Chapter Thirty-Six: The Murderous Intent Overflows

  A large ship sailed from south to north, which was originally a Tang family merchant ship. Most of the people on the ship were experienced old sailors.

  At this time, however, it was requisitioned and became an official ship. On the way, it encountered canals and docks but did not need to stop for reporting, and sailed smoothly without any obstacles.

  Everyone has an adaptation process. After a few days have passed, the uncomfortable crown that was originally there also gradually became accustomed to this up-and-down feeling.

  From there, it's only a day or two to Jiangdu. When we arrive at Jiangdu, there are two roads we can take. One is to turn onto the official land route, but Xu Jingye is currently besieging Yangzhou and fighting on all sides. Old General Pei Yan has been personally engaging him in battle for two or three months already.

  Among the war affairs, outsiders naturally do not know. The second is to continue along the waterway, passing through Hangou and Tongji Canal in order. Later generations have many misconceptions about this navigation section, with many people thinking that they are entering Yanjing, including the Yongji Canal leading to Zhuo County.

  After completing these two stages, they actually entered the Guangtong Canal, a small waterway, and arrived in Chang'an along the southwest route. Under current circumstances, whether from efficiency or safety considerations, the first choice is naturally the water route.

  Tang Guan stood on the deck, enjoying the wind and sunshine, gazing at the endless blue waters, feeling quite comfortable.

  In the past few days, they have become more familiar with Changying and his gang, who are no longer as estranged as before. Changying occasionally shows off his skills to him and Xiao Qi, relieving their boredom.

  "Big Brother Chang, you martial artists, don't you have to practice diligently every day?" Tang Guan asked, turning to Chang Ying.

  Chang Ying replied, "It's the result of hard work since childhood. At your age, you need to practice diligently every day. By my age, one's skills are already developed, and basic skills can be omitted."

  Tang Guan had been practicing martial arts every day since he learned about it, constantly asking Chang Ying questions and seeking to understand more, as this was a completely unfamiliar field.

  "Brother Chang, how great is your strength?" Little Qi also asked with extreme admiration, and Chang Ying's mysterious skills made him yearn for them endlessly.

  "Haha, the two young masters are indeed very interested in this" Chang Ying laughed and thought that the two youngsters were just bored and kept asking him about interesting things.

  "Alright, I'll tell you some more then."

  "Martial artists can exert several dozen kilograms of force with a single hand, which is quite ordinary. In the martial arts examination, there is an archery test to verify one's arm strength in drawing a bow."

  Chang Ying paused for a moment, as if brewing, Tang Guan and Xiao Qi looked at him expectantly, especially Tang Guan was excited to hear these words.

  After a moment, Chang Ying looked at Tang Guan and said: "Young master, you are a scholar, you should have heard of the story of shooting halberds at the gate."

  "I know, it's Lü Bu," Tang Guan replied immediately.

  "Yes, Lü Fengxian drew his bow at a distance of one hundred and fifty steps, this is indeed an extraordinary skill. If the story is true, I think no one can do it now."

  Tang Guan fell into deep thought upon hearing the words, later generations would consider these things to be fabricated nonsense, but at this moment, Chang Ying's words seemed to convey a sense of conviction, as if it was really possible for someone to split rocks and shatter metal.

  "In today's world, I have seen someone with the most strength, and that one body of strength is truly frightening"

  "Who is it? Who is it?" Xiao Qi hastily asked, he was originally a third-rate pickpocket, and had heard passersby mention the knife-wielding man before, but didn't understand what they meant.

  "Haha, unfortunately this person has escaped, otherwise he would have been caught by the authorities long ago"

  Tang Guan's eyelid twitched upon hearing the words, thinking of one person, but not daring to confirm, so he tentatively asked: "Chang Da Ge, is that person stronger than you?"

  "Hey, my old injury was inflicted by him during the martial arts exam," said Chang Ying as he opened his shirt to reveal a robust chest. Tang Guan's eyes widened and she couldn't help but take in a sharp breath of cool air.

  Only to see the left side of the eagle's chest suddenly sink in a piece, leaving a scar as big as a bowl.

  "It's lucky for me that I had protective gear, or else I wouldn't be standing here today," said Chang Ying with a lingering look of fear.

  Tang Guan was even more shocked to see this usually fearless Chang Ying being so terrified.

  "Big Brother Chang, tell me, what's this guy's name? I'll get revenge for you when I grow up!" Little Qi's youthful heart was itching with impatience, seeing Big Eagle's words trail off, and he pulled on Big Eagle's arm, throwing a tantrum.

