Damn it, I'm in the garbage book I wrote

Chapter 834: Compassion does not command troops
After hearing what had happened here, Emperor Jingtai was quite moved.

When it comes to ruthlessness, Xia Lin is the most ruthless. No one else would be so straightforward about this. He has never followed any ancestral laws or etiquette. If it were someone else, they would definitely think about appeasing them first. But this guy is good. He just took ten taels of silver for each head.

Tyrannical, so tyrannical. But this tyranny is also so endearing. In fact, there are people in the court who oppose Xia Lin's style of doing things, and they have even impeached him more than once. But the problem is that these impeachment petitions are usually suppressed by the Ministry of Rites and can't even get to the central government.

The reason was quite simple: the Ministry of Rites explained that Xia Daosheng was a military commander, and therefore the matter should not have been submitted to the Ministry of Rites but rather to the Ministry of War.

Then the impeachment petition was forwarded to the Ministry of War. The Ministry of War, instead of reporting it to higher authorities, said, "Xia Daosheng is not a general; his position is that of a fifth-rank county magistrate. He should be judged by the Ministry of Personnel."

Then, when the Ministry of Personnel receives impeachments, they will say, "The Ministry of Personnel is only responsible for the appointment and removal of officials; right and wrong, merits and demerits should be transferred to the Ministry of Justice."

The Ministry of Justice said, "Go to hell."

That's exactly what the Minister of Justice said at the time. He pointed at the Minister of Personnel's head and cursed him throughout the morning court session. Then the impeachment letter was thrown back at the impeacher's feet, and the Minister of Justice cursed him, saying, "If you want to die, go ahead, but don't drag me down with you." Naturally, the matter was dropped.

Afterwards, countless people wanted to find evidence of Xia Lin's abuse of power, corruption, and embezzlement in order to bring him down. However, it was really too difficult to find any evidence against him. In desperation, they had no choice but to investigate his family and relatives. After investigating, they eventually found Zhang Zhongchun, the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat of the reigning emperor.

That day, Zhang Zhongchun propped his head up, staring at the investigation results on the table regarding his alleged favoritism and corruption, his mind filled with a million questions. Why, when he was almost a high-ranking official, had a case file suddenly surfaced about Zhang Zhongchun's corruption in the imperial examinations during the Hongbao era? It stated that Zhang Zhongchun had cheated in the examinations, and Xia Lin had no official rank, thus concluding that the two had risen to power through selling official positions. The investigation demanded that the person who had recommended them be found out and punished.

Old Zhang thought about it all night but still couldn't understand why someone would be so reckless.

The topic has gone off-topic, but this also shows that most people don't want to get involved in Xia Lin's brutality and can't get involved either. After all, Xia Daosheng never engages in political struggles; he always takes a different path called armed uprising.

As for his brutality, it was indeed much more effective than verbal battles; killing people is always simpler and more efficient than issuing decrees.

These hundreds of heads also demonstrate the town's determination to develop. Sometimes, attracting investment is all about attitude. Some counties harbor bandits to maintain their own power, using various pretexts to attract businessmen from other places, only to rob and kidnap them. Businessmen and chambers of commerce aren't stupid; once they've been fooled, they'll never fall for it again.

A place without merchants can never prosper, and in the end, such a place will inevitably fail to develop, leading to population loss and economic decline.

As expected, Xia Lin's arrangement for Chen Xiangyao was exactly what the merchant group wanted. Just a few days ago, he was a menacing general, but today he has become a peddler diligently promoting his hometown.

He was extremely obsequious. Although he had no official position, he was still Xia Lin's first-generation disciple. No joke, even if someone from the Jiangnan faction became prime minister in the future, they would still have to call him senior brother. But Chen Xiangyao had no pride whatsoever. He reached out and picked up the mushrooms covered in mud.

Emperor Jingtai stood to the side watching the young man's enthusiastic sales pitch. He didn't step forward, but instead turned his head to the two vice ministers of the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Personnel who had accompanied him and said, "This young man looks promising. It seems he doesn't hold an official position yet, does he?"

"Your Majesty, please allow me to step forward and inquire."

"Wait a minute, wait until the child is finished."

In fact, it wasn't just Chen Xiangyao who was busy; the local mountain people were also mobilized. He was busy until evening, and then the local mountain people presented Emperor Jingtai and his entourage with a hot and authentic song and dance performance.

How amazing are the performances here? Well, let's put it this way... many tribes only started wearing clothes while dancing after the founding of the People's Republic of China.

That would surely have lured these unsophisticated outsiders into becoming shrewd and cunning, and they drank with great gusto, almost everyone gradually losing themselves in the constant calls of "brother."

