Half a month ago, in the Sima Mansion in the north of Hangzhou City in the south of the Yangtze River, although it was almost midnight, the study of Sima Shouren, the owner of the palace, was still brightly lit.
The interior of the room is simple and elegant, with a row of bookcases standing against the wall, with paintings and calligraphy hanging on both sides. The long mahogany table in front of the cabinets is stacked with volumes of documents and the Four Treasures of the Study.
I saw Sima Shouren standing next to the table, holding in his hand a card with a dragon's teeth and claws on the cover, raising his head and saying nothing.
Standing next to him were an upright young man and an old man in his fifties, respectively his son Sima Chang and Qi Long, the chief steward of Sima Mansion.
Sima Shouren was in his fifties, with a square face and a medium build. His appearance was not outstanding, but his eyebrows were slender and thick, and his eyes were bright, giving him a majestic and steady feeling.
"This is an invitation sent by Ling Dingtian, the leader of the Mosasaur Gang, inviting Sima Mansion to attend the banquet celebrating their fifth anniversary." After a while, Sima Shouren raised the card in his hand and said.
"The Mosasaurus Gang? But we have never had any contact with them. Recently, due to the issue of spice shipments, our relationship with them has even become somewhat tense." Sima Chang said with a puzzled look.
Sima Shouren did not answer Sima Chang's question. He turned to Qi Long and asked, "Guanshi Qi, do you have any clues about what I asked you to investigate?"
"For the record, Master Qi, Ling Dingtian's whereabouts are mysterious and he rarely appears in the gang. Although we have investigated in many ways, we still found nothing about his origins and martial arts training. We only know that he suddenly appeared in Xiliang City ten years ago. In less than half a year, he defeated all the top ten players in the local area. He became famous and had the potential to become the number one player in Xiliang. But just when everyone thought that he would show off his talents next, he suddenly disappeared and disappeared without a trace. , did not reappear in Hangzhou City until five years ago. We have not found any clues about where he went or what he did during the five years he disappeared." Qi Long responded.
"As for the Mosasaurus Gang he leads, he has recruited a large number of underworld masters who have been hiding for many years. Its strength has expanded rapidly, and its territory of influence has also expanded rapidly. It has clearly surpassed the Hangzhou Gang. It is said that even the Xiaoshan Faction, the largest gang, has They are all wary of them. The leader, Xu Tianheng, once warned his followers not to easily provoke the Mosasaurus Gang. In addition, according to reports, a new group of masters were added to the gang a month ago, including several evil figures who have been missing for many years. . The Mosasaurus Gang is sparing no effort to expand its strength, so it is possible that it has some agenda." Qi Long continued.
"No wonder, they have become more and more arrogant recently. There have been many disputes with the Hangcheng Gang over territorial issues. The two sides had another conflict at the Meng Family Restaurant two days ago. A strange swordsman from the other side actually killed many brothers from the Hangcheng Gang. Seriously injured.
Father, the Mosasaurus Gang invites us to the banquet at this time, but we are afraid that we have bad intentions and ulterior motives. "Hearing what Qi Long said, Sima Chang couldn't help but be wary.
Sima Shouren conveniently put the sticker in his hand on the desk, walked to the window, looked at the rockery and green bamboo outside the window, and said with a solemn expression:
"The situation may be more serious than we imagined. This morning the leader of the Hangcheng Gangqian Gang came to me and said that the Mosasaurus Gang has been acting frequently recently and is gradually recruiting and annexing local gangs using a combination of kindness and power. Those who follow me will prosper and those who go against me will perish. , because the Iron Sword Sect refused to cooperate, the sect leader was killed on the spot by the master of the Mosasaurus Gang, the "Blood-hand Soul Seizer" Vulture, and the White Shark Gang and the Qiantang Sect have already surrendered."
"My subordinates have also heard about this. It is said that the deputy master of the Iron Sword Sect has led his people to join him." Qi Long added.
"The leader of the Qian Gang is mainly worried that they will become the next target of annexation by the Mosasaur Gang. In the past half month, the Mosasaur Gang has robbed nearly one-third of the Hangcheng Gang's business, and they are still looking for trouble and encroachment. Its territory, so he came here to ask for help, hoping that Sima Mansion can come forward to kill the arrogance of the Mosasaurus Gang."
