Chapter 241 Colonies, Kong Yingda Steps Forward Again
The ministers nodded; that's what you call an example.
etc……
The officials looked toward Cui Yixuan, Wang Gui, and other members of the aristocratic families.
The group of bigwigs all had ashen faces.
Holy crap!
Will this bill pass again?
"What do you all think, my esteemed ministers?"
Li Shimin asked loudly, but a slight smile played on his lips.
The officials lowered their heads, not daring to utter a sound.
On one side is His Majesty, and on the other is the aristocratic class. Only someone with a screw loose would be the first to take sides.
"Your Majesty, I have another question."
Zheng Yuanshou, a member of the Zheng family from Xingyang, stepped forward and bowed to Li Shimin.
"explain."
Li Shimin's casual response.
Old Wei has already debated even the most difficult historical issues, how could he not handle you?
"What I wish to ask is..."
"Since ancient times, merchants have pursued profit and have ruined the country. If they sell out the country for personal gain, what will become of the Tang Dynasty?"
After Zheng Yuanshou finished speaking.
Li Shimin frowned slightly, then looked at the two Wei kings.
"Didn't I just answer that question?"
Wei Shuyu replied speechlessly, "If a subject wants to rebel, whose fault is it? Is it His Majesty's fault?"
"..."
Li Shimin was furious.
I shouldn't have stood up for you.
"Wei Shuyu, watch your attitude!"
Zheng Yuanshou sternly rebuked him, "I'm serious!"
"Alright."
Wei Shuyu sighed: "Before answering that question, I'd like to ask you one first."
"explain!"
"My question is, how many officials committed crimes each year during the Tang Dynasty?"
Um?
Upon hearing this, all the officials were stunned.
They instantly understood what Wei Shuyu meant.
Zheng Yuanshou's face also darkened.
"When people make mistakes, it has nothing to do with whether they are businessmen or not!"
Wei Shuyu replied with a solemn expression, "It is said that merchants ruin the country, merchants ruin the country..."
How many officials have ruined the country?
"Ladies and gentlemen, I have a question..."
"Merchants have become the lowest and most useless citizens; their path to advancement has been completely blocked..."
"How can I possibly serve my country!"
"It seems like they have nothing else to do besides pursuing profit, right?"
"We can't expect them to donate all the money they've worked so hard to earn to the imperial court; that's what it means to serve the country, isn't it?"
The courtiers remained silent.
A large part of the reason why businessmen are despised is because they pocket all the money they earn.
This has impacted the development of the private economy.
But...
The imperial court couldn't simply seize their money.
"It's true that business is a double-edged sword!"
"Perhaps they will have some impact on the country!"
"But as long as the court maintains a proper balance, it can easily seize control of the situation."
"And the benefits that merchants bring to the country go without saying."
"They are an indispensable link on the Silk Road!"
"At least in terms of taxation, they provided the Tang Dynasty with a massive amount of funds."
The ministers' lips twitched.
The pros and cons have been explained, and they have no way to refute it.
At least for now, the benefits for businessmen outweigh the drawbacks.
"Does Minister Zheng have anything else to say?"
After Wei Shuyu finished speaking, Li Shimin looked at Zheng Yuanshou.
"Your Majesty... has nothing to say."
Zheng Yuanshou bowed and returned to his seat.
Li Shimin's smile widened, and he glanced at the assembled officials once more...
Are there any further objections?
As Li Shimin finished speaking, the courtiers began to whisper among themselves.
It must be stopped.
Opening the imperial examinations to the sons of merchants would have a huge impact on them in the long run.
"Your Majesty, I have a different opinion."
Li Mengchang of the Li family of Zhao County stepped forward.
"Please speak freely, my dear minister."
Li Shimin's tone softened considerably towards him.
Because Li Mengchang participated in the Xuanwu Gate Incident with him.
"I would like to ask..."
"The Tang Dynasty has no shortage of food now, but what about the future?"
"No matter how much food you have, it will eventually run out."
"If merchants become prevalent and the common people all go to work as laborers, the Tang Dynasty's grain supply will dwindle..."
