Thousand-year-old family: its rise began with Shang Yang’s reforms

Chapter 395: Politics is the Art of Compromise (Part )
Master Zu Tianshi nodded slightly, his face full of relief and happiness.

"good."

He had become increasingly taciturn in recent years, sometimes even not wanting to talk much. Even when hearing such important news, he only said in the simplest language: "Lin An wrote to me and told me that the Mohists had developed a new "iron forging method". This method can make steel out of steel, and the weapons produced are better than before."

"And if you use 'steel' to make protective gear, it will be invulnerable to swords and guns."

Zu Tianshi sat there with deep brows and eyes, and his whole body looked like an abyss.

He said with emotion: "When the 'iron forging method' is officially put into use, and when the iron in Dayu is enough to build an army of over a thousand people, this chaotic world will end."

Zhang Cheng was also very excited. He also understood the effectiveness and power of this "iron wrought method".

He paced back and forth in the Qinzheng Hall, sighed softly and said, "Okay, okay, okay."

"I often read history books. Why was the Qin State able to sweep across the six kingdoms and unify the world?"

"I personally think that one of the reasons is naturally the reform, with the help of Shang Jun and Chen Jun. There is another reason that cannot be ignored. Qin's "iron smelting method" or the method of forging weapons is more advanced than that of other countries."

"One of the ancestors of the Chen family once said, 'The development of science and technology is the primary productive force.' When I first heard this sentence, I actually didn't understand its meaning, but now I have some understanding of it."

“Perhaps this is what is called ‘science and technology’.”

Zu Tianshi nodded slightly, looked at Zhang Cheng and said, "Yes."

“Although most people in the world look down on craftsmen, thinking that they are lowly people and what they do is also lowly, but the ancestors once said that in this world, except for those trades that really violate the law, such as stealing, robbery, banditry, and robbery, there is no distinction between high and low in other trades. It all depends on the quality of the person in the trade.”

"That is why, a few hundred years ago, when the world looked down on craftsmen and even vaguely classified a branch of the Mohist school as craftsmen, our ancestors did not restrict their children from engaging in these trades."

The older Zu Tianshi gets, the more he feels he understands the spirit of his ancestors more thoroughly.

He said with emotion: "In the past, I always felt that I was born into a noble family, and I never understood why some of the elders in my family were craftsmen."

"After all, some so-called high-ranking families always use these elders' affairs to secretly ridicule the Chen family."

Zu Tianshi had a peaceful look on his face. When he was young, he always felt that this was a blasphemy against the ancestors of the Chen family and the Chen family. However, he no longer felt that way.

In fact, there is no high or low in things in this world.

Right and wrong are only in people’s hearts.

He looked at Zhang Cheng and said, "Your Majesty, this is exactly what I came here for today."

When talking about business, Zu Tianshi's expression was a little gloomy. He said softly: "With the group of Confucian disciples entering Dayu, it seems that a trend of looking down on craftsmen and merchants has begun to sweep across Dayu."

"I feel that this kind of atmosphere is not conducive to the development of Dayu."

"It just so happens that Lin An wrote to me and told me this good news. I wanted to use Lin An's "iron forging method" to teach those sour scholars in Dayu a lesson."

The expression on Zu Tianshi's face did not change, and Zhang Cheng did not hesitate at all.

He knew that, in fact, with Master Zu Tianshi's current identity, power, and status, as well as the instructions his father gave to Master Zu Tianshi before his death, if Master Zu Tianshi wanted to do this, he didn't need to inform him.

This "knowing" is the respect that Zu Tianshi shows to himself.

Zhang Cheng nodded: "I have not forgotten the situation my father came from, nor have I forgotten why he started the uprising."

He looked into the distance at the sky, and felt the people of Dayu through the square hall.

"I want to create a peaceful and prosperous world for this world."

"I also want everything in this world to continue to develop along the established trajectory."

"I want"

"All people in the world will no longer be displaced."

