Chapter 37

Chapter 37

As the sunset faded, the once bright shell gradually lost its luster.

Instead, the mud in the palm of Jiang Yuxun's hand became more conspicuous.

Seeing Ying Changchuan remain silent for a long time, Jiang Yuxun couldn't help feeling guilty and uneasy.

He unconsciously rubbed the item in his hand with his thumb.

The Emperor had always been uninterested in such things.

Since his ascension to the throne, all the rare treasures sent to Zhao Du from various places had been left to gather dust in the storeroom.

But this time...

Ying Changchuan lowered his gaze, smiling as he looked into Jiang Yuxun's eyes: "Of course."

Of course?

Jiang Yuxun's mind went blank.

While he continued to ponder whether Ying Changchuan meant "naturally likes" or "naturally dislikes."

The Emperor had already slowly raised his hand to receive the object lying quietly in his palm.

Jiang Yuxun instinctively clenched his palm, but grasped only air.

Could it be, Ying Changchuan really intended to seize his treasure?!

Jiang Yuxun's heart ached in an instant, and he looked incredulously towards Ying Changchuan.

The moon climbed up from the other side of the sea.

Its bright, clear light turned into scattered silver, swaying with the ocean waves.

Ying Changchuan, under the moonlight, meticulously examined the object in his hand.

After a moment, he smiled at Jiang Yuxun and said, "I gratefully accept your sentiment."

This action left Jiang Yuxun dumbfounded.

Ying Changchuan really didn’t consider himself an outsider... Why was I being polite to him for no reason?

The night grew deeper, and the seaside was enveloped in darkness.

After taking the shell, Ying Changchuan finally turned to walk towards the beach.

Xuan Yin Jian, who had been standing at a distance, had unknowingly approached, lighting a lantern to illuminate the rocky ground.

Seeing Ying Changchuan had no intention of returning the item to him.

Jiang Yuxun finally confirmed: He had messed up.

"Have you ever been to the seaside?" Amidst his sorrow, Jiang Yuxun heard Ying Changchuan's voice carried over by the night wind.

Reluctant to speak with him, the dispirited Jiang Yuxun could only nod sadly: "Yes."

The capital of Shuo Lin County wasn't large, and after a few steps, the lights of the Governor's mansion came into view.

Jiang Yuxun finally realized something amiss—

During this visit, apart from enjoying the sea breeze and seizing the shell, Ying Changchuan had done nothing else.

Jiang Yuxun, incredulous, said: "Your Majesty, today you..."

He had intended to ask if Ying Changchuan had forgotten something today.

But as soon as he began to speak, he realized discussing serious matters while walking in the dark seemed even more inappropriate.

"What does my minister wish to ask?"

"I... I wonder if Your Majesty came tonight just to chat with me?" Jiang Yuxun couldn't help but bite his lip.

"Is that not permissible?"

"It's not that it's not permissible," Jiang Yuxun murmured softly behind Ying Changchuan, "I am just surprised that Your Majesty would engage in idle chatter with someone."

As a renowned and accomplished King of Scrolls, shouldn't Ying Changchuan always be engrossed in his work, tirelessly and devotedly?

The Emperor paused in his steps, eventually turning slightly, looking at his minister with a hint of confusion.

The image of himself in Jiang Yuxun's eyes seemed a bit peculiar.

……

Upon returning to the Governor's mansion, Jiang Yuxun couldn't help but look towards Ying Changchuan's hands by the light.

Unfortunately, his hands were completely hidden under the wide sleeves.

Jiang Yuxun couldn't discern Ying Changchuan's actions, nor did he know where the shell was now.

Sigh...

In this darkness, the shell might have been carelessly discarded on the ground already.

Such a waste of natural beauty.

Jiang Yuxun, feeling as though his surprise had been stolen, couldn't help but feel disheartened.

-

According to the original plan, the group was only to stay in the capital of Shuo Lin County for four days.

However, after reviewing the detailed report on mineral resources presented by the governor of Shuo Lin, Lou Zhuo, the itinerary changed.

Shuo Lin County was rich in "saltpeter."

If there were plans for large-scale production of gunpowder, rockets, and other weapons in the future, saltpeter was indispensable.

Considering this, the schedule for the southern tour was consequently postponed.

This turned out to be a good thing for Jiang Yuxun.

This was the perfect opportunity for him to delve into the underappreciated tea industry of Shuo Lin County.

He planned to engage local tea farmers in experimenting with making tea cakes and bricks.

……

A corner of the capital of Shuo Lin County.

The steep hills were covered with many low shrubs.

Though it wasn't the season for tea picking, there were still dozens of people busy in the woods.

