Waste Paper Bridge
Chapter 39 What is Humane Prison Management
It was divided into two sections. One section looked no different from an ordinary prison cell, only much smaller and more refined.
But the other section was completely different.
It looked very luxurious.
Inside the small model were a bed, a desk, a chair, and some books. Paintings hung on the walls. Most amazingly, a wooden carving of a woman sat on the miniature bed.
If it weren't for the bars similar to those of a prison cell, it would be impossible to connect the two sections in the box.
Seeing the puzzled expressions on everyone's faces, Ye Chu Xiao began to speak, "I believe the purpose of the Ministry of Justice's dungeon is not just to imprison and watch over criminals. For those with lighter sentences, who will one day return to the outside world and start anew... even become officials again, what we need to do is to change them, to strive to make them useful to the court and to society, not scourges or garbage."
"And the secret to this change lies in the contrast between these two prison cells. Let those who sincerely repent and work hard to improve themselves live in the good prison cell. Besides the loss of freedom, they will enjoy the pleasures of life and see hope. And those who are stubborn and unrepentant can only stand in the dirty prison cell, continuing to be accompanied by rats and bugs."
Ye Chu Xiao's words sounded high-sounding. It didn't matter whether the Ministry of Justice officials believed them or not.
As long as they were smart enough, they could quickly perceive the enormous profits hidden beneath this grandiose rhetoric.
In the past, the Ministry of Justice's dungeon squeezed money from prisoners through various harsh and abusive methods, forcing them to comply.
People like Bai Tou Biao would even deliberately frame some prisoners on false charges, making them accuse wealthy people without strong backgrounds or backers. They would collude with the constables of the Ministry of Justice to set up schemes, dragging those who shouldn't be imprisoned into a tour of the dungeon.
This way, they could break out of the '格局' (géjú, established pattern) of the dungeon and earn more money from the outside.
Over time, some people would get used to it, especially those prisoners who had a chance to get out. They would rather endure more hardship in prison than take out their family's savings to avoid a few beatings.
However, the contrast between the two types of prison cells presented in Ye Chu Xiao's box, once formed, would be equivalent to corrupting the prisoners' resolve from another angle.
Watching others eat well, drink well, sleep well, live in beautiful houses, and wear comfortable clothes, while they themselves did not have these things, was even more unbearable than being beaten.
It was okay if they didn't have the strength and ability, but if they did... and still endured it, that was even more tormenting.
The key to Ye Chu Xiao's plan was the idea of 'guiding people towards goodness'. With this idea, the exquisitely decorated 'prison cell' could be better sold to corrupt officials and wealthy households.
It could be promoted and formed in the Ministry of Justice's dungeon in a legitimate and aboveboard manner.
No matter the era, nothing was as profitable as real estate.
After all, a fake bandit wore a mask and stormed into a bank with an AK, while a real bandit smiled and presented a sales contract and a bank loan.
The Ministry of Justice's dungeon had a fixed clientele and a vast blue ocean. It would be a pity not to engage in real estate.
If Ye Chu Xiao wanted to be the Warden, the key was how to take care of the interests of the Ministry of Justice officials above him.
After all, there would be no more eating empty salaries in the future. The Minister of Justice was strict, and even harming innocent people would probably be difficult to do again.
They always had to find some new source of wealth.
Sure enough, the Ministry of Justice officials, having understood the '妙处' (miàochù, wonderful point) of Ye Chu Xiao's differential treatment, began to look at Ye Chu Xiao with admiration.
As for the Minister of Justice's paper effigy, he did not dislike Ye Chu Xiao's behavior.
After all, compared to the previous ways of making money in the Ministry of Justice's dungeon, Ye Chu Xiao's plan was not only clever, but also 'harmless'.
The truly wronged and impoverished people who were imprisoned would certainly not be able to afford it.
Moreover, even if it was a sham, there always had to be a few 'real' ones to serve as a fig leaf.
For those prisoners who sincerely wanted to become better, this might not be considered a benefit.
"Good! Not bad!"
"The position of Warden can be yours," the Minister of Justice's paper effigy said directly.
He didn't even wait for the so-called competition to complete its procedures.
In the eyes of the jailers, a very rare and valuable position was actually completely insignificant to a big figure like the Minister of Justice.
From the Minister of Justice's perspective, the reason he wanted to appoint a Warden and stipulate that he be directly under his jurisdiction was to keep the Ministry of Justice's dungeon in his hands, while also giving a warning to the officials under him.
After all, in addition to criminal litigation, which was the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice, the personnel actually used from the bottom up were mainly the constables and the jailers.
The interests and personnel involved in the constables' section were too complex, and even the Minister of Justice could not easily move them.
Naturally, he would start with the dungeon, holding it firmly in his hands.
Who became the Warden was actually just a matter of his words.
If Ye Chu Xiao did well today, then it would be him.
If Ye Chu Xiao did not meet the standards tomorrow, then he would be replaced.
It was not worth mentioning.
Xu Biao was already seriously injured. Now, hearing the words of the Minister of Justice's paper effigy, he was so anxious that he spat out another mouthful of blood.
Ye Chu Xiao was stronger than him, and now he had climbed on top of him and become his superior. Wouldn't that mean that he would never have a chance to take revenge?
Moreover, the loss of benefits in the future, as well as the benefits he had paid in order to obtain the position of Warden... all added up, it was already considered good that Xu Biao hadn't died of anger, given his physical condition.
"However, this official would also like to see what is in your other box," the Minister of Justice's paper effigy said.
Ye Chu Xiao opened the other box, revealing a simplified, miniature version of a spinning machine.
"This is a spinning machine. It is simple to use and easy to operate. Although the yarn produced is far less exquisite and sturdy than that of the Embroidered Uniform Guards, and does not possess any extraordinary abilities, as long as multiple machines are operated at the same time, the output is not low, and it can manufacture many things related to people's livelihood."
"My lord! The prisoners in the dungeon are also common people. They have the right and obligation to use their own hands to work and support themselves, instead of relying on consuming the court's taxes to support them."
"Those prisoners with lighter sentences and who are not particularly violent can earn rewards through labor, improving their food and even their living environment in the dungeon. Let them transform themselves through labor and learn a skill." After Ye Chu Xiao finished speaking, many of the gazes behind him were filled with amazement.
The Ministry of Justice's dungeon had so many prisoners. Wasn't this cheap labor?
They couldn't grow crops in the dungeon, but couldn't they weave cloth, spin yarn, and sew?
As for whether it would be dangerous to release the prisoners from their cells and gather them together?
As long as they weren't serious criminals, what kind of waves could ordinary prisoners make under the suppression of divine artifacts?
And the Ministry of Justice officials' eyes lit up even more, and their expressions towards Ye Chu Xiao became even warmer.
He spoke grandly, but he had 'righteously' obtained a steady stream of rich benefits for them. How could they not like such a new Warden?