The sun was shining brightly in the Little Cang River. It was a difficult day for the people from the Green Forest who came to attack.
Ever since Ning Yi killed the emperor, there had been people from the Green Forest who came to the Little Cang River to try to assassinate the emperor every month. These people came in small groups. Some were killed, some were discovered outside the Little Cang River and escaped with injuries. There were also a few casualties in the Little Cang River, but it did not affect the overall situation. But in the entire society of the Wu Dynasty and among the people from the Green Forest, the reputation of the Inner Demon had long fallen into the negatives.
In the half a year since he was assigned the task, Chief Constable Fan Zhong had been running around to gather the heroes of the Green Forest to prepare for the assassination of Ning Yi. Before this, Zhu Ji had already exaggerated the story of Zhou Dong's assassination of Ni Han into a solemn and stirring one. When Fan Zhong went to pull Ni Han back, many of the indignant Woodland people were instead incited by Zhu Ji. This kind of thing often made Fan Zhong, Tie Tianying, and the others feel that it was funny and ironic.
This time, there were a total of three hundred and sixty-two people gathered outside the Little Cang River. There were people from all walks of life mixed together. Some of the people who had surrendered after being captured by Ning Yi or those who had a grudge against him were also called over.
For example, people like Guan Sheng and Qin Ming had fallen at the hands of Ning Yi in Liangshan. Later on, they had entered the army. When Ning Yi had rebelled, he had ignored them. But later on, when the accounts were cleared, they naturally did not have a good life. Now that they had been transferred here, they could redeem themselves with meritorious service.
As for people like Lei Heng and Li Jun, after the fall of Liangshan, they were chased everywhere by the forces of the Right Minister's residence. When Fan Zhong found them, he promised them great benefits and also threatened them, so they followed him.
However, most of the people who had dealt with Ning Yi before had complicated expressions on their faces when they saw each other.
Other than the main gate, which was easy to defend and difficult to attack, there were also rugged mountain roads around the Little Cang River. The timing of the attack was chosen during the day, because at the same time, the concealment at night would also make it difficult for people to see the surrounding traps. That inner demon Ning Yi was originally good at using firearms, traps, and strange obscene tricks. This time, since it was an attack of a few hundred people, if they chose to attack at night, there was a possibility that they would be instantly disrupted by an accident.
No matter what, everyone had made up their minds to fight to the death. Grandmaster Zhou had risked his life to assassinate Lao Han with dozens of people, and he had almost killed Lao Han. With hundreds of people on his side, even if they did not succeed, they had to strike fear into the heart demon's heart.
That was how they all echoed each other in making plans.
It was just that in the face of life and death, he encountered awkwardness.
*****
In order to contain the defensive forces in the Little Cang River Valley, the people of the Emerald Forest Forest had chosen a total of three places for this attack.
First, a small number of people would sneak up to the west side of the hill. If they were discovered, or if they were not discovered, a group of about eighty Greenwood experts would try to break through the main gate of the Cang River. The road here was narrow, which made it easy to defend and hard to attack. But there were many Greenwood people who were good at leaping onto roofs, vaulting over walls and climbing walls. With these experts attacking, the enemy could not possibly breach the embankment. As long as they were on the embankment, there would not be too many people fighting in the narrow area. Moreover, there was water all around them. There were also many Greenwood people who were good at swimming. With Li Jun leading them, it was enough to catch the defenders of the Little Cang River off guard.
The real attack would be on the east side of the hill. It would be the last to launch. They would go up the mountain using the path that they had initially explored, climb over it, and go straight to the lair of the Inner Demon. According to the Ministry of Justice's intelligence, this time, in order to rob the food, all the guards of the Little Cang River had been mobilized. Even if there were still defenders left, there would not be many of them. The Greenwood people's battle formation might not be as strong, but as long as they rushed in and waited for the opportunity to kill the Inner Demon, everyone's efforts would be rewarded.
