Late Tang Dynasty: Descendants of the Imperial Clan

Chapter 85 Developing Water Conservancy Projects and Recruiting Talented Individuals

Li Cenji glanced at the stone lock, then at the emperor, sighed inwardly, stepped forward, bent down, grabbed the lock handle, and with a surge of strength, lifted the stone lock above his head. After stabilizing it for about two breaths, he gently placed it back on the ground.

Seeing him lift the weight without batting an eye, Li Xuan said, "Many strongmen in the army can lift a stone weight of fifty or sixty jin, but not as easily as you. This is nothing special. I've heard that King Zhou of Shang could lift the main beam of the palace and replace a rotten pillar. Can you do that?"

Li Cenji cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty is joking. If I were to actually try to lift that palace beam, I'm afraid I'd be crushed before I could even lift it. Such a story is nothing more than something Sima Qian made up to fool people."

Li Xuan raised an eyebrow slightly and asked again, "Then you might be able to pull back nine oxen backwards?"

Li Cenji shook his head and said, "To pull nine oxen backwards is something only those with superhuman strength can do. I was born with ordinary bones and muscles and do not have such ability."

Li Xuan's expression darkened, and he asked again, "Then can you lift the cauldron? Back then, Xiang Yu, the King of Chu, lifted the cauldron, which shook the world. If you can lift a cauldron weighing a thousand jun, then I will have seen you for a reason."

Li Cenji gave a bitter smile, bowed, and said, "When I was a child, I read in history that King Wu of Qin, Ying Dang, relied on his strength and entered the Zhou ancestral temple. He lifted a tripod and broke his leg, which led to his death. Although I am not talented, I dare not imitate such a common man's bravery. If Your Majesty really wants to see my skills, I am willing to demonstrate a set of spear techniques on the spot with a horse spear for Your Majesty to see."

Upon hearing this, Li Xuan's expression turned completely indifferent.

He had thought he would finally see for himself how skilled that famous general really was, but to his surprise, the man answered three questions and gave three replies, none of which were worth mentioning.

He may have some courage and strength, but by that measure, he is far inferior to the fierce generals recorded in history.

The claims of "a hundred riders charging into battle" and "taking the head of a general from among ten thousand troops" are probably just fabrications made up by Zheng Tian.

Li Xuan shook his head, as if talking to himself, or perhaps to Tian Lingzi beside him, "I thought some extraordinary person had arrived, but it turns out he's nothing special."

He glanced at Li Cenji again, but saw none of the legendary heroic bearing he was told about.

The young emperor's initial curiosity turned into disappointment, which gradually gave rise to a hint of disdain: "Fine, you may leave."

Standing beside the throne, Tian Lingzi discerned the underlying meaning from the emperor's cold words.

He remained outwardly calm, but his curiosity about Li Cenji had not subsided.

The original intention was to use the emperor's test to see if Li Cenji had truly developed a grudge against Zheng Tian, ​​and also to see if another Duke of Hu had emerged in this dynasty.

However, after the question and answer session, this person neither contradicted the emperor nor boasted, but simply humbly said "I cannot".

This made Tian Lingzi feel that Li Cenji was not a reckless warrior, but rather a calm and composed person.

Only those who can remain calm and composed are worth winning over.

Tian Lingzi saw Li Cenji and Li Changfu out of the main tent. After watching their figures disappear among the tents, he turned around and returned to the imperial tent.

Li Xuan was leaning against the soft couch, holding a teacup in his hand, his face showing some displeasure. Seeing Tian Lingzi enter, he said, "Father, this Li Cenji doesn't seem as formidable as the legends say. When asked anything, he always says 'cannot' or 'dare not,' three parts evasion and seven parts fear. Where is even a trace of the spirit to take a general's head from among ten thousand soldiers? Could it be that Zheng Tian exaggerated his abilities?"

Is this an attempt to claim credit for something that wasn't done by Heaven?

Tian Lingzi stood to the side, smiling, but shook his head and said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, please don't be anxious. I think that Li Cenji's refusal just now was not necessarily out of fear, nor was it necessarily just empty talk."

Li Xuanqi asked, "Oh? What do you mean by that, Father?"

Tian Lingzi stroked his sparse beard and said slowly, "Your Majesty, what is the first thing a truly undeserving person does when he meets the Emperor? He desperately tries to prove himself. But he manages to deny everything, making it seem as if he is not in a hurry to curry favor with Your Majesty or prove himself. Such a calm, reserved, and unassuming demeanor makes it hard to believe he is just a reckless man. In my opinion, this person is probably quite shrewd and unwilling to easily reveal his true abilities before Your Majesty."

