Chapter 183: I Am Greedy for Life Too
nscend the ordinary, I can only rely on pills. It is my path of cultivation, my hope, my only light. You know my family situation, you know how hard I've worked. I get up before dawn every day to prac...The reason the courtiers looked at each other in surprise wasn't because the plan was particularly brilliant, but because it seemed like Xi Mengfu had lost his mind!
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Huaiqing Prefecture and the capital city of Xiadu are separated by just one Sangfu.
To yield the lands south of Huaiqing Prefecture is practically to hand over half of Xia Kingdom, placing our heartland right before the Chu people!
What kind of person was Xi Mengfu How scared was he by the State of Qi that he could come up with such a "brilliant" plan
"Let me tell you about it in detail."
In the eyes of the civil and military officials who looked at him like an idiot, Xi Mengfu said calmly: "Chu State is unwilling to send aid... This is nothing more than a few reasons. First, historically, we have fought with Chu State many times, and there are deep grudges. Second, the Southern Regions are complex, with mountains separating us, Li and Yue as barriers, and various powerful sects intertwined. Whether the Chu people come or we go, it is inevitable to lose more than we gain. The previous emperor chose to advance east for this reason. As for the third point, the Qin-Chu War has just ended, and the Hexi plain has become a barren land. The pressure from Qin State cannot be ignored by Chu State. If they come with fewer people, they might send sheep into the tiger's mouth. If they come with more people, they might trigger a move from Qin."
“The only thing that can dissolve these causes is — interest!”
"When there are enough benefits, resentment should be put aside. When there are enough benefits, it is worth taking risks. If we take the initiative to cede land, then Shu Mountain will have no reason to interfere. In this way, past grievances will be resolved, and the future will be bright. There will be no obstacle in reality. Why would the Chu army not come"
Xi Mengfu argued back and forth, twisting things until he managed to concoct a few plausible-sounding arguments.
"This is a desperate measure! What are you trying to do, Xi Mengfu!"
The Duke An Guo Hou Jinling, who was on a diplomatic mission to Chu State, was now flushed and enraged. He even refused to call the other party "Master of Ceremonies", instead addressing the divine cultivator directly as "Xi Mengfu" with an air of authority befitting his own power.
“Lord An Guo, please don’t get so agitated. Reason doesn’t depend on volume.” Xi Mengfu remained very composed and bowed to him: “May I ask how this strategy is like drinking poison to quench thirst”
Jin Ling roared, "The Qi people are greedy, but can the Chu people be considered righteous and devout By ceding half our country to Chu, even if we don't consider whether Qi and Chu will secretly collude, let alone dividing our Great Xia. Even if they truly fight each other and help us defeat Qi, wouldn't Chu have ambitions towards us Wouldn't Emperor Chu want to unify the south The blade of Qi is still outside our borders, but the blade of Chu you welcome into our heart!"
Xi Mengfu said excitedly, "We can instigate a conflict between Chu and Qi. By controlling the situation, we can make them both suffer heavy losses. Once Qi retreats, we can then pursue Chu. Wouldn't that be a win-win situation"
"You treat everyone like fools!" Jin Ling said, "In a fight between two tigers, does it fall on you, a mere sheep, to decide the intensity of their battle"
Xī Mèngfǔ mused: “Although the Marquis of n Guó has returned from his mission to Chǔ without achieving anything... I trust your familiarity with Chǔ. In your opinion, does it seem that Chǔ truly has no possibility of sending troops”
>
Jin Ling was too lazy to argue with him anymore. Instead, he turned to the throne of Emperor Dan: "I am incompetent and have failed to persuade the Chu people. But from my journey this time, it seems that although the Chu people appear ambiguous on the surface, they are actually very resolute. The trauma of the Battle of Hegu needs time to digest. They don't want to fight another hegemon in a short period of time."
Of course, this is just the personal opinion of Duke An Guo Hou Jingle.
But undoubtedly convinced many people.
"Fine!" Xi Mengfu waved his hand: "If the Chu people don't come, they don't come. We won't beg them!"
He said again, “I have another plan!”
