Diqin Designer

Chapter 539 Changing Foreign Lands for the Great Qin

Euthydemus I said, "The Confucian teachings that the Deputy Envoy spoke of today seem somewhat different from those of the day before..."

Although Euthydemus I was very tempted by Li Shiqi's words, he did not lose his mind. He knew that this deputy envoy from Qin was a Qin person, not a Bactrian. Would he really be sincere in offering advice to help him secure his throne?
The Qin people were no pushovers; most of the analyses and advice given to him by this Qin deputy envoy were laced with ulterior motives.

Li Shiqi didn't care much about Euthydemus I's suspicions; suspicion was the right thing to do, and it would be strange not to.

Li Shiqi directly admitted: "Indeed, they are different. My Confucianism is extensive and complex. What I talked about the other day was just a drop in the ocean of my Confucian doctrines."

Just as Euthydemus I was about to say something, Li Shiqi interrupted him, saying, "I am merely someone who was summoned by Your Majesty and said a few words. What Your Majesty decides to do ultimately depends on Your Majesty, not on me!"

Li Shiqi directly stated: "My suggestion is right there. If Your Majesty is willing to believe and use it, then use it. If Your Majesty suspects that I have ulterior motives, then you don't have to use it. Whether to use it or not depends on Your Majesty. I am just an envoy from another country."

In short, I'm just an outsider. I've already said what I meant. Whether you believe it or not, use it or not, it's none of my business.

The Qin Dynasty did not care whether Eusidmus I could do a good job, and the Qin Dynasty's purpose was not to help Eusidmus I secure his throne or help Bactria become rich and powerful.

The Qin Dynasty wanted to get Euthydemus I to accept some of its ideas, and then mess things up to throw Bactria into chaos. With Bactria weak and the Qin Dynasty strong, it would be more beneficial to the Qin Dynasty.

The more indifferent and apathetic one appears, the more one can dispel Eusidmus I's suspicions about the Qin Dynasty. On the contrary, being secretive and desperately trying to explain will only make Eusidmus I suspect something is amiss.

Indeed, after Li Shiqi made those remarks, Euthydemus I's suspicions and vigilance lessened somewhat. He felt that the Qin people might indeed have some schemes, but the decision was in his hands.

King Euthydemus I nodded and said, "What the deputy envoy says makes sense. Thank you for your willingness to advise me!"

Li Shiqi laughed and said, "It's just a small matter; ultimately, it depends on Your Majesty's will."

Euthydemus I then said, "I have a matter I would like to ask the deputy envoy for assistance with."

Li Shiqi said, "Your Majesty, please speak freely. If I can help you, I will do my best."

Euthydemus I stated his request: "Does your delegation have any Confucian scholars similar to the deputy envoy? Could you leave a few for me? I would like to appoint them as advisors on state affairs."

Upon hearing Euthydemus I's words relayed by the translator, Li Shiqi thought to himself, "It's done!"

Driven by his ambition to consolidate his throne, the Bactrian king wanted to use the method he had proposed.

It's not that we're afraid of using it, but that we're afraid of not using it. As long as they have this idea, they will be influenced by the Qin Dynasty.

However, Li Shiqi did not show joy at this time; instead, he seemed somewhat troubled.

Seeing the troubled look on Lishiqi's face, Euthydemus I said, "What troubles you, Vice Envoy? Please rest assured, Vice Envoy. My country may not be as good as yours, but I will certainly treat your advisors well, and their expenses will be the best in my country."

Li Shiqi shook his head and said, "I am not troubled by these things, but Qin has rules that prohibit us from interfering in the affairs of other countries at will."

"My suggestion to Your Majesty today has already broken this rule, but I will not stay in your country for long, so it is not a bad thing. However, if someone is allowed to stay in your country for a long time and become Your Majesty's advisor on national affairs..."

In fact, this rule was not included in the diplomatic regulations that Li Nian formulated for the Qin delegation.

Even if it does exist, it's only nominally so, a mere facade.

If the Qin Dynasty wanted to grow bigger and stronger and become the "great benefactor" of the world, how could it not interfere in the affairs of other countries?
Li Shiqi's saying these things to Euthydemus I was merely an excuse.

Li Shiqi said, “Your Majesty has appointed people from Qin as advisors on state affairs. Have you considered that Your Majesty intends to implement reforms, which will offend many people? These people may not dare to directly resent Your Majesty, but they do dare to resent the advisors appointed by Your Majesty, believing that the people of Qin have bewitched and seduced Your Majesty, thus ruining relations between our two countries!”

