At three o'clock in the morning, Guo Rong, who was dispatching troops on the Huaihe River warship, learned the news of the surrender of Zhu Yuan and others from the arriving Luo Xiaoyao. He was very happy and immediately ordered Li Chong, who was attacking from the front, to extend the front line.
The 10,000 soldiers and horses of the Great Zhou Dynasty who originally attacked the first to fourth camps of the Tang Army were divided into 5,000 troops to attack the fifth and sixth camps. At the same time, Wang Huan was ordered to lead the water division to run eastward along the current. The attack from the waterway was blocked in Zijin.
The Navy of the Southern Tang Dynasty on the river in Shandong.
After making arrangements to attack the Tang army camp in Zijin Mountain, Guo Rong led five hundred guards, Wu Wangbo, Luo Xiaoyao and others from the north bank to Zhang Yongde's camp in Xiacai by land, and ordered Ling Sa to go to Xiacai on the river.
Undercurrent iron cables were installed to facilitate the passage of Wang Huan's navy.
At three o'clock, there was a sudden sound of killing in the north of Zijin Mountain. The Tang soldiers were caught off guard and were defeated. They fled eastward towards the river with flames blazing into the sky. When some of the defeated soldiers fled to the warships stationed on the river,
, but the Great Zhou navy led by Wang Huan came along the river.
Although there were still 5,000 elite Tang soldiers and naval forces on the river, the morale of the troops was in chaos, and the defeated troops were rushing to get on the boats. King Li Jingda of Qi was unable to form a formation to resist Wang Huan's navy, and he quickly led the navy to
Fleeed to Haozhou.
Guo Rong personally led 3,000 soldiers and horses in pursuit along the north bank, killing the Tang soldiers who fled to the mainland. After pursuing them for nearly 200 miles, he withdrew his troops and ordered them to return to Xia Cai.
Guo Rong led his troops back to the camp at three o'clock in the morning. It was already dawn, but he saw Zhao Kuangyin with bloodstains on his armor and Gao Huaide standing in front of the tent waiting for him. Guo Rong laughed heartily and said, "My dear friends, what's the harvest?"
?Ha ha……"
Gao Huaide glanced at Zhao Kuangyin and responded: "A total of nearly 20,000 enemies were wiped out. In addition to the 15,000 surrendered by Zhu Yuan and his troops, there were more than 7,000 surrendered troops. Tang general Xu Wenzhen was captured alive.
pick……"
"Okay, okay..." Guo Rong looked at Zhao Kuangyin with great joy, "Zhao Aiqing...why is her face so expressionless?"
Zhao Kuangyin suddenly knelt down on one knee, "Mr. Zhao and Elder Fu..."
Before Zhao Kuangyin finished speaking, Wu Wangbo asked anxiously: "What happened to Yinshan and the others?"
"Mr. Zhao and the others...they were shot to death."
"What?" Guo Rong took a step back in shock.
When Luo Xiaoyao saw Zhao Kuangyin without Zhao Yinshan and Elder Fu accompanying him, he already felt that something was not good. Due to Guo Rong's presence, he did not ask about the whereabouts of Zhao Yinshan and others first. Hearing the words was like thunder.
I was stunned for a moment.
After a few breaths, Wu Wangbo, who was just recovering from the shock, said in a deep voice: "How did Yinshan and the others die...Does General Zhao know?"
"After the last general led his troops to capture the fifth camp of the Tang Army, when he was leading his troops to attack the sixth camp from the plank road, hidden arrows suddenly shot out from the woods on the mountainside and attacked Elder Fu. When Elder Fu raised his sword to split the hidden arrows,
, the last general saw that his figure was shaken back, and when he couldn't stop himself and knocked down the two camp guards behind him, he saw another flying arrow follow closely and shoot at him."
"But at that time, Mr. Zhao behind the general jumped up and blocked it with his sword. Unexpectedly, the flying arrow was so powerful that it knocked Mr. Zhao's body in mid-air into the general. The general was injured.
I couldn't help myself and fell into the woods below the plank road. At that time, I only heard two screams piercing the air, and then I saw Elder Fu also falling down, but he was already shot through the heart..."
