The light in the room was still warm. There were pancakes spread out in the pot, and both of them ate some.
As they talked, they felt the passage of the night outside. There were all kinds of topics, but most of them avoided places that might be scars, such as Cheng Min's "job" in Shangjing and Lu Mingfang.
Tang Minjie told Cheng Min about his life in the southwest's Liang Mountain. At that time, the Chinese army had just withdrawn to the southwest, and news of Mister Ning's death had spread. The situation had been quite distressing, and all the people in the vicinity of Liang Mountain were trembling with fear. The Chinese army had almost been forced to split apart. During that most difficult time, everyone relied on their willpower and hatred to take root in the mountains, expand the forest, build houses, and build roads …
"… The mountains in the southwest are actually quite interesting after looking at them for a long time … At first, I didn't have enough to eat, so I wasn't in the mood to look at them. It was all deep in the mountains, and there were many snakes, insects, rats, and ants. But later on, when I could catch my breath, I liked to stay in the watchtower on the mountain. There were trees everywhere, but there were countless things hidden in the trees. Sunny days, rainy days … there were many different kinds of phenomena. People say that the benevolent enjoy the mountains, and the wise enjoy the water, because the mountains don't change, but the water is ever-changing. In fact, the mountains in the southwest really have countless changes … There are many fruits in the mountains, but I've only eaten them … "
Cheng Min was from the Central Plains. She had been kidnapped to the north when she was a young girl, so she had never seen the mountains in the southwest, nor the water in Jiangnan. The night of waiting for changes seemed long, so she asked Tang Minjie about these things. Tang Minjie told her in bits and pieces, and she listened with great interest. He didn't know if she was this curious when facing Lu Mingfang.
Sometimes, she also asked about Ning Yi. "Have you seen Mr. Ning?"
Tang Minjie shook his head. "No."
"No, that's a pity." Cheng Min said, "In the future, when I defeat the Perfected Lady and can go south, I want to go to the southwest to see him. He's really amazing. "
"Old Lu told you?"
Cheng Min nodded. "He told me some things about Mr. Ning in the past. For example, he led a few people to kill 50,000 people in Liang Mountain, and later became known as the Heart Demon. Furthermore, he was highly skilled in martial arts. When the people of Jianghu heard his name, they all trembled in fear. Recently, I've sometimes thought that if Mister Ning were here, he wouldn't be so helpless looking at this situation. "
Tang Minjie smiled and said, "Mr. Ning also brought a few dozen people with him to Liang Shan, and before he went, he had already prepared a spy. In addition, Mister Ning's martial arts … "
He paused for a moment, and Cheng Min turned to look at him. Then she heard him say, "… Legend has it that it is indeed very high."
"So, if Mister Ning were to come here, he might be able to secretly take action and slaughter those bastards one by one." Cheng Min waved her hand like a knife. "Old Lu used to say that it was a pity that Zhou Yingxiong died. If he had joined us and secretly come to the Northern Region, we would have arranged assassinations. Most of the people from the Jin Kingdom would have died long ago."
Although Cheng Min grew up in the Central Plains, she had lived in Shang Jing for so many years, and she did not need to disguise herself too much. Her character was somewhat similar to that of a woman from the Northern Region. She was beautiful, straightforward, and had a heroic spirit. Tang Minjie nodded in agreement.
It was already past midnight. While the two of them were talking, they were still paying attention to what was going on outside. After talking for a while, the night sky outside suddenly shook. No one knew who it was, but someone suddenly fired a cannon from a very far place. The sound of the cannon pierced through the low sky and spread throughout the whole of Shangjing.
Tang Minjie and Cheng Min suddenly got up and rushed out of the door.
"They're going to fight …"
Tang Minjie murmured, and his face appeared to be a little ruddy. Cheng Min tightly grabbed his tattered sleeve and shook it twice. "Something bad is going to happen, something bad is going to happen …"
They stood in the courtyard and looked at the dark night sky. The quiet night around them gradually became restless. Who knew how many people lit their lamps and were awakened by the darkness. It was as if someone had thrown a stone into a calm pond, and the waves were spreading.
