People in the Three Kingdoms: Starting from Preaching

Chapter 550 Compromise
The great ambition of the Naturalism religion is engraved in the hearts of every believer. The ultimate goal that Xu Chen set for them in the Naturalism Sutra is not only the progress of China, but also the liberation of mankind all over the world.

This great vow is more of a goal. Although this goal seems very unrealistic now, it actually has a huge effect.

That is a lighthouse that guides the direction at sea. With this lighthouse, humans know which direction to go. Although they may never reach the destination, they can get infinitely close.

With this goal in mind, future naturalists will not only focus on China.

Although China is big, it is still not big enough compared to the entire world. With such a huge goal, the Church naturally has the driving force to move outward, and believers will involuntarily export innovations.

What Xuan Xia is doing now can be regarded as the practice of this grand goal, and Li Zheng is an individual under this macro goal.

Just as he said, Xuan Xia's inventions and creations can eventually be exported to the world in the form of industrial products so that everyone can benefit from them. In this regard, the so-called phonograph is no different from a cotton-padded sweater, except that the former is more technically complex and has not yet been developed for better commercial purposes.

Of course, Xuanxia’s industrial products can bring benefits to the outside world, but they will also bring them huge cultural influence.

If there were not enough industrial products exported, how could we see such a scene in Goguryeo today where the aristocratic society speaks Chinese and wears Chinese clothes everywhere? If this process continues, Goguryeo will get closer and closer to Xuanxia, ​​and even become a part of Xuanxia.

In this way, Xuan Xia can begin to annex the surrounding areas in a less violent and less consequential way.

If we want to put it in a more pleasant way, it can also be regarded as a great process of naturalism liberating the world.

Li Zheng is well aware of his mission, which cannot be known by Emiya.

The strange thing is that he always feels that Emiya seems to have noticed all this, but in reality Emiya has not done anything specific to resist, which makes him a little unsure.

The resident ambassador's secret mission is to accelerate this assimilation process.

Just as Li Zheng was thinking to himself, he saw Emiya carefully covering the phonograph with a cloth. He finally stopped playing with this new toy and walked towards the throne with a smile.

After extending his hand to signal Li Zheng to take a seat below, Emiya then straightened up the God and talked about the business of summoning him.

"The Han envoy doesn't know that I understand very well that trade between our two countries is mutually beneficial. If possible, I hope that this mutually beneficial relationship can continue forever. Unfortunately, Goguryeo has encountered difficulties today, and these difficulties have damaged trade, which makes it very difficult for me. I summoned the Han envoy today to discuss a countermeasure together."

Emiya sighed softly, and his brows immediately frowned, as if he had really encountered something difficult.

Li Zheng immediately smelled something unusual, and then he became serious: "Please speak, my lord. I am all ears."

Emiya smiled bitterly and said, "Han envoy, please take a look. Goguryeo is a cold and bitter land with scarce resources. We have exhausted all our means and can only trade in wood, fishing, leather, medicine, and food. However, the output is very low and it is inevitable that it will run out. Although we can barely support trade now, I am afraid it will not be sustainable in the long run. What should we do?"

Hearing this, Li Zheng's eyes flickered slightly, and his first thought was that Goguryeo was dissatisfied with the current trade pricing.

In tribute trade, the focus is not on tribute but on trade. The scale of trade between the two sides is huge, and the pricing power is in Xuanxia's hands from beginning to end.

This is inevitable because Xuan Xia has the goods that all the tribes and small countries desire, and it is the only one that has it.

Even if we don't mention emerging industrial products such as cotton-padded clothes, sweaters, glass, matches, and soap, even the existing handicrafts such as tea, salt, sugar, and silk are also considered black technologies in the eyes of small countries and tribes, and are products that they cannot live without.

In such trade activities, Xuan Xia can naturally control the dominant position of trade. He can buy raw materials from tribes of various countries at low prices, but the high value-added goods sold to various countries and tribes are very expensive.

It has to be said that in such transactions, it is not surprising that small countries and tribes, with their pitifully low productivity, are hollowed out.

After coughing, Li Zhengzheng said with difficulty: "This matter is indeed difficult to handle, but trade pricing is mostly driven by the market, and it is difficult for it to fluctuate. This..."

Although Li Zheng understood that this was inevitable, it was impossible for Xuan Xia to make concessions. The resident ambassador was not here to solve the problems for the country he was appointed to, but to more efficiently defend the interests of Xuan Xia, so he would naturally not back down on this matter.

But when Emiya heard this, he chuckled, as if he had expected this answer. "The Han envoy is joking. After all, I once studied at Xuanxia Academy. Naturally, I know that the crux of this matter is not the price, but the lack of productivity in Goguryeo."

"Uh"

Li Zheng was stunned for a moment and looked at Shigong, who didn't react for a while.

He had thought of many scenarios and had even prepared a draft in his mind on how he was going to argue with Emiya next, but Emiya suddenly blurted out these words, which immediately threw him off.

How can this king be so enlightened?
Seeing this, Emiya shook his head and smiled: "Han envoys don't have to think that I am so magnanimous. I just know that bargaining cannot solve the problem. Of course, if the productivity of Goguryeo improves in the future, I will still reserve the right to bargain with you."

Li Zheng breathed a sigh of relief and asked tentatively, "What does the king mean?"

Wei Gong then spoke frankly, "The Han envoys have been negotiating with our country about the admission of Han merchants. I have agreed to this. From now on, Xuanxia merchants can engage in business activities in Goguryeo. I don't care whether they open fisheries, develop mineral deposits, or anything else. As long as they can bring wealth to our country and continue trade, our country will allow it."

Li Zheng was overjoyed when he heard this. He never expected that Emiya would suddenly agree to something that he had been unable to accomplish.

"Your Majesty is wise. This matter will benefit the people of both countries. As long as we agree on it and give the order, the foreign ministers will immediately send a letter back to the country to implement this matter as soon as possible!" Li Zheng stood up and saluted towards Wei Gong in response.

Emiya nodded and said, "Of course, I, Goguryeo, will not allow Han merchants to develop it for nothing. Cooperation matters should follow the principle of sharing benefits, and all development activities must be carried out in cooperation with our country."

Upon hearing this, Li Zheng immediately understood that this was Goguryeo's request to share benefits.

Li Zheng not only did not resist, but was secretly happy about this. Although it seemed that this would allow Goguryeo to share the benefits, it might not be a good thing for Goguryeo.

He immediately agreed: "That's what we should do. We can discuss the details later."

When Li Zheng said goodbye and left, Wei Gong in the palace let out a sigh.

It's hard to tell what Xuanxia will become in another ten or twenty years if it continues to maintain this momentum. If Goguryeo doesn't catch up, not to mention whether it will be able to face the terrifying leader Xuanxia, ​​it will not even be able to raise its head in front of other small countries and tribes.

Emiya had figured it out. Goguryeo's competition should never be against Xuanxia, ​​but against the other small countries in the alliance.

Xuan Xia's path is the future. Whoever can follow and improve productivity sooner can gain greater benefits in the alliance. Today's compromise is the concession made by Emiya in pursuit of future benefits.

"I can't stop Xuan Xia from doing anything, but at least now, I can do something."

In the dark palace, the voice of Emiya mumbling to himself could be heard, uncertainly.

Even he himself doesn't know whether the decision he made today is good or bad.

Doing all this was not just for the sake of continuing trade, but was also related to the vague fear in his heart. He had always known that under the narrative of naturalism, his identity as a king was tainted with original sin.

It was because he was too awake that he was even more frightened.

He could enjoy dance and music while roasting charcoal fire in the palace. That was the life provided by the Goguryeo people who struggled to survive through countless cold winters.

The more miserable the people of Goguryeo were and the more powerful Xuanxia became, the more uncontrollable the fear in his heart became.

"Introducing Han merchants to develop the land will at least make the people under your rule live a little better.
(End of this chapter)