My life is like walking on thin ice

Chapter 506 The butt determines the head
When thoughts like this appeared in the minds of more and more chiefs, the originally relaxed and joyful atmosphere of the bonfire dinner was inexplicably suppressed.

The smiles on the faces of the leaders of each tribe disappeared, and they all looked at each other, then looked around hesitantly.

Which one should you choose: being a marquis in Chang'an or being a leader in Hetao?
For the leaders of the various tribes in Hetao today, they would naturally choose the former without hesitation.

Any hesitation for even a second would be disrespectful to the title of Marquis of the Han family and the prosperity of Chang'an City.

But after all, only a few people can become Marquis Che or Marquis Guannei and go to Chang'an to enjoy wealth and glory.

For everyone present, the future of most people still lies in Hetao.

The future of the vast majority of people is to find a balance between the two identities of "Han people's running dog" and "tribal leader" in order to ensure survival for the tribe.

If everyone can be taken to Chang'an to enjoy a good life, then there is no doubt about it - no one will care whether it is a new system or not.

But only a few people could go to Chang'an, so everyone would inevitably look at this new system, which began with three articles of law, from the perspective of the "future masters of Hetao."

Anyone who kills will be put to death, anyone who injures or steals will be punished.

Just look at the first and most important one: He who kills shall die.

According to the meaning revealed in Cheng Buzhi's words, under this decree, if a herdsman kills another herdsman, he must pay with his life; if a herdsman kills a noble, he must pay with his life; if a noble kills a herdsman, he must also pay with his life.

This is just among the nomadic people.

If it is expanded to the relationship between nomadic people and Han army soldiers, there are two more rules: if a herdsman kills a Han soldier, he must pay with his life; if a Han soldier kills a herdsman, he must pay with his life.

Of course, the premise is that those killed are still herdsmen, not rebels.

Such a legal provision actually protects the weak in the Hetao region.

In other words, they could not afford to offend the tribal leaders and nobles, nor could they afford to offend the Han army, or even the lower-class herdsmen of the Han people.

As for the heads of various tribes, even without considering the political meaning of the four words "Three Articles of Agreement" and their past value, the fact that this law protects the weak is enough to make these noble lords feel unhappy.

Because everyone present was the head of their respective tribe, or at least one of the heads or nobles.

Whether within the tribe or when communicating with other tribes, everyone present is undoubtedly strong and superior.

To use a less appropriate word to describe it: at this moment, everyone gathered outside Bowang City to attend the bonfire dinner convened by Bowang Marquis Cheng Bushi can be regarded as a member of the ruling class in the Hetao region.

As a ruling class, especially a privileged class in the context of a backward nomadic civilization, it is obviously impossible for them to expect laws to protect the weak rather than help them oppress the weak.

As for what you said, these tribal leaders will become the weak ones in certain scenarios and be protected by these laws?
Sorry, I really can’t.

In today's Hetao, the only people who can make those present here become "weaklings" are the people in the Han Dynasty court and a few others including Cheng Buzhi.

To put it in a positive way, even if there were no legal restrictions, several "strong men" including Cheng Buzhi would not act recklessly against the leaders of various tribes.

But to put it bluntly, even if there is legal protection, the Han people can still come up with a basket of reasons if they want to move against the leaders of the various tribes in Hetao.

There is no need for anything else - the four words "refusing to submit to the king's rule" are enough to nail the coffin lid of every foreign race, and it will not arouse any public opinion at all.

From this perspective, one can imagine how the leaders of various tribes feel about this new system.

I, the nobles, have done a good job, I can do whatever I want to my people and hold the power of life and death.

You Han people have made three rules, and now I can't even kill anyone - not to mention I can't even hurt anyone, but you also forbid lynching and not allow the tribe to deal with "lawbreakers" within the tribe?
Then what kind of nobleman or leader am I?

If you don't even have the right to dispose of your tribe members, then as a tribal leader, how can you control your tribe and make your tribe members respect you?
As a result, the situation has become a situation where one side is stuck in two directions.

If the leaders of each tribe implement this new system well, there is a small chance that they can be promoted to high positions and be granted titles of nobility and enjoy a good life in Chang'an, but it will definitely make the tribe out of their control.

It is equivalent to gambling on a low-probability event by giving up one's control over the tribe.

Once he lost the bet, he would not be granted the title of nobility and would not be able to go to Chang'an, so he would have to stay in Hetao and become a tribal leader with a mascot-like status.

But if we pretend to obey but actually go against it and fail to implement it properly, we will not be able to explain ourselves to the Han people.

