Chapter 80

The campfire flickered, stretching the two people's shadows.

Cast upon the mottled wall, they swayed with the fire's leaps.

As if they, too, were listening to this conversation concerning the fate of the realm.

Chen Wen's remark: "To pacify the realm, first ensure provisions and arms; primary is a clear and honest administration."

Like a boulder dropped into a still lake, it sent great ripples through Rongxiong's heart.

He suppressed his inner excitement, his gaze burning as he looked at Chen Wen.

His tone grew more earnest:

"Brother Chen's lofty words have cleared my foggy mind."

"An honest administration truly is the foundation of consolidating the root."

"But... putting knowledge into practice is hard."

"Even with the will to reform, one often finds oneself hampered by a lack of talent or by entrenched powers intertwined like roots, making action difficult."

His words carried a hint of probing, and he also wished to hear whether Chen Wen had any concrete plan of action.

Chen Wen naturally understood the other's deeper meaning.

He pondered briefly, then decided to share some of Jiao Tu Zhen's experience to a limited extent.

After all, those were tangible results, best able to illustrate the point.

At the same time, it could conceal the core of the system.

He picked up a branch.

He poked the fire, making the flames burn brighter.

He slowly began to speak:

"Rongxiong's concern is indeed correct."

"To discard the old and establish the new is certainly no easy task."

"I, lacking talent, once lingered for a time in a ruined settlement in my hometown."

"I personally witnessed it go from nine out of ten houses empty and bandits rampant, to now having a modest scale and the people living in peace."

"The process involved may offer some points for reference."

"Oh?"

"Rongxiong's interest greatly increased, his body unconsciously leaning forward again."

"I would love to hear the details!"

The guards beside him also pricked up their ears.

Obviously, they were extremely curious about such a "bringing back to life" example.

"In fact, there is nothing else but the ten characters: 'Unite the people, clear rewards and punishments, each fulfilling their duty.'"

Chen Wen spoke calmly, as if narrating an ordinary matter.

"When the settlement was first established, with a hundred tasks awaiting attention, the primary task was to gather the scattered hearts of the people."

"Not by coercing with force, but by letting everyone see hope."

"Demarcating fields, distributing seeds and tools, making tax rates clear, so that their labor yields gain;"

"Setting up markets, protecting merchants, so that their trade yields profit;"

"Organizing guards to suppress bandits, so that their dwelling is secure."

"Thus, people's hearts naturally gather together."

He paused, then continued:

"Once the people's hearts are united, we need to establish rules."

"The rules need not be complicated, but must be clear and, more importantly, just."

"Whether close or distant, merit is rewarded, fault is punished."

"From petty theft and brawls to dereliction of duty and desertion in battle."

"All have statutes to follow, with absolutely no favoritism."

"Over time, superiors and subordinates alike will know what may be done and what may not, and order will arise naturally."

"As for each fulfilling their duty..."

Chen Wen used the branch to sketch a few lines on the ground.

"It is simply assigning duties according to each person's abilities."

"Those good at farming oversee land cultivation; those good at work oversee construction; those good at calculation manage finances and goods; those good at war command troops and armor."

"Each settles in their place, each fulfills their responsibility, without hindering one another, and efficiency naturally doubles."

"The managers need only oversee the whole, coordinate and supervise, without having to handle everything personally."

These words are simple to say.

But the organizational management thought contained therein far surpasses the prevalent loose-management style of this era.

"Rongxiong is a person of discernment; the more he listens, the brighter his eyes become."

He could imagine that, if this ten-character principle were truly carried through to the end, a small town regaining vitality would be no empty talk.

"Marvelous! Truly marvelous!"

Rongxiong could not help but praise.

"Uniting the people as the root, clear rewards and punishments as the trunk, each fulfilling duty as the branches and leaves—only thus can one grow into a towering tree!"

"Brother Chen is not only a talent for generalship, but also a rare talent for governing the world!"

He shifted the conversation and asked the most crucial question:

"But all of this requires manpower and material resources to drive it, and above all demands that the person in charge exhaust their energy and thought."

Brother Chen said that settlement could quickly regain vitality; surely there must be some extraordinary help there, right?

Could it be that they received aid from some wealthy merchant or a reclusive expert?

This question gets to the heart of the matter and also touches on Chen Wen's greatest secret—the Cow Horse System.

Chen Wen already had a plan in mind; he smiled calmly.

He shook his head:

There's no wealthy merchant or expert. If there is any help, perhaps it's just the four words 'Heaven rewards diligence.'

'Heaven rewards diligence?'

Rongxiong was slightly taken aback.

'Exactly.'

Chen Wen's gaze grew deep, as if piercing the firelight before him.

He saw the soldiers and civilians laboring earnestly in Jiao Tu Zhen.

"I firmly believe that justice exists in this world."

"If one person exerts effort, they gain a share of reward;"

"If everyone exerts effort, there will be abundant prosperity."

"The people of that settlement know they are in dire straits; only by desperate labor can they find a sliver of hope."

"Perhaps it is this united, diligent effort that has moved Heaven."

"It makes land reclamation more efficient, construction faster, and even soldier training seem notably effective."

He cleverly attributed the system's effects to the feedback of collective effort's fortune momentum or Heaven's Way.

This is an explanation that fits current understanding.

He looked at Rongxiong, his tone sincere:

"Rongxiong, in these chaotic times, people long for stability."

"As long as those in charge can point the way, establish order, and guarantee fairness,"

"let the people see that their efforts are rewarded; the strength they then unleash often exceeds imagination."

"This, perhaps, is the greatest assistance."

"Heaven rewards diligence……when everyone strives, there is abundant prosperity……"

Rongxiong whispered these lines repeatedly, his eyes flashing with a light never seen before.

He came from a military background, having witnessed too much slaughter and plunder, as well as not a few who sought mere safety.

Yet he rarely heard anyone so firmly believe in the power of effort itself.

And he regarded it as the key to turning the tide.

This pragmatic, hopeful idea deeply moved him.

He had originally valued Chen Wen for his ability to command troops and his deep insight.

Now, however, he added a deep recognition of Chen Wen's governance philosophy.

This person not only has ability, but also conviction and method!

This is truly a great talent capable of aiding the world!

"Hearing your words is better than ten years of study!"

Rongxiong let out a long sigh, feeling genuine emotion.

He raised the waterskin at his side, substituting water for wine.

"Brother Chen, to be able to sit and talk with you tonight in this wilderness village is my great fortune!"

"For 'Heaven rewards diligence,' for 'order under heaven,' I raise a cup to you!"

Chen Wen also raised his waterskin and lightly tapped it against his:

"Rongxiong, you overpraise me; I only hope this chaotic age can truly end soon."

The clear water went down his throat, plain in taste, yet it seemed to stir his heart more than strong liquor.

The campfire crackled, illuminating the two young, resolute faces.

An intangible bond based on shared ideals and goals quietly tightened at this moment.

And in Chen Wen's perception, within his sea of consciousness, the pale gold vortex representing Fortune Momentum

seemed to slowly swirl and grow a bit stronger due to this fundamental conversation and the clarity of the future path.

Although he still cannot actively use it, this is undoubtedly a positive sign.

After tonight, his path forward seems clearer.