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On the afternoon of June 13th, in the Xinquan Inn of Dadong City, Chengdu, Yu Hezhong sat in an elegant room facing the street on the third floor. Seeing the middle-aged man in a blue robe pouring tea for him, he quickly stood up and took the teacup. "Thank you, Mr. Yan."

"Please, sit. Mr. Yu has been here for several days, has he rested well?"

The middle-aged man in the blue robe, who was pouring tea, had a dignified appearance and a gentle smile. He possessed a Confucian temperament that was captivating. This man was named Yan Daolun, a highly respected local gentry leader in the Dongting area. In recent years, he had been serving under Liu Guangshi, providing him with advice and strategies. He was deeply trusted by the "Literary Marshal." A month ago, he summoned Yu Hezhong, who was working as a scribe in Shishou, to join his staff, and then sent him to the southwest.

After the Huaxia Army of the Southwest defeated the Jurchens, they announced that they would open their doors wide. General Liu Guangshi, known as the "Literary Marshal," reacted most quickly, sending a team of both civil and military representatives to Chengdu immediately. The internal explanation was quite generous: "That Ning Liheng has a way with managing troops, it never hurts to take a look."

In the past, when the Wu Dynasty still emphasized the orthodox line, due to Ning Yi's blood feud for killing Zhou Zhe, even though there were countless secret deals between the two forces, no one dared to come forward with open exchanges. Now, there was naturally no such emphasis. Liu Guangshi was the first to break the ice, and was considered by some to be "generous" and "wise." This General Liu had always been the one with the most friends and the widest range of relationships among the various military generals. After the Jurchens withdrew, he and Dai Mengwei became the most powerful forces closest to the Huaxia Army.

At this time, Dai Mengwei had already made clear his irreconcilable attitude with the Huaxia Army. Liu Guangshi was flexible, which could be regarded as a necessary measure of "knowing the times." With his statement, even in June, no force in the world except Dai Mengwei truly stood up to condemn him. After all, the Huaxia Army had just defeated the Jurchens and declared its willingness to do business. As long as they weren't hotheads, there was no need to rush to stand out at this time: who knew if they might need to buy something from him in the future?

Yu Hezhong was not in the official delegation. After receiving his orders, he came with a merchant caravan. When he set off, Yan Daolun told him that his task was to secretly gather real intelligence about the Huaxia Army. But after arriving, he vaguely guessed that the situation would not be that simple.

He could probably deduce one possibility, but his stay was still short. The scholars he had contacted in the inn for the past few days were difficult to confide in, and he couldn't get enough information for a while. He had also taken the initiative to discuss the women around that Mr. Ning when others mentioned various rumors, but he hadn't heard the name he expected.

It was only today that Yan Daolun contacted him and met him alone in this inn that Yu Hezhong felt uneasy, vaguely feeling that a certain message was about to appear.

"...A long time ago, I heard people say that Mr. Yu of Shishou was a man of romance in Bianliang in his early years, and even had close ties with the famous courtesan Li Shishi. Over the years, the world has been in turmoil. I wonder if Mr. Yu is still in contact with Li Shishi?"

Sure enough, after a few perfunctory greetings and asking Yu Hezhong about his views on the Huaxia Army, Yan Daolun mentioned this matter. Even though he was somewhat prepared, Yu Hezhong was still shocked when he suddenly heard the name Li Shishi.

Indeed...

He shook his head calmly.

"In recent years, I have been reluctant to mention this matter to others. But since Mr. Yan asked, I dare not hide it. My ancestral home is in Jiangning. I had some childhood sweetheart interactions with Miss Li when I was a child. Later, I went to the capital with my elders and got a position in the Ministry of Revenue. Her fame rose in Fanlou, and when we met again, there were some... interactions between friends. It's not to say that I am talented and romantic enough to be on par with the top courtesan of Fanlou back then. I am ashamed..."

