These fairies want me to deal with them every day.

What situations don't require you to be soft-hearted?

What exactly did he think of that ultimately culminated in these eight inexplicable words?

"boom!!"

Flames, like shooting stars, fell to the ground one after another with the sword light, only to burn on the ground.

The air around Wei Tu was distorted, as if it was rising with the burning flames. His surroundings were now a scene of flames sweeping across the land, like a scene from purgatory.

"You're running out of energy."

"boom!"

The giant white jade tower swung its fists and smashed down on the tenacious boy.

Wei Tu raised his sword once more, but it could no longer pierce through his opponent.

Even the internal energy was fluctuating violently.

The young man in white lightly waved his folding fan, looking at Wei Tu, who seemed to be struggling to persevere.

It seemed as if the dust had already settled.

The giant hammer fell again and again, as if it wouldn't be long before it exhausted all the boy's strength, turning him into a pile of minced meat.

My will seems to be wearing away.

The energy is no longer inexhaustible.

Within the enemy's city, even the flow of one's own energy seemed restricted.

The feeling of strain was so obvious.

It even started to become disordered.

Wei Tu felt the impact again and again, and his body felt as if it could not withstand the pressure.

This is really terrible...

"boom!"

The roar still echoes in my ears.

This land is so empty...

open?

Wei Tu suddenly realized something. Why was the place so empty at this time of day?

What is being concealed at this moment?

"go to hell!"

Wei Tu practically rolled away to dodge the massive hammer blow.

The utterly disheveled boy stubbornly stood up, and instead of retaliating, he raised his arms and shouted.

"People of Jiuyang City...! Subjects of the Great Shang Dynasty...! Come out! Your emperor is right here!!"

