Chapter 1175: Why Can't I Farm? (Part 2) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
The government office was short-staffed, so Shen Tang also had Lady Wang listed as a staff member.
The latter inexplicably became a government employee.
The parents of the Li and Wang families came over to find out what was going on.
Shen Tang smiled and explained, "I see that your two daughters are intelligent and literate, so I thought I would let them work as clerks in the government office. It's just a leisurely job, and I would never let your two daughters suffer."
The head of the Li family said, "This humble one had no such intention. It is a blessing for my daughter that you have taken a liking to her. However, she is a woman and I am afraid that she is not suitable. I am worried that if she does something wrong, it will affect the government."
The Wang family had also had this concern, but they were immediately displeased when they heard the Li family belittle their daughter like that.
He glared at her angrily: "What do you mean by 'a mere woman'? How is my son unsuitable as a mere scribe?"
The Li family elders were furious at being contradicted.
Is this old man's brain clogged with shit?
Do you even know the saying, "Unsolicited kindness is either a sign of ulterior motives or theft"?
It's normal for newly arrived officials to curry favor with local wealthy families, but no one has ever proactively offered government jobs to the children of wealthy families! Is this genuine flattery or is there something else going on?
Although civil officials didn't have much real power, they were still part of the government!
They were served government food and paid their share of government meals.
Such a great thing was delivered to our doorstep without us having to lift a finger?
Don't you even consider whether such a good thing exists in the world?
Hehehe, there really is!
Not only their daughter got a share, but they did too.
Shen Tang repeatedly reassured the Li family elders, even arranging for them to meet privately with Lady Wang. Lady Wang's words were more effective than Shen Tang's; soon, both families' attitudes changed drastically, and they no longer objected to Lady Wang serving as a civil servant in the government. Lady Wang's reasoning was practical: she planned to take in two sons-in-law in the future. If she remained a sheltered woman, how could she manage two sons-in-law and the watchful relatives and clansmen after her parents' passing?
When she talked about things she was afraid of, she couldn't help but shed tears.
The two wives hugged their daughter tightly, repeatedly saying how wronged their precious child had been. The two fathers sighed repeatedly, and after discussing it amongst themselves, they had to admit that their daughters' concerns were justified. After all, a son-in-law is a man; how could they not know what kind of man he was?
If the son-in-law has a conscience, that's fine; he just needs to obediently live off his wife.
What if a son-in-law who marries into a family is actually a treacherous villain who appears loyal?
Those old folks pretended to be respectable people while they were alive, but now that they've passed away, their true colors have been revealed.
A weak son-in-law can't protect his daughter, while a capable one could easily harm her. Plus, there are relatives and clansmen eyeing her; her situation is too dangerous. Even having two sons-in-law to check and balance each other might not be effective. If only their daughter could keep order...
The two fathers exchanged a glance.
They tacitly accepted this.
This also tacitly acknowledged Shen Tang's scheme.
They're not doing charity work; they must have some ulterior motive.
In truth, Shen Tang didn't have many schemes. If things went smoothly, both families could benefit. She looked at the parents of the two families who had come together and greeted them with a smile. The head of the Li family said, "I will never forget your great kindness to my daughter. Please let me know if you have any requests."
The head of the Wang family stared at him in a daze.
This isn't right. Shouldn't we sound them out first?
Shen Tang smiled gently and harmlessly, and spoke with a clear conscience: "What do you mean by 'assigning'? I only want to bring blessings to the common people under my jurisdiction and let everyone live a peaceful and prosperous life."
The head of the Li family asked, "What are your plans?"
Shen Tang's smile faded, and she sighed deeply.
"To be honest, I came from the capital with my retainers, actually to avoid the infighting. Things are getting worse and worse, and if we just watch from the sidelines, things might not turn out well." She adopted a posture of wanting to confide in the two of them, which made them feel extremely uneasy. They did have some savings, but if they invested that money in the warlord struggle, they wouldn't even see a glimmer of hope.
Could it be that they want to borrow money or food from them?
It was called a loan, but it was actually robbery.
Just as the two were secretly sweating, Shen Tang's words exceeded their expectations—She didn't want their food or money, but only wanted to use the connections between the two families. She had a network in the Northwest, and the two families could go there to develop new markets, with the profits split 50/50.
"Northwest Kang Kingdom?"
Shen Tang nodded: "Mm."
"The two places are so far apart, and there are countless dangers along the way for merchants. Even if the profits are considerable, the risks are still great."
The Wang family elders are more concerned with the details of the business.
"May I ask how you got this information?"
Shen Tang laughed and said, "It's nothing more than salt, grain, and cloth."
Qi Kingdom is not a large country in the central continent, and due to its geographical location, it can only produce a small amount of salt from its own ponds, relying on imports for the vast majority. In addition to official imports, the country even encourages merchants to purchase salt from other countries, and its control over this area is not strict.
The problem is that other countries also lack salt.
A stable supply of salt is not easy to secure.
