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In the seventeenth year of Emperor Hongchang.
Summer.
A special prisoner arrived at the Sky Prison.
No one escorted him, and no one dared to escort him; he walked into the cell on his own.
Li Wu!
The Sky Prison was built on the foundation of the former dynasty's prison by Fengyang Country, with a history tracing back a thousand years. It had confined countless nobles and royals and today, it welcomed the second Innate Grandmaster as its inmate.
The guards combined wouldn't have been enough for Li Wu to slaughter!
"It's truly beyond expectation..."
Zhou Yi prided himself on understanding Fengyang Country's big picture from an observer's perspective but he couldn't fathom human hearts.
"Bring the meal box, I will deliver it personally."
"Master Zhou, you've worked hard."
The prison guard in charge of delivering meals now was Zhang Yun, the grandson of Zhang Zhou whose son Zhang Jin had died at the hands of thieves within two years of serving in the Sky Prison.
Zhou Yi, bearing in mind an old favor, recruited Zhang Yun into the Sky Prison after he came of age last year.
Cell number Bing Nine.
Li Wu was meditating with his eyes closed when he suddenly sensed a dangerous aura and opened his eyes to see the approaching prison guard.
"Who are you?"
"Just a Nameless prison guard."
Zhou Yi replied telepathically, unlocked the cell door, took fine wine and exquisite dishes from the meal box, and laid them out on the table one by one.
After fifteen years, he finally saw up close the renowned Great General and Martial Arts Grandmaster, whose name was known across the land!
It wasn't that there hadn't been opportunities before, but Zhou Yi, who always played it safe, did not wish to approach such a personage without being sure of his safety, lest any accident occur.
For instance, those seeking revenge on Li Wu were surely martial arts experts themselves; their battles could easily result in collateral damage to bystanders.
"Li never believed there were true masters among the common folk, after all, life is short. Who could reach the summit of achievement and yet obscure their name in solitude?"
Admiration filled Li Wu's eyes as he also used the Telepathic Secret Technique, "It is only today that I realize such extraordinary individuals truly exist in this world, and I find myself humbled!"
"The General is too kind."
Zhou Yi voiced the question on his mind, "General, why did you enter the Sky Prison today?"
Li Wu said, "Back then, Li Xiong let his troops wreak havoc, slaughtering thousands of civilians. As his military commander, I'm guilty of neglect. As a clansman, I bear the guilt of failing to supervise him."
"The General jests. Everyone in Fengyang Country knows how strict you are with your family."
Zhou Yi said, "I've been here in the Sky Prison for several decades, and members of other families come and go all the time. Yet from the Li family, only Li Xiong has emerged."
Furthermore, Li Xiong's misdeeds were not significantly related to Li Wu, and his act of sacrificing his kin also provided an explanation to the people.
Li Wu shook his head, "That's merely the duty of an official. It's not worth mentioning."
"The General knows what I want to ask..."
Zhou Yi got straight to the point, "Why didn't you follow Long Ni's path?"
Li Wu replied, "If he's a traitor, how could I stoop to his level?"
"Had it not been for the General, perhaps it wouldn't have been Long Ni, but... Emperor Taizu Long?"
Zhou Yi, who had witnessed Emperor Chongming's reign, knew the Dog Emperor had long lost the people's trust; after Long successfully rebelled in the capital, he could have easily secured the throne.
"Long Ni's rebellion was confined to the Divine Capital, resulting in over sixty thousand casualties. If Li was disloyal, regardless of victory or defeat, it would have been a massive upheaval involving all the provinces."
Li Wu murmured, "The National Dynasty has only just seen a few years of peace. I cannot, for my own selfishness, cause suffering to the people!"
Zhou Yi fell silent for a moment, "The General could have resigned and retired."
An Innate Grandmaster does not crave power; the Imperial Court would not deliberately trouble one, and if pushed too hard, the Grandmaster could simply storm the Royal Palace!
Li Wu said, "I am well aware that my merits are a threat to the sovereign. As long as I live, the National Dynasty will not be at peace. The late Emperor owed me a great debt, and with his dying breath earnestly entrusted me to prioritize the welfare of the people of the National Dynasty above all else!"
That Dog Emperor only taught others, when did he himself ever care for the people of the National Dynasty?
Zhou Yi saw Li Wu's mention of Emperor Chongming and the loyalty on his face, refraining from cursing blatantly.
