Chapter 269: Harvest (V)
"In a war, it is best to win easily. Rack your brains to fight against powerful generals, kill people and make rivers of blood, and finally defeat the enemy. When the desire to win arises, just think about it secretly. Doing so will only make you unhappy. Nian Gengyao is a famous general, and it is not easy to defeat him. Even if you don't think about yourself, you have to think about your subordinates."
Li Wei nodded repeatedly after hearing this. "Mr. Huo is right. It seems that Mr. Huo is very afraid of the late emperor."
Huo Chong nodded. As he expressed his approval to Yongzheng, Huo Chong felt something in his heart change. It was the shame that came with admitting his weakness, but after admitting it, there was a sense of relief.
Yes, he was indeed weak, but Huo Chong conquered the powerful enemy with his own strength and eliminated the threat.
Even this would not turn Huo Chong into a fearless guy, but Huo Chong is not a superman, so it is impossible for him to be without fear and without a weak side.
Li Wei looked like a scoundrel, and although he looked a bit like a bandit, he didn't seem rude. He continued, "Master Huo, the court sent me here to redeem the civil and military officials who fell into your hands. I wonder if you can agree to this."
"Pay the ransom." Huo Chong responded decisively.
"How much?"
Pricing is a difficult matter, and Huo Chong actually hadn't thought it through. Looking at Li Wei's frankness, he suddenly remembered that this guy also donated an official position, and couldn't help laughing and said, "Haha, pay the ransom for whatever money is needed to buy that official position."
"That's... a bit high."
"Brother Li, do you want a 20% discount?" Huo Chong answered half-jokingly.
"Or maybe a 70% discount." Li Wei still looked unmoved by anything.
"Hey, if you bargain like this, it's the same price as the human traffickers in the market. If you tell others about it, they will probably think that Brother Li underestimates them."
"No. They are so poor now, how can they have money? Of course they will save a penny."
Looking at Li Wei like this, Huo Chong felt that his rationality still wanted to get rid of such a capable guy, but there was no murderous intent in his mood at all.
However, Li Wei had already changed the subject. "Master Huo, I would like to ask why Master Huo wanted to rebel. Before the late emperor issued an order to arrest Master Huo, Master Huo had already begun to prepare for a rebellion. I am curious why Master Huo seemed to have foreseen the future. Since Master Huo knew that the late emperor would not let Master Huo go, why didn't Master Huo flee to other places to avoid disaster? Instead, he made every effort to prepare for a rebellion."
Wang Donglu began to look at Huo Chong again. It seemed that Li Wei's question triggered Wang Donglu's murderous intention.
Huo Chong didn't want to refuse. "Since Brother Li asked this, how about this. You ask a question and I answer it. I also ask a question and Brother Li answers it. Do you think this is fair?"
Li Wei seemed to have no idea and agreed immediately. However, Huo Chong saw a moment of hesitation in Li Wei's eyes. But after a moment, Li Wei let it go and said, "Please help me solve the problem I just asked, Mr. Huo."
"Because the Qing dynasty was a bullying court. Most Qing officials would probably dare to say that when they were in office, they had never killed anyone out of greed, nor had they killed anyone to rob the people's property. This may be true, as Qing officials did not rob openly. But how many people died every year in the world? Since the Qing dynasty was in power, it naturally had a responsibility. If the Qing dynasty didn't die, the people would have to die in large numbers. So please let the Qing dynasty die."
Since the face-to-face conversation with Li Wei, Huo Chong saw for the first time that Li Wei's expression was shaken. In this state of hesitation, Li Wei asked: "If Master Huo conquers this world, can the people of the world not suffer?"
"Nothing is easy to do. If you want to make progress, you have to endure hardships. However, I have conquered the world, and the people will not be in danger every day."
Li Wei nodded, indicating his agreement with Huo Chong's assessment of suffering. However, Li Wei asked with a firm look, "Please advise, Master Huo, how can we help the people escape this desperate situation of unnecessary death!"
"You'd better not ask. If I tell you, I will inevitably remember that you are a corrupt official, and I will be so angry that I will order you to be killed." Huo Chong said his true feelings half-truthfully.
Li Wei laughed and answered straightforwardly: "Master Huo, don't look down on me. I am indeed an official of the Qing Dynasty. During these years as the salt official, I have received all the tributes I should have received. However, there is one thing that Master Huo and I agree on. If someone is a dog official, it is not a pity to kill him."
Unexpectedly, Li Wei was such a man of character, so Huo Chong decided to see what level the outstanding officials of this era were. Without hiding anything, Huo Chong told Li Wei about the idea of overthrowing the three mountains .
Although Li Wei's expression became more and more serious and even a little angry during the listening process, Huo Chong could see that Li Wei had understood a little. Fearing that Li Wei still didn't understand, Huo Chong simply continued to point out the core problem of the Qing Dynasty, "In the current Qing Dynasty, below the Manchus are the gentry. The Manchus suppressed the gentry by force and relied on the gentry to rule the world. This caused a problem. The gentry did not engage in production or business. They can't do anything but exploit the people. These people are like poisonous snakes lying on the working people and sucking blood!"
