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Lin'an Prefecture, formerly the location of Hangzhou City, was once engulfed in the flames of the Fang La uprising during the Jinghan ninth year, breaching Hangzhou's city defenses. In the days that followed, a man named Ning Yi found himself caught in the turmoil, facing an uncertain future, while also witnessing and participating in numerous events. He confronted the leaders of the rebel forces and walked the streets at night with a woman who held power over the region. Ultimately, he assisted Wenren Buyi, working to reopen the gates of Hangzhou and accelerate Fang La's defeat.

This name is now almost taboo in Lin'an. Although some people can hear the story of those times from Wenren Buyi, occasionally recalling and mentioning it only brings private sighs or silent emotions.

A man who could move forward fearlessly in such circumstances, surrounded by powerful enemies and with nothing to rely on, was so reassuring as a comrade. However, if he were to become an enemy one day, he would be capable of instilling a deep sense of helplessness in those who had witnessed his methods.

The snow fell and stopped again. Looking back at the city, the streets bustling with pedestrians did not accumulate much snow. Merchants traveled to and fro, and children skipped and chased each other in play. On the old city wall, a woman in a snow-white fur coat tightened her hood, as if frowning and gazing at the traces of the past, the figure that wandered the streets more than a decade ago, so as to discern the forbearance and ruthlessness that allowed him to break through the adversity.

Not far behind her, a report echoed in the wind.

"...The matter was urgent. Minister Zhao arrested people on the sixteenth of October. Li Leiguang confessed, and the evidence was irrefutable. The military funds from the southwest intercepted and embezzled from him were approximately thirty-seven thousand taels of silver. Subsequently, he implicated Wang Yuanshu and Shu Da, the steward of Wang Yuanshu's residence... Wang Yuanshu is currently being impeached by Hanlin Chang Gui and others. The accusations in the memorials state that he relies on the power of his brother-in-law to seize farmland and cause harm to the local people. Some of the language alludes to Lord Qin... In addition, using Li Leiguang as an entry point, Minister Zhao has begun to intervene in the problems related to the southwest's previous military logistics..."

"So, Qin Hui has requested to resign again... He does not defend himself."

The Princess said calmly, looking at the city below, without turning her head.

In recent days, when she abandoned her illusions about that figure, she could better understand the ruthlessness of his actions against enemies, and the cruelty and intensity of the world.

"Lord Qin has not defended himself, but his actions are intense. Several murders may have occurred privately in the past few days, but the matter happened suddenly, and it was not easy for the military to intervene. We were unable to intercept them."

"If we didn't intercept them, then nothing happened. Even if it did happen, it can only prove that Lord Qin is capable and a man of action..." she said. The other party found it difficult to answer. After a long time, she turned her head, "Wenren, what do you say, more than ten years ago, when Ning Yi had the Secret Intelligence Division investigate this Lord Qin, did he think he was a good person or a bad person?"

The people speaking on the old city wall were Zhou Pei and Wenren Buyi. The morning court session was over, and the officials had returned to their residences. The city seemed as prosperous as ever. It was just another lively and ordinary day, and only those who knew the inside story could feel the undercurrents surging in the court these days.

The beginning of a major political struggle is often like this, with each side making moves and probing. As soon as one move lands, a landslide-like eruption follows. However, the current situation is special. The emperor pretends to be deaf and mute, and the important forces on our side have not clearly stated their position. The bullet is only loaded, and the gunpowder has not been ignited.

The matter is quite ironic. No matter what people's initial thoughts are, once they reach a level where every move involves millions of people, fairness and justice often lose their ability to measure things. Qin Hui's brother-in-law is called Wang Yuanshu, Wang Yuanshu's steward is called Shu Da, and Shu Da has a lackey called Li Leiguang. Li Leiguang is a junior staff officer in charge of military logistics in the southwest. Last year, he embezzled thirty-seven thousand taels. Zhao Ding took action with irrefutable evidence, and then he bit down to Wang Yuanshu here.

Coupled with the previous failure in the southwest, and the several memorials in the court before the arrest of Li Leiguang, if the emperor agrees, a purge of the Qin faction will begin. Zhao Ding and Qin Hui have old grudges. Heaven knows how many contingency plans have already been prepared there. But whether to purge or not, the consideration is never embezzlement.

