Chapter 44: The Method of Response

One hundred elite cavalry arrived with a terrifying momentum. Swift as lightning and fierce as the wind, their combat power was off the charts. Qin Zhangfeng arrived first, pulled his long spear from the ground, and with another loud shout and a single strike, the several burly men surrounding Liu Zheng wailed and fell to the ground, their heads broken and bleeding.

Everyone was stunned.

Captain Wu was even more despairing.

This brat, was he actually the County Marquis's son?

Clang! Clatter!

The one hundred elite cavalry swept through like a falling leaf in an autumn gale; those who had followed Captain Wu to act as accomplices were beaten to their knees one after another, their flesh and blood mangled.

"Kneel for me!"

Qin Zhangfeng dismounted and glared at Captain Wu. The murderous aura radiating from his entire body was so terrifying that Captain Wu's legs went weak, and he knelt before Liu Zheng.

"Brother Liu, are you unharmed?"

Accompanying him was Zheng Yueru, who looked at Liu Zheng with a face full of concern.

Liu Zheng had just run through that pigsty and was covered in a foul stench, feeling he had lost face; he looked coldly at Captain Wu: "Wu Daxiong, do you know your crime?"

Wu Daxiong trembled and kowtowed to beg for mercy: "Young Master, Wu Daxiong was blind and did not know it was the Young Master who had arrived. Wu Daxiong deserves to die!"

Liu Zheng snorted coldly: "Not recognizing me is not a crime. Your crime lies in paying lip service while acting differently, lining your own pockets, forcibly abducting women, and bringing disaster to the village!"

Wu Daxiong argued sophistically: "Young Master, Daxiong was helping the Young Master punish those Powerful Clan landlords, I, I, I..."

Bang!

A cold light flashed in Liu Zheng's eyes: "Then how are you today any different from the landlords of yesterday?"

At this moment, he was truly disappointed to the core.

In his heart, there was a feeling that some mud could not be plastered onto a wall. Of course, this was naturally due to human nature, but it was also a situation Liu Zheng had not anticipated, and he also bore responsibility.

"Zhangfeng!"

Liu Zheng shouted angrily.

"Here!"

"Gather everyone from Majiazhuang here!"

"Yes!"

Soon, the several thousand people of Majiazhuang all arrived beside this small earthen mound; seeing Captain Wu kneeling on the ground, everyone had a different expression.

"Is that the Liu Family son?"

"Wasn't it said that he was very benevolent?"

"Why is this happening?"

Seeing Liu Zheng holding a long saber in one hand, the people began to discuss it one after another.

"Young Master, Captain Wu did not intend to commit a wrong..."

"The Young Master's reputation for benevolence and righteousness has spread throughout Yinzhou; you must give Captain Wu another chance to correct his mistakes!"

"Young Master!"

Many people came over to persuade him.

Seeing so many people helping him, Wu Daxiong also showed disdain. He looked coldly at Liu Zheng: "Young Master, if you kill me today, your reputation for benevolence and righteousness will be destroyed in an instant! Is it worth it?"

The crowd nodded one after another, chattering away.

As expected.

These people preferred the "benevolent and kind" Liu Zheng and County Marquis Mansion, because they felt that if they offended such a person, there would be no particularly serious consequences.

Liu Zheng smiled coldly.

Therefore, this was what led to these people having no bottom line in their hearts.

He scanned the circle and shouted fiercely: "The state has state laws, and the family has family rules!"

"Since the County Marquis Mansion was established in Yinzhou, there have been laws and regulations used to restrain the people!"

"We must know that being merciless outside the law is the true benevolence and righteousness!"

"Cruelty toward criminals is the true benevolence and righteousness toward the many!"

"Today, there is Wu Daxiong, who brought disaster to the village and forcibly abducted women; his crimes are punishable by death!"

Wu Daxiong was so frightened that his face changed color and all the blood drained from it; he shouted for them not to do it. But under Qin Zhangfeng's control, he had no room to struggle at all.

The crowd also shouted in unison.

Yet the long saber in Liu Zheng's hand still fell.

Only a 'Crack!' was heard, and Wu Daxiong's head was already separated from his body.

Everyone was shocked, and many people began to vomit on the spot.

When they looked at Liu Zheng again, their faces were already filled with fear.

