The city wall before dawn still radiated the light of its torches. In the dimness outside the South Gate of Ze Prefecture, clusters of bonfires stretched into the distance, and the gathered crowd gradually quieted down. Search: (、Complete、Book、God、Station、) to read high-quality literature for free.

At a wind-sheltered spot beneath the city wall, some of the refugees were asleep, while others remained awake, guarding a man lying on the ground, his body wrapped in many bandages. The man was about thirty years old, his clothes tattered and stained with blood, his hair unkempt. Even with the bandages, one could still vaguely discern a hint of valor.

The man hadn't intended to sleep, but he was simply too exhausted. He leaned against the city wall and dozed off, falling to the ground. The others didn't want to wake him, so they let him sleep a little longer.

A gust of wind howled past from the city wall, abruptly startling the man awake. He opened his eyes, slightly clearing his head, and struggled to sit up. A woman nearby helped him up. "What time is it?" he asked.

"It's almost dawn."

"I told you to wake me up, I need to... Right, hot water, I need to wash." He looked somewhat anxious. "Find me... find me some slightly better clothes, I'll change."

This man among the refugees was none other than Wang Shitou, known as the "Ghost King."

In the midst of torture-induced injuries, he had been practically carried and supported for half the night. After finally calming the refugees down, he had a chance to rest. But now, he didn't stop. At his instruction, the others found him a relatively intact dwelling. The refugee woman who was tending to his injuries helped him change clothes, wiping and tidying him up for a moment. Taking off his clothes revealed injuries that made one's heart tremble. However, at this moment, Wang Shitou's mood was one of intense excitement.

As he was getting ready, someone else entered. It was Yan Hong, Wang Shitou's deputy, who had been captured with him. He had been seriously injured when captured. Since he wasn't suitable for torture, Sun Qi and the others had applied some medicine to him. Later, the Huaxia Army had entered the prison once and applied medicine to him again. By the time he was rescued, Yan Hong was actually in better condition than Wang Shitou.

"Going to see the Black Flag people?"

"Yes, it's all arranged," Wang Shitou said with a smile. "I'm willing to die for what's right, I really didn't expect... I really didn't expect..."

His laughter was joyous, but also tinged with sadness. Yan Hong could understand the feeling. After a moment, he said, "I went to look, Ze Prefecture is completely pacified."

"Mm."

"Those rumors, I heard they might be true. Tiger King's territory has completely changed."

"Not surprising," Wang Shitou said, pursing his lips. "The Huaxia Army... The Huaxia Army took action, that's not surprising at all. If they had acted earlier, perhaps the events on the banks of the Yellow River wouldn't have... Heh..."

Wang Shitou paused, then slapped the chair, turning his sadness into laughter. Yan Hong, perhaps also feeling bitterness and despair, his eyes reddened, laughed along. The woman beside them couldn't help but start crying. As the woman cried, the two men in the room laughed even louder, tears streaming down their faces.

The difficulties and sorrows of the world are hard to describe, especially after experiencing such darkness and despair. The complex feelings of suddenly being relieved were even harder to put into words.

"Go see them, beg them for help..."

"They'll help, they'll definitely help... Look, Lao Yan, I always said, the heavens won't leave us with no way out. There'll always be a way, haha... hahahaha..."

The two men laughed joyfully in the room, which then infected the woman beside them. After a while, as Wang Shitou was helped out of the room, the sky was just beginning to show the first hint of dawn. A rooster crowed somewhere. The refugees on the nearby streets and by the bonfires saw Wang Shitou and the others pass by, and they got up to greet him, or even cried loudly. Wang Shitou comforted them.

"It's alright, it's alright. As long as I'm alive, as long as I'm here... you'll be alright..."

Those who had managed to reach Ze Prefecture after the great defeat and massacre on the banks of the Yellow River had placed all their hopes on Wang Shitou. Hearing him say this, they were all relieved and settled down.

At this moment, the dawn was about to break. Especially soon after, the moment Wang Shitou recognized the person he was meeting, the feeling of sunshine pouring down reached its peak. After that...

It plummeted down.

************

"...The external agreement is for June 29th. Within the territory of Prince Jin, the personnel pre-arranged by the Huaxia Army will launch simultaneously, cooperating with a faction within Tian Hu's forces to subvert the territory of nine prefectures under Tian Hu's command. Theoretically, at this time, Weisheng will have completely changed. Wang Juyun will head south, taking Meng County, Xi County, and several other cities. Tian Hu's original forces will be replaced by Tian Shi, Yu Yulin, Lou Shuwan, and others. The Jurchens may send some nearby troops to put pressure on Tian Shi... This is likely to be the situation you will face next..."

