Chapter 41 Hexi embankment breaks
The Imperial Palace, the courtyard east of the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Inside the courtyard, there is a connecting corridor along the wall, leading from the courtyard gate through the east side room, the main hall and council chamber, then to the west side room, and finally back to the courtyard gate.
One side of the corridor is lined with benches against the wall, while the other side features a mahogany railing that reaches waist height.
On the railing, there are pots of jasmine flowers blooming like snow.
Sitting on a bench and looking forward, you can take in the entire view from among the flowers.
Large raindrops pounded on the roof of the covered walkway, dripped down the eaves, gathered into a small puddle under the walkway, and then flowed towards the lower ground, flowing out through the open drains and eventually into the pond in the Imperial Garden through the underground passage.
Today was a day of rest, and Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao had just spent some time reviewing memorials in the council hall.
Seeing the torrential rain outside and the fresh air, the two strolled leisurely along the covered walkway for a couple of laps, their clothes catching a faint scent of jasmine.
Chu Jiubian stopped walking when he got tired and reached out his left hand to touch the rain.
Qin Xiao stood beside him, his gaze falling on the inside of his wrist, where he saw that the crisscrossing scars had faded and were almost invisible.
With her fingertips wet from the rain, Chu Jiubian withdrew her hand, and a clean handkerchief was handed to her from the side.
He took the handkerchief, wiped his hands, and walked to sit down on the bench.
Qin Xiao followed and sat down about two fists away from him, his deep eyes gazing at the torrential rain.
"It's gotten shallower," Qin Xiao said.
Chu Jiubian glanced down at the scar on the inside of his wrist and said, "The divine power will slowly return, and the scars left from the mortal period will naturally fade."
This means that these injuries were inflicted when he was a "human," and since he had just descended to the mortal realm, his divine power had not fully returned, which is why these scars are visible.
Now that the divine power is slowly recovering, these scars will naturally heal.
He has been using the scar removal cream for half a month, and now the shallower scars on his body have disappeared, and his skin is as smooth as before.
I think if I use it for another half month, all the scars will really be gone.
Chu Jiubian couldn't possibly take off his clothes for Qin Xiao to see; that would be ridiculous.
So he could only show the other person the injuries on his wrists, but these injuries were quite deep and the scars were heavy, and it would take another half a month for them to completely disappear.
He couldn't wait any longer, which is why he deliberately showed off the changes in his wrist just now.
He figured if Qin Xiao noticed, he would take the opportunity to boast again; if Qin Xiao didn't notice, he would find another chance to show off.
Fortunately, Qin Xiao has good eyesight and saw it immediately.
After casually finishing his boastful act, Chu Jiubian placed the handkerchief on his lap.
As soon as he put it down, Qin Xiao took the handkerchief back.
Chu Jiubian knew that Qin Xiao was not a germaphobe and had drunk the tea that Qin Xiao had drunk before.
So the same goes for this handkerchief. Not only can it be used to wipe away rain, but it can also be used after being washed in the mud.
However, it probably won't be used to wipe its mouth anymore.
Therefore, Chu Jiubian did not take it seriously and did not even glance at the handkerchief again.
Qin Xiao didn't even look at it; he simply held the handkerchief in his palm, occasionally rubbing it gently with his fingertips.
Besides the two of them, there were only a few palace servants sweeping the east courtyard. However, it was raining outside, and the two masters did not like to be served by others, so the palace servants were all inside.
Therefore, only Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao were in the courtyard.
The rain curtain became the best screen, separating this corridor into an independent little space. The sound of rain, accompanied by occasional rumble of thunder, also kept out the noise.
Qin Xiao did not press for details about the "divine power," and Chu Jiubian did not continue speaking.
They sat there quietly for a long time.
It seems that from the very beginning of their acquaintance, there was always a pervasive silence between them.
The initial silence contained vigilance and defensiveness. Later, as the cooperative relationship became more stable, that defensiveness was replaced by unspoken understanding, but there was always a subtle awkwardness and a sense of suffocation.
Now they have grown accustomed to these occasional silences and find them quite comfortable.
Chu Jiubian was slightly lost in thought until Qin Xiao handed him a piece of paper.
"I've found all the people you asked me to find," Qin Xiao said.
Chu Jiubian had previously written down the list of all the skilled craftsmen he wanted to find for Qin Xiao, and in just a few days, Qin Xiao had already found them all.
