Chapter 527 Sesame Seeds Invite Wine

"Looks like we overestimated him..."

From inside the black sedan, a gentle female voice rang out, laced with amusement, "I wondered if this Grain Protector General might be the emperor seed my cousin had chosen, but looking at him, he seems like a mud-caked peasant from the mountains. I didn't think his judgment was that poor."

"Now, the fellow has actually abandoned the people around him and come here alone. Isn't he just plain stupid, without even a shred of vigilance?"

"He's probably just a bandit. Why make such a fuss?"

"..."

The Tianming General (Heaven's Mandate General) next to her wore a grave expression, seemingly disliking the contemptuous tone with which they spoke of "emperor seed." After a pause, he said in a low voice, "This man has already killed one of my altar masters, one deputy altar master, and dozens of followers."

"Perhaps it was just luck."

The person in the sedan said indifferently, "The skills of the trade are varied and strange, but not all of them can be used openly. Your altar masters may each have their own abilities, but most of them are not righteous. They can't withstand the bloodlust of a living person."

Hearing her words, the Tianming General's face darkened noticeably. He suddenly said, "Now that we've found him..."

"...Surely you won't even let me raid a Red Lantern Society estate, will you?"

"..."

"I didn't say I wouldn't let you raid it."

The person in the sedan said, "Even the Red Lantern Society won't stop you, but the time is not yet right."

"Since that man has delivered himself to our door, why not just take him?"

"I'll go with you!"

"..."

Despite saying she would accompany him, as soon as she gave the order, the sedan carriers immediately lifted the sedan. The Tianming General could only follow behind.

In an instant, a black sedan, a hundred black-clad riders, led by lanterns swarming with moths, and accompanied by the wailing of resentful ghosts in the unseen shadows, swayed gently through the night, heading towards the Qing Stone Town estate.

...

...

"Brother, you used to be fearless..."

Inside the estate, Hu Ma, meeting Yang Gong's worried yet expectant gaze, pondered for a long while before slowly pouring wine for Yang Gong and himself. He spoke slowly, "But now you're afraid. Have you ever thought about why?"

"I..."

Yang Gong hadn't read many books and was most afraid of being questioned. He was eager to speak, but after saying one word, he fell silent again.

After a long while, he said in a low voice, "I didn't have a way out before. What else could I do but fight?"

"It's the same now, actually."

Hu Ma sighed softly and said, "There are actually two ways to fight for survival."

"One is to live a dog's life, thinking that as long as death doesn't come for me, I can live. I don't necessarily need to live well, as long as there are others worse off than me, I'm satisfied."

"The other is to rise up and fight, not caring about nobles or stewards. Whoever dares to provoke me, I'll face them head-on... and you have always been the latter, which I admire."

"Back then, in the Red Lantern Society, you dared to oppose Xiangzhu (Incense Master) Zheng, relying on your true ability to fight for a future. Who didn't admire you?"

"..."

Yang Gong listened. In the past, he would have felt smug, but now, he felt conflicted.

"Now I..."

"..."

Hu Ma waved his hand. He had been listening to Yang Gong for a while; now it was his turn to speak. He said slowly, "Before, when you were in the Red Lantern Society, you had another way to live, besides opposing Xiangzhu Zheng."

"That was to climb over the heads of your brothers. Ignoring the people around you, you could have gone to Zheng and kowtowed, wouldn't you have gotten a bowl of rice to eat?"

"Looking at it now, what's the difference?"

He sighed softly and said, "Before, you were fighting for your life with a group of brothers who couldn't survive. Now, you're leading these people who can't survive to fight for their lives. Are you going to draw your sword and face them head-on like before, or are you going to abandon them and live alone?"

"If you abandon the matters in the mountains and run to the True Meaning Church alone, they will accept you."

"Even if you don't go to the True Meaning Church, but just ignore the matters in the mountains, take a batch of treasures, and hide somewhere, living your comfortable life, that's also possible."

"But this world will become more and more chaotic. You can avoid the matters here, but you can't avoid the matters there. You can avoid this moment, but you can't avoid the next. And the people in these mountains can't even avoid this year..."

"Everyone is without a way to live, that's why they're following you to fight for their lives. So, what are you going to do?"

Having said this, he sighed softly, picked up his wine bowl, and said, "On the contrary, the opportunity to kowtow has always been there, from the beginning until now..."

Yang Gong listened to Hu Ma's words, frozen in place. He tried hard to understand, feeling that he understood some of it, and some of it he didn't, but he understood some key points:

No way to live.

But there is still the opportunity to kowtow...

