The Golden Family, rising from the Western Regions

Chapter 403 Imperial Instructions: Benevolent Governance is Not Mercy, Might Makes the Foundation

Outside the city of Daming, Li Xiao rode slowly along the Gobi Desert surrounding the construction site, carrying a golden knife.

On the distant construction site, slaves busied themselves like ants, and the faint sound of the overseer's whip could be heard.

Jin Dao frowned and couldn't help but ask, "Father, are those slaves all prisoners of war? That means they are our enemies!"

"They should hate us to the core, so how did you manage to get them to work honestly?"

Li Xiao reined in his horse, turned his gaze to the construction site, and said in a deep voice, "Managing slaves relies on ironclad rules."

"Besides the overseers, there is also an army of five thousand men stationed here. If there is a slave riot, they will be killed without exception."

"Look over there..."

He pointed to the moat and watchtower at the edge of the construction site: "The slaves were divided into enclosed areas, each separated by earthen walls, and could not move around freely."

"A system of collective punishment was also implemented. If one person escaped, all the people in the same team would be executed, and the slaves in the same area would also be punished."

Jin Dao followed Li Xiao's finger and saw that the construction site was divided into squares, with soldiers carrying spears patrolling outside each square.

"What if they rebel in private?" Jin Dao asked again.

"Rely on differentiation."

Li Xiao explained, "We will select people from small tribes among the slaves to serve as grassroots overseers, giving them a little bit of power."

“Once these people have power, their desires will swell, and in order to keep their gains, they will watch over the other slaves more diligently than our overseers.”

He paused, then added, "These 'collaborators' get better food and lodging, and occasionally some old female slaves who can't be sold are sent here, which motivates these slaves to work even harder."

"And this is the 'privilege' that these foreign overseers are pursuing."

"Their cooperation is key to keeping the camp running."

“There are also informants.”

Mr. Qian followed behind on horseback, adding softly, "We will cultivate 'spies' among the prisoners of war and establish channels for informing."

"Whether they are ordinary slaves or cooperative overseers, their words and actions will be monitored."

“Any attempt to escape, any resistance, or even passive resistance will be reported immediately.”

Jin Dao's eyes widened as he listened. These were all things he had never encountered before, and they felt very novel.

Then he saw a row of dried bones hanging by the earthen wall in the distance. The wind blew, and the bones made a creaking sound. His heart tightened: "Father, what are those...?"

“A disobedient slave.”

Li Xiao said calmly, "Those who disobey orders, attempt to escape, or resist will be executed directly, and their names will be displayed in a conspicuous place as a warning to others."

"Only by making them afraid will they work obediently."

The group continued on their way and came to a brick kiln. Slaves were carrying heavy blue bricks toward the city wall, and everyone's face was full of exhaustion.

"How much work do they do every day?" Jin Dao asked.

There are strict work quotas.

The wealthy man replied, "Each slave must carry two thousand bricks from the brick factory to the construction site every day."

“The craftsmen need to build a wall three feet high and ten feet long or fire a thousand bricks.”

“If the quality is poor, such as the bricks not being fully fired or the wall being built crookedly, the lightest punishment is being whipped, and the heaviest punishment is being executed.”

“Rice rations are also linked to workload; those who do not work do not eat,” Qian Dahu continued.

Following Li Xiao's instructions, he explained to the young prince all the intricacies of building the city walls and managing the slaves.

"Those who meet their quota can eat an extra bite, and those who exceed their quota can get a share of bean cakes; those who don't meet their quota can only eat grass, or even go hungry."

"Bean cakes? Aren't those for horses?" Jin Dao asked in surprise.

It's the soybean pulp left over after pressing soybeans for oil; it's a really good thing.

Many people rely on soybean residue to supplement their nutrition, and it is also a favorite food of cattle and horses, as it can strengthen their physique.

Whenever a major battle broke out, Qin soldiers would feed their warhorses bean dregs or even beans and staple food.

Jin Dao couldn't understand why something as good as bean dregs would be given to slaves to eat.

The wealthy man gave a wry smile: "Your Highness, I have no choice but to give it to you."

