哗——

The torrential rain poured down, making the already dim Bianliang City even darker in the evening. Streams of water cascaded down the eaves, flowed through gutters, and transformed into raging, muddy torrents in the city's alleys, overflowing unrestrainedly.

Liushu Hutong. Several large carts were parked in the sewage-filled alley, with men in guard uniforms holding umbrellas scattered around. A dilapidated small doorway stood nearby, with people gathered inside, occasional sobs could be heard, and voices sometimes arguing and sometimes explaining.

Ning Yi was in the dilapidated house talking to the weeping woman.

"...From attending the academy to Xiao Niu passing the Xiucai exam, we will cover all his expenses. If he truly suffers any injuries to his leg, we will also take care of his livelihood afterward..."

"Auntie Pan, we know that your life is not easy. Xiao Niu's father sacrificed himself defending the city. Back then, Zhu Biao and the others were also fighting desperately outside the city. In a way, being able to fight together, everyone is family. We don't need to make things so rigid, we can talk it over. You can make any requests you have..."

"...No, no, no, we are definitely not bullying you, please don't cry. You see, I have also brought the clan elder here. Your ideas, as long as they are reasonable, we will help you achieve them..."

The woman's sobs occasionally grew louder, while Ning Yi's words remained slow and sincere. Time gradually flowed by in this atmosphere. Around nightfall, the rain lessened somewhat. A team of people in straw raincoats came from the other end of the street. As they approached, they had some friction with the guards outside, but the leader finally quickly walked to the front of the dilapidated courtyard gate.

This leader was Tie Tianying, one of the seven chief constables of the Ministry of Justice.

He strode through the courtyard. Inside the room, the two sides seemed to have reached an agreement, but when the woman saw Tie Tianying enter, her bitter expression froze on her face again, and she looked as if she was about to cry again.

Ning Yi walked over and patted her shoulder: "It's okay, it's okay, Auntie, you go to the side and wait. We've clarified everything, there won't be any more problems. I'll explain things to Constable Tie, he's just doing his job, there won't be any trouble..."

As he was comforting her, Tie Tianying strode in: "Ning Liheng, how dare you! If he threatens you privately, you can tell me, and I will not let him off!"

A tall, thin old man in the room came over: "Constable, Constable, there was no threat, no threat at all. Young Master Ning came here only to clarify things, I can testify..."

"Who are you!?" Tie Tianying glared at him.

"I am the Niu clan elder, here for Xiao Niu's injury. Constable, please sit..."

"Get out of the way, I'm talking to the Ning fellow! Besides, whether there was intimidation or not is not up to you to decide!"

"Yes, yes, yes, Xiao Niu's mother, please explain everything to the chief constable..."

The clan elder didn't get a good look from Tie Tianying, and quickly spoke to the woman beside him. The woman was just a daughter-in-law who had married into the Niu clan. Even though her husband had died, she still had a child. With the clan elder staring at her, how could she dare to mess around? But the chief constable in front of her was also a formidable person. After a moment, she said with a sob: "It's been clarified, it's been clarified, Chief Constable..."

Big fish eat small fish, small fish eat shrimp. There is always something that controls something else. Tie Tianying's gaze was cold, but with those words, Ning Yi sent the woman to the side. When he returned, Tie Tianying looked at him, sneered and nodded: "Good, Ning Liheng, you're really capable. In just a few days, you've settled so many families..."

"It's just meticulous work, Chief Constable Tie is too kind." Ning Yi sighed, and then said, "Chief Constable Tie, I don't know if I should say something."

Tie Tianying tilted his head: "Say it."

"They are all small families, they can't afford to offend anyone." Standing under the eaves, Ning Yi looked back at the entire courtyard, "Since the decision has already been made, can you let them go? Don't go back and cause them trouble, leave them a way out."

His tone was sincere. The muscles on Tie Tianying's face twitched a few times, and finally he waved his hand: "Go!" He led his men out of the courtyard. Ning Yi then wiped his hands and went outside with the Niu clan elder.

The reason everyone came here today was because of an incident that had happened a few days earlier.

Since the abrupt turn in the situation in the capital in the third month of this year, after Qin Siyuan was imprisoned and tried, a full month had passed. During this month, many complicated things had been happening beneath the surface, and public opinion had also been undergoing drastic changes.

