Chapter 278

Looking at the fire in the distance, Li Yan was thoughtful.

Those craftsmen are indeed the key!

In fact, when he discovered that the whole Xu family troupe had been slaughtered, he had vaguely guessed it.

Just after the Tian family found out that the Yansheng technique was making trouble, they immediately went to the Xu family troupe.

And before that, the whole mansion had already been silenced.

It is very likely because of other reasons.

Now that it has been set on fire again, it should be to cover up something.

On the other side, Lu San also jumped onto the roof, listening to the chirping of the falcon falling, he also jumped a few times and came to Li Yan's side, "It's on fire over there, many people are putting out the fire."

Li Yan nodded slightly and said: "The water in this Hanyang City is indeed not shallow."

The two returned to the pavilion, Squire Tian was obviously a bit panicked, and hurriedly asked: "Two, what happened?"

"Someone set fire, I'm afraid it's to cover up something..."

Li Yan told his guess, and then said: "No matter who the opponent is, this matter has become big, and many masters are involved, so it will be found out sooner or later."

"Squire Tian doesn't need to worry, we will protect you until this matter has a result."

"Many thanks, many thanks."

Squire Tian breathed a sigh of relief, and then said: "To tell you the truth, I asked someone to inquire at the Chamber of Commerce."

"On the side of the Xizhou ancient mine pit, although the Prince of Wuchang has sent troops to close it and expelled the gathered Jianghu people, he is very respectful to those Mystic Sect craftsmen."

"The Prince of Wuchang used the ancient mine pit as bait to invite these craftsmen to stay, and held a banquet at the Yellow Crane Tower, which can be considered giving enough face."

"I will find an opportunity to ask someone to introduce me."

"Oh?"

Li Yan's eyes narrowed slightly, "What does the Prince of Wuchang want to do?"

Squire Tian shook his head and said: "Actually, it has nothing to do with the Prince of Wuchang. It is that the Ezhou Chamber of Commerce discovered an island overseas with an excellent location and wants to develop it as a naval port and transit supply point."

"Someone pays to build a naval port, and the imperial court is naturally willing, but that place is a bit dangerous, and there are monsters in the sea making trouble, and two ships have sunk into the sea."

"The Chamber of Commerce wants to build powerful warships equipped with magic artifacts, so naturally they cannot do without the help of these Mystic Sect craftsmen."

"Monsters in the sea?"

Sha Lifei became interested upon hearing this, "What kind of monster?"

Squire Tian shook his head and said: "I don't know very well, but I heard people say it is a kind of octopus, huge in size, which can drag a treasure ship into the water, and also knows soul-bewitching techniques, which is very strange."

"Good fellow!" Sha Lifei was full of disbelief, "Is there such a big thing?"

He has read the Military Equipment Records well, so he naturally knows it very well.

It is recorded in the Military Equipment Records that the imperial court's treasure ships, the largest are forty-four zhang long and eighteen zhang wide, which are truly huge things.

The Chamber of Commerce is not qualified and does not have the technology to build such a big ship, but since it is called a treasure ship and can travel far, it must not be small.

Being able to drag a treasure ship into the sea, no matter how you listen to it, it sounds a bit absurd.

Squire Tian sighed, "The sea is like this, with many strange and strange things, almost filling it with human lives."

"I heard that the big ships of the Jiangzhe Chamber of Commerce also encountered overseas fairy mountains, but before they got close, they heard fairy music, and everyone who heard it became stupid and jumped into the sea without a trace. Fortunately, there were Dharma lineage sorcerers on the ship who beat the magic drum to wake everyone up and escape..."

"Although maritime trade is very profitable, the risks are also very great. If something happens a few times, the previous gains will be lost."

Li Yan asked with interest: "What is the situation outside now?"

Squire Tian shook his head and said: "I heard that there are wars everywhere. The continent where the Portuguese are located has many countries and the flames of war are continuous."

"The same is true for the Gao Li. The Japanese country has been unified and is harassing Gao Li on the sea, eyeing its territory covetously. The ronin who fled from the war before have also turned into pirates, occasionally harassing our merchant ships, which is very annoying."

