NOVPUBFa Zheng and Zhuge Liang both took Chen Xi’s words to heart, planning to mobilize their respective manpower to verify the truth. If it were indeed so, then according to the disposition of both Fa Zheng and Zhuge Liang, they couldn’t help but strategize.
"Hehehe, just remember what I’ve said, and you’ll need to verify it for yourselves. What I said might not be the truth, at least for now the Great Han Dynasty still belongs to the strong who overpower the Four Barbarians," Chen Xi said with a smile, "Although the Xianbei are strong, they are still hard-pressed to shake the foundation."
Chen Xi held absolute confidence in this, as the Han Dynasty still held an unquestionable advantage, which could even mean that just Yuan Shao’s forces in the north were enough to ensure Helian and Kebinen perished without a trace.
The Xianbei were still in a dormant state at the moment, and with the colossal blockage of the Han Court, they had no chance of invasion before their strength in the Central Plains was significantly weakened.
Chen Xi had never considered subjugating the grasslands through violence. Bloodshed should not be inflicted upon innocent people, whether it be border residents or grassland herders, whether it’s the untamed nomadic civilization or the current esteemed civilization of the Han Dynasty. Both were struggling for survival, and their differences were not irreconcilable.
Chen Xi couldn’t bring himself to massacre the entire grassland. After all, humans aren’t solely good or evil, and deciding the life and death of millions with just a word wasn’t his intention. What he sought was a nation of prosperity and strong citizens.
[A strategy of cultural assimilation? No, there is a better approach – migration, offering them equal opportunities.] Chen Xi’s face bore a trace of irony.
Compared to the mere three million Xianbei population, the Han Dynasty, thanks to Chen Xi’s early extermination of typhoid fever, still had a population of about fifty million. For a nomadic people whose civilization hadn’t fully developed, once defeated and offered the same opportunities, there was only one outcome – they would gradually assimilate into the Han people.
Chen Xi did not believe that an ethnicity that hadn’t fully constructed its own culture could resist the most culturally assimilative ethnicity in the world, especially when the Han ethnicity had an advantage in all aspects.
[A battle is inevitable, the leaders within must be eliminated, and certain intransigent elements need to be purged too, but for now, telling the two of them will definitely draw their attention. By that time, a clear analysis will be expected. Children are easy to deceive, and yet I’ve disclosed important future events.] Chen Xi thought indifferently, sometimes things have to be done subtly.
Fa Zheng and Zhuge Liang were completely unaware that this very matter was an important task set to begin after Yuan Shao had been dealt with and claimed dominance over the Central Plains.
This issue, concerning the long-term peace and stability of the populace under his rule, belonged to the crucial planning Chen Xi had to do in advance. And Fa Zheng and Zhuge Liang, having had their curiosity piqued beforehand, started working for Chen Xi without knowing the full picture.
"Let’s not discuss these matters that are not relevant in the short term," Chen Xi said, patting Fa Zheng’s shoulder as he turned his head, then walking towards Wang Lie with a look of pride on his face.
"Duke Wang, I have heard it said that ’The way to foster people lies in taking virtue as the foundation.’ This ’Book of Virtue’ could indeed serve as a model of moral conduct for the common man. I wonder if the elder would allow me to fully disseminate it throughout the world. Henceforth, the expenses of Duke Wang’s academy shall be entirely assumed by the Bookstore of Mount Tai. I myself believe this book can establish virtue for the people across the world!" Chen Xi walked up to Wang Lie, bowed deeply, and for the first time in public, showed the respect due from a junior.
After all, as a Marquis who truly earned his feud based on military achievements, there was no need for Chen Xi to speak modestly to anyone other than the emperor or his elders. Even Fan Jian should be addressed as ’lady’ or ’young master.’ Yet, sometimes, it was better to lower one’s status.
"Marquis Chen mustn’t do this!" Wang Lie, whose legs and feet were impaired, moved a bit and, with the support of his crutch, hurriedly helped Chen Xi up.
"Perhaps Duke Wang is unaware, but he may allow it." Chen Xi no longer demeaned his own status; one gesture of junior respect was enough.
"Ah, very well then," Wang Lie heaved a sigh, as if he had relinquished something, and began to speak, "I will not obstruct you. This book need not bear my name, nor does it need to be broadcast throughout the world. As long as it includes all the essentials and can make clear what virtue is, that is sufficient. The rest does not concern me."
Chen Xi was taken aback, as this amounted to Wang Lie renouncing all rights to the book and even the school of thought he had founded!
Chen Xi had prepared himself for Wang Lie to be difficult, which is why he had offered the gesture of respect for juniors in advance, but he had not expected the other party to be so magnanimous.
One must know that this was the culmination of half of Wang Lie’s life’s work, which could be considered a legacy. In that era, such treasures were reserved for one’s closed-door disciples, at most allowing a few exceptional pupils to transcribe a copy. Should he truly disseminate the essence of his work, his school’s core philosophy would have no other choice but to be absorbed by other schools.
The Mohists, as a prominent school that ultimately collapsed, fell not only due to suppression but also because its ideological essence was absorbed by others. This exemplifies how crucial a legacy’s core ideas are.
For the people of that era, what mattered was not the text itself, but the thoughts interpreting the text. The books from families like the Pang and Huang, which Chen Xi had previously published, included only the text without the core essence, thus establishing the publishing standard for the Bookstore of Mount Tai.
Similarly, the copy of the "Book of Virtue" Wang Lie loaned Chen Xi did not include the essential core either, yet it still enabled Chen Xi and his peers to grasp a lucid description of virtue within its pages.
"If through Marquis Chen’s hands one could establish virtue for the people of the world, why would I be reluctant? What does it matter if the book’s essence is shared? Li’er, bring me that box from the bookshelf." At this point, Wang Lie had let go completely. His own virtue was almost perfect. Building virtue for all under heaven was something Wang Lie never considered before, which reminded him now of Bing Yuan’s words, "To educate more people, you at least need to sit in a high enough position."
Receiving the box from the young girl, Wang Lie passed it to Chen Xi, "Marquis Chen, the entire essence of the book is in that box. To establish virtue for all under heaven, this book alone is not enough."
"At the very least, this can serve as a seed. With the effort of three generations, if it’s instilled from one generation to the next, there will naturally be a glimmer of hope," Chen Xi said with a smile. Establishing virtue was not a simple matter of a few words. He, too, had considered it, but had never found the appropriate classical books. After all, many of the books about "virtue" seemed skewed in his view.
Some of these texts blatantly castrated the vigor of the nation, others were corrupting, some were distorting—overall, they were unsuitable. 𝓃𝓸𝓋𝓅𝓊𝒷.𝓬𝓸𝓂
The important reason Chen Xi valued Wang Lie’s "Book of Virtue" was that Wang Lie’s concept of virtue was not about forgiveness or tolerance per se, but about tailoring moral education to different individuals—using behavior and ethics to influence at the high end and power and influence at the low end—essentially different levels of education for each person, but with a fixed benchmark. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it on Qidian (qidian.com) with recommendation tickets or monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to read.)
