Chapter 69 (069) I Steal It
Xie Lanzhao looked astonished.
She only agreed to go to Mingde Academy, how did it end up costing her a quiet evening?
"I don't need any pomp and circumstance, and the household doesn't need to prepare too much." Zhao Jialing was very considerate of Xie Lanzhao, and the scene he imagined played out in his mind. The bright smile on her lips was particularly dazzling. "I can suddenly appear, but I don't want to frighten you, so I'll discuss it with you first."
Xie Lanzhao: "..." Was this a discussion? It was practically announcing the final result. She held back for a long time, but finally couldn't help raising an eyebrow and saying, "Then this subject is grateful for Your Majesty's thoughtfulness?"
She used a rhetorical question, but Zhao Jialing had his own way of ignoring her tone. He waved his hand and said, "Given our relationship, there's no need to be so polite. I'm thinking of you wholeheartedly; if you refuse again, you'll be quite presumptuous."
Seeing his smug expression, Xie Lanzhao couldn't help but laugh. She asked, "What if I continue to be ungrateful?"
Zhao Jialing deliberately put on a gloomy face and lowered her voice: "Then don't blame me for using my power to suppress people." She is no longer the aggrieved little emperor who gets refuted ten times by the censors for every word she says. She is a peerless wise ruler who is blessed by the gods and is omnipotent!
Having said that, Xie Lanzhao had no choice but to continue indulging her, and replied with his hands clasped, "Your subject understands."
By mid-May, Zhao Jialing, after disguising himself, left the palace again. To avoid alerting the students of Mingde Academy, Zhao Jialing and Xie Lanzhao initially kept their identities hidden, secretly meeting with those in charge of the academy. Mingde Academy, like the Imperial Academy, consisted of dormitories and a dining hall, and its rules were stricter. Children in the early grades could go home every day, but other students were not allowed to return except on holidays, and were not permitted to be served by servants or attendants.
Zhao Jialing toured the dormitories and then inspected the dining hall. These were all funded by the academy; while not comparable to the lavish feasts of the wealthy, they were enough to feed the students. Zhao Jialing didn't want to mistreat the students in terms of food and lodging, and seeing that everything was as she had expected, she nodded in satisfaction.
[Congratulations, host, for triggering the achievement "I am good at nurturing scholars throughout the world."] The Wise Ruler System's cheerful voice rang out.
Xie Lanzhao remained calm, while Du Wenyu, the Supervising Secretary, showed a slight change in expression.
However, Zhao Jialing didn't notice, and she was quite puzzled: [I didn't accept any missions.]
Wise Ruler System: [Didn't the host complete the Mingde Academy mission? And the Jinxianren mission? This achievement is the "echo" of the mission. The reward is quite generous, it's a planting gift pack! Host, we're rich!] The upbeat tone fully demonstrates the system's joy and pride. Achievements and rewards are uncontrollable; once triggered, it shares the same surprise as the host.
The words "Planting Gift Package" finally made Xie Lanzhao's eyelids twitch. As for Du Wenyu, the Supervising Secretary, her emotions were also complex and difficult to describe. She had been back in the capital for some time and naturally knew that His Majesty was protected by the gods. But this matter was truly unbelievable. Not to mention a few months, she might still feel dazed and frightened when she thought about it in a few years.
Throughout history, monarchs have proclaimed the Mandate of Heaven, even going so far as to lavish celebrations and squander countless resources. But those auspicious omens were often tainted with too much superfluous information; once you squeezed them out, there was little left. Your Majesty, however, is truly blessed by the divine. The Ministry of Rites repeatedly attempted to welcome you with a high-level ceremony, but Your Majesty always waved them off.
Therefore, the true grace of God will not cause hardship or waste of resources; it may even point out a smooth and easy path, right?
Zhao Jialing didn't continue discussing the seeds with the system, but instead had Du Wenyu lead the way—the tour would proceed according to the academy's curriculum. Due to some ingrained habits, after mentioning the dormitories and canteen, which Zhao Jialing had suggested, Du Wenyu's first topic was literature—people at the time valued literature, so it was naturally considered their primary pursuit.
The windows were bright and the tables were clean, with no trace of books and inkstones flying around.
Failure belongs only to the Imperial Academy.
Zhao Jialing had no intention of testing the students' academic performance, nor did he show his face; he only asked a few brief questions.
"I noticed that Minister Du mentioned the 'publication' in his previous memorial?" Zhao Jialing asked. Lately, he had many things to attend to, and aside from matters of national importance, Zhao Jialing rarely replied, mostly just writing "I've heard."
Du Wenyu replied, "The School of Literature will take the lead, collecting a wide range of articles. The first issue has already been sent to the craftsmen for printing." Huangyong Printing House is affiliated with Mingde Academy, so publishing is relatively simple. The editing, proofreading, and review are all done by the students themselves. "The publication will be issued in the name of Mingde Academy, and some will also be sent to libraries and bookstores for students all over the world to browse."
