The bustling end of the year finally passed. After the beginning of spring, the Prime Minister's residence once again became busy.
Spring was the beginning of a new year. It was the season of growth. For the people in the Prime Minister's residence, they had to be busy with the work of the past year. The disaster relief work was not finished. Right now, the entire country was still covered in snow. Everything that needed to be done had been done. All that was left was for the officials to do what they wanted to do.
As the snow gradually melted, the data gathered from all over the country did not make people feel optimistic or happy. But for the other people in the Prime Minister's residence, they still put in a lot of enthusiasm when making plans and goals for the new year. After all, this was the attitude of doing practical things. The past was the past. They couldn't just wallow in self-reflection and stop doing things.
Recently, for Ning Yi, it was a relatively complicated and stagnant time. On one hand, it was the New Year and festivals. He spent time with his family. He visited Yao Zunian, Ji Kun, Wenren Buer, and the Wang family. He was also very familiar with the various plans and prospects of the Prime Minister's residence. At least in terms of various things, no one in the Prime Minister's residence could compare to him. But on the other hand, he thought about what to do next during the break, but he could not make up his mind.
Zhang Jue's death was a heavy blow to the people in the Prime Minister's residence, but it was only a heavy blow. They could not empathize with Ning Yi's thoughts, and Ning Yi could not possibly say that he felt that the Wu Dynasty was about to die, because the logic that formed this result was not enough. In the eyes of the people, since Zhang Jue was dead, the investment from the Northern Lands would become even more crucial. No matter what, they still had to prop up the remaining structure — this was the right thing to do. After a short period of depression, Qin Siyuan also returned to his busy state, not letting his depressed mood affect him too much.
Ning Yi was also uncertain about the outcome of this matter. There were still many things that could be done, but for him, this was not the most troublesome thing. Rather, as a modern person, he had once stood in that position. He had limited tolerance for certain things and certain stupidity. However, the crazy idea of "better to advance than to stop" had become distant to him.
There were different forks in front of him, but he couldn't see them clearly. Or rather, there was no opportunity or motivation for him to make a decision.
In the Prime Minister's residence, apart from daily official business, the only thing that excited everyone was probably the books that Qin Siyuan had annotated. The rudimentary form of Neo-Confucianism attracted of of Yao Zunian and the others. Monk Jue Ming also regarded it as a treasure after he returned. For Ning Yi, he could understand that it was indeed a treasure. However, his feelings towards this book were different from others.
After all, Ning Yi understood the general path of development of Neo-Confucianism and many other disciplines. Ning Yi respected Qin Siyuan for taking out this set of Neo-Confucianism. If possible, Ning Yi hoped that it could be preserved and continued to develop as people's thoughts collided. But Ning Yi had no intention of researching it. He was not in the mood for academic research. As for the rules and regulations, Ning Yi had been influenced too much by modern management and liberalism. Ning Yi was willing to protect it. But if he wanted to research it and develop it, he would not.
In his heart, there was a certain difference between his expectations of people and society and his expectations of Neo-Confucianism. This difference was not necessarily the same as Neo-Confucianism. All the philosophies in the world actually had something in common. Even in the future, Ning Yi believed that the emergence of a new social philosophy should be based on Neo-Confucianism. Change could happen, and it could even be very big. But overthrowing it was pure stupidity.
Because he was not an academic researcher, and his own three views were already stable. In the final analysis, Ning Yi only appreciated it and admired the wisdom of an old man's social reflection and exploration. But he did not participate in the extended research.
The opportunity appeared in February of this year. When it appeared, Ning Yi could not have imagined that such a message would appear in front of him.
*****
On the second day of February, the dragon raised its head.
In the capital, the snow gradually melted, and everything began to sprout. Recently, the data of a large number of deaths in the disaster area made people feel depressed. Originally, the number of people who starved to death in the best situation was about 50,000. Excluding those who froze to death in various places, now it had exceeded the number. Even though the statistics were still vague at this time, this conclusion could still be reached. Especially on the Jinghu South Road after Lin Qiting's death, there were more than 18,000 victims who could be classified as starving to death on this road alone.
But if the data of the previous years of famine were compared with the scale and severity of this famine, the whole disaster relief could be said to be an unprecedented success. But this success also made people feel a little bit depressed.
Wenren Buer knew that Ning Yi was not in a good mood recently. He seemed to be thinking about something other than official work, and sometimes he would be absent-minded. At first, he thought that Ning Yi was depressed because of the disaster relief, but Ning Yi was very indifferent about the result of the disaster relief.
