In the darkness of the night, the sound of weapons could still be heard from afar. Zhou Dong and Fu Lu were led by Tian Donghan, Yan Huan, and the others to the northeast of the county, where they saw the temporary camp. The camp was surrounded by carriages and prisoners. Half of the people guarding the camp were soldiers, and the other half were Takeshi's guards and private warriors.
From afar, many of the people were captured in the prisoner carriages. These people were more or less injured, and some were even punched and kicked. The scene looked rather miserable. Many of these people had fallen into such a state because of Yan Huan's betrayal. After seeing Zhou Dong, his mood had changed greatly, and now seeing this scene, his heart was surging. His blood rushed to his head, and his face alternated between red and white. There was shame and anger.
In fact, Yan Huan and Zhou Dong did not really teach each other much. It was just that all these years, Yan Huan considered himself Zhou Dong's disciple. Even after making a name for himself, this was still the thing he was most proud of. When his family was captured and his eldest son was killed, he felt helpless and could only compromise. After seeing Zhou Dong, he was able to disregard everything. It could only be said that Zhou Dong's chivalrous and upright impression made him admire him so much.
Like many mountain bandits during the food shortage in the north, they usually killed and burned, but when Zhou Dong attacked, they felt that they were willing to be robbed and had no resentment. Apart from the fact that they could not beat Zhou Dong, there was indeed respect from the bottom of their hearts.
Someone had already reported Zhou Dong's appearance. As soon as they entered the camp, a young master with a spear came to greet them. His eyes were full of curiosity. Zhou Dong saw the way he walked and couldn't help but size him up a few more times.
This was Zhu Biao, who had always been by Ning Yi's side. He was highly skilled in martial arts. Among the younger generation, he was only slightly inferior to Chen Fan, Watermelon, Yue Fei, and the others. Last time in Shandong, Zhou Dong met with Ning Yi and Hong Ti and then disappeared. Zhu Biao and the others rushed over but did not see him, which made him feel quite regretful.
Ning Yi was in a small wooden shed in the camp, writing something by the light of a fire. Whether it was the screams, curses, or crying of the surrounding people, it did not affect him much. When Zhou Dong and the others approached, he put down the brush in his hand and stood up to walk over.
"Senior Zhou, Brother Fulu, what a coincidence, we meet again." The young scholar in green smiled and cupped his hands. "It's been several months since we last met in Shandong. I didn't expect to see the two of you here again. Today is really a double blessing."
The curses came from some of the people from the Greenwood Forest who were locked up in the prison wagon. Some of them recognized Zhou Dong and were shouting something, probably hoping that Zhou Dong would stand up for them. Yan Huan clenched his fists tightly and glared at Ning Yi with bloodshot eyes. It looked like he was about to pounce on Ning Yi. Zhou Dong stared at Ning Yi for a while, then looked around before cupping his fists.
"This time, this old man came here specifically for tonight's matter. It can't be considered a coincidence."
"Senior Zhou is really straightforward." Ning Yi smiled.
At this time, Zhou Dong was still looking at the situation around him. In those prison wagons, there were a few famous elders in Jianghu, but at this time, they were beaten black and blue, with broken hands and feet. These people did not have a deep relationship with Zhou Dong, but most of them knew him. Someone was still stubbornly shouting in the prison wagon, "Zhou Dong, you don't need to plead for us, just kill this devil …"
Zhou Dong had a complicated look in his eyes and sighed slightly. Yan Huan said in a deep voice, "Ning Yi, with my Master here, you still won't repent."
"I am talking to Senior Zhou, it's not your turn to interrupt."
The night wind whistled and the flames swayed. Mixed with the smell of blood, there was also the aroma of noodles being cooked in several big pots of supper in the camp not far away. For a moment, the atmosphere became stiff. Many people looked at this confrontation anxiously. On one side was the 'Inner Demon' who had the imperial court's power, and on the other side was the publicly acknowledged number one person in the world. No one knew if either side would suddenly attack in the next moment, but no matter what, at least at this moment, almost everyone saw both sides as existences on the same level. To be able to confront Zhou Dong like this, the Inner Demon was already fully deserving of the title of Great Devil.
