Narration System for the Journey of Martial Arts

Page 90

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Upon hearing Yi Yuchen mention the Carefree King, Yi Jifeng subconsciously clenched his fists. He couldn't help but ask, "Since Grandpa and the Shaolin monk, there shouldn't be anyone in the Central Plains martial arts world that the Carefree King cares about. Why does he still need to come to the Central Plains?"

Yi Yuchen sighed and said, "Have you read the recent imperial gazette?"

Yi Jifeng nodded, and then Yi Yuchen said...

"In the first year of Shaoxing, Qin Hui was promoted by Zhao Gou and appointed as a privy councilor, and later became prime minister. In the second year of Shaoxing, Qin Hui was dismissed by Prime Minister Lü for cultivating his own faction, abusing his power and causing the country's downfall, and negotiating peace with the Jin Dynasty, etc., and was appointed as the supervisor of Taiping Temple in Jiangzhou."

"It is now the fourth year of the Shaoxing era, and the calls for peace in the court are growing louder. Zhao Gou has mentioned Qin Hui three times already. I fear that this prime minister who advocates peace will soon return to the court!"

"Having tasted the poison of power, and then regained it, do you think Qin Hui would let go of this opportunity to return to the court?"

"This...this..." Yi Jifeng didn't know what to say.

Yi Yuchen was not surprised. He smiled and said, "You mean, why did Zhao Gou want to use Qin Hui, who advocated peace talks?"

Yi Jifeng nodded.

Yi Yuchen leaned back and laughed, "Because of the chair under his butt!"

Seeing that Yi Jifeng still didn't understand, he explained...

"After the Jingkang Incident and Zhao Gou's southward migration, the Southern Song Dynasty came into being. But you should know that the two emperors who caused the Jingkang Incident were still alive in the Jurchen territory."

"If we really drive the Jurchens away, or even welcome back those two, then who will sit in that chair? That is the most prestigious chair in the world. Do you think he would be willing to give it up?"

"Whether he gives in or not, once those two return, it will be like having three emperors ruling. Who will listen to them? Before the Jurchens even invade, the court will be in chaos!"

"Now that there is a lot of criticism about the Northern Expedition, he is afraid! He is afraid that if those two are really brought back, what will he do then? Therefore, it is a foregone conclusion that Qin Hui, who advocates peace talks, will take power."

"Once Qin Hui comes to power, it will be inevitable that he will suppress those of us who advocate resistance against the Jin people."

As the saying goes: "The affairs of the martial world are settled in the Jianghu!"

"Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse. In addition, I also took action a few years ago. Mingjian Manor is not a force that ordinary martial arts forces can contend with. If Qin Hui wants to strike at the martial arts world led by Mingjian Manor, who can he rely on?"

"The Carefree Prince!" Yi Jifeng understood. He sat down opposite him, dejected, and said, "But... but how could this happen!"

Yi Yuchen smiled nonchalantly and said...

"This is what is called: your position determines your perspective! For Zhao Gou, only by securing his own position could he talk about anything else."

"Once the pro-war faction is suppressed, Qin Hui's role will be over! At that time, he will be seen as a treacherous villain who bewitches the emperor, betrays the country, and will be dismissed again."

"Zhao Gou will definitely maintain this factional balance until the two people in the hands of the Jurchens are completely dead, and no one will threaten his position."

"Isn't there any other way?" Yi Jifeng couldn't help but ask.

Yi Yuchen said nonchalantly, "Of course there are. For example, if we march into Jurchen territory, and then..."

Yi Yuchen made a throat-slitting gesture, which startled Yi Jifeng.

Yi Yuchen smiled and continued...

"The method is very simple, but who dares to do it? Or rather, who is willing to do it? If you do it, you will be branded as a traitor and be scorned by the world."

"Do you think those civil and military officials in the court are all fools who can't think of this? No, they're just as reluctant to give up their official positions! They don't want their clans to be infamous for eternity!"

