Chapter 7090 Everyone Has Their Own Plans

Chapter 7090 Everyone Has Their Own Plans
Cookie was speechless after hearing the story about Jiaozhou. There was really no way to deal with this kind of thing, after all, it was the third century, not the thirtieth century.

"Speaking of which, how should this kind of thing be handled in principle?" Cookie pondered for a moment before asking, after all, this matter was indeed quite serious.

“Although the governor’s actions were somewhat unethical, if we’re really going by the law, theft is the crime he’s being convicted of now, and the governor’s sentence might even be harsher,” Chen Xi said with a hint of helplessness. “After all, the guy who led the theft had an eleventh-rank noble title, which he used to take the blame. He was later punished with eighty strokes of the cane and exiled to Lingnan.”

Because he had worked under Yu Jin, and his first capture of Baloyeqi was a great achievement, even though he was a tomb robber, he deserved to be rewarded. He accumulated merits afterward, which could be considered a way to clear his name and start anew. He was now a person of high status with the eleventh rank. This time, his rank was canceled out, and he was also given eighty strokes of the cane. Considering the rather ridiculous exile and the long period of imprisonment, legally speaking, this was already a severe punishment.

"This is really..." Cookie couldn't really comment after hearing this. After all, it was just theft, not robbery. Even if it was a gang of thieves, according to Han law, without a noble title, the worst they could do was have their faces tattooed and then be forced to do hard labor.

Considering that he held a noble title and it was not embezzlement, according to the "Nine Chapters of Law" established by Xiao He, in the absence of embezzlement, as long as it was not the theft of the national seal, military tally, etc., and he held a noble title, the most severe punishment would be the cancellation of his title and the removal of his beard as a form of humiliation.

Considering that the Han Dynasty paid great attention to the style of beards, the humiliation of having one's beard pulled out was indeed quite severe. However, it was by no means a capital offense. If someone were to be executed for theft, it would only be for stealing official seals, national seals, military tallies, or embezzlement.

Of course, stealing more than ten catties of gold could also be punished with the death penalty, which is relatively suitable for this matter. The problem is that this crime cannot be applied to nobles. In fact, even if Man Chong were to judge this matter, the final result would not be any different; death would be impossible.

“So this matter is very difficult to judge.” Chen Xi shook his head. He had never thought that he would encounter such a situation that was impossible to judge. Of course, there was a fatal flaw in this matter. Before the theft of the Thunder Platform, no one had considered that this thing could be stolen.

Furthermore, since thunderclaps cannot be built in densely populated areas and are mostly located outside of villages, the attitude towards them was similar to that towards water power facilities; no one considered that the dams built in their own river channels could be stolen.

So before the theft of the thunderclap tower, people initially found it strange, but later they just regarded it as something like a water conservancy facility.

Of course, after the Thunderclap Platform was stolen, the veterans really did keep an eye on it. As for Jiaozhou, why wouldn't anyone be allowed to see it? Even the Farmer Emperor was very cautious when he wanted to take a look. There were only six Thunderclap Platforms, half of which were stolen. The fact that Qu Qi was allowed to see it really shows that Qu Qi's status is too special. If it were anyone else, would they be allowed to see our village's Thunderclap Platform? Damn, they must have discovered something. No way, let's sacrifice a villager and kill him!
"So, the Leiji Terrace I saw in Jiaozhou back then might have been stolen?" Qu Qi paused for a moment, unsure of what to say.

"Nonsense, of course! There were only six or seven in total, and you saw them all. Half of them were stolen. The fact that you could see them is purely because you're special. They were stolen goods, okay?" Chen Xi said irritably. Why are most of the Thunderclap Towers in the North not very well protected even now? At most, since the heavy snow in the winter of the eighth year of Yuanfeng, there have been people keeping watch from a distance. Because their Thunderclap Towers are legal, even if others see them, it doesn't matter. Besides, stealing these things isn't that easy.

Even when Mu Yuan led the team back then, they first kept watch and then waited for an opportunity. It still took a lot of effort to steal it from the coastal villages of Qingzhou and then take it by boat to go south to Jiaozhou. This thing weighs several hundred tons, so it's not that easy to steal.

Why was the person who stole the Old Tree Fortress killed? Aside from the miraculous opening of the box, it was because it was too far from the sea. Even if the timing was perfect, carrying something weighing hundreds of tons by land would be impossible, even for a dozen Supermen, once suppressed by the cloud.

To be honest, this thing is extremely difficult to steal. Not to mention how to take it away, just finding a suitable platform to steal it is a huge hassle.

Why are all three stolen mines located in coastal areas? To put it bluntly, even the gods in Jiaozhou wouldn't be confident that they could actually carry hundreds of tons of goods back to Jiaozhou by land.

"I see, at least I understand what's going on now." Cookie nodded silently, indicating that she understood.

“You’ve traveled around the North many times and seen quite a few Leijitai (a type of military fortification), but which one do you see as being as cautious as the ones in Jiaozhou?” Chen Xi sighed and said, “It’s just that this kind of behavior is really not good, but there really isn’t a good way to deal with it. Even I can’t step in and give a so-called correct result.”

In Chen Xi's view, many things should be handled according to the law if there is one. As for the theft of Lei Jitai, Chen Xi believes that it is simply a matter of pursuing legal responsibility. Although the punishment of eighty strokes of the cane and exile to Lingnan is somewhat ridiculous for a deity from Jiaozhou, and the fact that the governors of Qingzhou and Jizhou are arguing and unable to get Lei Jitai back is indeed a problem, this matter can only be left as it is for now.

