It was noon, and the faint sound of gongs and drums in the city could be heard outside. There was a pool and rockery in the courtyard, decorated with winter snow. At first glance, it looked like a wealthy home, but it also looked a bit plain and elegant.

A large table was set up in the main hall, with a hollow center and a blazing charcoal fire. Even if the banquet was opened, the diners at the table would not feel cold.

However, at this time, the faces of everyone around the table were pale.

Just a moment after the commotion outside was heard, soldiers and secretariat staff in civilian clothes had already come in. Most of the time, this was already a means of controlling prisoners in the political arena. Then Ning Yi suddenly appeared.

At this moment, this kind of place is as incomprehensible as the descriptions in fantasy novels on the market.

In today's southwest, his status is too high, and Li Rulai's status is too low. In terms of status, even if Li Rulai wants to rebel, Ning Yi does not have to come forward to meet him. In terms of location, with his status

, using the means of controlling prisoners to directly enter Li Rulai's private house is an inappropriate move under any circumstances.

Such a strange anomaly, no matter what, things will be big.

The first time he saw the figure in a dark coat walking in, Li Rulai subconsciously stretched out his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead. He even forgot to lower his head, while Li Dong took a step back slightly and stood upright in a military posture.

Several people had confused expressions, but most of their bodies were frozen there.

Ning Yi glanced at everyone, and then his eyes shifted to the courtyard outside and the dishes on the table. His eyes seemed calm, and he pulled up a chair and sat down. Then he looked at the courtyard and nodded: "Sit."

No one dared to sit down. Everyone hesitated for a moment. After a while, there was only silence in the hall. Some people looked at each other. In the silence, no one dared to sit down.

Ning Yi glanced at everyone again, put his hands on the table, and smiled slightly: "The yard is well built, and I have put a lot of thought into it, but you can still hear the sound of gongs and drums. The space is not big enough, so it is a waste."

You have seen the grace of Jiangnan Gardens. You bought the land when you first arrived in Chengdu, right, General Li?"

Li Rulai opened his mouth, then lowered his head: "Yes, yes..."

"I feel sorry for you. When will the new garden be built?"

"...according to the construction schedule, tomorrow will be March next year."

"Um."

Ning Yi nodded, reached out and took a pair of bowls and chopsticks from the side. These were bowls and chopsticks used by an officer before. There were still some leftovers in them. When he saw him holding the chopsticks and about to use them, Li Dong frowned.

Eyebrow: "Ning... Ning... this..."

"What's wrong with this?"

"This...used...you..."

"Back then in Xiaocanghe, supplies were so scarce. What you ate was passed to me, and what I ate was passed to him. What does it matter today? You are an old man in Xiaocanghe, and you have status in the eyes of others.

, don’t become squeamish.”

He picked up his chopsticks and picked up something to eat. He seemed to be amazed at the deliciousness of the dishes. After nodding slightly, he looked up at Li Dong, his eyes serious for a moment.

"You guys are going to the city to do business, right?"

"yes."

"I asked you to sit down, but you didn't sit down. Are you full?"

"……Yes Yes."

"Sit down and eat when you're not full. When you're full, go do things. You don't need to be the mother-in-law who leads the troops. I'm coming over today. I have something to discuss with General Li Rulai. It's more important and I won't leave you alone."

"……yes."

Li Dong and others only hesitated slightly, then raised their hands in salute and headed outside the courtyard one after another.

Ning Yi moved the chair closer to the round table and picked up a few more dishes to eat. After Li Dong and others disappeared from the yard, he waved his hand, and then the people from the security department and the secretariat also left the room one after another, at least for a while.

He and Li Rulai were the only two people left within sight. Li Rulai stood there with his head lowered, took a deep breath, and moved slightly. Ning Yi raised his head. This time, his words were calmer.

"Stand."

After saying this, he put down his chopsticks, and his tone sounded like he was facing a dead person.

Then the courtyard was quiet for a while.

When he spoke again, he said: "A few years ago, when the Jurchen Wangyuan Bridge was defeated and I sent people to recruit you to surrender, you asked me, if I do things this way, won't I be afraid of being pushed down when the wall falls down...

right."

Ning Yi's eyes were fixed on Li Rulai, as if he was a little tired, but also with a little compassion that he hated iron for not becoming steel. Li Rulai's body trembled slightly: "That...that was...this moment and that moment...

"

"In your Wu Dynasty, many of the generals who have achieved success are like this. You are like this, and so is Liu Guangshi. You understand the ways of the world and what is normal, but you can't fight. What's the use of a leader who can't fight?

?After you joined the Chinese Army, I didn't use you in a high position. You had complaints in your heart, but you were obsessed with eating, drinking, having fun, and making friends. Now you have made so many friends of heroes and heroes. Have you learned to fight?"

"I……"

"...For you...and your little brothers, we have already made a set of arrangements. You will work step by step, and I will do things step by step. After two years, everyone's things will be fine. But recently

I was thinking about something. I was supposed to go back to Zhangcun during the Chinese New Year, but I diverted to your side. I just want to ask, if you give women to officers in the army, according to your sophistication and feudal rules, you

How many times do you have to die?"