"Is everything settled at the general's home?"
Li Wu nodded and said, "His Majesty promised that as long as Li serves the country with absolute loyalty, the Li family will rest with the nation!"
To die was to serve the country with absolute loyalty!
Do you believe that promise?
Zhou Yi ultimately did not ask this question. Li Wu might or might not believe it, but in fact, he had already made his choice.
One was the unwillingness to start a war again, and the other was to repay Emperor Chongming for his kindness.
"No matter why Li Wu imprisoned himself, in the end, it resolved the strife."
Zhou Yi knew that if he were in Li Wu's position, he definitely couldn't do the same. Most likely, upon receiving a military order from the Ministry of War in five years, he would directly lead the Northern Border troops back to Divine Capital to remonstrate with arms.
As for how many would die in an armed remonstration, Zhou Yi didn't care. After all, I and my family cannot die!
How many people in this world are willing to sacrifice their lives and power for strangers they do not know?
People like Li Wu would probably be scorned as foolishly loyal by later generations when looking back at history.
"Li Wu was a natural-born hero, strict with himself and his family; it's just a pity... when the Li family goes to jail, take good care of them."
Zhou Yi was never shy about speculating on people's hearts with malice. He had previously guessed that Li Wu would rebel, but he was wrong.
Now he guessed that Emperor Hongchang, before dying, would deal with the Li family and their military influence cleanly, leaving a spotless and pure Fengyang Country for his successor.
...
The times create heroes, and heroes change the times!
Li Wu's imprisonment cleared the gloom over Divine Capital in a single day, and the previously repressed Imperial Court suddenly felt much lighter.
The officials presented petitions one after another, stating that General Li had contributed to the country and begged His Majesty to forgive his crimes.
Nobody was clear on the specific crime committed by Li Wu, but everyone knew that Li Wu couldn't live to walk out of the sky prison.
"Duke of the State is truly the pillar of the country!"
Using various extravagant praises, the officials lauded Li Wu's imprisonment, hoping to swiftly grant him posthumous honors in the imperial ancestral temple.
Yet, when speaking privately with their confidants, they scorned Li Wu as a mere crude military man who undeservedly controlled millions of troops, meeting the same fate as Long Ni!
When this news spread among the people, it caused a huge uproar!
Li Wu was ostracized by the officials of the Imperial Court, with even the Ministry of War not supporting him. However, in the eyes of the common people, he was akin to a savior sent from heaven.
At first the public sentiment was tumultuous, with many clamoring to demand an explanation from the Imperial Court.
Latterly, rumors such as "Li Wu's southern campaign, wanton massacre of the civilians," "Li Xiong plundering merchants, endorsed by Li Wu," "The death of Duke Wei, the culprit behind the scenes is Li Wu," and so on spread...
After enough mudslinging, with Jinyiwei arresting quite a few people, the public opinion quickly dissipated into nothingness.
As Li Wu said, the people of Fengyang Country had just enjoyed a few years of stability and did not want to stir up chaos again. They no longer needed a Great General who swept across the land with an awe-inspiring reputation.
In memory of Li Wu's past suppression of rebellion, building a temple and erecting a stele was sufficient...
"Those common folks think you're already dead. They build temples and erect steles for you, offering incense and worship, weeping bitterly."
Zhou Yi asked, "Do you have any regrets about your choice?"
"Mr. Zhou need not persuade me further. This decision was my own, with no relation to others. It's not about leaving a name in history; it's just that I didn't want to see many more people die!"
Li Wu picked up his chopsticks and took a bite of food, followed by a drink of wine. "Besides, there's no longer any chance for regrets."
Zhou Yi frowned slightly at these words and waved his hand, summoning the wine pot.
The wine was named Nine Fermentations Spring, a tribute from the Royal Family of Fengyang Country, nearly two hundred years old.
Originally, the wine was a clear amber red, but due to an unknown amount of powder added, it had turned a pale color.
"This poison was added a bit too excessively. A fine wine has turned into poison with a hint of alcohol!"
"The taste is still quite remarkable, a rarity in the world!"
Li Wu's expression remained natural, taking bites of food and sips of wine as though the potent poison was nonexistent.
"General, do you have any last words? I can still help with some minor matters."
Zhou Yi's nature made it hard for him to be noble, but he didn't hesitate to show respect to those who were.