"Historical ...... Law? Wang Mu chewed on the teacher's words.

"Man, everything, and the whole world...... Each has its own trajectory. I had always thought that I was the one who followed the way of heaven and would push that trajectory and lead them in the right direction. Because ......" Wang Mang picked up the wine glass again, drank it all, and his eyes flashed with infinite emotion:

"When I came to this world, it means that I am a person with a destiny on my back!"

"In that case, why don't you continue to believe in it, teacher?" Wang Mu said in a deep voice: "At least, the disciple has always believed in you. ”

"Because ......" Wang Mang smiled desolately: "I thought that it was my destiny to change this era." But I became more and more skeptical that this era could be changed by me...... The so-called Mandate of Heaven is the law of history. And my role, is it the one who follows the law, or the one who fights against the law? ”

"Zihe, you haven't forgotten the things and truths I taught you since you were young, have you?"

"The disciple never dares or forgets." Wang Mu said solemnly.

"Look ......" Wang Mang picked up a few wine glasses on the table and arranged them neatly in front of him one by one. As he put down his glass, he counted it in his mouth.

"Using precious metals or textiles as currency is not only difficult to carry and settle, but also difficult to control the issuance. The perfect form of money should be something that has no value in itself, but can be circulated in the market on the credit of the state - a simple piece of paper, marked by the state and cannot be forged, and this is enough. ”

"As long as there is private ownership of land, there must be annexation. Over time, the end result must be a very small number of people who control the vast majority of the land. At that time, the rich rival the country, and the poor have no cone, how can the country guarantee that there will be no turmoil? The only solution is to nationalize all the land, and all that the people have in their hands is the right to use it. ”

"Slave maid...... He lost all personal freedom, and even his own body no longer belonged to him. Can...... Why is that? Different people are naturally different. or the family is rich and poor, or the appearance is beautiful and ugly. But whether rich or poor, beautiful or ugly, but at least, once a person is born, he should have exactly the same freedom and dignity without difference! ”

"A hoarder who manipulates prices for the sake of profit...... If it's just a luxury, that's fine. However, such as firewood, rice, oil and salt, etc., are closely related to people's livelihood, so they must be controlled by the state, and within a certain range, they are allowed to fluctuate up and down, but once they exceed a given boundary, they must be controlled. ”

Every time Wang Mang finished speaking, he lined up a wine glass in front of him. But when I said this, I found that the wine glass had run out. He sighed softly, "All this...... It's all things I want to change, but I can't change right away. ”

"But, teacher, you're already doing it!" Wang Mu hurriedly said: "Moreover, there is me!" ”

"I did it...... Yes, I did it......" Wang Mang smiled self-deprecatingly: "I thought that as long as I had power, I could do everything I wanted to do." But, I was wrong. Although I am doing these things, although I have done them very slowly and gently, I still ...... Always facing setbacks again and again. ”

"I don't dare to do away with metal money right away, but just gradually reduce the weight. I did not dare to immediately return all the land to the state, but only to promote well fields in some places. I dare not declare at once that all people are equal in the world, but only to ban the sale of slaves and maids first. I don't dare to set all the prices in the market, but I can only buy reserves from the state treasury and release them when the prices are high, so as to stabilize the prices......"

Wang Mang's face became more and more desolate, and he poured himself wine cup by cup: "I have always known that no matter what kind of reform, it cannot be too radical. However, I was already slowing down as much as I could, and I was still facing ...... Revolt. ”

"Moreover, it is not the rebellion of a certain person or a certain force, but the resistance of the whole world!"

"I can destroy a person's flesh, I can dismantle a certain political force, but ...... What should I do when the whole world is fighting against my efforts? Mu'er, tell me, what should I do! ”

Wang Mang's sparse and withered beard shook slightly, and when he called Wang Mu, he also changed from the word "He" to the name Mu'er since childhood.

"Disciple...... The teacher ...... "Wang Mu racked his brains, wanting to say something to comfort the teacher, but he didn't know how to speak.

Because he knows very well that everything the teacher is saying now is right.

"Everything I do is perverse in the eyes of the world...... And since I ascended the throne, all the disasters that have occurred in the world have been punished by heaven. Wang Mang laughed, but his laughter was full of desolation and melancholy.

Then, his voice suddenly softened, and he said in a low voice, "Perhaps...... Really, right...... I've always been mistaken about my identity. I am not a man who obeys the destiny of heaven, but ...... Those who oppose the Mandate of Heaven ......"

"Teacher, does it matter?"

Wang Mu took a deep breath, puffed up his chest, and looked at Wang Mang's old face with clear eyes: "Do you know, what do I think?" ”

"Say it, Zihe." Wang Mang gently picked up the wine glass and drank it in a big gulp.

"I don't care about destiny, or ...... What is the so-called law of history. Wang Mu stretched out his hand and pressed his heart, his eyes were deep: "Teacher, you once thought that you were carrying the destiny of heaven, and now you are beginning to doubt all this. But, what does it matter? I just want to ask you one thing – the things that you taught me, the things that you worked on, do you think, they're right? ”

"Nature is right." Wang Mang nodded solemnly: "Whether it belongs to this era or not, they are, yes." ”

"That's enough." Wang Mu clenched his fists in front of his chest: "As a disciple, I also firmly believe in this. I don't believe in ghosts and gods, and I don't believe in destiny. I believe that you are the only one, teacher. I believe what you have described for me, that great, ideal country full of freedom and glory! ”

"Yes...... Wang Mang's already old and cloudy eyes were slightly moistened.

"Yes. I will be more determined than you, more persistent than you. I firmly believe that as long as it's right, then you should work hard to do it. As for the outcome, there is no need to care anymore. A smile gradually appeared on Wang Mu's face: "Teacher, don't you think that even if you fail, as long as you fall on the road of hard work, it is still a satisfying thing?" ”

"Fall on the road of hard work...... Is it? Wang Mang repeatedly read Wang Mu's words twice, and also laughed:

"Yes. Mu'er, you're right. ”

Outside the window, the sound of horses' hooves was heard from far and near on the street.

With such a big snowfall, there are still people on the road?