Chapter 142

Chapter 142

Su Yu had long harbored the idea of reinstating the positions of the Ministers of the Six Ministries.

The previous emperors of Great Qi had left the positions of the Ministers of the Six Ministries vacant, fearing that these ministers would wield too much power. Great Qi had appointed many temporary commissioned officials, intending to reclaim their power once their tasks were completed. However, in reality, most of these temporary commissioned officials ended up serving for life. The most typical example was the regional commanders. Before the three regional commands in Hebei were reclaimed, the regional commanders not only served for life but also passed their positions down through inheritance.

It would be better to formally restore these high-ranking official positions and let them do their jobs properly.

Restoring high-ranking official positions was also like dangling a carrot in front of a donkey. Previously, with high-ranking positions left vacant, everyone tacitly agreed that it was impossible to rise further based solely on merit. Once someone secured a powerful temporary commissioned position, they would try to turn it into a lifelong role, unwilling to relinquish power. Now, with formal high-ranking positions available, everyone had a goal to strive for.

Therefore, Su Yu planned to first promote Cui Xuan and Xie Yiguan to the positions of Ministers of the Six Ministries, giving officials hope and encouraging them to roll up their sleeves and work hard.

After the Ministry of Personnel's examination, the officials of the Ministry of Personnel worked day and night to evaluate a thousand exam papers and selected a hundred. Cui Xuan then sifted through these hundred papers and picked thirty to present to Emperor Su Yu.

Emperor Su Yu further eliminated ten candidates from the thirty papers.

In the end, only twenty people were selected, and these twenty still needed to be trained by Xie Yiguan before they could take up their positions as Surveillance Commissioners in the regional commands.

After finalizing the list, Emperor Su Yu casually asked Xing Jian, "Did Cheng Jinwen not participate in this Ministry of Personnel selection?"

Cheng Jinwen, also known as Cheng Heyuan, who had been sent by Su Yu to work under Yao Feiming.

Xing Jian replied, "He did not participate in this Ministry of Personnel selection."

Emperor Su Yu pondered for a moment, "It's wheat harvesting season now, isn't it? Let's go see Premier Yao..."

She stood up and suddenly turned to scrutinize Xing Jian.

Xing Jian tightened his fingers and calmly asked, "Why is Your Majesty looking at me like this?"

Emperor Su Yu frowned slightly and said, "When I said we're going to see Premier Yao, I meant we're going to the fields. Xing Jian, are you... up for it?"

Xing Jian: "?" What kind of question was the emperor asking?

He immediately replied, "It's just accompanying Your Majesty to the fields. What's the problem?"

Since Xing Jian responded this way, Emperor Su Yu took him along to find Premier Yao.

Premier Yao had been busy lately. There were many matters in the court, and it was also wheat harvesting season. He would come to the fields at sunrise every day, work for a while, then hurriedly bathe and change into his court robe before attending court. Despite being forty years old, he was busier than someone in their twenties...

Thinking of Xing Jian and Xie Yiguan, as well as Yu Chiyi, who was always out saving the day, Yao Feiming felt a bit more at ease, realizing that those in their early twenties seemed even busier.

When Emperor Su Yu arrived, Premier Yao was wearing a half-sleeved shirt, with his pants rolled up, bent over cutting wheat.

Tian Boyun, Zhao Qusheng, and Cheng Jinyuan were also busy with farm work.

Emperor Su Yu's sharp eyes caught sight of the dragon bone waterwheel used for irrigation.

The dragon bone waterwheel was not a rare item; it had existed since the previous dynasty. However, the ones Emperor Su Yu had seen before were rather clumsy, while the one she saw now looked much more refined.

She took a couple of steps forward, wanting to try the waterwheel, when she heard Premier Yao shout angrily, "Your Majesty! It's wheat harvesting time now, don't cause trouble!"

Xing Jian immediately retorted with a cold face, "How dare you!"

Emperor Su Yu, however, laughed and waved her hand, "Premier Yao is right, I won't try it."

"Your Majesty, please rest in the pavilion over there."

A somewhat familiar voice. Emperor Su Yu turned around and saw a handsome, sun-tanned face.

She was stunned for a long time before hesitantly asking, "Cheng Jinyuan?"

The other person bowed to Su Yu, "It is I, your student."

Su Yu then carefully examined Cheng Heyuan. A year ago, he was a pale and frail scholar, but now, though still slender, he had become much more robust, as if he had transformed from a delicate, handsome man into a sturdy, robust figure.

Cheng Heyuan also knew that he had changed a lot and said with a smile, "Thanks to Your Majesty for assigning me here, my health has greatly improved."

Cheng Heyuan was brimming with enthusiasm, eagerly leading Su Yu to a resting pavilion. He used his sleeve to meticulously clean the folding stool before inviting Su Yu to sit.

He then turned around to pour tea for Su Yu, only to find that Cui Xuan had already taken out a brocade handkerchief, polished the tea cup set beside them, and picked up the water pot to smell it.

Cheng Heyuan whispered, "This tea is brewed directly from whole tea leaves, not ground."

