"... As the saying goes, if one does not think far ahead, there will be immediate worries. Thinking back to the recent events, I always feel uneasy. Of course, it could also be that there are too many things to deal with, messing up my thoughts... "
The capital city, 20th of May. It had been almost half a year since the departure of the Enlightened Lady. The trees by the side of the road were lush with foliage. Pedestrians came and went, and peddlers hawked their wares. Above the restaurant, Tie Tianying and Zong Fei Xiao sat down at a table in a small private room.
As the head of the Ministry of Justice, and also a famous expert, Zong Fei Xiao was tall and sturdy, taller than Tie Tianying by a head. Because of his outstanding external skills, he did not have any hair on his head. He looked fierce, but in reality, he was a person who looked rough on the outside but was actually very careful on the inside. Tie Tianying had worked with him several times, including when he escorted Fang Qi Fo to the capital city. The two of them also fell into the hands of Ning Yi, so when they talked, they had a common language.
There was not much time, and the two of them had many official matters to deal with. Tie Tianying poured wine, and at the same time, he talked about the recent events in the capital city that were related to Ning Yi. In reality, after the departure of the Lady Zhenren, in the past half a year, the situation in the capital city mostly revolved around the rise and fall of the Right Minister's residence. Ning Yi was in the middle of it, and after the ups and downs, he still managed to survive in the cracks. Even in Tie Tianying's eyes, the situation was not something that could be explained in a few words.
It had been ten days since the death of Qin Siyuan. In the capital city, there would occasionally be scholars who would speak of him, but in general, the matter had passed, the treacherous officials had been executed, and most people had begun to look forward. Now that they looked back, many things could be seen more clearly.
"... Ning Yi, the people in the capital city looked down on him because of his status, but under the Right Minister, this person was quick-witted. Looking back to last year, when the Lady Zhenren came, he directly went out of the city, and later on, during the battle of Xia Village, he had contributed greatly. If it weren't for the sudden fall of the Right Minister, he wouldn't have been so depressed. In order to save Qin Siyuan, he even sent out the cavalry of Lu Liang. I saw the arrangement of his subordinates and wanted to leave, but now it seems that he has changed his mind. Regardless of whether it is because of Old Qin's death or something else, if this person rises again, you and I will not have an easy time … "
A constable who roamed the underworld all year round would have many enemies. However, the enmity in the underworld was different from that in the imperial court. Tie Tianying didn't need to say much about the consequences if he left such an enemy in his position. Zong Fei Xiao had almost injured Su Tan'er in the process of taking over the Office of Secret Investigations, so he wasn't completely unprepared for this.
"I'm well aware of what's going on in the previous exchange. Actually, before the incident in Bozhou, I had already arranged for people to enter Takeshi. " As Zong Fei Xiao spoke, he frowned. "However, Takeshi previously relied on the Right Minister's residence and the Office of Secret Investigations. There are some things that are difficult for outsiders to know. The people I arranged for have never entered Takeshi's inner circle. It's just that in the last few days, I've seen the Bamboo Ji's movements; it seems they're going to return to the Capital. Rumor has it that the current big master has become Tong Guan, Tong Wangye. Whether the Bamboo Ji changes its name or not, it won't be a big problem. "
"I'm afraid that he's just a fox borrowing the tiger's might. Although Ning Yi has some dealings with Prince Tong, I don't think he has any status in the Prince's residence. "
"He was originally on Qin Siyuan's side. Even if he defected, Prince Tong wouldn't immediately trust him. However, with Prince Tong's influence, if Ning Yi wanted to run his business, it would definitely be smooth sailing. Also … "Zong Fei Xiao was slightly hesitant, but finally said," Brother Tie, you and I have seen the downfall of a high official like Qin Siyuan many times. "
"Yes." Tie Tianying nodded. "That's not a small number."
