In the sixth month of the eighth year of Jianshuo of the Wu dynasty, an exciting piece of news traveled south of the Yangtze River.
Things began in the first half of the seventh year of Jianshuo. The Wu and Qi armies had fought several battles north of Xiangyang at the border between the Central Plains and Jiangnan. It had been a year since the Black Flag Army had disappeared in the northwest. Although Liu Yu had moved the capital to Bianliang, the so-called 'Great Qi' was nothing more than a lackey of the Jurchens. The people in the country had no way to make a living and the army had no will to fight. A group of generals led by Li Heng, the Governor of Xiangyang of the Wu dynasty, seized the opportunity to launch a northern expedition. They took back a dozen prefectures and towns and pushed the battlefront back to the old capital, Bianliang. Li Heng ordered the armies to attack Bianliang together. For a time, he was in the limelight.
Under these circumstances, Liu Yu had asked for reinforcements from the north several times. Finally, the Jin army was dispatched. In the autumn of that year, Wanyan Zonghan ordered the Fourth Prince, Wu Shu, to lead an army south. With the cooperation of Liu Yu's subordinate Li Cheng, they swept through Li Heng's army near Bianliang. After defeating the armies of all sides, they pushed south and successively captured Xiangyang, Dengzhou, Suizhou, Yingzhou, and other strategic locations in Jianghan that had originally belonged to the Wu dynasty.
This was not the first time the Wu dynasty had faced such a depressing war. However, several years of recuperation were still unable to withstand a single blow from the Jurchens. Even though the Wu dynasty and the puppet Qi had mobilized hundreds of thousands of soldiers, they were like children playing house in front of the Jurchens. The current situation was depressing.
Compared to the ferocity of the Jin and the tenacity of the Black Flag Army in the northwest, the resistance of the mighty Wu dynasty was as powerless as a child's in front of these forces. But power was like child's play. The price they had to bear would not be reduced in the slightest. The soldiers who died in battle would not feel good. The suffering of the common people in the conquered areas would not lessen in the slightest. The pressure of the Jurchens advancing south would not lessen in the slightest. To the north of the Yangtze River, the people scattered with pain. The tragedies and deaths brought about by the war, as well as the accompanying famine, oppression, and even the darkness and hardships of killing and robbing while fleeing, and even exchanging children for food had already lasted for several years. The consequences of the loss of order seemed to be continuing …
In the spring of the eighth year of Jianshuo, Yue Fei and Yue Peng led thirty thousand Beiwei troops and once again set out on a punitive expedition to the north. They launched a surprise attack on the heavily defended Yingzhou of the Great Qi army. Afterwards, they scared off Li Cheng's army and captured Xiangyang without shedding a single drop of blood. Afterwards, they launched a surprise attack at Dengzhou and routed more than a hundred thousand Qi and Jin allied troops who counterattacked. They successfully recaptured the six counties of Xiangyang and sent news of their victory back to the capital.
Lin 'an in June was unbearably hot. In the study of the crown prince's residence, not long after a round of discussions had ended, the advisors left the room one after another. Wenren Buer stayed behind and watched as Crown Prince Jun Wu walked around the room and opened the windows.
However, there was no wind.
When the rest of the staff had gone away, and the servants had taken away the bowls and saucers of iced sugar water, the dignified and bearded young man, who was eleven when we first met him, looked out of the window at the sun, and looked wearily out of the window.
"Recently, I have been thinking about the food shortage in the eleventh year of Jinghan … I was in Jiangning at that time. I saw my sister and a group of merchants in Jiangning transporting food for the disaster. They were very passionate. Later, when I learned the truth, I felt a little different. Mr. Wenren, you experienced it yourself. What do you think? "
"… The world is difficult, but there are some similarities."
"The world is difficult …"
Jun Wu's fingers tapped on the windowsill and repeated this sentence.
In the eleventh year of Jinghan, the Wu dynasty suffered from food shortages. Qin Siyuan of the Right Prime Minister's Office was in charge of the disaster relief. At that time, Ning Yi used all kinds of external forces to attack the local merchants and gentry who monopolized the food prices. After that, he made many enemies and helped the people survive the food shortage. Thinking about it now, Jun Wu had his reasons for sighing.
