Chapter 952: Retirement

At this time, the other officials of Huaxia had already arrived, but seeing Baifeng and Baoxi in deep, pleasant conversation, they did not find it appropriate to enter directly; they only entered the conference room once they saw the two appeared to have reached an agreement.

Baifeng was very satisfied that Baoxi had accepted his proposal; these past two days had not been wasted. Although facing Xuanyuan next might bring some trouble, the temptation of a population of three hundred thousand was simply too great for him.

Three hundred thousand people were enough for him to fill the areas currently developed in the west, providing the greatest boost to his control over the west. Furthermore, the regions further west were also rich in resources—iron ore, coal mines, and the like—all of which were present. In the future, he could fully rely on the west to build the most powerful nation.

Then, he would continue to move west, and further west still, to occupy more and larger territories.

Baifeng stood up and gave Baoxi a pull: "Baoxi, now we are brothers. In Huaxia, if you have any needs, just tell me. From now on, we are one family. I will start preparing to build a large courtyard for you now. Tell me how many people are in your household, and I will pick a spot for you in Huaxia City to build a large courtyard."

Baoxi also affectionately grasped Baifeng's hand: "Baifeng, King, I don't have many requests. Right now, I want a set of Huaxia clothing. The clothes I am wearing now are completely different from those of Huaxia. I want to start from these small things and gradually become the same as Huaxia."

Baifeng hooked his finger, and a servant immediately came to the front: "Go and prepare a few sets of clothes, from Spring to Winter, I want them all. Hemp Cloth, Silk, leather—get a set of each."

"Hmm, but for now, just prepare a standard set of Hemp Cloth. As for the rest, let Zhinu measure your size when the time comes, and have a few sets custom-made to fit perfectly."

After the servant noted this down and respectfully withdrew, Baifeng said to the other officials: "I have just talked with Baoxi in detail and confirmed that the Suiren Tribe will join Huaxia. Once Baoxi returns, he will begin to take action. Then, Sanxin, you are responsible for quickly drawing up the relevant plans."

"How many people are coming, where they will be trained and stationed, the various procedures, and finally, where the people will be assigned to live and reside—you must take care of every aspect."

Sanxin immediately stepped forward a short distance to bow, smiling brightly at Baoxi: "Tribal Chief Baoxi—no, how should I address you now?"

Baoxi said quite naturally: "Just call me Baoxi. I have already handed the Suiren Tribe over to Huaxia, so I am no longer a Tribal Chief."

"Alright, then I will call you Baoxi. It is like this: we must first calculate the quantities based on food, tools, and the number of various professionals to determine how many people should be sent over in this first batch. We must ensure that every tribesman who comes over can have their survival guaranteed."

"Now, there is good news: because the rainfall has been good this year and there have been no disasters so far, as long as things continue steadily like this, this year will definitely be a year of great Harvest. The Wheat and such have already filled out, and the grains are basically plump. In another ten days or so, we can start the harvest."

"If we live frugally, not only will we be able to support tens of thousands more people, but it is also very likely that we will be able to save some food."

Baoxi was also very happy: "Good, your name is Sanxin, right? Anyway, for these two days, you go and handle these things. You give me a number, and tell me when to send them and how to send them. Once you make it clear, I will handle it for us immediately after I return."

Sanxin reached out his hand, but Baoxi did not understand what it meant. Baifeng smiled and pulled Baoxi's hand, making the two shake hands, and explained from the side: "Baoxi, in Huaxia, this means we are cooperating together. Of course, it is also a way of greeting."

"Oh, so that's how it is. I have learned it, hahahahaha." Baoxi used a little force in his grip.

After the two separated, Baifeng suggested: "Alright, Baoxi, let's go outside and take a walk. Let me show you how the common people of Huaxia live, and let you see our Huaxia farmland, Pasture, and orchards. This way, it will be easier for you to explain things clearly to your people later, so they won't be resistant or repelled by coming to Huaxia."

"At the same time, you will also know what kind of work your tribesmen will do. If you see any work you like, you can go to school to study it in the future, and then hold an official position in that industry."

"People, after all, living a lifetime, happiness is definitely the most important thing. Being able to do work that you find interesting until you grow old—that is the most blissful thing. Only then is a life lived with meaning."

Baoxi now liked chatting with the old man Sanxin, because Sanxin let Baoxi know that people could live for a long time, and that at his own age, he was actually still very young. He could completely follow what Baifeng said, learn a craft, and then continue to delve into a certain industry, rather than just waiting around, living for however many years doing nothing, and then dying.

Baoxi asked Sanxin: "Sanxin, do you really like the work you are doing now? Did you choose to do this from the beginning?"

Sanxin appeared very calm: "No, when I first became an official in Huaxia, my age was about the same as yours. At that time, I was far inferior to you; at the very least, I did not have the ability to manage a large tribe of hundreds of thousands. I was just slightly better than the few hundred people around me."

"Then our King taught me bit by bit, let me learn, and gave me power bit by bit. Only then did I become what I am now, doing these things. If you ask me what I like or what I want to do?"

"I have truly never thought about this. By the time I reached the age where I would think about these things, I no longer had the need to choose."

"Like me now, I have gradually started handing over power to others. If it weren't for the King trusting me and continuing to use me, I would have already retired by now, gone home to look after the children, drink tea, grow flowers, and bask in the sun every day. Wouldn't that be very free and comfortable?"

Baoxi, in the end, did not understand the core of the Huaxia way of life, so he did not understand or yearn for this kind of life, but he felt that he might understand it in the future. However, he was more curious about what the word "retired" meant.

"Retirement? People always have a time when they grow old. Once a person is old, their body is poor, their mind cannot keep up, and they cannot compete with young people. Then they should retire, give up their position to the young, and the elderly can go home to enjoy their blessings. Having worked for a lifetime, in those last few years, you don't have to do anything, just eat, drink, play games, and play chess. This is how it should be."