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Chapter 663: The Differences in Ruling Philosophies—Bàdào, Wángdào, and Réndào
🕑 Added 2024-10-01 05:22:43 +0000 UTCChen Xi's praise piqued Guo Jia's interest. With Chen Xi having taken the lead, Guo Jia also picked up the book and quickly read through its contents, immersing himself in thought. Soon enough, he comprehended the entire text.
"You've misunderstood," Guo Jia said as he handed the book back to Chen Xi.
"How is that possible? My comprehension isn’t that poor," Chen Xi retorted, glaring at Guo Jia in irritation.
"You misunderstood the concept of education in this book. For internal matters, your understanding is correct, but for external affairs, you're mistaken. The depth of Bàdào (ruling by force) described in this book is different from how you've interpreted it," Guo Jia said with a dismissive wave. This book was sent from Lü Bu’s side, so the person behind it was clearly with Lü Bu. The concept of Bàdào here isn’t just about beating the enemy into submission.
Chen Xi clearly didn’t grasp what Guo Jia was implying.
"Sometimes, your thoughts tend to drift," Guo Jia remarked with a roll of his eyes. "This book came from Lü Bu’s side, meaning the author is with him. Now, consider what Bàdào means to someone like Lü Bu when it comes to dealing with the barbarians."
In an instant, Chen Xi understood. Since the book was from Lü Bu’s camp, the idea of Bàdào referred to the actions of someone like Lü Bu or Gongsun Zan, both of whom belonged to the most extreme factions of the iron-blooded approach.
Realizing this, Chen Xi was stunned. For figures like Gongsun Zan and Lü Bu, dealing with the barbarians wasn’t just about fighting them—it was about cleansing entire areas of their presence. When the book spoke of Bàdào, Wángdào (benevolent rule), and Réndào (humane governance), it wasn’t talking about ruling or educating the survivors, because there wouldn’t be any left to rule.
"Exactly," Guo Jia said with a sly smile. "The idea is to leave nothing in their wake—true Bàdào is about ensuring that nothing remains standing, so that the survivors have no choice but to submit."
"This person truly understands the nature of the barbarians and knows how to educate them based on their nature," Guo Jia’s smile turned unsettling, making Chen Xi feel a chill deep in his bones.
"Education is about standardizing behavior from the body to the mind. If they can't be standardized, then let them die. Once enough of them are dead, the living will naturally conform. After all, they believe in the survival of the fittest. We set the rules, and they follow them—that is Wángdào," Guo Jia’s words were full of chilling logic, causing Chen Xi to feel an unsettling coldness within.
"Réndào? Under the blade, even a single breath is considered great mercy," Guo Jia stated, his voice taking on a calm, deliberate tone that left Chen Xi reeling. Could it really be interpreted this way? But somehow, it all made sense!
"Are you sure that’s what the author meant?" Chen Xi asked, feeling a sudden surge of respect for Guo Jia’s deep understanding.
"Absolutely. No matter what happens, Lü Bu’s return north will inevitably lead to conflict with the barbarians. And with Chen Gongtai's intelligence, he would surely know that the best way to stop killing is through killing. After all, once that banner is raised, there are only two outcomes—death or glory. It’s just the way things will play out," Guo Jia’s cold gaze swept over Chen Xi as he spoke.
Guo Jia’s words left Chen Xi speechless. Education, in this context, truly was about standardizing behavior, and it indeed needed to be tailored to the situation.
But this particular method of tailored education was something unprecedented in history, showing that the author of this book was no ordinary person.
"Zichuan, you’re too merciful. Sometimes, you hesitate over trivial matters. I don't believe you haven’t thought about how to deal with the barbarians, but your approach is too soft. For an unruly people, don't hold out hope. If you don't destroy them today, they’ll cause trouble tomorrow," Guo Jia said sternly, clearly dissatisfied with Chen Xi’s leniency.
Chen Xi smiled wryly. Although he harbored deep hatred for the barbarians, he couldn’t bring himself to order the extermination of millions of people. Not everyone had the mentality of Gongsun Zan, who could wipe out hundreds of thousands of barbarians without batting an eye.
Chen Xi favored a more measured approach—subdue them first, then reeducate and assimilate them, slowly absorbing them into Han culture over three generations, thus avoiding a bloodbath.
"Zichuan, the barbarians are capricious and untrustworthy. When the empire is strong, they bow and scrape; when it is weak, they become insolent. Surely you’ve noticed this by now," Guo Jia continued calmly. "Even when the Xiongnu became Han Xiongnu, they remained Xiongnu in essence."
"Han’s education had no effect on them. So why not try a different approach? Use their own methods to educate them—let the weak atone for their mistakes with their lives, while the strong will have the dignity to admit their wrongs!" Guo Jia’s words carried a chilling pragmatism that left no room for sentimentality.
"‘Reward virtue and punish vice.’ It’s acknowledged in both law and ritual that killing for one’s brothers, friends, or sovereign is justified. So when it comes to national and personal vengeance, the laws should be washed in blood," Guo Jia's voice dripped with cold indifference as he laid out his reasoning.
Chen Xi couldn’t argue. He suddenly realized that the problem lay not in the logic or the laws of the time, but in his own reluctance. He had misunderstood the legal and moral framework of this era.
"If they’re treacherous and untrustworthy, why bother educating them? Just kill them. Not every member of a race will be brave enough to face death. Keep killing, and eventually, they will submit. We have the strength—why waste our energy on anything else? They aren’t even our people," Guo Jia stated coldly, but realistically.
"I understand. After all, it's a matter of national and personal vengeance—it should be this way," Chen Xi sighed, realizing that his mindset was still out of sync with the times. Despite his growing understanding, he still couldn't be as indifferent to human life as Guo Jia or Jia Xu, even when it came to enemies.
"Zichuan, you need a new mindset—when it comes to foreign enemies, ‘better to kill a thousand by mistake than let one slip away.’ Sparing the people of the Central Plains is virtuous, but the barbarians deserve no such mercy. They must be eradicated," Guo Jia declared without hesitation, deeply dissatisfied with Chen Xi’s mercy.
"A single order from you could result in tens of thousands of deaths," Chen Xi sighed.
"But those tens of thousands of deaths could bring ten years of peace to our Han Empire," Guo Jia replied with a carefree smile. Why show mercy to enemies?
"I see now. It seems I’m not cut out for this," Chen Xi sighed, recognizing his limitations. He knew his strengths and weaknesses, and this was something he couldn’t do.
"Vote for me if you can. I’m close to being outvoted," he added, his tone turning light again.
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