The spring breeze and rain meet each other.
A celebration.
Princess Funing lay in Bai Shiyu's arms, gently wiping her lover's sweat and recounting her thoughts.
As we talked, we talked about life-long events.
"Shiyu, when will you propose marriage to your father?"
Princess Funing only knew her identity as the legitimate son of the Bai family, a thousand-year-old family that could be traced back to the descendants of Daqian, so she was worthy of the title of princess even if she fell into decline.
The royal family of the Great Zhou Dynasty had a simple background. They first engaged in farming and then engaged in business, and their origins were pure and innocent.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, historians rummaged through the classics, but could not find any figures from their ancestors. The one who barely made it to the top was a descendant of a certain earl of Daqian, but it was really not on the table.
Either to stabilize the court or to increase the royal family's heritage, it has been the custom since Taizu Zhou to marry his daughters into aristocratic families.
Bai Shiyu felt a headache after hearing this, so he comforted him a few words and quickly changed the subject: "Are there any major events in the DPRK and China in recent days?"
"How can we women know about the important matters of the imperial court?"
Princess Funing was thoughtful and did not want her lover to be embarrassed. She frowned slightly and said, "Yesterday I went to the palace to say hello to my mother. I did find that my father has not been seen for a few days and he is very old."
Bai Shiyu raised his eyebrows and said shyly: "Master Taishan, have you encountered difficulties?"
Emperor Tianshun was the great-great-grandson of Taizu. He was in the prime of life. Nine years after he ascended the throne, he had already firmly established himself in the imperial court. At the same time, the country was at its peak and he was fighting with great prominence. He would surely leave his name in history in the future.
If he lived a long life, he might be able to establish a dynasty comparable to the legendary Daqian. What troubled Emperor Tianshun was by no means ordinary.
"Why are you so shameless!"
Princess Funing rolled her eyes and sighed: "I asked many times but no one dared to tell me. I begged my mother to find out that a Taoist priest entered the palace a few days ago and competed with the two priests."
"Win or lose is not clear, and then my father locked himself in Shangyang Palace. He became very haggard all night!"
"I shocked the palace and left in a daze. There are such strong men in the world!"
Bai Shiyu first thought of Shopkeeper Sun. It was impossible for two peerless masters to suddenly appear in the capital, and asked: "What specific day is it?"
"New Year's Eve."
Princess Funing said: "Originally, my father had scheduled a royal dinner, but it was canceled at short notice. I thought he was busy suppressing bandits, but later I found out that someone had forced his way into the palace!"
"That day..."
Bai Shiyu looked disappointed. Shopkeeper Sun had been in the tavern on New Year's Eve and did not go out at all.
"Do you know the number or realm of that Taoist's human martial arts?"
"Qi and blood condensed pills are comparable to those of the previous Martial Emperors."
Princess Funing was born into a royal family, and she also learned martial arts from a teacher when she was young. Even though she was not good at studying, she still knew the power of Qi and blood condensation.
"The Taiping Palace, where the two men lived in seclusion, collapsed into ruins. It is said that the imperial army used new firearms, but they did nothing!"
"Such martial arts masters are truly admirable."
Bai Shiyu couldn't help but think of the Red League. If there was a Ningdan strongman in charge, he might be able to directly negotiate terms with the court and ask the workshop to improve the treatment of the people.
Princess Funing raised her eyebrows: "What do you mean? That man is my father's enemy!"
"Hey, hey, I am just commenting as a warrior. That bull-nosed person ignored the national law and dared to offend my old Taishan..."
Bai Shiyu quickly coaxed her with sweet words, made a few witticisms, and told interesting stories about a tavern, making Princess Funing smile.
Another celebration.
Dawn.
Bai Shiyu left the Princess Mansion via the same route. At this time, it was getting dark and there was no one on the street.
Yongchangfang is located to the east of the palace. When passing by the palace wall, Bai Shiyu couldn't help but feel itchy in his heart. He also wanted to imitate the unknown Taoist and go to the palace to leave his name.
"We can't compete in martial arts, but we can't lose in Qinggong."
"If you can take away a palace treasure, play with it for a few days, and then return it safely, you will be considered a thief!"
