has become a demon

When Xie Taichu woke up again, it was already the dawn of the second day.

The noise came from outside the tent.

In the dark, Zhao Yuan lifted the curtain and went in, sat on the side of the bed, tucked him in the quilt, and said, "You're awake."

"Break camp today?"

"Yes." Zhao Yuan replied, "It has been six or seven days since we came to Kaiping, and the reinforcements from Shuntian Mansion will soon arrive at Dulongkou. If the Mansion, Wanquan, and Xuan Mansion send troops to encircle and suppress at the same time, it will be very difficult for us to escape Shengtian. It should be early Some leave."

"What His Highness said is thoughtful and thoughtful, which is quite different from what he said in Ningxia."

Hearing Xie Taichu's affirmation, Zhao Yuan smiled lightly, but even though he was smiling, he couldn't hide his sadness.

"Duan Baozhai, how did His Highness deal with it?" Xie Taichu asked him.

"He stabbed his left eye to prove his innocence, and he renounced his parents. He is willing to be loyal to me. I asked Mr. He to arrange his whereabouts." Zhao Yuan said, "The military doctor showed him, and he just came to report... Now the left eye is completely gone. Nothing."

"Actually... I didn't know how to deal with him. But he had already thought about it. You weren't there, didn't you see the haggard face of Yushu kneeling and begging for my forgiveness? When he stabbed his left eye, he bled half of his body , I actually feel a little happy. Actually... the culprit is not him, but I still have resentment in my heart."

"The body is in front of the eyes, but the heart is beyond the horizon." Xie Taichu said.

Zhao Yuan felt lost: "Yes. My heart is already far away. What should I do?"

Xie Taichu held his hand: "Your Highness, don't worry, when the time comes, you will know naturally."

"Okay..." Zhao Yuan nodded, "I will ask He Jun to take care of him more."

Leaving this time, I went around Beishan, and went to Ningxia after being corrected by Yulin.

According to the previous news, the troops of Ningxia and Ganzhou have been assembled one after another, and they are gathering towards Ningxia Town, waiting for King Su's order.

Xie Taichu was in poor health and could only travel by car.The Beishan mountain road was blown beyond recognition, and it was impossible for large troops to pass by.So detour.

When they reached Baihaizi, the horse team was drawing water from the lake, and Zhao Yuan opened the bamboo curtain of the carriage to look at Beishan in the distance.After a while, he said: "In the Battle of Beishan, nearly [-] troops of Han Chuan's army were killed, and [-] to [-] fled...and another [-] were confiscated. It’s just that they were ordered by the military and dare not stop fighting. Those who die have wives and children, and those who are disabled can’t live on with that little pension after returning home... I used to say that I want to save the people in front of me, I want to save People... But aren't these people innocent? Is it because I am too hypocritical?"

"Your Highness is too demanding of yourself."

Zhao Yuan shook his head, raised his eyes to look at Xie Taichu, and asked again: "I've often wondered recently, am I wrong?"

"Your Highness is right."

"If I'm not wrong, what's wrong with these people in Beishan? Why do they have to die because of my plan alone. The bones of thousands of people in the mountain depression of Beishan are not cold. Their families are so innocent." Zhao Yuan shook his head, "I kept saying I want to save the people in the world, I want to save the people around me, but I ignore these innocent ordinary people. Is there really any difference between me and Zhao Ji?"

"If His Highness spared Han Chuanjun because he felt pity for his military households, where would the tens of thousands of people who died during the Kaiping massacre go to reason?"

Zhao Yuan was stunned.

"Swords have no eyes. If your Highness spares the opponent out of kindness on the battlefield, then with Han Chuan's 6000 troops, will he be soft-hearted to our King Su's army? Why are the [-] troops under his command not innocent?"

"In the early days, you once said: 'If you show compassion to one person, to several people, to thousands of people, it will not help the prosperity and death of the common people in this world. If you can't keep the peace and stability of this world, you will put the common people in the fire and water for all generations. middle.'"

"Your Highness, remember what I said?"

"I remember, why don't I remember?" Zhao Yuan said.

Xie Taichu smiled: "I also remember His Highness's words. After paying homage to the mausoleum, the two of us fled and hid in the snowy plains. His Highness said to me, 'How can you be compassionate when you see death and don't save one person? How can you save the world if you don't save one person?'"

