People in the Ming Dynasty are lawless

Chapter 525: After killing to establish authority, it still works
Inside the Governor's Palace.

Xia Yuanji, Lan Yu, Wang Bi and others sat in the lobby, the atmosphere was warm and cheerful.

Having just successfully settled a potential family dispute, everyone's face was filled with the joy of victory.

Xia Yuanji took a sip of tea, his eyes revealing wisdom and calmness, and he slowly said: "Today's matter was resolved so smoothly thanks to your help. Those families who intended to stir up trouble ultimately underestimated the power of our unity."

Lan Yu smiled proudly and slammed the table and stood up: "The Grand Commander is right! Those guys think that they can shake the foundation of our Governor's Office with a little cleverness, but it's just a foolish dream! Today's battle will let them know how capable the Horse King is!"

Wang Bi seemed more reserved. He stroked the short beard on his chin and said in a deep voice: "This action not only demonstrates the majesty of the Governor-General's Office, but more importantly, we send a clear signal to everyone - in this land, any force that attempts to split or confront will be punished accordingly."

"Indeed." Xia Yuanji nodded in agreement, looking at everyone, and continued, "But today's victory is only the first step in a long journey. Have you ever thought about why these families chose to jump out at this time?"

Lan Yu frowned, thinking: "Could it be that there is someone behind them directing them?"

Xia Yuanji smiled slightly, and did not answer directly, but turned to Wang Bi: "My Lord, what do you think about this?"

Wang Bi pondered for a moment and said, "In my opinion, although these families have their own selfish motives, it is difficult to form such a large-scale linkage without external forces. I am afraid that someone is indeed manipulating in secret, trying to use the slight cracks within us to achieve their ulterior motives."

"That's why we can't just be satisfied with today's victory." Xia Yuanji said firmly, his eyes were sharp, "We must plan ahead. We must not only consolidate the existing achievements, but also conduct in-depth investigations to find the black hand hiding in the dark and completely cut off its tentacles reaching out to us."

Lan Yu heard this and a hint of excitement flashed in his eyes: "General, we will do whatever you say! We will follow you and go through fire and water without even frowning!"

Xia Yuanji smiled and shook his head, signaling Lan Yu to stay calm: "I am relieved that the commander is brave and fearless. But the next action requires wisdom and patience."

He stood up and walked to the wall covered with maps. He lightly ran his fingers over the areas marked with the spheres of influence of various powers. "The first thing we need to do is to strengthen intelligence gathering. Every family and every force that may be our enemy must be brought under our surveillance. Only by knowing ourselves and the enemy can we win every battle."

The commanding officer nodded in agreement: "Don't worry, Grand Commander, I will handle this matter. I will mobilize the Jinyiwei and our spies in various places to ensure that no disturbance will escape our eyes."

Xia Yuanji nodded with satisfaction and continued, "Second, we must strengthen our internal unity. Although today's incident has been settled, it has also exposed some of our previous weaknesses. We must take measures to strengthen the connection and cooperation between the various families and departments to ensure that similar cracks will not appear in the future."

Lan Yu interrupted, "I have experience in this. When I led troops to fight in the past, I always emphasized 'military orders are as heavy as a mountain, and they must be obeyed'. We can also establish a similar system to make all families and officials understand that whoever dares to make small moves will be an enemy of the entire Governor's Office!"

Xia Yuanji smiled slightly and nodded approvingly: "The Marshal's suggestion is very good, but we still need to be more meticulous. Set up some common tasks and let everyone work together to contribute to the prosperity of this land."

Wang Bi added: "In addition, we should also give appropriate rewards and support to those families who sincerely surrender and are willing to serve the Governor's Office, so that they can become our solid backing."

Xia Yuanji nodded and glanced at everyone again: "Finally, and most importantly, we must continue to improve our own strength. Whether it is military, business or private school advancement, we must do it comprehensively so that any potential enemy will not dare to act rashly."

His words were full of vision and determination for the future, which deeply touched everyone present.

Lan Yu stood up and shouted excitedly: "The Grand Commander is right! As long as we work together, there will be no difficulties that cannot be overcome! From today on, I, Lan Yu, swear to live and die with the Governor-General's Office, and will go through fire and water for the peace and prosperity of the new colonies of the Ming Dynasty!"

Wang Bi also stood up, and said firmly: "Wang Bi is willing to follow the Grand Commander and work together for the great cause, and will never leave!"

……

The morning light was just beginning to appear in the capital city of Sanfuqi, but the atmosphere in the city was as dull and depressing as if it was shrouded in the thick night.

