Daqin Zhentiansi

Chapter 591 Is this gathering something that the leader of the Changyun Gang is qualified to attend?

What do you mean by beheading three Grandmasters and the long river of national destiny? When did this happen?

Why hadn't Li Cheng even heard of such a major event?

He's a Dragon Elephant Grandmaster, after all. Why is he sitting here like an idiot?
"With the defeat of three Grandmasters in one battle, there will be no major upheaval in the Eastern Territory for the time being, and the training of five million new troops in the Eastern Territory Command will begin."

The sound of the broken gun was calm, as if it were just telling an ordinary little story.

Duan Qiang was Ji Liang, the Marquis of Xichang, who was stationed at the Eastern Frontier Camp, so he was naturally aware of the matter.

After Zhang Yuan relayed the news from Broken Soul Gorge to the military camp, Duke Cheng and his men were already planning the new army.

Li Cheng opened his mouth, his face completely blank.

Five million new soldiers?
He didn't hear a single word about such a major event...

With so many canal workers under his command, making a living on the major river that traverses the area, he should know something, shouldn't he?

How much material is needed to train five million new soldiers?
How big of a business is this?
"The Eastern Territory..." Stone Bridge murmured, looking up in the direction of Black Tiger, "Is there some problem?"

The stone bridge was built by Wang Anzhi, the Minister of Rites.

He knew, of course, that Black Tiger was Zhang Yuan, the Marquis of Qingyang.

If it weren't for the problems still existing in the Eastern Territory, Marquis Qingyang wouldn't have needed to gather everyone at this time.

According to the messages sent back, the Marquis of Qingyang's actions in the Eastern Territory should be going very smoothly.

Upon hearing Shi Qiao's words, everyone's gaze turned to Zhang Yuan's location.

Zhang Yuan nodded, his expression obscured by the illusory face.

"The root of the chaos in the Eastern Border seems to lie here: the government, powerful families, the martial arts world, and foreign enemies. But in fact, it lies in the common people."

Zhang Yuan's gaze swept over the crowd, his eyes revealing a profound depth.

"A strong nation has a weak populace."

"The country is rich, but the people are poor."

Zhang Yuan's voice echoed in the virtual space.

Yun Que shuddered and unconsciously looked up at Zhang Yuan.

As an imperial concubine, she understood that the "people" Zhang Yuan spoke of were not the ordinary people he referred to.

In ordinary times, the common people are the aristocratic families.

Qinghe, who had been sitting in his seat, slowly sat up straight and murmured, "A strong nation, but a weak people..."

From the time he started his private school until now, when he stepped into Qingtianzhou, Zuoqiu Ren has always had the clearest understanding of the suffering of the people.

Li Cheng sat there, his expression shifting.

He came from humble beginnings, surrounded by people who had nothing to eat or wear.

Hundreds of thousands of canal workers and their followers would stop earning a living if they stopped working.

He could understand these things, but he couldn't explain the reasoning behind them.

The eldest prince stood up straight, looked at Zhang Yuan, and his eyes flashed with a sharp light.

He was well-versed in the art of governing a country.

He also knew what Zhang Yuan was talking about.

But he knew even better that the strength of the Qin Dynasty actually relied on the foundation of aristocratic families, the imperial court, and sects.

For ordinary people, besides providing necessary supplies and food, their main concern is probably continuing their bloodline.

A martial artist from a powerful family can easily sweep away dozens or even hundreds of civilians.

Those scattered civilians had absolutely no fighting power.

The defense of the Qin Dynasty relied on warriors, soldiers, and members of aristocratic families with military merits. Even civil officials and Confucian scholars were far superior to ordinary people.

Was Zhang Yuan's statement at this moment meant to give those common people of Qin, who were like weeds, a place to live?

Is this even possible?
With his fist slightly clenched, the eldest prince quietly looked at Zhang Yuan.

After leaving Yongtianzhou and taking charge of Qingtianzhou, the eldest prince Ying Rong's temperament changed a lot. Having escaped the vortex of power struggles, he was able to see many things more clearly.

It also allows you to accept more things.

“Actually, this is not just a situation within the Qin Dynasty; it applies to the Five Kingdoms and Three Regions as well,” Ji Yuntang, codenamed “Scroll,” said softly.

He has traveled to many places, not only Yongtian Continent, but also other continents.

“Zhao, Qi, and Wei all regard the common people as ants; clans and families are the foundation.”

“In the Eastern Wei Dynasty, sword sects run rampant, swordsmen kill without restraint, and people practicing evil arts can be seen everywhere.”

