The early autumn rain beat against the yellowing leaves.
On the sixteenth day of the seventh month, in a residence in Xicheng City, Dai Mengwei, who had returned a day earlier to pay his respects to the ancestors, was playing chess with his student. He gazed at the southern sky, somewhat absent-minded.
"... Teacher," his student, Pu Huiliang, called out in a low voice.
After a while, Dai Mengwei came back to his senses. "... Ah?"
"Teacher, it's your turn."
"Oh." Dai Mengwei placed a chess piece, and Pu Huiliang immediately responded.
"You've stolen half a day of leisure, but there are still many things on your mind, Teacher.
"I was too lazy in my early years, but now that I'm old, I know how lazy I can be … Huiliang, what do you think is on my mind?
"About Chengdu, right?"
"... Oh?"
Dai Mengwei picked up a chess piece and narrowed his eyes. Pu Huiliang smiled.
"Yesterday, news came that the Chinese army will enter Chengdu at the end of the month. Yesterday was the Zhongyuan Period, so something should happen. I think it will happen soon. "
The two had been master and disciple for many years, so Pu Huiliang's reply was not restrained. Of course, he also knew that his teacher appreciated quick-witted people, so he deliberately wanted to show off. As expected, Dai Mengwei narrowed his eyes and nodded.
"These days, I've asked you to pay attention to the autumn harvest arrangements, but you haven't mentioned the southwest. It seems that you haven't put down your homework. Tell me, what will happen? "
Pu Huiliang placed a chess piece and smiled. "The southwest has repelled Guhan, and the general trend is about to be established. What will happen in the future will be the key to the southwest gathering. Everyone is watching the situation over there and preparing to deal with it. Of course, there is also a possibility that we can't ignore … If Ning Yi suddenly dies, the Hua Xia Army will become a hot steamed bun that everyone in the world can rope in. Although the possibility of this is small, it can't be ignored. "
Dai Mengwei also placed a chess piece. "What does this have to do with your teacher?"
"Two months ago, Teacher's name resounded throughout the world. There was an endless stream of people seeking to meet you and offering advice and advice. Today, we are at odds with the Chinese army, but these people are different. There are righteous people among them, but who knows, there might be spies from the Chinese army … At the time, I thought about how to use these people and how to screen them, but now that I think about it — I'm not sure — there are many people who have better methods. Teacher … persuaded them to go to the southwest? "
Dai Mengwei stroked his beard. He had a bitter expression on his face. He usually looked serious, but at this moment, he only looked toward the southwest with a calm expression.
"Hundreds of people say that they are righteous. If one or two of them succeed, it will be a good thing. As for who could be used and who could not, there was no need to be so absolute. The fact that the Huaxia Empire's army was willing to accept people from the outside was Ning Yi's confidence in his own thinking. As for our side, the people's livelihood is improving and their lives are getting by. More and more people will agree with us. Many problems were self-evident. This is the reason why I placed you there, Hui Liang. The people are the most important. "
"Huiliang understands teacher's painstaking efforts." Pu Huiliang cupped his hands and nodded. "It's just that after the Jurchen Dynasty, the people's livelihood declined and the land became barren. In this world, there are many people suffering. The autumn harvest … I'm afraid that it will be difficult to plug all the holes."
"At present, there are two great enemies in the world. One is the Jurchen and the other is the southwest. After the Jurchen Dynasty, the people saw the barren fields. As long as we speak clearly, they will understand the difficulties of the times. It's just that you fellow apprentices and the officials outside must all be in the same boat. Don't resort to trickery. On the surface, you work for the officials and the people, but in private, you move toward your own home. That will cause trouble. Now that we have encountered such people, we must kill them. "
Dai Mengwei said the word 'kill' calmly, without the slightest hint of anger. However, Pu Huiliang knew that this teacher was vicious and merciless. It could even be said that in the last six months, he had only realized how ruthless this teacher who had followed him for so many years could be when he made a move. In the past few decades, he had lived in Xicheng City and studied, so he did not need to reveal his ability to handle matters. It was only in the last two years that the old man came out to set up a trap, including the Jurchen Dynasty and the Huaxia Empire's army.
