The carriage was galloping on the road between the cities. When it turned a sharp bend in the road, the carriage from the opposite side was approaching. It couldn't avoid it and crashed into each other. The frightened horses struggled to get up. The wooden wheels separated from the axle and fell to the ground.
He rolled towards the food stall on the roadside in the distance. In the small square, everyone cursed in the chaos, and some people gathered around to help hold the struggling horse.
Cheng Zhouhai climbed out of the car and touched his forehead. It was scratched by a piece of wood and blood was flowing out. He just wiped it. I don’t know which family the carriage opposite belonged to. Lin’an was closed for April, life.
The rhythm gradually slowed down, and he might have heard some news while running like this. He patted the shoulder of the person accompanying him and asked him to deal with it. He went over to untie one of the horses and turned over.
Along the way, we passed by Li Pin's villa in the north of Lin'an City. Someone opened the door to greet him. Li Pin had already arrived in the courtyard, and Tie Tianying had also arrived. A lone weeping willow was planted beside the empty courtyard, swinging in the morning sunshine.
, the three of them went inside and pushed open the door. Swords and spears were being polished in the hands of warriors all over the room. There were people sharpening knives in the corner of the room. Their skills were skillful and sharp, rubbing the blades on the stone.
The green light that penetrates people comes.
The three of them continued walking inside.
"Is the news confirmed?"
"In half an hour at most, the envoy from the Kingdom of Jin will enter from the Anding Gate, and his identity is temporarily pending."
Opening the curtain of the door, the second room also looks like when weapons are being polished. There are male and female warriors, each wearing different clothes. At first glance, they look like the most ordinary pedestrians on the street. The third room is the same.
scene.
"The situation in the court is chaotic and we can't see any clues. His Highness has entered the palace this morning and there is no news yet."
"Should we wait for His Highness to come out and make a decision?"
"His Highness has left it to me to act according to the circumstances. Wanyan Xiyin has been working on his heart-attack strategy for a year. Neither you nor I know how many people in the capital want to take sides now. Ning Yi's anti-corruption order has made us more united, but we can't sustain it.
I'm afraid it will get out of hand when I stay here."
"knew."
Tie Tianying nodded, with a look of determination in his eyes, Li Pin also nodded, and Cheng Zhouhai stood there. In front of him was the door to another empty yard, where the sun was setting.
"The ones who escorted the Jurchen envoy in may be the troops of the city guard. No matter what the outcome of this matter is, you may all..."
Tie Tianying waved his hand, interrupted his words, and looked back: "They are all people who lick blood with their swords. They value morality and don't value your king's laws."
When he said this, Cheng Zhouhai nodded slightly and smiled. Tie Tianying hesitated for a moment, and finally added another sentence.
"We expected these things to happen, but... it was a little early."
The warriors in the room hid their weapons in their arms. Cheng Zhouhai said nothing more, and Li Pin sent him out: "Everyone who should say hello has said hello one after another. Time is short and the reply is unknown. Forbidden Army Niu Xingguo has an old relationship with me. I will wait for you."
I will go see him again to check the situation. Your Highness has to worry about it... Brother Cheng, the wind rises at the end of the day. Some things will be too late by the time you see them clearly. Just do what you need to do.
, after all, since Ning Yi committed regicide, there have been no extraordinary events in the world."
Cheng Zhouhai nodded: "I will contact His Highness first and make all necessary preparations."
****************
In the inner palace of Lin'an Imperial City, in the side room of Funing Hall, Zhou Pei sat there, reading a book and listening to the birdsong in the garden outside the window.
She had been waiting all morning. At the Jinluan Hall where political affairs were being discussed outside, the officials of the third rank and above who had been summoned were still arguing and fighting in confusion. She knew that her father had instigated the whole thing. Jun Wu was injured and Zhenjiang fell.
My father's whole system has been messed up.
In fact, when the Jurchen war started, her father had no rules at all. By the time Yan He Heiqi made a bad move and broke with Baiguan, fear might have enveloped his body and mind. Zhou Pei often came here.
, hoping to give an explanation to his father, but although Zhou Yong nodded kindly on his face, he found it difficult to listen to his words in his heart.
In any case, his father did not have the courage to face difficulties, and all Zhou Pei's solutions were ultimately based on courage. Junwu faced the Jurchen army with courage, but his father at the rear could not even believe in his courage.
nothing.
