Chapter 434: People's Hearts Are Like Flowing Water
Jimo.
This was once the largest city in Qi State after Linzi. It was the most prosperous city in the Jiaodong Kingdom and accounted for almost 30% of the kingdom's tax revenue.
However, it did not belong to the Jiaodong Kingdom, but to the Luhou Kingdom of Jimo Lu family, which was one of the two major gathering places of the Jiang surname Lu family, along with the Qigong Kingdom of Linzi Lu family.
Especially after five counties of Jiaodong Kingdom were ceded to establish Jiaobei County, the Jiaodong Kingdom was no longer as powerful as the Luhou Kingdom in terms of population or economy.
The former Queen of Jiaodong, now the Queen Mother of Jiaodong, is the younger sister of the contemporary Marquis Lu.
In the quiet room.
Lu Houchan looked at his sister with some distress, and said softly: "Your brother-in-law just passed away, you should rest well at home and accompany mother."
A trace of sadness flashed through Lu Ying's eyes, but she didn't show it on her face. She said in a voice as hard as iron, "Brother, I didn't come home to act like a child. It's because our family is in a precarious situation. The government is conducting a tax inspection, and I'm very worried."
Lu Chan thought that Lu Ying wanted the family to give up the business tax, and said worriedly: "Sister, you know very well what kind of person I am. I am not one of those people who are unwilling to give up their interests, nor one who is blinded by greed and would risk his life for money.
The Lu family once owned thousands of miles of territory, and we were once a royal family. How could the Lu family, who had experienced the destruction of our country and the ruin of our families, and had been displaced everywhere, not understand that these were all illusions?
The Lu family has followed the Luo family for thousands of years and has learned something from them.
Countless fields, forests, and people are the foundation of the family's survival. Those commercial taxes are like duckweed floating on the water. The family does not care about them and does not mind handing them over to the court.
But this is how power comes together. If you don't provide them with protection, you will become too noble and end up alone.
Sister, you know how powerful merchants are. Just like the Luo family, without caravans all over the world, how can they support the world's elite warriors with just one Zhaocheng?
Without their support, the Lu family would become useless. The world is full of tigers, leopards, jackals and wolves. Without swords and armor to defend themselves, how can they survive?
After all, the Lu family is not the Luo family.
Thousands of years ago, the Luo Kingdom was able to follow the kingly way, but other countries could not.
Now the Luo family can be as noble as the bright moon in the sky, but we still have to face reality.
Besides, as long as we don’t oppress the people, as long as we can make the people live a little better, the Luo family will turn a blind eye to the distribution of these benefits.”
Lü Ying kept nodding his head while listening to the first part, but when he heard the last part, he became a little anxious and said in a hurry: "Brother, this is not Bang Zhou, but the Han Dynasty.
You are right. As long as we do not degenerate and as long as we follow the Luo family, we can even live to the next thousand years. However, the Luo family cannot protect us until the next year.
If the emperor wants to take action, will you abandon your family, abandon your ancestral property, and flee to Zhaocheng?
If you lose everything, what good will it be even if you have descendants?
There are so many descendants of the Three Kings and Five Emperors in this world, and so many descendants of the old aristocrats inherited from the Zhou Dynasty. But once the family tree is lost and the lineage is broken, even their ancestors cannot be found!
My sister was worried that you might think this way, so she came back specially. She has something to say to you about the survival of the family. "
Lu Chan knew that his sister was very intelligent. If she had not been born a girl, she would have definitely achieved something. He sat upright and said solemnly, "Aying, you speak, and I am listening."
Lu Ying pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "Since ancient times, has there really been someone who can understand people's hearts?
In my sister's opinion, he is just good at drawing conclusions from subtle details.
Is there anything in this world that is always victorious?
How difficult it is for a family to survive in this world for a long time.
Or they can be like the Luo family, which produces talented people from generation to generation.
Or you have to be extra cautious, maybe there will be a glimmer of hope.
Wealth and glory are fleeting. If you are blinded by greed, you will die and your family will be destroyed at any time.
If you want to survive for a long time, you must first consider the general trend, and secondly, the situation and the emperor.
The so-called general trend is the change of dynasties, including the Zhou Dynasty, the Qin Dynasty, the Xiang Yu Dynasty, and the Liu Han Dynasty. It is the wheel of destiny. Even a great and supreme dynasty like the Zhou Dynasty only lasted for a thousand years, let alone other dynasties?
This is an extremely important test for the family, but the Han Dynasty is extremely stable now and there is no need to consider these major trends.
If you want it to continue, the most important thing is to look at the situation and the emperor.
Emperor Gao was a benevolent and righteous ruler. As long as they were not vassal kings of different surnames, they would all enjoy wealth and glory. If they were Emperor Xiaohui or Emperor Xiaowen, as long as they followed the rules and did not make big mistakes, these two emperors would forgive them.
Emperor Xiaowu was a sentimental person who liked military merit and honor. As long as he went to the battlefield, even if he could not win, it would be easy for him to survive by relying on his hard work and blood and tears.
These emperors were all wise rulers, so the continuation of the family was very easy.
