In the eighth month of the lunar calendar, it was the harvest season. Outside Hangzhou, the rice paddies untouched by the war were turning golden. Farmers, soldiers, and refugees worked tirelessly in shifts throughout the day, and even at night, the lively scene surrounding the city didn't quiet down. Batches of soldiers camped in the fields, patrolling and guarding.

These rice paddies ready for harvest had already been divided up by the various troops during the siege. In theory, the grain and rice had become common property of the rebel army, but in reality, distribution still followed the principle of might makes right. As long as Fang La's high-ranking generals got the lion's share, the rest would carve up the remainder according to their own strength. As for the fields that rightfully belonged to the good citizens of Hangzhou, by this point, they already had new owners.

If the only goal was harvesting, the more manpower assigned, the better. But since it was a matter of dividing up the spoils, more participants weren't necessarily a good thing. Fights and friction were unavoidable during the day, and at night, there were often cases of armies or civilians secretly harvesting what another group had already reaped. At such times, torches would blaze across the wetlands and along the dikes, with shouts and screams filling the air, creating a colorful but chaotic ring around Hangzhou, keeping everyone awake all night.

Outside the city, there was an order and distribution of benefits unique to itself. Inside the city, everyone had their own concerns. With the imminent enthronement of the Sacred Duke, the streets and alleys of the city had become lively. The most bloody and chaotic phase was over, and a new order was gradually taking shape. Anyone with connections was hustling and bustling for their own benefit.

Some shops had opened their doors, and the martial artists who once roamed the streets or blocked roads were holding hero gatherings. In teahouses and restaurants, people of different backgrounds and temperaments could be seen gathering, each measuring and boasting. Those with connections and skills secured official positions under various generals. Scholars and literati who had previously been overlooked began tentatively sending out their calling cards, seeking protection or small jobs.

There were always many people. For every person who didn't believe in Fang La's future, there was someone who harbored ambitions of being ennobled and was willing to take a risk. That's how society works: as long as there's communication and a certain trend, a framework will naturally emerge. This small society belonging to Fang La had its framework and prototype pieced together in this way. In the city and outside, at this moment, it even gave off a feeling of bustling activity.

In the past few days, Wenlie Academy had remained relatively calm. It was morning, and the autumn sun shone through the gaps in the trees, mixed with the lazy chirping of cicadas. It was lecture time at the academy. Ning Yi closed the *Records of the Grand Historian* he was holding, packed it into his desk, and prepared to leave.

At this time, the academy was mostly in a situation of having more teachers than students. Although they were divided into four classes – A, B, C, and D – there were fewer than one hundred students in total, but there were thirty or forty teachers on the roster. Even if some of them belonged to the privileged class and didn't need to come at all, the number of teachers was still seriously excessive. Ning Yi taught *Records of the Grand Historian* to Class C for half an hour every morning. After that, he would go to the head of the academy to collect a portion of rice and grain to take back to Xiaochan.

The current head of Wenlie Academy was named Feng Yongli. The name was a bit vulgar, but he was a good man. It was said that he had studied as a child, but his family was poor and he never participated in the imperial examinations. His knowledge wasn't particularly deep, but he had been in the army since the beginning of Fang La's rebellion, so he had considerable experience.

There were also some capable civil officials in Fang La's army. Zu Shiyuan was one, and Lou Minzhong was another. Feng Yongli had been under Lou Minzhong, copying proclamations and official documents. After Hangzhou was captured, he became the head of this academy. The Feng family was naturally involved in looting and profiteering outside, but at least within the academy, he treated the scholars quite well. Thanks to his efforts, the atmosphere inside the academy had been relatively harmonious recently.

At this time, there were seven people gathered in the teachers' lounge. They were mostly teachers who had finished their classes. Some were drinking tea and studying classical texts, while others were talking softly. Most of them had sought refuge in the academy after Hangzhou fell, so they felt a sense of shared fate. Several of them were talking about the war in Jiaxing.

"I heard that the war in the north has reached a stalemate. The imperial court has sent General Tong Guan to lead troops south. Fang Qifo has surrounded Jiaxing, but hasn't been able to capture it after a long siege. It's hard to say who will win..."

"I heard that Grand Secretary Tong is a brilliant military strategist. I originally thought he would lead troops north to attack the Liao, but this time... *cough*, this time the Sacred Duke's momentum is so great that he's been drawn over. I'm afraid this battle won't be easy."