Lord Xia Guo Xiang Liuxi Yi endured for a long time, but finally couldn't help himself: "You quickly stop acting like this! Today you are speaking wildly. I will only assume that you are senile and should rest immediately! Matters of national importance, how can you feign madness!"
>
But the voice behind the beaded curtain said, “Please speak, Master.”
Summer Empress still seemed to have high expectations for Xi Mengfu's strategies, suppressing the voice of Grand Secretary Liu Xiy.
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Xi Mengfu also stated with an unyielding air, "This strategy is to 'relegate all other schools of thought and solely venerate Confucianism! From now on, we shall regard Shushan as our sacred land, establish the Confucian school as our national gate. With the twenty-one provinces under our rule, we will wholeheartedly construct a Confucian cultural lineage, seeking the support of Shushan. With powerful practitioners like clouds in Shushan, they will surely be able to block the Qi nation's military advance!"
“Great! Great! Great!”
Even Touch Gongyi, the revered ancestor of the Touch family and a renowned figure in the present age, couldn't help but react.
He usually secluded himself for years of meditation, ignoring worldly affairs. Only when the nation faced a crisis did he leave his seclusion and come to court with Touch Letting, the head of the Touch family, to discuss matters. To his surprise, he heard these absurd statements.
"What a wonderful saying, 'Dismiss all other schools of thought and give sole respect to Confucianism!'” Touch Gongyi was enraged and laughed bitterly: "Touch Gongyi is right here. Come, dismiss me if you can!"
General Xuanping, Fan Ao, was a cultivator from the Sanxing Palace. Before the current uproar, he had never said anything bad about Xi Mengfu's family. This time, it is truly unbearable. “Xi Zhenren, you are not a legitimate disciple of the Confucian school. You are still wearing Taoist robes. If all schools are abolished, will yours be included”
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Duke Zhou Ying, Marquis Li Fu of Guangping, and Marquis Xue Chang of Yangling all started to clamor. The entire Bao Hua Palace was filled with noise, it was impossible to quiet down, just like a marketplace.
Xi Mengfu had already incurred the wrath of many, some even wishing to kill him and sacrifice him as a flag.
On the throne, Yu Liyang finally tapped his chair armrest with a finger, looking somewhat pained: "Master Xi, what do you think Our Xia nation embraces all schools of thought and welcomes all sects, that's how we built our foundations strong enough to stand against Qi. With this move of yours, the scholars who come to aid us might not even outnumber those from Xia who leave! In the midst of a great war, are we going to cripple ourselves"
Min Wang Yu Li Yang, was born with a handsome face. When he was young, he was a beautiful youth with red lips and white teeth. Before the age of thirty, he attained divine grace, and from then on, his youthful appearance never faded.
From a young age, he displayed exceptional talent that surpassed all others. Nurtured by the Xia nation with its most abundant resources, he lived up to expectations and reached the pinnacle of extraordinary achievement, becoming a pillar of the state.
His life was a brilliant and glorious one.
At this moment, sitting upon the throne, he bore no stern expression, and his voice was not particularly loud. Yet, the entire Palace of Bao Hua fell silent.
Xi Mengfu bowed to him: "Your Highness, Prince Min!"
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And again, towards King Wu Si, he bowed in greeting: "Your Highness, King Wu!"
Regardless of whether King Wu was still in the realm of spirits or not, he bowed to the emperor and said, "Your Majesty!"
Then, after the beaded curtain, he bowed: "Your Majesty!"
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This is roughly the order of his heart's rankings.
Then he stood up, in the face of Prime Minister Liu Xiyi's glare and General Fan Ao's stern expression. He bowed to everyone: "Fellow officials, esteemed pillars of Xia, I have heard your voices, and I understand your opinions!"
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It seems that everyone has reached a consensus except me.
"As for a peace treaty, it's not an option. You can't rely on the Chu state. Books are no use, and Jing Jing has even dismantled its celestial observatory!"
“So, you all believe that facing the might of the Qi army, we only have one path left – to fight!”
He looked around: "You all think so, don't you"
"Great!"
