At the pier in the early morning, torches illuminated the surrounding environment. The smelly fish smell was mixed with various discarded debris. However, on the piers everywhere, soldiers could be seen either openly or covertly. Performing the task of guarding, there are also guards who are proficient in water swimming quietly in the dark and cold water.
"King of Fairness" He Wen prepares to leave Jiangning.
In the past few days, since his attitude gradually became clear, a large number of people would come to visit him every day, bringing various messages and attitudes to He Wen.
Many attitudes have been anticipated.
There are also some people whose choices are unexpected.
When he was about to board the ship, the message carried by the messenger surprised him. Because of the seriousness of the message, he took the young envoy named Ling Xiao onto the ship and then opened the I received the letter brought by Ling Xiao.
Under the command of "King of Wheels" Xu Zhaonan, Meng Zhuotao, the leader of the "Resentment Society", ordered him to bring a large amount of secret information about Xu Zhaonan's camp. While exposing the weaknesses of many middle- and high-level officials, he also prepared many possible solutions. The tokens used to threaten or recruit people include the names of some people who tend to be close to the book club.
In the past ten days or so, although the "Resentment Society" also started a large-scale search for members of the reading club according to Xu Zhaonan's instructions, Meng Zhuotao tried every means to capture these suspects who were in key positions. Concealed...
The final news was that Meng Zhuotao was planning to assassinate Xu Zhaonan in the name of the reading club. According to the other party and the messenger Ling Xiao, he already had people who were good at using heavy artillery. He succeeded through calculation and unintentional. The certainty should be 70%.
He Wen, who was wearing a large robe and exuding the smell of medicine, the fleet had slowly set sail. In the distant night, at the southern end of the city, there was a large-scale commotion.
"Meng Zhutao... Your eldest brother, has his style of doing things always been like this? When given an opportunity, he will take risks..."
He Wen looked at the scene outside the cabin with deep and serious eyes.
This layout of Jiangning City and the break with the other four people are very risky, but He Wen is not without his own back-ups and arrangements, whether openly or secretly. But in any case, Meng Zhuotao's response and betrayal , can be arranged as a crucial chess piece. If the other party had contacted him earlier, he would never let this person carry out any assassination.
But of course, the Fair Party’s massive uprising involved numerous reckless and tyrannical people, and many of them were desperadoes willing to give it a try even if they had the slightest chance. If Meng Zhuotao had such a temperament, he would There isn't much more to say.
However, Ling Xiao on the side hesitated slightly and shook his head: "Brother Meng... in the past, his actions were mostly based on prudence and prudence."
"Then he wants to involve himself?"
Ling Xiao lowered his head, not knowing how to answer. After a while, he whispered: "Brother Meng said, since you waved the flag of the reading club, you were immediately assassinated. People from the reading club cannot live without them." Retaliation. If Xu Zhaonan is killed, those who agree with the reading club will definitely respond. Great things in Jiangnan will be accomplished."
"But what if he can't be killed?" He Wen sighed, "Among these four, Xu Zhaonan has the most masters, and Lin Zongwu, the best in the world, is on his side. He alone may not be able to stop thousands of troops, but if If you are a bodyguard, even if you have artillery, you may not be able to kill Xu Zhaonan."
"We have already investigated this matter." Speaking of this matter, Ling Xiao said, "According to the news from the New Tiger Palace and Brother Meng's last conversation with Leader Lin, we found that the Chinese Army was involved in this matter. After that, Master Lin had already decided to retreat from the Jiangning matter. He seemed to have persuaded Xu Zhaonan in private to think twice, and even asked him to come over and talk to you to see if there was a compromise. But Protector Zuo was in trouble. I also greeted Xu Zhaonan at Tuo's place, saying that if fairness and justice were lost, Leader Lin would leave and tell Xu Zhaonan not to be upset or blame him when the time comes. Xu Zhaonan did not dare to offend them, so he had nothing to say at that time."
"..."
He Wen frowned.
"That's why Brother Meng said that we should be 70% certain about this matter."
…
The night wind blew slowly through the streets, and the smoke from the artillery fire scattered on the streets.
