Hot flashes

When he returned to the main tent that evening, Xiao Jue was already there, reviewing official documents by candlelight. Seeing him enter, Xiao Jue glanced at him briefly before lowering his head again, asking in a casual tone, "How was the banquet?"

Zhou Heng truthfully replied, "It was just like that, eating and drinking, listening to some flattery. There was supposed to be some singing and dancing, but you stopped it." His tone unconsciously carried a subtle complaint that he himself didn't even realize.

Xiao Jue continued writing, his voice calm: "Too much decadent music is of no benefit. If you are truly interested in music, there are several volumes of scores from previous dynasties in the imperial archives. I can have Mr. Du find them for you to take a look."

Zhou Heng was taken aback. Sheet music? He couldn't possibly understand that! He said awkwardly, "...No need, I'll just take a look."

"Hmm." Xiao Jue put down his pen and finally looked up at him. The candlelight flickered in his deep eyes. "Since it's just a casual look, let's avoid these kinds of occasions in the future. It's a waste of time."

His words remained calm, even carrying a hint of consideration for him.

Zhou Heng opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing more, only uttering an "Oh," before turning to wash up.

Beside the candlelight, Xiao Jue's gaze returned to the official documents, but remained fixed on them for a long time.

The ink on the paper was clear, but what flashed before his eyes was the image of Zhou Heng staring intently at the dancers during the banquet.

The following day, the preliminary investigation results regarding the case of Yingyang's concealed land ownership were presented.

The situation was more complicated than expected, involving more than one local gentry.

How to handle the situation in a way that both establishes authority and punishes corruption, without causing too much turmoil in Yingyang, which has just submitted to the government, has become a problem that needs careful consideration.

Mr. Du and several of his subordinates discussed the matter for half a day in Xiao Jue's tent.

Some advocate for severe punishment as a warning to others, while others suggest focusing on major cases and letting minor ones go, prioritizing stability.

Xiao Jue mostly just listened, occasionally tapping his fingertips lightly on maps or documents, without commenting.

As usual, Zhou Heng took notes. The figures on land, interpersonal relationships, and the transfer of benefits made his head spin, but he could still vaguely grasp the key points.

As he tried to understand, he was distracted, thinking: This is probably the ancient version of "anti-corruption and anti-gang campaign" combined with "pacifying local forces." Sure enough, the entanglement of human nature and interests is pretty much the same everywhere.

When the debate reached a crucial point—whether to severely punish the Wang family gentry who had been found to have the most problems but whose family had deep roots in Yingyang—Mr. Du stroked his beard and pondered: “Although this man is greedy, his clan members are quite prestigious in the countryside, and he has many students and old friends. If we deal with him too hastily, it may cause public resentment and be detrimental to the spring planting season.”

Another military advisor in charge of criminal matters said, "Without the law, how can authority be established? If we condone one 'prestigious' person today, more will follow suit tomorrow. Your Excellency has just pacified Yingyang and needs to demonstrate strict laws to the world."

Both sides have their reasons, and the situation remains deadlocked.

Xiao Jue's gaze fell once more on Zhou Heng, who was trying to make himself as inconspicuous as possible. "Secretary Zhou, what do you think?"

Upon hearing this, the tense atmosphere of debate inside the tent eased almost imperceptibly.

Everyone's gaze, along with Mr. Du's thoughtful gesture of stroking his beard, naturally turned to where Zhou Heng was.

This was a stark contrast to the atmosphere when I first entered the study to discuss matters a few months ago, which was either indifferent, scrutinizing, or subtly disdainful.

At this moment, what was revealed in the eyes of the subordinates was more of a sense of normalcy, and even a hint of expectation.

Even the military advisor in charge of criminal investigation, who had just been advocating severe punishment and had a furrowed brow, temporarily suppressed his argument and turned to listen—

This has become a routine procedure in recent military council meetings, and the views put forward by this secretary, though occasionally surprising, often hit the nail on the head or offer a new perspective upon closer examination, making them no longer to be taken lightly.

Zhou Heng inwardly groaned: Why is it me again?

He composed himself, his gaze sweeping over the shocking amount of embezzlement by Wang, the local gentry, in the case file, and then over Mr. Du's considerations of "public resentment" and "spring plowing." The somewhat inappropriate modern metaphor in his mind resurfaced—the personnel and business integration problems after a company merger.

He took a breath, no longer hesitant and tentative as before, but speaking clearly with a thoughtful tone that had become his habit: "In my opinion, the fundamental purpose of strict laws is to bring order to the local area and restore people's livelihoods, rather than simply to intimidate for the sake of intimidation, which could lead to greater chaos."

Let's get straight to the point and set the tone. The generals nodded slightly; this was the right thing to say.