After all, Shi Xie didn't say he wouldn't give it back; he just said he was investigating. According to Chen Xi's estimate, Shi Xie would need three to five years to thoroughly understand the cause and effect of this answer before returning Lei Jitai. From a procedural standpoint, there was indeed no problem with this. Even if Chang'an sent a supervisory team, unless they directly intervened and followed the rules, things could only be handled this way.

As for killing Mu Yuan, there's not much to say. Shi Xie tried to protect Mu Yuan as much as possible, since he didn't deserve to die. But if he was assassinated, then they from Jiaozhou wouldn't be so righteous. It was just theft, and I've already dealt with it severely, given the public outrage. I can't just execute him to appease you.

So just because you're officials, you can arbitrarily convict people on a whim? If that's the case, what's the point of these rules? Am I not an official anymore? Are the titles of nobility in Muyuan just paper?
These are all problems, so Chen Xi simply decided to ignore them and let them handle it themselves. After all, this is just theft, not robbery. The last time Zhang Yong located them, if the group from Jiaozhou hadn't decisively abandoned Lei Jitai and fled, but instead chose to stay and fight Zhang Yong and his group, then they could have been charged with robbery, and the maximum penalty would have been dismemberment.

The problem is that the guys from Jiaozhou who did this aren't idiots. Theft is nothing to them at their level. What are titles for? Even if they get the maximum punishment, Mu Yuan will take the blame, meaning their titles will offset it. They won't face any consequences when they return to Jiaozhou. In fact, it will be something they can brag about when they're old. It's like when two villages are fighting over water, someone kills the other side. In their own village, that's something to boast about.

But if they were blocked and a fight broke out, as long as they dared to fight back, they would be charged with robbery. And to be charged with robbery, all their titles combined wouldn't be enough. So after realizing they were being targeted, Mu Yuan decisively led his brothers to abandon the fourth Lei Jitai and ran away as fast as they could.

Yu Mang and the others caught up and saw the Lei Jitai lying intact by the roadside. Although they wanted to pursue the other party, they knew what was more important, so they moved the Lei Jitai back first, and then reported it to the authorities. The matter quickly escalated to the point that the governors of Qingzhou and Jizhou personally intervened.

To be fair, this is also why before the 21st century, thieves would not fight back if they were caught stealing and slapped. Fighting back would be considered robbery, while as long as they did not fight back, it was not burglary, and the amount involved was huge, the sentence would not exceed ten years, and they could even reach a settlement. But if they fought back, it would be robbery, which could easily lead to ten years in prison or even the death penalty.

It's obvious that this group stole, not robbed, so the maximum sentencing for this case is at the current level. The only problem is the stolen goods. Well, let's not even talk about the third century; even in the 21st century, a case like this would probably take about two years to be served. Shi Xie said it would take four or five years for him. To be honest, that's about it.

After listening to Chen Xi's explanation, Qu Qi finally gained a proper understanding of the matter. This wasn't just about the governors of the North and South vying for the power of the Kuaiji Wang family; there were some grudges involved. Putting aside everything else, the three Lei Jitai who needed to serve for five years were no simple matter.

"So, this time when this group of people are having a small meeting, we might have to go through all these things again. If I don't agree, are you not going to tell me anything?" Cookie asked Chen Xi, looking a little tired.

"Nonsense, you're not even attending the meeting, what's the point of telling you all this? To listen to it as a joke? To give you material? You don't write novels, what jokes or material do you need?" Chen Xi said irritably. "Now that you've heard the story, you should have a general understanding of the whole matter."

"It's passable, I guess." Cookie nodded upon hearing this, then suddenly asked, "Whom do you think I should side with in this matter?"

"It doesn't matter. Just handle it according to the law. Why should we bring such a small matter to the table?" Chen Xi waved his hand and said, "You just need to keep those people in check and prevent them from fighting. In the end, we will definitely reach a result that no one is satisfied with, but that everyone can accept."

There's no point in arguing about the theft of Leijitai anymore; it's a fait accompli and can't be changed. These people might try to argue about it, but that's just a tool for negotiation. In the current situation, it's absolutely impossible for Xun Yan, the acting governor of Jizhou, and Bing Yuan, the governor of Qingzhou, to get Leijitai back from Shi Xie.

"That's true. Haven't you thought about other ways to build Leiji Terraces? Didn't they say that there are a few veterans in Jiaozhou who built Leiji Terraces on their own without relying on the Wang family of Kuaiji? What methods did they use?" Qu Qi asked curiously. Given the situation, of course, even a small amount of money is still money. If they could build three Leiji Terraces, that would appease a lot of people, right?

"Tang Tang understands celestial phenomena and geomancy, and has a modular lightning-attracting device purchased from the Prince of Kuaiji. All that's left is to test it during thunderstorms," ​​Chen Xi replied calmly.

"Wait, didn't the last person who did this get killed?" Cookie gasped. Wasn't this playing with fire?
"Tang Tang has a very deep-developed talent called atmospheric deflection, which can deflect lightning and at least avoid direct lightning strikes. So after taking dozens of hits, he repaired it and further enhanced his elite talent." Chen Xi said with great admiration. He was also curious about how those guys in Jiaozhou repaired the lightning platform, so he asked Liu Bei about it.

Well, a lightning rod isn't like a lightning conductor that attracts lightning and directs it to the ground. The logic behind it is to artificially create a potential difference, then guide the atmosphere to discharge, forming a super lightning strike that breaks down the atmosphere, forcibly producing nitric oxide, which is then oxidized by oxygen to form nitrogen dioxide.

