Narration System for the Journey of Martial Arts

Yuan Baozang gained the greatest advantage with the support of the city's powerful clans. The illegitimate sons of the city's aristocratic families all pledged allegiance to Li Mi, the most powerful and likely to contend for supremacy.

[The forces of Wuyang Commandery have now begun contact with Li Mi. Wei Zheng, as Yuan Baozang's secret envoy, went to Xingyang to deliver a letter. Li Mi admired his literary talent and appointed him as the literary advisor in his marshal's office, in charge of the secretariat.]

Looking at the narration, Su Yuchen couldn't help but chuckle. Such a cunning fellow had become a figure in history books who was upright and dared to confront the emperor.

Those who survive in history and have a place in it are indeed not to be underestimated for their wisdom in court. But if such a person is taken away now, can he still become a loyal minister who speaks frankly to the emperor?

Wei Zheng joined Li Mi's forces and offered numerous strategies. Although Li Mi found his plans insightful, he did not adopt them, leaving Wei Zheng frustrated and unfulfilled.

"So, this is an implication that I should first let Wei Zheng run into a wall with Li Mi, and then try to recruit him? Fine, let's go see him first." Looking at the narration, Su Yuchen immediately understood what it meant.

Su Yuchen waved to the shopkeeper, who, after tossing him a small piece of silver, beamed with delight and answered all his questions...

"Wei Zheng? Never heard of him! Oh, he's the clerk and secretary of the Prefectural Magistrate? Still no recollection."

"But please don't worry, Master Dao. Although I don't know, I can send the waiter to ask."

"What? Can you ask him? Daoist, don't underestimate me because of my unassuming appearance. Do you know Xiang Ge'er? He's Brother Chen, the gatekeeper at the Prefectural Magistrate's residence. He's my cousin. Others can't ask him, but I can find out with just one question."

"However, Master Dao, your money isn't enough! I can't let you work for nothing!"

……

Watching the shopkeeper come downstairs with two pieces of silver to greet the waiter, Su Yuchen smiled silently.

A moment later, a waiter came running upstairs, panting. He smiled when he saw Su Yuchen and, after catching his breath, said, "That Master Wei lives in a house in the south of the city. Go to the end of the main road in the south of the city, turn left, go into the third alley on the left, and the fifth house is there. You'll know as soon as you get there, Daoist."

Su Yuchen nodded, casually tossing him a few copper coins. The waiter happily accepted them and escorted Su Yuchen out of the restaurant. But as soon as he turned around, he saw the manager staring at him with dead fish eyes, his hand outstretched.

"Should I give it to them, or keep it?" the waiter hesitated.

P.S.: An old classmate I haven't seen in a long time suddenly wants to introduce me to a friend. No thanks, I know I can't afford the meal.

Chapter 365 Meeting Wei Zheng

Following the waiter's directions, Su Yuchen quickly found the right place.

However, unlike the residence where Shen Luoyan was hiding, this was a place where truly impoverished people lived. The gatehouse at the entrance was dilapidated, clearly showing its age and lack of repair.

Pushing open the courtyard gate, what comes into view is a cluster of old gray-black brick and tile houses, with wild grass growing on the rooftops, swaying in the wind.

Apart from a well, there was only a worn-out, shiny recliner under the eaves in the courtyard. The overall gray color scheme would make it hard for anyone to believe that this was the residence of a county official.

The moment the door was pushed open, a jet-black light rushed towards them, accompanied by surging true energy that emitted a sharp whistling sound, as if a spear or halberd was thrusting at them, but in reality it was just an ebony chopstick.

The true energy from the tip of the chopsticks transformed into twelve streams of energy, enveloping Su Yuchen's chest. The energy was fierce yet restrained, capable of striking and injuring at any moment, and also able to retreat at any moment to avoid accidental injury. Clearly, the mastery of the energy was exquisite.

The hand holding the chopsticks was withered and thin like a chicken claw, with slender and delicate fingers. The person following closely behind wore a worn Taoist robe, and his loose hair was tied into a Taoist bun with only a yellowed jade hairpin. Only his eyes were bright and piercing, shining brightly in the dim room.

When the chopsticks reached three feet in front of Su Yuchen, a golden light shield appeared in the air to block them. The shield flashed and disappeared, but the man was pushed backward as if he had been pushed.

You met Wei Zheng, who was down on his luck and a useless scholar.

"Is this how Mr. Wei welcomes his guests?"

The man was Wei Zheng. He flew back and landed right where he had just been sitting. He was still amazed by Su Yuchen's grasp of true qi and strength.

Hearing this, he couldn't help but sneer, saying, "An uninvited guest is no guest. You barge into someone's home without knocking or giving any greetings. How are you any different from a thief?"

