Chapter 71: Lüliang

"Oh, that reminds me—why did you want to kill Song Xian?"

Ning Yi had refrained from bringing this up before, only asking now that they'd grown a bit more familiar. Lu Hongti narrowed her eyes slightly. The sky outside was overcast, and raindrops began pattering against the windows. Inside, the sizzling chicken on the brazier filled the air with its aroma. Ning Liheng stood there, blinking innocently.

After a moment's consideration, Lu Hongti's gaze softened. She looked off into the distance.

With a whoosh, rain poured down outside, enveloping all of Jiangning in an instant.

"My family used to live west of Yanmen Pass, in the Lüliang Mountains." After a long pause, she finally spoke.

"After the loss of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun, the nomads raided and pillaged those areas every year. Killing, looting—there was never a moment of peace. Villages were left in ruins, fields abandoned. Those who stayed became wandering ghosts, moving between the mountain valleys like drifters. Yet the older generations insisted that they couldn't leave their ancestral land… Perhaps you can't quite grasp what it's like to be born there."

Ning Yi remained quiet for a moment before reciting,

"Joyful by the banks of the Fen River,

Jostled about in the plains of Jinzhong and southern Shanxi,

Sobbing in the Lüliang Mountains,

And dying beyond Yanmen Pass."

"Heh." She chuckled softly. "That's how it is. We'd already been living in the mountains for years, though we tried moving south bit by bit. But no matter how far we went, it was never far enough. Young men who went into the mountains joined the infamous Lüliang bandits, a group that had persisted for centuries. We were all Han Chinese, but the Wu Dynasty never sent troops to protect us. The nomads came south every year, never treating us like humans. We'd often clash with smaller raiding parties, overwhelming them when we could. Against larger forces, we'd hide. We even resorted to robbing Hu merchants. For Han Chinese merchants, we'd usually leave them alive, but for the nomads, we killed them all…"

"The Wu Dynasty didn't see us as their people, either. Sometimes, an official would come and offer amnesty, making promises. But after several attempts, it always boiled down to the same thing—using us as pawns against the nomads, without giving us anything in return. Other times, they'd label us as bandits and send troops to suppress us."

Lightning streaked across the sky, and the rain grew heavier. Ning Yi turned the chicken over on the brazier, sprinkling some seasoning onto it.

"When I was six, my father was killed by the nomads. I began learning martial arts under my master and roamed the martial world. By the time I was thirteen, I returned to Lüliang to find my mother had passed away as well. So, I went into the mountains and started fighting battles alongside my master every year. A chivalrous hero fighting for the nation and its people? I never thought about that. We lived… worse than animals."

She paused briefly. "Then, a few years ago, Song Xian brought troops into Lüliang. He claimed he was there to offer amnesty, said all the right things. He gathered people from several nearby villages, surrounded them—and killed them all.

"Liao claimed the Lüliang bandits were within Wu's territory and demanded Wu deal with them. Song Xian used those heads to pad his record, earning recognition from above and currying favor with Liao. Not a single elder or child was spared. Then he claimed they were all ruthless bandits, killers without mercy. He was promoted because of it.

"Among the dead were relatives of some people in the mountains, and many from the villages I knew. Some tried to avenge their loved ones but were killed too. Their deaths were in vain. More people wanted to go after him, but I stopped them. I couldn't let them throw their lives away, so I decided to do it myself."

"That's why I must kill him. On the Lantern Festival, I failed to strike a fatal blow. I had some confidence at first, but when I tried to set another trap for him recently, he turned the tables on me. That's how I ended up like this. I realized… one person's strength is just too limited."

"You want to learn martial arts? I've trained under my master for years, fought countless battles, and crawled out of piles of corpses many times. Sometimes, I didn't even know if I was alive or dead. Yet here I am, still injured and unable to kill Song Xian. Scholars like you, with talent that could rival armies—what could be better than that? Why bother with all this bloodshed?" She smiled faintly, her lips pursed.

Ning Yi thought for a moment, then shook his head with a chuckle. "I'll stick with my curiosity for now. We'll revisit this later. The chicken's ready."

He took the roasted chicken off the brazier, sliced it open, and the rich aroma filled the room. He added some sauce and handed her a piece.

"How is it?"

"It tastes great."

"This is a new recipe we're developing. My cooking skills are amateur at best, but the seasoning is top-notch."

"Isn't your family in the fabric business?"

"It's a friend's idea… If you ever eat roasted chicken like this in the Lüliang Mountains, I'll give you something special."

"Oh? Like what?"

"Something unconventional… maybe the power to summon rain or create soldiers from beans."

"Deal?"

"Deal."

Their casual banter was soon drowned out by the rumbling thunder and heavy rain outside.

Meanwhile, on the other side of Jiangning, in a teahouse, Li Pin gazed at the rain as he spoke with Shen Miao.

"…Yan Zhen has already begun preparations to depart. Within half a month, he'll leave Jiangning for Raozhou."

"Wasn't he supposed to leave in July?"

"There's quite a journey ahead. Leaving earlier reduces the risk of delays. Once he arrives in Leping, he'll need time to settle in and ensure a smooth transition."

"That's reasonable." Li Pin nodded.

