People in the Three Kingdoms: Starting from Preaching

Chapter 462 Pastoral
Only Xu Chen and Liu Hong were left in the tile-roofed house. The other members of the Liu family were busy killing chickens and cooking, or working elsewhere. Even Cai Wenji went out to play with the children or chat with the women in the family.

The purpose of Xu Chen's visit today was to visit Liu Hong, so the others naturally knew to give the two of them some space alone.

After everyone left, Liu Hong looked at Xu Chen carefully and nodded.

I have to say that Xu Chen does have the aura of a heroic leader.

The emperors of the Han Dynasty, whether it was the former Emperor Ling Liu Hong or the later Liu Xie, were far inferior to Xu Chen in terms of bearing and temperament.

Judging people by their appearance is certainly not absolutely accurate, but a person's spiritual cultivation, knowledge and ability can be reflected in his temperament and demeanor, which is still very telling.

Just seeing Xu Chen's face, Liu Hong couldn't help but miss the Liu family's kingdom.

Although he had discussed the "Natural Classic" with Cai Yong and praised Xu Chen, he was on the Liu family's side after all. At that time, he admired and was curious about Xu Chen, but he was more worried and fearful.

He had already foreseen at that time that Xu Chen would definitely be a strong rival to the big man, but when he thought of this, he did not expect it to happen so soon.

In just over a decade, the Han Dynasty collapsed. Even the Han emperor surrendered to this man, and the Liu family's country was destroyed overnight.

The man in front of him was only one step away from becoming the ruler of China.

He harbored resentment towards Xuan Xia and Xu Chen, but after arriving in Xuan Xia and seeing everything there was, he found that he could no longer resent them.

Even as a relative of the Han Dynasty, he had to admit that Xuan Xia did better than the Han people after living there for three years.

Liu Hong also had experience as a local official, so he knew very well what kind of life the Han people lived. To say that it was not in dire straits, it was at least difficult for them to just barely make it by.

But for the people of Xuanxia, ​​it was a completely different scene. Under such a huge gap, the people knew who to follow by voting with their feet.

The Liu family was not as good as Xu Chen, so it was not unfair for them to lose their kingdom.

Especially now that Liu Hong's family has become ordinary people, he can more deeply understand the superiority and advancement of Xuanxia. Putting aside other things, the newly built brick kiln in the village in recent months is enough to illustrate the problem.

If it were the Han people, they would not go to such great lengths to formulate such a plan to improve the lives of the people.

These towns have a wide variety of industries. One village makes bricks in kilns, while another may grow fruit, or some may spin yarn and weave cloth. In fact, they can form a closed-loop economic structure and be self-sufficient.

The most surprising thing is that these industries are all owned by the vast majority of farmers, bringing the benefits to the general public instead of being seized by a few powerful families as before.

The Liu family who moved into the village was also a beneficiary of this policy. He felt most directly the benefits that the Xuanxia court brought to the people, and he could not help but accept it.

Everything else may deceive people, but one’s own personal experience will not deceive people. In comparison, the Han people are really far behind.

Of course, the township industry is indeed good, but Liu Hong also noticed some problems. Now that the Prime Minister of Xuanxia happened to be sitting in front of him, he couldn't help but want to discuss it.

Silently drinking a sip of tea, he looked at Xu Chen and said, "I think the township industry model you have come up with may not last long." Xu Chen was stunned for a moment. He never expected Liu Hong to talk about this. After smiling, he said, "Hmm? Mr. Liu, do you have any opinions that you can teach me?"

Liu Hong said in a deep voice: "Business is profit-seeking. Only with profit can it survive and grow. However, the industries in towns and villages are scattered and weak. They can still be self-sufficient at present, but if the current situation continues, they will be destroyed by more powerful industrial and commercial forces one day."

Xu Chen could sense some worry from Liu Hong's words.

Liu Hong was indeed worried. Now that he had adapted to the perspective of the common people, township industries seemed to him to be good things. However, with his wisdom, he was pessimistic about the future of such industries.

It has to be said that the elites of the old era were indeed powerful, and Xu Chen had to admire Liu Hong's precise foresight.

Small industries and small markets in towns and villages will sooner or later be crushed by large industrial and commercial forces. This is inevitable. Unless small industries in towns and villages can develop into large industries themselves, they will not be able to survive the fierce market competition in the future.

Before Xu Chen could say anything, Liu Hong spoke again, and this time his tone sounded somewhat earnest.

"The town industry is actually very good, and millions of people can benefit from it. If Xuanxia wants to ensure the stability and prosperity of the people, it should suppress large-scale industry and commerce. Otherwise, the people of this world will be controlled by new rentiers in the future. What is the difference between the old aristocracy and the new businessmen?

Only the township industries truly belong to the people. As long as the court can help the people keep the only things left, it will be enough to achieve long-term stability. Ten thousand years of rule may really be feasible!"

As he was talking, Liu Hong stood up, looking somewhat excited.

Confucianism may have a million shortcomings, but at least it pursues a world of great harmony. When Xu Chen completed this thorough redistribution and promoted collective industries in towns and villages, Liu Hong saw a possibility.

Now there is no emperor, nor any powerful aristocracy. The aristocracy has been wiped out by Xuan Xia. If this collective economic model can be maintained, perhaps it is possible to avoid annexation and allow the people to live a stable and prosperous life for generations to come.

The great ideal of a world of great harmony may really be possible before our eyes. Of course, the prerequisite is that Xuanxia must protect rural industries from being destroyed and keep wealth in the hands of the people, which requires suppressing big capital and big business.

Hearing this, Xu Chen's expression was somewhat subtle and a little sighing.

An idyllic society where people are content with a modest fortune is indeed ideal, but it is destined to be just an unrealistic model. Even if it can be realized, a society that remains unchanged will become completely rigid and stagnant.

Of course, he also wants human society to truly enter the ultimate state, but that is definitely not something that can be achieved now.

Small industries in towns and villages are destined to be short-term policies used to improve the lives of the people. After completing their historical mission, they will naturally fade away in the long river of history.

"Your idea is certainly beautiful, but it requires a premise, that is, the current population must maintain a relatively constant number, which is obviously impossible.

When the population grows ten or a hundred times, can society still function by relying solely on farmland and these small industries in towns and villages? "

Xu Chen didn't say anything too complicated. Just the condition of population made Liu Hong speechless.

Liu Hong suddenly realized that he had overlooked the biggest problem. Although the pastoral society that was content with a small fortune was stable, it had also stagnated in development. One day, the existing wealth would no longer be able to satisfy the endlessly growing population.

(End of this chapter)