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The real Cheng Xi was actually still in Luling City at this moment, leisurely sitting and chatting with others.
Fang Tianxi was really confused about this woman. After drinking a few sips of tea, he couldn't help but ask, "You don't even lead the troops yourself, aren't you afraid of any trouble?"
Cheng Xi raised an eyebrow in surprise: "Didn't you, Mr. Fang, say that a son of a wealthy family shouldn't sit in the hall?"
Fang Tianxi was immediately furious: "Don't fool me! This is a land battle, not a naval battle. Can your soldiers really defeat an enemy that is several times your size?"
"Of course, isn't that what military tactics and battle formations are for? Besides, soldiers have different goals, so naturally they will show different courage and fighting spirit." Cheng Xi suddenly smiled, "Those are the elite soldiers I brought with me."
That smile was filled with undisguised pride. She truly understood her men and had confidence in them. Wasn't General Qiu the same way back then? Only those who remain calm in the face of great challenges are the ones who accomplish great things.
When Fang Tianxi thought of this, he couldn't help but feel anxious. It seemed that Sun Yuanrang didn't even dare to speak, and was still thinking of proposing marriage when he was more powerful in the future. But if you have power, she will only have more. Wouldn't it be a waste of time to hesitate?
Thinking of this, Fang Tianxi gritted his teeth and asked directly, "You came to Luling in person this time, perhaps not just to capture the city or capture Ning Fu, but also to meet other heroes in the world, right?"
Since she was so determined to capture and kill Ning Fu, her goal wasn't to kill that bastard, and her personal visit to Yuan Tianding further confirmed this point. Now that she had reached shore, she wanted to see the people in this chaotic world. Only she had such a broad mind and courage.
Cheng Xi didn't nod or shake his head, but just said, "Mr. Fang, what do you want to say when you ask this?"
Fang Tianxi looked into those eyes, deep as a lake, and sighed, "You've already guessed it, so why ask again? You've known Sun Yuanrang for a long time, and we've discussed each other's aspirations. You understand each other's character. He's someone I chose, someone who can quell a chaotic world. You too are unmarried. If you join forces, the world will surely be more stable sooner."
Cheng Xi had indeed seen that "desire for a partner" was an emotion that was difficult to conceal. Even if Sun Yuanrang didn't say anything, she could see it clearly. But to her, this thought was not important. What was important was why Fang Tianxi himself was so concerned and fueled the flames?
Cheng Xi was indeed curious, and she did ask, "Why do you want me to marry Sun Yuanrang so badly? Is it just to pacify the world?"
Fang Tianxi was silent for a moment, then shook his head. "I'm doing this for you. After all, you're Qiu Sheng's daughter. How can I bear to see you walk down a dead end?"
This was a serious remark, but Cheng Xi understood it: "You think I'm building a foundation without roots, and the bigger my family and business, the more I worry about my life?"
This was truly a sharp point. Seeing her say so, Fang Tianxi no longer hesitated. "Yes, you command a large army, but you only care about maintaining peace in a corner. Whether you manage Yuezhou or plotting against Jiangdong, it's all for the sake of managing the sea. It's like a child holding a sword. Without a core territory like Jinghu, no matter how hard you try, it will be broken by a mere edict. Where will you stay then? But if you join forces with Sun Yuanrang, you have the fleet and he has the powerful army. You can conquer half of the country in no time!"
As if afraid she was saying something daughterly, Fang Tianxi immediately added, "Xiao Sun isn't the kind of heartless person. He, too, came from an orphanage, so he'll never be unfaithful to a wife who's shared his hardships. Besides, you have warships and soldiers at your disposal, and you're a fierce general capable of killing. How could he dare treat you unfairly? Once you have a child, the world will belong to you two."
These words were truly reasonable and he truly thought of her. Looking at Fang Tianxi's slightly anxious expression, Cheng Xi smiled and said, "There is one thing that the old gentleman is not wrong about. I really have no intention of becoming emperor."
