Chapter 95: The Current Situation (Part 1)

Nie Yunzhu's acquaintance with Master Qin by the river was not an accident. Although Ning Yi had suggested she adopt Qin as an adoptive father, she didn't mind the arrangement. But in terms of her character, Nie Yunzhu was an independent woman with her own opinions. During the few days when Ning Yi was away, she went to meet Qin on her own, partly because she wanted to get to know this man who might become her adoptive father.

After their meeting, over the past couple of days by the Qinhuai River, she had listened to Master Qin speak about Ning Yi's talents and his eccentric side, which gave her a new perspective on him. When she saw Ning Yi again in the morning, she felt a sense of both familiarity and novelty.

Although Jin'er had come along to stir things up…

After learning that Nie Yunzhu had already met with Qin Siyuan, the matter of adopting a father didn't need much more guidance from Ning Yi—it was now a natural progression, and there was no rush. After the heavy rain last night, the weather was clear today. By the afternoon, when they reached the riverside, Master Qin was playing chess with Nie Yunzhu. She glanced at him, her eyes lively but silent, not saying a word. Ning Yi greeted Master Qin and sat down to watch.

Nie Yunzhu was skilled in many arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. However, in terms of playing chess, though she was good, she naturally couldn't match Master Qin's level. Ning Yi could tell at a glance that Master Qin was going easy on her, offering guidance while they played. As they played, Master Qin also discussed the disaster relief manual with Ning Yi.

Master Qin had already sent the booklet to his eldest son, Qin Shaohe, in Jiangzhou, and it was said that the booklet had also been passed on through connections to Kang Xian, who would distribute it. Of course, it would take some time to see results. As Master Qin spoke to Ning Yi, Nie Yunzhu sat quietly beside them, listening.

For Nie Yunzhu, this was the first time she had seen this side of Ning Yi. Since meeting him, she had only seen him from a limited perspective. She knew of his talents, but that had only been through others' words. Their daily interactions were filled with trivial matters—hearing his eccentric songs, watching him paint unusual lacquer artworks—these things felt real. Although they had discussed business before, it always seemed like minor commercial matters.

But now, the topics at hand were national affairs, and it was not the empty talk of an ignorant scholar—she had seen plenty of that at the Jinfeng Tower. Over the past two days, hearing Master Qin mention that Ning Yi was not a naive scholar, but someone who acted pragmatically and cautiously, made her feel, in a subtle way, a sense of pride.

The following days went by as usual, though there were some changes, none of which seemed to have much impact on Ning Yi.

The number of refugees inside and outside the city continued to rise with the passing days. On the streets near Yushan Academy, or by the walls, beggars were often seen wandering and gathering. They seemed pitiful, but it was impossible to care for everyone. Even Xiao Chan had gotten used to it. Beggars had always been common in Jiangning, but now there were simply more of them. Many refugees had come from various places to seek relatives, some of whom had suffered from the disaster, including some of the Su family.

This influx of people was the main reason for the city's feeling of congestion and chaos. The government and military had intensified their controls, and the situation in the city, though crowded, was not yet bad. Those with travel permits or identification could enter the city, but those without were left to gather outside and wait for relief.

The city gates were still open for now, but when Ning Yi passed by the gates, he saw that the number of refugees outside had increased since his last visit. Simple shelters had been set up, and the scene was chaotic and fearful, with the sounds of shouting and crying. The Wulie Army had stationed a large number of soldiers at the gates, ready to close the gates at any moment.

Because of the refugee situation, Ning Yi had put his plans for high-proof alcohol production and distillery workshops on hold for the time being. The plans had been drawn up, but he would wait until after this period of turmoil to reconsider. Every morning, as he jogged to the small building, he often saw Jin'er and Nie Yunzhu drinking tea together. As soon as he arrived, Jin'er would run off with her tea cup.

Jin'er's departure from the Jinfeng Tower had caused quite a stir in Jiangning, and even Ning Yi had heard about it from Li Ping. It was said that this famous figure among the Four Great Merchants was now missing. Every morning when Ning Yi saw her drinking tea, he remembered what Li Ping had said, and his feelings were mixed. Some of her ardent admirers were still searching for her.

Jin'er had planned to learn from Nie Yunzhu how to run a business. After leaving Jinfeng Tower, she had spent a considerable amount of money to redeem herself, though she still had some savings left. Now, she intended to invest all of it into Zhujii. According to her, she would now be "Nie Yunzhu's person." For the next few days, she was resting, planning to return to Zhujii and work as a junior manager.

When Jin'er left the Jinfeng Tower, the news quickly spread throughout Jiangning, and even Ning Yi heard about it from Li Pin. It was said that one of the Four Great Merchants had gone missing. Every morning when Ning Yi saw her drinking tea there, he couldn't help but think of what Li Pin had said, and it made him feel a bit complicated. Rumor had it that several of her infatuated admirers were still searching for her.

This woman had plans to come and learn from her sister, Yun Zhu, how to run a business. After leaving Jinfeng Tower, she had spent a considerable sum to redeem herself, but she still had plenty of savings left. Now, she planned to invest all of it into Zhu Ji, which was no small amount. According to her, from now on, she was "Yun Zhu's person." For the next few days, she was resting, preparing to start working as a junior manager at Zhu Ji in a couple of days.

