Chapter 855: Courageous Martial Artist, High Quality at a Low Price [Seeking Monthly Tickets]
It was supposed to be a discussion, but in reality, Shen Tang was the one listening and guiding them to relax. She didn't know how her subordinates had spread the word, but these people practically shrank back when they saw her, which made Shen Tang wonder if her reputation had been ruined. Since her debut, her reputation had always been positive, and even if she wanted to do something bad, she would do it discreetly.
After thinking about it for a while, I understood.
No matter how good her reputation is, how low her starting point is, or how cobbled together her team is, she is still a powerful leader with a large army. She has fought every battle that needed to be fought and killed every person that needed to be killed. It's normal for ordinary people to be afraid of her.
but--
That was just the initial atmosphere.
Shen Tang's kindness and gentleness melted away their tension. She humbly sought their advice while treating them like honored guests, subtly guiding them to focus on their areas of expertise. The old farmer was illiterate, had a heavy accent, and spoke incoherently. The mismatch between her thoughts and language skills made her blush with anxiety, but Shen Tang listened patiently and analyzed the situation.
An old farmer's experience is accumulated over a lifetime.
She relied on the fields along the riverbank to support her family. If the river was calm, she could have an easy year; but if it turned sour, she and her children would go hungry. For the old farmer, she had to observe the river closely and understand its temperament in order for her and her children to survive. This was something she had to do to make a living! Day by day, she finally achieved some success.
These are the wisdoms that the old farmer is most proud of in his life.
The local officials didn't recognize her worth, but the important figure before her understood her, and she immediately expressed her willingness to entrust her entire life's wealth to him.
"So precious, are you really going to give it to me?"
Shen Tang was flattered and surprised.
The old farmer opened his eyes, which were etched with the marks of time: "...What haven't you seen, distinguished guests? You might find them unappealing..."
Shen Tang naturally wouldn't find it offensive.
She then asked the old farmer his name and instructed someone to carefully organize his books. If the old farmer's years of experience were truly useful, these contents might be passed down to future generations, and the author should include them.
The old farmer was unaware of Shen Tang's plans and pondered for a long time.
Firstly, I'm getting old and my memory isn't what it used to be.
Secondly, after she married, the neighbors all called her the Wang family's daughter-in-law. After her husband's death, she was addressed as the mother of Wang's eldest/second/third son. As her parents were buried and her elders passed away, her age and seniority also increased...
No one called her by her maiden name or her given name anymore.
Shen Tang did not urge him. After an eerie silence, the old farmer said uncertainly, "Li, Li Lianghua."
For a family of scholars, this name would naturally be considered extremely common, but for the lower classes, where most people were illiterate and had no proper names, having a name meant that their parents valued them.
It should be noted that most commoners either have no names, their names are assigned based on rank, or they are given a humble name. "Old Farmer" is a rather good name. Shen Tang carefully confirmed which characters were used.
It was only with the help of local officials that the truth was finally found out.
The old farmer didn't know the exact characters of her name, but it was written on her household registration. The local official had carefully checked her identity when he conscripted her to fill a quota, and remembered it. Only a few people in white robes kept glancing at the old farmer's face, their expressions a mixture of emotions.
If others don't understand, how could they not understand what Shen Tang meant?
Despite their seemingly reserved demeanor, they were all eager to prove themselves. They had originally planned to use this opportunity to showcase their abilities, hoping to stand out and catch Shen Tang's eye.
Those with greater ambitions already imagined themselves being treated with respect and given important positions. When a wise ruler discovered this hidden gem, he arranged everything, from his initial refusal to accept the position to the three visits to his thatched cottage. In the end, he reluctantly agreed and became a trusted confidant.
Secure your place and reach the pinnacle of life!
Those with less ambition just want to obtain a minor official position.
They hadn't even broken through the encirclement yet, and this white-haired, wrinkled old farmer was already writing a book!
Some of them were well-informed and even knew the impoverished scholar who had written for the old farmer, so they naturally knew the joke about the old farmer sending his self-composed letter to the government. They thought it had little to do with them, but unexpectedly, a peasant woman stole their thunder.
What kind of book can a peasant woman write?
Still hoping to be passed down to future generations?
Some people didn't care, some felt a lump in their throats, and a few secretly thought that this Shen Tang was nothing special, not only was he not respectful to scholars, but he was also humbly fawning over a peasant woman...
Such stupidity will not last long.
Just as he was inwardly raging with righteous indignation, he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, as if a cold wind had swept in. Instinctively, he looked in a certain direction and met a pair of eyes as still as a deep well. This person possessed an impressive bearing; perhaps he was Shen Tang's clerk?