After Qin Siyuan's trial, many things that had originally been hidden were brought to light: embezzlement, forming factions for personal gain, using power to seek profit... all kinds of evidence were woven together, creating a huge profile of a treacherous and corrupt official. The people holding the brushes and painting the picture were some of the most intelligent people at the highest levels of power in the Wu Dynasty, including Zhou Zhe, Cai Jing, Tong Guan, Wang Fu, and so on.

Half of the evidence for these things was basically true, and after being listed and pieced together by them, it produced great persuasiveness during the daily trials. This information was fed back into the ears and mouths of the scholars and academics in the capital, and then entered the lower-level information networks every day. Thus, after more than a month, by the time Qin Shaoqian was implicated and imprisoned, the city's image of Qin Siyuan's faction among the "Seven Tigers" had been reversed and solidified.

Some shops and industries related to the Qin family were subsequently implicated to a small extent, including Zhu Ji and some bookstores that originally belonged to the Wang family.

The Wang family's industry was originally managed by the family of the great scholar Wang Qisong. Wang Shanyue had a teacher-student relationship with Qin Siyuan, and later fought alongside Ning Yi in Shandong, and was bewitched by Ning Yi into a cooperative relationship. After Zhu Ji expanded, Ning Yi planned and improved some of the machinery and processes in the printing and paper workshops, improving efficiency. These bookstores were managed by the Wang family's women.

At this time, Zhu Biao, who was working for Ning Yi, came to Bianliang and fell in love with a Wang family girl. They got engaged and occasionally went to help at the Wang family.

On this day in mid-April, some people, incited and bewitched, ran to the Wang family's shop to smash it. Zhu Biao happened to be there, blocking the courtyard gate leading to the back of the bookstore, and knocked over the people who rushed in.

Zhu Biao was a student of Luan Tingyu, and was one of the best fighters in Dulonggang. Later, he followed Ning Yi in battle. At this time, his skills were probably no less than Chen Fan's in Hangzhou. He was one of the strongest fighters around Ning Yi. In the current capital, perhaps only Lu Hongti could steadily suppress him. With his near-Grandmaster level skills, how could ordinary three or five "patriotic youths" be a match? In a fit of anger, dozens of people were knocked to the ground, but this also caused trouble.

The bookstore was subsequently sealed off, and the government began investigating the matter, wanting to arrest Zhu Biao and bring him to justice. Ning Yi then suppressed the matter on the one hand, and settled things with the injured and aggrieved parties on the other. Fortunately, Zhu Biao had followed Ning Yi for so long, and his former reckless habits had long been changed. If he was still the same as when he had just left Dulonggang, with dozens of ordinary people rushing in during these days of forbearance, not one of them would have survived.

Under Ning Yi's investigation, about a dozen of the dozens of people were slightly injured, and one was seriously injured. This was a young man named "Xiao Niu", whose father died defending the city. He rushed in to smash the shop and beat people. Zhu Biao threw him away, but he rushed back over, and was finally thrown by Zhu Biao onto the steps and broke his leg.

Tie Tianying and others collected evidence to convict Zhu Biao, while Ning Yi arranged for many people to settle the matter, either by enticing or threatening. Although it was only a few short days, the difficulties were too numerous to mention. For example, Xiao Niu's mother, Auntie Pan, was threatened and enticed by Ning Yi on the one hand, and on the other hand, Tie Tianying and others did the same thing, wanting her to bite the assailant to death, or to ask for a large sum of money like a lion opening its mouth. Ning Yi came back and forth several times, and finally settled the matter this time.

Although Auntie Pan was a bit greedy and wanted to take this opportunity to make a big profit, she didn't have a good time under the coercion of both Tie Tianying and Ning Yi. Being from a small family, she didn't dare to offend either side. That was why Ning Yi said those things to Tie Tianying at the end.

Returning to Zhu Ji, after dinner, there were more things to deal with. Zhu Biao's matter was not easy, it was very troublesome, but the troublesome things were more than just this one item.

In these few days, two of Zhu Ji's shops had also been smashed, but these were still minor matters. The Secret Intelligence Division's system had already been separated from Zhu Ji. In these days, with the capital as the center, the information network around it was being handed over. Many of Zhu Ji's elites were sent out, and the Qi XinYi and Qi XinHan brothers were also in the south handling matters. In the capital, the Ministry of Justice was causing trouble, some staff were threatened, and some chose to leave. It can be said that the Zhu Ji system that was originally established was disintegrating, and Ning Yi was already having a hard time guarding the core.

