Chapter 7044 No Future

Chapter 7044 No Future
"Which aristocratic family do you think will be the first to develop in this direction?" Zhong Yao asked suddenly after confirming that Chen Xi understood. This was actually a malicious test, and Zhong Yao also had his own speculations.

"The Yang family of Hongnong." Chen Xi glanced at Zhong Yao and then gave a very formal answer, not even caring about Zhong Yao's shocked look.

“Lord Chen, if I were to spread the word that you are giving me such a direct answer, the Yang family of Hongnong would be in deep trouble. After all, given your reputation, such a statement could really kill people. I was just joking, there’s really no need to be so direct. You can change the subject.” Zhong Yao became much more honest, and even his previously casual words were now tinged with respect.

Zhong Yao actually knew this answer as well. He was even aware that the Sima family was efficiently interpreting the Book of Changes, Xunzi, and the Strategies of the Warring States on the other side of the Ganges River, using the words of sages to prepare for the rational absorption and reconstruction of the caste system. After all, in the long run, this new version of the game would be very advantageous to them.

Of course, although Zhong Yao knew what the top Brahmins controlled by the Sima family were doing, he was not worried that the Sima family would defy the world and be the first to promote such a thing. In this matter, the Sima family was not qualified. However, the caste system was there, and after Chen Xi left, someone would definitely push for it.

Even with a lot of packaging, no matter how much it's changed, the core won't be greatly shaken. And for such a big event, a family that is respectable and qualified must step forward to take charge, because this is the trend of history. Zhong Yao had speculated on which family would drive this in the future, and he vaguely had an answer.

I never expected Chen Xi to say it by name like that. Normally, even if Chen Xi knew, he could only write it down and not say it out loud!

After all, given her high status, if Chen Xi were to show even the slightest bit of his likes or dislikes, there would be plenty of people willing to take the initiative to support him.

Therefore, when Chen Xi meets officials at all levels, he usually avoids naming names and focuses on the matter at hand. Chen Xi is well aware that if he speaks out, he may not only crush certain people but also establish certain ancestral rules, and he dares not escalate most things to that extent.

But the bureaucratic system inherently amplifies power; sometimes, a single word from above can be a deadly blow to those below.

"You think I won't say it?" Chen Xi glanced at Zhong Yao indifferently. "Normally, for things of this level, I would only keep what I see and know in my heart and not say it out loud. But if things have come to this point, it would be too boring to pretend I don't know."

“But your words are enough to seal the fate of the Yang family of Hongnong.” Zhong Yao said with some apprehension. He realized that the Chen Xi he knew was only a glimpse of him. The other party was not cautious in his words and deeds. At times, the other party even had a kind of deliberate indulgence.

“Essentially, all other aristocratic families are the same, it’s just that the Yang family of Hongnong is more explicit in this regard.” Chen Xi ignored Zhong Yao’s apprehension and explained with a touch of indifference.

“In my opinion, the actions of the Yang family of Hongnong are not wrong in the truest sense. At the very least, their actions show that they have truly recognized the power of the people and acknowledged that there is no difference between themselves and the people, rather than thinking, like Chen Xun, that they are born nobles and the people are nothing but mediocre weeds.” Chen Xi continued, ignoring Zhong Yao’s expression.

Chen Xi didn't think there was anything wrong with the Hongnong Yang family's sense of crisis. If anyone was to say there was a problem, it was Chen Xun who was one of those guys with a problem.

Here's a paradoxical fact: those who go to great lengths to create barriers for ordinary people are the ones who realize that they are exactly the same as ordinary people, and that ordinary people can replicate what they can do. That's why they set up layers of barriers, using information and other means to keep these people out.

These people clearly understand that everything they have is not because they possess any unique abilities, but rather because of the external forces brought about by the tide of the times. Therefore, they believe that relying on themselves is useless if they want to hold onto everything; they can only create obstacles and make things more difficult for those who come after them.

Conversely, things that have absolutely no barriers are actually quite terrifying, meaning that things truly obtained through ability belong to pure strength.

Fortunately, most things in this world don't actually rely on ability without external help, and very few people can truly talk about this, nor do they have time to appear in public.

Therefore, it can be basically assumed that most people you encounter in this world are actually the first type, and your misfortune lies in the lack of that external force.

This is also why Chen Xi can understand the Hongnong Yang family. This family fully understands the power of ordinary people and believes that their ability to reach this level is due to luck and the driving force of the times. Therefore, when considering issues based on reality, if they want to continue everything that the Yang family has, they cannot just talk about ability, but also about background and capital.

The more one talks about one's origins, the more it will inevitably develop in the direction of elevating the status of the five surnames and seven clans to a position of nobility and lineage, because only in this way can one establish the natural right of them to possess these things.

“The Yang family of Hongnong sees the world from the perspective of ordinary people.” Chen Xi’s voice was soft, but it made Zhong Yao completely understand the aspects that he couldn’t comprehend before.

