The common people had a simple life. They worked from sunrise to sunset. They busied themselves in order to put three meals a day on the table and support their livelihood. If they could marry a wife and give birth to two plump babies, that would be even wonderful.

Most of the people in Pingjiang were the same, but Pingjiang was wealthy, so besides farming, the people could find a lot of other work in the city.

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Doormen or gatekeepers, manual workers, they could always find a bite to eat. Even climbing up the mountains to chop firewood to sell or being a porter of goods, they did not have to worry about dying of starvation.

If those who were extra lucky and earned some money, they could buy a few servants, and there would be people to serve and wait on their family.

But these people all had one thing in common, that was, they were completely illiterate.

Although the common people were obedient, if they were too ignorant, they could easily be incited by those with ulterior motives.

Especially in times of turmoil and chaos and people were in panic all day long. In such times, the common people even more so needed to find spiritual sustenance.

Thus countless cults were conceived. These cults wantonly recruited followers, asking them to provide money, food, and their own daughters. They accumulated strength in order to get a share of the pie during troubled times.

Pingjiang now had a few small forces. Although they had yet to make much impact, Lin Yuan was not ready to watch them grow big.

On the surface, Song Lian was spreading literacy among the common people, but in fact he was going to suppress and eliminate these forces. It would also be a good opportunity for Lin Yuan to measure his ability. If Song Lian could not do these things, Lin Yuan could only have him go repair books.

“Lord Song.” Wu Changqing came to visit Song Lian with a gift. After all, he was a newcomer who had been in the limelight recently and Wu Changqing was not willing to offend him. As fellow officials it was not a bad thing to maintain a superficial friendship.

Song Lian had already heard the doorman report his visit early. He put down the book in his hand and greeted him with a smile: “Lord Wu, it’s an honor to meet you at last.”

Wu Changqing: “Lord Song came from afar, have you become used to here yet?”

Song Lian smiled and said: “Naturally, the land south of the Yangtze River, paradise on earth.”

Song Lian waved his hand: “Lord Wu, please have a seat.”

Just as Wu Changqing sat down, a servant brought in a pot of warm wine. The two of them sat and drank together, the moonlight shining from outside the window.

“It is often said that Lord Song has a good and gentlemanly character. Seeing you today, it is indeed well-deserved.” Wu Changqing smiled and spoke praises. He was always like this, able to appear natural and righteous when flattering others, making people unable to feel any hypocrisy at all.

Song Lian didn’t say anything to that. He just said: “Song has just arrived and doesn’t know the current situation of Pingjiang, so I have to trouble Lord Wu.”

Wu Changqing waved his hand and said: “What difficulty is this, how can it be called trouble? Since Lord Song asked, I will naturally answer. Pingjiang is rich in water and food and the people are honest and loyal, but there is no lack of treacherous villains who want to take advantage of the people’s simple nature.”

Song Lian personally poured a cup of wine for Wu Changqing.

Wu Changqing raised his cup and drank it in one swallow: “Although those people are contemptible, water droplets can still drip through the rocks and gather into rivers. If they are allowed to run freely, they will one day become a calamity.”

Song Lian understood. He looked down and it took a while before he raised his head back up again. He said to Wu Changqing, “Thank you, Lord Wu, for clearing up my doubts.”

Wu Changqing also cupped his hands: “As officials serving the same ruler, naturally we must stand against the same enemies. What our Lord hates most now is the surrounding people having constant suspicions of each other while the foreign enemies are yet to be dealt with.”

This was a reminder.

Regardless of their personal thoughts and interests in private, they had to maintain harmony on the surface.

Those who cause trouble to their superiors would be the unlucky ones in the end.

Wu Changqing left Song Lian’s manor and got on the carriage. The old servant handed over the sobering tea that he had prepared earlier. Wu Changqing drank a sip of tea and felt discomfort in his throat. He lifted the window curtains of the carriage to look up at the sky. Dark clouds blocked the moon, signaling that tomorrow might be a rainy day.

He had a smile on his lips as he sighed leisurely.

Newcomers would always come one after another, and old officials like them would always have to show a generous spirit.

How many officials below wanted to kill Song Shizhao? If Song Shizhao was not cautious, he would not have enough lives to lose by now.

Song Shizhao was now like the most beloved concubine in the harem. The emperor had only him in his eyes and only loved him. If other concubines could not kill him then they would be unable to rise up the ranks. They were all serving the same person, so while they did not seek equal treatment, they did seek a share of the favor.

Others could not be blamed for hating him.

Wu Changqing smiled.

“The moonlight is just right tonight!”

The driver who drove the carriage looked up at the sky, was there something wrong with his master’s eyes? The moon was covered with clouds, where was there any moonlight?

——

“Leader!”

In a dark alley late at night, a man in commoner attire stood anxiously outside the house. Only then did the voices of men and women inside the house came to an end.

The simple wooden door was pushed open from the inside, and the man who appeared with his clothes open wide, revealing a chest covered with red marks. He was tall, with a square face and a wide forehead, possessing a magnanimous appearance. At this time, his brows were furrowed and he said to the person at his door, “What’s the matter? Can’t you come to find this Leader tomorrow? This is the middle of the night, even if you don’t want to sleep, this Leader needs to sleep.”

The coquettish voice of a woman in the house called out: “Leader!”

The man said impatiently: “Go back to sleep!”

He strode out, and the man in commoner attire followed behind him. The two went to a secluded house. After lighting the candles, the man in commoner attire said, “Leader, since that South Bodhisattva occupied Pingjiang, he has used a lot of scheming and manipulation. Many members of the sect are not as they used to be.”

“This subordinate went to investigate today, and found that many already want to leave the sect!” The man in commoner attire bursted into tears, “Leader, if we don’t do anything, I am afraid that that South Bodhisattva will confuse people. Now it’s one or two out of ten people, but I’m afraid that after some time, not even one will remain.”

The name of this religious sect was the Little White Lotus Sect, which was not the same as the White Lotus Sect. It was just borrowing the name of the latter. However, the common people thought that this Little White Lotus Sect was also a branch of the White Lotus Sect.

In Lin Yuan’s history back in his previous life, this Little White Lotus Sect had already become quite big in Pingjiang, which gave the original government a headache.

The Leader pressed his lips tightly. It was an accidental occurrence that he established this Little White Lotus Sect. He was originally just a porter, relying on transporting goods to make a living. At first, he just wanted to live a good life. Although working as a porter in Pingjiang would not have him go hungry, his social status was very low. Anyone could step on him with their feet. When he bumped into a nobleman on the road, it was common to be spit on and beaten. He could barely eat any meat a year. At that time, his wish was to one day be able to eat all the meat he wanted.

Slowly, under the guise of the White Lotus Sect, he gathered a group of people. He eventually accumulated believers, offerings, and beauties.

He liked days like this, eating, drinking and having fun every day, with beautiful women on his left and fine wine on his right. He didn’t want to fight against those in power. He knew very well that a few thousand believers were no match for tens of thousands of trained troops——He was just an ordinary commoner. Although he was doing well now, he still feared those in power.

He wanted to say: “We are doing well now, and our days are going well. So why do we have to fight against those people who control heavy military power? Isn’t it good to be content with what one has?”

But he couldn’t say that.

The people who followed him have ambitions. If he said so, he had no doubt that these people would kill him and support someone else who agreed with them to become the Leader.

He looked at this person who was crying in front of him, and he had no doubt that if he said that he did not want to be an enemy of the South Bodhisattva, this person would be able to take his life immediately.

So he could only say: “That South Bodhisattva is sinister and vicious, and his methods are fierce. Why don’t we take it slowly? If we become his enemies right now, I am afraid that with our current strength, we will just be sheep under the tiger’s mouth.”

The man in commoner attire hurriedly said: “Leader needs to know that it has just been a month since the South Bodhisattva took over Pingjiang, and even the king of heaven would have difficulty gaining the people’s loyalty in such a short time. At this time, he is not yet standing firmly so we still have a chance. If we really take things slowly, I’m afraid we won’t even be able to stand against a single hit by that time.”

