Chapter 582: No Escape
Just like that, with less than an hour left before the new year, the emperors of Qian, Hui, Jue and Ji finalized the strategy for this great battle in Longchan Temple.
This also means that this war, which is destined to go down in the history of several countries, can no longer be avoided.
How many people would die in such a war? What impact would it have on the people of the three kingdoms of Daning, Dashu, and Xinfeng? Everyone knew these things.
But Lu Hongji and the other three did not show any hesitation or guilt.
In an age of great contention, one general's success comes at the cost of the lives of thousands of men.
This is even more true for the country.
The strong will be strong, the weak will perish.
Any mercy and kindness are unnecessary when it comes to matters concerning the fate of a country; everyone only thinks about one thing.
That is how to maximize your own interests and how to become the king of this world.
From this perspective, although these four emperors formed an alliance, they certainly had their own plans in mind, but the time has not yet come for them to reveal their true colors.
Therefore, the civil strife that lasted for two years between Feng and Ning was more like a godsend opportunity, giving them the chance to realize their respective ambitions.
"Someone come!"
“Bring some wine!!”
“.”
Soon, the glass was full of wine, and every drop was filled with imperial power.
Holding the wine cup high, Lu Hongji stood up for the first time.
As the "host", the meal started with him and naturally he should also end it.
His eyes swept over the other three people one by one, and regardless of whether it was true or false, his voice became extremely heroic at this moment.
"Everyone!"
"The sky is filled with murderous intent, and the stars are moving! The earth is filled with murderous intent, and dragons and snakes are rising from the land!"
"Next year at this time, we will be remembered in history and admired by generations to come!"
"This incident!"
“It will definitely work!!”
Shuzhou City, Weiyang Palace.
Compared with the excitement in Longchan Temple, the atmosphere in Weiyang Palace was still so luxurious.
Wei Changtian, Ning Yuke and You Wenzon stood on the red wall, overlooking the prosperous scene below, while Wei Xianzhi, Xu Qingwan and others were drinking and chatting not far behind them.
Mountains and seas topple the palaces, and the stars in the rivers and mountains hang upside down.
Countless flying lanterns connect the sky and the earth, and everywhere you look is red flames.
At this moment, it seems that everyone is experiencing the happiest and most beautiful time.
And Wei Changtian finally vaguely understood why You Wenzon insisted on holding such a banquet.
"Prince Wei, Your Majesty, Prime Minister You."
"Su Sheng just wrote a poem to praise the prosperity of the Great Shu"
“.”
Beside him, the young eunuch softly recited the poem that Su Wu had just written. The three of them were slightly stunned after hearing it.
I have to say, I don’t know if it was because of the wine or because the event was so luxurious, but it gave Su Wu a very real "fairyland" experience.
In short, his poem is indeed excellent and it is a performance above his level.
"Because I know that the fairy cave on the sea is just like a rich and noble home on earth"
Wei Changtian repeated it several times in a low voice and looked at everything in front of him.
Rather than saying that Su Wu is exaggerating, it would be better to say that he is being "realistic".
He knew that this poem would soon become popular and become a model work for writing about the "prosperous times", and perhaps it would be passed down through the ages.
It’s just that poems can be passed down forever, but a prosperous era may not.
"Sir, won't you write a poem?"
Suddenly, You Wenzong beside him asked with a smile: "If you can write another poem, the two poems will shine together, and this feast tonight will be complete."
"Write poetry?"
Wei Changtian was stunned for a moment, looked at You Wenzon, then looked at Ning Yuke who seemed to be expecting something, and then shook his head at the two's slightly surprised gazes.
"Let's just write poetry."
"This poem by Su Sheng is already very good, so I won't embarrass myself by showing it off."
“.”
Obviously, Wei Changtian's refusal was beyond the expectations of You Wenzon and Ning Yuke.
After all, the former's poetic talent has been repeatedly proven and is definitely not inferior to Su Wu.
What's more, today's occasion is so special. If I could write a poem of similar quality, it would surely become a good story in the future.
But Wei Changtian just didn't want to write poetry.
Of course he is not unable to recite it.
There are so many poems describing prosperous times in the past life, and any one of them would be more profound than Su Wu's poem which only describes the scenery.
Therefore, the reason why Wei Changtian was unwilling to pretend to be so was simply because he had no interest in it.
Or, in other words, he had no interest in praising all this "Yu Xiang."
Turning his head to look at You Wen Zong, Wei Changtian's voice was not loud.
"I will not write poetry anymore."
“But I have a few words to say.”
I have something to say.
Wei Changtian could have just said what he wanted to say without adding this sentence.
