Ark, they don't revolve around you

"Yes, the doctor from Rhode Island."

"Rhode Island..." Ya remembered the name, "You caught its doctor."

"We shouldn't have arrested him. After we arrested him, he told us that he had a tracker on him. We did find it, and he shouted that he wanted to kill him!"

"Then?"

The man's face showed great fear. "But we didn't dare. We wanted to threaten him, but he told me a few examples, so the leader got scared and said, why don't we surrender?"

"But some people don't want to vote. The two sides are arguing, and it's a mess." The man was obviously hiding something in his words, and he didn't say which side he was on.

Ya didn’t want to know, he was just curious about the follow-up: “So you guys just killed each other.”

"...Yes." The man felt like it was a nightmare. "Everyone has gone crazy! Recently, the Great Yan court has been trying hard to encircle and suppress us. We have no room to fight back. With this, who can see hope!"

After he finished cursing angrily, he fell to the ground dejectedly: "That man watched us fight, and then easily untied the rope. He was caught by us on purpose."

"He said he was kind-hearted and couldn't bear to see us suffer, and then, and then..."

"——I will get rid of all of you." Ya sneered.

"Yes, that's it, sir." The man was in tears and didn't even hear the contempt in Ya's words.

"Okay, stop crying. I don't want my men to be so fragile." Ya said coldly. She really had no interest in the Shanhai people. What she really wanted was revenge on Xiang Sui. For this, she had to gather these remnants of humanity.

"Where will the Doctor you mentioned go next?"

"I, I don't know."

Ya glared at him, and the man broke out in a cold sweat. After thinking for a moment, his voice suddenly stopped trembling: "Probably... Shang Shu!"

"Why?"

“Shang Shu still has the last year-old fragment, sir, he will definitely go!”

"Okay." Ya turned around, his red clothes as red as blood, "It just so happens that I also want to go to Shangshu to cut off the last Sui Piece."

She smiled mockingly: "Come on, lead the way for me."

"No matter who is trying to stop me, I must revive the Sui Beast."

……

……

Shang Shu.

On the river, a small boat stopped. The woman jumped onto the shore and bowed to the boatman.

"Thank you for your hard work, Rain Master."

"Don't mention Miss Ning. I'm just a boatman now." The boatman smiled helplessly and paddled, "Give my regards to Lord Liang."

Woman... Ning Ci Qiu took a deep breath and cheered himself up.

She returned to Shangshu. This mountain city was still a little boring, but she had lived here for several years and was already used to it. It was not unacceptable.

Ning Ci Qiu smiled faintly. The eldest daughter of the Ning family was an official of the second rank, Minister of Rites, but her visit here was very small and almost no one knew about it.

Not long after she walked, she saw the man in scarlet official uniform. The man was still serious and looked like he had been waiting for her quietly for a long time.

Ning Ci Qiu blushed slightly: "Lord Liang."

Lord Liang saw Ning Ci Qiu, bowed slightly, and said in a deep but powerful voice: "Minister Ning."

"Are you here specially to pick me up? I sent a telegram, telling you to wait for me at the mansion."

Sir Liang... Liang Xun shook his head: "You and I have been colleagues for many years, Minister Ning, I must come to pick you up in person."

"No, Sir Liang, why should you be so polite? Although Ci Qiu is a woman, she is not spoiled." Ning Ci Qiu blinked, "I heard that you have been quite effective in suppressing bandits."

"Although the Shanhai Clan seems to be powerful, they are mostly just a group of untrained civilians. How much of a threat can such people be?"

"Your Excellency, there is no need to be modest. I have reported this to the court. Perhaps you will be transferred to the capital in a few days." Ning Ci Qiu did not notice the slight yearning in his words. "Add to that your achievements as a prefect, it is possible for you to be promoted to Jingzhao Yin."

Her tone was quite awkward, and any normal person could see the emotion in it.

This should have been a good thing. Liang Xun also had a good impression of the woman in front of him, but he couldn't help but worry. He was not from a wealthy family, but the Ning family was a well-known family. The difference between their social classes was like heaven and earth.

Although the current Taifu, who is like a prime minister, also started from humble beginnings, and he and Zhenlong both hold the idea that "the prime minister must start from the prefectures and counties", Liang Xun was promoted by the Taifu himself, and in a sense, he belongs to the Taifu's man.

But family background has long been engraved into the bones of Da Yan, especially the noble families who control official positions, such as the Lin family in the capital, where the eldest daughter Lin Qingyan is only a young girl, but she has already been promoted to the position of Shaoqing of the Dali Temple, the second in command of the Dali Temple, in charge of criminal lawsuits!

Of course, Lin Qingyan is quite capable, but this is enough to highlight that Dayan is still in the stage of aristocratic politics. Look at the officials in the court, most of them are of noble birth. Ning Ci Qiu is only thirty years old, but he is already a second-rank official. In the future, he may succeed his father as the Shangshu and enter the Zhongshu School.

