Late that night, the navy under Chen Jingui's command was interrogating the captives as they pursued them. In the wee hours of the morning, they found several strongholds of the water bandits. In one of the strongholds, they rescued the kidnapped Marquis Lu Chun.
During the time he was kidnapped, Lu Chun did not see the appearance of the kidnappers. He was only constantly being spun around. On the night that he was rescued, the kidnappers probably already knew that the battle had failed and wanted to move him to another location. However, they just so happened to send him to this stronghold and rescue him by the navy that had broken through the stronghold.
At the moment, this was the only conclusion that could be drawn. Further information would only be known through further interrogation of the water bandits. For Chen Jingui, he naturally hoped that he could stay here and dig up the roots of this matter before leaving. However, on the other hand, he also had the mission of escorting the birthday program. For Lu Chun, he could resist the pressure and stay. However, if he stayed after the matter was settled, then the suspicion of fighting for merit would be too great. It was a great taboo for an official to not leave any opportunity for a colleague to gain merit.
Apart from the military and political aspects, the Office of Secret Investigations only had the right to make suggestions on such matters. This was a restriction placed on the surface. The hidden danger of the birthday program being coveted by others had been eliminated. The reward system was also not the same as Chen Jingui's. Of course, most people did not understand Chen Jingui or the Office of Secret Investigations. It was just that on the second day after the great victory, half of Xuyi was decorated with lanterns and colored streamers as if it was a festival. Presumably, not long after, from Xuyi to Huai'an, and perhaps even larger areas, the victory in suppressing the water bandits would begin to be widely publicized.
On this day, Ning Yi moved into the ship that Yunzhu and Jin'er were on. He watched as people came in to congratulate Chen Jingui and the others, and firecrackers were set up in a shed in the rain. At the same time, the soldiers that had gone to Hongze Lake to kill the water bandits had also returned one after another. Due to the battle that had lasted through the night, although the battle was nearly one-sided, the number of casualties was higher than expected. Yesterday afternoon, the battle on the surface of the lake had gone smoothly. By the time they had chased the water bandits, it was already night time. Although they still held the advantage, there were still many casualties in the dark night. However, after rescuing the young Marquis and obtaining such a great victory, the commanding officer had already forgotten about his own small casualties. After all, no matter what, this great victory would result in great rewards, and no one would be treated unfairly.
The captured pirates had been interrogated overnight, but the information they had gathered over the course of an entire day was not enough to form a complete picture of the incident. Of course, it didn't matter. One of the original five ships in the fleet had been blown up, so there were only four ships left. However, that night, Chen Jingui also decided that the fleet would continue their journey the next morning. In order to deliver the Birthday Message to Beijing as soon as possible, they would not waste any more time. As for the various follow-up matters, they would leave it to the other people in Xuyi County to continue digging deeper into the kidnapping incident and uproot all the people involved.
Regarding this decision, the people of Xuyi wished that they could beat gongs and drums and applaud. That night, the rain had lessened slightly. Naturally, there was a large banquet, and Chen Jingui and a group of noble young masters were invited to attend. As a result, although there were many guards on the pier, it was still much quieter. After dinner, Zhou Pei came to find Ning Yi. She obediently sat on a stool in the room, looking as pitiful as a puppy.
"Just what do you want? Tell me, Your Highness."
"Teacher, you know … Grandpa Prince Consort's reply must have already arrived …" Zhou Pei pursed her lips. "I want to go to the capital …"
Ning Yi looked at her for a while, then smiled. He then placed a letter in front of her. "I don't know what that old man is thinking … I can indeed help you with this, but you have to help me with something."
"Okay, okay. What is it, Teacher?" Zhou Pei excitedly picked up the letter and read it. After reading for a while, she said, "Look, look, my father really doesn't care about me at all. He didn't say anything when I wanted to go to the capital. Hmph, he chose me as Prince Consort because he was afraid that people would say that he was too careless as a father … Oh, Teacher, what do you want me to do? Murder, arson, or swindle, I'll listen to you. "
"You're taking advantage of your position to bully others," Ning Yi said with a smile. "I want to do something, and I need some people to not hear my name. But there are too many people on the ship. Not long ago, Zhuo Yunfeng told his friend my name, and his friend told Li Shishi. That's why Li Shishi came to find me. But this is enough. Soon, the person named Wang Xian will be on the ship. I don't want him to hear anyone mention the name Ning Yi. But we can't talk to Zhuo Yunfeng, and it's not easy to prevent it. I hope I can leave this matter to you. "
Zhou Pei blinked and then whispered, "Is there a problem with Wang Xian?"
"There might be a problem." Ning Yi nodded. "But I don't want to alert the enemy. You have to be careful. If you deliberately warn Zhuo Yunfeng and his friends, they might cause trouble when they face Wang Xian. You have to figure out how to use the specific method. Is there a problem? "
"No." Zhou Pei smiled brightly. She had been interacting with these people since she was young, so she had her own understanding of people's hearts and such things. When it came to interacting with Zhuo Yunfeng and his gang, Ning Yi was definitely not as good as her, so there was no need for him to give her any advice.