In particular, in the last six months, his true intentions were revealed. He even sacrificed his own flesh and blood to kill fellow Han soldiers. After taking over the region, his methods of dealing with corrupt officials were also exceptionally cruel, embodying the Confucian doctrine of 'sage within, king outside' to the extreme. But it was also because of these methods that he received the cheers of many people in various places where there were thousands of things waiting to be done.
"You joined Senior Brother Wen at Bamboo Creek, eating, living and sleeping with the people. This performance is very good. Although we can't plug all the holes this autumn, we can at least plug some of them. I've also made an agreement with Uncle Liu Ping to purchase a batch of grain from him. After this winter and next spring, the situation will stabilize. He wants to plot for the Central Plains, so we should first seek stability … "
The teacher and disciple spoke as they played chess. Speaking of Liu Guangshi, Pu Huiliang smiled slightly. "Uncle Liu Ping has a wide circle of friends and is used to being two-faced. This time in the southwest, I heard that he was the first to step forward to make a deal with the Huaxia Empire and obtained a lot of benefits in advance. If someone wants to move against the Huaxia Empire, who knows what his attitude will be?"
"Uncle Liu Ping's thoughts are complicated, but he's not without foresight. If the Huaxia Empire stands firm, he can certainly take advantage of it, but at the same time, he won't mind losing the most troublesome Ning Liheng in the Huaxia Empire. When the time comes, when the various families divide up the southwest, he will still be the big head. That won't change. " At this point, Dai Mengwei looked at the curtain of rain outside and paused slightly. "In truth, after the Enlightened Lady passed away, the lands became barren and refugees rose everywhere. What place was truly unaffected? In the end, it's still the southwest … "
The old man sighed. "The land of Shu is blessed by the heavens and has been a land of abundance since ancient times. In this southwest war, the Enlightened Lady's troops were not even able to push to Zizhou. Although the Huaxia Empire suffered some losses, the grain on the plains was not damaged in the slightest. In today's southwest, it is indeed very difficult for something to happen to Ning Yi, but … if this really happens, when the time comes, the accumulated resources of the southwest will flow to all sides. Not only will our Han martial equipment and the study of things greatly flourish, this winter will also save many people from starvation. "
The autumn rain poured down outside the window, and the room grew silent. Pu Huiliang extended his hand and placed a chess piece. "In the past, it was always this and that motley crew of the Lulin Forest who used their hot-bloodedness to oppose him. This time, this disciple believes that the situation will certainly be different."
He paused. "In terms of time, it should be soon …"
… …
The afternoon sun shone upon the plains of Chengdu.
On the official road from Chengdu to the south, there was an endless stream of people and carriages.
Descending from a Taoist temple, You Hongzhuo carried a saber and a bundle on his back and strolled along a small flowing river.
The vast plains seemed to stretch out endlessly in front of him. The river and the official road intersected, and the occasional village and farmland looked like a painting under the golden sunlight. Even the pedestrians on the road seemed to have more smiles on their faces than the people of the Central Plains.
The official road was also much sturdier. It was obvious that a great deal of thought and effort had been put into it. All the way from Jindi to the south, the roads were mostly full of potholes. This was the first time in his life that he had seen such a smooth road. Even in his childhood memories, the flourishing Wu dynasty probably would not have expended so much effort to repair the roads. Of course, he wasn't sure of this, but that was it.
Nowadays, when it came to things that he couldn't quite understand or think clearly about, he would habitually look around and think more.
In the past, when he was in Jindi, he had done many chivalrous deeds. Of course, the most important thing was to act as a hero among the common people and protect the safety of the minister. During this period, he had even interacted with the hero Shi Jin several times, and had even been personally received by the minister.
The minister had originally wanted to persuade some of the trustworthy heroes to join her guard, and many had agreed. But because of past events, You Hongzhuo still had doubts about the "court" and "officialdom". He didn't want to lose his freedom, so he had refused. The other side didn't force him, and even rewarded him for his past help, giving him a lot of money.
