Under the old man's guidance, Lin Yu turned over the small plot of land again.

After hoeing, the old man nodded in satisfaction. "Okay, that's about right. Turn it over like this, then sow some seeds, cover it with soil, water it, and another crop of chives will grow soon!"

"Come on, I'll take you to see some other vegetables!"

The old man, looking quite pleased with himself, led Lin Yu for a stroll in the small garden, where eggplants, potatoes, cucumbers, and peppers were all available.

Lin Yu was quite surprised, not expecting that someone so busy would have the leisure to do these things.

The old man smiled and said, "I have a special feeling for the countryside. If we're being serious, our ancestors for three generations were all farmers. We can't forget our roots!"

Lin Yu smiled and nodded, "What you say is true, Elder. Your vegetable garden is very well managed!"

"It's not as easy as you think!" The old man shook his head and sighed, "What you see is only the result; the whole process of growing vegetables is something only this old man experienced himself!"

"Only by growing vegetables yourself can you truly understand how hard it is to be a farmer! Take this corn, for example. If you use too much fertilizer, it will grow vigorously, but the soil will be damaged, and its future potential will be overdrawn! If you don't fertilize it, the corn won't grow well and you won't be able to sell it. If you don't have money, you'll continue to be poor, and if you're poor, you'll be beaten. What do you think we should do?"

Lin Yu pondered for a moment and said, "As the ancients said, 'When you're poor, you don't choose a wife; when you're panicked, you don't choose a road; when you're hungry, you don't choose food!' When a person is starving and cold, they have no right to choose! Since the fact has already happened, there's no need to worry about gains and losses! After all, some things in this world cannot be judged by right or wrong!"

The Grand Secretary glanced at Lin Yu and couldn't help but nod approvingly.

"The predecessors set the tone, and the successors must follow it. It is unacceptable to betray one's ancestors and deny one's own path! This is our mission!" The Grand Secretary smiled helplessly.

Lin Yu smiled and nodded.

The old minister slowly stopped laughing, and couldn't help but sigh, "Actually, each of us comes into this world with a mission. Farmers have their mission, I have mine, and you have yours! We're all the same! No matter what role we play, everyone lives a very tiring life, alas!"

Lin Yu nodded. "We people of Great Xia are rather hypocritical. No matter what we do or what position we hold, we always want others to speak well of us. If it weren't for empty fame, there would be no one in the world who would be burdened by such things!"

The Grand Secretary was slightly taken aback, then teased him, saying, "You little rascal, are you trying to insult me ​​indirectly?"

Lin Yu quickly explained, "Your Excellency, please don't misunderstand, I wasn't talking about you!"

The Grand Secretary smiled and shook his head, saying, "You're absolutely right. Troubles have no outlet; they are brought upon ourselves. Most people spend their lives burdened by fame and fortune, and no matter what position they hold, they can't escape this vicious cycle!"

At this point, a deep sense of helplessness appeared on the old man's face. "Actually, it's not a big deal to seek fame and fortune. What's worrying is that some people go too far and become insatiably greedy!"

Lin Yu noticed the deep weariness in the old man's eyes. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Water that is too clear has no fish—an age-old truth! Humans have selfish desires; wanting water to be clear is inherently against nature and unrealistic!"

The Grand Secretary's eyes flickered. "What brilliant idea do you have?"

Lin Yu took a few steps and began to speak eloquently, “I have spent many years overseas and have experienced the customs and cultures of various countries. In my observation, the people of our Great Xia are the most intelligent, but also the most cunning and complex.”

"For five thousand years, regardless of rise and fall, the people have always suffered. This is not caused by the rulers, the people, or the officials; ultimately, it is the people's hearts!"

Lin Yu paused, then continued, "For example, the term 'human relationships and social customs' is unique to our Great Xia. Discussing human relationships and social customs here is not meant to be derogatory. On the contrary, it perfectly aligns with the ancient Chinese concept of Yin and Yang! Human nature is inherently dark and selfish, and what we need to do is not to eradicate the darkness, but to curb its rampant spread, while simultaneously bringing out the positive side! A person should fulfill their duties, take responsibility, and be able to play their role. That's enough!"

"What we should be wary of are those good-for-nothings who, when faced with trouble, dare not take responsibility for their actions, fearing they will lose their jobs! There is another type: hypocrites who are full of benevolence and morality, but once they are put in that position, they may do more outrageous things than anyone else!"

The Grand Secretary's eyes lit up, and he subconsciously asked, "Then how do we distinguish between these two types of people?"

Lin Yu's lips curled slightly as he said calmly, "Since ancient times, great falsehoods have resembled truth, and great treachery has resembled loyalty. I'm sure you, Grand Secretary, understand this principle better than I do!"

The Grand Secretary scrutinized Lin Yu for three seconds, then shook his head and chuckled.

"You lad, you seem to be talking about 'human relationships and social customs,' but you're actually using a double entendre! Not simple, not simple at all!" the Grand Secretary couldn't help but exclaim.

Lin Yu blushed and quickly said, "Elder, please don't take it to heart. I was just saying it casually. You are in this position, and you have naturally seen more than I have!"

"Don't belittle yourself!" The Grand Secretary waved his hand. "You're right, a great villain may appear loyal. Although my old eyes are failing, I can still see it clearly!"

"I have never doubted your father!"

The Grand Secretary glanced at him and said calmly, "Back then, it was I who gave permission for the Fengtian Army to govern independently. I trust Yuanlong!"

But then he turned around, stared at Lin Yu, and his eyes suddenly became sharp. “Young man, the tallest tree in the forest is bound to be felled by the wind. You are so smart, you should understand the saying that it is lonely at the top!”

"Even I, the Grand Secretary, must exercise restraint within the cabinet! Since you speak of following the natural order, you should understand even more clearly that 'the dragon that soars too high will regret it,' and you are destined to pay the price!"

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