The Steward Demonic Emperor

Chapter 1144: Trend

Proofreader: Papatonks

Whoosh~

As Yuwen Yong’s delegation was set to leave, thousands upon thousands of men had the tiny Tianyu imperial capital surrounded, ready for war.

Yuwen Yong snorted and glanced at unconcerned Luo Yunhai, “Alliance Leader, I told you that you have many friends. We haven’t even started and they came, humph…”

“Friends, step aside please!”

Luo Yunhai caught on and stepped forward with a bow and cupped hands, “Thank you all for your intentions towards me and the Luo Alliance, but the central area and western lands are on the path to war because of me. Giving my life for western lands is my duty. I ask that everyone accepts.”

Luo Yunhai bowed once more.

The huge crowd replied in kind, “We respect Alliance Leader Luo’s righteousness!”

“Dad!”

Luo Sifan rushed out of the ranks, going for her father, “Dad, it’s all my fault. I should take the blame. It isn’t yours to carry…”

Luo Yunhai smiled, “Sifan, it had nothing to do with you. They were after me. Why else were they so quick to accept me taking the blame? Now go back, don’t let this hold you back. It’ll all be fine…”

“Dad…”

Luo Sifan sobbed. Long Jianshan and Xie Nianyang approached, looking forlorn with their hung heads.

Luo Yunchang, Yue’er and Zhuge Changfeng, wanted to get their Clan Head home, but they knew his mind was set and did not say anything.

Only Yue’er came next to Luo Yunhai, holding his hand, “I’m going with you.”

“Yue’er!”

“Ever since we held hands for the first time, we never separated.” Yun’er smiled as she turned to Luo Yunchang, “Sister, I’ll leave Sifan in your care.”

Luo Yunchang’s eyes shook, looking long at the couple, and gave a painful nod.

“Mom, you too…” Luo Sifan cried harder, crushed from sorrow.

Yue’er rubbed her cheek with a smile, “Once together, only death will do us part. Sifan, I won’t ever leave your father. I’m sorry for not looking after you.”

“Dad, mom…” Luo Sifan cried harder. Luo Yunchang and Yue’er exchanged looks and the latter knocked her out to let Luo Yunchang take her. 

To their relief, Luo Yunchang took the girl and returned to the crowd. But Luo Yunchang was also struggling, closing her eyes shut as tears fell down her cheeks, her heart breaking with every step.

“I’ll leave the Luo clan to you, stewards!”

Luo Yunhai saluted Zhuge Changfeng and the others, leaving with Yuwen Yong’s escort. In their travels, any with even a bit of honor would see them go.

They all knew the Luo clan was framed. That was why Luo Yunhai took the blame from his daughter to settle the tense situation. He had earned everyone’s respect and admiration with his selfless act.

Yuwen Cong and every Sect Leader, including the former enemy Qin Hao from Qin Society came.

All known figures came to see Luo Yunhai off, the greatest meeting in western lands. It caused a great shock in even Yuwen Yong.

[Luo Alliance has far greater clout in western lands than I thought. The only one missing is Double Dragon Manor…]

From a dark corner, Zhuo Fan watched with a shaking head, “Oh, those old coots, they won’t even put up a token of effort? Humph, he is giving his life for western lands, and by not showing even the slightest intention, they’ll only earn the people’s ire.”

“You won’t step in to save him? Luo Yunhai didn’t die to Danqing Shen, but will now be executed in the Sword Star Empire capital.” Murong Xue teased.

Zhuo Fan shook his head, “You think Baili Jingwei fanned the flames so hard and even brought an army just for the measly Luo Alliance Leader? Ha-ha, a pawn is only a pawn in your hand. Once crushed, it’s worthless. Yunhai won’t die in the empire, for he has plenty of worth. How could Baili Jingwei do away with him before squeezing him for all his worth?” 

“You mean Baili Jingwei is on the move?”

