The Rich Man's Life Begins with a Comeback

Chapter 303 Industry Builds the Nation (4k)

Everyone took their seats in turn, sitting around the round table.

Qi Guowei and Yao Qinyu naturally sat in the main seats, followed by Qiu Yanfeng, Zheng Hanliu, and Tang Jinghui on their left and right sides, and finally Gu Heng, Qi Jiasheng, and other younger generation members.

Even Qi Zheng, who is only two years old, was given a place.

At this moment, he was sitting in a high chair with a pacifier in his mouth, staring at the adults with his big, round, dark eyes. His chubby cheeks looked like two pink peaches. He was not crying or making a fuss and looked extremely well-behaved.

The dishes on the round table were plentiful.

Most of the dishes are home-style cooking, and the seafood is just ordinary shrimp, crab, and fish.

It looks just like the reunion dinner of most normal families during holidays, full of the aroma of cooking and the warmth of everyday life.

"Come on, come on..."

"Xiao Gu, are you hungry since you left the hospital?"

Gu Heng was placed next to Tang Jinghui, just two seats away from Yao Qinyu. Yao Qinyu picked up her chopsticks and put a piece of braised pork ribs in Gu Heng's bowl: "Just like at home. A young man like you is at the age when he can eat the most. You can't pretend at your aunt's house."

As they were talking, Yao Qinyu placed two more pieces of other food on Gu Heng's plate.

"Thank you, Aunt Yao."

Gu Heng instinctively held the bowl in both hands and thanked Yao Qinyu repeatedly.

Everyone watched this scene unfold, chatting and laughing among themselves.

"Today is the weekend, a statutory holiday."

"Since my father-in-law has arrived, shall we have a drink?"

Qi Guowei looked at Tang Jinghui and Qiu Yanfeng with great interest.

"Drink it."

Tang Jinghui readily agreed.

"Father-in-law, I'll just have one cup."

Qiu Yanfeng didn't disappoint.

"Don't drink too much!"

"I'm just happy today, and I want to create a good atmosphere!"

Qi Guowei, known as the "Tiger of Jilin Province," is clearly also a heavy drinker.

After receiving support from Tang Jinghui and Qiu Yanfeng, he immediately turned around and took out a dark brown bottle from the wine cabinet behind him. It also had no label and looked like a homemade liquor.

But the moment Qi Guowei pulled out the cork, the rich aroma of the wine that instantly wafted out told Gu Heng that this was a rare and excellent wine.

"Xiao Gu has just recovered from a serious illness, and Zi Heng is still recovering from his injuries, so let's have tea instead of alcohol today."

As Qi Guowei poured the wine, he said, "Jiasheng, have a drink with your Uncle Tang and your father-in-law. If you can't make it tonight, bring the kids and Yuexin to stay at home. The weather outside is bad today, so don't bother with the kids."

"Row."

Qi Jiasheng first glanced at Qiu Yuexin, and seeing that his wife tacitly agreed, he smiled and responded to his father. His little actions naturally did not escape the eyes of the adults. Qi Guowei and the others couldn't help but smile knowingly when they saw the young couple so sweet and harmonious.

The wine is poured full, and the family is reunited.

Everyone raised their glasses together, creating a lively atmosphere around the round table.

Gu Heng, being in the midst of it all, was also infected by this atmosphere.

After raising their glasses together, everyone started eating.

"How about it?"

"Is it to your liking?"

As Yao Qinyu watched Gu Heng eat the braised pork ribs she had just picked up, her eyes held a hint of anticipation as she asked him a question.

"Ok!"

"It's so delicious!"

Gu Heng gave Yao Qinyu a thumbs up and responded somewhat vaguely.

Eat as much as you like.

"Try that bamboo shoot salad too, your Aunt Zheng made it."

Upon hearing Gu Heng's praise, Yao Qinyu's smile widened, and she then turned to Gu Heng to recommend Zheng Hanliu's dishes.

Compared to Yao Qinyu's extraordinary enthusiasm, Zheng Hanliu's emotional expression was more reserved. However, Gu Heng could feel that she was always showing him great goodwill. After all, Qiu Yuexin was her only daughter. Gu Heng risked his life to save Qiu Yuexin, and her goodwill and affection for Gu Heng were no less than that for Yao Qinyu.

"good to eat!"

"It's both numbing and refreshing!"

"They are just as good as the chefs in restaurants!"

Gu Heng picked up a piece of food with his chopsticks and stuffed it into his mouth. Then, with a very honest smile, he praised Zheng Hanliu.

At this moment, Gu Heng suddenly felt a little empathy for Comrade Donglai.

Are those glutinous rice balls they're eating?
They're eating out of social etiquette and goodwill!

They're reaping a bright future!

What is diabetes?
Just give me a few more insulin injections after I finish eating!

Zheng Hanliu, who was sitting diagonally opposite Gu Heng, couldn't help but smile even more broadly when she heard Gu Heng's praise.

As everyone chatted and laughed, and toasted each other, the night outside grew darker.

Everyone present was a very busy person, and they rarely got together.

