Night had fallen. In the Duke of Guo's residence, Shi Liai's hand rested upon the list, silent for a long time, seemingly asleep due to his age. This silence continued for a while before Chen Jun finally couldn't help but say, "Old Master..."

Shi Liai raised his head and opened his eyes. "This old man... is merely considering how to say this matter more gently. However... truly old, I cannot find the right words for a moment. The reason for this matter, Madam, you should understand it clearly. I truly cannot find suitable words to explain such a clear matter to you again."

Shi Liai's gaze fell upon Chen Jun, his aged eyes filled with a searing inquiry. Chen Jun took a deep breath. "...I only know that the Old Master personally promised me at the time."

"This old man broke his word. Letting these two hundred people die here is far better than sending them to Gu Shen's residence only to have them handed over and killed... Madam Wanyan, times have changed. Did you not see the fire in Chou Nan Ward on your way here tonight? Right now, no less than two hundred people have been burned alive over there... burned alive..."

As Shi Liai said this, Chen Jun's lips tightened, her gaze hardening. "Heaven has the virtue of cherishing life. Old Master, the killings in the south will not change my origins. I will investigate the matter of Chou Nan Ward and make it public! It is cowardly to kill unarmed slaves after suffering defeats! I will say this to their faces, and let them kill me if they wish!"

"Madam is a heroine, and speaks well. This matter is indeed the work of cowards. This old man will also investigate strictly. When it is found out, I will announce them, rebuke them, hoping that the killing of Han slaves will decrease. These things cannot be brought to the table. Therefore, exposing them is a righteous response. You are doing the right thing. If anyone disrespects you, this old man can personally beat them to death."

The old man slowly finished speaking, then paused. "However... Madam also knows very well that throughout the West, from the Marshal's Mansion down, countless people have fathers and brothers who died in this southern campaign. It is one thing for you to expose their vengeful killings and accuse them face to face, but in the current situation, it is another thing for you to save two hundred Southern prisoners. If the southern campaign were successful, you could easily take two hundred people away and release them. If you were to be unreasonable and gather your family generals to snatch all five hundred, no one would dare bring reason to Gu Shen's face. But at this moment, the situation in the West..."

The night wind blew through the cloudy night sky, making a mournful sound under the eaves of the courtyard. Shi Liai's lips moved. After a long time, he finally leaned on his cane and stood up shakily. "...The southwest's disastrous defeat, the Black Flag Army's fierce firearms, the soldiers' unwavering spirit, all unprecedented. The struggle between the East and West mansions is about to be decided. The disaster of collapse is imminent. Madam, do you really want to put Gu Shen's entire family to death for the sake of those two hundred prisoners? If you don't think for yourself, won't you think for Dezhong and Youyi? Those are your children!"

Chen Jun's eyes faltered slightly, then after a moment. "...Is there really no way?"

Shi Liai's gaze turned to her, finally shifting slightly. "Gu Shen is a hero of his era. The letters he writes back to you, Madam, could it be that he only reports good news and not bad..."

"He said in his letter that if he is unsure of what to do, he can come to the Old Master for advice."

Shi Liai raised his head, chuckled, and said with a hint of irony, "Lord Gu Shen has a broad mind, hard to match. He seems to have forgotten that this old man entered office following Marshal Zongwang back then. Now that we speak of the East and West mansions, this old man is thinking of Prince Zongfu and Prince Zongbi. Now that the Marshal's southern campaign has failed, is he not afraid that this old man will sell out the entire West Mansion?"

The old man's words were almost a喃喃自语 (muttering to himself). Chen Jun picked up the list on the tea table again. In fact, there were many things she understood in her heart, but she had come to Shi Liai with a glimmer of hope, expecting that this old master still had some means to fulfill his original promise. But now that it had come to this, she understood that the other party had seriously refused this matter.

"...If this old man were to move the West Mansion, the first thing I would do would be to send those two hundred people into Madam's hands. By then, the news of the disastrous defeat in the southwest would have spread, and countless people would be watching those two hundred people, demanding that Madam hand them over, demanding that Madam kill them with her own hands. Otherwise, they will force Gu Shen to kill you, Madam... Madam Wanyan, you have been in a high position in the north for so long. Have you not learned even a shred of vigilance?"

Chen Jun folded the list, smiling wanly. She had lived in the north for a long time and naturally understood the style of the Jin high-ranking figures. Once they made a decision, it would be difficult to move them, no matter who came to interfere with what kind of relationship. Although Shi Liai was a Han, and came from a scholarly family, his style of doing things was swift and decisive, roughly similar to the heroes of the first generation of the Jin.