"The general thought that the coming person was powerful, so he quickly called for the soldiers to protect Mr. Zhao. At that time, he heard several consecutive sounds breaking through the air... When the general jumped onto the plank road, he saw a sharp arrow coming from the retreating Mr. Zhao.
The body... was pierced through, and the other two elders were also killed by arrows."
Everyone was shocked and speechless. After a long time, Guo Rong, who looked pale, said in a deep voice: "What happened next?"
"After Mr. Zhao fell, there were no more hidden arrows in the mountains and forests. At that time, the ministers had no intention of attacking the Tang soldiers, and ordered the Shenhu camp guards to go into the forest to round up the murderer, but no trace of the murderer could be found...
…”
Wu Wangbo said: "Where are the remains of Nayinshan and the others?"
"Standing at Shenhu Camp..."
Hearing this, Guo Rong and Wu Wangbo looked at each other without saying a word, and then led everyone on horseback to camp in Shouzhou City.
After checking the bodies of Zhao Yinshan and Elder Fu, Wu Wangbo called Luo Xiaoyao aside and said: "Xiaoyao, you, Mu Yun, and Wanzhen rush back to the island and tell you about this matter.
Master... asked him to come to the Shouzhou Military Camp."
"Disciple, I obey." Luo Xiaoyao didn't dare to waste a moment. Hearing the words, he immediately took Xiao Muyun with him, and Lin Wanzhen rushed to Moforget Island.
………
Three days later at Shenshi, there were eight people standing on the bank of the Huaihe River north of Zijin Mountain. They were Chu Nanfeng and his wife, Mingwu, Wu Wangbo and Hua Qianxing who came with Luo Xiaoyao and the others.
Chu Nanfeng looked at the messy valley in front of him and said to Wu Wangbo: "The disciple was careless. The disciple thought that the death of the three elders Liu and the others was caused by the masters of the Southern Tang Army... But Xiaoyao found out from Lei Jiao's mouth
Judging from the news that Elder Fu, Yinshan and others were killed here, the murderer should have come specifically to assassinate the elders of Tongbao Pavilion, not Jungui."
"Then who are the murderers? Is it Zhiku and the others? If it is them... what is their purpose? They dared to show up and use the 'Destiny' to hurt Han Shui. Why didn't they dare to directly kill the elders in Kaifeng?"
Hua Qianxing said doubtfully: "Even though the elders are numerous and powerful, only five of them, including Elder Fu, Elder Liu, and Elder Tang, are in the Xiaocheng realm of Baodan, and the remaining ten are at most in the realm of Divine Mind, at the foot of Mingqiao Mountain...
With the golden bodies of Zhiku and Zhiguang, we can deal with them."
"And Zhiku and the others are mainly looking for guardians. Killing the elders is of no use to them and will alarm us." Wu Wangbo continued: "Not many people know that the elders came to the Shouzhou military camp.
And it was only a temporary decision that Yinshan and Elder Fu guarded Zhao Kuangyin. How could the murderer know about it and hide in the forest at that time to kill him with an arrow..."
"My disciple originally had suspicions that someone in the Zhou Dynasty was connected with Zhiku. Now it seems that is the case."
While everyone was looking at each other, Chu Nanfeng said again: "And this person knows that Tongbao Pavilion not only supports Jungui with huge sums of money, but also makes the elders secretly protect Jungui... He has evil intentions, and that is to make Zhiku and the others...
Killing the people in Tongbao Pavilion, and precisely because of this, Zhiku accidentally found Hanshui..."
Luo Xiaoyao learned from Lei Jiao that Shen Liancheng was also secretly searching for the murderer of the three elders Liu. Although he also guessed that the murderer came from Tongbao Pavilion, after hearing what Chu Nanfeng said, he also felt the same in his heart.
Very shocked.
"In order not to attract our attention, we took advantage of the battle between the two armies, mixed in with the rebel army, and shot the elders with hidden arrows, so that we could not find out their origins from martial arts. The purpose was to frame the Southern Tang Dynasty...
…And if Xiaoyao hadn’t met Lei Jiao, I’m afraid we would have gone to the Southern Tang Army to look for him.”
