The general trend of the world is that after long unity comes division, after long division comes unity—division and unity without end. This is a characteristic of the Han people, and also the Han people’s curse. In the entire world, only this nation has maintained its ancestral temple incense fires burning for thousands of years. For other nations, such a thing doesn’t seem to exist. Once divided, returning and fusing seem completely impossible. Many brilliant and talented figures have made efforts in this regard, but all without exception have failed.

Liu Fang and Yun Ye had held a discussion on this issue in their early years. The conclusion they reached didn’t seem wonderful. Liu Fang had far fewer examples in this area than Yun Ye—about thirteen hundred years fewer. People who hadn’t been edified by the histories of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, Song, Yuan, Ming, Qing, and the Republican era couldn’t have a deeper level of understanding of this issue.

So Liu Fang could only use a simple sheep herd theory to prove the correctness of his theory. Yun Ye had no way to cite more examples from later periods and could only allow Liu Fang to use nonsensical reasoning to argue unreasonably.

The victor in the end was Liu Fang. He believed that the Han people were a flock of sheep that must rely on wolf packs to devour the weak and sick sheep among them to achieve the health of the entire group. He also believed that the Han people and nomadic peoples were mutually complementary—neither could do without the other. Without the sheep herd, the wolf pack should starve to death. Without the wolf pack, the sheep herd would also gradually weaken and eventually perish.

Every few hundred years, the wolf clan and sheep clan would have a major blood fusion—such as the Quanrong breaking through Zhou, such as the Five Barbarians disrupting China. This kind of blood fusion was achieved through rape.

Of course, Liu Fang was also filled with rage about the barbarians driving one hundred thousand women they couldn’t finish eating into the river to drown alive, and swore to take revenge. But as a military strategist, the old fellow still stubbornly stated what he believed to be the essence of the matter.

Yun Ye flew into a rage, pointing at Liu Fang and saying his judgment was too arbitrary, too cold-blooded. The Han people never lacked such spiritedness. Agricultural peoples were the main force advancing the world, the main creators of civilization, while nomadic peoples were the robbers of this world, locusts, even viruses that needed the cleanest and most thorough elimination.

“Without law-abiding officials at home and rival states abroad, a state will invariably perish. Only then do we know that we are born from sorrow and die from comfort.” Liu Fang pulled out his most powerful weapon and fiercely rebutted Yun Ye.

There was no way to discuss this further. Yun Ye spoke of a personal perspective, focusing more on individual feelings. Go talk about these principles with those common people who have suffered from foreign invasion—you might get hoed to death by village farmers. Go talk grandly about blood fusion to women harmed in war—you’ll definitely be drowned alive by their spit.

So the political perspective of the greater good is cruel and inhuman. Liu Fang and Yun Ye stood at different angles and thus arrived at two different concepts and understandings.

“I’m not a politician—not before, not now, not in the future. I only want to expand our advantages as much as possible when our power is superior. A strong nation cannot perish or decline. I’m unwilling to see our nation suffer those endless tribulations again. Fate must be fair. Now it’s our turn to harvest this world.”

Seeing that Yun Ye was about to explode with anger, Liu Fang casually tossed out a brief remark: “There has never been an eternal golden age in this world. The Zhenguan Golden Age came with tremendous speed—swift in its coming, swift in its going. Flowers brocading, oil boiling over fierce fire. Yun Ye, you are the most vigorously burning piece of firewood under the Great Tang’s enormous stove. You’d better live to be a hundred years old, or you really are an immortal’s disciple who can live forever. Only then can you carefully guard your golden age.”

“Look at Shang Yang, look at Chao Cuo—their fates are vivid proof. This world is a society ruled by men. When the man dies, his policies cease—this is natural. You’re timid, you fear trouble, you lack the spirit to forge ahead regardless—how can you believe your golden age can be fragrant through the ages?”

Yun Ye’s stubbornness seemed to Liu Fang like useless effort. Thinking of that phrase Yun Ye said, he shook his head with a smile. Although that phrase was roguish, although it was a kind of sophistry, it also had its reasoning.

“Useless effort? We clearly know we’ll die, so why are we still eating now? Why not just take a rope right now and tie up our mouths and starve to death? We’re going to die sooner or later anyway. If we do nothing, then we have no possibilities. Only those who have acted have the qualification to comment.”

