Liver into a martial arts legend: starting with Embroidered Spring Blade

Chapter 197 Zhang Wuji's Scheme, Yu Huatian Comes Knocking

Li Zicheng instigated internal strife within the border troops and seized the opportunity to rise again. This event seemed sudden, but in fact, it had been planned for a long time.

Even before the uprising, Li Zicheng had approached the Ming Cult, hoping to gain their assistance and work together on a grand cause.

At that time, Yang Xiao was still in charge of the Ming Cult. Initially, Yang Xiao did not pay much attention to Li Zicheng's sect. However, since both of them were martial artists, Yang Xiao still felt a sense of threat from Li Zicheng and knew that Li Zicheng's martial arts skills might not be inferior to his own.

Therefore, Yang Xiao did not directly refuse Li Zicheng's invitation, but simply explained the advantages and disadvantages, indicating that the chances of the uprising succeeding at that time were not very high.

Li Zicheng understood Yang Xiao's concerns and didn't say anything more, only telling Yang Xiao to wait a few months and see.

Then, something happened to the Shaanxi-Gansu border army.

Taking advantage of the situation, Li Zicheng rose to power and within a few months, he had raised an army of nearly 100,000 men, whose momentum was overwhelming and unstoppable.

Now, even the Ming Cult dares not underestimate Li Zicheng's abilities.

A person who possesses exceptional martial arts skills, unparalleled wisdom, and the ability to patiently plan and develop their power is someone no one in the world dares to underestimate.

If Yang Xiao were still in charge at this moment, he would also like to cooperate with Li Zicheng to see if they could take this opportunity to return to the Central Plains and change the status quo of the Ming Cult.

But now, Zhang Wuji is in charge of the Ming Cult.

Zhang Wuji was not optimistic about the Chuang Army uprising, so from the beginning he never thought of actually forming an alliance with the Chuang Army to plot a rebellion.

The reason they led their troops to help Li Zicheng was merely a pretense, a mere pretense.

He has other plans for this.

"Li Zicheng is indeed very strong. Even I am not necessarily confident of victory. However, you need not worry. People from Shaolin, Wudang and other sects have arrived. When Li Zicheng marches south to attack the city, I will resolve the grievances between the Ming Cult and the court and the martial arts world in front of the imperial court and the various sects of the martial arts world, and change the current situation of our Ming Cult."

Zhang Wuji said seriously.

Yang Xiao was still somewhat worried and said, "Master, I know you are the son of Zhang Wuxia of Wudang and do not want to be at odds with the righteous sects, which we can understand. However, the grudges between our Ming Cult and the Ming Court and the various sects in the Central Plains have a long history, and I'm afraid they cannot be resolved so easily."

"Yes, Wuji!"

Yin Tianzheng also frowned and said, "The imperial court and the various factions in the Central Plains hate us Ming Cult members to the bone. You think you can resolve the grudges and let our Ming Cult return to the Central Plains in this way? I'm afraid it won't be that easy."

"Left Envoy Yang, Grandfather, rest assured, when we head south, I will show the court and all the martial arts factions our sincerity."

Zhang Wuji said, "The court is worried that our Ming Cult will continue to rebel and disrupt the world. But now I am the leader of the Ming Cult and I come from Wudang. As long as I give up the rebellion and Wudang protects me, I believe the court will not exterminate us."

"As for Shaolin and other sects in the Central Plains, we can find other ways to resolve our grievances..."

With that, Zhang Wuji's expression turned serious, and he said, "If all else fails, I'll ask my grandmaster to intervene!"

"With him personally involved, I don't believe the other factions would dare to continue targeting our Ming Cult!"

Upon hearing this, Yang Xiao and the others relaxed slightly.

Yin Tianzheng nodded and said, "If you, Wuji, can really get Master Zhang to intervene, then there should still be room for reconciliation in this matter."

"good."

Yang Xiao nodded: "Master Zhang is a pillar of the Central Plains martial arts world. Even the imperial court has to give him some face. If Master Zhang is willing to step forward, the sect leader's plan might actually succeed."

Zhang Wuji nodded solemnly: "My master has always been very kind to me since I was a child. When I was injured by the Xuanming Palm of the Xuanming Elders, he took me everywhere to seek medical treatment. But I never expected that I would accidentally wander into a desolate valley and be separated from my master for many years."

"After so many years, my master must be very anxious. When I go south, I will take the time to visit him at Wudang Mountain and explain the situation. He will definitely not stand idly by."

Everyone nodded slightly.

"In that case, let's do as the leader says."

"Wuji, you are now the leader of our Ming Cult. Whatever you want to do, you can do it boldly. We will definitely support you!"

"Thank you, Left Envoy Yang, thank you, Master, and Bat King."

As the group was discussing, they suddenly heard hurried footsteps outside.

Then, a Ming Cult member's voice came from outside: "Reporting to the leader, someone outside requests an audience."