“Don’t say anymore!” The Leader said angrily, “Am I the Leader or are you the Leader? Do my words matter or yours do? You actually want to order me around now? It seems that you no longer want to obey others, in your eyes, even the Leader holds no regard. How about you take the seat of the Leader instead? I see that I have been sitting in your seat for too long, making you restless and discontent this whole time!”

The man in commoner attire knelt down quickly, walking a few steps to the front of the Leader on his knees, and then prostrated himself: “Leader! Don’t miss this opportunity. This is our last chance. If we don’t fight hard, we will become the fish under the South Bodhisattva’s knife. Leader!”

“Get out!” The Leader shouted, “I tell you to get out! Get out!”

The man in commoner attire looked at the man in front of him incredulously. He still remembered how pleasant the words this man spoke when he was invited to join the sect by this man. He had thought he was following a broad-minded and ambitious master, but he didn’t expect that at this moment, this person was still too timid and afraid to act.

Was this the master he chose for himself?

“Leader…..please think twice!” The man in commoner attire knocked his head on the ground a few times before leaving the house.

The Leader sat alone in the house, and when the person left completely, his disguised anger disappeared without a trace.

He personally watched Pingjiang being trampled down by the iron hooves of the South Bodhisattva. It was the first time he saw real warfare. The imperial court’s forces were unable to resist at all. He still remembered the huge explosions he heard and remembered seeing the huge trebuchets, that organized and rigorous army, the sharp blades in the soldiers’ hands. Those people didn’t break into the city of Pingjiang, but he was in the village on the edge of the city. He knew exactly what behemoth he was facing.

He was afraid, he was afraid of death. He could hide in the corner and dominate those weaker than him, but he never thought of really fighting against authority.

Even when the imperial court was weak, he dared not do anything. What was more, this South Bodhisattva was more powerful and more popular than the imperial court now. He just wanted to live a good life, wear luxurious clothes, have servants waiting on his needs, and beauties accompanying by his side. He was already very satisfied.

But the people around him always forced him.

They wanted to be prosperous and wealthy, so they pushed him forward. And he also needed their strength to consolidate his position.

But now, they were going to push him to his death.

They all want to make a last struggle, but the Leader knew very clearly. This was no last struggle but an obvious offering of their necks to commit suicide.

But he couldn’t speak the truth to them yet.

The Leader sat awake all night. He looked at the sunlight as dawn broke and the sky lightened.

After thinking about it all night, he thought of a way.

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He wanted to live, he wanted to live a good life, so he would not listen to those people.

“Prepare a carriage!”

“Where does master plan to go?”

“Go to Wu Manor.”

He heard that Wu Changqing was a good person. Whether it was true or not, at least his reputation was there. For the sake of his reputation, he couldn’t kill someone like him who went to surrender.

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TN: bonus chapter!💕

In truth, the sons of the Yuan family and the Zhang family did not make any serious mistakes. As a young person who suddenly achieved success, at most they would go out drinking and bragging with their former classmates and find a few more female lovers. But their family members were a different story. With a family member now being an official——although there was no real power in this position, their name was still known to Lin Yuan.

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They might be able to control themselves, but they could not control everyone in their family. Of the crimes spread by the common people, at least one or two of them were not just rumors and really were committed.

When things came to a head, and it seemed that the situation was unable to be suppressed, those family members who committed major mistakes now carried the banner of righteousness instead. They forced the child who had the official position to death. They thought that with these two dead, they would be all right.

“Execute them all.” Lin Yuan had no expression, as if he was not deciding life or death, but just talking about the weather today.

He was no longer able to feel angry.

No one tried to persuade him to show mercy. Everyone knew that except for immediate family members of the two young men, such as their parents and siblings, everyone else would not be able to escape death.

Only their deaths could preserve the reputation of the two young people who were conferred official positions.

Lin Yuan also said: “Treat their parents kindly and reward them with brocade and gold.”

After all, they were the officials appointed by Lin Yuan himself, and they were also the first batch of officials. The reputation could not be too bad, so Lin Yuan could only fix this mess.

However, recently there were more and more people visiting Song Shizhao. Even if two died and one was dismissed, for those scholars who were frustrated with now having any achievements for half their lives, being an official was still a huge temptation. This temptation was enough to make them forget the threat of death.

Lin Yuan also understood these scholars more and more.

In modern times, when he was a child, he used to watch TV. In particular, the 11th Central TV channel would play opera. He and the other orphans did not have the right to control the remote control, so they could only watch it with the adults. Over time, they could even understand Chinese opera.

He clearly remembered that there was an opera about scholars, and the scholars described were very impressive. There were no officials in the family, and the entire family was poor and lived at the foot of the mountain. The men hunted and the women weaved. After they finished hunting they would read and study. Later, the emperor heard of this family of scholars, and he even personally invited them out of the mountain. The family were unsuccessful in refusing, so they could only follow the emperor outside. And when they left the mountains, they were even frowning, as if they were forced into prostitution.

Now that he thought about it, the writer of this play must have been a scholar, or a scholar with no achievements, as those who had achieved their ambitions couldn’t make up something like this.

The truth of the matter was that if the emperor was diligent he would be so busy he barely had time to rest. How could he be able to have the time to see whether there were talented people in the mountains? Towards whatever kind of talents he wanted, all he needed to do was to just open his mouth, and countless people would rush to him.

If the emperor was not diligent in government, this kind of situation would be even more impossible. With the harem being so much fun, why play with those stuffy old men with faces full of beard?

But this also indirectly expressed the attitude of scholars.

They needed someone who could recognize and appreciate the hero, and they all felt that they were this hero. But they also didn’t want to express such desires too frankly as that would not look too good.

Like a beauty with her clothes half shed, she must be beautiful enough and romantic enough, but also not appear vulgar and cheap.

So they went and asked Song Shizhao for an official position, and they asked in a very subtle and introverted manner. Song Shizhao had recently received many handwritten works from these scholars, some of which were poems, and some of which were opinion essays on political affairs——towards this type Song Shizhao would not read. It was not their turn to point and criticize. He would write down all the names of those who sent such essays and these people don’t even have to think about being an official in this life.

However, Song Shizhao was now fully back in power. Most of the people who saw him lose favor before and went and stepped a foot on him all shrunk again. Apologizing would be impossible as wouldn’t apologizing prove that they were indeed targeting Song Shizhao before? It was better to pretend to be dumb, since in any case, it was not like Song Shizhao could get back at them so obviously. So long as they reined in the young ones at home and didn’t allow anything to go wrong, then nothing would happen.

However, soon someone took over referrals for official positions. Fewer people went to see Song Shizhao for a referral, so Song Shizhao was able to be more relaxed.

Zheng Qingfeng was the man who suddenly took over this job, someone who was notoriously lazy.

After all, Zheng Qingfeng was a well-known romantic talent in Pingjiang when he was young, and his name was bigger than that of Song Shizhao, a foreigner. In addition, Pingjiang’s big families were all related to each other in some way, and scholars were more willing to go his way.

“I see that he can’t sit still anymore.” Song Shizhao said to Lin Yuan, “He has taken a risk. If he’s lucky, you will see him. If not, his actions would be that of stepping over authority.”

Lin Yuan took a sip of tea and ordered the servants to bring in some snacks. The monarch and his minister sat in the hall chatting. He smiled and said, “He has shared a lot of the burden for you. Are you not happy?”

Song Shizhao had now found a new way to get along with Lin Yuan. Which was to be straightforward——speaking whatever that needed to be said. It was not a good thing for the monarch and his ministers to doubt each other, especially in his current position. Just a little carelessness and what would greet him would be an abyss. He was not afraid of death, but he had yet to see the unity of the world, and he was reluctant to die.

Song Shizhao said: “This person is usable, but his method is too ugly, and in the future he will not be lacking in scoldings and curses.”

Song Shizhao felt thay Zheng Qingfeng was truly a smart person. This job looked good on the surface, but anyone with a brain would know that this was a thankless task. He knew very clearly that Lin Yuan would not confer an official position again, and yet he took the job. When the time came and the scholars were unable to get an official position, they would not dare to scold Lin Yuan, so their anger would be aimed at him instead.

The disadvantages were clear, and the benefits were also obvious. He had finally succeeded.

At least Lin Yuan would remember him and remember him well. If there was something to be done in the future, there would always be one or two things where his name would come up.