"Putting everything else aside, you already know the method! So, are you going to kill those two and then let Mingjian Manor be scorned and hunted down by the martial arts world? Let Mingjian Manor be completely wiped out from the annals of history? Let the ancestors of the Yi family be infamous for ten thousand years?"

Your analysis of the political situation has made Yi Jifeng, who is wholeheartedly fighting against the Jin, question the significance of Mingjian Manor. He is now confused.

Upon seeing the system's narration, Yi Yuchen couldn't help but sigh. It was normal for the young boy to be unable to accept such a thing for a while.

All that could be heard was Yi Jifeng asking unwillingly, "Isn't there any other way?"

Yi Yuchen said calmly...

"Of course there are, but even if there are, they're useless."

"For example, on the way to bring those two back, have the eunuchs around Zhao Gou order their deaths, and then use the power of the eunuchs to order their deaths."

"But eunuchs also have families. No one is born a eunuch; everyone has a family. Who can guarantee that Zhao Gou won't implicate their families to avoid leaks?"

"At that time, any guarantee is meaningless! And eunuchs are the most pragmatic. They are destined to have no offspring, so what they care about most is money and power! They don't even need to think about anything else."

"There's another way: find an orphan, train him to be an assassin, and have him take care of those two on the road!"

"But there is a problem. For the military officers who welcomed back those two, if those two die, it will be a crime that leads to the confiscation of their property and the extermination of their entire clan."

“How could they agree! The life or death of one person is a small matter, but the loss of one’s ancestors is an unforgivable crime! No one dares to bear such a reputation for deceiving the world!”

Yi Jifeng gave a wry smile: "This really is unsolvable!"

Yi Yuchen smiled but didn't speak. He pointed to the manuscript and said...

"You don't need to worry about these things! We can't interfere in the affairs of the imperial court. The only thing we can do is protect Mingjian Manor, unite the martial arts forces, and resist the Jurchen invasion from the south."

"If we can't even protect Mingjian Villa, what's the point of talking about resisting the Jin? No matter what, the spirit of the martial arts world cannot be dampened, otherwise, this nation will truly perish!"

Yi Jifeng nodded without speaking. Yi Yuchen got up, walked over, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "Don't overthink it. These things can't be changed overnight. Strengthen yourself first, then look at other things."

Yi Jifeng nodded, but before he could speak, there was a knock at the door, and Li Tieniu's voice came from outside: "Young Master, Second Young Master, Abbot Liaoyin of Shaolin Temple is here to visit!"

Chapter 183 Shaolin Temple Visits

Yi Jifeng frowned and said, "What is he doing here? We're all smart enough to know about the three villains of Hongze Lake back then. What does he want by coming here now?"

Yi Yuchen patted his shoulder and said nonchalantly, "What's the use of guessing so much? Just go and see for yourself."

As Yi Yuchen and his brother approached the corner of the reception room, they saw a kind-faced old monk with white hair and beard sitting in a guest chair, his eyes closed in meditation. Behind him were two monks dressed in gray robes, their muscles bulging, like guardian deities.

Wearing a white cotton robe embroidered with gold thread, which, combined with his snow-white monk's robe, gave him the appearance of a virtuous monk, however, the prayer beads he was rapidly moving in his hands indicated that his mood was not so calm.

At this moment, outside the living room, a group of servants from Mingjian Manor gathered in the distance, whispering and pointing at the living room. Many of them looked disdainful at the sudden arrival of the Shaolin monks.

Back then, Yi Yuchen encountered the three villains of Hongze Lake outside the city, and then Shaolin's Liaofan and Wutai's Zhishan left in a hurry. Although there was no evidence, people are not stupid. In addition, Shaolin never defended itself in this matter. Since then, Buddhism has been quite ostracized in the martial arts world in the south.

At least in the Taihu Lake and Suzhou-Hangzhou area, Shaolin and Buddhist forces have been marginalized and suppressed by Mingjian Villa, making it difficult for them to move forward. The two sides have not gotten along well over the years.

Therefore, Yi Yun did not come forward to receive him in this situation; moreover, as a master of the same level as the Shaolin monk, he could only endure leaving Liao Yin there.