"What about the Huaxia Army..."

"Some of our personnel were exposed in this matter, according to the agreement, they should withdraw south. Of course, I can leave some behind to help you."

"The Huaxia Army isn't heading north?"

"During the three years in Xiaocang River, the Huaxia Army lost a lot of people. Two years isn't enough time to recover. As for heading north, the Jurchens, the puppet Qi, and the Southern Wu are all currently hostile to us... Coming to the Central Plains would just be another three years."

"Mm..."

The cool morning breeze stirred the mist, and the surrounding streets and alleys were still filled with the acrid smell of extinguished smoke. In front of the ruins, the wounded man spoke with the scholar in the light robe. After Ning Yi explained the situation, he noticed the other man's emotions and smiled slightly.

"Back then, when you were doing things in the north, some Black Flag people gathered around you. They admired your bravery and chivalry, and urged you to go south with them and join the Huaxia Army. At that time, General Wang, you said that seeing the suffering of the people, you couldn't stand by and abandon them. Even if it meant death, you would take them with you to Jiangnan... I admire this idea very much, General Wang. Do you still think that way now? If... If I ask you to join the Huaxia Army again, would you be willing?"

Wang Shitou was clearly thinking about other things. His expression was complex, and he paused for a long time. "But... So many of them, Mr. Ning..."

"Mm?"

"Mr. Ning, I'm here to ask for food for them..."

Wang Shitou deliberated for a moment before finally saying these words. Ning Yi nodded. "I understand this, and it's already been arranged. A third of Ze Prefecture's stored grain will be allocated to you, a total of nearly ten thousand *shi*, which should alleviate the immediate crisis. The carriages that can be used in the city are already being allocated, but you may have to take responsibility for some of it yourselves." (*shi* is a unit of dry volume)

"...Then Mr. Ning, where can they go next?"

"Where do you want to go?"

"I want to take them across the Yellow River," Wang Shitou said, looking at Ning Yi. "To Jiangnan."

Ning Yi's mouth opened slightly, and he remained silent for a moment. "I... personally think that's unlikely."

The scene fell silent. Wang Shitou opened his mouth, but didn't speak for a long time. "Mr. Ning, they're really... pitiful..."

His voice drifted in the wind. Ning Yi didn't speak. Wang Shitou recalled those tragedies and continued, "They used to have some property and a foundation. Since heading south, they have nothing. Along the way, so many people have starved to death or been killed. I'm leading them, and I don't know where to go. My wife and daughter died on the road. They said we slaughtered the city... Hundreds of thousands of people, wandering around, even the tree bark will be eaten. They... They have started eating children, Mr. Ning, I don't know how to speak..."

"...They just want to live, as long as there is a way to survive... But heaven won't give them a way to survive. Locust plagues, droughts... And then floods..." He said here, his voice choked up, pressing his head. "I led them, and finally arrived at the banks of the Yellow River. Then there was Tian Hu, Sun Qi. If it weren't for the Huaxia Army, they would have really died, freezing and starving to death. Mr. Ning, I know you are good people, truly good people. Back then, those few years, everyone else knelt down, only you were truly resisting the Jurchens..."

Ning Yi gently patted his shoulder. "Everyone is just struggling to survive."

"They will all die if they can't cross the Yellow River. Mr. Ning, go and see them, what they look like. Ten thousand *shi* of grain is a lot, but there are more people than just those outside the city. Many people died on the banks of the Yellow River, but at least two or three hundred thousand people survived. Mr. Ning, if they don't cross the Yellow River, where else can they stay?"

"Perhaps we can arrange for them to disperse into the territories of various forces?"

"Begging won't get them through the winter," Wang Shitou shook his head. "It's okay in peaceful times, but in these kinds of years, Wang Juyun, Tian Hu, Li Xizhi, everyone is struggling. Beggars can't survive, they will all die here."

Ning Yi thought for a while. "However, crossing the Yellow River isn't a solution either. It's still Liu Yu's territory there, especially... To guard against Southern Wu, there are even two Jurchen armies really responsible for that area. Two or three hundred thousand people, crossing the Yellow River is also a dead end. Have you thought about that?"

Wang Shitou nodded. "However, staying here will also lead to death."

