"… Miss, may I ask how to get to Zhang Village?"
Under the early autumn sun, the wind blew through the fields of rice. A swordsman dressed like a scholar stopped a dark-skinned village girl who was fetching water from the ridge and asked. The village girl looked at him.
"Go to the other side of the main road. You'll get there in less than half a day … Why are there so many people going to Zhang Village recently? What are you doing there?"
"Are there many people going to Zhang Village recently?"
"Quite a few. Someone asked me about it yesterday."
"Oh, I wonder what they're doing there." The scholar pondered for a while and then smiled. "I'm a scholar from Hu Province. I heard that the Huaxia army has conquered the world, so I came to Zhang Village to seek shelter and fame."
"Hu Province persimmon? You're a human, how are you a persimmon? "
"Oh … scholar, scholar, it means a scholar. Thank you for pointing the way. Is it that way? "
"Yes, the main road. Go south. Go straight. Scholar, you should have said so earlier. "The dark-skinned girl looked at him again.
"Thank you, thank you. Thank you for pointing the way, miss. "
At the end of the conversation, the scholar bowed and watched the dark-skinned girl fetching water and walking towards the nearby village. Then, he went to the other side. His five brothers were waiting by a small river bank not far away. The scholar went over and confirmed with them that they were not going in the wrong direction.
"There are so many people going to Zhang Village recently. I'm afraid it will attract attention." Someone was worried.
"If they are all martial artists, I'm afraid they won't let them go. However, it's a fact that the Huaxia army defeated the Jurchen soldiers. I think there are many people going there recently. It's like we're mixed in with these people … The more people there are, the more troops the Huaxia army has to prepare. If we go to the sentry post and set fire, we can make them run for their lives … "
"That's true."
"Since we're already close to Zhang Village, it's not good to go on the main road. In my opinion, we should just go along this main road. If I'm not wrong, there must be more sentry posts on the main road."
"Then it's decided."
The few of them made a plan. Someone laughed.
"Speaking of which, the girl just now is not bad."
"… It's a little dark, but it looks sturdy. It's obvious that it's fertile."
"Brothers, you don't know, but up close, she looks quite delicate. When I said that I was a scholar, she looked at me up and down. That look in her eyes … You know, in fact, all the villagers want to be matched with a scholar. That's how it's sung in the opera …"
"You don't say. Fifth Brother's scholarly appearance is really amazing. Just look at that young lady. If we were to go to her and propose marriage, we would definitely succeed!"
…
Her wanton words were carried by the autumn wind into You Hongzhuo's ears, and he smiled slightly.
The conversation between the six people in front of him made him feel a little nostalgic.
Previously, he had killed people in the small mountain village. Later, he met his six brothers and sisters. After becoming sworn brothers, he began to roam the world. Not long after, because of the betrayal of his fourth brother, Kuang Wenbai, the group fell apart, and he was chased. But in retrospect, when he first entered the world, he was lonely and helpless. Later, the world gradually became complicated and heavy. Only when he followed his six brothers and sisters did the world become pure and interesting in front of him.
At that time, the Jianghu world he saw every day was new, and the rumors he heard were delightful. The seven of them helped each other, and they did not have to sleep in fear. Even though it was an illusion, he did not have that kind of warmth and stability again.
Over the past few years, he had fought with many like-minded people to fight against the Nvchen Race and Liao Yiren. He had actually seen quite a few people that he could rely on, but for him, he was no longer in the mood to become sworn brothers with them. Now that he thought about it, it was also his bad luck. The road he took when he entered the world was too cruel.
The warriors living in the south were more or less naive and undisciplined.
He followed the six people from afar. The Chengdu Plain had a wide field of vision. Fortunately, the six of them had taken the main road in the first half of the journey. In the latter half of the journey, the six of them harbored ulterior motives. They left the main road and took detours through forests and small paths. This provided the conditions for You Hongzhuo to follow them.
Along the way, You Hongzhuo was thinking about who he should help and who was the good guy. The six people in front of him gave him a sense of familiarity. On the whole, the six people had indeed made up their minds to do what they thought was right. But on the other hand, the closer he got to the core area of the Hua Xia army, the more he felt the surrounding scenery was refreshing. The land here was fertile, the paddy fields stretched, the roads were steady, and the villages were orderly. Many places could clearly see traces of newly cultivated land.