If it can be done, the profits will be very considerable.
The parents of both families nearly glared at each other, their breaths ragged, and said, "Are you telling the truth? Kangguo in the Northwest does have a lot of salt, but Kangguo is very strict about it, and you can't get much without connections... Look at your connections, how many do you have?"
Shen Tang waved to the two of them.
The two cautiously approached.
She lowered her voice: "The Vice Minister of Agriculture of Kang State is a relative of the same family, and the Salt Lake Supervisor under him is her confidant. It's not difficult for him to get a share of salt blocks. The salt from Kang State in the Northwest is famous for its quality, even the salt consumed by the people in the capital is slightly inferior."
The Vice Minister of Agriculture was Shen Zhi.
Given her exceptionally strong abilities in certain areas, and the fact that the duties of the Ministry of Agriculture overlapped with those of the Ministry of Revenue, Shen Zhi's position as Vice Minister didn't involve much work pressure; her title was more symbolic than her actual power. However, outsiders were unaware of these details, so deceiving the two of them was relatively easy.
Both sets of parents exclaimed in unison, "Really?"
Shen Tang: "How could this be fake? If you don't believe me, I can write a personal letter and have someone verify its authenticity. However, if you have concerns and are unwilling to agree, I won't force you; you can find someone else later."
The head of the Li family quickly stopped Shen Tang from continuing.
He broke out in a cold sweat: "Of course I believe you."
So, don't ask anyone else for help with this.
The two made an excuse to leave and went back to discuss the matter properly.
Shen Tang was not afraid of their investigation.
It would be strange if her handwritten letter didn't yield refined salt.
As Shen Tang was planning her next steps in her mind, Gu De's voice came from outside, asking, "Is everything ready?"
Gu Dedao said, "The people have been almost gathered."
To establish a foothold, recruiting soldiers was essential. Shen Tang relied on the groups of wandering knights he had conquered along the way, and by sweeping away bandit strongholds, he had managed to amass a private army. These people were easy to recruit, but difficult to maintain. Not only did he have to support them, but he also needed to continue recruiting. Shen Tang could only find ways to raise money from other sources and, incidentally, create jobs to settle these soldiers.
Otherwise, if the news leaks out, they'll be wiped out before they even have a chance to develop.
Shen Tang needs to find a way to hide these people.
Partnering with both companies to conduct business would be very suitable.
These people are all registered under their names, so the outside world won't suspect anything, and neither of the two companies will be foolish enough to expose themselves, which is very cost-effective.
Their only daughter is firmly in their grasp.
Shen Tang said, "That's good."
We aim to acquire 5,000 soldiers within a year.
With five thousand troops, it would be easy to seize the neighboring territory amidst the chaos. The guardian deity of Qi, that twentieth-rank Marquis, is already dead. No matter how tightly the royal family tries to cover it up, there are no secrets that stay hidden forever. If this bombshell is dropped, Qi will surely be destroyed!
Shen Tang is now waiting for an opportunity.
"You Rong, would you like to go take a look?"
Gu De was momentarily confused: "What are you looking at?"
Shen Tang said, "Look at me in person."
She is not bald, much less bald.
Sigh, making a realistic wig takes time, so her wig is still in production. Not wanting people to point and comment on her baldness, she gritted her teeth and shaved her head. And you know what? A bald head is so cool! The only downside is that it's so sunny, and her scalp gets a little hot. Shen Tang's suggestion was rejected by Gu De.
He said, "I'm afraid I won't have the time."
Shen Tang asked, "So busy?"
I haven't seen Gu De much these past few days.
"I'm busy contacting my former classmates to see if I can get some people to come over." Gu De was somewhat worried ever since he learned his master's true identity. The period of starting from scratch is undoubtedly the best time to cultivate relationships and consolidate interests. The person in front of him is already the overlord of the Northwest. The advantages are obvious, but the disadvantages are also clear to all—no matter how hard he and Zi Kuan try to catch up, it will not be easy for them to gain a foothold.
For now, the only option is to contact our classmates more often.
Try to produce results in the shortest possible time.
If the two sides merge in the future, our side will not be isolated and helpless.
Gu De didn't explicitly state his thoughts, but Xiahou Yu understood and tacitly approved of his actions. Shen Tang, however, saw through his intentions but remained silent: "So, students from Quqing Academy? Would they really be willing to come?"
Gu De said, "Your Majesty, please do not underestimate yourself."
Regardless of the size of Kangguo, even under his current title, he's still a local official with a stable place to stay, making it easy to recruit a few classmates from commoner backgrounds. Gu De had privately inquired about Kangguo's situation; the appointment of officials differed greatly from other regions, a fatal attraction for students constrained by their family background. With Gu De's endorsement, recruitment was simple.
Of course, Gu De didn't expose Shen Tang's true identity. He simply told his classmates that he didn't care about her background and casually dangled a carrot in front of them, promising her "five thousand soldiers under her command." Gu De's brows relaxed, and he smiled, saying, "Nine people have already replied."
