Chapter 238: Oily lips and forked tongues, the public does not cross the river

"He Daxia's question, I have already responded to."

After Ge Cheng said a word, he sat on the threshold calmly and did not speak again.

But in the time it took him to catch his breath, someone took advantage of the gap.

"General Ge did not hesitate to declare the crime of killing an official to respond to the outsider's questioning. He Daxia, do you dare not face the wailing and misery under the corrupt policies of the land survey?"

"He Xinyin, if you can't talk, get out as soon as possible, we can still spare your life!"

As Ge Cheng clearly stood on the side of being an enemy of the government, the questioning in the field immediately became aggressive.

Several core members talked at once, greeting He Xinyin with their heads and faces.

And Ge Cheng, this time, did not resolve the siege for He Xinyin, just waiting quietly for He Xinyin's reaction.

He Xinyin naturally could not look left and right this time.

His gaze swept over everyone in the field, some stretching their necks to question, some whispering, some shrinking their heads.

At this time, all gazes gathered on him.

He Xinyin met these gazes without any avoidance.

In a trance, it was exactly the same as when he first opened the altar to lecture many years ago—dissatisfaction mixed with expectation, expectation mixed with doubt, and doubt hidden with infinite confusion about his own situation.

He Xinyin subconsciously patted the carved railing that had been there for many years several times.

"Quiet!"

The majesty of the teacher's path has always been engraved in the bones, a "Quiet," actually suppressed the scene in the pile of common people.

"The old man will make a response for General Ge, as well as many fellow villagers."

The response is naturally a true response.

After confirming that Ge Cheng had the heart to negotiate, He Xinyin immediately decided to put aside the conspiracy, not play Confucian hero power, and truly explain the pros and cons of the land survey for the people.

This is a good time to seek the path.

The path of getting the monarch to walk the path, after remonstrating with the Emperor, was refuted by the Emperor—the Emperor narcissistically declared that he could indeed be a good emperor, but not just anyone could, getting the monarch to walk the path? Don't expect a savior.

The path naturally cannot be imagined out of thin air, and can only move forward along the traces of the sages.

The path of getting the monarch to walk the path cannot be walked, so we must "awaken the people and walk the path," which is the purpose of the Taizhou school, and the direction of each person is different.

Now is an appropriate time for practice.

He wanted to see if the common people could distinguish right from wrong and weigh the pros and cons.

He wanted to try, besides high-talk, when cutting into the pros and cons, would he still be honored as a classic.

Awaken the people.

Walk the path.

Rather than saying it is a negotiation, it is better to say that this is another kind of walking the path.

He Xinyin had thousands of thoughts in his heart, looking at the distant sky with no one in his eyes, and spoke slowly: "Everyone must be questioning the old man in their hearts, the wealthy abandoned farming, the merchants struck, the machine workers and peddlers had no way to go, the slaves and hidden households were driven out of the door, the tenant rent of the hired farmers increased sharply, is all this starting from the imperial court's land survey..."

He swept over everyone and did not pause at all: "Of course it is!"

As soon as the voice fell, the field was suddenly silent.

Both shocked by the directness and ruthlessness of the language, and confused by the standpoint of this great hero, and most importantly, admitting it so frankly was truly frightening.

Disappointed shaking of heads.

Silent mockery.

Dazed faces.

"If we talk about right and wrong, this is not the fault of the imperial court."

He Xinyin continued to speak with a blank face.

"There are only a few million *qing* of fields in the world, the people, the landlords, the imperial court, everyone is eating in the same pot."

"You have more and I have less, you have less and I have more, it is inevitable that there will be disputes."

"The imperial court and the landlords are not necessarily very happy, it's just that the common people have the weakest body, so naturally there are countless ways to go, countless disputes over fields and fleeing households, countless debts that cannot be repaid."

A series of words were plain and straightforward.

Hearing it in the ears of those in the situation, it was truly a bone in the throat.

Some people looked at the scabs and frostbites on their ten fingers, as if they thought of the scene where they worked day and night, and finally were "reduced in expenses" by the workshop and driven away in a mess.

Some people's eyes seemed to see the landlord arrogantly increasing the rent, and in a trance, they saw the house empty, and saw the children who were not enough to grow into laborers drowned by themselves.

These personal pains, in He Xinyin's cold tone, actually seemed so insignificant.

Just like the ants on the side of the road crushed by the carriage when it was rushing.

The gutter-nosed man sneered and opened his mouth: "Good, then let's discuss right and wrong first!"

"The imperial court has the responsibility to settle the people, but is greedy for taxes, eager to collect wealth, and ordered the land survey, causing the people to be frightened and lose money, and the people to be restless and displaced. Is there no fault!?"

This sentence showed the language habit of the gutter-nosed man, which attracted whispers from the common people in the field.

"What does it mean?"

"It just says the imperial court is crazy about money, and a decree to grab money came down, harming all of us."

This led to the approval of many people in the field, nodding like pounding garlic.

Seeing this, He Xinyin could not help but sigh for the imperial court's credit.

He turned his head and asked back: "Greedy for taxes, eager to collect wealth? Is your master editing this?"

