exert violent strength, using the Vajra sitting kung fu of "Arhat Subduing Tiger" to forcibly stop the fist.

Bang bang bang.

A noise like an earthquake resounded throughout the hall, the wind howled, rows of incense sticks and eternal lamps were extinguished, and the offerings and sacrificial vessels on the altar were all shattered.

The floor tiles under the monk's feet cracked into dozens of pieces. The largest piece of gravel was only the size of a soybean. Only two footprints deeply sunk into the soil could be seen.

He himself seemed to be completely unaware, pulled his foot out, clasped his hands together towards Lu Zhu, lowered his brows and head, restrained his aura, and said calmly:

"Good Eagle Claw, good pole skills, this kind of brutal fighting style that doesn't hesitate to exchange life for life is indeed the legendary northern butcher. I am sorry for being so presumptuous.

It's dark and the road is slippery, making it difficult to walk on the mountain path. Since you have an old injury, you should get down the mountain as soon as possible if you want to leave."

When Lu Zhu heard these almost threatening words, he just looked at him deeply and asked:

"Since Master Fanian, another Grand Master has appeared in Southern Shaolin. He is indeed worthy of being called the master of the martial arts world. May I ask your Dharma name?"

The monk raised his head and smiled.

"I am a poor monk, but I have seen a butcher."

(End of this chapter)