Chapter 0040: Hobbies

Chapter 0040: Hobbies

After noon, Huang Yanjiong went to bid farewell to Qu Yunmie.

Before Xiao Rong obtained that personal letter, he couldn't stay in Chenliu indefinitely. Whether it was to mobilize troops or prepare the gold and silver treasures that Xiao Rong had specifically requested, he needed to return to Jianning.

Initially, he had planned to stay for another two or three days to gauge Qu Yunmie's true intentions before leaving. However, Zhou Liang's defection caught him off guard, and now he was extremely frustrated, eager to return to his own territory as soon as possible.

Regarding the three conditions Xiao Rong had initially proposed, at the time, Huang Yanjiong had been negotiating tirelessly, clearly indicating his reluctance to agree. Yet today, when he faced Qu Yunmie, he suddenly changed his stance, stating that he would fulfill all three conditions if he could obtain the personal letter.

When Huang Yanjiong bid farewell, Xiao Rong was not present; it was Qu Yunmie and Gao Xunzhi who received him. Upon hearing Gao Xunzhi's recount, Xiao Rong understood that Huang Yanjiong had made up his mind to eliminate Huang Keji.

Qu Yunmie was merely indebted to Huang Yanqin, yet he was being suppressed to such an extent. Huang Yanjiong was no fool; he wouldn't leave behind any evidence of a promise that would hand over a significant portion of his assets. When Xiao Rong first made this demand, it was to pressure him, making him believe it was unreasonable, thereby lowering his guard. Ideally, Huang Yanjiong would negotiate and eventually agree to provide some tangible benefits to Huang Keji, ensuring he wouldn't be left helpless upon returning to Jianning.

But unexpectedly, Huang Yanjiong agreed.

He even accepted such an outrageous demand because Huang Yanjiong knew it was unlikely to materialize. The distance from Chenliu to Jianning was vast, and if anything happened to Huang Keji along the way, even if Qu Yunmie suspected foul play, he couldn't openly accuse Huang Yanjiong.

Having spent considerable time in the Northern Pacification Army, encountering such ruthless political maneuvering, Xiao Rong felt somewhat repulsed. He did not appear at the subsequent banquet. Although he hadn't hosted a welcoming feast for Huang Yanjiong, he couldn't afford to be rude again when he departed. Guests from afar must be treated with proper etiquette, regardless of their underlying tensions.

In the front courtyard, they were enjoying music and dance performances. These new performers were originally under the care of the former governor of Chenliu. The governor had intended to take them away, but Xiao Rong refused. The Northern Pacification Army lacked such entertainment, and it would be embarrassing to host guests without dancers. Xiao Rong joked that he might have to perform himself, though he wasn't keen on being seen as a dancer.

The former governor didn't know Xiao Rong's thoughts. Learning that the Northern Pacification Army retained only these beautiful performers, his expression turned sour.

Meanwhile, in Xiao Rong's quarters, everything was quiet.

They had just finished dinner, and Xiao Rong was reviewing Xiao Yi's homework from the past two days. The elderly lady was bustling about, inspecting every corner of Xiao Rong's room.

She commented on the lack of cushions here and the unsuitable color of his clothes there, talking to herself without needing anyone to respond. Ah Shu stood idly nearby, content as long as the elderly lady didn't cause trouble.

Xiao Yi watched Xiao Rong nervously. Xiao Rong hadn't given him the assignment yet; this essay was written during the journey to Chenliu. Upon learning that Xiao Rong wanted to see it, he revised it overnight and transcribed it onto high-quality paper.

There were several grades of paper, each with its own name. Xiao Rong couldn't remember the complexities, only knowing that some papers sold for the price of gold, others for silver, and some were highly sought after by scholars, despite their exorbitant prices.

The latter types often carried the reputation of being divine or associated with renowned writers. Regardless, all were sold by aristocratic families.

Papermaking wasn't rare, but commoners produced brittle, rough paper. Since most commoners were illiterate and rarely used paper, no one specialized in improving it. Aristocratic families, however, continuously refined the process. Today's high-quality paper reached the standard of mature xuan paper, which absorbed water slowly and held its shape well, making it ideal for everyday use.

True mature xuan paper should become widely available a century or two later, but currently, it remained a luxury item. According to the shopkeeper, it contained mica, cinnabar, gold powder, and rosin. Whether these ingredients were truly added was unclear, as the final product was always a slightly yellowish white paper, with visible fibers.

Regardless, the shopkeeper claimed these expensive additives, which justified the high price.

