Chapter 29: Betting on a Bright and Clear Sky

  "In the four hundred years of history of our great Han, Wang Mang's reputation is the most stinky. All kinds of derogatory words can be applied to him. Your Excellency is a member of the imperial family, please allow Fa Zheng to say something treasonous and unfilial. Fa Zheng thinks that Wang Mang is somewhat wronged."

  In fact, whether before or after the usurpation of the Han Dynasty, Wang Mang's character has not changed. He had a broad mind and was concerned about the people. Before the usurpation, he lived frugally and personally went to disaster-stricken areas to offer relief during times of disaster. He respected and honored scholars and was humble and courteous. After the usurpation, when Wang Mang became emperor, he did not live an extravagant life as an emperor would.

  It is said that Qin Huang reviewed many memorials every day, and Wang Mang was not much inferior. Moreover, Wang Mang did not indulge in luxury like other tyrannical emperors, but lived a frugal life. In the past, he had made donations to various places, and after becoming emperor, Wang Mang began to use his imperial power to fight for the interests of the poor people.

  The famous Wang Anshi Reforms played a significant role in the process of resisting the enclosure movement of the powerful families, and the currency reform also suppressed the economic strength of the powerful families. The ban on buying and selling slaves removed the slave identity from the lowest-level people, while the five controls and six prohibitions prohibited usury, controlled prices, greatly weakened the power of the aristocratic families, and banned the exploitation of peasants by the powerful families.

  These policies were undoubtedly good and beneficial to the oppressed poor, but why did Wang Mang fail? Fa Zheng thought it was because he was too hasty and unrealistic. All his policies offended the powerful families and almost opposed the aristocratic families.

  Under the resistance of the powerful clans, none of his policies could be successful. The currency reform led to a flood of money, the well-field system was nominal only, local officials did not implement it at all, and among the people, buying and selling slaves privately continued. The five controls and six regulations not only failed to restrict the powerful clans but also caused business to decline and the people to suffer.

  Wang Mang had been thinking of suppressing the powerful clans and supporting the poor people, but when the powerful clans rose up in revolt with large armies, did those poor people help him? On the contrary, it was the lower-class people like the Red Eyebrows and Green Forests who fought at the forefront. Why? It wasn't that the poor people didn't know how to repay kindness, but because they had been oppressed by the powerful clans and hadn't enjoyed any benefits from Wang Mang's reforms.

  "So Fa Zheng thinks that many things cannot be judged solely by their starting point, and one cannot simply sympathize with the weak. One must follow objective facts, otherwise it will only lead to self-destruction. What do you think, my lord?"

  Liu Zhang smiled, and now he understood Fa Zheng's intention. What he was doing now was almost the same as Wang Mang, disregarding the great power of the aristocracy, sympathizing with the weak and small, being overly impatient, unrealistic, and bringing about his own downfall.

  To be honest, Liu Zhang was also worried about the massacre of the aristocratic families. He had some idea of their strength, but he didn't dare to confirm whether he could handle this surging tide. However, when he thought of the harm caused by the aristocratic families, Liu Zhang was unwilling to tolerate them. Must he follow the will of the aristocratic families? Even if he unified the world, it would be to create a stable environment for these powerful families to exploit the common people. What's the point of unifying the world then?

  It's better to have gone through the two hundred years of chaos in the Northern and Southern Dynasties, let the barbarians come in and kill off the aristocratic families, and then start a new chapter for China with the Sui Dynasty.

  Liu Zhang propped his head up with both hands, pressed down on his forehead with his arms to make it more comfortable, and then said: "Xiao Zhi, do you remember what we said in Fu City? You bet that the number five would bring great success, while I bet that the number four would bring a grand Han dynasty.

  Today in Jiangzhou, in this garden, nineteen of us will gamble on a bright and clear sky, filial piety, do you dare?

