Chapter 352 Studying things to gain knowledge

Chapter 352 Studying things to gain knowledge

Chapter 352 Studying things to gain knowledge
It's a sunny summer day and the lake is sparkling.

The three islands in the center of the lake are collectively called Baihua Island. They are lush with trees, colorful flowers and plants, and beautiful scenery. It is an ideal place for summer vacation and leisure. However, the owner of this place is obviously not satisfied with being an idle king who indulges in the beauty of lake water.

"Crash..."

Two Yellow Dragon ships split the lake and escorted the light boat in the middle to Baihuazhou.

"Wow..."

There are three towers on the port and starboard sides, with hundreds of archers and musketeers on each floor. There are eight tiger-crouching cannons on the bow, equipped with gunpowder and lead bullets, and special gunners are responsible for their daily maintenance and firing in wartime.

"The Yellow Dragon emerges from the right side of the Yangtze River, and Hebei is the battlefield."

Some time ago, a nursery rhyme was sung around Nanchang Prefecture. The Ning Prince's Mansion was extremely annoyed and made great efforts to trace the source, but to no avail. Rumors spread among the people, and the local government had to report to the court and request an investigation.

"Right full rudder, southeast!"

Near Baihuazhou, the Huanglonglou ship had a deep draft and was difficult to approach, so it turned around and slid out of the white waves to the left and right and continued cruising. There were a lot of cruise ships on the East Lake today, and there were even sand ships weighing thousands of tons.

Including sailors, servants and dancers, the Huanglong can carry up to 600 people.

There were only two people standing on the light boat in the middle.

The man in front was wearing a long silk robe and had two sword-like white eyebrows. He stood steadily on the bow of the boat, with a calm face and a dignified look without anger. His gaze crossed the lake and looked towards the five-story Xinghua Tower on Baihua Island.

The man behind was nine feet tall and carried a strange-looking broadsword on his back.

"How many ships like this can Ning Mansion have?"

"According to the secret agent, there are six Yellow Dragons and eighteen Green Birds."

Ningfu Navy, known as the Green Bird and Yellow Dragon, is the best inland navy in the world. Sitting in Jiangxi, it can block Huguang from above and intimidate Jiangsu and Zhejiang from below. Among the vassal lords with the surname of the country, only King Ning has such a foundation.

"Prince Ning has taken the initiative to show goodwill this time. If we can form an alliance with him and borrow the power of the imperial court, it will be of great benefit to our internal struggle. However... interacting with the government is against the rules of the church, so we must keep it secret."

Liu Zhengfeng accepted the emperor's appointment, and the Orthodox Church was in disgrace. Since its establishment, the Divine Church had also aimed to resist the Han family. However, after the Eastern Sect Leader succeeded to the throne, he colluded with the court's lackeys, which has always been a serious crime.

As the leader's sword, the Dharma Protector Hall is responsible for maintaining laws and regulations, so it is natural that they are not aware of this.

Zuo Shiqi nodded and said, "Master, don't worry. I haven't told anyone. Tang Xiao will lead the people from Xiyuan to the brothel for fun, and nothing will leak out."

Di Baiying looked at the lake and said calmly, "I trust you to do the work. In fact, it can't be called a relationship, we just use each other. What do you think of King Ning?"

"The Divine Cult is located in Hebei. The Prince of Lu, who was invited by Ning Mansion to attend the Apricot Blossom Meeting, has his fief in Henan. 'The Yellow Dragon emerges from Jiangyou, and Hebei is the battlefield.' It seems that he really has the ambition to take advantage of the emperor's illness and the vacant throne to raise an army and seize the throne. Master, do we really want to get involved?"

Di Baiying sneered and said, "The blood of the disciples of the Divine Religion cannot be shed in vain for others. Let's see if they are sincere."

The Sun and Moon Sect claimed to have 30,000 followers, but after several internal conflicts and external defeats, in fact, less than half of them were left. Among them, there were about 10,000 elite members, 5,000 of whom gathered in Heimu Cliff and Pingding Prefecture, and 5,000 were distributed in various halls, forming a jagged pattern with the orthodox forces.