Xu Qiang was among the two hundred plus main forces on the east side. He did not know the specific situation of the other two routes, but this route had just started and they already encountered a problem.
Yu Lie, the White Fang Spear, stepped on the Fire Thunder and was blown away. His blood drenched Xu Qiang. This was not a strange problem. When they set off, everyone had expected that there would be a trap. However, this trap was so powerful that the guards on the mountain would definitely be alerted. Hero Bandit He Longqian, who was leading in front, shouted, "Everyone, be careful of the newly moved ground!"
Li Yan Ni, the Gate Breaking Blade, said, "Since we have alerted the guards on the mountain, let's not stay any longer. Let's kill our way up —"
For a moment, the crowd was excited. However, the real problem occurred after a few steps, a shout came from behind, "Guan Sheng! I knew there was something wrong with you! "
The one who spoke was the former Liangshan hero, Hao Siwen. He, Lei Heng, and Guan Sheng were all standing not far away from each other. Hearing this voice, everyone turned around subconsciously. They saw Guan Sheng holding a broadsword with a gloomy expression. At this time, there were still some people around. Someone asked, "Guan Sheng, why aren't you leaving?"
Someone walked up and said, "Brother Guan, if you have something to say, say it."
Although this was the beginning of the attack, it was also the most urgent moment. The explosion had just happened, who knew what enemies would appear on the mountain? Some people subconsciously surrounded him. Guan Sheng took two steps back to escape the encirclement. Seeing that he was resisting, the people around him subconsciously moved forward. Guan Sheng swept his broadsword horizontally. The weapons of the three people around him clashed with his broadsword and both sides retreated.
"After Liangshan, I did not have any contact with that Ning guy. But can you go up today? "
Hao Siwen gritted his teeth. "You have been scared by that inner demon!"
"It's useless. You're just going to die." Guan Sheng's gaze swept across the crowd. "Hmph, Hao Siwen, you are wrong about me. However, you are right about one thing. With the inner demon's calculations, how could he not have someone in the middle of this? I'm afraid it's not just one or two. In my opinion, Fan Zhong is the inner demon's man to fight this kind of battle! "
"Excuses! Guan Sheng, speak clearly. You dare to do it, but you don't dare to admit it! "
Someone pounced over. Guan Sheng turned around and with a swing of his broadsword, he forced the person away. His figure was already in the direction he came from. "Since things have come to this, what's the point of me saying more …"
Before he could finish his sentence, a figure on the hillside raised his steel mace and smashed the heads of two people beside him like watermelons. This person laughed loudly. It was "Thunderbolt" Qin Ming. "Brother Guan is right. A bunch of people volunteered to come here. How could there be no spies among them? He isn't, but I am! "
Those nearby who reacted quickly drew their swords and rushed over. "Kill him!"
Qin Ming swung his steel mace and retreated a few feet. The sword-wielding person rushed over again. With a loud boom, the ground exploded and that person was sent flying. Blood splattered all over the ground.
Qin Ming stood there, but no one dared to approach him. He waved the steel mace in his hand. "A bunch of stupid dogs! You can't do anything right! You still dare to call yourselves chivalrous, but in reality, you are extremely stupid. You came to kill people when the Small Cang River was empty. But does anyone know why the Small Cang River was empty? "
"Don't listen to his nonsense!" A locust stone flew over and was easily smashed away by Qin Ming.
"Do you know that the entire Small Cang River army is heading west? Two hundred thousand Xixia soldiers are now wreaking havoc in the northwest. The entire Small Cang River army is fighting against the Xixia people! You lowly scoundrels! When China fell and the people were plunged into misery and suffering, you didn't dare to fight against other races. You could only sneak here to show off your power and make a name for yourselves. All of you shall die here! "
His words reverberated in the mountains. After he finished speaking, he flew towards the back and disappeared among the rocks in the distance. The people on the hillside looked at each other. Xu Qiang's face was still stained with blood. For a moment, he felt that his teeth were sore and he had no strength left.
