Mu Cheng coughed violently again as he finished speaking, clutching the handkerchief stained with bloody phlegm and turning to face Liang Xiao.
"Liang Xiao, are you listening?"
Liang Xiao started, gazing at Mu Cheng, and nodded solemnly, "I am listening, and I will remember every word you say!"
He could tell that Mu Cheng was displaying an unprecedented vulnerability, like a narrator afraid of losing their audience.
Mu Cheng then took a deep breath, his face etched with shame.
"At that time, not a single one of the twelve righteous individuals survived. They were all minced into meat paste by Xiu Ping's cronies. Fortunately, after An Guo assassinated Xiu Ping, he rushed to eliminate Xiu Ping's remaining followers, and did not forget to rally me, shouting, 'The Emperor's Undefeated Sword is here! This is the Great Liang Emperor who will bring food and education to all!'. 'Food and education for all' was the vision I had shared with him before leaving. It was originally just a pretext for me to grasp his chivalrous heart and win him over to my service. I never expected him to remember it so clearly..."
"I initially thought this was just a futile cry. How could the common people believe such an ethereal promise? Even ancient sages couldn't achieve it, let alone me! Who knew that the surrounding populace, along with the soldiers, would rush like madmen towards Xiu Ping's approaching cronies. In the end, Xiu Ping's faction was brought to justice on the streets, but their desperate struggle resulted in over a hundred civilian casualties!!"
Mu Cheng's voice clearly trembled as he spoke of this, his breathing growing ragged, followed by a sigh.
"At that moment, I should have been overjoyed, but I stood frozen, unsure of what to do. I had endured humiliation and diligently studied the art of ruling, understanding the five techniques of managing the populace, all for the purpose of seizing power. Since ancient times, the populace has always been enslaved by imperial power. Why would these people support a powerless emperor like me?"
"Later, An Guo told me it was because of the three million taels of disaster relief silver. The elusive Sword Sage, upon hearing of 'food and education for all,' secretly commissioned his disciples to spread the word that it was I, the Emperor, who had made Xiu Ping change his tune and that the treasury would release three million taels of silver to aid the famine victims in the capital. The twelve righteous individuals, grateful for the Emperor's Undefeated Sword's chivalry and for me providing a meal for millions of people so they wouldn't starve, bravely stepped forward."
"When An Guo and I returned to the imperial palace and brought my wife, Li Pin, out of the secret chamber, neither of us felt any joy, only profound shame. We had both been consumed by revenge, utilizing all available resources and connections. We never imagined that one day, ordinary people would die for me so willingly. Following An Guo's suggestion, I lived among those people for several days, and with their support, the tide in the court finally began to turn."
"The Yue and Li families were the first to declare their support for the eradication of the Xiu family. The other families, fearing public outcry, also gradually voiced their support, and I finally regained control of imperial power. I had finally turned the tables, and in such an incredible, unprecedented manner!!"
"But the situation in the capital stabilized for less than a month before the southern barbarians, supported by Xiu family remnants, advanced relentlessly, pushing towards the capital. With only ten thousand soldiers defending the city, its fall and the ensuing death of its inhabitants seemed inevitable. As the empire teetered on the brink, it was An Guo who charged forward, countless civilians eagerly joined the army, and I vowed, 'The Son of Heaven defends the nation's gate, the ruler dies for the empire!'"
"An Guo bravely plunged into the enemy ranks, slew their chieftains, and fought his way through barbarian generals, unstoppable, finally repelling the barbarians and buying precious time for the imperial forces from all regions to come to the rescue. The national situation finally stabilized somewhat, but An Guo was severely wounded in this battle. His old wounds from the fight with Xiu Ping reopened, and he barely managed to cling to life. Furthermore, his father, upon learning of the turmoil in Great Liang, feared for his son's safety and sent for him to return home. He could not disobey his father's command, and he also feared that his exposure would endanger his entire clan."
"That day, my third sister, Hong Xiu, and I escorted him across the river. Watching his white-robed boat gradually disappear into the distance, he never returned to Great Liang. Upon my return, on a whim, I carved him a Northern King's seal. The troops who defended the capital and the civilians who joined the army later became the Xuan Guards, whom I intended to provide for generations to come. Later, new recruits who joined the army under the name of Mu Bei Wang were also appointed as the Northern King's Imperial Guards. These two units would ensure that imperial power would never again be usurped."
