Black Myth: Tang Dynasty

The next scene is very cruel.

After Liu Banxian heard the words of the white-clothed immortal, he seemed to have received some kind of enlightenment, with a hint of fanaticism in his eyes, and he didn't know when he had a dagger in his hand.

The chest was cut open, the heart was cut out, and blood splattered.

Not only did Liu Banxian's face show no pain at all, but he was as excited as if he was possessed, as if he had already seen himself becoming an immortal.

"Hehe, here it is, give it all to you!"

The smile on his face gradually became crazy, and he knelt on the ground, holding the freshly beating heart, and dedicated it to the Immortal in White with great piety.

Perhaps it was because he had drank the ambrosia, but even though he was over 70 years old, his heart was still strong and beating.

The white-clothed immortal nodded and smiled. He put away the heart with a wave of his long sleeves, and his robe was not stained with blood.

He turned around and left, escaping to the north, never looking at it again, as if it was just an abandoned piece of trash.

Pfft!
Liu Banxian fell to the ground, his body twitching slightly, and blood continued to flow out, soaking the ground, but he smiled strangely.

It seems like I feel endless pleasure.

……

Time passed like a bubble, the moonlight shone in from the window, and the house was empty and peaceful.

The Buddha's light blooming around Li Daoxuan slowly dissipated, and the vast and compassionate temperament also disappeared, replaced by a free and easy, ethereal one.

There was just a slight embarrassment in his eyes.

Did the investigation lead to him?

Originally, he said that he was the murderer, just to scare Di Renjie, but he didn't expect that the murderer turned out to be 'Li Daoxuan'!
Di Renjie looked at him and hesitated to speak.

Just when he was about to speak, Li Daoxuan took the lead and said, "Huaiying, what do you think?"

Di Renjie was slightly startled.

There is always a sense of dissonance...

After thinking for a while, he directly came to a conclusion.

"The murderer is definitely not the national master!"

Li Daoxuan looked at him in surprise and said, "Is it because you met him when you were young?"

Di Renjie shook his head and said: "Of course not. Although the Imperial Master is kind to me, to resolve the case, we must abandon personal feelings and dare to doubt everything."

After a pause, he explained: "The reason why I say that is because of that whisk. I wonder if you, Brother Kong, have noticed that there are a lot of articles on that whisk."

Li Daoxuan was stunned for a moment.

whisk?

Have a lot of articles?

He coughed and nodded: "Well, yes, there is something wrong."

Di Renjie was about to ask him if he met a confidant.

"Huaiying, what do you think? I want to hear your opinion first."

Di Renjie: "..."

"Brother Kong, I know something about the Imperial Master. That whisk should be the unicorn jade whisk given by Emperor Taizong Wen. The Imperial Master once used this whisk to subdue the water ghosts in Xuzhou and cross the river on a white horse, leaving behind It’s a legend.”

Di Renjie smiled confidently: "Although the whisk just now is very similar in style, according to records, the Imperial Master's unicorn jade whisk is made of crane hair, with a color as bright as silk and satin, but the whisk used by this person, But it is made of a mixture of animal hair, linen and horsehair, and its luster is darker."

Li Daoxuan looks calm and calm on the surface, but in fact he secretly admires him in his heart.

He is so knowledgeable and thoughtful!
Li Daoxuan rarely used the unicorn jade whisk since Xuzhou became famous, because his strength improved too quickly and the enemies he encountered were too strong. Although the whisk can turn into a unicorn, it is formless but has no spirit, and is huge and powerful. insufficient.

Now it is buried in his Three Realms Gourd, and the commemorative meaning is even greater.

To be honest, even Li Daoxuan himself didn't know what material his unicorn jade whisk was made of, but Di Renjie made it clear and eloquent.

It feels like he is an old fan.

"In addition, this person just hit the deceased on the head with a whisk. Brother Kong must have noticed that he used his left hand. In other words, this person is left-handed."

"But the Imperial Master has never been left-handed."

Li Daoxuan's face didn't change, he nodded and said: "Yes, I noticed it too."

Thinking back, hiss, it’s really the left hand!
Di Renjie was pacing back and forth, calm and relaxed, with piercing eyes. When talking about the case, his whole temperament changed drastically, his expression was high, and he had a charming charm.

"There is also a problem with his clothes. I have traveled around and even paid a special visit to His Royal Highness King Chen to compile a "Biography of the National Preceptor". His Highness once said that the National Preceptor was a banished immortal and came to earth, and the Taoist robes he wore were The heavenly clothes have no gaps and are completely natural, but I found three traces of stitches on the person just now."

It’s true, I’m not only a long-time fan, but also a fan.

"It seems that you have quite a lot of knowledge about national teachers."

Li Daoxuan suddenly felt a little lack of confidence.

"That's natural. I have been friends with the Imperial Master for a long time. Anyone who wants to pretend to be the Imperial Master cannot escape my eyes!"