At this time, the news that Yue Fei had recovered Xiangyang and defeated the allied forces of the Jin and Qi had spread to Lin 'an. Although there were many opinions in the world, there were many different opinions in the court. These days, there was a lot of noise.
Since the Wu dynasty lost the Central Plains and moved south, most of the opinions in the court were in favor of peace. The war between the Jin and the Wu Dynasty had developed to this point. Many things were out in the open. There was no doubt that the Wu dynasty could not fight against the powerful Lady Zhenren. The war in the past years had proven this. Some people thought that after a few years, they would recover the lost land and attack the Central Plains. However, in the seventh year of Jianshuo, the Governor of Xiangyang, Li Heng, and the others attacked Bianliang. It only proved that the time had not come yet.
Even though they were able to compete with the fake Qi army and even though they were able to destroy all the way to Bianliang City, when the main Jin army arrived, they were still able to repel hundreds of thousands of soldiers and even lost Xiangyang and other places. At this point in time, Yue Fei's victory over the puppet Qi was not a prelude to the Jin's revenge. Back when they fought their way to Bianliang, they lost Xiangyang and other important places in Jianghan. Now that Xiangyang has been recovered, will they be forced to cross the Yangtze River again?
Such doubts and worries were not without reason. It made Yue Fei's victory tasteless in the court and he might even be reprimanded. Jun Wu was naturally on Yue Fei's side. The pro-war faction had several reasons for this war.
First, regardless of whether they could defeat the Lady Zhenren now, it was necessary to train their troops if they wanted to have a chance of defeating the Lady Zhenren in the future.
Second, the Jins had already taken Xiangyang and six counties. This was a springboard for the Jin and fake Qi to invade south. If they were allowed to strengthen their defensive line, the next time they attacked south, the Wu dynasty would lose even more territory. If they took back Xiangyang now, even if the Jins attacked south with their main force, they would be able to delay their attack.
Third, the Jins' southern attack would take a long time and would be more exhausting than the Wu dynasty. If they waited until he finished recuperating and attacked, the Wu dynasty would not be able to stop them. Therefore, it was best to disrupt the opponent's pace and attack first. This would exhaust the Jins' national strength. This was the best way to protect themselves.
With these reasons, the two sides, who were in favor of war and against each other, argued in the court. As the commander of one side, Jun Wu wouldn't have been so emotional if it was just these things. However, there were many more troublesome things piled on the young crown prince's shoulders.
It had been several years since the Wu dynasty moved south. After the initial prosperity and unity, many troubles were beginning to show. The first was the opposition between the civil and military forces. During the peaceful years, the Wu dynasty had always valued the civil and military forces. After the Jins invaded south, the country was destroyed. Although it was difficult to change the system, there were many expedient measures in many areas and the status of the generals was improved.
When Jun Wu became the Crown Prince, the young man had a fiery temper. After learning about the intricacies of the court, he used rough and forceful methods to protect Han Shizhong, Yue Fei, and other promising generals under his wing. He ordered them to establish their power north of the Yangtze River, consolidate their power, and wait for an opportunity to attack north. At first, no one dared to say anything. But now, the conflict between the two sides was finally beginning to show. In the past year, the court had been constantly impeaching the generals of the northern armies. Most of them said that they recruited private soldiers and did not follow the orders of the civil officials. In the long run, there would be great trouble.
This time, the suppression of Yue Fei's military achievements was a continuation of the quarrel between the two sides.
On the other hand, when the northerners came south on a large scale, after the initial economic dividends, the conflicts between the southerners and northerners had begun to brew and erupt.
At this time, the Central Plains had completely fallen. The refugees from the north had fled south with nothing. On the one hand, their cheap work promoted the economic development. On the other hand, they also took away many southerners' job opportunities. When the situation in Jiangnan stabilized, the discrimination between the two regions began to form.
