Chapter 177 I hate the ancients for not seeing my madness, it’s not the same anymore
On the top of the mountain, a figure stood with his hands behind his back, looking up into the distance.

It was none other than Gao Changsheng.

Not far behind him, Jiumozhi was standing quietly with a bag on his back, a worried look on his face.

Gao Changsheng has maintained this posture for almost an hour.

During this time, there was no exchange of words between the two.

If it was before, Jiumozhi would definitely not be able to hold back and ask a few questions.

But at this moment, Jiumozhi obviously did not dare to speak rashly.

Gao Changsheng's current condition is really too horrifying.

From the sudden outburst, killing three grand masters with great ease, to suppressing both good and evil on the Bright Summit.

During this period of time, Gao Changsheng was always surrounded by an extremely cold aura.

And Jiumozhi saw all of this from beginning to end.

He admitted that he was frightened.

"Brush, brush."

A sound of breaking through the air was heard, startling Jiumozhi who was counting ants with his head down.

Look up.

Two figures were coming at high speed along the winding ridge.

Jiumozhi was slightly stunned.

They were two women, and with his keen eyesight he could certainly see each other's faces clearly.

One of them was Daiqisi, the Purple-Robed Dragon King who had followed the Ming King on Guangming Summit.

"Meet the master."

As soon as she reached the top of the mountain, Daiqisi bowed to Gao Changsheng.

Jiumozhi was shocked. The Purple-Robed Dragon King following behind the mysterious Ming Wang turned out to be Gao Changsheng's subordinate.

Hearing Daiqisi's voice, Gao Changsheng finally turned his head slowly.

"Has everything about Guangmingding been dealt with?"

"Yes, that Ming King not only knows the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth, but also took out the Holy Fire Order. Now he has basically taken control of the Ming Cult." Daiqisi spoke quickly.

Seeing that Gao Changsheng did not respond, Dai Qisi continued:
"The Holy Fire Token should have been snatched by Ye Gucheng from the Persians on the Spirit Snake Island that day."

"The Great Shift of Heaven and Earth and the Holy Fire Token are both symbols of the Ming Cult. This person possesses both of them, plus his powerful strength. It is almost certain that he will become the leader of the Ming Cult."

"I wonder if the master has other arrangements and whether he needs me to continue to stay in the Ming Cult."

If Gao Changsheng had plans against the Ming Cult, having a Dharma King-level figure as his accomplice would definitely be extremely beneficial.

"No need."

Gao Changsheng waved his hand decisively.

"what?"

Hearing this, Daiqisi was obviously a little surprised.

In her opinion, Gao Changsheng asked her to return and act as a medium to contact Ye Gucheng and others.

He returned to the Ming Cult as the Purple-Robed Dragon King.

They must be planning something against the Ming Cult, especially the army under the Five Elements Flag.

Unexpectedly, Gao Changsheng directly rejected her proposal.

"You are an outsider, and a Dragon King who broke away from the sect. You have no foundation in the Ming Cult at all."

"Besides, the other party knows about your relationship with me. Even if they don't try to stop me, they will certainly be on guard. You are just wasting time if you stay in Bright Summit."

Gao Changsheng shook his head.

Daiqisi was not wrong in her guess, he did have some plans for the Ming Cult.

Daiqisi is just one of the links.

But now it is obviously too late.

When fighting against Meng Chixing and others, he felt the drastic shock to the fortunes of the Sui Dynasty.

That was a fluctuation that had never happened before.

Although Gao Changsheng was still unaware of Yang Lin's death in battle.

But what could cause such violent turmoil must be that something went wrong in the war in the northwest, and it must be a huge problem.

Under such circumstances, he naturally had no time to continue wasting on the affairs of the Ming Cult.

Fortunately, everything he planned in Ming Dynasty this time has been basically completed.

As for the Five Elements Flag of the Ming Cult, it is not a necessary thing and is something that can be obtained or not.

After all, the location of the Five Elements Flag is too far away from his current territory.

"The matter of the Ming Cult is not urgent for now. Let him go. We will have a clearer future."

Gao Changsheng spoke in a cold voice.

Daiqisi didn't say anything else. It was obvious that Gao Changsheng still had some hidden tricks in the affairs of the Ming Cult, but this was obviously not something she could ask about casually.