The best among this kind of people is probably Zuo Le from Yumen Zuo family, who gave up his position in the imperial guards and joined the Bingzhu people of Simaitai. But this is an exception. Moreover, Zuo Le is always accompanied by an imperial censor, who has a low rank but has the power to impeach officials. How can ordinary Bingzhu people get such good treatment?

Therefore, Liang Xun, who came from a humble background, could not help but feel sad and alienated, but he could never reveal such thoughts.

He looked at Ning Ci Qiu, nodded and said, "Then I'll trouble you, Lord Ning."

Ning Ci Qiu returned the gift politely. Having served in the imperial court for several years, she had seen too many dissolute dandies who did not do their job and indulged in a life of debauchery in the capital. She just felt fed up with them.

Therefore, the court proposed to send her to Shangshu. She was unwilling on the surface. After all, the capital was the core of power. If she moved to the center, she would have fewer opportunities for promotion.

But she was happy in her heart. She thought her father obviously saw this and chose her instead of other ugly people from Si Sui Tai.

She and Liang Xun served the same term. They were of similar age and had similar interests. In recent years, Liang Xun's governance of Shang Shu was quite effective. There were no thieves outside and no complaints inside.

In fact, if a discerning person looked into it, he would find that it was wrong. After all, Liang Xun himself was from Shangshu. The unwritten rule in officialdom was to prevent nepotism. Transfers could not be made to one's hometown. So how could Liang Xun be the prefect of Shangshu?

Ning Ci Qiu knew that this was what the Grand Tutor meant. Someone who did not understand the current situation of Shang Shu could not lead Shang Shu.

The more she got to know this man, the happier she was. It was a pity that Liang Xun always behaved rather dully. Although Ning Ci Qiu was anxious, she had to control her temper.

"I heard that the doctor will come to Shangshu in a few days?"

"Yes, Doctor." Ning Ci Qiu felt depressed when he mentioned this name. "I am sorry to the Doctor. He trusted me, but I once put him in danger."

"It's all in the past. I'm sure the doctor doesn't mind." Liang Xun comforted him, and suddenly stopped and looked into the distance. What he saw was naturally the Three Mountains and Seventeen Peaks of Shang Shu.

Although the name of Doctor was not well-known in the past, most people have heard of it in just a short period of time. Some people say that it is because of his diligence that Dayan was able to wipe out the thieves so quickly. When some of his deeds were revealed, everyone was amazed and discovered that there was such an organization in the world.

Liang Xun knew more. For example, in the suppression of bandits, although he was an outsider, Rhodes Island cooperated with Yumen in attacking everywhere, which must have been due to the doctor's instructions.

He had seen that man before. Just a year ago, he had drunk tea with the doctor at the foot of the mountain. He never imagined that this man would be such a respected figure.

"He came here this time for the one on Shangshu Mountain, right?"

Ning Ci Qiu followed his gaze upwards.

Shangshu is mountainous. As a mobile city, it is incredible that the mountains, rivers and streams were moved within its territory.

There is also an immortal on the mountain who once persuaded people to stop a natural disaster by raising his cup, and the people of Shangshu have always talked about him.

But as a person of the court, she never stopped being suspicious of the immortal. Otherwise, why would Ning Ci Qiu, who was the Minister of Rites, be sent to a remote post? Even if she returned this time, it was because Zhenlong took into consideration that she was familiar with that year.

"Ling." Ning Ci Qiu spit out her name, "It's been a year. I heard that she has been sleeping and no longer seeing people."

"That's right." Liang Xun had a conflicted look on his face. He didn't tell anyone that Ling Chang became drunk after meeting Zhuang Ning.

"No matter what, I believe the situation will improve when the doctor comes." Ning Ci Qiu didn't understand these things, but felt that the future was still full of hope. "Your Majesty has the heart of a hero after all. The Shanhai people have collapsed, the mastermind has died, and those termites that depended on Da Yan have also been uprooted."

"Da Yan's treasury is even more abundant, and there are sufficient weapons and armor. Even if Sui breaks through the seal and returns to the world in a few years, Da Yan will not be afraid." She said happily, "You and I only need to do our respective duties and share this peaceful and prosperous era. That's all."

"Peaceful... prosperous times." Liang Xun chewed on the word, finally sighed, and gently agreed, "Yes, let's share this peaceful and prosperous time."

……

……

Ling was having a dream, a dream that she could hardly escape from but had to face.

She shouldn't have been like this. This woman who always thought she was free and easy was in unprecedented weakness. She couldn't help but think of what happened a year ago, and of the man who climbed up the mountain to look for her.

It was a summer day, and the whole of Shu was as stuffy as a steamer, but it was still cool in the mountains.

Shangshu once had an eighteenth peak, but that peak was destroyed by a natural disaster. Zhuang Ning was guided to the top of the seventeenth peak, where he could see a pavilion in the distance. The pavilion stood on the eighteenth peak that was supposed to have disappeared.

It was like a dream.

But that was not a dream, but an indescribable authority. Ling's ability was stranger than anyone else's, and entering dreams was just the most insignificant manifestation of her authority.