Cui Xuan frowned slightly and looked at Su Yu, who didn't mind, "This is fine, I'm not particularly fond of whisked tea."

When Cui Xuan presented her the tea cup, she drained it in one gulp.

Cheng Heyuan felt Su Yu was growing increasingly approachable. He crouched by Su Yu's feet and continued to explain this year's wheat harvest.

He looked at Su Yu, his eyes sparkled with stars, and Su Yu's reflection shone the brightest.

Cheng Heyuan's gaze was so intense that Cui Xuan frowned. He deliberately took a step forward, separating Su Yu and Cheng Heyuan.

Su Yu, however, found him obstructive and pointed to another empty folding stool, "Xing Jian, take a seat and listen with me."

Cui Xuan: "..."

He took half a step back but insisted on standing by Su Yu's side.

Su Yu paid no heed, leaning forward with her head propped on one hand, her peach blossom eyes fixed on Cheng Heyuan, as if her entire heart and eyes were filled with him.

Cheng Heyuan's face flushed involuntarily, and he spoke with even greater enthusiasm, "It's all due to Your Majesty's guidance. This year, we planted with extra care and discovered some wheat that is naturally drought and pest-resistant. We've marked these plants and saved them as seeds. Next year, we plan to sow an entire acre with these seeds and compare the yields."

His eyes brimmed with hope, and he appeared to be illuminated.

Su Yu was slightly surprised. She had initially sent Cheng Heyuan to farm to refine his character, but she hadn't anticipated his deep immersion in farming, leading him to forgo the Ministry of Personnel selection exam. However, every profession has its top scholar.

She looked past Cheng Heyuan to the four people working in the fields. Only Cheng Jinyuan glanced up at her. A year of toil had softened the sharpness in his gaze.

Su Yu smiled at Cheng Jinyuan, who hurriedly lowered his head again. She then shifted her gaze back. Cheng Heyuan thought she was smiling at him and lowered his head in embarrassment, "We haven't seen the results yet. I was being presumptuous in front of Your Majesty."

"This is good," Su Yu smiled. "You don't need to rush. One year, two years, or even ten years—it's fine as long as I see results in my lifetime."

She gave Cheng Heyuan's shoulder a gentle pat, "As long as you can persevere, I will support you for a lifetime in your quest to improve grain yields. If you succeed, you will be revered by the people. If not, pass it on to the next generation. Eventually, success will come."

Cheng Heyuan was stunned and suddenly choked up. He nodded heavily.

Su Yu stood up and said to him with a smile, "I just came to see you all. Now that I've seen you, I won't disturb you anymore."

"Your student will call them..."

Before Cheng Heyuan could finish, Su Yu grabbed his hand to stop him. He turned back in surprise, and Su Yu tapped his chest, "No need. As long as the respect is in your heart, that's enough."

Cheng Heyuan choked up again and bowed deeply to Su Yu, "Your Majesty, your student will bow to you on their behalf."

Su Yu waved her hand and left with great ease.

By the time Yao Feiming came to his senses, she had already left, leaving only Cheng Heyuan, who was still shedding tears on the spot.

He asked, "When did His Majesty leave? Why didn’t you call us? What’s going on with you?"

Cheng Heyuan wiped away his tears and said, "I’m just overjoyed."

Yao Feiming burst into laughter.

Cheng Jinyuan paused for a moment and said to them, "My elder brother is a bit out of sorts. I’ll take him to rest first."

He pulled Cheng Heyuan to a secluded corner and suddenly asked, "Brother, do you regret it?"

Cheng Heyuan knew what Cheng Jinyuan was asking. He had hesitated about taking the civil service exam, but over the past year, he, Cheng Jinyuan, Tian Boyun, and Zhao Qusheng had lived and worked together, toiling from sunrise to sunset, and gathering under the lamp at night to discuss their daily discoveries. He had filled more than a dozen notebooks. If he had gone alone to take the civil service exam, he would have felt like a traitor.

Moreover, as Su Yu had said, if they could truly develop high-yielding wheat, it would be a monumental achievement. Leaving now would clearly undermine the others' determination, and he couldn't bring himself to do that. "Brother, I have no regrets. I want to stay right here."

Cheng Heyuan hesitated slightly and looked at Cheng Jinyuan, "What about you?"

Cheng Jinyuan didn’t mind, "As long as there’s food on the table, it doesn’t matter where we are. Brother, just focus on pursuing your dreams."

"Then Brother, what about your dreams?" Cheng Heyuan asked.

Cheng Jinyuan touched the scar on his face. Because of this scar, he was barred from becoming an official. He recalled the look Su Yu had given him earlier, "What did His Majesty say to you just now?"

"His Majesty said he would support us as long as we remain steadfast. He also said that if we succeed, we will be honored by the people of the world."

Cheng Jinyuan asked, "Did His Majesty mean us?"

Cheng Heyuan nodded.

Cheng Jinyuan smiled, "Brother, I’ve never mentioned this, but my dream is also to leave a legacy. If this succeeds, both our dreams can be fulfilled."