Manufacturing fertilizer using high-temperature and high-pressure catalysts is difficult to achieve in the current Han Dynasty. Large-scale hydrogen production alone is a challenge, not to mention catalysts and large-scale equipment. Therefore, the only route Chen Xi can take is to create a potential difference using a thunderclap platform to guide atmospheric discharge and directly synthesize nitrogen fertilizer.

After all, compared to the high-temperature and high-pressure equipment that can only be stably manufactured by relying on the separation of internal gas, Leijitai is at least an automatic fertilizer production device.

In other words, the logic of this thing is actually that the geomagnetic disturbance creates a potential difference, which is then gradually accumulated and released, rather than relying on the weather or anything like that. Chen Xi also felt that this thing made by the Wang family of Kuaiji was somewhat outrageous, but it was indeed usable. The only difficulty was that the core module, which was the thing that disturbed the geomagnetic field to create a potential difference, had to be handmade.

This thing is the key to everything. Theoretically, if it exists, it will definitely discharge over time if left there. However, for efficient utilization, it must be combined with terrain, celestial phenomena, climate, topography, and the amplifying device of the lightning rod.

Conversely, if someone is always immune to being struck by lightning, and he keeps experimenting with this geomagnetic disturbance device, he will eventually be able to create a lightning strike platform.

But theoretically, there is no such person, because if you carry this thing for a long time, it might attract super lightning, which is something that releases trillions of watts in an instant. Let alone veterans, even normal internal energy cannot withstand such a thing.

Tang Tang was an extremely lucky guy. In a short enough time, he only suffered a few dozen not-so-big lightning strikes, the kind that could only produce a hundred or two hundred catties of nitrogen fertilizer at a time, and managed to piece together a suitable structure. As for the previous guy who was struck and killed while building the lightning tower, that one lightning strike produced several tons of nitrogen fertilizer!

Honestly, even Sun Liang would have been reduced to ashes by that lightning strike!
"Atmospheric deflection is that useful?" Cookie asked in surprise. Wasn't this a useless talent? Although many uses were developed later, making it somewhat more usable, it was still weak.

"Is that a matter of talent?" Chen Xi said irritably. "That's a matter of the person. The atmospheric deflection in Tangtang probably only has this name. I've seen it twice and I think it's a light energy shield."

“That’s true. Some people use a talent called that, but it might not actually be that talent.” Cookie nodded, and could roughly understand what a light energy shield was.

“The other is to rely on the illusionary soldiers to try and fail endlessly, but the problem is that the illusionary soldiers need to reach the level of being able to carry heavy objects, and there are only a few veteran soldiers of the Han Dynasty.” Chen Xi sighed and said, “If the coating problem can really be solved in the future, the number will be several times greater. I have included this option in my list of candidates, but as it stands, it has no reference value at present.”

"And the last one?" Cookie asked curiously.

"It's that guy you know who got struck by super lightning." Chen Xi said helplessly. A captain with a salary of two thousand shi (a unit of grain) was struck by lightning and died while repairing this thing. What could Chen Xi say? But it was normal. Super lightning works like that.

"This thing is extremely dangerous. Right now, without relying on skill, relying solely on luck, you can only break through the barrier. Even if your internal energy leaves your body, you might not be able to withstand the super lightning," Chen Xi said with a hint of exasperation.

The problem is that it's perfectly normal for someone like Po Jie, who's considered superior, to help a few of his fellow villagers. Chen Xi really doesn't expect him to go to such lengths for others. Does he really think this is a utopian society? Are their moral standards really that high?

"So we can only wait until the Wang family of Kuaiji has perfected the basic theory, right?" Qu Qi nodded, indicating that she understood.

“Yes, for now we can only wait for the Kuaiji Wang family to perfect the basic theory. There are basically no other good solutions.” Chen Xi sighed. “Anyway, I don’t like to let veterans use their talents recklessly. It’s fine if there’s no danger, but it’s better to avoid something like this where a mistake could really kill them. It’s not like we’re really starving and have to do this.”

"Alright, I'll bring the two survivors along too, just for good luck. Tang Tang and Wu Man should be in Chang'an now, right?" Qu Qi asked Chen Xi.

"They're all here." Chen Xi nodded, indicating that it wasn't a problem for Qu Qi to bring the two of them to watch the two thousand stones arguing. "If needed, I'll arrange for the two of them to temporarily protect you."

"It's okay, just give me the address, I'll go there myself." Cookie waved her hand and refused, thinking it was better to do it herself.

"Master, a guest has come to visit with a visiting card from the Chen family of Yingchuan." Just as Chen Xi and Qu Qi were chatting idly, the gatekeeper brought in a visiting card. Upon hearing this, Chen Xi raised an eyebrow, looked at Qu Qi with a half-smile, and then reached out to take the visiting card.

"What's the use of looking at me? Do I need a business card to enter your house? I get into Shanglin Garden, no, I get into Weiyang Palace just by looking at me." Qu Qi felt Chen Xi's gaze and said with a mocking expression.

This isn't an exaggeration. While business cards may seem prestigious, at the highest level, they're unnecessary. Why bother with business cards? If Qu Qi were to visit someone with a business card, the recipient would probably have to consider whether Cang Hou needs him to risk his life for something.

"I didn't say anything, I just glanced at you a couple of times, don't be so sensitive." Chen Xi smiled as she opened the business card, casually saying as she looked at it. Then, looking at the name inside, she felt a little strange. Why would this person come to visit her?