The gutter-nosed man heard the word "master" and his momentum could not help but stall.

He reacted and hurriedly covered his anxiety with anger: "He Xinyin, don't pull east and west!"

He Xinyin shook his head and ignored him.

He turned his gaze to the common people and said earnestly: "The old man will say a fair word for the imperial court, the saying of greedy for taxes and eager to collect wealth is simply chewing the tongue!"

"Fellow villagers, the original intention of the imperial court's land survey also has a heart to settle the people!"

As soon as the voice fell, everyone was stunned, and there was a booing sound.

Originally thought that not increasing taxes was the limit of He Xinyin's answer, but I didn't expect to be able to say such anti-common sense words.

Everyone had different expressions, but the common point was that almost no one believed this.

A heart to settle the people?

The imperial court naturally wants to collect his taxes, and it has been like this for thousands of years, but this is the first time I heard that collecting taxes is for the good of the common people.

The sneer of the core members behind him was even more unceremonious: "Liang Ruyuan, you are now truly willing to be a running dog of the imperial court, such words can also be said!"

He Xinyin had expected it, and did not care much.

His expression was as solemn as in the classroom, and he continued to ask on his own: "Have you heard of Qiu Jun?"

He Xinyin seemed to be talking about it, wanting to argue for the imperial court, and the common people looked at each other.

It's just that the question is a bit inexplicable, only getting a group of blank expressions.

On the contrary, a core member beside Ge Cheng seemed unable to hold back the desire to show off, stepped forward, and said reservedly: "I know, a veteran of the four dynasties of Jingtai, Tianshun, Chenghua, and Hongzhi, who died in the post of Minister of Rites and Grand Secretary of the Wuying Hall, posthumously awarded Grand Tutor."

"The imperial court gave the name of a famous minister of principle, the scholar forest established a temple to call him the ancestor of a generation of civil ministers, even among the people, the reputation is very good."

Showing off is certainly not good, but explaining with answers is often the skill of the best students in the classroom.

He Xinyin nodded with difficulty: "Exactly this person, when he was alive, he wrote a book called *University Derivative Meaning Supplement*."

"The old man will donate a few copies to the righteous school in the future, for everyone to copy and borrow."

"*University Derivative Meaning Supplement* is Qiu Jun's annotation to Confucian classics, and he discussed the origin of the land survey in this book."

The atmosphere of telling stories has the feeling of a school.

Ge Cheng could not help but sit on the ground to listen.

There were common people in the audience who could not help but ask the fellow villagers who read more: "What kind of stuff is it saying? Mentioning books?"

The person who was asked was clearly not clear, just pretending to wave his hand: "Just raising a reputation, making it look like this is the imperial court's old idea, not He Xinyin's own nonsense, the masters are used to using old methods to fool people, actually it's not important."

Prevaricating the fellow villagers, not forgetting to stretch his neck and mock: "The origin of the land survey? Isn't it the imperial court collecting wealth?"

Such voices in the crowd are naturally endless.

He Xinyin patted the railing in front of him and corrected: "Collecting wealth is only an external form of the origin, just like the skin of a fruit, the core of the land survey is equalizing fields!"

As soon as this word came out, everyone was stunned.

Almost no one does not know the meaning of the two words "equalizing fields"—and it is not just thanks to the literacy rate of the Ming Dynasty, but more because of the weight of the two words themselves.

To say something rebellious, if you shout such slogans when plotting rebellion, it is easy to gather ten thousand people.

However, the weight is heavy, but what does it have to do with the land survey?

"He Lao Ye is talking nonsense? Isn't this eight poles away?"

Land survey, land survey, has always been to collect taxes, and I have never heard that fields will be distributed to poor farmers.

"It's not the equalizing of fields itself."

He Xinyin pondered for a while, seeming to organize language.

"Everyone in the world knows that no matter the Three Emperors or Tang and Song, all field systems, through the ages, are nothing more than four words—equalizing fields and settling the people."

Paused, He Xinyin continued to explain: "The 'equal' here does not mean equal division, according to Qiu Jun's interpretation, 'equal' means everyone gets their share."

"According to different identities, there are different distributions, he is the emperor, you are cleaning manure, the wealth distributed to each other is naturally different."

"At the same time, the 'share' of different identities should also have a limit, the common people should not be starved to death, the emperor should not build palaces, the prime minister's family is eating and drinking, the people can accept it, but owning 200,000 *mu* of fields is a big greedy person who is hated by people and ghosts."

"This is everyone getting their share!"

"And fields as the head of wealth are the first thing to be equalized, settling the people, the first thing is equalizing fields."

"Starting from a thousand years ago, the imperial court began to equalize fields..."

He Xinyin omitted the too profound details.

The specific field system is not discussed at all, the common people themselves do not have these understandings, if they explain what the well-field system is, what the equal-field system is, it is putting the cart before the horse.

As for the imperial court settling the people, it is regarded as a premise, discussing the motivation involves the results of principle learning, as well as the essence of the imperial court—the world is "trapped in an unsolvable self-contradiction, split into irreconcilable opposites and unable to get rid of these opposites," in order to seek mutual survival, alleviate conflicts, and keep these conflicts within the scope of order—these words are too profound.

