Chapter 68: The Merchants' Army Arrives at Ji Zhou; Huang Shiren Questions Daji
That morning, Wang got up very early.
He was a small tea vendor, and his tea stall was next to Huang Shiren's divination shop. These days, because of the many people coming to have their fortunes told, his business had been booming.
Under the morning dew, the tea stall was set up early, but the opposite Guan House still had its gate tightly closed.
"It's strange, Huang Xian usually gets up earlier than me every day, what happened today?" Wang Weimin felt surprised in his heart, put the towel on his shoulder and walked over to see what was going on.
Arriving at the gate, I found that the gate was tightly closed with a seal on it. On the seal, there were big characters: "Huang certain went far away, this building is out of business."
"Huang Xianchang has gone!" Wang Weimin was shocked.
His loud cry immediately attracted many people who came over to have their fortunes told.
"Huang Xianchang is a rare immortal with great virtues and abilities! He also had a kind heart, helping us ordinary people, why did he leave just like that?!"
"Yes, it was fine just yesterday!"
"It's that unlucky star from Ma Family Village! She didn't come for good, she came and the immortal left!"
"I think so too!"
"Alas, don't say anything more, let's just kowtow to Huang Xian!"
"Old Li is right! Xian Chang is a good man!"
A group of common people knelt down on the street, kowtowing to those tightly closed shops.
"Heavens! Please bless Huang Xian with a safe and peaceful life!"
"Not bad! If a good person like Huang Xianchang is not protected, is there still justice in heaven?"
Ordinary people shake their heads and sigh at this kind of thing, with a sense of regret that cannot be expressed in words.
Not to mention the deep sorrow of the common people towards Huang Shiren's sudden disappearance, nor the fact that this temple became a sacred place in Chao Song Nan City because of what Huang Shiren did for the common people. Nor is it mentioned that later on, the common people carved an idol out of fragrant wood according to Huang Shiren's appearance and came to burn incense at the door from time to time, making this place a thriving incense burner. To say only that Huang Shiren agreed to help Wen Zhong because of his words.
The study of the Grand Tutor's mansion. The Grand Tutor and Huang Shiren stood shoulder to shoulder, facing a huge cowhide map.
"Master Shu, this is the entire map of Beihai. This place is Tiger Trap Pass..." As Wen Taishi explained the situation in detail, Huang Shiren listened with his eyes narrowed, nodding repeatedly.
"Wen Zhong, this Beihai Yuan Fu Tong and others, should belong to the jurisdiction of Bei Bo Hou Chong Hou Hu, right?" Huang Shi Ren asked.
"That's right."
"To calm down Yuan Futong, I think you need both parties' lords." Huang Shiran said with narrowed eyes.
"For the country and for the people, Master Shu's orders will be carried out!" Wen Zhong was the Grand Preceptor of the imperial court, in charge of all the troops under heaven. He was a man whose authority was second only to that of the emperor himself; no need to mention two or three regional lords, even if it were the entire army of the empire gathered together, Wen Zhong would still be able to handle it.
"This is his younger brother, Chong Hei Hu, Marquis of Caozhou."
"Master Shu is indeed a good judge of character." Wen Zhong burst out laughing and said, "Among the four great marquises of our great business, East Marquis Jiang Hengchu and South Marquis E Chongyu are both loyal and dedicated military leaders. West Marquis Ji Changren is renowned for his benevolence and justice. Only North Marquis Chong Houhu is greedy and lustful, not a decent person. However, his younger brother Chong Heihu is straightforward and has received special skills from an extraordinary person, making him quite formidable."
"Haha, I've also heard of him." Huang Shiren smiled and said: "This second person is Su Hu, the Marquis of Jizhou."
"What's so special about Su Hu?" Wen Zhong also didn't understand, and asked: "Shifu, although Su Hu has his own way of leading the army in battle, his abilities are not particularly impressive. Why do you value him so much?"
"Heaven's secret cannot be revealed." Huang Shiren chuckled and said, "You quickly make arrangements, we will go to Beihai immediately, if it's late, there might be unexpected consequences."
"Yes sir!" Wen Zhong didn't dare ask Huang Shiren's abacus and left after making a bow.
Wen Zhong was of a stern disposition and acted quickly. In no time, he assembled an army of one hundred thousand men from the capital city of Chao Ge, joined forces with Huang Shi Ren, and set off towards Bei Hai in grand style.
One hundred thousand brave warriors depart from Chang'an, truly a grand and majestic army, with great momentum!