Sign it! Sign the purchase agreement blindly! This place has beautiful mountains and rivers, everything is good. The local products can be easily packaged and become top-notch. Moreover, they can say that even the emperor used them and praised them. They are better than tribute items. Given Emperor Jingtai's reputation among the people and the people's current pursuit of a higher standard of living, isn't this product a steal?

So, starting at noon on the second day, they began, led by Chen Xiangyao, to traverse mountains and valleys, entering the treasure trove of these border people and ethnic minorities.

They raised fish in the river, reclaimed wasteland, and used natural caves to grow delicious mushrooms. When the golden and silver ear fungus, which had been infused with the essence of bird's nest, was presented to Emperor Jingtai, its crystal-clear appearance made the emperor reluctant to eat it.

"Chen Xiangyao."

During a break, Emperor Jingtai stood by the stream, gazing at the mountain scenery, and suddenly said, "Do you regret coming here? I mean, with your talent, you could have asked your headmaster Xia for a letter of recommendation, but you're content to stay in these mountains."

Upon hearing this, Chen Xiangyao immediately bowed slightly and said, “Your Majesty, I have been poor since childhood. When I was nine, my father fell ill and was almost unable to work, so the burden fell entirely on my mother. Later, when the academy enrolled, I was able to attend, but because of our poverty, we couldn't even afford the tuition. It was my teacher who personally visited my home and persuaded my mother to let me attend. He also waived the tuition fees for poor people like me, and my teacher covered all the costs. My teacher said something to me at that time, which I have kept in mind: ‘Knowing is easy, doing is hard; action speaks louder than words. Only by unifying knowledge and action can one attain the Way.’”

Emperor Jingtai turned his head to look at him: "So you mean you're here willingly?"

"Your Majesty, that's right. My mentor once said that building a prosperous era is not the work of one person alone. A towering city is built on thousands of foundation stones. There was a time when I was young and helpless, and without my mentor, I would not be where I am today. However, my mentor is like a towering mountain to me, and I have no way to repay him. Since that is the case, I might as well do my best to express my mentor's kindness to this land. That way, I will not fail the country's cultivation, nor will I fail Your Majesty's good intentions."

"Ok?"

Emperor Jingtai turned his head to the side: "Is this flattery? What does this have to do with me?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Xiangyao bowed and said, "My mentor once said that he was just a scavenger on the streets of Luoyang back then. His Majesty selected him into the civil service without regard to convention, and His Majesty deserves credit for everything that followed."

"Hey! That's right."

Emperor Jingtai's mood immediately brightened. He coughed and summoned the Vice Minister of Revenue: "Vice Minister, I really like this place. Make a note of it for me."

"The minister obeys the order."

"This place is blessed with beautiful mountains and clear waters, and its people are striving for progress. The court should not judge people based on distance or proximity. The capital region is the lifeblood of the Great Wei, and the Lingnan region should be the same. The Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works should immediately dispatch people to plan strategies, build houses, and construct water conservancy projects for the local people."

After saying this, Emperor Jingtai looked up at the sky around him and said, "Don't call this place 'Roadside Town' anymore, it doesn't sound good. From today onwards, it will be called Fuyou County. With a population of tens of thousands, it is qualified to be a county."

"This humble subject thanks Your Majesty for your grace!" Chen Xiangyao hurriedly lifted his long robe and knelt down to kowtow to Emperor Jingtai in gratitude: "Your Majesty's wisdom is like that of Yao, Shun, Yu, and Tang."

"By the way, Chen Xiangyao. Effective immediately, you will assume the post of Magistrate of Fuyao County, with full authority over county affairs." Emperor Jingtai patted his shoulder: "Young man, I'm giving you a chance. But as you know, if you act recklessly, I don't need to elaborate on who will clean house for you, do I?"

"Your Majesty, I kowtow in gratitude. Long live the Emperor!" "Come on, I don't like the title 'Long Live the Emperor,' it's all fake." Emperor Jingtai flicked his sleeves and pointed to a large tree by the roadside, saying, "It, it is the one who truly lives up to the title 'Long Live the Emperor.'"

To be honest, Xia Lin did have some selfish motives. After all, it wouldn't be a big deal if his student suffered too much, especially since the kid had performed quite well.

Let's just consider it a chance for him.

However, Emperor Jingtai's words were also quite insightful, carrying a double meaning. He not only understood Xia Lin's meaning but also issued a warning: if this kid caused trouble in the future, not only would he not be cured, but Xia Lin would also be the one to clean house.