"What's with that expression?" Qu Qi reached out, and Chen Xi didn't mind, handing Yan Fotiao's visiting card to Qu Qi. Normally, this kind of thing shouldn't be shown to outsiders, but Qu Qi's status is there, so there's no harm in letting him see it.

"Yan Fo Diao, huh?" Qu Qi smacked her lips twice. "Are you planning to meet him? Or..."

"What? You're interested?" Chen Xi had originally planned to meet him at another time. He was chatting with Qu Qi and it wasn't convenient to meet Yan Fotiao at this time. After all, Yan Fotiao was now carrying the name card of the Yingchuan Chen family, so he should at least save some face for him.

To reiterate, the Chen family had indeed expended a lot of emotions, but Chen Xi was still somewhat saddened when Chen Shang left. Even though he knew that the other party was deliberately targeting his weaknesses, Chen Shang had helped him a lot and tried his best to follow his heart. Even though Chen Xi knew that this was an investment by the Yingchuan Chen family, people are still made of flesh and blood, and Chen Xi really couldn't harden his heart.

If we're really going to talk about it, the matter with Lu Su only truly had hope of ending when Chen Shang died. Sima Jun and Chen Xi used to address each other as "uncle," but Chen Xi didn't even go to mourn them.

However, after Chen Shang's death, Chen Xi and the Yingchuan Chen family became much more distant. The only connection they have now is probably with Chen Tai, the future head of the Yingchuan Chen family. As for the current and former members, that's all that matters. The feeling of being a family that was once inseparable is gone.

“Yes, I’ve heard of this person. When I first heard about him, I thought he was a fraud. But when I actually met him, I realized that what he did was indeed trying his best to soothe the soul, calm resentment, and eliminate greed, anger, and ignorance. As for his later actions of choosing to establish a Buddhist kingdom, well, it’s probably because he realized that there are other righteous paths.” Cookie said with a somewhat complicated expression.

"You seem to really admire him, so I'll meet him here. You don't mind, do you?" Chen Xi glanced at Qu Qi, somewhat surprised. Qu Qi actually spoke highly of this guy. Chen Xi himself had never met Yan Fotiao, but since Yan Fotiao was involved with Xun Shuang, Chen Ji, and others, Chen Xi trusted his abilities, but not so much his social class!
There was nothing Chen Xi could do; he simply couldn't trust aristocratic families.

"Yes, he's very pure. He knows exactly what he's doing and is willing to pay the price for his actions. Most people can reach this level at some point, and might even regret it afterward, but he's different. He's always maintained this state," Cookie said with a hint of admiration. "I once asked him what his purpose was."

Chen Xi took back the business card, instructed the gatekeeper to fetch Yan Fo, and then asked with curiosity, "What is his purpose? To save people? After all, he is a Buddhist, so it's normal."

“No, he said he couldn’t save people, he was just trying to calm the resentment that ordinary people feel in this world, and he told me that the best way to calm the resentment of ordinary people is a bowl of meat porridge. Hmm, that was nine years ago when I first met him.” Qu Qi said with a hint of reminiscence. Chen Xi was stunned for a moment after hearing this, and then slowly nodded. If that was the case, then he should indeed meet Yan Fotiao.

While Quqi and Chen Xi were talking, Yan Fodiao, dressed in a dark robe and who did not look like a monk at all, strode over. Although he was over sixty years old, in Chen Xi's eyes, he exuded a very strong vitality.

"Yan Futiao of Kuaiji greets Marquis Chen and Marquis Cang." Guided by the gatekeeper, Yan Futiao stepped into the main hall, saw Chen Xi and Qu Qi, took a few steps forward, and bowed to the two of them.

"Sit down." Chen Xi nodded with a smile, and Qu Qi pointed to a seat near the two of them for Yan Fotiao to sit down.

"If I remember correctly, you should be a monk. Why did you refer to yourself as the Yan family of Kuaiji instead of a monk when you met me and Han Mou?" Chen Xi asked with some curiosity after Yan Fotiao took his seat, while Qu Qi smiled faintly.

"I left this world only to see things more clearly," Yan Fodiao said, neither humble nor arrogant.

"Did you see it clearly?" Chen Xi asked very seriously. This serious expression was enough to put invisible pressure on most people facing Chen Xi, but Yan Fodiao seemed not to feel this pressure at all, and his expression remained unchanged.

"No, so I've returned to the world," Yan Fodiao said truthfully.

“This isn’t a matter of wavering faith in Buddhism. How can someone go out and then come back?” Chen Xi chased after Yan Fodiao and started hitting him. Although Qu Qi’s words had made Chen Xi somewhat agree with Yan Fodiao, he still had to give it a try!
“Buddha is not a god or immortal, but an enlightened being. Why would he care about being in or out of the world? He only cares about whether he is enlightened.” Yan Fodiao answered very frankly. He was not flustered at all in the face of Chen Xi’s questioning. He said what he meant, since there was nothing to hide.

"But you don't seem to have come to your senses now," Chen Xi asked with some doubt, feeling that Yan Fotiao was acting strangely.

“Because we have discovered that even without enlightenment, one can possess the true Dharma.” Yan Fudiao looked at Chen Xi and Qu Qi with a hint of admiration. “Eliminating the eight sufferings and comforting the soul is the true Dharma, but in the sea of ​​suffering in the world, freeing people from the constraints of food, clothing, shelter, and transportation is also the true Dharma. Moreover, this true Dharma can save even more people.”