"I want everyone in this world to no longer be hungry and no longer feel that they are struggling to survive."

Zhang Cheng turned around and looked at the Master Zu Tian who was standing there and just smiled softly: "Perhaps, I will not be able to fulfill this wish in this lifetime, but I will teach my children that as long as the three of us, grandfather and grandson, have this life, we can always do something for the people of this world."

Master Zu Tianshi looked at Zhang Cheng standing there, and the skinny old man seemed to appear in front of him again.

"I want the people of this great country to no longer have to live an oppressed life!"

He seemed to vaguely hear his father's words again and see his father's figure.

"How miserable the people of the world are."

"With my life, I can always do something for them."

At this moment, the figures of Chen Chengji, Zhang Jiao and Zhang Cheng seemed to overlap.

Master Zu Tian came out of his daze and said with a smile: "Your Majesty's wish will come true."

In the winter of the 13th year of Yuan'an.

This snowy season has become lively because of the news from Linjing City. People throughout Dayu have felt the kindness from Kyoto.

A new government office was established in all the counties and prefectures in Dayu. The job of this government office was not to collect taxes or manage the people, but to count the number of elderly people over 50 and children under 10 who had no one to take care of them.

This newly established government office was called the Old and Young Office.

The function of this yamen is just like the name of this yamen, responsible for counting and taking in these unattended elderly people and children. They do not trap them here and take care of them like livestock, but are willing to provide these children with some things within their ability.

At first, people did not believe this. Instead, they thought that the court wanted to recruit these old and young people to do something bad. But these people were old and young and had no strength. What could they do?

Then some people felt that the imperial court wanted to send these old and young people to die and serve as the "vanguard camp", which was also a little bit of a help.

Later, when the people from the Bureau of Children and the Aged really started to count and when the Bureau of Children and the Aged really started to operate, people suddenly realized that this good thing was actually true.

The Department of Children and the Aged has designed different "jobs" for different people.

They will provide three meals a day and even a fixed "salary" to these homeless people.

So, they began to think that the court was looking for these people to do some dangerous work.

After some curious people went to inquire, they learned from an old man in the Department of Children and the Elderly that the "work" they did was very simple.

Many of the jobs provided by the Department of Children and the Aged take up a lot of time, but do not require much effort or thinking. They are simple, repetitive and mechanical jobs. If these jobs are replaced by young and strong people, they are of course not suitable, after all, young and strong people have no patience.

But it would be perfect for these elderly people.

These elderly people have a lot of time and patience. By doing these things, on the one hand, they can make some money for themselves, and on the other hand, they can pass the boring and long time.

Later, people learned that some of the "tools" produced by these "jobs" were of great use, while others were small items circulated in the market. The tools to make these things were invented by the "craftsmen" who were denounced by the "scholars" who flocked into Dayu.

The sentiments of "contempt for craftsmen" and even "contempt for Mohism" that were circulating in Dayu began to slowly disappear, and they began to think about a question: if this matter needs to be condemned, then what is the so-called "noble" thing in the mouths of Confucian scholars?

The people began to wonder why they had been bewitched by these people in the past.

After thinking about it, some people found the problem.

Teahouse
This place has always been a good place for ordinary people to kill time. However, the storyteller today did not tell the heroic stories he told in the past. Instead, he talked about the dispute between "Confucianism" and "Mohism" that everyone has been discussing in recent days.

The storyteller smiled and asked, "Are you all confused? Do you think what the Confucian scholar said makes sense, and what the Mohist said also makes sense?"

Seeing everyone nodding, the storyteller slammed the gavel and laughed, "Hahahaha, everyone, just listen to me--"

"Confucianism is not just a lineage. Starting from Confucius' disciples, there are "Meng Ru", "Lu Ru", "Chu Ru", "Xun Ru" and "Dong Ru" of this dynasty. There are many schools with different inheritances, and the inherited thoughts and styles are also different."

