And how many people pretended not to see and pretended not to understand that these brave, vicious, and bloodthirsty Hu horsemen were the children of these shy youths?
How many Han people on the border, whether they were women or children, had fallen to the sabers and swords of these Hu, their bodies plunged into pools of blood?
Even the cruelest butcher could be kind at home, filial to his mother, and loving to his son, but when he was on the battlefield, he would not show the slightest mercy to his enemies.
"Let's go!"
Wang Chong sighed. Good advice was unpleasant to the ear. Although some things were correct, this did not mean that people would listen to them. Everyone tended to believe what they saw.
The hearts of people had already changed!
Wang Chong's eyes were brimming with worry.
At the same time, on the other side of the street, a figure was also looking down. Unlike Wang Chong, this figure nodded in satisfaction at the harmonious chatter and laughter between the people of the Tang dynasty and the other countries, a faint smile on his lips.
All his efforts had paid off. When the people of the Tang dynasty and the other countries lived in harmony, they had once more confirmed that principle of the Confucian school. People were the same, and their hearts were the same. Although their appearances were different, their languages were different, their countries were different, and their habits were different, once these external things were discarded, the hearts of people were the same. They shared the same emotions, the same joys, anger, sorrow, and joy. War originated from the unknown, from misunderstandings and lack of understanding of each other.
If both sides knew that the other was an ordinary person of flesh and blood like themselves, war could be averted. Sometimes, in order to achieve this grand ideal, one had to resort to some necessary measures.
"Let's go! Tell the others that we can speed up the next step! "
Li Junxian turned his head and said to the people behind him.
"Yes, Young Master!"
Elder Song and the others bowed.
With a wave of his sleeve, Li Junxian stood up from the table. He took one last glance at the people of the various countries, and his starry eyes slowly became determined. People could coexist peacefully, and the scene outside the railing was extremely precious to the entire world. For this scene, he was willing to pay any price, and if anyone stood in his way, then for the sake of the people of the various countries and the greater ideals, he could only sacrifice himself.
Whoosh! With a gust of wind, Li Junxian vanished from the restaurant.
…
Several days later, in the Wang Clan Residence.
"Your Highness, there are voices coming from the streets. Crowds are gathering. They are petitioning to stop the war!"
Early in the morning, Su Shixuan rushed into Wang Chong's room.
The situation was getting worse and worse. Ever since the teahouses and restaurants discussed the changes in the economy of the border before and after the war, and now that the Hu were entering the capital, the people in the capital were becoming more and more weary of war. Moreover, the disarmament of the various countries and the withdrawal of defense had all deepened this point. And now, this feeling was getting more and more serious.
Occasionally, some rational voices would be drowned out.
"Did the Confucian Sect add fuel to the fire?"
Wang Chong said calmly.
"No!"
Su Shixuan shook his head.
"They're all small groups of people. Influenced by the weariness of war in the capital, they've gathered!"
Wang Chong said nothing, only sat on the sandalwood chair and closed his eyes, a hint of worry in them.
"I have to do something."
Wang Chong slightly raised his head, his mind in turmoil.
War was cruel, and no one liked war. It was understandable that the people hated war and hated it. But war was not a game for children. It could not be repeated, and no one cared about one's feelings. Whether one hated it or not, whether one liked it or not, was not important. In the face of war, one could only accept the challenge or not.
And the result of not accepting the challenge was the destruction of one's family, the destruction of one's life. Everything one cared about would turn to nothing. This included one's lowly weariness of war or not weariness of war.
When the enemy came knocking on one's doorstep, one had no right to refuse. The Confucian Sect had treated war too simply, too simply! And the common people had also been influenced to view war too simply. Wang Chong could already sense that an invisible undercurrent was brewing. Although this undercurrent was related to the Confucian Sect's guidance, there was an even deeper reason behind it.
Li Junxian and the Confucian Sect were only using it. Even without them, this' energy 'would still have erupted. And if left unchecked, this danger would only get worse.
"What's the situation with the commander base?"
Wang Chong suddenly asked, his eyes still closed.
Su Shixuan was quiet for a long time.
"The commander base, having invested a great deal of manpower and resources, was able to be completed in time. But right now … the morale of the army is unstable, and the commander base hasn't received many applications. Senior Zhang has also asked Your Highness if it should be delayed a little longer. "
The desire for peace and the weariness of war had not only affected the people of the capital, but also the soldiers on the border. Ouzan, the Eastern and Western Turks, Goguryeo, Arabia, Mengshe Zhao … all of the countries bordering the Tang Dynasty had reduced their armies by more than one million soldiers. Such a situation had never occurred in the history of the Tang Dynasty. And the Tang Dynasty had reached a peace treaty with all these countries. In addition, the foreign armies had retreated three hundred li from their original defensive line while the Tang Dynasty had retreated two hundred li.
