In the depression and ruin of the courtyard, the scorching sun chrysanthemum shines brightly.

Like the sun scattered from the sky.

An indescribable joy suddenly rushed to Gu Dan's heart.

He's ready for nothing left here - but there's something left.

Gain and loss, loss and gain.

Gu Dan stepped forward, his slender white fingers gently brushing the crystal clear stamens.

"Long time no see."

Gu Dan said.

The dark fragrance is leisurely, and the petals are swaying, as if they are greeting him.

This scorching sun chrysanthemum was planted long before the Xia Dynasty, and it is Xiao Ying's most beloved and precious treasure.

It was once destroyed by Cang's claws, and was treated by Gu Dan's internal breathing technique, and since then, there is still Aoki liquid to give it life.

A hundred years have passed.

In the small courtyard of the Gu family, those who had stayed, stopped, and even accompanied for many years were no longer there.

Either the heavens are separated, or the world is in eternal sleep.

But it is still deeply rooted in the small courtyard of the Gu family.

Whether it is thunder or rain and dew, in a corner that seems to have been forgotten by the years, it stands proudly and lonely.

"What a beautiful flower!"

Shang is also amazed.

This scorching chrysanthemum seems to have changed slightly, with a trace of beauty beyond the strange flowers and plants, the dark fragrance flows to soothe people's hearts, and the bright light flows in the blooming stamens, containing a bit of unique charm, which is even noticeable to ordinary people.

"Of course. This is Xiao Ying's most precious flower, at the beginning."

Halfway through his words, Gu Dan suddenly paused.

He realized that Shang didn't know Xiao Ying.

When Xiaoying entered her twilight years, Shang was still a slightly reckless child, and dared to face Xun Ke in the Tianxia School Palace.

Although Shang is now dying, he is not a generation.

That's already a hundred years old.

"This yard, it looks like it needs to be cleaned up, the old ones don't go, and the new ones don't come."

Shang didn't ask, but took the initiative to divert the topic and said meaningfully.

"It's time to clean up."

Gu Dan nodded slightly.

A gust of wind blew in the small courtyard, lifting the layers of dust piled up on the ground, revealing the simple and real inside.

The bare ground is still mottled, but it's not pretty.

No amount of wind can erase the traces left by the years.

It was only at this time that Gu Dan suddenly realized that the small courtyard that he was accustomed to in the past really looked a little depressed and old without the embellishment of those strange flowers and plants.

Even though there is a scorching sun chrysanthemum, it is also a little more deserted.

The two of them came to the stone table in the courtyard and sat down.

Gu Dan pointed to the willow tree that had completely dried up and died not far from the stone table, and said, "Many years ago, there was a willow tree that grew well here. In their free time, everyone comes here to sit and drink wine and tea. ”

"Speaking of tea, I really have it."

Shang's dry fingers touched the inside of the cuffs, and after groping for a while, he took out a bag of tea and said, "When people are old, their mouths are inevitably dull." The food doesn't taste very much, and if there is no tea, it is really boring. ”

"Huh."

Gu Dan laughed, "Then you can wait a minute." ”

He turned around and went back to the house, and after a short time he took out the tea set of the year.

With a flick of his fingers, an extremely subtle aura shone brightly, and a stream of water washed it away completely.

Shang was not surprised to see this, who let the other party be Mr. Gu.

A hundred years ago, he could fight according to more than ten grandmasters, and after so many years, he went and returned from the Buzhou Mountain Range, and he was still so young and handsome that people couldn't believe it, such a person, no matter how powerful he was, he could accept it.

As for how powerful it is, that's not what he cares about, anyway, he's about to die, and what he needs to do has already been done, so he doesn't have to think about it so much.

"I can let Mr. Gu make tea for me by himself, speaking of which, I really envy others."

Shang stroked his palm and smiled.

"I want to taste your tea."

The tea was brewed in an instant.

Gu Dan picked up the teacup and took a sip gently.

Bitter!

Extremely bitter!

It's like eating a mouth full of coptis in one go, even with Gu Dan's stamina, he can't help but raise his eyebrows slightly, and poisoning is nothing more than that.

