I did it all for the Han Dynasty!

Chapter 393 Sweeping Across the Universe!

Huang Quan was first taken aback, then fell silent.

Since Liu Miao is standing here, any suspicions or speculations are naturally meaningless.

"However, if you insist on knowing, I may tell you."

Liu Miao's change of tone rekindled Huang Quan's curiosity.

"The reason is simple—you guys are no good!"

Liu Miao made no attempt to conceal the fact that the Han Dynasty was still trading with Hebei thanks to Guanzhong.

“I am already spending money to buy warhorses; in addition, the powerful clans never care about the common people… The powerful clans in Hebei have probably made a fortune from these trades! So they will definitely stop Yuan Shao’s southern expedition at all costs.”

"After all, wars are ultimately fought for money and supplies."

"Now that they can reap such huge profits without fighting, why would these people fight?"

Secondly—

Liu Miao shook his head at Huang Quan.

"I have said these things to Zhang Ren before."

“When powerful families control all avenues for advancement, it becomes unfair to others.”

“Even without Fa Zheng, there would be people like Li Zheng and Wang Zheng who would defect to me because they are dissatisfied with their treatment.”

"I dare not say that the legal system of the Han Dynasty is the best, but at least it is fairer than that of Shu."

"And these alone are enough for many people to risk their lives!"

Huang Quan felt a chill run down his spine, still pondering what Liu Miao had said about the smuggling between the Han Dynasty and the powerful clans of Hebei.

What's even more surprising is that the smuggling route between the two sides was actually through Guanzhong!

Guanzhong, however, was precisely the sphere of influence of Yuan Tan, the eldest son of Yuan Shao.

If even Yuan Tan is starting to fund the enemy for money, does Northern Zhao still have any hope?
But Huang Quan disagreed with the latter point!

"Your Majesty's words are biased."

"Aren't the sons of powerful families indeed superior to those from humble or commoner families?"

"Is this what Your Majesty calls fairness—choosing to employ less capable individuals from humble backgrounds instead of promoting those from wealthy families?"

Huang Quan shook his head.

"Indeed, there may be hidden gems like Fa Xiaozhi."

"But how many Fa Xiaozhis are there in this world? Instead of wasting time and energy searching for a needle in a haystack, why not just pick the right person from among the sons of wealthy families?"

Powerful families control more resources and have access to better education, naturally enabling them to cultivate better talent.
What's wrong with using these talented people to govern the country? What's the crime?
Liu Miao smiled slightly when he saw Huang Quan, who was filled with righteous indignation.

"I admit that Gongheng is right!"

“The sons of powerful families do indeed possess more knowledge.”

"Then you should know where these things come from."

"By annexing land, hiring tenant farmers, and exploiting the people, you can avoid engaging in production. And when you are not engaged in production, you will naturally have the time and energy to devote to scholarship. In this way, it is inevitable that you will surpass others."

"On this point, just tell me whether you admit it or not."

How powerful are the elite families?
Of course it's amazing!

Just like some people say—

The poor are enjoying themselves, while the rich are working hard.

The poor have exhausted all their energy just to make a living and support their families. How could they possibly care about their appearance, cultivate their character, or even study poetry, songs, or the works of various philosophers?

If these poor people didn't have to worry about food and clothing, housing, dowries, having children, or old age, Liu Miao didn't believe they would be idle and just lie at home all day.

They will go out on their own, measure the vastness of the world with their footsteps, and see the beauty of the world with their eyes.

They would open the books themselves and learn from, debate, refute, and create with the sages in the books.

Liu Miao did not dislike people who took time off from their jobs, because only by taking time off from their jobs could they have enough time to learn, to change, and to create.

But Liu Miao disliked those who, after giving up their jobs, completely forgot that they were actually being supported by others.

The powerful and gentry were clearly mostly like that.

Huang Quan felt as if he had a fishbone stuck in his throat.

No matter how hard he racked his brains, he never expected Liu Miao to refute him from this angle.

Huang Quan wanted to resist! He wanted to deny it!

However, he simply couldn't bring himself to lie through his teeth.

He simply couldn't say that those scholars who held books and recited classical Chinese all day long, those talented individuals, actually went out to work, weave, and produce everything they needed for their own clothing, food, shelter, and transportation.

"So, Gongheng understands?"

"The powerful and educated are generally excellent. But this excellence is the result of the seeds that have grown after consuming countless others, rather than their innate excellence."

"They are like crops in the field; once one crop is harvested, another can grow."

"Therefore, I believe that even if we kill them all, they will continue to grow back!"

Ok?
Huang Quan suddenly noticed a loophole in Liu Miao's words!
"But what grows from crops can only ever be crops!"

Huang Quan stared at Liu Miao: "Even if we kill these powerful clans, the new ones that emerge will still be powerful clans!"

Those who are now from humble backgrounds or commoner families will grow into powerful families in the future!
If that's the case, why couldn't Liu Miao tolerate these relics of the old era?

