Miao Chu

Chapter 352 Review
I just said last time that I did everything by myself, and I just promised to submit it on time. If I go back on my word now and say that I can't finish it, wouldn't I be exposed and reveal my weakness?
How can I make up for the image of competence that I have worked so hard to build?
Clutching the manuscript, Cai Xiu stumbled out of Magistrate Liao's office.

The higher-ups have one mouth, while the lower-ups run themselves ragged.

Calculating and extrapolating data is a very complicated and tedious task. The difficulty in mathematics is already considerable, but the sheer volume of calculations is even more staggering.

Cai Xiu was always skilled in writing and made a name for himself in poetry. In his view, "technique" was a minor skill, so he did not spend much time studying it—nor did he have that much time to study it.

There are only twelve hours in a day. With so many literary gatherings and social engagements, and the need to keep up with serious academic studies, there is naturally less time for such minor skills.

In fact, Cai Xiu was not particularly outstanding not only in mathematics, but also in law and horsemanship.

He returned to the storeroom, where everyone else had already clocked in and left the office; it was deserted, and he was the only one there.

Looking at the room full of files and materials, it was obvious that even just organizing the corresponding content would take a lot of time.

He gasped.

I could never finish it all by myself, unless I worked myself to death!

We must not sit idly by and wait to die!
Sitting in his chair, he didn't rush to work, but kept thinking.

After much thought, I actually came up with a novel approach—Li Zhai wanted so many different sets of data, but it was obvious that most of them would be useless; they were just for comparison.

He could simply calculate one or two of the ideas carefully, and do some random calculations for the rest. When reporting, he could guide his superiors to choose the method he had done carefully in the past, or even the general calculation done by his former students. In this way, he would have completed his task and made a name for himself!

Several days later, he took the manuscript to Magistrate Liao.

The latter was very interested in the calculations and pointed to the contents, asking how they were calculated, how the results were obtained, and so on.

Algorithms are already quite complicated, but after Cai Xiu's explanation, they became even more complex.

Magistrate Liao instructed the clerk to write down everything, offered some encouragement, and then urged him to quickly prepare the report.

Writing is Cai Xiu's forte. He already had a draft, and with just a few minor revisions, he finished writing it in no time.

This time, however, he did not give it to Magistrate Liao—the latter was not eloquent and unfamiliar with the situation; if he made a mistake, he would be implicated.

Besides, what if he doesn't mention his own name?
This is a rare opportunity to shine.

He had inquired about the situation of each family long ago and knew very well that there was a beautiful guest in Li Canzheng's family who was about to come of age and was currently being selected for a suitable marriage.

Finding a son-in-law after the imperial examinations has always been a favorite pastime for men. They are outstanding in every way, whether in appearance, talent, conduct, or character, but they just need an opportunity to shine.

If I could win the favor of Councilor Li and become his son-in-law, those young masters from unorthodox families and those servants and scoundrels who came to investigate would probably kneel down before me. They wouldn't dare to act like they did today!

Knowing that Li Zhai had taken up his post in the prefectural government office, he also stayed in the back office at night and ate mostly from the public kitchen—for this reason, the government office specially hired two new cooks.

However, Shangguan's actions were unpredictable; sometimes he would have food delivered to the government office, and sometimes he would eat in the kitchen himself.

Cai Xiu spent two hundred coins to hire a handyman to keep watch. When Li Zhai finished eating at the public kitchen and was on his way back, Cai Xiu held the manuscript and waited on the way, stopping him.

He was dressed in brand-new clothes, wearing a crown and boots. He looked handsome and had a good bearing. I stepped forward, bowed, and greeted him first. I introduced myself and my background, saying, "I have taken over the task of overall planning from my superior, and I am responsible for calculating the city's grain and supplies. There are some things I don't understand right now. Since my superior is not here, and I know that this matter is really urgent, I have no choice but to come and bother you, my advisor!"

They bypassed Magistrate Liao and came to report on their own.

