Thunder rumbled, and rain fell in the courtyard, pattering against the broad leaves of the trees. The sky was somewhat overcast, and some rooms in the Prime Minister's residence were already lit. As Ning Yi entered the residence, a middle-aged official with a dignified and upright appearance was being seen off by a steward. Ning Yi stood under the eaves, waiting for the official to pass. The official glanced at Ning Yi, showing a gentle expression and a slight smile. They couldn't be said to have met for the first time, although there was no interaction between them. However, the official was clearly aware of Ning Yi's identity—at least his identity within the Prime Minister's residence. Otherwise, given his position, he wouldn't have given Ning Yi such a gentle look.

The official who walked past was none other than Qin Hui, then serving as the Supervising Secretary of the Censorate.

In the current situation, he was a radical in the court, a staunch advocate of war. Although the role of the Supervising Secretary of the Censorate was to supervise and impeach officials, he impeached officials without mercy, earning the emperor's favor. However, partly due to similar political views and partly because of the weak "family" connection between Qin Hui and Qin Siyuan, the two were still relatively close at this time.

"...Fang Caihui came over again and talked about the secret actions of Tong Guan, the Grand Commandant, and Wang Fu and others. He's ultimately somewhat worried, but this matter cannot be made public. On our side, we're now in a bind. If we keep advocating for war to this extent, all that's left is just a thin veil. The things that Liheng worried about at the beginning, if this continues, I'm afraid they might really happen."

Arriving at the study, after everyone gathered, Qin Siyuan slammed down some documents from the Secret Intelligence Division, talking about what he had discussed with Qin Hui just now.

Speaking of which, handling matters in the business world and even running that large courtyard outside Bianliang City, seemed to be functioning. But when it came to the Prime Minister's residence, those things often became trivial matters. No wonder Qin Siyuan, Yao Zunian, and others said that the business world was a small path, not worth mentioning. Even though Ning Yi was now using the Prime Minister's name to run businesses outside, in everyone's mind, those businesses were still purely minor matters. Just across the wall, two different worlds. It was really difficult for them to put too much thought into those kinds of minor matters.

"...It seems that, taking advantage of the New Year period, Tong Guan, Wang Fu, and others, with the opportunity of all the officials gathering, have already raised at least fifty million strings of cash. Last year's purchase of Yanjing gave them a taste of the sweetness. This year's matter is not just Tong Guan and Wang Fu doing it, Cai Jing, the Grand Tutor, is also mediating, and they've also pulled in Liang Shicheng..."

While Qin Siyuan was speaking, Yao Zunian laughed, "This time, almost everyone in the court who can speak has arrived."

Wen Ren'er said, "Did Teacher and Prime Minister Li also give them a call?"

"Those who contribute money should be the big merchants below. There's no reason to have people above contribute money," Ning Yi laughed.

Qin Siyuan nodded, "Prime Minister Li and I were originally in charge of the Northern Expedition affairs. Whether they greet us about this matter or not, we're considered to have joined the group. They want to spend money to buy cities from the Jin, and after buying them, they'll use them as war achievements. His Majesty will be promoted and gain power, and then they'll take the money back from the northern trade. Frankly speaking, if this Northern Expedition really has remarkable achievements, I'll have to take apart this stage, but everyone knows that it can't be taken apart now. I only hope that, in addition to their buying war achievements, there's at least a group of capable people in the north, so I also met Guo Yaoshi a few days ago."

Guo Yaoshi had been receiving awards in the capital recently, and was a popular figure in the eyes of all parties. Many high-ranking officials in the capital had seen him to some extent, which was not surprising. However, Qin Siyuan's tone at this time implied a desire to win him over, which was not easy. Guo Yaoshi was a military general, and in terms of official position, he belonged to the Ministry of War. His army was in the north, and in terms of affiliation, it also belonged to the command of Tong Guan and others. Although Qin Siyuan and others were responsible for the Northern Expedition, they mainly handled the overall situation, logistics, and personnel allocation. It was still difficult to interfere in military matters.

Qin Siyuan sighed, "Right now, the only capable person in the north is him. But we don't have many favors to send out, and I've been hesitating. In the past two months, after the Ever Victorious Army was changed to the Wu Tai Camp, it has been grabbing men, and I heard that many people have died as a result. According to the intelligence sent back by the Secret Intelligence Division, I originally wanted to suppress him, but the actions of Tong Guan and others have made me have to consider... other plans."