"You came just in time. I am about to leave Ming and return to Sui. There are some things I need you to do."

"Please give your orders, Master." Daiqisi bowed quickly.

"Outside the capital, Nangong Pushe will be waiting for you there. As for what's going on, she will tell you."

Gao Changsheng waved his hand.

"Yes."

Daiqisi didn't ask any further questions, but turned around and looked behind her.

"Master, this is Xiao Zhao, my daughter. She has been staying at Guangmingding."

"It's inconvenient for me to bring her along when I'm doing things. Why not let her stay with the master and serve as a maid?"

Daiqisi pulled the timid Xiaozhao over and bowed.

Gao Changsheng glanced at Xiao Zhao and nodded lightly.

"Go ahead. Nangong will tell you the next arrangements."

"My subordinates say goodbye."

Gao Changsheng ignored Daiqisi who turned and left, nor did he pay attention to Xiaozhao who was uneasy.

Instead, he turned to look at Jiumozhi who was looking down in a daze.

"Um~"

Jiumozhi also quickly noticed that something was wrong with the atmosphere.

Slowly raised his head.

"Grandmaster……"

Listening to Gao Changsheng's calm yet cold voice, Jiumozhi shuddered for no apparent reason.

"General Gao, if you need anything, just tell me." Jiumozhi said, patting his chest.

"Master, you should have heard what I just said."

"I am about to leave Daming, Master..."

Jiumozhi was stunned for a moment before he reacted.

Quickly speak:
"I have no important business in the Ming Dynasty. If the general needs anything, I will be there for him."

Hearing this, Gao Changsheng finally showed a smile on his face.

"In that case, I have something to trouble you with, Master."

"Don't worry, the remuneration will definitely satisfy the master."

Hearing this, Jiumozhi's eyes suddenly lit up.

Even Gao Changsheng's still terrifying aura was instantly ignored by him.

"General Gao, just speak frankly."

Just when Jiumozhi was full of joy and ready to follow Gao Changsheng to leave the Ming Dynasty, and was looking forward to what he said.

In the capital of the Ming Dynasty, several figures were staring at each other.

"Haven't you found Master Jiumozhi yet?"

In the inn, a fat, big-eared man in fancy clothes was glaring at the guards below.

"Prince Zongzan, I have searched almost the entire city and have not found any traces."

"Will something happen to Master Jiumozhi?"

"Bullshit." The Tubo prince shouted angrily.

"Master Jiumozhi is so powerful, how could anyone hurt him?"

"Master must have encountered something urgent and couldn't come." Zong Zan said.

"Then Your Highness, the Master is not here? We..."

Zong Zan waved his hand casually upon hearing this.

"Don't worry, there won't be any safety issues in the capital of Ming Dynasty."

"And the master will be back soon, so there is no need to worry."

"That's right. The master is loyal to His Highness. How could he forget His Highness? Perhaps he is already on his way back now."

And it was in another post house just one street away from the Tubo post house.

Two figures were playing chess in the room.

On the chessboard, black and white chess pieces are intertwined, highlighting the complexity of the battle situation.

"The princess is indeed a chess genius that is unrivaled in the world. I am ashamed to say that I am inferior to her."

A hearty laugh was heard, accompanied by the sound of chess pieces falling.

It was obvious that one side had thrown in the towel.

"The Divine Marquis is being modest."

The woman smiled coldly and slowly put down the chess piece on her fingertips.

"Haha, the King of Beiliang has a family full of heroes. I am really a little envious."

"But we have talked and played chess. I wonder what the princess thinks of my proposal?"

Zhu Wusi spoke softly.

"Shen Hou is joking. Wei Xiong is just a girl, and the only thing she knows is a mediocre chess skill."

"Wei Xiong can't make the decision on such an important matter. We still need to wait for Bei Liang to send a message."

Xu Weixiong, who was sitting opposite Zhu Wusi, smiled calmly.

"hehe."

Zhu Wusi smiled lightly and didn't care.

He is not a fool. If Xu Weixiong really can't make any decisions, he would never appear here.

"I'm afraid Princess doesn't know that the battle at Kunlun has already been decided. Qi Lianhua died at the hands of Gao Changsheng."