On the day she returned, Li Pin mentioned something to Ning Yi.

"By the way, a pair of siblings came by the academy a few days ago looking for you."

"Siblings?"

"Yes, they seemed to be from a wealthy family. They were young but had an extraordinary air about them. The older sister was probably around twelve or thirteen years old, and she was quite difficult to deal with. It seemed like she came specifically to challenge you. You weren't here at the time, so she gave me quite a thorough exam, haha. The younger brother's temperament was much milder."

Li Pin smiled as he gestured to show the height of the siblings, then talked about the examination process. Li Pin was an open-minded person and wouldn't take a child's antics too seriously. With his abilities, it was impossible for him to lose the challenge. As he spoke, he remarked that the siblings were quite knowledgeable, and it was clear that he admired them.

Ning Yi, seeing the gestures Li Pin made about their height, couldn't help but smile. He remembered the siblings, Zhou Pei and Zhou Junwu. They had only met briefly during the Dragon Boat Festival, but they had even come specially to challenge him. He didn't feel too great about offending a woman…

But soon, he pushed the matter to the back of his mind.

Ning Yi's daily routine remained the same, with lessons still being his main focus. He had finished teaching The Analects and had started on Mencius. Confucius emphasized the importance of human behavior, while Mencius often focused on the state and the collective. Ning Yi would usually add stories related to the state to enrich his teachings. On one particular day, he shared the story of the Battle of Hubei and Dagang from a few years ago.

Ning Yi had heard some information about the Jin Dynasty's movements, and both Master Qin and Master Kang frequently mentioned it. The battle had occurred four years ago, when Emperor Tianzuo personally led an army of 700,000 against the Jin forces. The Jin general, Wanyan Aguda, had only 20,000 troops and was prepared to die in battle. But in the end, his forces emerged victorious—not a mere victory, but a near-complete annihilation of the 700,000 imperial troops. Regardless of the complex reasons behind it, this battle was a miracle in the history of war over the past several thousand years.

Ning Yi used this extreme example to illustrate the bravery of the Jurchen people and the relationship between the state and its people. He couldn't elaborate too much with the children, though. After class, he had more time to talk with Li Pin, where they discussed their views on the Jurchens. The two walked to the room next door used for their work, and after putting down their books, Li Pin sighed.

"There's a saying that if the Jurchen people aren't fully unified, they can't be defeated. It seems true after all these years. However, such a victory might not be repeated. The Liao people are still powerful, and the Jurchen forces are too small. It's hard to say how the outcome of this war will turn out."

Ning Yi smiled. "Isn't that even better? The streets are full of talk about both sides being equally wounded. If there are advantages and disadvantages, our Wu Dynasty can benefit from it."

His words were a bit teasing, but Li Pin looked at him and laughed. "Liheng, you're just dodging the issue again... What the people are saying on the streets is just idealistic talk. The Wu Dynasty is weak, and no matter who we neighbor in the future, it won't be good. If it comes to a Three Kingdoms-type situation, we might get a brief respite. But of course, that's just idealistic. What's happening now isn't an easy-to-balance situation. Even though we're weak, we have to take action. The Sixteen Prefectures of Yuzhou have been ceded for over 200 years. If we can seize the opportunity now and take them back, using the Great Wall as our defense, our dynasty might indeed get some respite, and then we can slowly plan for the future..."

"Hmm." Ning Yi nodded thoughtfully, waiting for Li Pin to continue. However, Li Pin paused for a moment, and then let out a bitter laugh.

"Liheng still doesn't think much of it..." After speaking, he straightened up, cupped his hands in a salute, and bent slightly. "At this point, there's no need to hide it. I've been wanting to hear your opinion for a while now. The situation is so weak right now, what do you think the future holds for this world? What would bring hope?"

Ning Yi gave a faint frown and then laughed. "You've been holding that in for how long? Heh, asking me what's the point..."

"It's really been a while." Li Pin laughed. "I heard your lectures before and they were thought-provoking. I wanted to talk to you about this, but I thought it would be no different than idle talk in a teahouse. After thinking about your many insights, I realized they form a unique perspective. Some of your pragmatic words are even quite striking. You've always had a unique take on history and current events. This time, I sincerely want to hear your views on the current situation. I'd like to learn from them... let's just treat it as idle chatter, how about it?"

A little while earlier, two children's figures appeared in the corridor next to the academy, walking one after the other. They were a pair of siblings. The older sister, Zhou Pei, and the younger brother, Zhou Junwu, each carried a small pouch and ate soft, sticky cakes as they walked. Their attendants and guards had been left at the academy entrance. When they got closer to the classroom building, Zhou Pei hung her pouch from her waist, wiped her mouth, and glanced at her brother, who was still eating while walking. She gave him a series of glaring looks...

Only when they heard voices from ahead did Zhou Junwu look up, blinking and not understanding why his sister was glaring at him. She rolled her eyes in exasperation and walked ahead, and he hurriedly followed her. "Wh-what's wrong?"

They had come out to get something to eat. When they heard that the barbarian was back, their sister dragged him over to challenge him. He was still a bit hungry, so after saying that, he finished the last of the cake and chewed it curiously.