In the Blade

The young Ruan Shantao had indeed never killed anyone, but he had fought a lot.

This can be seen from the strange sword. The marks of chopping and carving on the sword are so numerous that they are almost innumerable. If it were any ordinary sword, it would probably break on the spot. Only this unusually thick "Sword of Founder" could experience so many battles, but still remain calm and even more courageous.

"So this is not a sword, right?"

After another day of sword fighting, the students who were beaten finally couldn't help complaining.

"This is your iron mace, right?"

"This is a sword."

The young Ruan Shantao raised the Sword of Founder and argued.

"Are you dissatisfied with my Gentleman's Sword?"

"Yes"

Facing Ruan Shantao who was holding the heavy sword high, the student who was knocked to the ground nodded.

Then, he raised his hand and patted the belt buckle on his waist.

The sharp blade came out of the sheath, and a cold light cut directly at Ruan Shantao's wrist!

"Still a sneak attack!"

Ruan Shantao's pupils suddenly contracted, and the heavy sword in his hand slashed down fiercely.

"Despicable villain! Shameless!"

Zheng——

The heavy sword fiercely hit the cold light.

But this time, the invincible Fangzheng sword failed to break the sword in front of him on the spot.

It turned out that this was a soft sword wrapped around the waist.

The steel was turned into a soft sword, and the soft sword bounced out an arc under the student's ingenious strength and touched Ruan Shantao's forearm.

The forearm hurt, and the heavy sword fell out of his hand. In this game, Ruan Shantao lost.

"Haha! I won this game... What are you going to do!"

The student who used the soft sword just got up from the ground, patted his clothes and prepared to show off his achievements, but he saw that Ruan Shantao had already clenched his fists and rushed over!

The heavy punch hit his face, and the student immediately felt dizzy.

"You despicable villain! How dare you attack with a hidden sword! Today I will teach you the principles of life!"

"Hey! You dog! If you lose, you lose! Why can't you accept it!"

Ruan Shantao is good at using heavy swords and has the strength of two arms. The student can control the soft and sharp blade like noodles freely, and he also has a strange kung fu. For a while, the two of them fought with fists and feet, and they were evenly matched.

If the sword fight was just a matter of a moment, then this fist fight lasted for a whole afternoon, until the sky was getting dark and the moon was rising, and the two people with bruised noses and swollen faces lay on the ground.

One side was secretly wounding people, and the other side refused to admit defeat. Both sides were somewhat at fault, so they didn't mention this inexplicable fight anymore.

And the young Ruan Shantao also had his first friend in this huge capital of Jiankang.

Although he always wanted to give this friend two punches in the face.

The friend's name is Xiang Rong. Like Ruan Shantao, he is a poor student studying in the Imperial College. Just like the two words "Xiang Rong", although this friend is thin, he likes martial arts on weekdays. He is almost the opposite of Ruan Shantao, who has a figure of a military general but has profound attainments in academics.

But these two people who are almost poles apart can chat quite well on many issues.

For example, about the newly established Guozi Academy in the court of Dachen.

Unlike the Imperial College, which is open to all students in the world, this Guozi Academy only recruits those children of nobles. So, in order to see the quality of this Guozi Academy, Ruan Shantao and Xiang Rong also found an opportunity to communicate with the students of that Guozi Academy.

The way students communicate is nothing more than debating scriptures. If they can't debate well, they will just fight with swords. If they think fighting with swords is too bloody, they will fight. Anyway, there are many ways to fight, and there are always a few that can be used.

But the result of the exchange disappointed Ruan Shantao and Xiang Rong.

"I thought that the Imperial College was a place where those nobles wanted to monopolize the classics and cut off the path of teaching without discrimination in the Imperial College... Who would have thought that they were even worse than I thought."

After fighting with the students of the Imperial College for ten days, Ruan Shantao finally sighed.

"They can't even compare to ordinary Imperial College students. This is just a way to gild them. After all, the students who come out of the Imperial College are the same as those of the Imperial College students. This..."

"What you think is actually not wrong. After all, the Imperial College is just established. Who knows if the books and doctors of the Imperial College will be transferred to the Imperial College in the future?"

Xiang Rong, who also fought for ten days, shook his head repeatedly.

"Okay, Brother Ruan, don't think too much. I think this Da Chen is probably coming to an end."

"No, it hasn't reached that point yet."

Ruan Shantao did not agree with Xiang Rong's idea, but showed determination in his eyes.

"Even if there is a problem with Dachen, we still have you and me, and there are many passionate students here. We have read the sage books for so many years. How can we give up so easily!"

"You... well, you are just the kind of person who can't afford to lose."

Xiang Rong sighed.

"But I still want to say, Brother Ruan, the sage books also said that a gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall."

