Traveling through time and space to become a child, supporting the family by catching fish and shrim

Chen Lang was walking on the street, feeling very depressed.

Originally, returning home safely was a very happy thing, but the attitudes of Chang Anmin and Wang Yunzhang completely ruined Chen Lang's good mood.

No matter how you look at what these two adults said, it feels like they are just abandoning the donkey after it has served its purpose.

Could it be that I really have to run away and join the Red Lotus Sect?

"Brother Chen, you're finally back!"

Just when Chen Lang was struggling with various issues, a surprised voice came from the front.

I looked up and saw Zhu Shanxing walking towards me hurriedly.

"It's Brother Zhu, long time no see."

Zhu Shan glanced at Chen Lang's hand: "Brother Chen, you..."

"It's just a minor injury, no big deal." Chen Lang said.

Zhu Shan said, "Brother Chen, I'm so happy to see you at this time."

"I'm hosting you today, please have a drink, Brother Chen. Please do me the honor."

Chen Lang said, "Why are you being so polite?"

Zhu Shan said, "Brother Chen, let's drink and talk."

Chen Lang said, "Since Brother Zhu has invited me so graciously, I would be remiss if I could not accept it."

The two returned to Guhong Tower, and Zhu Shan gave the delivery man at the door some silver and asked them to go to Tianshangju to pack some food.

After entering the private room on the second floor, Zhu Shan took the initiative to pour wine for Chen Lang.

Seeing this, Chen Lang teased, "Brother Zhu, do you have something to ask of me?"

Zhu Shan put down the wine pot and said with a smile: "It's not a request, I just want to ask Brother Chen's opinion on some questions."

Chen Lang said, "If even Brother Zhu can't solve the problem, I'm afraid I'm also incapable of it."

Zhu Shan said seriously, "Brother Chen, I'm afraid you're the only one in the world who can answer this question for me."

Chen Lang's expression changed slightly. Zhu Shan and Yao Jianxin had a good relationship, and they were once known as the "Jing'an Twin Talents."

Could it be that what he wanted to ask about was Yao Jianxin’s death?

Chen Lang maintained a calm expression and said, "Since Brother Zhu thinks so highly of me, then ask me. If I can answer, I will tell you everything I know."

Zhu Shan stood up, brushed off his sleeves, and then bowed to Chen Lang, saying, "Brother Chen, what I want to ask is the current situation in the world."

Chen Lang was stunned on the spot.

This question left Chen Lang even more confused than Yao Jianxin's death.

Chen Lang frowned and was stunned for a long time before replying, "Brother Zhu, are you asking the wrong person?"

"And you said that only I can answer your question, but this question of yours... I can't answer it."

Zhu Shan smiled and said, "Brother Chen, after getting to know you, I discovered that my understanding of business is greatly distorted."

"Over the past period of time, both advertising and copyright law have been very effective. I roughly calculated that in just two months, Linshui County's tax revenue has reached more than half of last year's tax revenue."

"If taxes suddenly skyrocketed in other places, it would most likely... no, it would definitely be achieved by exploiting the people and merchants."

"But in Linshui, taxes increased, but not only were the people and merchants not exploited, but their incomes actually increased significantly."

Chen Lang pondered and said, "Brother Zhu, these are just business activities. What do they have to do with the world situation?"

Zhu Shan said seriously: "It matters a lot!"

"A few years ago, I went to Beijing to take the imperial examination. Although I passed, I was unable to advance further in the officialdom because I offended the powerful."

"I've tried every avenue and every possible means, but in the end, nothing has come of it."

"After returning to Qinzhou Prefecture, I hung out with Wei Zifan and the others. Although it didn't help me get back into officialdom, this period of time also allowed me to see a lot of things and understand a lot of inside stories."

Having said that, Zhu Shan drank a glass of wine.

"Over the past hundred years, our Great Yan has experienced dozens of reforms, large and small, and almost all of them ended in failure."

"These reforms basically revolved around three principles: enriching the country, strengthening the military, and the imperial examination system."

"In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with these three principles, but there is no way to succeed."

"Wei Zifan, Xue Feng, and others often discuss this, but in the end, they always conclude that there's something wrong with the reformers. But no one can pinpoint the real reason."

Chen Lang said with a half-smile, "I think it's not that they can't say it, but that they dare not say it."

"The truth is there for everyone to see, but no one dares to pick it up."

Zhu Shan was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "Brother Chen is right. The truth is indeed right under everyone's noses, but they are just ignoring it."

"After the fall of the previous dynasty, the Central Plains fell into a century-long chaos. Our dynasty relied on its powerful military force to unify the south and thus established its nation."

"Although Emperor Gaozu passed away shortly after the founding of the country, his successor, Emperor Taizong, carried on Gaozu's legacy and aimed to reclaim the lost territories in the north."

"But before Taizong could take action, several rebellions broke out in the south. Taizong had no choice but to postpone his plans to retake the north and focus on quelling the civil unrest."

"After the civil unrest was quelled, Emperor Taizong changed his national policy, promoting culture over military power, suppressing merchants, and taking back all power. This policy did indeed put an end to the civil unrest and put the country back on the right track."

"But while we resolved the internal strife, we couldn't resolve the external threat. The weakening of our military's combat effectiveness led to repeated setbacks in our foreign wars. We were forced to sign humiliating alliances and pay large annual tributes to the Liao Kingdom. Although the Western Xia used the term 'yearly tribute,' everyone knows it's just a different name; the meaning is the same."

"When everyone thought it was impossible for our dynasty to win the foreign war, we took back Xiazhou from the Western Xia."

"This was an atypical victory. It wasn't solely due to the soldiers' fearlessness or the commander's strategic thinking, but more so to the overwhelming superiority of their equipment. To put it bluntly, this was a victory bought with money."

"Business, which had been suppressed for hundreds of years, brought Dayan a resounding victory."

"Since victory can be achieved, why is it that the reforms to enrich the country have always failed to be implemented?"

Chen Lang said with a half-smile, "I didn't change the tactics this time, but I still won."

Zhu Shan said: "Your Majesty used the imperial power to forcefully obtain this, but now Your Majesty can no longer hold on."

Chen Lang said: "The emperor's original intention was correct, but his method was wrong."

"It simply and crudely elevates the status of merchants in the power system, but ignores their profit-seeking nature."

"If a businessman doesn't have rights, he'll be more cautious when doing business and won't be too greedy."

"But the emperor gave the power of discretion to merchants, and when merchants became greedy, they had no bottom line."

"The great victory in Xiazhou was indeed won with money, but that money was stained with the blood of ordinary people."

"To put it bluntly, there's nothing wrong with encouraging businesses and developing commerce, but we must be cautious about giving them more power."