This is needless to say. The first time I met her, this girl uttered a long string of unruly and unfathered rhetoric, and even talked about what the world would be like three hundred years from now. If she really wanted to be the emperor, why would she think about all this?
It was precisely for this reason that Fang Tianxi chose Sun Yuanrang. For no other reason than that Sun Yuanrang had a heart to restore the country, not to overthrow it. Coming from a poor background, he understood the people's perspectives and would be able to govern the country with impunity. If Cheng Xi could marry Sun Yuanrang, perhaps she would even curb her wild thoughts. The people of this world shouldn't suffer because of the whims of one man.
Cheng Xi didn't stop because of the other person's expression, but continued: "As long as there is an emperor, there will be loyal ministers and generals who died because of the emperor's fear, and there will be millions of people who bleed and float because of the emperor's anger. There should be no emperor in this world. How could I become an emperor, or the woman behind the emperor?"
"Then how can you achieve the peace and prosperity you want? If the world cannot be unified and there is no king on the throne, where will the people go?" Fang Tianxi asked back. He remembered the girl's ambition and naturally wanted to hear her true words instead of those empty words.
"Of course it's like Panyu and Yuezhou. There is no king, only officials in charge, there are laws and rules, all industries are prosperous, and there is education for all." Cheng Xi said frankly.
Fang Tianxi shook his head in disappointment: "This is ridiculous and unrealistic."
Cheng Xi asked, "Why is it unrealistic? Back then, grain production was insufficient to support so many people, so human sacrifices and slavery were practiced. Later, when grain increased and more people were needed to farm, human sacrifices became despised, and clay figurines were invented. Later, when there were more fields and the court needed people to farm, the law of freeing slaves was introduced. What will become of this world when workshops are everywhere, when fresh crops are plentiful, when merchants are everywhere, and silver is plentiful?"
Cheng Xi spoke neither fast nor slow, yet every word weighed heavily on Fang Tianxi's heart. His heart suddenly began to pound, and he suddenly understood the purpose of those banks and workshops. They were never meant to make money, at least not just for the sake of it.
"But this, but this..." Fang Tianxi's lips trembled. "You think too simply. Won't the money still be in the hands of the wealthy families? If even the law can't check and balance them, who can control them?"
This was truly a brilliant thought, hitting the nail on the head. Cheng Xi smiled, "That's why I established the Gongshan Religion. No one should be a slave to others. A son is not a slave to his father, a wife is not a slave to her husband, and a minister is not a slave to the emperor. If they understand what it means to be a person, what dignity is, and what fairness is, do you think these people will still allow themselves to be bullied?"
No, they would rise up in rebellion, disobey discipline, and be dissatisfied with treatment far superior to that of slaves. People with dignity are "scholars," and they are the kind of people who can make the king bleed. Does she want to educate such people? Is this the case for the whole world?
At this moment, even Fang Tianxi's extremely intelligent mind fell into extreme confusion. This idea was too outrageous and too illogical. Why would it come out of a woman's mind? Was it just because she had no father or king?
Seeing Fang Tianxi's obviously flustered expression, Cheng Xi sighed softly: "Sir, you want to ask, why am I doing this? Why do I have to turn the beautiful mountains and rivers in front of me so hard?"
Yeah, why?!
Cheng Xi gazed into those old eyes and spoke word by word, "Because there is more than one Great Leader in the world. Just like the people of Xisai who fought me before, they now have ships far superior to mine, more powerful artillery, and a more experienced navy. They even don't know how to copy their peep show. If all the countries in the world are moving forward and growing stronger, but only you are standing still, what will you face in three to five hundred years?"
Fang Tianxi opened his mouth and uttered after a long while: "So you value the sea more..."
"The ocean is vaster than the land, and some people say it's forbidden. Why can't I take it back?" Cheng Xi sneered. "Yes, I won't become emperor, and I have no intention of ruling the world, but this door must be opened again. Someone must stand up and stir up trouble."
