"Good things don't come true, but bad things always do..."

Not long after the chaotic sounds traveled over, it was clear that something had gone wrong in the East Gate direction. People on the street were looking in that direction, including some disaster victims who were confused and panicked, speculating about what had happened over there. Lu Agui looked around.

"郡主 (Junzhu), Little Prince, get in the carriage and prepare to go back. The city gate may be closed... I need to go and see what's happening. Liheng, the carriage will pass by the Su residence, so you should go back to the mansion as well. Once something like this happens, there will always be some chaos."

Ning Yi nodded. Lu Agui hurried towards the city gate, while he, Zhou Pei, and Zhou Junwu got into the carriage and drove back. Ning Yi sat next to the coachman, while Zhou Pei and Zhou Junwu also lifted the curtain to see what was happening outside. The city had been somewhat tense in recent days. At this time, the disaster victims had become slightly chaotic. Arguments, scolding, and children's cries rang out in the streets. Soldiers and yamen officials maintained order. Although it seemed chaotic, there was no real major disturbance for the time being.

So they arrived home. The Su residence was also on alert. The gate began to close tightly, and some people were climbing ladders to look outside. In fact, everyone was a little confused. Juan'er was waiting for him near the main gate, and then he learned that Chan'er was waiting in the direction of the side gate. Su Tan'er and the three maids had already returned home. When the commotion started outside, she had called them to wait. If Ning Yi hadn't returned after a while, she probably would have organized the family servants to go out and look for him.

Then they heard the sound on the street: "The city gate is closed!" The sound spread from one person to another, gradually forming a wave of panic and confusion. The sunlight in the sky seemed to become a little pale...

On the afternoon of the thirteenth day of the seventh month, Jiangning City closed its four gates amidst a series of disturbances.

The cause was that the Zhongyuan Festival (Ghost Festival) was approaching. Although the fifteenth day of the seventh month was the real center, the ghost gate opened on the first day of the seventh month, and there were various reasons for sacrifices thereafter. Jiangning City streets were filled with ingots, flowers, and candles, while outside the city were refugees, some of whom had lost loved ones. No wonder Su Tan'er and Lu Agui both said that the city gate would definitely be closed before the fifteenth.

However, there were people among the refugees outside the city who could see this. The refugees who could enter Jiangning City were naturally better off, but those who did not have various documents and identity certificates were not allowed to enter the city at all. Once the city gate was closed, they might have an even harder time. So on the thirteenth day, someone in the East Gate incited the refugees to rush in. Seeing that the chaos was getting worse, the officials guarding there quickly chose to close the city—anyway, this was a decision that had been made before.

After the East Gate was closed, the other three gates followed suit.

The city's blind panic did not last long. Order was still maintained. However, on this night, Jiangning seemed a little quiet. People silently burned paper money in their courtyards and streets. Occasionally, carriages and pedestrians passed by, also appearing desolate. Families near the city walls could hear various sounds from outside the city gate.

By the next morning, everything seemed to be returning to normal except that no one was entering or leaving the city gate. The Su family's residence was peaceful. As usual, they got up, washed, ate, read, practiced calligraphy, and chatted. When Xiao Chan entered the room in the morning to tidy up Ning Yi's bedding and clean the room, she also asked about that Miss Nie. Ning Yi said a few words casually, but didn't talk much about it. The matter didn't seem so important at the moment.

With more people in the Su residence and fewer people going out, the atmosphere became more lively. Children ran around everywhere, and familiar and unfamiliar faces walked around, visiting and chatting. The third and fourth days were the same. However, people gradually adapted to the fact that the city gate was closed. After the Zhongyuan Festival, the business of brothels became even more lively, with various nightlife activities. Those who went out often went in groups, calling friends and spending lavishly, enjoying life even more happily than usual.

