Wei School's Three Good Students

Chapter 313: Civil and Military Affairs
When Xuan Chong met He Cunzhao, there was neither Cao Cao's barefoot welcome nor Liu Bei's sincere three visits to the thatched cottage. Xuan Chong didn't like doing that kind of thing.

They simply arranged for the Dongtu Guesthouse to provide He Cunzhao with a quiet room. However, other arrangements were made for him.

With He Cunzhao's arrival at the East Library, Xuan Chong temporarily changed the time of a civil service examination.

The revised exam had 500 participants. Everything was done according to procedure, with no special treatment. The exam topic was the selection and recruitment of civil servants for the eight new economic zones currently under the jurisdiction of Dongtu.

This selection process for officials included considerations such as regional geography, port throughput, population, and local products. Candidates were required to conduct some research into the local customs and traditions before the interview was considered successful.

As for the "inspection," Xuan Chong paid for the inspections himself and got reimbursed; in the past six months, the relevant cruise ships and railway freight have been free for those who have passed the imperial examinations.

If someone is truly dedicated to their work, they will definitely do their homework in various places. Therefore, those who simply want to try their luck to get promoted and make money, using Dongtu as a stepping stone to find other connections, will be eliminated in this assessment.

He Cunzhao passed the two rounds of screening. In the first round, he perfectly explained the current development advantages of Dongtu and made a prediction about the new air routes that will connect Yaoguang Port, a new city, with Longzhou in the future.

This prediction is almost identical to the calculations made by Xuan Chong's planned economy team.

In the second exam, after obtaining multiple classified economic data, he directly predicted the current difficulties in development, namely, the shortage of manpower in some mines in the north, and seasonal transportation difficulties in spring and winter.

Xuan Chong already considered them one of his own once they passed the second exam. Because the second exam revealed a significant amount of core economic data from Dongtu, Xuan Chong is currently in discussions with other regions regarding labor recruitment and equipment purchases. If this assessment data falls into the wrong hands, Dongtu could fall into their hands during negotiations.

However, concealing this data from the scholars willing to participate in the second round would demonstrate a lack of sincerity from the host, revealing that they couldn't ascertain the Dongtu's true intentions, and these scholars would then be unlikely to participate in the third round. Therefore, the first round of the moral selection examination is crucial; only after this moral selection is completed can the second round truly begin to select talent.
He Cunzhao once again delivered a perfect performance.

Xuan Chong conducted his final interview, but this time, the focus wasn't on assessing his abilities, but rather on inquiring about his family and future asset allocation.

The interview was a casual chat. After being asked if he owned property locally, He Cunzhao looked at Xuan Chong with a knowing expression. He mentioned his two old houses and his close cousins ​​and relatives. From then on, the two parties established an employment relationship.

Two days later, Dongtu sent people to the village in Jizhou and bought He Cunzhao's old house for dozens of times the market price, about five thousand silver dollars. After that, they sealed it up and brought his cousin and thirty members of the clan to Dongtu. They then assessed the adult men among them and made corresponding job arrangements.

…This relationship between ruler and subject is a traditional cultural practice…

In Xuan Chong's previous life, job interviews were often a way for bosses to show off in front of job seekers and test their obedience.

In modern Chinese society, if you do this in front of scholars, they will roll their eyes and think you are unworthy of your position, and your career will surely fail in the future.

Within the present-day Han Dynasty, interviews that test obedience do exist. For example, in neighboring Japan, where the learning of Chinese culture is incomplete and the relationship between patriarchs and vassals still exists, interviews still emphasize "obedience."

In modern Hanzhong, when recruiting candidates with official titles, the interview is a way for both parties to confirm whether it is a mutually beneficial arrangement.

Xuan Chong was choosing He Cunzhao, while He Cunzhao was also determining whether Xuan Chong was a worthy "master" to whom he could devote his talents. And they needed to quickly establish the principles of a "ruler" for their capable "ministers."

In the present Han Dynasty, the "initial relationship between the emperor and his subjects" is just like the "so-called love textbook" of the previous life, with a large number of standard formulas.

The old saying about love, "If you love her, buy her xx," now applies to winning over your subjects—it requires spending money and effort.

