Chapter 370: Outlaws and Refugees (Part 9) [Seeking Monthly Tickets]

Hearing someone say that, Gu Chi naturally wouldn't take on any work that might cause him trouble. He'd rather stay in bed and sleep a little longer than waste time scheming and bickering with several people.

"In that case, I wish you a safe and successful trip."

Shangnan and Yiru are not that difficult to deal with, it depends on who you compare them to. Compared to someone as unyielding as Qin Li, it's definitely much simpler. But if you really want to persuade them to sell their precious labor force, this will take a long time.

Qi Shan had a sour face.

Gu Chi gave him a small suggestion, smiling and saying, "Actually, Yuanliang could start with Yi Ru."

The first place I went to was Tianhai.

Hehe, to use the lord's words—

Qi Shan is so stubborn that he's not afraid of concussions.

“How could I not know…” Qi Shan sighed.

Of the three families, Yi Ru and He Yin had the most distant relationship, with the two only having a business partnership.

In terms of kinship and distance, Yi Ru is probably the most difficult person to persuade.

That's not actually the case.

Yi Ru was actually the easiest to target.

The reason is simple: the three families have different backgrounds.

Tianhai, Shangnan, Yiru.

Wu Xian came from the highest social standing, possessing a prestigious family background and reputation. He received an education befitting a noble family from a young age, and his subordinates were mostly powerful and influential families from Tianhai and the surrounding prefectures. Qin Li was even a former royal nobleman. They were all people who never lifted a finger to do manual labor, and it was impossible for them to lower themselves to do hard work just because of a few words.

Shangnan Valley, Renhe County, Ruzhanghe County, and He County are equally matched.

No, it should be said that Gu Ren's conditions were even better than Zhang He's.

Gu Ren's ancestors were indeed wealthy, but their fortunes declined due to war and mismanagement, leaving only the name by Gu Ren's generation. Even so, this name provided great help in Gu Ren's life.

His background allowed him to find a good teacher, who then took him in as his son-in-law and provided him with maximum support. Later, his two fathers-in-law also appreciated him. It can be said that although his start was rather unfortunate, his path to growth and development was quite smooth.

Three fathers-in-law, three benefactors.

In contrast, Zhang He was in a much worse situation, having to rely entirely on himself.

Zhang He publicly claimed to be a descendant of a collateral branch of a declining minor clan, but Gu Chi guessed that this was just him embellishing his image; his true origins were probably even lower. He had been frail and sickly since childhood, and through long illness, he became a doctor himself, fortunately acquiring exquisite medical skills.

Unfortunately, his appearance wasn't particularly outstanding, and since the Xin Kingdom selected talent based on looks, Zhang He was rejected three times in his three attempts.

He finally managed to find a way into the Imperial Medical Bureau and climb to the top position of Imperial Physician, but then another unexpected problem arose.

Not only did he lose his future, but he also nearly lost his life. He had to hide in Xinjiang for many years before he could "see the light of day again".

Regardless of whether he was genuinely a compassionate healer or using this tactic to win people over, it's undeniable that Zhang He spent most of his life interacting with ordinary people. His experience at the grassroots level, witnessing much human suffering, has given him a deeper understanding of the profound pain faced by the common folk.

The starting point was too low, and there were not many sons of prominent families among the officials.

This also means that if Zhang He wants to go far, he cannot lose his biggest base of support—the common people.

The support of the people is Zhang He's greatest asset.

Therefore, even if Zhang He had the same concerns as Qin Li, he would still be more than 50% willing to help with short-term jobs for the sake of "the common people's well-being" and to win people's hearts...

Next is Shangnan Guren, but the toughest nut to crack is actually the Tianhai faction, which has the best personal relationship with He Yin.

Gu Chi: "You knew all that, yet you still deliberately chose Tianhai?"

Isn't this just asking for trouble?

Qi Shan remained silent, offering no explanation.

