78. Chapter 78

"none"

When Shi Shilun received Qi You's post, he didn't dare to delay for a moment and rushed over immediately.

By noon, even in the north, the late spring sun was still making people sweat.

When they dismounted in front of Qi You's yard, Shi Shilun was already thirsty. He wiped the sweat off his face. The servant came forward to take the reins and tied them to the dismounting stone.

Shi Shilun was surveying the plain and shabby courtyard when the door creaked open. Degao came out to greet him and politely asked, "Mr. Shi?"

Shi Shilun said yes, took out the note and handed it over. "We are far away from each other, so I didn't get in touch in advance. I wonder if the Seventh Prince is home?"

Degao stepped aside to welcome Shi Shilun into the courtyard and said with a smile, "Seventh Prince is here. Sir Shi, please come in."

Shi Shilun hurriedly thanked him and followed Degao into the courtyard. In the center of the small courtyard, a variety of flowers were planted closely together, a dazzling array of colors that was truly beautiful.

After entering the main room, Guihe brought up some hot water to help Shi Shilun wash up. Degao served him some hot tea and said, "Master Shi, please wait a moment. The Seventh Prince will be here soon."

After washing up, Shi Shilun sat in a chair and waited while drinking tea.

They waited until lunchtime. Qi You appeared, sleepy-eyed, and Shi Shilun hurriedly stood up to greet him.

Qi You waved his hand, then yawned slightly and said vaguely, "Master Shi, please sit down. I drank a few more sips of wine last night and got up a little late."

Shi Shilun was stunned for a moment, secretly looking up and down at Qi You. He saw that his face was exhausted, and his clothes were loose. He looked boneless, half leaning back in his chair, holding the tea bowl, took a sip, frowned as if in disgust, and put it down again.

Things were busy at the shipyard, so Shi Shilun put aside his business to see Qi You, and as soon as he arrived, he sat on the bench and waited in vain.

It would have been fine if Qi You was delayed by important matters, but he drank too much and just slept until now.

Shi Shilun felt uncomfortable, and a hint of emotion appeared on his face.

Thinking that Qi You was a prince after all, Shi Shilun didn't dare to say much. He forced a smile and said, "Seventh Prince, you have worked hard."

Qi You waved his hands and said nonchalantly: "It's not hard, how could it be hard? I have food and drink, but the place I live in is a little worse, not as good as the capital."

Shi Shilun smiled apologetically, turned around and looked around the house, and agreed, "That's right, this place is really a bit remote, and the living space can't compare to the palace."

Qi You smiled, turned to look at the clock, and said, "Oh, we asked Master Shi to come and enjoy the flowers, but it's already lunchtime. Master Shi, when you came, did you see the flowers in the yard?"

Shi Shilun was stunned for a moment and replied, "I have seen it."

"That's great, I'll give you a treat after seeing you." Qi You ordered De Gao to serve the dishes, then turned to the stunned Shi Shilun and said with a smile, "Let's eat first. We invited Master Shi to come to our house, so we can't let him go hungry."

As Shi Shilun watched Qi You's behavior, the discomfort in his heart grew stronger and stronger.

Qi You's reputation was well-known, and Shi Shilun had long heard of his name. He had no choice but to know about the high-profile way he did things.

Shi Shilun didn't take it seriously at the time. The prince had been served by a large group of people since he was a child. Qi You was so young, how could he do it on his own? It was just the work of the counselors behind him.

Now that he had seen it with his own eyes, Shi Shilun confirmed his earlier thoughts. His face, already somewhat serious and dignified, became even more solemn.

Qi You was about to add more wine to Shi Shilun when De Gao came up with a wine pot and poured a glass for Qi You. He stopped him and said with a stern face, "Seventh Prince, I'm sorry, drinking will cause trouble. I never drink alcohol."

Qi You took a sip from the cup and said without further persuasion, "De Gao, since Master Shi doesn't want to drink, there's no need to pour him some. I drank some yesterday and I'm still drunk. I need to sober up a bit. Come on, Master Shi, have some food. I don't have anything special to treat you. Don't be so formal."

There were meat, vegetables, and a fresh fish on the table. For the prince, these meals were nothing in the palace, but this was the desolate and uninhabited northern land!

Shi Shilun forced himself to thank him, then picked up a piece of fish with his chopsticks. The fish was fresh and tender. Even though he grew up by the sea, he rarely had such delicious fish.

Qi You said, "This is a redtail fish that grows in the lake on the mountain. I usually like it. I have to eat it every other day, otherwise I won't be able to enjoy my meal."

