Chapter 732: Encountering Bandits on the Road

Was Rong Shili an ordinary person?

Obviously not. Despite his imprisonment, he remained Prince Kang's strategist.

There was clearly a good reason why a hot-tempered military general like Prince Kang would choose Rong Shili as his strategist.

There were certainly more suitable candidates in the world than Rong Shili.

But standing before Chen Changsheng now, he was the only suitable choice.

He had always felt that the world indeed needed an opportunity, but such a chance could not be handed out for nothing. Therefore, he had left the world with a difficult problem.

That was whether these so-called principles could truly be recognized by the world.

"I am but an ordinary man," Rong Shili said, "and a prison escapee at that. While the contents of this book would undoubtedly bring great benefit to the world, the obstacles to enacting them are like thousands of impassable ravines. How can a frail old man like me bring them to light?"

Hearing this, Chen Changsheng said, "Then let the book be buried."

"You cannot!"

Rong Shili firmly protested. "How can a book capable of changing the world be left to gather dust!"

Chen Changsheng looked at him. "I have already handed the book to you. Whether its contents are ultimately realized has nothing to do with This Chen anymore."

"Nothing to do with you?"

Rong Shili froze for a moment. "What exactly are you thinking?"

"You understand the principles in this book better than anyone else. This is an opportunity to make a name for yourself and go down in history, yet you say it has nothing to do with you?"

Chen Changsheng looked at him. "Old Mister Rong, do you think I care about leaving a mark on history?"

Rong Shili opened his mouth but didn't know what to say.

Chen Changsheng said, "I have no interest in such things. My reason for writing this book was simple: I felt the world needed it. Now that it is written, the opportunity is here. It only depends on whether the world will accept it."

"I want to save this world, but I have no desire to force salvation on a world that doesn't want it. If this book is ultimately buried, then that is simply its destiny."

Hearing this, Rong Shili paused. "Are you truly this apathetic?"

Chen Changsheng's expression remained calm. "If I were truly apathetic, I would have just watched all of this coldly from the sidelines instead of writing this book and handing it to you."

The past events of Great Jing were still fresh in Chen Changsheng's memory.

He didn't want to waste his energy on meaningless or unworthy endeavors.

Rong Shili opened his mouth. A long while later, he nodded and murmured, "I understand..."

"If you won't do it, then I will."

Rong Shili's tone suddenly shifted. A surge of drive broke through his aged frame as he declared, "One day, I will make everything in this book a reality, and I will fill in all the missing pieces one by one!"

Chen Changsheng replied, "This Chen also greatly looks forward to seeing that day."

The horse carried them to a Market Town.

Rong Shili suggested resting there for the night.

Chen Changsheng indicated that he was fine with anything.

However, when Rong Shili woke up and went to find Chen Changsheng to discuss their next destination, the man was nowhere to be found.

He asked the tavern's Xiao Er, but the Xiao Er told him he didn't know where the man had gone.

He went out to search, walking a large circle around town, but he still couldn't catch a glimpse of Chen Changsheng.

Thinking that Chen Changsheng had merely gone for a stroll, he waited inside the tavern. He waited all the way until nightfall but still didn't see him return.

The horse was eating fodder in the tavern's backyard, exceptionally quiet.

Rong Shili came over to take a look.

After standing frozen for a long time, it suddenly dawned on him.

Chen Changsheng had already left...

"He's gone..."

The sky was dim, and he couldn't help but look up at the bright moon overhead.

But after only a single glance, that bright moon was obscured by clouds.

A heavy downpour began in the night.

The raindrops pattered noisily against the roof tiles, accompanied by wave after wave of thunder.

Rong Shili clutched the book to his chest.

Even now, he still couldn't figure out exactly who that man was.

Where did he come from, and where was he going?

What exactly was he trying to do?

And why did he entrust this book to me?

These doubts constantly lingered in his mind, yet he couldn't find any answers.

Rong Shili let out a long sigh.

But when he looked down at the book in his hands, an indescribable sense of determination welled up in his eyes.

He felt that perhaps he wasn't so old just yet.

.

.

After leaving, Chen Changsheng headed straight south.

Traveling at night was inevitably a restless affair. The demons hiding in the mountains and forests were one thing, but the bandits in the mountain ravines were impossible to avoid.

Chen Changsheng was stopped in front of a valley.

"I cleared this mountain!"

"I planted these trees!"

"If you want to pass!"

"Leave your toll fee!"

Standing right in front of him were five or six men. They held long sabers that gleamed with a silver light, and two of the blades were even stained with traces of blood.

Moreover, the men were shrouded in a dense murderous aura; they had evidently killed more than a few people.

Chen Changsheng looked at them and said, "You gentlemen are still blocking the road at this hour of the night?"

"Cut the crap." A wretched-looking, burly man shook his long saber, the blade clanging loudly. "It's exactly you night-travelers we're after."

The world was not peaceful these days. Merchant caravans would often choose to travel at night to avoid running into robbers and bandits. Over time, these very bandits caught on, frequently sending men to keep watch and rob travelers at night.

Chen Changsheng smiled and said, "You gentlemen might have stopped the wrong person. This Chen doesn't have a single penny on him."

"Search him!"

Someone immediately stepped forward to frisk him.

The man patted Chen Changsheng down thoroughly, but in the end, he didn't find a single copper coin.

"Damn it!" the man cursed, turning his head. "Second Boss, there's absolutely nothing to squeeze out of this guy!"

"What?!" The Second Boss was infuriated. "Someone else get up there and search him."

Another man came over to search Chen Changsheng. This time, the search was even more thorough, checking all the way down to the soles of his shoes, but he still couldn't find a single cent.

The bandit who did the second search turned around and said, "Second Boss..."

"This guy really has no money!"

Hearing this, the Second Boss became even more displeased and spat, "Damn it, what a poor bastard!"

Chen Changsheng looked at him and said, "How about you good heroes just let This Chen pass?"

"Pass?"

The Second Boss sneered upon hearing this and said, "Nobody I stop gets to pass without leaving their wealth behind!"

"Tie him up! Take him up the mountain!"

Chen Changsheng asked, "This Chen doesn't have a single penny on him, so why bother hauling me up the mountain?"

"You must have parents, right? And if not, at least you have friends. Tomorrow morning, we'll have you write a letter asking them to bring money to ransom you. If we get the money within ten days, we'll let you go. Otherwise, you can just wait for death!"