"impossible!"

This was the answer given by Xia Xiao. He also said what he could think of at the first glance. Although his answer was clumsy, it made sense.

"You should understand that even if the trunk has no roots, as long as it is inserted into the earth, with the nectar transformed by the people and soldiers, it can grow roots again. Although it is a little tender and fragile, it can survive without you."

"It can't compete with the big trees around it for nutrients, so it will die sooner or later."

"Then the new roots will be thicker!"

The old man stopped and turned to leave.

"I have informed everyone. If you insist on doing something that is detrimental to Daxia, I will definitely teach you a lesson."

"The leader of an ally should behave properly. The soldiers of the Southern Kingdom are also human beings. If they have intentions that are detrimental to Daxia, I will be the first to rush forward and kill them without leaving a single piece of armor. But if they have good intentions, I will definitely not let them feel disappointed in Daxia."

Xia Xiao stared at the old man's back as he gradually walked out, but the voice did not fade away. It was like some kind of nightmare that was difficult to get rid of, always lingering in Xia Xiao's mind.

The old man did not answer this time. He was more certain than Xia Xiao about what he wanted to do, what he should do, how to do it, and how to achieve his goal. So he answered Xia Xiao with silence, and also told the latter not to go against him, otherwise he would be targeted and retaliated by the imperial army.

Du Lao listened to the old man, he would not come to find Xia Xiao, he couldn't do anything with his current strength, the old man was just worried that Du Lao would do something that deviated from his plan, he was an outsider after all, he couldn't be missing and was difficult to control, only through Xia Xiao. But Xia Xiao's eyes in the candlelight were very firm, he immediately walked out the door and went to find Xia Jinghong.

The Imperial Army was mysterious. Xia Jinghong had never dealt with anyone in it, nor had he received any orders in the name of the Imperial Army. But it did exist. In the Great Xia competition, most of those who arrived at the Imperial Capital, Yinxun, but were not selected by the Academy joined the Imperial Army for long-term training. They often hid under black robes, seemingly invisible to the public, which was also a way to hide their feelings.

After listening to Xia Xiao's detailed account, Xia Jinghong's face was as gloomy as water, and his words were full of worry.

"Their cold-bloodedness and inhumanity are well known, but if we don't follow their path, the consequences are still unknown."

Xia Jinghong and Xia Xu are strong enough to protect themselves, but Wan'er will leave them sooner or later, and Xiao Rong, who is far away at home, may be harmed. But if they let the people of Nanguo and Shelieguo die, firstly, Xia Wan will not be well fed when she returns to Nanguo, and secondly, it is against their conscience, which makes them extremely entangled.

"Xiao'er, I can't get involved in this matter, and the Xia family army can't get involved."

Xia Jinghong said this after much hesitation, and his eyes were dodging when he looked at Xia Xiao. Since childhood, Xia Jinghong taught Xia Xiao to distinguish between black and white, but now he is in the dark, it is difficult to move forward. But it's not that he doesn't dare, but that he can't. If he wants to keep those in the light safe, someone must stand in the dark.

Xia Xiao understood, but there was an indescribable feeling in his heart. It was really disappointing that the world was like this.

"Father, trees grow upwards and always have a general direction, so most of them are straight. But if the roots growing downwards are crooked, they will keep wandering in the darkness and lose their way. What do you think, should I intervene?"

"I can't do it because of Wan'er and your mother. The Xia family army can't participate because they are my soldiers. They have been guarding the desolate northern border for many years. It's been hard enough. I want to take them back. As for you, you are not only Xia Xiao of the Xia family, but also Xia Xiao of the academy, and a follower of the Pope of the Zou Shou Church. You don't have to worry about so many things. Take advantage of the power behind you and do whatever you want. Even if it involves us, don't worry!"

Xia Jinghong was an upright person, but he would leave the task of upholding justice to Xia Xiao. With this, the two of them, one in front and one behind, completely changed their original formation.

"Dad, you know me. I'm not a pushover. There are some guys in the South and Sheli who I dislike, but this matter..."

"No need to say more, just do what you want!"

Xia Xiao nodded and went back to his room alone. Perhaps he didn't think as much as the old man, nor as far-sighted as him, and he only considered the surface. But once he wanted to intervene in something, he would never give up halfway.