So, He Xinyin simply omitted everything.

Don't ask what field system, just need to know that the imperial court wants to equalize fields.

Also don't ask why, the imperial court is good, it is born to love the people.

Its land policy guiding ideology, for thousands of years, is "equalizing fields"!

With He Xinyin's telling, the common people listened attentively, sometimes whispering to each other, asking each other what they didn't understand.

"What does it have to do with the land survey, can the imperial court distribute a few *mu* to me after surveying fields!?"

Asking and answering, this negotiation of civil unrest is more and more like the scene of He Xinyin opening an altar to lecture.

The familiar scene made He Xinyin like a fish in water.

He Xinyin shook his head and explained patiently: "That is an outdated practice, even if it is distributed to you, sooner or later it will be annexed back, the imperial court will only suppress annexation, but will never distribute fields equally."

The person who asked could not help but be discouraged.

"However..."

He Xinyin changed the subject: "From the former Song to this dynasty, although they gave up the division of land, they did not let go, but found a more fundamental key."

His speed was very slow, almost word by word.

For many years of lecturing, He Xinyin's ability to answer questions for people, from shallow to deep, and guiding step by step, has long been deep in his bones, and he will pause for a while at the key points, giving people time to think.

Everyone in the field, even if they have no knowledge, can understand five or six tenths, and understand four or five tenths.

"Key? What is it?"

Someone asked.

He Xinyin nodded lightly: "That is, equalizing the burden of taxes and labor, so that people all over the world can each settle in their share!"

Paused for a long time again.

Waiting for everyone to show a confused expression of scratching their ears and cheeks, He Xinyin started again and explained slowly: "Using the words of *University Derivative Meaning Supplement*..."

"Those who understood the foundation of governing the country at that time all lamented the benefits of equalizing fields, but in the end there was no possibility of restoration... so they adopted the method of land survey or checking tax evasion to equalize the burden of land rent and taxes."

"Equalizing the burden of rent and taxes, although not as direct as equalizing fields, also makes those with more fields pay more taxes, those with fewer fields pay fewer taxes, and finally the taxes are used for border military pay, disaster relief, and water conservancy, making people all over the world benefit together, isn't it also a kind of 'equal'?"

"This is not the original intention of equalizing fields in the Three Dynasties, this is the failure of equalizing fields, pointing directly to the core, but it is also a last resort, which is actually equalizing fields by equalizing taxes."

"That is what the Ministry of Revenue now claims, the world's wealth is first distributed and allocated by taxes!"

Similarly, He Xinyin omitted the historical context again, only throwing out a simple conclusion.

In fact, the evolution is a thousand years of exploration.

Starting from the well-field system of dividing fields in the small country and few people during the Three Emperors.

And after the Eastern Zhou, the struggle for dividing rooms and seizing fields among nobles increased day by day, the well-field system began to undergo major evolution in the Spring and Autumn period, until it finally collapsed, and land was no longer distributed by the state, but personal property.

In the Han Dynasty's name-field system, as private property, the annexation of fields became more and more intense, Shi Dan proposed limiting the people's name-fields to suppress land annexation, but the effect was minimal, so Wang Mang's people proposed the "Wang Field System," attempting to restore the well-field system of public land.

Everything is for "equalizing fields."

Subsequently, Wang Mang rose and fell, and in the Later Han, the name-field system was restored, evolving to the Wei and Jin, a land-occupation decree, the imperial court publicly recognized that landlords legally occupied land, and the descendants of scholars occupied fields according to their rank and nobility, and even kings could not control people's private property, which is that the emperor could not move the fields of the world's families.

The situation of land annexation reached the highest peak in history.

Things turn to their opposites when they reach the extreme, for three hundred years between Sui and Tang, the equal-field decree returned to the ashes, fields were all public, and could not be bought or sold.

Until the middle of Tang, the equal-field decree was ruined again, Yang Yan took the opportunity to propose the two-tax law, and the struggle for the field system finally began to turn toward land taxes.

The imperial court and landlords, ideals and the present, both sides pulled constantly.

Until this dynasty, there were still occasional returns of equal-field talk, but no matter what the original intention was, in the end, it would turn from the ideal of equalizing fields to the reality of equalizing taxes.

It is precisely this thousand-year evolution that the Ministry of Revenue can shout that sentence "tax regulation distribution" in a dignified manner this year.

Of course, these too obscure historical processes, there is no need to add feet to the snake to explain to the common people.

"Fellow villagers, if we talk about right and wrong, is the imperial court's original intention really wrong?"

Speaking generously, clarifying the pros and cons, distinguishing between enemy and self, He Xinyin is a good teacher.

Especially some fixed vocabulary, the influence among the people is incomparable.

Equalizing fields, simple two words, the vibration to people is still extremely strong.

Even Ge Cheng, who claimed to be fighting for justice, did not have enough confidence.

Equalizing fields? Equalizing taxes? Regulating the world's wealth?

At first glance, it is a very righteous principle, and the land survey is full of righteous great righteousness, but they, these suffering common people, are the mantis blocking the car, not worth mentioning.

Is it really so?

Principles need to be thought about, especially this set of words needs to be understood in quite a few places.

