The sky gradually darkened. Snowflakes fell outside the door and pedestrians walked by the roadside.
The city had been besieged for months and the supplies in the capital had become extremely tight. Wenhui Lou had a deep background and would not close down. But at this time, there was not much business. Because of the heavy snow, most of the doors and windows in the building were closed. In this kind of weather, those who came to eat, regardless of whether they were from the government or the government, were either rich or noble. Shishi also knew the owner of Wenhui Lou. She went upstairs and asked for a small room. She ordered some simple dishes and waited quietly.
The two armies were still confronting each other outside the city. As a high-ranking member of the Xia Village army, Ning Yi had secretly returned to the city. Shishi could roughly guess why. However, she did not care about the details. She roughly thought that Ning Yi was making some counterattacks against the actions of others. He was not the face of the Xia Village army. He did not need to be too secretive when he made some connections in private. Those who knew the severity of the matter would naturally know. Those who did not know were often not insiders.
She did not want to become an insider. Women could not be involved in the affairs of men at this level.
The wind and snow outside the house were quiet. Although it was winter, the wind was not strong. The city seemed to be whimpering in a faraway place. The anxiety that she had been feeling for the past few days had calmed down. She ate something and not long after, she heard people whispering and talking outside. She did not go out to take a look. After a while, she heard footsteps again. Shishi went to open the door.
"Liheng." She smiled.
"Why did you come here? You scared me."
The person outside the door was naturally Ning Yi. The last time they met was a few months ago. Looking back, every time they met, most of their conversations were considered relaxed and casual. But this time, Ning Yi returned to the city covered in dust. He met people secretly and talked about some serious matters. His eyes and temperament were all complicated. Perhaps this was how he looked when he was dealing with strangers. Shishi had only seen it on some important people. It was not an exaggeration to say that it contained a murderous aura. But at this moment, she did not feel that there was anything wrong with it. Instead, she felt at ease.
She then told a small lie, "I was also shocked. What a coincidence. Liheng is … dealing with those troublesome matters?"
"There are some people I want to see and talk about." Ning Yi nodded.
"Liheng … Have you eaten?" She turned her body slightly.
"There will be more coming soon."
"If there's anything that requires company, Shishi can play the zither to liven things up …"
"Not so good."
"Yes."
As they spoke, an attendant came over and whispered something into Ning Yi's ear. Ning Yi nodded.
"It's getting late. I'm afraid I'll be very busy today. I'll be visiting Fan Lou in the next two days. If Shishi wants to return earlier … I'm afraid I won't be able to come out and greet you."
"I'm not going back. I'll wait for you here."
"I'm afraid it'll be late at night."
"I've been on the battlefield for the past few days, and I've seen a lot of people die. After that, I saw a lot of things …. I have something to tell you."
Ning Yi saw that the woman in front of him was looking at him with clear eyes and pursed lips. He was slightly taken aback, then nodded and said, "Then I'll take my leave first."
*****
They waited for nearly four hours. In Wenhui Building, there were occasionally people coming and going, but Shishi didn't go out to see.
She came to the Musical House when she was still young. Later, as she grew up, she became famous in the capital and witnessed a lot of big events. In the fourth year of Jing Han's reign, Prime Minister He Chaoguang fought with Cai Jing, and there was a rumor that the emperor wanted to kill Cai Jing. In the fifth year of Jing Han's reign, Wang Ren, the richest man in the capital, along with many rich businessmen, was killed in the Zhe Salt Case. In the seventh year of Jing Han's reign, the two factions in the capital fought with each other, and many officials were removed from their positions. Living in the capital and close to the circle of power, she had seen a lot of the atmosphere of the coming storm.
Such an atmosphere was like the footsteps outside the room. Even if she didn't know who the person was, she knew that the person must be an important person. In the past, she was also curious about these dark secrets. But this time, she suddenly thought of the night when her father was arrested many years ago. She and her mother were learning zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting in the inner hall, while her father and his aides were in the outer hall. Under the light, the figures coming and going were full of anxiety.