She could only do her best and obey fate. During this period, Zhou Pei and Qin Hui met several times. The other party was obedient, but not leaking. Zhou Pei didn't know what the other party's final plan was. Until this morning, Zhou Pei understood his intentions.
Willingness.
She was waiting to convince her father that she was not suitable to go to the front court, but privately she had notified all the officials who could be notified, and tried her best to make a strong statement to her father and the peace faction. Even if she could not make it, she still hoped
The officers leading the battle were able to unite as one and let my father see that the situation was stronger than the others.
She took a sip of the cold tea in the tea cup. She didn't know when, footsteps came from outside, and Zhou Yong's figure appeared at the door of the room. He was dressed in the yellow dragon robe of the Nine-Five Supreme Master, but his body under the yellow robe had already
He was very thin, and his expression looked tired, but when he saw Zhou Pei, his thin face still showed a gentle and soft color.
"Daughter, have you been waiting for a long time?" He walked over quickly, "No courtesy, no courtesy, do you know the news about Jun Wu?" At this point, there was a sad look on his face again.
"Jun Wu was only injured, nothing serious. My daughter came here today in the hope that... she could explain her interests to her father and hope that he could take back his life. Although Zhenjiang is lost, there is still something that can be done. As long as Lin'an..."
When she said this, Zhou Yong waved his hand: "Daughter, these matters are left to the princes of the court, I... alas..."
"But why did my father order the Qiantang Navy to move the ship..."
"Daughter! Can Qin Qing talk to you about these things? Qin Qing, come in -"
Zhou Yong looked embarrassed and opened the door, only to see the old minister waiting outside the palace door coming in. Qin Hui's hair was half white. Due to the tossing for half a morning, his hair and clothes were messed up.
After sorting out the traces, he lowered his head slightly, with a humble figure, but his face and eyes showed the generosity of "Thousands of people will go to me". Qin Hui greeted Zhou Pei, and then began to tell Zhou Pei
The stakes of the whole thing.
The morning sun shone slantly into the palace. Zhou Pei stood upright in a long skirt. After hearing Qin Hui's words, her lips tightened, but the expression on her face gradually became angry. After a while,
She pointed at Qin Hui and cursed. Qin Hui immediately knelt down and kept talking. Zhou Pei either scolded or argued, and finally started to speak to his father beside him.
She looked sad. First she said that Jun Wu's fighting at the front would be worthless, and then talked about the sacrifice of millions of people. Then she began to refute Qin Hui's wolf ambition, and Wu Dynasty might repeat the mistakes of the Jingping period. Speaking of the later
, Zhou Yong finally couldn't bear it anymore.
"Fight hard, fight hard, who can fight hard... In the battle of Zhenjiang, the soldiers on the front line lost their courage. Prince Junwu's identity is on the front line. If Xi Yin attacks again, who can protect him! My daughter, I am a mediocre king.
, I don’t know how to fight, but I know what a bad person is! In your eyes, my daughter, those who want to surrender in the capital now are bad people! I am a bad person! I have been a bad person before, so I know what these bad people can do.
What's going on! I can't trust them!"
His voice shook the palace, and his saliva stuck to his mouth: "I trust you and Junwu, but the situation has reached this point and cannot be saved! The only way out now is the black flag. The Jurchens want to raise the black flag, and they have no time.
Search the Wu Dynasty and let them fight. I have already sent people to the front line to call Junwu back. I also have my daughter, let’s go to the sea. As long as the Jurchens can’t kill us, we will always have a chance to rise again. I will bear the infamy of running away.
, can’t we give way to Junwu when the time comes? This can only be the case——”
Zhou Pei shed tears and growled: "If I had known this, I might as well have given half of the country to the Chinese army!"
"I want to cut it too!" Zhou Yong waved his hand and shouted, "I've made it clear! I want to negotiate with Black Flag! I can rule the world with them! Even my daughter...you can...but Black Flag did it
What! My daughter, I have told you this twice and again, I...I don’t blame you. I blame the people who are seeking fame and honor in the court, I blame the black flag! Now that things have come to this, can you blame me?
, I have done everything I can! This matter is their fault——"
"I won't go to the sea, and Jun Wu will definitely not go either!"
"Then I'm the only one alive. Maybe Jun Wu can save his life! I've thought about it and decided -"
"Father, you are greedy for life and afraid of death. You are making a huge mistake..."