Zong Fei Xiao, who was sitting on the side, smiled. "Yes, you and I are already familiar with the situation after a high official's downfall. Those sons of high officials, aides, and the like, were indeed let off, or climbed up to other higher branches and lived a peaceful life. However, after experiencing such things once or twice in one's life, one's spirit will dissipate. Among these people, there's no lack of people who were imprisoned by you and me and then released. How many of them are there to seek revenge on us? At most, they just flaunt their power in front of the jailer who has treated them lightly. If they go further up, it's usually not good. "
"After all, in the end, even if these people managed to keep their lives, they would still be looked down upon by others due to their status. Now that the storm of the Right Minister's case has just passed, even if this Ning Yi is hot-blooded, after he mobilized the cavalry, he should have used up all of his means. He might have some benefits to give to Prince, but does Prince not guard against him? Does Prince really put him in an important position? That is why he does not dare to act recklessly and cause unnecessary trouble … "
At this point, Zong Fei Xiao paused for a moment. "Both of us are already chief arresters. If we were to take a step further, we would be able to enter the bureaucracy from the wilderness. Although we can only be considered as minor officials, there have been many people who have asked us to do things for them. This Ning Yi, one step up, is someone from the Prince's Residence. When he was in the Prime Minister's Residence, he did not think highly of us. Now that he is in the Prince's Residence … Heh, to be honest, he is wearing shoes, and I am barefoot. So what if I touched his woman? If he goes all out and fights to the death with me, I may not be able to escape, but can he get away with it? I don't believe it. "
His fierce-looking face smiled coldly. He picked up a rice cake and threw it into his mouth. "Since ancient times, those who are fierce are afraid of those who are stubborn. When I came to the capital, I was prepared. If he really wants to cause trouble, he does not need to look for me. I will look for him first. At most, we will perish together. He has a big family business and many women. Let's see if I am afraid of him or if he is afraid of me. Brother Tie, don't you think so? "
Tie Tianying also laughed and toasted the other party, "Actually, I am not really afraid of many things, but since we have already formed a grudge, and now is his weakest time, I have to find a chance to get rid of him. In my opinion, after this incident, Ning Yi will either really know his place, or if he wants revenge, the first person to bear the brunt will not be you or me. If he is plotting something big, his target might be the Qi family. "
"Qi Yan." Zong Fei Xiao nodded.
Tie Tianying said, "The Qi family has great influence in the north. Speaking of which, the Great Radiant Sect is actually relying on them for protection. In the capital, Qi Yan, Lord Liang Shicheng, Lord Li Bangyan, and even Grand Preceptor Cai are on good terms. "The Great Radiant Sect has suffered such a great loss. If not for Ning Yi defecting to Prince Tong's side, the Qi family might have come for revenge. "However, the current situation is tense. Ning Yi has just joined the Prince Residence, so Prince Tong will not allow anyone to touch him. Once time passes, he will no longer have a place in Prince Tong's heart. The Qi family will not take this lying down. From what I have seen of Ning Yi's past actions, he will definitely not resign himself to his fate."
Zong Fei Xiao nodded. After some thought, he smiled. "The Great Radiant Sect … According to the rumors in the Lulin Forest, Lin Zongwu wanted to head north to fight with his mental demons. In the end, he was chased by the cavalry all the way to the river transporting grain outside Immortal Vermilion Town. Most of the sect's experts were killed. "He went to the Qi family to vent his anger, but he did not expect that he would encounter the army when he headed north. The Qi family was also dumbfounded. Haha … "
"In order to save Qin Siyuan, Ning Yi spent a lot of money. It's a pity that he was too late. Otherwise, we would not be so busy. But then again, Lin Zongwu will not let him off so easily. " Regarding the matter of the cavalry being dispatched that day, the higher-ups had taken it lightly. However, although the Emperor was not concerned about Qin Siyuan's death, there were still many actions taken by the people below. This included the arrest of a few mid-level officials and the arrest of people from the Lulin Forest. The higher-ups had taken it lightly, but when it came to the people below, a small storm of blood had been stirred up.
