It was a small island in the East China Sea. The map was not very clear, like a string of ink dots thrown there at random.

The entire map of Daliang was in Gu Yun's mind, but he never remembered where such a place was. There was not even a decent gas lamp on the merchant ship, and the oil lamp in the room was dim. Even with the glass pieces, it was very difficult to see things. He frowned slightly and tried to turn up the light.

Fat Ge: "This is the map that Master Liaoran gave me. I looked at it. This place is not on the map issued by the Ministry of War. It is probably just a bunch of small islands that are uninhabitable. The surrounding areas are either turbulent currents or reefs. There are also many ghost stories among the people. The locals don't even know there is an island here."

This place is far away from the land and you can't swim there. If you don't take a boat, you can only fly.

The "Kite" moves slowly and is very dependent on the compass. If there is a turmoil in the sky near the island, they will not come - not to mention that this place is basically the territory of the Japanese to the east. If the "Kite" or "Jiao" of Daliang wanders over for no reason, it will be a bit provocative. The maintenance of the "Eagle" requires a high level of armor division, and it is not easy to maintain. The East China Sea is used to being peaceful, and this type of military is not equipped.

Chang Geng couldn't help but ask, "If there is no map from the Ministry of War, then where did Master Liao Ran get this map from?"

Fat Ge replied seriously, "He said that the previous emperor loved the East China Sea pearls, and the fishermen were forced to pay tribute, so they formed a pearl-diving death squad and accidentally came to this place and drew the picture."

Chang Geng: “…”

The lies that Monk Liangran told to fool the silly boy were really perfunctory.

Fatty Ge turned to Gu Yun and gestured, "My Lord, what should we do?"

Before Gu Yun could reply, the entire ship suddenly shook violently. Gu Yun held onto the oil lamp that was about to fall over and winked, signaling Fatty Ge to put away everything on the table.

Fat Ge immediately took a deep breath, straightened his chest and tightened his abdomen, and in no time he stuffed the pile of odds and ends into his arms.

Chang Geng grabbed the sword on the table and said, "I'll go out and take a look."

Fat Ge: "Wait, I want to go too!"

The two of them walked out of the mountain one after the other. Gu Yun took off the glass mirror and put it aside, rubbing his sore eyes.

The location of that small island is very delicate. It passes through the Japanese islands and does not connect with Daliang. It points directly to Jinan Prefecture. If it is well designed, it will be no problem to approach the capital area.

However, no matter how weak the Daliang navy was, it could not be shaken by the small Dongyi people. So far, no purple gold mines had been found in the East China Sea. Daliang had extremely strict control over the export of purple gold, and was like a stingy miser in this regard. If the Japanese wanted to use purple gold in large quantities, they had to either buy it from Westerners at a high price or find ways to get it from Daliang's black market.

And the black market...

If the bandits do not collude with the officials, they will not be able to survive for long.

The purple gold black market, which was hated by three generations of emperors in Daliang, was like a centipede that was dying but still alive. If the rumors were slightly relieved, it would immediately revive. It was obvious that it was not just the business of desperate civilians, but there must be shadows of various forces behind it.

Even if others don't say it, Gu Yun's hands are definitely not clean. Otherwise, with just the little purple gold allocated to him by the court every year, he couldn't even support the Black Eagle, Black Armor, and Black Cavalry, let alone the House Sparrow, Black Dog, and Night Tiger.

The person behind the smuggling of purple gold on such a large scale must be someone powerful.

At this moment, the wooden door of the cabin was suddenly pushed open, and the ethereal monk Liaoran walked in. He bowed to Gu Yun in a familiar manner and closed the door behind him.

Gu Yun: “…”

He had no choice but to put on the glass mirror again to receive the guests.

Gu Yun still couldn't figure it out. Why did Lan Ran think that he wouldn't get beaten?

Is it because you think you look good?

Liang Ran was bathed in Gu Yun's cold gaze, and he looked down and found a chair to sit down without any concern. He came close to Gu Yun and gestured, "We will almost reach Haoli by nightfall today. By then, I will let the commander-in-chief drive me."

