Three Kingdoms

The Buddhist monk is in Chang'an.

The scriptures alone don't mean much. After all, copying according to the gestures of the text without understanding the meaning is nothing more than a tool for transfer.

Fei Qian wanted to simply print a few copies of the Tao Te Ching. Even if Deglanzi asked people to use pig, cattle and sheep blood to copy, or use some gold powder to copy, it would have no magical effect.

The greatest magical power of the Tao Te Ching lies in its thinking.

Therefore, Fei Qian asked Deglanzi to stay in Chang'an to study for a period of time. At least after he truly understood Chinese, he could more accurately translate the Tao Te Ching and convey the true meaning of the Five Directions God Religion.

So Deglanzi settled down near Chang'an, and then he discovered many snowy areas, places that were completely different from his hometown...

For example, water mill.

Deglanzi's eyes widened as he watched the fine, snow-white wheat flour emerge bit by bit from between the millstones, then fell into the stone trough, and finally merged into the wooden barrel.

There are also millstones in the snow area, but there are no water mills.

So Deglanzi could never imagine that such a big mill and so many millstones could be taken care of by only one person, oh, actually three people, working three shifts, and then a bag A bag of rough wheat grains then turned into snow-white flour.

Well, Dahan's flour is actually not as pale as the later generations, but slightly yellow, but in Deglanzi's eyes, these flours are already "snow white" enough.

If we just say that the future is wonderful, and then eat glutinous rice every day, will anyone believe that the future is really happy?

DeGlanzi found it unworthy of belief. He felt that the Five Directions God Cult was a good doctrine, not entirely because of how beautiful the world of gods depicted by the Five Directions God Cult was, but because he saw how happy the great Han Changan was.

At least the snowy area is happier than Degrange.

People in different periods have different attitudes towards the same item.

Just like wheat flour and stone grinding, Deglanzi thought it was a magical technology, while the workers busy in Chang'an Mill looked at Deglanzi like a fool.

Deglanzi asked the workers in the mill how the water mill worked. How did the workers in the mill understand this? The worker said, "Isn't it like this?" Pour the wheat grains into the stone mill, and then the wheat flour will come out naturally..."

What does it mean to be like this?

What does it mean to be natural?

DeGlanzi's communication failed. He couldn't understand.

So who is right and who is wrong between these two people?

Whose concept correctly reflects the facts?

In the eyes of mill workers, this is just a job, going to and from get off work every day.

Deglanzi feels that this is an important technology that can change the snow area and make the people in the snow area live a better life...

The key is that such technology seems to be everywhere in Chang'an City.

There it was, undisguised.

Just like the books in the bookstore, like the debate in Qinglong Temple, like the bright pearls that can be picked up casually, like the gorgeous gems revealed on the side of the road, the excitement made Deglanzi feel dizzy.

Deglanzi sat on the stone outside the water mill in despair, watching the carts of wheat turn into carts of flour, and then looked at several mills standing side by side not far away, looking at the The endless flow of the Wei River makes the water wheel clatter.

Deglanzi suddenly felt an indescribable sense of isolation from his past life and the world in the snow area. Could it be that the people in the snow area who lived in his past, no, lived the same way as he did in the past, were not like these people in Chang'an? Are the Han people in a different world?

This phenomenon completely contradicted his old ideas, leaving DeGlanzi at a loss as to what to do.

In addition to water mills, Deglanzi also saw many elderly people in Chang'an.

There were so many, so many that Deglanzi, who had just arrived in Chang'an, was a little unbelievable.

In Deglanzi's eyes, don't these elderly people need to continue to work? Judging from their situation, they should still be able to carry loads, farm, and chop firewood. How can they smile and sit there doing nothing? Could it be that the big man is so rich that these old people don’t have to work? Already?

In Deglanzi's tribe, there is no concept of old people, only the dead and the living. Those who can work and will be able to work in the future are living people, and those who cannot work are dead people or people who are about to die.

At first, Deglanzi foolishly asked a few old people why they had so much time to spare, to find out if they were ready to die at some point...

Then he was almost beaten to death on the spot by the old man with a cane...

Only then did Deglanzi realize that in Dahan, the elderly can actually take care of themselves!

Older people, even if they have the ability to work, do not need to work!

Why? !

He questioned, he asked, and then the old people said, isn't this a natural thing? When you get old, you should take care of yourself. Is it possible that you still have to work?

How is this a natural thing?

Deglanzi felt like a fool, facing so many things that a big man thought were natural, but felt that they were not natural at all.

Just like the answer he got in the water mill just now.

The owner of the mill laughed and asked, "What's so strange about this water mill?" Isn’t that how it all works?

Deglanzi thought and searched hard.

In snowy areas, time is very precious for ordinary people, and everyone is very busy. Acres need to be planted, rugs need to be woven, tents need to be packed, and livestock need to be taken care of. Everyone is busy from the moment they open their eyes until they close their eyes. Only the ignorant children and the noble leaders do not need to work. Therefore, once the elderly among ordinary people can no longer work, they will die quietly without dragging down their families.

