Fu Shifeng

Chapter 293 Jackals are in power

A cannon boat with the flag and emblem of the Zhurong Mansion docked slowly at Lukou garrison. It seemed peaceful and uneventful, but the nearby ships had been pulled far away early, as if they were avoiding ferocious beasts.

Three men stepped on the pedals and came to the case. The first one looked like a scholar, wearing a Confucian crown and white robe, and always smiled. The other two are tall and strong, and the other is short, thin and stooped, but they have a vicious and sinister demeanor, not like a kind person.

"The world is really going downhill. Even people from our Zhu Rong Mansion dare to kill us. It seems that after a few years of peace, our colleagues in the world will no longer take us seriously." The Confucian scholar said with emotion.

The short, thin and hunched little old man laughed and said in Mandarin with a Miao Man accent: "Can a guy like Yuan Tongtian be considered a member of the Zhurong Mansion? Isn't it just that he kowtowed to the master of the mansion a few times and relied on offering slaves? Flattery. He was killed only now, I feel like he died too late."

The white-faced scholar shook his head: "You can't say that. For Zhu Rong Mansion to have the power it has now, people like Yuan Tongtian are indispensable. They work hard in the local area to ensure that Zhu Rong Mansion has a generous income every year. After all, they are in harmony with the government and the people from all walks of life. There is always a waste of money, slaves and maidservants in all transactions.”

The short and thin old man looked at the white-faced scholar with a bit of disdain: "Zhao Pi, you said good things to Yuan Tongtian like this, isn't it because he intercepted a group of female convicts who were sent to Lingnan, and then gave them all to you to enjoy? "

"Mr. Ma, what you said is against your will." The white-faced scholar responded with a smile: "I think when we followed the master of the palace and jointly captured Huaiyu Cave, one third of the hundreds of Miao girls inside were taken away by one person ah!"

The short and thin old man started to tremble and his eyes widened: "When we attacked Huaiyudong, I led so many men to fight desperately. Of course I have to pay them! At my age, how can I have the leisure to play with women like you?"

"That's wrong. Mr. Ma, you are always strong!" Zhao Pi said: "I heard that the person who killed Yuan Tongtian this time was a Han woman. After she is captured, I will hand her over to you, Mr. Ma. how?"

"It depends on what she looks like." Ma Lao became picky: "I don't like thin women. It's best to be a woman who has just given birth. Her breasts are big and swollen, and they feel comfortable to the touch."

Zhao Pi had a smile on his face, but he was disgusted in his heart, secretly cursing that this southern barbarian was uncivilized after all and was no different from an animal.

"Brother Shi, what do you think?" Zhao Pi turned to look at the tall man on the other side. He had a square forehead, a majestic expression, and a heavy breath. His two arms swayed when he walked, making people feel an oppressive aura.

"I'm not interested." The tall man looked at him intently.

Ma Laoyan said: "Shi Pang only focuses on swordsmanship and just wants to fight with masters. He will not waste his time playing with women."

Zhao Ping secretly glanced at the sword on Shi Pang's waist. There were not many people who had Yang Wujiu's personal skills, and it was even rarer to be able to practice the Yanfeng Sword Technique to a high level. This made him feel a little jealous, and he couldn't figure out why the Palace Master Teach the sword skills to this ignorant and clumsy man.

As soon as they arrived at the market town next to Lukou garrison, two people hurriedly came forward to greet them. After saluting, they said: "I have inquired clearly. The woman who killed Yuan Tongtian rented a courtyard in the hotel to house the slaves she rescued. .”

Zhao Pi asked: "Besides that woman, is there anyone else?"

"Yes, there are about ten of them in total, and all of them are skilled in martial arts."

"Can you tell where it comes from?" Zhao Pi asked again.

"I couldn't tell at the moment. Judging from their accents, they should all be from the Central Plains or Guanzhong."

Zhao Pi pondered: "Where did such a group of people come from? It doesn't look like they were enemies in the past."

"No matter who they are, if they are poisoned, they will all fall down!" Ma Lao smiled slyly, and a cobra emerged from his sleeves and circled upwards.

"Courtesy first, then soldiers. I'll go meet them." Zhao Pi arranged: "Brother Shi, you go with me, while Ma Lao keeps an eye on them from the dark and poisons their food and drink."

The soldiers were divided into two groups. Zhao Pi came to the hotel and took the initiative to submit a name card, asking for a meeting.

Qin Wangshu and Zhang Fan took the initiative to come to the hall, and she asked: "Are you from Zhu Rong Mansion?"

Ignoring the obviously hostile tone, Zhao Pi felt that Qin Wangshu had an extraordinary bearing as soon as he saw her. Although she was dressed in fancy clothes and dressed as a warrior, she was obviously a well-educated woman.

Zhao Pi liked this category the most. In several of his private residences, he hid the female relatives of prisoners who were supposed to be sent to Lingnan. This is not just about beauty. He considers himself a scholar and prefers the elegant act of wearing red sleeves to add fragrance. Being too close to a slave with rough hands and feet actually undermines Zhao Pi's expectations of himself.

