Chapter 32

As Guan Hai held his knife and stood up, he was about to dismiss the guest. Shi Xun, however, couldn't just leave like that and quickly interjected, "What preparation do you need? They arrived last night. That Guan fellow actually planned to launch a surprise attack on your camp under the cover of darkness. Fortunately, I stopped him..."

At the words "surprise attack under the cover of darkness," Guan Hai's expression grew even darker, and he immediately questioned, "Why did you stop him?"

"Poor them," Shi Xun deliberately squinted his eyes, sighed deeply, and put on a compassionate act, "How many soldiers do you have in your camp? So many elderly, women, and children. If he launched a surprise attack, in the chaos, how many would be killed or trampled to death..."

Hearing this, Guan Hai raised his thick eyebrows and sneered slightly, "Are you really that kind-hearted? I don't believe it..." Although he said this, his expression betrayed him; he was indeed afraid that Guan Yu would launch a surprise attack at night and was grateful that Shi Xun had stopped him.

Seizing the opportunity, Shi Xun continued, "On that day at Fuzheng Mountain, I was honored by the general's praise, calling me a filial son. Filial piety has always been linked with benevolence. How can someone who is filial to their parents not be benevolent to their friends and relatives? Of course, you are not my friends or relatives, but we are all from the same state, even the same commandery or county. Moreover, those children in their mothers' arms, crying for food, if you have no compassion for them, no pity, are you still human? You would be beasts!"

"Hmph," Guan Hai sneered, "Even if you are truly kind-hearted, I appreciate your intentions. You can go back and tell Guan Yunchang that I have already set up my formation. The elderly and the weak are at the back. He can attack now if he wants."

Suddenly, Shi Xun pretended to burst out, raising his right index and middle fingers and pointing at Guan Hai, "You are still trying to kill those elderly and children! Do you want to stop being human and become a beast?!"

"Bullshit!" Guan Ji shouted angrily from behind, "How dare you call my father a beast!" As the wind rushed past, Shi Xun felt a powerful force on his buttocks, and he involuntarily fell back into Guan Hai's arms. This time, Guan Hai didn't stop him but instead turned his body, and Shi Xun fell to the ground, hitting his nose. Tears immediately streamed down his face.

Guan Hai raised his knife and placed it behind Shi Xun's neck, "Why do you think I don't want to be human and want to be a beast?! If your words are reasonable, I'll spare your life. If not, I'll cut off your head to offer to the flag!"

Shi Xun, supporting himself with both hands, slowly straightened his back. He wanted to wipe his tears but then thought that this appearance would be more convenient for his performance. He lifted his head, tears streaming down his face, and glared at Guan Hai, "If you win, there's no problem. But what if you lose? The elderly and children at the back will be trampled by the defeated soldiers and the pursuing troops. How can they survive? Besides, if you and the soldiers from Pingyuan have a fierce battle, will Kong Rong in Dachang just be a wooden man? If he opens the gate and attacks from both sides, do you plan to use the elderly and children as cannon fodder... or as a shield to resist the soldiers from Beihai?!"

Before Guan Hai could answer, Guan Ji shouted, "What elderly and children? Everyone here is a follower of the Great Virtuous Teacher, a citizen of the Central Yellow Taiyi. No one is afraid of death!"

"Not afraid of death?" Shi Xun, with tears on his face, actually sneered, his appearance bizarrely eerie, "When the Zhang brothers were still alive, where were you? If you're not afraid of death, you should have rushed to Ji Province to rescue them. Why did you keep circling around Qing Province? If you're not afraid of death, you should have fiercely attacked Linzi City. Why did you retreat when Jiao He sent some food?"

"We are not afraid of death," Guan Hai said solemnly, "but we don't want to die. The Great Virtuous Teacher's uprising against the Han Dynasty is to create a better world where everyone can live well, without tyrannical emperors, corrupt officials, or powerful bullies. Everyone will have land to farm and food to eat. To achieve this goal, no one is afraid of death!"

"Is that so?" Shi Xun continued to sneer. As he spoke, he remained on the ground, hands supporting him, head tilted back, looking at Guan Hai, his posture bizarre, like he was offering a flower. But with Guan Hai's knife still there, he didn't dare stand up. Finally, he twisted his waist and sat on the ground with his legs spread. He asked Guan Hai, "Are you sure the elderly and children are not afraid of death? Those infants in their cribs, who have just come into the world, are they willing to die for your ideals at any moment?"

"You..." Guan Hai was momentarily speechless. Shi Xun seized the opportunity to ask, "If the Zhang brothers didn't die and you succeeded in overthrowing the Han Dynasty, would that beautiful Yellow Heaven world really be achieved? Who would be the emperor then?"

"Of course, the Great Virtuous Teacher would be the emperor!" Guan Ji interjected.

"Good," Shi Xun nodded, "Zhang Jue as the emperor, Zhang Liang and Zhang Bao as prime ministers and generals. I suppose you, Commander Guan, could become a governor or a commandery administrator..."

Guan Hai shook his head, "I don't want to be an official. I'll go home and farm."

