Drive people away?
Li Yan was a little surprised, Yunyang Prefecture had already transferred a lot of them away, and was short of manpower, so they also drove away the remaining disciples...
Could it be that you made some mistake?
Although he felt strange, Li Yan didn't ask any more questions.
After all, the two parties are not familiar with each other, so there is no need to meddle in other people's business.
After City God Temple came out, Sha LiFei shook his head and said, "Obviously we can't get any information here, so it's better to go to Jianghu Inn."
After that, the two of them wandered along the streets in the city, looking for secret signs and at the same time paying attention to the local customs.
For Lao Jianghu, a lot of information can be analyzed from these seemingly inconspicuous things.
For example, commerce is developed here, and you can see many handicraft workshops along the way. The power of the craftsmen's guild is definitely not small.
It is a little different from Yichang. The city is dominated by Han people. Only a few people wearing Tujia and Miao clothes can be seen occasionally, and they are all people who come from afar to buy and sell supplies.
Because there are tens of thousands of Wu Prefecture Garrison and Wenjin Academy stationed nearby, and the literary style is flourishing, so there are many people wearing military robes and Confucian robes on the street.
Finally, after traveling for half of Hanyang, they found a Jianghu Inn, with auspicious clouds and lotus carved on the pillars and stone seats at the door.
Like Jianghu inns in other places, the lobby was crowded with people, all of whom were ordinary Jianghu guests, including Jianghu artists and ladle-carrying merchants.
It was very lively inside, even a little noisy.
An old man stood in the center of the lobby, his eyebrows were dancing with joy, and he was spitting. "This grand event is rare, and we must meet many masters..."
The waiter in the waiting room also had a white towel draped over his shoulders. He was leaning against the door, listening to the old man's words.
Seeing Li Yan two people approaching, they quickly came to greet them.
Sha LiFei directly made a gesture and said, "Xiangjia (expert), first gnaw your teeth and shower (drink tea), and then listen to the wind (inquire about the news)."
The waiter immediately understood, clasped his fists respectfully, then raised his hand and said, "Two guests, please come in."
After that, he led the two of them to a table in the corner.
Sha LiFei asked in a low voice, "What's going on? It's so lively?"
The waiter in the shop didn't hide anything, and said with a smile, "You two are strangers, I'm afraid you just came to Hanyang. After a while, it will be Dragon Boat Festival, and many colleagues from Ezhou are rushing here."
"Royal Palace of Wu Prefecture wants to hire some expert guards, so he takes advantage of the opportunity to hold a Martial Arts Tournament event, which will be jointly organized by Divine Fist Society from the three cities. The rewards are very generous, and I'm afraid it will attract a lot of people."
"That's Master Feng who is Storytelling School talking about Dagu Shu. He had a great time drinking today and is chatting about this matter."
"Oh? That's a coincidence..."
Li Yan became interested as soon as he heard it. He ordered a pot of "Jade Leaf Everlasting Spring" and ordered four kinds of refreshments: candied fruit, peanuts, perilla paste, and snowflake cake. He sat down and listened quietly.
"As the saying goes, if you learn martial arts well, you can sell it to the emperor's family..."
The Storytelling School old man was talking happily. He suddenly took out the fan from the back of his neck, unfolded it with a splash, fanned twice, and then continued:
"Jianghu is not a good bowl of rice. The world is a bit chaotic now. If you can live in the palace, it will be a good place, and it will have many conveniences."
"Therefore, Martial World nearby will almost always send top disciples. These people are rarely seen on weekdays, let alone come together to compete. Don't miss the opportunity."
"If you can enter the palace, why suffer in the wind and rain?"
"Senior Feng Aren't you kidding!"
A salesman said happily, "Our little fist and kick skills can only be used for self-defense. If we fight with Martial World and those people, aren't we asking for trouble?"
"Why don't you tell me what masters there are? Then we can go and open our eyes!"
"That's right, Senior Feng is knowledgeable, tell us about it!"
"Waiter, give Senior Feng another pot of good tea!"
The onlookers immediately booed.
This old man Storytelling School also went crazy on his own. Seeing the crowd cheering him, he became even more interested. He closed his fan and slapped it on his hand.
Like a wake-up call, the lobby suddenly became quiet.
Storytelling School The old man then said leisurely, "The wharf in Wuchang, Hanyang, is a treasure land. It connects the north and the south and connects nine provinces. Martial World It is naturally extremely prosperous."
"Let's talk about our local Ezhou, there are Hong Fist, Kong Fist, Yue Family Fist, Yu Fist, which have been passed down for a long time and have many practitioners."
"Hong Fist originated from Grand Ancestor in the Song Dynasty. It is known as 'Thirty-Two Hands to Secure the World'. It is fierce and powerful, opening and closing, and wins with strength. Cheng Bai Shan of the Cheng Martial Hall is at its peak. I heard that it is about to enter Transformed Strength. If nothing happens, I will personally take action..."
