If you don't give up, I'd like to be your adoptive father.

Chapter 1038 Weird
Han Xin pondered for a long time before slowly saying, "After Emperor Ying Zheng unified the world, he never stopped conquering the barbarian tribes in all directions."

Before his death, the entire Jambudvipa was the territory of the Qin Dynasty.

The Xiongnu, Donghu, and Yuezhi north of the Great Wall were treated worse than dogs in front of Ying Zheng.

Such unparalleled achievements will surely earn him the gratitude and remembrance of all the people of Kyushu, until Kyushu ceases to exist.

Xiao Yu sighed, "It's difficult to evaluate Ying Zheng's merits and demerits in a single sentence or with a single attitude."

Even many years from now, when Kyushu is about to cease to exist, people will still debate his merits and demerits.

If he could be less obsessed with power and hegemony, and focus on using his own strength to bring benefits to the people of China, he would surely only have great achievements and would not have any controversy over his merits or demerits now or in the future.

My advice to you is based on taking Qin Shi Huang as a cautionary tale.

Ruling the world with tyranny can only earn the people's temporary awe.

If you treat all people with a sincere heart of protection and kindness, they will be grateful for a lifetime.

Even after countless generations, the people will still need great heroes to protect their land and themselves, and they will sing praises and remember these role models from all ages past.

Han Xin asked, "If we govern the world with the ways of sages and virtuous men, bringing peace and joy to the people of the nine provinces, then..."

Then, with an invincible army, we swept away the barbarians and protected China from invasion.

Isn’t that the best of both worlds?”

—You're dreaming, but can you actually do it?
Xiaoyu asked, "What do you think of my military strategy?"

Han Xin paused for a moment, then said tactfully, "My mother possesses unparalleled supernatural powers. In the blink of an eye, she can conjure a dream world and deploy a million lions. I have fought many battles with her and benefited greatly from it."

Xiao Yu said, "So, my strength lies only in supernatural abilities, while my military strategy is mediocre?"

Han Xin waved his hands repeatedly and said, "That's not what I meant. My mother was just testing me."

Xiaoyu shook her head and said, "I'm telling you that every coin has two sides."

Even though I possess extraordinary magical powers, there are still areas where I am inferior to others.

My talent in military strategy is no match for my talent in Taoist cultivation.

A wise person should not dwell on their weaknesses, but rather strive to develop their strengths.

Your strength lies in commanding troops and leading armies, not in governing people and managing a country.

But I feel that my strengths go far beyond military strategy!

Han Xin said.

“Mother is right, I’ll remember that. But I’m in a lowly position now, and I can’t even support myself, let alone lead troops into battle!” he sighed.

Xiaoyu gave him a deep look and asked, "What are your plans for the future?"

She felt that her well-intentioned advice had had no effect whatsoever.

Han Xin was not without a heart to protect the land.

If he were made emperor or king, and the Hu people were to invade the south again, he would certainly be happy to lead his troops on a distant expedition beyond the Great Wall.

But the prerequisite is that he must first become the king.

Han Xin said frankly, "When the world changes and righteous armies rise up, I will choose a wise ruler to serve."

Xiao Yu asked curiously, "You have a great blue dragon, why don't you try to raise your own team and be the leader yourself?"

Han Xin shook his head and said, "I know my own limitations. I have neither the reputation to win the hearts of heroes nor the wealth accumulated over generations. Without money or men, how can I raise an army?"

—How come you suddenly have some self-awareness? You don't even have the confidence to build up your initial force, yet you want to be a king, to contend for supremacy and become emperor?

You're thinking about ass!
Xiao Yu thought to herself, but said aloud, "Have you ever heard of Chen Sheng and Wu Guang from Dazexiang? They were both scoundrels, not even as good as you."

But now they are renowned throughout China, with numerous soldiers and generals, and aided by immortals; they possess the qualifications to rule and dominate.

Han Xin pondered for a moment and said, "They are them, and I am me. What I can do, they cannot do."

I cannot replicate their experiences.

My strength lies in commanding troops; give me a large army, and I can accomplish great things immediately.

I am unwilling and should not bear the various risks that may arise in the process of building an army from scratch.

My talents should only be used in commanding troops.

If I lead troops into battle and die on the battlefield, I will have no regrets.

