Gong Huiran sighed softly and asked, "Dazai-sama, after a winter, it will cost a lot of money just to burn the fire." ”

"Huh." Bo Yao smiled and waved his hand, "How much can this cost?" A dozen taels of gold is enough. ”

"A dozen taels ......" Gong Wanran silently calculated in his heart, one tael of gold is enough for a hundred people to eat for a month, and a dozen taels of gold is enough for a hundred people to eat and dress for a year......

"By the way, is there anything wrong with Lord Gonghui coming to me?"

"Oh." Gong Hui came back to his senses and saluted Bo Ya, "My subordinates came here to discuss the matter of forging iron swords with Dazai-sama again. ”

With a smile on his face, Bo Yao asked, "What's wrong?" Are there any other difficulties? Don't worry, I'll help you if there's any difficulty. ”

"Thank you, Dazai-sama, my subordinates are indeed having some difficulties."

"Okay, let's talk about it."

Gong Wan said suddenly: "Hmm...... Still is...... It's still a matter of money. ”

"Oh, what? Don't have enough money? Fifteen thousand taels is not a small amount, the king did not intend to approve it, if it weren't for the relationship between you and me, I wouldn't have tried my best to convince the king. With that, Bo Yao patted Gong Wanran's shoulder hard.

Gong Wanran was silent for a moment, and finally raised his voice and said, "But this fifteen thousand taels can only be used to forge iron swords in the end, only three thousand taels!" ”

Bo Yao was stunned, in his impression, Gong Wanran has always been gentle and elegant, and he will never be as calm as he is today. But Bo Yao immediately smiled and asked, "What?" That brother of yours is not happy? Don't forget, the Vietnamese people sued him for trespassing on Huiji City on Chinese New Year's Eve, and they are still pressing me here. ”

Gong Huiran frowned, took a deep breath, and said, "Dazai-sama, three thousand taels is really not enough!" Outsiders don't know the inside story, and most of them think that our country of Wu is rich and prosperous, and the soldiers are strong and strong. But you know the actual situation! Economically, the finances are tight, the treasury is empty, the taxes are increasing day by day, and the people are miserable! Militarily, the troops were seriously damaged, and the supply of troops was insufficient, the weapons were worn and mutilated, and the military rations in reserve could not even last for half a year! In addition, politically, the country has been fighting for many years, making enemies everywhere, the princes are afraid of our country's hegemony, and they have united to fight against our country. In the face of such a situation, why are you not in a hurry at all, how can you still have the heart to eat this life-saving military expense!? If you allow the country to perish, how many days will your good life last?! ”

Bo Yao tilted his head, smiled and shook his head, "What's wrong with Lord Gonghui today?" I've never seen you like this before. ”

"I'm really sorry, my subordinates were rude, but what my subordinates said was from the bottom of my heart!"

Bo Yao waved his hand and said with a smile: "What is there to be sorry for?" What you say is true, it's true. But do you think 15,000 taels will save your life? Can it change the status quo? ”

Gong Wan was dumbfounded by Bo Yao's question, and he didn't know how to answer for a while.

"Lord Gonghui, in fact, I have always valued you very much, because you are similar to me, we are all the same kind of people, with very similar attitudes and behavior styles, the only difference is that I am thirty years older than you. Thirty years ago, we were exactly the same. ”

Gong Wanran subconsciously took half a step back, he raised his head in some trepidation, looked at Bo Yao, and couldn't agree with Bo Yao's statement at all.

"Hehe, you don't believe it? Then you might as well go to some old ministers and ask them, and ask them thirty years ago, when I first arrived in Wu, I was like you, and I only had the country and the people in my heart. ”

Bo Yao continued to fiddle with the potted plants half-crouched, as if he did not care about the sudden situation of Gong Wanran, and he talked eloquently while building branches and leaves.

"I was a nobleman of the Chu State, and my father was the secretary of the Chu State, he was upright, virtuous and capable, and was deeply loved by the people, but he was also hated by other people, who slandered the king of Chu, saying that my father was corrupt and bribed, and even plotted to rebel, but these are all false accusations. The king of Chu was mediocre, and he listened to slander in the end. Later, my father was killed by the king of Chu, and the whole clan was also killed, and I was the only one who happened to be able to save my life because I went out to study. ”

"So, I left the state of Chu and went to the state of Wu. Here, I met Wu Zixu, because I had similar experiences and common goals with him, so we worked together to get revenge. I gave advice and did my best for the state of Wu, and later fought against Chu, and our army won five battles and five victories, almost destroying the state of Chu! ”

"When I led the army into the capital of Chu, I saw my father's dilapidated tombstone, the inscription was full of his crimes, and those were simply slander! How incorruptible my father was when he was alive! But who will know the truth behind this?! Who cares?! The history books will only record that my father was killed for corruption and rebellion! ”

