Angry Banana
Chapter 640: Returning to the Ancient Abyss, the Moon Rises Over the Empty Mountain (Part Two)
Rivers surrounded the city, it was late at night, the city walls stood tall and majestic, with scattered lights on the high walls. The outline of the city stretched out behind, and the faint sound of bells from ancient temples could be heard. Search: \(¨End¨Book¨God¨Station¨) to read high-quality literature for free.
Inside the courtyard, only dim, deep yellow lights flickered. Beside the stone table and stools stood towering ancient trees. The night breeze gently caressed them, and the trees swayed softly, as if there was a white mist in the air. When the trees moved, he looked up, the shadows of the trees flickering, obscuring half of the indifferent starlight. In the cool, watery dawn, the bluebird of memory returned.
He simply sat there, hands resting on his legs, thinking about all sorts of things.
"Xiangong..." (Husband)
"Dinner's ready..."
"...I've mended your clothes..."
"This concubine wants to become a magician..."
"...How can they do business like this!"
"...They are family after all."
In the air, there seemed to be the smell of burnt wood from the small wooden building. When it snowed, she walked in the snow, dragging her heavily pregnant body back and forth... "Xi'er... lucky child..."
He and Su Tan'er had experienced many things together, including the schemes and intrigues of the business world, the joy of settling the world, and the struggles and hardships between life and death. However, when he looked up, the things he thought about were particularly trivial. Dinner was ready, clothes were mended, her proud face, her angry face, her joyful face, the way she held the child, the way she stood up naked from the bathtub, the way they were when they were alone... trivial matters that also spawned many things, but most of them had nothing to do with Tan'er. Those were about the people around him, or the recent events in the capital.
I need to focus on the north, and I hope you can help me handle the affairs in the south...
I trust you the most...
"Gu master... Gu master..."
A gentle voice came from behind. Turning his head, Juan'er stood timidly under the eaves.
Ning Yi looked at her for a moment, his face softening, and said, "...You should go to sleep."
"Gu master, you... you don't worry about Miss, Miss knows how to swim... nothing will necessarily happen... she will be fine."
The night air was still flowing, but the person seemed to have suddenly disappeared. This illusion disappeared after a moment: "Mm." Ning Yi replied.
"I'm not worried." He said, "Not that worried... Let's wait for news."
Nothing could be seen on Ning Yi's calm face, so Juan'er didn't know what to say for a while. After a moment, she said, "That, Zhu Biao, Young Master Zhu, and the others..."
She told Ning Yi some things. Ning Yi listened quietly and nodded to show that he understood. Soon after, Juan'er left from under the eaves, and Ning Yi was once again alone in the courtyard. He sat in front of the stone table, and suddenly, he waved his hands and slammed his fists on the stone table. The stone table cracked into several pieces and rolled around. Ning Yi sat there and didn't move again.
In this misty night, there were different scenes inside and outside the Ning Residence. As the master, Ning Yi sat in the courtyard, and no one dared to disturb him. In the two courtyards next door, candle shadows flickered, and many people were exchanging something in a suppressed and intense manner. Separated by layers of high walls, looking from the streets outside the Ning Residence, the mansion was so quiet that it seemed to have entered another world. Some shadows and corners gathered in twos and threes, crouching constables.
"How is it?"
A figure came hurriedly and entered a small house nearby. The room was lit, and Tie Tianying, holding the Great Que Sword, was closing his eyes to rest, but when the other party approached, he had already opened his eyes. The one who came was Liu Qinghe, one of the seven chief constables of the Ministry of Justice, who was specifically responsible for the area around the capital.
"There's no movement yet. How many people did you bring?" Tie Tianying asked.
"More than twenty people under my command. In addition, the Kaifeng Prefecture Yamen, the Patrol Division, and other places have been notified. If necessary, more than five hundred people can be mobilized within two hours..."
"What's the use of that?"
"If it's really useless, you and I might as well turn around and run away. If the Patrol Division and the Kaifeng Prefecture Yamen are useless, we can only alarm the Grand Commandant's Office and the Ministry of War... If things are really that big, does he want to rebel? Why would he do this?"
"Things will naturally not get to that point, but I can't grasp what's on his mind. I'm just afraid that he'll be reckless and want to take revenge."
Liu Qinghe pushed open the window and looked out: "A wife is like clothes. When Xin Mo really acts up, his methods are ruthless and fierce. I've seen it before. But he has a large family and a big business, so he won't be so reckless. This is a person who does great things."