They were pruning the dry branches of the wild tea trees scattered across the mountains.

Not far away, a few others were stir-frying tea on iron pans.

Their figures were lean, but each one was spirited, putting great effort into roasting the tea.

In just a short time, the fragrance of tea enveloped the entire hill.

However, the interpreter accompanying Jiang Yuxun still looked at him uncertainly: "Master Jiang, the nobles in Zhao Du prefer clear tea. Shall we visit other tea gardens instead?"

The "clear tea" he referred to was what would be known as "green tea" in later times.

It was also the most widely cultivated type of tea in Shuo Lin County.

"No need," Jiang Yuxun said with a gentle shake of his head, "These teas are not meant for Zhao Du but are gifts for the Ke Han people. They prefer this kind of tea."

As he spoke, Jiang Yuxun couldn't resist bending down to smell the freshly stir-fried tea leaves.

The wild tea trees covering this hill produced not green tea, but black tea.

This type of tea was currently of the lowest value in Shuo Lin County.

Although the interpreter was still somewhat puzzled, he nodded in agreement upon remembering who was speaking: "I see now..."

Jiang Yuxun nodded with a smile.

As he spoke, a small child came stumbling over: "Master Jiang, Master Jiang!"

Just as Jiang Yuxun turned around, the child bumped into him, full-on.

The woman following the child hurried forward, ready to take him away.

But Jiang Yuxun crouched down first, ruffling the child's hair with a smile, praising, "Ah Xi is so smart."

The child, named Ah Xi, shyly covered his face with his hands.

Ah Xi was the same child who, back then, was held in his mother's arms, starving and barely alive.

That day, the refugees were brought back to the capital of Shuo Lin County by the soldiers.

Instead of being sent back to their makeshift homes made of shacks, they were collectively taken to an open space in the north of the city and settled there.

For a long time thereafter, their food and lodging were arranged by the court.

Their only task was to deeply engage in the art of tea.

The woman took Ah Xi from Jiang Yuxun's arms.

The child waved at Jiang Yuxun reluctantly, struggling to form his words, and said loudly, "Goodbye, Master Jiang!"

Jiang Yuxun couldn't help but gently pinch his cheek: "Goodbye."

Back then, Ah Xi's abdomen was severely swollen, and Jiang Yuxun had thought he had developed ascites, with no hope of survival.

Fortunately, Ah Xi's condition was not as severe as he had feared. After drinking sheep's milk for a few days, the child gradually began to recover.

It was only then that Jiang Yuxun learned from the interpreter that Ah Xi was already three years old.

Children of this age have particularly strong language skills.

After spending a few days with the soldiers from Zhao Du, he had picked up a few phrases of the official language.

Inspired by this, Jiang Yuxun gathered the younger children among the refugees and ordered the soldiers to interact with them daily.

Now, they had all learned their names, as well as simple words like "hungry," "pain," "eat," and "sleep."

The older refugees, although not learning as quickly,

Had come to understand that "Master Jiang" was the young official who had been taking care of them.

As soon as Ah Xi finished speaking, the refugees put down their work and gathered around Jiang Yuxun, chattering non-stop.

"Master Jiang, they are asking if you could stay longer in Shuo Lin County. They want to let you taste the first batch of black tea they make."

Jiang Yuxun regretfully waved his hand, saying, "I'm afraid I can't stay that long."

The production of black tea mainly involves the steps of "fixing, rolling, fermenting, and drying."

The fermentation process alone takes several months.

Jiang Yuxun and his group were set to leave the capital of Shuo Lin County in a few days.

He thought for a moment and said, "Black tea pressed into cakes can be stored for many years without spoiling. Keep the first batch of tea here. I will surely return to Shuo Lin County in the future, and it won't be too late to drink it then."

The interpreter's eyes lit up: "Certainly!"

He immediately turned and translated Jiang Yuxun's words to the crowd.

-

Lou Zhuo had been stationed in Shuo Lin County for no more than five years.

His efficiency in mastering the local language in such a short time reflected his high work efficiency, especially with the Emperor's recent presence there.

Due to the limitations of rice varieties and the terrain, Shuo Lin County couldn’t implement the "tuntian" system this year.

Thus, after receiving the imperial order, Lou Zhuo immediately commanded the soldiers to build "watchtowers" along the sides of the official roads.

The carriage left the saltpeter mines, heading towards the capital of Shuo Lin County.

Every two or three li, a watchtower under construction would appear.

Lou Zhuo, sitting in the spacious imperial carriage, meticulously explained to the Emperor:

"…These watchtowers, made of earth and wood and using local materials, are divided into two levels: the upper level is a wooden lookout platform, and the lower level is a resting place for rotating guards. Each tower is manned by six people, day and night. Once completed, they will ensure the smooth and safe passage along the official roads."