"In addition, you currently have the highest status on the ship. I will arrange a bodyguard for you. It might be one of Qi Xinyong and the other two. When the time comes, you just need to cooperate. Other than going to the toilet, he will be near you at all times. Don't throw a tantrum and don't fall in love with him. It's best if you find a reliable member of the royal family when you arrive in the capital. Their families are well-matched, and both of you are in love with each other. When I go back, I will be able to report to them. "
The letter that Kang Xian sent had this meaning. He said that since Xiao Pei refused to find a royal horse in Jiangning, he might as well let her come to the capital to celebrate his birthday. At the same time, he could find a boy that she liked. This was her last chance. Zhou Pei blushed when she heard this, then burst into laughter. She didn't dare to reply. She changed the topic and said, "Is that Wang Xian really that powerful? Who is he, and why did he come here? "
"I don't know yet." Ning Yi shook his head. "But if he really is, then I can only say … Ah, it's fate."
*****
Ning Yi's "fate" caused Zhou Pei to look at him strangely. After the young princess left, Ning Yi looked out the window. The rain had basically stopped. There were many soldiers patrolling the dock, but because there weren't many people talking, even though the lights were brightly lit, it still seemed a little lonely. Water droplets dripped from the eaves. He went out to look for Yun Zhu and Jin Er. In the room with the oil lamp on, Jin Er was nowhere to be seen. Only Yun Zhu was sitting at the table in front of the window, her head lowered as she flipped through a scroll.
Ning Yi stood by the door and watched for a while. Yun Zhu also turned her head and looked at him with a smile. The light in the oil lamp swayed slightly, dyeing the white headscarf on her head a warm yellow.
"Come in. People will talk about you standing in front of a woman's house in the middle of the night."
Yun Zhu said softly. Ning Yi smiled and looked at both sides. "There aren't many people on this ship." But he still closed the door and came in.
Along the way, the people living on the main ship were naturally the relatives of the high officials and nobles. The other ships, in addition to carrying all kinds of valuable goods, were mostly occupied by maids and servants who did not need to follow them at all times. There were also some who relied on their relationships to get to the capital, and some even dragged their families and a few children. The ship where Yun Zhu and Jin Er were on was relatively quiet. Ning Yi walked over and sat beside her. The atmosphere was quiet and peaceful. Yun Zhu leaned her body on his shoulder.
"Have you been busy recently?"
"There are a lot of things to do. Sorry, I don't have time to accompany you."
"It's okay, I also have a lot of things to do."
"What things? Reading? "
"Listening to your things."
"Hmm?"
"I … I heard about what happened, and then I guessed what you did inside, Liheng. When I was in Jiangning, I liked to listen to others talk about you, what poetry meetings you participated in, what poems you wrote, and how people reacted. It's the same now. Besides, I'm by your side … "
Yun Zhu leaned on his shoulder, closed her eyes, and softly talked about her feelings. In the noisy atmosphere these days, she was probably also guessing what Ning Yi had done behind the scenes. And in terms of what Ning Yi "didn't know", perhaps Xiaochan's words must also be added. With such a woman by his side, Ning Yi's heart would never be lonely. He reached out and hugged her.
"I remember the first one or two years, when you wanted to start a pancake stand, I would run by your door every morning and talk to you. At that time, I told you, if one day things become too complicated, you can think about what it was like in the beginning. These two days, when I was dealing with things, I occasionally thought whether I'm going to make things more troublesome again … "
"Do you feel tired, Liheng?"
Ning Yi shook his head. "I went the wrong way in the past …" He said softly, and then said, "Actually, in this world, some things still don't change. Just like walking in the wild, you can build a bonfire, build a house, raise chickens, and hunt wild boars. Sometimes, you will always meet a tiger, and if it wants to eat you, you have to kill it. It's the same for people. In the Su family's matter, Liang Shan is the tiger, and reasoning is useless. Whether it's complicated or simple, I have to do it. But … I'll come over tomorrow to accompany you. "
"Okay." Yun Zhu nodded. After a while, she opened her eyes and asked hesitantly, "Uh, then … what about your Miss Xiaochan?"
"I have to let her know." Ning Yi thought about it and smiled. "You guys have met before, you saved Ning Xi, and she has quite a good impression of you. Yeah, I'll come over to read something with you guys. You and Ingot can chat and sing, I won't disturb you guys. I'll just tell Xiaochan … that we're bosom friends or something, I'm a scholar and you're a beauty, we appreciate each other and treat each other with respect. Who knows, you guys might even become good friends …"
"Uh …" Yun Zhu was speechless for a moment. She felt that Xiao Chan's eyes were teasing her. However, she was already acquainted with Xiao Chan in private, so it was inappropriate for her to disagree. After a moment of awkwardness, Ning Yi's smile became more and more interesting. His hand had already reached into her clothes. She naturally knew what Ning Yi wanted to do. Feeling the movement of his palm on her body, she lowered her head, but her skin was boiling hot. She said softly, "Liheng, this … is this called being respectful to each other …"
"Most of the time …"
The lights flickered and the figures on the wall changed. After a while, Ning Yi placed Yun Zhu's body on the bed. After he untied her clothes, there was a cheerful knock on the door. Both of them were stunned for a moment. Yun Zhu's body was half-exposed with Ning Yi's palm on her chest. Her face was flushed, but when they realized that it was Jiner who was knocking on the door, she placed her hands on Ning Yi's chest and laughed out loud. "Jiner?"