After a moment, Zhou Dong opened his mouth to speak.
"In the past half a year, Young Master Ning put his heart and soul into planning for the disaster relief in the north and south. He brought food into the disaster areas and saved countless lives … On behalf of the people of the north and south, I thank you for this."
At this point, the old man cupped his fists heavily. The first half of his words seemed to be speaking to the people around him, which caused Yan Huan and the others to be stunned. They hadn't known Zhou Dong for long. Seeing the old man's indifferent gaze, they didn't know if he was being sarcastic or flattering — in their hearts, they naturally had such thoughts and luck.
When Zhou Dong finished speaking, Ning Yi also cupped his fists and said, "I've also heard of Senior Zhou's actions in the north. It's quite admirable."
"This old man's power is ultimately limited …" Unwilling to talk more about this matter, Zhou Dong simply said this. His gaze swept across the people around him, but he lowered his voice so that his next words only resounded within a radius of a few feet and didn't spread out.
"Liheng is busy with disaster relief, but in the end, he's misunderstood by ignorant people. Anyone can't help but feel bitterly disappointed about this. However, those who came tonight aren't all filthy rats. Some of them do indeed have a righteous heart, but they've been deceived by others and can't tell the truth from the lies. Many of these people of the forest look bright and heroic on the surface, but in reality, they've lived very poorly. In their hearts, the only thing they seek and have is face. It seems that Liheng doesn't intend to kill them all tonight. If he still wants to meet them in the future, he shouldn't humiliate them like this. "
After saying this, he continued, "This old man rushed all the way here to stop this meeting, but I didn't expect to encounter such a situation. With what happened tonight, they'll definitely hold a grudge against Liheng … But this matter isn't impossible to resolve. This old man still has some reputation among these people. If Liheng is willing to let some of them go, this old man is also willing to lobby for Liheng to mediate and explain the truth to everyone so that there won't be such things in the future. What do you think, Liheng? "
Ning Yi listened quietly, and then laughed. "It sounds like killing them all tonight is a good idea."
"Does Liheng want to do this?"
In the night and firelight, Zhou Dong's words couldn't be considered friendly. In fact, the two of them had met each other twice, and most of the time, this was their attitude. At this time, listening to Zhou Dong's half-questioning and half-warning words, Ning Yi smiled and spread his hands to the side.
"Senior Zhou, Brother Fulu, you two have come from afar, you must be hungry. We have prepared noodles here, eat a bowl first … Hey, you guys …" He smiled at the people around him. "Well, it's not a war, don't be so nervous. Go do your things, I want a bowl of zhajiang noodles."
Zhou Dong was straightforward, and obviously didn't like Ning Yi's behavior of changing the topic, but now he had to follow. Yan Huan also followed them to the side of the camp. The several pots of noodles over there were all prepared for the people in the camp for supper. When someone came over with noodles, he couldn't suppress the doubts in his heart. He gritted his teeth and said, "Master, what you just said … is it true?"
Zhou Dong glanced at him with a serious look. "The food shortage that started last year was mostly caused by large families hoarding grain. If it weren't for Young Master Ning cooperating with Right Minister's residence to organize grain merchants, the north and south would be full of starvation and people would have no way to live! If it weren't for him, those people wouldn't spread rumors and incite you to do things. "
"But …" Yan Huan hesitated. "If he is really a good person, why didn't he directly release the grain to the disaster area? Why did he sell the grain at such a high price …"
"If there are no benefits, who will transport grain into the disaster area! How many people are willing to release grain for free! " Zhou Dong looked at him and said sternly, "You are so indignant, have you ever transported grain to the disaster area to save people!? Have you ever gone to the disaster area to release grain!? "
The old man pointed to the prison cart. "Where are those people!?"
"We … don't … want to … take advantage of people …" Yan Huan lowered his head. His whole face had turned red, and the blood vessels on his forehead swelled. At this time, he already knew that Zhou Dong was not lying. When he looked up at Ning Yi, he saw Ning Yi took a bowl of noodles from the side and handed it to Zhou Dong, and then to Fu Lu. The scene of his son's death and his family being arrested floated in front of his eyes again, but he didn't expect that the person in front of him was a good person. At this time, he was a little regretful, but also a little sad and indignant.
