Chapter 484: The impending very and a safety line
Seeing the three captives prostrating on the ground in submission and observing the tribe''s angry expressions, Han Cheng understood the people''s mood.
These three were different from those of the Bone Tribe. A few years ago, they attacked his tribe and destroyed the Pig Tribe, and recently, they attacked the Donkey Tribe, almost wiping them out. Now, they have turned their attention to Han Cheng''s tribe. Naturally, the people wanted to kill them all and didn''t want them to join their tribe.
However, Han Cheng decided to keep these three alive. He wouldn''t kill them, but they wouldn''t be citizens like Tu Mao. Instead, they would be kept as ves.
With over two hundred citizens now, it was time for the Green Sparrow Tribe to implement very. ves inherently had no rights or dignity. They would be given the worst food, made to do the hardest work and produce the most resources. In conflicts with other tribes, they could be used as cannon fodder to weaken the enemy without much concern for their well-being. They were more useful than milk cows.
With all these benefits, Han Cheng saw no reason to kill them. Keeping them as ves would provide more value to the tribe. Such punishment was much harsher than killing them directly and would not create as much bloodshed.
“These three people cannot be killed,” Han Cheng said to the tribe.
The people were stunned, not understanding why the Divine Child would decide.
“They will be ves to our tribe,” Han Cheng continued, exining the advantages of very.
To ease the people''s resentment, Han Cheng described the harsh conditions of very in more detail. As he spoke, the tribe''s confusion began to dissipate.Standing next to Han Cheng, the shaman looked at the three captives and then at Han Cheng, his eyes growing brighter.
Why should they be killed? Keeping them alive as ves to work for the tribe seemed much better. They were strong adult males and could do many things, increasing the tribe’s production and strength.
This seemed like a great idea!
As the shaman considered this, he vaguely recalled that Han Cheng had said something simr when capturing Ru Hua a few years ago. Still, Ruo Hua and her people had fully integrated into their tribe then. He wondered if Han Cheng had simr ns now.
When the crowd thinned out, he asked Han Cheng about it.
Han Cheng smiled and shook his head, “No, we were too few back then, and it wasn’t the right time for very. Now our tribe’s poption has grown significantly, and we can develop very.”
The shaman felt reassured by Han Cheng''s response.
But then Han Cheng added, “However, in time, we might select a few to remove their ve status and make them official citizens of the tribe.”
“Why do that?” The shaman was puzzled again. He couldn’t understand why Han Cheng would want to remove the ve status from some of them.
In his view, having them as ves was highly beneficial for the tribe. Wouldn''t it be better to keep them as ves to continue contributing? Removing their ve status would defeat the purpose of punishing them.
The shaman found it hard to understand the meaning behind Han Cheng’s approach.
Han Cheng, however, was fully aware of the reasons behind it. He firmly believed in the idea that where there is oppression, there will be resistance. ves and ve owners are naturally opposing sses. ve owners oppress and exploit ves, and over time, ves will inevitably harbor resentment. When this resentment reaches a certain level, conflict is likely to erupt.
The most effective and fundamental solution isn’t to enforce even more brutal suppression, which only addresses symptoms rather than root causes and exacerbates conflicts. Instead, it’s better to address the issue through gradual reforms.
The approach should establish rules that allow ves at the bottom of the social hierarchy to see a glimmer of hope and a potential escape from their dire situation. Although this path is fraught with difficulty, and only a small number might escape their plight, the existence of this path can prevent the situation from reaching a breaking point.
In such conditions, theck of hope is the most terrifying. Having even a slight chance of hope motivates people to strive towards it. This not only ensures long-term stability among the ves but also significantly boosts their work ethic.
Moreover, those who manage to escape their status through such a challenging process are typically the most capable among the ves. When these capable individuals advance beyond the ve ss, the remaining ones are easier to control.
Former ves, having once been in the same position, are less likely to be sympathetic to the plight of ves, thus eliminating concerns about leniency. This can be understood simrly to how officials from ordinary backgrounds, once they rise to the ruling ss through the imperial examination system, are not particrly lenient towards their former subjects. Simrly, peasant uprisings throughout history often led to new regimes that were even more oppressive than the ones they overthrew.
Of course, just having this path is not enough. The Green Sparrow Tribe’s citizens also need the means to enforce control. If any ves be restless, they must be suppressed with force to bring them back onto the right path. With this path in ce, even using force won’t drive ves to the brink of despair.
Thebination of this approach with the use of force ensures the long-term stability of the ve system in the Green Sparrow Tribe.
The rationale behind this was too profound andplex for the shaman to grasp immediately. Han Cheng exined it in a way the shaman could understand, rifying the significance of his actions.
After an extended period, the shaman gradually understood Han Cheng’s intent and was deeply impressed by the Divine Child’s long-term vision and consideration of such aplex issue. Without Han Cheng’s exnation, he would never have realized that this seemingly simple act of removing the ve status from a few people significantly impacted the stability of the tribe’s future.