Wei School's Three Good Students

Chapter 98 The way of submission
In April of the 33rd year of the Tianli reign, the corruption case in the "public slave camp" was exposed, and Wu Fei dealt with a large number of people.

Because many of the managers of the public slave camps who committed crimes were meritorious sons appointed by Wu Fei.

Wu Fei: "These idiots have been dragged down by the business groups."

Wu Fei adopted a system of collective punishment for these fools, reducing the military merits of those who made the recommendations, but the reduction could not exceed one-third of their military merits!

This is similar to the principle that when Wu Fei requisitioned grain, he always made sure to leave enough food for those being requisitioned.

If you suddenly overstate someone's achievements, it will provoke huge resistance; but if you erase a third of them, it's just within the range where they learn a painful lesson but are still willing to obey orders.

In this major case, 80% of those involved, including their meritorious guarantors, did not reach the point of having one-third of their merits erased. Even so, there was widespread resentment within the military, and some soldiers, upon returning home, immediately disciplined their spendthrift sons. Their parents and elder brothers also gave these spendthrift sons a beating.

For a time, cries of agony could be heard throughout many parts of Lingnan during the execution of family discipline. And the following day, the ointment for treating skin injuries was in short supply.

…calculating the dividing line…

As for the remaining ten-odd percent of those seriously involved in the case, if their crimes were to be redeemed with military merits, more than a third of them would be atonement. Wu Fei simply didn't make them use their precious military merits to offset their crimes.

Of course, as a follower of the "Legalist system," Wu Fei would not grant any pardons.

"Deducting military merits would lead to a devaluation of blood rewards," so military merits cannot be deducted indefinitely.

Zhu Chongba's "immunity from death token" and "Ming Dynasty banknotes" became a joke because they failed to retain their value. As the military commander of the southern frontier, Wu Fei placed great importance on ensuring the value of the rewards earned through military merit under his command.

Wu Fei found another way to make them feel the pain: he directly gave them "merit points to atone for their sins." He lent them a batch of "merit points" to redeem themselves. These loaned merit points were not subject to the "one-third" limit, but they still had to be repaid.

The atonement of a bureaucratic system can never, ever be, in money.

The "penalty money" system was the most foolish decision. Because the top leadership could not distinguish which piece of silver was saved through frugality and which was obtained through rampant extortion; therefore, having officials hand over penalty money was tantamount to punishing the people under their rule in disguise.

Wu Xiaoque: "But there is one thing that can absolutely distinguish whether someone is a bureaucrat or not, and that is youth."

…loans are available, but not all loans are permitted…

At the general's mansion in Yongji Pass, Wu Fei personally hosted a banquet for the group of military merit representatives whose families had produced unworthy descendants. Among them were some members of the Wu family.

When Wu Fei saw these representatives of military merit kneeling and weeping, pleading with him to "directly and publicly execute the family members who committed the crimes," he chuckled inwardly and thought to himself, "Damn it, they're trying to force me to abdicate."

Wu Fei remembered that Shi Hu had done the same thing before, using the tactic of feigning remorse and pleading guilty as a way to advance.

Of course, Wu Fei is not a monarch like Shi Hong who lacks authority; Wu Fei now truly has the ability to carry out a major purge. Therefore, these meritorious officials who came here crying and complaining are using a strategy of retreat as a means of advancement; their so-called "advancement" is actually a hope to lift a heavy hand and then let it fall gently.

At the banquet, the expectations of each of the loyalists were: that Wu Fei would soften his heart and "raise the issue high, then gently lower it."

Their idea was not without reason. After all, they had served Wu Fei for so long and had figured out his personality. Wu Fei had always been seldom killing people in the army.

Of course, Wu Fei's leniency in killing doesn't mean these people aren't afraid; Wu Fei's punishments are no less severe.

During the banquet, after everyone had finished crying, Wu Fei slowly and deliberately stated: "Exemption from responsibility cannot be reduced, but merit can be retained."

This statement caused everyone to freeze for a second, wondering what Wu Fei meant. It was as if he meant something like, "You'll still have to go to jail, but your salary won't be reduced," which was quite absurd.

Then they realized this wasn't "out of the blue." Wu Xiaoque's leaps in thinking forced them to drink a penalty shot the moment they opened their mouths in surprise.

Wu Fei: "Those who provided military merit guarantees, along with their families involved in the case, were sent to serve in the southern bank of Lingjiang for more than ten or twenty years to offset their crimes. In this major case, the person who committed the most serious crime had to be stationed in the southern part of Lingjiang for at least sixty years (almost three generations). The length of service for these exiles was related to the merit points required for 'offsetting crimes with merit.' The loan was settled in one go, and the length of service was not subject to any reduction for future merits. In other words, when you were stationed in the countryside, you were still 'meritorious' and your titles were not diminished."

