As an official, what's wrong with raising a few monsters?

What is the purpose of Chapter 227?
"Don't tell me you don't know what the situation is like in Chen State right now."

Mingchen turned to look at Buchen and said with a faint smile.

Dong Zhenghong worships ghosts and gods, using the country to support ghosts; ordinary people may not understand this.

But as a cultivator of considerable strength, this great monk must have known this.

"Forehead……"

Bu Chen paused for a moment and said, "I've never fought it, and I don't know."

We are unaware of the opponent's magical treasures or supernatural abilities.

Without having fought it, you can't draw any conclusions.

That's the only evaluation he could give.

He never thought of doing it.

The ruler of Chen willingly served the spirits and gods, and willingly communicated with the underworld, turning his country into a place for spirits and gods to roam, disregarding life and death.

He has no reason to fight these ghosts and gods.

What is he fighting for?

What can he save?
Even assuming we could win, what would the outcome of that victory be?
The ruler is still the same ruler, and the country is still the same country.

This is pointless.

Although the monk was irritable and easily angered, he had not lost his mind and was not capable of doing anything crazy. He lacked the courage to assassinate the king and the ability to manage a country.

Therefore, he went to find Mingchen, to see the new dynasty, and to find a path he could take.

He frowned and asked Mingchen, "You want to fight those ghosts and gods?"

The monk was unaware of Mingchen's relationship with the Blood-Clad Army.

From Mingchen's perspective, there's no need for him to get involved in this war; he can simply watch from the sidelines.

Mingchen shook his head, not answering the monk, but looking at the dark mass of the Blood-Clad Army outside the city walls in the distance, he sighed, "The Blood-Clad Army has really gathered a lot of people... there must be six or seven hundred thousand of them!"

The seeds planted in the past have now grown into towering trees, no longer under his control.

Even... it was beyond Wang Huai's control.

In terms of sheer numbers, the Blood-Clad Army far surpasses the Qian Yuan army.

However, this may not be a good thing.

Once the target's enemies are eliminated, what's the next step?

"Monk, in your opinion, who will win this battle?"

The monk took a bite of bear paw, looked at the dark, cloud-covered sky in the distance, and sighed softly: "Ninety-nine percent chance, the Blood-Clad Army will win, and the Chen Kingdom will surely be defeated."

"Even with the help of gods and spirits, and given the inevitable trend, the State of Chen cannot withstand the iron hooves of this million-strong army."

It's obvious to anyone with eyes that Chen Guo has absolutely no hope of turning the tide.

It's impossible for gods, immortals, ghosts, and monsters to pay a huge price to change the course of events. They'd be grateful if they could just seize the opportunity to kill a few generals and soldiers.

Otherwise, the rules and order of the world would collapse.

The gods and immortals of the heavens would not allow the ghosts and spirits of the underworld to run rampant.

"They're just ordinary people in the city..."

The rise and fall of the nation brings suffering to the people.

With the Blood-Clad Army's conquest, the Chen Kingdom was destroyed. What will the people in the capital face next?

In the midst of war, no one can escape unscathed.
Bu Chen didn't like the Blood-Clad Army that shouted slogans so loudly.

Blood forged armor, heroic souls sacrificed for peace?
Where did the heroic spirits come from? Where did the peace come from?
Evil thoughts are rooted in the heart and are constantly disciplined. If it weren't for the blood-stained clothes, how could the innkeeper have unleashed the demon in his heart?

In his view, these people may speak nicely, but in essence, they are no different from those who wreak havoc on the world.

Mingchen smiled, took a sip of wine, and said, "Don't you Buddhists all talk about karma and cause and effect? ​​The Blood-Clad Army has planted the seeds of cause, and they will reap the fruits of their labor in the future."

The Blood-Clad Army rose up with the support of the people and gained momentum.

However, they indulged in desires, neglected discipline, and lost the hearts of the people... In the future, they will also reap what they sow.

Whom the heavens would destroy, they first make mad.

"..."

Upon hearing this, Bu Chen paused, seemingly pondering the meaning of Ming Chen's words.