Xuan Chong had clearly delivered a perfect answer. In order to keep him, just like a herb gatherer digging for ginseng in the mountains, they first carefully tied a red rope to prevent him from running away, and then followed his root system to clean out all his roots in the soil before transplanting him.

He Cunzhao only needed to focus on serving the country wholeheartedly, while Xuan Chong had many more things to consider.

First, it's to prevent him from being bogged down by family matters. He's highly valued at Dongtu, and if his family isn't taken care of all at once, then after he becomes successful, ten or even a hundred times more relatives and friends will suddenly appear, asking him for favors. This will annoy him and affect his work.

Rather than making him put in dozens of times more effort than he would otherwise have to, it would be better to arrange things properly for the people he has closest to right now all at once.

Secondly, it's to prevent He Cunzhao from being unable to adapt to the new environment. Capable people inevitably touch upon the interests of some; it's difficult for anyone to be without flaws, and even if they aren't currently flawed, some people with ulterior motives can create them. Friends and family are potential entry points. In Xuan Chong's memories of his previous life, it was merely simple ideological education—a standard Legalist approach to governance. However, in the modern Han Dynasty, the Confucian system of thought has continued to develop, so when employing people, one must consider "human nature" and nip any negative traits in the bud.

As for the third point, it involves the academic clique in Yandu. Fourthly, whether Wang Juren, as the recommender, could have a significant influence within his circle, leading to a "money-for-hire" effect, is a matter I won't elaborate on.

…The term "lackey" was invented by barbarians…

Xuan Chong and Su Ming both wanted to try their luck at becoming "Jinshi" (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), and becoming "Jinshi" was like being evaluated for a professional title in their previous lives—it required writing an essay.

In modern Chinese literature, a good essay for the imperial examination (进士) needs to highlight local development or breakthroughs in key national projects as its primary argument. Alternatively, citing other sources is acceptable, but the score will be lower.

The article that Xuan Chong is going to write involves the study of "taking Dongtu as the center to drive the prosperity of the country and the people in the Heiqiujiang region".

In order to carry out this research, Xuan Chong's mentor, a great Confucian scholar of the dynasty, began to help Xuan Chong review the status of the Eastern Library every year.

They pointed out, from afar, which "departments" Xuan Chong lacked in his "governance" at the Eastern Library. They also suggested which "Confucian classics" should be the focus of evaluation for the personnel recruited by these departments.

He Cunzhao underwent a review of official documents from the past six months at the Xuanchong official residence. Three months later, he was appointed as an official in the "Railway Bureau" and took office, participating in the planning of all newly built roads connecting the entire Dongtu area, including Hanbei.

This is a coordinated effort spanning the entire eastern region, requiring the person in charge to conduct on-site inspections in various areas to determine the efficiency of route construction and ensure the supply of essential materials to various peripheral outposts.

After Xuan Chong completed this appointment, he shirked his responsibilities and felt much more relaxed, much like adding "auto-management" to some operations in a "real-time strategy" game.

He Cunzhao had more than one "automatic management" button; subsequently, many of the selected talents were also incorporated into Xuanchong's planned economy system.

From then on, the "case studies" that were originally lacking in Xuan Chong's policy essay after passing the imperial examination were supplemented and completed, and the policy essay became more detailed and deserved its due score.

…truly deserving of its name…

At the end of the year in 2111 of the Han calendar, in the main hall of Yandu, the Three Dukes and officials of all ranks gathered to discuss the situation of the year.

The court officials all looked grim. Because the dynasty was at war, the year-end bonuses (which normally included an extra month's salary) in the capital had been cancelled. Therefore, facing their resentful colleagues during the palace council was a very difficult experience for the Ministry of War officials.

During the open questioning phase, the Ministry of War was questioned by censors as many as eighty-one times. This was more than the other five ministries combined.

Although two months ago, the Hanbei Legion successfully diverted nearly 60% of the orcs' attention in the Dalie River assault and subsequent ambush, allowing the beasts to brave the icy wilderness and fight to the death at Corpse Hu Ridge, the losses on the southern front were reduced even more.

