Three Kingdoms

It's dark.

Dark clouds hung low overhead, making the whole world gloomy and gloomy.

Black wooden eaves and pillars and equally black wreckage are scattered inside this destroyed fort. There is still a faint lingering smoke all around, and it seems that the wailing screams from that time are still lingering in the green smoke.

The smell of being burned is not a pleasant smell to the human sense of smell, but among some scavengers, it can attract these guys to run over from ten or even a hundred miles away, staring with red eyes, They were biting and noisy at each other, as if they were constantly mocking.

"There's no need to go there..."

On the small mound on the side, there are three people on horseback looking here.

The leader was older and had three strands of beard on his chin, which were slightly blowing in the wind. He was not wearing armor, he was just dressed in ordinary clothes, just wrapped in a cloak with some fur on it, which somewhat revealed his identity.

The middle-aged man took out the wooden tablet and pen from the leather bag on the horse, then licked the tip of the pen to dissolve the dried ink, then frowned, as if he had thought of something, and spit it out with a sound. He drank black saliva, then muttered and gestured, wrote or drew on the wooden tablet, finally blew on it, waited for the ink to dry, and put it away.

The two riders behind are probably the middle-aged man's guards. When the middle-aged people were looking around, one stood on the left and the other on the right, each on alert, appearing well-trained. Seeing that the middle-aged people seemed to want to stay and observe, they couldn't help but whisper: "Sir, it's not a good place to stay for a long time... If you don't encounter Cao Jun's cavalry, you'll be in trouble..."

The middle-aged man sighed, "I originally thought that Cao Mengde was different from Yuan Benchu ​​and had the ambition to help the world. But now it seems that it is just me... Is it possible for a hero to act like this?" 』

"Sir..." The guard interrupted the middle-aged man's sigh again.

The middle-aged man turned back and smiled, "Okay, I got it, let's go, let's go!" 』

The three of them got off the mound, bypassed the abandoned dock, and headed west along the trail.

…(???)…

Xudu.

royal palace.

In the gloomy weather, Liu Xie woke up from his sleep. When he opened his eyes, he thought it was dusk. He was in a daze for a moment before he realized what he was doing. He quickly called the Huangmen eunuch to change clothes and wash up.

General Cao Cao fell out, and the shadow of death hung over Xudu. Many merchants who were worried about being implicated did not dare to come. The squires in the surrounding area also tried their best to get rid of the relationship and inquire about the news. Above the court, officials of all sizes also came one after another. They are hooking up in private, and there are also those descendants of the gentry who have nothing but their lives. They talk impassionedly and criticize endlessly, as if they are risking their lives in exchange for reputation...

Some people said that Cao Cao would inevitably succumb to such public opinion and even resign as general to apologize, but there was a faint voice in Liu Xie's heart telling him that this matter might not be as simple as these people imagined.

Things can be big or small, and changes can happen in the blink of an eye.

Therefore, Liu Xie felt that all details could not be ignored. He had to observe the whole story of this matter calmly and steadily...

Like the aloof Emperor of Heaven.

Observe what Cao Cao did and think about why Cao Cao did what he did.

Heaven will not tell him the answer, it will just be silent, seemingly close but far away.

The minister would not tell him the answer. Even if he did tell him, it would be half false and half true.

Therefore, he must find and determine all the answers by himself.

This is an opportunity, an opportunity for bystanders. Because he was involved in it before, he was inevitably affected by various emotions and may not be able to see clearly or think clearly. But this time, Liu Xie knew that Cao Cao's target was definitely not him. .

So, what would Cao Cao do in such a situation?

Liu Xie adjusted his collar a little and looked outside at the sky still dominated by dark clouds.

What happens next?

Where will the big man go?

Liu Xie suddenly felt a little sad because he was the emperor of the Han Dynasty, but in fact his influence on the Han Dynasty was pitiful...

In other words, there seems to be no difference with or without him.

Big man...

……(O_O)……

Chang'an.

Today is considered a small-scale enlarged meeting.

Of course, the meeting was chaired by Fei Qian. As one of the actual people in power in the Han Dynasty, the issues Fei Qian considered were not about mourning the Spring and Autumn Period and feeling about humanity, but more practical and complex matters.

