Цзянху место, где не причинят вреда

Глава 25

Faced with Ye Junshan's chilling killing intent, Helan Ronghua knew he could only meet the attack head-on and not dodge. His aura swirled around him, and by the time he regained his senses, the sword had already touched his chest. A chill swept over him, and he staggered to the side. With a "whoosh," he quickly drew back his sword, dodging the blade that had just passed his neck, and thrust his sword back at Ye Junshan's lower body. Although the difference was only a hair's breadth, he was determined to win even in the face of danger.

Ye Junshan took a step back, his eyes wide with disbelief, and then said coldly, "Ronghua, have you forgotten who gave you this day? How dare you defy me and draw your sword against me!"

Helan Ronghua lowered her head and said calmly, "I, Helan Ronghua, am grateful to the Alliance Leader for allowing me to live to this day. For more than ten years, whenever the Alliance Leader has ordered me to go through fire and water to kill or rob, I have never uttered a word of dissent. The Alliance Leader only has the great cause in his heart, but I am not... There is no one the Alliance Leader has ever cared about... but I have. In this life, I owe the Alliance Leader a debt, and if there is an afterlife, I will repay it."

As soon as she finished speaking, Helan Ronghua drew her sword from its sheath and swung it out, leaping up from the leaves with the speed of the wind. Ye Junshan remained unfazed, and just as the flying object was within reach, he slightly turned his body and swung his sword to knock it down. The two exchanged blows, each move as fast as lightning and as treacherous as a precipice. Helan Ronghua's moves were fluid and graceful, her sword light like a shimmering white jade, each strike aimed at vital points, making her impossible to defend against. Ye Junshan, on the other hand, possessed profound inner strength, his sword aura chilling and awe-inspiring, his offense and defense flawless.

At this moment, Ye Changsheng stepped back a few paces and stood aside. She felt a cool breeze on the back of her neck, and a refreshing, cool fragrance wafted through the air. Before she could look back, the person behind her spoke leisurely, "How long do you think he can hold out?"

—This "he" is naturally Helan Ronghua. His martial arts were taught by Ye Junshan, and his life was given by Ye Junshan. Even Changsheng himself doesn't know whether he could kill Ye Junshan with a single strike if given the chance.

His fingers clenched slightly, but a faint smile graced his face. "I wonder if Master Li has seen enough? I'd like to ask... would Master Li be interested in seeing what evidence Alliance Leader Ye has gone to such lengths to destroy? If Master is defeated in a moment, then the next... the next one might be Master Li..."

The person behind him remained silent, then sighed resentfully after what seemed like an eternity, "Sect Leader Ye is trying to drag me down with him..."

Chang Sheng breathed a sigh of relief, and a smile gradually bloomed on his face where Li Huangyin couldn't see him. "You've been in the water for a while now."

A cloud drifted by, obscuring the moonlight.

A gentle breeze rustled behind her as a crimson shadow flashed. Li Huangyin drew her sword, and the Seven Abyss sword hummed and wept blood, its crimson shadow fluttering like a demonic night. A sudden gust of wind arose, scattering fallen petals across the ground. Her attacks were ruthless, each strike aimed directly at Ye Junshan's vital points. The flashing blades and shadows blurred the movements, making them almost invisible.

"Alliance Leader!" Suddenly, a loud shout rang out, and a man dressed in brown, wielding a silver spear, arrived with lightning speed, his eyes fixed on Ye Junshan in the midst of the battle, his expression anxious and his brows furrowed. Ye Changsheng shrank back, feeling the need to find a place to hide. She still vividly remembered the scene of Liu Yande, the "Hundred-Refined Silver Spear," with his eyebrows raised and eyes blazing, galloping on his horse and swinging his spear at her. She couldn't help but sigh inwardly, thinking that Liu Yande was indeed worthy of the title, always appearing so timely no matter when or where.

