The World Online

Chapter 805: Way of Ruling

Translator: ryangohsff Editor: Nora

This round of military reorganization was estimated to last until the middle of the 3rd month.

After the leadership meeting ended, the God Generals returned to their various camps, coordinating with the Military Affairs Bureau whilst resting up and training in preparation of the next big battle.

The northern border construction of castles had been immediately ordered as this matter could not be delayed.

Baiqi was under an especially high amount of pressure.

The Dragon Legion Corps, apart from needing to clear out the poison in the three prefectures of Yunnan, also needed to monitor Dali Prefecture. Most importantly, their headquarters was moved over to Yunnan Province, so they still needed to construct a new headquarter barracks outside of Consonance City.

The Combat Logistics Department would work well with the Dragon Legion Corps to provide them with enough grain.

During the Battle of Yunnan, the Dragon Legion Corps had suffered heavy casualties and basically all the troops more or less suffered losses. The newly added troops needed to mesh well with each other in training to help them merge into the Shanhai City System.

All in all, they had many administrative matters that were really complicated. They could not relax even though a war was over. Luckily, Baiqi was exceptional at handling military matters and found himself right at home doing all of this.

Not only Baiqi, the three new Governors of the three Prefectures in Yunnan all had it tough. To try to bring law and order to their rule early, the three even gave up on their Spring Festival holiday.

They also worked overtime on the most important Lunar New Year’s Eve night.

There was no need to talk about Cao Can as the Dongchuan Prefecture he took over was a massive mess. Not only did he need to calm down the people and heal their wounds from the battle, he also needed to deal with the merchants demanding compensation.

In Yongren City, Zhu Jing seeking compensation from Huo Qubing was not an exception. Any merchant who was raided by Swordsman City in the prefecture all went to the Prefecture office to seek answers.

As a Governor, how could Cao Can have any peace?

These demands became even fiercer after Swordsman City paid Shanhai City 800 thousand gold. The noses of these merchants were really sharp; no movement or slight change could escape them.

Cao Can had no choice; he could only lower his head and ask the Financial Bureau for an answer.

Weirdly, Fan Li immediately approved it, taking out 200 thousand from the 800 thousand to compensate the merchants.

Not only that, but the Four Seas Bank would also open their branches in the various houses in Dongchuan Prefecture within a month. The Four Seas Bank would give those who were pillaged or robbed a discounted rate.

Although the Financial Bureau only compensated them half the amount that was taken from them, the merchants were pleased and some were even delighted about the loan support.

Although they made so much noise, in their hearts, they did not have feel like they had much hopes of getting any compensation.

The one who owed the debt was not Shanhai City after all.

No matter how they chased for their debts, they would not be able to get the new provincial government to pay them.

The reason merchants took such action was undoubtedly to just try and gain some sympathy from the newly appointed officials so that they would give them some leeway and not be so strict.

One could only say that these merchants totally did not understand Shanhai City.

In the entire wilderness, apart from Chun Shenjun’s Pill Sun City, Shanhai City’s business system was the most perfect. The merchants there had a really high status and would not experience any unfair treatment.

Officials ripping off merchants was all the more impossible.

On the contrary, since the start of the territory, Ouyang Shuo had given so much support to the prosperity of the territory to create a welcoming business atmosphere.

As long as the merchants paid taxes and followed the territory law system, they would not face any trouble.

The other territories in the wilderness did not follow Shanhai City’s model. They were influence by the officials who looked down on merchants, or they acted like that they had no knowledge to take advantage of these merchants.

The merchants did not dare to retaliate, so the Lords became more at ease taking advantages of them. Some Lords even went as far as to treat the merchants as their money bags.

If they had no money and needed to build an army, they would just take money from the merchants.

The territories in Dongchuan Prefecture were mostly like that.

As a result, the merchants in Yongren City, even Zhu Jing who had come from the Dali Imperial City, did not dare to pester Huo Qubing anymore after being rejected once.

In comparison, the Financial Bureau was simply too merciful to the point where the merchants did not dare to believe it. After confirming that it was true, they were naturally on cloud nine.

The respect they felt toward the new officials rose like a rocket.

Ouyang Shuo really approved of Fan Li’s decision. Compared to Governor Cao Can, Fan Li had more foresight and saw through the crux of the problem.

Should we compensate them? Yes!

When the Guards Legion Corps had attacked to Yongren City, Dongchuan Prefecture already belonged to Shanhai City. The whole series of events that occurred only proved one thing – Ouyang Shuo had failed to protect his people.