"Alright, even if you are high-minded, what about Bai Rao, Zhang Niujiao, Yu Du, and Mei Gu? Will they all go back to farming like you? Who will govern the people then? Can Zhang Jue split himself into a thousand people, one for each county? As long as there are officials, there will be corruption, exploitation, and oppression. Can you guarantee that all your Yellow Turban officials will be good men? Even if they are all good men, what about the next generation? Will the Yellow Heaven world become worse and eventually as corrupt as the Blue Heaven world?"

"Who can control the future?" Guan Ji interjected again, "As long as it's better than before, that's fine!"

"You've been causing trouble for many years. Is the world better than before?" Shi Xun coldly retorted, "The elderly and children you've brought out, if it were a peaceful time, even if officials and powerful bullies oppressed them, they could still survive, even if they were sometimes hungry. Since you started the uprising, how many young and strong men have died? How many elderly and children have died? Can you say that if they had stayed in their hometowns and farmed, they would have lived worse than now?!"

Guan Ji had no words to say, and Shi Xun had also run out of things to say. He had originally planned well, but the conversation had been led astray by this father and daughter. In desperation, he resorted to seven parts of sophistry and three parts of sophistry. Fortunately, in terms of eloquence, although he wasn't a master of rhetoric, he was far superior to these rough Yellow Turban men and women. Moreover, in his previous life, he had seen and played many such sophistry games on the internet, and even among the true scholars, few could match him in this.

In the end, Guan Hai had to put away his knife and sighed, "I can't argue with you... What do you suggest?"

"First, I ask you, do you want the elderly and children to survive, or do you plan to drag them to their deaths?"

"Of course, I want them to survive. If it weren't for them, for the sake of everyone's parents and children, who would risk their lives to rebel?"

"Then withdraw quickly!" Shi Xun revealed his true intentions, "I'll stop the soldiers from Pingyuan and Dachang. You take the elderly and children and withdraw, escape to another place."

Guan Ji pouted, "Where can we escape to... Our food is almost gone. A few days ago, my father no longer planned to besiege Dachang. He sent people to ask Kong Rong for food. If he gave us food, we would leave, but that dog refused to give us a single grain!"

Shi Xun cursed Kong Rong a hundred times in his heart but said, "There isn't much food left in Dachang either... You should withdraw south first, then circle back to the State of Qi. Jiao He can give you food once, he can give it again. Then you can move further south to Mount Tai. There are many mountains there, and it's hard for the government troops to pursue you. Even if you set up a camp in the mountains and start farming, it's better than wandering around hungry."

He glanced at Guan Ji, "Commander, can you really bear to let your daughter die on the battlefield one day?"

Guan Hai sighed again and sat down next to Shi Xun, "Alright, you go and stop the soldiers from Pingyuan and Dachang... If you can't stop them, I'll fight them to the death, one for one, two for one!"

Shi Xun left the Yellow Turban camp. The debate with the Guan family father and daughter had scared... no, exhausted him, and he was drenched in sweat. The cool breeze outside made him think, "Damn, I'm going to catch a cold this time."

When he returned to inform Guan Yu, Guan Yu was puzzled and his tone softened, "I didn't expect Mr. Shi to be so eloquent. How did you convince Guan Hai?" Shi Xun didn't plan to tell him the details and flattered him, "All thanks to your... the司马's (Military Advisor's) reputation. You already frightened Guan Hai in Pingyuan." Guan Yu stroked his beard, looking very pleased.

Guan Yu ordered the soldiers from Pingyuan to remain vigilant and supervise the withdrawal of the Yellow Turbans. Shi Xun first asked Taishi Ci to ride quickly to Dachang to stop Kong Rong from taking the opportunity to attack—though he was overthinking it, as Kong Rong was almost desperate and had no such courage.

The million Yellow Turbans organized and withdrew slowly, from morning until dusk. The Guan family father and daughter, holding their weapons, guarded the rear and bid farewell to Shi Xun. Guan Hai still had a cold expression, seemingly reluctant, but his tone was warm, "Mr. Shi, you saved us all this time. If you need anything in the future, just come to me. As long as I can help, I will do my best to repay your great kindness."

Shi Xun almost said, "Just give me your daughter," but he couldn't bring himself to say it. Later, he was puzzled, as he had never been a lolicon in his previous life or this one. Was it because this little girl, though small and delicate, acted like an adult, that he had a mistaken impression?

In the end, he could only bow and say, "Until we meet again." Unexpectedly, Guan Ji interjected, "Meet your sister!" Realizing it might be inappropriate, her small face turned slightly red, and she pouted, "We probably won't meet again... As you said, my father and I might die on the battlefield at any time—when will the Yellow Heaven world be built?"

"The Yellow Heaven world may never be built, but you might have a chance to return to the fields. Though it may not be happy, you can live a peaceful life," influenced by the little girl's mood, Shi Xun felt a bit dejected but then took a deep breath, "I believe that day will come, in the not-too-distant future!"

He couldn't help but look westward, gazing at the orange sky dyed by the brilliant sunset—what is that old brother, who is about to incorporate the million Yellow Turbans from Qing Province, doing now?

(End of Chapter 1 of the Virtuous and Helpless)

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