"Then … then where is my family …" He struggled to speak to Ning Yi. "You let them go! I … I admit defeat … "
Ning Yi looked at him with a bowl of noodles, and then handed it to him. "Do you want it too?"
"Where is my family?"
"Eat a bowl of noodles and I will tell you."
Yan Huan didn't take that bowl of noodles. "You let them go … I, I will not pursue this matter … I admit defeat, what else do you want …"
When he said this, his voice gradually rose. At the moment when his voice reached the highest point, Ning Yi's eyes flashed a trace of fierceness, and a bowl of noodles was thrown to Yan Huan's face. Fu Lu stood closer and suddenly reached out to grab the bottom of the bowl. But at this time, he also had noodles in his hand, so he could only use one hand to catch it. The soup in the bowl splashed on Yan Huan's face and body. Yan Huan was scalded and jumped back a step. He clenched his fists and was about to rush over. Several crossbows were set up around him, and Zhu Biao also came closer, holding the spear in his hand.
Ning Yi stared at him and indifferently tilted his head. "Master Yan, what's wrong with you … you weren't like this last night …"
"You …"
"Senior Zhou, you saw it." Ning Yi spread out his hands. "One should not go too far, and it will be easier to meet in the future. Master Zhou, you can also help me explain and clarify. I can be like a good person and be respected by them. But so what? When your disciple thought that I was a bad person, he didn't even dare to fart when I killed his son and arrested his family. But now he thinks that I am a good person, and he thinks that I am just scaring him. Suddenly, he has the courage to talk to me. "
Ning Yi smiled and took the bowl of noodles. "Because he thinks that a good person will definitely not kill his family. Even if I kill his son in front of him, he will still think that I can't go any further. Senior Zhou, if you clarify for me now, it's true that there will be fewer people who want to kill me, but they will still think that I need their understanding. Will they still expect me to explain to them if they fail to kill me in the capital one day? "
"Good people can't live on, Senior Zhou." Ning Yi ate the noodles. "Good people have concerns, care, and a bottom line. Truly evil people will look down on them. Just like your disciple, the moment he found out that I am a good person, he suddenly … didn't respect me very much. Unfortunately, he was mistaken. "
He shook his head and said, "Among the people who came today, only the most unyielding old man, Senior Zhou, received 1500 taels of silver to facilitate this matter. Do you really think he cares if I harm anyone or not? Evil people form gangs, while good people are always a motley crew. They can be incited, they can die for others, but they can't do anything. Your disciple even doesn't fear me because I am a good person, so others think that I am easier to deal with. You see, why do I have to leave them a way out? I don't care about their revenge at all. Those who want to destroy my family, whether they are good or bad, I want their families destroyed. "
Zhou Dong's gaze was solemn, and he didn't say anything. Yan Huan's face was already red and white. His tone softened. "This … this matter … I was wrong …"
Ning Yi looked him up and down, then pointed at the noodles hanging on his body and on the ground. "Your noodles are getting cold. Eat your noodles. After you finish eating, I will tell you where your family is. "
Yan Huan's face instantly turned red again. The other party didn't show any mercy at all, and he was going to continue to humiliate him. Zhou Dong and Fu Lu, who were next to him, also looked a little unhappy. In the end, they felt that it was unnecessary to humiliate a person to this extent. Jianghu people were just people who stretched out their heads and shrank back. But after a while, they still didn't say anything. Yan Huan glared at Ning Yi, reached out to grab the noodles on his clothes and put them in his mouth. Then, he squatted down to grab the noodles on the ground and put them in his mouth.
No matter what happened before, with this scene, the two of them were almost mortal enemies.
But Ning Yi didn't seem to care. He ate the noodles himself, watching this scene with great interest. Not long after, he finished a bowl of noodles and handed the chopsticks to the person behind him. He looked at Yan Huan with a smile and said, "Your family is all dead."
Yan Huan was squatting on the ground, putting the noodles and sand into his mouth. He stared at Ning Yi and chewed with big mouthfuls, as if he wanted Ning Yi to see his determination. But when he heard this, his whole body froze.