"Before he left, he also revealed that Ling Dingtian had already issued a letter of challenge to the Xiaoshan sect and would fight Xu Tianheng on the night of the full moon of the Mid-Autumn Festival. If Xu Tianheng loses in this battle, the Xiaoshan sect will definitely fall in power, and the position of the largest sect will be taken by Mosasaur. Help replace it.”
"I didn't expect that the situation would have changed drastically after I was out for half a year. I underestimated Ling Dingtian's patience and ambition." A sharp light flashed in Sima Shouren's eyes.
"Even if it is the Hongmen Banquet, there is no reason for Sima Mansion to back down. Ling Dingtian has been holding back for five years before finding us. He must have thought that he has enough power to deal with Sima Mansion. We must be prepared in advance.
Qi was in charge and continued to investigate. At the same time, he sent people to strengthen surveillance of the Mosasaurus Gang's every move. "Sima Shouren ordered Qilong.
"Chang'er, you go notify Qinglong and ask the Qinglong Guards to try to find out Ling Dingtian's whereabouts. Before he challenges Xu Tianheng, arrange for someone outside to test his martial arts proficiency as soon as possible. Maybe we can help Xiaoshan. Remember to be careful, Don't show your weakness." Sima Shouren turned to his son Sima Chang and said.
"Yes." Sima Chang and Qi Long responded respectively.
After Sima Chang and Qi Long retreated, Sima Shouren still stood by the window.
"It seems that the weather is about to change, and another round of wind and rain is coming." Sima Shouren murmured to himself, looking at the full moon hanging high in the sky emitting layers of golden halo.
"Which friend is visiting Sima Mansion late at night? Why don't you come out and see him?" Sima Shouren frowned and suddenly exhaled.
"I still can't hide it from my brother. Congratulations on your improvement in cultivation." As a rough voice sounded outside, a figure floated into the study like the wind.
The person who came had a long and narrow face, a high nose, and sharp eyes like falcons. He was about the same age as Sima Shouren, only half a head taller than Sima Shouren, and his body was much stronger, giving people a fierce and domineering feeling.
"It turns out it's Shouyi. You came back late at night, so you must have something important to discuss with us." It turns out that this person is Sima Shouyi, the second among the five "Benevolent, Righteous, Prosperous, Trustworthy and Wisdom" brothers in the Sima Mansion. His status in the mansion is second only to Sima Shouren. , who is always away from home coordinating Sima Mansion's shipping, bank, tea, spices and other businesses.
The ancestors of the Sima Mansion have been important members of the imperial court for several generations, but for some unknown reason, starting from the previous generation of the manor, they suddenly chose to abandon their official positions and engage in business, gradually running restaurants, casinos and other businesses.
After Sima Shouren succeeded as the head of the palace, his business grew bigger and bigger, and he became one of the most wealthy families in Hangzhou.
Sima Shouyi came to Sima Shouren and whispered in a low voice: "I just received a secret report from Fengzhou in Lingnan. I have found out the whereabouts of Ge Hong's "Baopuzi". It was the Taoist priest who went down from Taipingguan to purchase it. While drunkenly and passionately, he accidentally spilled the beans to Aunt Hong from Cuihonglou. However, when the madam tried to ask for more details afterwards, he denied it, claiming that he had never heard anything like "Baopuzi". Of course, I think this is just a cover-up."
"Oh? Is the news reliable?" Sima Shouren turned around, stared at Sima Shouyi with burning eyes, and asked in an excited tone.
"The secret report was written by Suzaku herself. With her style of conduct, she would not dare to report it rashly if she is not sure." Sima Shouyi responded.
"The Taiping Temple in Mount Boluo? It is said that Immortal Zhikawa did live in seclusion in this mountain in his later years. So it is not impossible." Sima Shouren nodded and affirmed.
"In that case, without further ado, you will set off for Lingnan immediately tomorrow, try to obtain the secret, and don't let others get there first."
Lingnan is a small village in the southeast of the Boluo Mountains. There is a simple tea shop beside the entrance road.
"Drive, drive, drive." A burst of rapid horse hooves woke up the shop assistant who was dozing with his arms propped up from his sleep.