As the two of them spoke up to this point, the sounds of birds chirping could be heard from the treetops outside the window. Looking out through the window, Ning Yi and his group had gotten off the carriage at the entrance of a cloth shop not far away. Tie Tianying and Zong Fei both glanced at each other. Tie Tianying raised his chin.
"After Qin Siyuan passed away, it was said that he left behind evidence of many people's crimes. There were also the secrets of the various clans, which were originally prepared to be used for a revival. "Now, it is time for him to hand it over to Prince Tong. Driving the tiger to swallow the wolf, using a borrowed knife to kill. Because of this, he has obtained Prince Tong's protection. Fortunately, the army has always been tyrannical. If there is really a dispute, these things might not be needed. Prince Tong might also be able to see through his schemes. "
"Kill him while he is down." Zong Fei Xiao nodded. "I can't be bothered to guard against thieves for a thousand days. If those people who infiltrated Takeshi's inner circle really find out anything, I will know what to do."
"I will just inform Brother Zong about these matters. Brother Zong will naturally know how to deal with them. Although I have many matters to attend to, I will still keep an eye on him. Does Brother Zong know the reason? "
Zong Fei Xiao thought for a moment. "I heard that Liu Watermelon, Chen Fan, and the others have entered the capital. Fan Zhong met them face to face. "
"Mm. Ning Yi is a person who is ruthless and has many grudges. Back then, he personally beheaded Fang Qifo. Both sides have a grudge that will not rest until one of them is dead. Now that the Blade Tyrant has entered the capital, although I do not know what he is planning, if there is a chance, I will definitely kill him. I will watch from the side. If Liu Watermelon and the others kill him, I will be able to drag these people out. "
"Hehe, that is a good result." Zong Fei Xiao smiled. "Actually, this person has made enemies out of the Qi Clan, the Great Radiant Sect, the remnants of Bandits Fang, and countless great clans and people from the underworld. It's really not easy for him to survive until now. Now that the Right Minister has fallen, I really want to see how he will survive in the cracks. "
After that, the two of them continued to chat and laugh for a while, ate some food, and then left.
Just as Zong Fei Xiao had said, the fall of the Right Minister had exposed the problem of Ning Yi having many grudges against him. During this period of time, even with Tong Guan taking care of him, Takeshi would still have to do things with his tail between his legs. Zong Fei Xiao had already decided that if there was a chance, he would kill the other party. However, he was not worried about the overall situation.
The reason he had returned to the capital this time was to share the burden of the cases that involved the assassinations of Qin Siyuan and the Great Radiant Sect. Of course, the Great Radiant Sect had not entered the capital. However, because Qin Siyuan's death in the capital region had caused a bad impact, a few officials related to the Qi Clan had been affected. This was a deliberate suppression by the Emperor to display his authority.
Of course, this was also the result of being at a disadvantage in this confrontation. If Lin Zongwu killed Qin Siyuan and then got rid of his mental demon, or if he obtained the legacy that Qin Siyuan had left behind, Lin Zongwu might still be wanted for a period of time. However, the Great Radiant Sect would then take the opportunity to enter the capital, and the few officials who were related to the Qi Clan would not be too miserable. It was because this meant that their market prices would rise. However, now that Tong Guan had gained the upper hand, the Qi Clan, Liang Shicheng, and Li Bangyan's faction had suffered a setback, and the officials related to the Qi Clan had been sent to prison. Although their crimes were different, these people were more or less related to the task of completing the defense line at the Yellow River.