After the southward migration, Zhao Ding represents the radical faction of advocating war. On the one hand, he cooperated with the Crown Prince to call for the Northern Expedition and strive for progress. On the other hand, he also promoted the integration of the north and south. The Qin Hui faction represents the interest groups headed by southerners. They consolidate the upper levels of the current Southern Wu political and economic system, which seems relatively conservative. On the one hand, they hope to maintain the stability of the Wu Dynasty through peace. On the other hand, at least in the local area, they are more inclined to the basic interests of the southerners and even began to promote the slogan of "Southerners return to the south, northerners return to the north."

Every direction is a manifestation of an interest. Granted, killing Zhao Ding will lead to a second advocate of war, and dismissing Qin Hui will lead to Zhang Hui and Han Hui filling the position, but beyond this, there are naturally more factors to consider.

One of the most special factors is the question Zhou Pei just raised.

More than ten years ago, when Ning Yi was working in the Secret Intelligence Division, he investigated Qin Hui, who was then an imperial censor.

At that time, Qin Hui and Qin Siyuan were from the same clan, and their political ideas in the court were similar - although Qin Hui's style of doing things was outwardly radical but inwardly smooth, he basically called for a desperate war effort. After experiencing ten years of defeat and turmoil, Qin Hui is now more inclined to advocate peace, at least the war order is to break the southwest first and then resist the Jurchens. There is nothing wrong with this, after all, the simple idea of ​​being hot-blooded when seeing the war and scolding traitors when seeing peace is the real child's play.

Ning Yi's investigation in the Secret Intelligence Division was launched for a period of time, and later ended due to the Jurchen's southward invasion. Only when Wenren Buyi, Cheng Zhouhai and others took it out for review did they find it thought-provoking. With Ning Yi's character, after planning for two months, the emperor said he would kill him. From the emperor down, Cai Jing, the civil official who covered the sky with one hand at that time, and Tong Guan, the general who dominated the world, he never cast special attention on these two people. However, the latter was crippled by a slap in the Jinluan Hall and died miserably. Among these many influential figures, how many special places can Qin Hui have?

The facts proved that Ning Yi never attacked Qin Hui later because of any private feud.

"...There are so many people in the world, since there is no private feud, why would Ning Yi pay attention to Qin Shumi alone? Does he recognize Lord Qin's ability and means, and want to befriend him, or has he long been wary of this person because of something, and even speculated that one day he might become an enemy? In short, there should be some reason for him to be noticed..."

"This Lord Qin does have some means. In my opinion, his means are somewhat similar to those of the old Lord Qin Siyuan. However, it would be far-fetched to say that Ning Yi thought of these things ten years ago. After the first war in Bianliang ended, Ning Yi was disheartened and wanted to leave Beijing and live in seclusion. After the old man fell, he stayed for a long time, just to arrange a way out for everyone. Unfortunately, the incident of the Grand Madam falling into the water completely angered him, and that's why there was later insincerity and the June 9th incident..."

Wenren Buyi paused: "Moreover, although this Lord Qin is also tactful in doing things now, he is too smooth in some aspects and retreats when he knows it is difficult. When the Xian Jinghan Emperor saw the Jurchens coming aggressively, he wanted to leave Beijing and hunt in the south. The old man led the officials of the whole city to block him, but this Lord Qin would probably not dare to do it. Moreover, this Lord Qin's change of opinion is also quite ingenious..."

He said: "Not long ago, Zhouhai told me about this Lord Qin. He advocated war back then, and the Xian Jinghan Emperor was high-spirited and never admitted defeat. During his fourteen years on the throne, although there were also flaws, what he always cared about was recovering the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun and destroying the Liao Kingdom. At that time, Lord Qin was the Censor-in-Chief, impeaching countless people, but he always took care of the overall situation, and the Xian Jinghan Emperor regarded him as a confidant. As for now... His Majesty supports His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's defense against the north, but what he cares more about is the stability of the world. Qin also experienced ten years of ups and downs and began to tend to reconcile with the Jurchens, which also fits His Majesty's intentions... If you say that Ning Yi saw ten years ago that this Lord Qin would soar into the sky, well, it's not impossible, but it still seems a bit strange."

