Chapter 171: Chapter 150: Uproot the Tree and Set Out

"That’s about it."

More than ten days later, Du Chengfeng returned to Yizhou on horseback and briefly recounted his previous experiences with Liu Bolun.

"Anyway, I expect a lot of experts will come looking for trouble with me... I need to prepare for battle first, and be in good condition when it happens."

"...Wait a minute?"

Liu Bolun, clutching a wine jug, was dumbfounded.

The news was so shocking that he was startled sober.

It made no sense, truly made no sense. Although he always sighed about the downfall of the great Chen, he never genuinely thought it could actually end — especially with someone he knew seriously telling him they’d gone out a few days ago and killed the emperor, it had made him wonder if he still wasn’t fully awake.

"Is it fake?"

Liu Bolun slapped his own head hard, still unable to believe that such a ludicrous thing could be true.

"Didn’t you say you weren’t rebelling? Weren’t you conflicted before..."

"I’ve come around."

At this moment, Du Chengfeng’s face was filled with calmness.

"As for the question of rebellion... Forget it, let me tell you a story about a big tree."

Saying this, Du Chengfeng simply sat down on an empty jar and began to tell the story.

Long ago, there was a big tree standing by the roadside. Because it grew tall, people stopped beneath it to take shelter from the rain. Over time, there was a community around the tree. People created a settlement to live in, ate the fruit that fell from the tree, and gathered fallen branches and leaves for firewood. Leaning on this tree, they lived quite well.

Then, one day, the tree fell.

Whether it was chopped down, struck by lightning, or simply due to old age — anyway, the big tree fell. Initially, people felt it was nothing, since their lives had improved and they no longer needed the tree to live. But soon, without the firewood and fruits the tree provided, they returned to their barren beginnings.

So, to survive, these people left, and the road reverted to its old desolation.

"...So what is the point of your story?"

Liu Bolun was confused by the tale, looking at Du Chengfeng with bewilderment.

While Du Chengfeng’s previous tree stories had some logic, this one made no sense at all. It lacked a head and tail, and he couldn’t understand what it meant at all.

"If you ask me like that, I also don’t know what to say."

Du Chengfeng scratched his head, trying to organize his thoughts.

This kind of thing is hard to summarize since it’s not the parable that Liu Bolun mentioned; it’s just a very normal thing. The tree will always grow on, someone will always discover it, a tree will eventually fall, and people will always leave — from a long-term perspective, these are things that will inevitably happen.

A tree has its way of life, and people have theirs. Perhaps they lived together briefly at one point, but ultimately, they’ll only live their own lives.

"Maybe it’s like life will always find a way."

After thinking for a long time, Du Chengfeng could only offer this sentence.

"Just like when I killed the emperor, this matter has always been my own."

"This you..."

For a moment, Liu Bolun was stunned.

He probably understood Du Chengfeng’s thoughts.

Like the story’s inexplicable tree — appearing out of nowhere by the roadside and disappearing reluctantly — from beginning to end, the tree lived its own life, never needing to care about others.

Instead, it was the people gathered under the tree who chose to stay there, attracted by the benefits the tree brought.

But what did their lives have to do with the tree?

The tree need not be responsible for the lives beneath it, just as the people beneath need not care about the tree’s own thoughts. As lives under the same sky, they need to find their own paths.

"Is this what you’ve come to understand these past few days?"

Liu Bolun’s eyes started to become vacant.

"Heaven’s path has constancy?"

"...Who would understand what you’re saying?"

This time, it was Du Chengfeng’s turn to be confused; he simply wasn’t used to Liu Bolun’s way of speaking in metaphors.

"Anyway, what I mean is, if the city folk want to rebel, that’s their own business. I don’t know them, nor am I their father, so why should I care about their lives?"

At this point, Du Chengfeng shook his head again.

"Of course, if my usual breakfast stall gets smashed, that would make me upset, and someone should definitely be accountable for me missing my breakfast."

"..."

Hearing Du Chengfeng say this, the previously lost-in-thought Liu Bolun snapped back to reality.

Startled, he had thought Du Chengfeng had really grasped some profound truth. But hearing these familiar incoherent words, he realized that the Du Chengfeng before him was still the same unambitious person as before.

This kind of person would probably never have anything to do with understanding the Tao.

But just at this moment, Du Chengfeng suddenly raised his head.

"Someone’s coming."

"Who?"

Liu Bolun turned his head sharply, only then noticing that sometime earlier, an elderly man with a full white beard appeared at the doorway.

The rich robe on the old man clearly indicated he was from the court. Judging by the old man’s steady and dignified demeanor... it’s probably a master sent from the palace!

"So you’re here to assassinate me?"

Du Chengfeng was already excited, holding his weapon in hand.

"Alright then, since you’ve come, check out my great halberd!"

"Oh, listen to what you’re saying."

Facing Du Chengfeng who raised his halberd, the old man did not show any intention of fighting; instead, his old face broke into a chrysanthemum-like smile.

"How could our family possibly fight with you?"

"...Ah?"

Du Chengfeng and Liu Bolun exchanged a glance, both a bit confused.

"I’ve already killed the emperor, shouldn’t you..."

"Well done!"

Before Du Chengfeng could finish, the palace elder clapped his hands.

"That treacherous minister deceived His Majesty, seized power, and everyone ought to execute him! Brave warrior, you killed the false emperor, setting things right and restoring order in court!"

Saying this, the palace elder came closer, warmly grasping Du Chengfeng’s hand.

"His Majesty wants to reward you, so how could our family dare to fight with you?"