Su Yuchen smiled. With that mouth of his, it's no wonder he's disliked. Knowing he's no match for him, he still insists on talking back.

"Mr. Wei is the scribe of Yuan Baozang. Why is he at home instead of going to the yamen?"

Wei Zheng paused for a moment, then asked, "What brings you to my home? I do not recall having any dealings with you before."

Although Wei Zheng served as a scribe in Yuan Baozang's court, he was not trusted. While Yuan Baozang admired Wei Zheng's literary talent and frequently used his memorials, he still excluded him from his inner circle.

Seeing the narration, Su Yuchen finally understood why he was drinking alone at home. It turned out that he was frustrated and ostracized.

After glancing at the pickled vegetables, tofu, and leftover wine on the table, Su Yuchen asked, "I wonder what Mr. Wei thinks of Li Mi?"

Wei Zheng frowned and looked at Su Yuchen. Su Yuchen ignored him, glancing around the room, which was utterly destitute. Apart from a book box and a few books, he owned practically nothing.

Although Wei Zheng was displeased, he forced himself to hold it in: "Are you an envoy of Lord Mi? Then why do you address him by his first name?"

Su Yuchen sat opposite him and said seriously, "I have no relation to Li Mi. I came here today only to test Mr. Wei."

"Ha!" Wei Zheng revealed a hint of disdain and said, "I don't need your probing. You may speak your mind."

"You'd better tell me," Su Yuchen said.

Wei Zheng was furious. The frustration he had been feeling while drinking alone surged up in his heart, and he glared at Su Yuchen, ready to start cursing. But as soon as he met Su Yuchen's eyes, he shuddered, his previously hazy consciousness cleared up a bit, and his drunkenness vanished completely.

With a "gulp," Wei Zheng swallowed hard, shook his head, and was completely awake. After carefully examining Su Yuchen again, he finally noticed that he was different from others and sincerely asked, "May I ask how you are addressed? I was being presumptuous just now!"

Su Yuchen shook his head: "We've only just met, there's no need to exchange names. Mr. Wei hasn't answered my question yet."

Wei Zheng gave a wry smile: "If you've come here to speak on behalf of someone, you should at least let me know your background."

Seeing that Su Yuchen did not answer, Wei Zheng cupped his hands and said, "I think you are no ordinary person. Very well, then I, Wei Zheng, will try to say a few words. Whether they are right or wrong, I would appreciate your guidance."

He lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then said…

According to Wei Zheng, there are three people who have the best chance of winning the world right now. First, Wang Shichong; second, the Wagang Army led by Li Mi; and third, Dou Jiande of Hebei.

"Entrusted by Yang Guang, Wang Shichong entered Luoyang and took charge of the war against Wagang. Although he was in a strategically important location, he held Luoyang firmly and had a watchful eye on the north and south. Most importantly, the Sui Dynasty was still in power, so he had the moral high ground and was not short of troops or supplies."

"Once Yang Guang dies, if he can use Luoyang as his base, hold the emperor hostage to command the princes, take back Hulao Pass, control Xingluo Granary, occupy Guanzhong to the north, and then sit back and watch the world change, waiting for the right opportunity."

"Next in line would be Li Mi of Wagang. He is skilled in both martial arts and strategy. Furthermore, he defeated Zhang Xutuo and won the hearts of the people."

"But the drawbacks are also obvious. First of all, he is not the chief leader of the Wagang Army. If he wants to seize power, he must kill Cui Rang. If he is not careful, there will be a bloody battle, and the situation will be uncertain at that time."

"Furthermore, although Li Mi captured Xingyang, he had no grain in hand. There were only a few granaries in the north, all of which were still in the hands of the Sui Dynasty. If this continued for a long time, without the support of grain and supplies, his strength would falter and his morale would waver."

"Another point is that the division between civil and military officials under him is chaotic, and he appoints people based on personal motives. If this continues, it will inevitably lead to conflicting orders, which will be detrimental to the future."

"The last one is Dou Jiande from Hebei. He is the leader of the Hebei underworld, controlling both the legitimate and criminal worlds. He has a considerable force under his command and controls the heart of Hebei. Unless Wang Shichong and Li Mi join forces to attack him first, he can be sold off for a higher price."

Su Yuchen shook his head: "Mr. Wei has forgotten about the three great clans of the North."

Wei Zheng scoffed...

"Among the three major clans, the power of the Yuwen clan was taken to Danyang by Yang Guang. This man was trapped on the Huai River, and was in a dilemma."

"Moreover, Yuwen Huaji is arrogant and conceited, and Yuwen Chengdu is brave but reckless. Even if that tyrannical emperor dies, Yuwen Huaji probably wouldn't dare to fight Du Fuwei and wouldn't amount to anything."