As time went by, such an impression was actually not accurate. When she thought about it carefully, it should be the experience she accumulated over the years that made up for the memory that gradually became thin. After so many years, the person in that position was someone she was really familiar with again.
The ingratiation in the brothel could not be said to be sincere. There were always some romantic scholars who were talented and sharp — like Zhou Bangyan — but she had never regarded them as private friends. She had always been very clear about what the other party wanted and what she had. Even for Yu Ho-chung, Chen Sifeng, and others who she regarded as friends in private, she could also be clear about this.
As for Ning Yi, after the reunion, she was not close, but not alienated, which had something to do with the attitude that he always maintained in a proper way. Shishi knew that when he got married, he was beaten and lost the memory of the past. This actually made her correct her attitude. It was not his fault that he lost his memory, but she had to regard him as a friend.
Many things in the past, including her parents, had fallen into the dust of memory. There were only a few people who could have a connection with her at that time. Even when she had already entered the Musical House when she met them, she was still a young girl. At least at that time, she still had the breath of the past and the possibility of the future …
If Li Shishi wanted to become Li Shishi — she always felt that the former herself could not be abandoned. These things could not be kept by herself. Only from them could she go back to the past.
Now, Ning Yi also entered the center of this storm.
And there wasn't much she could do. After all, Ning Yi was different from Yu Ho-chung, Chen Sifeng, and others. Since the beginning of the reunion, what he had done was unimaginable things, such as destroying the Liangshan bandits, fighting with the Jianghu people, and this time, strengthening the walls and clearing the fields, fighting against the resentful army in Xia Village, and this complicated situation. Because of this, she also remembered those nights when her father was still alive.
She opened the window in the middle of the night, and the wind and snow poured in through the window, blowing out the candles and making people feel cold. She did not know when, when she had almost fallen asleep in the room, there was a knock on the door outside. Shishi went to open the door. Outside the door was the figure of Ning Yi, who was slightly frowning. It seemed that things had just come to an end.
"Haven't left yet?"
"I want to wait for Liheng to talk to you." Shishi stroked her hair, then smiled, and leaned sideways to invite him in. Ning Yi nodded and entered the room. Shishi went to open the window to let in the cold wind. She hugged her body by the window and let the wind and snow blow in for a while, then closed the window with gritted teeth. She came over to help Ning Yi carry a stool and pour a cup of hot tea.
"It must not be easy to besiege the city for so long. Although I was outside the city, I heard people talking about you these days. Fortunately, nothing happened." Ning Yi took a sip of tea and smiled slightly. He did not know what she wanted to say, so he spoke first.
"I think … Liheng's side is not easy." Shishi sat opposite him. "He has to fight a war outside, and there are these things when he comes back. After winning the war, he can't stay idle …"
"The Zhenren has not left yet. It's not a victory." Ning Yi shook his head.
"Shishi heard in the city that the negotiation is almost in the bag?"
"There is a 90% certainty that we will give them whatever they want, and there is also a 90% certainty that we will get whatever we want. Shishi, which one do you think it will be?"
Ning Yi looked at her with a smile. When Shishi heard this, she held the teacup and her eyes dimmed slightly. After all, she was in the city. There were some things that she could not find out. But when it came from Ning Yi, the weight was different. Although she was already mentally prepared, she still could not be happy when she suddenly heard this.
Ning Yi comforted her. "We are also doing our best, but … things are very complicated. It is hard to say what we can protect and what benefits we can get from this negotiation. It is hard to say whether it will be immediate or long-term."
"I don't really understand these things …" Shishi replied and then smiled sweetly. "Sometimes in Fanlou, I pretend to know a lot, but in fact, I don't. This is a man's matter after all. Oh yes, does Liheng have anything to do tonight? "
"He does, but I am afraid he will be very free for the next two hours. Shishi, why are you waiting for me?"
