War is not a competition, pay attention to fairness, justice and openness, war is for victory, and try to seek victory for oneself and seek benefits.

So Xia Hongsheng shook his head with a smile and said, "Lord Wei, you have read the book of sages, heard the words of the sages, know what you should do, and know that the gentleman is righteous and the villain is the opposite. But what about the people? Most of them don't even know words, they don't know what a gentleman says, what a villain does, or what saints and sages do. They only knew that they could get food from farming, and that they would be able to feed themselves, so they toiled and planted crops. If there is no such satiety benefit, who will talk about farming? ――Why haven't you ever seen anyone grow dog tail grass?! Profit is eternal, and it is the fundamental driving force that drives people to do certain things and behaviors. Morality, on the other hand, is the restraint of the self. It is precisely because we are deeply taught by the sages and understand the principles of gentlemen and villains that we know that we cannot forget our righteousness for the sake of profit. As small as the people's hard work in farming, it is because of the benefits of warmth, and as big as the destruction of the Turks, because of the benefits of Anguo, how is this not a good word? Now that we can destroy the Turks and benefit the people, why not? ”

"Even if, as you say, you don't talk about what you gain, what profit is there to be gained from war and strife? Do you know that once the court fights, the men of the military government are called into the army, the young and strong laborers are filled into the army, and the fields are uncultivated, but the people still have to pay grain and taxes, and the burden is even greater, what benefits do you get? On the contrary, the more wars, the more miserable the people, the poorer the court, and the more chaotic the world, what is the benefit?! Wei Zheng retorted reasonably, and that more sincere appearance was not at all as cordial as he was with Xia Hongsheng on weekdays.

Xia Hongsheng was also unwilling to compromise at this time, so he said: "Indeed, what Lord Wei said is very right, a bad war will make the country poorer and poorer, and the people will become more and more miserable, just like the war of Emperor Yang of Sui in the three expeditions to Goryeo. But you know. War not only consumes wealth, but also brings untold wealth. Let's take the Turks as an example, why do the Turks repeatedly go south to invade our borders, killing and plundering? Is it because the Turks are idle and have nothing to do, so they move their bodies? Isn't it because by going south and knocking on the pass, the Turks can get a lot of wealth?! Looted men, and went back to serve as slaves. to work for them; Having plundered the women, they can be ravaged by them and increase their population; The weapons were captured, and they could be distributed to the warriors when they returned, so that they could loot more things and come back. The Turks marched south, and defeated the fact that they could have invaded more land, fertile land, horses, and population...... Even if the war is defeated, the country of the Central Plains will not only not punish the saint in order to show his kindness, but will give him gold, silver, cattle and horses. This is another great fortune. It is precisely because of the benefits that can be obtained by knocking on the pass in the south that the Turks have repeatedly taught and not changed, and everyone on the grassland is willing to fight, willing to attack and plunder the Tang Dynasty, not only not afraid, but also proud of it, whoever can plunder more, who is a warrior. This is the wealth that the war brought to the Turks. Why does Lord Wei say that war cannot bring benefits?! ”

"I want to hear it. How did Xia Qing make the people of the Tang Dynasty benefit from the attack on the Turks. This time, without waiting for Wei Zheng to speak, Li Shimin took over the conversation and asked.

Xia Hongsheng bowed and saluted: "Yes, Your Majesty." The Turks can plunder, and so can our army. Defeated the Turks. A large number of cattle and sheep can be plundered back. These cattle and sheep can be divided among the military households of the conscription, according to the size of their merits, and divided into different quantities. When the war is over, the military households will unload their armor and return to the fields, and they will be able to bring back a few cattle and sheep. Oxen can plough the fields, sheep can feed themselves, skins can be used to make clothing, and horses can go back to war. If the war is defeated, the Turkic land will also belong to our Datang. As long as you are willing to move over, you can give him dozens of cattle, dozens of sheep, and dozens of acres of land, and no one will want to go. In this way, all the Turkic lands are used by our Han people, just like another ear of the Tang Dynasty, a few generations later, who knows that there was once a Turk on this land? There are no Turks at all! Some are just a way of Datang, where will there be any offense? ”