He took the paper, on which were clearly written descriptions of his identity.
Agronomy, law, mathematics, medicine, carpentry, blacksmithing, textiles and embroidery...
There are twenty people in total.
Two of these people were members of the Qin family, but most of them were unknown figures.
These ordinary people perfectly fit Chu Jiubian's requirements: a clean family background, quick learning ability, and most importantly, obedience.
Chu Jiubian was able to confirm that the people on the paper would obey because they all had families.
Qin Xiao thoroughly investigated the other party's background and secretly protected their families.
Of course, such protection can also become a constraint on these people at times.
Chu Jiubian wanted to pass on many inventions and experiences that were ahead of their time to these people, and these things could not be passed on for the time being, so he required these people to be absolutely loyal to him.
But human nature is unpredictable, so using special methods is just in case.
After carefully reading the paper, Chu Jiubian put it into his sleeve pocket, which was actually placed into his spatial storage.
“These people were found in the capital and surrounding counties. If you need, I can send people to even more distant places,” Qin Xiao said.
"No need, this is enough."
Chu Jiubian's goal wasn't to cultivate geniuses; rather, he wanted to quickly train a group of lecturers who would then teach the students who would later pass the imperial examinations.
Those who could pass the imperial examinations were undoubtedly outstanding.
Whenever they come into contact with the knowledge and experience that Chu Jiubian wants them to have, these students who specialize in certain areas will be able to apply what they've learned to other situations and achieve even greater success in their areas of expertise.
It doesn't matter if these students' achievements surpass those of these lecturers.
The most important role of these lecturers is to act as Chu Jiubian's "mouth," helping him spread this knowledge and experience, so that he doesn't have to teach batches of students.
Moreover, this saves Qin Xiao the trouble of spending manpower and resources to find someone more capable, achieving twice the result with half the effort.
"Aren't you going to ask me why I'm looking for these people?" Chu Jiubian turned his head to look at Qin Xiao.
From this angle, the man's profile is remarkably well-defined, especially his striking brow bone and high nose bridge, a feature that even someone like Chu Jiubian, who has worked in the entertainment industry, would admire.
Qin Xiao said, "This is something I promised you."
Therefore, Qin Xiao didn't care what Chu Jiubian did with these people.
Chu Jiubian smiled and said, "Your credibility with me has increased somewhat now."
Qin Xiao raised an eyebrow: "Was it very low before?"
What do you think?
Qin Xiao thought back carefully. Apart from the first bet with Chu Jiubian, which he had broken, he didn't seem to have lied to Chu Jiubian. So why did Chu Jiubian think he was untrustworthy?
Chu Jiubian did not continue the topic: "I never intended to hide it from you."
Qin Xiao turned his head to look at him.
"Do you remember you still owe me a favor?" Chu Jiubian slightly raised his eyes to meet his gaze.
The conditions stipulated in the written commitment cannot be forgotten.
"I remember," Qin Xiao said. "What do you need me to do?"
Thunder rumbled.
A burning emotion emanated from the youth's picturesque features, while a subtle glimmer appeared in his pale, inorganic pupils.
Like lightning flashing across the clouds, Qin Xiao was momentarily stunned.
Chu Jiubian spoke, his tone revealing a burning ambition: "Qin Xiao, have you ever thought about changing your official career?"
Qin Xiao's heart skipped a beat, and his eyes darkened.
I've thought about it.
He thinks about this all the time.
The selection system for officials in Da Ning was destined to result in deep entanglements among officials.
The recommendation system was actually the most effective tool for powerful families to form cliques, pursue private interests, and control the court.
Qin Xiao had naturally considered abandoning the system, but while it was easier said than done.
Leaving aside how these court officials would oppose it, just figuring out what other system to replace the "recommendation system" with was already a difficult problem.
Regardless of the system, it is inevitable that subordinates and superiors will be involved, and that officials will inevitably engage in favoritism and forming cliques.
But Da Ning needs the imperial court, the imperial court needs officials, and the selection of officials cannot be stopped.
Therefore, if we want to break down the barriers of the recommendation system, we need a more advanced system to replace it.
Moreover, this system cannot explicitly harm the interests of these officials in the court from the outset, otherwise it will be difficult to implement.
Qin Xiao stared at Chu Jiubian and said in a slightly deep voice, "You want to change the recommendation system."
