Sweep Yuan

Chapter 29 Who is the Foundation?
"...The reason why a gentleman is different from others is because of his heart. A gentleman cherishes benevolence and propriety in his heart. The benevolent love others, and the propriety-loving respect others. Those who love others are always loved by others, and those who respect others are always respected by others."

In the Chiyiling official's hall at Chulan Station, Shishan and Chen Cheng sat facing each other.

Chen Cheng was terrified by the bloody revenge of the station guards and Tong Si'er's madness, and was quite dissatisfied with Shi Shan's brutal behavior. After finishing his business, he immediately sought an audience with Deputy Commander Shi.

He remained rational and did not immediately criticize Shangguan for being cruel and bloodthirsty. Instead, he first reported on the inventory of the seized supplies. Seeing that Shishan seemed to be in a good mood, he then said the above words.

Shi Shan was, after all, a fine young man who had received higher education in later generations and had some knowledge of classical Chinese. As soon as Chen Cheng opened his mouth, he guessed what this old man was trying to say.

However, in this life, Shi San is a low-level military household with little knowledge. When faced with Chen Cheng's "outspoken advice," Shi San still has to pretend to be constipated because he doesn't understand.

"Oh dear! If you said each sentence individually, I could understand half of it, but with all those 'zhi' and 'yeah's, my head is spinning. Stop beating around the bush, what are you trying to tell me?"

After several days of in-depth contact, Chen Cheng discovered that although Shi Shan had not read the classics, he was very studious, had an amazing comprehension ability, knew some characters, and spoke eloquently. He was sure that Shi Shan could understand the very plain words spoken by the sage.

But after what happened during the day, Chen Cheng lost his usual composure in front of this deputy commander who was very good at manipulating people. He dared not expose Shi Shan's clumsy performance and could only patiently explain to him.

"This statement is not my own, but comes from the 'Li Lou' chapter of Mencius, the second sage. It speaks of the principle of putting people first. Only by loving and respecting others can one gain their love and respect."

Shishan then "suddenly realized" something, scratching his head, and said:
"So these are the words of a sage. Hmm, no wonder they sound so reasonable. The benevolent love and respect others, and only then can they win people's hearts—wait! Why do I feel like there's something hidden in your words? Wait, don't explain, let me think about it myself."

Chen Cheng's fingers, hidden beneath his wide sleeves, were already digging into his palms, yet he still forced a calm expression.

After all, Shi Shan was no ordinary person; he was an extremely cunning and ruthless rebel leader. No one could predict what he would do if this killing god were truly angered.

The revenge feast after the battle resulted in the deaths of another 67 people at Chulan Station—three times the number of those who died directly in battle!
Among those who died tragically were not only the upper echelons of the Communist Party and their henchmen, but also their wives, daughters, and families.

Compared to the rebel army, which often numbered in the tens or even hundreds of thousands, let alone the major battles with the government troops, the number of deaths and injuries caused by the young and strong men they dragged along as they traveled through the prefectures and counties was countless.

In this dark and desperate chaotic world, the lives of fewer than a hundred people were utterly insignificant.

But the battle was over, and the sight of so many unarmed men, women, and children dying tragically at the hands of acquaintances in a bloody and barbaric act of revenge created a different kind of impact on the onlookers.

At least, Chen Chengzhen was terrified by the scene of revenge at that time.

He was not some benevolent person who couldn't bear to see bloodshed and death; he wasn't afraid of killing, but rather afraid of the identity of the person he killed.

Completely by instinct, Chen Cheng vaguely felt that his family had something in common with the deceased upper echelons of the Red Army.

It's no wonder he's overthinking things.

In the context of the entire Yuan Dynasty, the Chen family was indeed an insignificant small landlord family, but in Chengezhuang, they were local emperors who had the final say, and were not fundamentally different from the Zhanchi management – ​​they were all people who preyed on others.