As for affiliated forces such as the Tianhe Gang, Changjing Island, Qingfeng Village, and the Five Poison Sect, they are either controlled by the Three Corpses Brain Pill of the Eastern Sect Leader, or take orders from someone in the sect. If Di Baiying is only the Lord of the Guardian Hall, he cannot mobilize them.

Di Baiying suddenly asked, "Is there any news about Zhang Yu?"

"It's not certain yet. Yunyutan has returned to Guanzhong, Qingfengzhai has retreated to Pingyang, Zhang Yu appeared in Hengyang and defeated Qingcheng Sect. Yu Canghai's life or death is unknown. Some Qingcheng disciples who escaped have fallen into the hands of our secret agents in Changsha Prefecture."

"I don't think he dares to go back to Blackwood Cliff. Humph! We didn't capture Qu Yang, but we were able to bring him down and solve the hidden dangers in the hall. This trip to the south was not completely fruitless."

Di Baiying let Qu Yang go easily in Zuojiazhuang, firstly because he was concerned about Lan Fenghuang, and secondly because he was thinking longer term and had made up his mind.

"After returning, report to Blackwood Cliff and make it clear that Zhang Yu protected the traitor Qu Yang, colluded with the Five Mountains Sword Sect, and betrayed the Sun and Moon Divine Sect. This Ziwei Sword Immortal will no longer be tolerated in the martial arts world and will become a rat crossing the street that everyone shouts and beats!"

"Qingfeng Village and Yunyu Altar, the two groups of people are well trained. When the time comes, you and Tang Xiao will go and subdue them and add them to the Dharma Protector Hall. Let that kid work hard for others and see if he feels pain."

"He has a close relationship with Tong Baixiong and Miss Ren, and we can take advantage of this opportunity to implicate them..."

Di Baiying became more and more excited as he spoke, his eyes shining with a chilling feeling.

Zuo Shiqi asked carefully, "Master said before that Zhang Yu is the confidant of Dongfang Sect Leader and is very favored. He was sent to monitor the Dharma Protector Hall. Dongfang Sect Leader protects him, so I'm afraid these charges will be difficult to prove, right?"

Di Baiying sneered: "The Eastern Sect Leader... has reached the shore!"

The boat reached the shore, and standing on the dock was an official in a green robe. He was well-dressed and had a solemn temperament. He was the Registrar of the Ning Wang Mansion. He took two steps forward, greeted the two people who got off the boat, and bowed.

"Mr. Di is visiting my humble abode. Your Highness has specially sent me here to greet you respectfully."

"Mr. Liben, you are too polite. You are a famous scholar in Jiangnan and a close confidant of Prince Ning. Even though I am not well-informed, I have heard of you."

"Mr. Di, I am ashamed of your kindness."

The two sides exchanged some polite words. Although Di Baiying was successful and famous in the martial arts world, he was originally from a prominent family in Hebei Province. He had been exposed to official etiquette and empty politeness since he was a child.

"Where is His Royal Highness Prince Ning?"

"My Highness and Prince Lu are already in the Xinghua Tower, waiting for the old gentleman."

Di Baiying looked up and narrowed his eyes.

"What a good sight! Could it be that Prince Ning is really blessed with good fortune?"

There is a high green cliff on the island, with a five-story building standing on the cliff, majestic and imposing. In front of the building is a hillside with romantic wild flowers and apricot trees planted between. Behind the building is a steep cliff of more than ten meters. At this time, the dark clouds dispersed, and sunlight fell on the building, with a faint colorful haze rising.

"Five-colored clouds and smoke, that's the aura of the Son of Heaven!"

The four-story east balcony of Xinghua Tower is very spacious. The two princes are discussing matters upstairs. Their family members and entourage are here, all of them are young men and women. They have been blessed with the wealth of the royal family and are arrogant. They are showing off their knowledge to each other.

"How do you know?" The little fat boy sniffed his nose, his face full of disbelief.

"It is recorded in the Records of the Grand Historian that when Pei Gong lived in Shandong, there were colorful clouds above his head, all in the shape of dragons and tigers. This was the aura of the emperor! What do you people in the Prince of Lu's Mansion usually do? Don't you read any books? You don't even know this?"