This meant that the armies of the two sides had been separated by another five hundred li. Not even the scouts could sense their presence (it was a rule of the army that the scouts could not investigate more than five hundred li from the front of the army). This was like going from a hostile environment to a deserted desert. The duty of the army was to defend, to defeat the attacking foe.
But if the foe was not hostile, or even sensed, what was the point of the army?
In this situation, even the most experienced general of the army felt perplexed. Had the Tang Dynasty truly achieved peace with the other countries? Or was the existence of the army gradually becoming unnecessary?
The generals on the border reported this situation to the Bureau of Military Personnel and Wang Chong.
"There's no need! Tell Venerable Senior Zhang and the Bureau of Military Personnel to continue as before. In addition, keep a close eye on the Confucian Sect. I have a feeling that this isn't all they want! They must be doing something else! "
Wang Chong sternly said.
"Your subordinate will go!"
… …
The Secretariat Advisor Residence.
During the day, countless figures would come and go, but at night, they would be replaced by countless messenger pigeons. All the news from the foreign lands, the capital, and the Nine Provinces would be gathered here. As night fell, the Counselor's Residence was heavily guarded. Countless people armed with weapons stood guard, looking around vigilantly. Anyone who dared to approach would be stared at by them.
The center of the Junior Marshal Advisor's Residence was brightly lit.
The light from the countless red lanterns and candles allowed one to see many powerful figures walking in and out of the residence. Almost all of these people had the black insignia of the Confucian Sect on their wrists.
"How is the disarmament going?"
In the hall, there was a wooden table. Other than a cup of tea, there was nothing else on it. Li Junxian's handsome face was seated on the side, elegant and tranquil, exuding a transcendent aura. But at this moment, the atmosphere in the hall was fraught with tension.
"Young Master, everything is going according to plan. The Goguryeons were the first to finish. We've sent people to investigate. They truly have reduced two hundred and eighty thousand soldiers. In addition, the Eastern and Western Turks, the Ouzan, the Xi, the Khitans, and even the Abbasid Caliphate have all disbanded eighty percent of their soldiers! Our people have been supervising the entire process. In addition, we've discovered the men of the Bureau of Military Personnel. This was originally an agreement between us and the foreign countries. The Bureau of Military Personnel has interfered without our consent. Should we warn the Bureau of Military Personnel and have them withdraw their men? "
An azure-robed young Confucian Sect expert said with a bow. If one were to look carefully, they would discover that this person was the same person who wore a faceless mask and danced with his sword at the Drunken Moon Tower.
"There's no need! The Bureau of Military Personnel naturally has its own benefits. At the very least, the foreign countries will have some misgivings and can help us supervise them in completing the disarmament agreed upon! "
Li Junxian waved his hand in a carefree manner. His every movement naturally exuded the aura of a Confucian general who could devise strategies. Whether it was the capital or the Four Wilderness, everything was within his grasp.
"Yes!"
"In addition, Sword Ghost, what's the situation in the capital?"
Li Junxian said.
"There are thirteen hundred storytellers in the capital's restaurants and teahouses, and all of them are narrating the information we gathered for them. All the information was obtained from the Bureau of Revenue and was not processed in the slightest. In addition, the last time the Hu entered the capital, the effects were much better than expected. In the past, the common people of the capital were filled with fear of the Hu, paling at the mere mention of their name. But after this interaction, everyone has realized that the Hu are just ordinary people like us, not as terrifying as the legends make them out to be. Just as Young Master said, war originates from the fear of the unknown. As long as we can understand each other, there won't be so many wars.
"The results are already clear. Many people have already gathered in the capital, and the voices of disgust for war are clearly increasing. All of this has happened on its own. I've done nothing to add fuel to the fire! "
Sword Ghost sternly said.
"Correct! But this alone isn't enough! Elder Song, how long until the people we arranged for arrive? "
Li Junxian suddenly turned his head to the black-robed elder, Elder Song.
"They all arrived in the capital two hours ago and are awaiting Young Master's order," Elder Song sternly said.
Elder Song's expression was stiff as he spoke in a deep voice.
Sometimes, for the sake of the welfare of more people, as long as the greater goal is correct, we must use some necessary methods. Elder Song, begin! Everything will begin tonight! "
Li Junxian finally stood up from his seat.
"Yes!"
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