Those eyes, which seemed to see through everything, made one feel guilty and look away.
at the same time.
Shen Tang and others are discussing the construction of a new waterway and the design of its flow path to benefit more people in the county. At the same time, this water conservancy project must also serve the purpose of flood control and drainage. To this end, Shen Tang also pointed out that everyone should use their imagination. Whether it is digging a waterway or building high mountains on both sides of the waterway to achieve the goal by using the terrain, she can find people to make it happen.
A warrior with courage and skill is an omnipotent god!
Chopping mountains, filling seas, building roads—as long as one's Danfu (energy center) possesses martial energy, it's all possible! The key is that the efficiency isn't low; the cost is simply ensuring they're well-fed and watered. Shen Tang always felt that these martial arts masters were wasting their talents in this world; wouldn't they have trouble finding employment in modern times?
Despite inwardly complaining that Shen Tang didn't know his stuff, the few people in plain clothes didn't want to be looked down upon and were determined to show Shen Tang who the real gems were and who the fakes were! But as soon as they opened their mouths to speak, an inexplicable obstruction appeared in their throats, and they couldn't make a sound.
The men were terrified, their faces deathly pale, and they were drenched in cold sweat. Soon, their innermost shirts were soaked through, the fabric clinging to their skin. The sight sent chills down their spines; they dared not utter a sound, trying to make themselves as inconspicuous as possible…
Among them were also scholars with literary talent, otherwise they wouldn't have been so arrogant. However, their talent was rather lacking; some had weak literary skills, while others were barely at the beginner level, only half-baked. They were also aware that some scholars with literary talent possessed many methods, not only able to hear people's hearts and seize their voices, but also capable of killing without leaving a trace…
His sudden loss of voice was naturally a warning.
The mere thought of what I might have made me feel like I was going to faint, and I kept praying that time would pass quickly.
Everyone else was actively offering suggestions and fighting for their own interests.
Some commoners wanted to obtain an official position, while some local officials wanted to secure projects for their hometowns so that the local people could benefit and they could also get funding from higher authorities and reap some benefits themselves. Others were simply fed up with natural disasters...
Although Shen Tang couldn't hear everyone's inner thoughts, she could tell from the fleeting flow of literary energy at Qin Li's fingertips that everyone's inner monologues were probably quite interesting, and they were probably even cursing her. It was a pity that Wang Chao wasn't there, otherwise she could have listened to the commotion herself.
Before we knew it, it was time to eat.
Shen Tang had someone lead them to get something to eat first.
Only Qin Li and she remained inside the tent.
Qin Li said, "Those people are dishonest, arrogant but incompetent, and disrespectful to our lord. Therefore, they are to be given a slight punishment."
"Then we shouldn't use these people."
Although Shen Tang also needs mid-to-low-level staff, she doesn't accept just anyone; there are certain thresholds for expanding recruitment.
"Nothing needs to be done?"
"Haven't we already given them a minor punishment?"
Qin Li seemed dissatisfied with the result, a hint of helplessness in his eyes: "But they have shown much disrespect to our lord."
Such disrespect deserves to be punished.
Of course, Qin Li had no intention of killing them.
He may be spared the death penalty, but he cannot escape punishment.
If we don't intimidate them, these people won't be grateful; they'll only think their lord is kind and easily bullied, and who knows what they'll say about him when they get back. Don't underestimate them just because they're insignificant; they can be truly disgusting.
Shen Tang said, "They didn't say it aloud, but if they did, they'd suffer physical punishment. Outsiders would just say I'm too harsh and violent. Their bodies may be restricted, but their minds should at least be free. Let them be..."
It's better to be called a nice person than to be called cruel.
Qin Li saw this as establishing a normal, dignified image, but Shen Tang believed that everything in excess was as bad as deficiency: "The common people at the bottom of society are already stretched thin by heavy labor, leaving them no time to think about anything else. If additional pressure is applied, it will inevitably increase the burden on their hearts, and that string might just snap. Gong Su, don't you think so?"
Qin Li readily admitted it.
As long as his lord's words are reasonable, he has nothing to say.
Shen Tang also knew why Qin Li was feeling unwell.
For a man of principle, a subject should die for his lord's honor. Qin Li, however, merely silenced those commoners who insulted Shen Tang instead of drawing his sword; he showed considerable restraint. The problem was that these people were only cursing internally, completely unprepared. They had no idea beforehand that Qin Li was using mind-reading techniques to monitor everyone. Had they known, they wouldn't have dared utter a single word.
Shen Tang can be magnanimous and not care, but Qin Li cannot.
