is that so?
Isn't that true?
Anyone who is a scholar will understand this truth.
According to Kong Zhen’s understanding, rulers seize power through military violence, and then distribute power to others in a certain form to exercise it together. On the one hand, it reduces administrative pressure on the ruler, and on the other hand, it also aims to win over elites to recognize the ruler’s power.
Violence can shock people into submission for a while, but violence cannot be sustained for a long time and will eventually decline. If it relies solely on violence, it will take decades at most for the regime to fail.
Moreover, no matter how powerful the emperor is, he cannot control the entire world. Countless local landlords, large and small, are the actual grassroots rulers.
It is the right way to decentralize power through the examination or imperial examination, give the actual local rulers the recognition of their righteousness, and work together to oppress and exploit the people at the bottom, in order to achieve long-term peace and stability in the country.
Moreover, the so-called rule requires talents with sufficient knowledge and experience. Where do these talents come from?
Of course, from among the elite.
So Kong Zheng was silent for a while and said: "Of course it is like this. Warriors conquer the world and Confucian ministers rule the world. This has been true since ancient times. It has not changed. It has been like this in the past, it is like this now, and it will be like this in the future."
Zhou Guangyu nodded and then asked.
"If that's the case, then why does Su Yonglin let those stupid men and women set up some kind of peasant association and let them govern themselves? He is in power but does not act arrogantly. Instead, he has to teach those stupid men and women how to read. Also, I heard that We have many state and county officials here who are served by the Liberation Army’s own people, are they training their own officials?”
The more he asked, the more unkind his tone became, and the more he asked, the more tense the atmosphere in the inner hall became.
"this……"
Kong Zheng didn't know how to answer Zhou Guangyu's question for a while.
Because as far as he knew, the Liberation Army did consciously install some of its own people to govern the place.
Not to mention that the local farms, which the locals call "New Rural Areas", are directly managed by the Liberation Army. Many towns and villages also have peasant associations of the Liberation Army, which cannot be penetrated by needles or poured water.
Recently, many people have tried to seize some ownerless land and farms, but have achieved little success. Many of the ownerless lands have been built into new villages by the Liberation Army and occupied first. The speed and efficiency are so high that People clicked their tongues.
In addition, there are still some county magistrates who are also people from the Liberation Army. They seem to have no intention of further accepting scholars to join them.
Thinking more deeply, this matter is indeed not simple. Su Yonglin has great intentions and evil intentions.
But……
Kong Zheng soon realized that the key to the current problem was not here.
He took a deep breath and looked around at the jackals, tigers, leopards and pests present.
"You guys are here talking about this and that, what is wrong here and what is wrong there. In the end, do you still want to see General Su? Do you still want to see General Su? Do you still want to talk to him?"
This question stopped everyone.
Those who were still doubting Su Yonglin's bad intentions just now also stopped. One or two of them were dumbfounded, not knowing what to say.
After being silent for a while, Zhou Guangyu whispered: "Meet... Of course I still want to meet, but I don't know if you can convey our thoughts to General Su for us, and I don't know what General Su thinks of us. He will How you will treat me is also unknown, right?"
"snort!"
Kong Zheng said slightly angrily: "What you say is ridiculous. I doubt this and that, and don't think about the current situation. The hundreds of thousands of elites of the Liberation Army are no match for even the Emperor of Jin. The situation is already established. What's the point of conquering Zhongdu and proclaiming himself emperor in the future?" No?
When the time comes, are you two going to raise an army to confront General Su? A life and death battle with hundreds of thousands of Liberation Army? Don’t you want to surrender in front of General Su? "
Nonsense, who wants to face off on the battlefield with someone like Su Yonglin?
Isn't that seeking death?
As long as you can join him, why bother fighting?
Power is the source of wealth and status. Only by mastering power can we ensure the safety of our family and wealth. This is the truth.
Su Yonglin was king, hegemon, and emperor. Of course he was extremely honorable, but he would still arrange for officials to help him.
If they don't seize these positions and they are occupied by others, then they are just fish on the chopping board, just waiting to be chopped up and put into other people's mouths.
