knife

Chapter 733 Decentralization
With a soft thud, a drop of sweat fell from his forehead onto the report.

Cui Shu snapped the report shut and looked up at Mao Daxian at the head of the table.

Mao Daxian also put down his pen at the opportune moment, smiled and asked, "Not going to read it? Perhaps there are some errors in it, which Mr. Cui can correct."

Cui Shu shook his head: "No need to look. Putting aside everything else, there are many things that each branch of our Cui family owns that I don't even know about, while you have investigated them so thoroughly. Chief Secretary Mao, just tell me straight, what do we need to do next?"

"Does the Chang family know?" Mao Daxian asked.

"The number one family outside the pass!" Cui Shu said, "How could I not know? We've had a lot of contact before. They have a very deep entanglement with the Linghu family, but in the end they chose Protector Li! Even now, Chang Lei, the second son of the Chang family, is still a highly valued general under Linghu Ye!"

Mao Daxian laughed and said, "Since Mr. Cui knows the Chang family so well, then it's simple. Our requirement is that the Cui family follow the Chang family's example in making the next steps!"

"Splitting up the family?" Cui Shu asked.

“That’s right!” Mao Daxian said, “Mr. Cui, this report clearly states that the Cui family owns over a million mu of land in Boling County alone, along with thousands of workshops and shops. If we use the economic statistics methods of our Beiting Protectorate, the Cui family controls more than 60% of the total economy of Boling County. In other words, Boling County is essentially owned by the Cui family, which is absolutely unacceptable to the Beiting Protectorate!”

“These assets were gradually accumulated by the Cui family over a thousand years. It’s not that we wanted them to be this way; they just naturally came to be this way!” Cui Shu said.

Mao Daxian laughed and said, "Mr. Cui, we are not here today to discuss the legality of the source of your property. In fact, we don't care about that. Whether you acquired it legally or by trickery, since it is yours now and you have shown sincerity to our Beiting Protectorate, then we acknowledge that it is all yours."

"Since Protector Li has no intention of confiscating our property, what is the point of dividing the family property?" Cui Shu asked, somewhat puzzled.

Mao Daxian said, “Of course it’s meaningful! Protector Li gave this kind of family division a very apt name: decentralization! Mr. Cui, you certainly know what the most crucial thing in controlling a family is? It’s assets, it’s money! From this report, we can see that over 90% of the Cui family’s assets are controlled by the main branch, while the other branches only control one. The main branch allocates a large amount of money to the branches every year so that the branches can cope with daily expenses and various expenditures. And this is the main branch’s biggest means of controlling the branches.”

Cui Shu nodded in agreement.

"If the main branch can no longer control the secondary branch in terms of money, Mr. Cui, do you think your words will still be as effective as before?" Mao Daxian laughed. "There's a saying among the people, 'Better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix,' which is exactly the point. Because even if you're just a small head of a chicken, you can still make your own decisions, can't you?"

Cui Shu knew that what Mao Daxian said was true.

In a large family, for someone to survive, there are always people who constantly give and people who constantly take. Some people gain more benefits, some gain less, and some people only give without gaining anything in the process, and eventually they are buried in the dust of history with nothing.

If there were an opportunity for these people who are constantly being taken from, to break free and live for themselves from then on, they would certainly be willing.

Cui Shu believed in Mao Daxian's methods. People who already harbored resentment would inevitably receive a large share in this division of the family property. In order to protect the property and influence they had unexpectedly gained, these people would do their utmost to support the rule of the Beiting Protectorate.

“Chief Secretary, what you say is indeed a good method, but it underestimates the centripetal force and cohesion of a family with a strong sense of honor!” Cui Shu said, “If I told you that these methods cannot solve the problem at all, as long as the Cui family is still on this land, I could give them a call and they would still obey me without question, would you believe me?” “Yes, of course I believe you!” Mao Daxian nodded. “Therefore, there is naturally a second option, which is the land exchange plan!”

"What does Chief Secretary mean? I don't quite understand!" Cui Shu said.

Mao Daxian took out a map, opened it, and spread it out in front of Cui Shu.

“Mr. Cui, this is the current map of our Beiting Protectorate! Do you see these areas highlighted in red?” Mao Daxian said, “The northern barbarians are constantly moving south. We call the barbarians who have submitted to us ‘cooked barbarians,’ while those who are unruly and disobedient are called ‘raw barbarians.’”

Cui Shu's expression changed: "You want to relocate a portion of our Cui family to these harsh and cold places?"

“It’s not forced, it’s voluntary!” Mao Daxian said earnestly. “One mu of land in Boling can be exchanged for one hundred mu of land in these places, and there are also other corresponding rights, such as the exclusive right to sell certain special products for a certain number of years, etc.”

Do you think anyone would be willing to go?

“There will definitely be people willing to go, but we also know that there won’t be many, so we need your cooperation, Mr. Cui.” Mao Daxian said, “This is a matter of great importance, and we cannot take it lightly!”

"It's nothing more than a strategy to divide families like ours. How can it be considered a long-term plan?"

"No, no, what we value more is education," Mao Daxian shook his head and said, "Moving a hundred ordinary families there wouldn't be as effective as moving one family like the Cui family there! We need to spread our culture, our customs, and our etiquette in those places. We need to let those savages and barbarians learn etiquette and understand culture. Over time, these savages and barbarians will gradually internalize and become like us! Only then will these places truly become our territory and truly stabilize! Mr. Cui, wouldn't you say this is a long-term plan?"

After a long silence, Cui Shu finally asked, "Will the Lu family of Fanyang be treated the same way?"

"The Lu family of Fanyang will naturally go as well, and they will become your neighbors!" Mao Daxian laughed. "Whether it's the Cui family or the Lu family, they are both families with means, money, and military power. If we let one of your families occupy a place, it might become another large family in a few hundred years. But since we're all living together, we will naturally compete with each other and restrain each other! Of course, we can also help each other when something happens. After all, we are all relatives in the border areas far from the pass. When fellow villagers meet, their eyes are filled with tears!"

"What are you going to do with the large amount of land that will be vacated after we leave?"

"Are you worried that no one will want this good land?" Mao Daxian said, "The Beiting Protectorate implements the Fubing system, and Fubing soldiers are granted land."

"And me? What are Beiting's plans for my resettlement?"

"If you wish to serve in a local position, then Mr. Cui can serve as the Prefect of Boling County. Of course, you can also choose to serve in the Beiting Protectorate!" Mao Daxian said, "Mr. Cui is an excellent candidate in both civil and military affairs. Protector Li said that Mr. Cui can choose any position below me without any objection!"

(End of this chapter)