Chu Nanfeng paused for a moment, pondered for a moment, and looked at Luo Xiaoyao, "Did you tell outsiders what Lei Jiao said...?"
"Except for the two masters, Master Jiang, Master Zhao and Elder Fu, only the disciple and two junior sisters know about it."
Wu Wangbo hesitated for a moment and said, "Nanfeng thinks there is a traitor in the Shouzhou army?"
"Elder Liu, Elder Fu and Junior Brother Yinshan appeared in the army and participated in the battle, but they could not hide their traces. If they were suspected, the tens of thousands of Zhou soldiers and horses besieging Shouzhou might be... But the people behind the scenes are definitely
Not in the Shouzhou military camp." Chu Nanfeng said.
"After Qiu Bai went to Moforget Island, the disciples agreed to let the elders come to the Shouzhou camp to help. At that time, the people behind the scenes knew that the elders would come to Shouzhou..."
Wu Wangbo was shocked for a moment. "So, isn't this person an important minister on your side... someone who can discuss military and political affairs?"
"This person's status must be high, but he is not necessarily someone who can participate in the march and formation..." Chu Nanfeng shook his head, "Besides, you are noble, there is no need for Qiu Bai to tell the army about the elders accompanying the army.
middle."
When Luo Xiaoyao heard this, he thought, "Master, are you saying that there is a hidden thread behind Zhiku and the others in the Shenhu camp?"
"That's right." Chu Nanfeng nodded and said: "The elders agreed to serve you after your father tried their best to persuade you, but they were all unwilling to join the army. They only served as worshipers of the Shenhu Camp and hid in other courtyards to protect you secretly.
expensive."
"This time the elders were invited to help the Shouzhou army... few outsiders knew about it, but the Shenhu Camp Guards must have known about it. There were only more than 300 people in the Shenhu Camp Guards. Since the dissolution of Tongbao Pavilion, the number of personnel and
With the addition of academy students, there are now more than 1,300 people..."
Chu Nanfeng paused for a moment, but looked solemn, "I just secretly asked Junior Brother Qiu Bai that there are a thousand people coming to the Shouzhou camp with Zhao Kuangyin this time, and most of them are the former Tongbao Pavilion Archer Guards..."
Hua Qianxing was shocked and said: "Nanfeng, are you saying that there is someone in the Shenhu Camp Guard who is being bribed by Zhiku and the others?"
"When it is possible." Chu Nanfeng nodded and looked at Luo Xiaoyao, "You said that General Zhao asked...your Uncle Zhao and Elder Fu to protect Jungui?"
"Exactly, it's just that Uncle Master and the others were worried that there was a master in the Tang Bing army who would be detrimental to General Zhao, so they decided to stay with Elder Fu and protect him..." Luo Xiaoyao nodded.
"Nanfeng thinks Zhao Kuangyin is suspicious?" Wu Wangbo's eyes flashed.
Chu Nanfeng pondered for a long time, and then he said: "When I took my sister back to the academy, I met him in Xizhou. However, I saw that he was full of passion and wanted to make the people live in peace and happiness... and I heard that Qiu Bai had
It is said that during the great battle of Gaoping, he took the lead and charged into the battle to protect you, so I thought he was definitely an evildoer."
Wu Wangbo hesitated for a moment, "This matter is of great importance. You must be on guard against Nanfeng!"
Chu Nanfeng nodded, "The disciples will explain to Qiu Bai privately... let him secretly investigate all the Shenhu camp guards who are accompanying the army this time."
Hua Qianxing wondered: "In this battle with the Southern Tang Dynasty, nearly 200 Shenhu camp guards were martyred, and there were more than 800 people... How could Qiu Bai find out?"
Wu Wangbo continued: "We should select a group of calm people from the Shenhu Camp Guards who are academy students, such as Yan Qiu, Shaowen and others... and ask them to assist Qiu Bai."
"The students have a very close relationship with Junior Brother Yinshan, but knowing that Junior Brother Yinshan died due to betrayal by someone in the Shenhu Camp Guards, they may not be able to hold back their emotions, and they are inexperienced, so they should not tell them. This matter must be adjusted to Lingxiu
The arrow guards in the village asked them to join the Shenhu Camp to secretly assist Qiu Bai..."
