Chapter 110: Besieged City

"If the good doesn't come true, the bad really does..."

Not long after the chaotic sounds arrived, it was clear that trouble had broken out at the East Gate. People on the street looked in that direction, including some disaster refugees who, confused and unaware of the situation, began to panic and speculate about what was happening. Lu Agui looked around.

"Princess, Young Master, get in the carriage and prepare to return. The city gates might be about to close... I need to go over and take a look. Liheng, the carriage will pass the Su residence, so you might as well head back too. Once something like this happens, there's bound to be some disorder."

Ning Yi nodded. Lu Agui hurried toward the city gate, while Ning Yi, Zhou Pei, and Zhou Junwu boarded the carriage and began their journey back. Ning Yi sat beside the driver, while Zhou Pei and Zhou Junwu lifted the curtains to observe the situation. The atmosphere in the city had been tense for several days, and now the refugees were growing restless. The streets were filled with arguments, shouting, and the crying of children. Although officials and bailiffs were maintaining order, it appeared chaotic, but no major disaster had occurred just yet.

By the time they reached home, the Su residence was already on high alert. The main gates were tightly shut, and some people were using ladders to peer over the walls. In truth, everyone was a bit bewildered. Juan'er was waiting for him near the main entrance, and later he learned that Chan'er was waiting at the side gate. Su Tan'er and the three maids had already returned home; when the disturbance outside began, she had called them to wait. If Ning Yi had not returned in a little while longer, she would likely have organized the servants to go out and look for him.

Shortly after, voices began to rise from the streets outside: "The city gates are closed—" The sound passed from person to person, gradually coalescing into a wave of panic and confusion. The sunlight in the sky seemed to grow somewhat pallid...

On this noon of the thirteenth day of the seventh lunar month, amidst the rising unrest, the four gates of Jiangning City were shut.

The cause was that the Mid-Yuan Festival was approaching. Although the fifteenth was the true peak, the gates of the underworld were said to open on the first day of the seventh month, and there were various reasons for rituals thereafter. The streets of Jiangning were filled with paper ingots and candles, while outside the city were refugees, many of whom had lost loved ones. It was no wonder that Su Tan'er and Lu Agui had both predicted the gates would surely close before the fifteenth.

However, some among the refugees outside the city could foresee this as well. Those who had managed to enter Jiangning were better off, but those without official documents or proof of identity were forbidden from entering. Once the gates closed, their lives would become even harder. Thus, on the thirteenth, someone among the refugees at the East Gate incited a rush toward the city. Seeing the chaos escalating, the officials stationed there quickly decided to close the gates—after all, it was a decision they had already prepared for.

Once the East Gate was closed, the other three gates followed suit one after another.

The blind panic within the city did not last; order was maintained. Yet, that night, Jiangning felt unusually quiet. People silently burned paper money in their courtyards and on the streets. Occasionally, carriages or pedestrians would pass by, appearing cold and desolate. Households near the city walls could hear the various sounds drifting in from outside.

By the next morning, except for the fact that no one was entering or exiting the gates, everything seemed to return to normal. The Su household was peaceful, with the usual routine of waking, washing, eating, practicing calligraphy, and chatting. In the morning, when Xiao Chan came into the room to tidy the bedding and clean, she asked about that Miss Nie. Ning Yi replied casually without lingering on the subject; at the moment, the matter had become of little importance.

With more people inside the Su residence and fewer going out, the atmosphere grew livelier. Children ran about, and both familiar and unfamiliar faces visited and chatted. The third and fourth days remained the same, but people gradually adapted to the fact that the gates were closed. After the Mid-Yuan Festival, business in the brothels and red-light districts became even more bustling. The nightlife was rich, and those who did venture out often traveled in groups of friends, spending money lavishly, enjoying life even more joyfully than before.

On the other hand, the price of grain in the city had risen to an absurd level. The government provided limited daily rations, while wealthy households hoarded grain and sold it through the black market. Jiangning was home to many wealthy merchants, and as long as there was no major unrest, the government could not truly be heavy-handed or enforce strict controls. They could only use subtle means to pressure these wealthy families to "give up some meat" and help maintain order in the city.

With the gates closed and clashes occurring over the preceding days, Su Tan'er seemed to become even busier, and with the Mid-Yuan ancestral rites, there were many trivial matters to attend to. She still went to sleep quite late at night. One evening, she fell asleep mid-conversation; Ning Yi went over to blow out the lamp, but she stirred awake, looked at him, sniffled, and smiled: "I'll sleep in a moment..." This time, they did not wait long; a moment later, the lamp was truly extinguished, and they rested.

On the evening of the seventeenth, the two were chatting on the second-floor corridor. Su Tan'er was eating the pastry Ning Yi had given her: "Hmm, there shouldn't be much to do tomorrow or the day after. I'm going out to offer porridge and distribute grain to help the refugees. Will you come, Liheng?"

"Is that the kind where you set up food and have the refugees line up to receive it one by one?"

"Yes, we prepare porridge and steamed buns. They line up, and we give them a small bowl of porridge and a bun—enough for a meal. We give a portion to the children, too. A few years ago, when the gates were closed, I went to distribute food. Putting the items into their hands and hearing them say 'thank you' made me quite happy. There were a lot of people back then, but since it's only the first few days now, there shouldn't be many. Still, fewer people is a good thing." Su Tan'er nibbled on her pastry.

"Oh, you're not a patriot, but you're actually quite sentimental..."