“That’s right.” Chu Jiubian loved the feeling of being able to guess what the other person was thinking the moment he opened his mouth.
“If powerful and influential families hold the power of recommendation and selection, countless people will rush to serve them. If we take back the power of selecting officials to the imperial court, countless people will also be eager to serve the court.”
Qin Xiao naturally understood this principle.
Even if this power is returned to the imperial court, someone still needs to be specifically responsible for implementing the relevant matters.
But he had no one at his disposal.
Even if he had capable people under his command, there weren't enough vacant official positions for him to fill.
The factions within the government are now deeply intertwined, each with their own interests in the other. Moving one of them could have far-reaching consequences.
The imperial court still needs people to do things, and Qin Xiao can't just keep killing people one after another.
Moreover, many of these officials who were affiliated with powerful families were working diligently for the people, and Qin Xiao could not possibly eliminate them all at once.
This is the crux of the problem that prevents him from breaking ties with the powerful families for the time being.
Chu Jiubian knew his concerns and didn't intend to take drastic measures from the start.
He didn't intend to send people to steal other people's jobs as soon as the imperial examination ended. He wanted to proceed gradually, like boiling a frog in lukewarm water, and complete the plan step by step silently.
“I know,” he said, “which is why I just want to start a school.”
"A school?" Qin Xiao frowned.
Nowadays, families with a bit of wealth will set up clan schools, where elders teach the younger generation to read and write, and then select those with talent to help them gain fame and build connections.
Then, when these children reach adulthood, they can naturally enter the court as officials.
Thinking of this, Qin Xiao realized what those talented people from all walks of life that Chu Jiubian had found were all doing.
He wanted those people to teach students various skills.
This is not surprising. Even among aristocratic families, there are younger generations who are not suited for officialdom. In such cases, there is another way of training them, perhaps by managing the family business or by refining certain skills such as embroidery.
But Chu Jiubian is all alone, so what need does he have to start a school?
Who should he choose as his student?
Even including the younger generation of the Qin family, there aren't many people.
unless......
Qin Xiao suddenly thought of a possibility, and his breath hitched.
Unless the students in this school come from other families, or even from all the ordinary people in the entire Da Ning!
A flash of lightning was followed by a deafening clap of thunder.
Chu Jiubian met the man's gaze without flinching.
He knew that as long as he revealed a little bit of his thoughts, Qin Xiao would be able to figure everything out.
From the very beginning, Chu Jiubian never intended to establish an imperial examination system like those of later generations. He wanted to select a group of people to enter the Imperial Academy for training and then help them gain fame.
When the whole world knows how outstanding the students of the Imperial Academy are, when the people yearn for the Imperial Academy when they hear the name, and when the reputation and talent of the students of the Imperial Academy surpass that of most officials in the court.
The time has come.
Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao could then remove the thorns in the side of the aristocratic families in the court one by one, and then have the students of the Imperial Academy replace these people in various official positions in the court.
This is the will of the people, and it is a logical consequence.
The advantage of doing this is that it will not make the aristocratic families too nervous at first.
These powerful families have been arrogant for too many years; their arrogance and conceit have become ingrained in their very being. They look down on ordinary people and weak families.
Therefore, even though they knew that Chu Jiubian wanted to select outstanding students from among these people, they didn't take it seriously.
In their minds, truly capable scholars, writers, and skilled craftsmen would only rely on established families.
But Chu Jiubian didn't think so.
In such a vast country as Da Ning, there are always places where the hands of aristocratic families cannot reach, and there are always capable people who look down on aristocratic families but want to do something truly practical for the country and its people.
These people were Chu Jiubian's initial targets.
He exploited the arrogance of powerful and influential families.
Qin Xiao withdrew his gaze from the young man and turned to look at the increasingly heavy rain outside the corridor.
He gently stroked the handkerchief in his hand with his fingertips, remaining silent for a long while.
Time passed second by second.
Chu Jiubian admired the rain curtain, completely unperturbed.
He was confident that his plan would definitely sway Qin Xiao.
After a while, the torrential rain subsided somewhat, and Qin Xiao spoke again.
“Once a government order is issued, someone needs to publicize it,” he said.
Previously, Wang Huanzhi had ordered people to distort the truth, saying that Qin Xiao was a madman who killed without hesitation, but Wang Qichen easily reversed this narrative.