"Before the battle, Qi Lianhua said in person that he was from Beiliang and was instructed by Beiliang King Xu Xiao."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xu Weixiong's brows instantly frowned.

"Tap, tap, tap."

The sound of horse hooves came like a surging tide.

"Brother Gao." "Marshal."

In the smoke and dust, before any figure appeared, urgent voices could be heard from afar.

A moment later, several figures fell down.

One of them was Luo Cheng, who had just called "Big Brother".

Following him was Lieutenant General Li.

"Brother Gao, you are finally back."

There was no one around Gao Changsheng at this time.

The eighteen riders who had always followed him, and even Li Yuanba, were not by his side.

Obviously, this time, Gao Changsheng returned alone.

But neither Luo Cheng nor Lieutenant General Li were obviously interested in this situation.

Both of them looked at Gao Changsheng anxiously.

"Brother Gao, the Sui Dynasty..."

However, before Luo Cheng could finish speaking, Gao Changsheng waved his hand to interrupt him.

After completing the action, Gao Changsheng did not look at the other person, but turned his head to look to the other side.

There were also two people standing there. They came with Luo Cheng and others.

But there was an obvious sense that the two of them were out of place with Luo Cheng's army.

The two men were not wearing military armor, but just ordinary long gowns.

"Brother Gao, this is Mr. Jiaxuan from the Song Dynasty. Thanks to Mr. Jiaxuan, we were able to defeat Tuoba Bodhisattva and force the enemy to retreat in the Battle of Nanjing."

Luo Cheng's eyes showed strangeness.

Xin Qiji suddenly appeared in Nanjing City and stood on their side against the Northern Mang army.

This is actually something that surprises a lot of people.

However, Luo Cheng and others were not too surprised, because in their opinion, this must be Gao Changsheng's method.

So when Xin Qiji suggested that they go together to welcome Gao Changsheng, he did not refuse.

But the scene of their meeting was obviously somewhat beyond Luo Cheng's expectations.

The two did not act familiar with each other, but instead acted like they were meeting for the first time.

Although he was confused, Luo Cheng was the first to introduce himself.

"I have long admired the name of Duke Qi. Seeing you today is enough to comfort me for the rest of my life."

"Meet Mr. Jiaxuan. Thank you for your help in Nanjing."

"Including the last time, Gao already owes you two favors, sir."

Gao Changsheng narrowed his eyes, bowed and spoke.

"You are too polite, Duke Qi. It is just a small favor."

"Moreover, the Duke of Qi is a rare genius in military strategy."

"Although I studied Confucianism, I have always admired military tactics and longed for the battlefield. It is a pleasure to have this opportunity to get to know the general." Xin Qiji laughed heartily.

"Mr. Jiaxuan is too polite."

Gao Changsheng smiled and waved his hand.

"Don't worry, sir. I will always remember your help and will repay you in the future."

As soon as these words came out.

Xin Qiji's eyes suddenly showed some fluctuations.

The originally carefree aura suddenly stagnated, as if it had encountered a blow.

Luo Cheng opened his mouth involuntarily.

There was nothing wrong with the conversation between the two, but he instinctively felt that something was wrong.

"That's fine."

Xin Qiji shook his head.

"General Gao must be busy with his work, so I won't bother you any more."

"But if the general needs any help, you can just send a message. Although I am old, I am still able to fight."

"Thank you sir."

Gao Changsheng chuckled and said thank you, but did not respond to the second half of the other party's words.

"Tap, tap, tap."

The horses' hooves rolled away, leaving behind only two Confucian scholars, one old and one young.

"Isn't Gao Changsheng too arrogant?"

"Sir, your name is well-known to everyone in this world. Wherever you go, everyone who meets you will treat you with respect."

"Besides, we helped him defend the city, and we even offended Beimang, but in the end we only got a few words of thanks. It felt like sending away the god of plague."

"Isn't this too much of a betrayal?"

The servant boy beside Xin Qiji spoke angrily.

"Haha, you don't understand."

Xin Qiji was not angry, he just shook his head.

"How can I not understand? I am sure that he did not have this attitude when he invited you." The servant replied.

"Do you think that I appeared in Nanjing City because of Gao Changsheng's invitation?"

"Ah? Isn't it?"

"Of course not." Xin Qiji shook his head: "Today is the first time I met him."

