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Son-in-Law

In the summer of the eighth year of Wu Jianshu, two years after the Black Flag Army retreated from the Northwest, the numerous lingering problems caused by the Black Flag Army were at a point where they had to be clarified and resolved.

Among these, the most important issue was undoubtedly the large number of spies from the Black Flag Army infiltrating various forces of the Great Qi during the three-year war and the period of military expansion. Simultaneously, a serious question of varying importance arose: Was the news of Ning Yi of the Black Flag's death true?

During the three-year war, the Jin Kingdom, at the height of its power, lost two generals in the Northwest. The Central Plains' Great Qi mobilized millions of troops, finally killing Ning Yi, causing the Black Flag to collapse and retreat from the Northwest. As things settled down, everyone was immersed in the relief that the three years of torment had finally passed. Few dared to contradict or voice concerns about the whole matter. After all, Ning Yi was dead, and the Black Flag was destroyed – this was the best outcome.

Afterward, more information about the Black Flag Army gradually surfaced. The remnants of the Black Flag Army, having retreated from the Northwest, did not perish. They chose the area where Tibet, Dali, and Wu Dynasty met as their temporary base, recuperating and gradually extending their influence to Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, and southern Hunan, slowly gaining a foothold.

The Wu Dynasty, having suffered greatly, dared not easily provoke this force. In reality, Tibet and Dali did not have much power to directly challenge them. After the great war in the Northwest, the Black Flag Army also became more inclined to internalize and lick its wounds. Outwardly, only a few merchant teams traveled in a corner of Tiannan, and the situation within the force was difficult for anyone to clearly discern for a time.

Regarding the news of Ning Yi's death, in the early days, few people questioned it. The main reason was that everyone tended to accept his death. Moreover, the head had been verified and sent to the north. However, the Black Flag Army still existed, and everyone curiously explored how it operated in secret. Rumors of Ning Yi's survival began to spread more widely.

Although it's difficult to deeply investigate the current Black Flag Army, it's not a complete monolith; it is still composed of people. As more people investigated, some superficial information gradually became clear. Firstly, the development and consolidation of the current Black Flag Army, though low-key, still seemed very organized and did not fall into chaos after the loss of leadership. Secondly, after the absence of Ning Yi, Qin Shaoqian, and others, the widows of the Ning family stepped forward to take on the responsibilities. They also released information to the outside world, claiming that Ning Yi was not dead but had to hide temporarily because he was being closely watched by enemies. This was not a lie; if it were truly confirmed that Ning Yi was still alive, the Jin Kingdom, already humiliated, might immediately send troops south.

In the end, Ning Yi's life or death became a ghostly legend in the Central Plains. No one had seen him, and no one was sure. The main reason was that even though Ning Yi had left the public eye, the Black Flag Army's power seemed to be operating normally. Even if he was dead, people could not let their guard down. But if he was alive, the whole situation would be enough to make all the forces in the Central Plains feel fear.

The sudden appearance of the name Li Shishi in the debate over whether Ning Yi was dead or alive can only be described as an accident. This former famous courtesan of the capital was not originally known to the world, especially during the years of war, she had long faded from everyone's view. However, when people began to explore the truth about Ning Yi's death, Tie Tianying, a former chief constable of the Six Doors and a well-known expert among the Greenwoodsmen, traced this woman's whereabouts, suggesting to others that the truth about Ning Yi's life or death could likely be found on this woman.

The reason was that although Ning Yi was ruthless, he took good care of his family and those around him, and this Miss Li happened to be a former confidante with whom he had a past. After the news of Ning Yi's death spread, this woman, who lived in seclusion in Yunnan with her hair uncut, traveled north. If she encountered danger, then obviously, Ning Yi would not be indifferent.

It's hard to say under what circumstances Tie Tianying revealed such speculation, but in any case, someone eventually took it to heart. Last year, Li Shishi visited the Black Flag Army's base in Tibet and left. The first assassination attempt against her began, followed by the second and third. By June, the number of Greenwoodsmen who had died because of her was estimated to have exceeded three digits. But whether the party protecting her was acting on Ning Yi's personal orders or Ning Yi's family was deliberately creating a smokescreen, who could say for sure?

