Lu Tu continued, "And what about your Red Turban Army? Does it still exist?"
Xiang Ze shook his head with a wry smile: "When I fled to Longcheng, I met some fellow villagers from Qingzhou. They said that three months ago, the imperial court sent 30,000 troops and wiped out the Red Turban Army in Qingzhou."
This was entirely within Lü Tu's expectations; not just anyone could succeed in starting a rebellion.
Of all the peasant uprisings in history, only Liu Bang and Zhu Yuanzhang were able to achieve this. Strictly speaking, Liu Bang was not even a true peasant. His starting point was to become sworn brothers with Xiang Yu. The early hard battles were mainly won by Xiang Yu. But the Liu family had one strength: no matter how badly Xiang Yu defeated them, the historians dared to record it, and they dared to acknowledge it.
However, many more peasant uprisings, like the Red Turban Army founded by Xiang Ze and his followers, disappeared into the dust of history, not even making a ripple.
People with this kind of vision will only end up in ruin.
Lu Tu patted him on the shoulder: "How many people know what you did in Qingzhou?"
Xiang Ze said in a deep voice, "There were two people, but you killed them both in Baoma Village that day, which is why I was seriously injured."
Lu Tu nodded: "If you really want to join my ranks, I won't treat you differently because of your past achievements. You'll have to start all over again. Are you willing to do that?"
Xiang Ze cupped his hands and said, "I am willing! To be honest, Lord Lü, you are the most ambitious and magnanimous person I have ever met. You are not only quick-witted but also exceptionally skilled. If you value my previous experience and entrust me with important responsibilities right away, I might not think much of you."
Upon hearing this, Lü Tu burst into laughter: "You are quite honest."
"Xiang Ze dares not hide anything from you, sir. You are the savior of Xiang Ze and his father. I would give my life to you!"
Lu Tu couldn't stand these words and immediately narrowed his eyes slightly: "Oh?"
Then, with a flick of his wrist, he tossed the dagger hidden in his wrist over. Xiang Ze caught it in confusion: "Sir, are you asking me to commit suicide?"
Seeing that Lü Tu remained silent, Xiang Ze understood. He also knew that his origins were too dangerous. If his enemies knew that he was still here, it would definitely pose a threat to the village.
Besides, he has already said it, so if he can't do it, wouldn't he be slapping himself in the face?
Thinking of this, Xiang Ze gritted his teeth and looked at Lü Tu: "My lord, I will never forget your life-saving grace, but I beg you to raise my Yong'er until he is 14 years old? Just 14 years old is enough. My Xiang family's son will definitely not be a freeloader. He will surely be able to help you then!"
After saying that, Xiang Ze raised his knife and stabbed it into his heart, but the next second Lu Tu kicked his wrist, causing the dagger to fly out and stick into the ground.
Lu Tu shouted angrily, "Fool! You're the most stupid thing ever!"
Xiang Ze was stunned by Lü Tu's sudden and stern rebuke. He looked at Lü Tu with a blank and humiliated expression. He wanted to open his mouth to refute, but Lü Tu was the savior of him and his father. Morally speaking, he could not do such a thing.
"Sir, I know what you're thinking. If only one of us, father and son, can live, please take Yong'er in. He knows nothing and is easy to control!"
Lu Tu gave him a deep look. When a father says such things to another man, he is willing to give up his dignity and life to protect his children.
Fatherly love in China is like this: silent and steadfast. They don't offer their children warm greetings or heartfelt words.
More often, they express their love silently through their actions.
Many people have heard their fathers say at the dinner table, "I don't like this."
Lu Tu raised his leg and kicked Xiang Ze in the stomach. Xiang Ze instinctively tried to block it with his hand, but he held back and took the kick with his stomach.
When he was kicked to the ground and rolled twice by Lü Tu, and got up covered in dust, he was furious!
Just as he was about to open his mouth to question her, he heard Lu Tu's resounding words: "What makes you think I can take your life? Did you live your whole life just to repay a favor to me? For this favor, you'd rather give up your own life and let your son be controlled by me? You think this is righteousness? Wrong, this is just being opportunistic!"
Xiang Ze roared in resentment, "Sir, didn't you just tell me to commit suicide?"
Lu Tu flicked his wrist again, producing a crisp apple. This was one he had brought from the Wang family, intended for cultivating penicillin, but since they were all good, he had picked it out. He was usually reluctant to eat it himself, so Song Yuxi would force it into Lu Tu's hand every day.
"I asked you to peel an apple and see how good your knife skills are! Who told you to be so presumptuous as to attempt suicide? Did I go through all that trouble to save you from the clutches of the King of Hell just so you could kill yourself in front of me? How could you be so shameless?"
Xiang Ze's limbs were stiff, as if he had been struck by lightning, and he stood there stunned.
He had never looked at the problem from this perspective. The education he received from childhood was based on the traditional values of scholars: "A great man remembers the kindness of others for a thousand years, and a scholar will die for one who understands him."
He was willing to give up everything to repay the debt of saving his life, including his own life and his son's future, but he never even considered that.
Lu Tu continued, "How can I trust a man who would abandon his own life and his son to protect the village? How can he be worthy of being a father?"
Xiang Ze was overwhelmed with shame. This dignified man, a towering figure, was now sobbing uncontrollably under Lü Tu's constant questioning.
"My lord, I was wrong, I was terribly wrong!"
Xiang Ze bent his knees and knelt down in front of Lü Tu with a thud: "My lord, as you said, I am indeed a very selfish person, which is why I made that choice. You are right to reprimand me. I am not worthy of being a father."
He was about to kowtow to Lü Tu when Lü Tu stopped him. Xiang Ze looked up in confusion: "My lord?"
"Do you know why it's so easy for others to join my ranks, but you have to endure all sorts of difficulties from me?"
"I have enemies."
Lu Tu chuckled and said, "Your few enemies are nothing! They're just greedy and reckless fools who can't even protect themselves. Do you think they deserve to be my enemies?"
Upon hearing Lü Tu's words, a glimmer of hope flashed in Xiang Ze's eyes: "My lord, what do you mean?"
“Indeed! Back in BMW Village, you were willing to help a complete stranger, which shows you are loyal. To repay a debt of gratitude, you volunteered to join my ranks, which shows you are devoted. You were willing to stab yourself in the heart with a knife at my word, that takes courage. How can I treat someone like that in a normal way? Naturally, I must put you through many tests.”
Xiang Ze exclaimed in surprise, "Sir, weren't you just scolding me for my foolish behavior? How did it turn into a good thing?"
Lu Tu glared at him: "Shut up!"
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