Chu Nanfeng paused for a moment, then looked at Wu Wangbo with a look of guilt on his face: "Now that Junior Brother Yinshan is in trouble, how am I going to explain to his family..."
Wu and Hua looked at each other, sighing in their hearts. Wu Wangbo said quietly for a moment: "This may be doomed, Nanfeng, you don't have to blame yourself... Jungui, he still has military matters, but there is no such thing."
Maybe when he returns to Beijing, Brother Hua, you can stay with him. I will escort Yinshan's body back to Taibai Academy tomorrow. What do you think of Nanfeng?"
Chu Nanfeng sighed, "That's all we can do now. The disciples will also send the bodies of Elder Fu and others to Kaifeng tomorrow. After making some arrangements with Manager Pei and Elder Tang, they will immediately rush to the academy... to send Junior Brother Yinshan on his last journey.
.”
…
Two days later, Chu Nanfeng, his wife and Luo Xiaoyao, brothers and sisters, came to Kaifeng. Manager Pei knew that Zhao Yinshan, Elder Fu and others were also shot to death with hidden arrows. He was stunned for a moment, "How could there be such a master in the Southern Tang Army? Chu Chu"
Sir, do you know who he is?"
Chu Nanfeng shook his head and said: "It was not enshrined in the Southern Tang Army. Based on Chu's inference, it was done by someone who hurt your pavilion master."
Manager Pei was horrified, "Is it that evil monk named Zhiku?"
Chu Nanfeng nodded, "Or his disciple...and there is something fishy about this matter, and we still need Manager Pei's help."
"Mr. Chu, please give me your orders. Pei will obey everything."
"Chu thought that someone in the Shenhu camp guard revealed to the murderer the whereabouts of Elder Fu and the others...even the location of Lingxiu Village."
"Ah?! Are they the Arrow Guards who joined the camp?" Manager Pei was shocked again, but when he came back to his senses, he asked suspiciously: "It is possible that the whereabouts of the elders of other courtyards are known to them, but those who are in Lingxiu Village
No one will know about the Arrow Guards who were originally affiliated with the branch."
"Master Fang is thinking the same thing, but there is no wall in the world that is impermeable to wind. It seems that some of those arrow guards are aware of it." Chu Nanfeng paused and then said: "There are still a few people in the other courtyard.
An elder?"
"There are also Tang, Lu and other seven elders. They were also going with the army this time. Later, Mr. Jiang said that Mr. Wu and Mr. Hua were accompanying the emperor, so he asked them to stay in Kaifeng... with only two Cha.
The elders in the palace who are on duty to protect the emperor go forward."
Chu Nanfeng nodded, "Manager Pei can send a message to Elder Weng and bring twenty more direct archery guards from Lingxiu Village to Kaifeng to join the Shenhu Camp. Soon my Junior Brother Jiang will let the Shenhu who stay in Kaifeng
The battalion guards will go to the front of the battle...then let the direct arrow guards secretly assist him in searching for clues."
"And the murderer may still be lurking in front of the battle. Let Elder Tang and the others go with the army this time. Elder Weng can accompany them secretly. When the time comes, they will contact me, Master Hua, and Master Mingwu, and use the appearance of Elder Tang and the others to lure the murderer.
Come out and we may be able to capture him by then."
It turned out that when Chu Nanfeng left Shouzhou, he asked Mingwu to stay in the military camp secretly.
"Okay, Mr. Chu, wait a moment, I'll go and do it right away..." Manager Pei stood up immediately.
Chu Nanfeng also stood up and said: "Chu wanted to see how Qingqing and the others were doing with their elixir training...and he rushed to Taibai Mountain. He didn't dare to stay long, so he left."
A group of people arrived at Princess Gaoping's mansion. Chang Qingqing was extremely pleasantly surprised, "I didn't know that Mr. Qingqing would come here, so Qingqing was very frightened."
Chu Nanfeng smiled and said: "Princess Qingqing works hard day and night to refine elixirs, which makes us feel uneasy..."