After a pause, he sneered.

"It's just a demon, but he still wants to pretend to be a national master. The thought of it makes people laugh."

Li Daoxuan silently took a step back.

Waving his hand, Di Renjie added: "Actually, it is very rare to have only three stitches. This shows how high the embroiderer's skills are. As far as I know, there are only two places where such skills can be found, one is Suzhou and the other is Chang'an. .”

"And he finally fled to the north, which is the direction of Chang'an."

After going through the reasoning, the links were connected and well-founded. Just by observing, I not only saw the murderer's disguise, but also analyzed where he might go.

Li Daoxuan had to sigh, he was indeed Di Renjie!
"Brother Kong, I am stupid and can only see so much. I wonder what else you have to say?"

Looking at Di Renjie's expectant eyes, Li Daoxuan was silent for a moment, and finally only said four words.

"Me too."

Di Renjie was a little disappointed and said with emotion: "If the Imperial Master were here, he would definitely have sharp eyes and see everything clearly, so that the murderer would have no way to hide."

"I really embarrassed his old man!"

……

Smoke rose from the magistrate's house.

Di Renjie wore casual clothes, rolled up his sleeves, and cooked a sumptuous meal himself.

Grilled mutton, vinegar steamed chicken, pork meatballs, seabass soup...

No one could have imagined that this former prime minister, now the seventh-grade county magistrate, could have such good cooking skills.

The two exchanged cups and cups, and after what happened just now, they quickly became familiar with each other.Li Daoxuan did not adhere to etiquette, sat casually, laughed and cursed, and spoke freely, just like a madman in the Wei and Jin Dynasties, free and elegant.

Although Di Renjie was well-read in Confucian classics, he was not rigid and pedantic. Instead, he admired Li Daoxuan's frankness and freeness. The two soon chatted together and laughed constantly.

Gradually, Li Daoxuan learned about the current Tang Dynasty from the conversation with Di Renjie.

At this time, it was the second year of Tianshou, Li Zhi was 63 years old, and Wu Zetian was 67 years old.

According to the original historical trajectory, Li Zhi should have died of illness eight years ago. After six years of preparation, Wu Zetian finally ascended the throne as a woman and became the emperor, changing the country's name to Wu Zhou.

However, although Li Zhi was still in poor health in this life and only went to court for seven days, he was like a wooden boat swaying in the wind and rain. It seemed dangerous but would not capsize.

Therefore, there are still two saints coming to the court, Li Zhi proclaims himself the emperor, and Wu Zetian is the queen, co-managing the government affairs.

It is a pity that the emperor Li Zhi's health is deteriorating, and it is more the queen who comes to take care of everything. Although she is a woman, her methods are strong enough. She reuses cruel officials, promotes North Gate bachelors, eliminates dissidents, and installs Wu family members as important officials in the court. .

In today's imperial court, she almost always makes decisions with a single word and is arbitrary.

It is said that they are two saints. One is in decline, while the other is at the peak of his power. His prestige is getting higher and higher. All officials naturally know how to take sides.

Even Prince Li Xian was trembling in front of the Queen of Heaven, walking on thin ice.

Are you not afraid? His two royal brothers, Li Hong and Li Xian, died one after another because they felt that their wings were stiff and wanted to compete with the Queen.

Hearing this, Li Daoxuan sighed secretly in his heart, Wu Zetian was indeed on the same old path.

He had only met each other once. Wu Zetian was the reincarnation of the Queen Mother of the West, but she and her senior sister were two completely independent individuals. They had different looks, different personalities, and huge differences in temperament.

Wu Zetian inherited the luck of the Queen Mother of the West, so she was domineering, ambitious, and decisive in killing, even her own flesh and blood.

The gushing desire and ambition for power is like a blazing volcano that will never dry up.

At that time, Li Daoxuan showed his magical methods and gave her two choices, one was to become an immortal, and the other was to return to the human world.

Wu Zetian, whose family was in decline, chose to return to the world without hesitation.

Although she said it was for her mother, Li Daoxuan could see a hint of unwillingness in her eyes. She was unwilling to live under someone else's roof forever, unwilling to abandon the colorful world, and unwilling to spend her life like a flower in a temple in the mountains.

She would rather bloom in the world of mortals.

Li Daoxuan didn't like this kind of character. He admired his senior sister's free and easy and straightforward attitude and indifference to fame and fortune.

Not good or bad, just personal preference.

Therefore, although Wu Zetian is a famous empress in history, Li Daoxuan lost interest and stopped paying attention to her after seeing her once.

Of course, although Wu Zetian today is arbitrary, she faces a high wall.

That is Chen Wang Li Lizhi, the eldest princess of the Tang Dynasty, the only true disciple of the national master Li Daoxuan, the leader of the second generation of Zhelong, the leader of Xuanmen Taoism, and the elder of Longhu.

This series of titles is enough to illustrate his prestige and achievements.

