Chapter 465 – Reward for Li Feihong?
Capitalism usually came with income disparity between wealthy people and the poor. The poor would get poorer as they were often exploited by the investors, merchants, and court officials. On the other hand, the upper-class civilians' status and wealth would continue to rise as they took advantage of the monetary system.
Unless one obtained financial knowledge and the right career, all labor class civilians would become nothing but capitalists' slaves.
Te Langpu had been encouraging Tong to change the current totalitarian dictatorship monarchy system to capitalism republic monarchy, so the Han Dynasty would enter a rapid development era.
However, a former policeman like Tong did not have enough experience in dealing with sensitive politic issues in the modern world, so he was afraid if it was the right decision to switch the government system now. After all, people in this era lacked education, and they might be exploited by merchants and nobles.
From Tong's point of view, civilian's education standard needed to be higher, or some noble clans might cause trouble.
"No. Giving lands back to you right now will bring chaos and instability in our chain of command. Triads and greedy merchants will exploit their property rights, and uneducated peasants will be in trouble."
"Your majesty, you can just limit the property rights to nobles or your subordinates with great deeds. Please think of your retainers like Lord Li Feihong, Lord Lu Zhi, or Lord Sima Fang. Everyone has contributed greatly to your Dynasty, but they can't even settle their roots and call their resident their real home."
Tong could not refute that as he felt bad for his friend, mentor, and his respectable seniors.
Seeing that the emperor stopped speaking, Zhuge Liang continued, "Your majesty, you don't have to give everyone the rights. You can just select a few trusted officers or senior officers. With this, you will encourage all your subordinates to work harder to get your favor!"
"So, it's a stick and carrot thingy?" Tong understood a gist of it.
"Yes. As long as you don't give too many rights to your retainers, there won't be a problem."
"… I see."
Tong was convinced. As he took a step back and thought about how Li Feihong and others worked so hard for him, he felt guilty that none of them got their deserved rewards other than gold and titles.
They should at least get something back for their services.
"… I understand."
Civil officers and generals in the throne room cheered that they could finally expand their influence and territory after all these years.
Zhuge Liang continued, "First, you should give this reward to Lord Li Feihong since he is the most valuable asset of our kingdom. Please give him at least a province worth of territory!"
"An entire province!?"
Not only Tong was shocked, but all officials in the room were also astonished as well.
"Lord Li Feihong has been contributing countless resources to our cause without asking anything back in return. Such dedication and sacrifice isn't something to look down upon. He deserves this reward."
"…"
Deep down inside, Tong agreed with Zhuge Liang's suggestion. However, giving an entire province to be Li Feihong's private properties and lands might be too much.
Once he thought about others who deserved some rewards, some of them might demand a similar compensation or an entire city for themselves. Giving too much territory or properties might also breed corruption and open a room for infighting between his subordinates.
"I can only give him a city or a county, but I won't give him an entire province."
Sima Fang heaved a sigh of relief that Tong was strong enough to limit his rewards. Had Tong given Li Feihong an entire province, a new faction might be born under Li Feihong's flags.
"That will do," Zhuge Liang was somewhat disappointed, but he was relieved that Tong was kind enough to share a bit of his authority to his subordinates.
.
.
Tong: "Feihong, are you there?"
Li Feihong: "What's up, your majesty? Need more resources?"
As usual, Li Feihong was working hard to supply Tong with his private world's endless resources, food, spice, minerals, lumber, or even clean water. He thought that Tong wanted more materials for his development again.
Tong: "No, I'm planning to give you a city as a reward. Which city do you want to own? You can be a landlord now."
Li Feihong: "Why should I get a city? I'm more comfortable living in my private world."
Tong: "Don't you want a reward at all?"
Li Feihong: "Having this skill with me, the self-revival skill, your inventory skill, and your angelic cultivation are more than I ever asked for. I want nothing."
Everyone in the clan chat admired Li Feihong more as this minister refused Tong's offer over and over again. However, it was not good for Tong as he needed to set an example to his subordinates that major contributors got adequately rewarded.
Tong: "There's a change in my policies. Officers with great deeds will have the right to own lands, and I need to set an example, so I pick you as a role model."
Li Feihong: "Ah, you should have said that sooner."
Tong: "Then, which city do you want to own? I can't give you Julu or Ye, though."
Li Feihong: "Why should I pick a troublesome place like those two cities? Pick a deserted city for me. I don't want a big city or a city with too many people."
All chan members were taken aback by Li Feihong's attitude as he looked like a lazy person with this tone.
Tong: "I get it. You don't want to take any responsibility for your city's development or governance, correct?"
Li Feihong: "Yeah. Let me enjoy my slow life. That's all I ask from you."
Tong: "Slow life? Alone?"
