Prince Yihuang  

"What exactly did Sister whisper in the ear of the pockmarked water bandit?" Li Jing asked Meiniang.

"Little brother, when you grow up you will naturally understand." Meiniang smiled in response. A sliver of the setting sun shone into the cabin, coating her pale cheeks with an infinite softness.

At this time it is nearly dusk, the wind is slowing down, the old helmsman rocking jerk forward. The boat has passed the big lake in Nanchao, and travelled slowly along the river. The smoke from the distant village is rising, and the frosty forest is red and yellow. Listening to the old boatman said, a few more miles ahead, you can find a shop to eat at the Liu Village ferry. In ancient times, the boat was slow, from Luzhou to Moo Shu Kou (now Wuhu Yu Xi Kou, Anhui Province) but more than a hundred miles, but also to spend a day and night.

A frightening fight on the lake has become a thing of the past. At that time, except for Little Alone Star, the rest of the people in the cabin were tied up by the water bandits. After Pocky Face and Slim Man died together, Li Jing called out to his brother several times. Alone Star climbed up from the corner of the cabin and pulled out the sharp blade on Li Jing's calf to cut the rope, and Li Jing then untied everyone. The old helmsman was so shocked that he hurriedly inspected the boat. The boat of the three bandits was smashed through the deck, but the old boatman's boat was unharmed, but how to deal with the three corpses became a problem. The old boatman wanted to moor and report to the officials, middle-aged literati kept shaking his head, said that although this place is under the jurisdiction of the state of Lu, but the Sui dynasty was first established, the South Nest and the border of Chen, the county magistrate was originally sent by Chen officials, the name of the state of Sui, the actual service Chen master, the governor of the state of Lu also turned a blind eye to, unless the Sui dynasty army conquered the state of Chen, or else this place of the people and the people can not be at peace.

Li Jing does not want this matter to be publicised, otherwise the government will trace down, the identity of the little orphan star will die, his own life is also difficult to protect, but also to implicate the two families of Han and Li. He saw Meiniang provoke between the two bandits killed each other, the beauty of the sister both respect and service, so advised: "I think it's better not to alarm the government. Sister killed the two bandits in a few words, there must be a way to dispose of them, we will listen to her."

Meiniang gave him a gentle look, "Although little brother is young, I see that he is quite knowledgeable and extremely skilled. My method may be useful to these two fools, but if the bearded boss doesn't lose his life to little brother, I'm afraid there's nothing I can do."

The middle-aged literati was alert, and asked tentatively, "Little brother's good martial arts at a young age is really rare! My name is Zhang Ke, now living in Jiangling, I don't know why little brother will be in the cabin?"

Li Jing's mind flashed with electricity. If he said that he was a member of the Li family from the Three Plains, how could he have run to the north of the river? If he said he was General Han's nephew, it would be even more inconvenient. A little thought between the idea has been decided: "back to Mr. Zhang, my name is Mu Li, this is my brother wood star, living in the west of the city of Luzhou, yesterday's fire at home, the family separated, I and my brother was injured, and went to the mouth of the Moo Shu to run away from relatives. The old grandpa see our brother poor, let us two in the cabin not to make a sound, I did not expect to encounter bandits, I hopeMr. Zhang do not blame ..."

The middle-aged literati waved his hand, "That's just it, who doesn't have a hard time? If we hadn't stumbled upon little brother today, our family's fate would be hard to escape."

Meiniang laughed, "Little brother is afraid that he has something difficult to say, so it's fine not to mention it. However, my sister has been saved by you, so she always has to repay you." She took out the pearl and handed it to Li Jing. Li Jing hurriedly pushed it away, "Sister, please don't say that, it's this master who crashed into the inner room, I killed someone by mistake, and I still regret and fear. This bead can never be taken."

Meiniang did not force herself, put away the beads and said to Zhang Ke, "Uncle, these three bandits may have accomplices, in order to avoid trouble,we should put the people with the boat sunk into the lake. Please also ask the old man and little brother to help."

Zhang Ke agreed. So the old boatman, Zhang Ke and Li Jing carried the three corpses to the bandit ship, put them into the cabin and closed the hatch, then chiselled and sank the ship. While the ship was sinking, the old boatman opened a pigeon cage from the connection between the deck and the front cabin and released a pigeon. Li Jing and the others were in a hurry to board the ship and did not notice the pigeon on board. They thought it was the old boatman's personal preference and did not care about it.

