Chapter 135 I can't even imagine what Jinzhou will be like in later generations...

Southwest China.

Since the change of ownership, the local people have not only been able to eat their fill, but their lives have also changed.

They cut dry grass, cleared wasteland, dug furrows, cultivated seedlings, and then transplanted corn and sweet potatoes, watering and fertilizing them.

They entered the newly built workshop, where they learned how to work under the guidance of supervisors sent from Jinzhou during the day, and studied writing and arithmetic by candlelight at night.

Their elderly were taken care of, and their children were sent to school.

They received land, tax reductions, and wages.

For many people, this is a good life they never imagined.

They have a house to live in, clothes to wear, and food to eat.

All of this was brought by the people of Jinzhou, and bestowed upon them by the goddess of Jinzhou.

"We must support the goddess. Without the goddess, we wouldn't have such wonderful days!"

The people of Jinzhou recounted their past hardships with heartfelt sincerity: "We used to be just like you. There was a severe drought, the fields and land dried up, the officials all fled, but we poor people couldn't escape. We had no food to eat, no water to drink, and we almost starved to death!"

"The goddess saved us!"

“The goddess has given us enough to eat. Look at me now, the muscles in my arms, my thighs and calves, and the clothes and shoes I wear.”

“I have a job and I earn money every month. Last month I just bought a house for my parents, wife and children.”

"It's all because of the goddess!"

All of this opened their eyes.

It also touched their hearts to some extent, because they, too, were pitiful people who were being oppressed.

The people of Jinzhou say, "Without the goddess, we would go back to the past, and we would still have no food, no clothes, and no place to live! We would be pitiful, with no one to see us and no one to shelter us!"

"But we're all human beings, so why are they superior to us while we're treated like ants? Why should we be bullied and trampled on by them?"

"The goddess has given us hope, the goddess has enabled us to decide our own future, so we will steadfastly support the goddess! We people of Jinzhou do not want to go back to the past, what about you? Are you willing to give up your current life and live like you used to?"

People in the propaganda department are terrifying.

The staff of the Works Department watched as the local people were ignited by their colleague's speech, their emotions—anger, restraint, expectation, longing, and determination—just like he had been in the past.

I was immediately impressed: language is a sharp weapon, and the propaganda department truly lives up to its name.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the young woman sitting next to him, writing furiously. He instinctively leaned over to see what she was writing.

The young woman was short and petite, but she wrote with great force.

Noticing someone watching her, she looked up and flashed a bright smile. "Brother, what are your thoughts after hearing this speech?"

A staff member from the Ministry of Works: "Huh?"

The petite woman rested her pen on her chin, her expression serious, but her tone lively, "I want to adjust the script according to the audience's thoughts. If the speech doesn't resonate with the audience, then the speech is meaningless."

The staff member from the Ministry of Works was taken aback, but quickly realized, "You're Xie Yingshi?"

The newly appointed head of the Publicity Department of the Jinzhou Daily.

Xie Yingshi laughed, "Yes." She was there to conduct on-site interviews in order to report truthfully on poverty alleviation work in the southwest region.

When Xie Ying was mentioned, the staff of the Ministry of Works immediately thought of another name that was equally famous as her, and unconsciously said, "Su Yue..."

Xie Yingshi's expression changed drastically, and she said coldly, "Su Yue went to Shengzhou."

Yes, Shengzhou.

Lu Hong, far away in the capital, replaced Lu Wei and Xue Rang as the new regent. He selected a boy under the age of twelve from among the royal family to be the puppet emperor, appointed himself a queen of a different gender, and began to bestow titles upon his meritorious officials.

This includes He Qinglan.

In gratitude for He Qinglan's support (by giving him the imperial seal), Lu Hong, in the name of the new emperor, bestowed upon her the title of Marquis and granted her Jinzhou and Shengzhou.

He Qinglan readily accepted it.

Whether others are scheming against each other or fighting for territory, He Qinglan will not concern herself with it for the time being.

She currently controls Jinzhou, Shengzhou, the Southwest, and the Northwest region, which she is about to conquer. All three new territories require time for construction and development.

She won't get involved in the competition unless others provoke her.

Jinzhou immediately held its second state examination, selecting a new batch of talents, and then assigning appropriate personnel to take over Shengzhou.

The main people in charge are Mo Jingchun, Ning Huai'an, Fang Qin and others.

The location of Shengzhou came at the perfect time; it was a good opportunity for Mo Jingchun to train her women's army, and she devoted most of her energy to it.

Fang Qin handled most of the affairs in Shengzhou, and consulted Mo Jingchun on major matters for her decision.

People in other departments were also very happy. Originally, there wasn't much room for advancement or promotion in Jinzhou, as the leadership positions had already been occupied by senior colleagues who had arrived earlier.

But now that I've been appointed to Shengzhou, everything starts from scratch, and as long as I do well, I can get promoted!

For example, newcomers like Zhong Mingqi, Yuan Yingchuan, and Yu Yuan, as well as newcomers who have just passed the state exams twice, can all be placed in positions that best suit them and give full play to their strengths.

