QWTBWASIFOC Chapter 42

Chapter 42: Genuinely Upright Military General x Odd Imperial Son 13

Mid-March, Wuzhou.

Since their marriage, Lu Yunqi and Changli had been living a happy and peaceful life together.

They would enjoy the peach blossoms in spring, visit famous historical sites in Wuzhou City, and savor wine while gazing at the moon, striving to make the most of each day.

Even if life was ordinary, they relished it.

Every morning, Changli would see Lu Yunqi practicing martial arts in the courtyard, then have breakfast with him, followed by their private time together.

However, as he watched Lu Yunqi continue his previous martial arts habits day after day, he couldn’t help but wonder if the other party also dreamed of going to battle like his father.

The purpose of practicing martial arts was to protect the country.

But Lu Yunqi had been wasting away ever since the old case in Chizhou, Northern Border, eight years ago.

Perhaps he should find a way to overturn the case for Lu’s father.

Maybe he could even find a military position for Lu Yunqi, so as not to waste his martial skills.

With an idea in mind, Changli began to contact the small paper figures stirring up trouble in the capital.

But just as he was about to act, he paused his plan because of Lu Yunqi’s words, which made him begin to integrate into this world.

At that time, Lu Yunqi had just finished practicing martial arts. He placed the long saber in his hand on the weapon rack next to him and took the handkerchief Changli handed him to wipe away the sweat.

He leaned close to Changli, who was lost in thought, and poked the young man’s cheek with his finger.

“Changli, what are you thinking about? So lost in thought!”

Changli looked up and said, “You have never abandoned your martial arts skills over the years. Do you still think about fighting on the battlefield as you did before the age of seventeen?”

“Having mastered both literary and martial arts, one sells them to the emperor’s family.”

This was the prevailing thought of people at the time. Whether scholars or martial artists, they all harbored the idea of serving the country and the court after their studies.

Lu Yunqi was born in the Liang Kingdom and raised in the Liang Kingdom, so he must also have the idea of serving the country.

Hearing this question, Lu Yunqi put down the handkerchief and hugged the suddenly serious young man. “It’s just a habit, nothing serious.”

Changli blinked his watery peach blossom eyes, full of doubt and incomprehension. “It’s not a habit. The way you practice martial arts is different from usual.”

“When you wield a saber, you are like a fish in water or a tiger in the forest. That kind of you should be what you like the most.”

“Lu Yunqi, you’re not telling the truth again.”

Lu Yunqi, seen through by Changli’s sharp eyes, pulled the young man to sit on the steps. The two sat side by side, looking at the sky, with white clouds partially obscuring the sun.

“Changli, I do desire to become a great general, to become a hero who protects the country…”

“But a thousand-mile horse needs to be appreciated by a discerning eye.”

“Today’s emperor is not tolerant of others, nor is he the enlightened ruler sought after by good ministers and famous generals.”

A sarcastic smile rose on his lips, and his bright black eyes became gloomy.

“With my temperament, if I joined the army, I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to get along. I definitely couldn’t drift along with those corrupt officials.”

He tilted his head to look at Changli beside him, only to find that Changli was looking at him at this time.

“Changli, when we came to Wuzhou from the towns outside the capital, we saw the people in many places, but they lived worse than in Wuzhou.”

Remote places like Wuzhou were more peaceful than many towns near the capital because the local officials in the two places were different.

His uncle was honest and dedicated to his duties, caring about the people.

But the officials in other places were corrupt, greedy for money, and protected each other, using their power for personal gain and not treating the lives of the people under their jurisdiction as lives.

Changli pondered silently, as if deep in thought.

Lu Yunqi lamented, “Not all local officials are like my uncle. More of them are petty people who areconcerned with fame and profit and abuse their public office for personal gain.”

“Changli, this country is rotten to the core.”

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to serve the country, but that the Liang Emperor and the current state of the country couldn’t tolerate him.

A decaying country like this, falling into the mud, would sooner or later be annihilated in the long river of history and become a dynasty that once appeared in the history books.

The Liang Kingdom would eventually collapse and end like the previous dynasty.

“…” Changli pinched his knuckles, lost in thought, his eyes as cold as if soaked in ice water, filled withgloomy and darkness.

The Liang Kingdom was indeed as Lu Yunqi said, rotten to the core, and he had also fueled the demise of this century-old country.

He didn’t care about the demise of the Liang Kingdom, nor did he care about the royal family who shared the same blood as this body, and even the officials in the court were his tools.

He wrote a dirge for the Liang Emperor, preparing to make this Liang Emperor, who had been on the throne for 21 years, a monarch recorded in history as the ruler who lost his country.

This was his reward to the Liang Emperor, and also an explanation for the tragic life of the original owner.

Sow beans and reap beans, sow melons and reap melons.

The evil cause that the Liang Emperor personally planted twenty-two years ago has borne the bitter fruit of today.

Karma, one repayment for another.

It was just that he seemed to have ignored the common people living on this land. Some people longed for a peaceful life without worrying about food and clothing, and some longed to meet an enlightened ruler and display their ambitions.

They were still living in dire straits.

These people were waiting all their lives for a virtuous ruler who loved the people or a diligent local official, but when would their expectations be fulfilled?

Changli didn’t doubt that apowerful leader who would realize reunification again would emerge in accordance with the trend of history, but what about the people before that?

This country with a declining economy and those hungry and cold people needed an enlightened ruler to turn the tide and lead them to a new future.

But where would this enlightened ruler come from?

Changli glanced at Lu Yunqi, who was lamenting the hardships of the people’s livelihood, and asked in a soft voice, “Yunqi, do you have a candidate for an enlightened ruler in your heart who can end the chaos?”

Lu Yunqi shook his head helplessly. “No.”

“The Liang Kingdom’s royal family is mostly mediocre talents who compete for power and profit and don’t take the people seriously at all. And although there are talents with the appearance of enlightened rulers in various places, it is difficult for them to stand out, at least not to become famous in a short time.”

“The building is about to collapse, but no enlightened ruler is born.” He sighed and said, “This is the most tragic thing right now. A thousand-mile horse is common, but a discerning eye is not.”

Changli took a deep look at Lu Yunqi, and a strange emotion seemed to flow in his eyes.

“Turn the tide, support the building that is about to collapse.”

Since there was no enlightened ruler in the world, then he would be one. Since he had come to this world, he would let this world regain its vitality.

If the Liang Kingdom was compared to an old eagle with festering sores about to die, then he would be the doctor who removed the rotten flesh and healed the festering wounds.

Pests like the Liang Emperor and corrupt officials would all be cut out and burned.

The future Liang Kingdom would definitely be beautiful and prosperous.

Changli held Lu Yunqi’s head, looking intently at the puzzled man, his peach blossom eyes blooming with light as bright as stars.

“Lu Yunqi, I have a new life goal again. This time, you won’t fail to meet a discerning eye, because I will act as your discerning eye.”

“I will give talents in the world the opportunity to display their talents and give full play to their strengths, and I will also let the tens of thousands of people living in the Liang Kingdom live and work in peace and contentment.”

“A prosperous age will be created by the people themselves!”