However, this is only a temporary solution and cannot completely eliminate the Orks.

In the evening, in the palace, the emperor would look at some economic data.

On the table in front of the emperor, a projector appeared, displaying economic data from various prefectures and outer vassal states.

The data from Dongtu stands out. Dongtu's steel production surged from 70,000 tons five years ago to 4 million tons. Electricity generation increased from 5 million kilowatts to 30 million kilowatts. Logically, a vassal state reaching this level of development should be subject to annexation. However, due to wartime conditions, Dongtu's economy temporarily skipped this step. This led to a rare situation: the living standards of the people in the "vassal state" began to surpass those of the present-day Han mainland—while within the present-day Han court, there was an ancestral rule: the "superior state" must maintain its central position.

Rapid development has brought about many subtle changes in people's lives. The two main cities in the north and south of Dongtu have begun phasing out the long-standing use of kerosene lamps. It's worth noting that kerosene lamps are deeply ingrained in other places. Since Dongtu produces its own oil, changing this practice is actually more difficult.

This year, officials at the East Library went all out to publicize that kerosene lamps were unsanitary and that the carbon black they produced could easily cause lung disease, so all those old oil lamp traditions that had lasted for decades began to be replaced.

It can be said that in this wave of steam power being replaced by electric power, the vassal state of Dongtu is now ahead of the curve compared to the Jiangnan and Bobin regions.

It is expected that once this year's plan is completed, the Hanbei Protectorate will be able to provide the north with military supplies such as "wooden-carried metal water bottles," "canned goods," "medicine," and ammunition. —Don't underestimate these small items; they aren't large items like artillery or armored vehicles, but during wartime, these supplies will account for over 90% of the total supply.

The imperial court has currently invested 80 million silver dollars in support funds for various vassal states through its "Wanjinpu" (equivalent to Wall Street), and allocated a full 30 million to the Eastern Library.

Behind the "Ten Thousand Gold Shop" lies the investment of the imperial family and one of the most prestigious families in China. Regardless of the court's current policy towards the Eastern Turks, they are currently keen on lending to them and are preparing to invest an additional fifty million silver dollars this year.

This is because the loans were made in other vassal states, where there were no industries to invest in. Investing in agriculture? Since they couldn't create "fluctuations" to harvest local crops, they would lose money every year. As for investing in industry, the vassal states lacked an industrial base, so the only option was mining, but mining required "industrial manufacturing" to create a market.

Dongtu invested 30 million, and its market value increased sixfold in one year.

In fact, it wasn't just Yandu that was investing. Xuan Chong raised a total of 5 million silver dollars in the entire year of 2111 of the Han calendar, most of which were borrowed from banks in Jiangnan.

…Break free? With reins!…

The emperor asked a renowned Confucian scholar standing nearby, "What do you think of this little fellow from Dongtu?"

Confucian scholar: "Talented to revitalize the country and stabilize the nation."

The emperor nodded: "Indeed, a capable minister for governing a peaceful era."

The scholar paused slightly, looking at the emperor, because there was another sentence after "a capable minister in times of peace".

For two thousand years, the Han dynasty system weighed heavily on the minds of emperors and scholar-officials, with only the mysterious and enigmatic concept of "the cycle of order and chaos."

The Han Dynasty has now enjoyed four hundred years of peace and prosperity. Now, an unusual omen has appeared in the heavens. Will this usher in a new era of chaos? — For the past four hundred years, the sword hanging over the heads of the emperor and his ministers has never been clearer than it is today.

The Emperor asked: "Is the Eastern Map currently dividing the land into prefectures and counties?"

The scholar said, "That's true. The heir of Dongtu has already completed the regional division of the entire Dongtu territory."

The emperor reviewed the administrative divisions and concluded that everything had to be redrawn from scratch. All personnel changes were now being reported to the imperial court.

Of course, the court has only gone through the formalities and has not intervened yet. After all, it is afraid that if it intervenes in the name of the court, the complex factional forces within the court will take the opportunity to intervene and ruin the current situation in the north.