On the other hand, the price of rice in the city had risen to an outrageous level. The government sold grain with a limited supply every day, and large households hoarded grain and sold it through black market channels. There were many wealthy merchants in Jiangning. As long as there were no major disturbances, the government couldn't really take drastic measures and strictly control them. They just used appropriate means to beat these large households and force them to give up some profits to help maintain order in the city.

The city gate was closed, and there were always impacts in the few days before and after. Su Tan'er seemed to become even busier, and it happened to be the Zhongyuan Festival for ancestor worship, so there were many trivial matters. She still slept late at night. One night, she fell asleep halfway through, and Ning Yi went over to blow out the lamp. But she woke up again, looked at Ning Yi, sniffed, and then laughed: "I'm going to sleep soon..." This time, she didn't wait long. After a moment, she really turned off the lamp and went to bed to rest.

On the night of the seventeenth day of the seventh month, the two were chatting in the corridor on the second floor. Su Tan'er was eating the pastries that Ning Yi gave her: "Well, there probably won't be anything to do in the next two days. I'm going to go outside to give out porridge and food to relieve the disaster victims. Liheng, are you coming?"

"Is it the kind where you put out things to eat and let the disaster victims line up to receive them one by one?"

"Yes, we prepare porridge and steamed buns. They line up to come over, a small bowl of porridge, a steamed bun, enough for one meal. Children also get a portion. The city was closed a few years ago as well, and I went to give out food. They would take the things, say thank you, and be very happy. There were a lot of people then, but it's only the first few days now, so there shouldn't be that many. But it's also a good thing if there aren't that many." Su Tan'er nibbled on the pastries in small bites.

"Oh, you're not patriotic, but you're actually quite sentimental..."

"I'm a woman, I can only care about helping one person in front of me. There are so many in a country, who knows who they all are?" Su Tan'er tilted her head and smiled, answering casually, "But are you really going tomorrow, my husband?"

"Yes, I'm going."

"Okay."

The city gate had only been closed for four days. Everything hadn't settled down yet. Many things hadn't been accustomed to, and many things hadn't reached the point of starting. Ning Yi had visited Nie Yunzhu a few times. There was nothing wrong with her, but it wasn't a good time to go to Qin Lao's house to decline the matter of the adopted daughter. Kang Xian was definitely busy as well. Ning Yi only went out once, so he naturally couldn't meet him. Although Lu Agui said that Old Kang wanted to find him to reason with him, there was naturally no possibility at the moment.

The things on his schedule were nothing more than these. Perhaps after a few stable days, those children would have had enough fun, and Ning Yi would call them over to the courtyard here to give them some lectures. Doing good deeds tomorrow was also a simple matter for him and Su Tan'er. At this time, not many people knew that such a thing would happen the next day, unprepared, yet like a conspiracy that had been lurking for a long time, it suddenly appeared...

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

The tension in the city hadn't increased much after four days of the city being closed. Naturally, there weren't many people who were completely out of food. However, after hearing that the Su family was giving out charity today, many disaster victims and beggars gathered in the small square near the Su family.

At this time, the form of disaster relief was similar to what Ning Yi had seen on TV. It was nothing more than lining up in a few rows, getting a large spoonful of porridge and a small steamed bun. Although the difficulties had just begun, many disaster victims already had a sallow complexion and a miserable look. Some were silent, while others were full of gratitude. Some people were talking about how that was the Su family's second miss, and that was the Su family's son-in-law... This kind of charity was sure to gain some reputation for the merchants, which was very normal.

Su Tan'er naturally knew the purpose of gaining a reputation. Of course, she herself was also happy to do some good deeds, which was probably the kind side of her personality. But for Ning Yi, it was a bit complicated. If he was to say something bad, he had seen the deepest darkness, the most unfair things, and the most twisted human nature. But if he was to say something good, he had also seen many fairer opinions and atmospheres. Therefore, gaining a sense of superiority in such actions was no longer meaningful to him. He was just doing it as something that needed to be done.

The small square was noisy. When half of the food had been distributed, Su Tan'er came over from there: "Father is here too."