No matter how much he tried to embellish or present himself, Li Zhai, having served as an official for many years, could easily see through the intentions of the person before him.

Some officials dislike their subordinates who are too obedient and don't know how to speak up, while others dislike their subordinates who are overly assertive and overstep their bounds.

However, Li Zhai was tolerant and didn't mind his subordinates' actions or temperaments as long as they were talented.

Upon seeing Cai Xiupin's appearance and hearing that he was a student of the Imperial Academy and vaguely known for his literary talent, he felt that the young man was proactive and ambitious, and did not take offense. He paused slightly, asked him to stand up, and then pointed ahead, indicating that they should walk forward. As they walked, he asked, "Where is it that you don't understand?"

Cai Xiu then raised a few questions, all of which were quite substantial.

Li Zhai gave answers to each of them.

Cai Xiu then asked for more details.

Once the questions and answers were settled, Li Zhai couldn't help but ask how many people were currently doing this job and whether there were any difficulties involved.

Cai Xiu then said, "The rest of you have been seconded to the Sixth Route Transportation Office, and there are several others who are injured or sick in bed, or who are in a bad mood and cannot be forced to work. Right now, there is only one student left—but I am young and should spare no effort to serve the country, the court, and the people!"

"Besides, participating in politics is much more difficult; what students are going through is nothing!"

Putting everything else aside, this student was elegant and eloquent, and in just a short time, Li Zhai had developed a good impression of him.

He then asked the other party about the progress again.

Cai Xiu then took out the prepared document from her sleeve and said, "Actually, it has already been calculated and carefully checked..."

The government office was just ahead. Li Zhai led his men into the room, took the manuscript, and glanced through it briefly.

Cai Xiu quickly stepped forward, secretly taking a deep breath, preparing to seize the time so that she could explain her calculations and thoughts as soon as the other party glanced at the document.

But before he could speak, Li Zhai's previously amiable expression hardened slightly when he turned to the next page.

Cai Xiu was good at reading people's expressions, so she quickly looked down to glance at the other person, only to find that the other person had already seen the content that she had added as an extra to make up the numbers.

While some of the details are fabricated, they are not entirely random but rather deduced from other data. They are simply simplified and crude, with some minor differences.

These numbers, laid out on paper, are just numbers. Logically, a quick glance at them should easily lead one astray with the text, prompting one to offer their own interpretation...

“Is this a mistake? Did you include the number of soldiers and patrolmen who went north to Yunluo?” Seeing Cai Xiu’s vague answer, Li Zhai shook his head. “If you did include them, the food and fodder consumption should not be this number.”

As he spoke, he pointed to one of the figures and said, "There's something wrong here too. The Imperial Guards and the Garrison Army both use Song's marching rations sent from the capital. Their consumption should be less than half or more than half of the ordinary rations. How come the two calculations show that the consumption is almost the same?"

Cai Xiu's scalp tingled.

He vaguely remembered that there was indeed a category of grain and fodder called Song's Army Rations. At the time, he found it strange that army rations were just army rations, so why put a surname on them?

However, the amount of this so-called Song army rations was very small, only one or two tenths of the other commonly used dry rations currently in stock. So he didn't pay much attention to it, and didn't bother to check the records carefully. He just treated it as ordinary dry rations. Who would have thought that dry rations could be different from each other?
He desperately wanted to come up with a quick idea, but the questions were too detailed; how could he possibly give a perfunctory answer?
Just as she was sweating profusely with anxiety, she heard hurried footsteps outside the door. Cai Xiu looked up and saw who it was. She was truly terrified, as if the sweat had been sucked into her pores and then expelled, leaving her feeling sticky and cold—it was none other than Magistrate Liao, who had come after hearing the news.

Upon entering, the latter hurriedly stepped forward to greet him, saying, "Vice Minister, I have a few matters to report!" As he spoke, he glanced at Cai Xiu, looking quite surprised, and said, "Oh, Little Cai is here too?"

