The night wind rustled. The galloping horse with a torch passed through the road in the wilderness.
Since the Huaxia Army entered the Chengdu Plain, the first thing the Ministry of Engineering did was to repair the roads connecting different places as much as possible. Even so, the dirt road was not suitable for galloping horses at night. Even though the stars were bright, such high-speed galloping still brought great risks.
But firstly, the traveler was burning with anxiety, and secondly, he was skilled and daring. Holding a torch, the charioteer passed through the official road between the rice fields and the hills. Occasionally, he passed by a village and brushed past the few pedestrians at night. When they passed through a forest on the way, the woman on the horse seemed to suddenly realize that something was wrong. She pulled on the reins, and the warhorse let out a long neigh, galloping several feet away before coming to a stop.
The horse stopped in the middle of the road. The woman on the horse turned around and looked. The next moment, the torch left her hand and flew across the night sky. The woman's figure whizzed, jumped off the horse, and dashed into the forest.
The torch was still flying down. Only the lonely horse stood in the middle of the road between the two dense forests. Someone called out in confusion in the dark, "Liu, Marshal Liu …"
Someone else said, "Sixth Madam …"
The figure that passed through the forest had already drawn her long sword, but she immediately put it back on her back. In the Huaxia Army, Watermelon was the marshal of the 29th army in Miaojiang in name. Among the people close to her, she was also called Sixth Madam. Her figure flew over a hundred feet and saw a few people hiding in the forest on the side of the road. Although they were all dressed casually, she knew two of them.
"Lin Qiu, Xu Shaoyuan, what are you doing here?"
"Marshal Liu, this is …"
Lin Qiu and Xu Shaoyuan were both young officers who were valued by Ning Yi. One was in the General Staff Department, and the other worked in the secretary's office. Both sides greeted each other first, but the next moment, they more or less showed some vigilance. Watermelon had been traveling for an entire afternoon and was covered in dust. She came here with light clothes and only carried a single sword on her back. After thinking for a while, she understood the reason for the vigilance in their eyes.
"Where is Liheng? Is it his order for you to stay here, or did you follow someone else? "
Her words were harsh and straightforward. Although there were five people hiding in the forest in front of her, she was highly skilled in martial arts. With just a single sword, she could dominate the world. Lin Qiu and Xu Shaoyuan looked at each other. "Mr. Ning didn't tell us that you would come …"
"I heard that there was a problem here, so I rushed over. Is Liheng still in Old Ox Head?"
Lin Qiu shook his head. "There are people guarding the front. Mister Ning doesn't want the people outside to come in and alert them, so he arranged for us to stay here … Mister and his group have already come out from inside …"
"Take me to him."
Lin Qiu hesitated slightly. Watermelon frowned, and her gaze became stern. "I know what you are worried about, but he and I were once husband and wife. Even if I betrayed him, I can still say something! He told you to stop people here, but you think you can stop me? Cut the crap, I still have people behind me. The two of you, take me to see Liheng. The rest of you, take my token and stop the people behind me! "
She took out a sign and threw it to the others in the forest. Lin Qiu and Xu Shaoyuan hesitated for a moment and finally nodded. "Follow us."
The three of them passed through the forest and rode on the three horses that were tied to the side of the forest. They crossed the hill in front of them and entered a small forest. Along the way, none of them spoke.
Watermelon's eyes were like water. She naturally understood why the two of them were nervous. Over the years, she had promoted the idea of equality in the Huaxia Army the most. This time, someone secretly leaked the news to her, hoping that she could step forward and support the situation when Mister Ning turned against everyone else. On the other hand, it also revealed that these people were afraid of Ning Yi. Perhaps they hoped that she could step forward and protect him if something did not succeed.
If the person who came was Su Tan 'er or someone else, Lin Qiu and Xu Shaoyuan would definitely not be so vigilant. They were afraid that she had already become an enemy.
In the struggle for power, the struggle for line, even the closest people could turn against each other and become enemies. Back then in Hangzhou, Watermelon supported the Tyrannical Blade Camp and killed Qi Yuankang. She had experienced this before. At this moment, this complicated feeling that she was unwilling to experience once again surged up in her heart. Perhaps Ning Yi had long since been prepared for this matter, but he did not reveal it to her. Could it be that he was also guarding against her?