Not only Ge Cheng, the common people who can understand are thinking hard, and the common people who cannot understand are asking each other.

"I'm confused, does this mean the imperial court doesn't have enough money, so it digs silver from the wealthy, and by the way, distributes a little to me, and equalizes it together?"

"Of course not, listening to this, it's scraping a little less from us, which is equalizing."

"Heh, then you have to bow down and thank the imperial court for its kindness?"

"Oh, it also says that the money collected is finally used by us, which is also equalizing."

"It sounds like there's no corruption..."

"One yard is one yard."

If it were usual times, it would have been an endless sound of submission, but today's audience is different from the simple students who listened to lectures in the past.

The principles of morality seem unable to move the common people who are related to their personal interests.

Suspicious voices are endless in the crowd.

Even, someone suddenly squeezed out of the crowd, walked to the front and shouted loudly.

"He Lao Ye, if you let the workshop recall us, I will believe the imperial court is kind!"

"If the strike is reopened, I will believe it!"

This remark attracted the resonance of many common people, and immediately someone echoed.

"He Lao Ye, you keep saying that the imperial court's land survey is for us, we want to believe it too, but when the land survey comes, I still can't live!"

This is a hurdle that cannot be crossed.

Even if you believe the imperial court's original intention is good and cares about the world, the problem is, what about me?

The price of the great policy? The pain of the era?

Regarding this, He Xinyin naturally understands.

When he was urged to pay the imperial wood, he directly gathered retainers and killed the runners, which was the same idea.

He Xinyin was full of emotion, but put on an indifferent appearance on the surface: "Yes, the old man is also very curious."

"Those who abandoned farming are the gentry, those who increased rent are the landlords, those who cleared hidden households are the wealthy, those who dismissed small workers are the merchants..."

"These chaotic phenomena, the Provincial Governor's yamen has its own calculations, don't you fellow villagers calculate?"

"Why is it that when the land survey comes, they have to force you to not be able to live?"

While speaking, He Xinyin turned his head and stared at the few core members beside Ge Cheng, almost questioning them face-to-face—who is making trouble in it, and who should be blamed.

The latter felt extremely uncomfortable being stared at.

The person who spoke also had some words: "The masters said it was the imperial court increasing taxes, they had no choice to fill the hole..."

Maybe the reason can be thought of, but it is not important.

If you pull it too clearly, how can you mix food with the master you live with day and night in the future?

He Xinyin nodded, seeming to understand very well.

He sighed with emotion: "So you are willing to be incited and bargain with the imperial court."

"Is this looking at the imperial court being reasonable, or bullying the imperial court for not blaming the public?"

When the imperial court acts according to free discretion, it is much more than the Ming Law.

Don't look at the parade and demonstration, but whether it is civil unrest or civil chaos, it is just a thought of the main official.

The norm has always been that the small people return to their homes, and the main criminals die or are imprisoned, just like Ge Cheng said himself, if someone protects them above, they will come out after sitting in jail for a few years.

So much so that abandoning farming and striking has almost become a routine means of expressing dissatisfaction.

If it weren't for the node of the national policy, and meeting Shen Li, this straight-headed person, there would be no consequences at all.

So much so that these common people did not know the seriousness of the situation at all, and were still bargaining here.

The words of punishing the heart entered the ears, and the faces of the common people in the field changed several times.

The person was about to answer: "I..."

He Xinyin did not give him room to interrupt, his body leaned forward suddenly, staring angrily: "Since you dare to rebel against the imperial court's great policy here, why are you obedient to the landlord's rent increase!?"

The words were close to roaring, and everyone was stunned.

The person who was scolded was so frightened that he shook his whole body and took several steps back!

He Xinyin finished speaking, then turned his head suddenly, staring at Ge Cheng: "General Ge, didn't you just want to discuss right and wrong with the old man?"

"You know this matter clearly, tell the old man, why are you indignant at the great policy of the land survey that wants to save the situation, but turn a blind eye to the gentry who are making trouble in it!?"

A question, shocked Ge Cheng to sit up from the threshold.

Facing the aggressive He Xinyin, Ge Cheng wanted to speak but stopped.

Hesitated for a long time.

Ge Cheng actually sighed sadly, turned his head away shamefully: "He Daxia laughed, I and the fellow villagers really don't have this ability..."

Today, Ge Cheng showed powerlessness for the first time.

A person who dared to say he was not afraid of rebellion, but looked at the evil of the gentry and sighed.

Why are you clawing at the imperial court and bowing to the gentry?

Of course, it is bullying the soft and fearing the hard.

It sounds ridiculous, but only Ge Cheng himself knows how difficult it was to gather thousands of followers today.

To say something unpleasant, only the imperial court that bears the disgrace of the country can become the target of hatred for most people, and under the guidance of those who are interested, they can easily gather in one place.

What if it is replaced by a wealthy family?

Each manor has each manor's landlord, each village has each village's gentry, the common people who are dissatisfied with the wealthy cannot gather the small workers who hate the big merchants.

If Ge Cheng had the ability to gather a group of people to seek justice from the landlords everywhere, why not just sit in the main seat of the yamen?

