"I've been thinking all afternoon about the assassin incident at noon. Searching: \(¨Complete¨ Book¨ Divine¨ Station¨) Read high-quality literature for free. The army escorting the Jin dog is our Han people, but when the assassin attacked, the Han person actually used his body to block the arrow for the Jin dog. I used to hear people say how the Han army was so weak in combat and that those who surrendered to the Jin were even more afraid of death. This kind of thing, I really can't figure out why..."

Leaving the Liang'an Inn, the road outside was a lane with few pedestrians. As You Hongzhuo walked, he spoke in a low voice. After he said this, the Zhao gentleman turned his head to look at him, probably not expecting that he was troubled by this matter, but then he smiled bitterly and opened his mouth. He lowered his voice slightly, but the reason was really too simple.

"This matter... there's nothing strange about it. Now Daqi is supported by the Jurchens, and they are the real superiors. In the past few years, there haven't been many major rebellions on the surface, but assassinations in the dark have been constant. But when it involves the Jurchens, the punishment is the most severe. Once these Jurchen family members have an accident, the soldiers will be held jointly responsible, and their families will be implicated. Look at the people on that road today, if the Jurchens investigate, killing them all wouldn't be a big deal... This has happened in the past few years."

As Mr. Zhao spoke of this matter, his tone was calm, merely stating the obvious reality. You Hongzhuo didn't know what to say for a moment.

"That person blocked an arrow for the Jurchen nobleman, which saved everyone's lives. Otherwise, if one Jurchen died, at least a hundred Han people would pay with their lives. What do you think they can do?" Mr. Zhao looked at him, his eyes gentle, "Besides, this may not be the main reason."

The lights ahead gradually brightened, and the two had walked out of the lane and onto a street with pedestrians.

"Whether it's war or peacetime, look here, people have to live, have to make a living. Only a few years have passed since the Wu Dynasty left the Central Plains, and everyone is still thinking about resisting. But in reality, there is no way to move up. Soldiers want to become generals, and even if they can't, they want to earn more money to support their families. Businessmen want to become wealthy, and farmers want to become landlords..."

As Mr. Zhao spoke, he pointed to the few pedestrians on the street: "I know what you're thinking, young brother You. Even if you can't change anything, at least you shouldn't do evil. Even if you have to do evil, when facing these Jurchens, you shouldn't sincerely rely on them. Even if you rely on them, when you see them about to die, you should try to stand by and watch... But, three or five years is a long time for a person, and even more difficult for a family. Every day you go against your conscience, living frugally, waiting for the Wu Dynasty people to come back? Your women at home have to eat, your children have to drink, how long can you bear to watch? To be honest, even if the Wu Dynasty can really fight back, it will be ten or twenty years later. Many people will spend half their lives here, and half a lifetime can determine the lives of two generations. The Jurchens are the best path to advancement, so the soldiers who are afraid of death on the battlefield risk their lives to protect the Jurchens, which is not surprising."

The two walked forward. After Mr. Zhao finished speaking simply and plainly, You Hongzhuo opened his mouth hesitantly. He could certainly think of the first half of the punishment that the other party said, but he was somewhat confused about the second half. He was still young and naturally couldn't understand the weight of survival, nor could he understand the benefits and importance of relying on the Jurchens.

He was confused for a while: "Then... senior, are you saying that they are not bad people..."

Mr. Zhao patted him on the shoulder: "You asked me why this is happening, so I'm telling you the reason. If you ask me why the Jin people want to conquer, I can tell you the reason as well. But the reason has nothing to do with good or bad. For us, they are unreservedly bad people, that's for sure."

"Then what should we do..."

"We should kill their people, force their wives to death, and throw their children to their deaths." Mr. Zhao's tone was gentle. You Hongzhuo turned his head to look at him, but he only saw a casual and matter-of-course expression. "Because one thing is certain, if there are more people like this, no matter what the reason, the Jurchens will rule the Central Plains faster. At that time, the Han people will only be able to be like dogs, using their lives to please others. So, no matter what their reasons are, killing them is not wrong."