He is quite skilled in cultivation and fighting, and has some understanding of the battles between immortals and ghosts.

But when it comes to the general trend of the world, the power struggles in the imperial court, or the change of dynasties... he doesn't understand.

"Monk, I've been pondering a question all this way."

"Ok?"

Bu Chen raised an eyebrow upon hearing this.

"Tell me, what do gods, demons, and monsters seek?"

Looking at the blazing flames before him, Mingchen chuckled and said, "You can see it yourself; the Chen Kingdom is doomed to lose."

"The Blood-Clad Army's massive offensive is only the direct cause. Insufficient manpower, incompetent leadership, and a chaotic and corrupt system... This country is already doomed from the root. So why would they, who worship ghosts and gods, these ethereal beings, show themselves and wade into this doomed mess? It's a thankless task."

Not angry: ...

Regardless of what your question is.

Isn't what you said a bit impolite?

"An existence that has lived through countless ages and holds a lofty position should rightfully possess wisdom."

"They won't do stupid things that are obvious at a glance."

Bu Chen paused for a moment, then turned to Ming Chen and asked, "What were they after?"

Mingchen glanced at him: "I'm asking you!"

The monk even retorted with a question!

Bu Chen simply touched his bald head and smiled, "I don't know."

Mingchen stroked the wine glass in his hand and said, "I think there are two possibilities."

"The first possibility is that this is a signal that all the gods, immortals, and spirits in the heavens want to rule the human world. They have broken through the constraints of the rules of heaven and earth and can interfere in human affairs at will. The power of the Chen Kingdom itself is not important; the gods and spirits can contribute tremendous power to help the Chen Kingdom turn the tide."

This possibility is unlikely.

Or rather, Mingchen didn't want this outcome.

If this were done, it would mean the complete collapse of humanity.

Similarly, when ghosts and spirits break the rules, other forces will also intervene.

If the first person drops a nuclear bomb, everyone else will drop them too. If everyone drops nuclear bombs on each other, the world will explode.

Everything was turned upside down, which made Mingchen's plan seem like that of a clown.

Bu Chen shook her head: "That's impossible."

Mingchen simply smiled and sighed softly: "Before the arrival of the new era, few people would have believed that it was possible. No one would have anticipated things beyond their own understanding, just like the people of Yueyang City never thought that one day they would be besieged by an army and on the verge of destruction."

Bu Chen: "..."

"And what about the second possibility that you think of, benefactor?"

Mingchen thought for a moment and said to Buchen, "Monk, you believe in Buddhism. Buddhism emphasizes that one's mind and nature are Buddha-nature, and Buddha resides in one's heart."

"But I believe that Buddha exists because people have Buddha in their hearts."

"On what basis do gods exist? They exist because people believe they exist, and they don't exist because people forget they exist."

Human thoughts have infinite possibilities.

The old tree had told him that spiritual practice is the cultivation of the mind.

It is not that the gods and immortals are high above protecting humankind; on the contrary, it is the gods and immortals who rely on people's belief to exist, and their supreme power is derived from the power of people's own thoughts.

They are either bound by the rules of heaven and earth, or they are mutually constrained, so they cannot directly interfere in human affairs.

They can only descend upon us through scheming and manipulation, by taking advantage of certain conditions and obtaining a legitimate reason.

According to the old tree, those immortals, gods, demons, and monsters are not invincible; they only make their move when victory is assured.

"In any case, the gods and ghosts that exist in the underworld represent death, not the embodiment of beauty. They are destined to be difficult to be revered by people like immortals, gods, and Buddhas. They rely more on fear, on people's fear of death."

All organizational structures are lies woven to create a belief.

Sometimes Mingchen would ponder a question: what if people didn't believe in the existence of a soul after death, or in the underworld?

After death, will the soul return to the underworld? Will it meet the Holy One, repent, and re-enter the cycle of reincarnation?
For example, Ming Chen himself is not influenced by the concepts of this world. Even if he has a belief in gods and ghosts after death, he does not worship the gods and ghosts of the underworld in this world, but the Ten Kings of Hell in another world.

