Necromancer, summoning 055? What the heck?

Chapter 413 The Profound Meaning Behind Literacy and Enlightenment

The first thing the special working group did upon arriving in the village was to conduct a thorough investigation of the entire village.

The information provided by the one-eyed Xiahou Dun was too rudimentary, roughly stating how many people and animals were in the village, how many men and women, how many old and young, how many adults and children...

It can be used to count heads, but to carry out the specific tasks assigned by Lord Chen Mo, more detailed statistical work is needed.

This job is more complex and tedious than I imagined.

The vast majority of "villagers" do not have real names, but only nicknames that are easy for each other to remember.

"Crippled Indian," "Loud-voiced," "Short-legged," "Dark-skinned"...

Another part consists of derogatory names casually bestowed by the masters in the past, such as "useless," "cow dung," "old dog," and "mud"...

Orc laborers have it a little better; as the upper echelons of the lower classes, they usually have a tribal name and a mother name.

Yes, without fathers, the vast majority of orc laborers are children born to orc women of low social standing who are abused at will. They never know who their fathers are, or even what race they belong to.

Village Chief Zhou Wen, Deputy Village Chief Asog, along with Treasurer Lydes and Healer Zane, had to work together to create a division of labor and register each person's household registration information.

First, we need to give them a name that's barely usable.

Ledes, who also served as a teacher, was recognized as the most educated among them, so he mainly took on the "high-end" task of assigning names to the villagers! Whenever they encountered a villager who only had a nickname or a humble name, people would invariably turn their attention to him.

For example, this little girl in front of me.

A young cat-like beastwoman stood timidly before the table. She looked no more than thirteen or fourteen years old, extremely thin, her ginger-yellow fur a tangled mess, many parts of it hardened into lumps, emitting a foul odor.

The most noticeable thing was her left ear, which had been torn off by something, leaving a rather large gap.

"Name?" Rydes picked up his pen, trying to soften his tone.

"I...I don't have a name." The girl's voice was barely audible, her hands nervously twisting the hem of her tattered burlap shirt. "My master calls me 'the earless scraggly rascal.'"

Rydes tightened his grip on the pen, then looked up and gazed intently into the girl's large eyes: "Now you're a child of the Summer Moon Alliance, it's time for you to have your own name. What do you want to be called? Can you name yourself?"

The girl shook her head blankly.

Rydes thought for a moment, wrote two words on the paper, and held it up with a hint of pride, “Morning Dew! Cats are always most active in the early morning. When the sun rises, the dew is clear and the cats are full of energy, symbolizing your rebirth. How about we name you Morning Dew?”

The cat-girl's eyes widened slightly as she stared at the words on the paper for a long time. Her one-cornered ear twitched, and she shook her head timidly.

"Sir...Master, this looks...very troublesome."

"Can we keep it simple, like him?"

Rydes glanced in the direction of her gaze and saw that Zhou Wen, the village chief next door, was writing the name of a minotaur: Niu Er.

Rydes froze. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end, it turned into a long sigh.

He silently took back the piece of paper that had "morning dew" written on it, turned it over, and rewrote "Mao Yi" on it.

Well, right after this one is Mao Er. Are you all satisfied now...?

Looking at the bright eyes across from him, Lydes was so upset that he almost bit his pen to pieces. "Morning Dew," the name I came up with, is such a beautiful name with a long and meaningful connotation.

I wonder if this child will one day regret her decision today so much that she'll beat her chest in despair and be heartbroken?

Of course, simply having a name on a household registration record is far from enough. Age becomes an even bigger black box than the name.

The person in charge of this area is Zane, an experienced healer from the Divine Court who also has a certain understanding of the White Deer Plain.

But no matter how much you understand, it must be based on having enough information.

Zain's eyes were now bulging, seemingly larger than his fists.

An old human man with a wrinkled face tried hard to count on his fingers, but he couldn't count to two digits. He gave an embarrassed and ingratiating smile.

"I...I heard that the year I was born, the river flooded! The water was so big that it submerged several villages!"

Zain painfully tugged at a handful of his hair.