Xia Hongsheng continued in a loud voice to the ministers in the Taiji Palace: "Then you may have to ask me, where are those Turks? Your Majesty, the Turks have repeatedly violated the pass, burned, killed and looted, and their crimes are extremely heinous, and they do not repent, and they must not be let go, otherwise they will be let go of the tiger. Therefore, we will not let go of these Turks, and the people will not be subject to conscription? Mountain-building, road-building, mining, workmanship, construction...... These are the places where the labor of the people is needed. The Turks are physically strong and have a lot of strength, so why can't we use these Turkic captives to replace the common people? The heavy and tiring conscription was left to the captives, and the people only had to do some less heavy conscription. In this way, the burden on the people will be greatly lightened. When the people are rich, have fields, land, and cattle, and do not have to serve forced labor, then they will really live and work in peace and contentment, and they will be satisfied, will they still complain? With all these benefits, will there still be a war against the imperial court? No, the common people have gained real benefits from the war, and when they have tasted the sweetness, they will no longer oppose it, complain again, and maybe they will look forward to the court to start another war with whom, fully support the victory of the court, and then get the land to be distributed to them, and the prisoners of war will be obtained to serve them in conscription. Wouldn't this kind of war be fought more easily and the people will be richer? When the people are rich, the country will be rich, and the people will be more united with the country. So it's easier to win. This has formed a virtuous circle, and such a war is a meaningful war, and it is the war that a country should do! Your Majesty, the inner and outer kings, the moral goodness, benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and faith taught to us by the saints are aimed at our own people, but if the other party is an enemy, then we must follow the way of the king! ”

There was silence in the Taiji Palace, and everyone looked at Xia Hongsheng in astonishment, what he said was so shocking, they didn't expect that the war could have such a beneficial effect. But for a while, I felt that what Xia Hongsheng said was very reasonable, the Turks - not only the Turks, but also the former Huns, the former Tiele people, and all the people who once dominated the grassland, why did they like to plunder the Han cities so much? So that no matter how embarrassed they were beaten, how miserable they were killed, and even no matter who became a family on this grassland, they couldn't change the problem of plundering the Central Plains! After listening to Xia Hongsheng's words today, he was shocked to realize that sure enough, every time they plundered, every time they warned, they could get a lot of benefits, and it was these benefits that drove generations of people on the grassland to continue to loot and knock!

After finishing speaking, Xia Hongsheng himself was also excited, excited, and panting slightly. Since ancient times, all wars in China have been fought for revenge, for status, for shame, and for driving out the invaders...... There are too many reasons, but none of them are for wealth, for good, for profit! It's no wonder that such a war doesn't get poorer and poorer the more you fight!

On the other hand, in later generations, with the opening of new shipping routes and the advent of the Age of Discovery, the guns of the West began to carry out colonial wars against all the places in the world that their ships could reach, just like the swarms of locusts in Kannaido, and everywhere they passed became the residue of their interests! And these colonial empires, all of them, have become rich and advanced powers!

Might is truth, holy inside and king outside! Colonialism and imperialism are the dogmas that Datang should have when dealing with other hostile countries in the future!

Li Shimin was probably greatly touched in his heart, and then did not discuss with those ministers again, but said that he still needed to think carefully about how to deal with this matter, so he asked everyone to retreat.

Xia Hongsheng knew that his words today would give Li Shimin a completely different understanding of war from the past, and this would definitely open up a new world about war in the heart of Li Shimin, an eloquent emperor.

Everyone didn't talk much along the way, and kept their heads down in contemplation. Xia Hongsheng knew that his words were a little too advanced. Today, no one jumps out and points at himself and says that he has insulted the saints and the teachings of Confucianism, and he is already considered lucky. I can't imagine what it would be like if there were rotten Confucians like Chu Suiliang in today's group of people. If today's words are spread, I am afraid that I will be scolded to death by those Confucian students, and I will not be able to raise my head to be impeached by those officials.

Xia Hongsheng shook his head and smiled bitterly, but he was aggrieved if he didn't say it. Why is it that after winning a battle, the defeated side is given gold, silver, cattle, horses, and wealth, and the captives are released, so that they can go back to their business and invade again? Just for the sake of the face of the sage of the kingdom that day? The plundered Han people, the Tang people who were killed, and the soldiers who gave their lives to defeat them, should they die in vain?! Just for the sake of a so-called saint's kindness, will those sacrificed lives become meaningless?!

Xia Hongsheng looked forward, then caught up with Wei Zheng in a few steps, bowed down, and said: "Uncle Wei, in the hall of the young man, the little nephew is impulsive, and there are many offenses between his words, and I ask Uncle Wei for forgiveness." ”

"That's it, it's all for Your Majesty and for the Tang Dynasty, how can the old man be angry with you." Wei Zheng waved his hand, and then couldn't help asking, "But, Jingshi, you are now a Confucian scholar, why do you have such words that go against the words of the sage?" What do you think in your heart? ”

Xia Hongsheng bowed again and replied: "Back to the uncle's words, the little nephew is not talented, there are two faces, one is a gentleman, the other is a villain, the gentleman sees me, and the villain sees me, and the villain sees me, and naturally sees the villain." What kind of character he is, and what kind of face his little nephew has on him. Master Confucius once said, repay virtue with virtue, and repay grievances with straightforwardness! (To be continued......)