Narration System for the Journey of Martial Arts

"Go!" The leader waved impatiently, signaling Su Yuchen to hurry up and get out of the way.

Su Yuchen smiled slightly and walked into the city. Behind him came the man's questioning voice: "All of you carrying swords must state your sect and purpose for coming here. Otherwise, you will not be allowed to pass."

After entering Xingyang city gate, Su Yuchen sat in a restaurant for a while and learned Shen Luoyan's approximate address from their casual conversation.

Su Yuchen followed the instructions and arrived at a residential area in the east of the city. The area consisted entirely of houses with blue bricks and tiles, numbering in the hundreds or even thousands at a glance. Moreover, the alleys between the houses were crisscrossed, and one could easily turn a corner and disappear into an unknown place. It was clearly a good place to hide.

"He is cautious indeed! But then again, if a strategist like him doesn't have this much caution, he won't survive long in chaotic times. It seems I didn't choose the wrong person."

Su Yuchen stood at the alley entrance and made a comment. Then, his primordial spirit used the "Heavenly Vision and Earthly Hearing" technique to hear the noise from several miles around. After filtering out the unwanted noise, he quickly detected the anomaly in the residential area.

"Still not cautious enough!"

Su Yuchen shook his head...

“If you truly want to live a life of seclusion in the city, you shouldn’t employ so many servants. What’s the difference between that and a guiding light in the dark?”

Before anyone could see him, Su Yuchen stepped into the alley. The narrow lanes, all much the same, connected together like a maze. Su Yuchen continued walking, heading towards his destination.

After turning left and right, Su Yuchen soon saw the newly decorated gatehouse across the alley. It looked different from the surrounding area. He shook his head and disappeared at the alley entrance. When he reappeared, he was already in the courtyard.

At this moment, the difference becomes apparent. A quick glance reveals that it was formed by merging more than a dozen small courtyards nearby. The environment is serene and elegant, the layout is seamless, and the corridors connect the mountains, waters, and gardens. Each small courtyard is a unique scene.

"What a beautiful place! Exquisite and tranquil, it rivals the beauty of gardens in the south. The person who designed this place must be a master of garden design."

Su Yuchen observed for a moment, calculated the best place to live in the garden, and then walked there. The servants who were bustling about along the way ignored him and let him pass as he pleased.

Pushing open the gate of a small courtyard, Su Yuchen stepped into the courtyard. Separated only by a wall, the small courtyard contained nothing but a clump of bamboo planted in the corner and a stone table and benches.

Pushing open the door, you'll find a living room in the center, with side rooms and a study on either side, all furnished very simply and without any sense of luxury.

Su Yuchen stepped into the study and casually flipped through the pages. There was nothing special about it; the remaining manuscripts were nothing more than ordinary military and miscellaneous matters.

It makes sense; Shen Luoyan wouldn't allow the secrets of the Wagang Army to be seen by others so easily.

Su Yuchen glanced around the study, walked to the left corner of the wall and looked at it carefully. Then he gently touched it with his right hand, and a hidden box popped out from the wall.

Su Yuchen took the dark box back to his desk and sat down. After opening it, he found a thread-bound book inside. He flipped through it casually and couldn't help but smile. This was the list of Wagang Army spies that Shen Luoyan had placed in various places.

Chapter 363 Meeting Shen Luoyan 1

It wasn't until the city lights came on that Su Yuchen heard two footsteps approaching. The footsteps were light and barely felt on the ground, as light as a cat's paw, indicating that the people who came were skilled in light-footed martial arts.

Soon the visitors entered the courtyard, pushed open the door, and a man and a woman walked to the round table in the center of the living room and sat down.

The man had his back to the partition on the right that served as a study, so he didn't see it, but the woman only had to look up to meet Su Yuchen's cold eyes.

With a "whoosh," the woman immediately stood up, knocking over the chair behind her, but she ignored it and kept her eyes on Su Yuchen sitting in the study.

Startled by her movements, the man, who had his back to the study, leaped to the woman's side, a judge's pen already in his hand from his sleeve, before turning to look at the study.

"Luoyan, what's wrong?" The man glanced at the study, then lowered his head and asked in confusion.

"You...you didn't see it?" the woman asked in surprise.

Seeing the man shake his head, the woman's face paled. She glanced at the study again, then regained her composure. She bent down to help herself up in her chair, forced a smile, and said, "It's nothing. I was probably just too tired and my eyes were playing tricks on me."

