Chapter 588: Not the same after all, Young Traveler (End)
"What?" Luo Chuan was stunned, not expecting the other party to ask such a question.
“When those two guys, Lord Zhen and Mr. Tantai, stared at you with their eyes as wide as bells, did you feel a sense of ‘Wow, I finally turned over’? "The white-haired young man raised his eyebrows slightly, and the corners of his mouth curved into a playful arc.
Pleasure?
Hey, do I really have it?
Luochuan blinked his eyes, like a Meng boy who was suddenly called upon by his teacher, trying to search for the scene at that time in his mind.
To be honest, at that time, he felt more like a frog thrown into boiling water, panicking and not knowing what to do.
People like him have long been accustomed to playing small roles on other people's stages and never expect to get applause from the audience.
But suddenly, he was inexplicably pushed to the center of the stage, and without any preparation, he became the leading actor that attracted much attention.
This caught him off guard, and his first reaction was to quickly find a crack in the ground and crawl in.
However, just as he was overwhelmed by the intense embarrassment, he was surprised to realize that deep in his heart, he was quietly growing an unprecedented excitement and a feeling of elation.
In the final analysis, every young person, no matter how poor or humble, always has some unrealistic fantasies hidden in his heart, and he longs to become extraordinary.
When we were in Yuwei Village, boys carried baskets on their backs and squatted in groups in the fields to cut pig grass. They chatted happily about the village gossip and argued endlessly about which family had the most beautiful girls.
The girls were washing yarn by the river, sometimes lowering their heads and whispering, sometimes peeking at the boys who were busy in the fields, with a blush on their faces.
Only Luochuan is always alone, walking on the vast fields with a sickle.
He fantasized more than once that maybe at some point, an immortal with a flying sword would descend from the sky, hold his hand tightly, his eyes shining with excitement, and praise him as a spiritual genius rarely seen in a thousand years, and He sincerely invites him to join the sect and pass on the tradition.
At that time, those friends who used to regard him as a transparent person will turn their heads and look at him with wonder and envy.
However, many years passed.
The immortal in fantasy never appeared.
On the contrary, it was a group of bandits who used a stolen carriage and four mules dressed as unicorns to help him get rid of the addiction of appearing holy in front of others.
Thinking of this, Luochuan nodded and said "Yeah".
The white-haired young man suddenly burst into laughter. He laughed unbridled, and his hearty and loud laughter echoed among the mountains for a long time.
"Do you want to know what is happening in the city now?" Before Luo Chuan could answer, he said to himself: "The prime minister found that his carriage was missing and was as anxious as a hot pot. The ant, while scolding the servants in the house for their poor supervision, hurriedly sent people out to search.
"Then, when he found that his precious carriage was tied to four working mules, He was so angry..."
Luochuan didn't know why the white-haired young man could know everything that happened in Chaoyang City even though he was more than ten miles away.
He just felt that the white-haired young man at this moment was like a naughty boy who had not grown up. He was so proud of the success of his prank - he laughed so hard that he even covered his stomach. It took a while before he gradually recovered. Calm.
"You just asked me why I arranged all this," the white-haired young man sat down on the edge of the cliff, his legs dangling gently in the clouds and mist. He patted the empty space next to him and signaled to Luochuan Come and sit down, "Actually, the answer is very simple.
"Because when you passed under Longji Mountain, I had a glimpse of your destiny and found that you are destined to me.
“You and I are both the protagonists of this era.
“We are destined to work hand in hand to overturn this decadent world and jointly create a new and great era! ”
In the historical materials written by literati, the scene at this time may be recorded as follows:
"When the emperor was young, he had great ambitions. When he met Luochuan, he said: 'I and I will work together. Hearing his words, Luo Chuan was shocked by his kingly spirit and became loyal to the emperor. "
However, in fact, Luo Chuan did not feel it. The so-called "kingly spirit". He just felt that the person in front of him was really shameless - his ability to daydream was something he could hardly match.
"Don't you believe we can make it happen?" As if aware of Luo Chuan's thoughts, the white-haired young man turned to look at him and smiled.
“No,” Luo Chuan hesitated for a moment and shook his head, “Your Majesty will create a great cause in the future, of course I firmly believe it. But a pauper like me, whose blood potential is only at the third level, , how can he become the protagonist of this era? ”
"Poor young master, do you really think that a person's achievements in life are entirely determined by his bloodline?"
"Isn't it?"
"Of course not," Bai Fa The young man said, with an almost arrogant confidence in his tone, "At least, after you meet me, blood will no longer be a shackle in your life."