If I were to die in a street fight, or perish in the wilderness, with all my talent and ambition unfulfilled, I would be unwilling to accept it.

Xiao Yu sighed, "No wonder your great blue dragon flew away."

Although it's true that someone is trying to harm you, and that person is probably trying to harm you, this matter itself is also a matter of fate.

You may have the heart of an emperor, but you are destined to be a subject.

Han Xin was unconvinced and said, "I have no ambition to fight for supremacy or become king."

I only want to realize my ambitions and earn the position I deserve through my own abilities.

If my merits only qualify me as a marquis, I will willingly remain a marquis and strive to assist the wise ruler.

But if my merits are worthy of a royal title, and my virtue matches my ability, why should I accept it?

Xiaoyu looked at him with a strange expression and said, "You actually think like that? You're so stupid. Did you freeload at the head of the Nanchang Pavilion before?"

—How am I so naive? I think this way—isn't it only natural to reward those who have made contributions?
Han Xin really wanted to have a good argument with his mother on this topic.

But his mother inexplicably changed the subject, and he dared not not respond.

"I'm not a freeloader; I'm a guest at the residence of the pavilion chief in Nanchang," Han Xin said.

—Why would a mere village headman keep guests? He's just pitying you and admiring you.

Xiaoyu increasingly felt that this guy was a bit eccentric, so she asked again, "How many flatbreads has the old woman washing silk by the river given you?"

The topic had veered off course so quickly that Han Xin paused for a moment before catching up, saying, "She's been washing silk threads by the river for months, eating a large flatbread every day. I can't remember how many she's eaten."

This era emphasized men farming and women weaving.

The woven cotton yarn and silk need to be rinsed in water several times.

The old woman is not a washerwoman.

She is very old, yet she is still doing manual labor.

During the spinning season, the old woman might go to the river every day for several months in a row to wash the yarn.

This was the work she needed to make a living.

She carried a large flatbread with her, much like a modern person bringing a boxed lunch to a factory. When it was time to eat, she ate the food she had prepared herself.

Xiao Yu asked, "Why did the old woman give you a big pancake?"

Han Xin finally felt embarrassed and said awkwardly, "I promised her that I would repay her handsomely in the future."

She was very angry and scolded me, saying, "A grown man shouldn't be able to feed himself. She only gave me food out of pity, and never expected me to repay her."

“Although that’s what she said, I will never break my promise and will definitely repay her handsomely in the future!” he added firmly. Xiaoyu stared at his face, her right hand constantly calculating, her expression gradually becoming strange.

Do you think that if someone is nice to you, they must expect something in return?

Han Xin shook his head and said, "As long as someone is kind to me, I should repay them, whether they expect it or not. Repaying kindness is a belief I firmly uphold."

Xiaoyu then asked, "Why didn't you go to the Nanchang Pavilion Chief's house for dinner?"

Han Xin wanted to shout: "Old woman Qiushan, are you out of your mind? You're asking all sorts of questions without any logic, I can hardly keep up with you!"

He didn't shout, nor did he respond passively.

He answered truthfully, "The village head's wife prepared the meal, took it into the inner room, and ate it ahead of time."

When I arrived, there was no food left.

This is clearly a sign that they dislike me and want to get rid of me.

"How could I, a fine man, suffer such humiliation? After that, I never went to the Nanchang Pavilion Chief's house again."

His tone was filled with resentment and anger.

It was as if the one who was freeloading was the head of the Nanchang Pavilion, not him.

Xiaoyu seemed to understand something, and said, "You went to the village head's house for dinner with a clear conscience, and you were angry with a clear conscience."

He then brazenly accepted the old woman's cakes, even though he was a strong man, and ate them for several months without feeling the slightest shame.

This is because from the moment you accept the benefits, you quantify the benefits you receive into a contractual debt in your mind.

You are determined to repay him a hundredfold.

Repaying a debt a hundredfold is like repaying a debt.

You firmly believe you can showcase your talents and repay them a hundredfold, therefore you feel at ease.

Han Xin frowned and said, "This boy isn't as pragmatic as his mother-in-law makes him out to be."

The boy will always remember the kindness others have shown him.

It's not that once the debt of gratitude is repaid, all grudges are wiped away.

