Chapter 883: You and I are master and apprentice, from now on the relationship is severed

The fifteenth day of the first lunar month!

The entire capital was decorated with lanterns to celebrate the Lantern Festival.

Emperor Taixing walked out of the palace and stood on the city wall to enjoy the festivities with the people.

The accompanying civil and military officials did their utmost to flatter and praise, composing poems on the spot to sing of his merits. They actually praised Emperor Taixing, who had ordinary qualifications, into a wise monarch of the current age with civil and martial achievements—a holy monarch presiding over the court, with peace under heaven. His merits surpassed those of the previous emperor, and even far exceeded the great achievements of the previous emperor's early years.

Some upright officials, facing this scene, really could not bear to look, but they could not speak out to refute and ruin the atmosphere. Being in the officialdom, they still had basic political sense.

They had no choice but to turn their heads and look at the beautiful scene of the people's joy under the city wall, not looking at the colleagues in the officialdom who were flattering, and even less wanting to see the Emperor being coaxed into looking like a fool.

Chen Guanlou was not on duty.

He also wanted to enjoy the festivities with the "people"!

He ran to the brothel, ordered a few familiar old flames, drank wine, and sang songs, feeling very happy.

If one were to talk about a prosperous age, the rich in the capital lived a life of paper-intoxicated gold, indeed having a slight illusion of a prosperous age descending.

If it were the common people at the bottom, they would still have to ponder where to find work tomorrow to earn enough for three meals a day. Whether it was a prosperous age or not, they had no money and had to pay taxes. In the so-called prosperous age, they didn't see taxes decrease by a single cent, and the items for collecting money were increasing instead.

This damn heaven!

After wandering until midnight and seeing the message, Chen Guanlou's drunkenness was half gone.

He pushed away the top courtesan pressing on his body, got up to dress, and galloped toward the outside of the city.

His apprentice, the apprentice he had forgotten behind his head, had rarely sent him a message, so he had to go and take a look. At any rate, being someone's master, he had to have the appearance of a master and couldn't really be an absentee manager.

Located in the mountain villa in the mountain gully, Chen Guanlou stepped into this place and clearly found that there were many more people.

Seeing his apprentice Zhang Yikang, several years had passed, and he had grown from a little brat into a half-grown boy. His height was almost catching up to his.

"Good boy, you've grown quite a bit in the past six months, haven't you?"

Zhang Yikang appeared very steady, revealing a maturity far beyond his age.

"Greetings, Master! Master, may you have a prosperous New Year."

"Why are you in such a hurry to call me here?"

Chen Guanlou did not change his attire, nor did he change his appearance. He came to see his apprentice in his original appearance. Who let him have a very clever apprentice who had long ago seen through his disguise and identified his identity?

Since then, he had been too lazy to pretend. Pretending to be an old man every time was also quite tiring.

"Master, disciple intends to take people south."

Eh?

So fast?

"Tell me the reason."

"The signs of the Prince of Chu's defeat have already appeared; right now is the best time to fish in troubled waters. Disciple discussed it with several strategists, and we unanimously believe that now is the best time to develop in the south. If we miss this wave, I don't know when we will have to wait. Disciple does not want to miss it; disciple has been hiding in this mountain villa for several years, it is time to show my fists and feet to see how much weight I have. I ask Master to agree!"

After speaking, Zhang Yikang knelt on the ground, his spine straight as a rod.

Chen Guanlou's expression was serious. "Have you decided?"

"Yes! Disciple has already decided."

"Then, I do not object."

Zhang Yikang didn't have time to be happy before he heard a "but."

"But... some words, I must make clear to you. From the moment you take people south, I am no longer your master, and I have no connection with you. I will not care about your life or death. When you make a name for yourself outside, do not mention my name. When you are driven to a dead end outside, please do not mention me either.

From now on, take care of yourself; when encountering matters, whether to charge or to flee, judge for yourself. What I can teach you, I have already taught; how to apply it specifically depends on your own comprehension. Finally, one more sentence: do not be too rigid in life; learn to be flexible. The most important point of rebelling is to have your own territory, to have an action program and direction, as well as specific goals. Accumulate grain, build high walls, and wait to claim the title of King! I give you these nine true words!"

"Master!"

"From now on, do not call me Master again! Next time we meet, please address me as Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen. You and I are from now on severed in relationship!"

"Why does Master insist on this?" Zhang Yikang did not understand, did not comprehend. Although when he first became an apprentice, this matter had been mentioned. But he was too young at that time and urgently needed a place to stay, so he agreed to all conditions without thinking.

Today, when he truly faced Master's request to sever the relationship, he knew how cruel this request was!

Chen Guanlou got up and passed the other party. "My promise to your grandfather was to help the Wu family leave behind one bloodline. Now, you have chosen the most difficult path; as long as you still have a bit of conscience, you should not drag me into the water."

"Does Master believe I will fail?"

"Whether you fail or succeed, what does it have to do with me! Since you know my true identity, you should understand that I have no great ambition in this life and only want to live a carefree life. If the master-apprentice relationship is not severed, what should I do if you shout me out one day? Hide in the mountain gully and live a life? I am a person who avoids the heavy and seeks the light, and I cannot bear suffering. I have already done my best by keeping you and teaching you. Could it be that you still want me to wipe your ass for you? Simply absurd!"

Chen Guanlou's stern words actually stunned Zhang Yikang.

"Master..."

"From now on, do not call me Master!"

"If I succeed, will Master recognize me again?"

Chen Guanlou laughed upon hearing this. "When you truly succeed, at that time you should ask yourself, are you still willing to recognize me? I fear that at that time, the person in a hurry to clear the relationship will be you."

"No! That won't happen. I, Wu Kangyi, am definitely not a person who forgets favors."

"You forgot again, your name now is Zhang Yikang, do not make a mistake again. Sigh, this face of yours, anyone familiar will know you have the Wu family bloodline at a glance. Going south is correct; there are very few people there who know you, plus this batch of people in your hands, it is enough to show your fists and feet. I wish you success in your heart's desire and create a career early. If one day, you fail, do not be discouraged either. Someone will collect your corpse and let you be buried!"

"Master!"

Zhang Yikang wailed loudly.

"Why can't Master let disciple have a thought?"

"Those who do great things, how can they be mother-in-law-like, indecisive? Those who achieve great things must have the heart to tolerate others, and also be ruthless. Now I teach you the last lesson: when it is time to cut, cut; do not be swayed by emotions. Even a small prison warden like me can do it; Zhang Yikang, you are the one who wants to overturn the world, how can you be so sentimental!"

Chen Guanlou sighed slightly.

Severing the relationship, this is necessary, it is predetermined. He cannot change his mind because of a few tears from the other party.

The master-apprentice status ends here.

He just taught a student named Zhang Yikang. The teaching ended, and everything came to an abrupt end.

Whatever master-apprentice status, it all ended.

This is a necessary decision.

He helped the other party up and told the other party to stand firm. "Since you have decided, then do it, strive to do the best. Money has been given to you, people have been given to you, and the way to make money has also been taught to you. Walk the remaining path yourself, walk it well. If you can't walk it, turning back is fine, going to the Southern Barbarians is fine, dying is fine, you make the choice yourself. Don't miss me in the future, and I won't miss you either. That's it!"

After speaking, taking advantage of the fact that the sky was not yet bright, he left the mountain villa silently and said goodbye from then on. ===== CHAPTER 884 =====