"What I'm afraid of is not that he offends the people above, but that he wants to take revenge on you and me, on Zong Feixiao. Although the Right Prime Minister's Residence has collapsed, he is good at maneuvering. The Grand Tutor's Residence, the Guangyang Prince's Residence, and even Lord Wang all have the intention to win him over. It's even said that the current Holy Emperor knows his name. Now that something has happened to his wife, if he wants to vent, if he does it in moderation, you and I may not be able to withstand it. You also said that this person is ruthless. Even if he doesn't launch an attack publicly, it's impossible to defend against."
"His wife may not be dead. People are still searching below." Liu Qinghe said, "If she really is dead, I will take three steps back."
"What I'm afraid of is that even if she's not dead, he will take revenge." Tie Tianying closed his eyes and continued to rest, "You haven't seen him when he goes crazy."
"I've also seen it in the capital."
Liu Qinghe looked outside and answered casually. Back then, three chief constables of the Ministry of Justice participated in escorting Fang Qifo to the capital, namely Tie Tianying, Zong Feixiao, and Fan Zhong, who arrived later. But Liu Qinghe had also seen Ning Yi's methods for dealing with those martial arts figures in the capital, so he said this.
Then, it became quiet here.
Separated by several layers of high walls, inside the Ning Residence, which seemed quiet in the night, the discussion of a group of people came to an end. Servants brought some food, and some people took pastries and meals to fill their stomachs – this was a benefit that they could have at any time at Zhuji – a figure went to the small courtyard where Ning Yi was, and that was Zhu Biao.
He stopped under the eaves, looked at the figure sitting on the stone bench in the courtyard, and said a few words. The other party didn't react, so he raised his head and said a few more words. The figure on the stone bench turned his head, looked at him with a stern gaze, and said a few words to him, seemingly scolding him.
The cold night wind swept away the words in the darkness. In the capital, nearly a million people gathered, lived, traveled, traded, socialized, and loved, and all kinds of desires and thoughts were intertwined, either openly or secretly. On this night, there was small-scale tension in various parts of the capital, but it had nothing to do with the overall safety of the capital. When a towering tree like the Right Prime Minister fell, small-scale friction and small-scale vigilance could occur at any moment. From the emperor down to the officials and eunuchs, from the officials down to the strategists and chief stewards, and then down to all kinds of idlers who handled affairs, there were constables from the Ministry of Justice and the Yamen, and there were people from both the black and white worlds. A word from the people above made tens of thousands of people at the bottom nervous, but it still couldn't be considered a big deal.
A faint white mist appeared on the horizon. When the fish-belly white appeared in the eastern sky, the city appeared even more peaceful and tranquil. Tie Tianying opened his eyes and looked at the Ning Residence, which was silent and even had few people entering and exiting. His gaze was serious, and many people breathed a small sigh of relief.
"We still have to keep an eye on it today." Liu Qinghe said from the side.
Tie Tianying nodded.
Nothing happened. That morning, Tie Tianying managed to get news from the Ning Residence through connections, only saying that the owner of the Ning Residence had not slept all night, but had been sitting in the courtyard or walking around, seemingly thinking of his wife. But other than that, there was no major movement.
This day was April 26th.
In the evening, Ning Yi's carriage came out from the back door. Liu Qinghe and Tie Tianying rushed over and stopped the carriage. Ning Yi lifted the car curtain and cupped his hands at them.
"Chief Constable Liu, Chief Constable Tie, is there anything wrong?" There was not much of a smile on his face. He looked a little tired, but seemed to be showing goodwill. Tie Tianying sized him up with a serious gaze, seemingly wanting to read his thoughts from the other party's face. Liu Qinghe cupped his hands: "It's nothing, it's just that the capital is not very peaceful after the Jurchens left. We just happened to meet and wanted to ask where Mr. Ning is planning to go?"
"The Ministry of Justice's Heavenly Prison, to see the Right Prime Minister. Is that alright?"
"Oh, of course, Mr. Ning, please."
Liu Qinghe smiled kindly and raised his hand.
*****************
Waking up from a dim sleep, Qin Si yuan smelled the scent of medicine.
The sound of decocting medicine resounded in the prison cell. The old man opened his eyes, and Ning Yi was sitting not far away. Compared to other prisons, the Heavenly Prison of the Ministry of Justice mainly held criminal officials, whether they had been convicted or not. The environment was much better than ordinary prisons, but Ning Yi must have spent a lot of effort to bring various things in.
He held a small fan and was fanning the stove. Through the small window, it was just when the last ray of sunset light was falling.
"Li Heng is here."
"I heard you were sick, so I came to see you."
"Being able to move the stove in, it must have taken a lot of effort, right?"
"If the relationship is good enough, even a carriage can be driven in. If the relationship is not good enough, you may not even have a place to stay here. You are already like this, if you don't use your power, it will expire and be useless."
"Hehe." The old man laughed. The prison cell was silent for a moment. "I heard about the things on your side."
Ning Yi nodded: "Yes, Tan'er fell into the river."
