We have fought to the Arctic Circle, and you want me to inherit the throne?

Tao Qian's words touch upon the fundamental problem of the ancient system.

The people are the basis, the monarch is the basis, or the minority in power is the basis.

Unfortunately, throughout the many dynasties since ancient times, there has never been a truly people-oriented regime.

Tao Qian asked this question not because he wanted Li Che to agree to anything, but because he wanted to know Li Che's attitude towards the matter.

As those in power, as long as you have a little place for the people in your heart, the lives of the people will be much better.

After hearing this, Li Che slowly put down his chopsticks and his eyes became serious.

“I often say that the ruler is the boat and the people are the water. The ruler is the boat and the people are the water. Water can carry the boat, but it can also capsize it.”

"And the so-called ruler is definitely not the person sitting on the throne. The ruler is the country. It is the country that is raised up by the people, not the ruler of the country."

"As for your question about who is more important, the people or the officials, I cannot answer that."

Li Che tapped his fingers lightly and said, "The so-called people are scholars, farmers, merchants and artisans."

"Officials and aristocratic families are nothing more than members of the 'scholar' class. They are part of the people, so how can we talk about who is more important?"

Tao Qian stroked his beard, his eyes narrowed slightly. "Your Highness is right. However, the aristocratic families and officials hold wealth and power. Although they are also common people, they live a life completely different from that of ordinary people."

"The gap is so great, like one is in heaven and the other is on earth. How can we say they are part of the people?"

Li Che said calmly with a smile on his face:

"A hundred words are not as good as seeing it with your own eyes. After dinner, Master Tao, why don't you come with me to the city to see the real lives of the people? Maybe we can get the answer."

Tao Qian was a little impatient: "Why not set off now? We can eat anytime, not now."

Li Che smiled and shook his head: "Master Tao has misunderstood. With so many of us going down to understand the people's sentiments, the people must have put in a lot of effort to entertain us."

"If we accept the people's hospitality, wouldn't that cost them money? If we don't accept the hospitality, the people will probably be worried, fearing that we might secretly resent them."

"Let's wait until the people have finished their work and eaten before going, so as not to offend others."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the room fell silent.

In the past, high-ranking officials and princes who could go among the people and understand their sentiments were considered good officials who loved the people like their own children.

Who else would truly stand in the people's shoes, think so much about the people, and even consider such details?

"Your Highness loves the people like his own children, and this old man is ashamed."

Tao Qian was really impressed this time.

Li Che waved his hand: "What do you mean by loving the people like one's own children? It's just that he has a lot of experience."

Tao Qian and others were confused and didn't know what Li Che meant by experience.

It was not until after dinner, when they followed Li Che into the city, that they understood.

The enthusiastic people surrounded them so tightly that Tao Qian would have suspected that these people wanted to eat Li Che alive if his personal guards had not stopped them.

"Ahem." Li Che shook the people's enthusiastic hands and explained to Tao Qian, "The people of Chaoyang City are simple and honest. Master Tao, just get used to it."

Tao Qian replied with a smile: "Your Highness is so popular among the people, which is something many wise rulers would never be able to achieve in their lifetime."

After a long time, the crowd slowly dispersed.

Li Che looked at Tao Qian and said, "Master Tao, let's go and visit the people's homes."

Tao Qian nodded gently and suddenly said, "Since you want to understand the people's sentiments, could you let me choose one?"

By choosing himself, he avoided the possibility that Li Che would cheat and deliberately pick the rich peasants in the city for show.

Li Che was full of confidence: "Of course, Master Tao, please."

Tao Qian's eyes swept across the houses.

The residential houses in the city are all newly built and planned by Liu Ye. Each house is of similar size and arranged neatly, giving a feeling of a later residential community.

Tao Qian's eyes finally fell on a house.

It was a corner at the foot of the city wall where the sun could not reach, and it did look a bit dark and secluded.

"Just this one."

When Li Che saw the family chosen by Tao Qian, his eyes suddenly became strange.

Li Che actually knew that family, and their situation was indeed quite special.

"Are you sure?"

Tao Qian nodded: "If Your Highness feels that it is inappropriate, then I can change to another one."

"Hahaha, no need." Li Che replied, "Since we want to see the real situation of the people, it doesn't matter which family it is."

After saying that, he asked Qiu Bai to go forward and knock on the door.

Not long after, there was a noise from inside the door and an old man stuck his head out.

"Old Han, it's me." Li Che greeted with a smile.

The old man blinked his cloudy eyes, and then he recognized that the person in front of him was Li Che:

"Ah, it's the prince! I didn't know you were coming, and I'm sorry for not coming to greet you. I beg your forgiveness, Your Highness."

Li Che said with a smile: "Don't come here, this is not the first time I have come to your house."

"Your Highness, please come in and talk inside." Old Han turned around and called out, "Old woman, please come out. Your Highness is here again."

Li Che nodded and led everyone into the yard with Old Han. The yard was clean and tidy, and several of his children were busy.