Gu Yun: "You're welcome - what can you do? I don't lack illumination."

Clearly: “…”

Gu Yun sat up straighter, his eyes still sharp as a knife: "I never expected that Lin Yuan has already reached the Huguo Temple. Master, why don't we speak frankly? What do you want to do by intervening in this matter?"

The smile on Liaoran's face that he used to smile when begging for alms gradually faded, and he turned into a look of compassion like a senior monk: "'Linyuan Pavilion' has no ill intentions."

Gu Yun smiled and said, "Why else do you think you are still alive?"

According to legend, the previous dynasty was heavy-handed and the monarch was incompetent. When the dynasty was in decline, heroes emerged from all over the country.

The reason why Emperor Taizu stood out among them was largely because the mysterious Linyuan Pavilion chose him. Linyuan Pavilion included everyone from high-ranking officials to peddlers and hawkers, and recruited countless extraordinary people. At the beginning of the founding of Daliang, Emperor Taizu wanted to confer the title of Linyuan Pavilion in recognition of his great contributions, but the pavilion master at that time refused to accept the title and disappeared from the world, making this giant silent again until now.

Gu Yun: "Linyuan Pavilion was dormant in prosperous times and emerged in troubled times - they all say that the Black Iron Camp is a crow, but I think you are the real crow."

Liao Ran lowered his eyes, like a handsome and compassionate Buddha: "The Marquis knows my origins, but he did not stop me from approaching the Fourth Prince."

Gu Yun looked at him silently.

Le Ran: "I dare to guess that the Marshal's worries and thoughts are exactly the same as ours."

The boat became stable, the oil lamp on the table flickered, Gu Yun restrained his hostility, sat at the table with his long hair hanging down, there was a faint wrinkle between his eyebrows, as if all the seriousness that he usually stepped on was put on his face at once.

The two of them were silent, the only way they communicated was with quick gestures, but there was no barrier at all.

Liao Ran: "The purple gold is burning too vigorously. This fire cannot be put out. No one can stop it. Have you ever thought of retreating, Marshal?"

Then, without waiting for Gu Yun to answer, he continued: "People say that Marquis Anding is a warrior who can only fight and is just a knife in the hands of the emperor. I don't think so. Otherwise, why hasn't the commander-in-chief married yet? Could it be that my senior brother really cursed him?"

Gu Yun seemed to smile, put the glass mirror away, put the blindfold back on, and didn't want to communicate with Le Ran anymore.

After the work was done, he used sign language to say, "The Gu family has no way out. If that day ever comes, I, Gu, will have to be used as fuel to bury my maternal family. By the way, next time you see the miracle doctor who treated my eyes, please give him my regards."

From the moment the first bowl of purple gold was dug out from the world, it was destined that the world would never have peace again.

One day, no matter how diligent a farmer is, he will be defeated by the iron golems that keep moving back and forth in the fields. No matter how great a master is, he will be unable to withstand the cannonball of a heavy armored army. Everyone will inevitably face an unprecedented turmoil before they can find their place again, whether they are extremely rich and noble, or extremely humble and insignificant.

Those who are defeated on the arena lit by purple gold will never be able to turn things around.

This matter is the same whether it is between family and country or among all kinds of people.

When everyone begins to realize this, the inevitable chaos will surely come, it's just a matter of whether that day is sooner or later. This is the vein of the times, no matter how invincible you are, no matter how powerful you are, no matter how powerful you are, no matter how powerful you are.

After Gu Yun finished his last sentence, he stood up calmly, no longer paying attention to Monk Liangran, and walked out of the cabin with his hands behind his back, intending to see what the situation was like outside. He was so excited that Monk Liangran came to show his loyalty as if he was facing a powerful enemy.

As soon as he stood on the deck, he smelled a strange smell coming from the sea breeze, as if something was burning. Gu Yun stood at the door, carefully distinguishing the smell coming from the wind, and then he realized that it was the subtle strange smell of purple gold mixed with impurities burning.

