Daily Intelligence System: Don't Kill Me, Honey!

Chapter 784: Chapter 214 Full of Harvest, Obtained Wolf Smoke Realm Elixir Recipe (10,000 Words Asking for Subscription)

”Gang Leader, the Commandery Princess is looking for you.”

Chen Jie stood on the embankment, watching the flood inundating Xiantao Village, his eyes filled with reluctance and nostalgia.

But more so, there was determination. Chen Jie, whose aspirations encompassed the realm, and aimed at the highest honors, knew he could not sacrifice the greater for the lesser. Today, although his own home and ancestral tomb were submerged, what he gained in return was the people’s favor.

The favor of the people, that is the world’s most precious treasure.

As Chen Jie pondered this, he heard Chen Wang approach to report, and turning around, he saw the Commandery Princess watching him from not far away.

At that moment, Chen Jie turned and said to Wu Zhong, ”Uncle Zhong, you take charge here for now, as for Zhou Chu!”

He looked towards Zhou Chu, who was still sitting amidst the muck, his eyes conveying a sense of desolation.

Seeing him like this, Chen Jie declared, ”For now, Zhou Chu’s position as the Foreign Affairs Hall Master is revoked, and he is to be taken back to Mianshui for discipline according to the guild’s rules.”

Upon hearing this, the surrounding disciples quickly knelt and pleaded, ”Gang Leader, Master Zhou has wholeheartedly served the Fishing Guild. He should not be punished.”

”Yes, Gang Leader, although Master Zhou erred, he was the first to dive into the water and fight the flood with us. Even if he disobeyed orders, he should not be blamed. Please, Gang Leader, show mercy.”

”Please, Gang Leader, show mercy.”

Guild members knelt all around; it was clear that Zhou Chu had indeed won the hearts of many. After all, he acted fairly, promoted talent, and was always at the forefront, making his work highly successful.

But a wrong is a wrong, and going against the orders of Chen Jiusi, the Gang Leader, absolutely cannot be forgiven.

One cannot merely because Zhou Chu meant well overlook his disobedience. If that were so, wouldn’t it send a message to all in the Fishing Guild that as long as one has the Gang Leader’s interest at heart, disobeying his orders is permissible!

Chen Jie intended to be Emperor, and now, the rules of the Fishing Guild were the nascent form of the future laws of the Empire.

Should he indeed set this precedent with Zhou Chu, more would use this as an excuse to commit acts harmful to the nation.

There would even be those who exploit loopholes, claiming they acted for the leader’s benefit, to satisfy their own desires.

Take for instance, this time, his elderly uncle pleaded not to flood the Chen family’s ancestral tomb or destroy the Chen Family Ancestral Hall. Was his concern genuinely for Chen Jie’s benefit?

Most likely not; he may have mainly wished to protect his own home, his ancestral tomb, and his ancestral hall.

And while claiming it’s for Chen Jie’s own good, should the villages downstream be destroyed, would Chen Jie carry all the blame alone?

It’s said, if the foundation of a state is unstable, its successors cannot thrive. If Chen Jie doesn’t correct these errors when weak, they will become tough to amend later on, even endangering his sovereignty.

Thus, Chen Jie must tell everyone under his command that an order is an order and must not be altered.

Even if someone meant well, they must be punished; this is to establish a solid foundation.

Chen Jie ignored the pleas around him. Rules are rules; he cannot abandon them because of others’ pleas. If Chen Jie were to compromise easily, he would not be fit to lead.

Why is an Emperor often alone?

Because sometimes his interests are contrary to that of the officials.

It is difficult for officials to be wholly aligned with an Emperor. If an Emperor were really like his ministers, then it would mean the Emperor has started aligning with the landlord class.

A true Emperor, like the founding Emperor, should always recognize that his aspirations should align with the common folk, not the officials.

Otherwise, the country would strip the people bare, down to their bones.

Often, Zhu Yuanzhang is criticized as ruthless; it all depends on whom you empathize with.

If you are an official, of the bureaucratic class, then criticizing Zhu Yuanzhang is justified; the man was indeed ruthless and lacking in grace.

But if you are an ordinary citizen, why would you complain about Zhu Yuanzhang?

Officials exploit you, and the Emperor orders these officials to be executed. Would you, a citizen, blame the Emperor for being ruthless?

Chen Jie struggled to comprehend these people’s views, considering that in the Hongwu Period, the common folks lived with dignity because officials couldn’t exploit the masses without facing dire consequences; the Emperor granted the people the right to directly detain corrupt officials and send them to the capital.

Along the road, officials didn’t dare protect one another; whoever attempted to obstruct, be it the Magistrate, the governor or the Prime Minister, would be executed.

If empathizing with the officials, indeed, Zhu Yuanzhang was ruthless.

Indeed, being an official during the Hongwu Period was rather miserable.

Of course, Chen Jie wasn’t intending to mimic Old Zhu. What Chen Jie sought was relative fairness, to govern all according to the law.

If officials harmed the common people, they’d be sanctioned; if people made false accusations against officials, they’d be sanctioned.

The law would punish the crime, not the person.

To achieve this, Chen Jie must ensure that even those closest to him, should they break the rules, must be punished.

Even if promoting someone he personally disliked, if their actions benefited the power of Chen Jiusi, Chen Jie would promote them. That is the quality a ruler must possess.

Thus today, Zhou Chu must be punished, as well as Si Xi, who also disobeyed orders.

Uncle Zhong looked at Chen Jie wanting to interject, given Zhou Chu’s lack of self-interest; if punished, it might dishearten Zhou Chu.

”Gang Leader...”

As Uncle Zhong opened his mouth, Chen Jie raised his hand, stopping him, ”Uncle Zhong, enough; the rules are the rules. Chen Wang!”

Upon receiving the command, Chen Wang immediately saluted, ”Your subordinate is here.”

”I order you to temporarily assume the position of the Foreign Affairs Hall Master, to be responsible for the flood management of Mianshui.”