Chapter 945: Plum Tree Replacing the Peach Tree

The meal was finished in a rather dull atmosphere; mainly because they had been walking for so long, everyone was truly a bit hungry. Baifeng then said, "Baoxi, why don't you go back and rest for a while first? It is currently the hottest time of the day, and there is no one working outside. How about we go take a look once it gets a bit cooler?"

It was another statement that shocked Baoxi, but since he had decided to join Huaxia, he would handle things according to Huaxia's customs. Baoxi decided he needed to adapt to these affairs of Huaxia first.

However, he might be the only one who needed to adapt. As for the others of the Suiren Clan, did such a good thing really require adaptation? It was practically something they had been praying for.

After sending Baoxi off, Baifeng hurriedly convened a general meeting. Regardless of whether they were resting or not, the main high-level officials were all gathered together. Baifeng was also extremely exhausted.

"Everyone, Baoxi says he wants to bring his Suiren Clan to join Huaxia. This really caught me off guard. I truly hadn't thought about this matter, and with him suddenly proposing it, I don't know what to do yet."

"The Suiren Clan is estimated to have about three hundred thousand people. According to their population ratio, there are at least two hundred thousand able-bodied laborers, and they don't have elderly people in the sense that we do in Huaxia. This seems like a great thing for our Huaxia."

"But the problem lies in whether we can truly take them in. Once we take them in, do we still want their Suiren Clan territory? If we do, our strategic plan for the Western Development Group will be significantly affected."

"Furthermore, such a sudden change in the overall situation will inevitably affect our relationship with the Xuanyuan Tribe. Whether our alliance with Xuanyuan can continue to be maintained is a question."

"If it cannot be maintained, our various trades and cooperation will also go down the drain. Our previous efforts would be like water in a bamboo basket, flowing away for nothing. So, take a look and see what should be done. Everyone, think about it and voice your opinions."

Some people were receiving the news for the first time just now because it was the weekend, and the Ministry of Rites, specifically Zhigui, was responsible for the reception, which had nothing to do with their other departments. Even Yulong was on his usual holiday, staying at home with his son. Suddenly receiving such heavy news, they were unable to react for a moment.

After being tossed about for most of the day, Zhigui's brain was already a bit muddled; he couldn't think of anything and was completely unable to speak. Others were also considering the pros and cons of every aspect; the relationships involved here were indeed too important.

Liangji thought for a while and said, "King, I only have one thought, which is that our development of the west absolutely cannot change, nor can it change because of the addition of a Suiren Clan. Not to mention that we have already spent so much manpower and material resources to open up the current territories in the west."

"Our Western Development Group is also struggling in the wilderness right now. The development of the west is a response you made, King, after considering the future situation of the world. The demise of the Suiren Clan was also within expectations; it's just that the way it is perishing is a bit different."

"If we let the Suiren Clan just do as we do with other tribes and let them go to develop the west, that would be the greatest help to our Huaxia. As for their territory, I feel there is no great need to control it, or perhaps we could leave a portion of their Suiren Clan people there to continue controlling it."

"After all, there are many things on their territory that we do not have. Before we can completely control it, it is good to create some benefits for ourselves."

Baifeng nodded and continued to look at the crowd: "Good, what Liangji said makes a lot of sense. What about the rest of you? Do you have any other insights?"

Sanxin immediately followed up by saying: "King, I am considering that the Suiren Clan has three hundred thousand people, while we in Huaxia do not have three hundred thousand. Will they be able to submit to our management and integrate into our Huaxia by then?"

"What if this is some scheme of Baoxi's? By making us lower our guard, without the obstruction of city walls, he could directly replace all our Huaxia people, and then his people would take the top positions, letting the Suiren Clan replace Huaxia. Without wasting any effort, they would seize the fruits of our Huaxia's development over so many years. What should we do then?"

Hearing this, the crowd also became a bit panicked. They really hadn't thought of this point. Zao asked Sanxin in return: "That shouldn't be possible, right? Not to mention that all the power is in the hands of our own people, even if they really made a move, our Soldiers, even without the protection of city walls, would be completely capable of defeating the Suiren Clan's Soldiers, right? This Baoxi, he..."

Sanxin continued to shake his head: "I cannot fully trust Baoxi's words. In the past, he was a person who relied on war to expand territory and plunder wealth. He even came to attack our Huaxia."

"This time, he suddenly came over like this without explaining what he is actually here for. After looking around here for half a day, he just said he wanted to join Huaxia. Isn't this a bit too straightforward?"

"Could such a major event be something he decided on a whim?"

Baifeng also became a bit uneasy at this moment. Indeed, Baoxi seemed to have decided too readily. Although people in this era were not that clever or devious, who could say that these clever people of the present wouldn't have ulterior motives? If there was no precedent for the "plum tree replacing the peach tree" scheme, why couldn't he set the precedent himself?

Baifeng tapped his pen on the table, his mind thinking rapidly. Considering all kinds of risks and difficulties, letting Baoxi join Huaxia was really not that cost-effective. The main issue was, with a tribe that had a larger population than his own, who should be the mainstream after they arrived?

If they provided them with food, tools, and Weapons, taught them how to build houses, and allocated territory to them, then by the time Baoxi built a larger city in the west with a higher safety factor, their entire strategy of moving Huaxia westward might continue to fall through.

At the critical moment, Yulong proposed a relatively stable method: "Father, in my view, we can accept the Suiren Clan coming, but they must come in batches. This time, we ask for twenty or thirty thousand of their laborers, let them stay in Huaxia forever, and then scatter them throughout various parts of Huaxia. As time passes, once they get used to living the good life and adapt to Huaxia's lifestyle, and identify themselves as people of Huaxia, will they still listen to Baoxi's orders?"

"Tens of thousands of people coming a year—anyway, the war with the Shennong Clan won't be over in a year or two. We will slowly assimilate the Suiren Clan. This way, we can still communicate with Xuanyuan, saying those people are just those we hired, and our relationship with the Xuanyuan Tribe can also be stabilized."