Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely

Chapter 1546: Chapter 484: Recruiting, Who Is the Corpses in the Tomb, Easy to Invite Gods In, Hard to Send Them Away (3)

Just now, in front of everyone at the county city, he was so overbearing. Yet upon leaving the city and catching up with me, he was so sincere and even humble in his invitation to me in private.

Chu Longteng is formidable, and his son, Chu Tianxu, is by no means simple either!

Changing faces as fast as turning pages, switching demeanor smoothly and naturally, and in his invitation, there was even seventy to eighty percent sincerity, clearly showing his earnest intention to invite me.

The demeanor of a hero!

The phrase “heroic demeanor” flashed in Xia Hong’s mind as he glanced deeply at Chu Tianxu, then slowly smiled and said, “I have to admit, Governor Chu’s words are logical and well-grounded. I am somewhat tempted, but…”

Saying this, Xia Hong paused, turning his gaze towards Xue Zijing, then gently shook his head and shifted the conversation, “The Four Vassals have been established for over three hundred years, with Chen Cang being the latest, also for over a hundred years. In all this time, the Four Vassals have maintained the status quo. As Hong sees it, the entirety of Moao River is now stagnant. Without external forces to stimulate change, there’s no prospect of a breakthrough!”

Hearing this, Chu Tianxu’s expression slightly stiffened, clearly not expecting Xia Hong to say such words; but Xue Zijing appeared thoughtful, curiously watching Xia Hong, awaiting his next words.

“The Six-class System has been in practice for over a hundred years, and the lineages of the vassal governors and the aristocratic families of the Four Vassals have long since become parasites leeching off the populace. Once people become dependent on a single path, it becomes very difficult to turn back.

Governor Chu’s ambitious reforms with Grand Master Xue’s assistance are, in my view, nothing more than a desperate struggle. Even if the influential families of Chen Cang disagree, the same goes for the lineages of the other Three Vassals; these powerful aristocratic families would not just sit by and watch your reforms succeed.

Chen Cang is powerful, but Governor Chu cannot simply decree as he pleases.

The so-called pilot reform using Yanling as a test ground, a ten-year-long process to observe the effects, is the result of compromising with the vassals and the aristocracy, and such compromised reforms are unlikely to succeed.

Any genuine reform requires sacrifice and bloodshed, touching upon the roots, and for Chen Cang, the roots are the four classes: the populace, the military, the aristocrats, and the hereditary elite. Defying them is akin to undermining the foundation of the feudal towns.

Hong wagers, this Yanling county’s ten-year reform will neither change the plight of slaves and commoners at its root nor leave you without the resentment of the four aristocratic classes. If it ends without incident, that’s one thing, but should it lead to major issues, be assured the Three Vassals will not miss an opportunity to strike you while you’re down…”

Seeing Chu Tianxu’s face grow darker, Xia Hong paused, then turned to Xue Zijing with a smile, saying, “Someone as smart as Mr. Xue should have attempted to lobby the higher-ups in Chen Cang long ago. The prospect of strengthening through reform isn’t lost on anyone. Who doesn’t realize that once the strength of the vassals rises after the initial pain, everyone’s benefits would increase? The problem is, which party is willing to bear the cost of that pain?”

Saying this, Xia Hong looked back at Chu Tianxu, shaking his head, “Governor Chu just mentioned that the Hezang branch has a legacy of 401 years. Fu Wanhe’s lifespan is nearly at its end, focused solely on extending it, while his four sons struggle incessantly for power, clearly showing Hezang is now but bones in a tomb, a sentiment Hong deeply shares. However…”

Xia Hong’s eyes flickered with a peculiar light, ignoring Chu Tianxu’s increasingly dark expression and laughing aloud, “In Hong’s eyes, isn’t the same true with the four vassals of Moao River, each with over three hundred years of legacy?”

After saying this, Xia Hong had no further wish to continue the dialogue. He suddenly unleashed his internal energy, shattering the snowflakes around him, and swiftly flew east.