across the Quartet

Broken Chapter Five

It was late at night and the dew was heavy, but Wei Zhuang had no time to rest.In order to replenish his strength, he ate several catties of dried meat, some fruits and vegetables in one go, accompanied by sacrificial wine brought from Xinzheng; while eating and drinking, he listened to Huo Mei's detailed account of what happened in the past few days.He was indifferent to the several times of distress on the quicksand, and he frowned slightly until he heard about the tragic death of Wu Shi and others.

"Your Majesty was startled by my lack of thoughtfulness." After eating, Wei Zhuang turned his head and said to Chi Lian, "Princess is very thoughtful, so calling her by a false name will make her actions much more convenient."

"I..." Chi Lian couldn't help showing a wry smile, "From now on, Chi Lian will be my only name. Your lord, you don't have to be bound by the name of the past. People who have subjugated the country, what is the difference between monarch and minister?"

Wei Zhuang chuckled lightly, and said, "That's right, I can't wait for a group of desperadoes. From now on, only by doing whatever it takes, regardless of the cost, can I gain a foothold."

As he spoke, he hastily pushed away the cups and plates, wrote a few letters on silk by the light of the brazier, and then called people in one by one, giving secrets secretly.Those who got the secret order prepared their horses and set off overnight. Except for Wei Zhuang himself, no one else knew where he was going.Chi Lian saw that he didn't panic at all because of the quicksand's casualties, and acted calmly, which was completely different from the way everyone in quicksand was in chaos when they encountered accidents a few days ago, so he couldn't help but be sure.

Although there are only dozens of people in the area right now, Wei Zhuang is like dispatching troops in a military camp, his actions are lawful and orderly; if it weren't for the "Du, Du, Du "The voice is even more flawless.

"...Xiao Zhuang, let me out."

At first Wei Zhuang wanted to pretend he didn't hear anything.However, as the knocking sound became louder and louder, he felt that he couldn't stand in front of his subordinates, so he finally slapped the side of the coffin unbearably.

"It seems that senior brother's skills have improved these days, and he broke through the acupoints in less than half an hour."

"Why shut me up?" the person inside asked in a low voice.

"I haven't seen you for a long time. I miss you very much. I have many important things to say to my brother. It's a pity that this place is not a place to talk. I can only ask my brother to follow me to a secluded place—"

"Let me out, I am willing to go with you."

"Hmph, I'm afraid that as soon as we arrive, senior brother will put state affairs first, and there will be a period later."

The coffin was silent for a moment, and then said: "... If you insist on taking me like this, you must use a car. This will not only slow down the speed of travel; moreover, the route of travel will only be a road that can be passed by chariots and horses, so it is easy to be predicted first. But if you let me out, we can ride horses when we go in, we can walk when we go back, and take the mountain trails that ordinary people can't think of. Besides, the future of this trip is uncertain, don't you want one more person who can be used?"

"No need. I know how to go on the road ahead. Brother, it's better to hold your breath and adjust your breath, and use black martial arts to seal off the five senses. Otherwise, if you die of thirst and starvation along the way, it's not my fault." .”

"Even if I don't need to eat or drink," the coffin said earnestly and kindly, "but when I dealt with the killer in the trap just now, I didn't get much blood splashed on my body. If I was not allowed to bathe and change clothes, and if I stayed in a narrow place for a long time, there would definitely be blood in my clothes. It emits a peculiar smell and attracts mosquitoes and flies..."

"You are a dead person. If you are stopped and questioned, the smell will be more real."

The words were so grand, but Bai Feng leaned close to Chi Lian and gnashed his ear - "When Master Wei Zhuang was inside, shouldn't we also put some abalones in?"

If his lightness kung fu was better, Chi Lian really wanted to pinch that kid's most proud face severely.But she was more worried about Wei Zhuang's reaction.With his ear strength, it is not possible to fail to hear the nonsense at such a close distance.

... It's a pity that Wei Zhuang really didn't seem to hear it.He put all his thoughts on arguing with a coffin.