"I heard that the Gao Li sent envoys to ask for help, but did not get a response from the imperial court."

Wang Fu said strangely: "Isn't Gao Li a vassal of the Shenzhou? Why not save it?"

"This matter is a long story."

Squire Tian sneered: "During the Daxing years of the previous dynasty, there was a confrontation with the Golden Tent Wolf Kingdom. At that time, the Gao Li Lord was just trying to please both sides, but he also had bad intentions."

"Facing the Golden Tent Wolf Kingdom, they paid tribute one after another, calling them the main master of the Shenzhou. When they came to Daxing, although they claimed to be ministers on the surface, they were often rude, and after paying some tribute, they used words to provoke them, demanding several times the reward to show the prestige of the superior country."

"At that time, Emperor Ai of Daxing was fond of great achievements, and the imperial court had been confronting the Golden Tent Wolf Kingdom for years, and the national treasury was already empty, but he still gave double rewards, making the dream of ten thousand countries coming to court."

"At that time, running to the Shenzhou to pay tribute had become a trend in Gao Li, and one tribute group after another came and went, named tribute, but actually seeking profit. Small countries in Nanyang also followed suit."

"Our Great Xuan Taizu was the Great Marshal of the Northern Expedition of Daxing at that time. Seeing that the soldiers on the front line were short of food and grass, he hated this trend extremely, calling this group of Gao Li envoys 'sticks that beat the autumn wind'."

"During the Lantern Festival, he was drunk in the imperial palace hall and beat the Gao Li mission in public. He was punished with fifty sticks by Emperor Ai and thrown out of the palace gate in the snowy day. Since then, he had the idea of destroying Daxing and replacing it."

"Later, when destroying the Golden Tent Wolf Kingdom, the Gao Li took the opportunity to make trouble, wanting to occupy some areas in the northern border, and was defeated by the imperial court again, casting a Jingguan to show warning."

"Because of these things, the Great Xuan imperial family has always looked down on Gao Li. Fifty years ago, the other party kept submitting letters to plead guilty, and then restored the status of a vassal state, but the relationship is also average."

"Now that the war in the southwest has started, how can the imperial court take care of them, so naturally they ignored it..."

Listening to Squire Tian talk about the overseas style, it is indeed an interesting thing. Plus the Tian family cook's craftsmanship is good, drinking and chatting, unknowingly it was late at night.

After arranging how to keep watch, the lanterns of the Tian residence were extinguished one by one...

On the other side of Hanyang City, the Xu family troupe mansion.

A big fire turned this luxurious mansion into scorched earth.

After the water cart poured, the ground was full of mud, and the incomplete wooden beams were still emitting blue smoke.

Many imperial court yamen runners were carrying lanterns.

The big monks of the Wuchang Law Enforcement Hall were searching everywhere.

Chengjue stood in the ruins, looking at the surroundings, his eyes thoughtful.

He was tall and sturdy, with extraordinary momentum, like a Vajra in a temple, not angry but majestic, and the surrounding yamen runners did not dare to come forward.

Suddenly, Chengjue seemed to feel something, hurriedly turned around, put his hands together toward the darkness and said: "Amitabha, Feng Feng Shixiong is also here?"

In the darkness, Zhang Xiaoshan walked out slowly with his hands behind his back, looked at the surroundings, and tutted: "The action is fast enough."

"I just found some clues, and it was cut off directly."

Chengjue's eyebrows frowned slightly, "What did Feng Feng Shixiong Zhang find?"

Zhang Xiaoshan stared with a pair of dead fish eyes, dissatisfied and said: "You little monk, you really don't understand the rules, you want to ask me with empty teeth?"

"What exactly do you know? Don't hide it!"

"Right now, Zhenwu Palace wants to deal with the Lord Tian Sheng Sect, and there was an agreement at that time that they would not covet the incense here, don't be a villain!"

"Feng Feng Shixiong Zhang misunderstood."