After the war in the southwest was settled, the Huaxia army invited guests from all over the world in Chengdu. You Hongzhuo was quite tempted, but because of the imminent threat of Zong Hanxi and Yin's return to the north, he didn't know whether he should leave or not. During this period, he had a conversation with the hero Shi Jin and exchanged pointers in private. Shi Jin believed that the danger in Jindi was not great, and that You Hongzhuo's skills were already quite good. He needed more tests and comprehension to make a breakthrough, so he persuaded him to go to the southwest.
To read ten thousand books, one must travel ten thousand miles. The same was true for one's skills. When You Hongzhuo first arrived in the southwest, he had naturally come for the martial arts competition, but from the moment he entered the Sword Gate, he was endlessly amazed by all kinds of new things and scenes. After staying in Chengdu for several days, he sensed all kinds of signs of conflict. There were the impassioned and impassioned Confucians, the criticism and abuse of the Huaxia army, the confusion caused by all kinds of deviant practices, and in private, there were even quite a few heroes who seemed to be prepared to sacrifice their lives and come here, preparing to assassinate the inner demon, Ning Yi …
You Hongzhuo had first come into contact with the Black Flag Army in Zezhou. At the time, the Black Flag Army had led the great coup against Tian Hu, and as a result, the female minister had risen to power. You Hongzhuo had seen the Black Flag Army's power to turn a hand over the clouds and rain, and he had also seen all kinds of tragedies in the chaos. At the time, his impression of the Black Flag Army couldn't be considered bad, but it wasn't good either. Just like a giant beast casually rolling about, it would always crush the lives of many living beings.
Later on, when he heard the various deeds of the Black Flag Army in the southwest, and when he successfully defeated the female Zhenren for the first time, he developed a good impression and reverence. This time, he had also come with such thoughts. Who knew that after arriving here, there would be so many people expressing their dissatisfaction with the Huaxia army and speaking of terrifying prophecies. Among them, there were quite a few people who were well-read and learned.
In the land of Jin, because Lou Shuwan was a woman, there were also quite a few people who fabricated all kinds of evil deeds out of thin air. However, on the other side, You Hongzhuo could still clearly distinguish the greatness and importance of the female minister. In the southwest, it was difficult for him to determine the good and evil of the inner demon from all kinds of rumors. Some said he was militaristic, some said he was swift and decisive, some said he was breaking the old and establishing the new, some said he was arrogant and rebellious …
Fortunately, he was not in a hurry to pick a side. Regarding the various situations in the southwest, he quietly observed. After staying in the city of Chengdu for several days, he applied for a customs clearance document and left the city to head further south. The Huaxia army was truly strange. When they asked him why he was leaving the city, You Hongzhuo frankly said that he was going to look around. The other side sized him up and then casually stamped the document. They only warned him twice not to do anything illegal or evil, or else he would definitely be dealt with severely.
Tsk, if I want to act recklessly, what can you do to me!
In these few years, the number of times he had fought with others was incalculable. Between life and death, he had rapidly improved, and he also had a relatively accurate grasp of his own martial arts. Of course, because Mister Zhao had taught him to revere the rules, he would not easily destroy the public order and good morals on a whim. Just thinking about it, he took the document and went on his way.
He leisurely strolled along the way. On this afternoon, he walked to the edge of a small forest and casually went in to resolve his three urgent needs. As he walked out in the other direction, he passed by a small path and saw some movement in front of him.
It was six martial artists with weapons on their backs. They were standing by the side of the road and looking at the scenery of the distant fields. There were also people urinating by the side of the road. You Hongzhuo was not willing to casually approach such people from the forest. If he was an ordinary person, it would be fine, but he was also carrying a saber. He was afraid that it would cause the other party to think too much. He was just about to quietly leave when the other party's words blew into his ears along with the autumn wind.
