Holding the cloth inscribed with the imperial edict, he was slightly taken aback.
"When it comes to familiarity with the capital, who among us can compare to me?"
Of course it wasn't a question, otherwise there wouldn't be a master and tenth senior brother accompanying each other on the road.
Yu Zigui looked at the young man who was marveling at the enormous city gate.
"Is that gold dust on the door? It looks so luxurious. Why is the capital already in decline, Master?" The baby-faced man looked at the old man who had been silent since entering Shunfu.
A sigh mingled with the milky morning mist, escaping from Wang Shuren's mouth.
"For the capital, the greatest decline is when the royal domain is filled with extravagance, while the surrounding areas are barren and desolate. This is a sign of the loss of the Way."
Slightly stunned.
The farmhouses I stayed at along the way all served me porridge that was as thin as water. At first, I thought the owners were just being stingy, but when I accidentally glimpsed the empty rice jars, I realized that disaster and heavy taxes were destroying the villages. As a result, even the Zhili region under my jurisdiction had reached a point where it was unbearable.
Indeed, compared to the drafty low walls of the village, the gilded and painted city gate of the capital, painted to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day, seemed so out of place that it exuded a sense of decay and decay.
As the 108 morning drumbeats drew to a close, the newly painted city gates slowly opened. These were merely the "nine inner gates, seven outer gates, and four imperial city gates"—one of the twenty gates of the capital. [6974ce5a Copyright protected! Respect the author! Oppose piracy! @]
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b2eb7349035754 Protect copyright! Respect the author! Oppose piracy! @ Copyright of Jinjiang Original Network @
Because of the recent winter solstice, when yin energy is stronger than yang energy, the light remained dim even after dawn. The streets were shrouded in a hazy, indistinct shadow, with only shadowy figures visible, appearing ghostly and unclear.
"Taoist priests, you've come to the capital from out of town, haven't you?" Someone suddenly appeared out of nowhere and blocked their way.
"How did you know, sir?" Wang Shuren asked knowingly, with the You'an Gate right behind him.
"Hehe, not only do we know you're from out of town, we also know what you're here for." The man approached with a slick smile, pointing to a building not far away, "You're here to perform a ritual at the 'Goldfish Pond,' aren't you?"
A goldfish pond? They exchanged bewildered glances, then looked at their master.
"And who is your husband?" Wang Shuren didn't refute, and asked casually.
“The goldfish in the pond has spots, which is an ominous sign. In addition…” The man looked around furtively, “His Majesty said that the palace is searching everywhere for immortals and Taoist priests to exorcise the evil spirits and cure the goldfish.”
Wang Shuren's old eyes trembled, and he pushed the man away. "You can't just say whatever you want."
As if afraid he wouldn't believe it, the man quickly grabbed his Taoist robe. "It's absolutely true. I have connections in the capital. Several groups of monks and Taoists have come. Look ahead, those are Wudang Taoists. They just arrived a few steps before you."
Following his finger, there were indeed several Taoist priests.
"Although the Taoist priests of Wudang are renowned throughout the land, they don't have any special medicine to cure this ailment." The man chuckled slyly and took out a small white bottle from his sleeve, stuffing it into Wang Shuren's hand.
"yes?"
"The Taoist monk's relic powder, besides the golden carp, can even bring the dead back to life! Taoist master, don't you believe me?" The man took out a bronze plaque, "I make a living by digging up the Taoist monk's relics from the tomb of a former dynasty king. If I'm lying, may I be struck by lightning!"
Pointing to the sky and standing firmly on the ground, he exudes a rather righteous air.
"I wouldn't even bother with that Wudang Taoist priest in front of me. If it weren't for the fact that I have a connection with you, Master, I really wouldn't have been willing to make a move." He shook hands and negotiated a price from his sleeve. "Give me a price, we both know exactly what we're talking about, shall we?"
Pushing his hand away, Wang Shuren bowed. "Thank you, sir."
"Hey! You think it's too expensive? Fine, that's fine too!"
The man behind me was still shouting, and soon the bargaining turned into a string of Beijing swear words, which gave me goosebumps.
"Master?" He looked at Wang Shuren in confusion.
It was all a mess from beginning to end, how come he couldn't understand it?
"At the fifth watch of the night, before the crows have cawed, the small market is bustling with people in a chaotic mess. Those who buy cheap, stolen goods will inevitably end up in the government office." As he recited this, Wang Shuren looked out at the dimly lit street.
