CHAPTER 105: CHAPTER 104: Q&A (PART 2)

Jing Qingfu is about to die.

Although Jing Qingfu can still talk and smoke normally now, when he actively asked the four brothers how to handle the Silver Blood Association’s dilemma, Jing Zhengwu knew that this man, who used to have the last word in the Jing Family, was going to die.

Language is a wondrous thing. Once spoken, these fleeting words immediately take on a fixed form, exerting a binding effect on the speaker.

Jing Qingfu’s inquiry was actually a ceremony for a power transition.

He exposed his weakness completely.

There is no real difference between people. Even if you are proficient in Combat Technique, are extraordinarily intelligent, or have commanding Charm... you are ultimately just a person, unable to control others.

The more than a hundred clansmen in the Jing Family, who resolutely crowd around and obey the patriarch, Jing Qingfu, do so because they believe Jing Qingfu has both the ability to make them live better and the power to make their lives a living hell.

Power that comes together due to collective belief can, in turn, become a fearful threat to the people. Power is indeed wondrous.

However, once the patriarch shows weakness, and once there is another trustworthy successor, this power, gathered because of trust, will also transfer to the new patriarch because of trust.

The weak are like vines, quietly reaching their tendrils toward stronger individuals when they appear.

And what Jing Zhengwu needs to do is to prove that he is the more powerful... leader than his father and brothers!

"The concerns of the Silver Blood Association are not difficult to understand, but that’s because they have never managed workers and servants," Jing Zhengwu spoke loudly. "As the saying goes, soldiers cannot move without a leader, snakes cannot act without a head, and each time workers organize trouble, there will inevitably be trusted leaders and cadres responsible for connecting different sides."

"Once we find the leaders, bribe them heavily, and create dissension, the workers will collapse without needing to be attacked."

Jing Qingfu asked, "What if the leaders are impoverished but unyielding?"

"It’s fine if the leaders don’t submit. We can bribe the cadres and stigmatize all those who refuse the bribes, allowing the bought cadres to create confusion within."

Jing Qingfu inquired again, "If it’s difficult to find the leaders and cadres, or if the apparent leaders and cadres are merely scapegoats?"

Jing Zhengwu laughed, "Then buy off and threaten a few ordinary workers. We don’t need them to do anything; we just need to spread the word to make everyone feel insecure and suspicious of each other. At this point, we just have to announce forgiveness, allowing a few bought individuals to voluntarily step away, thereby swaying the hesitant majority and naturally quelling the riot."

"Or hold a discussion, ostensibly promising to meet their demands, but continuously delaying without fulfilling them. Then transfer away the leaders and cadres, and by the time the workers realize they are deceived, they won’t be able to organize again."

"If even this doesn’t work... it means the workers have made up their minds," Jing Zhengwu calmly stated, "Simply call upon the Heyang Army to suppress them."

Jing Qingfu finally nodded in satisfaction and asked, "Did you come up with this yourself, Zhengwu? The logic is coherent, seems like a conclusion from practice."

"Yes," Jing Zhengwu replied politely. "During the worker riots at Little Jiu Mountain three years ago, I helped Third Grandpa strategize. The workers were very stubborn at the time; the leaders and cadres refused to negotiate. So, we bribed a few weak workers to sow confusion and report back to us, greatly obstructing their decision-making process."

"When the workers realized something was wrong and tried to destroy the mining equipment and escape, the Heyang Army we invited had already arrived. Even the younger brother of the leader leading the riot defected overnight to guide the Heyang Army in annihilating the workers hiding in the mine, thus minimizing the impact of the Little Jiu Mountain riot."

As if recalling something, Jing Zhengwu added, "Workers who defect in such cases should be vigorously promoted and praised, letting everyone know that defectors enjoy wealth and honor, while rebels die without a resting place."

"Very good." Jing Qingfu nodded again, taking a puff of Five-Flower Tea. "Zhengwu’s reasoning is sound and clear. Do others have different thoughts?"

Jing Zhengwu glanced at the "competitors," noticing Jing Zhengtang whispering to Feiwei, while Jing Zhengfeng seemed to be contemplating something, leaving only their eldest brother, Jing Zhengwei, still eating heartily—so confident?

Thinking of his eldest brother’s series of unusual behavior today, Jing Zhengwu quietly adjusted the threat level of Jing Zhengwei to the highest. He knew this brother of his was no ordinary person; every move carried deep meaning. Since his brother abandoned his usual deep and reserved demeanor, it meant that his current stance could earn him more benefits.

After a moment, Jing Zhengfeng slowly said, "Incite confrontation, create hatred."

