Chapter 3 The Deceased (2)

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  "Who is it?" Xiong Tingbi asked casually.

  "Sun Shenxing is Sun Baobao. When he was young, he even held Liniang in his arms, so Liniang recognized him at a glance." Xiong Hu replied.

  Zhu Yinglong was not unfamiliar with the name Sun Shenxing. When he first wrote about the end of the Ming dynasty, he had read countless historical materials. Sun Shenxing, also known as Wen Si, was a politician and a famous member of the Donglin Party from Wujiang. As a child, he was influenced by his maternal grandfather Tang Jingchuan and studied diligently. In the 23rd year of Wanli in the Ming dynasty, he passed the imperial examination and became a compiler in the Hanlin Academy. He later served as the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites and took leave several times to return home. He was well-versed in Confucianism and lectured at the Donglin Academy. He was also a famous calligrapher. In the first year of Tianqi, he became the Minister of the Ministry of Rites. The following year, he commented on Li Keguang's presentation of the "red pill" and criticized Li Xuan for not moving the palace earlier. As a result, he was disliked by the eunuchs and took sick leave the next year. In the fourth year, the eunuch party compiled the "Three Dynasties' Important Records", which reversed the verdict on the "red pill case" and accused Sun Shenxing of being the main culprit. He was then exiled to Ningxia as a soldier. How could he appear at Longjing Pass thousands of miles away? Was it an error in history or had this already become a different historical era? Zhu Yinglong was filled with doubts, while Xiong Tingyi's face was flushed with excitement: "Liniang, is what you saw real?"

  Xiong Huo said with certainty: "Although Liniang has never been close enough to take a good look, it can be confirmed that it is indeed Sun Bo!"

  Xiong Tingbi suddenly slumped, shaking his head repeatedly: "I heard in prison that he was exiled to Ningxia to guard the border, how could he be at Longjing Pass? It's impossible!"

  It turned out that history had not been wrong after all. Zhu Yinglong asked: "Liniang, did you really not see it wrongly?"

  Xiong Hu said with certainty: "Lieniang didn't misjudge!"

  "Where is he now, do you know, Liniang?" Xiong Tingyi asked, raising his head.

  "It seems that at the military horse station, Liniang had inquired about him and he seemed to be a groom, specializing in feeding and managing military horses!" Xiong Hu said after thinking for a moment.

  Zhu Yinglong and Xiong Tingyi exchanged a glance, both understanding the implication in each other's eyes. Regardless of whether or not it was Sun Shenxing, they had to meet this person, who might be of great help in their escape tonight.

  Time was pressing, so Zhu Yinglong, Xiong Tingyi and Xiong Hu immediately set off, avoiding the eyes of the surveillance personnel, and quietly slipped out of their temporary hiding place. It was already late afternoon, and after asking around a bit, they found out about the whereabouts of the person who looked like Sun Shenxing. The people here basically all knew this horse boy called Sun Laozhang, who would go to a small wine shop in Guanli every day to buy half a catty of old wine, a habit he had formed over the past three months, which was not a secret in Guanzhong, so it was easy to find out.

  "Shopkeeper, according to the rules, half a catty of Shaoxing wine!" Sun Shenxing said, placing his wine gourd on the counter.

  "Old master, please wait, I'll have my apprentice serve you right away!" The shopkeeper, upon seeing Sun Shenxing, handed the wine gourd to a young apprentice and greeted him warmly.

  "Su Zhanggui, don't call me Old Master anymore, I'm not that person now, I'm just a horse groom!" Sun Shenxing repeated this sentence with great patience.

  "Look what you said, Sun Wukong even fed horses before, and later didn't he become the Great Sage Equal to Heaven?" The shopkeeper laughed and said.

  "Does Director Su also know Sun Wukong? Has he read books before?" Sun Shenxing asked, changing the subject.

  Su Zhanggui sighed and said, "When I was young, my family was poor, how could we afford to study? This is what I heard from that blind man at the North Gate telling stories. And it's true, this Sun Wukong is really formidable..."

