Chapter 223: The More, The Better
In the spring of Tong Zheng Calendar Year 5, as Xuan Chong formally used the title Duke Zhen in last autumn’s sacrifice, Under Heaven turned its eyes toward it.
Speaking of whether Xuan Chong is now qualified to use such ritual system? Of course he is, whether it is the merits he established for Da Yao during Emperor Shu’s period; or the title bestowed upon him by Tong Zheng Emperor after he was the first to acknowledge Tong Zheng Emperor.
Several years ago, a large number of vassal lords whose territories were smaller than Xuan Chong’s and whose populations and troops were far fewer than Xuan Chong’s, all rushed to the two small imperial courts demanding titles at the “Duke” level, and they were all enfeoffed because the two small imperial courts urgently needed to win over allies at the time.
But today is different from the past; the struggle for supremacy Under Heaven has entered its seventh year. Everything has entered the second half. Those local powerhouses who obtained duke and marquis positions from the small imperial courts back then, eight or nine out of ten have been wiped out today.
Claiming “Duke” is just an admission ticket to this Under Heaven. After several years of great war, the result has also proven—most people after entering the field are just dishes for the strong ones inside the field.
And Xuan Chong had not claimed “Duke” before, but now suddenly claims Duke. This is just like a person who suddenly “dieted” before, now suddenly starts eating a lot, which makes some guys feel uncomfortable.
Right after Xuan Chong used the duke’s ritual system and carriage to attend the ceremony, immediately in the localities, a large group of scholars in Shui and Donghua Commandery began to discuss that Xuan Chong now claiming “Duke” is against the system.
In the thatched cottage outside Changcheng in Donghua Commandery, the scholars began discussing the following topic again.
Scholar 1: Wu Yuanchang has been protecting the territory and pacifying the people these years, which is quite good; why does he suddenly want to transgress now? This is truly unwise.
Scholar 2: The sun has already risen, the old day is about to set, the general cannot see the situation clearly now, and fears he will bring great disaster!
Scholar 3: Sigh, no one can escape the temptation of contending for supremacy Under Heaven. Kingly and hegemonic enterprises always surpass the livelihood of small people, it’s just pitiful that the last piece of pure land Under Heaven is gone.
The scholars competed to discuss, someone in the thatched cottage was copying, but those responsible for copying were not only the listening clerks sent by the local prefect, but also the undercover agents sent by Security Bureau.
Security Bureau categorized the reactions of noble families everywhere. After Xuan Chong grasped this, he began to replace the military and political bureaucratic systems’ troops in these two places.
For those replaced, Xuan Chong planned to let them wait at home for half a year. After half a year, with the wartime system established and a large number of grassroots forces mobilized to his side, he would send all the bureaucrats of these areas to Southern Border.
Wu Xiao Que’s petty mindset toward these “unlucky eggs” marked with circles: “Don’t say you’re wronged! At the time of impending battle, instead of firmly aligning with me, you tolerate such wavering remarks, which shows you are very wavering yourselves! To reduce uncertain factors, we can only ask you to leave.”
Xuan Chong: Did the Imperial Court grant you official positions to gild you people and show off in the localities? Official positions are parts on the ruling machine. Once an official position does not perform at the expected ninety percent role within the group, it must be replaced.
As for the vacant bureaucratic system? There are plenty of people to fill them, that large group of people who bought bonds.
Xuan Chong would carefully examine whether they have the ability to further convert debt. If they are usable, directly cancel their “dispersed ranks”, directly synthesize one “high rank”, give family treatment, then arrange them to serve as person in charge of official offices in newly occupied areas.
Use the money and people of subordinate local strongmen to stabilize occupied areas. Xuan Chong: Use your money to handle your affairs.
…Security Bureau is now taken over by Wu Lu, Wu Lu who has always been listening to hymns of praise, now starts hearing complaints…
In Duke Zhen Mansion centered on Xuan Chong, the military Staff Department, the core members of the interior department, are all here doing things. And Wu Lu is comprehensively learning at Xuan Chong’s side.
In the half year Wu Lu has been at Xuan Chong’s side, he has become steady; because in the past he was “carried”, thinking every step he took would produce lotuses.
While Xuan Chong led him, he let him see clearly that every step forward has a large number of forces obstructing.