"It's you!" Sure enough, Liu Yande looked around and turned around as expected, his thick eyebrows furrowed and he said sternly, "How come you are here?" He looked around again until he caught sight of Mo Wensheng leaning against a tree trunk as if he was seriously injured. After thinking for a while, he finally came to a conclusion and swung his gun at Ye Changsheng with one hand.

"Take this!" Liu Yande brandished his silver spear, thrusting, parrying, and parrying with unparalleled skill. His body was inseparable from the spear, and the spear was inseparable from his heart. With agile footwork, he thrust straight at Ye Changsheng. Ye Changsheng jumped away with a "whoosh," dodging and weaving, staggering as he ran towards the woods.

Liu Yande followed closely behind, but in the blink of an eye, he had vanished without a trace. All around, insects chirped and leaves rustled—otherwise, all was silent.

Pine trees above the clouds, people beneath them

The moon was crescent-shaped, the shadows of the trees were dappled, the desolate road was narrow, and in the quiet night, a few leaves would occasionally fall, making a crisp "plop" sound. Occasionally, an owl would cry out in the forest, sending a chill down one's spine. The gnarled branches stretched out eerily, forming a strange scene with the roosting crows.

Furthermore, the night was as dark as ink, so dark that one could not see their own hand in front of their face.

There was no sound from all around. Liu Yande swallowed hard, gripped his silver spear tightly, and stood still. He had clearly seen Ye Changsheng escape into the grove just now. With his sharp eyesight, how could anyone disappear without warning while he was chasing them?

With a soft "crunch," like the sound of footsteps stepping on fallen leaves, Liu Yande closed his eyes, sensing the other's hiding place by the scent of their presence. Thirty years of bloodshed in the martial world had honed his extraordinary hearing and eyesight, making him more alert than the average person.

A mountain breeze blew by, and Liu Yande's brows twitched as he suddenly opened his eyes. He raised his spear and roared, his figure leaping like an eagle as he thrust ten paces to the east. With a "thud," the sound of the silver spear piercing flesh rang out. Liu Yande spun his spear back, his face showing relief, but unexpectedly, when he pulled the spear back, not only was Ye Changsheng nowhere to be seen, but instead, on the silver spearhead was a weasel with twitching limbs and emitting a foul odor.

Liu Yande, who always considered himself a senior figure in the martial arts world and was known for his calm and rarely angry nature, was now glaring angrily. The stench of the skunk had left his mind blank, and he nearly dropped his weapon. He had already cursed Ye Changsheng a thousand times in his heart, swearing that if Ye Changsheng hadn't been so cunning, he would never have accidentally killed a skunk.

Impatient, Liu Yande could only furrow his brow and silently vent his anger. He slightly channeled his internal energy, intending to shake the skunk away. Unexpectedly, with a "crack," his right elbow suddenly went numb, and the silver spear slipped from his hand. Liu Yande's whole body shuddered, his face turning ashen. He turned around abruptly, only to feel a strong wind hitting the back of his neck, mixed with the smell of candied fruit. Before he could ponder why the sweet aroma of candied fruit would waft from this deep mountain wilderness, everything went black, and he fainted.

Ye Changsheng, who suddenly appeared behind him, threw down the stone, clapped his hands, and looked apologetically at Liu Yande, who was lying unconscious on the ground—who, without knowing it, was using the skunk he had hated just moments before as a pillow.

Ye Changsheng patted his sleeves again, then turned and walked out of the woods.

Ten feet ahead, a sudden, loud "bang" resounded as a pine tree, its trunk entwined in two, was shattered by Li Huangyin's sword strike, sending splinters flying. Ye Junshan was forced to retreat step by step. Li Huangyin seized the opportunity to pursue, attacking his brow. Her movements were swift as the wind, her sword, Qi Yuan, murmured softly, its form like a white ribbon, its power like a dragon. Helan Ronghua immediately countered, her sword energy fierce and piercing straight for his right elbow.