Li Xuan thought about it and realized that Tian Lingzi's words made some sense, but the displeasure on his face still lingered: "Even if he is shrewd, I don't like people like that. I asked him three questions, and he refused to answer any of them, clearly just trying to appease me. How could I dare to use someone like that?"

Seeing that the emperor had developed some dislike for Li Cenji, Tian Lingzi was secretly pleased and said:

Li Cenji had fallen out with Zheng Tian and was disliked by the emperor. Now, he was the only one in the court who could help him.

However, Tian Lingzi concealed his thoughts and only said on the surface, "Your Majesty is right. However, I have something to report that I have just gotten some clues about."

Li Xuan asked, "What is it?"

Tian Lingzi said, "I just ordered Wei Zhaodu to secretly send a court official to inform Zheng Tian that Li Cenji has arrived at the camp and is currently having an audience with the Emperor. If Zheng and Li Cenji are of one mind and have no animosity, Zheng Tian, ​​upon learning of his disciple's arrival, would surely rush to the Emperor, either to support him or to protect him from any missteps he might make. But guess what, Your Majesty? Wei Zhaodu's court official just returned and reported that Zheng Tian was having tea with some old friends. Upon hearing the news, he simply said 'I know,' and then made no further move, not even leaving the room."

Li Xuan was taken aback: "You mean, Zheng Tian knew Li Cenji was here, but wasn't in a hurry to see him?"

Tian Lingzi said, "Exactly. If it were truly a deep bond between master and disciple, how could they be so cold? In my humble opinion, the relationship between Zheng Tian and Li Cenji is probably more than just 'disagreement.' Zheng Tian doesn't want to see Li Cenji, and Li Cenji didn't say a single good word about Zheng Tian before Your Majesty just now. Your Majesty, think about it carefully, aren't these two, master and disciple, already like strangers?"

After hearing this, Li Xuan remained silent for a moment, but his expression gradually relaxed.

He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and as he put it down, a smile appeared on his lips: "In that case, it saves me a worry. With Zheng Tian gone and Li Cenji no longer his ally, he no longer needs to be wary. I can return to Chang'an and rest easy!"

Tian Lingzi bowed and said, "Your Majesty is wise."

After the two left the camp, Li Changfu finally breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly stepped forward, lowering his voice to ask, "Emperor, what is the Emperor's intention in doing this?"

"How did you know?"

Li Cenji was equally baffled.

He was genuinely unaware of Zheng Tian's plans and had no informants in the court capable of gathering information.

Therefore, Li Cenji thought that the emperor had summoned him from Yong County just to see his strength.

He cursed inwardly that the emperor had no sense of reason, and looked at the kinds of demands Li Xuan was making.

Replacing the beam with a pillar, pulling nine oxen backwards, and the overlord lifting the tripod!

The first two can be considered myths and legends. From the Spring and Autumn Period to the modern era, he had never heard of anyone who could do these two things. He wondered if Sima Qian laughed when he wrote this.

As for lifting the tripod—

Li Cenji had never tried it, but the emperor claimed he would lift a cauldron weighing a thousand jun, so the cauldron must weigh over a thousand jin.

1000 Tang jin is equivalent to 1360 jin in later times. Li Cenji felt that he definitely couldn't lift it, at least not now.

If one allows their strength to grow unchecked, they should be able to achieve it in the future.

But when the emperor heard that he had refused, he immediately turned cold. What could Li Cenji do?

Fortunately, they all came out safely, and nothing that had been expected happened. Nominally, the various military governors still obeyed the court's orders, and Li Cenji really didn't want to be the first to break ties with the court.

The strategy of "building high walls, storing up grain, and delaying the declaration of kingship" is useful no matter what chaotic times are in.

He composed himself and looked toward the camp.

Zheng Gong should still be there, but since he hasn't sent anyone to look for him, Li Cenji shouldn't rush to pay his respects, lest he disrupt Zheng Tian's plans.

Li Cenji withdrew his gaze and said to Li Changfu, "Let's go, let's go back to Baoji City and find a place to stay."

The two joined up with the soldiers, mounted their horses, and rode towards Baoji County.

Li Cenji settled down in the city government office, arranged for his horses and soldiers, and had his servants boil water for him to wash his face.

He sat by the window, watching the sun gradually set in the west, and exhaled a long breath.

