mtl008 Chapter 67 White Lotus
Chapter 67 White Lotus
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Nothing was said that night. The three continued their journey the next day.
After leaving Huang County, the master and apprentice led him directly west, and a few days later they entered the territory of Laizhou Prefecture.
Liu Ye looked at the route and felt increasingly uneasy. He asked, "Where are you going? If you continue like this, you'll run into the rebels. Do you understand what rebels are? Kong Youde is causing trouble. I heard he's already captured many prefectures and counties, burning, killing, looting, and committing all sorts of atrocities. Even if you have martial arts skills, you'll just be sending yourselves to your deaths in front of such a large army."
The two exchanged a glance, and Bai said, "We're going to find the rebels!"
Liu Ye panicked. If he still had a chance to escape from their clutches, then he would have no chance of survival if he encountered the bloodthirsty rebels.
Seeing him pacing anxiously, the master couldn't help but laugh: "You weren't this anxious even when we tied you up, but you lose your composure as soon as you hear about the rebels."
Liu Ye was stunned. So this cold, aloof woman could smile, and her smile was actually quite beautiful. Seeing him staring at her, his master immediately reverted to her aloof demeanor and coldly said, "What are you looking at? Look again and I'll gouge your eyes out." She then reached up and smoothed her hair.
As she reached out, her sleeve slipped down, revealing her lotus-root-like arm, and Liu Ye couldn't help but glance at it a few more times. Upon closer inspection, he noticed a design etched on her wrist. This ice-cold beauty actually had a tattoo?
Looking closer, the pattern was a flower, with broad, oval petals, like a lotus, and dyed white, standing out vividly on his fair arm. He blurted out, "A white lotus?"
The master and apprentice's expressions changed drastically, and they both stared at him.
Liu Ye repeated, "White Lotus?" Considering their mention of undertaking a major mission and their deliberate search for the rebels, a guess formed in his mind. He involuntarily took two steps back and muttered to himself, "The White Lotus Sect?"
The master raised his arm, revealing a delicate hidden sword in his hand. The tip of the sword was pointed at his throat, and he asked coldly, "Who exactly are you? How do you know my name, and how do you know we are from the White Lotus Sect?"
So her name was Bai Lian, and she was a member of the White Lotus Cult. A chill, one that Liu Ye had never felt before, rose in his heart.
The term "White Lotus Sect" gave him the impression of a mysterious religious organization, often associated with rebellion. Later generations and movies demonized this organization, frequently depicting wealthy families being tricked into joining, resulting in financial ruin and the destruction of their homes.
The woman named Bai Lian held a sword only a fraction of a centimeter away from his throat; the slightest mistake in his response would result in a tragic slit in his throat.
Liu Ye took a deep breath to calm himself down, speaking as calmly as possible to avoid provoking the other party: "I am just an ordinary businessman, and this is my first time in Shandong. I don't know you, and I don't know your name. I just mentioned it unintentionally when I saw the pattern on your hand. I've heard of the White Lotus Sect, but I never imagined that you were members of the White Lotus Sect."
Bai Lian remained silent, staring intently into his eyes. After a long while, confirming that he wasn't lying, she lowered the hidden sword in her hand slightly, but it was still pointed at his throat.
“I, Bai Lian, am indeed a member of the White Lotus Sect. Since you have guessed this by chance, I will not hide it from you. Now that you know my name and identity, you have two choices: first, join the White Lotus Sect and worship the Eternal Mother together; second, die by my sword and turn into a pile of bones.”
This was truly a difficult choice. Liu Ye certainly didn't want to die, but he also didn't want to join the White Lotus Sect. This sect was nothing more than using its doctrines to bewitch ignorant men and women, swindle money, and then rebel when the time was right. Compared to his grand project of time travel, the difference in their level was like heaven and earth.
Ling Xi'er, who was standing to the side, couldn't stand it anymore and advised, "Master, how can you force people to join the sect like this? No wonder you can't defeat Wang Bao. He's doing very well now, with countless disciples and he's even infiltrated the rebel army. If he seizes the initiative this time and the rebel army becomes his tool, where will the White Lotus Sect have a foothold in Shandong?"
Liu Ye was taken aback; this statement contained a lot of information!
Bai Lian replied disdainfully, "Wang Bao is a disgrace to our White Lotus Sect. He spends his days using sorcery to deceive ignorant men and women and swindle their money. His disciples are also a bunch of gluttons and savages. How could they understand the doctrine? We'd rather not have disciples like that."
Ling Xi'er pursed her lips and remained silent.
Liu Ye held back his complaints. You say someone cheated you out of your money, but you brazenly robbed them. How are you any better?
Fortunately, this interruption stopped Bai Lian from mentioning his joining the sect, and Liu Ye secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Bai Lian calculated with her fingers and said, "I have already left a letter for your subordinate, asking him to send five thousand taels of silver to ransom your life. Today is the second day of the twelfth lunar month. If you do not receive the silver in ten days, I will have no choice but to send you on your way."
Liu Ye was shocked and shouted, "I already said I'm from Qiongzhou Prefecture. Do you think my people can fly away? Besides, you're just setting a deadline without specifying a location. Even if I have the money, where am I supposed to send it?"
Bai Lian coldly replied, "Just because you say you're from Qiongzhou Prefecture, do you think I'll believe you? Qiongzhou Prefecture is so far from Shandong, so why would you travel all the way to Dengzhou? Why don't you say you came from Yunnan and Guizhou to buy time? As for the location, don't worry, I have spies in Dengzhou and Laizhou, and I'll naturally find a way to contact your men."
"You're being unreasonable! I really am from Qiongzhou Prefecture, and I came to Dengzhou to mine coal..."
“That’s even more unreliable. If you’re so generous, why would you come all the way from Qiongzhou to Dengzhou to mine coal? Coal isn’t worth much; it’s not a big business.”
Liu Ye pointed at her, speechless. It was truly a case of "you can't talk to a summer insect about ice." How could he possibly explain to this woman that mining coal was for coking, coking was for iron smelting, and iron smelting was for casting cannons?
"Speechless now? Can't make up any more stories? Besides, you work in coal mines in Shandong, there must be money in the mines, right?"
Liu Ye replied dejectedly, "I did buy a small coal mine in Huang County, but now with the chaos of war, all the miners have been laid off! Who would dare leave a large sum of money in Dengzhou and Laizhou at this time, waiting for the rebels to come and rob it?"
"I don't care, I'll release you once I get the money. Remember, it's a ten-day period."
Liu Ye gave up arguing and said weakly, "I have only one request. Could you grant me a few more days? I am indeed from Qiongzhou Prefecture. As long as you can contact my people, my ship can make a round trip from Dengzhou to Qiongzhou in half a month."
Bai Lian kept a straight face and didn't say anything, seemingly disdaining to discuss such an outrageous issue.
Ling Xi'er couldn't help but speak up: "It's not like my master and I haven't been out to sea before. We can circle around the Shandong coast in half a month, but to go to Qiongzhou Prefecture and back? Do you really think we're three-year-olds? Although we've never been to Qiongzhou, we've heard that it takes almost half a year to go to Guangdong and back."
The feeling of being disbelieved when you tell the truth is unpleasant, and Liu Ye was dejected. The sage said, "Only petty men and women are difficult to deal with," and he was absolutely right. He could even fool the governor, yet he couldn't handle two women. It seemed he could only leave it to fate. He could only hope that these two, master and apprentice, weren't truly wicked, and that their tough talk would eventually lead to them letting him off the hook.