The young man who was speaking was in his twenties, dressed in brocade and jade belt, with an extraordinary appearance. He was the brother-in-law of Prince Ning and the youngest son of Duke Zhenguo, Tang Jingkang. Relying on his brother-in-law's power, he was arrogant and unrestrained. He gathered a group of literati to create momentum and often boasted of himself as Huo Wei after drinking.

He bossed the fat boy around, but secretly glanced at the girl in yellow standing in front of the railing.

The little fat boy obviously didn't know how to read, but he didn't accept it.

"You are talking nonsense! Where is the dragon and tiger shape? Even if it is the emperor's aura, it should appear in the capital."

"Humph, of course there are some in the capital..."

The girl in yellow was about seventeen or eighteen years old, with a quiet temperament. She didn't like noise and sat alone in a corner, looking at the colorful clouds hanging like an arch bridge above the Xinghua Tower. It was a rare sight in the dry and rainy north.

"Mr. Xian Gao, do you also think it's the Emperor's aura?"

The girl in yellow looked at the man who was also far away from the crowd. He was wearing a white cloth robe of ordinary texture, with loose hair, an ordinary appearance, and a seven-stringed harp on his back. Everything about him was very ordinary, but he had a kind of extraordinary temperament.

She heard that he was a musician under her father's tutelage. She had never seen him before. This was not surprising, as there were so many people coming and going in the Lu Mansion.

"In my hometown, this kind of sky phenomenon is usually called...a rainbow, and it often appears after the rain." "Rainbow, this name is quite appropriate."

"Pei means abundant rainfall. Emperor Liu Gaozu lived in Pei County. No wonder he could see five-colored clouds above his head."

"Mr. Xian Gao's words really reveal the secrets of heaven!"

The girl in yellow nodded slightly.

"I have nothing to say. The princess is well-educated and knowledgeable, so she can study things and gain knowledge."

"Investigating things to gain knowledge? Do you also read Mr. Yangming's books?"

“I just read a few pages.”

After Mr. Yangming returned to his hometown to mourn his father, several great writers of the time proposed to ban Wang's school of thought. The court did not issue a clear order, but there was still some panic. Ordinary people who wanted to take the imperial examination and become officials naturally did not dare to offend those great writers, but the royal family did not have such worries.

"How can a street performer like him know about Yangming's philosophy of mind?"

When Tang Jingkang heard that the two of them were going together, he felt indignant and walked over with a sneer on his face.

"Most likely, he picked up a few words from someone while performing tricks on the street and showed off in front of Sister Zhixuan. It's fine if he wants to get a few coins as a reward, but if he has other intentions, he really should be thrown out of this Xinghua Tower!"

Upon hearing this, the little fat boy leaned over the gap in the railing and looked out. The high cliff and the Xinghua Tower together were at least twenty feet high, and the lake water was beating against the rocky beach below. If he was thrown down, he would definitely be smashed to pieces.

Thinking of this, he quickly retracted his head.

"Tang Jingkang, this Mr. Xian Gao is my father's guest, please don't be rude!"

Hearing his beloved princess defending others like this, he suddenly felt a little jealous.

"Don't worry, Sister Zhixuan. I'm here to discuss academic matters with him."

Mr. Xian Gao still stood in the corner, looking quietly at the lake, ignoring the provocation behind him.

"Mr. Xiangao, right? Since you chose this name, I guess you play the piano well."

Seeing that he did not dare to speak, Tang Jingkang thought that the other party was afraid of his identity. He was obviously an ordinary zither player with no strong support. What was wrong with him being bullied by the brother-in-law of Prince Ning?

"When I listen to music in a music hall, if I see someone playing or singing well, I will give him a dozen taels of silver."

"Just play a song here. If it's good, I will definitely reward you."

Mr. Xian Gao looked back at the dude, not wanting to cause any trouble, and shook his head, saying, "I am the zither player of His Royal Highness Prince Lu, and I cannot play the zither without your permission. Please forgive me, Mr. Tang."

"You don't give me face! And you still want me to forgive you?"

Tang Jingkang sneered, suddenly took two steps forward, and stretched out his hand to grab the zither on his back. Just from this grab, it can be seen that he was vigorous, neat and clear. This youngest son of the Duke of Zhenguo, who called himself Huo Wei, was not a complete drunkard, but was obviously a martial artist.