The "merchant ship" slowly passed through the shallow sea next to the island, with two rows of neat "long dragons" on both sides. The shiny warships were lined up in a row, with sufficient ammunition. The merchant ships smuggling purple gold were lined up and moving forward, like inconspicuous food and grass carts shuttling among thousands of troops.

Although Gu Yun couldn't see, he had already guessed what was happening around him from the suddenly tense atmosphere.

With such a situation, not to mention the few Black Eagles he brought with him, even the Jiangnan Navy might not be able to resist.

At this moment, a familiar person came over and silently reached out to touch him.

Except for Chang Geng, most people don't do this. If they need help, they help. If they don't want help, they don't help. They don't go through as many steps as Chang Geng did.

Gu Yun felt that Chang Geng seemed to be inexplicably nervous in front of him. He always had to express his presence in a very low-key manner, and then unless Gu Yun offered him a hand to support him, he would follow him step by step and never offer a hand.

"It's unreasonable," Gu Yun held onto Chang Geng's outstretched arm, wondering in his heart, "Why are you so nervous about me? Is there any father in the world who is kinder than me?"

Chang Geng wrote quickly on his hand: "There are at least hundreds of warships here, I'm not sure if they are sea dragons..."

"Yes," Gu Yun replied, "I can smell it, the scent of purple flowing gold."

Chang Geng: “…”

Didn’t Monk Liaoran say that humans can’t smell the scent of purple gold, and only dog ​​inspectors can?

Such ability as my godfather...is actually unnecessary.

Gu Yun sighed secretly, muttering inwardly with some resentment: "It's all because of your prodigal and stingy elder brother. He insisted on sending me far away to the northwest. Now, the old turtle in the lotus pond in the back garden has become a demon and is going to stir up trouble! It's his due!"

In the evening, Monk Liaoran put on his "night clothes" again and ran to find Gu Yun. Gu Yun was wearing a glass mirror, and his ears could only hear loud noises within two feet. He could barely see who was in the room through the glasses in front of one eye. The "soldiers" around him included a mute monk, a fake girl, a little fat boy, and a son who was very good at acting like a spoiled child.

Outside were a fleet of sea dragon warships armed with live ammunition and countless Japanese samurai and private soldiers.

But no one was nervous, because Gu Yun was here, and he alone could represent thousands of troops.

"Don't play dumb," Gu Yun said to Ran Ran, "There must be someone from your group in 'Haoli', otherwise why would you be so deliberate? Tell them quickly, we are now in the same boat."

He chanted a Buddhist name silently, took out his peeling red sandalwood Buddhist beads and handed them over. When Gu Yun stretched out his hand to take it, he suddenly couldn't help but wrinkled his nose. His extremely sensitive nose keenly caught a sour smell.

Gu Yun leaned back. He was never polite to monks and said bluntly, "My God, Master, how long have you not bathed? You are almost covered with patina."

The three young men immediately retreated three steps away at the same time.

Chang Geng was simply unable to recall the image of Master Liaoran when he first met him in the palace. Master Liaoran was sincere enough to see the emperor at that time and even washed himself like a white lotus out of water.

Gu Yun had a cold face, he was extremely upset, he had poor hearing and eyesight, the monk was a mute, he had a very sensitive nose, and the monk didn't like to take a bath - as expected, there was no bald donkey in the world who didn't have a bad relationship with him.

There are one hundred and eight Buddhist beads. Except for the spacer beads, the middle of every two beads can be unscrewed, and there is a steel seal inside. There are thirty-six seals in total, and each one represents a person from Linyuan Pavilion.

Gu Yun was silent for a while: "Did Linyuan Pavilion send out all its forces?"

He smiled clearly but said nothing.

Chang Geng frowned and asked, "What is Linyuan Pavilion?"

He suddenly started talking, and Gu Yun was caught off guard and didn't hear clearly. It was not until he saw Monk Ran making trivial gestures towards Chang Geng that he guessed what they were talking about. He immediately interrupted and said, "It's a bunch of crow mouths who are very good at stirring up trouble - stop explaining, how did you contact these people?

