Mu Yunfeng, standing by, understood Qiu Li's current state of mind perfectly. He knew he must still be feeling a bit resigned. After all, he had been a general in the Gan Kingdom, but after arriving in the Wei Kingdom, he had become nothing more than a wealthy man. This sense of disparity must have been making Qiu Li feel uneasy.
Mu Yunfeng then spoke softly, "Brother Qiu Li, don't forget that if it weren't for His Majesty's magnanimity, you might still be working as a bricklayer in a workshop or digging coal in a mine, just like those soldiers from the Gan Kingdom. His Majesty is giving you this opportunity, which is already a great gift. Don't you think this gift is not great enough?"
After hearing this, Qiu Li's face changed. The pride in his heart was directly shattered by Mu Yunfeng's words. After he was defeated and captured, he originally thought that he would end up with his head and body separated, but he did not expect to be pardoned by His Majesty the Emperor of Wei. Now His Majesty has granted him the status of a Wei citizen, and rewarded him with money and land so that he can live a rich life. This has far exceeded his expectations when he became a prisoner. What else is there to be dissatisfied with?
You should know that in the history of the Shengwu Continent, some surrendered captives were appointed as officials, but many were directly executed to appease the anger of the people. It was actually a blessing for Qiu Li to survive. If he still wanted to ask for more, then such a person would definitely not have a good end.
After Qiu Li finally understood, he took a deep breath and kowtowed to Chu Fan again, saying, "I, Qiu Li, thank you for your grace, Your Majesty. From now on, I will cherish this hard-earned life and live up to your Majesty's high expectations."
Chu Fan nodded slightly, quite satisfied with Qiu Li's attitude. He knew that people's hearts were unpredictable, especially when dealing with someone with a complex identity like Qiu Li, he needed to be more cautious. This was undoubtedly the best outcome, as it would both demonstrate Wei's magnanimity and uphold the court's fairness.
After dealing with Qiu Li, Chu Fan turned his attention to the old village chief and Zhao Yong. Although these two were just ordinary villagers, they also played a key role in this incident. At least they provided food for Mu Yunfeng and his soldiers, and helped Mu Yunfeng resist the attack of the Gan Kingdom army.
Chu Fan said, "Old Village Chief, Zhao Yong, you two have performed a great service by rescuing General Mu this time. I will not treat you unfairly."
The old village chief and Zhao Yong were both surprised when they heard this. They were just ordinary people and had never thought that they would one day receive a reward from the emperor.
The two men knelt on the ground and said, "We are terrified. We have only done what we can. We can't say that we have done much."
Chu Fan smiled and said, "You don't have to be modest. Merits must be rewarded, and faults must be punished. This is my consistent principle. I have decided to grant you and all the people who helped General Mu this time the status of Wei citizens, and you will enjoy all the benefits of Wei citizens. At the same time, each villager will be rewarded with 100 taels of silver and 100 dan of grain."
The old village chief and Zhao Yong were indescribably moved when they heard Chu Fan's reward. Because they were villagers living on the border between Wei and Gan, they knew a lot about the policies implemented by Wei. In Wei, all the people could send their children to study and take exams, and the taxes levied on farmers by Wei were extremely low. This was actually the greatest gift for ordinary people who made a living by farming.
Moreover, His Majesty also rewarded them with silver and food, which immediately secured their lives. It can even be said that no family in the entire village would worry about not having enough food to eat.
Just as the two were about to express their gratitude, Chu Fan continued, "If you are willing to relocate to Wei and settle there, the Wei court can allocate some land to you so that you can live and work in peace and contentment." The old village chief and Zhao Yong exchanged a glance. They knew that if they could live in Wei, they wouldn't be afraid of retaliation from the Ganges, so they immediately knelt and kowtowed, saying in unison, "We are willing! It is a blessing for us to be citizens of Wei!"
Mu Yunfeng spoke up from the side, "Your Majesty, this old village chief and Zhao Yong demonstrated extraordinary courage in resisting the tyranny of the Gan Kingdom by killing several of its officials. I think the court could offer them both official positions and allow them to serve the Wei Kingdom."
Chu Fan nodded slightly, his eyes etched with admiration as he looked at the old village chief and Zhao Yong. Such courage and bravery were truly not something that ordinary people possessed. Under the circumstances of the Gan Kingdom, they dared to stand up against tyranny and kill several Gan Kingdom officials. This required tremendous courage and determination.
However, Chu Fan did not accept Mu Yunfeng's opinion, but instead explained the situation to Mu Yunfeng, the old village chief and Zhao Yong.
Chu Fan said, "You two dared to resist tyranny in the country and killed many officials. This courage and boldness is truly admirable. I also admire your talents and determination. However, I believe that governing a country is different from resisting tyranny. It requires not only courage and boldness, but also wisdom and patience.
If I rashly grant you official positions based on your merits, it would be unfair not only to you but also to the people of Wei. Furthermore, since you have not received systematic training in how to be a qualified official, if you are directly appointed, your unfamiliarity with the duties of the office could lead to administrative errors that could affect the lives of the people. This would damage your reputation and even lead to punishment from the court.
I will commend and reward your bravery in other ways, such as granting you land and houses to ensure a stable life. At the same time, if you are willing and able to pass the Wei court's assessment and selection, your previous achievements can also be used as a reference for promotion.
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