When Xiao Rong left, Xiao Yi gave him a stack of this high-quality paper. He kept twenty sheets for himself, never daring to use them normally. Now, due to Xiao Rong's first review of his work, he nervously transcribed it on this precious paper.

Xiao Yi was so tense he didn't know where to put his hands. Little did he know, Xiao Rong was struggling to understand the text. His literary skills barely extended to reading traditional characters, and even punctuation was something he learned gradually in this era. Despite Xiao Yi's young age, he had been writing since he could walk, and the Xiao family pinned their hopes on the brothers to restore their glory. Reading was Xiao Yi's sole focus throughout his upbringing.

Struggling to read, Xiao Rong didn't show it, knowing how much his adoptive brother admired him. He didn't want to disappoint him.

Pretending to finish reading, Xiao Rong set the paper down and smiled at Xiao Yi, "Very good, but there's still room for improvement."

Relieved, Xiao Yi looked a bit dejected but quickly regained his composure, clenching his fist and declaring, "Next time, I won't disappoint you, Brother!"

Xiao Rong: "…………"

Maybe next time, show it to someone else.

Pausing for a moment, Xiao Rong picked up the paper again, feeling its thickness and smoothness. He frowned, "Yi Er, where did you buy this paper?"

Xiao Yi hesitated, glancing at the elderly lady and Ah Shu. The former was discussing sewing materials for Xiao Rong's clothes, while the latter was lost in thought.

Sighing with relief, Xiao Yi leaned closer and whispered, "Brother, it's not bought; it's part of the main branch's distribution."

Xiao Rong blinked, surprised, "Even paper is distributed?"

No wonder they're a prestigious family! The Xiao family had used this high-quality paper sparingly for decades, and after being expelled forty years ago, they still had plenty left. How much must they have received initially!

Xiao Yi glanced at the other two again and whispered, "Brother, this paper is called Xiao Gong Paper, invented by our ancestor, Xiao Situ. It remains one of the main sources of income for the main branch."

Xiao Rong: "…………"

He had wondered who was so unscrupulous to sell paper at the price of gold. It turned out to be his nominal family.

Feeling conflicted, he looked at the paper. Its quality was indeed excellent. After forty years, only the edges had yellowed, while the rest remained pristine and usable.

However, no matter how good the quality, it shouldn't command such a high price!

Xiao Rong didn't oppose luxury goods but opposed monopolies that prevented commoners from using alternatives, solely to distinguish between aristocrats and commoners.

Frowning, he asked Xiao Yi in a low voice, "Besides the Xiao family, are there any other families selling paper?"

Xiao Yi, a genuine scholar, recalled and said, "The Yongjia Hu family sells Xinghua Paper, and the Wuling Jing family sells Jinghou Paper, but neither is as famous as Xiao Gong Paper."

Indeed, the names revealed the hierarchy—one was Gong (Minister), the other Hou (Marquis), naturally inferior.

Xiao Rong had briefly reviewed the aristocratic lineage. First-tier families included the He family, Pingyang Sun family, Yuzhang Yang family, and Jiangxia Yang family. Second-tier families numbered eight, including the Xiao and Jing families. As for the Hu family mentioned by Xiao Yi, Xiao Rong hadn't heard of them, likely placing them below second tier.

Third-tier families numbered over twenty, and beyond that were those not ranked but still considered aristocratic. Altogether, there were over sixty surnames, many repeated. While sixty seemed substantial, countless families outside this hierarchy aspired to join the aristocracy, but the aristocrats ignored them entirely.

Scholars banded together, and aristocrats even more so. Xiao Rong didn't want to confront the aristocracy too soon, especially not the Xiao family, fearing exposure of his false identity. If the main branch discovered any discrepancies, he might lose his standing, and Qu Yunmie's trust would be jeopardized.

However, unless the price of paper decreased, his plan to attract scholars would falter. If the first gathering failed to generate enthusiasm, subsequent events would suffer. He aimed to transition these gatherings into imperial examinations, and he couldn't afford setbacks now.

Xiao Rong fell into deep thought. How could he reduce the price of paper without drawing early attention from the aristocracy?

But before he could come to any conclusion, a guard knocked on the door from outside.

This was a new rule established by Xiao Rong—knock before entering, no more barging in.

Ah Shu finally snapped out of his daydream, received the message from the guard, and hurried back to tell Xiao Rong, "Master, Huang Yanjiong and the others have left. They want to leave the city before curfew."

They arrived under cover of night and now they were leaving under cover of night too. Whether coming or going, they didn't intend to do anything good.