"Xiao Zhuang, I just checked your pulse. Although it looks thick, it is full on the outside and weak on the inside. It is not a sign of health. If you let me out now, I can use my true energy to guide you through the eight extraordinary meridians. , which is very good for your recovery."

"Oh? So this counts as a deal?"

"Yes, it doesn't matter."

"Then I refuse." Wei Zhuang smiled shortly, "My study of the inner strength and mental methods of my sect is far better than that of a fugitive like you, so I can adjust my breath by myself; why should I negotiate terms with a corpse? ?”

"...I'm not dead yet."

"From today onwards, you might as well learn to be a dead person." Be quiet, obedient, and never run away.

Gai Nie couldn't persuade, so he simply slapped the coffin lid with his palms one after another, as if he wanted to break the wood out forcefully.Wei Zhuang grinned again and said, the wood used to make this coffin is very special. He found it for Han Fei's fake death. Inner strength.But Gai Nie is a person who may not shed tears when he enters the coffin, so people in the quicksand spend the whole night in the annoying knocking sound.

Chi Lian was very angry, and thought that Gai Nie was so despicable, he must deliberately make them sleep badly, so he went into the main hall in the middle of the night, intending to pour a basin of cold water down the hole in the coffin lid that was inserted by the sword go in.Walking halfway, he was horrified to find that Wei Zhuang did not go back to the house to rest, but sat on the side of the coffin, his posture seemed to be adjusting his breath and closing his eyes to rest his mind-as if he didn't feel too noisy at all.

Ah, is this the demeanor of a political strategist who can calmly and calmly be like a lone crane amidst the sound of war drums?Chi Lian felt admiration, so he put down the basin and left quietly.

After resting for less than two or three hours, Wei Zhuang suddenly ordered the Jian family brothers to prepare the boat and set off at four o'clock, taking advantage of the twilight of the morning light to cross south and return to the territory of the old Han.

After boarding the boat, Wei Zhuang explained to them: "Things are done with secrets, and words are used to reveal defeats. My original plan was to go up to Yunmeng, and I thought it was beyond the expectations of the Qin people; With Jian Shiliu and other informants, this road is no longer a secret. We must change the route."

The ship swayed forward in the waves.A big wave made the boat tilt, Chi Lian also staggered two steps, and couldn't help stretching out his hand to support the coffin.There was a piercing chill where the skin touched the wood.She straightened her body, and was surprised to find that the top and sides of the pitch-black wooden board were covered with a dense layer of water droplets, and some places even formed fine icicles.

"He's here to demonstrate to me." Wei Zhuang looked down at the coffin condescendingly, "He wants to prove that, at least at this moment, his internal strength is above mine."

As he spoke, he pressed his palm on the top of the coffin lid.The wooden grain groaned where his palms touched, and all that was frozen melted in an instant, white mist rising from between his fingers.Even with a distance of one foot, you can feel a rush of heat.

However, as the palm gradually sank downward, there were tiny icicles quietly covering his fingers, climbing up like a living creature, making a loud "click, click, click".

Wei Zhuang's complexion fluctuated from blue to white, and his hands trembled with increasing strength.Bai Shuang was instantly forced back by him, and the mist that shrouded the coffin became thicker again.

Seeing such repeated and silent rivalry made people's hearts surge, until Jian Shiwu, who was operating the oar, turned around with a sad face: "My lord... If you push harder, the boat will sink."

Wei Zhuang snorted softly and let go of his hand for now.A conspicuous palm print on the wood grain is truly mighty.

After disembarking, they changed back to their chariots and horses, and hurried to the southeast without encountering any obstacles for several days.Perhaps as Wei Zhuang said, the Qin people did not expect that the quicksand had crossed the river after all the hardships, and they would turn back again, so they transferred the manpower of the net from the south bank to the north bank.

However, after entering Chencheng, an important town in the state of Chu, Wei Zhuang had no intention of continuing on his way.For the time being, everyone settled in a hostel; a golden pill and a few bolts of silk made the owner of the guest house completely forget such trivial matters as identity certificates.

