Mythical Three Kingdoms

Jia Xu took a glance at Lub Su, basically having a sense of understanding, turned to look at his row of maids, and thought better of it.

"Zichuan, if by next year, Youzhou is merged, can your Spiritual Talent still hold up?" Jia Xu, without beating around the bush, asked directly. Chen Xi's Spiritual Talent is of great significance for the nation's smooth transition.

"Currently, it's in a state of neither loss nor gain. The people of Jizhou still acknowledge Yuan Benchu, but this level of recognition won't take long for us to soothe over," Chen Xi shook his head, "As for Youzhou, you can rest assured, I won't drop the ball."

"The court official mentioned that the celestial phenomenon will change next year, with a great drought following extreme cold." Jia Xu placed his chopsticks correctly and said, "Cai Zhaoji has also given a similar prediction."

Speaking of which, Cai Yan actually understands celestial phenology and solar terms calendar. This person seemingly excels in all related extended skills of classics, history, philosophy, and collections. Well, aside from having negative athletic abilities, she can do anything from cooking to holding social gatherings, but it's of little use.

"Yes, I know, but by next year, the spiritual capacity of Jizhou's people should have been absorbed, which you should know," Chen Xi was not too worried, as in fact, since last year the Han Dynasty has essentially entered a year of disaster.

However, due to Chen Xi's large-scale adjustment of the celestial phenomenon and beginning to change rainfall and sunlight patterns using spiritual capacity, the proper weather was maintained on Liu Bei's side; like how the heavy snow in the north does not reach Liu Bei's side because of Chen Xi.

"As long as you know what's going on." Seeing that Chen Xi was already prepared, Jia Xu said nothing further. Chen Xi's existence is half due to his extraordinary governance ability, and the other half is his ability to regulate the four seasons and weather.

Both aspects are very important, and compared to these two, Chen Xi's Military Strategy and such can be sidelined.

"By the way, Zijing, Physician Hua, Dr. Zhang, and Hanmou are coming to Ye City this afternoon, how about joining me in welcoming them," Chen Xi turned to say to Lub Su.

"Speaking of which, I've been having some discomfort in my neck recently. I'll go along to receive them with you." Jia Xu touched his neck and spoke, "I previously forgot to mention, Zichuan, when being examined, sometimes it's best to separate, as it can occasionally be awkward."

"Oh, alright." Chen Xi recalled Hua Tuo's straightforward advice to him last time, causing some embarrassment.

Holding the wine goblet, Lub Su paused slightly before displaying a look of contemplation, then laughed and changed the topic, "I haven't seen much of Zijian and Zilong recently."

"Some hometown folks of Zilong have come, and he's gone to settle them, as for Zijian, he's drilling soldiers," Chen Xi replied with a smile. For so many years, this was the one year when everyone had paused their work to take a break.

"Zijian really can't stay idle, no wonder he's an expert with both cavalry and infantry." Lub Su clicked his tongue, even on New Year's Eve, Hua Xiong is still keen on training, one wonders how the soldiers following Hua Xiong are enduring it.

"Hehe." Jia Xu took a small sip of wine. If you try distributing your year-end bonuses to your subordinates, even during the New Year, they won't refuse training if you suggest it. Hua Xiong simply doesn't have the brains and has been tirelessly adhering to the eating, living together, and rewarding those with merit method.

In fact, since Chen Xi proposed the concept of year-end bonuses, from top officials and valiant generals to soldiers and clerks under Liu Bei's governance, basically, everyone receives a bit more at the end of the year to enjoy a good New Year. Of course, it might not all be money; it could be meat coupons or cloth vouchers instead.

Alright, this voucher thing was also Chen Xi's idea, purely because the one-time distribution was too cumbersome, so turning it into vouchers, letting them redeem it at local stores, and later, the Money Exchange pays the shop directly, preventing embezzlement.

For the corruption issue, Chen Xi didn't have a good solution either; you can't learn from Zhu Yuanzhang's method of skinning and stuffing someone with straw and hanging them there, letting future officials have a look at their predecessors, right?

Thus, Mann Chong could only enhance the evaluation of clerks, linking local counties' stipends with governance levels, albeit this increased the evaluation workload and led to some situations that left Chen Xi helpless.

Chen Xi had no good means for those who love money. Some guys had high governance levels, but their degree of embezzlement was also impressive. It felt a shame to beat them down, yet not doing so felt not quite right either.

Officials who are completely incorruptible either have other interests or their families are wealthy. The clarity of governance during the founding era was because most people prioritized public interest. At that time, these people's goals were not wealth or power.

Whether Jia Xu, Li Youu, what they sought was not wealth or power, but an ideal. The current titles and power are just side things.

Precisely because their goals are grand, these side things are insignificant to them. Thus, they wouldn't deliberately seek wealth or power, for these are the ultimate desires for others, yet for them, merely adornments to life.

Unlike those thinking about dividing the cake, the first generation was all about making the cake. They knew very well, the bigger they make it, the more they invest, the more they will get in the end, getting closer to their ultimate ideal, all else is trivial in comparison.

However, Chen Xi couldn't make everyone have such high awareness; if everyone were like that, it would've been the Datong Society already.

Therefore, for normal people, Chen Xi could only use the concepts of the law to restrain them. However, even Mann Chong admitted that laws cannot fully account for human emotions, so in situations where Chen Xi couldn't find an adequate legal solution, he usually resorted to governance based on humanity!

As for governance based on humanity, it's simple; whichever place you're an official of, find nineteen people from local elders, scholars, and children – an elder wave, a student wave, a child wave, summarizing all achievements and reviewing violations.

If these people acknowledge achievements and deem them minor faults, the detained official would be released to continue to serve locally, yet no significant rewards for mediocre merits.

If they believe merits and demerits cancel each other out, confiscate all ill-gotten gains and discharge them from their position to commoner status.

If achievements are inadequate, hehe, Chen Xi wouldn't be polite at all.

Despite being not in favor of the death penalty often, Chen Xi in such circumstances had signed execution orders for officials that caused chaos, executing them immediately after verifying evidence. The entire family of that clan is detained, and national basic welfare for all within three generations is revoked.

Regarding why some are released without charges, it was entirely due to a case Chen Xi encountered: While a county magistrate was indeed set up by political rivals, during the investigation, embezzlement was also confirmed, and naturally, he was brought down.

Upon revisiting the achievements of Hu Zhi, even Mann Chong felt it was a pity to take down someone so competent, yet letting him go seemed inappropriate at the time. (To be continued. If you like this work, you're welcome to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote to recommend, monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please go to m.qidian.com to read.)