Meng Zhutao was holding a steel whip, his tall body was covered with specks of blood, he was breathing long and long, facing the figure in front of him, trying to calm down his body at its peak.
There were injured people groaning or shouting on the surrounding roads. These people were able to follow Xu Zhaonan, and they were usually arrogant masters. However, when faced with Meng Zhuotao's steel whip, parts of their bodies were touched. When they collapsed, some had their hands and feet smashed, some had their bellies opened, and some simply had their heads blown off and fell to the ground like corpses.
However, on the surrounding roads, a large number of soldiers and Green Foresters had already reacted and began to guard the surrounding areas and encircle them toward the center of the road. Several of the cronies following Meng Zhuotao were surrounded at this time. The embarrassed Xu Zhaonan came from He got up from the ground and began to give orders to the surrounding area.
In the night sky, different fireworks were lit again. The rising flames this time were different from the fireworks and arrows of the "Chakravartin King". At the same time that Zong Wu arrived, many close followers of the Dharma Protector led by Wang Nanda also began to appear in the surrounding area, rounding up members of the "Grudge Society".
Meng Zhutao's eyes swept over the great monk in front of him, looked around the road, and also looked far away at the place where the artillery fire had been fired. In the darkness, there was no movement over there. You can imagine what has become there. Look.
"Amitabha." Lin Zongwu clasped his hands together and sighed, "After the first round of cannon fire, I arrived over there. Your brother resisted bravely and died without pain."
Meng Zhuotao nodded: "We benefited a lot from our last conversation. I thought that the master was profound and had already thought about the world clearly and could distinguish what is right and what is wrong, but I didn't expect... After all, he made such a decision..."
"...I never imagined that Benefactor Meng would choose this path in the end." Lin Zongwu looked at him, "When I came to Jiangnan this time, among the heroes from all walks of life who joined me, you have the highest martial arts and the best qualifications. This time I have broken through the mental barrier, and I have made further progress. I may not be able to reach the level of a great master in the future, and can be as good as me, Zhou Dong. It is a pity that I can't look back?"
On the other side of the road, Xu Zhaonan was stunned for a moment, and then shouted: "Meng Zhutao, among the eight beliefs, I treat you the best and value you the most. Who have you been bewitched to do this stupid thing... Today there is a saint The leader is here, if you turn around, I think for the sake of the holy leader, I can forget about it!"
"Ha ha."
Meng Zhuotao laughed, short and sarcastic, and he looked at Lin Zongwu: "Master, with your wisdom, can't you see that these people from the Fairness Party can't make it happen?"
"Benefactor Meng, the world is in chaos. What can happen and what can't happen cannot be summed up in a few words. I know that you have been bewitched by the evil words of the reading club. Let's not care about the deletion of the beginning and the end of these small books. Even if they are Southwest Ningyi, if he is sure that he can succeed, why would he want to distribute these things to the whole world? It's just that he is undecided and is looking for a way out."
Lin Zongwu put his hands together and sighed.
"As for the origin of whether things can be accomplished, it comes down to people. If you can recruit heroes from all over the world and accept the teachings with an open mind, even if you are born in a reckless way, why can't you accomplish things? This Jiangning Conference did not go well, and some problems were difficult to solve. Of course, it made things difficult. You are frustrated and guilty, but Xu Gong made it clear to me that the difference between him and He Wen is not that he is unwilling to adopt He Wen's views, but simply because He Wen wields power and is unwilling to join forces with the people of the world. When I go back this time, Xu Gong His subordinates will also carry out reforms to strictly investigate corruption and crack down on favoritism. In this case, if Benefactor Meng goes to He Wen, how can he stay under Xu Gong and continue to contribute?"
Meng Zhutao looked at him with pitiful eyes. In the smoke, this huge monk had an astonishing aura, just like a mountain. For a long time, as long as he was around, almost all the people in the world could not muster the will to fight with him. But Meng Zhutao shook the steel whip in his hand and laughed: "Do you believe these words?"
Lin Zongwu looked at him, after a while, he sighed: "...there is something that surprises me."
"..."