Upon hearing Huang Quan's words, Liu Miao finally couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Gongheng is truly exceptionally talented! I haven't heard such an interesting remark in a long time!"

Huang Quan was still planting thorns in Liu Miao's heart—

"Perhaps it's not that His Majesty can't hear, but that those under His Majesty's command simply dare not speak!"

Liu Miao's laughter stopped abruptly.

"I admit that there are still powerful clans within the territory of the Han Dynasty. I also know that I cannot completely eliminate them." Liu Miao never believed that he could completely eliminate the powerful clans or completely eradicate their annexation.

That's mythology, not reality.

"But I can guide them to do other things."

Liu Miao lifted a page of paper from the table and waved it at Huang Quan.

"The Lu family of Wu County almost monopolized this paper."

"Gongheng also said that in the Han Dynasty today, almost every industry uses this paper. Gongheng can calculate the profit margin of this paper himself."

"Even if the Lu family of Wu County does nothing in the future, they will still have a steady stream of money coming in every day. Enough for the entire family to not engage in any production and just chat about romance and nature all day long, you understand?"

"You're saying that if such a power isn't a noble clan, then what is it?"

Huang Quan looked at the stacks of papers and fell into deep thought.

"But they are ultimately different from the powerful clans of the past."

"They do not annex land, nor do they turn the people into their tenants."

"Although they set up workshops and let people work there, when you think about it carefully, the money that people earn is always more than the money they get from farming."

The Lu family of Wu Commandery was actually the most powerful clan in the Han Dynasty at that time!

Their wealth far exceeds anyone's imagination!
At least Liu Miao had personally witnessed that Old Master Lu Kang treated sea cucumbers like radishes...

However, Liu Miao did not take any action against them, nor did he even try to restrict them in the slightest. At most, he sacrificed the Zhen family to fight against them and made the Lu family understand the benefits of new technologies.

Because the Lu family of Wu Commandery opened workshops and mass-produced paper, completely replacing bamboo slips and wooden tablets, it brought convenience to the entire Han Dynasty, reduced administrative costs, and accelerated the spread of knowledge.

This is the biggest difference between the powerful clans of the Han Dynasty and those of Sichuan and Hebei!

Therefore, Liu Miao admitted that the rice in the field would always grow again, and the powerful clans that had been killed would always reappear, but Liu Miao was able to control the shape of the newly grown rice and the newly emerging powerful clans.

"Does Gongheng have any further questions?"

Huang Quan's mind was a complete mess at that moment.

The level Liu Miao stood at and the vision he possessed were completely beyond his comprehension.

Ashamed!

This is Huang Quan's only thought right now!
Huang Quan had completely lost faith in his debate with Liu Miao.

His voice was much lower.

"Your Majesty, is it really impossible to make an exception?"

"I have never said that I wanted to exterminate them all."

Liu Miao was a little puzzled. Did he really look that much like a tyrant?
"As long as they obediently hand over their land, their money, and everything they've gained through privilege, why would I bother taking their lives?"

"..."

Huang Quan said helplessly, "Then let them die!"

"Then let them die! What? Do you expect me to pity them?"

"..."

Huang Quan remained silent for a long time before saying, "Then His Highness the King of Shu..."

"He must die."

"But the King of Shu is gentle in nature..."

"What does this have to do with me?"

Liu Miao refused Huang Quan's plea to Liu Zhang.

“Even in the ‘Zhangwu Law,’ treason was a capital offense.”

“If he behaves himself, I might be able to let him off the hook… but since he has boarded Yuan Shao’s pirate ship, his bloodline and surname cannot be protected.”

"Is Your Majesty not afraid of leaving a bad name in history for harming your own clan?"

Liu Miao laughed again at this.

"Gongheng, do you know how history will record this day?"

"History will record that today I have conquered Chengdu! I have slain the traitors! I have recovered Shu! I have unified the south! I have restored the broken state of the Han dynasty!"

"The phrase 'harming one's own clan' is already implied, so why would I care?"

"Right and wrong, merit and demerit, are all for posterity to judge! Now I can't even control some things that happen while I'm alive, so why should I worry about what others will say after I die?"

"..."

Huang Quan was starting to run out of ideas.

"Your Majesty, there are still Dongzhou troops within Chengdu! They still have the strength to fight!"

"I know."

"Didn't His Majesty say that he hates wasting time?"

"It's annoying."

Liu Miao nodded.

"But I understand even more clearly that if I agree to their demands now and save this time, I will have to spend even more time dealing with this matter later than if I had conquered Chengdu."

"So now, a strong attack is not a waste."

Faced with Liu Miao's unyielding stance, Huang Quan finally ran out of options.

"Your Majesty, what exactly do you want?"

"Haven't I made myself clear enough?"

Liu Miao sat upright above—

"I will thoroughly cleanse the Shu region, leaving not a trace of the past behind!"

　Sorry, I was a little delayed yesterday because I wrote a side story about General Yuan Shu. I'll make up for it today! As for the side story, it should be posted in a few days~~~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)