Zhu Youchuan, Song Li, Li Shurong, Qin Song, Lin Maocai and others set off for the Northwest, so that a seamless handover could be achieved after Hu Dazhu and his men conquered the Northwest region.

Then on the way, he heard about Zheng Tao, the Minister of Agriculture in the Southwest region, who was assassinated by local powerful figures for distributing land to the people of the Southwest.

That familiar art style...

Zhu Youchuan: "..."

Li Shurong: "..."

"What kind of expressions are those!" Li Shurong glared at her colleagues defiantly. "Do you think she's trying to copy Minister Mo's entrapment tactics?"

Colleagues glanced around: "..."

It's not just our opinion, isn't it obvious?

Minister Zheng is using his own position to find a pretext to deal with the local opposition.

Just like Mo Jingchun back then.

Qin Song reached out and patted Li Shurong's shoulder, his expression complicated. "What we think is not important. What's important is what people will think in the future."

It's fine if these two events aren't recorded, but if they are, they will be passed down to future generations...

Li Shurong's lips twitched.

Zhu Youchuan laughed, "If being stabbed once can achieve the goal of eliminating opponents, I'm willing to do it."

This is a very worthwhile deal.

Looking back on her journey, Song Li recalled how she had conducted numerous entrapment operations and sighed with emotion: "It really is a worthwhile investment!"

Zhu Youchuan unfolded his fan, a sly smile appearing on his handsome face. He said, "Everyone, I have an idea. Please cooperate with me when the time comes."

Lin Maocai was shocked. "No, you really want to follow the example of Governor Mo and Minister Zheng?" Is the Northwest region really that difficult to manage?

Zhu Youchuan smiled without saying a word. What does it have to do with whether someone is difficult or not? This tactic is effective because it's very efficient.

Lin Maocai: "..." I beg you all, I don't even want to think about what kind of reputation Jinzhou will have in future generations!

Li Shurong protested, "We're not even sure if Minister Zheng is really imitating our Minister Mo. Maybe he really was assassinated. How can you be so sure that Minister Zheng did it on purpose!"

Qin Song: "...Because the truth is not important; what matters is how the people who hear this story interpret it."

And Li Shurong, you admitted that Governor Mo deliberately allowed himself to be stabbed, right? You admitted it!

Zheng Tao really did it on purpose.

There was no way around it; the local hardliners were too difficult to deal with, seriously hindering her work related to the Ministry of Agriculture.

Zheng Tao, as the Minister of Agriculture, was furious and decided to teach them a lesson.

However, she did not completely emulate Mo Jingchun.

Mo Jingchun deliberately provoked the local forces, causing them to attack her. That stab wound really did leave her bedridden for months.

Zheng Tao arranged for her own people to impersonate the villains, and the arrows they shot only grazed her body. She pretended to be seriously injured and lay motionless in bed.

Then the local leader used this as an excuse to attack the opposition.

Taking advantage of the situation, Shao Jinmei from the Propaganda Department played the victim and spread propaganda, successfully enraging the local people: "The people of Jinzhou wanted to give us land, but you assassinated them. If you don't want us to live, then you should die first!"

This left the opposition in a difficult position: after all, although they are in the opposition, they are not all of one mind. How do I know you didn't do it if I didn't? And how can I prove that I didn't do it?

Newcomers Xie Yingshi and Liang Xingqi said they had learned a lot.

As long as the goal can be achieved, there is no need to be particular about the means.

Jinzhou.

He Qinglan picked up a brush and wrote a few pieces of calligraphy. Qian Shiwen took them, admiring the goddess's brushstrokes, and exclaimed, "Your calligraphy is truly excellent!"

He said, "This is really troublesome for the goddess."

It's an unwritten custom that whenever a new academy is built, a goddess is invited to inscribe a name for it.

He Qinglan didn't mind, "This is my way of showing my love for the children."

With a loving smile, Qian Shiwen said, "The children will surely be grateful for the goddess's kindness and study hard."

He Qinglan's lips curled slightly, "They study for their own sake."

Qian Shiwen's expression immediately turned serious. "Yes."

As he left with the inscription, he glanced at the guards standing outside the door.

Then he asked He Qinglan, "Goddess, Qiu Tang..."

He Qinglan said, "I sent her to the Northwest."

Seeing Qian Shiwen's puzzled expression, she explained, "Going to the grassroots level will allow her to gain experience and grow faster."

Qian Shiwen understood immediately and suggested, "How about we transfer a few more people over to serve you..."

He Qinglan politely declined, saying, "No need, I'll wait for Qiutang to come back."

Qian Shiwen was surprised, "You seem to have a rather... audacious opinion of Qiutang..."

He Qinglan raised one eyebrow. "Are you implying that I'm not treating you well?"

Qian Shiwen's expression changed, and he quickly apologized, "Goddess, please forgive me, I absolutely did not do such a thing."

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Author's Note: I'm going on a trip tomorrow, so there won't be any updates before the 7th. However, I will update four more chapters before the 8th, as the word count for the rankings is 15,000.