“Where is there any Under Heaven returning hearts, it’s just that Chi Que pressed rotten wood with claws, the insects in the rotten wood dare not show their heads! ” Wu Lu couldn’t help shaking his head. If really strictly discussed, the number of people with disloyal intentions in Zhen State from top to bottom is no less than at Zhao Cheng’s side, only more.
Wu Lu learned through Security Bureau’s records that Zhao Cheng’s side has quite a few talents who are “recommendation of filial and honest” who ran away from here.
These people were “recommendation of filial and honest” who got in by relying on their own local connections when Xuan Chong’s ruling power was not strong ten years ago. But now, these deep-rooted local connections have been mostly dealt with by Xuan Chong.
After several major spy cases were uncovered, Wu Lu discovered: These people not serving here is one thing, but they even ran to the opponent’s side to hand over army city defense maps.
Such duplicity made the vigorous Wu Lu feel like the whole person cracked open.
Wu Lu: One doesn’t know the preciousness of firewood, rice, oil, and salt until managing the household; one doesn’t know the five pests’ trickery until holding power.
Wu Lu had read history books in private school in the past, knowing that history books record that ancient wise monarchs all had the demeanor of “benevolent kings” (this implies Wu Xiao Que has a petty mindset). But nowadays, in practical operation, Wu Lu discovered that wanting not to get angry is nonsense.
After seeing many cases, Wu Lu quickly self-taught and comprehended a truth: In this chaotic times, if too weak, one does not deserve to control a region and stand firm.
And for such traitors, he restrained himself; seeking how his father should operate—Xuan Chong told him: Copying family assets can’t copy them all. These forces are like a mass of living water, can’t drain clean; you have to pick a typical one, then investigate all lifeblood of that typical family before acting.
Xuan Chong rationally listed various aspects of extermination of the family, blocking their mineral points, trade routes, and official roads. At that time, even without copying family, their internal uneven interest distribution would make them kill each other, all kinds of filthy dirty affairs within the family would be exposed. Consequently, they would collapse on their own, ending up clean as white expanse.
Note: Regarding these filthy dirty affairs, privately beating servants to death and such are considered clean! In fact, in these declining, not engaged in legitimate profession great families, drinking human milk, publicly stealing daughter-in-law, all happen.
These high gate great valve noble families, in the eyes of outsiders on weekdays, are like “Immortal Palaces in Heaven”, but in fact Immortal Palaces in Heaven also eat people.
This is not about dirtiness, on Wu Family’s side, Wu Zhantie’s and lizard’s matters, if exposed, reputation not much better than some noble families directly sleeping with young stepmothers.
Xuan Chong warned Wu Lu: “For a person, a family, if there is no proper benefit country benefit people legitimate profession to manage from birth, but lying on gold and silver mountains, all kinds of dirty problems will arise.”
Wu Lu nodded, then asked Xuan Chong in return: “General, why do you tolerate these guys (these noble families)?”
Xuan Chong showed a smile: “Because these noble families becoming like this, is actually all forced by me!”
Wu Lu’s expression was violently shocked.
Xuan Chong leisurely narrated, due to Wu Hanluan’s corruption incident back then, he offended the sect; and because the sect has close relations with local noble families, afterward he also left the native noble families out in the cold for several years.
Xuan Chong smiled at Wu Lu and said: “After I blocked their ‘benefit country benefit people’, they are bound to breed evil spirits.”
Narrator: “Benefit country benefit people” affairs are not only high-level strategic planning; ordinary farming picking manure “self-labor self-feed” are also benefit country benefit people, and can be spiritually self-strong and independent.
But noble families cannot bear class decline, after failing to grab those “govern country” “pacify township” positions, in the hallucination of massive wealth accumulated in the past, they corrupt, invert ethics, speculate madly, all happen.
However, Wu Lu was still shocked by Xuan Chong. What he heard in the past was “value wise ministers, distance small people”, now Xuan Chong indicates that these noble families can be made wise, or made unwise!
This “turn hand cloud cover hand rain” method is just like~! Wu Lu couldn’t find words to describe.
But described in immortal family’s realms: Cultivators in spirit refining realm still depend on spiritual veins spiritual energy. True great powers can master rule power, raise hand to create spiritual veins, cover hand to turn a place into demon domain. (Of course this is not creating from nothing, but at the cost of extracting heaven and earth souls.)
