Chapter 32: Wu Chuanzong

The Mortal World

The Mortal World

"Thank you for saving my life, benefactor!"

Water Monkey led the boy over. The boy was about to kneel and kowtow, but Water Monkey quickly pulled him up.

Qin Sang glanced around, motioning for Zheng Kun to be vigilant, then led the group of children into the nearby woods.

Qin Sang looked the boy up and down. "What's your name? How old are you?"

"My name is Xiao Liuzi. I'm fifteen this year. I've had no father or mother since I was little, no given name or surname."

"Have you studied?"

"When I was begging, a scholar took me in to stay overnight at his school. I listened to his lessons for three years. After he died, I was thrown out."

"Are you all from the north?"

"Yes, it's dry in the north, so everyone is heading south. Their parents died on the way, and I've been taking them begging."

"You're begging yourself. Why are you willing to take on so many burdens?"

"When the scholar took me in, he told me that saving a life earns a layer of blessings, and you can be reborn into a good family in your next life."

Qin Sang nodded, then glanced outside the woods. "Those people are gone. You should leave too. Don't go north, so you won't run into them again."

"Please, benefactor, take us in!"

Xiao Liuzi plopped down onto his knees. The other children, looking to him for guidance, also dropped to their knees in unison, pleading in chorus.

Qin Sang shook his head. "I can barely feed myself. Why would I take you in?"

Xiao Liuzi remained on his knees. "We can do anything! My younger sister can wash clothes and cook, and we can do manual labor. We just need enough food to eat, and we'll obey your every command!"

Qin Sang chuckled. "Even if I tell you to kill someone, would you do it?"

Xiao Liuzi hesitated for a moment. "Yes, I can! My younger siblings lost their parents and were almost boiled and eaten. If others can kill, so can I."

"How can you accumulate blessings by killing?"

"Then save more lives. If you save more than you kill, you can still accumulate blessings."

Qin Sang and Water Monkey exchanged glances.

Water Monkey pulled Qin Sang aside. "Hall Master, are you really going to take them in?"

Qin Sang mused, "It's also time to start building a killer echelon..."

Ignoring whether Water Monkey understood or not, Qin Sang walked back to Xiao Liuzi and said, "You can follow me, but you must first acknowledge a dead man as your father. His name is Wu Yaba, and his grave is in Zhenshui County. I'll take you there later. You will be called Wu Chuanzong, and you must burn paper offerings for him every year to carry on the Wu family's legacy. Are you willing?"

"Willing!"

Xiao Liuzi was overjoyed. "From now on, I'll be Wu Chuanzong, and my father is Wu Yaba! I have a name now!"

The other children also jumped with joy.

Qin Sang nodded slightly. He didn't care what Old Wu's original surname was; he had promised to find a son for Old Wu, and by having the boy take the Wu surname, it wouldn't be breaking his word.

"Zhang Wenku, take these children, find a place to settle them, let them rest briefly, then immediately inform General Mu of my decision."

"Yes, sir!"

No sooner had Zhang Wenku left with his group than Zheng Kun ran in. "Hall Master, Liu Ji has left the city!"

The main branch of the Liu family was a prominent local clan, possessing land outside the county town. After confirming their identities, Qin Sang and his two companions washed up outside the city, changed out of their refugee clothes, and disguised themselves as Liu family servants to blend into the city. It was already nearly dark.

Liu Ji had acquired his own property, running a business to conceal his activities.

The group quietly arrived at the back courtyard. After confirming they were not being followed, Liu Ji securely closed the double doors and reported the city's situation to Qin Sang.