"Everyone in the world has his own way. Although it is regrettable that you were deceived by people in the reading club, it is not strange. It's just that you have the palm of your hand. Sooner or later, you will be a man of the temple, and you will not be an ordinary hero. If you are If you are not resentful of Xu Gong's governance, wouldn't it be better if you stay here, plan for it slowly, and then make an agreement with He Wen when a better opportunity comes, and turn against him in a big way out of resentment? Why bother to ruin a major event like today? "
Lin Zongwu's question may also be the question of many people present. After he asked this question, in the dim smoke, Meng Zhuotao's face was complicated, and his eyes changed several times. There seemed to be nostalgia and some in his expression. There was regret, helplessness, and confusion, but in the end, it turned into a magnanimous and heroic smile.
His words were low, as if he were just speaking to Lin Zongwu opposite.
"If this hadn't happened, how would others know that those who believe in the principles of the Book Club can see and touch them..."
The people around the road couldn't hear these words clearly, and the next moment, the storm roared, Lin Zongwu's cassock shook, and the two figures clashed, making a loud noise on the street.
Meng Zhutao used all his strength to kill Xu Zhaonan.
…
On the river at the northern end of the night, He Wen's fleet slowly sailed away from the river bank.
"Even if you are 70% sure, if you fail, you will still fall short. Mr. Meng... he should have discussed it with me..."
The incident in the south of Jiangning City had already occurred, and it was already too late to contact him. While looking forward to Meng Zhuotao's success, He Wen also sighed with regret. In Jiangning City, he had contacted many people from all walks of life, and he had nothing to do with Meng Zhuotao. There were invitations to him, but due to some unforeseen circumstances, they never had a private conversation, so he didn't know that Xu Zhaonan's capable general was a comrade he could win over.
At the same time, his understanding of Meng Zhuotao was limited to some information that everyone knew.
"... I heard before that Mr. Meng once... beat his master to death with his own hands. This time in Jiangning, Master Tanji seemed to have done the same... Is there any inside story involved?"
The opponent's decision could no longer be reversed. He Wen was thinking about the next response and casually asked about the information about Meng Zhuotao. He just killed a master with his own hands, and his resume of killing heroes was naturally disgraceful. Halfway through the question, he had already Sensing that the young man in front of him looked a little unhappy, He Wen was about to skip the question after saying this. However, he saw the young man named Ling Xiao frowning a few times and gritting his teeth slightly before he spoke.
"Brother Meng..." he said: "Brother Meng... ever since he arrived in Yujia Village, he has been steady and reliable, with no emotion or anger. After fighting with his fourth uncle, he rarely expressed his feelings to others. Only a few times. One time a few months ago, he went out to socialize and got drunk. When he came back, he sat with me in the field for a while. It was dark that day and there was no light in the fields. He told me that the most painful thing in the world is to be alone no matter what. Can't see the road."
"Brother Meng said...More than ten years ago, he went south following the war and fought with the Jurchens. However, in the world at that time, no matter how skilled he was in martial arts, he was just like a pig or a dog, driven away by the Jurchens. North After the people went south, the Wu Dynasty said that they should cheer up, making the Southern Dynasty look like flowers and brocade cooking oil, but these were just the prosperity whitewashed by sucking the blood of the northerners, while corrupt officials were still rampant, and the southerners enjoyed the prosperity. But they just want peace... Wu Dynasty has no way out."
"Fourth uncle... he has an upright and strong character. People in the south say that people from the south should return to the north and people from the north should return to the north. He doesn't want to be disliked by others, so he stays in the north of the Yangtze River and refuses to go south. He is highly skilled in martial arts, upright in his life, and never harms anyone, Brother Meng said , he also wants to live like this, but the world has changed, and he can't live like this... There is no way for my fourth uncle."
"Later, the Wu Dynasty was indeed defeated. Brother Meng led the people in the village to fight in the troubled times. When he learned the name of the Fair Party, he felt that he had found a way for the first time. He felt that the world was too bitter, and after hearing the news The Light Sect taught the Thirty-Three Difficulties and became a member of the 'Chakravartin King'... But soon after, he understood that the Fair Party had no way out."
"He...had read the booklet of the book club for a long time, and told me that night that he felt that...this time, there might really be a way. He felt that Mr. Ning from the southwest had solved the issue of the Fairness Party. It really makes it clear.”
