Mythical Three Kingdoms-Chapter 786 - 750: Yuan Shu’s Memory
When Fa Zheng arrived at Shouchun, Zhuge Jin was resting his head on the desk, while Zhou Yu, having completed the governance plan for Yuzhou, finally had time to accompany Little Qiao to play the zither, listen to music, and watch dances.
As for the Yuan Family elders, they were currently deluding themselves with dreams of taking Xuzhou and successfully laying the foundation for the Yuan Family’s hegemony. Naturally, such situations wouldn’t lack banquets and dances performed by maids in the halls. In short, the current state was one of excitement within the Yuan Family, convinced that victory was within reach as they held banquets to celebrate.
Still engulfed in the pain of losing his son, Yuan Shu had no interest in overseeing what the Yuan Family was doing. His heart had grown cold, and the once important hegemony no longer seemed as significant to him as it once did.
"Take this to eat," said Yuan Shu, once again offering a piece of rice cake to a beggar, his expression haggard.
Stretching out his blackened hand to take the rice cake from Yuan Shu, the beggar bowed in thanks before eagerly biting into it.
Standing off to the side, Yuan Shu no longer possessed his former opulence and self-satisfaction. The death of his only son had turned the once chubby and prosperous Yuan Shu into a thin and haggard man. His hair, formerly black, had gradually lost its luster, making him look somewhat like an old man. With his ambition gone, the thought of contending for the world had left him as well.
"Alas," Yuan Shu shook his head, leaving the beggar with Jii Ling and Yano Xiang behind. "Actually, leaving everything to others to manage is quite nice. At least, I couldn’t wander around like I do now in the past, nor could I see such scenes beneath the prosperity of Shouchun."
"My Lord..." Yano Xiang was about to explain immediately.
Yuan Shu waved his hand, "I’m not saying you’re wrong; it’s just that seeing this suddenly made me reflective. Our families trace back to the Xuanyuan Yellow Emperor, acting for the Son of Heaven, governing the Four Directions, and from then on, clans were born."
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Yano Xiang, not understanding, looked at Yuan Shu, unable to grasp why Yuan Shu was suddenly saying this and could only wait for what would follow. As for Jii Ling, Yuan Shu’s most loyal follower, he didn’t care about right or wrong; Yuan Shu’s choices were the path he followed without regret.
"We, the families, all descendants of Xuanyuan, were born to govern the Four Directions and educate the masses. Our family names shall coexist for eternity. Despite ups and downs, since the time we started to govern the Four Directions, with just a small piece of land, we have forged the civilization of Huaxia. This is the confidence that has allowed our families to endure for a thousand years!" At this moment, Yuan Shu’s demeanor almost revealed the pride accumulated by the noble families over a millennium.
"The so-called governance of the Four Directions and education of the masses mean enjoying the reverence of the people from a lofty status, not exploiting one’s own citizens with such despicable means. These scoundrels truly bring shame!" Yuan Shu roared in anger.
Yuan Shu could be said to have always lived in his own world. He valued loyalty and adhered to his own principles, guarding his own righteousness. In his view, it was natural for noble families to enjoy the worship of the people from their lofty positions!
In Yuan Shu’s mind, for thousands of years, the noble families had paved the way for Huaxia civilization with their blood through brambles and thorns. From the enfeoffed lords and nobles of the past to the current families, they had always played the role of pioneers. Moreover, in Yuan Shu’s mind, they were meant to continue this way.
This was also the reason Yuan Shu regarded the common people as ants. In his view, the taxes paid by the people were nothing compared to the responsibilities they had carried for hundreds of years. They had given more and therefore deserved more.
Yuan Shu’s responsibilities, in the eyes of this Idealist Faction member, were reflected in the current living conditions of the people, which he considered his success. Thus, he naturally enjoyed the offerings of the people, while previously, Yuan Shu did not interact with the lower classes.
If Yuan Shu had not relinquished the power in his hands, he might never have seen the living conditions of his subjects before his complete downfall and by the time he took notice, it may have been just a step away from the brink of extinction.
"These scum! Why should the glory of our noble family need to be shown through the exploitation of the common people?" At this moment, Yuan Shu’s eyes were incredibly cold. Everything he had learned from books clashed violently with what he was witnessing. Always adhering to the principle of governing by doing nothing, he felt nothing but boundless anger flooding his brain on seeing such a situation!
"Not touching the commoners, staying high above it all, and following only the most correct way of governance to let the people under my rule obtain everything on their own, was I wrong?" Yuan Shu murmured to himself.
Yuan Shu’s eyes were lost as he stared ahead, his anger giving way to self-reflection on his mistakes. The pride of his noble family made him disdain to vent his anger on the lower classes, and even more to understand the thoughts of commoners who were like ants. He was a high-ranking maintainer of the system, but now reality told him the system he was upholding had become twisted.
"Was I wrong?" Yuan Shu stood still, questioning himself, his eyes filled with confusion.
Upon careful reflection on all the decrees Yuan Shu had implemented, he realized he had never issued any decrees directly affecting the commoners, never raised taxes or increased labor services. Following the laws of the Great Han Dynasty, why then were there so many refugees under his rule? Didn’t their existence suggest that he has failed to act as the prefect of his dominion?
"I was not wrong." After a long while, Yuan Shu’s eyes gradually firmed up. "I have followed the laws established by the Great Han Dynasty without the slightest change. I am but maintaining everything. Those who have erred are the scum who shirked their noble family’s responsibilities. They are the ones who broke the rules!"
"Come, follow me to ask our family’s clan elder what they are doing. Have they forgotten the millennial responsibilities of our noble family? When did our noble family stoop to competing with the commoners for profits?" Yuan Shu said as he turned around to glance at Yano Xiang and Ji Ling.
Yuan Shu thought in simple terms. As a noble family acting for the Emperor, even if you were to rebel, your fundamental duty should not change. A noble family is a noble family; timeless and forever high above, treating the masses as ants. It’s not because of that lineage or surname, but because of the responsibilities they shoulder.
In ancient times, when the Emperor enfeoffed lords, it was our ancestors who cleared the wilderness and expanded the territory, establishing the legitimacy in the Central Plains; in the distant past, when the Hundred Schools of Thought contended, it was our forebears who forged the chapters of Huaxia Civilization. We take pride in the blood coursing through our veins, but we do not use lineage to define our status.
This is the noble family Yuan Shu remembers from his childhood, the standards shown by enfeoffed lords, nobles, scholar-officials, national people, and noble families striving forward that are described in all the books he has read from a young age to adulthood.
We view the common people as ants, but even ants have lives. They simply cannot bear such responsibilities. We carry these burdens, educate the ants, in hopes that one day they will bear these duties like us. Not through lineage as the thread of inheritance, but what we pass down generation to generation as the noble family is the civilization of Huaxia.
This is Yuan Shu’s naive ideal. The books he read reiterated the deeds of their ancestors and their significance to the people of the world.
Yuan Shu came to a reasonable enlightenment. The noble family should lead the world; the responsibilities we bear are just that. Our ancestors cleared the way through brambles, our predecessors expanded the territory, and our generation teaches and guides the masses in all directions!
We should be the pioneers for the people, the foundation on which we enjoy everything. And now everything — the noble family has fallen. (To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation tickets, monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to read.)
