Chapter 452: Utterly Forbidden
Chapter 447 of "The Great Ming in the Box" reveals: Wang Chengenâs command âSet off immediately!âThe army sprang into action, hastening towards Hancheng and the... Keep reading!
Wang Chengenâs command âSet off immediately!âThe army sprang into action, hastening towards Hancheng and the ancient Longmen Ferry.
This Longmen Ferry was the most crucial crossing on the upper reaches of the Yellow River.
The ancient saying âa carp leaping through the Dragon Gate (yĂș yuĂš lĂłngmĂ©n)â originated right here.
During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, the state of Qin crossed the Yellow River from this very spot, delivered a crushing blow to the state of Jin, and captured Duke Hui of Jin.
During the Daye era of the Sui Dynasty, Emperor Gaozu of Tang, Li Yuan, also crossed the Yellow River at the Longmen Ferry, striking directly into the heart of Guanzhong.
In another parallel world, Li Zicheng also crossed east from here to assault the capital region of Youyan, overthrowing the Ming Dynasty.
Li Daoxuanâs perspective followed Shi Jian and White Cat towards the Longmen Ferry. He felt a small thrill of excitement, wanting to see what this legendary strategic point, the very place of the âcarp leaping the Dragon Gateâ, actually looked like. It was like his box was taking him on a trip.
However, just as he heard the scout report: âAhead is the Longmen Ferry.â
Right then, he found his view from the box could no longer moveâŠ
Boundary of perspective!
Li Daoxuan: âDamn it, my trip!â
He saw five thousand officials arranged in a long column, marching to the edge of the box. One by one, they passed through the glass wall, vanishing beyond the box. Shi Jian and White Cat soon followed alongside Wang Chengenâs central forces, passing through the box wall and disappearing.
Li Daoxuan stretched his hands forward, palms facing the sky, fingers splayed wide: âAaaaaah, my journey inside the boxâŠâ
Missing such an important and extraordinary travel destination like this was positively infuriating!
Wait, donât panic. Think of a way.
Li Daoxuan suddenly remembered: hanging from Shi Jianâs belt was a cloth doll of the Dao Xuan Deity. It was a little cloth figure only palm-sized, a craft similar to cloth tigers. It was made by the women of Chengcheng County using Chengcheng embroidery techniques â an intangible cultural heritage piece.
Shi Jian had meticulously brought it along when he left Gaojia Village to protect himself.
Could he establish resonance with this thing?
Thought and actionâŠ
Li Daoxuan jabbed his finger straight onto the âResonanceâ button.
Instantly, streams of light and phantom images!
The scene before him solidified. Li Daoxuan found he was the doll, dangling from Shi Jianâs belt! A rope hung him up, swaying mid-airâŠ
Shi Jian was riding a horse. The horseâs gait caused violent swaying, so Li Daoxuan swung left⊠then right⊠ugh, so dizzy. Why would a cloth doll feel dizzy?
No, it wasnât the doll feeling dizzy. It was his original body feeling dizzy! Because the scene viewed through the dollâs eyes was constantly bobbing. This perspective transmitted directly to his original body, which also saw the swaying vista. Hence, the dizziness.
He hurriedly reached up, wanting to grab the rope above his head to steady himself.
But upon reaching, he discovered his hands were short, round stumps! They had no fingers at all â doll hands were just two stuffed spheres sewn on, strikingly similar to Doraemonâs paws.
These damn hands couldnât grip a rope!
Alright, time for a trump card.
Li Daoxuan employed âcatching bare-handedâ. His two round cloth paws clapped togetherâthumpâpinching the rope. Hands and feet worked together as he scrambled upwards along the rope. Soon, he reached the skirt armour plating around Shi Jianâs belt. Finding a raised piece of armour, he perched himself on it.
Now the swaying was minimal. No more dizziness.
