Hangzhou, the capital of the Three Wu Dynasty, has always been an important town in the south of the Yangtze River and one of the richest state capitals in the entire Great Song Dynasty.

After Fang Baihua received the news from his family and came to Hangzhou, he began to lay out with Manichaeism near Hangzhou.

The liberal policy of the Great Song Dynasty towards business led to the rapid development of the economy in the south of the Yangtze River. However, in recent years, due to the corruption of officials and the influence of the imperial court, the prosperity of the land south of the Yangtze River has deteriorated. It is not uncommon for officials and businessmen in various localities to collude with the people to oppress the people, to buy and sell by force, and to take advantage of the situation.

The officials who held real power and the merchants and landlords who knew how to follow the flames controlled the wealth of Suzhou and Hangzhou. The streets are full of peddlers and pawns, running around the market all day long, so that they can support their families; Villagers who work in slash-and-burn villages are also oppressed by all kinds of harsh taxes and miscellaneous taxes. Coupled with the tyranny of the officials in charge of Huashigang's affairs, the people in Suzhou and Hangzhou have long been miserable.

In such a situation, the spirit and ideas of "equality" and "resistance" in Manichaean teachings have resonated with hundreds of people. Under the word of mouth of the people, Manichaeism has become a household name in Hangzhou and even in the prefectures and counties near Hangzhou.

Fang Baihua was also transferred to Hangzhou by his family during such a period, and was responsible for cooperating with Manichaeism, secretly developing forces, and inciting the rebellion of the people in Suzhou and Hangzhou. When Fang La got into trouble, more people gathered to respond.

However, although Hangzhou's officials are corrupt, they are not stupid. After discovering Manichaean activities, Gu Ming, the governor of Hangzhou, immediately ordered that Manichaeans be forbidden to preach their teachings in public on the grounds of disturbing public order.

The families that had interests in the government were also instructed by Gu Ming to compete with Manichaeism openly and covertly.

The children of the families often found excuses to fight with the Manichaeans, and the government arrested the children of the family and the Manichaean people in prison for picking quarrels and provoking trouble, but only punished the Manichaean people. This kind of trick of collusion between officials and businessmen, even if the people know it, they have to swallow their anger.

At this time, in the courtyard of Hangzhou City, Fang Baihua was combing through all kinds of documents and letters on the table. In addition to Fang Baihua, there was also a white-haired old man sitting on the side, holding a tea cup and drinking tea.

"Uncle Lou," Fang Baihua glanced up at him and continued to sort out the documents, "How much has the grain and grass that my brother expects to need already be prepared?" ”

The old man put down the teacup and sighed: "This year, there is a drought, the harvest of the people in various places is not good, and there is no surplus grain at home, even if the price is raised by two or three percent, they are still unwilling to sell the grain." Compared to your brother's expectations, it's only half of it now. ”

Fang Baihua didn't care, and said lightly: "Uncle Lou doesn't have to worry. The grain in the granary of Hangzhou City is incalculable, as long as the city of Hangzhou can be quickly broken through when the incident occurs, it can solve the worries of grain and grass. ”

The old man nodded and said, "There are hundreds of flowers in Hangzhou City, so why not worry." ”

For the old man's praise, Fang Baihua was silent, only caring about sorting out the documents.

After a while, two men walked in from outside the door. One of them was Fang Jie, and the other was about the same age as him, but his body was much thinner than him.

The two walked to Fang Baihua's table, called "Auntie" to Fang Baihua, and called "Uncle Lou" to the old man next to him.

Fang Baihua looked at the person next to Fang Jie and said in surprise: "Tianding, why are you here too?" ”

This person is Fang La's son Fang Tianding, seeing Fang Baihua's doubts, he replied: "My father specially ordered me to come here to inform my aunt: everything is ready in Muzhou, or you can start an incident in advance." ”

Hearing this, Fang Baihua's sword frowned: "Did my brother still ask you to help me?" ”

Fang Tianding nodded slightly: "I heard that the Manichaean sect is constantly fighting with the government and the gentry in Hangzhou, and my father asked me to bring two high-ranking people to assist my aunt in Hangzhou.

One is named Bao Daoyi, who is good at making strange and evil Taoism, can hurt people with swords, and is known as Lingying Heavenly Master, and the other is named Zheng Biao, who is Bao Daoyi's apprentice. The two of them are very good in Taoism and skills, and they can make some spells for Manichaean mission, which is convenient for attracting people's hearts. At this time, both of them were waiting outside the door. ”

After hearing this, Fang Baihua bowed slightly, and the other party Tianding said, "Call those two people in." ”

Fang Tianding went out in response and brought Bao Daoyi and the others in.

But I saw one person with crane hair and a childish face, fairy wind bones, and a white robe, and another person with thick eyebrows and big eyes, a burly figure, and a black robe.

In front of him, Fang Baihua had not yet asked, and the white-haired Taoist arched his hand and said: "Priest Fang, Xiaodao is grateful for the kindness of the Holy Father, and I have come to help you with my apprentices." But do what you are told. ”

"It's just in time," After glancing at the two of them, Fang Baihua moved his gaze to Fang Jie: "You have been cooperating with Sect Leader Yang for a long time, so you will take Daoist Bao Master and apprentice to Huzhou to assist Sect Leader Yang in missionary matters in Wukang, Deqing and other places. ”

Fang Jie hugged his fists and said, "No! ”

Fang Baihua looked at Bao Daoyi and asked, "Does Daoist Bao have any objections?" ”

Bao Daoyi shook his head lightly: "There is no objection, just let Fang Shaoxia lead the way." ”

Seeing this, Fang Baihua nodded and asked Fang Jie to take the master and apprentice to Huzhou immediately. Then he wrote a letter and asked Fang Tianding to take it back to his brother Fang La.