"Without the soybean residue, these slaves would die of exhaustion in large numbers very quickly."

"Moreover, bean cakes were the best thing slaves could eat, and they could only get a little bit of them occasionally. They mainly ate bran, grass leaves, and crickets."

"Grass blades and crickets?"

Jin Dao was completely stunned: "How can grass be eaten by humans? And where did the crickets come from?"

“Grass is readily available in the Gobi Desert. It can be cooked with bran in porridge, and at least it can fill your stomach,” Mr. Qian explained.

"The crickets are specially bred, with high yields and rapid reproduction; a batch can be harvested every month."

"Among the prisoners of war was a short, dark Indian who often went hungry back home. All the grain he earned from farming for the nobles was handed over to them, and the whole village had to survive by eating crickets."

"I had this Indian man raise crickets with a group of slaves, and I never expected that he would actually succeed."

"Although it wasn't enough to eat, even a mosquito bite is still meat, and the slaves were fighting over it."

Li Laobian, who was standing to the side, also shook his head slightly and added, "In a place like this, let alone crickets, even rats and maggots are good things."

“Those Indian pygmy people even asked to eat cow dung, saying it was sacred and could ward off disasters and cure diseases.”

"I just don't understand, how do you eat that stuff? Isn't it disgusting?"

In Li Laobian's view, the group of Indian pygmy people brought back from this westward expedition were simply a completely different species from other humans.

When the topic of eating cow dung came up, Qian Sanhu no longer found it disgusting and shook his head, saying, "If it weren't for the fear of an outbreak of plague, I would have wanted these short, dark people to raise maggots in cow dung for the other slaves to eat."

In Qian Sanhu's eyes, these slaves were all consumables, with an average lifespan of only two years.

There's no need to care about their health or future; they're destined to never leave this place anyway.

Unfortunately, although maggots are high in protein, they could spread to other places if an epidemic breaks out, so it's not worth it.

Therefore, Qian Sanhu could only strengthen the blockade of the construction site and absolutely could not allow these slaves to escape.

Listening to Qian Sanhu's account, Jin Dao's face turned very ugly. He had grown up in Longcheng and had heard adults talk about the cruelty of war, but he had never seen such a scene.

But he was, after all, the son of Li Xiao and Xiao Yanyan, with iron-blooded blood flowing through his veins. He quickly forced himself to calm down, and his eyes gradually hardened.

Li Xiao observed Jin Dao's reaction and nodded inwardly.

This child was not deterred by the cruelty before him; instead, he was able to quickly compose himself. This composure is far beyond that of his peers.

"Golden Knife, what you see now is just the most ordinary corner of this chaotic world."

"Your father brought you here today not to frighten you, but to make you understand that power is never built on fine clothes and sumptuous food, but on piles of bones and watered with blood and sweat."

"What you will inherit in the future is not a peaceful Dragon City, but a rising empire, a territory won by millions of people with their lives."

He raised his hand, pointing to the slaves still busy in the distance, his voice carrying a barely perceptible heaviness: "Look at those slaves, why have they become prisoners?"

"Because their tribe was weak and their king was incompetent, they could only be slaughtered by others."

"The principles of this world are always simple: if you are not strong, the people of Qin will become slaves like they are today; the cities of Qin will become spoils of war for others."

Jin Dao pursed his lips, tightened his grip on the reins, and his eyes showed even greater determination.

“When we enter the Central Plains in the future, there may be a group of people around you talking about the teachings of Confucius and Mencius.”

“Telling you what ‘benevolent governance’ and ‘love for the people’ means has some truth to it, but not all of it is true.”

"You can use it, but you can't trust it."

Li Xiao continued, his tone icy: "You must remember, benevolent governance is for the people under your rule, not for your enemies; loving the people means protecting your own people's lives, not letting them be bullied by others."

"Otherwise, the State of Song will serve as a cautionary tale."

"If Father had been merciful when he raised his army at Hexi Fort, he would have been a victim of someone else's sword long ago. There would be no Qin state today."

"If you show mercy to your enemies in the future, it will be cruel to the people of Qin."

He paused, looked into Jin Dao's eyes, and said, word by word, "Also, you need to learn to see through human nature."