He suddenly became eloquent and impassioned, his voice as if shattering the very dome: “Then let us fight!”
"Stop daydreaming!"
"Don't sit on the fence any longer!"
"We have no other way!"
> Either fight, or die!
"I, Xi Mengfu! Have different thoughts, different ideas. I am afraid of death, I am weak and timid. I am different from you all! But I am also the same as you all! We are all Xia subjects, we eat the salary of Xia, we receive the grace of Xia. I respect everyone's opinion, and I am willing to carry out all the decisions of the court meeting, and accept all the consequences that follow. Because this is our... future decided together!"
He raised his right hand, fingers extended like a sword, and slowly drew them across the palm of his left hand.
Make an incision.
The blood of true men, drop by drop, falls upon the pavement.
He stood in the great hall, facing everyone, and declared: "I ask General Longjiao, if the Zhen Guo Army falls, how will you teach me"
> Please provide me with the text you would like me to translate.
“General Longjiao didn’t give me an answer.”
"I don't have the answer either!"
But what answer is needed
> “There is only one road before us.”
“If we win this battle, we can slowly look for answers. If we lose, our nation will be destroyed, and we won't need answers anymore!”
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He raised his blood-soaked left palm high and shouted, "General Longjiao said that the 100,000 soldiers of the Zhen Guo Army are all prepared to die for their country. Xi Mengfu is incompetent, and he is also willing to die for the country. That's all!"
Once again, the entire Baohua Palace fell silent.
Falling into another kind of silence.
It's the kind of silence where you can hear your heartbeat pounding like a drum.
Listen quietly to this heart, calm your aspirations, and feel deeply this sentiment!
King Min of Yu, wearing solemn countenance and respectful robes.
Even the otherworldly Si Jiao opened her eyes for a moment.
Throughout history, what people have strived for is nothing more than fame and fortune.
As the saying goes, "All the bustle and activity in the world stem from profit; all the pushing and shoving are driven by it."
And who in this world isn't burdened by fame Who doesn't desire to be remembered in history
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There are those who seek fame and profit, and there are those who flatter for recognition.
Only the Xi Mengfu family gained nothing, while their reputation was ruined. All they achieved was to unite the officials of Xia Kingdom and turn themselves into a mud puddle for everyone to trample on, without even caring about themselves.
He is not a man without identity. He is the Grand Tutor of the Xia Kingdom. After a lifetime of struggle, he has become one of the most respected people in the entire Xia Kingdom. Yet today, he can serve his country like this.
It is truly admirable!
Suddenly, there was a sound like jade beads striking each other.
Splash!
After the throne, a beaded curtain was lifted—
Here's the translation:
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Summer Empress unexpectedly walked out from behind the beaded curtain!
For the first time in thirty-two years, he lifted the curtain and stood before the assembled court officials.
What kind of woman is this
She personally pulled open the beaded curtain. Her hands, though beautiful and slender, possessed a power that could rival an empire's might. Her skin was the color of jade, so precious it seemed to cover the heavens with a single sweep of her hand.
The bead curtain was raised, revealing her world.
She seemed to have stepped out of a weighty story, unfolding her life with such composure.
She was not young anymore. Fine lines around her eyes spoke of the passage of time.
You can still feel her beauty from her youth.
Her brows are like newly sprouted leaves, and her eyes hold the traces of autumn.
Her appearance is as elegant and graceful as jade.
But her unique charm lies beyond her beautiful appearance. It's an indescribable, heart-warming aura.
"Mother," Xia Zi called out, and was about to rise from her seat.
But Empress Xia moved forward a step, reaching out and placing her hand on his shoulder, gently pressing him down to sit.
"The emperor should not get up for me, I should be the one to help him with his throne."
The Empress Dowager raised the curtain and stepped out, her demeanor radiating a profound significance. Originally, it was "listening to government," but now it has become "seeing government."
In summer, the son rose to give way and yielded his seat. He offered up his authority and made room for another.
But she refused.
She doesn't seek power for herself, she stands up simply to face the wind and rain.