Li Zhai had served as an official in the Ministry of Revenue many years ago and was skilled in mathematics. At this moment, after flipping through just a few pages, he could spot several obvious errors with a single glance and naturally wouldn't waste any more time on it.

However, the person opposite him was, after all, a talented young scholar from the Imperial Academy. Li Zhai, being an official, would not dare to criticize him to his face and ruin his reputation.

Upon seeing Magistrate Liao approach, he said, "You are a superior, so you should be more careful in overseeing things. How can you let a student or junior grope around blindfolded?"

As he spoke, he pushed the manuscript back to Cai Xiu and said, “There are quite a few errors in it. Go back and carefully check it. This is an important matter concerning the distribution of grain inside and outside the city. If it is done well, countless grains can be saved without wasting a single grain. If there are too many mistakes and omissions, and it is used by a careless person, the harm will be great. This is your time to show your skills, so put your mind to it!”

Upon hearing this, Cai Xiu felt angry, annoyed, and ashamed, but dared not speak.

Just as he was about to give a few more instructions, there was another sound of footsteps outside the door, a rapid thumping sound that could be heard even through a wall and a door, conveying the person's urgency.

He was a handyman, covered in sweat and panting heavily.

"Counselor! Councilor! The local militia and the imperial guards are fighting! Commander Shi rushed over, but somehow he couldn't stop them and even seemed to have taken sides, almost injuring someone. Commander Cui said the Councilor should uphold justice—the people are already..."

The word "in" had barely faded when a commotion of voices erupted. A man walked in through the courtyard gate, his strides so large that it seemed he hadn't taken more than a few steps before reaching the entrance—it was none other than Cui Jizhong, the Commander of the Palace Guard.

As the man entered, he looked around and saw Li Zhai approaching. He immediately clasped his hands in a salute and said, "Counselor Li, the Song family's military rations are supposed to be our Imperial Guard's rations. The local militia can just divide them up and take them without even a word. Isn't that going a bit too far?"

Soon, Shi Duzhi hurriedly followed in and exclaimed, "Councilor! This time, the grain was distributed from the state. The Song family's military rations brought by the Imperial Guards have long been used up. The Imperial Guards went to disaster relief, but aren't the local militia also going to disaster relief? The Song family's military rations are dry rations allocated by the imperial court. How can the Imperial Guards eat them, but the local militia can't?"

Both men, each accompanied by several soldiers, were talking back and forth, making a buzzing noise in the room.

"Who wouldn't want to carry light and easy-to-carry things when they go out? The Imperial Guards have been eating Song's rations for so long, why can't they eat something else?"

“The Imperial Guards are taller and stronger, they eat more and expend more energy, so naturally we’ll take whoever can withstand the hunger!”

Li Zhai listened for a while, completely bewildered, before finally understanding that the argument was all about seizing Song Ji's military rations.

It turns out that when Cui Jizhong led a group of imperial guards from the capital to Chanzhou, he brought with him a recipe for Song's army rations and a lot of ready-made dry rations.

Chanzhou didn't take it seriously at first, but after going out with them, he saw that the Imperial Guards didn't need to put too much food in their bundles, but he had already finished eating all the food in his bigger and heavier bundle. The Imperial Guards weren't in a hurry at all and still had some left. Who wouldn't be curious?

Upon inquiring, the soldiers learned the origin of the new rations and immediately erupted in excitement.

Since they're all equally awful, who wouldn't want to carry something lighter and more filling when traveling?
Coincidentally, when this batch of Song's military rations arrived, Na Duzhi was already there. Before the Imperial Guards could be notified, they were all taken away. When the Imperial Guards came to collect the supplies, they found the place empty and refused to accept them.

Hearing the dogs tearing at birds and the splattering of things as they started hurling insults at each other, Li Zhai had no time to pay attention to Cai Xiu.

Since Cui Jizhong had also come, he naturally couldn't be negligent. Moreover, since all military matters were of utmost importance at the moment, he only exchanged a few words with Magistrate Liao before standing up to go over and say a few more words.

