The Duke of Shu Han began guarding Jingzhou in place of Guan Yu.

Chapter 286: Knowing the Small Things
"Your Majesty, you must not!"

Dong Yun suddenly raised his voice eight octaves, startling Liu Shan.

He was just expressing his feelings.

I didn't expect Dong Yun to react so strongly.

But if he said at this moment that he was just joking, he would probably be scolded by Dong Yun even more.

He could only bite the bullet and ask, "Is there something wrong?"

Dong Yun: "The imperial court has its own established system."

"The late emperor granted the prime minister the authority to act as an imperial messenger and to oversee the affairs of the Ministry of Personnel, which already constituted entrusting him with the affairs of the state. Why then should the affairs of the state be handled by his subordinates?"

"The residences of high-ranking officials and generals are private residences."

"If public and private matters are not distinguished, and the powers of court officials and government clerks are mixed, wouldn't that disrupt the laws and regulations of the court?"

"Moreover, the story of Cao Cao seizing power from the Han Dynasty through his prime minister's office is still fresh in our minds. Your Majesty is trying to put the prime minister in an unjust position!"

"As for allowing General Wei to establish his own residence and govern at the same time, that would only make things more chaotic, and a wise man would not do that!"

Liu Shan then realized that he had "caused trouble" again.

He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and chuckled awkwardly:
"I'm just worried that the Prime Minister is overworking himself by going back and forth between the Prime Minister's residence and the imperial court every day!"

"As for General Wei, he is still young and has the mourning period for his parents, so there is no need to rush him."

Dong Yun's expression softened slightly, but he still reminded him with a stern face:
"Your Majesty is benevolent and compassionate towards his subjects; I have nothing to say in response."

"But since entering the pass, everyone from top to bottom has believed that the restoration of the Han Dynasty is in sight. Our dynasty is no longer the small vassal state that was once confined to a province or a prefecture."

"The larger the country, the more it should emphasize strict laws and regulations and follow the proper way."

"If one acts solely based on personal whims, how is one different from the ignorant and uncivilized mountain tribes beyond the reach of civilization?"

Liu Shan shifted his body uneasily.

He rubbed his hands together again:
"Then... shall I bestow some wealth upon you?"

Dong Yun figured it out.

The young emperor insisted on lavishly bribing the two ministers.

Essentially, it's a lack of self-confidence.

So

He has a habit of belittling himself in his speech.

He habitually relies on important ministers in his work.

Once they receive even a little praise, they easily become complacent and arrogant.

Dong Yun couldn't help but sigh deeply.

It seems that there is still a long way to go before we reach the point where, as General Wei said, "His Majesty will take matters into his own hands"!

……

Because Zhuge Liang finally expressed his opinion, and Mi Wei, representing Guan Yu, fully supported Zhuge Liang.

The court debate was thus quelled.

However, the military differences have been resolved.

However, the personnel changes that resulted from this have gradually attracted attention from all sides.

Since the general direction points to Hedong.

Therefore, in the future, whether it's stockpiling military supplies, building fortifications, or even personnel appointments, things will inevitably be tilted towards the east bank of the river.

Among these appointments, the position of Prefect of Fengyi Commandery is the most noteworthy.

After all, this is where "Hexi" or "Xihe" is located, directly opposite Hedong across the river.

On this day, Jiang Wei returned from the military camp.

Seeing that Deng Ai was not organizing documents for Mi Wei as usual, but instead reciting the "Shu Code" from memory, he couldn't help but shake his head and sneer:
“I know that Shi Zai has the ambition to earn two thousand shi of grain, and I also know that the court no longer selects officials solely based on their classical studies and family background.”

"But the Shu Code, as the name suggests, was a set of laws and regulations created by the late emperor in Shu in his early years, adapted to local conditions."

"Now that you want to take up a post within the pass, how can you expect to succeed by climbing a tree?"

"In my opinion, we should go and ask General Wei for help!"

Upon hearing this, Deng Ai put down his book but did not rush to answer.

Instead, he picked up a blank sheet of paper from the cutting board and quickly wrote a line of text.

Jiang Wei stepped forward and looked down.

"The failure to implement virtuous policies and the lack of strict enforcement of laws are the reasons why Liu and his two governors lost Yizhou." "Liu and his two governors..." Jiang Wei muttered.

It's natural to think of Liu Yan and his son Liu Zhang, who successively served as governors of Yizhou.

The father and son had managed Yizhou for more than 20 years, and their foundation should have been solid and difficult for outsiders to shake.