When Li Cenji arrived, Zheng Tian was still in his camp and had not yet returned to the post station in Baoji County.

At that time, he was brewing tea and reminiscing with several old friends he had not seen for a long time in the tent. Sitting opposite him were Cui, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel; Wang Hui, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel; and Zhao Meng, the Attendant Censor.

These men were all renowned scholars in the court and had a long-standing friendship with Zheng.

When Huang Chao's rebellion broke out, some people followed the emperor to Sichuan, while others fled to avoid disaster, and they were scattered to different places. Now that the emperor has returned to the capital, everyone has reunited in the camp. They inevitably have to talk about what has happened since they last met and discuss the current situation and people's sentiments.

Zheng Tian picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and spoke calmly and unhurriedly, beginning to discuss how he would reform the bureaucracy after arriving at court.

While comforting the people, a court official suddenly entered the tent, bowed, and reported: "Lord Zheng, Li Cenji, the acting governor of Fengxiang and Longyou, has arrived at the camp by imperial decree and is currently paying homage to the emperor."

Zheng Tian was startled, and his teacup paused almost imperceptibly as he thought to himself:

I clearly instructed Jingzhi not to come; he always listens to me and would never act on his own. Could it be the Emperor's decree? But if the Emperor summoned him, why didn't he inform me beforehand?

It seems that Tian Lingzi is up to his old tricks again.

The Emperor is testing whether my master and I have truly developed a rift, as we've appeared. If I were to step forward and support Jingzhi now, all our previous plans would be in vain.

Zheng Tian had been navigating the treacherous waters of officialdom for many years; how could such a slight disturbance escape his notice?

His mind raced, and in an instant he had made a plan. He regained his composure, gently placed the teacup back on the table, glanced at the official, memorized his face, gave a faint "Oh," and waved the official away without showing any emotion.

Cui Rao, who had been watching closely, put down his teacup and smiled at Zheng Tian, ​​saying, "Brother Taiwen, now that your prized student has arrived at the camp, why don't you go and see the Emperor? Don't let Tian Lingzi stir up trouble again."

This Cui Ziyuan was nearly sixty years old, with fair skin, a long beard, and spoke slowly and deliberately. He was proud of his noble birth and did not give much kindness to eunuchs like Tian Lingzi who were infatuated with the emperor.

Wang Hui chimed in, "Exactly. I thought Brother Taiwen had summoned him specifically. Since Li Cenji is one of your most accomplished disciples, this is a perfect opportunity for him to shine before the Emperor. Why don't you go before the Emperor and say a few words on his behalf, Brother Taiwen? That way, the Emperor will value him more."

Zhao Meng, being slightly younger and more straightforward, said without any pretense, "Brother Taiwen, why don't you go and take a look? If there's anything you need help with, I'd be happy to go along. It's just a matter of speaking a few fair words for my nephew before the Emperor."

Zheng Tian stroked his beard and smiled upon hearing their words. He slowly shook his head and said calmly, "I appreciate your kind invitation. However, the Emperor's summons of Jingzhi is a great honor and an opportunity for him. If I were to rush there, it would only make me seem uneasy, as if I were afraid he might say something wrong before the Emperor. How could I, as his teacher, distrust my disciple so much? Moreover, the Emperor values ​​talent and has a keen eye for recognizing people. Why would he make things difficult for a meritorious official? If I were to go, it would only seem like I'm causing trouble."

He paused, then added, "Moreover, avoiding suspicion and keeping to one's place is the duty of a subject. Having served in court for many years, I know how difficult it is for a ruler and his subject to get along. Why should I, out of momentary concern, make the emperor feel that I am advocating for my disciple?"

After listening, Cui Rao stroked his beard and pondered for a moment. He felt that Zheng Tian's words seemed to make sense, but he also felt that something was not quite right.

He had known Zheng Tian for decades and knew that his old friend was an upright man who was straightforward and straightforward, and would not shy away from saying things like "recommending the virtuous and avoiding relatives".

His nonchalant attitude today seems almost deliberate.

He was about to offer further persuasion when he saw Zheng Tian pick up his teacup and gesture to the three of them, saying, "Let's not talk about that anymore. Speaking of the court's policies, something just came to mind. The other day, Wang Duo and I discussed the idea of ​​petitioning the Emperor after returning to the capital to reopen the imperial examinations, in order to recruit talented people from all over the country. What do you think of this?"

His words were like a pebble thrown into water, gently pushing the previous topic aside.