Upon hearing this, Chen Xi looked Yan Fodiao up and down. This was not in line with Buddhism, but it was in line with Buddhist principles and the idea of ​​an enlightened being helping others. This was quite remarkable.

"Alright, you've passed my test. Although you came with a business card from the Yingchuan Chen family, this only gets you a few words. If you want anything else, you'll have to pass my test first," Chen Xi said seriously, withdrawing his probing gaze.

"I already knew about this before I came here," Yan Fo said calmly. Given Chen Ji's previous state of being unable to advance or retreat, and not even being able to see his own true self, why should he give face to the person Chen Xi introduced to him? He was only allowed to meet him because they were once considered family.

However, before Chen Xi could ask a question, Yan Fudiao continued, "I came here simply to see Marquis Chen. Having seen so much in the Ganges, it is indeed necessary to come and see Marquis Chen."

Upon hearing this, Chen Xi's expression turned serious, and Qu Qi also stopped eating sunflower seeds.

“After the New Year, the Kushans will likely launch a direct attack, and given the current state of the Ganges River, it seems impossible to stop them,” Yan Fotiao said to himself.

“I understand that too.” Chen Xi nodded. He hadn’t even thought he could win the battle after the New Year. If he couldn’t win, he would retreat. At worst, he could retreat back to Varanasi City, or if that didn’t work, he could retreat to Shilulin, or even retreat to Huashi City. No matter how powerful the Kushan Empire was, the Han Dynasty had enough strategic depth.

Anyway, we've already prepared our ultimate move. Once the verification is complete, we'll unleash our three million troops and get the results immediately. We don't care about winning or losing right now.

“Things might be worse than Chen Hou thinks.” Yan Fudiao wanted to tell Chen Xi what he had seen, but he couldn’t say it.

"So it could get even worse." Chen Xi paused for a moment, then sighed. "What do you think I should do in a situation like this?"

Chen Xi actually disliked discussing this issue because it had been discussed many times without any results. The simplest reason was that no one knew which of the people on the front lines were ambitious schemers and traitors, and which were loyal soldiers.

Since we can't replace them all, we'll just have to leave them like this.

Chen Xi was well aware that if he insisted on winning this battle, he could win by playing all his cards. But if he could win under these circumstances, it would confirm those people's judgment that no matter what they did, victory would come sooner or later.

If this kind of thinking is not eliminated, the Han Dynasty will only suffer greater losses in the end.

"Let's play our trump card and go all out first." Yan Fodiao looked at Chen Xi as if he had deduced what Chen Xi was hiding. "As for whether we will win or not, and whether we will be defeated because of arrogance, that's a matter for later. Every hurdle is difficult, but we'll overcome it one by one."

"I heard that you established the Yan family's Buddhist kingdom on the Ganges River." Chen Xi shook his head slightly, rejecting the suggestion. Liu Bei had already staked everything, and if he couldn't suppress it, there was no point in putting his cards up. It would be better to conduct a troop deployment test within the country and then quietly wait for the results.

Some things are just that—if you accept them. Even if you lose, it's not like the navy where losing means total annihilation. If the army loses, they can surrender. Since things have come to this, when Liu Bei marches south and takes Li You with him, there will naturally be a reckoning.

As for Chen Xi going along, he might win or he might lose, but regardless of the outcome, it would delay the decisive battle. For Chen Xi, the decisive battle was clearly more meaningful.

Yan Fodiao sighed inwardly, but upon hearing Chen Xi's words, he knew that the other party had made up his mind. This kind of person was different from Chen Ji, whom he had met recently; once he made up his mind, he wouldn't change it.

"It's not exactly a Buddhist kingdom. It's just using this ideology to gather the Kushan people's support. Many locals, after adapting to Brahmanism, can actually be converted to Buddhism, which is close to Brahmanism but has a different core. There is such a conversion process, and it is easier to accept Sinicization later. As for a Buddhist kingdom, without enlightened beings who have attained Buddhahood, how can a Buddhist kingdom be established?" Yan Fodiao said with some emotion. His Buddhism was just an ideology, an ideology that absorbed solace and self-enlightenment.

"Huh?" Cookie looked at Yan Futiao with some surprise upon hearing this. "Would it be easier to Sinicize if one were to become a Buddhist?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Xi's eyes flickered, but he had to admit that Yan Fotiao had indeed pointed out what he was most concerned about at this stage during this casual conversation.

More importantly, Yan Fudiao's statement is reasonable and has a basis for implementation. The absorption of Brahmanical followers by Shramanas and their subsequent conversion into Buddhists occurred in India between the second century BCE and the sixth century CE.

After converting to Buddhism, it is indeed easier to absorb Han civilization than Brahmanism. As for the issue of Buddhism being toxic, to be honest, compared to the toxicity of Brahmanism and its assimilative ability, the toxicity of Buddhism is really nothing. Moreover, the fact that Yan Fodiao is saying this in front of Chen Xi means that it can be optimized at the ideological level.

Even if some content cannot be changed, if necessary, Yan Fudiao, the current top figure in Buddhism, can personally intervene to subtly modify certain ideas.

When Yan Fudiao heard Quqi's question, he explained with a touch of pride, "It's not that it's easier to Sinicize by naturalizing as a Buddhist, but rather that Buddhist thought itself has already been Sinicized through my hands."

Why is there a huge branch of Buddhism, or even the main branch, called Han Buddhism? Because it is Buddhism, and Buddhist studies, but it is Sinicized. And Yan Fodiao, who is sitting in front of Chen Xi now, is at least a great master, if not the first person of Han Buddhism.

