Chapter 9: Blood of the Emerald
How much silver do we still have on us? How many more days can we eat the provisions?
A dozen or so men clad in armor were lying haphazardly inside the temple, resting, their faces reflecting deep fatigue from slumber. A burly middle-aged man, also in armor, sat by the campfire keeping watch, his gaze fixed on the flames, his expression dazed, with a hint of confusion hidden between his brows
For the time being, let us not discuss merits and fate; what Feng Yuan is currently contemplating is how to enhance his strength in this world.
After Feng Yuan整理记忆, he initially thought that there was no extraordinary power in this world. However, upon hearing the mention of the Jianghu, the heroes of the green forest, and the Wushengmen of Shanxi in the conversation between the two, he suddenly realized.
There are also some experts on the Green Forest Path, each possessing unique skills
Rest assured, young prince, Brother Jiang once apprenticed at Wushengmen in Shanxi, mastering the art of swordsmanship. As long as he does not encounter a large group of bandits, these mere vagrants and mountain thieves are not worth mentioning
During the previous breakout, Jiang Yingjie single-handedly killed more than ten elite bandits, leading everyone through numerous obstacles with his sharp swordsmanship. In terms of the finesse of his blade techniques alone, he could even be compared to the four great generals of Feng Yuan in the world of Fengshen.
Currently, the bandits occupy Henan, and heading north would be tantamount to seeking death. The only place we can go now is Jiangnan, preferably to Jinling! However, we are still a thousand miles away from Jinling, and we are bound to encounter refugees and mountain bandits along the way
There is only this little silver left
Especially with more than a dozen guards being strong men, the amount of food consumed will be greater. Once there is a shortage of food, even if Jiang Yingjie possesses exceptional martial skills, it will be of no use.
Now, everyone has gathered together, but it is merely for mutual support in times of need. If danger arises, or if pursued by bandits, no one can guarantee how these individuals will react
By the way, Brother Gu just mentioned that Brother Jiang is apprenticing at Wushengmen in Shanxi. Could it be that Wushengmen is one of the martial arts sects in the jianghu?
This is the fifteenth year of the Chongzhen era of the Ming Dynasty, when the rebel leader Li Zicheng had just achieved a great victory over Ding Qirui and Yang Wenyue at Zhuxian Town. The anti-rebel general Zuo Liangyu fled with his troops, only stopping his frantic escape upon reaching Xiangcheng.
Feng Yuan first glanced at the two of them, then swept his gaze over the more than ten people lying nearby, resting and yet to awaken. Among these individuals, the most loyal were the two guards and family generals beside him
Kaifeng is the fief of the Zhou king, and Feng Yuan's current identity is that of the legitimate grandson of the Zhou king, Zhu Lunsheng
The Divine Sword Immortal Ape Mu Renqing
Once these "Green Forest Heroes" learn of Feng Yuan's identity, they will undoubtedly attempt to rob and kill him
After Feng Yuan became acquainted with the general information of this world, he prepared to lead his people to Jiangnan. At this time, Jiangnan was relatively peaceful, allowing them a temporary refuge.
"Jiang, what region have we arrived at?" Feng Yuan slowed his pace, feeling somewhat fatigued, hungry and thirsty in his stomach, and weak all over, unable to help but frown.
Feng Yuan opened his eyes and let out a quiet sigh; he already had a general understanding of the information regarding this world.
While Feng Yuan and Jiang Yingjie were conversing, a somewhat short and stout man, hearing the commotion, also awakened.
The young prince is correct; Wusheng Sect is the most renowned sect in Shanxi, with disciples spread across various provinces in the north. I am merely a nominal disciple of Wusheng Sect, having learned a set of sword techniques, which hardly qualifies as impressive
The campfire crackled, occasionally emitting a series of popping sounds, accompanied by faint explosions, as a young man lying on the straw gradually became animated with the illustrations in the book.
Oh!
The middle-aged man on night watch heard a noise, turned his head, and saw Feng Yuan awaken, unable to suppress his joy. He was Jiang Yingjie, a family general of the Wang family who had followed Zhu Lun Sheng in breaking through.
If they are unwilling to take the risk of going to Jiangnan, Feng Yuan has no way to help them
Indeed, this is primarily because the generals and warriors in the world of Fengshen mostly possess strength in terms of vitality and power. They practice martial arts focused on battle formations, employing straightforward techniques that emphasize killing rather than intricate finesse
Young Prince, the city of Kaifeng has now been breached by bandits. We would like to know where we should go next, so please make a decision!
This world should have the existence of martial arts and internal energy
They have just broken out from Kaifeng, and the bandits' troops may still be nearby. It is essential to first ascertain their current location.
It now appears that after experiencing this military disaster, the young prince has become much calmer and more composed
Little Prince
Although the young man’s clothing is somewhat tattered, the material and style of the garments are not ordinary. Moreover, when the other ten or so armored soldiers are resting, they instinctively protect him in the center, indicating that the young man holds an extraordinary status
At this time, Feng Yuan's vital energy and blood were depleted, and his body was weak. Before he could resume practicing the Hunyuan Xuangong, the sword techniques he had cultivated could not exert much power. His safety relied entirely on these guards.
Feng Yuan arrived in this world with the purpose of accelerating his growth
I understand! While on the road, everything will be arranged by the two of you
In the eighth year of the Chongzhen era, Li Zicheng gathered the various bandits and highwaymen from the seventy-two camps in Xingyang to hold a conference, to which heroes from the green forest responded in droves. Among these green forest heroes, he gained an extremely high reputation
Jiang Yingjie shook his head slightly and said, "Although I am somewhat skilled with the sword, I am still unable to compare with those bandit leaders who have established their strongholds in the Jianghu. If the young prince decides to go to Jinling, it would be best for us to disguise ourselves and change our clothing and armor to avoid being entangled by those bandits."