The publications sent to the bookstore would likely be sold at cost price, and Zhao Jialing had no objection to this, nor did she feel that the stench of money was polluting the academic atmosphere. She nodded and said, "Then the quality must be strictly controlled, so as not to make scholars all over the world laugh."
Du Wenyu nodded: "I understand. Before publication, I had already asked the Mingde Scholar to review it." Most of the Mingde Scholars nowadays are newly appointed scholars of this cohort. They may lack experience in being officials, but they are certainly knowledgeable enough.
"The flourishing of literature and scholarship promotes our virtuous character." Zhao Jialing then changed the subject and asked, "What about the other subjects?"
"Except for military science, we're preparing to publish our own journals. However, some are limited in content, so it will probably be a long time before a single issue is released." Du Wenyu looked somewhat troubled. Anyone can browse the books for those subjects, but things that haven't been touched before can't be digested in a short time. Some subjects are interdisciplinary, but they don't require literary skills. He had to admit that he was a complete layman.
“It doesn’t necessarily need to be published as a book.” Xie Lanzhao raised an eyebrow. “How about a painting or calligraphy piece?”
【Eek! A newspaper!】The Wise Ruler System spoke again.
This involves dividing the page into short, concise sections, suitable for both academic subjects and government affairs. Major policies and guidelines can also be disseminated to prefectures and counties through the newspaper.
Zhao Jialing was silent for a moment: [Why didn't you say so sooner?]
Wise Ruler System: [。]
It is indeed a huge database, but it requires a "retrieval" trigger.
Du Wenyu's eyelids twitched, and he said, "That's a good idea."
"This matter will be handled by Mingde Academy." Zhao Jialing readily handed the matter over to Du Wenyu. After hesitating for a moment, he added, "If there isn't enough manpower, then look for people at the Imperial Academy. Of course, those good-for-nothings should be avoided. I'm afraid their 'great wisdom' will ruin the project."
His Majesty's disdain for the Imperial Academy was undisguised, Du Wenyu sighed inwardly and nodded in agreement. After thinking for a while, she added, "Some students are tinkering with cement based on books." Since these were all novel ideas, Du Wenyu, with the idea of "letting them do it freely," allowed the students to experiment. The literature and law students were within her comprehension, but the other subjects, especially chemistry and engineering—sugar making, sauce making, winemaking, salt production, even metallurgy… the variety was truly eye-opening for Du Wenyu. At first, she was worried day and night, even dreaming of all sorts of bizarre and fantastical scenes. Later, after learning that His Majesty encouraged innovation, her worries subsided; as long as the experiments didn't cause any injuries or deaths, that was fine.
【Three?】 For unfamiliar words, the system is always the right choice. Zhao Jialing was only flipping through it; how could he possibly memorize every single word in the book?
Wise Ruler System: [Triggering the main quest "Governing the Country, Building Infrastructure, To Get Rich, Build Roads First," host, keep up the good work!]
Zhao Jialing hissed. The task had arrived, and the cement researchers had to produce results.
She asked, "Who is conducting this research?"
Du Wenyu said, "There is a student from Meizhou in Jiannan Circuit named Gui Hongjing. She is not from a respectable family; her family is engaged in porcelain making." A child who can read and write is usually expected to have a successful future by her family, but Gui Hongjing's interest clearly lies elsewhere. Upon learning that Mingde Academy was selecting students, she went to the prefectural government office to recommend herself.
Xie Lanzhao asked, "Is she alone?"
Du Wenyu shook her head and said, "There's also Prince Consort Gao, Princess Wannian, and officials and craftsmen from the Ministry of Works and the Imperial Workshop." She recalled the report that Gui Hongjing had sent, which mentioned "limestone mines," "clay," and "scrap iron slag," which were not things that Mingde Academy could provide. If they wanted to study them, they would have to work with the Ministry of Works.
Zhao Jialing seemed to understand something. She chuckled and said, "There's no need to stop them. We can make things easy for them when necessary."
Among the rewards from the previous system settlement, there was one related to smelting. She vaguely remembered that the rebuilt workshop had begun to improve the kiln and use coal as fuel, and even the blower had been upgraded. She didn't know the specifics of how it was done, but the newly forged swords fully demonstrated the wisdom and skill of the craftsmen.
Xie Lanzhao said, "I remember reading in the book that cement paving roads becomes quite hard after drying. The Chang'an Avenue is often dusty and muddy when it rains. If we could develop cement, it would be a revolutionary change. However, to promote it—" She paused, looked at Zhao Jialing, and did not continue.
Zhao Jialing realized that it all boiled down to money. During the research phase, she could pay for it herself, but paving the roads would be a huge undertaking, requiring funds from the national treasury. Since Zhao Jialing ascended the throne, the years had been bountiful, but various expenditures were still considerable, and she couldn't afford to continue spending money recklessly. The Minister of Revenue would likely be facing a grimace in court again.