Suddenly: the sky-shaking cannons roar, the earth-shaking drums resound; the sky-shaking cannons roar, the vast ocean stirs up spring thunder. The earth-shaking drums resound, ten-thousand-foot mountains fly with lightning; men are like fierce tigers leaving the mountain, horses are like dragons rising from the water.
Flags wave, like five-colored auspicious clouds; spears and swords shine, like three winters' auspicious snow. A killing aura envelops the universe, a conquering cloud surrounds the cosmos; brave warriors compete to be first, tiger-like generals hold sharp blades on horseback.
Silver helmets flutter, white clouds fly; armor shines brightly, radiant and resplendent. Rows of men march like flowing water, rows of horses gallop like a mighty current.
Huang Shiren also saw the grandeur of the merchant army for the first time, and secretly sighed: "Damn it, if it weren't for the immortal family's meddling, with such a powerful army, how could Da Shang have fallen?"
On the black qilin, he heard that Taishi wore a golden helmet and armor, with a pair of whips hanging from the saddle, his long beard fluttering in the wind, majestic and powerful. The many generals following behind him were also as fierce as tigers and horses like dragons, looking very impressive.
Looking at Huang Shiren and his two companions again, they were all dressed as Taoists, and without any decent mounts, they naturally fell behind.
"Grandma, this won't do. I'm Huang San's ancestor, how can I lose face for Meishan?" Huang Shiren called out to Wen Zhong and said: "Wen Zhong, go make me a wooden cart."
"Wooden cart?"
"About the wooden cart. I'm telling you, it's like this and that." Huang Shiren picked up a wooden stick by the side of the road and drew a pattern on the ground.
"This wooden cart is really magnificent." Master Wen laughed loudly.
Use golden nanmu wood as material, the feathers of white birds all over the world as decoration, and also need 1,800 large pearls as decoration, inlaid with beautiful jade, tassels, pine stones and other treasures. On the wooden carriage, a huge red flag must be hung, with four big characters on the flag: Replace Heaven and Walk the Way!
"Master Shu, a wooden cart is easy to make and can be completed in half a day. But I don't know what you want it for?" Making a wooden cart was not a difficult task for Wen Zhong.
"I'm not used to riding horses, let's get a small car and sit in it."
"What?! I heard that this vehicle has a wonderful use, but I didn't expect it to be just for sitting! He immediately laughed and said: "Master Uncle, in this military expedition, we need to move quickly, your wooden cart is probably too slow, isn't it?"
"Nonsense! With me around, this wooden cart will surely move like flying!" Wukong was a person who liked to show off, and since he saw the design of the wooden cart, he couldn't help but feel delighted. He thought to himself: "No wonder it's Master, damn it, such a flashy thing can actually be made!" Seeing that Zhenzhen dared to have different opinions, the monkey suddenly picked up his staff.
"Wukong, don't be impatient, I'm just asking. I'll arrange it right away." Wen Zhong knew that Wukong was not someone to be trifled with, so he quickly went to take care of it.
As expected, before half a day had passed, the wooden cart was built and pushed to the front of the two armies. It turned out that Huang Shiren, that scoundrel, had discovered that Wukong and Zhuzi were disguised.
Only saw Huang Shiren, wearing a red fire dragon robe, with a red peacock feathered crown on his head, holding an eight trigrams white feather fan in his hand, truly a fairy-like demeanor!
Behind him, Wukong wore a pair of lotus-root shoes with cloud-patterned soles, and on his body he had a golden armor with interlocking rings. On his head he wore a phoenix-winged purple-gold crown, and around his waist he had tied a small skirt made from the skin of a striped tiger. And then there was Zhu Bajie, who wore a large red robe with eight trigrams on it, and carried a nine-toothed rake made of purple gold. The three of them were truly unmatched in their dashing appearance, and the 100,000 strong heavenly army cheered thunderously at the sight.
Having mounted the wooden cart, Wukong exerted his strength and pushed it with such force that its four wheels spun round and rolled away like flying, actually faster than the iron cavalry.
"It's truly worthy of being a disciple of Lu Ye, this style, these tactics, I admire." Wen Zhong gazed at him and burst into loud laughter.
Cutting through the chatter, the great army rises. Where there are mountains, we open roads; where there is water, we pile up bridges. We pass through prefectures and counties, rushing straight to Ji Province.
On this day, a scout horse came to report: "The troops have arrived in Jizhou! Please let the Grand Tutor make a decision!"