This was the officialdom. When there was a change of power, the struggle was also the most intense. In the Greenwood Forest, the Ministry of Justice had already arrested quite a number of people. That night, Zong Fei Xiao interrogated the criminals for the entire night. In the afternoon of the next day, he brought his subordinates out of the Ministry of Justice to investigate the homes or residences of the criminals. At noon, he went to the home of a person from the Greenwood Forest. This house was located in the Sanhuai Alley on the west side of Bianliang. The house of the person from the Greenwood Forest was simple and shabby. After the husband was arrested, only a woman was left. After the investigation and interrogation of the woman, they left. Not long after they left, Zong Fei Xiao sent his subordinates away and returned.
The reason why the person from the Greenwood Forest was arrested was because he was suspected of secretly worshiping the Manichaeism and the Great Radiant Sect. Zong Fei Xiao called the woman back to her room and closed the door behind him. The woman's cries could be heard briefly in the room, but after a moment of slaps and beatings, she could only beg for mercy. After that, the begging stopped. Zong Fei Xiao vented his anger in the room, hugged the woman and comforted her for a while. After leaving behind a few pieces of silver, he finally came out in satisfaction.
That afternoon, he contacted two informants who had infiltrated into Takeshi's inner circle to investigate the situation. After sorting out Takeshi's actions, he did not find anything out of the ordinary. That night, he went to the brothel and spent half the night there. In the wee hours of the morning, he went to the Ministry of Justice's prison and brought out the woman's husband.
After the Female Zhenren had wreaked havoc in the capital for half a year, many problems had started to show. There was a lack of manpower, too many things to do, and people from all walks of life were constantly entering the capital. As for the Greenwood Forest, it had always been the private property of a few chief constables. The higher-ups did not care too much about it. After all, these people were lawless and fought on a daily basis. Since they could not abide by the law, it was fine if they died. Zong Fei Xiao had been in the Ministry of Justice for many years and was very familiar with these matters. In the past, he would not do this, but during this period of time, there was no problem.
After this, he slept for a while. In the morning, he continued to investigate the case. In the afternoon, he went to Sanhuai Alley and called the woman into his room to torture her. Although the woman's family was poor and neglected to dress up, she felt good after she was stripped naked. Zong Fei Xiao loved the way she cried. Over the next few days, he visited her a few more times. He even thought of keeping her as his exclusive property and finding a place to raise her.
There were many important matters in the capital. For the power of the Yellow River defensive line, there were many fights among the higher-ups. Every two days, there would be an official getting into trouble. It had only been half a month since Qin Siyuan's death, so not many people remembered him. The matters in the Ministry of Justice were different every day. But after a long time, the nature of the work was still the same. Zong Fei Xiao was in charge of cases and beating up the various powers. He also paid attention to Takeshi. There were no new movements, but the goods coming and going were more frequent. However, it was necessary for Takeshi to return to the capital.
It was the 27th of May. Zong Fei Xiao had a few more cases on hand. One was about two groups of thugs fighting on the streets and injuring passersby. Zong Fei Xiao had to go and beat them up. The other was about two thugs fighting on the roof of a wealthy family in the capital, Lu Yuanwai's courtyard. On one hand, they wanted to determine the winner, and on the other hand, they wanted to avoid being caught by Lu Yuanwai's servants. The two thugs were indeed skilled. In the end, Lu Yuanwai reported the case. Zong Fei Xiao went that afternoon and spent a lot of effort to arrest the two thugs.
After escorting the two thugs back to the Ministry of Justice, Zong Fei Xiao saw that there was nothing else to do. He went to Sanhuai Alley and forced the woman to make him a meal. In the evening, he led another seven bailiffs out of the capital and headed towards a small hill in the west of the capital.
That place was not far from the capital and was called Hu Gang. Originally, it had prospered because of the nearby relay station, forming a residential area with more than ten shops. When the Lady Zhenren came, this place was destroyed, but it was rebuilt. One of Takeshi's courtyards was also located here. At this time, it had already been rebuilt and was being used.
Arriving at the hill, Zong Fei Xiao let the other seven bailiffs go and eat something first. After deciding on a time to meet up, he walked out of the hill, turned a corner, and headed towards a house about a hundred feet away.