"What the wealthy man Qian just mentioned about 'dividing the slaves' is not the ruthlessness his father taught him; it's the rule for survival in chaotic times."

"Everyone has desires; some want a full meal, some want a little power, and some want a woman."

"If you can see through these desires, you can use them to win people's hearts and minds, and also to undermine your enemies."

"But you must remember that you cannot be consumed by desire. Power is a tool, not an end; wealth is a guarantee, not a shackle."

"Father, then... if we build the Great Ming City using the lives of so many slaves, is that... is that benevolent governance?" Jin Dao asked hesitantly.

Without the slightest hesitation, Li Xiao said, "They are foreign tribes who do not submit to the king's rule. They are enemies, not people of our Great Qin. They are not worthy of enjoying the benevolent rule of our Great Qin, but only worthy of bearing the iron fist of our Great Qin."

Li Xiao's gaze fell upon the distant outline of Daming City, and he slowly said, "After Daming City is completed, it will become the new capital of Qin, protecting the lives of millions of people and allowing Qin's foundation to last longer."

"The lives of these slaves today are for the sake of the lives of many more Qin people in the future. This is not cruelty, but a choice."

"For a monarch, the most difficult thing is not killing, but making choices."

"Know what to give up, what to take, for whom to give up, and for whom to take."

"If you cannot do this in the future, you will not be able to protect this country."

He raised his hand and patted Jin Dao's shoulder, the pressure neither too light nor too heavy, carrying his father's expectations: "Never believe that 'peace' will fall from the sky."

"This world is won through fighting and defending. Today we are building cities by subjugating slaves, tomorrow we will be leading soldiers into battle, and the day after tomorrow we will be thinking about how to ensure that the people are well-fed and clothed." "We cannot relax for a moment. If you become complacent in the future, even if you have a great foundation, it will be taken away by others."

"My son, I'll remember that."

Jin Dao raised his head, his eyes clear yet possessing a composure far beyond his years: "Your son will not disappoint your father, nor the people of Qin."

Looking at his son, Li Xiao felt a surge of relief.

He knew that Jin Dao might not fully understand these words today, but as long as he kept them in mind, he would gradually understand them as he experienced more in the future.

This is more useful than reading ten or a hundred military books in school.

Next, Li Xiao will take him to a real battlefield to experience its cruelty and bloodshed.

Compared to the brutality of the battlefield, what does it matter if all 100,000 slaves die?
Is the evil energy so strong that it's affecting the fortune of Daming City?

He looked up in the direction of Daming City and muttered to himself, "In history, which dynasty's capital was built without burying millions of lives?"

"This mere malevolent energy will be suppressed and annihilated by the future dynasty's dragon vein."

The wealthy man, Qian, chimed in, "What Your Majesty says is absolutely right."

"Once Daming City is completed and becomes the capital of the Qin Kingdom, the bloodshed here will be covered by the national fortune nourished by the dragon vein, leaving only prosperity."

After a three-day inspection, the group left Daming City and traveled five hundred li directly east to Tingzhou.

This was the seat of the Damo Prefecture, the former site of the Beiting Protectorate of the Tang Dynasty, and a major commercial town of the Qin State, where many workshops sprang up.

Along the way, vast stretches of farmland stretched out under the sunlight, the crops growing vigorously.

In the future, this place will become the core of Qin's rule.

However, this decision hides profound political considerations.

Li Xiao couldn't help but recall the old events of the Northern Wei Dynasty: when Emperor Xiaowen moved the capital from Pingcheng to Luoyang, the political status of the Xianbei nobles in the north plummeted, eventually leading to the Six Garrisons Rebellion that shook the world.

The Qin state of today does indeed bear some resemblance to the Northern Wei state of yesteryear.

The Jinzhou Grassland was the cradle of the Qin cavalry, and its people were brave and skilled in battle, forming the foundation upon which Li Xiao rose to power.

The southern desert region was a vast agricultural area, which could be called the granary of the Qin state.

If the capital were moved from Longcheng to Damingfu, it would inevitably cause resentment among the soldiers of Jinzhou, who would worry about losing their former status.