......

After a long time, out of the north gate of Hangzhou, on the way to Huzhou, Zheng Biao asked Fang Jie: "Brother Fang, what do you want me and Master to do when you go to Huzhou?" ”

Fang Jie frowned and said, "I don't know either. Hundred, aunt she didn't talk to me much. However, as far as I know, the Manichaean deputy head Yang is in charge of the missionary affairs in Huzhou, and there are too few warriors under his command to enter the country, so I think the missionary is hindered and needs our help. ”

Zheng Biao laughed and said, "I see, that's easy to do." Whether it's fighting or cheating, my master and apprentice are both masters of this way. ”

Fang Jie was a little embarrassed when he heard this, but he inadvertently saw Bao Daoyi in front of him wave his sleeves, and the magic sword behind his back actually flew out and walked in front of him. Surprised, Fang Jie asked Zheng Biao, "Brother Zheng, do you know how to use the sword art of the Dao Master?" ”

Zheng Biao sighed and said, "Brother Fang, you don't know, my master's flying sword technique is not something that can be learned casually. The key to this flying sword is not in the spell, but in the magic sword itself. If you want to fly a sword and hurt people, this sword must be spiritual, otherwise once it flies out, it will definitely not come back. ”

Fang Jie exclaimed: "Isn't Daoist Bao a master of the realm?" ”

"Of course not," Zheng Biao smiled strangely, "Master, if he can't let go of his desires, I'm afraid he won't be able to enter the realm in this life." ”

"What do you mean by that?" Fang Jie was puzzled.

Zheng Biao stretched out his hand and hooked Fang Jie's shoulder, looked at Bao Daoyi twenty or thirty steps ahead, and whispered in Fang Jie's ear: "Master, when he was cultivating in Jinhua Mountain, he was still clean and self-conscious, until he fell into Miao Jiang's lewd evil poison again, and the poison was not solved for a hundred days. In this scene, do you dare to imagine, haha, I know, the master is even a man......

Ahem, since then, the master has left Jinhua Mountain, and until now, every few days, he has to find some women, otherwise he will not be able to sleep at night. Also, the master never goes to the Qinglou, he only likes women from good families, and uses spells ......"

Hearing this, Fang Jie was already so shocked that his mouth opened wide, looked at the white-haired old Taoist with his shoulders down, and asked in a daze: "Brother Zheng, do you mean that Daoist Bao is still ...... so far."

Zheng Biao said disdainfully: "This is very strange, the master is approaching the age of antiquity, but the kung fu in the room, I am afraid that you can't compare with the elder brother." ”

Rao is a cheeky Fang Jie, and at this time, he had to respect Bao Lao Daoren.

After a long time, there was no trace of Bao Daoyi in front of him. Fang Jie was about to speed up, but was stopped by Zheng Biao: "Brother Fang, master, he is going to relieve the pressure now, let's go slowly, don't worry." ”

Fang Jie was stunned, then slowed down his pace and followed Zheng Biao slowly.

About ten miles in front of the two of them, there was a small village in the col, with more than a dozen families lined up unevenly.

In the afternoon, the women of the village gathered by a pond in the south of the village, fetching water and washing their clothes, chatting and laughing with others as they washed.

was washing, but saw a crane with a childish face, and an old man with fairy wind and bones came over. The shy woman hurriedly buried her underwear floating on the surface of the water.

A woman smiled and asked, "What did this Taoist chief do in my village, but do you want to ask for some food?" ”

The Taoist looked calm, looked around, and said lightly: "The poor road passes through this place, since it is fate, I want to choose a disciple among you and others to inherit the mantle of the poor road." ”

Hearing this, all the women were stunned.

A woman asked, "Why don't you go directly to the village to find men and children, why don't you come to me and other women to do when you choose disciples?" ”

The Taoist smiled slightly: "I Lingying Heavenly Master accepts disciples, and I have always only looked at fate, not men and women. With a wave of his hand, wisps of black mist flew out of his sleeves and floated above the women, concealing the meaning of covering the sky and the sun.

The women had never seen such tricks, and now it was pitch black and they could not see the sun, and they were all frightened, thinking that they had met a land fairy.

But when he saw that the Taoist waved his sleeves again, all the black mist flew back, and everyone was able to see the light again, and they bowed to the Taoist one after another.

"Dao Chief, choose me! I have Huigen! ”

"What bullshit Huigen, you can really say it, the Taoist is a cultivator and not a Buddha."

"Choose me, Dao Chief, don't look at me old, in fact, I'm only thirty years old."

"Hey, Aunt Cuihua, your eldest man is almost crowned, and you are only thirty."

"Don't listen to her nonsense."

......

The Taoist held back the impatience in his heart and said in a deep voice: "Don't make any noise! I have my own decision in my heart about who to choose, and no matter how much you say, it won't help. ”

And all the women fell silent.

The Taoist began to approach and inspect them one by one. As he passed by the first woman, who looked at him with a look of hope, he stole a glance at her chest and shook his head. The second woman caught a glimpse of his movements, and saw him come and straighten up the behemoth of his chest, but when she saw him look at her face, she pretended to sigh.

3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th......

Until I had seen all the women, the Taoist had not found anyone who could enter the Dharma Eye. He turned away and didn't bother to waste any more words with these women.

The women thought he was pacing and thinking, and did not dare to make a noise to disturb.

The Taoist had just walked a few steps, but he heard a voice like a hollow valley coming from behind.

"Mother, the clothes haven't been washed yet, the meals at home are ready, just wait for ......"

The woman hurriedly covered her daughter's mouth and whispered in her ear, "Don't speak yet." As he spoke, he looked at the Taoist.

only to find that he turned his head, a chilling smile appeared on his thin face, and his eyes stared directly at her daughter: "It's her!" ”