"Kong Fist and Confucianism have an irreversible relationship. They are good at hardness and softness. They can both overcome hardness with hardness and soften hardness with softness. Those who take part in the battle should be some of the Wenjin Academy's nursing staff..."
"Yue Family Fist is of course needless to mention. It is probably Lei Po Shan from the Lei family. He has already made a name for himself in the world at a young age..."
"Yu Fist's Bai Brothers Three is a first-class hero on the Yangtze River pier. I will definitely not miss the excitement this time."
"To the south, there are Ganzhou and Xiangzhou, Martial World, Ying Fist, Wu Fist, and Xue Fist. They have all been based here for many years, and all have leading experts to fight."
"But the real attraction is the Shaolin, Emei, Wudang, and Qingcheng sects. They might send experts who are good at martial arts to fight."
"It's a pity that due to the war in the southwest, Wudang, Emei and other sects have called their disciples back to the mountains to protect them. I'm afraid this time, the Zen sect will stand out."
Someone asked in confusion, "Speaking of which, they are all top-notch masters in the world. Naturally, they are arrogant. Even if the palace offers a huge reward, they will not compete for that little money, right?"
"Haha, you don't understand this."
Storytelling School The old man stroked his beard and said, "I heard that Royal Palace of Wu Prefecture Young Lord is old. He doesn't like to write or write, but only likes to dance with swords and guns. He is a complete martial arts fanatic with extremely high talent."
"Prince is quite doting on him, and I'm afraid he has the intention of helping him find a master this time. If anyone can occupy Chief in the ring and enter the palace, it will be helpful to the sect behind him in the future."
"Oh, that's it."
When everyone heard this, they suddenly realized.
There was also a man sitting in the crowd, and he said happily, "I don't know about the other people. The secular sects of Wudang will definitely not go. They started internal strife, and their heads were bruised and bloody. They have become a laughing stock on the road."
"This time, I probably won't even dare to show my face."
As soon as these words came out, everyone suddenly looked strange.
"Tsk tsk, I heard it's for a woman?"
"Well, I made the seniors in the sect very angry."
"Still too young..."
The Storytelling School old man didn't say anything and continued to smile:
"Everyone, I heard that the arena will be set up near Guishan, Qingchuan Tower. There will be guards outside to guard it. The number of enterprising places is limited. If you have the ability, please think of a way early."
"I'm afraid it's not easy to do."
"Yes, I heard that E Prefecture Merchant Guild and several Lineage are going there, so I won't let too many people in..."
Everyone was talking a lot, while Li Yan was holding the tea cup thoughtfully.
Sha LiFei took one look and knew what he was thinking, and laughed softly, "What's the matter, Yan XiaoGe, are you interested?"
Li Yan nodded and said, "This opportunity is rare."
"My boxing skills are being perfected and require a lot of practical experience. The prince's reward does not matter, but the opportunity to compete with masters from all walks of life cannot be missed."
"That's easy."
Sha LiFei whispered, "Since the Chamber of Commerce is going, Patriarch Tian will definitely be able to get a quota, just ask him to register for you."
While they were talking, an old man hurried down from upstairs and came to the two of them. He bowed his hands respectfully and said, "But Young Hero Li from Guanzhong?"
Li Yan narrowed his eyes slightly, "Who are you?"
The old man smiled casually, cupped his hands and said, "I, Yuan Si Hai, am the shopkeeper of this Three Yuan Inn, Young Hero Li please move forward and speak."
After that, he took the two of them to the private room upstairs.
Without waiting for the two to ask, the old man made tea himself and explained, "I belong to Gelaohui. Young Hero Li doesn't need to be on guard."
"Your Excellency's destruction of the ghost sect in Yichang has already spread throughout Ezhou. Those ordinary Jianghu people don't know about it, but those who know it respect Young Hero Li very much."
"To be honest, Young Hero Li was spotted as soon as he arrived at the dock. I'm afraid many people in the city already know about it."
Li Yan was a little surprised, "Senior, are you exaggerating?"
The old man sighed, "I'm afraid Young Hero Li doesn't know how famous the Ghost Sect and Heavenly Saint Sect are in the world. It can be said that everyone is afraid of them."
"The young hero has been able to destroy their plots several times and prevent chaos in Ezhou. Not to mention the court, even we have to give him a thumbs up."
As he spoke, he looked worried and asked tentatively, "Young Hero Li's coming to Hanyang is related to the ghost sect?"
Sha LiFei was a little speechless, "We just happened to meet at the right time, so how could we have nothing to do and trouble those people all day long."
"I came to Hanyang this time just to rest and take a look at the Dragon Boat Festival. I just came to ask about the depth of water on the nearby roads."
"Oh, that's good."
Yuan Si Hai breathed a sigh of relief.
Sha LiFei rolled his eyes and said hehe, "Senior, since you said that we are chivalrous and righteous, I wonder if this information can be free?"
"Brother Sha is joking."
Yuan Si Hai shook his head and said, "The rules cannot be broken. Money still has to be earned. At most, I will give you two a discount. I will never dare to ask for random prices."
"That's okay too."
Sha LiFei is no longer entangled.