These people on the grasslands are Li Xiao's core base, and he must not let them feel abandoned.

Therefore, while relocating the capital, it is essential to ensure that Jinzhou's political status does not decline.

Therefore, Li Xiao planned to merge Jinzhou and Damozhou into one, collectively known as Zhili, which would be the most important province in the country.

In this way, the fighting capacity of the grassland cavalry can be maintained, and the grain and fodder supply from the desert prefecture can be relied upon, forming a complementary military and political structure.

As long as Zhili is secure, the Qin state can maintain its rule.

Upon arriving in Tingzhou, Li Xiao carefully inspected the local agricultural situation and examined the various government affairs of the Tingzhou government.

Leaving Tingzhou, the group headed south into Xizhou, which was once the territory of the Gaochang Uyghur Kingdom. Now, after years of immigration by the Qin Dynasty, the number of Han people far exceeds that of Uyghurs.

Walking through Xizhou, everything from shop signs to people's clothing is no different from that in Han areas. Even the elderly who originally spoke Uyghur can now communicate with people in broken Chinese.

"Father, are the Uyghurs here no different from the Han people?" Jin Dao asked curiously.

Li Xiao explained, "In our Qin state, there is no distinction between ethnic groups. As long as you are willing to speak Han language, wear Han clothing, and abide by Qin laws, you are a Qin citizen. Over time, you will naturally integrate with the rest of the population."

In Xizhou, in addition to inspecting the farming, Li Xiao also made a special trip to the two mining areas of Baishishan and Liuhuangou.

Baishi Mountain was rich in saltpeter, and Sulfur Gully produced sulfur. These two places were the main sources of gunpowder raw materials for the Qin State and were of great strategic significance.

From a distance, the mining area was surrounded by high walls and trenches, with numerous sentry posts and patrolling soldiers armed with crossbows, maintaining a tight security presence. It was impossible to see anything inside the mining area.

"Father, why is the defense here even tighter than that of Daming City?" Jin Dao asked.

Li Xiao said solemnly, "Gunpowder is a powerful weapon of our Qin state, and it must never be leaked."

Like Daming City, both of these mining areas used slaves for mining, but the methods were even more stringent.

Once a slave enters the mining area, they can forget about coming out alive.

What people outside call 'release from prison' is actually just 'liberating' them.

Such things were common in later generations, let alone in the feudal era.

There is no concept of human rights at all.

After the inspection of Xizhou was completed, the team finally arrived at Gaochang City.

At this time, the Song delegation had been waiting in Gaochang City for five days.

Li Xiao received them in the council hall of the governor's mansion. As soon as Zhou Bowen and Wu Huan entered the hall, they felt a powerful aura.

Li Xiao, dressed in a black dragon-patterned casual robe, sat upright in the main seat, his sharp tiger-like eyes exuding an imposing aura.

The two men felt a chill in their hearts, for the man before them was the King of Qin, who had inflicted a crushing defeat on the Jin Kingdom, and was far superior to the 'emperor' on the Song throne who had been supported by powerful ministers.

But as envoys of the Song state, they could not lose face, so they quickly straightened their clothes and stepped forward to bow: "Zhou Bowen, Minister of Rites of the Song state, and Wu Huan, Vice Minister of War, greet His Majesty the King of Qin."

Li Xiao nodded calmly, "You two envoys, please rise and be seated."

Sitting next to him was Princess Zhao Yue of the Song Kingdom, who was already unable to contain her excitement upon seeing people from her homeland.

He rose and bowed to Zhou Bowen and Wu Huan, his voice choked with emotion: "Lord Zhou, Lord Wu, how are my father and mother? Is everything alright in Lin'an?"

Zhou Bowen quickly replied, "Princess, rest assured, the Prince and Princess are in good health, and everything is fine in Lin'an City."

"Before they came, the Prince and Princess asked me to bring the Princess a letter and gifts, and they were overjoyed that the Princess had given birth to a son for the Prince of Qin."

As she spoke, she took out a letter and handed it to the maid beside her. After Zhao Yue opened it, tears streamed down her face, and she missed her parents even more.