"I am Zhao Pi, one of the Zhurong family members." Zhao Pi bowed his hands in salute, and there was no hint of trouble on his face: "I haven't asked the young lady for her name yet."

"Qin Wangshu."

Zhao Pi secretly boasted that this name sounded like someone who was proficient in poetry and calligraphy. He continued: "We heard a few days ago that something unexpected happened in the Lukou garrison area, and someone killed Yuan Tongtian, who was in charge here. Although He was incompetent, but he was still a government figure after all, and he was killed by outsiders casually. We brothers will definitely investigate and investigate."

Qin Wangshu stayed in Lukou to garrison these days and did not follow Cheng Sanwu to Wang Qiao Mountain. She personally killed Yuan Tongtian, knowing very well that when the news reached Zhu Rong Mansion, the other party would definitely come to take revenge, but she did not panic in her heart and faced it calmly:

"According to the laws of this dynasty, anyone who sells a good man into slavery will be hanged. I have inquired carefully and found that apart from some rural barbarians, most of the slaves Yuan Tongtian handled were children of ordinary good families.

"With his repeated offenders over the years, he will die hundreds of times. If you want to sue the government, I advise you to think carefully about the consequences of covering up such a serious criminal!"

Zhao Pi was stunned when he heard this. He didn't expect that the other party actually brought out the laws of the imperial court, but he quickly recovered and replied with a smile: "Ms. Qin is from Guanzhong, right? With all due respect, the sale of slaves is not something that happened in Dongting." Enan is not a fatal matter.

"The barbarian chieftains attacked and plundered each other, and the slaves they acquired were either used for themselves or sold to big families. Even the government is doing this business. Are you sure that Madam Qin wants to go to the government to discuss this matter?"

Of course Qin Wangshu would not be so naive as to rely on the government to deal with them. He just sneered and said: "It seems that your Zhu Rong Mansion has always been unscrupulous. No wonder Yuan Tongtian is so rampant."

"Did Yuan Tongtian offend Madam Qin?" Zhao Pi glanced around and saw several other people coming to both sides of the hall, holding various weapons with their hands, looking on guard.

Zhao Pi was well-informed, and he found that Qin Wangshu and his group were not like ordinary people in the world. They did not shout and yell in order to show off their abilities. They were rigorous in doing things, and they really had the style of people in the government.

Although Zhu Rong Mansion has strong strength in Xiaoxiang, the local government will give them a little less favor when facing them, but this does not mean that Zhu Rong Mansion can really ignore the government and do whatever it wants.

In order to maintain this status, Zhu Rong Mansion spends an incredible amount of money every year on its management. Whether a new person comes here to take up a post or a person is promoted to another place, all the welcome and farewell gifts are indispensable.

In fact, the most powerful thing about Palace Master Yang Wujiu is not his martial arts, but his ability to deal with the government. But if someone in the government really wants to cause trouble for the Zhurong Mansion, it will still be difficult to deal with it, and they cannot act based on the temperament of the Jianghu people.

Previously, one of Yuan Tongtian's men rushed to Zhurong Mansion in Hengyang to inform him about the Lukou garrison. Everyone thought that he would randomly send an adopted son with dozens of good soldiers to kill the guy who killed Yuan Tongtian, and then take over the Lukou garrison.

However, the master of the palace, Yang Wujiu, was very cautious and arranged for Zhao Pi and three others to go together. As for Zhao Pi himself, he was responsible for assisting Yang Wu Jiu in dealing with the government in the past. If he takes the lead this time, could it be that the master of the palace has other hidden agendas?

"Offended?" Qin Wangshu looked cold: "It's not just Yuan Tongtian who offended me, your entire Zhu Rong Mansion has offended me."

Zhao Pi raised his eyebrows slightly, but he was not angry. After all, in the years since Yang Wu Jiu became successful and Zhu Rong Mansion continued to grow, he had provoked countless enemies. Some people escaped, found a bigger backer, and came back to avenge themselves. This is nothing unusual for Zhao Pi.

However, these retaliations failed without exception. Some people were even intercepted and killed in the countryside for no reason, and it was not known who took action. Over time, it was rumored in the world that Master Yang was blessed by the great god Zhu Rong, and those who wanted to harm him would suffer first.

Zhao Pi was dubious about this, and was about to ask what old incident it was, when Shi Pang suddenly spoke: "Your surname is Qin? What is the relationship between Qin Xiang of Anxing Village in Jiangling and you?"

When Qin Wangshu heard this, murderous intent immediately appeared on his face, Xuanyin Zhenqi stirred up, and the scabbard on his waist was covered with a thin layer of frost.

"Anxingzhuang?" Zhao Pi followed Yang Wujiu earlier than Shi Pang. He didn't get to participate in some of the big battles in the early years of his career. Looking at it now, Shi Pang should have recognized Qin Wangshu's origins.

However, before he could speak, there was a fight in the backyard. A subordinate came to the front of the hall and whispered to Qin Wangshu: "Someone sneaked into the backyard and tried to poison the food, and we discovered it."