Yi Yuchen led Yi Jifeng into the living room. Seeing that Yi Jifeng did not rise to greet him, he didn't bother to pay any attention. He sat down at the head of the table and asked indifferently, "I wonder what brings you here, Master?"

Liao Yin opened his eyes, chanted a Buddhist prayer, and then said, "You must be Young Master Yi! This old monk wishes to see Senior Yi Yun."

“Grandfather is old and does not receive guests. Monk, please speak frankly. If it is inconvenient, please leave.” Yi Yuchen did not even lift his eyelids and had already served tea to see the guest off.

"Please, Master!" Yi Jifeng had already stood up to see the guest out.

"You...you yellow-mouthed..." The monk behind Liaoyin stood up angrily, but Liaoyin stopped him before he could finish speaking.

Liao Yin looked up and met Yi Yuchen's eyes; instantly, a sharp, icy sword intent pierced his heart, causing Liao Yin to feel a sharp pain in his chest and spit out a mouthful of blood, which instantly stained his beard and clothes red.

"Master Abbot!" The two guardian deities were shocked and immediately supported him on either side. One of them angrily said, "The Famous Sword Manor actually used underhanded tactics to harm people."

“Famous Sword Manor is not a place where you can act recklessly. For the sake of that old bald monk, I will spare your lives today.” Yi Yuchen put down his teacup with a “clink”.

The two people beside Yin felt a deafening sound rolling in, like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami rumbling. Instantly, their internal organs felt as if they were being ripped apart by knives, and they were all injured by the shock. The two of them couldn't help but groan, and blood trickled from their eardrums and the corners of their mouths.

"Amitabha, benefactor, your martial arts are superb. I have learned a lot from you!" Liao Yin circulated his internal energy for a moment, and whenever he closed his eyes, a pair of cold eyes would involuntarily appear in his mind. The sword intent was like a maggot clinging to his bone, preventing his injuries from healing.

Yi Yuchen smiled dismissively and said, "So if there's anything you want to say, feel free to speak your mind."

"Is this how Mingjian Manor treats its guests?" Liaoyin asked, his eyes half-open.

"When unwelcome guests arrive, a cup of tea is served; Mingjian Manor is truly showing its sincerity," Yi Jifeng snorted.

Liao Yin clasped his hands together and said, "The assassination attempt on Young Master Yi outside the city years ago, Shaolin..."

Yi Yuchen waved his right hand dismissively and said, "Everyone knows who was right and who was wrong back then. There's no need for you, monk, to try to argue with me."

Seeing the disdain, indifference, and scorn in Yi Yuchen's eyes, Liaoyin sighed inwardly. Junior Brother Liaofan had ultimately made a mistake back then.

“Amitabha, since that’s the case, let’s leave this matter aside for now. I’ve come today for another important matter,” Liaoyin said, pressing his palms together and bowing his head.

Both Yi Yuchen, who sat at the head of the table, and Yi Jifeng, who sat beside him, remained silent. Liao Yin, feeling helpless, could only say…

"Some time ago, Brother Tie Zheng from Qingliang Temple on Mount Wutai came from the Western Regions. According to him, the carefree king who occupies the Western Regions intends to go south to the Central Plains."

"It is said that the Prince of Xiaoyao's men have come to the Central Plains to investigate, and one of his three disciples has already quietly entered the pass."

"As for Elder Benefactor Yi Yun and my uncle from this temple, they both had grudges with the Prince of Xiaoyao back then. Therefore, I have come here on the orders of the abbot to inform him."

………………

All Buddhist sects under heaven are one family. For hundreds of years, the Chan (Zen) school of Buddhism in the Central Plains and the Tantric school of Buddhism in the Western Regions have been trying to defeat each other, and therefore have been sending monks to debate the Dharma with each other.

The Shaolin monks learned that the Carefree King was about to head south, but the Holy Monk's martial arts were completely crippled, and Shaolin was powerless to fight against the Carefree King, while your reputation preceded you.