"Yes," You Hongzhuo said.

On this journey, the two had traveled together for three days. Mr. Zhao had chatted with You Hongzhuo a lot. Whenever he had doubts in his heart, Mr. Zhao's explanation would often enlighten him. As for the Han soldier who risked his life for the Jin person, You Hongzhuo, being young, naturally felt that killing him would be the most satisfying. But at this time, the gentle but murderous words that Mr. Zhao spoke made him feel a little lost for some reason.

After that, the two walked along the streets of Zezhou City. They found a teahouse on the most bustling street and ordered tea and snacks in front of a window on the second floor overlooking the street. Mr. Zhao said, "I have some things to do. Wait for me here for a moment." Then he left. The prosperity of Zezhou City was not comparable to the major cities of the Central Plains and Jiangnan in the past, but the sweet pastries and the melodious singing of the singers in the teahouse were a rare enjoyment for You Hongzhuo. He ate two pastries and looked at the dazzling lights around him. His mind couldn't help but return to the confusing matter.

As he waited, Mr. Zhao returned and sat across from him, drinking tea: "I saw you thinking about something. It's a good thing that you have a problem in your heart."

"Mr. Zhao..."

Mr. Zhao held his teacup and looked out the window, his expression becoming serious—he hadn't had such a serious expression even when he was talking about killing the entire family of the Han soldier, but now it was different: "There are several types of Jianghu people. Those who follow others and drift with the tide are just ruffians in the green forest, with no future. Those who only ask about the steel knife in their hands, straightforward and enjoying grievances, may one day become a generation of heroes. There are also cowards who carefully consider everything and struggle with right and wrong, maybe they will become wealthy landowners with many descendants. Most people who practice martial arts take these three paths."

He took a sip of tea and paused: "But only those who take the fourth path can become true grandmasters."

You Hongzhuo stood up: "Mr. Zhao, I..." He cupped his fist and was about to kneel down, which was the great ceremony to ask to become a disciple, but the other party reached out and supported him, pushing him back onto the chair: "I have a story. If you want to hear it, listen to it before you say anything else."

You Hongzhuo nodded quickly. Mr. Zhao smiled: "This is something that not many people in the green forest know. The strongest martial artist of the previous generation, Iron Arm Zhou Tong, and the Heart Devil Ning Yi, once met twice. Zhou Tong had an upright character, while Heart Devil Ning Yi was ruthless. The two meetings were not pleasant... It is said that the first time was after the Water Margin Liangshan was destroyed. Iron Arm stepped forward to save his disciple Lin Chong. At the same time, he received an order from the Grand Commandant's Mansion to kill Heart Devil..."

Pedestrians came and went on the street, and the teahouse was filled with flickering lights. Amidst the singing of the singers and the sound of the erhu of the old man, You Hongzhuo listened to the senior in front of him talk about the anecdotes of the martial arts world many years ago. Zhou Tong and Heart Devil met in Shandong. Later, there was the turbulent flood, the old man running around during the grain disaster, Heart Devil's turning the tide in the capital, and Zhou Tong's thousand-mile journey to defend Heart Devil in the conflict between the Jianghu people and Heart Devil, and then the unhappy breakup due to Heart Devil's cruel methods...

The two legendary figures, one righteous and one evil, in the green forest, never met again after this gathering. The old man in his eighties died heroically in the Xin Prefecture killing array for assassinating the Jurchen marshal Nianhan. A few years later, Heart Devil Ning Yi rolled up a heroic military front and sacrificed in that great battle after three years of frontal fighting in the Northwest. The two people with different methods eventually embarked on similar paths...

Just hearing these things, You Hongzhuo felt that his heart was burning.

