Chapter 689

"Brother Li, great kindness needs no thanks, please drink this cup to the full!"

Yan Jiuling drank the wine in his cup in one gulp, and after drinking a few more cups, his cheeks were already flushed.

He raised his hand to pour wine again, his fingertips trembling slightly, and the wine almost spilled out.

Seeing this, Li Yan hurriedly pressed his wrist, carried the wine jar to the side, and laughed:

"Brother Yan, why the need for courtesy between us? If you keep drinking, I'm afraid you'll pass out in this posthouse."

"It's not courtesy..."

Yan Jiuling sighed long, his gaze falling on the Bodhi tree outside the window, his voice low: "Father was afraid of disturbing my mind, so he kept the crisis in the family hidden from me. It's ridiculous that I didn't notice anything and was still traveling and sightseeing along the way. If it weren't for Brother Li's intervention, I'm afraid..."

When he reached this point, he closed his eyes abruptly, his knuckles turning white from gripping so hard.

Li Yan patted his shoulder, "There's no need to mention the past. Now that the southwest has been settled and the Lei family is in charge, the Yan family can naturally rest easy."

Seeing Yan Jiuling's expression soften slightly, Li Yan took the opportunity to change the subject: "As for this 'Qiankun Academy,' they didn't explain it clearly. Brother Yan went to great lengths to obtain a position, so you must know the inside story?"

Hearing this, Yan Jiuling's drunkenness faded slightly, a hint of solemnity flashed in his eyes, and he lowered his voice:

"Since Brother Li asked, I will speak frankly. The future of this academy concerns the rise and fall of our Great Xuan's national destiny!"

"Have you heard any rumors about the Royal Fleet?"

"I know a little."

Li Yan nodded slightly: "I heard that the inner treasury secretly organized a fleet and, to avoid the stigma of 'competing with the people for profit,' disguised it as a merchant fleet to go to sea. Unexpectedly, they encountered an ambush and lost three treasure ships... The other party seemed to use a new type of moisture-proof gunpowder?"

"More than just gunpowder!"

Yan Jiuling said in a deep voice: "The matter has been investigated clearly. It was done by the Frankish merchants."

"They disguised themselves as pirates and looted everywhere, trying to control the shipping lanes. Not only did they use new-style gunpowder that can prevent moisture and dampness, but their artillery production was also very exquisite. The cannon barrels were actually drilled with secret methods, and the range was 30% farther than the Ministry of Works' 'Shenwei Great General Cannon'!"

His voice became increasingly solemn: "His Majesty sent secret agents to investigate thoroughly, only to realize that the world has already undergone drastic changes."

"The Franks are the most powerful, and their tracks have spread all over the seas. But the Red-Haired Barbarians are even more ferocious, showing a trend of latecomers surpassing the leaders. They have long secretly controlled the countries of Nanyang, impersonated vassal states to enter the Shenzhou, and colluded with the Japanese pirates to destroy the sea routes. But because we were too busy with the war in the southwest before, we could only pretend to be ignorant. After the Tianjin wharf was shelled, His Majesty took the opportunity to act and clear these people out..."

"On another continent, the English and the French are fighting and have invaded India, threatening our Shenzhou's northwest..."

"And that Rusa country, which harbors the remnants of the Golden Tent Wolf Kingdom, is building cities and stationing troops in the northern desert..."

As he spoke, he sighed: "The borders of the Shenzhou seem stable, but in reality, there are crises everywhere."

After Li Yan heard this, his pupils shrank.

Since the Southern Song Dynasty was overthrown by the "Great Song Ghost Sect," the history of this world has been completely different from his past life.

Fortunately, the current Great Xuan Dynasty's national strength is not inferior to the Great Ming of his past life.

But listening to what Yan Jiuling said, the reforms of overseas countries are actually faster than those of the Shenzhou?

Could it be that some changes also occurred in between...

"His Majesty discovered that the strength of these barbarians is all due to the 'academies' that have risen in the past hundred years."

Yan Jiuling continued, "They collect classics from various countries and even travel far to those ancient mystical realms to find lost inheritances. The Frankish academy's astrology secret arts can calculate stars to avoid storms, and the English 'Royal Society' even ran to the capital a while ago to buy ancient books at high prices."

"So the Qiankun Academy is precisely to encompass all schools of thought and revitalize the destiny of the Shenzhou!"

Yan Jiuling slapped the table abruptly, "It's a pity that those corrupt Confucian scholars in the court still view mathematics as strange skills and ingenious crafts. If it weren't for the war in the southwest that let His Majesty see the benefits of firearms, this academy probably wouldn't even have its foundation laid!"

"So that's how it is..."

