"By the way, it's been hard to ask you, why did you want to kill Song Xian?"
For this matter, Ning Yi had never mentioned it before, and only asked when he was a little familiar with it. That Lu Hongti's eyes narrowed slightly, the sky outside the window was gloomy, the roast chicken in the room was dripping with oil sizzling, and Ning Liheng stood there and blinked innocently. It seemed that after thinking about it for a while, Lu Hongti's eyes slowed down a little and looked at the area.
With a bang, it was raining outside, and in the blink of an eye, the entire Jiangning was involved.
"My family used to live west of Yanmen Pass, on the side of Luliang Mountain." After a long time, Lu Hongti said these words.
"Since the loss of the sixteen prefectures in Yanyun, the Hu people have farmed grassy valleys, and they go there every year, killing and looting, without a happy birthday, living in ten rooms and nine empty places, living and farming, and moving to and from the surrounding valleys every year, like a wandering soul wild. It's like a ghost, but the older generation said that the homeland is hard to leave... You may not understand the feeling of being born there... "
Ning Yi was slightly silent: "Happy and happy, on the bank of the Fen River, gather Hu Hu Jin Zhongnan, cry and cry at Lu Liangshan, and die at Yanmen Pass..."
"Heh." She nodded and smiled, "In the early years, everyone had actually been in the mountains. In fact, they went all the way to the south, but they couldn't move very far. Young people climbed the mountains, even though they have not been in the mountains for hundreds of years. The absolute Luliang pirates, all of them are Han Chinese, the army of the Wu Dynasty did not come, and the Hu people went south every year, and they did not treat us as human beings. They fought with the Hu people’s troops every year. , when you meet the brigade, hurry to hide, and also rob the Hu merchants. We rob all the merchants who have passed there, and the Han people will save a few lives, and the Hu people will all be killed..."
"The Wu Dynasty didn't take us as their own. Sometimes an official came over and said that they wanted to recruit security. After recruiting security a few times, they still fought with the Hu people, that is, they wanted us to work hard and give nothing. Yes. At times, we will say that we are bandits and come here to suppress them once..."
Lightning flashed outside the window, and the rain was getting heavier. Ning Yi flipped the roast chicken and sprinkled something on it.
"When I was six years old, my father was killed by the Hu people. I learned art from my master and walked around the rivers and lakes. When I was thirteen years old, I returned to Luliang. My mother was also dead, so I went to the mountains and fought with my master every year... To serve the country and the people? I never thought about it, everyone lives... not like people... "
She paused slightly: "Then... A few years ago, Song Xian led troops into Luliang Mountain. At first, he said that he would recruit security. He said it well. He gathered people from several nearby villages, surrounded them, and killed them all... The Liao State said that the thieves of Lu Liang belonged to the Wu Dynasty, and let the Wu Dynasty deal with them. Song Xian took these heads as a record and gave them to the top! To please the Liao State! The elderly and children are not left behind, and then they are all bandits who kill without blinking an eye. Kou... He was promoted because of this. Some people's relatives in the mountains died inside. People in the village I knew also died. People want to come out. I don’t allow it, so I can only come by myself…”
"So I have to kill him. On Yuan Xi, I missed a hit, and I had some confidence. A few days ago, I went to plan to kill him, but he designed it. At that time, I thought, if this continues, I may be able to kill him. I can't kill him... a person, his power is limited..."
"If you want to learn kung fu, I have been studying with master for so many years, and then every year I fight in battle, I don't know how many people I killed, and I climbed out of the dead a few times, I don't know whether I am dead or alive. Now if I want to kill Song Xian, I'm still hurt like this. A scholar has the ability, and he can fight against ten thousand people.
Ning Yi thought about it over there, but still shook his head and smiled: "Still insist on my curiosity... Let's talk about it, chicken is good."
He said that he took off the roast chicken and cut it open with a knife. Immediately, a more intense aroma filled the whole room, and then served it with sauce.
"How about it?"
"taste good… "
"The new products I'm about to launch, my technique is still amateurish, and these ingredients are well matched."
"Don't you sell cloth at home?"
"Friend's... If one day you can eat this delicious roast chicken in Luliang Mountain, I will give you something..."
"Huh, what?"
"It's a crooked way... what are you calling the wind and rain, throwing beans into soldiers, and so on..."
"So it's all settled then?"
"Um."
The casual conversation in the room was drowned out by the roaring thunderstorm. In a restaurant on the other side of Jiangning City, Li Pin was also looking at the rain curtain outside, talking to Shen Miao beside him.
"...Yan Zhen has been preparing for the past few days. In about half a month, he will leave Jiangning and go to Raozhou."
"Didn't you say you only set off in July?"
"There is still a long way to go. It's probably better to go early, so as to avoid unexpected delays on the way... In addition, after arriving in Leping, I am afraid that I will have to do some planning ahead of time, so that I can take over the duties smoothly."
"Alright." Li Pin smiled and nodded.