In the dim light, figures moved about, and the alleyways were filled with vendors setting up stalls.
"The goods inside are either stolen or counterfeit. They gather at dawn and disperse at sunrise, engaging in shady business before daybreak. People in the capital call them 'ghost market vendors'."
Ghost market?
Zigui also looked around and indeed found it dimly lit, like a ghost market.
"Moreover, it was also a hub for gossip and rumors from the capital."
"Huh?" Shi Yuanyuan blinked her eyes again and again.
"The Zhengyangmen Gate, the south gate of the capital, is the location of the altar and the mountain and river altar. The day after tomorrow is the winter solstice. People will go out from the imperial city to the Zhengyangmen Gate to worship their ancestors. Therefore, the Zhengyangmen Gate will be under martial law for several days, and ordinary people will not be able to enter. The reason why I led you to enter the capital through the You'anmen Gate, which is close to the Zhengyangmen Gate, is because of the ghost market and the temples and Taoist temples inside the You'anmen Gate."
"Is the Goldfish Pond one of them?" Zigui asked casually, glancing behind him.
Wang Shuren nodded slightly. "The Goldfish Pond is said to be the site of a nine-tiered palace, with 'a palace above the pond and a jade pool beside it,' a place where emperors of successive dynasties offered sacrifices. The pond contains gold and silver carp; the water represents the people, the silver carp the officials, and the gold carp the emperor. If the water is polluted, chaos will ensue; if the silver carp stir the waves, treacherous officials will rise in court. Now, the gold carp have developed spots..."
"It's just that there's not enough sunlight in winter. People in the capital are making a big fuss about it," said Ten Lazy, who loved to play and knew all sorts of things.
“The problem lies in the capital, which is the biggest ghost market.” Wang Shuren frowned slightly and looked at his youngest son, whose mind was clearly elsewhere. “Agui, what are you looking back at?” Following his gaze, he saw the vendors in the ghost market. “Those are all tricks to deceive people. Don’t be fooled.”
"Yes, Master."
As I slowly withdrew my gaze, I heard the sound of horses' hooves approaching from afar. Even though it was still early in the night, the gold ornaments on the carriage were clearly visible, and the red-lacquered wheels broke through the dawn like fire.
Riding a horse in the capital, such an arrogant act—please don't think it's what you're thinking.
But clearly, no devout prayers were heard, and the wheels came to a precise stop in front of them.
"Get in the car."
The word "Pingping" came from behind the exquisitely carved wooden door.
Looking around, there was no one by my side; my fellow disciples were nowhere to be found in my time of trouble. I never imagined that even my master could not be relied upon.
Since things have come to this, we have no choice but to fight.
With eyes downcast and mind focused, I walked forward.
In the north, the winds are strong and there's a lot of sand and dust, so it's common to not be able to hear anything.
He walked with his hands behind his back, at a leisurely pace, his eyes occasionally glancing at the carriage following beside him.
Though his face was obscured by a thick overcoat, the coachman was tall and his every move exuded a strange familiarity. Looking at the carriage, a golden marigold was inlaid with an exquisitely alluring design. That must be the family crest, the mark of nobility.
Looking further a distance, the master and his apprentice got into a plain little car and waved to each other to reassure them. It seemed they had made arrangements beforehand, which was good; there was no need to worry about them being implicated.
He glanced behind him, lost in thought.
As people and cars turned into the alley, in the dim morning light, several dark figures could be seen following closely behind, seemingly afraid of losing someone.
They couldn't see anything clearly from beginning to end. They didn't know what kind of sorcery it was, or whether it was a ghost or a deity descending to earth. They only felt a blow to their faces, and then they lost consciousness.
Stepping over the last person who had been knocked down, Yu Zigui touched the tourmaline on his ear, and the old ox slowly walked towards the carriage that was standing guard at the alley entrance.
The carved wooden door was wide open, and the person inside the car looked on leisurely, his handsome eyebrows slightly raised, as if he had expected them to come.
Yu Zigui pouted, but still reluctantly went inside.
There was already little light, and with the door behind me closing, the airtight carriage suddenly became even darker. I shifted uncomfortably to move outwards, but someone grabbed my ankle and dragged me deeper into the carriage.
"What are you doing..." she said breathlessly, lying on her back on the felt, staring intently at someone who hung in the air like a venomous snake.