Seeing that he had no intention of discussing Li Cenji further, Cui Rao did not press the matter further and continued, "Reopening the imperial examinations is indeed a good thing. However, with the country newly pacified, scholars from various prefectures and counties may not be able to arrive in Chang'an in time to take the exams. If we are to proceed, we must give them some time and not rush things."

Wang Hui and Zhao Meng also chimed in, and the three of them gradually steered the conversation toward education and talent selection.

Meanwhile, Zheng Tian, ​​Cui Rao, Wang Hui, and Zhao Meng talked until the sun set before they dispersed.

Zheng Tian left the camp and, escorted by the "Swift Thunder General," slowly returned to the post station in Baoji City in that blue cloth carriage.

As night fell, two lanterns in front of the inn swayed in the autumn wind, illuminating the stone path in front of the gate in a dim light.

Zheng Tian alighted from the carriage and was about to enter when he saw a man standing under the porch, dressed in a black robe and tied with a belt, tall and straight—it was Li Cenji.

Upon seeing Zheng Tian return, Li Cenji quickly stepped forward and bowed, saying, "This disciple has been waiting here for my esteemed master for a long time."

Zheng Tian looked him up and down and saw that he was calm and showed no signs of panic, which reassured him.

He nodded, and without saying anything more at the door, simply said, "Come in and let's talk."

The two entered the post station one after the other, crossed the courtyard, and entered the side room where Zheng Tian was staying.

Zheng Tian dismissed his attendants, ordered the doors and windows to be closed, and personally adjusted the candlelight before sitting down at the table and gesturing for Li Cenji to sit as well.

Li Cenji sat down to the side and, without beating around the bush, recounted from beginning to end his journey to the camp to meet the emperor.

Upon hearing this, Zheng Tian remained expressionless, only taking a sip of the warm tea on the table. After a moment of contemplation, he slowly began to speak: "You did the right thing. What the Emperor truly wanted to see when he summoned you this time was not your bravery. What Tian Lingzi wanted to see was whether there was indeed a rift between you and me, master and disciple, as he claimed before the Emperor."

Li Cenji's heart skipped a beat: "A rift? What makes you say that?"

Zheng laid out his entire plan clearly from beginning to end:

Previously, I had feigned a rift between master and disciple before the Emperor, deliberately acting as if "the disciple is disobeying the master and doing as he pleases," intending to lull Tian Lingzi into a false sense of security and make the Emperor less wary, thus reducing the likelihood of him launching a sneak attack. Today, the Emperor has summoned you to the camp, ostensibly to test your bravery, but in reality, I fear Tian Lingzi is instigating this, trying to use the opportunity to test whether there is still any master-disciple relationship between us.

Upon hearing this, Li Cenji suddenly realized what was going on.

He pondered for a moment, but then became somewhat worried: "Master's plan is good, but I'm afraid some people outside will really think that I have fallen out with you. Disrespecting one's teacher is a great taboo in the world. I'm not afraid of anything else, but I'm afraid that if this matter gets out, it will ruin your reputation and destroy the foundation of my own standing."

Zheng Tian smiled and shook his head, his tone calm: "Don't worry. I was having tea with some old friends just now, and they asked about you. I simply said that the Emperor will make his own judgment, and a teacher should avoid suspicion." If this gets out, people will only say that I am sensible and know my place, and will never think of a "discord between teacher and student." As for Tian Lingzi—no matter how much he embellishes things, he can only say it before the Emperor; he wouldn't dare to spread it openly. If he speaks too confidently, and we, teacher and student, get along well in public, he will instead be branded as a "spreader of rumors." Such a person is extremely opportunistic; seeing that there's no discord between us, he won't go looking for trouble."

Hearing this, Li Cenji finally felt relieved and breathed a sigh of relief, saying, "In that case, this disciple can rest assured."

Zheng Tian continued, "You behaved very well today before the Emperor, keeping a low profile and not showing off your abilities. If you had flaunted your skills before the Emperor, it would have made you seem eager to claim credit, which would have been a poor choice. Your response was excellent. Now that the Emperor has met you, most of his doubts should have dissipated. You should return to Yong County early tomorrow morning and need not go to the military camp. I will accompany the Emperor on his way to Chang'an. You can stay in Fengxiang and manage the affairs of that town well."

Li Cenji replied, "This disciple obeys."

Zheng Tian thought for a moment, then said, "There is one more thing I must tell you in advance: the court is nearing the end of its discussions on the great victory over Huang Chao. We should arrive in Chang'an by mid-October, and you will receive the imperial edict of reward by the end of November. You should just wait quietly in Yong County. There is no need to be anxious or worried. Things will work out in time, and success will come naturally."

