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Just like his move "Eight Swords Rising as One," he had explained it to his father by breaking it down, grinding it out, and talking it through no fewer than ten times.
Even though their martial arts were from the same lineage, when his father heard those martial arts intricacies, it was as if he was listening to something as indecipherable as the heavenly book. Not to mention eight swords, not even one could take flight.
"On normal days, don’t just focus on practicing martial arts. Martial arts, when you come down to it, are just those same things. Even if you practice them a hundred thousand times, a million times, they cannot bloom into anything more!"
After thinking for a moment, Yang Ge added, "When you have free time, you should also read more books—works of various philosophers, historical chronicles, all are worth reading more. In the end, martial arts practice is no longer just about simple combat skills but about the person themselves. When a person grows stronger, their martial arts naturally grow stronger with them. On the other hand, if a person can’t even stand up straight, no matter how skilled their martial arts, they ultimately won’t withstand a single blow..."
"Think about it from another angle. Emperor Gaozu of Qin, Laozi, Confucius, which one of them is remembered through the ages because of their unparalleled personal martial prowess?"
Yang Tiansheng understood the first half of the sentence, but the latter half left him a bit confused: "Is that really the same thing?"
Yang Ge smiled and said, "When you understand that this is indeed the same thing, your path in martial arts will have pretty much succeeded!"
Yang Tiansheng: "Is it... is it really that profound?"
Yang Ge smiled without saying a word.
...
After noon had passed, Yang Ge bid farewell to Li Jincheng, Yang Tiansheng, Xiang Wudi, and set out to return to Lu Ting.
Inside Yuelai Inn, someone had been waiting for him for quite some time.
"Lord Yang!"
As soon as Yang Ge stepped into the inn, a familiar swarthy face approached to greet him with hands folded in salute.
Yang Ge stared at the newcomer for two seconds before suddenly remembering who he was. While putting away his Cold Moon Blade wrapped in a grey cloth behind the counter, he smiled and said, "Ah, it’s you! Why didn’t you go home for the New Year this year?"
The man was none other than Xie Yu, who had taken the pseudonym Wang Dashi.
Wang Dashi saluted again: "This year, state affairs were too busy, so I had no opportunity to reunite with my sister. Thank you, Lord Yang, for looking after her."
"There’s no need to thank me. It’s just what neighbors do for each other."
Yang Ge helped Wang Dashi up and then asked, "Is there something you needed?"
Wang Dashi nodded: "There is, indeed, some official business I need to discuss with Lord Yang."
Yang Ge looked towards the cheerful Zhao Cha emerging to greet them and asked, "Do we have guests upstairs?"
Zhao Cha shook her head vigorously, her ponytail swinging side to side: "No one’s there."
Yang Ge patted her on the head and said with a smile: "Bring me a pot of tea upstairs, I’m dying of thirst from the journey!"
Zhao Cha agreed and turned to dash towards the back courtyard like the wind.
Yang Ge gestured toward the stairway invitingly: "Let’s go, we’ll talk upstairs."
Wang Dashi: "After you, Lord Yang."
The two men ascended, one after the other, and as soon as they sat down, Wang Dashi got straight to the point: "Reporting to Lord Yang, my visit concerns tax affairs in Jiangzhe."
The moment Yang Ge heard this, he immediately remembered the matter: "The matter of uniform tax grain submissions jointly made by officials and civilians?"
```
Wang Dashi bowed with his hands in front: "Lord Yang has a good memory."
Yang Ge slowly frowned: "Before the new year, I entrusted Shen Fa to convey a few words to Wang Zhongtang, didn’t that bastard deliver my message?"
Wang Dashi raised the corner of his lips, and then quickly suppressed it: "Are you referring to the words ’proceed with caution’ that you wanted Lord Wang to heed?"
Yang Ge nodded: "Since that bastard did convey my words, why did Wang Zhongtang bring up past matters so soon?"
Wang Dashi replied gravely: "Lord Yang, since you mentioned tax reform in the middle of last year, Lord Wang has been laying out this matter. It’s been over half a year now, and although the timing still isn’t quite ripe... But as you know, with this kind of thing, when is everything ever fully prepared? Those who should be paying taxes will never want to pay taxes; we need to step in and truly explore how deep the water is to know."