He hadn't reached the time to leave yet, but it was getting close. Of course, leaving probably wasn't such a direct and simple matter. He had made some backup plans, but didn't know if they would work.

After dinner, the Zhu Ji staff and shopkeepers were discussing matters in several rooms in the courtyard, while Ning Yi was dealing with things on the other side: a shopkeeper came over and said that two shop assistants had been caused trouble by the Ministry of Justice constables and were beaten. Then a staff member came over to submit his resignation.

Ning Yi allocated money for medical expenses to the two injured shop assistants, and also asked the shopkeeper to comfort their families. He tried to persuade the staff member, and in the end the other party dispelled the idea - probably because he saw Ning Yi's difficulties.

After the two groups of people left, a tall young man came over from the distant courtyard gate. It was Zhu Biao, who had been arranged by Ning Yi to do other things these days. At this time, he should have heard about the things that Ning Yi and others had done. He had come over, his eyes displeased, but naturally not aimed at Ning Yi.

"Sit." Ning Yi raised his hand with a smile.

Zhu Biao sat down in front. Although martial artists are not people in the officialdom, they also have their own status and bearing, especially those who have practiced to the level of Zhu Biao. In general places, they can be called grandmasters. Facing anyone, they wouldn't lower their heads, but at this time, he did have something bottled up in his heart.

"Although I come from a place like Dulonggang, I, Zhu Biao, have never thought of myself as an unreasonable bandit or savage."

After sitting for a long time, Zhu Biao finally spoke: "Not to mention our desperate fight outside the city, regardless of whether they were deceived or not, they were already dead men when they rushed into the bookstore to smash it that day. I held back, not because I was in the wrong."

He said these things in a calm but firm tone. Ning Yi had already poured him a cup of tea: "We've known each other for several years, even if you don't say these things, I understand. If you can't get over it in your heart..."

"I can't get over it in my heart, I want to kill people." Zhu Biao smiled, "But it will cause you more trouble."

"The capital has its own way of playing, fortunately, it's about to be over." Ning Yi paused, "If you feel uncomfortable, there are some things happening in the north now, I can let you go to relax. You are a martial artist, worrying so much is detrimental to your progress."

Martial artists find it extremely difficult to endure humiliation, especially someone like Zhu Biao, but right now, he can't explain so many principles. Fortunately, the two have known each other for several years, and they are very familiar with each other. There is no need to explain too much. After Ning Yi made the suggestion, Zhu Biao shook his head.

"Before I came, I had fire bottled up in my heart, but I had already suppressed it on the way." He said, "You have much more fire bottled up than me, I thought about this, and I feel that my cultivation is really not enough. You shouldn't have hidden the fact that you were finding people to apologize these past few days, it would have been better to call me along."

"It wasn't to take care of your emotions, it's easier to solve this kind of thing if you don't show up. If you were there, they would only take an inch." Ning Yi shook his head, "As for the fire, of course I have it too, but at this time, fire is useless... do you really not want to go out and take a walk?"

Zhu Biao shook his head again.

Ning Yi was silent for a moment: "Sometimes I also feel like killing all those idiots, and be done with it. Thinking about it, when the Jurchens attack again, these people will all die anyway. Thinking about it this way, I just feel cold... of course, this period of time is really not easy, no matter how much I can endure, I won't take other people's slaps as some kind of reward. Zhu Ji and the Prime Minister's office are both like this. Lao Qin and Yao Zunian and the others are having a much harder time than us. If we can hold on for a while longer, we can block a little for them..."

"Before I worked with you, I admired my master, I admired that he could fight. Later, I admired that you could scheme against people. Later, when I worked with you, I admired Zhou Dong, Master Zhou, he is a real hero, worthy of the name." Zhu Biao said, "Now I admire you, the things you do are not something ordinary people can do. If you can endure it, what can I say? If you are in the capital, I will be in the capital. If someone wants to kill you, I will help you block it! Of course, if necessary, I can do Tie Tianying for you, and then I will flee far away, you can shake me out, and when you leave the capital, I will come and join you again."

Ning Yi was stunned for a moment, and laughed: "That's not necessary, Tie Tianying is just a small official, what's the point of killing him..."

"Others can do."

"Don't fight and kill all day long, I was just about to say you've grown up..."

Ning Yi was talking when someone rushed in from outside. Seeing that it was Zhu Biao, who was often guarding Ning Yi's side, he wasn't too cautious. He gave Ning Yi a piece of information and then said a few words in a low voice. Ning Yi took the information and looked at it, his gaze gradually turning gloomy. This was a common expression for him in the past month...

