Chapter 253: Ambition of Unification
Su Chao, who was in charge of arranging the meeting with Su Ze, showed a bad expression on his face, and said to Su Ze:
"General, the people sent by the Wei family this time..."
"Lingchuo speaks frankly."
Su Cho looked at Su Ze's expression carefully. His lord was indeed eager to recruit talented people, and he trusted talented people very much and entrusted them with important tasks.
However, Su Ze's alienation from the powerful families could be felt by Su Chao, his junior fellow student.
Su Ze was dismissive of the Hanzhong Yang family, which had just been uprooted. Even though there were a few talented people among them, they were all exiled by Su Ze as military slaves. The entire Hanzhong Yang family was uprooted.
In this respect, he is very much like Cao Cao. He is eager to seek talented people, but as cold as the wind towards his enemies and always wipe them out completely.
The Su family and the Wei family are both prominent families near Chang'an, and they also intermarry with each other. Su Chao also doesn't understand why the Wei family would send a twelve-year-old boy to lead the team. Isn't this a humiliation to Su Ze?
Su Chao looked at Su Ze's expression and finally said:
"Although the young man sent by the Wei family is only twelve years old, he is known as a child prodigy in Chang'an."
Twelve years old?
Su Ze was a little unhappy. Wasn't the Wei family too perfunctory towards him?
Seeing Su Ze like this, Su Chao said:
"General, it's getting late today, so why don't we meet?"
Su Ze nodded and said:
"That's right, isn't it time for the twelve-year-old Hina to go to bed?"
Su Chao heard the dissatisfaction in Su Ze's tone, so he had to say:
"Otherwise, let Wei Xiaokuan go back and ask the Wei family to send someone important over."
Su Ze was about to go back, but after hearing the three words "Wei Xiaokuan", he suddenly turned around and said:
"Gan Luo was appointed prime minister at the age of twelve. This Wei family kid might really be precocious. Let's see him today."
Su Cho looked at Su Ze in confusion. He didn't understand why Su Ze suddenly changed his attitude, so he could only ask the clerk to arrange for Wei Xiaokuan to join the account.
Wei Xiaokuan.
Su Ze was already smiling from ear to ear.
The Supreme Pillar of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, the master of jade bi defense, and the number one contributor to the suppression of the rebellion of the Three Generals by the Sui Dynasty!
Since the Wei family sent Wei Xiaokuan here, Su Ze will definitely not let him go!
After a while, a boy dressed as mature as possible entered the tent under the guidance of a clerk.
Su Ze looked at Wei Xiaokuan, and Wei Xiaokuan also looked at Su Ze.
The ruler chooses his subjects, and the subjects also choose their ruler.
Su Ze selects his subordinates, and people like Wei Xiaokuan who have had great ambitions since childhood are also choosing the lord they will be loyal to.
These days, after Wei Xiaokuan came to Nanzheng, he was not busy paying a visit to Su Ze, but often interacted with the families of scholars from Guanxi to inquire about their "interview" situation.
The descendants of the Wei family still had some influence among the Guanxi gentry, and Wei Xiaokuan quickly collected intelligence.
This information disappointed the Wei family members who came with them.
Not many of the scholars from Guanxi were valued by Su Ze. Many scholars from Guanxi said that Su Ze was of military origin and looked down on the gentry.
Coincidentally, news came that the Yang family in Hanzhong had been uprooted, and Su Ze's reputation among the scholars became even worse.
Among the clan members who came with Wei Xiaokuan, the original leader was his uncle Wei Lun. At that time, Wei Lun had already backed out and wanted to lead the clan members away.
But Wei Xiaokuan persuaded him.
Wei Xiaokuan said:
"Many of the sons of noble families who came to Hanzhong were just filling in the numbers. The truly talented ones were the ones promoted by General Su. This shows that General Su has the ability to identify talented people."
"The Hanzhong Yang family colluded with the Southern Liang, and they deserved it. Aren't the other noble families in Liangzhou doing well under General Su? The Su brothers are from the Guanxi noble family, and they hold high positions in General Su's shogunate. Doesn't this also show that General Su is able to employ talented people?"
"I investigated near Nanzheng, and the people all praised General Su for his love for the people. There was no sign of a major battle in Liangzhou. If General Su was a rough man who knew how to employ military men, how could he manage the place so well?"
Wei Lun was still a little hesitant, and Wei Xiaokuan said:
"If my uncle is unwilling to step forward, I will go to see General Su."
This is the scene where Wei Xiaokuan meets Su Ze.
Su Chao stood aside, looking at Wei Xiaokuan carefully.
In fact, Wei Xiaokuan's reputation as a child prodigy only spread after Su Cho went to Luoyang.
Su Cho himself had never met Wei Xiaokuan, and he was well aware that the reputation of the so-called child prodigies among the gentry was largely a form of mutual flattery.
Su Ze looked at Wei Xiaokuan and said:
"I heard that the Wei family has a Qilin child. This general would like to test you."
