"The black liquid I vomited was apparently dead blood mixed with Turgen's poison, right?"
Silvery moonlight shone dimly, accompanied by millions of stars twirling and dancing along the sky in various patterns. Zhu Su and the emperor were taking a leisure walk in the grassland area at the foot of Mount Laojun while enjoying the beauty of the night. Emperor had been fully recovered this time. He could rise out of the bed, and his movement was very agile, as if he never suffered any pains before. As for Liu Ku, he received an eminent title - the position as Changshi (Royal Secretary) of Zhou Fan Wang Guo, officially became Zhu Su's assistant. When he received the grant, Liu Ku to put on his common-style cool face again, and said, "Your Highness, last time you said that you will just concentrate on helping people and would never do any killing. Just a few hours passed and you have broken your words. What I've said is correct, then? You are a prince, your mindset won't be like a commoner even though you want to... but I have guessed it from the beginning." He laughed sarcastically.
"I thought you've terminated the lives of the Emperor, if that's the case, then you must endure the sentence according to the law of nation! And as for my statement, I won't do killing to get the power out of my ownership!" Zhu Su answered furiously as finding Liu Ku, despite being happy and complimented, now returned to his conceited manner as before. Huh, this kid has come back to his original figure. I just think that threats can make him at least a little more modest. But evidently, if it has been his nature, it will keep unchanged at any cost!
Keeping on smiling wryly, Liu Ku answered, "Still the same. Whatever kind of reason you use, you still do the killing. If a king kills a traitor to the country, does it mean we may say that he doesn't do killing? And more. What is the definition of a traitor to the country? If a king dislikes someone, kills him, then labels him as a traitor to the country, is he really a traitor? No. Perhaps it is the "traitor" who is right, and it is the king who is wrong. But because he is the king, then the perception of right and wrong gets reversed. The wrong becomes right, and the right becomes wrong." A moment later, smile disappeared from his face. Liu Ku looked into Zhu Su's eyes, very seriously. "Think about my words carefully, Your Highness. Because later, you will have to deal with this big dilemma."
"It's true, Fu Huang. According to Liu Ku, Poison of Sun Desert will produce Heat at an extremely high level, and to reduce it, the extreme Cold Energy is needed - in this case, the venom of scorpion. The Extreme Yang can only be balanced with the Extreme Yin. At that time Heat blocked the blood system and almost closed all of your senses. The blocked blood became stagnant, then turned into dead blood. And as soon as it was pulled out, your senses can fully open and you regain your vigor." Zhu Su explained in much detail to the emperor. He tried not to worry with Liu Ku's "prophecy" that made his heart uneasy. Moreover, Mu Ying's army won an absolute win against Xie Wang. Mu Ying even managed to break into Xie Wang's headquarters, unfortunately, Xie Wang and Rumilie were uncaught since they attempted to flee. But the definite proof of Lan Yu's betrayal had been found. Later, after turning back to Yingtian, the emperor would punish Lan Yu - it was indeed the event that would eventually be known in the history of Ming Dynasty as "The Lan Yu Case", dragging so many victims as tens of thousands people had to undergo mass executions.
Xie Wang's influence in Yunnan had also been fully destructed. The whole Yunnan people were truly pro-Ming, no any sort of pro-Yuan or wanting to found the Kingdom of Dali anymore. On this pleasant day, Zhu Su did not want to worry about the issues that were still only probabilities.
And above all, his father had changed his mind about him.
"Boy, I heard that you have created the Team of Wellbeing to treat the sick Yunnan people, as well as to educate them with health knowledge, is it true?" The emperor's question was accompanied by the chirping crickets.
"True, Fu Huang."
"You are a very tough boy. I think you will immerse yourself in blissful life here but it turns out... you have been doing something very great, very noble..."
"Many thanks for your appreciation, Fu Huang. I'm just trying, it's still yet to succeed," Zhu Su humbled.
"I also find that you get much respect from Yunnan people. You have won their hearts, which is very vital to be possessed by a leader... It turns out that your hobby can help you become a good leader."
Zhu Su smiled as he nodded respectfully. He thought happily, Fu Huang has been praising me all this time... is this a good augury? Does... it means that he has changed his opinion on me? He doesn't suspect me anymore?...
The emperor looked up, staring at the three-quarter-round moon hanging on the sky.
"Do you know that old saying? That the leader of a country, is different from an ordinary father?"
Unexpecting that the emperor would ask him such that question, Zhu Su got confused, did not know how to answer. Not because he did not know the answer, but because he did not know what would happen if his father was not happy with the answer. Finally, he decided to remain silent.
Emperor continued, "An ordinary father, only needs to take responsibility for his family, which consists only of his wife and children. The duty of an ordinary father is only to make his wife and children happy. The leader of the country is different. He should let his wife and children happy, and besides, he should let his whole people happy as well, and gives prosperity to his country. These are two kinds of contrary responsibilities. Two kinds of responsibilities that can collide with each other."
Silence again. Zhu Su still chose to keep quiet.
"Those two responsibilities colliding each other often forces us to make sacrifices. We must choose between one and the other. Is it family, or country? And that is... a very difficult choice, you know?... Maybe our choice is right, maybe it is wrong, but still, the point is, we must make our choice."
Zhu Su felt his hope soon receded. He seemingly knew what actually his father meant by saying so.
He surely wants to say that I should sacrifice myself for the sake of the whole country... maybe, I will spend the rest of my life as an outcast...