Once they broke through Huolu City, their mission would be complete. The Turks following closely behind them would engage in the most brutal confrontation with the Dashi people. One was the golden wolf of the grasslands, one was the wild beast of the desert. The collision between them would definitely be spectacular. The feeling of manipulating the world’s general trends in the palm of one’s hand was wonderful. The Turks had picked up enough advantages following behind them. Now it was time to pay the price.

Abbas looked with reverence at the withered old man before him. Along this journey, he had witnessed how this old man maneuvered vertically and horizontally, forcibly carving out a bloody path among countless hostile forces.

That enormous head was so wise. That mouth in the white beard could always speak the most correct strategy when things seemed hopeless. This was what a wise man was.

He himself had once had a domain and had a similarly wise grandfather. When he was young, he always felt that what his grandfather said was insignificant nonsense. When lying in the street counting stars and carefully recalling his past life, he discovered that his grandfather was so wise. He hated that when it was too late to turn back the heavens, he discovered he had been in a treasure mountain without knowing it.

“Abbas, we’re almost at our destination. I’ll soon return to my country and retire to the mountains asking nothing of worldly affairs. Before that, I want to make arrangements for you. So, what thoughts do you have? Just speak!”

Liu Fang, with his eyes closed, seemed to know that Abbas was looking at him and immediately spoke of what had most worried Abbas these past days.

“My respected master, Abbas doesn’t dare hope to receive your full assistance. I only ask that you permit me to borrow a tiny bit of your strength to seize back what our family has lost. I don’t even need to take it back—just burning that city to ashes would be enough.”

“That is a city of betrayal. A group of traitors live in that city. I hope they all die, whether to meet Huda or to go to the fire prison to accept judgment. I hope they die! All of them!”

Liu Fang opened his eyes and looked at the humble Abbas, saying, “What city do you want to destroy? What people do you want to kill? Also, when did you convert to the Dashi religion?”

“My master, Abbas has no faith whatsoever. As long as I can take revenge, I don’t mind believing in devils. The city I want to destroy is called ‘the City,’ but it belongs to Constantine. It has now become the most filthy city in the mortal world. If possible, I want to use your strength to destroy it. Only flames can thoroughly make that land somewhat clean.”

Liu Fang said with a smile, “Your identity is not simple. However, I won’t ask about all this. Everyone should hide some secrets in their hearts. But such matters need to be done by yourself. I’ll give you an even more terrifying weapon—it can melt stone.”

“Our army cannot reach such a distant place. Perhaps the Turks can reach it. Once our purpose is achieved, you might as well go join them. I’ll give you a very good letter of recommendation. I believe the wise Elder will clearly understand your importance and will give you a good position.”

“I come from a great country. My patron always kills while weeping, sometimes as hard as a stubborn madman, sometimes as sorrowful as a child. He’s always sentimental. After being a general for so long, he still doesn’t understand the true essence of warfare. He won’t agree to send out an army to destroy a thousand-year-old ancient city.”

“Of course, unless that city becomes our enemy—in that case, your wish will be easily realized, because setting fires is his best specialty. He once burned the most solid city in this world into a human hell.”

“The Roman Empire is already gradually declining. This is truly sad. Enormous empires always decline more quickly. Blindly seeking bigness and strength often backfires. There are always some irreconcilable contradictions. Young people don’t understand this principle.”

Liu Fang muttered a few sentences and gave Abbas such a promise. Having received the promise, Abbas pressed his head tightly against the carriage wall and refused to lift it up again.

He knew his goal would become reality, because that guard called Ren Xiong had said that if the Angel Army could obtain thirty percent of the regular army’s armament, they could swagger across this land without needing to consider any danger. He believed these words without doubt.

Under the same blue sky, Yusuf’s great army was also hurrying along. Warhorses, camels, and infantry mixed into a massive army. He was filled with confidence in his warriors and firmly believed that under Huda’s guidance, they would certainly be invincible in battle.

These strong soldiers didn’t need to wear any armor—they could still be invincible in battle. This had been verified through countless wars. Firm faith was enough to make them fight valiantly on the battlefield.

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Yusuf looked happily at the boundless crowd around him. Annoying horseflies had appeared on his land. The only thing he needed to do was swat them all dead. Even if they had already sucked their fill of blood, the price of bloodsucking always had to be paid.

Tokharistan was a vassal of the Dashi. Countless enemies were ravaging this country. They had broken through Tianzhu from the distant East, and after making a great circuit, had also broken through Tokharistan. It was said that the enormous empire of the Far East had also extended its claws. Severing this claw was something he, the Eastern Governor, must do.

Under Huda’s radiance, no darkness could be tolerated!