"The Dugu Clan is entirely supported by You Chuhong, but with an old lady holding such power, are the men in the Dugu Clan truly convinced? I'm afraid they'll be constantly making underhanded moves and will never amount to anything."

"The Li clan... The Li clan, which controls Taiyuan, originally had a chance. But now the Turks are eyeing it covetously. If the Li clan wants to occupy Guanzhong, it will inevitably face trouble from behind and be caught in a dilemma."

"Moreover, Li Yuan is a two-faced person. If he fails to take Chang'an, he will be surrounded by enemies, and he will be defeated first."

Su Yuchen nodded and said, "So you think Wang Shichong is a good candidate?"

Wei Zheng shook his head and said, "I think Li Mi is the most powerful right now. If he can get my assistance, take Luoyang and the northern granary, change the military system, and balance civil and military affairs, he will surely be able to unify the world."

What about the Song Clan?

Wei Zheng was taken aback, then shook his head and said, "The Song clan is far away in Lingnan, and there are also people like Du Fuwei and Li Zitong in Yangzhou in between. Even if they wanted to, they would not be able to."

Su Yuchen nodded: "It seems that Mr. Wei was the messenger when Yuan Baozang surrendered to Li Mi. Why don't you try serving under Li Mi? If it doesn't work out, we can talk again another day."

As he spoke, Su Yuchen's figure vanished, leaving only his lingering voice. Wei Zheng was stunned; he hadn't expected him to leave so easily. What was the point of his visit?

"Could it be that he, like Yuan Baozang, looks down on my talent and strategy?" Wei Zheng thought bitterly.

Chapter 366 Yu Zhi Heads North

After leaving Wei Zheng's residence, Su Yuchen shook his head. This man was too ambitious now, only thinking about becoming famous. It was hard to say whether he would become a treacherous minister or an upright one.

Thinking of the narrator's suggestion, Su Yuchen also gave up the idea of ​​recruiting people.

Once the thought arose, Su Yuchen lost all interest in lingering and began to consider returning south. The prolonged travel had also left him weary…

"Although I love this land, I should not sacrifice my freedom in exchange for it. If I love it, I should love the world that nurtured me in the first place."

A lotus shadow swirled within his mind, scattering boundless pure light and severing all delusions. With his mind clear, Su Yuchen hired a carriage and headed southeast, intending to detour via the Tongji Canal before taking a boat south.

Su Yuchen drove the carriage himself, going wherever he pleased and stopping whenever he wanted. Even when he heard the names of Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling, he just listened casually and showed no interest in going to find them.

And so we continued our leisurely journey. Just as we got up from the inn that day, we saw a white expanse outside the window. When we opened the window, we were slightly taken aback. It turned out that it was snowing.

As Su Yuchen watched the snowflakes swirling and falling before him, the world before him was a blanket of white, burying all darkness and gray. His heart calmed down, and the delicate sound of the snowflakes colliding with each other was so crisp and melodious.

He stood by the window, not thinking about anything, lost in thought, until a commotion arose in the inn. Su Yuchen shook his head, lowered the window, and got ready to leave.

………………

As Su Yuchen stepped into the inn's lobby, he was surprised to run into someone he knew. The person had clearly noticed him as well.

"Master Shi!" Song Yuzhi exclaimed in surprise, then smiled broadly, causing the passersby lingering in the hall to be slightly stunned.

Su Yuchen walked over, and the Song Clan warrior who was sitting at the same table with her got up and sat at another table, saying, "How did you end up here? Does the Song Clan have any arrangements that require a girl like you to go through all this trouble?"

Song Yuzhi smiled smugly and said coquettishly, "This matter is something that only Yuzhi can handle! It's because the person Yuzhi is going to meet on this trip is a woman!"

"Shen Luoyan?" Su Yuchen asked, a thought flashing through his mind.

Song Yuzhi looked amazed and asked curiously, "How did Master Shi know that?"

She then added, "Ever since my brother and I met Shi Shi in Yangzhou, Du Fuwei and Fu Gongyou's Jianghuai Army have become incredibly audacious. They not only blocked the Liyang waterway and confronted Yang Guang, but also prohibited any merchant ships from passing through."

"Our Song Clan's most important economic lifeline is the transportation of salt and other supplies to the inland via waterways to maintain operations."

"But after several negotiations, Du Fuwei refused to let us go. My father said that Du Fuwei must have realized that we wanted to cooperate with Shi Shi, so he took the initiative to strike first, hoping to make Yang Guang's attention fall back on Yangzhou."

"Now my father has to stay in Lingnan, and my brother is investigating the people's conditions there, so they can't be in two places at once. They can only send me to see Shen Luoyan, hoping to persuade Li Mi through her to attack Du Fuwei from both the north and the south."