Shi Shilun knew that there were many lakes in the mountains here, but the way up the mountain was difficult. In addition, the winter was very cold, so going up the mountain to catch fish for Qi You was more difficult than doing corvee labor for the common people.

The fish meat that had previously tasted delicious suddenly became tasteless in his mouth. Shi Shilun lowered his head and ate silently, while Qi You slowly drank the wine in his glass.

Shi Shilun finished his meal long after, and Qi Youfang finished his wine. Degao Gui prepared some salt water and helped him rinse his mouth. Qi Youfang yawned and said, "Oh, I'm sleepy again after eating. Degao, take Master Shi down to rest."

Shi Shilun couldn't bear it any longer, so he stood up and said in a deep voice, "Seventh Prince, I won't rest. There's still a lot of things to do at the dock. If you don't have anything important to do, I'll take my leave now."

Qi You seemed stunned for a moment, looking Shi Shilun up and down, and asked curiously: "What's going on at the dock, Master Shi?"

Shi Shilun suppressed his anger and said righteously, "Seventh Prince, there are many things to do at the shipyard. I am grateful to the Emperor for transferring me to the navy. I must live up to his trust. From the smallest nail to the largest shipbuilders, I have to keep an eye on everything. In the past, they were careless and indulged in wine and pleasure. If I were not here, they would be even more careless. The navy is the army guarding the borders of the Qing Dynasty and fighting the enemy for the Qing Dynasty. How can we treat it as a joke!"

Qi You uttered an "oh" and then laughed, waving his hand for Shi Shilun to sit down. "Hearing you say that, I'm really a little confused. In what capacity does Lord Shi have to manage these masters? They are neither soldiers of the court nor receive salaries from the court. They are civilians, and Lord Shi is not a local official. Isn't this a bit too much?"

Shi Shilun's expression froze. He wasn't stupid, and he finally reacted. Qi You must have called him here because Sabsu had complained!

Thinking of the reckless Sabusu, Shi Shilun was filled with resentment. He was just throwing punches at random and was completely unreasonable.

He ordered his master not to drink alcohol, but the wine they had was all given by Sabsu.

Since that was the case, Shi Shilun had to talk to Qi You. He sat down on the chair again and said angrily, "Seventh Prince, you've heard the saying, 'A single move can affect the entire body.' If the ship is not built well, it will fall apart or sink in one blow. The money will be fine, but countless soldiers will die! The shipbuilders don't take it seriously. If you want to leave, just leave. We can find someone else who knows how to build a ship!"

Qi You sighed and asked, "Look at what Master Shi said! After they leave, Master Shi will go find someone to build a boat. Who will pay for the boatbuilding? Oh, no, I haven't asked yet. Does Master Shi know how to build a boat? "

Because the imperial court had no money, it tried every possible means to exchange permission to go out to sea for merchants to build ships for the imperial court for free.

Shi Shilun had also heard from Sabusu that he was asked to pay for hiring someone, but he didn't take it seriously at that time, and he still didn't take it seriously now.

"It's their responsibility to contribute money and effort to the Qing Dynasty. If these people are not capable, let the merchants replace them with other masters!"

Shi Shilun answered passionately, looked at Qi You, and said, "I dare not brag, I can't build a ship. But over the years, I have some experience in how to manage the barracks and how to govern the local area. I am grateful to the emperor for praising me many times!"

Qi You let out a long sigh and said slowly, "I thought Lord Shi would say that if the master went back and there was no one to work, Lord Shi would pay the master to continue building ships. According to Lord Shi, it's all for the Qing Dynasty. Lord Shi is also a citizen of the Qing Dynasty. Merchants can contribute money and labor, so can Lord Shi. It turns out that Lord Shi is just being generous to others."

Shi Shilun was stunned, his face flushing and then pale. He said, "I am an honest official, and I am short of money. I really can't come up with the money. If I could come up with it, I would definitely not hesitate."

Qi You said casually, "I can believe that Lord Shi is an honest official because he employs servants and rides a fine horse. But I absolutely won't believe that he is poor. The fortune left to Lord Shi by your father is more than enough for him to be an honest official."

Military officers who fight in wars have always been wealthy. Shi Lang was an official of the former Ming Dynasty. Even if he was a very upright person, his family would not be short of money.

Shi Shilun, thanks to his father's support, entered the government and was initially appointed as a prefect. Even as a prefect, his annual salary was only around eighty taels of silver. This was not enough to support his family and his advisors and attendants.

Relying on the wealth left by Shi Lang, Shi Shilun was able to be an honest official with a clear conscience.

