The Cold and Aloof Palace Master's Daily Demon-Slaying Life

Chapter 101 Mr. Gu, what exactly does the prosperous era you seek look like?

Zuo Qingqiu listened quietly, her fingertips unconsciously tracing lightly across the armrest of the seat.

She remained silent for a moment after Jiang Shaoling finished speaking.

The only thing in the hall was the rising steam from the spirit tea.

"You've considered this, which shows your thoughtfulness," Zuo Qingqiu finally spoke, his voice still calm. "Governance is a complex matter, with countless details and no universally applicable formula. My knowledge is merely one perspective, offered for your reference only."

Jiang Shaoling quickly replied, "You are too modest, True Lord! To receive even a few words of guidance from you is an immense blessing for our sect!"

Zuo Qingqiu said no more, closed his eyes, and seemed to be pondering.

She didn't exude a powerful aura, but her calm and profound temperament made Jiang Shaoling involuntarily hold his breath.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, she opened her eyes, raised her right hand, and spiritual light gathered above her palm, quickly condensing into a palm-sized, warm-textured cyan jade slip.

With a light tap of her fingertip, countless tiny yet crystal clear runes flowed into the jade slip like a stream of light. A moment later, the light faded, the jade slip took shape, and it floated down onto the small table in front of Jiang Shaoling.

"My thoughts and ideas are all imprinted here. You can see for yourself," Zuo Qingqiu said.

Jiang Shaoling suppressed his excitement and held the jade slip, which still retained a trace of warmth, in his hands.

This was personally instructed by a Golden Core True Monarch!

He steadied himself, placed the jade slip on his forehead, and slowly let a wisp of his divine consciousness sink into it.

A flood of information rushed into his mind, clear and detailed, far exceeding his expectations.

The jade slip mainly put forward three core suggestions, each with detailed explanations, deductions, and even some special terms that he found unfamiliar yet vaguely felt contained some kind of peculiar logic.

First point: Emphasizing commerce promotes circulation, and capital breaks down barriers.

It is suggested that the sect attach great importance to commerce, elevate "encouraging commercial circulation" to the strategic level of the sect, promulgate laws to improve the status of merchants, reduce the taxes on traveling merchants, protect the safety of trade routes, establish government-run markets, encourage the establishment of large-scale chambers of commerce without blood ties, and even consider allowing the sect's government-run banks to provide "divine money" credit loan services.

The jade slip points out that the vast majority of cultivation families' territories are currently characterized by a closed "landlord economy," with self-sufficiency. Even those families with numerous merchant caravans only exchange goods for necessities they don't have, showing little interest in commerce. Only small families or those with extremely barren lands unsuitable for farming will spare no effort in engaging in commerce.

While this model is stable, it severely hinders the flow and optimal allocation of resources (including materials, manpower, skills, and information).

Resources are accumulating within a closed system and cannot be used more efficiently.

Encouraging commerce allows spiritual rice, spiritual beasts, minerals, medicinal herbs, and even some magical artifacts and talismans to circulate between different regions.

In places lacking food, one can buy food; in places with abundant minerals, one can sell minerals; and in places skilled in crafting, one can export magical artifacts—the overall efficiency of cultivating immortality through resource utilization will be greatly improved. The lives of ordinary people at the bottom of society may also be improved due to the circulation of goods, such as being able to buy cheaper cloth and tools.

More importantly, commercial prosperity inevitably generates and accumulates a large amount of capital.

Driven by profit, this capital will spontaneously seek more efficient production methods and newer, more novel products.

A broader market.

The involution among them will act like an invisible whip, urging the old, rigid production model to continuously progress. Ultimately, it may break the stagnant feudal landlord economic structure and promote the development of the entire cultivation economy society's productivity.

Second point: Set standards to ensure a bottom line, so that people's livelihoods can breathe.

It is recommended that the sect take the lead, uniting with major cultivation families, to establish minimum wage standards and basic welfare guarantees for various craftsmen, employees, tenants, etc. under its jurisdiction.