28 The Cruelest Choice (A Long Chapter of 4,000 Words)

这一幕说实话……并不帅气。叶冰鸾甚至觉得有些荒唐。这个人……为什么会在一刻喊出这样一句话？他不觉得尴尬吗！！虽然这个少年在为了他，为了自己搏命这值得感动，这么想不合适，但是叶冰鸾却控制不住。只是让叶冰鸾没有想到的是坐在白玉巨塔上白衣公子陡然瞪大眼神，连折扇都忘了摇，气急败坏的像个孩子一样在巨塔上跳脚。“住嘴！你给我住嘴！！杀了他！给我杀了他！！”巨塔展现出了和体型完全不同的敏捷，身形迅速的朝着魏荼靠去。而少年就像是滑稽的猴子，一边大喊大叫，一边直接放弃了反击尽力的躲避。于是叶冰鸾看到了一个又有一个之前让自己选择生死的臣民一个又一个的出现在街道上，他们仿佛是从虚无中走来，又不知道该去向何方，他们只是如幽魂一样行走在满是危险的大街上。叶冰鸾不知道他要做什么，但是此时此刻她能选择的就是完全的信任。没有出路的出路，就是走到死路也不会回头的那条路。已经有人替自己做出选择。在很短暂的时间里，魏荼呼唤了所有的人群，那些人群没有灵魂的出现。那白玉的巨人仿佛什么也不顾的要将一切摧毁。可是这些被摧毁的人会站起来。被破碎了身躯的人会重合。“你为什么急了？你急了是吧？”魏荼喘着粗气，虽然情况似乎还是不好，谈不上转折，但是他的脸上那种自信的平静又再次出现。而气急败坏的白衣公子愤怒的咆哮。“你知道什么！？你什么都不知道！别装模作样了！你不可能知道！不可能知道！！”魏荼却笑着回答。“我当然知道啊……你这不是法阵，就是组合了巫蛊的祭祀仪式……你将所有人困在这里……为的就是祭炼，祭炼这些人，祭炼大商的皇帝，祭炼大商的气运。”白衣公子愤怒的指着魏荼。“就算如此又如何！”“如果我没有猜错，虽然我还没有去过大商的皇都，但是估计现在整个皇都也在你们主人的祭炼计划之中。”“哈哈哈哈！感到绝望了？没错！整个大商的气运都将被祭炼！都将被我的主人祭炼成囊中之物！他们会释放最凶悍的凶手，巫神的光辉将再一次降临这个世间！”叶冰鸾身子微微颤抖起来。不是害怕，而是愤怒，极致的愤怒。“你们知道……这要死多少人么？你们怎么可以将这么多人的性命付之一炬？”白衣公子冷笑起来。“死多少人以为我们在乎？每年你们国家之间的战争不还是要死人？反正总是要死的！不如祭炼了！正好也用得上，你们都会死！实话告诉你，什么破女帝，主人们压根就不在乎你做什么选择，反正都会死！都会成为解除商雀君锁链的养分！”叶冰鸾不知道如何回答，只是生平第一次这么厌恶超脱于皇权之外的这些人。什么仙人，什么巫蛊……她无比的讨厌。可是现在的她似乎什么也做不到，只能看着自己的臣民被祭炼，遥远的皇都，有更多的人在水火之中她却无能为力。这或许不是她本该承受的责任。只是身为大商的一部分……应该为这一刻感到耻辱。就在这一刻。魏荼的声音在不远方响起。“他在撒谎。”叶冰鸾愣了愣，白衣公子却愤怒起来。“我没有撒谎！我没有！！”叶冰鸾不解的看向魏荼，实在是想不到到了这个时候，这个少年还有什么手段能反转这一切。而魏荼却说。“你的选择对他们而言十分的重要，甚至决定了这个祭炼的过程会不会终止。”“胡说八道！胡说八道！！杀了他！杀了他！”如果说魏荼的话有些似是而非，而这白衣公子的举动和反应却让叶冰鸾看到了一个希望。魏荼再次躲过这白玉巨人的攻击，然后微微喘着粗气道。“叶冰鸾！还记得赵浩然说的不要心软吗？！”“我……我记得！”“这就是破局的关键！他不是让我不要心软，而是让你不要心软！”“我？”叶冰鸾觉得自己不是一个心软的人，至少很多事情上她可以说的上杀伐果断，上位之初对于身边的一些残党她的肃清行为可谓是雷厉风行。尽管那只是很短暂的一段时间，但是没有人认为她会心软。“你想想看！