At that time, those would be the days when he would finally welcome success.

There was never a shortage of smart people in this world, only a shortage of luck.

For example, Lin Yuan allowing Toqto’a to stay. Was it really because he valued Toqto’a’s knowledge on flood control and water conservancy? Or his abilities on the battlefield?

Lin Yuan was not short of generals, even if Chen Baisong and Zhu Yuanzhang were gone, there would be many who would rise up from the bottom of the ranks.

Fame and fortune shook the will. Even if there was danger and death at any moment, so long as there was prosperity and a bright future ahead, some people would still rush forward, throwing themselves at the opportunity like a moth to the flame.

Just like Zhu Yuanzhang cut down so many corrupt officials in history, but did the people wanting to be officials lessen?

Tens of thousands of heads were chopped off, and still there were so many people who wanted to be officials.

In front of power, life and death, pride and self-respect, could all be left behind.

Song Shizhao sometimes envied Toqto’a, and felt that Toqto’a had really good luck in this life. He was born into aristocracy, and his uncle who controlled the court was overthrown by him. How young was Toqto’a at that time! Later, Toqto’a took his uncle’s place but even if he fell from his position in the end, he was found by Lin Yuan and used to appease the Mongolian people. Although he would never become a powerful minister in the future, so long as he did not make a big mistake, Lin Yuan would continue to favor him, and the glory of three generations of his family could be expected.

Lin Yuan put down his teacup: “If Mister has the time, then help me go visit that Lord Zheng for me. Have a nice chat with him and make him feel at ease.”

This was to officially give Zheng Qingfeng the right to receive those scholars. Even if someone raised this issue in the future, Zheng Qingfeng would have the excuse of acting on his orders, and not be accused of stepping over authority.

Song Shizhao quickly said yes.

He could see that Lin Yuan’s heart had softened once again and was willing to protect Zheng Qingfeng.

Otherwise, if someone sued Zheng Qingfeng for stepping over authority in the future, even if Lin Yuan wanted to protect him, he would not be able to.

Sometimes Song Shizhao felt that more and more he couldn’t see through Lin Yuan.

He still remembered the first time he met Lin Yuan. Lin Yuan was just a boy, so to say that he was smart? It was only in the scope of teenage boys. He was not a genius, nor was he stupid, and on top of that he possesed a lot of unnecessary kindness.

But now, he couldn’t see through him anymore.

After Song Shizhao left, Lin Yuan had someone invite Song Lian over.

Song Lian was very famous, but Lin Yuan didn’t really know him well.

Although his name as a child prodigy had spread far and wide, Song Lian was already 47 now, and had nothing to do with children.

But Lin Yuan knew that Song Lian majored in Yuan Dynasty history and was one of the three great poets in the early Ming Dynasty. Zhu Yuanzhang even hailed him as the “head of the founding civil officials”, so whether it was literature or politics he was a capable man in both.

But Lin Yuan also knew why Song Lian lost power in the end.

He participated in the case of Hu Weiyong. Not only did his family die, Song Lian himself was also exiled to Maozhou, Sichuan.

Lin Yuan had to be more alert.

Corrupt officials could never be killed completely. He did not hope that in the end, he could only raise his butcher knife like Zhu Yuanzhang.

Song Lian was more than 40 years old, his appearance mediocre, but his aura very good. That was, one could pick him out of the crowd at a glance. In fact, he could be called refined and cultured. Although the description “refined and cultured” was overused, of the many people Lin Yuan had seen, only Song Lian could stand up to these two words, making people feel like a spring breeze had just blown by when they saw him.

“Lord Lin.” Song Lian was about to kneel, but Lin Yuan quickly helped him up and laughed, “Mister Song, please sit down.”

Song Lian sat down readily, neither humble nor overbearing, demeanor refined and cultured.

Lin Yuan: “I was too busy a few days ago and I didn’t have time to call you to have a chat. It is Yuan’s fault.”

Song Lian also chuckled: “Now Pingjiang and other places are all tied to my Lord. Song is not a person who doesn’t understand reason and can’t distinguish priorities.”

He also relied on this period of time to figure out the people around Lin Yuan.

Song Shizhao was now very favored. If he was said to be very favored before, now he was even more so.

Having just arrived, he naturally needed to socialize with Song Shizhao. The two of them also called each other brothers in private. After all, they were both surnamed Song. Maybe they shared the same ancestor hundreds of years ago.

Lin Yuan and Song Lian exchanged some more polite talk before getting to the point.

“Since Mister Song is here, Yuan has something that I must ask for your help.” Lin Yuan said politely.

Song Lian also replied politely, cupping his hands, “My Lord can be straightforward.”

Lin Yuan: “I brought a group of people over with me who are all literate. I want to ask Mister to lead them in introducing literacy to the common people.”

Song Lian was a little confused: “Introducing literacy?”

How many common people were there? Tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands? How could they spread literacy to all?

Lin Yuan smiled and said: “Not exactly. I would like to trouble Mister to think about how to make them understand some truths, so as not to be used by traitors and thieves.”

This was asking Song Lian to brainwash the common people.

But this was a good job, and the risk was not high. Although it was a bit troublesome, it was a great and beneficial thing for the people.

Song Lian thought for a while and agreed.

He had just arrived, and the most important thing now was to make achievements, not to show off.

Sometimes it was not a good thing to be in the limelight.

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For example, Zheng Qingfeng’s choice was made because he had no other choice.

Just don’t know what Zheng Qingfeng would end up like in the end.

Song Lian smiled. It was only because he had gotten a good job, so he had the free time to worry about others.

He was truly too idle.

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“Young master, the new pen.” The young attendant placed the pen on the table with a smile on his face, “Shopkeeper Wu knew that you had become an official, so he sent the best of this year.”

Pens, inks, papers and inkstones of different materials, large and small, were lined up on the table. Even when the family was at its richest, Feng Yu had never experienced such a thing before. He put down the book in his hand and walked over to examine it all carefully.

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Feng Yu was one of the three scholars who had been given an official position. He was not old, twenty-five or so, with a white beardless face——growing a beard was a hobby and there were also people who didn’t have this hobby. He held a pen in his hand and rubbed it with his fingertips continuously. He never thought he would have today.

The Feng family was not any powerful big family. Other big families had hundreds of people, and even if they didn’t have much money or power, with their numbers, others would still give some face. As for a family like theirs, that kind of thing was difficult. The Feng family did not have such numerous descendants and Feng Yu was the only son of his parents. There were seven sisters above him. Although his parents also had brothers and sisters, his aunts and uncles also didn’t have many children.

People outside all laughed and said that their Feng family had given birth to seven fairies.

His seven sisters were all married to scholars, and they all tried their best to get books from their husband’s family for him to read, hoping that one day he would become successful and bring honor to their ancestors. That way they would also be able to stand with their backs straight at their husband’s house.

But Feng Yu never revealed this to his friends. If one studied just to be an official, then there was nothing lofty about this person.

People would say that he considered benefits and rewards too much. Could such a materialistic person be a good official? The imperial court’s examination was the same as furniture now, so for ordinary scholars, no matter how talented they were at literary works, they would still have no chance to achieve any success.

Over time, it seemed that being an official had become a shameful thing. How could you study the books of sages just to be an official? This reason was not decent! So these scholars gathered together, feeling that if they studied for the sake of becoming an official, it would be too vulgar, and such an official would not be a good official.

Until now, Feng Yu still felt a little dazed. He still remembered that day he attended the literary meeting.

Although the Feng family was not a big family in Pingjiang, it still had some reputation after several decades. The original invitation was for his uncle, but his uncle fell ill——it was so coincidental that he didn’t think about it too carefully when he left. He only felt excited for his uncle’s illness coming at such a right time.

Now thinking about it again, it should be a result of his father’s schemes.

He went to the literary meeting full of confidence. Feng Yu felt that it would be very simple to use his ability to suppress those former friends into being unable to raise their heads.

He even didn’t hold much regard for Song Shizhao. In the eyes of these young talents, Song Shizhao was just an official in charge of merchants. Merchants had been lower class citizens since ancient times. Even if the Yuan Dynasty showed disrespect for class superiority by raising the status of merchants, in their eyes merchants were all low-level people.

