"But, I didn't come to Beijing for you."

When I heard this sentence, I didn't feel disappointed, nor did I even feel angry or dissatisfied. The emotion that almost made my chest burst was still surging like a tide. I even knew the answer. , but I still asked, even if it hurts, I should clearly feel the pain; even if I cry, I should cry happily.

I looked at him and said seriously: "Why are you here?"

He also looked at me and said solemnly: "Speaking of it, maybe you won't believe it, but I - I -" He glanced at me, as if he was blushing: "I always feel that I have something to do with Jiangnan. share the responsibility.”

"..."

"Speaking of it, you may also find it funny." He said softly with a shy face: "I was just a mud-legged person at the beginning."

I felt a sting in my heart and subconsciously grabbed his hand.

His palms are wide, and his fingers are long and rough. You can feel that the fingertips and palms are covered with thick calluses. These are a pair of hands with "mud legs". They do the most tiring work, get the lowest pay, and are stepped on. The lowest level. I have seen with my own eyes how corrupt officials prey on the people and oppress good people like them.

But such a person will not live his life silently.

"However, I am glad that I am a mud-legged person," when he said this, his eyes became darker and his voice became deeper: "Because, I can really see more than people standing at high places. In a dark place, I also learned more dark things."

"Qinghan..."

"Qingqing, you didn't grow up in Jiangnan. You don't know what you have experienced there, and you don't know how miserable the 'untouchables' live. Corrupt officials, powerful people, these people have done what they did in the south for the sake of feeding the common people. You may have heard of something, you may have seen it, but hearing about it, seeing it, and experiencing it are definitely not the same.”

My heart sank slightly.

He is right, empathy is actually such a hypocritical word. You may be able to see the pain of others and understand it, but you cannot really experience it out of thin air. If you see a person trapped in a cold pool, you will not understand it. I understand how deep that cold pool is and how cold the water in that pool is. I only know that tyranny is fiercer than a tiger, and I only know that the untouchables live a miserable life, but how miserable it is is just an illusion after all.

People who don’t feel pain don’t suffer.

Now, I seem to really understand why he was so eager to learn, think, and even discuss the way out to the south with Huang Tianba in the fishing village at that time.

Because only those who are truly trapped in such a quagmire will find a way to rescue themselves and those who are in the same desperate situation as themselves.

"So, I always have that feeling that I have an unshakable responsibility for Jiangnan. Even before I rescued you, that feeling seemed to be strong."

"..."

Before I jumped from Huyue Gorge, that is, Lord Liu Yi died of illness after being assassinated.

Is this really the nature of father and son? Is it the constant family affection and habits in the blood? He has embarked on the exact same path as his father and brother. Even if he lives among the people, even if he has lived so hard these years, it has not worn out the core of his nature at all.

His great righteousness, and the pride of the Liu family are worthy of heaven and earth.

Is all this really destined by God?

But—what’s his ending?

I will never forget what Huang Tianba told me about how tragic Liu Shizhou's death was, and I will never forget the tragic situation after Mr. Liu Yi was assassinated and his persistence before his death.

What about Liu Qinghan? What will happen to him?

He has embarked on the same path as Liu Shizhou and Liu Yi. Will the end of this road be like this?

When I thought of this, I felt as if my chest was pierced by thousands of steel needles. The pain was so painful that I could hardly breathe. My eyes immediately became red and hot. Qinghan thought I was wronged because of his words, so he hurriedly struggled.

He reached out and held my face: "Qingqing, you - don't cry, I - I won't say anything, I -"

My cheek was held in his palm, and the rough texture and warm body temperature made me feel a slight trembling fear.

I'm afraid that these hands will disappear, become cold, make me unable to grasp them even if I stretch them out, make me dream about them, and wake up to nothing. What should I do on that day?

Thinking of this, I gritted my teeth and raised my head to look at me: "Qinghan, I understand you."

He didn't seem to expect that I would suddenly say these three words. He just looked at me for a while: "Light..."

"But, Shen Gongye is finished."

He was stunned.

"Shen Gong, it's over."

I repeated it again, looking directly into his eyes: "The emperor spent so much effort to get rid of him this time, not only because Shen Taifu was so powerful that he threatened the imperial power, but also because -

With their group of veterans here, the New Deal in the South cannot be implemented smoothly. If the South is uneasy, the entire Central Plains will be affected."

Qinghan nodded: "I understand."

"And now, Shen Gongyi has fallen, and the group of veterans who followed him had failed a lot in the previous imperial examinations. This time - the emperor will not be merciful. After returning to the capital, I am afraid that a general purge will begin.

”

Qinghan didn't say anything, and there was a hint of brazenness in those clear eyes.

Of course he knows this. He, Fu Badai and Pei Yuanhao have been waiting for this day since they planned it.

I continued: "In other words, after this time, there are no big obstacles for the emperor to implement the New Deal in the south. As for some of your previous ideas about the tax system in the south, I - I have already submitted it to the emperor.

."

Qinghan opened his eyes slightly and looked at me, and immediately seemed to understand something: "It turns out that it was you who told him!"

I nodded.

"No wonder..." He murmured: "No wonder we hit it off right away at that time."

I didn't ask when they talked and how they hit it off. Since Pei Yuanhao trusted and reused their master and apprentice, it was naturally because the path they wanted to take and the goal they wanted to achieve were consistent. Now

I just kept looking at his eyes intently and asked seriously: "In this case, are you going to give up on me too?"

"..." He was slightly startled and raised his head to look at me.

"The overall situation of the imperial court has been decided; and your idea will soon be realized in the south. You already knew what kind of emperor Pei Yuanhao was in the past, but now, I am afraid you know more clearly. What kind of emperor Pei Yuanhao is in the south?

The vision is exactly the same as yours; without the obstruction of those people, the future of the South will surely be realized slowly according to your vision."

"..."

"The South will also get better, and it will become just like you thought."

"..."

"The only difference is whether you do it yourself."

"..."

"Even so," I said, holding his hand tightly: "Can't you choose me?"

Qinghan seemed to have been greatly shocked. He couldn't say anything for a while. He just sat there a little stiffly, and his rough fingers became cold in the palm of my hand.

Can't you choose me?

I never knew that I could be so weak and retreat to the point of almost no retreat, but I really want to give it a try.

Holding his finger hard, I was already stammering when I spoke. It seemed that there had never been such a difficult "negotiation" because what I was betting on was something I had been looking forward to for half my life, and the right to trial was only

In his own hands——
Chapter completed!