At that time, Zhao Yuan experienced great hardships in his life, his body was in a state of embarrassment, and his life would disappear at any time, but he still uttered such words.He was shivering in the ice and snow, but he confronted him with red eyes and gritted teeth.

"There are antelopes on the grassland, and there are jackals. If Your Highness takes pity on the antelopes and drives away the wolves, the wolves will starve to death. If Your Highness stands idly by, the antelopes will be devoured. Has Your Highness ever felt guilty?" Xie Taichu asked him.

"will not."

"Why?"

"People eat meat and must kill. Jackals also eat meat and must kill. This is the way of heaven and earth, and it is the law that all things naturally follow."

"Han Chuanjun could clearly capture King Su, but he insisted on beheading King Su's family and setting fire to Kaiping. This has violated the law, and even trampled on morality and human relations. None of the officers and soldiers under his jurisdiction stopped him, and even participated in it. He regarded human life as a plaything and searched for countless gold and silver. , trample on the law of Daduan." Xie Taichu said, "Even if there are innocent people watching by, is it considered unrighteous to stand by like this?"

What he said made Zhao Yuan ponder, for a while Zhao Yuan said: "What you said is reasonable."

"Saving one person or saving the common people seems to have no solution, but if you follow the Dao, you will be able to solve it easily." Xie Taichu said, "The world has its own way, and the country has its laws. Your Highness should have some rules for what is distressing and troubled. Otherwise, If the world loses its way, the way will collapse; if the country loses its law, the country will be in chaos."

The hustle and bustle of horses drawing water disturbed Bai Haizi's peace, the reeds fluttered in the wind, Xie Taichu picked up his crutches, lifted the curtain and got out of the carriage.

He was not fully recovered yet, when he got out of the car, he sprained in the swamp by the water and was supported by Zhao Yuan.

"Be careful." Zhao Yuan said worriedly.

Xie Taichu held his hand, squeezed it, Zhao Yuan's palm was soft and slender, it could be completely wrapped in his hand.

If there is still time, why is he not willing to hold such a hand and protect him to go on until the end of the future.

It's just... no time.

At this moment, Xie Taichu wished that time would go slower, slower... so that he could teach all the great ways he had practiced, so that Zhao Yuan's future empire could last for thousands of years.

"Xia Yu cast the Nine Tripods to fix Kyushu, and there was Huaxia." Xie Taichu said, "All kindness must not be without a bottom line, and all tolerance must not be without principles. Otherwise, everyone is innocent and everyone is lucky, and the fairness will be lost because of compassion, and the hearts of the people will be turbulent , the society collapsed."

"Your Highness killed Han Chuanjun, killed Tian Yun'en, punished Duan Baozhai... already had this kind of true meaning. He has established confidence in the army, and in the future he will command hundreds of thousands of soldiers and horses. He must follow the two principles of Taoism and law, so that all people will agree, Your Highness." What is difficult must be accomplished."

"It will be successful..." Zhao Yuan looked at him, "When you went to Beishan, I was alone in Kaiping, wandering in the former Suwang Mansion. I was thinking, it seems that from the moment I left home to go to Shuntian Mansion If you want to go home, you will be homeless; if you want to be safe, Yeling will be in chaos; if you enter Ningxia, Ningxia will be devastated... I am alone in Kaiping, afraid that you will not come back, and that the Battle of Beishan will win No. Can a weak person like me really succeed? Will everything really get better? "

Xie Taichu kissed his hair: "It will be fine."

Will be fine.

Everything will be better.

The most difficult and struggling days are over, what is lost will come back, and what is regretted will be made up.

Going down, it must be full of good news.

They left Baihaizi and went to Ningxia.

Zhao Yuan turned his head to look at Kaiping hidden in the mountains and seas—in fact, he couldn't see it.

But it seems that I can still see it faintly.

Seeing the scorched city walls, the collapsed stone lions, the pomegranate trees with dead branches...

"Come back next time and plant a new tree with me." Zhao Yuan said to Xie Taichu who was in the car while riding a big black.

At this time, Daoist Ningshan was leaning on the soft pillow, the sunlight came in through the window screen and spread on the brocade quilt.

He put down the military report in his hand and was quiet for a while.

Then he said, "Okay, let's plant trees together when we come back to Kaiping."