A group of people had put their lives on the line to kill the devil. But it had just started and there was already a traitor and internal strife. The Iron Chain Blockade couldn't go up or down. How could they fight?
After a moment, someone shouted, "This is a demonic act to confuse the people. The inner demons are the best at this kind of treachery. We knew that it would be difficult and dangerous for us to come here. Everyone, don't be shaken. Come, follow me and kill — "
Someone immediately echoed, "That's right! Charge, kill this devil — "
Everyone shouted and rushed up the mountain. Not long after, there was another explosion, and someone was blown away. Figures gradually appeared on the top of the mountain, and arrows began to fly down ….
*****
In the valley, they could vaguely hear the sounds of fighting and explosions outside. In the courtyard on the hillside, Ning Yi came out with tea and pastries, humming a lively tune.
"A big river with wide waves … The wind blows on both sides of the rice fields … My family lives on the river … Used to listening to the old man's song, used to seeing the white sails on the ship … Girls are like … flowers …"
Beside the courtyard gate, an old man stood with his hands behind his back, looking up at the balloons floating in the sky. In the basket hanging from the balloons, some people were holding red and white flags, waving them here and there.
"This thing is about to fly out, how do we change direction?"
"Friends are here … There's good wine, if the jackals and wolves come … Hmm, there's no way to change direction, this thing can only be blown by the wind. Grandpa Zuo, come and have some tea. "
Zuo Duanyou walked over, picked up a piece of pastry, put it in his mouth and ate it. Then, he clapped his hands and continued to listen to the fighting outside, "Hundreds of people from the Greenwood Forest have almost all died when they rushed up. Looks like Liheng is not afraid of offending the whole world. When an ordinary man gets angry, blood will splash ten steps away. You won't have a peaceful day in the future. "
Ning Yi drank a cup of tea, "I've offended him long ago, haven't I?"
*****
On the east side of the foothills, on the rugged cliff behind them, two ropes were silently hanging there. Amidst the lively fighting outside, dozens of people climbed up the cliff with difficulty along the most impossible rock wall.
Li Pin was one of them. His face was scarlet red, the skin on his hands already torn by the rope. However, with the help of his companions, even though his body was already weak, he still climbed to the top of the mountain without any mercy.
So far, they had not alerted any of the guards at Little Cang River, because it was really dangerous to climb up and down the cliff. However, they had found an extraordinary person who could climb up and down the cliff, which was Li Pin's biggest reliance.
Ning Yi had been managing Little Cang River for a year. Even though most of the troops in the mountain had left, it was still impossible to sneak in and assassinate him. For today's attack, Fan Zhong had gathered a large group of people from the Greenwood Forest, but Li Pin did not trust this team from the beginning — this might be due to Ning Yi's influence. Without a strict organization, they would be useless.
They were just bait.
On this side of the cliff, everyone pulled on the ropes and continued to climb. The wind blew from the west. Li Pin stood at the last foothold and was about to go up again after a rest. Suddenly, she was stunned, and so were many others.
A huge hot air balloon floated out of the mountain along with the wind. Li Pin raised a monocular in her hand and looked over there. In the basket in the sky, a person was also holding the monocular and looking over. His expression seemed to be slightly distorted.
The person in the basket put down the monocular and waved the flag in his hand!
"Go —"
Li Pin shouted loudly — — -
In the valley, there was a team of horses running towards this side of the cliff.
Before the team of horses arrived, Li Pin's men had already climbed up the steep cliff. The people who came up first began to defend and kill. On the other side, the explosion on the hillside was still ringing. Braving the arrows of the defenders, Li Yanni and the others rushed into the valley, covered in blood. They wanted to find someone to kill. The defenders who were previously above had already begun to retreat even faster, and the people who rushed down fell into traps, arrows, and other attacks.