"Of course, the most ideal result can only be achieved when everything is in place. After Lord Lin died, I understood that this matter would not be able to achieve my expectations. Moreover … this is also the first time I've dealt with something like a disaster. All of the predictions, although there is data, are mostly assumptions … In short, I've done my best."
Ning Yi would throw some depressing numbers into the drawer while saying this, but the indifference and coldness on his face made people feel that he seemed to be thinking about something else. On the morning of the second of February, when he walked past Ning Yi's study, he saw Ning Yi standing there with his back against the desk, thinking about something. After half an hour, Ning Yi was still standing there, with his back facing the door and his hands on the edge of the desk. Wenren Buer walked in and asked, "Liheng, what are you thinking about?"
Ning Yi turned around to look at him, and his eyes contained the caution of a stranger. It was as if he was looking at something … that was not real. That kind of look was not friendly. The Ning Yi that Wenren Buer knew had always been calm, humorous, and decisive. She had never seen such a look in Ning Yi's eyes. Ning Yi tilted his head and looked at him for a while. He reached out a hand and pointed at him. Then, a smile gradually appeared on his face. He grabbed a piece of paper from the side and slapped it on the table, saying, "You, look at this."
It was a report from the Office of Secret Investigations from the north. Wenren Buer took it and looked at it. It was about the death of Liao's General Yelu Dashi. Wenren Buer had already read it and asked, "What's wrong?"
Ning Yi sat on the chair and did not say anything. Wenren Bu 'er read it again and said, "I know that Yelu Dashi is also a hero of his generation. But after he left, he did not bring many people with him … This Qiyan tribe has been rising up in the grasslands for some time. Uh … Could it be that Liheng wants to support this … Bei' er and Temujin to fight against the Golden Men? This is not a bad idea … "
Ning Yi looked at him and laughed after a while. "Raising a tiger is a recipe for disaster … Raising a tiger is enough … How can I raise this one? Uh, I … I thought of something else. It's okay, I will tell you after I think it through. This … give it to me first. "
Wenren Bu 'Er gave him the report, "Are you sure?"
"I'm fine." Ning Yi answered without any sincerity. Wenren Bu Er left the room and waited for a while. She heard Ning Yi mumbling, "* * * * * * * … How could such a thing happen … This must be fake … * * * * * *, what a joke … This is too reckless …"
Wenren Bu Er rolled her eyes, turned her head, and walked away confusedly.
In the room, Ning Yi sat on a chair and looked at the report. Then, he stood it up and placed it on the table in front of him. At first, his expression was somewhat illusory and funny. It felt as if the entire world was a terrible joke. But gradually, his gaze began to become fierce and serious, and his brows gradually furrowed.
Bei'er weighed only one jin. Temujin!
Genghis Khan …
This was a name that was a hundred times fiercer than Wanyan Aguda's. Wenren Bu 'Er said that she would support him … In history, this name led the Mongols on the grasslands to conquer the East and the West, and wiped out the entire Han Chinese. The territory of this huge empire reached as far as Europe, and the Europeans were traumatized by it. Until the twentieth century, they called the Easterners "bastards". And this was not the glory of the Chinese from the very beginning. For that era, the Mongols' invasion of the Song Dynasty was an open and straightforward invasion. It was even more thorough than the Japanese invasion. Later generations said that the Mongols had been part of the Chinese nation since ancient times, but it was only after they were assimilated by the Confucian culture that everyone found a way to put gold on their faces … support …
He stared at the name for a long time — who knew how long — before his expression gradually became calm and indifferent. He put his hands on his knees, and at some point, his eyes revealed the bloodthirsty and fierce look of a beast just before it devoured a man. That look flashed across his eyes for a moment. He reached out to open the drawer, took out a stack of papers from the top of the drawer, tore them up, and threw them into the trash basket next to him.
Those were some of his recent plans for Takeshi, but … they were still too shallow.
He stood up and slowly tapped his fingers on the table. Then he took a deep breath and put the papers back into the drawer. When he walked out of the door, it was the afternoon sun. As he walked out of the courtyard, someone greeted him. He smiled and patted the person's shoulder, but he did not stop walking. "I'll go back first."
When he arrived at the side courtyard of the Prime Minister's manor, he got into a carriage. When the curtain was drawn, his contemplative face was covered in darkness.
The carriages left the Prime Minister's manor and kept moving forward. At some point, the carriages suddenly stopped. On the street, there were shouts of killing. Someone was shouting, "Get rid of the devil in your heart!"