你会对什么而心软？”叶冰鸾努力的思考，看着那个在烟尘之中模糊又清晰的身影，却想不出答案。“我不知道！我怎么会心软？！我不曾心软！”而魏荼微微的回头看了一眼叶冰鸾，两者的眼神碰撞在一起。“不，你有心软的时刻，最心软的时刻就是在这九阳城中。”看着对方的眼神，感受不到一点旖旎。她甚至预料到了什么，眼眸出现了一丝恐惧。魏荼继续看着她说。“你还记得你对我说过么？你最不希望的事情……就是你最心软的事情。”叶冰鸾呆呆的看着魏荼。也看到了那些没有意识，仿佛如幽魂一般的九阳城子民朝着自己围聚过来。她握剑的手却在颤抖。自己对他说过……自己最不希望的就是这些子民因为自己而死……心软……不要心软……最不希望……叶冰鸾几乎要崩溃。没有因为伤痛而流泪，没有因为痛苦而放弃的少女此时却几乎昏迷。她的眼眶红起来，几乎是带着哭腔咆哮。“怎么可能！这怎么可能！”“事实就是这样……”“不可能！他们明明……明明还用鞭子抽打我，就是为了让我……！”魏荼喘着粗气看着叶冰鸾，他叹息了一声。在叶冰鸾的耳中，这叹息却是如此的残酷。他说。“抽打你，就是为了让你相信这件事情对他们有利，否则他们不敢担保会不会有更多赵浩然这样的人出现，愿意为了告诉你其中的关键而自己甘心去死。所以死亡就是最真实的真相，他们抽打你唯一的意义就是让你不敢杀他们！打你打得越狠，你就越是不会去想到要对你的子民下手！”白衣公子脸上的苍白更浓了。而天上血色的云层中的那双眼睛竟然是紧紧的眯起，他没有说话，他只是看着这一切。他看着那个已经身处崩溃边缘的少女。叶冰鸾听着这几乎让自己振聋发聩的话语，脑袋却不自主的摇晃起来。她喃喃自语，已经是失魂落魄，眼泪无意识的掉落，沾湿浸透鞋面。“不……这不对，这不可能，这不可能……”这一切……看似让自己杀了自己的臣民是他们的目的……却实则是他们最不想看到的事情……为什么会诡异到这个程度？他们明明要的是……“不对！他们这么做怎么会得到怨念，我怎么会失去人心？！这个逻辑不对吧！”魏荼却摇摇头，她还不相信，却不代表魏荼没有想到。“这些人擅长操控人心……因为这些百姓都是你的子民，你做出什么选择他们或许开始会有怨言，但是知道你的处境只会理解。而在他们知道真相你却不知道的情况下事情就会完全的相反。他们会因为什么对你产生怨念呢？要我说的更清楚么，叶冰鸾，这就是真相！”人民会对一个被迫做出无奈选择的皇帝产生怨念么？会失去人心么？不会啊……有无数的士兵抛头颅洒热血就是为了保护家国。为何国家去死，为了君王去死。他们只会更加的骁勇。但是他们一定会对犹豫不决，优柔寡断，因为心底的仁慈而连国家都失去，死了更多人的‘软弱皇帝’而怨愤。太平盛世的君王或许会因为仁慈得到称赞，但是在这种危机四伏，甚至国家将要倾覆，子民都将毁于一旦的时刻，还在仁慈的皇帝……才有怨恨。没错……他说的就是真相。当魏荼看到了叶冰鸾那泪水满溢的美眸之时他知道，她已经想明白了一切。“如果按照他们开始的计划，那么就是你一直这么拖下去，越来越坚定自己不能杀一个子民的意志，但是你的子民会对你越来越失望，民心不断的沦丧。直到耗尽你们商国的气运，顺理成章的将他们都炼化，你也会被炼化。只是现在我告诉了你这一切，选择权就在你的手上。”叶冰鸾呆滞着，仿佛失去了所有的力气，她的身形摇摇欲坠。魏荼继续说，他现在只能继续说。“谁都无法代替你去做这件事情！你也看到了，客栈里的小二……还是任何一个谁，我都不能杀了他们，因为他们不会因我而死，因为他们是你的子民，你是他们的君！叶冰鸾！你要用你的剑，亲手杀了他们，这样才有一线生机，你才能去救更多的人，甚至是你的国家！”叶冰鸾抬起头，失神的看着这些围聚过来的自己的子民。这次她从他们的眼神里看到了不同的东西，是渴望，是希望，是迫切的催促。