Although Shi Shan used persuasive tactics to gain the support of the Chen family and recruited soldiers in Chengezhuang to earn his "first pot of gold," these people's "roots" were still in Chengezhuang. Even after joining the army, they still had to be mindful of Chen Cheng's feelings.

Let alone Tong Si'er, that ungrateful wretch, even the villagers themselves seemed to look at him differently after experiencing so much bloodshed today.

Today, a servant may devour his master; who knows if a servant may one day wipe out his own entire family?
Chen Cheng realized that the Chen family had invested in a terrifying and ruthless tyrant, but after spending several days with Shi Shan and witnessing his cruel methods, he felt a deep sense of fear and dared not turn against this tyrant. After much deliberation, he decided to wait until Shi Shan finished his inspection of the camp and risk seeking an audience. This was both a test and an attempt to hope that Shi Shan had not completely degenerated and could be enlightened by the wisdom of Meng Sheng.

However, once he sat down opposite the rocky mountain, he realized that he was not the unyielding gentleman described by the sage.

The sky was overcast today, and it was not yet dark when the government office lit its lamps. As the candlelight flickered, Chen Cheng suddenly saw what appeared to be a blood mist rising behind the stone mountain, overlapping with the rioters from earlier in the day to form a demonic shape. He was so frightened that he dared not even breathe.

What if this guy suddenly attacks and cuts me in the head? Who can I seek justice from then on?

Shi Shan appeared to be deep in thought, but his eyes were constantly watching Chen Cheng's expression. He only realized Chen Cheng was sweating profusely when he suddenly slapped his forehead.

"You mean we shouldn't have let Zhan Ding kill so many people this afternoon, right?"

Chen Cheng couldn't tell from Shi Shan's tone whether the latter had heeded his advice or was about to fly into a rage and kill, but he knew he was truly not psychologically prepared to face Shi Shan's anger.

Under the deliberate pressure created by Deputy Commander Shi, Chen Cheng's back was soaked with sweat. He was terrified that he might lose his head if he wasn't careful, so he quickly changed his way of speaking.

As Guanzi said, "The beginning of a hegemon or king is based on the people." The world is now in great chaos. The deputy commander is no ordinary person. If he wants to achieve extraordinary things, he must base his actions on the people!

Shi Shan stopped pretending to be clueless and asked what the question meant. He pondered for a while longer until he saw Chen Cheng's shoulders trembling uncontrollably. Then, he touched his chin, lowered his voice, and asked with a smile:

"Heh heh, how many heroes have you met that makes you so sure we have a chance to achieve hegemony?"

Chen Cheng had no idea what kind of heroes were outlaws, and he couldn't see whether Shi Shan could achieve great things. He had heard his father say that Shi Shan "had the spirit of Emperor Gaozu of Han," but that was clearly not a compliment.

However, Chen Cheng was fortunate enough that Shi Shan shifted the topic to heroic figures and the achievements of kings and tyrants.

"I haven't seen many people, but I've traveled to more than ten prefectures and counties. Yet, I've never seen a deputy commander with such profound wisdom and composure, yet whose every move is as effortless as floating clouds. It is—"

"All right!"

With so many things to do, Shishan had no reason to listen to such insincere flattery.

"There's actually another reason for what happened today. If we don't let the soldiers take revenge, how can we cut off their escape route? But since so many people died after the war, I do bear some responsibility."

You're absolutely right. Putting people first and then dominating is the way of the sages, so there must be some truth to it.

And you scholars, you always like to gossip about people behind their backs, and you never speak your mind properly, so many roundabout ways, it's so unpleasant!
"Rebellion is a risky business that could cost you your life, so we should be careful. We're all in the same boat, so let's not stand on ceremony. From now on, just tell me what you need to say. I'll definitely listen to what's on my mind."

Chen Cheng finally breathed a sigh of relief, only then realizing that his back was covered in cold sweat, and hurriedly ended the dangerous topic.

"The deputy commander's wisdom is a blessing to the soldiers!"

(End of this chapter)