"Brother Meng said that if there is no way in this world, people can only live in the darkness, kneel down to survive, live by cannibalism, or even beat the master to death and survive. There is no way...Brother Meng said He is alive, but we know that what he has been asking for along the way has always been a way to let most people in the village survive..."
"Mr. He."
The young man named Ling Xiao looked at He Wen. He was Meng Zhuotao's deputy who handled general affairs. He was probably killing people by following Meng Zhuotao for a long time. At this moment, his expression was not weak, but his eyes were cold. As sharp as a knife.
"To this day, we still don't know whether you organized the reading club, but Brother Meng said that since you are willing to pick up this flag, he is willing to charge and shout for you and risk his life. Because the most painful thing in the world is There is no way, but since there is a way, people can risk everything for it."
The young man's eyes were as sharp as a knife, and there was also a faint bloodthirsty warning. When he said this, he lowered his head slightly and stretched his hands into his arms. The guards around King Ping Ping in the room immediately came over. , He Wen stretched out his hand to signal them not to be nervous. He saw the other party taking out a long-read pamphlet from his arms.
"Brother Meng gave me a book. What was written in it was what happened to Qian Xiwen in Hangzhou. Brother Meng said that it is a kind of happiness to see hope."
He looked at He Wen and warned him.
"...You have to find your way out."
…
In the south of Jiangning City, the fighting near Boxinmen swept through the entire long street like a storm.
Meng Zhuotao rushed towards Xu Zhaonan, and the attack of the steel whip in his hand was getting stronger and stronger. However, what stood in front of him was the best person in the world who was like a Buddha.
The fighting area rushed from the street into the courtyard nearby. The wall collapsed, and the green bricks were smashed open by the force of the steel whip. The two fought high up to the height of the attic and fought again. Maybe it was because of the beating. When I get excited, Lin Zongwu's long roar shakes the night sky and is breathtaking.
No one around the bystanders dared to rush forward to join in the fun. This was already a fight among the top warriors in the world. After several attempts to rush towards Xu Zhaonan failed, Meng Zhuotao and Lin Zongwu, who had restrained themselves, fought with all their strength, holding in their hands The destructive power of the steel whip reached a level that even Lin Zongwu did not dare to touch head-on.
As a group of people close to the first class, a large number of warriors were surrounding to watch this battle.
The companions who had followed Meng Zhuotao had all been killed in the encirclement of these people.
Meng Zhutao fell down several times, but stood up again. The last punch he received was the eighty-sixth blow exchanged with Lin Zongwu on the second floor of the compound next to the road. As Zhou Tong was gradually recognized after his death, he was the best in the world. First, in a public fight, no one has fought Lin Zongwu for so long. The last public fight of this level was the battle with the Eight-Armed Dragon King Shi Jin in Zezhou.
In the light of the fires lining the road outside the courtyard, everyone gradually felt that the fighting had subsided.
On the second floor of the almost demolished wooden building, Meng Zhutao fell to the ground. He tried to stand up several times, but felt weak and blood gushed out from his mouth. Lin Zongwu looked at him from the front, and the fire outside came from the huge Photo from behind of the body.
"A wonderful life." Lin Zongwu sighed, "Why do you want to die?"
Meng Zhutao struggled and groped on the ground for a while before finally standing up with difficulty, leaning against the wooden pillar beside him that had not yet collapsed.
"Monk, if you stand on Xu Zhaonan's side, do you really think you can make it happen?"
"Amitabha." Lin Zongwu clasped his hands together, "The Great Light Sect must have a destination. Up to this point in my life, there are always some things, so I have to stick to my laurels and have no choice... What's more, I can't say for sure who will win and who will lose. , maybe Mr. Xu can really do something great after leaving this time."
A sad smile broke out on Meng Zhutao's face. Feeling the blood pouring out of his mouth, he reached out and tried to catch Lin Zongwu: "The Chinese army has arrived, and they will wake you up."
Lin Zongwu showed a sullen look on his face, but then he took a step forward and reached out to grab Meng Zhutao, who seemed to be about to collapse.