"Since the news has not been confirmed, you don't need to worry too much. If the person has not been found, there is still a turning point."
"She is a strong woman, there is no need to worry. Otherwise, if I had insisted on going north, they would have been worried to death." Ning Yi smiled.
The old man also smiled: "Li Heng is empathizing and starting to feel guilty, right?"
"A little." Ning Yi nodded, "But that's how things are in the world. When one side goes out, the other side always has to worry..." He paused, and then said: "I thought about a lot of things last night, mostly about Tan'er, and also about the days when I used to run and play chess every day in Jiangning. Old man, if you hadn't come up and I hadn't come up, would we not have to worry about worrying back and forth?"
The old man, who was already sitting up by the bed, smiled, his eyes complicated but kind. Ning Yi's question did not need to be answered. They were both strong people, so this could only be considered a sigh, not a question.
"Li
Heng, what are you planning to do next?"
"Some things need to be adjusted. It won't be easy for me to leave."
"Kang Xian still has some tricks."
"Grand Tutor Cai, Prince Tong... and other people like that. I originally wanted to be good at maneuvering, and finally get out, and hug the thighs of the Princess Consort's mansion, but things are getting more and more complicated..."
"Li Heng, you already expected it, didn't you?"
"I had expected it. There is always a way to break the situation, but it is indeed getting harder and harder." Ning Yi tilted his head, "Even the one in the palace, he knows my name... Of course, I have to thank him. A few days ago, someone reported Zhuji and my name to him. The one in the palace said to others that the Right Prime Minister had problems, but you should not involve too many people. This Ning Yi, Ning Liheng, made great contributions in Xiacun. When you investigate the case, don't just beat everyone with the same stick... Hmm, he knows me."
"He is in the emperor's heart..." Qin Si yuan looked complicated and looked at Ning Yi, but there was no joy.
Ning Yi smiled: "What do you think... what is that person thinking?"
Qin Si yuan shook his head: "...The emperor's will is unfathomable."
The young man by the stove laughed again. This smile was much more meaningful.
In the sound of popping and hissing, the smell of medicine filled the room, and the smell of medicine could make people feel at peace. After a moment, Qin Si yuan said, "Then you are not planning to leave?"
"In about ten days, your case should be judged."
"Yes." The old man sighed, "It won't be interesting to drag it out any longer."
"If I stay in the capital, there are at least some things I can do." Ning Yi thought for a while, "After you leave, I will help you pass down the book. I promised before, and it seems like this is the main one."
"Yes, with this one, I can rest in peace..."
"It's just exile for three thousand miles. Go south, the south is a bit hotter, the fruit is good. As long as you pay attention, eating three hundred lychees a day, you may be able to live a long life. I will send someone to escort you."
The prison cell became quiet again.
After a while, I heard Ning Yi say: "Old Qin, looking back, you have put in so much effort all the way, but it has always been ineffective. You took the blame for the Black Water Alliance, hoping that the remaining people could cheer up, but they didn't cheer up. After you rose again, you worried about the Northern Expedition, going against the tide and offending so many people. The soldiers sent to the north couldn't fight. In the battles of Bianliang and Taiyuan, you always tried desperately to struggle to find a way out, but no one took it. Everything you did ended up being zeroed out, being stoned and covered in dung. What are you feeling in your heart?"
The white-haired old man sat there, thinking for a while.
"I... I am very heartbroken." His voice was low, but his eyes were calm. He just stated in a low voice, word by word, "I am heartbroken for the things they may encounter in the future..."
His answer was sincere, without the slightest sarcasm. Ning Yi nodded. Soon after, the medicine was ready. Ning Yi poured it into a bowl, and the old man suddenly asked, "What about Li Heng?"
"Hmm?"
"Li Heng... what are you feeling?"
The two men's eyes met, with inquiry and frankness.
"People have to fight for their own lives." Ning Yi paused, "I will help you pass down the book."
He cooled the bowl of medicine and handed it to Qin Si yuan. The food box was also placed on the side. The two men chatted about family matters for a while, and soon, Ning Yi said goodbye and left.
The sunset had long since faded, the city was brightly lit, and the crowds were like a weave.
***************
Unknown lines rose from different places and extended in different directions.
Some orders were issued within Zhuji and were only digested internally. Near Bozhou, whether it was the Six Doors or Zhuji's forces, they were all searching for people downstream along the river. The rain was still falling, increasing the difficulty of finding people, so no results had been obtained yet.
On April 27th, about five hundred miles away from Bianliang, on the post road of Queshan County near Runing, a convoy of goods heading north was slowly moving forward. The convoy had a total of six large carts, and the entire caravan transporting the goods had about thirty people, dressed differently. Among them, several men with weapons looked fierce and seemed to be used to traveling on the road.
