Chapter 225 What’s the Difference

You want a hammer!
Li Bailong was filled with doubts.

Junior Sister Xu Wangyu studied under the head master, who is a pure music lover. Her name was changed by the head master, and as the name suggests, it is the expectation of her elders for her.

Junior sister has a rather sad life experience, and Baihua Valley changed her destiny. Many sects like children with such backgrounds because childhood trauma means empathy, and a tragic life experience can make disciples have a stronger sense of belonging and dependence on the sect. The same is true for Junior sister Xu Wangyu.

She is easily satisfied, not ambitious, and her stance and ideas are highly aligned with those of her sect. She works diligently and conscientiously at the Huazhou branch. To her, Baihua Valley is her home, her destination. She regards work as a reward and contribution to her sect, and eating melons as a reward and relaxation for herself. She lives a simple life.

At least Li Bailong had never heard that she had any interest or persistence in faith.

Seeing that his sister was acting out of character and even clinging to him, he began to comfort her, “You are the new era’s female knight of the Hundred Flowers Valley. Don’t be so superstitious. This world is very humane. People who don’t believe will not be caught and covered with a wall after they die.”

Junior Sister Xu said angrily, “There are men, women, young and old here, but I don’t have one. I said it was boring, but now a fairy-like courtesan has come. I actually have one too. You know what a good thing it is, Senior Brother, I want it!”

“…”

You’ve watched too much “Langhuan Legend”!

Li Bailong was annoyed, but before one problem was solved, another one arose.

A fragrant breeze blew quietly from the side. Xiao Nanyan was graceful and charming, with affectionate eyes. She embraced him gently and said softly, “My husband, I realized today that my previous persistence and offense were just a fuss for myself. The so-called meritorious service is just a mirage. Ning Qi’s thousand-year-old grudge, all the hatred and killing, are meaningless. Over time, all the fame, wealth and honors of the kings and princes have become dust. It is better to enjoy life while we can, hide our names, and live happily…”

Recorded! I’m going to record your speech!

Madam, you don’t want Ning Lu to hear this recording, right?

He just felt confused and strange, and then heard the courtesan singing softly: “I can’t go back anymore, Your Majesty, I’m sorry…”

——Speaking of which, why did Ning Manzi become unpatriotic after being influenced by the beacon?

The courtesan just kept on bringing her over, saying some lewd words, all in full view of everyone. In this courtyard, there were elders, fellow students and friends, and no matter how thick-skinned Li Bailong was, he couldn’t resist.

He shouted, “Master! Master! Please take care of it!”

The door of the master’s room opened in response, and a purple-robed heroine with fluttering clothes and shining golden rings came flying in. She carried an ancient sword on her body and held a book in her hand. As she raised her hand, a soft wave of Qi came and pushed Li Bailong aside. The master changed his position and flashed in front of the courtesan.

But Jiang Lishu smiled evilly, lifted the chin of the courtesan with the scroll, and said with an evil smile: “Interesting woman… Do you have the ability to snatch a man from me, Jiang Lishu?”

Li Bailong was struck by lightning.

Master, Master is imitating the way the characters in my book speak!
When he heard it, shame surged in his heart, and Xiao Nanyan said softly: “I, I treat Li Lang sincerely, please don’t make things difficult for me, sister!”

My goodness, she used to stick her neck out and call her “mother-in-law” or “mother”!

——Does the beacon have the miraculous effect of reconciling the harem?
Jiang Lishu laughed and said, “As the saying goes, love is shown in actions, not words. You keep saying that you are sincere, so you have to let me see your true feelings. Here, I have a rare book called “Legend of the Imperial Battle of Heaven”. If you really like this book and can recite any paragraph in it loudly in public, I will admit that you are sincere to my brother. How about it?”

…You are just taking the opportunity to recommend a book! You are just pushing a book here!

Xiao Nanyan said in embarrassment: “This kind of thing…this kind of thing…”

“Hehehe, this book is his favorite. You can’t even read his favorite cool novel aloud, how dare you say you love him?” Jiang Lishu put his arm around the courtesan’s shoulders and forcibly took her away, laughing sinisterly, “You hypocritical, fickle beauty, wait and see how I punish you!”

“You…what are you going to do! Sir, save me!”

“Go ahead and shout, and ask your Li Lang or even your Majesty for help. Have you seen this imperial book? I will stuff every word in it into your little head! I will fill you up!” The master said with a smile, “Your head will be filled with Long Batian’s words, and you will forget your Emperor Ning completely!”

“…”

Li Bailong was horrified. Xu Wangyu had already chased after him: “Uncle Master, I want one too! Even if it’s someone like Long Batian, my heart is so empty. I want to fill it up!”

What the hell are you talking about!