Mr. Zhao tapped the table with his teacup: "...Zhou Tong was a generation of grandmaster. Speaking of which, he should not have liked Ning Liheng, but he still traveled thousands of miles for Ning Yi. After his death, his head was brought out by his disciple Fulu, and the place of burial was later told to Ning Liheng by Fulu. Now, probably no one knows it anymore. And Heart Devil Ning Yi also didn't like Zhou Tong, but after Zhou Tong's death, he still spared no effort to promote Zhou Tong's heroic deeds. In the end, Zhou Tong was not a timid person, nor was he the kind of person who was happy and resentful. Of course, he was definitely not a coward..."

"He knew what Ning Liheng was doing, and he also knew that in the matter of disaster relief, the role he could play by attacking one village after another was probably not as good as Ning Yi's methods, but he still did everything he could. In Xin Prefecture, he did not know that assassination was a narrow escape and might be completely useless, but he did not hesitate. He exhausted all his strength. What kind of person do you think he is?"

You Hongzhuo frowned and thought carefully. Mr. Zhao smiled: "First of all, he is a person who uses his brain, just like you are now. It's a good thing to think, it's a good thing to be entangled, it's a good thing to have contradictions, and it's also a good thing to not understand. Think about that old man. He went forward without hesitation in everything he encountered. People generally say that he has an upright character. Is this uprightness a rigid uprightness? No, even the extreme methods of Heart Devil Ning Yi can be accepted by him. This shows that he has seen everything and understands everything. But even so, when he encounters bad things and evil things, even if he can't change them, even if he will die because of it, he still goes forward without hesitation..."

"Ordinary people start to think about things and quickly feel that it's difficult. You will feel contradictory—mediocre people always like to say, I'm just an ordinary person, I can't take care of this or that, I've tried my best, even if I do this and that, what can I change? How can the world have both? It hurts to think about it... But the world is inherently difficult. People walking in the cracks are called heroes."

"You felt at noon today that the Han dog who blocked the arrow for the Jin people deserved to die, and you might feel tonight that he has his reasons. However, if he has reasons, won't you kill him? If you kill him, do you want to kill his family? If you don't kill them, others will kill them. When I want to force his wife to death and throw his child to death, will you stop me? How will you stop me? When you kill him, are you thinking that all the suffering people on this land deserve to die? If you can figure out these things, the knife you wield will have great power."

Mr. Zhao poured himself a cup of tea: "We met by chance on the road, and it can be considered fate that we traveled together this way. But to be honest, my wife, she is willing to give you some pointers because she values your understanding of swordsmanship, and I value your ability to draw inferences about other cases from one instance. You have only known how to practice the knife in a rigid way since you were a child. An understanding between life and death can penetrate into the sword technique. This is a good thing, but it's not good either. The sword technique will inevitably penetrate into your future life, which is a pity. To break the rules and go forward without hesitation, you must first understand all the rules clearly. Those who think that all the rules in the world are illusory at a young age are hopeless garbage and mediocre people. You must be vigilant and don't become such a person."

You Hongzhuo thought for a moment: "Senior, but I don't know how to..."

"Look and think, think slowly. Here it's just saying that you should be cautious in your steps and resolute in wielding the knife. Senior Zhou went forward without hesitation, but he was actually a very cautious person. He saw a lot, thought a lot, understood it thoroughly, and then he could truly go forward without hesitation. It would be very good if you could achieve something at the age of thirty or forty."

Mr. Zhao smiled: "I've gotten used to being a teacher in the past few years, and I have many students, so I can't help but be long-winded. There may be some fate between you and me, so there's no need to formally become a disciple. It's enough to understand each other. The best thing I can tell you is probably this story... In the next few days, my wife and I have some things to do in Zezhou. You also have your things to do. Half a street past here is the location of the Great Bright Sect's branch. If you are interested, you can go and take a look."

You Hongzhuo's eyes looked in that direction.