In particular, this new system was prepared by the Han people for the Hetao tribes. It will be tried out in Hetao first, and will only be used in Hetao after it is perfected.

Before that, the Han people in the Hetao region must have focused on promoting this new system.

It is not possible to obey, it is not possible to pretend to obey and disobey secretly, and there are no objective conditions to support everyone's opposition and resistance, and there is no strong opposition.

For a moment, the heads of each tribe all looked uneasy.

——Of course it would be good to go to Chang’an.

If you really can't go to Chang'an, then it's okay to stay in Hetao and continue to be the tribal leader.

Although he had to serve the Han people as a dog, he was still the head of the tribe, second only to the emperor and above ten thousand people - or, in other words, below the Han people and above the tribe members.

But once this new system is implemented in Hetao, the hundreds of people present, except for three or five who are going to Chang'an to become mutual marquises, will become so-called "headmen" who will lose control of the tribe and may not even continue to be supported by the tribe.

This……

"Please, Marquis Bowang, give me your instructions."

During the long silence, a tribal leader who looked old but was actually only in his early thirties finally stood up from his seat.

With a forced and flattering smile on his face and a wine bowl in his hand, he invited Cheng Buzhiyao to join him.

"Under this new system, how should we, the tribal leaders, deal with ourselves?"

"From now on, we will not be able to punish our tribe members. Then, we will no longer have prestige in the tribe."

"Then if there is an order, such as a battle, that requires us, the chiefs, to coordinate our respective tribes, what should we do if we, the chiefs, no longer have prestige and control over our tribes?"

The words were spoken politely, but the implication was very direct.

——This new system is clearly depriving the chiefs of their control over their respective tribes!

So after losing control of the tribe, what is the meaning of the existence of the leaders?
Or does it mean that in the Han dynasty’s future plans for Hetao, there is no level of tribal leaders?

The Han Dynasty no longer needs tribal leaders. As the middleman for the Han Dynasty to control Hetao, does it mean that they want to directly control the lower-class people in Hetao?

How to control?

Become king in Hetao?
Or is it the counties?
Well, the Hetao region has already established counties - at least the Shuofang and Wuyuan counties have been established.

What about the leaders of each tribe?

Could it be that I have been abandoned by the Han family?

The achievement of leading his troops to surrender and helping the Han Dynasty to take control of Hetao without any effort, has it just disappeared like the wind?
Will tribal leaders in the future be expelled from the tribe and left to fend for themselves like those elderly people?

Cheng Buzhi was obviously aware of the doubts in the minds of the leaders of various tribes.

I even had a draft in mind.

But when he saw the different facial expressions and looks of the leaders of various tribes around the banquet hall, Cheng Buzhi suddenly had a strange idea in his mind.

"Your Majesty, how did you understand the thoughts of these barbarians so thoroughly?" "Even their reactions were guessed by your Majesty without any deviation..."

Thinking of this, Cheng Buzhi subconsciously raised his hand and touched the white paper hidden in his arms in front of his chest.

After a long time, Fang suddenly grinned and looked at the chief who asked the question.

He did not talk about other things, but pointed out the future direction for the leaders of various tribes present according to the instructions in Liu Gong's letter.

"Your Majesty has a keen eye and can see far ahead. You have already seen through the doubts and concerns of the leaders a thousand miles away."

"In response to your doubts and concerns, I have received instructions from your Majesty to answer your questions and resolve your confusions."

These words further attracted everyone's attention to himself, and Cheng Buzhi took a deep breath.

After thinking about his words for a while, Fang Youyou said, "Over the past year, you have all learned a lot about my Han family."

"You should know that according to the ancestral system of our Han dynasty, if you are not of the Liu family, you cannot be a king; if you have not made contributions, you cannot be a marquis."

"Just like in the grasslands, only the royal family of the Luandi clan can be the left and right wise kings, the left and right Guli kings; only the four major clans can be the left and right generals, the left and right great households."

"My Han family will never enfeoff a king of a different surname."

"For foreign ministers, the highest level of reward that the Han family can offer is the title of Marquis."

Hearing Cheng Bushi's words, everyone present nodded, undoubtedly knowing something about Emperor Taizu Gao's White Horse Oath.

Therefore, many people have fantasized about becoming a certain king of the Han Dynasty, but only hoped to become a Marquis of Che of the Han Dynasty, or just a Marquis of Guannei.

Cheng Buzhi paused for a moment, then continued, "The title of king is only for members of the Liu family."

"And the title of Marquis cannot be given to any foreign minister."

"——Without merit, one cannot be a marquis."

