Beginning of Cultivation
Chapter 55: Issues Following World Unification

Chapter 55: Issues Following World Unification

In the palace, the emperor, the high ministers, and Chu Wu’s group had yet to begin discussing the main topic.

The emperor, though amused by his new title, knew what was more important. His voice was not very loud as he was quite weak now:

"Cough, cough. If you all prefer to address me as such, then proceed. Now, it is time to discuss official matters. The friends of Chu Wu who have come here should join in as well. Who can befriend Chu Wu is certainly not an ordinary person."

Everyone nodded in agreement and began to focus on the main issue.

Seeing the shift in the discussion, the emperor said:

"If there are any difficult issues, speak up first. We will resolve them one by one."

The high ministers pondered for a moment, and then a minister responsible for military affairs spoke:

"Your Majesty, in the years since we unified this continent, the demand for military supplies has significantly decreased. Moreover, without a battlefield, the soldiers have no work. I had intended to discharge them, but they say they have been soldiers for so long, now leaving, they do not know what else to do. Also, the weapon manufacturing companies complain that if they stop producing weapons, they will go bankrupt. Over the past hundred years, they have supported the court significantly, so we cannot simply dismiss them."

Everyone began to think. Indeed, this was a serious concern—if there was no more war in the world, why produce weapons? But if weapons were not produced, what would those who have worked in this field for years do?

The emperor also understood the gravity of the issue. Discontent arose because the court disappointed the people. Furthermore, the weapon manufacturers played a crucial role in the past, so their contributions couldn’t be ignored, or else riots would surely ensue, the scale of which was uncertain.

"This issue is indeed difficult to resolve and also a peculiar problem that history has never before encountered. After all, this continent has never been unified before. I temporarily have no solution. Do any of you have any other ideas?" the emperor said.

The high ministers also rubbed their heads in frustration and thought hard. They were not dull and understood the importance of the issue. But this problem was truly peculiar. It had never been mentioned in books or history, so they found it challenging to resolve.

Chu Wu’s group also began to think. Except for Chu Wu, the six others had never dealt with this issue before, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t think of a solution.

The atmosphere in the palace became incredibly silent. No one spoke, everyone was deep in thought.

The minister who raised the issue saw the expressions of everyone and also sighed deeply. He knew this problem was not easy to solve. Otherwise, he would have solved it long ago.

After a period of silence, a high minister spoke up:

"Your Majesty, perhaps we should explain to them the benefits of peace and advise them not to produce weapons but to switch to other products. We should also encourage the soldiers to pursue different careers."

The corners of everyone’s mouths twitch upon hearing this. They were sure that this person spoke out randomly because they couldn’t think of any practical solution.

The emperor shook his head, dismissing the idea as fanciful. He said:

"That approach is not practical. These companies have not become successful overnight. Moreover, remember that they have significantly aided us in unifying the world, allowing all lands across the continent to be at peace and for the people to develop securely. Telling them to switch professions is akin to using our power to force them to abandon the results of their many years of labor. Naturally, this would lead to their dissatisfaction, and dissatisfaction leads to rebellion. I do not wish for the hard-earned peace we have established to turn into the chaotic battlegrounds of old.

As for the soldiers, we cannot simply dismiss them either. They have dedicated and sacrificed much for the cause of unifying the world. This alone shows their love for the military. We absolutely cannot let them harbor discontent."

"I apologize for my ignorant statement." the high minister said.

The emperor waved his hand and said:

"Okay, everyone continues to think of a solution."

At this moment, Jun Wu Xiao deep in thought, believed he had a feasible solution and asked:

"May I ask one question before proposing my solution? Are the weapons produced by these companies required to be highly lethal?"

Everyone in the hall was taken aback, but after reconsideration, realized there was indeed no such requirement. The emperor responded:

"There is no such regulation. What solution do you have?"

Jun Wu Xiao nodded and explained:

"Their purpose in producing weapons is to make money, right? Then we just need to show them another way to make money."

Hearing this, everyone felt that Jun Wu Xiao was merely speaking nonsense. A high minister asked:

"It’s easy to say, but how would we implement this?"

"It’s simple, just have them produce weapons, but in a different direction. They could make beautifully crafted, luxurious weapons made from rare materials. Such weapons could be custom orders to reflect the status, wealth, or aesthetic appreciation of the buyer.

The world is not short of wealthy individuals. What they need is something that can capture their attention. And to support the weapon manufacturers in this endeavor, the court just needs to confirm the quality and promote their products. The reputation of the court is the highest endorsement. With the court’s help, I don’t believe they would refuse." Jun Wu Xiao elaborated.

Everyone thought it over and realized the clarity in Jun Wu Xiao’s suggestion. Indeed, if they could continue making money, there would be no reason for them to be discontent. Moreover, this strategy was not difficult for the royal court to implement.

"Excellent, very good. I thank you for your suggestion. Do you have any good ideas about the soldier problem?" the emperor asked with a smile.

Jun Wu Xiao nodded and then posed a question to everyone:

"Is it not true that our soldiers are in excellent strength?"

The people looked at each other—not because the question was difficult to understand, but because it was obviously true.

The current imperial army was not like the forces during times of chaos. In those times, armies were formed from a mix of old, young, sick, and undisciplined individuals, a far cry from today’s standards.

The current military was composed of carefully selected and well-trained individuals, who were neither weak nor undisciplined.

Before others could respond, Chu Wu interjected:

"Isn’t that a given?"

Jun Wu Xiao nodded satisfied, indicating he indeed had a solution. He said:

"Good, then I have a way to address this."

The emperor and the high ministers were all very eager. Given that Jun Wu Xiao had successfully proposed a method once, it was highly likely that he would succeed again.