Chapter Eighteen: The New Official Takes Office

  "This is our new prison warden for Luoyang Prison, Lord Qin Feng."

  "Sir." The ten squad leaders bowed together.

  Being an official feels different, and having a group of people under his command, Qin Feng smiled and nodded in response, imitating the leadership style of his previous life.

  "Sir, what instructions do you have for us?" said Hou Cheng, bowing.

  Qin Feng said seriously: "That's right, I've read the rules of our prison and found that the management of prisoners lacks humanization."

  "What's 'humanized management'?" Hou Cheng had never heard of such a term and couldn't understand it for a moment.

  The rest of the class leaders were even more unbearable. What was this? Humanized management? Was it a new term popular among the aristocratic families?

  "Humanized management is...". Forget it, teaching ancient people about human nature is like playing a lute to a cow. Let's get practical instead. Qin Feng thought for a moment and said: "As the saying goes, 'winning people's hearts is winning the world.' What I mean by humanized management is adding some human touch when supervising prisoners. This helps them recognize their mistakes, reform their thoughts, and reduces the likelihood of reoffending after release."

  "Huh! The class leaders looked at each other and it seemed that Qin Feng's words made sense, why couldn't they think of it themselves? Indeed, educated people are different."

  Hou Cheng did understand a bit more, but he still didn't know what to do. He spoke cautiously: "Sir, how exactly do you carry out this... humanization of management?"

  "Alright, you post the notice. From now on, on the first and thirtieth of every month, prisoners' relatives can come to visit. Prisoners have half an hour of outdoor time starting from noon." Qin Feng said.

  "What's 'releasing the wind'? I dare ask, sir, what is 'releasing the wind'?" Hou Cheng was greatly shocked. He knew what "visiting in prison" meant, but no matter how hard he thought, he couldn't understand what "releasing the wind" meant.

  "Oh, letting them out for a walk means letting the prisoners come out of the dungeon and take a stroll in the sun." Qin Feng said with a smile.

  "This... Sir, I'm afraid it's not suitable. Investigating is one thing, but if the prisoner escapes after being released, what then?" Hou said at once. Thinking to himself that new officials always make a big show when they first take office, this was indeed a strange and unusual first move.

  "This high wall surrounds the city, who can run out with handcuffs on. We are all poor people, we have been living in Luoyang City for generations, lowering our heads and not seeing each other, but if we meet outside, we will be good to see each other." Qin Feng said.

  Hou Cheng and others looked at each other, the ancients had no such feeling. However, human nature is connected, although they heard it from Qin Feng for the first time, they also vaguely felt that what was said made some sense. Qin Feng was the number one in prison, when the number one spoke, who dared to oppose?

  So soon, thousands of prisoners in Luoyang Prison saw the sun for the first time. When the prisoners heard about it, their first reaction was that they couldn't believe it, and only when they came out did they know that the prison guards were telling the truth. They had never seen light in the dungeon, let alone a place to communicate, which could suffocate them with illness. After being released, they seemed to have been reborn. Whether familiar or not, they gathered together to celebrate, while also thanking the prison guards for their courtesy.

  The prison guards were saluted by many prisoners, and they were also delighted in their hearts. Normally, these prisoners looked at themselves as if they were looking at the murderer of their father, and they felt that the newly arrived Mr. Qin Feng was indeed impressive. Humanized management, tsk-tsk, go back and boast to the wife for a while.

  "This method of yours is indeed extraordinary, just look at how happy these prisoners are." Hou Cheng was also from an ordinary family, he also knew that most of these people were forced by life, and seeing this scene, he felt a sense of emotion.

  "Not bad, not bad!" Qin Feng smiled slightly. In his opinion, when the world was in chaos, reputation was the most important thing. Take that great bandit, for example - Ren De's reputation spread throughout the land, and in the end, he got a third of the empire. We're doing it this way to get a reputation for benevolence too. Everything is for the sake of reputation. Qin Feng smiled and said, "Go gather those people, I want to have a talk with them."

  "Yes!" Hou Cheng hastily walked over and shouted: "You sinners, being able to have such good fortune is all thanks to the kindness of Lord Qin Feng. Gather around, Lord Qin Feng wants to give a speech."

  What benevolence from Master Qin? The prisoners gathered in surprise, the squad leader and guards watching from the perimeter. As Qin walked over, the prisoners quieted down.

  "It was this lord who set us free!"

  "What does he want to say?"

  "Hmm...". Qin Feng cleared his throat, it was still his first time speaking in front of over a thousand people, and he was still a bit nervous. After hesitating for a moment, he shouted: "You may be criminals, but you also have the human rights that you should enjoy. What are human rights? It's the right to live freely and equally, for everyone."

  The prisoners were stunned, such rights still exist!

  Hou Cheng and other prisoners also looked at each other in dismay...

  Let's put it in simpler terms. Seeing the expressions of these people, Qin Feng sighed and said: "You have violated the laws of the Great Han, so you have lost your freedom and are imprisoned as a form of atonement for your crimes. However, imprisonment is not the goal; the real purpose is to make you reflect on your wrongdoing. Therefore, you also have the right to live, and I, Qin Feng, as the warden of this prison, have the responsibility to ensure that you receive better treatment while in prison."