"Yes." Zhou Pei thought for a long time before nodding, "Even if he is appreciated by the Emperor, it is not comparable to Cai Jing back then... What do you say is the meaning of the Crown Prince's side?"

"Regarding the affairs of the capital, there has been an express report to Xiangyang. As for His Highness's thoughts, I dare not speak rashly."

"After the old man and Grandpa Kang left one after another, you and Zhouhai and others are not only good friends of my siblings, but also teachers. There is nothing rash to say." Zhou Pei smiled. The smile looked simple. "The Crown Prince is training soldiers on the front line. He is upright in nature. As for the rear, he probably means to act according to the law. In fact, the Emperor secretly likes Lord Qin. He thinks that Qin Hui has similarities with Qin Siyuan and said that he will not repeat the mistakes of the Jinghan Emperor..."

Saying this, Zhou Pei shook her head. Preconceptions are a major taboo in measuring things, but her father was just being forced onto the shelf. On the one hand, he was timid in nature, and on the other hand, he valued relationships. Jun Wu was generous and radical, shouting to fight the Jurchens to the death. He did not agree with it in his heart, but he could only let his son go, while he hid in the Jinluan Hall, afraid that the front-line war would collapse.

Zhao Ding and Qin Hui both belonged to the "rational" side of the Emperor. After all, an ambitious son could not compare to these carefully selected ministers, but he was still his son. Once Jun Wu messes up, in the Emperor's heart, he still has to rely on the ministers in the court to clean up the mess. Including his daughter, I'm afraid she is not a "capable" person in the Emperor's heart, at best, she is sincere to the Zhou family.

It is too difficult to compare this child's play-like court with that cold and resolute inner demon. If I were a minister in the court, I would probably think about emptying the power of my siblings. Thinking about it, many of the views of these adults make sense.

Thinking this way, she turned the topic away from the affairs of the court: "Mr. Wenren, after this great storm, if my Wu Dynasty is fortunate enough to survive... the future court should still be governed by a figurehead emperor."

Wenren Buyi smiled and did not speak.

Today is the first snow in Lin'an. The meeting on this old city wall was just Zhou Pei's whim. More than ten years ago, this side of the city wall was breached by Fang La, but now it is just a viewing platform. Looking south from the city wall, the imperial street extends all the way to the towering imperial city under Phoenix Mountain, which is temporarily under construction - the palace city has been under construction since the relocation of the capital. There was a major construction last year, but then the military affairs were urgent, and the emperor stopped the construction of the palace city and prepared his troops to resist the threat from the north. The stopped palace city has become a symbol of the emperor's ambition today, and the scholars in the city are all very generous when they talk about it.

The cold first snow sets off the traffic on the streets of the city, and the undercurrents surging under the city are even more connected to every place in the world. The fighting on the battlefield is about to come, and the fighting in the court has never stopped and will never stop.

As southern cities such as Lin'an began to snow, the temperature in the Chengdu Plain in the southwest also began to drop. Although this area did not snow, the humid and cold climate was still a bit unbearable. Since the China Army left Xiaoliang Mountain and began its campaign, 70% of the original commercial activities on the Chengdu Plain have disappeared. After capturing Chengdu, the China Army once forced its way to Zizhou, and then suspended its actions due to Zizhou's strong "defense". In the days when winter is coming, the entire Chengdu Plain seems more desolate and bleak than usual.

Ten miles south of Chengdu, just before dawn, in the simple military hospital of the 1st Division of the 5th Army of the China Army, an eleven-year-old boy was already up and exercising. He practiced breathing and exhaling on a small earthen platform on the side of the military hospital, and then began to practice boxing, followed by a set of swordsmanship and a set of spearmanship. After finishing his martial arts practice, he inspected the surrounding rooms of the wounded camp, and then went to the cafeteria with the military doctors for breakfast.

The fierce fighting has stopped for quite a while. The military hospital is no longer surrounded by dismembered limbs every day. The wounded in the barracks have also recovered one after another. The lightly wounded have left, and the seriously wounded have become familiar with the special eleven-year-old child in the military hospital. They occasionally discuss their experiences of being wounded on the battlefield, which often gives Little Ning Ji some gains.

