Crimson Lotus (3)

"No monarch who desires a strong nation and a prosperous people will give up these things."

"The premise is that these things actually exist."

"And it really does achieve that production volume."

Han Fei knew very well that there's no such thing as a free lunch. Therefore, despite his attraction, his remaining rationality allowed him to restrain his desires. After a long silence, he finally shook his head with difficulty and refused, saying, "To be honest, the current Han Kingdom cannot afford these things, and I am not qualified to trade with you, Brother Ye... Although we have only known each other for a short time, based on my understanding of you, Brother Ye, you are not the kind of person who speaks nonsense. These things must exist... The feeling of entering a treasure mountain only to leave empty-handed is too unpleasant. Brother Ye, please stop tempting me, okay?"

"If you want it, I can give it to you."

"It's free."

"I don't want anything else either."

I admire you.

"I believe you are someone who can accomplish great things."

That's all.

Ye Qingcang added earnestly.

Han Fei's words were not a joke.

Even though his tone sounded like he was joking.

The so-called "don't try to tempt me" was nothing more than a random excuse to cover up his fluctuating emotions. He knew this, Han Fei knew he knew, and he also knew Han Fei knew he knew.

Therefore, he wasn't joking either.

There was no attempt to mislead anyone with a joking tone.

Instead, he spoke his mind.

After all, rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and taro were not particularly valuable to him. Furthermore, the Qin's Moon Star System had little to do with the historical Qin Dynasty, so he didn't need to worry that his actions would change history, nor did he need to worry that the existence of these things would affect his plans.

The world is full of all things, but they can be categorized into three types.

The first type is advantageous to oneself.

The second type is detrimental to oneself.

The third type is unrelated to oneself; it's neither advantageous nor disadvantageous. As long as one doesn't get involved, it will develop along its original trajectory.

Clearly, sending Han Fei high-yield crops such as rice, potatoes, and sweet potatoes falls into the third category, which is neither particularly advantageous nor disadvantageous.

Because these good things will ultimately end up in the hands of the victors.

Who's winning.

Whoever wins the hearts of the people will succeed.

Ordinary people never ask for much; they just need enough to eat, and that's it.

"It's a pity that Han Kingdom can't keep its past!"

"Food is unlike anything else."

"One problem is poor management."

"Other countries can get this stuff."

"By then, Han Kingdom will only be a few years ahead of other countries. If those powerful countries want to catch up, they can still spread this kind of thing nationwide even if they are ten or eight years behind."

"Take the Qin Kingdom for example."

"Take the Zhao Kingdom, for example."

"For example, the states of the Chu Kingdom and Qi Kingdom."

"The territory is too big... there's really nothing we can do about it."

"Once they get the grain seeds, they can gather enough for one acre of land in a year, and in two years they can harvest sixteen bushels of new grain. If they then turn all sixteen bushels of new grain into grain seeds, in three years they can probably spread it to a city, and in four years they can probably spread it to a country. It's not impossible for it to spread throughout the world in five or six years... What can Han Kingdom do in five or six years?"

"Should we change the law?"

"Will there be a conscription period?"

"One more generation?"

Han Fei let out a long sigh.

This hits the nail on the head.

In addition, there was another hidden danger that he had thought of but was too embarrassed to say: his father was not a wise ruler. Even if he had such a good thing, he would feel that it was too hot to handle and that he could not keep it. At least, it was unlikely that he could guarantee that it would not be spread outside when it was widely promoted. Therefore, it would most likely be abandoned by his father, and even if it was promoted, it would most likely become a treasure for the enemy.

Then, cupping his hands in a gesture of respect, he smiled and said, "Besides, this favor is too heavy for me to accept... When I feel that our relationship has reached this point, when I am confident that I can keep these treasures, if you are still willing to hand them over to me, Brother Ye, I will naturally accept it gladly... But, not now."

"Even if he can keep it... to say something I shouldn't: if you really have something this good, it's best not to give it to him."

"As long as you can prove what you just said."

"Lower limit: 16 shi per mu."

"The maximum yield is 66 shi per mu."

"You are the New Sage of Agriculture!"

"In fact, the term 'new sage' is insufficient to describe your achievements. Your status may even surpass most of the founders of the Hundred Schools of Thought, leaping to the level of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, comparable to them... because once these four kinds of grains you mentioned are produced, the people of all countries will no longer starve to death... If the rulers of all countries cooperate, the people of the world will not starve to death!"