"Wrap up the rest of the pancakes. If the army enters the city and starts burning and killing, who knows what will happen …"
"The best result is that the Eastern and Western Prefectures directly start killing each other. Even if Zong Gan and Zong Pan fight head-on, the Jin Kingdom will be in big trouble …"
"Although it is a civil war, the possibility of burning and looting in the entire Shang Jing is not high. I am afraid that it will not be controlled tonight … There is no need to flee …"
Tang Minjie chattered and calculated all kinds of possibilities. He returned to his room and went out to the courtyard outside. Although his body was frostbitten, he did not feel cold at this time. He waited until Cheng Min closed the door and said, "When you go out, put on your hat and calm down." Only then did he calm down a little.
He could not help but say, "Do you know that as long as the Eastern and Western Prefectures of the Jin Kingdom fight, the day of the Huaxia army destroying the Jin Kingdom can be at least five years earlier. It can save tens of thousands … or even hundreds of thousands of people. He can't hold back the cannon at this time, haha … "
He suppressed his laughter and gave a short laugh. In the light of the lantern, it looked somewhat strange. Cheng Min looked at him. After a while, Tang Minjie took a deep breath and gradually returned to normal. But not long after, he heard the movement outside and murmured, "They are going to fight, quickly fight …"
"They are probably going to fight." Cheng Min poured water for him and agreed.
…
The light of hope seemed to be covered by a thick layer of clouds. It suddenly bloomed for a moment, but then it was slowly buried deep.
The sound of the cannon at midnight had indeed caused a small commotion in the city, and there might even have been a massacre in some places. But for some reason, as time went on, the disturbance that should have continued to expand did not continue to expand. More than half the time, it even gradually subsided and disappeared without a trace.
Without any concrete information, Tang Minjie and Cheng Min were unable to analyze what had happened that night. The night was quiet, and there were no more changes when the sun was about to rise. It was unknown when the curfew on the street had been lifted. Cheng Min went out to check for a while, but the only thing she could confirm was that the killing last night had completely subsided.
Why could there be such a sound of cannon? Why didn't the two sides start fighting even after the sound of the cannons? What was going on behind the scenes? It was impossible to know now.
"I will go back to the building to inquire about the situation. Everyone will definitely talk about such a big thing last night. If there is an urgent situation, I will come here tonight. If you are not here, I will leave a note. If the situation is not urgent, our next meeting should be arranged for tomorrow morning … It will be easier for me to come out in the morning. "
Cheng Min said this and then said, "Actually, if you trust me, you can stay here for a few days. It will also be convenient for me to come and find you. Shangjing's investigation of the Black Flag spies is not strict. This house should be safe. Perhaps it is better than the place you secretly found someone to rent. Your hands and feet can't stand the cold. "
As she spoke, she took out the key and placed it on the table. Tang Minjie accepted the key and nodded. Just as Cheng Min had said earlier, if she had submitted to the Female Zhenren, she would have been taken away by now. Although there were some Golden Men who could keep their composure, they would not be so calm as to rely on a woman to pry information from her.
"I will stay here for a few days. You … follow your own pace and protect yourself. Don't arouse suspicion."
Cheng Min nodded and left.
Tang Minjie also walked to the street and observed the surrounding scene. The tension last night must have affected everyone in the city, but he could not hear any clues from their conversations. After walking for a while, the sky began to snow again. The white snowflakes shrouded everything in sight like a fog. Tang Minjie knew that the Gold people must have experienced earth-shattering things, but he could not think of anything about it.
He could also wake up another intelligence agent and spend money to inquire about the situation in the black market. But the current situation might not be as fast as Cheng Min's news. Especially when there was no action team, even if he knew the information, he could not rely on himself to make an action that would shake the balance of the entire situation.
