Chapter 5, Erlang Shen

In the northern heavy cavalry battle, Wang Gui and his fellow soldiers were all individuals who cherished their horses dearly. Upon hearing this, they were ready to turn hostile, but only Wei Ti remained calm and replied, "Very well, thank you to all the villagers for taking care of our horses." The soldiers had no choice but to hand over the reins to the local farmers who came forward to lead the horses. Yan Silang kept reminding the farmers that his horse had a delicate appetite and must not be allowed to graze on wild grass.

Thus, a robust man guarded Wei Ti, while Chen De and Wang Gui led the way, with eight strong horses galloping steadily westward

Unexpectedly, Chen De then asked: "Since the Western Regions and Khitan have abundant iron, why is it that their armies are still not equipped with hundred-blade swords"

A group of people followed Wang An as he walked out of the encirclement of the village, but Wang An led everyone around the temple, making several turns in the fields, and headed towards a simple, ordinary farmhouse.

As soon as the words were spoken, Wei Ti maintained his usual composure, but Wang An could no longer contain himself and exclaimed: "Master!"

Chen Dechao and Wang Gui looked at each other, only to unexpectedly see a hint of timidity in the other's eyes. The two exchanged glances and simultaneously shouted, raising their horizontal sabers to strike at Wei Ti's chest while stepping forward. The shorter the distance, the greater the danger, both Wang Gui and Chen Dechao thought; as long as they closed in within five feet of Wei Ti, the advantage of their long sabers would be rendered ineffective.

Seeing that Wang Gui had already lost the strength to fight back, Wei Ti turned around to confront Chen De, who was charging at him with a knife. At this moment, with the long blade of the hundred knives exposed, he casually used the end of the three-foot knife handle like a copper hammer to deflect Chen De's horizontal blade, and then, like a windmill, swung the five-foot blade down towards Chen De.

As Wei Ti and others bent down to enter the cottage, they saw a middle-aged man with a simple and honest appearance standing in the courtyard, smiling and saying, "Welcome, esteemed guests from afar." At his feet lay a half-finished tea basket.

Zhang Alang, however, changed his tone and replied: "However, it is difficult for me to take the lead in initiating a rebellion."

Wang An turned around and smiled, saying: "My esteemed fellow villagers, my master only serves as the ritual priest during the sacrificial ceremonies. On ordinary days, he picks tea and cultivates the fields, just like any other farmer." As he spoke, he had already bent down and entered the farmhouse, and shortly thereafter, he came out to invite everyone inside to converse.

Wang Gui, feeling bored every day, would gather the soldiers to spar in the courtyard of the mansion. Wang Gui was originally a fierce general skilled in wielding a spear, but this time he had no suitable weapon, so he fought with a broadsword against everyone. Chen De practiced the eight stances of the broadsword daily, and in addition, he rigorously trained his archery for several days. Relying on his sharpshooter skills, he could shoot accurately with a two-stone hard bow from a distance of 150 paces.

Chen De and Wang Gui did not dare to be negligent and quickly clasped their fists in acknowledgment. Song Wende then went to greet several others, reiterating his instructions once more. Knowing the gravity of their mission, the group no longer laughed and joked as they had at the start; each person meticulously checked their weapons and groomed their warhorses, displaying a tense demeanor typical before a great battle, ready to mount and depart at Wei Ti's command.

Due to Wei Ti's prior instructions, Wang Gui did not dare to make a decision on his own. He turned back to seek guidance from Wei Ti, who instructed Song Wende to take out a black iron plaque and show it to the villagers. Then, with a cupped fist and gentle words, he said: "We are guests of Zhang Qibo, and we have come specifically to pay our respects to him. We hope that the elders will be accommodating and allow us passage"

Wei Di clasped his hands and said: "Wei Di, the commander of the Northern Han Tu Hun army, is on a mission to Shu under the imperial order and has come to pay respects to Zhang Qibo." At the same time, he ordered his subordinates to come forward and pay their respects.