Because of the destruction caused by the Lady Zhenren, this house was made of simple bamboo and wood. The light in the room was dark and there did not seem to be anyone inside. After Zong Fei Xiao entered, someone spoke in the dark. This was a routine meeting, but when the person in the room spoke, Zong Fei Xiao's entire being became terrifying.
His tall and sturdy figure walked out of the room. There were no stars in the sky. In the distance, slightly higher, were the lights of Hu Gang's market. Zong Fei Xiao looked around and took a deep breath. With quick but silent steps, he walked towards Hu Gang.
After walking for about a hundred feet, he suddenly heard a sound from behind. In the distance, he did not know whether it was the sound of animals running or people being knocked to the ground. Zong Fei Xiao did not turn back. He clenched his teeth, opened his eyes wide, and started running. He had only taken the first step when a figure broke through the wind and appeared in the surrounding darkness. In this darkness, the figure was like a dragon rising from the land, surging like a flood!
Zong Fei Xiao's right hand suddenly pulled out a steel whip and swung it at the figure that was charging towards him. With a poof, grass flew into the air. It was a scarecrow that had been pierced by a spear. However, he was highly skilled in martial arts and was even given the title of 'God Striking Whip' in the pugilistic world. When the scarecrow exploded, the steel whip also swept towards the spear. At the same time, someone pounced towards him! A long whip swept horizontally, entangling Zong Fei Xiao's left hand. A knife shot out silently!
The whip tightened and the black figure on the left was pulled to the ground. The person on the right was also knocked away. Zong Fei Xiao's body brushed past a hunchbacked swordsman. The hunchbacked swordsman's head was still spinning in the air. His sturdy body was like a chariot as he took five steps forward and fell to the ground, motionless.
In the darkness, the hunchback picked up the head and put it in a bag. There were still people coming over. They gathered around the headless corpse to take a look. Zong Fei Xiao used two whips, but just now, he had only pulled out a single whip. His left hand was holding a firework token, and he was still in the posture of wanting to release it.
Not far away, the lights on a street near the guard post were still lit. Seven constables were eating and drinking there, waiting for their superior to return. In the darkness, there were silhouettes moving silently in that direction.
These bailiffs never returned to Bianliang City.
At the same time, on the northern bank of the Yellow River, torches were burning. Commoners and soldiers were transporting soil and stones to the embankment. On one hand, the summer flood season had arrived, and people had to start reinforcing the embankment. On the other hand, this was the first phase of strengthening the defensive line of the Yellow River. The eyes of the imperial court were all gathered here. Every day, there would be high-ranking officials patrolling the area.
Further north, in the Qi family's old residence, the great scholar named Qi Yan had already lost his temper. In the dark of the night, he was still burying his head in writing letters. After that, he sent trusted family guards and advisors to the capital to handle matters.
In the capital, Li Gang walked out of his room and sat for a while. Looking at the still lit courtyard of the advisors, his eyes were filled with a sullen and tragic light. However, he clenched his fists. After a while, he thought of something and returned to his room to handle official business.
Qin Hui was entertaining guests. Under the light of the night, he was chatting happily with the two people who came over. In the imperial court, there were more and more rumors about him succeeding the position of the Right Minister. However, he knew that Li Gang was about to step down. In his heart, he was considering the possibility of directly taking the position of the Left Minister.
In the Tong residence, Tong Guan was discussing various matters with Tan Zhen and the others. Li Bingwen was also below. Currently, the Prince of Guangyang's Mansion had two important matters. First, Li Bingwen and the others should truly control the Wu Rui Battalion. Second, since the defensive line of the Yellow River was built to guard against the Female Zhenren, it should be under the direct control of the army. Last time in Taiyuan, Tong Guan understood the military's combat power and abandoned the city. This time, he hoped to be able to do a good job without any restrictions.
"After Old Qin left, these things he left behind are still useful. I hope they can be put to good use. If the Yellow River sinks, Bianliang will be doomed."
