Chapter 2389 - 2108: What I Can Do (3)

"Ask yourself, do we really oppose privilege itself, or is it merely because we are not the privileged ones, so we resent those who are?" Chen Xi said with a hint of sarcasm.

"Am I truly part of the Reform Faction?" Li Youu asked Chen Xi, not answering the second question; as a privileged person himself, he understood Chen Xi’s point, prompting Chen Xi to nod.

"I cannot become a reformer; from the class I come from, a reformer can only emerge if the great era collapses, chaos unfolds, and someone rebuilds the world. Otherwise, all I can do is improve, and relatively speaking, I’m already considered a radical Reformist Faction." Chen Xi with a wry smile mocked himself.

"I see, the reason you sought me was to remind yourself, wasn’t it?" Li Youu quietly observed Chen Xi, saying, "The reason Reformist Faction makes people’s lives better isn’t because of a sudden conscience revival, but because the Reformists are still alive, and you fear them!"

"Honestly, equating power and duty is already my compromise." Chen Xi poured a cup of tea; at this moment, only the two of them remained, leaving nothing unsaid, and since Li Youu had already seen the drafts of those two items, speaking the truth posed no issue.

"Let’s talk about me first, then you." Li Youu directly cut Chen Xi off, speaking with a calm demeanor, "We have many similarities; both you and I take action without selfish motives; once decided upon, we put many things aside."

"Power, wealth, and other things can be set aside when you and I consider the matters of this country as our own," Li Youu looked sternly at Chen Xi.

Chen Xi nodded, "To achieve great things, one mustn’t be selfish; one must hold themselves upright."

Li Youu did not deny this point, but continued, "The difference between you and me is that you lack the courage to shatter the Central Plains and rebuild the world; you vacillate, contemplating how to divert contradictions rather than confronting them head-on."

"I just need to do well in this era. Reformists and other factions will find their own paths. As for the path of reform and improvement, the cyclical nature of dynasties, the overthrow of privileges, all must be attempted by others. From Western Asia to Central Asia, and to South Asia, these are the testing grounds for Reformists to validate their correctness." Chen Xi said quietly, "I can’t do it."

"They probably can’t match you either!" Li Youu said with a sneer.

"But time and experience will prove their correctness. All I can do is protect the Central Plains as a fundamental base, waiting for thoughts that transcend dynastic cycles, transcend Emperor System, transcend morality, transcend democracy and freedom to emerge." Chen Xi’s eyes remained unwavering.

"Human strength is sometimes limited; I understand very well the kind of power I possess, and I can’t solve these issues, but I can leave solutions for them. Pure pragmatism and contradiction theory are too harmful now, and I need to mask them, disguise them, waiting for the economic base to rise gradually, for individuals capable of realizing them to emerge." Chen Xi said with immense calm.

"Is it imperative to maintain the current situation before that?" Li Youu, perhaps understanding Chen Xi’s will, after a while, asked in return.

"Indeed, the current situation must be maintained; the populace doesn’t care about systems or politics, only their lives. If you ensure they are well-fed and clothe them, solve their life issues, they don’t care about whether it’s an Emperor System or any other system." Chen Xi said with utmost seriousness—the current system cannot be moved.

Chen Xi would rather transfer contradictions elsewhere than attempt systematic reform; given his current situation, even attempting reforms might not necessarily fail, yet his background ensures family separation is inevitable, and it would lead to rivers of blood.

A deep study reveals that Feudal Socialism, which closely approaches Emperor System, truly still has a distant journey if explored.

The Feudal Society, which hasn’t even allowed the evil flower to blossom, hasn’t reached its peak, and at this point, even reform, even advancing social productivity, requires first reaching the pinnacle of Feudal Society.

With the economic base not yet meeting standards, contemplating a deep reform of the entire societal system, Chen Xi isn’t foolish—he won’t make such suicidal moves. Even a constitutional framework or a figurehead requires step-by-step progress. Liu Tong regent under the compromise of three parties has already exceeded Chen Xi’s expectations.

Even if events unfold as Chen Xi has calculated, Liu Tong stepping down in more than a decade away could still be a distant reality from a constitutional setup, and the idea of a figurehead from Chen Xi’s perspective almost seems impossible before the next dynastic cycle arrives.

Liu Tong’s situation now is merely a compromise by three parties, distant yet from a figurehead, and all Chen Xi can do is leave an option for three hundred to five hundred years later descendants—a choice for constitutional monarchy.

As a predecessor, Chen Xi has already undertaken this matter; whether it’s a three-party compromise or a figurehead, when the era requiring a constitution arrives, individuals enlightening the Six Classics will appear.

After all, Chen Xi is a Reformist Faction member. Theoretically speaking, class reformists are merely the saviors of their own class under the pressure and suppression of Reformists and other factions, improving their class if it’s the ruling class. Unfortunately, ruling class reformists seem a conscience revival while in reality, it’s just because of the living Reformists attempting to overthrow the ruling class.