Gu Dan looked at Shang in surprise.

You call this thing tea?

"Hahaha!"

Shang laughed and said: "This thing was encountered when I was a child, and its name is 'Bitter Ghost', and even ghosts and gods are terrified. It is said that this is a mortal thing that the heavenly immortals test mortals, and as long as they can endure the bitterness in it, they will be able to achieve great things in the coming day. ”

Shang picked up the teacup in front of him and drank it all.

Extreme bitterness broke into his lips and tongue, but he was savoring it.

The tea slid down the throat into the abdomen, as if someone was holding a hemp rope and pulling it in the body, making people's hearts, livers and lungs tremble.

All the bitterness in the world seems to be condensed into this cup of tea.

Straight to the heart.

Even Shang's face couldn't help but wrinkle, the already deep wrinkles were stacked on top of each other, like the bark of an old tree that had exploded after being exposed to the sun.

But he still swallowed it little by little, and even showed a trace of aftertaste on his face.

"Who wants to suffer? It's just a little bitter and I have to eat it. ”

Shang put down the cup, "If you can't stand the bitterness, you don't know the last sweetness." ”

When the bitterness is so thick that people can't help but want to retch, a trace of sweetness is quietly surging.

Sweetness unlike any candy or pastry.

In the endless bitterness, any bit of beauty is precious, like a spring in the desert, a cool breeze in the hot summer, and a bonfire in the depths of winter

Any praise in the world is not an exaggeration at this time.

Condensed to the extreme bitterness, turned into a little sweetness.

It's like a new life!

"Some doorways."

Gu Dan bowed slightly.

"When the bitterness ends, it comes willingly."

Shang smiled, "Just as the Xia Dynasty was reborn in the flames of the Great Moon, the old things get old, and the new things will replace them and do better."

If we endure hardships today, future generations will be able to taste more sweetness. It's a pity that there are not many people who can understand this truth, and many people refuse to endure the slightest bitterness for the sake of temporary sweetness.

Or for the sake of the final sweetness, he only cares about suffering and leaves no room for it.

That's why I'm going to start a Legalist. ”

Shang began to talk about the business of the Xia Dynasty, using things as metaphors.

As early as when Gu Dan met him for the first time, he noticed the edge of Shang's body that was almost ready to come out, which was a deep insight into the evil of people.

It's just that the edge is too strong, hurting others and hurting oneself.

So he asked Xun Ke to take Shang as an apprentice and teach him carefully.

After that, he didn't ask about it again.

Because he believes in Xun Ke.

Now that he has returned, he has seen the prosperity of the Xia Dynasty, which proves that what he thinks is not wrong.

At this time, Shang also had to hand over his answer sheet in the small courtyard of the Gu family for Gu Dan to review.

"Everyone has desires. Whether it is wine, wealth, fame and fortune, why should there be a distinction between high and low? If you do, you can't do it.

Cang Cheng likes prosperity, loves beauty, and has a lot of offensive words when he eats well, is this his evil?

He did not force women, nor plundered the people, but he never wasted his abundant food, and he always took measures to help the people. As the prime minister of the Xia Dynasty, can't he still enjoy these things?

Na Wei is a famous master and a secretary of the military department, and can be called the pillar of the country.

He is not good at drinking, does not love beauty, and is not extravagant, is he a person who is praised by the world?

But he was bent on war, and for this reason he would do whatever it takes, even in disregard of the laws of the land. Keeping saying that it will make the Xia Dynasty and the people live a better life, does he really think so?

If we only look at it from the perspective of personal life, if we only look at the opinions of others, who is good and who is bad among these two?

The way to govern the country is not empty talk?! ”

Shang stood up, he pointed to the outside of the courtyard gate, "Back then, in the Tianxia Academy Palace, I questioned Master Xun. Why should we put the rites before the Fa.

Today, I naturally understand that propriety is his kindness, and dharma is his anger.

How many people may understand this truth?

Even in the Xia Dynasty, there are still many people who haven't even read a few books, when will they understand the truth behind it? How many etiquette systems do we have to stipulate to fit the situation of the Xia Dynasty? ”

He seemed to be asking a question, but in fact he already had the answer.

