As an official, what's wrong with raising a few monsters?

Chapter 210 The End of the Official Path Leads to Bright Future
"Have you heard? Marquis Jing'an has returned!"

"I saw it all that day! He was even riding a huge white wolf! What an extraordinary person!"

"What's so special about that? The Marquis is the one who led eight hundred cavalrymen and fought his way through the Xiongnu grasslands!"

"I remember the Marquis was a civil official, wasn't he? Is he also so skilled in leading troops into battle?"

"A man of both literary and martial talents, a pillar of the nation, truly blessed by Heaven for the Qian Yuan dynasty!"

"I have heard that the Marquis does not wish for any reward, but implores His Majesty to send his reward to the brave soldiers on the front lines and the families of the fallen soldiers..."

"Lord Marquis is such a good man!"

"I heard that the Marquis is from Qingzhou! Hahaha, it was the Marquis who recommended His Majesty when he came to Qingzhou! He is truly the pride of Qingzhou!"

"I've heard that when the Marquis was in the capital..."

……

Inside Ji Qu's Xiangmanlou restaurant, the atmosphere was lively and bustling with the clinking of glasses.

Dishes and business models that succeed in Beijing will also succeed in another location.

Since Mingchen returned to Jiqu, he has actually kept a low profile, staying at home slacking off and resting for several days.

But news about him still spread uncontrollably.

Marquis Jing'an, Mingchen, returned victorious riding a giant wolf, his eight hundred cavalrymen cutting through the Xiongnu grasslands...

No matter how big or small the event is, as long as it is legendary, it is easy to be remembered and become a topic of conversation.

The disputes in the imperial court and the power struggles between nations are difficult for ordinary people to understand.

However, the simplest battlefield combat and the simplest victory are the most intuitive and easy for them to understand.

This is also why Ling Yu was more famous than Ming Chen before.

Now, Mingchen, who defeated the barbarian invaders with eight hundred cavalry, is undoubtedly the brightest star, known to all.

Consequently, his legendary past deeds were also unearthed, making him even more renowned.

This place is Qingzhou, which is considered Mingchen's hometown. Since such a person came from their own family, the people are particularly fond of him.

The shop owner, disguised as a child, sat by the counter, in a very good mood, her face beaming with smiles from time to time.

With the pillar of the family back, she has been extremely happy these past few days.

Hearing the diners praise Mingchen, she felt a sense of pride.

But then, as if he had heard something, his brows furrowed slightly and his smile faded.

"Humph!"

One of the diners tilted his head back, gave a soft snort, and seemed to have had a little wine, his face flushed, and his eyes seemed to be full of disdain: "What kind of hero is Marquis Jing'an?"

He was short in stature and spoke in a shrill voice: "He's nothing but a cunning and deceitful fellow!"

"Those eight hundred cavalrymen are so brave! Their mere presence can intimidate even tigers! The Xiongnu are no match for them. If I were leading the troops, I could just as easily crush the Xiongnu."

"I think... he's only favored by the Empress because of his handsome appearance!"

"What you mean by not giving rewards and instead giving them to the soldiers is nothing but a ploy to win people's hearts and minds; it's all deception and a charlatan's scheme!"

"Perhaps he has other plans!"

There are always some people who think they are the only ones who are sober while the rest of the world is drunk, and they like to distort and interpret certain facts in order to attract the attention of others.

He felt extraordinary; he believed that what others could do, he could also do.

It's just that others have benefited from the good fortune!

Before they had exchanged more than a few words, someone else appeared beside them.

The restaurant owner's wife appeared beside him at some point, her beautiful face unusually gloomy.

"Oh, you're the shopkeeper... Let me tell you, this wine of yours... it's still lacking something. If you ask me, it should... it should..."

The diner looked up, his eyes hazy, propped his chin up, and shook his head as he spoke to the other person, asking what he "should" do. He wanted to offer some guidance but couldn't come up with a clear answer.

Before he could finish speaking, his eyes widened suddenly, and the slight intoxication seemed to dissipate.

