Lu Renshan was put in a cell alone and meditated with his eyes closed.
The general and a group of senior generals were imprisoned in the prison next door.
The door of the cell where the general was imprisoned was clanged open.
Jailer: "Three more come out, who wants to die first?"
Several generals stood up: "Why fear death?"
The jailer pulled the three generals out.
Lu Renshan was touched, opened his eyes slightly, closed them again, and continued to meditate.
The jailer came in again and said, "Three more people will come out, who wants to die first?" Three more people were pulled out.
Lu Renshan could no longer hold back, stood up, and wandered in the prison: "The prison in heaven is like hell, the prison in heaven is like hell."
After a while, Zhang Zhongliang and Mary entered the prison under the lantern and torch. He walked to the door of Lu Renshan's prison and stopped.
Lu Renshan said coldly: "Zhang Zhongliang, what do you want from me?"
Zhang Zhongliang said indifferently: "I am not here for you, but for a routine prison inspection." After that, he walked away.
Lu Renshan was thoughtful, sat down, and continued to meditate.
Zhang Zhongliang walked around and came back and asked the jailer: "How many people will be executed today?"
Jailer: "Your Majesty, thirty people will be executed today, all officers from households with more than five thousand. Tomorrow we will start executing ten thousand households."
Lu Renshan couldn't hold himself back: "Zhang Zhongliang, I heard the rumors that you are also compassionate. I never thought that you and your wife would be so vicious-hearted that they would indulge in such murder."
Zhang Zhongliang: "The emperor has an order, but I can't do anything about it. The generals in this prison will be executed one by one, and the remaining 400,000 soldiers will be buried alive in the near future. It's sad, pitiful. 400,000 people, people come and go, Lu Renshan, you can't do anything." No ah!"
Lu Renshan sighed: "It's my fault."
Zhang Zhongliang: "I wanted to save you, but it's a pity that you insist on going your own way and make mistakes again and again."
Lu Renshan was surprised: "You want to save me? This is nonsense. Above the main hall, I was sentenced to be quartered, but you actually want to kill me as a warning to others. I wonder what vicious tricks you are going to use to harm me?"
Mary: "Lu Renshan, don't be ungrateful. If my husband hadn't stalled in front of my father, you would have become a mummy by now, divided into several pieces and hung on the city tower. How could An Neng be talking nonsense here?!"
Zhang Zhongliang: "Lu Renshan is such a wise man, but he is extremely confused. I respect you for your great mercy. Today, the intention of the people in the main hall is not only to save you, but also to save 400,000 lives. However, you are so stupid that you cannot be saved." After that, he took Mary. "Let's go." He strode out of the prison.
Lu Renshan was anxious: "Consort, please stay."
Zhang Zhongliang: "What else do you have to say?"
Lu Renshan: "Do you really mean what I said? Do you really want to save these 400,000 soldiers?"
Zhang Zhongliang: "Human life is so precious, how can it be treated like a piece of shit?"
Lu Renshan: "If you can save these 400,000 living beings, I will have no regrets even if I am shattered to pieces."
Zhang Zhongliang: "You have no regrets about being shattered into pieces, so why are you afraid of being killed?"
Lu Renshan: "Being broken into pieces is a matter of righteousness, but surrender is a matter of integrity."
Zhang Zhongliang: "Hahaha, I understand. Lu Renshan is a person with a false reputation. This person can sacrifice integrity at the expense of justice."
Lu Renshan: "How do you say this?"
Zhang Zhongliang: "Integrity is the integrity of one person, and righteousness is related to the life and death of 400,000 people. If you, Lu Renshan, are asked to choose one between the integrity of one person and the righteousness of 400,000 people, I wonder what choice you will make, Marshal Lu?"
Lu Renshan: "If you can really exchange the integrity of one person for the survival of 400,000 people, then you don't have to have integrity! What's the use of a mere integrity?"
Zhang Zhongliang: "If Marshal Lu had realized this earlier, why would he be tortured in this hell? You are an enlightened person. I will tell you the truth. The emperor has decided to pardon the death penalty for these 400,000 soldiers and evacuate them to various states in batches. The government believes that labor is only to restore the national strength and recuperate. Your Majesty is worried that these 400,000 people will rebel again after freedom. However, if these people can be appeased by Marshal Lu, they will have no worries. Otherwise, they will have to bury them alive in order to save their lives. Sit back and relax. Marshal Lu is righteous, please think carefully about the gains and losses here."