So what happens after he dies? Does he scientifically transform into natural atoms and molecules? Or does he become some other existence?
"The ruler believed in ghosts and gods and voluntarily turned the country into the underworld for ghosts and gods to walk on. This gave them a pass and allowed them to break free from the constraints of the rules to a certain extent."

"Their primary task was not to pay a heavy price to ensure the survival of the state, but to enhance their influence through the faith of the ruler. The belief in death was destined to be short-lived. Whether the state of Chen existed or not was not important. What mattered was whether the people of this land firmly remembered the Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts and that these gods and ghosts existed in the world."

"History will also leave a strong mark on it, weaving countless legends. The ending of the story is always easier to remember: the last king believed in ghosts and gods, the underworld was reversed, life and death were disregarded, hundreds of ghosts walked at night, and demons brought disaster to the country... Whether it is fear or faith, it is always implanted in people's hearts."

Those who broke down, marching, singing, and dancing in the streets, already say a lot.

In a sense, the purpose of the worship of the underworld has already been achieved.

The fall of the Chen state is of no consequence.

Now all that's needed is to do one thing: prove they didn't slink away and wrap things up.

Mingchen hoped for this ending.

This outcome proves many things and makes things easier to handle.

"This……"

Bu Chen can also be considered a devout believer.

Hearing Mingchen's words, I felt as if my whole world was being shaken.

Mingchen's words overturned everything, sounding unorthodox and like a fantasy.

Existence and illusion intertwine, truth and falsehood shift, and heaven and earth are overturned.

However, it forms its own logic, and there is no angle to refute it.

Fortunately, he mainly talked about the underworld rather than gods and Buddhas; otherwise, he might have had a fight with Mingchen.

Regardless of whether Mingchen's words are true or false, right or wrong, he needs to protect his belief system.

"But... the idea that the soul returns to the underworld after death is already deeply ingrained in people's minds. Why bother with this?"

Mingchen lowered his eyes and said only, "You should seize any opportunity. Doing something is better than not doing it at all. Being more profound is better than being more superficial. People's thoughts are ever-changing and will always bring about changes. No one knows what will happen in the future, and no one knows what will be eliminated."

Winning over a ruler is no easy task, so one should seize any opportunity that arises.

"Moreover... the Netherworld is vast, and a single ruler with three emperors does not necessarily mean there is only one master."

The monk remained silent for a while.

After a while, he said seriously to Mingchen, "Mingchen, don't talk to me about these things anymore."

Upon hearing this, Mingchen chuckled: "Hahaha... Monk, why don't you debate with me?"

Bu Chen paused for a moment, then said, "A conflict of beliefs can cause unnecessary trouble, and I don't want to create any animosity between us."

Mingchen never sought to completely convince others.

Sister Dai still doesn't agree with some of his views.

Each person is an independent individual with their own beliefs, and they will not compete with others because of this.

The head monk's statement didn't really make much sense, but he still smiled and nodded, "Okay."

"But monk, you've eaten a lot of my food along the way, so you have to do me a favor!"

Mingchen looked at the dark, blood-clad legion in the distance, his eyes darting around, and said calmly.

He is the Marquis of Jing'an!
Do you really think he'll just eat for free?
Now that you've eaten, get to work!
"Forehead……"

Mingchen abruptly changed the subject, instantly shifting from the ethereal deity to the present moment.

Bu Chen twitched the corner of her mouth, feeling the bear paw in her hand grow heavier, and said, "Don't make me harm the innocent, don't make me do evil."

If you eat someone else's food, you're obligated to do it, so what can you do?

Haha~ Don't worry!

……

Time flies by, and in the blink of an eye, another month has passed.

"Your Majesty, aren't we going to attack the city yet?" "Your Majesty, if we wait any longer, our supplies will run out!"

"Your Majesty, Yueyang City can no longer hold out! It absolutely cannot withstand our all-out attack!"

Unexpectedly, the past month has been relatively calm. The hundreds of thousands of troops have been locked in a standoff with the defenders of Yueyang City, without launching a fierce attack.

The defensive strength of Yueyang City exceeded expectations.