"...At least you will take care of them." Ning Yi paused, looking at him. "This is a... difficult thing, but there is no other way. If you also abandon them, then no one will be able to manage them. Three hundred thousand people, I think... it is still possible to gain a foothold here. Whether it's farming or fishing, eating wild fruits or gnawing on tree bark, they will definitely be safer staying here than crossing the Yellow River. If there is a need, the Black Flag will try to support you."

"Support... what?"

"Swords, spears, and even cannons, to support you in gaining a foothold, arm yourselves, and try to survive. In the south, with the support of the Prince, several generals led by Yue Fei have already begun heading north. Only when they clear this path one day will you be able to pass through safely."

"However, can't the Black Flag... help?"

"The Black Flag can help," Ning Yi sighed. "But we can't head north in the near future, just to save people, everyone would die in the Central Plains. I can't make that kind of decision, but I guarantee that if it is possible, I will try my best to support your rooting here and heading south."

Wang Shitou was silent for a long time. "They will all die..."

"Mm?"

"Hundreds of thousands of people... settling down here, they haven't even been soldiers or fought in wars before. Mr. Ning, you don't know, how they died in that battle on the banks of the Yellow River. Settling down here, everyone will see them as thorns in their side, they will all die here."

"General Wang, excuse my frankness, in this kind of world, there is no way to survive without fighting. Many people will die, and the remaining people will all be forged into warriors. The more people like this there are, the greater the chance we have to defeat the Jurchens one day. That will truly solve the problem."

"But many people will die, you... we will watch them die with our own eyes." He wanted to point at Ning Yi, but ultimately changed it to "we". After a moment, he softly said, "Mr. Ning, I have an idea..."

"Tell me about it."

"Look at Ze Prefecture, Tiger King's territory, you... you arranged so many people, once they launched, the place was turned upside down. Back then, people said that the Huaxia Army left a lot of people behind, everyone was still skeptical, but now they won't doubt it. Mr. Ning, since you arranged so many people here, there must be people in Liu Yu's territory too, right? Could you... could you launch them, Mr. Ning, Liu Yu is much worse than Tian Hu and the others. As long as you launch them, the Central Plains will definitely change. Can you, consider..."

Ning Yi's gaze had gradually become serious. Wang Shitou waved his hands.

"These are hundreds of thousands of people, hundreds of thousands of lives, Mr. Ning, they are hundreds of thousands of lives right in front of you. As long as you lift a hand, they might be able to cross the Yellow River, cross the Central Plains to Jiangnan, they can survive. The merit of saving hundreds of thousands of lives, Mr. Ning, the Huaxia Army will inevitably have a greater reputation in the world for doing these things, and millions of people will come to join them upon hearing the news. Even the act of assassinating the emperor can be washed away..."

As he said these things, he clenched his teeth, slowly got up, and knelt down. Ning Yi held his hand, and after a moment, helped him sit down again.

"This is a solution that can be considered," Ning Yi deliberated for a moment. "However, General Wang, the launch on Tian Hu's side is just to kill the chicken to scare the monkey. Once the Central Plains is launched, the Jurchens will definitely come too. Then changing a regime, the Huaxia Army people who have been lying dormant will inevitably face a larger scale cleansing. The Jurchens are different from Liu Yu. Liu Yu kills so many people that white bones are piled up all over the world, but he still needs someone to stand in his court. The Jurchen army can come and slaughter city after city..."

"However, these are indeed hundreds of thousands of lives, Mr. Ning, you said, what can be bigger than that? You have to save people first..."

"The biggest problem is that once the Jurchens head south, Southern Wu's last chance to catch its breath will also be gone. You see, if Liu Yu and the others are still there, they are always a whetstone. They can sharpen the knives of Southern Wu even more. Once the Jurchens head south, it will be time to test the knives. At that time, I fear that these hundreds of thousands of people will not live for more than a few years..."

"But, perhaps the Jurchens won't send troops, as long as you make the scope of the launch smaller, we just need a path..."

"I will carefully consider whether there is any compromise. General Wang, please consider it carefully too. Many times, we are all helpless..."

The wind stirred the morning mist, and the conversation between the two continued. On the other side of the city, You Hongzhu dragged his wounded body down the street. He carried his sword on his back, his face pale, and he was also staggering, but because he carried a special army insignia, no one stopped him on the road.

He went to a small square and sat down among the crowd. Nearby, everyone was snoring with fatigue.

