Can be of great use

The journey north was longer and more difficult than Chen Zhiwei had imagined.

The wind was strong, carrying sand and gravel, hitting my face painfully. As far as the eye could see, there was endless khaki. The army was lined up in huge columns. The food was poor, the accommodation was bad, and everything was inconvenient.

Chen Zhiwei followed Zhou Yingxue and mixed in with the group of clerks.

Her world changed from the square courtyard of the Chen family to the vast and boundless world before her, and the paperwork and accounts that she would never finish dealing with.

She didn't see Ning Lingyi often at first.

The regent princess was always surrounded by countless important officials and generals.

The rough voices of military generals such as Wang Mengzi and Pan Hao often rang out inside and outside the general's tent; occasionally, messengers came rushing in, bringing news from the prime minister Wang and the prime minister Nong in the capital; Su Qingfan was in charge of the center, but the documents and orders going back and forth to the Military Affairs Office never stopped, and Zhou Yingxue was responsible for coordinating the logistics and supplies of this huge marching team, which was a complicated matter.

Most of the time, Chen Zhiwei just followed behind Zhou Yingxue, holding a thick account book, and stepped forward to say a few words when a report was needed.

She could see Ning Lingyi's figure from afar. Sometimes she was on horseback, her dark uniform blown tight to her body by the wind, making her look even thinner. Sometimes she was standing in front of a makeshift wooden table with a huge map spread out, listening intently to discussions from all sides.

Just by watching from afar, Chen Zhiwei felt a strange sense of satisfaction in his heart.

The figure was like a silent mountain, standing in the center of this noisy and turbulent torrent.

But gradually, she was not satisfied with this.

She wanted to get closer, wanted that gaze to occasionally fall on her... or at least on the official business she was handling.

So she put all her energy into those boring numbers.

The consumption of military rations, the supply of horse feed, the number of military equipment transported from various places... Every account book that passed through her hands was not only accurate, but also well-organized and clearly structured.

She could use the simplest language to explain the messy accounts clearly, and even sorted out the reasons why certain amounts were owed in previous years and the priorities of this allocation.

Once, Su Qingfan sent an urgent letter from the capital, inquiring about the distribution of a batch of winter clothes. The official in charge of this matter searched for a long time, but the accounts did not match, and he was so anxious that he was sweating profusely.

Chen Zhiwei was called over and after a quick look, he pointed out several connections and accurately reported the specific numbers that had been issued and to be issued, as well as the corresponding military camp numbers, which was completely consistent with the other list in Su Qingfan's hand.

The official was stunned, and Zhou Yingxue looked at her again.

Gradually, Su Qingfan would sometimes specifically ask Chen Zhiwei to assist in checking the important documents he handed over from the capital.

When Zhou Yingxue met Ning Lingyi to report the logistical details, she also began to habitually bring along this young female official who spoke clearly and knew the accounts by heart.

Chen Zhiwei saw Ning Lingyi more and more often.

From the initial distant glimpse, to being able to stand under the tent and clearly feel that calm gaze falling on me.

Every time, she held her breath and concentrated, reporting the data that she had checked repeatedly in the calmest and clearest tone, striving to not have a single word of nonsense and not a single number of ambiguity.

A person who is easy to use and reassuring is always easy to be noticed.

The first time Ning Lingyi spoke to her alone was after she reported the number of a new batch of food and fodder.

There was no one else in the account at the time. Ning Lingyi was looking down at another document. He looked up at the voice, his gaze lingering on her face for a moment, and he said calmly, "The account is well done, clear and understandable."

The voice was not loud, with a hint of obvious fatigue, but every word fell clearly into Chen Zhiwei's heart.

At that time, Chen Zhiwei felt a hot current rushing to his head, and his ears were burning.

She saluted almost instinctively, and after she stepped out, her steps were light.

On the way back, the wind outside the Great Wall seemed to have become much gentler. She kept thinking about those few short words and felt that all the hard work and efforts she had put into the night for the past few months were worth it.