Li Cenji rose and bowed solemnly: "I am deeply grateful for my master's consideration. Please take care on your journey, and I await good news from Fengxiang."

Zheng Tian waved his hand and laughed, "Go on. Be careful on the road, don't travel all night and tire out the horses."

97

Li Cenji responded, bowed again, and then bowed and left the room.

The next day, at the crack of dawn, Li Cenji summoned Li Changfu and a group of soldiers, packed their belongings, mounted their horses, and headed straight for Yong County.

Zheng and his party had also finished preparing and boarded a carriage to enter the camp, ready to accompany the emperor on his eastward journey.

With the military order issued in the camp, the soldiers dismantled their tents, loaded them onto carts, and lined up to depart.

Li Xuan sat in the imperial tent, being helped by eunuchs to change into a newly made apricot-yellow robe. He looked energetic, clearly having rested in Baoji for a few days and had fully recovered.

He smiled at those around him and said, "I have been delayed in Baoji for several days. If we don't hurry on our way, I'm afraid we won't reach Chang'an until October. Issue the order that we set off today and not make any more stops along the way."

With the orders of those on either side, the carriages set off one after another, led by the imperial guards of the Imperial Guard, the Dragon Warriors, and the Shence Army, followed by the carriages of the officials, stretching for several miles, heading east along the Wei River.

After the imperial carriage passed through Guo County and then Mei County, the officials in those counties were either still wearing shackles or had not yet settled into their new posts, so they were in a hurry to greet the emperor.

However, Li Xuan was only concerned with getting on his way and had no time to look closely. He simply sent a eunuch to deal with the matter.

After traveling for four or five days, they left the territory of Fengxiang and entered the capital region.

The post stations along the way became more frequent, the roads wider, and the villages were even more sparsely populated than those within Fengxiang.

There are many barren areas in the fields, and occasionally you can see a few houses with wisps of smoke rising from their chimneys, but it is no longer the prosperous scene of the peaceful years of the past.

In Yong County, after returning, Li Cenji threw himself back into government affairs.

Although Zheng Tian's explanation reassured him a lot, there were still a lot of important matters to attend to in Fengxiang town, waiting for him to deal with them.

He sat in the governor's mansion, reviewing the accounts of autumn grain collection and storage sent by various counties, and approving several petitions. After a busy day, he finally took a short break.

-

By early October, Guanzhong was already deep into autumn.

The first batch of winter wheat was sown before the first frost. The newly turned soil ridges in the fields stretched into the distance, and although they were not yet green, they already showed signs of life.

Those migrants who had previously been allocated land now moved into newly allocated houses with their families. Although the houses were still simple, they finally had a place to stay and no longer had to sleep in the wilderness and search for food everywhere.

Looking at the autumn sowing figures reported by various counties, Li Cenji felt slightly relieved:

When people have land to cultivate, they have hope; with hope, they can settle down and live a peaceful and prosperous life.

But once the crops were planted in the fields, people had more free time.

After winter sets in, farming gradually comes to a halt. Although the refugees no longer have to work day and night, they have no other source of income and rely entirely on the few bushels of millet that the government provides each month to survive.

After much thought, Li Cenji decided that rather than letting these people be idle, it would be better to take advantage of the winter off-season to carry out water conservancy projects.

Firstly, the irrigation canals and weirs of the Wei River, Yong River, and other rivers have been in disrepair for many years, with many places silted up and collapsed. If they are not dredged as soon as possible, they may flood and cause disasters when there is heavy rain next spring and summer.

Secondly, the work-for-relief program allows displaced people to contribute some labor in exchange for food, which is better than simply sitting around and letting their resources dwindle.

Once he had made up his mind, he summoned the officials in charge of water conservancy and public works in his mansion, and ordered them to retrieve the old files and check them carefully.

When Zheng Tian was stationed in Fengxiang last year, he also rectified the tributaries of the Wei River and the streams and canals of Longshan, and repaired several government-run ponds. As a result, there are still a few old officials in the prefecture who are knowledgeable about this.

Li Cenji summoned them all to the military governor's residence and went straight to the point: "I intend to take advantage of the winter off-season to dredge the various rivers and canals within the territory to facilitate irrigation next year. You are all seasoned experts in this field, so why don't you discuss with me: If we were to undertake a comprehensive project, how much manpower, money, and grain would be needed? How many sections could be dredged? How should we prioritize them?"