As she spoke, the woman looked up at Su Yuchen, who was sitting motionless in the study, and turned to the man, saying, "I think I'll rest first. Let's discuss it tomorrow."

The man hesitated for a moment, then nodded in agreement and immediately got up to walk towards the door. Before leaving, he glanced at the study again to make sure there was nothing there, then his suspicions were dispelled, and he took his leave.

The woman waited until the man closed the courtyard gate and the room door, took a deep breath, and then turned to the rolled-up curtain outside the study: "Shen Luoyan greets Master Shi. May I ask what brings Master Shi here?"

Su Yuchen put down the book in his hand and asked curiously, "You know me?"

The four simple words, spoken in a clear and melodious voice, possessed a soothing magic. Shen Luoyan felt a sense of emptiness in her heart, as if all her doubts and thoughts had vanished, and she became even more respectful: "The news of Master Shi's arrival at the residence of the great Confucian scholar Wang Tong in Dongping County has spread throughout the land in the past two days."

"Just because of that?" Su Yuchen asked.

Shen Luoyan shook her head and said...

"Not entirely."

“Xu Shiji’s martial arts skills are already top-notch in this era. Although he is not as good as Master Mi, he is not far behind. But he just ignored Master Shi. Even Ning Daoqi himself could not do that.”

"In addition, news from Wang Tong’s residence revealed that Shi Shi, sitting in Yangzhou, was able to severely injure Fu Cailin from a distance of thousands of miles away, relying on a wisp of sword intent residing on Fu Junzhuo. This matter is already widely known."

"Now Master Shi is truly the number one person in the world. The three grandmasters can only be ranked second on the list of extraordinary talents and people in the world. No one can compete with Master Shi."

"Furthermore, Master Shi was dressed in a Taoist robe, exactly as rumored. Moreover, besides Master Shi, Luo Yan couldn't think of anyone else who could do such a thing."

Su Yuchen nodded and said, "Even so, to be able to guess it was me based on this little bit of information, your wisdom and strategy are truly worthy of being Li Mi's strategist. Don't be so reserved, have a seat!"

Only after hearing the last part did Shen Luoyan feel a huge weight lifted from her heart. She respectfully took a step back and sat down on the round stool. She cupped her hands and said, "I wonder if Master Shi has come to see Master Mi?"

"Li Mi?" Su Yuchen shook his head.

Shen Luoyan's eyes darkened, and she couldn't help but ask, "Does Master Shi not think highly of Master Mi?"

Su Yuchen looked into her eyes and smiled, but his voice seemed to come from afar: "You should know better than I what kind of person Li Mi is."

Shen Luoyan was startled, her pupils involuntarily shrinking. She said, "Now that Lord Mi has captured Xingyang and stationed troops in Guangu, he is eyeing the capital, Luoyang, Jiangdu, and other places. He is just waiting for Wang Shichong's Sui army to be driven back before he can compete with the four great clans for supremacy..."

Looking into Su Yuchen's clear, unfathomable eyes, Shen Luoyan could no longer speak, as if her deepest secret had been exposed to this man.

"If the Song family of Lingnan were to raise an army, I wonder if Luo Yan would abandon Li Mi and help the Song family to contend for the world?"

Upon hearing Su Yuchen's words, Shen Luoyan's mind raced, and countless thoughts exploded in her head...

If the Song clan were to raise an army, with Song Que stationed in Lingnan to suppress the Sichuan region, and Song's merchant caravans constantly sailing between Lingnan and the inland, they could directly use sea transport to advance their forces towards Jiangdu.

If Shi Long returns to Yangzhou, Du Fuwei and others will either surrender or die, and the Song family can easily take over the towns of Jiangdu. Then, they can turn their military force around and take over the towns of Jiangnan, thus securing the south.

Then, separated by the natural barrier of the Yangtze River, he watched as Li Mi and the three powerful clans fought for control of the north, and when all forces were exhausted, he delivered the final blow, unifying the country.

Just thinking about it made Shen Luoyan feel powerless. If the Song Clan and Shi Long cooperated, the southern regions would be unified before the various northern forces could even make a move.

"Song Shidao went to Yangzhou because Song Que wanted Shi Shi to see if he had the qualities of an emperor?" Shen Luoyan suddenly looked up and said.

Before Su Yuchen could reply, Shen Luoyan frowned and said...