Seeing that the master’s room was in chaos, the sound of reading aloud soon rang out.

The girls’ soft and pleasant voices read out the exciting language full of riding and sword fighting.

…I don’t want to hear this!

Li Bailong felt that he had thousands of words in his chest that were hard to express. He turned around and saw Sanniang standing beside him. His heart skipped a beat and he asked cautiously, “How, how…”

I only heard the other party say: “Mr. Li, everyone seems to be a little strange.”

Fortunately, people who can say this are generally normal.

Li Bailong breathed a sigh of relief and nodded: “Yes…it must be affected by the beacon. Then again, didn’t Miss San feel any discomfort or changes?”

Upon hearing this, Cui Sanniang spread out her hands, looked down at herself, and subconsciously twisted her body left to right.

She has a slender figure and a heroic temperament. This action makes her look even more innocent and cute: “Probably not. I am the same as always. I am who I am.”

Li Bailong asked again: “Is there anything different from usual?”

The third lady thought for a moment and said, “Hmm… I feel more comfortable and happier…”

Director Li looked past her figure and towards the east wing: “Is Master Uncle okay?”

Before he finished speaking, the voice of the master’s uncle came from the room: “I’m fine, have fun.”

……What’s the meaning?
Li Bailong was thinking in his mind, but he felt a vague gaze staring at him.

He looked up suddenly, and Sanniang withdrew her gaze like a frightened rabbit, then put her hands behind her back and looked away as if nothing had happened.

Li Bailong asked cautiously: “What’s the matter?”

Sanniang suddenly sighed, a conflicted look on her face. She looked at Li Bailong, her expression sometimes gentle, sometimes annoyed, and then, as if she thought of something, she took out the cup from her arms.

Then put your hands together, hold the cup and pray, mutter something, and throw it.

Once, twice, three times.

After the result came out, she looked disappointed and raised her head pitifully: “Brother Wan Yunlong won’t allow it!”

Li Bailong said angrily: “…Nothing is allowed!”

The third lady looked at him with a flickering gaze, and then she sighed and said, “What a pity…”

How terrible!

Seeing Sanniang approaching again, her eyes flickered and her long eyelashes fluttered, “Young Master, you are highly intelligent and kind-hearted, and you have a great affinity with our gang. Would you like to spare some time to get to know our gang’s founder and guardian, the benevolent and brave Brother Wan Yunlong?”

…Tell me again what you just said to Junior Sister Xu!
Seeing that the normally heroic, capable and decisive Sanniang had also revealed this side of her, Li Bailong felt that everything about her was strange, and suddenly shouted, “I have something else to do, so I’ll excuse you!”

Then he turned and ran. “Mr. Li!”

Sanniang was very anxious and wanted to chase him, but was stopped by the voice of Seventh Uncle. She looked at Li Bailong’s fleeing back, and although there was reluctance in her eyes, she still knew the priorities and returned to the room reluctantly.

In the room, Seventh Uncle was still holding “Legend of Huangji Zhantian” and reading it carefully, but his eyes were clear and his mind was clear, as if he was not affected by the beacon at all.

She glanced at Cui Sanniang and laughed, “I didn’t expect to see this side of you.”

The third lady was still bold and decisive, but with a bit more of the feminine tenderness that had been suppressed in the past. She said generously, “When the women on the river like a boy and their eyes meet or they sing the right song, they will paddle their poles and rafts and jump over to him, either inviting him or snatching him away. It has always been like this. What’s so strange about that?”

Miss Ma pursed her lips and said, “You would never do this before.”

“Well, I used to think that I was old and fierce, and even if I liked him, he would definitely not like me. He has a good family background, and is surrounded by famous heroes or sisters from the same sect. There are so many people in the martial arts world who value him and want to marry him. What am I?”

The third lady’s eyes were bright, and she smiled: “Now, I feel that I won’t be satisfied unless I give it a try. What if it works? And I can also try the old method of the Cao Gang…”

She sighed and said, “Unfortunately, Brother Wan Yunlong won’t allow me to…”

Miss Ma found it funny to see her showing such a girlish sentiment, but she also felt a little envious of Sanniang, who was usually calm and composed, for she actually showed some little girlish behavior.

She whispered, “This beacon…is very effective.”

“Well, I feel very calm, fulfilled, and satisfied, as if Brother Wan Yunlong is right beside me, encouraging me, supporting me in following my heart, doing brave things, and taking responsibility for it…”

The third lady placed her hand on her heart and smiled, “Miss, you should also give it a try.”

“Unfortunately, this thing is of no use to me.”

Miss Ma smiled faintly.

and.

There is nothing I want to do but don’t dare to do.

I have no interest in anything.

But the next moment, her expression froze slightly.

Li Bailong also seems…unaffected?