After sitting there for a while, she finally opened her mouth and said, "The Old Master has experienced the rise and fall of two dynasties and the solicitations of three parties in his life, but his decisions have never been wrong. But did you ever think that a Han man bearing a black flag would appear on the horizon of the southwest?"

Shi Liai shook his head. "Madam Wanyan exaggerates. In life, one is not a god. How can one be without mistakes? The Southern people are weak. This old man looked down on them back then, and I still have the same view now. The appearance of the Black Flag may be the result of extreme reversal, but it is difficult to say where such a resolute army can go... However, matters have come to this point, and this is not a headache for this old man. It should be a problem for Dezhong and Youyi to solve in the future. I hope... for a good ending."

He slowly walked to the side of the chair and sat back down. "In life, one faces great rivers and streams, surging towards us. This old man's life..."

The old man looked at the night ahead, his lips trembling. After a long time, he finally said, "...I did my best."

The surging waters of the river finally rushed to the side of the Han people in the Yun Residence.

The next day was May 13th. Lu Mingfang and Tang Minjie finally learned from different channels about the outcome of the great war in the southwest. After Ning Yi defeated Yanshan Guard at Wangyuan Bridge and executed Xie Bao, the Chinese Seventh Army defeated 100,000 troops of Nianhan and Xiyin with 20,000 troops west of Hancheng, and beheaded Wanyan Sheyema in front of the battle. By this time, the West Route Army generals and soldiers who followed Nianhan and Xiyin southward suffered countless casualties. The Jurchen army, which had dominated the world for forty years since its rise with Aguda, finally encountered its most惨烈的 (tragic) defeat in history in front of that black flag.

Related news had already spread among the Jurchen high-ranking officials. For a time, the Yun Residence was filled with violent and悲戚 (grief-stricken) emotions. After the two met, they naturally could not celebrate. They only used tea instead of wine in a relatively safe hiding place to discuss what to do next – in fact, such a hiding place was already becoming less peaceful. The atmosphere in the city was visibly becoming stricter, and the constables were searching for Han slave showing happy expression door to door. They have smelled the wind and were eager to find a batch of Han traitors and execute them publicly.

"...Still the same sentence, if you want to go south, leave earlier. In a few days, when the news spreads, any southern merchants with Han appearance will probably have a hard time. Now that those grassland people are still打秋风 (looting everywhere), perhaps it will be safer to pass through."

The outcome of the Great War in the Southwest could change the entire policy of future intelligence gathering. Someone had to go south on this trip. After speaking for a while, Tang Minjie emphasized this matter again. Lu Mingfang smiled. "There are still some things to arrange. In fact, after this matter, the situation in the north will probably become more tense and complex. I am considering not going back this time."

"Besides you, who else knows the full picture here? These things cannot be written in a letter. If you don't go back, no one will be qualified to convey the idea of allying with the grassland people to Teacher and them."

"Why don't you go back this time?" Lu Mingfang poured a cup of tea and said, "You've been here for four years and haven't gone back to see them once, right?"

"Lao Lu, I'm not bragging, but when it comes to survival and action ability, I seem to be slightly better than you."

Hearing Tang Minjie say this without hesitation, Lu Mingfang laughed heartily. After a while, he said, "Don't you want to go back and see them?"

"I can play a bigger role here."

Lu Mingfang said, "With your ability, you can play a big role anywhere."

Tang Minjie shook his head. "...Teacher arranged me to come here for a reason."

"They said you were too ruthless in Liangshan against those Ni people. But I think, in a battle of life and death, being a little ruthless is nothing. You didn't target your own people. And I saw it early on, you would rather die yourself than attack your own people."

Tang Minjie also smiled. "You're praising me... But I actually know that my methods are too extreme. It's okay to seek temporary expediency, but if you want to seek ten or a hundred years, you can't ignore reputation. You don't know, in Liangshan, I killed entire families and threatened people's wives and children to make them do things. If this spreads, there will be hidden dangers for ten or a hundred years."

"...Did you really do it?"

"There were a few... Some brothers of the Chinese Army were ambushed in the mountains. The situation was urgent. Several stubborn Ni people refused to speak. I kicked their wives and children off the cliff... The place wasn't high, they broke their legs. You know, the most troublesome thing is that the place is their own. They knew the place wasn't high, they wouldn't die if they fell, so I had to drag them up and chop off his son's hand in front of him. He knew I was serious, so he spoke."