On the slope outside, there were spots of blood and corpses. Some people were already dead, some were lying on the ground, not daring to move because they did not know where the explosion would suddenly go. There were also injured people who were howling in pain on this side of the mountain that was gradually becoming quiet.
The people who rushed into the valley continued to fight for a while before someone finally came out to fight them. The teams of three to five people rushed towards the lone Greenwood people, and after a round of killing, they ran away. "Burning City Spear" Zhu Biao, Yuwen Feidu, Xiao Hei, and the others appeared and disappeared mysteriously, harvesting the lives of the lone Greenwood people. This was not a fair battle to begin with. For the attackers, it was like they had fallen into a swamp. They continued to attack the courtyard on the hillside. The valley was not big after all. As soon as they came in, they saw Ning Yi and the others in the courtyard from afar.
On the other side, Li Pin and the others were also struggling to kill their way through the "kiting" tactic. After the battle on the cliff, there were still more than forty people around him. These people were relatively strict and orderly, so they were hard to deal with.
Of course, Ning Yi did not plan to fight them head-on.
Chen Fan, Ji Qian 'er and the other elites of the defense team were near the courtyard, waiting for Li Pin and the others to arrive.
Zuo Duanyou looked at the team coming from the northeast side of the hill and frowned slightly. "You don't plan to kill them immediately?"
"After all, there will be some casualties if we attack them by force. At this point, their morale should be enough." Ning Yi held a teacup in his hand and glanced at them. "There is also a friend among them. I haven't seen him for a long time, so I should meet him. You should also meet him, Grandpa Zuo. "
"Oh?"
"Her name is Li Pin. She once guarded Taiyuan with the eldest brother of the Qin family and narrowly escaped death. She has gained experience and is a good scholar. "Ning Yi tilted his head to Zuo Duanyou." She can … pass on Confucianism. "
"Pass on?" The old man frowned.
Ning Yi nodded and didn't explain.
Not long after, the two groups of people met in an open space about ten meters away from the side of the small courtyard and were ready to attack. On the other side of the courtyard, a dozen large shields were dragged out and arranged in a battle formation. The people who were responsible for guarding the Little Cang River rushed out from all directions, pointing their bows and arrows, swords and spears in the direction of the battle formation.
There were only about a hundred people who could reach this point, but there were more than three to five hundred people who rushed out from nearby and surrounded the hill. In fact, from the moment Li Pin and the others were discovered, these people had no chance. Now, the result of this attack would be revealed.
Xu Qiang was mixed in with these people, and his heart was filled with despair and coldness. As a martial artist, he didn't think too much. At first, he said that he didn't care about life and death, and then he just rushed forward subconsciously. At this point, he realized that this kind of attack would only bring shock to the other side. Death, however, was really coming.
Moreover, he didn't even have the chance to fight with anyone. He was injured by the explosion once and suffered two arrows. The rest of the time, he was just waving his weapon and dodging with all his might. It was unlikely that he would be shocked by the other side.
In front of him, there was a voice that delayed his death.
"Brother Li, long time no see. Come and catch up."
In the crowd, Li Pin squeezed through the crowd and walked out with difficulty. He looked at the hundred people around him and then walked to the other side.
*****
After crossing the shield wall, in the courtyard, Ning Yi raised his teacup.
"More than three hundred people from the Greenwood Forest and dozens of bailiffs … Even if the entire army of the Little Cang River comes out, three to four hundred people will definitely stay. Are you out of your mind? Come and have some tea. "
In the small courtyard, the voice was plain and simple. When Li Pin saw Ning Yi, he took a deep breath and tidied his clothes. At this moment, he knew that he was going to die, but he didn't know how the conversation would develop.
