The sky was dimly lit.

Dew moistened the streets in the early morning.

At the Tongwen Inn, located northeast of Ankang, the sounds of scholars reciting their lessons could already be heard. A performing girl named Wang Xiuniang was stretching her body in the courtyard, waiting for Lu Wenke to appear so she could greet him. Ning Ji, having finished washing up, skipped through the courtyard and dashed towards the outside of the inn.

"Hey, Brother Long."

"Wang Xiuxiu."

Ning Ji waved, considering it his good morning greeting, and his figure had already passed through the eaves of the courtyard and headed to the front hall.

He jogged out of the inn, moving his head and limbs, his body warming up with long breaths. He ran along the morning streets towards the west side of the city.

Since his current identity was that of a doctor, it wasn't appropriate to practice boxing or swordplay in front of others. Fortunately, having experienced the battlefield, his progress and understanding of martial arts far surpassed his peers. He no longer needed to do much mechanical routine practice, and he could disassemble complex moves at will. Maintaining the activity and agility of his body every day was enough to maintain his combat power. Therefore, morning jogging was considered a useful activity.

It was said that his father used to run back and forth along the Qinhuai River every morning in Jiangning. Old Man Qin's residence was also on his father's running route, and they met because of this. Later, they went to the capital and made a great career. After that, Old Man Qin was killed, and his father took action against the Wu Dynasty Emperor.

Thinking about it this way, running was also an exciting thing.

Ning Ji's running seemed light and casual, but his actual speed was extremely fast. In the blink of an eye, he brushed past the few vendors and pedestrians who came out early in the morning, passed the entrances of shops where stoves were just being lit, passed through the morning market... Even if there were gatherings of pedestrians and piles of sundries in some places, no one or anything collided with the seemingly casual running teenager.

After a night, the fishy smell in the streets of Ankang in the early morning was much less. When he ran to the west side of the city, some streets already showed huddled, yawning soldiers. The traces of last night's chaos had not completely dissipated here.

There were also pedestrians on the street, occasionally gathering to inquire about the progress of last night's events. Some were naturally afraid of the military and hurried past with their heads down. However, the military on the road did not have much interaction with the residents. During Ning Ji's run, he could occasionally see traces of last night's fighting. According to last night's observation, the bandits set fire to several buildings in the fighting, and there were also signs of gunpowder explosions. At this time, from a distance, the ruins of the burned rooms still existed, but the condition of the gunpowder explosions could no longer be clearly explored.

In fact, Ning Ji had secretly come out of the Tongwen Inn last night to join in the fun. However, at that time, he was mainly tracking the group of assassins. The east and west sides of the city were too far apart. By the time he ran to this side in his night clothes, the surviving assassins had already gotten rid of the first wave of encirclement.

At that time, a group of arrogant Jianghu people spread out to search for suspicious traces, which meant that Ning Ji ultimately failed to pick up any cheap leftovers. After observing the initial fighting place and determining the clumsiness and lack of order of these assassins, he left based on the principle of safety first.

The intelligence principles of the China Army do not encourage assassinations – not that they were completely absent, but assassinations of important targets must have reliable plans and try to dispatch personnel who have received special operations training. Even if there were hot-blooded youths in the Jianghu who wanted to do such things based on righteousness, as long as there were members of the China Army present, they would definitely be persuaded.

According to his father, unplanned enthusiasm can never compare to planned tyranny. For Ning Ji, who was in his prime, although he mostly disliked such words deep down, similar examples had been demonstrated countless times inside and outside the China Army.

So, after dawn, Ning Ji ran over again, openly eavesdropping on some information from people's conversations.

"...Bandits entered the city last night to assassinate..."

"...A group of unconscionable, unrighteous bandits..."

"...Colluding with the southwest in private, selling people to them, we wiped them out, but they took the risk and actually entered the city to assassinate Lord Dai..."

There were soldiers with drooping spirits on the street, and there were also Jianghu big shots who still looked arrogant, who would occasionally say some information. Ning Ji mingled in the crowd and, hearing the word "Lord Dai," couldn't help but stare with a pair of innocent eyes.

"Dai..." he asked, full of curiosity, "Dai, Dai... Grandpa Dai... he old man... actually in the city..."

The Jianghu big shot narrowed his eyes. If someone else asked about this matter, he would be vigilant, but seeing that it was a cute-looking young man whose words were full of respect for Lord Dai, he just waved his hand to remedy the situation.

