In early February, just past, the wilderness outside Bianliang City, fresh from the ravages of war, awakened from its slumber, with grass sprouting and trees vying for spring.
By a small river in the distance, a group of young people from the city were picnicking on the grass, surrounded by guards watching in all directions, and from afar, one could seem to hear the air filled with poetry and prose.

Ning Yi and Hong Ti walked up to the grassy slope by the woods.

"...Taiyuan has been besieged for nearly ten days, yet when I saw His Majesty this morning, he did not mention sending troops. Han Jing opened his mouth, and he only said to be patient... I heard people say that you have business in the city, and I am a little worried."

"That Majesty wants to move against Old Qin."

"Hmm?"

"Qin Shaoqian commands the Wu Rui Camp, Qin Shaohe guards Taiyuan, and Qin Siyuan is the powerful Right Chancellor... I've been carefully inquiring these past few days, and news has spread from the palace that the Emperor wants to curtail power. But the current situation is very awkward, the great battle has just stopped, Old Qin is a meritorious official, and he wants to retire, but the Emperor won't let him."

"...He doesn't want Taiyuan?"

"He wants it, but... he hopes the Jurchens won't be able to take it."

"..."

The wind swept across the grassy slope. By the river opposite, people were laughing loudly, reciting poetry, their voices carried by the spring breeze: "...A brave warrior relies on the heavens, wielding a horse-cleaving blade, a loyal soul bathed in blood dances with a long spear... They come with ten thousand swords and a thousand blades, stepping through jackals and wolves with laughter..." It seemed to be something very passionate, and the crowd cheered in unison.

Ning Yi watched from afar. After a while, he sat down, plucked a few blades of grass in his hand, and Hong Ti sat down beside him, "Then... Liheng, what about you? Your foundation in the capital lies within the Right Chancellor's faction..."

"I don't know to what extent it will be curtailed yet."

"The Emperor... mentioned you today."

"Hmm?"

"He seems to have guessed something about our relationship. This time, the brothers in the village were deployed and commanded mainly by Han Jing. He is trying to win over Han Jing, offering official positions and promising him a home in the capital. He also advised me to choose a husband in the capital."

"The Emperor has his own intelligence system... You are a woman, and he can still win you over like this, it seems he will give you the position of Commander, he's spending a lot of money. But secretly, he also harbors some thoughts of sowing discord."

Ning Yi said this expressionlessly. The inspection of the Wu Rui Camp was this morning. Two days earlier, Qin Shaoqian was summoned back to the capital to report, trying to hollow out the command of the Wu Rui Camp. At today's inspection, Zhou Zhe bestowed various official positions on the Wu Rui Camp, and the Luliang Mountain rebel army was even more important.

This time, among the Luliang Mountain people who came south, Han Jing was the actual commander. Although Hong Ti was called the leader, she did not actually manage affairs – her martial arts were superb, but she was still lacking in military command. Ning Yi knew that some people in the capital guessed that Han Jing was the actual leader of the Qingmu Village, but Zhou Zhe was not mediocre. After the military parade, when he met everyone, he could roughly see Hong Ti's temperament and the hierarchy of the crowd. At that time, the reward given to Qingmu Village was to let Hong Ti and others decide for themselves what names to fill in, at least enough to start an army themselves, which, according to Confucian ideals, would be enough to bring glory to the ancestors of thousands of people.

In addition, a large number of properties and rewards in the capital were the core. He wanted these people to live near the capital and defend the Yellow River defense line. This intention has not yet been determined, but it has been revealed indirectly.

Ning Yi did not participate in the inspection, but he was clear about the general situation.

"If I live in the capital and the husband I choose is you, he is probably going to take charge for me." Hong Ti smiled beside him, but then suppressed the meaning of the joke, "Liheng, I don't like this news very much. What are you going to do?"

"Taiyuan is still holding on, I don't know what it will become." Ning Yi said with a gloomy face, punching the ground, but then shook his head, "People's hearts can be changed, but it is also the most difficult to change. There is a way to deal with the Emperor. Old Qin is still transmitting information to him through various channels. If the Emperor can get out of this dead end, maybe things will turn around. But time is running out. Chen Yanshu's troops have not yet arrived in Taiyuan, and we haven't even started to move. The news that Taiyuan has been captured has not yet come, but to be honest, from now on, I won't be surprised whenever I receive this news."

"Liheng..."

He used to plan strategies and had a calm demeanor, and his emotions were not easily expressed. At this time, in front of a familiar woman like Hong Ti, his gloomy face continued, showing that his emotions had accumulated a lot, which was different from the time in Xia Village. Hong Ti didn't know how to comfort him. Ning Yi glanced at her, but then smiled, dissipating the gloom on his face.