Shaolin Temple intends to use this opportunity to pit Mingjian Villa against Xiaoyao Wang, while Shaolin can reap the benefits.

Upon seeing the system's narration, Yi Yuchen smiled disdainfully and said, "Shaolin is good at scheming. If the Prince of Xiaoyao comes to the south, Mingjian Manor will handle it on its own. There's no need for you to worry."

Liaoyin wanted to offer some explanation, but when she met the boy's cold gaze, it was as if all the darkness in her heart had nowhere to hide. She could only lower her head and remain silent.

Seeing that he had nothing more to say, Yi Yuchen didn't bother to deal with him and stood up, saying, "The gate is right there, monk, please take your leave!"

Liaoyin uttered "Amitabha Buddha" and turned to leave without saying a word. Two Dharma protectors behind him helped him up and followed.

"Big brother..." Yi Jifeng said worriedly.

Yi Yuchen patted his shoulder and laughed...

"Don't be swayed by Liao Yin's words. Have you forgotten what I said before? Before Qin Hui regains his position as prime minister, the Prince of Xiaoyao will not easily go south. After all, he is also afraid of being surrounded and annihilated by a large army."

"Without a reasonable reason, the army at the front is not to be trifled with. So he must have a suitable identity before heading south."

"He knows perfectly well how he beat Grandpa and that old bald monk back then. He wouldn't have come alone without enough cannon fodder and henchmen."

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Liao Yin returned to Qingfeng Temple and told the Holy Monk about his trip to Mingjian Manor. The Holy Monk examined his injuries but was at a loss for what to do, and his wariness of you deepened.

Upon seeing the system's narration, Yi Yuchen finally understood that Yin was actually the other person who raised Zhang Junbao along with Wuchen.

Yi Yuchen muttered to himself...

"Unfortunately, I cannot yet achieve the ability to communicate heart to heart and pass on the sword through the heart. Otherwise, I would like to see if the Holy Monk could break through my casual sword strike."

"Moreover, Zhang Junbao... can communicate with birds and beasts. The more I look at it, the more it seems to be the Bird Taming technique from the Seventy-Two Arts. Otherwise, how high a state of mind would it take to achieve oneness with heaven and earth at all times? That's unrealistic."

"What are you saying, brother?" Yi Jifeng asked.

"It's nothing, go practice your martial arts!" Yi Yuchen patted him and then walked away.

Yi Jifeng couldn't figure it out, so he shook his head. Thinking of the carefree king, he couldn't help but perk up and go to practice his swordsmanship and internal energy.

Chapter 184 A great deal of discussion

Yiyang Inn.

Many martial arts practitioners who frequent the Taihu Lake area have become much quieter recently. The reason is simply because there have been many rumors circulating, supposedly originating from the Famous Sword Manor.

Everyone was just getting by under the noses of the Famous Sword Manor, so it was obviously inappropriate to gossip about these things in front of their master.

But every time we meet an acquaintance, we subconsciously exchange glances...

"Did you hear that?"

"You know too!"

"Everyone in the martial arts world probably knows by now. A friend of mine came back from Sichuan and I heard that they're talking about that... secret there too."

"Hiss... Wasn't this secret supposed to have only been circulating for less than seven days? How come so many people already know about it?"

"To be specific, it should only be six days! As for how I knew? Hehe... Everyone has friends!"

"That's true, once he starts drinking, he loses all self-control! But do you think the legend of the Carefree King is true? Does he really want to re-enter the Central Plains and seize the martial arts manuals?"

"What martial arts manual? I heard it's a treasure hidden by the Shaolin Temple, intended for their resurgence. The treasure map was smuggled out of the pass by a traitor from the Shaolin Temple and fell into the hands of the Carefree King! Everyone knows how rich those bald monks are!"

"That's quite possible, no wonder..."

"No wonder what? What, do you know something?"

"Shh! I only saw it by chance."

"What did you see? Tell me quickly."

“A few days ago, I happened to see Master Liaoyin of Shaolin enter the Famous Sword Manor, but he came out with a sullen face.”

"What does this mean?"