Only after unifying the world did I realize that immortals existed in this world.

Xie Cangrong and Qi Xiu are not friends.

Personally speaking, he was even Qi Xiu's enemy.

However... Qi Xiu has greater ambitions, and Xie Cangrong can help him achieve them.

They are a strong community of shared interests, a relationship far more solid than any vague emotional bond.

Xie Cangrong had a firm grasp on his ideals, and he knew what Xie Cangrong wanted.

Qi Xiu sometimes felt fortunate that Xie Cangrong was broad-minded enough to tolerate him.

After finishing our business, there wasn't much more to say.

Xie Cangrong wouldn't invite Qi Xiu to go fishing and play chess like he invited Liu Bingxuan, and similarly, Qi Xiu wouldn't joke around with Xie Cangrong.

They were simply superiors and subordinates, working together for the sake of the Great Xia Dynasty.

After reporting on his work, Qi Xiu was about to resign.

Xie Cangrong seemed to remember something and said to him, "Qi Qing, you haven't been resting well these days, have you?"

"Things should be done step by step, and food should be eaten bite by bite."

"These are indeed crucial times, but don't push yourself too hard."

"There are plenty of capable people. The Great Xia Dynasty can survive without any one of them."

Qi Xiu paused, about to say something, but Xie Cangrong waved his hand: "August 12th, I grant you ten days of rest. Go home and visit tomorrow."

Qi Xiu swayed, momentarily speechless: "Your Majesty... Your subject..."

Qi Xiu knew that Xie Cangrong's intention was not to reprimand him or to strip him of his power.

Once Xie Cangrong stated the date, everything became clear.

August 12th is the anniversary of my mother's death.

He takes a leave of absence for a period of time every year around this time.

This year, Daxia is facing tremendous changes, with unimaginable complexity involved.

He sits in this position and needs to fulfill the responsibilities of this position; he absolutely cannot leave.

He was an unfaithful, unjust, and unfilial person to begin with, so it's not a big deal for him to give up this time.

Unexpectedly, this monarch still remembered his mother.

"What, do I need to issue you a decree?"

Things in life rarely go as planned.

What if he had followed this person in the first place?

Sometimes, even someone as calm as Qi Xiu would unconsciously have this thought.

He gently shook his head, bowed deeply, and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty, I obey your decree!"

……

Qi Xiu left Zhaolin Pavilion and immediately encountered a young official.

At less than twenty years old, his eyes were bright and sparkling, full of vigor and vitality, like a pine tree reaching for the sky.

This contrasts sharply with his own weathered and worn appearance, like decaying wood.

Qi Xiu attended court today, and he recognized him as the minor official who had questioned Xie Cangrong in court earlier that day.

He is a promising talent.

Tang Yi recognized the high-ranking official by his official robes and quickly bowed, saying, "This humble official, Tang Yi, greets Lord Qi!"

Qi Xiu smiled, a rare occurrence, and nodded slightly at him: "Mm."

"Go, His Majesty is waiting for you."

"yes!"

The two, with their completely different temperaments, missed each other. Tang Yi walked towards the brightly lit Zhaolin Pavilion, while Qi Xiu's figure gradually disappeared into the twilight.

"Your subject Tang Yi greets Your Majesty."

This was Tang Yi's first time stepping deep into the palace, entering His Majesty's office, and seeing the monarch surrounded by the people of the world alone. Even with his intelligence and maturity, he couldn't help but feel a little excited at this moment.

After all, he is too young.

Xie Cangrong looked up, gave him a rather kind smile, and pointed to a seat on the side: "Don't be nervous, sit down."

"yes!"

Tang Yi sat upright, while Xie Cangrong quietly observed him.

Time seemed to stretch on for thousands of years. Tang Yi felt as if the space around him was being compressed, and he couldn't move an inch.

After an unknown amount of time, Xie Cangrong suddenly asked, "Tang Yi, what is the registered population of Qingjiang County? How many were added last year, and how many moved out? What percentage are able-bodied men, the elderly, women, and children?"

Tang Yi paused for a moment, then replied honestly, "Your Majesty, the total number of people registered in the Yellow Register of Qingjiang County is 49,738. Last year, 1,120 people were newly registered, and 867 people were deregistered due to relocation. Among them, able-bodied men aged 16 to 60 account for about 18,300, or 37%; the elderly over 60 and children under 14 account for about 19,400, or 39%; and women and children aged 14 to 60 account for about 12,038, or 24%."

Xie Cangrong remained calm, revealing neither joy nor anger, and asked again, "How does the government provide relief to widows, orphans, and the lonely? How much silver and rice do they receive?"

Tang Yi: "The widowed, orphaned, lonely, and destitute within the county shall be registered by the Baojia system in accordance with the Jingyu Law and the supplementary regulations of this county, totaling..."

"How much grain and cloth does a family of five need annually? What are the prices of grain and cloth? How are they compared to neighboring counties?"

"Your Majesty, Qingjiang..."

"How many constables and patrolmen are there? How many criminal cases were there last year? Are there any powerful local bullies breaking the law?"

"His Majesty……"

Xie Cangrong asked a series of questions, and Tang Yi answered them fluently. He had only stayed in Qingjiang for a year, but every question was clear, data-rich, and full of details.

Tang Yi failed the imperial examination and was transferred from the central government to a local post, where he was assigned to Qingjiang County as magistrate.

Qingjiang County is a decent county town, and it was also the place Xie Cangrong recovered in his early years, where the ravages of war have gradually subsided.

However, it is still just a county town.

Tang Yi only needs to report to the prefect, so it's a waste for Xie Cangrong, a man of such high status, to inquire about such trivial matters.

With doubts in his heart, Tang Yi naturally dared not ask, but simply replied sincerely.

When the last question was finally posed, Xie Cangrong smiled with satisfaction: "What you have said are all trivial matters concerning the county, but the governance of a county is precisely reflected in such details. In just one year, you have been able to recount the population, finances, criminal law, agriculture, and education with such familiarity, without shying away from the issues, and with solutions in mind. This shows that you have worked hard every day and are a true official who walks among the fields, streets, and markets, rather than an official who just sits in the office listening to reports."

"His Majesty……"

Tang Yi believed himself to be exceptionally talented and had lofty ambitions to govern the country for the monarch. Being demoted to a small county filled him with resentment and resentment that he found difficult to accept.

However, those in positions of power should fulfill their responsibilities.

He suppressed his temper and diligently did what he was supposed to do.

Hearing Xie Cangrong praise him today, I suddenly felt a lump in my throat.

Over the past year, his arrogance of feeling superior to others has been abruptly broken, but now the monarch has restored his dignity.

Xie Cangrong smiled and said, "Governing a large country is like cooking a small fish; the foundation lies in the local area. If one is ignorant about the land, people, finances, and advantages and disadvantages under one's own jurisdiction, how can one talk about governing the country? I have read your article and know that you will not disappoint me."

Tang Yi is too young; he's only seventeen this year.

Hearing that the person he admired most was paying so much attention to him, he was overcome with emotion, his eyes reddened, and he could only say, "Your Majesty... Your Majesty is wise, I am only doing my duty. Every blade of grass and every tree in Qingjiang is one of Your Majesty's subjects, and I dare not be negligent in the slightest."