"Shut up, shut up!"
Zhou Yong shouted hysterically.
"I am the king of a country!"
"I am the emperor!"
"I am the emperor——"
The sound echoed, and the majestic and solemn golden robe sleeves representing the Nine-Five Masters were waved in the air. The birds on the trees were frightened and flew away. The majesty of the emperor and the princess faced each other in the palace...
*****************
Various pedestrians left the courtyard from different directions and merged into the crowd of people in Lin'an. Tie Tianying and Li Pin walked together for a while.
"Yu Zihua from the Forbidden Army is a confidant of His Majesty. His talents are limited but he is loyal, and there is no way to persuade him. I went to visit Niu Xingguo, and then discussed with Niu Yuanqiu and the others. I only hope that if everyone works together, things can finally turn around."
"When it comes to the temple, I, as a martial artist, can't say anything. I can only fight with all my might. But you, Mr. Li, are for the sake of the world, so you should take care of yourself. You can't do anything. You have to act according to the opportunity. Don't force it."
"Sometimes things in this world cannot be forced, and sometimes they have to be forced. Who can say for sure."
"That's true...Mr. Li, we have reunited for a long time, and I forgot to ask you, how is your New Confucianism going?"
"We attach great importance to the study of things and promote education. We hope that we can finally integrate and implement Qin Lao's learning. This is a good start. Unfortunately, the world is uncertain and time does not wait for us."
"Do you still believe it, sir?"
"I am dull in learning, perhaps because of what I learned in the Taiping years. In troubled times, I am clumsy. Maybe people who have grown up in troubled times can have more new understandings. Our hope may still be
Above the next generation. But Confucianism has a thousand years of orthodoxy, and Dexin firmly believes in it."
"That'll do."
"The Iron Catcher doesn't believe this?"
"I've been a man in the world of business all my life, and I've been through the muddy waters of public life. I can't tell you what's right or wrong about many things, and I can't tell them clearly. In fact, I'm not that particular."
The old detective smiled, and the two figures gradually approached the predetermined location near Andingmen. For several months, Wushu's cavalry was still wandering outside the city. There were not many pedestrians on the streets near the city gate, and there were only a few shops and teahouses.
The door was open weakly, and the soft pancakes on the oil cake stall were emitting the aroma. A few passers-by slowly walked by. In this peaceful scene, they were about to say goodbye.
"Mr. Li, tell me, when in the future, will anyone talk about the various things that happened in Lin'an City today?"
"Perhaps one day, when Ning Yi conquers the world, his storytellers will write down these things."
"...That's not bad either."
They laughed, said take care of each other, and said goodbye. The old detective carried a long knife on his back and wore a thin cloak, and stepped onto the second floor of the street tea shop. Many people who had just left were already waiting here. On the road below
, and the number of people gradually increased.
Tie Tianying ordered a pot of tea and drank it slowly at the window. At a certain moment, he frowned slightly. People came up one after another from below the tea shop, and gradually filled the seats in the building. Someone came over and stood beside him.
Sit down at the table.
"There is someone here." Tie Tianying looked out the window and took a sip of tea.
The man sitting across from him was about forty years old, and compared to Tie Tianying, he still looked younger. His face had obviously been carefully groomed and there was no beard under his chin, but he still looked upright and imposing. This is the temperament of someone who has been in power for a long time: "Iron
Gang leader, don't reject people from thousands of miles away. I'm here sincerely and don't look for trouble."
"Nie Jincheng, outsiders say you are the leader of Jiangnan Wulin, do you really think you are? You are just a dog under the command of a few adults in the court." Tie Tianying looked at him, "What's wrong? Your master wants to
As a dog?”
"The leader of the Iron Gang has high morals and high respect, and whatever he says is advice to the younger brother." Nie Jincheng raised his tea cup, "Today's matter is unavoidable. Nie has great respect for the senior, but the superior has spoken. Nothing can happen here at Anding Gate. Little brother
It's useless to just come here and say what you mean, Iron Gang Leader..."
While he was talking, a mighty army had already arrived at the other end of the street. They drove away the pedestrians on the street, or rushed them into nearby houses, preventing them from coming out. People on the street were confused.
They still don't understand what happened.
"Since I'm respectful, do you think this is your share? Let's do it together." Tie Tianying raised his tea cup.
