The World Online

May 13, 9 AM, Shanhai Town Teleportation Formation.

Ouyang Shuo led the four directors of Shanhai and waited beside the teleportation formation, preparing to welcome their allies’ arrival.

The first guests to arrive were Mulan Yue and Mu Guiying from Mulan Town which was nearest from Shanhai Town.

This was the first time Ouyang Shuo saw Mulan Yue. At the age of 18 or 19, she was dressed in a light blue skirt, her black hair touching her shoulder, tied with an ocean-blue silk cloth. Her eyes shined brightly, filled with a smile of purity, her blushing red cheek gave a cute feeling, she looked like a butterfly and pure innocent snow.

Ouyang Shuo couldn’t imagine that such a cute little girl in front of him would be one of the 3 overlords of Lianzhou in his past life. In the past life, rumors said that Mulan Yue was a cold female lord, she seldom interacted with players. Ouyang Shuo had no idea what had happened to her that caused her personality to change so drastically.

Behind her stood a female general, valiant, imposing, equipped with military armor, held a spear in her hands, an aura of a heroine spirit came gushing out from her. Needless to say, she got to be the legendary female general of Yang Family, Mu Guiying.

When the two walked out from the teleportation formation, Ouyang Shuo welcomed them warmly, and said: “Welcome to Shanhai Town, I suppose the two of you must be Mulan Lord, Mulan Yue and General Mu Guiying?”

“Ah, how did you recognize us, I haven’t introduced myself yet.” Mulan Yue was surprised.

Ouyang Shuo looked at Mu Guiying behind Mulan Yue and said: “I might not know the others, but I can definitely recognize the legendary heroine General Mu Guiying.”

“So you had gotten the clue from sister Mu, no wonder!” Mulan Yue said in a silly tone.

Ouyang Shuo nodded, and introduced the directors to the two.

Right at this moment, another 3 lades came out from the teleportation formation.

Walking in the foremost front was a lady, age 27 or 28. She wore a white palace dress, simple yet elegant. She had black hair as dark as ink yet smooth as jade, curled into a bun with a few simple ornaments, embellishing her appearance further. She had perfect facial features with peach-white skin; her aqua colored iris, crystal clear and yet bright, but deep in it lurked a slight stream of coldness, as if her eyes can see through everything. She had perfect shoulders, a slim waist, sharp eyebrows, and white skin.

They’ve met in the auction, therefore Ouyang Shuo could naturally recognize the lady, Lord Bai Hua.

Behind and left of Bai Hua stood a lady, age 25 or 26. She was dressed in a lavender purple dress, her cuffs embroidered with light blue orchids with silver linings delineating the flower petals, the hem of the dress was colored in ice-blue, a wide silver brocade covered her chest, the dress swayed everytime she moved. She had a simple tassel bun, a pair of attractive eyes, red florid skin hue, a little cherry mouth, and looked tender and beautiful. Her black hair flowed down the sides of her cheeks, dangling in the winds while her eyes shined with cleverness and artfulness.

In the past, Shuo had met Zi Luolan before, hence he could recognize her immediately.

The last lady was actually about the same age as Mulan Yue. Her long green silk robe touched the floor, plain and simple, only her cuffs were sewed in red with a few half-blooming oleanders, a white silk sash tied in her waist, a small pouch and jade on her waist. Unlike the two ladies, the little girl tied her hair in a simpler way, her hair fringe casually scattered yet neat. She brought a feeling of natural freshness.

Ouyang Shuo went forward to them and smiled: “Lord Bai Hua, welcome, welcome!”

Bai Hua nodded as a reply, turned and introduced the other two to Ouyang Shuo. Only then did Ouyang Shuo know that the last girl was Tsing Yi, naturally they greeted each other.

Because they had an agreed time, within minutes, Xunlong Dianxue and Gong Chengshi had arrived after one another.

Just like Mulan Yue, the two late arrivals had brought along their one-and-only historical figure from their territory. Xunlong Dianxue brought along the famous General Qin Qiong of the Tang dynasty, while Gong Chengshi brought along the famous strategist Ju Shou from the era of the Three Kingdoms.

Qin Qiong, or otherwise Qin Shubao, a master of the horse lance, was known for his bravery and courage.

He was originally a Sui dynasty general under major general Lai Hu’er, he then followed general Zhang Xutuo to fight the rebel Li Mi. Zhang Xutuo was killed and Qin Qiong thereafter served under the command of the general Pei Renji. He followed general Pei Renji and they surrendered to Li Mi together.

After Li Mi’s defeat, he served under Sui general Wang Shichong. But Wang Shichong was suspicious and often believed in defamations, and in the end, Qin Qiong and another general, Cheng Yaojin, surrendered to the Tang dynasty and they served under the Prince of Qin, Li Shimin.