Le Ran: "I don't know about the others, but I know one of them is the musician of the fleet commander. We just need to contact her first, and the monk can do whatever he wants."

Gu Yun thought, "We in the Northwest's upright army don't even have a cricket that can sing, and this group of private soldiers actually has musicians. Where is justice?"

Chang Geng said, "Be careful. The Japanese are suspicious of us. I have sensed that noodle man is nearby several times."

With Chang Geng taking the lead, Fatty Ge also started to speak: "Lord, when will our people arrive?"

Gu Yun sat calmly in the same place, with an unfathomable look on his face like the god of Daliang's army - in fact, he didn't hear anything, and was trying hard to guess Fatty Ge's lip shape, but without sign language, he couldn't see clearly from the lip shape alone.

Liao Ran hurriedly stepped forward to save the situation, gesturing, "Be patient and wait. If the Jiangnan navy moves, it will easily alert the enemy..."

Gu Yun immediately realized through him that Ge Pang's novel was about backup, and thought to himself, "I can count the number of black eagles I brought with me on one hand. I don't know if Yao Zhen, who sleeps five hours a day, is any good. He is better at cleaning up the battlefield."

While thinking this, he interrupted Master Ran again and said shamelessly: "It takes a long time to build up a navy of this size. I suspect someone in the court is plotting a rebellion. Collecting these scrap metals is not the goal. Finding that person is the most important thing."

Master Liangran, who was interrupted twice after trying to save the situation, sat opposite Gu Yun with a good-tempered smile, like an unwashed Udumbara.

Madam Cao suddenly coughed dryly, but he didn't say anything. Ever since he saw Gu Yun with disheveled hair, he was a little speechless in front of Gu Yun, and by accident, the deaf man got the upper hand.

Madam Cao gestured cautiously, "I can also help run errands."

Gu Yun probably knew that this child would only be a fangirl all day long, and that her skills were very sparse, so he rejected it outright, "No, continue to pretend to be your little maid."

Madam Cao said cautiously, "I will dress up as a Japanese."

Gu Yun raised an eyebrow.

Madam Cao hurriedly explained: "I can do it. I have even dressed up as a man."

Gu Yun: “…”

He leaned forward slightly and asked sincerely, "Young man, do you know that you are originally a man?"

Madam Cao's face turned red in an instant, her soul and spirit were swinging back and forth on the rope, and she had no time to listen to what he said.

Gu Yun's shoulders were suddenly pulled back by someone. Chang Geng was no longer afraid of being touched. He stood behind him with a serious face, looking as gloomy as the old scholar Shen Yi.

Gu Yun coughed dryly, followed his hand and leaned back, and said solemnly: "That won't work either, you can't speak Japanese."

Madam Cao spoke a few words, and everyone present was very surprised except Gu Yun who didn't hear it - he said a very complicated sentence, mixed with a few Japanese words whose meanings were unknown, and the rest was the stiff Daliang Mandarin. The Japanese on the merchant ships traveled near the Daliang coast all year round and could speak Mandarin, but their accents were weird, and occasionally mixed with their own native dialect. Madam Cao actually learned it perfectly.

After Madam Cao finished speaking, she saw that everyone was looking at her, and she suddenly lost her composure and lowered her head to cover her face.

Chang Geng asked in surprise: "Where did you learn this?"

Madam Cao replied in a whimpering voice: "I heard it from the two Japanese people who deliver meals to us every day."

Based on Chang Geng's understanding of him, there is no need to ask later, there must be one who is good-looking.

So at nightfall that day, a slender "Japanese boy" landed on the island unnoticed.

There were too many Japanese here and it was late, so no one noticed him. He shuddered at the neatly arranged fleet of sea dragons and ran away.

At the same time, an uninvited guest came to Gu Yun and his friends.

Chang Geng opened the door a little and saw Zhai Song outside, smiling and saying, "General, I heard that a Mr. Xiang was visiting our merchant ship, so I specially asked you to come and invite you to a banquet."