"If the Song Clan has already cooperated with Shi Shi, why has the Song Clan not made any moves for so long? And Shi Shi's journey north could not have been just to see Luo Yan."

"Huh? Could it be that they are wary of Yang Guang, who is still near Jiangdu? Or is it that the Song clan is not yet ready to contend for supremacy? But that shouldn't be the case. The Song family has occupied Lingnan for many years, with a large army and many generals, and there are no other forces to restrain them. Could it be... that Song Shidao is unwilling?"

Su Yuchen made no attempt to hide his admiration...

"Luo Yan truly lives up to her name as the 'witty strategist,' able to discern the coming of autumn from a single leaf."

"I enjoy communicating with intelligent people because it saves me a lot of trouble. How will Luo Yan reply to me?"

Shen Luoyan shook her head and said, "Luoyan would never betray Lord Mi, not even if the Song family raised an army."

Su Yuchen scoffed, saying nonchalantly, "Times change, and Luo Yan's thoughts today don't represent her future thoughts. Besides, Luo Yan should have already seen through Li Mi's character. If you stay, you'll only be a pawn to be discarded."

Shen Luoyan's expression darkened, and she shook her head...

"How can Shi Shi prove that the Song clan will value Luo Yan? The Song family has occupied Lingnan for many years. The Song family has excellent family education, many members are talented, and there are many talented people under their command."

"Moreover, the Song clan is the most powerful aristocratic family in the world. As an aristocratic family, how could they possibly give important positions to ordinary people like us who have no status or position?"

Su Yuchen smiled and said...

"In this world, powerful families and noble clans are only a small part of the population; ordinary people are the majority."

“I once told Song Shidao three things. A few days ago, I met two young fellows, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling, and during our conversation, I mentioned one of them. Kou Zhong said that it was the greatest secret to conquering the world.”

Shen Luoyan asked with great interest, "May I ask what Master Shi said?"

"He who wins the hearts of the people wins the world!"

An indescribable light shone in Shen Luoyan's eyes as she excitedly murmured to herself, "Master Shi has truly revealed the greatest secret in the world with just a few words."

Su Yuchen waved his hand and said...

"If the Song dynasty wants to gain power and doesn't want to end up like the Sui dynasty, it must recruit talented people from all over the world and use them for its own purposes."

"Even if we can't bring the powerful clans down to the dust, we must be able to stand on equal footing with them. Only in this way can we maintain a balance and prevent the powerful clans from becoming too powerful, thus plunging the world into war again."

"My intention is to let Luo Yan meet Song Shidao. If Luo Yan believes that this person is not suitable for assistance, I will not force her."

"I have no interest in who becomes emperor, as long as he can end the chaos, treat the common people well, and give the people of this land a chance to breathe."

"So this person could be Song Shidao, or the Li clan, the Yuwen clan, or Li Mi, or even a petty thug. But can they win the hearts of the people?"

“At the very least, Luo Yan should know that Li Mi is not capable. And I have already met with Song Shidao, and the Song clan is the one that can end the chaos the fastest. Therefore, I chose him.”

Chapter 364 Meeting Shen Luoyan 2

“Master Shi is farsighted, but Luo Yan cannot give Master Shi an answer yet. Moreover, Luo Yan must first meet with Master Song before speaking.”

"Moreover, Luo Yan is weak and alone; how could she possibly contend with the talents of all the powerful families and clans in the court?"

Upon hearing this question, Su Yuchen said...

"Therefore, I am not in a hurry for Luo Yan to make a choice."

"Xu Shiji, Wang Bodang, Shan Xiongxin, Qin Shubao, Cheng Yaojin and others are all military talents of our time. Dou Jiande, the overlord of the Hebei underworld, also has Liu Heita, who is a talented man under his command. I intend to win over these people and use them for the new dynasty."

"Furthermore, after meeting Luo Yan, I will meet two other people who, like Luo Yan, come from humble backgrounds. One of them possesses the talent to govern the world and bring peace to the people; the other, though cunning, is also highly capable. Both can help Luo Yan share the burden in the future new dynasty."

Shen Luoyan pursed her lips, seemingly accepting Su Yuchen's attempt to win her over, and continued...

Luo Yan has another question.

"As far as I know, the Cihang Jingzhai, the leader of the righteous path, has already chosen the Li clan of Taiyuan. If so... does this mean that both Buddhism and Taoism have already sided with the Li clan?"