How can a big old man be so leisurely?

Is this the blessing of the five gods?

But Deglanzi himself is also a devout believer in the five gods. Why can't he get such blessing?

Deglanzi stood up, left the water mill, and returned to Chang'an City.

His mind was full of questions. He found Guo Tu, but Guo Tu, who had not completed the task before, obviously didn't have a good attitude towards Deglanzi. He hummed and didn't want to talk to Deglanzi at all. After picking up the soft and hard nails, he wandered back in front of the official house, and then he met Fei Qian, who happened to come to inspect the work.

Deglanzi stopped Fei Qian, prostrated himself in front of Fei Qian, and raised his questions.

Fei Qian took Deglanzi to the hall and sat down.

After sitting down, Deglanzi continued to talk about his doubts and sincerely asked Fei Qian for advice. Why is there such a phenomenon? Why can big men have equipment like water mills? Why can there be various other products? Why can the elderly enjoy their old age so happily...

Fei Qian was a little surprised, because he thought that nomadic people would consider old people a burden, and only old people who can work are good old people. But Deglanzi said that they also hope that the elderly can survive better, but it is just because they cannot support so many elderly people that they let those who cannot work die.

This is really interesting.

Fei Qian stroked his beard and pondered, feeling a little hard to explain, "How should I put this?" Retirement care costs money... Well, you don't actually have a complete currency system there, so you probably don't understand this explanation..."

After all, Fei Qian couldn't tell Deglanzi that in fact, the big man was the third assistant of Chang'an, or his rule here was pretty good, but there were still old people in other places who had to work until death, or they couldn't. Die while working...

"That's it," Fei Qian looked at Deglanzi, "before I figure this out, let me tell you a few things...for example, what is wealth and what is work..."

"wealth? ’ repeated DeGlanzi.

Fei Qian nodded, "In fact, our ancestors of the Han people have been thinking and exploring issues like this very early on... For example, Guan Gong and Mozi..."

Guan Zhong's understanding of social wealth is that the aristocratic and wealthy households had better burn firewood from withered flowers. In times of famine, they should build large-scale construction projects to feed the hungry people. The more disasters hit, the more troubles they had to make. The victims of the disaster and the nobles who save money will all be arrested and sentenced...

On the other hand, Mozi and Mo Zhai, who had some opposite views to Guan Zhong, said that they should not do this, but should pool the money of the noble families together, and then build water conservancy projects, build houses, reclaim land, plant mulberry and hemp, etc. Absolutely Don't spend money on fagots with withered flowers...

Guan Zhong said, it costs money, how can it be circulated without spending money? We must make everyone spend money and find a way to take out every copper in order to achieve social development...

Mo Zhai shook his head, saying that he should not spend money, but should be frugal, and that the population should also be increased in a planned way, and spouses should be allocated to those singles to ensure that every couple has at least three children...

So is Guan Zhong right, or is Mo Zhai's concept correct?

Absolute judgment without specific circumstances is problematic.

Both Guan Zhong and Mo Zhai were right. When they had no reference, they relied on their own wisdom to explore governance methods that suited them, instead of just waiting to find one to pirate.

During the Spring and Autumn Period, a hundred schools of thought contended. Everyone was groping in the long river of history, and whatever stone they touched was considered a stone. Some adopted models similar to simple communism, while others adopted rudimentary capitalist models. What is very interesting is that these theoretical models are not the same. There is no need to separate one to the death like in later generations, but to exist at the same time...

Fei Qian spoke and Degrandzi listened.

“How does a family’s wealth come from? It is obtained by the work of the people in this family," Fei Qian said slowly, "Families form tribes, villages, counties, and then larger states, counties, and countries... So wealth is born from work. , if you do nothing, you will naturally have no wealth...and there are many ways to work, including farming and workshops..."

Not only in the attitude towards wealth, each of the hundreds of schools in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods had their own attitudes and methods, but also in the way they treated work.

To develop industry and build workshops, according to Guan Zhong's method, it is believed that using slaves is easy to escape, and then escape into the deep mountains and wild forests. It will be troublesome if they cannot be captured. And using the people as labor will make the people dissatisfied, and it is easy to cause trouble when all the people are in the army. Therefore, the simplest way is to outsource the mines to wealthy businessmen, charge a tax of three-tenths, and let the wealthy businessmen take care of the rest and carry out indirect management. The wealthy businessmen only need to hand over the money. When necessary, we will impose heavy taxes on wealthy businessmen and encourage them to consume, thereby regulating wealth distribution.

Mo Zhai, on the other hand, would say that he must first explain clearly to the people that this thing will "benefit the world", and then gather wealth and manpower to unite the top and bottom with the same purpose, and lead the people with the disciplined and ascetic Mo people as the pioneers. Carry out production, then sell or distribute ironware to people, collect funds, and expand production.

