Chapter 754: The Way of Employing People

Longyan Jinghua.

Yangxin Hall.

Xie Tianyao had just taken a dose of medicine.

He was in a stage of feeling physically comfortable and mentally invigorated.

Clearly, his demand for medicine had been increasing lately. But there was no Method; it just felt good! He loved this state of being full of vigor, even capable of handling seven women in one night!

"Emperor, Emperor..."

He lay on the bed, panting heavily. Grand Eunuch Zhou was beside him, fanning him.

Fanning at this time of year showed the state Xie Tianyao was in.

"How is it?"

After catching his breath for a while, Xie Tianyao sat up with spirit, slowly opened his eyes, and asked in a hoarse voice.

Grand Eunuch Zhou respectfully helped Xie Tianyao up, and only after he sat at the tea table did he smile: "Just as the Emperor expected, that Ling Chen in the Western Regions has no intention of returning! Using the excuse of continuing the conquest of Central Asia, he is currently occupying Delhi of the Mughal and living his life there!"

"Hahahaha, hahahaha!"

A sharp glint flashed in Xie Tianyao's eyes: "Where would you find a spineless person among those brought up by that fellow Liu Zheng? Not openly rebelling is already giving me face!"

Grand Eunuch Zhou smiled: "The Emperor has grand strategies; this old servant admires you... If those three hundred thousand troops were in Central Asia, I fear the Western Regions could truly submit to our dynasty."

Xie Tianyao smiled faintly: "I am mainly tired of the clichés from those old fogies in the court, saying we shouldn't swallow other countries, that we should treat other countries with benevolence and righteousness—bullshit, it's all complete bullshit!"

Grand Eunuch Zhou suppressed a laugh.

That was right.

Indeed. When Xie Tianyao's "Pacification Edict" was issued, it caused a huge uproar in both the Longyan court and the literary world. Some supported it, some were excited, and some felt that Longyan had stood up, appearing incredibly imposing! But different voices still emerged.

Since ancient times, Confucian thought has held that as a Celestial Empire, one should act like a great power; since it is a great power, it should speak of benevolence, righteousness, and morality, and should not bully the weak or swallow neighboring states. This "Pacification Edict" was indeed somewhat bullying, and the submission of the various states in the Western Regions aroused the dissatisfaction of these scholars who were full of flowery prose.

They felt even more that the integration of these barbarians would make Huaxia civilization less pure.

To put it plainly.

It was just one sentence: they are barbarians!

We are the Celestial Empire!

We should have the demeanor of a great power, blah blah blah...

Yet what they did not consider was.

Xie Tianyao was currently dying of poverty!

While insisting on the so-called demeanor of a great power, the imperial court was about to run out of food!

And this war had brought Xie Tianyao wealth beyond anyone's imagination!

What Celestial Empire!

What barbarians!

Xie Tianyao had figured it out: the current Longyan simply had no time to bother with those empty, impractical things. He wanted the Western Regions because there was money! And he had also discovered that war wealth is always faster than doing things by the book!

Therefore.

This move of his solved many difficult problems at once.

He chuckled and continued: "Lao Zhou, actually, I am a bit curious now. You say this Ling Chen is truly unmanaged now... he could even establish a state in the Mughal without much issue. How do you think Minister Liu will control him?"

Grand Eunuch Zhou was shocked: "The Emperor is wise! This old servant will go down and arrange it immediately!"

Next.

The candidate to take office at the Western Regions Governor's Office was also decided.

It was the representative of the Scholar-Official Group, Cheng Dequan.

Liu Zheng naturally knew Ling Chen's temper.

So he was not at all surprised that he refused to return to Longyan to lay down his armor. But at the same time, suggestions from Prince Yong and Prince Wei also arrived.

That was, when Liu Zheng intended to let Ling Chen run wild in Central Asia, how to effectively control Ling Chen.

This was a very realistic problem.

At this moment, Ling Chen was actually equivalent to having broken free from Longyan's control.

With his three hundred thousand brothers in Central Asia, he could ignore anyone's orders.

Regarding the "a general in the field is not under the sovereign's command" for Ling Chen, Liu Zheng had actually struggled for a while. Ling Chen was originally a prisoner who emerged from the Western Regions Imperial Examination pilot program. Of course, there were many objective reasons for him becoming a prisoner, and Liu Zheng had never rejected such people from his heart. But in terms of the values of the general environment, such a person certainly had defects in some aspects.

At least by Longyan's standards, Ling Chen did not seem like someone who could be obedient or loyal.

This was the view expressed by both Prince Wei and Prince Yong.

A person like Ling Chen was used to being wild in the Western Regions.

Longyan's rules and regulations had little control over him.

Not to mention that now, he was effectively abandoned by Longyan?

Such a person is a double-edged sword.

Therefore, the opinions of Prince Wei and Prince Yong were more in line with the thinking of a feudal dynasty. Do not use a person you suspect, and even if you must use them, find a way to arrange one of your own people by their side.

But Liu Zheng's view was different.

Since ancient times, countless people have had their talents buried because of "do not use a person you suspect."

What is suspicion? What is non-suspicion?

This question is actually very simple. Only when two people have a conflict of interest will "suspicion" arise, and if there is none, then all of this does not exist.

What kind of conflict of interest would Ling Chen have with Liu Zheng?

Thinking it over, there was only one possibility.

Status.

Perhaps after his wings are fully fledged, he will choose to establish his own kingdom? Choose to become an emperor himself?

This is, of course, highly likely.

With an army of three hundred thousand, if Ling Chen wins a few more battles, his ego will certainly inflate.

This is human greed.

A greed that no one can resist.

Liu Zheng naturally does not believe that Ling Chen is a gentleman who can remain loyal to him forever.

In his past life, Liu Zheng saw many people who went from dragon slayers to becoming dragons themselves. Those military governments, those warlords in Africa who rebelled.

Violent, arrogant, and inhumane.

Most crucially, he is in Central Asia.

All of this is beyond Liu Zheng's control.

Yet he still gave the order of "a general in the field has autonomy" to Ling Chen.

There are three reasons.

First, with Longyan suddenly establishing a Western Regions Governor's Office, whether for himself or for Ling Chen, not returning is the only way to maximize benefits. Even if Ling Chen eventually rebels and stops listening to him, given how diligently he has helped govern the Western Regions for so long, Liu Zheng is willing to let him go and carve out his own world.

Second, no matter how this army of three hundred thousand stirs things up in Central Asia, even if the Construction Corps has the ability to be self-sufficient, they must still rely on Liangzhou for Weaponry and Equipment. This is Liu Zheng's greatest source of confidence. There is a time lag involved, so Liu Zheng is not afraid. Even taking a step back, if Ling Chen establishes his own kingdom and becomes emperor, Liu Zheng can still choose to cooperate with him.

Third, and this is the most important. The entire Longyan is watching this matter. Everyone is watching Ling Chen. This naturally concerns Liu Zheng's philosophy on employing people. As his sphere of influence expands, Liu Zheng will need more and more talent. Thus, this matter of Ling Chen serves as a model.

Employing people is a form of Learning.

It is likewise a form of wisdom.

Employ people without suspicion. How to employ those you suspect, how to employ people without suspicion, how to use a person's strengths and avoid their weaknesses.

The magnanimity and bearing of the one who employs others determine how much more talent Liu Zheng can continue to recruit, how at ease the talent under his banner can be, and how long Liu Zheng can walk on this path of contending for the world.

How Ling Chen will proceed, he does not know.

But he still did what he could do.

Next...

Liu Zheng began to deal with this tomb that had just appeared.

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