For example, government.

China’s political system.

"Why did the Zhou Dynasty fall?" 』

Fei Qian said slowly, then looked at the surrounding advisers.

This is almost the top group of men, from the old bastard Jia Xu to the black bun Pang Tong, from Xun You who is honest on the outside and clear on the inside, to Sima Yi who is dishonest on the outside and equally dishonest on the inside...

There are also the plain but important Zao Zhi and Tai Shiming.

But the smarter the person, the more difficult it is to unify his thoughts.

And this point is very critical, because Fei Qian still wants these people to promote and implement it, and penetrate Fei Qian's ideas into the Han noble system little by little.

So the current cleaning... um, communication meeting is very important.

Everyone present, even Zao Zhi, who liked the fields but not the writing of documents, and Tai Shiming, who usually spent his time in the workshop doing research, were no strangers to the history of the Spring and Autumn Period.

When it comes to the demise of the Zhou Dynasty, or a dynasty, many reasons can be found. Political corruption, successive invasions by foreign powers, failure to keep up with the times, lack of emphasis on talents and talents, etc., are all possible. Yes, it can also cause the destruction of a dynasty, but these are just appearances, and it is obviously not what Fei Qian wants to ask.

Everyone knows these things, and even anyone who captures a nobleman can tell them one, two, and three things.

It is not difficult to find the problem, but it is extremely difficult to figure out how to correct it after you know the problem. And in the process of correction, how to do it, the better you do it, instead of giving up halfway or going in the opposite direction, that is difficult. More difficult.

"Get the picture." ” Fei Qian ordered calmly.

A huge map was pulled out and hung in the hall.

"This is from the early Spring and Autumn Period..." Fei Qian pointed to the map and said slowly, "There may be some discrepancies in details, but it's generally the same... This was compiled and compiled into classical volumes during the Shiyuan period for several months..."

Pang Tong touched his double chin quite proudly and saw that there was nothing there? This is the price of losing a chin...

Although the current dyes of the Han Dynasty are not as diverse and colorful as those of later generations, it is still possible to collect four or five colors, which can generally indicate the situation of the Zhou Dynasty at that time.

The map is full of colors, large and small color blocks, and it clearly expresses the embarrassment of the Zhou Dynasty at that time without even using any words.

Everyone stared at the map for a while, speechless.

Sima Yi took a deep breath. Every time he saw the map that Hussar took out, Sima Yi could always feel a kind of shock coming from the depths of his soul. It was like chills all over his body stood up. He seemed to I somewhat understand what Fei Qian means, but not completely...

The Western Zhou Dynasty and the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period were in the distant past, but no one present felt that Fei Qian was talking nonsense or doing useless work. Sometimes, these people, including Sima Yi, feel that this is the ability that a leader should have. He can look away from trivial chores, detach himself from the pleasure in front of him, examine the past, grasp the present, and look to the future...

Going into battle to kill the enemy, charging into battle, Xu Huang, Zhang Liao, Zhao Yun, anyone can do better than Fei Qian, people's livelihood affairs, specific arrangements, Pang Tong, Xun You, Sima, anyone can do better than Fei Qian...

But what Fei Qian can do cannot be replaced by people like them. Sometimes Sima Yi couldn't help but wonder whether the hussar general had a special ability, so he could see clearly the fog of the future and move in the right direction...

Sima Yi didn't doubt that the map was made by the fat black man, but he also believed that if it hadn't been for Fei Qian's suggestion or instruction, the fat black man who seemed to be lazy would definitely not have done such a thing. !

"Enfessing? ” said Zao Zhi.

Fei Qian nodded, "Yes, not entirely right." 』

"People's hearts?" ” Tai Shiming said.

Fei Qian smiled and said, "People's hearts have been like this since ancient times, and it has not changed for thousands of years." 』

Jia Xu glanced at Fei Qian and nodded slightly. This is what attracts him the most about Fei Qian and what Jia Xu agrees with the most. Morality can only regulate gentlemen, but there are too many people in the world who are not gentlemen. Therefore, only by deeply understanding the greed of people can we better adapt and target it, instead of blindly shouting about "people's hearts are not ancient" and "the world is changing." ", and then lamented to express his disappointment with the world, especially those in power, who cannot believe in so-called morality, or rely on morality to expect the world.