Now 70 years old, King Chen's demeanor is even better than before, and his cultivation is extremely profound. It is said that he has already half stepped on the threshold of becoming an immortal, and he has been in retreat in Chang'an all year round.

After the imperial master disappeared, Princess Changle took the lead and became the number one in the world together with the holy monk Xuanzang. She was known as the leader of the Northern Taoism and the holy monk of the South.

With Changle, the great mountain of the Li and Tang royal family, Wu Zetian did not dare to usurp the throne after all, let alone massacre the Li and Tang clan like in history.

Two women, one in charge of the government and the other in charge of the ghosts and gods, formed a wonderful balance just like Li Shimin and Li Daoxuan back then.

Li Dao

He was filled with emotion. Time flies by, and in a blink of an eye, he is 83 years old, nearly a hundred years old.

Di Renjie seemed a little tipsy while drinking the wine he received from Li Daoxuan. He let go and started talking loudly.

"The Empress of Heaven used nepotism and sent the children of the Wu family to important positions in the army. As a result, she was defeated in the face of the Tubo army. Wu Sizong, the general manager of Shenbingdao Marching, had not yet started the war. When he heard that thousands of Tibetan cavalry were attacking, he was so frightened that he turned around. He ran away and threw the weapons all over the floor."

"But such a person, not only was he not punished when he came back, but he was also promoted to a higher position!"

"Thanks to General Xue Rengui for turning the tide and blocking the [-]-strong army of the famous Tibetan general Qin Ling with his old age!"

"But do you know what the Queen does?"

This old man and Duke Di, who was later trusted by Wu Zetian, was finally filled with indignation under the stimulation of alcohol and vented his anger.

"The Queen of Heaven sent the defeated general Wu Sizong to pacify the people north of the Yellow River who were ravaged by the war. However, when Wu Sizong arrived, he blamed all his defeat on the people, believing that they had defected to the foreign tribes in advance and betrayed the Tang Dynasty. Defeated."

"Wu Si Zong went on a killing spree, cutting open the belly of the local people to take out their livers, and blood flowed into rivers for a while. They were even more ferocious than the Tubo people!"

When you see the enemy, you flee, and when you see one of your own, you punch hard.

Di Renjie, who was the governor of Weizhou at the time, couldn't stand it any longer, so he stood up to fight back the massacre of soldiers, stepped forward to protect the local people, and risked his own fortune and life, and finally saved the city of Weizhou from destruction.

But because of this, he was hated by Wu Si Zong, and the cruel official came to Junchen and made friends with Wu Si Zong.

Later, Di Renjie became the prime minister for his meritorious service in appeasing him. However, after only four months in office, he was accused of treason and imprisoned by Lai Junchen. That is why he was demoted to Pengze County.

Di Renjie, who truly appeased and protected the people, was demoted to the rank of seventh-rank county magistrate, while Wu Sizong, the defeated general who massacred the people, was named General Zuo Yulin and became increasingly prominent.

Li Daoxuan's expression became more solemn, and the wine gourd in his hand remained untouched.

"You just said that the leader of the North Path and the Holy Monk of the South, the two most powerful people in the world, don't care about this matter?"

Neither Changle nor Xuanzang could remain indifferent to this matter.

Wu Zetian allowed the Wu family to harm the Tang Dynasty. Why didn't the two of them intervene?

Di Renjie heard this and sighed: "Brother Kong, you don't know something. King Chen has been in retreat these past few years, hoping to overcome the catastrophe and become an immortal. He has not appeared for a long time."

"The holy monk Xuanzang was translating scriptures at Da Ci'en Temple, and he did not leave the country for 16 years. Tubo also had many strange people from the Western Regions to help him, and with the help of the famous general Qin Ling, he was ready to take action."

In fact, the most important thing is that Datang itself failed to live up to expectations.

The Tang Dynasty had been at peace for so long that its armaments were lax.

The Xuanjia Army that followed Taizong and the military god Li Jing to conquer the world has long been abandoned. Wu Zetian held an archery competition. As a result, many of the warriors in the army missed the target, let alone hitting the target.

Every time the first place was a foreign general, they couldn't stand it anymore and advised Wu Zetian not to hold such competitions, otherwise it would damage the military power of the Tang Dynasty.

"Stop talking about this. It's too disappointing."

Di Renjie patted Li Dao

He sighed: "Ruthless officials are rampant and treacherous ministers are in power. It is considered good to be a remote county magistrate and benefit the people of a place."

Honor, disgrace, gains and losses, let them go with the wind.

Li Daoxuan shook his head and sighed: "The tree wants to be quiet but the wind doesn't stop. Brother Di, if you want to live a pure life, I'm afraid some people are not willing."

As soon as he finished speaking, a voice sounded faintly outside the door, with an awe-inspiring murderous intent.

"You are making arrogant comments about government affairs and slandering the Queen of Heaven. You should be punished!"

……