"It's true that Magistrate Wang embezzled funds, and he should be punished according to the law without a doubt," Zhou Heng pointed to the key issue. "The difficulty lies in the conflict between his family's influence and the practical need to appease the people during the spring planting season. Perhaps... we could try a 'step-by-step approach with differentiated treatment'?"

"Oh? Tell me more." Xiao Jue's tone was calm, but a glint of light appeared in his eyes. Mr. Du also stopped stroking his beard and looked on intently.

Encouraged, Zhou Heng's thinking became clearer: "The first step is to act swiftly and decisively. Quickly verify and publicize the main evidence of his crimes, strip him of all improper titles, and recover his illegal gains. The key to this step is 'speed' and 'accuracy,' to demonstrate the law and discipline with lightning speed and eliminate any侥幸心理 (a mentality of taking chances)."

Upon hearing this, the military advisor's expression softened slightly, as this aligned with his principle of "establishing authority."

"However, the second step must be steady." Zhou Heng changed the subject. "While publicizing the crimes, we must clearly declare: only the ringleader will be investigated, and the innocent will not be implicated. Their family's legal properties and their innocent relatives will all be protected and will not be implicated. This is to reassure the people."

Mr. Du's eyes showed approval; this step took into account the "soothing" aspect.

"As for the third step," Zhou Heng pondered for a moment before revealing the most crucial and daring part, "it lies in 'dredging' and 'guiding'."

After the investigation, the government may examine those members of the clan who are truly talented, have a clean reputation, and are not involved in corruption. If they are deemed suitable, they may be appointed to practical positions such as village head, assistant in spring plowing, or granary management, depending on the circumstances.

Firstly, it would allow his family to see a way out: to reform themselves and continue to serve their hometown, thus mitigating the conflict.

Secondly, these young people are familiar with the local situation, and if guided properly, they can become an aid in restoring order;

Thirdly, it also demonstrates the Marquis's magnanimity in rewarding and punishing crimes fairly, and his willingness to not let the crimes of one person overshadow the talents of the entire clan. This is what is meant by "punishing the ringleader, protecting the good, and utilizing their talents."

The more he spoke, the more stable his voice became, wrapping his ideas on "divesting non-performing assets, stabilizing the team, and maximizing residual value" in language that this era could understand.

Silence returned to the tent.

Mr. Du nodded slowly and sighed, "Punishment, security, and utilization—these three steps are progressive and interconnected."

It upholds the strictness of the law, takes into account human nature, and focuses on long-term governance.

"This strategy of Zhou's Secretary is not merely a compromise; it is truly... a wise and prudent approach to governing the country." He used extremely high praise, his eyes filled with no doubt but admiration.

The military advisor frowned and pondered for a moment, then clasped his hands and said, "Secretary Zhou's considerations are thorough. I only considered 'destruction' and did not think deeply about 'establishment'."

"By taking these three steps, the authority of the law can be established and the people's hearts can be at ease. This is indeed more reliable and effective than simply being strict." He spoke frankly, directly acknowledging the obvious change in his abilities.

The other generals' advisors also whispered among themselves, most of them showing agreement.

The way he looked at Zhou Heng was almost the same as how he looked at Mr. Du and other key advisors—it was the way he looked at someone who could truly participate in decision-making and contribute their wisdom.

Zhou Heng was a little embarrassed by this sudden high praise, and hurriedly said modestly, "These are just my humble opinions... they are all inspired by the discussions of you gentlemen, and they still need to be improved by Mr. Du and the other gentlemen."

Xiao Jue took in everyone's reactions, his face remaining expressionless, and said only, "In that case, let's proceed according to this framework."

Mr. Du, I trouble you to oversee the process, together with the editorial staff and everyone else, to draft detailed implementation guidelines for the three steps. These guidelines must be clear and transparent to avoid future problems.

"I accept your command." Mr. Du cupped his hands in greeting, then said gently to Zhou Heng, "Secretary Zhou, I will need to discuss the details with you later."

"Yes, I will do my best," Zhou Heng replied.

After this matter was settled, the group discussed several other government affairs before dispersing.

When only the two of them remained in the tent, Xiao Jue walked to Zhou Heng's desk, picked up the few sheets of paper on which Zhou Heng had just recorded and drafted the key points of the "step-by-step" plan, and looked at them carefully for a while.

"The approach is acceptable; it shows a sense of balance and avoids blindly pursuing novelty," he commented, his tone devoid of praise or criticism. "However, the wording is too direct, making it easy for others to use it against you."

In future reports, the wording may need further refinement; it could be revised to something like "Recruit virtuous and capable individuals as appropriate to ensure peace and stability in the local community."

Zhou Heng knew this was an instruction on how to write official documents, and he felt the meaning was roughly the same, but he still replied, "Understood."