Chapter 910: Chapter 48: Calling in Favors Everywhere, One Year Later, Attaining a Top-level Dharma Body!
From an official position standpoint, Xia Jing has the same grade as me, so the power isn’t much different.
Zhao Xing thought for a moment and dipped his finger in wine to write two words on the table: Save the People.
"Save the People?" Xia Jing pondered.
"How to do it exactly?"
"Firstly, build shelters, away from the city, preferably underground, in mountainous areas, or locations of little strategic value."
"Secondly, establish mobile medical facilities, storage warehouses, prepare a large number of cold-proof and heat-proof vestment robes, as well as a substantial amount of food."
Xia Jing doubted: "Am I not just doing the work of the Transportation Department, Medical Department, and Engineering Department?"
"Moreover, if you want to save people, don’t you still have to conquer cities and seize territories?"
"Do you think all civilians live in the city?" Zhao Xing shook his head, "I don’t want you to save the dignitaries in the city, I want you to save the rural folks. You need to understand this concept."
Xia Jing was from a noble background, his thoughts still carried the innate prejudice.
In Xia Jing’s view, low-ranking families were called common clans, different from the impoverished class.
Zhao Xing saw him nodding as if he understood and asked: "Brother Xia, in your eyes, what kind of people are considered civilians?"
Xia Jing scratched his head: "In my father’s domain, the lowest tax payer level is those with a five-acre house in the city and twenty acres of good fields outside."
Zhao Xing: "..."
Seeing Zhao Xing’s unhappy expression, Xia Jing humbly asked for guidance: "Mr. Zhao, did I misunderstand again?"
"Brother Xia, your words truly rouse grief, and listening to them brings tears."
"But I don’t blame you, in your eyes, the poorest are just like this." Zhao Xing waved his hand, "Your family’s domain is prosperous, your father is benevolent and loves the people."
"The folks there indeed live better, but not all the world is like this."
"You’ve surely seen the people of the Southern Desolate, right?"
Xia Jing recalled the ragged, malnourished Southern Desolate Tribesfolk, and his face lit up with realization: "Oh, I understand."
"But in that case, these forty thousand people may not all follow along," Xia Jing said.
"An army is for fighting battles, which army specifically goes to save rural folks, not to mention doing laborious tasks like flood relief?"
"One lacks military achievements, two lacks loose rank, three has no wealth reward."
Zhao Xing mused: "I have seen armies with ideals and beliefs do such things."
"Oh? Where."
"Not here."
Zhao Xing waved his hand: "In any case, I want you to filter out the people willing to follow us."
"You must explain to these people, our goal is not to earn military merits through battling, nor to seek riches, and won’t promote quickly."
Xia Jing hesitated: "Your approach is unlike any army I’ve seen, I don’t know how many people I can mobilize, the only advantage is the lower risk."
If not sieging and seizing, but merely treating the civilians Zhao Xing mentioned as much as possible.
Then the resistance encountered would be quite small.
Prince Liang revolted but didn’t go mad.
His armies are elite; as long as it’s not a strategic location, he wouldn’t send troops to kill or conscript these people.
What use does he have for them?
They even fall below rank, serving no real purpose, ending up as burdens instead.
Of course, if Prince Liang conquers the realm, governing the world would be different.
People like Zhao Xing also emerged from rural towns.
But for now, Prince Liang surely doesn’t want this group.
Zhao Xing said: "Just do your best."
Xia Jing nodded: "So what amount of supplies should I apply to the court for?"
Zhao Xing shook his head: "My plan is that the funding doesn’t come from the court, at least not the main part, otherwise it remains a military expense, and we still garner attention."
"But this is no small amount," Xia Jing frowned, "Where would the money come from?"
Zhao Xing smiled: "It’s from the clans you mentioned earlier, they have plenty of money."
"You mean..."
"Brother Xia, you have extensive connections, I too have befriended quite a few people."
"In times of chaos, without asking these people to exert effort and risk their lives in battle, could they be compelled to give a bit of wealth and engage in some charity work, thereby not costing them their lives?"
"You’re suggesting robbing local aristocrats?"
"It’s soliciting donations for charity."
"That still sounds like robbing."
"..."
Seeing Xia Jing’s clear eyes, Zhao Xing straightened his body and took a deep breath:
"Forget it, I’ll not discuss the funds matter with you; I’ll talk it over with Marquis Tian, you just adhere to the plan to contact people."
"Alright." Xia Jing nodded.
"The third step, personnel problem," Zhao Xing said, "We need to mobilize many Mechanical Masters, Doctors, Weavers, and the Minister of Agriculture."
"Minister of Agriculture is easy to manage, I’ll handle personnel actuation, but there are too few Doctors, Mechanical Masters here at your disposal."
"Leave it to me," Xia Jing said, "Hundred Weapons Daoist School, Mo Shou Academy, Heavenly Medicine Daoist School, Jishi Palace, Heluo Academy, Divine Weaving Academy, both my father and uncle have connections with people able to invite many experts."
"We don’t ask for overly strong individuals," Zhao Xing said, "We’re not occupying strategic locations, hence we don’t need strong individuals; this time we need quantity, not quality."
Xia Jing contemplated: "True, unranked civilians, even a Ninth Grade Doctor can treat."
"Vestment robes resisting fifth-level severe cold, even a team of Seventh-rank Weavers can produce."
"Far removed from troubled lands, needed resistance against natural disasters and misfortunes greatly reduces, Mr. Zhao, is this the rationale?"
Zhao Xing applauded and laughed: "Indeed."
Xia Jing extended his hand, unfurled a map, and examined it closely.
"I’m only observing the smallness of the map, unaware of the largeness in reality."
"In such a way, everywhere becomes an appropriate living space."