"What deep-seated hatred do you have for Qin Gongsu?" Gu Chi asked, changing his tone to gossip. "Besides instigating your former lord to set fire to the house and force him to leave the mountain to serve in the government, and killing your former lord in advance to ruin Qin Gongsu's plans, what else did you do?"

Gu Chi noticed a very interesting detail.

Among the envoys from Tianhai, Shangnan, and Yiru, the Yiru envoy appeared to be the most easygoing, but in his heart, he was the most calculating. Even outside the city, he could hear the sound of Yiru using his abacus, making a deafening noise. He was incredibly shrewd!

Gu Ren's sixth brother is kind on the outside and kind on the inside!

Qin Li's firepower was almost entirely directed at Qi Shan. He could twist anything Qi Shan did into a conspiracy theory, completely... oh, the lord's talk about criticizing Esther, he was totally obsessed. But he did greatly admire He Yin.

Consider Qi Shan's behavior and temperament.

Gu Chi suspected there was some untold gossip involved.

Qi Shan: "..."

He said calmly, "You're meddling too much."

Gu Chi: "...Oh."

There's definitely more to this story.

Qi Shan: "..."

He gave Gu Chi a cold glare, his eyes filled with threat, but Gu Chi, being such a tough nut to crack, wasn't intimidated at all.

hehe.

You think you can scare him away with just a glance?

Innocent!

The next day, the sky was just beginning to lighten.

Qi Shan went to the camp of the Yi Ru reinforcements outside the city early in the morning. The government office was quieter than usual, with fewer people.

Officials came and went cautiously, afraid of making a loud noise that might disturb their colleagues. Since the lord, who was leading the charge in internal strife, was out fighting, the work fell to those left behind. There were many trivial matters to attend to, and these days they were practically tied to the council hall.

Many officials were chewing on their breakfast meat patties like rabbits chewing vegetables, while simultaneously writing furiously, producing fluent and coherent texts.

When Qin Li was invited in, he witnessed this bizarre and comical scene. The subordinate blushed, gave Qin Li a hasty bow, and continued to bury himself in his work.

Qin Li sensed the awkward atmosphere and looked away.

He came to see Qi Shan.

But today, Gu Chi is on duty at the government office.

Asking for good fortune?

Gu Chi led Qin Li to the side room where guests were being received.

He said, "Chief Clerk Qi went to the Yiru camp early this morning."

Qin Li immediately understood Qi Shan's purpose upon hearing this.

He hadn't slept all night, and coupled with his emotional agitation the previous night, his blood and qi were in turmoil, so his complexion was no longer rosy and instead had a faint bluish-white tinge.

Upon hearing Qi Shan's whereabouts, he said with a mocking tone, "Qi Yuanliang is always prone to wild ideas and forcing others to do things against their will..."

Gu Chi's gossipy heart was stirring.

Unfortunately, Qin Li's heartfelt words didn't get much attention from Qi Shan, leaving him feeling like he was only scratching the surface, and he sighed deeply.

"The messenger may wait a moment; I pray that the registrar will return soon. Or perhaps you could inform me of the matter, and I will relay it to you?"

He was curious about Qin Li's purpose in coming this time. Could it be that he regretted not letting Qi Shan go out horizontally last night, and became angrier the more he thought about it, so he came over early in the morning to finish off Qi Yuanliang with a few more swords?

The result was unexpected.

Qin Li came to inquire about how to arrange manpower.

Gu Chi didn't react for a moment.

He asked疑惑地问道, "What kind of manpower?"

"Qi Yuanliang came to our door last night, wasn't it to borrow Tianhai's manpower to dredge the river and build a reservoir for He Yin?" Qin Li remained calm, looking at Gu Chi who seemed surprised, and said calmly, "On behalf of my lord, I agree to this matter!"

Gu Chi: "..."

Gu Chi: "???"

Gu Chi: "!!!"

He couldn't help but wonder if he was dreaming.

Why did Qin Li agree?

Given Qin Li's temper last night, it wouldn't be surprising if he left He Yin with his troops this morning. So why did he actually... agree?

Qin Li took a sip of the warm tea.

Feel the warmth slide down your throat.

