The Key Is Here

"Dragon Quelling Mountain..."

A look of remembrance flickered through the Princess's eyes, but she said nothing more.

Zhou Renjing waited a moment, then sighed softly. With a sweep of his long sleeves, he said, "Allow me to offer a humble proposal first." He showed neither flattery nor arrogance.

Young Marquis Lu narrowed his eyes and thought, This fellow certainly knows how to seize an opportunity to show his loyalty. But he did not stop him, merely watching from the sidelines.

The cultivators in the hall held their breath, eager to see what brilliant plan this man could offer.

Zhou Renjing smiled, confident in his plan, and began slowly, "The difficulty of resettlement lies in the corruption of people's hearts and the rampant growth of hostility. We must use the resplendent righteous path to purge the demonic miasma and remake their souls! I have three strategies that can solve the problem once and for all!"

He raised three fingers.

"First, Your Highness should select a vast tract of land and set up a thousand-mile formation to draw down the pure, righteous energy of the Nine Heavens. Every criminal who enters the formation will be bathed in righteous energy day and night. Their hostility, savagery, and defiance will naturally dissolve! Five years will be all it takes to turn a hundred thousand of them into obedient subjects."

Everyone was taken aback, then fell into thought.

Zhou Renjing continued, "Second, we should build an academy at the heart of the formation, and name it the Academy of Shared Cultivation. We can invite eminent sages to teach the benevolence of the Holy Emperor, the laws of the Immortal Dynasty, and the principles of human relations, so that the criminals may cultivate their minds, distinguish right from wrong, and improve themselves."

The evaluators in the corner stared in astonishment.

Was that even possible?

Lord Dingbo and Lord Zhengshuang both furrowed their brows slightly.

Zhou Renjing then presented his final strategy. "Third, the academy should establish rules. Anyone who recites the scriptures ten thousand times will earn a minor merit; anyone who writes a hundred virtuous essays will earn an intermediate merit; and anyone who draws righteous energy into their body and submits in mind and soul will earn a major merit! Once their merits suffice, they can shed their criminal status and become law-abiding subjects of the Immortal Dynasty! They can cleanse their criminal records and be elevated to law-abiding subjects of the Immortal Dynasty! Those who excel can even be appointed assistant instructors at the Academy of Shared Cultivation, forever bathing in the light of the Holy Emperor!"

The hall erupted in an uproar!

Zhou Renjing bowed deeply to Princess Xiyao, his tone sincere. "These three strategies follow the resplendent righteous path. With five years, why should we worry that the people's hearts won't return to us?"

"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!" Young Marquis Lu laughed, snapping his folding fan shut. "Brother Zhou's plan perfectly accords with the Holy Emperor's sacred teachings on civilizing the four corners of the realm! The Academy of Shared Cultivation would be an unprecedented first in all history!" He turned to Princess Xiyao. "What do you think, Princess?"

Princess Xiyao knitted her brows and began to ponder.

Lord Dingbo said solemnly, "The thousand-mile formation would cost a fortune. It might drain a century's savings from your fief, to say nothing of the cost of maintaining the formation or inviting eminent sages. Besides, these factions have been at odds for a long time. The ground may be soaked in blood before the academy walls are even built. And how could mere scripture recitations and essays resolve such deep-seated hatred?"

"Lord Dingbo is mistaken!" Zhou Renjing calmly retorted. "Your Lordship sees only the immediate cost, not the achievements that will endure for generations. The initial investment may be great, but once the system is established, the expense will naturally decrease." He turned to the Princess and gave her a solemn bow. "The Holy Emperor places the greatest importance on education. If Your Highness pioneers this endeavor, you are sure to win the Holy Emperor's favor and distinguish yourself among the princes and princesses, with none to rival your prestige!"

Lord Dingbo looked hesitant at that.

The gray-robed elder, Lord Zhengshuang, considered the matter for a moment before speaking. "Fellow Daoist Zhou's proposal is truly ambitious. Though it will cost a great deal, with the formation and the aid of eminent sages, even if we cannot civilize a hundred thousand, thirty thousand should be no problem." His voice was low and hoarse.

