Han: The witchcraft disaster begins, I fight against Emperor Wu of Han

Chapter 94: Governing a large country is like cooking a small fish

"Your Majesty will certainly not abolish it, but there is no law in the world that will never change."

At this moment, Liu Jing withdrew his thoughts from the thought of Emperor Yuan of the Han Dynasty abolishing the mausoleum town system in later generations.

There is a saying in later generations that explains the decline of the Han Dynasty.

Countries are often destroyed because of their weakness, but the Han Dynasty was destroyed because of its strength!
In Liu Jing's view, this strength is not only military strength, but more of a "powerful" strength!
The Han Dynasty mostly relied on the recommendation system. As for other systems such as "conscription", "appointment of sons", "succession from hereditary positions", "writing to the public office", and even "donation of money", they were basically used exclusively by the powerful.

When the powerful moved to Chang'an under the "Tomb Town System", it was easier to exchange personal connections and support the "family". Under these "upward channels", it was almost destined that the talent selection channel of the Han Dynasty would be occupied by these people.

Over time, the strong become stronger...

As for the late Western Han Dynasty, the interference of external relatives in government affairs, and Wang Mang's usurpation of the throne, they could only have happened against this backdrop.

Thinking of this, he also answered solemnly:
"When the mausoleum town system lost its proper function, the emperors of later generations became a little weak; the number of powerful people around Chang'an increased, and they became stronger and stronger; as the two sides grew stronger and weaker, if the emperor did not use tough measures, the change of the mausoleum town system was almost a matter of course."

"Even now, with Your Majesty's long-term encroachment on the people's land, the local tyrants will naturally become more powerful as the superiors follow suit."

"more importantly……"

Liu Jing changed the subject and talked about the most core issue.

"Your Majesty has believed in immortality over the years, and people from all over the country have responded by looking for alchemists for your Majesty. Over the years, the Han Dynasty's channel for selecting talents has long been occupied. Your Majesty seems to have strengthened the mausoleum system, but on the other hand, isn't it also an opportunity for them to continue to grow?"

"The capital city communicates with each other, and the local families are like a spider web, woven into a dense patch."

"Therefore, over the years, apart from the capable officials selected in the early years, there are almost no truly good officials around your majesty."

"There are no civil officials who can help manage the country and the economy, and there are no generals who can maintain the strength of the Han Dynasty's army in the early years..."

"The cruel officials selected are mostly cruel officials, and the local governments also recommend those who have close personal relationships. Coupled with various harsh laws, the people are restless and the countryside is uneasy."

"Under such circumstances, how could the number of refugees from the Han Dynasty not increase? The people are full of resentment, how could they not rebel?"

At this time.

After saying this, Liu Jing pointed to the refugees in the distance who were just lying on the ground. They had calmed down and were even talking and laughing because there seemed to be hope for the future.

He said again: "Your Majesty, look, so many refugees can smile and feel hope just because of my promise."

"And what has your majesty done over the years?"

"You..." Liu Che was shocked and angry when he heard that Liu Jing had once again brought the "disaster" upon himself.

However, he originally wanted to scold, but when he followed what Liu Jing said and imagined, he felt an unprecedented chill.

Because it is happening.

Even though he has expanded so much territory over the years, the number of refugees is still increasing.

He had formulated a strict strategy, but not only did it fail to curb the bandits, it made the situation worse and worse.

Especially this time, I went out to see the distance from Chang'an to Liangzhou...

The harm caused by "Shen Ming Fa" is just a glimpse of the whole country.

You must know that Liangzhou is a heavily guarded place. In the past, the rampant bandits and rebellions and attacks on cities were all things that happened in other states.

There were very few places where the Han Dynasty had strict control.

However, although there was room for the Huns to interfere in this trip to Liangzhou, in the final analysis, it was the large number of refugees that gave them an opportunity to take advantage of!

not to mention……

One thing Liu Jing said just confirmed what he had said before.

The "non-interventionist" policy implemented in the early Han Dynasty did, to a certain extent, provide the people in the chaotic late Qin Dynasty with the conditions to "live and work in peace and contentment."

However, it also gave the wealthy and powerful families an opportunity to develop and even annex large tracts of land. Over the past few decades, even the smallest villages gradually had wealthy and powerful families that controlled the area!

"According to what you said, it is not right to change the mausoleum town system, nor is it right to not change it?"

"Before this, you said that the alchemists were causing chaos, and the local search for alchemists caused chaos in the imperial court's selection of officials. I asked you to expel the alchemists."

"You also said that the Shen Ming Law is not to eliminate bandits, but to indulge them. This time when I came back, I was ready to abolish it."

"But after all this talk, the essence of it hasn't changed at all?"

"Will local tyrants still become powerful? Will the recommended talents still become their own retainers?"

"What about what you said? Is it really contradictory?"

At this time, after Liu Che understood what Liu Jing said, his brows turned into the shape of the Chinese character "川"!

He was an emperor with great ambitions, especially since he had not been pursuing immortality recently, no longer believed that he was being tortured by witchcraft, and even traveled to Liangzhou in person.

With a clear mind, he knew that what Liu Jing said was not false once he connected it with the actual situation of the dynasty over the years.

Therefore, anger is suppressed by reason.

Now he just wanted to figure out whether there was any solution to what Liu Jing said!

"It's not that it hasn't changed at all!" Liu Jing corrected him, "Now that the Taoist priests are gone, the government may not be clean, but it's no longer chaotic. Once the Shen Ming Fa is abolished, the people may not be able to settle down quickly, but at least there will be no more officials condoning bandits."

Liu Jing paused.

He added: "Laozi once said: To govern a large country and cook a small fish, the fire should not be too high or too low."

"And what your majesty has done is to overheat the fire, almost boiling the people dry, but you are still increasing the fire."

"How dare you!" Liu Che said angrily, "According to what you said, we are going to reduce the fire now?"

Seeing that Liu Che's face was getting darker and darker, Liu Jing quickened his tone and said:

"It is not only about reducing the fire, but also about controlling floods. It is better to drain than to block!"

"Your Majesty, every step you have taken over the years has been blocking the way!"

"The Shenming Law is blocking, strengthening the mausoleum system is blocking, and appointing more cruel officials is also blocking."

Liu Jing changed the subject and pointed at the refugees here and suddenly said: "And what I did was to relieve them!"

this moment.

Behind Liu Che, Sang Hongyang and Huo Guang looked at each other. They both had some understanding of what Emperor Jing's grandson was thinking.

And Liu Che looked at it directly.

"How can we relieve the pressure? If we let them live here, can we solve the problem of the mausoleum town system? Can we prevent the powerful from becoming too powerful? Can we achieve the relief you mentioned?"

"How ridiculous is that?"

Suddenly, he sneered:
"Also, after saying so much, don't think I don't know what you are thinking? Do you want me to agree that they can settle down here?"

"It's not about settling down!" Liu Jing said in a resounding voice, "but taking this opportunity to govern the country like controlling water, and return the land that Your Majesty has occupied over the years to the people. Your Majesty is the source of the Han Dynasty. Only by clearing the source first can we further clear the branches."

Liu Che laughed even more wantonly, "Occupy? Return? Do you know... the whole world belongs to the king?"

He was explaining his status and declaring... who was the master of this big man!
Liu Jing did not retreat at all, and faced him directly, saying: "The people are defending the four directions for the emperor!"

"If the emperor says this to the people, it would be better for them to farm and be self-sufficient!"

(End of this chapter)