He expressed himself in this way, admitting that he was not talented enough, but only had some private relationships. Yan Daolun's eyes lit up and he nodded repeatedly: "Oh, oh, then... what happened later?"

"Heh, it's funny to say. Later, this Mr. Ning committed treason and rebellion, and abducted Shishi from the capital. Several of my friends and I were implicated to varying degrees. Although we were not punished, I couldn't stay in the Ministry of Revenue. I used some connections to leave the capital to avoid disaster, and thus escaped the catastrophe during the Jingping years. After several years of wandering, I finally settled down in Shishou, which is the appearance Mr. Yan sees."

Yan Daolun smiled and sighed: "These years, wars have been repeated, and countless people have been displaced. There are many talented people like Mr. Yu who have experience in the Ministry of Revenue and have seen the world. But this time you have joined the Marshal's staff and will definitely be reused in the future... However, speaking of which, I heard that Brother Yu has met Mr. Ning of the Huaxia Army before?"

"Ning Liheng also lived in Jiangning in his early years, not far from the courtyard where we lived. Mr. Yan may not believe it, but he was dull and a bookworm when he was young. His family was not very well-off, and later he became a *Son-in-Law* of the Su family. But later, I don't know why he became enlightened. That year, when Shishi and I returned to Jiangning, he already had several poems and won the reputation of the number one talent in Jiangning. But because of his *Son-in-Law* status, others always looked down on him... When we reunited this time, he assisted the Right Chancellor to enter the capital, and then we had many gatherings in Bianliang..."

Speaking of "I used to talk and laugh with Ning Liheng", Yu Hezhong's expression was calm. Yan Daolun nodded from time to time, interjecting: "Later, when Mr. Ning raised the banner of rebellion and established this Black Flag Army, didn't Mr. Yu ever think of joining the grand cause?"

"Mr. Yan underestimates me. Although I am now a small official, I grew up reading the books of sages since I was a child. I never forget the great righteousness of Taoism."

"I was rash, Mr. Yu."

"Moreover... speaking of Ning Liheng, Mr. Yan has never dealt with him, so you may not be very clear. He was poor in his early years and had no choice but to become a *Son-in-Law*. Later, he earned a reputation, but his ideas were quite radical and he was a bit aloof. Shishi... she was the number one person in Fanlou and had dealings with celebrities from all walks of life. She was used to fame and fortune, but she valued old feelings very much. She often summoned us to gather with old friends, but Ning Liheng didn't interact with us much. Sometimes... he also said some ideas, but we didn't quite agree..."

"I see, I see..."

"Of course, even so, there is still some friendship. If Mr. Yan wants me to see Ning Liheng again, there won't be a big problem."

"There will definitely be a place where I can rely on Mr. Yu in the future, but at the moment, Mr. Yu and Li Shishi..."

"Ning Yi committed regicide and fled to Xiaocang River. Shishi was abducted by him. Speaking of which, I thought she would enter the Ning family, but later I heard that they had a falling out and Shishi went to Dali—I got this news from someone who confirmed it. But later... I didn't deliberately inquire. It seems that Shishi returned to the Huaxia Army and has been running around for several years. The specific situation is not clear, after all, we haven't seen each other for more than ten years." Yu Hezhong smiled and sighed with regret, "I came to Chengdu this time, but I don't know if I will have the opportunity to see her."

Yan Daolun poured tea for Yu Hezhong with a small teapot. After a while, he smiled and said: "There is a chance. In fact, meeting Brother Yu today is also for this matter."

"Oh, does Brother Yan know Shishi's current situation?"

"Miss Shishi is still unmarried." Yan Daolun looked at him with a smile, "Now, her relationship with Ning Liheng is unclear. She did run around for the Huaxia Army in her early years, and now she has quite an influence in this army. Just last year, when the Huaxia Army fought against the Jurchen Western Route Army, there was unrest within the Chengdu Plain. It was Ning's sixth wife, the female marshal of the Badao, who led the army to clear the rear. At that time, Miss Shishi cooperated with her in handling diplomatic affairs, one civil and one military, playing the black face and the white face, and cooperated very well."