"I'm a woman, after all. I can only manage to be kind to the people I see right in front of me. With so many people in a country, who knows who all of them are?" Su Tan'er tilted her head and smiled, answering casually. "But are you coming tomorrow, husband?"

"Mm, I'll go."

"Good."

The gates had only been closed for four days; nothing had settled yet, many things were not yet habitual, and for many things, it was not yet time to begin. Ning Yi had visited Nie Yunzhu, and things were fine there, though these past few days it had been difficult to go to Elder Qin's house to decline the role of adopted daughter. Kang Xian must have been busy as well. Ning Yi had only gone out once, so naturally, he hadn't run into him. Although Lu Agui had mentioned that Old Master Kang wanted to discuss things with him, it was impossible at the moment.

The things on his scheduled itinerary were just that—nothing more. Perhaps after a few days of stability, once those children had finished playing, Ning Yi would invite them over to the courtyard to give them lessons. Going out tomorrow to perform a good deed was, for both him and Su Tan'er, simply a straightforward task. At this moment, not many people knew that on the very next day, such an event would occur—unprepared, yet seemingly a long-dormant conspiracy, suddenly emerging...

Four days after the city gates were closed, the tension in the city had not increased much, and there were not many people who were completely without food. However, hearing that the Su family was providing charity, many refugees and beggars gathered in the small square near the Su residence.

The form of charity was much like what Ning Yi had seen on television: nothing more than lining up, a large ladle of thin porridge, and a small steamed bun. Although the hardships had only just begun, many refugees already looked sallow and desolate. Some remained silent, while others offered profuse thanks. Some whispered, saying, "That is the Second Miss of the Su family," or "That is the Su family's son-in-law..." For a merchant, such charity was bound to garner some fame; it was quite normal.

Su Tan'er naturally knew the purpose of seeking fame, though she was genuinely happy to do good, likely due to the kinder side of her nature. For Ning Yi, however, it was more complicated. If one spoke of the bad, he had seen the deepest darkness, the most unfair situations, and the most twisted human nature. But if one spoke of the good, he had also seen fairer public opinions and environments. Therefore, gaining a sense of superiority from such an act had no meaning for him; he simply treated it as a task that needed to be done.

The small square was noisy. When half the food had been distributed, Su Tan'er leaned over: "Father has come as well."

"Oh?" Ning Yi turned his head to look. A carriage parted the crowded people from one side of the square. It was Su Boyong, who had gone out in the morning and was now returning home. The carriage stopped by the tables where the porridge was being served, and Su Boyong came over to greet Ning Yi and Su Tan'er.

Although they were father and daughter, their interaction did not seem as warm as that of ordinary families. Su Tan'er never acted spoiled around her father like other daughters, and Su Boyong always seemed somewhat at a loss when it came to Su Tan'er, unsure whether to show his kind side, his strict side, or his professional merchant side.

After the greetings and a few lighthearted words with Ning Yi, Su Boyong looked at Su Tan'er and gave a brief instruction: "You haven't been looking well these past few days. Rest if you can; don't overwork yourself." Su Tan'er nodded: "I know."

Following this, Su Boyong went to a nearby long table and began helping distribute buns himself. Ning Yi remained with Su Tan'er, the two of them working in tandem—one serving porridge, the other handing out buns. There was no need to dwell on the relationship between Su Tan'er and her father; they chatted aimlessly as they worked. At one moment, Ning Yi's gaze flickered as he noticed something: a small disturbance in one of the lines on the side.

It was the small line in front of Su Boyong. Someone had pushed forward, seemingly trying to cut the line, causing a very normal small disturbance. The Su family servants maintaining order failed to react in time. The person had already closed the distance. Su Boyong looked up, a bun in his hand. Less than a second after Ning Yi noticed it, the two figures collided. Su Tan'er was also looking in that direction.

Blood sprayed out. The man held a knife and stabbed Su Boyong. Su Boyong staggered backward, and as he turned, the man stabbed him again in the back before running away.

"Ah—" The crowd screamed, and the chaos spread. Ning Yi overturned the table and ran toward the scene. Su Tan'er started moving almost at the same time. There was no screaming or panic; her face and eyes were almost devoid of expression. Ning Yi rushed to the side to prevent the chaotic crowd from interfering, while Su Tan'er threw herself beside her father. She glanced briefly and sharply at the fleeing assailant and simply said to the nearby servants: "Catch him." Then, she just looked down and pressed her hands against her father's wound, ignoring everything else. In fact, several servants had already swarmed toward the attacker.

Ning Yi watched the surroundings, ensuring that even if there were a second attacker, they could not rush in, before turning back to help Su Tan'er hold the wound. Tears were already in Su Tan'er's eyes, her lips tightly pressed together, saying nothing—perhaps she was a bit overwhelmed for the moment. Therefore, Ning Yi gave orders to those around him: "Find the nearest doctor! Get some clean cloth! Hurry, hurry, hurry! Do what you can..."

Both knife wounds were quite deep. Although they were not immediately fatal, the consequences were unpredictable. Su Boyong remained conscious, clutching Su Tan'er's hand and whispering something. Ning Yi frowned and looked around, searching for any possible clues he might find.

It could be a premeditated act, or perhaps not, but of the three branches of the Su family, the first branch was the most vulnerable. Although everyone said Su Tan'er was the most brilliant member of the third generation and might lead the Su family in the future, she was still in the testing phase. The first branch of the Su family was always controlled by Su Boyong; he was the backbone.

With these two stabs, what the Su family would become tomorrow was impossible to predict...