"That's too much …" Ning Yi rolled his eyes. Jin Er was talking outside. "Sister Yunzhu, Sister Yunzhu, come and open the door, I'm back …" She hummed like she was singing. "Sister Yunzhu, are you showering?"
Yun Zhu replied, "Yes, wait." She replied with an "Oh" and bounced outside the door. Ning Yi rolled his eyes. He waited until Yun Zhu fastened her dudou and pulled up her clothes before walking over to open the door. Jin Er, who was bouncing around, looked at him for a moment, then poked her head into the door. She saw her barefooted Sister Yunzhu sitting on the bed, hugging her clothes and laughing. At this time, how could she not understand what had happened? She just didn't know what Ning Yi was feeling, so she blinked her eyes to prevent him from flipping out. Ning Yi shook his head and said, "That's too much …" Only after he walked out of the door did she cheer up. She jumped back into the door, stuck her head out, stuck her tongue out and made a face before closing the door happily.
"Sister Yunzhu, thanks to me coming back, you weren't taken advantage of by that lecher … Don't be like this in the future …"
Ning Yi walked a little further away and heard Jin Er's faint voice. He couldn't help but shake his head and laugh.
*****
This small episode, of course, did not make Ning Yi feel really depressed. He looked like he was hit, but it only made Yunzhu and that fool Yuan Bao 'er happier. Of course, a man's desire was aroused, and he couldn't completely calm down for a while. He walked out of the cabin, looked at the night sky on the dock, and took a few breaths of fresh air.
In order to celebrate this great victory, the banquet in the city was still going on. There were not many soldiers patrolling the dock, and there were not many idlers. Ning Yi stood on the side of the ship for a while, and a few people came in from the door. The soldiers guarding the door were checking official documents, warrants, and other things. They couldn't help but take a few more glances at the beautiful and elegant woman who was wearing a veil. This was Li Shishi, who had brought along her maids, attendants, and some personal belongings. She hadn't been invited to the banquet tonight, or perhaps she had rejected the invitation. She had come here before anyone else had returned.
Ning Yi thought for a while, then got off the ship and greeted Miss Li, who had just finished checking and entered the dock to board the main ship. Miss Shishi was friendly to him, and they chatted for a while on the ship. She asked where Ning Yi was staying, and Ning Yi pointed to the ship next to him. After a while, the two of them said goodbye and left.
When they returned to the ship, Ning Yi took a look and saw that Li Shishi's cabin was already lit up. The meeting this time was simple, but everything that needed to be done and what needed to be done had already been done.
Not long after, the banquet in the county town ended, and the people who were resting on the ship at night returned one after another. The man named Wang Xian was also with them. Because he was valued by a group of young masters, he was also arranged to be on the main ship.
After the night passed, the next morning, when everyone boarded the ship one after another, the fleet was ready to set sail again. During breakfast, Li Shishi chatted with the crowd, and she quietly asked about the people living on the ships next to her. Her maids were naturally arranged to be on the main ship, but people like her attendants could only be arranged to be on the other ships. As for the ship that Ning Yi was on, in the eyes of the crowd, it was a place where people who had some connections but obviously didn't have high statuses were arranged. For example, the advisors, stewards, and accountants of some noble families would also be arranged there if it was necessary to accompany them to the capital.
In her heart, she had long known that Ning Yi had the reputation of being the number one scholar in Jiangning. Originally, she also thought that Ning Yi should have been accepted by these aristocratic circles, but now it seemed that the situation wasn't quite right. Perhaps his status as a son-in-law had implicated him, or perhaps his personality was a bit arrogant — when she was in Hangzhou, she had heard the joke of "a Taoist priest reciting two poems," but such a person was certainly not likable — she hadn't lived in Jiangning for a long time, so she couldn't quite grasp the position of Ning Yi in the eyes of others.
She also thought of his expression when she asked him where he lived last night. Perhaps he minded, but he seemed aloof — in fact, she had seen many people like this, so she could imagine — she was the person who was best at socializing and adjusting the mood of others. Originally, she had thought that if there was a chance, she might as well chat with the crowd about the scholar in Jiangning, the Green Jade Case, and When the Moon Will Appear. But now that she thought about it, she had to be cautious. If she talked to the crowd about the name of the number one scholar in Jiangning, and then they found out that he was actually on the other ship, with that kind of arrogant personality, she would probably not get the joy of becoming famous, but the embarrassment of being looked down upon by everyone.
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