Li Shiqi's words meant that this was an internal matter for the Bactrians, and they should not drag them into it. The Great Qin had no intention of interfering in the internal affairs of the Bactrians, and the King should reconsider this idea.

Of course, Li Shiqi did not really want to refuse; he was just making this statement in front of Euthydemus I. Moreover, if he directly agreed to Euthydemus I's request, it would only arouse Euthydemus I's suspicion.

King Euthydemus I assured him, “Deputy Envoy, rest assured, with me here, I will ensure that the advisors are not mistreated.”

Li Shiqi shook his head again: "Your Majesty, as foreigners, we are not in a position to directly interfere in your country's affairs. If Your Majesty truly wishes to govern the country using the teachings of our Great Qin, you may send a trustworthy person to Great Qin to study."

Euthydemus I said, “It is a great distance from your country. I do not know how long it will take before you return home after completing your studies.”

What he wanted was someone readily available to immediately guide the reform of Bactria, remove the gods from its head, introduce Confucianism to cultivate talent, implement the so-called "Heaven, Earth, Ruler, Parents, Teacher" and "The ruler is the guide for the subject, the father is the guide for the son, and the husband is the guide for the wife" etiquette, and also implement the "Decree of Grace" to weaken the power of the nobles.

Ultimately, he achieved a point where everyone in Bactria, from top to bottom, trusted him as their king, wielding absolute power and securing an extremely stable throne.

Li Shiqi felt that it was about time; if he continued to refuse, it might anger Euthydemus I and cause things to go wrong.

Li Shiqi pretended to be in a difficult position for a while before saying, "I can leave a few people for Your Majesty, but Your Majesty must not appoint these people as national advisors, nor allow them to participate in the affairs of your country."

Seeing that Li Shiqi was willing to relent, Euthydemus I quickly said, "Don't worry, Vice Envoy, I will not appoint them as state advisors or involve them in state affairs."

Once the Qin delegation leaves, these Qin scholars will remain, and he can do whatever he wants with them.
Li Shiqi said, "Your Majesty can announce to the public that these men are teachers hired by Your Majesty for your princes and princesses!"

Euthydemus I said, “This method is excellent. In the future, I will claim to be the teacher hired by my children to teach your country’s learning.”

This is really just a facade; it can't hide anything from people. But having this facade is better than having none at all.

Just like two rebellions, but waving a "cleansing the emperor's inner circle" flag is much better than not waving one at all.

After speaking with Euthydemus I for a while, Li Shiqi left the palace and returned to the mission. He immediately sent someone to inform the Wangling and other senior members of the mission.

In a room, Li Shiqi recounted in detail to Wang Ling and the others what had happened at the Bactrian palace that day. After listening, Wang Ling said, "The Bactrian ruler seized the throne through treason, and his ascension was illegitimate. Therefore, he desires to secure his position and does not want anyone to rebel and seize his throne. That is why he sent someone to invite the deputy envoy today, hoping to obtain from the deputy envoy a method to secure his throne and ensure its lasting rule."

After evaluating Eusidmus I's motives, Wang Ling continued, "But Bactria does indeed have many problems. If the ruler of Bactria wants to solve these problems and consolidate his throne, he must use the methods of my Great Qin."

If Euthydemus I had been a mediocre ruler who only wanted to maintain the status quo, he would not have been tempted by Li Shiqi's words. But this man was unwilling to be mediocre and wanted to make a difference.

This is normal; if Euthydemus I had no ambition, he would not have usurped the throne.

"The deputy envoy did a good job today. If this matter succeeds, it will definitely weaken Bactria's strength. What you said, young master, is that the struggle between nations is not entirely about direct military confrontation; the economy and culture are also battlefields, which is indeed very true!"

Li Shiqi also said, "When I spoke with the Lord of Bactria today, I was able to better understand the extent of your learning, my lord."

He didn't actually want to say "erudite," but rather "terrifying." The doctrines that Young Master Li Nian taught them were extremely attractive to the monarch. If the monarch successfully implemented them, it could expand the monarch's power to an unprecedented level. However, apart from benefiting the monarch, they would be almost entirely harmful to the country and the people.

It can be said that "the monarch is strong, but the country and the people are weak." Precisely because those doctrines are so beneficial to the monarchs, it is difficult for them not to be attracted to them and thus fall into their trap.

Just like that Bactrian lord, couldn't he see that what he was saying would harm Bactria?