"Mr. Chu's words are serious. Qingqing feels ashamed that she can't repay Mr. Luo's great kindness, but she hopes that she can contribute a little to Mr. Luo's recovery from his injury."
Chu Nanfeng nodded, "I wonder how the elixir will go now?"
"In three days, we should be able to start the furnace... I just don't know if everything is finished."
Looking at Chang Qingqing who looked ashamed, Chu Nanfeng smiled slightly and said, "This elixir is really difficult to refine. I was overjoyed to be able to refine one pill last month... But I hope the princess and the Taoist priests will decide soon." The elixir of Hui Lu Lu is ready, don’t be in a hurry, don’t be in a hurry.”
After a pause, he looked at Luo Xiaoyao, "My master and your master's wife are going to visit your master's aunt, and then they will rush to Taibai Mountain. You, Mu Yun, and Wan Zhen can stay at the Princess's Mansion and wait for three days. If it’s done, send it to the island as soon as possible to take it with your father.”
Luo Xiaoyao had been in Taibai Academy for ten years and had a deep affection for Zhao Yinshan. Although he wanted to go to Taibai Mountain to see Zhao Yinshan off for the last time, he knew the importance of 'Po Yuan Dan' to Luo Hanshui. Hearing this, he met Xiao and Lin Er At the same time, people held the ceremony and responded: "Disciple, I obey."
Chu Nanfeng and his wife left the princess's mansion and headed for Cheng Zheng's residence.
Mrs. Chu didn't expect that Chu Nanfeng and his wife would come to visit, so she quickly welcomed them into the hall and took their seats. She said with a smile: "You and your wife have martial arts skills and can travel thousands of miles in a day. Sister, I don't have the power to tie a chicken. I want to see But it's not easy for you. Your brother-in-law is busy with court affairs, and after Rou'er got married, it made your sister feel lonely... You will have to stay for a few more days before coming here this time."
Chu Nanfeng smiled bitterly and said: "Before the attack on the Southern Tang Formation, Junior Brother Yinshan was unfortunately killed. My younger brother and Xilan had to rush back to the academy to arrange his funeral arrangements..."
"Ah?!" Mrs. Chu was greatly surprised, "Brothers Yinshan are also very skilled in martial arts. How could something like this happen?"
"Swords are ruthless. Even if you are the best in martial arts in the world and there are thousands of troops and horses fighting...it is still difficult to guard against hidden arrows." Chu Nanfeng sighed inwardly.
"What a pity, Brother Yinshan." Mrs. Chu shook her head and sighed, looking at Chu Nanfeng with concern on her face, "Sister knows that you, like your brother-in-law, have the desire to contribute to the people of the world living and working in peace and contentment. I don’t dare to interfere with your actions. My sister just hopes that you and your wife will be careful in everything... and be safe."
Ma Xilan responded: "Nanfeng and Xilan have written down my sister's instructions. I hope my sister doesn't have to worry."
Mrs. Chu nodded and said with a smile: "My sister, I feel a lot more at ease now that you are by my side to accompany Nanfeng."
Chu Nanfeng smiled slightly, "Rou'er often comes back to visit sister?"
"Rourer is out of filial piety." Madam Chu smiled, "Before the wedding, you came to visit me once every two days..."
Chu Nanfeng and his wife looked at each other and said in unison: "Congratulations, sister."
Mrs. Chu chuckled lightly, "Isn't it the same for you two... you are going to be uncle and great-uncle."
"Where did my brother-in-law go...? It's already Youshi, why haven't you returned home yet?"
"Your brother-in-law is serving as the Minister of Agriculture at the moment. He is going to the south for the expedition. He is asked to assist Mr. Fan, his in-law, in preparing food and fodder at the rear. He is very busy."
It turned out that Guo Rong knew that Cheng Zhengzheng was very capable in planning, so he made him the Minister of Agriculture. During the Southern Expedition, he ordered Cheng Zheng to assist Fan Zhi in preparing military supplies in the rear.
"My brother-in-law was very unsuccessful in the Northern Han Dynasty. Now he is like a fish in water, but he forgets to eat and sleep."