Chengjue was not angry at all, his face was calm and said: "They are all Mystic Sects of the righteous path, based on stabilizing the Shenzhou, how could my Baotong Zen Temple hide it."

"Some time ago, do you know about the ancient mine pit?"

Zhang Xiaoshan nodded and said: "I have heard some."

Chengjue said in a deep voice: "On the side of the ancient mine pit, someone was secretly making trouble, summoning monsters and ghosts in the mine cave, harming Jianghu people, seemingly looking for something."

"We went to investigate and discovered their identity."

"Who are they?"

"Jiangxia Barbarians."

Hearing this, Zhang Xiaoshan's eyebrows suddenly frowned, "You are joking, the Jiangxia Barbarians were in chaos during the Han Dynasty and have long been scattered, why did they suddenly appear again?"

The big monk Chengjue shook his head and said: "Feng Feng Shixiong Zhang doesn't know, although the Jiangxia Barbarians have perished and integrated into the Central Plains, there are still people secretly believing in the ancestral gods."

"We suspect that there are Miao frontier chieftains secretly bewitching them, letting these people make trouble in the hinterland of Wuchang."

"Humph!"

Zhang Xiaoshan snorted, "It's just old ghosts. With their few people, what can they do?" "Could it be that your Fomen can't suppress it?"

"Feng Feng Shixiong Zhang is joking."

Chengjue's face was calm and said: "My Fomen naturally does not lack the power to subdue demons, but these monsters and ghosts are hidden in the dark, secretly planning, and there must be a big plan."

"Figuring out what they want to do will naturally be able to suppress it with force."

"Feng Feng Shixiong, don't worry, I have already informed the County Yamen, and will release the news to the outside world that it is the southwest demon people making trouble, using the lives of fellow disciples to threaten Daoist friend Yang Chongzi, and will not let his reputation be damaged."

After hearing this, Zhang Xiaoshan showed a trace of mockery on his face, shook his head and said: "The little monk is not honest, you don't want me to intervene, why go around in circles?"

Chengjue put his hands together and said: "Feng Feng Shixiong's movement is too big. In just half a day, the Jianghu has already been jumping around, I am afraid it will make those people hide deeper."

"I must figure out what they want to do."

"Isn't it just that I am in the way!"

Zhang Xiaoshan scolded, but didn't entangle anymore, "Forget it, after all, it's your territory, so I won't meddle in other people's business."

!.

"I found out that this group of craftsmen spent a lot of money to invite the Tanyou lineage to take action, digging up ancient grave bricks everywhere and secretly collecting them."

"As for the rest, you can investigate it yourself!"

After saying that, he turned and entered the darkness and disappeared.

Not long after he left, a monk walked over in a hurry from a distance, put his hands together toward Chengjue and said: "Feng Feng Shixiong, I am back."

Chengjue asked: "How is the Zen Hall?"

The monk whispered back: "The Buddha statue still has blood and tears."

Chengjue took a deep breath, his eyes became solemn, "The gods and Buddhas are warning, there must be a great disaster in Wuchang, we must figure out what the demon people want to do."

"The clues here are all destroyed, keep a close eye on the Tian family, they might have something to do with this matter."

"Yes, Feng Feng Shixiong."

The next morning, the sky was a bit gloomy.

After Li Yan went out, he looked up and watched, but his eyes showed joy.

Looking at the appearance, it is estimated that it will rain in these few days.

At that time, there might be "Duan Yang Thunder", which is a good time for cultivation.

After eating, a servant came to report with a face full of joy, "Master, Master, the eldest young master is back."

Squire Tian's face was complicated, and he was about to go out, but he snorted and sat in the front hall with a gloomy face.

Soon, a young man entered the Tian residence.

He was wearing a Confucian robe, his face was very similar to Squire Tian's, a bit chubby, full of dust, and his steps were also hurried.

After entering the door and seeing Squire Tian, he breathed a sigh of relief, hurriedly knelt on the ground, kowtowed a few times, "Father, the child is back."

"Humph!"