When Xiao Xiangzi was telling Chu Jiu about this, he was very animated. The gist of it was that he didn't know why, but one after another, some of the famous and talented scholars in the Wang family suddenly denounced Wang Huanzhi for spoiling his son as if he were killing him.
It is said that Qin Xiao only killed Wang Wenfu for violating the imperial decree, and did not harm his family, which is already a sign of his benevolence and leniency.
Those who had previously criticized Qin Xiao have all fallen silent, not even daring to refute him, since what they said was true, and Wang Wenfu was the one who deserved to die a thousand deaths.
From then on, Chu Jiubian knew the other party's strength.
With Wang Qichen, a master of public opinion, at his disposal, it would be easy for him to spread the news of the "Imperial Examination" throughout the entire Daning region.
“Someone will help spread the word,” Chu Jiu argued.
Qin Xiao fell silent once again.
He got up and walked to the other side of the corridor, letting the cool breeze blow the fine raindrops onto his face.
Chu Jiubian didn't move, his gaze fixed on the man's straight shoulders and back.
After a while, the man turned around and looked over.
The mahogany corridor, the pure white jasmine, he seemed to blend into the rain, becoming one with everything Chu Jiubian saw.
"My men will protect the students who have registered," Qin Xiao said.
This affirmed Chu Jiubian's idea and also intended to give him absolute military support, in order to prevent some cautious old foxes from taking precautions and nipping these students in the bud.
“I will take full responsibility for this matter,” Chu Jiu argued.
"Okay." Qin Xiao didn't hesitate for a moment.
Chu Jiubian was somewhat surprised.
Qin Xiao must have known how important the imperial examinations were, but why did he agree to let him take charge of it so easily?
He got up and walked to Qin Xiao's side, when he suddenly heard the other person chuckle softly.
Turning her head, Chu Jiubian met the man's smiling eyes.
“Using the money earned by aristocratic families from selling fine salt to cultivate people who can replace them, young master, that’s truly a brilliant tactic,” Qin Xiao said.
Chu Jiubian smiled and said, "Likewise."
Their eyes met, Qin Xiao chuckled softly, and looked away first.
Chu Jiubian suddenly remembered something and asked, "Has Zhao Qianhe already been exiled?"
"He left on the Qixi Festival," Qin Xiao said.
The previous Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel left the capital quietly, and no one paid any attention.
After serving as an official for many years, he ended up all alone, and it was hard to say whether he could even take his large family to the place of exile.
Chu Jiubian had only asked casually, but after receiving the answer, he asked with concern, "Are you sure there are no problems in Hexi Prefecture?"
"I had someone go and check it out; the dike is indeed well-built," Qin Xiao said.
Baili Hai wanted a good reputation, so he didn't dare to be perfunctory. But just in case, Qin Xiao still sent someone to check it out. The result was that the dam was in the best possible condition, with top-notch materials and workmanship.
"That's good." Chu Jiubian nodded, relieved.
==
The fourteenth day.
The torrential rain has continued for the third day.
Cangshu Medical Clinic in Yunlu County, Hexi Prefecture.
Early in the morning, Dong Sanzhuang brought Dan Niang, who was heavily pregnant, through the rain. He himself was soaked to the bone, but he protected Dan Niang very well, only her shoes and socks got a little wet.
But once he entered, he disregarded the sticky rainwater on his body, carefully helped Dan Niang sit down in a chair, and then hurriedly called for a doctor to come and see her.
"Doctor, please take a look at my wife. She just fell in the yard. I don't know if she's alright?"
The doctor, an old man with a long beard, quickened his pace upon hearing this and took Dan Niang's pulse.
Dan Niang nervously gripped the man's hand. Dong Sanzhuang was also flustered, but he still tried to remain calm and patted his wife's hand to reassure her.
After a while, the doctor withdrew his hand and said, "Don't worry, you've taken good care of this pregnancy. This time it was just a little bit of miscarriage, nothing serious."
The young couple's anxiety instantly subsided, and smiles finally appeared on their faces.
"I'll prescribe some medication to help with pregnancy. Take it home and take it for a few days, and I guarantee you'll be fine," the doctor said.
Dong Sanzhuang immediately thanked him profusely, and then followed him to get the medicine.
The doctor instructed his young apprentice to prepare a meal and said to the couple, "It's raining heavily outside, and there aren't many people in the clinic. You should sit here and wait for the rain to subside before you leave."