When he opened his sleepy eyes and looked around, he saw dust flying in front of him, and Qiba riding fast horses were galloping along the road towards the town.
When you get closer, you can see clearly. There are three riders in front. In the middle is an old man in his fifties. On the right is an arrogant young man with a long sword hanging from his waist. On the left is a slightly immature young man, about sixteen or seventeen years old. , with a handsome face. The five people at the back are all strong men wearing green attire.
A group of eight people all reined in the teahouse. The handsome young man on the left turned to the old man in the middle and asked, "Second uncle, you have been running around for half a day. Jing'er is a little tired. Why don't we rest here for a while?" ?”
The old man known as the second uncle must have loved the young man very much. He couldn't bear to go against his wishes. He looked around and took stock of the surrounding environment, and then gave an order to the back: "Everyone dismounted and rested for a while. I just happened to inquire about the Taoist temple." But this is an unfamiliar territory, so please be extra careful and remember to be careless."
"Yes, second in charge."
Everyone dismounted their horses, tied them up, walked slowly into the teahouse, and sat at two tables.
The shop clerk seemed to have seen the world and was not intimidated by the momentum of this group of people. When he saw business coming to his door, he rushed forward with a smile on his face to serve: "Gentlemen, what kind of tea would you like to make?"
"Although I serve what you are most famous for here, with a few specialty side dishes." The old man said.
"Okay, wait a moment, I'll be here soon," the waiter responded with a smile.
After a while, I saw him serving a pot of oolong tea and several plates of fried peanuts, fried tofu and so on.
"Guests, please be patient." The waiter said with a flattering smile.
"Brother from the store, we are visiting Guibao for the first time. We plan to visit the area for a few days. I wonder if there are any places nearby to enjoy, especially the famous temples and ancient temples?" The old man called to the store clerk who was about to retreat and asked calmly. .
"Master, if you want to talk about this, you have really asked the right person. I have been playful since I was a child, and I am most familiar with this ten-mile radius. For example, five miles away is the famous Feiyun Peak. According to the old man This mountain has the gathering of immortal energy, so it has the most temples and Taoist temples, including Prajna Temple, Shangyuan Temple, Qingfeng Stone Temple, Feiyun Temple, Zizhu Temple, Chongxu Temple..."
"Is there a Taoist temple called Taipingguan? Is it also in this mountain?" The old man seemed impatient to hear the shop assistant continue talking, so he couldn't help but interrupt.
"Yes, there is. It's just that the scale of this temple is very small and it's not very famous." The store clerk laughed awkwardly and said.
With a "bang" sound, the old man took out an ingot of silver and put it on the table, saying, "What is the origin of this view? If you can tell me why, this ingot of silver will be yours."
The shop assistant glanced at the silver coins on the table and frowned with joy. He thought that he was lucky today and said with a smile: "The origin of this temple really exists."
The waiter paused, cleared his throat, and continued: "Here we always add the word "古" after Taiping and call it Taiping Ancient Temple. Because this temple has a long history and even looks a bit rundown, we don't like it. Go. I heard from the old people in the town that eight hundred years ago, this temple was just a very powerful figure in the Taoist faith, named Mao... This is where Mao Tianshi cultivated immortality. It is said that he became an immortal and became an immortal. His disciples This temple was built only after this. It is said that Master Mao Tian and his disciples are very famous, so at that time, the temple attracted many people to learn skills, discuss Taoism and Buddhist scriptures."
"Master Mao Tianxing? Eight hundred years ago? Could it be Mao Tianxing, the legendary first Taoist at that time?" The old man was secretly surprised, wondering why such a remote and smoky place could attract a master like Mao Tianxing to stay?
"I just don't know why, but in the past hundred years, the temple has been slowly declining, and its popularity is not as good as it used to be. It is rarely mentioned by people. However, the current owner of the temple is a miracle doctor and a kind person. He often diagnoses and treats difficult problems for nearby villagers. He suffered from the disease and received no compensation, and everyone called him a living god." The shop assistant talked eloquently.
"Where is the location of this view? Could you please tell me the specific route?" After saying that, he handed the silver coins on the table to the shop assistant.