Taking a step back, even if he can gather people with gangs.

But the problem is, clearing hidden households, dismissing small workers, and even increasing tenant rent, have been means of disposing of their own property for thousands of years, who can say anything?

Can you force the wealthy merchants to recruit workers? Or force the landlords to set the rent? You wouldn't force them to buy the servants they drove out again, would you?

This responsibility can only be borne by the imperial court.

Can Ge Cheng not see the gentry and wealthy fanning the flames? Does he not know that the Taicang Zhang family has the intention to use himself to guide the situation?

Of course he knows.

It's just that the common people who can't live are in front of them, and the only ones who can bargain are the imperial court that treats stability as a benchmark.

Some words are not benevolent, but this word came out, and He Xinyin's face flushed red.

He smashed the railing in front of him with a palm and shouted. "Dog fart!"

It was clearly angry to the extreme at this set of rhetoric.

Wood chips fell, everyone was stunned, and several core members took a step back subconsciously.

He Xinyin looked at the palm he shot subconsciously, hurriedly clenched his fist and retracted it behind his back, and quickly restrained his anger in the suspicious eyes of everyone.

"Ability? Heh!"

He Xinyin suppressed his anger and said in a muffled voice: "It's okay for the General to look down on himself, but how can he belittle the people?"

"After the old man arrived in Yanzhou, he was ordered to go to Zou County, Teng County and other places first, clear hidden households, register, and chat with many fellow villagers."

"The conversation with the Kong family's tenant farmers left the deepest impression on the old man."

"They said the Kong family is greedy, relying on the thousand-year-old family, the Duke's gate, controlling the county yamen, setting the rent extremely high, and making temporary apportionments every few days, the eldest room comes and the second room comes, endless."

"But we are common people, but not ignorant beasts."

"The rent is increased so that we can't live, do we still accept it willingly?"

"In Weizhuang, Sishui County, it is a government manor, with more than 20 *qing* of land of the Kong family, because of resistance year after year, a few years ago, they gathered to resist, and gave the manager Jiang Shuyong sent by the Kong family a hard lesson, and Jiang Shuyong therefore 'died of anger'."

"The Kong family really couldn't control it, so they had to report to the imperial court, saying they were 'tired, stubborn, and cunning, accustomed to resisting arrears,' and the rent was cut in half directly."

"And the tenant farmers in Teng County rioted in the Longqing period. Because there was a locust disaster that year, they gathered in one place to 'jointly form a bureau, rob the official field,' and took back the harvest from the Kong family overnight, not leaving a single grain."

"This matter was done, and then Song Xingli was asked to write it into a pledge, which later formed a tradition in times of disaster."

"..."

"The old man can't count these things!"

"General Ge didn't keep saying that the old man looks down on the common people? Isn't the General also the same!?"

"No such ability? This is the greatest ability! The natural ability of the common people!"

"The common people also have righteousness, the common people also talk about right and wrong, whoever gives injustice, take it back with your own hands! Whoever blocks the way of life, go to whoever to ask for it!"

"General Ge, wrapping the common people to resist the good policy and good government, is trampling on the conscience of the living people!"

Shouting with arms, spitting flying.

Ge Cheng took the brunt, his thoughts becoming more and more chaotic.

His gaze swept over the followers in the courtyard, his expression becoming more and more dazed.

Ge Cheng opened his mouth to argue something.

"I..."

As soon as he opened his mouth, he didn't know where to start.

I thought the land survey was not caring about the people, greedy for wealth, now He Xinyin tells me that the imperial court is equalizing taxes to save the country.

I thought it was a hero to conspire with the wealthy and bargain with the imperial court, now He Xinyin points out with a question that his trip is no different from helping the tyrant.

I thought I was fighting for justice and standing up for the common people, and I could be called a hero, now He Xinyin tells me that the common people are heroes themselves, but they were led to the fork in the road by me.

In this way, what on earth am I tossing about?

He Xinyin had no time to listen to Ge Cheng's defense at this moment.

He was completely forgetful, almost shouting: "... earning life!"

"Before leaving, Provincial Governor Shen had already promised the old man that the difficulties of the fellow villagers today will be cleaned up by the Provincial Governor's yamen in a few days, the strike will be reopened, the abandoned farming will be resumed, the workshops lacking people will open their doors to recruit workers, and the hidden households will settle down again."

"This is not the charity of the yamen, it is earned by you yourself!"

"Not only in front of the imperial court, even if you leave the old man, even if there is no General Ge, even if the master is in front, you still have to earn your life!"

"Don't always hope for others to give a way out, don't always seek advantages and avoid disadvantages, and be wrapped by others! The common people also have right and wrong! They should also walk their own path!"

"The path of the common people must be walked by themselves!"

Awakening the people and walking the path is a very painful thing.

The sentiment of "regarding the country as a home" makes He Xinyin tie his own worries and joys to the country.

The heart of "regarding people as oneself" makes He Xinyin regard the suffering of the people as his own illness.

The good policy cannot be implemented, and the people cannot be taught, which is the most common thing, and also the painful root of awakening the people and walking the path.

He Xinyin at this moment, generous and excited, shouting loudly, emotions sprayed from his chest.