Note: Currently, the Eastern Library is handling this as a special case, with several high-ranking officials directly contacting Xuan Chong and Su Ming to resolve the issue. Once successful, the credit will be distributed directly to the factions of these high-ranking officials. However, if the imperial system were to take over, even a low-ranking official of the sixth rank, stuck at a crucial juncture, would try to cause trouble. Can you guarantee that this "low-ranking official of the sixth rank" is a gentleman?
This is similar to the US arms purchases case in Xuan Chong's previous life. The numerous cumbersome approval processes allowed even the lowest-ranking officials to meddle and exercise oversight under the guise of "legitimate" oversight. Can you guarantee that all these "small fry" are truly competent and not corrupt?

In certain major projects that emphasize efficiency, ensuring project independence can only be achieved by ensuring communication with the "key person in charge".

The Minister of Works in the court is shrewd. Under the guise of instructing Xuan Chong and Su Ming, he sends his prized students to Xuan Chong and Su Ming under the pretense of teaching them. Now, the Minister of Works has the "Eastern Map" firmly under his control.

It could even be said that Xuan Chong was not a reliable force for the emperor, but he was definitely a protégé of his minister.

In the eyes of powerful figures like Lin Sima, Xuan Chong was merely a small pawn charging forward and about to cross the river; Wang Situ was the real big boss behind Xuan Chong.

Decades later, the Eastern Library might have disagreements with the capital region over defense spending and the economy, but it will absolutely not clash with Wang Situ's faction over personnel matters. The Eastern Library's talent recruitment strategy is already well-established.

The Emperor is aware of the reason why Minister Wang appears so composed. Because there is a contrasting example.

Lin Sima, however, was unable to place his protégés within the Hanbei Army. Lin Sima's men were furious, and some even went so far as to claim that "Minister Wang and the prince have too close a personal relationship."

This is because Xuan Chong's unit was too new and not within the scope of the Ministry of War's arrangements.

Yes, just like how the "Suzhou Super League" is not under the jurisdiction of the Chinese Football Association.

…blood spilled from Corpse Ridge…

At this point, the emperor found it amusing, because a year ago, Lin Sima was still preparing for "Liu Haoxing to come and beg him".

In Lin Sima's view, without highly skilled and professional military personnel, Hanbei could never become an army. Absolutely not.

However, Xuan Chong recruited naval officers from the first tier in Jianye, trained the troops, and made some changes during the training process.

Just when Lin Sima and other experts from the Ministry of War believed that "the navy's men are all weaklings" and that they were making a fool of themselves on land.

The Emperor obtained intelligence on the new army of the Hanbei Protectorate from his personal guard officers. The intelligence consisted of detailed revisions made by Xuan Chong to the "Military Manual" for the southern navy over the past year. When consulting with experts, the result was that not a single revision was "nonsense."

The command links of the Hanbei New Army at the battalion, regimental, and brigade levels have been reformed with the goal of improving combat effectiveness by incorporating the latest telegraph and battlefield telephone communication technologies.

For example, Xuan Chong said: "We must strengthen the initiative of the company and platoon levels, and have the regimental and brigade command take on more operational decision-making authority in response to wartime situations. The decision-making authority for firepower deployment at the division level should be delegated."

Finally, these veterans concluded: Liu Haoxing knows how to fight!

The emperor lamented, "Why are fine steeds not in the stables?" (Xuan Chong knew about military affairs, but he was not a graduate of the Han Army Academy.)
So why was Xuan Chong "knowledgeable about military affairs"?

The only indication was that Xuan Chong went to the Northwest on a mission, served for a period of time, and obtained the rank of General of the Cavalry. However, everyone knew that Xuan Chong's position as General of the Cavalry was responsible for liaising with the army and local prefectures, and overseeing logistics.

As for the reform of the "grassroots training system" in Hanbei, how did Xuan Chong become familiar with the key aspects of it after dropping out of school?

The emperor's personal guard officer said, "He probably already had his own rules and regulations in the northwest."

Conclusion: Xuan Chong is a military talent! — This made the emperor uneasy: "He is skilled in both literature and martial arts, and he is also a member of the imperial clan. Although there is nothing to guard against, he should still be kept in check."

(End of this chapter)