"Is Marquis Chen tempted?" Yan Fodiao asked Chen Xi.

"How could I not be tempted?" Chen Xi didn't refute, but nodded very practically. "I'm just curious if you can do it."

"Regardless of whether it can be done or whether it can reach the most perfect level, the existence of this system is more beneficial than harmful to the Han Dynasty," Yan Fo said calmly.

“I really feel that you are not like a monk at all. Monks should not be so calculating about benefits and drawbacks. This is not good.” Chen Xi spoke in a serious tone, but the fact that he said this meant that he had already agreed, but he did not give a definite answer.

"How many people can a monk save?" Yan Fodiao asked softly. "If one can save more people without becoming a monk, then why become a monk? The Buddha is in one's heart, not in the mountains."

“That’s true.” Chen Xi nodded. “I agree to this, but it must have a clear purpose and cannot be used to proselytize among the Han people.”

"Is the time when people are most devoted to Buddhism the time when they have the most hope? Shouldn't it be when they have no other means of support and can only turn to gods and Buddhas for help?" Yan Fodiao shook his head and said, clearly rejecting Chen Xi's suggestion. "When people actively seek help from gods and Buddhas, it is meaningless to stop them. Instead of trying to stop them, we should think about how to solve the difficulties they face in their lives."

Chen Xi raised an eyebrow. "If there are foolish men and women who have no difficulties, why would they create difficulties for themselves and give up all their wealth to believe in something?"

“Then it’s no longer about believing in such ideas, but about believing in a god in one’s heart.” Yan Fodiao shook his head and said, “Taoism and the Taoist religion, Buddhism and the Buddhist school, the former is an ideology, a state of mind, the latter, to put it more realistically, is called education. Lord Chen, besides the state, is it permissible to implement a second kind of education?”

"The general direction may be wrong, but if it doesn't affect others, doesn't spread malice, and doesn't violate public order and good morals, then we won't obstruct it too much." Chen Xi glanced at Yan Fotiao. He knew very well what the other party was talking about, and he understood that this was just trying to sow discord, but he had to admit that Yan Fotiao was right.

Moralization and education are two different concepts. If education is an inspirational process centered on individual development, aiming to cultivate independent thinking and innovation, then moralization is a process of influence centered on certain norms, emphasizing the shaping of values ​​and the solidification of behavioral habits.

If the right to education is already so important, then the right to moral education is even more important.

After all, the former was just an academic clique, while the latter was an organization.

It's clear that Yan Fodiao's question was aimed at Chen Xi: From a nation's perspective, would you really allow an organization with differing ideologies that poses a threat to the current organization to be established?

What a joke! Touching the right to education is still within reasonable limits, but the right to moral education? LOL! Are you tired of living and want to establish your own system?

“Many things should be attributed to the government. Only when the government is absent from the links that should belong to them will other organizations steal that part of the power. But this is not the problem of these organizations, but the problem of the government itself. In a stable system, power and responsibility are matched,” Yan Fodiao said.

"That's true. It's rare that you can see things so clearly." Chen Xi no longer underestimated Yan Fotiao when he looked at him again. He was a top-notch figure, a powerful person who had his own understanding of how society worked and the power of the world, and who had already acquired a portion of that power.

"Lord Chen, there's no need for praise," Yan Fodiao said, shaking his head. He knew very well the purpose of his visit, and now that it had been achieved.

"Just telling the truth," Chen Xi said with a smile, and couldn't help but think of Chen Ji, his uncle, one of the top elites of the last era. It seemed that he was not as clear-headed as the man in front of him. Sure enough, interests move people's hearts, greed blinds their eyes, and it is not so easy to see their true nature.

After Yan Fudiao achieved his goal, he didn't stay long. He chatted with Chen Xi for a while, mentioning what he had seen and heard on the Ganges River, including Han Chinese, Brahmins, and Dalits, which gave Chen Xi a more detailed understanding of the real situation there.

“Yan Futiao is indeed a remarkable person. He knows what he is doing and how to do it. This kind of person can achieve great things no matter what he does.” Chen Xi said to Qu Qi after seeing Yan Futiao out of the main hall.

“I told you before,” Cookie said with a smile.

"I just didn't expect his beliefs and will to remain so steadfast," Chen Xi said with a touch of emotion. "Speaking of which, when I was talking to Yan Fu about the Ganges earlier, I noticed you seemed a bit distracted. Were you thinking about something?"

"I was just thinking about what you said before, that half-finished business. While you were chatting with Yan Futiao, I was also thinking about what you should do next," Qu Qi asked Chen Xi. "According to what you said before, if the people continue to choose their current lives, many of your methods will be impossible to implement, unless you are willing to take back your previous promises. But I don't think you are that kind of person!"

Chen Xi smiled upon hearing this. Over the years, besides accomplishing these great things, the most important thing he has done is to establish his own credibility. To this day, no one doubts Chen Xi's promises, even if some promises seem unreasonable. But as long as Chen Xi makes a promise, he will definitely keep it. Just like many aristocratic families believe that even if they don't trust themselves, they have to trust Chen Xi!
So, while Chen Xi and Yan Fo were chatting, Qu Qi pondered the real situation Chen Xi was facing. She felt a bit of a headache. If the opponent were someone else, Qu Qi was convinced that Chen Xi would definitely win. But Chen Xi's current opponent seemed to be himself.

"Have you seen the Third Five-Year Plan?" Chen Xi asked, raising an eyebrow at Qu Qi.