"Shennong only tasted hundreds of herbs."

"It's impossible to feed everyone."

"To be honest, giving it to the Han Kingdom would be a complete waste of talent, as would the other six states, including Qin, Chu, and Qi."

"Su Qin was able to wear the seals of prime minister of six states."

"Where are you lacking?"

On the trailer, Startled Salamander, wearing Bamboo Hat, suddenly spoke.

They didn't care about Han Fei's feelings at all.

A fair analysis.

This made both Ye Qingcang and Han Fei laugh.

What are you laughing at?

"And you, Brother Ye?"

"Well... why don't you tell me first?"

"Alright."

After a brief exchange, Han Fei turned to look at Startled Salamander, whose face had unconsciously darkened. He first politely cupped his hands in greeting before saying, "Miss Startled Salamander, you're oversimplifying things. Actually, right now, the grain produced by the Seven Kingdoms Seven Kingdoms is basically enough to feed their populations. As long as there are no natural disasters, like droughts or floods, while it's a bit difficult to have enough to eat, it's still manageable to avoid hunger... But the reason the world is like this is rooted in human desires. When I have one shi (a unit of dry measure) of grain, I'll covet two shi, three shi, five shi, even a hundred shi, a thousand shi, ten thousand shi, ideally enough to ensure I can eat my fill without working for the rest of my life, and that my descendants can eat their fill without working for the rest of their lives... Therefore, most people don't have enough to eat because someone has taken away the food they deserve!"

"And so the law came into being."

"The law has only one purpose: to maintain fairness in the world."

"You get what you put in."

Ye Qingcang added from the side.

But the conversation quickly shifted.

His tone was full of sarcasm. "But conversely, there is no absolutely just law in the world, only a relatively just strongman... because in an absolutely just law, you get what you pay for, which is fine, but the definition of 'paying for' is very vague... Those who labor with their minds are governed, and those who labor with their bodies are governed. Mental labor is also considered labor, so how should we put it?"

"But there will always be one fool after another who steps forward."

"To restore the laws that have strayed from their course."

"We will do our best to fill any gaps in the law."

"Although... people like this usually don't end up well."

Han Fei turned back, his horsemanship superb. He smiled at Ye Qingcang beside him, thought for a moment, and promised, "I am that stubborn fool, at least in many people's eyes... So, if I can escape the fate of most fools and survive, I will dare to ask for the treasure you want to give me... Otherwise, if I die on the way, and these treasures fall into the hands of someone who doesn't know their value, wouldn't that be a waste?"

Startled Salamander silently pressed down the Bamboo Hat on her head.

She had just spoken, out of a sense of being a prisoner.

But since Ye Qingcang wouldn't listen to her advice...

Then it's up to you.

As for Han Fei...

It has nothing to do with her.

If you're being silly, you're even less likely to attract her attention.

However, Startled Salamander's silence did not mean that Ye Qingcang would also remain silent. In response to Han Fei's rational answer, he naturally gave a similarly rational reply, which could also be considered an agreement. "Alright, if you really win, even if it's just a partial victory, these things won't be wasted in your hands. At least you have the ability to make these things flourish."

"It's too far ahead to talk about these things now."

"The waters of Xinzheng run deep."

"It's extremely difficult for me, the unfavored Ninth Young Master, to rise to prominence."

Han Fei waved his hand.

I took a sip of wine.

At the same time, out of curiosity, she changed the subject and asked about Ye Qingcang: "By the way, Brother Ye, who is your friend? After we arrive in Xinzheng, would you mind introducing me to him?"

To be honest, Han Fei's personality is quite strange.

Because the sons of kings in this era valued composure.

Even if it's just feigned composure.

Whether it was Ying Zheng or Yan Dan, they were both people who seemed particularly stable. Even Han Fei's brothers were extremely stable and filial, though it was hard to tell if they were genuine.

The main theme is that once someone rises to power, their authority becomes unpredictable.

But Han Fei reminded Ye Qingcang of his dorm buddies from college—always joking around, never doing anything serious, and even when he tried to be serious, he'd quickly lose his composure. He'd drifted through four years in a daze, not knowing what he'd learned, until he entered the workforce and realized that over 95% of what he'd learned was useless. And then, usually at that point, his dorm buddies would drive over to hang out, telling him stories about their "chairman dad" or something similar—basically, all of them had connections.