"Kill this devil —"
"Where is he —"
The wind gently lifted the curtain, and the fight between the assassins and the guards had already begun. Ning Yi sat in the carriage, thinking about this absurd and serious fact. His fingers tapped on the seat beside him. At a certain moment, two hooks suddenly hooked onto the opposite carriage. With a bang, the walls and roof of the carriage were pulled open. He sat there, and then he saw the scene on the road in front of him.
Someone shouted, "Be careful —"
Something was shooting at him from the front. Ning Yi looked at the spot of light, but he did not dodge. A crossbow arrow shot into the wall of the carriage beside his head. In front of him, a burly man roared like a tiger.
It was not the first time that there was an assassination attempt on Ning Yi in the capital. This time, it was also a group of famous experts in the pugilistic world. The one who rushed up was the tyrant of Lingnan, Pu Tianweng. He punched out, and his voice was like a tiger's roar. During this period of time, the evil name of the devil in his heart had spread throughout the pugilistic world, so he did not dare to be careless. In front of him, the cold-eyed scholar had already met him, and punched him in the face.
Blood sprayed through the air, accompanied by the sound of bones breaking. The Six Path Break inner force, which had been pushed to the limit, exploded like thunder. Pu Tianweng's entire body was sent flying backward. He tumbled for more than ten feet, still rolling on the ground. In the midst of the battle, the calm and cold demon had already gotten off the carriage and was heading towards Pu Tianweng. Not far away, someone dashed over. It was a female hero of the pugilistic world in her forties. She used the Eight Steps Overtaking Cicada to quickly break through the blockade of the guards. In the next moment, the demon raised his left hand slightly to the side. There was a loud bang, mixed with flames. Rolling iron sand rushed into her lower abdomen, and she stopped in the air. She fell to the ground, and blood and flesh splattered everywhere.
The demon fired, but he did not stop at all. He pulled out a strange-looking military knife in his right hand. Pu Tianweng crawled up from the ground and retreated. He picked up a steel knife from the ground and slashed at the opponent twice, but the opponent didn't seem to stop. The Tyrant Knife smashed the knife away, the second slash sliced off Pu Tianweng's wrist, the third slash landed on Pu Tianweng's shoulder, and the fourth slash landed on Pu Tianweng's forehead. Pu Tianweng's chest, abdomen, and thighs were bleeding profusely as he retreated until he fell to the ground. With blood flowing out of his eyes, he saw the cold eyes looking down at him. The handgun in his left hand had changed to a new one, and the muzzle was pointed at him.
"The disaster relief is almost over, and you still won't stop …"
There was another bang, and something exploded like a watermelon.
Zhu Biao moved to the side with his long spear, and he was a little surprised. "Although … I know you have some skills … why do you suddenly seem so much stronger?"
"I think of some things, and I have nothing to worry about. Of course I'm stronger …"
"Is that so?" Zhu Biao blinked, "You didn't have anything to worry about in the past."
"Anyway, I am about to be invincible. It is good that you know, don't spread it …" Ning Yi smiled, and then he became a little tired. "I want to … go home to take a look."
*****
He returned home. When the carriage entered the courtyard, the smell of blood still hadn't dissipated. Ning Yi stood in the backyard and looked at the tables, chairs, houses, trees, and walls. He thought about it and then walked in. In the side courtyard, Xiaochan and Ning Xi hopped over. They probably saw the blood on his body and were a little worried. Right as they were about to check, they were hugged by Ning Yi. This continued for a while and Xiaochan thought that Ning Yi was injured. "Husband, what happened, what happened … Let me take a look …" The kid wasn't used to the smell of blood on his father. He turned his head away and said, "Father, smelly, smelly …" Ning Yi smiled and stuck to his face.
"I am fine." He hugged Xiaochan tighter, letting her head rest on his shoulder. After a while, he said, "Xiaochan, do you remember the first time we met … when I was smashed by a brick? What was I like when I woke up?"
"I don't remember." Xiaochan replied and then said, "Actually … Husband was a little fierce then. Son-in-law … was injured and still wanted to go out, so he scolded me … I was a little scared."