Su Yuchen gave her a deep look: "It seems Luo Yan's information network is indeed excellent. I believe Li Mi is still unaware of this news."

Without needing Shen Luoyan's explanation, Su Yuchen waved his hand dismissively...

"But so what?"

“If Cihang Jingzhai is unwilling, I will destroy Cihang Jingzhai; if Ning Daoqi does not comply, I will kill him to show the world; however, it is not the right time for all of this now.”

"Why don't you try to guess the reason behind this?"

Shen Luoyan smiled proudly, straightened her back, and said, "Master Shi, would you like to test Luoyan?"

Su Yuchen nodded in agreement. Shen Luoyan lowered her head and pondered for a moment: "It is said in the martial arts world that whoever obtains either the He Shi Bi or the Yang Gong Treasure Vault can rule the world. It seems that the He Shi Bi is currently in the hands of Cihang Jingzhai. Is Master Shi after the He Shi Bi?"

Su Yuchen clapped his hands and said...

"Yes and no!"

"Since the First Emperor cast the He Shi Bi jade, it has been a symbol of the emperors of the Central Plains. How dare Cihang Jingzhai, a mere sect, secretly possess the jade seal and wreak havoc on the Central Plains? I will surely kill them without hesitation."

Shen Luoyan frowned, puzzled:

"Given Master Shi's martial arts skills, Luo Yan has no doubt about the outcome for Cihang Jingzhai and Ning Daoqi. But if we continue to wait, it will inevitably attract the attention of the Buddhist forces that are on good terms with Cihang Jingzhai. Ah!! Master Shi, is your target the Buddhist sect?"

"The Taoist sect has always secluded itself from the world and ignored worldly affairs. If Cihang Jingzhai and Ning Daoqi want to support the Li clan, they must obtain the support of the Buddhist sect, which is their greatest asset!"

"But please forgive my boldness, but how can Master Shi alone contend with the Buddhist sect? If Cihang Jingzhai were to send the He Shi Bi to the Jingnian Chan sect, with the assistance of the four great monks and thousands of monk soldiers, it would be impossible to defeat them without a large army besieging them."

Su Yuchen stood up and said...

"How could Luo Yan know that this is not what I wanted to see?"

"If Cihang Jingzhai wants to build momentum for the Li clan, it will inevitably have to choose an emperor on behalf of Heaven. At that time, I will wipe out Cihang Jingzhai, Ning Daoqi, the Four Great Monks, and the Jingnian Chan Sect all at once."

"If Luo Yan has the time, he might as well go and see for himself. He will then understand what it means to defy the will of Heaven! After that, I believe everyone in the world will make the right choice."

Although Shen Luoyan was tempted, she didn't reject your offer. Similarly, she had no intention of betraying Li Mi at the moment.

Wei Zheng is currently the Prefectural Magistrate of Wuyang Commandery, Yuan Baozang, and his secretary. He intends to defect to Li Mi. You can inform him of this and force Li Mi to kill Shen Luoyan.

Looking at the suggestion in the narrator's voice, Su Yuchen shook his head and did not intend to adopt it. After the selection of the emperor in Luoyang, these people would naturally understand how to choose.

"However, it's time to go see Wei Zheng."

Thinking of this, Su Yuchen pointed to the desk and said, "The words I left for Song Shidao, I also left for Luo Yan. I hope that when we meet next time, Luo Yan will not disappoint me."

Looking at the closed doors and windows, and Su Yuchen who had already flown away, Shen Luoyan couldn't help but sit down. She gave a bitter smile, her cheeks were covered in sweat, and her back was completely soaked.

The moment she saw Su Yuchen, she knew he was a ruthless man; the slightest misstep could mean certain death. The fairness he saw was fairness in the equality of all beings, fairness towards the common people of the Central Plains; he would never give her a second glance simply because he admired her.

"The Song Clan? In his eyes, the Song Clan is just an option, simply because he is in Yangzhou, and the Song Clan has the best chance because of that!" Shen Luoyan sighed inwardly.

………………

Su Yuchen sat in a restaurant in Wuyang County, looking at the scenery outside the window and the few customers in the restaurant.

Since Li Mi captured Xingyang, the prefectural magistrate Yuan Baozang intended to surrender to Li Mi. Various factions within Wuyang Prefecture were engaged in open and covert struggles, leading to widespread suffering among the people.