Orcs don't have a habit of building water conservancy projects, and there are no remnants of the World Tree here that bring good weather, so the floods in the lower reaches of the Phantom Flame River basically come once every two or three years.

Furthermore, the "great river" the old man mentioned might just be a tributary of the Illusionary Flame River...

This clue is practically useless.

"Is there anything else you can think of?"

"Yes, yes, yes, my mom said that when I was two years old, the orc captain of Shiquan Village was gone, he died, and everyone was so happy! But I don't know which year that was, sir, you're so knowledgeable, can you calculate it for me?"

Azog sighed, reluctantly noting down the clues and noting "to be investigated," before filling in "approximately forty years old" on the household registration form.

I'm going to have to go back and finish all this information; it's going to be a hassle.

The basic work in Shiquan Village is tedious and boring, but the special work arranged by Han Hailing is much more exciting.

For example, recognizing characters.

Regarding teaching these slaves and commoners to read, regardless of whether they came from the heavens or the moon, from elves or the divine court, everyone agreed that it was completely unnecessary.

In the eyes of these privileged "big shots," the main value of these lower-class folks was to farm, deliver grain, perform forced labor, act as cannon fodder, and reproduce offspring to continue serving as slaves. Throughout this process, literacy was of no consequence whatsoever.

More importantly, even if we spend years training these lowly people to be literate and eloquent, what good will it do? They'll still be farming, serving in the military, and filling in lines, just like everyone else.

No matter how many words you know, can you beat a professional with just one finger?
But since Chairman Xia Yue and Lord Han Hai had spoken, everyone had no choice but to obey.

Thus, the [Morning Star] Starry Sky Special Edition multi-functional integrated intelligent robot, which came from the distant industrial deity and was revered as a "divine messenger," was placed on the newly built podium in the village square.

This thing is an absolute marvel.

The industrial god has countless avatars, and this is one of them. It is said that because it came from another realm, this "divine messenger incarnation" had its soul extracted, leaving only a mechanical shell, which makes it appear somewhat clumsy and rigid. However, its functions still deeply shocked the entire administrative bureaucracy.

First, [Morning Star] has built-in translation functions for various language systems.

It's fair to say that without this "morning star," the entire team wouldn't even be able to communicate.

This somewhat strange "multi-functional all-in-one machine" can not only translate various mainstream languages ​​in mainland China in real time, but also achieve good translation results for most dialects with relatively mild accents.

It can even scan and recognize handwritten mainstream texts from various countries and forces, once they are on paper.

When the elf Azog heard the other party speak fluent and clear ancient Elvish during a special test, he couldn't help but burst into tears.

Of course, if your accent is too strong or your handwriting is too messy, this thing will turn on you.

This device can support up to five individual sub-devices running simultaneously, which is just right for each village cadre to have one, enabling barrier-free communication among them. At the same time, it is also an indispensable tool for daily communication with the villagers of Shiquan Village.

After using it for a while, you'll realize that the initial "translation equipment fee," though expensive, was truly worth every penny.

Now, when it's time to implement literacy programs for the villagers of Shiquan, this thing transforms into an interactive educational robot. It provides specific guidance to the villagers, word by word and sound by sound.

The most powerful feature of the 【Morning Star】multifunctional all-in-one machine is its ability to directly display images and videos, making it comparable to a versatile gimbal.

Mountains, rivers, flowers, trees, water, fire, beasts, people... With sufficient teaching patience and tireless dedication, coupled with the learning tutorials and interactive tests carefully prepared by the Dongxia Education Expert Group, even the most dull-witted commoner can quickly complete the planned courses.

The village leadership team, which had previously conducted a intensive study of the basic Xiawen script, took this opportunity to review and reinforce their knowledge.

The villagers are very enthusiastic about learning!

If the idea that "knowledge changes destiny" on Earth requires long-term practice to be effective, here it is immediately apparent.

At first, the villagers had some doubts in private. The orc laborer with the greatest resistance even complained in a muffled voice, "What's the use of learning this stuff? Can it be eaten?"

The instructor, who was also responsible for turning the [Morning Star] on and off, nodded: "Yes, it can be eaten!"

