Lin Yuanlong fell silent.
His years of experience moving between aristocratic families and the inner court instilled in him a habit of being suspicious of everyone and everything.
In his mind, everyone is selfish and only cares about themselves.
If it's for the sake of one's children and grandchildren, then what is the point of coming into this world and striving throughout one's life?
"Your Excellency, I only have one question to ask: do you really have no selfish motives?" Lin Yuanlong hesitated for a moment before finally asking.
Pang Wensheng smiled slightly, "Yes, everyone has their own selfish motives!"
"You are doing this for your son, but I am doing it for all people!"
"I regard all the people of the world as my children, and as my own parents. I come from the masses, and I will go back to the masses!"
“I don’t have much time left. Your son has already examined my illness and said I have a year left. My selfish motive is to use this year to weaken the power of the local lords and lay the groundwork for a future of equality for all!”
"Of course, I can hand over the world to you, but if I were to pass away today and you were to ascend the throne, who would restore the old order? Could you do it?"
"You are a powerful and ruthless leader, but ask yourself honestly, you may be able to suppress the various tribes of the Nine Provinces with force, but do they truly submit to you?"
"Even if you suppress it with force, if one day you weaken, can your Lin family still maintain control? The whole world will fall into a state of warlordism again. Is that really what you want?"
“Yuanlong, times have changed. The Great Xia of today does not need tyrants or Yuan Shikai; what it needs is a sage, a true sage! Only under the guidance of a sage can the shattered values of this entire society be redeemed!”
"However, the first thing to do is to redistribute resources to achieve equality for all. If people are starving and freezing, even the tallest building is just a building in the air, and the most charming prosperity is nothing but a mirage. An old blind man told me that the great fortune of the Fire element is a process of transition from material to spiritual. Now everyone can have enough to eat, which is an inevitable trend. If excessive desires cannot keep up with spiritual development, problems will eventually arise!"
Lin Yuanlong said calmly, "I have always believed that no matter what era it is, Legalism will strangle us, Confucianism will squeeze our ribs, and only the gun and the pen can truly prevail!"
Pang Wensheng shook his head. "Do you think it's still like it was decades ago? Yuanlong, don't underestimate the people today. This era is one of awakening. The rise of the internet has improved people's understanding by decades, even centuries. Policies to keep the people ignorant are useless. The eyes of the masses are discerning. Using the powerful and wealthy to suppress and intimidate them will only breed resentment. Once the seeds of resentment are sown, they will grow deeper and deeper. When the country faces crisis, where will the unity of the people be? We must stand with the people, genuinely consider their needs, and listen carefully to their voices, instead of simply keeping them ignorant!"
"Now, most people are still patriotic, but the credit doesn't go to us. It comes from the five thousand years of civilization of the Great Xia Dynasty and the sense of national identity. This is not because we have done so well, but because our ancestors were virtuous and the people are kind!"
"How could you bear to treat such kind people like cattle and horses?"
"As leaders, we must not only set an example but also go deep into the masses! Officials have two mouths, one above the other, not just for eating, but to speak for the people! The people need justice, so we are the judges; the people care about food safety, so we are the safety ambassadors; the people hope to have fair access to education and medical resources, so we will ensure that people at the grassroots level can afford medical care and education! Is this difficult? Actually, it's not difficult! It's just that we haven't found the right method and have been following the old path! We dare not face the dark side of this peaceful and prosperous world. In the long run, a thousand-mile dike will be destroyed by an ant hole! Do you understand?"
The Grand Secretary spoke earnestly and with great concern.
As a teacher, one has the responsibility and obligation to teach one's students.
Lin Yuanlong was no fool; he carefully considered the Grand Secretary's words.
I generally agree, but I always retain some of my own opinions.
"Ideals are lofty, but reality is harsh. The things that have not been accomplished over thousands of years have ultimately failed due to the weaknesses of human nature. What makes us human? We are filled with desires! I can restrain myself, but can you guarantee that everyone will restrain themselves?"
"Not everyone wants to live off the communal pot. The ancients said that wealth doesn't last three generations. That's human nature. Can you guarantee that your benevolent rule will last three generations? If you're gone, will the next generation, and the generation after that, follow your path? Since ancient times, royal power has been the way of the king. Without rules, there can be no order. Of all the schools of thought, only Confucianism and Legalism have survived. Even if the people are enlightened, so what? The higher their level of understanding, the more painful it is, because they are powerless to change anything, because they fear the way of the king! If you want stability, if you want prosperity, then sharpen your guns. In chaotic times, use your strengths wisely. Consolidating the way of the king is key!"
This is Lin Yuanlong's understanding: under the gun, who dares to disobey?
It's better to inspire awe than respect!
People who lack reverence are capable of anything!
Neither of these two ideas can be said to be right or wrong.
The Grand Secretary sighed and shook his head. "Yuanlong, what you say makes sense, but you must understand that what we need to do is adapt to the times. This is not a chaotic era, nor do we need to use harsh measures. Conflicts can clearly be resolved, so why insist on creating antagonism? How can you succeed if you don't even try? Back then, without reforms, ordinary people might not have been able to afford a washing machine. Even in those difficult times, everyone was full of hope for the future. Now everyone can use televisions and washing machines, yet they are unhappy and don't even want to have children. Are you going to use harsh measures? Use royal power and tyranny to force them to have children?"
"People in every era have their own troubles, and we must genuinely help them solve their difficulties! Putting people first will never be outdated; this is our greatest and most correct ideology. Just do good deeds and don't worry about the future!"
Do good deeds and don't worry about the future.
These eight characters embody the benevolent heart of a person in a high position of power.
This also reflects the broad-mindedness of a politician.
"The Great Xia is a great nation that has achieved unprecedented success in the history of reform and opening up."
Although, there are also many problems and drawbacks in the development.
But its merits outweigh its flaws.
If problems are identified, then they should be solved. By starting from reality, the entire nation still possesses vibrant vitality.
The fruits of our labor will forever belong to the people!
In just a few words, the Grand Secretary spoke with force and conviction.
He has always been a realistic person and a person who dares to act.
After all, historically, few people have dared to take such drastic action against aristocratic families.
He did it!
In other words, he has been laying the groundwork for the past decade.
He firmly believed that eventually, someone would push the wheels of history forward one more step, ushering in a new era for the Great Xia Dynasty.
From the moment the Grand Secretary began to heavily rely on Lin Yu, the gears of fate started to turn.
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