Governing the country, enriching the people, an unparalleled imperial tutor

The next person to enter was the young man in the old blue cloth shirt, about twenty-four or twenty-five years old, with dark skin, large knuckles, and a thin layer of calluses on the web of his right hand. His hands didn't look like those of a scholar; they looked more like those of a laborer. His resume stated that he had served as a clerk in a county school in Yuzhou for two years, but was dismissed from his post after offending the local magistrate by drafting petitions for disaster-stricken farmers.

Lin Yanzhou passed over the same three questions. He looked down at them for about ten breaths, then picked up his pen and began to write without pausing. His handwriting wasn't very good; the strokes were rather stiff, and in some places the ink had torn a small piece because he had pressed too hard, but every sentence was clear and distinct.

For the question about military grain distribution, he drew a simple route map, marking the nodes for water and land transport. Next to each node, he wrote the estimated time and loss ratio, and added at the end, "If the water is rapid in the Sanmenxia section, the goods can be distributed 50 li upstream, and the land route can be detoured 300 li, taking two more days, but this will ensure that the grain ships do not enter dangerous shoals." For the question about gentry encroaching on public land, he wrote, "First check the color and year of the land deeds, then find the testimonies of neighboring households, and finally measure the land boundary markers. If all three match, it is irrefutable evidence; if they do not match, it must be forged." For the question about plague relief, his answer was divided into four points: first, seal off the roads leading out of the epidemic area; second, set up temporary medical tents for triage; third, distribute grain rations to households; and finally, conduct a re-inspection every seven days.

After reading it, Lin Yanzhou didn't speak immediately. Instead, he turned the page over and looked at the back—there was another line of small characters on the back, as if he had remembered to add it after writing it: "The above four strategies must be implemented simultaneously, and the order cannot be reversed, otherwise all previous efforts will be in vain."

What's your name?

"My surname is Shen, my given name is Zhou, I am from Yuzhou, and I am twenty-five years old this year."

Lin Yanzhou took out a newly carved wooden plaque from the box, on which was written the character "录" (Lu), and handed it over: "Water Conservancy Section, Agricultural Affairs Department. Report for duty tomorrow. Six-month probation period. Do a good job."

Shen Zhou accepted the wooden plaque, stood up, bowed, and without offering any words of thanks, simply asked, "Grand Preceptor, what should I bring when I report for duty tomorrow?"

"Just bring yourself."

He nodded, and as he turned to walk out, someone in the queue at the entrance whispered, "He recorded it." Several people next to him craned their necks to see the wooden sign in his hand. He stepped aside to let them pass without blocking the people behind him, and quickly crossed the courtyard.

The interviews continued. Some people mistook the "interview" for a "face reading," touching their faces upon entering and asking, "Which side of my face do you wish to see, sir?" Lin Yanzhou paused for a moment, then said, "Sit down and answer the questions; I don't need to look at your face." Another person entered and pulled out a handful of dried dates, saying, "These are homemade; please have some, sir." Lin Yanzhou looked at the dates and said, "You answer the questions first; put the dates aside." Yet another person entered and recited an entire passage from the Four Books. After he finished, Lin Yanzhou said, "You recited it very well, but this is a practical test, not a rote memorization."

As the interview progressed into its second half, several more people arrived outside the courtyard gate.

The leader was an elderly man in his sixties, wearing a gray robe. He was lean and dark-skinned, with large knuckles and deep palm lines, as if he had been out and about for many years. He was someone Lin Yanzhou had privately asked Zhou Yan to find a few days ago—to find a few special talents in the city, regardless of gender, but with one condition: they had to be clever, patient, and not unremarkable in appearance.

The old man was followed by four women.

As the four stood still in the courtyard, the crowd queuing under the eaves suddenly fell silent for a moment. It wasn't a silence born of surprise, but rather of being stunned by the sight before them. Sunlight fell directly on them, illuminating their four figures in their various poses clearly.

The woman standing on the far left appeared to be in her early twenties, slender and wearing a light purple silk dress with an extremely narrow waist. She walked with a pace half a beat slower than the others, as if each step was measured. Her eyes were exceptionally alluring; her peach blossom eyes were slightly upturned, and when she looked at someone, she didn't stare directly at them, but rather her gaze would first fall on the other person's chin before slowly lifting up, like a feather gently brushing across a table. Her lips were thin and vibrant in color, carrying a hint of a smile even when she wasn't smiling.

The woman standing next to her was slightly older, around twenty-six or twenty-seven, with a full figure. She wore a dark green long dress with subtle patterns, the neckline slightly open, revealing a section of fair skin on the side of her neck. Her features weren't as flamboyant as the woman with the peach blossom eyes, but her bone structure was excellent—her cheekbones were slightly high but not protruding, her jawline was sharp, and she exuded a mature, worldly composure. The corners of her mouth were naturally slightly upturned, making it seem as if she was smiling even when she wasn't, but her eyes were cold, as if she were using that smile to assess whether the person opposite her was worth saying a word to.

The third woman was the youngest, about eighteen or nineteen years old. She wore a moon-white dress and had a pure and innocent appearance, but her eyes held a composure beyond her years. Her way of looking at people was different from the other two—when she looked at you, her gaze lingered on your face for just a breath longer than in normal social interactions, no more, no less, just enough to make you notice her without making you feel offended.

The fourth woman stood on the right, about twenty-four or twenty-five years old, tall and well-proportioned, with an oval face, willow-leaf eyebrows, and clear, bright almond eyes. Her appearance was more dignified than the previous ones, but there was an indescribable strength hidden in that dignity—just when you thought she was a gentle and refined lady, she would slightly tilt her head and gently lift the corner of her eye, and that dignified layer would break, revealing something else underneath, like a fine blade wrapped in silk.

The four people stood together, each with their own distinct style and a unique charm. Someone in the queue under the eaves whispered, "These women clearly have special professions. Are they here for an interview too?" The person next to them shook their head, their gaze fixed on the courtyard.

The old man walked to the hall entrance and bowed slightly: "Grand Preceptor, the people have been brought. These four have all been personally inspected by Lord Zhou; their backgrounds are clean, and each has their own strengths, but the Grand Preceptor still needs to verify them in person."

Lin Yanzhou put down his pen: "Let them in."

The door to the side hall was closed.

The four women stood in a row in the hall. Lin Yanzhou's gaze swept over their faces one by one before he spoke: "Do you know why you're here?"

The woman with peach blossom eyes spoke first, her voice soft and sweet, as if coated with honey: "I know. Lord Zhou said that the Grand Preceptor doesn't need someone to keep accounts and write, but someone who can do things for him behind the scenes."

"What do you want?"

"To inquire about information." This time, it was the woman in the dark green dress who spoke, her voice a few degrees clearer than the woman with the peach blossom eyes, "and it's the kind of information that can't be openly discussed."

Lin Yanzhou looked at her: "To what extent can you find out?"

"It can uncover all the details about him that you want to know."