Xiao Rong hummed in acknowledgment, then habitually reached for his brush and ink. But then he remembered Xiao Yi was still there and froze for a moment. He didn't pick up the pen but instead instructed Ah Shu, "Go find General Jian and ask him to send a few quick-witted men to follow Huang Yanjiong secretly. If anything unexpected happens, intervene immediately."

Ah Shu responded with an "Oh," turned, and ran out. This was the first time Xiao Yi had seen Xiao Rong handling official matters. He found Xiao Rong, who calmly issued these orders, somewhat unfamiliar yet even more admirable.

Xiao Yi ventured a question, "Big Brother, is Huang Yanjiong the brother of Huang Lujiang?"

In the past, officials were addressed by their surname combined with their location, but that was an old custom. Nowadays, titles were used directly, though for those highly respected and well-known, the old practice of adding a respectful title persisted.

Huang Yanqin met this standard; he held a high position among the scholars and thus earned the respectful title Huang Lujiang.

As for Huang Yanjiong, he was far from deserving the title Huang Jianning.

Xiao Rong glanced at Xiao Yi and smiled, "Yes, but Yi Er, your current task is to continue reading and solving problems. You'll encounter these external affairs later, but focus on what you should be doing at this stage. Half-knowledge won't command respect."

Xiao Yi blushed and obediently nodded, "Yes, I'll listen to Big Brother."

Xiao Rong added, "If you get tired of reading, go out for a walk, participate in local literary gatherings, and get to know the local scholars."

Xiao Yi opened his mouth, "But Big Brother, aren't you asking me to pretend to be a genius? Geniuses make a splash when they appear. If I interact with those scholars beforehand, they might discover from my words that I'm not as brilliant as they think."

Xiao Rong was taken aback. Indeed, he hadn't considered that.

He couldn't help but laugh, "It seems Yi Er is quite invested in this."

Xiao Yi, embarrassed, said, "I just want to help Big Brother."

Xiao Rong stood up, patted Xiao Yi's shoulder, "You're already helping."

Then he turned and walked out. Xiao Yi, startled, quickly followed, "Where are you going, Big Brother?"

Xiao Rong waved his hand, "I'm going to talk to someone else."

Xiao Yi felt a bit dejected. Because Xiao Rong was so busy, if it weren't for his reluctance to meet Huang Yanjiong today, Xiao Yi wouldn't have spent so much time with him. Sighing lightly, he packed up everything on the table and went to find his grandmother, escorting her out. *

On the other side, the person Xiao Rong wanted to see was Yu Shaoxie.

There was something he originally wanted Xiao Yi to handle, but Xiao Yi's remark reminded him that Xiao Yi's identity wasn't suitable for certain tasks. So he had to rely on Yu Shaoxie, who was relatively close to him.

Xiao Rong rarely sought him out, and Yu Shaoxie was initially flattered, even sobering up from his evening drink. But after hearing Xiao Rong's request, Yu Shaoxie wondered if he was still drunk.

"…Brother Xiao, could you repeat that?"

Xiao Rong looked at him strangely, thinking, "Repeat it, I will."

He repeated, "I hope Brother Yu can help me find one or two scholars. They should be excellent writers, capable of crafting articles fluently, preferably married and willing to do anything for money."

Yu Shaoxie: "…………"

Individually, these conditions weren't unusual, but together, they seemed strange. He couldn't help but ask, "What does Brother Xiao need such people for?"

Xiao Rong didn't hide anything, "To write play scripts."

Yu Shaoxie looked at him, "What are play scripts?"

Xiao Rong: "……"

Truly, entertainment was a desert here.

There were plays at the time, but not in the form familiar from later eras. These were more like monologues, where one person spoke or sang throughout without another performer joining them.

The forms of drama were separate; plays were plays, and songs were songs. Performers appeared on stage without accompaniment, and the tunes were simple, repeating every few lines without changing throughout the performance.

With basic livelihoods barely secured, Xiao Rong couldn't invest heavily in entertainment. All he needed was someone skilled in the popular four-six parallel prose style. If he could do it himself, he wouldn't need to find someone else, but he couldn't write something that even a nine-year-old would enjoy.

Unlike Xiao Yi, Yu Shaoxie always demanded explanations. Xiao Rong explained his plan—to entertain the masses, collect admission fees to benefit Chenliu, and use the plays to rehabilitate the Northern Pacification Army's image.