"… When I left home, I only had five days' worth of rations left. Although I received … Sir's help, I'm afraid this winter will not be easy … "
"… It's all the Perfected Lady's fault. She couldn't even plant anything in spring …"
"… Look at how well the rice here is growing. If only we could drag some back …"
"… The Huaxia army is all businessmen. How many catties can you buy …"
"… Besides, now that the two sides have shed all pretense of cordiality …"
"… A few days ago, that scholar surnamed Ren said that the Huaxia army is like this. They only talk about business and don't talk about morality or honor … Even if they obtain the world, it will still be the suffering of the people …"
"… If the one surnamed Ning is dead, many things can be negotiated. Right now, the Black Flag in the southwest is irreconcilable with the outside world because of the debt of regicide. Once this debt is settled, we are all Han people and Huaxia people. We can sit down and talk about anything … "
"… The one surnamed Ning is not easy to kill …"
"… The one surnamed Ren said that the one surnamed Ning is not easy to kill because in the past, everyone was disorganized and did not form a united force …"
"… Can't form a united force. The one surnamed Ning is known as an inner demon. If we really work together, who knows how many people are traitors. If there is even one traitor, everyone will die …"
"… Then there is no need to gather. You and I, the six of us brothers, just do our own things … The one surnamed Ren said that this time in the southwest, there are countless people who want the demon's life. Now, even if we don't contact each other in private, as long as one of us calls out, we can call out hundreds. But under such circumstances, we can't all go to kill the demon …"
"… Then what should we do?"
"… The one surnamed Ren gave us a suggestion. The demon has many soldiers and generals, but after the war, his strength has been stretched thin. Now that many righteous people have come to the southwest, we only need three to five experts to assassinate the demon. As for the others, we can think of ways to split the demon's forces and distract him. The one surnamed Ren said that the demon cares about his family the most, and his family is all in Zhang Village … We don't know about the others, but as long as we make a move or distract a group of soldiers so that they can't catch him, there will be someone who will find an opportunity … "
"… If the demon is dead, will the Huaxia army really negotiate with the outside world?"
"… Weren't the things that happened all these years caused by this demon? In the past, when the people of the Greenwood Sect came to kill him, they would gather here and there, and then they would all be wiped out. This time, it's not just us martial artists. There are so many famous scholars and scholars in the city, who doesn't want him to die … At the end of the month, when the army enters the city, Chengdu will be like an iron bucket. There will be no more chances to assassinate him. We can only take a gamble before the end of the month … "
"… Brothers, we've been through life and death together for many years, and the only people I can trust are you. This time, our document is going to Jiading, but as long as we turn to Zhang Village midway, no one will be able to stop us … It's good if we can capture this demon's family and use them as hostages, but even if we can't, there will naturally be other people who will take care of this matter if we cause trouble … "
…
On the east side of Chengdu, a group of scholars could be heard cursing each other on the street. The scene was noisy and somewhat chaotic.
On the second floor of a teahouse by the street, a grey-robed scholar named Ren Jingzhu was sitting by the window, drinking tea while talking to the seemingly ordinary assassin Chen Wei, who also had an ordinary name and appearance.
"If you do this, the Huaxia army will definitely get wind of it," said Chen Wei, who raised his teacup and looked downstairs at the quarreling scene.
"It doesn't matter if they get wind of it. Right now, I don't know where those people will go, and it's hard to say whether they will go or not. But if the Huaxia army gets wind of it, they will have to take precautions. Some people will go here, some people will go there, and those who can really be used in Chengdu will become fewer. Moreover, this time, it's not just you and me who came to Chengdu to lay out the plan. We only know that once the chaos starts, there will definitely be people who will cooperate with us. "
Ren Jingzhu stuffed a broad bean into her mouth. "When the time comes, it will be a mess. Maybe those downstairs will also take the opportunity to cause trouble. You, Qin Gang, Xiaolong … just need to seize an opportunity, although I also don't know where this opportunity is …"
"Probably in the next two days?"
"After all, there will be no more opportunities after this." Ren Jingzhu tilted her head to look at the scholar who was beating and cursing. "If it really doesn't work, I can also start the game."
Chen Wei nodded and was silent for a moment. "Do you know who I met in the city?"
"Hmm?"
"Wang Xiangfo. I don't know who invited him out of the mountain … In Chengdu, there are not many people who know him."
"It's not strange. The one who invited Wang Xiangfo is probably Tie Yan." Ren Jingzhu thought for a moment. "There will probably be other experts we know and don't know who will come here. Those who can resist participating in the Martial Arts Competition must be plotting something."
