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Fang Tianxi is the military advisor of the Suoyi Gang. He will definitely use any good talents for himself. Cheng Xi didn't expect him to recommend any talented people to him. He just wanted to make some unconventional money and collect some legendary "exotic people".
During the imperial examination era, apart from the serious Four Books and Five Classics, all other subjects were regarded as entertainment to kill time, or "skills and techniques" for the lower classes to make a living, and were not taken seriously at all.
However, promoting scientific and technological development and improving production tools can only be achieved by relying on these "strange skills and tricks".
Therefore, Cheng Xi couldn't help but want to try his luck. Not to mention catching a great man like Newton or Watt, at least he had to promote the science and technology education under his jurisdiction.
However, despite having made sufficient preparations, Cheng Xi did not expect that the "talent" recommended by Fang Tianxi would be like this.
There was not one person standing in front of her, but two. One was a tall, ruddy-complexioned Taoist priest with a white beard, who looked like an old man with a youthful appearance. The other had a sallow complexion and a thin figure, but he was a young monk.
This old man is really picky about people, isn't he? Was it really not intentional?
Of course, as a wise leader who recruits talented people, he would not show any of this on his face. Cheng Xi just smiled and said, "Are you two old friends of Mr. Fang? It's really disrespectful for you to come visit together."
The skinny monk didn't answer, but the old Taoist beside him laughed heartily. "Old Fang didn't even tell us that the Red Flag Gang's leader is a woman. Well, here's the golden trick he gave you. He said you should reveal your identity. You can open it when you're desperate."
Even Cheng Xi couldn't help laughing when he heard the words "magic trick".
It was unknown when Fang Tianxi had come up with this plan, but giving it to her at this moment was definitely the most touching. It seemed that even though he was thousands of miles away, Fang Tianxi had not forgotten to play the long game.
Cheng Xi did not hide it. She opened the brocade bag in front of the two of them and took out the note inside. It read "Why not build a temple for General Zhenhai?". It was just a simple sentence, and it was exactly what she thought.
Chuckling and shaking his head, Cheng Xi put the note away. The old Taoist asked curiously, "Why, is Mr. Fang's method useless?"
It seemed that he had seen the contents of the brocade bag. Cheng Xi smiled and said, "Mr. Fang's method is certainly good, but it's a little late. I have already agreed with the Dongning County Magistrate to build a temple here to worship my father."
This answer was somewhat unexpected by the old Taoist. He once again looked the woman in the red dress up and down before stroking his beard and saying, "No wonder Old Man Fang persuaded me to come here to make a living. Okay, my surname is Le, and my nickname is Xiaoyaozi. This is my good friend Yichi. He has nowhere to go due to the war, so he's looking for a place to stay."
Surname Le, nickname Xiaoyao? It's a truly unconventional name, and it's easy to guess his personality. That infatuated mage lived up to his name, with a dull expression and a seemingly trance-like delusion, wondering what he was thinking.
Since they're here to seek refuge, I can't just look at their looks; I have to ask them about their strengths. Cheng Xi said politely, "Since Mr. Fang introduced you, you two must have your own strengths. Could you tell me a little bit so I can make the arrangements?"
This was a very tactful statement. Taoist Master Le chuckled and said, "I don't have any special skills. I just like to wander around and make a living. I know a little bit about performing rituals, preaching, holding festivals, locating graves, and fortune-telling. If Gang Leader Cheng wants to find out any information, I can find a way."
This was beyond Cheng Xi's expectations. Could this old Taoist be an expert in intelligence? She couldn't help but wonder, "Master Le is so talented, why doesn't he go to Mr. Fang?"
What he knows is of great use to the rebel army. Not to mention gathering intelligence, just playing tricks can be very effective. How could a strategist like Fang Tianxi not think of this?
Taoist Le sneered, "Old Fang is obsessed with becoming a world-shaking strategist. I'm not stupid. If I follow him, I might lose my life at any moment. At least it's safer here with Gang Leader Cheng. It would be even better if he could allow me to be a temple keeper."
This is truly, incredibly secure. It's true that intelligence officers are always cautious, but it's rare to find someone so unmotivated. It seems he really wants to live a carefree life. No wonder he doesn't get along with that old man Fang Tianxi.