Her hand lightly pressed against the imperial throne, as if truly steadying this precarious empire for Xia Tianzi, for her, and for their only remaining son, the last heir to the late emperor.
She took a step forward, as if she were walking across the vast mountains and rivers of Xia Kingdom, along the spine of the Dragon Pulse that stretched for thousands of miles.
All eyes were on her, on the woman who had once saved Xia Guo from ruin and single-handedly brought it to its present glory.
"The national teacher said he was afraid of death... The Empress Dowager, wasn't she also"
She began, after lifting the curtain, with that very phrase.
Her gaze moved, looking at everyone present: “Back then, standing on the city wall, facing the might of Emperor Qi's army, looking at that purple imperial flag, it seemed like the sky itself was covering down... This empress was so frightened, she could barely breathe!”
My hands are sweating, and my heart is pounding!
The empress was terrified of death, terrified of dying like that, terrified of dying in the shattered walls of Guiyi City. She feared her corpse would lie amidst the rubble, with blood raining from the sky and solitary souls wandering the earth.
I am afraid... afraid that after my death, there will be no more people from Xia in the world, afraid that a hundred years later, there will be no mention of Xia on earth!
"My lords!"
She looked at me with her sincere and kind eyes.
"The Xia Kingdom does not belong to Empress Dowager alone."
"Summer Country is not just you and me, it's not just our Summer Country."
"Our parents, ancestors... our relatives, teachers, classmates, neighbors... all the people and things that appear in the course of our lives, together have created this name."
"And now it is going to be erased!"
"Isn't this scary"
She asked, "Isn't this frightening!"
“The Dragon General said, 'To defend the nation is to be ready to die for it.' The National Master said, 'To die for the nation is possible.' But your Majesty doesn't want you to die for the nation. Your Majesty hopes that you will live well. Your Majesty hopes that you will carry the memory of Xia Nation and live well.”
> At that time, if things cannot be accomplished, all of you may leave on your own. The world is vast, there will always be a place for you to take refuge.
But before that, please don't let people easily erase this "Summer" character.
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“Because it belongs not only to you and me. It doesn't belong only to our parents and grandparents, but also to our children and grandchildren! How can we let this name, which should belong to them, slip away from our hands”
She stood on the dragon steps, before the Dragon Throne, and bowed deeply to everyone.
Now even King Wǔ of Yì, Shíjiāo and King Mǐn of Yú Lǐyáng rose to return the salute.
Under the emperor's throne, all officials knelt down in obeisance.
While Empress Xia still bowed deeply, she earnestly said, "My lords! Please cherish your lives, and for the word 'Xia,' at least make an effort beyond life itself!"
On that day, the entire court of the Great Xia Dynasty, from civil officials to military generals, all held their left hands aloft and swore a blood oath.
Break the enemy ranks!
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Thus, with King Wuwang Si Jiao as the commander-in-chief and Longjiao as his deputy, King Min Yu Li Yang led the army to accompany him, mobilizing 200,000 troops from the Shenwu and Zhen Guo armies, and one million soldiers from all over the country.
Xiangguo Liu Xiyi, Guoshi Xi Mengfu, Guangping Hou Li Fu, Xuanping Hou Fan Ao, An Guo Hou Jin Ling, Yangling Hou Xue Chang... all join the army!
Among them, Duke Zhou Ying of the State of Feng offered his family's troops of 10,000 men and personally led the expedition.
The patriarch of the Chu family, Chu Rang, led out 10,000 Chu family soldiers. The ancestor of the Chu family, Chu Gongyi, commanded the troops and accompanied him.
"The head of the Tai family, Tai Xu, said: 'The Tai clan has already lost a true man. Heaven and earth weep with blood rain. Can the living not grieve for the dead' "
Thus, all the young and strong men of the clan were mobilized, with 13,000 soldiers from the Tai clan sent to the front line!
For a time, the Xia kingdom went to war!
Let me know if you have any other text you'd like translated!of the clinic, feeling gloomy.No one would want to see such disasters occur under their rule.That Li fellow, who knows where he brought the plague from, deserves to be cut into ten thousand pieces!How...