After this delay, it was already the time of the day. The old helmsman hoisted the sails again and resumed his voyage.

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When the boat arrives at the ferry port of Liu Village and docks along the west side, the helmsman unhooks the boat and invites the guests to get off the boat to have a meal. At that time, unless the government banquets, only two meals a day in the morning and evening. Liu village ferry compared to the wild ferry outside the city of Luzhou, but also some popularity. An inn on the west bank is already lit up, and the diners are in the shadows. Li Jing carried Alone Star on his back and followed Zhang Ke's family into the shop.

It was said to be an inn, but in fact there were only a few inner room boarding houses, with a few vermilion lacquered wooden pillars outside holding up the gable roof, serving as a wine shop. On the north side of the inn was a whole row of woods, in which dozens of strong horses of various colours were tethered, chewing on the grass. A blistering man with a white scarf on his head and sleeves rolled up was roasting a fat sheep over a charcoal fire, the meat smelling delicious. In the early days of the Sui Dynasty, countryside inns did not have tables and chairs, and dozens of diners sat on the ground around a low table on which were placed hoecakes, pickles, chopped vegetables, mixed fruits and soups. The diners bowed their heads to eat, only eating and drinking sounds, do not hear anyone speak. The old boatman asked for a seat, Li Jing put down the little Alone Star, sat at the end of the seat. Originally, in the ship's capital has included these consumption, could have bought food to the ship to eat and drink, but experienced banditry, blood is not yet exhausted, and are sitting tired, take advantage of this time to get off the boat to get some air.

Li Jing waited for Zhang Ke, Meiniang and the others to eat first, before breaking open the hoecakes and distributing them to Alone Star to eat, and then fed him some water. Alone Star seemed to be in better spirits, chewing and swallowing slowly. Meiniang looked at him and said, "You seems that come from a great family influential for generations, how could you run away to their relatives because of the fire at home?"

Li Jing didn't reply, but he heard a morose voice say, "Naturally, he is a son of a great family influential for generations, just out to have fun."

The crowd turned around, only to see a man in black wearing a gauze hat holding a sword, standing in the centre of the shop like a javelin. Under the lights, his face looked cold. The boots on his feet seemed to be nailed to the ground.

Li Jing smelled the murderous aura of the visitor and couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart, it seemed that the hunt for Alone Star was still not over. He whirled around and regained his composure. Although this was a small village wild shop, but after all, there were dozens of diners, and the visitor would be afraid of the crowd even if he wanted to make a move.

Unexpectedly, the man didn't even look at Li Jing and Alone Star anymore, but instead stared at Meiniang: "This lady, I think she must even come from an illustrious family. Just based on the phoenix hairpin on the young lady's head, it is definitely not owned by an ordinary family."

Li Jing followed his uncle, learnt all the astronomy, geography and military, on the women's wear all things do not know. This person pointed out the joints, he took another look: the phoenix hairpin on the head of Meiniang has two, the hairpin is in the shape of a phoenix, made of gold. Just thinking, steeply saw a flash of black shadow in front of his eyes. Meiniang shrieked, the man in black returned to the same place, hand pinch a phoenix hairpin.

Zhang Ke got up and shouted, "How dare you rob in broad daylight! Aren't you afraid to report it to the police?"

I only heard a thin voice from the neighbouring seat say: ''Reporting an official? This place is near the Yangtze River, are you reporting to the officials of Sui? Or do you want to report to the officials of Great Chen?"

Li Jing looked at the sound, only to see a fourteen or fifteen year old boy, sitting cross-legged on top of the sheep felt, with a glass of wine, the look is very proud. This person wears a sheepskin hat, wearing sheepskin clothes, foot high cowhide boots, it is the northern pastoral dress, but the face is handsome eyes, star, heroic, all without the pastoral weather colour. Especially the long fingers holding the cup, such as a woman as white and slender.

After all, Zhang Ke has seen the world, a look at this outfit, I think there is a great deal of history, and immediately arched his hand and said: "This little master please. This is indeed the boundaries of the Sui Dynasty, under the jurisdiction of Wuwei County, Luzhou Prefecture. Daughter's hairpin, please return."

