Chapter 2801: No Food in the Granary, Corvée Labor Has Not yet Ended

Chu Xianglong's face was livid, and he was furious. He stood up suddenly and punched Xu Zisheng. The white air waves rolled and spread outward. A strong wind blew in the imperial study room, causing the tables and chairs to tilt around and the clothes to rustle. .

"You are so presumptuous that you dare to use force in the royal study, and you offend the power of God. This is an inexcusable crime!"

Xu Zisheng's clothes were fluttering, his black hair was flying, his expression was majestic and terrifying, his red lips moved slightly, and he shouted loudly.

A powerful and majestic aura of righteousness surged out of Xu Zisheng's body, and the white aura shrouded the imperial study room. It was upright and majestic, repelling everything, and irresistible. It directly suppressed Chu Longxiang's qi, and his fist became weak and weak. No threat.

Xu Zisheng raised his arm high, swung it down again, and slapped Chu Xianglong hard on the face. Chu Xianglong stumbled and fell to the ground again.

Xu Zisheng took a step forward and stood in front of Chu Xianglong. He was condescending, his eyes were indifferent and full of coldness, and he said in a deep voice.

"Even if a scholar can only talk, you can't compete with him!"

"Things like ants dare to show off their power in front of me!"

Chu Xianglong's face was full of disbelief. He was a fourth-grade martial artist with great strength, but he was knocked to the ground again effortlessly by Xu Zisheng. The arrogance in his heart was instantly shattered, and he no longer had the arrogance he had just now.

Emperor Yuan Jing raised his hand to stop Xu Zisheng from continuing to attack, and said to smooth things over.

"I know the bravery and loyalty of King Zhenbei. Xu Aiqing, you are serious!"

"Chu Xianglong, please get up. I ask you, how is the war in the north now?"

Chu Xianglong got up in embarrassment, glared at Xu Zisheng hatefully, then clasped his fists in salute and reported to Emperor Yuan Jing.

"The prince is like a god with his troops, and his bravery is unparalleled. After several defeats, those barbarians did not dare to confront our army. They could only rely on the speed of the cavalry to plunder everywhere. Although our army had the advantage, it was exhausted. Please give your Majesty the military pay and food, so that the soldiers know that the imperial court has not forgotten their merits. "

Wang Wenzhen, the chief assistant, frowned. After the imperial censor impeached King Zhenbei for not leaving the city, the battle report from the north indeed said that King Zhenbei had repeatedly won battles, and the barbarian invasion of the border had been effectively contained.

"Your Majesty, the King of Zhenbei is loyal and hard-working, and the court should not hold him back. Your Majesty, transporting grain service is a strategy that has the best of both worlds. If the military pay cannot be paid, it may cause a mutiny in the army. A small loss will result in a big loss. Even if there is something wrong with this strategy We should talk about it later. The most urgent task is to transport grain, grass and military pay to the north!"

"What Ai Qing said is reasonable. It really shouldn't delay the war in the north. Although there are things wrong with transporting grain, it should not be done at the expense of small things. It is a good idea at this time!"

"What do you think, dear friends?"

Emperor Yuan Jing bypassed Wang Wenzhen, Xu Zisheng and Wei Yuan, and looked at the ministers of the six ministries and the heads of each yamen. His tendency was already very obvious, and he was in favor of the grain transport service.

All the ministers are smart people. They have instincts to observe what is happening and to see the wind. Wherever they may object, they all express their approval. Even Wang Wenzhen’s party members winked at Wang Wenzhen, the chief minister, and asked him to tell him carefully how much his majesty trusts the king of Zhenbei. , it was obvious to all in the court, otherwise, King Zhenbei would not have been given the sword of Zhenbei.

Wang Wenzhen was silent, pondering in her heart, wondering whether she should continue to stop the grain transporters, with a look of confusion and hesitation on her face.

Seeing this, Xu Zisheng felt angry, took a step forward, and said to Emperor Yuan Jing.

