Zong Xin sighed: "At the beginning, the poor monk was seriously injured, his body and body were broken, and his muscles and bones were separated, and he had to be rescued by a master to save his life. The technique used by that master was 'golden wire entanglement', but that master had no beginning and no end, and did not remove the golden wire from the poor monk's body, so as to affect the poor monk's current skill cultivation. I heard that this method was introduced from the Western Regions, and it should have been introduced from the Silk Road to the Central Plains, so the poor monk wanted to re-walk the Silk Road and look for a way to pull out the golden wire in his body. ”

"Oh~~~" Cao Yuanzhong nodded and said, "Well...... The old man really can't help it. The so-called Western Regions is all the places outside the Yumen Pass, collectively referred to as the Western Regions, and the old man doesn't know what the old man is, but the old man knows a little bit about the technique of winding the veins with golden wires, but it shouldn't help you. ”

"Do you mean that you know someone who can use this technique?"

Cao Yuanzhong said: "It's true, just in Dunhuang City, there are people who will make the golden silk veins this kind of kung fu, but they are just some superficial techniques, and it is a miracle to renew the muscles and bones for others, but what you just said...... The body is broken, the muscles and bones are separated, I'm afraid it won't work. ”

Zong Xin said excitedly: "Please also ask the adults to introduce on your behalf, I want to ask about the golden silk vein." ”

"It's just a small thing. Cao Yuanzhong said: "Don't stand here and talk, please come in." Ordered someone to call Dr. Wu to the house, and said that I had something to look for him. ”

"Yes. The people around him saluted respectfully, then turned to leave.

Cao Yuanzhong let the group into the Cao Mansion, as the local emperor, Cao Yuanzhong did not have a stand in front of Zong Xin, but looking at the tone of the order he just made, his stand should not be small. And after coming to Dunhuang, everyone found that it does advocate Buddhist culture, there are monk temples everywhere, the streets are full of Buddha carvings, almost all of them are very pious, and the two do not use it as a bow when they meet, but give each other Buddhist gifts.

The same is true for Cao Yuanzhong, the decoration of the home is very Buddhist, and there is a "Buddha" word painting scroll in the center of the living room, which is like a book and a painting, which is very ingenious. The state of clothing is also very similar to that of a Buddhist, just like the body and steps of walking, and also like Buddhist martial arts.

Zhao Kuangyin immediately looked at this calligraphy and painting after entering the door, and then said in surprise: "This calligraphy and painting is powerful, and the pen is like a sword blade, which seems to hide some kind of profound swordsmanship routine." ”

"Phew~" Zong Xin said angrily: "It's like you understand, what kind of advanced swordsmanship...... It's as if you understand it, does this show that you are a little more knowledgeable? It's just nonsense, this is a picture of calligraphy and painting. ”

Zhao Kuangyin said depressedly: "What's wrong with you asking me to pretend? Do you have to demolish me?"

"I just don't like to see you pretending. ”

Cao Yuanzhong chuckled: "This Buddha character is written by the old man himself, maybe because the old man is a person who practices martial arts, so the penmanship looks like a weapon, but in fact, there is no hidden swordsmanship." It seems that this Zhao Kuangyin, who is rumored on the rivers and lakes, is not only the partner of Master Zongxin, but also the son-in-law of the martial arts alliance leader Bu Xiangyang. ”

"Your Excellency, you don't have to be humble about this. You are not in the Central Plains, otherwise, when you mention the top master of the Central Plains, someone will definitely think of the name Cao Yuanzhong. Zhao Kuangyin said: "I now understand why Shazhou Dunhuang is in such a position, and it can still live so well, and the Tibetans and Turks dare not come to attack." ”

"Brother Zhao is serious, how can the old man have this ability? Or is it because of the division of Tibet, scattered but not gathered, Turkic civil strife, self-care, the Western Xia land is sparsely populated and there are not enough troops to attack the city. If it weren't for that, even the best martial arts wouldn't be able to keep. Presumably you should know best, martial arts is the most worthless standard of strength in the world. ”

Zhao Kuangyin nodded and said, "That's true, but a strong martial artist can get other more valuable strength, isn't it?"

Cao Yuanzhong said with a smile: "Well said, well said, please take a seat." ”

Cao Yuanzhong gave up the first position of the guest seat to Zhao Kuangyin and Zong Xin next to the main seat, which is also a symbol of identity and rank. As the master, Cao Yuanzhong is of course the main seat, and the seat next to the main seat should be Cao Yuanzhong's wife or the second-in-command of the house, but Cao Yuanzhong deliberately gave it to Zong Xin, which also proves Zong Xin's position in his mind.

Immediately after taking a seat, someone brought fragrant tea. Except for Zhao Kuangyin, who sits first in the guest seat, everyone ranks according to their own identity, which has become natural. Only the Eighteen Horsemen of Youyun and the masters of the Thunder King's Mansion brought by Zong Xin stood outside the door, because there were relatively large numbers, there was no way to enter the house all.