They're all seasoned veterans. You know, Xia Lin only commented on Emperor Jingtai, saying he was unreliable, never that he was stupid. And when they're in their positions, they either don't deal with things at all or deal with them to the death; it's rare for them to give a minor punishment as a warning.

At this moment, Xia Lin was less than two hundred miles away from his second brother-in-law's territory. He had prepared to cross mountains and valleys, but when he actually arrived, he found that things were completely different.

As soon as his carriage stopped on the flat stone road, people came up to him, holding bags of salted eggs and trying to sell them.

"Want some salted eggs? They're five coins each, and they're delicious."

Xia Lin looked around, listening to the group's broken Mandarin, and felt a little curious. He bought a few eggs, took a couple of bites, and found them quite delicious...

"Have we gone to the wrong place?"

Xia Lin got off the carriage and saw that there were people everywhere. The houses built against the mountain stretched inward. What was originally a rugged mountain area had been carved out into a large area. This large open space in the mountain valley has now become the large market where Xia Lin is standing. The local people and Miao people live around this large roundabout.

The most crucial thing is that Xia Lin discovered they had an outhouse... Do you know what that means? When Xia Lin first came here, it was commonplace for the local people to defecate at home and then let it air dry. Humans and animals lived together. When he first saw it, Xia Lin thought he, as a person from the future, was already quite knowledgeable, but that time still gave his tender and young mind a hellish shock.

But this time when I came back, there were latrines, sheep pens, pigsties, and cowsheds. How can this not be considered a big step forward in civilization?
"Wow, my brother-in-law is quite capable."

"I'm afraid it's not just your second brother-in-law."

Hearing the familiar voice, Xia Lin turned around and saw the somewhat aged Xu Shiji standing behind him. Upon seeing him, Xia Lin laughed and walked over to pat Xu Shiji's arm: "Old Xu, Old Xu!"

"I thought you'd forgotten about us."

"No, I've brought you a great opportunity this time."

Xu Shiji pointed to the side and said, "I'll treat you to dinner, then we can talk slowly."

It has to be said that Xu Shiji has aged considerably. Although they are the same age, he now looks more than ten years older than Xia Lin. The former holy son of the military, Taoist and medical schools now looks like a weathered frontier general.

"Should we make some arrangements for my brothers too?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Shiji turned around and looked at them. He then simply smiled and raised his hand. Several men dressed as Miao people stepped forward and began to talk to Xia Lin's guards. With Xia Lin's approval, they were then led to a meal.

Xia Lin was led to a bamboo forest, where a beautiful young woman poured them both emerald green bamboo leaf tea.

Xia Lin took a sip: "Hmm, it has a sweet aftertaste and a pleasant fragrance. It's good. You're the best, Lao Xu."

Xu Shiji didn't speak, but took a big gulp of tea: "Speak, what brings you here so abruptly without even a greeting?"

"Actually, it's nothing."

Xia Lin, resting her chin on her hand, sat there looking slightly tired and yawned: "I'm going to the Western Regions soon."

"The Western Regions?" Xu Shiji's eyes darted around. "Exile?"

"Can't you wish me well for once?" Xia Lin laughed: "To unify the Western Regions."

"You unified the Western Regions, separated from the Tang Dynasty?"

"Yes, so there's a high probability that I'll be stuck in the graveyard of empires in the short term. The Tang Dynasty won't want to see this happen, and neither will the Northern Han. This war is going to be a long one."

Xu Shiji nodded slightly: "So, what brings you here today?"

"Didn't I tell you, I'll give you an opportunity?" Xia Lin looked out the window: "Not bad, we've gone a hundred miles ahead."

“My master once said, ‘If the mountain doesn’t move, I will. If I can’t move the mountain, can’t I move a person?’” Xu Shiji waved his hand: “Alright, let’s not talk about that now. You’ve come all this way, so I’ll make sure you don’t leave until you’re drunk.”

"Where's my brother-in-law? Why are you all alone?"

Xu Shiji pursed his lips: "He...he led his men on a distant expedition."

"Huh???" Xia Lin exclaimed in surprise, spitting out his tea. "What?!"

“He has led a group on a distant expedition. In recent years, since this road was opened, there have been constant disturbances by petty people from Nanzhao. Three months before you came, Nanzhao sent a small group to harass and invade the border, killing more than 3,200 of my people, destroying twelve salt fields, and damaging nearly a hundred miles of roads.”

"Damn it, they've gone too far!" Xia Lin slammed his fist on the table and stood up. "This little Nanzhao dares to do such a thing? They're incredibly audacious!"

(End of this chapter)