Yu Shaoxie understood immediately. Though a radical, he was open to new ideas. Whenever Xiao Rong proposed something new, Yu Shaoxie was the first to support it. In fact, halfway through Xiao Rong's explanation, Yu Shaoxie was ready to roll up his sleeves and do it himself, but when he heard the plays were for the common folk, he let his sleeves down again. While he wanted to help the people, the idea of presenting his work to illiterate peasants was too much for his pride.

Xiao Rong saw through his thoughts and didn't stop him, because Yu Shaoxie was right. In this era, playwrights wouldn't gain recognition from scholars. Future generations might honor them as pioneers, but Yu Shaoxie wouldn't live to see that fame.

Regardless, Yu Shaoxie agreed to help, but he had one more question, "Only impoverished scholars would take such jobs, but why must they be married? Is it because only married scholars can produce works that satisfy Brother Xiao?"

Xiao Rong blinked, "No."

Yu Shaoxie looked at him, puzzled.

Xiao Rong smiled, "Married people have responsibilities and won't be swayed by a few words to abandon everything and proclaim that I orchestrated the plays. Those with wives and children wouldn't dare offend me like that."

Yu Shaoxie: "…………"

Actually, he thought, after hearing Brother Xiao's explanation, even unmarried scholars wouldn't dare offend him either… *

The next morning, Yu Shaoxie set out to find married, poor, and timid scholars for Xiao Rong. Meanwhile, Xiao Rong dressed himself in full scholar attire, adorned with two clothing weights, and after some hesitation, chose not to carry a sword.

Today, he was meeting the local gentry and the Three Elders. The Northern Pacification Army's reputation was already formidable; he didn't need to add to the stereotype.

Xiao Rong and Gao Xunzhi went together to meet the gentry, while for the Three Elders, Qu Yunmie joined them.

The gentry held low status, but the Three Elders were respected throughout the city.

The institution of the Three Elders was established centuries ago when official roles were less defined and there were fewer officials. Later, during the feudal dynasties, the role became more prominent. Each city had its own Three Elders, and the imperial court also appointed Three Elders to promote filial piety and grant more power to the elderly.

The situation back then was different from now. People had longer lifespans, and those in positions of power were mostly elderly. They feared that the young would not listen to them or might even seize power, so they devised a policy to control society. During the period of great ethnic migration, the nomadic tribes did not have the custom of letting elders make all decisions; they followed a policy of strength, where whoever was stronger had the final say. As a result, the system of the Three Elders began to lose its significance and gradually became nominal.

By the time of the Yong Dynasty, the system of the Three Elders was completely abolished. The government no longer appointed them, and local administrations stopped holding special ceremonies for them. However, this did not mean that the Three Elders disappeared entirely. In some cities, the people elected their own Three Elders. Compared to officials who ignored the populace, these elders who walked among the people and conversed with them were clearly more trusted.

After losing its political significance, the role of the Three Elders returned to its original purpose: speaking on behalf of the common people.

Xiao Rong did not know what the Three Elders of Chenliu looked like, whether they truly served the people or abused their position to exploit the locals. Regardless, his visit was merely a show of presence and attitude, nothing more.

The meeting with the Three Elders was scheduled for the afternoon, while the morning was reserved for the wealthy clans. When Xiao Rong came out, Gao Xunzhi was also ready, and they proceeded together to the council hall.

They could afford to take their time, but the visiting wealthy clans dared not be late. The truly powerful clans would not come at all today; only the more timid ones showed up.

Xiao Rong expected to work with these people for a long time, so he gathered his spirits, adjusted his expression, and entered with a smile.

As soon as he stepped inside, Xiao Rong froze in place.

Unaware of the situation, Gao Xunzhi followed him in. Upon seeing them, the heads of the wealthy clans immediately rose to greet them. One of them smiled ingratiatingly and said, "Prime Minister Gao, Administrator Xiao, these are two unmarried ladies from our clan. They are quite clever and we brought them here today hoping that you would accept them as maids."

After he finished speaking, the others rushed forward to express similar sentiments. One of them inadvertently revealed that they had already inquired about the preferences of the Administrator of Chenliu, hoping that Administrator Xiao would not refuse their goodwill.

Gao Xunzhi was stunned for a moment before turning to look at Xiao Rong in shock.

Is this Ah Rong's preference?! How can you still have such strenuous hobbies when you're in this state?!

Xiao Rong: "…………" What nonsense!

I don't have such preferences!!

Author's Note:

Sorry!! A new task was suddenly assigned by my boss, so I couldn't update more today. But there's nothing much tomorrow, so I will definitely do it then!