Rise of a Lonely City: From Exiled Prince to Ruler of the Nine Provinces

The imperial examination results announced by Han Yuan were like a thunderclap, shaking up the long-dormant officialdom of the Northern Border.

The three hundred newly appointed scholars were like three hundred vibrant seeds, which Xiao Chen personally scattered throughout every corner of the Cold Abyss.

Among them, 70% came from poor families, and 40% came from classes that were previously considered "lowly" such as craftsmen, soldiers, and doctors.

Today, relying on their genuine talents and knowledge, they have entered the halls of power with their heads held high.

These three hundred newly appointed scholars were not given honorary titles or allowed to observe government affairs in the capital as in the past, but were directly appointed to substantive positions.

They were assigned to counties, towns, workshops, military camps, and agricultural settlements where talent was most urgently needed, serving as county magistrates, county assistants, registrars, workshop directors, quartermasters, and agricultural settlement commissioners.

Most of these new officials from the "Hanyuan Clique" came from impoverished backgrounds, had experienced war and displacement, deeply understood the hardships of the common people, and had heartfelt gratitude and loyalty to Xiao Chen and the Hanyuan regime.

They lacked the lethargy and shrewdness of old bureaucrats, and the arrogance and dissoluteness of scions of noble families; they possessed only a soaring spirit of "serving the prince and bringing prosperity to the people."

The newly appointed magistrate of Qinghe Town is a poor student who became a refugee due to a disaster in his hometown and later studied hard at Hanyuan Academy.

On his first day in office, he went deep into the fields and visited farmers to learn about floods and land distribution issues.

Three days later, he wrote a letter requesting funding and personally led the people to plan and build a ten-mile-long irrigation canal, using the water conservancy knowledge he had learned in school. This solved the spring drought problem that had plagued Qinghe Town for many years. The people were deeply grateful and called him "Lord Justice".

The newly appointed deputy director of the Mining and Metallurgy Department of Heishan Town is the son of an old miner who had narrowly escaped death in the mine and was later taken in by Hanyuan. He is proficient in mining and smelting techniques.

After taking office, he drastically reformed the outdated mining technology and introduced new ventilation and drainage equipment from Hanyuan Machinery Factory, which greatly improved production and safety, and reduced the miner injury rate by 70%.

He also severely cracked down on mining tyrants and corrupt officials, returning the withheld wages to the miners, which won their heartfelt support.

The newly appointed quartermaster of Panshi Battalion is a retired veteran who previously served as a clerk in the border army and is proficient in arithmetic and administration.

He established a strict system for managing military supplies, eliminating the previous bad habit of "leakage and waste," ensuring that military pay and supplies were distributed to every soldier on time and in full, and improving the food in the barracks.

The soldiers' morale soared, and they trained even harder.

Such examples abound throughout Hanyuan. The new officials bring not only competence and efficiency, but also a new atmosphere of integrity, pragmatism, and approachability in officialdom.

The rise of impoverished scholars inevitably disrupted the existing power structure.

The bureaucratic system of Hanyuan still contains many former officials from the previous dynasty, local powerful families, and even scions of aristocratic families who have secretly pledged allegiance to the government.

They were used to holding positions without performing their duties, engaging in corruption, and deceiving their superiors. They both despised and feared these new officials who came from humble backgrounds.

Initially, they attempted to use "unspoken rules of officialdom" to assimilate, exclude, or even frame new officials.

Some offered gold, silver, and beautiful women in an attempt to win them over and corrupt them; some deliberately set traps and created problems; and some even secretly instructed thugs to make personal threats.

However, they underestimated the will and background of these new officials.

Faced with bribes, the new officials sternly refused, and some even seized the bribes on the spot and handed them over to the Ministry of Justice.

Faced with difficulties, they relied on the knowledge they gained at Hanyuan Academy and Jiangwu Academy, as well as the powerful technical support from the "Gewu Academy" and "Gongzao Division," to solve them one by one.