In her mind, Ning Lingyi should have been like the emperors in operas, majestic and dignified, unattainable, wearing dragon robes, using imperial utensils, sacred and inviolable.

But after more contact, she found that this was not the case.

Ning Lingyi never wore a dragon robe, and rarely even wore fancy clothes.

She always wore the same half-new, half-worn casual clothes. The materials looked ordinary, but they were tailored to fit her body and make it easy to move.

The pens, inks, papers and inkstones on her desk were mostly old items that had been used for many years. She did not look like an emperor, Chen Zhiwei would sometimes think vaguely, but more like... an ordinary woman who was too quiet and carried too much.

But this thought often disappears in a flash.

Because she had seen countless times that, whether in a military meeting with dozens of people or in a military parade with tens of thousands of people, everyone's eyes would involuntarily focus on Ning Lingyi.

It's not just because she holds supreme authority, but also because of an invisible aura that naturally forms a circle centered around her.

When the generals were arguing, they would ask her for judgment; when they encountered practical matters that were difficult to decide, they would listen to her opinions. She would stand there, her brows never furrowed in front of others, and there was no emotion on her face. She would just listen quietly, and then give instructions one by one.

Occasionally, when Ning Lingyi and Zhou Yingxue were talking in a low voice, her profile would reveal an almost soft line, which would make Chen Zhiwei once again have the illusion that "she might have a good temper."

But late at night in the tent, colleagues huddled together for warmth, and in their whispered night chats, they would always bring up some rumors from the past.

"You didn't catch up... When His Majesty attacked the Western Qiang, it was truly brutal..."

"And during the previous salt permit inspection, those rebellious tyrants... Tsk tsk, General Wang and General Pan slaughtered so many people..."

"Tens of thousands of heads were chopped off without a blink..."

Those whispers filled with awe and even a hint of fear, mixed with the whistling wind outside the tent, entered Chen Zhiwei's ears.

She curled up in the blanket, looking at the flickering candlelight. The fantasy of a "good-tempered little girl" in her heart was shattered, replaced by a huge sense of confusion and separation.

Destroyed a country, killed tens of thousands...

Could it be that this regent princess, whom she admired and felt was calm and reliable, was actually a... tyrant?

This thought made her uneasy, and when she looked at Ning Lingyi again, her eyes unconsciously showed some inquiry and confusion.

She tried to find some traces of murderous determination or cruelty and violence on that calm face, but found nothing.

On this day, scouts from the front reported that they had entered the Heshuo territory.

Just as the team was about to arrive at the city, something happened that was beyond the expectations of Chen Zhiwei and many newly enlisted soldiers.

Countless figures emerged from both sides of the official road. They were common people wearing worn cotton-padded jackets, elderly people leaning on crutches, and women holding children. They supported the elderly and carried the young, standing silently on both sides of the road.

The team involuntarily slowed down.

Someone shouted first, "It's Her Royal Highness! Princess Mingzhu is back!"

"Your Highness!"

"Thank you, Princess, for saving my life!"

The crowd knelt down in unison like waves of wheat blown down by the wind, countless pairs of rough hands pressed on the cold ground, and tears streamed down countless weather-beaten faces.

Chen Zhiwei was shocked by this sudden scene. She reined in her horse and stood there in a daze.

What's going on?

An old official nearby said, "When Heshuo fell, the Western Qiang barbarians abducted so many of our fellow villagers! It was Your Highness! It was Your Highness who, while fighting the war, scrimped and saved money, spending over a million taels of silver, to redeem those captured compatriots... one by one!"

The old official's voice choked with sobs: "Without Your Highness, they would have long since died in the desert, their bodies completely gone! Your Highness is their, the reborn parents of the entire Heshuo region!"

In an instant, all the confusion and all the sense of separation seemed to have found answers.