Since many years ago, when she and her husband had joined hands with the Running Tiger King, she had always been developing agriculture, commerce, and painstakingly opening up farmland in various places. Especially in the background of the Nüzhen south, it was she who had always struggled to support the whole situation. Some places had been burned down by the Nüzhen or destroyed by the evil people led by Liao Yiren, but the female minister had always been doing her best to rebuild. You Hongzhuo had helped in the female minister's camp for many years, so he was increasingly aware of these moving deeds.
The Central Plains had been in turmoil for more than ten years. The entire world had been broken and smashed, but only Jin, which had been struggling to survive, had managed to preserve a decent livelihood. On his way south, You Hongzhuo had seen many places where there was no rooster crowing for a thousand miles and white bones exposed in the wilderness. This was the achievement and pride of the people of Jin. But this kind of achievement was nothing compared to the scene in the southwest.
The Chengdu Plain had never experienced a major war in all these years. Had such a scene existed before, or had it been built after the arrival of the Hua Xia army?
As he walked, he pondered these questions in his mind.
On the other hand, he also thought of the overall feeling he had had recently. Other than the six heroes in front of him, there were indeed many people who wanted to cause trouble in Chengdu. There would probably be many people who went to Zhang Village in the next few days as well. After defeating the Nüzhen, the Hua Xia army was stretched thin. If there really were so many people scattered and wanted to cause trouble, how could the Hua Xia army deal with them?
When they were in Jin, they had also encountered such a situation. The enemy was not only the Nüzhen, but also Liao Yiren who had taken refuge with the Nüzhen. He had also offered a high bounty to incite all kinds of outlaws to take the head of the female minister. There were also people who wanted to kill her just to make a name for themselves or because they could not bear to see Prime Minister Lou as a woman.
The Dragon King, as the guard of the female minister, followed by her side to protect her. You Hongzhuo and the others spontaneously took up the role of guards in the Greenwood Forest. They contributed manpower and strength, gathered information, and when they heard that someone wanted to cause trouble, they took the initiative to stop them. During this period of time, there were actually some unjust and false cases. Of course, there were even more tragic killings.
What should the Hua Xia army do? From the situation this time, it seemed that so many 'righteous men' were standing against them. With so many enemies, if it became as chaotic as in Jin...
As the sun set, You Hongzhuo thought about these things as he followed the six people in front of him into the sparse forest on the outskirts of Zhang Village...
...
On the 18th of July, Chengdu, the sun was still shining brightly on the city.
The crowd was bustling, merchants came and went, and all kinds of people in the city went their own way. The quarrels of the great scholars in the newspapers were getting more and more intense. They analyzed the world with great essays. There were indeed several essays that were enthusiastically discussed, and even left their names in some historical records many years later.
The scholars who were determined to seek fame in the Hua Xia army gradually grasped some rules about the subjects that were required to be tested in the school. Other than burying themselves in studying every day, there were even some private night schools and classes that had already been opened in the corners of the city. The scholars who first found these places seemed to have found a shortcut. People studied, discussed, and gradually opened the door to a new world.
The World Number One Martial Arts Competition began to stir up a heated atmosphere in the city. The preliminary contest of this contest would officially end in August. In the last ten days of July, most of the masters who were likely to stand out in the contest had arrived. With this background as a foundation, Takeshi came up with a list of martial artists who had qualified after two victories.
As the officials did not allow gambling, it was not convenient for them to make too subjective a ranking. Thus, two underground casinos worked together with some authoritative masters to come up with a list of the top fifty martial artists in Chengdu for the time being. The two lists vividly recorded the life stories of each martial artist and the martial arts they were most proud of. The odds for future battles would also rise and fall because of this. With gambling and stories, the curiosity and passion of the people in the city towards this martial arts competition gradually increased.
Everything seemed to be thriving. Even the fierce criticism of the Hua Xia army had become more restrained after the middle of July. But in the city, where undercurrents were surging, tension continued to build, waiting for something to explode.
After receiving the notice that Shishi was free, Yu Ho-chung followed the female soldier Xiao Ling and quickly passed through the courtyard in front of him. He saw a woman in a white dress by the lake.