Your people are the pillars and robbed by the enemy. Now, you have sought justice and gotten back twice the amount. Could you swallow all this money and take it for yourself?

No!

Hence, Fan Li’s choice was correct.

The even more ingenious part was that Fan Li had only compensated them half of what they lost. As for the other half, it was loaned to them at a low interest rate. Fan Li used such a method to warn them, “Know your place, do not go too far.”

Merchants were always greedy and sought to gain profits and interests.

Since they were greedy, they never knew when they should feel contented.

The moment Shanhai City were too lax on them, these people would climb on their heads. Hence, Cao Can’s life would be really hard to pass if they let them move recklessly.

Fan Li looked really stingy, just compensating them half, but it was actually a really smart move. Along with the Four Seas Bank low interest loans, it was enough to help them rise back up in a short amount of time.

Just this small matter alone put the incredible intelligence of this Financial Director on display.

As expected from a Saint rank historical person.

They did not have any eye-catching performances only because they had not recognized you. The current Fan Li was undoubtedly truly merging into the Shanhai City System. ... Apart from Cao Can, this Dongchuan Prefecture Governor, the other two were also facing difficulties.

Mengding Prefecture Tian Wenjing had it the worst as the prefecture he took over was totally destroyed by the Dragon Legion Corps. Around 10% of the young men in the prefecture had died to their hands.

This was a significant hatred.

Even till now, the officials on the way to their jobs would get assaulted by the locals. Hence, the Zhang Liao legion had no choice but to send a division to guard these officials.

The law and order in this prefecture was at critical point.

The people’s sentiment was unstable, the hatred was hard to wipe away, and even the Chinese New Year spirit was affected.

Tian Wenjing had a seismic problem before him.

However, this governor remained totally unfazed, and the first thing he did was to use the sum of money Ouyang Shuo gave him to compensate the families of the men that were sacrificed.

Apart from that, he also ordered for all the officials to move out and bring Chinese New Year goodies to console the families and to show their apologies and condolences.

The things they sent out were all extremely practical like rice, noodles, oil, and cloth.

After all their actions, they finally managed to calm down the anger of the people.

After the Chinese New Year, during the Qingming Festival, Tian Wenjing was ready to hold a large scale worship ceremony in the various houses and counties to once again reduce their anger and even try to make them accept Shanhai City.

The dead were the most important.

Tian Wenjing was clear that if the people did not have a sense of togetherness and were not unified, administrative matters would be hard to dish out.

The Chinese New Year holiday had just ended and Tian Wenjing started to get busy once more. He went to the various houses and prefectures to urge farmers to start reclaiming land and promoted the benefits of planting mulberry and rearing silkworms.

Tian Wenjing also encouraged the medicine farmers to use the mountainous environments of the prefecture to plant medicine and develop the medicine industry.

He raised extremely detailed suggestions everywhere he went based on the specialty of that area.

This totally revealed the skill of this cold faced governor. In history, Tian Wenjing was a man who did job thoroughly; he was familiar with the lives of the common people, and he understood various industries and trades.

Hence, his abilities and knowledge made it easy for him to give advice.

With the compensation for their losses to wipe away the pain of losing their loved ones, and the hope of getting rich, the people of Mengding started to recognize this governor.

Hence, Tian Wenjing managed to accomplish the first steps in stabilizing Mengding that was previously close to collapsing. Ouyang Shuo even sent out an imperial decree to reward him.

As expected from the model governor.

Tian Wenjing’s actions seemed orthodox and simple but needed a lot skill; it was the true path of ruling. ... Compared to Tian Wenjing, Zhou Haichen who was sent similarly to the south side was much more relaxed.

First, most of the Tengyue Prefecture troops had surrendered and did not suffer much damage, so the prefecture’s law and order was quiet stable. Secondly, with Zhang Liao’s legion there, no one dared to try anything.

The only thing Zhou Haichen needed to worry about was the mountain barbarian tribes.

When Ouyang Shuo contacted the mountain barbarians to ask them to come down the mountains to help, he had made certain promises. Now that the war was over, the prefecture obviously needed to fulfill the promises.

Zhou Haichen would follow the Wuzhou Prefecture model and bring down all the tribes from the mountains to build hundreds of self-ruled small towns.

This was a sizeable expenditure.

Apart from that, he needed to form teams to train them and to help them change from a hunting community to a farming one.

When the mountain barbarians saw how rich those in Wuzhou were, they were not as hesitant as the first groups to move in the Lianzhou Basin, and they immediately headed down the mountains.

Although the administrative matters would not be difficult, it was still complicated.

This would be a good test and training to this newly appointed governor.

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