Cheng Xi's smile became more genuine. "I'm also short of manpower here. If Taoist Le is willing to help the Red Flag Gang, I will definitely meet your request."
This was too blunt a statement, yet Xiaoyaozi had good eyesight and could tell she meant it sincerely. Was this a sign of trust in Old Man Fang's judgment, or was it simply a natural generosity, a willingness to recruit talented individuals?
However, these things can only be found out later. Taoist Le pointed at the people around him and said, "Yi Chi was originally a rich young man. Later, he became obsessed with astronomy and mathematics and became a monk. Recently, there have been bandit attacks in the county, and his small temple has been destroyed. He has no relatives or friends around him, so he came here with me..."
Taoist Le was about to praise his friend of different generations a few more times, but unexpectedly, Gang Leader Cheng's eyes lit up and he asked eagerly, "Master, you are so good at astronomy and mathematics? I wonder what you are studying, and have you accepted any disciples?"
Neither of them expected the other to be so excited. They were stunned for a moment and whispered, "I don't accept disciples. I just want a meditation room, a pen and paper."
Taoist Le thought to himself that this was not good, and hurriedly smiled and said, "Yi Chi doesn't like to socialize with people, and he has never taught anything. I'm afraid he wouldn't be able to take on a disciple. But he's easy to support, as long as he's fed."
Fang Tianxi had also told him that Boss Cheng wanted someone who could count, but he knew Yichi's temper well. With his silent, obsessive nature, he probably wouldn't be able to get anything done. If he was bothered by being interrupted, he might just run away. In these chaotic times, it wouldn't be a good idea to leave him wandering around alone.
Cheng Xi, however, didn't take it seriously. This kind of person wasn't uncommon in research institutes; they just focused on their research, completely oblivious to worldly affairs. But she didn't mind not being able to teach. Having professional talent meant making good use of it.
Smiling more warmly, Cheng Xi asked, "Has that foolish mage heard of the Star Pulling Board?"
Yichi looked a little unhappy: "The Star Pulling Technique is just a small technique, of course I know it."
Good to know! Cheng Xi was not polite: "Nowadays, the star-guiding board is a must-have for navigation. Unfortunately, it is a bit troublesome to use. I wonder if you can ask Master Yichi to make some improvements so that ordinary people can also use it to determine the position of the stars?"
Yichi became even angrier. "I've already said that the star-pulling board is just a minor trick. If you can't even use it, how can you even talk about discerning the stars? Why waste time modifying it?"
Oh no! Seeing that the two of them were about to have a falling out, Taoist Le laughed dryly: "Boss Cheng, this is really hard to force. If it doesn't work out, he can also live with me..."
Cheng Xi ignored him and suddenly said, "Wait a minute, I have something I want Master Yichi to see."
Seeing her get up and go back inside, both of them were confused. Taoist Le saw that she was not there, so he quickly poked the person next to him: "Didn't we agree that you would keep quiet? If you get kicked out, you will see how you will live!"
Yi Chi murmured unhappily, "I can just find a temple to stay in."
"You can't even recite the scriptures well, who would want to support you?" Taoist Le was about to complain, but he saw that Gang Leader Cheng had turned back, so he quickly put on a calm smile.
Cheng Xi didn't look at him, but instead pressed a wooden box into Yichi's hands: "It took a lot of effort to make this thing. Master, why don't you take a look?"
Yi Chi was somewhat bewildered and didn't really want to see what was in the box, but there was something in the other person's expression that made him obey. He finally opened the wooden box reluctantly and took out the thing inside. It was a round wooden cylinder, and it seemed to be inlaid with colored glaze on both sides. He didn't know what it was.
Cheng Xi smiled and gestured: "This is called a telescope. Mage, just put the small end in front of your eyes."
The name of the telescope finally piqued Yichi's interest. Following the instructions, he raised the wooden tube and brought it close to his eyes. The next moment, Yichi was so frightened that he almost jumped up. The woman who had been sitting a few steps away was suddenly right in front of him, so close that he could even make out each individual eyebrow. Was she trying to scare him? However, when he put the tube down in shock, Yichi realized that Cheng Bang hadn't moved at all, not even from his seat. As if understanding something, he quickly raised the tube again and began to look around.
