Chapter 536: Hu Ma Invites Drinks
Chapter 536: Hu Ma Invites Drinks
"It seems we overestimated him..."
Within the black palanquin, a woman's voice, gentle yet tinged with a hint of laughter, resonated, "I thought this Grain Protection General might be the Imperial Seed chosen by my cousin, but looking at him, he seems like a mere mountain villager. I didn't think his judgment would be so poor."
"Now, that fellow actually abandoned his own people and came here alone. Is he so foolish that he has no caution at all?"
"He's probably just a mountain bandit. Is it worth making such a fuss over him?"
"..."
The Heavenly Mandate General beside her frowned, seemingly displeased with the way they casually referred to the "Imperial Seed." After a pause, he spoke in a low voice, "This person has killed one of our grandmasters, a deputy altar master, and dozens of our followers."
"It might just be a coincidence."
The person in the palanquin replied indifferently, "The skills of the insiders are varied and bizarre, but not all of them can be used openly. Your grandmasters indeed have their own abilities, but most of them are not on the right path. They can't withstand the blood energy of living people."
Hearing this, the Heavenly Mandate General's face visibly darkened. He suddenly said, "Since we've found him..."
"You're not going to stop me from raiding even a single village of the Scarlet Lantern Society, are you?"
"..."
"I didn't say I wouldn't let you raid it."
The person in the palanquin said, "Even if it's the Scarlet Lantern Society, they're not stopping you. It's just that the time isn't right yet."
"Since that person has come to us, why not take the opportunity?"
"I'll go with you!"
"..."
Although she said she would accompany him, when she gave the order, the palanquin bearers immediately lifted the palanquin, leaving the Heavenly Mandate General with no choice but to follow.
For a moment, a single black palanquin, accompanied by over a hundred black riders, made its way forward. The lanterns, filled with fluttering moths, lit the path, while invisible shadows surrounded them, and wailing resentful ghosts followed along. With a gentle sway, they traversed the night, heading straight for the Green Stone Town village.
...
...
"Brother, you used to be fearless..."
Inside the village at that moment, Hu Ma met Yang Gong's gaze, filled with both worry and anticipation. After a long pause, he slowly poured wine for Yang Gong and himself. Then, he began to speak, "But now, you're afraid. Have you ever thought about why?"
"I..."
Yang Gong, who had little education, was most afraid of being questioned. He was about to speak, but after saying a word, he fell silent again.
After a long while, he spoke softly, "Before, I had no choice but to fight for my life. What else could I do?"
"Actually, it's the same now."
Hu Ma sighed lightly, "There are two ways to fight for your life."
"One is to live a meager existence, as long as death doesn't find me, I can survive. It might not be a great life, but as long as there's someone worse off than me, I'm satisfied."
"The other way is to rise up and fight. No matter who it is, a noble lord or the incense master, if they dare to provoke me, I'll face them head-on... And you, you've always been the latter type, which is why I admire you."
"When you were in the Scarlet Lantern Society, you dared to stand up to Zheng Da Headmaster. You relied on your true abilities to forge your path. Who wouldn't admire you?"
"..."
Listening to this, Yang Gong, who would have felt proud in the past, now felt conflicted.
"Now..."
"..."
Hu Ma waved his hand, having listened to Yang Gong earlier, but now it was his turn to speak. He said slowly, "When you were in the Scarlet Lantern Society, besides opposing Zheng Da Headmaster, there was another way to live:"
"You could step on your brothers' heads to climb up. First, you ignore those around you and go to Zheng's place to kowtow. Wouldn't you still get a bowl of rice to eat?"
"And now, how different is it?"
He sighed softly, "Before, you fought for your life alongside brothers who had no way out. Now, you're fighting for the lives of these desperate villagers. Are you going to draw your sword against them like before, or are you going to abandon yourself and live on your own?"
"If you were to abandon the mountain affairs and go to the Truth Sect, they would accept you."
"Even if you don't join the Truth Sect, if you just ignore the mountain affairs and take a batch of treasures to hide somewhere and live a small, wealthy life, that's also possible."
"But the world is becoming more chaotic. You can't hide from one thing and avoid another. You might be able to hide for a while, but not forever. And these mountain villagers can't even hide for a year..."
"Everyone here has no way out, so they're willing to fight alongside you. So, what do you plan to do?"
After saying this, he sighed softly, picked up his wine bowl, and said, "On the contrary, the opportunity to kowtow has always been there, from the beginning until now."
Listening to Hu Ma's words, Yang Gong stood there, trying to understand. He felt he had understood some parts, while others remained unclear. But at a critical point, he suddenly realized:
No way out.