Except for two who said it was too far to travel and they had to take care of their parents, the others all said they wanted to come and see for themselves before deciding whether to stay or not. Judging by the time, the others' replies should be on their way. Shen Tang was stunned: "So many?"
Gu De didn't understand: "Too much?"
There are only a few people here.
Shen Tang sighed and said, "We didn't get this treatment before."
Qi Shan also sent a group message to his WeChat Moments, but only Liao Jia, who was seeking revenge, showed up. Everyone else ignored him, a typical example being He Shu. He Shu despised Qi Shan's lords for all being short-lived.
If He Shu had come back then, bringing a congratulatory letter, there would have been no battle in Shangnan Commandery. Shen Tang could have knocked Wu Xian's brains out much sooner. Because of Qi Shan, Shen Tang always thought it would be difficult to gather reinforcements.
Shen Tang's words were vague, and Gu De drew a conclusion based on the context.
"It seems that colleague isn't very popular."
He's the one writing the letters now. If Zikuan, who has better connections, were to step in, there's at least an 80% chance he could get the person to come, and even those who already have stable jobs might be willing to give it a try. Gu De didn't do that, simply because he didn't want Shen Tang to misunderstand.
It's not good if too many people graduate from Quqing Academy.
This could easily create a sense of urgency for the master to sideline her.
Shen Tang: "...Ahem, Yuanliang's popularity..."
In a sense—
Having so many enemies means you're quite popular.
Shen Tang thought she had a profound understanding of "good interpersonal relationships," until she saw someone bring his whole family across two countries to seek refuge with Gu De and Xiahou Yu, and she was instantly dumbfounded. From his self-introduction, this fellow was originally a prefectural magistrate!
No, do all your classmates play like this?
What's even more astonishing is that this person wasn't even someone Gu De had called.
Yes, it wasn't Gu De who recruited them.
To be precise, one of the people who had to take care of their parents felt guilty, so they wrote a letter to a good friend, strongly urging them to give it a try. After receiving the letter, the good friend hesitated for two days, packed their belongings, and brought their family, arriving after a long and arduous journey.
He came and complained that Gu De wasn't being fair.
Why do you only write letters to others and not to yourself?
Gu De said helplessly, "You've finally settled down. I can't let you leave your homeland and go to a place where you don't know anyone."
My good friend pretended to be angry: "You're being too polite."
Upon seeing Xiahou Yu, his face changed from beaming with joy to grave in an instant. It was no secret that Xiahou Yu had suffered the most severe torture in the city, yet now he possessed the Wenxin Huaya (a type of calligraphy) signature again, and his aura was filled with scholarly refinement—this was quite intriguing: "Zikuan, you—"
Xiahou Yu waved his hand, indicating that he didn't need to say anything more.
The good friend understood immediately, looked around, and said, "Where is our new master? Quick, introduce him to me."
Xiahou Yu said, "This is the one."
My good friend looked down and saw a bald head.
The bald man raised his head, revealing a face that was clearly that of a woman.
good friend:"……"
Is it too late for him to regret going back to be the prefectural magistrate?
Xiahou Zikuan and Gu Yourong wouldn't be fooling themselves, would they?
The students of Quqing Academy are like sweet potatoes; one shovelful and a whole bunch pops up, their academic and martial skills equally impressive. Some bring their families, while others have a hundred or so private retainers—enough to make them wealthy landowners in a small town. They're only here because of Gu De and Xiahou Yu; if Chen Tang can't convince them, they'll leave anyway.
Shen Tang was very confident about this.
However, she needs to assess these people first.
These people are also investigating Shen Tang.
Before either side could reach a conclusion after their mutual investigations, the appearance of a book caused a huge stir. A young man dressed in scholarly attire held up a book bound with dragon scales: "Come and see what I've got!"
Shen Tang looked up and saw something familiar.
He raised an eyebrow slightly.
Isn't this a collection of biographies of famous ministers and scholars that was only released in Kangguo earlier this month? How come it has already reached Qiguo in such a short time?
In this era where letters and bamboo slips were the primary means of communication, pure paper books were still relatively rare, let alone luxuriously bound dragon-scale-bound books; few of those present had ever seen one. Everyone was drawn to it, and Xiahou Yu was stunned when he opened it and saw the first page.
Someone murmured in shock, "What kind of anti-Chinese writing is this?"
Are kings and nobles born with a special destiny?
The preface is signed by Kang Guochentang.
Others are unaware of Shen Tang's true identity, but Xiahou Yu and Gu De do. Upon seeing the signature, the two glanced in unison at their lord outside the crowd. He smiled and waved, signaling them to continue reading and get to know their unfamiliar colleagues beforehand.
|ω`)
The dramatic plot involving the Wang and Li families in the previous episode was adapted from an ancient novel, which is why Tang Mei told Lady Wang that the storybook she was reading was written by her own family.
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