"Lord Zhengshuang truly has keen insight!" Young Marquis Lu laughed brightly, then looked at the Princess. "Little Sister Xi Yao, I'm willing to give you my full support. The Lu Clan owns three Spirit Mines, and my father is on friendly terms with the eminent sages of Wenyuan Pavilion! If you accept my offer of a Dao Companion, a hundred thousand Spirit Marrow will be delivered to Tingfeng City tomorrow! Inviting eminent sages in the future will be no trouble either."

At this, some of the evaluators grew indignant, while others looked envious.

That was a hundred thousand Spirit Marrow! Enough to fund a mid-sized sect for a century!

Princess Xiyao's veil stirred faintly. Her gaze swept across the room before finally settling on Chen Qing.

"Chen Xu, do you have any suggestions?"

"Hm?"

Young Marquis Lu frowned, snapped his folding fan shut, and sized Chen Qing up. "You?"

Every gaze in the hall instantly focused on him.

Chen Qing met them calmly, his mind clear as a mirror.

The situation was delicate. Young Marquis Lu was being overbearing, which was deeply irritating, while Zhou Renjing's proposal sounded grand but concealed dangers. If it were carried out as proposed, Princess Xiyao would surely fall under the Lu Clan's control.

If even the Princess became a dependent of Lu Manor, he would fare even worse. Judging by Young Marquis Lu's attitude toward him just now, returning to the Mysterious Prison might be his best option. How would he be able to reap any benefits in his dreams then?

In that case...

Chen Qing stepped forward and said, "Fellow Daoist Zhou's plan is noble in principle, but it would be costly and full of uncertainties."

"Oh?" Lord Zhengshuang glanced at him. "Do you truly have a sound strategy? This assessment concerns governing, not cultivation talent." As he spoke, the elder glanced at Princess Xiyao.

"Arrogant!" Young Marquis Lu sneered. "Brother Zhou's proposal is already the best of the best. Who are you, an unknown nobody, to criticize it?"

Chen Qing neither bowed nor yielded, and said without fear, "A strategy's worth isn't measured by how flowery its wording is, but by whether it can actually work."

Meeting everyone's gaze, he stepped forward and addressed Princess Xiyao. "These hundred thousand people were arrested for rebellion in the first place. It's unrealistic to expect no further unrest. Whatever strategy we choose, we must be prepared to guide and contain the chaos. Suppress what must be suppressed, and subdue what must be subdued. We mustn't fear disorder. If we let it tie our hands, we'll never accomplish anything. With that as our premise, the key to breaking the deadlock is to divide power, disperse influence, and turn their labor into strength for the nation!"

"Disperse them?" Young Marquis Lu raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that just the old approach of scattering them everywhere and burying the seeds of disaster?"

Chen Qing shook his head. "Divide their authority, disperse their influence, and turn their strength to the nation's use!"

Then, before anyone could ask, he continued on his own. "There are three key points."

"First, divide them into ranks and set them against one another. Keep a close watch on the cultivator leaders among the criminals, put skilled craftsmen to work where they're needed, and resettle the elderly, the weak, women, and children separately. Treat them according to their rank, so those above and below check one another and resentments naturally arise. If anyone causes trouble, deal with them by rank and encourage people to report on one another."

"Second, break up the groups and scatter them among newly opened lands, regions still plagued by miasma, newly established Spirit Fields, or mining districts. No settlement should have more than a thousand people. Have them live alongside the soldiers and civilians, with troops stationed nearby. Let loyal soldiers supervise the convicts and law-abiding subjects reform their wicked thoughts. Set them to clearing and cultivating the land, and allow them to pass on their skills while working off their crimes."

"Third, a hundred thousand criminals are a hundred thousand laborers. They can build roads and cities, open mines, reclaim wasteland, dredge rivers, and reinforce the border defenses!"