没错……他们也希望自己杀了他们。或许是给了他们结果，或许能让自己有机会拯救整个商国。但是……一个合格的君王，怎么能把剑锋指向自己的臣民？“我是他们的君……我是大商的君，他们是大商的民，我怎么能……我怎么能……他们会死的吧？会吧？”魏荼看着少女眼中残存的侥幸。他叹了口气。“我必须诚实的说，我不知道你杀死了他们之后，他们有没有活过来的机会。我并非全知全能，我只知道这是我们现在都希望的，你的子民都希望着他们的君能在这个时候展现出一个合格君王的气魄。”“合格的君王就是对自己的臣民挥下屠刀吗！！”叶冰鸾几乎声嘶力竭，没有想到兜兜转转过来还是这样的局面，一开始的选择就是最后的选择。魏荼反倒是平静下来，没有气急败坏，也没有希望得到生机的那种歇斯底里。“或许你会觉得这一切不该是你来承担的，或许你会觉得一开始这个位置要做这个选择的人就不是你。但是叶冰鸾，这就是最好的选择，这就是最后的选择了。你的选择将会决定你的国家是毁灭还是尚存生机，会决定你的先祖们创造出来的江山社稷以及大商这个名字还能否存在。你的决定……是成全，还是辜负这群愿意为你付出一切的子民。你要放弃仁慈，你必须带着希望。”而在白玉巨人上的白衣公子似乎看出来了这个少女此时的犹豫和动摇。立马冷笑着说。“我不会告诉你这一切是真是假，但是我可以告诉你的是，只有你能杀死这些人，他们死了，就是真的死了，神仙来了都救不活。看看吧，这些人都是你的子民啊，之前你被那么鞭挞都不愿意杀，现在为了自己的生死就要杀了自己的臣民？你可真是个好皇帝啊！哈哈哈哈！你的确是最好的皇帝！因为历史上从来没有一个人间的帝王挥刀赐死一整个城池的子民！没有！杀了他们你就可以完成壮举啦！你肯定能名留青史！让我帮你想想后来的史书会如何记载你？啊~是这样的，大商唯一的女帝叶冰鸾！继承先帝遗志！屠杀一城的无辜百姓，终于苟延残喘下来！啊~她一己之力扭转了举国将要倾覆的局面，她成为了一代明君！哈哈哈哈……明君？你觉得你是明君吗？不！人们只会知道你是一个暴君！你是一个要对自己的子民残忍杀戮的暴君！看看他们的脸吧！在你杀死他们之前！喔不不不不……你看有什么用呢？你会记得他们吗？你会像是为了你们的父辈祖辈修建陵墓那样为他们立碑吗？承认吧，在你的心里，他们就是蝼蚁一般无用的存在！人本来就是自私的嘛！但是他们的后辈都会记得你的，大地上的其他百姓也会记得你的！知道你是怎样一个残暴的君主！你所谓的大商还是会失去所有的民心，会荡然无存，这是死局，哪怕他说的是真的也是死局，真正的死局，哈哈哈哈……”笑声猖狂的回荡。而叶冰鸾几乎眼泪弥漫了眼前的一切，她仿佛什么都看不清，手中的剑都快握不稳。她几乎要放弃一切，连自己活下去的意念都要放弃。最后的希望或者说执念是她看了一眼遥远的少年。喘着粗气，发丝在风中飘扬的他凝望自己。他什么也没有说。他只是闭着眼睛。然后叶冰鸾叹了口气。手指松了一下。白玉巨人肩膀上的白衣公子眼中的笑容越来越灿烂，然后……戛然而止。因为他看到了那个方向。在剑柄即将离开了她的手指的一瞬间，她握住剑。她举起剑。高高的举起。就对着身边最近的一个伸长了脖子的男子挥砍而去。“唰……”鲜血喷洒在她艳丽的脸庞上，如此的妖艳。几乎是下一瞬间，这白玉巨人脸上的石碑赫然出现一个名字。而那白衣公子却瞬间痛苦的捂住脸庞。“啊啊啊！！住手！住手啊！！”叶冰鸾睁开几乎被鲜血覆盖的眼睛，正好看到了他的头颅滚到了自己的脚边，他看着自己，眼里露出了释然的笑。他张开嘴说。“您终于做到了……陛下。”PS：这章将近四千五百字~~其实本来写到了五千字的，但是还是删减了一些觉得拖沓的部分，这个节奏应该是刚好。也应该没有遗漏细节和伏笔。对于其中的一些我的概念有不同意见得也不用太纠结，人心是极其复杂的，我也不能窥见全貌。