Yao Zunian said, "It's not impossible to send this matter out as a favor. But... what the Dongweng fears is the concern of raising a tiger, right."

Qin Siyuan nodded, "Before the meeting today, someone suggested that he should submit a memorial tomorrow to impeach Guo Yaoshi for expanding the army on a large scale when the north was not yet stable. Then I would come forward to do a personal favor and stop the matter. But after considering it, I still feel that this matter is not good to push to the surface. The crime is too serious, so I only let Caihui write a memorial to me, and I'll give it to Guo Yaoshi to look at in private."

Yao Zunian also nodded, "It's indeed better to do it privately than to push it to the surface. In addition, we can provide some support for Guo Yaoshi in terms of money, food, and weapons. In this way, the favor can still be sent out..."

The crowd discussed this for a while and reached a consensus on supporting Guo Yaoshi's expansion of the army. In a sense, this was something that Qin Siyuan's side could not choose.

Ning Yi participated in it without saying too much. Only after the matter was discussed did Qin Siyuan leave him behind, "The matter of Guo Yaoshi, I'm afraid we can only do this for the time being. It's still hard to say whether he'll accept our favor. But how does Liheng see the fifty million strings of cash from Tong Guan and Wang Fu?"

Ning Yi thought for a moment, "The matter is still very simple. They're using money to buy cities from the Jin, and the Jin are willing to sell. After buying them, they'll turn them into military achievements, and then the benefits will be distributed among the various families. The big merchants want to do business with the north, and this is a test of loyalty. Is Prime Minister Qin asking, what benefits can we get?"

Qin Siyuan nodded, "Although Prime Minister Li and I have not directly participated at this time, as long as the Northern Expedition has achievements, we'll always have some benefits. Liheng can consider these things in advance."

He said to this point, and then laughed, "I remember many years ago, Liheng and I talked about Confucianism, saying that people in it are like falling into a spider web, and what they can do is often difficult to choose at every step. I didn't want the Northern Expedition to turn into this situation. Now that the war is not winning, everyone in the court can speculate on it. The merchants contribute money, and the officials buy a few ruined cities in the north. After buying the ruined cities, the soldiers get credit, and the civil officials get fame and power. The merchants then take the special trade privileges to earn more money. The Wu Dynasty recovers Yanyun, and His Majesty establishes a great achievement. It seems to be a losing business, but it can create a happy ending for everyone. I can no longer decide the direction of things, but I have worries in my heart when facing this kind of situation. The deeper things are suppressed, the more painful they will be one day..."

Ning Yi shook his head, "The world... it's not just Confucianism after all. After all, that's how the game is played. The old man didn't just find out today..."

"Heh," the old man smiled, looking at the heavy rain outside the window, "Just a moment of emotion... The rain is good this year, I hope it's a good year..."

Having said this, Qin Siyuan still had things to do, so Ning Yi bid farewell and left. When he got to Yao Zunian's place, they chatted a few words about the Yellow River water management this year. By the time they mentioned Fang Qi Fo in the south, it was already a small matter. For Yao Zunian and others, the Fang La disaster in the south had now been pacified. Escorting Fang Qi Fo to the capital to be executed was just a small tail that didn't even count as aftermath. The Secret Intelligence Division was too lazy to care about these things.

Leaving the Prime Minister's residence, he returned home, and it was still afternoon. Wen Ding and Wen Xing had not returned from outside. In the neighboring courtyard, Song Yongping was reading the materials that Ning Yi had brought back, reviewing the meaning of the scriptures. Juan'er pushed the child in a wooden stroller around the courtyard, while discussing the dinner arrangements with the cook. Seeing Ning Yi returning home, she pushed the stroller over. Ning Yi took the child into his arms.

"How was today? Was he naughty?"

"No, the young master is very well-behaved."

"Oh, really?" Ning Yi looked at the child in his arms, "Come on, say 'Daddy' and let me hear it."

"Pa." The child spat out a bubble and laughed innocently.

Ning Yi pursed his lips and repeated the pronunciation of "Daddy" several times, heading towards the bedroom. Juan'er followed behind with a smile. It was still raining in the courtyard, and water dripped from the eaves, forming a curtain. The man held the child, and the slender girl followed behind. From a distance, they looked like a couple.

