Chapter 307 I really can’t guess what the adults are thinking!

After dealing with this matter, Zhou Tieyi continued to check the current Railway Chamber of Commerce.

After a cup of tea, Li Jianhu was still thinking about what happened just now. Finally, he couldn't help but ask, "You could have just chased that scoundrel away."

He actually didn't understand a lot of things.

So he instinctively felt that Zhou Tieyi's attitude of not taking human life seriously was wrong, especially when combined with his own experience. Are the lives of people like him really not worth mentioning in the eyes of these big shots?

Zhou Tieyi stopped, turned around and looked at Li Jianhu.

"What do you think of my train business?"

Li Jianhu had originally prepared himself to be scolded or even punished for contradicting Zhou Tieyi, but Zhou Tieyi's question made him a little overwhelmed.

He stood quietly for a moment, thinking back on everything he had just seen. Except for that ruffian, the faces of the people who signed up in an endless stream were filled with anticipation for the future, and even though there were long queues, they did not show any dissatisfaction.

When I passed by the construction site just now, the workers were having lunch. There was meat in everyone's lunch box. They were talking and laughing while eating. Although they were wearing short coats, they were all of the same style and distributed by the Railway Chamber of Commerce. It seemed that they didn't cost any money.

Comparing with the mining area where he lives, Li Jianhu can easily draw a conclusion, that is, the Railway Chamber of Commerce is well run, and it is well run in a wealthy place like Tianjing, so the people of Tianjing are willing to come here to work.

"Well done, but..."

Li Jianhu said in a low voice, and then subconsciously he wanted to say that Zhou Tieyi could do better.

Zhou Tieyi interrupted, "Then what do you think is good about it? Is it just to give them a place to work?"

Li Jianhu said subconsciously, "Isn't it?"

Zhou Tieyi looked relaxed. "Legalists divided people into four classes: scholars, farmers, merchants and artisans. They tied work identities to individuals. They wanted farmers to be farmers forever, businessmen to be businessmen forever, workers to be workers forever, and officials to be officials forever. This is the only way to facilitate national governance. Do you think this approach is good?"

Without waiting for Li Jianhu to answer.

Zhou Tieyi continued, "Confucianism developed this theory and made some changes. They emphasized the 'scholar-centered position' and promoted the private school system, allowing farmers, workers, and businessmen to read and write, practice martial arts, and become scholars."

"In a sense, Confucianism breaks down the division of people's social identities, allowing people to change their identities and thus achieve self-improvement. This is why the status of Legalism seems to be very close to Confucianism for so many years, but it is always a little bit behind, because Legalism emphasizes 'ruling the people'. In order to rule the people, Legalism can even weaken the people, while Confucianism has begun to emphasize 'strengthening the people', although Confucianism still does not do well enough."

Li Jianhu was completely lost in deep thought. He had never considered the problem from this level before.

Combining what he had learned and what he had seen in Tianjing, Cui Yu vaguely guessed why Zhou Tieyi dared to say today, "We are only doing small favors, so we cannot defeat him."

Cui Yu bowed again and asked seriously, "Please enlighten me, Lord Zhou, on what I did not do well enough."

Zhou Tieyi smiled and said, "Isn't the puzzle right there? Confucianism overemphasizes the 'scholars', to the point of weakening the 'agriculture, industry and commerce' three classes of people and strengthening the 'scholars' one class of people, using the three classes of people to support one class of people, which is very similar to the Legalists' 'weakening the people' and 'strengthening the country'."

"So, in Confucianism, the hierarchy of scholars, farmers, merchants and artisans became more and more strict, forming a complete system of etiquette and morality, combined with the imperial examination system. Therefore, the stronger the scholars, the weaker the farmers, merchants and artisans."

In previous history, the Song Dynasty is a vivid example.

This was the best era for the literati and also the era of wise rulers that Confucianism most admired, but it also led to the entire country being overburdened with officials and redundant systems and becoming poor and weak.

Facts have proved that relying solely on "scholar-centeredness" cannot truly govern a country.

"Although I don't believe in complete equality for all and Mohist doctrine of universal love, at least I can't let the world think that the Three Principles of the People and the Strong Men are the natural order as they do now."

"So when I founded the Railway Chamber of Commerce, I told them that they could become superior people here. Not only those who passed the imperial examinations could become scholars, but also farmers, engineers, merchants, soldiers... all kinds of people could become scholars. One's identity and occupation were not the criteria for judging one's value and status. The realization of one's own value and contribution to the country and the people were the criteria."