"Your Majesty, I object. The grain transport service will cause endless harm. If we really do this, the world will be full of smoke and chaos!"

Xu Zisheng was very resolute and refused to give in. He stared at Emperor Yuan Jing and expressed his opposition.

"A light rain brought new flowers, and a thunder startled the insects. The Tian family was free for a few days, and farming started from then on. All the young men were in the wild, and the fields and gardens were taken care of. When I returned, I saw Chang Yan, drinking the water from the calf west stream. The hungry people do not suffer from the ointment. It is a joy to have money. There is no storage in the warehouse, and the laborers are still busy. Those who are ashamed and do not work will have food and money."

"You are rich and well-off, and the people are rich and anointed. It is easy for the people below to bully you, but it is hard for God to bully you!"

As soon as this poem came out, Wang Wenzhen's expression moved slightly, and she secretly felt ashamed in her heart. Her steps moved slightly, and she was about to express her objection again.

However, Emperor Yuan Jing waved his hand to stop Wang Wenzhen's move, looked at Wei Yuan who did not speak, and asked.

"Wei Aiqing, you are a master of the art of war in this world. You should understand the urgency of war. What do you think of this matter?"

The elegant and handsome Wei Yuan took a step forward, bowed and said loudly.

"When there is no war, military households can be self-sufficient by cultivating military fields. Once the war starts, the court must allocate grain, grass and military supplies. This is reasonable."

Xu Zisheng narrowed his eyes and looked at Wei Yuan deeply.

When Chu Xianglong heard this, he showed a proud smile and glanced disdainfully at Xu Zisheng. In terms of war, these scholars who only talk a hundred words are not as good as Wei Yuan's words to ask for food, grass and military pay. His mission of returning to Beijing was half completed.

Xu Zisheng looked at Chu Xianglong who dared to provoke him, with a slightly cold look on his face, and raised his hand again, frightening the other party to take two steps back. It was obvious that he had a psychological shadow from the beating he had just received.

Xu Zisheng then showed a contemptuous smile, spat at Chu Xianglong with disdain, and cursed softly.

"An ant defeats a dog, yet you dare to challenge me!"

Chu Xianglong was furious, his face turned red, and he was angry and frightened in his heart. He knew that he was no match for Xu Zisheng, so he could only be helpless and furious.

At this moment, Wei Yuan changed the topic, looked at Emperor Yuan Jing with a heavy face, and said.

"However, before that, I have something to report to Your Majesty."

Everyone looked over following the sound, Wei Yuan's expression remained unchanged and he ignored the gazes of the princes.

Emperor Yuan Jing's eyes moved slightly, his face was calm, and he spoke slowly.

"explain!"

"The Tongluo under my command found a group of Jianghu people fighting to the death on the outskirts of the capital, so he stepped forward to stop them. Who knew that the party with the larger number of people not only did not stop, but instead beheaded the people who surrounded and killed them and fled."

Wei Yuan's words were loud and clear, as if the truth of the matter was what he said.

"Before he died, the deceased shouted that there was a change in the north."

After hearing Wei Yuan's words, the faces of all the princes present, including Emperor Yuan Jing, changed. Chu Xianglong turned his head fiercely, stared at Wei Yuan, and then looked away again. He did not dare to offend the world's number one general, so he argued with his neck stiffened.

"There are natural changes in the north. Barbarians are plundering everywhere and provoking wars..."

Wei Yuan's face was calm, his eyes were gentle, and he said in a deep voice.

"So the barbarians were massacred for three thousand miles in the north, and General Chu could just stop them by burning, killing, and looting?"

This sentence shocked everyone present. Emperor Yuan Jing even stood up from his chair, stared straight at Wei Yuan in the hall, and asked in a deep voice.

"Wei Yuan, please explain clearly, what is the Blood Massacre of Three Thousand Miles?!"

Seeing this, Chu Xianglong struck hard, quickly bowed and clasped his fists, and defended.

"Your Majesty, it's absolutely nothing!"

"you shut up!"

