novelSusiti Chapter 112 Sharing the World with the Surname!
Chapter 112 Sharing the World with the Surname!
Chapter 112 Sharing the World with the People!
Every feudal dynasty needs a core class as its foundation in order to support the operation of the entire country.
The core of the Zhou Dynasty was the aristocratic class, the Qin Dynasty relied on a group of officials with military merit to establish its rule, and the Han and early Tang Dynasties were dominated by powerful families who held sway over the court and supported the country.
From Huang Chao's uprising to purge the powerful families of the land, to the early Song Dynasty, the regional military governors and their ilk rose to power, firmly occupying the upper echelons of feudal society and controlling the reins of power.
Until the mid-Northern Song Dynasty, the status of scholar-officials rose sharply, and they gradually became the masters of the Song Dynasty.
What is a scholar-official?
In short: civil officials.
To solidify the alliance among scholar-officials, the Song Dynasty significantly expanded the number of candidates for the imperial examinations and relaxed the system of hereditary privilege: sons of scholar-officials could directly enter officialdom based on their family background without having to study hard for years, resulting in a geometric increase in the number of officials.
This is what later generations criticized as "redundant officials".
These scholar-officials held an unparalleled position in the Song Dynasty.
Not only were their salaries astonishingly generous, but they also enjoyed the privilege of being exempt from taxes and corvée labor, and could acquire large tracts of land without paying a single penny of tax to the state.
Furthermore, the overlapping and bloated nature of the imperial administration, the separation of officials from their duties, and the overstaffing led to a growing deficit in the national treasury, resulting in the increasingly serious problem of "redundant expenses."
But these local doctors, who draw salaries from the imperial court and leech off the people, refuse to do any proper work.
Inter-party strife and infighting led to officials in the censorate taking pride in impeachment and even launching unfounded attacks. Reasonable policies were difficult to implement, and internal administrative friction persisted throughout the Song Dynasty.
Even with capable ministers like Fan Zhongyan and Wang Anshi stepping forward to try and turn the tide, they ultimately could not change the overall situation.
A simple phrase like "sharing the world with the scholar-officials" was enough to unite all the scholar-officials and resist all reforms.
Even if!
It was to save the Song Dynasty from its impending doom!
The reason they dared to be so unscrupulous and fearless was rooted in this ancestral precept left by Zhao Kuangyin.
—I vow never to kill scholar-officials or those who submit memorials to the emperor!
As Zhao Dezhao held the memorial he was about to present, he felt a heavy weight in his heart, and an indescribable sorrow surged up and spread to every part of his body.
In his previous life, as an ordinary person, Zhao Dezhao would admire the great talents and strategies of emperors and generals when researching for his online novels, but he also couldn't help but put himself in the shoes of ordinary people.
Then, he discovered a very sad truth:
Throughout history, no matter how wise and powerful the emperors were, they never truly cared about the lives of ordinary people!
Even in the Song Dynasty, when the standard of living for ordinary people was at its highest, this was the case.
Those most ordinary people have been struggling and trying to survive in the mire!
Unseen by the sun, unfathomably deep —
"In the future, whenever there are grand ceremonies or when a new ruler ascends the throne, all descendants of the Zhao family must come here to perform sacrifices and enter the hall to silently recite the oath. No one else is allowed to approach."
Zhao Kuangyin's calm voice abruptly pulled Zhao Dezhao's wandering thoughts back to reality.
The fact that he could say these words to Zhao Dezhao and even summon Zhao Dezhao to this place makes his meaning all too clear.
You, Zhao Dezhao, will be the Crown Prince of my Great Song Dynasty in the future!
But Zhao Dezhao showed no joy whatsoever. His face was not only expressionless, but also frighteningly calm.
"Father, I think this is inappropriate."
The calm, almost subdued voice echoed in the pavilion, causing Zhao Kuangyin to pause slightly, as if he had not expected this scene at all.
He had considered that his son might be unable to contain his excitement, might feign humility, or might even burst into laughter.
But no one expected that Zhao Dezhao would behave like this under these circumstances.
Is this—sadness? Heartache? Anger?
Zhao Kuangyin looked at his son with some confusion, wanting an explanation.
"The Zhou dynasty fell because of the feudal lords, the Han dynasty perished because of the powerful clans, and the Tang dynasty collapsed because of the regional military governors."
"Therefore, I can understand why Father Emperor wishes to share the world with the scholar-officials."
"But has Father Emperor ever considered this question—who truly is the foundation of stability for this realm?"
Zhao Dezhao slowly raised his eyes, his gaze meeting Zhao Kuangyin's. His tone was calm, yet it was like a series of thunderclaps that resounded in the empty hall!
"They are the common people!"
