Martial Cultivator

After turning down the mountain, Chen Chao reappeared at the ferry. It happened to be early in the morning. The boatman came to the river bank early and saw the young man in black shirt again. Chen Chao silently walked onto the ferry to cross the river. ♦♦🆂🅷🆄🆇.🅲♦🅼

The boatman glanced around. It was still early in the morning and the passengers crossing the river had not yet appeared at the ferry. The boatman glanced at Chen Chao and asked in a low voice, "Aren't you in a hurry?"

Chen Chao shook his head, sat down on the bow of the boat, and looked into the distance alone.

The boatman glanced at Chen Chao. He was fine at the moment. He thought for a moment, then walked over and sat next to Chen Chao and asked, "Did you choose a good place?"

Chen Chao nodded but still said nothing.

The boatman thought for a while, took out a wine gourd from his waist, handed it to the young man in front of him, and asked, "Drink some?"

Chen Chao glanced at the boatman but said nothing.

The boatman didn't care, he just took a small sip, and then said to himself, "In this life, people will always encounter a lot of regretful things, but life can always be lived. If you keep stagnating, this will happen." There’s nothing left to gain.”

Chen Chao thought for a while, reached for the wine gourd, and took a big sip himself. Only then did he realize that it was rice wine, sour and sweet, but not intoxicating.

The boatman knew what he was thinking and said with a smile, "If you have to make a living to support your family, how can you do it when you're really drunk?"

Chen Chao said, "It's pretty good."

The boatman lamented, "Actually, I drink strong alcohol occasionally, but only once a month."

Before Chen Chao could speak, the boatman smiled and asked, "Are you not an ordinary person?"

Chen Chao looked at the boatman with some doubts in his eyes.

"I have been welcoming and sending people to and from this ferry for so many years. I have seen many people of all kinds. My eyes are somewhat discerning. I guess you are one of those so-called warriors, a kind of monk. In our army, Zhongli Li, or which yamen?”

The boatman took a sip of wine and asked some questions, which was much more natural than before.

Chen Chao thought for a while and said, "I work as an errand in a government office in Shendu."

The boatman nodded and said with a smile, "You have a bright future. Looking at your age, can you become a general or something in the future?"

"Hard to say."

Chen Chao also took another sip of wine. The rice wine was not intoxicating, but the sweet and sour taste spread in his mouth, just like a person's whole life.

The boatman thought for a while and suddenly said, "I have something to say, I don't know whether I should say it or not."

Chen Chao said, "Let's chat casually. Is there anything we can't say?"

After hearing this, the boatman also smiled and said, "In that case, let's talk about what's in my heart."

"Over the years, we have welcomed people at the ferry

I have seen a lot of officials on duty, both civil and military. The one I remember the most is an official who somehow managed to cross the river without a court ferry to see me off. Instead, he came with his escort to sit on me. This boat is very impressive. The guards who were traveling with me kicked all the guests off who came first. After boarding the boat, they still despised me because the boat was broken. The common people did something, but in fact, when I looked at what he did, I knew that even if he became a high official in the city of gods, he would not take us ordinary people at all. As expected, after a few years , he came back in despair, this time with only a few followers. After boarding the ship, he said that he was born at the wrong time and should not be appreciated. This time, the followers did not drive away the guests who were traveling with them, but there were guests on the ship. After a few complaints, both sides started scolding each other, which was really embarrassing. "

"What's even more unexpected is that there happened to be an official on the ship who was returning to his hometown to visit relatives. But not only was he not wearing official uniform, but the guards he brought with him were very low-key. The official who didn't want to cause trouble saw that Seeing that the man was unwilling to give up, he revealed his identity and said a few words of justice. He originally thought that the man would shut up in despair, but who would have thought that he would eventually make friends with the official on the ship, but the official But there was no pretense, and I still talked to him for a long time. In the end, the man didn't know how to trick him, and finally got close to the official. "

Having said this, the boatman took another sip of wine and said with a smile, "So, people, it's really strange. When you gain power, you feel like you are no longer yourself. When you lose power, you always think that you are still the same self when you gain power." , and tried every means to get back what he had lost.”

Chen Chao listened to this story carefully, and finally nodded and said, "Good insight."

The boatman shook his head, "It's not really an opinion, it's just a sentiment. Seeing that you are a good person, I just want to chat a few words. In fact, we common people are the same. The world is much better now than before, right? But no one I think this is the best. There are monsters that eat people from time to time, and gods that kill people at every turn, so everyone thinks that one day they can truly live a peaceful life. Of course, even if such a day comes, they still won't be satisfied. , It’s like I have a full stomach, and I think it’s time to have a meal of meat every now and then.”