Li Jianhu and the other two looked shocked, even incredulous.

Hao Ren was shocked, but also took it for granted. He couldn't help but straighten his chest slightly with a look of pride on his face.

Cui Yu was shocked, but was the first to react. "So you didn't just drive that scoundrel away today, but let him make his own choice?"

Zhou Tieyi said calmly, "This is natural. Anyone who wants to break the existing social class system needs to take risks. The risks are so great that they may even affect life and death. In this respect, I am the same as him, and so are you."

"So today I want to give him a chance, and I want to give you a chance too, because the whole society needs people with courage. Even if their initial motives are not pure, and even most of them are motivated by self-interest, it is precisely these people who dare to risk their lives for their own benefit that can stir up the stagnant waters."

Li Jianhu looked at Zhou Tieyi with awe, sigh, and a little doubt. There was one thing he didn't understand. "If you just need someone with courage, you don't have to beat him with twenty military sticks..."

Zhou Tieyi smiled and said, "Have you heard the story of the ten gold coins for Dengwen Drum Stone?"

Li Jianhu nodded quickly.

Although he had never heard of it before, he decided to play the drum last night. Both his teacher and Cui Yu had told him this story.

Zhou Tieyi continued to ask, "Then do you know Shi Shijin's final outcome?"

Li Jianhu said dryly, "Didn't he become a third-class merchant?"

Zhou Tieyi looked at Cui Yu and sneered, "No matter how you tell the story, it's not complete. It's the Spring and Autumn style of writing, and it's a common trick."

Cui Yu looked embarrassed for a moment. He knew Shi Shijin's final outcome of course, but in order to promote Taizu's Dengwengu system and publicize this kind of openness to speech, the entire Daxia would naturally conceal the ending.

Zhou Tieyi smiled and said, "Shi Shijin relied on the power of the ten golds bestowed by Taizu and ascended to the third rank smoothly. But then he didn't know when to advance or retreat, and got involved in the case of 'Prince Yazi', and eventually died and his clan was wiped out."

"So today I gave that scoundrel twenty military sticks instead of ten gold coins."

"I need to let the world know that they can follow my example and find another path to success. But I also need to tell them that this path is not about who is braver or who knows how high the sky is and how deep the earth is. I want to break the order of scholars, farmers, merchants and artisans emphasized by Confucianism and Legalism, but I do not advocate absolute self-interest and chaos. What I advocate is that power and obligation are equal, and that everything needs to be paid for. This is one of the things that the Railway Chamber of Commerce wants to do."

Cui Yu looked at Zhou Tieyi with an excited look on his face, and for a moment he thought of the founders of various sects recorded in the classics. When they faced various worldly problems, did they all have the same expressions, insightful about the world and courageous and diligent?

What you think is what you do, and what you do is what you achieve.

Those who have achieved enlightenment benefit all the people in the world. This is a great grace and favor.

Hao Ren took the opportunity to exclaim in admiration, "Your Excellency's wisdom is beyond the reach of fools like us. By the way, who are these three friends? There are not many people who can be taught so sincerely by Your Excellency." He had just been guessing the identities of the three people. After all, there were not many people who could get off Zhou Tieyi's car in person and receive Zhou Tieyi's instructions in person. Even he needed to treat them seriously.

Li Jianhu and the other two looked embarrassed.

Zhou Tieyi laughed loudly and said, "These three people beat the drum in the Jinluan Palace today, accusing me of colluding with Prince Ning and harming the people."

Hao Ren:......

I really can’t guess what adults are thinking!

······
Simin Mansion, in the study.

"Father, Zhou Tieyi took the three of them to the Train Chamber of Commerce."

Dong Xiu De came in and respectfully reported to Dong Xing Shu.

The bright sunshine fell on the desk where Dong Xingshu was writing a letter.

Compared to a few months ago, he, the son of the Simin, has become more mature. After conveying the message, he stood there quietly. Even though he still had some doubts in his heart, he did not attempt to express any extra opinions on the matter.

Dong Xingshu looked up at his son, put down his pen, and sighed, "Ask if you have any questions."

Dong Xiu De pondered for a moment, "Father, did you deliberately send these three people to Zhou Tieyi today?"

Dong Xingshu put down his pen, smiled, and for the first time in several months, he praised his son, "Not bad."

Outside the Golden Palace today, many Confucian officials are probably blaming themselves for being too weak. Even though they lost the position of presiding judge, they handed over the important witness to Zhou Tieyi so easily, which was almost equivalent to handing the initiative of the Mo Shi case back to Zhou Tieyi.