But after seeing the real person, Feng Yu realized how narrowminded he was.

The term “eyes being obscured by a single leaf” seemed to be tailored for him. (TN: unable to see the wider picture)

The knowledge they were so proud of was just like children’s play in front of the other.

Feng Yu watched Song Shizhao smile, and he didn’t know why, but his whole body stiffened. He felt that that smile was one of mockery, mocking at their stupidity.

Just like a tiger watching a group of kittens fighting, he was too lazy to bother with them at all.

His family members once said that he had a man’s body but a woman’s mind. He had always been prone to thinking more than others since he was a child, so after seeing Song Shizhao’s smile, the blood that boiled all over his body cooled down like ice had been thrown on him.

Feng Yu picked up a pen and wrote “to believe oneself infallible” on the paper.

His attendant was shocked when he saw these four words, but he didn’t dare to say anything or ask.

Feng Yu’s last stroke broke and the piece of writing was ruined. He put down his pen, turned his head and asked his attendant: “If the tiger goes down the mountain, what would you say would happen?”

The young attendant didn’t understand, but he still responded: “A mountain cannot tolerate two tigers, and tigers must fight for territory wherever they go.”

Feng Yu: “…..You are right.”

The South Bodhisattva was now a tiger descending the mountain. These scholars were just people who overestimated their own capabilities, wanting to compete with him for territory. However, the South Bodhisattva was still using gentle methods at this moment. If he did not see any results for a long time and felt that it had become troublesome, even if he truly raised the butcher knife, so long as he found an excuse, could anyone really oppose him?

The troops stationed outside the city were not for show and play.

At night, Feng Yu walked out of his house and walked towards Song Manor.

He would not think that it was because he had great skills and good luck that he was given an official position like the other two conferred officials.

He and those two people were the three targets prepared by the South Bodhisattvas. If the people below wanted to climb up, they must step on their heads. If they didn’t want to be stepped on, they could only turn against their old friends.

For the sake of profit, people could turn into beasts.

No matter how good the surface seemed to look, when the surface appearance was finally torn apart, what was underneath was only hideousness.

Feng Yu said to the doorman: “I hope you will inform Manager Song of my visit.”

The doorman said with a smile: “My lord, you came not at the right time. My master has gone to rest so please come back tomorrow.”

Feng Yu lowered his head, even facing the doorman of Song Shizhao’s house, he didn’t dare to be even a little arrogant. He said politely: “I have important matters to discuss with Lord Song. Since Lord Song is resting, this official will wait.”

He stood in the cold wind at the door of Song Shizhao’s house all night.

When Song Shizhao “heard the news” and came out to see him the next day, he discovered that after he was invited into the corner room by the doormen, he had fallen into a fever, speaking nonsense in his subconscious.

Song Shizhao leaned closer and heard him mumbling.

“My lord…..I want to resign…..I want to resign…..”

Song Shizhao said to his servants: “Send for a good doctor for Lord Feng.”

Among so many scholars, only this one could see clearly. Song Shizhao looked at that flushed face and felt that it would be a pity if he was told to die. Maybe he could still be a useful talent.

Feng Yu returned to being an ordinary citizen that night.

According to the better sounding rumors, because Feng Yu felt that his virtue was not worthy of his post, he insisted on resigning from his post, crying and making trouble until he was able to resign successfully.

This was how it was spread outside.

It was said that Lin Yuan liked Feng Yu very much, otherwise he would not be appointed as an official at just the first meeting. After all, there were not many officials appointed by the South Bodhisattva himself, and each of them held heavy powers, so as one who cherished talents Lin Yuan was quite courteous towards Feng Yu.

However, Feng Yu felt that he did not have this talent, and that he had unfairly taken the position. Since he could not do things well and let down the South Bodhisattva, he insisted on resigning. Lin Yuan tried to get him to stay countless times, but Feng Yu refused every time.

In the end, the two of them even cried together with their arms around each other——this last part was added by the common people themselves.

Feng family——

“Say, what is wrong with him! It’s so hard to finally have an official in the family! Even if there is no real power, whoever gets real power immediately after becoming an official?” Feng Yu’s father and uncles got together, all complaining with dissatisfaction as they looked at Feng Yu lying in bed drinking porridge.

“Do you know how many people outside are staring at this official post? How many people want it? There are so many scholars in Pingjiang, could it be possible that you will still have a seat in the future?”

“If not for you being ill, you should be kneeling now!”

“You don’t consider for yourself, but couldn’t you at least consider for your cousins?”

………

Father Feng had been in high spirits for the past few days, but his son went out for one night and the official position was gone just like that. His originally highly held head was lowered once again.

In order to pay for studying, there was not much money left at home. Becoming the disciple of a teacher required money. And a good teacher was not cheap. Visits to classmates also required money. Pen, ink, paper, inkstone and all kinds of books required money. Still, it was all spent so that the child could one day be an official and pull along the whole family.

Feng Yu listened quietly, and after a while, he said, “How many scholars are there in Pingjiang?”

The elders were taken aback.

Feng Yu also said: “Do you still remember, towards the previous decrees, just how loud was the opposition among the scholars?”

Scholars all had stinking habits. After reading too many books, they become arrogant. They feel that they know everything about the world without having to even go out the door and could even criticize and boss around the people above them.

“If I resign this official position, I can still keep this family safe.” Feng Yu’s eyes were empty and numb. “If I don’t leave, the Feng family will be over. Without me, the family still has my cousins. As long as they follow the South Bodhisattva, there will always be a day when success will come. Talk less and do more. The South Bodhisattva likes to do practical things, even if one does not have an official position, as long as one does things well and enters the eyes of the South Bodhisattva, why worry about no future?”

Feng Yu took a few deep breaths, his heart feeling painful.

It was not as if he really wanted to give up the chance he finally got with difficulty, did he?

Feng Yu: “You blame me now but it won’t be long before you can see the end of the Zhang family and Yuan family.”

The Zhang family and the Yuan family were the other two families who had been given official positions.

A few days after Feng Yu said this, there were countless rumors on the street.

The common people were actually not all that good at making stories.

These rumors were all manipulated by someone behind the scenes, saying that the Zhang family and the Yuan family bullied others because they had an official in the family. Therefore, their eyes grew on the top of their foreheads, committing things like oppressing the common people and humiliating their former classmates.

The rumors intensified, and with no one to stop them, the common people believed this to be true.

A few more days later, the Zhang family and the Yuan family carried out funerals one after the other.

It was said that the child who became an official in their family had contracted a disease and did not survive.

Only then did the Feng family understand what Feng Yu meant.

Feng Yu resigned and gained himself a good reputation. And it would be easy for the rest of the people in his family to gain an official position in the future.

However, even if the Zhang family and Yuan family cut their wrists and forced their children to die, there would still be no future for them.

When the scholars discussed this matter they all felt happy and refreshed.

They believed themselves to be no worse than the sons of the Zhang and Yuan family, so after seeing these two die, they all felt that breath of anger being let out.

People are very strange creatures, they envy those far from them, but feel jealous of those near them.

When one day an old friend became successful, they would be so jealous their heart and soul would feel like it was being clawed at. But if they didn’t know this person at all, they wouldn’t feel anything.

Feng Yu watched them shed a few hypocritical tears over the death of their former friends, and then begin to discuss who would be better to take over these seats. When they finished discussing, they would go to Manager Song and have him make recommendations for them.

Feng Yu lay on the bed with his eyes open, tears falling down the corners of his eyes.

He felt lamentable.

If he hadn’t resigned, he would also end up with the same ending today.

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He would die, and the Feng family would be over.

Even if his parents would try to protect him, his uncles would force him to die for the future of his cousins.

The Zhang family and the Yuan family were ruined, one stumble and they were unable to rise back up again. Perhaps after a few years, no one would remember that there were two young men who were once officials in their family.

TN: bonus chapter coming up!

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“This is the money the people use now.” The official below carefully presented a string of copper coins to Lin Yuan.

After Lin Yuan took it over, he took a closer look. The front of the coin was inscribed “the most upright treasure”, and the back was “luck” and “authorized currency”, and there were also banker’s anti-fraud numerals.

This was the copper coin of the Yuan Shun Emperor period.