For ordinary people, the festival of reunion is usually a time for people like Qi Guowei and Tang Jinghui to travel around, either visiting grassroots communities or staying on the front lines. Therefore, everyone cherishes the opportunity to reunite with their families.

At a man's dinner table, there are always two main topics.

One is Zheng Zhi, and the other is history.

Qi Guowei and others were no exception, but because they were all officials, they tacitly avoided the former and only discussed the topic of history.

In ordinary family meals, when the topic of "history" comes up, it is usually the men who talk at length, while the women either gossip about family matters or get bored and leave the table. But here, even women like Yao Qinyu, Zheng Hanliu, and Qiu Yuexin are all very knowledgeable.

This was the first time Gu Heng had ever witnessed the demeanor of a truly highly educated family at a dinner party.

There was no sophistry, no endless arguing.

The atmosphere at the gathering remained peaceful and measured throughout. Whenever someone expressed their opinion, the others would patiently listen before offering their own.

The conversation started out of nowhere, and Gu Heng listened quietly to Qi Guowei and the others talking. During the conversation, the life experiences and philosophies that Qi Guowei and the others inadvertently shared really benefited Gu Heng a lot.

"Look..."

"We got carried away again and neglected Xiao Gu."

Seeing that Gu Heng remained silent, Tang Jinghui couldn't help but chuckle and gestured to Qi Guowei, Qiu Yanfeng, and the others.

"Uncle Tang, you haven't been neglected."

"I thought what you said was particularly good."

Gu Heng snapped out of his reverie and quickly replied, "Especially your point about the depth of history not being in the outcome, but in the contradictions of making choices, I think you described it particularly aptly."

"Oh?"

"Is Xiao Gu also interested in history?"

Tang Jinghui's eyes lit up slightly upon hearing Gu Heng's words. In the art of tea, he was no match for Qi Guowei and Qiu Yanfeng.

However, in terms of history, Qi Guowei and Qiu Yanfeng combined are no match for him. After all, he was able to hold the highest position in the Jilin Province education system, which was naturally supported by his genuine talent and learning.

"Just browsing."

"You can't compare to Uncle Tang."

When they were discussing the tea ceremony earlier, Gu Heng was feigning humility, but now he was genuinely humble. Judging from the erudition Tang Jinghui had just displayed, he felt that even if he read 100 more history books, he would still be far inferior to Tang Jinghui.

"We're just having a casual chat after drinking; it doesn't matter if we're right or wrong."

Hearing Gu Heng say this, Tang Jinghui became even more interested: "Since you think what I just said was particularly apt, Xiao Gu, then tell me why it was so apt?"

As Tang Jinghui finished speaking, everyone at the round table turned their attention to Gu Heng.

Kindness is kindness, and that will never change.

However, if we want to get along well in the future, being on the same wavelength is very important.

Otherwise, it will only lead to mutual compromise and discomfort, and even if you try to force a relationship to stay together, the result will only be that you drift further and further apart.

Gu Heng paused for a moment, facing the attention of the crowd.

"During the Qingli Reforms, Fan Zhongyan promoted equal land tax and increased agricultural and sericulture benefits, but the reforms were abolished after only one year because they threatened the interests of powerful families."

"Wang Anshi's reforms are famous for the saying 'Not afraid of the clouds obscuring the view,' which has been passed down through the ages. However, he never expected that Sima Guang would criticize him in the Zizhi Tongjian, saying that the laws of his ancestors should not be abolished."

"Both aimed to strengthen the nation, so why did they yield such different results?"

"I think the root of the problem lies in what Uncle Tang just said: the depth of history is not in the outcome, but in the contradictions that arise during the choices we make!"

"Fan Zhongyan knew he would offend powerful figures, yet he still insisted on reforming the laws. Sima Guangming knew the new laws would benefit the people's livelihood, yet he still insisted on maintaining the old ones. This is not a contradiction, but rather the responsibility of those in positions of power who 'knowing it is impossible but still do it' in the rolling wheels of history."

Since Tang Jinghui asked, Gu Heng dared to answer.

As we all know, the most annoying scenario when elders ask questions of younger people is not when the younger person answers incorrectly, but when the younger person stammers and remains silent.

Moreover, Gu Heng, who had thoroughly read the history books provided by his father, possessed a grasp and understanding of history that far surpassed his peers, and even those of his generation.

After Gu Heng made these remarks, Tang Jinghui, Qi Guowei, Qiu Yanfeng, and the others exchanged glances, and a hint of admiration was subtly revealed in their eyes.

Today's casual conversation was merely a passing interest of everyone.

In this situation, there was no question of Gu Heng preparing in advance, which means that the views and insights he just gave were entirely based on his usual accumulation of knowledge.

To be able to quote classical texts so fluently at such a young age, even if one's views and insights are somewhat shallow, is already a remarkable achievement.

The crowd exchanged glances, and Qi Guowei and the others felt a surge of interest.

"Has Xiao Gu read the Records of the Grand Historian?"

Qi Guowei suddenly chimed in, asking Gu Heng a question.

"I have read it."

Gu Heng answered truthfully with a docile expression.