Squire Tian snorted and lowered his head, pretending to drink tea.

Li Yan and others also came to the front hall.

Seeing this situation, he laughed secretly in his heart.

This eldest son of Squire Tian is named Tian Wei. He was extremely intelligent from a young age and entered the Wenjin Academy early to study.

Whenever Squire Tian mentioned it, although he called him an unfilial son, his eyes were full of pride.

In the final analysis, it is because of a marriage.

Tian Wei knew his father's temper early on, so he didn't say much when he saw this. After getting up, he bowed to Li Yan and said: "This must be Young Hero Li, thank you for taking action to solve the crisis in my family."

"Humph!"

Squire Tian scolded upon hearing this: "Your mother is sick in bed, if you are really filial, why hide in the academy and not come back?"

Tian Wei's face was bitter, and he hurriedly bowed: "Father, please calm down, the child really has bitterness in his heart."

"That Miss Zhao holds a grudge and often calls a few young masters to harass me. I don't want to argue with them, so as not to ruin my Tian family's reputation, so I had to hide in the academy."

"In addition, a Feng Shui master came from Ganzhou to be a guest at the academy. I have been accompanying him these days, thinking of inviting him to our house to take a look."

Squire Tian's face softened upon hearing this, and he said angrily: "This is also my responsibility. When the matchmaker came to the door, she said how sensible the Zhao family's daughter was. I didn't expect her to be like this."

"The Zhao family is also a prestigious family, how can they be so spoiled and let their daughter do whatever she wants."

"Forget it, go see your mother."

"Yes."

Tian Wei hurriedly bowed and went to the backyard in a hurry.

Li Yan and others heard this and knew that there must be a problem with this marriage, but after all, it was someone else's family affair, so they were too lazy to ask more.

In a while, the servant came to report again: "Reporting to Master, the young lady and son-in-law are here."

A trace of joy appeared on Squire Tian's face, and he hurriedly got up.

Just as he walked to the hall, he saw a man and a woman enter the door, followed by servants carrying big and small bags.

"I have seen Father."

"I have seen Father-in-law."

"We are family, no need to be polite."

Facing his daughter and son-in-law, Squire Tian's attitude was obviously much better, and he introduced them to Li Yan.

His daughter's appearance was average, but her personality was gentle.

And this son-in-law of Squire Tian was also born with sword eyebrows and star eyes, majestic and extraordinary, named Liu Yizhong, and was a thousand-household officer of the Wuchang Guard.

This person was originally a distant relative of the Tian family, and his family ran a security bureau business, but later the family fell into decline and he took refuge in the Tian family.

Squire Tian saw that he was a talent, so he married his daughter to him, and after some operation, he entered the Wuchang Guard and became a thousand-household officer.

The couple's life was good, and speaking of it, it can be considered Squire Tian's pride.

Facing Li Yan, the couple thanked him again.

The news that came later made Squire Tian's face extremely ugly.

The servant returned and said that his second son was practicing in seclusion on Mulan Mountain and had officially shaved his head to become a monk, completely ending his worldly ties.

According to the big monk guarding the door, his son said his Dharma name was "Bukong" and he would pray for the Tian family in the Zen Hall.

"If you are unfilial, how can you become a Buddha!"

Squire Tian was furious upon hearing this, his face turning blue with anger.

His daughter hurriedly persuaded: "Father, don't be angry. You know Second Feng Feng Shixiong's temper. He has often said that he wants to cut off the red dust since he was a child. Maybe it is fate."

"Forget it, forget it."

Squire Tian waved his hand impatiently and said in a deep voice: "Hurry up and pack up, let's go to the ancestral grave, so as not to miss the time."

The Tian residence was already prepared, and all kinds of tribute offerings were filled with several big carts.

After leaving the Tian residence, everyone headed north of the city.

The Tian family ancestral grave is in a small mountain village north of Hanyang City, more than two hundred miles away from the city.

This round trip will take at least four or five days.

And as they left, a few monks from the Law Enforcement Hall also secretly followed behind......

(End of chapter)