Yin Tianzheng frowned slightly and scolded, "You blind fool, can't you see we are discussing important matters with the sect leader?"

The follower hesitated for a moment, then said, "Eagle King, please forgive us. This matter is of great importance, and I dare not make a decision on my own. That is why I have come to report it."

Everyone was immediately puzzled.

Zhang Wuji asked curiously, "Who is requesting an audience?"

“He said he was a man of the imperial court,” the disciple whispered.

The room fell silent instantly.

"People from the imperial court?"

The group exchanged glances and frowned.

Immediately, Zhang Wuji's eyes flickered slightly, and he said in a low voice, "It seems that our whereabouts have been under the watchful eye of the imperial court. I just wonder why the people from the court have come to see us at this time?"

"They dare to come and see the leader even in the territory of the rebel army. They have quite the nerve."

Yang Xiao asked, "Master, what do you think?"

Zhang Wuji hesitated for a moment, then said, "Let's meet them and see what the court wants to do."

After a while.

Led by a follower, a plainly dressed man with effeminate features slowly entered the room, behaving with great respect.

"I am Tan Luzi, the second-in-command of the Western Depot. I have met Master Zhang, Left Envoy Yang, Eagle King, and Bat King..."

"People from the Western Depot?"

Zhang Wuji and the others looked surprised and exchanged glances. Zhang Wuji's eyes flickered, and he cupped his hands in greeting, asking, "May I ask what brings you here, sir?"

Tan Luzi took out a letter from his bosom, presented it with both hands, and said, "This is a letter from my master to the leader. The leader will know as soon as he sees it."

Zhang Wuji took the letter and saw that it was addressed to "Zhang, the leader of the Ming Cult," and signed by Yu Huatian, the head of the Western Depot.

It seems that this eunuch from the Western Depot also has some knowledge of the Ming Cult's secrets.

With this thought in mind, Zhang Wuji became even more puzzled and began to carefully read the letter.

Soon, his expression turned serious. He frowned and looked at Tan Luzi, saying, "Can this Eunuch Yu really solve the problems of my Ming Cult and stop the court from targeting my Ming Cult?"

Tan Luzi respectfully said, "Master Zhang, rest assured, my master is a man of his word. As long as you agree to this matter and do not gather people to rebel again, my master will definitely keep his word and persuade the emperor to pardon the Ming Cult. However, the Ming Cult will have to deal with the other factions in the martial arts world themselves."

Zhang Wuji's eyes flickered as he said, "As long as Eunuch Yu can persuade the Emperor to stop besieging my Ming Cult, the affairs of the martial world need no intervention from the court; my Ming Cult will handle them on its own!"

Tan Luzi breathed a sigh of relief, cupped his hands and smiled, "That would be perfect. My master will be in Xi'an, awaiting your good news, Master."

After saying this, Tan Luzi left. Yang Xiao and the others immediately looked at Zhang Wuji and anxiously asked, "Master, what did Yu Huatian say in the letter?"

Zhang Wuji said, "He said that as long as our Ming Cult agrees not to help the rebel army and helps him eliminate one more person, he can persuade the emperor to resolve the grievances between the court and the Ming Cult, allowing us to return to the Central Plains openly and legitimately."

Yang Xiao and the others were overjoyed.

"This is a good thing!"

"Yes, isn't this exactly what you, Master, were thinking?"

"It's like a pillow being delivered just when you're sleepy. If Yu Huatian really has that much power, then we won't have to worry about threats from the imperial court anymore."

Zhang Wuji nodded slightly and said, "That's what I think too. Anyway, we're preparing to negotiate peace with the court. If Yu Huatian can really resolve this matter, it will relieve our urgent problem. But I'm afraid that this guy will go back on his word or won't be able to convince the emperor afterward. What should we do then?"

Yang Xiao pondered for a moment and said, "As far as I know, Emperor Chongzhen does indeed favor Yu Huatian greatly in the court. In just half a year since the Western Depot was restarted, it has completely replaced the previous Embroidered Uniform Guard and its power is at its zenith, making it a new favorite in the court."

"If he is really willing to help us, he might be able to persuade Emperor Chongzhen to stop besieging our Ming Cult."

"After all, our Ming Cult has been opposing the imperial court for years, but the court has been unable to do anything about us. It must be a real headache for them."

"If this feud can truly be resolved without bloodshed, I think the emperor would be very happy to see it happen."

Zhang Wuji nodded and said, "So, what does Left Envoy Yang mean..."

"You can agree to him first."

Yang Xiao said, "In short, the sect leader is also preparing to do this. Whether it succeeds or not, we can try it first to let the court see our sincerity. However, we must also be prepared and pay close attention to the court's movements. In case the court goes back on its word, we will not be caught off guard. At least we must ensure that we can get out unscathed."

"That's good, we can agree to it first."

Yin Tianzheng nodded in agreement: "At present, the imperial court is at the height of its power, and the chances of Li Zicheng's rebellion succeeding are not very high. We came here to return to the Central Plains to develop. Even if we fail, it doesn't matter. At worst, we can continue to retreat to Bright Peak and return to the Western Regions to develop."