Many of those who can be called seriously wounded in the military hospital may never be able to live like normal people again in their lives. The fighting experience they summarized is enough to become the most valuable reference for a warrior. It was in such excitement that Little Ning Ji first began to temper his martial arts direction. On this day, in the morning, after he finished the things he should do as an apprentice, he went outside to practice spearmanship. Suddenly, a strong wind struck from behind the house: "Watch out for the stick!"

Ning Ji wielded his spear and fought with the attacking figure. The man was taller than him and had stronger martial arts skills. Ning Ji blocked and retreated all the way, circling the small earthen platform several times. The opponent's offensive had never broken Ning Ji's defense. The man laughed, threw the stick in his hand, and rushed forward: "Second brother is so awesome!" Ning Ji also rushed up: "Brother, you're here!"

The person who came was naturally Ning Xi, the eldest son of the Ning family. He was almost four years older than Ning Ji. Although he is now learning more about Ge Wu (investigation of things) and logic, he can still suppress Ning Ji in martial arts for now. The two jumped and bounced together for a while. Ning Xi told him: "Dad is here, and Aunt Chan is also here. They are here to pick you up today. We will set off today, and you will be able to see Wenwen and the others in the afternoon..."

Ning Xi only said the beginning, and Ning Ji howled and ran towards the barracks. Ning Yi and Xiao Chan and others came quietly without alarming too many people. In a ward in the camp, Ning Yi was visiting the seriously wounded here one by one. Some of these people were burned beyond recognition by the flames, and some had disabled limbs. Ning Yi sat by the bed and asked them about the situation during the war. Little Ning Ji rushed into the room, and his mother Chan'er looked over from her father's side, her eyes already full of tears.

"Dad, Mom." Ning Ji took a few quick steps, and then stopped and bowed to the two of them. Ning Yi waved his hand with a smile, and Ning Ji quickly ran to his mother's side. He heard Ning Yi ask: "How was Uncle He injured, do you know?" He was talking about the seriously wounded man next to him.

"I know." Ning Ji nodded, "When attacking Chengdu, Uncle He led the team into the city. When he killed to the Laojun Temple in the west of the city, he found a team of defeated Wu Dynasty soldiers robbing things. Uncle He and his brothers killed them. The other side set a fire. Uncle He was saving people and was crushed by the collapsed roof beam. He was burned on his body, and the injury was not treated at the time, and his left leg was not saved."

Ning Yi nodded, held the wounded soldier's hand and was silent for a moment. The wounded soldier already had tears in his eyes and said at this time: "I, I... I... I'm fine."

This wounded soldier surnamed He was born in a very poor peasant family. Earlier, when Ning Yi asked him about his injury and the cause of the injury, he was so emotional that he couldn't say anything. Only then did he squeeze out these words. Ning Yi patted his hand: "Take care of yourself." Facing such wounded soldiers, in fact, saying anything seemed hypocritical and superfluous, but what else could he say besides such words?

He then pulled Ning Ji over: "Has this child done anything wrong here?"

The wounded soldier's face turned red: "Second Young Master... is very kind to us..."

Ning Yi nodded, comforted and exhorted a few more words, and pulled Ning Ji to the next bed. He asked about the injuries of the people. The emotions of these wounded were different. Some were taciturn, and some talked endlessly about the battles when they were injured. If there were some who were not good at speaking, Ning Yi would let the child introduce them on his behalf. After visiting a ward, Ning Yi pulled the child to the front and thanked all the wounded soldiers, thanking them for their contributions to the China Army and for their tolerance and care for the child during this recent period.

After looking at several wards in the camp like this, the time has passed noon. In the gaps between talking to his parents and brother, Little Ning Ji learned that after the army captured Chengdu, it had entered a period of rest. After the territory expanded, considering the efficiency of command, the core of the China Army, which was originally located in the mountains of Liangshan, is currently preparing to move to the Chengdu Plain. During this process, his father took his family out to walk around and see the world first.