"..."

The policies of Han Hai Ling are so simple and unpretentious: Xia Wen's learning progress is directly related to how many resources the villagers can obtain.

During the previous round of major reforms in the six prefectures, human slaves and orc laborers were transformed from the private property of orc chieftains and elders into the public property of the territory, and the Linhai Prefecture government naturally assumed the responsibility of supplying them with basic necessities.

The government still uses the same collective labor mechanism that has been well-established and refined in the Hanhai region: the people work, receive work points, and exchange those work points for food and supplies.

The most powerful effect of learning from Xia Wen now is that you can earn more points based on your academic performance. This means that those who learn quickly and well are qualified to exchange for more food and more abundant resources.

This is a new, fertile "field" that is free from taxes and fees!
After completing the first day of learning, most villagers, with some skepticism, went to the village supply and marketing cooperative to exchange the points they had received. When they discovered that the points they had earned could indeed be exchanged for rice and flour, the learning atmosphere suddenly became unstoppable.

For the village administrators, they could clearly see that Xia Wen's studies, as a starting point, could form a complete system of institutional reform logic.

First, learning Xiawen and gaining points beyond basic living expenses will allow these slaves and laborers to acquire real private property that cannot be arbitrarily taken away.

This step is extremely important; if they are not allowed to accumulate enough private property to protect themselves, they will not even be willing to shed their slave status.

After all, when they were slaves, they were the property of the slave owners. Unless they were seriously ill and dying, the slave owners would always give them food because they could create value.

But once they were liberated and became free citizens, penniless, they didn't even know where their next meal would come from.

It's like being a cow or horse on Earth in modern times. Although they are exploited by their bosses at work, their monthly salary of three thousand can generally be paid on time. But once they lose their jobs and are no longer exploited, they will collapse immediately without any savings.

The work points awarded by the Han Hai Territory through Xia Wen learning were intended to provide the slaves with enough savings to ensure their continued stable survival for a period of time after they were freed from slavery.

Sitting on the edge of his bed in his little room, by the flickering lamplight, Zhou Wen wrote a long letter to his father, who was far away in the heavens, incorporating all that he had seen, heard, thought, and felt into the letter.

“Father, the more I delve into the work, the more incredible it seems. As long as I follow the task instructions sent by the territory step by step, the whole process proceeds so naturally and smoothly.”

"It is an extremely ingenious design, so ingenious that I did not discover the meaning behind each step until it was almost finished."

"After passing the first stage of Xia Wen's assessment, these slaves will receive at least three months' worth of food. During this period, they will finally have the means to accept the territory's liberation of their slave status and become self-sufficient farmers with some peace of mind!"

"More importantly, through the previous stage of learning, the distribution of points, and the exchange of food, a good relationship of trust has been formed. They can believe that before they receive the next harvest, they can still obtain a stable amount of food to support themselves by continuing to learn."

"The key to the successful liberation of slaves in the Han Hai Territory lies in the comprehensive plan of using grain reserves as a short-term guarantee, learning and acquiring knowledge as a medium-term guarantee, and future farming income as a long-term guarantee."

Zhou Wen paused for a moment, then pressed his pen down heavily again, his brush moving swiftly.

"I still remember that in 1365, the late emperor intended to weaken the power of the Grand Duke of the North and issued the 'Decree on the Abolition of Slavery in the North,' which forcibly ordered the abolition of slavery in the North. As a result, the slaves cried out in front of the nobles' gates and were unwilling to leave for a long time."

"After being forcibly dispersed by the army, they were displaced, starving and dead, and their deaths were rampant, which became one of the empire's major evils. The northern regions were even more resentful and turbulent for several years."

"Looking back now, I am suddenly struck by the fact that national policies are not something that can be decided with a single decree. Here in Hanhai, there is clearly a very comprehensive system of guarantees, implementation and buffers to support these policies."

"When Lord Chen, the Earl of Anping, invited us here, he repeatedly emphasized that the reason why Hanhai was able to develop so rapidly was not only because of its abundant wealth and powerful weapons, but also because of its well-established operating system. At that time, I thought to myself, how could the political wisdom of this small country compare with that of my thousand-year-old Tianqiong?"

