vstars Chapter 281: Visit Li Ru
Chapter 281: Visit Li Ru
Ma Chao hurried from the City Lord's Mansion to Li Ru's residence. Li Ru's residence was not far from the City Lord's Mansion, and after a while, Ma Chao arrived at Li Ru's residence. Ma Chao looked at this house that was neither luxurious nor spacious, and he couldn't help feeling a little emotional. He never expected that Mr. Wenyou would be such a frugal person. He saw that the gatehouse was wide open, and there was even a lantern hanging in front of the door. The old man at the gate was waiting respectfully in front of the door. Ma Chao was full of doubts, so he got off his horse and went to the gatehouse and said, "Please go in and report that Ma Chao Ma Mengqi wants to see Mr. Wenyou." The old man at the gate said directly, "The master had expected the general to visit, and asked us to open the gate early to welcome him. General, please follow me, the master is waiting in the main hall."
Because Li Ru's mansion was not very big, it didn't take him long to reach the main hall. The main hall was also brightly lit. Li Ru was sitting in the main seat. There were even two cups of steaming tea on the table. Li Ru watched Ma Chao arrive leisurely, ordered the servants to bring the hangover soup, and then stood up to greet him. Li Ru greeted him at the door from a distance and said, "General, please come in and have some tea." Ma Chao looked ashamed and said, "I'm really ashamed for coming to visit you at this time of night. But seeing all the preparations, you knew that Ma Chao would come." Li Ru welcomed Ma Chao into the house and sat him down. At this time, the servants also brought the hangover soup. Li Ru said, "General, drink some hangover soup to sober up first." Ma Chao was anxious. He picked up the bowl and drank it all in one gulp. He didn't even feel the heat on his mouth. He couldn't help but exclaimed, "Even the hangover soup has been prepared long ago, and the temperature is just right. How did you calculate all this? Please help me quickly."
Li Ru gently twisted his beard, a faint smile appeared on his face, and then he slowly straightened the corners of his sleeves, his demeanor leisurely and at ease, with a hint of playfulness in his smile, and slowly said: "The general was obviously uneasy and worried at the banquet. Even with a smile on his face, it was just a forced smile. From this, it can be seen that the general must have doubts in his heart that have not been answered. The talented people around the general are all extraordinary people. However, they are all overshadowed by the general's dazzling brilliance. The general became famous in Luoyang when he was young, and then he was invincible on the battlefield. Even a brave man like Wenhou Lu Bu can be on par with him. Although the general has always been humble, it has to be admitted that the general became famous at a young age. The light is simply too dazzling. Most of the talented people around you are quite young. They may be exceptionally intelligent, but they lack worldly experience and are far from as sophisticated as you. The general has doubts in his heart. Your teacher, Lu Zhi, was arguably the most capable person in the world, but it's a pity that he is not with you now. Your father, Ma Teng, also known as the Duke of Shoucheng, was a man of great understanding and understanding, but he was forced to stay in a remote corner, unable to defend a single area. The general went abroad to study when he was young and quickly became famous. He interacted with people from the court, all high-ranking officials, and was deeply loved by Prime Minister Dong during his lifetime. I'm afraid, with all due respect, the general only has respect for his father, but does not fully recognize his talent or his way of dealing with people. Therefore, when the general has doubts in his heart, I don't think anyone can help him."
Ma Chao was startled to hear Li Ru's profound analysis and interpretation of his words, and he quickly sat up straight, pretending to listen to his teachings. He said respectfully, "Sir, you are absolutely right. Please continue to explain my doubts to me."
Li Ru continued, "Miss Dong Bai is completely devoted to you, General. Even if she didn't immediately notice something unusual about you during the banquet, she would have seen you were worried in private. Given how much she cares about you, how could she not be worried about you? I watched Miss Dong Bai grow up. When Master Dong was alive, whenever there was a major event or doubt in his heart, he would come to me for consultation. How could Miss Dong Bai let an old man like me enjoy her leisure time alone, leaving you, General, with so much worry?"
Ma Chao suddenly understood. He stood up, bowed, and said, "Sir, you are truly a man of great talent. I am ashamed of myself for not emulating you. I do have some doubts in my mind, and I would like to ask you to clarify them."
Ma Chao frowned slightly, turned to Li Ru, and said in a serious tone: "Mr. Wenyou, since there are no outsiders here at the moment, I will tell you about the worries in my heart." Upon hearing this, Jia Xu and Li Ru also put away the amusement on their faces and listened to Ma Chao's narration solemnly.