"You...what are you doing?!"

He was already short in stature, and now he was being lifted up by his collar.

"I'm your customer!"

"You're in business, how dare you hit your customers?"

Are you still going to do business or not?

This woman is incredibly strong!
The strange proprietress's hands were like iron clamps; once she grabbed you, you couldn't break free.

He kept kicking his legs, whether from holding it in or from feeling ashamed of being watched by the other diners, he glared fiercely at the other person and kept shouting, "Help!"

"Help! The shopkeeper is hitting someone!"

The next moment, everything spun around him, and he was thrown by the door, landing hard on his backside.

"Humph~"

After disguising herself, Xiu Die was invincible, showing no trace of the dullness she had as a child.

She has seen a thousand different people and can portray any one of them perfectly.

She snorted and glanced at him sideways, her eyes full of disdain: "Sir, you have quite the airs, comparing yourself to a marquis. How come... you can't even contend with a mere woman like me?"

To slander the person most important to her on her own turf is truly disrespectful.

"you!"

Such people are most concerned about how others perceive them.

At this moment, all eyes turned to him, many with a mocking and sarcastic tone, making his face flush even more with shame and anger: "How can you run a business like this?! How dare you treat your customers like this?! I'm reporting you to the authorities!"

“If you want to report it to the authorities, go ahead and do so. I will pay whatever fine the authorities want to impose according to the law.”

"If you slander the Marquis, I will not do business with you, and you should not consider yourself superior just because you are my customer."

Xiu Die raised her eyebrows, her eyes filled with sternness, devoid of any flattery: "Hmph, utterly ignorant!"

She was never short of money; building this restaurant was simply a way to preserve her fond memories of Kyoto.

There's no need to indulge anyone.

This guy slandered my brother, and she actually gave him the nerve.

When they were in Kyoto, she would secretly follow them at night with a machete.

"Hahahaha~"

"The shopkeeper is quite a man of character!"

"Hahaha, I've been wanting to beat him up for ages because I've heard him brag!"

"Just because of what the manager did today, I'll be eating here from now on!"

“I recognize him. That’s Zhao Shukai from the north of the city. He’s failed the imperial examinations for years and spends his days idly, always bragging to everyone about his bad luck! He’s sold off all his family property, and his father was so angry with him that he died!”

"He dares to mention the Marquis?!"

The fact that a restaurant owner assaulted a customer doesn't seem to have drawn any complaints from the surrounding diners.

On the contrary, they even cheered and applauded for it.

A capable person can naturally be arrogant and haughty; it's perfectly reasonable for someone like Marquis Jing'an to be arrogant to the extreme.

But if you are just an ordinary person, yet you consider yourself extraordinary and vain, then people will look down on you.

People laughed and jeered, casting all their contempt and mockery at the pathetic clown on the ground.

"You... you..."

The surrounding gazes and ridicule felt like sharp swords piercing his chest.

Zhao Shukai had no idea he had been given a second chance at life; he only felt his face burning red, and all he wanted to do was hide in a hole under their gaze.

These stupid people don't respect him at all!
His wide eyes scanned the surroundings, memorizing the ugly faces of these people, determined to make them pay when he rose to prominence.

"Humph!"

He snorted coldly and, amidst the laughter of the crowd, turned and left.

"Hahaha! Look at his pathetic appearance, he looks just like a dog! And he even dares to criticize the Marquis, the Marquis would never act like that in his entire life!"

……

"Lord Ming, it seems some people are talking about you!"

The minor disturbance had no significant impact.

This only made them a laughing stock among the diners in the restaurant.

However, what the gossiping people didn't know was that the most dazzling person in Ji Qu was sitting on the second floor of the restaurant, drinking with someone.

The praise and criticism from others, though heard, seemed to have no effect whatsoever.

Opposite him stood a young man who was even younger than him.

Yun Zheng.

The young man who once openly challenged the princess in a dilapidated mountain village is now dressed in fine clothes, holds a high official position, and wields great judicial power.

