Liang Xiao curiously examined the head of the halberd, only to discover that the double-bladed head held a great secret!
Under Hong Ren's guidance, Liang Xiao finally discerned the exquisite nature of the halberd.
It turned out that the blades on the head could be attached and detached at will.
With them attached, it was a silver halberd! Detached, it became a silver spear!
Liang Xiao scrutinized the connection point between the head and the shaft, gripped the small bracket of the halberd, and carefully rotated it, slowly dismantling it to uncover the mystery.
The connection between the silver spear part of the halberd and the double blades resembled a screw and socket structure, yet also a mortise and tenon joint, marvelously crafted.
After removing the double blades, the halberd truly transformed into a silver spear, weighing approximately twenty to thirty jin.
The blade portion alone must have weighed around twenty jin!
"It is indeed a perfect weapon!" Liang Xiao could not help but exclaim.
With gradual familiarization, Liang Xiao would be able to switch the weapon's form with the utmost speed. When a light spear was needed, it could be a spear. When a halberd was required as a killing weapon, it could be a halberd!
This was practically tailor-made for him!
Hong Ren pleaded, "An Guohou, this halberd has had its name erased by the King of the East Sea. Now that you are its destined master, why not bestow a new name upon it?"
Liang Xiao pondered for a moment and nodded, "Since that is the case, the halberd, when wielded, possesses the might of 'Tian Long Po Cheng' (Dragon Breaks the City). Let us call it the 'Tian Long Po Cheng Ji'."
Jian Qin Wan then turned around, her heart filled with joy, and her tears finally ceased.
A weapon collector? Put on a show! Keep pretending!
She refused to believe Liang Xiao was a weapon collector.
Hong Ren nodded and gazed at the words left by the King of the East Sea. After a moment, he let out a relieved laugh.
Liang Xiao's three-word response had enlightened him!
"Benefactor possesses great enlightenment, truly magnificent!" Hong Ren could no longer contain his admiration for Liang Xiao and exclaimed aloud.
Liang Xiao blinked, then vehemently shook his head, "No, no, no! I do not consider myself great at all, not genuinely. It's not modesty; I am merely doing my best. Sometimes, I even wish to enjoy some peace!"
"Not great? On what grounds?" Hong Ren asked, perplexed.
Being able to benefit the nation and its people, and to bear the burden of killing – was that not great?
As for enjoying life, it was human nature, nothing to be despised.
Liang Xiao gazed at the three characters on the wall ahead, his thoughts drifting back to the past.
"That is because you do not understand true great men..."
Under the bewildered gazes of Jian Qin Wan and the other two, Liang Xiao sighed deeply.
"I once dreamt of visiting the divine realm and learned of a nation's history. This nation boasted five thousand years of brilliant civilization, only to suffer a century of humiliation later. The court betrayed the nation, foreign powers ravaged the land, and the people's suffering was indescribable. Crushed under the machinations of the court and foreign invaders, the populace became like walking corpses, their only thought being how to survive and get enough to eat..."
"In such a desperate environment, countless benevolent and ambitious individuals sacrificed their lives for the nation's future. Some, captured by enemies, refused to yield even when their fingernails were pierced by toothpicks. Others, upon their death in battle, were dissected to reveal their stomachs filled with cotton and tree bark. Still others resolutely became spies, accepting the infamy of traitors and facing death with composure, smiling with satisfaction even as those they sought to save cursed them at the execution ground."
"They led the people to overthrow the imperial court and the reactionary government, establishing a new nation like the dawn of a new era, allowing the people to stand tall, no longer forced to kneel!"
"Afterward, even when the people were so ignorant as to believe in gods and Buddhas, snatching money and food, even eating the seeds allocated by the state, and oppressing the cadres sent to care for them, they were still embraced and taught with boundless compassion. Generation after generation of benevolent and ambitious individuals stepped forward, leading the people to smash the four olds, eradicate diseases like smallpox, and eliminate illiteracy."