The old officials looked at each other, each pondering for a moment, then whispered among themselves for a while. Finally, one of the old officials, surnamed Jiang, stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "The regent's grand ambition is truly a blessing for the people of Fengxiang. However, such a project, if it is to be fully implemented, will not be accomplished in a day."

My rough estimate is that within the Qizhou region alone, along the banks of the Wei and Yong rivers, there are seventeen large and small irrigation canals and weirs, most of which are more than half silted up. To dredge them completely would require tens of thousands of laborers and would take approximately two months, to be completed before the New Year. However, this would consume ten thousand shi of millet just for the laborers' provisions, plus the costs of tools, oxcarts, lime, and timber, totaling at least eighty thousand guan.

Upon hearing this number, Li Cenji remained outwardly calm, but his heart sank inwardly.

Last year, the total income of Fengxiang Town was only about 300,000 guan. This water conservancy project alone consumed nearly a quarter of the town's annual income, which is enough to show the scale of the project.

Although he received a share of the spoils from Huang Chao, most of that money was spent on rewarding soldiers, settling refugees, and borrowing money for land reclamation.

The treasury is almost empty, so it's really a stretch to come up with 70,000 to 80,000 strings of cash to build water conservancy projects.

He pondered for a moment, then asked, "The government allocates daily rations to refugees who haven't yet reaped their harvest. If they need additional rations to dredge the irrigation canals, how much would that cost?"

The amount of physical activity required for farming is different from that required for manual labor.

The latter is a full-day physical labor job, so naturally, extra food is needed.

Upon hearing this, the veteran officials huddled together and began to calculate. After a moment, Old Official Jiang gave a figure: "It will also require seventy thousand strings of cash!"

Li Cenji still felt it was too expensive, so he had to reduce the cost further: "If we don't repair the entire site, but only recruit three thousand militia from the refugees to reinforce and dredge the most critical sections, what would that be like?"

The old official Jiang thought for a moment and said, "If we only select the most critical sections—the section from Baoji to Mei County on the south bank of the Wei River is the most critical. Last year, the flood breached the dikes and inundated more than a hundred acres of farmland. If we reinforce this section first and then dredge the canals and weirs upstream of the Yong River, the required manpower and resources can be reduced to about 80%. It will cost about 10,000 strings of cash and can be completed within two months."

Upon hearing this, Li Cenji breathed a slight sigh of relief and nodded, saying, "Then let's repair these crucial sections first. As for the other canals and irrigation ditches, we can plan for them gradually next year when the treasury is full. Everything has its priorities; we can't try to do everything at once."

He then asked several more details, such as:

Where to start construction first, where to postpone repairs, and where to borrow an old canal for minor repairs, etc.

The old officials answered one by one, and Li Cenji then ordered them to draft a detailed construction plan, specifying the required manpower, funds, tools, and construction period, and submit it within three days. The men accepted the order and left.

Li Cenji sat alone in the hall, looking at the few rough sketches of the canal and weir on the table. He then picked up the counting rods and checked the treasury accounts to confirm that the expenditure was still within the acceptable range. Only then did he put down the counting rods, rub his temples, and exhale a long breath.

Fortunately, Huang Chao's rebellion had been quelled, and grain merchants from outside the region entered the Guanzhong and Guanxi areas, causing grain prices in both places to begin to fall.

Otherwise, if Li Cenji bought grain based on the price of Guanzhong grain when Chang'an was recovered half a year ago, he wouldn't be able to afford so much. Back then, a dou of rice cost several guan.

Six months have passed, and the price of grain has only dropped to 150 wen per dou. It may take until the summer and autumn harvests next year for the price of grain to fall further.

Although Fengxiang is not a poor town, it cannot afford to spend money extravagantly.

Every penny must be spent wisely, without any waste.

After more than twenty days of such busy work, by the end of October, Sun Chu, Wang Chu, and Zhao Zhang finally returned to Yong County one after another.

The three men set off separately at the end of August, each leading military officers to investigate official corruption in various counties of Qizhou and Longzhou. They were gone for nearly four months.

When they returned, they were all travel-worn and looked tired, but they couldn't hide the relieved look between their brows.

They each carried thick ledgers, confessions, and lists, and reported in detail to Li Cenji at the military governor's mansion.

Such as how many officials were punished and how much embezzled silver was recovered —

They even found a lot of evidence of collusion between grain merchants and local officials. Most of these grain merchants took the opportunity to hoard military grain last year and made a fortune by raising grain prices.