The solution is simply to increase revenue and reduce expenditure. However, taxes cannot be increased, so reducing expenditure means cutting back on food, clothing, and daily necessities. But whose expenses should be cut? Compared to previous emperors, Zhao Jialing was already considered frugal. She neither emphasized auspicious omens nor engaged in large-scale construction of palaces for enjoyment. Therefore, the only option was to cut the salaries of officials. But hadn't she recently urged officials of retirement age to retire? To drastically cut salaries and rations at this point would be tantamount to slapping herself in the face. Moreover, when it comes to matters of interest, even if a few truly had the noble spirit to eat coarse food for the sake of the people, the vast majority lacked that kind of courage. Humans need to eat; they aren't gods who can live on a single breath. Being slow and inefficient in their work is one thing, but directly reaching out to the people is another. Low salaries breed rampant corruption.
After a moment's thought, Zhao Jialing wanted to sigh. However, she remained optimistic and waved her hand, saying, "Let's wait until the cement is researched and the cost is calculated before we talk about it." She didn't want to be labeled as "bitter and ungrateful."
As his gaze fell upon Xie Lanzhao, Zhao Jialing's inner thoughts resurfaced.
My prime minister looks completely calm; he probably has a good idea.
Du Wenyu couldn't help but look at Xie Lanzhao.
Isn't this the look on Xie Xiang's face all the time? What else could he possibly be trying to figure out?
Xie Lanzhao remained calm and did not continue the topic.
It's not that you can't extend a knife, it just depends on where you extend it.
·
After leaving Mingde Academy, Zhao Jialing looked cheerful.
It's not that she has no worries about what will happen, but aren't there court officials to share her burdens? With everyone pooling their wisdom and efforts, there will surely be a way to get things done.
These thoughts lingered in his mind, and in short, Zhao Jialing felt relaxed and at ease. Sitting in the carriage on the way to Xie's residence, he even had the leisure to order people to buy all kinds of food, taking small bites while regretting that he couldn't eat some of them, such as the Deng family's tofu rice cakes, which he would have to wait for next time.
It was getting late, and the drums in the market were already beating, wave after wave rolling in like tides.
Xie Lanzhao stared at Zhao Jialing, her mind racing between trying to persuade her to return to the palace and thinking about what would happen at night, knowing she would likely be making a racket.
Zhao Jialing looked up and saw that she didn't speak, but just stared at him quietly, so he held up half a sesame flatbread and asked, "Do you want some?"
Xie Lanzhao: "I am not hungry."
Zhao Jialing said, "Since your home is around here, it's not difficult for you to eat the local flatbreads."
Xie Lanzhao choked, and asked, "...Is there no one in the palace who knows how to make sesame cakes?" She really couldn't think of anything that was different.
“It’s a different experience.” Zhao Jialing shook her head. She frowned and pondered for a moment before finally blurting out a “golden rule,” “Maybe it lacks a bit of the thrill of sneaking around.”
Xie Lanzhao glanced at her, a strange feeling inexplicably rising in her heart.
It was as if His Majesty wasn't referring to flatbread.
The carriage turned into Wubenfang and went directly into the Xie residence. As soon as the carriage came to a stop, Xie Lanzhao reached out and lifted the curtain, inviting Zhao Jialing to get off first.
Grandmother wasn't at home; her uncle had taken her to stay for a few days, leaving only a large group of servants to greet her. Xie Lanzhao waved her hand, dismissing them to their respective tasks.
"It's good that there are no adults at home," Zhao Jialing sighed. When the Grand Princess was at the mansion, she would always greet her in full regalia, which put some pressure on her.
Xie Lanzhao smiled and asked, "Does Your Majesty wish to have a meal?"
"Hmm?" Zhao Jialing's tone rose slightly at the end, and she clicked her tongue, "I want everything to be simple, but you can't not even give me food, can you?"
Xie Lanzhao: "..." This is unfair to her. His Majesty's mouth hadn't stopped the whole way. Wasn't she worried he'd overeat? She could easily imagine the scene: His Majesty lying on the couch, groaning, insisting she rub his stomach to help him digest. Then, having gotten the benefit, he'd turn around and blame her for preparing the delicacies.
Knowing that Zhao Jialing truly didn't care, Xie Lanzhao simplified everything.
The lights were dim, and a few small dishes paired with a pot of wine created a warm and cozy atmosphere, like that of a small home.
"Didn't you say before that there was no wine?" Zhao Jialing muttered, bringing up old grievances, glancing at Xie Lanzhao, waiting for her to explain.
Xie Lanzhao remained calm and composed, saying, "Precisely because we were short of them before, I had my family prepare some."
Zhao Jialing: "I can't argue with you." She snorted and took a sip of wine. It was a mellow, sweet wine, not intoxicating, and wouldn't make her face flush. But Zhao Jialing was still jolted awake by that tiny bit of alcohol. She said as if suddenly realizing something, "I know, you've been looking forward to my arrival since then, haven't you?!"
Xie Lanzhao said, "Which minister in the court doesn't long for His Majesty to visit their private residence? This is a great honor for a subject."
Zhao Jialing: "..."
[Damn Xie Lanzhao, does she always have to speak in such a businesslike tone?]
Couldn't you at least say 'Welcome to me'?
Xie Lanzhao smiled, raised her cup and said, "Your Majesty, I invite you to drink."
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