"Reporting to Hall Master Qin, I have investigated and found that there are currently three key figures in Hening County. The county magistrate is named Li Ji, only twenty-one years old, quite capable, and has won the hearts of the people within two years of taking office. The county's residents call him 'Li Qingtian' (Justice Li). However, this person is a close confidant of the Jiangzhou Prefect. If nothing goes wrong, he will be transferred to a prefecture after his three-year term, with a promising future, making it likely difficult to persuade him to surrender. Since Hening County is a small county with simple affairs, it only has one Registrar, a man surnamed Ma, who is slick and worldly-wise, deferring to Li Ji in everything, and does not need to be prioritized. Lastly, there is a man named Chu Dazhuang. This person is not an official, but he currently commands all the yamen runners and local militia in the county. To breach the city, he must be neutralized, and we must proceed with extreme caution..."

Qin Sang asked curiously, "This Chu Dazhuang isn't an official? How can he command such authority?"

Liu Ji explained, "There are two reasons. First, he has a beautiful younger sister who married Li Ji as a concubine. Second, he is a disciple of Xuanji Temple, having studied under the Head of the Arhat Hall at Xuanji Temple and received his true teachings. His martial arts are extremely formidable, and he is known in the martial world as 'The Brute Monk.' After his sister married Li Ji, The Brute Monk adopted a secular name and came to Hening County with several of his martial brothers. He doesn't even hold the Inspector in high regard. Now that Hening County's military equipment has been reallocated and the Inspector has left, there is no one left to keep him in check."

So it's him!

Qin Sang thought to himself, no wonder Liu Ji looked so grave.

Since joining the Blood-Clothed Tower, Qin Sang had become intimately familiar with the martial world. All renowned martial artists were registered with the Blood-Clothed Tower, and every person on that list was a top master.

His 'master,' Yang Zhen, was considered a martial arts expert by ordinary people, but he wasn't qualified to be on that list.

This Brute Monk, however, was different. Not only was he on the list, but he was ranked in the top tier, and his martial arts might not be much inferior to Bai Jianglan's.

However, what was most daunting was not The Brute Monk's martial arts, but his sect, Xuanji Temple.

In the martial world of the Great Sui, two places were renowned: Yanlan Mountain Manor and Xuanji Temple. They were known as the two great martial arts holy lands, home to countless masters.

Yanlan Mountain Manor was located on Yanlan Mountain in the imperial capital, while Xuanji Temple's main gate was in Jiangzhou.

Legend had it that both sects had Innate Masters presiding over them, granting them a transcendent status, to the point where even the government showed them considerable deference.

Qin Sang knew more of the inside story. Xuanji Temple and Yanlan Mountain Manor were not merely martial arts sects; many of the top imperial guards in the false emperor's court originated from these two sacred sites.

Currently, many Xuanji Temple masters were serving as personal bodyguards to the commanding generals of the Duling County garrison.

The Brute Monk hailed from Xuanji Temple's Arhat Hall, and it was uncertain if the Blood-Clothed Tower's personnel in Hening County alone could subdue him.

Since Prince Dongyang raised the banner of rebellion, the reason for his smooth progress and the capture of Yingnan Commandery in less than a year was primarily because Prince Dongyang was the Emperor's biological brother and shared the same imperial bloodline as the previous emperor. This was not a foreign invasion, so the defending imperial forces, seeing the tide turn, had no qualms about surrendering.

However, the Jiangzhou Prefect was different. When Prince Dongyang was crown prince, the Prefect was already a loyal subordinate of the current Emperor and had distinguished himself during the succession struggle. He would not surrender.

Since Li Ji was a confidant of the Prefect, the matter of persuasion to surrender did not need to be discussed further.

With direct assault impractical and surrender impossible, Qin Sang asked Liu Ji what arrangements he had.

"I have two plans, Master. One is to abduct County Magistrate Li Ji and force Chu Dazhuang to open the city gates. The other is to use poison; if we can just poison Chu Dazhuang, the situation will be favorable. However..."

Liu Ji secretly glanced at Qin Sang. "Both of these plans require the right timing to ensure foolproof execution. I learned today that Li Ji intends to host a banquet for the elders of Hening County the night after tomorrow, to discuss matters such as the refugee unrest and local pacification. At that time, I can bring people to infiltrate the banquet and, amidst the chaos..."