“Speaking of national governance, compared to Yan State’s established national policies, my Great Zhou’s national policies are more beneficial to the people. Yan State places imperial power first, while the Great Zhou places the people’s livelihood first. For example… after ascending the throne, I did not build an imperial mausoleum, saving that silver to build schools instead. Can Great Yan’s emperor do this?” Bai Qingyu’s voice was unpleasant, but every word rang powerfully. “Using you alone… to exchange for my Great Zhou’s vast mountains and rivers? The Ninth Prince thinks highly of himself.”
“I admit that Great Zhou’s new national policies place the people first! I admire the Bai family’s love for the people even more. But regarding building schools to let the people read books, my mother, Empress Ji, practiced this on a small scale and found it wasn’t necessarily a good thing! Shang Zi’s Five Techniques for Controlling People… the first is to keep the people ignorant. If numerous people all read sage books and develop their thoughts, how can they be controlled?”
“Laozi also said, ‘The ancients who were skilled in the Way did not use it to enlighten the people, but to keep them ignorant. The people are difficult to govern because they have too much knowledge. Therefore, using cleverness to govern the Kingdom is the Kingdom’s misfortune; not using cleverness to govern the Kingdom is the Kingdom’s blessing!'” Xiao Rongyan looked toward Bai Qingyan. “Whether it’s the Yan State or the Great Zhou, unifying the world is for world peace. But if the people learn too much, they will think more, and if we cannot unify the people’s thoughts… how can we unify the entire nation?”
“Take Great Zhou, for example. When Your Majesty ascended the throne this time, allowing women to study, take imperial examinations, and become officials, when such major events occurred, the first to gather at Wude Gate, preparing to remonstrate unto death, were those scholarly students! It was fortunate that A’Bao convinced those students, but if in the future, every time the nation implements new policies, must the reigning emperor explain to the students each time? Otherwise, they’ll resort to that death remonstrance routine. If this happens too often… what reputation will A’Bao leave in history?”
Xiao Rongyan’s profound gaze grew increasingly dark. He shook his head: “To control the people, one must keep them ignorant. After my mother’s practice, she once said that someday in the future, this world… will be one where everyone can read, but not now! The current world doesn’t need people to know too much. As long as they can have enough food and clothing without warfare, that is the emperor’s greatest care for the people.”
Bai Qingyan quietly watched Xiao Rongyan, not interrupting him, listening attentively.
This was also Bai Qingyu’s first time hearing these things about imperial statecraft. He admitted the Bai family indeed lacked experience in this area, so he was willing to listen to more of what Xiao Rongyan had to say.
“There must be scholarly people, because such a vast nation cannot lack capable scholars to help the emperor govern, but it absolutely cannot be that all people read sage books!”
Xiao Rongyan did not hide anything either. Political tactics and controlling people were compulsory subjects for Murong imperial family children in the past – all accumulated governing experience from generations of the Murong family. The Bai family had no such experience; relying solely on passionate mission of protecting and securing the people was far from enough.
“To say something offensive, how many in the Bai family army have read books? Precisely because there are many soldiers in the Bai family army who haven’t read books, they are relatively easy to control. Add to that… the Bai family army’s unwavering commitment unto death to protect and secure the people, plus the Bai family army’s military songs, plus the Bai family army generals’ determination to never retreat in protecting the people!”
Xiao Rongyan tapped his finger on the table: “These can be said… are all thoughts the Bai family instilled in the Bai family army, making them take protecting and securing the people as their responsibility, and take pride in this!”
After finishing, Xiao Rongyan seemed to feel this was inappropriate and cupped his hands toward Bai Qingyan and Bai Qingyu: “I don’t mean to say this was the Bai family’s deliberate intention. From what I’ve seen… I know the Bai family’s pure hearts, their love and protection of the people… they can sacrifice their lives and forget death for the people. The shock the Southern Border battle brought me, I still can’t forget!”
“What I mean is, the Bai family’s unconscious behavior is actually… also a type of imperial technique for controlling people and subjects.” Xiao Rongyan truly admired the Bai family in his heart.
The Bai family’s love for the people was purer than that of imperial families, and their purpose for wanting to unify the world was cleaner than that of imperial families. Just like… Bai Qingyan dared to stake both countries’ governance as a wager to determine victory; he did not dare.
Many of the Bai family’s actions that followed their hearts stumbled upon… using imperial techniques, even though their starting points were different, the methods were the same.
“But if A’Bao tells these things to scholarly people, how many can truly achieve what the Bai family army did? ‘Righteousness is often found among butchers, while betrayal often comes from scholars.’ It’s not good for people to read too many books!”
“Perhaps A’Bao would say that when Great Zhou’s Imperial Academy students caused trouble this time, A’Bao thought your appearance at the Imperial Academy to debate with the students could calm things down – was it because the students were reasonable from reading books?” Xiao Rongyan shook his head, his voice calm. “The reason it could be calmed, besides A’Bao’s attitude as an emperor showing respect for the virtuous and your character, was more because you set a goal for them – namely, world unification… You told them that establishing schools, even women’s schools, allowing both men and women to study, take examinations, and become officials, was to recruit more talent for world unification! Now, all of Great Zhou is working toward this goal! Everything else can give way.”
“But what about after world unification? When more people read books and have more thoughts… can the court still govern well? If it can’t govern well, then the meaning of world unification is lost. After more disputes arise… There will immediately be people like the Bai family with influence and military power causing unrest, which is impossible to guard against.”
“Caring about people’s livelihood is what every emperor should do – there’s nothing wrong with this!” Xiao Rongyan looked at Bai Qingyan. “But you cannot let the people become too strong. When the people are strong… the nation becomes weak! Yan State’s governing philosophy, developed through practice runs, is completely counter to A’Bao’s saying that ‘when people are strong, the nation is strong’!”
Xiao Rongyan said softly, “On the imperial path, A’Bao is still in the exploration stage. Perhaps it was because previously… too many books left by my mother were sent to you, and the unprecedented equality language in them… influenced you.”
Only after Xiao Rongyan finished speaking did Bai Qingyan slowly begin: “When I first read this passage from the ‘Dao De Jing,’ my thoughts were the same as the Great Yan Ninth Prince’s – that the technique of controlling people is the technique of keeping them ignorant. But… later, after repeatedly studying the entire ‘Dao De Jing’ and understanding the great righteousness in the sage’s heart, I privately believe… what the sage Laozi said – ‘The ancients who were skilled in the Way did not use it to enlighten the people, but to keep them ignorant. The people are difficult to govern because they have too much knowledge. Therefore, using cleverness to govern the Kingdom is the Kingdom’s misfortune, not using cleverness to govern the Kingdom is the Kingdom’s blessing’ – in this passage… this ‘ignorance’ refers to simplicity and sincerity, while ‘cleverness’ refers to scheming and deceptive tactics!”
Bai Qingyan’s eyes were clear as she looked at Xiao Rongyan: “The meaning is to say… rulers should not use schemes to govern, but should use simple, sincere methods that consider the people to govern the Kingdom – only this is the nation’s blessing! Only this aligns with Laozi’s advocacy of governing through non-action and teaching without words. In terms of political tactics, it pursues the principle that extremes lead to reversal. Bai Qingyan has been reading the ‘Laozi’ since childhood and still dares not put it down. When implementing new policies, every reading brings new insights, therefore… I dare not agree with what the Ninth Prince says.”