It was the 22nd of October in the first year of Wu Zhenxing and the 15th year of the Golden Sky Association. Perhaps because she did not find any key information, Cheng Min did not come for the whole night.
The next day was the 23rd of October. In the early morning, Tang Minjie heard the sound of cannons.
This time, it was not the sound of conflicting cannons. The rhythmic sound of cannons shook the dawn sky like the sound of drums. He opened the door and saw that it was still snowing heavily outside, but the festive atmosphere gradually began to show. He did not walk the streets of Shangjing for long before he understood the whole story among the crowd.
Just yesterday afternoon, after a discussion in the palace between the various branch heads of the Wanyan family of the Jin Dynasty and Zhu Bo Ji Lie, they finally elected Wanyan Xue, the son of Wanyan Zongjun and the adopted son of Wanyan Zongjun, as the third emperor of the Jin Dynasty. The name of the Li Dynasty was: Favored by Heaven.
Tang Minjie silently listened to the announcement in the wind and snow. Countless people of the Jin Dynasty cheered in the wind and snow. The three princes fighting for the throne had been bothering them for many days. Wanyan Xue's ascension to the throne meant that the princes and marshals, the pillars of the Jin Kingdom, did not have to fight each other. After the new emperor succeeded the throne, there would not be a large-scale liquidation. The prosperity of the Jin Kingdom was expected and the whole world celebrated.
That night, Cheng Min still did not come. When she came to the small courtyard, it was already the morning of the 24th. She looked tired and there were bruises on her face. When Tang Minjie noticed this, he shook his head slightly.
"Last night, those bastards drank too much and went overboard. But thanks to them, the matter has been investigated. "
Tang Minjie handed her a bottle of ointment. Cheng Min looked at it and waved her hand. "How can you use this on a woman's face? I have better ointment." Then she began to tell him what she had heard.
After Wanyan Xue succeeded the throne, the people of Shangjing celebrated for almost the entire night. The group of nobles who went to Cheng Min's place publicized the inside story and almost revealed the truth. The whole situation in Shangjing over the past six months had been set up by the late Emperor Wu Qi, and then controlled by Zong Han and Xi Yin. On the night of the 22nd, Zong Han and Xi Yin personally lobbied all parties and suggested that the younger generation Wanyan Xue should be the new emperor to break the deadlock in Shangjing.
Zong Gan and Zong Pan were naturally unwilling at first, but the big nobles on both sides had already taken action. The fight for power started because of Zong Gan and Zong Pan. Originally, there was no way to avoid a big fight. Who knew that Zong Han and the Goddess of Grains would be so scheming and could solve such a huge problem so easily. From then on, the Jin Kingdom could temporarily put aside their grudges and work together for the kingdom. When the group of young nobles talked about this, they worshiped Zong Han and Xi Yin as if they were gods.
At the same time, they all felt that if such powerful people were defeated in the battle of the southwest, the Black Flag in the South might really be as scary as the two of them described. Sooner or later, the Black Flag would become a huge threat to the Jin Kingdom. Therefore, the group of young nobles drank and partied in the brothel while shouting that they would definitely defeat the Black Flag and kill all the Han people. The "Black Flag threat theory" that Zong Han and Xi Yin brought seemed to have come true.
"… What happened with the cannon that night?" Tang Minjie asked.
"Rumor has it that Zong Han set off a cannon outside the city to deliberately cause a commotion," Cheng Min said, "and then forced all parties to compromise and make peace."
Tang Minjie sat quietly on the stool in the room. That night when he saw that the Jin Kingdom was going to be in chaos, he was so excited that he almost could not suppress his emotions. At this moment, the expression in his eyes turned cold. Countless thoughts flashed through his mind.
"My enemy is my enemy's hero," Cheng Min looked at him, "Is there any other way now?"
Tang Minjie looked over calmly. After a long time, he opened his mouth and his voice was a little hoarse.
"… No."
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