The two immediately expressed their deepest gratitude.
Fifteen minutes later, the rain outside showed no signs of letting up, while the medicine in the back room was almost ready.
The apprentice brought out the medicine, and Dan Niang thanked him before letting out a sigh of relief, thinking she would drink all the bitter medicine in one go.
Just as her lips touched the medicine bowl, three or four soldiers dressed in soft armor and carrying swords rushed into the clinic.
Dan Niang's hand trembled, and some of the medicine spilled out, scalding her hand and making it tremble even more violently.
Dong Sanzhuang was also startled, but his first instinct was to shield his wife behind him.
They were an honest and law-abiding family who hadn't offended anyone, so these soldiers couldn't attack them without reason.
However, the next moment, Dong Sanzhuang saw the soldiers walking towards him.
"Are you Dong Sanzhuang?" the leading officer asked.
The medicine bowl fell to the ground, and Dan Niang instinctively stood up, tightly gripping the man's hand.
Dong Sanzhuang's face paled, but he forced himself to remain calm and said, "It's me, sir... may I ask..."
Before he could finish his question, the leading officer said, "Take him away."
Then the other officers and soldiers hurriedly tied Dong Sanzhuang up with ropes and dragged him out, holding him on both sides.
"Husband!" Dan Niang was so frightened that she lost her composure and hurriedly followed.
Dong Sanzhuang's face turned pale, but when he heard his wife's voice, he immediately turned around and shouted, "Danniang, don't be afraid. I haven't done anything wrong or offended anyone. It must be a misunderstanding. Go home and wait for me."
"Husband!" Dan Niang wouldn't listen at all.
Tears streaming down her face, she staggered out of the clinic, chasing after the men, but they were too fast for Dan Niang to catch up with.
The old doctor and his apprentice from the clinic caught up with him, grabbed him, and coaxed and dragged him back to the clinic.
It would be troublesome if you accidentally fell or tripped.
Dan Niang burst into tears.
The doctor and his apprentice were both soft-hearted. The apprentice said, "Don't cry. I'll go and see what's wrong. If it's a misunderstanding, your man will definitely come back."
Dan Niang was completely at a loss at this moment. Upon hearing this, she immediately knelt down on the ground and kowtowed repeatedly.
The doctor quickly helped the man up, and the young apprentice put on a raincoat and dashed out the door, heading in the direction Dong Sanzhuang had left.
The young apprentice was small and thin, but he managed to catch up with Dong Sanzhuang and his group by hiding all the way.
Upon seeing this, his legs went weak and he collapsed to the ground.
In the distance, at the entrance of the yamen, several rows of soldiers stood in neat rows, with two executioners carrying long swords in the middle!
Right in front of them knelt dozens of simply dressed farmers, among them Dong Sanzhuang.
He was bound all over, yet he stretched out his neck and roared "Injustice!", with veins bulging on the back of his neck.
The other men reacted in much the same way.
On the three steps leading up to the yamen gate, the county magistrate, dressed in his official robes, stood under the eaves, not a single corner of his robes damp.
"You unruly people! You stole dam construction materials and tried to pass them off as high-quality ones to fool your superiors!" The magistrate seemed genuinely enraged. "I'll chop you all up!"
After saying that, the two executioners strode forward.
Soon, the long street in front of the government office was stained with blood.
==
That night, Chu Jiubian, who was fast asleep, was suddenly awakened by a muffled clap of thunder.
He sat up, his breathing becoming rapid, and his heart felt like it was about to jump out of his chest.
A strange sense of unease crept over him, and he instinctively shivered.
There were no servants left in his outer room, and at this moment, apart from the sound of rain, there was no other sound in the room.
Suddenly, he heard a series of hurried footsteps coming from outside.
It's Qin Xiao.
It's so late, something must have happened for them to come here in this heavy rain!
Chu Jiubian panicked and hurriedly got off the ground and walked towards the door, without even having time to put on his shoes.
He opened the door to the outer room and almost bumped into Qin Xiao, who was wearing a straw raincoat.
Qin Xiao reached out and grabbed his arm, then immediately let go.
"What happened?" Chu Jiubian asked anxiously.
Qin Xiao's face was more gloomy than ever before, and he almost gritted his teeth as he said, "The dikes in Hexi County have collapsed!"
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