Chapter 274

Driven away?

Li Yan was somewhat surprised; over in Yunyang Prefecture, quite a few had already been transferred away, and manpower was in short supply, yet they even drove away the remaining disciples...

Could it be that they committed some fault?

Although he felt strange in his heart, Li Yan didn't ask much.

After all, the two sides were not familiar, and there was no need to meddle in other people's business.

After leaving the City God Temple, Sha Lifei shook his head: "It's clear we can't find any news here; it's better to find a Jianghu inn."

Having said this, the two of them strolled along the streets in the city, looking for secret signs while also taking note of the local customs and practices.

For old Jianghu hands, these seemingly inconspicuous little things could reveal quite a bit of information.

For example, commerce here is developed, and one can see many handicraft workshops along the way; the power of the artisan guilds is definitely not small.

Different from Unlike Yichang, the city is mainly Han Chinese; those wearing Tujia or Miao clothing can only be seen occasionally, and they are all people who have come from afar to buy and sell goods.

Because there is a Wuchang garrison with tens of thousands of troops nearby, as well as the Wenjin Academy, the literary atmosphere is flourishing, so there are many people on the street wearing martial robes and Confucian robes.

Finally, after running through half of Hanyang, they found a Jianghu inn; on the stone base of the porch pillar at the entrance, auspicious clouds and lotus flowers were carved.

Like Jianghu inns in other places, the lobby was crowded with people; they were all ordinary Jianghu travelers, including both Jianghu performers and peddlers carrying shoulder poles.

It was very lively inside, even somewhat noisy.

An old man stood in the center of the lobby, beaming with joy, spitting as he spoke: "This grand event is rare; we will inevitably see quite a few experts..."

The waiter, also with a white towel draped over his shoulder, was leaning against the door, listening to the old man speak.

Seeing Li Yan and his companion walking over, he hurriedly greeted them.

Sha Lifei directly made a gesture and said: "Fellow insider, first drink some tea, then listen to the wind (inquire about news)."

The waiter immediately understood, respectfully cupped his hands, and then gestured: "Two guests, please come in."

Having said this, he led the two to a table in the corner.

Sha Lifei whispered: "What's going on? So lively?"

The waiter didn't hide it either, smiling: "You two look like strangers; I'm afraid you just arrived in Hanyang. In a while, it will be the Dragon Boat Festival, and many Jianghu fellows from Ezhou are rushing here."

"The Wuchang Prince's Mansion wants to hire some expert guards, so they are taking this opportunity to hold a martial arts tournament, jointly organized by the three-city Shenquan Society. The rewards are very generous, and I'm afraid it will attract quite a few people."

"That is Old Master Feng, who tells drum stories in the storytelling style; he is drinking to his heart's content today and is chatting about this matter."

"Oh? That's a coincidence..."

Li Yan became interested as soon as he heard this. He ordered a pot of "Jade Leaf Ever-Spring" and also ordered four tea snacks: candied fruit, peanuts, perilla paste, and snowflake cakes, sitting down to listen quietly.

"As the saying goes, if you learn good martial arts, sell them to the imperial family..."

The storyteller was enjoying himself, suddenly pulled a fan from behind his neck, opened it with a 'clatter', fanned himself twice, and then continued:

"This bowl of Jianghu rice is not easy to eat. The current world is somewhat chaotic; if one can find shelter in the Prince's Mansion, it is not a bad place to go, and there are many conveniences."

"Therefore, almost every martial arts school nearby will send their top disciples. These people are rarely seen on ordinary days, let alone competing together; you all must not miss this opportunity."

"If one can enter the Prince's Mansion, why suffer in the wind and rain."

"Old Master Feng, are you joking!"

A peddler laughed: "Our little bit of fist and kick skills are at most used for self-defense. Fighting against those people from the martial arts schools is just asking for trouble."

"Why don't you tell us who the experts are, so we can go and open our eyes when the time comes!"