Li Yan was completely clear in his heart, and then he looked at Zhao the Donkey, "Brother Yan, let me introduce someone to you. This Brother Zhao the Donkey is my close friend, of the treasure-hunting and mountain-traveling lineage. Isn't the academy looking for teachers? Can he enter it to teach?"

"Of course!"

Before Yan Jiuling could answer, the Lin fatty beside him said with a look of surprise, "One of the academy's tasks is to re-measure the feng shui of the Shenzhou. The treasure-hunting lineage in various places is familiar with the local mountains and waters. It's a pity that each sect cherishes its own broom. If they can be gathered together, they will definitely be able to accomplish great things."

"This brother, are you willing to teach the secret methods of your sect?"

Zhao the Donkey was silent for a moment, then said in a muffled voice: "I have already broken my oath and left Guanzhong. These things left by my ancestors will eventually have to be passed on. If it is really beneficial to the destiny of the Shenzhou, I will have the face to see my ancestors after I die."

"This matter is wonderful!"

Yan Jiuling was very happy, "In a few days, I will take you to see the Supervisor."

Li Yan asked: "The academy is about to open, Senior Yuan must be very busy, right?"

What he was talking about was Yuan Feng, who seemed to be just a Director of the Bureau of Equipment in the Ministry of Works, but was actually an elder of the Mo Sect.

At that time at Liang Zihu, Li Yan found the Lu Ban wooden magpie and got to know this old man.

It was from his mouth that he first learned about the Qiankun Academy and was invited to join.

The Qiankun Academy was established, and this old man was also appointed as the Supervisor.

"Not really."

Yan Jiuling shook his head: "Lord Tian and his disciples have been mysterious these days, frequently entering and leaving the palace, not knowing what they are doing. The academy's affairs have always been handled by me and other lords."

The speaker had no intention, but the listener did.

A flash of inspiration suddenly struck Li Yan's mind.

He remembered the prototype of the steam engine he found at Liang Zihu.

It seemed that because of this matter, Yuan Feng became the Supervisor of the Qiankun Academy.

They wouldn't have already replicated this thing, would they......

While they were chatting, the fortune-telling yin-yang master had already arrived in the Dongcheng.

Excluding the division of the Imperial City, Inner City, and Outer City, the capital was also divided into five cities: Central, East, South, West, and North.

The terrain of the Dongcheng was flat. The Dongcheng territory, from Chongwen Gate to the east of Yonghe Palace, reached the inner city wall in the north and connected to the line of Chongwen Gate and Dongbian Gate in the south, which was the throat of grain transport.

Grain boats on the Tonghui River were like shuttles, and cargo warehouses stood in great numbers by the Datong Bridge. It was truly a prosperous scene of "thousands of sails passing north of the customs, ten thousand loads of grain entering the granary."

This place had five wards: Ming, Huanghua, Sicheng, Nan Juxian, and Bei Juxian. Pawnshops and ticket shops lived side by side within the ward walls, and the night market at Dengshikou never went out all night. The sound of reading from the Imperial Academy and the chants of the grain workers rose and fell, and the inscriptions of "Imperial Construction in the 15th Year of Hongjing of Great Xuan" on the stone tablets carried by the Bixi at the Confucius Temple were still clear.

The yin-yang master held his long banner and walked past the street.

Several porters squatting under the eaves of the warehouse caught a glimpse of the banner cloth and hurriedly spat three times on the ground.

Anyone who dared to play tricks in this place was either a true immortal or a short-lived ghost.

The yin-yang master stepped on the bluestone road and arrived in front of a blue-brick warehouse.

Outside the warehouse, a dozen or so strong men were standing or squatting, telling dirty jokes.

One of them with gold teeth was imitating a prostitute from the Eight Great Hutongs swinging her handkerchief, making everyone laugh.

Their black sleeves were rolled up, revealing the "iron anchor" tattoo on their left arms.

The tattoo was blue-green with purple, tattooed with aged pigeon blood mixed with cinnabar. Only old gangs were particular about this style, and the surrounding commoners didn't dare to get close.

There were three major gangs in the capital: "Iron Anchor Society," "Tiger Might Hall," and "Copper Camel Alliance."

This place was exactly one of the halls of the "Iron Anchor Society."

They not only had a relationship with the Grain Transport Gang but also controlled the "Five Elements" of the Dongcheng, and their influence was quite significant.

Seeing the yin-yang master approaching, several men immediately surrounded him with fierce faces.

The gold-toothed one glared, "Hey! Where did this old geezer crawl out from? What are you peeking at!"

The yin-yang master cupped his hands slightly and said: "Excuse me, everyone, Incense Master Wang asked the old man to help arrange the feng shui of his home, so I have come to see him."

"Oh?"

The gold-toothed man's face changed slightly, and he looked him up and down, "Wait!"