After the China Army started its uprising, it first went to the northwest and then fought in the southwest. A group of children were born in the war and saw mostly mountains and hills. Ning Xi, the only one who has seen a big city, also experienced it before he was four years old. This trip out of the mountains is a big day for the family. In order not to alarm too many people, Ning Yi, Su Tan'er, Ning Xi and others did not make a big show. This time Ning Yi and Xiao Chan took Ning Xi to pick up Ning Ji, Tan'er, Yunzhu, Hongti and Wenwen and other children were still camping by the mountains and rivers more than ten miles away.

After lunch, a group of people with light luggage got into a carriage and headed south...

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

The carriage left the military camp and headed south, and the view ahead was a lead-green grassland and low hills.

Although the Chengdu Plain is rich and prosperous, it will snow when the winter is cold. At this time, the lawn has long been drained of its green color, and some evergreen trees have also been dyed with the gray and white of winter. Under the infiltration of water vapor, the entire wilderness seems empty and eerie, and the meaning of coldness seems to penetrate into people's bones.

Ning Ji's body was quite warm. First, he has always practiced martial arts, and his body is much healthier than ordinary people. Second, his father called him to a car and talked to him a lot during the journey. In these words, he not only cared about his martial arts and literacy progress, but also his father's tone of voice was quite gentle, which made the eleven-year-old boy feel warm in his heart.

For a long time, although Ning Yi's fierce reputation has spread all over the world, his attitude towards his family has not been tough. Sometimes he would even joke with the children, and he could not be regarded as a strict father who made the children fear him. But even so, Ning Ji and others did not spend much time with their father. The disappearance for two years caused the children in the family to experience the grief of their father's death early on. After returning, Ning Yi spent most of his time in busy work. So this afternoon's journey became the longest time Ning Ji and his father spent alone in several years.

"Have you been to Chengdu?" After asking about martial arts and literacy, Ning Yi asked him with a smile, and Ning Ji nodded excitedly: "After breaking the city, I went there once... but I didn't stay long."

"Is it big?"

"Yes, yes, but my brother said he still remembers Bianliang, and Bianliang is bigger."

"He left when he was three years old, how can he remember anything? He's lying to you." Ning Yi said with a smile. Bianliang was also a memory from more than ten years ago for him. Now it is probably dilapidated beyond recognition, "We will stay in Chengdu for a while this time, and then we will take you to play and see it. Your martial arts is good now, so help take care of your younger brothers and sisters."

"Yes, yes." Ning Ji nodded again and again: "...Will we not live in Chengdu in the future?"

"Chengdu is too big and prosperous, and it is temporarily close to the front, so it is not suitable to move the command point there." Ning Yi replied. Ning Ji did not understand, but he nodded. Ning Yi looked at him, thought for a while, and then smiled, "Think about it, we just took down Chengdu, and the front is still the battlefield. How can we bring our younger brothers and sisters to such a dangerous place? Not to mention the enemies on the battlefield, there are also some bad guys who will hide among ordinary people and come to sabotage, or want to kidnap you, your younger brothers and sisters. Isn't it difficult to defend against them?"

Ning Ji has also seen the battlefield now. Hearing what his father said, his face began to become serious, and he nodded heavily. Ning Yi patted him on the shoulder: "You are only this age, but I let you go to the battlefield. Do you blame me and your mother?"

Ning Ji pursed his lips and shook his head seriously. He looked at his father, the emotions in his eyes were somewhat resolute, and there was also the complexity and pity after witnessing so many tragedies. Ning Yi reached out and touched the child's head, hugged him with one hand, and looked at the lead-green color outside the window.

"Some things can't be said reasonably. I have told you about the Jurchens, and I have also told you about your Grandpa Qin. Our China Army doesn't want to be a coward and has offended many people. You and your younger brothers and sisters will not have a peaceful life. Assassins will kill you, and I can't hide you forever, so I can only put you on the battlefield and let you exercise..."

"If bad guys come to kill, I will kill them..." Ning Ji said in a low voice.

"It's not that simple. The enemies on the battlefield are not necessarily terrible. They are upright, and anyone in our China Army can beat them. But there are always some enemies that we can't see at a glance. Your Aunt Hong has such high martial arts skills, but she can't protect everyone's safety, so it's a good thing that you want to learn martial arts."