Xuan Chong is such a great power!
Wu Lu felt good and evil inverted, in a daze asked: “Father, why, why?”
He was a bit afraid. If Xuan Chong has no reason, purely by preference, that can be said to be the most evil demon.
Xuan Chong slowly said: “Because that resource of theirs, if given to beggars, thieves turned prodigal sons, these sharp u-turn good men after sufficient tempering, can also benefit country benefit people. Can also play a role in Human Realm.”
Nearby Wu Juwang’s ears twitched.
Xuan Chong: “And the sharp u-turn men are more efficient in benefit country benefit people. They are also more willing than those aloof noble family disciples to bring more people together to benefit country benefit people. By the way, have you heard that noble families have many child prodigies? You know the noble families’ so-called ‘one person’s wisdom enemies hundred people’, does it mean they block a hundred people in ‘benefit country benefit people’ positions?”
Wu Lu opened his mouth wide, suddenly realizing something; Xuan Chong looked toward the Staff Department side, both military and administrative institutions have a hundred people working.
Xuan Chong said to him: “Don’t lament that one person cannot be ‘wise’; if one person is not wise, replace with a hundred wise people, this is exactly right. Heaven and Earth are not benevolent, treating all things as straw dogs; sages are not benevolent, treating common people as straw dogs. The core of Heavenly Way system is stability, the core of Human Way system is efficiency (performance).”
Xuan Chong’s tone gradually rose, because many nearby were pricking up ears to listen, compared to previous small meeting’s scheming, now in public occasion, Xuan Chong wants to raise flag and set great righteousness.
Xuan Chong’s voice echoed in the hall: “This war of ours is not simple kingly hegemonic enterprise, but Human Way change! We farm, build roads, take guns! These things, we do not accomplish by lessons from those pedantic scholars, this is our own way. One day, we will also be eliminated by Human Way’s later waves due to insufficient efficiency. But now, let those old people go die!”
After Xuan Chong finished speaking, everyone under Wu Rui’s lead collectively raised hands in salute. The movements were neat and made a sound, making Wu Lu pause, unknowingly he found the surroundings full of people.
In a daze, Wu Lu suddenly felt himself in a wave, and the center of the wave is father. A few seconds ago, he was still wandering in “indistinct good and evil”, but in an instant like phoenix first cry in chaos, light illuminating the fog.
What good and evil, a person, a family’s good and evil fall has nothing worth nostalgia, now is to push forward the wheels of Human World.
After people started returning to positions, Xuan Chong said: “Are you very curious, if one day I am forced to ‘unable to benefit country benefit people’ what would happen?” Wu Lu was slightly stunned.
Xuan Chong pointed his forehead: “Going to street to pick manure fertilize fields plant grain is also benefit country benefit people, as long as willing to lower body segment.” —Xuan Chong enlightened him. Sending Wu Family imperial clan to border cannot stop, these areas’ “benefit country benefit people” positions lack people.
Willing to fall from Nine Heavens into dust, will not be corroded by chaos.
…Without one’s own set of great righteousness, cannot confront Zhao Cheng who occupies half Under Heaven…
On Zhao Cheng’s side, through spies received the signal, Chong Land now has major changes, first is that a large amount of copper stench appeared in township advisory halls.
A large number of wealthy households began to possess primary three-level military merit ranks, thus can discuss politics with officers and soldiers. Zhao Cheng urgently checked Xuan Chong’s this set of “rank bond” situation, discovered this “rank bond” can only go to Zan Niao, and this rank can add silk ribbons on horse as mark.
Such ranks are bought on behalf of others (proxy payment). That is, many merchants after confirming high ranks cannot be bought, proxy bought shares for their clansmen brothers. And with more people having ranks, they can enter county Advisory Bureau to get voting qualification, thereby conduct reputation evaluation on county magistrate’s four-year assessment.
Zhao Cheng’s advisors mocked Wu Yuanchang’s this behavior as last scooping before death. But Zhao Cheng was horrified!
Xuan Chong’s rule originally had much wealth, but insufficient military power. These wealth without army acknowledgment, with Hao Army great army arriving, all would be plundered.
Now Xuan Chong uses this method, Zhen State’s merchants enthusiastically hand money to Wu Family Army.