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Lin Yuan had never made copper coins before——it was not stable enough, and the territory was not big enough, even if he made the money himself, it was not easy to circulate.

Made into paper money? The acceptance by the people would probably be fine. After all, the Yuan Dynasty did a good job on banknotes, but anti-counterfeiting was too troublesome.

Lin Yuan felt that it was a step backwards if he used copper coins and gold and silver.

After all, there were already banknotes, and if they went back to using copper, gold and silver, Lin Yuan couldn’t help feeling that it would be a pity.

Lin Yuan asked: “Can the common people outside still use money?”

Was this money available in the surrounding prefectures and counties, or was it only used in Pingjiang?

This was the first time the official saw Lin Yuan and his heart practically felt as if it would jump out of his chest. He deeply felt that this was the closest moment he was to promotion in his life. He quickly said: “Only food is exchanged outside, and one can’t even buy a catty of grains with a hundred coins. Not even the cheapest grain.”

Lin Yuan nodded: “This money can no longer be used.”

The official swallowed and said: “Yes, yes, my Lord is right!”

Lin Yuan looked at this official, who was about 60 years old. If this was peaceful times, he would be at the age when it was time to retire and honorably return to his hometown. However, the retirement of officials at this time was different from modern times. There was no fixed time for retirement. However, for most officials, if their children were capable, they would retire in advance. After all, if the elderly don’t step down, the newcomers would not be able to come up. No emperor would be willing to let all the members of a single family be high officials. But as minor officials, then it would be fine. To the emperor, it was just a few more people to do chores.

But there were also some who knew that their children and grandchildren would not be able to take over their positions. So despite being seventy or eighty years old, so long as the emperor did not say anything, they would pretend not to know their age and continue to work.

“Then, we’ll still make copper coins.” Lin Yuan said to the official, “On the front engrave “God Bless China”, and on the back engrave…..we’ll discuss it in a few days…..”

He still had to think about it. To make copper coins, he needed to have an era name. Should he become the emperor at this time?

It was inconsistent with his plan so Lin Yuan could only say to the official: “Use the current reign money for now.”

The official didn’t know what Lin Yuan was thinking, but it was not like he could ask, so he said quickly: “My Lord is right!”

Lin Yuan was amused by this sixty year old man, and asked him with a smile, “Where are you from?”

The official quickly said: “This official is a native of Pingjiang, my surname is Sun, Sun Zhilin!”

This person had a loud voice, and when he spoke it sounded like a roar. As his face flushed red, he actually looked a few years younger.

“What did you do before?” Lin Yuan asked again.

Sun Zhilin’s eyes bulged bigger——he was born with small eyes and it always seemed like he was squinting at people. In order not to make Lin Yuan feel that he was being disrespectful, he bulged his eyes vigorously and did not dare to blink: “This official was originally in charge of farmsteads!”

The farmsteads belonged to the government. Every year, the money and grain earned in the farmstead had to be handed over to the granary. This job could not be said to be good or bad.

The good thing was that there must be some opportunities to embezzle money or grain. Although it would not be too much, it would also definitely not be too little.

The bad thing was that there was no access to the center of power while being in this position. Even the minor officials below had more speaking power than him.

A group of officials went down in Pingjiang, so he finally had a chance to be promoted.

Lin Yuan asked him: “How is your family now?”

Sun Zhilin smiled brightly: “Very good, in fact, better than before! This is all because of my Lord, and the people of Pingjiang know this! No one is more wise than my Lord.”

It was not an unpleasant thing to be praised by others, and Lin Yuan was also used to it. After a few more words with Sun Zhilin, he then let him go.

It would be best to not hurry on making new money.

After the copper coins were released, circulating it was still a big problem.

Money was only meaningful if it circulated, otherwise it was dead money.

He could not be in a hurry. Indeed he couldn’t be in a hurry.

Lin Yuan sat in tje chair with no expression on his face, thinking about what he had done along the way.

Some things had been carried out too urgently.

It shouldn’t be so urgent.

He must seriously reflect on himself.

He wanted to change everything that should be changed at once, but he never considered that with the world being so chaotic and the people’s hearts being so unstable, good things sometimes could turn into bad things. If there came along people with evil intentions…..

Lin Yuan finally discovered that Song Shizhao was right about one thing, that the people were too tired.

The people needed to recuperate, and Lin Yuan had become too fast for the people to keep up.

Lin Yuan felt a little weak, leaning back on the chair. The tea on the side was already cold, but without him saying anything, the servants did not dare to come in to change the tea. He finished the cup of cold tea and felt that both his throat and stomach were cold.

He hadn’t felt this powerlessness for a long time.

Was he wrong?

Lin Yuan felt that his thinking was correct, and that what should be changed should be changed.

But he shouldn’t be so fast, and the methods he used shouldn’t be so straightforward and brutal.

Lin Yuan instructed his servants: “Invite Manager Song to come over.”

The servant responded with an affirmative, and within half an hour, the person he wanted to see had already arrived.

Lin Yuan personally invited Song Shizhao in.

“Mister.” Lin Yuan stood in front of Song Shizhao and said, “After thinking about it, I found that it is Mister who is reasonable.”

Song Shizhao was now very clear about his position, and he dared not act spoiled in front of Lin Yuan, so he quickly said: “This official also thought about it. This official was wrong and my Lord’s direction is right. It is this official who is too ignorant.”

The two looked at each other, and Lin Yuan sighed: “Today’s Pingjiang is not my Pingjiang.”

This piece of land belonged to him, but the people have not given him their hearts. For Gaoyou, the South Bodhisattva was the life-saving medicine and the only vitality they could grasp in their hands, and therefore they could quickly keep up with Lin Yuan’s pace. But it was not so much as keeping up, in truth, it was because they didn’t think about anything. Whatever Lin Yuan said to do, they would do it. And as a result, Lin Yuan felt that such efficiency was normal.

But it was not.

Pingjiang was a counterexample.

The people of Pingjiang lead a quiet and peaceful life, and they were all considerably well off. Even the most ordinary households didn’t have to worry about food and clothing. Even small households had servants, and those who were a little wealthier had a collection of books at home——in this era, not everyone could have a collection of books. Generally speaking, books were passed on from father to son, from son to grandson. Only through passing down from generation to generation, could a family be regarded as having a foundation of profound learning inherited over the generations.

And only dozens of books could be called a collection of books.

Although movable type prints already exist, books had always been things of the ruling class and not everyone could read them. Otherwise there would not be so many illiterate people.

During peaceful times, books were wealth. The more books in a family, the more noble the family and the higher the social status.

Back then, when father Lin asked to marry Yang shi, what he valued was the collection of books in father Yang’s hands. The Yang family was poor and could barely even eat, and yet they still weren’t willing to sell their books. They would rather starve to death with those books.

It was a pity that father Lin’s plan fell through. After Yang shi got married, father Yang relied on father Lin’s betrothal gift for temporary relief, and then adopted a boy from another branch of the Yang family. The collection of books and family properties were naturally passed on to this boy.

If there were too many scholars, the people would become rebellious. They felt that they understood ten thousand truths and were just lacking in luck. In such a case, each and every one could rocket straight up into the sky.

Instead, people who didn’t read books were obedient. They didn’t understand any big truths. They only knew what the people above said to be the truth.

It was only then that Lin Yuan understood why the ancients had always restricted the people from reading——in addition to the expensive pen, ink, paper and inkstone, the most important thing was governance.

Lin Yuan said to Song Shizhao: “There is something to trouble you, Mister.”

Song Shizhao: “This official will definitely carry it out properly.”

Lin Yuan: “Hold a literary meeting, those scholars…..should be harnessed.”

Lest they get in the way, having high standards but little ability, speaking of major principles and the words of the sages every time they opened their mouths. In Lin Yuan’s eyes, they were not as useful as the farmers who planted the land. At least farmers could produce food. What could these people do?

Unable to produce, only knowing to follow what the books say without any flexibility, and even as officials——Lin Yuan was afraid that they would go out to harm a whole region of people.

Song Shizhao smiled and said: “Then leave it to this official.”

