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Jiang Zhenren in Zhuang Country drinks wine with Du Yehu.

Once addicted to alcohol as if it were his life, Du Yehu had quit drinking for many years. After killing Zhuang Gao Xian, even sitting at the same table with Jiang Wang, he only took a few light sips.

It was hard to imagine that this was the Du Yehu who used to hide wine jars under his bed and spend his entire monthly allowance on alcohol at the beginning of each month.

Also drinking with them were Li Jianqiu and Song Qingyue.

Song Qingyue also brought his sister, Song Qingzhi.

The little girl, An An, sat there quietly, eating.

Except for politely greeting everyone upon entering, she didn’t utter a word for the rest of the time. Her sitting posture was also dignified, making her appear very ladylike.

Recalling when she used to pay people to copy Jiang Anan’s homework and even threatened to beat “someone surnamed Jiang”… The mischievous little devil from before was now much more sensible.

Sensible children are often unhappy children.

That’s why for so many years, Jiang Wang always tried to protect Jiang Anan’s innocence, preferring her to be a bit willful—Xiao Anan became sensible very early. After her father died of illness, after her mother remarried… And after the home Jiang Wang carefully arranged for her was destroyed in the man-made disaster of that winter.

It was only after settling in Yun Country for a long time that she began to cheer up.

And what about Song Qingzhi?

Song Hengjiang died overnight, and Song Qingyue hastily inherited the position of Water Monarch. He struggled under Zhuang Gao Xian’s suppression, clearly having little energy to care for her. The Qingjiang water race felt the oppression, and Song Hengjiang’s children felt it most acutely.

Jiang Wang looked at her: “Qingzhi, do you still remember Anan? You two were good friends before.”

Song Qingzhi’s eyes brightened a little, and she nodded forcefully.

During their school days, they indeed had a very good relationship and were the two students who gave the private school teacher the most headaches. As the little princess of the Water Mansion, Song Qingzhi had plenty of money and jewels, often giving gifts to Jiang Anan. When the two little girls separated outside the city initially, Song Qingzhi even gave Anan a protective magic tool.

Jiang Wang laughed: “Well, when Anan comes back, I’ll bring her to find you, or I can pick you up to go to Yun Country. I’ll arrange a reunion for you two old friends.”

Li Jianqiu then laughed.

Du Yehu complained: “You didn’t say you’d bring her to see me… Where did she go?”

Jiang Wang sighed: “She went to outer heaven to cultivate with Ye Cabinet Master. I’m not sure which realm she’s in.”

Song Qingyue, also having brought his sister, couldn’t help but ask upon hearing this: “Anan started cultivating so early?”

Water race are born with Dao pulse, but generally they wait until their minds mature before formally beginning cultivation. Otherwise, it’s easy for them to appear unable to control their power and instead be controlled by it.

The history of how many demon race and water race lost control and became evil beasts is a lesson in blood and tears.

Humans, let alone, must build a good foundation and nurture a good body before swallowing an open pulse pill.

From wandering pulse to Zhou Tian, it’s originally a process of initially establishing world cognition, not the earlier the better.

“Don’t mention it,” Jiang Wang said. “Zhenren Ye helped her build a good foundation so early that she can’t even enjoy her childhood.”

Song Qingyue said: “That also doesn’t mean she has to go to outer heaven to cultivate now, does it?”

Jiang Wang looked annoyed: “My sister is very good in all other aspects, but one thing makes me uncomfortable—she’s too studious. Every day, if she’s not reading and writing, she’s meditating and learning Dao. The calligraphy copies she writes are in stacks! I call her to play every day, what’s so good about studying for children? She doesn’t listen, she insists! This time she went to outer heaven, I guess Zhenren Ye was pestered into it.”

Song Qingyue silently glanced at his sister.

Song Qingzhi was confused by the look, touched her face, and found no rice grains. At this time, she still didn’t know what awaited her.

The people gathered here today for drinks weren’t just simply reminiscing.

After three rounds of wine.

Li Jianqiu said: “Last time we chatted about the open pulse pill matter, Jiang Shidi provided many ideas. We’ve discussed it repeatedly during this period and already have a preliminary result. You are now a contemporary Zhenren, with a vision far surpassing ours. Could you help review it again and offer some opinions?”

The creation of the open pulse pill is the foundation upon which humans can overturn the demon race’s heavenly court.

From ancient times, the more powerful the bloodline, the more difficult it is to have offspring.

Humans are very hard to be called a powerful bloodline race. In the ancient era, among the ten thousand races in all the heavens, they were even in the relatively weak class, but this also made them easy to multiply… And the open pulse pill directly supplements the innate, thus turning disadvantage into advantage.

From one pulse one pill to one pulse multiple pills, the same quality demon pulse produces more and more open pulse pills of better and better quality… To now, one demon race can nurture a large group of demon beasts, and the production of open pulse pills has greatly increased.

Human research on the open pulse pill has never stopped, and there have been several leaps in essential changes.

But its original blood color has never been erased.