"Huh?" Ning Yi turned his head to look. A carriage separated the crowded people on one side of the square. This was Su Boyong who had gone out in the morning. At this time, he came all the way back home. The carriage stopped by the row of tables and chairs where the porridge was being given out. Su Boyong came over and greeted Ning Yi and Su Tan'er.

Although the two were father and daughter, the interaction between Su Boyong and Su Tan'er was not as warm as that of ordinary father and daughter. Su Tan'er never acted like a daughter in an ordinary family, acting spoiled by her father. Su Boyong always seemed a little overwhelmed by Su Tan'er, not knowing whether to show a kind side or a strict side, or perhaps the professional merchant side.

After the greeting, and after joking with Ning Yi for a few words, Su Boyong looked at Su Tan'er and then gave a simple instruction: "Your complexion hasn't been very good these days. Rest if you can, don't overwork yourself." Su Tan'er nodded: "I know."

Then Su Boyong also went to a long table not far away and personally handed out steamed buns. Ning Yi and Su Tan'er stayed here, cooperating with each other, one giving porridge and the other giving steamed buns. There was no need to say more about the relationship between Su Tan'er and her father. The two chatted idly here. At one moment, Ning Yi's eyes flickered, noticing something. There was a small commotion in a row on one side.

That was the small row in front of Su Boyong. Someone squeezed up, seemingly wanting to cut in line, causing a very normal small commotion. The Su family's servants maintaining order didn't react, and that person had already closed the distance. Su Boyong looked up, holding a steamed bun in his hand. Ning Yi paid attention to that side for less than a second. Two figures collided. Su Tan'er was also looking in that direction.

Blood splattered out. The person had a knife in his hand and stabbed Su Boyong. Su Boyong staggered back, turned around, and the person stabbed him in the back again, then turned and ran.

"Ah—" Screams rang out in the crowd, and the chaos expanded. Ning Yi overturned the table and ran towards that side. Su Tan'er also started almost at the same time. There was no scream or shout. There was almost no expression on her face or in her eyes. Ning Yi rushed to the side to prevent the chaotic crowd from spreading over. Su Tan'er fell to her father's side. She glanced in the direction of the fleeing bandit, and simply said a sentence to the surrounding family servants: "Catch him." Then she just lowered her head to press down on her father's wound, no longer paying attention to that side. In fact, many family servants had already surrounded him.

Ning Yi paid attention to his surroundings, confirming that even if there was a second bandit, it would be impossible to rush up again, before turning back to help Su Tan'er press down on the wound. Su Tan'er already had tears in her eyes at this time, tightly pursing her lips without speaking, probably a little confused for a moment. So Ning Yi instructed the people around: "Find the nearest doctor! Bring those clean cloths over! Hurry, hurry, hurry, do what you can do..."

Both knife wounds were relatively deep. Although they were not fatal for the time being, the consequences were unpredictable. Su Boyong was conscious. At this time, he was holding Su Tan'er's hand and saying something. Ning Yi frowned and looked around, looking for any clues he might see.

It may be premeditated, it may not be, but the Su family's third branch, the eldest branch, is the weakest. Although it is said that Su Tan'er is the most powerful successor of the third generation, and may take charge of the Su family in the future, she is still in the testing phase at this time. The Su family's eldest branch has always been controlled by Su Boyong. He is the backbone.

With these two knife wounds, what the Su family will become tomorrow, the consequences are unpredictable...

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

Thank you to Xiao Fu and everyone for your support. We have nine alliance leaders ^_^

Also recommended is the great work "The Ultimate Crown Prince" by Fuchen Jujue: Tang Sheng, an official second generation whose family has declined, is reborn at the age of 17, to make up for regrets and reshape the family's glory! How to be a low-key official second generation? The most important thing is to make his father, the first generation official, have a steady career and rise to the top.

The girl he missed in that life due to chance, he will protect her for life in this life; the woman who disliked himself for not having a future and money in that life, he will make her regret in this life!

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