Chen is located in the upper reaches of the Yingshui River, which flows into the Huai River in the south. It is an important transit point for the goods from the Central Plains to enter the hinterland of the Chu State;Although the state of Chu has moved its capital to Shouchun, Chencheng still has a prosperous population and gathers business travelers; there are three large markets in the east, west and north in the city. Jade and antiques, and the West Market is the most frequented place for ordinary people, selling all kinds of farm tools and household items, as well as grains, vegetables, fresh fish, wood, needlework, medicinal materials and so on.In the streets and alleys, Jiaren from the Seven Kingdoms can be seen everywhere, speaking accents from different regions and wearing fancy clothes.

Chi Lian walked casually in the East City, and all he could hear were comments about "Korea is over, which one will be next", and he was very depressed, so he decided to go back and practice illusion behind closed doors.As soon as he returned to Nilv, he saw Wei Zhuang drinking and laughing with a man who looked like a Chu businessman.The man's appearance was extremely ugly, but his clothes were extremely gorgeous: the upper and lower garments were made of blue-green silk satin, with a few magpies embroidered with gold thread on his chest, and the bird's beak was bright red agate; the belt buckle around his waist was Carved from a whole piece of Jingshan Jade, two shark beads the size of fish eyes are inlaid on the toe of the boot, shining brightly.Compared with this person, Wei Zhuang's dress can be called plain.

She quietly grabbed Huo Mei who was passing by the corridor, and asked, "Master, who is that person?"

Huo Mei shook her head and said, "I don't know either, but I heard from your lord that this person is our future guide."

...Could it be a local tycoon?Chi Lian wanted to give wine as an excuse to listen to the conversation between the two, but Huo Mei stopped him and said: "Although this person is a friend of the lord, he is just a merchant after all. As a princess, there is no need to get acquainted with him."

identity?Chi Lian was quite puzzled.Wei Zhuang said before that there is no need to pay attention to any status or official position while fleeing, but it is just an old thing.But at this moment, he suddenly mentioned, could it be that his future plans will be related to "identity"?She was thinking like this, but she couldn't ask clearly, so she said: "Just now I saw that you were in a hurry, but what do you need my apprentice to do for you?"

Huo Mei blushed: "I'm looking for Lin'er. Before Bai Feng said that he would take Lin'er to hide and seek, now both of them are gone."

Chi Lian's heart sank: Bai Feng is definitely the kind of dead brat who would do everything he can to play with a three-year-old doll, Shangfang Jiewa will do everything. "I'll look for it too." She said and hurried to the courtyard, went in and out several times, and finally found a small figure looking for people from room to room, and was about to break into Wei Zhuang's room—— Not to mention that Wei Zhuang's sleeping place has always been forbidden for ordinary people to enter and exit, not to mention that there is something extremely dangerous in it now-a coffin hiding a living person.

She rushed over in three steps at a time, grabbed Lin'er and was about to go out when she suddenly heard a muffled voice shouting: "Miss Chi Lian, please stay."

Chi Lian's feet stiffened immediately. "...How do you know it's me?"

On the previous road, Gai Nie was very quiet for a while, and everyone almost thought that he had followed Wei Zhuang's suggestion and pretended to be dead.I don't want him to never give up struggling.

"I just smelled a scent of pepper orchids from below, and I knew that the person who came was a woman. Only Xiaozhuang's closest subordinates could enter here; and Mrs. Huo Mei's footsteps were vain because of Shen Ke's presence, but the footsteps of the person who came here were weak." Haste and strength, it can be seen that there is no danger in the air. From the above, it can be deduced that only you, Chi Lian, are the only ones."

Chi Lian smiled perfunctorily at the coffin, "As expected of my lord's classmate, I'm really quick-witted."

"Actually, I have something important to tell the girl."

"For me?" Chi Lian rolled his eyes, "Do you want me to let you out?"

"Exactly."

"You'd better keep dreaming." She raised her legs and was about to go out, but the person inside shouted again in a hurry: "This matter is about Wei Zhuang's life, so it should not be taken lightly."

