When A Fu saw them, he stepped forward, bowed, and said gently, "General, Lady, are you well? It's getting late; haven't you retired yet?"
Lin Yi paused. Late? It was midsummer; the sky still held faint traces of sunset glow, and true nightfall was a while away.
"We'll rest once it's fully dark," she replied vaguely.
"I see." A Fu smiled knowingly. "The General and Lady are taking a post-dinner stroll—very nice. Is there something you need from me?"
Gu Fang nodded slightly, his voice steady. "Three matters for you to arrange. First, Xiao Yi and I need to meet with Prince Ning soon. Please coordinate a suitable time with the Prince's residence and prepare a visiting card and gift list. Second, tally all the disabled soldiers under my command who have difficulty moving and rely on walking aids—report the number. Then coordinate with Niu Tou; I intend to provide each of them with a wheelchair. Third, restart that idle workshop in the west of the city. Choose a diligent and reliable person to manage it. Xiao Yi knows how to improve papermaking; I plan to put that workshop under her direction."
A Fu listened carefully, noted everything, and nodded. "This old servant understands. I will handle it properly." He paused, a flicker of hesitation crossing his face.
"Speak freely," Gu Fang said warmly upon seeing his expression.
A Fu voiced his concern. "General, there is an ancient saying: 'Inequality, not scarcity, breeds discontent.' If wheelchairs are only given to those with leg injuries, what about those with arm, back, or other disabilities? Moreover, if someone's foot is injured but they can still walk with difficulty, albeit awkwardly—do they also need a wheelchair? If we give one, some may grow envious; if not, we may invite criticism."
Gu Fang's expression stiffened. He was silent for a moment, then sighed softly. "You're right. I didn't think it through."
"Actually, there might be a way," Lin Yi suddenly interjected. She rested her chin on her hand, thinking. "We can't treat everyone exactly the same. Wheelchairs are meant for those who cannot walk at all. Those with arm or eye injuries have no use for them, and with current technology, we can't create tools to replace hands or eyes."
She turned to Gu Fang. "So maybe we should shift our thinking—not focus on what to give, but establish a support system for disabled soldiers. All soldiers disabled in war should receive proper care and placement, so they have a way forward and can live with dignity."
"A support system for disabled soldiers..." Gu Fang repeated softly, his eyes deepening.
"I don't know much about military traditions, but I suspect many soldiers, even if they survive the battlefield, return home gloomy and unhappy," Lin Yi said quietly. Even across different eras, human nature was similar. In the world she came from, the plight of disabled veterans and the elderly living alone was a heavy topic.
"The Lady is right," A Fu sighed. "The battlefield is dangerous. To survive wounded is already great fortune. But many return home only to find their families resent them for being unable to work and becoming burdens. Over time, they feel life isn't worth living. Quite a few of those taken in by this mansion were abandoned by their families with nowhere to go. The General is kind and brought them here. At first, he let them rest without assigning tasks, but that only made them more despondent. Later, the General tried giving them work they could manage, and gradually things improved."
"That's exactly about dignity." Lin Yi tried to explain in terms this era could understand. "Ordinary people live for their families. Once they feel they're a burden, they lose heart and may even take their own lives. The General's initial kindness in not letting them work was well-intentioned, but they might think: 'The General pities me, but I'm useless. I should stop being a burden to him.'"
Gu Fang listened intently, then said slowly, "So the key is to give them something to do?"
"Exactly." Lin Yi nodded. "First, busy people brood less. Second, through work, they see they are useful, that they can create value—then they no longer feel useless."
"'Labor creates value'... 'valuable people'..." Gu Fang murmured, as if chewing over the weight of those words.
Lin Yi continued gently, "For example, a farmer plows fields—hard work, but at harvest time, he reaps what feeds his family. Or a shop assistant works all day for wages to buy rice and cloth. They exchange labor for tangible value—that's the confidence of 'I am useful.'"
Gu Fang wore an expression close to sudden enlightenment. He asked seriously, "So I should give them enough tasks? But after every battle, thousands are wounded. How can I provide so many jobs?"
"You can." Lin Yi looked at him firmly. "Husband, remember, I'm your capable wife. Once the paper workshop opens, it'll need many hands. Mass-producing alcohol will also require continuous manpower. These two things—more is always better—we'll never have enough workers. Even if one day there are more disabled soldiers than we can place, I know other technologies, and we'll start new factories then."