"He had never contacted me before. As for the Nanjing incident, I was the one who took the initiative to go there."

Hearing this, the book boy was shocked for a moment.

Who is Xin Qiji? He is a Confucian saint of the Song Dynasty and one of the leaders in the literary world.

It was absolutely incredible that he actually rushed to help others defend the city.

"Even so, we did help. Without you, he might not have been able to defend the city of Nanjing." The servant spoke again.

"Haha, this old man is just the icing on the cake."

“Everyone thinks that Gao Changsheng’s last resort is me, but now you know that I am not part of his plan.”

"Do you think Gao Changsheng is unprepared in Nanjing?" Xin Qiji shook his head and smiled.

"Well, well, he shouldn't treat the teacher in this way." The servant was still dissatisfied.

"Haha, didn't he thank me?" Xin Qiji smiled and touched the servant's head.

"What about the other party's next words, and..." The servant boy was a little confused.

"He wasn't rushing towards me."

Xin Qiji shook his head, and a hint of sadness unconsciously emerged in his eyes.

"Gao Changsheng is worthy of being Gao Changsheng. He noticed so many things with just one detail."

"Ugh……"

Xin Qiji shook his head and sighed.

“I don’t hate the ancients for not seeing me, I hate the ancients for not seeing my madness.”

The wild and passionate verses of poetry, when spoken from Xin Qiji's mouth at this moment, were tinged with a sense of loneliness.

"What a pity! I am no longer the Xin Jiaxuan who hated the past. How can I resolve this situation?"

Just when Xin Qiji was sighing inexplicably.

The rolling horses on the other side were also heading north.

"Brother Gao, Jiaxuan..."

"I know this."

Gao Changsheng quickly waved his hand to interrupt.

Of course, he had no ill will towards Xin Qiji, and even had some admiration for him.

But the moment Luo Cheng started to introduce himself, he realized something was wrong.

He did not secretly invite Xin Qiji to come and defend the city.

After all, the other party is an official of the Song Dynasty, and everyone knows the situation of the Song Dynasty. How could Gao Changsheng possibly set his sights on Xin Qiji?

Gao Changsheng also knew about the previous conflict in Qinzhou, but that was outside the city of Qinzhou, and no one was killed in the conflict with Beimang.

This is a small matter for both parties.

But leaving the Song Dynasty and helping to defend Nanjing would be a different matter.

It is impossible for Xin Qiji to do this emotionally and logically.

But the opponent happened to appear in Nanjing, and confronted Beimang directly without any scruples.

This time, he even, as a Confucian sage, went with Luo Cheng to welcome his return.

These kinds of behaviors cannot be explained by just a simple "I've long admired you".

The only explanation is that Xin Qiji had something to ask for.

But it is obviously not him, so it is easy to explain what Xin Qiji was looking for.

A hint of coldness appeared involuntarily in Gao Changsheng's eyes.

"How is the situation in the Sui Dynasty?"

After interrupting Luo Cheng, Gao Changsheng asked immediately.

As soon as these words came out, Luo Cheng trembled instantly, and even his voice trembled a little.

"Gao, Brother Gao, the King of Backers, he, he died in battle."

"Two hundred thousand Sui troops, seventy thousand brave soldiers were completely wiped out."

Luo Cheng's face turned pale. This news was enough to shock the world, but only people from the Sui Dynasty truly understood how great this loss was.

"Where is the detailed battle report?"

Gao Changsheng's expression did not change, and he shouted immediately.

"No, no, there is no specific battle report so far."

"The area along Yumen Pass has been completely blocked by the Yuan army, and the Sui Dynasty has lost control of that area."

"Has the court sent back any news?"

Gao Changsheng continued to ask.

"There is no specific decree. According to what my father said, the Great Sui Dynasty is now in chaos, and there is a hint of unrest in various places."

"But General Shi Wansui has sent a letter, hoping that big brother can return home as soon as possible."

"Let's go back to Nanjing first."

Gao Changsheng narrowed his eyes.

"Send out all the spies and summon the court at the same time."

"Tell them that I want to know the details of the battle of Yumen Pass as soon as possible."

"Even if it means sacrificing human lives, we must find out the news."

"I want to know everything, how the Sui army was defeated, how King Kaoshan died, and where is his body now?"

(End of this chapter)