This was the conflict surrounding the rumors of Ning Yi's death, but it brought a woman who had long faded from view back into the eyes of the world. In June, a major flood occurred in Puyang, affecting Daming, Jizhou, Enzhou, Shenzhou, and other places. At this time, the imperial court had lost its ability to provide disaster relief, and the victims were displaced and suffered unspeakably. This nun, who lived in seclusion with her hair uncut, traveled around seeking help, leading many wealthy families to join hands in disaster relief, which immediately made her famous far and wide, truly like Guanyin Bodhisattva in the world, a living Buddha for all families.

Since then, surrounding the name Li Shishi, there was not only the Black Flag force protecting her but also many self-organized Greenwoodsmen. Of course, in order not to affect too many people, this woman also seemed to have found a way to hide her whereabouts, occasionally appearing in a certain place and then disappearing again.

As such, her appearance in Ze Prefecture now was truly a headache for Lu Anmin. First of all, this woman could not be touched – who knew if she was someone from that demon Ning Yi? Secondly, this woman could not die – even if Ning Yi was really dead, the Black Flag Army's revenge was probably beyond what he could bear. Thirdly, her request was not easy to directly refuse – this was because people are not plants, and who can be without feelings? He really had a good impression of Li Shishi and even admired what she had done.

It was just that he was really powerless.

"The matter of Ze Prefecture, as Lu has said, is not that simple." Lu Anmin pondered for a moment, "Miss Li, being born in troubled times is the misfortune of everyone. Alas, I am now said to be governing one side, but in this situation, it is always the one with the knife who speaks. In this Ze Prefecture, the one who truly has the final say, Miss Li should understand, is General Sun Qi. Such major events as closing the city gates, even if I have compassion in my heart, what can I do? Instead of persuading me, why not persuade those who are coming... It's useless, with 70,000 troops, and besides, behind this..."

He said here, looked at Li Shishi, hesitated, "Miss Li, I can't say too much about the inside story. But... since you've come here, stay here. I have to protect you. To be honest, if your whereabouts are exposed, it will be difficult to be safe..."

Before he could finish speaking, Shishi looked at him, pushed the chair away and stood up, then bowed to him. Lu Anmin quickly pushed the chair away and stood up, frowning, "Miss Li, this is not good."

"I also know this is not good." Shishi's voice was very low, "In the Fan Lou, everything is about propriety. Even when asking for help, one cannot be overbearing, so that each other feels better. Even if it doesn't work, one can leave a good impression on the other person. But Shishi is indeed a weak and incompetent woman. I have compassion in my heart but have no strength to truss a chicken. Even if I wanted to take a knife and go into battle to kill the enemy, I would probably be no match for half a man. Mr. Lu, you are a prefect, even if you are powerless to change some things, but as long as you have compassion in your heart, a difference in one thought can save dozens or hundreds of people..."

She paused, "Shishi today does not want to force Mr. Lu to take a stand. But Mr. Lu is also a kind-hearted person..."

"That's not necessarily true!" Lu Anmin waved his hand.

"...I only hope that sir can keep a benevolent heart. Shishi thanks you in advance for those who can survive. In the days to come, I will definitely remember it in my heart and pray for sir day and night..."

"Alas... you... alas, you..." Lu Anmin looked at her kneeling on the ground and kowtowing to him three times, somewhat confused. For a moment, he didn't know whether to help her up or accept the gesture. After this kneeling, the other party took the initiative. Her bright eyes remained unchanged, but there was a slight redness on her forehead, and her expression was slightly shy. Obviously, such kneeling was also unnatural for her.

"Actually, I have nothing. Where others can contribute their strength, I, as a woman, can only beg and kowtow. It was the same during the war and it is the same during disaster relief. I know this is not good, but sometimes after begging and kowtowing bitterly, it can actually be somewhat useful... I used to think that nothing was useful. Actually, when I think about it, I can't calm my heart in this life, and my wishes can't be fulfilled. I became a nun but can't truly become one. In the end, I am actually still entertaining people with my beauty and burdening people with affection. I am really... sorry. I know Mr. Lu is also in a difficult position."