Su Ze said something very fatherly, but no one present looked surprised. Su Ze was secretly happy in his heart, thinking that this was the advantage of traveling through time early!
Traveling through time already means you are of a higher generation!
Wei Xiaokuan remained calm and said to Su Ze:
"Please ask the question, General."
Su Cho, who was standing aside, felt relieved. Wei Xiaokuan's calm temperament alone was enough to make him qualified.
He couldn't help but sigh, is it really the time of troubled times that is approaching?
When troubled times are approaching, God will send down talented people without charge.
How could even a twelve-year-old boy be so extraordinary?
Su Ze asked:
"What are the places in the world that can be called 'capital'? Where is the heart of the world now?"
Su Chao frowned. Su Ze’s question seemed a bit “treasonous”?
Du means the capital city, the national capital. Is this an issue that you, a General Pingxi, can discuss?
But the world is in chaos now, so it doesn't matter if Su Ze just talks nonsense.
Su Cho looked at Wei Xiaokuan worriedly. This question was simple, but actually very difficult to answer.
Whether a city can become a capital is a very complex issue that depends on many factors, including history, military, politics, and economy.
There is no standard answer to this question, but the choices made by the founding monarchs of successive dynasties have determined the fate of the dynasty to a certain extent.
Su Chao was shocked. Could it be that Su Ze had already considered this matter?
Wei Xiaokuan also looked at Su Ze with some surprise. Are you sure this question is for a twelve-year-old boy?
However, Wei Xiaokuan does live up to his reputation as a child prodigy, but General Su, is it appropriate for you to ask this question?
Forget it, Wei Xiaokuan said with a determined heart:
"General, please listen to what the boy says."
"There are many cities in the world that can be used as capitals. Let's start with Luoyang, the current state of Wei."
"Luoyang is the old capital of the Eastern Han Dynasty. It controls Guanzhong in the west and Jinyang in the north. It governs the fertile land of Henan and controls the essence of Hedong. Emperor Xiaowen moved the capital to Luoyang, which led to the prosperity of our Great Wei today."
Su Ze nodded. With such knowledge, he already surpassed the Kansai samurai whom Su Ze interviewed a few days ago.
Wei Xiaokuan saw Su Ze smile and continued:
"In addition, there are three old capitals in the north."
"Tell me about it."
"One is Pingcheng, the place where our Great Wei rose to prominence."
"But Emperor Xiaowen's move of the capital to Luoyang has already shown that Pingcheng cannot be the capital."
Su Zekao asked:
"Why?"
Wei Xiaokuan said:
"Pingcheng is close to the northern border. As the capital, it needs a large number of troops to guard the northern border to ensure the peace of the capital. That's why the six towns were set up. But if the court invested too much in the north, it would not be able to suppress the Central Plains, not to mention that Emperor Xiaowen had the ambition to unify the world, so the capital was moved to Luoyang."
Su Ze nodded with satisfaction.
Wei Xiaokuan also vented his courage and continued, "There are two other cities in the north that are suitable as the capital, one of which is Chang'an."
"Chang'an, the heart of Guanzhong, is the foundation for Qin's conquest of the world. It was also the foundation for Han Gaozu Liu Bang to establish his rule over the world. If Qin and Han could control Guanzhong, they could control the world."
"Chang'an is well-protected on all four sides. The troops in Guanzhong can easily attack those outside the pass. When the battle is going badly, they can occupy the pass to rest and recuperate. They can attack or defend."
"There are no strong enemies in Guanzhong, unlike Luoyang which is a place of war on four sides."
Su Ze nodded with satisfaction and said:
"It is a great honor for the Wei family to have such insight!"
Su Chao was also very satisfied. It turned out that the Wei family's child prodigy was not just a hype.
"What about the other capital city?"
Wei Xiaokuan said:
"Yecheng."
"Ye City controls You and Ji, and is adjacent to Hedong. Cao Cao, the Emperor Wu of Wei, built Ye City with great efforts. It is the most important town in the northern border and can also be the capital."
Su Ze looked at Wei Xiaokuan with satisfaction. Luoyang, Chang'an, and Yecheng had all been the capitals of the Northern Zhou and Northern Qi dynasties in the historical timeline before Su Ze traveled through time.
Su Ze then asked:
"What about the South?"
Su Chao frowned. The problem with the old capital in the north was not so difficult, but the problem with the south was a bit difficult.
After three hundred years of division between the North and the South, many northern scholars could not even recognize all the cities in the South, let alone point out the important towns in the South.
But Wei Xiaokuan did not think this question was difficult, he said directly:
"Jiankang has a royal aura. It is an important town on the Yangtze River, controlling the Yangtze and Huai Rivers. It is the first capital city in the south."
"Jiangling is located upstream of Jiankang and is the most important region in the Southern Dynasty. It is connected to Henan in the north. Since the Eastern Jin Dynasty, many northern expeditions have been launched from Jiangling. This place can also be the capital."
"Chengdu in Yizhou is a remote place and cannot be the capital of a country. It can only be the capital of a king."
