Many leaders of the nearby Wuman tribes gathered in Ningzhou and Yunnan County. Some were still on the way, but they all rushed to Dongzhao Village. The village was the main village of the Wuman Meng family. It was built around the mountains and had solid fences that were impenetrable. There were dozens of bunkers and sentry towers outside, monitoring everything around from afar.
In front of the village gate, a stone road extends straight out, and the main building stands on a gentle slope. There is a noisy crowd inside, and people are toasting at the tables on both sides. Most of them are Wuman chieftains who have come here. Some are urging people to drink and eat meat, while others are sitting at the table and whispering with others. From time to time, they glance at the silent figure sitting at the main seat with a glass of wine.
"Before you came, I heard from High Priest Sheron that he was going to save a Chinese man who was his friend."
"… We Wuman people have always treated our friends in this way. Langqiongzhao is willing to help."
"Who wouldn't want to come here?!"
“I just don’t know if I can catch up.”
Amid the noisy sound of talking and drinking, a few people who were whispering raised their heads and looked at the first person. Shelong was holding a glass of wine with a frown on his brow. When he noticed someone was looking at him, he lifted the hero's knot wrapped with a blue cloth, and his face showed dignity and majesty.
He put the wine in his hand on the table with a bang, stood up, dragging his cloak, glanced at the emperors drinking below, and called his men to his side.
"Are all the emperors here?"
The subordinate lowered his head to calculate, raised his hand to his chest, and quickly replied: "Reporting to the high priest, four edicts have arrived, and another edict should be on the way."
Shelong nodded and looked towards the hall. The four Zhao leaders on both sides also stopped talking and drinking. Someone walked to the middle and wanted to speak, but he raised his hand to stop him.
"I've been waiting for half a month, and not a single decree is needed." Shelong took the earthenware bowl on the table and passed it to the side, asking his subordinates to fill it up, and walked over dragging his cloak.
The man who was interrupted stepped aside, looked at the high priest coming over, and punched his shoulder with his fist.
"High Priest, you tell me when to send out the troops. We have a small number of people, but we are brave enough to fight and kill!"
Shelong hummed, swept his eyes across the face of the chief, looked at the other three chiefs, walked to the middle, raised his drink, and spoke in a powerful voice.
"We, the Six Zhao of the Southern Kingdom, have always been united in common. When one suffers, we all suffer together. Today, I was honored to have a brother from the Sui Dynasty in trouble. You all responded to my invitation and came. Shelong is extremely grateful!"
As he spoke, he held up the wine with both hands, tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp. He showed them the bottom of the bowl and reached out to wipe the wine stains off his thick beard.
"The Sui people lived and died with me, and we suffered together from north to south. Although we are men of the Southern Kingdom, we know justice and friendship, so how can we stand by and watch them die without helping them?"
"Well said!" Someone stood up, picked up the wine and drank it all, then smashed the pottery bowl to pieces with a bang: "Teng Dan Zhao, I am willing to go with the high priest!"
"Count in a copy of the Yuexi edict!"
"That Sui man is a friend of the high priest, and also a friend of Shi Langzhao! Let's go together!"
At this time, many soldiers from the Four Zhao tribes gathered in front of the main building. They were related by marriage and gathered together without distinction. When they heard the statements of the leaders inside, they drew the blades at their waists, raised them above their heads, and started shouting.
The person standing at the end stood on tiptoe and shouted a few times. After standing back up, he turned his head and seemed to see a faint figure coming towards the village gate in the distance.
He opened his mouth quickly and shouted: "Who?!"
The sudden sound instantly made the nearby tribal soldiers stop shouting. Even Shelong, who was talking to the leaders of the four tribes in the main building, heard the sound and turned his head to look outside.
Amid the sounds of swords being drawn and weapons clashing, the clan soldiers standing outside the building suddenly made way for them. A scholar strode over with his hands behind his back. He was wearing a green shirt and a white robe, and there was a slight white mark on one side of his hair. The head of the Shi Langzhao clan in the hall stepped forward and shouted, "Scholar from the Sui Dynasty, stop!"
The other three men drew their weapons fiercely and stepped forward with ferocious looks on their faces. As long as the scholar outside dared to step over the threshold, they would rush over and chop him into meat paste.
However, when the scholar stepped in, the four men were immediately furious and rushed forward with their swords in hand. The next moment, there was a sudden "bang" sound of a ceramic bowl breaking behind them, and the broken pieces of the bowl bounced to the feet of the four men with a clang.