Jing Qingfu inhaled a puff of white mist and said, "Explain."

Although Jing Zhengfeng opened with ’old undead,’ he answered the question very seriously: "Workers and servants riot because their grievances have no outlet and accumulate inside them, eventually getting incited."

"Then let them have a place to vent their grievances."

"Let the cadres responsible for supervision, food, and lodging actively ’discriminate’ against them, which can be due to language, appearance, and even height... In short, make the workers realize that some other workers live better for different reasons."

"Discrimination leads to confrontation, confrontation leads to hatred. Initially, the workers certainly won’t dare to lose their temper at the supervising cadres; they will only dare to target those who receive preferential treatment. And those treated preferentially will not eat humble pie—they will certainly band together and retaliate."

"At this moment, the supervisors can let the workers gain some authority, such as food. The worker with a large faction can allow his people to get more and better food, while the smaller factions suffer bullying..."

"Of course, the supervisors cannot let the workers really form a large faction. It’s best to have three to four factions in each factory or mine. When any faction becomes too strong, agitate other factions to suppress it."

Before Jing Zhengfeng finished speaking, Jing Qingfu couldn’t help but applaud, "Brilliant, brilliant!"

"Not only have you expended the grievances of workers and servants, but also made them hate each other. Even if they want to riot, they cannot cooperate due to past grudges—truly ingenious... cough cough!"

After coughing a few times, Jing Qingfu inhaled a puff of white mist, seeming to catch his breath, "Did you learn this from the Green Rainbow Gang?"

"More or less." Jing Zhengfeng wanted to prop his feet up to flaunt, but after glancing at his eldest brother beside him, he sulkily drank a cup of wine and called it a day, "That’s all, I’ve finished speaking, I’ll take my leave if there’s nothing else."

"No rush." Jing Qingfu looked at the remaining two, "Do either of you have anything to add?"

Though Jing Zhengwu’s face remained unchanged, even smiling, internally he was churning—there was no need to think; now Jing Qingfu even more favors that bastard!

He was actually outshined by a bastard!

Could it be that Jing Zhengfeng knew father’s exam questions beforehand, which is why he answered so brilliantly? If he had known in advance, he could have come up with even more ingenious solutions. But, alas...

"Father, Feiwei... Feiwei and I also have an immature idea."

At this time, Jing Zhengtang finally accepted his girlfriend’s instruction, stammeringly raised his hand, and said.

"Speak," Jing Qingfu rarely showed a smile, "I’m quite interested."

"Here’s the thing, Fourth Brother just said, the reason for the workers’ riot is because they have no outlet for their grievances." Jing Zhengtang took a sip of tea and said, "I also agree with this view, but feel it’s incomplete: the reason workers riot is also because they have no hope."

"We can give them hope."

Jing Qingfu slightly furrowed his brow, "What hope?"

An old capitalist becomes extremely alert when workers’ blood is wanted.

"Set up a hierarchy," Jing Zhengtang said. "Using mine workers as an example, mine workers typically work 18 hours. We can set three levels: Black Iron Worker, Silver Worker, and Golden Worker. Black Iron Workers work 18 hours, Silver Workers only need to work 16 hours, and Golden Workers further only need to work 14 hours, yet their pay is completely the same."

"Meanwhile, Black Iron Workers have no benefits at the mine, while Silver Workers can bathe every three days and rest one day a week, and Golden Workers can bathe daily and rest two days a week..."

"And also..."

"Enough!" Jing Qingfu stopped his third son, unable to hold back a few coughs, and took a puff of white mist, saying, "With your approach, our Jing Family might as well sell off the mines!"

"Father, Feiwei’s plan hasn’t gotten to the main point yet." Jing Zhengtang accidentally revealed more, but no one seemed to care: "We can set it up so that all workers start as Black Iron Workers. After five years of work, they can be promoted to Silver Workers, and after ten years, to Gold Workers."

"If they report a Backlight Particle, or discover someone attempting a rebellion, as long as the information is accurate, they can be promoted one rank immediately."

"However, if they engage in misconduct, such as participating in a rebellion or shirking their duties, they lose their promotion eligibility."

At this point, Jing Zhengtang paused.

Jing Qingfu found it odd: "Go on."

"Uh, there’s much more, but I’ve forgotten." Jing Zhengtang scratched his head sheepishly.

Jing Qingfu looked displeased at Jing Zhengtang and Feiwei, nodding: "Five years, ten years... very good, very good. Zhengwu, do you know the average working years of ordinary workers in the mine?"

