Although Gu Mang already knew what Jun Shang was thinking, when this sentence really hit him like a heavy hammer, his voice suddenly trembled, "Why?!"
"Because this white chess piece has been tempered with devil energy, Lu Zhanxing's spiritual flow is no longer pure. How likely do you think Chong Hua will allow a person with black devil energy to live well? "
Jun Shang continued, "Since ancient times, these people who have been infected with black devil energy have either been torn apart by the carriage or tortured to death on the trial platform. Do you want him to wash away his crimes and then be tortured to death like this worthlessly, or do you want his death to at least pave the way for Chong Hua and for you? "
Gu Mang, "…"
"I want Chong Hua to accept slaves and understand the black devil." After a pause, Jun Shang said, "But the price is that Lu Zhanxing's injustice is destined to be known only by you and me. He must be sentenced."
A few more lights were extinguished in the strong wind, and the light of the golden stage was even darker.
After hearing this sentence, Gu Mang slightly raised his head, as if he was holding back something wet in his eyes. After a while, he seemed to not want to argue with Jun Shang anymore, so he said in a low and hoarse voice, "… Then … what's next? After the sentence, what will happen? "
"Next, I will pave a logical way for your treason. After this year's autumn hunt, Lu Zhanxing will be executed as usual, and the remnants of your army will be detained. I will not release even the slightest signal of mercy to slave cultivators to the outside world. I will do it thoroughly, let the civil and military officials in the court think that I finally chose the old aristocratic class, let everyone see that I am reducing your power, degrading you, and pushing you out … I will force you to the road of no return. "
"…"
"After the autumn hunt, I will give you the last push, so that you will have enough reason to betray the country."
Gu Mang said, "Betray the Burning Country?"
"Betray the Burning Country."
Gu Mang laughed in a low voice, as if he had heard a ridiculous joke, "How far does Jun Shang have to go to make people believe that I, Gu Mang, will choose the most depraved and dark one among the twenty-eight countries in Nine Regions? Betray the Burning Country … "His smile suddenly tightened, and his handsome face even looked a bit ferocious because of hatred at this moment.
"How far do I have to be forced to betray the absurd country that killed countless of my brothers and sisters and burned the flames of war all over Nine Regions?!"
Jun Shang said, "Lu Zhanxing must die."
"If Lu Zhanxing doesn't die, no one will think that Marshal Gu, who was once all-powerful and loyal to the country will choose to go to the gate of the Burning country. only when Lu Zhanxing is dead, the seed of hatred in your heart will germinate, and there will have a chance, everything will will have a chance. After a pause, he continued, "Gu Qing, think about it. If you save Lu Zhanxing, what will you lose?"
"It looks like he was wronged, and his injustice has been cleared. But he is still destined to be executed because of being infected with the black demon energy. You may think that if he dies like this, at least your army's seventy thousand graves and thirty thousand heroes will be treated fairly. However, I tell you, it won't. "
Jun Shang's dark eyes seemed to be accumulating dark clouds, which was a kind of heavy siege that was impossible to break through with one person's strength.
"Once Lu Zhanxing dies, even if I want to rehabilitate your army, reward your soldiers, and set up a monument, there will immediately be old nobles who will jump out and use all kinds of strange reasons to remonstrate with death. There are even the most terrible ones … They will say that Deputy Marshal Lu is infected with the black demon energy, and it is difficult to guarantee that there are no infected people in the army. They would rather kill the wrong person than let it go. They will even force me to kill the remaining thirty thousand of your brothers! "
"Gu Qing, your army is like an old house that has run out of water right now. I will try my best to snatch whatever I can from it. But Lu Zhanxing is the place where the fire fell. He has been burned into slag, and can't be grabbed. "
"I'm sorry."
"…" Gu Mang paused for a long time, almost indifferently, "Okay. I understand. We are treasures, but a fire can turn Jun Shang's treasures into slag. "
He raised his eyes, "Jun Shang, do you know what my army is in my eyes?"
This was really a question that went against the heavens, but Jun Shang didn't refute it. On the contrary, his eyelashes were trembling, and his eyes were evasive, and even sad.
Gu Mang said, "They are my blood, my eyes, my hands and legs, my family and life."
"No matter how precious a treasure is, it is useless if it is broken, and it will become ashes after being burned by fire. But my blood relatives are different. Even if they die, even if they burn away, even if they turn into ashes … they will always have a monument in my heart. I will remember every single one of their names, every single one of their appearances, until the day I die too. "
Jun Shang said, "I don't mean that …"
"Then what do you mean?" Gu Mang softly, almost shyly, smiled faintly at him, "Jun Shang, you say we are your treasures, but treasures aren't living things. We are living people! We have shed blood for you, shed tears for Chong Hua, served you, worked hard, and even died … I don't know if you have noticed? "
He chased step by step, so closely, as if the seventy thousand death warriors had turned into malicious spirits, seized his body, and attached themselves to him.
They were collecting debts from their Jun Shang.