However, in reality, the late emperor only entered Shu for three years before taking over the throne.

Most of the officials and clerks in Yizhou not only did not help Liu Zhang resist foreign enemies, but also openly or secretly offered their assistance, or at the very least, they were half-heartedly willing to help.

The reason for this is just as Deng Ai wrote in those eight characters on the paper.

Good governance is not implemented, and the authority of punishment is not enforced.

Considering the current situation.

Jiang Wei naturally understood his meaning:
"Shi Zai thinks that although the Shu Code was made in Shu, its essence of strict law enforcement and punishment is just right for the current chaotic world. Therefore, when Guanzhong revises the new laws in the future, they will be largely the same as the Shu Code, with only minor differences?"

Seeing Deng Ai nod, Jiang Wei still shook his head and said:

"So what if you are well-versed in the laws and regulations?"

"The duties of the governors and prime ministers of prefectures and kingdoms are to govern the people, promote the virtuous and capable, encourage meritorious service, manage the military and prohibitions, guard against thieves and bandits, adjudicate lawsuits and investigate crimes, encourage the people to engage in agriculture and sericulture, and provide relief to the poor and needy... They can be said to be in charge of everything and know everything. If they are truly lacking in talent and ability, they should at least know how to recognize and use people well and be fair in rewarding and punishing them."

"How can one emulate a mere legal clerk who spends his days simply memorizing laws and regulations?"

Upon hearing this, Deng Ai calmly picked up his pen and wrote another line on the paper.

Jiang Wei looked down again and found that this time it was a question.

Emperor Gaozu gained the empire with the Three Chapters of Law, but ultimately ruled it with the Nine Chapters of Law. Why?

This time, Jiang Wei thought for a long time before he understood Deng Ai's meaning.

The so-called method of gaining the world is called the Three Chapters.

Naturally, this refers to the time after Emperor Gaozu's army entered Xianyang, the capital of Qin. He believed that Qin laws were too cumbersome and the people could not bear them. Therefore, he simplified the laws and only stipulated three extremely simple laws: "Those who kill shall be put to death, and those who injure or steal shall be punished."

But after the founding of the Han Dynasty.

Faced with a vast empire spanning thousands of miles, with millions of people and countless affairs.

It is impossible to continue governing the country with only three extremely rudimentary laws.

Therefore, Emperor Gaozu quickly ordered Prime Minister Xiao He to make additions and modifications to the Qin law based on the times, creating nine new laws, which became known as the "Nine Chapters of Law".

Later generations added texts such as "Bang Zhang", "Yue Gong Lu", and "Chao Lu" to this work.

To date, the Han Dynasty legal code comprises no fewer than sixty articles.

It is no less complex than the laws of the Qin Dynasty in the past.

The only difference is that the conviction and punishment are more lenient, so as not to force a situation where "if I die now, I will die; if I launch a great rebellion, I will also die."

Having pondered this far, Jiang Wei now fully understood Deng Ai's intentions:
“The complex laws are the complex affairs of the world.”

"No one, whether a nobleman, a member of the royal family, an official, a soldier, a civilian, a craftsman, a merchant, or even a barbarian, can escape the constraints of the law."

"Therefore, what Shi Zai was reading was not the 'Shu Code,' but the various aspects of life behind it, and even more so, the principles of governance and chaos behind it!"

Upon hearing Jiang Wei's words, Deng Ai finally smiled.

He then picked up his pen and wrote a third line before getting up to take his leave.

He was ultimately just an assistant to Mi Wei, and he only read books during his rest time to broaden his horizons.

They did not slack off in the slightest when it came to what needed to be done.

When Jiang Wei saw the last sentence on the paper, he immediately grabbed it and couldn't look away for a long time.

He realized this clearly for the first time.

Beneath this colleague's taciturn exterior lies a lofty ambition and keen insight.

Perhaps what Deng Ai sought was far more than the official seal of the Prefect of Fengyi.

Thinking about it this way, although I joined General Wei's tutelage earlier.

However, if one is content with the status quo, acts impulsively, and does not strive to improve one's knowledge, one may be overtaken by this "Ai Ai" in the future.

"...It seems that I should also find this 'Shu Ke' and take a look."

Taking a deep breath, Jiang Wei placed the paper back on the cutting board and turned to leave.

That sentence on the paper is deeply etched in my heart.

A sage can foresee the beginning of something from a small sign, and the future from the slightest beginning. Therefore, he was frightened upon seeing ivory chopsticks, knowing that the world was insufficient.

(End of this chapter)