No, a person who can successfully usurp the throne is by no means stupid. Even if he cannot see all the harm, he can see some of it. He just thinks that compared with the benefits he can gain, those harms are not worth mentioning.

In fact, those dangers are not dangers in their eyes, but rather benefits.

As long as my throne is secure and I can sit on it forever, what does it matter if the country is poor or the people are poor?
It is actually easier to govern a poorer and weaker populace!

Therefore, even if they see the harm, they will not oppose it, but will instead support it.

This is also the most ruthless aspect of Young Master Li Nian's move: instead of defeating the opponent from the outside, he lets the opponent weaken him from within.

The people of Bactria never imagined that it was their king who wanted to weaken them.

Without the Qin Dynasty lifting a finger, its opponent castrated itself, and all the Qin Dynasty did was spread some of its ideas and doctrines.

Li Shiqi gained a deeper understanding of what Li Nian had said during his training: "Culture and economy can also overthrow a country." He realized that what the prince said was true; culture and economy do indeed have the power to overthrow a country.

If the Bactrian lord accepts what he has said today, the future of Bactria is already predictable.

Therefore, only the culture of the Qin Dynasty could invade other countries, but the culture of other countries could not invade the Qin Dynasty.

Thinking of this, Li Shiqi had an idea: I wonder if His Majesty the Emperor has read those doctrines?

He then thought that, given the Emperor's high regard for Young Master Li Nian, the Emperor must have already seen those theories, but the Emperor never adopted them. This might be due to Young Master Li Nian's advice, but it must also be due to the Emperor's wisdom!

Knowing that those doctrines would bring disaster to the country and its people, His Majesty the Emperor forbade their use in the Qin Dynasty.

Li Shiqi was mistaken. The First Emperor did not want to use that system because he learned about the history of later generations from Li Nian and understood how great the side effects of that system were. Moreover, the First Emperor now wanted to take the promises that Li Nian had made to him. If he did not know about those promises and did not have them, he would most likely have used the system if someone offered it to him.

The First Emperor had his greatness, but he also had his limitations. It was only because of Li Nian's arrival that the Qin Dynasty in this world broke through these limitations.

Li Shiqi then recalled something else: when Li Nian Gongzi gave him those doctrines, he had asked the young master where these heretical doctrines came from.

He remembered that the young master had answered with a smile, "From the Confucian school!" But he had been studying Confucian classics for decades and had never read about these heretical doctrines.

He once believed that those heretical doctrines were fabricated by the prince himself, in order to spread them and poison other countries.

But now, Li Shiqi had a thought: Could this really have been created by some Confucian scholar?
This time, he guessed half right. The half right was that it was indeed created by Confucian scholars, and the half wrong was that it wasn't created by one person, but by multiple people.

Li Nian's Confucian doctrines, compiled intentionally by Li Shiqi and others, represent a culmination of the most malignant aspects of Confucian thought. If any country were to use them to govern, they would be utterly paralyzed by their poison.

Li Nian deliberately exaggerated the benefits to the monarch, thus increasing the appeal to the monarch, while also emphasizing the feudal etiquette content.

If a monarch uses this doctrine, he must reject other doctrines and ideas and exclusively honor this one, so that the rites and laws contained in this doctrine can be spread and engraved in people's hearts.

Wang Ling looked at the three young men in the room. These three young men were not high-ranking members of the delegation, but they had also been invited into the room.

Wang Ling asked, "The deputy envoy and I have decided to let you stay in Bactria. Do you have any objections?"

It turns out that these three young men were the talents that Li Shiqi planned to leave for Euthydemus I.

All three young men had studied the doctrines given to them by Li Nian, which the mission had prepared before departure, intending to "poison" the Western countries.

Li Nian's plan for the Qin Dynasty to invade the cultures of other states was to selectively spread excellent culture and vigorously spread dross culture.

The three youths shook their heads. One of them said, "Reporting to the envoy, we have no objections. It is our honor to serve the Great Qin!"

Wang Ling cautioned, "Then you must be fully prepared. You will be staying in Bactria for a long time, not just a day or two, a month or two, but possibly several years, or even decades. It is very possible that you will not be able to return to Qin before you die!"

“Bactria is not the Great Qin. The food and lifestyle are different. You have no relatives or friends here. When you encounter difficulties, it will be difficult for the Great Qin to provide timely assistance. Many times, you will have to rely on yourselves to overcome difficulties.”

The young man who spoke said, "We understand what the envoy has said, but there are some things that we need to do. Moreover, we are very interested in staying in a foreign land and changing this foreign country for the Qin Dynasty!"

(End of this chapter)