In the Hidden Sword Pavilion of the Daming Palace, a woman in white hurriedly walked into the gate. She removed her bamboo hat and veil from her head, revealing a slightly older face with a very pale complexion. She was none other than Aunt Sun, the protagonist of the Hidden Sword Pavilion.
This was the first time she had used a sword in five years. Unexpectedly, she suffered a second defeat in her life. The first time she was defeated by her senior brother Wang Zhongsi, and the second time she was defeated by her senior brother's apprentice.
She sat in the lobby a little annoyed, panting slightly. After all, she was old and her physical strength was almost exhausted.
At this time, a middle-aged woman hurriedly came over. She was Li Twelve Niang, Gongsun's youngest disciple. She was also the most skilled in martial arts and had acquired the true sword skills.
Not only is she highly skilled in martial arts, but she is also very smart and capable. She is currently the head of the Hidden Sword Pavilion.
Li Twelve Niang saw her master's wrist at a glance and exclaimed: "Master, you are injured!"
"It's just a slight injury to the skin and flesh, but no damage to the muscles or bones. Don't make a fuss. Bring me the medicine and I'll just apply some golden healing medicine."
Li Twelve Niang had just taken a few steps when she suddenly stopped and whispered: "Master, someone is waiting for you!"
"Who's waiting for me?"
"I'm waiting for Auntie!"
Aunt Gongsun stood up quickly and saw a middle-aged man wearing red and yellow uniforms and a gauze hat walking out of the side living room. He was majestic and very impressive. He stood in front of the door and stood tall with his hands behind his back, like a tree.
Standing among tall pines and cypresses, he has an outstanding appearance and a very handsome appearance. The only flaw is that his face has a slightly sickly look.
The middle-aged man is Li Yu, the emperor of the Tang Dynasty. He has been on the throne for eleven years. Although the wars in various parts of the Tang Dynasty have subsided and the national power has begun to gradually recover, it is far from a prosperous age. The Tang Dynasty is actually in a state of military balance.
middle.
The Anshi Rebellion was not wiped out and quelled, but after the death of Shi Siming and his son who wanted to be emperor, many of his generals had no intention of proclaiming emperor and reached a compromise with the court.
The Emperor of the Tang Dynasty granted seven vassal towns in Hebei, Shandong, Jianghuai, and Jingxiang, respectively led by seven people including Tian Chengsi, Li Huaixian, Zhang Zhongzhi, Xue Song, Li Baochen, Hou Xiyi, and Liang Chongyi.
These seven people were all granted the title of county princes, and they were allowed to lead their own armies. Local officials reported to the court and the feudal town at the same time. Local finance and taxation were divided equally with the imperial court in half. The feudal town and county prince could be inherited by the eldest son.
However, the princes of the seven major vassal towns must declare themselves as ministers to the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty and recognize the authority of the imperial court. At the same time, they must surrender to Chang'an.
In the past ten years, the seven major vassal towns have been restless. First of all, they allocate all their fiscal and tax revenue to themselves on the grounds that they lacked financial resources to support the army. They never came to the court, and the court's repeated calls turned a deaf ear.
Secondly, the local officials in the feudal towns were gradually replaced by their own people. They were nominally subordinate to the court, but in fact they were autonomous.
The seven vassal towns were like seven cancers, constantly devouring the body of the Tang Dynasty. Their power continued to expand, and their troops continued to increase. The imperial court was unable to suppress them and had to let them go.
This is still an open vassal town, and there are many ambitious small warlords, such as Tian Shenyu, Li Zhongchen, Zhu Tao, Li Zhengji, Xue Jianxun, Liu Qia and so on.
In addition to the separatist rule of vassal towns, there are also the severe situation on the border and the exclusive power of eunuchs within the imperial court. They hold military power and suppress all civil and military officials. The eunuchs are so powerful that even Prime Minister Yuan Zai has to respectfully address Yu Chaoen when he sees him.
Aweng.
The internal and external troubles of the Tang Dynasty were like three mountains weighing on the emperor Li Yu, making him miserable. The three sons were also worried. In order to compete for the position of the East Palace, they colluded with the three eunuchs, which made him angry and angry.
It's helpless.
The tremendous pressure and heavy court affairs made Li Yu gradually become sickly and weak. Even ordinary palace ladies could see that he was not destined to live a long life.
Aunt Gongsun stepped forward and knelt down, "Gongsun, see your majesty!"
Li Yu quickly asked in vain, "Auntie, please get up. What's going on? Why is Auntie's hand injured?" Li Yu was also surprised.
Aunt Gongsun smiled bitterly, "My nephew stabbed me in the wrist with a sword, and the sword fell to the ground. He still has a conscience and showed mercy to me."
Li Yu was stunned, had Gongsun, the most skilled swordsman in the world, been defeated?
Aunt Gongsun waved her hands and said with a smile: "Your Majesty, there is no need to be alarmed. My martial arts came from my master. I was defeated by my master's swordsmanship. There is no shame in it. It's just that that brat had a better understanding of swords than me, which made me a little frustrated.
But I am very happy that he actually broke my Thousand-Handed Guanyin Sword."
"But Yang Yu is also Mu Zhenren's disciple..."
"Your Majesty, don't mention him. He is far behind Guo Song. Our master's martial arts is not taught by the master, but must be learned by oneself. The nine sword styles are very simple. Every one of my disciples has taught them, and every disciple and grandson has learned them."
They have also learned it, but their martial arts are very different, which is due to their different abilities of understanding."
"Then is there any hope of dragging him into the Hidden Sword Pavilion so that he can be used by me?"