After speaking, he didn't forget to glance outside the window with a smile: "Also, Master Jiang's suggestion of setting up guardhouses in different areas of the city has been implemented in the past few days."

At this time, Jiang Yuxun was not in this carriage.

Instead, he stayed in the capital with a few officials, busy with other matters.

Hearing this, Lou Zhuo's deputy immediately added: "From now on, the people need not fear bandits anymore. And if someone tries to cause trouble in any area, the authorities can discover it immediately. Shuo Lin County will surely be more peaceful than before!"

After speaking, he didn’t forget to turn and bow respectfully to Ying Changchuan.

Lou Zhuo also couldn't help stroking his beard and laughing: "The younger generation is indeed formidable! If the General of the Southern Expedition knew of Ah Xi's achievements today, he would certainly be proud."

Before this, the citizens of Da Zhou could only report to the government by going to the yamen.

Not only was it time-consuming and laborious, but the efficiency was also extremely low.

The "watchtower" Jiang Yuxun spoke of somewhat resembled the modern-day "police station."

Its presence could greatly resolve the issue of bandits in various regions and ensure the smooth flow of trade routes.

The Emperor casually spun the shell at his fingertips and finally nodded with a smile.

His action was particularly noticeable.

...Was His Majesty interested in the shells from Shuo Lin County?

Lou Zhuo, having witnessed Ying Changchuan playing with the shell for half the journey, silently noted this in his heart.

※

Several hours later, in the Governor's study.

Jiang Yuxun, dozing off while writing, was suddenly startled by a familiar rustling sound.

He immediately sat up straight, pen in hand.

The next moment, he saw Lou Zhuo, accompanied by attendants, entering the room and smilingly beckoning him, "Ah Xi, You Li, come and help me choose."

"Governor Lou, what brings you here?"

Seeing that it was Lou Zhuo, Jiang Yuxun relaxed and curiously looked forward, putting his pen aside.

Zhuang Youli also rubbed his eyes and stood up, asking, "Choose what?"

Before his words had fallen, the attendant accompanying Lou Zhuo turned over a bamboo basket, emptying its contents onto the table.

A small mountain of shells suddenly appeared in front of everyone.

These shells were not only of excellent quality but had also been meticulously cleaned, without a speck of sand or mud.

"Shells?!" Zhuang Youli exclaimed in surprise, looking skeptically at Lou Zhuo, "Why would you choose these, sir?"

Only Jiang Yuxun and Zhuang Youli were in the study. Seeing this, Lou Zhuo lowered his voice: "I've noticed that His Majesty seems quite interested in shells. On the way back from the mines to the capital, he was playing with a shell."

"So I thought, before the southern tour ends, I would present His Majesty with this special product."

Jiang Yuxun: ...?!

Could it be the shell I picked up that day that Ying Changchuan is playing with?

He actually didn’t throw it away?

"I see." Zhuang Youli, without any doubt, immediately started to pick.

Jiang Yuxun, struggling for a last hope, asked: "Governor Lou, did you get a clear look at the shell in His Majesty's hand?"

Lou Zhuo thought for a moment and gestured with his hand: "It’s ivory-colored, about half the size of a palm. Quite hard in texture, nothing else special about it."

Zhuang Youli commented in a low voice: "Aren’t all shells like that? Even if it's special, it's hard to distinguish."

"Ah, you're mistaken," Lou Zhuo joined in picking shells, enthusiastically adding, "Shells of light colors are rare in Shuo Lin County, most are only the size of coins, dull and unremarkable. The one in His Majesty’s hand is indeed more exquisite than usual."

The shell Lou Zhuo saw must be the one I gave that day!

...Ying Changchuan really didn’t throw it away.

Jiang Yuxun thought that even a black fan should have his principles.

Knowing he had wronged Ying Changchuan, he suddenly felt a bit embarrassed.

"No wonder," Zhuang Youli said casually while picking, "The shell Ah Xi gave me that day seems just like the one Governor Lou described. Alas, I don't know where I put it."

Jiang Yuxun quickly caught an important piece of information, turning around leisurely: "You lost it?"

"Well, not necessarily..." Realizing his slip of the tongue, Zhuang Youli stopped his actions and covered his mouth, looking extremely guilty, "Maybe I should go back and look for it?"

Curse it, the perils of bad company!

Jiang Yuxun couldn't help but let out a deep sigh.

With a pained expression, he said: "You Li, I really misjudged you—"

It turns out the real waster of treasures isn’t Ying Changchuan, but you, young man.