After the Jurchens invaded the capital, there was a shortage of materials and population. In the past few months, a large number of caravans had been rushing to the capital to fill the gap in supply, which also made the commercial road unusually prosperous. This team was seizing the opportunity to make a profit in the capital.
The driver of the second large cart in the convoy waved his whip. He was a one-armed man, wearing a bamboo hat, and it was impossible to see what his expression was. Behind the flatbed cart was a pile of boxes. A woman's figure was lying sideways on the cart. She was wearing a light blue floral skirt that belonged to the Miao people. Under the skirt were a pair of blue embroidered shoes. She put her legs together, curled up, and rested her head on several boxes, covering her entire head with a veiled bamboo hat. The long boxes under her head bumped around as the cart moved, and it was unknown how her seemingly weak body could fall asleep.
Soon, a galloping horse came from the front. The knight on the horse was covered in dust. When he passed by, he stopped.
The knight dismounted and said a few words to one of the members of the caravan, making contact. Then, he was led over to the second cart, handed a note, and said something to the one-armed man. The words "want the goods" seemed to be mentioned in the conversation. Unbeknownst to them, the girl in the back had already sat up. The one-armed man handed her the note, and she looked at it.
The core members of the caravan came over, because of the information just now, everyone was whispering at this time. Some people looked incredulous, but most of them seemed happy.
Unexpectedly happy.
The girl in the floral skirt on the cart sat there and thought for a while, then finally called a man next to her with a knife on his back, handed him the note, and gave him a few instructions. The man immediately turned around to pack his luggage. Soon, he whipped his horse and galloped back in the direction he had come from. He would travel nearly a thousand miles south in two days. His destination was a village in the mountains of Miaojiang called Lanhuan Dong.
The convoy continued to move forward, and they stopped at an inn by the road in the evening. The girl with the veiled bamboo hat walked up to a nearby hill. Behind her, a man followed her with a rectangular box on his back.
As the sun set, the girl stood on the hill and took off her bamboo hat. Her eyes looked in the direction of the north, and the brilliant sunset shone on her side face. On that side face, there was a complicated but clear smile. The wind blew, causing the dust and grass to fly through the air, like dandelions in the spring breeze. In the brilliant sunset, everything became beautiful and peaceful...
On the evening of April 27th, near Bozhou, a man and two women walked into the town.
The rain had stopped, and the streets of the town were muddy after the rain. The one man and two women were all dressed plainly. One of the couples looked like farmers from the mountains at first glance, humble and honest, and a bit rustic. Even though the other woman was wearing plain, patched clothes, she had a calm and generous temperament. She spoke to the two men while leading them forward. Finally, they found a shop that sold cloth.
The woman in the lead said a few words to the shopkeeper, and then pointed to the couple outside the door. The shopkeeper immediately welcomed them in enthusiastically.
The woman had already walked to the back of the shop, wrote down information, and soon after, the information was transmitted out and transmitted to the north.
In Bianliang, on April 27th, Liu Qinghe and others in the Ministry of Justice looked at the feedback information. Zhuji, Wu Rui Camp, and the Ning Residence were all silent, and they all breathed a sigh of relief to varying degrees. On the other side, Tie Tianying, who was thoughtful, still had a gloomy face. Then, he left without saying a word.
In the Guangyang Prince's Residence, Tong Guan summoned his close confidant, General Li Bingwen, who now held command of the Wu Rui Camp, and asked him in detail about many things.
In the palace, Zhou Zhe looked at the chief eunuch Wang Chongguang below, thought for a moment, and then nodded.
He smiled slightly with regret and sarcasm. Then, he lowered his head and dealt with other government affairs.
He had important things to do, and his eyes could not stay on a small matter of entertainment.
After a small lag, a part of the city continued to operate as usual, withdrawing the eyes of the bigwigs and returning to the positive topics of national economy and people's livelihood.
After that, there were three heavy rains, and the weather changed. After the rain, it was either cloudy or sunny, and there was also lightning flashing across the sky. Outside the city, the Yellow River roared and rushed, and between the mountains and fields, carriages and footsteps passed by. The people who had left here gradually returned. After entering May, the trial of the great traitor Qin Si yuan in the capital finally came to an end. The weather had completely turned hot, and the height of summer was approaching. It seemed that many of the previous torments would also come to an end in this season.
During this period of time, many forces and many families began to extend their tentacles towards the capital. The departure of the Jurchens and the downfall of Qin Si yuan meant the end of an old era. After the old people left, the new power vacuum would be filled by someone. Major forces wanted to enter, and new people wanted to come to the fore. They gathered like mushrooms after the rain, and Zhuji fell back on the list of people's attention, and during this period of time, they all sank into the deep darkness.
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