Nie Jincheng closed his eyes: "He is passionate and angry. If this had happened twenty years ago, Nie would have done it without hesitation. But now his family and parents are in Lin'an. I forgive Nie for not agreeing with this. Leader Tie Gang,
The people above haven't spoken yet, so why are you putting all your efforts into it? Maybe things can turn around and there is still room for discussion with the Jurchens, or maybe the boss really wants to talk and if you kill the envoy, wouldn't the Jurchens just attack?
"
"The adults behind you really want to take advantage of Xu Xu again."
"Even if you don't want to, Iron Gang Leader, you can't do this today. Once you do it, all your brothers will die. I'm here, which is proof." Nie Jincheng said, "Don't make it difficult for your brothers."
Tie Tianying sat there and stopped talking. After a while, there was a cavalry at the other end of the street, and a motorcade came slowly, and then someone came upstairs again. It was a group of officers and soldiers, and the leader was wearing uniforms for inspection.
The person wearing the suit is Li Daoyi, the metropolitan inspector of Lin'an City. The metropolitan inspector is responsible for the garrison of troops, the recruitment and training of the imperial army, patrolling and defending against thieves, etc. It can be said that he is the immediate boss of ordinary Jianghu people. Behind him
Those who followed him were mostly police officers from Lin'an City.
As soon as the team came up, the leader, Li Daoyi, waved his hand, and the Chief Inspector walked towards the nearby tea tables. Li Daoyi himself walked towards Tie Tianying, opened another seat and sat down.
He poured himself a cup of tea and handed over to Tie Tianying: "Tie Gang Leader, I respect you as a senior of Liumen. I don't have much more to say. I will call your people and go back with me. Today is over.
At noon, just pretend that nothing happened. Tonight at Xingqing Tower, I will serve you a drink to apologize."
Tie Tianying looked at the scenes outside the window, and he had already realized it in his heart. Just like Ning Yi killed the king more than ten years ago, Tie Tianying had already noticed the problem. This morning, Cheng Zhouhai and
Li Pin was still thinking of getting lucky, but at this moment, all the demons and monsters in Lin'an City who could move finally started to move.
These people had previously held a neutral stance, and when the Princess Mansion held the authority, they all acted upright, but on this morning, the forces behind these people finally made a decision. He looked at the team coming over,
I understand how difficult things are today - I might not be able to do anything if I take action. If I don't take action and follow them back, I don't know what will happen next.
In the tea house and on the opposite floor, everyone looked towards us. Questions flashed in their eyes. Tie Tianying held up the teacup, his eyes even more pitiful. He thought of his conversation with Li Pin. If something couldn't be done, there was no need to do anything.
Forced, yes, form is stronger than others, so you don’t have to force yourself.
"You guys said..." the old policeman with ragged white hair finally spoke, "sometime in the future, will anyone remember these little things that happened in Lin'an City today?"
The early summer sun shines down, and the huge Lin'an City is like a living object, turning peacefully and normally. The towering city walls are its shell and skin, the magnificent palaces, the majestic government offices, various courtyards and
Houses are its internal organs, streets and rivers become its blood, ships and vehicles help it metabolize, and it is people’s activities that make it a great and orderly life, with a more profound and great culture and spirit sticking together.
all of these.
The old detective's eyes finally flashed with deep-seated anger and pain.
The table between the three of them flew up. Nie Jincheng and Li Daoyi stood up at the same time. Someone drew a knife from behind. Tie Tianying's two apprentices came closer and blocked Nie Jincheng's way. Nie Jincheng twisted like a giant python.
, with a move of his hand, the throat of one of the people who squeezed in from behind was cut open, but at the next moment, the long knife in Tie Tianying's hand slashed like thunder, Nie Jincheng's arm flew out, and the wooden table flew away, and again like this
With another sword that danced like thunder, Nie Jincheng's chest and bones were cut open. His body flew two feet away in the teahouse, and thick blood spattered loudly.
Li Daoyi's legs were trembling. He saw the old detective who suddenly turned his head and saw the blood-red eyes like a tiger. A slap came down on his Tianling Cap. Plasma burst out from all his seven orifices at the same time.
Countless swords and guns were unsheathed, ignited fire thunder fell towards the center of the road, hidden weapons and arrows were flying, people's figures rushed out of the windows, rushed out of the roofs, and fell towards the streets amid shouts. The peace and order of this city
Being torn apart, time reflects this scene in its silhouette...