"Got it." Qin Wangshu responded casually and raised his eyes to look at Zhao Pi and others: "It seems that you are still evil and want to play such despicable tricks."

Zhao Pi's face looked a little ugly. Ma Lao was born in Miao Man and knew the secret method of controlling poisonous insects and snakes. In his early years, he relied on Yang Wujiu's help to become the leader of the tribe, and then he followed him wholeheartedly.

Ma Lao's martial arts skills were not bad, and his ability to drive away snakes and apply poison was highly feared by martial arts practitioners. Ordinary people in the world were often brought down by him without making a sound. This was the first time he had seen him detected in the middle of the attack.

"Ms. Qin, the matter has come to this, and I will make it clear to you." Zhao Pi said in a deep voice: "You killed Yuan Tongtian, took away a group of slaves, and greatly damaged the rules and business of my Zhu Rong Mansion. You will have to pay some price. . For the sake of the Jianghu comrades, if you are willing to accompany us back to Hengyang to apologize, we will not embarrass you."

"Have half of the people listened to your rhetoric in the past?" Qin Wangshu drew his sword, and the frosty atmosphere filled the air.

Zhao Pi stopped talking and glanced at Shi Pang. The tall man stepped forward with his sword drawn, and a burst of flaming wind power came out of his body, fighting against the frosty sword intent.

"Yan Feng Sword Technique?" Qin Wangshu was shocked when he saw this.

"Suffer to death!"

Shi Pang didn't waste any time showing off his skills, he flew out and at the same time danced with a blade of light, which he covered his head with.

Qin Wangshu was shocked but not confused. She had practiced sparring with Cheng Sanwu countless times in the past. The principles and various changes of the Yanfeng Sword Technique were not only engraved in her mind, but became instinctive in her body.

There was no need to think about it. The blade of the sword was lifted up, and the biting frost opened a gap in the scorching wind. At the same time, the sword energy stabbed Shi Pang's shoulder. It was so cunning and clever that the opponent had to dodge sideways.

At the same time, Zhang Fan also stopped Zhao Pi, who was trying to encircle and attack him. The two exchanged several moves, and it was difficult to tell the difference for a while.

Zhang Fan himself didn't think there was anything unusual, but Zhao Pi secretly thought something was wrong. None of these people were incompetent and mediocre. With so many masters gathered together, the situation was extremely unfavorable to them.

At this time, the most intense fight in the hall was still between Qin and Shi. The stone sword was swept by the flaming wind, with great momentum. Qin Wangshu, on the other hand, relied on his agile movement to dodge the blade while drawing out his sword. Every time he hit the opponent's sword, he was able to cleverly hit the flaw, which made Shi Pang find it difficult to deal with it.

You came and I traded dozens of moves. Although Shi Pang was not injured yet, he had already learned the opponent's skills. He blocked the throat-sealing sword, took a few steps back and asked in a deep voice: "Do you know the Yanfeng Sword Technique?"

"Do you think this set of sword skills can only be inherited by Zhu Rong Mansion?" Qin Wangshu advanced with his sword.

With a few bangs, a short figure came out of the back hall, shook off the pursuers behind him, and stood side by side with Zhao Pi and others.

"Something's not right, these guys are very skilled in martial arts, they're not ordinary people!" Ma Lao was injured in his arm and looked gloomy.

"Withdraw!" Zhao Pi made a decisive decision. He could no longer handle this trouble. He would rather be reprimanded by the master of the palace after returning than to lose his life here.

The three of them had a tacit understanding. Shi Pang forced Qin Wangshu away with a slash. At the same time, Ma Lao raised his hand and threw his secret poisonous smoke pellet. A large cloud of poisonous smoke immediately filled the hall, leaving Qin Wangshu waiting. The person suffered from choking pain in the mouth and nose, and coughed repeatedly.

This poisonous smoke could not poison anyone to death. The three of them did not dare to stay. They immediately turned and left the hotel. As they rushed out, they were suddenly shocked by a huge shadow and couldn't help but stop.

Looking closely, I saw a burly and majestic man riding a big maroon horse, which seemed like a towering wall, making people breathless.

"Oh? Who are you?" The burly man was playing with a piece of gold full of holes in his hand. His eyes moved to Shi Pang, and he was slightly surprised: "The Yanfeng Sword Technique?"

Shi Pang sensed that the person coming was incredibly powerful, and his intense fear turned into an impulsive move. He fought desperately and furiously, intending to force his way out.

The burly man did not move, still riding on the big maroon horse. His brows moved slightly, and the extreme sharpness invisible to the naked eye came out for no reason. The stone figure was cut into dozens of pieces in mid-air, and his flesh and blood fell to the ground.

"Huh? So many?" The burly man seemed a little dissatisfied, looking at a pile of corpses with smooth cuts on the ground: "Originally, I just wanted to cut off the limbs, but it ended up broken like this. It seems that I still need to work harder."

Seeing Shi Pang being chopped into pieces without any warning, Zhao Pi and Ma Lao were so horrified that their bodies were stained with blood, and they seemed to have forgotten to even escape.

(End of this chapter)