"My brother and I can also protect our younger brothers and sisters..." Ning Ji said in a muffled voice.

"Yes." Ning Yi paused and said after a while: "Since you want to be a martial arts master, I'll give you a new task in a few days."

"Yes."

"In Chengdu, there will be no fighting in the winter. Next, medical teams will be sent to the surrounding villages to see patients and give medicine. After a battle, many people's livelihoods will be affected. If it snows, more poor families will get sick and freeze to death than in previous years. You follow the master in the medical team and go see and treat people..."

Ning Yi paused: "Reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles, and learning martial arts is the same. You can't practice anything in the martial arts arena. You walk around and see good people and bad people. If you look more and think more, you will know how bad people hide in the crowd in the future. One day in the future, you and your brother will have to take responsibility for taking care of your younger brothers and sisters."

Ning Ji nodded even harder. Ning Yi said with a smile: "Of course, this is something that will happen in a while. When you see your younger brothers and sisters later, let's go to Chengdu to have a good time. It's been a long time since I've seen you. Wenwen, Xiao Shuang, Xiao Ning, and Xiao Ke all miss you very much. And Ning He's martial arts is laying the foundation, so go urge him..."

The carriage sped away, and the father and son chatted all the way. On this day, before dusk, the convoy arrived at a small camp west of Xinjin. This camp is built on the mountains and rivers, and there are not many people around. Tan'er, Hongti and others took Wenwen and other children to play by the river. There were also several children of Du Sha, Fang Shuchang and others. A pile of bonfires had already risen. Seeing Ning Ji's arrival, the enthusiastic Xiao Ning Ke had already rushed over screaming, and fell with a plop in the middle of the way, got up and continued to pounce with a smile, her face full of mud.

A group of adults around were both anxious and amused. Yunzhu had already run up with a handkerchief. Ning Yi looked at the children running together by the river and his face was full of smiles. This was a moment of family reunion, and everything seemed soft and warm.

Not long after, Ning Xi, who had begun to think and manage affairs, came over and privately asked his father about Ning Ji's travels with the military doctor. The eleven-year-old Ning Ji's understanding of the enemy is probably only limited to the most vicious, but Ning Xi understands a little more. In recent years, there have been assassination attempts against his father and his relatives. Even after taking Chengdu, this family trip has considerable security risks. If Ning Ji goes out with the military doctor, the consequences will be hard to say if he encounters a deliberate assassin.

Ning Yi looked at the children playing on the beach not far away, was silent for a moment, and then patted Ning Xi on the shoulder: "A doctor with an apprentice, plus two soldiers to escort, and Uncle Chen will take care of the security here. Since you are interested, go to your Grandpa Chen to give him a hand... Your Grandpa Chen was famous in the Green Forest back then. If you learn some of his skills with humility, it will be very useful in the future."

The "Grandpa Chen" in Ning Yi's mouth is Chen Tuozi, who has been responsible for security work by his side for a long time. Earlier, when he went out with Su Wenfang to do errands, when Long Qifei and others suddenly launched an attack, Chen Tuozi was injured and fled back to the mountains. Now his injuries have gradually healed, and Ning Yi plans to entrust the children's safety to him. Of course, on the other hand, he also hopes that the two children can learn more skills from him.

Ning Xi was very happy to get this arrangement and nodded. Ning Yi sat down on the beach and sighed. If possible, he would hope that his children would live in an era where they didn't have to worry about being afraid. Even if they were at risk of being unsuccessful or even becoming纨绔子弟, it would be better than pushing an eleven-year-old child onto the battlefield and letting him watch those 残尸断体 up close.

However, what corresponds to this cruelty is not the gentle possibility that the child will be unsuccessful. In the process of playing against the world, the relatives and children around him are facing a real and unparalleled threat of death. The possibility that fifteen-year-olds, eleven-year-olds, and even the youngest Ning Shuang and Ning Ning will suddenly be killed or die young is the same.

So he closed his eyes and sighed softly. Then he got up and went to the beach in the light of the bonfire. He fished, grilled, and played with a group of children for a long time this day. When night fell, Fang Shuchang came over to inform him of one thing. A special guest has been brought here.

It was Song Yongping.