noffsinger Chapter 18 Luoyang
Chapter 18 Luoyang
Sikong Jin suddenly fell silent. After a long while, she turned to look out the window. The bright moon hung in the sky, its cool light scattering across the ground. Then, she suddenly smiled and said leisurely, "It's hard on Uncle Wu. He still cares about Mother and Mo'er. I believe the head of the family will take good care of them."
"Does the young master really believe that the head of the family and the others will take good care of the madam and the young master?" Uncle Wu raised his eyes and looked at Sikong Jin thoughtfully, but she still had a calm expression and could not tell what emotions she was having.
Sikong Jin nodded, "Of course, the patriarch told me to train hard here..."
"Young Master! Do you really believe that the patriarch transferred you here merely to train you?"
"Otherwise, what do you think?" Sikong Jin looked at Uncle Wu with suspicion, pondered for a moment, and then continued, "If we were still in the capital, after you leave here, someone would invite you to have tea with the head of the family."
Upon hearing this, Uncle Wu was taken aback...
“Young Master, the Master’s Four Banners Army is now in the hands of your cousin Sikong Rui… Young Master, you should make plans as soon as possible. With the Master gone… from now on, in the Sikong Mansion, both the Madam and the Young Master will have to rely on you.”
Uncle Wu's voice was heavy with worry. Looking at his young master, who now seemed relaxed and aloof, he felt the young master had become much more reserved and enigmatic. After a moment's thought, he suddenly realized, "Yes, if they were still in the capital, every move they made would be watched by those 'eyes' and 'ears.' And with the master gone, losing his military power is inevitable, even putting the young master in danger. It's better to take a step back, protect ourselves, and then…"
Use retreat to advance.
The Sikong Jin of that time wasn't stupid; on the contrary, she was quite intelligent. At least, the things she left in her mind for Nan Chen 002 were crucial, but...
After a moment's thought, he understood his young master's intentions. He was secretly surprised. He was willing to be exiled here. Although the place was remote, it would allow him to escape their eyes and ears. Giving up the military power of the Four Banners Army as a favor and showing weakness in front of them was indeed the best choice for him at that time.
very smart!
In the past few months, he suddenly felt that the young master was becoming more and more incomprehensible. You had no idea what he was thinking or what he was going to do.
Uncle Wu gave Sikong Jin a meaningful look and smiled, "Young Master, this old servant believes you are no ordinary person. The Master's brilliance will surely be amplified many times over through you..."
……
After leaving these words, Uncle Wu quietly withdrew.
The sound of the door closing brought Sikong Jin back to her senses. She looked down at the still slightly warm tea in her hand and murmured, "I need to make plans as soon as possible... Hmm, it's time to find a way to make a living. I wonder how things are in Luoyang..."
……
The next morning, as the warm sun rose, casting its golden rays, the two deputy generals of the Minister of Works, Mei Ruhua and Meng Benbo, along with the chief strategist Zhu Si, awaited the Minister of Works in the outer hall of the Minister's residence.
After receiving guidance from Lord Sikong, the strategist Zhu Si went back and studied the constellations all night. This morning, he had eyes like a national treasure, and the bruises from last night had not yet faded. He looked extremely haggard and disheveled, and appeared very sleepy.
"My lord is here!"
As Sikong Jin strode into the hall, the others immediately stood up.
"Meet the adults!"
"No gift!"
Sikong Jin turned around and sat down, took a sip of hot tea, squinted at the few people whispering among themselves below, coughed lightly, and only then did they come back to their senses.
"I wonder what brings you here so early, sir?"
Mei Ruhua stepped forward, cupped her fists, and asked with a hint of doubt on her face, "Also, it's been more than a month, sir, where has your captain of the guard, Berger, gone? We haven't seen her for more than a month."
"There's nothing major happening in the army lately, but the food is terrible. I've asked her to do some side work, and you'll see her soon." Sikong Jin smiled and put down his teacup. "Today, I've summoned you all here for a few things. First, the New Year is over, and Strategist Zhu has just prepared enough provisions for our army. We can start recruiting soldiers now. Who's willing to take charge of this?"
Recruiting soldiers?
"Sir, we can't recruit soldiers arbitrarily..."
Meng Benbo's eyes widened. "If Shangfeng finds out, we might be handed over to the Zhongzhou Society's judicial branch!"
"Not being able to recruit soldiers at will doesn't mean I can't recruit soldiers at all! If they don't recruit soldiers for me, how will I suppress the bandits? I have plenty of provisions now, so I can do as I please!"
Sikong Jin raised an eyebrow, slowly stood up, and held up two fingers. "Secondly, the Luoyang Flower Festival is approaching, and I must immediately head to Luoyang to gather intelligence on the enemy. Who among you is willing to go with me?"
"This humble official is willing to go with you, sir!"
No sooner had the words been spoken than three voices rang out simultaneously.
"Fatty, weren't you sent to Lingxi Pass by the adults? You shouldn't go. Besides, you're easy to spot because of your appearance, and then there's your face..."
Meng Benbo frowned and glanced at the fat man.
"So what if I look like this? I can just disguise myself."
"You think you can disguise yourself? No matter how you dress, you're still just a lump of flesh. And you're wearing white? Don't you know that white clothes make fat people look even fatter?"
"You're a big Black man, and you still look terrible in all black clothes!"
Mei Ruhua exchanged a glance with Sikong Jin, coldly watching the two attacking each other, and then kicked them both.
"Ouch! Ru Hua! Why did you kick me?"
"Alright, stop arguing. I've made my decision." Sikong Jin raised his eyes and looked steadily at the three of them, pointing his finger and giving orders. "First, Vice General Meng will accompany me on this trip. Second, Strategist Zhu, you must immediately go to Lingxi Pass to handle the affairs there. By the way, Liu Xin and his men will be going into the mountains to suppress bandits the day after tomorrow. You must actively cooperate with them. Third, while I'm away, I entrust all important military affairs to Vice General Mei. The recruitment of soldiers must be carried out in a tense but discreet manner."
When Sikong Jin spoke the last sentence, she lowered her voice and whispered it in Mei Ruhua's ear.
Luoyang, located on the border between the Central and Southern States of the Fengyun Continent, is the largest city in the Central State. Its prosperity surpasses even that of the capital of the Dayong Dynasty and is comparable to the capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty. It is one of the four famous Heavenly Capitals of the Fengyun Continent.
Although located in Zhongzhou, within the territory of the Dayong Dynasty, it is not under the jurisdiction of Dayong. It is a holy land for martial arts practitioners, a paradise for the rich and a hell for the poor. Since ancient times, it has been the central hub of the martial arts world of the entire Fengyun Continent. Even when war is raging, it remains prosperous and peaceful.
Amidst the chaos of war, such a turbulent world fosters the rise of powerful figures in the martial arts world.
On a certain day in the third month of spring in the year 466 of the Red Moon Calendar, Sikong Jin led his two guards, Zhang Feng and Li Ji, along with his deputy Meng Benbo, from Malan City along the official road, heading straight for Luoyang City.
The four were disguised as young masters and their attendants on an outing. Sikong Jin was dressed in a light blue brocade robe, her hair tied up with a silver crown, looking elegant and refined, like a gentle young master. Meng Benbo and the other two guards were all dressed in black, with gray cloaks draped over their shoulders.
"My lord! This is Luoyang! What a vast and magnificent city!"