Chapter 476: with translation of chapter title

Chen Wuji's spine instantly turned rigid as a rod, and that very day he settled on a rough plan to reform Hezhou.

Immediately summoned Cheng Zhiheng and other officials big and small of Hezhou City, they held a meeting in the courtyard of Qinzhi Hall.

There were too many people to fit inside the rooms, so Chen Wuji could only have them endure the scorching sun in the courtyard.

"Distributing ten days' rations to the populace merely alleviates the urgent need temporarily; it is never a long‑term solution."

Chen Wuji took the seat of honor, spoke no idle words, and went straight to the point.

"You are all the learned elite of Hezhou City, truly the ones who serve the city; I believe you are no mere wine sacks and rice bags. Each of you, put your little brains to work, think of a plan, voice your opinions."

"I don't want to hear miscellaneous nonsense; I only want to hear genuine, effective measures."

Under the stern encirclement of the iron‑clad guards, the officials in the courtyard sat bolt upright, like students taking an exam.

"Speak up whatever you think, regardless of rank." Chen Wuji leaned slightly and added.

"From the rank of Cheng Canjun upward, the true senior officials of Hezhou have all perished; whoever has the ability may step up. Although I lack the authority to appoint you directly, the imperial prerogative allows me to recommend you straight to His Majesty the Emperor."

Speaking, he produced the emperor's personal secret letter that had just arrived two days earlier, unfurled the silk scroll, raised it, and gave everyone a brief look.

"Some of you should be familiar with this." Chen Wuji said with a faint smile.

"I'm showing you this not for any other reason but to prove that what I say is true. If you don't want to believe it, that's fine—it costs me nothing. But give it a try; if it really works, what do you say?"

The officials in the hall stared intently at what Chen Wuji held, their eyes instantly turning fervent.

The letter—why not believe it?

Do they still have a choice?

Chen Wuji controls Hezhou; even without this, could they possibly avoid work? Could they escape this place?

Those able to sit here may include a few fools, but not many.

Such an obvious principle, they can understand it clearly.

For them, taking a gamble is a helpless choice, yet it really makes no difference.

If it actually succeeds, then it would truly be an overnight attainment of the Dao, with chickens and dogs ascending to heaven.

"Deputy Commandant, I have a plan!"

In the crowd, an official rose and clasped his hands in a deep bow.

"Speak!" Chen Wuji relaxed completely, leaning sideways in the chair.

In such a scene, having a stick of incense would be most fitting.

What a pity.

There isn't any.

The official said: "The people's distress is only temporary; how they get through this short span of one or two months, or as long as three to five months, is the key. I think we should set up fixed porridge stalls at various places in the city to help the people endure this hardship."

"After the military disaster, most people face the problem of having no money and no grain; if the government solves their food needs, they can then try to earn some silver, and within two or three months the situation will largely pass."

Chen Wuji looked around the crowd and asked, "What do the others think?"

"Deputy Commandant, this only treats the symptom, not the root—it won't work!" Another official immediately rose and said.

"Prolonged porridge distribution will make the populace lazy and also place a huge burden on the treasury. You already support over ten thousand troops; feeding tens of thousands of city residents for several months will inevitably exhaust grain supplies, and if the stores run out, Hezhou will be in peril."

"If the people become lazy, disorder will be hard to quell; even after several months they will still rise up."

"I believe we should relocate the city's populace to the countryside, open up wasteland for farming, while the government conducts limited porridge relief. The office should assist only when necessary, not bear full responsibility for their food and livelihood; ultimately the people must resolve this themselves."

Chen Wuji gave a slight nod and said, "Continue."

"I… have only thought of this much for now," the official said, a little embarrassed, and apologized.

"Not bad a thought; what about the others?" Chen Wuji asked.

In the crowd another official immediately rose and said, "Deputy Commandant, I believe the fundamental solution to this crisis lies in finding a livelihood for the people who are now short of money and grain and have no means of support."

"This livelihood is not merely about filling their stomachs; it can also involve silver. During Gu Wenjie's rebellion, the harm fell only on the city's commoners and a few wealthy clans; the other rich merchants and clans merely donated some money and grain, suffering no loss."

"If those great merchants and magnates are unharmed, then the city's commerce is unharmed; with commerce intact, as long as the people have silver in hand, their livelihood can be resolved. But as Lord Liu just said, grain and money cannot be handed directly to the populace, for that would make some lazy and invite greed."

After some preamble, the official whose name Chen Wuji did not yet know finally got to the point.

"I have a few rough ideas to offer as a starting point; please, Deputy Commandant, correct me." He spoke with strong confidence, loud and clear: "This first point, I have slightly supplemented what Lord Liu said about relocating the people to the countryside."

"After Yunan County suffered Gu Wenjie's rebellion, its population dropped to less than half, and vast tracts of farmland lay idle. We can recruit the people to leave the city and farm; from now until next spring's harvest, they may keep seventy percent of what they grow, with thirty percent going to the government. During these four months, the people may receive fixed rations and funds from the office as a transition."

Chen Wuji's eyes brightened; at last someone had come forward who could speak some genuine substance.

This proposal is actually not bad.

It not only solves Yunan County's problem of extensive fallow fields, but also offers the city's populace a long‑term livelihood; moreover, his proposal hinges on voluntary enrollment, just like recruiting troops—choice rests with the people, so no further disorder will arise.

The office will support the people for four months; after that, the people's thirty percent share goes up to the office—a win‑win.

"Not bad, continue!" Chen Wuji nodded in satisfaction.

The young official, seeing Chen Wuji's reaction, grew slightly excited, the corners of his confident mouth rising again: "Thank you, Deputy Commandant; my second proposal concerns commerce."

"In Shenxian Ling there is a mountain called Qingyu Mountain; years ago a wandering daoist entered it and found abundant inkstone, even jade. When the news reached Hezhou, countless merchants were stirred; to vie for ownership of the mountain they fought openly and covertly countless times, after which the government stepped in to mediate, opening a mountain road so all could jointly mine the inkstone."

"But the mountain path is perilous, excavation difficult, and fierce beasts often roam, so that treasure mountain ultimately had to be abandoned. I have heard that you, Deputy Commandant, master a secret technique that can open mountains; if we can clear the route, we could take Qingyu Mountain's gems for the office's use and also devise another livelihood for the people."