"If these people don't have real skills, then we don't need them." To make Qin Li feel better, Shen Tang made another statement.
As long as they stay on her turf, these people won't get ahead.
There are plenty of people at roughly the same level.
Shen Tang was unaware of their insults, but now that she knew, it was impossible for her to be completely unperturbed. Qin Li nodded upon hearing this, setting the matter aside, and brought up the earlier suggestion: "Does the lord truly intend to listen to their wishes and build mountains along the coast?"
Excavating the riverbed is already a huge undertaking.
They even plan to build mountains, and not just one!
Their lord casually started by giving an example, and those people thought it was a good idea. The solid mountain could mitigate the impact of the water flow, allowing the Miaojiang River to enter the territory in a gentler manner, and the sediment could be deposited to obtain fertile soil.
They didn't even consider how to build the mountain.
What a massive corvée labor project this is!
Shen Tang blinked: "Is it that big? I didn't plan to conscript laborers. What can ordinary people do with their limited physical strength? They eat a lot every day. Where would I get the resources to support them? The territory is bigger, but there are also more places to spend money..."
The private treasury is heavily indebted, and while the public treasury has money, it can't afford to squander it all. It needs to be used not only for infrastructure development across the country but also to pay the salaries of its staff. Those who work for love are admirable, but Shen Tang can't let them starve; he also needs to support his family.
"...Does our lord really have everything he needs from Da Yi and the others?"
Shen Tang argued confidently: "There may be no wars in the next few years. Training troops every day consumes so much energy and food. Digging rivers and building mountains also consumes so much food. Naturally, the latter is more beneficial to the country and the world! Gong Su, think about it. Once the crops in Yanzhou are ripe, the common people throughout the country will no longer go hungry. What a great achievement that is! How many people can survive because of that?"
This efficiency is so good that even modern equipment would be envious.
"Given the scale of that project, Zhao Feng, with a few thousand experienced workers, could complete it in two months at most. If you conscript ordinary people to do it, tens of thousands of people might have to work for several years or even more than a decade, during which countless laborers would starve or die of disease. The more corvée labor there is, the more abandoned the common people's own fields will become..."
It's a vicious cycle!
How much food would these tens of thousands of people have to eat?!
In comparison, the cost of training Martial Warriors is negligible; Shen Tang provides them with lavish meals every day without a second thought. For these energetic and vigorous Martial Warriors, this is just normal training, and the key is that their treatment is top-notch!
Qin Li: "..."
That's not what he meant.
Qin Li wanted to explain, but seeing the fiery passion in his lord's eyes, he swallowed hard and kept his words to himself—forget it, his lord and Da Yi were both willing to give and take, and if he objected, he would only please neither side, so he might as well remain silent.
However, he had one question to figure out.
"My lord, you mean the whole country?"
Shen Tang nodded: "Yes, is there a problem?"
The various factions in the Northwest Continent had been crippled by years of infighting, and Shen Tang, as the ultimate victor, happily accepted and took over the political legacy of her allies. She also possessed the Imperial Seal. Her territory could already be called a "nation," so how could that be inappropriate?
Qin Li: "..."
That's not right, he doesn't even know the country's name.
Shen Tang: "...Didn't I say that?"
Qin Li replied seriously, "I haven't mentioned it."
Shen Tang: "..."
She scratched her head. What was the country's name again?
He summoned a bluebird with his fingers to ask Chu Yao.
Has she chosen a name for the country?
Those men in white uniforms returned home filled with anxiety, tossing and turning for days, quickly becoming haggard. But even after the matter was resolved and they were escorted out of the camp, they were unharmed. The anticipated ambush and death in the wilderness did not occur.
"That's...that's it?"
"I think so..."
Some of them were not quite sure.
Soon after, they heard that several people had been recruited, either to take up positions in local government offices or given titles, and received a fairly generous reward. Their families, unaware of the situation, eagerly awaited good news for themselves, but it never came. Some impatient individuals grumbled a few words and were reprimanded.
The family members were completely bewildered and didn't understand why they were being scolded.
This matter was merely a minor ripple, though it affected the life trajectories of many, but for Shen Tang, it was just a small project in the vast ocean of political affairs. With the regulations finalized and the budget prepared, everything was ready; all that remained was for the martial arts experts to arrive…
Other trivial matters will naturally be taken care of by someone else.
This project will be vigorously promoted throughout Yanzhou in the future, and the counties and prefectures selected as pilot sites attach great importance to it.
The following day, Wu Xian came to invite him.
|ω`)
Let me think about how Wu Xian did it.
(End of this chapter)
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