Chapter 51: The Reserve Wise Monarch

Approaching dawn, the wind and rain became more urgent.

Zhang Gui didn't expect Song Huawen to be so greedy for life, and he pulled him up from the ground with a dry laugh.

"Song Gong, I have always respected the old and the virtuous."

"Besides, we in the Zhenlong Kingdom are equal in personality; except for special circumstances, there's no need for such grand rituals as kneeling."

"Also, I believe in the governing philosophy that 'the holy emperor rules by doing nothing, while the prime minister regulates yin and yang'."

"Another way to put it is managing a country."

"In a country, the emperor is the owner, and the prime minister is the chief manager."

"The emperor usually doesn't manage affairs, only deciding major policies, while the prime minister manages daily state affairs."

"Of course, I can't be called a 'holy emperor' right now, and you aren't a prime minister, but that's the general idea."

"Also, the army is commanded by me personally, and usually managed by Sang Gui, the director of the 'Training and Martial Guard Department'."

"Our Zhenlong Kingdom will implement a 'universal military service system'."

"Citizens between eighteen and thirty-five have the obligation to serve for eighteen months, during which the salary will be excellent."

"Of course, the age structure of our citizens is special, so it's impossible for everyone to go into military service all at once."

"Therefore, we will adopt a lottery system, one in ten."

"This matter will be hosted by the military, and you in the civil administration will cooperate."

"Also, after a period of time, I will bestow the method of 'transformation for longevity' upon all officials with rank."

"Personnel in military service will also be bestowed the transformation method in batches."

"Everyone, don't be anxious."

"In addition, the judicial system will consist of the Heavenly Taxation Court for trying cases, the Resolution Court for public prosecution, and the Wei Min Office for ensuring public safety."

"The first two offices will operate independently, and I will arrange for Kui Longji and Xiong Shana from the Stone Corpse soldiers to manage them."

"The Wei Min Office belongs to the administrative sequence, with Wei Huya as the director, reporting to you, Song Gong."

"Some of my phrasing might be hard for everyone to understand."

"It doesn't matter."

"I've written a booklet explaining the usage of vernacular, which everyone can learn."

"Also, I've made written instructions for the temporary arrangements regarding the food, clothing, housing, and transportation of the new citizens."

"In addition, our Zhenlong Kingdom 'rules by law'."

"There is criminal law for crimes, civil law for managing the common people, tax law for collecting taxes, and election law and administrative law for how to be an official, and so on and so forth."

"Especially the election law; my current practice of temporarily appointing officials is a special measure for the early stage of founding the country."

"Once the national situation stabilizes, all heads from the central to local levels must be elected directly or indirectly by the citizens, changing every few years."

"Of course, there must also be long-term officials in the imperial court, who will be selected through imperial examinations."

"And those who pass the examinations to become officials cannot be elected to become officials; you can only choose one."

"These are all things for the future."

"They won't be implemented in the short term; everyone just needs to understand."

"In short, all the laws were made by me alone behind closed doors, and they are still very imperfect."

"So I've compiled the laws into a booklet and printed twenty thousand copies, which are in the warehouse."

"We'll distribute one to each person in a moment."

"We won't do that 'if the law is unknown, the power is unfathomable' stuff."

"We follow 'everything not prohibited by law is permitted'."

"If the law is imperfect, we will slowly perfect it, and everyone can participate and offer suggestions."

"Finally, the calendar."

"Tomorrow, the first day of the Ming Song, is also the first day of the first month of the 'Shenglong Year'."

"The following twelve months will be slightly different from the Ming Song."

"Some have thirty days, some have thirty-one."

"Every seven days is a week, working from Monday to Saturday, and resting on the weekend."

"I've also printed twenty thousand calendars, and we'll distribute one to each person in a moment."

"In addition, we will divide a day into twenty-four hours, replacing the twelve double-hours."

"One hour is divided into sixty minutes, and one minute is sixty seconds."

"I've prepared twenty thousand mechanical watches that can tell time, and we'll distribute one to each person in a moment."

"Also, the daily working time can only be eight hours; this point is mandatory."

"Only 'self-employed owners', that is, those who hire themselves, can work overtime."

"We have the marvel 'Heavenly Craft Opens Things' to support us, so we can definitely make the common people's lives better."

"Of course, we can't raise a group of social parasites who wait for death; you must grasp the measure of this well, Song Gong."

"Also, I'll open the management authority of 'Heavenly Craft Opens Things' to you in a moment; from now on, you will manage it."

"In short, you regulate yin and yang, and I rule by doing nothing."