Before he could even utter his words of justice, by sheer coincidence, another person rushed in like a whirlwind, shouting, "Sir! Sir! A messenger from the river has arrived—the river has sent someone to deliver a message!"

Li Zhai immediately abandoned the arguing group and asked urgently, "Where is he?"

Only a moment after the messenger arrived, a soldier covered in sweat entered and said, "Minister! The official sent me to report—the lead ship has arrived. He said the river is clear and the grain transport fleet will follow soon!"

Before Li Zhai could speak, the arguing group, having heard the news, quieted down and turned to look. Cui Jizhong, standing at the front, couldn't help but ask, "It's open?? Really open?? Didn't they say that many places were without water and boats couldn't sail?"

Once the river is open, grain and supplies can be continuously delivered, and prices in Chanzhou City will not continue to soar.

Li Zhai was slightly relieved, but not entirely so, and asked, "Who is supervising this wave of cargo ships?"

The newcomer announced loudly, "It's Han Li from the Sixth Route Transportation Office leading the expedition!"

Li Zhai appeared much more relaxed and asked, "Has Zheng Yan sent any letters?"

There were no letters.

Having heard no new news, and knowing that the waterway was not far from the Chanzhou government office, and further ahead there was a dock, he said, taking advantage of the midday hour, "Let's go! Let's go take a look!"

The group of people stopped arguing and didn't care about getting justice; they all followed along.

Cai Xiu, who was standing behind with her manuscript in her hand, was about to leave when she heard the name "Han Li" and her feet seemed to take root, so she immediately stopped.

It's Han Li again?
This guy, why is he always here? He's everywhere!
How could he be so lucky? He went to Wangjing River smoothly, and now he has avoided Liuta River. He has also been able to show his face again because of the matter of transportation. Even Li Zhai, who has been involved in politics for a time, calls him "righteous" and he doesn't know what tricks he has used behind the scenes!
Seeing Li Zhai's satisfied expression, Cai Xiu became even angrier. Then she thought—the grain had arrived, and all her hard work and calculations over the years had been for nothing.

If I had known, I wouldn't have stopped them from participating in politics!
He was filled with regret and anger, but seeing everyone looking at the ship, he couldn't help but follow them, even though he was seething with hatred.

However, this time he was stopped after taking only two steps.

"Master Liao?"

He was stunned.

Judge Liao gave him a forced smile and said, "You heard what the councilor said earlier. Time is tight and there are many things to do right now. Don't delay, hurry back and take charge!"

Cai Xiu was bewildered and said, "But the cargo ship has arrived, do I still need to calculate this?"

"The convoy is the convoy, and the allocation is the allocation. How can you confuse the two?" Magistrate Liao sneered. "In the future, if you report such matters again, come back to me and I will report them. If this happens again, I will have no choice but to send you back to the Imperial Academy!"

Doing this is clearly just torturing yourself!
Cai Xiu was so angry that her liver hurt, but the other party held an official position and used Li Zhai's words to pressure her.

In the past, he was the one who threatened other students, telling them to write letters to the academy if they didn't do well. Now, he was being threatened with being expelled from the Imperial Academy, and he was powerless to fight back.

Before he could even catch his breath, he heard the person opposite him say again, "Be more careful. If you let Councilor Li point out your mistakes again like today, you may be a junior and not afraid of losing face, but I do care about my reputation. I'll just become a laughingstock!"

After finishing his speech, Magistrate Liao didn't even lift his eyelids before walking away. Judging from the direction and speed, he was clearly chasing after Li Zhai and the others.

Cai Xiu stood there, feeling dizzy in waves.

If he had gained the favor of Councilor Li, the man surnamed Liao would naturally not have dared to act arrogantly, but who knew...

So what should I do now? In my dormitory, next door is a group of young masters who are being sarcastic and sarcastic towards me. In the yamen, above me is the magistrate I just offended, and then there's Li Zhai's comments... Will those comments get out?

(End of this chapter)