"Miss Shishi... how can you debase yourself like this... alas, this world..."

"Shishi will take her leave first."

"You really don't have to go..." Lu Anmin said, "I have no other intentions, but this Ze Prefecture... is indeed not peaceful."

"Shishi also has ways to protect herself."

"I'm not talking about ordinary unrest..."

After saying a few words like this, the other party still left the room. Lu Anmin was actually also afraid of being implicated, so he sent her to the back door, watching the other party's figure gradually disappear into the darkness. Some words were still not spoken in the end. But although she was wearing a monk's robe, she called herself Shishi, and although she sincerely asked for help, she also expressed guilt. He clearly understood the contradictions and intentions in this.

It's just, how much can I do in this...

After the nun named Li Shishi left the Prefect's residence and gradually disappeared into the streets of Ze Prefecture, Prefect Lu also returned to his residence. In the distant city, the wedding banquet next to the Liang'an Inn was still in progress, and the clamor of the yamen runners capturing bandits came from the farther streets. On the northeastern side of the city, there was a brightly lit military camp where tens of thousands of troops were stationed. Descending from the southeastern post road, thousands of refugees were also heading towards Ze Prefecture in a mighty manner. They were the remnants of those hundreds of thousands of hungry ghosts who had been scattered. Without weapons and supplies, they were no different from beggars. On the advice of some people, they followed the army all the way to Ze Prefecture, demanding that the Tiger Dynasty court release Wang Shitong.

These people had nothing and were starving. When they went south, they had received much favor from Wang Shitong. This time, in addition to asking the Tiger King to show mercy, they also asked Ze Prefecture to take them in, otherwise most of them would not be able to survive the autumn of this year. If Ze Prefecture didn't care about them, and they caused trouble and were killed by the Ze Prefecture soldiers, it might not be the worst outcome.

A dozen miles outside Ze Prefecture, on a small mountain ridge, there was a small temple. Another group of people, originally under the command of the Ghost King, had also arrived first. At this time, torches were lit in the forest, and a hundred or so people were guarding the forest near the temple.

The Ghost King went south, gathering three or four hundred thousand refugees. On the way, he had also broken through several cities. There were indeed troops under his command who could fight. This team of a hundred or so people was the direct line following Wang Shitong. After the defeat on the north bank of the Yellow River, they gathered together. Those who survived were these people, including several who were injured. Because they were unwilling to accept their defeat, they came north.

In the temple, six men were discussing countermeasures. They were Li Guifang, Yu Jing, Tang Side, Qian Qiu, Gu Dahao, and Feng Yangbo. Wang Shitong's team was rumored to be a remnant of the Black Flag, and among them, Li Guifang and Tang Side were the only two who had truly participated in the Black Flag Army. Li Guifang was thin and gaunt, and one of his palms was broken. It had been chopped off by a knife when fighting the Jurchens at Xiaocang River. He was calm and had some plans, and was the military advisor in the Hungry Ghost team. Tang Side was tall, skilled in martial arts, with a knife scar on his face and a piece missing from his ear. He was a brave general in the Hungry Ghost army.

Of course, saying it was an army now, after all, there were only so few people in front of them.

"...If I haven't guessed wrong, this trip is just a dead end. Sun Qi has a tight net, and it's not easy to stir up waves."

"...What will happen depends on whether they let us into the city tomorrow..."

"...What if we are caught in one fell swoop? Do we still have a way to go now? Look at those people behind us, they will be starved to death alive this year..."

"...Set fire to the city after entering the city!"

"...How many people will die then."

"...Do you think Sun Qi won't guard against it... Sun Qi doesn't care..."

"...Can't smear the Chinese Army..."

"...The Chinese Army is you, if there really is one, why doesn't that Mr. Ning come out to save us..."

"...Won't you save yourself!?"

"...How can I save myself? It's a pity that I die--"

The discussions in the temple were intermittent, sometimes low and sometimes intense. Later, Qian Qiu, Tang Side, Gu Dahao and others began to argue. Everyone knew that they were at the end of their rope, arguing was useless, but they had to argue. Li Guifang stood in a corner, his face uncertain: "Okay, is now the time to quarrel?"