  "You probably don't recognize him, this man has been dead for several years, I reckon you were only four or five years old at that time and wouldn't remember anything"

  At this time, Tang Guan's heart sank slightly.

  "This man's name is Ma Lie, a notorious bandit from Shandong province, who has broken out of prison and disrupted the imperial examination grounds, committing all sorts of evil deeds."

  "It's a pity he had such good martial arts skills"

  "Ma Lie!" Xiao Qi exclaimed in surprise, looking at Tang Guan.

  Chang Ying saw this and felt quite curious, looking at Xiao Qi's expression as if he knew him.

  "Do you know each other?"

  Xiao Qi opened his mouth and was about to say that he knew him, but seeing Tang Guan's furrowed brow, he immediately swallowed it back and said: "This name is so domineering"

  Chang Ying heard this and shook his head with a bitter smile: "You're still young, you don't know how vicious that person is."

  As if being hooked up with memories of past events, Chang Ying stopped talking and walked away with his hands behind his back.

  "Brother Guan... is Ma Lie", Xiao Qi whispered to Tang Guan.

  Tang Guan's eyebrows were tightly locked, and suddenly there was a bad premonition in his heart. This Ma Lie's name had appeared more than once, and he always felt a bit of a lingering ghostly presence.

  Immediately cast aside, this kind of ferocious bandit that even makes the common eagles have lingering fears, is also known to people as normal.

  "Even if you're great, you'll still end up in jail, and I'll be the one telling stories to you." Tang Guan said with a smile to Xiao Qi.

  Xiao Qi smiled wryly as he recalled the scene of telling stories to Ma Lie at that time.

  "Brother Guan, when will we arrive at Chang'an?"

  "It's still early, what's wrong? Missing home?"

  "That's not it, I promised Hua Hua to return early" Little Qi scratched his head, saying he didn't miss her, but after a few days out, he started to feel some nostalgia.

  Tang Guan smiled slightly and said: "Alright, alright, this time I'm the one the empress wants to see, there will be plenty of fun things later"

  Xiao Qi heard this and was initially delighted, but then looked puzzled and asked: "Guan Ge, didn't you receive an imperial edict? Aren't imperial edicts only written by the Emperor?"

  Tang Guan was taken aback for a moment, shaking his head slightly. The woman was no different from the emperor now.

  "Go back first, Old Man Chen has been cooped up in the cabin for a long time and isn't even afraid of suffocating to death." Tang Guan said as he turned around with Xiao Qi to head back to the cabin.

  By the river, on open land.

  "Hiss!"

  In the swirling dust, a horse crashed to the ground with a loud thud.

  A skilled horseman, with agile movements, in an instant he mounts another horse.

  The horse that fell to the ground was kicked by him and suddenly bounced back one or two meters, leaving deep marks on the ground.

  Behind them, more than a dozen people were also galloping wildly on horseback, chasing closely all the way.

  "Another change, this Ma Lie is really crazy!" Someone saw Ma Lie changing horses again in front and shook his head slightly.

  "We're almost at Jiangdu, the official ship is probably still on its way, it's got a day or two of journey left"

  Several people conversed fluently amidst the turmoil, their breathing even and steady, as if they were standing on solid ground.

  "Go tell Ma Lie to set up an ambush, we can't move forward anymore."

  "Drive!" With that, one of them cracked his whip and chased after him.

  "Ma Da Wang, we have to find a place to hide, can't go any further!"

  "Halt!" Ma Lie reined in his horse and stopped it on the spot.

  "Ma Da Wang..." The man was about to continue speaking when Ma Lie suddenly waved his hand, his gaze looking towards a distant sunken mountain slope, and his eyes lit up.

  "Go to that mountain!"

  "Advance into the mountain?" The few people who caught up with them were stunned, as the mountain was still far from their route. It would make more sense to set an ambush in the woods by the river or underwater.

  "Go!" Ma Lie didn't respond either, and with a crack of the whip, he galloped off again.

  The others, though suspicious, followed closely behind, thinking he must have had other plans.

  Just as several people drove away, a pile of dust moved in the distance.

  A masked man emerged from among them.

  Hurriedly and cautiously rushed towards the distant dense forest.

  "Cuckoo! Cuckoo!" The man imitated a few bird calls, and suddenly someone jumped out from the tree.

  Upon seeing this person, the masked man stepped forward and said: "Leader, Ma Lie and the others have entered the mountain."

  "What? Go into the mountain!?"

  The man was taken aback at first, and then looked puzzled and exclaimed in surprise.

  "Don't expose yourself! See what they want to do." The man hesitated for a moment and immediately waved his hand.