The young man grew up, surprisingly half a head taller than Zhang Ke. He took the phoenix hairpin from the black-robed man, put it on his nose and sniffed it, saying, "This spice from the Western Region, it is really fragrant! Surprisingly, even the golden hairpin is permeated with this flavour." His eyes flowed with light, staring straight at Meiniang, looking straight at Meiniang's blushing face before he laughed and said, "This lady, I like your hairpin very much, can you give it to me to keep as a remembrance?"

Meiniang was looking at his heart hairy, feel the cheeks burning. Seeing him ask, only to hardened his head and said: "Although only a hairpin, is the mother left to the little girl's credentials. You forcibly asked to go, I am afraid that there is damage to the reputation ..."

The young man laughed out loud, "Fame? I'm new to Jiangbei, no one knows me, how can I talk about fame? You refuse to give me away, just how much will you be willing to sell?" He said and glanced at the man in black. The man in black immediately touched an ingot of gold from his pocket.

North and South Dynasty and the early Sui Dynasty, silver is not circulating currency, gold is a rare thing, the market to five baht money, but also useful silk to offset the value of the goods. This young man is a piece of gold, it is clear that not rich or noble. However, Meiniang still shook her head, "The hairpin was given by my mother, although a thousand gold."

The young man laughed and asked, "If your mother wants to give it to me, is the young lady willing to give it to me?"

Zhang Ke saw this young man playfully molesting his adopted daughter, has long been burning with anger, just afraid of the black-clothed man's martial arts skills, do not dare to attack just. When he was on the boat, he was shocked by the fact that Li Jing had killed the bandit boss with a single slash, and thought that although Li Jing was young, he might be able to resist this rogue teenager's entourage. At that moment, he pulled Li Jing to his feet and said: ''This gentleman is a strong man. Mu Li, your sister has been taunted, what should you do?"

Li Jing knows that the mission of this trip is to escort the Alone Star safely into Shu, the boat killings are accidental, in this wild shop also only want to eat enough to get on the boat to catch the road. Listen to this young man's accent is the standard northern official language, but look at the attire is Hu ethnic group dressed, a moment can not distinguish. However, as soon as he saw Meiniangon the heart of love and care, at this time to see this young man although handsome and upright, but can see that the martial arts is not high, and that the man in black is indeed a strong martial arts, knowing that it is far from being the enemy, so has been holding back. At this moment, Zhang Ke pushed him out, he had no choice but to say: "This gentleman please. This gentleman likes sister's hairpin, unless sister gives it to him, I'm afraid that robbing him by force is not justified."

The teenager didn't even half look at him and asked Meiniang, "Is he your brother?"

Meiniang said, "This little brother met me in passing and travelled with me on the boat. Along the way, he has taken much care of us, so he is regarded as a little brother."

The teenager rolled his eyes, "Since you're not your own brother, don't interrupt, lest your life be wasted!"

Li Jing said angrily, "Do I have to suffer death for saying a fair word?"

The man in black took a step forward and reached out to slap Li Jing. Unexpectedly, Li Jing Li Jing moved his feet to dodged away The man in black let out an "eek" and attacked with a sweeping leg, and Li Jing stepped forward and dodged again. In the blink of an eye, the two of them started to fight. But a few strokes, Li Jing after all, young, ultimately unbeatable. The man in black stretched out his left hand, to grab Li Jing neck, suddenly flew a branch hit the man in black wrist, shocked him back three steps.

A low voice "Amitabha Buddha" came from the ears of the crowd. Immediately, an old monk with a short white beard led a young man in his twenties out of the forest.

This old monk seventy, obese, generous face, round ears, eyes seem to be closed, only a thin slit. He was dressed in a soil yellow monk clothes, fat socks monk shoes, walking without a sound; behind the youth pointed forehead high nose, tall and thin, a rough cloth green clothes, hair bunched up, not wearing a hat, right hand holding a mantle. The old monk took a step, he also followed a step, every step is stepped in the old monk's footprints, not the slightest difference.

Li Jing's family originally believed in Buddhism, seeing that this old monk had saved them, they immediately folded their hands to show their gratitude. The black-robed man's martial arts skills are extremely high, but just now was forced back three steps by a tree branch, knowing that the power and the old monk are too far apart, so he had to hang his hands and stand at the side of the bearded gentleman.