On the city gate tower, several heads swayed gently in the breeze. They were the relics of several family members who had tried to challenge the authority of the Governor's Office. They were like silent warnings, plunging the entire city into unprecedented panic.

Angkor Family Residence
Santiago, the eldest son of the Angkor family, sat by the window in the study, looking through the lotus pond in the courtyard, gazing at the scene on the city gate tower in the distance.

He clenched his hands into fists, his nails digging deep into his palms, but he felt no pain at all.

"Father, we have to take action." Santiago's voice was low and firm, breaking the silence in the study. "If we continue like this, we may be the next ones to be put on display."

The head of the Angkor family, Pantawan, an elderly man with sharp eyes, slowly stood up from behind the desk, walked to the window, and stood side by side with Santiago.

His face was full of worry, but more of it was determination towards the unknown future.

"Son, we must reassess the situation." Pantawan's voice was steady and powerful. "Xia Yuanji's methods were much more ruthless than we expected. Those families were wiped out overnight without even a chance to beg for mercy."

"What can we do then?" Santiago's voice was filled with helplessness and despair.

Pantawan sighed, his eyes piercing through the mist, as if searching for some kind of answer: "We need to temporarily restrain our edge and show goodwill to the Governor's Office. Only by letting Xia Yuanji see our sincerity can we temporarily keep the family safe. As for the long-term plan, we still need to think about it carefully."

……

Sulawesi Family Residence
The Sulawesi family's meeting room was brightly lit, and the family members sat together in an atmosphere so solemn that water could almost freeze. The head of the family, Agong, a middle-aged man with a stern face and eagle-like eyes, was listening to the opinions of each family.

"Xia Yuanji's move is undoubtedly a declaration of war on all of us." Agong's voice was low and powerful, as if it could penetrate people's hearts. "But he also understands that it is impossible to eliminate all opposition forces at once. He needs time to consolidate his rule."

"The head of the family means that we should use this time to look for opportunities to counterattack?" Emmanuel, the eldest son of the Sulawesi family, asked tentatively.

Agong shook his head, with a complex emotion in his eyes: "No, now is not the time to fight back. What we need is patience and waiting. The strength of the Ming army is not only reflected in its military strength, but also in its organization and strategy. We must admit that, at least in the short term, we are no match for them."

"Then...are we just going to surrender like this?" Emmanuel asked unwillingly, anger and unwillingness flashing in his eyes.

"Surrender?" Agon sneered, with a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "This is only temporary. What we need to do is to secretly accumulate strength and find their weaknesses. At the same time, we must keep in touch with other families and deal with this crisis together. Remember, true victory often belongs to those who can endure humiliation and wait for the best opportunity."

……

Borneo Family Residence

In the garden of the Borneo family, the head of the family, Carlos, was having a secret conversation with several of his confidants. In the night, their figures were particularly blurry under the flickering candlelight, but everyone's eyes were unusually firm.

"Xia Yuanji's methods are indeed frightening." Carlos' voice was low and heavy, as if it could crush everything. "But the more it comes at a time like this, the more we cannot lose our composure." "What does the head of the family think?" asked a confidant, with a bit of awe in his voice.

"I can't say that I have a brilliant opinion, but I have a few ideas." Carlos said slowly, his tone calm and firm, "First, we must strengthen the security within the family to prevent anyone from taking advantage of the opportunity to cause chaos. Second, we must pay close attention to the Governor's Office's every move to understand their intentions and movements. Third, and most importantly, we must unite with other families to form a united front to fight against the threat of the Ming army."

"But will those families be willing to join forces with us?" another confidant asked worriedly, with doubts flashing in his eyes.

"Yes." Carlos said firmly, as if he could see into people's hearts. "In the face of a common threat, there are no eternal enemies. As long as we can come up with a reasonable plan and let them see hope, they will definitely be willing to join. After all, no one wants to be the next family to be exposed."

As Xia Yuanji's iron-fisted approach created a huge wave in the capital of Sanfuqi, the major families began to reassess the situation and adjust their strategies.

They realized that the strength of the Ming army was far beyond their imagination, and any rash action could bring about a catastrophic disaster.

Therefore, most families chose to endure temporarily, show goodwill to the Governor's Office, and secretly accumulate strength and wait for the opportunity.

……

In the Governor's Mansion in the capital of Sanfuqi.

The thief, known as "Shadow Walker", was sitting quietly in the side hall, waiting for a meeting with Governor Xia Yuanji.