In short, there's no need to worry about him turning his back on you.

But you can't expect him to lead you to do anything worthwhile.

That's obviously unrealistic.

Of course, this is just a feeling. Han Fei is different from those naive and foolish college students. Because Confucian School scholars in the pre-Qin period all knew the most basic Six Arts. Don't be fooled by Han Fei's Confucian robes. If it came down to a fight, he could easily take on an ordinary soldier.

In addition, Han Fei had the energy to travel and study.

I have seen the magnificent landscapes of China.

I have also witnessed the suffering of the world.

Just like when he passed through that village before, Han Fei did not choose to leave with the two lonely children, but instead left the grilled fish behind and rode his horse to catch up and continue towards Xinzheng.

It is not to say that Han Fei lacked benevolence.

Rather, it means he is very clear about something.

He can save these two children!

But he can't save all the children in the Han Kingdom!

As long as the war continues and Han Kingdom remains in its current state of disarray, no matter how many times it tries to save it, it will never be saved!

First, provide emergency aid.

To cure a disease, one must treat its root cause.

Han Fei's purpose in this trip is to address the root cause of the problem.

Rather than acting out of momentary goodwill.

Furthermore, if he were to bring these two children along, they could very well become his weakness and cost them their lives. After all, power struggles are not only accompanied by swords and shadows, but also by bloodshed. Countless people are destined to die because of this power struggle, and even Han Fei himself is gambling with his own life on this game.

For a moment of kindness.

Lower your chances of winning.

This could lead to a complete loss.

This is not the work of a wise person.

Therefore, Han Fei's experience and intelligence far surpassed those of those clear-headed but foolish college students. However, his occasionally eccentric personality was somewhat strange, and one could say it was quite out of step with the times.

Of course.

Ye Qingcang had also considered it.

It's possible that my own biases are too strong.

They attach great importance to this future Han Fei Feizi.

To think of this future Han Fei Feizi as too rigid and conservative is misguided.

It doesn't matter whether there's a filter or not.

He remained calm and composed.

That's the most important thing.

Therefore, he explained in a casual, conversational tone. "You might not believe it, but that's the truth... To this day, I don't know the friend I'm talking about. Our communication relies entirely on the Jade Seal Machine, and we use it for location tracking too... Just think of it as something that can travel very, very far, more than ten million miles, allowing both parties to communicate by phone and text... It's like exchanging letters, instant writing, sending, and receiving... Anyway, I came here purely because I don't know much about this place. Considering gathering resources and seeking a breakthrough, I'm willing to go anywhere. After weighing the options, I naturally chose to find a friend I've communicated with before. Even if she's doing poorly, she's still better off than me, a complete outsider. Do you understand what I mean?"

"Cough cough cough..."

On the trailer, Startled Salamander coughed softly.

What the heck?

Can we communicate by writing letters across thousands of miles?

Does this mean the other party can receive the letter immediately?

What, does the New Sage of Agriculture not want to be the one, but wants to try his luck as the leader of the Mohist School school or the Gongshu Family? By the way, this must be Mechanism Art, right?

No, buddy.

You have a very unclear understanding of your own position.

If you truly possess such ability, the emperors of the Seven Kingdoms would all kneel and beg you to be their guest.

He held grain and fodder in one hand.

He holds military power in one hand.

The ability to transmit messages instantly across millions of miles could completely transform the form of warfare!

This is something even a layman like her understands!

And yet, you're still here lamenting the scarcity of resources?

If you hold a treasure mountain in your hands and don't cash it in, who else will have trouble finding resources if not you?

However, compared to Startled Salamander's reaction, Han Fei's reaction was much stronger. He immediately spat out a mouthful of wine, casually wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and hurriedly confirmed, "Brother Ye, are you talking about the Jade Seal Machine?"

"Um?"

"You've seen it before?"

"Or have you heard about it?"

Ye Qingcang turned to look at Han Fei, slightly surprised.

At the same time, a possibility came to mind subconsciously.

His expression was strange.

With a rare hint of uncertainty, he confirmed, "Could the person holding the Jade Seal Machine be your sister, Princess Crimson Lotus? Considering your social connections, the only person who would know about this is a woman... It seems only your sister Hong Lian fits all these criteria..."