Qi Xiao (advisor): “Lord why worry. Wealthy households contributing money to Wu Yuanchang is just wanting to have a say in the township, not truly loyal to Wu Yuanchang, when our great army arrives, they will also turn to us.”
Zhao Cheng looked at this advisor, scrutinizingly asked back: “Then after Wu Yuanchang gets the money?”
The advisors looked at each other, another stood out: “Report to lord, Wu Family Army total eight armies, no matter how thick the money’s favor, cannot make soldiers one against ten. After our army breaks them, all these will belong to us.”
Zhao Cheng coldly snorted: “What if Wu Yuanchang drives corvee as soldiers?”
The advisors were puzzled, they didn’t know why Zhao Cheng worries. Because driving corvee as army, other vassal lords have also done, but all broken by Zhao Cheng’s main combat troops, and now Under Heaven general situation mostly settled, Chong Land is weak side; even if Xuan Chong conscripts people as soldiers, no morale (they think).
Zhao Cheng looked at these advisors, didn’t want to discuss these topics with them anymore. —Xuan Chong squeezing the rights of those “recommendation of filial and honest” local powerful clans in southern region originally, made advisors from powerful clans quite unhappy, to the point subconsciously badmouthing Xuan Chong in fields they don’t understand.
Little do they know, in Zhao Cheng’s heart evaluation of Wu Yuanchang: “His use of troops has reached the level where more is better.”
Zhao Cheng picked up two bamboo slips, above respectively two pieces of information, first information, under Donghua Commandery rule, original wealthy households’ three meals a day began changing to eat potato grain, saving millet, used as funds to buy “rank bond”.
And on another aspect, in Xuan Chong’s rear line road-building corvee camps, since last July, large quantities of live pigs began supplying to corvee; those not supplied also equipped with salted meat, and lard stewed and packed in wooden barrels. So—can Xuan Chong’s driven corvee be the same as Da Yao vassal lords’ driven corvee?
Zhao Cheng: “Give meat food, but no name division. Sigh, I scheme against him, he also schemes against me.”
…Reserve forces…
On Donghua Commandery worksite, fifty thousand corvee holding iron shovels and picks are building roads, this is the new train line under urgent rush work.
On the worksite, corvee are smashing stones; after subsequent Wooden Ox and Flowing Horse deliver grain, everyone starts eating. Under everyone’s gaze, three big ladles of lard are poured into the rice in an iron pot that can hold one person; after a quarter hour soaking, cover with iron lid and seal, roll three times to let lard spread as much as possible into the rice, then announce meal time.
Laborers’ rice, each person only one spoonful, the rest are potato grain, this rice is eaten as meat. The rest are steamed leeks and other vegetables.
When laborers eat, squatting by stone piles watching train pass on the road, start chatting idly.
Laborer 1: “Hey, heard? That Zhang Cuozi from home, damn he is also a public soldier!”
Laborer 2: “Damn, him also deserve, what does he rely on!”
Laborer 1: “He paid one hundred silver leaves.”
Laborer 3: “How does he have so much money?”
Laborer 3: “Not because his relative in family, selling oil from Lingnan to North, earned big money, bought rank for him.”
At this time more and more people gather, Laborer 4: “Bought rank what counts, only fought out is real skill!”
Laborer 2: “Then you go fight!”
Laborer 4: “You think old man dare not?”
In a stable society, there is no anxiety of class fall, because everyone’s path blocked, bottom all flat, only consider one bite to eat. But with ruffians, suddenly a batch promoted, other ruffians start anxious—because afraid these jumped up people come bully themselves.
Especially this group of ruffians after eating full, solving primary physiological needs.
On the other side, a person wearing conical hat starts strolling in the laborer team, he is recording the situation here, referencing whether can recruit soldiers from laborers, his name is Wen Siting, his current rank is: Official Doctor.
He now also has class leap dream, wanting before fifty years old, mix a marquis under Duke Zhen! He wearing bamboo crown, selecting his future “brothers”.
Wen Siting has kin beating gong, like past marketplace doing wandering knight for living, then himself holding clapper, while saying while singing: Hey, Lord Chen one order, spreads to cities Under Heaven, rich ones contribute money, gold silver sell ranks, we poor clinking, but have guts…
Facing the onlookers, Wen Si preaches one by one