"Have you prepared all the things to pack?"

Walking through the rainy corridor, Ning Yi asked Juan'er, and Juan'er nodded, "Yes, almost all of them. Young Master, are we leaving in two days?"

"Yes, in two days. Once the Bamboo Records matter is settled, we'll go to Muhara. How can we let your young mistress run away from home for so long again? A few days of her being capricious is enough."

Saying this, he had already made his plans. Soon after, in the evening, the courtyard was lit up. Perhaps due to matters outside, Wen Ding and Wen Xing had not returned yet. When Song Yongping occasionally came to see, the man in the courtyard was holding the child, playing with him without any pretense, or chatting and laughing with the beautiful maid, melting into a warm scene under the warm yellow light.

At the same time, in the Fan Lou brothel, Li Yun was somewhat helplessly explaining to people in a busy atmosphere that Mistress Shishi was unable to meet guests today due to catching a cold.

Inside the courtyard, Shishi sat on the bed wrapped in a quilt, staring blankly and weakly at herself in the bronze mirror, occasionally rolling a peeled egg over the still swollen palm print on her face. In the brothel, the feeling that the lights gave people seemed quite festive. When the noisy sounds came from afar, the woman in the room seemed even more lonely.

No one would come to see her—although as the courtesan, she didn't want anyone to come and see her in such a mess at this moment—but occasionally, this kind of mood would still rise from her heart. She had been in the brothel for many years, from the girl who lost her parents to the cautious virgin, and then to the courtesan at this time. Over the years, what she felt most clearly was that there would be no friends around a brothel woman who could share secrets. Just like at this moment, no one would sincerely come to visit her. There were many people in the brothel, many girls with the same fate as her. Outside the brothel, she also knew many people. But at this moment, when she became embarrassed, there was actually no one she could see.

In fact, this was very normal. A woman's life was like this. Occasionally, when that feeling of loneliness arose, she would also understand that she was really living too well, so she began to whine without being sick—she ridiculed herself in this way. Her interactions with her childhood friends Yu Hezhong, Chen Sifeng, and Ning Yi were due to similar feelings, but she remained clear-headed. If these friends she had known since childhood really penetrated to that degree in her heart, she would only feel scared.

After immersing herself in that feeling of loneliness for a while, she breathed out, slumped her shoulders, and looked at herself in the bronze mirror. The thoughts in her heart only returned to the troubles of how to perform tomorrow...

More than a hundred miles to the south, in Muhara County. Su Tan'er and Xiao Chan sat in a farmer's house, watching from a distance the construction site that was gradually stopping work and starting dinner. In the night sky, there were already stars. Tan'er put down the small bib she was halfway through embroidering, looked at the night sky outside, and talked to Xiao Chan about the things that might be happening in Bianliang, as well as her longing for Ning Yi. But even though she missed him, she still felt that Ning Yi should be given some time alone, although this idea was strange...

Outside the capital, two hundred miles to the north, in the military camp, teams of soldiers patrolled back and forth, guarding carts of gold, silver, and goods in the camp. This army, which was temporarily stationed, numbered several thousand. They would head north and soon transport these goods worth up to sixty million taels of silver to the Jin territory to buy several cities in the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun from them, and at the same time, they would impress the other party with exquisite goods to promote future trade between the two countries.

In the Right Prime Minister's residence in the capital, the old man looked at the gradually stopping spring rain, frowning slightly. There were countless things that could make him frown at any time, but in his heart, he was now more looking forward to the coming harvest year.

In the Grand Commandant's mansion, a man named Gao Mu'en excitedly clamored to smash the shops of his enemies tomorrow.

Chen Fan stepped into the capital.

Longing, desire, expectation... countless thoughts and destinies intertwined, and soon they would collide with each other. Some things would change their original direction, and some things would be lost in the long river of life, until only a slight impression remained in memory, until even the impression in memory was distorted, and until it disappeared completely. But at least for a moment, they were all flashing with light, just like the stars in the sky, only blinking their eyes for a thousandth of a second.

This was the spring of the eleventh year of the Jinghan era of the Wu Dynasty, a time of peace and prosperity. Not many people knew how great a change they would face soon...

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