The Blood-Clad Army, which had been sweeping through the enemy lines, also suffered a setback.

Initially, Wang Huai tentatively sent 50,000 troops to attack the city, but the results were minimal, and he was forced to retreat.

This was the last of Chen's strength, and they relied on the city's high and thick walls, so a direct assault would have little effect.

This defeat was within Wang Huai's expectations, and it was also meant to serve as a warning to his generals who were eager to attack the city.

Therefore, he naturally changed his strategy and sent a large army to surround the entire Yueyang City.

Surround them without attacking, wait for their defeat, cut off their supplies and reinforcements.

Let them collapse on their own without being attacked.

He knew very well that something special was hidden in Yueyang City, and that a direct attack would only create chaos, which could lead to unexpected events.

Encirclement without attack is the safest approach.

Behind him lies most of the Qian Yuan territory; by making the people suffer, provisions can be continuously drawn upon.

However, Yueyang City was just an isolated city and could not withstand his attacks.

But... as time went on...

Even if Wang Huai wasn't in a hurry, his men were.

They felt confident in their abilities and began to put pressure on Wang Huai.

With the great undertaking of conquering the city and destroying the country imminent, they didn't think as much as Wang Huai did.

"hold on!"

Essentially, we are all in an alliance of interests, and not everyone is willing to suffer.

After repeated disappointments, loyalty and faith will gradually fade away.

While mutual attrition is a safe approach, it is a lose-lose strategy.

Wang Huai was well aware of the changes within the entire military camp.

With a calm expression, he addressed his generals, saying, "Within ten days, I will definitely issue the order to attack the city."

The eager commanders, their expressions varying, looked at the imposing Wang Huai and finally agreed: "Yes!"
……

"Open the gates! Let us out!"

"No, no, don't grab me!"

"Waaah... Sir, please, let us out!"

“Our family hasn’t eaten a single meter in five days.”

……

The Blood-Clad Army remained calm.

But in Yueyang City, the scenery is completely different.

The city was besieged by the Blood-Clad Army for a month, and its gates were closed, causing this prosperous capital city that had lasted for hundreds of years to collapse instantly.

Having never been attacked or besieged here for centuries, few people were prepared for such a siege.

The garrison's food supplies were already running out, let alone the millions of civilians in the city.

The price of grain has been driven up to ten thousand coins, making it as valuable as gold and silver.

The wealthy people of the capital began to truly understand the real nature of this era, and despair and fear began to spread throughout the city.

The tightly closed city gates were like a cage that sealed off hope.

Everyone will die here.

Tree bark, grass roots, rats, leather... these things have all made it onto the dinner table.

Chaos breaks out in the city from time to time. Three groups of people have already caused riots and stormed the granary. The entire families of these people have been strangled.

As for the corpse...

This capital city, which has stood for hundreds of years, is on the verge of collapse.

In the court of Chen,

The civil and military officials looked ashen-faced, raising their heads to look at the emperor sitting high on the throne, speechless for a moment.

The privileged class is always better off than ordinary people; they don't yet have the problem of not having enough food.

But when will this end?
Sticking to it for a month is fine, but what about three months? Or a year or two?

The sight of hundreds of thousands of people outside the city was terrifying, and there was absolutely no hope of victory.

The spirits His Majesty worshipped appeared only once before falling silent.

The ruling structure has also developed problems, and the people who are starving are easily prone to mutiny.

Beset by internal and external troubles.

If the two sides remain deadlocked, Yueyang will perish sooner or later.

Like a frog being slowly boiled in water, no one can see a viable future.

Someone opened their mouth and said, "Your Majesty, perhaps... we should surrender."

Dong Zhenghong was probably at his most brilliant when he was assisting Xiao Anhong.

The new emperor was not wise, but as the regent, he was in charge of all affairs of the country, working hard day and night, and could be considered a wise ruler.

When he seized power, he actually came back to life.

In just one short year, the once glorious Qian Yuan dynasty has been ruined and is now on the verge of destruction.

However, people always tend to attribute the cause of misfortune to an obvious point of conflict, while ignoring their own problems.

