The greatest advantage of authoritarianism over democracy perhaps lies in the fact that many issues can be resolved within a very small scope. Now that the rebel army has entered Hangzhou, authoritarianism is at its peak. As a result, although quite a few people were present during the afternoon's events at Wenlie Academy, with Chen Fan's appearance and the subsequent conclusion of the standoff, as the sun set, the gathered people gradually dispersed. In the end, the impact was not widely known. Even those who witnessed the confrontation while passing nearby thought it was just another ordinary conflict, recently common in the city, and silently detoured, not mentioning it much.

The academy currently only offers half-day courses, and by the afternoon, the teachers have already left. The main force of Liu's Badao (Overlord Saber) Camp resides in this area. This incident involved many mid-level officers such as Zhang Daoyuan, Li Tianyou, Xu Bai, and Yuan Xing. While some might be interested for the sake of profit, such conflicts are actually quite common in Hangzhou these days.

However, when the Badao Camp and the madman Chen Fan are involved, it discourages further investigation, because tangling with these people brings no benefits or meaning; it's essentially like kicking an iron plate. Li Tianyou and the others are kicking an iron plate, and one might say they are very powerful, muscular, and even domineering, but even if you watch them for half a day under the setting sun, they are still just kicking an iron plate. Watching for too long only evokes a feeling: "Hey, that person is kicking an iron plate."

These people can't really be considered the powerful elite in the army, or vengeful schemers who will retaliate to the death if provoked. Compared to the likes of Bao Daoyi and Si Xingfang, who are quick to seek revenge, they are not particularly scary. Most people don't even know what they usually want to do. People have often provoked them in the past, and the biggest consequence is nothing more than drawing a sword and hacking wildly in front of the Saint. Some died, and some didn't, but in the end, you'll find that contending with these people is pointless; you gain nothing whether you win or lose.

In short, for more than half of the mid-level officers, this is the impression that Liu Xigua and Chen Fan have left on them. As for the other half, they mostly don't even know who these two are. At this time, there is a serious turnover in the rebel army, with new officers coming in. They have mostly heard the names of Fang La and Fang Qifo. Chen Fan is neither here nor there, and as for Liu Xigua's Badao Camp, apart from occasionally serving as an assault force in major battles, they haven't actually achieved any particularly illustrious military exploits, and they don't have much presence on weekdays.

So, as darkness descends, the area around the academy simply returns to its usual state. The light outlines the quiet contours of the courtyard, insects chirp in the trees, and occasional pedestrians and carriages pass by outside the courtyard. When Ning Yi returns from the only grocery store outside with salt, Xiao Chan has already cooked the rice and is sitting on the steps at the entrance of the courtyard, waiting for him with her chin in her hands.

"Young Master, let's find a chance to run away," the little girl says mysteriously as Ning Yi approaches.

"Uh, why..." Ning Yi is slightly stunned, not knowing why Xiao Chan would say this.

In the past, A Chang and A Ming's surveillance of him didn't seem strict, but he knows that's not the case. After this afternoon, he naturally understands even better. Although the streets and alleys here appear warm with lights and sparsely populated, seemingly like ordinary residential streets, the actual arrangements are probably not inferior to ordinary military camps. The Badao Camp likely occupied a large area nearby after entering Hangzhou, and most of those living around here at this time are elite veterans.

Like the serious old man in the grocery store across the street, who is drinking yellow wine and chatting with his neighbors. This afternoon, Ning Yi saw him casually pick up an iron door bolt and stand at the door, looking like the iron tower-like mercenary boss in *Avatar*.

"Because they haven't locked us up."

"Is it good to be locked up?" Ning Yi says with a smile as he enters. Xiao Chan gets up and runs to follow him.

"But Young Master is so powerful. Although it's better this way now, thinking about it, I always feel like they're looking down on Young Master. I think these people are really ignorant, hmph. When I run away with Young Master, they'll have to cry."

Hearing this, Ning Yi naturally understands that she's joking. Since the night of the heavy rain, the little girl's temperament has become much more steady. It's not that she wasn't steady on weekdays, but since that night, she has gradually developed a demeanor like that of a young wife.

In the past, when Ning Yi sat by the bed reading, Xiao Chan would sit on a stool and watch him. One could often see in the flickering of her eyes that she was thinking about something, and eager to say something to Ning Yi. At this time, Xiao Chan would often just watch and think, not always wanting to express herself like a young girl, as if a smile on her face gave her certainty in her heart. Joking like this is probably to cover up other feelings.

After finishing cooking and starting to take the food outside, Xiao Chan says in a low voice, "Young Master, did something happen here this afternoon?"

"Huh? No."

"But... but I saw Young Master talking to someone on the roof this afternoon. At that time, Grandpa Liu asked me to decoct medicine, and I didn't know, but later when I came out after decocting the medicine, I saw an injured general talking to someone, saying that something had just happened here, and it looked like there was killing intent. I came out to see, but I didn't see anything." She puts down the food and squats there, looking up at Ning Yi, pursing her lips. "I quickly ran back and saw Young Master here, and then secretly went back, but when I went back, Grandpa Liu... looked at me like this. I think something might have happened, Young Master..."

The girl frowns, imitating the old man's patient and insightful gaze, looking quite cute, but more than that, it's her unspoken concern. Xiao Chan is clever and much more perceptive than most people. Although she didn't see the whole event, she has noticed from other people's words and phrases that there's probably a problem here. She mentioned running away just now, which seemed like a joke, but in reality, it might not be without worry in her heart. In a situation where they are at the mercy of others, the sudden appearance of disturbances makes the girl worry about the safety of her beloved. At this time, she's just cautiously asking.