Ma Chao spoke slowly, "The empire has been in tatters for too long, and the people are suffering beyond words. I simply cannot bear to stand by and watch. The Emperor has returned to Chang'an, and my master, Lu Zhi, has sent a letter urging me to serve there. The entire world is watching Chang'an. If I disobey, the Emperor's prestige will be shattered, and the signs of a revival we finally saw would be shattered. However, if I were to go now, the foreigners would be watching covetously. Not to mention the Xiongnu who recently wreaked havoc in Hedong, there's a tribe north of the grasslands called the Xianbei, who are becoming increasingly powerful. If we don't annihilate them, I'm afraid there will be endless trouble."
Ma Chao paused, his eyes reflecting deep thought as he continued, "The empire is now a complex web of factions. Chang'an may be the capital of the emperor, but its intertwined forces are so intertwined that a single misstep could plunge us into endless conflict. If I go to Chang'an, Western Liang will be in turmoil, and foreign tribes like the Xiongnu and Xianbei will undoubtedly seize the opportunity to invade. If I remain in Western Liang, while I might be able to temporarily stabilize the border situation, the emperor's prestige will be damaged, and the princes may become even more reckless, making the chaos difficult to quell. Furthermore, the Xianbei are growing stronger and more ambitious. If not contained promptly, they will become a serious threat. If they collude with other forces to oppose the Han, the situation will become even more difficult to control. Furthermore, the Xiongnu are known for their ferocity. If they launch another large-scale invasion, Hedong and other regions will be devastated. Therefore, whether I go or not, the situation is extremely difficult."
After hearing Ma Chao's words, Li Ru's expression of amusement and scrutiny vanished. He sat upright and spoke slowly, "I never thought that although you are young, you have the ambition to help the world and make amends for the heavens. I have never looked down on you, but I never thought that I was too superficial. Your ambition and passion are truly commendable; your foresight and vision are truly astonishing. However, I would like to ask you, what kind of person do you want to be?"
Ma Chao said solemnly, "These are chaotic times, with countless lives lost and the people suffering unspeakably. I wish to be a loyal and patriotic man, doing my utmost to assist the emperor, rectify the government, and restore order to the world. I also wish to protect the country and its people, safeguarding them from the suffering of war and bringing a glimmer of peace and hope to these troubled times. This is my ambition."
Li Ru clapped his hands lightly and praised, "Excellent! General, you have great ambitions. I truly admire you. But General, have you ever considered why the world is in such turmoil? Why has it become so chaotic? The Han Dynasty has been around for four hundred years. Why has chaos come to this point? What is the root cause of this chaos?"
Ma Chao said solemnly, "The world is in chaos. The princes have risen up and are constantly fighting. Whether for power, land, or wealth, each force vie for power. The royal family is weak, the government's orders are not carried out, local tyrants are separatist, and the people are displaced. The root cause of this chaos is, first, the constant fighting within the court, where eunuchs and relatives of the emperor's wife compete for power, resulting in chaos and the relaxation of discipline. Secondly, local officials are corrupt and impose heavy taxes. The people can no longer bear the burden and are forced to rise up. Finally, the princes have their own armies and are ambitious. They are willing to provoke war for their own selfish purposes. All these factors have plunged the world into the chaos it is today."
Li Ru nodded slightly and said, "General, your summary is good, but it's a little biased. You haven't explained the specific root of his problem yet."
Ma Chao pondered for a moment and said, "I once heard my teacher, Lu Zhi, say that the root cause of the current chaos under heaven lies in the aristocratic families. They control access to knowledge and resources unattainable to ordinary people, making it easier for exceptional talents to emerge. When exceptional talents occasionally emerge among the common people, they often gravitate toward the aristocratic families, either being recruited, corrupted, or even becoming new aristocratic families themselves. This in turn exacerbates the power of the aristocratic families. To protect their own interests, they are willing to compete with the imperial court for power and collude with the princes. In these chaotic times, the aristocratic families either seek to protect themselves or exploit the opportunity to expand, further complicating and snaring the world. Their intricate web of relationships, like a vast web, envelops the entire world, making it difficult for the common people to escape, hindering the implementation of imperial orders, and intensifying the conflicts among the princes. This is the root cause of the chaos under heaven."
Li Ru nodded slightly, his eyes showing admiration, and he slowly said, "Indeed, it is rare for the general to have such insights. It seems that the general has a very clear vision. With such a far-sighted vision, the general is already an extremely outstanding leader in this world."
Upon hearing this, Ma Chao smiled wryly, shook his head slightly, and said, "Sir, please don't praise me. I'm really confused right now. Faced with this complicated situation, I really don't know what to do. Please analyze the pros and cons for me and give me some advice."
Li Ru lowered his eyes slightly, then slowly said, "The fact that everyone else is drunk while I am sober may be the root of your anxiety. In this chaotic world, most people just go with the flow, living in a daze, and are more likely to find moments of happiness. But you, General, have great ambitions and a keen eye, and can see through the root of this chaos, but this has also led you into endless entanglement and anxiety. Don't be impatient, listen to me tell you a story."