Ye Junshan, unable to dodge in time, showed no panic. He simply flipped backward, his body surging with energy, deflecting the attacker's killing blow. He sprang to his feet, and with a few leaps, thrust straight down. Li Huangyin parried the sword and dodged, only to see Helan Ronghua behind her instantly shoot a sword towards Ye Junshan's throat… The chill of the blade barely touched Ye Junshan's nose, but the sword suddenly burst forth with light, splitting into four beams! Ye Junshan was terrified. He snapped the sword's spring shut with a clang, hooked his foot in a spinning kick, and withdrew his sword, seemingly blocking the attack. Four clangs rang out as Helan Ronghua thrust out her sword, a three-ringed attack targeting three vital points—Ye Junshan's brow furrowed, caught off guard, and he retreated, but it was too late. After a cold laugh, she praised, "You can actually control Lianhua!"

The three barely managed to get started. Although surrounded by Helan Ronghua and Li Huangyin, Ye Junshan, being Ye Junshan, showed no signs of being at a disadvantage. They exchanged over a dozen sword strikes, each advancing and retreating. The clanging of weapons was incessant. However, the longer the fight went on, the more disadvantageous it became for him. Mo Wensheng was seriously injured, and Liu Yande had disappeared. Going down alone to fight now, he had no chance of victory.

Ye Junshan's eyes sharpened. Just as he was struggling, he caught a glimpse of a white figure in the distance. A glint flashed in his eyes, and with a roar, he lunged towards Ye Changsheng. He knew that Ye Changsheng had been poisoned by the Life-Destroying Poison, losing most of his inner strength, and had also been pierced through the heart by Li Huangyin's sword and fallen off a cliff. Even if he hadn't died, he was probably severely wounded. Helan Ronghua had always cared deeply for Ye Changsheng, and now it seemed that Li Huangyin had also allied with her. If he could capture her, victory would be assured.

Ye Changsheng, standing beneath the pine tree, remained expressionless and silent, as if she had anticipated this turn of events. Logically, she should have fled, but instinctively, she wanted to stay put. Clenching her fists, she suddenly heard a chilling voice behind her: "Don't move."

Chang Sheng didn't turn around. Of course, she knew who was speaking. If she wasn't mistaken, that person was probably holding some kind of highly poisonous hidden weapon, snake, or insect aimed at her back, neck, or even head—in fact, the person behind her was none other than Mo Wensheng, who had just been on the verge of death. His longsword was pointed at Ye Chang Sheng's back, gleaming slightly blue in the moonlight. The situation had become extremely dangerous—it seemed that if she wasn't careful, she would be pierced through the body by the sword's light.

Mo Wensheng's voice came softly, "To live? To die?"

Ye Changsheng did not dodge—she stood still, letting Mo Wensheng's sword point at her lifeline.

She did not resist; she let Ye Junshan's sword touch her neck.

Did she willingly submit to someone else's control?

The answer is no.

Just as Ye Junshan's sword aura surged and he rushed forward, Ye Changsheng quietly watched him, suddenly smiled, took something out of his pocket and threw it far away with all his might. Ye Junshan instinctively thought this was the evidence Changsheng had mentioned, and turned around to chase after him.

Just then, Ye Changsheng moved with lightning speed, shifting his stance and instantly appearing behind Mo Wensheng. With all his might, he elbowed him, sending the longsword flying from Mo's hand. As Ye Junshan sensed the sharp sword energy behind him, he retreated and raised his sword to block. Although he managed to deflect the attack in time, he left a large opening behind him. Li Huangyin immediately swung her sword upwards, and with a "hum," the blade vibrated, the sword light surged, and Qi Yuan, neck extended, slicing across Ye Junshan's left shoulder.

Ye Junshan couldn't dodge in time, but he still stared straight at the object in the air. He shouted loudly, ignoring his shoulder injury, and reversed his body to take the object. As soon as he got it, he felt that something was wrong. He tore open the white cloth that was wrapped around it, and inside was a jade flute with a greenish-blue color.