The refugees from the north had once been the rich subjects of the Wu dynasty, but when they came here, they were suddenly a grade lower. And when the southerners' patriotism at the beginning faded, they gradually began to feel that this group of poor relatives from the north were repulsive. Most of the people who had nothing were law-abiding, but there were also many who took risks out of desperation and became bandits. There were also beggars and swindlers. Without food to eat, it was possible for them to do anything. These people complained all day and disturbed public order. At the same time, they talked all day about the northern expedition. It was also possible that they would once again break the deadlock between the Jin and the Wu, causing the Female Zhenren to once again march south. All of these things combined caused friction and conflict in all aspects of society.
On the level of the common people, the discrimination between the north and the south had already faintly formed a trend. And in the officialdom, the officials from the south, who were originally far from the core of politics, and the officials from the north had also formed a certain opposition. Starting the year before last, several large refugee gatherings broke out south of the Yangtze River. In several prefectures and counties, refugees from the north, armed with knives and sticks, besieged and killed the local bullies, bullies, and even officials. The conflicts between local gangs and fights for territory became more and more intense. The southerners were originally the local bullies and had a large number of clans. But the refugees from the north had already gone through the chaos of war and were no longer afraid of death. Among the several large-scale incidents and countless small-scale conflicts, the court had to increasingly face up to these problems.
By last year, some people in the court had already begun to propose that the southerners should return to the south and the northerners to the north, and that they would no longer accept the refugees from the north. As soon as this idea was put forward, it was widely refuted. Jun Wu was also young and impetuous. Now that the country had been destroyed and the Central Plains had already fallen, the refugees had no chance of survival. If they came to the south, would they still have to push them away? Then what was the point of this country's existence? Filled with righteous indignation, he refuted the idea in court. From then on, the problem of how to accept the refugees from the north fell on his shoulders.
This year, as a result of this incident, the gentry and wealthy merchants who had been close to the Princess Royal's residence began to put pressure on the crown prince's residence. Although no one dared to disobey the various orders issued by the crown prince's residence, there were constant conflicts in the implementation of the orders. The profits of the crown prince's residence and the Princess Royal's residence directly dropped by thirty percent.
The gentry and wealthy families in the south also had to protect their own interests. If you took the money and spoke up for me, or even helped me exploit the refugees from the north, it would naturally be good for you, me, and everyone else. If you didn't help, who would be willing to serve you? As long as they didn't oppose you or play with you, or if they were absent-minded when they played with you, they would always be able to do it.
However, on Jun Wu's side, the refugees from the north had already lost everything. If he leaned a little more towards the forces of the south, then these people might really not be human anymore.
Since Zhou Yong had become the emperor, Jun Wu had been the only crown prince and his position was stable. If he only spent money to run a few workshops, then no matter what he did, the money in his hands would probably be inexhaustible. However, after experiencing the chaos of war and witnessing the tragedy of a large number of civilians being killed in the Yangtze River, the young man could no longer remain aloof. Of course, he could learn from his father and be an idle crown prince who only guarded a workshop in Jiangning. However, his father, Zhou Yong, was an emperor who couldn't see things clearly. There were problems everywhere in the court. Just take Yue Fei, Han Shizhong, and the other generals for example. If he didn't stand up and take the blame, they would most likely become the same as those generals of the Wu dynasty who couldn't fight.
Once he stood up, he couldn't back down anymore.
Trivial matters and endless pressure were pressing down on him from all directions. In the past two years, Jun Wu had lived in Lin 'an and hadn't had time to go to the workshops in Jiangning many times. As a result, although the hot air balloon could already fly, there hadn't been any major breakthroughs in carrying people and cargo. It was very difficult for it to become a strategic advantage like it had in the war in the northwest. Even so, he couldn't smoothly solve many of the problems. In the court, he couldn't stand the cowardice of the pro-peace faction, but could war really succeed? He couldn't find the best balance between reform and how to carry it out. Of course, he had to take in the refugees who fled from the north, but could he solve the conflicts that would arise? He still couldn't.