For example, there are minimum daily wages for miners, minimum monthly wages for female textile workers, and tenant farmers are required to guarantee their families' basic food rations after paying rent.

The jade slip explains that this action was not simply charity, but rather to establish a bottom line to prevent excessive exploitation from leading to the depletion of people's strength and social instability.

Only when the lowest-level producers can barely make a living, or even have a little surplus, will they have the resources to try to improve technology and raise more offspring.

A mortal society filled with hunger and despair cannot sustain the long-term prosperity of a vast cultivation sect.

Thirdly: Enlighten the people and enlighten their minds; conduct extensive education over three years.

It is recommended that "three years of compulsory private school education" be forcibly implemented in all directly administered cities of the sect and in the territories of large cultivation families with the capability to implement it.

All school-age children, regardless of their social status or wealth, are required to attend school for three years to learn basic literacy and arithmetic.

Basic sect laws and regulations, as well as fundamental moral ethics.

The jade slip specifically states that although three years is a short period, it is enough for an ordinary person to get rid of complete ignorance, acquire basic literacy and numeracy skills, and understand the most basic legal principles and human relationships.

This will not only improve the overall quality of the population and facilitate the dissemination of government orders and skills, but also broaden the source of talent for the sect.

It's much easier to manage ordinary people who understand the principles.

The jade slip contained a wealth of information, including many new concepts such as "capital," "involution," "productivity," and "social security." Jiang Shaoling was encountering these concepts for the first time, but by combining the explanations and metaphors within the jade slip with his wisdom as a Purple Mansion cultivator and his experience as a sect leader, he gained a sudden understanding after a little thought, as if he had opened a new window to view the territory under his rule.

He could foresee that if these measures were implemented properly, they would have a profound impact on Taihua Gate, not only by increasing resources and taxes, but also by gradually optimizing the underlying structure and stimulating its vitality!

He was immersed in the information on the jade slip, his expression shifting between moments of realization, shock, and deep thought.

After an unknown amount of time, he finally let out a long sigh, withdrew his divine sense from the jade slip, and looked at Zuo Qingqiu with a still-shocked expression. He bowed deeply and said, "True Lord, your insight is profound! Every word is precious and thought-provoking! If this method can be implemented, it will not only solve the current management dilemma, but also lay an unshakeable foundation for the sect for all eternity! This disciple—has learned a great deal!"

He spoke from the bottom of his heart.

The so-called "asking for advice" was originally just an excuse to "throw out a brick to attract jade," but at this moment he was truly captivated by the brilliance of this "brick."

Compared to these fundamental and far-sighted suggestions, my own family's selfish motives suddenly seemed so narrow and insignificant.

Zuo Qingqiu nodded slightly: "Are there any more questions?"

There are still a few things Jiang Shaoling doesn't quite understand.

For example, how to guide "capital" and prevent its excessive monopoly from harming the interests of the sect, and how to solve the problems of teachers and funding for "free private schools"—and a series of other specific practical issues.

He gathered his thoughts and respectfully raised each point one by one.

Zuo Qingqiu patiently answered, his words still concise yet always hitting the nail on the head, offering several possible approaches but not a single answer. Clearly, he left the power to weigh and implement the specifics to Jiang Shaoling, the sect leader.

After the question and answer session, Jiang Shaoling felt all the pent-up emotions in his heart dissipate, and his thoughts became clearer than ever before.

He bowed solemnly once again: "Your Excellency's guidance today is akin to giving me a second life. I will certainly study it carefully and implement it prudently, so as not to fail Your Excellency's high expectations or the foundation of our sect."

Zuo Qingqiu looked at him, and as if thinking of something, she suddenly said something that seemed unrelated to the previous question and answer. Her tone was calm, but it seemed to contain a certain power: "If everyone in this world has food to eat, everyone has books to read, everyone knows and abides by etiquette, and everyone can pursue the life they want through their own efforts—then perhaps, that would be true peace and tranquility."

Jiang Shaoling was jolted, as if struck by lightning, and froze on the spot.

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