Lying on the bed, Xia Xiao's mind wandered, and an idea kept repeating in his mind, which made him sure that the actions of the imperial army might not be all right. Under their leadership, Daxia could not move towards a bright future. It was true that the guys in the dark could see the bright side more clearly, but once they went astray, the light in their eyes would become another kind of darkness.

Not far from the bed, there is a closed window. Behind the window is a potted plant that is almost withered. This flower seedling was healthy and green a few days ago. But yesterday, Xia Xiao found that its roots broke out of the pot and left the soil. Within a day, its health was not as good as before.

The current Daxia is it, with its unknown roots in the darkness rooted in a remote place, stubbornly going out. It uses all its strength to break through the hard flowerpot, firmly believing that it will succeed, because everything outside the flowerpot is beautiful.

But when he succeeds, he will find that everything is different from what he imagined. But by then, the flower seedling will be killed by the root's recklessness and arrogance. Xia Xiao wants to avoid that situation, not for the overall situation, but for his family. But how to do it, he is still thinking. Soon, he has a solution, and everyone will agree.

"Just wait and see!"

There was no one around Xia Xiao, but the face in the dark was extremely persistent, like a challenge. However, the next day, when he informed the emperor of this idea, even though he had received the order from the imperial army, he approved Xia Xiao's request after repeated consideration. Xia Xiao's behavior was extremely risky, but as long as they survived that battle, Nan Shang would definitely send troops again. In this way, the number of troops of the Southern Kingdom and Shelie would be crushed, and the Great Xia Alliance would have to send troops again.

However, in order to persuade the many ministers controlled by the imperial army, Su Zhongmou, with his iron will and steel courage, cooperated with a royal minister beside him, and was unbeatable in terms of status and wisdom. The two of them used this to debate with the scholars, and won the victory without the emperor saying a word, causing many counselors to retreat from the palace in disgrace.

In the huge hall, Su Zhongmou, a loyal and righteous man, and the minister beside him with a gloomy look, raised their cups and drank tea together. It is a pity that the world has changed. What is thought-provoking is that even if Daxia resists the attack of Nanshang, it will perish because of the contradiction between the roots and the trunk and leaves.

Su Zhongmou slumped in his chair, feeling a little desperate. He looked at the bright sun outside the hall and said weakly:

"Last year, the Imperial Army swallowed up the National Elderly House, and you were able to escape from it. I didn't expect that you would face a bigger opponent now. How do you feel?"

"Do your best to see the road clearly and lead Daxia on the right path. As for where we will end up and when we will disappear, it is difficult to control and there is no point in overthinking."

"In two years, my daughter and Qingling should be back. By then, you and I will have strong enough practitioners to support us, and we can truly regulate the government and suppress the imperial army."

Sitting next to Su Zhongmou was Si Qingling's father, but he was exhausted both physically and mentally at this moment, and he shook his head and sighed.

"How many loyal officials have wanted to change the imperial army over the generations? But a tree can never be separated from its roots. Everything we insist on now is just to vent our anger on ourselves. One day, when we are exhausted by this Great Xia, we can either cut our own throats with two pieces of white silk or slash our own throats with a sword. It will be our own end, and it will be a blessing. Unfortunately, we will be smashed into the earth in an unknown place, and there will be no news from then on, and our wives and children will be implicated, and we will end up in a tragic situation where our families are broken and it is difficult to find them."

"When did you become so pessimistic?"

"I can't be optimistic, so I'll just take it one step at a time!"

Su Zhongmou frowned as he sent his confidant away, but there was something in his heart that he couldn't let go of. As a counselor, he gradually understood why he did that, and finally sighed and sang:

"There are many loyal ministers and good generals, but the world is unfair, and everyone has his own opinions. The consequences are unpredictable!"

Su Zhongmou drank tea like a madman, the water in the teapot slid down from his mouth to his neck, it was slightly cool in winter, but it made his tears hot. He walked out of the hall, facing the bright sun, his steps like a drunk. But when he walked under it, his face straightened, his waist straightened, his eyes glanced behind him, but he didn't turn around, but his attitude changed drastically, and he walked away after waving his sleeves.

In the darkness of the hall, there was a man in a black robe, very strange. No one knew when he came from, and no one knew what he was doing, but he was watching everything with ill intentions, as if he was going to do something big.