Many members of the Wu family were just trying to accumulate some merit and then try to stay longer, but Wu Fei directly rejected their plans.

Wu Fei: If merits can be offset without limit, then merits become worthless, and the law becomes a joke. Don't think I don't know that some people, even though they are demoted, still have the support of their families. But if they are demoted directly with their merits, their families are no longer able to help them, which is what truly "punishes the sore spot."

What if you break the law again south of Lingjiang? The laws south of Lingjiang are very weak. Unless you openly rebel, there are basically no laws you can break. Compared to the law, the greater danger is that after messing around, you will be secretly strangled by your subordinates who cannot bear the humiliation, and then reported as having died of illness.

Wu Fei was certain that these meritorious officials stationed in the South would do a good job.

Wu Fei's actions were also politically necessary. He needed a stable group in southern Lingjiang that could continuously accumulate merit and influence, and that could speak from the perspective of southern Lingjiang, instead of individuals atomizing themselves and going to the central government to privately cash in their achievements as a ticket to the empire's center.

This is equivalent to Wu Fei setting up a one-way valve, sending all the meritorious sons to the frontier through a one-time punishment, and then prohibiting them from returning by lowering their status.

If the children of meritorious officials in a region all rush to exchange their merits for transfers back to prosperous areas, collectively devaluing themselves and selling out their achievements to return to the central core area, this will create a vicious cycle.

This means that people from the frontier regions will become increasingly lower in status, becoming places where criminals are exiled.

When there is no one in charge of the frontier, the empire cannot invest in it.

With the collapse of the imperial center, the frontiers, which had never been officially recognized by the empire, immediately broke away.

However, with the titles granted by the empire and the "high-meritorious" group in charge, when the central authority of the empire declines, these people who are ranked very high in the imperial hierarchy are unwilling to shed the empire's mark. They may even serve the emperor. Moreover, after the second empire is rebuilt, due to the disparity in strength, they will be unable to resist and will bargain with the new dynasty to join it.

It can be said that in this corruption case, while Wu Fei was cracking down on internal corruption, he was still seizing the opportunity amidst the crisis to strengthen control over the border regions.

…on the other side…

After the military merit faction was severely punished, they immediately turned their hostility towards Chen Shengxi, whom Wu Fei had promoted.

Within a few months, Wu Fei received a large number of reports. Among them, secret reports such as "a group of scions of noble families visiting Chen Shengxi" and "a secret meeting of northerners" came in every day.

It is said that the military merit group has obviously figured out Wu Fei's likes and dislikes over the years, and he does not like the Confucian scholars' "benevolent governance".

These scions of prominent families who visited Chen Shengxi were, unsurprisingly, members of the "benevolent governance" faction, who advocated dissolving public slave camps and allowing the people to recuperate.

Therefore, the merit-based faction seized the opportunity to say things that Wu Fei didn't want to hear.

Unfortunately, Wu Fei's approach to domestic affairs was like a shoehorn face trying to imitate a gourd, leaving both military and civil officials in the same place.

Moreover, even if those scions of noble families who visited Chen Shengxi were practicing "benevolent governance" and shouted "Disband the slave camp," and even cursed "Wu Xiaoque's tyranny," what does that prove? As long as he doesn't get in the way of what he's arranged, Wu Fei won't casually raise his knife.

Wu Fei had already made it very clear to Chen Shengxi that he was directly responsible for himself and for ensuring the smooth operation of the public slave camp. As long as Chen Shengxi could meet the targets he set, Wu Fei wouldn't interfere with how he made peace with people of other tendencies.

Wu Fei even made it clear to him: if he does his job well, he's allowed to seek fame and fortune. He's allowed to describe in his biography how he advised him.

The conflict Wu Fei faces is actually the ultimate conflict of the Eastern Dynasty: the two systems of civil and military officials, each relying on their own merits, vie for limited "blood rewards," namely, the power to speak before the monarch. The military faction and the economic faction will inevitably clash.

A monarch cannot favor either faction. If he favors the military faction, he will be swept up in the expansion and eventually fail to reap the rewards of his blood, resulting in a situation similar to the regional military governorships of the late Tang Dynasty. If he favors the economic and cultural faction, the civil service system will be entangled in internal strife and unable to integrate the country's strength, leading to the downfall of the Ming Dynasty.

For the founding emperor and the second and third generations, maintaining a balance between the two is easy. Only when the successors are completely brainwashed by one faction will the balance be broken and the dynasty begin to decline.

