The tofu brain joke diluted the stiffness of the atmosphere a little, but it didn't solve the essence of the problem. Both of them understood this in their hearts.

Regarding Ning Yi as a "madman" might just be a way for Chen Fan to find some reason to convince himself when things were impossible.

If others were present, they might not believe what Ning Yi said about his family, farmland, and the hope of returning home to live in seclusion, but Chen Fan could feel it to some extent. Of course, during their acquaintance in Hangzhou, he probably just thought that Ning Yi was a bit contradictory. Birds of a feather flock together, and this kind of contradiction was reflected in many people. Xi Gua raised a knife to rebel but had the ideal of a harmonious society in mind. He himself was once confused by the corruption of the rebel army, and Ning Yi… this guy’s ultimate desire was actually just a simple and peaceful life.

Looking back now, bloodshed and chaos were indispensable for several people. The changes around the other person, the waves of each event, were no smaller than anyone else's. His conspiracy and betrayal in Hangzhou, the ruthlessness in destroying the entire Liangshan, including the madness he showed when chasing after them this time, which once overwhelmed Si Kongnan and Lin Echan, in the end, this guy said that what he hoped for was only to return to the countryside and live in seclusion… He even killed his master not long ago.

From the perspective of simple Jianghu morality, Chen Fan also knew that he could only act now and kill him, because the vengeance for his father was irreconcilable.

But on the other hand, Chen Fan knew clearly that he couldn't kill him here. From beginning to end, the other party’s pursuit was a sincere gesture, treating him as a brother and Xi Gua as family. This mentality probably didn't change much before or after he wielded his knife. Chen Fan could even clearly know that at that time, his master was doomed to die. If Ning Yi hadn't rushed there, if he hadn't done it himself—that was originally a very simple decision, the price of which was only to delay the master's death a little and take a little risk of being captured—the other party also understood this, but he still did it. This action, for their side, was actually out of consideration for not increasing the risk and immediately breaking the situation…

Xi Gua could also understand this. But understanding was one thing, and accounting for it was another.

He placed his emotions on the imperial court, demanding the Elm Cannon from Ning Yi, as a kind of excuse to shift hatred, but this kind of excuse couldn't deceive anyone, nor could it convince himself. Ning Yi once said that smart people were not happy. If Chen Fan didn't kill Ning Yi, he could only bear the guilt and sense of sin in his heart towards Fang Qifo. Ning Yi could understand their emotions, but he would never apologize for this matter. He could only bear the helplessness arising from it. As for Xi Gua, he would probably only be tormented by these two emotions for a long time.

Being able to understand these things, yet still babbling and joking about tofu brain, Chen Fan could only regard him as a madman.

So he put the booklet in his arms and stood up. A harmonious atmosphere between the two of them could only lead to a deeper sense of guilt, so he could only leave: "I heard that Fang Shuchang and Qian Luoning are in your hands."

"I will arrange it," Ning Yi nodded.

"A copy of Master Deng's ledger has already leaked out. An Xifu is carrying a copy of the ledger and is still here. But I don't know where he is." Chen Fan walked towards the door, "If you think this news is useful, pay more attention to it."

Ning Yi at the table nodded. When Chen Fan was about to reach the door, he suddenly said, "What about Sister Qian'er?"

"Huh?"

"I didn't see her that night. I remember you like her."

Ning Yi smiled. Only at this moment did Chen Fan reveal a slight, genuine smile.

"She's waiting for me outside… to return to Miao territory. Of course, we haven't, uh… well." Shrugging slightly, Chen Fan shook his head. When his hand grasped the door bolt, he paused for a long time, then said in a low voice, "We probably won't see each other again in the next few years, nor will Xi Gua. Do you have anything to bring to her?"

"... I will find her."

Chen Fan waited for a moment, and when he heard that Ning Yi didn't say anything else, he finally opened the door and left.

Led by Zhu Biao, he walked out of the winding courtyard and back into the darkness in the distance. Someone was waiting for him by the roadside. The woman asked him something. He walked forward, shaking his head, his gaze and steps seeming to carry a heavier burden and weight than before.

After Chen Fan left, Ning Yi sat at his desk in the room for a while. He closed his eyes, seeming to fall asleep. After a long time, he stood up from there and pushed open the window. Outside the window was a shallow pond. The night was deep, and darting through the darkness were fireflies of mid-spring. The town was peacefully asleep in the darkness, the distant mountains were silent, and the starlight was sparse.

Under the sparse starlight, hundreds of miles away in the dim foothills, the girl led her companions, still marching non-stop to the south, the dark pupils gleaming with a faint light.

The foothills turned ahead, and in the direction far, far away from the foothills, in the river channel of the great river, the lights of ships traveling划过.

In such a peaceful spring night, every window, every point of light, seemed to carry weight. Sometimes they were still, sometimes they converged. Like every trajectory of life, in that darkness, we don't know what turns or collisions will occur, and what they carry is far more than the precious joy and pleasure. On the road ahead, each of us also bears the weight of frustration, the weight of danger, the weight of humiliation, and the weight of pain. Only when time passes and the dawn of a certain day arrives, when the morning breeze washes away many things that we once thought were important but were actually insignificant, perhaps we can precipitate out of it…

The weight of life.

The pioneers of the old era have passed away, and time here turns a new page.