"I just want to talk to you." Shishi sat there and smiled. "When Liheng left the capital, I didn't quite understand what he said to me. It was not until the Female Zhenren came south and began to besiege and attack the city that I wanted to do something. Later, I went to Sour Date Sect and saw … a lot of things …"
As she said this, she then talked about her experience in Sour Date Sect. Although she was a woman, she had always been clear-headed and self-reliant. This clear-headed and self-reliant temperament was different from a man's. The monks said that she had Buddha nature and had seen through many things. Even so, a girl in her teens or early twenties was still growing up. Over the past few days, she couldn't tell anyone what she had seen, experienced, and thought about. In her spiritual world, she saw Ning Yi as a reflection. After the war stopped, more and more complicated things surrounded her, making her physically and mentally exhausted. At this time, when Ning Yi returned, she found him and told him everything.
Ning Yi did not expect her to talk about her experiences in these days, but he continued to listen. The slightly skinny but still beautiful woman in front of him talked about the battlefield, the broken limbs, the tragic deaths of the soldiers, the battles of Sour Date Sect … Shishi did not speak loudly, nor did she seem too sad or emotional. Occasionally, she would smile slightly. After a long time, she talked about the soldiers who died after she took care of them, the process of her being chased and then protected, the faint wishes of those people before they died, and then she talked about Xue Changgong, He Lei 'er, and the others …
Time gradually passed as they talked. Among them, she also talked about the joy she felt when she received the news from Xia Village. In the wind and snow outside, the gong sounded.
"... In the past few days at Fan Lou, I've heard people talk about fighting for power and profit. I have seen it many times in the past, so I am used to it. But this time, after participating in the defense of the city, I heard those young masters talking about negotiations and their frivolous looks when they win or lose outside the city. I can't continue. The Female Zhenren has not left, but the adults in their families are already scheming and scheming for these dirty things. These days, Liheng has been outside the city, so he must have seen it. I heard that they want to break up the Wu Rui Camp in private again. After I heard it, I was worried. These people, how can they be like this? But … in the end, there is no other way … "
Hearing Shishi's words, Ning Yi laughed, "A few groups of people came and fought a few times …"
Shishi also laughed, "But, Liheng is back today, so naturally, he has a way to deal with them. In this way, I can rest assured. I don't want to ask what Liheng did, but I think that after a while, I will hear about those people's dirty deeds, and then I can have a good sleep … "
"Uh …" Ning Yi was slightly stunned, but he knew that she guessed wrong, "Tonight, I came back not for this …"
"Ah …" Shishi hesitated for a moment, "I know that Liheng has more things to do, but … this trouble in the capital city, will Liheng have a way to deal with it?"
Ning Yi was silent for a moment, "The trouble is very troublesome, but if you want to talk about a way … I haven't thought of anything yet …"
"…" Shishi looked at him.
"If they want to make a move against the Wu Rui Camp, it's just a small matter." Ning Yi stood up, "The room is too stuffy. If Shishi is still energetic, let's go out for a walk. There is a place that I have been looking at for the whole afternoon, and I want to go and take a look."
Shishi nodded. It was already late at night, and there were no pedestrians on the road outside. The two of them went downstairs, and the guards quietly followed them. The wind and snow were everywhere, and Shishi could see that there was not much joy in the eyes of Ning Yi, who was beside her.
But as they walked in the wind and snow, Ning Yi still smiled, "In the afternoon, when I was upstairs, I saw what happened here, and asked someone to ask about it. Oh … it's this house." They didn't walk far, and stopped in front of a small courtyard by the roadside. This place was less than a hundred feet away from Wenhui Lou, separated by a street, and the door of the small and shabby courtyard was already closed. Shishi recalled that when she arrived at Wenhui Lou in the evening, Ning Yi was sitting by the window, and he seemed to be looking in this direction. But what exactly happened here, she could not remember.
"The whole family is dead."
Ning Yi waved his hand, and the guards beside him came over, brandished a knife, and cut open the door latch. Ning Yi pushed the door open, and Shishi followed. Inside was a small, shabby courtyard with three rooms, and the darkness seemed to be suffused with the aura of death. Just as Ning Yi said, the people were all dead.