"It's a mess, but everyone's goal is the same. There hasn't been such a thing in Jianghu for many years." Chen Wei smiled. "You are full of evil tricks. In the past, you can't see the light of day. This time, we will finally know who is more powerful, you or the Inner Demon."
"I just do my best to give him some trouble. Now he is wearing shoes, and I am barefoot. Even if I win, it will be an unfair victory." Ren Jingzhu analyzed, but in the depths of her eyes, there was an indescribable arrogance hidden. He was 32 years old this year, and he had been taking orders to kill people in the Jiangnan area all year round. Although he was young, he had already gained the reputation of being a schemer in the underworld. However, compared to the world-famous Inner Demon, his scope was always smaller. This time, he came to Chengdu at the invitation of Wu Qimei. Naturally, he looked humble on the surface, but he had a certain degree of confidence in his heart.
In such a chaotic market, there was no way to unite people openly. Others had to be wary of each other when contacting others. Only he chose to make the whole situation more chaotic. He believed that even if the Inner Demon was in Chengdu, such a situation would also give him a headache.
He raised his teacup. "I have done everything I can. I wish you the best."
Chen Wei raised his cup and clinked it with him. "This time, for the world."
…
At sunset, in the military camp of Huaxia in the south of Chengdu, Mao Yishan led a team into the camp and signed the document to enter the camp.
The clerk who watched him sign was already acquainted with him. Seeing the team he led, he said, "Commander Mao, this time you are here to show off in the Martial Arts Competition, right? The people you brought are all … "
"Elites!" Mao Yishan gave a thumbs-up. "But, it is for the task. You know my martial arts. I can't fight one-on-one, and I'm not suitable for fighting in the arena. If I really want to fight in the arena, Wang Dai is first-class, and there is also Niu Chengshu and his group of people in the Seventh Army. Liu Muxia, who said she didn't want to be a squad leader and only wanted to fight in the front line … Gee, I still remember her. She is really ruthless. And those people around Mr. Ning, Boss Du and the others. With them, why should I fight in the arena? "
He signed his name and knocked on the table.
"Your martial arts is really … You can't fight when you smile, but you can kill when you are fierce. You are only suitable for the battlefield." The clerk laughed, then leaned over and whispered, "… They are all here."
"Ah?"
"Wang Dai arrived yesterday. He is in the camp. I heard that Niu Chengshu and his group entered the city from the north the day before yesterday. You should go to the city early and look around the guest house. You should be able to see them. "
"Ah, then I will find them for dinner tonight! Niu Chengshu beat me up in the last competition. This time he wants to treat me. Do you want to come tonight … "
"I can't go today. I have something to do here."
"Then I will go find Wang Dai first …"
People laughed and laughed. In the city of Chengdu, the noisy scholars continued. Mao Yishan, who had changed into casual clothes, entered the city with a group of companions in the light of the setting sun.
Chen Wei and Ren Jingzhu went downstairs and left separately. Not far away, a strong man who looked like a bull squatted on the side of the road eating candied haws. His face was distorted by the sour taste. A child saw this scene and smiled, showing half of his white teeth. Few people could know the expression of the strong man when he said on the battlefield, "Killing people should be joyful".
Wang Xiangfo was reading the profiles and stories of the people on the signboard outside the competition venue. In the noodle shop with the best reputation in the city, Liu Muxia finished her egg noodles and paid the beautiful girl with a smile.
The old scholar named Guan Shanhai was kissing the girl with his arms around her. In a shop two streets away, Wen Shoubin welcomed the new friends he would make and was ready to sit down and discuss Taoism. Qu Longjun sat in the pavilion and watched the sun go down. Ning Ji was in the yard sewing his torn pants clumsily.
Six chivalrous men set foot on the road to Zhang Village. Out of some nostalgia and nostalgia, You Hongzhuo followed behind them …
There were more and more ordinary people. Ordinary people had ordinary hopes, different purposes, and different lives. They crossed each other in the turbulent crowd. Even though they passed each other's shoulders, they had not crossed each other in this warm moment …
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