Chen Chao remained silent.

After the boatman opened his chat box, he began to talk endlessly.

"But ordinary people don't have much ability and can't change the world. They can only think about you officials working hard. Of course, it's hard to say whether this idea is right. After all, you want others to change your own destiny.

Luck, seems a little too demanding? I've been thinking about this for years, but I still can't figure it out. "

The boatman looked at Chen Chao and seemed a little confused.

Chen Chao shook his head and said, "The taxes paid by the common people are the official's salary, so an official should do something for the common people. This kind of thing can be said to be a matter of course, and it is also the official's responsibility."

The boatman sighed, "That's right."

Chen Chao suddenly said, "I did something wrong."

The boatman asked, "Is it a matter of dead people?"

Chen Chao nodded and said bluntly, "I left Shendu and was going somewhere. I met a mother and daughter on the way. They were not on the same road as me, but they had no guards. I knew they would be there before they arrived at their destination. It was very dangerous, but I still took one step and separated from them. But in fact, I had nothing to do. I sent them to where they wanted to go, and it was too late to come back. But I didn't do it, and they all died in the end. ”

The boatman sighed and whispered, "According to what you just said, the people have paid taxes and you have collected salaries, so you should do something for the people. But there are so many officials in our court, and each official has different things to do." , you can't do everything, let alone some things you can't do. I think you are right about this, at least from the perspective of most people, there is nothing wrong with it. "

Chen Chao shook his head and said, "But I can't get through it."

The boatman said, "This is guilt, not a fault. Just like when I am walking on the road, sometimes I accidentally step on an ant. If I don't know, I don't know. But if I know, I will always feel sorry for the ant."

Chen Chao asked doubtfully, "How many people would feel sorry for Ant?"

The boatman smiled and said, "According to monks like you, aren't ordinary people just ants? What's more, you can't step on ants to death."

Chen Chao thought quietly and was speechless.

The boatman said, "Let me put it another way. If the mother and daughter were talking harshly to you when they first met, and then you parted ways, you wouldn't feel any guilt even if you knew they were dead, right?"

Chen Chao frowned.

"Actually, the essence of the matter has not changed. They still died because you didn't escort them. But not only will you not feel guilty, you won't even feel anything, let alone say you were at fault."

The boatman looked at Chen Chao and said, "Things have not changed. What you think depends on how people treat you and what you think about yourself."

Chen Chao said, "I seem to understand a little bit."

The boatman said, "I have never been to Shendu, but I heard that our Majesty is a very great person, but such a

A great person, but he still can't make us ordinary people live a good life. If His Majesty is unwilling to do something for us, then of course we will hate him for it, but if he has tried hard and done a lot, he still can't help us. There are many things that have not been accomplished, so we probably won’t feel anything wrong and will still thank him. "

"You and the mother and daughter have gone all the way and done some things. After that, you have your own things to do, and they have their own way to go. In fact, no one owes the other."

"Besides, have you avenged them?"

Chen Chao nodded and said calmly, "I killed many people."

He also remembered what the study owner said.

"Are they all bad people?"

asked the boatman.

"They're all bad people."

The boatman said, "Then you don't have to feel guilty. You didn't help the mother and daughter avoid trouble, but you seemed to have helped a lot of people... I can't remember what that word means."

Chen Chao remained silent.

The boatman stood up and said, "No wait, I'll take you across the river."

Chen Chao looked at the boatman with some confusion.

"It's naturally the most cost-effective to wait for a boat full of people, but to give you one person is nothing more than earning less money for me. The trip is not worth it, but I can accept it. Besides, you have done some good things. Then I feel it’s more worthwhile.”

The boatman smiled and said, "I'm sending a good official."

Chen Chao frowned, not knowing what to say.

But the boatman had already started to punt across the river.

The two didn't speak again after that.

After the ferry finally reached the other side, the boatman docked the ferry at the ferry. Chen Chao stood up to get off the boat.

The boatman suddenly said, "I have one last thing to say. If you don't mind, I will tell you."

Chen Chao nodded, "Please tell me."

The boatman thought for a while and said softly, "I don't remember clearly. This was told to me by a scholar. It probably means that if an official does well in his duties, he is already a good official. But if he can It’s good to do something outside of that, but even if you fail to do something outside of your responsibilities, you shouldn’t feel guilty and shouldn’t be blamed by others.”

The boatman recalled carefully, and finally said with some uncertainty, "In the end, he seemed to say, as long as you are a good person, you will be fine."

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Today is just one chapter, but starting from tomorrow, I will start bursting out updates. I will work hard until I can’t write anymore, so I won’t ask for votes. This update is shameless.