Soon after, the palace maids brought tea and cakes into the imperial study, filling the room with the delicate aroma of tea and sweet cakes. Chu Fan gestured to everyone present to relax and enjoy the tea and snacks. He then continued, "Sixth Master, you seemed to have some questions to ask earlier. You may ask them now."
Chu Anping gently put down the teacup in his hand and said with a hint of concern in his tone, "Your Majesty, if we implement the plan you propose, it will probably take quite a long time. After all, it is extremely difficult to get the people to change their deeply rooted ideas on their own. Moreover, we do not intend to take any coercive measures. So how long will it take for the newly expanded territory to truly be integrated into the State of Wei and become an inseparable part of us?"
Chu Fan took a sip of tea and spoke slowly, his tone pensive. "When dealing with things, we often can't be too impatient. Because if we push things too hastily, it's likely to have some adverse consequences. In fact, many things that are called traditions are essentially just to protect the interests of the ruling class."
This is particularly evident in the cases of the Xiongnu and the Gan Kingdom. Even in our own Wei Kingdom, the royal family's ancestral precepts were primarily designed to protect the rights of the royal family, rather than truly considering how to ensure the happiness of ordinary people. Therefore, we only need to eliminate the rulers of the Xiongnu and the Gan Kingdom, and those deeply ingrained ideas will naturally change as the people live a better life.
Chu Anping responded slightly embarrassedly, "Your Majesty, the situation you describe does exist, but the situation in Wei is different. While our ancestral teachings were largely designed to safeguard the interests of the royal family, they also included some wise policies that benefited the people. In fact, judging by the living conditions of the people of Wei, they do lead relatively stable and happy lives. This situation is the result of the wisdom and diligence of our predecessors, and it is also inseparable from your wise leadership and decisions, Your Majesty."
A hint of a smile appeared on Chu Fan's face. He looked at Chu Anping gently and said in a relaxed tone, "Sixth Master, you really don't need to be so nervous. I have never meant to criticize the ancestral precepts of the Wei Kingdom. On the contrary, I firmly believe that the existence of these ancestral precepts is an extremely important constraint for the Wei Kingdom. Even though members of the royal family enjoy certain privileges, these ancestral precepts also ensure that the royal family cannot act recklessly. This is actually a good thing. It helps maintain a balanced relationship between the royal family and the ordinary people."
Chu Anping felt relieved when he heard Chu Fan's words. He was worried that if Chu Fan even suppressed his own royal family, the foundation of the entire Wei State would be shaken, and the country's stability and development would face huge risks.
Chu Fan continued to elaborate on his point of view: "The reason why I insist on preserving and supporting the original traditional customs of the people in the newly developed territories in the future is because these traditional customs contain many measures that are extremely beneficial to the rulers. These measures can help the rulers better manage the people and maintain social order.
When the Wei Kingdom becomes the ruler of the Xiongnu and Gan Kingdoms, we can also use these traditional customs to rule these areas. As for those old rules that are not conducive to governance, we only need to refuse to acknowledge their existence.
Minister of Rites Fu Youde said, "Your Majesty, I have some understanding of what you have said. I also have some thoughts in my mind, and I want to share them with you to see if they are correct."
Chu Fan said, "Minister Fu, please feel free to speak frankly if you have any ideas."
Fu Youde nodded, and after gathering his thoughts, he said, "Your Majesty, your strategy is to take the essence and discard the dross. For example, there is a system in the State of Gan that allows scholars who have passed the imperial examination to be exempted from punishment for some crimes. This system does not exist in the State of Wei. To a certain extent, it motivates students to study actively, but it may also lead to the abuse of privileges.
However, at the request of Your Majesty, our Wei State has begun to implement the policy that anyone who commits a crime must accept the corresponding legal sanctions. If we occupy the State of Gan at that time, this system of the State of Gan will conflict with the laws of Wei State.
According to your majesty's strategy, we can impose legal sanctions on the scholars of Gan State in accordance with the laws of Wei State and give the victims a fair explanation, but without abolishing the reputation and status of those scholars of Gan State. This will not only maintain the seriousness of the laws of Wei State, but also maintain a certain respect for the scholars of Gan State.
In addition, we can also learn from the educational system of Gan State and integrate its beneficial parts into the educational system of Wei State to improve our country's cultural level and the quality of our people. At the same time, we can also introduce Wei State's advanced technology and management experience to Gan State to promote the common development and prosperity of the two places.
Your Majesty, such a strategy will not only ensure the dominance of our State of Wei, but will also win the hearts of the people in the ruled regions, thus achieving long-term stability and harmony."
The idea proposed by the Minister of Rites Fu Youde was unanimously recognized and supported by all the ministers present.
Chu Fan nodded slightly in satisfaction, agreeing, "Indeed, we should learn to flexibly utilize various strategies and methods. Without violating our own national laws, we should skillfully integrate the cultural traditions and customs of the newly acquired territories. After all, the art of governing a country lies in finding the right balance."
Mu Yundian also expressed his own views at this time: "I spent quite a long time at the northern border, where I had some interactions with the Xiongnu. I observed that the Xiongnu's social system was relatively simple. Basically, the strong were respected. The powerful families naturally became the masters of the grasslands, while the weak individuals or families had no choice but to submit to the strong and become their slaves.
If we intend to incorporate the Xiongnu region into the territory of our Wei State, then we must consider that once those formerly weak people are treated fairly, they will naturally be grateful to the Wei State.
We cannot simply and crudely abandon their way of life and thinking. Instead, we should respect their inherent dignity and culture and gradually guide them to accept and integrate into the culture and legal system of the State of Wei. In this way, we can not only avoid unnecessary conflict but also allow the newly arrived people to deeply feel the inclusiveness and fairness of the State of Wei.
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