29. Either a lament or a hymn (Bonus chapter 7 for monthly votes!)

There was no sun on the horizon, yet the sky was already as red as blood.

Tears streamed down the girl's face, hot and almost tearing her heart apart.

When one person falls, another will appear before her, stretching out their neck as if to be slaughtered.

But the expressions on the faces of every fallen citizen were so gratified, as if they had received the best relief in the world.

But the relief they received was a scar on the hearts of the young emperor and the young girl.

The more determined she was in gripping the sword, the more agonizing her inner pain became.

She simply chose a different path.

The shift from benevolent rule to hegemonic rule can happen in an instant. People rarely make choices proactively when they are not under pressure, but once a choice is presented, it's like a gecko shedding its tail—it causes a deep and lasting pain.

Wei Tu raised his head.

As one person fell, the young man in white appeared to be in great pain.

The crimson eyes that could not interfere with the scene from within the clouds gradually faded, but just before they disappeared, they took a deep look at the boy.

"Stop...stop! Stop! Damn it!!"

The young man in white, like everyone driven mad by desperation, charged frantically toward Ye Bingluan, seemingly determined to resolve everything with his own power.

Only when the boy took a step and stood right in front of him did he realize that the appearance of a person could indeed be as exaggerated as a mountain range.

"Get out of the way! Get out of the way!! You're a demon who aids and abets evil! Do you know what you've done to her?! You monster!"

It seems that the young man in white has become the victim.

Wei Tu just stared at him, showing no interest in even speaking to him.

But behind Wei Tu came the girl's voice, which sounded as if she had lost all hope.

"This is my own choice, and it has nothing to do with anyone else."

Wei Tu knew how the girl was feeling, but what could he do? Sometimes choices are just that cruel, regardless of whether you are human or immortal.

The slaughter seemed to continue.

The white jade giant had already launched a final, desperate attack on Wei Tu.

However, while attacking Wei Tu, Wei Tu could also clearly feel that as more and more names appeared on the white jade giant's face, the blood beneath its feet was about to converge into a river, and the opponent's power was constantly weakening.

The blood-red hue of the sky gradually faded.

Wei Tu knew that the sacrificial refining was about to stop.

"This cruelty is the truth..."

He swung his sword and severed the white jade giant's arm once again.

"boom!!"

White Gate Tower knelt on the ground.

The white-robed young man's pale face was now unrecognizable.

His breath grew weaker and weaker, and his figure appeared smaller and smaller.

Until they could no longer move, all they could do was wail in agony.

So Wei Tu ignored the other party and looked behind him at Ye Bingluan, who was still wielding her sword against her subjects, looking like one of those who had lost all their luster and was about to become a walking corpse.

He knew that anything he said at that moment would be of no use.

So all he could do was keep supplying energy to the girl so that she wouldn't collapse from exhaustion.

The world seemed to be filled with such a cruel scene: a beautiful and incomparable young girl, who was clearly a queen, was slashing her subjects with her sword.

Killing someone may seem like a simple matter, but Wei Tu also knows that for Ye Bingluan, such killings are like destroying her world time and time again.

Perhaps our concept of a monarch and our understanding of the world are constantly changing.

But this is an inevitable process; Wei Tu had already answered Ye Bingluan's question before.

She asked: Why her of all people?

Wei Tu could only reply: Because I chose you.

There is no necessary connection, no inevitable relationship; it is merely a choice made by fate, just like myself in my previous life.

Similar circumstances, similar despair.

But she couldn't give up yet; she had to keep going.

The girl, whose dress was stained with blood, looked ashen and seemed to be numb as she continued to swing her sword.

One after another, ordinary people would automatically walk to her sword, and she wouldn't even need to move her position, which was ironic.

Ye Bingluan's voice trembled slightly as she spoke, her back to the boy.

"Even among you immortals, such a thing is unprecedented, isn't it?"

Wei Tu was channeling his internal energy.

Respond calmly to the other party.

"It is indeed unprecedented, but don't overthink it. You only have two paths in front of you: live or die. There is no wrong choice."

"But it was still wrong."

The girl looked somewhat sad.

There are very few people left, and it seems they will soon be free from their suffering.

Wei Tu shook his head.

"There is no right or wrong. What's done is done. If you want to repent, you have to wait until this matter is completely over."

The boy's calm words, devoid of grand pronouncements, seemed to give Ye Bingluan all the strength to keep going.

When the last man fell.

The white-robed young man on the ground began to evaporate.

Smoke began to rise from his entire body. He struggled to look at the two people in front of him, but in the end, like most things in this world, he left nothing behind, not even a sound.

It turned into a piece of white jade, losing all its vitality.

Meanwhile.

"Ding-dong."

The longsword, which was almost completely dulled, finally gave way and fell from the girl's hand.