Wei Tieben was originally the most formidable general in the Tuhun army and had maintained a dignified and self-respecting demeanor since assuming the role of commander. He rarely engaged in combat with others, but at this moment, he suddenly felt a surge of interest. He waved his hand to summon his personal sword, the Baidao, and glanced at Chen De, who had been observing the battle from the side. He smiled at both him and Wang Gui, saying: "There is no need to hold back; you two can come at me together"

On that day, Tian Wanggui competed against others and astonishingly won eight consecutive matches. He fought with great enthusiasm, stripping his upper body bare, revealing his sinewy muscles and a body covered in scars from blades and arrows. At this moment, as early winter approached, he had a fierce glint in his eyes, his demeanor resembling that of a ferocious tiger ready to pounce on its prey, and no one dared to challenge him anymore. Just then, Wei Ti, who had been staying in the room, walked by, prompting the soldiers in the mixed army to cheer loudly, with some calling out: "Quick, bring a long knife to Lord Wei, and teach this young man from the Jianxiong Army a lesson."

Since his promotion to commander, Wei Ti had not truly engaged in combat with anyone for a long time. Today, he tested his skills and found that he was still sharp, feeling quite pleased. He laughed and said, "Your skills are quite good, but you were somewhat at a disadvantage with the weapons. Quickly tidy yourselves up and come out with me."

As they set off again, the cavalry had transformed into a formation led by Wang Gui with two riders as the vanguard, with Song Wende and Wei Te in the center, and Chen De leading two riders as the rearguard. Unconsciously, everyone fell silent, with only the horses stepping out a similar rhythm. As they gradually entered the plains, the group of knights inevitably attracted attention. Occasionally encountering small squads of Song soldiers, Wang Gui would display a forged waist token of the Song imperial guards, falsely claiming to be on imperial orders escorting a certain dignitary in disguise into Shu on official business, and these soldiers would no longer inquire further. If a low-ranking soldier, lacking insight, insisted on causing trouble, the only responses he would receive were the horsewhip and the military staff.

This hundred-blade weapon has been a military tool since the Tang Dynasty, strictly prohibited for civilian use. Therefore, Wei Ti disguised himself as a merchant to enter Shu, hiding the hundred-blade he used within a large cart. Chen De had long admired this legendary hundred-blade, and at this moment, he stared at the long knife in Wei Ti's hand as if he were a fan seeing a superstar, looking again and again.

Wang Gui replied irritably: "You also mentioned that it was the previous dynasty. The previous dynasty had tens of thousands of cavalry; do we have that now? In today's chaotic world, forging a hundred blades of iron is enough to create four or five waist knives and dozens of spearheads. If I had a hundred blades, I might as well melt them down."

Chen De felt a sharp, oppressive aura that made it difficult to breathe, which ignited his fierce courage. He threw his knife with his right hand and lunged at Wei Ti, attempting to close in and tackle him to the ground. However, unexpectedly, he was met with a powerful kick from Wei Ti that struck him in the chest, sending him crashing to the ground about three meters away. Just as he was about to get up, Wei Ti, holding the knife as if it were a gun, stood above him, the tip of the three-pronged, double-edged blade pressed firmly against Chen De's forehead

Wang Gui is still confused, while Chen De has already understood most of it. To provoke the unstable factors of enemy nations, it is highly likely that it is related to religious issues. However, does this Guankou Erlang's Qibo really possess such great power? How is it that the future self knows nothing about it?

Thinking about the possibility that Wei Ti might lose control of the blade, Chen De felt as if his brain would splatter on the ground. After Wei Ti sheathed his sword, cold sweat continued to flow uncontrollably down Chen De's forehead. Wang Gui, seeing his pale face, patted Chen De on the shoulder and said, "Lord Wei's Hundred Blades Technique is unparalleled in the army; being defeated by him is nothing to be ashamed of." Chen De raised his head to look at him, and the two shared a moment of mutual understanding and comfort.