"Hey, you really don't know how to lie." Chi Lian said, "If you are released, it will threaten Master Wei Zhuang's life."

There seemed to be a slight sigh in the coffin, "Girl, although you and I are not acquainted, we have a fellowship; you might as well ask yourself, if I have the intention of harming Wei Zhuang, why would I lie here?"

So... that's true.There were many dangers along the way, and there were countless chances to attack Wei Zhuang along the way. With his strong swordsmanship and Quicksand's decline at that time, no one could stop him.And when Wei Zhuang woke up, if he didn't go up to get his pulse, he wouldn't be captured by Wei Zhuang with one blow.

"...You said that life is at stake, what's going on?"

Gai Nie said: "In fact, Xiao Zhuang's internal injuries are far more serious than you imagined. But he is arrogant and worried that someone will betray him again, so he deliberately concealed his veins... In this case, if another strong enemy comes In order to prevent his subordinates from finding out that his internal energy is weak, he will definitely attack by force, and the disorder of true energy will double the backlash. It is necessary for the subordinates to use the same source of true energy to loosen his tendons and activate blood, so that he can fundamentally improve."

"This..." Probably because Gai Nie's words are always well-founded, Chi Lian unconsciously believed them, but he could only say: "Master Wei Zhuang's arrangement, as subordinates, we must not raise objections. "

"If the decree promulgated by the King of Han is wrong, will Wei Zhuang take different actions to remedy it, or will he just cater to his wishes and make mistakes again and again?" Gai Nie asked knowingly, "Miss Chi Lian, actually let me out so that I can get rid of it." It was a decision that really benefited him."

"very good."

Suddenly there was a crisp applause outside the door.Wei Zhuang walked in leisurely with his hands behind his back, and said with a smile, "Sure enough, he is a master lobbyist."

"My lord, I..." Chi Lian panicked, with cold sweat rolling down the back of his head.But Wei Zhuang didn't seem to want to pursue it, he just sat down on the couch casually, smiled at her and said, "So Lin'er is in my room. By the way, have you three heard the story of the demon in the box?"

"Huh?" Chi Lian shook his head blankly - Bai Feng also jumped off the beam.

Wei Zhuangsi said slowly: "It is said that in the time of Yu Shun, there was a monster in Beishan. The monster was caught and trapped in a box. The monster whined every day in the box, but the fairy never paid attention. One day the fairy was not there, and the fairy boy in the cave heard the sound in the box and talked to the monster. The monster said, "If you let me out, I will definitely reward you with a heavy gift. The little boy opened the box when he believed it was true; the monster ate him as soon as he came out, and then changed into a fairy boy and guarded the cave. When the immortal came back, he ate him in one bite; after eating, he spit out the bones and said with a smile, this is my great gift."

"..." Chi Lian wiped off his sweat, but didn't speak.

"..." The coffin was also silent.

Only Bai Feng raised a fresh question: "Since the monster is so troublesome, why didn't the immortal just kill it from the beginning, and then lock it up and hide it in his own house?"

Wei Zhuang waved his hands impatiently. "You know the fur. Most of these monsters absorb the aura of heaven and absorb the essence of the sun and the moon. They are the treasures of the immortal family. For example, the skin of Kui can be used to cover the drum, and the bone of the thunder beast can be used as a drumstick. The immortal takes this monster Naturally, it is also for future use." After finishing speaking, he flicked the lid of the coffin with his fingers, and said, "Brother, don't you think so?"

"...Your illness is in the skin, if you don't cure it, you will be afraid."

"To shut up."

But on the second day, Gai Nie was released by Wei Zhuang himself.He just buckled his sword, and found a pair of shackles for escorting prisoners from nowhere, and locked his ankles.Gai Nie didn't take it seriously, and ate in the Weizhuang house with a normal expression. After eating and drinking, he pointed to the iron chain and said: "This thing is very redundant. I won't leave until it's time to leave. If it comes When it's time to go, even a mere iron chain can't stop me."

