The next day, the bustling city began to operate as usual.
The bailiffs and soldiers in charge of night patrols and garrison duty handed over their morning shift to their companions. They gathered near the Mahākāśyapa and ate breakfast. After that, they gathered again and summarized last night's work before dispersing.
Some went home to sleep, while others rushed to check on their injured companions.
On the city patrol's side, the statistics and interrogation of the captured bandits were still in progress. Once the news was settled, in the next few days, there would be another round of arrests or simple tea talks in the city.
Near the city gates, the people wanting to leave the city almost blocked the roads. But the announcement had already been made. Due to the disturbance caused by the bandits last night, the opening of the city would be delayed by six hours. Some of the Takeshi members were recording the names of the people on the wooden buildings near the city gates.
After breakfast, the summary of information had been reviewed in the temporary command center near the city patrol. The first batch of arrests had also been decided. Soon, Ning Yi and the others arrived and listened to the report of last night's chaos.
"… The basic situation of last night's chaos has been clearly investigated. Starting from the explosion at the Third Courtyard C of the Jade Ink Workshop in the north of the city, the number of people who participated in the chaos and directly clashed with us is currently 451. Among these 451 people, 132 died on the spot or due to serious injuries. 235 people have been arrested and some of them are currently being interrogated. A group of instigators has been identified and we have already begun to invite them over …"
Ning Xi was in charge of the report. Although he had stayed up all night last night, the young man did not seem to be tired at all. He was quite excited about Fang Shuchang and the others' decision to arrange for him to do the report, because his father usually used him as a follower. Only when he was sent out would he be able to get some benefits from some important matters.
"More than four hundred people …" Ning Yi said.
"It's mainly concentrated around the time when chaos suddenly breaks out between the eleventh hour and midnight." Ning Xi said, "Around midnight, there was a sudden commotion in the city. Many people came out to watch. Some had conflicts with us, some were persuaded to leave because of prior arrangements. During this period of time, the number of people who actually got into conflict was about two hundred. At midnight, due to Ren Jingzhu's instigation, there were more than a hundred people who tried to cause trouble. We've already found out that they mainly came from Guan Shanhai and Huang Nanzhong … At other times, there were more than a hundred people scattered around. Of course, the numbers reported by the patrol team might overlap. "
"… In addition, we have also investigated the explosion at the Ink Workshop." Ning Xi smiled as she said this, "I heard that the person who rented this place is a bandit called Shi Yuanmeng."
He stared at his father on the other side of the table. Ning Yi waited for a moment and frowned. "Tell me, who is this important person?"
Ning Xi smiled as she looked at the dossier, "En, this Shi Yuanmeng talked about how father killed the king to everyone he met. He said that you entered the throne room together and he was just beside you. He knelt not long ago and you fired … He will remember this for the rest of his life."
"… Oh, him." Ning Yi recalled and laughed. "I remember now. Back then, Tan Zhen's favorite … continue."
"He wanted revenge and went to the city to get two barrels of gunpowder. He prepared to transport them under the Green Water Bridge and light them when your carriage went over. He had seventeen trusted brothers under his command, one of whom was a mole planted by the Bamboo Shop. Because of the urgency of the situation, the information could not be sent out in a short period of time. Our mole comrade made an expedient decision. He took advantage of the fact that these people were gathered together and ignited the gunpowder. Shi Yuanmeng was seriously injured by the explosion … Because of the chaos that ensued in the city, this comrade is currently feeling very guilty and is awaiting punishment. This is his information. "
As he was a spy, it wasn't suitable to say his name in public. Ning Xi handed a sealed document to her father. Ning Yi placed it down, not planning to read it.
"He's just carrying out a mission. He didn't do anything wrong. Moreover, the explosion was just in time. These guys are all bark and no bite. If they don't make their move, I'm going to give them a hand," Ning Yi said with a smile.
"En, we also suffered casualties in the chaos last night … Based on the current statistics, four soldiers died and over thirty were heavily injured. The situation mainly occurred when we were dealing with people from the Greenwood Forest who were skilled in unorthodox martial arts. Sometimes, we weren't prepared … The list of casualties is here … Also …"
Ning Xi roughly finished the report. Ning Yi nodded. "According to the plan, things aren't over yet. In the next few days, those who should be arrested will be arrested, those who should be sentenced will be booked, and those who should be sentenced will be sentenced. However, the trial must be strict. If the evidence is conclusive, we can convict them. If there's not enough evidence, we'll let them go … Let's not talk about more for now. Everyone has been busy all night. Speaking of which, the meeting shouldn't be too long. If there's nothing else, let's disperse and rest well … Old Hou, I still have something to tell you."