So Song Shizhao chose more than 20 families, and invited their sons or grandsons to participate in the literary meeting. A literary meeting was an elegant event, that was, a group of people sitting inside chatting and drinking while writing a few poems or writing a few words. If one wanted to be slightly bolder, they could call over some courtesans, and any written poems could be sung by these courtesans. Having one’s poems be known in such a way would just be an apocryphal story of the literati.

Lin Yuan sometimes didn’t understand these people. This group of people looked down on courtesans the most, but it was this group of people who also praised courtesans the most.

Ten out of ten exemplifying an ancient version of “that smells delicious”. (TN: internet slang used for someone who refused to do something only to do it later and end up face-slapping oneself)

All those who received invitations sent by Song Shizhao went, and they were all very excited.

After all, although Song Shizhao was left out in the cold before, he was recently brought back to the side of the South Bodhisattva again. Compared to before, his treatment was obviously better than before.

Was it still a bad thing to hug such a golden thigh?

Besides, the South Bodhisattva had not yet started holding an imperial examination, and there was no other chance to get promoted. But so long as Song Shizhao was willing to recommend them, would it not be easy to become an official based on their ability?

Song Shizhao first chatted with each one of them, visiting them from house to house. He was able to call out the names of every one of them. He even knew who their father was, whether there were any famous people in the family, and the book collections of each family, praising this group of scholars so much that they couldn’t help feeling smug.

Then Song Shizhao said: “Now that the South Bodhisattva has arrived in Pingjiang, there are many things to do. Unfortunately, there are not enough people to do it.”

This group of scholars began to sigh along with him and said, “How can this be good!”

“Yes, after all, there are few scholars, and even fewer people understand the truths. What do the common people know? They are just ignorants.”

………

Song Shizhao praised them again, saying that they were all rare talents, and he was afraid that they would not be willing to help out. After all, scholars were proud and noble, and if he rashly invited them to be officials, he feared that they would feel humiliated.

This group of scholars also said: “How can this be, Manager Song, everyone is responsible for the rise and fall of the world. Although we are scholars, we also know the priorities, how can we be that unreasonable?”

So Song Shizhao was happy, and immediately chose a few people to go with him to see the South Bodhisattva.

Before the other scholars could speak, he took the chosen ones away.

Lin Yuan also conferred them with official positions——positions had no real power and only looked good on the surface.

When these scholars came home, they finally woke up from their daze. They were actually officials now?

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As soon as they appeared, the other scholars looked at them in envy and jealousy. The most powerful thing about scholars was their pen and mouth. They united together and planned to drag those people down from their high seats. As for who would go up on these seats when the time came, then that would be decided later.

But in this way, these people began to become Lin Yuan’s yes-men.

After all, they had also discovered that it was not difficult to be an official. So long as the South Bodhisattva saw them in his eyes, they could amaze the world with a single brilliant feat.

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In the spring of the seventeenth year of Yuan Shun.

Lin Yuan sat by the window sill. This year was Xu Shouhui’s second year of reign and Han Lin’er’s third year of reign.

Originally this year should have been Zhang Shicheng’s fourth year of reign.

Now, Zhang Shicheng was still called Zhang Jiusi, and he was a young general under Chen Baisong’s command. He made an outstanding military service and had been promoted three ranks in a row, his future bright and promising.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Chen Baisong had been keeping up his guard against him this whole time.

Lin Yuan sometimes also felt curious. Chen Baisong did not seem to be a person who possessed a calculating heart but he also seemed to be able to perceive the pros and cons by nature. He knew that once Zhang Jiusi became more powerful and prestigious than him, his position would be at stake. For the sake of avoiding this, he had to be better than Zhang Jiusi no matter what.

The general originally referred to the person who killed the most and the most skilled in killing. He couldn’t purposely suppress Zhang Jiusi. Because if he did he would appear guilty and fearful, and it would seem as if he was not as good as Zhang Jiusi and needed to rely on underhanded means. Therefore, the only way was to be stronger.

So strong that Zhang Jiusi couldn’t catch up to him.

Lin Yuan saw this, and was willing to help Chen Baisong.

Chen Baisong was his nanny brother. He and his mother had both received great kindness from the Lin family, and Chen Baisong had no wife and children. His deepest bond was his mother, so Lin Yuan was not worried about him committing  betrayal. Even if he committed betrayal, Lin Yuan still had Li Congrong, Yang Zi’an and Zhu Yuanzhang, not to mention the young military officials under them.

Lin Yuan took a sip of cold tea, and felt that he seemed to have become more coldly rational and less emotional.

One couldn’t count on “feelings” for everything in this world. There were walls between even brothers. In modern times, many relatives could turn into enemies for such things as inheritance. They had the same blood flowing in their veins and yet they could do such things. He couldn’t bet on the human heart.

Therefore, Lin Yuan did not give the generals more power. They only needed to fight battles and not participate in politics or manage the people’s livelihood.

The generals were easy to handle, so long as there was no one single dominant general, with several generals they would always be able to check and balance each other.

However, that was not possible with civil officials. Lin Yuan’s most “favored” official now was Song Shizhao. Song Shizhao could suppress other civil officials, he was born with this ability. He wanted to be the most effective person around Lin Yuan and have Lin Yuan think about him when he met a problem, to be unable to do without him.

Lin Yuan was also willing to favor him before, but now it was different. If he continued to favor him, Song Shizhao would really fly up into the sky.

Although it didn’t seem the case on major issues, Song Shizhao showed clear signs that he couldn’t find his position recently. Lin Yuan wanted to change Pingjiang into a second Gaoyou. But Song Shizhao said to him: “My Lord has great wisdom, but Pingjiang is different from Gaoyou. The rule here in Pingjiang is…..”

He rambled on for awhile, the general meaning behind his words being that he felt that Lin Yuan’s ideas were good and must be good, and none of Lin Yuan’s ideas were bad.

But Pingjiang’s rule was also good. After all, it had been in place for so many years, and the people were doing well, so why bother to change it? No matter how much it changed, it would not be better than it was now, and instead only add a lot of trouble.

In view of their relationship, Lin Yuan could understand him.

No matter how forward Song Shizhao’s thinking was, he was, after all, a native born man of the ancient times. Perhaps in his eyes, Pingjiang’s rules were correct, and everything in Gaoyou was nonsensical, but at that time he dared not admonish Lin Yuan.

But in view of reason, Lin Yuan could not allow him to say such things. If put nicely, it was admonition, if put in an ugly sounding way, it was dominance. Did Song Shizhao really think he could control governmental orders?

Lin Yuan smiled and said, “Mr. Song is right, it is Yuan who is too impatient.”

From that day on, Lin Yuan did not see him again, and the news also spread quickly. In the past, there would be visitors in the Song Manor everyday, countless people coming to visit. Lin Yuan only just revealed a little bit of his discontent, and those people instantly stopped going.

After all, everyone would rather offend Song Shizhao than offend Lin Yuan.

Then Lin Yuan began to favor Song Lian and Wu Changqing.

When discussing matters now, it was Song Lian and Wu Changqing who sat immediately under him. Song Lian was a newcomer, and represented Lin Yuan’s desire for fresh talents, and Wu Changqing was a veteran official who was already there, and represented Lin Yuan’s promise to not just favor the new and forget the old.

Without Song Shizhao, there would be Wu Changqing; without Wu Changqing, there would be a Zhou Changqing or a Li Changqing.

Song Shizhao thought that he was irreplaceable, and now he regretted it.

——

“Laoye, have something to eat.” The servant handed Song Shizhao a bowl and chopsticks. There were porridge and side dishes on the table. Although it was not a rich meal, the vegetables were crisp and fresh, which was still gratifying.

Song Shizhao had difficulty swallowing the food. Bitterness filled his throat and whatever he ate tasted bland. He even vomitted when eating meat so he could only drink some porridge.

The servant could not convince him and could only put down the bowl and chopsticks and sit on the side.

Song Shizhao regretted it. He thought that Lin Yuan had a good temper and would not be angry about this, but he forgot that Lin Yuan was essentially an emperor in all but name. Although he was uncrowned, he was already the emperor.

It was fine to admonish a senior provincial official or admonish a villa master.

But as a courtier, admonishing the emperor was inherently dangerous. The emperor was the master of everything, and only his rules were rules, nothing else.

Thinking from Lin Yuan’s perspective, he could also understand why Lin Yuan was so angry.