Su Ze looked at Wei Xiaokuan with satisfaction and laughed:
"Ling Chuo, this is the talent that this general wants!"
At this moment, Wei Xiaokuan suddenly said:
"The general is testing me, and I want to ask you some questions."
Su Chao looked at Wei Xiaokuan in surprise. Although Su Ze's tone was gentle, he had also killed many people. The Guanxi scholars before were so nervous that they couldn't speak when they saw Su Ze.
Wei Xiaokuan was so bold at the age of twelve. It is true that young people are to be feared.
Su Chao looked at Su Ze. His master really fell for it.
Su Ze said with satisfaction:
"Just ask."
Wei Xiaokuan said:
"General, what do you think is the most important thing in the capital of the world?"
Su Ze looked at Wei Xiaokuan, and Su Chao also looked at him. It was obvious that they were also curious about Su Ze's answer.
Su Ze thought for a moment and said:
“Simply put, the capital of a country lies not in the solidity of mountains and rivers, but in the hearts of the people.”
This answer was a bit tricky, and Wei Xiaokuan was a little disappointed, but Su Ze continued:
"There is no fortress that cannot be conquered, and no capital city that will never fall. If you think that a strong capital city can last forever, then Helian Bobo's Tongwan City would not have been razed to the ground."
This answer was quite profound, and Wei Xiaokuan nodded in satisfaction.
Su Ze said:
“And the most important thing for people is to have enough food to eat.”
"So the most important thing about this capital city is convenient transportation."
"The capital of a country must be a place with a dense population and developed commerce. The reason why the capital of the Eastern Han Dynasty was moved to Luoyang was because Guanzhong could not support so many people in the capital."
"If Chang'an and Yecheng are to continue to be the capital, a canal must be built so that grain from the north and south can be transported to the city through the canal."
Wei Xiaokuan's eyes lit up. This was an angle he had never thought of before, but it was extremely correct.
Su Ze said ambitiously:
"If the world is unified, no matter where the capital is, there must be a canal connecting the Yangtze River and the Yellow River. This capital will be able to control the north and the south and command the world!"
Wei Xiaokuan was frightened by the future scene described by Su Ze.
Connecting the Yangtze River and the Yellow River?
But if you think about it carefully, this seems to be the best choice after the unification of the world.
Wait, the world is unified?
Is this Su Ze’s ambition?
When he thought of this, Wei Xiaokuan's blood began to boil.
What a great ambition!
Since the Southern and Northern Dynasties, few people, whether in the north or the south, have shouted slogans for the unification of the world.
But great unification is the highest justice hidden in the hearts of all scholars. It is precisely because there is no way to achieve great unification that Confucianism has declined.
Su Chao looked at Su Ze. So this was his senior brother's ambition.
Su Ze said that great unification was not an act of usurpation. The generals of the Eastern Jin Dynasty's Northern Expedition also shouted for great unification, but few people would put forward such a grand slogan now.
Great unification can indeed unite some scholars, and Su Cho had to admit that this was a good political program.
However, everything has its pros and cons. Under this political program, it is equivalent to declaring war on Southern Liang.
But even Su Cho felt his blood boiling at the thought of being able to devote himself to such a career.
Sure enough, Wei Xiaokuan bowed to Su Ze and said:
"Lord."
Su Ze pulled Wei Xiaokuan up with satisfaction and said:
"From today on, you will be the secretary of my General's Mansion, responsible for organizing documents and assisting with the affairs of the General's Mansion."
The position of Jishi is not high, and it sounds like just a jack of all trades, but it is of great value, and in the court it is equivalent to a writer or proofreader.
On the one hand, the reporters are in contact with core affairs, which can quickly broaden their horizons and knowledge and allow them to come into contact with core people.
On the other hand, the secretary is closest to the core of power and can easily establish a personal relationship with Su Ze. Once promoted, he will be given priority in important positions.
Su Chao looked at Wei Xiaokuan. He had started out as Su Ze's secretary.
As a personal secretary to a senior leader, Wei Xiaokuan was being trained as a confidant.
Wei Xiaokuan didn't expect Su Ze to think so highly of him. At this time, he was a little at a loss and behaved like a twelve-year-old child.
Su Ze said:
"Among the people from the Jingzhao Wei Clan, there are really talented ones. Xiaokuan, please submit a list and Lingchuo will arrange positions according to their abilities."
"The rest of the people disappeared. We will go to Mianyang County tomorrow. Su Lao (a craftsman who works hard and wastes money) will arrive tomorrow. Ling Chuo and Xiao Kuan will follow me to see the project of repairing Chencang Road."
Su Ze opened the system and chose to summon the [Master Craftsman].
Only after opening up the Chencang Road was Su Ze able to enter Guanzhong.
Wei Xiaokuan's expression also changed slightly. If Su Ze wanted to extend his hand into Guanzhong, he would inevitably come into conflict with Xiao Baoyin.
Su Ze was so anxious that even the Su brothers couldn't understand.
Only Su Ze looked towards the north. Judging from various intelligence, he didn't have much time left.
(End of this chapter)