"Yes, I saw it." Cookie nodded. By now, all two thousand koku who attended the meeting had received their corresponding plans. How could Cookie not have seen it? Once the plan was completed, Cookie would have a copy made of it. Moreover, Cookie was also responsible for a part of the third five-year plan.

"What did you think after watching it?" Chen Xi asked in return.

“In the past, I might have called it grand, but now I’m used to your style, so this is just average. What problems did you solve before?” Cookie asked. It wasn’t that he hadn’t looked at it carefully, but rather that his focus was entirely on the part he was responsible for. Cookie had looked at the other parts, but fully understanding them wasn’t so easy.

"Well, it's good that you've seen it. There are actually three plans specifically designed to solve this problem." Chen Xi nodded.

"Three? I didn't see any of them. Oh, I guess the one about developing local small-scale industries counts as one. What about the other two?" Cookie asked after recalling for a moment, then reached out and grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds, peeling them while drinking tea.

"A pay raise and the destruction of the Kushan Empire, huh?" Chen Xi said irritably.

"No, does this count?" Cookie asked, taken aback.

“A pay rise means a boost to consumption,” Chen Xi sighed. Few in the upper echelons of this era could think of the benefits of a pay rise. The norm in feudal society was to squeeze the people so much that they had no money, and even after a year of hard work, it wasn’t enough to cover their expenses.

The thirty-six taels coin from the Qing Dynasty is a representative of this type.

The problem is that, according to the logic of production and consumption, consumption is a very important link. Money must circulate and recycle in order for the overall environment to prosper.

Therefore, when production starts to boom, the best solution is to make people have money and be able to afford these products. Moreover, the fact that locally produced goods can be purchased by local people is itself a manifestation of the dividends of the times and can bring more happiness.

The simplest way to absorb the excess production capacity is to make it affordable for ordinary people. With more money, people will naturally consume, which is why there is the option of raising wages.

"You can only spend money if you have money. How can you spend money if you don't have money?" Chen Xi said, pursing her lips.

"I don't quite understand what you're saying," Cookie said, a little annoyed. He could understand that you can only spend money if you have money, but he couldn't understand what it meant to force a raise, because that violated the basic logic of the feudal era's concept of personal restraint.

Even ordinary people, who were not nominally bound by direct personal ties with officials, were essentially still bound by layers of constraints within the feudal system.

Therefore, raising salaries for these people seems ridiculous to Qu Qi. It is only because of Chen Xi's long-standing reputation and economic self-verification that people like Qu Qi find it difficult to doubt Chen Xi's economic policies. Even if they have doubts, they mostly trust what Chen Zichuan says.

"I'll try this one first and see if it works," Chen Xi said, waving his hand. Although Chen Xi believed this method would definitely be effective, after all, the people of the Han Dynasty had indeed gained some courage to spend money after so many years of cultivation and stabilization. All that was left was to promote this behavior. However, he couldn't be too certain.

"Alright, you're in this field, so what you're saying must make sense." Cookie nodded, with an attitude that said, "Even though I don't understand it, I think you can definitely do it." "What about destroying the Kushan Empire?"

“Actually, there is a situation where we can directly draw upon local able-bodied men,” Chen Xi said slowly. Qu Qi was taken aback upon hearing this, and then nodded slowly.

It's unrealistic to expect people to voluntarily come to the factory during their free time, and forcing people to come to the factory goes against Chen Xi's own moral principles.

Even the idea of ​​recruiting people into the factory through corvée labor or forced labor does not align with anything Chen Xi had promised.

Looking around, Chen Xi's only remaining option was military service.

After all, the Han Dynasty used a conscription system, and military service was a mandatory system that was constantly implemented.

"So the rumor I heard about the three million manpower needed to destroy the Kushan Empire was actually just that your state-owned factories and mines were short three million manpower?" Cookie realized, looking at Chen Xi with a speechless expression.

"Who said that? I really am preparing to gather an army of three million to destroy the Kushans. I have even stockpiled weapons and equipment. Although I don't have enough bows, I have almost enough crossbows, and I have enough arrows too." Chen Xi said with dissatisfaction when he heard Qu Qi directly dismiss his plan to use an army of three million to destroy the Kushans as a rumor.

"No way, you really stockpiled enough supplies for three million troops?" Cookie looked at Chen Xi with a hint of sarcasm. "How did you manage to stockpile all that? That's ridiculous!"

Chen Xi chuckled twice upon hearing this, "Isn't it just supplies for three million troops? You've been to the Yellow River Water Power Forging Plant, and you know that as long as the steel supply from the Smelting Department is sufficient, crude plate armor is being produced day and night, and the steel supply is more than enough."

Australian iron ore is transported to Donglai for processing and then sent to the Yellow River Hydroelectric Forging Plant. Plate armor is then manufactured using stamping dies. While the quality of the plate armor produced in this way may not be the best, it is at least a standard piece, and due to the quality of the ore, it is actually quite strong.

Of course, it will need further refinement, but as I said before, even without refinement, this thing is still a pretty good suit of armor, at least the defense it provides is very realistic.

As for standard weapons, apart from the triangular rapier which is relatively troublesome, conventional knives, guns, halberds, and horse spears are relatively easy to make with the help of stamping devices and molds. As for sharpening, there are now water-powered grinding wheels. The abrasive used in early grinding wheels was whetstone, which was difficult to process. Later, with the availability of Siberian diamond mines, cement diamond grinding wheels were developed, which are extremely easy to use!
This thing has even replaced the old tools used by swordsmiths. It's sturdy, durable, and can be mass-produced, making it perfect for large-scale use. The only downside is that it's a bit heavy, but that's not a problem considering it doesn't require human effort.