Unlike Old Han, his children were a little restrained and hurriedly ran around to get chairs for everyone.

"Okay, no need to work anymore." Li Che looked at Old Han, "Today I came to see how your family is doing and if you need anything."

Old Han waved his hand and said, "What else could be missing at home? How dare I trouble Your Highness to worry about it?"

"Your Highness has arranged jobs for my several useless sons, and even my daughter can work in a factory. I have no other wishes except that Your Highness will live a long and healthy life."

Tao Qian, who was standing by, saw that the old man was calm and composed, and did not seem to be pretending. He could not help but ask, "Old man, how many children and grandchildren do you have?"

Old Han glanced at him and turned his gaze to Li Che.

Li Che smiled and said, "This is a great talent from the interior of the country who will help me achieve great things. Just answer his questions truthfully."

After hearing what Li Che said, Old Han's attitude changed drastically.

"Oh, it's actually my husband who came to assist the prince. I apologize for my rudeness."

Tao Qian quickly supported Old Han, who was about to bow, and heard him tremblingly say:

"I have three sons, two daughters, and two grandchildren. I can say I have a large family and live a prosperous life."

"I just heard from the old man that His Highness has arranged jobs for your children? I wonder what they are busy with?"

Old Han seemed a little excited. He was even more proud when talking about his children, and his breathing became rapid.

Seeing this, Li Che quickly asked his personal guards to help him sit down beside him.

"I happen to know his family's situation. Let me tell you about it." Li Che smiled and pointed at the Han family children around him:

"The Han family's eldest son is a soldier in the Fengtian Army, earning a salary; the second son is a foreman in a construction team, responsible for building bridges and roads, and earning a salary; the youngest son farms at home; the eldest daughter works as a factory maid to supplement the family income; and the youngest daughter stays at home to take care of the elderly couple."

Tao Qian widened his eyes, looking at Li Che's detailed appearance, feeling that it was a little unreal:

"Your Highness, are you familiar with the situations in the homes of the people under your jurisdiction?"

"How is that possible?" Li Che smiled and shook his head. "The reason I know his family is because they are a model family in Chaoyang City."

"You were the first to send your son to join the army, and the first to send your daughter to work as a maid. This prince certainly remembers it clearly."

Tao Qian suddenly realized and found it a little funny.

I even deliberately chose a family located in a remote area, but I didn't expect that I would end up making things worse and end up choosing a model family.

"Old Han, I know your family's situation, but I don't know how much your family's income is?" Li Che asked again.

Old Han also recovered at this moment, and said proudly:

"My eldest son's military salary is a little over one tael a month, my second son's wages are also one and a half taels, and my third son, although he farms, does odd jobs during the slack season and can earn seven or eight hundred wen a month."

"My eldest daughter is doing well. She's always doing that at the factory..."

Li Che smiled and added, "Production model!"

"Oh, yes, yes, a model worker! And she even gets a bonus! She's a girl, but she earns the most money in the family. Last month she brought home two taels of silver!"

"My youngest daughter is at home and can do some needlework, earning four or five hundred coins a month to help support the family."

"We old couple enjoy a happy life. Apart from working in the fields, we don't have to worry about anything else."

Tao Qian silently calculated in his heart:

One and a half taels, one and a half taels, two taels, eight hundred wen, five hundred wen...

This family's monthly income was as much as six taels of silver! This did not include the income from selling crops after the autumn harvest.

You know, the monthly expenses for an ordinary family of three in the imperial capital is only two taels.

That’s the imperial capital where prices are extremely high!

An ordinary family in Chaoyang City actually has an income level equivalent to that of the imperial capital.

Tao Qian was dumbfounded and looked at Li Che: "How did your highness do it?"

Li Che smiled and said, "It's nothing complicated. It's just about freeing the people's labor from the fields."

"The climate outside the Great Wall is cold, and crops only harvest once a year. This is a disadvantage that is not conducive to people's livelihood, but it also gives people more free time."

"All I have to do is provide enough vacant jobs for the people so that they can earn money to supplement their family income during their slack season."

"The prices in Chaoyang City aren't that high. If a family of three can earn two taels of silver a month, they can at least save half of their money."

After hearing this, Tao Qian could hardly believe his ears.

Treating the people so well, what Li Che did was no longer just to hide the wealth among the people, but to make the wealth available to the people.

He gave up almost all means of accumulating wealth and let all the benefits flow to the people.

"I heard that Your Highness has exempted the people from taxes for three years?" Tao Qian asked again, "Your Highness, the people are indeed living a good life, but the expenses of the state are huge. How can we make up for it?"

Li Che shook his head: "This king exempted agricultural taxes. In the future, Fengguo will levy commercial taxes, which are the bulk of the tax."

"As for now..."

Li Che grinned, revealing two rows of white teeth:

"There really isn't much of a source of income. I rely entirely on asking my father for it, or robbing it from Goryeo and Khitan!"