"The sage books also said that there are three ways of a gentleman: a benevolent person does not worry, a wise person is not confused, and a brave person is not afraid."

Ruan Shantao still insisted on his own ideas.

"If you can't even implement your own benevolence, how can you be a gentleman?"

After a debate, neither Ruan Shantao nor Xiang Rong could convince each other. After all, this is not just a disagreement in academics, but also a difference in concepts.

So, after completing his studies, Xiang Rong resigned from his post and went on a journey because he had no good feelings towards the court of Da Chen. However, Ruan Shantao, adhering to his own philosophy, chose to enter the government, starting as a chief clerk in a state, and successively served as the Palace Attendant, Minister of Personnel, Junior Tutor of the Crown Prince, Zuo Pushe, and even promoted to Minister of the Court. During this period, Ruan Shantao also constantly recommended talents to the court of Da Chen, and also gave more students who still had a heart of blood the opportunity to display their ambitions.

Under Ruan Shantao's unremitting efforts, Da Chen seemed to have really shown signs of revival.

However, the good times did not last long.

Seeing that Dachen was gradually developing, the court began to voice the need to reduce the military equipment of each state. As for the reason, of course, it was that the sea was peaceful and the people should turn swords into plowshares and rest up. But Ruan Shantao couldn't stand hearing this. He always cared about the affairs of the country and knew that no matter the grassland people in the north, the barbarians in the south, the barbarians in the west, or the pirates in the east... these foreign races had always been eyeing the country covetously. Even in Dachen, various bandit problems occurred from time to time.

Dachen was not safe at the moment, so how could it be said to reduce military equipment and turn swords into plowshares?

But just as Ruan Shantao wrote to him in succession, preparing to refute this, a secret envoy sent by the emperor came to his mansion.

"Ruan Situ, His Majesty has something to ask you."

The eunuch came to Ruan Shantao's study and imitated the emperor's tone.

"Mr. Ruan, I understand what you said. But Mr. Ruan, I have a question for you."

At this point, the eunuch paused.

"Are you going to speak for the border states, or for the court?"

When this was said, Ruan Shantao was speechless.

After years of ups and downs in the officialdom, he was already an old man. At this moment, the words were so clear, how could he not understand the emperor's meaning.

It is obvious that His Majesty has never been at ease with the border states.

Thinking about it, although theoretically, the strongest army in Dachen must be the emperor's personal army stationed in the capital of Jiankang, if we really want to talk about elite soldiers, it is really possible for the border states that have experienced many battles to train them. If someone has a rebellious mind and wants to sit on the dragon throne... How can His Majesty sleep peacefully?

So, in the final analysis, weakening the military equipment of each state is actually a necessity.

Even if it was just to let the emperor have a good sleep.

"This..."

Ruan Shantao was still speechless for a long time until the eunuch left.

Although he had a vague premonition before, he was unwilling to believe that the biggest resistance came from the emperor until the eunuch arrived.

After all, the emperor was not like the Taizu Gao Emperor of the past, who had far more courage than ordinary people and even crushed all living beings. It was reasonable for him to make such a move now.

So, let's go.

Since he was no longer needed in the court, why was he still here?

So, he packed up his small luggage and called his family, who were only a handful of palms, and Ruan Shantao resigned and returned to the mountains of Yanzhou, his hometown, to live in seclusion.

Reclusive life is reclusive life, but Ruan Shantao is a person who can't sit still after all. He simply opened a college to enlighten those young students, or to teach those older people who are not good at writing how to read and write.

It's like a big tree, rooted in the Ziyang Mountain, taking root and sprouting.

As long as more people can read and write, they will naturally understand the principle of benevolence, and these seeds will bear fruit one day.

As the old saying goes, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

As long as he doesn't give up, as long as more and more people choose not to give up, then Dachen and the people of the world will always get better.

"So it's better for Yanzhou to be a little more peaceful."

Saying this, the already old Ruan Shantao picked up a pen and wrote the word "benevolence" in the deepest part of the Yanzhou arsenal.

Then, he hung the square sword that had accompanied him for many years under the word.

It was just one word, but it condensed all of Ruan Shantao's will. It was just a sword that had never killed anyone, but it was a portrayal of Ruan Shantao's life.

With one word and one sword, all the evil spirits of the swords and weapons in the entire Yanzhou arsenal were suppressed here, and there was no more fluctuation.

"It's just hard for you, old friend."

The elderly Ruan Shantao patted the scabbard as a farewell.

This sword will be with him to maintain the peace of the entire Yanzhou.

After all, studying still requires a peaceful environment.

Even if it's only relatively peaceful.

The first update is here, and the second update will try to be before two o'clock.

In addition: Thank you for your recommendation votes and monthly tickets, thank you for your encouragement and support, I will continue to write.