Lu Renshan: "Is that really true? The prince-in-law must not joke about it."
Zhang Zhongliang: "Everything I said is conclusive. The thirty generals who were escorted out of prison today to die first are now outside the prison and can testify."
Lu Renshan: "The prince-in-law said a few words, and Lu suddenly became enlightened. In addition, Lu has another unkind request, which I hope he can agree to."
Zhang Zhongliang: "Please tell me."
Lu Renshan: "Please release all the prisoners in the prison and pardon the innocent. Lu will be released from prison eventually."
Zhang Zhongliang glanced at Mary and indicated that it was up to her to make the decision.
Mary waved her hand and signaled to the jailer: "Why are you still standing there? Open all the cells and let them go."
The jailer was in a dilemma: "This..."
Mary: "This is my princess order. If Lu Renshan regrets it later, even ten of your heads won't be enough to chop him off."
Jailer: "I obey the order." He directed the jailers to open the cell doors one by one.
Lu Renshan: "Lu Mou has a lot to say, thank you very much for your advice."
…
After the victory in the defense battle of Xiliao City, Zhang Zhongliang, Lu Renshan, and Lu Junyong unknowingly talked about metaphysics while chatting, and Mary and others also sat around and listened.
Lu Renshan: "As a king, you should put people's livelihood as your top priority, the people are the water, and the king is the boat. When the waves are calm, even if you go against the current, you can still follow the current and go upstream. When the waves are rolling, the more you go with the current, the more dangerous it becomes. Therefore, whether the boat is overturned or not, it all depends on the way of the king. Those who are close to the people will win the hearts of the people, and those who are slaves to the people will lose the hearts of the people. If you win the hearts of the people, the world will be peaceful. If you lose the hearts of the people, the world will rebel."
Lu Junyong: "There are all kinds of joys and sorrows in the world. The people suffer from survival, but the king takes pleasure in fooling the people. The disparity between them is really unequal. Lu Junyong admires Lu Ren for his kindness and caring for the world. Haha! Haha!!"
Lu Renshan: "Brother Lu Junyong, I have something unclear about you. Can you ask me for advice?"
Lu Junyong: "But it doesn't matter. Haha——"
Lu Renshan: "People's livelihood is so miserable, and Lu has not laughed for a long time. Why does brother Lu Junyong laugh when he opens his mouth?"
Lu Junyong: "It is to seek happiness in the midst of suffering, because all kinds of suffering and happiness are in laughter, so I smile when I open my mouth, and I always laugh at people who are ridiculous in the world."
Zhang Zhongliang added: "Brother Lu Junyong has a big belly and can tolerate all the things that are difficult to tolerate in the world."
Everyone clapped their hands: "Hahahaha——"
Everyone was chatting in the hall.
Sunlight and moonlight came out of the backyard. The two of them had packed up and seemed to be on their way.
Zhang Zhongliang: "Two masters, why are you dressed like this?"
Riguang: "The two of us have been strictly ordered by our mentor to assist the Prince Consort in rescuing the wounded and dying. Now that the war is over, we should return to the mountain and return to our lives. We will accompany our master and we don't dare to disturb him."
Zhang Zhongliang was very disappointed: "Life is unpredictable, we come and go in a hurry, and it is not convenient for me to keep you. The two masters are refined people, so I have nothing to offer as a gift. There are many good horses in the backyard. You can choose two to go with me. Don't refuse."
Yueguang: "I appreciate my consort's wishes. It's just a common thing for us cultivators to temper our skin, so there's no need to travel around, so let's just say goodbye."
Riguang took out the pure bottle gifted by the Japanese Medicine Master Immortal from his sleeve: "The few Huitian pills left are given to the prince-in-law. They will be of great use in the future. I hope the prince-in-law will not refuse."
Zhang Zhongliang: "This is a wonderful medicine in the world. It can bring the dead back to life. It is hard to get. You have given me all these precious things. How can you respond?"
Riguang: "I will refine it when I return to the mountain, Prince Consort, don't worry too much."
Zhang Zhongliang silently took the bottle.
Moonlight: "Everyone, stay here. Don't send me far away. It will only increase your sorrow. I'll say goodbye."
The two of them got on the road and walked towards the gate without looking back.
