Chu Fan then spoke: "A great figure in history once said that he who wins the hearts of the people wins the world. The fundamental principle of governing a country is to put the people first. First of all, we must ensure that people's livelihood issues are properly addressed so that the people can live and work in peace and contentment;
Secondly, we must ensure that the legal system is clear and fair, so that everyone can live in a fair environment;
Once again, we must select talented individuals and appoint them based solely on their abilities and virtues. Only when a nation's policies and actions are widely supported and recognized by its people can it achieve long-term stability and prosperity. If you can deeply understand and practice these principles, the Canglan Empire will surely usher in a brand new look."
Liu Ruyan and Liu Mengli both looked at Chu Fan with disdain. Liu Ruyan said with a hint of displeasure, "If His Majesty the Emperor of Wei is unwilling to reveal to us the true method of governing the country, that's fine, but there's no need to use such flowery and empty words to perfunctorily appease us, right?"
Chu Fan couldn't help but feel stunned when he heard this. What he just stated was the crystallization of wisdom that had been verified and accumulated over thousands of years of history. He really couldn't understand why Liu Ruyan thought he was deceiving them with empty words.
Chu Fan asked Liu Ruyan with a hint of doubt, "Do you really think that what I just said was just empty words to fool you?"
Chu Fan still had a very good impression of Liu Ruyan. He felt that a woman with this name must have extraordinary temperament and wisdom. However, she seemed unable to see the importance of ordinary people to the country, which made Chu Fan feel a little regretful.
When Liu Ruyan heard Chu Fan's question, she realized there must be a deeper meaning behind it that she hadn't perceived. So, Liu Ruyan softened her previous dismissive attitude and began to take Chu Fan's question seriously. She humbly asked, "Your Majesty, please enlighten me so that I can better understand your deeper meaning."
However, by this time, Liu Mengli had already somewhat understood what Chu Fan was saying. After all, she had truly become an empress and had firsthand experience in governing a country. However, now was not the time to show off. She would not reveal her talents until she had completely gotten rid of Liu Ruyan.
Liu Mengli had actually been pretending to be innocent. Everyone had to understand that someone who could make someone as shrewd as Liu Ruyan voluntarily give up the throne couldn't possibly be a simple person. When she heard that Chu Fan wanted to keep Liu Ruyan in Wei, Liu Mengli was extremely happy. She knew this would be a good opportunity for her to further consolidate her position.
After all, she had already ascended the throne of the Empress, yet there was still someone by her side who constantly constrained her. Although Liu Ruyan was assisting her, her presence undoubtedly made Liu Mengli feel a lot of hesitation when making decisions.
Now if Liu Ruyan could be kept in Wei by Chu Fan, then Liu Mengli would be able to more freely implement her own ideas on governing the country and realize her own ambitions.
Of course, Liu Ruyan didn't know all this. In Liu Ruyan's eyes, Liu Mengli was just a little sheep who obeyed her orders, a pure and flawless white lotus.
However, Liu Ruyan did not understand that even in a family, if parents restrict their children's freedom too much, the children will develop a rebellious mentality, let alone in such a complicated matter as governing a country.
Chu Fan said, "I want to hear your opinion on how to govern a country. Then I will continue to explain it to you."
Liu Ruyan gathered her thoughts for a moment, took a deep breath, and then slowly spoke, "To govern a country well, you must first, of course, build strong relationships with all the various factions and ensure a stable superstructure. If these factions all support you, then national policies can be implemented smoothly without encountering too much resistance or opposition."
"Another key is to have your own power. Otherwise, you won't be able to suppress those forces, which will make you feel insecure. A country's leader must have enough power to maintain his or her authority, otherwise he or she will be influenced by other forces or even overthrown."
After hearing Liu Ruyan's words, Chu Fan turned to Liu Mengli and asked, "Your Majesty, do you have any other different opinions?"
Liu Mengli answered without hesitation: "My master and I think the same thing. Governing a country does require balancing the forces of all parties, while also having our own strength. Only in this way can we ensure the long-term stability of the country."
Chu Fan gave Liu Mengli a meaningful look, but then didn't point it out to her. He knew that Liu Mengli, the woman who pretended to be a pig and ate the tiger, had already understood some of what he wanted to express, but she didn't say it out loud in order to cover it up.
Chu Fan raised a serious question at this time: "When dealing with the relationship between various domestic forces, we must take into account an important aspect. That is, if these forces oppress and injustice ordinary people within their power, how should we respond?
Should we continue to maintain good relations with these forces, or should we stand on the side of the oppressed people and sanction these forces?
If we choose to ignore the misconduct of these forces and continue to maintain close ties with them, we will lose the support of the people. If a government cannot protect its people, how can it establish its authority and influence? Without the support of the people, how can we expect to build a strong force?
Chu Fan further pointed out: "What is more serious is that if these forces continue to commit evil and those in power stand idly by, they may shift all the blame onto those in power.
They might claim that all the oppression and injustice were ordered by those of us in power. But how will we defend ourselves and face the accusations of the public when that happens?
He concluded: "If the public discontent erupts like a raging flood, the foundation of our rule will be completely destroyed. At that time, we will find ourselves with no way out, no room for maneuver."
After Chu Fan finished speaking, beads of sweat began to appear on Liu Ruyan and Liu Mengli's foreheads. They began to realize that if what Chu Fan said was true, then all the strategies they had adopted before might have been wrong.
Their original plan was to obtain the sales rights of Wei's refined salt in the Canglan Empire. Then, after they made money, they would have the funds to successfully win over the major forces in the Canglan Empire and consolidate their ruling position.
Originally, as long as Liu Mengli gave up a little power, these forces would support Liu Mengli. However, as time went on, they gradually discovered that although they spared no effort to win over these forces, these forces seemed to never be satisfied and always longed for more wealth and higher power.
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