An hour later, Liu Yu stood silently on a small slope next to Liu Huaisu's house, looking at the relatives in Liu's courtyard who were wearing sackcloth and mourning, and howling loudly. The river wind blew on his face, and beside him, Xu Xianzhi, dressed in casual clothes, stood side by side with Liu Yu, and sighed softly: "Things in the world are unpredictable. I didn't expect that the separation three months ago would become a farewell forever. I came late and I didn't even see Huaisu for the last time!"
Liu Yu closed his eyes and murmured: "Xianzhi, do you know what was the last thing that bothered Huaisu before he left?"
Xu Xianzhi nodded: "Huaisu has no children, and what I worry about the most is probably the heir. If a lifetime of hard work ends up being wasted, I'm afraid no one will be willing to accept it."
Liu Yu opened his eyes and said calmly: "Besides this point, he also talked to me a lot. In his situation, although there is no way to save him, he can still hold on for a few more days, just because he said it in one breath. Too many, and he left immediately. In the end, what he couldn't let go of was family affection! Not his own achievements."
Xu Xianzhi murmured: "Family love, alas, I really envy your Liu family on this point, all of your brothers..."
Liu Yu shook his head: "Xianzhi, why are you talking to me like this now? What do you call the Liu family? Since you were a child, when did you start to put me in the position of an outsider like you?"
The muscles on Xu Xianzhi's face twitched slightly, and he shook his head: "Brother Jinu, it's not that I want to see someone else. When we were young, we could talk like children. You have always been my most respected, most reliable, and always my protector. My eldest brother, even to this day in my life, you have been protecting me. However, we are no longer children. My surname is Xu, your surname is Liu, and even our children..."
Liu Yu said seriously: "Are only relatives with the same surname considered? Our children have become a family. We have had this life-and-death relationship since childhood. Why are you and I now outsiders?"
Xu Xianzhi replied without hesitation: "No, of course we are not outsiders. We are still brothers and friends. But after all, you have the power in the world. If I talk about a family again at this time, am I being suspected of clinging to you?"
Liu Yu shook his head: "Xingdi and Kui Zhi came together, not like a marriage between aristocratic families, but because they were childhood sweethearts and had a good impression of each other. They also shared life and death during the war and escaped together, so they will always be together." They are like this, so why aren't we like this? We grew up together and worked together as adults. During the long battles to suppress the demon thieves and conquer Huan Xuan, we worked together. Now we have successfully established a righteous alliance. In my hands The power that all the brothers have worked hard for, including your enviable share, are we not relatives now?"
Xu Xianzhi lowered his head and was silent for a long time before sighing faintly: "Brother Jinu, actually, there are some things that I don't need to tell you. With Mu Zhi by your side, I will..."
Liu Yu said with a smile: "So what? Can I only have one friend and one helper in my life, Fatty? A good man needs three helpers. When I had a heated argument with Xile and the others in Jingkou, the one behind me There must be dozens of younger brothers. Why didn’t you say at that time that I didn’t need you since I had Erzhu beside me?”
Xu Xianzhi raised his head and said with a smile: "How can it be the same as when I was a child? When I was a child, winning was just a few extra Trojan horses and toys. But now, the power in my hands is the power of life and death for thousands of people."
Liu Yu said seriously: "It's because we now have power that affects the lives and deaths of millions of people, so we have to respect these powers and be aware of our responsibilities. Every decision we make may change a lot." Human life. We raised troops to seize power and overthrew Huan Xuan, not to enjoy the glory and wealth for ourselves, but to enable our life aspirations to be carried out, and no longer be interfered and hindered by conspiracy organizations like the Mafia. Could it be that today, you Has your ambition changed?"
Xu Xianzhi said loudly: "No, my thoughts have never changed. Brother Jinu, do you know? Since you were a child, you have said that you will conquer the Central Plains to the north, seize the world, and save all the Han people in the world, but these have never really moved you. Pass me, what really impressed me is that when I was in Jingkou, you obviously had the ability to take the lead. You could be like Xile, run amok with your fists, and collect money from various shops and stalls. Let your family live a good life, but you didn't. You chose to protect the weak and offend the powerful enemy. For our small stalls at the ferry, you fought hard with Xi Le and Chang Min, and you were covered with injuries. From that moment on, I decided that you are the person I can rely on in this life, because you are not only powerful, but also kind and righteous!"
Liu Yu said with a smile: "This is my creed as a human being. My mother has taught us since we were young that we must have loyalty, backbone, and courage in life. You are all my fellow villagers. It is not easy for everyone to make a living. I can't control other places. But in this Guanshan Township and Qilidu, I always have to help. Xile and the others go into business for big families and take money from rich people. I don’t object, but you all come from poor families, and you shout at the ferry every day. I can’t make much money in a day, so to collect your filial piety money would be too much!”
Xu Xianzhi shook his head: "Xile is not the kind of bully who accepts any money. He comes more to grab territory. Whether he accepts it or not is his business, but this place must serve him. This is between you and The root cause of his conflict remains true even today.”
Liu Yu sighed: "We fought for more than ten years in Jingkou, and finally we coexisted peacefully. I believe it can be the same now. However, Xianzhi, listen to what you mean, am I now different from the one who protected you back then? Jingkou Liu Da, has there been any change?"
Xu Xianzhi nodded and said seriously: "Yes, now you have gradually lost your original intention. For your ideals and your achievements, you have begun to force others to change their lives, sweating and bleeding, You no longer protect the weak, but drive the weak without mercy."
Liu Yu frowned: "This is not about driving the weak. I didn't ask them to pay more taxes or levy more taxes than before. Even the farmers who immigrated to Jiangbei have been exempted from taxes for three years. I don’t understand, how can this be about driving the weak and not showing kindness and righteousness?!”
Xu Xianzhi laughed: "But your final goal is to do the Northern Expedition. As soon as the war starts, countless people will be plunged into fire and water. It will use the corpses and tears of thousands of people to realize your childhood dream. Really Okay?"
Having said this, he turned and pointed at Liu Huaisu's family: "Before the Northern Expedition, Huaisu died for your great cause. How many more things like this can happen?!"