"The policy of 'official control of mountains and seas' promoted by Guan Zhong in the Records of the Grand Historian emphasizes state control, while merchants in the Ming and Qing dynasties, such as Shen Wansan and Shanxi merchant Qiao Zhiyong, have grown their wealth through private capital."

"The former represents government officials and businessmen, while the latter represents private businessmen."

“In ancient times, when the former was prosperous, the effect was low and innovation was suppressed; when the latter was prosperous, the imperial power was unstable.”

Qi Guowei's eyes deepened slightly as he looked at Gu Heng with a smile and asked, "Gu, what are your thoughts on this? Do you think there's a contradiction in developing these two things in parallel?"

When Tang Jinghui, Qiu Yanfeng, Yao Qinxin, and the others heard Qi Guowei suddenly throw out such a question to Gu Heng, their expressions changed slightly, but none of them said anything.

When faced with this question suddenly posed by Qi Guowei, Gu Heng's expression changed slightly, and he fell into deep thought.

Because the dining table was very quiet, and Gu Heng was highly focused, his newly acquired buff, [Profound Stillness and Steadfastness], was automatically triggered, instantly greatly enhancing his thinking ability.

At the same time, Gu Heng began to appear somewhat different in the eyes of Qi Guowei and others.

Whether visiting someone in the hospital or at home, Gu Heng always behaved with humility and politeness, making them feel as if he were a nephew or a junior.

However, the aura that Gu Heng exudes now gives him a composure and magnanimity far beyond his peers, sometimes as deep and still as an abyss, and sometimes as immovable as a mountain.

Such extraordinary demeanor truly amazed Qi Guowei and the others.

"Uncle Qi, I don't think it's contradictory."

Gu Heng pondered for a moment and then gave Qi Guowei his answer.

How do you explain this?

Qi Guowei pressed for an answer in a soft voice.

"Guan Zhong's salt and iron monopoly was to safeguard the country's strategic resources in the early stages of agrarian civilization. On the other hand, the Shanxi merchants' bank and the Anhui merchants' salt monopoly were financial innovations that broke through geographical limitations when the commodity economy was just emerging."

"The two seem to be opposites, but in fact they together constitute two dimensions of the real economy."

"This is precisely the dialectic of history."

Gu Heng answered fluently, his expression remaining humble.

Tang Ziheng, sitting next to him, was completely bewildered.

Weren't you all sitting in a row, listening quietly, just now?

How come you've started putting on airs so quickly, my good bro?
What about biographies of merchants, officialdom, mountains and seas, dialectics...

Dude, what are you babbling about here?

Didn't you see the unfriendly look my dad gave me?!

Tang Ziheng was a little flustered. Compared to his father's love for history books, he had always felt sleepy when reading books since he was a child. He had been scolded by his father a lot for this when he was a child.

"Xiao Gu, what is your opinion on the ancient policy of emphasizing agriculture and suppressing commerce?"

Tang Jinghui roughly understood Qi Guowei's idea, so he took over Qi Guowei's words and asked Gu Heng again: "During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, Sang Hongyang promoted the state monopoly of salt and iron, but Sima Qian affirmed the value of merchants in the 'Biographies of Merchants'."

"Emperor Wu of Han's state monopoly on salt and iron was a way to concentrate resources under the pressure of war, while Sima Qian's records are a record of the vitality of the folk economy."

Gu Heng paused slightly at this point.

"Uncle Qi, Uncle Tang, the question you really want to ask me is what I think of the phrase 'industry revitalizes the nation,' right?"

Gu Heng smiled at the two elders and, without letting them beat around the bush any longer, gave his opinion and answer directly: "I believe that true 'industrial development for national prosperity' is never an either-or choice."

"Just like the coal mines and steel mills in Germany's Ruhr region, which transformed into major research centers after World War II, it relied on the reuse and innovation of their original industrial base."

"In my view, the core of industry lies in its ability to continuously generate spillover effects. Its essence is actually a productive form of civilization, which includes both material production and technological innovation."

Faced with the increasingly undisguised admiration from Qi Guowei, Tang Jinghui, and others, Gu Heng used the 50 history books he had read in the past four months as fuel, and the flashes of inspiration from the buff [Profound and Steadfast] as a flame, to eloquently share his thoughts and insights with everyone.

"Take this porcelain cup in my hand as an example."

Gu Heng became more and more confident as he spoke, and casually picked up the teacup in front of him: "Jingdezhen porcelain is world-renowned. From the celadon of the Song Dynasty to the blue and white porcelain of the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, behind it lies the millennium of exploration by the kiln workers into the control of fire and glaze."

"There is also the Dujiangyan Irrigation System in Chengdu, Sichuan. Li Bing and his son not only built the water conservancy project, but also created the water management philosophy of 'deepening the riverbed and lowering the weir'."

"In my view, these are not simply creations, but rather civilization's mastery and application of the laws of nature. Similarly, I believe that the underlying logic of building a nation through industry is to enable a nation to move from 'following nature' to 'transforming nature,' and from 'survival' to 'development.'"

As Gu Heng finished speaking, he glanced around the room.

"this--"

"This is the fundamental reason why finance can never replace real industry!"

(End of this chapter)