However, my mother-in-law is right about one thing.

Since you have received this favor, you must repay it a hundredfold, and you will certainly be able to do so.

Since repaying a hundredfold is only a matter of time, why can't you be at peace with yourself, young man?

"Sigh, your emotional intelligence is terrible."

Xiaoyu sighed and said, "You can't stay in Huaiyin anymore. It just so happens that I know a village head."

That village head was full of flaws and utterly useless, except for one virtue—he genuinely enjoyed keeping friends who ate for free.

On this point alone, he and you are a perfect match.

How about I send you to his house to loaf around?

Han Xin asked in confusion, "Young man, I am from Huaiyin, why can't I stay in Huaiyin?"

Xiaoyu said, "Do you know why I came to Huaiyin and why I came to find you?"
Everyone calls me "Old Mother of Qiushan", and I am the mother of this great land of China.

It is specifically designed to repair damaged earth veins and suppress or drain evil spirits from them.

Once a dragon vein is discovered, it must be carefully protected and nurtured.

Because the dragon vein is to the earth what the internal organs are to the human body.

Anyone found to have damaged the dragon vein must be punished.

Besides gathering information, I also need to contact you through that divination master who is plotting against you.

But he is working for the master. I can kill him, but I can't kill everyone.

If his lord comes to Huaiyin to seek revenge on you, you may encounter trouble.

On the contrary, just as the killing intent is revealed today, the stars are shifting, and great chaos will surely begin this year.

You have the heart to leave your hometown and serve a wise ruler; you were bound to leave sooner or later, you're just leaving now a little earlier.

After a pause, she added, "If you leave, the washerwoman can save a piece of bread and fill her own stomach."

She didn't give you bread for months on end because she wanted something in return.

She didn't see that you had extraordinary talent.

Honestly, in her heart and in her eyes, you are a piece of trash.

Her feelings for you are purely out of pity and care.

Seeing you reminded her of her youngest son, who had been sent to guard the border years ago and whom she had not heard from since.

She has a loving heart towards you, shouldn't you reciprocate with filial piety?

Leaving voluntarily would prevent her from having toil every day at such an advanced age, barely having enough to eat.

Han Xin was filled with shame and excitement.

After a long while, he asked, "How did Mother manage to use me, Lei Ji, to plot against my divine divination?"

"Do you think I'm an ordinary person? Of course I have my own methods to protect the land of China."

"Now I only have one question for you: do you want to cooperate with the old mother to cast the spell on that sorcerer?" Xiao Yu asked.

Han Xin hesitated for a moment and said, "As the saying goes, a gentleman takes his revenge even after ten years. At this time, I have not yet fulfilled my ambitions, and it is not worth risking my life."

Why not wait a few years, until the young man achieves great things and commands an army of 100,000?

A mere sorcerer can be easily captured by sending a general.

Not only will the sorcerers be captured, but the lords they serve will also be slaughtered like grass.

Xiaoyu's eyes widened as she asked, "Do you often read 'The Biography of Goujian' and use it to express your aspirations?"

Han Xin paused for a moment before saying, "Is the old mother referring to Goujian, the King of Yue, one of the Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn Period?"
I have never heard of a "Biography of Goujian".

However, I am quite familiar with the past of King Goujian of Yue; I admire Goujian's tenacity and wisdom even more.

It's not wrong to say that one should be inspired by the story of King Goujian of Yue enduring hardship and biding his time.

But from what his mother said, it seemed like she was mocking him.
"Young man, though you possess a forbearing spirit, surely you are not as miserable and desperate as Goujian was when he served Wu?"

Xiao Yu slowly said, "I think even King Goujian of Yue is not as tolerant as you."

Although Goujian endured hardship and even tasted excrement to send his wife to him, he suffered greatly and every day and every moment was incredibly agonizing.

You're quite the opposite; the great dragon has been dug up, and you're still as nonchalant as ever, fishing and eating pancakes by the river.

It seemed as if they were completely unaffected.

Now that your mother is going to avenge you, instead of being grateful, you worry that your mother's methods aren't precise enough, leaving you vulnerable to retaliation. Han boy, you've surpassed King Goujian of Yue; in the art of forbearance, you've reached another level.

(End of this chapter)