The four chiefs turned their heads sideways, and the high priest standing in the middle suddenly showed surprise on his originally solemn expression. He raised his hand and bowed, imitating the Han people's etiquette.
"Shelong, meet the Imperial Master!"
For a moment, the four chiefs were stunned, holding their knives in confusion, "High Priest, what are you doing?"
"Yes, High Priest, please don't speak Chinese. We can't understand you!"
Over there, Lu Liangsheng who came in raised his hand to let him get up. The latter then stood up and explained to the four Zhao leaders on both sides.
"This is the Imperial Master of the Great Sui Dynasty, the master of my friend!"
After saying this, he hastily made a gesture to invite Lu Liangsheng to sit down, and then clapped his hands to call his subordinates to add more wine, "Take out the precious spring wine in the cellar!"
"Need not!"
Lu Liangsheng raised his hand to interrupt, "My master has heard what you said just now. Thank you on behalf of Sui An." As he said that, he raised his sleeves, bowed, and sat down next to She Long.
"But you don't have to go. Just tell me how Sui An got into trouble and why he didn't send a message?"
The scholar spoke Chinese, and Shelong was the only one in the hall who could understand him. He looked at his friend's master in front of him, a trace of guilt appeared on his face, and he turned away.
"Reporting to the Imperial Master, Sui An was somewhat wronged in this matter."
Afterwards, he told Lu Liangsheng the whole story. Several months ago, he and Sui'an were traveling here as usual. Because of the distance, they first arrived in Gongzhou, where the mountains were steep and rugged. Both of them were monks, so such a rugged mountain road was naturally not a problem for them. Li Sui'an was also smart and eccentric, and was always the first to rush to the top of the mountain. When they were about to reach the Canglan River, they climbed over a mountain and ran into a pool. They saw a girl bathing in the pool.
This caused the girl to scream and shout, which attracted several young men. Li Sui'an tried to explain to them, but how could he explain such a misunderstanding clearly? As a result, a fight broke out. Those men ran away with the girl. Soon, several old men came to chase them. After a joint attack, Sui'an let him escape first. Shelong ran too far and felt something was not right, so he returned the same way. By then, Li Sui'an had been captured by the other side. He used the witchcraft to eavesdrop and found out that these people were from the Canglan Sword Sect.
I am no match for the enemy alone and might be captured. By then, no one would know about this.
It was too far to go north to Chang'an for help, so he returned to Ningzhou, gathered his clansmen, and prepared to go for the rescue. It took another half a month.
After hearing the general story, Lu Liangsheng frowned and asked again: "Why didn't you send a message?"
"National Master, at that time, Sui An also thought about sending a message, but the National Master did not respond."
I didn't respond
Lu Liangsheng subconsciously reached out to touch the jade pendant on his waist, but felt nothing. Then he remembered that when he was fighting with the four generals of the Demon Family on the sea before, his Dharma image exploded and he was somersaulted by a monkey to the other side of the sea. He must have fallen into the sea in the chaos.
Well, now that I'm back, I'll settle the Sui'an issue first, then go to the East China Sea and send the mermaid back.
Having sorted out his thoughts and understood the cause and effect, Lu Liangsheng did not linger any longer. She Long, who was sitting beside him, quickly got up and followed him.
"Master, Shelong knows where it is!"
As he said this, he said to the four Zhao leaders, "You don't have to go." Then he quickly followed the figure in front and walked out of the big camp.
Outside.
The four scholars waiting beside the old donkey squatted on the ground in a circle, scratching with branches, and occasionally looking up at the village ahead.
"Why hasn't the Imperial Master come out yet?"
"What are you worried about? Who here dares to touch the Imperial Master?"
"That's right. The Imperial Master is such a powerful figure. Even if we want to make a move, we need the strength... By the way, when we return to Chang'an, tell me, based on our relationship with the Imperial Master, will His Majesty give us a promotion?"
"That's natural. There will be women too... hehe."
"The last time the black..."
"Don't mention it. When I mention it, I think of those two huge fat black women. I'm still a little out of breath now."
As they were talking, the old donkey next to them suddenly started running. The four of them looked up and saw a shadow blocking their sight. They quickly stood up and called out respectfully.
"National Master!"
Lu Liangsheng took the reins and led the old donkey in a certain direction. He raised his hand and snapped his fingers at them, "Let's go."