Chapter 442: The Importance of Standardization

What is it that Chen Yan keeps doing even while constantly burning money?

When this question was raised, Li Lizhi, Gao Yang, and Li Tai—people who were not well versed in Xianlya affairs—showed a hint of bewilderment on their faces.

But could Du Gou still be unclear? He had been a veteran following Chen Yan since the very beginning of his tenure.

"Build roads!"

Du Gou said without hesitation.

"Exactly, build roads!" Chen Yan nodded affirmatively, taking the floor, "When I first arrived in Weinan County, the Xianlya was so poor it rang like a bell. The first concrete action I took was to reform the ferries on the Wei He, bringing the official crossing under unified control, which finally gave the Xianlya a stable revenue stream."

"I had just a little money on hand, and the first order I issued was to build roads!"

Chen Yan slowed his speech, emphasizing, "From the dock onward, up to today since I took office, the road‑building project has never stopped."

"Without exaggeration, now for every five wen the Xianlya earns, one wen is spent on road construction."

"On the surface, building roads is only an expense, with no direct income. Yet its impact on Weinan County's development is irreplaceable by any other measure."

"Our county's rapid prosperity is largely thanks to the extensive network of roads I built."

He offered a vivid analogy: "It's like taking a stagnant pool, digging channels, and linking it to rivers and the sea. Stagnant water will eventually stink, whereas flowing water nourishes all things and becomes clear and vibrant itself."

"I'm telling you this to make you understand that roads are the foundation of foundations!"

Upon hearing this, everyone nodded pensively, as if gaining deeper understanding.

All nodded with insight, indicating they understood.

Dai Zhide suddenly raised his hand: "Mr. Chen, you previously said that the road of Standardization made Great Qin's grain transport speed far surpass that of other states. I can roughly grasp the Standardization you mentioned."

"Then, when Qin Shihuang later implemented 'Uniform script, uniform gauge', unifying characters and wheel gauge, can that also be seen as another form of Standardization?"

"Excellent question!" Chen Yan looked at him approvingly, "That's exactly the key point I'm about to discuss."

He picked up a piece of chalk, turned, and wrote the bold characters "Uniform script, uniform gauge" on the blackboard.

"Indeed, Standardization is not limited to roads; the Emperor's grand strategy lies in permeating the 'standard' throughout every aspect of Great Qin."

"Consider this," Chen Yan surveyed the group, "If the carriages of the Six States have differing wheel spacings, even a wide, flat 'highway' would cause a Chu carriage on Qin roads to jam. Wouldn't troop movements and supply transport suffer severe efficiency loss?"

"When the Six States transport grain, their vehicle standards differ and road widths vary; a Zhao grain cart entering Wei territory, if its axle breaks, cannot find suitable replacement parts and must be abandoned."

"Qin's 'uniform gauge' does not merely refer to wheel spacing; it signifies absolute nationwide uniformity of vehicle parts, specifications, and dimensions."

"Take the stool you're sitting on now!"

Chen Yan pointed to the stool beneath Li Yifu's rear, "It too is made of various wooden components; if one leg breaks, I can immediately fetch a new leg and replace it."

"Because I required the carpenters to make the stools with identical size, specification, and dimensions."

"The purpose of Standardization is to boost efficiency."

Li Lizhi's eyes brightened, and she exclaimed, "I think I'm starting to understand!"

"I recall reading in an old book that Qin crossbow bolts, even when produced in workshops from all corners of the land, are completely interchangeable."

"On the battlefield, if a crossbow mechanism breaks, craftsmen can instantly disassemble and reassemble it, swapping in good parts to keep it functional."

"Indeed," Chen Yan said satisfied, "This is also one reason Great Qin could unify the Six States, because they applied Standardization even to many aspects of warfare."

"What I want to tell you is that Great Qin's unification was no accident; it stemmed from every facet of the state far surpassing the other Six States."

"Thus, Qin's conquest of the Six States was not the work of a single man but the triumph of its system. The laws established by Shang Yang turned the entire Qin into an incredibly precise war machine, where agriculture and warfare are both components."

"All later monarchs have indeed pondered how, building upon Great Qin, to forge their own even more precise machines."

"Machine?"

Most people are unfamiliar with this term and can only guess.

But Gao Yang and Li Lizhi, who have long interacted with Chen Yan, understand it well.

After each pondering Chen Yan's words, Li Tai asked, "Are there any other reasons?"

Chen Yan nodded, "Yes, brother, there are nine more such reasons!"

"But we won't go into excessive detail; the most important one is the tide of history!"

"Hmm... that's actually not quite accurate; Qin Shihuang wasn't a passive surfer of the tide—he himself was the pivotal creator and ultimate finisher of the tide."

He paused, "After five hundred years of war and turmoil, geography, economy, culture and other factors nurtured a deep yearning for unity among the people across the realm."

"More importantly, they had grown weary of the endless chaos; the populace's minds settled, yearning for a unified, strong nation to end it all—that is the fundamental driving force."

"In contrast, in our present age, the late Sui era saw the world in collapse, warlords rising, and the people living in destitution."

"Both the Taishang Huang and His Majesty acted in accordance with the times, drawing swords to sweep the world clean and reestablish unity; their circumstances resemble those of Qin Shihuang."

"But..." Chen Yan smiled, "Do you know what distinguishes His Majesty from Qin Shihuang?"

His words sent the classroom into silence.

Everyone was contemplating the differences between the two.

At that moment, Gao Yang muttered, "The differing point is probably that Father Emperor didn't found the state with harsh punishments and severe laws, right?"

"Huh?" Chen Yan looked rather surprised at his own death‑seeking little beloved wife.

He was quite suspicious that she had evolved again.

It is well known that Gao Yang possesses a touch of world‑shaking wisdom.

Of course, her world‑shocking wisdom is truly wisdom only when she actually uses her brain.

When she doesn't think, the world‑shocking part remains only shocking.

Just as Chen Yan was about to continue, the door suddenly knocked.

He frowned slightly, walked over, and opened the door.

"Xiao Shunzi?"

Xiao Shunzi respectfully said, "Duke, I didn't mean to disturb you; His Majesty sent someone to request your return to Chang'an, saying there is an urgent matter."

"......"