“The Zhong family is different. They are also born nobles, so it’s only natural that they have achieved what they have today, right?” Chen Xi continued to transmit his voice to Zhong Yao with a hint of mockery.

"Okay, I understand." Zhong Yao fully comprehended Chen Xi's words.

"The process of civilization is a very paradoxical thing. In the earliest times, even people had no value. In conflicts between tribes, people would slaughter each other and cook meat. Later, these people had value as human sacrifices, and then as slaves. Then, with the emergence of the Qin Dynasty's agricultural and military system, the value of more people was developed." Chen Xi looked at Zhong Yao with a half-smile.

Feudalism, industrialization, capitalism, and so on—the progress of civilization has drawn more and more people into its own systems, giving humanity more value.

Although this increase in value seems to tell the story of the ruling class's cycle of exploitation of the ruled, in essence it is still an increase in human value. It is a new system that has discovered a more efficient way to accumulate wealth and has proactively endowed everyone in the system with this value.

In Chen Xi's era, this means that the caste system allows the ruling class to exploit the ruled more efficiently and stably, so the ruling class will inevitably develop in this direction.

Ultimately, the direction of civilization's development, to put it bluntly, is about how the ruling class can more efficiently accumulate their own interests.

Even if something else hinders this brutal process, it will continue to move steadfastly toward accumulating its own interests more efficiently, until it is replaced by a more efficient method.

“So strip away all the high-sounding rhetoric, it’s essentially about interests and their distribution.” Zhong Yao sighed. Chen Xi had stripped away almost all sense of propriety and morality. “For an individual, it may be possible to follow the path of a gentleman, but for a collective, interests are the driving force. No matter how lofty the ideal, in the end, it still has to succumb to reality. It’s truly tragic!”

Zhong Yao still had some ideals, but after Chen Xi stripped away the veneer of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness that shrouded the Han aristocratic family, Zhong Yao felt a sense of emptiness as his ideals collapsed, since it was all about interests now.

“The collective needs to eat,” Chen Xi said calmly. “When people are not full, it is a saintly virtue to make sure they are full. Once they are full, they will inevitably seek other things. Humans have the right to pursue a better life, and this leads to disputes.”

“Therefore, Chen Xi cannot delay.” Chen Xi said with a hint of sarcasm, “People born in this era, even if they are taught by their parents and influenced by what they see and hear later in life, will not agree with Chen Xi’s character in the same way their parents do. They may believe it, but they will definitely question it.”

"This is the general trend of the times." Chen Xi didn't seem disappointed at all; in fact, she was unusually calm.

“My brain can’t process this. Even if I know you’re right, I still find it hard to understand.” Zhong Yao frowned.

"But there's no need to worry about that. I'll take care of these things before I retire." Chen Xi didn't care about Zhong Yao's doubts. The term "generation gap" hadn't been developed in this era, but Chen Xi had already clearly seen it in the comparison between the generations before and before.

"Can this solve the problem of those aristocratic families developing towards the caste system?" Zhong Yao asked doubtfully.

"Of course not, but without the constraints of the caste system, given the ways of the Han aristocratic families, even if a group of people embark on this path, they will definitely drive them to their deaths, leaving behind extremely painful consequences, completely eliminating the possibility for those who follow to take this path again," Chen Xi said with a hint of sarcasm.

This is no joke. During the Wei, Jin and Southern and Northern Dynasties, the Five Surnames and Seven Noble Families were actually a caste system. They even implemented a rule that scholars and commoners could not marry, which almost completely closed the society off. However, the greed of the noble families allowed their power to extend infinitely, forcibly trying to strip ordinary people of their last penny. As a result, ordinary people could no longer tolerate it and slaughtered all these people.

The imperial treasury was burned to ashes, and the bones of nobles and officials were trampled all over the streets!
Unrestrained and endless exploitation will inevitably lead to this outcome. In Chen Xi's view, the greatest strength of the caste system lies not in its stability, but in the constraints that create that stability.

After all, no matter how distorted this system is, it is still based on the division of labor in society. It inherently carries the effect of anchoring responsibilities and obligations. In other words, even the Brahmin class has very clear things they can and cannot do. They are bound by their responsibilities.

This is why the Brahmins of Kanauj were furious when Rahul joined the army. However, even though Rahul broke the rules, the high-ranking Brahmins of Kanauj still followed the rules and did not execute Rahul. They simply had Rahul confine himself to the prayer hall for Brahma conversion, which could hardly be considered torture.

The Brahmins of Kannauj actually dealt with Rahul's subordinates, but this was also the reason why Rahul turned against them after he came out.

To be honest, from the perspective of those high-ranking Brahmins, their actions were perfectly reasonable; the problem really lies with Rahul…

In other words, even at that point, the Brahmins of Kanauj were still carrying out their duties and obligations as before. Although their behavior seemed strange, within their own system, their actions were indeed maintaining the integrity of the social system.