"Benefactor Meng, since Ning Yi has not yet arrived, since I have decided to take action, there are not many people in Jiangnan today who can help He Wen make trouble."
Meng Zhutao also reached out and grabbed Lin Zongwu. Perhaps he realized that he had become unnecessarily angry. Lin Zongwu then sighed again.
"That's all, Benefactor Meng. If you have practiced martial arts to this extent throughout your life, you can be respected by me... But is there anything you can't let go of? This wonderful world..."
Lin Zongwu was sighing, and Meng Zhutao grabbed his cassock, but he laughed as if he had heard some joke.
"The good world...haha...ridiculous..." His expression gradually became trance-like and he murmured, "Monk...don't you feel tired in this kind of world?"
Lin Zongwu understood something. He didn't answer. He just grabbed Meng Zhutao and didn't let him fall. The silence in the darkness lasted for a long time, and Meng Zhutao seemed to be dead.
After a while, he made his last sound in this world.
"I have learned the way. The sins in this life are hard to redeem, but I can eventually ignite myself and light the way for others... Monk, in this world..."
Lin Zongwu waited for a while.
…
Let him go...
…
Before dawn, the largest assassination attempt against the Four Kings in Jiangning City, and the one closest to success, failed.
******
In the dark night, this rumbling and manic night decided and changed the fate of some people. Meng Zhuotao made his own decision, Lin Zongwu also made his own decision, and many people... Make your own decision. For others, the restlessness at night is more of a puzzling farce.
Just before dawn, when the night is darkest, a figure staggers slowly into the cold water.
Someone from behind suddenly grabbed him and dragged him towards the shore.
"Let me go...let me go..." The figure begging for death struggled weakly.
The young man with the pseudonym Long Aotian ignored him, dragged him back to the shore, and threw him back next to his wife's body.
Xue Jin's whole body was covered with the fishy smell brought by the water, and he curled up into a ball, trembling slowly.
The young man standing in front also had a fishy smell on his body. He didn't know how to comfort him, but after a while, he said: "At least she should be buried in peace before she dies, right?"
Xue Jin slowly shook his head: "There is no peace in this world... in the earth... I don't want to live anymore, I don't want to live for a moment... my benefactor..."
The young man opened his mouth: "...Do you know why I saved you?"
"..." Xue Jin was stunned.
"Didn't you hit Ning Yi on the head before?"
"..." Xue Jin looked at him.
"I came from the southwest and met Mr. Ning. Aren't you curious how he is doing today?"
The river water in autumn brought a permeating chill, and Xue Jin huddled there, shivering. Then, the first ray of white fish belly gradually lit up on the horizon. He looked at the outline of the condescending young man's face, first at a loss, and then confused.
, after a while, he stretched out his fingers tremblingly.
"you you……"
Vague memories surged from the deepest part of my mind.
That was the outline of a vague figure that often followed Ning Yi many years ago, and gradually overlapped with the young man in front of him.
"Who are you……"
The little monk on the side also stared at this side.
In the faint morning light, the young man stood there.
"My name is Long Aotian, and I come from the southwest."
…
"...Let me see what Jiang Ning has become..."
…
Time rolls over the human body, as if tearing apart the deceased from the inside of the body. The unspeakable pain becomes more real under the background of memories, and it envelopes Xue Jin. He curled up there, stretched out
Mouth, let the pain spurt out from your mouth, from your eyes, and from every part of your body.
On the streets that were only slightly calm in the early morning, people suddenly heard heart-rending roars...
On the last day of 2021, many people are making summaries. This may be one of the most important years in my life. The ups and downs at the beginning of the year once made me very excited. It was not until the second half of the year that I really encountered the crushing fate of fate.
From this, I feel that life has truly entered the second half. I used to like writing essays and wanted to share many things candidly with others, but now I can’t say anything. Suddenly, I seem to have reached the point where I can’t say many things.
I’m too old to speak out right away. I’ll have to wait until two or three years later, when everything has settled down, and maybe I can talk to you about my insights on life again. There’s still a lot I want to say, such as what I want to say about the update, but I feel like it’s all cliché.
Yes. Well, I just want to say see you next year. In the new year, I wish everyone happiness, good health and all the best.