  "Is this not a bright and clean world?" Fa Zheng's heart skipped a beat. Exterminate the hereditary aristocracy, benefit the common people, select officials through four categories, let every Han citizen, regardless of whether they are from a noble or humble family, have fair opportunities to enter officialdom, even doctors and artisans have channels to fully display their talents. Such a world can truly be called bright and clean.

  Is it worth the price of nineteen?

  Fa Zheng remained silent, his heart churning with emotions. The lord in front of him seemed increasingly profound. When he only saw a corner of Western Shu, he had already envisioned the entire world. And when he saw the entire world, he began to think about how to transform it into what shape.

  A single coin can bet on a bright and clear sky.

  This is no longer a desire to unify the world, but an ideal to support the world. With such grand ambitions, what does it matter if one dies? The aristocracy? Isn't it just having a bit more influence and wealth, can't they handle it? Fa Zheng suddenly felt that he was being a bit cowardly, what was he afraid of?

  Fa Zheng suddenly realized that he had been concerned with the outcome, which was to assist Liu Zhang in unifying the world. To achieve this goal, any compromise could be made. However, his lord was not only concerned with the outcome but also with the process. Liu Zhang was unwilling to compromise with the aristocratic families, even if he knew that yielding to them would be more beneficial to his own imperial ambitions. He refused to do so, and a ruler with such an attitude is foolish, yet at the same time, it is also admirable?

  If one can trample the world's filth underfoot, nineteen is enough.

  Fa Zheng finally nodded and said in a deep voice: "Your Excellency, I dare." His tone was full of determination.

  "Aren't you afraid of dying before your great undertaking is complete?" Liu Zhang smiled and said.

  "What's scary about death."

  "The brush of history is in the hands of the literati of the world."

  "Your Excellency, I've made up my mind. Even if it means ending up like Wang Mang, with no intact corpse and a stench that lasts for ten thousand years, I'm willing to follow you to achieve your great ambitions."

  The starlight spilled into the garden, and the night wind rustled through the green grass, as if exchanging secrets with each other. It was on this quiet night that Fa Zheng felt he had truly found his purpose in life, and at the same time, sealed the tragic fate of the Jiangzhou aristocracy.

  Two nights later, tomorrow is the tenth day. The Jiangzhou aristocracy was quite satisfied with the results of these few days. Liu Zhang's four-branch recruitment order was almost completely resisted, and the Fei family also kept a low profile. Zhang Changchun was triumphant, and Yanran was the great hero who led the Jiangzhou gangsters to deal with the Mu Fu, preparing to lead people to besiege the county government tomorrow to petition, making Liu Zhang know his difficulties and retreat.

  That night, Liu Zhang summoned two people, one was the head of the Fei family, Fei Zhao, and the other was the head of the Deng family, Deng Heng. The two men entered Liu Zhang's room separately.

  Fei Zhao sat beside Liu Zhang, who was still eating. He had been busy all day reviewing documents submitted by Yang Huai and Zhang Ren, and had just become available.

  Liu Zhang was eating while casually asking: "Fei Zhao, when I entered Jiangzhou, among the aristocratic families, only you came to welcome me. I have also investigated the affairs of the Fei family and found that there are many illegal things, but it is the most restrained among all families. Tell me, why?"

  Fei Zhao said: "The great Han dynasty has been in power for 400 years, and Fei Zhao is also a child of the great Han. The lord is the imperial court's appointed governor of Yizhou, and he has come to Jiangzhou. It is not excessive for Fei Zhao to come and welcome him on matters within his authority. As for family matters, Fei Zhao really cannot control them; otherwise, he would not have allowed those descendants to act recklessly."

  Liu Zhang picked up a piece of chicken and ate it, took a sip of the soup, nodded and said: "Very good, so do you agree with the four sciences holding office?"

  "Does the superior want the common people to flatter and deceive him or listen to the truth?"

  Liu Zhang put down his bowl of soup and looked at Fei Zhao, suddenly bursting out laughing without regard for appearances: "Fei Zong is really humorous, just based on this point, it's true that you're not suitable for being a clan leader, such an old and serious job. However, I admire you, speak the truth."