In the past two years, his sister, Zhou Pei, had manipulated the power of the Eldest Princess Royal's residence and had become more and more terrifying. She had pulled a huge network of connections in both the political and economic sectors and accumulated invisible influence. In the dark, there were all kinds of plots and intrigues. The crown prince's residence was in the light, while the Eldest Princess Royal's residence worked in the dark. Although Jun Wu hadn't told them about many things, he knew in his heart that the Eldest Princess Royal's residence had been transfusing blood to his side. There were even several disturbances in the court. Officials who opposed Jun Wu were impeached, discredited, and even slandered. These were all extreme methods played in the dark by Zhou Pei, Cheng Zhouhai, and others.
On the surface, Eldest Princess Zhou Pei already had a wide circle of friends and was gentle and dignified. However, in the few times they met in private, her older sister was always serious and cold. Her eyes were filled with selfless support and a sense of urgency. They both had this sense of urgency and faintly understood each other's hearts, but they had never personally communicated it.
They both knew what it was.
Two years ago, Ning Yi died.
In the fierce three-year war in the northwest, the people in the south covered their eyes and pretended not to see it. However, when it finally ended, the shocking thing still turned their hearts upside down. In the face of the crisis of the world changing color and the turbulent sea, even such a powerful person died after resisting for three years. Before this, the brother and sister seemed to have never thought about the possibility of this matter.
But when it finally appeared, the brother and sister seemed to suddenly understand that in this world, they couldn't rely on anyone else.
A few years later, when the Jin Kingdom attacked again, what would they do?
They could no longer retreat and had to stand up. But as soon as they stood up, the world became even more complicated and despairing.
It was one dead knot after another, so complicated that it couldn't be untied. Everyone wanted to do what was good for the Wu dynasty, but in the end, it became the cause of their weakness. Everyone was impassioned, but in the end, it became so weak that it couldn't withstand a single blow. Accepting the subjects of the Wu dynasty who had lost their homes was something that had to be done, but when things came to a head, everyone could only care about immediate interests. They clearly knew that they had to have an army that could fight, but how could they guarantee that these troops wouldn't become warlords? Defeating the Female Zhenren was a must, but were those who advocated peace really treacherous officials and unreasonable?
When the adult eagle left, the young eagle had to learn to fly by itself. In the past, Qin Siyuan might have taken over the burden of responsibility from a bigger figure. After Qin Siyuan left, the younger generation took over the burden of the world in a new way. Fourteen years have passed, and the young people who appeared in front of us for the first time can only use their still tender shoulders to try to carry the weight of the world.
Their shoulders will naturally break, and people can only hope that when the shoulders are broken, they will become stronger and stronger.
"These years, I finally understand that I am not a smart person …" Standing by the window of the study, Jun Wu tapped his fingers. The sun shone down outside, and the situation of the world was as hot as this windless summer afternoon, making people feel tired. "Mr. Wenren, if Master were still here, what do you think he would do?"
The Crown Prince sighed, paying tribute to a figure that he had once respected, but he wouldn't stop because of this. In the room, Wenren Bu 'Er cupped her hands and said a few words of comfort. Not long after, the wind blew through the courtyard, bringing a bit of coldness, and the scattered words were blown away by the wind.
Young people inevitably stepped onto the stage, and in some places in the world, maybe there were also old people coming out of seclusion. One morning in the north of the Yellow River, You Hongzhuo, who had escaped from the pursuers of the Great Light Sect, was practicing his You Clan's saber art in the mountains. The steel saber whistled in the morning light. On a slope not far away, one of his saviors was slowly practicing a set of strange fist art. The fist art was slow and elegant, but people couldn't understand it. You Hongzhuo couldn't figure out how to use this fist art to hit people.
While he was confused, his savior, who was standing not far away, frowned and cursed, "What kind of saber art is this?!" Before she finished her words, You Hongzhuo felt the murderous aura around him, and the hair on the back of his head stood up. His savior waved her saber and slashed.
The saber seemed fast, but it was actually slow. You Hongzhuo subconsciously waved his saber to block it, but then he flew out with a bang, and his shoulder and chest were in pain. He crawled up from the ground and realized that the savior waved a wooden stick in her hand. Although she was wearing a veil, the savior's almond-shaped eyes were wide open, and she was obviously angry. Although You Hongzhuo was arrogant, he didn't dare to be rash in front of these two people. He stood up and apologized embarrassedly.