Yan Daolun took a sip of tea: "Li Jingshen, Nie Shaotang, Yu Changqing... these are all powerful officials in the Four Routes of Sichuan. Thanks to Miss Shishi's mediation, they avoided a disaster in this war. This time, the Huaxia Army is rewarding merits and opening some kind of representative meeting. Several of them are on the list of representatives. Today, when Miss Shishi entered the city, Nie Shaotang immediately ran to pay her a visit..."

Yan Daolun said here, Yu Hezhong's teacup trembled, unable to restrain himself, he said: "Shishi, she... is in Chengdu?"

"It is said that she entered the city this morning and lives in the guest house near Mohe Pond. One of our friends is old with Nie Shaotang, and only then did we get this news. Several representatives this time said that they owe Miss Shishi a favor, which is to say they are tied to Miss Shishi. In fact, Mr. Yu, perhaps you are not clear, but your childhood sweetheart is now an extraordinary force in the Huaxia Army."

"..." Yu Hezhong was silent for a moment, then said, "She was good at socializing in the capital back then, and was very measured in her interactions with people. Now that she is in charge of this area in the Huaxia Army, it can be regarded as making the best use of her talents. Moreover... others say they owe her a favor, perhaps they are still thinking about Ning Yi. The outside world has long said that Shishi is Ning Yi's concubine, although she has no official status now, there will probably be no shortage of speculators who are eyeing this kind of statement."

"Brother Yu is wise, and speaks the hidden truth. Haha, in fact, Mr. Yu, I think you have understood the mysteries of officialdom and the secrets of human interaction very well in the past, but you just disdained to use many methods. For this kind of integrity and style, I will use tea instead of wine to toast Brother Yu." Yan Daolun raised his glass with a big smile, taking the opportunity to praise Yu Hezhong. After putting down his teacup, he said slowly, "In fact, from last year to now, there have been many more twists and turns in the middle. I don't know if their bet this time is clever or stupid."

Yu Hezhong frowned: "What does Brother Yan mean by this?"

Yan Daolun said: "The Huaxia Army is extremely powerful. Speaking of fighting, whether it is the front line or the logistics, or Miss Shishi's efforts to travel and persuade last year, they are all extremely important and key tasks. Miss Shishi is in charge of missions to various parties, and these forces have also received her favors. If there is anything or request in the future, the first person they will contact is naturally Miss Shishi. However, at the end of April this year—that is, when Ning Yi led his troops north and Qin Shaoqian defeated Zong Han—there was a new round of job transfers for Miss Shishi in the rear of the Huaxia Army."

Yan Daolun looked at Yu Hezhong, bent forward, and lowered his voice: "They transferred Miss Shishi back from the missionary affairs and asked her to write scripts and do cultural propaganda in the rear. The relative importance of these two jobs is self-evident."

Yu Hezhong thought for a moment: "Perhaps... the Southwest War has been decided, and the missions and persuasion to the outside world no longer need her, a woman, to mediate. After all, after defeating the Jurchens, no one would dare to stand up against the Huaxia Army in the Four Routes of Sichuan, no matter how tough their attitude is."

"That is also a way of saying it, but in any case, since the missions at the beginning were done by Miss Shishi, keeping her in a familiar position can avoid many problems. Even if you take a step back, what important thing is it to shrink back and write scripts? Is it necessary to suddenly pull Miss Shishi back from such an important position for such a third-rate thing? Therefore, there are many guesses from outsiders."

He smiled and poured himself tea: "First, they guess that perhaps Miss Shishi wants to enter the Ning family. There is still a bit of her own faction here. The other wives of the Ning family are very jealous, so they took advantage of Ning Yi's absence to get her down from diplomatic affairs. If this is possible, her current situation is very worrying... Of course, it is also possible that Miss Shishi is already a member of the Ning family. When there were too few people, it was necessary to let her show her face. After freeing up her hands, Mr. Ning's people are always related to this and that, which is not decent, so he pulled her back..."