When heard in Lin Yuan’s ears, didn’t his admonition essentially mean: “Your rules are not as good as the imperial court’s rules”?

Song Shizhao slapped himself.

After being careful and cautious for so long, he ruined it in one sentence.

If the courtiers admonished the emperor and the emperor listened, it was the emperor’s magnanimity, and could already be called a sage ruler.

If the emperor did not listen, what else could the courtiers do?

He miscalculated how much face he had in front of Lin Yuan.

If Lin Yuan was willing to give face, then he was the Manager Song who was flattered by everyone. Although he was not called prime minister, he still exercised a prime minister’s power.

If Lin Yuan was not willing to give face, then he was nothing.

“Manager Song.” Wu Changqing came in from the door. But seeing Song Shizhao drinking bitter wine alone, the smile on his face dimmed instantly and his brows wrinkled.

When Song Shizhao saw Wu Changqing, he remembered that his servant had come to inform him of the other’s visit that he had forgotten after drinking two sips of wine.

“District Chief Wu.” Song Shizhao got up, and the two bowed to each other.

Wu Changqing sat opposite Song Shizhao, and even took a cup and poured himself some wine: “You actually didn’t even warm it up, cold wine harms the body.”

Song Shizhao smiled: “District Chief Wu’s career is rapidly rising, Song gives congratulations.”

Wu Changqing waved his hand: “There is no need for Manager Song to get in a verbal fight with me.”

“I believe our Lord would not forget old affection.” Wu Changqing drank a sip of wine and shook his head as he said, “This wine is not bad, tasting sweet on the tongue. It is a rarity indeed.”

Song Shizhao: “The wine given by our Lord is naturally different from elsewhere.”

Wu Changqing looked at Song Shizhao, and he discovered for the first time that Song Shizhao was indeed very old. His face and hands were covered with age spots, and his energy was not as good as before. It seemed that he had aged ten years overnight.

Wu Changqing also sighed.

The Song Shizhao of before was so glorious. Although he was only in charge of merchants, their Lord would always discuss politics with him. His seat was also the first place at the bottom left of their Lord’s. Everyone called him Manager, but in their hearts they already saw him as the prime minister. Once their Lord ascended the throne Song Shizhao’s threshold would also become too high for others to touch.

But no matter how much honor and glory, it was no match for a look from their Lord.

There was no need for their Lord to say anything, so long as they weren’t given a chance to see him, would there be any less smart people below?

Those who their Lord wanted to step on, would there be anyone who would not follow along?

“What is Manager Song worried about?” Wu Changqing, “Worried about being disgusted by our Lord?”

Song Shizhao sighed, and said, “I am afraid that I will only be able to manage affairs related to merchants in the future.”

Wu Changqing chuckled and said: “What is there to worry about, nothing happening is a good thing.”

Song Shizhao shook his head: “On the contrary, demotion is the good thing.”

After demotion, there would always come a time for promotion, and only after their Lord finished teaching him a lesson could he continue to use him.

Hanging in the same place, neither high or low. He felt that he could live for a dozen more years but what if he was left hanging over these next dozen years?

“Our Lord is the master of sages.” Wu Changqing said, “Now it is the time for our Lord to establish prestige. Manager Song is so smart but can’t see through this matter?”

Song Shizhao sighed: “I am old, my old eyes are dim, and I speak before thinking.”

Wu Changqing smiled: “This time I managed to watch some excitement.”

Song Shizhao raised his cup to throw at him.

Only then did Wu Changqing cup his hands and say: “Manager Song, please do not be angry. It would be my sin if your health ails due to vexation.”

Song Shizhao coughed: “Now it is you who has the honor and glory.”

Wu Changqing: “Who said that is not the case? This is also the first time I know what it is like for my front yard to be as busy as a marketplace. I have six sons, but fortunately three of them are old enough. They are very busy receiving guests every day. It’s a good thing I have so many sons, otherwise I am afraid I would have no time to come and see you.”

Song Shizhao: “Someone come, please see District Chief Wu out the door! This person has no conscience at all!”

Wu Changqing laughed: “Manager Song doesn’t need to be impatient, Wu is standing in front of you, don’t you know our Lord’s meaning?”

Song Shizhao: “I understand, it’s just…..”

He just didn’t expect that Lin Yuan would let him off so easily.

And he also understood a little bit.

Whatever Lin Yuan planned, others only needed to follow and act according to his plan.

Lin Yuan could tolerate his ministers picking on details, but he could not tolerate their denial of his plans.

It was him, Song Shizhao who was given so much face in front of Lin Yuan that he had forgotten his place and duty.

Wu Changqing said: “Manager Song is different from me. You have been with our Lord from the start. It is easy to earn gold, but friendship is hard to find. Our Lord still thinks of you.”

Song Shizhao: “I understand.”

It was because of this that Lin Yuan didn’t punish him too severely. Otherwise, killing an old official like him would better show his intention for change and the matter would be easier to handle. But he didn’t do so, the result of which being more officials who would continue admonishing him, and the resistance would be even greater.

Song Shizhao: “Our Lord is soft-hearted!”

Song Shizhao said to Wu Changqing: “District Chief Wu, I’m not as good as you.”

Wu Changqing made a mistake, but he quickly found his place. He was willing to be their Lord’s pawn, a knife in his hand. He was a pure official.

Pure officials were the ones that their Lord lacked most now.

Song Shizhao cupped his hands at Wu Changqing and said willingly for the first time: “District Chief Wu will have a bright future. I hope that District Chief Wu’s original intentions will never change.”

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Wu Changqing also said seriously: “By taking people as a mirror, this official and Manger will encourage each other.”

The two smiled at each other, each raising a cup and throwing back the wine.

They both understood that after this night, they would still be friends as well as enemies.

In the future, there would only be one who would reach the highest official position.  

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Pingjiang was modern Suzhou and its prosperity was inseparable from its climate. Lin Yuan learned this when he studied geography. Suzhou had distinct seasons and abundant rain which was good for planting rice, wheat and oilseed, producing cotton, sericulture, and fruits. Suzhou also had many famous special local products such as Chengyang Lake hairy crabs, etc. It was characterized by subtropical monsoon oceanic climate.

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Fan Dacheng in the Song Dynasty once said: “Warm spring and fragrant flowers, abundant grain every year, truly up above there is heaven, down below there are Suzhou and Hangzhou.”

Poets in the Tang Dynasty also said: “People say you come from the south of the Yangtze River, and I say you come from heaven.”

When Lin Yuan saw Pingjiang’s granary, he realized that these compliments were indeed not exaggerated.

The abundance of grains in the granary of Pingjiang was extremely rare. In other cities and prefectures, the grains were all old grains. Officials wanted to embezzle so new grains would not be put into the granaries. The grains in the granaries were mostly old grains from a few years ago. Lin Yuan had also seen a place where their granaries were full of moldy grains that had been left there for more than ten years. Don’t even mention eating it, it could turn into coarse sand with just a rub of the fingers.

Were the former officials of Pingjiang not greedy?

Naturally, they were also greedy.

But no matter how greedy they were, the granary in Pingjiang was always full. Although there were old grains in it, there were also a lot of new grains.

Probably because of the good weather, each grain of rice grown in Pingjiang was both plump and fragrant.

After the wheat was ground into flour, the pastry made from it was more chewy than usual.

Lin Yuan was now holding a bowl of rice in his hand. The white rice was paired with boiled fish, and he ate it contentedly.

He had transmigrated to here for so long and he hadn’t paid too much attention to the food he ate. There were too many things every day, just like in the third year in high school he was so busy that he barely even had time to eat. So long as he wouldn’t starve to death he would continue to be busy. But such a high pressure lifestyle lasted only one year in high school, whereas he had lived several years like this in the ancient times. If one was preoccupied by things, even the food of the gods would become tasteless on the tongue.

Chen Baisong just came back with the army. The two of them sat at the table to eat. Lin Yuan drank a sip of chicken soup and leaned back on the chair in satisfaction. He was so full that his stomach was slightly protruding. However, he saw that Chen Baisong’s complexion remained unchanged, eight bowls of white rice already finished and yet still ready to refill a ninth.

Even Lin Yuan, a man who had experienced the growth stage, felt that this appetite was too big.

