Chapter 1027: Chapter 309: The Outbreak of War! Entering Medicine Master Valley! (Part 2)
Both power and military force, this is extremely terrifying; when fools are in power, the masses suffer.
So does the Sixth State lack the Four Major Institutions?
"It does not have them."
The strange man sighed:
"If we did, that would be great, but tragically, we do not. Our Sixth State is considered the most backward among the six, not because we are savages, but because our Sixth State was the Ancient Battlefield of the past. War has truly debilitated us."
"Therefore, when other states rapidly developed during post-war peaceful periods, we, firstly, lacked sufficient population, secondly, had little gold and silver, and thirdly, had many remnants of bandits. This has resulted in our Sixth State truly falling far behind other states. Frankly speaking, although this small city may seem like just the smallest of cities to you, with a population of only three to four hundred thousand, in our Sixth State, it is already a large city."
"Of course, we do not shy away from admitting our barbarism. Lacking gold and silver, unstable—it is naturally barbaric. Civilization is built through peaceful development; under the fires of war, all are brutes, extremely cruel."
The strange man’s words carried much information.
Yuchi was dazed for quite a while after hearing this. Does the Sixth State really lack the Four Major Institutions? Is its population really so small that even this small, dilapidated city can become a large city within the state?
This seemed somewhat exaggerated.
And if this small city is considered large in the Sixth State, then what would Xufu Town be if placed there? If it’s called a town, it might be a bit pretentious in a Versailles manner.
Yin Shuang curiously peeked out her small head. Although she was not very good at speaking, and even though she couldn’t understand what the strange man was saying, she could still sense the strange man’s deep self-mockery and irony. After all, talking about one’s chaotic homeland in front of outsiders requires courage.
It’s fine to criticize one’s own home, but it’s unacceptable when others do so, this is human nature.
Gently stroking Yin Shuang’s hair, Yuchi couldn’t resist asking, "Is it true that in the Sixth State, an emperor has Cultivators as weapons?"
This question is very crucial. If an emperor not only has power but also has Cultivators as terrifying military strength, and he becomes beguiled by a woman, that could be extremely dangerous. So, are the rest of the people in the Sixth State fools? How could such development-affecting matters be left to one person? You must know, foolish teammates are especially frightening.
The strange man understood Yuchi’s implication, and he said, "No, although the Sixth State doesn’t have the Four Major Institutions, common people and Cultivators are distinct, similar to the Third State."
"In other words, in battles among common people, Cultivators cannot participate. If Cultivators do participate in battles, they must face accountability from the monarch."
Yuchi nodded, also slightly relieved: "At least at face value, there is awareness of the danger of such matters, but these matters cannot withstand scrutiny. Clearly, such divisions are only on the surface, and not thoroughly implemented like in the Third State, where military force and power are entirely separated."
The strange man sighed: "Indeed, we lack the Four Major Institutions, so if it really comes to the point of monarchs attacking other monarchs, how could the fires of war be confined merely to clashes between commoner armies?"
"Which monarch does not have elite and powerful Cultivators to the extent that, if it comes to life-and-death battles, who would hold back these Cultivators and not deploy them?"
"Right and wrong have become unimportant. Mutual destruction at such a stage is not difficult."
Yuchi understood; this logic was more coherent.
It’s like two people initially just quarreling, but as they argue more, they start fighting, and fighting escalates to violence, and if exaggerated further, it involves things like gasoline and other frightening substances. Expecting calm amidst the flames of rage is an idealistic, simplistic romanticism.
To truly say one side remains absolutely restrained, refusing to use Cultivators, is he a wise man or a fool?
From a broader perspective, calling him a wise man is correct, as he indeed avoids the escalation of war.
But from his own standpoint, if others use Cultivators and he does not, then he is irresponsible to his subordinates. By then, his side will incur heavy losses, and history is written by the victors; by that time, he is deemed a traitor and rebel.
Similarly, it’s like looting supplies; are the looters fools? They are, but they’re also not, since they do manage to acquire supplies. Are those who don’t loot being calm? They are, but they’re also not, as they gain rationality but lose the ability to resist risks. Thus, there are no absolute truths or falsehoods in this world.
The strange man let out another long sigh, holding onto the bandages, with his face turned down.
"After the Ancient Battlefield ended, establishing rules became very hard."
"People often feel exhilarated when they see rules being broken, unaware that some rules are life-saving rules. When such rules are broken, Cultivators have already become synonymous with indiscriminate killing, plundering treasures from large cities everywhere, and then fleeing from the Sixth State."
"So if you were a Cultivator in our Sixth State, would you loot treasures at this time?"
The strange man looked at Yuchi, hoping for a response from him.
