When Ah Liu arrived at Zheng Xian's residence in the middle of the night, he was stabbed several times, all of which were skin traumas. There was a big gash on his face, and half of his chin was covered with black blood. Guo Xiaozhuo snuggled at him, he had never experienced this kind of scene, when the cold blade passed by, it seemed to split the soul in two.
They arrived late, and when they entered, the yard was already packed with horses and carriages. All the big families in Nanjing had arrived, and many of them were high-ranking officials from the Yong Society. Aliu untied the cloth rope on his waist and glanced up the hall. Zheng Mian was sitting on the main seat, surrounded by Tu Yao and Xie Yilu. He kept shaking something in his hand and threw it on the table. .
There are many senior officials sitting on the east and west seats. On the east side is Yongshe. There is Qu Feng who has broken his leg. Aliu let Xiao Zhuo go down to the ground. He was afraid that his feet would be weak and unstable, so he specially helped him up. Stepping into the lobby, he suddenly turned around and grabbed him: "What about you, where are you going?"
Aliu pointed to the door, and he went home.
"Nanjing's toughest soldiers are here, and Liao Jixiang's people are useless," Guo Xiaozhuo said contemptuously, but he clenched his hands tightly, "You stay here."
Aliu still looked stupid, and shook his head with a foolish smile. With a smile, the blood on his face was opened from the inside.
"You are stupid," Guo Xiaozhuo glanced at the hall, and whispered, "If you go out, you will die!"
Aliu pushed his hand down, Guo Xiaozhuo stared at him incredulously, and didn't care whether there were people around or whether Zheng Mian was watching or not, so he played tricks and held him tightly.
At this moment, the gate opened, and another person arrived. Guo Xiaozhuo and Aliu turned to look. There were dozens of people coming, holding lanterns from the weaving bureau, and everyone was armed with knives. After being stunned, he stood up slowly, and after a long time, he sneered and said: "Oh, what a grand scene!"
Sitting on the sliding pole is Liao Jixiang, wearing a forehead wipe, and cowhide boots under the armor. All of them wear armor, from Meacha to Yishiha. .
Aliu brushed Xiao Zhuo away, walked towards his duke without hesitation, wiped the blood off his face, and stood directly in his place. Meazza helped Liao Jixiang off the sliding pole, and raised his hands to invite him to the hall. Everyone, no matter if they were old or young, stood up obediently, lowered their heads, and greeted this young Dadang.
Liao Jixiang didn't look sideways, limped, and walked straight towards Zheng Xian. While walking, he secretly looked at Xie Yilu, and the fleeting glance was like hot oil scalding his hand and the needle point pricking his flesh , throbbing like lightning.
Xie Yilu hurriedly turned his face away, he didn't dare to look, when he saw it, the filth in his heart was about to be exposed, when he saw it, the naked man came into his mind, raised his hand stupidly, and asked timidly: "Eat this, how can you eat?" Can the sun rise...
Xie Yilu covered his face, afraid that sharp-eyed onlookers would notice his unusual shame, Liao Jixiang sat down next to Zheng Mi, they were so close that they could smell each other , cold sandalwood, shot in the heart like an arrow.
"How many urgent documents have you sent?" Zheng Mi suddenly asked Tu Yao, and before he could answer, he slapped the table with a "slap", "Where is Gong Nian!"
The fire was not aimed at Tuyao, but sent to Liao Jixiang, but Liao Jixiang was completely immovable, like a Bodhisattva, like a Buddha, as if he had nothing to do with the world, and no one in the hall dared to come out. A little sound, very quiet, you can hear the lively crickets chirping in Zheng Mi's sleeve.
It was dawn soon, and they didn't sleep all night, and no one felt sleepy, because in the distance, they could hear the shouts of killing from the other side of the city. At a quarter of an hour, Tu Yaozhang distributed the first pancakes, which were golden silk pancakes, but someone from Yongshe complained in a low voice: "Doesn't the majestic Nanjing guard's mansion even have food for dinner?"
Zheng Mi heard it and was about to get angry when Meazza kicked the table first: "There are so many people, you want to eat food, go out and buy it yourself."
The man didn't say anything, and the group of them turned their eyes to Qu Feng. Qu Feng had no choice but to stand up on crutches: "Let's save the weaving bureau." He squinted at Liao Jixiang, "Nanjing has today. Not asking for…”
"Qu Feng!" Xie Yilu yelled at him, his ferocious appearance was very unusual, Qu Feng was stunned for a moment, and looked at him blankly.
