Kyoto.

Perhaps due to the current tense situation in Kyoto, or perhaps because the students no longer want to study peacefully in the academy, yesterday Mr. Zhenghua of Taiyuan Academy simply gave the students and teachers a holiday.

Taiyue College suddenly became quiet.

Especially in this continuous autumn rain, there were very few people in the huge Imperial College.

But the flower garden is still there.

At this moment he is holding a pot of tea and talking:

"The so-called knowledge is learning first. If you have doubts after learning, ask again!"

"This is seeking knowledge, seeking solutions, and seeking understanding."

In the backyard of Taiyuan University, under the pavilion of the small pond in the small courtyard full of flowers.

Su Mu sat calmly across from Hua Manting and listened carefully to what the teacher said.

"Put what you have learned into practice. After you have learned, asked, and understood the roots of things, you need to apply them in practice."

"This goes back to the question you asked just now. A storm is about to come to Kyoto, so why do the people in Kyoto seem so indifferent and don't seem to have much reaction to it?"

"Even the common people seem to be looking forward to it."

"Li Chenan once said something that I think makes perfect sense!"

Su Muxin leaned over, "What did he say?"

"He said that water can carry a boat but also capsize it!"

"The boat is the imperial court, the country, and the imperial power."

"Water is the people, the people of the world!"

"Water and boats are complementary to each other. Only when there is water can the boat move. Only when there is a boat can water play its role."

"In this sentence, the weight of water is higher than that of a boat. The boat is more dependent on water, and water... In fact, it doesn't matter whether there is a boat or not."

Hua Manting took a sip of tea, put down the tea cup, took a pair of pokers and fiddled with the pot of charcoal fire beside the table, and said:

"When the boat thinks it doesn't need water, when the water meets the wind and begins to billow... I have been to the seaside before and seen waves."

"When the waves really rise, even the most experienced fishermen must return to the harbor to take shelter, otherwise they will be overturned by the huge waves, and if they do not make a mistake, they will be buried at the bottom of the sea."

"Since the people are like water, when they cannot see the future, when they work hard but have difficulty in providing food and clothing, when they suffer many unfair treatments and have nowhere to appeal, when they are oppressed by tyranny and see that they cannot survive..."

"As long as there is a gust of wind at this time, it will inevitably set off huge waves!"

"Because in the hearts of the people, this country can no longer protect them, the officials of this country only know how to exploit them, and the emperor of this country... doesn't care about their life or death at all. It's okay not to want such a country!"

"The wind is blowing now."

"The people in Kyoto are just numb."

"When the wind gets stronger and blows outside the walls of Kyoto, look again!"

Su Muxin was dumbfounded.

He swallowed and asked in a low voice: "What are you looking at again?"

"Look at the people rising again!"

"They will open the gates!"

"They'll bring out the ladder!"

"They will welcome the so-called rebels outside the city into the city!"

Su Muxin was shocked, "Isn't this rebellion?"

"For the emperor and those with vested interests like Ji Tai, they are plotting rebellion."

"But for themselves... they are saving themselves!"

Su Muxin suddenly looked at Hua Manting, hesitated for a moment and asked again: "So, the teacher asked the students to suspend school..."

Hua Manting picked up the tea cup again and said, "If there are more people opening the city gates and holding the ladders, the results will come out faster."

"Teacher, I'm afraid many people will die. After all, there are many guards in the city!"

"Since it is for our respective futures, we have to pay some price."

"I heard that the second prince died in the battle at Shuangjiao Mountain. What if... I think this disciple can avoid this disaster if he asks the emperor to abdicate and hand over the throne to His Highness the Crown Prince?"

Hua Manting stroked her long beard and smiled:

"Maybe."

"But the result is nothing more than switching from one vested interest to another."

"Look at the changes of dynasties over thousands of years of history."

"At the beginning of every new dynasty, the people can almost live in peace for a while, but it will never last long. Because those who have benefited from the change of dynasties will hold on to power tighter to protect what they have gained.

Benefits. The number of people dependent on them will become more, then bloated, and then the good and the bad will be mixed.”

"But they belong to the same interest group, and they cannot swing a knife to attack their own group twice, so they become more and more rotten... until they finally die, and so on."

Su Muxin understood, but still had questions:

"How can this be avoided?"

Hua Manting pondered for a moment, "I have been thinking about it as a teacher, but I haven't been able to find an answer."

"It wasn't until I heard Li Chenan mention the word law that I saw a little light, but I still couldn't grasp it."

"When Li Chenan returns to Beijing, I will have a good chat with him and hear what he thinks."

Hua Manting stood up with a flick of her sleeves.

"I have to go out as a teacher."

"...Where is the teacher going?"

"Take another look at this decadent Kyoto!"

…

…

Li Chenan was standing at the intersection of Huaishan County.

There were two corpses in front of him!

Yan Jidao looked at Li Chenan's sad expression, thought for a moment, and handed over the small black jar in his armpit.

"What's this?"

"This is your master Wu Xichen!"

"Half of it was buried in the Xijian Tower, and the other half was brought back to you."

"..."

Li Chenan took the jar, opened the lid, and quickly closed it again. Because of the rain, he was afraid that the master's clothes would get wet.

"He left after all."

"That's the path he chose. I guess he wants me to bury him on Peach Blossom Mountain in Guangling City... Let's live a while."

"What happened to them?"

They refer to Changsun Jinghong and Shang Di on earth.

Yan Jidao thought for a while and told Li Chenan the conversation between Changsun Jinghong and Shang Di in detail, and finally said leisurely:

"I thought it would be better if both of them died."

"Why?"

"Chang Sun Jinghong has been guarding that tree for twenty years, but it has not cleared up."

"Shang Di has probably followed Xi Wei for more than twenty years, but he really wants to see the ideal new world."

"Twenty years ago, when I was in my twenties, I heard the story of the four trees."

"Empress Lu planted four trees in Kyoto, and she placed her hope on four people!"

"The tree in the Imperial City Department represents Ning Guo's sword of justice!"

"The tree in Dingguohou's Mansion represents the patron saint of Ningguo!"

"The tree in the old Yulou represents Ningguo's idea of ​​letting a hundred flowers bloom!"

"And the tree in the plum garden represents the love in the world... family affection, friendship, love and the love of family and country!"

"In the blink of an eye, more than 20 years have passed, and the four trees have reached the sky, but... they don't seem to have grown into what Queen Lu expected."

"Imperial City Division becomes darker."

"Dingguohou's Mansion..." Yan Jidao looked at Zhongli Po, "Dingguohou's Mansion has become wise and protective."

"Ningguo's thoughts do not seem to be blooming, because the people are running for a living and the students are working to become officials. Those who have ideas may have starved to death."
To be continued...