So he replied, "I'm out of my mind? You're the one out of your mind? Everyone says that the inner demon plans every ten steps and there are no loopholes. But I didn't expect that you would kill the emperor and become the enemy of the world. Not only are you out of your mind, you're crazy! "
"Killing Zhou Zhe is a small matter. I'm going to rebel. Oh, right, Duke Zuo. "
Li Pin walked closer and was slightly stunned. Then he cupped his hands and said, "Junior Li Dexin greets Duke Zuo."
Zuo Duanyou stood there and nodded. "You helped the Qin family defend Taiyuan and put your life on the line. Very good."
"This is junior's duty. Taiyuan was destroyed in the end and the people were plunged into misery and suffering. It's not a good thing. " When he finished, he had already walked to the courtyard. He picked up the teacup on the table and drank it in one gulp. Then he drank another.
"You're going to rebel?" Li Pin was silent for a moment before he spoke again. "There is a way to rebel. Killing the emperor in the golden hall, killing the emperor and master, you can't go any other way! Ning Liheng, you're so stupid! If I die here today, you won't live to see tomorrow! "
"Rebel …" Ning Yi smiled. "Then why don't Brother Li tell me, what's the way to rebel?"
"You have many ways. You have Lu Liangshan's help and the Right Minister's legacy. In the south, you have Prince Consort Kang as your friend and the Prince Kang's residence. Prince Kang is about to ascend to the throne. No matter what, as long as you plan slowly, all the ways will be better than the one you're currently walking on. But you chose the most reckless way … No, the place you chose has no way. "
Li Pin shook her head and looked at Ning Yi. Ning Yi stood there with a smile. He poured the tea again. "Do you still want to drink?"
"Yes."
"Alright, then let's talk about the difference between rebelling and killing the emperor." Ning Yi clapped his hands. "Brother Li, why do you think I want to rebel and kill the emperor?"
Li Pin was silent for a moment. "For the weakening of the Wu dynasty, for the injustice of the loyal officials and for the fruitless efforts?"
"For the suffering of the people." Ning Yi added.
"Is there?"
"There is. You guys always like to look at the big picture. Elder Qin is a loyal official. If he suffers, he suffers. Isn't it the same for others? When I was fighting in Xia Village, I saw a woman who was raped by a Female Zhenren. She was saved. She was skinny and very pitiful. After resting for a few days, she got up to cook for the soldiers who saved her and bandaged their wounds. Someone said he wanted to marry her. On the last day of the war in Xia Village, she rushed out with a knife. You see, she learned how to get it and became a real person … She died on the battlefield. "
Ning Yi shook his head. "In order to defend Bianliang City, many people died. Outside the city, in Xia Village, they died to save the Wu dynasty. After they died, there was no result. An emperor had the lives of billions of people on his shoulders. After weighing the pros and cons, he was like a child playing a joke. He had no responsibility. If he didn't die, who would? "
"This is for the sake of the people?"
"Seeking common ground while reserving differences. Our views on the suffering of the people are very different. But I rebelled for these good things, things that make me feel important, precious things, and people. Is this understandable? "
"Although you deserve to die, it's understandable."
"Well, then what does Brother Li think is the most important thing in such a big thing as rebellion?"
Ning Yi asked this question. Li Pin looked at him and didn't answer. Ning Yi smiled.
"You, you guys, many people think it's how to implement it, how to plan it step by step, and how to plan it slowly. You guys treat this kind of thing as a cold case study. It's a simple thing, dismantle it, and see how it can be done. But I don't agree. For any big thing, as big as rebellion, the most important thing is the intention! "
Ning Yi raised a finger, and his eyes became cold and harsh. "Chen Sheng and Wu Guang were oppressed. They said that nobles, marquises, and generals all have guts. Fang La rebelled because the law is equal. You guys have become stupid from reading so much that you think this kind of ambition is just for fun, to coax those farmers. "He reached out and knocked on the table." This is the most important thing! "
He smiled. "Then why did I rebel? Those who did good deeds died, those who deserved good deeds died, those who deserved to live died, and those who deserved to die lived. I want to change the first step of these things. I want to plan it slowly. "
Li Pin said coldly, "Then you want to kill the emperor?"