He is looking forward to the choice of the people, he is longing for the understanding of the people, he dreams that the people can distinguish right from wrong, just as Wang Yangming said, the people can "awaken."

Is the land survey right? Who is making trouble in the suffering of the common people? And can Shen Li's promise to let the common people settle down be believed?

He Xinyin said everything he should say.

As for whether to believe it or not, it must be decided by these common people with dazed expressions in front of him.

"Fellow villagers, awaken the people and walk the path..."

He Xinyin muttered to himself.

Just when he was tired and opened his mouth to finish the last sentence.

A big hand like a cattail fan pressed on his shoulder.

He Xinyin subconsciously looked back.

Only to see Ge Cheng shaking his head with a blank face.

"He Daxia, that's enough, let us close the door and discuss it ourselves."

He Xinyin looked at Ge Cheng in a trance, opening his mouth to speak.

Ge Cheng squeezed He Xinyin's shoulder, his expression sincere, and said seriously: "He Daxia, please understand our ignorance."

This word entered He Xinyin's ears, his body shook, and he suddenly came back to his senses.

Looking up, the common people who entered his eyes, the expression was so dazed and ignorant.

He Xinyin then realized afterward that he seemed to be too deep in the play, the more he said, the more miscellaneous, so that the more he went back, the fewer people could understand.

A feeling of helplessness surged into his mind, and he looked at Ge Cheng expectantly, almost like asking for help.

Fortunately, Ge Cheng nodded without hesitation: "I naturally understand."

He Xinyin felt relieved and let out a long breath.

"I am just about to explain to the followers with low-class words, so that I can discuss a result, trouble He Daxia to wait outside the temple."

Ge Cheng repeated it again.

This time He Xinyin did not hesitate, bowed his hands and thanked him endlessly.

And then he turned around in a mess. 【238

He Xinyin turned toward the outside of the hall, and wherever he walked, the commoners in the courtyard parted to clear a path for him.

Ge Cheng looked down from his high position, watching He Xinyin leave the temple.

Only when the latter's figure had completely disappeared from sight did Ge Cheng turn his palms toward his face and curl his five fingers several times in succession.

The gang members gathered around him again. Ge Cheng looked at their puzzled expressions and pondered for a moment: "What Hero He means is that since the imperial court is implementing good policies this time, if we provoke them again, they will truly be desperate. Therefore, his meaning is..."

"Let us go divide up the local tyrants' wealth for half a day, then voluntarily lay down our arms, return to our fields, and become good citizens again!"

Waiting for results is often agonizing and tedious.

But when the result is unexpected, it is even more alarming and bewildering.

When He Xinyin stood with his hands behind his back on the bank of the Si River, full of expectation as he waited for Ge Cheng to surrender with courtesy, only to immediately see several groups of men swarming out from the temple and roaring past, "dumbfounded" could not even begin to describe He Xinyin's mood at that moment.

"Teacher, Ge Cheng is going to take his men and run away!?"

Lu Guangwu looked at the plumes of dust rising outside the temple and exclaimed to warn his teacher.

He Xinyin looked at this scene before him in disbelief. How could it be like this!

Ge Cheng had clearly been wavering just a moment ago, looking as if he were about to defect and lay down his arms; how could this be the result!?

Could it be that his thieving heart truly refuses to die, that he insists on occupying the mountains to act as king, and will only know repentance when Shen Li's great army arrives?

He Xinyin could not spare the time to think further and was about to rise and go forward.

Lu Guangwu hurriedly blocked his path: "Teacher, the minds of thieves are hard to fathom. Please allow your disciple to guard your side."

Just now, to show sincerity, it was fine for the teacher to go alone, but it is quite chaotic at this moment; there is no reason to sit in the hall of danger.

He Xinyin hesitated for a moment and nodded heavily.

Lu Guangwu immediately obeyed the order and hurriedly guarded He Xinyin, squeezing into the temple against the flow of people.

Unexpectedly.

When the master and disciple arrived at the front of the temple, there was no turning of faces as imagined; instead, someone came out to welcome them.

"Hero He, my big brother invites you inside."

Upon hearing this, He Xinyin frowned tightly and exchanged a glance with his disciple.

The two became even more confused about Ge Cheng's purpose and had no choice but to follow behind the guide with caution.

The group remained silent the whole way, silently ascending the steps.

Until they stepped into the temple gate.

The scene before their eyes terrified everyone!

Splattered blood covered the temple walls, and viscous black blood flowed down the steps from the main Buddha hall, leaving one bloody footprint after another on the ground.

Corpses and severed limbs were scattered everywhere in a mess.

Only a few heads with wide-open, angry eyes were neatly arranged in the main hall of the Buddha temple.

And that rebel leader named Ge Cheng was sitting disheveled on the threshold of the main hall.

He Xinyin's face looked ugly, with a mix of hesitation and questioning: "General Ge, this is..."

Ge Cheng raised his head.

Seeing that He Xinyin had returned, his expression was quite joyful: "Hero He!"

He revealed a mouthful of grim white teeth and laughed sincerely: "There's no help for it. Every time I want to discuss a result, there are those who refuse to submit, so I had no choice but to use force to decide the winner."

