Chapter 274 Situation and People's Heart
"Do you really think that we should carry out reforms like Tian Chengshou did?" Pang Tong said.
Fa Zheng nodded: "With us, Li Jue and Guo Si, as well as the Xianbei and Qiang people keeping you at bay, you still have at least two or three years to develop safely. Besides, this doesn't even include Yizhou."
"With three years, at your rate of development, what development can you expect if you don't reform? If there are two more years of drought, that won't be worth mentioning."
Fa Zheng said bluntly.
In his eyes, the game of chess has basically been played out, it is just a matter of time before it ends.
Although he admired the spirit of Liu Bei, Yuan Shao and others who did what they knew was impossible, in his eyes, these things actually meant nothing.
As a descendant of Tian Qi and born in Liangzhou, he has a strong sense of identification with Tian Ze.
Even his lord Gongsun Zan was the same.
The Gongsun family in Youzhou lived a pretty good life under Tian Ze's care, and he also exchanged a lot of food and grass from Tian Ze. So where did his hostility towards his second brother Tian Ze come from?
The most crucial thing is that the strength of the two sides is too disparate, so disparate that even someone as arrogant as Gongsun Zan has to admit it.
After all, Tian Ze almost destroyed the Wuhuan and took back the Northeast Plain.
This was something that even Gongsun Zan was unable to do at the beginning.
Gongsun Zan's greatest pursuit in life is to fight against foreign races. As long as Tian Ze can support him, there is nothing wrong with him guarding the border like Lu Bu.
Of course, the two still have to fight to personally test each other's quality and to shut up the civil and military officials in power.
“But we can hold on only thanks to the support of the Jingzhou families. Even if we want to reform, it is not easy.” Pang Tong couldn’t help but sigh.
How can they be sure to accomplish something that even Emperor Guangwu did not dare to do in the past?
Apart from anything else, aren't he, Chen Qun and others all members of aristocratic families? Most of the civil and military officials under the lord are from aristocratic families, how can he get rid of them?
"Given your situation, it is definitely unrealistic and impractical to copy Tian Chengshou's method. But you can definitely be more flexible. With your ability, Pang Shiyuan, it shouldn't be difficult to do this."
"The key is whether you want to do it and whether you dare to do it." Fa Zheng looked directly at the hesitant Pang Tong and said sternly.
"You are really talking without any concern. This knife can't cut you, the Legalists, so naturally your family won't have any objections." Pang Tong rolled his eyes.
Although the Fufeng Legalists had produced many great scholars and some were officials of high rank, they were born in Xiliang and could not develop their power. Their influence was indeed small and they could be considered a second-rate family at best.
Moreover, because of their common origin with the Tian family, nearly half of the clan members have now established a new branch under the rule of Tian Ze. Naturally, they do not care or worry about anything and are determined to support Gongsun Zan.
It is actually quite good to follow a lord like Gongsun Zan, who is good at fighting but not good at business, and is also loyal and kind-hearted, without any bad intentions. He is simply an excellent lord in the eyes of the Legalists.
What is poison to others may be honey to me.
The current situation in the world, with Tian Ze controlling the general situation, has caused people's minds to change, and the minds of many scholars from aristocratic families have already undergone subtle changes.
They no longer blindly pursued lords who might have a chance to defeat Tian Ze, but instead pursued lords who could maximize their abilities and were suitable for investment.
If nothing else, just look at Li Ru and you will know.
On the surface, he is Lu Bu's adviser, but in reality, there is no difference between him and the King of Yan.
It looks like the Prince of Yan and his advisers, but in fact it is the Prince of Yan and his General Who Conquers the Northern Expedition.
"Hey, hey, I'm just thinking about you. Don't you know how to appreciate my kindness?" Fa Zheng curled his lips.
"This matter is too serious. I have to go back and think about it, and then report to my lord." Pang Tong sighed.
He admitted that what Fa Zheng said made sense.
But this matter cannot be rushed. It is best to wait for other princes to take action first before they take action.
The rafters that stick out first will rot first. No matter who sticks out first, he will inevitably be hated and targeted by the aristocratic family.
Not everyone has as deep a foundation as Tian Ze, who can fight against the powerful families without losing.
"Tsk tsk, as expected, there are only a few people as courageous as Tian Chengshou. This is the gap between you two." Fa Zheng shook his head.
"That's better than you, a capitulator. You're thinking about what to do after losing before you even start fighting." Pang Tong retorted bluntly.
"What do you know? If there was a glimmer of hope, I would never have such an idea. Why don't you try to move Liu Xuande to Liangzhou? If you can make it work, I'll consider you a great man."
Pang Tong really couldn't say anything about this.
Everyone has different strengths. In Liangzhou, if other princes were to do the job, I'm afraid they might not be as good as Gongsun Zan.
This guy's personality and the White Horse Volunteers are too attractive and intimidating to the Qiang people. They are naturally suitable for fighting in Liangzhou. But the internal affairs and people's livelihood of Liangzhou...
The Eastern Han Dynasty court fought here for hundreds of years. Not to mention the internal affairs and people's livelihood, it was even worse than Bingzhou. There was no way to talk about development. It was considered a competent job if it could reduce the number of people starving to death.
"What you are worried about is nothing more than the boycott by the aristocratic families," said Fa Zheng.
"Not only you, but Yuan Benchu, Cao Mengde, and Sun Bofu should all be worried about this problem."
"But what if you all act together? Who will those noble families turn to? Liu Yan? Yuan Shu?" Fa Zheng said disdainfully.
"The noble families in Yizhou are all conservative and are very resistant to foreign noble families. The Dongzhou faction brought by Liu Yan is already lively enough. If other noble families dare to get involved, Yizhou will immediately riot."
"Not to mention Yuan Shu, he is just a pile of dry bones in a tomb, he won't live for more than two years."
"It would be great if it were really as you said, but I'm afraid Yuan Shao, Cao Cao and others may have ulterior motives." Pang Tong sighed.
These princes seemed to be united against Tian Ze, but in fact they all had their own calculations, and the chain of suspicion had never stopped.
Reform is one way, but once others reform, not reforming will also become a way.
As long as one person does not initiate reform, the other families will inevitably pour in, and then quickly expand their power, becoming the only dominant family and uncontrollable.
"You can seek help from outside forces." Fa Zheng had an inexplicable smile on his face.
"Where did this external force come from..." Pang Tong muttered to himself, and suddenly he was stunned and looked straight at Fa Zheng.
"You mean?"
Fa Zheng nodded.
"Tian Chengshou."
"He also wants you to reform because that's the path you're going to have to take sooner or later."
"Li Wenyou is already one step ahead. Although you have a deeper foundation than him, if you keep dragging it out like this, I'm afraid you will be left behind in the future."
"Isn't Tian Chengshou afraid of aiding the enemy?" Pang Tong asked again.
"In Tian Chengshou's eyes, you and I have never been real enemies." Fa Zheng said.
"Besides, hasn't Tian Chengshou done enough to 'aid the enemy'? Look at the current situation. Your so-called 'aiding the enemy' has almost made you lose your resolve to fight to the death."
"The more Tian Chengshou aids the enemy, the faster you will be defeated."
"The people of the world are now increasingly leaning towards Tian Chengshou." Fa Zheng sighed.
Thanks to his own talent and the convenience brought by his status as a member of the same clan as Tian Ze, he has a very thorough understanding of the situation and people's hearts.
(End of this chapter)