He smiled and said, "Among them, Meng Confucianism is passed down from Mencius. Their style is more orthodox and they put the people first. Lu Confucianism is different. They emphasize that everything should be based on "rules", that is, "rituals". Naturally, they look down on other schools. The ancestors of Xun Confucianism, Chu Confucianism, and Dong Confucianism were guided by Chen's ancestors, so they were more mixed with hundreds of schools and paid more attention to reality."

"Most of the 'Confucian scholars' in Dayu are from Lu Confucianism. They wish the world could go back to the time of Zhou because they themselves are from the 'scholar-official' class. To put it simply, they are aristocrats."

"Think about it, if everyone values ​​Confucian scholars and thinks they are noble, wouldn't they become aristocrats again?"

"So, why wouldn't they try their best to spread this idea?"

"We thought it made sense before because they deliberately downplayed the role of the Mohists or craftsmen."

"Did they tell me what the craftsmen made these things for?"

"My uncle's daughter's best friend's father has a friend who works at the Old and Young Bureau. He has inquired about it and found out that the people there can get one gold coin every month!"

Excuse!
If the previous news only made these people feel vaguely "envious", now their eyes would be red.

That's one gold!
The storyteller was very proud: "I also heard that the Mohist school seems to have developed a new "iron forging method", or a "steel making method". This thing is more powerful than iron, and weapons made with this thing are much more useful than before."

"Who in our family doesn't have a child in the army?"

"With a weapon like this, maybe I can still survive after the chaos is settled!"

On one hand it is money, on the other hand it is the lives of offspring.

Either one of them is something that ordinary people value, not to mention their combined power.

All of a sudden, the news began to spread in Dayu in an unimaginable way.

Prime Minister's Office

Zu Tianshi was sitting in the courtyard, and in front of him was Chen Ze.

"Brother, you really have a good way."

Chen Ze sighed and said, “Just a piece of news and an old and young bureau solved the problem that has troubled my brother for many years.”

The Master of Heaven’s Ancestral Sect’s expression remained unchanged: “Those people from the Confucian School have already crossed the line, and they should be taught a lesson.”

He looked at Chen Ze and said, "Lin An, how could you make a decision so quickly and choose Dayu?"

Master Zu Tianshi was a little confused, because he didn't want to involve the Chen family, so he never revealed his identity.

Chen Ze just looked at the azure sky in the distance and said, "The chaos has lasted too long."

"Someone needs to end this. Cao Pi is not the right person, and neither is Liu Bei."

He was a little disappointed: "I asked Brother Ying to go to Langya to test Cao Pi, but I found that he wanted to implement the "Nine-Rank System" to use the power of the aristocratic families to complete the usurpation of Liu Han's throne."

"He was very unwise."

"In fact, even without relying on the power of the family, he can accomplish this. After all, his father has paved the way for him."

"He's just too anxious."

"If we allow such a person to rule the world, then the people of the world will never have a chance to rise up in the future."

“So, I ruled it out.”

"And Liu Bei."

Speaking of Liu Bei, Chen Ze sighed again and again: "Although politics ultimately requires compromise, Xuande does not understand that if he does not make a decision, he will suffer the consequences."

"In the minds of those people, what is the difference between him and those people who are plotting rebellion? How can his subordinates be willing to accept this?"

"After thinking about it, I finally feel that you have a good vision, brother. Dayu may be the most suitable place to become the master of the world."

Zu Tianshi stood up and just sighed with his hands behind his back.

"You mean, the one from Langya couldn't stand it anymore and finally wanted to do that thing?"

Chen nodded silently: "Yes."

He stood behind Zu Tianshi, his expression also deep and vague: "He is going to do that thing."

That thing is destined to go down in history, but no one knows whether it will be a curse or a good name.

Langya
Cao Pi was sitting in the Prime Minister's Mansion. He looked at Xun You beside him with a deep gaze.

"We can't wait any longer."

He closed his eyes: "Dayu is developing too fast, we must complete the first step as soon as possible!"

"Otherwise, this world is destined to belong to Dayu!"

(End of this chapter)