Such questions circled in her mind. On the other hand, she was also guarding against the two people in front of her. There was an internal problem in the Huaxia Army. If the two people in front of her had secretly defected to the enemy, what awaited her next might be a trap that had been prepared a long time ago. This also meant that Liheng might already be in deep danger. However, she was not afraid of such a possibility. She was familiar with the special warfare methods of the Huaxia Army. No matter how complicated the situation was, she had the confidence to fight her way out.
But then, such a situation did not happen. After passing through the forest, there were already lights in front of them. This was a small settlement by the side of the forest. It might just be a part of the nearby village. The houses were three rooms, and there was a threshing ground and a small fish pond in front of them. Su Wending came from the front. After listening to Lin Qiu and Xu Shaoyuan's report, he sent them away.
"Liu Shuai knows the situation?" Su Wending wasn't very close to Watermelon, but he understood the other's likes and dislikes, so he addressed him as Liu Shuai. When Watermelon saw him, he relaxed slightly. His face was still expressionless. "Is Li Heng alright?"
"Brother-in-law is fine."
They walked all the way, and when they were near the threshing ground, she saw Ning Yi appear on the road at the other end. He saw her and was slightly stunned. Then, he walked over. Watermelon stood there. The murderous emotions that she had prepared along the way finally subsided. Red Ti smiled at her from afar. Ning Yi walked closer. "Have you heard the news?"
"Yes." Ning Yi stretched out his hand. Watermelon also stretched out her hand and held Ning Yi's palm. She asked calmly, "What happened? You knew what they were going to do? "
"The situation is a little complicated, and there are still some things to be dealt with. Come with me. We will talk slowly. "
Their voices were not loud. Speaking up to this point, Ning Yi held Watermelon's hand and gestured to the back. Watermelon nodded. They walked through the threshing ground and walked towards the houses in front of them. On the way, Watermelon's gaze swept past the first small house and saw Old Cow Head's county head, Chen Shanjun.
"Chen Shanjun is quite interested in the idea of equality," Watermelon said. "Is he involved?"
"Yes, he is one of the initiators. In the future, he will lead them forward."
"In the future?"
"You will know later. Let's go to the front first and deal with the problem of one person."
After passing a few small houses, they walked around for a while. There was another house in the corner that they could not see. Light seeped out from inside. Ning Yi led Watermelon in. He waved his hand to signal, and the people who were originally in the room came out. There was only a scholar who was pressed down on the table. This person was thin, and his hair was half white. However, there was an air of righteousness between his eyebrows. His hands were tied, but he did not struggle. However, after seeing Ning Yi and Watermelon, his gaze became slightly sad.
"I thought that at least Marshal Liu would support our idea. I didn't expect that she was still a short-sighted woman. Mister Ning, I have learned from your meticulous planning. Since victory and defeat have been decided, you can just kill us. There is no need to say any more humiliating words. "
"Li Ximing." Watermelon nodded.
Ning Yi pulled out a knife and cut the rope on the other party's hand. He then walked back to the table and sat down. He looked at the scholar in front of him and took out something, "I won't beat around the bush. Li Ximing, from Changsha, you and I both know that you were an official in the Wu dynasty. What everyone doesn't know is that four years ago, you accepted Li Pin's persuasion and went undercover in the Huaxia Army. Later, you began to be interested in the idea of equality and democracy. Two years ago, you became the best executor of Li Pin's plan. You are knowledgeable, your thinking is fair, and very persuasive. Although you did not participate much in the execution of this incident, you pushed the boat along with the current, and at least half of it is your credit."
The scholar named Li Ximing in front of him still had the momentum of facing death calmly. When Ning Yi's words were halfway through, his face suddenly became pale. Ning Yi's face was expressionless. He just licked his lips slightly and turned a page.