…The civil and military officials of the Southern Frontier are subjects of Wu Fei, and Wu Fei is still a subject of Da Yao…

In late April, Wu Fei returned to the interior from outside the Great Wall, and of course, he still couldn't resist putting on a show of farming. So he went to the mountain chieftain's place inside the Great Wall to participate in planting rice seedlings on the terraced fields. When he arrived at the ridge, Zhao Xianzhong ran over, and the carriage stopped on the main road.

Zhao Xianzhong wanted to bow, but Wu Fei said, "Don't kneel. There's a lot of mud in the fields; it'll be troublesome to wash it off when you get back. Let's talk standing up!" Zhao Xianzhong took out a letter and handed it over. Wu Fei tore it open, paused slightly, and asked Zhao, "Have those people from the imperial court caught up with us?"

Zhao Xianzhong: "Yes, they passed Yongji Pass four days ago and have now entered Fenxing City, specifically requesting to see you, General."

Wu Fei nodded: "Yeah, looks like it's in a hurry."

Zhao Xianzhong: "My lord, these fellows have come with ill intentions. This is our territory. How about I give it to them?" (His face hardens, and he slashes his hand sharply.)

Wu Fei stared at him: "What are you trying to do? He's an imperial envoy. If you try to intimidate him, he'll make things difficult for us once he gets to the top."

Zhao Xianzhong shut his mouth, but lowered his head, seemingly lost in thought.

Wu Fei took off his trousers and put on a cloth shirt and trousers. He said confidently, "After they catch up with us, we should go and pay our respects. Also, pick out some fish and eels for me, and some fresh sweet potato leaves to cook with. It's a way of reminding them that we are busy with farm work and are not neglecting them."

Zhao Xianzhong: "Young Master, now, my subordinates, all the brothers, and the gentlemen of the General's Mansion do not wish for you to leave."

Wu Fei paused slightly, realizing the general idea.

Zhao Xianzhong and his associates somehow learned that the imperial court intended to transfer Wu Fei. Therefore, they plotted to prevent the court from taking any action.

Wu Fei glared at them and said, "You should not make any rash moves. My uncle is already using his connections in the court. Don't ruin things."

Zhao Xianzhong persisted: "What if the court really wants to transfer you away, sir?"

As Wu Fei pondered, his body began to heat up without him realizing it. When he stepped into the paddy field, bubbles started to rise from the mud, as if he had been poked in something that was getting hot quickly.

Zhao Xianzhong knelt down: "Young Master, the southern border cannot do without you, and the 100,000 soldiers and civilians of the Wu family army at Yongji Pass cannot do without you."

Wu Fei grabbed him by the back of the collar, lifted him up, and said, "Don't worry, everything will be arranged. Don't act rashly; the imperial envoy must not be allowed to have any accidents here."

After Zhao Xianzhong retreated, the civil affairs staff of the general's mansion also took action.

This advisor was brought by Wu Fei from Yongzhou. Upon seeing Wu Fei, he hurried over, and Wu Fei raised his hand and said, "Don't worry, I won't act rashly. I will certainly follow the duties of a subject towards Da Yao."

However, the aide said, "But General, the Southern Frontier can't do without you now." Wu Fei glanced at him and nodded, "I'll make the arrangements."

With Da Yao now involved, both the literary and martial arts factions have temporarily put aside their conflicts and begun to unite against external threats.

Southern Xinjiang is currently in a transitional phase, and Wu Fei is conducting another self-examination of several potential pitfalls related to these conflicts.

1: The army shifted from "adventure" to "military agricultural settlement".

2: The conflict of interest between the "regional dealers" and the "traditional wealthy merchants" in this caravan area.

3: In the southern Xinjiang region, there is an ideological conflict between the traditional "servilityism" and the "educational system" of the families who have migrated south.

These three points require Wu Fei's coordination and decision-making. Wu Fei cannot leave now, at least not before he has left an heir. Of course, it's also best if the heir doesn't leave either.

Wu Xun and Wen Gui are both going all out to win over Wu Fei's next successor, but they are currently unaware of Yao Sangu's methods.

While Wu Fei (Xuan Chong) was struggling with his decision, the system said: "Do you want to exchange for a virtuous wife? It will cost 0.2 credits, but answering questions will be free."

Xuan Chong glanced at the system silently: "I choose to answer the question."

The system displayed a line of small print ("Why aren't you being stubborn anymore?") before distributing the test papers: "Please describe what would happen if an heir could only verbally understand the concepts of family, nation, and civilization, but had no real personal experience of them?"

Xuan Chong pondered for a moment and replied, "One can only experience glory, but not the responsibility of bearing the burden."

