Chapter 272: The Lively Martial Arts World and Marketplace

"Hanyang City was called Mianzhou City in the Tang Dynasty; it was destroyed by war during the Great Xing years, and in the second year of the founding of this dynasty, Provincial Governor Lu Zhikai ordered it to be repaired..."

"After a hundred years of development, the city wall's circumference has reached eight hundred zhang, with the Zhaozong, Fengshan, Nanji, and Zhaoyuan gates set in the east, west, south, and north..."

Squire Tian introduced them along the way, very enthusiastically.

Li Yan and Sha Lifei were also quite interested, occasionally asking about some local customs; after all, this wharf was also very famous in the martial arts world.

Because trade was developed, even though it was past noon, there was still a long queue at the city gate, including traveling merchants and surrounding common people, with mules and horses neighing and voices clamoring.

The soldiers guarding the city checked carefully, being very cautious.

Squire Tian saw this and shook his head, explaining, "Because of the war in the southwest, entering the city is a bit more cumbersome; everyone, please be patient."

Li Yan was not in a hurry, glancing sideways at the reward notices posted at the city gate.

One look, and it was extraordinary.

The reward notices were dense, with at least dozens of them.

"Good fellow!"

Sha Lifei laughed. "As expected of Hanyang, it's lively enough."

Li Yan also nodded in agreement.

In the martial arts world, the swindlers who walked between black and white were common, and those in the green forest who killed and robbed were simply commonplace.

But not every case could be wanted.

Those that could make the list were none of them simple characters.

Li Yan narrowed his eyes to examine them carefully, soon spotting the trick.

The cases on the list were mainly divided into three categories.

The first was robbing merchant ships, committing bloody cases on the Yangtze River; names like "Mixed River Dragon" and "Night Ghost" sounded like fierce bandits on the water.

The second was fraud; trade was prosperous here, and there were all kinds of strange scammers, and most only had names without specific portraits drawn.

The third were some lone travelers, some stealing from the homes of officials and merchants, some killing in the street, with vile natures, and there were even two flower-picking thieves.

Li Yan clicked his tongue and shook his head.

Outsiders watch the excitement, insiders watch the doorway.

From this wall full of wanted notices, he could tell that this Hanyang City had all kinds of forces mixed together; when there were many people, the rules naturally became chaotic.

After waiting for the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, it was finally their turn.

Originally, Li Yan's group was quite eye-catching and was a key target for search, but when he took out the black Daoist document and also showed the passage document given by the Commandant Office, there was immediately no trouble.

The flag officer guarding the city even looked flattering, asking if they needed to send someone to help them lead the way.

After all, whether it was the black Daoist document representing the Mystic Sect orthodoxy or the Commandant Office document, they could request the local yamen to send people to assist.

Li Yan naturally declined repeatedly.

The group entered the city, and under their feet were all bluestone roads; a main street was wide, with shops lining both sides and buildings arranged in good order.

Perhaps because it was rebuilt after the founding of the Great Xuan, and plus trade was developed, the shop fronts here were mostly wide, with signs hanging high, doors wide open, and goods piled up like mountains inside.

Silks and satins, porcelain and antiques, brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones... dazzling, making one unable to take it all in.

There were also quite a few tea houses and eateries along the street.

"Three-fresh bean skin, yo, the filling is sufficient!"

"Mianwo, Mianwo, very fragrant!"

"Huanxituo, yo, sweet but not greasy!"

"Osmanthus sugar—steamed cake!"

Li Yan and the others hadn't eaten at noon, and hearing this, they immediately felt hungry.

Squire Tian was a smart person, seeing this, he smiled and said, "Everyone, the mansion has already prepared a wine banquet to wash away the dust for you; the new mansion I built is just two streets away."

Just at this moment, there was a sudden clamor ahead.

"Hey, look, there's excitement to watch!"

"Who is it, Jian Sanye Jian is helping someone settle things again!"

The crowd surged, actually blocking the street very quickly.

Squire Tian saw this, a trace of helplessness flashing in his eyes, and smiled at the group, "The folk customs of Hanyang are like this; they love to watch the excitement and can't stand it when something happens somewhere."

Sha Lifei asked, "Who is this Jian Sanye Jian?"

Squire Tian stroked his beard, "This person can be considered a hero of the marketplace; his surname is Jian, and because he ranks third, he is called 'Jian Sanye Jian'."

"Originally, his family was considered wealthy, and he was proficient in both literature and martial arts in his youth; later, his family fell into decline, he drifted into the martial arts world, joined the Gelao Society, liked to help people fight injustice, and his skill and connections were also remarkable, having quite a chivalrous name in Hanyang City."

While speaking, the group had already arrived in front.

Li Yan and the others were all riding tall horses, so even though the crowd was surrounded by three layers inside and three layers outside, the situation inside could be seen clearly.

Only to see two groups of people confronting each other outside a restaurant.

One group stood on the steps of the tavern, all burly men, each with fierce eyebrows and eyes, full of momentum.

The leader was a one-eyed old man, dressed luxuriously, playing with walnuts in his hand, his expression gloomy.

And opposite them, on the street outside the tavern, stood two people.