As he spoke, he snapped his fingers.
A three-dimensional star map appeared in the dark night.
The stars in the picture are as bright as pearls and as looming as fireflies. They move slowly along the trajectory, performing the oldest rhythm in the universe.
“This is what I realized a few years ago, the way of astrological destiny,” the white-haired young man introduced. “The destiny of everyone in the world can actually correspond to the stars in the sky.< br>
“I call it ‘fate’.
“With fate as a link, practitioners have the ability to communicate with the stars and destiny. Through fate, practitioners can draw power from the corresponding stars, thereby changing their own qualifications and greatly improving their practice. Efficiency.
"In addition, when you enter the astrological path of destiny, you will also be able to use the paths of the stars to deduce the fate of yourself and others. ”
Having said this, the white-haired young man straightened the messy hair on his temples and smiled slightly: "Young master, pauper, do you believe that before I opened up this new path, the potential of my bloodline was not much different from yours?"< br>
Luochuan was doubtful and did not respond immediately.
The white-haired young man continued: "A few days ago, I pinched my hand and made a fortune. Haha, guess what?
"I found that you, boy, are just like me. , is also a wizard who cultivates the way of astrology and destiny! If you are willing to follow me on this Avenue of Stars, your future achievements will be beyond the reach of ordinary people. ”
The tone of his words was just like a human trafficker, holding a tempting candy in his hand, trying to coax the child away with sweet words.
Luochuan remained silent.
Before the age of fifteen, he had never left Yuwei Village. His knowledge of the outside world was almost entirely pieced together bit by bit by his mother's words in his ears.
In her opinion, enrolling in school, entering an official career, or joining the military like her father is the "right path" that can bring glory to one's family and win the respect of the world.
The bandits who turned into bandits are undoubtedly a group of bad guys with corrupt morals and commit all kinds of evil. They are like rats crossing the street, and everyone calls for beatings.
If Luo Chuan really went astray and became one of them, when his mother found out, she would be so angry that she might even vomit blood and die on the spot.
Noticing Luo Chuan's frown, the white-haired young man chuckled and patted his shoulder gently.
“I understand that in your heart you may have some contempt for us bandits in the mountains——”
“——I don’t!” Luo Chuan almost blurted out, denying it without thinking.
“—No, you do,” the white-haired young man continued, “It’s just that you don’t dare to admit it in front of me.
“Do you think that people like us know how to rob homes all day long? , oppressing good people, they are a group of desperadoes who cannot stand on the stage.
"But have you ever thought about it, do we really want to be thieves and bandits that are despised by the world from the moment we are born? Do we really want to live a life of hiding in Tibet and being looked down upon by others? Don't we really yearn for it in our hearts? Is that an upright and upright path? "
Luo Chuan really hasn't thought about these issues.
In his opinion, thieves in this world are born bad guys, and they are naturally opposed to good people. They are like weeds in the field, popping up one after another and seemingly never being eradicated.
The white-haired young man paused and then said: "Many of the soldiers on our mountain were originally residents of Buling County at the foot of Longji Mountain. Last year there suffered a rare severe drought, and the crops in the fields withered. , the harvest was so bleak that even the mice despised it.
“However, the government officials were like hungry wolves staring at the fat. Not only did the taxes not decrease at all, but they pressed harder. The residents of the county town were forced to have no choice but to go up the mountains and become bandits.
"Another example is the brother who took you up the mountain, his Taoist name is 'Tian Kui'. He used to have a beautiful wife, but unfortunately she was taken over by the dandy son of the governor of Wuzhou. He bullied men and domineering women, and did all kinds of bad things. Tian Kui's wife couldn't bear the humiliation and chose to commit suicide out of grief and anger.
"In order to avenge his wife, Tian Kui ambush the evil young man on his way to the brothel and killed him with a knife. .
"Afterwards, in order to escape the pursuit of the government, he had no choice but to go up the mountain and fight side by side with us."
The words of the white-haired young man made Luochuan's head feel like a giant hammer. A heavy blow, the buzzing sound echoed in the ears and lingered for a long time.
The world of black and white that Luochuan believed in in the past seemed to be instantly destroyed by an invisible force, revealing the real, chaotic, and ever-changing gray that was originally hidden behind it.
He thought of Old Man Wang in Yuwei Village, who liked to steal and deceive his neighbors. If the pots and pans in a villager's home suddenly disappear, 80% of them can be found in his home. When the villagers mentioned him, they looked down upon him with disdain.