Cao Yuanzhong looked around, and then said: "This child should be the son of Emperor Guo Wei of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the only disciple of Master Zongxin Guo Xin, and his law name is Tianya, right?" ”

Tianya said: "I'm the only child here, and I'm not capable." ”

"That's ......," Cao Yuanzhong continued: "The master of the ancestral sect can fly to the sky and escape to the earth, gouge out his eyes and be reborn, and the old man admires it very much. ”

Zong Xin clasped his hands together and said, "My lord, I don't know how large the Cao clan's territory is now. ”

Cao Yuanzhong sighed: "Don't hide it from Master Zongxin, now it mainly occupies five prefectures including Guazhou and Shazhou. To the west to Yumen Pass, to Shazhou and Dunhuang in the east are the territory of the Guiyi Army. Of course, the ancestors and ancestors have inherited the legacy, which is the territory that our Cao family guards for the Tang Dynasty, and there is absolutely no desire to dominate. ”

"Yumen Pass...... Why should Qiang Di complain about the willows, the spring breeze does not pass the jade gate. Zong Xin said: "It should be the border of the Tang Dynasty." You have been guarding the border for Datang, and it is really hard. It's just that the Tang Dynasty has been dead for so many years, and it is not a way to continue like this in the long run, even if the Central Plains is unified now, there is no spare strength to attack Tubo again, so it will only be isolated here. ”

"What Master Zongxin said is very true, but the people here have lived and multiplied here for many years, but I am afraid that it will not be so easy to leave. What's more, where else can we go? We can't take the people and the army to the Central Plains to grab a piece of land and live in peace. Cao Yuanzhong said: "It is said that Master Zongxin can pinch and calculate, it is better to help the old man calculate, how long can this Cao family last?"

Zong Xin pinched his fingers and calculated: "Oh~ It can last for more than two hundred years, not bad." Now the Silk Road has Fengzhou as the starting point, and Shazhou is only the first stop, and sending envoys to the Central Plains to surrender can make Shazhou better. ”

"It's not that there is no ......," Cao Yuanzhong said: "At the beginning, the Cao family called Shi Jingtang a minister to the Later Jin Dynasty, but later I learned that this person betrayed the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun and was a great traitor. And now, if the ministers of the Later Jin Dynasty go to the Central Plains again, I don't know what treatment will be. Therefore, we did not dare to send envoys to the Central Plains. ”

The Cao family knew that the communication with the Central Plains was very important, but he had fallen to Shi Jingtang at the beginning, but Shi Jingtang's useless guy didn't last long, and because of the betrayal of the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun, Shi Jingtang left a reputation for eternity.

Today, the Cao clan will still send people to the Central Plains, but they dare not make an official visit as an envoy. After all, no one knows what the current emperor is thinking, if he is troubled by the affairs of the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun, and the person who is coming now happens to be Shi Jingtang's former courtier, it is strange that he does not lose his temper.

The two countries do not fight each other, but the Cao clan is quite far away from the Central Plains, and even if the envoy is beheaded, he will only suffer this dumb loss. If the envoy is beheaded, the Cao clan will also completely cut off diplomacy with the Central Plains, and the two countries will be hostile at that time, and it will be difficult to even send people to the Central Plains.

Cao's current situation is very embarrassing, not because he is afraid that his own people will be killed, but because he is afraid that after being killed, the two sides will not be able to be friends, and he is not even qualified to surrender.

Zong Xin chuckled and said, "My lord is too worried, the current emperor Guo Wei is benevolent and generous, and the situation at that time has nothing to do with the Cao family. He will accept your surrender and will help you if necessary. The poor monk is Guo Wei's concubine, so it is said that it is recommended by the poor monk, and he will definitely be able to meet His Majesty smoothly and explain the situation clearly, and His Majesty can understand. ”

Of course, Cao Yuanzhong had also heard of Guo Wei's prestige, and he had heard of it before he became emperor. Knowing that this person has a very good character, he is a rare virtuous lord after the Tang Dynasty. But Cao Yuanzhong has been in a tangle, not knowing whether to send an envoy to visit Da Zhou officially, and then he temporarily suppressed this matter, even he didn't want to mention it, anyway, the current state is fine, and there is no trouble if he doesn't provoke Da Zhou.

However, since Master Zongxin has already proposed, he should also make a choice. Guo Wei is a good emperor, and with the assistance of a high-ranking monk like Master Zongxin, it seems that he can maintain long-term stability. Moreover, Guo Wei had just won the biggest battle in history, and he was happy in his heart, so he might not mention Shi Jingtang's matter.

It is a good thing to be a vassal to the Great Zhou, and you can get a lot of preferential policies. And there is no need to pay any taxes to the Great Zhou, only the occasional tribute from the Silk Road is enough, and the value is not high. If Guo Wei's conditions are too harsh, it will not be too late to turn his face with him.

Cao Yuanzhong nodded and said, "Thank you Master Zongxin for mentioning it, this matter should also be done." ”

As he was talking, the subordinates outside the room came to Cao Yuanzhong's side, and then whispered: "My lord, Doctor Wu has arrived." ”

"Call him in. Cao Yuanzhong spoke, and the subordinate nodded and beckoned to the door. A man nearly 50 years old walked in from outside the door and came to Cao Yuanzhong.

"See Your Excellency. ”

Cao Yuanzhong just nodded, then turned to Zong Xin and said softly: "Master Zongxin, this is the person who can use the medical technique of gold wire entanglement in Dunhuang, Shazhou. ”

Zong Xin said excitedly: "Thank you, come and take a look for me, I once received the treatment of the golden wire entanglement, but the golden wire could not be removed from the body." ”

"Oh~ That's what happened. Doctor Wu said, "Master Zongxin, can you let the old man check it carefully." ”

"Doctor, please. ”

Doctor Wu first looked at Zong Xin's hand, and then touched it one by one along the muscles and bones, and touched it for a long time with one hand. Then look at the other hand, and the same goes for it. Everyone's hearts were raised, because Dr. Wu's face became more and more ugly the more he touched it, as if he had touched something that should not exist in the first place.