Yan Daolun spoke slowly and eloquently. After Yu Hezhong listened to him finish the passage about the Ning family's harem struggle, he was inexplicably anxious and couldn't help but say: "I wonder what Mr. Yan specifically means by calling me here today..."

Yan Daolun paused, glanced at him, and clasped his hands together: "Many things, there is no need to hide from Brother Yu now. The Huaxia Army has been working hard for ten years and has suddenly won a great victory. People all over the world are a little curious about the things here. It's just curiosity, there is no malice. General Liu ordered me to select people to come to Chengdu, also to see clearly what the current Huaxia Army is like and what quality it has. Whether or not to fight is a matter for the future, the purpose now is to see. I selected Brother Yu to come here, and now it is for the friendship between Brother Yu and Miss Shishi, and even the past friendship with Mr. Ning."

He reached out and patted the back of Yu Hezhong's hand, then smiled: "Putting my heart on the table. Please also don't mind, Brother Yu."

Yu Hezhong was greatly appreciated and cupped his hands: "I understand, little brother."

"It's a bit late today. Miss Shishi entered the city this morning. I heard that she is staying in the guesthouse near Mohe Pond. Tomorrow, you and I will go together to visit your childhood sweetheart. I want to borrow Brother Yu's face to get to know Miss Shishi, and then I will say goodbye. Brother Yu and Miss Shishi can reminisce about the old days casually, without any purpose. It's just that the Marshal will need to rely on Brother Yu for the advantages of the Huaxia Army and how to deal with things... that's all."

Yan Daolun smiled and looked at Yu Hezhong. Yu Hezhong felt relieved. The Huaxia Army claimed to open its doors wide. He came to find old friends, and he didn't need to do anything directly against the Huaxia Army. There would be no danger at all. Moreover, now that he has a relationship with Shishi, he will definitely be respected and reused by General Liu after returning to Shishou. At the moment, he said solemnly: "I will do whatever Brother Yan tells me to do."

Yan Daolun laughed and got up: "It's still that sentence, don't be nervous, and don't be deliberate. Tomorrow, you can say that you and I are colleagues from the past and came together. I will meet Miss Shishi and leave, and I won't disturb you... With this relationship, Brother Yu will definitely have a smooth career under Marshal Liu. In the future, we will be colleagues in the same court, and I will need Brother Yu to take care of me."

Yu Hezhong then said a lot of words thanking the other party for his promotion.

He was not a greenhorn in officialdom. Back in Bianliang, he and Chen Sifeng and others often interacted with Shishi, made many connections, and still had a lot of ambition and enthusiasm in his heart. After Ning Yi committed regicide, he was terrified every day and quickly left the capital, thus avoiding the Jingping disaster, but from then on, the sharpness in his heart was also lost. More than ten years of petty maneuvers, in this time of world turmoil, he had also seen countless people's contempt and disdain. He had no chance in the past, and now this opportunity has finally fallen in front of him, making his mind hot and boiling.

He did not consider the possibility of joining the Huaxia Army. One reason was that his family and children were all in Liu Guangshi's forces, but the main reason was that he had heard of the army's fierce reputation in the outside world, and now he couldn't see the shape of this force—but it might definitely be different from the outside world. He was almost forty years old. Even with Shishi's care, it might be difficult for him to get ahead in the Huaxia Army. But he was very clear about the rules of General Liu Guangshi.

General Liu has many friends and pays the most attention to various private relationships. He had no relationships in the past, and now, with the background of the Huaxia Army, he can be sure that he will be able to have a smooth career in the future. After all, General Liu is not like Dai Mengwei. General Liu is flexible and has an open mind. The Huaxia Army is strong, and he can cooperate with it superficially and accept it first. Once he gets through this relationship with Shishi, he may be able to be responsible for purchasing materials from the Huaxia Army as a link between the two sides. This is the brightest future he can grasp.