After saying this, he turned and entered the door to report.

Before long, the man ran out, his attitude obviously improved, "The Incense Master invites you in."

The two entered the warehouse, only to find that there was a different world inside.

Densely packed cargo boxes were stacked like walls, dividing the warehouse into different areas.

The front was the storefront for picking up goods, piled with sacks marked with "Su-Song Grain Route" seals, one after another, but in reality, they were all private salt.

An old man was lying in front of the counter calculating accounts, the sound of the abacus denser than raindrops.

Men from the carriage and horse firm came to collect bamboo tallies for transporting goods, their faces full of flattery.

Several bare-chested men were wrestling in the open space, causing the surrounding people to howl like ghosts and wolves.

A thin man squatted on a bench and opened a gambling table: "Place your bets! If the Black-Eyed One can hold up against Old Liu, I'll pay an extra two silver coins!"

Passing through the front hall, the inside was even more complicated.

There were several passages, some of which only allowed people to pass sideways, and they were plastered with mud for fire prevention.

Vaguely, one could see firelight inside, as well as the sound of whips and screams.

Unlike the Grain Transport Gang, the business of the "Iron Anchor Society" was not just transporting goods.

Trade in the Dongcheng was developed, with many ticket shops and pawnshops, and there were quite a few who secretly lent money.

The "Iron Anchor Society" not only lent high-interest loans but also helped people collect debts.

On the surface, they had industries such as "Fair Wind Boat Firm" and "Tonghe Cargo Warehouse."

Secretly, they also operated the "Water Ghost Hall," doing business of taking money and lives.

In short, the industries were complex, and the background behind them was even more complex, otherwise they would have been swallowed by the Grain Transport Gang long ago.

The yin-yang master turned a blind eye to this, followed the man through three iron-clad secret doors, and arrived at the very back of the warehouse.

This place was also divided by cargo boxes, but it was decorated like a house, with bluestone paved on the ground, bonsai trees, fish tanks with fish, and even a small courtyard built, all illuminated by surrounding torches, as if it were night.

"Go in, the Incense Master is inside."

Before they got close, the man leading the way stopped.

The yin-yang master nodded slightly and walked into the small courtyard.

After entering the door, he saw two people sitting inside drinking tea.

One of them was bald with a white beard, wearing a copper ring on his left ear and a brocade robe. Not only was an iron anchor tattooed on his arm, but a huge and ferocious poisonous snake was also tattooed on his scalp. Although he was old, his appearance remained the same, fierce and majestic.

This person was the Incense Master of the "Iron Anchor Society," Wang She.

The other person was even taller, and it was the second-in-command of the Jinghai Gang, nicknamed "Iron-Armed Dragon King," Zhang Tiankui.

At this moment, he no longer had his original arrogance, holding the wine in his cup with a bitter face.

Seeing the yin-yang master arrive, he just glanced at him indifferently and didn't pay any attention.

Wang She also looked as usual, drank the wine in his cup in one gulp, and said: "Brother Tiankui, with our relationship, I will naturally help if I can, but you also know that the capital is not like other places. Involving court struggles, our Iron Anchor Society doesn't have such thick arms."

"But rest assured, it's very safe here. You just stay here, the imperial court's hawks and hounds can't smell the scent."

"Young Hero Li, you've waited a long time."

Zhang Tiankui also drank the wine in his cup in one gulp and turned to leave.

After he walked far away, Wang She's face changed, and he knelt down and kowtowed abruptly:

"Subordinate pays respects to Immortal Master Kong!"

The yin-yang master smiled, his facial features constantly twisting, and his face melted like wax, revealing a refined face.

His appearance was ordinary, his eyes were light, and he had a refined air.

It was Yu Wenhai's master, "Pedantic Scholar" Kong Hui!

Seeing this, Wang She hurriedly stood up, took out a talisman plate that isolated exploration from his bosom, and carefully hung it at the door.

After doing this, he knelt down again and peeked at Kong Hui, who was sitting in the armchair.

Under the candlelight, this "Pedantic Scholar" was dressed in a green shirt, and his fingers holding the teacup were as slender as jade, looking like a Hanlin scholar lecturing at the Imperial Academy. But the hair on the back of Wang She's neck stood up one by one, as if he were a field mouse being stared at by a poisonous snake.

He was uneasy and smiled flatteringly: "Immortal Master, I heard that Brother Yu fell into the hands of the Commandant's Office? I wonder..."

"He cannot open his mouth."

Kong Hui poured himself a cup of tea, "What's the matter with that Zhang Tiankui just now?"

