Chapter 1166: Coordinating the Upper and Lower Classes

In the end, Liu Bei suggested going to Guang County to gather opinions from the local people. They asked everyone, from the elderly to the children, and all believed that Hu Zhi had been wrongfully accused. Even if the evidence showed that Hu Zhi had indeed engaged in some corruption, the people felt that his achievements far outweighed any wrongdoing.

Thus, Hu Zhi was released. Since the local people didn’t mind, Liu Bei didn’t bother to interfere further. Without any real issues at hand, Hu Zhi, now freed, was working even harder to improve his administration as a way to repay the people for their support. It was a situation where everyone was satisfied.

Chen Xi knew this outcome technically violated the law, but given Hu Zhi's governance record, he turned a blind eye. As a result, Hu Zhi was fined a year’s salary, received a commendation for his performance, and was granted a financial reward along with a warning.

In response, Man Chong had to adjust a few legal statutes to set precedents, marking the beginnings of a case law system. However, he didn’t make things too rigid, leaving room for extreme cases like Hu Zhi’s, where the official was fined but otherwise not punished.

In fact, this situation highlighted that the supervision and evaluation system under Liu Bei involved significant public participation. The assessments themselves included public involvement. If an official was capable of doing great things and even the people supported them despite their faults, the law would lean toward leniency.

However, if someone attempted to stir up unrest, Chen Xi had already revised the legal system to differentiate between two categories. For ordinary people, the law applied strictly. But for scholars and officials—public figures—"governance by men" applied instead.

The rules stated that decisions on scholars and officials were to be made by the San Gong (the three highest ministers) and Jiu Qing (the nine chief ministers), effectively signaling to public figures not to push their luck.

In reality, this deviated from the original concept of legal fairness, but Chen Xi chose to sacrifice pure fairness in favor of pragmatism. Since privilege couldn’t be eliminated, he decided to limit it by other means.

Chen Xi didn’t believe it necessary to overly emphasize moral purity. He acknowledged that ordinary people are driven by the pursuit of fame and fortune, and the existence of privilege is part of human nature—both inspiring people to strive for greater heights and fostering greed.

However, Chen Xi understood that it was impossible to achieve perfect fairness. Neither Mozi’s ideal of "universal love" nor Yang Zhu’s philosophy of "I wouldn’t pull out a hair to benefit the world" were realistic. The world has never been ideal, and thus, only universal morality could be used.

Chen Xi realized that destroying the privileged class was never an option. From the time human beings formed tribes and established communities, the ruling class had always existed. It is a reflection of human nature’s desire for a better life.

This inherent desire, and the existence of a higher position to aspire to, drives many to work harder. In a way, this ambition is one of the sources of human progress.

Chen Xi was well aware that this lofty class had its value. Whether maintaining stability or motivating those at the bottom to aspire for similar positions, its existence carried positive meaning.

As the saying goes, when you see the nobility acting arrogantly, you might curse them under your breath, but deep down, you still envy them.

Unless one is a sage, it’s normal for people to live by two sets of moral standards. In fact, Chen Xi understood this early on during his education—one set of moral standards is universal, while the other is more self-serving.

Most people fluctuate between these two standards. The closer they lean toward self-interest, the more they serve themselves. The closer they are to universal standards, the more they serve others.

Although Chen Xi might not be as intelligent as Li You and others in terms of raw intellect, his understanding of human nature far surpassed that of his time. The force driving societal progress has never been morality, but ambition.

Thus, making people strive for self-improvement through Chen Xi’s efforts was futile. They needed their own motivation. Chen Xi would ensure that the path to advancement remained open for them.

While giving privileges to the upper class at the expense of the lower class, Chen Xi also allowed for the erosion of upper-class interests to create upward mobility for the lower class. By restricting privileges to a reasonable extent, those at the bottom would both envy the higher positions and understand the sacrifices required to reach them.

This was a lesson Chen Xi had learned early on: show the people the opportunity to achieve the same status as those at the top. If they have ambition and confidence, they’ll strive for it. But at the same time, show them the difficulties involved so they understand the challenges.

This was the reason Hu Zhi was exonerated. Despite his power, he had been brought down for a relatively minor corruption charge. If not for his significant accomplishments, he might not have been able to return to office.

This was also why, every year, they publicly punished notable figures to remind ordinary people that even the privileged can face serious consequences. The spectacle served as a reminder that the aristocracy’s troubles aren’t always as easy to resolve as they seem.

People would gossip about these "incompetent teammates" while simultaneously feeling content to live their own lives in peace.

Realistically, every household had its secrets. At times, certain unorthodox methods are more effective and faster than conventional approaches. If a family was dragged down by such issues, it was usually a sign that their problems ran deep.

These public punishments served as both a means to open up positions and a warning to the privileged, reminding them to restrain themselves. It also told those at the bottom that rising to the top could be dangerous—it could easily bring ruin upon your entire family.

This also helped maintain social stability, and Chen Xi didn’t feel the need to express any strong opinions on the matter. Letting ordinary people vent their grievances occasionally was good for the general mood.

Moreover, Chen Xi always believed that any organization needs competition and a mechanism for elimination. Placing a "golden apple" in front of the people encouraged them to strive for better.

The privileged class was essentially the "golden apple" that Chen Xi had placed before the people. Unlike later eras, where equality was expected and privilege was hidden, in this era, privilege was out in the open from the start. There was no need to conceal it—it was simply an apple sitting there, waiting for those who dared to pluck it.

Of course, not everyone could reach it, and the process would be incredibly difficult. But that wasn’t Chen Xi’s concern. There would always be those exceptional individuals who could rise above, becoming role models for society.

These examples would create a sense of vitality within society. Although it might be difficult for most people to reach such heights, as long as the path wasn’t completely blocked, someone would eventually make it.

This was the most Chen Xi could ensure. He could promise that the road was open, but it would not be easy. The rest would be up to those who followed.

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