"Hard to say. There are constant uprisings everywhere, north and south. Song Jiang of Liangshan Marsh, Wang Qing in Huaixi, and Tian Hu in Hebei are all quite troublesome. Especially... Since the Sacred Duke captured Hangzhou this time, there have been constant uprisings in the vicinity for the past month or so. Although Tong Guan is coming south, the momentum here... is also quite strong."

"But I think... It's a bit hasty to declare himself emperor this time. If we attract General Tong Guan..."

"Brother Tian is mistaken. Tong Guan is being drawn here because of Hangzhou. Whether we declare ourselves emperor or not, the imperial court will keep a close eye on this place. That's why, for the Sacred Duke, declaring himself emperor is imperative. He... Our Sacred Duke can only rectify his name in order to attract more help. Only then can we have a better chance of winning against Tong Guan."

The voices of the speakers were a bit soft, but not too cautious, because the atmosphere had been relatively relaxed in recent days. Although Ning Yi hadn't interacted much with these people in the past few days, they all knew that he had also arrived here after the city fell. What they were talking about now was partly related to their own interests. On the other hand, scholars couldn't avoid the habit of commenting on current affairs. Hiding in a corner and discussing it privately made them feel like they were the ones who saw the direction clearly in this chaotic world. As Ning Yi packed his things to leave, one of them spoke to him.

"Liheng is leaving?"

"Yes, Mr. Liu."

"No need to be so formal. Now that we're all here, we're colleagues. If Liheng has time, why not stay and chat with us? The world is difficult. No matter what, there's tea here."

"Someone is waiting for me at home, so I can't stay long. When I have time in the future, I'll definitely seek advice from you seniors. Excuse me."

"No problem, no problem..."

The middle-aged man who wanted to keep Ning Yi was named Liu Xiyang. He was originally a great Confucian scholar in Hangzhou. Now, in this academy, he and another great Confucian scholar named Wang Zhizhen were the most famous for their knowledge. However, Wang Zhizhen was relatively rigid, while Liu Xiyang was more flexible. Originally, these local Confucian scholars from Hangzhou weren't well-received. If those Confucian scholars and literati who came with Fang La's army saw them, they could ridicule them at will and they wouldn't dare to speak back. Only this Liu Xiyang was quite formidable.

One of his students was the son of Liu Zan, one of the Eight Cavalry Commanders under Fang La. Although this student didn't particularly like his teacher, Liu Zan hoped that his son would become a scholar. Liu Zan had come over once a few days ago, and Liu Xiyang casually mentioned that the child was quite talented in understanding the Four Books. Liu Zan went to inquire about Liu Xiyang's reputation and learned that he was a truly qualified great Confucian scholar and also a member of his clan, so he quickly had his child recognize him as an uncle. Today, in this lounge, he was also the first to discuss the situation in the north, otherwise others probably wouldn't have dared to speak.

After saying this, Ning Yi said goodbye and was about to leave. At this moment, a neatly dressed Confucian scholar in his thirties, wearing expensive clothes, walked in from outside, scanning the room with a gloomy face. The sound of discussing the war stopped when that person came in. The man's eyes lingered on Ning Yi for a moment, then he asked, "Who is Ning Liheng?"

Ning Yi glanced at him, cupped his hands and said, "I am."

"I am Qu Weiqing." The man cupped his hands and raised his chin. Ning Yi actually knew this person's name before. He was one of the literati who came into the city with Fang La's army. He had originally been a staff member under Wen Kerang. After entering the city, he was listed in the academy but didn't have to teach. He came over every few days, and because he himself didn't have enough literary talent, he looked down on the Hangzhou literati who took refuge here. Sometimes he would find someone to talk to and make sarcastic remarks. A few days ago, Liu Xiyang accepted Liu Zan's son as a nephew, and Qu Weiqing had a friction with him when he came. Liu Xiyang also became the leader of the Hangzhou faction in the academy because of this.

Everyone originally thought that he was coming in to cause trouble for Liu Xiyang, but they didn't expect that he was looking for Ning Yi. For a moment, they didn't understand the situation. They only heard Qu Weiqing say, "You teach *Records of the Grand Historian*? Why don't you ask them to memorize it? Instead, you use colloquial language to talk nonsense in every class? The opening chapter of *Records of the Grand Historian*, 'The Basic Annals of the Five Emperors', is so solemn and grand. You treat it like a storyteller, without any respect. Don't you feel ashamed in your heart?"

Ning Yi blinked and frowned slightly.