So it was obvious that his words were not simply meant for Ning Yuke and You Wenzon.
"Someone come!"
“Drum roll!”
You Wenzon understood Wei Changtian's meaning in an instant and immediately ordered people to beat the giant drum on the city wall.
As the dull drumbeats sounded, all the noise and bustle in the Weiyang Palace gradually stopped.
Everyone stopped talking and looked up at the red wall, their eyes focused on Wei Changtian who was standing in the front.
He was dressed in a black robe and faced the entire Shuzhou City, like the only darkness in the light.
"It's Master Wei!"
"Master Wei, do you also want to write a poem?"
“It doesn’t look like it.”
“.”
At the foot, many people were whispering, noticing that the person who was speaking was not Ning Yuke.
It's not that they don't know the relationship between Ning Yuke and the Wei family, but they are a little surprised by Wei Changtian's current actions.
After all, Ning Yuke is the nominal empress of Da Shu, and it is her turn to say a few words of congratulations.
Moreover, Wei Changtian had never given a "speech" on such a large-scale occasion before.
So, what did Young Master Wei want to say? The same question appeared in everyone's mind, including Xu Qingwan, Yang Liushi, Liang Qin and others who were standing not far behind Wei Changtian.
For a moment, everyone looked at the man who was in the center of the prosperous world, quietly waiting for him to write a poem, congratulate the new year, or "Everyone, I just heard the poem written by Su Shengxin."
His eyes fell on Su Wu, Wei Changtian smiled and nodded slightly at the former.
"This poem describes the prosperity of our Great Shu today. Every word and sentence is absolutely perfect."
"But have you ever thought about where such a prosperous era came from?"
“.”
It seemed like just a moment, and Wei Changtian used just one question to make the entire Weiyang Palace fall into silence.
Where does such prosperity come from?
This question seems easy to answer.
Because of Ning Yuke? Because of the Wei family? Because of him, Wei Changtian? Looking at the figure standing in the wind, everyone knew that Wei Changtian was not going to give these "standard answers".
The stars are brilliant, covering all directions.
After a pause, Wei Changtian pointed at the huge golden dragon beside Su Wu in silence.
"Everyone, do you know where this golden dragon came from?"
"It took more than a hundred craftsmen half a month to carve and inlay it day and night."
"I don't know if this matter is relevant."
"But you should know where the wine in your hands came from."
“From planting rice to brewing fine wine, how many steps are there? How much manpower is required?”
"Even if you don't know, you should know the general idea."
“.”
When Wei Changtian suddenly started talking about some inexplicable things, all the joy seemed to come to an abrupt end.
Some people have roughly understood what he wants to say, while others are still confused.
But Wei Changtian didn't stop yet.
“And the clothes we wear, whether they are made of linen, cloth, silk or satin, are all made by someone with thousands of stitches.”
"Another example is the sword on a warrior's waist, and the sheath outside the sword."
"The pen in the hands of the writer, the paper under the pen."
“A bed for you to sleep on, a house for you to rest in”
"Do you know where all of these come from?"
“.”
Having said that, it was obvious what Wei Changtian wanted to express.
Everyone stared blankly with their eyes wide open, their breathing becoming rapid.
If he had said something like "People are the foundation of the country" or "People are the most important, the country is second, and the king is the least important" at this time, it would undoubtedly raise the level of this speech to a higher level.
However, Wei Changtian did not say these, but just shook his head slightly.
"Everyone, you are all important officials of Dashu."
"I know that each of you must be well-educated and well-read, and most of you come from prominent families, and have never had to worry about food and clothing since childhood."
"And what about the people in Shuzhou City?"
"They have never been to school and can't read a single word."
"They have never learned martial arts, and perhaps have never even touched a sword."
"They don't have much money and only have two or even one simple meal a day."
"They have no ambition, let alone a promising future."
“You may look down on them.”
"But the prosperity you see actually comes from each and every one of them."
“.”
As Wei Changtian's voice grew louder, more and more flying lanterns swayed in the night sky.
Looking at these flying lanterns rising from all over Shuzhou City, everyone in the Weiyang Palace felt as if they were seeing ordinary faces.
The sudden surge of emotions in my heart turned into trembling of my body, into clenched fists, and into an unprecedented excitement.
Especially for someone like Xu Qingwan who came from an ordinary background, her eyes had already turned red.
Since ancient times, the king has been noble and the people have been humble.
Therefore, since ancient times, it has been difficult for the ruler and the people to truly be of one mind.
But now, Wei Changtian wanted to tell these hundreds of court officials and the people of the world.
This Great Shu does not belong to Ning Yuke, nor to the Wei family, but to everyone!