It wasn't so much that Hu Ma's words moved him, but rather that Hu Ma's gaze at this moment reminded him of the time when he first entered the Red Lantern Society. He suddenly bit his teeth, as if he was angry with himself, biting hard, and then picked up his wine bowl:

"I've never been taught by anyone since I was little, so I only know one way to live..."

"..."

"Then remember this way to live."

Hu Ma clinked bowls with him, drank the strong wine, his eyes slightly red, and looked at Yang Gong seriously, saying, "From the moment you came, I knew you wouldn't choose anything else. If you really would, you would have run away by now. Why would you come to me and say anything?"

"But since you've come, then I can also give you a solid foundation. You don't need to worry about anything..."

"The other side may be powerful, but the people around you are even more powerful. Don't look at how many strange people and treasures they have. As long as you always remember this sense of brotherhood, then the strange people and treasures around you won't be less than those of the True Meaning Church..."

"As long as you remember that you have no advantage compared to others, but this origin is something that others can't compare to..."

"You went from a Hongxiang Xiaoge (Red Incense Little Brother) in the Red Lantern Society to the current Grain Protector General, not relying on any brilliant strategies or prestige, but simply because these people chose to believe in you."

"..."

Listening to his words, Yang Gong was startled, his expression difficult. "But, but my father-in-law said that these are fools, the easiest to deceive..."

"Yes."

Hu Ma looked at him and answered seriously, "Your father-in-law is right, and you need to trust him more, but what I want to tell you now is something on another level. Those people are indeed the easiest people in the world to deceive..."

"But easy to deceive doesn't mean they don't recognize. They are the most stubborn and the most powerful."

"You must respect them, and you must fear them..."

"As long as you remember these words, then, from this moment on, ninety-nine percent of the people in this world are on your side, then what else do you have to fear?"

"..."

"Crack..."

Even Yang Gong didn't expect that Hu Ma would suddenly say this to him. With his keenness and intuition, he had already vaguely sensed what Hu Ma had said to him earlier, but this last remark was completely beyond his expectations.

Hu Ma's words were simple and straightforward, but they had a direct and intense bloodiness, blasting into his heart all at once.

He felt that he had heard something amazing, and even his lips were trembling. After a long while, he trembled and said, "Brother... what, what are you telling me?"

Hu Ma smiled at him and said, "These are some principles that have never appeared in this world. I've only learned a superficial understanding of them. If you want to ask, you can understand it as a secret of Heavenly Book."

Yang Gong was stunned, actually not doubting Hu Ma's words, just instinctively shaking his head, "That's not right, how could the Heavenly Book be so simple? My father-in-law asked me to learn military strategy and read articles, but I get a headache from reading them and can't understand them..."

"But what you said isn't convoluted at all, but it just makes people feel... feel energized!"

"..."

"So that's why it's called Heavenly Book, isn't it?"

Hu Ma looked at Yang Gong seriously and said, "The Heavenly Book that I'm passing on to you is valuable because everyone can learn it, it's simple and direct, so you won't be afraid anymore."

"What I just told you doesn't even count as solving a problem, there are still many powerful things, do you want to hear them?"

"..."

Yang Gong was so excited that his face turned red. The depression he had when he first entered the village had suddenly disappeared. He gritted his teeth and nodded vigorously. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly heard a gust of wind rising outside the village.

The sound of galloping horses was approaching rapidly, mixed with the sounds of ghosts crying and gods howling. Even the village gate that Yang Gong had bolted shut was suddenly struck by the strong wind. The two slightly loose door panels were shaking and colliding violently.

"Not good..."

Yang Gong was shocked, stood up, grabbed the knife beside him, and exclaimed, "It's bad..."

"Are they really here to catch me?"

"..."

"Don't worry, sit down and continue drinking."

Hu Ma listened to the commotion outside, but his expression was calm. He said to Yang Gong, "This wine is my treat, and since it's my treat, then I guarantee that you'll drink happily, and no one will dare to disturb you."

As he spoke, he turned his head slightly and saw Xiao Hongtang, who was propping up her chin and watching their boring drinking party, also curiously looking outside the village.

Seeing Hu Ma's gaze on her, and nodding slightly, Xiao Hongtang was finally happy. She ran to the wall, grabbed the dusty Faguan Dadao (Judge's Broadsword), and jumped over the wall in a puff of smoke.

Yang Gong stared blankly, glanced at the little ghost who had jumped over the wall, and then at Hu Ma, who had a calm expression, not knowing what to do.

Hu Ma glanced at him and said, "You haven't answered my question yet. Are you ready to listen to what I'm going to tell you?"