One was wearing a coarse cloth martial arts robe, arms crossed, standing without a proper stance, with funny-looking eight-character eyebrows, and a reed hanging from his mouth, looking sloppy.

Beside him stood a lame young man, dressed in tattered clothes, his face full of bitterness, looking at the crowd on the steps with eyes full of fear.

"Jian Sanye Jian."

That one-eyed man bowed slightly, clearly suppressing his anger, and said coldly, "We are all fellow travelers in the martial arts world; blocking my door over a small matter is a bit unprincipled, right?"

The one with the thin reed in his mouth was clearly "Jian Sanye Jian."

Only to see his eight-character eyebrows lift, teasingly, "Old Man Blind Wang, you still have the face to say the word 'principled'? Moreover, this batch of old wine is a small matter to you, but to others, it is their life and livelihood."

"Taking things without paying—that is what is called 'unprincipled'!"

The one-eyed man said faintly, "Who says I didn't pay? There is a written note in black and white; if you have the ability, go to the yamen to sue."

"Jian Sanye Jian" joked, "You really want to go to the yamen? Your methods can fool others, but they can't fool me; you used the 'Hidden Character Method' of insect juice, which disappears with a wipe of yellow wine."

"The imperial court is strict about fake notes; besides, you can be stubborn, but how many of your stinking fish and rotten shrimp subordinates can withstand a major interrogation?"

The one-eyed man's expression stiffened, and he also rose in anger. "Cut the crap, what do you want to do?"

"Jian Sanye Jian" spread his hands, saying, "Since I've come to your door, what else can I do? Naturally, we do it according to the rules of the martial arts world; whether it's literary or martial, just bring it on. If you can't convince me, not only will you have to pay the wine money, but the medical expenses for beating people can't be saved either!"

"Good!"

The one-eyed man snorted, looked left and right, saw the door couplet, and immediately sneered, "My couplet only has the first line; whoever can match it will be exempted from the wine money. It's been hanging for a long time, and no one has been able to give the second line."

"I heard you've studied for a few days, why not try?"

"I spit!"

"Jian Sanye Jian" laughed and scolded, "The Wenjin Academy is nearby, with a prosperous literary pulse; how could a broken couplet stump anyone? But everyone knows your trick—whether it's matched well or poorly, it's not allowed; it's a low-down trick to cheat people into drinking!"

"But since you've said it, I'll let you be convinced."

"Good!"

"Jian Sanye Jian, show him some power!"

The surrounding crowd immediately booed.

Li Yan and the others looked up, only to see the first line written: "White dragon crosses the river, a red sun on its head." Squire Tian said in a low voice, "This kid is from the Zhang Baijiao Gang, deliberately releasing this couplet; those who know the ropes don't want to provoke him, and those who fall for it are all outsiders."

And in the field, Jian Sanye Jian also took a look, his eyebrows lifting, and said, "Listen well, 'Black dragon lies on the wall, its body covered in ten thousand golden stars,' how about that?"

The one-eyed man was about to deny it, but Jian Sanye Jian said impatiently, "Don't play tricks with me; if you think it's not good, then come with me to the Wenjin Academy to ask someone to judge."

The one-eyed man snorted, looked at the lame young man beside Jian Sanye Jian, and sneered, "Lame chicken, jumps on the winnowing basket, the winnowing basket covers the lame chicken."

Jian Sanye Jian spat and said, "One-eyed dragon, carries a lantern, the lantern shines on the one-eyed dragon."

Outside the crowd, Sha Lifei laughed, "This Hanyang martial arts world really knows how to play; they don't compare fists and feet, but instead play with couplets."

"They can't compare fists and feet either."

Li Yan shook his head and smiled. "Look at Jian Sanye Jian's feet."

Sha Lifei looked, and immediately gasped.

Only to see that Jian Sanye Jian was standing in a sloppy manner, but the bricks under his feet had already appeared with a patch of cracks, clearly using high-level hidden force, to warn the other party.

This was not wanting to tear his face and fight.

!.

Sure enough, the one-eyed man had already seen it, his face turning ugly, but he still stubbornly said, "Pay the money! Don't let this jinx block the door and affect business."

Having said that, he snorted and turned into the tavern.

Soon, the shopkeeper ran out with a few silver notes and stuffed them into Jian Sanye Jian's hands, bowing and flattering, "Jian Sanye, you have a massive capacity; we still have to open for business."

"Good!"

"Good!"

The surrounding common people cheered again.

The reputation of this shop had long been stinking; although those who fell for it were all traveling merchants, they also couldn't stand it.

Jian Sanye Jian smiled and shook his head. "Opening for business, with your way of doing things, you'll go bankrupt sooner or later, and you've also ruined my Hanyang reputation."

Although he said so, he didn't pester them anymore, stuffing all the silver notes into the lame young man's hands.

The young man was full of surprise, flustered, and was about to pull out half, but was pushed away by Jian Sanye Jian. "Just a small matter, no need."

"Jian Sanye, this..."

The young man was not good with words, immediately at a loss.

"Eh~"

Jian Sanye Jian blinked. "I heard your father left a jar of old wine; if you feel bad about it..."