The next day was the twenty-third of April this year. It rained again in the morning. The Dali Temple's trial of Qin Siyuan was still continuing. The trial was not public, but under the operation of interested people, the new problems found in the trial every day would be spread out on the same day, and would often become the talk of scholars and literati.

After the trial was completed at noon, Qin Siyuan would be escorted back to the Ministry of Justice's prison.

The Qin family's descendants often came over. The old Madam Qin, Qin Siyuan's concubine Yun Niang, and others were also waiting here every time, to see Qin Siyuan on the one hand, and to see Qin Shaoqian, who had already been implicated, on the other. On this morning, Ning Yi and others also arrived early. He sent people to mediate and sent a lot of money, but there were no good results. At noon, when Qin Siyuan and Qin Shaoqian were escorted out, Ning Yi and others greeted them.

Since they had not been convicted, the two were only symbolically wearing shackles. Having been in prison for days, Qin Siyuan's body was visibly thinner, but even so, his gray hair was neatly combed behind his head. His spirit and will were still stubbornly supporting his life's operation. Qin Shaoqian had not fallen either. Perhaps because his father was by his side, his anger had become more and more restrained and quiet. Only when he saw Ning Yi and others did his eyes fluctuate a little. Then he looked around.

"Where's my mother? Has she... gotten sick again?"

He looked around. Seeing that the old Madam Qin had not arrived, he asked. Ning Yi hesitated for a moment, shook his head, and Yun Niang also explained to Qin Siyuan: "Sister is fine, just..." She looked at Ning Yi.

"Perhaps there are some things that didn't allow the old Madam to come over." Ning Yi replied.

Qin Siyuan nodded and walked forward. He had experienced everything. As long as his family was fine, the other things didn't matter.

Along the way, Ning Yi roughly explained the situation to Qin Siyuan. After listening, Qin Siyuan was a little lost in thought. Ning Yi immediately went to give money to the jailers, but this time, no one accepted it. His suggestion to change the route was also not accepted.

After leaving the Dali Temple for a while, there were not many pedestrians on the road. It was a cloudy day, and there were still traces of rain on the road. Ning Yi looked far away to one side, someone gave him a gesture. He frowned. At this time, it was close to the downtown area. As if feeling something, the old man also turned his head to look over there. On the second floor of the restaurant by the roadside, someone was looking over here.

"Look, that's the old dog Qin Siyuan!" The man suddenly shouted.

More people stuck their heads out from there, mostly scholars.

"Qin Siyuan? Which one?"

"And his son... Qin Shaoqian—"

After some discussion, someone suddenly shouted: "Traitorous dog—"

"Why don't you die! Old dog—"

"This country has been ruined by you and others—"

The scolding came over. At this time, it still seemed monotonous and loud. Ning Yi frowned. Qin Siyuan next to him had a calm gaze. At this time, he tilted his head slightly: "Hehe, trouble..." There was weariness in the deepest part of the laughter.

As the group passed the restaurant, the scolding became louder. Many scholars went downstairs, cursing non-stop. Among Qin Siyuan's group, a child in his teens couldn't help but shout: "My third grandfather is a good man—" The crowd then scolded: "Is that the old dog's grandson?" "Your whole family deserves to die—"

Ning Yi walked forward and grabbed the arm of the prison head: "Hurry up! If something happens now, see if you can get away with it!" The head was stunned: "This, this, this... what does this have to do with me." Although apprehensive, he didn't comply.

"Who gave you the order before to do this?"

"Wh-what, don't talk nonsense!"

"Look at the old man behind you, whether he is good or bad, others don't know, but you have some idea. He is being framed, but it's not like no one cares. You tell me everything, I'll find a way, and if you get through this, there will be benefits for you."

"You're talking nonsense..."

This batch of jailers who came this time was not familiar with Ning Yi. Although they seemed to be friendly, it was actually difficult to move them for a while. While they were negotiating, the scolding by the roadside had become more intense. A group of scholars followed, scolding as they went. In these days of trials, with the appearance of a lot of evidence, Qin Siyuan had at least established several crimes. In the eyes of ordinary people, the logic was very clear. If the Qin faction had not controlled the power and been so greedy, the national strength would naturally be better. Even if Qin Shaoqian had not used extraordinary means to unify all the elite soldiers under his command, suppressing colleagues and excluding dissidents, the outside of the city might not have collapsed like that - also, if not for the villains, how could the defense of Bianliang have resulted in so many deaths and so many defeats?