After hearing this, Yang Ge also felt there was reason in what he said, but he still felt anxious.
Just as Shen Fa said, Wei’s momentum was too good now!
Peace reigned over the land, the country and the people were secure; even though there were many places that weren’t satisfactory, on the whole, it was getting better, and the common people were beginning to have hope...
He was also afraid of charging forward blindly and disturbing Wei’s current momentum!
Yet, if he didn’t dare to tackle the deep-seated problems for fear of disrupting the current momentum, it had a whiff of choking and starving at the same time.
Yang Ge pondered back and forth for a long time, and it wasn’t until Zhao Cha brought over two bowls of hot tea and left that he spoke again: "Has there already been a pilot for this matter?"
Wang Dashi: "To let Lord Yang know, Jiangzhe is the richest place under heaven, its tax revenue can match several provinces, but Jiangzhe is also the province most resistant to taxes among the fourteen provinces. As soon as tax reform is mentioned, all provinces are watching Jiangzhe; if the tax reform in Jiangzhe cannot be implemented, even if it is possible in other provinces, there will surely be widespread discontent... thus diminishing the effort!"
Yang Ge stirred his tea bowl and mused for a moment before speaking in a deep voice: "I can help you with this matter, but let’s get the unpleasantness over with first... If you borrow my name, you must be fair and just!"
"First, if you say that the officials and people should pay taxes together, then it must be so. If you’re using my name to deceive the people of Jiangzhe, better stop now; you can’t afford the consequences."
"Second, I have no objections to using Jiangzhe as a pilot for tax reform, but you must ensure fairness, not increase Jiangzhe’s taxes while others continue as before. I won’t agree to that either."
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"Third, even though this is a pilot for tax reform, I hope you will think it over thoroughly and act after careful consideration. You must not create a situation where taxes devour people. If I hear again about you driving people to death or forcing them to sell sons and daughters, I’ll hold you accountable."
"Fourth, taxes should come from the people and be used for the people. If you want to use my name, I need to know what you have done with the tax revenue. At the very least, I need a general idea of where the money is going. Don’t just collect it and divide it among yourselves and then when problems arise, turn to the common people for more... Wouldn’t that make me an accomplice?"
"If you can do this, then I agree to this matter."
"If you can’t, then please spare me the speech."
Having finished speaking, he bent down and sipped his tea in small mouthfuls, still pondering whether there was anything to add.
After listening, Wang Dashi also pondered for a long time before solemnly clenching his palms and bowing: "I personally will supervise the tax matters in Jiangzhe. I am willing to stake my head to guarantee fairness and justice towards officials and commoners alike, ensuring that the taxes do not devour people. If there’s any mishap, Lord Yang can take my head to give an explanation to the people of Jiangzhe!"
"And after the pilot in Jiangzhe, whether the other provinces will follow the tax reform, please trust in Lord Wang and the court’s determination. If Jiangzhe can implement it, there is no reason why the other provinces can’t!"
"As for the direction of tax revenue, I can only try to request this information from Lord Wang. Based on what I know about him, he should not refuse this request."
After hearing his assurances, Yang Ge exhaled a warm breath and said: "You’ve worked hard to achieve this extent, which I appreciate, but I still have to remind you to think it over before you commit. If anything goes wrong, your head might not suffice as the only price; even with the addition of your house Lord Wang’s head, it might not remedy the situation."
Wang Dashi lowered his eyelids in silence for a moment, then suddenly smiled: "Lord Yang, why do you think I would conceal my surname and work under Lord Wang? Surely it can’t be because I share the same surname as him, right?"
His words were ambiguous, but Yang Ge understood very well. He set down his tea bowl on the table: "Since you have this determination, I will help you this time. Please make sure not to disappoint me, and not to let down the people of Jiangzhe either!"
Wang Dashi, clearly moved, bowed enthusiastically: "Lord Yang, even if I am flayed and my bones crushed, I will not tarnish your esteemed reputation!"