Seeing Wang Gui and Wei Ti smoothly carrying out their work behind enemy lines, Chen De could not help but feel suspicious. The historians of the Song Dynasty described the Northern Han, Later Shu, and other separatist regimes in a very unfavorable light. However, judging by the expressions of the common people who had been forced to flee into the mountains, filled with resentment towards the Song army, it was evident that they deeply missed the previous dynasty and regarded the Song troops as invaders

The deeper one goes into the land of Shu, the more one observes the extreme poverty of the Shu people. Emaciated beggars are seen everywhere, and in villages located a short distance from towns, some village women are found to be wearing nothing but a tattered piece of cloth around their lower bodies. Upon seeing a passerby from afar, they would crouch down among the crops in the fields to hide. Even so, it is still common to witness Song soldiers raiding the countryside. At this time, the weapons of the local populace in Shu have long been confiscated, allowing just three or five Song soldiers to rampage through the villages without restraint.

Song Wende observed the expressions of the two men and inwardly sighed: "Wang Gui is indeed one of the few outstanding talents in the Northern Han army, yet he still does not understand. Chen De has already shown insight into the subtleties, no wonder General Wei has taken a particular interest in nurturing him." With this thought, he could not help but feel a twinge of jealousy. Suddenly recalling General Wei's instructions, Song Wende continued: "General Wei asked me to remind you both that the people of Shu hold their deities in high regard. When we enter the territory of the Guankou Erlang Temple, regardless of what we encounter, everyone must refrain from speaking recklessly. We must strictly follow General Wei's orders. I will be accompanying and protecting General Wei. I would appreciate it, General Wang, if you could keep Bai Yanzan and Pan Jiu in check, and Chen Dalang, please manage Yan Silang and Xin Gu." After finishing, he clasped his hands in salute and added: "If this matter is successful, our entry into Shu will be deemed a success. I entrust this to you both on behalf of General Wei."

Wang Gui muttered, "Could it be that he has gone to some mountain stronghold to negotiate with the chieftain again?" He was a seasoned general in the Jianxiong army. If it were not for Yang Ye's close friendship with Wei Ti, and seeing the elite troops of the Tuhun army scattered and lacking support for Wei Ti's southern expedition, he was temporarily reassigned from the Tuhun army to carry out this mission. As for those mountain kings wielding bamboo poles as spears, he didn't even spare them a glance.

Since witnessing the unstoppable might of the Mo Dao, Chen De has been left with a significant question in his mind. He asked Wang Gui: "Had it not been for the opportunity to see the true form of this divine weapon under Lord Wei, I would hardly recognize what a hundred blades are. Why is it that such divine and sharp weapons have fallen into obscurity in recent times"

Wei Ti had the upper hand and did not yield. He took a large step with his left foot, withdrawing his right hand from the hilt of the knife, and brought the five-foot-long blade down upon Chen De's head. Chen De found himself unable to defend and could only retreat violently. At that moment, Wang Gui had already rushed forward to launch a strong attack from the side of Wei Ti. However, unexpectedly, Wei Ti's knife shifted slightly, and a swirl of snow-like light swept toward Wang Gui like a whirlwind. Wang Gui's expression changed dramatically; disregarding the horizontal knife in his hand that was knocked away by a hundred strikes, he rolled to the side and managed to stand up after a considerable distance, albeit in a disheveled manner.

The resistance of the Shu people against the Song soldiers was pervasive. Under the guidance of Wang Gui, Wei Ti and his group had visited five or six mountain strongholds from Xingyuan Prefecture to Lizhou, leaving behind a pair of gold ingots at each stronghold as a deposit for the Han emperor's purchase of tea and Shu brocade. Additionally, they gifted each stronghold two warhorses and a fine iron sword. Most of these Shu people had taken to the mountains as bandits due to the brutality of the Song army, and many were local gentry before turning to banditry. They warmly received the envoys from Northern Han, who were also victims of the Song army's invasion. In the eyes of the Shu people, who had been quite prosperous not long ago, gold ingots were not particularly rare; what was truly valuable were the strong horses and fine iron swords from the north. This made the mountain kings, who had lived under the siege of the Song army for years, feel invigorated. They pounded their chests, declaring that even if they had only half a life left, they would protect the brocade and tea of Shu and escort them to Northern Han. Some chieftains waved their snowflake-patterned fine iron swords, making a clattering sound, as if they were about to lead their men down the mountain to fight the Song soldiers to the death.