Everyone began to disperse. Ning Yi summoned Hou Wu and they walked out together. He said with a smile, "Go rest in the morning. I will ask Manager Tan to contact you in the afternoon. He has something to do about the arrest and release of people. You can discuss it."
Hou Wu nodded. Tan Ping was the person in charge of Takeshi's propaganda in Chengdu. But unlike Yong Jinnian and the others who were in charge of official propaganda, Tan Ping was in charge of covert channels, such as guiding public opinion in the newspaper and spreading news through the spy network. If the cultural propaganda led by Yong Jinnian and Li Shishi was silently influencing people's hearts, then Tan Ping was using paper as a knife, killing people with words. It was all thanks to him that the recent public opinion in the city was so successful.
As for what Tan Ping wanted to do, Ning Yi didn't say directly so Hou Wu didn't ask. He could roughly guess. After they left, Ning Xi and Min Chuyi caught up from behind. Ning Yi looked at him in confusion. Ning Xi chuckled, "Father, there is a small matter. Uncle Fang and the others don't know how to say it directly so they asked me to report it privately."
"… What is it?"
"Hehe." Ning Xi scratched the back of his head, "… Second Brother."
"… What did he do this time?"
"Second Brother is injured." Ning Xi said softly.
Ning Yi rolled his eyes. "It isn't a big matter if he isn't dead. Tell me everything at once."
"… Last night, after Ren Jingzhu caused a ruckus, Huang Nanzhong and Guan Shan Hai's subordinate Yan Ying brought people to run around the city. They ran to Second Brother's courtyard and held him hostage …"
"Held?"
There were a total of twenty people, including the injured Chen Wei and Chen Wei's Junior Brother Qin Gang. They met Second Brother at the Martial Arts Tournament, so they forced Second Brother to treat someone's injury … Of the twenty people, two left to find someone to think of a way to escape Chengdu, so there were a total of eighteen people. Around dawn, they got into a fight with Second Brother … "
Ning Xi's words were calm, trying to explain the twists and turns. Ning Yi was silent for a moment. "Since your Second Brother is only injured, how … are the 18 of them?"
"One ran away."
"One ran away?"
"Dad, don't be like this. Second Brother isn't a bad person. It's normal that he couldn't hold back when he was surrounded and beaten by 18 people. If this was brought to court, it would be considered 'legitimate self-defense'. Plus, one escaped, and the rest didn't die. Some were injured, and two were still alive when the patrol team arrived, but they couldn't stop the bleeding … Chen Wei, Qin Gang, and a few other seriously injured people in the room died because Second Brother threw a grenade …"
The trees swayed. The morning sun was good. The father and son stood under the roof for a while. Min Chuyi stood at the side with a solemn expression.
"He killed them all at once … This is a meritorious deed for killing the enemy. Isn't the third-class merit that he promised previously not enough?"
"Father, this isn't the most important thing." Ning Xi thought for a moment. "The most interesting thing is that there was a girl who was slashed twice during the fight. Second Brother saved her and even vouched for her, saying she wasn't a bad person … Father, this girl is called Qu Longjun. Based on Second Brother's confession, she followed a scholar called Wen Shoubin into the city to cause trouble. He mainly wanted to introduce her to … me. Then, she came to the Chinese army to be a spy. "
As Ning Xi said this, she looked at Min Chuyi awkwardly. Min Chuyi didn't look angry. Ning Yi looked at the stool under the tree and said, "The situation is a little complicated, I don't understand. Let's go to the side and you can explain it to me."
"The situation is complicated. After I went to see Second Brother, I was also confused." Under the autumn sun, Ning Xi helplessly told Second Brother and Qu Longjun's situation. "He said that after Second Brother came back, he became a military doctor at the tournament … One day, he heard someone badmouthing us on the streets, that person was Wen Shoubin … Second Brother went to spy on them … for a month … That girl called Qu Longjun, her father is called Qu Rui. He led the troops to attack Little Cang He and died … Qu Longjun @ # ¥# @% … Wen Shoubin @ # # ¥%&… Then Second Brother &&&% ¥¥% # # … Then last night …"
After his description, Ning Yi rubbed his forehead helplessly. Ning Xi was helpless too. How did Second Brother end up in such trouble? "So the situation now is that the one who wants to cause trouble is Wen Shoubin. Second Brother spied on them for a month and realized that the girl didn't want to cause trouble and even tried to commit suicide. Now that Wen Shoubin is dead and the girl is heavily injured, Second Brother wants to save her life, this matter … "
The young man signaled with his eyes and Ning Yi looked at him.
"…"
After a while, Ning Yi let out a sigh. "So regarding this matter, you're thinking … whether or not your second brother has fallen in love with her."