Seeing the situation, Li Huangyin and Helan Ronghua attacked from the left and right, one stabbing him in the waist and the other slashing at his throat.

In that split second, as blood splattered and blood was spilled, a figure suddenly stepped forward and rolled several times to tightly embrace Ye Junshan. In the blink of an eye, two long swords pierced through his body, and warm blood dripped down in a splattering sound. That figure was Mo Wensheng, who chose to die in Ye Junshan's place when he was in danger. His breathing gradually became rapid, and his bewitching green eyes slowly closed.

Ye Junshan's eyes didn't flicker at all, and he laughed sharply, "Well done, Wen Sheng!"

Having said that, she tossed him aside, brandished her sword, and closed in again. With her left hand, she struck out with a palm strike as swift as the wind, aiming straight for Helan Ronghua's heart. But then Li Huangyin chuckled softly, and Qi Yuan spun around like a white ribbon, wrapping around Ye Junshan's arm. With a "crack," Ye Junshan's left hand was severed.

Li Huangyin glanced at Mo Wensheng in the corner and sneered, "I've never understood why... there are people who are so loyal to you. Do you... deserve it?"

Ye Junshan remained silent for a long time, clutching his left hand, taking a few steps back, closing his eyes and humming softly, "...I saved his life. Those foolish villagers wanted to burn him alive because of his blue eyes and ugly face, but I could see that he had extraordinary talent and was a rare martial arts prodigy. I saved him from the stake...and taught him all my skills. Shouldn't he be willing to go through fire and water for me?"

"So...we're all just tools for you to use, aren't we?" Helan Ronghua asked softly, looking sadly at Mo Wensheng's corpse.

Ye Junshan narrowed his eyes slightly, but snorted and remained silent.

Li Huangyin looked around, let out a soft sigh, seemingly helpless, and rubbed her forehead, saying, "Alliance Leader Ye, Alliance Leader Ye... I should have killed you, but suddenly I feel that it would be too easy for you. It would be better to spare your life and take you back to Jiangling to see how the Central Plains martial arts world intends to treat you..." She turned her head and smiled at Ye Changsheng, "Sect Leader Ye, do you agree?"

Chang Sheng smiled slightly, answering a question that seemed unrelated, "Actually... that evidence is no longer with me."

As the moon sank in the west, and the shadow of the leaves moved onto Ye Junshan's face, his figure flashed and he disappeared without a trace, along with Mo Wensheng's corpse on the ground.

The chirping of insects was silent and disturbing.

"Alliance Leader! Alliance Leader...where are you...?"

In the grove, Liu Yande, who had been asleep for half an hour, slowly woke up. He vigorously wiped his face while shouting into the empty woods.

At the foot of Luoyang Mountain, Ye Junshan counted the remaining Ye family shadows half an hour later and led his remaining troops back to Jiangling at full speed. He knew that a battle concerning the survival of the Ye family was about to unfold.

Ye Changsheng had vanished long before Ye Junshan disappeared. When the moonlight returned, the area beneath the thick pine tree was empty. When Helan Ronghua noticed, she naturally didn't look back and strode after him. Li Huangyin watched his retreating figure with an inscrutable expression. Behind her, the night wind howled, and her red robes fluttered. Jiang Qi had arrived, bringing news that was neither good nor bad for them—Gongsun Yunhe and his group had slipped out of the mountain through the hidden current beneath the cliff at Shuangjian.

In an instant, the once bustling Luoyang Mountain returned to calm. People who were just in front of us vanished in the blink of an eye, scattering in all directions as everyone went on their own journeys.

Having traveled the world, I find few true friends.

But beneath the cool moonlight, wispy clouds obscure the Milky Way. In the Jade Purity Palace, with white hair, I recall the past, and must fulfill my deepest wish to serve the Five Lakes.