The young man hurriedly said, "I'll have my wife stir-fry two dishes; Jian Sanye, please come with me."

"Hahaha, good."

Jian Sanye Jian laughed, hugged the young man's shoulder, and strode away.

"Tsk tsk, a good hero."

Sha Lifei's eyes lit up. "I'll go visit and make friends another day."

Squire Tian pondered for a moment, "This Jian Sanye Jian likes to help the poor fight injustice and has offended quite a few people in the city, but his connections are also wide; if you all want to inquire about martial arts affairs, you can find him."

While speaking, the crowd had already dispersed.

Li Yan and the others continued forward, bypassing two streets, and a street with unique scenery suddenly appeared before their eyes.

A small river flowed through it, with wooden railings on both sides, and the street was lined with high-walled courtyards, green trees shading, and under the setting sun, it appeared quite tranquil.

Passing two households, they arrived at Squire Tian's house.

What Squire Tian said was clearly humble.

This mansion of his had walls built of large blocks of strip stone.

By the looks of it, it was a clever fusion of Hui-style architectural style and Jingchu architectural features: white walls and black tiles, with horse-head walls rebuilt on the main gate, like divine beasts guarding the mansion, called beast-head walls.

Hard mountain roofs, upturned eaves, and painted eaves, extremely exquisite.

Wang Daoxuan also took out a compass at this time, looked at it for a few moments, and stroked his beard, "This place sits north and faces south, with a jade belt circling in front of the gate; it was clearly laid out by a master, so the Feng Shui should be no problem."

"Who says not?"

Squire Tian shook his head. "I've invited several people to look, and they all said there was no problem, but people in the family keep getting sick one after another, and even I feel chest tightness for no reason when sleeping at night."

"I felt peaceful when I was away for a period of time; it seems this mansion is clashing with my family."

"Daoist, don't be anxious; let's settle down first, and then look slowly."

While speaking, they had already arrived at the gate of the large mansion.

Outside the gate, servants and guards were already waiting, busy moving the large and small boxes into the courtyard prepared for Li Yan and the others.

Entering the mansion, one could see its wealth even more.

Front hall, middle hall, back residence, the layout was distinct, and there was a private small garden and a book tower; even the bricks on the ground were carved by people, with exquisite details everywhere.

Of course, he still didn't see anything.

Li Yan pinched the Dharma incantation, took a deep breath, and shook his head slightly at Wang Daoxuan, indicating no discovery.

This situation had been expected by everyone long ago.

If it could be seen easily, would this Squire Tian have failed to invite anyone?

For a wealthy family, the wine banquet was naturally not ordinary.

The dishes were local Chu

There was steamed Wuchang fish, seasoned only with scallions and ginger, cooked over a high flame; the fish meat was fresh, tender, and delicate, melting in the mouth...

There was pork rib and lotus root soup, slow-cooked in an earthenware jar, the soup's color as rich as amber...

There were the "Three Delicacies of Huangpi" and the "Three Steamed Dishes of Mianyang," all famous local specialties.

As for the wine, it was "Mulan Jade Liquid." According to Squire Tian, it was the wine General Hua Mulan drank upon returning home in glory after serving in the army in her father's stead for twelve years.

The imperial court, to honor her achievements, renamed the original Huangpi tribute wine, "Panlong Distillery," to "Mulan Jade Liquid."

It was mellow and soft upon entering the mouth, with a fragrant aroma that assailed the nostrils.

Squire Tian played the host, and everyone enjoyed the wine and food.

Sha Lifei, slightly tipsy from drinking, couldn't help but look around and said, "Squire Tian, don't blame me, Old Sha, for being talkative, but your residence is so large, yet it doesn't seem very lively."

Squire Tian sighed, signaled for the retainers to leave, and then said, "I'm not afraid of being laughed at by you all. My Tian family was once considered a great clan, but after my father passed away, because of business matters, the brothers had a falling out."

"I still have a younger brother living over in Hankou who has made things difficult for me several times; now we are like strangers, not even visiting each other during the New Year."

"I do have two sons, but the eldest is studying at the Wenjin Academy, spending his years traveling and sightseeing with classmates. Seeing that he is at the age to marry, he hides outside and won't return."

"This second son is even more infuriating. Since childhood, he has loved Buddhist philosophy, and without a word, he entered a temple to become a monk, making his mother so angry she fell ill and never recovered."

"Only my daughter visits often, but she is already married; how can she stay by my side? This massive residence..."

"Sigh, I have a fortune of ten thousand strings of cash, yet I am in this state. I don't know what kind of sin I committed!"

"Every family has its own difficult scriptures to recite."

The few of them hurriedly offered comfort. Squire Tian sighed and lamented, drank a few more cups, and before long, he was dead drunk.

As for Li Yan and the others, they were led by a servant back to the small courtyard to wash up and return to their respective rooms to rest.

Although Li Yan was somewhat exhausted, after recovering his spirit, he felt much more energetic. He simply lit a candle and took out a booklet to examine.

It was precisely the secret notes and insights on "Living Yin Messengers" given by Liu Gang...

(End of chapter)