"Sigh, Father, that's what it is." The news finally reached his father's mind and Ning Xi's expression turned gossipy. "Say … If this is true, Second Brother and Miss Qu are really fated. Miss Qu's father was killed by us. If he really likes her, Mother won't let her marry into the family right …"
"It's not just fated." Ning Yi said. "And this Miss Qu was groomed to seduce you from the start. You brothers, if you turn against each other because of this …"
"Father, I have never seen Miss Qu. I am innocent, I only heard that she is beautiful and talented."
"You heard it from the start. After hearing it, with your personality, how could you not go over to take a look? Chuyi, have you been following him this morning? "
Min Chuyi looked at Ning Xi and frowned. "After I went to see Second Brother, there was a short period of time …"
"I went to check on Chen Wei and Qin Gang's corpses …" Ning Xi glared at his fiancée.
"…"
"I can't help you now." Ning Yi took out the information about Qu Longjun's family background from his son's hands and sat there to read it. After a while, he handed it to Min Chuyi. "Alright, Chuyi, you handle the matter between Ning Ji and Miss Qu."
"Huh?" Min Chuyi blinked. "Then … how should I deal with it …"
"Do what you want to do, I support you."
"Father, this concerns Second Brother's marriage, you can't be so childish."
"He's only 14 and his brain is filled with violence. What does he know about marriage? Talk to your Second Brother a few more times."
Ning Yi scoffed at his eldest son's nonsense and walked away. He heard Ning Xi argue with Chuyi. Not long after, he met Chen Fan outside the door and told him about Ning Ji's heroic feat this morning.
"… I waited the whole night and didn't see a single person. Xiao Ji killed seventeen people in one battle. "
He sighed. "Looks like it's time to send him back to school …"
*****
The sun rose to the middle of the sky. The city was bustling with activity as usual.
Under the clear sunlight, Ning Yi walked into the small courtyard where his second son was still resting after his injury. He sat beside the bed for a while, and the mentally undamaged youth woke up. On the bed, he confessed to his father everything that had happened recently, the confusion in his heart, and the subsequent answers. As for the deaths of Chen Wei, Qin Gang and the others, he confessed that it was to prevent them from seeking revenge after they recovered from their injuries.
When he heard that it wasn't a treat, Ning Yi reached out and touched Ning Ji's head. "There are those who can be convinced and those who can't. There's a difference in methodology."
He then asked about Ning Ji's relationship with Huang Nanzhong and the others. Ning Ji confessed about the small matter of selling drugs during the tournament. He had hoped to use the drugs to find their location so he could deal with them when they made a move. Who knew that they wouldn't make a move for a month and used his yard as a shelter during their escape. It was really fate that brought them together.
Fate brought them together … Ning Yi covered his forehead and sighed.
Compared to his eldest son who had always been trained to do things, Ning Yi didn't have much of a way to deal with this honest and pure second son who didn't even hide his thoughts in front of his family. After that, they chatted with each other for a while in the ward. When Ning Yi left, Ning Ji confessed his thoughts and fell asleep on the bed without any worries. When he fell asleep, his face was as delicate and pure as his mother, Chan 'er.
…
In the city, a deeper change was taking place.
Yan Daolun walked out of the inn and went to the Huaxia army to ask about the progress of the negotiation and discussion. At the same time, he inquired about what had happened yesterday. On the streets of the city, members of the Huaxia army could occasionally be seen walking. Most of the places had been restored to order. Only a part of the yard that had been burned by fire left traces of yesterday's chaos.
In the yard, Yu Ho-chung heard about the development of the incident from his companion's vivid description. The first round of events had been quickly reported by the newspapers. The chaos last night had started with a stupid accident: a fierce bandit from the Wu dynasty named Shi Yuanmeng had hoarded gunpowder and tried to assassinate Ning Yi. The gunpowder had ignited the barrel, killing and injuring himself and 16 companions.
"This is the Huaxia army's response. This is the Huaxia army's response!" Guan Shanhai ran in the yard with the newspaper. At the moment, he clearly knew that this stupid opening and the Huaxia army's calm response in the chaos were destined to become a joke that people would remember for years to come. The Huaxia army's attack on public opinion would ensure that this joke would always be funny.
Compared with the loss of composure on the surface, he was more worried about the Huaxia army that could come at any time. Yan Ying and a large number of his subordinates had been killed, so it was not difficult to link the matter to him. But under such circumstances, he knew that he could not leave.
Sure enough, before noon, someone knocked on the door and politely invited him to the City Patrol Department for a cup of strong tea.