People in Ba Country cannot see this blood color, and people in Da Country sleep without worry, because the price of the open pulse pill is borne by small countries.

And those present at the table are precisely from small countries.

Everyone sitting at this table today has seen the bloody bottom of the open pulse pill.

Li Jianqiu once lost everything at Zhibi Peak, calling himself a “defeated family dog.”

Jiang Wang shattered his worldview at Yuheng Peak, his faith almost collapsing.

Du Yehu has been guarding Jiujiang City for years, which is itself suppressing the biggest beast nest on the border of Zhuang Country.

Song Qingyue, let alone, many people take the water race as raw materials for open pulse pills.

But on the other hand, Jiang Wang, Du Yehu, and Li Jianqiu were all not born with a Dao pulse. Jiang Wang and Li Jianqiu both swallowed pills to open their pulses, while Du Yehu relied on the qi and blood rush pulse of an ancient soldier family, achieving it after nine deaths.

Now Jiang Wang is as noble as a contemporary Zhenren, and Du Yehu and Li Jianqiu also hold high positions in their respective countries. They are all clear about the great significance of the open pulse pill to the human race, understand that this matter cannot simply be divided into right and wrong, and they absolutely cannot handle it roughly—no matter what kind of benevolent initial intention they have.

Good intentions frequently result in evil.

For today’s Zhuang Country, Dao Sect is still “belonging but not unifying,” handed over to self-govern.

Yuanlao Association President Zhang Ren, Prime Minister Li Jianqiu, Great General Du Yehu, Supervisory Envoy Fu Baosong, Qingjiang Water Monarch and Zhuang Country Water Force Governor Song Qingyue, these five jointly discuss and govern the country.

And among those present, three of them basically can decide the direction of this country.

This also means that the young people, they can begin to try to approach their ideal—cannot say ideal, temporarily only say a kind of beautiful hope.

They hope this country becomes better, hope the common people live better, hope the pain they once experienced will not be experienced by those who come after. They hope the mistakes of history won’t be repeated, and that the tragedies of the past won’t happen again.

Not only the people who sleep eternally in the Fenglin City domain, and not only the generations of sacrifices in Sanshan City.

But as Jiang Wang once said to Equality Country—”Before I truly understand some principles, truly see this world clearly, truly think clearly, and gain an answer, I don’t want to rashly do something and use my stupidity to harm this world.”

The young people don’t dare to say they understand this world, don’t dare to say their thoughts are absolute truth. They only dare to try and explore carefully.

After overthrowing Zhuang Gao Xian, they have held power for half a year, and there have been no national policy changes; the lives of the common people remain as before. The revision of national policy has been conceived and discussed for a long time.

Jiang Wang came to Zhuang Country this time, originally also wanting to see the results of their discussions.

But there’s no rush.

“I just provide some ideas. It’s still you all who truly face this country. Your shoulders bear the burden of three thousand li of mountains and rivers, tens of millions of people, a living human race and water race. So every move must be cautious and cautious again.” Jiang Wang said: “Before hearing the results of your discussion, I want to ask you all a few questions.”

Li Jianqiu, Du Yehu, and Song Qingyue exchanged glances, then said: “Ask away.”

Jiang Wang asked seriously: “Have you all considered the worst outcome? Can this outcome be accepted by the common people of this country? If Zhuang Country’s open pulse pill system collapses and Zhuang Country enters a continuous decline cycle, how do you plan to handle it? Do you have a contingency plan?”

Regarding the reform they conceived this time, Jiang Wang had already stated the so-called worst outcome—the collapse of Zhuang Country’s open pulse pill system and Zhuang Country entering a continuous decline cycle.

Li Jianqiu didn’t speak, only dipped his finger in wine and wrote a word on the table—

“Yong.”

Du Yehu’s childhood ideal was to “protect the border and pacify the people.” Later it was just “pacify the people,” with no attachment to the Zhuang Court.

Li Jianqiu’s ideal was to be the spark of this country, to light a lamp for the common people of Zhuang land even in the darkest moments.

From beginning to end, they only hoped the country would be stable and the common people prosperous. They had no greed for power.

As long as the common people of Zhuang Country live their ideal lives, they don’t necessarily need to be the Great General or the Prime Minister.

Especially Du Yehu, if it weren’t for Duan Li’s dying command to give the Jiujiang Xuan Armor to him, he would rather go to Anan’s gate every day and be a guard.

Song Qingyue also only wanted the Qingjiang water race to live stable lives without being oppressed. If he had a choice, he would also hope that Song Qingzhi was willful and domineering, and that he himself was naive and proud, as long as his father Song Hengjiang was still alive.

The word written on the table was precisely their consideration for the common people. If they cannot make the common people live better, then they will hand it over to those who can.

Jiang Wang saw it clearly and asked again: “The policy you’ve discussed, are you sure it can be implemented in Zhuang Country? A good policy, if it cannot be properly implemented, will also become a bad policy.”

Li Jianqiu said: “President Zhang Ren neither agrees nor opposes. Although Fu Baosong is like a stranger to us, he holds a supportive attitude in this matter. In other words, there is basically no resistance to this matter anymore.”