Some landlords and gentry took the opportunity to force people to sell their children, seize land, and hide their population. Some officials even covered for these people and helped them swallow up a large amount of abandoned land abandoned by fleeing people.

However, this time the three of them worked together to investigate only the officials, leaving the landlords, gentry, and grain merchants untouched.

It wasn't out of fear.

When raising pigs, you have to wait until they're fattened up before slaughtering them, right?

Moreover, there are simply not enough people this time, so it will be difficult to mobilize these landlords and wealthy merchants on a large scale.

After listening to each of their reports, Li Cenji reviewed the account books, confessions, and lists brought by the three men. He was very satisfied to find that everything was well-documented and clearly organized.

He stood up, cupped his hands in greeting to the three men, and said, "For the past two months, you three have endured wind and rain, working tirelessly to thoroughly review the officialdom of all the counties in Fengxiang. I am deeply grateful. Today, I will rest for three days to recharge my energy before taking on new duties."

The three of them exchanged a wry smile.

Sun Chu stroked his beard and said, "The way the Regent is speaking doesn't sound like he wants us to rest. Regent, don't keep us in suspense, just say what you have to say, so that I won't be able to rest peacefully for the next three days."

Li Cenji chuckled and, without beating around the bush, explained his plan to build water conservancy projects. He added, "I intend to entrust the surveying of canals and weirs, project scheduling, labor conscription, and accounting to Registrar Sun."

"Registrar Sun, you have experience from working on water conservancy projects with Zheng Gongxing last year, and you are also knowledgeable about accounts. This task is absolutely indispensable."

Sun Chu pondered for a moment, then cupped his hands and said, "Since the Regent has said so, how could I dare to refuse? However, I am old and my legs are not as nimble as before. If I were to personally visit all the canals and irrigation ditches, I fear I would not be able to manage. Could the Regent possibly assign me a few capable officials to assist me?"

Li Cenji nodded and said, "That's natural. I have already selected several officials from the Ministry of Works who are knowledgeable in water conservancy, and they will be assigned to your command tomorrow. You only need to oversee the scheduling and audit the accounts; let them handle the errands and surveying."

Sun Chu then agreed.

Li Cenji then turned to Wang Chu and Zhao Zhang and said, "As for the two of you, I have another important matter to entrust to you."

Wang Chu cupped his hands and said, "Please give your instructions later."

Li Cenji then told the three about Zheng Tian's recruitment notice, adding, "Zheng Gong's recruitment notice has been posted for over a month. Now it's no longer limited to the Fengxiang and Longyou areas; it's also reaching Guanzhong..."

Scholars and soldiers from all over Xingyuan have been coming to serve me. I have met dozens of them intermittently over the past few days, but they always arrive sporadically without a unified examination. Furthermore, the test questions cannot be the same for everyone to avoid leaks, which has left me exhausted and unable to select truly talented individuals. After much thought, I have decided to set a unified date to gather all applicants together for a unified examination.

The date was set for December. There's still over a month until then, enough time for even more people to come and see it.

He paused, then continued, "As for the exam questions, I'll ask you two to set them. There's no need to test your literary skills; just focus on policy essays on how to govern a region. For example, if a county has a thousand acres of wasteland and five hundred displaced people, how should they be resettled? Or, if a place is plagued by bandits and trade has ceased, how should it be pacified? Such questions are not bound by convention, but must be relevant to current affairs. You two are both highly literate and have extensive experience in various places; surely setting some good questions won't be difficult for you."

Zhao Zhang laughed and said, "That's easy. Just give some practical questions, without testing those who are good at pedantic and word-by-word analysis, and you can screen out the truly capable people."

Wang Chu also said: "Policy essays are indeed a good method for selecting officials. Back then, when Emperor Taizong established the special imperial examination, he also selected officials based on policy essays. Anyone who was knowledgeable in the classics and understood current affairs could enter officialdom regardless of their background."

Li Cenji replied, "Since you two have no objections, then this matter will be entrusted to you."

He pondered for a moment, then said, "There is another matter: among those who have applied, some are from impoverished families and cannot even afford lodging. If they are made to endure the elements until December, they will likely fall ill from the cold. I intend to build a few temporary inns near the city for them to rest. However, we cannot let them stay for free; there must be some rules: anyone who comes to stay must first submit an article, either discussing current affairs or outlining strategies, to prove that they do indeed possess some talent. Those who cannot even write an article are merely idlers seeking free food and lodging and should not be taken in."