"It's at the southern foot of Boluo Mountain..." The store clerk didn't expect to get such a generous reward. He was overjoyed. He thanked him and pointed out the specific route to Taiping Temple.
After exploring the specific location of Taiping Temple, the old man did not wait for more rest and urged everyone to finish their refreshments and get on their horses and set off.
Following the instructions of the tea shop clerk, everyone rushed all the way, and it didn't take much effort to arrive at the rumored Taoist temple - Taiping Temple.
They stopped dozens of feet in front of the temple, because the scene in front of them was a bit unexpected. There were about ten people gathered outside the gate, talking to each other in groups. This group of people were dressed up, but they were not people from the Jianghu. Most of them were Xinzi, a farmer, and they should be nearby villagers. On both sides of the gate of the ancient temple stood an official, who seemed to be a yamen servant, maintaining order at the scene and blocking people who wanted to enter the temple. It seemed that something had happened inside the temple.
At this time, the handsome young man seemed unable to contain his curiosity and was about to go to find out what was going on. But he was intercepted by an old man in his fifties: "I'm afraid we've arrived a step too late. Judging from the situation, something has probably happened inside the temple, so it's so unusual. There are too many of us, and we're not locals. Appearing with great fanfare now may cause unnecessary confusion." There is a misunderstanding. Chang'er, you get off your horse and go alone, first inquire about the specific reasons from the villagers outside, and then we will make a decision when you come back. The others followed me back to the bamboo forest where I came back to wait for news."
"Yes, Second Uncle." The person who was called Chang'er was the calm and dignified young man with a stern face. Letting him go alone showed the old man's trust in his ability. The young man dismounted and handed the reins to one of the strong men in green shirts, and was about to walk slowly alone. The situation has changed again.
I saw two officials who looked like they were carrying a stretcher out of the temple. There was someone on the stretcher, motionless. It looked like it was a dead body. Behind them, two more people came out carrying another stretcher. It also looked like a corpse.
"Chang'er will come back first. It won't be too late for us to check out the situation." Seeing this, the old man quickly stopped the young man from continuing to inquire about the situation.
"Yes, second uncle." The young man heard this and returned to his original place.
I saw as many as ten corpses being carried out from the interior of the temple, and they were lined up in the open space on the right side of the temple. Most of these corpses were wearing Taoist robes, like disciples in the temple, and there were also seven or eight people in different costumes. Men and women, I don’t know whether they are pilgrims or tourists.
"It seems that as the second uncle expected, we were a step late. A murder has already occurred in Tianping Temple, but I don't know who is so cruel to do it, even many innocent Taoist priests and pilgrims are not spared." The young man said.
The old man known as the second uncle pondered for a while and then said: "Since a murder has occurred, it is even more inappropriate for strangers like us to appear now, so as not to arouse the suspicion of the government. Chen Da and Chen Er, you stay here and continue to watch the development of the situation. I have memorized all the people who have appeared here, as well as the corpses if they were taken away, and the places where they landed. The others will find a place to settle nearby first, and will go in to see what happened tonight. .”
Just as they were preparing to leave, a figure ran towards the mountain path on the left side of the Taoist temple. When he stopped in front of the temple, he seemed stunned for a moment when he saw so many corpses, but then he ran into the pile of corpses. They checked and inspected one by one, ignoring the shouts of the government officials standing on both sides of the gate.
At this time, two people came out of the temple, a rough man dressed as a hunter with a long knife on his waist and a middle-aged monk with a thin face. The rough man seemed to be the leader of the gang of government servants. He stopped drinking in time and wanted to go. The yamen officer who captured the disobedient boy. He and the monk walked down the steps and came to the open space where the corpse was parked.
The young man seemed to have inspected all the corpses. When he saw the big man appearing, he hurriedly ran forward and asked with a sad face: "Brother Meng, what happened? Why were all the Taoist brothers killed overnight? Where is Master Xuanyi?"
"Brother Wang, calm down first. This morning we received a report from a pilgrim that a murder had occurred in Taiping Temple, so we rushed here. When we entered the temple, we found dozens or twenty corpses scattered inside. Most of these people were templegoers. The Taoist priests inside, and the other seven or eight, are all equipped with weapons. They don't look like pilgrims, they should be martial arts people. The identities of one or two of them can be roughly guessed. However, we searched the entire temple and found no trace of the old temple master. , he may not have been killed, but was abducted or hidden by the murderer. Who committed this murder and the reasons are still unknown and are under investigation."