"Now it seems that Lord Chen truly has a unique vision and far-sightedness, and is indeed a leader of the empire!"

After venting his emotions, Zhou Wen returned to analyzing the system.

"Hanhai is meticulous in its work. Rydes once told me that Hanhai provides its finance officer with a separate instruction manual, one of which is a set of regulations for the use of collective property after the land was distributed."

"The twelfth item states that the number of livestock currently used for farming is limited. After the land is distributed to private individuals, the cattle and horses responsible for farming cannot be divided equally and can only be collectively owned by the territory. Inevitably, some people will not cherish the livestock and will even use them destructively."

"Therefore, the Han Hai Territory has made dozens of strict and detailed regulations on the use of livestock after the land was allocated, including when to use them for work, when to let them rest, the ratio of fodder to feed, reporting of injuries and illnesses, compensation for damages... nothing is too small!"

"The fact that they were able to take such precautions against the drawbacks of land distribution before it was even implemented suggests that every policy of the Hanhai government must have a profound meaning behind it."

"What we find hard to understand is the fundamental system of land distribution in the vast sea. Whenever I talk to the children of other forces, we all find it extremely strange."

"All farmland resources are taken over by the territory, but the territory does not use them to make high profits. Instead, it grants the right to cultivate the land to slaves who have passed Xia Wen's training free of charge. The taxes collected are extremely low compared to the rent collected by traditional landlords."

"What's even stranger is that this land right allows descendants to inherit it automatically. We've thought about it a lot, but we just can't understand how this is any different from directly granting land to the people and collecting land taxes. Why are we taking it so seriously? Just measuring the land, demarcating the boundaries, and registering it has consumed a lot of our time and energy."

"We still don't understand what the intention behind this is. We wonder if Father can enlighten us?"

After offering a final, courteous greeting, Zhou Wen folded the long letter, sealed it, and placed it in a waterproof oilcloth pouch, awaiting the arrival of the monthly messenger from the Vast Ocean.

Pushing open the wooden window, the night breeze, carrying a hint of the coolness of the wilderness, rushed into the small house. Under the deep night sky outside the window, the lights of Shiquan Village stubbornly flickered in the darkness, like stars that had just been wiped clean of dust.

Those were slaves practicing calligraphy by lamplight.

Even at the Central Academy in the Heavenly Capital, Zhou Wen rarely saw such a group of people studying so diligently.

He recalled the instructions given to Lord Chen Ye, the Imperial Dragon Wing Demon Suppression Division Commander, Imperial Third-Class Star Radiance Lieutenant, and Hereditary Earl of Anping, before he went to Xuanshui City.

"On your journey to Bailu, do not be arrogant. You must observe more, listen more, think more, and do more! The vast ocean has its own path, so you must be extremely cautious!"

At that time, he felt that Chen Ye was probably bewitched by that "cheap uncle".

For thousands of years, the heavens have shone brightly, with flourishing rites and music, and strict laws and regulations. Even enemies acknowledged that this was the demeanor befitting a great nation. Whether it's Qiyue or Mirror Lake, aren't they all secretly emulating the heavens?

What mysteries could such a small, remote place possibly hold that are worth "looking at and pondering"?

Now, in this remote village on the banks of the Fantasy Flame River, this mystery is unfolding before his eyes in the simplest way.

Over time, Zhou Wen had a strange feeling that those slaves who were once regarded as "objects" seemed to be coming to life little by little and becoming "people"!
The world is vast, but what exactly does "vast" mean?
Is it because of its vast territory? Its powerful military? Its subjugation by all sides? Or its abundance of high-ranking officials?

should be!

But at this moment, Zhou Wen vaguely sensed another kind of "greatness".

This kind of "greatness," though silent and unnoticed, made this noble scion from a thousand-year-old empire feel a profound shock and a vague unease.

I was struck by its ingenuity and efficiency, but uneasy about the seemingly nonchalant yet radical subversion of the old order it represented.

Outside the window, the silent night in Shiquan Village deepened.

(End of this chapter)