"In the afternoon, the head guard called people to carry the corpses here. I was upstairs, and asked someone to ask about it. There were three people here, and they were living a good life. " Ning Yi walked into the inner room, and said, "Grandmother, father, and a four-year-old daughter. When the Jurchen attacked the city, there was nothing to eat at home, and we didn't have much money. The man went to defend the city, and asked the head guard to take care of the two people who stayed here. Then the man died on the city wall, and the head guard couldn't take care of him. The old man caught a cold, and she was also afraid that people would enter the house to rob things in the chaos in the city, so she locked the door. Then … the old man was sick, cold, and hungry, and slowly died. The four-year-old girl also starved to death … "
The room was filled with the stench of corpses. Ning Yi stood at the door, holding a torch, and entered the cold and messy ordinary house. Although Shishi had also adapted to the stench on the battlefield, she still covered her nostrils, and did not understand why Ning Yi said these things. Recently, such things happened every day in the city. The people who died on the city wall were even more miserable.
"When I heard this from upstairs, I was thinking, many years later, when people talk about the Jurchen's invasion of the south, they talk about what happened in Bianliang. They talk about the death of tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of people, and how cruel the Jurchen was. They start to scold the Jurchen, but in their hearts, they actually don't have any concept of it. They scold, and most of the time, it feels good to do so. They feel that they have repaid their responsibility as Han people, even if they have not done anything. When they talk about hundreds of thousands of people, the weight of all of them is not even one ten-thousandth of what happened in this house. An old man was sick, cold, and hungry, and died on the side. That little girl … no one cared about her, and she became hungrier and hungrier. First, she cried, and then she couldn't cry. Slowly, she stuffed all kinds of things into her mouth, and then she also died of hunger … "
Ning Yi said this calmly, and lowered his torch. He was silent for a moment.
"I didn't enter the city to argue with those people. If they want to demolish the city, we will fight them. Who cares … Prime Minister Qin is busy with the negotiations, so he is not in the mansion during the day. I came to meet some people and arrange some trivial matters. A few months ago, I got up to the north and wanted to help the Jurchen's invasion of the south. Now that I have done it, more troublesome things have come. Unlike last time, I haven't thought about what I should do this time. There are many things I can do, but no matter what I do, there is no turning back. It's very difficult to do things. If it's possible, I'd like to leave after I've accomplished my mission … "
Shishi was slightly confused. At this time, she was standing beside Ning Yi, and she gently and carefully pulled his sleeve. Ning Yi frowned, and his hostility was revealed. Then, he slightly tilted his head and smiled.
"You were on the city wall, and I was outside the city. I saw people die like this. Their stomachs were cut open, and their hands and feet were chopped off. Just like the people in the city who slowly starved to death, they died with weight. This thing can't be thrown away, and it's very difficult to pick it up. After all, how to pick it up is a big problem. "
As he said these words, there was an unconcealable hostility in his eyes. Then, he turned around, waved his hand towards the door, and walked out. Shishi asked hesitantly, "Could it be that Liheng … is also disheartened and wants to leave?"
"It's not the same as this. I'm still thinking." Ning Yi shook his head. "I'm not a homicidal maniac. So many people died in front of me. Actually, what I'm thinking is similar to what you are thinking. It's just that it's hard to say what's more complicated. It's getting late. I have to go to the Prime Minister's residence later, and I'll send someone to send you back. No matter what I'm going to do next, you should know. As for the group of people who caused trouble for Wu Ruiying, you don't have to worry about them. Even if there are hundreds of thousands of people following them, cowards will still be cowards. "
Shishi nodded as well. After a few months of reuniting, she still couldn't see Ning Yi clearly. This was different from the past. She couldn't see him clearly.
The door to the courtyard was closed behind him.
The wind and snow continued to fall. The carriages, lit with lanterns, headed towards different directions in the city. On the streets, the night watchmen carried lanterns, and patrolling soldiers passed through the snow. When Shishi's carriage entered the Fan Lou, Ning Yi and the other carriages had already entered the Right Minister's residence. He passed through the Lang Yuan, and headed towards the study of the Qin residence that was still lit.
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