"Marshal Gu …" Jun Shang's face slowly turned gray, but in the end, he still raised his head and looked into Gu Mang's eyes, "I have always seen it."
"But for one person's reputation, is it worth it to pay the lives of thirty thousand people, the glory of seventy thousand people, and the future of all the slave cultivators in Chong Hua?"
Gu Mang's shoulders trembled, and his lips trembled. He wanted to refute, but he couldn't say anything.
He was a talented general, so he naturally knew that what Jun Shang said was right.
Jun Shang's words were heartless, but it was the most correct path with the least sacrifice. But … but how could he nod, how could he let it go …
"That day in the Throne Room, you knelt in front of me and begged to erect tombstones for your death warriors and let your remaining troops live. I reprimanded you for your wishful thinking. But now I am standing in front of you. I can swear to Heaven that I will not let Deputy Marshal Lu's sacrifice go to waste. I can promise you that everything you asked for that day, except for Lu Zhanxing's life, the seventy thousand tombstones you want, and the ownership of your thirty thousand remaining troops, I can give them all to you. "
Jun Shang said, "I can even promise you that I will let you see a fair future where everyone has a hero regardless of origin."
Gu Mang took a step back and shook his head. The Jun Shang's promise was so heavy that he almost bent over. After a long while, he murmured hoarsely, "… Lies …"
"I didn't lie."
Gu Mang was almost driven crazy. He suddenly raised his head, and his gaze was like a sharp sword unsheathed. His eyes were red as he shouted at Jun Shang, "Liar!!!"
He was furious.
In the rolling storm, the blind and clawed beast on the altar was disturbed by the stick and the honey. It didn't know what to believe. It roared at His Lord who tamed it, and it slammed into the cage that trapped it.
Mo Xi closed his eyes. His body that bore the pain of Wang Jian's repair was less painful than a curled up and bleeding loyal heart.
Beast on the altar … Beast on the altar …
In the past, people said that this was Marshal Gu's reputation that spread throughout the world. But now, Mo Xi only saw a beast that was bloody and skinned, trapped in a cage and wailing.
The king's beast, the beast of Chonghua, was in so much pain that it wished it were dead for the suffering of its brothers and sisters. But the people who raised it tore off its skin and wrapped it with a new layer of leather on its mangled body. They wanted to send it to another country and let it endure the pain to burn out the last trace of light and warmth.
In the sound of the torrential rain, Jun Shang stood upright, as if there was some kind of natural power that belonged to the Jun Shang supporting him. It allowed him to not retreat or hide in front of Gu Mang's strong emotions.
Even though his face was already a little ugly.
But he was still able to endure it.
"Do you think I can feel at ease when I make such a decision?" Jun Shang was silent for a moment, and finally asked in a low voice, "Do you think I can feel at ease when I frame a loyal and good person?"
"…"
"Do you think I can feel at ease when I torture my most outstanding general until he is covered in cuts and bruises and even drive him to another country? Do you think I can feel at ease when I stand here today, on the golden platform under the thunder and lightning of the nine heavens and say these words to you personally?! " Towards the end, Jun Shang's voice became louder and louder. His fingertips were trembling, and the light in his eyes was also trembling. "Gu Qing … You once said that seventy thousand people died in the battle of Feng Ming Mountain. You saw seventy thousand wronged souls demanding payment from you day and night, scolding you, cursing you, spitting on you, asking you why …"
His voice trembled fiercely, and every word that came out from between his teeth was stained with blood. "Do you think … I can't see these scenes?!"
Gu Mang raised his eyes, and almost felt that it was absurd. "What can Jun Shang see?"
"Can Jun Shang see seventy thousand treasures being broken? Or can you see the mud puppets with similar facial features being destroyed one by one? "
Crazy, really crazy.
The disrespectful words rushed out of his mouth. His arm was broken, and his heart was gouged out. Gu Mang actually dared to say anything to the face of the dragon.
"Junshang, you keep saying that you see us as human beings, you keep saying that you see the brothers that I lost, the subjects that you lost … But you are grieving that your iron army lost seventy thousand men. You are grieving for a number, a group of heroes, not grieving for each and every one of them who are still alive!"
When the last word was thrown out, outside the golden platform, there was wind and rain, and the golden platform was silent.
After a long time, Jun Shang tightly closed his eyes, and then opened them again. His lips moved, as if he wanted to say something, but then he closed them again … After a while, there was a lump in his throat, and he softly and sadly said three inexplicable words —
"Xu Xiaomao."
Just these three words. Gu Mang froze.
Gu Mang's fingers that were originally trembling because of anger seemed to be frozen in ice. He almost didn't move, staring at Jun Shang's face in disbelief, as if he felt that it must have been his own misconception, that he must have heard wrong, that he heard the lowly and laughable names of his fellow brothers from the mouth of the Son of Heaven.
But these names came out of the Son of Heaven's mouth one after another, clear, sorrowful, and solemn.
"Lan Yufei, Jin Cheng, Sun He, Luo Chuan …" One name after another was said by Jun Shang. He didn't say a single one, but Gu Mang could see the voice and smile of those brothers when they were alive.