Thinking about these things in his mind, he said goodbye to Yan Daolun and left the inn where they met. It was still afternoon, and the streets of Chengdu were filled with sunshine. There was also sunshine in his heart. He only felt that the tourists on the streets of Chengdu were like a weave, and the style was somewhat similar to that of Bianliang in those years.

Then he thought of Miss Shishi again. So many years had passed since they last met. How was she? He was getting old, did she still have that kind of temperament and beauty? Probably not... But in any case, he still regarded her as a childhood friend. What kind of relationship was between her and that Ning Yi? Ning Yi had some skills back then, and he could see that Shishi liked him a little, but there had been no results between them for so many years. Could it be... that there was actually no possibility at all...

He already had a wife and children, so although they interacted constantly back then, Yu Hezhong could always understand that they were destined to be together but had no fate, and could not be together. But now that everyone's youth has passed, with Shishi's temperament back then, which paid the most attention to new clothes being better than old ones and new people being better than old ones, would she... need a warmth...

That night, he tossed and turned on the bed in the inn, thinking about many things in his mind, and only squinted for a moment until dawn. After eating breakfast, he dressed up a bit before going out to meet Yan Daolun at the agreed place. He saw Yan Daolun wearing a plain gray coat, his appearance was regular and extremely ordinary, obviously determined to make him the leader.

The two went towards Mohe Pond in the city. This Mohe Pond is an artificial lake in Chengdu, and it has been a famous place for recreation in the city since the Tang Dynasty. Commerce is developed and wealthy households gather. After the arrival of the Huaxia Army, a large number of wealthy households moved out. Ning Yi instructed Zhuji to acquire an entire street on the west side of Mohe Pond. This time, the entire street was renamed Yingbin Road for the meeting. Many residences and courtyards inside were used as guesthouses, while the outside was guarded by soldiers of the Huaxia Army. For outsiders, the atmosphere was truly gloomy.

This time, the Huaxia Army worked hard for ten years, defeated the Jurchen Western Route Army, and then convened the conference without needing to explain too much to the outside world, so there was no political consultation step. The first round of representatives were elected internally, or they were internal personnel of the army, or administrative officials who had retired from the army. As for those who helped the Huaxia Army with the mediation of Li Shishi and others, and got the quota, they were only a minority.

Ten years of iron and blood, at this time, not only the soldiers on guard outside carried murderous aura, but also the representatives living here and coming in and out, even if they laughed and joked with each other and looked kind, most of them were veterans who had countless enemies' lives on their hands and then survived. Yu Hezhong was previously full of reverie, but when he arrived at the entrance of Yingbin Road, he suddenly felt the terrible atmosphere. He forced himself to remain calm and spoke to the garrison soldiers, feeling uneasy.

Fortunately, not long after, a female soldier came out from inside and invited Yu and Yan to go inside. Shishi and a group of representatives lived in a very large courtyard. There were many people waiting in the outer reception room, and they all seemed to have their own backgrounds and low status. The female soldier said: "Miss Shishi is receiving guests and said she will come later. She instructed me to make sure that the two of you must wait here." Then she warmly offered tea and emphasized, "Don't leave!"

It is estimated that there were other people in the waiting reception room who were also here to visit Shishi. Seeing the two coming, they were able to cut in line, and some people cast scrutinizing glances at them.

The figures outside came and went. Not long after, a woman wearing light white plain flower clothes and trousers and white cloth shoes came out from inside. This was an extremely casual home outfit, which looked kind. It was Li Shishi who came. Even after so many years, she still had a warm and charming temperament. Seeing Yu Hezhong, her eyes narrowed, and then she showed an incomparably affectionate and nostalgic smile.

"—Yu Hezhong!"

She tilted her head and greeted him, regardless of the eyes of others. Almost at that moment, Yu Hezhong's eyes became hot...

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