Shen Miao took a deep breath: "Some time ago, I heard that you and Yan Zhen had some disagreements, so I came to ask. After all, we were friends in the past, and it was no big deal. I don't want you to take things to heart."
Li Pin thought for a while: "It's not a matter of disagreement. I understand Zishan's good intentions. It's just that it's not that I'm angry with him, but that he himself has some unresolved concerns."
Shen Miao frowned and thought for a while: "So that's it... By the way, what does Dexin think of Yan Zhen?"
"It's not good to say this behind your back."
"Haha, it doesn't matter, he's leaving soon, and I'm afraid I won't see him for many years. If he has a relationship with others, I'm not worried, but I have always trusted Dexin as a person, and you have always been very knowledgeable. It is accurate, so I really want to know a thing or two. This matter is just a small talk, and it will never be passed on to the ears of the three.”
Li Pin thought for a while, then shook his head: "It's not a big deal, Yan Zhen, you and I have known each other for many years, he has knowledge, ability, and vision. It's just that over the years, have you ever seen him suffer in any way?"
"Uh, there are a lot of things to lose... In fact, there are a few things, but Yan Zhen is also an open-minded person, and he doesn't take it to heart..."
"What if I said... he never suffered a loss?"
"Um?"
"Brother Zishan, Gu Hong is... arrogant. Of course, he also has the reason and talent for this arrogance. Over the years, he has made extremely high demands on himself, and many times he is really amazed. The style of a gentleman is like this. It's just that sometimes, his views are too extreme and pursue their goals too much, but it's hard to say whether this is good or bad."
Shen Miao smiled and nodded: "De Xinguo really knows people very accurately, Yan Zhen does have such a bias. He told me a few days ago that one should face one's true heart, but I actually think it is reasonable, and he also He once said that as a county magistrate in the future, what he needs is to solve the problems at hand. In these matters, he should be cold-faced and selfless, and only seek the purpose. Compared with the virtuous officials whose inner charity is actually bound by many rules, he would rather For a competent official who does not seek appearance of good or evil, but only seeks to do things properly, his idea is actually admirable..."
Li Pin looked at him for a moment, then smiled and said, "That's true. In today's world, there are many corrupt scholars, but few people who do things. If Yan Zhen has this idea, it will be a blessing for the people..."
For Gu Yanzhen, he actually somewhat admired it, and he vaguely sensed something, that he had put an end to it here, and if he blamed something that was not necessary, it would be too much. In fact, Shen Miao didn't come here today for discussion, but just to be a gentleman, but he didn't understand that this time, it was indeed Gu Yanzhen's side who had a grudge. This grudge may not be because of his own concealment, but because of the phrase "I know you are a human being". Although Gu Yanzhen was aggressive that day, maybe he really shouldn't have said this.
The outer king and inner sage, whether the "king" is more important or the "sage" is more important, the two forms and methods have been debated for many years. Of course, the golden mean does not take extremes. The judgment of everything is actually quite complicated. . Over the years, capable officials are indeed much more useful than corrupt Confucians. In the future, if Gu Yanzhen proves that he is indeed a capable official, he should come to the door and apologize for this... I hope so.
After that, the topic naturally followed Shen Miao away. At the same moment when the two were talking in the restaurant, in Zhuji's main store a few streets away, Gu Yanzhen was sitting with a servant on the seat, quietly tasting various dishes. The servant next to him was tall and had a scar on his face. He was his confidant and he was called the sixth, but he was actually his bodyguard. In the past three months, this is the first time he has taken the initiative to approach a place related to Nie Yunzhu, of course not to lead people to smash the store. At this time, he just quietly waited for the appearance of the other party.
Due to the rain outside, the business in the store was not very good, and the light was not bright in the heavy rain, so the oil lamps were lit, and the lights swayed in the store.
Nie Yunzhu was actually in the store at this time, but as a woman, she didn't need to be open and open-minded in these matters. In this day and age, there are not many men and women who are upright - of course, she has used double standards when it comes to dealing with Ning Yi. Recalling the last time she was forcibly held by the other party, she was unwilling to go out again. He should hold his hand, and he should not hit him with a backhand, so he quietly waited for the time to pass. However, until the evening was approaching, the dishes in front of him were completely cold, Gu Yanzhen still sat there steadily, she had no choice, and finally walked out, across the table, and bowed: "Young Master Gu ."
Gu Yanzhen raised her head to look at her, and showed a smile. He has always been gentle and elegant, and the smile at this time is indeed very good, relaxed and open-minded.
"In a few days, I'm going to leave and take office in Leping, Raozhou, so I think I'm coming to say goodbye to you."
Nie Yunzhu thought for a while: "Yunzhu has nothing else to give, I just wish your son a smooth sailing and a prosperous official fortune."
"Your words remind me of three years ago..." He lowered his head, smiled lightly, then stood up, looked at the other party and took a deep breath: "If I... If I say it again sincerely, I would like to Marry Yunzhu and let you go to Leping with me, would you like to think about it carefully, or nod your head?"