The Monk That Wanted To Renounce Asceticism

Although everyone thought it was a shame that Fangzheng had not taken the role, Fangzheng believed that it was only right to have switched the actor. What Fangzheng had expressed was his rage against war. The elderly actor, on the other hand, expressed his compassion towards all mankind and his immense sorrow for his inability to change reality! Their emotions were different and as a result, what was expressed was different. The impact was different as well.

Fangzheng had to admit that the elderly monk’s performance was better than his. He was utterly convinced by the elderly actor’s portrayal.

The scene cut again as Hua Mulan awoke after the monk saved her. As she recuperated, Hua Mulan asked the monk, “Venerable One, why do humans wage war?”

“Why there is war? Everyone has their own answer to that question in their heart. This Penniless Monk cannot answer it for you.”

“Then, whose answer is right?” asked Hua Mulan.

“So what if it’s right or wrong? Look at this world, and you will know the answer,” said the elderly monk as he looked into the distance where a village had been burnt to ashes.

Hua Mulan was taken aback as she looked at the distant village. The look in her eyes gradually turned sharp as she said, “I see hatred! The Rouran invaded our nation and killed my sisters and brothers. They are not to be spared for their sins! I have to kill them for revenge!”

With that said, Hua Mulan left with her sword.

The elderly monk looked at Hua Mulan’s back and shook his head gently without saying a word.

Many villagers were puzzled. What did the elderly monk mean? What Hua Mulan said sounded quite right. Why did he shake his head?

Some people looked towards Fangzheng, but he did not notice their gaze. Instead, his eyes were peeled to the screen. What Hua Mulan saw was different from Fangzheng. He saw something completely different!

Hua Mulan returned to her camp, and her anger fueled her strength. She led troops to mow down all resistance and rendered meritorious service to the military. The Rouran were pursued the entire way before being chased out of their nation’s lands.

One day, she saw the elderly monk on a battleground which had Rouran soldiers strewn across the ground. However, he was interring the Rouran.

Hua Mulan asked him, “They are the enemy. Why are you doing this?”

The elderly monk returned with a question, “Why wage war?”

Hua Mulan was taken aback as she said affirmatively, “For revenge!”

The elderly monk nodded and continued sending off the dead. He no longer spoke to Hua Mulan.

From that day, she would often hear about the elderly monk delivering the funeral rites to the Rouran. With regards to this, she felt displeased. They were the enemy, why should they deserve any funeral rites?

One day, she heard that the elderly monk had perished on the battlefield. The sword in her hand dropped…

Many people had mixed emotions. They were unsure what to say about the elderly monk’s interring of the Rouran. What sort of silly good person was he? They were the invaders! However, the monk was dead. He had died while doing good on the battlefield. The feeling winced the hearts of others! It was stifling!

The elderly monk’s words flashed past her mind. “So what if it’s right or wrong? Look at this world, and you will know the answer.”

Hua Mulan looked outside her tent once again and saw the fumes of war billowing, with metal meeting blood!

That day, Hua Mulan suddenly realized how ugly war was.

The scenes of war turned more bloody and real. The cruel war scenes no longer gave the villagers the good feelings and excitement from watching an American flick. Instead, their eyes were filled with disgust… extreme disgust!

When two armies clashed, they were like meat grinders. Many familiar faces were crushed by the meat grinders, destroying many beautiful memories. Many villagers wept for the loss of characters they liked, but they were powerless. They wished to reach out to help them, but they were separated by time and space, they were in a different world.

Helplessness, sorrow, despair…

When Fangzheng saw this, he wanted to curse. The darn script writer and director had portrayed many characters who appeared real and relatable. Some of them were Rouran. They were anti-war and loved peace. Yet they were pushed to the front lines by the war machine. Some of them were citizens of Hua Mulan’s nation. Some of them were only villagers—good, honest people. They were lovable and cute, while some of them were just adolescent children…

Yet in front of war, everything turned bloody. Those people died one after another on the battlefield. Some died as nameless soldiers, others turned into sieves from the rain of arrows. There were some who were trampled to death by the calvary, others beheaded… In short, it was unlike any other movie where the hero remained talkative, never to die.