"Only those foreign ministers who have made meritorious services and contributions to our Han family can be awarded the title of Chehou."

"For example, back then, Han Tuidang, the Marquis of Gonggao, returned from the grasslands and made contributions to the Han family, so he was given the title of Marquis of Gonggao."

"This is the Guiyi Marquis that you are all familiar with and know best."

"In the case of a certain person, he led his army to fight in all directions, gained a lot of gains, and won great military exploits, so he was granted the title of Marquis of Bowang."

"This is the military merit that the soldiers in the army can strive for."

"Of course, there are also relatives of the emperor who were granted titles of nobility, such as Weiqi Marquis Dou Ying, etc...."

...

"And all of the above, whether it is Guiyi Marquis, Military Merit Marquis, or Marquis conferred by grace by relatives, without exception, require meritorious service to our Han family."

"For example, earlier, Your Majesty, based on the opinions of the leaders of the various tribes in Hetao, conferred titles on several people as Guiyi Marquises. They were the ones who led their tribes to surrender to the Han family and made meritorious contributions, and were therefore conferred the title of Guiyi Marquis."

"This time, my Han family is about to implement a new system in Hetao. If you can promote the establishment of the new system, you will also be meritorious and can also be awarded a title of nobility."

"In the future, the same principle will apply - as long as one has made contributions, anyone can be granted the title of Marquis."

"As for where this credit comes from~"

At the end, Cheng Buzhi shook his head and smiled meaningfully.

He raised his head and looked at the man who asked the question, half jokingly and half seriously, "Before, you didn't understand my Han family. His Majesty was worried that you couldn't see through it, so he gave you some guidance."

"But in the future, it is impossible for my Han family to teach you step by step and point out the way to achieve merit and be awarded the title of nobility from generation to generation."

"You all need to find the way to achieve merit on your own."

"As long as they can be found and have made great contributions, the title of Marquis will be bestowed upon them by our Han family. We will never be stingy in rewarding our meritorious officials."

After saying this, Cheng Bushi lowered his head, picked up the wine bowl, frowned and took a sip.

Then, as if he really couldn't bear it, he spoke carefully: "Earlier, my Han family established two counties in Hetao, Shuofang and Wuyuan. Under the county governor's office, it was still the chiefs who led the tribes."

"But from now on, all tribes in Hetao will be transformed into counties."

"Counties and counties, only when there are counties and counties can they be considered counties."

"In today's Hetao, it is better to say that it is a 'county system' rather than a county system."

"This strange situation cannot and will not last long."

...

"As for your future - after the various tribes in Hetao are transformed into 'counties', each of you leaders will be given priority to be appointed as county magistrates."

"After becoming a county magistrate, you will follow the custom of every Han family. You need to be promoted through political achievements and be awarded a title through meritorious service."

"It has been a year since we have worked together and we have had a very close relationship. I would like to give you a piece of good advice."

"——The fame, wealth and honor of our Han family were obtained from riding horses."

"Everything else is inferior, only military merit is superior."

"If you still want the title of Marquis Che, and want your descendants to enjoy the prosperity of Chang'an for generations to come, then you may as well set your sights on the military."

"Everyone of you is one of the best warriors and fighters in your tribe."

"You all have great potential in the military."

Cheng Buzhi's words unconsciously made everyone present and the leaders of each department fall into deep thought.

But Cheng Buzhi didn't say much else - after leaving this last sentence, he left the banquet venue, making the excuse that he was drunk.

It is better to teach people to fish than to teach them to fish.

Tian Zirong is right.

Instead of trying to win over and bribe these foreign leaders again and again through one-time benefits, it would be better to do it in one step and tie these people directly to the Han chariot.

In the Han area, the title of Chehou is enough to make a person, or even a family, risk their lives to explore the possibility that is better than nothing.

In the eyes of nomadic peoples, even nobles could not resist the huge temptation brought by the title of Marquis of China's agricultural civilization.

As for doing so, wouldn't it be too easy for these barbarians?
Tian Zirong just wants to say: Young people, why not take a long-term view~
Be more open-minded and have a bigger vision~
It’s just a few marquis titles, what’s there to be reluctant about?
What's more, 'Without merit, one cannot be a marquis', and the corresponding saying is: If one has merit, he will be rewarded with a marquis.

Since you have made great contributions, why can't you be granted a title of nobility?

What?
Are the contributions made by the barbarians not contributions?

To be honest, the contributions made by foreigners and barbarians are often of greater value to the Han family!
Especially its value at the strategic level is far beyond the comparison of a Marquis title.

(End of this chapter)