"What are you doing?" The tone was so soft it sent chills down your spine.
Although her eyes were fixed, she didn't believe he could see clearly in the darkness. So she glared fiercely, determined not to lose in terms of sheer force.
"The Alliance Leader's skills are truly extraordinary; it was worth it for me to personally keep watch for you." Although he didn't grind his teeth, his tone was even more terrifying.
"Who knew I'd be followed as soon as I arrived in Beijing..." Knowing he was in the wrong, his voice softened.
"Only the capital?"
Sigh, can't people be less perceptive?
She sighed and tried to sit up, but he didn't budge an inch. She pushed and pushed, but he wouldn't budge.
Somewhat dejected, he collapsed onto the felt mat, admitting defeat.
“Ever since I became this so-called leader of the alliance, there has never been a shortage of people looking for trouble.” Yu Zigui said honestly, “The gentlemen would at least say a few words of sparring before fighting, but most of them, like today, would secretly follow me to a secluded place and then make their move. It’s just the position of leader of the alliance, but they act like we are irreconcilable enemies. It’s really disgusting.”
Her soft tone conveyed the pent-up resentment she had been harboring for days, which made Shangguan chuckle.
"It's a real pity I didn't witness Zigui's heroic rescue of the damsel in distress."
A hero saving a damsel in distress? That sounds a bit odd.
A faint light shone through the window frame; he looked at Shangguan with a puzzled expression.
In terms of appearance alone, he lacks Xiao Kuang's unruliness, Yue Junshan's refinement, and Wei Zhuofeng's aloofness. Even the widely circulated notion of his divine or Buddha-like aura is false.
The more I look at it, the more pleasing it seems to me, the more I look...
"What are you looking at?" Shangguan was getting annoyed by the lack of a rebuttal.
"look."
Upon hearing this, his dark eyes lit up with surprise. "What does Zigui think?"
"Want to?" the parrot mimicked.
Looking down at her, Shangguan smiled radiantly. "What else could it be but longing in your eyes?"
"Oh, I see." He blinked, seemingly understanding but not quite.
At that moment, I felt that his eyes were filled with genuine laughter, a laughter like spring water melting ice, its gentle flow revealing boundless affection. It was not only pleasing to the eye, but it also made my heart skip a beat and my pores open as if in a spasm.
What a prodigy!
But I've seen him smile before, so why didn't I have that feeling of helplessness before?
Thinking very seriously, I looked up and saw that his eyes were greedy and his gaze was so intense it made my skin crawl.
It turned out to be the man-eating Black Mountain Demon. Cold sweat broke out on his back, and he hurriedly said, "How did Ziyu know that he would arrive in the capital today?"
Pulling out the wooden hairpin from her hair, Shangguan Yi looked at her beautiful, disheveled black hair with a pleasant expression. "Hey."
The fact that they were able to block them so accurately clearly indicates they had intelligence. If Xiao Kuang hadn't already entered the capital, his master and tenth senior brother would have tacitly abandoned him just now—
It was definitely a conspiracy; there's no doubt it was a group crime!
Seeing her slender fingers tighten their grip, Shangguan Yi curled her lips into a smile. "If you hadn't insisted on becoming the alliance leader, the sect wouldn't have entrusted you with this task."
Entrusted? It's clearly packaged and delivered; all that's missing is a "take care" message.
"Zigui, seemingly carefree, is actually quite diligent. Originally, she went to the arena only to stop Wei Zhuofeng from seizing the position of alliance leader and to prevent her from killing her senior brother. Who knew that Wei Zhuofeng would be in danger on the arena that day, on the verge of death? If she didn't save him, Wei Jiu would be heartbroken, so she defeated the Northern Di Xianyu clan. She hates trouble the most, and when she held the official seal, she must have been filled with regret, without a trace of joy. However, when the official who conferred the seal mentioned the mission, she was tempted."
Yu Zigui's eyelid twitched, and she looked at him.
"He sounds like the leader of the martial arts alliance, but in reality, he's a henchman of the imperial court to deal with refugees. It's better to be the henchman yourself than someone else, at least you can decide whether to take action or who to target based on the circumstances." Shangguan Ningshen observed, "There's a rule in the martial arts world: whoever defeats the leader becomes the leader. This time, he's been ordered to go to the capital, not only will he not hand over his official seal as his father and brother wished, but he also wants to lure martial arts figures to the capital."