He fought countless battles for Li Shimin, he fought in the frontline every time and was able to destroy and finish his enemies. But during his old age, he was often ill. He died in Year 638 and was listed as one of the 24 great contributors to Tang at Lingyan Pavilion.

Qin Qiong could be counted as the same era with that of Shi Wanshui. But Shi Wanshui was dead when Qin Qiong was still at a young age, therefore the two have never met before.

Ju Shou was late Eastern Han Dynasty warlord Yuan Shao’s adviser and strategist. He was an Attendant Officer of Ji Province, was nominated as maocai1, and was the clerk of two counties in Ji Province. He was young but ambitious and a master of tactical strategies. Under the governor Han Fu, he was promoted to Cavalry Commandant. After warlord Yuan Shao took over Ji Province, he recruited Ju Shou as his advisor. Often Ju Shou would propose plans and strategies but Yuan Shao refused to listen. During the Battle of Guandu, Yuan Shao was defeated and Ju Shou was captured by warlord Cao Cao. He refused to surrender and hence was executed by Cao Cao.

Seeing Qin Qiong and Ju Shou, Ouyang Shuo was envious, these two talents were really needed by Shanhai. General Qin Qiong, a master in horse lance, he was the best candidate for the position of heavy cavalry instructor. The Tang dynasty Mingguang cavalry was equipped with the fearsome lance as a primary weapon.

A tip of a lance can easily penetrate through their targets, a lance of high-quality would carry the same property as a good sword. Ordinary chainmail, iron armor, Minguang armor, they would all be pierced through by a lance like a piece of paper. The lance was long and heavy, it was not easy for one to master it. Even in history, generals who wielded a lance were only a few from the Tang dynasty, such as Qin Qiong, Cheng Yaojin,Yuchi Gong and Li Cunxiao.

Ju Shou was also a strategist Shanhai was lacking of. In comparison, Ju Shou was way beyond the scales of Ge Hongliang. With the forces of Shanhai growing rapidly, they will face various challenges, a professional strategist advisor like Ju Shou meant a lot to Shanhai.

When the crowd have all arrived, there was no reason to stay at the town square anymore, hence Ouyang Shuo brought them into the manor.

……

Manor, Coucil Chamber.

After everyone took a seat in the chamber, Ouyang Shuo smiled and said: “First off, I would like to welcome everyone to Shanhai Town. Today is the first meeting the Shanhai Alliance gathers together, such a rare opportunity. In order to express our goodwill, we will have a simple alliance ceremony. Shall we?”

“Brother Wuyi had thought it through, indeed we should have an alliance ceremony. Didn’t the ancient lords have the ceremony with the rituals, prayers and things like that.” Xunlong Dianxue was the first to agree.

Bai Hua and Gong Chengshi nodded in agreement. When Mulan Yue heard that a ceremony will be held, fun was the only thing she cared about and so, of course she wouldn’t decline.

Seeing that everyone had agreed, Ouyang Shuo stood up and walked out to the back mountains.

At the back mountains, the two Nian beasts saw the crowd coming, however they ignored them and continued their own sunbath.

Yet it was shocking for the lords to see the Nian beasts before their eyes. All of them had participated in the festival event in New Years Eve, of course they knew what creatures the two beasts were.

“Ah, aren’t they the Nian beasts that feeds on humans? Brother Wuyi, how did they appear here?” Mulan Yue couldn’t hide her words, she asked in pure innocence.

Since Ouyang Shuo had chosen the ceremony to take place at the back mountains, he had never thought of hiding the beasts from his allies. He laughed and explained: “Be at ease, they will hurt no one. During the event, I was fortunate to have a contract scroll and was able to tame the beasts, and now, these 2 Nian beasts are the guardians of Shanhai Town, not beasts of destruction but instead beasts of auspiciousness.”

Their doubts were lifted by the explanation, but the way they looked at Ouyang Shuo became more elusive. Just from the tip of the iceberg, one can clearly see the depths of Shanhai Town.

In the ancient times, an alliance ceremony had several steps. Before the ceremony, a square hole had been digged at the mountain top, and inside was a bison. The bison’s left ear and the blood would be contained in two separate containers. Then, Tian Wenjiang proceeded to use the blood as ink to write the alliance covenant.

Fan Zhongyan will then hold the blood container and read out the covenant, if there were no objections from the allies, the covenant will be read again facing north, dedicated to the Gods. After that, Ouyang Shuo will then take the bison’s left ear container and wipe the blood on his mouth, followed by his allies. Lastly, the bison would be killed and buried along with the covenant in the square hole. That then marks the end of the ceremony.

During the ceremony, the two female lords, Bai Hua and Mulan Yue, were reluctant to wipe the blood on their mouth, hence they had only wiped it below their jaws. The male lords were kind and could understand their acts so they did not force them. However, Gong Chengshi was a true man, he had drank a mouthful of blood instead of just wiping it.

Maocai1茂才: outstanding civil service candidate