Emperor Yuan Jing raised his hand to interrupt, glanced at him coldly, turned to Wei Yuan, and asked again.

"What credentials do you have?"

Wei Yuan reached into his arms, took out a sachet, and untied the red rope. A stream of green smoke emerged, twisting in the air and transforming into a man with a blurred face and dull eyes.

"Three thousand miles of bloody massacre, three thousand miles of bloody massacre, please send troops to attack!"

This soul seemed to be unconscious and incomplete, with only one sentence coming and going in his mouth.

"This person's body has been brought here. It's just outside the palace gate. Your Majesty can send someone to do an autopsy. This person is from the North!"

There was silence in the imperial study room. Emperor Yuan Jing stood up slowly, his face was as gloomy as water, and he said coldly.

"Autopsy!"

The old eunuch lowered his head and hurried back to deliver the order, as if he was running away without even daring to breathe.

Emperor Yuan Jing sat high on the dragon's throne, with a gloomy look on his face and did not say a word. The princes below silently exchanged glances. Chu Xianglong also looked livid and stared at Wei Yuan out of the corner of his eye. After waiting for an excruciating quarter of an hour, the old eunuch returned and whispered in Emperor Yuan Jing's ear.

Emperor Yuan Jing was silent for a long time, his face was extremely deep, and he said slowly.

"I ordered the Warlock Si Tianjian to enter the palace to ask questions. I am tired. My dear friends, please go to the side hall to rest for a while."

Emperor Yuan Jing stared at Chu Xianglong and said in a deep voice.

"You stay here."

After saying that, Emperor Yuan Jing stood up first and left the imperial study. The princes, led by the eunuchs, went to the side hall to rest.

…

In the side hall.

Xu Zisheng held the tea, took a sip, looked sideways at the expressionless Wei Yuan, and said.

"Three Thousand Miles of Blood Massacre. If this is true, how many people will die in the north? There are secrets in the watchman's office. Why haven't you received any news?"

"Moreover, was the bloody massacre of three thousand miles really the work of the northern barbarians?"

Wei Yuan's expression changed when he heard this, his eyes widened, and he looked at Xu Zisheng in disbelief. What did he mean by this? Could it be that the King of Zhenbei did this?

Chief Assistant Wang Wenzhen squinted at the side and listened quietly to the discussion between the two. She tapped her fingers on the table and paused unnaturally when she heard Xu Zisheng's words. She didn't know what she was thinking in her heart.

After two sticks of incense, the old eunuch entered the side hall and said respectfully.

"Your Majesty, please return to the imperial study."

The white-clothed warlock summoned by Si Tianjian questioned Chu Xianglong. The answer was as expected, and everything Chu Xianglong said was true. The King of Zhenbei defeated the barbarians in the north, but the guerrilla tactics of the northern barbarians did bring huge trouble to the King of Zhenbei, which exhausted the northern frontier army. The barbarian army was blocked from the border, and the bloody massacre of three thousand miles was natural It no longer exists.

In the imperial study room, the atmosphere suddenly relaxed, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief, except Xu Zisheng.

"snort!"

"I don't know where Duke Wei got the news. His Majesty and other princes almost misunderstood the prince. The general thought, the prince did not offend Duke Wei."

Chu Xianglong was unreasonable, glared at Wei Yuan, and said angrily.

Wei Yuan ignored him, stepped out and said loudly.

"This matter is of great concern. Chu Xianglong may not be lying, but it does not mean that the situation in the north is what he said."

Chu Xianglong raised his eyebrows and was about to retort when he saw Wang Wenzhen, the chief assistant, come out to agree.

"Your Majesty, I also think that Wei Gong's words are reasonable. The matter is of great importance and cannot be ignored. A thorough investigation must be carried out."

Both the chief assistant Wang Wenzhen and Wei Yuan knew in their hearts that they were frightened by Xu Zisheng's words. When they asked Chu Xianglong just now, they only asked about the war and situation in the north and whether King Zhenbei had won the battle, but they did not ask. Whether the bloody massacre of three thousand miles was committed by King Zhenbei cannot be asked face to face.