"The words of the sages are so profound. Read a book a thousand times, and its meaning will appear. We, as teachers, should guide students to study and understand, rather than directly interpret and explain with superficial words. You are so young, I'm afraid you haven't even finished reading the Four Books and Five Classics. You use the playful mind of children as a lure, turning the classroom into a teahouse for storytelling. Others can tolerate you, but I am entrusted by General Wen, and I will not turn a blind eye. I ask you: 'The tillers give nine-tenths, the officials inherit their positions, markets are inspected but not taxed, ponds and weirs are unrestricted, criminals are not punished with their families...' Where does this sentence come from, and what does it mean?"

Ning Yi rubbed his forehead: "I don't know."

Hearing Ning Yi's straightforward answer, Qu Weiqing was slightly stunned. He originally thought that at least he could answer this question, but whether he could answer it or not, he had prepared his arguments. After a slight hesitation, he asked a few more questions, and then talked about how to teach and how to be a teacher. After talking eloquently for a long time, he said, "Now that our Yongle Dynasty is just starting, we are in need of talents. You are young. If you study diligently, you may be able to achieve something. I am not the head of the academy and don't want to punish you, but if you dare to teach like this again, I won't tolerate you, and I will definitely make you leave the academy. You should know what to do."

He spoke for a long time. Ning Yi's expression was calm and he didn't refute. After he finished speaking, he humbly cupped his hands, said goodbye, and walked away. Qu Weiqing was stunned again for a long time, looked at the others in the room, and then turned to leave. After he left, the people here whispered and discussed again, this time naturally targeting Ning Yi.

In the past, Qu Weiqing wouldn't be so excessive when he caught someone to ridicule, but these scholars listened to it, although they didn't refute, the disdain on their faces was still expressed. A person fights for a breath, even if he holds it in, he must have one, but today Ning Yi didn't know anything and said it so directly, everyone felt that such literati were really losing face. In fact, regarding Ning Yi's teaching method, someone had felt it in these days.

"I heard that he tells some stories in the classroom, and the children like it..."

"Intentionally pleasing these students, where is the dignity of the teacher..."

"He doesn't even know the words in Mencius..."

"It's a pity that Brother Liu invited him to chat. Even if he came over, I'm afraid he wouldn't be able to say anything insightful..."

"Alas, they are all from Hangzhou. In this environment, we must unite."

Liu Xiyang said this. Not long after, when some other teachers finished their classes, more people knew about what happened just now. When they talked about Ning Yi, they were mostly disdainful. In fact, everyone didn't know much about this young man's background. Ning Yi was like air in the academy these days, and no one paid much attention to him. Moreover, a mouth without hair, naturally his knowledge won't be good. It was just confirmed at this time. At this moment, one person said in confusion: "Listening to you, it's clear that Ning Liheng was playing with him. How can you think that he doesn't understand the Four Books..."

This person was the only one who greeted Ning Yi a few days ago, named Yan Deming. He was quite knowledgeable in Hangzhou. When he said this, Liu Xiyang asked: "Deming, what do you mean by this?"

That Yan Deming said: "Before the earthquake in Hangzhou, this Ning Liheng composed a poem at the Liqiu Poetry Conference, which shocked everyone. But later, there were many miscellaneous things, so this matter was not spread out. The opening of that poem is 'Southeast is a land of scenic beauty, the capital of Sanwu, Qiantang has been prosperous since ancient times...'" Yan Deming took paper and pen and wrote out that *Watching the Tide* sentence by sentence. Liu Xiyang and others looked at it and were a little dumbfounded. Yan Deming said: "How can someone who can write such a poem be like what you said? This Ning Yi was originally the top talent in Jiangning. How can he not understand the Four Books and Five Classics? He probably doesn't want to cause trouble and is extremely disdainful of that Qu Weiqing, so he deliberately did it."

After he said this, everyone was skeptical and then suddenly realized. Of course, at this time, they had a new understanding of Ning Yi, but they didn't think it was too exaggerated. Hangzhou had already fallen, and learning wasn't a very amazing thing here after all. Whether he was the top talent in Jiangning or the top talent in Hangzhou, he was trapped here like an ordinary person, taking refuge in the academy. Thinking of Ning Yi's low profile these days, he was probably encountering many depressing things, just like everyone else. For a while, this was the academy's understanding of him.

It wasn't until a series of things happened two or three days later that everyone realized that Ning Yi's situation at this time was very different from what they imagined...

*******************

On the other hand, as for Qu Weiqing, the reason why he suddenly went to cause trouble for Ning Yi wasn't because of some high-sounding reason.