According to the information provided by the Great Thousand Mirror, after his true spirit is projected into other worlds, all benefits that can affect himself, such as vitality cultivation and merits, can be brought back to enhance his original body, in addition to material wealth such as gold and silver
Although Jiang Yingjie is a guard of the royal residence, he considers himself a person of the martial world. He pays close attention to news from the martial world, which is why he can speak knowledgeably about the experts in that realm at this moment
Is it good! Becoming the heir of the Marquis of Qingzhou in the world of Fengshen, I never expected to arrive in this realm and still be a prince of a noble family. However, the current situation is a bit tragic!
Currently, Li Zicheng has achieved a great victory over the imperial army in Zhuxian Town, capturing Kaifeng, and his name resonates throughout the world. There are subtle signs of his potential to establish dominance over the realm, and he is increasingly regarded as a model by those bandit leaders.
Feng Yuan pondered for a moment before speaking again to inquire
After Feng Yuan understood the situation, he immediately expressed his stance, which reassured Jiang Yingjie and Gu Rujin significantly. Their greatest fear was that the young prince did not understand the gravity of the matter
After Feng Yuan awakened, Jiang Yingjie and Gu Rujin seemed to have found their anchor, directing all their attention towards him. As the guards and family generals of the royal residence, they had already grown accustomed to following orders
Qi County
Feng Yuan's consciousness gradually awakened, and as he did, fragmented memories surged to the forefront of his mind, continuously impacting his awareness.
After the main force of the Ming army suffered a major defeat, Li Zicheng launched his third attack on Kaifeng, diverting the Yellow River to flood the city. Kaifeng fell, and the Governor of Shaanxi, Fu Zonglong, and Wang Qiaonian were killed in succession
The provisions we have on us are only enough to last for three days; as for the money, we must ask Brother Gu!
Upon hearing this name, Feng Yuan's eyes suddenly narrowed, and he struggled to suppress the震动 in his heart. It turned out that his true spirit projection was indeed in the world of the Green Blood Sword.
Jiang Yingjie possesses exceptional martial skills, which enabled him to break through after killing dozens of bandits. Although his martial arts are commendable, his status is ultimately not high. After Zhu Lunsheng fled in panic and fainted, he found himself unable to make a decision and could only stop at this local temple with the ten or so subordinates he had gathered.
Currently, famine is widespread in Henan, with corpses of the starving found everywhere. After experiencing successive military disasters and floods, countless citizens have become refugees. In such an environment, the most important thing is food
Feng Yuan felt somewhat depressed. According to Zhu Lunsheng's memory, this amount of silver was considered a substantial sum in the north, but in the Jiangnan region, it was hardly enough to sustain more than a dozen of them.
When the city fell, apart from the soldiers defending the city, the first to bear the brunt were the prince and the heir of the Zhou royal family. At the time of the city's breach, in order to preserve his lineage, the King of Zhou ordered the heir and the legitimate grandson of the royal family to lead the royal guards and disperse to break through the siege.
Jiang Yingjie still thought that the young prince was worried about his safety, so he offered a few words of comfort.
Zhulun Sheng's memories are limited to the various information within Kaifeng City. As the legitimate grandson of a Ming dynasty prince, he is unable to leave Kaifeng City and has not gained much experience.
In this environment, this small group of refugees has also gained a respite, temporarily free from concerns about their own safety
Li Zicheng launched three attacks on the city of Feng, while King Zhou provided financial and material support, continuously offering silver and provisions to reward the defending soldiers. The garrison, having received these rewards, experienced a significant boost in morale, which resulted in Li Zicheng's army of one million bandits being unable to capture the city after prolonged assaults. Ultimately, he was forced to dig through the dikes of the Yellow River, using water in place of soldiers, which finally led to the breach of the city.
As scenes of memories flashed before him, Feng Yuan, relying on his extraordinary mental will, began to integrate these memories.
Brother Jiang's martial arts are not impressive in the Jianghu, so to what extent must the experts in the Jianghu be formidable
The truly formidable master in the martial world is none other than the leader of the Huashan Sect, known as the Divine Sword Immortal Ape, Mu Renqing! I have heard people say that this person's swordsmanship is extraordinary, and his martial arts are nearly unmatched in the world!
After conversing with Jiang Yingjie, Feng Yuan learned that Qixian is located southeast of Kaifeng Prefecture, close to the Bian River. This time, the bandits breached the Yellow River dike, causing flooding for hundreds of miles, and the Bian River was also affected. The floodwaters broke through the riverbanks, leaving everywhere covered in sewage and silt. The bandits' cavalry and the majority of their troops were unable to march in such conditions
The man beside him, who was somewhat shorter in stature, was Gu Rujin, the personal bodyguard of Zhu Lunsheng. Gu Rujin was naturally steady and was a native of the Zhou royal residence, demonstrating great loyalty to Zhu Lunsheng, with all valuables entrusted to him.
Rest assured, young prince, we have already arrived near Qixian. There is a great flood behind us blocking the way, making it impossible for the majority of the bandits to pursue us. We only need to be cautious and guard against some refugees.
As for the others, several are guards from the royal residence, and a few are servants of General Chen Yongfu, who escaped together with everyone during the breakout
The sky is dotted with countless stars, and a faint glimmer of starlight illuminates the earth, igniting a spark of brilliance in the night. On the outskirts of an abandoned village, a dilapidated earth temple stands on a hill, where the flicker of a bonfire can be faintly seen within the temple.
"The young prince, I currently possess thirty-seven taels of gold and two hundred thirty taels of silver. All other belongings were lost during the escape!" Gu Rujin said.