"I … I saw you practicing the fist art, and I was confused. I … I'm sorry …"
"What are you sorry for? If you die like this, you will be sorry to yourself, and sorry to your parents who raised you! " After the savior finished speaking, she paused and said, "Besides, I'm not scolding you for being distracted. Let me ask you, was your saber art like this when it was passed down in your family?"
"I … I …"
"Humph! You can change it randomly. What kind of expert are you? Practice ten times according to the original style! "
She waited until You Hongzhuo nodded his head and obediently began to practice. Only then did the female benefactor walk away with a pile of firewood.
As You Hongzhuo practiced his saber art, he felt a little shocked. He had been practicing the You Clan's saber art since he was young, and after that moment of life and death, he understood that saber arts could not be won or lost by using rigid moves. Instead, it had to be dealt with flexibly. For the next few months, when he practiced his saber art, he had doubts in his heart. He always felt that this move could be slightly modified, and that move could be faster. Previously, when he had become sworn brothers with his six brothers and sisters, he had asked them for guidance in martial arts. Because of this, the six of them had marveled at his comprehension and said that he would definitely be successful in the future. However, he had not said anything during this saber practice. The other party only needed to take a look and knew that he had modified the saber art, but they still wanted him to practice it according to the original style. He did not know why.
However, after the savior had casually killed Tan Yan and the other seven people from the Great Radiant Sect yesterday morning, after traveling together for a day, You Hongzhuo understood that the two people in front of him might be the true hidden experts of the pugilistic world. The male benefactor had an easy-going temperament, but he was extremely knowledgeable. The female benefactor was his wife. Although she didn't speak much, it was the female benefactor's idea to save him. It was because she felt that his bladesmanship was "interesting" that she allowed him to practice it last night and this morning.
You Hongzhuo had found out a little about the identities of the two saviors last night. When he asked, the male savior said, "My surname is Zhao. Twenty years ago, my wife and I roamed the pugilistic world and made quite a name for ourselves. The people of the pugilistic world gave us the nickname 'Twin Killers of the Dark Winds'. Did your master tell you about this nickname?"
You Hongzhuo had only learned martial arts from his father since he was young and had not heard much about the legends and stories of the pugilistic world. For a moment, he felt rather ashamed. The other party did not blame him and only felt a little emotional. "Youngsters nowadays … Forget it. Since you and I are able to get to know each other, it can be considered fate. In the future, if you encounter any difficult situations in the pugilistic world, you can mention our names as husband and wife. It might be of some use."
You Hongzhuo only nodded. In his heart, he thought that although his martial arts skills were low, it was already a great favor to be saved by his two saviors. He could not casually disgrace their names. After that, even if he encountered a life and death situation in the pugilistic world, he did not mention their names. Finally, he could overcome all obstacles and become a great hero of his generation.
Of course, these were just thoughts in his heart at this time. He practiced the saber art ten times on the hillside. Zhao had already finished practicing the fist art and called him over to have some porridge. You Hongzhuo heard him say casually, "Tai Chi, born from the infinite, the essence of movement and stillness, the mother of Yin and Yang. What I'm practicing is called Tai Chi. It's normal that you don't understand it now. You don't have to force it …" After a while, when it was time to eat, he told him the reason why his female savior wanted him to practice the saber art.
"When using a saber art in actual combat, it's good to pay attention to nimbleness and adaptability. But a saber art that has been tempered hundreds and thousands of times has its own principles. Why do you practice this way? You have to consider the opponent's attack and the opponent's adaptability. Often, you have to make an effort to understand a move … Of course, the most important thing is that you're only a teenager. If you understand the principles of the saber art, it will affect your future conduct. You may not feel it at first, but as time goes by, you will inevitably feel that life should be free and unrestrained. Actually, youngsters should first learn the rules and know why the rules are there. Then, you can break the rules in the future. If you feel that there are no rules in the world from the beginning, you will become bad … "
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