Her words were too blunt, too unbelievable, yet Fang Tianxi realized that this girl hadn't lied. Everything she did was moving in this direction, a fantastical attempt to halt the so-called rise and fall of dynasties. Suddenly, Fang Tianxi felt a chill run down his spine. He recalled his earlier suspicions, those doubts about "who is she?" This wasn't something Qiu Sheng's daughter could have come up with, nor was it something the world could comprehend.
"You should keep this to yourself and never tell anyone about it." After a long time, Fang Tianxi said this with difficulty.
"A son of a wealthy family shouldn't sit idle." Cheng Xi smiled. "In fact, staying here is the biggest risk for me. I'm surrounded by elite troops, and I'm so close to other people's counselors. It's really easy to die without a burial place."
Even though Fang Tianxi was extremely upset, he couldn't help but want to curse, "So you knew it too!"
"You asked me why I came to Luling. In fact, everything else is empty talk. The real business is to poach you. Mr. Fang, you have heard about my ambitions and understood my purpose. Are you willing to give in?" Cheng Xi made the invitation again seriously.
Fang Tianxi's eloquence seemed to freeze, and after a long while he said, "Why me?"
"Because you were my father's counselor, because you chose Sun Yuanrang and wanted me to marry him." Cheng Xi sighed softly, "You said that my father refused to rebel, so you left without saying goodbye. In fact, you put the cart before the horse. My father has never been a rebellious person. You should have known this a long time ago, and you have been by his side for a long time, just to use his hands to pacify the world as soon as possible. Unfortunately, a loyal minister and a good general could not save the world, so you chose another rebel, hoping that he could unify the world, and even wanted me to marry him to realize this wish as soon as possible. Mr. Fang, you have never been a strategist, but a madman who wants to save the people from suffering."
This judgment completely silenced Fang Tianxi, for this girl had cracked his shell, revealing a true heart he'd never wanted to show anyone. If he were truly a strategist, he should have chosen those with greater power, those more worthy of his "bet," not a renowned general or a young man with humble beginnings. He certainly shouldn't have been obsessed with Sun Yuanrang marrying this girl. Instead, he should have seized this opportunity to eliminate this uncooperative woman.
But he didn't do that, and he didn't even tell Sun Yuanrang how many fanciful ideas this girl had. He just wanted her to change, to get back on the "right path," because she truly was dedicated to the people and shouldn't continue to cause chaos in the world just because of different ideologies.
"If it's just a fight for the world, there are so many talented people, so many famous ministers and generals in this world, they will naturally rely on the person destined by heaven and become the claws of his dragon. But you are not like that. You don't care who the emperor is, you only care about whether he can treat the people well. You don't care about fame and success, you only care about saving the world itself. Such a person should not stay with others. Mr. Fang, you should follow me and do something unprecedented." Cheng Xi's face was full of sincerity, and there was no sign of compromise.
She never thought about changing, she just wanted more people to join and become her wings, like a roc spreading its wings, soaring thousands of miles and subverting the world.
This kind of mentality was something Sun Yuanrang didn't possess, and it was something no one else in the world could possibly match. If he followed her, he would either be remembered in history or infamous for eternity.
Fang Tianxi smiled bitterly: "I am fifty-two years old, and I don't know how many years I can live. Why are you so persistent?"
Cheng Xi also smiled, relaxed and casual: "I founded the Gongshan Sect together with Taoist Master Le. He also wants to ask, he is fifty-seven years old, why did you kidnap him to the Red Flag Gang?"
Fang Tianxi glared at her, and Cheng Xi spread her hands innocently: "I didn't say that."
This joke seemed to have broken through some barriers. Fang Tianxi's old face slowly relaxed, and he finally sighed deeply: "Let me think about it, think about it carefully."
Hearing so many shocking and crazy words, and having to think carefully about them, the meaning is self-evident. Cheng Xi did not ask any further questions, but just picked up the slightly cold tea and drank it happily. In this way, her trip was truly complete.
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