Li Cenji's words were impeccable, offering a glimmer of hope to scholars from humble backgrounds while preventing those who were ignorant and incompetent from taking advantage of the situation.

Wang Chu and Zhao Zhang both clapped their hands and said, "The regent's considerations are thorough; with this, there will be no mistakes."

The three then discussed the format of the exam questions, the judging criteria, and the date of the exam.

Li Cenji decided to set the exam for the first day of the twelfth lunar month.

This would allow sufficient travel time for those who came to serve, and also give Wang and Zhao ample time to formulate their proposals.

The three men obeyed and left, leaving Li Cenji alone in the hall, secretly pondering:

Sun Chu was put in charge of water conservancy, while Wang Chu and Zhao Zhang set the exam questions. He then focused on waiting for the December exam, and selected a group of promising candidates from among the examinees to fill the vacancies in various counties.

When spring comes next year, the irrigation system will be repaired, the officials will be appointed, and the fields will be planted with crops. At that time, it will be time to take action against some of the fat pigs in the town!

Thinking of the various evil deeds committed by the landlords, gentry, wealthy households, and grain merchants as reported by the three men, he decided to kill them.

The autumn wind rustled outside the window, blowing the withered leaves of the old locust tree to the ground, where they swirled and stuck to the bluestone slabs in front of the steps.

Li Cenji stood up, walked to the window, and gazed at the faint outline of the city wall in the twilight in the distance, gently exhaling a breath of white air.

The weather is getting colder, and winter is just around the corner.

However, this winter was much better than the chaotic winter of the previous year.

After everything was settled, Li Cenji ordered notices to be posted everywhere:

Anyone aspiring to an official career may take the examination at the General's Office in Yong County on the first day of the twelfth lunar month.

Candidates must bring their name card and place of origin document and report to the temporary post station near Yongxian city three days before the exam. They will be allowed to enter the examination room only after their identity has been verified.

If any poor people could not afford to rent a house, the government would build several rows of simple houses near the city walls, providing bedding and stoves for them to stay overnight.

Before moving in, one must submit a letter of self-recommendation and an article, specifying one's place of origin, background, and insights to prove one's talent and learning.

Anyone without genuine talent or ability who tries to sneak in and freeload will be turned away on the spot, to prevent anyone from posing as a student.

Free food and free lodging.

Meanwhile, in Bianzhou city, it was late October, and the autumn air was deepening. Most of the leaves of the elms and willows in the streets and alleys had fallen, and they were being swept up and swirled on the ground by the west wind.

Although the city was not as prosperous as Chang'an, it was still a bustling commercial center with a dense population. The Bian River flowed through the city, and boats came and went in an endless stream.

Since the Huang Chao Rebellion, Bianzhou, due to its location at a crucial point in the Grand Canal, recovered faster than other places.

The inspector, Wang Fa, was from Fengyi in Tongzhou. He was about forty years old, with fair skin and a neatly trimmed short beard. He was a man who valued loyalty and loved learning.

He served as a clerk in the state government for many years. Although he was not a high-ranking official, he was still wealthy and enjoyed associating with talented people.

When he returned home from work that day, he saw a table of food and wine already laid out on the table in the main hall, steaming hot and fragrant.

Wang Fa was overjoyed. He took off his official robe and put on a worn blue cloth robe. He then summoned his servant and instructed him, "Go to that alley in the east of the city and invite Mr. Jingxiang over. Tell him that I have prepared some side dishes and would like him to come and have a meal with us. I also have something to tell him."

The servant responded and turned to leave.

Na Jingxiang, courtesy name Zizhen, was about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. He was from the same hometown as Wang Fa and was a descendant of Jing Hui, a court official of the current dynasty.

He once went to Chang'an to take the imperial examination, but failed.

When Huang Chao attacked Chang'an, he fled to Bianzhou and sought refuge with Wang Fa.

Wang Fa saw that although he was down on his luck, he was knowledgeable and had a strong memory. He was well-versed in classics, history, military strategy, and civil administration, and was especially good at policy discussions. His writing was sharp and insightful.

The two only talked once, and Wang Fa was amazed by his talent.

After that, he often invited him to his residence for a chat, and he would often discuss any difficult matters with him.

The servant received the order, left the Wang family's gate, and headed east along the main street of the city.

After passing through two side alleys, turn into a quiet, shabby alley.

He walked deeper into the alley and stopped in front of a wooden door with peeling paint. He raised his hand and knocked twice on the door knocker, and said loudly, "Is Mr. Jing here? My master invites you to his home for a meal."