A simple sentence, filled with murderous intent.

He Xinyin, who had originally come to hold them accountable, was stifled by the aura.

He frowned and swept his gaze over the faces of the dozens of heads in the hall.

Although stained with blood, he clearly saw that the entire group of core members from just a moment ago was actually among them!

Seeing his surprised expression, Ge Cheng's smile did not diminish: "Isn't Governor Shen still planning to execute people to show his authority? Hero He can just take these to fulfill the mission."

He Xinyin could not help but be speechless.

It was his disciple Lu Guangwu behind him who blurted out: "How did you know!?"

Ge Cheng waved his hand indifferently: "I don't know where they got the news either. They were using it to threaten me just now, so I just happened to make use of them."

After saying this, he raised his head and stared at his face for a long time before saying in surprise: "Could it be the peerless Lu in person?"

Lu Guangwu felt unnatural under his gaze, stepped back half a pace, and cupped his hands perfunctorily.

Ge Cheng, however, hurriedly stood up and performed a proper salute.

Lu Guangwu is the true disciple of He Xinyin's Four Gates Society, who every year "spends thousands in gold, travels to the four corners of the earth, and secretly seeks out the strange scholars of the world."

Having spent years in the world of martial arts, his reputation on the streets is not as great as He Xinyin's, but he is more legendary.

His personal martial prowess, in particular, is widely spread; during the Jiajing era, Lu Guangwu once challenged the Zhao Qing Temple, competing in martial arts one by one, and injured seventy-three martial monks in a few days.

Even when the imperial court posted notices to recruit martial talent, this "peerless Lu" was the second-best in the world to emerge from the selection.

But He Xinyin did not give Ge Cheng a good look, standing in the middle to separate the two, and asked sternly: "Listening to the General's meaning, shouldn't you be dispersing your followers? Why did several large groups under your command, holding banana leaves, roar past before my eyes just now?"

"Could it be that you want to use these heads as a stepping stone, use me to paralyze the imperial court, and then buy time for yourself to sneak into the mountains and become a bandit!?"

At this moment, He Xinyin had already lost trust in Ge Cheng.

This not only ruined the imperial court's affairs but also ruined his own path!

If even he, He Xinyin, had spoken so earnestly and the common people were still easily coerced by others, how could he not have doubts about "enlightening the people and practicing the Dao"!?

"Heh, Hero He, don't be anxious."

Compared to He Xinyin's urgency, Ge Cheng's state of mind was incomparably relaxed.

He gestured for He Xinyin to find a place to sit, while he himself sat down in the pool of blood in the hall.

"I have truly taken Hero He's teachings to heart."

"Since the imperial court's major policy of land measurement is to equalize taxes and save the country, I will certainly not stand in opposition to it again."

He Xinyin opened his mouth to speak.

Ge Cheng waved his hand to interrupt: "Hero He said that the common people's way of survival is earned by themselves, and I have also been greatly inspired."

"The imperial court's handling of the situation may not be entirely satisfactory; there are too many layers of officials, and I truly find it hard to trust every one of them."

The imperial court's empty words cannot be trusted.

In an irregular imperial court, where corruption is rampant throughout the country, where people speak nonsense and fabricate unjust cases, it is nothing more than normal.

Even in a regular imperial court, it is equally filled with those who do not keep their word, are two-faced, and do not acknowledge past debts.

Even if the original intention from above is good, those below can still execute it in a crooked way.

Hearing this, He Xinyin vaguely anticipated Ge Cheng's thoughts.

Sure enough.

"Rather than waiting for the imperial court to clean up the situation, it is better to take advantage of the fact that we can still gather people to do something."

Ge Cheng looked at He Xinyin and grinned: "Therefore, I let them go to the cellars of the wealthy families to earn something for half a day, and then become good citizens again."

For an urgent need, there is naturally an urgent method.

He Xinyin suddenly had no words.

Because he actually did not know how to judge such behavior.

Is it good? Is it bad?

He Xinyin could not distinguish for a moment, so he simply cast it aside: "Since that is the case, General Ge, go and explain yourself to Governor Shen."

After saying this, he walked up to Ge Cheng, intending to take the men back to the county yamen.

However, Ge Cheng shook his head.

He Xinyin frowned in confusion.

"If I go back to the county yamen with Hero He, I'm afraid I'll have a hard time dying." Ge Cheng looked up, his smile undiminished, "In the various counties of Yanzhou Prefecture, doesn't it need my head to intimidate them and pacify the area as soon as possible?"

As the voice fell, the hall suddenly fell silent.

After a long silence, He Xinyin slowly spoke: "Governor Shen will have his own decision."

Ge Cheng shook his head.

"Only after seeing Hero He today did I know that if one wants to make a name for oneself on the path, one must study."

"Hero He is a famous Confucian scholar above, who can debate the classics with the Emperor; below, he is a hero of the world, who can preach the Dao to the common people. And I only know three or five big characters, doing things that violate the law with martial arts all day long, boasting of distinguishing right from wrong, only to end up being used as a gun by the scholars."