"Facing internal and external challenges, they never for a single day gave up their efforts, constantly researching ways to increase grain yields per mu. Finally, this nation achieved a state where everyone had food to eat, everyone could go to school, and a powerful army stood guard over the people, enabling it to embark on the path of national rejuvenation. From then on, there was no longer shame and concessions, no more ceding land and paying indemnities, and no longer the fear of widespread famine and starvation."
Yue Lian, Jian Qin Wan, and Hong Ren listened intently. Even though they did not understand some parts, they were filled with yearning.
Liang Xiao sighed, "That is a height I could never reach in my lifetime, and I can only do my best here."
At the end, Liang Xiao let out a bitter laugh and shook his head.
Perhaps this was the dream, perhaps that was the dream. But did it matter?
What mattered was that he was here now, he was in Da Gan, and he was Liang Xiao of Da Gan!
Hong Ren exclaimed aloud once more, "A nation like that, it is no wonder it can only exist in dreams and divine realms. Even the ancient sages were beyond its reach."
Liang Xiao came back to his senses and smiled, "Thank you, Master, for your guidance! This Tian Long Po Cheng Ji is a bit too heavy for ordinary warhorses. Considering myself, the horse armor, and the bows and arrows, typical warhorses certainly cannot bear it for long. Switching to a spear would barely solve this problem."
An ordinary warhorse would be strained carrying four hundred jin for extended combat. Liang Xiao had to consider the risks to avoid a disastrous fall.
Hong Ren waved his hand and sighed, "An Guohou, this other treasure can precisely solve your dilemma."
Liang Xiao exclaimed in surprise, "Could it be...?"
"Amitabha, please accompany this humble monk."
Yue Lian and Jian Qin Wan stared at Liang Xiao and Hong Ren in shock, as if they had discovered something extraordinary.
The Master... was he actually referring to himself as "humble monk" in front of Liang Xiao?
Liang Xiao quickly said, "Master, there is no need for modesty, you are truly demeaning yourself!"
Hong Ren smiled, "An Guohou is worthy of respect! However, since An Guohou specifically requests it, this old monk will shamelessly continue to refer to himself as such."
Saying this, Hong Ren took out the key to this treasury and handed it to Liang Xiao, "During your stay at Bodhi Temple, An Guohou may temporarily house the Tian Long Po Cheng Ji here. Tomorrow, this old monk will explain the situation to the Imperial Guards. The three of you please accompany this old monk to meet my junior brother, Hong Xiu."
At the same moment, within the Northern Army camp in Yan Prefecture, a foreign envoy with a full beard, covered in blood, knelt before Zhuo Wu Lue, Du Gu Yun Cheng, and others, holding a scepter, tears streaming down his face, pleading desperately.
"Your Excellencies, our country of Guizi's peace-seeking troops encountered a small team of barbarian cavalry en route and suffered heavy losses! Her Royal Highness the Princess has been secretly transferred. We implore the Great Gan to dispatch troops for their escort!"
"What?" Everyone was shocked.
Du Gu Yun Cheng sneered, "Our Emperor's reply has not yet reached Guizi. Who told your king to take matters into his own hands and send the princess ahead? Is this not self-inflicted?"
Zhuo Wu Lue frowned, "Supervisor, now is not the time to dwell on this matter!"
Du Gu Yun Cheng sneered, "Then how does General Zhuo propose we handle it? Who should be sent out of the pass to their deaths?"
The generals exchanged glances, hesitant to speak.
To the west of Yan Prefecture, without the protection of the formidable passes, encountering barbarian cavalry could have unimaginable consequences!
However, abandoning the Guizi peace-seeking delegation would undoubtedly tarnish Da Gan's prestige!
Lu Chang He glared at Du Gu Yun Cheng, helped up the Guizi envoy, and sighed, "Special Envoy, the White Robe soldiers will immediately accompany you to provide escort!"
Zhuo Wu Lue sighed, "Indeed, only the White Robe soldiers are capable of this task."
A hint of a smile flashed in Du Gu Yun Cheng's eyes, and he said sarcastically, "The White Robe soldiers have been restored to seven thousand men, but how many of them are truly battle-hardened veterans? Seven thousand men moving out together will surely attract the attention of the barbarians! You can only be allocated two thousand men!"