"Abominable Chu State! Abominable King of Chu! You deserve such a fiasco! I have finally avenged my father! Finally avenging my family! ”

"But...... I did not rejoice in the revenge, on the contrary, I cried that day. I looked at the burning farmland in the distance, and my heart was so entangled and even painful that I felt extremely painful. After all, this land that I trampled under my feet is the land that has really given birth to me for 30 years! And those Chu people who have been displaced and separated from their wives are my compatriots who are suffering! What's wrong with them!? Why did they suffer so much?! ”

"Since then, my mind has changed, anyway, a wise man like my father will inevitably leave a bad name, why should I bother to do my best and dedicate myself to justice? Besides, who is as conscientious as Wu Zixu in the end? Whose kingdom is strong? Whose people are rich? And whose land and compatriots will suffer?! ”

"Hehe, Lord Gonghui, although you never mention the past, I know that you are originally from the Qi country. Last year, your brother led a large army to attack Linzi, and the soldiers came to the city, almost destroying the Qi country, what was your mentality at that time? Don't forget, a few years ago, the State of Wu was rapidly powerful, and its finances and military were greatly enhanced, so it dared to go to war with the State of Qi, and this is indispensable to your credit! ”

"Lord Gonghui, take it easy, nothing in this world is eternal, not Chu State, neither is Wu State, and you and I are not. After a thousand years, how can there still be these princes? A hundred years later, the people of this world have long since turned to dust. So, it's better to think more about yourself, think more about now, everything is not a big deal, and the most important thing is to live comfortably. ”

After Bo Yao's words were finished, Gong Wan stared at Bo Yao, almost breathless. He felt a sharp pang of pain, and his heart was in turmoil like never before.

Gong Wan didn't expect that even people like Bo Yao would have such an embarrassing past, it seems that no one is pure, and everyone has a side that others can't see, in fact, why not? At this time, Gong Wanran rethought Bo Yao's statement, are the two of them really similar?

Maybe yes, they all often have a smiling face, they will give people a feeling of spring breeze, they don't like to be brutal, but use political means, under the premise of checks and balances, to pursue the maximization of interests.

In these ways, he is really similar to Bo Ya, but what about the deeper level?

Bo Ya's thoughts are not wrong, his father, land, and compatriots, these have deeply influenced Bo Ya's pursuit, and what is it that affects himself? What is your pursuit?

Although he left Qi when he was eight years old, he still remembers the delicate yellow sand and the tides under the moon in his hometown. Last year, when Qi started the war, although he tried his best to hide the feelings in his heart, he still paid special attention to the situation on the battlefield, and he didn't know whether he was happy or sad about the victory of Wu.

So, what is your long-term pursuit?

After being silent for a long time, Gong Wanran finally spoke: "Yes, Dazai-sama, the most important thing is to live comfortably. ”

In the evening, Gong Wanran came to the General's Mansion to find Zhang Xun, and the two sat opposite each other and talked freely.

"Brother Gonghui, today is my mistake, I said it seriously, in fact, I know that it is not easy for you, you have done your best."

Gong Wanran shook his head with a smile and said: "It's okay, I thought about what you said today, in fact, what you said is very right, many times I pursue stability too much, and my position is not clear enough, and it is inevitable that I will be thought to be a fellow party member." ”

"Hey, Brother Gonghui also has his own troubles."

"Forget it, don't talk about this, fortunately, Bo Yao finally gave up another three thousand taels, Xiao Xun should not be too forceful, this money is enough to build 12,000 iron swords, and it can barely last for a while."

"Well, I thank you for the brothers!" Zhang Xun hurriedly saluted Gong Wanran.

Gong Wanran immediately helped Zhang Xun up and said, "Why do you need to be like this between you and my brothers? ”

Zhang Xun hurriedly poured a full wine glass for Gong Wanran and toasted Gong Wanran. Gong Wanran nodded, took a sip of the wine glass, but suddenly opened his mouth and asked, "Xiao Xun, let me ask you a question." ”

"Well, Brother Gonghui, please speak."

"Am I similar to Bo Ya in many places?"

As soon as Zhang Xun heard this, the wine in his mouth almost spurted out, "I'm bah! Who said that? Bo Ya? Don't put gold on his face! He is not even as good as a single hair of his brother! What is it? Old and ugly! Still a sinister corrupt official! Brother Gonghui is the most beautiful man in the world! And he is also a good official admired by all the people! He doesn't even look like Brother Gonghui at all! ”

Gong Wanran hurriedly waved his hand, smiled and signaled Zhang Xun not to say any more, he drank the wine in the cup, raised his head and looked at the sky, the cold moon in the air was not full, and the clouds sometimes covered the sky, and sometimes revealed the bright moonlight.