"Does Inspector Gu have any questions?"

"Excuse my boldness, but it seems that the envoy and the Registrar Qi..." Gu Chi couldn't resist his gossipy nature and asked.

"Personal grudges are personal grudges, and public affairs are public affairs. I would never confuse public and private matters..." Qin Li dismissed the matter with a single sentence, but did not forget to probe, "However—do you, or rather, Mr. Shen, truly understand the disastrous consequences of condoning this matter?"

If it weren't for Qi Shan, he would have really admired Shen Jun, and even worried that Shen Tang might have been misled by Qi Shan.

Gu Chi knew what Qin Li wanted to ask.

He only said one sentence: "If someone chokes to death, one might want to ban all food in the world. What do you think, envoy? Is this a good idea?"

Qin Li: "The two cannot be compared."

The saying "to throw the baby out with the bathwater" means to avoid doing something for fear of minor problems. However, it is no small matter to let martial arts masters compete with commoners. If it were limited to Zhao Feng and Shen Tang's subordinates, outsiders would only regard it as a "strange and unusual person" to talk about over tea. But judging from He Yin's attitude, he clearly wants to promote this approach.

How can one not worry?

Have you considered how you would handle things if things got out of control?

If it were anyone else asking, Gu Chi would most likely retort with "You're worrying unnecessarily," but since the person opposite him was Qin Li, he naturally had to give him face. After thinking for a moment, he changed his approach to a more tactful one.

No system in this world is perfect from the start. Using martial arts masters to cultivate the land and labor to free many weak common people from heavy corvée labor is also a positive aspect.

"Does the messenger know that heavy corvée labor is harmful to people?"

If Qi Shan had asked such a pointed question, how could Qin Li have the rationality to listen attentively and think it through? But Gu Chi was different.

Qin Li felt some sympathy for this frail-looking young scholar and subconsciously accommodating him, giving him more patience.

The heavy burden of corvée labor imposed by the government was also one of the main reasons for the downfall of the Qin state, which he has studied.

Therefore, he found it difficult to answer.

It's not that I don't understand, it's that I understand too much.

The corvée labor service required every household to send out able-bodied young men to participate, but these young men were also the main labor force of a family. Losing young men meant delays in farming and reduced income. Coupled with heavy taxes, it could easily drive a family to the brink of despair.

Moreover, the heavy corvée labor that delayed farming was only one drawback; a large number of common people also died because they could not bear the labor.

Qin Li wanted to change things, but he was powerless to reverse the situation.

The issue of corvée labor involves too many vested interests.

The slightest movement he made could bring about his death. He was not afraid to die for his country, but only afraid of dying in vain. What led to the downfall of his homeland was not just a simple matter of forced labor.

However, Gu Chi's words greatly inspired him.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

He changed his previous attitude and sincerely asked for advice.

If the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, then it is worth carrying out. He wanted to know what River Governor Shen Jun thought.

Even if Shen Jun is too young to foresee the drawbacks, his advisors and strategists wouldn't let him dig his own grave. Perhaps this matter truly is the result of their several discussions and careful weighing of the pros and cons?

If so—

A slight ripple seemed to stir in Qin Li's heart.

"Please forgive my ignorance, and I humbly request your guidance."

Gu Chi: "..."

Seeing Qin Li's posture as if he was about to have a heart-to-heart talk with him, Gu Chi cursed Qi Shan a hundred and eighty times in his heart.

This fellow ran away quickly, leaving him to deal with Qin Li.

Qin Li is a stubborn fellow, relentless until he gets what he wants, and not easy to deal with. Taking advantage of the tea break, Gu Chi's mind started working, pondering the benefits of exploiting martial artists.

_(:з」∠)_

Isn't the advantage that their labor is cheap?

Their lord's original intention was merely to exploit Zhao Feng and freeload off Tianhai's labor...

However, these reasons cannot be presented.

When this reached Wu Xian's ears, wouldn't the two families sever ties?

Let him think of a sophisticated excuse...