After all, the bowl was not a small bowl.

He wondered: “Where did all the food go to?”

He didn’t see Chen Baisong putting on any weight, though his muscles did become firmer.

Chen Baisong put down the bowl and chopsticks, having just eaten the last piece of fish.

Chen Baisong didn’t know how to spit out the fish bones. Don’t know how but he learned a new way of eating fish. Chew the fish and rice together and if there was a bone, swallow it together with the rice. Take another bite of rice without chewing it and then just swallow it directly so the fish bones wouldn’t get stuck in the throat.

Lin Yuan was frightened to see this, fearing that Chen Baisong would choke to death in the next second.

Chen Baisong’s sitting posture was better than Lin Yuan’s. His physique was stronger than Lin Yuan’s and with his back straightened his whole person looked very imposing. After all, he was a general who had been trained on the battlefield and was no longer the boy who herd cattle and drove carts before.

People were always going to change.

Lin Yuan had forgotten where he had heard this saying, but now that he thought about it, it made a lot of sense.

“Nothing remains the same in this world, and the only constant is change.”

Chen Baisong said: “I always feel I can’t eat enough.”

Lin Yuan: “What did you eat when you were marching?”

Chen Baisong thought for a while: “Dry food is filling enough.”

The dry foods Chen Baisong mentioned were actually mixed grain buns. Because fearing it would go bad, it was made to have a long shelf life. Lin Yuan tried it once and could only bite it in small bites, a big bite just couldn’t have any effect at all. If the dry buns were put in hot water and cooked for a while, it would be better, but it didn’t have much taste, the only good thing about it was that it could fill the stomach.

Soldiers could eat meat if they win a battle. The meat was dried meat and sausages. These two kinds of meat were not easy to spoil. In addition, Lin Yuan had salt mines under his rule, so there was no headache because of the lack of salt. Fresh meat was not possible as it would not last for more than two days. And it was impossible to bring ice on the march.

“I will have people think about a way.” Lin Yuan stood up, and Chen Baisong followed Lin Yuan.

The two of them took a walk in the corridor. The flowers and plants in Pingjiang grew better than those in Gaoyou. The flowers in the courtyard appeared to be full of vigor and one didn’t even need to take care of them too much. They could grow well on their own, and they would only appear less vigorous when it came time to wither. Lin Yuan was preoccupied with thoughts, and Chen Baisong was not a talkative person so they both walked quietly.

“It is enough to keep 50,000 soldiers in Pingjiang.” Lin Yuan said to Chen Bosong, “You take the rest out and do your old business.”

Chen Baisong didn’t ask him either——this was what Lin Yuan liked the most. After Lin Yuan gave an order, Chen Baisong would execute it. He would not ask why, nor would he make his own interpretation.

What Lin Yuan established was a new regime, and every regime should behave like a machine, only in that way there would be no place that would get stuck.

Discussing politics, managing the people’s livelihood, serving as a soldier, each link was closely connected and tightly integrated to have stronger execution capabilities.

If orders were issued, and the people below had their own ideas, even just a bit, the implementation of the orders would be greatly reduced.

In fact, modernity and ancient times were similar in one thing, that was, centralized power.

Modern times seemed to be decentralized, but no matter which country, decision-making was still made by a small group of people. If everyone could make decisions, could affect government orders, then the country would be in chaos.

Wasn’t that the case of those who came to give Lin Yuan cities and provinces?

They overthrew the rule above and distributed power to those who followed them in accordance with their original promise.

And the result?

They just couldn’t continue on at all. A thousand mouths with a thousand sayings, everyone had their own opinion.

People possessed selfish motives, but for some people even if they had selfish motives, they would still have regard for righteousness.

But some people only had selfishness and had no regard for family and country, becoming vermins. If those in power did not find out, these vermins would grow bigger and bigger, forming cliques, occupying a greater right to speak, and eventually even those in power wouldn’t be able to shake them.

The ruler and his ministers themselves were mutual checks and balances. The ruler was strong and the minister was weak. If the monarch was a tyrant, the courtiers couldn’t do anything, they could only cry and hang themselves.

If the emperor was weak and the minister was strong, the emperor would just be a puppet. Like the city of Anfeng now, wasn’t Liu Futong in control of the government? The Xiao Ming Emperor was just a puppet in his hand.

If Xiao Ming Emperor dared to take back the power in Liu Futong’s hands and dared to confront Liu Futong head-on, Liu Futong could completely paralyze the government.

Without courtiers, was the king still the king?

People were profit-seeking creatures. If one followed Liu Futong, one could hold real power and get promoted.

Whereas following Xiao Ming Emperor, even if Xiao Ming Emperor could hand out promotions, could one even hold real power, would one’s words even possess any weight?

People talk about orthodoxy, but in their hearts they know that whoever had power, then whoever was orthodox.

Chen Baisong said: “Someone sent me a gift.”

Lin Yuan: “Who?”

Chen Baisong said: “Zhao Chengguang.”

Lin Yuan had a question mark on his face, who was this person? He hadn’t heard of him before.

Chen Baisong: “He used to be a village head and led the villagers against the court, capturing Jiang Lin.”

……Lin Yuan could not recall such a person among the famous uprising leaders in the late Yuan Dynasty.

He guessed that this person was not recorded in the history books because he didn’t have much capability? After all, there were rebellions all over the Yuan Dynasty and it might not be possible to write them all down.

Chen Baisong said again: “He also had someone send me a letter and asked me to show it to you.”

Lin Yuan took over the letter with a strange expression. This Zhao Chengguang was a madman, and he was so mad that one didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

The letter read: “I rebelled and killed all those corrupt officials. I heard that you have done well for yourself. We are both the same. I am going to ascend the throne soon. If you are free, come over and participate in my enthronement ceremony. I’ll give you an official title, and it definitely won’t be a small one. I will be the emperor and you will be a prince. We will discuss the title at that time. You must come. If you don’t come, then that means you look down on me. I will then send troops after you.”

Lin Yuan handed the letter to Chen Baisong to read.

After Chen Baisong read it, his expression suddenly became fierce. His whole person looked like a sharp-edged knife, buzzing to drink blood: “I’m going to take this person’s head!”

Lin Yuan waved his hand and smiled: “No, why waste your troops.”

Lin Yuan continued to walk forward: “There are too many people like this. If you fight all of them, wouldn’t it be exhausting?”

Some rebels only just looked for profit. They dared to call themselves emperors with only a few thousand people under their rule, confer a bunch of officials, gather a harem, and then become the emperor in a place where no one paid much attention to. When the world was settled and the one in power wanted to show benevolence, maybe they could get an official position and continue to be a local tyrant. If the ruler was unwilling to show benevolence, then everything would be game over.

Just like the court, did they really not want to send troops to fight the rebels directly?

Of course they want to, but the reason for why they recruited these rebels every time, included not only lack of military strength but also a desire to keep up appearances.

You see, he rebelled, but I didn’t beat him up. So long as he surrendered, I would give him an official position.

Are you also tired of rebelling? Then if you accept my recruitment, I will also give you an official position.

If the Yuan Dynasty was not overthrown afterwards, then all those who were recruited would eventually meet with misfortune.

But most people who had been recruited were not aware of this. Their eyes could only see what was in front of them, and they could only see the benefits that they could immediately get in their hands.

Chen Baisong looked at the letter with a grim expression.

Lin Yuan: “Don’t be so serious, give me a smile.”

Chen Baisong: “…..”

However, there was one thing Pingjiang was inferior to Gaoyou. Gaoyou was in chaos at the time. The old rules were broken and Lin Yuan could easily and successfully establish a new order. However, Pingjiang did not experience the same chaos as Gaoyou did. Pingjiang’s rules were stable and people were used to it. The officials also only knew this method.

It was very difficult to change.

Lin Yuan sighed and said to Chen Baisong: “You go back and rest first.”

Chen Baisong nodded: “Young master, take care of your health.”

Lin Yuan: “I know.”

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

He had to think about how to change Pingjiang into what he wanted with minimal damage.

Now that Pingjiang had changed hands, there was less resistance to change. But if he waited until after all the dust settled to make changes then the difficulty would elevate from three stars to ten stars.

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