"Hehe." Ning Yi patted her. "Don't worry, I am fine. I just … thought of something. "
Letting go of the confused Xiaochan and the crying son, Ning Yi walked inside. In the bedroom, Tan'Er was writing something at the table. Seeing Ning Yi come in with blood on his body, she hurried to greet him. "Husband …" Before she could finish her words, she was also picked up by Ning Yi. He walked inside and finally pressed her down on the bed. Ning Yi was lying on her, which startled her. "Husband, what's wrong with you? What's wrong with you … "She thought that Ning Yi's back was injured and wanted to see. Ning Yi held her face with both hands, stared at her and smiled. "I am fine. Don't move. "
"Uh … You … You are injured …"
Their eyes met. Tan'Er was still a little flustered, but it gradually turned into confusion. Ning Yi looked at her for a while, and then reached out to touch her eyes, nose, and lips. Then, he put his head on her neck and sniffed for a while.
"Husband, what's wrong …" Tan'Er asked softly.
"Something happened." Ning Yi was still lying on the bed. "On the way back, there was an assassination attempt, but it's not mainly about that …"
"Those guys, for the disaster relief … I heard …"
"Not really." Ning Yi was silent for a moment. "Well, Tan'Er, if … I marry Yunzhu this month … and Jin'Er, you …"
He was a little hesitant, but Tan'Er chuckled softly. "You have finally made up your mind. Everyone is waiting … "She pretended to be open-minded, but she had been mentally prepared for it for a long time, so she was not too jealous.
"Also, after the things here are settled, I have to find time to go to Mount Lu Liang."
Tan'Er frowned. After a while, with a complicated expression, she hit him with her hand. "Aren't you afraid … that your body will collapse …"
"Hahahaha … It's not that." Ning Yi laughed for a while and said, "Juan'Er, get someone to get me some hot water. I want to take a bath … There's blood on me."
Juan'Er, who was eavesdropping, answered shyly, "Oh." Then, she ran away.
Ning Yi sat up, and Tan'Er, who was unbound, could tidy up her clothes. She looked at Ning Yi with a puzzled expression. She also understood Ning Yi's character. He must have encountered something that was not a romantic affair, which was why he behaved so strangely.
Ning Yi thought for a while. "In the past … I was always a little averse to doing long-term things …"
"… Huh?" Tan'Er did not understand.
"That's because I always wanted to do it to a certain extent and then leave." He sighed. "But now, it seems that there's no turning back for some things. After all … such a ridiculous thing … "
"I, I don't understand."
Ning Yi did not answer. He grabbed her hand and patted it, then patted it again and again. He smiled at her. His smile had already become warm and genial. "In any case, you have to leave with me."
Tan'Er looked at him. "We … are husband and wife."
Amidst the doubtful but somewhat sympathetic gazes, some things were settled just like that. At this time, the sun was shining through the open door. The air was slightly cold, which was unique to spring …
February, the second day of the year.
*****
It was bright and clear.
Li Pin walked up the hill outside Taiyuan City. She looked at the graves in the wilderness and the smoke from the mourning for their loved ones.
At the edge of another forest, a man named Cheng Zhouhai, dressed in a green robe, knelt on the grass and bowed three times to the direction he had chosen, to the people who had died in this famine. There was only the cold of spring by his side. There were no witnesses.
At the dock, Shishi followed the large ship that would not be able to return. As she looked at the city, the beach, and the dock in the distance, tears flowed from her eyes. In this winter, she felt emotions that she had never felt in the past. The people who had died, those … they did their best to not let them die, but they still died and stayed on this piece of land.
Next would be the spring famine. The small-scale famine was still ongoing. It would continue until the new year's harvest of food. During this period, there would be people dying one after another. But after the snow melted and the ice melted, there were no longer any obstacles on the road for the court to continue disaster relief. The price of grain was maintained at eight taels per stone. It did not rise, but it was still three times the usual price.
She had no choice but to go back.
If he stayed, he would only feel helpless.
She wanted to go back and tell some people what she had seen and heard.
The wind ruffled her hair on the ship.
Every year, the wind blew from spring to summer, to autumn, to winter, in a cycle that never stopped. It blew away the time, blew away the growth rings, blew away the youth to mature, blew away the adults to grow old, and then blew away the elders to leave behind the seeds of their wisdom, hoping to pass on to the next generation of children. Thus, people lived on the earth, worked and rested, and passed on.
This was another new year. In the spring wind, people felt the new year's songs and dances to celebrate peace. In the court, groups of people were high-spirited and high-spirited, planning for the future. The north was still in the chaos of war, the incessant chaos of war. In the smoke of the beacons, the blazing sun alternated with the inauspicious afterglow.
This was the spring of the 12th year of the Wu dynasty's Jinghan.
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