Chapter 233: An Inspiring Speech

The entire venue fell silent.

Everyone looked up at Liu Zheng.

A dream?

This kind of plain-spoken rhetoric made everyone follow along with curiosity.

The Protectorate is being rebuilt today, so why are you talking about a dream?

Even Xie Chan, in the crowd, found it somewhat unbelievable.

"Yes."

"I Have a Dream."

Liu Zheng smiled and said: "I dream that one day, we can find a pure land to give those of us who come from all directions, filled with all kinds of sins, a chance to turn over a new leaf and start anew."

"On that pure land, all men are created equal."

Boom!

The hearts of everyone present were touched.

Created equal?

Is this possible?

Since ancient times, from the moment people are born, there have been classes. Royalty is royalty, Nobles are Nobles, the lowly are the lowly, and slaves are slaves.

The concept of hierarchy is instilled in people's minds from childhood and strictly observed.

Created equal?

Many people scoffed.

Liu Zheng held a "megaphone" in one hand and pointed to a hill outside the city with the other, continuing: "I dream that one day, on this pure land, the sons of former slaves will be able to sit down together with the sons of Nobles and Scholar-officials to discuss the bonds of brotherhood!"

The whole crowd was in an uproar.

This...

In the city, the eyes of many slaves shone with endless brilliance. Their own sons... their own descendants, could be freed from slave status?

The Prince of Yong, hearing this, smacked his lips. What exactly is this Prefect Liu trying to do? Is he challenging the entire hierarchical system of the feudal dynasty?

Liu Zheng continued to smile.

"I dream that one day, my children will live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, their profession, or their background, but by their character."

Many people stood up with a roar.

"I dream that one day, here! Whether it is an official, a craftsman, or a groom, everyone can receive the same respect and freedom! Everyone can contribute their abilities to the construction of this pure land!"

"I dream that one day, this pure land will be built together by a group of people who are all pursuing freedom and progress."

"Today..."

He smiled faintly.

Looking at the people who were gradually becoming excited, he continued: "No matter where we come from, no matter what our previous status or profession was, perhaps, no matter which space we each came from..."

"No matter if you are a craftsman or a groom, no matter if you are a slave or a Scholar-official."

"No matter what kind of injustice or persecution you have suffered."

He paused.

"Congratulations to you all."

"On this pure land, you will be reborn!"

The entire venue was suppressing its excitement.

Suppressing its fervor.

The entire venue remained quiet.

But their hearts had already begun to surge with giant waves. Yes, whether they were former Scholar-officials or generals, today they were nothing but prisoners. This fate would not change with a general amnesty. They, too, longed for freedom and longed for a fresh start.

Feng Zhen's eyelids twitched.

Xiong Ao puffed out his chest.

Ling Chen's eyes flashed with light.

"I have a dream today."

"I dream that one day, within the Western Regions, whether they are Han, Barbarian, Xiongnu, Dayuan Kingdom, or Qi, boys and girls of different skin colors will be able to be like brothers and sisters and move forward hand in hand."

"I have a dream today."

"I dream that one day, the valleys will rise, the mountains will descend, and the thousands of years of rugged paths of human hierarchy will finally become a smooth road, with holy light revealed, shining upon the human world."

"I have a dream today."

"I dream that one day, this pure land of the Western Regions will be built by us together, including me, including you, including everyone."

His voice rose sharply as he pointed to the vast desert outside the city: "When the dream is realized one day, this place will be a human pure land, a paradise! This place will no longer be a desert; as long as we are united, we can move mountains and drain seas. There will no longer be a shortage of water here, it will become the most beautiful oasis, and it will be just as prosperous!"

"This place will no longer be barren, and there will be no oppression here!"

"This is all my dream, and I carry this conviction as I come to the Western Regions. We will carve a stone of hope out of this city of despair! With this conviction, we can turn the chaotic quarrels between different classes, different skin colors, and different backgrounds into a beautiful symphony overflowing with brotherly love!"

"With this conviction, we can work together, live together, struggle together, and build together. Build our own home together and maintain the freedom we want! Because we know that one day, we will be free."

"On the day that freedom comes, everyone will be glad for the arrival of this day and for your choices. This place is our home, our pure land. Your children and grandchildren will praise you and thank you, my forefathers; you are the greatest immigrants in this world, and the Western Regions you are about to build will be the freest and happiest place in this world!"

The entire venue.

Was silent as death.

Liu Zheng's words were like the morning bell and evening drum, leaving people's hearts unable to calm down for a long time.

Freedom?

This word was too distant for the people of this era.

Because most people were still struggling to make ends meet, who would care about freedom?

Today, the majority of the prisoners who had come to the Western Regions had arrived precisely because their freedom had been constrained; today, however, Liu Zheng gave them the hope of regaining that freedom.

Those slaves did not even dare to hope for freedom.

In their entire lives, they had never dared to hope for it.

Freedom?

Equality?

What kind of pure land was this? It was too beautiful, wasn't it? This was indeed a dream, a place they would need to be dreaming to reach.

They began to immerse themselves in the dreamscape Liu Zheng had painted for them, unable to extricate themselves for a long time.

Xie Chan.

Amidst the crowd, she too was so affected by Liu Zheng's speech that she seemed to have forgotten how to breathe.

What was he trying to do?

Liu Zheng laughed heartily and said, "Everyone, in Yintan City, the Point Management System has already achieved excellent results. There, slaves also receive wages and benefits; once a slave has accumulated enough points, they will be removed from the slave registry and restored to the status of a free citizen!"

"The children of slaves will be free citizens from birth!"

"Today."

"In the Western Regions Construction Corps that we are about to create, it will be the same. Regardless of whether you are currently a prisoner, a slave, a craftsman, or a scholar, you will all accumulate our points under the same Point System to achieve a transformation of our status. To realize the freedom we yearn for!"

At this moment.

He could already see the burning eyes of over a hundred thousand people.

"Take the home as home, take the village as village, take the nation as nation, and take the world as the world!"

"Everyone."

"The Western Regions are like a blank sheet of paper; if you want to paint beautiful mountains and rivers, if you want to paint the spring colors of a peach blossom garden, if you want to paint a prosperous age for humanity..."

"Let us do it together."

"For the sake of this dream, let us take root in the Western Regions, strive for prosperity, and govern this pure land together."

"Are you with me?"

Silence.

It was still a deathly silence.

Liu Zheng blinked.

No way.

Is that it?

【Author's Note】

It has been truly too busy during the Lunar New Year; starting a few days ago, it's been reunion dinner at this house, reunion dinner at that house, and reunion dinner at my own house. Good heavens... Brothers, please bear with me; I will try my best to ensure the update speed.