"That's right, Old Master Feng is knowledgeable, tell us!"

"Waiter, bring Old Master Feng another pot of good tea!"

The surrounding crowd immediately started to clamor.

This storyteller was also a crowd-pleaser. Seeing everyone supporting him, he became even more interested. He closed his fan and slapped it on his hand with a 'pop'.

Like a gavel, the lobby immediately quieted down.

The storyteller then leisurely said: "This wharf in Hanyang and Wuchang is a treasure land, connecting the north and south, linking nine provinces; the martial arts scene is naturally extremely prosperous."

"Speaking of our local Ezhou, there are the Hongmen Fist, Kongmen Fist, Yuejia Fist, and Yumen Fist, which have been passed down for a long time and have many practitioners."

"The Hongmen Fist originated from Emperor Taizu of Song, known as 'Thirty-two Hands to Settle the World,' firm and powerful, open and closed, winning by strength. Cheng Baishan of the Cheng Martial Arts School is in his prime; I heard he is about to step into the Hua Jin level, and if there are no accidents, he will personally take action..."

"The Kongmen Fist has a close relationship with Confucianism, specializing in the strength of firmness and softness, capable of both overcoming firmness with firmness and overcoming firmness with softness. Those who will fight should be the guards of the Wenjin Academy..."

"The Yuejia Fist naturally goes without saying; it is very likely to be Lei Poshan of the Lei family. Young as he is, he has already made a name for himself in the Jianghu..."

"The Bai brothers of the Yumen Fist are top-notch heroes on the Yangtze River wharf; they certainly won't miss the fun this time."

"To the south, there are the martial arts schools of Ganzhou and Xiangzhou; the Yingmen Fist, Wujia Fist, and Xuejia Fist have all been established here for many years, and all have top-notch experts to fight."

"But the real highlight is still the Shaolin, Emei, Wudang, and Qingcheng schools. They might send experts who specialize in martial arts to fight."

"Unfortunately, because of the war in the southwest, schools like Wudang and Emei have already summoned their disciples back to the mountain to guard it. I'm afraid this time, it will be the Chan Sect standing alone."

Someone asked in confusion: "Come to think of it, they are all top-notch experts in the Jianghu, naturally proud by nature. Even if the Prince's Mansion offers a heavy reward, they wouldn't go on the ring for that little bit of silver, would they?"

"Haha, you don't understand that."

The storyteller stroked his beard and said: "I heard that the eldest son of the Wuchang Prince's Mansion has reached the age; he doesn't like dancing with ink and paper, only likes dancing with knives and guns. He is a complete martial arts fanatic and has extremely high talent."

"The Prince dotes on him quite a bit. This time, I'm afraid he also has the intention of helping him find a master. If anyone can win the championship on the ring and enter the Prince's Mansion, it will also be beneficial to their sect in the future."

"Oh, so that's how it is."

Everyone heard this and suddenly realized.

In the crowd, there was also a middleman sitting there. He laughed: "I don't know about others, but the lay sects of Wudang certainly won't go. They had an internal conflict, fought until their heads were broken and blood flowed, and have already become a laughingstock in the Jianghu."

"This time, I reckon they won't even dare to show their faces."

As soon as these words came out, everyone's expressions became strange.

"Tsk tsk, I heard it was because of a woman?"

"Hmm, it made the seniors in the sect angry enough."

"Still too young..."

The storyteller didn't answer and continued to laugh:

"Everyone, everyone, I heard the ring will be set up on Tortoise Mountain, near the Qingchuan Pavilion. By then, there will be garrison troops guarding the outside. The quota for entry is limited; if you all have the ability, think of a way early."

"I'm afraid it's not easy to get."

"That's right, I heard the Ezhou Chamber of Commerce and several families are all going; they certainly won't let too many idlers in..."

Everyone was discussing animatedly, while Li Yan was holding his teacup, lost in thought.