Shen Miao took a deep breath. "I heard there was some disagreement between you and Yan Zhen recently. I came to ask because you've been friends for years. It's nothing serious, I hope?"

Li Pin considered this and replied, "It's not a disagreement, really. Zishan has his own concerns. I understand his intentions, but it's more about him coming to terms with something within himself."

Shen Miao frowned thoughtfully. "I see… By the way, what's your opinion of Yan Zhen?"

"It's not right to talk behind someone's back."

"Haha, no worries. He's about to leave, and we might not see him for years. If there's anyone he could have a grudge with, I wouldn't be too worried—except for you. You've always had a good eye for people, so I'm curious. This is just idle chatter, and it won't go beyond us."

Li Ping pondered for a moment before shaking his head. "It's not a significant matter. Yanzhen is someone we've both known for years. He's knowledgeable, capable, and perceptive. Compared to him, we both fall short in some ways. But tell me—have you ever seen him suffer a genuine loss in anything all these years?"

"Uh, suffer a loss? Well, there have been a few instances, but Yanzhen is a magnanimous person. He never dwelled on such matters..."

"But what if I said... he has never truly suffered any loss?"

"Hm?"

"Brother Zishan, Gu Hong is... a proud man. Of course, he has reasons and talent to support that pride. Over the years, his high standards for himself have often been inspiring, embodying the demeanor of a true gentleman. However, sometimes his perspective can be a bit extreme, overly fixated on achieving his objectives. Whether that's good or bad... well, it's hard to say."

Shen Miao chuckled and nodded. "Deshen, your judgment of people is always spot on. Yanzhen indeed has such tendencies. Just the other day, he told me that one should always face their true heart. Honestly, I found it reasonable. He also mentioned that when he becomes a county magistrate, his priority will be addressing immediate issues. For such matters, he advocates being impartial and focused solely on results. Compared to benevolent officials who are bound by moral constraints, he would rather be an effective official who disregards appearances of good and evil to get things done. In some ways, his perspective is admirable."

Li Ping gazed at Shen Miao thoughtfully before smiling. "Indeed. In today's world, there are far too many pedantic scholars and far too few doers. If Yanzhen holds such ideals, it would undoubtedly benefit the common folk."

Regarding Gu Yanzhen, Li Ping couldn't help but feel a degree of admiration. There were certain things he had subtly noticed and deliberately avoided; to criticize him for unfounded reasons would indeed be excessive. Shen Miao wasn't here to debate the issue today but to mediate as a peacekeeper. What Shen Miao didn't understand, however, was that the recent discord originated not from Li Ping harboring grievances, but from Gu Yanzhen himself. Perhaps it was due to that phrase Li Ping had uttered: "I know your character." While Gu Yanzhen had been confrontational that day, Li Ping admitted that he probably shouldn't have said that.

The debate of whether external governance or internal virtue was more important had persisted for years. Of course, the doctrine of the mean advocated against extremes. The evaluation of all things was inherently complex. Over the years, capable officials had indeed been more effective than pedantic scholars. Should Gu Yanzhen prove himself as a competent official, Li Ping resolved to personally apologize for his earlier comment. Hopefully, that day would come.

The conversation naturally followed Shen Miao's lead from then on. As the two of them chatted in the restaurant, a short distance away in the Bamboo Pavilion's main branch, Gu Yanzhen sat quietly at a table with a servant, sampling various dishes. The servant was a tall man with a scarred face, exuding a menacing air. Known as Old Liu, he was Gu Yanzhen's trusted bodyguard.

For the past three months, this was Gu Yanzhen's first deliberate visit to a place associated with Nie Yunzhu. Of course, he wasn't here to cause trouble. He simply waited quietly for her to appear.

The heavy rain outside had dampened business, and the dim light necessitated the use of oil lamps. Flickering flames illuminated the room.

Nie Yunzhu was actually in the shop, but as a woman, there was no obligation for her to display magnanimity in such situations. In this era, neither men nor women were particularly concerned with magnanimity—except, perhaps, when it came to Ning Yi, for whom she applied a double standard. Remembering how Gu Yanzhen had forcefully grabbed her hand last time, she was unwilling to step out. He shouldn't have grabbed her hand, and she shouldn't have struck him in return. Thus, she simply waited for time to pass.

As evening approached, the dishes on the table had gone cold, yet Gu Yanzhen remained seated, unmoving. Finally, she relented, stepping out to greet him. Standing across the table, she offered a polite bow. "Young Master Gu."

Gu Yanzhen raised his head to look at her and smiled. His demeanor, as always, was gentle and refined. At this moment, his smile was especially disarming, exuding an air of ease and grace.

"In a few days, I will be leaving for Raozhou, where I will take up my post in Leiping. I thought it proper to come and bid you farewell."

Nie Yunzhu considered this for a moment. "I have nothing of value to offer as a parting gift. I only wish you smooth sailing and great success in your official career."

Her words prompted Gu Yanzhen to chuckle lightly. Lowering his head, he reflected for a moment before standing. He took a deep breath, looking earnestly at her. "If I were to sincerely say once more that I wish to take you as my wife, to have you accompany me to Leiping... would you reconsider? Could you nod your head just this once?"