A small-scale arrest was being carried out, and people gradually knew who had participated and who had not. In the afternoon, more details were revealed. None of the assassins had seen Ning Yi the whole night last night, not even once. Many people from the Green Forest Sect who had caused damage to houses and objects in the city had even been counted by the Huaxia army and began the first round of criticism in the newspapers.
Then, some of the great scholars, including Guan Shanhai, were released by the City Patrol Department. Because the evidence was not very sufficient, the City Patrol Department did not even have the interest to lock them up for a night to increase their reputation. In private, news that some of the scholars had secretly made deals with the Huaxia army and sold their martial arts for glory began to circulate — it was not difficult to understand.
In the end, 'Duke Huai' Yang Tiehuai, who appeared to be the most active in the process of gathering and lobbying all parties, did not let his subordinates participate in this chaos. No one knew whether he did not intend to make a move from the beginning, or whether he had delayed until the end and found that there was no chance to make a move. On the twenty-second day, a man from the Green Forest, who was covered in wounds, blocked Yang Tiehuai's carriage on the road and attempted to assassinate him. When he was stopped, he shouted, "You're the one who instigated us brothers to attack you! You old dog, you cowardly bastard! I'm going to kill you to avenge my brother!"
The man from the Green Forest Sect was caught and thrown into prison by the Huaxia soldiers who rushed over. Yang Tiehuai, whose forehead was still bandaged, stood on the carriage with his fists clenched and his expression as solemn as iron. This was also the appearance he had when he argued with a group of foolish men and women and was smashed in the head by a stone.
The news in the city then followed up on this small chaos: someone said that Yang Tiehuai was one of the organizers and lobbyists for the assassination on the twentieth night. As such rumors spread, some of the murderers tried to retaliate against Yang Tiehuai and Duke Huai. Fortunately, they were discovered and stopped by the nearby patrols. After an investigation by the City Patrol Department, they found that there was indeed no basis for this claim. Yang Tiehuai himself, his subordinates, and his family did not go out on the twentieth night and did not have the slightest misdeed. The Huaxia army condemned the rumors and cold-blooded actions that harmed the pillars of the Confucian Sect …
The autumn wind was pleasant, and the setting sun that seeped into the autumn wind was bright red. This early autumn, the people who came to Chengdu greeted the Huaxia army, and the Huaxia army responded. Then, the people heard the sound of a mountain collapsing in their hearts. They had thought that they were very powerful and that they had united. But the Huaxia army did not budge.
As for themselves, after this collision, they were falling apart.
Some people began to question the moral integrity of the great Confucians in the debate, and some began to publicly declare that they wanted to participate in the Huaxia army's examination. Those who had previously secretly bought books and attended cram schools began to be more open and aboveboard. Some of the old Confucian scholars in Chengdu continued to publish articles on the news. Some exposed the sinister arrangements of the Huaxia army, some criticized the untrustworthiness of a group of rabble, and there were also articles that the great Confucians cut off their ties with each other. There were even articles that eulogized the heroes who had sacrificed themselves in this chaos, but they were more or less warned.
The waves of public opinion were gradually expanding, seeping into the depths of people's hearts. The situation in the city became quiet in this atmosphere, and it also became more complicated.
Of course, this kind of complexity was only felt by some of the people who were involved.
On the evening of the twenty-third day, the smell of medicine wafted in from the hospital room, and sunlight shone in from the side of the window. Qu Longjun lay on the bed uncomfortably, feeling the continuous pain in her back. Then, someone came in from outside the door.
She thought it was the female doctor she had seen in the past two days or the nurse who fed her. She turned her head and wanted to greet them, but then her gaze froze. A chill spread, and her entire body tensed up.
The person who came in from the door under the setting sun was the young doctor who was wearing a white coat. Although he looked delicate, he was obviously in a bad mood.
Long Aotian.
…
At the same time, on the road in the eastern suburbs of Chengdu, a convoy was driving towards the direction of the city. This convoy was protected by the Huaxia army. In the second carriage, someone was staring deeply at the lively dusk through the curtain. This was Chen Shanjun, who had become white-haired after two years in Old Ox's Head. Beside him was Li Ximing, who had followed Chen Shanjun to carry out the reform in Old Ox's Head after being threatened by Ning Yi.
"… We paid a huge price, but we blocked the golden dog in front of Zizhou. Look at this area. The rice is about to ripen. We have to have a good harvest this autumn."
The Huaxia army member who was driving the carriage subconsciously talked about these things to the people inside. Chen Shanjun watched quietly, and tears gradually flowed out from his old eyes. They were originally soldiers of the Huaxia army — more than a thousand people split from Old Ox's Head were originally the most determined group of soldiers, but they had missed the southwest war …
That day, after dinner, they saw Ning Yi.
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