On the other side, Su Yu came out from where Yao Feiming was and was about to get into the carriage when Cui Xuan gently tugged her sleeve. She turned around.

Cui Xuan said, "Your Majesty’s robe has mud on it. I’ve brought a replacement robe. Would Your Majesty like to change?"

Su Yu sat in the carriage and lifted her boot soles to show Cui Xuan, "The soles of my boots are caked with mud."

Cui Xuan replied, "I’ve brought new boots as well."

Su Yu: "...Do I need to change my underclothes too?"

Cui Xuan asked seriously, "If Your Majesty wishes to change, I have those as well."

Su Yu: "..." Do you have an entire wardrobe with you?

"My build and shoe size are different from Xing Jian’s. No need to change," Su Yu coldly refused.

However, she glanced at the clean carriage, then at her muddy boots, and then at Cui Xuan, who was pursing his lips, clearly uncomfortable but trying to endure. She reluctantly said, "Alright, I’ll change my boots."

Cui Xuan was momentarily stunned, his eyes filled with surprise. He kept a straight face, suppressing a smile, and said, "Alright." He took out a brand new pair of boots from a bag hanging in the carriage, "Let me help Your Majesty change."

"No need, I can do it myself," Su Yu pulled off her boots, took the new boots from his hands, and easily slipped them on.

Cui Xuan was slightly taken aback. Was His Majesty too thin? He was considered slim among men, but his boots looked particularly large on Su Yu.

Only then did he notice that Su Yu, now twenty, still had the figure of a youth, and his voice was as clear as a young boy’s, unlike most men whose voices deepen after eighteen...

Su Yu saw him standing there in a daze and suddenly leaned in, almost touching Cui Xuan's nose, and asked with a smile, "What’s wrong, Xing Jian? Why are you standing there in a daze?"

Cui Xuan almost blushed and quickly took a big step back, lowering his head, "It’s nothing."

Su Yu chuckled softly, lowering her eyes to hide her thoughts. Being over twenty without growing facial hair or experiencing a voice change, others who were far away dared not look directly at the emperor's true face, but those who spent time with her day and night would inevitably notice something unusual—

It was somewhat troublesome. Without absolute certainty, she still had to keep her disguise tightly wrapped.

A few days later, Su Yu announced the list of twenty candidates selected by the Ministry of Personnel in the court, while also introducing new rules for the imperial examinations.

The officials had no objections to the triennial provincial and palace examinations, but they burst into laughter upon hearing that the Military Examination would now be open to both men and women.

A military officer stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, a general like Gao Langjiang comes once in a century, and besides, Gao Langjiang doesn’t look like a woman."

Su Yu gave him a cool glance and chuckled, "She doesn’t look like one, so does that mean you do?"

The officer pursed his lips and stepped back to his place.

Seeing him shut down, the others burst out laughing, and no one dared to oppose the decision on the spot.

Only Wang Mo, who was close to Xie Yiguan, whispered to him, "If His Majesty issues the new Military Examination decree, what if people mock it..."

Xie Yiguan's expression turned cold, "Who would dare mock the Emperor?"

Wang Mo: "..." Was Xie Yiguan possessed by Cui Xuan? His coldness was quite intimidating.

Xie Yiguan suddenly smiled, "Brother Daoxian, you haven’t been sleeping well lately and seem a bit out of it. Go back and rest early."

At this, Wang Mo let out a deep sigh. Over the past few days, in order to quickly evaluate the thousand exam papers, he had been sleeping directly in the Ministry of Personnel, getting only three hours of sleep each day. He really rose earlier than a rooster and slept later than a dog. Even so, Cui Xuan had strictly ordered them to return home every day, clean themselves up, and then go back to work at the Ministry of Personnel!

Thinking about it, it was really tough. He needed to hurry back and get some proper sleep.

Two days later, someone finally caught on and wanted to oppose the idea of women participating in the Military Examination. Su Yu then dropped another bombshell: she promoted Cui Xuan to the position of Minister of Personnel, a rank of third-grade, while still serving as Grand Councilor of the Central Secretariat and Chancellery. Xie Yiguan was promoted to Minister of Rites, also a third-grade position, overseeing the Ministry of Rites, while Yao Feiming, the other Grand Councilor, was appointed as Minister of Revenue.

Yao Feiming: "..." He couldn’t help but feel like he was just an afterthought.

Whether an afterthought or not, the sudden addition of three ministers was enough to shock the court. After all, the six ministerial positions in Great Qi had been vacant for sixty years—a full cycle! It had been so long that people had almost forgotten that the highest-ranking officials in the six ministries were actually third-grade ministers.

However, with the emperor promoting these three to ministerial positions, their original posts were now vacant... Wait! There were still three third-grade ministerial positions left empty, and those should be their real goals!

The officials exchanged glances and smiled, silently noting to themselves: Is he smiling like that because he wants to compete with me for a ministerial position?

By the time Su Yu officially announced the new imperial examination laws to the public, some officials realized they had forgotten to oppose women participating in the Military Examination. But then they thought, it was unlikely that any woman would actually take part, so whether they opposed it or not made no difference.