Aunt Gongsun shook her head, "I don't know, Your Majesty, I really can't see through him. He is very independent. Logically speaking, my senior brother is Wang Zhongsi, and the apprentices he taught should also be loyal ministers and good generals, like Li Sheng and Yang Yu.
, they are all loyal to His Majesty.
But Guo Song was different from them. Duan Xiushi retained him in the hope of reusing him, and since he had made such great contributions, he never thought of taking this opportunity to enter an official career."
The first time Li Yu knew the name Guo Song was when it was mentioned in Duan Xiushi's work report to him. In the report, Duan Xiushi described in detail the great achievements of this young man, which left a deep impression on Li Yu.
The second time he saw the name Guo Song was about the war between the Sijie tribe and the Absi tribe. Guo Song once again shined in Li Jinyang's report.
When Aunt Gongsun mentioned that Guo Song was also her nephew and was Wang Zhongsi's apprentice, Li Yu could no longer bear it and decided to take Guo Song as his own.
And tonight, Aunt Gongsun went to test Guo Song's martial arts in person. It was Li Yu's suggestion. Hearing was believing, seeing was believing. Now that Guo Song defeated Aunt Gongsun, Li Yu finally believed that Guo Song was the talent he needed most.
Li Yu was silent for a moment and said: "Perhaps Duan Xiushi's weight is still a little too light for him."
Li Yu smiled at Aunt Gongsun again and said, "Auntie, come with me tomorrow!"
...........
The next morning, Guo Song came to Wubenfang. Although he brought King Deer Antler with him, he actually came to ask for help. Li An clearly dug a hole for himself by asking him to cut King Deer Antler. It was a shame that he still trusted him so much.
He never believed that the appearance of the woman in white outside the inner garden was a coincidence. She was clearly waiting for him, but what she was waiting for him to do, Guo Song was still confused.
When I entered the main gate of the business, I saw Li An coming up to me with a smile on his face, without any trace of shame.
Li An cupped his fists and smiled: "I knew Mr. Guo would not let me down if he took action."
Guo Song said angrily: "I fell into a trap yesterday and was almost stabbed to death with a sword."
"Ah! Could it be that the young master encountered a trap dug for poachers?"
Seeing that he was pretending to be confused, Guo Song felt even more annoyed. He held back his anger and said calmly: "I got the King Deer Antler, but I want to meet the customer who is selling it at a high price!"
Guo Song just came over from the drug store, and he learned that the purchase price of deer antler is based on weight, and has nothing to do with size, and the larger the deer antler, the worse the medicinal properties, but not the top grade. The drug store will only accept deer antler of his size.
After asking for eighty guan, Guo Song realized that the person who spent 3,000 guan to buy deer king antler simply had ulterior motives.
It's most likely Aunt Gongsun. If it's really her, then what does she mean? She dragged her senior brother into trouble, causing him to be hunted everywhere. Is she going to drag herself into trouble again?
Li An nodded, "I understand, I will make arrangements now, please come with me, sir!"
The two came to the inner courtyard of the trading company. In front of a courtyard, they saw two warriors with swords standing in front of the gate like sculptures. Guo Song was startled. The buyer was already waiting for him?
After a while, a middle-aged woman in simple clothes came out, waved her hand and said with a smile: "Mr. Guo, please follow me!"
Guo Song walked into the yard and looked sharply at the middle-aged woman's wrist. Her figure looked a bit like the woman in white last night.
The middle-aged woman said calmly: "The person who fought against the young master last night was my master."
Although Guo Song was mentally prepared, he was still shocked. Aunt Gongsun must be at least seventy years old! Did the woman in white yesterday look like she was seventy years old?
If he hadn't calculated his moves accurately and stabbed her with a backhand sword, he would have been defeated last night.
Guo Song was silent for a moment.
The two came to a room. The middle-aged woman asked Guo Song to wait for a moment. She went in to report. After a while, she came out and said: "Mr. Guo, please come in!"
Guo Song walked into the room and saw a middle-aged man standing in front of the window with his hands behind his hands. He was wearing a light yellow jacket, a gauze hat on his head, and a jade belt around his waist. He was of medium height and had a black beard under his chin. He looked very calm and leisurely.
temperament.
Standing next to the middle-aged man is a pretty-looking woman in palace clothes. She looks like she is in her forties, but if you look closely at her eyebrows, it seems that she is more than that. Her smile is actually very kind and kind, which is something only an elderly woman can have.
smile.
Guo Song immediately understood in his heart that this woman was Gongsun Auntie, who was famous for her swordsmanship in history. The woman in white he met last night was her.
But who is this middle-aged man?
The middle-aged man looked at Guo Song, smiled lightly and said: "The person who wants to buy your deer king antler is me!"
Guo Song was so excited that he knelt down quickly and said, "I don't know you are your Majesty. Please forgive me for being rude!"
It turns out that this middle-aged man is the current emperor Li Yu.
Li Yu asked Guo Song to stand up. He looked at Guo Song and smiled at Gongsun: "Auntie, your nephew has outstanding character!"
Character does not refer to moral character, but to appearance, that is, appearance, figure, and temperament that are outstanding.
Aunt Gongsun smiled and said nothing.
Li Yu laughed at Guo Song again and said: "The white wolf king skin you hunted has been given to Sijie Khan as a national gift, but I also like the white tiger skin you hunted, but why do I think it looks like Beiyuan?"
That white tiger!"
Guo Song was sweating profusely, and he was still holding a king deer antler in his hand! The feeling of being a poacher caught red-handed by his owner was really embarrassing for him.
After a long while, he finally said, "If you are forced by life, you have to do it as a last resort."