The pedestrians on the road were originally a little puzzled, but then many people joined in. Ning Yi was also a little anxious in his heart. He had received wind of a group of scholars wanting to block Qin Siyuan, but then he discovered that it was not that simple. He arranged for a few people to go to this group of scholars and sing a different tune when they were inciting, wanting to make the people's hearts uneven, but then, those few people were arrested by the constables.

"Old dog! Can you sleep at night!?"

"A group of villains, I wish I could kill you all—"

"Hundreds of thousands of people died unjustly—"

"The Wu Dynasty will be strong! Exterminate the Seven Tigers—"

"Eliminate traitors and rejuvenate the nation—"

The crowd shouted. Someone picked up things from the ground and threw them over. Ning Yi had already walked back to Qin Siyuan's side and waved his hand to block it, but it was a piece of dirty mud, and mud splattered everywhere.

"He actually dares to block—"

"Does the traitorous dog want to hit people—"

The scholars over there shouted again. Seeing that many pedestrians on the road had joined in, their emotions were even higher. They grabbed things and threw them over again. At first, they were mostly mud and coal from the ground, with mud. Then someone even threw stones over. Ning Yi protected Qin Siyuan, and then the guards around him also came over to protect Ning Yi. At this time, on the long street, many people were sticking their heads out. The people in front stopped, they looked at this side, first puzzled, then started shouting, excitedly joining the team. On this morning, the crowd began to become crowded.

"The Wu Dynasty rises—"

"Drink their blood, eat their flesh—"

"Vow to kill the Jurchens, show my heavenly power—"

The sound was vast. The scholars shouted hysterically, their faces flushed with excitement. Many things were thrown from the air, but they were definitely not edible things like tomatoes, eggs, or rotten vegetables. Qin Siyuan was protected in the middle, moving forward with difficulty. He shouted at Ning Yi and the others: "You go! You go! Don't get involved—" Ning Yi ignored him, and asked the people around him to find doors and planks to protect the road ahead, but many things still smashed in.

The situation became more and more chaotic as they moved forward. Someone was hit by a stone and fell. By Qin Siyuan's side, but there was a bang, and a figure fell down, it was his concubine Yun Niang, who had been hit in the head by a stone and collapsed. Qin Shaoqian, who had followed up, supported her. He protected his father and this concubine, his eyes were red, his teeth were clenched, and he moved forward with his head down. Someone in the crowd shouted: "My uncle is a loyal minister." "My third grandfather is innocent, you were all saved by him—" This shout, with tears, made the crowd outside even more excited.

"Beat, beat the traitorous dog—"

"Beat their family—"

"Let them know how powerful we are!"

The atmosphere on the long street was狂热. Everyone was shouting like this, crowding over. Ning Yi's guards found wooden planks. Everyone supported them and walked forward. Someone rushed over with buckets, two buckets of dung. He smashed them on people, and the dung water splashed everywhere. The stench was everywhere, and people cheered even louder. Some people took cow dung, dog dung, and the like and threw them over. Someone shouted: "My father was killed by you villains—"

"Eliminate harm for the people—"

"Kill the traitors, God bless the Wu Dynasty—"

At this time, Ning Yi's body was covered with many things. He silently squeezed forward. The old man next to him was also disheveled, covered in filth. He was also silent, protecting Yun Niang as he moved forward. After a while, he reacted and pinched Ning Yi's hand: "Yun Niang, Liheng, you take Yun Niang out, quickly—" The old man reacted, at this time the only thing he pleaded for was about his family. Many Qin family members had already cried, some had fallen down. The surrounding crowd refused to let them go, kicking them on the ground, and then the Zhu Ji guards pulled them back.

Ning Yi handed Yun Niang to Zhu Biao next to him: "Take her out."

Zhu Biao handed her to another person. He reached out his hand with a straight face to block the things砸来 in the air, and was then hit by cow dung.

Far away, the Ministry of Justice constables began to rush over to maintain order. They stared at the rapidly being buried in anger team, ready to prevent Ning Yi and others from violently resisting at any time, ready to take action to arrest people at any time.

The wave of sound gathered like a celebration. Many people in the city were alarmed. Some joined in, and some hid in the distance and watched, laughing heartily. On this day, facing an enemy that could not fight back, the people who had suffered too much under the Jurchens' siege finally achieved a complete victory for the first time...

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