Recently, she seemed to be very busy. Although she had been demoted from the Hua Xia army's foreign affairs department to the publicity department, Yu Ho-chung had also heard on the eve of the first conference that she would be one of the main managers of the Hua Xia army's publicity department in the future. However, despite being busy, her spirit and complexion seemed to have become younger and more energetic in Yu Ho-chung's eyes.
The reason was not hard to guess. Ever since they first met, he had indeed become more and more attentive to her. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder … ten years ago, he might not have been willing to admit such thoughts, but now, there was nothing to be ashamed of.
After greeting each other, Yu Ho-chung suppressed the throbbing in his heart. He sat down on a chair in front of Shishi and thought for a moment.
"The situation in the city has been very tense recently. What exactly are you guys thinking? "
He questioned to show his concern. As expected, Shishi was not angry. She smiled and tilted her head.
"What situation?"
"Now that things have come to this, there's nothing to hide … Maybe Shishi, you've been concerned about writing recently. Before the end of the month, there will be chaos in the city. Do you know that?"
"Where did Brother Yu hear this rumor?"
"I deal with … General Liu and the others all day long. I can always hear what I should hear. Shishi, Yan Daolun wants to facilitate business with the Hua Xia army. This is one thing, but which side they are on is another. I don't know … what is Liheng thinking. This time, there are so many people from all walks of life in Chengdu, and a bunch of scholars are adding fuel to the fire. If you guys don't control them in private, sooner or later, there will be trouble … "
"It's not that we don't control them. Anyone who breaks the law will still be arrested." Shishi smiled and explained, "Moreover, Liheng always says that if you want to do business, you have to take risks. If they don't come in, we won't even have the chance to get to know each other. Today's Chengdu is to give the Hua Xia army a chance to greet the world. Otherwise, wouldn't they be speculating in private about what the Hua Xia army is like? "
"But today, we're opening the door to thieves! There are too many of them! " Yu Ho-chung knocked on the table and lowered his voice, "Do you know that they want to assassinate Liheng?"
"Liheng has been assassinated enough these past few years."
"But this time is different. This time, there are many scholars inciting them. Hundreds and thousands of people will do this together. You don't even know who it is, but they are talking about it in private. Recently, six or seven people have talked to me about this. If you guys don't restrain them … "
"They are just talking about it. They probably didn't say that they will do anything. It's not good for us to restrain them. After all, Liheng said that we have to give them a heads up … "
"But those people from all walks of life will be stirred up! Those peddlers, armed escorts, and people from the Green Forest who enter the city will rely on this once in their lives to become famous. This time, they will all say that they want to participate in this grand event and do something big. This is like … a barrel of gunpowder. Once it's lit, it will explode! "
Shishi thought for a moment, "… I think that Liheng should have prepared for this."
"He didn't prepare enough! He shouldn't have opened the door in the first place! " Yu Ho-chung was excited for a moment. Then, he finally calmed down, "Forget it. Shishi, the people you normally interact with are different from the people I interact with. Therefore, what you see and hear might also be different. These past few years, I have seen all kinds of things. These people … may not be able to accomplish anything, but they are always able to spoil things. They … may be powerless against the Enlightened Lady, but that's because the Enlightened Lady isn't of our race. They dare to fight and kill. The Hua Xia army is too gentle. Next, as long as they reveal the slightest flaw, they will swarm in. In the past, when Liheng was assassinated by a few or dozens of people, he was still able to block them. But if hundreds or thousands of people swarm in this city, it will spoil things. You all … could it be that you want to make such a greeting? "
Shishi nodded her head, "This matter … I believe that this side will be prepared. After all, I am not in their position. Regarding matters of fighting and killing, I know very little. However, if Brother Yu has a systematic idea, such as how to view this matter, how to deal with it, who to guard against … why don't you go see Liheng and talk to him? Regarding this matter, as his younger sister, I can make some arrangements. "
Yu Ho-chung was slightly stunned. He pondered for a moment in his mind. This time, when he heard the turbulent public opinion outside, his heart became nervous. He felt that there was an opportunity to talk to Shishi, so he came over. But to talk about such a clear grasp of the details, after all, there was not even the slightest clue. A group of scholars could normally talk vividly and vividly, but when it came to specifically talking about who to guard against and who to capture, who could speak carelessly, who dared to speak carelessly?