"Ah! Ah! It can see far away! This telescope is really magical..." Yichi was not like Taoist Le, who had no concept of following the rules at all. When he found that this telescope could bring distant objects closer, he stood up excitedly and turned around, and even wanted to take the telescope out the door to take a look.
Taoist Le quickly grabbed him and said, "Watch your step! Don't drop the mirror!"
These words really worked. Yi Chi quickly put down the telescope and looked carefully at his feet. Before he saw anything that could trip him, the tube in his hand had been taken away by Taoist Le.
"Don't steal it from me!" Yi Chi was anxious and wanted to snatch it, but Taoist Le had already handed the tube back with both hands. He finally saw clearly how important this thing was to Yi Chi. Maybe Gang Leader Cheng had some intention in taking this thing out?
Cheng Xi took it and said to Yi Chi with a smile, "This thing is newly fired in the glass workshop. It took several months to make just this one piece, and I don't know how much money I spent. I really can't give it to the mage."
She'd only gotten the finished telescope in the last two days. However, the observation range wasn't ideal, and with no recent battles, she hadn't felt like using it. Now that she'd stumbled upon a suitable target, she naturally wanted to use it as bait.
As expected, Yichi got anxious when he heard it: "Using this thing to observe the sky is probably much better than the naked eye. How can you sell it to me, Boss Cheng?"
Taoist Le couldn't help but grin when he heard this. You are so poor that you can't even afford to eat. I'm afraid you can only sell yourself to others.
This was exactly what Cheng Xi wanted. He immediately said, "How can such a small gadget be used to observe the sky? Wait until a celestial telescope several meters in size is built. Only then will you be able to see the sun, moon, and stars clearly!"
Several feet in size! As soon as he thought of the so-called "Sky Mirror", Yi Chi's cheeks immediately flushed with excitement, sweat broke out on his forehead, and he kept saying, "Then build it quickly!"
Cheng Xi sighed: "I'm afraid it's not easy to build this thing, and I don't know how much money it will cost. But if the mage is willing to help me improve the star-pulling board, or do some other small things, I can build a larger telescope for you."
Yichi nodded immediately: "Okay! How do you change it?"
Taoist Le almost held his forehead in his hands. This woman was really too cruel. She knew that he was a fool and didn't understand worldly things. What was the difference between her behavior and deceiving a child?
Cheng Xi didn't feel the slightest bit of guilt. This guy was an astronomy student, and his skill must be quite high. Why not seize this opportunity now? Without hesitation, she said, "Master, you should also know the principle of the roundness of the universe. If you can think of the earth as a sphere, and separate the longitude and latitude into several thin lines, then the intersection of two points will definitely reveal the ship's direction. Based on this, wouldn't it be possible to improve the star-pulling board?"
She was referring to one of the greatest inventions of the Age of Exploration: the sextant. This device shares a similar concept to the stargazer, but its precise readings and more convenient calculation methods greatly improved navigation efficiency. Combined with an astronomical clock and a compass, it became a powerful tool for sailing. However, current stargazing techniques are far too complex and monopolized by a tiny minority, becoming generations of navigators. If these constraints could be broken, the potential for unleashed would be unimaginable.
The development of astronomy can also drive the progress of modern natural science, and its significance is self-evident. Even without Yichi, she would try to develop a larger astronomical telescope, like a phoenix tree. Now that we have such a convenient tool, why not use it quickly?
Yi Chi murmured, "The sky is like a chicken egg, the celestial bodies are round like bullets, and the earth is like the yolk of a chicken... But what you said is interesting. Let me think about it..."
Not caring that he was still in someone else's living room, Yi Chi lowered his head and began to think.
Seeing his silly look, Taoist Le chuckled: "The gang leader really has good tactics."
Cheng Xi also put on a similar smile: "How can such a talented person be discarded like a piece of rotten wood? If Taoist Le has time, why not discuss the matter of the General Temple in detail first?"
This was the first time that someone called him and Yichi "pillars of society". Taoist Le suddenly understood why that old man Fang Tianxi had come to ask him to come out of retirement and even came up with some "magic trick".
How could one not be curious about a woman like this? Anyway, the war is over now, and Dongning has settled down. If the Red Flag Gang can firmly control the South China Sea, they can really stay here for a while...
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