It seems that the economic decline of Wu has not had much impact on the capital Gusu, and the streets are still full of people coming and going. On both sides of the street, there are many shops, and the market stalls are full of chess cloth, some are selling and buying, and there are some prosperous scenes.

However, after leaving Ducheng and walking not far away, I saw the decline of the countryside. The fields are barren and the houses are dilapidated. The people were dressed in shabby clothes and had dull expressions, and the people who worked in the fields were slow and weak. Even the little ones play silently in the shade of the trees, and do not run around.

In fact, Wu has been blessed by God over the years, and has had a bumper harvest every year. But no matter how wealthy the family is, it can't withstand the toss. The construction of Gusutai required huge expenses and a large amount of labor, and after more than ten years of tossing, the state of Wu declined.

But King Wu didn't know all this. As the commander-in-chief of the project, Dazai Boyao went on a rampant campaign among the people, and embezzled and ate personal gains. Fan Li's purpose was to bring down the state of Wu, so he encouraged and supported the evil deeds of Bo Yao and other officials.

Wu Zixu lost the trust of King Wu, and he couldn't manage this matter, so he didn't care, and devoted himself to training the army.

The court is an upright official with a sense of justice, and he is afraid of Bo Yao's power, so he can't control it, and he doesn't dare to report to King Wu.

King Wu only knew that he and Xi Shi were enjoying themselves in Gusutai, and he no longer had the heart to care about the suffering of the people.

Fan Li and Zimei rode horses and walked in the vast countryside of Wu Kingdom, silent for a long time, Zimei couldn't help but say: "Fan Jun, look at your worried look, what's the matter?" ”

The two horses marched hand in hand, walking slowly, Fan Li said: "I saw the famine of the people of Wu in the harvest year, and I felt uncomfortable and had a sense of guilt. ”

Zimei said: "Fan Jun, you have worked hard for so many years, isn't this the effect you want?" Now that the goal has been achieved, why are you unhappy? ”

Fan Li sighed and said, "But these people are innocent. The struggle between countries is actually a struggle between two courts, no matter who wins or loses, it is the monarch and the courtiers who get the actual benefits, and it is the people who suffer. I came to Wu to persuade King Wu to build Gusutai, of course, the purpose was to collapse the economy of Wu, but as a result, it was the ordinary people who were most hurt by this. I have a grudge against King Wu, but I have no grievances with these ordinary people, it is I who let them suffer these hardships, how can I not feel bad in my heart? ”

Zimei looked at Fan Li's sad face and couldn't help but chuckle. "Fan Jun, you are a big man who will leave a name in history, but Zimei doesn't see you as qualified."

Fan Li looked at Zi Meijiao's good face and said, "Is it a big man that I don't take seriously, but what do you mean when you say I'm unqualified?" Where am I not qualified? ”

Zimei said: "In order to gain fame, the big man does not hesitate to drive millions of people to fight each other. Corpses are strewn all over the field, white bones are like mountains, and rivers of blood are flowing, this is a normal phenomenon. Once you will become famous, where will you have such a compassionate little emotion? So Zimei said you are not qualified. ”

Fan Li smiled bitterly: "Zimei, this is not a small emotion, but a big feeling." After King Zhou moved the capital, the world began to be in turmoil, and it has been fought for one or two hundred years, and I am afraid it will be another one or two hundred years. During this period, how many heroes and heroes were achieved, and how many famous characters in history emerged, but at the same time, countless weak Li people were slaughtered. The population of the world is declining, and one day it will be wiped out. All heroes have two sides, fame and glory on the one hand, and sin and blood on the other. ”

Zimei said: "You are also a hero, you also have two sides?" ”

Fan Li said: "Who said it wasn't, so I'm sad." ”

Zimei said: "You are different from other heroes, others see actual benefits and glory, while you see sin and blood. Fan Jun, why bother? It's hard to think like that. ”

Fan Li said: "My teacher is Wenzi Jiran, the teacher's teacher is Lao Tzu Li Dan, Lao Tzu is the only sober person in the world, he saw that everyone in the world pursues fame, fortune and green, causing countless suffering, so he persuaded people to return to the state of inaction of small countries and widows, and there is no dispute with the world. But I saw that no one was willing to listen to him, and there was no going back to the development of the world. ”

Zimei saw that Fan Li's eyes were full of hesitation and sadness, which she had never seen with Fan Li for more than ten years. She found that the heart of this beautiful man who was handsome in foreign trade and made women crazy still flowed with such profound thoughts.

The matter was not urgent, the time was very relaxed, and the two of them let the horses go freely, and talked in general terms on horseback.

With Zimei as a companion, Fan Li naturally doesn't care if there is no store after the village. Zimei is a fairy family, and the matter of eating and lodging is solved by Zimei. At the beginning, Fan Li took Xi Shi Zheng Dan and Luo Jiang to leave Ramie Village and enter Tucheng, and for the first time saw Zimei cut out a table of sumptuous food with banana leaves, and was amazed.

Zimei has a figure of Ana, and her appearance is very handsome, although she is not as beautiful as Xi Shi, but she is more beautiful than Xi Shi. Walking with such a girl is naturally in a good mood. At night, Zimei will conjure up a tent or a house out of thin air, and the two will talk at night, which is also very happy.

Within a day, he left the country of Wu and entered the border of the Yue country. The vision is completely new. The ten-year policy of the king of Yue has shown great results. Contrary to the dilapidated scene of the Wu Kingdom, the Yue Kingdom is full of crops, the villages and towns are neat, and the adults and children are healthy and spiritual, showing a thriving scene.

Fan Li's mood is cheerful, and he talks and laughs with Zimei. Riding a horse, Zimei smiled and said, "Fan Jun, seeing that you are in a good mood, Zimei is also so happy." ”

Fan Li said with a smile: "Seeing that the people are doing well, Fan Li is naturally happy, and with a beauty like you as a companion, how can it not make people feel refreshed." ”

Zimei blushed and smiled: "Fan Jun, if you don't come, you will hurt me again." ”

Fan Li laughed and said, "It's not to hurt you, I'm telling the truth." The king of Yue is a person who can live, you see that after all these years of governance, the country of Yue has gradually become rich. ”

Zimei said: "Fan Jun's dream of recovering the country is about to come true." ”

Fan Li said: "It's early." Affluence is only the basis for the restoration of the country, but it cannot be restored yet. If you want to restore the country, you have to be strong. In the end, it will be a war that will decide the fate. ”

Zimei said: "Can't it be resolved through negotiations? ”

Fan Li said: "That's impossible, King Yue's goal is to destroy the State of Wu, but also to dominate the world, through negotiations, can the State of Wu be eliminated by itself?" ”

Talking about it, before they knew it, they stopped in a low mountain. Fan Li said: "If you don't leave, let's spend the night here." ”

Zimei jumped off the horse, let the horse go to graze on the hillside, and turned back and said, "Fan Jun, should we go to Huiji to see King Yue first, or should we go to Larian Village to visit Xi Shi's parents first?" ”

Fan Li looked at the surrounding terrain and said, "I've been to this place. There is still a day's journey to Ramie Village, we first went to Ramie Village, met the family of Xi Shi Zheng Danluo Jiang, and then went to meet the Yue Wang. ”

Zimei said: "This arrangement is very good. I'm going to get something to eat, Fan Jun, what do you want to eat? ”