However, my mother accidentally mentioned that when he was young, Mr. Wang was a hard-working and simple farmer. Unfortunately, due to the pressure of life, he had to sell several acres of his land to the rich man Lu at a low price. From then on, his situation took a turn for the worse, and he gradually became what he is now.
"You must have seen the true face of this world clearly during the past few days in Chaoyang City, right?" The white-haired young man continued, "Bloodline is supreme, family is respected.
“With power and power in hand, you can do whatever you want and become a superior person.
“Otherwise, you will be just a weed on the roadside, no one will listen to your thoughts, and no one will care about your life or death.”
Luochuan nodded, deeply touched by this.
"So, Your Majesty, you will gather these people in Dragon's Back Mountain to try... um, to subvert this world?" he asked. The white-haired young man suddenly stood up and looked at the stars on the horizon. His eyes showed a pride that he would give up to others, as if he had become the master of the universe.
His clothes rustled in the evening breeze.
I only heard him say:
"A few years ago, I told Gongsun Hao that I have an ideal -
"I hope that every inch of land in Lingxiao Realm will be free from oppression and war, and that everyone can rely on their own hands to Eat and clothe yourself with sweat.
“I hope that every monk in the world can break free from the shackles of blood, and rely solely on their own struggle and persistence to go further and fly higher on the journey of pursuing the great road of heaven and earth.
“I hope that there will be equal opportunities in the world, that everyone’s will can be respected, and that the standard for evaluating a person is no longer their family background, but their character and ability.
“I hope there will no longer be that tall dragon looking down on all living beings in this world.
"If this happens, everyone in the world will be like a dragon."
The tone of the white-haired young man's words was actually very calm, not impassioned or passionate.
However, Luochuan's heart beat faster involuntarily.
He deeply felt that these seemingly simple words contained an indescribable power.
This kind of power is like a scourge. Once it breaks through the dam, it has the power to flood the entire world.
"What does Gongsun Hao think of this?" Luo Chuan pondered for a moment and asked.
He did not ask the white-haired young man how he met Gongsun Hao - in Luo Chuan's eyes, the white-haired young man had a mysterious origin, unfathomable strength, and was able to create his own way of practice. He could also steal the prime minister's carriage from the prime minister's mansion silently.
It is natural for such a person to meet such a proud man as Gongsun Hao.
Luo Chuan was just a little curious. As the legitimate son of the Gongsun family, Gongsun Hao was undoubtedly the "high-ranking dragon". According to common sense, he should not agree with the white-haired young man's ideas that go against his own interests.
“He and I have the same ideals,” the white-haired young man smiled and said, “It’s just that he doesn’t agree with the way I realize my ideals.
"Gongsun Hao feels that the power of an ordinary man is limited after all. He should use his family background and spiritual qualifications to quickly rise to the top of the country and become a powerful ruler.
"In this way, he can Use the power of the entire country to initiate a profound change from top to bottom.
“However, I firmly believe that the world is terminally ill and there is no cure.
“Top-down reforms will ultimately end in constant compromise.
“Only by completely subverting it from the foundation can we truly change everything.”
Having said this, he lowered his head and looked down at Luochuan, who was sitting at his feet: "Poor young master, have you considered whether to join us?"
Luochuan was still immersed in the white-haired young man just now In his statement, his heart was surging, and he had already sketched in his mind the picture of knocking down the powerful people who bullied him in Chaoyang City one by one.
Who would have expected that this white-haired young man’s painting style would suddenly change, and the topic would turn back to him.
"I...I..."
"Don't forget, you still owe me a bag of silver. I really can't imagine that besides working for me, what else can you do in this life? Find some other way to pay off this debt.”
Mother is right, there are no free benefits in the world, and everything you owe must be paid back.
Luo Chuan felt regretful in his heart and cursed non-stop. He only regretted that he had been so obsessed with it that he couldn't help but use the bandit's money to bribe him.
What’s the result? Not only did he fail to enter the academy, but he also spent the rest of his life in it.
He was like a pitiful mountain rabbit. He was originally running freely in the mountains, but from the moment he was blocked and robbed, he had fallen into the trap carefully woven by the hunter. I can no longer escape.
He took a deep breath, stood up slowly, and tried his best to keep his words smooth and not stutter due to nervousness: "Your Majesty, I sincerely appreciate your ideals, and I am very willing to work with you. Fight side by side. However, if I choose this path, my mother will be deeply disappointed, and maybe she will come here to look for me in person with a spatula..."
"It's easy," the white-haired young man said with a smile, "I have been to all three major academies in Chaoyang City before, but I was kicked out by them because I argued with the teachers in class.