"If they didn't speak... would you chop?"

"I would start chopping from the hand."

Lu Mingfang was silent for a moment, then raised his teacup. The two clinked their cups together.

"Were the people rescued?"

"It was a little late, three died..." Tang Minjie said, raising his head. "If I could, I could chop off my own hand too."

He gave a smile, somewhat complicated, and somewhat simple. This was a rare smile, even in front of comrades. Lu Mingfang knew that the words were true. He silently drank his tea. Tang Minjie smiled again. "Don't worry, you're the boss here, I'll listen to you, and won't mess around."

"I'm not worried about that." Lu Mingfang said. "I'm just surprised you didn't kill all those people."

"Hmm? Why?"

"According to your previous style, if you killed them all, wouldn't the news not spread?"

Lu Mingfang said, laughing. Tang Minjie was stunned for a moment, then laughed softly, laughing until he held his forehead. After a while, he raised his head and said softly, "...If I remember correctly, Lu Yannian, the shopkeeper of Lu, sacrificed himself in Yun back then."

Hearing him mention this, Lu Mingfang nodded. "Father... sacrificed himself to cover our escape..."

Tang Minjie looked at him. "You've been here for so long, seen so many... tragedies, and have the仇恨 (hatred) of your father's death. How do you control yourself?" His gaze was intense, but then he smiled. "I mean, you're much more measured than I am."

Lu Mingfang's eyes darted around. He sat there, thinking for a long time. "Maybe it's because... I'm not as good as you guys."

"...Uh?"

"My father is Lu Yannian, who sacrificed himself to develop the business here." Lu Mingfang said. "Do you think... that I can sit here, has anything to do with my father?"

"You think so?"

"It has something to do with it." Lu Mingfang held his teacup, his words sincere. "So I always remember that my ability is not strong, and my judgment and decision-making ability are probably not as good as the others here. Then I must guard my own line and try to be more stable, and not make too many outrageous decisions. If because of my father's death, I can't suppress the anger in my heart, and want to do this and that to take revenge, what about the others who have entrusted their lives to me? What if they are implicated? I always... consider these things."

"..." Tang Minjie was silent for a moment, then raised his teacup and clinked it against Lu Mingfang's teacup. "Just for that, you are stronger than me."

"I'm relieved to leave things here to you after I go south."

"The situation is tense. In a few days, I will also send away a batch of people... Remember Luo Ye's sister that I mentioned to you last time?"

"Found her?"

"It took some time to confirm. She suffered a lot. To survive, she pretended to be crazy, but after so many years, she is basically half crazy. This time, the southwest won a great victory. Many Han Chinese in Yun will die. Those wandering in the streets may be killed by someone at any time. I thought about Luo Ye's sister and decided to send her away this time. The time is scheduled for two days later."

"Should I take her with me?"

"I have arranged people. You don't need to travel together. It's not safe." Tang Minjie said. "But after leaving the Jin country, you can take care of her."

Lu Mingfang nodded. "Is there anything else you want to entrust to me? For example, a sister waiting to be married, would you like me to go back and visit for you?"

"You're not suitable." Tang Minjie smiled. "I'm afraid she'll be a widow, marrying someone who runs around with their head on the line all day long."

"Do you really have a sister?" Lu Mingfang's eyes lit up with curiosity.

Tang Minjie said, "She's dead."

Lu Mingfang was silent. At this moment, they were both men in their thirties. Lu Mingfang was larger in size, with a messy beard, and had marks on his face from being whipped by the Jin people. Tang Minjie was thin-faced, with a goatee, and still had traces of yesterday's fire on his face and body.

Nearly ten years ago, Lu Yannian was killed in Yun. Lu Mingfang fled all the way and met Chen Jun for the first time. Soon after, the Jin envoy Fan Hongji took Lu Yannian's head to Xiaocang River to demonstrate, and Tang Minjie saw Lu Yannian's head in the classroom at that time. He was considering how to use a trick to kill Fan Hongji, and at that time, Zou Xu, who was in the classroom, volunteered to help Ning Yi receive Fan Hongji. At this moment, he had already become the leader of the叛变 (rebel) army in the Funiu Mountains.

Time passes, never to return.

This was the last time Tang Minjie and Lu Mingfang met.

Both of them were smiling happily.