Wang She sneered: "This kid betrayed Lu Jinghai and was thinking about becoming the gang leader, but he didn't know that the imperial court wouldn't let them go. His subordinates were all arrested by the yamen, and he himself ended up with the reputation of a traitor, and was chased and killed by the Prince Ying's Mansion, so he ran here to ask for my help."

"I stabilized him for the time being to see if the Immortal Master could use him."

Kong Hui was noncommittal, "What about Zhao Qingxu?"

Although his tone was calm, Wang She was sweating, "This... I don't know either. After telling me to deal with those young boys and girls, Immortal Master Zhao never showed up again, only telling me to collect intelligence and not to cause trouble."

"Oh?"

Kong Hui picked up the teacup, "Is this Ru ware?"

After Wang She heard this, his gaze involuntarily shifted to the teacup.

But he saw Kong Hui gently blowing on the tea soup, white mist sweeping across his indifferent brows and eyes.

The dark mark of "Made in the Yuande Year" at the bottom of the teacup was looming in the candlelight, and it was exactly the "Clear Sky Glaze" of the previous dynasty's official kiln.

Wang She suddenly felt that the teacup was constantly enlarging in his line of sight, and the ice crack patterns on the glaze turned into thousands of spider webs, wrapping his consciousness layer by layer......

Soon, his eyes became confused.

"Where is Zhao Qingxu?"

The calm questioning voice seemed to come from far away.

Wang She's eyes were straight, and his lips opened and closed mechanically: "After telling me to deal with the thirty-six pairs of young boys and girls... he never showed up again."

After asking several times and finding that the other party was not lying, Kong Hui flicked his finger lightly.

Ding!

The crisp sound of the teacup came, and Wang She woke up abruptly, his inner clothes already soaked through.

He was completely unaware of anything unusual, just thinking he had lost his mind, and rubbed his hands and smiled: "Immortal Master has good eyes! This is a tribute stolen by a clerk of the Ministry of Works to pay off his debts. I am planning to use it to set a trap and insert an informant into the Bureau of Weapons. If the Immortal Master likes it, I will get you a better one..."

"Forget it."

Kong Hui cut him off: "Pass a message to Zhao Qingxu, I want to see him. If he hides again, don't bother with this mess in the capital!"

"Yes, Immortal Master."

Behind him, Wang She felt his hair stand on end, and a chill rose from his back.

Although he had a fierce reputation in the capital, it was all secretly supported by Jianmu.

Only he knew how terrifying these people were!

Wang She didn't dare to delay in the slightest and immediately called his subordinates to give low-voiced instructions:

"Quickly prepare a top-tier banquet, with the Eight Treasures Brew from 'Zuixian Tower', the roasted venison from 'Jude Workshop', and four kinds of seasonal fresh fruits."

After his subordinates took the order and left, he straightened his clothes and hurriedly exited the cargo hold.

In the secret compartment of the cargo hold, Zhang Tiankui was peeking at his back through the ventilation hole.

He held his breath and concentrated, even deliberately restraining the rustling sound of his clothes rubbing against the brick wall.

He was born with an unusual appearance, his spine was like a dragon, and his wrestling skills were amazing, making a name for himself in the martial world as "Iron-Armed Dragon King."

But what was truly rare was that he had awakened the Will Divine Sense and learned the art of inviting gods.

The Will Divine Sense was the most mysterious among the Six Root Divine Senses of Yang, with some being able to communicate with gods and others being able to perceive things thousands of miles away.

And Zhang Tiankui was exceptionally sensitive to qi.

Even if isolated by secret methods, he could still perceive it.

The qi coming from the depths of the cargo hold made his dragon spine burn.

He was a mortal enemy of Yu Wenhai and had also met his master.

Zhang Tiankui gritted his steel teeth, and the muscles on his cheeks bulged.

He didn't expect that when he was at his wit's end and came to ask for help, he would run into the real mastermind behind the Tianjin incident.

If he sold this to the Commandant's Office, his brothers' lives might be saved.

As soon as the thought arose, he turned around abruptly, preparing to leave.

"Where is Zhang Ye going?"

As soon as he pushed the door open, three strong men had already blocked his way in a triangular formation.

The gold-toothed man in the lead smiled obsequiously, but the three-inch cold light of the water-splitting thorn at his waist was revealed intentionally or unintentionally.

"Feeling stifled, catching some air."

Zhang Tiankui pretended to reply carelessly.

"Don't dare!"

The gold-toothed man smiled very humbly, revealing half a black fuse at his cuff, "You have revealed your face, and the hawks and hounds of the Embroidered Uniform Guard will smell the scent and come over. We can't afford to take the blame. The Incense Master said, whatever you want to eat or drink, we will get it for you."

The words were polite, but three firelocks had already appeared in the gaps of the high cargo piles, aiming at Zhang Tiankui......

(End of chapter)