"Tang Jingkang, don't go too far..."

The girl in yellow was about to speak out to stop him, but she saw Mr. Xian Gao not even turning his head, but just moving a few steps to the left, just avoiding the claw from behind.

"It's your luck that a blind cat meets a dead mouse!"

Seeing that his attack, which was sure to succeed, had failed, Tang Jingkang was surprised at first, and then a little annoyed.

"The hawk catches the rabbit!"

He waved his hands, and his two claws fell on the opponent's back one after another.

"Snapped!"

The girl in yellow stepped forward and pointed her sword out, as fast as the wind.

Tang Jingkang only felt a numbness in his wrist, as if he had been electrocuted, and it began to twitch. In an instant, half of his body was out of control. Fortunately, it quickly returned to normal. He looked at the girl in surprise, then at the man who had his back to him, and his eyes gradually became full of resentment.

"You are too rude. Mr. Xian Gao is my father's guest. If you attack him, you are attacking Prince Lu's Mansion. I want to ask my uncle later, is this the rule of Ning Mansion to treat guests?"

The yellow-shirted girl had a frosty face and her words of rebuke to Tang Jingkang were reasonable and appropriate.

"Hmph! As you wish."

Tang Jingkang pretended not to care and turned away.

"Mr. Xian Gao, are you okay?"

Zhang Yu glanced at the girl in yellow. Tang Jingkang's mediocre kung fu was not worth mentioning. However, as a Lufu musician, it was not easy for him to show off his martial arts. If Tang Jingkang continued to force him, he would only be at a disadvantage.

"I'm fine. Thank you, Princess, for helping me out. It seems that the Princess is not only knowledgeable, but also has extraordinary martial arts skills. This is really impressive."

The yellow-shirted girl smiled and said, "This martial art was taught to me by an old monk from Yunnan when he was a guest in Lu Prefecture. I don't know what it's called, but I practiced it for a few years when I had nothing to do. I had a cold since my mother's womb, and many famous doctors couldn't cure it. But after I practiced it, it healed itself."

Zhang Yu thought about it and thought that the finger techniques in Yunnan were probably related to the Duan family martial arts. However, hundreds of years had passed, and unless someone had found the legacy of the ancients like him, the martial arts that had been passed down would have mostly changed, been lost or supplemented, and gradually become unrecognizable.

"The princess is kind-hearted and blessed with great fortune. She is blessed by all the gods and Buddhas."

The girl in yellow turned around, looked at Zhang Yu, and whispered, "Sir, you also have martial arts skills, right? Those two steps just now, I'm afraid they weren't just coincidences, right?"

Zhang Yu was slightly startled, but his face remained calm. He chuckled and said, "A sage in my hometown said that even beggars should have a dog-beating stick. Before I entered the Lu Prefecture, I traveled around the world, performing arts to make a living. I had to deal with many ruffians, so I learned some boxing and kicking techniques from them."

The girl in yellow nodded and said, "So that's how it is."

She had a faint smile on her face, not sure whether she believed it or not.

"Sir, you play the zither for a living. You have seen all kinds of things in the world. You have integrated knowledge and practice. Can you tell me more about the study of things to gain knowledge?"

Zhang Yu was more than happy to do so. He really didn't want to mention the fact that he knew martial arts anymore.

"Mr. Yangming said that everything can be studied! From things, we can find the truth."

"For example, this zither can entertain people, but it can also kill people."

He had never studied Yangming's teachings in depth. He had only flipped through a few pages of a book and remembered a few nouns. Now he was racking his brains, just wanting to fool this curious princess and wait until the apricot blossom banquet began.

The yellow-shirted girl was puzzled and asked, "The zither is used to cultivate one's sentiments, how can it kill people?"

"In the hands of a saint, the zither can be a tool for educating the people. But in the hands of a playful ruler, it will lead to the loss of the country, the destruction of all souls, and the destruction of the people, turning it into a murder weapon..."

Just when Zhang Yu couldn't continue to make up a story, an official in a green robe came over and said to everyone on the balcony.

"Your Highness Prince Ning, please take your seats."

(End of this chapter)