Mr. Zhao drank his tea: "He Shuo Heavenly Saber Tan Zheng has good martial arts, but you are not his opponent yet. See and think more. Within three to five years, you may not be able to kill him. As for your fourth brother, if you can find him, you might as well ask him about the matter clearly. Whether to kill or escape, just make sure you have a clear conscience."

You Hongzhuo's heart was still in chaos. After all, the things the other party told him were too big. When he returned that day, You Hongzhuo thought of some more doubts and asked. Mr. Zhao answered one by one, no longer saying things that made him feel lost. After practicing martial arts at night, he sat in his room at the inn, his heart was full of emotions, but more of it was surging because he had heard the story of Grandmaster Zhou - even though the seventeen-year-old boy remembered what the other party said, he still fantasized more about what the future would be like, and longed to become a great hero like Grandmaster Zhou.

In this way, a thing suddenly flashed through his mind, making him slightly lost in thought.

He remembered that on the night he left the village, he killed so many monks of the Great Bright Sect, and then killed those few women. When he finally swung his knife at the girl who was originally his fiancee, the other party begged for mercy, she said: "Dog, don't kill me, we grew up together, I will be your wife..."

Although he and the girl were betrothed as children, it could not be said that they had any deep feelings. That night, he had hacked all the way through, and when he got to the end, he hesitated slightly, but then he still slashed down with the knife. Although there were reasons in his heart, it was more because it was simpler and more enjoyable to do so, and there was no need to consider anything else. But at this time, he suddenly realized that the girl was sent to the monastery, but it was not necessarily her wish, and besides, the girl's family was poor at that time, and his family was already unable to help, if her family didn't do this, how many ways to survive could they find, it was ultimately desperate, and it was different from the desperate of that Han soldier today.

He might have been able to slow down that knife at that time.

He was young, both his parents had passed away, and he had experienced too much killing, apprehension, and even the predicament of being about to starve to death. For a few months, he had looked at the only Jianghu road in front of him, covering up everything with high spirits. Now, thinking back, he pushed open the window of the inn, saw the plain starlight of the moon in the sky, and suddenly felt a heart-wrenching pain. In his young heart, he truly felt the complexity and unspeakable difficulty of life.

He didn't know that at this time, in the room upstairs in the inn, Mr. Zhao was complaining to his wife about "children are so troublesome" while packing their luggage for departure.

The next day, when You Hongzhuo woke up from bed, he saw dry food and silver left on the table, as well as a thin book of swordsmanship insights. When he went upstairs, the room of Mr. and Mrs. Zhao was already empty - the other party also had important things to do, so this was goodbye. He gathered his mood, went downstairs to practice martial arts twice, ate breakfast, and then silently went out to the direction of the Great Bright Sect's branch.

Look carefully, think slowly, and when you swing the knife, you can go forward without hesitation - he just kept this matter in his heart.

It was still early in the morning, and before he had walked all the way to the teahouse yesterday, he saw a burst of noise in the street ahead. Tiger King's soldiers were lining up and walking forward, loudly announcing something. You Hongzhuo hurried forward and saw the soldiers escorting a dozen or so green forest people with injuries on their bodies, heading towards the vegetable market square in front. From their announcement, he could know that these people were bandits who had tried to rob the prison yesterday, and of course, there might also be Black Flag remnants. Today they were to be held in the square and exhibited for several days.

It was still the dog days of summer, and in such hot weather, exhibiting them for days would be to bake these people alive, probably also to lure out the accomplices of the other party. You Hongzhuo followed for a while, hearing those green forest people cursing all the way, some said: "Have the guts to fight grandpa one-on-one..." Some said: "Eighteen years later, I will be a good man again--" "Tian Hu, Sun Qi, fuck your grandma--"

Along the way, there were also people who picked up stones and threw them over, and there were those who squeezed past to spit - they had finally been able to live a few days of more stable life than in other places in this chaotic Central Plains land, and their views on these green forest people or Black Flag remnants were different.