"Law! Only the law lasts forever! ”

Shang's eyes flashed, his tone became sonorous and powerful, and infinite faith filled his heart, which was his life's work in heaven and earth and in the world, "Law is the rule!" The rules are a dead line, whoever touches the rules will be hurt by the rules!

If you love prosperity, love beauty, and eat well, no one can blame you.

The world respects those who only call peace in their mouths and are the common people in the world, as long as they violate the law, they will be punished! ”

Shang stood there, his score obviously insignificant, and his slightly stiff spine weighed heavily on his body, making it difficult for him to raise his head.

But it was that thin backbone that stubbornly supported the sky of the Xia Dynasty and the countless people of the Xia Dynasty.

"The law is inviolable! Don't be diverted by people's likes and dislikes!

In this way, we will not be hurt by people's words, nor will we be defeated by vain words.

Do according to the law, do according to the law, and make it according to the law!

The whole country has the same law, and the order prohibits! If you are guilty, you will be punished, and if you have merit, you will be rewarded! Then the officials are not greedy, the common people are selfless, the righteousness is self-existent, and the country is self-authoritative without war! ”

Shang looked at Gu Dan with burning eyes and asked, "Mr. Gu, can this method measure the world?" ”

Quietly listening to Shang's narration, Gu Dan neither nodded nor shook his head.

just picked up the teacup in front of him and poured another cup of the extremely bitter tea.

"A toast."

Gu Dan said.

"Okay, okay, in this way, I will agree with Mr. Gu."

Shang laughed and returned to the table.

began to tell in more detail what happened in the Xia Dynasty during the time when Gu Dan was not in the Xia Dynasty.

Actually, there hasn't been much of a change.

After Gu Dan left, Xun Ke became the guardian of the Xia Dynasty.

Together with Shang and Cang, he drew up most of the laws of the Xia Dynasty today.

After that, Xun Ke resigned, and Cang served as the prime minister of the Xia Dynasty.

Two years later, Xun Ke felt that the Xia Dynasty was already okay, and Cang and his descendants had also grown up, so they traveled around the world like a bird.

It's just that both of them have a tacit understanding.

The Buzhou Mountains were in the north of the Xia Dynasty.

And Yu Lisheng took the people of the Mo family to the south.

Xun Ke chose the East.

Both of them avoided the immortal path in unison.

Perhaps they also know in their hearts that a set of things that work well in the mundane can easily be broken apart once too advanced forces break in.

Cobwebs may be able to entangle prey much larger than spiders, but things that are too large can easily tear them off.

But the world is very big, and there are always some places.

Mohists are needed, and Confucianism is needed.

In places that the immortals have not yet reached.

As for the Xia Dynasty, it has also been steady and steady over the years.

The only major event worth mentioning is that after Xun Ke left, it didn't take long for Shang to come and kill Confucianism.

It would be more accurate to say that more than 1,000 Confucian scholars were cut in one go.

Most of them are powerful, and the remaining half are more powerful.

It is no exaggeration to say that as soon as Xun Ke left on the front foot, Shang cut off more than half of the backbone of Confucianism on the back foot.

It can't be said that people take tea and cool it, it can only be said that they can't wait to kill them all.

Of course, this is not because Shang has a great enmity with Xun Ke, let alone because Shang hates Confucianism very much - he is Xun Ke's disciple and a student of Confucianism, but what does that have to do with the people he cut Confucianism?

He wants to cut people, and the reason is very simple.

Those people deserved to be cut down.

To ask is to violate the laws of the Xia Dynasty, and there is more than enough to die.

Previously, Xun Kedu participated in the compilation of the code, but it was not implemented very well.

There are always people who disobey the good and the bad, and even refute it.

Because Confucianism's speech is originally very open, you must know that Xun Ke himself is a teacher of Mo, and then set up his own family to preach morality, the founding masters are like this, and the younger generations will naturally follow the same example.

Most of them criticize the code for being impersonal, without any "temperature", and not understanding the truth of relaxation.

Even the toilet must be specified, otherwise you will be punished, and you may even go to jail, is there such a ridiculous thing in the world?