Zhuang Youli's eyes widened in shock: Is it really that serious?

-

Jiang Yuxun and the other officials, including Zhuang Youli, had serious business to attend to in the study.

The situation in Shuo Lin County was unique: there were many literate officials and scholars here, but they couldn't communicate with the outside world due to language barriers.

If left unaddressed, this would inevitably become a problem.

These past few days, the Emperor had been busy with the saltpeter mines.

This gave Jiang Yuxun and the others a rare moment of respite.

Lou Zhuo had originally wanted Jiang Yuxun and his group to communicate more with the officials of Shuo Lin County to improve their proficiency in the official language.

But the attempt was like chickens talking to ducks, leading to an eventual abandonment of the effort.

However, this situation reminded Jiang Yuxun of something:

Before learning to read, modern people first learn phonetics.

Theoretically, by mastering just sixty-three letters, one can attempt to spell and learn Mandarin.

Although this era lacks phonetic alphabets, there can be "phonetic symbols."

Simply put, "phonetic symbols" use parts of Chinese characters, like radicals, as "letters" to denote the pronunciation of each character.

For example, “一” can be equivalent to the letter "i" in pinyin.

After selecting the shells, Lou Zhuo couldn’t help but pick up the silk manuscript from Jiang Yuxun’s desk and quietly started to read it to himself.

After a while, he suddenly put down what he was holding and excitedly exclaimed, "You’re right, it really can be spelled out!"

Zhuang Youli put down the shells in his hands, stretched lazily, and then slowly began to read from another sheet of paper.

What he read was the phonetic table that everyone had compiled over the past few days based on the pronunciation of the official language of the Great Zhou.

"With this table, it will be much more convenient. The people of Shuo Lin County will be able to correct their pronunciation by themselves."

As he spoke, Lou Zhuo couldn't help but recall the challenges he faced when he first arrived here.

He gritted his teeth and said, "I nearly worked myself to death here in the first few years!"

Having selected the shells, Lou Zhuo finally put down the manuscript and said to the two men, "Alright, I’m off to see His Majesty. You two finish your work and get some rest early."

"Yes, Governor Lou."

Lou Zhuo carefully packed away the shells and slowly walked towards the exit.

Just as he was about to step out of the study, he suddenly turned to Jiang Yuxun and mysteriously said, "Ah Xi, remember to visit the small pavilion on the south side of the Governor's mansion later."

"Hm?" Jiang Yuxun looked up in confusion and asked, "What for?"

Lou Zhuo smiled, stroking his beard meaningfully and said, "You'll know when you get there."

-

Lou Zhuo was a close friend of the original owner's father.

Jiang Yuxun had always thought of him as a reliable elder.

Until this moment.

...Mrs. Lou, sitting in the pavilion, casually chatted with him while subtly inquiring about his ideal type.

Jiang Yuxun finally realized – Lou Zhuo was planning to arrange a blind date for him!

At this thought, he felt overwhelmed and interrupted her, emphasizing earnestly, "Mrs. Lou, I am only seventeen. Besides, you know about my father’s situation. Now is not a good time to discuss this matter."

Jiang Yuxun's tone was extremely sincere.

With both of his parents deceased, uncles like Lou Zhuo and Zhuang Yue naturally took care of him, the son of their old friend.

Jiang Yuxun had always been very grateful for this, but...

Not to mention that he truly wasn't in the mindset for this.

The original owner of this body was not yet eighteen, and even in his past life, he was only twenty-one.

In any case, he was not of the legal age to consider such matters.

The slightly plump Mrs. Lou paused, looking earnestly at Jiang Yuxun and calculatingly said, "Indeed, Master Jiang, you are not so young anymore. If you don't start looking now, once your three-year mourning period is over, it will be hard to find a suitable match."

As she spoke, she genuinely began to worry for Jiang Yuxun.

Jiang Yuxun: ...

A miscalculation, he had almost forgotten this was ancient times.

Jiang Yuxun felt like he was sitting on pins and needles.

The era of the Great Zhou Dynasty did not have the strict gender segregation of later times.

Worried that Mrs. Lou might directly bring someone to meet him face-to-face, Jiang Yuxun quickly made his escape.

He suddenly looked back at the sky, then, as if remembering something, tapped his forehead with his finger, and hurriedly said to her:

"…I’m terribly sorry, Mrs. Lou, I just remembered there are some reports I haven’t yet presented to His Majesty. You know, matters concerning the Emperor cannot be delayed."

As he spoke, Jiang Yuxun stood up and bowed to her, saying, "Please forgive my abrupt departure."