Sha Lifei saw this and knew what he was thinking, laughing in a low voice: "What's the plan, Little Brother Yan, interested?"

Li Yan nodded: "This opportunity is rare."

"My fist technique is being perfected, and I need a lot of actual combat experience. The reward from the Prince's Mansion doesn't matter, but the opportunity to spar with experts from all walks of life cannot be missed."

"That's simple."

Sha Lifei whispered: "Since the Chamber of Commerce is going, Squire Tian can certainly get a quota. Just have him register for you."

While they were talking, an old man hurried down from upstairs, came to the two of them, and respectfully cupped his hands: "Is this Little Hero Li from Guanzhong?" Li Yan narrowed his eyes: "Who are you?"

The old man smiled freely, cupped his hands and said: "I am Yuan Sihai, the manager of this Sanyuan Inn. Little Hero Li, please move to another place to talk."

Having said this, he led the two to a private room upstairs.

Without waiting for the two to ask, the old man personally poured tea and explained: "I am from the Gelao Society; Little Hero Li doesn't need to be on guard."

"The matter of you breaking the Ghost Sect in Unlike Yichang has already spread throughout Ezhou. Those ordinary Jianghu travelers don't know, but those who know the business revere Little Hero Li very much."

"To tell you the truth, Little Hero Li was spotted as soon as he arrived at the wharf; I'm afraid quite a few people in the city already know."

Li Yan was somewhat surprised: "Senior, are you exaggerating?"

The old man sighed: "Little Hero Li is afraid he doesn't know how big the names of the Ghost Sect and the Heavenly Saint Sect are in the Jianghu; they can be said to be feared by everyone."

"That you can destroy their conspiracies several times and keep Ezhou from falling into chaos—not to mention the imperial court, even we have to give you a thumbs up."

As he spoke, he looked worried and probed: "Little Hero Li came to Hanyang this time, could it be related to the Ghost Sect?"

Sha Lifei was somewhat speechless: "We just happened to be there; why would we be idle and have nothing to do, causing trouble for those people all day long."

!.

"This time we came to Hanyang just to rest, and by the way, to witness this Dragon Boat Festival grand event. We only came to ask about the depth of the water on the road nearby."

"Oh, that's good."

Yuan Sihai breathed a sigh of relief.

Sha Lifei's eyes rolled, and he chuckled: "Senior, since you said we are chivalrous, I wonder if this news can be free?"

"Brother Sha is joking."

Yuan Sihai shook his head: "The rules cannot be broken; money still has to be earned. At most, I will give you two a discount; I would never dare to ask for a price indiscriminately."

"That's fine too."

Sha Lifei didn't pester him anymore.

Yuan Sihai then told the two about the Jianghu landscape nearby.

"This place is one of the most important wharves in the Divine Land; the water in the Jianghu is naturally very deep. The martial arts schools that Old Man Feng mentioned are just the tip of the iceberg..."

"The Chan Sect has the greatest power here, and there are experts sent by the Shaolin ancestral court to suppress it. They have a close relationship with the Prince's Mansion and also control the Law Enforcement Hall; they are the most not to be provoked..."

"The Wenjin Academy is the head of Confucianism in Ezhou, with many experts. Quite a few heavyweights in the imperial court are from the academy, and they are even closer to the Ezhou Chamber of Commerce; they also cannot be underestimated..."

"As for the Wudang Zhenwu Palace, it is relatively weak. It only has some lay disciples here, and plus the war in the southwest, they have no time to be distracted..."

"The remaining sects and Dharma lineages are also as numerous as the hairs on an ox, with the Pai Sect having the greatest power, and with the Chan Sect suppressing them, they don't dare to be too presumptuous."

"The artisan sect in the city is also a great force, but they rarely participate in Jianghu disputes; they mainly follow the Ezhou Chamber of Commerce to make money..."