After a whole night of madness, You Hongzhu leaned against the wall, staring blankly into space. Since leaving the prison last night, he had fought several battles with a group of prisoners, and then, with his weapon, and driven by obsession, he had gone to find his fourth brother, Kuang Wenbo, to take revenge on him.

However, the Great Brightness Temple had been leveled. The army had fought several times nearby, and then set a big fire, burning the place to the ground. Countless greenwood heroes had died in the fire. The fire had also spread to the surrounding streets and houses. You Hongzhu couldn't find Kuang Wenbo, so he had to participate in the fire fighting.

Over the course of the night, he wandered around the city, seeing too many tragedies and desolation. At first, he didn't feel anything, but as he watched, he suddenly felt nauseous. Those destroyed houses, the innocent people killed in the marketplace, the civilians who died during the army's assault, the children who were dazed in the blood because they had lost their families...

"Hey, is that you?" A voice came from the side. "The kid in prison who wouldn't listen to reason!"

Turning his head, You Hongzhu looked carefully and realized that the big man next to him was the man who had been locked up opposite him in the prison. This man had once asked him to take action and give the seriously injured cellmate a release, but You Hongzhu had ultimately not done so, and the two had had an argument.

You Hongzhu became alert, but the other party didn't seem to want to start a fight. "I saw you kill people last night, you're a good man. I'm writing off our disagreement, how about it?"

You Hongzhu didn't speak, which was considered tacit agreement. The other party was also clearly tired, but still had some energy, and said, "Haha, it was fun, it's been a long time since I had this much fun. Brother, what's your name? I'm Chang Jun. We've decided to go to the southwest to join the Black Flag, are you going?"

"Black Flag..." You Hongzhu repeated the words. "Is the Black Flag good people?"

"Of course the Black Flag are good people, what, you have an opinion about the Black Flag?"

You Hongzhu looked at the sky and was silent for a long time. "I can't tell..."

Yes, he couldn't tell. At this moment, Kuang Wenbo's voice suddenly appeared in You Hongzhu's mind. In this kind of world, who is a good person? His eldest brother and the others talked about acting chivalrously, but in reality they were collecting wealth for Wang Juyun. The Great Brightness Church was outwardly virtuous, but in reality was filthy and shameless. Kuang Wenbo had said that in this world, everyone had someone standing behind them. Black Flag? Are the Black Flag good people? So many innocent people had died.

What about those people?

At this moment, he suddenly didn't want to go anywhere. He didn't want to become someone with someone standing behind him. There should be a path for those innocent people. A chivalrous person, the so-called chivalry, isn't that what it's supposed to be? He remembered Mr. and Mrs. Zhao of the Black Wind Double Fiends. He had a stomach full of questions to ask that Mr. Zhao, but Mr. Zhao was gone.

——The road of the Jianghu must be walked by oneself.

************

It was another bright sunny morning. You Hongzhu carried his double swords on his back and left Ze Prefecture, which was gradually restoring order. From this day on, there was a road of the Jianghu that belonged to him. This road was endless turmoil and hardship, with lightning and dust filling the sky, but he gripped the sword in his hand, and never gave up from then on.

It was another rainy dusk, a muddy mess. Wang Shitou drove a big cart, walking along the road, with countless panicked crowds in front and behind, stretching as far as the eye could see. "Hahahaha... Hahahaha..."

Yan Hong saw him suddenly laugh loudly at the sky, but that laughter was shrill, without any joy. "General, what's wrong?"

"I understand, I understand..."

"What..."

"No one cares about us! No one has ever cared about us!" Wang Shitou shouted, his eyes already red. "Sun Qi, Tian Hu, Wang Juyun, Liu Yu, hahahaha... Ning Yi, the inner demon, no one has ever cared about us. You think he's kind, he's just using us. He clearly has a way, he's watching us die... He just wants us to kill, kill, kill, until there are only a few people left, and then he comes over to pick the fruits! You thought he came to save us, he just came to... kill the chicken to scare the monkey, he didn't come for us... Look at these people, he clearly has a way..."

Yan Hong looked at him, Wang Shitou stood up in the cart.

"This world is full of evil people! So you are hungry ghosts!" The people around him looked at him in astonishment. Wang Shitou shook his head in the rain. "But it's okay, as long as I'm here... I will definitely watch over you... as long as I'm here..."

As long as I'm here...

He repeated these words, his heart filled with the pain of countless people dying tragically. From then on, there would only be real hungry ghosts left here...