These things, these different ideas, these seemingly contradictory measures have all been recorded and truly exist in the land of China.

During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, no one questioned what kind of doctrine Guan Zhong or Mo Zhai belonged to, and no one jumped out and waved it around with a fig leaf, because both Guan Zhong and Mo Zhai frankly stated that they did this , is to obtain more people's wealth, gather everyone's strength, for defense, or for hegemony.

They are all saying that if you get these people's wealth, you must use it well and cherish it, and don't waste people's energy in vain...

Then, Confucianism came and started to pretend to be wrong.

Things are beautiful on paper, but things in reality are scarce. The further you go, the more lies, sarcasm and ridicule remain. The hard work of the people has turned into the glory of the leader.

When Sima Gong wrote historical records, he still praised these different wisdoms. However, after the Jin Dynasty, no one would gradually say so, especially the content on cherishing the people's power, which became increasingly rare. , only a bunch of smeared ones were left, with yellow ink everywhere.

"It's good that you are starting to pay attention to the elderly... If you understand what wealth and labor are, then you can understand that only a leader who cares about his own people can truly care about the elderly and children of his people... Well, there is a saying There is a saying, "Governing a big country is like cooking small dishes." Fei Qian explained a little, smiled and said, "This is a sentence from the scripture I prepared to give you... Most people will think that this is a teaching." People cook food...haha...but I think you should know what the real meaning is..."

"Treading on the Stars"

"The real meaning?" ’ DeGlanzi thought.

Fei Qian nodded.

Deglanzi raised his head and said with some hesitation, "Is it...food?" 』

"It's a little bit related... It doesn't matter, you can think about it more later..." Fei Qian said with a smile, "For now, it's okay to just follow the food you understand... Can the elderly in a family not work, right? Because the family, or the young people in the family, can get enough food to ensure that the family has no worries about food? 』

Deglanzi thought for a moment, then nodded quickly, "Yes." 』

"Well, if I order at this time that part of the food that these young people work for must be turned over... as taxes, or for any other reason..." Fei Qian paused, "Then in this family Young people want to allow the elderly to still not have to work hard. Do young people have to work harder to get more food so that they can be the same as before? 』

DeGlanzi nodded again, "Yes." 』

"What if..." Fei Qian continued to ask, "What if the young man in this family has tried his best and started working from the moment he opened his eyes every day, but after working day and night, he still cannot get enough food to feed the family?" Will the elderly also have to work? 』

Deglanzi nodded, "Yes." 』

"Then the fields are so big and there are only so many pastures. No matter how hard you work, there is always a limit to the number of people that one field or one pasture can support, right?" If young people find it difficult to feed their families no matter how hard they work..." Fei Qian's voice was low, "Under such circumstances, when old people and young people compete for limited food in the same area, the old people will automatically The phenomenon of giving the opportunity to live to young people...』

Deglanzi was silent for a long time, and then sighed: "Yes...in the tribe, many old people are not completely incapable of working, but when they feel that they are dragging down their children...they will choose to die..."

Fei Qian said slowly, "The elderly represent experience and the past, children represent the future and hope, and those leaders who only focus on young people and middle-aged people, no matter how nice they say it, are just to want young people." Work more and snatch more food from them... If young people can't even feed the elderly in their own families, how can they feed other people in need of food? If people in a tribe find that they cannot even support their own elders and children, then what fighting spirit do the people of this tribe have to open up a new world? Is your tribe... like this? 』

Degrandzi prostrated himself in front of Fei Qian and said, "General, please give me some advice..."

Fei Qian helped Deglanzi up and said: "In the scripture I gave you, there is this sentence, "Too great, everyone knows it; secondly, praise it personally. Secondly, fear it. Thirdly, fear it. , Insult him. If you don’t believe it enough, if you don’t believe it, you can’t believe it. His words are noble. When things are done successfully, the people all call me natural."

"This...I don't quite understand..."

Deglanzi was very ashamed. He found that he was like a monkey squatting at the entrance of a treasure cave. It was clear that he could enter the treasure in the next step, but he did not know how to open the door.

In comparison, the snowy area is so barren, but Chang'an is simply the Kingdom of God!

"Take your time, learn slowly... But if you are alone, your power is limited. Only with more people can you change your hometown better and faster... You must first basically learn the Han people Only by using the words and language of the Han Dynasty can you understand the true meaning of the Han Dynasty Scripture... Just work hard..." Fei Qian said slowly, "The God of the Five Directions is the God of everyone in the world. The Gods of the Five Directions bless us Han people, and they will also bless you people in the snow area... As long as you are a person who sincerely believes in the God of the Five Directions..."

"I will definitely study hard...I will definitely spread the teachings of the five gods throughout my hometown..."

Deglanzi is like the grain of wheat in the mill, which has been peeled off, revealing a white and tender heart, trembling, and engraved with the imprints of the five gods. In the end, the only little doubt in his heart has disappeared. Crushed to pieces...