Seeing Wang Wenzhen and Wei Yuan's persistence, Emperor Yuan Jing pondered for a moment, nodded, agreed with their opinions, and asked in a deep voice.

"Dear ladies, how do you think this matter should be investigated?"

"Your Majesty can continue to collect food and military pay and transport it to Chuzhou. At the same time, he will send a team of imperial envoys to accompany him to the north to thoroughly investigate the case."

As the head of the hundred officials, the Chief Assistant Wang Wenzhen took the lead in speaking up and gave suggestions, followed closely by Wei Yuan in agreement.

Xu Zisheng frowned. Now the situation was clear. It was difficult to stop the grain transport. He remained silent and turned away. He ignored the gazes of Emperor Yuan Jing and the ministers. Out of sight, out of mind. Since he could not stop it, why should he stay any longer?

Emperor Yuan Jing withdrew his gaze from Xu Zisheng's departing back, glanced at the ministers, and nodded.

"Let's do it."

Outside the gate of the imperial city, Li Miaozhen, who was wearing a Taoist robe, was stopped by the imperial guards. She was not anxious or annoyed. She turned around and walked back for a while, then patted her back, and with a clang, the flying sword came out of the sheath. Seeing this, the imperial guards not far away thought that Li Miaozhen was going to force her way into the imperial city. They were horrified and drew their weapons.

Li Miaozhen jumped onto the sword ridge gracefully, and the flying sword took her up and froze at a height of twenty feet. At this height, Lingbao Temple in the distance could be seen.

The imperial guards on the top of the city drew their bowstrings, turned their crossbows and cannons, and aimed at Li Miaozhen. As long as the commander gave an order, thousands of arrows would be fired at once. The captain of the imperial guards did not order an attack. He narrowed his eyes and looked at Li Miaozhen, and an idea suddenly flashed in his mind.

"A Taoist robe, a woman, wants to enter the imperial city. Could it be Li Miaozhen, the saint of the Tianzong? One of the protagonists of the battle between heaven and man?"

If Li Miaozhen insisted on flying a sword into the imperial city, then what awaited her must be the counterattack of the masters of the imperial army and the night watchmen. She also knew that she was locked in, but it was not a big problem. She had no intention of forcing her way into the imperial city.

Li Miaozhen stared at the Lingbao Temple in the distance, her breath sinking into her dantian, her voice clear and passionate.

"Li Miaozhen, a disciple of the Tianzong, came here on the orders of her master to discuss the Dao with the disciples of the Renzong. The time and address will be determined by the Renzong."

The voice was extremely penetrating, not deafening, but it spread far away, and it could be heard clearly inside and outside the imperial city. At this moment, all the dignitaries, royal family members, and government officials living in the imperial city heard the declaration of war issued by Li Miaozhen.

As soon as the voice fell, a voice came from Lingbao Temple, cold and pleasant, like a gurgling stream, clear and pure.

"Three days later, at 3:00 a.m., on the bank of the Wei River in the suburbs of Beijing, Chu Yuanzhen, a registered disciple of the Renzong, will go to fight."

Xu Zisheng put down the scroll in his hand, looked up at the void, his eyes seemed to penetrate the barrier of the wall, and saw Li Miaozhen outside the imperial city. With a bit of amusement on his face, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, he said with a smile.

"Interesting, the Saint of the Tianzong is so reckless, completely different from the way of Tai Shang Wangqing, and somewhat similar to a warrior!"

"Three days later, at 3:00 a.m., on the bank of the Wei River in the suburbs of Beijing, I want to see the means of the Taoist sect, I hope I won't be disappointed!"

Li Miaozhen came to the capital and dueled with Chu Yuanzhen, a disciple of the Renzong, on the bank of the Wei River three days later. The news spread like wildfire, and in just half a day, it almost spread throughout the entire capital. The first to be excited were those people in the martial arts world who had heard the news and entered the capital early. They had waited for a whole month, and finally waited for the battle between heaven and man, and waited for the duel between the most outstanding disciples of the Taoist sect Renzong and Tianzong.