In a flash, Gu Chi had drafted his plan and was ready to begin his bluffing and sophistry... no, his explanation.

"Alas, I dare not presume to offer my guidance."

Gu Chi deliberately slowed down his speech to make himself seem more unfathomable, but in reality, he was just trying to buy time.

"This matter has both advantages and disadvantages; it depends on how one chooses to weigh them."

Qin Li nodded: "Mm."

They listened attentively, almost as if they wanted to take notes on the spot.

Gu Chi's lips twitched: "Martial arts warriors with extraordinary courage are no ordinary people. Even a low-level martial arts warrior can do the work of ten people. Not to mention a mid-level martial arts warrior, how many common people can be spared from the suffering of corvée labor? Without heavy corvée labor, every household's able-bodied men can work in peace, men plowing and women weaving, living a prosperous life..."

“But if all the land falls into the hands of martial arts masters, they will have no land to cultivate and naturally no food to eat.”

Gu Chi countered, "Is farming the only way to fill one's stomach?"

Qin Li: "???"

Gu Chi was annoyed that he had spoken too quickly and hurriedly tried to make amends.

"If a single martial artist can cultivate enough food to feed ten or even a hundred people, would food still be so precious?"

Qin Li was taken aback by the question.

In an instant, it was as if a veil had been lifted from my eyes.

yes--

If there is a surplus of food and prices cannot be driven up, ordinary people can use the money they earn from other livelihoods to buy food. If they can afford it, they will not starve. As long as they don't starve, they can always find other ways to survive because the basic survival threshold is lowered.

only--

Qin Li had doubts again.

"If the fertile land in the world is controlled by a few powerful families with kinship ties, and they conspire to raise the price of grain or pay the common people less wages... wouldn't the common people also have a hard time surviving?" This is a sharp question.

Gu Chi thought to himself, "Why does this guy have so many questions?" He said, "If this is the case, these families have already overstepped their bounds. Their power can easily shake the foundation of the country. Can the royal family and the king tolerate them? There are so many common people in the world. If they can't make a living, the country will cease to exist. Can the king still sit on the throne? Naturally, someone will intervene in this matter."

Anyone who dares to do that will have their entire family's ashes scattered.

Gu Chi was certain that his lord was absolutely capable of doing it—if someone could build a Jingguan (a mound of corpses) using the bodies of several local tyrants from He Yin, what else wouldn't they dare to do?

Would such an idiot really fall into her hands?

Haha, she'll probably be overjoyed in her dreams, because she now has another perfectly legitimate reason to raid someone's home.

Isn't it wonderful to take money from someone else's pocket and give it to yourself?

Qin Li nodded thoughtfully.

I have to say—

Qi Yuanliang's colleagues are more reliable than Qi Yuanliang himself.

only--

He has a problem again.

"If all the fertile land in the world is occupied by brave warriors, what can the ruler use to restrain them? They have grain in their hands and formidable martial prowess; why don't they recruit soldiers and horses and become kings themselves?"

Gu Chi: "That depends on the courage of that lord, whether he has the ability to suppress all the martial artists in the world!"

Qin Li was most dissatisfied with this answer: "Human strength has its limits, and one great ruler does not guarantee that every generation will be a great ruler!"

Gu Chi said, "How does the envoy know that no great ruler could not devise a system to continuously restrain the Martial Warriors? Everything starts from scratch and is gradually perfected through generations of exploration. Besides, the Martial Warriors are also commoners; they were not born with ambition. Their fierceness and belligerence are forced by their environment and are a self-preservation strategy. If they could live a life of wealth, who wouldn't want to live a peaceful and comfortable life as a rich man? Who would want to die on the battlefield?"

|ω`)

There was a bug in the previous chapter, which some readers have already discovered.

Qi Bushan's way of the scholar, the first one [killing the master] is fine, the second one was originally written as [exquisite painting], but Xianggu forgot about this, and thought that [being blinded by a leaf] seemed more appropriate.

But it was still corrected.

The name "Blinded by a Leaf" is a good choice; let's leave it for future readers.

(End of this chapter)