People in this era still regard the Southwest as a place of pestilence and barbarism. Moreover, the destination of this journey is a mysterious religious leader. Thinking of the various strange and supernatural legends heard about this region in the past, one cannot help but feel anxious. Only Chen De has been pondering what kind of person this Qi Bo truly is. The Song people have gone to great lengths to pacify Shu; how could they possibly tolerate the existence of such a force within their territory

Wang Gui then grinned and said, "That treasured sword of Lord Wei is priceless; do you think just anyone can carry one for you to see?" Noticing that Chen De seemed extremely depressed, he continued, "This treasured sword is something I am seeing for the first time as well, let alone you." In the military, seniority is of utmost importance. Although Wei Ti placed Chen De's status on par with Wang Gui's, Wang Gui, being an old soldier and a general under Yang Ye, spoke with a certain pride.

He glanced at the black iron plaque handed over by Song Wende, nodded slightly, and then walked directly to Wei Ti's horse, cupping his fists and saying: "Wang An respectfully welcomes the esteemed guest on behalf of my master." Wei Ti and the others also dismounted to return the greeting

Chen De exclaimed: "The armies of the former dynasty in Anxi and Heshuo clearly made extensive use of the hundred knives; why is it that nowadays they are so rarely seen?"

A group of cavalry traveled for two hours, and Wei Ti ordered them to stop and rest in a grove. Each person had a flatbread filled with jerky, and the horses were given some feed. Taking advantage of the time to recuperate the horses, Song Wende gathered Wang Gui and Chen De together and said to them: "Do you two know the purpose of our journey?"

At this time, the northern region was already barren, while the climate in Shu was warm, still lush and green everywhere. The fields along the roads had not yet been harvested, and as far as the eye could see, the rolling waves of green were unceasing. Mulberry trees were planted on both sides of the fields, and this scene of comfort and abundance caused the once tense nerves of the soldiers to relax. Yan Silang and Xing Gu, having been defeated by Chen De and then rescued and treated by him, were already in complete admiration of him. At this moment, both were assigned to Chen De's command, and they accepted it willingly. Yan Silang, who had a somewhat frivolous nature, could not help but glance around when he saw a fair-skinned village girl picking mulberries among them, and he kept signaling to Chen De and Xing Gu to share in this rare beauty.

Song Wende nodded in satisfaction and said, "Both of you are partially correct. This is the road to Chengdu Prefecture, but we will not be entering the city to find lodging; instead, we are heading to Guankou." He then turned to Wang Gui and said, "General Wei is not taking us to meet King Da, but rather to a force that can stir unrest throughout the entire Shu region."

Once everyone was seated, Zhang Alang said: "Gentlemen, I understand the intentions of your long journey. The previous envoy from the Han dynasty also mentioned that when the Song people attacked the Han, they hoped that the people of Shu would rise in rebellion. " He glanced at his disciple beside him and continued: "You all know that after the Song people subdued Shu, they continued to regard the people of Shu as enemies, exploiting and oppressing us by all means possible, taking away our warm clothing and food to fill the treasury in Kaifeng, seizing our children to satisfy the insatiable desires of the powerful, truly treating us Shu people as if we were pigs and dogs. " At this point, his tone was filled with extreme sorrow and indignation, and suddenly, with a loud bang, the seemingly gentle and polite Wang An slammed his fist on the low table.

Song Wende clasped his hands in return and smiled, saying: "There is no need for such formalities, Chen Dalang."

Chen De felt a wave of discomfort. In order to integrate into this group, he became quite familiar with military men like Wang Gui, which made joking around with them effortless. He could only clasp his hands and say, "Brother Wang, I seek your guidance."

