There were few stars at night in Xin 'an City. Only a few stars could be seen.
The moon was not bright either.
Tonight, most of the families in Zhuang were not reunited.
In most of the closed houses, there were people far away in the Yong border, fighting and killing. They were the fathers of children, the husbands of wives, and the sons of parents.
They would not come back tonight. Perhaps they would never come back.
There was a long silence. The sound of boots stepping on the stone bricks was steady and slow.
The two red lanterns were left far behind, guarding the joyous atmosphere of this day.
There were many untimely stubbornness. The houses and pavilions hidden in the night were always silent.
"Jianqiu, how long have you been with me?"
Dong A suddenly asked.
"I've been with you since I entered the National Academy," Li Jianqiu said.
Dong A did not look back. He walked forward slowly. "You've been with me for so long. There are some things that I don't hide from you. With your intelligence, you should have guessed something. Am I right? "
Li Jianqiu followed behind him slowly. He did not speak.
Silence was acknowledgment.
Dong A's resolute face moved in the dark night, like a dreary reef in a black wave.
"Do you hate me?" he asked.
But he did not even look back to see Li Jianqiu's expression. Because he already knew the answer to this question.
Li Jianqiu paused for a moment, but continued to follow.
His steps were much heavier.
"Yes," he said.
"Have you ever thought of killing me?"
After Dong A asked this question, he immediately shook his head and answered his own question. "You can't kill me."
He added, "You can't kill me either."
He walked in front so confidently and calmly that he did not think there was any danger behind him.
"Can't kill me" and "can't kill me" were two different meanings.
Li Jianqiu understood. He did not speak, but his grip on the sword tightened.
"Because compared to your own love and hate, you love this country more." Dong A sighed for some reason. "This is why I chose you."
Li Jianqiu's sword was called Peach Branch.
Peach Branch would bloom in spring.
Tonight was the last night of the twelfth lunar month. Tomorrow would be the new year.
Would the new year be tomorrow?
He was actually a little hesitant.
Holding the Peach Branch and feeling the "breathing" of the sword, he felt that he was real.
The past of Maplewood City was like a nightmare that would often emerge in the dead of night. He often felt that he was not awake, but living in a false dream.
Only the peach branch allowed him to touch reality.
"Perhaps." Li Jianqiu held the peach branch tightly and said, "Perhaps I'm very stupid and don't know what's right and what's wrong. Perhaps my soul isn't clear-headed and can only be manipulated by others. "
His tone was sorrowful.
Dong A didn't comment on who was right or wrong, nor did she tell him who was right or wrong. She only asked, "Do you know why Teacher didn't hide the truth from you and let you know about that matter?"
Li Jianqiu lowered his eyes. "I don't know."
Dong A had always been upright, honest, fair, and cherished her reputation. Although he had long since accepted him as his personal disciple and had always kept him by his side, he would usually refer to himself as "this minister" or "this official". He would never refer to himself as "teacher".
Li Jianqiu was not used to it.
Dong A was still moving forward, just like the days he had been in office. He was always doing things, always walking.
He followed the path of his life. He was firm, persistent, and self-controlled.
He said, "I don't care if you hate me or not. When I'm of no benefit to the country, I don't mind if you kill me."
"His Majesty and the minister see Zhu Weiwo as the future and have high hopes for him. But in my opinion, Zhu Weiwo is too self-centered. Only you know how to sacrifice. Sacrifice is a sacred quality. It is the foundation of greatness. "
"Jianqiu, regarding the past, I don't agree with His Majesty and Minister Du's thoughts. There are some things that cannot be hidden. Deceit is never the best choice. "
"Perhaps I'm right, perhaps I'm wrong."
"But if one day the entire Zhuang country falls into darkness. You are the fire seed that I keep for this land. "
Li Jianqiu held his sword tightly and didn't know how to respond.
Dong A didn't wait for his response. Perhaps she was looking forward to it … but she didn't have to wait for too long.
"I have an urgent matter for you to do."
Dong A took out a black square token and handed it to Li Jianqiu. "Go to Zhuang Mo's frontline now and give this token to the grand minister hiding there. He will know what to do. "
Li Jianqiu took the token. He still hadn't digested the previous words.
Dong A urged him again. "The military situation is urgent. Go quickly!"
Li Jianqiu rose from the ground and turned around in the air. He flew towards Zhuang Mo's frontline and soon disappeared into the endless night.
Dong A stood alone on the empty long street and didn't walk forward.
There was still a long way ahead, but he stopped here.
"Come out." He said.
Dark clouds crept in and hid the moon.
The long street became darker.
It became gloomier and darker.
The young man with the sword came out from the corner of the street and took off his stealth clothes. He stared at Dong A's back.
"I wonder where he is …"
Dong A turned around and saw the appearance of the young man across the long street. "It's you."
He had already noticed that someone was hiding and spying on him, but he couldn't find where that person was.
Such an elusive opponent, if he wasn't the target, he might cause more destruction in Xin 'an City.
That was why he came out alone to give the other party a chance to lure out the hidden opponent.
He wanted to deal with the enemy personally and take the risk as the vice minister. Because the current Xin 'an City was indeed the emptiest in history. He knew this better than anyone.
He was confident in his own strength, but he was also prepared to die in battle. The only person who could be the backbone of the Zhuang Kingdom right now was the head of the Arrest Department. Seeing the black square token, the head of the Arrest Department would naturally know what to do.
During this process, he didn't give Li Jianqiu any hints. Because once he did, Li Jianqiu would be seen as a variable and might be killed immediately. He knew that the enemy in the dark must be watching his every move.
He could have used Li Jianqiu to take the initiative, but he didn't want to do so anymore. At least, he didn't want to do it for himself.
He thought that the opponent was from Yong, Mo, Luo, or Qingjiang Underwater Prefecture. It wasn't impossible.
There was no such thing as an alliance that could be trusted.
But he really didn't expect it to be Jiang Wang.
It was Jiang Wang, the disciple he personally took into Maplewood City's Dao Academy.
The young man who was betrayed by his brother and fought to the death to end the grudge.
The young man who didn't care about his own safety and trusted him.
The young man who mistakenly thought that he was the Path-Chosen of the White Bone Path and confessed to him with red eyes …
Jiang Wang didn't die.
The night was so dark that it seemed like it was going to tilt.
It was as if the entire sky was pressing down on people's hearts.
On the long street, the former master and disciple stood on opposite ends.
Maybe it was because the night was too dark, or maybe it was because the night was too quiet, but the long street was like an abyss that swallowed all light and emotions, making the distance between the two seem so far.
"Teacher, long time no see," Jiang Wang said.
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