"The common people may applaud small heroes like me, but when it comes to pleading for the people, I am not even worth a single curly hair of Hero He."

"Now that I have seen the gap with my own eyes, it can be considered not a wasted life."

"However, I still have one doubt before I die."

The tone was calm, but it revealed an unchangeable firmness.

He Xinyin looked steadily at Ge Cheng, who had made up his mind to leave, his heart filled with mixed feelings.

Should Ge Cheng die?

According to the law, of course, he deserves to die a hundred times.

But then again, in the world of martial arts, killing a few tax officials and gathering a few civil riots, what does it matter?

Even as Ge Cheng said, if he really entered the yamen and let the three judicial offices judge him according to the law, it would be hard to die even if he wanted to.

Yet Ge Cheng himself does not want to live.

Perhaps he believes in the common people, and the counties of Yanzhou Prefecture indeed need his head as the "instigator" to intimidate them.

Perhaps a fight harmed a friend's life, and he can only pay the debt with his death.

Perhaps Ge Cheng was entrusted by a "friend," and now that he has defected and laid down his arms, he has no face to face them.

There are many possible reasons.

The only thing He Xinyin can confirm is that he can only bring back Ge Cheng's head.

The two sat and stood, with their backs to the gate of the main Buddha hall.

The Buddha statue looked down from above, quietly watching this scene.

The mottled light and shadow, the accompanying disciples, the gang members on the left and right, and the neatly arranged heads all became the background.

The scene was strange yet harmonious.

After a long while, He Xinyin turned his back: "General, please ask."

Ge Cheng wiped his temples and slowly stood up: "Hero He said just now, 'enlightening the people and practicing the Dao.' I have seen it several times on the side of the Taizhou School. What exactly does this mean?"

He walked around to He Xinyin's front and cast a look of seeking instruction.

He Xinyin had no choice but to meet Ge Cheng's gaze.

The two stared at each other intensely.

A moment later, amidst Ge Cheng's expectant gaze, He Xinyin sighed heavily, feeling lost: "I understood when I was studying in the past, but decades have passed, and I no longer understand. I only hope to grope for a thing or two in my remaining years."

This answer made Ge Cheng quite disappointed.

He smacked his lips, shook his head, and said nothing more. He walked straight to the Buddha statue, bowed three times in succession, and picked up a long saber from the incense burner.

Seeing this, He Xinyin seemed unable to bear watching and silently walked away.

Just as he stepped over the threshold, Ge Cheng's voice came from behind: "Hero He, I can't bring myself to do it! Give me a hand!"

He Xinyin's footsteps paused, and he turned his head helplessly, signaling to Lu Guangwu beside him.

The latter bowed in obedience, and while turning back into the hall, he thoughtfully closed the door.

He Xinyin pushed aside the severed limbs hanging on the carved railing, leaned against it, and slowly closed his eyes.

The temple was filled with the atmosphere of Buddha.

Clouds rolled and unfurled at the edge of the sky.

The Si River flowed day and night without stopping.

Crack.

With a crisp sound, a touch of crimson quietly appeared on the temple door.

A deep sigh came from outside the hall, not knowing what was being thought of.

Writing up to Ge Cheng's death.

He Xinyin's eyes were already blurred, and his words were choked with sobs.

Feng Congwu was also moved, and after a moment of hesitation, he still spoke to comfort him: "Senior Brother Lu's sword technique is at its peak, cutting iron like mud; it must not have brought the slightest pain."

The comfort was truly not very good.

Hearing these words, He Xinyin could no longer control himself, just waved his hand, covered his face, and left.

"I'll trouble Zhonghao to finish it."

One sentence, one student, was left alone in the room.

Feng Congwu sighed; this teacher is worthy of being a child of the world of martial arts, a man of temperament. He himself did not feel much pain, only feeling regret—the waters of political strife, how can an ordinary person step into them?

He shook his head and, to fulfill his teacher's order, had to read the full text again.

The more he read, the more emotion he felt, and he developed a great fear of the world's political affairs.

His gaze looked toward where the writing stopped.

After sitting blankly for a long time, Feng Congwu picked up his pen again.

He gifted a poem:

Sir, do not cross the river!

The river water is deep and bottomless, with flood dragons and turtles within. Long teeth and sharp fangs are like spears, peeking at people passing by the ferry.

Sir, why do you wish to cross the river?

Do you not see the calm wind and bright sun flowing without waves, the green reeds and white rushes where ducks and geese bathe, and the fishing boats and lotus skiffs dancing together? In mid-stream, thunder and rain arrive suddenly, and the wild waves surge like mountains.

Sir, do not cross the river!

The ancients observed the well by striking wood first; do not waste your seven feet lightly. Are the wide roads not far, and the green mountains high and craggy? Driving a carriage and horse is full of hardship, yet it is better than the many changes of wind and waves. The deaths of the Wu River and the Miluo River have lasted for a thousand years, and loyalty and righteousness remain unpolished.

Sir, what do you wish to cross for now?

With hair disheveled and face covered, you are a demon. Your wife comes to pull your clothes; why do you roar in anger? Your death is not worth pitying, only the song of the Konghou is sad.

Alas!

Sir, do not cross the river.

(End of chapter)