“Yep, with Yunhai in his control, he ought to have enough pieces to act. Only when he moves, I can move too.”

Zhuo Fan sighed, “A hundred years passed, yet the four lands’ leaders have not made an ounce of progress, Baili Jingwei playing them like a fiddle.”

Murong Xue chuckled, “Oh, is there another way of handling this matter? I find Luo Yunhai’s sacrifice for the good of others is honorable. How would you handle it?” 

“Humph, giving your life for peace is honorable, sure, but it’s not to settle things, it’s because he had no choice. Baili Jingwei forced him into a corner.” 

Zhuo Fan shook his head, “Miss Murong, what you and Yunhai along with many value honor, it is in fact a great flaw. In the end, people harm themselves.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Oh, I did say I was going to tell you a story. This is the perfect setting. Care to listen?”

Zhuo Fan didn’t wait for her answer, getting right to it, “Once upon a time, there were two warring kingdoms. They both had prisoners of war and sometimes exchanged them, while most of the time employed them as slaves. One kingdom decreed that any who brought back their fellow people would be rewarded. And so, many merchants traveled to the enemy kingdom and had no trouble buying some prisoners of war to bring back, receiving glory and wealth. But one man among them refused, more than happy to hand the wealth over to the officials. What do you think of him?”

Murong Xue frowned, “Honorable and kind, not minding little remuneration, and a man of virtue.”

“This is the righteousness you know, right?”

“Yes!” Murong Xue nodded.

Zhuo Fan laughed, “The story has yet to end. When this same man you consider virtuous and honorable returned to his master, and gave his report filled with pride, how do you think the master reacted?” 

“If the master was just as upright, he would praise him!”

“He was upright, true, garnering respect, but he did not shower the disciple in praise, instead giving him two slaps, ha-ha-ha…” 

“Why?” It totally baffled Murong Xue.

Zhuo Fan snickered, “That’s the same reaction the disciple had. He helped people, for neither profit nor fame, so where did he do wrong? His master replied that after the law was placed, people could earn a fortune for redeeming prisoners of war and fame along with respect of others. But what about those that refused the reward?

“It takes money to redeem prisoners of war, but when you ask for a reward, it may seem like your honor and decency is being questioned. Saving people from misery has nothing to do with honor or decency. And by not being rewarded for the hard work, who will still do it? Just like the man who redeemed without reward, thinking he was doing good. When in fact, when people see him as an example, who would go back to redeem prisoners? Losing money and the chance of fame is a lose-lose deal. This leads to no prisoners being bought back, living the rest of their lives in misery and torment. So then, is such an act righteous or evil?”

Stunned speechless, Murong Xue was lost for words.

“The righteousness you hold dear may not be in the people’s benefit. The evil you believe may also not be in detriment to life.”

Whoosh~

His hand shone and revealed white paper between the two. Zhuo Fan grinned, “Like this paper, I see my side as righteous and you see yours as righteous, but who is to say which is right, which is clearer?”

Ugh!

Murong Xue’s heart sank.

Zhuo Fan laughed, dangling the paper, “In the end, what we choose isn’t right or wrong, but what we want to see or face. Once you see what others want to do, we just show it to them. Just like in the story, the goal is to redeem prisoners and save them from suffering. It’s not to show off your moral values and pointless theatrics that are more of a hindrance then help, ha-ha-ha…” 

“But, how are we to see what we want?”

“By following the trend.”

Zhuo Fan grinned, “Human nature is selfish, you can’t deny it. The heart has demons, something else you can’t deny. This, however, does not mean such a person isn’t capable of virtue. Just like that law, sending everyone to redeem prisoners, making them do good while also fulfilling their desire for fame and fortune. This is the trend, what everyone yearns for. It’s totally natural for a good man to be selfish. The righteous one holds isn’t to purge one’s demons, but embracing them instead, for righteous and demonic may not be in such contradictions to begin with.”