He was sharp-eared and sharp-eyed, so he could hear the noise downstairs.

Mingchen didn't care about the clown's opinion of him, and just smiled and said to the boy opposite him, "What he said is not wrong."

"I have indeed won His Majesty's favor!"

He certainly has a handsome appearance!
He certainly won the Empress's favor!

If he's almost won over, and that's not considered being favored, then what would be?
"Ming is indeed a cunning and deceitful person who deceives the world and steals fame!"

He has done his fair share of deceiving the world and stealing fame along the way.

At least in the eyes of the Xiongnu, and in the eyes of Dong Zhenghong... Mingchen might just be that kind of person.

"Lord Ming is joking. If you are that kind of person, then what are we?"

Yun Zheng looked at the Marquis who was slightly older than him, shook his head, sighed inwardly, tilted his head back and drank the wine in his cup in one gulp, his words seeming somewhat helpless.

He now feels a sense of bewilderment, as if he were born on a special day.

He is very young, and his resume is already excellent for getting to where he is today.

He rose from humble beginnings to achieve his current status and position, and is destined to leave his mark on history by reforming the laws and regulations of the new dynasty.

Unfortunately, there's an even more monstrous one above him.

He was moving forward, and so was this sorcerer, and he was becoming even more legendary!

Eight hundred cavalrymen broke through the Xiongnu lines; they were skilled in both military and civil affairs. What does that mean? Is this something a human could do?
When someone's brilliance shines too brightly, it overshadows others. What Mingchen is doing now, his position, his reputation... are all things he desires.

It can be said that Mingchen is his target now.

They became the brightest stars in this history, even overshadowing emperors.

As Yun Zheng got to know this man better and witnessed his many accomplishments, he truly came to admire him. He had initially had some reservations about the powerful alliance between Ming Chen and Ling Yu, but now he resigned himself to it; if they wanted to, seizing the new dynasty wouldn't be difficult at all.

In fact... Mingchen might not necessarily be worse than His Majesty as a leader.

The new dynasty has reached this point thanks in no small part to the strategic vision of this marquis.

He hates a world ruled by incompetent idiots, and he hates that mediocre and incompetent people like the clown who just shouted are in high positions.

However, he has no temper with those who earn high positions honestly and uprightly through their talent and solid achievements, leaving behind a legendary legacy.

He now has a vague feeling that he is destined to live in this person's shadow for the rest of his life.

If he saw no hope of realizing his ideals, he would have chosen another lord and made great strides. But after meeting the new emperor and Ming Chen, he lost the courage to be their enemy.

The official road leads to Mingchen.

Mom has someone who's cheating!
On the path to making a name for oneself in history, one encounters a monster that cannot be defeated no matter how hard one tries.

"How old is Lord Yun? He holds an important official position and is revising the laws. He is truly a man of extraordinary talent."

Mingchen smiled and praised, "The future is yours!"

Sorry, young man, you've joined the investment too late.

These are original shares, how can you compare to me?
Yun Zheng: ...

Damn it, I hate it when people show off!

You're only a few years older than me!

With you pressing down on me, what future do I have?!
"Lord Ming, please don't stand on ceremony!"

"Let's get down to business."

He shook his head and said to Mingchen, "Lord Ming, the world is in turmoil. Many people who were originally hidden outside the secular world have appeared one by one. Recently, many extraordinary people have come to join our dynasty."

"His Majesty has ordered me to begin drafting relevant laws and regulations to manage these people, and to submit them to her for review. I would like to discuss them with you."

He knew about Mingchen's situation and naturally knew that Mingchen was no ordinary person. This soon-to-be-famous Marquis of Jing'an was also an extraordinary individual with special abilities.

These people possess immense power, and their beliefs, pursuits, and so on are different from ordinary people.

Now that they have entered the secular world, we must find ways to integrate them into the dynasty's administration.

There's no room for reference with past laws, and he's not good at judging the degree of application, so he needs to discuss it with Mingchen.

Incidentally, having a drink and a chat with this person can help us get to know each other better and deepen our personal relationship.