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

The sun gradually warmed up, and the morning breeze fluttered the pink and yellow petals. On February 23rd, the procedures of the Ministry of Justice were also completed. Ning Yi and others packed their luggage and drove the convoy to Jiangning.

In the past few days, apart from a disturbance caused by an attack by villains, which led to the escape of two criminals from the Secret Intelligence Division, nothing more happened. The Ministry of Justice escorted the captured remnants of the Yongle faction to the capital and set off. The atmosphere of肃杀 that had shrouded Sipinggang for more than ten days finally began to dissipate. On the contrary, due to the cleaning of Sipinggang during this period, the public security of the surrounding counties became quite good in the following one or two years, and several magistrates were able to obtain excellent grades in their performance evaluations, leaving behind no small legacy.

The battle on the edge of Dabie Mountain spread throughout the Green Forest, directly consolidating the gold content of the name "Heart Demon" Ning Yi in the Green Forest. After all, due to the limited time and means of dissemination after the Battle of Liangshan, the Southern region may not have truly felt this name. After hearing about the Liangshan incident, some felt that a powerful figure had emerged in the Jianghu, while others thought about going to the capital to take his head and win a good reputation. But after this, such reckless people would probably decrease a lot.

For some well-informed and deep-rooted forces in the Green Forest, the re-emergence of Si Kongnan, Lin Echan and others was also a piece of news that could not be ignored. However, those who knew the background of this group were already a minority in the Jianghu, and the news that this group of Manichaeans immediately suffered setbacks at the hands of the Heart Demon further increased the perception of the Heart Demon's厉害 in the eyes of others. As for more Green Forest people, what they initially received was just a seemingly absurd and ridiculous piece of news.

That was Lin Zongwu's challenge to Zhou Tong.

Like the initial reaction of the Secret Intelligence Division, the small group of Green Forest people who heard this news initially just laughed. However, not long after, they would feel the waves brought by this name.

At the end of February, this group of people reappeared in the Green Forest under the name of "Great Bright Religion." The leader, Lin Zongwu, chose the simplest and most direct way to appear in front of everyone. While issuing a challenge to Zhou Tong, he sent challenge letters one by one to famous sects and grandmasters in the Green Forest, and then challenged them one by one from south to north.

Although such behavior had the suspicion of provoking the world, the Great Bright Religion itself did not act recklessly. The followers upheld justice, provided assistance to the poor and weak, and wiped out some fierce Green Forest strongholds overnight. Although the leader Lin Zongwu visited door to door to challenge, he always maintained politeness. After the two sides exchanged blows, the other party discovered that his martial arts were superb. He often defeated the other party in a few moves, but he also maintained an attitude of exchanging ideas and talking to improve, which made people feel very good.

Green Forest people fought for face. If their skills were inferior to others, but the other party treated them with courtesy, many experts and grandmasters would take the opportunity to back down. After the fight, they admitted defeat in the Green Forest and praised the other party's skills and character. The Great Bright Religion quickly expanded under such operations.

Of course, these are later stories.

At the end of February, just when the name of the Great Bright Religion first appeared, Ning Yi had already arrived in Jiangning. When they left Jiangning, their relationship with the Su family had once become a bit strained, but this time they returned, the Su family almost came out of the city to welcome them. Standing in front was Xiao Qi, who still looked cute despite a small scar on her face. Seeing the convoy approaching, she had long been jumping and waving her hands.

At the same time, Bianliang, the Right Chancellor's Mansion.

The situation of the battle at Sipinggang in the south was summarized piece by piece in the study of the Chancellor's Mansion. Qin Si Yuan had actually read them piece by piece a few days earlier and even smiled and talked to Yao Zunian about Ning Yi's handling of the matter—for them, a slight disturbance in the Green Forest was nothing. Ning Yi's means and flexibility in it were worth watching. As for some of Ning Yi's intentions in it, perhaps he could hide them from others, but he probably couldn't hide them from Qin Si Yuan. However, Ning Yi didn't cross the line, so the other party felt that it didn't matter.

What came today was a new piece of intelligence, brought in by Ji Kun with a cold face, obviously having already read it. Qin Si Yuan was processing official documents. After reading it, his gaze also turned gloomy.

"Which family is behind this Lin Zongwu? Have you found out?"

Ji Kun said something in a low voice. Qin Si Yuan nodded, thinking for a moment.

"We have a background, and they have one too. Since this matter hasn't reached the surface, we can't choose too big a target to deal with this Great Bright Religion. The affairs of the Green Forest should still be left to Li Heng. But this news…" Qin Si Yuan pointed to it, "Suppress it for now and don't send it to the south. There's no need to let Li Heng see it… Anyway, he and these people are already in an irreconcilable situation."

"Yes."

"... Properly settle the remaining two members of his family."

——On February 27th, Hao Jinhan's family, the former person in charge of the Secret Intelligence Division in Chongping County, including his eldest son, second son, and three apprentices, who were ordered to be transferred, were killed in their old home, Shuanghao Village, 300 miles away from Chongping County. Only his daughter, Hao Yaomei, and son-in-law, Chen Sinong, survived. The murderer has not yet been identified, but judging from some of the traces left in the area, it should be retaliation from Lin Echan's side.

Soon after, Qin Si Yuan instructed a few more points, and Ji Kun nodded and left. He left a piece of intelligence in the corner of the Secret Intelligence Division's archives, sealed it up.

He withdrew, closed the door, and the light converged. The archives became quiet, and what was sealed here to accompany the floating dust was only time…

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