His heart was filled with anticipation and anxiety. He wanted to report truthfully what he saw and heard in Mandala City, but he was also worried that Xia Yuanji's reaction would be as cold and ruthless as the head hanging on the city gate tower.

Inside the side hall.

Saru's face was hidden under the hood, revealing only a pair of eagle-like eyes, quietly observing the surroundings.

Beside him, a guard from the Governor's Mansion stood as firm as a pine tree, his eyes as sharp as torches, always alert.

"The governor summons you in." The guard's voice was low and powerful, breaking the silence in the side hall.

Saroo nodded slightly, stood up, straightened his clothes, and walked into the inner room.

Passing through a carved wooden door, he came to Xia Yuanji's study.

In the study, Xia Yuanji was writing quickly at his desk, his brows revealing an aura of majesty without even being angry.

"You're here." Xia Yuanji's voice was calm and deep, as if he had already known about Salu's arrival.

Saroo bowed and said, "Greetings, Governor."

Xia Yuanji put down the pen in his hand, looked up at Salu, and a trace of praise flashed in his eyes: "You have worked hard on this trip. How is the situation in Mandala City? Do those chaebols have any resistance to the new policy?"

After hearing this, Saroo pondered in his heart and decided to tell the truth about what he saw and heard: "My Lord, the tycoons in Mandala City are indeed opposed to the new policy. They are worried that the new policy will harm their interests, so they secretly obstruct it and even collude with local forces to try to obstruct the implementation of the new policy."

Xia Yuanji frowned slightly when he heard this, but then relaxed his brows, as if he had already expected such a situation.

The commanding officer said, "Humph, these chaebols, relying on their wealth and power, think they can do whatever they want. Little do they know that the new policy is a favor given by the Ming Dynasty to help Sanfuqi integrate more quickly. If they dare to obstruct it, they will be enemies of the Ming Dynasty."

Upon hearing this, Saroo secretly admired him and said, "Your Excellency is right. However, these chaebols have great power in the local area. If they are suppressed by force, it may cause unnecessary unrest."

The commander smiled and said, "Look at the heads hanging on the city gate tower. They are the fate of those who dared to challenge the authority of the Ming Dynasty."

When Salu heard this, he was shocked and looked out the window. He seemed to see the heads on the city gate tower swaying gently in the breeze.

He thought to himself that Xia Yuanji's methods were indeed cruel, but also clever.

It not only intimidated those who dared to resist, but also allowed others to see the court's determination and strength.

"Your Excellency is wise." Saroo bowed, his tone full of admiration, "However, the tycoons in Mandala City are different from those small families after all. There are complex chains of interests behind them. If they are not handled properly, they may bring disaster upon themselves."

Xia Yuanji nodded and said, "You are right. Therefore, I do not intend to suppress them by force. Instead, I will win with wisdom and convince people with reason."

Upon hearing this, Saroo admired Xia Yuanji's wisdom and strategy even more, and said, "I'd like to hear more about it."

Xia Yuanji smiled slightly and said, “I plan to send an envoy to Mandala City to negotiate with those tycoons.

On the one hand, explain to them the benefits of the new policy. On the other hand, let them know that the patience of the Ming Dynasty is limited. If they continue to obstruct the implementation of the new policy, they will be enemies of the court and will bear the consequences themselves. "

Saroo suddenly understood what was going on and said, "Your Excellency, this is a brilliant plan. It not only demonstrates the tolerance and generosity of the court, but also shows the court's determination and strength. If those chaebols know the times, they will definitely go with the flow and support the implementation of the new policy."

Hearing this, Xia Yuanji nodded with satisfaction and said, "You are indeed a smart person. I knew that sending you to Mandala City would definitely yield something."

Saroo bowed and said, "Thank you for your compliment, sir. However, I have one more favor to ask of you."

Xia Yuanji was slightly stunned and asked, "What's the matter?"

Saroo said: "I hope to continue to stay in the Governor's Mansion and serve you. I know that I am just a thief, and I am very lucky to be appreciated by you. But I still have the ambition to serve my country, and I am willing to do my best for the court."

Xia Yuanji heard this, a hint of approval flashed in his eyes, and he said: "Okay, I will grant you your wish. From now on, you will be the captain of the guards of the Governor's Mansion, responsible for protecting the safety of the front hall."

Saroo was overjoyed when he heard this, and he bowed and said, "Thank you very much for your cultivation. I will serve you wholeheartedly."

……

(End of this chapter)