"Don't worry, I don't have any sense of belonging to this country. I just feel it's not worth it for some people. When the Jurchens went south, people like Zhou Tong sacrificed themselves to assassinate Zong Wang, how many people died in the Battle of Bianliang, and those who died in front of me outside this city, in Xia Village. In the end, to defend Taiyuan, there is infighting. Actually, I've experienced these things of infighting..." He said here, and smiled again, "If it's for the sake of the country and the people, infighting is okay, it's normal, but only when I think of those dead people, I feel... uncomfortable."

Hong Ti bent her legs and reached out to hug them while sitting there, without speaking. In the poetry gathering opposite, someone said something, and the crowd shouted, "Good!" Someone else said, "Naturally, we have to go back to petition!"

Someone shouted, "Who is willing to go back with us!"

In the past few days, calls for battle in the capital have been boiling. Today, the Emperor inspected the meritorious troops outside the city, and some people regarded it as a prelude to sending troops. These young masters held poetry gatherings, presumably talking about these things as well. After a round of summons, everyone began to get into carriages and return to the capital to participate in the petition. Ning Yi and Hong Ti looked at this scene, feeling even more complicated.

"If things can be done, follow what we thought before. If things can't be done..." Ning Yi paused, "After all, it's the Emperor who wants to mess things up. If things can't be done, I have to make the next plan for Bamboo Record..."

"Hmm?" Hong Ti turned her head to look at him.

"Split Bamboo Record and the Secret Intelligence Division, try to strip away the previous official connections, and then re-spread it with Old Qin's official connections. The next focus will shift from the capital, and I have to leave..."

"...Where are you going?" Hong Ti asked after looking at him for a moment.

Ning Yi smiled wryly, "Maybe back to Jiangning. Maybe... I have to find a place to avoid the war, I haven't thought about it yet."

"Then Luliang..."

"I won't abandon you, I will always think of a way."

Ning Yi smiled, as if he had made a decision, and stood up: "The sand that can't be held, just scatter it. I couldn't make up my mind before, but if the top really messes up to this extent, I should make up my mind. It's also something that can't be helped. Although Luliang Mountain is in the border area, the terrain is not good for deploying troops. As long as we strengthen ourselves, if the Jurchens go south and swallow the north of the Yellow River, then we will be hypocritical and nominally surrender to the Jurchens, there is nothing wrong with that. We can accept the benefits and throw the bombs back. If they want more, we can fight again and transfer."

Hong Ti frowned, "Then you are in the capital, if the Right Chancellor really loses power, will you be okay?"

Ning Yi also frowned slightly, then shook his head: "I don't think the officialdom will be so ruthless. As long as Old Qin can live, no one knows if he can make a comeback. Cutting power is all there is to it... Of course, it hasn't reached this point yet. Old Qin is showing weakness, but the Emperor doesn't accept it. Next, he can also ask for sick leave and retire, he can't be unreasonable. I have a plan, don't worry."

"Then... what about us? Why don't we just say that the siege of the capital has been lifted, we will directly return the troops and go north to Taiyuan?"

"This is very difficult to do." Ning Yi smiled wryly, "You have more than a thousand people, going to Taiyuan to die? It's better to stay in the capital and receive some benefits."

Hong Ti then nodded, "It's good to have someone to take care of us."

There are many things in the capital. Recently, not only is the city tense, but also the pulling and division of various forces in the Wu Rui Camp. Although these people from Luliang Mountain have undergone the most rigorous discipline training, in this situation, daily political education and Hong Ti's presence are still not allowed to relax. Fortunately, after Ning Yi took over Luliang, the material conditions of Qingmu Village were not too bad, and the future was promising – Ning Yi not only gave people good treatment, but also had the ability to paint cakes that was absolutely first-class – otherwise, after arriving in this flowery world in the south, there would be many people who would not want to leave.

The two chatted together for a while, some lingering affection, before separating.

Back in the city, it started to rain again, and the atmosphere in Bamboo Record also seemed gloomy. For the people responsible for publicity at the lower level, and even for the residents of the capital, the situation in the city was extremely gratifying. Everyone was united and of one mind, which was exciting and generous. Everyone thought that in such a warm atmosphere, sending troops to Taiyuan was a foregone conclusion. But for those who had some access to the core news, at this critical juncture, receiving news of infighting at the top of the court was like a head blow, which made people feel chilled.