He scorned the incompetent, but he was not an upright or unconventional person.

Many people in the city want to have a meal and chat with Mingchen, but they can't!

Being friends with someone like Mingchen is much better than being enemies with him.

"Oh?"

Mingchen raised an eyebrow and asked him, "How many people are there? What are their abilities?"

Yun Zheng replied, "These people are all under Lord Ji's management. Three days ago, three more people came to surrender. Not counting the swindlers and fraudsters, there should be fifteen of them now."

"Their abilities are diverse. Some are skilled in the Five Elements magic, some have strong bodies, and some have strange magical treasures. However, most of them hide their strengths and are unwilling to reveal their trump cards."

Mingchen asked with great interest, "Can Ji Wen keep it under control?"

"It's probably possible."

"Among them, Ji Daren recognized half of them."

The person who summoned the heavenly lightning certainly had some skill.

Mingchen narrowed his eyes and then said, "Since these people have come to join our dynasty, they should be no different from our citizens. They should be subject to the same laws as ordinary people and officials. We cannot make exceptions; the dignity of the law cannot be violated. No matter who it is, those who bully the weak and act recklessly must be punished."

“I will speak to His Majesty about this matter. In the future, I will also hold a nominal position in the Department of Divine Power. We cannot let Ji Wen control this power alone.”

With Long Lian and Fu Yao by his side, and the Immortal Jade Record in his hands, he can definitely keep Ji Wen in check.

If Ji Wen can control it, then he can control it.

Yun Zheng nodded: "Yes, that's what I think too."

Mingchen then changed the subject, saying, "However, in terms of the bureaucratic system, they need to be distinguished from ordinary civil and military officials."

"Go and discuss this with Ji Wen again, and formulate an assessment system that divides people into levels based on their abilities. This will prevent weak people from just loafing around and then failing when they are needed to contribute in the future."

Yun Zheng wrote down: "Yes."

“Their pursuits are different from those of ordinary officials, so the reward and promotion system needs to be adjusted.”

At its core, the bureaucratic system is nothing more than the pursuit of rewards and honors.

Without appropriate rewards, and without the power of self-interest to motivate people, it is impossible to persuade others to work for you.

Without the lure of benefits, a suitable system of power cannot be established. Ordinary fame and fortune are clearly not what these cultivators seek.

We need to treat the root cause.

"In the future, announce to His Majesty that after unifying the world and returning to the old capital, His Majesty will ascend the Tongtian Terrace to bestow titles upon those who have rendered meritorious service."

“For those extraordinary individuals who have made great contributions, altars can be set up for them to be worshipped and receive incense offerings from the people. They will also be immortalized after their death.”

Based on the information Mingchen knew, the reason these people appeared at this time was probably this.

Everyone has desires; by offering empty promises based on those desires, one can manipulate people to serve one's purposes. In this way, the framework of a power system can be established.

Yun Zheng paused for a moment, glanced at Ming Chen, and nodded in agreement: "Yes."

In any case, this matter ultimately requires Xiao Xinyue's attention and decision-making.

Although both were young, they held important positions and were not fools. They were extremely efficient and, after discussing and refining a few details, they had basically finalized the basic framework.

After a while, the minor had drunk a bit too much.

After pondering for a moment, Yun Zheng said to Ming Chen, "Lord Ming, I have been puzzled by something for a long time. If you have a solution, I hope you will not hesitate to teach me."

Although Mingchen had blocked their path forward.

But he believed that Mingchen was a wise man who could observe the world and interpret the truth from perspectives that people could not imagine.

He had wanted to have a chat with Mingchen like this for a long time.

"Oh?"

Mingchen raised an eyebrow: "Lord Yun, please speak freely."

Yun Zheng paused for a moment, then said, "Lord Ming, I believe there are far too many intelligent people in this world, and many emperors who are exceptionally talented."

"However, due to their family circumstances and class constraints, they cannot find a way to broaden their horizons or learn new knowledge... Wouldn't their talents be wasted?"