"There is no need to talk nonsense. I am very interested in some of the things that Li Pin has done in Lin 'an, so Takeshi has focused on him. Old Li, I have no opinion on you. For the sake of the idea in your heart, you will risk your life to oppose others, but it is just opposition. This time, half of the push is you and Li Pin, and the other half is me. Chen Shanjun is in front, and he doesn't know that you are here for the time being. I isolate you alone and just want to ask you a question. "
Ning Yi's speech was not slow, and he said it like a machine gun, "You have been in the Huaxia Army for four years, and you are used to the ideals of equality and democracy. You have written so many theoretical things. In your heart, you don't just regard this statement as a tool to oppose me, right? In your heart, is there a little bit of … agreement with these ideas? "
Ning Yi looked at him coldly. Li Ximing raised his head, a look of doubt on his face. "You … Could it be that you really want to walk the path that Chen Shanjun and the others have thought of?" Not only was there doubt in his eyes, but there was also a hint of excitement. Ning Yi shook her head.
"I will not take this road, but I will give you a chance to take this road yourself. You think about the questions I ask, and you don't have to answer me. I will give you a place, give you a breathing space. Over the years, there have been several thousand people who have agreed with you and can really participate in this matter. Pull them all over … "
Ning Yi looked at his fist on the table. "Old Li, you have started this, and then you can only follow them. You have already lost today. I will not ask for anything else, just one thing. You accepted Li Pin's request and came to the southwest to agree with his ideals, not to be his subordinate. If you have even the slightest bit of agreement with the ideals of equality you have been talking about for the past two years, then from now on, you can walk this path.
"After coming to the southwest, your family will move to your old home in Lingling. You have a wife and two concubines, two sons and a daughter, and grandchildren. Originally, there were five boys and four girls, and recently, the eldest son had a child. In total, there are nineteen people in Lingling, so I won't be polite …"
Ning Yi swallowed his saliva and paused for a moment.
"This is a … very difficult road. If you can achieve a result, your name will go down in history. Even if you cannot, you will leave behind an idea for those who come after you. Many people will be tied to you for the rest of their lives. So, please do your best. As long as you do your best, whether you succeed or fail, I will be grateful to you. No one will ever know why you have come. If you continue to deliberately harm these people for Li Pin or the Wu dynasty, then your family of nineteen, as well as the five dogs in your backyard … I will kill them all.
"This kind of threat is a little petty and not very pleasant to hear, but relative to the people this matter will affect, this is all I can do. Please understand … think about it first. In a moment, someone will come and tell you what we need to do to cooperate in the next few days …"
After saying these words, Ning Yi fell silent and seemed to be about to leave. On the other side of the table, Li Ximing's expression was initially confused, then complicated and shocked. At this time, he opened his mouth in disbelief.
"You, you, you … you actually want to … want to split the Huaxia army? Mr. Ning … are you crazy? The Jurchen attack is imminent, and the Wu dynasty is plagued by internal and external aggression. You … you want to split the Huaxia army? What's in it? You … what are you going to use to fight the Jurchen, you … "
"Since you know I'm crazy, you better believe … I am capable of anything. Nineteen people … five dogs … "
After saying this, he stood up, turned around, and walked out of the room. Li Ximing was still in disbelief about these things. Watermelon was also confused and confused. She followed him out of the door. The two of them walked forward for a while, and Ning Yi took her hand. "What's wrong? Are you blaming me for not telling you? "
"… What Li Ximing said is not unreasonable. The current situation … "
Ning Yi walked forward and looked at the road in front of him. He sighed slightly, and after a long time, he spoke.
"… I allowed this to happen, but I can't control everything — even if I did, it wouldn't be their own. As for this place, Ox-Head County, the mobilization of these people, I did deliberately make some arrangements. I hoped that they would gather together and discuss things. This time, there was Li Ximing's reason, and there were also external reasons. At the beginning of the year, I issued an anti-traitor order, and a large number of backbone members were sent out. Only then did these people have ideas. In January and February, there were all kinds of advice. I didn't take it, and they really couldn't bear it anymore. I was just taking advantage of the situation … "
"But you said that things wouldn't be realized. Not to mention the situation in the world … "
"In order … for some things to be realized in the future, there will always be some road to walk. Ah Gua, you used to yearn for this. You hoped that everyone could stand on their own feet. I also hope that this road sometimes has to be straight, and sometimes it has to be roundabout. It always has to be trial and error step by step, just like the group of naughty children at home. They always have to go out and cause trouble before they can become adults. We can only try our best to bear with it. " In the darkness, Ning Yi smiled tiredly. It seemed like an illusion. "Old Ox-Head is sitting in the corner. To the north, there are some weaklings of the Wu dynasty who can't fight. It's enough for them to be tormented for a while."
