usatvline Chapter 43 Three Heroes and Five Righteous Men
Chapter 43 Three Heroes and Five Righteous Men
After arriving in Hangzhou, Bai Yutang easily found Ouyang Chun, the Northern Hero.
Do not!
It should be said that Ouyang Chun finally waited for Bai Yutang.
Since he left Bianliang, there has been no news of him for a long time, and his four sworn brothers in Kaifeng Prefecture are somewhat worried that something might have happened to him.
Han Zhang met Ouyang Chun when he ran away. After several days of restlessness, he finally couldn't help but write a letter to Ouyang Chun, and only then did Ouyang Chun learn about this matter.
Although he was unwilling to get involved in court affairs, he knew Prefect Ni, who was an upright and honest official. Now that he had been framed, especially the one framed by villains, he knew the inside story perfectly well. Now that he was just asked to come forward as a witness, he naturally had no choice but to do so.
However, since Bai Yutang has already left the capital, it would be inconvenient to let him return empty-handed. It would be better to wait until he arrives in Hangzhou, then the two of them can meet and go to Bianliang City together. This way, he can also meet this "Jinmaoshu" who "caused a great disturbance in Tokyo" and see what kind of person he is.
Having made up his mind, Ouyang Chun immediately settled down in Hangzhou, thinking that the person would arrive soon, but he waited for several days without seeing him.
I asked around, but there was no news.
Ouyang Chun was getting impatient. It would only take a few days to ride a horse from Bianliang to Hangzhou. Bai Yutang had been gone for over a month, and Han Zhang's letter had been sent after him and he had already received it. Moreover, he had been waiting for several days. Even if he walked, he should have arrived by now, let alone riding a horse.
Could it be that this white-haired rat doesn't know the way and has gone astray?
Or did something really happen on the road, and they've already met with misfortune?
He imagined countless possibilities in his mind, and his mood gradually sank.
So when Ouyang Chun saw Bai Yutang, he was overjoyed.
Although he had never met Bai Yutang, he had already sketched Bai Yutang's image countless times in the past few days.
Words like youthful spirit, dashing and unrestrained, arrogant and conceited were all used to describe Bai Yutang.
After all, someone who would cause such a ruckus in Tokyo just because of a title, and even dare to enter the Imperial Palace to kill people and set fire to the Grand Tutor's Mansion, is definitely not a law-abiding person.
But reality hit him hard; the Bai Yutang he saw was a completely different person from the Bai Yutang he had imagined.
He was around twenty years old, tall and slender, with handsome features and a slightly pale complexion.
Unlike the typical martial arts performers, he wore a simple blue robe with a plain silk sash around his waist. His attire was elegant yet understated, and his gentle and courteous demeanor made him seem more like a frail scholar than a martial artist.
His hands were empty, he carried no weapons, and his horse only had bundles hanging from it; there was no sign of any weapon.
Is this Bai Yutang?
If he hadn't introduced himself, Ouyang Chun wouldn't have dared to recognize him at all.
"Could it be Bai Yutang, the 'White-haired Rat' who caused a great disturbance in Tokyo?"
Bai Yutang didn't expect his first words to be like this. He smiled helplessly and said, "I was young and impetuous and didn't know the consequences of my actions. I hope Brother Ouyang will forgive me."
When Ouyang Chun brought up the incident of causing a ruckus in Tokyo, he was also testing Bai Yutang. If Bai Yutang were to take pride in it, it would inevitably seem frivolous. However, Bai Yutang still wore a gentle smile, and upon hearing Ouyang Chun's words, he only revealed a slight embarrassment and a hint of helplessness, which made Ouyang Chun feel embarrassed instead.
Ouyang Chun took the opportunity to abandon the topic and, feigning ignorance, asked, "Why did Fifth Brother come to Hangzhou?"
Bai Yutang got straight to the point, without any concealment, and said frankly, "I have come here specifically for Brother Ouyang."
"What brings you here?" Ouyang Chun asked again.
He knew Bai Yutang's purpose in coming. Han Zhang had already clearly explained the whole story beforehand, so he was just asking a question he already knew the answer to.
Bai Yutang was always good at understanding people's hearts, and he could see through Ouyang Chun's thoughts now.
The Northern Hero has roamed the martial world for decades, upholding justice, helping the weak and needy, and is indifferent to fame and fortune. In terms of both martial arts skills and character, he can be considered the number one martial artist in the world today. However, since this matter involves the imperial court, he must remain reserved and not appear too eager.
Since Ouyang Chun was so 'reserved', he naturally had to take a step back and cooperated by recounting the story of Prefect Ni and Ma Qiang being tried at Dali Temple: "Prefect Ni has now been framed by villains and is imprisoned. We need Brother Ouyang to speak out for justice, expose the villains' conspiracy, and save his life."
After saying this, he spoke earnestly and repeatedly invited the Northern Hero to come to the capital.
Ouyang Chun had no intention of making things difficult for him, and seeing how accommodating he was, he readily agreed.
Because Bai Yutang had been delayed by taking a detour through Xiangyang, he and Ouyang Chun had now reached an agreement and decided not to delay any longer. The two of them rode at full speed towards Bianliang City.
When Ouyang Chun arrived in Bianjing, everyone was naturally delighted and held a banquet to welcome him and wash away the dust of the journey. During the banquet, they toasted each other and drank, creating a lively atmosphere.
The next day, Ouyang Chun went to Dali Temple, while Bai Yutang stayed at home in Kaifeng Prefecture again.
He had someone prepare a large scroll for him to use as a brush, not to kill time, but to draw a map of Xiangyang City.
The brain's memory has a limited lifespan, and over time, omissions and gaps are inevitable. He wanted to take advantage of the fact that he hadn't forgotten it yet and draw Xiangyang, the city, on this large Xuan paper.
The overall topography of Xiangyang City, every road, every building, every special marker, especially the layout of the Xiangyang Prince's Palace, the mechanisms already installed in Chongxiao Tower, etc., were all included without omission.
He was bound to leave eventually; there was nothing or no one in this world worth keeping him here, and he even felt a certain aversion to it.
However, it wouldn't be bad if he could do something for this world before he left, and he could also help the original owner get revenge.
The original owner of this body died in Chongxiao Tower, but he might not.
He had already studied most of the mechanisms inside Chongxiao Tower, and even if some new mechanisms were added later, he was confident that he could escape unscathed with his abilities.
What he needs to consider now is how to leave Xiangyang City quickly after obtaining the items.
This requires careful planning of the exit route, figuring out the fastest and safest way to go. It's best to have several backup plans in case of emergency.
Time flies, and more than two months have passed in the blink of an eye. Bai Yutang figured that Chongxiao Tower should be completed by now, and that this trip would not be in vain. Without further hesitation, he asked Lord Bao for leave and set off for Xiangyang, once again alone.
Because this was a planned operation, he did not hesitate at all. After entering Xiangyang City, he still acted like a tourist. He first found an inn to stay in, and spent the day sightseeing. Only after nightfall did he secretly sneak into the Xiangyang Prince's Mansion to investigate the pattern of the guards patrolling and guarding the mansion. He did not need to personally experience every part of the mansion. He only needed to go to a corner where no one could see him and send out his thoughts to know the situation inside the mansion clearly.
The Prince of Xiangyang increased the number of patrols around Chongxiao Tower and throughout the palace, with almost no gaps in patrols throughout the twelve hours of the day.