Ning Yi looks at her, and after a moment, he tells her what happened in the afternoon. Of course, he glosses over the situation of the confrontation, only saying that someone came to talk to him, he answered a few words, and it should have been resolved. With this, Xiao Chan finally puts her mind at ease.

In the warm yellow light of the fire, the two of them eat dinner together under the small eaves.

In the same night, in a corner of the city, Qu Weiqing and others, who had noticed Ning Yi during the day, are not idle either. The one-third acre of land at the academy, which seems to be detached from the world, always has its interests. In the morning, he heard about Ning Yi's status as a prisoner. In the afternoon, he went to see Wen Kerang, but Wen Kerang had left the city and only returned in the evening. He invited several staff members to hold a family banquet, and at the banquet, Qu Weiqing mentioned that there was a captured scholar in the academy who was using secular stories to please the students and ingratiate himself with a group of children. Someone said, "That's also a good way to save his life." Someone else said, "If it were me, I would have killed him on the spot."

Qu Weiqing told the story in a joking tone, and Wen Kerang subsequently nodded and smiled, not taking it seriously. In the month since the army entered the city, many people have been arrested, and most of those who have been killed or released have been dealt with decisively, but there are always some people whose fate hasn't been decided temporarily. It's common practice to conveniently place them in various places and have them do work. Wen Kerang doesn't have much fondness for ordinary scholars: "What's that person's name? Mr. Qu can tell Feng Yongli to find someone to beat him up and drive him out. If he makes too much trouble, what's wrong with killing him?"

"Marshal Wen is right. This person's surname is Ning and his given name is Liheng. I heard that he has some talent and skill. Probably because he was worried after being captured, so..."

"Ning Liheng?" Qu Weiqing was speaking when he saw Wen Kerang frown. After a long while, he asked, "Is this person at Wenlie Academy?"

Qu Weiqing was stunned, thinking he had kicked an iron plate: "Does Marshal Wen know this person?"

"I've heard of him. If it's this person... you don't need to pay attention to him."

Hearing Wen Kerang say this, the other staff members became interested and asked, "Does this person have a background?"

"Could he be a great Confucian scholar from Suzhou and Hangzhou? We haven't heard of him."

Wen Kerang shook his head, not taking it seriously: "I don't know much either, but he doesn't have much of a background. You don't need to worry about it. Naturally, some people are protecting him, but there are also many people who want to move against him. Just don't pay attention to him."

Wen Kerang's words were naturally simple, but having been in this circle for so long, at least Qu Weiqing and others could hear some of the underlying meanings. Wen Kerang was obviously not clear about the matter of that Ning Liheng, but in short, it belonged to another circle. Moreover, this matter was not at the level that they could get involved in or dispose of. Thinking about it, and combining what the students had said about Huzhou and the nickname "Blood-Handed Butcher", although this person had been captured, he was probably already at the level of people like Fang Qifo. Thinking about the humble and silent expression of the scholar in his early twenties, it couldn't help but make people feel a bit fearful.

Knowing this, he dispelled the idea of driving that Ning Yi out of the academy. The next day, he told Guo Peiying, who didn't seem to care much. Qu Weiqing was too lazy to bother with him. When he saw Ning Yi again, Ning Yi nodded to him as usual. He suppressed his feelings and nodded in return, feeling like he was interacting with a big figure, even though this big figure had been captured. He secretly observed the other party's behavior, and felt that the other party's every move was indeed profound and imposing, fitting the image of a "Blood-Handed Butcher" who would capture people and kill them on the surface peacefully and secretly.

On the other hand, children can't keep secrets. After the people at the academy had mostly read Ning Yi's poems, the things about Huzhou finally spread among the people little by little. For a time, the other Confucian scholars looked at Ning Yi with complex and indescribable gazes. Ning Yi naturally understood this, but he taught quietly, waiting for things to come to an end.

However, the class he taught doubled in size in a few days, and the questions they occasionally asked were also strange, such as asking him about the Battle of Huzhou, or asking him how to lead troops, turning the History class into a course on military strategy. Ning Yi himself was strong-willed, and he could still talk about books in the first half of the class, but it was only in the latter half when he let them discuss freely that it became like this.

On the third day, some students even brought knives, wanting to slash him. The first one was subdued by Ning Yi, and the others started fighting with several students in the class. The two sides were at each other's throats. Some stood on the side of the three generals who died in Huzhou. As for those who wanted to take Ning Yi's class, they mostly regarded Ning Yi as a military strategist who originally belonged to the imperial court. Their elders were also military generals, and since Ning Yi was already teaching here, they wanted to learn how to be "co-opted" and learn his skills.

In the minds of these children, a young teacher like Ning Yi, who originally stood on the side of "orthodoxy" and had skills, was probably much more charming than the bandits-like uncles and elders they saw on weekdays.

At first, a few students said they would ask their uncles to meet Ning Yi at the school and formally have him join their side, but after they went back and said so, no one came. As mid-level officers, most people maintained an attitude of absolute non-interference. Some even encouraged their children to learn something from this "Blood-Handed Butcher" Ning Liheng. On the other hand, after the students who wanted to find trouble for Ning Yi went back and encouraged their families, no one actually brought troops to kill him, but they also encouraged their children to do it themselves.

As such, from this day on, the conflicts at Wenlie Academy, large and small, began to escalate in various ways. These children already had some cliques due to the positions of their elders, and at this time, it became even more intense. For a time, they turned the academy for studying the books of sages into a small military academy.

Ning Yi was originally a bit surprised by this situation, but soon after, he began to deliberately guide it... (To be continued.) Vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)

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