  Sun Shenxing smiled as he watched Su Zhanggui speaking with flying spittle, just as the young shop assistant brought over a wine gourd. Sun Shenxing took the gourd and tossed down ten copper coins, saying: "Su Zhanggui, take the money well, I'm leaving!"

  Su Zhuanggui picked up the copper coins on the counter, hastily stretched out his body to pull Sun Shenxing and said: "Old sir, someone has already paid for your wine money, take this money back!"

  Sun Shenxing was taken aback and said, "I'm just a humble horse breeder, who would still pay for my drinks?"

  Su Zhanggui nodded towards Zhu Yinglong and the other two in the hall, "Old sir, look, it's those three over there!"

  "Who are they?" Sun Shouxing looked at Zhu Yinglong and asked.

  Su Zhanggui smiled and said: "They say they know you, saying that they are your old friends, but I don't recognize them."

  Sun Shenxing was suspicious, he had been in Ningxia for less than half a year, and even his family and friends didn't know about it, not to mention that he was still being exiled. Who would come to see him at this time? He took the ten copper coins from Su Zhuanggui's hand and carried the gourd towards Zhu Yinglong's table.

  "A few kind-hearted old men nodded in agreement, but...” Sun Shenxing's gaze swept across Xiong Tingyi's face, and his expression changed drastically, leaving him speechless with shock!

  "What's wrong, doesn't Brother Si recognize an old friend?" Xiong Tingyi had recognized Sun Shenxing as soon as he walked into the tavern. He was indeed Sun Shenxing, but why wasn't he in Ningxia and instead ended up at Longjing Pass? There must be a reason for this.

  "Are you, Fei Bai Xian Di?" Sun Shenxing was overjoyed and couldn't contain himself. He never could have imagined that someone who had already died would be sitting alive in front of him. If it weren't for the other person saying his courtesy name and hearing that familiar voice, he wouldn't have been able to recognize the person in front of him as Xiong Tingyi. This was truly too unexpected.

  "This place is crowded and noisy, it's not a good place to talk. Does Brother Wen have..." Xiong Tingyi said in a low voice.

  "Yes, yes, yes, follow me!" Sun Shenchang hastily asked why a dead person would suddenly come back to life.

  Four people quietly left the small wine shop and came to Sun Shenxing's residence, a dilapidated thatched cottage with drafts on all sides, and as soon as they entered, they felt cold to the bone.

  "Wen Si brother, aren't you a groom in the army? How can you live in such a place?" Xiong Tingyi asked with great puzzlement.

  Sun Shenxing invited the three to sit down, and the oil lamp on the wall was lit. The light flickered in the wind, making it barely possible to see each other's faces. There were no stools, so they had to make do with sitting on a layer of dry grass on the ground. He brought out a wine gourd, set up four bowls, and poured a small amount for each person, explaining: "It's hard to say, let's not talk about that. Fei Bai, I arrived here not long ago and saw an official document from the imperial court, saying you were beheaded and your head was sent to the nine borders. I even saw the head with my own eyes! If you hadn't spoken up earlier, I'm sure I wouldn't have recognized you today. Tell me, what's going on?"

  Xiong Tingbi followed Zhu Yinglong's orders, put aside his relationship, and recounted how he had escaped. Sun Shenxing scolded the eunuchs for harming loyal officials, while also feeling extremely happy that Xiong Tingbi was able to escape, and repeatedly praised Xiong Tingbi for having a good daughter like Xiong Hu.

  Old friends reunited, Zhu Yinglong and Xiong Hu couldn't get a word in edgewise. As they watched the time tick by, it seemed like they wouldn't finish talking even when dawn broke. They had to leave the pass at midnight, after all. Zhu Yinglong grew anxious and interrupted their reminiscing, saying: "Elder Sun, actually, we have something we need your help with?"

  Sun Shenxing was taken aback, who is this young man? He actually dared to interrupt his conversation with an old friend so rudely. He thought the three were led by Xiong Tingyi, so he felt quite displeased in his heart. But seeing Zhu Yinglong's close relationship with Xiong Hu, he asked Xiong Tingyi, "Fei Bai brother, is this young man your future son-in-law?"