She stretched out her hand and grasped the cup in front of her chest. She was not affected by the beacon because she relied on the special power of this strange object, but what did Li Bailong rely on?
Could it be…

Her mind was spinning like a wheel, with several guesses running through her mind.

Then he smiled meaninglessly and shook his head slightly.

That’s it, that’s it.

If you can’t even take care of your own affairs, why bother pursuing other people’s secrets?

Li Bailong ran out of the door and fled to the second hall. He looked at the main beacon tower standing in the bureau, his eyes flashing.

Soon someone came to report that the gentlemen were visiting.

“Sir, Sir Li!” Fu Zun held his hand and said excitedly, “Huazhou is well governed, Huazhou is well governed!”

He explained excitedly: “This morning, Huazhou has a brand new look. There are no lazy people in the market, no cunning officials in the government office, merchants are honest, customers are not greedy, the people are sincere and understand the principles, the government office respects virtue and rewards merit, and Huazhou is well governed! I… I…”

This bureaucrat, who had been in the officialdom for a long time and had seen the vicissitudes of life, was so moved that he cried.

“I have been an official for decades, and I have never seen such a scene. The world is united…” Lord Shi’s hands were shaking. “I never thought that such a peaceful situation would appear under my rule!”

Zhang Chun was also deeply moved and praised: “Prince Zhao is so virtuous! This is also the benevolent rule of the court!”

All the officials agreed.

Upon hearing this, Lord Shi hesitated for a while and said, “Mr. Meng…Mr. Meng is also a wise man! As everyone knows, Mr. Meng and King Zhao have always been enemies. If Mr. Meng had interfered in the matter of the beacon, the great governance of Huazhou would not have been possible. But Mr. Meng did not do so! Instead, he assisted King Zhao wholeheartedly, and Huazhou has the atmosphere it has today… Therefore, Mr. Meng is also a wise man!”

Officials such as Zhang Chun have already clung to the King Zhao’s thigh. If it were in the past, they would have had to argue with the prefect when they heard him say such nonsense, but at this moment, everyone felt only peace and happiness in their hearts.

They laughed and agreed: “Yes, Meng Gong is also a wise man!”

It’s fun.

In this atmosphere of laughter, joy, harmony and peace, Director Li seemed somewhat out of place.

Zhang Chun smiled and said, “What are you thinking about, Lord Li? You are the main contributor to today’s success. I was arguing with you earlier and my words were offensive. I apologize first!”

The Lord of the Mansion said with a smile, “Lord Li was always worried before. He thought that this beacon was a deceptive thing and was not a good thing. He also thought that the Cao Gang might take advantage of it… He was worried and made all kinds of plans. Look, now everything is calm and peaceful. His worries were in vain!”

“Oh, you can’t say that.” Zhang Chun said with a smile, “Your Excellency has been entrusted with a heavy responsibility by the Emperor’s uncle, so it’s only natural that you should be more cautious… Isn’t the result good now?”

You say something, I say something.

The air was filled with the sound of champagne popping.

At this moment, Li Bailong’s voice sounded: “Is the result really good?”

The laughter stopped and the officials looked at Li Bailong in astonishment and confusion.

He looked at the only person who didn’t fit in.

“Now that the secondary tower has been erected, the beacon’s influence has spread throughout the city.” Li Bailong said calmly, “Everyone is affected, warriors, civilians, officials, disciples of the six sects… Everyone’s mind seems to have been subtly changed and influenced, and they have done things they would not normally do.”

“I have also observed this.” Zhang Chun said, “But everyone has not lost their original intentions, and they are more open and kind than before, treat others more sincerely, and have less selfishness… This is not a bad thing.”

The Lord of the Palace also said, “The people have become better. Huazhou is now well governed! Everyone is calm and peaceful. There is no quarreling, no deception, no bullying, and everyone respects each other. Isn’t this good?”

Li Bailong said slowly: “This is not true, it is just an illusion to play with people’s hearts. The peace and happiness in people’s hearts is not spontaneous, but the result of external influences…”

Zhang Chun laughed when he heard this: “Your Excellency is wrong. The court has laws to promulgate, and officials have the responsibility to educate. All laws, education, deterrence and punishment are to make the people become what the court wants them to be.”

He pointed at his official uniform and said, “We are officials. We have been using external forces to discipline the people, to make them understand etiquette, respect and inferiority, and shame. What is the difference between these methods and beacons? You say beacons are not good, then are laws good? Is education good? Are officials good? Is governance good?”

Li Bailong shook his head and turned back to the hall: “You continue to defend the secondary tower, I will write a letter to King Zhao.”

Zhang Chun and others stared blankly at Director Li’s disappearing back.

Slowly, a feeling of “he is different from us” emerged in my heart…anger.

(End of this chapter)