"They are the millions of subjects of my Great Song Dynasty!"
"In times of chaos, the people are like weak willows caught in a raging storm, helpless and adrift, like ants on a boiling cauldron, living in constant fear and anxiety."
"The people of the world have struggled for too long, and everyone yearns for stability, hoping that a hero will emerge to reclaim the lost land and rebuild China!"
"Since the late Tang Dynasty, countless heroes have emerged, and the world is teeming with talent, yet why is it that not one has unified the world?"
"Is it simply bad luck? Or is it a lack of ambition and talent?"
"Neither!"
Zhao Dezhao's tone suddenly rose, tinged with regret as he shouted: "Is it because the people's hearts are no longer with us?!"
"Zhu Wen became incompetent in his later years! Li Cunxu quickly became corrupt after destroying the Later Liang dynasty, and Shi Jingtang's willingness to become a puppet emperor of the Khitan chilled the hearts of the people! Only Emperor Shizong of the Later Zhou dynasty cared for the people and won their hearts, but he died young, leaving only regret!"
"If Emperor Shizong hadn't died, the world would surely have been unified long ago!"
"Therefore, I believe that only those who win the hearts of the people can win the world!"
"If we can win the hearts of all the people under heaven and make them all support our Great Song Dynasty, then what worries will our Great Song Dynasty not prosper? What worries will we have about the stability of our country and the unification of the world?!"
How can we make all the people of the world yearn for the Great Song Dynasty?
When Zhao Dezhao uttered those words, Zhao Kuangyin's fist clenched instinctively, his eyes surging with unprecedented shock and excitement.
As someone who had been roaming the world since the Later Jin Dynasty, no one knew better than him just how chaotic the Five Dynasties period truly was.
Just as the poem says.
Outside the Six Armies Gate, zombies loom; not a single household among a million families remains!
He had witnessed firsthand the horrific massacre of the people after the city fell, the wailing of displaced children being pushed into cauldrons, and the starving and freezing people resorting to cannibalism. Those images were etched into his heart like a brand.
It has never disappeared!
He wants to end it all!
"Sharing the world with the scholar-officials" was a stable path he found for the Song Dynasty after weighing the pros and cons.
Scholars and officials are knowledgeable, prestigious, and loyal to the court. They can help the Song Dynasty govern the country and restrain military generals. As long as the Song Dynasty shares the country with scholars and officials, it can avoid the mistakes of the Five Dynasties.
Perhaps, we can usher in a peaceful year!
But Zhao Dezhao's words were like a heavy hammer, slamming into his preconceived notions.
The impact left him deeply shaken and unable to calm down for a long time.
After a moment of shock, Zhao Kuangyin suddenly chuckled softly. There was no joy in his laughter, only endless bitterness and unspeakable helplessness.
He raised his hand to the oath monument beside him, his fingertips tracing the seven large characters "Sharing the world with the scholar-officials," his tone distant and heavy: "To make all the people of the world turn their hearts to my Great Song? Zhao'er, you speak well, very well! What you said has shaken my heart—"
"But do you know that some things are easier said than done?"
He turned around, leaning on the oath monument, and stared at Zhao Dezhao with a look of vicissitude and helplessness: "Now that the Great Song Dynasty has just been established, the Khitan and Northern Han are eyeing us covetously in the north, and the various countries in the south are not yet at peace."
"In the imperial court, the scholar-officials need to be appeased, the military generals need to be restrained, and the powerful families need to be checked and balanced—which of these isn't a difficult problem?"
"How difficult it is to unite the hearts of the people!"
"In times of chaos, people only seek to survive; in times of prosperity, they crave wealth and stability. To win the hearts of all the people under heaven for the Song Dynasty is an impossible task!"
Zhao Kuangyin's words were all heartfelt.
Those who are not in a position should not concern themselves with its affairs. If one does not personally sit on the dragon throne, who can know the difficulties of governing the world?
Peaceful years cannot be achieved with just a few words or a few utterances.
This involves interests from all sides; a single hair can affect the whole situation. Who can truly ignore everything, exert all their strength, and dare to change the world?
"No, Father, you are wrong!"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Dezhao gently shook his head, met Zhao Kuangyin's gaze, and slowly said, "Your subject believes that this matter is both difficult and simple."
"Oh?"
A hint of doubt flashed in Zhao Kuangyin's eyes. He raised an eyebrow and asked with a hint of inquiry, "How is it simple? Tell me."
"We should share the world with the people!"
Zhao Dezhao spoke calmly, yet his words resonated like a thunderclap in Zhao Kuangyin's ears.
Zhao Kuangyin was startled, his expression froze instantly, and his eyes were filled with astonishment.
"Sharing the world with the people?"
How utterly absurd this statement is!
How horrifying!
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