Chapter 59: Forced Demolition During the Great Xia Dynasty

Chen Mu nodded, "Have the workers stop for now, and accompany me to the county office."

The supervising official agreed and led Chen Mu to the local county office.

In the Central Plains, the capital itself had no county magistrate; there were specialized officials managing public order. Surrounding counties, however, each had their own magistrate, who was the highest authority and oversaw nearly all affairs.

Finding the magistrate meant they could locate the displaced commoners.

The group arrived at the county office of Xiqing County, where the magistrate came out to greet them.

Chen Mu said to the supervising official, "You ask."

The official nodded and inquired of the magistrate, "Do you know where the residents living next to Master Liu's house in Xiao Liu Village, west of the city, have moved to?"

The magistrate replied, "Yes, I know. They've settled in newly built thatched huts at Sanlitun, three miles south of the city."

Chen Mu asked again, "Are you familiar with this Master Liu? Has he ever bullied the people? Speak truthfully, or you will be guilty of shielding him."

The magistrate bowed and answered, "I dare not conceal anything from Your Highness. Master Liu is the wealthiest man in Xiqing County; many shops in the county belong to his family. He keeps many hired hands and has indeed shown signs of oppressing the common people."

"But as the saying goes, if the people do not complain, the officials do not investigate... I have only heard rumors, and it's difficult..."

Chen Mu waved his hand, "Forget it. We won't discuss the past. Remember this: if you hear of him oppressing the people again, go directly to the people and investigate."

"There is an old saying: 'Do not do evil, however small; do not neglect good, however slight.' As the county's leading wealthy man, he ought to set an example, even if he hasn't broken the law—he should still be admonished."

The magistrate was baffled. He was well-read, yet had never heard such a proverb.

"Understood. Thank you for Your Highness's guidance."

Chen Mu nodded, "Very well. Find those few commoners and tell them I wish to see them."

The magistrate agreed and went off to arrange it.

Before long, a dozen anxious villagers arrived at the county office. Seeing Crown Prince Chen Mu, their unease grew, and they all knelt in fear.

Chen Mu waved for them to rise.

"I ask you: who tore down your thatched houses? When, and how? Tell me everything in detail."

The families realized that the Crown Prince was standing up for them. They had heard of his talent and kindness toward the people, but had not expected him to help with such a minor matter.

They all spoke over one another, and Chen Mu soon understood the sequence of events.

On the day the supervising official approached Master Liu, he duly notified the families to move and make way for the imperial road. Master Liu gave his assent outwardly, but the following day sent his hired men to force those families to clear the way.

Yet one of the men in those families was literate and had seen the official notice requiring relocation, as well as the supervising official's visit to Master Liu. Naturally, he was unwilling to move.

His protest encouraged the other families to resist as well.

The situation was actually not complicated. Master Liu left the matter to his steward, who did allocate demolition compensation, but the hired hands embezzled it.

Reluctant to give the money, and annoyed by the families' complaints, the hired men quarreled and left.

The families thought the matter settled, but the next day, while they were out working, the hired hands returned with tools to forcibly demolish the homes.

Only women and children were left at home, unable to resist. The thatched houses were flimsy, and the strong men tore them down with little effort.

When the men returned, they were shocked and furious. They confronted Master Liu, demanding an explanation, but were beaten and driven out by his hired hands.

Chen Mu saw the injuries on their bodies, and his expression darkened.

He had not expected forced demolition to occur even in Great Xia.

"I understand the situation. You will confront Master Liu with me. Xiqing County magistrate, you come as well."

The families, moved to tears, followed him to Xiao Liu Village. Upon arrival, Master Liu's hired men invited Chen Mu inside, where he met Master Liu in the reception hall.

He was not as Chen Mu had imagined; the wealthy man was thin and appeared gentle and harmless.

But Chen Mu knew that anyone who could own over a hundred shops in Xiqing County and become its richest man could not be a benign figure.

"Did you order the demolition of these families' houses?" Chen Mu pointed to the villagers.

Master Liu replied with a smiling face, "Your Highness, I do not know these people."

Chen Mu sneered, "Fine, you're denying it? Call your steward and hired hands here."

Master Liu said, troubled, "The steward is easy enough, but I have over two hundred hired hands. If I call them all, the house won't fit them."

Chen Mu replied, "Over two hundred hired hands, and yet you call yourself a humble commoner? Why keep so many? Planning a rebellion?"

Master Liu hurriedly knelt, "I dare not, Your Highness, I dare not!"

"Enough talk. Call them all, in batches if necessary."

Master Liu agreed and went to summon them.

Chen Mu frowned, pondering the issue. The private armies of large families were a problem. In southern Xinjiang, those families could muster several thousand, and even the Fifth Regiment of the Invincible Flying Army, a thousand strong, struggled to cope.

He would need to find a way to limit the private armies of powerful clans in the future.

Soon, the steward and hired hands arrived. Chen Mu had the commoners identify them one by one, and the guilty hired men were singled out.

When Chen Mu questioned them, they confessed.

The steward quickly defended himself, "Your Highness, I did give them the demolition compensation—ten taels of silver per household. These wretches stole it!"

Chen Mu slapped the table and shouted angrily, "Scoundrel!"

"You think paying money entitles you to tear down people's homes? Is ten taels enough to force someone to move? The court clearly ordered your Liu family to relocate. You broke the law first, and now you argue?"

"Guards!"

Two guards stepped forward and seized the steward.

Chen Mu pointed at the steward, "Slap him!"

The guards grabbed him and delivered a flurry of blows to his face.

After a while, seeing the steward's face swollen, Chen Mu ordered them to stop.

The steward was stunned, lying motionless on the ground.

Master Liu hastily knelt and begged for mercy, "It was my poor supervision. Please punish me, Your Highness."

Chen Mu spoke coldly, "Had you admitted the truth from the start, it could have been resolved. Now you only confess—your punishment will be doubled."

"Compensate each household with one hundred taels of silver—six households, six hundred taels. Additionally, pay another six hundred taels as a fine to the Xiqing County office."

Master Liu breathed a sigh of relief. Money was not a problem; he had plenty. Though a hundred taels per household was substantial, it meant little to him.

"Thank you, Your Highness, for your mercy."

Chen Mu then addressed the Xiqing County magistrate, "Take those hired hands back to the county office and deal with them according to the law, with leniency where appropriate."

The magistrate agreed and ordered the bailiffs to escort the hired hands away.