Listening to this old man tell it one by one, Li Yan and Sha Lifei finally had some understanding of the Jianghu road nearby.

Both of them sighed in their hearts.

Just as Yuan Sihai said, the water here is very deep.

The narration lasted for a full hour.

Li Yan pondered for a moment and asked again: "To tell you the truth, we have recently been helping Squire Tian Fengchang handle some matters and found something strange. Has Senior heard any rumors?"

"This..."

Yuan Sihai hesitated: "This matter is somewhat troublesome; I don't dare to guess indiscriminately, but I have heard a few things."

"Some of the sorcerers who looked at the feng shui for the Tian family suddenly left a few days ago, and some were attacked and didn't dare to speak."

"Also, Squire Tian is probably not at peace in the Chamber of Commerce. The Ezhou Chamber of Commerce has had a bountiful harvest from going to sea several times, but the initial shares were limited."

"I feel that it is likely someone is jealous..."

…………

After leaving the inn, Sha Lifei scratched his head and cursed: "I just felt that this matter was not right; that Squire Tian is not honest either!"

Li Yan pondered: "It doesn't feel like it. When we go back, let's ask Squire Tian. If he intends to hide it, we will leave immediately."

"Let's go, it's probably not safe over at the Daoist's side either."

The two didn't delay and immediately rushed back to the Tian family manor.

Fortunately, Wang Daoxuan was still in the manor at this moment and hadn't gone out to the Tian family ancestral grave.

When Li Yan and his companion entered the door, they found Wang Daoxuan leading a group of servants to pry open the stone steps below the front hall one by one.

They were curious, so they stood guard to the side to watch.

"Daoist, did you discover something?" Sha Lifei asked.

Wang Daoxuan shook his head slightly: "It's hard to say for now."

The servants were also agile; before long, all the stone steps were pried up. Seeing the scene below, everyone was stunned.

They saw that these stone steps were neat on the outside, but on the inside, they were of different lengths and sizes, and the floor tiles laid were all upturned at both ends, looking like small coffins.

Li Yan pinched a hand seal, took a deep breath, and shook his head: "I can't smell any odor. What kind of method is this?"

Wang Daoxuan also stroked his beard and frowned: "This poor Daoist only searched through the layout of the Tian manor's residential house; there were no problems elsewhere, it's just that this place is somewhat abrupt."

"This should be a high-level Yansheng technique."

"But to be able to cause trouble without gathering Yin-sha energy, this is the first time this poor Daoist has seen it."

"Yansheng technique..."

Li Yan pondered, turned his head, and said to the servants in a deep voice: "Go and invite Squire Tian back; we have something to ask."

The servants knew they were sorcerers, so they didn't dare to say much and hurriedly ran out, leaving on fast horses.

In less than the time it takes to burn three sticks of incense, Squire Tian rushed back, covered in sweat. Seeing the pried-up stone steps and the coffin-shaped bricks, he was stunned: "This... who wants to harm me?"

Although he was not a sorcerer, he had heard of many things.

Li Yan didn't hide it either and directly asked: "Squire Tian, have you offended anyone?"

"Also, the sorcerers you invited were all attacked; do you know about this?"

"Ah?!"

Squire Tian was clearly somewhat surprised: "There's such a thing? I have never heard of it. Those sorcerers were all invited by friends, and they all left after taking the money."

As he spoke, he hurriedly turned around: "Quick, go see if Master Wang is still at home?"

The Master Wang he spoke of lived in Hanyang City. The servant ran out on a fast horse and returned before long, cupping his hands: "Reporting to the master, the door is locked, and people nearby say he has been gone for half a month."

After Squire Tian heard this, his eyes were uncertain. He looked at the coffin bricks on the ground and gritted his teeth: "I probably know who it is."

Sha Lifei asked: "Who is it?"

Squire Tian said in a deep voice: "The son of the Chamber of Commerce president, Wu Jiucheng!"

(End of chapter)