Kong Zheng thought of this and was very angry.
"Doubt this or that, and you don't want to think about whether you have the qualifications to doubt! You must know that the Hebei gentry suffered heavy casualties, but most of us Shandong people survived. If we can seize the opportunity in time, how much benefit will it have to us? "
Kong Zheng's words were not untrue, so the room full of smart people were ashamed.
Shi Yongyuan lowered his head and thought for a moment, then scolded himself in his heart.
Jiang Xingsi also lowered his head and thought for a while, scolding himself in his heart.
The change of ownership of the Central Plains is a foregone conclusion, and the Northern Expedition of the Liberation Army to overthrow Jin Ting and replace him is a high probability event. It is not impossible to command the entire Central Plains, Guanzhong, and Liaodong in the future.
Who are their opponents?
At this point, they had no other option but to cooperate with Su Yonglin.
Although there are still Jin forces in the Guanzhong area, cooperating with the Jin forces in the Guanzhong area is just seeking death. Unless they are out of their mind, no one will want to help the Jin counterattack the Central Plains.
Not to mention Xixia, they have no sense of existence or influence, they are just bumpkin from a remote area.
The last choice is the Southern Song Dynasty.
Southern Song Dynasty...
Think about the news that has been spreading throughout the Central Plains before. This whole person is a coward and has no responsibility. If he cooperates with them, he will be sold by them sooner or later in exchange for benefits. How can he join him?
There was no choice but Su Yonglin.
Only Su Yonglin has enough strength to protect their interests. Only Su Yonglin's army can protect them and allow them to continue to be masters without being wiped out by the troubled times.
Not to mention that beneath the crisis lies great opportunity.
Previously, many Hebei gentry were unwilling to go south. They did not trust Su Yonglin and only wanted to protect themselves. As a result, they were massacred by the Jin army who went south, with heavy casualties, while most of the Shandong gentry were spared.
In other words, if we can seize the opportunity and be the first to gain a foothold next to Su Yonglin, it will be a foregone conclusion that a large number of Shandong gentry will enter the decision-making level of the Liberation Army. In the future, most of the people in the court will be Shandong people. How many benefits can they reap?
The property is close to the water, first come first served. How could you let such a good opportunity pass?
Even if his Liberation Army can cultivate talents on its own, how many can it cultivate? How is the quality? How about the number of people?
Can it be compared with traditional Confucian scholars?
Therefore, after much deliberation, they could only hand over a name card and ask Kong to see Su Yonglin and convey their wishes to Su Yonglin.
Su Yonglin can negotiate whatever he wants, as long as he doesn't close the door to negotiations and force them to have no way out.
The so-called acquisition of civil and military skills belongs to the emperor's family. Compared to the emperor, they are the sellers and the emperor is the buyer. But now they have united their minds and realized that the current situation seems to be a seller's market, but in fact it is a buyer's market. The initiative lies in Su Yonglin's hands. superior.
All they can do is try their best to meet Su Yonglin's requirements in exchange for political status and benefits and maintain the family's survival.
As long as they have control over the power and the upward path of talents, they don't care who becomes the emperor.
No matter how wise and powerful Su Yonglin is to monopolize power, can he still guarantee that all his descendants will be wise and powerful to monopolize power?
So, with everyone's expectations on his back, Kong Zheng decided to request to see Su Yonglin again and have an interview with Su Yonglin.
They decided to lower their attitude and surrender to Su Yonglin. As long as he was willing to accept them into the Liberation Army system and keep things as usual, then everything would be easy to negotiate. It would be okay to give up some economic benefits and so on. The power should be for the sake of power.
Unless Su Yonglin is stubborn and refuses to accept them, and even treats them as enemies, then they must find a way out for themselves. They cannot just sit back and wait for death, and must find ways to get rid of Su Yonglin.
Although the Southern Song Dynasty was weak and incompetent, it was still a Han dynasty, so it might not be a bad option as a fallback...
So in addition to Kong Zheng coming forward to seek cooperation from Su Yonglin, there are also many smart people who have begun to look for a possible escape route for themselves.