"..."

"...You know the rules so well, you should know that in any dynasty, the whole family is killed. So today, I came here like this, which is not very in line with the rules, but whether it is based on my rules or your sophistication,

There should be no difference, I think you can accept it calmly."

Li Rulai raised his head slightly, the last trace of blood on his face disappeared, beads of sweat oozed out, and Ning Yi sighed.

"The cook is good. Sit down and have your last meal."

There was wind blowing in from outside the hall, and Li Rulai's figure was swaying. He was in his fifties. He was usually tall and well-maintained, and his hair was still black. But at this moment, it seemed that he was about to change from the picture.

Became transparent and disappeared. Ning Yi opposite him was nearly forty years old, but the pressure in his eyes was far greater than this. He picked up a teacup and looked at it, then put it down again. Suddenly, he slapped it with a palm.

He stood on the wooden table, and the entire wooden table seemed to be shaking with the floor, and he yelled out an angry voice.

"sit--"

Li Rulai pulled out his chair and sat down at the table. He put his hands on the round table: "I, I..."

His voice trembled, and he wanted to say something, but in the end he couldn't. Ning Yi, who was opposite him, also sat for a while. For some reason, he seemed a little tired as he was preparing to kill his whole family. After a long time, Li

As Tathagata's expression changed several times, he asked: "What did you think of?"

"I... I'm thinking... I'm just speculating, speculating... If the chairman... really wants to kill me... kill my whole family, will... he won't come in person..."

…

"...Before I came here, I just thought about some questions."

The sound in the hall took a while before it started to sound again.

"After the surrender, I have my personal likes and dislikes in treating you idle, but in general, is it really unfair to you? Just like Lu Qiaoshan, who you have been comparing to, he was a defeated general and was captured

It was completely renovated after you moved in, and it can be used now. However, after Wangyuan Bridge, we decided to treat you as a typical example of a wealthy person. As a result, we did not make appropriate arrangements for you. This may be something we need to review at work.

a mistake."

"Of course this is a small aspect... but in a big aspect, human beings are worldly, and the rules of the world do not exist. In the Chinese Army's study class, we always say that there is a way to do things, and there is a way to do things.

In terms of art, you must trace the source and ask about your original intention, and in terms of skills, you must seek truth from facts. The rules that exist in the world cannot be treated as if they don’t exist just because your goal is great. We talk about it again and again, of course because many people are doing things.

Among them, Dao and Shu are simply inseparable. Then I suddenly thought of your question..."

"General Li, you have been in your hometown for so many years. When you surrendered, you can't understand the Chinese army. It's understandable. In your fantasy, the so-called conquering the world is nothing more than uniting a bunch of capable soldiers like you.

, sit together at such a dining table, eat hot pot and sing songs, and then promise to conquer the world in the future, what kind of fame will be granted to you? This kind of thing, from the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors to Liu Bang, Xiang Yu and Li Shimin, is human nature and is also the founding of the country.

normality..."

"At that time, you couldn't think of too many things, but what I'm curious about is, General Li, you went to great lengths to make so many friends of the Chinese Army. In the process of eating, drinking, having fun, and corrupting them, what did you think of the Chinese Army every day?

Are you... somewhat clear about the purpose of shouting and what we plan to do?"

Ning Yi's hand scratched lightly on the table.

"We want to break the cycle of Confucianism, we want to enlighten the people's wisdom, we need to study things, and promote the four peoples. At the top, we want to break the cycle of chaos, and at the bottom, we want to break the rule of rural sages. We hope that the people can be more or less able to govern themselves.

Stand up after reading, we want to make changes that have not happened in thousands of years... A few years ago, these things were very far away for you. Your worldly knowledge tells you that these things cannot be realized. You even have no idea why they cannot be realized.

My own firm views, and even yours, are still relatively complete, but today, a few years later, General Li, we are on the same boat. Even if you still don’t agree, you should already understand the direction of this boat.

."

There was a slight pause.

"Generally, when faced with such a problem, you will have two choices. First, you can get off the ship and die by yourself. Second, there are rocks and problems on this route. Use your worldly experience to think about how to change these worldly things.

Question, I was wondering if I might get some surprises from it, and you can’t say anymore that I never gave you Li Rulai a chance."

He looked at the other person quietly for a moment.

"It's not enough to lead an army. I'll give you a village. You know that the recent land reform is actually seizing power from the rural sages. I'll give you the 101st experimental village. It's up to you to do whatever you want. Follow

Whether you cooperate with the working group or you work alone, as long as you do not violate laws and disciplines, in a few years, the people in your village will become rich, they must listen to the command of the Chinese army, they must understand the truth, and their children must be good at reading.

If you are a widower and a widower, you are lonely and have something to support. If you do well, I will give you more things. You will have a place in future political negotiations and your evaluation will be recorded in the history books."

Ning Yi pushed away the table and stood up.

"It was an accident that I thought of this in your matter. Even if it were not today, I would carefully consider today's issues in the future. But at that time, your whole family was already dead, so it is your good luck to come here today... Of course
To be continued...