"I can make it up for you. Several stories about daily life in the academy are for you to use as material to write a letter to your mother.
“I still have the gown, headscarf, boots, paper and pen distributed by the three major academies. You can send it to her to appease her heart.
“Even, even if you are unfortunate Even if you die in battle, I can imitate your handwriting and continue to give it to her..."
"This...I'm afraid this is not appropriate! ”
Luochuan has never lied to his mother since he was a child.
Just hearing the white-haired young man's proposal, before it was actually implemented, made him feel guilty about being a thief.
"Let me ask you, you have accomplished nothing in Chaoyang City, and even your fiancée was snatched away. Do you dare to go back now and tell your mother the truth?"
Luo Chuan shook his head involuntarily, with mixed feelings in his heart.
The mother may not scold him.
But he didn't dare to face his mother's extremely disappointed eyes.
"Then you might as well stay on my mountain for a while first, calm down and think about it, and learn a little about my astrology and destiny. After you think clearly and make a decision, I will tell you "Me."
Luo Chuan nodded almost without thinking and agreed to the white-haired young man's proposal.
At this moment, he was confused and in a dilemma.
He neither dared to go home rashly, nor dared to step into Chaoyang City again - the turmoil he caused in the capital had not yet subsided, and he was afraid that he would be recognized as soon as he showed up and attract criticism from everyone. Pointing: "Look, isn't that the young master of Ziwei Pavilion? Why is he here again? Could it be that the master of the pavilion felt that he was not experienced enough and sent him back again?"
Staying in Longji Mountain is indeed a way of escaping reality for him. It allows him to temporarily put aside many troubles. At the same time, he can also take a look at what the white-haired young man calls "the path of astrological destiny". Is it as magical as he said?
He thought for a moment, then bowed deeply to the white-haired young man, and said in slightly clumsy words:
"Thank you, thank you for taking me in, thank you for giving me money, Thank you for making a special trip to pick me up at the Marquis Mansion... No matter how others think of you, I firmly believe that you are a good person, because since I came to Chaoyang City, you are the only person who thinks highly of me and is willing to talk to me heart-to-heart..."< br>
"Has anyone ever told you before that you are too stupid and not very good at praising others?" The white-haired young man interrupted with a smile, "How can you just say 'good people' when praising someone? "Isn't this the same as saying that others are useless and have nothing to do?"
"I'm sorry." Luo Chuan immediately lowered his head and rubbed his hands uncontrollably.
"In the future, you should read more history books and see how those ministers say flattering words," the white-haired young man raised his chin and said with high spirits, "For example, just now, you should say, 'Your Majesty, you are really a courteous, virtuous, and talented person. If you are thirsty, you are more powerful than the domineering Emperor Zhao. This world is destined to be yours...'"
Luochuan said "hmm" and tried to remember what he said. In my mind, I secretly thought that it would not be easy to get along with such a narcissistic person in the future.
…………
The childishness on Luo Chuan’s face suddenly disappeared, his face became more slender, and his hair changed from jet black to grayish white. Although there were no obvious wrinkles on his face, it showed the vicissitudes of life and the haggardness of a serious injury that had not yet healed.
Gu Xu sat beside the couch, looked at his face, and brought his thoughts back to reality from the memory of Emperor Ziwei.
I could only hear Luo Chuan, who was unconscious, muttering to himself from time to time, murmuring in his sleep:
"...The emperor is wise and powerful, unparalleled in wisdom and courage, and powerful in all directions. He overthrew the puppet dynasty and unified the country. This is a great achievement for the ages. ..."
"...The benevolence of the emperor is like the spring breeze turning into rain, nourishing all the people..."
"...The emperor works hard to govern, works diligently and loves the people, which is really a blessing to all living beings in the wilderness..."< br>
"...Emperor...Old minister, your teachings back then were not wasted, so I am not stupid anymore..."
Gu Xu narrowed his eyes slightly.
He could clearly feel an invisible chain, one end connected to himself and the other end connected to Luochuan.
This chain originates from the authority of "ruling".
It is like a brand engraved in the mind, which can influence the minds of subordinates and make them remain absolutely loyal to themselves.
This is also the biggest reason why Gu Xu dares to pretend to be the real Emperor Ziwei.
He sighed softly, feeling very moved in his heart.
People will change after all.
When he was young, Emperor Ziwei once vowed to make the world "everyone like a dragon" and "everyone's will be respected."
However, today, thousands of years later, the world is still full of dragons, and all living beings are as small as grass.
The boy who once firmly believed that he was a good person is now chained to his soul and cannot be free.
After all, it’s not the same as a young man traveling.