Bai Shiyu walked along the palace wall twice, but in the end he did not dare to climb over. No matter how fast his Qinggong was, he could still defeat the fire. Hundreds of lead bullets were fired at him, and his body immediately had several holes.
In the battle on New Year's Eve, most of the members of the Red Alliance were killed by fire cannons, but the spies who were practicing martial arts were easier to deal with.
"Fireguns have only been around forty or fifty years, and they are already so powerful. Who will still be practicing martial arts in another two to three hundred years?"
Bai Shiyu shook his head and was about to go back to the tavern when he suddenly caught a glimpse of a rolled bamboo slip in the corner, tied by a hemp rope, with a rather simple shape.
Pick up the bamboo book and untie the hemp rope.
"Book of Great Harmony... Class... Manifesto..."
Bai Shiyu is proficient in epigraphy, stone and antiques, so he can recognize the ancient seal characters. He reads them word by word, and his expression keeps changing.
"...Unite!"
This is the end of the Datong Book. The following content has been replaced with new handwriting and text, and the origin of the book is explained in detail.
——Ma Zhi, a poor Taoist, was lucky enough to enter the Kunlun Fairyland to practice martial arts. After a period of time, his energy and blood condensed into elixirs, and he obtained the Kunlun Fairy Book. The immortal passed down the power to his elder brother Qin Zheng, the skill to his second brother Zhu Kang, and the thought to the poor!
"Is there really a Kunlun Wonderland in the world?"
Bai Shiyu looked horrified. After two dynasties of propaganda, Kunlun was now the ancestor of the mountains.
Legend has it that on Kunlun Mountain there is a jade sky, a thousand-year-old spiritual ginseng, and a sacred tree that reach the sky. It is the residence of thousands of immortals, and mortals can get immortality by entering it.
Continuing to look back, there is a strange Five Elements and Bagua diagram with a circular depression in the middle.
"Find the hardest thing in the world and place it in this formation to open the door to Kunlun Wonderland!"
When Bai Shiyu read the last handwriting, he frowned and thought about the things in the world, among which fine steel and meteorite iron are the hardest.
"Regardless of whether Kunlun Wonderland is true or false, what is written in the front of this book is the core of today's Red Alliance and can serve as the program for all future actions and propaganda!"
…
The autumn rain is miserable.
It rained down on my body and chilled me to the bone.
The streets are hazy and misty, like a fairyland.
The capital city is surrounded by mountains on three sides. It has excellent Feng Shui and the terrain is easy to defend but difficult to attack. However, as the number of workshops increased, unexpected problems arose for the court.
The soot smoke accumulated in the air and could not be blown away by the wind, forming a thick fog that choked people's noses in the morning and evening.
Just like the rain falling from the sky, it falls on the ground, leaving a circle of dark traces.
It was not that the imperial court had not noticed this. From time to time, censors suggested moving the capital. However, Xianjing was the ancient capital for thousands of years and represented Yunzhou's orthodoxy. It was secretly related to the rise and fall of the country.
With the introduction of new firearms, the armies of the Zhou Dynasty were invincible, and the so-called elite soldiers of various countries were vulnerable to a single blow.
Seeing that Dazhou could regain the prestige of Daqian Dynasty, Emperor Tianshun would rather breathe smoke sooner or later than die in the capital!
This day.
The imperial court posted a royal list, first commemorating the achievements of Taizu and the late emperor, and then talking about how many battles the dynasty had won and how much territory it had expanded.
Many new laws were subsequently promulgated, and as times changed, many of the old laws were no longer suitable.
For example, keeping slaves was inappropriate in the eyes of the imperial court. They should be classified as good citizens and free to work in workshops.
The full text contains hundreds of thousands of words, with more than a dozen legal changes, but the real core is one sentence: the scientific examination was suspended for ten years in Tianshun, and the new official selection system is waiting for the imperial court to promulgate it.
Little words mean big things. The imperial examination system has lasted for thousands of years, like a tradition embedded in the blood.
Now it is the last base of Lao Cai, the only way to compete with the new family and enter the court to talk things over!
In the later period of Zhou Taizu's rule, he only changed the official selection system and paid more attention to promoting new pragmatic families, but he never thought of abolishing the imperial examination to avoid instability in the court.
