The Legend of the Northern Wind's Fury: Chapter 1 - Pursuing the Japanese Pirates

  "Dragons and tigers fight, rabbits run and crows fly. The flower shadows on the seats move before our eyes, how many years of fleeting time? Talking about ancient and modern times, discussing the strategies of kings and generals, wanting to know the reasons for success and failure, all are in the words of fishermen and woodcutters."

  This is a poem from the "Twenty-one Histories" by Yang Shen of the Ming Dynasty. The rise and fall of dynasties are all like gentle streams flowing into the long river of history. In his "Overcoming Qin", Jia Yi of the Han Dynasty summarized the reasons for the rise and fall of the Qin Dynasty: "The difference in the momentum of attack and defense lies in the non-practice of benevolence and righteousness." This sentence can also be used to explain the reasons for the prosperity and decline of later dynasties. The process of ancient feudal dynasties was almost always like this, through the widespread practice of benevolence and righteousness to gain the support of the people, the people helped a dynasty rise, but once those in power became corrupt and indulgent, indulging in sensual pleasures, detached from the people, or disregarding the lives of the people, extravagantly building grand projects. The final result was always the change of rulers, the suffering of the people, and the establishment of new dynasties with the support of the people.

  It is said that water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it. This is the same principle. The people are like water, and the imperial court is like a boat. A boat travels thousands of miles on water, and even though it has a weight of tens of thousands of tons, it still floats on the water. And the principle that heaven has its own laws, and does not exist because of Yao or perish because of Jie, is also in harmony with this.

  The story says that in the 20th year of Wanli, namely 1592 AD, it was an autumn with many events. That year, many big things happened. Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the Japanese Kanpaku, led his army to invade Korea. Korea was caught off guard and its military was lax, so within a short month, the three capitals fell and the eight provinces collapsed. Korea immediately requested aid from its suzerain state, the Ming dynasty. After repeated consideration, the Ming government finally decided to send troops to aid Korea. Time flew by, and it was already the second year, namely 1593 AD, the 21st year of Wanli in the Ming dynasty. The great army of the Ming dynasty fought a big battle against the Japanese army and defeated them greatly in Pyongyang, Korea...

  Apart from these great events that have been recorded in history, a series of unbelievable things actually happened during that tumultuous autumn. In the vast northeastern region, the Changbai Mountains stretch for thousands of miles, with towering peaks, snow-capped mountains, lush vegetation below, and rare birds and beasts living in harmony, thriving generation after generation.

  At the foot of Changbai Mountain, there is a small town with over 100 households, called Erpu Town. It's a peaceful and quiet town like a paradise on earth, but on this day when autumn begins, a large group of merchants riding horses and driving horse-drawn carriages arrived in the town, totaling 40 people. This group of merchants came to the largest restaurant in the town, filling up the whole place, with the boss and waiters busy and happily serving them.

  The person sitting at the innermost part of the guest house, dressed in a dignified and elegant attire made of silk and satin, had a pale face, a pointed mouth and monkey-like cheeks, looking like no ordinary person.

  He was talking to a man with a long beard and a fierce face next to him. The white-faced, sharp-mouthed, monkey-cheeked man spoke to the fierce-faced man in Japanese: "Takeda-kun, you are the strongest among us in martial arts, this time we all rely on you and your friends. Come! I'll use tea instead of wine, a toast to Takeda-kun."

  Takeda bowed and returned the courtesy, took a sip of tea and said: "Little West, you are the soul of this operation, our success or failure depends on your strategy."

  Xiao Xi said: "Actually, we have forgotten an important person. Many times, she is more useful than us and Huang Jin."

  Takeda said: "Are you talking about Yoshiko?"

  Konnosuke nodded and said, "Right, she can help us with things that we can't do with Kinsen, her body is her most powerful weapon."

  Takeda revealed a sly smile and said, "This time we landed on the Liaodong Peninsula, bypassed the western side of Changbai Mountain, entered Changbai Mountain, and successfully evaded the Ming army's blockade line. We must have dodged the pursuit of the Ming dynasty's Embroidered Uniform Guard. In this way, our entry into Changbai Mountain will be unimpeded."

  Xiao Xi said: "This time, we have two tasks. First, to win over the Changbai Mountain Villa, so that our army can directly appear on the Liaodong Plain after passing through Changbai Mountain; second, the Changbai Mountain Villa has a book called 'Tian Shu Shen Ce', which was written by Zhang Tian Shi of the Northern Song Dynasty. The book records many contents such as lost ancient military methods, weapon manufacturing methods, martial arts, elixirs for longevity and immortality, and geography, which will be of great help to our conquest of Fusang Continent. Therefore, the purpose of this trip is to obtain this book."

  Takeda said: "Little West, you say it, we'll listen to your arrangements. However, is this 'Heavenly Book' really that good? How did something so great end up in the Changbai Mountains Villa? The Changbai Mountains Villa seems to have a lot of background!"

  The little westerner sipped his tea and said: "During the Jingkang incident of the Northern Song Dynasty, the capital city of Bianjing was breached by the Jin army. The iron hooves of the Jin army trampled this prosperous capital. The two emperors of the Northern Song Dynasty, Huizong and Qinzong, were taken away by the Jin army, who also took away all the wealth from the national treasury of the Northern Song Dynasty, as well as the book 'Tianshu Shen Ce'. It is said that whoever obtains this book can practice the methods described in it to refine the elixir of immortality. Those who take the elixir will be immortal, with a body like that of a heavenly god, and invincible in battle. Emperor Huizong had thought that after becoming the retired emperor, he could carefully study this book, but before he even had a chance to calm down and read it, the national humiliation of Jingkang occurred."

  Takeda listened very seriously. Konishi said, "The Golden People sent a mysterious team to guard the gold and the 'Heavenly Book of Divine Writings' deep in the Changbai Mountains."

  Takeda asked him: "For so many years, no one has gone to Changbai Mountain to search for it, or has any dynasty sent someone to clean up?"

  Xiao Xi burst out laughing and said: "Legend has it that Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang once secretly ordered his fourth son, Zhu Di, to send a team of over a thousand elite soldiers with high martial arts skills to explore this secret. However, after entering the Changbai Mountains, this team also mysteriously disappeared. Some people say that there is a mysterious spirit guarding these treasures in the mountains, while others claim to have seen thousands of stone statues of male and female soldiers deep in the mountains..."

  "What's going on after all?"

  Xiao Xi said: "According to reliable sources, it's actually because of the poor mountains and evil waters that emperors and generals throughout history didn't think much of this place and didn't believe in such a legend. However, later on, Changbai Mountain Villa really became the number one villa in Jianghu and the sacred land of Wulin, but being located deep in the mountains of Liaodong, the imperial court never paid attention to it."

  Takeda nodded: "Haha, Little Xi is knowledgeable about both ancient and modern times, I admire you, I admire!"

  Xiao Xi said: "Let's set off after we finish this meal, according to the intelligence, there is another village ahead, and we must go there to replenish our supplies."

  Takeda said: "Yes, we need to replenish."

  "Japanese pirates! Your time of recklessness is over, your death sentence has arrived!"

  Please pay attention to episode 1 part 2

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