Mrs. Chu smiled and shook her head, "Normally, she would have returned home before three o'clock in the morning. However, because of the fire in the granary in Yimen Mountain, your brother-in-law has been out early and returned late in the past few days. He will not return home until around Xu o'clock."
Chu Nanfeng remembered that Guo Rong had said that Guo Wei's tomb was buried where the Yimen Mountain Granary was. Hearing this, he was shocked, "There was a fire in the Yimen Mountain Granary? When did this happen?"
Mrs. Chu suddenly saw Chu Nanfeng's face changed with surprise, and she was suddenly confused, "There was a fire in the granary two days ago... but what is the relevant matter?"
Chu Nanfeng shook his head, "Will my brother-in-law be in Yimen Mountain now?"
"Yesterday when he came back, he said that... he has been in the Kaifeng government office for the past two days, working with Mr. Pu Wang, the governor's prince, to investigate the cause of the fire in the granary."
Chu Nanfeng and Ma Xilan looked at each other and stood up, "Then my brother and Xilan will go to the government office to find their brother-in-law first. We will talk to my sister later."
Seeing Chu Nanfeng and his wife's solemn expressions, Mrs. Chu guessed that there was something important, so she didn't dare to inquire. She nodded and said, "Brother, please be considerate."
"Nanfeng understands."
…
When Chu Nanfeng and his wife arrived in front of the Kaifeng government office, it was already dark, and they saw four guards standing under the bright lanterns hanging high in front of the eaves of the government office.
"Chu Nanfeng, I have something urgent to ask you to see Mr. Prince Fu Yin. Please inform me."
The four guards saw the extraordinary bearing of Chu Nanfeng and his wife, but they did not dare to be disrespectful. One of the guards nodded, "Please wait a moment..." and turned around to report.
After a while, a surprised Cheng Zheng came out with a thin official in his fifties.
But thinking that the person in front of Cheng Zheng should be Wang Pu, Chu Nanfeng stepped forward: "Chu Nanfeng has met Mr. Fu Yin..."
This Wang Pu was very talented and highly valued by Guo Rong. When Guo Rong was the Jiedushi Envoy of Chanzhou, he was in charge of the Jiedushi Secretary. After Guo Rong ascended the throne, he was promoted all the way and was now the Deputy Privy Envoy.
Also the governor of Kaifeng.
Wang Pu has followed Guo Rong for many years and has heard about Chu Nanfeng's name. He also knows that Guo Rong respects him greatly. When he saw Chu Nanfeng greeting him with a courtesy, he hurriedly returned the greeting and said: "I have admired Mr. Chu's name for a long time, and today I see you.
Wang Pu is very lucky."
After Chu Nanfeng introduced Ma Xilan and met Cheng Zheng, Wang Pu welcomed the couple into the hall. After ordering his servants to serve tea, he said: "I just heard from the soldiers and guards that Mr. Chu has something."
Tell me something important...I wonder what it is?"
Wang Pu knew the relationship between Chu Nanfeng and Cheng Zheng, but he thought that if Chu Nanfeng knew etiquette, he would not be so bold as to say that he wanted to see him. After he sat down, he also asked.
"I just heard my sister say that there was a fire in the Yimen Mountain granary. I wonder if the cause has been found out?"
Wang Pu and Cheng Zheng seemed to have not expected that Chu Nanfeng would come to inquire about this matter, so they both looked surprised. However, they knew that Chu Nanfeng's identity was extraordinary, and when they heard about the fire in the granary, there must be something powerful about him.
, Wang Pu pondered for a while and said: "This fire was caused by someone deliberately setting the fire. According to what the guards said, I guess it was caused by a skilled figure in the world, and it should be done by one person..."
"Oh? But some of the guards saw the person who set the fire?"
"No. I just judged based on the fires that broke out one after another." Wang Pu shook his head and said: "This granary is surrounded by a thick wall that is five feet high and one foot wide. There are guards on the wall, and there are guards on all sides inside the wall.
There are guard houses on each wall."
"There are seventy-two huts in the warehouse, each with five huts, and every six huts are in a row, for a total of twelve rows. They are five feet apart from each other on the left and right, and three feet apart from the front and back. They are six feet apart from the east and west of the surrounding guard houses, and six feet apart from the north and south.