As soon as the imperial list came out, the crowd was furious.
Tavern.
It's particularly lively today.
Zhou Yi stood behind the counter, listening to the noisy and angry comments from the wealthy people, and even went to the palace gate to give advice.
"Which emperor popularized the imperial examination?"
"Hongchang? It's been so long that I can't remember it. In the blink of an eye, a thousand years have passed and it's about to be abolished!"
Zhou Yi shook his head slightly. This incident can be said to be a landmark event. Whether it is right or wrong, it has far-reaching consequences. It will definitely be recorded in the history books in the future. As for the rich people who are furious and clamoring for resistance, the final result must be to accept the reality obediently.
The New Aristocratic Family has taken control of the army, and with the support of spears and artillery, it will definitely seek the right to speak!
"The royal family of the Great Zhou Dynasty has a rather impoverished manner in doing things. They have actually developed a spear a long time ago. They obviously hid it from the outside world!"
Zhou Yi went to the palace on New Year's Eve last year and saw the most advanced firearms in the imperial court.
The imperial troops formed an array and fired hundreds of spears. No one except the innate master could escape!
Bai Shiyu couldn't stop and heard some exaggerated remarks, such as Chen Jiye clamoring to join forces to attack the palace. He quickly pointed to the sign on the table and reminded him to speak softly.
"I never speak in a low voice. When Taizu hosted a banquet for aristocratic families in the palace, we could say whatever we wanted!"
Chen Jiye paused for a moment and the fine iron crutch made a thud on the ground: "I have lived for a hundred years and have never been so angry. How can I meet my ancestors when I die?"
Bang bang bang!
Yang Chong opened and closed the gold pocket watch, almost breaking the shaft, and said coldly: "Why has there been no movement from the Red Alliance in the past six months?"
Since the establishment of the Red Alliance, they have burned down workshops and smashed machines every day, until they reached their peak on New Year's Eve last year, when they challenged the imperial army head-on.
Even if they suffered a bloody massacre after their failure, it also showed from the side that the Red Alliance had gained momentum, comparable to the White Lotus Sect and Taiping Dao that disrupted the imperial court.
The rich people usually laughed at the Red League's muddy legs, but they couldn't get on the stage after all. At this time, being squeezed out by the court and the new aristocratic family, they suddenly felt nostalgic for the Red League, and had a vague idea of supporting them secretly.
This is what their ancestors did. On the one hand, they promoted loyalty to the emperor with the people, and on the other hand, they collaborated with the rebels and the esoteric cult.
In this way, the country will take turns, and the thousand-year-old family will never fall.
Lu Bo frowned slightly and said: "There has been no movement from the Red Alliance for more than half a year. I asked people to investigate secretly. It seems that they are planning something big? I don't know the details."
"event?"
Yang Chong shook his head and said: "What kind of skills can a group of mud-legged people have? They should be destroying some big workshop. Even if we support this kind of mob, they won't be able to accomplish anything."
Chen Jiye said sadly: "In the future, if there is no imperial examination and the new family gains power, what difference will there be between you and me?"
Yang Chong said angrily: "Is this how you admit it? I don't think the Four Books and Five Classics can govern the country, but I also know that it is one of the foundations of our family inheritance!"
"If the imperial court dares to issue an edict, then it has made complete preparations."
Chen Jiye said: "Even if we fight to kill all the nine clans and do the things to seduce the emperor, can they really be compared to spears and artillery?"
When Bai Shiyu heard this, he quickly came over to stop him.
"Mr. Chen, be careful what you say, be careful what you say!"
"snort!"
Chen Jiye felt aggrieved and sad in his heart, and said: "We can't let the imperial court bully us, so we go back to summon the nine tribes and kneel outside the palace. Your Majesty is determined to leave his name in history, and tens of thousands of scholars have died to remonstrate. This has never happened in the history books!"
"Go together, go together!"
The dozen or so wealthy men in the tavern were helpless after hearing the news and came to drink with depression, and they all agreed with Chen Jiye's words.
Bai Shiyu did not continue to remind him, but watched coldly as the rich men discussed in confusion how to imitate the ancients in submitting letters, how to gain power without angering the court, and he couldn't help but sigh in his heart.
