Chapter 109: Current Situation (Part 1)

**Episode One: Morning Breeze in Jiangning**

Nie Yunzhu's initial acquaintance with Elder Qin by the river wasn't entirely coincidental. Although Ning Yi had suggested she acknowledge Elder Qin as her adoptive father, and she wasn't averse to the idea, Nie Yunzhu was an independent and strong-willed woman. Her decision to meet Elder Qin first, while Ning Yi was away for a few days, was partly driven by her desire to proactively get to know the man who might become her adoptive father.

After their meeting, spending the past two days by the Qinhuai River, listening to Elder Qin describe Ning Yi's scholarly talent and unconventional side, felt like rediscovering him from a new perspective. Seeing Ning Yi again this morning brought a pleasant blend of familiarity and novelty.

Even though that girl Jin'er came to stir things up...

Knowing that Nie Yunzhu had already met Qin Siyuan, Ning Yi felt less pressure to guide the process of her acknowledging him as her adoptive father; things could simply take their natural course. There was no rush. After the heavy rain last night, the day was clear. In the afternoon, by the river, Elder Qin was playing chess with Nie Yunzhu. Nie Yunzhu glanced at Ning Yi, her eyes lively, but didn't speak to him. Ning Yi greeted Elder Qin and sat down to watch.

Nie Yunzhu was skilled in all four arts – qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting. While she was a master of music and dance, and her calligraphy, painting, and chess were good, they naturally couldn't match Elder Qin's level. Ning Yi could tell from a few glances that Elder Qin was holding back, merely guiding Nie Yunzhu. As they played, Elder Qin discussed the disaster relief and epidemic prevention manual with Ning Yi.

Elder Qin had already sent the booklet to his eldest son, Qin Shaohe, who was in Jiangzhou. It was also said that Kang Xian had used his connections to submit the booklet, which was then distributed. Of course, it would take some time for its effects to become apparent. As Elder Qin spoke to Ning Yi about these matters, Nie Yunzhu quietly observed him from the side.

This was the first time Nie Yunzhu had seen this side of Ning Yi. Since they had met, her understanding of him had always been partial. She knew he was talented, but that was only based on what others said. Their daily meetings involved mundane conversations, listening to his strange songs, and watching him paint unusual lacquer paintings, all of which felt authentic. While he had shown composure when discussing business with her before, business was merely a trivial pursuit for merchants.

But now, her perception was different. They were discussing matters of national importance, not the idle boasts of ignorant scholars she had often heard at Jin Feng Tower. Over the past two days, Elder Qin had also mentioned that Li Heng was not an ignorant scholar, but rather someone who pursued practical and stable solutions, which was the true approach to great undertakings. As the wind stirred by the Qinhuai River, Nie Yunzhu listened to their conversation, recalling the elder's praise for Ning Yi, and felt a quiet, almost proud happiness.

In the following days, life continued as usual. Of course, some inevitable changes were occurring, though they didn't significantly impact Ning Yi. The number of disaster victims, both within and outside the city, continued to rise over time.

On the streets and beneath the walls near Yushan Academy, beggars were often seen wandering and gathering. While they appeared pitiful, offering individual care was impossible. Even Xiaochan had grown accustomed to such sights. Beggars were never uncommon in Jiangning, but their numbers had increased. Many disaster victims had also arrived from various regions to seek refuge with relatives, including some of the Su family's own relatives who had been affected and came seeking help.

The primary reason the city felt somewhat crowded and chaotic was the sudden surge in population. The government and military had also intensified their control, so the situation within the city wasn't too bad. Those with travel permits and identification could enter, but those without permits or relatives to depend on could only gather outside the city, awaiting relief.

Order had been maintained for the past few days, and the city gates remained open. However, one time when Ning Yi passed by the gates, he noticed that the number of refugees outside had significantly increased since his return to the city. They had set up simple shelters, creating a scene of chaos and fear, filled with various noisy clamors and cries. The Wulie Army had also deployed a large number of troops by the city gates, ready to respond and close the gates at any moment.

Due to the influx of disaster victims, Ning Yi decided to temporarily postpone his plans for a high-proof alcohol production facility and workshop. The equipment blueprints were already complete, so he would reconsider the project after this period. Every morning when he jogged to the small building, he often saw Yuan Jin'er and Nie Yunzhu drinking tea there. The moment he arrived, Yuan Jin'er would grab her teacup and run off.

Yuan Jin'er's departure from Jin Feng Tower had become a widely discussed topic in Jiangning. Even Ning Yi heard about it from Li Pin, who mentioned that one of the "Four Head Courtesans" was now missing. Every morning, seeing her drinking tea there, Ning Yi felt a complex mix of emotions, recalling Li Pin's words about several infatuated individuals still searching for her whereabouts.

This woman intended to learn from her "Sister Yunzhu" and become a boss. She had paid a considerable sum to buy her freedom from Jin Feng Tower, but still had significant savings, which she now planned to invest entirely into Zhuji. This was no small amount. According to her, from now on, "I belong to Sister Yunzhu." She was resting for a few days, preparing to start as the young manager at Zhuji in a couple of days.

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

"Oh, right, a few days ago, a brother and sister came to the academy looking for you."

"Brother and sister?"