After hesitating for a moment, Yu Ho-chung sighed, "I mainly want to remind you, regarding the matter of meeting Liheng, it is better to forget about it. You know, he is a person with many thoughts, in the past … we did not chat much … I just want to remind you, you also have to be careful, pay attention to your safety … "
As he said so, his body leaned forward, his hands naturally reaching forward, wanting to hold Shishi's hand which was placed on the table. But Shishi had already retracted her hand. She brushed her hair behind her ear, her eyes looking at the lake at the side, as if she did not see his overly obvious action.
"I live here, and will not run out. My safety is the same as everyone else, there is no need to worry."
Originally, Yu Ho-chung's heart was on fire. When he reached out his hand, he had also made up his mind. If he held her hand, he would seize the opportunity to say something. But Shishi's evasion was too obvious, and it was as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head. His mind was in a mess, and he pretended to be calm and sighed, "You also know, the rumors outside all say that you have already become someone to Liheng …"
"Hezhong, what if it is not a rumor?"
Shishi's gaze looked over with a smile. Yu Ho-chung was stunned, and then finally retracted his hand. "… Hey, at this time, you still love to joke. If it is true, there will naturally be many people to protect you, but if it is not, this rumor will harm you … "
He leaned back in his chair, and then said, "In any case, I am also a little anxious, and this is all I have to say to you. Sigh, it wasn't easy for the Hua Xia Army to get to this point. Don't be fooled by Yan Daolun and the rest's amiable attitude towards you. When you turn around, they're also hoping that the Hua Xia Army will cause more trouble. If someone had really assassinated Li Heng eight months ago, the Hua Xia Army would have been torn apart, and they would have benefited greatly. Although I am slow-witted, I also know that it is easy to rule the world, but difficult to rule the world … "
"Now is not the time to rule the world."
"It is more or less the same." Yu Ho-chung stood up. "Alright, I will leave first. I guess you have a lot of things to do, anyway … I hope you are well, and I also hope that this business can be done … Let's talk next time."
"I will see you out."
Shishi stood up to send him out, and Yu Ho-chung became more and more agitated. When he reached the courtyard door, he turned around to block Shishi. "This is fine, you … It is not safe outside, and you are busy too, so don't go out …"
Shishi smiled helplessly, and then bowed slightly. "Alright, then see you next time."
"See you next time, see you next time …"
Yu Ho-chung waved his hand, and along the way, he pretended to be calm, but his mood was gloomy and fluctuating. Shishi's "if it is not a rumor" seemed to be a warning, a reminder, but on second thought, Shishi had been a bit of a mischievous person more than ten years ago, and when she really made a joke, she really did it according to her heart.
Was she together with Ning Yi, or was she not? As he pondered this question, he couldn't help but recall the sorry state he had been in when his hand had been avoided. He only felt that his thoughts had been completely exposed to the other party — it was fine to be exposed, but the most tragic thing was to be rejected. Once he was rejected, many questions would hit him like a slap to the face. He was a man with a wife and a child, and the reason he was able to become the most important middleman in this transaction in the southwest was all because of the care she had given him …
This kind of understanding made his head a little dizzy, and he felt like he had lost all face. But after walking for a while, he recalled the bits and pieces of the past, and hope began to rise in his heart. He remembered that when they had first met a few days ago, she had said that she had not married him off, that she was someone who liked to joke around, and that she had not firmly rejected him …
That's right, given his present situation, it was indeed not surprising that she would not favor him. According to what he had thought before, he had hoped to take advantage of this opportunity in the southwest to accumulate some benefits and capital to speak with her. Only then would he be worthy of her. Today, he had truly lost his head … Since Shishi had not rejected him, with her exquisite Heart of Seven Apertures, his thoughts had already been exposed. This was admittedly a little hard to bear, but when he thought about it carefully, it wasn't too bad?
His thoughts ran wild, and when his thoughts gradually calmed down and he was no longer afraid of boiling water, he once again thought of the main reason he had come here in the peaceful atmosphere of Yingbin Road. Countless people from outside were waiting to cause trouble, and Yan Daolun and the others would be happy to see it happen. Yet here, they had actually let their guard down, probably because their confidence had swelled after repelling the Female Zhenren.