Although Jiang Yuxun's acting skills were mediocre, the matter of the "reports" was definitely urgent.

Mrs. Lou was startled by his words and stood up as well: "Then I won’t keep you any longer, Master Jiang. Please go quickly!"

Jiang Yuxun sighed in relief: "Thank you, Mrs. Lou."

……

The capital of Shuo Lin County was small, and naturally, so was the Governor's residence.

From the southernmost pavilion, one could see across the entire estate.

With Lady Lou watching from behind, Jiang Yuxun had no choice but to do as he had said and enter the small building at the heart of the Governor's residence.

—This was where Ying Changchuan had been working recently.

He had intended to just stroll around the outer room of the building and leave, but upon entering, he heard Ying Changchuan's voice.

"…As the head of a county, Governor Lou seems to have quite the leisurely disposition."

His tone was exceedingly calm, with a hint of an almost imperceptible smile in his words, as if he were merely chatting with a court official.

Yet between the lines, there was an indescribable sense of pressure.

At that moment, the numerous attendants in the building dared not even breathe loudly.

In the silence, the slight clashing of the seashells became particularly noticeable.

Jiang Yuxun stood frozen in place, not daring to move.

Hearing this, could it be that Governor Lou had faced a rebuff while presenting a gift to the Emperor?

It was common for local officials to offer inexpensive but regionally characteristic gifts to the Emperor.

Such gestures were often recorded in history books as delightful anecdotes.

If his memory served correctly, when they had left Tao Yan County a few days ago, Xuan Youli had also presented the Emperor with local rice.

Back then, Ying Changchuan's attitude seemed quite normal...

How exactly did Governor Lou offend His Majesty?

Jiang Yuxun also became tense and, like everyone else, held his breath.

Following another light rustling sound, an attendant finally stepped forward to open the partition door.

Just as Jiang Yuxun was wondering what was happening, a sweat-drenched Lou Zhuo cautiously backed out, simultaneously giving Jiang Yuxun a secret signal: "Go!"

Sensing trouble, Jiang Yuxun immediately gathered his wits, ready to sneak out with him.

But before he could turn around, the voice of Eunuch Sang called from inside: "Shangshu Jiang Yuxun, your audience is granted—"

Jiang Yuxun: !!!

-

On the tiered mats, the Emperor, while casually flipping through memorials, softly asked, "What brings my trusted official here to see me?"

The sky was getting dark, and the lights in the building had not yet been lit.

The Emperor's expression was hidden in the darkness.

Only his smoky grey eyes remained as cold as ever.

Jiang Yuxun's heart skipped a beat.

Done for, I seem to have walked into the lion's den...

He couldn't help but soften his voice, slightly sheepishly saying, "Your Majesty, I was avoiding Mrs. Lou."

"Oh, why is my trusted official avoiding Mrs. Lou?"

Ying Changchuan frowned slightly, slowly lowering his gaze to look at him.

With Xuan Yin Jian around, nothing in the Governor's mansion escaped Ying Changchuan's notice.

Jiang Yuxun had no room for prevarication or lies.

Not to mention the presence of a debuff.

He promptly confessed the truth: "Mrs. Lou wanted to arrange a matchmaking meeting for me. I wasn't keen, so I thought of avoiding her..."

Having said that, he couldn't help but cautiously glance at Ying Changchuan's expression.

Although I didn't mean it that way, the fact remains that the Emperor is here working diligently, and I, instead of attending to my duties, was about to go on a 'blind date.'

This seemed a bit excessive, no matter how one looked at it.

Thinking this, Jiang Yuxun felt increasingly guilty.

To his surprise, the next moment, Ying Changchuan's slightly furrowed brows relaxed somewhat.

What does this mean?

After a moment of silence, Jiang Yuxun, who had suffered his fair share of hardships in the modern corporate world, suddenly understood Ying Changchuan's perspective.

His current self was still somewhat useful to the Great Zhou.

As the Emperor, Ying Changchuan naturally wouldn't want to see him neglecting his work and duties for personal affairs!

Realizing this, Jiang Yuxun immediately decided to clarify his position to the Emperor.

He raised his hand in salute and said, "To respond to Your Majesty, I believe I am still young and do not wish to marry yet. Moreover, I have already dedicated my life to the service of the country and will not let personal matters interfere with my duties."

"Therefore, please be assured, Your Majesty—"

Jiang Yuxun's words were firm and filled with genuine sentiment.

Having finished speaking, he couldn't help but secretly praise himself in his heart.

Surely Ying Changchuan must be satisfied now?

Author's note:

Little Jiang: Capitalists have always been the same, from ancient times to the present.