Li Feihong: "… Are you trying to say I suck, so I'm single!?"
Tong: "I didn't say anything. LOL!"
This minister was getting too defensive as he was still single while his friends and colleagues all had a family. Tong could see why Li Feihong became like this now.
Tong: "I have an idea. Feihong, interest in becoming a prince?"
Everyone: "!!!"
Tong's message implied that he wanted to wed one of his daughters to Li Feihong, which was an insane development. Even Sima Yi's heart sank as he thought that Tong would marry Zhang Min to this minister.
Li Feihong: "Sadly, no. Leave me be. I'll take my virginity in this life to the grave! I'm a level 95 paladin! I don't need a wife!"
Seeing that Li Feihong was being a silly nerd, he changed the topic.
Tong: "You're being silly. Why do you want a deserted city anyway?"
Li Feihong: "What's the point of getting a developed city? Give me something that I can start from scratch, so I can get the feeling of owning something that I built. Ever played a city-building game? Do you find it fun playing a developed city from the beginning?"
It seemed that Li Feihong was once a hardcore gamer. It was surprising that he managed to score a wife and had children in his previous life with this attitude.
Tong: "Fine, you know what? I'll give you what you asked for. Take your entire legion and march to Hongnong. I'll send an edict to that city and tell Liu Bei's men that I assign you there as a governor. I'll force that city's citizens to migrate away, and you'll get your deserted city, deal?"
Li Feihong: "Abusing your edict again? Who will govern Henei after I left then?"
Tong: "I have too many idling Sun Clan generals with me. I can send them there to replace you. Sun Quan is also dangerously strong, you know. He has 4 wings now, and he can work there as a governor with his subordinates."
Li Feihong: "Roger that. Bear in mind that Hongnong is far from Ye. Future supply convoys will take a longer time to get there."
Tong: "I don't mind. I can solve the food shortage with [Create Food]. Other resources are just for researches and weaponry development. I'm in no rush."
Li Feihong: "Even though Sun Fang developed a galley?"
Tong: "We're making frigates, bitch! Frigates with cannons and muskets, yarr!"
Li Feihong: "Okay, I change my mind. Give me one of those frigates instead of a city! I want to be a pirate and find one piece!"
Te Langpu: "…"
Dong Bai: "…"
Diaochan: "…"
Somehow, Li Feihong seemed to be a nerd in anime or manga as well.
Tong: "Frigate development hasn't been completed yet. Wait a few years."
Li Feihong: "Lame. Well, I'll take Hongnong for now. Give me a frigate when it's done, okay?"
Tong: "Sure. After that, I will marry one of my daughters to you."
Li Feihong: "Don't joke around, Tong. Liu Xie will be in trouble if I do. I also don't want to call Cao Cao [Grandfather]."
.
.
.
In the end, Tong sent a decree to Hongnong, telling Liu Bei's subordinates to surrender the city to Li Feihong as he would become the new governor there permanently.
March, 195 AD.
Henei City
A 13-year-old little girl traveled to Henei along with a hundred bodyguards. She was still 140cm tall and had a petite figure, but her pretty face, long braided hair, and her smooth skin revealed that she was from a noble family.
Despite having a beautiful face and figure, she wore man's robes and wielded a foldable spear on her waist. Her expression also did not look as delicate as the other noble girls of her age.
She was Lu Lingqi, who came here to visit Li Feihong and Zhang Liao of the Monster Legion. As she had come of age, Lu Bu sent a letter to his wife that Lu Lingqi should visit Tong and offer herself to become the emperor's concubine.
However, this little girl refused. As Lu Lingqi still had a child's mentality, she left Ye City and came here so that she could tell on her father's irresponsible actions to her uncles, Li Feihong and Zhang Liao.
She did not want to marry anyone yet since she still wanted to practice spearmanship and martial arts.
Upon arrival, Lu Lingqi found out that all craftsmen and laborers ran around, carrying and pushing wagons outside of the city. Soldiers gathered outside of the wall as if they were preparing to march out. At the same time, female civilians stood on the wall, waving their hands at their family members among the dispatched soldiers, bidding farewell.
An army was about to march out of this city!
In a hurry, Lu Lingqi asked a nearby pedestrian, "Are they sortieing?"
A merchant turned around and answered her, "The emperor sent a proclamation that Lord Li Feihong will become a governor of Hongnong City. The Monster Legion will go with him, and Lord Sun Quan will become a new governor here."
"What!?" Lu Lingqi was panicked, "Are uncle Zhang Liao and uncle Li Feihong going with them?"
"Uncle?" The merchant was confused about why this girl called them uncle.
It was too late for him to continue their conversation. Lu Lingqi took her bodyguards and ran toward the army.