Although Dong Xiu De guessed this, he was still a little confused.

Dong Xingshu smiled and sighed, "When Zhou Tieyi submitted the two strategies, I, Qingkong Gui, and that old fellow Yuchi Pojun already had a vague feeling that we could not suppress him."

Dong Xingshu then showed a solemn look in his eyes as he thought, "The development of the facts is just as we anticipated. He has done everything very well, even better than we imagined. Whether it is serving the emperor and father, or benefiting the people, whether it is civil governance, benefiting the people, or military achievements, he can almost be called a perfect man. Even if there are some handles, they are leaked to us by him. There is nothing to be afraid of."

"Even if you have been so sure about the Moshi case, can you bring him down now?"

Dong Xiu De pondered for a moment and shook his head slightly.

If it were before, perhaps he would have thought that implicating the Zhou family and then Zhou Tieyi through the Mo Shi case would be an effective method.

However, after being conferred the title of marquis, Zhou Tieyi was going to separate his family. Based on this point alone, it would be difficult to implicate Zhou Tieyi in the Moshi case, not to mention that the emperor's attitude was already very clear. In the end, even if the Ning Wang Mansion took the blame, it would not be Zhou Tieyi.

Dong Xingshu hesitated for a moment and continued, "What I am going to tell you next is not Confucianism, but the art of power and intrigue. You can just listen to it, but don't get too obsessed with it."

"Yes, father."

Dong Xingshu then continued, "Yuchi Pojun told me that when Zhou Tieyi met Qingchen that day, he went to his house and said, 'If Mei Qingchen is really a perfect man, he should retreat eight thousand miles away.' So when he saw the 'Two Strategies of Heaven and Earth', Yuchi Pojun also said that if Zhou Tieyi is a perfect man, we three officials should also give up our power..."

At this point, Dong Xingshu paused, then half asked his son, half asked himself, "But can we retreat? Do we have a way out?"

Dong Xiu De sighed softly.

When it came to his father's situation, he was in the highest position in the country and naturally had no way out.

"We can't retreat. We can only let that guy leave Tianjing on his own. So I didn't expect this incident to bring him down. At least as long as he is in Tianjing, we can't bring him down through this incident!"

"It's the right time, the right place, and the right people."

"At the right time, he is in the Holy Heart, at the right place, the Zhou family has three generations of military merit, and with the right people, he works to benefit the people."

"So at this moment in Tianjing, no matter how ruthless you are, it will be difficult to defeat him."

“But an unsuccessful thing actually has meaning.”

"Why didn't I stop the local academy when the Moshi case involved Prince Ning's Mansion? It was because I needed to make the matter complicated enough."

"So even though I know this won't work, I'm still going to force that kid to prove his innocence! Give him a chance to prove his innocence!"

"As long as the matter is complicated enough, given that guy's desire to get his way, he will definitely investigate and handle it himself!"

"But he forgot one thing. The world can function without anyone, including him!"

"Although he has been exposed to great power, he has not been in power for a long time, so he does not understand the importance of the power center."

"As long as he leaves Tianjing, he will no longer have the right time, place and people. The center of power is not a place where one can come and go as he pleases. He retreated six thousand miles on his own, so we cannot be blamed."

Dong Xingshu finished explaining his political tactics in one breath.

Dong Xiu De looked at his father, feeling deeply moved.

Compared to this kind of political tactics, I really didn’t learn enough before.

Dong Xingshu looked at his son and said, "Political schemes are just tricks after all. I can only delay time..."

Dong Xingshu paused at this point. He couldn't even tell his son what he was thinking, so he changed the subject and handed the letter to his son, saying, "Write this letter to Ke Anran and tell him that Zhou Tieyi is about to leave Beijing. This is his best chance."

Dong Xiu De suddenly understood why his father insisted on letting his best friend return to Beijing. His pupils slightly dilated, "What does father mean?"

Dong Xingshu looked out the window at the bright summer day outside, "People can be replaced. If we want to break Zhou Tieyi's power, we must first provide a person for His Majesty to choose from. We cannot let Zhou Tieyi become the unique and irreplaceable choice. Only in this way can we break his 'time'. As for the geographical advantage and the human harmony, we can think of ways to achieve it slowly."

At this point, he retracted his gaze and laughed at himself, "Besides, since His Majesty wants to change, I can't stop him, so why not let there be more changes and see who can't stand it in the end!"

(End of this chapter)