This kind of authority is even enough to distort time and space and summon the undamaged Eighteenth Peak of Shangshu. This woman's ability is indeed reminiscent of an immortal.

Only those invited by her were qualified to come to the Eighteenth Peak. She drank there all day long and there were few visitors, but it was still a pleasure for Zhuang Ning to see her in person.

To put it bluntly, Ling and Zhuang Ning's interactions before this were only in dreams.

For some reason, Zhuang Ning would occasionally break into her dreams. It was a very mysterious thing, and it seemed that neither party involved could control it.

But this is not a bad thing. Ling is quite sincere to the occasional visitor. Later, when Zhuang Ning and Nian get along well, they have more topics to talk about in their dreams, and Ling will reveal some secrets about Nian.

Generally speaking, Shi Ling and Zhuang Ning were just ordinary close friends until a year ago when he came to Shang Shu.

Shangshu is Zhuang Ning’s last stop in Dayan. He wants to see this friend who has supported him several times in his dreams, this immortal-like existence.

He didn't have to wait long on the mountain before Ling opened the way for her.

To this day, Ling still feels his fatigue, as if he had just suffered a serious illness, like a dog away from home.

He sat down and put down his backpack, and Ling joked, "Doctor, you were so busy before, how did you have the time to go on a picnic alone?"

"You need to take a break after a busy day, right?" Zhuang Ning took out the heater. "It's still a little cold on the mountain."

He looked at the scenery below the mountain and said, "It would be better if you could live lower. It's too dangerous to climb here. I really thought I was going to die several times."

"Isn't the difficulty of Shangshu due to its danger? But nowadays, it is different from the past. There are safer ropeways. In ancient times, people could really die here."

They chatted casually until the topic came to Xi.

After hearing Xi was unwilling to open the door, even Ling frowned: "My little sister is just too stubborn."

"But this is Xi, right?" Zhuang Ning didn't mind too much, and murmured, "But I came here partly for this matter. I felt the giant beast's gaze, so it shouldn't be just an illusion caused by working too long."

"Of course not. How can an illusion be so realistic?" Ling thought hard, then smiled and said, "It's about the Sui Beast. It's dangerous after all. Why don't I help you explore your dreams? Dreams are a manifestation of human subconsciousness. If the residual soul of the Sui Beast is entrenched in your brain, it can only be dormant in dreams."

"You want to help me?" Zhuang Ning blinked, "Will it cost you anything?"

"Yes, I will give you 100 taels of pure gold." Ling waved his hand, "This is a small business, so I won't sell on credit."

"One hundred taels of pure gold is still a small business?" Zhuang Ning complained in his heart, but he knew that Ling did not mean that.

"Just kidding. Just bring some wine when the time comes. The exotic atmosphere is also unique." Ling smiled and waved his hand.

That's when.

——If you didn’t see that dream, perhaps nothing would have happened and your spiritual heart would not have been damaged.

Nightmare.

The damn nightmare made her suddenly realize that what just happened was not a memory but a dream. She wanted to wake up, but it was difficult to do so.

Again.

It always starts like this. Does I have to show me the smile he had at that time?

Realizing that she was in a dream, Ling felt a pain in her chest for the first time. In the darkness, she saw a pair of burning eyes, as majestic as the sun, looking down at her and sneering coldly.

This was what she had seen a year ago. A ray of the spirit of the 18-year-old was indeed lodged in Zhuang Ning's mind.

Ling should not have rashly entered Zhuang Ning's dream. At that time, Sui was still weak and could only vaguely hide in Zhuang Ning's consciousness, and even Xi could not notice it. If Ling had not taken the initiative to step into the territory, Sui could not interfere with her.

But everything happened just like that, accidents, misunderstandings, everything has become a past that can never be looked back.

Ling was confident when she saw Sui, because Sui was just a remnant of the past, and she knew dreams well.

——But you shouldn't be so arrogant.

The thought of regret spread, and Ling's mouth in the dream couldn't help but move. As always, she lost control of her body and could only act out the fixed past: "Years old?"

"Heh." Sui mocked, "Who are you and why do you have my scent?"

"You are the most powerful beast in Da Yan. Have you fallen to the point of invading mortal consciousness?" Ling raised his wine cup with a rare hint of sadness. The consciousness of this Sui Beast was indeed weak, but when He was born, it meant that the return of Sui Piece was inevitable. This was not a good omen.

"I see." The giant dragon narrowed his eyes, "You are my fragment."

"You are all my clones, my offspring. In the chaos that I gave birth to, twelve beings actually gave different answers to the question I asked."

Ling chuckled: "Perhaps, you are our master, but we don't want to return to you."

"Why resist?"

“You should ask, who wants to die!”

There was a ray of light like sparks in the wine cup, which was as dim as a firefly compared to Sui's eyes. Sui couldn't help but mock: "Do you think you can drive me away? I am weak, but that doesn't mean you are strong, my child."

——Stop.