The man who loved to drink and burn knives.
The uncle with a large mole on the bridge of his nose.
The little girl who always lost when she gambled, and never changed even after repeated warnings.
And the little brat who was fifteen or sixteen years old and with a face full of youthfulness, boldly squeezed into the army.
Gu Mang bent his body in the midst of these soul-like whispers. He buried his face in his palms, and his fingers in his hair. He choked out, "Don't say anymore …"
"Qin Fei, Zhao Sheng, Wei Ping …"
Qin Fei's hearty laughter seemed to have passed through life and death and returned to his ears.
Zhao Sheng once ran to his tent at night and gave him a pot of sweet wine that he had brought from the town. He held it in his arms, and it was still warm.
Wei Ping was already thirty years old, but he still looked young. When he smiled, two sweet canine teeth could be seen. When he asked to stay behind at Feng Ming Mountain to bring up the rear, he grinned arrogantly and domineeringly. But that was the last time Gu Mang and this guy parted.
These names, who would remember … who would remember …?!!
Gu Shuai …
Gu Shuai …
Born as a hero, even in death as a ghost …
No, no, these are all empty words. I only hope that you can come back safely from every battle. No one would want their brothers to die in battle.
"Don't say anymore …" Gu Mang hugged his head in pain. He bent over and knelt down. He almost broke down and wailed, crying like a trapped beast, "Don't say anymore! Don't say anymore!! "
"I remember them too."
"…"
Jun Shang stopped chanting. He walked to Gu Mang's side and looked at the man who buried himself in the dust and curled up in the sand in front of him. He said softly again, "Gu Mang, I remember them too."
When he said this, he didn't even call himself 'Gu'.
"I'm sorry, I didn't spend time with them day and night like you did. I can remember their age, appearance, hobbies … everything. But from the moment I received the military slip of death at Feng Ming Mountain, I've been remembering their names. "
Gu Mang's cold forehead was pressed against the ground in a wretched state. Large tears rolled down his cheeks as he sobbed and howled in grief … …
He had really broken down.
He was covered in wounds and endured silently. It wasn't easy for him to suppress the pain and lick the blood. He was barely able to appear in front of others as if nothing had happened. However, Jun Shang tore open the flesh that he had just condensed. Fresh red blood and flesh scrambled to be the first to flip out. It was extremely painful, extremely painful … so painful that he was about to die!
"I thought at that time." Jun Shang said, "Even if I can't erect a proper monument for them, I still want to bury these names in my heart … Marshal Gu, every day and every night, I will remember them in my heart. I'm sorry, Gu has such a difficult thing to do, such a difficult thing to do … "
He held Gu Mang's arm and supported Gu Mang, allowing Gu Mang to slowly raise his head.
Jun Shang's eyes were also wet.
"But please believe Gu. In Gu's life, Gu has never and will never see you as lowly servants."
It was clearly such a simple and ordinary sentence. There were no praises, no praise. But Gu Mang burst into tears. He knelt, staggered, and broke free from Jun Shang's hand. He came to the edge of the golden platform and looked at the majestic green mountain and the vast sky. His sorrowful sobs seemed to be dug out from his throat, stained with dripping blood.
The torrential rain instantly swallowed his cries, and the country was a scene of wind and rain. Gu Mang seemed to be exhausted. He leaned his head against the railing, his shoulders trembling, the ends of his eyes red and the tip of his nose red. He couldn't say anything.
After a long time, Jun Shang slowly walked to his side. His lips moved slightly, and he said in a low voice, "Gu Qing, do you believe me now? Gu's words are sincere, I didn't lie to you. "
"Gu can even swear to the heavens." He raised two fingers to his forehead, an act of swearing to the Chong Hua.
On the golden platform where lightning flashed for nearly nine days, the new Chong Hua monarch made a promise to the Chong Hua ministers.
"If Marshal Gu agrees to Gu's request today, Gu will definitely fulfill three important matters as promised. First, Marshal Gu's thirty thousand remaining troops, Gu will properly take care of them. Second, the Chong Hua slaves can cultivate immortal methods, there will be no changes. Third, the seventy thousand souls sacrificed in Feng Ming Mountain, Gu will bury them on the Mountain of War Souls with national etiquette, and inscribe them on a monument. If I were to go back on any of the three promises mentioned above, I would have no children to show filial piety for the rest of my life, and I would die without a proper burial. The throne of Cathay would be destroyed by my own hands, and I would be a sinner for the rest of my life. "He paused for a moment, and then spat out the last few words.
"In life and in death, there will never be a day of peace."
The author has something to say:
Jun Shang: I saw that yesterday in the comment section, there were sisters who were moved by me!
Gu Mang: Why don't you say that yesterday in the comment section, there were sisters who spurned you even more. Why don't you learn from the Murong Lian? Look at him, as long as he's coquettish, there's no hatred.
Ah Lian: Online rental of Pin Ru's clothes, godly equipment for DPS. After wearing it, your violent output will never OT. Jun Shang, this is your best choice.
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