He had hoped that this transaction would succeed and that the Hua Xia army would be able to smoothly transition, but now that he thought of this, he faintly hoped that something bad would happen. Once this side fell into chaos, Shishi would understand his painstaking efforts, and the path of the Hua Xia army would be a little more secure. Moreover, if chaos really did erupt, Shishi would definitely inform Ning Yi of his warning today. When the time came, he would meet with the other party again, and many things would be easier to talk about.
As the sun fell, he walked through the bustling streets of Chengdu. He saw scholar after scholar, martial artist after martial artist, all of them like righteous men waiting to act. Every gaze of these people seemed to be privately saying something, plotting to connect.
If something bad was going to happen, then let it happen …
He thought.
…
"… The Hua Xia army is prepared."
The warm afternoon wind blew across the surface of the river, and the fragrance of tea lingered in the pleasure boat.
This seemed to be an ordinary gathering. Guan Shanhai, Lang Guoxing, Mu Wenchang … and several others gathered under Yang Tiehuai's summons. To prevent eavesdroppers from eavesdropping, they chose a pleasure boat on the river.
Yang Tiehuai, who was known as Duke Huai, had his head smashed when arguing with someone on the street more than a month ago. At this moment, his forehead was still bandaged. As he poured tea, he spoke calmly,
"The Hua Xia army is prepared." He said, "The situation in the city is known to all. It's loose on the outside, but tight on the inside. Many of the Takeshi people have already entered the city, and even fought their way into the so-called 'righteous men' in the market. Many of them will be caught as soon as they make a move. Yesterday, there was a fight in Anqing Square, and two people died, both assassins from outside. There was also an incident at Yingbin Road, and each time, the assassins were caught on the spot. The Hua Xia army is very good at preventing assassinations. I'm afraid small fights won't be effective … Please have some tea. "
As everyone served tea, Guan Shanhai said, "Since you know that the Hua Xia army is prepared, why did Duke Huai call us old guys over? What if one or two of us are 'comrades' from the Hua Xia army, and we get caught as soon as we disembark? What should we do? "
"The Hua Xia army is the hero who defeated the Lady Zhenren. We've gathered today because we're worried about the situation in the city. What's wrong with that?" Yang Tiehuai's expression did not change. His gaze swept across the crowd. "The situation in Chengdu today is different from the assassinations organized by the Greenwood people in the past. Today, there are many … bandits who have entered the city. Some of them have been targeted, and some have not. We don't know who will make a move, and who will hide. But for the Hua Xia army, this is ultimately a matter of guarding against thieves. If there's a group of opponents, they have to arrange a group of people to keep an eye on them."
"… Their manpower is limited. If these bandits go up one by one, the Hua Xia army will capture them one by one. But if there are dozens of people attacking at the same time, the net that the Hua Xia army has laid will inevitably fall short. So at the end of the day, this matter is a competition between people's hearts and strength. On one hand, it's to see how much strength the Hua Xia army has, and on the other hand … it's to see how many people don't like the Hua Xia army having a good life … "
He raised his teacup. "If strength is greater than people's hearts, this net will be impregnable. But if people's hearts are greater than strength, this net may be broken."
The group of old people nodded and drank tea. Among them, Mu Wenchang, who was in his forties, looked at the people around him and said, "That is to say, we don't know if the 'bandits' in the city will make a move today, but it's possible that people's hearts are not united. Some want to make a move, some don't, some are willing to risk their lives, and some just want to observe … but if there are too many observers, the people's hearts will not be able to compete with strength."
"If I were a bandit, I would certainly hope that there would be fewer observers when I make a move." Yang Tiehuai nodded.
"The Hua Xia army's strength is there for all to see, but the hearts of the people today are unstable. Because of the Hua Xia army's strength, it's impossible for the people in the city to gather together. Whether or not they can break through that strength depends on how many people make a move … Speaking of which, this is really like Ning Yi's … open plot. "Someone said.