Bianliang was a place of great charm and elegance.

Bianliang, the ancient capital of seven dynasties, was the capital of the Song Dynasty.

Because it is located under the emperor's nose, in the heart of the imperial city, its buildings are magnificent, its facades expansive, and its presence imposing. It is a hub of trade with all nations, a place of splendor and brilliance, renowned throughout the world.

The main gate of Xuande Tower in the Imperial City is Daqing Hall, and the left and right side gates outside the hall are called Changqing Gate. Go north along the outer corridor for more than a hundred steps, pass around Wende Hall, and go straight through the West Corridor, Zhongshu and Menxia Housheng, and you will reach the Academy for Compiling National History. Pass through the small side gate to the East-West Main Street, and exit east through Donghua Gate and west through Xihua Gate.

Behind the Xihua Gate lies the renowned Jinzouyuan (Imperial Academy), the Baizhongyuan Pharmacy, and the Kaifeng Prefecture. Three hundred steps behind the Kaifeng Prefecture is the East Corner Tower, and beyond the East Corner Tower is the Baozhuan Gate.

Behind the Baozhuan Gate stands a large mansion, which is the residence of Pan Zhongxun, the Grand Tutor of the current dynasty.

In the future, the West Garden will be desolate. Summer has passed, and although there is still a faint heat in the twilight evening, a sudden autumn rain brings a chill. The fallen leaves are golden, and chrysanthemums are in full bloom—it is already late autumn in Kaifeng.

The large, gold-studded, vermilion-lacquered gate was hastily pulled open by servants. An elderly man with white hair and a bushy beard, dressed in a purple official robe with crane motifs, strode in, his brow furrowed and his face filled with worry. The steward in black robes, who arrived shortly after, immediately stepped forward, bowing and saying, "Master, Lord Chu has been waiting in the front hall for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. Would you like to go now, or…?"

The old man handed the tablet in his hand to a servant beside him. After a moment's thought, he nodded and ordered, "Go now."

Anyone with a discerning eye in Bianliang City would know that those living behind the Baozhuan Gate were no ordinary people—they were either imperial relatives or powerful officials. This old man was none other than Pan Zhongxun, the Grand Tutor of the Song Dynasty, Pan Yuerong's father, and Ye Changsheng's maternal grandfather. A major event had occurred at court that day; he had just finished his morning court session at three-quarters past Chen hour and hurriedly headed to the council hall after alighting from his sedan chair.

Suzheng Hall of Pan Mansion.

Privy Councilor Chu Zhaofu sat upright, put down his teacup, and occasionally peeked out the door. He saw Pan Zhongxun rushing over outside the flower trellis, his hand on his robe, without even changing out of his court attire.

"Grand Tutor is back." Chu Zhaofu bowed and quickly got up to greet him at the door.

Pan Zhongxun nodded in return and gestured with his hand, saying, "Lord Chu has kept you waiting."

"No, no, not at all." Chu Zhaofu waved his hand, his silken eyebrows slightly furrowed, and went straight to the point, "Regarding the matter at court today, I wonder what the Grand Tutor's opinion is..."

Pan Zhongxun sighed: "I was just about to discuss this matter with Lord Chu. His Majesty is determined to launch another northern expedition, aiming to seize the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun and conquer the Liao Kingdom. No matter how we try to persuade him, it will be to no avail."

"Then, in Grand Tutor's opinion... there is absolutely no way to salvage this matter?" Chu Zhaofu raised his voice, recalling the first time the emperor personally led the expedition against Liao, with 100,000 troops carrying provisions, supplies, weapons, and swords across the vast Taihang Mountains. Just when the Song army was reporting frequent victories and was about to capture Youzhou City, Yelü Xiuge charged to the front of the yellow parasol, and the Song army was defeated. The emperor was hit by two arrows and fled in a donkey cart.