"The situation was settled, yet the Empress Li Pin and I still felt no joy, only profound introspection. I was consumed by revenge, and my actions were merely driven by imperial ambition. In the end, I unexpectedly gained the support of the common people simply because they believed that I, in their time of hardship, had given them a meal. These were the 'ignorant masses' spoken of by emperors and generals throughout history, but in my heart, they were no longer!"
"Before the barbarians even invaded the capital, Li Pin and I pondered day and night. We finally read the history of Great Qian and learned of the inscription left by Great Qian's founding emperor, finally understanding the meaning of 'the people are of paramount importance, the ruler is of secondary importance'! My power and my revenge stemmed from the support of the people. I hoped that one day, all people would understand 'the people are of paramount importance, the ruler is of secondary importance'!"
Mu Cheng's words finally shocked the grieving assembly into stunned silence.
A Great Liang emperor, rather than reflecting on his ancestors, was instead extolling the founding emperor of a neighboring country.
"The people are of paramount importance, the ruler is of secondary importance!"
Liang Xiao gazed silently at Mu Cheng, his heart churning like a tempestuous sea.
He now understood why Mu Cheng had been so cautious about this matter, only now willing to reveal the truth of that year to him.
"Of course, it wasn't a whim. I realized that if the people could constantly supervise the court, and even participate in decision-making, then not only would powerful ministers dare not act recklessly, but even these deeply entrenched noble families, rooted for centuries, would not dare to cause trouble or defy the people! He who wins the hearts of the people wins the world. This world has always belonged to the people, not to any single emperor! What I intend to do is to atone for my past wrongs towards the people, govern with diligence and love for them, and then return power to the people!"
"Return power to the people!!!"
Mu Cheng almost screamed these last four words, emphasizing them with his last breath.
Qin Feng, Zhi Rou, and Su Wan Qing stared at Mu Cheng, dumbfounded.
These four words were so profound, so earth-shattering, that they surpassed their understanding!
Liang Xiao, however, felt a lump in his throat.
After his surge of emotion, Mu Cheng turned to face Liang Xiao and said with a bitter smile, "Isn't it utterly ridiculous? Since ancient times, what emperor has been as foolish as I, abandoning the throne of a good emperor to think of returning power to the people? Is it laughable?"
Liang Xiao shook his head, "It is admirable, not laughable at all."
"Admirable, not laughable at all?" Mu Cheng's mouth gaped open. He was speechless for a long time, then stammered, "I asked your father the same question back then, and his answer was exactly the same as yours. You are indeed worthy of being called father and son, Northern Kings..."
Qin Feng merely sighed several times and was about to speak when Mu Cheng continued.
"I never expected An Guo, from the military family of Great Qian, to understand me! Not only did he understand me, but he also fully supported me. Before he left, he secretly gave me a letter. It was this letter that solidified my belief in returning power to the people and gave me a lifelong goal!"
Saying this, Mu Cheng finally took out a precious box from his robes and slowly opened it, revealing a yellowed letter wrapped in cloth stained with green blood.
"This is the blood of the twelve righteous individuals, and the letter your father left for me. I have treasured it always, and..."
Mu Cheng murmured, gazing at the letter and the cloth, his expression filled with a nostalgia he had never shown before. Then, he slowly unfolded the letter, revealing several lines of text. 138 read net.
[My brother's words are indeed insightful. The oppression of thousands of years of imperial bureaucracy has deeply harmed the populace. Your humble brother admires your aspiration to return power to the people. After days of deep contemplation, I have come to a realization: the future world should be governed by all the people. In my humble opinion, the imperial system should be overthrown, and a new system established.]
[Alas, this endeavor goes against the laws of governance for thousands of years, its significance akin to splitting the heavens and opening the earth. Any misstep could lead to utter destruction. My brother must strictly guard this secret and seek a day when it can be implemented, ensuring that Hong Xiu is not implicated... Your humble brother is untalented and born into a military family, unwilling to implicate his relatives, and must first repay the kindness of his parents. If, in the future, my brother has a feasible system, I will undoubtedly go into hiding and return to Great Liang, under the banner of the Emperor's Undefeated Sword, to assist with my life, until death.]
[When my descendants come of age, I will inform them of my brother's ideas, and they will choose their own path. Even if we two cannot achieve our vision, our descendants, endlessly, will carry on the torch and liberate all the people. Even if our lineage dies out, I still believe that after centuries, there will be no lack of upright individuals willing to shed blood and sacrifice their lives to realize our vision. My path is not a lonely one!]