They used to be close friends who talked about everything, but now they are strangers.
Ye Langzhong stood up and spoke for Qu Feng: "Xie Yilu, don't sit on your ass, after all, you are from the Ministry of War!"
"Okay!" Zheng Xi finally got angry, overturned the small tea table with one hand, pointed at Ye Langzhong's nose, "People who bully our family in our place, like to stay, don't like to get out!"
These words are very serious, Ye Langzhong is not too young, but he endured it and sat back silently.
It can be heard that the screams of killing in the city are getting louder and louder. Sometimes there will be one or two screams suddenly, as if they are close at hand.
In the evening, someone knocked on the gate, and the yard was quiet. The knocking sound of "dong dong" sounded terrible, and the hall suddenly became chaotic. coming"!
The gatekeeper asked clearly, and opened the corner door to let people in. The two sons followed an eunuch, and Tu Yao immediately whispered to Zheng Mi, "It's the divination man (8) who has returned."
The eunuch came to the hall and took out a small bronze mirror from his pocket. Zheng Mi leaned over and asked him, "What did you hear?"
The eunuch hesitated a bit, and when he hesitated, everyone in the room knew the result of the divination.
"Okay, don't talk about it," Zheng Mi flicked his sleeves, turned his face to the side sullenly, and Tu Yao walked over immediately. Xie Yilu vaguely heard him say: "Duke, anyway, we are at the end of the mountain. There are two thousand soldiers, it is better to fight... "
"Shoot what!" Zheng Mi didn't give him any face, and asked loudly, "Shoot what!"
Tu Yao was tongue-tied, Zheng Mi did not hesitate, and said in front of the room full of people: "Others charge forward, we can keep it, but let our family charge forward, why!"
Tu Yao's face was blushing, and he was about to refute, when several people from Yongshe below suddenly shouted: "You might as well run!"
Liao Jixiang opened his half-closed eyes.
"Didn't Dugong Zheng have soldiers, escort, let's run through the back door and take the waterway to Suzhou!"
Sure enough, the "gentleman" did not stand under the dangerous wall, and most of the people agreed in unison. Among the lively discussions, only Liao Jixiang said coldly: "I see who dares to step out of this courtyard," he said calmly. Like a piece of iron or a pot of ice, he pulled out the short knife from his waist and threw it on the table, "Nanjing cannot be without officials for a day."
Zheng Mi looked at him provocatively: "Sit and wait?"
"Gong Nian," Liao Jixiang said calmly but decisively, "it's worth waiting."
Zheng Xian had a thousand reasons to listen to Tu Yao's head start, and ten thousand reasons to listen to Yongshe's prudent self-defense. But Liao Jixiang's words were unfounded, but he seemed to have made up his mind, took a sip of tea, and said no more. out loud.
At night, through the ten-foot-high courtyard wall, you can see the flames scattered far and near. They are the rebels and refugees burning and killing. Many people in the hall can't help falling asleep. There was a "whoosh" sound for no reason, and a rocket scraped against the wall and landed on the hall, hitting Ye Langzhong's ankle impartially.
Amidst the wailing of the elderly, dignitaries and dignitaries rushed to the back of the hall. At this time, whatever eunuchs or chanting clubs are all mixed into a pot of porridge. Someone helped him, and he looked back gratefully. It was Jintang with a knife and armor.
That shabby hut in the secluded place, that shocking accidental kiss.
Qu Feng withdrew his arm bluntly, and turned his face away in disgust.
"I regret it very much," Jintang's trembling voice was clearly discernible in such a chaotic environment, "soften your heart and forgive me this time?"
Qu Feng avoids him and doesn't speak.
"I don't dare anymore, I swear to God!"
Qu Feng seemed annoyed, and looked at him as if he was afraid of being seen by others, and looked at him like something dirty: "What kind of identity do you think you are, you are an eunuch!"
These words were like a knife, "Huo" cut the two of them apart, the flow of people suddenly increased, pushing Qu Feng forward, he didn't look back, he didn't know that Jintang was being torn apart by the huge pain, Disappointed in the distance.