Yang Tiehuai smiled. "Today's tea is purely to talk about the situation in the city. I know that many of you have brought people with you. It's not easy for the Hua Xia army to manage this situation. If something happens next, they will inevitably fly into a rage. Everyone should restrain their subordinates and not let them do things that hurt their friends and delight their enemies … Alright, it's just a casual chat. If there's anything else you want to say, feel free to say it. We're all worried about the Hua Xia army."
He smiled and waved his hand.
"… Please have some tea."
Sunlight shone in through the window of the pleasure boat. There were many unknown corners of the city where similar gatherings and conversations were taking place. Impassioned words were always easy to say, but things weren't easy to do. However, when generous words were said enough, some things that had been quietly brewing could also explode.
When the scholar named Mu Wenchang left the pleasure boat, it was already evening. In this golden autumn evening, he would recall the shock and despair he felt when he first witnessed the Hua Xia army's formation over a decade ago.
That was in the second year of Wu Jianshuo. He had become the chief advisor to Yan Zhenguo, the Qin Feng Road Administrator. It was the first high point in Mu Wenchang's life. The Wu dynasty lost the Central Plains, and Yan Zhenguo had no choice but to rely on the Jurchens to protect himself. When the Lou Shi attacked the northwest, they were forced to participate in the attack on Yanzhou.
That autumn was the first time he saw the brutality of the black flag. They carried the banner of Hua Xia, but they didn't distinguish between friend and foe. They attacked the Jurchens and the Han at the same time. Some people thought that the Hua Xia army was powerful, but the war dragged on for several years. In the end, the entire northwest was massacred and turned into a wasteland. Countless neutral people were killed in the midst of the war.
They could have roped in and persuaded so many people. Even during the war, Mu Wenchang had carefully revealed that he was willing to rely on the Hua Xia army to make a living. However, the Hua Xia army was merciless. They only accepted soldiers and didn't care about a high-ranking advisor like Mu Wenchang.
Originally, there were countless people in the Central Plains who were willing to rely on the Hua Xia army, but the Hua Xia army only wanted to fight and couldn't tolerate any detours.
In the fourth year of Jianshuo, the Hua Xia army defeated the allied forces of Yan Zhenguo and the Zhe family at Wolf Slaying Ridge, killing Marshal Yan and many of the Zhe family members. In the following three years, the Little Canghe devoured millions of Han soldiers … but so what? In the end, didn't they still escape? In the end, countless people who shouldn't have died died.
Mu Wenchang fled to the south in a sorry state. His wife and children were crushed in that war. One of his daughters was even married to a Jurchen military officer because of him. Later, when Lou Shi was killed and the Jurchen army suffered a crushing defeat in the northwest, his daughter died among a group of rebels who resisted the Jin.
To resist the Jin, one needed to fight, but his life's lessons told him that the world couldn't be improved just by fighting. If he became as cruel as the Jurchen soldiers, even if he conquered the world, he wouldn't be able to rule it.
— — The Hua Xia army must be wrong!
— — The Hua Xia army must be wrong …
This time, Chengdu would clearly tell the world this truth.
He thought of this over and over again as he walked through the streets at dusk.
…
At the same time, the burly man named Shi Yuanmeng would recall the gunshot and the chaos in the throne room more than ten years ago.
"Sigh, Zhou Zhe …"
That faint sigh was a sound that he would never forget for the rest of his life. What happened after that was a scene that he still couldn't forget.
How could there be such a person?
That was the first time he had defeated the Jurchens during the siege of Bianliang. Soon after, he had dealt with the treacherous Prime Minister Qin Siyuan and had been rewarded according to his merits. Relying on his family's connections, he had also walked Tan Zhen's path and had met the Emperor for the first time in his life. For that meeting, he prayed to all the ancestors in his family, fasted for three days, burned incense, and bathed. He treated that meeting as the most glorious moment of his life.
For the sake of presenting a memorial to the Golden Palace — — although it was impossible for him to have any conversation with the Emperor — — he practiced etiquette at home for more than half a day, kowtowing to the portraits of his ancestors, and thanking them after a reward. After meeting the Emperor, the banquet for the guests had already been arranged.
Who knew that when the seven of them entered the Golden Palace, that son-in-law of a merchant family, who was supposed to be the most lowly of the seven in the hall, who couldn't even perform etiquette fluently, would actually sigh and stand up after kneeling.
