RPAGF Chapter 60 To hell with loyalty to the emperor and patriotism!
Chapter 60 To hell with loyalty to the emperor and patriotism!
The newcomer stepped forward slowly, and Xu Tianyi couldn't help but ask curiously, "Who are you?"
In his mind, not just anyone could govern a county.
You either need to hold an official position, or you need to have prestige or fame.
In his view, since the other party did not hold an official position, he must have some fame. Perhaps he came from the Valley God Sect?
Thinking of this, the scholar opposite him crossed his arms and performed a scholar's salute.
"Liu Qingfeng, the head of the Taikang County branch of the Valley God Sect, has met the four heroes."
The other party comes from a humble background, but still has impeccable manners. If he were dressed in noble attire, he would surely be the head of a prominent family.
His speech, demeanor, and presence were far superior to those of the Xu and Qian families that Xu Tianyi had ever met.
He frowned, but remained neither humble nor arrogant.
Combined with his somewhat stained scholar's clothes, the image of a patriotic, diligent, and down-to-earth man leaps off the page, inspiring a sense of gentle admiration.
Perhaps, if he were to become an official, he would be an honest and upright one.
But now, he is nothing more than a scholar.
Wei Qing hated evil as much as she wanted. When she encountered the Valley God Sect, which frequently rebelled, she should have drawn her sword and killed them directly. However, when facing this person, she simply gripped her horizontal blade.
"Your surname is Liu? The Liu family of Runzhou?"
Her suspicions were not entirely unfounded. After all, the Liu family of Runzhou was renowned and had a long-standing business relationship with the Shen family of Leizhou.
(The Liu family of Runzhou is rich in minerals, while the Shen family are arms dealers.)
Liu Qingfeng simply shook his head slightly: "I dare not presume to be so. There are countless people with the surname Liu in the world. Going back five generations, I may be a collateral branch of the Liu family, but now I am just an ordinary commoner."
Wei Qing began to think carefully, and after a moment she slowly said, "Since you have studied, you should know how to be loyal to the emperor and love your country. Why did you abandon the teachings of the sages and become a rebel?"
Liu Qingfeng shook his head: "Traitor? I'm just an ordinary person who wants to survive in this chaotic world. I've taken the imperial examinations many times, hoping to become a real big shot and save the common people."
But now the world is in chaos, there is oppression everywhere, massacres everywhere, and people everywhere are unable to survive.
All my knowledge is not worth a thousand taels of silver from a wealthy merchant.
Even when I wanted to use my knowledge to do something for the people, I couldn't do anything.
He set up a school, and the students were all sons of wealthy merchants, noblemen, and landlords.
For the poor, their children simply don't have time to study.
From the age of four or five, these children had to start working for the landlords.
From birth, he became someone else's private property, someone else's slave.
I have visited most of Leizhou and witnessed widespread suffering, cannibalism, and the selling of children.
What I saw even more was endless bullying and repression.
There was a time when someone rose up in rebellion, leading tens of thousands of people to storm the county government office, and it seemed like they were about to succeed.
But do you know what I saw?
A mere aristocratic retainer from who-knows-where charged into tens of thousands of people and publicly suppressed the rebel leader.
How ridiculous! There are actually martial artists in this world. A mere Grand Martial Master can come and go freely, protected by hundreds of strong young men.
Thus began a bloody crackdown and massacre.
The heads of tens of thousands of people who were slaughtered were piled up into mountains, and cart after cart was sent to the higher authorities to claim credit.
A river of blood flowed out.
I've seen uprisings like this far too many times.
At first, some people were still full of enthusiasm.
After that, no one dared to speak up for the people anymore!
The poor people were thus oppressed and enslaved.
I tried to resist, but I was powerless.
I have witnessed too many tragedies. As a scholar, I, Liu, should have the determination to speak out for the common people.
So Liu began searching everywhere, abandoning his studies for martial arts.
I hope that one day I can become a great martial arts master who can come and go as he pleases, and then lead these people to rebel against this filthy hell!
But the reality is even more hopeless!
Learning martial arts requires techniques and talent.
Talent will always be found in someone.
However, the cultivation techniques were firmly controlled by these powerful families.
Even though I am their child's teacher, they are unwilling to teach me the real techniques.
What I obtained were nothing more than some low-level martial arts techniques.
What good is trying your best?
I've worked hard for five years and only reached the fifth rank of martial artist. How ridiculous!
Among the so-called five great families' young masters, Ji Canghai became a grandmaster before the age of twenty, and Liu Lian, a martial spirit, was fifteen years old.
Cultivation techniques, treasures, and inheritances—aren't these just another mountain weighing down on the people of the world?
Because no matter how hard you try, no matter how talented you are.
You cannot surpass his thousand-year-old heritage.
I'm desperate.
Above martial artists are martial masters, grand martial masters, martial spirits, and grandmasters.
Just as the common people are above landlords, county magistrates, prefects, officials in the capital, and the emperor.
At this point, Liu Qingfeng looked extremely sorrowful, and then he pulled open the sleeve of his shirt.
"Until I encountered the Cult of Ceres..."
A wheat ear tattoo slowly appeared on his arm.
“I know they have bad intentions, and I know they also persecute the people.”
But they have techniques!
Their cultivation techniques are of the highest quality. All you need to do is cooperate with them in their rebellion, learn their doctrines, and you can exchange them for high-quality cultivation techniques according to your contributions.
I hesitated, but seeing the suffering of the world...
I have to!
To hell with the teachings of sages, to hell with loyalty to the emperor and patriotism!
The world has suffered in this hell for far too long!
"I, Liu, am unworthy, but I am willing to sacrifice my life for righteousness! Even if I die, I will still shout the flag for the sake of all living beings!"
His expression grew increasingly agitated, and tears welled up in his eyes.
He turned his head and stared intently at Xu Tianyi.
"Young master, after listening to your story, I realize that my abilities are insufficient."
Since you, sir, have such a noble heart, I, Liu, am willing to lead the entire city's people to await your orders!
If the imperial court were to settle scores in the future, I, Liu Qingfeng, would bear all the responsibility!
His eyes revealed expectation, and his determined gaze moved Xu Tianyi deeply.
"Good!! Mr. Liu dares to speak out for the people, and I, Xu Tianyi, am by no means a coward who fears death!"
After hearing Liu Qingfeng's words, Shen Miao and the other two felt a sense of admiration.
"Mr. Liu is a man of great integrity, I, your aunt, will definitely help him!"
Wei Qing remained silent, and the hand that had been gripping the hilt of the knife gradually lowered.
Gu Qinghan's expression was complicated.
She had witnessed too much enslavement and oppression in the Moon Wheel, but those were foreigners, far less shocking than the suffering of her own people in Wuji.
She never claimed to be a princess; she felt that she should be a chivalrous knight-errant with a chivalrous heart.
At this moment, she silently tightened her grip on Xu Tianyi's hand. Perhaps, in the future, this man could truly change this horrific hell on earth.
“Young master, what do you plan to do next? I, Liu, have a decent reputation in Taikang County, and I can mobilize all 50,000 people in the county.”
Xu Tianyi pondered for a moment and then said, "..."