It was noon the next day when we divided the pancakes. Hundreds of people were nestled in the small hall of the second courtyard, stretching out their hands like beggars. Yesterday, each person had two pancakes, but today there was only one pancake. The strange thing is, no one complained this time.
Zhang Cai and Yi Shiha huddled together, holding tightly under the sleeves, just a small piece of cake, Zhang Cai stuffed it into Yi Shiha's hand: "This cake is too hard, I don't like it."
Yishiha knew that he was lying, so he waved his hand away: "I don't want it."
"Take it," Zhang Cai was acting petty again, frowning, "I know your appetite, hurry up!"
Yishiha stared at the cake: "Then what should you do?"
Zhang Cai giggled, and said the same words: "With you, I have nothing to be afraid of."
Yishiha took the pancakes hesitantly, fiddled with them thoughtfully, and said in a soft voice, "What if I'm not here someday?"
Zhang Cai was full of confidence: "Even if you die, you have to follow me!"
At this time, there was a "bang" sound from the front yard. It was very heavy and heavy, as if it had been blasted from the ground. The hall fell silent for an instant, and soon, there was a second sound. Zhang Cai and Yi Shi could be sure that it was a broken door. The sound of hammering.
"They have a battering hammer!" Ruan Tian gestured to his people from the corner of the small hall, meaning to let them gather.
Tu Yao put his body in front of Zheng Xian, and was a little dazed: "Break the door... a hammer?"
He has never led soldiers to fight, and his experience on the battlefield is not even as good as that of Jintang, who insists on words. The two thousand soldiers had withdrawn to the courtyard on the east and west sides. After the sound, there was a dazzling blade light.
Zheng Xian looked a little frightened, and ordered indiscriminately: "Go, go and invite my Luanbi Fairy!" As he said, he waved to Xie Yilu who was not far away, "Come here, Tanhualang is lucky! "
At such a time, Fuluan actually asked God... Xie Yilu reluctantly stood up, Liao Jixiang stood up one step ahead of him, and called out calmly: "Meazza."
Meazza didn't respond right away, but fell to his knees with a "plop": "Duke..."
Liao Jixiang didn't let him speak: "When did you still pester my broken leg!"
Meazza had only a short hesitation, and immediately stood up, and quickly recruited people to put on his armor. These people were well-trained, and Liao Jixiang hadn't finished putting on his armor, so he said loudly, "Where are my people!"
In the small hall, and at the bottom of the hall, a group of eunuchs stood up in unison, dozens of them, holding sharp knives in their hands, as if they had long been waiting for the master's order. Aliu was there, Guo Xiaozhuo saw it, and jumped on the spot anxiously: "Aliu can't go, he's injured, he can't go to die!"
Liao Jixiang looked sideways at him, Aliu immediately squeezed out, and knelt down at Liao Jixiang's feet with injuries all over his body. Liao Jixiang looked like a father and a mother, gently put his hands on top of his head, rubbed his hands, and said slowly : "You will be sixteen during the Chinese New Year. You are a man. You can choose your own path."
After finishing speaking, he dragged his crippled leg, held his head high, and stepped out from the crowd. His men followed him, and among them was Aliu, who cruelly didn't even look at Xiao Zhuo.
Xie Yilu stood next to Zheng Mian, staring at the thin back that went away, outside Liumanpo, beside the little old spring, the back that he had coveted and described countless times, was so sad that his heart was about to break. Resisting the urge to call out that name, he slumped down at Zheng Mian's feet, clenched his fists and said, "Duke, please fight!"
Without waiting for Zheng Mian to react, Tu Yao knelt down together, and to Xie Yilu's surprise, he also asked for a fight.
Zheng Mi was obviously angry. When he was furious, he didn't raise his eyebrows, but had some kind of unpredictable smile: "If you want to be heroes, our family will not stop you. If you want to go, just go naked," He smiled coldly, "Don't even think about taking away every soldier in our family!"
Tu Yao was sullen and didn't move. Xie Yilu stood up and took his order. He looked at his empty waist and said to Tu Yao, "Lend me a knife."
Tu Yao's hand slowly moved up to his Xiuchun knife, first clenched it tightly, then let it go, and refused to lend it to him.
Xie Yilu smiled bleakly, and walked out resolutely, while walking, he asked stubbornly: "Everyone here, who will go with me!"
Who will go with him? He was only answered by a moment of dead silence.