Shi Shilun's mouth was filled with bitterness. After hesitating for a moment, he said, "I am only doing this for the good of the Qing Dynasty. How could the Seventh Prince understand my painstaking efforts?"

Qi You sat up straight, his face became a little serious, and placed the tea bowl on the table with a dull thud.

Shi Shilun stared at Qi You in a daze, as if he had suddenly become a different person with an awe-inspiring demeanor. His heart inexplicably tightened.

Qi You dropped the politeness and spoke bluntly, "There are so many cases of people with good intentions doing bad things. Lord Shi, to be honest, it was me who suggested that Khan Ama transfer you to the navy. Firstly, it's because you're not a bad person by nature. Secondly, it's because of your father. Thirdly, I hope you can use your energy in the right place. Your harshness and harshness may be fine for commanding the army, but it's not suitable for judging cases or governing the local area."

Shi Shilun stared at Qi You in astonishment. He had never thought that he had come to this hellish place because of him. He was immediately furious and said in a stern voice, "Seventh Prince, may I ask what I have done wrong to deserve such treatment? Besides, you have never governed a region, let alone managed a military camp. What right do you have to judge me?"

Qi You slammed his hand on the table and shouted, "How dare you! How dare you question me!"

Shi Shilun was shocked. No matter how young or ridiculous Qi You was, he was still a prince.

If a prince breaks the law, common people are guilty as well. Shi Shilun, no matter how righteous he was, didn't dare take it seriously. He hurriedly stood up and apologized: "Seventh Prince, please calm down. Seventh Prince, please calm down. It was all my hasty words that offended you. Please forgive me."

Qi You stared at Shi Shilun, his expression slightly relaxed. "Since you admit your mistake, I will not argue with you. Please sit down."

Shi Shilun breathed a long sigh of relief, thanked him and sat back in his chair.

Qi You glanced at Shi Shilun and said, "I know you're still unconvinced, but because I'm the Seventh Prince, you have no choice but to bow down. Sir Shi, how are you really any different from me? Was it because of your father that you were able to rise to the top and become the prefect? ​​As a prince, am I not qualified to evaluate you and bring you to the north?"

Shi Shilun's anger was almost completely dissipated.

Before this, he had no experience in governing a region. If it weren't for Shi Lang, he wouldn't have been able to become the governor of a state.

Qi You continued, "Since you still want to know where you went wrong, I'll be kind enough to tell you. First, whether you were judging cases or governing Yangzhou, you disregarded the law and acted entirely according to your own preferences. Ultimately, it's because of your status as an official that everything seems reasonable and logical. In reality, your actions are no different from those of the local bullies who prey on the people."

Shi Shilun was criticized by Qi You and was worthless. In addition to being frustrated, he was even more dissatisfied and couldn't help but defend himself, saying, "I'm just standing up for the poor people!"

Qi You smiled and said, "Master Shi, where do you place the laws of the Qing Dynasty? Please answer this question first, and then talk about your dedication to serving the people."

With the Great Qing Law in place, of course one must act in accordance with the law. No matter what he did, it was against the law.

Shi Shilun opened his mouth, his face flushed and he couldn't speak.

Qi You's expression paled a bit, and he said, "You don't drink. You were quite dissatisfied when you saw me drinking before. However, I am the prince, so even if you are dissatisfied, you have to endure it and dare not say anything to stop me. The shipbuilders are ordinary people. You can rely on your official status to force them to abide by unnecessary rules. Lord Shi, morality is used to restrain yourself, not to restrain others. Lord Shi is different. Not only did you take advantage of others, but you also violated the rights of the people without knowing it!"

Shi Shilun felt like he was hit by a bolt of lightning. His head was buzzing and his face, which was initially red, turned pale.

No one had ever said these words to him. He always respected self-cultivation, family harmony, and governance. When he was in Yangzhou, he did not allow the people to have fun, and he cleaned up the Yangzhou customs.

In Qi You's opinion, his actions were completely wrong and foolish. But Qi You's words were reasonable, and his behavior made it difficult to refute him.

Born in the south by the sea, Shi Shilun was visiting the north for the first time in his life. At first, things were fine, but once he passed Zhangjiakou, the surrounding scenery began to change.

He had never seen such a vast, yet desolate world. Desolate, in fact, was desolate.

Desolation has always been accompanied by poverty. When Shi Shilun arrived at the dock on the Heilongjiang River, he was initially shocked and then became numb.

Far away from the center, Shi Shilun had no idea what Kangxi was thinking. When he first received the order to transfer, he was surprised and uneasy, and the rest was frustration.