"That Ning Liheng has ulterior motives. He wants to borrow a knife to kill people. Your Highness must be on guard."
"Of course I know that Ning Yi has no other way. He wants me to use this against others. I want to use it to do good things. What's important is that this is this Prince's intention. Why should I care about his little wish? Tomorrow, I'll send someone to Li Bangyan's residence to greet him. If he doesn't give in, I won't tolerate him anymore. "
As a general of the Wu dynasty, he had already seen and had enough of useless teammates. This time, the Wu dynasty was in danger. He hoped to turn the tide. This would also be his last glory.
Everyone had something to do. On the roads and waterways radiating from the capital, tens of thousands of people were also gathering in the capital for various reasons. During this period, there were a total of thirteen groups. They set off from the same place and then gathered in the capital in different ways. At this time, these people were either armed escorts, caravans, or craftsmen. The fastest group had already passed Xuchang and was 150 li away from Bianliang.
This was a large caravan of more than two hundred people. At this time, they were camped in the mountains. On the grass at one end of the camp, two young people were talking in low voices.
"Brother Xiaofeng, tell me, what does the capital look like?"
"How would I know?" The young man named Zhuo Xiaofeng, who had a short beard on his chin, replied.
"Brother Xiaofeng, haven't you been to Hangzhou?"
"Hangzhou isn't the capital."
"I've been in the mountains since I was young. I've never seen a big place. After hearing what you said, I've wanted to see it for a long time. Fortunately, you brought me along this time. It's a pity that we passed by a few big cities on the way and didn't stop to take a closer look …"
"If you keep nagging, I won't take you."
"Oh, I'll stop." The simple young man from the mountains shut up. The two sat for a while. Zhuo Xiaofeng just sat on the grass and looked at the sparse stars in the sky. He knew a lot, spoke reasonably, and was good at martial arts. The young people in the mountains all admired him. After a while, the young man spoke again in a low voice.
"Brother Xiaofeng, I just want to ask, this time in the capital, we'll be able to meet the teacher who taught you, right?"
Zhuo Xiaofeng's eyes narrowed. "Who told you this?"
"Someone in the team, someone in the team said it. I … I heard it in private."
"Who said it!?" Zhuo Xiaofeng stood up. "I told you not to say anything. Did you think it was all nonsense? Take me to find the person immediately! "
"Brother, Xiaofeng … actually …" The young man was frightened. He stuttered a few words and wanted to explain. Zhuo Xiaofeng frowned. "This is not a joke! Immediately! Immediately! "
The stars in the sky dimmed. The two of them walked into the camp one after the other, causing a small commotion. Then, it calmed down.
The warm summer wind made people feel at ease. On this piece of land, the lights were either sparse or long. After the Female Zhenren's departure, it finally calmed people down. Countless people bustled about, countless people went their own ways, but it could also be considered the essence of this world. In the capital, Tie Tianying was in the Fan House, chatting happily with an advisor from Liang Shicheng's mansion.
In the Ning Mansion, not many people paid attention to it. In the study, under the same warm yellow light, Ning Yi was sitting in front of a table. His fingers tapped on the table rhythmically. He was calculating many things after the news of Su Tan 'er falling into the water came, as well as many loopholes and contingency plans that needed to be checked.
Zhu Biao came in from outside the door.
"Just now outside the city … I killed Zong Feixiao."
Ning Yi looked at him, slightly confused. Then, he looked straight at him and frowned.
"Why did you kill him? You guys are too meddlesome …"
Zhu Biao leaned over and whispered the cause of the matter in his ear. Ning Yi didn't say anything more. Under the light, his brows furrowed even more. He tapped on the table. After a while.
"There's more trouble, you guys …"
He gave some instructions. Zhu Biao listened, nodded, and left. The lights at night were still quiet, stretching across the city, waiting for a new day and more things to happen.
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