Just as Wu Fei was answering, the Third Aunt behind him suddenly retched, then felt extremely uncomfortable, as if she were on the verge of death. Past events flashed through her mind, but at the end of each scene, it was always Wu Fei's image.

…The Great King's Flag is here…

Yongji Pass and the Overlooking Pavilion mark the end of the entire "double-winged" city structure. If the entire city is a peacock spreading its tail feathers, then this pavilion is the peacock's head.

The pavilion was built with the finest local stone, and the craftsmen put in their utmost care. The gaps between the floor tiles were so tight that water couldn't seep in. At this moment, high-ranking officials from the imperial court were waiting here.

The imperial envoy, Gong Qian, sat in the guest seat, his hands blending the three elements of wind, frost, and thunder in his tea. Beside him was the deputy envoy, a military officer from the Imperial Guard named Qian Zheng.

After looking around at the various groups, Qian Zheng said to the chief envoy, Gong Qian, "My lord, this is beyond the bounds."

Gong Qian glanced at the disciple who had just come down from the sect and asked, "Where did you overstep the rules?"

Qian Zheng: "Wu Yuanchang, as a lieutenant general, should not have a residence exceeding..."

Before he could finish speaking, Gong Qian interrupted him: "This is not a mansion!"

Gong Qian tapped the table and said, "This is a watchtower, and this is not a city listed in the imperial court's register, but a pass."

Seeing Qian Zheng fall silent, the mastermind sighed and said with a hint of disappointment, "You've been cultivating in the mountains and lost track of time. This is not a time of 'peace and tranquility.' The soldiers and generals within the territory of Da Yao must be treated with caution by the imperial court. What's more, this kind of person who has expanded the territory beyond the Great Wall."

Meanwhile, Wu Fei rushed back to Yongji Pass and was reviewing the information on the Imperial Envoy of Da Yao: "The chief envoy, Gong Qian, is a son of an official in the Da Yao court. Ten years ago, he was sent as an envoy to various countries in the Northern Regions on behalf of Emperor Xu. He divided and won over these countries and helped Emperor Xu complete the important military campaign in the north."

On the Yongji Pass side, Gong Qian was also silently reciting Wu Fei's information: "As early as last year, the Great Yao Royal Qi surged across Yongji Pass on the Altar of the State, rushing south and crossing the Lingjiang River. According to rumors (according to the secret guards' investigation), during the southward journey, the Wu family army amassed a huge industry outside the Great Wall."

Gong Qian, as an envoy who had traveled thousands of miles, noticed something extraordinary upon arriving at Yongji Pass. He saw that Yongji Pass was densely populated, with dozens of towns spanning hundreds of miles, and at dawn, the sounds of chickens and dogs could be heard everywhere.

Furthermore, numerous roads crisscross these border towns. Ultimately, they converge on a main road leading beyond Yongji Pass.

According to Gong Qian's observations, the border region was so prosperous that there should have been no war for decades. However, he knew that when the court was stationed in the 25th year of the Tianli era, there was a rebellion in the southern border, and Wu Hanluan even beheaded three thousand people. This was not a false report.

Through questioning passing merchants, Gong Qian learned that "the beheadings reported by the Southern Frontier Wu Family Army are true, and there has been war every year for the past few years."

When Gong Qian asked the border residents, "With wars every year, why does this place seem so prosperous and fertile? During major battles, is there no need for forced labor?"

Upon hearing this, the merchant looked at him and asked, "Are you from out of town?"

After confirming the matter, the merchant smiled at Gong Sai without saying a word and said, "Great battles naturally require labor. But we have a good general in the south."

After Gong Qian secretly left Yongji Pass, he arrived at the "Beyond the Great Wall" region marked on the Da Yao Mountain and River Map. He inquired along the way, traversing numerous jungles and roads, until he reached Fenxing City, where the view suddenly opened up. Seeing the endless rows of cultivated fields, he understood that the rumored Southern Route Wu Family Army had already achieved extraordinary power.

There is a city, and within the waters controlled by the city, there are large tracts of farmland; this is the configuration of a small country in the northern frontier.

Seeing the military forces of the Wu family army along the southern route, Gong Qian was certain that the Wu family army was far stronger than most of the small countries he had visited. Oh, and the patrolling forces he saw along the way were actually local militias serving in the Baojia system.

Therefore, upon returning to Yongji Pass, as the imperial envoy, he did not sit in the main seat in the hall, but instead sat in the guest seat.

Not understanding that Wu Fei still possessed some "subjective virtue," Gong Qian initially deliberately did not display the imperial flag, but instead met Wu Fei with the imperial staff. Only after Wu Fei sensibly knelt down with the rites of a subject did he hand the staff to his attendant for safekeeping and replace it with the imperial flag.

(End of this chapter)