Even if Dong Zhenghong were normal, it wouldn't have changed his current fate.

The old country is corrupt; it's simply an inevitable trend.

Often, all it takes to trigger an avalanche is a single snowflake.

Every single one of you here is a bloodsucker, draining the country dry. No wonder it crumbles at the slightest touch.

"Um?!"

"surrender?"

Dong Zhenghong has also changed a lot in the past year.

His face was deathly pale, and he exuded an eerie aura as he looked down at his ministers: "You dare to say that?"

"You have surrendered! What about me? Do you want me to be chopped into mincemeat by those hundreds of thousands of troops outside the city?"

He has gone crazy.

Perhaps he's already gone mad.

The high throne seemed like a castle in the air, about to vanish in an instant.

What are those worshipped spirits thinking?
Unpredictable!

All paths have been exhausted!
He could only pray for a miracle, he could only pray for perseverance, he could pray to the gods...

He now lives in the Tongyou Palace, and even when he sleeps, he maintains a bowing posture, praying that the ghosts and gods can save him.

"No surrender!"

"The Blood-Clad Army attacked the city a month ago, but was utterly defeated by our army!"

"What are you afraid of?!"

"Yueyang City has high walls and thick walls; they can't break through!"

As Dong Zhenghong spoke, it was unclear whether he was addressing the assembled officials or speaking to himself.

Seeing Dong Zhenghong's resolute decision, the civil and military officials below seemed to grit their teeth, exchange glances, and make a decision.

"on!"

The eunuch beside Dong Zhenghong suddenly lunged at him, and several guards rushed in.

"Everyone!"

"Capture the tyrannical ruler, surrender the city, and only then will we have a chance to survive!"

The ministers roared and charged toward Dong Zhenghong.

Rather than waiting to die in Yueyang City, they should capture Dong Zhenghong and surrender the city; perhaps there would still be a glimmer of hope.

He was usually heavily guarded, and the Tongyou Palace was off-limits to strangers.

The best opportunity is only during the time of attending court now.

In an instant, the entire court was thrown into chaos.

only……

"Crack!"

A crisp sound of the neck bone cracking suddenly rang out.

The pale-faced old man's eyes gleamed with a cold light, and his bony hands easily crushed the neck of the eunuch who had just attacked him.

Dong Zhenghong looked at these people who had betrayed him, his expression growing increasingly cold.

"Puch!"

Ghostly figures mingled, and blood splattered.

The head was thrown high into the sky.

In the blink of an eye, several ministers who shouted loudly and caused chaos were killed on the spot.

Blood stained the court, and the entire hall fell silent once again.

This is the most frustrating part.

Dong Zhenghong, though he was not dead and could not defeat the Blood-Clad Army outside, could easily control these ministers, who were powerless to resist.

He could only drag her along with him, towards that unseen future.

“These people intended to assassinate and commit violence, offending Your Majesty. Their entire family shall be executed as a warning to others.”

Dong Zhenghong glanced at the bloodstains all over his body, uttered a cold remark, and walked into the inner room.

The court officials looked at each other, but remained silent.

Despair breeds, and they can no longer see the way forward.

……

"Tong Wuchang! You lied to me! Show yourself here!!!"

"Why?!"

"Why?!"

"Why do these people rebel against me?!"

"Why haven't those ghosts and gods made a move yet?!"

"Why is Wang Huai still alive?!"

"Hehe, hahaha... What should I do?"

"What should I do? What should I do?"

"Historians, kill them all first!"

Upon entering the inner room, Dong Zhenghong collapsed to the ground.

A surge of tension and fear welled up in his chest. He rolled on the ground, grinning and shouting.

Her pale face was half crying and half laughing.

"Hehehe... Hahahaha..."

Mian Liu fell to the ground because of his tumbling. The king who ruled the world was now disheveled and looked like a madman.

His face, wrinkled like an old orange peel, was marred by three bloody scratches. He frantically scratched his scalp and bit his fingers, while yellow fluid seeped from beneath his noble dragon robe.

The whole world is against him!
(End of this chapter)