"Ahem... don't ask too much about these things, the bandits are brutal, but most of them have been killed by us. The specific situation... should be announced, don't worry, don't worry... disperse, everyone..."

Ning Ji dispersed with the crowd, jogging slowly nearby, observing with the corner of his eye for a moment before leaving this street.

After the end of the Southwest War, many forces outside were actually learning the China Army's training methods, and they also paid attention to the effects of gathering the Green Forest heroes. But it was often one or two leaders leading a group of third-rate experts, trying to implement discipline and create elite scout troops. Ning Ji had naturally heard of this kind of thing in the army. After looking at it casually last night, he also knew that these Green Forest people were Dai Mengwei's "special forces."

Earlier, that person was strong, punched powerfully, but his lower body was unstable. Putting him in the army for cooperation would be like a dead fish. A ground-lying knife would kill him with no more than three knives... Thinking about this, after learning that Dai Mengwei was in Ankang City, he suddenly felt a little restless.

After that, he slowly ran past several streets again, observing several people. It wasn't that there were no unfathomable experts appearing on the streets, which made his mood slightly restrained.

In a place where a house was burned down, the affected residents knelt on the street, crying hoarsely, accusing the bandits of arson last night.

When he ran to the largest vegetable market in Ankang City, the sun had already come out. Ning Ji saw the crowd gathering, and then vehicles were pushed over, carrying the corpses of the bandits who had been killed. Ning Ji drilled into the crowd to watch for a while. In the middle, a pickpocket wanted to steal something from him, but he took him with a casual move and fell into the mud in the vegetable market.

Running back to the Tongwen Inn, the scholars and merchants who were having breakfast had already filled the hall. Lu Wenke and others had reserved a seat for him. He ran over, already calming his breath as he started grabbing buns. Wang Xiuniang came over and sat next to him: "Doctor Long runs out every morning, is it to exercise? Don't you doctors have that five-element fist... Five-Element Play, don't you do it in the yard?"

"It's Five Animals Play." Lu Wenke said with a smile next to him, "Has Doctor Long learned it?"

"Yeah." Ning Ji nodded, holding a bun in one hand and making some simple movements with the other, "There's cat boxing, horse boxing, panda boxing, monkey boxing, and chicken boxing..."

"Ah? Is that so?" Lu Wenke felt a little confused and asked the people next to him. Fan Heng and others nodded casually and added, "Yes, passed down by Hua Tuo."

The atmosphere at the table was harmonious. Everyone else was talking about the riots that happened last night. Except for Wang Xiuniang, who was racking her brains to remember the knowledge of the "Five Animals Boxing," everyone else was talking about politics and having a great time.

The Tongwen Inn was considered a high-end inn in the city. Most of the people staying here were scholars and merchants who were stranded, and most people did not leave that day. Therefore, the breakfast exchange and discussion took a long time. After a while, a scholar who went out in the morning came back with more detailed internal information.

The main body involved in the assassination this time has been identified. The leader is a notorious Jiangyang bandit who has been doing all kinds of evil in the Han River area for the past few years, nicknamed Old Eight, known as "Eighth Master" by the Green Forest people. Before the Jurchens went south, he was a famous "invoice clearer" in this area of the Green Forest. As long as you gave him money, this person would do anything, killing and arson.

After the Jurchens left, this area under Lord Dai's jurisdiction was already struggling. This money-grubbing Old Eight, in collusion with lawless elements in the southwest, secretly opened up routes to sell people for profit. And under the instructions of "powerful people" in the southwest, he has always wanted to kill Lord Dai and go to the southwest to collect the reward.

Last night, Lord Dai entered the city due to an urgent matter, and he did not bring many guards. This Old Eight seized the opportunity and entered the city to assassinate him. Who knew that this action was discovered by the righteous men under Lord Dai's command, who bravely blocked it, and several righteous men sacrificed in the fighting. Seeing that the matter was exposed, this Old Eight immediately abandoned his companions and fled. On the way, he also set fire in the city at will, burning countless people, which can be described as insane and inhumane.

After the assassination failed, the bandit leader Old Eight, Jin Chenghu, and several others are still on the run. A large number of official documents with painted portraits have now been issued in the city, offering rewards for the capture of the murderers...

After explaining this matter, there was a lot of discussion in the inn. Some people loudly condemned the brutality of the bandits, some began to discuss the ecology of the Green Forest, some began to care about Dai Mengwei's entry into the city, thinking about how to meet him and sell him what they had learned, and some began to discuss the war ahead because of this. After all, if they could discuss a sharp plan that would benefit the situation ahead, they would be appreciated by Lord Dai...