Faced with the threat, Han Yuan's "Village Law Office" and Ye Xiao's "Internal Guard Division" descended like divine soldiers, uprooting the mastermind behind the scenes and punishing them severely.

Xiao Chen had anticipated this, and he made an example of them by dismissing and exiling several corrupt and anti-reform old-fashioned officials. He even had a powerful family that attempted to assassinate a newly appointed scholar executed, and their heads displayed on the city gate.

Under the swift and decisive measures, the old bureaucrats trembled with fear and had no choice but to restrain their arrogance, learn to adapt to the new rules, and even actively gravitate towards the new officials in order to protect themselves.

The changes were equally significant in the imperial court of Zhenbei City. Xiao Chen vigorously promoted officials from the "Hanyuan faction" who had performed well in the imperial examinations and in practical work, placing them in important positions within the Six Ministries.

The court, which was originally filled with elderly and conservative officials, gradually became younger and more vibrant.

The court discussions were no longer filled with empty talk and classical Chinese phrases, but rather with heated debates on data, charts, models, and solutions.

The young officials, citing classical texts and using detailed data and rigorous logic, expounded their policy proposals.

Xiao Chen encouraged such debates and even participated personally, guiding officials to find effective solutions based on practical considerations.

"Your Highness, this is the 'Second Phase Construction Plan of Zhenbei New City' drafted by the Ministry of Works. It adopts the latest 'stone mud' concrete and standardized components, which can shorten the construction period by 30% and reduce the cost by 20%."

"Your Highness, this is the 'Population and Land Inventory of Hanyuan' compiled by the Household Affairs Department. Using the new measurement method, 50,000 mu of hidden land has been identified, and 8,000 new taxpayers have been added."

"Your Highness, this is the 'New Cavalry Tactics Manual' submitted by the Military Affairs Department. After being practiced at the Military Academy, its effectiveness in actual combat is remarkable."

One after another, memorials brimming with innovation and a spirit of pragmatism were placed on Xiao Chen's desk.

The administrative efficiency of Hanyuan has improved at an unprecedented rate.

Policies are formulated more scientifically, implemented more effectively, and feedback is more timely.

The "poor scholar ascends the stage" caused a huge reaction among the people.

The people were pleasantly surprised to find that the officials were no longer high-ranking, domineering lords, but "one of their own" who came from the same background as them, could even call them by name, and cared about their hardships.

"I heard the new magistrate used to be a vagrant; he even carried stones on our construction site!"

"That's right. Our village's agricultural commissioner is a local boy who just passed the imperial examination last year. Now he's back to lead us in repairing the irrigation canals."

"With officials like this, we have hope for the future!"

The rise of children from poor families has brought hope to countless ordinary people.

They no longer viewed studying and becoming an official as an unattainable dream, but rather as a reality that could be achieved through their own efforts.

The number of students enrolled at Hanyuan Academy surged once again. Enrollment at the Martial Arts Academy was even more overwhelming.

The entire Hanyuan society presents a positive, enterprising, and vibrant spirit.

Standing atop the city wall of Zhenbei City, Xiao Chen looked down at the bustling, vibrant, and hopeful city below, his heart filled with a myriad of emotions.

"The rise of the poor to power is not just about changing a group of officials, but also about changing the system, the social atmosphere, and the era."

He said to Han Lie beside him, "These young people are the future of Hanyuan. They carry no burdens of the old era, only aspirations for the future and a spirit of hard work. With them, the great ship of Hanyuan can brave the wind and waves and sail to a wider ocean."

Han Lie wholeheartedly agreed: "Your Highness is wise. In my decades of service in the court, I have never seen such a vibrant and energetic officialdom. Han Yuan is truly different now."

The rise of the impoverished scholar to power signifies a profound self-reform of Hanyuan's political landscape.

A new era, where heroes are judged by their abilities rather than their backgrounds, and success or failure is determined by hard work rather than empty talk, has officially begun on this fertile land of Hanyuan.