  "So, I'm now stipulating that you all have half a time unit each day to take a walk and get some fresh air. You can come out of the dungeon, chat with each other, and bask in the sun. This is what human rights are all about! In the future when you're released, you won't be considered convicts anymore. When we meet, everyone will be equal. I, Qin Feng, absolutely won't look down on you just because you've been to prison..."

  In Great Han Dynasty, even ordinary people didn't have human rights, let alone prisoners. The prisoners were stunned after Qin Feng talked about equality and freedom.

  Hou Cheng and others were also like this, but a young prison guard showed a deep thinking expression.

  "Sir, sir, is what you're saying really true? You say we have this thing... human rights, and that with someone of your status, we are... equal?" At this point a young prisoner stepped forward, bowed and spoke nervously.

  "Not bad, we're all equal in this world, just different divisions of labor." Qin Feng smiled and said, it seems that the understanding of these ordinary people is quite good, they understand at once.

  "That noble lord, I, a humble prisoner, have one... one thing to request of you!" The prisoner said tensely.

  "What's wrong?"

  "It's just that, it's just that the little man's sentence is up, but...but a month has already passed, the little man...the little man wants to go out......Waaahhh..." The young prisoner said this and became afraid, then burst into tears.

  "How dare you!" Hou Cheng shouted loudly. The four prison guards walked over with evil and sinister intentions.

  "Spare my life, spare my life! I won't dare say anything else from now on... Waaahhh..."

  "Wait!" Qin Feng stopped the passing prison guard and said to Hou Cheng: "Go check this person's sentence."

  "Yes, sir!" Hou Cheng didn't dare to slack off and ran back a few minutes later with the prison ledger: "This person indeed finished his sentence a month ago." After finishing speaking, Hou Cheng's face turned awkward, and he looked somewhat tense and fearful. This matter had gone unnoticed before, and there were many people who had overstayed for a year or two.

  Qin Feng didn't say anything else and said: "Young man, you are released now, you can leave immediately."

  The prisoner, kneeling on the ground and crying, thought he was in big trouble and couldn't help but scold himself for listening to what the official said about human rights. Ordinary people have no human rights. Every year, Wang Dahou from the village would say that everyone should work harder, and even if the harvest is good, they won't increase the rent. Everyone works hard, and in autumn, the extra grain harvested is still taken away by Wang Dahou. This Qin Feng is just like Wang Dahou, why did I believe him? At this moment, hearing Qin Feng's words of release, he let out a cry of surprise, "Ah!"

  "Haha, this is my dereliction of duty. Since you've completed your sentence, you should be released, it's your right and one of your human rights." Qin Feng said with a smile. "Alright, stop crying, hurry up and go, your family is still waiting for you!"

  Hou Cheng let out a sigh of relief when he heard this, knowing that Qin Feng was the personally appointed prison officer by Yang Biao, the governor of Jingzhao. If he were to investigate this matter further, he would be finished. Seeing that Qin Feng did not intend to pursue the matter further, he felt grateful in his heart.

  The young prisoner could hardly believe his ears, and cautiously took a few steps towards the gate, seeing that the prison guard holding a shiny big knife was ignoring him. He ran wildly all the way out of the gate.

  This was a big deal, and over a hundred people all said that their sentences had been served. Qin Feng checked one by one, and not a single person was lying. They were all pitiful people, and Qin Feng sighed, saying: "I, Qin Feng, promise you here, if you behave well in this Luoyang prison from now on, listen to the rules and don't cause trouble. Whoever performs well, I will petition the higher authorities to reduce their sentence, so that they can return home and reunite with their families earlier!"

  "Adults... benevolence and righteousness..."

  "The great lord, the great heavens and earth...". More than a hundred people who had been released from prison were grateful and first knocked their heads. The remaining thousands of people felt Qin Feng's kindness, and had never heard that an official would be equal to ordinary civilians. This is a rare benevolent and righteous official, and they all knelt down and kowtowed.

  Qin Feng was saluted for the first time, and there were so many of them. He couldn't express his inner feelings in words, so he hastily said: "All of you get up, you people who have regained your freedom, from now on you must abide by the law and live a good life. If you encounter any difficulties, you can come to me, Qin Feng."

  "Thank you, sir......" More than a hundred people walked out, and many of them burst into tears.

  The other prisoners were also excited, such a kind and generous person is rarely seen in one's lifetime, it seems that there is hope for oneself to get out alive.

  Lord Qin Feng is indeed a rare person, never seen before. He has always been grateful to the officials in prison for his imprisonment. Hou Cheng couldn't help but think of this and sighed repeatedly in his heart.

  Just as the hundred prisoners were about to reach the gate, many prison guards appeared at the entrance.

  He was a sturdy Han man with five big and three small scars on his face, wearing a prisoner's uniform. As soon as he entered the door, he saw many prisoners, and his face suddenly changed color.

  "Ma De, what's going on! Is it a rebellion...!" Just then, he drew his waist knife with a clang and brutally chopped down one of the prisoners. "Brothers, get your weapons, catch these escaped prisoners, and kill anyone who resists on the spot!"