Liu Zheng said coldly: "On another day, the County Marquis Mansion will select a new captain for the Production Team! Where is the Village Chief?"

A bruised and swollen old man ran out and knelt on the ground; it was clear he had been tormented enough by this Captain Wu. Seeing Liu Zheng arrive, he shouted that the Young Master was wise.

Liu Zheng said: "The Village Chief will continue to be responsible for the spring plowing affairs of Majiazhuang, awaiting the decrees of the County Marquis Mansion!"

"Yes!"

The Village Chief was elated.

Liu Zheng mounted his horse and turned to leave. After he was several miles away from Majiazhuang, he could not help but jump off his horse and vomit violently by the side of the road.

He had killed someone...

He had actually killed someone?

A living, breathing life had been ended by his own blade. This kind of impact was still very great for Liu Zheng. He was not a person born in this chaotic era and still held some respect for the Human Way. Yet he knew that if he did not kill him today, it would not be enough to establish his authority.

Qin Zhangfeng watched from the side and smiled lightly.

Zheng Yueru's eyes revealed heartache.

In truth, everyone understood that he was a playboy by nature, a notorious second-generation heir who should have lived a life of luxury, and even if it came to killing, it should have been done by his subordinates. That Liu Zheng took action himself today and did not break down in tears on the spot was already a sign of a very strong mental constitution.

"Are you alright, Young Master?"

After calming down for a moment, Qin Zhangfeng asked.

Liu Zheng waved his hand, his chaotic emotions temporarily stabilizing. He took a few deep breaths before remounting his horse, and the group hurried toward the County Marquis Mansion.

Liu Dahao had been waiting at the County Marquis Mansion for a long time. Seeing Liu Zheng in such a disheveled state, his heart ached beyond measure: "My son, who was so bold as to dare humiliate my son? Wait for me to go and slaughter them!"

Liu Zheng waved his hand, feeling both amused and frustrated.

At this moment, Shen Xing and the others also arrived one after another. It seemed they had also heard about the Majiazhuang affair; this was no small matter, and since it concerned the spring plowing, no one dared to be careless.

"Yue Ru will take her leave first..."

Zheng Yueru saw that the County Marquis Mansion was about to hold a "meeting," and as a woman, she wanted to excuse herself.

Liu Zheng, however, said: "Miss Zheng, you must stay. If not for Miss Zheng, I would not have known that there were so many parasites in Yinzhou!"

Zheng Yueru wore a bitter smile.

The others were also filled with various forms of indignation.

Liu Zheng bowed deeply toward Zheng Yueru and cupped his hands, saying: "For today's regular meeting, I invite Miss Zheng to sit in as an observer!"

"Ah?"

Zheng Yueru was startled, suddenly feeling a bit at a loss.

The others had also not expected that Liu Zheng would ask Zheng Yueru to stay. After all, in this era, the concept that men are superior to women was deeply rooted in people's hearts. Although Liu Zheng's "Natural Inheritance Law" had changed the status of many women, this thousand-year-old tradition was very difficult to change overnight.

As the saying goes, women do not enter the main hall; even when the master of the house hosts guests, the hostess cannot take a seat, let alone here in the County Marquis Mansion!

This was a true entry into the main hall!

"Why, does anyone have an objection?"

Liu Zheng asked in a cold voice.

The group hurriedly claimed they dared not.

"Yue Ru thanks Brother Liu!"

Zheng Yueru looked grateful, almost moved to tears.

Liu Zheng instructed Shen Xing to prepare a seat for Zheng Yueru near Shen Xing, which caused many to exclaim in surprise. The rules in this hall were numerous; Shen Xing was now considered to be one person below the County Marquis and above ten thousand, a proper Military Advisor. That Liu Zheng would actually let Zheng Yueru sit by his side showed that, through this incident, Zheng Yueru's status in Liu Zheng's eyes was no longer ordinary.

In fact, what they did not know was this.

Liu Zheng now regarded Zheng Yueru as a representative of the Yinzhou Powerful Clan landlords, that is, these elite individuals. This Majiazhuang incident served as a reminder to Liu Zheng. That is, as a ruler, one should listen to more voices and have people with different stances participate in such meetings.

One absolutely cannot say that the Powerful Clan are all bad.