"Everyone!"
With a "clang" sound, Wei Changtian suddenly pulled out the shadow, raised his long sword high, and spoke every word clearly and frankly.
"I'm sure you all know about the upcoming invasion by the four nations!"
"If the enemy succeeds, this prosperous era will no longer exist!"
"The prosperous era is about to fall, and the abyss is at hand. Are you willing to fight to the death with me?!"
"Use swords made from the forged peoples, wear garments made from the sewn peoples, and drink wine made from the brewed peoples!"
"Then keep them, no, our prosperity!"
"Are you willing?!"
“.”
"willing!!"
"I am willing to do so!!"
"For Dashu! For the people! Fight those sons of bitches!!"
"I'd rather die than retreat!!"
"Kill the thief!"
“Kill the thief!!”
“Kill the thief!!!”
A moment later, deafening shouts resounded throughout the Weiyang Palace.
These big shots who are usually high and mighty now look like young swordsmen with boiling blood.
They trembled, and shouted out in great excitement and innocence, "childish" words that would never have come out of their mouths before, and knelt down in groups under the red wall.
Even Ning Yuke almost forgot her current identity.
She bit her lips tightly, staring at Wei Changtian's profile in a daze, watching him suddenly slash his sword into the city wall at his feet, watching him shout in the most determined tone in the light that connected the sky and the earth:
"good!"
"Anyone who dares to offend me will be punished!"
"I will never regret this oath even if I die!"
He turned around suddenly and snatched a jar of wine from a palace maid who was standing there in a daze.
Wei Changtian raised his head and took a big sip, then laughed while holding the jar of wine:
"Everyone!"
"Have a good drink tonight!"
"Tomorrow I will sober up and kill the thief!!"
With endless free and easy spirit and heroism, the smell of wine went straight into the sky and turned into a starlight among the flying lights in the sky.
Countless people in Shuzhou City who were celebrating the New Year looked up at the colorful lights that seemed real and illusory, with the happiest smiles on their faces.
The people actually knew that the four countries were about to invade.
But "Her father, do you think Shuzhou City will still be like this at this time next year?"
In the crowded crowd, a woman held a little girl's hand and whispered to the man beside her: "Will the thieves come to our place?"
"How should I know?"
Shaking his head, the dark-skinned man smiled and said, "This is something the officials in the court should think about. You and I should just cultivate our own fields."
"But if we can really reach Shuzhou City, we should think about what to do then!"
The woman was a little anxious: "Even if we are escaping, we need a place to go!"
"Escape? Where can you escape to?"
The man touched the tip of his nose and said, "If the bandits really reached Shuzhou City, then other places would have already fallen into their hands."
"Going to Dali?"
The woman lowered her voice and asked, "Don't you have a cousin in Dali?"
"But."
The man was about to say something when he suddenly heard a childish voice:
"Dad, Mom, the city is so nice! Why do we have to run away?"
"Good boy Jiu'er, you don't understand."
The woman touched the girl's head and said in a much softer voice: "Because some bad guys are coming, Dad and Mom are afraid that you will be bullied, so we are going to a place where there are no bad guys."
"oh"
The little girl responded with a half-understood voice, then raised her head and asked again: "But mother, where are there no bad people?"
"Besides, if a bad guy comes, we can just drive him away!"
"Why did you run away?"
"Are those big brothers in official uniforms ignoring us?"
“.”
Looking at their daughter's confused eyes, the woman and the man were stunned for a moment.
They subconsciously turned their heads to look at the police officers patrolling the street, seeing the smile on their faces and the swords at their waists.
There were many pedestrians on the busy streets, but no one was afraid of these officers, and no one was afraid of their swords.
Because now all the people in Shuzhou City know that government officials will never do anything illegal.
At this moment, the couple suddenly felt a little guilty.
"Her father."
"Um"
The two looked at each other and finally made up their minds.
"Okay, let's not run away."
"Let's help those big brothers drive away the bad guys."
“.”
"Um!"
The little girl nodded happily, and her attention was soon attracted by a vendor selling lanterns not far away.
"Dad! I want to buy a lantern! Just buy the smallest one!"
"Hahaha, let's go! Let's go and take a look!"
"Okay! Mom! Hurry up!"
"Here we go! Run slower, don't fall!"
“.”
The ancient city reflects thousands of years of history.
Everything in the city is so colorful and magnificent.
In the future, there may be many soldiers who never return, wanderers who drift around, and endless war smoke.
Therefore, some people think that tonight is the last prosperous night for the Fengning countries.
But many people also feel that this should never be the "last".
(Volume 6, End)
(End of this chapter)
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