The shopkeeper is a middle-aged fat man, saw the old monk, hurriedly came forward to round off the scene: "The ascended monk has come to visit, please take a seat ... I will be bring the rice." The old monk nodded and thanked: "I have to thank the shopkeeper, please give some vegetarian cake gruel can be." Said and found a bamboo mat, sitting cross-legged. The young man stood behind him, looking like a big Buddha next to a bamboo pole.

Hu clothing young man was stirred up by this old monk, could not help but be furious. Only to hear him whistling, dozens of diners in the shop have risen, hands like a magic trick all have blades. Li Jing then understood, the original shop diners are this mysterious bearded boy's entourage, dressed as pedestrians to eat and drink. He suddenly blamed himself: these people eat and drink like no one else, neither noise nor look on, naturally, are well-trained soldiers! It seems that this young man has a great deal to offer.

The old monk still narrowed his eyes, treating the dozens of people as if they were nothing, and said to the youth behind him, "Tian Ling, you go." The youth bowed and said "Yes". Only to see a flash of green shadows, that bearded teenager shrieked in shock, and was already lifted over by the youth like a chicken. The black-robed man steeply drew his sword, flew on the body to pounce, but heard the "ding" sound, the long sword out of hand flew out, nailed into the wooden columns, shocked the roof of the eaves of the grey soil fluttering down.

The youth in green clothes threw the boy in northern minority clothes in front of the old monk and clasped his pulse.

The boy in northern minority clothes was restrained, but he looked calm. He sneered, "Stinking monk, if you take me, I will destroy your temple!"

The old monk said blandly, "Emperor Wu of Northern Wei and Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou exterminated the Buddha, but the emperors have long since withered away and our Buddha is still here! I'm a poor monk, I've been travelling all over the world, where did I get a temple? Look at your bones, you are also a very noble person, why are you bullying women here?"

The boy said proudly, "Old monk, do you know who I am?"

The old monk said, "Benefactor,who are you?"

The boy said angrily, "I am Prince Yi Huang of the Turkic Khanate, if you dare to hurt me, the Turkic warriors will come after me and leave no chickens or dogs behind!"

Li Jing, Zhang Ke, Meiniang and others heard, can not help but be surprised. At that time, the Turkic north dominant, distant territories, control of hundreds of thousands of strings, the war power is far from the Central Plains can not be compared, the Han people fear like a tiger. I did not expect this Turkic prince will come to Jiangbei.

The old monk declared the Buddha's name in a low voice and opened his eyes, "So it is the Turkic King's son, the poor monk has been rude. However, there are only living beings in the eyes of Buddhists, and living beings must be reasonable. If you robbed this female benefactor's golden hairpin, you have to return it to her."

The boy said: "The old monk is wrong! This king is rich as a nation, will not be because of the hairpin want to covet? just I saw that she was so beautiful that the whole country fell in love with her., so much admiration and love, want to leave the gold hairpin as a token, and then ask the matchmaker to propose marriage. The world can see this heart! Ancient saying: My fair lady, gentleman's good martyred. Is this also wrong?"

Li Jing's heart raced. For some reason, a sour taste welled up in his heart. Raising his eyes, he went to look at Meiniang. Under the dim light, but he saw a blush on her face, very delicate and lovely.

The old monk glanced back at Meiniang and asked, "Female benefactor, what do you think?"

Meiniang shyly hurriedly bowed her head, mumbling, "I ... this marriage matter, have to comply with the order of parents, matchmakers, how can it be a childish ... game."

Seeing that the scene was under control, Zhang Ke bowed deeply to the old monk: "Jiangling Zhang Ke thanks the divine monk! The matter of my daughter's marriage must ... still be said, this prince is a Hu ethnic group. I am not good at teaching my daughter, but I will never marry a Hu ethnic group!"

The young man in northern minority clothes laughed, "Good, good! You Southerners, stubborn and old-fashioned. The north has long been intermarriage between Minorities and Southern Chinese, this king saw the little lady will know is the love of this life, non-maiden not marry! This hairpin, first returned to the mother, when I return to the north, and then according to your southern custom of marriage how?" Said, broke away from the hand of the young man in green, walked over, the hairpin gently inserted back into the bun of Meiniang's hair.

Li Jing secretly clenched his teeth, hoping that Meiniangrefused on the spot. However, to his disappointment, Meiniang actually seems to be obsessed with the general, let the Hu ethnic group teenager inserted the golden hairpin. The old monk's eyes flashed, then closed his eyes and declared a low Buddha.