Therefore, when Xun Ke was in power, there were many people in Confucianism who refused to obey.

This has nothing to do with Xun Ke's ability, it can only be said that in order to refute the influence caused by the Mo family, it was left behind.

As soon as Xun Ke left, Shang immediately left.

arrested more than 1,000 Confucian scholars in one go.

When everyone thought Shang was in a daze, he cut off the heads of those people.

Since then, no one has dared to take the laws of the Xia Dynasty seriously.

If you can cut him, it's really a cut!

It doesn't matter what kind of rich family, famous family, royal relatives.

was caught by the Legalists, and if he didn't die, he had to shed his skin.

The law is based, and the imperial power should be allowed!

With thunderous means, do vicious things.

With the support of Emperor Chengping, Shang single-handedly created the Legalist family.

Don't say it's Confucianism, if the ink master dares to disobey the law, he will catch it!

Look at how dare I!

With this, the Legalists overcame the accumulation that took decades or even hundreds of years in one fell swoop, and stepped onto the stage of the peak of power in the Xia Dynasty.

With the blood of countless people, the laws of the Xia Dynasty were dyed red and deeply imprinted in the bones.

The reason why there is no and urine on the streets of the imperial capital today may be a small part of the reason because many people's consciousness has improved, but the bigger reason is that if you do that, you will really be punished, and if you are serious, you will go to jail.

Seeing the big from the small, the ruthlessness of the Legalists maintained the prosperity of the Xia Dynasty.

All of this is said to be light and light.

It's as if it's just a lip touch, and it's easy to do it.

However, Gu Dan deeply understands that all top-down reforms are always difficult.

Fortunately, the original Xia Dynasty was still a new generation and was not really finalized.

The remnants left by Moqiu and Xun Ke are also still there.

And Emperor Chengping, as the second emperor of the Xia Dynasty, was not reprimanded for "violating the ancestral teachings".

Cutting through the chaos with a quick knife, the monarch and the minister are united, so that there can be such an achievement.

It's not easy.

The pain of scraping bones is inevitable, but it is for thousands of generations, and it is also the foundation of the Xia Dynasty.

"Don't be in a hurry, speak slowly."

Gu Dan poured Shang a cup of tea, "There is time." ”

Great prayer.

In front of an ordinary village.

Wei Chuanming looked at the stone in his hand, touched his forehead, which was still bleeding, and a sharp pain hit his heart, and the stone actually slipped from his hand.

"Bang" slammed into the ground, slightly undulating.

He wanted to die.

The cultivation of the grandmaster has come to naught, what is the meaning of an ordinary person living in the world?

Being sent out of the Xia Dynasty intact is the greatest humiliation.

As he said at the beginning, it was just a death!

Soldiers can be killed, but not humiliated!

But.

Why didn't you just die?

Why does the stone in my hand fall?

Why do you feel such unbearable pain?

How can the pain of the blood flow from the head be compared with the pain endured when the qi and blood are obstructed?

He endured all the obstacles in his qi and blood, and now he is just looking for death, and the big scar at the mouth of the bowl is just that, why did he miss it?

Wei Chuanming stood stunned in place, unable to understand.

When he was a grandmaster, he didn't care about death.

Now that he has become an ordinary person, he is immediately greedy for life and afraid of death.

Strange, strange!

But it doesn't matter, the more blood flows, and people will always die.

To die is a hundred, and there is no need to be so ashamed.

Wei Chuanming let go of the palm that was covering the wound on his forehead.

The grandmaster is gone, what are you still doing alive?

Lying on his back on the ground, a slight trace of warm blood streaked across his cheeks, and a fishy smell of earth came from the tip of his nose.

He had never felt the smell of earth so much.

It smells so bad, it's unbearable.

There is no room for appreciation, I just want to stay away, and it is better never to step on it, so as not to dirty myself.

But he doesn't have the strength to insult anymore, so be it.

Consciousness is blurring, and everything is hazy.

It's like a long, unreluctant dream.

Until a childish exclamation came from his ears.

"Brother Liu! Come on, come on, someone is injured here, as an ink man, we can't see death without help! ”

(End of chapter)