"Can Duke Cao's black tiger arrive?!" The Grand Master asked loudly.
"Report to the Grand Master, the Marquis of Caozhou arrived half a month ago and is now inside the city of Jizhou. He will come to welcome you immediately." said the scout horse.
Tai Shi nodded and exchanged a smile with Huang Shiren, then ordered the army to set up camp.
One hundred thousand merchants and soldiers dismounted and camped, setting up their barracks below the city of Ji. They saw: to the east, lotus leaf-shaped steel guns were arrayed; to the south, crescent moon-shaped battle-axes were displayed; to the west, horsehair-tasseled swords were arranged; to the north, yellow flower-shaped crossbows with hard handles were set up. The central camp was arranged in a Wu-Xu formation, with killing intent emanating from the camp for forty-five li. The commander's tent was arranged according to the Nine Palaces astrology, and the large camp secretly stored the Eight Trigrams diagram.
"It's indeed worthy of Wen Zhong!" Huang Shiren also looked and nodded in agreement.
"Report to the commander, Ji Zhou Marquis Su Hu and Cao Zhou Marquis Chong Hei have arrived with Black Tiger to welcome us!" Just as they finished setting up camp, the scout horse came galloping back.
"You've arrived so quickly." Huang Shiran chuckled.
"Please come in." Taishi sat upright in the center of the large tent, Huang Shiren sat on that upper seat. Not long after, two marquises led their subordinates into the tent.
"Pay respects to the Grand Master!" Twenty or thirty armored officers, with gleaming helmets and armor, all bowed down to the ground.
"Heh heh, the two princes, please rise." Upon hearing this, the Grand Mentor slightly raised his hands, and only then did everyone else stand up, standing on both sides.
Huang Shiren's eyes had been fixed on the two people in front of him for some time.
On the left, a figure with a face like a pot bottom, red hair under the sea, two white eyebrows, eyes like golden bells, wearing a crown of nine clouds and fierce flame beast, body armor with linked rings, large red robe, waist tied with white jade belt, back carrying a red gourd.
He must be a great admirer of Black Tiger, haha, indeed a great general! Huang Shiren couldn't help but secretly admire him.
The one on the right, although over forty, has white teeth and red lips, with a black beard that reaches his chest. He wears a phoenix helmet, golden armor, and a large red robe, making him a handsome man.
It's reasonable for a father like that to have given birth to such a stunning beauty as Daji.
"Su Hou, Chong Hou, and also came to see the military advisor. This is my uncle Huang Shi Ren, Huang San's old ancestor." The Grand Master heard that Huang Shi Ren had recommended the two Hou.
The two candidates saw Huang Shiren being so respectful to Zhong, and also heard that he was the uncle of the Grand Master, so they must be a virtuous person, how dare they be slow, and they all paid their respects.
"Haha, the two young masters are so heroic, with a strong and powerful army, I suppose those rebel troops will naturally surrender. This is the great fortune of our clan!" Huang Shiren laughed loudly, his words making even the generals smile.
"Marshal, Military Advisor, someone has also set up a banquet in the city and is inviting you to enter the city!" Su Hu said.
"What does Master Shu think?"
"The Marquis of Ji State is so courteous, how can I not be grateful?" Huang Shiren smiled and said.
"Good! Let's go together!" Wen Zhong felt relieved and happy.
A group of people left the camp and rushed straight to Jizhou City.
After traveling five miles, they saw that the city walls were exceptionally high and large, a vast black expanse, truly majestic. Everyone praised Su for his excellent governance.
"Master Hou, I'd like to ask you something?" Huang Shiren turned his face and looked at Su Hu with a sly smile.
"General, isn't this a plot to kill me? Just call me Su Hu," Su Hu hastily said.
"Then I'll drag a big one." Huang Shiren sneered and said slowly: "I heard that you have a daughter named Daji, is it true?"
Wow!
As soon as these words came out, the dozens of generals who were originally bustling and lively simultaneously inhaled a breath of cool air, looking at Huang Shiren with complex expressions.
Only saw Su Hu, originally full of smiles on his face, but now he was gloomy beyond compare.
"My goodness, I just asked about your daughter, what's wrong with that?"
Huang Shiren was perplexed by this!
I asked the beauty, is there anything wrong with that?
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One more update before I go. Heading to Jilin for a business trip tonight and will be back on Sunday, updates might be suspended for a bit, but I'll definitely make up for it when I get back!