At this time, Ding Songnan, who had already negotiated a preliminary plan with Dai Mengwei, was still dressed in a neat short jacket. He left Dai Mengwei's residence and went with several confidants to take a boat in the north of the city, leaving Ankang in a decisive manner.

On the way, he spoke to a companion about the results of this conversation. Halfway through, he was slightly silent, and then said, "Dai Mengwei... is indeed not simple."

"What do you mean by that?"

"...After we go back, pick a batch of people, and I want you to take them and prepare to go to Jiangning."

"...That Heroes Conference?" the companion asked, slightly puzzled, "Joining in the fun of the Fairness Party?"

"Dai Mengwei is right..." Ding Songnan said, "Some big things in the future will happen in Jiangning..."

"Then we... don't have to go and support He Wen..."

The Han River was long, and the companion's doubts rang in the cabin. Then, Ding Songnan explained the reason for this matter to him...

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

"...Next, some things that will determine the future of this world will happen in Jiangning..."

At the Weishi hour in the afternoon, in a courtyard in Ankang, Dai Mengwei slowly walked forward with a crutch. Beside him was Lü Zhongming, one of his most useful disciples in the past. He was a middle-aged scholar in his forties who had once been responsible for the details of this grain preparation.

"...I prefer you to lead a team to Jiangning. Heroes Wei He, Chen Bian, and Qiu Changying are all under your command... After thinking about it, only you can manage them..." Dai Mengwei said.

"...Jiangning... Heroes Conference?" Lü Zhongming frowned and thought, "Wasn't this matter created by that He Wen, who just picked up what others had said..."

He hesitated and was puzzled, and Dai Mengwei shook his head.

"This matter has only been spread for a few days. It seems absurd at first glance, but if you think about it deeply, it is not difficult for you to imagine..."

The news of the Jiangning Heroes Conference has recently spread here. Some people are excited, and some people laugh at it in private. Because, in the final analysis, last year there was already the Southwest World's No. 1 Martial Arts Competition, and this year He Wen is doing one, which is obviously a bit petty.

Moreover, although the so-called Jianghu heroes are described as heroic in the mouths of storytellers, as long as they are superiors who do things, they are already clear that it will not be these ordinary people who will determine the future of the world. The Southwest held the World's No. 1 Martial Arts Competition to recruit people to expand the army with the power of defeating the Jurchen West Route Army, and Ning Yi also specially held the founding ceremony of the China People's Government. Before those things that really need to be done, the so-called martial arts competition is just one of the attached gimmicks. And He Wen is also doing one this year, just to get some fame and profit, to gather some popularity, and to recruit some reckless people to join, but is it possible to take the opportunity to create a "Fair People's Regime"?

Lü Zhongming lowered his head and thought, and Dai Mengwei's crutch tapped on the ground slowly and rhythmically in front of him.

"...The Jurchens went south four times, and Emperor Jianshu fled to the sea. The Wu Dynasty collapsed as a result. Today's world, it seems that the princes are rising together, and those with some ability are holding up a banner, but in fact, this is just a period of panic after a sudden chaos. Everyone does not understand the form of this world, and they cannot grasp their own position. Some people raise a banner and hesitate, and some are outwardly loyal, but they are constantly testing in private. After all, the Wu Dynasty has been stable for two hundred years. Is it going to encounter a troubled world next, or will it mysteriously merge into one after a few years? No one can guarantee it."

Dai Mengwei smiled: "In this way, many people seem to have power, but in reality, they are just flash-in-the-pan impostor princes... The world is like a great wave washing away the sand. In the next year or two, these impostors and those who cannot stand firm will eventually be washed away. South of the Yellow River, this area of mine, Lord Liu, and Zou Xu can be considered a place for refining real gold. And the Fairness Party, Wu Qimei, and even the Little Court of Fuzhou will eventually have to decide a winner. These things seem clear at first glance."

Lü Zhongming nodded.

"But have you ever thought about it, what a situation that may appear in this world in the future is... that the princes of all roads are attacking the Black Flag?"

Dai Mengwei paused: "The world regards me, Lord Liu, and Zou Xu as one, and the Fairness Party, Wu Qimei, and others as another. Moreover, the Fairness Party's development seems chaotic. It sweeps and expands, and it is more radical than the Black Flag, not selling anyone's face. Therefore, at first glance, this Heroes Conference is so absurd that we scholars just laugh it off, but in reality, even such an absurd conference, the Fairness Party still opened its doors..."