Jing Zhengwu’s smile had become quite uncomfortable: "About two to three years."

"Then the Silver Worker threshold can be lowered to three years, and Gold Worker to five years." Jing Qingfu said with satisfaction: "We must let the workers see a seemingly achievable hope... even if they work for three years, we can fabricate a misconduct to cancel their promotion opportunity."

"If a worker leaves, it doesn’t matter. Three years is plenty to squeeze out their labor; keeping them longer would just waste food."

"However, in the mine, we could keep a couple of Silver Workers and Gold Workers as examples to motivate other workers."

"Very good, very good! Zhengtang, you’ve never been very likable, but I must admit, your eye for women is better than mine!"

Jing Zhengtang chuckled foolishly, while Feiwei bowed her head in thanks.

Then, everyone’s gaze turned to the only one of the four brothers who hadn’t spoken yet, the eldest son, Jing Zhengwei.

In the various glances, there were ridicule, resentment, and mockery.

But none with expectation.

Jing Zhengwu’s ’response strategy,’ Jing Zhengfeng’s ’divisive plot,’ and Jing Zhengtang’s ’hope system’ almost exhausted all possible ways to control workers, moreover these three brothers could come up with such schemes due to their life experiences: Jing Zhengwu participated in suppressing uprisings as a youth, Jing Zhengfeng struggled among the bottom ranks for many years, and Jing Zhengtang’s wife was incredible.

Compared to them, Jing Zhengwei had no advantages.

Moreover, Jing Zhengwei actually kept feasting, which in the eyes of the family members, was an attitude of outright abandonment.

"Hmm? Is it my turn?"

Le Yuxin took a sip of honey-flavored Five-Flower Tea, blinked at everyone, and smiled: "My idea..."

Jing Zhengwu, Feiwei, and Jing Zhengfeng immediately became attentive. They had been secretly watching their elder brother Jing Zhengwei, although others thought Jing Zhengwei had given up on himself, they believed he was confident and composed—they believed that the dark and tyrannical eldest son Jing Zhengwei would not surrender without a fight.

Actually...

Le Yuxin was simply indifferent and detached.

Joking aside, while you’re discussing how to handle the working class here, do you really think I’d seriously offer you advice?

He was never interested in competing for the family patriarch position; if not for maintaining Jing Zhengwei’s persona, he would’ve shouted something absurd like, "Increase wages! Build worker communities! Build worker schools! Build worker hospitals."

But since it was his turn to speak, Le Yuxin had to say something, and it couldn’t be ’me too’—just like an exam, turning in a fully filled but all wrong answer sheet is a good attitude, but leaving it blank is a bad attitude.

So... let me tell a joke.

"My idea is similar to third brother’s, but not as complicated." Le Yuxin cleared his throat and said: "I plan to publish a newspaper, distributing it to the workers at a low cost or even for free. Fortunately, the workers should all be literate."

A newspaper?

Everyone was stunned, completely unable to understand what the eldest son was talking about, even Jing Qingfu was confused: "What do you mean?"

"I also want to give the worker and servant class hope, but without the flashiness of a system, just using a pen will do." Le Yuxin said: "I plan to serialize these books in the newspaper—"

"’Workers Doing These Things, Becoming Major Mining Owners Five Years Later,

’You Only Complain You Have No Money, But Don’t Consider Your Own Complacency,

’Steward Killed These Servants Because They Witnessed Their Lack of Effort,

’Servants Turning Into Chief Stewards, These Skills You Need to Know,

’You Can’t Fill Your Stomach Every Day, Because You Haven’t Addressed These Weaknesses,

’Workers, This is Why the Boss Demands You to Improve,

’Yang Bailao Learned Self-Management; Ten Years Later, Even Huang Shiren Admits Inferiority’

..."

"Who are Yang Bailao and Huang Shiren?" Jing Zhengtang suddenly interrupted to ask.

"Uh... two people I know, the former is a worker, the latter is a boss." Le Yuxin spoke until his mouth was dry, explained casually, and took a sip of honey-flavored Five-Flower Tea before turning to Jing Qingfu: "That’s my thought, what do you think?"

Jing Qingfu trembled, raising his right hand, pointing at Le Yuxin: "Zhengwei, you..."

Damn, got so carried away with the joke, this old man seems about to blow up listening to my nonsense, right? Le Yuxin quickly thought it through, secretly thinking it would’ve been better to say ’me too’ to get by, now he’s almost angered this old man to death, what should I do next?

"You, you..."

Jing Qingfu took a deep breath of white mist and said loudly:

"Hurry up and do it!"

Le Yuxin: "?"