After looking left and right, he discovered Shi Jianâs little dagger hidden in his belt. Leaning closer, he rubbed the rope suspending him against the dagger, snapping it apart.
Now nothing bound him.
Clutching Shi Jianâs armor scales, he continued to climb upward. Before long, he surprisingly reached the shoulder armor and sat down.
Shi Jian himself sensed nothing, but the white cat beside him jumped in fright: âHuh?!?! Shi Jian! Shi Jian!â
Shi Jian: âWang Xiaohua, whatâs wrong?â
The white cat sweated profusely: âNowâs not the time to tease me with my name. Quick, look at your shoulder.â
Only when Shi Jian turned did he spot the cloth Deity sitting on his shoulder armor.
The shock was immense.
Li Daoxuan spoke: âDonât make such a commotion. Stay quiet and enjoy the view.â
Shi Jian: ââŠâ
White Cat: ââŠâ
Both froze for a good while, only gradually digesting the disbelief of âthe Deity possessing a doll,â their minds slowly settling.
Shi Jian then lowered his voice: âHas the Deity come to issue divine commands?â
Li Daoxuan: âI came here to play.â
Shi Jian: ââŠâ
Alright then, the Deityâs amusing himself in the mortal world!
Soon, the group arrived at Longmen Ferry.
After studying some travel guides, Li Daoxuan had imagined some grand place. Instead, it was merely a narrow section of the upper Yellow River. The river stretched about one hundred and twenty meters wide, flanked by sandy shores where ferries could moor.
Li Daoxuan cursed inwardly: Cheated again! Tourist spots were such crap. Fence off a mountain and it becomes a 4A scenic area; add a temple atop it and itâs suddenly 5A. Arrgh!
Crossing the river with five thousand troops, despite its modest breadth, proved cumbersome. Soldiers first ferried across, stretching several long ropes over the water. Then using those ropes, they constructed a floating bridgeâŠ
Li Daoxuan watched only briefly before he found himself yawning and bored stiff. So pointless. Withdrawing his senses, he shifted his attention elsewhere. Heâd come back later.
Hejin County, Shanxi.
Bu Zhan Ni led his troops into Hejin County, the city walls freshly breached.
Hejin County was also known as Longmen County, named for its proximity to Longmen Ferry. Centuries ago, it was simply called Longmen Prefecture or Longmen County, only renamed Hejin under the Song Dynasty.
Unfortunately, this ancient city hadnât escaped marauding bandit violence.
Now corpses littered every corner. Masses of bandits swarmed the streets, looting and killing. Some bandit troops tore down Hejin Countyâs already low, modest walls, deliberately collapsing each stone segment.
This was always the banditsâ strategy: breach one city, level its walls. Weaken its defenses. Next time they returned, pillaging would be far easier.
Bu Zhan Ni sat inside the county office, occupying the seat of the wealthy lord, who even now lay dead as a corpse at his feet.
His general Double-Winged Tiger strode in through the door, clasped fists. âBoss, all the countyâs constables, hired thugs, and militia guards are dead. Our men are foraging for provisions now.â
Bu Zhan Ni nodded. âNow weâre not far from Yongji Xing Honglang?â
âJust a short distance!â Double-Winged Tiger answered. âAnother one hundred miles south lies Yongji. Xing Honglangâs holed up inside a wooden stockade right at the ancient ferry dock.â
Bu Zhan Ni snorted coldly. âGood. Ransack Hejin first. Then we keep marching southâpay that Yongji ferry dock a visit.â
Double-Winged Tiger lowered his voice. âBut Boss, Xing Honglang already pledged loyalty to Wang Jiayin. She joined his thirty-six divisions. Going after her now⊠disrespects Wang Jiayin.â
Bu Zhan Ni: âRespect? I wonât give a damn! Anger me enough and Iâll crush even Wang Jiayin himself.â
Just then, Captain of Eighth Squad Li Zicheng barged in urgently. âBoss! You absolutely cannot do what you just planned!â