To get to the current point, the Right Chancellor's residence has not been without storms in the past. But the nature of this time is obviously different. A tree that stands out in the forest will surely be destroyed by the wind. This is the norm. Only by overcoming difficulties can we have higher power, which is also the norm. But this time, Taiyuan is still under siege, and the news of weakening the Right Chancellor's power has actually spread from the palace. Apart from being powerless, everyone can only feel cold in their hearts.

Next, it is no longer a game, but can only hope that the emperor at the top will be soft-hearted and show mercy. In political struggles, there are many situations in which others' sympathy is needed. Whether being a loyal minister or a loyal dog, they are all ways to gain the emperor's trust. Many times, a word can gain power or lose power. Qin Siyuan can get to this point, he must also have a grasp of the emperor's psychology, but whether this can be reversed this time, as people on the sidelines, they can only wait.

After all, in this court, Cai Jing, Tong Guan and others are powerful, and there are also powerful ministers such as Wang Fu, Liang Shicheng, and Li Bangyan, and there are also flattering ministers such as Gao Qiu who depend on the emperor to survive. No matter how strong Qin Siyuan is, no matter how powerful his methods are, it is impossible to confront this interest group head-on, considering things like meeting difficulties and using the emperor to order the princes.

At least on Ning Yi's side, he knew that Old Qin had used many methods. In the old man's resignation memorial, he recalled the past friendship with the emperor with emotion, the ambition he had when the emperor had not yet succeeded to the throne, the plan to destroy Liao, and the emperor's efforts to govern, and his own hard work.

Wait, this thing is useless. Qin Siyuan also visited Zhou Zhe privately many times, and also made substantial concessions and resigned... but it was useless.

At first, everyone thought that the emperor's refusal to resign was because he was determined to reuse Qin Siyuan. Now it seems that he is determined to suppress Qin Siyuan.

If things really get to this point, Ning Yi will have to leave.

He has already started to make plans in this regard. At the same time, after returning to Bamboo Record, he began to mobilize the elite masters around him, gathered about dozens of people, and let them set off for Taiyuan immediately.

If Taiyuan City is broken, try to bring Qin Shaohe back to the south, as long as Qin Shaohe is alive, the Qin family will have more foundation.

In the gloomy spring rain, many things are as chaotic as flies flying around, disturbing people's nerves from two completely different directions. If things can pass, it will be a step to heaven, if they can't pass, all efforts will collapse. Ning Yi has never had contact with Zhou Zhe, but according to his previous analysis of this emperor, this time it is too difficult to be optimistic.

At the beginning, he only planned to assist Qin Siyuan and not enter the court. This time, he truly realized the trouble of having thousands of efforts destroyed by one thought. What's more, even if he hasn't seen it himself, he can imagine what Taiyuan is currently enduring. People's lives may be dying by the dozens, hundreds, thousands, and tens of thousands, and in this peaceful place, a group of people are running around for power.

If things can't be done, it's better to leave.

That night, he sat by the window and sighed softly. The northward journey at the beginning was not for a career, but only for those dead people seen in the war and a trace of compassion in his heart. He is, after all, a person from later generations. Even if he has experienced more darkness, he can't stand such naked tragedy and death. Now it seems that this effort will be difficult to be meaningful in the end.

Thinking like this, he faced a lot of information from the Secret Intelligence Division and continued to start the sorting and summarizing in his hand. These things are all about the secrets of various senior officials between the southern and northern expeditions, including Cai Jing's power-grabbing and corruption, buying and selling officials, and Tong Guan and Cai Jing and others' joint northward sending money and buying cities. All kinds of things are archived and evidenced, and he sorted and connected them. If these things are completely taken out, the scope of the attack will cover half of the court.

The emperor may know some things, but he certainly doesn't know them in such detail.

It's cold in the heart, but the final means must still be there.

If this kind of thing is taken out, things can be big or small, and it is completely impossible to estimate. He is only sorting it out, how to use it, it is up to Qin Siyuan to operate. He sorted it out like this at his desk until the rooster crowed and the east gradually turned white. February 12th is forever in the past, February 13th of Jinghan 14th year has arrived, and then it is February 14th and 15th. The situation in the capital is changing day by day.

In the north, Chen Yanshu's troops did not arrive near Taiyuan until February 17th. They set up their positions, trying to relieve the siege of Taiyuan. Opposite, Shulie Su remained still, and Chen Yanshu continued to send letters of request for help. The two sides confronted each other like that again.

After a few days, the reply to the letter of request for help was also passed back to Chen Yanshu's hands.

Taiyuan City, under the siege of the Jurchens, has been killed into a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood. The weak people in the city are hoping for the last rays of light. The reinforcements will never arrive again.