It turned out that these two people were Wang Qian and Meng Ke. Wang Qi'an rushed back immediately after recovering from his injuries. Unexpectedly, he was a step too late. All the people inside the watch were killed overnight. Could it be one of the two parties last night?
"By the way, didn't you stay in the temple last night to protect the temple owner? Why did you come back from outside now?" Meng Ke said with a suspicious look on his face.
Wang Qi'an then recounted the story of how the mysterious man in gray appeared after he left, and how he followed him away, except that he concealed the matter about the sheepskin map.
"So many unidentified people appeared overnight. Why did they come? Only by clarifying this can it be possible to find the murderer who caused the murder." Meng Ke couldn't help but fall into thinking after hearing this, and muttered to himself. .
"According to what the donor said, the three people who besieged you are not weak in martial arts, but it seems that there are no three brothers who are good at attacking with Mao in the Jianghu. It's strange. Who are they?" The thin monk next to Meng Ke At this time, he interrupted.
"By the way, this is my uncle, Master Kongfa of Shangyuan Temple. I think this murder is unusual and may involve grievances in the world, so I sent someone to the temple and invited the most experienced uncle in the world to see. Can you help us find more clues to the case?" Meng Ke calmed down and hurriedly introduced to Wang Qi'an.
"Uncle Master, this is a friend of the disciple. His surname is Wang Qi'an. He has a close relationship with Master Xuanyi Temple and has a deep relationship. That's why he was so excited just now."
As early as when he saw Wang Qi'an appear, a strange look flashed in Kong Fa's eyes. When he heard Meng Ke's introduction, he couldn't help but give him a kind nod.
"I've met the master. I'm sorry for the rudeness just now." It turned out that this monk was Meng Ke's uncle. Wang Qi'an couldn't help but turned around and bowed respectfully in greeting. Only then did he remember that Xuan Yi had said that Meng Ke was A close disciple of Master Kongming, the abbot of Shangyuan Temple.
"I wonder if Master has discovered anything? Who is so cruel and easy to kill that he won't spare so many innocent Taoist brothers who don't know martial arts?" Then he said fiercely with great sadness and anger.
"Amitabha, how good it is, how good it is. The poor monk has inspected the bodies of these people before, and they were all killed by one strike. The difference is that except for three people who died with a palm in the chest and their internal organs shattered, the others all had their throats sealed with a sword. Death. If we say that the disciples of Guguan are not proficient in martial arts and have no power to fight back, it is reasonable to say that they were killed in one move. However, the other seven or eight are obviously martial arts people, and the appearance, clothing, and weapons of two of them are more like those in the rumors. "Rough Bandit" Jiang Dun and "Evil Lady" Feng Cuihuan, these two are the leaders of the vanguard group of the Red Army leader Zhang Yuxian, known as the "Reincarnated Arhat". They specialize in going deep into the enemy's formation to spy on the enemy and collect intelligence. , martial arts has its own uniqueness, but judging from the scene, there are not many signs of fighting. There is no difference between the wounds between the two of them and the others. There is only a sword wound that penetrated the throat. The two of them were already dead before they could parry. Killing them shows how skilled their opponents are in martial arts."
Wang Qi'an nodded in acquiescence when he heard it, and secretly praised Kongfa for his extremely sharp eyesight, and he was worthy of being the second most important person in Shangyuan Temple.
As he spoke, Kongfa seemed to be searching for information in his mind. At this moment, his eyes were shining, as if he suddenly thought of something, he lowered his head and began to ponder.
"Uncle Master, have you discovered anything?" Brother Meng couldn't help but asked when he saw Master Kongfa's expression was different.