"Yes, they seemed to be from a wealthy family, young but with extraordinary bearing. The older sister, about twelve or thirteen, was quite difficult, almost as if she deliberately came to challenge us. Since you weren't there, she put me through a thorough test, haha. The younger brother, on the other hand, had a much better temperament."

Li Pin chuckled, gesturing to indicate the height of the siblings, and then recounted the day's "test." Li Pin was broad-minded and wouldn't take a child's antics to heart; given his scholarship, he certainly wouldn't have lost. As he spoke, he mentioned that the siblings were quite knowledgeable, clearly showing his admiration for them.

Seeing Li Pin's gestures for their height, Ning Yi suddenly smiled. He remembered the siblings, Zhou Pei and Zhou Junwu. He had only met them once during the Dragon Boat Festival, and they had actually come to challenge him. Offending women really didn't feel good.

He then dismissed the matter from his mind.

Ning Yi's regular daily activity remained teaching classes. Having finished "The Analects," he had now begun lecturing on "Mencius." Confucius spoke of achieving benevolence, while Mencius spoke of upholding righteousness. If Confucius's philosophy primarily focused on human behavior and was people-oriented, Mencius's thought often directly addressed the state and collective. Each day, Ning Yi would weave in stories about the nation. On this particular day, he spoke about the Battle of Hupudagang from several years ago.

Ning Yi had apparently inquired about the movements of the Jin state, and both Elder Qin and Elder Kang frequently discussed it. This battle had occurred four years prior, when Emperor Tianqu personally led an army of 700,000. Wanyan Aguda met them with only 20,000 troops, nearly prepared to die in battle. Yet, in the end, the 20,000 troops achieved a great victory—not a pyrrhic one, but almost a complete annihilation of Emperor Tianqu's 700,000-strong army. Regardless of the complexities behind it, this battle was a miracle in thousands of years of military history.

Ning Yi was merely using this extreme example to illustrate the Jurchens' bravery and the relationship between the state and its people; he couldn't delve too deeply with a group of children. However, after class, he could chat more with Li Pin about his views on the Jurchens. As they walked to the adjacent office, and after setting down their books, Li Pin sighed, "There's a saying, 'The Jurchens are less than ten thousand, but if they number ten thousand, they are invincible.' Indeed, it seems true these past few years. However, such a feat cannot be repeated. The Liao people are ultimately too powerful, and the Jurchens too few. It's still hard to say what the outcome of this conflict will be."

Ning Yi smiled, "Isn't that even better? Everyone on the streets keeps talking about mutual destruction, but with each side having its strengths and weaknesses, our Wu Dynasty can best profit from it, no?"

His words contained a hint of mockery. Li Pin glanced at him a few times and laughed, "Li Heng, you're being dismissive again... The talk on the streets is just naive idealism. Our Wu Dynasty is weak, and it won't be good for us no matter who our neighbors are in the future. Forming a tripartite power might give us a momentary respite, but of course... that's also overly idealistic. The current situation is not one that can be easily balanced. Even though we are weak and powerless, we must still take some action; we cannot just sit idly by. The Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun have been ceded for over two hundred years. If we can truly seize this opportunity to reclaim them, and with the natural defenses of the Great Wall, our dynasty might indeed gain a temporary reprieve, allowing us to slowly plan our next moves..." "Mm." Ning Yi nodded empathetically, waiting for Li Pin to continue.

However, Li Pin paused slightly at Ning Yi's reaction, then forced a bitter smile. "Li Heng still doesn't take it seriously..." After saying this, he grew serious, cupped his hands, and bowed slightly. "Now that it's come to this, there's no need to hide anything. Regarding the current situation, I've always wanted to hear your opinion, Li Heng. Given how weak the world has become, what do you believe offers hope for the realm?"

"Tsk," Ning Yi looked at him, frowning slightly, then chuckled, "How long have you been holding that in?... Heh, what good would asking me do?"

"It has indeed been some time," Li Pin smiled. "I've listened to a few of your lectures, Li Heng, and found them thought-provoking. At the time, I wanted to discuss my views on these matters with you, but I thought it would be no different from the idle boasting in taverns and tea houses. Later, after repeatedly considering many of your ideas, I realized they truly form a unique school of thought. Some of your practical insights are even profoundly enlightening. Li Heng, you have unique perspectives on the history of previous dynasties and are familiar with the current situation. This time, I genuinely wish to hear your thoughts on the present state of affairs, so we can encourage each other... What if you and I simply engage in some idle boasts, as if we were in a tavern or tea house?"

Rewinding a bit, on a corridor alongside the academy, two children were approaching, one behind the other. They were siblings: the older sister, Zhou Pei, and the younger brother, Zhou Junwu. Each held a small pouch and was eating soft, sticky pastries as they walked. Their accompanying attendants and guards had been left at the academy gate. As they neared the classrooms, Zhou Pei hung her pouch on her waist, wiped her mouth, then turned to look at her brother, who was still eating as he walked. She glared at him several times...

It wasn't until he heard voices from nearby that Zhou Junwu looked up, then blinked in confusion, not understanding why his sister was glaring at him. With an expression that seemed to say "you're hopeless," his sister turned and walked forward. He quickly followed, asking, "Wh-what's wrong...?"

They had originally come out to eat, but upon hearing that "barbarian" had returned, his sister had dragged him here to challenge him. He was still a bit hungry. After saying this, he put the remaining half of the pastry into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully.