warring states careerist

Chapter 218

Those who really have a heart and have never been troubled by their thoughts should be able to find that there is something wrong with the Xuanyi Department of Mo Zhe.

According to the propaganda situation at the beginning of the defense of the city, this time when the granary was burned and rumors that they did not want to defend the city were spread in the city, it should be the time when the Propaganda Department was rampant.

However, the members of the Propaganda Department led by Shi were surprisingly unresponsive this time, as if they had completely forgotten about the burning of the granary.

The Propaganda Department did not express any views on this matter, nor did it represent the Mohists to do even a little bit of peace of mind.

It seems that since the day when the granary was burned, the Chu people had been rushing to attack the city for several days, so they had no time to do such a thing.

It also seems that Mo Zhe was really exhausted by the siege of the Chu people, and he could no longer be distracted to do such things.

The rumors in the city began to increase, like a fire ignited after the wheat field was harvested, and the Propaganda Department, the only one capable of fighting the fire, seemed to be asleep, not caring about the spread of these wildfires, so the city was full of rumors.

Three days after the granary was burned, Shi took a few people to visit under the city wall.

Many young and strong people were conscripted near the city wall, to guard against what seemed to be getting more and more "severe" these days.

Because of the war, the people who were difficult to get together on weekdays were gathered together in a reasonable and reasonable way. This should be the most suitable time for the Propaganda Department to promote.

In the open space under the city wall, the soldiers and peasants who guarded the city at night were chatting about something. I don’t know who saw Shi first, and said "The Mohist is here" among the crowd, and everyone fell silent.

Shi walked to the side of the crowd and said with a smile: "Why, the Mohist still has the ability to block the mouths of the people? The so-called defense of the people's mouth is better than Fangchuan. Although we admire Yu, we don't have the ability of Dayu to control the water. How can we keep the mouths of the people at bay?"

Everyone just smiled awkwardly, Shi Shi spoke the local dialect of Shangqiu, and he was the son of a shoemaker in Shangqiu city, so everyone was no stranger to him.

In addition, these people have either used the ink carts in the city, or used the transformed plowshares, or been to the mills outside the city, or planted Su Maidong wheat, and they have a close affection for the Mohists themselves.

Of course, I know the reason why everyone is silent. It is nothing more than Mo Zhe's previous prohibition. Words that hinder the defense of the city cannot be spread casually, otherwise they will be punished.

Shi Shi said to everyone: "Whether you want to defend is another matter; you have decided to defend but hinder the defense of the city, that is another matter. If you don't say it, I know it too. How many times are you talking about it?" Those words in Sun City, right?"

A few bolder ones laughed out loud, and they were quite pleasant on weekdays. Even if Shi personally poisoned dozens of people in Pei County, it was still an elegant killing, not to mention that his reputation for viciousness was not grand in Shangqiu.

Shi Bian walked casually to the side of a bold man, followed closely by the swordsman behind him, and inadvertently separated the back, ensuring that Shi Bian could leave at any time if something happened.

Seeing Shi sitting over, the man sighed first and said: "Shi, you Mozhe are smart people and know what to do, but we can't tell right from wrong by the words in the city."

Shi smiled and said, "How can there be any right or wrong? What have you all heard?"

Maybe he was afraid that everyone would think too much, so he joked again: "Look, what I'm asking is what you've heard. Even if we have a ban on defending the city, it's just to punish those who incite rumors, but we didn't say that we even heard the rumors. Everyone will have their ears cut off!"

After hearing this, the people next to him were really relieved, laughed for a while and said: "There are many sayings in the city, you must have heard of them."

Shi replied, "I've heard some."

The most courageous person asked, "Shi, you said before that when the Chu people break the city, we have to do hard labor, provide the Chu people with rations and increase taxes. That's why we have to defend the city."

"But now, if we continue to defend, if the Chu people can't break through, they will continue to besiege the city...the granary in the city is burned, aren't we going to starve to death?"

"You also said that your tycoon said that it is for profit to take advantage of the harm... Then, from this point of view, it is a benefit for us not to defend the city and let the Chu people break the city."

"To starve to death, or to serve hard labor, isn't it an easy choice?"

The bold man who said these words may have received too much publicity from Mohists on weekdays, so he couldn't help but said: "Besides, the current emperor has never done us any favors. On the contrary, he has to increase taxes. Add a gift. Even if you change to a Chu person, I'm afraid there will be no difference!"

After he said these bold words, the others followed suit.

Or someone said: "I heard that when the city was besieged, only two of my grandparents, brothers and sisters were hungry. There was really no firewood, and those who died of starvation gathered together to make a bonfire for warmth and cooking..."

Or someone said: "Your Sumai method has only been used for a year. Your Majesty has to increase the millet tax and wheat tax, and you have to do hard labor to repair the palace. How can you be so busy?"

Once someone opened his mouth, all kinds of dissatisfaction gushed out. Previously, these dissatisfaction were suppressed because it was still beneficial to defend the city, but now they burst out intensified because they might starve to death.

Shi took out a paper book bound together with a rope from his body, and took out a thin pine branch from the campfire, and used the rough fingers honed in the past few years to extinguish the burning flames on it, revealing a black Huhu charcoal.

Turning over a page, he pretended to conclude: "I probably understand what you mean. That is to say, there is no benefit in defending the city. Unless it is more beneficial, you will defend the city? Is this the case?"

This is the truth that he has been propagating all the time. The subtle and silent promotion has always been this purpose, but it has never been summed up in a simple sentence.

At this time, he didn't say anything, still waiting for these people to admit it.

After he finished speaking, everyone around the campfire pondered for a while, nodded and said, "That's what it means."

"Yeah, didn't you mohists say that everyone in the world is for profit? We are also human, why can't we take profit?"

"That is, the only ones who benefit from defending the city are carnivores. Why should we be allowed to defend the city? We cannot benefit from defending the city, and we have to die. If I die, what will my family do? Who will support it? Doesn’t my family have to do labor like repairing palaces?”

"Didn't you say that there is nothing shameful in taking interest?"

Everyone chattered and said with a smile: "Don't we understand these principles? I mean, everyone is right. Then, how can we make everyone defend the city? Or, how can we protect the city?" How can we make everyone defend the city at the risk of being starved to death?"

Shi thought for a while, then said: "If I cut off your finger now, but gave you a hundred gold, would you like it?"

Where have everyone seen Baijin?They didn't even dare to think about it, but thought it was nothing more than a finger, and said one after another, "Of course I would."

Shi Yi clapped his hands and said: "Then I will kill you now and give you a hundred gold, are you willing?"

Everyone thought again, if he died, the hundred gold would be meaningless.

Some people may feel that maybe they can leave it to their family members, but it is not impossible to die, so some say they are willing and some say they are not.

Shi smiled and said: "Look, this is the problem. Now that the hundred gold has become one gold, you still have to die, you are definitely not willing, right?"

Seeing everyone nodding, Shi took a pine branch with charcoal and tapped it on the paper a few times, and said, "Then tell me, how can you be willing to defend the city?"

This seemed to be just a fantasy, or just a small talk, and everyone didn't think much about it, they used their brains and said everything they imagined.

"If you want me to say, that is to set the per-mu tax unchanged. That is, the per-mu tax will not change before the use of wheat, plowshares, and compost. In that case, my family will be able to eat meat after a few years."

"If you want me to say, that is labor labor such as repairing the palace, and you still have to pay. Another example is building the city wall. Don't rush to the wheat harvest season. When the time comes, the cultivation will be delayed, and you have to prepare food yourself."

"If you want me to say, if you die in battle, you must leave something to my family. For example, some tax exemptions are fine..."

One by one, one after another, these simple people, thinking about their own interests for the first time, spoke out the words hidden in their hearts.

Very simple request.

Simply making Shi feel sad-it turns out that they can only do this in their dreams.

Shi Yi recorded these words one by one, and said seemingly unintentionally: "You guys think about the same as people in other places, but there are a few things that people in other places thought of, but you haven't thought of them yet."

As for where else is the distant Pei County?Or is it another group of defenders under the city wall?
I didn't say anything, I didn't lie, I just let these people guess for themselves.

Everyone became interested, and then read a few remarks that sounded extremely "rebellious". Everyone thought they were chattering around the campfire under the city wall, and they all agreed.

After summing up the requirements of the people and the conditions that the Mohist had already prepared, he read them out one by one, and said, "If this is the case, are you willing to risk starving to death to defend the city?"

Everyone was fascinated when they heard those simple requirements in Shi's eyes. They all thought that if this was the case, wouldn't it be the same as the paradise that the Mohist said?
If it is really like this, it is really possible to defend the city, even if it may starve to death, but if it does not starve to death, then there will be a good life in the future.

Some people also think that this is like the joke that Shi just said: Would it be acceptable to give people a hundred gold and kill someone?What's more, this person must die. The Mohists have been saying that the Three Jins must send troops to appease everyone. If the Three Jins send troops to rescue, then they don't have to die, and they can live a good life. It is really acceptable.

But the daring man before finally asked: "Even if these can make us die, who can agree? Will the emperor agree? I am a vulgar person, how can I see the emperor?"

Shi smiled and said: "That may not be impossible. The giant has heard rumors in the city these days, and thought of benefiting the world, so he came up with a way."

"How about this, among the hundred of you, choose one person, as the representative of public opinion, maybe in a few days, you can follow the giant to meet Song Gong, and speak out loudly what you want."

"This is beneficial to yourself and everyone else. Which one of you has the guts? Are you willing to follow Mo Zhe to pursue the benefits you want?"

He stood up and looked at everyone, and said again: "This kind of thing is like farming. You say that you are not tired, so how can you get anything? You all dare to want to harvest, why is this more important than harvest? What, you don’t want to do it?”

As soon as the words came out, the person who was the most courageous before stood up and said: "Who said not to dare? Even a man has courage! Besides, this is something for self-interest, why not do it?"

Instead of looking at Shi Shi, he turned to face the crowd and asked, "What do you think of me?"

These people around the campfire were gathered together because of the defense of the city.

They may or may not have known each other before, but this person was extremely daring and courageous in defending the city a few days ago, and this matter seems to many people...a bit dangerous.

What if Duke Song refuses to agree?
In case of retaliation in the future?
What if you will suffer from it in the future?
In case of any possibility that threatens his life and family?
Now that someone stood up, and the people who gathered because of defending the city could only focus on courage at this time, just like cooking when they are hungry, everyone shouted: "Okay!"

Shi Shi asked the person's name, and said, "Let's talk about this matter again, I will come to you in a few days. You can continue to discuss this matter, which is not a violation. What's wrong with pursuing your own gains? We Mo Zhe is benefiting the world, but in fact, it is not for benefiting you?"

"It's just that you are not Mohists, so you can't ask you to benefit others. But you can always do things that benefit yourself, right?"

Everyone also felt that this was reasonable, so he said a few more words to everyone, and then said that he would continue to patrol the city, said goodbye to everyone and left first.

It's just that he said he was patrolling the city, but in fact he went to the next place where people gathered, said similar things, and won more people to stand up.

Because of guarding the city, the people of Shangqiu were allowed to organize by the king.

Also because of the defense of the city, the people of Shangqiu had a more convenient opportunity to listen to the propaganda of the Propaganda Department.

Even, when defending the city, Song Gong hoped that the people would be strong, but the people would one day erupt a threat to the monarch, which could not be considered when defending the city.

Thinking about it, drinking poison to quench thirst, I'm afraid that's the case.

These people who guard the city under the city wall represent the families behind them. As long as they dare to demand their own interests, then the Mohists can have more room for manipulation.

Naturally, there are still people in the city who have not been gathered. What those people may have heard at this time are the rumors of the nobles of the Six Qing Dynasty, so they don't care.

He didn't give up on the city, but he thought that the nobles in the city could not control them, and the people in the city were scattered and had no power.

The conscripted people under the city wall gathered together, although they were still a mob, but they were a crowd after all, and their strength was still stronger than those scattered individuals in the city.

Moreover, Shi is very confident that if something really happens, he has the ability to make the instigated people in the city easily defect and stand on his side.

The simple truth cannot be simpler, it is the simplest selfishness.Mohists are not selfish, but they can use the selfishness of people in the world to accomplish many things.

The Chu people are still besieging the city for a day, and these people who have been incited because of selfishness can still maintain the most basic organizational structure.

It is justifiable to organize together as promised and hoped by Song Gong, which will eventually make Song Gong suffer.

After Shi and the people from the Propaganda Department finished visiting the Chinese people in the city gathered under the city wall in the name of defending the city against the Chu people's attack, more than a hundred people's representatives have been selected.

They may not have power for the time being, but they can make Mohists do some legitimate things.

After summarizing all kinds of news, I believe that those who spread rumors at this time must also be preparing.

If you want to do it, you will see the result within two days.

Because Mozi told Shi that the Chu people could no longer pretend, and if this continued, the morale of the Chu people would collapse.

Under the internal and external connections, the people in the city will inevitably choose to do it in a few days.

The nobles, perhaps based on past experience, think that what the people think is what they can hear.

It's just that they don't know that the people organized under the city wall in the name of defending the city are not thinking about what the nobles think the people are thinking...

I thought to myself, what are those nobles who are spreading rumors doing now?

(End of this chapter)