Colleagues congratulated him happily, but Shi Shilun could of course see that they were insincere and gloating.

Being transferred from the most affluent area in the south of the Yangtze River to the extremely cold north, no one, even the high-ranking officials, were willing to go.

When we left Yangzhou, we heard the sound of firecrackers coming from somewhere, and then all of them went off.

After walking a long way, Shi Shilun's ears were still ringing with the sound of firecrackers. Sometimes he would have nightmares in the middle of the night, where he would dream of those firecrackers exploding around him, startling him so much that he would sit up in a cold sweat.

Everything he had held onto for years suddenly collapsed. Shi Shilun's eyes flushed red as he muttered to himself in confusion, "I'm so foolish and so unbearable!"

Qi You looked at Shi Shilun's empty eyes, stood up and said, "Since Master Shi is leaving, I won't keep you any longer. I just want to go to the fields and take a look. I'm going the same way as Master Shi, so let's go together."

Shi Shilun stood up in a daze and walked out with Qi You.

The bright and beautiful afternoon sun shines on the crops in the fields. The rice seedlings and rice plants are as green as jasper and sway gently in the breeze.

Shi Shilun's mind became much clearer after being blown by the wind. He looked up casually and was stunned for a moment.

I came here in a hurry and didn't have time to take a closer look at the surrounding scenery.

Now, looking into the distance, one can see villages nestled against the mountains and beside the water, with wisps of smoke rising from thatched roofs, boys herding cattle and sheep, and people working in the fields weeding.

Unlike the desolate place he had seen before, he felt like he had entered a paradise of peace and tranquility.

Shi Shilun's heart suddenly turned cold, and his scalp tightened. Only then did he finally come to his senses and couldn't help sweating profusely.

From Qi You's previous merciless scolding, every word as sharp as wind, frost and sword, and then considering his reputation, to the village and fields in front of him.

Shi Shilun knew one thing clearly: Qi You was not just a name, he was really capable.

Shi Shilun's face was pale, his lips moving as he asked hesitantly, "Seventh Prince, what did you do to make this bitter cold land become what it is today?"

Qi You glanced at Shi Shilun and said, "Empty talk and wishful thinking will harm the country. Stop talking nonsense and do more practical work."

Shi Shilun seemed to understand but not quite, and fell into deep thought.

Qi You turned his head and said calmly, "Master Shi, go back and take care of the soldiers instead of interfering with the civilians. The ship will be launched for inspection and testing. By then, we will know whether it is good or not."

Shi Shilun wiped away the beads of sweat on his forehead and replied respectfully, "Seventh Prince, I understand. As long as those masters do their job well, I will not interfere any more."

Qi You hummed, without commenting, and said sternly, "Remember, true protection for the people is to allow them to live a better life in a stable environment. The officials are not real parents. How they live in their own homes is their business. As long as it's not illegal, don't barge in and dictate to them how to do things according to your preferences."

Shi Shilun looked ashamed, quickly replied yes, and bowed to take his leave.

Qi You just glanced at his departing back and turned to look for Lin Daniu. The crops in the field were important.

Qi You knew about Shi Shilun's arrival in the village. At the time, he was busy planting sweet potatoes and yams with Lin Daniu and the others, so he gave De Gao a few instructions and stayed in the field, deliberately giving Shi Shilun the impression that he was an idle dandy.

Qi You certainly didn't drink alcohol; he simply added water to an empty wine jug to give it a scent. Knowing that Shi Shilun didn't drink, he wasn't afraid of him finding out.

Qi You did all this to make Shi Shilun more aware of his absurdity and inconsistency between his words and deeds.

Qi You found it difficult to say whether Shi Shilun understood or could change. After all, he was already in his sixties, so how could he change his personality with just a few words?

Qi You didn't care about these things. As long as he could manage his soldiers and not interfere without authorization, it would be fine.

In fact, Shi Shilun was doing a good job. Qi You was just causing trouble for himself by bringing him here.

However, Shi Shilun is different from others. It would be fine if Qi You didn't know about it, but if he knew about it, he would definitely not tolerate it.

Shi Shilun educated the people under his control into having identical faces, without any personality, and only knowing how to be obedient and submissive.

Qi You has looked at old photos and he still can't forget those numb faces.

This is the appearance of the obedient people bred by the Qing Dynasty's years of ideological suppression. It is truly horrifying, comparable to another form of "literary inquisition."

In order to prevent future generations from becoming the "sick man of East Asia" in the eyes of the great powers, Qi You would not hesitate to sacrifice his life.