Yuan Si Hai told the two of them about the situation in the nearby rivers and lakes.
"This place is one of the most important docks in Divine Land. The water in the rivers and lakes is naturally very deep. What Old Man Feng just said about Martial World is just the tip of the iceberg..."
"The Zen sect here is the most powerful, and it is suppressed by masters sent by the ancestral Shaolin Temple. It has an irreconcilable relationship with the royal family, and it also controls Enforcement Hall. It cannot be provoked..."
"Wenjin Academy is the leader of Confucianism in Ezhou. There are many masters. Many important officials in the court are from the academy, and they are even closer to the E Prefecture Merchant Guild. They should not be underestimated either..."
"As for Wudang True Martial Palace, he is relatively weak. There are only some lay disciples here, and with the war in the southwest, he has no time to distract him..."
"There are so many sects left, Raft Sect is the most powerful, and the Zen Sect is suppressing it, so we don't dare to be too presumptuous."
"The craftsman sect in the city is also a big force, but it rarely participates in the disputes between rivers and lakes. It mainly follows E Prefecture Merchant Guild to make money..."
Listening to what the old man said one by one, Li Yan and Sha LiFei finally got some understanding of the Jianghu Road nearby.
Both of them sighed in their hearts.
As Yuan Si Hai said, the water here is very deep.
After talking about it, more than half an hour passed.
Li Yan pondered for a moment and then asked, "To be honest, I have been helping Tian Fengchang and Patriarch Tian deal with things recently, and I found something strange. Have you received any news about it, senior?"
"This..."
Yuan Si Hai hesitated for a moment, "This matter is a bit troublesome. I don't dare to make random guesses. I just heard a few things."
"Some of the warlocks who helped the Tian family do feng shui suddenly left a few days ago, and some were attacked and did not dare to say anything."
"Also, Patriarch Tian is probably not safe in the Chamber of Commerce. E Prefecture Merchant Guild has gained a lot from his recent overseas trips, but his original shares were limited."
"I think someone might be jealous..."
After leaving the inn, Sha LiFei scratched his head and cursed, "I just feel that there is something wrong with this matter, so Patriarch Tian is not honest either!"
Li Yan said thoughtfully, "It doesn't feel like it. Ask Patriarch Tian when we get back. If he intends to hide it, we will leave immediately."
"Let's go, it's probably not safe over there with the Daoist priest."
The two of them rushed back to the Tian Family Mansion without any delay.
Fortunately, Wang Dao Xuan is still at home at the moment and has not gone out to the Tian family's ancestral grave.
When Li Yan entered the door, they found that Wang Dao Xuan was leading a group of servants to pry open the stone steps under the front hall one by one.
They were curious and stayed nearby to check.
"Daoist Master, did you discover something?" Sha LiFei asked.
Wang Dao Xuan shook his head slightly, "It's hard to say now."
The servants were also very skillful. It didn't take long before all the stone steps were lifted up. Everyone was stunned when they saw the scene below.
I saw that the stone steps were neat and uniform on the outside, but inside they were of different lengths and sizes, and the floor tiles were all upturned at both ends, making them look like small coffins.
Li Yan pinched his hands, took a deep breath, shook his head and said, "I can't smell anything. What kind of method is this?"
Wang Dao Xuan also stroked his beard and frowned and said, "Pindao just checked the layout of Tianfu Yangzhai. There are no problems in other places, but this place is a bit awkward."
"This should be a clever Yansheng Curse."
"But if you don't gather Yin Energy, you can cause trouble. This is the first time I've seen you."
"Yansheng Curse..."
Li Yan was thoughtful, turned to the servant and said solemnly, "Go and ask Patriarch Tian to come back. I have something to ask."
The servant knew they were sorcerers and did not dare to say anything more. He hurried out and left on a fast horse.
In less than Three Incense Sticks's time, Patriarch Tian rushed back with sweat all over his head. Seeing the pried open stone steps and coffin-shaped masonry, he was suddenly shocked, "Who... is trying to harm me?"
Although he is not a magician, he has heard many things.
Li Yan didn't hide it and asked directly, "Patriarch Tian, have you ever offended anyone?"
"Also, the warlocks you invited were all attacked. Do you know about this?"
"Ah?!"
Patriarch Tian was obviously a little surprised, "Is there such a thing? I have never heard of it. Those warlocks were invited by friends, and they all left after taking the money."
With that said, he quickly turned around and said, "Quick, go see if Spirit Medium Wang is still at home?"
The Spirit Medium Wang he mentioned lived in Hanyang City. The servant ran out quickly and came back after a while. He cupped his fists and said, "Report to the master, the door of the house is locked. People nearby said that he has been away for half a month."
Patriarch Tian After hearing this, his eyes were filled with uncertainty, and he looked at the coffin masonry on the ground, gritted his teeth and said, "I probably know who it is."
Sha LiFei asked, "Who is it?"
Patriarch Tian said in a deep voice, "The son of the president of the Chamber of Commerce, Wu Jiu Cheng!"