Lin Yi paused, her expression turning serious. "But one thing must be said: the benefits for disabled soldiers must not be set too high. Otherwise, some might be tempted to shirk on the battlefield, valuing safety over fighting, or even deliberately injure themselves. If the benefits are so good that everyone covets them, we'll defeat ourselves." She spoke bluntly, even coldly. But on matters of national security, she had to prepare for the worst. If compensation for the wounded was too generous, who would risk their lives?
Gu Fang was silent for a long time. Then he looked up at Lin Yi and asked, "Could we widen the gap by increasing rewards for battlefield merit? That way, the wounded won't be too poorly off, and soldiers will have more fighting spirit."
Lin Yi was speechless.
She couldn't really blame herself for once thinking Gu Fang was an innocent, naive saint. She was already thinking about how to restrain things, while he was thinking about how to improve them. She frowned slightly, her voice softening. "Husband, you care so much for the soldiers—you must be a great general. But would this increased merit pay come from your own coffers, or would you try to convince Prince Ning to reform the entire military merit system?"
"I want to try pushing for military merit reform," Gu Fang replied. "If we can motivate the whole army through the system, morale will soar, and our chances of victory will increase."
Lin Yi fell silent.
In her mind flashed the military merit system of the Qin dynasty—it indeed helped Qin conquer the six kingdoms, but it also bred risks. Once the realm was unified and there were no more wars, commoners' paths to advancement were cut off. Moreover, she had grown up with the song "Fifty-six ethnic groups are one family." Even now in another world, she couldn't fervently advocate warfare.
Noticing Lin Yi's disapproval, Gu Fang asked gently, "Xiao Yi, do you see a problem?"
"I was thinking," Lin Yi chose her words carefully, "what if one day the world is at peace with no more wars?"
"No more wars?" Gu Fang was taken aback, then smiled warmly. "Wouldn't that be a time of peace and prosperity for all? A good thing."
"No, that's not what I mean." Lin Yi shook her head. After a moment's deliberation, she decided to frame her knowledge as stories from her master. "My master once traveled to a very unique country. At the time, neighboring kingdoms were constantly at war, each trying to annihilate the others and become the overlord. This country implemented a military merit system: soldiers who performed well in battle could be ennobled, receive land, and be rewarded with money. Before that, nobles were born nobles, commoners were commoners for life. This rule gave ordinary families hope—everyone fought desperately. After that, this country's army almost never lost, eventually conquering all the others and unifying the whole land."
A Fu was captivated and asked, "That sounds like an excellent thing. Lady, why do you seem concerned?"
Lin Yi shook her head slightly. "If this were just a story, it would end happily ever after—a unified realm and eternal prosperity. But unfortunately, this country fell in just the second generation of rulers, from the new ruler's ascension to collapse—only three years."
A Fu gasped and pressed, "Does the Lady know why?"
"No one can say for sure." Lin Yi's voice was calm. "The monarchs of that time are long dead, the truth buried. Later generations have many theories. Some blame the military merit system: it was a sharp sword against enemies during conquest, but in peacetime, it turned and wounded the country itself. With no wars to fight, commoners had no path to advancement, leading to resentment and jealousy. When the people's hearts scatter, the foundation of the state shakes."
Seeing A Fu's wide eyes, Lin Yi continued gently, "In short, the fall of a dynasty is never caused by a single straw. It's thousands of straws piling up until the burden becomes unbearable. I'm just pointing out one of those straws to you. Whether to use it and how to use it," she looked at Gu Fang, her gaze clear, "is ultimately for you to decide."
Gu Fang was silent for a long time. Finally, he said softly, "I was too narrow-minded. In that story, what other reasons caused the country's fall?"
Lin Yi thought briefly. "The new ruler was cruel, launched massive construction projects with heavy corvée labor, and created a vast gap between the conquered people and the native populace; many still harbored resentment from their lost kingdoms."
"The ruler, the system, the people's hearts..." Gu Fang repeated slowly, as if savoring the weight of each word. "These three—they can support a nation or topple it, right?"
"Exactly." Lin Yi nodded. "Water can carry a boat, but also capsize it. The hearts of the people must never be taken lightly."
At this, A Fu frowned and voiced a lingering doubt. "But from ancient times, the conquered people were often slaughtered. Since this country didn't kill them, it was already merciful. Subjugated people never have it good—why did they still hold a grudge?"