In the face of war, regardless who you were, you would be this helpless. Death was just a matter of an instant! All sorts of good people and memories were instantly destroyed.

That intense visual impact made Fangzheng feel like tearing apart the screen with a weapon. Don’t play with my emotions like that! F**k!

The troops which Hua Mulan was part of proceeded forward and left victory in their wake. They expelled the Rouran from their borders and pushed them back for fifteen hundred kilometers. They decimated the Rouran army and left them in shambles. Soon, the Rouran surrendered.

The war ended soon after. Hua Mulan returned in glory as she encountered citizens who danced and sang on her journey back. There were all sorts of celebrations and celebratory drinks offered. Cheers and laughter bustled everywhere.

However, Hua Mulan was unable to cheer up. After politely declining conferment and rewards, she resumed her identity as a woman. On the way home, she stood on the mountaintop where she had used to fly kites in her childhood. Hua Mulan looked lost. She originally believed that she had understood the elderly monk’s words, but she now discovered that she had not. She knew nothing!

The villagers also pondered over the meaning of the sentence. However they couldn’t figure out what the elderly monk had meant.

“Sister! The Rouran have surrendered, but I heard His Majesty doesn’t plan on wiping them out. Instead, he plans on negotiating with them and wants to talk about peace. I seriously don’t understand. We won, so what’s there to negotiate? If they remain defiant, can’t we just attack them and end it? We will beat them up until they wet their pants and scream bloody murder. Won’t there be peace if they are all killed?” Hua Mulan’s younger brother shouted.

“War? Do you know the outcome of war?” Hua Mulan sighed inwardly as she asked softly.

“What outcome? Regardless of the outcome, I feel that we can beat them! We will fly our flag proudly and show our nation’s strength! Let those bastards know how strong we are! Why is His Majesty doing this? How aggrieving!” Her younger brother wagged his fists and clamored. “When I grow up, I want to be like you, Sister. I want to lead an army through Helan Pass!”

Hua Mulan sighed. “All you know is to be hot-headed. Do you know that behind all of that is death? That death represents the sorrow of countless people. The destruction of the land and the breaking up of families. Brother, what would you do if I were to die on the battlefield? What would Father and Mother do? Besides, how could the Rouran be so easily destroyed? It would be alright if they were destroyed… But if some are left, they will bide their time and rise up again. When the time comes, another war will ensue. The ones who suffer will still be the civilians.”

Her younger brother was taken aback as his head shook like a rattle. “You won’t die. Sister, you are too formidable. You won’t die.”

“What if?”

“My heart hurts just thinking about it, so I don’t want to.”

“You still have me, and your heart can still ache out of worry for me. But what about the families of the soldiers who died in combat? Are they not sad? Remember, regardless of the era, war is never the only solution to solving a problem. Instead, it’s the final measure. Peace is what is most important. Tolerance can make you the magnanimous one, and it is the opposite of a sign of weakness. Of course, if the other party has a death wish, war will let them understand the preciousness of peace. An emperor cares more about his reputation than the commoners, but an emperor who can give that up for the commoners is a wise ruler,” said Hua Mulan.

“But are we not to retaliate when others attack?” asked the confused brother.

“If it can no longer be tolerated, then there’s no need to tolerate. War is the final resort; it does not mean it cannot be used.” When Hua Mulan said that, her eyes suddenly lit up.

Hua Mulan turned back and saw the sun illuminate the land. Above the luxurious land, there were vibrant signs of life. The livestock in the village sounded as smoke spiraled out of kitchens. The very ordinary scene was silent, but she had a paradoxical feeling—the scene was so beautiful that it was stifling!

Upon seeing this scene and the young man in front of her, Hua Mulan suddenly realized something as she looked in the direction where the elderly monk had passed away. She knelt down and kowtowed. “Venerable One, I have understood!”

With that said, the look in Hua Mulan’s eyes turned brighter. She got up and seemed a few centimeters taller than before.