The prince is very fierce

Taking a ferry, we arrived at Junshan Island, which is far away from Yueyang Tower.

Xu Buling got off the boat and looked at the big square behind the ferry, feeling a little disappointed.

Before the Cao family on Junshan Island retired, they had a great status and reputation in the world. At the most powerful time in history, the Seventy-Two Peaks and Seventy-two Heroes supported half of the world with the strength of one family. The object of wooing by the vassal states.

As the troubled times subsided, large and small countries gradually encroached and annexed. The strength of the imperial power inevitably suppressed the aristocratic class headed by Jianghu forces and clans, and the aristocratic families that could control the world's trends disappeared.

Even so, in the Central Plains where martial arts is prevalent, Jianghu forces such as the Cao family on Junshan Island still have unparalleled dominance. Sometimes the laws and orders of the court are not as effective as the words of the Jianghu boss. For example, if the court does not If people are allowed to sell illegal salt around Dongting Lake, the desperate merchants will not pay attention to it. However, the Cao family does not allow illegal salt to be sold. No ship in Dongting Lake in the 800 miles dares to transport illegal salt. This is the rule of the river and lake.

But in fact, the Cao family will not cut off the Jianghu people's wealth at all, and will even protect them.

It is precisely because of this that Zhu Lucao and other Jianghu aristocratic families were also taken advantage of during Tie Ying's deer hunting period.

Today's Junshan Island does not have the scene of swordsmen all over the place like in the books. The Jiejiang Pavilion where weapons are stored at the entrance of the square has been converted into a local specialty shop, and the houses where people live in Jianghu have also been turned into markets. The only remaining Perhaps the only remaining building that retains the grandeur of the Cao family's heyday is a coiled dragon wall at the end of the square. It is ten feet long from left to right and three feet tall. Looking at it through the rain, it looks like a dragon entrenched in the eight hundred miles of Dongting. Inside, we are about to ride on the wind.

It's a pity that this dragon wall, which symbolizes the dragon lurking in the abyss, is also hung with fishing nets at this time.

Xu Buling was walking on the wide road outside the square holding an oil-paper umbrella. He could vaguely see the traces of swords accumulated on the ground for hundreds of years. However, only Lifu who was pushing a cart in the rain and standing at the door were left on the roadside to watch. The shopkeeper looked sad at the weather.

Ning Yuhe held a white oil-paper umbrella, walked beside Xu Buling, and sighed quietly:

"When I fled to Chu Di, it was still very lively here. The use of force was not allowed on the island. Street gangs and Jianghu forces discussed matters here. The stage in the middle was originally a martial arts competition stage. There was an annual martial arts conference, and Chu Di's The dream of young heroes is to fight there. Qingxu Zhenren, Chen Daozi, Situ Yuejin, etc. have all shown their faces there before... the Baichi Cliff of Lujia in the East China Sea, the Ghost Gate of Fenglingdu, The Zhu family’s Sword Gate is a similar place, but it’s a pity that it’s gone now…”

Ning Yuhe was born in a family of martial arts and grew up in the martial arts world. He has a deep affection for the martial arts. It is this inexplicable flavor of the martial arts that young martial artists are still looking for.

Just like Zhu Manzhi hiding under Xu Buling's umbrella, he sighed in despair:

"Last time I came here, I specifically followed the storyteller's instructions and stored the sword in the Jiejian Pavilion, but it turned out that it was full of crabs and dry goods. I was also wondering how crabs can hit people, and it can't be done with crab claws..."

Nightingale walking next to her looked a little confused: "You can't see the big sign outside?"

"Just telling a joke..."

Xu Buling shook his head and smiled, stopped Xiao Manzhi from making jokes, and looked at the seventy-two peaks of Junshan ahead:

"Okay, let's start working. We will split up and meet on the boat in the evening."

Zhu Manzhi had worked as a police officer, catching thieves every day, and was very good at finding people. So he and Nightingale entered the market with four retainers from the palace, and went from door to door to inquire about information.

Junshan Island is very big, and it would definitely not be easy for just a few people to ask around and find a master of martial arts who comes and goes without a trace. Xu Buling's method was more direct, and he and Ning Yu went directly to the Cao Family Ancestor located deep in Junshan Island. Home.