After a pause, he clasped his hands toward Princess Xiyao. "Your Highness can ask the court for the authority to pardon their crimes. Then announce that those who work three years without committing an offense can have their sentences reduced and their criminal status removed, while those who distinguish themselves through great service can be granted land and made subjects of the dynasty! However, all Spirit Ore and Spirit Grain obtained in the process must go to the national treasury. For the same reason, the treasury should cover the costs of supervision, relocation, and resettlement. This assignment was given by the Immortal Dynasty, after all. They can't hand down the task without providing the resources and support to carry it out, can they?"

In just a few sentences, Chen Qing laid out his proposal. It was all drawn from arguments he had waged online in his previous life: divide power, balance interests, and use labor relief. But the Immortal Dynasty seemed very old, and the human way had only recently risen. Perhaps it had never experienced the power plays and political intrigue of a human dynasty. The cultivators here focused on the supernatural and neglected the art of wielding power; they probably had never even considered this approach.

But, thinking it over, it made sense. If brute force could solve a problem, who would bother with complicated strategies?

Yet when resources were limited and one's authority constrained, such clever plans could open up a new path.

Compared to Zhou Renjing's proposal, the most important thing was... that it was cheap!

It saved money, saved resources, and saved on special effects!

By the time he finished speaking, the amusement had vanished from Young Marquis Lu's face, replaced by solemnity and deep thought.

Zhou Renjing's brows were tightly furrowed. He studied Chen Qing again and again, as if only now noticing him.

Deep in Princess Xiyao's cool eyes, it was as if an icy lake had suddenly cracked, sending ripples across its surface.

Beside her, Lord Dingbo and Lord Zhengshuang exchanged a look of utter astonishment.

"Splendid! Divide power, disperse influence, and turn their strength to the nation's use!"

After a while, Young Marquis Lu broke the silence. "This strategy is well-ordered and shows a deep understanding of checks and balances, and how to put people to work. But the problem remains: will the rebellious cultivators, the descendants of convicted officials, and the foreign races who regard our people as enemies really be willing to toil like beasts for nothing more than the removal of their criminal status and a small plot of land? And what happens after three or five years?"

"Everyone fears death and seeks profit." Chen Qing had been ready for this question, and answered at once. "Whoever pursues the Dao would willingly become a mine slave? And how could anyone with ability not try to save themselves? When I was in the Mysterious Prison, my cultivation had been sealed, yet I still refused to resign myself to prison and thought of ways to escape. Everyone around me was the same. These criminals are no different. It's only human nature."

"Choose your words carefully!" Lord Dingbo immediately interjected, sweeping his gaze over the room in warning. "Lord Chen's words were merely an analogy. They must not be repeated carelessly!"

Chen Qing understood and changed tack. "A besieged city must always have a gap in its walls. They once thought there was no way out, so they clenched their teeth and fought to the death. But if they know there's still a chance to stay alive and a path to rise, some of them will naturally waver!"

Lord Zhengshuang suddenly said, "I fear only a few will waver."

"Even if there's only one, reward them generously and make an example of them for all to see. Then secretly compare their situation with that of those who resist, showing everyone how much better off the ones who submit are and how miserable the stubborn ones will be. Even encourage those who submit to start families and build livelihoods. Once they have homes, businesses, and children, they'll have something to lose. Who would still risk their lives?"

Hearing this, everyone found the plan ingenious, yet felt a chill creep through them. They realized that this man understood human nature with astonishing precision. He was truly a man of deep schemes!

If Chen Qing knew what they were thinking, he would have cried out that they had wronged him. What was this little scheme of his? In his previous life, any online keyboard cultivator could come up with such arguments effortlessly and speak with perfect logic. At heart, he was a sincere person.

"There's certainly merit to that." Young Marquis Lu's expression had grown serious.

"No wonder you once commanded troops in the Western Desolate Continent!" Lord Dingbo stroked his beard and laughed. "Our Princess has some real talent at her side. And I was the one who recruited him! I saw at a glance in the Mysterious Prison that this young friend was no ordinary man!"