"As for Yangtianzhou, the immortal sects never care about the lives of the common people."

"Not to mention the Tengzhou Demonic Sect."

Ji Yuntang shook his head and didn't say anything more.

What he said was the truth. Li Cheng sat there blankly, his mind a complete blank.

These places were all too far away for him.

He was somewhat afraid to look up.

Who exactly are these people gathered here today?
How can the vastness of the world be described in each and every word?

Li Chengxiu had reached the Dragon Elephant Realm and roamed the great river, feeling that he had reached the pinnacle of his life.

But now, sitting here, many things and words are beyond his comprehension.

"What does the Eastern Territory need?" Su Jing asked in a deep voice.

Su Jing viewed Zhang Yuan's discourse on the relationship between the state and the people as somewhat unrealistic.

As an official of the Qin Dynasty, one must be more pragmatic.

If Zhang Yuan has any plans in the Eastern Territory, he should just say so.

If you can do it, then do it.

If you can't do it, think of another way.

"Repair rivers, open up the sea, use labor instead of taxes, conscript 300 million people, and dredge all rivers and trade routes in the eastern region."

Zhang Yuan's expression was calm, and he did not exude any imposing aura, yet he radiated an aura of authority that made people dare not look him in the eye.

This is a display of the divine soul power of a Grandmaster.

“The Jianghu and aristocratic families in the Eastern Territory are deeply intertwined and the government is powerless to control them, so let’s abandon them and start anew.”

"The 300 million river works require 10 million soldiers and martial artists with basic martial arts skills to teach martial arts, and 10 million Confucian scholars who are literate to teach reading and writing."

"The daily expenses for the 300 million river works will require the funds and supplies to be transferred from various prefectures of the Qin Dynasty, which will take at least three years."

After speaking, Zhang Yuan remained seated.

The gathering place was completely silent.

Starting afresh, with the 300 million yuan river works as the foundation, we will rebuild the eastern region.

This is similar to the reconstruction of the imperial city.

But this is even more difficult.

The eldest prince stared at Zhang Yuan, his fists clenched.

He could already foresee the outcome three years later.

If all goes well, three years later, the Qin Dynasty will have an additional 300 million soldiers ready for battle.

Moreover, if these 300 million river workers were to return to their homeland and spread their martial arts and writing, it would create an unimaginable wave that would sweep across the world.

At that time, was the nation strong, or the people strong?

Back then, could the scions of martial arts sects and aristocratic families in the Eastern Territory still control the path to advancement through merit?
Kong Lingyun, who had been sitting there without moving, looked up, a glint of intelligence flashing in her eyes.

"Qingtianzhou can produce thirty million Confucian scholars."

Enlighten the people.

Its merits will last for generations.

“If needed, I can go to the Eastern Border myself.”

If she could enable 300 million river workers to learn to read and write, Kong Lingyun would surely attain the rank of Grandmaster through this merit.

"Actually, not all scions of noble families are direct descendants. There are many who are willing to take a gamble. There's no need to make such a clear distinction between noble families and commoners," said Zi Cheng, a royal retainer with the cultivation of a Grandmaster.

His code name is Yunhai.

"Many disciples in martial arts sects are outer disciples or menial disciples. In terms of background, they are just ordinary people from common families," said Zheng Qiaoshan, the Grandmaster-level Imperial Guard Commander codenamed Stone Bridge, on the other side.

Like Zi Cheng, he is a newly promoted Grandmaster.

How newly powerful figures should divide the power and wealth held by established forces was something they had discussed before.

The reconstruction of the imperial city forced those military families to relinquish their core positions; this was a test for them.

This time, it's just that it's done more thoroughly.

In the eyes of these newly powerful individuals, everything was natural and logical.

“With the reconstruction of the imperial city, many aristocratic families have fallen on hard times. If we were to recruit them, at least twenty to thirty million would be willing to go to the Eastern Territory.” Zheng Qiaoshan sat up straight. “Retired veterans of the Imperial Guards and younger generations of soldiers can send another three million.”

As the commander of the Imperial Guard, he knew this data very well.

"Ahem, the Eastern Territory needs Confucian scholars. There are plenty in the official schools. Just record their resumes, calculate their official examination scores, and we can arrange for them in an instant, let alone tens of millions of Confucian scholars, even a hundred million." Minister of Rites Wang Anzhi said calmly.

Sitting there, Li Cheng felt a chill run down his spine.

Is this gathering something that the leader of the Changyun Gang is qualified to attend?

(End of this chapter)