She thought of Ning Lingyi's half-worn clothes, the not-so-luxurious expenses in the camp, and the cautious look on her face whenever she approved money and grain. She finally understood her.

Since then, Chen Zhiwei has become more diligent, hoping to do more for Ning Lingyi.

That day, Chen Zhiwei went to the commander's tent to report, holding a stack of account books that had just been settled.

These account books were messy and outdated, involving many businesses and huge amounts of money. It took her a lot of effort to sort them out and point out several secret flows of funds that may have been used to support the enemy.

Ning Lingyi was the only one in the tent, staring at the map in deep thought.

Chen Zhiwei walked forward lightly, presented the account books and a concise summary, and reported as per the rules.

Ning Lingyi took the summary and scanned it quickly. When she saw the key figures and related clues marked by Chen Zhiwei with a red pen, she raised her eyes and looked at Chen Zhiwei who was standing with his hands hanging down.

"Your accounts are always very good."

Ning Lingyi asked, "You are so thoughtful and organized. What are your plans for the future?"

Chen Zhiwei's heart suddenly jumped, as if hit by a drum.

She hadn't expected Ning Lingyi to ask this so suddenly. Her mind went blank for a moment, and she bowed almost subconsciously and answered, "Your humble servant...your humble servant has been granted the privilege of serving the army by Your Majesty. I only wish to serve the court and fulfill my duties. I dare not...I dare not have any other thoughts."

Ning Lingyi looked at her tense shoulders and lowered head, remained silent for a moment, and gently placed the page of summary on the desk.

"Since you are a talented person, you can give it some thought." She said calmly, "The court needs people who can get things done, especially when it comes to money and grain."

As she spoke, she took a note, picked up the pen, dipped it in ink, quickly wrote a few lines, and then handed it to Chen Zhiwei.

Chen Zhiwei took it with both hands, his fingertips trembling slightly.

It only said that in addition to her duties at the Military Affairs Office, she was authorized to use this article to visit various civil affairs departments accompanying the army, and even the household department and granary of the recovered prefecture in the future, to review and check relevant money and grain accounts.

This is to train her!

"You're still young. It's time for you to see more, learn more, and gain more experience." Ning Lingyi looked at her with encouragement. "These old accounts involve a wide range of issues. It's good that you can sort them out. In the future, you may not be limited to military affairs."

She continued, "You can be of great use."

Chen Zhiwei felt a surge of hot blood rushing to her head, and her ears were buzzing. She could not even hear clearly what Ning Lingyi said next.

She only remembered that she bowed deeply, then, holding the piece of paper that seemed light yet weighed a thousand pounds, she almost staggered out of the commander's tent.

Outside the tent, the north wind was blowing hard, bringing a stinging sensation on my hot face.

Chen Zhiwei stood in an open space, looking down at the piece of paper in his hand with Ning Lingyi's personal seal on it. He was completely dazed, as if he was walking on clouds or being knocked unconscious by a huge wave.

It can be of great use...

Is it her? The one your majesty is talking about is her?

Can she be of great use?

These four words echoed in her mind again and again, shaking her heart.

She stood there for a long time, until her hands and feet were numb from the cold, and her agitated emotions gradually calmed down, turning into an unprecedented determination.

She folded the note carefully and kept it close to her body, as if it were a priceless treasure.

Then she turned around and faced the general's tent. Although the curtain was closed and she could not see anything, she knew that the man was inside.

In her heart, she swore in an unprecedented tone: "Your Majesty, don't worry."

"I will settle all the accounts in this world for you."

The long wind from outside the Great Wall lifted her clothes and hair, making rustling sounds.

No one knew that this seemingly insignificant moment was the true beginning of the legend of Chen Zhiwei, the female minister who was known as "the best abacus in the world", headed the Ministry of Revenue for more than 20 years, and handled billions of money and grain without any error, throughout two dynasties.

At this moment, Chen Zhiwei was just a minor official of the eighth rank.

It would take her ten years to become the second-rank Minister of Revenue.