"It depends on whether I have the ability to kill the emperor." Ning Yi said, "If I don't have the ability, of course I will plan it slowly. If I were Chen Sheng and Wu Guang, or Fang La, of course I would plan it slowly. But I'm not. This possibility is right in front of me. If I want to rebel, he has to pay the price. If I can kill him but not kill him, then I don't have to rebel in the future. "
There was a moment of silence in the courtyard. Ning Yi picked up the teacup and took a sip. "This is how people do things. In the end, your standards will fall to a certain level because the world is harsh. You have a highest standard, the standard of life, or the standard of doing things. If it doesn't work, you can retreat a little, you can compromise a little, but your final achievement depends on how much you retreat. You would rather die than retreat. Only those who endure it can achieve great things. Those who talk about taking it slowly from the beginning, no matter how clear they think, will only achieve nothing. "
"Have you ever thought about … what will happen to the people of Bianliang? What will happen to the world? "
"Of course." Ning Yi drank the tea in his hand in one gulp. "They have to die."
Bang! Li Pin's palm hit the table. "They will die!?"
Ning Yi's eyes were calm. "Of course they will die if they choose the wrong side. Do you know that when Old Qin was imprisoned, they poured feces on him?"
Li Pin was already roaring out word by word, "That was their fault?"
"Not their fault?" Ning Yi spread his hands, then shrugged. "Oh, it's not their fault. They are innocent."
After saying this, Ning Yi's eyes were filled with pity, but he had already begun to become stern. Slowly and firmly, he shook his head. "No, it is their fault! They are not innocent! They are the people of the Wu dynasty! The Wu dynasty cannot defeat the Jurchens, so they deserve to die — "
His voice was deep, and his internal energy surged. In the end, his voice had already reverberated in the surroundings and spread far away. "You are reasonable because you formed the Wu dynasty! Farmers plough and weave, scholars study and rule, workers repair houses, and merchants trade everywhere! You all live together! When the country is strong, the people benefit from it! When the country is weak, the people deserve to die! This is heavenly punishment! Because the country is facing the world, and the world is unreasonable! There are only eight words in heavenly justice … "
His voice spread out, and he enunciated each word, "— Natural selection, survival of the fittest!"
His voice sounded like thunder. Li Pin frowned, and she wanted to say something. But Ning Yi, who was standing opposite her, suddenly laughed. "Ha, I am just joking."
This time, even Zuo Duanyou, who was at the side, frowned. He did not understand what Ning Yi was trying to say. Ning Yi turned around and took out a few books from the box beside him. He walked over and spoke.
"Indeed, the people of Bianliang are very innocent. Why aren't they innocent? They have never known anything in their entire lives. When the Emperor did something wrong, when the Lady Zhenren attacked, they died in disgrace. When people like me rebelled, they died in disgrace. Regardless of whether they know the truth or not, their words are useless. They can only accept whatever falls from the sky … Here, Li Pin, these are the books left behind by Prime Minister Qin. I will give you a set. "
Ning Yi threw the books on the table. "So, during this period, did anyone notice anything wrong? They are too innocent, and this is wrong in itself. How can they be innocent after doing such a wrong? So, I am thinking, how about giving them a country that can use their words? In this way, if anything happens, they will deserve to die, and the reason will be clear. "
There seemed to be something wrong brewing amidst the incessant chatter. Ning Yi sat there, his fingers tapping on his knees as if he was thinking about something. Li Pin knew that he would not speak without thinking, and was still thinking about the deeper meaning of his words. On the other side, Zuo Duanyou frowned and spoke.
"The people can be manipulated, but they cannot be made to know. The logic behind this isn't just empty words. "
On the other side, the fingers that were tapping his knees stopped. Ning Yi raised his head, and there was no longer any hint of mockery in his eyes.
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