But there's still a chance to kowtow...
It wasn't so much that Hu Ma's words moved him, but rather the look in his eyes at that moment. Yang Gong suddenly clenched his teeth, as if he was arguing with himself. He took a firm grip on his wine bowl:
"I've never been taught, so I only know one way to live..."
"..."
"Then, remember this way of living."
"Hu Ma clinked his bowl with Yang Gong's, downing the strong liquor. His eyes turned slightly red as he looked at Yang Gong earnestly and said, "From the moment you came over, I knew you wouldn't choose otherwise. If you were really going to make a choice, you would have run away long ago. Why come to me now?"
"But since you're here, I'll give you a straight answer. There's no need to worry..."
"The other side may be formidable, but the people around you are even more extraordinary. Don't be fooled by their eccentricities and treasures. As long as you remember the bond of brotherhood you hold dear, the extraordinary people and treasures around you won't be any less than those of the Truth Sect..."
"Just remember that compared to others, you have no significant advantage, but this background is something they can't match..."
"From the moment you joined the Scarlet Lantern Society as a Red Fragrance Little Brother to becoming the Grain Protection General now, it wasn't due to any clever strategies or renowned prestige. It's simply because these people chose to trust you."
"..."
Yang Gong's heart skipped a beat as he listened to Hu Ma's words, and his expression became strained. "But... but my father-in-law said that these people are easily deceived..."
"Yes."
Hu Ma looked at him seriously and replied, "Your father-in-law is right, and you should trust him more. But what I'm about to tell you is on a different level. Those people are indeed the easiest to deceive..."
"But being easy to deceive doesn't mean they are ignorant. They are the most stubborn and the strongest."
"You should respect them, and also fear them..."
"As long as you remember this, from this moment on, ninety-nine percent of the people in this world will stand by your side. What else is there to fear?"
"..."
"Kala..."
Even Yang Gong didn't expect Hu Ma to suddenly bring this up. As a perceptive and intuitive person, he had a vague sense of what Hu Ma was saying earlier, but these final words completely caught him off guard.
Hu Ma's words were straightforward and simple, yet they carried a direct and powerful impact that resonated deeply within Yang Gong.
He felt like he had heard something extraordinary, and his lips trembled slightly. After a long while, he stammered, "Brother... what... what did you just tell me?"
Hu Ma smiled at him and said, "These are principles that haven't yet appeared in this world. I've only scratched the surface. If you want to know more, you can think of it as the secrets of the Heavenly Scripture."
Yang Gong was stunned for a moment, not doubting Hu Ma's words. Instinctively, he shook his head, "That can't be right. How can the Heavenly Scripture be so simple? My father-in-law asked me to study military strategies and read articles, but I find them difficult to comprehend..."
"But what you said is straightforward and doesn't twist my tongue. Yet, it's so invigorating to listen to..."
"..."
"That's why it's called the Heavenly Scripture, isn't it?"
Hu Ma looked at Yang Gong intently and said, "The Heavenly Scripture I'm passing on to you is valuable because anyone can learn it. It's simple and direct, and it will make you fearless."
"What I just told you is just the beginning. There's much more to it. Do you want to hear more?"
"..."
Yang Gong was so excited that his face turned red. The despondency he felt when he entered the courtyard earlier suddenly vanished. He clenched his teeth and nodded vigorously, about to speak, but then he heard a sudden gust of wind outside the courtyard.
The sound of galloping hooves approached rapidly, accompanied by wailing and wailing. Even the courtyard gate, which Yang Gong had just secured, was blown open by the strong wind. The two slightly loose gate panels rattled and collided, making a loud clattering sound.
"Oh no..."
Yang Gong was startled and quickly grabbed the knife beside him. "This is bad..."
"Are they really coming to arrest me?"
"..."
"Don't worry. Sit down and continue drinking."
Hu Ma listened to the commotion outside, his expression calm. He said to Yang Gong, "This drink is on me, and I guarantee you'll have a good time without any interruptions."
As he spoke, he turned his head slightly and saw Little Red Tang, who was leaning on his chin and observing their dull drinking session. She also curiously glanced outside the courtyard.
Noticing Hu Ma's gaze, she nodded slightly and finally seemed pleased. She quickly ran to the wall, grabbed the dusty Punishment Official Saber, and nimbly climbed over the wall.
Yang Gong stared at the Ghost Envoy who had just climbed over the wall, then looked at the composed Hu Ma, unsure of what to do.
Hu Ma glanced at him and said, "You haven't answered my question. Are you ready to listen to what I have to tell you?"
(End of Chapter)
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