Royal Gold Medal County Magistrate

A day passed, although some setbacks occurred.

Fang Zheng quickly composed himself.

Suddenly faced with a troublesome matter, the best approach now is to delay!

After settling the Chu sisters in, he rushed to the Imperial Prison early the next morning.

Those four foreigners still needed a thorough interrogation.

Inside the Imperial Prison, Lu Fa had already begun his staring contest.

He didn't speak to the four foreigners, but just diligently observed them.

Only when Fang Zheng arrived did he snap out of it, greet him, and then say: "Sir, these four people's language is very strange. I already asked at the Court of State Ceremonial yesterday, and no one has ever heard this language before."

Fang Zheng nodded: "It doesn't matter, take your time. Try to teach them some simple everyday language..."

As he was speaking, suddenly one of the foreigners became agitated and shouted at Fang Zheng in a torrent of gibberish.

Fang Zheng looked at Lu Fa: "What is he saying?"

Lu Fa pondered for a moment, carefully observed the foreigner's eyes, and guessed: "It seems like... he wants to surrender. Give me some more time and I'll be able to guess accurately."

Surrender?

Fang Zheng stared at the leading foreigner and tentatively said: "Bonjour!"

The foreigner showed no reaction.

Not French either... Fang Zheng was disappointed.

It seemed that his thinking was flawed. The pitiful knowledge of foreign languages from his previous life was completely useless!

"In that case, I'll leave these people to you. Find them a place where they can live normally, take good care of them, and don't let them run away."

"After settling them in, let them take a good bath and then rub themselves down with alcohol."

"In addition, get them to learn to speak as soon as possible, find out where their home is, what they do, and ask them everything as quickly as possible."

"If you don't have enough silver, ask for more from above."

Having said that, Fang Zheng turned to leave, but Lu Fa hurriedly stopped him from behind.

"Sir, they can't speak now and don't have names. How about you give them numbers so it's easier to recognize them."

Numbers?

Fang Zheng stroked his chin and then pointed at the four foreigners: "Um...."

"Da Zhuang, Xiao Shuai, Fóbólè, Kǎlè Mī. That's it, I'm leaving."

"Fóbólè, Kǎlè Mī... what strange names?" Watching Fang Zheng's departing figure, Lu Fa was puzzled.

......

"The ship has arrived... and four foreigners were captured?" Emperor Jing put down the memorial in his hand, a hint of surprise on his face.

"Yes, the ship is built. The Chu family and the local court contributed greatly, which is why it was so fast."

"I think the navy is in training, and it will take half a year to get used to the new ship. At most a year, and our fleet will be able to go to sea to explore the West!"

"The capture of those four foreigners was purely accidental, and we can't communicate with them yet."

Emperor Jing smiled, got up and walked to the window, and said with his hands behind his back: "Good. Originally, it would take the court several years to build a ship. Only in wartime can it be so fast. By the way, why weren't those four foreigners brought to see me?"

Of course it's fast, I'd already arranged for it to be built for several months before you even gave the order, Fang Zheng thought to himself.

Then he said: "Your Majesty, it's better not to see them yet... they are not in good health, and if they bring back something dirty from overseas and catch a strange disease, it will not be good."

"I will send them to see Your Majesty when they can communicate simply."

Emperor Jing nodded: "Very well, you arrange this matter."

"Then this subject will take his leave."

"Wait a moment."

Emperor Jing called out to Fang Zheng and picked up a few memorials from the table: "This is the battle report from Yi Shun, and also the memorials that the Crown Prince has presented to me. Have you two discussed this in private?"

"Ah? This subject does not know, but His Royal Highness did say a few words to this subject, His Royal Highness said that the current way of fighting... is difficult to win."

Emperor Jing said: "Heh, that rebellious son! All he thinks about is fighting, and he actually says that we will lose. Go back and tell him to stop thinking crooked thoughts!"

Fang Zheng nodded in agreement, then curiously asked: "Your Majesty, is this battle really as His Highness said?"

Emperor Jing first nodded, then shook his head: "It is difficult for the indigenous people to rebel for long. This battle is not to kill the enemy and win, otherwise the losses will be too great."

"But that rebellious son is right, regardless of victory or defeat, the court's face has been lost this time."

"What do you think of this matter?"

Fang Zheng's eyes turned, and he had an idea.

"This subject has two strategies, which will teach those indigenous people to lay down their weapons and surrender, retreating without a fight!"

"Oh, you actually have two strategies? Tell me about them?" Emperor Jing became interested.

"The first strategy is to set fire to the mountains!"

"......" Emperor Jing gave him a disdainful look: "Set fire to the mountains, is that your first strategy? If we really do that, how will the surrounding small countries view our Great Jing! If we don't practice benevolence, where will our prestige be? Once the mountain fire starts, our own people can't escape! What nonsense are you talking about, I thought you had some great insights!"

Fang Zheng twitched his lips and continued: "This subject has another strategy?"

Since the first strategy is so bad, the second strategy probably won't be any better.

Emperor Jing took a deep breath and said patiently: "Speak."

"The second strategy is to replace the native officials with centrally-appointed officials."

"Hmm! ?"

As soon as the words 'replace the native officials with centrally-appointed officials' came out, Emperor Jing suddenly began to think.

Fang Zheng secretly laughed in his heart when he saw this. This replacing native officials with centrally-appointed officials was not a new trick, he had seen it countless times in his previous life.

So it can only be used as a second strategy, how can it be as satisfying as setting fire to the mountains and eradicating the root of the trouble.

"Explain in detail!"

"The power structure of the local indigenous people must be extremely simple. The so-called tribal chiefs are mostly hereditary. The court can issue an edict to recognize their status, and then appoint officials to govern, using barbarians to control barbarians, and using native officials to govern native people."

"The actual power holders of the various tribes will initially adapt, and then gradually change to centrally-appointed officials, divide their power, and finally weaken the local characteristics."

"In this way, the local border control can be stabilized. This is a little bit of my humble opinion, please Your Majesty correct me."

"Good! Well said! This is worthy of being the first strategy!" Emperor Jing's eyes revealed a gleam.

He had heard of the idea of replacing native officials with centrally-appointed officials for the first time.

Of the ten memorials submitted below, nine were discussing the strategy of advancing troops and how to defend against the enemy.

It's not that no one has thought about writing articles from a political point of view, but Fang Zheng is the first to say it so thoroughly.

It was as if a layer of hazy window paper had been pierced.

Emperor Jing didn't expect that he would get a surprise when he asked casually.

He couldn't help pacing back and forth, muttering: "This method is very good... but now is not the time, it needs to be suppressed and appeased before further implementation."

"Zheng Yi, you draft a memorial for me and submit it to the cabinet for discussion. This matter still needs a detailed strategy."

"Yes, Your Majesty, uh... but what if the suppression fails?" Fang Zheng asked.

Emperor Jing stopped and said with a smile: "Suppression fails? Impossible! Nearly 20,000 more troops have been deployed to the area. If we can't suppress a mere Yi Shun, wouldn't I be raising a bunch of good-for-nothings?"

"You don't have to worry about this matter, just do your thing."

......