"Speaking of which, my father studied the three sentences that Master Shi asked my elder brother to take back for a long time. He said that even if Master Shi did not have such martial arts skills, he would still be a teacher of the emperor. No matter who wins the world in the future, Master Shi's words of wisdom will be enough to make him famous for all time and be followed by future emperors."

"Now, besides continuing to practice his knife skills, Father has also hung Master Shi's calligraphy in the sharpening hall. When will Master Shi go to Lingnan? Father will definitely welcome him."

Su Yuchen shook his head: "My cultivation has improved again during this period, and the gap between us is even greater than before. There is no need for us to meet anymore. Unless your father has the ability to shatter the void, it will not arouse my interest."

Song Yuzhi stuck out his tongue. If anyone else had said that, he would have punched them in the head. But Su Yuchen was now the undisputed number one in the world.

Moreover, she knew the temperament of experts at this level; they would never lie. She nodded, secretly memorizing the shattered void technique, intending to tell her father, Song Que, when she returned to Lingnan.

[Song Yuzhi personally met Shen Luoyan. Their conversation revealed many recent changes in Song Shidao.]

[Because of you, Shen Luoyan, though not explicitly stating it, also hinted at an alliance between Li Mi and the Song Clan.]

[The Wagang Army was just beginning to suffer internal strife, and Wang Shichong's large army was pressing in from the outside. At this time, Du Fuwei, whom Li Mi had made an enemy of, was disliked and suspected that Shen Luoyan had harbored disloyal intentions.]

[Li Mi hinted to Xu Shiji to secretly monitor Shen Luoyan, but Shen Luoyan's act of releasing Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling on her own completely ignited Li Mi's murderous intent.]

Seeing Su Yuchen shake his head, Song Yuzhi asked curiously, "Master Shi, is there something wrong with Yuzhi's trip?"

"Now that you've come, you must have heard that Wagang is facing internal and external troubles, so I'm afraid things won't go as you wish," Su Yuchen said frankly.

Song Yuzhi nodded and said, "Of course I understand this matter, but I have brought another piece of news that I believe Li Mi will be interested in."

"Oh?"

Seeing that Su Yuchen was interested, Song Yuzhi didn't mince words and said, "As far as we know, Qu Ao, the number one expert of the Tiele, has arrived in Jianghuai and secretly met with Du Fuwei. The two sides have reached a cooperation agreement, and Du Fuwei has already sided with Qu Ao."

Su Yuchen frowned and said:

"I allowed Du Fuwei to wreak havoc in the Jianghuai region. On the one hand, it was because I did not want to kill Yang Guang with my own hands. On the other hand, with the Jianghuai army around, other forces would not dare to be so unruly, which would reduce the amount of war."

"But this doesn't mean he can betray his country and invite trouble from outsiders. Is Qu Ao still in Jianghuai?"

Song Yuzhi exclaimed "Ah?" and then realized what was going on. She said, "Master Shi, do you want to kill Qu Ao? I don't know this, but Qu Ao's disciples should still be in Jianghuai."

Su Yuchen nodded and asked, "Yuzhi, are you going to see Shen Luoyan, or are you coming back to Yangzhou with me?"

Song Yuzhi thought for a moment and said, "Yuzhi still needs to see Shen Luoyan first. After all, I have brought another message. Perhaps Li Mi will change his mind and cooperate with us. Ah! Qu Ao may go to Xingyang, just because Qu Ao has already cooperated with Du Fuwei to kill Li Mi and annex the forces scattered after the Wagang rebellion."

Qu Ao hasn't entered the Central Plains yet; he needs to arrange how to deal with Bi Xuan. But his disciple is here! You can go ahead and kill him all you want!

"Sigh!" Su Yuchen sighed, "This chaotic world is really frustrating. It seems I have no choice but to continue my journey. Could Yuzhi send a boat to take me to Jingling first?"

Song Yuzhi's mind raced as he reviewed the situation in Jingling. Apart from a second-rate power like 'Duba Manor' in Jingling, he couldn't think of any other possibilities.

“Sure. I brought two large ships this time, detouring through the Kangou River. Master Shi, could you wait another day until they unload their cargo and then return?” Song Yuzhi said.

Seeing that Su Yuchen had no objections, Song Yuzhi immediately arranged for the Song family steward, who had come with the ship, to unload the cargo first.

Just then, a loud commotion erupted outside. Before the two could react, a middle-aged scholar rushed in, holding a notice in his hand, and announced: "Li Mi's envoy, Zu Junyan, has issued a proclamation to the world, listing the ten major crimes of this tyrannical emperor."

Chapter 367 On Yang Guang