Jiang Wang then said: “Last time we sat and chatted for a long time, we only had some simple ideas. Now that you have held power for a period, I am very willing to hear the results of your discussion combined with the country’s situation.”

Still Li Jianqiu as the representative: “The main direction of this national policy adjustment is in the beast nest system.”

“The open pulse pill is the foundation of all military force. No force can give it up. Relying on commercial behavior to guarantee domestic open pulse pills like Yun Country cannot be replicated. It completely relies on Zhenren Ye Lingxiao’s military force and connections to ensure it is not strangled. We cannot do that.

“In order to guarantee the output of open pulse pills, beast nests cannot be abolished, and the tribute to Dao Sect countries cannot be reduced.

“The most important change we need to make is to tell the nationals about the existence of beast nests, inform them of the danger of fierce beasts, and the necessity of open pulse pills.

“We need to go town by town, village by village, to each and every person, to let everyone know these things, and give them the right to choose.

“Ancient sages said, ‘The people can be made to follow it, but not to know it.’

“We also ‘did not make them know it.’ What was the result? Hatred finally ignited the wilderness and overturned everything.

“History has repeatedly proven that the words of sages are not necessarily right.

“National systems have existed for four thousand years, and there are no unchanging laws, ancient or modern.

“Fierce beasts need human qi to grow, and the gathering of human qi requires large human activities. Therefore, casualties among the common people in beast nest areas are inevitable.

“During Zhuang Gao Xian’s period, in order to get more open pulse pills and let fierce beasts swallow more human qi, the court concealed the origin of beast nests, sat back and watched wars between various places and cities and fierce beasts, and used large human casualties to promote the growth of fierce beasts. They made the common people think that beast nests were nurtured by heaven and earth, born with it. They used large cities and armies to protect selected common people, in turn winning the common people’s support. The common people either muddled along, died knowing nothing. Or they spent their whole lives striving to live in a big city.

“The policy of New Zhuang is different. We will inform everyone of the danger of fierce beasts, and everything will be voluntary. As long as they live and work properly in this country, they are contributing to this country. But those willing to live in beast nest areas are showing even greater righteousness for the country.

“We will implement tax reduction and even exemption policies in beast nest city domains. We will promulgate a series of encouragement policies, for example, beast nest city domains will be allocated more open pulse quotas and Dao Academy learning quotas. For example, if common people die or are injured by fierce beasts, they can apply for national consolation policies…

“And the city guard armies in various places will all carry out military training to cope with fierce beasts. The refinement of open pulse pills requires us to allow fierce beasts to be active. But our requirement is that the armies must protect the common people. What we need when raising fierce beasts is human qi, not human lives. Human lives can of course nurture more open pulse pills in a short time, but the common people are not crops to be taken as you please; human lives cannot be calculated in accounts. Our ultimate goal is for the common people in fierce beast areas to live normally, while ensuring human qi and minimizing common people casualties…

“We will set up warning mechanisms in various places to ensure that when fierce beasts appear, various places can respond quickly…”

Under the candlelight, Li Jianqiu spoke eloquently.

Du Yehu and Song Qingyue also added a sentence or two from time to time.

Jiang Wang listened very seriously.

The information in this world flows incredibly smoothly. A little leap in information from the Shenxiao world quickly spreads across the ten thousand realms.

The information in this world is also incredibly closed. Many ordinary people live their entire lives only within one village. They don’t even know what supernatural things are, only scattered fragments of myths, occasional legends of immortals, and nightmares that return at midnight. Born not knowing how big the world is, they die not knowing why they died.

“Make people know it” sounds simple. In reality, it is against the ruling tradition of the current world’s national system.

Such a group of young people made a very small step change in Zhuang Country, which is also a very big step reform.

They have no grand plans, nor are they said to have far-sighted wisdom. They just grew up from the lowest level, and then asked their initial selves—why is it painful? What do I need most?

And then they try to respond.

Just like this, you say one sentence, I say one sentence, constantly revising the plan. Which city domain should be the first to implement it? How should those common people unwilling to live in beast nest areas be arranged? What should those migrated common people rely on to live?

The candle gradually burned down, but their voices were always very excited.

The young flame can finally cross the long night.

Little Qingzhi fell asleep on the table early, and Song Qingyue’s robe was draped over her body.

“Okay, let’s chat to here today. It’s best to promote it peacefully like this. When necessary, I will provide military support. Gentlemen, strive!”

Jiang Wang finally got up and walked to the door.

He originally wanted to say—I really want to know if a new world begins from this moment.

But he didn’t say anything.

These are boys who could once only witness everything happen. After passing through a difficult growth stage, this is the first time they are trying to push open the door. This is a minuscule change happening within a small country.

Jiang Wang pushed lightly, and daylight squeezed in.

Thanks to book friend “Thousand, Illusion” for becoming the alliance master of this book! This is for the 617th alliance master of Red Heart Patrolling Heaven!