After Xia Yuanlong left, many of his colleagues snorted angrily at Wei Huai and left one after another. By this time, most of the people in the courtyard had already left, leaving only a dozen old scholars standing aside with their heads lowered, still caring about the dean's face.
"Let's go." Wei Huai had calmed down from his rage, "I can do it alone."
Ye Yongjia did not dare to say anything more, but in his heart he hoped that he would grit his teeth and persist, so he endured his words and nodded in agreement: "Then please sir and Ye, let's go."
Wei Huai was supported by him, put on his official uniform and belt, stood firm, then went to grab the crutches, and went straight out the door with him.
The group of old scholars looked at Wei Huai with pitiful and sad eyes, and the latter suddenly stopped walking as if he noticed something.
Wei Huai turned around, his silver hair on his temples being blown by the breeze.
"Go and tell Xia Yuanlong that I will do the work alone... He still has a family, don't let this bastard go his own way and implicate innocent people."
After that, he set out on the road again and disappeared under the watch of everyone.
The afternoon sun is no longer as intense as the noon sun. Covered by thin clouds, the sun shot out a faint golden light from the sky, shining on the Meridian Gate tower. This light does not generate heat, coupled with the gentle breeze and the clear blue sky, it makes people feel refreshed.
Although Ye Yongjia's heart was still heavy, he still couldn't help but think that it was a good time to say goodbye.
"who!"
"Prefect Ye Yongjia was ordered to bring the Imperial Academy's sacrificial wine guard Huai to the palace to attend the meeting." As he spoke, he took off his official seal and showed it to the guards.
When the guard saw that there was nothing wrong, he called for someone to open the palace door. When they looked up, facing them was a wide and long stone road leading straight to the front of the temple - there was no one around.
Wei Huai timidly put the cane up. Every time he took a step, he heard shouts and curses from people along the way. When he arrived, there was a huge crowd on the street. They may still have expectations, but few people made a voice of support. Everyone surrounded him, as if they wanted to drown him in the endless crowd, making the 'dead' hero feel depressed and desperate.
Wei Huai knew that no matter who the hero was, he had never lived, so he could not be said to be dead.
But the hero in people's hearts has just died. They spat and shouted wildly, gradually blurring in Wei Huai's mind, blurring into a black torrent, quietly devouring his way along the stone slabs under his feet.
The noisy curses were gone.
People's shadows disappeared.
Wei Huai climbed the steps of the main hall.
Stand at the door and wait.
…
…
Boom!
The bell rang somewhere. Wei Huai looked around in horror. When he turned around, he found a bottomless abyss that had already cut off his last retreat.
A sense of fear instantly filled his body. No one stood with him, but instead pushed him to the cliff, preparing to watch a heroic drama. But how can just one person turn the situation around? That was not how he envisioned it.
With an uneasy mood, Wei Huaihuai turned and looked forward. The old palace door was slowly pushed open. Under his gaze, there was no light inside, and it was extremely dim. Suddenly, the lights illuminated the figures of three people: Wan Heshun still had a fake smile on his face, Hu Qi was leaning back on the chair, and their eyes were focused on the other person. That man was a little thin and had gray hair on his temples. He was actually Wei Huai.
He looked at himself holding on to the cane tremblingly, as if he could no longer support himself, and his body began to slide down. The crutches were thrown aside, and his knees sank with a thud - but he actually knelt on the ground.
He was about to step forward, but the lights went out and there was silence. With a shiver, Wei Huai opened his eyes, but everything was as usual, it was all an illusion.
"Wei Jijiu enters the palace!"
Before he had time to think, he strode into the house.
The princes and ministers standing on both sides turned their backs on him and talked about him in confusion; but the latter did not look sideways or pay attention to them. He only stared at Wan Heshun in front of him, leaned on the cane and took his seat.
"Mr. Wei has worked hard." Hu Qi said with a smile.
"It's not hard." Wei Huai didn't even say a polite word, which made them both very embarrassed.
"The academy you built with your own hands is definitely not willing to be handed over easily." Wan Heshun realized that this was a difficult struggle and began to flip through the documents. "But you have raised many lawless people and have violated the laws of the country. You have to get rid of your ears. If you want to try your best to retain him, you need to be reasonable in your words, otherwise I will tear down your academy and I will not care about your kindness and will not be polite. "
Wei Huai's face was ashen, he nodded and answered yes.
"If you are willing to surrender, you can be guaranteed..."
Before he finished speaking, Wei Huai's answer stunned everyone:
"I am willing to hand over the academy."
Wan Heshun raised his eyebrows and twitched his ears: "Wha...what?"
"Wei is willing to surrender."
After saying that, Wei Huai waved his sleeves and stood up, walking out of the palace. Wrapped in the bright sunshine, he walked on the stone road again. There was nothing to stop him now, and the vastness of the sky greatly broadened his horizons.
He walked to the market, but there were no crowds of onlookers. There were people coming and going everywhere, and there were also the long shouts of vendors; he walked to Huaiqing Bridge again, where people under the thatched huts were holding fans and drinking tea. They all forgot about him and let Wei Huai go on without any end.
Maybe we will leave Nanjing in a few days. The letter he received when he arrived was an edict written by the emperor himself:
"Your Majesty has a decree to reward Wei Huai for being able to understand the general idea. Therefore, he is given to live in Jiuhua Mountain, so that he can study in seclusion and not care about worldly affairs, so that he can fulfill his wish. I admire this!"
Finally tired, he walked to the shade to rest. When he wanted to grab something in his hand, he found that the cane was not in his hand and had long been forgotten in the meeting hall. No wonder he met so many people and no one remembered him.
"Is there anyone?" A calm and experienced voice came from a small dilapidated house.
"Don't worry, Mr. Xia, there is no one." The person outside said softly while scratching the crack of the door.
"Okay, you stay outside and watch."
After Xia Yuanlong gave his instructions, he turned around and sat down with a kerosene lamp in hand.
"Everyone, that guy Wei Huai betrayed the academy. He is a coward, but we can't let go!" He beat his knees and gritted his teeth.
"We are all veterans of the academy. We are quite old. If we don't fight to the death, how can we give up?" An old gentleman said boldly, "After all, Mr.
"Okay," Xia Yuanlong became excited, and flames danced in front of his eyes, "Tomorrow we agreed to go to the street at the north gate of the academy to attract the people and attack and seize the government and army together. We are bound to take back my business and reorganize the country!"
