CH 44

With the scholars set, Zhong Yu went to get some much needed rest.

In a few days, it would mark the beginning of a new month and his stipend of fortune.

He would implement his master plan with these points and a new round of expansion would take place. 

He already had the perfect thing to exchange with them. Going by his population, the fortune he’d get could be exchanged for 1,000 people. 

This amount ought to give him 200 new recruits for him to train, hardly enough for what he wanted.

While using the fortune points to buy a basic refugee camp, he’d get 1,800 people. 

And he’d get 300 recruits from them, a much needed force for expeditions and guarding his lands.

Under the assumption 300 recruits could hold in check 2,700 savages.

While just his 100 imperial guards, it would be impossible with how few they were.

The savages would find a weakness and exploit it to escape.

Then the news would leak and carnage would follow in the form of a heavy war. Something he didn’t want to see as it exhausted his nation’s power and its advance.

This was how Zhong Yu spent his days in his seat of power, resting and easing his mind from the constant turmoil he’s been under since he came to this strange new world.

He’d been under constant stress and calculating since the moment he got here. Afraid his domain would be under assault by those strong tribes or some magic beasts, and kill the defenseless him with a simple swipe.

Now that he set up a somewhat safer environment, he would make the most of it.

Zhong Yu would also wander his domain, to get a feel of the public opinion in every place. Whether the people had a good life and if they liked living here. 

From his investigation, he found most people had a good life and were happy with how things were.

While also because of the frequent wars, having their hearts filled with fear, fear that they would drop dead from god knew what.

It was a danger Zhong Yu couldn’t address, as his situation was difficult.

In half a year, the Ender Alliance would hold the yearly meeting. He needed to make the most of every second to expand and amass enough to fight the alliance when they came.

For this reason, he would used fortune to get refugees. Because the higher the population, the more soldiers he could recruit. 

While the refugees hardly had any loyalty, he believed the savages around them, and from the different skin color as well as the lurking magic beasts, would pose a bigger threat than him. 

And with the lack of food and weapons, the refugees had now ways to defend themselves and the only one to rely on was him, their mighty lord. He’d force them to give their life for him, as every order obeyed meant a safe haven.

He’d be providing them shelter, land and safety, all on the basis of loyalty.

This would result in a domain filled with problems and developments that strive to expand would be born. 

All he had to do was show these refugees he’d be expanding for their sakes, making a strong country to give them safety and riches.

As they were now protecting their homes and going through endless battles, they’d earn merits and rise up in status. The extra safety and riches would make them favor him even more.

Just like ancient Qin in the warring state period. The people were miserable, with many barely a thread of clothing on them and left to fill their bellies with what they could dig up.

There were many nomadic tribes around and, further, there were many others that wanted Qin as vassal. 

Yet in this crushing situation, all changed with the coming of one man, Shang Yang. (T/N: legalist philosopher, paving the way for the unification of the Chinese empire)

He had all the common people of Qin see that going to war was not for their ruler, but themselves.

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Winning would bring more land, more slaves, more riches and, most importantly, status.

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Letting those people impossible to rise above, into nobility. Letting a tradition upheld for thousands of years crumble. 

The people went mad, fueled by desire. 

They’d rejoice whenever war would come and be the first to charge to fell as many enemies they could.

Because they knew, they fought for themselves. This change had to be grasped and become nobility, lording over others. 

A human’s mind was a neat device. One needed to know what made it tick and the people would be under your control. Making the public opinion be about fighting to the last breath, all for the sake of your aspiration.

Each man thirsted to rise. One just had to present them with a chance and they’d take it.

Especially the lowest rung of society, those ignored and dismissed. Their desire to rise was impossible to fathom.

That was what the refugees were. He’d give them the chance and they’d lay their lives willingly.

They’d go through hell or high water, they’d bleed to expand his domain. Their bones would help build his everlasting throne. While their families would be worked to the bone to pay their taxes. In this way the nation would be laid, brick by brick, on their backs.  

Every leader needed to know this, needed to have the heart to do this. This was the only use for foolish and ignorant people, to get fooled.

He’d use their lives to get the biggest rewards while leaving them the crimes to drive them harder in their service for him. 

This was the injustice in today’s society, all while these people expressed their undying gratitude for giving them the chance to rise up from their meager status.

One might say he was their savior, in a twisted kind of way. The kind of saint hailed for thousands of years if it were ancient China.