"A bunch of rabble!"
The rich people discussed Wuyang Wuyang for a long time, but in the end they couldn't reach any result. They even rejected the whole family's death remonstrance.
If he was really determined to remonstrate to death, he would not come to the tavern. He had already gone outside the palace gate when the edict was issued.
There are still several cellars of gold and silver handed down from our ancestors, and tens of thousands of acres of mines and fertile fields. How can we be willing to die? The rich people know clearly that the New Aristocratic Family will really let the court take action!
Instead of dying from spears and artillery, and being branded as a rebel, it's better to keep your wealth and continue to enjoy it!
"We are loyal to the emperor and patriotic, but we cannot insult our ancestors' Ming Festival!"
"..."
Reluctantly finding an excuse to comfort themselves, the wealthy old man was in a state of disillusionment. He only felt that the future was bleak and that the exquisite wine in the glass had lost its taste.
At this time.
The tavern door curtain was raised, and a figure came in, wearing a bamboo hat and a raincoat.
Bai Shiyu quickly stepped forward to greet him: "This guest officer, do you want to stay in the hotel?"
"Is there room No. 1 in Tianzi?"
"Our small business only has single rooms and upper rooms."
"Come to a room."
The visitor took off his coir raincoat and bamboo hat, stretched his hand to the door and shook it gently. In an instant, all the water droplets dispersed.
"Please!"
Bai Shiyu bowed and led the way to the east corner room on the second floor, where he made a pot of Dahongpao at the guest's request.
First floor.
Yang Chong clicked his tongue and marveled, that man was so handsome.
Chen Jiye nodded and said: "Such a wealthy man from the world wears a coir raincoat and a bamboo hat in an ancient style. I will have the opportunity to get to know him and form a good relationship in the future!"
"It's not ordinary."
Lu Bo's eyes flickered, and he had a vague guess in his heart. In the past six months, he had been tracking the remnants of the Red Alliance. Based on the intricate connections between the millennium-old families, it seemed that the master of the Tongquan Mansion in Jiangnan was nicknamed "Coirin Clothes Guest".
After a while.
Another guest came in, and it turned out to be a Taoist priest who told fortunes, holding a long banner that said "The descendant of Kunlun, the iron mouth cuts straight."
"Boy, do you have Room No. 1?"
There was a tavern that was bustling with business and bustling with people, but no one noticed anything strange about the guests.
Only Lu Bo observed carefully in secret and found that there were especially many people coming to stay in the hotel today, including those who were good at martial arts and those who were elegant, ranging from those wearing long gowns to those wearing linen shorts, from all walks of life.
Lu Bo listened with his ears pricked up, and he quickly found the pattern as he matured with age.
"Tian Zi No. 1 must be a secret message. It is likely that the remnants of the Red Alliance are gathering here!"
"The imperial court wants the remnants of the Red Alliance and has offered a huge reward. If you can take this opportunity to perform meritorious service, you will definitely be promoted to a higher position. The Lu family may be able to take this opportunity to get out of trouble, and it is possible to go further!"
Lu Bo quietly glanced at Shopkeeper Sun, who seemed to be reading the story leisurely, not caring about anything.
"The waiter must be related to the Red Alliance. By analogy, maybe Shopkeeper Sun...wouldn't it be too risky to rashly provoke such a strong man?"
"No matter how I try to hide it, if the Lu family gets benefits afterwards, they will definitely be retaliated by the remnants of the Red Alliance!"
Lu Bo hesitated for a moment, looked at the time on his gold pocket watch, and told a few old friends that they had something to do and left temporarily.
After going out and boarding the carriage, urging the groom to return home quickly, Lubo had made up his mind. Instead of watching the family decline, it was better to take a risk.
"What's more, there is a master worshiping me in the palace. Even if I give up some of my family wealth, I can still invite him to protect me for a while!"
At this moment.
There was a sigh in my ears.
"Pindao and your family have a long history, it's a pity, it's a pity..."
Lu Bo's heart beat violently, like boiling water, and there was no breath anymore.
－－－－－－Digression－－－－－
I will get over this section as soon as possible and cut out a lot of characters and plots...