The two of them walked along the dark path. When they passed by a small fish pond, Ning Yi sat down on a wooden stump beside the pond. "People in the future will say that we killed many people."
Watermelon sat down on the ground beside him and held his hand. "Husband, do you think that you killed them?"
Ning Yi nodded. "Yes, I killed them, no matter if it's these people or those who will die because of the Hua Xia army's bumpy journey."
"… Maybe … it won't be too serious. They are also kind-hearted people."
Watermelon thought about it. Regarding some things, she was still hesitant. Ning Yi sat in the darkness and smiled. Not many people in the world would understand his choice, and not many people in the world would understand what he had seen. The world was huge. The efforts of several generations and hundreds of millions of people might be exchanged for some slight changes in the world. The world was very small for everyone. A person's life could not withstand even a little turbulence. This difference between the big and the small would also trouble him, especially when he had another life experience. This kind of trouble would become even more intense.
He held Watermelon's hand. "Ah Gua, they called you over. What do you think?"
Watermelon rested her head on his leg. "You don't believe me?"
"I lied to you more than ten years ago in Hangzhou. After all, this is your lifelong pursuit. Sometimes I think that you might also want to see its future …"
"You also said that you lied to me more than ten years ago. Perhaps, as Li Ximing said, I have become a short-sighted woman." She stood up from the ground, patted her clothes, and smiled slightly. That night more than ten years ago, she still seemed a little childish. Now, with a sword on her back, she already had a heroic spirit that looked down on the world. "Letting these people leave will affect the Hua Xia army and you. I won't leave you. Ning Liheng, you're hurting my heart by talking like that. "
She pulled Ning Yi's hand and pressed it on her chest. Ning Yi laughed, "What I'm sad about is that more people will die because of this. As for the impact, it's nothing. I'm not afraid of anyone in this world. It's just a matter of time."
Watermelon looked at him and frowned slightly. "Bragging … Even Sheng Gong didn't dare to say such things."
"He didn't even dare to brag, so his achievements are limited."
Ning Yi had only rested for a moment, but had already stood up. He said, "In the next two days, we will disappear. Tomorrow morning, the nearby Hua Xia army will gather here, and negotiations will begin. Li Ximing's matter, you understand, must be kept secret … In the Hua Xia army, you are the most helpful for democratic thinking. They will probably try to contact you again in the future. I think … we can keep in touch, so that in the most extreme situation … some people can be saved."
"Li Ximing was asked by Li Pin. Are you really going to let him go?"
"I have evil thoughts in my heart." Ning Yi said, "I hope that they can move forward completely uncontrollably, but I also hope that in the future, when they can't turn back, there will be a glimmer of a possibility of turning back. I have placed my hopes on you and Li Ximing."
Watermelon laughed. "And you say you're so powerful, but you're also an indecisive person."
"I hope to see the light of people constantly struggling in the tide of the world. That makes me feel that people are like people. At the same time, I hope for such people to have a good ending. Unfortunately, the two are often opposite," Ning Yi said. "They still have things to do. I'm going to sleep first. Do you want to come?"
"Let Sister Red Ti go with you. Didn't you say earlier that you had placed your hopes on me? I want to know what you're going to do next. "
"Go ask Wen Ding. He has the entire plan."
The husband and wife held hands and were quiet in the darkness for a moment. Finally, they walked in different directions. On the way, they looked back and waved. In the faint light, the smile on Ning Yi's face had a rare look of exhaustion.
He went to rest.
He didn't know how many illusions he had experienced that night. When he woke up the next morning, he was still a little tired. A light mist floated over the Chengdu plain in the morning. Ning Yi got up and washed up. Then, while he was eating breakfast, a message came from outside. This was the most urgent message. The previous message had come yesterday afternoon.
Ning Yi finished reading the message and put it aside. He didn't move for a long time.
Thousands of miles away in the east, Wanyan Xiyin was also completing the general of the Wu dynasty with his fastest speed.
April 25th, in the early morning.
Zhenjiang had fallen.
When he entered the room, Ning Yi was picking up a spoon and putting porridge into his mouth. Watermelon heard him muttering to himself. The words he used were a little vulgar.
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