"What will the Tang Dynasty do then?"
Um?
That's sharp!
Who would have thought that such a sharp question would come from the mouth of a mere brute?
Unconsciously, everyone turned to look at Wei Shuyu again.
"This is even simpler..."
Wei Shuyu smiled and said, "Merchants don't just travel to make money; they can also purchase grain."
"and……"
"When the Tang Dynasty was traversing the Silk Road, there were always a few small, disobedient countries."
"Then let's fight!"
"Beat them until they submit, beat them until they obediently grow grain for our Great Tang!"
"Turn them into colonies of the Tang Dynasty!"
The words were spoken.
Wei Shuyu bowed to Li Shimin and said, "Your Majesty, expanding territory does not necessarily mean occupying other people's land, nor does it necessarily mean making them submit..."
"There's another way!"
"Let them become colonies of the Tang Dynasty, and grow grain exclusively for the Tang Dynasty!"
colony?
Upon hearing this, a glint of light flashed in Li Shimin's eyes.
It was as if I had seen a road leading to heaven.
The courtiers were all quite shocked by these remarks...
They all frowned and pondered, as if they were considering the pros and cons involved.
"Your Majesty, you mustn't..."
Just then, Kong Yingda stepped forward and said, "The Tang Dynasty is a land of propriety. When we conquer an enemy country, we should treat it as our own people."
"Such exploitation of the people is truly brutal and inhumane!"
Li Shimin's face turned cold.
pedantic scholar!
In an instant, Li Shimin seemed to understand why Qin Shi Huang had burned books and buried scholars alive!
Before the fate of the nation, enslaving a country is nothing!
"Wasn't that too brutal?"
Wei Shuyu retorted, "Both sides are fighting each other, how can we be merciful?"
Kong Yingda straightened up, his face grave...
"Tyrants will eventually perish; Qin Shi Huang is a prime example!"
Kong Yingda's eyes held a look of resignation: "If the Tang Dynasty were to follow suit, it might face the danger of national annihilation!"
Everyone fell silent.
Old Wei just ran into a pillar.
Judging from Kong Yingda's posture, is he going to do another "Kong-style" banging his head against a pillar?
"Kong Yingda, do you know what you're saying?"
Li Shimin's face darkened.
Old Wei is fine, we're used to it anyway.
You, Kong Yingda, I will not show you mercy.
"Your Majesty, please calm your anger."
Wei Shuyu stepped forward and said, "Your subject has come to offer advice!"
Li Shimin came to his senses and nodded.
Teach him a lesson.
He reprimanded him until he admitted his mistake to me.
"Uncle Kong, you're being too extreme."
Wei Shuyu turned his head and asked, "May I ask, where exactly did Qin Shi Huang commit his tyranny?"
"Did he kill a meritorious official?"
"You still killed an innocent civilian?"
The courtiers all rolled their eyes.
It's like killing someone by breaking their spirit...
Qin Shi Huang did not do these things.
But he slaughtered all the Confucian scholars.
snort.
Kong Yingda snorted coldly: "Exorbitant taxes, harsh punishments, forced labor..."
"To lose the hearts of the people is tyranny!"
"If the Tang Dynasty were to implement this system of enslavement, it would be even more excessive than forcibly conscripting laborers!"
"How could the country not perish?"
The ministers nodded subconsciously.
Suddenly realizing that this seemed to be cursing the Tang Dynasty, they immediately lowered their heads and shrank their necks, filled with fear and unease.
His Majesty can't see me, His Majesty can't see me...
"That doesn't make sense, does it?"
Wei Shuyu retorted nonchalantly, "The Qin Dynasty perished simply because the First Emperor died..."
Wei Shuyu said solemnly, "If we give him a few more decades, do you think the Qin Dynasty can continue its glory for hundreds of years!"
"The Qin Dynasty unified the country."
"The timeframes for standardizing cart axles and unifying the written language were too short!"
"This has resulted in the people of the six kingdoms still harboring a strong desire for revenge!"
"If we give him another ten or twenty years, the children of the people of the six states will be born and grow up in Qin."
"That will be true unification!"
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