However, as a princess of the Zhao family, she was sent to the northern frontier thousands of miles away for a political marriage, and she probably would never have the chance to return to the Song Kingdom in her lifetime.

Zhao Yue was left alone to shed tears, while Li Xiao and the two of them got down to business.

"We have come here for two reasons: first, to pay our respects to the old prince; and second, to discuss important matters with Your Majesty."

Upon hearing this, Li Xiao said calmly, "My grandfather has already been buried, and his mausoleum is in a remote place. There's no need to disturb him."

"If you are sincere, you can set up an incense table here and offer incense to express your feelings. If you have any important matters to discuss, just say them directly."

Zhou Bowen and Wu Huan exchanged a glance, and Wu Huan spoke first, his tone earnest.

"Your Majesty, the Jin Kingdom has been oppressing our Song Kingdom in every way for the past two years. Not only have they demanded huge annual tributes, but they have also frequently raided our border prefectures and counties, killing our people."

"Our Song emperor and his ministers are all willing to join forces with the Qin state to launch another northern expedition against the Jin state and jointly punish this traitor."

Both men were proponents of war under Han Tuozhou, and since it concerned their own interests, their words were filled with indignation when they spoke of the atrocities committed by the Jin Dynasty.

However, Li Xiao remained expressionless after listening and slowly said, "I understand the intentions of the two envoys."

"But the Qin state has just finished its western expedition, and its soldiers are exhausted and its food supplies have been greatly depleted. It will not fight the Jin state again in the short term and needs to recuperate."

"As for the alliance's northern expedition, let's talk about that in the future."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Bowen and Wu Huan looked helpless, but they were not disappointed, as they had long known that this was not a simple task to complete.

When two countries are at war, what they need are real interests, not just empty words.

Wu Huan took a deep breath, his tone still respectful but with a touch more earnestness: "Your Majesty's considerations are understood by your subjects."

"However, I dare to suggest that if the Qin state is willing to send troops, our Great Song Dynasty can provide 300,000 shi of grain and 50,000 bolts of silk, and can also trade more tea and silk with the Qin state..."

He knew that empty talk about "jointly attacking the Jin Dynasty" was meaningless; only by offering tangible benefits could he entice Li Xiao.

After all, the Jin state dared not provoke the powerful Qin state, and could only bully the Song state as much as possible.

Zhou Bowen quickly added, "Not only that, if the Northern Expedition succeeds, our Great Song Dynasty is willing to prioritize the Qin state in the division of the former Jin territory."

"The lands of Yanyun and Hedong can all belong to the Qin state; my Great Song only asks to reclaim the former lands of Henan and Shandong and restore the territory of the past."

This was only the first round of negotiations. In reality, Han Tuozhou offered them much more lenient terms, even willing to give up Shandong.

All they wanted was to reclaim Henan, since the old capital of Kaifeng was of great significance to the Song Dynasty.

Han Tuozhou's willingness to give up such a large territory was partly a gamble.

He had long heard about Qin's national policies, which were quite unfriendly to the gentry and nobles.

The Central Plains were the stronghold of the gentry, and the Jurchens, in particular, granted them a great deal of power in order to gain their cooperation in ruling.

The gentry were feasting on the Jurchens, but when the Qin people arrived, they weren't even given a sip of soup, and they even smashed the pot.

Definitely not.

Therefore, Han Tuozhou was betting that Qin's rule in the Central Plains would not last long, and that Song would eventually have to go north to clean up the mess.

Of course, the actual division of territory is still mainly based on the actual occupation by the two sides' armies.

Upon hearing their conditions, Li Xiao did not respond immediately, but simply said, "I understand the conditions proposed by the two envoys."

"However, Qin's plan to recuperate and rebuild will not change in the short term. I will discuss these conditions with my ministers and then give you a reply."

Zhou Bowen and Wu Huan exchanged a glance, understanding each other perfectly.

Li Xiao did not directly reject the conditions, which meant there was still room for negotiation.

They said no more and bowed, replying, "Thank you, Your Majesty. We await good news in Gaochang City."

They planned to have Zhao Yue whisper in his ear again, hoping it would help Li Xiao make a decision more quickly.

(End of this chapter)