  "Yes, young Shadow Dragon has met Old Man Sun. I was rude to interrupt the conversation between Old Man Sun and my father-in-law just now, but it was an emergency and Shadow Dragon had no choice. Please forgive me, Old Man Sun...no, Uncle Sun!" Zhu Shadow Dragon knew that these ancient people had many rules, and he had been very impolite to interrupt their conversation earlier, so he quickly stood up and bowed deeply, re-doing the courtesy.

  As soon as these words came out, Sun Shenxing was shocked, and Xiong Tingyi and Xiong Hu were also surprised. Xiong Tingyi knew that Zhu Yinglong didn't want to reveal his identity and had no choice but to say so. Otherwise, with Sun Shenxing's keen eye, it wouldn't be difficult to spot the flaw. Xiong Hu was so embarrassed that her ears turned red. She couldn't believe that Zhu Yinglong would say he was her fiancé in front of her father and Sun Shenxing. In her heart, she felt like a deer caught in the headlights, with a hint of expectation but also a hint of uncertainty. Because she also knew that this was just a temporary measure for Zhu Yinglong to avoid revealing his identity, not a promise or guarantee. For a moment, she was quite troubled and only thought about her relationship with Zhu Yinglong, without listening to a single word of the intense conversation between her father and the three men.

  Although Sun Shenxing was not as stubborn as he had imagined, after two years of border patrol, he also saw through the many ugliness in the world. He never thought that Xiong Tingbi would take the path of selling private salt. Between national law and friendship, he could only choose one. He hated General Xue Zhen, but he was also heartbroken to see Xiong Tingbi take this path. He pointed at Xiong Tingbi's nose and scolded him angrily.

  Xiong Tingbi could only silently listen to his anger, he didn't explain, nor was it good to explain anything.

  Finally, Sun Shouxing calmed down, tore off a corner of his robe and threw it at Xiong Tingbi: "Originally, I should be very happy that you didn't die, but what you're doing now is against the imperial law. Tonight's matter, I'll help you escape, but from now on, our friendship is severed, we part ways, and become strangers in this vast world, no longer owing each other anything!"

  Unbelievable that decades of friendship would be severed at their first meeting due to an unspoken misunderstanding. Xiong Tingyi's heart was like a stormy sea, his chest heaving with emotion. Things had gone too far, and there was no turning back now. He stood up, his lips trembling uncontrollably as he tore off a piece of his robe. His eyes moistened as he said, "Fine! Wen Si, from tonight on, you and I will be strangers forever!"

  Zhu Yinglong's face was cold and stern as he looked at the two of them, saying: "Since Elder Sun is unwilling to collude with my father-in-law, why are you still helping us? What you're doing is even more lawless!"

  "Don't worry, young master, after helping you escape, I will surrender to the imperial court myself!" Sun Shencheng stared at Zhu Yinglong.

  "Surrender?" Zhu Yinglong sneered, "Are you going to surrender to that eunuch Wei Zhongxian or to the emperor who only knows how to play with wood?"

  "How dare you! Do not slander the current emperor!" Sun Shouxing shouted at Zhu Yinglong, and Xiong Tingbi's face also changed slightly, remaining silent.

  "What Xiaozi said is all true, everyone in the world knows it. Since it's the truth, where did the slanderous words come from?" Zhu Yinglong said nonchalantly.

  "Fei Bai Xiong, is this your good son-in-law? How can he utter such words that defy authority and are treasonous?" Sun Shenxing was furious, pulling out Xiong Tingyi.

  Xiong Tingbi smiled wryly. You think he's really my son-in-law? Even if he is, I can't control others, so he can only keep quiet.

  "Lina, Mr. Sun is willing to leave with us, take care of him and bring him along!" Zhu Yinglong didn't have much time to bother with him, directly ordering his men to take the person away. After tonight's events, he would still be staying behind, and the consequences were predictable. Thought reform had to be done gradually, on the premise that one was still alive.

  Ling Niang naturally knew Zhu Ying Long's intention, but the other party had carried her since she was a child and treated her like his own daughter. Her feet couldn't help but hesitate for a moment, however, she still distinguished between right and wrong clearly, so she stepped forward to stop Sun Shen Xing.