Chen De was in a daze, when suddenly a flash of inspiration struck him: "Isn't this the road to Chengdu Prefecture?"

Seeing the two with even more confused expressions, Song Wende stepped forward and lowered his voice, saying: "The person we are to pay a visit to is the chief priest Guankou Erlang, known as Qi Bo. It is said that this individual has hundreds of thousands of followers, and countless people from Shu look up to him. Even the ruler of Shu, the Meng family, regards him as a national teacher and does not dare to treat him with any disrespect"

Chen Deqi said, "Could it be that Zhang Qibo does not reside within the temple?"

Wang An further stated: "According to the temple regulations, unless it is livestock for sacrificial offerings, no animals should approach. Otherwise, it may disturb the deity Er Lang at the entrance. The horses ridden by the esteemed guests who have traveled from afar may be temporarily kept at the local farmers' homes."

Seeing Chen De in a fluster as he struggled to grasp the reins while on horseback, even Song Wende, who was well-mannered, had to suppress a smile. He turned to Wang Gui and said: "Chen Dalang is a person of intention; General Wang should not underestimate him."

Seeing his serious expression, Wang Gui also nodded in agreement

These villagers merely came spontaneously to prevent outsiders from approaching the Erlang Temple, having never seen the iron token of Qibo. Meanwhile, nearby villagers heard the news and insisted on not allowing anyone to pass. At the same time, a few agile villagers ran out to find someone from the Erlang Temple in Guankou to verify the token.

Wei Ti held his fists together and said: "The local villagers are blessed by the protection of Erlang Shen, which is their fortune. We are all hardened warriors forged in the heat of battle; even if we were to be ground to dust against the Song state, we must ensure that the officials of the Central Plains take heed of our strength!"

At this moment, Wei Ti stood leisurely in the courtyard, propping himself up with one hand on the three-foot-long hilt of his sword. The six-foot-long blade, except for about one foot near the hilt which was unsharpened and adorned with exquisite cloud patterns, had the remaining five feet sharpened on both sides, the edges glinting with a cold light

Zhang Alang glared at him and said to Wei Ti: "The Han state has resisted the Central Plains for decades, and we all admire that. However, the elders in Shu have not been accustomed to warfare for many years. If we hastily assemble them to fight against the invading wolves and tigers, it would be no different from leading them to their deaths. Six years ago, when General Quan rebelled, I also led thousands of strong villagers to participate. At first, we indeed caught the Song army off guard and achieved several consecutive victories. However, once the Song army stabilized their formation and regarded us as a serious threat, it was nothing short of a one-sided massacre."

Each time a batch of horses was delivered to the righteous army in Shu, the number of foot soldiers in Wei Ti's troop increased by one batch. After traveling from Lizhou to Langzhou, only over twenty horses and two large carts remained, as most of the finances had been settled with the various local chieftains along the crucial passes of Sichuan and Shaanxi. Upon reaching Langzhou, Wei Ti sought out a secluded farmhouse outside the city to stay in. The owner of this residence seemed to be an undercover agent of the Northern Han Kingdom hidden within the borders of Shu, and he treated Wei Ti and his companions with great hospitality.

Wang Gui noticed that he was quite persistent in his questioning and laughed while scolding, "Are you foolish? The hundred-blade is a weapon for infantry to defeat cavalry. The Western Regions and Khitan do not lack good horses, so why would they spend a lot of money to manufacture hundred-blades for the infantry? When the enemy cavalry attacks, we just need to mobilize the cavalry to charge forward." After saying this, he struck Chen De's horse sharply with a whip, causing the horse to let out a long neigh and run away.