As a literati who came into the city with Fang La's rebel army, some, like him, didn't take the job in the academy seriously, while others preferred to get close to the young family members of these generals. For example, Guo Peiying, whom he knew, was originally a staff member. After being listed in the academy, he concentrated on teaching. What Guo Peiying valued was a more long-term interest. Once the Yongle Dynasty really gained a foothold, these children would probably be imperial relatives in the future. It was really a good job to be their teacher now.

Qu Weiqing also knew this, but compared to becoming a teacher of imperial relatives, he hoped to become an imperial relative directly. The power of the court hadn't been finalized yet. He was operating under Wen Kerang and had a promising future. He might be able to have a direct career in the future.

But of course, there was no need to put all the eggs in one basket, so occasionally he would still come to the academy and satirize those great Confucian scholars as a life pleasure. He didn't have much feeling for these great Confucian scholars. Having knowledge doesn't mean you can tame these children who originally came from the countryside and had even seen blood. The way of training students in the past is useless here, because some of these students are even fourteen or fifteen years old, tall and burly, and have even killed people with their own hands. They haven't grown into real playboys yet. Their families let them study, saying that they will have a future. They don't dare not come, but they don't respect the teacher.

The more knowledgeable great Confucian scholars are, the more they may not be able to adapt to these. The relationship between heaven, earth, monarch, parents, and teacher has been said for so long, and they themselves believe it. They will never cater to the students. Relatively speaking, people like Guo Peiying, even if their knowledge isn't so deep, at least they won't put on airs when it comes to teaching students. It's easier to get the students' favor. The reason why he suddenly went to Ning Yi today was because Guo Peiying suddenly heard some words among the students and then told Qu Weiqing.

Those remarks were basically about the new "Mr. Ning." In just a few days, some people said that his lectures were interesting and fascinating, much more interesting than all the teachers in the academy. The two called the students to ask carefully and learned that the young Mr. Ning was simply unscrupulous. It sounded like he won the students' hearts with the attitude of a storyteller.

Of course, if he went to listen to it himself, he might know that Ning Yi's lectures weren't like that. After being a teacher in Jiangning for so long, when he lectures, although he is unconstrained, he is actually still predicting the exam questions. Of course, at this time, for Qu Weiqing and others, there is no need to pay too much attention to a young man. Since they have an impression, they just认认 it that way.

Everyone has no grievances or enemies, but suddenly such a person appears, and everyone is so different in the "pleasing" item as a teacher. It always feels like someone is reaching into their basket to take the chickens. Guo Peiying is more particular about this, so Qu Weiqing went directly to scold him. The next day, he also inquired with the head of the academy as the mood takes him. The result was interesting. The identity of that Ning Liheng was actually a prisoner.

The head of the academy didn't know much about this matter. Some things Feng Yongli couldn't inquire with the higher-ups. He only knew that Ning Yi lived behind the academy and even had a maid following him. They were both under guard, and it was still unknown how they would be dealt with. But since this was the case, Qu Weiqing was even more open in his heart. This morning, he took Guo Peiying to listen to Ning Yi's class. Because he felt that as a prisoner, Ning Yi's attitude yesterday was too impolite to him. If he didn't change today, he would make him look good.

The two went to the classroom and listened to a few sentences. In the living room, that Ning Liheng was still telling stories. This story had reached its end. When he stopped slightly, Qu Weiqing wanted to rush in. At this time, probably a student in the living room stood up to ask a question, speaking in a muffled voice.

"Hey, Mr. Ning, I went back and asked my dad yesterday. He said that you helped the government soldiers defeat thousands of us in Huzhou. Is that true?"

Qu Weiqing and Guo Peiying were both stunned. The classroom was also slightly quiet. Then someone shouted: "You are a bad guy!?"

Then another child said: "I also asked. I said Mr. Ning's name. My uncle said that Mr. Ning led a team of remnants in Huzhou and defeated five armies led by An Xifu. Mr. Ning defeated General Lu Qiao, General Yao Yi and General Xue Dounan with only one person. General Yao and General Xue were both killed by Mr. Uncle Yao always opposed uncle, and uncle said he died well. Uncle also said that Mr. can do martial arts, very powerful, the Jianghu people called the Blood Hand Human Butcher. Mr., dare you fight with Qi Dazhuang. He always said that he is the best in the world and bullies us..."

Qu Weiqing was in the front at this time, almost touching the threshold to rush in. Hearing the brutal nickname of "Blood Hand Human Butcher", he shrank back slightly for a moment... (To be continued. Vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)

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