"I didn't want to quarrel!" Tang Side said, "But how can they insult the Chinese Army!"

"There are only a hundred or so people left." Yu Jing next to him said, "It's better to break up than to quarrel. Whoever wants to leave can leave!"

These words were probably thoughts that had flashed through everyone's mind. Saying them made everyone stop talking. The room was silent for a moment. Qian Qiu, who was still injured, sighed, "I'm not leaving."

"Where to go, so many people are dying..." Gu Dahao gritted his teeth, "Might as well die in Ze Prefecture..."

"No one wants to leave..."

"...I'm not leaving."

"...It's said that the Black Flag Army is still there, if they are really willing to take action this time, how good would it be." After a while, Yu Jing sighed. After he said this, Li Guifang shook his head and was about to speak. At this moment, he suddenly heard laughter.

"Hahahaha--Ning Liheng is hypocritical, how can he save you--"

The laughter was deafening, suddenly echoing in the night. The six people in the temple were shocked. In this instant, Tang Side drew his knife, Yu Jing grabbed a fire lance next to him. At the same time, a huge figure broke through the tiles and fell from the sky.

The wind pressure and gravel suppressed the fire in the temple. For a moment, the huge darkness pushed outward. The voice was like thunder: "Let this seat save you--" Yu Jing had just turned around when the sound of the wind arrived.

It was a heavy punch like a river breaking its banks. The fire lance shattered in the middle, and his body was swept by the fist, his entire chest began to collapse, and his body flew backward like a cannonball, passing by Tang Side, Qian Qiu, and others, and crashing into the temple wall.

The people in the woodland had also reacted. When they looked at the temple, they saw the roof of the temple suddenly collapse. The next moment, the earthen wall on the side collapsed with a bang. The body that fell out with the earth and stone was already unrecognizable. In the dim smoke, everyone saw Gu Dahao, who was quite brave in martial arts, punched in the head by the attacking figure. His entire neck was twisted backward.

Outside the woodland, rockets rose.

"Meet the enemy--" someone shouted--

In the temple with flying debris, Tang Side wielded a steel knife and rushed up. The figure swung a punch horizontally, smashing his steel knife away, and blood spurted from his tiger's mouth. Before he could stop, the wind of the fist attacked from left and right, with a bang, hitting his head at the same time. Tang Side knelt on the ground, already dead.

"The Great Brightness Sect acts on behalf of Heaven--" someone shouted in the night.

The sudden figure was like a demon god. After knocking down Tang Side, the figure grabbed Qian Qiu's neck with one claw and crushed his throat as if pinching a chick. A huge chaos descended on this place in an instant. It was also in this instant that Li Guifang, standing in the corner, suddenly understood the identity of the person who came.

He was in the battlefield and never thought he would face such a person in front of him.

The leader of the Great Brightness Sect, Lin Zongwu.

Unrivaled in the world, now recognized as the number one martial artist in the world!

More than ten years ago, when the Holy Duke Fang La was still there, a few years ago, when Iron Arm Zhou Tong was still there, including two years ago, when Mr. Ning suppressed the world in the name of Inner Demon, the people of the Black Flag Army would not have taken this person seriously. But after all, it is different now.

The figure of the demon god approached, killing Feng Yangbo with a punch, and strode forward boldly. Li Guifang used his only remaining hand to grab the bundle of gunpowder he carried with him, and reached out to light the fuse on the brazier next to him. He protected the bundle of gunpowder in his arms and walked towards Lin Zongwu non-stop.

The light and shadow shook, and a trace of anger and embarrassment suddenly appeared on the face of that powerful figure, with a majestic and awe-inspiring face, because when he reached out to grab something next to him, there was nothing he could use as a projectile, so he took a step back.

Li Guifang laughed. This smile was the last trace he left in the world, because the next moment, he was blasted away by the stone thrown out with all his strength by Lin Zongwu, and exploded into a blaze of light and fire on the side of the temple...