He still couldn't understand that scene. He sighed and called out His Majesty's name. Then, there was a loud bang. While everyone was still in a daze, he had already walked over and ruthlessly slapped the face of Prince Tong, who had an incomparably high status. Prince Tong was a soldier and had countless military achievements. Who knew how many generals would tremble in fear in front of him? But at that moment, he was sent flying, and his head ruthlessly smashed onto the golden stairs.
How could he walk in the Golden Palace? How could he hit Prince Tong? How could he lift up the god-like Emperor and viciously smash him to the ground?
He had never imagined that there could be such a disrespectful person in the world. He had never imagined that there could be such a rebellious act in the world. Unfortunately, at that time, he couldn't react at all. From beginning to end, he knelt by the door.
"A bunch of trash."
That person stood in front of the throne room and used the back of his saber to strike the Emperor's head. He spoke these contemptuous words to all the high-ranking officials in the Golden Palace. Li Gang was cursing loudly, Cai Jing was dumbstruck, Prince Tong was crawling on the ground in a pool of blood, Wang Ci, Qin Hui, Zhang Bangchang, Geng Nanzhong, Tan Zhen, Tang Ke, Yan Daozhang … some officials were so frightened that they collapsed to the ground.
Speaking of which, it was quite strange. After experiencing that incident, Shi Yuanmeng felt that there was nothing more strange in the world. His response to so many things actually became calm in the face of chaos. After the Central Plains fell, he came to the south and also served in the army. Later, he worked for a few large families. Because his methods were vicious and efficient, he was greatly appreciated. Later, he also had a few trusted brothers he could rely on.
Now that the door to the southwest was wide open, he wanted to come and do something that would similarly shock the entire world.
He would think of the scene when Ning Yi walked past him that day. That day, he said "a bunch of trash." It was very likely that he didn't even include the people kneeling at the door … Today, he wanted to do the same thing to warn the entire world that disrespectful and rebellious people. Their lives would also be taken by loyal and righteous officials!
"Big Brother, the things are ready."
A brother working in the courtyard leaned over and said these words to him.
Shi Yuanmeng turned his head and saw that the two wooden barrels in the courtyard had already been set up. He went over to inspect them again.
"Does everyone know?" He said, "Ning Yi keeps talking about the study of investigating things, but this study of investigating things doesn't belong to him at all … He colluded with the traitorous Prime Minister and borrowed the power of the Prime Minister's residence to defeat Liangshan. He captured a Daoist, Mister Gongsun, who is known in the jianghu as the 'Dragon in the Clouds' Gongsun Sheng. This Mister Gongsun has reached the point of perfection in the art of lightning and fire. Ning Yi took his recipe and also detained his people. That's how he was able to develop the art of gunpowder to this level in these past few years. "
Shi Yuanmeng looked at the people in the courtyard. "This demon covets the achievements of the heavens as his own. He is treacherous and wicked. He was able to defeat the Jurchen only because of these firearms. Today, he hid in the southwest and took advantage of the fact that the Jurchen army had defeated everyone to use these firearms to defeat the enemy … I will not sit by and watch such a thing happen. This time, after we kill Ning Yi, someone will naturally rescue that Mister Gongsun from the southwest. At that time, the art of firearms will spread throughout the world, and defeating the Jurchen will be a piece of cake. Our Wu dynasty will be secure for a thousand years! We will really save the whole world! "
The evening sun was swallowed by the horizon like a fireball. Someone cupped his hands and said, "I swear to follow my big brother until death."
"For the world, I swear to follow my big brother until death!"
The city was burning in flames, and there were also countless noises made in this sea of fire.
That night, in Wen Shoubin's courtyard, Ning Ji once again heard Wen Shoubin's bold prediction that "things will happen in the next two days" for the 101st time.
The next day, at the site of the Martial Arts Competition, Huang Shan came to him and asked, "Recently, it has been said that something is going to happen in Chengdu. Isn't your Huaxia army on guard?" It made people feel that Huang Shan was constantly worried about the situation of the Huaxia army. Ning Ji no longer had any expectations for their ability to act. With a poker face, he replied, "If you want to make trouble, just do it."