"The Weaving Bureau has gone!" he yelled, and the people in the hall bowed their heads in a "swish", and he yelled again, "Liao Jixiang has gone!"
"Nonsense!" Zheng Mi couldn't stand it anymore, and waved at the people below: "Get that idiot down!"
Immediately, three or five eunuchs went up and pinned Xie Yilu to the bottom. He struggled desperately, and finally Tu Yao calmed down and knocked him unconscious with a fist.
Stopped and listened again, the sound of banging on the door was gone, replaced by the sound of fierce weapons clashing and shouting of people, everyone knew that it was a bloody battle of the Weaving Bureau, but they all pretended not to hear it, Some took out Buddhist beads and counted in vain, and some simply closed their eyes and fell asleep.
The sound of knives and guns pushed farther and farther away, and everyone felt this change. Liao Jixiang's men saved them with their own lives, but they were so smart, sitting on two thousand armored soldiers, they refused to take any risks.
When the sun was setting, there was a commotion of people and horses on the street again, and the people in the hall became tense again. This time, Liao Jixiang did not come forward. They huddled together in panic, chanting mantras and praying to Buddha tremblingly.
However, those footsteps still came towards this direction, there were at least a hundred people, the door of the second entrance courtyard was hit with a big stone, and at this time they were pushed vigorously from the outside.
"What are you waiting for!" Zheng Mi pointed at Tu Yao, pointing at the two thousand people who saved his life, "Give it to our family!"
Before he could pour on this side, the gate of the courtyard over there was completely smashed open, and everyone trembled for a moment. Soldiers poured in, and there were eight hundred officers and soldiers in order, wearing oil leather armor neatly. A "Gong" word.
It's Gong Nian's man! Zheng Mi almost cried with joy, trembling, he got up from his high position, pushed the crowd out and went to meet his hero himself.
In the distance, Gong Nian was surrounded by soldiers and came towards him. He stopped five or six steps away. He should have knelt down on one knee and said "the future will be late", but he hastily walked around the crowd , Xingshi asked guiltily: "Where is Liao Jixiang!"
He knew the man, he must have led someone out. Gong Nian threw the bloody knife under his feet and glared at Zheng Mian angrily, "He's a cripple!" He then turned to ask the people around him, "How could you let him go!"
How can I describe Zheng Mi's expression, it's like a hot stove being extinguished, or a newly built cabinet being split open, it's too horrible to look at.
At this time, Liao Jixiang came back with a group of bloody people, Meazza and Aliu were all there, only Jintang was framed, with a short knife stuck deep in his ribs.
They looked like blood men, with the stench of death from head to toe. Tu Yao stared at them blankly, as if he had never seen them before, and as if he had been dreaming about them for a long time. He rushed from behind and quickly called for people to take Jintang to the backyard lift.
Liao Jixiang was not seriously injured, but the leather on the breastplate was chopped off. Seeing Gong Nian, he smiled like a spring breeze, and after smiling, his face suddenly froze, as if Gong Nian was looking for him in the crowd, he panicked. He anxiously searched for something in the crowd, shook his lips, and asked hesitantly, "Where's Xie Yilu?"
Gong Nian frowned.
Liao Jixiang turned around and looked around again, no, nothing, he is not here: "Where is Xie Yilu!" .
Liao Jixiang felt that he was going to be unable to hold on anymore, and his kneecaps couldn't stop shaking. After imagining Xie Yilu's possible end for a moment, the knife slipped out of his hand and hit the ground with a "ding".
Ignoring picking up the knife, he turned around and ran out. From the open door of the second courtyard, he could see the mess all over the front yard. Among the mess was a broken door leaf, which was knocked off the door frame by a door hammer. Looking at those fragments, it can be seen that it is a desolate street scene after the chaos. On the long street reddened by the setting sun, a man suddenly turned around, a tall man, carrying a plow, with blood on the plow share, hunched over, and a wimpy look. It was Xie Yilu.
The boiling water in Liao Jixiang's heart instantly cooled down. When he saw that person, he was like a bird leaning on a branch, returning to a chess piece, and he was settled. In the distance, Xie Yilu also saw him, threw down the plow and ran towards him. After running for two steps, as if thinking of something, he slowed down and carefully looked away from him.
(8) Sound divination: a divination method in the Ming Dynasty, carrying a mirror to the street, eavesdropping on the gossip of passers-by, and divination from the lines.