Fei Qian did not wait for everyone's constant speculation, but said: "Today I have a word to share with you..."

Fei Qian turned his head to indicate, and then Huang Xu nodded, took out a piece of written silk, unfolded it, and saw two sharp-edged words in the silk, with strokes like knives: "内volume" 』!

"The person who is inside is a prisoner in the room, with no hope of success; the person who is curled up cannot recite the song, and he has to kneel down and survive. This is called "inside scrolling". Fei Qian said slowly, "This is the reason for the decline of Zhou Gong Dynasty." 』

Fei Qian raised his chin slightly and motioned for everyone to look at the map of Spring and Autumn.

Everyone looked around, as if they had passed through the quickly different color blocks, and saw the blood spurting out of the people who were trapped, curled up, and then constantly devouring each other and fighting each other in Chunqiu. They heard those or angry voices. , or helpless, or howling in pain.

The Zhou Dynasty was the first large-scale involution. "The kings of Zhou were all virtuous, both civil and military. However, after three generations, the disaster was still coming. The soldiers were in decline, the palaces were empty, and the accumulation of hundreds of years was nothing but empty records. ” Fei Qian said slowly, “When it is rolled inward, it cannot move. There is no hope of progress and no way of retreat. 』

"There is no hope of advancement, and there is no way of retreat..."

Everyone started thinking.

Fei Qian stopped and gave these people some time to think.

From the perspective of the development of the entire history, the continuous changes of the Chinese feudal dynasties are like the repetition of reincarnation, just like the involution.

The large and corrupt bureaucracy eventually became a burden to the dynasty.

Like the Zhou Dynasty, but also like the subsequent dynasties.

To use a relatively easy-to-understand explanation, when a company develops to a considerable scale and the company's market size has reached its peak, the company's technology and systems have never been able to break through the height of the company's maturity, and the company's internal problems will begin to appear. More subdivided work requires more manpower to complete the work, but the company's benefits have not increased. Correspondingly, the wages of staff will decrease. Although employment has been increased to a certain extent, it has brought about On the surface, everyone can benefit from it, but in fact, they are restricted, not enough to eat but not hungry to death, which ultimately leads to vicious embezzlement among each other for the greater benefit...

Fei Qian remembered that he seemed to have heard such an argument in later generations, that is, China actually has no history, only the reincarnation of dynasties. When I first heard this argument, it seemed somewhat difficult to accept and somewhat metaphysical, but when I think about it, it seems to make some sense.

Since the unification of China, the dynasties of more than two thousand years have actually been one dynasty overthrowing another dynasty, thus establishing an institutional system that is more harsh and restrictive than the previous dynasty, repeating itself over and over again.

Since the Qin Dynasty established prefectures and counties, the king's control over the world has gradually become stronger. This is a necessary step to establish a unified country, and it is understandable.

Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty cut down the vassal vassal, and Emperor Wu issued an order of favor to depose hundreds of schools of thought that only respected Confucianism. This not only allowed the monarch to gain absolute control over power, but also allowed him to rule ideologically, eliminating the opposition between the local and the central government, and making it easier for the monarch to local jurisdiction. This doesn't seem to be a big problem.

However, in the late period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, the prime ministers were dismissed, and later in the Eastern Han Dynasty, the prime ministers were not used at all. After the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the power of the prime ministers was further reduced by the three provinces and six ministries. By the Song Dynasty, it was completely redundant, and the involution characteristics were fully demonstrated... …

The situation deteriorated further during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The ultimate goal of overthrowing one dynasty is to establish another dynasty. However, the overall social structure has not evolved as a result. Instead, it has become more oppressive and imprisoned. From the body to the spirit, it has become more and more terrifying, more and more abnormal, and more and more... distortion.