Zhang Qibo repeatedly waved his hands and said, "This is not appropriate. Zhang Alang is merely a humble tea vendor at the foot of Qingcheng Mountain and does not deserve such grand courtesy from all the generals." Meanwhile, he instructed Wang An to bring in a few more long benches from the inner room so that everyone could sit down one by one

The villagers gathered in increasing numbers; some were loudly debating whether to allow the horses and men to pass, while others, who had not seen each other for a long time, leaned on their hoes and chatted. There were also wives bringing their babies to find their husbands, and children crying uncontrollably. Moreover, these people spoke in the local dialect, creating a commotion that made Wang Gui and the other soldiers feel as if they were amidst tens of thousands of ducks, unable to contain their anger. However, upon seeing Wei Ti leisurely gazing at the scenery, they forced themselves to suppress their rising fury. The children cried uncontrollably, and these people spoke in the local dialect, creating a commotion that made Wang Gui and the other soldiers feel as if they were amidst tens of thousands of ducks, unable to contain their anger. However, upon seeing Wei Ti leisurely gazing at the scenery, they forced themselves to suppress their rising fury

Wang Gui turned his head and looked at Chen De as if he were a monster, saying: "I thought you knew everything, but it turns out you don't even understand this kind of thing. If you want me to teach you, it's not difficult; just call me 'big brother' a couple of times for me to hear."

Although the Baidao is incredibly powerful, its blade is excessively long and narrow. The iron used to make the Baidao cannot be ordinary; only the finest Bintie comes from the Western Regions and Khitan. Currently, the Central Plains are weak, so naturally, we cannot expect them to tribute Bintie for sword-making. Even if we manage to obtain Bintie, it would only be sufficient to produce waist knives and spearheads. The speaker was An Wende, the marquis of Wei Ti, and while the two in front were conversing, his horse had also approached.

Song Wende, already in his thirties, is a trusted general of Wei Ti. He shares a somewhat similar demeanor with Wei Ti, being taciturn yet very friendly towards the soldiers under his command. Although Wei Ti holds Chen Deqing in high regard, within the Tuhun army, he is still considered a subordinate of An Wende. Therefore, despite having a certain closeness to him, it is not as familiar as his relationship with Wang Gui. When he saw Song Wende take the initiative to clarify his doubts, he quickly clasped his hands and said, "I have learned much." Although Wei Ti holds Chen Deqing in high regard, within the Tuhun army, he is still considered a subordinate of An Wende. Therefore, despite having a certain closeness to him, it is not as familiar as his relationship with Wang Gui. When he saw Song Wende take the initiative to clarify his doubts, he quickly clasped his hands and said, "I have learned much."

Unknowingly, the day approaches dusk. In the distance, a grand temple comes into view. Before the mountain gate, the incense smoke fills the air, and two small white mounds, the nature of their contents unknown, gleam with a dazzling light under the sun. As the crowd prepares to spur their horses closer, they are halted by a group of villagers wielding various farming tools.

It seems that this person holds a high reputation among the villagers, Chen De thought to himself, observing this individual. He was tall, with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, wearing a coarse cloth garment that had several large patches, yet it fit him very well, giving off an overall pleasant impression.

Zhang Alang cast a deep glance at Wang An, who was blushing beside him, and sighed: "It is because I handle matters fairly, and I do not take any of the offerings for the worship of Erlang, that the villagers trust me and have appointed me as the chief priest of Erlang God. They believe that Erlang God can bless us with favorable weather year after year, allowing everyone to live in peace. I cannot knowingly lead my trusting villagers to their deaths when I am aware that the path ahead is a dead end." After saying this, he cupped his hands towards Wei Ti and apologetically said: "Zhang Alang is lacking in talent and virtue, causing General Wei to make a trip in vain."

After a while, a young man in plain clothes rushed out from the temple. Upon his arrival, the villagers immediately fell silent, except for a few women who had never seen much of the world, who quietly tugged at their husbands' sleeves and whispered, "Is this the young Wang Qibo who has come?"

Unexpectedly, Wei Ti did not evade or hide. He held the hilt of the knife with his left hand, gripping the area near the guard, while his right hand grasped the unsharpened section of the blade. He swung the knife around as if it were a long staff. As the saying goes, "a sweep with a staff covers a wide area," Wang Gui and Chen De had no choice but to step back simultaneously to barely avoid the sharp five-foot blade