The problem is, if it were the Han aristocratic family, and I were already this powerful, would I still need to maintain the system? I am the system, I am the one and only king!

Therefore, Chen Xizhen didn't care what kind of variant of the caste system these people played, because the greed of the aristocratic families was beyond doubt. They would never give ordinary people a way to live and would only push everyone to the opposite side.

It's one thing to talk about duties and obligations when you're weak, but if you become strong and still confined by your own duties and obligations, what kind of family is the Han dynasty? Would they be that kind of people? What a joke.

In addition, given the ever-changing nature of the Dao, even a family like the Yang family, with a clear mind and understanding why they were playing with the various surname systems, might have initially thought that they were no different from ordinary people. Their goal was simply to prevent ordinary people from rising up and overthrowing them, so they used this method to control the upward mobility and ensure that their family would remain at the top forever.

If the caste system is played out for a long time, the people behind it will add a so-called sacredness to themselves, and will arrogantly believe that they are standing there because of their own abilities, and that those below them are not standing there because they are useless, and then deduce that they have amazing talents.

At this point, it's time for it to collapse.

When people can no longer see what supports them, they are not far from destruction.

Therefore, Chen Xi didn't care what these aristocratic family members would come up with. What he wanted to do was to pass on knowledge and power to ordinary people, and leave the rest to future generations to decide.

Zhong Yao's expression had become somewhat somber. He thought he had a long-term vision, but after comparing himself to Chen Xi, he realized that the future he saw was just the beginning for Chen Xi.

"Alright, let's continue with your methods. I want to know how you plan to eliminate the Brahmanism of the Kushan Empire." Seeing Zhong Yao's serious expression, Chen Xi didn't want to put any more pressure on him, so he naturally steered the conversation back to the topic of eliminating the Brahmanism they had discussed earlier.

"Actually, it's not exactly annihilation, but rather the gradual loss of successors to Brahmanism, leading to its eventual decline. However, even so, we probably won't see it in our generation." Zhong Yao continued to explain, following Chen Xi's train of thought. "In fact, I think you should be very clear about what I'm going to do."

Chen Xi smiled upon hearing this. Combining what Zhong Yao had said earlier, Chen Xi had actually deduced what Zhong Yao was trying to do. To be honest, it was indeed a pretty good move. It was just a pity that there were too many Brahmans, tens of millions of them. If there were only a few million, Zhong Yao's move would be more effective. Unfortunately, it was tens of millions.

“Officially, we have banned Brahmin missionary work, but we cannot stop missionary work within families. It’s not just the Brahmin class; Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Shudras, and so on, also teach their children within their own families through subtle influence. That’s just how culture is.” Zhong Yao briefly explained the situation he was facing.

“Therefore, the only way to eliminate Brahmanism is to make these people have no future.” Zhong Yao said very seriously. “This ‘no future’ means making them have no wives, no descendants, and then naturally disappearing into the torrent of time.”

“Compared to the forced reduction of population and cancellation of households proposed by Li Wenru at the time, this method is more moderate, and most importantly, this method will not make the local believers in Ganges directly stand against us.” Zhong Yao pointed out the difference between his operation and Li You’s previous operation.

“Yes, indeed. Wenru’s previous actions were too extreme. Forcing people to become monks could easily create a sense of antagonism among the locals. After all, it is a well-established civilization and must have its own group consciousness.” Chen Xi nodded, agreeing with Zhong Yao’s statement.

Zhong Yao glanced at Chen Xi. He was now completely certain that Chen Xi knew everything, and even that Li You's tricks were useless. But Chen Xi, for some reason, allowed Li You to act freely.

"So the simplest solution is to prevent women who might have been married to these men from marrying them again. Without families and descendants, there will naturally be no more family-style missionary work," Zhong Yao said with a hint of coldness.

"The way to make these people without wives shouldn't be to make them become monks, castrate them, or execute them. Instead, it should be to make the women who should have become their wives in the future abandon them consciously, psychologically, and cognitively. That way, it won't be our problem anymore," Zhong Yao said with the sinister edge typical of intellectuals.

Upon hearing this, Chen Xi gasped. It was truly remarkable that Zhong Yao had managed to find a way to dig deep into the chaos.

“Our Han dynasty already has an advantage over the Ganges River, coupled with women’s innate admiration for strength. With the education I established and the carefully crafted ideological theories, we can educate the local women and arrange suitable jobs for them so that they can live independently. Then, we can subtly suppress the local men, leaving those Brahmanical men in a state of idleness and turning them into social outcasts.” Zhong Yao explained his operation in a low voice.

It sounds complicated, but it's actually very easy to do.

Just as Zhong Yao said, women are naturally drawn to strength, and the Han dynasty had an advantage. Moreover, through special operations, it was indeed possible to create a clear difference between the young and strong men of the Han dynasty and the local young and strong men. With better nutrition, more proper training, and the backing of their motherland, the radiant Han soldiers could completely overwhelm the locals.

I need a rest, I'm so sleepy.