"There are many masters in the martial arts who are good at swordsmanship, and there are also some who are top-notch in their attainments. Moreover, there are many strange people and strange people who do not like to be exposed in the world, so it is difficult to judge from the wounds of these dead people alone. Who did it? It's just..." He paused slightly, and then said: "If we separately speculate on whose hand this palm and sword came from, it may be difficult to figure out, but if these two masters come from the same force, , and this is a remote Lingnan area, and the other party is so ferocious and easy to kill, the scope of our guess can be greatly reduced. "
"Uncle Master seems to have something to say? At present, the most powerful people in Lingnan are none other than King Wending and King Wu Jing. I heard that both of them have raised many capable people and strangers in their mansions. I once heard my master say that Prince Wending's mansion is known as Two martial arts masters who are good at swords and palms respectively. If it is really the work of Prince Wen Ding, then the matter will be very difficult." Meng Ke couldn't help but feel a headache.
"Senior nephew Keer can pay attention to the changes in the current situation in a timely manner, and he knows a lot." Master Kongfa's tense face relaxed slightly at this moment, and he nodded with slight approval.
"Uncle, thank you. Master was invited to Prince Xing's Mansion last time. After returning, my nephew accidentally heard his old man mention the current situation in the court when he returned to the temple." Meng Ke replied respectfully.
"The people in Prince Wending's Mansion, except for a few people in charge of etiquette and other matters in the palace, the people they recruit rarely appear in public, so not much is known to the outside world. The last time my senior brother and I were invited to Prince Xing's Mansion, if it hadn't been for King Wending's fancy Shangyuan Temple's influence on Lingnan Buddhism deliberately wooed us and deliberately showed the strength behind it. We didn't expect that so many famous people were working for the palace. Alas, it can be seen that King Wen Ding was not An An. For people with the current situation, otherwise why would they secretly recruit and support many martial arts masters, secretly cultivate forces outside the court, and deliberately show their favor to win over many local gangs. In my opinion, there may be changes in the court of Prince Xing soon, and the people It’s painful.” When talking about this matter, Kong Fa’s expression became solemn and he said with worry.
"The two generals we saw that day are indeed famous for their swords and palms respectively. The one who is famous for his swordsmanship is Xie Xian, a young swordsman who has risen like a comet in Lingnan in recent years. He is known as the "Streaming Lightning Sword" and his swordsmanship He is fast and ruthless. It is said that his sword is as fast as lightning flashing. The opponent is often killed by his sword before he can see clearly. If he were to take action, the "violent bandit" Jiang Dun and the "evil girl" Feng Cui would It is not surprising that Huan and others were killed in one move. And the person who is good at palm skills is a ruthless figure who has been famous for decades, "Palm Moves Mountains and Rivers" Yin Lei, whose palm skills are unparalleled and domineering. One palm can split the heart and lungs. This man was originally the underworld overlord in the eastern Guizhou area. Later, for some reason, he offended the Zhao family in Qianzhou, and was surrounded and hunted by their masters. Unexpectedly, he was hiding in Prince Xing's Mansion and taking shelter under Prince Wen Ding. Under his command, Yin Lei's martial arts is probably far superior to Xie Xian's. With the strength of these two people, it would be extremely easy to commit this crime." Master Kong Fa analyzed.
"Master, what do you mean, is this really the work of King Wen Ding? Why did he do this? I heard the old temple master mention that although Taiping Temple has a long history and was famous in the martial arts in its early years, it has been in the martial arts world for nearly a hundred years. In addition, the disciples in the temple no longer practice martial arts and only talk about principles. Although the old temple master is profound in Taoism, he is not proficient in martial arts. Is such an ordinary Taoist temple worth his troubles? He actually sent two generals to commit trouble? "Although Wang Qi'an guessed that this matter may be related to the rumored secret book of "Baopuzi", he was not sure. Maybe Master Kongfa knew another secret, so he couldn't help but ask.
"It is still difficult to figure out the reason for this. In addition to the "violent bandit" Jiang Dun and the "evil girl" Feng Cuihuan, the identities of the other eight corpses have yet to be confirmed. It is not yet known what forces are involved. , and I don’t know why they all suddenly appeared here." Master Kongfa glanced at the place where the corpse was parked, with a flash of compassion, and said sadly.
"Everything is just speculation at the moment. Although King Wen Ding is hard to escape suspicion, he is not the only one in the Lingnan area who has such strength. As far as I know, there are at least two factions who have masters in their accounts, and there are many who have reached this level in palm skills and sword skills. Realm person." Master Kongfa looked forward and continued later.