At this point, Huo Chong felt that he was a little too emotional, so he stopped to calm down. Taking advantage of this time, Huo Chong observed Li Wei and found that there was shame on his face. It was a shame from the bottom of his heart, a shame when something he had felt for a long time was ruthlessly exposed.
Unexpectedly, Li Wei was not just talking big. Perhaps he really felt that the people should not be exploited to death.
Huo Chong couldn't help but want to provoke this guy again. It was quite interesting to see the embarrassment of the knowledgeable people in the Qing Dynasty.
"Li Wei, a court that can only exploit and suck blood but cannot create new wealth is a court that can only create dog officials. The top is the dog emperor, and the dog emperor is surrounded by dog Tartars. Then there are dog officials like you. On the one hand, you collect taxes from the dog gentry, and on the other hand, you condone and help the dog gentry exploit the people. Tens of thousands of people die every year. You just said that dog officials should be killed, but you don't understand that as long as you are a member of the Qing court, whether you have directly killed people or not, you are already a member of this bandit gang, you are already a dog official."
Seeing Li Wei's face flushed, Huo Chong felt that the anger in his chest had been released, and once again strengthened his determination to revolutionize. After healing his mood and distinguishing between friends and enemies, Huo Chong asked in a relaxed manner: "How is it, Lord Li? Can my answer solve your previous confusion?"
Hearing this ridicule, Li Wei raised his eyes and glared at Huo Chong. It seemed that if Li Wei could do so, he would really want to stab Huo Chong to death. But Li Wei couldn't do it, even if he tried his best.
Since he couldn't kill Huo Chong, Li Wei lowered his head, his cheek muscles twisted, probably gritting his teeth. After a long while, Li Wei suddenly sighed, and when he raised his head, his expression was no longer vicious, "Master Huo, I have thought about what you just said. It's just that I didn't think as thoroughly as you did. In the past, I just felt that the people were pitiful, and although I wanted to help, I couldn't. Now I know that not only those people are dog officials, but I am also a dog official like them. I learn a lesson."
"Then let me ask you. Are you here just to redeem someone? Do you have any other errand?"
Li Wei was stunned. After a moment's hesitation, he suddenly understood. "Since Master Huo said that you should answer one thing and I should answer one thing. If we don't hide it from Master Huo, the imperial court will naturally not be able to recruit Master Huo. But if we continue to fight like this, we will all perish together. I wonder if Master Huo has ever thought about seeking benefits for his brothers."
"Let them go to your Qing Dynasty to be dog officials?" Huo Chong asked sarcastically.
Li Wei was not embarrassed at all. "Master Huo, with your great talent, the court did not invite you to be a general or a prime minister. It is because the court does not know how to judge people. Since it is like this, why not ask Master Huo's brothers to find a career? Then no one will have to feel insecure, and the people will suffer less."
"You are worthy of being called Brother Li. I only knew that officials of the Qing Dynasty were not necessarily useless. I didn't expect that Brother Li was not useless at all, but was actually excellent."
Li Wei seemed to have not heard Huo Chong's sarcasm at all, and continued, "Master Huo. According to Master Huo's manifesto that I have seen in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, it tells about the ten days of Yangzhou and the three massacres in Jiading. I am from Jiangsu, and I know that the court did kill many people after entering the pass. But Master Huo has only been here for a few years, and he has already killed 200,000 government troops. He killed thousands of people each time he entered Beijing. There must be at least 30,000 gentry who died at Master Huo's hands. If Master Huo conquers the world, how many people will he be prepared to kill. There are millions of bannermen, and those who have been court officials all have families, and there are also those gentry that Master Huo mentioned, adding up to about 10 or 20 million people. Master Huo can't tolerate them, and they all have to die. This is how dynasties change. For the sake of this country, human life is nothing. The court killed many people when it entered the pass, and Master Huo killed tens of millions of people to build his country. No one should say who is better."
Huo Chong sighed in his heart that Li Wei looked like a bandit, but he had real ideas in his heart. Even if it was sophistry, what he said was quite compassionate.
"Since Master Huo has the power to shake the world, why not let fewer people die in the world? If Master Huo is willing to treat human lives as human lives, send people to the court to serve as officials. As long as Master Huo's people can really save the people and prevent them from dying in vain. This is a good deed. At least these tens of millions of people understand the goodness of Master Huo."
Huo Chong wanted to tell Li Wei to shut up and stop talking nonsense. But then he changed his mind and decided to send him away since he didn't want to kill him. "Li Wei, go back and tell Hong Zhou to hand over all the official appointments in Henan and Jiangsu to me, and I won't go to Beijing to kill him."
"this……"
" Shut up!" Huo Chong stopped Li Wei, "That's it. If he agrees, I won't send 100,000 troops to attack the capital this year. If he doesn't agree, just wait in the capital. I know the road from Shandong to the capital very well."
Li Wei wanted to say something, but Huo Chong ordered Wang Donglu, "Take him out. Don't kill him. When two countries are at war, they don't kill envoys."
Wang Donglu immediately ordered the guards to carry Li Wei and leave. Li Wei shouted, "Master Huo, let me finish my words."
However, the guards quickly dragged Li Wei away, "Mr. Huo, don't joke..." Li Wei's shouting quickly faded away and finally could not be heard at all.