Lingbao Temple, a quiet courtyard. Emperor Yuan Jing stood with his hands behind his back, standing by the pool, staring at the stunning Taoist nun who was sitting cross-legged above the pool with her eyes closed in meditation.

"National Master, after this battle, in as short as three months or as long as a year, the Taoist leader of Tianzong will enter the capital. By then, the National Master will be in danger."

The Taoist leader of Tianzong is the number one person in Taoism, a first-grade land immortal, far from being defeated by the current second-grade Luo Yuheng.

Emperor Yuan Jing had a complicated expression, sighed, and said helplessly.

"The Supervisor will most likely not intervene in this matter."

If the Supervisor of the Sitianjian could protect him, coupled with Luo Yuheng's second-grade tribulation strength, it would be more than enough to deal with a Taoist leader of Tianzong.

Of course, this is a luxury. First-class masters will hardly fight without special reasons.

Moreover, the Sitianjianjian is indifferent to the Renzong, and it is unlikely to expect him to fight against the Tianzong Daoist.

"If the national teacher cannot enter the first rank, even if Chu Yuanzhen defeats Li Miaozhen, it will not mean much."

There is a rule between the Tianren Sect. Before the Daoist fights, the disciples of the two sects will compete. The loser must give the opponent three moves when the real battle between heaven and man.

Luo Yuheng is only at the second rank of the realm of calamity, and the difference in strength with the Tianzong Daoist is too great. Even if Chu Yuanzhen wins, she will still lose in the end.

"Is there any way to postpone this battle between heaven and man?"

Emperor Yuan Jing frowned. He did not say to stop the battle between heaven and man because it was unrealistic. Even if he is the emperor, he cannot influence the battle between the Tianzong and the Renzong Daoist tradition. The first-rank land immortal has a transcendent status and will not pay attention to this secular emperor.

Luo Yuheng opened his eyes, his eyes flashed with intelligence, his face was calm, and he said lightly.

"Just don't tell the winner."

Emperor Yuan Jing realized this sentence, shook his head, and said helplessly.

"It's too difficult to tell the winner, unless Li Miaozhen agrees!"

Luo Yuheng pondered for a moment, remembered the information that Taoist Jinlian told her that day, and said hesitantly.

"In fact, there is another person who can protect me!"

Emperor Yuan Jing was shocked when he heard this, his face changed, and he looked at Luo Yuheng with burning eyes, and asked anxiously.

"Who is it? Is there another first-class master in Dafeng?"

Luo Yuheng remained silent and closed her eyes again. Xu Zisheng's cultivation was still a secret. If she told Emperor Yuan Jing, she would really offend this Confucian sage, and she would never think that he would protect her.

Three days passed in a flash, and the width of the Wei River was twenty feet wide. During the flood season, the width of the river surface would even rise to thirty feet. At this time, the banks of the Wei River were full of people, including people from the underworld with swords and knives on their backs, and ordinary people from the capital who came out to watch the excitement. There were also idle playboys in the capital, officials who asked for leave to watch the battle between heaven and man, and nobles and other aristocrats. These people brought dozens of guards and cleared the field rudely, occupying a place alone.

Two golden nanmu carriages, escorted by eight golden gongs, more than a dozen silver gongs and more than thirty bronze gongs, arrived here. Princess Huaiqing and Princess Lin'an walked out of the carriages, attracting countless people's attention.

"Our two princesses of Dafeng are such beautiful women, are they married? Who is their husband?"

"I heard that Princess Huaiqing has been married to Xu Zisheng, the Marquis of Yong'an!"

"But the former top scholar should have a son like Xu Zisheng, a talented man and a beautiful woman, which makes people envious!"

Xu Zisheng was in the crowd, wearing a white Confucian shirt, elegant and handsome, with a gentle look. He glanced at Princess Huaiqing but did not go forward to say hello.