Zhang Wuji nodded: "Alright, then let's agree to cooperate with Yu Huatian for now."

Everyone nodded.

"By the way, Master, who does Yu Huatian want us to kill? Li Zicheng?" Wei Yixiao asked.

"No."

Zhang Wuji shook his head and said, "It's Jiang Xuan, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard."

Everyone looked surprised.

Yang Xiao chuckled and said, "It seems that even within the imperial court, there is not a united front; the competition is quite fierce."

……

On the other side, at Li Zicheng's residence.

After returning to his residence, Li Zicheng also summoned Liu Zongmin and a group of his trusted confidants for a discussion.

"What are your thoughts on the Ming Cult?" Li Zicheng asked calmly.

One of the generals immediately spoke up, shaking his head and saying, "The Ming Cult agreed to the alliance too readily. Your Majesty should be wary of any trap."

"What kind of trick could there be?"

Some shook their heads, holding a different view: "In recent years, the Ming Cult has been besieged by the imperial court and various martial arts factions in the Central Plains. Its development in the Western Regions has been extremely difficult. Now that we have their help, they dare to enter the Central Plains. When we overthrow the Ming court and achieve our great cause, the Ming Cult can return to the Central Plains openly and legitimately and become the hegemon of the martial arts world. They are overjoyed to have such a good opportunity, how could they dare to have any disloyal thoughts?"

"I think we still need to be careful. The Ming Cult has always been very cunning, otherwise it would not have been able to survive for so many years without being wiped out by the imperial court."

"Tch, with the King in charge, what trouble can they possibly cause?"

"Indeed, how can a mere Ming Cult compare to our rebel army?"

"I think the Ming Cult is getting worse with each generation. They actually chose such a greenhorn as their leader. Today, in front of our King, he was more docile than a cat. Where is the slightest bit of the prestige of the Ming Cult leader?"

"What trouble could such a young punk possibly cause?"

"Ha ha……"

Everyone expressed their opinions, and the discussion was lively, creating a very relaxed atmosphere.

Listening to the generals' discussion, Li Zicheng shook his head. He hadn't received any useful advice, but he wasn't disappointed. The rebel army had only been developing for a short time, lacked sufficient foundation, and didn't have many capable men under his command.

That's why we need to pause our development and take some time to reflect and consolidate.

"Don't let your guard down with the Ming Cult. Send someone to keep an eye on things, and report any unusual activity immediately."

"Also, make preparations so that we can head south to take Xi'an in seven days."

Li Zicheng's decisive move further solidified his resolve to capture Xi'an.

The generals said no more and bowed in unison, "Your subordinates obey!"

"Go."

Li Zicheng waved his hand, dismissing everyone, and soon only Li Zicheng remained in the room.

"Commander Hu!" Li Zicheng suddenly called out.

"Your Majesty."

A slight glint appeared in the room, and a middle-aged man with a fair complexion and a light beard appeared in the mansion, bowing to Li Zicheng.

This man was none other than Hu Tian, ​​the leader of Li Zicheng's four bodyguards, the chief of the "Mandarin Duck Blades," and nicknamed "Flying Fox."

"How are the spies sent to Xi'an doing?" Li Zicheng asked.

Hu Tian cupped his hands and said, "Your Highness, everything is under control. The spies on the surface have been spotted by the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Currently, the Embroidered Uniform Guard's attention is focused on these people, and they will never discover that we have a second hidden force. This hidden force is our true strength. As soon as the war begins, this hidden force can immediately take action and deliver a heavy blow to the Ming army!"

Li Zicheng nodded in satisfaction and said, "Very good. I trust you with your work. I will leave the Embroidered Uniform Guard to you."

Hu Tian smiled slightly and nodded, saying, "Your Highness, rest assured, I have already inquired. Although Jiang Xuan, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, has comprehended two realms of intent, his martial arts level is not high, at most between the fourth and sixth ranks. He cannot exert much of the power of the intent. When the time comes, the four of us will join forces and we will surely be able to kill him for Your Highness."

Li Zicheng nodded, then asked, "By the way, has there been any news from the World Society?"

Hu Tian shook his head: "Not yet, but judging from the distance, the messenger I sent should arrive soon."

Li Zicheng narrowed his eyes slightly, turned to look in the direction of the Northwest Tianshan Mountains, and said: "The World Society has 100,000 members. This force should not be underestimated. If we can get their help, our chances of achieving great things will be even greater. Report back immediately once you have any news."

"Yes." Hu Tian nodded slightly, bowed, and then retreated back into the darkness, as if he had become one with the night.

at the same time.

The headquarters of the World Society is located in the Tianshan Mountains in the northwest.

Xiong Ba sat quietly in a quiet room. After reading the secret letter in his hand, he frowned slightly: "Li Zicheng wants me to help him seize the world?"

(End of this chapter)