Now, seven years later, the Emperor is launching another northern expedition. He issued an edict at the morning court today, appointing Cao Bin as the commander-in-chief, Wang Shen and Liu Wenyu as military supervisors, Yang Ye as the governor of Daizhou, and also reinstating the Grand Tutor's Pan Jun.

Pan Zhongxun sat down, leaning on a chair, his expression somber. He said in a deep voice, “His Majesty’s intention is to divide the army into three routes. The western army will take Yanmen Pass and conquer the lands behind the mountains, directly seizing the four prefectures of Huan, Shuo, Yun, and Ying. The eastern and western armies will take Daizhou and devise a plan to provide support. However… in this way, the three armies will be mutually restraining. If one army loses, it will inevitably lead to the defeat of the others. At that time, as long as the Liao army cuts off our rear, we, fighting on foreign soil, will be surrounded by enemies on all sides, with no reinforcements! Just like seven years ago.”

"That's not necessarily true..." Chu Zhaofu stroked his beard, pondering for a moment, "However... His Majesty's second campaign against the Khitan is likely driven by resentment and a desire to avenge past humiliations. While haste is certainly unwise in warfare, this campaign is not being led by His Majesty himself. Grand Tutor, there's no need to worry too much. However..."

Halfway through his sentence, Chu Zhaofu suddenly changed his tune, seemingly hesitant to speak.

"But what?" Chu Zhaofu took a sip of his drink and asked slowly.

Chu Zhaofu glanced around and, seeing no one was there, lowered his voice and said, "But... does the Grand Tutor know that although His Majesty has always harbored the desire to attack Liao, he has not dared to act rashly for many years? Why did he issue this decree so suddenly this time, leaving no room for maneuver?"

Pan Zhongxun frowned and remained silent.

Chu Zhaofu continued, "I heard from Eunuch Chen that this is because Consort Shu recommended someone to the Emperor. It is said that this person has extraordinary martial arts skills and is proficient in military strategy and tactics. He can conquer cities and seize territories in the blink of an eye."

"The one recommended by Consort Shu... then he must be connected to the Zhao family. Hmph... I'm afraid he's just another fame-seeker, all talk and no action, he's just read a few military books. Letting him lead troops? Wouldn't that be a pointless waste of the lives of our Song soldiers?"

"What the Grand Tutor says is absolutely right..." Chu Zhaofu closed his eyes briefly and chuckled softly, "It's just that His Majesty's mind is made up, and it's difficult for us to make a move."

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Chu Zhaofu fell silent, picked up his teacup, and began to drink the cold tea.

"Come in," Pan Zhongxun called out.

With a "whoosh," the door was opened.

A servant in plain clothes rushed forward and bowed, saying, "Master, young master, the young master has fallen ill again."

Pan Zhongxun frowned upon hearing this, looking slightly nervous: "Quickly, quickly fetch a doctor! Where is Xijin now?" After saying this, he stood up and bowed slightly to Chu Zhaofu, "Excuse me, we will discuss this matter another time. Pan Fu, see Lord Chu out."

After saying that, he hurriedly left with his servants.

“Xi Jin… Xi Jin… Pan Xi Jin…” Chu Zhaofu muttered to himself, watching Pan Zhongxun’s hurried departure. Suddenly, his eyes widened. “Could it be…”

"Lord Chu..." Pan Fu said with an awkward smile, "Lord Chu, please come this way."

"Eh?" Chu Zhaofu came to his senses, nodded, his expression still one of surprise and uncertainty, and walked towards the door in a daze.

The west wing was a small room. Inside, there was a couch and a small table, several scrolls of calligraphy and paintings on the table, and a piece of cursive calligraphy on the wall. There were not many things, the furnishings were simple and elegant, and it was kept very clean.

However, upon closer inspection, the calligraphy and paintings on the wall are Huaisu's "Autobiographical Essay," and the bed and furnishings are all made of fine huanghuali wood. This is indeed not an ordinary person's room.