Or that the farmers are all good.

It is just that everyone's stance is different, and their methods of obtaining benefits are different.

Moreover, on the other hand, Liu Zheng had to admit that in a place like Yinzhou, expecting those farmers to truly run the Production Team well was simply like a pipe dream. They could not even read; how could they manage? Therefore, at this time, those who could truly play a role were still these elite individuals, or at least those who had received an education.

Liu Zheng looked around the circle.

No one dared to speak.

Zheng Yueru, at this moment, was very excited and also extremely curious.

Was this the regular meeting of the County Marquis Mansion?

What she did not expect even more was that Liu Zheng, being so young, was already such a prestigious person in the County Marquis Mansion; with a single glance from him, no one dared to meet his eyes.

"Does anyone have anything to say?"

Liu Zheng said coldly.

Shen Xing was drenched in sweat as he stood up and said: "Young Master, this matter was Shen Xing's recklessness. Shen Xing asks for punishment!"

In the implementation of the Production Team's government decrees, Shen Xing was the most proactive one, because he came from a humble background, and his longing for the status of farmers was stronger than anyone else's. Thus, it caused him to never imagine that a situation like the one at Majiazhuang would occur.

Liu Zheng nodded: "Chief Clerk Shen Xing, poor supervision, insufficient completion of loopholes in government decrees, fined three months' salary!"

The crowd gasped in shock upon hearing this.

Shen Xing accepted it with a bitter smile.

The Chief Clerk's salary was ten taels of silver a month; three months would be thirty taels! For Shen Xing, who had just become Chief Clerk, this was already a huge sum of money.

Who could have thought that the usually smiling Liu Zheng would suddenly become so cold and heartless today.

The crowd began to grumble inwardly, and they dared even less to meet Liu Zheng's eyes.

"Does Miss Zheng have anything she would like to say?"

Liu Zheng looked toward Zheng Yueru.

Zheng Yuru was clearly still unaccustomed to such an occasion. After pondering for a moment, she felt that using the address "Brother Liu" was no longer appropriate, so she spoke: "Young Master, Yue Ru believes that the Production Team must be implemented. However, how to implement it, how to supervise it, and how to distribute it—there should be a precise method!"

Liu Zheng nodded, signaling for her to continue.

Zheng Yueru paused for a moment and continued: "Yue Ru believes that the choice of team leader, at least in the short term, must absolutely not allow another person like Wu Daxiong to appear!"

"The team leader should preferably be appointed by the County Marquis Mansion!"

"Or directly served by the village head!"

Liu Zheng nodded as he listened.

Zheng Yueru's proposal also aligned with Liu Zheng's concept of "management talent." It was not that he did not want to give the farmers the opportunity to manage themselves, but that they really could not... At the very least, you need a few people who are literate and familiar with paperwork, right?

It was still the same word: elite individuals!

If it were the Liu Zheng of his past life, he would certainly have scoffed at this. Who isn't just one head and four limbs? Are you better than me?

But now, his perspective had changed.

At the very least, before the Yinzhou education reform, elite individuals were still very scarce.

"This method is feasible!"

"What Miss Zheng says is absolutely correct!"

The others also expressed their agreement one after another.

Shen Xing cupped his hands and added, "Young Master, while Miss Zheng's proposal is certainly good, I believe that one Production Team should be equipped with two team leaders!"

Liu Zheng's eyes lit up, and he slapped his thigh.

That's right!

One team leader, one Secretary!

Isn't this the management method from later generations?

The two will supervise and promote each other, and the situation of one person holding absolute power will never occur again.

Once Shen Xing said this, the people's eyes also lit up, and they all felt it was feasible.

"Very good!"

Liu Zheng nodded with a smile, then his expression slowly turned cold, and he said word by word, "Not only that, I announce that starting today, the County Marquis Mansion is establishing the Inspection Department!"

"Qin Zhangfeng shall concurrently serve as Counselor of the Inspection Department, responsible for overseeing the preparations for the establishment of the Yinzhou Production Teams!"

"The Inspection Team shall report directly to the County Marquis Mansion!"

"If there are any lawless scoundrels, you may execute them first and report later!"

Everyone was shocked; they rose from their seats one after another and exclaimed, "Great Good!"