Wei Zhuang leaned on the couch and snorted.His eyes gave Chi Lian who was passing by an illusion, as if he simply liked to see his fellow disciple being shackled, but didn't really care about whether his actions could be imprisoned.

No, it must be an illusion.

"According to the rules of our sect, in order to prevent the enemy from escaping, the kneecap should be cut off directly. But I let you sit comfortably. If the ancestor who died in Maling felt it, he would be ashamed."

"..." Ge Nie glanced out of the window expressionlessly, but Chi Lian felt that he accidentally met his gaze, as if to say, "Look, what did I say?"

After pausing for a while, Wei Zhuang said again: "It seems that senior brother still wants to leave from time to time. In that case, you might as well wait for me to take a bath and fast, and I will fight you to the death in three days."

"...I will not fight you."

"Gai Nie, do you still want to escape?!"

"This is not an escape, but a result of the situation. Xiaozhuang, you also said that vertical and horizontal are nothing more than a game of chess. At this moment, the two of us have already melted into the overall situation of the world. Shouldn't the world be the most important thing?"

"Oh? What do you mean by 'taking the world first'?"

"The Zhou family was destroyed, the world was in chaos, Qin Dongjin was strong, and South Korea was the first dead chess piece taken out of the game. But you and Quicksand's escape was a desperate attempt to survive, and it brought a little change to the Five Kingdoms ...But now the Qin people may not be able to get rid of their pursuit, and if you fight me at this time, even if you can kill me, you will definitely be seriously injured, so you are not throwing yourself into a trap?"

"Since I am asking for a fight, it is naturally because the quicksand has broken free from the encirclement of the net." Wei Zhuang raised his eyebrows as he spoke.

"...Oranges grown in Huainan are tangerines, and oranges grown in Huaibei are oranges." Gai Nie peeled off a golden fruit and stuffed two petals into his mouth. .I think you haven’t crossed the Huai River yet.”

"Hehe, senior brother is really good at guessing." Wei Zhuang snatched the fruit from his hand and stuffed a piece into the entrance, "Unfortunately, I'm too self-righteous. Who said I'm going to Shouchun?"

"Chu's troops are scattered, and only the capital has the largest garrison, so it is inevitable that people's careful actions will be restrained. But for other cities, the net has always been pervasive." Gai Nie said, "If you don't cross the Huai River, you can't be careless."

"Senior brother seems to know the power of Luo Wang very well." Wei Zhuang said with a meaningful smile, "However, he doesn't know enough about Chu. The most elite army of Chu is not in the capital."

"Could it be that you want...but how could they..." Gai Nie seemed to be in deep thought.Chi Lian and others who were lurking outside the window wanted to rush in and beat the table and yelled: Could it be what he wants, and who are they, you tell me! ! !

Wei Zhuang stood up abruptly as though he had made a decision, pointed out the window and said, "I'll give you two choices: first, after three days, you will fight each other, and you will never die. Second, from now on, you will follow me, just like them Be loyal to me and fight for me, then I can, as Guiguzi, stop the vertical and horizontal family rules from your generation—”

"I don't choose either."

Wei Zhuang stared at him without moving, his face was already filled with murderous aura, and only Gai Nie didn't seem to notice it. "Is it?"

Ge Nie looked up at him, his eyes were as clear as ever. "The path I want to take is not determined by you."

Xiaozhuang, what we want is different after all.

TBC

The author has something to say: Supplement:

There is a more important bug in this chapter, which is about the destination of Quicksand and his party - Ying Chen.In fact, Qin State also captured Chen of Chu State in 230 BC, the same year when Han was destroyed.Of course, Chen is no longer the capital of the country at this time, so it cannot be called Ying Chen.In any case, Chencheng in 230 BC probably would not have been so peaceful.But you might as well ask everyone to understand it this way—it was the beginning of the year when Wei Zhuang and others arrived in Chen, and it was the end of the year when Chen was captured by Qin; this can probably resolve part of the conflict... This kind of fallacy happened, please forgive me_(:з」∠)_]