"Our national population is just over ten thousand; with your talent, it's completely a case of great talent being used for small tasks."

"But a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step; it's very important to get the governance model right at the beginning..."

After rambling on for a long time and explaining everything he thought was important.

Zhang Gui patted Song Huawen, who had fallen into deep thought, on the shoulder, smiled at Old Sang Gui, and used his elemental rules and divine authority to teleport back to Mushroom Valley.

Looking up, the wind and rain were gradually subsiding, and the east was slightly whitening.

Zhang Gui showed an expression of regret on his face, thinking in his heart: "It's over, I talked too much detail and wasted time."

He hurriedly flew toward Pingyang Town.

Rushing and hurrying, he finally returned home before the distant relatives and neighbors who were keeping watch for the New Year went out to pay New Year's calls.

The copper fire basin that had been burning hotly in the tile-roofed house only had residual warmth left.

Zhang Gui wiped his body dry and climbed onto the bed, his spirit finally relaxing.

A night of running around, killing and looting, winning over people to found a country, and arranging political strategies left him physically and mentally exhausted after the excitement.

Not long after his head touched the pillow, he began to yawn.

At this moment, the door was gently pushed open.

Caiyang Duojie walked in on tiptoe.

Seeing Zhang Gui already lying on the bed, her tightly furrowed brows relaxed, and she whispered a question, "Gui'er, you've finally returned."

"I didn't close my eyes all night, constantly watching the movement in your room."

"I was afraid your aunt and cousin would see the flaws, so I couldn't come over."

"What on earth did you do, you dead boy, why don't you confess honestly?"

Zhang Gui opened his eyes and said weakly:

"Amu, I really don't have any energy left now."

"Let me sleep for a while, and I'll tell you when I've slept enough."

Seeing her son's haggard appearance, Caiyang Duojie's heartache overcame her anger.

She nagged, "Children don't listen, what's the use of having them?"

"They only know how to make people angry, not how to be filial."

"You bear child, wait, Mother will make you a bowl of noodle soup with 'Tiger Descending the Mountain'."

"Eat it while it's hot before you sleep," she said, going out to prepare the morning meal for her child.

'Tiger Descending the Mountain' was a local slang in Pingyang, referring to the leftovers from a banquet.

People who are particular don't eat such things.

But Zhang Gui had started from scratch in his past life, and was naturally unconstrained in terms of food and clothing.

In this life, he had been raised by his mother selling stinky shrimp paste, and had never been picky about food or clothing.

He was like this when he was poor, and he hadn't changed at all now that he was rising.

Before long, Caiyang Duojie walked into the room, struggling to carry a large basin of noodle soup with vegetables.

Zhang Gui hurriedly got up to take it and began to eat large mouthfuls with chopsticks.

The leftovers, mixed with pig's head meat, pork hock, and deboned mutton, were steaming hot and full of flavor.

Seeing her son eating happily, Caiyang Duojie finally revealed a smile, touched Zhang Gui's head, and said:

"Eat slowly, eat slowly, no one is snatching it from you."

"You boy, aren't you trying to contend for the world? How can you eat leftovers so happily?"

Zhang Gui held up his chopsticks and said: "Mother, I heard a story."

"In ancient times, there was an emperor who had craftsmen make chopsticks for him out of ivory."

"As a result, his virtuous ministers were filled with worry when they found out."

"They believed that if ivory chopsticks were used, then one couldn't use pottery cups and plates to match, and they would have to be replaced with exquisite vessels polished from beautiful jade."

"Once jade plates and bowls were used, one couldn't eat beef or mutton anymore, and would need to enjoy delicacies like dragon liver and phoenix marrow."

"After enjoying exquisite food, one would pursue silk and satin, and then embark on major construction to build palaces."

"The country would then slowly fall into troubled times."

"So I will never despise 'Tiger Descending the Mountain'."

"And in the future, I will tell my descendants that Amu still gave me 'Tiger Descending the Mountain' to eat after I rose to power, teaching me the virtues of an emperor."

"Let your virtue be passed down for ten thousand generations."

Caiyang Duojie was dumbfounded, and after a long time, she murmured:

"My son, your Amu is fake virtuous, but you might truly become a wise monarch of a generation."

"Is Zhang Siwei of the Pingyang Zhang family, or the ancestral sovereign of my Stone Corpse tribe, such an outstanding figure!"

"Otherwise, how could I have given birth to a child who spoke strangely and only loved eating pig's head meat a year ago, but has such a great atmosphere a year later?"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 52 =====