Yun Zheng often felt extremely fortunate because he had a special opportunity in his childhood to be taught knowledge in a dream. He gained insights from studying history.

Otherwise, no matter how talented he was, he would never have reached this point.

"However, some mediocre people occupy high positions, abuse their power for personal gain, and enjoy unlimited resources. I believe this hinders the progress of the country. If this continues, the new dynasty will also be occupied by new parasites."

Centuries later, the new dynasty may not be much different from the previous Qian Yuan dynasty.

Yun Zheng looked at Ming Chen and asked, "I would like to ask Lord Ming if there is any way to broaden public awareness and give more opportunities to those who are trapped in poverty."

If this matter is resolved, he will surely be remembered for generations to come.

Mingchen hadn't expected this young man to have such thoughts; it was quite ahead of his time. Having climbed to a position of vested interests, instead of thinking about preventing others from succeeding, he was thinking about opening up new avenues of opportunity.

In his mind, this person should be a selfish and ruthless person who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals.

"Of course there is."

"It's very simple. Just open universities all over the country, with government support, so that every child has the opportunity to study and participate in scientific examinations and elections."

Just give them what they lack.

We need to strengthen education!
Kyoto has schools for the children of nobles and officials; this could be expanded nationwide to provide compulsory education.

Mingchen possesses many advanced concepts, ideas, and knowledge...

However, he couldn't possibly remember all the details; he could only provide a general outline and leave it to others to continue to study and refine.

For example, he invented gunpowder, but firearms are still being researched by the craftsmen in the Ministry of Works.

For example, he discovered oil in the desert during his westward expedition, but to this day he doesn't know how to begin extracting and utilizing it. He doesn't have the encyclopedia of his previous life; he's not omnipotent. He only knows it's an important resource.

He could only offer a general outline of these matters; they were not things he could accomplish on his own.

If education is promoted in the future, perhaps some intelligent people will help him advance these scientific processes.

"This……"

Mingchen's words were simple, but this move undoubtedly changed the entire framework of society. It was too bold and imaginative, and it would be difficult for people living in this era to break through this ideological barrier.

Upon hearing this, Yun Zheng was startled, his expression shifting as he considered the feasibility of this action. After a moment, however, he suddenly understood: "Lord Ming is absolutely right!"

"Let's get on the petition front!"

If in the future, schools are everywhere, supported by the state, all people can be enlightened. Those who are diligent and hardworking, and those who are exceptionally talented, will naturally have the opportunity to advance through the imperial examinations.

The opportunities for promotion were greatly increased, which could significantly improve the fairness of the imperial examination selection process and delay the decay of the system and bureaucracy.

"Of course..."

However, Mingchen then changed the subject: "Lord Yun, this method is not applicable now. Don't be too idealistic."

"Qianyuan does not need too many talents at this stage; it is already saturated by relying solely on the imperial examination system."

"Moreover, what are the consequences of enlightening the people? Are the privileged class willing to do so? How much manpower and resources will be required?"

“These things require a long time to improve step by step; they are not projects that can be accomplished overnight.”

It was just casual conversation; a few words are easy to say, but doing them is a different story.

Mingchen does indeed want many talented people to enrich his advanced knowledge. However, he currently has no plans to proceed with this.

The foundation of feudal dynasty rule lay in the enormous ideological and cultural barriers between the rulers and the ruled, and the difference in their levels of understanding.

Many conditions are incompatible with modern times, requiring careful consideration and experimentation to find the most suitable path for integration and progress.

Making decisions that are far ahead of their time in this era is not progress, but disaster.

Mingchen's words poured cold water on Yun Zheng's enthusiasm, cooling his blood. He lowered his eyes, seemingly unsure whether he had heard a word, and simply said, "Lord Ming, thank you."

Let's leave the topic of compulsory education here.

Mingchen remembered the student he had taken advantage of, and changed the subject to casual conversation, saying to the parent in front of him, "By the way, Lord Yun, regarding Yun Yao, something happened during this trip..."

(End of this chapter)