"What about bows and arrows?" Cookie recalled for a moment and realized that plate armor and standard weapons were not really a problem for Chen Xi.

"As you know, the world's largest and best source of arrow feathers is in Montenegro. Hmm, that should be Tibet now," Chen Xi said after thinking for a moment.

"But there couldn't possibly be that many arrows, could there?" Cookie's heart skipped a beat. He realized that Chen Xi had started preparing for this many years ago.

“There are still over 100,000 horn bows.” Chen Xi said with a smile. When Qu Qi heard this, he thought that Chen Xi was at least normal for once, but what he said next made Qu Qi forget all about normalcy. “But later I felt that the manufacturing cost of bows, especially composite bows like horn bows, is actually much higher than that of ordinary crossbows. Moreover, learning and using bows and arrows is more troublesome, so I had someone produce a simplified three-arrow crossbow.”

The cost and manufacturing time of compound bows have always been extremely high, while crossbows, which do not pursue the ultimate performance, can be compressed to the limit in terms of both manufacturing time and cost by completely disassembling them and mass-producing parts.

Optimize any dozen or so parts that can be produced, and put them all on an assembly line. Then, group people can be assigned to a single position, and only need to be taught one step of the installation. Workers produced in this way are actually not very useful because they only know this one step. But only in this way can the problem of illiteracy be ignored.

In fact, the more rigid the job positions on the assembly line are, the more suitable they are for illiterate people to handle, because they only need to learn one thing, and it is just a simple step after being broken down. The disadvantage is that if they are eliminated, it is as if they have not learned anything.

"You..." Qu Qi looked at Chen Xi. At this moment, he felt that Chen Xi had been preparing for war since the moment he unified the country. Otherwise, it would have been impossible for him to keep collecting arrow shafts for so many years. Qu Qi had seen straighteners in many people's homes, so he didn't ask about the number of arrow shafts. He estimated that there should be no problem with hundreds of millions.

As for the arrowheads, those are things that can be stamped with molds. Cookie doesn't think that Chen Xi can't handle the arrowheads since he's already figured out the shafts.

The only real problem is the tail feathers. Even Chen Xi couldn't possibly prepare tail feathers for hundreds of millions of arrows. After all, these require goose feathers, eagle feathers, and the like. Even if Chen Xi raised millions of gray geese, or rather, gray geese, it wouldn't be enough to produce hundreds of millions of tail feathers.

Chen Xi himself realized this, and later abandoned the bow and arrow route and chose the crossbow route. To put it bluntly, Chen Xi also found that he could no longer produce that many tail feathers.

“We’ve been preparing for this day for a very, very long time,” Chen Xi said with a smile, as if he had guessed what Cookie was thinking. He wasn’t just saying it; he had really been preparing for this day for a very, very long time. “Now, almost all the pieces of the puzzle are in place, and the situation is much better than I imagined back then. The domestic situation is also much better than I estimated. The problem we need to face now has become how to transport these three million people to the Ganges without causing turmoil.”

This problem didn't exist before, because the Han Dynasty was in a state of continuous war and could not have achieved its current standard of living. The people would have been much more tolerant of turmoil than they are now. After all the pieces of the puzzle were put together, Chen Xi directly mobilized troops. As long as the southwest passage was repaired and there were no problems with the preparation of supplies, the three million-strong army could definitely move there.

However, the current situation is different. Society is generally stable and people are living and working in peace and contentment. Therefore, the tolerance for turmoil will drop significantly. When Chen Xi allocates resources and mobilizes troops, he must take into account the extent of the turmoil caused to the people. He may even have to devote energy to this aspect in order to maintain necessary stability.

After all, different experiences lead to different understandings.

This is also why Chen Xi still needs to conduct verification even though the Southwest Corridor is almost completed and there is no longer any obstacle to his troop deployment.

It should be noted that Chen Xi had actually finalized this matter eleven years ago. He had already considered it when building the Southwest Corridor, handling logistics and transportation, and setting up those material warehouses. It can only be said that plans can't keep up with changes.

However, Chen Xi also liked this change. If the country could maintain its overall prosperity, Chen Xi hoped it would continue. After all, it wasn't easy for ordinary people in the third century to have a good meal, and there was no need to take away their livelihood.

"If you've been preparing for this day for so long, then what?" Cookie suddenly realized something was amiss. Something Chen Xi had been preparing for for ten years, or even longer, now needed to be verified. What went wrong?
“There were some minor problems along the way, but these problems were actually for the better and were in line with my moral values. Besides, even if it added some difficulty, I don’t think I can’t complete it. Like those obstacles before, they were indeed troublesome, but so what?” Chen Xi said with a smile, exuding a strong sense of confidence.

"Okay, as expected of you." Cookie was silent for a moment after hearing this, then nodded. It has to be said that this is indeed Chen Xi's personality. What does difficulty matter? I like high difficulty. I like to give you guys things that you think are outrageous.

"After defeating the Kushans, these people will be directly assigned to the factories closest to their hometowns. This serves as both a demobilization arrangement and a way to eliminate any potential unrest," Chen Xi said frankly. "After all, this arrangement is an extra reward beyond what is reasonable for most of the new recruits who didn't have any merit and just went to participate in the war of national annihilation. Although not everyone may be willing to accept it, it's enough for a small number of them."

Forget it, I'm too lazy to divide it into chapters, so I'll just make one big chapter. If you've finished reading, please vote! I want all kinds of votes!