"They were all dead a few days ago." Ning Yi tilted his head and repeated with a smile, "On the night I killed your son and forced you to cooperate with me, I killed your entire family. Do you know why I didn't leave you a way out? It's because I never intended to let you live. Isn't it obvious? You raised a stupid son, and I killed him in front of you. You definitely couldn't take this lying down, so of course I had to kill your entire family … If you cooperated, I would let you go. Heh … Do you still think I'm a good person? "
"Ha..." Ning Yi had a smile on his face, but his eyes were cold. Yan Huan, who was in front of him, had turned into a wild beast in the blink of an eye. He let out some meaningless sounds, then with a scream, he pounced toward Ning Yi. Fu Lu, who was beside him, suddenly grabbed his shoulder and shouted, "Wait! Calm down! "
But at this moment, it was impossible for Yan Huan to calm down. He struggled with all his might and almost fought with Fu Lu. Ning Yi stood a few steps away and watched all this with a smile. He said sarcastically, "Wow … He can't calm down. Give up the treatment … Look, his eyes are red … Don't you want to wait for a while? There are noodles in your mouth … Don't you want to choke to death …"
Zhou Dong looked at all this. After a while, he seemed to notice something and began to eat his noodles with his head lowered. After a while, some shadows came from the distance outside the campsite. A child who was walking at the very front called out, "Father." Yan Huancai suddenly froze on the spot. Among the crowd, someone was crying and calling out, "Husband."
"Just-Kidding!" Ning Yi walked towards Yan Huan. "I'm just joking." As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly kicked Yan Huan's stomach and sent him flying. Yan Huan rolled a few times on the ground before he stopped. In the firelight, the scholar's figure walked over coldly.
Ning Yi bent down and grabbed the hair on the back of his head. He looked at him coldly and said, "I think you must understand, right?"
Yan Huan's eyes flickered and he didn't dare to look at him again. Ning Yi shook his head and said, "Next time, it will be true." After saying this, the hand that grabbed Yan Huan's hair suddenly waved, and Yan Huan's body rolled more than a meter on the ground. His head also hit the ground again, and blood came out.
When he turned his head, he only saw Ning Yi walking straight towards Zhou Dong and the others. The night wind blew, and his clothes fluttered. For a moment, this forty-year-old martial arts master didn't have the courage to seek revenge. He just struggled to get up and watched his family approaching him …
*****
It didn't take long for him to get in touch with Zhou Dong. The two of them had reached the top in their own fields, but because of their different styles, they didn't have much in common. Some ways of doing things were understandable, but it didn't mean that they could accept it. Because of this, after he settled Zhou Dong and his servant nearby in front of everyone, Ning Yi couldn't help but pat his head regretfully, "Ah, it's still hard to make this old man like me …"
Zhou Dong's purpose of coming was indeed out of goodwill. Ning Yi could understand this after a few words. Even so, there wasn't much compromise or wavering between the two of them. Zhou Dong still wouldn't agree with his style of doing things to the extreme, but he chose not to persuade him anymore, which was already a big concession.
Of course, after bidding farewell to Ning Yi, Zhou Dong, who was staying in a nearby courtyard, called for Tian Donghan and asked about his recent situation. Then, he continued to do things according to his own way.
"… As for how to deal with this matter, your boss has his own way of doing things. Of course, if we do things to the extreme, we can intimidate some people, but if we can convince a group of people, it's still useful. After we leave this place, I'll pay a visit to some famous people from the Green Forest Sect and have them try their best to clarify the matter of disaster relief. There's no need to tell your boss about this. I want to help him, and I also want to save the lives of some reckless people. With your boss's ability and personality, those who go to him probably won't have a good ending. The less this matter can happen, the better … "
"As for the people behind the scenes that your boss said, I'll do my best to investigate them. If it's true, I'll naturally look for them and won't forgive them. Your boss probably thinks that I'm pedantic and old-fashioned, and I also think that he's arrogant and rash. But he's a real man of action, and even though I'm old, I won't be a mediocre old man who only knows how to mediate … "
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