"Hey, I'm just kidding. I'm not talking about us. We don't intend to make trouble. You see, my senior fellow apprentice and I even participated in the competition, didn't we … I'm just worried that the Martial Arts Competition will be canceled if the situation is chaotic. Your Huaxia army should keep a close eye on this matter …"
"The First Division has gone to Old Ox to quell the rebellion. The other divisions have already lost members. At this time, they are settling the prisoners and guarding the entire Chuansi Road. There are only so many people in Chengdu. But there's nothing to be afraid of. Even the Female Immortal was beaten back by us. What can a bunch of useless people outside do? "
"Of course, of course … Brother Long is right. After all, even the Female Immortal was beaten back …"
"Don't make trouble, or I will kill you …" Ning Ji glanced at him.
Huang Shan smiled honestly. "No way, no way. We really plan to make a name for ourselves in the Martial Arts Competition."
The two of them were putting on a show. However, even though Ning Ji knew that this strong man was acting, he had waited for it for too long, and he almost didn't expect it to really happen. Wen Shoubin was like this. At the beginning, he said passionately that he was going to do bad things. After that, he sent away two of his "daughters", and then he attended banquets all day long. As for sending Qu Longjun to his big brother, he had already begun to "slowly plan".
The recent incident in the city would probably be the same. A group of people said passionately, but in the end, no one dared to do anything, and it became a joke … Unfortunately, he was not in Zhang Village now. Otherwise, he would convulse with a group of friends with laughter … Well, anyway, school would start after September. At that time, he would tell them what he had seen and heard here.
…
On a small hill next to a village near Zhang Village, the night gradually darkened. After midnight, the light of the stars and the moon sprinkled down from the sky. The forest was quiet, and only the occasional footsteps of nocturnal animals could be heard.
Six swordsmen surrounded the city and were talking in a low voice.
"I don't know what's going on in Chengdu …"
"There are so many people saying that they are going to do something big. What if no one does anything?"
"The Huaxia Army is very powerful. If we fall into their hands, it won't end well …"
"What if only we do it, and no one else does?"
"It doesn't have to be that bad …"
"We just need to cause chaos and mobilize the nearby Huaxia Army …"
"Then, brothers, do you think we should do it or not?"
"I'll listen to you …"
The few people who were originally determined became nonsense at the end of the day. You Hongzhuo, who was hiding in the darkness not far away, sighed helplessly. At this moment, there was a "whoosh" in the night sky in the distance. Fireworks streaked across the sky, and then there seemed to be the sound of a fight.
"Someone is fighting …"
"Don't think too much. Let's do it."
"Lao San and Lao Si, take the torch and prepare to light the fire on the left side …"
"Burn the rice?"
"The rice is not fully ripe, so it can't be burned now …"
"Burn the house. Once the house is burned in the small village on the left, it will alarm the most people. Then, you do as you see fit …"
"It's night. Everyone is in the house."
"If you want to achieve great things, you can't be so wishy-washy. If you don't make the Huaxia Army suffer, how will they be willing to come out! If the rice can be lit, you go and light the rice … "
"Once the fire is lit, you guys leave immediately. In this wilderness, how many people does the Huaxia Army need to spread out a net? When the time comes, everyone will act according to the situation and create chaos. If the Huaxia Army goes to catch you, we'll light a fire and kill people elsewhere …"
In the darkness, You Hongzhuo frowned slightly.
Lao San and Lao Si took the torch and went down, and You Hongzhuo followed behind. From the previous conversation, he could see that the two of them were hesitant. It was one thing to fight the enemy on the battlefield, but it was another to burn the fields and houses of the people.
The two of them went to the edge of the village, but they were still hesitant.
Someone said, "That's not good karma."
"What else can we do? Go back and say that you don't want to do it?"
"I …"
They were silent for a moment at the edge of the village. Finally, they approached the back of a house. The person who said that it was not good karma took out a match and blew a few times. The flame lit up in the darkness.
They lit the torches.
You Hongzhuo, who was behind the two of them, sighed.
He waved the knife.
…
The 20th of July. Chengdu.
Not long after nightfall, Ning Ji heard a loud explosion coming from the city. Many people heard the noise.
That chaotic night had begun …
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