But the current emperor is different, he is a moody person.
He wanted to emulate Emperor Xiaowu, but ended up imitating something quite different.
She wanted my husband dead, so she sent Sang Hongyang to force my husband to death, and rumors spread among the people.
In the past, Emperor Xiaowu also forced King Li of Jiujiang to death, and similar rumors also spread.
Emperor Xiaowu just smiled and didn't take it to heart, but the current emperor killed the slanderer.
If the emperor only forced my husband to death, I would not be afraid, because although it would be unfair for him to die directly because of tax evasion, my husband's death was logical. At most, it could be said that the emperor was jealous of his relatives and punished minor crimes severely.
But killing the person who spread the rumor made his sister feel terrified, because it meant that he could no longer be viewed by the normal standards of a king.
For a king, it is necessary to have a mind as broad as the sea.
Just as there is a ball of fire and a ball of water in front of you, if you are asked to touch them, you will definitely choose the water because you will not be hurt.
If the king punishes people for their speech, the ministers will be afraid. Just like what you are thinking now, brother, no matter what the emperor does in the future, you will not advise him, even if the Han Dynasty collapses, right?"
Lu Ying stared at Lu Chan closely. Facing his dearest sister, Lu Chan nodded slowly and said, "Yes, I won't go to persuade her."
After these words were spoken, both of them fell silent.
Marquis Lu has always been one of the most powerful allies of the Han royal family. In the early years, when the princes rebelled, he controlled the passes in Qi.
Now that Lord Lu has developed such thoughts, it means that it is not just one person who has the same opinion, but that everyone in the world has some strange thoughts.
Lu Ying was silent for a long time before continuing, "For a king, this is an extremely terrible trait. All dictators start by not listening to opinions.
The more he refuses to listen, the more arrogant and stubborn the dictator will become, until the whole world becomes his enemy.
Brother, you have to be more careful.
The emperor loves to fight wars and favors the students of Legalism. This was the path of the tyrannical Qin Dynasty in the past.
When the nest is overturned, how can the eggs remain intact?
Brother, do you know what to do now?"
Lu Chan frowned deeply and said, "Aying, tell me, I believe you have been thinking about it for a long time."
Lu Ying said in a deep voice: "Hide!
All those businessmen who evaded taxes were thrown out, and they no longer had to think about becoming one with the world.
In the future, you must do things without leaving any handles, stay quietly in the country, and no matter what the court does, treat the people in the country well, and do not let the people in the country have a crisis of survival. This is to stabilize the country.
Then cut off all the tentacles extending to all directions, do not talk or do things outside, offer a lot of treasures and money to maintain wealth, and finally just wait, this means not causing trouble outside.
There are no internal divisions and no external enemies, so how can there be a crisis? "
Lu Chan was surprised and said, "Aying, you are not kidding, the family will pay a heavy price for doing this!"
Lu Chan only made a rough calculation and found that Lu's property would be reduced by 30%, not to mention other losses. This was simply cutting off one's own hands and feet!
Lu Ying said in a deep voice: "Just now, brother, you said that the land, forests, and people are the foundation of the family's survival. I think you forgot one thing, that is, the trust and goodwill of the Luo family!
As long as these are not damaged, there will be a day for recovery.
Given the emperor's character, my sister believed that he would never stop just like that. This time, he made a profit from the commercial tax investigation and levied additional asset taxes, so he suddenly gained a large amount of money.
But these were all legitimate actions, so everyone in the world supported him, and the Luo family also did not say anything.
But once the money is spent, will he stop?
After being used to eating delicacies, can you still eat coarse grains and chaff?
After being used to wearing silk and satin, how can you still wear coarse linen?
After seeing the magnificent palace, they cannot tolerate even the slightest mess or dilapidation.
Look at the nations throughout history: once they started building palaces and indulging in extravagance, they could never stop.
But the gold, silver and treasures in the world are limited, but the greed of a tyrant is unlimited.
My sister is sure that there will be a day when he will be punished for his evil deeds. On that day, everything will be truly settled. There may even be righteous men who will uphold justice for the people of the world. After all, there are so many righteous men in Shandong.
As for the Lu family, as long as they treat the people of the country well and maintain their reputation for integrity, even if they cannot be as bright as the moon in the sky like the Luo family, they can at least be as clear as the water in the pond after settling."
Hearing this, Lu Chan was a little incredulous and said, "Aying, are you exaggerating too much?
It is natural for the emperor to collect business taxes, and although collecting asset taxes is a bit of a robbery, it is not excessive. I cannot believe that he may cause trouble in the future just based on these. "
Lu Ying didn't say anything, just looked at Lu Chan quietly.
Lü Chan was defeated and said with emotion: "Father said that if we have a disagreement, I will listen to you and do what you say."
————
When King Dao of Jiaodong passed away, all the kings and dukes were horrified. Chan offered gold as a tribute, dismissed all merchants, cut off trade routes, and said, "Ten thousand taels of rotten money are not as good as a vessel to comfort the people." - "Book of Han·Biography of Lü Hou"
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(End of this chapter)
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