"If you roll inward, you will end up with no roll, no progress, and no retreat. Even if it is as majestic as the Great Zhou Dynasty, it will inevitably collapse in the dust," Fei Qian said, "Flowing water will not rot, and the household will not rot. The hub is not beetle. There is advancement and retreat, which is the right path. If you can't move and just look for the old, you will end up like the Zhou Dynasty. If you use a fiefdom as a reward, you will end up with no land to be granted. If you use an official position as a reward, you will eventually have no official to reward you. Although the world is huge, the people cannot leave the imperial city and the soldiers cannot reach the countryside..."

"Nowadays, among the wealthy noble families, there are many people who do not understand this principle. They spend their whole lives seeking food, drinking, having fun, drinking, sex, and wealth. They only know how to seek and greedily take in, but they do not know how to exercise restraint. Such people are of no use to the cause and are of no benefit to the people, so what is the use of keeping them? To poison future generations? Fei Qian talked eloquently, "It's just like the Duke of Zhou, who divided the kingdoms into feudal states, and there were hundreds of princes and ministers. How could it be helpful when there was a crisis?" The people of the country, the princes, the ministers, and the scholars are all there. However, the king of Zhou is in trouble. Where are these people? What to do? 』

"What should we do about these ills?" Fei Qian looked around and said, "This is today's topic. Please think about it. In three days, I will come back to listen to your opinions..."

Everyone agreed and then left one after another.

Blind indoctrination is obviously not as impressive as thinking on your own.

Many times, Huaxia focuses on practicality and does not care about abstract theories, and does not even pay much attention to details. The most typical one is Huaxia’s delicacies, a little, some, probably, about, almost, depending on the heat...

They all seem to look similar, but whether they are good or not is a huge difference.

Regarding the political system, China did not have a relatively systematic study until later generations. Many things were even Western, but there were very few political system theories that were deeply rooted in China.

For example, Fei Qian himself is more accustomed to recognizing social systems such as slaves, feudalism, capital, etc. However, these names are not native to China, but are the result of the changes in the social form of Western Europe, focusing on Western Europe. , and Big Beard even specifically stated that the several eras of economic and social evolution he outlined are only suitable for Western Europe and cannot be applied to other regions...

So in fact, China does not have the so-called slaves who fit the description of the bearded man. The model of feudal society is different from that of Western Europe. How can we use the social model of Western Europe to standardize and divide China's social form?

In fact, due to limited information, Big Beard lives in Western civilization, and all he can understand is the civilization process of Western Europe. Many of his judgments that sparkle with sparks of genius are also directed at Western European civilization, although sometimes they are not stated explicitly.

For example, when talking about the word "slave", some people would think that the Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties, or earlier periods, were the so-called "slave" society of China. However, in fact, according to archaeological discoveries and existing documents, the so-called free people The conceptual category of slaves is not found in Persia, Egypt, Babylon, or in early China.

The word slave originates from Greece. It is a concept in a typical city-state system. Corresponding to slaves are free people, citizens, and citizens have the right to participate in and discuss government affairs, such as in Rome. However, in ancient China, this was obviously not the case. Participating in and discussing government affairs was obviously not something that ordinary people could do.

Strictly speaking, in the early Chinese social system, there were slaves who appeared due to debts or wars, but similar to the "slave market slavery" in ancient Rome, wars were deliberately promoted for the sake of the slave market. There is no characteristic behavior of launching an invasion or even deliberately depriving small farmers of their means of production to create more slaves.

So is the so-called feudalism.

Somewhat similar, but completely different. The most fundamental reason is that China has never had private ownership of land. All land in the world belongs to the "emperor" theoretically and politically. It can be used by private individuals and bought and sold, but the ownership belongs to the "emperor". This is a typical autocracy, not feudalism.

Some people say that the Zhou Dynasty was feudal, but in fact the Zhou Dynasty was the collapse of Chinese feudalism. As time went on, China embarked on a path completely different from that of Western Europe...

Fei Qian sat in the hall, holding his cheek and looking at the map.

He had some vague ideas about the future path, but how it would turn out in the end still depended on whether these people in the Han Dynasty, especially these top-notch intelligent people, could follow it together.

Step out of a new world.