Ning Yi and his group left Ze Prefecture and began to head south. In this process, he calculated the possibility of Wang Shitou and the others retreating south several times, but ultimately could not find a method. Wang Shitou's final mental state made him slightly worried. In big matters, Ning Yi was certainly heartless, but if it were really possible, he didn't mind doing some good deeds.

If Wang Shitou, as the leader, really had a problem, then if possible, he would hope that there would be a second way to go.

At this time, news of the internal strife of Prince Jin's forces and the Black Flag spies finally baring their fangs again had spread to all directions in the world.

A couple with their child had just returned from Ze Prefecture to Wozhou. At this time, Mu Yi, who had settled down in Wozhou, with his wife and children, was a small yamen constable in Wozhou City. This time, their family had gone to Ze Prefecture to do some shopping. His child, Mu Anping, had almost been hit by a runaway horse on the street, but a chivalrous person who was being chased had saved the child's life. Mu Yi had wanted to repay him, but the other party was very powerful, and soon after, the army of Ze Prefecture had also arrived, and ultimately arrested that chivalrous person as a bandit.

Mu Yi secretly tried to influence the situation, but ultimately had no connections and no way to help. During this period, he realized that the atmosphere in Ze Prefecture was not right, and finally left with his wife and children one step ahead. Soon after, a large-scale disturbance occurred in Ze Prefecture.

Along the way, his wife complained to him, saying that if anything happened to that chivalrous person, she would be uneasy for the rest of her life.

In the Jin Dynasty's Yunzhong Prefecture, a man with a gentle appearance and refined manners had just arrived there and met with Lu Mingfang, a Huaxia Army member who was working there at this time. His name was Tang Minjie. He had made some mistakes in the southwest, and was subsequently transferred to the north. Lu Mingfang had some acquaintance with him earlier, and knew that this person was also Mr. Ning's student and was quite capable in doing things.

"I want to study the Jurchen language for a while first, and then get in touch with the specific work, that should be a bit better." Tang Minjie was practical and extremely amiable, and Lu Mingfang was relieved. Among the people who had studied with Mr. Ning, there were many who were highly skilled, but many also had high aspirations. Lu Mingfang was afraid that he would come over and start messing around.

It seemed like he was an easy person to get along with... After several days, the gentle Tang Minjie gave Lu Mingfang a very good impression. At this time, news of the Black Flag's changes in the south came, and the two were excited again.

"We also have to do this kind of big thing..." Tang Minjie exclaimed, and Lu Mingfang nodded in agreement.

At this time, Lu Mingfang could not yet understand what kind of light was flashing in the eyes of this young partner opposite him, and naturally could not foresee the heavy sins and bloody storms that this Black Flag member, later codenamed "Joker", would plant in the Jurchen territory in the years to come...

In Prince Jin's territory, on the night that Tian Hu rushed out of Weisheng and was caught back, Lou Shuwan came to the heavenly prison to see him.

"...You *bitch*! *Bitch*! You can even cooperate with the enemy who killed your father! I curse that you, *bitch*, will not have peace even after you go to hell, I'm waiting for you—"

Amidst Tian Hu's angry scolding, Lou Shuwan just quietly looked at him. Suddenly, Tian Hu seemed to realize something.

"No... you, you *bitch*, you like him! You like Ning Yi! Haha! Hahahaha! All the things you've done these past few years have been to learn from him! I understand—*bitch* is *bitch*! You like him! You will never have peace for the rest of your life, you don't even need to go to hell... Hahahaha—"

He was still scolding as he laughed. Lou Shuwan had already turned around and walked away.

"Cut off his tongue," she said.

Tian Hu's tongue was cut off, but this action didn't mean much, because soon after, Tian Hu was secretly executed and buried. To the outside world, it was said that he had died of sudden illness. This king, who had fortunately survived for more than ten years in the floating dust of troubled times, had finally reached the end.

Soon, Ning Yi and his group arrived on the banks of the Yellow River. It was late summer and early autumn, the green mountains on both sides were reflected in the water, the river flowed turbulently, and it was boundless. At this time, sixteen years had passed since Ning Yi came to this world, and it had been a long nine years since Qin Si Yuan's death and Ning Yi's angry assassination of the emperor in the Golden Hall.

In this autumn of the eighth year of Jianshuo, the deceased had long since passed away, and the survivors could only continue to move forward in their respective directions.

The green mountains were still there, and the setting sun was red again several times.

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