In the early morning rain, Xu Buling and Ning Yu were walking side by side. Seeing that Xu Buling was about to go directly to ask the Cao family, Ning Yuhe walked in front and softly dissuaded:

"Your Majesty, the Cao family has sealed its sword and retreated from the world. It is not a good idea to come here rashly."

Ning Yuhe came to inquire last time, but he didn't go to Cao's house to visit. It was not unexpected, but inappropriate.

Quitting the world is not just as simple as a sentence. It is easy to stop fighting and killing, but it is difficult to cut off the inextricable connections with various forces.

Just like the officialdom, if a court official retires and returns to his hometown and no longer handles official duties, it is not considered leaving the officialdom. As long as his influence is still there, his disciples and colleagues are still in the officialdom, and as long as he can still speak out, he is not considered to have quit the court. In fact, no one can quit at all.

The same goes for withdrawing from the arena. The higher you go, the harder it is to escape. As long as you still have influence in the arena, and someone listens to your words and gives you face, then he is a member of the arena. Let alone sealing the sword, you can use your own hands. Cutting it off won't change this fact.

This is why there are very few Jianghu people who can turn back, and all those who quit are hiding in the mountains and forests incognito.

The Cao family withdrew from the world in a very pure way. They closed their doors and cut off all exchanges in the world. If anyone heard what they said, they would not say anything. They paid taxes on time and went to the government if anything happened. Even the way to support the family was changed. Farm and sell crabs.

Master and apprentice Ning Yuhe are from Jianghu. Even if they are just asking for news, it is a Jianghu matter. Ning Yuhe obviously does not want to embarrass the Cao family.

Xu Buling understood what Ning Yuhe meant. If you spend one day in the underworld, you will remain in the underworld for the rest of your life. He chuckled at this, shook his head and said:

"I'm not a Jianghu person. The dignified Prince Su, Prince Su, went to people's homes for on-the-spot inspections to see how the harvest was this year and to express my condolences to the folks. Do you have any questions?"

"Well……"

Ning Yu was stunned for a moment and thought carefully: "Is there such a thing as this? You are the Crown Prince of Su, and you came to King Chu's territory to express condolences to the villagers. It seems that you have crossed the line..."

Xu Buling shook his head: "The rules of the rivers and lakes and the court are different. King Su and King Chu are all kings. The biggest one in the world is the emperor. We are all ministers. As long as we are within the territory of Dayue, I will run away." Let’s see if the truth is justified, we can find evidence that the King of Chu raped the daughters of the people, we can also write a book about the King of Chu, and the Yushitai will impeach the King of Chu..."

Ning Yuhe was a little confused: "The King of Chu is a prince, so is it considered a problem to rob civilian girls?"

Xu Buling shrugged his shoulders: "Even if it is really revealed, and the matter is not small, if King Su really wants to sue the officials and accuse King Chu of raping the daughters of the people, the emperor really has to punish him severely, otherwise it will be difficult to silence the people. Of course, this This kind of thing cannot happen in a peaceful world, and it is even less likely in a troubled world.”

Ning Yuhe was thoughtful, thought for a moment, and looked up at Xu Buling:

"What if we find evidence that the King of Chu raped a daughter of the people, will you care?"

It was a simple question that was almost joking, but the meaning behind it was profound.

Xu Buling fell silent and walked on the stone path in the rain. After thinking for a long time, he said softly:

"If I were a knight, I would definitely seek justice for that girl when I saw injustice on the road, even if the opponent was invincible... As the Crown Prince of Su, for the sake of the overall situation, I cannot offend the King of Chu for such a trivial matter..."

Ning Yuhe walked under Xu Buling's umbrella, raised his eyes and looked at the side face that he always valued very seriously:

"Which one will your daughter choose?"

Xu Buling finally had a modern memory. He held the oil-paper umbrella and thought carefully for a long time before saying softly:

“Do your best within your ability.”

This sentence may have a sense of justice and is morally impeccable, but as Lao Xiao said:

This is the way of chivalry, not the way of kings.

As a powerful prince, this choice was consistent with his conscience but not his status.

However, Ning Yuhe grew up in Jianghu, and he has been practicing chivalry since childhood, so there is obviously a little more smile and admiration in his eyes...

————

I'm so sorry...