Chapter 113: The Imperial Envoy Arrives, The Sage in Person

Chapter 113: Imperial Envoy Arrives with the Emperor’s Decree

Qing Jingzi and Qing Lingzi, the two fellow Taoist disciples, thus stayed at the Ji City government office, living comfortably with fine meals day after day, yet no results were seen as time passed.

Cao Weiyan grew impatient and demanded, "How much longer?"

Qing Jingzi replied innocently, "Your Honor, patience is needed. My fellow disciple and I are doing our utmost to research."

Cao Weiyan’s face darkened. "Are you mocking this official?"

Qing Jingzi shook his head. "How could Your Excellency think that? The Prefect should know that the entire concept of the airplane was conceived by the Magistrate of Ji County. It was merely completed through the hands of my fellow disciple and the craftsmen. Now, for us to independently decipher Lord Bing’s designs, it truly requires some time."

Just as Cao Weiyan was about to issue threats, a yamen officer rushed in in frantic haste, shouting, "My Lord, my Lord—"

"What’s all this panic? Where’s your decorum?" Cao Weiyan scolded.

The yamen officer’s voice trembled. "My Lord, the Imperial Envoy has arrived—right at the gate!"

"What?!" This time, it was Cao Weiyan’s turn to panic, his voice cracking.

Cao Weiyan could no longer bother with the Taoists and turned to rush outside. In his haste, he tripped and fell, flailing like a fish, his official hat rolling away. He scrambled up, grabbed his hat, and dashed out.

By the time he emerged, his hat was crooked.

"Is this how a local official composes himself?" The Left Chancellor frowned and reprimanded him.

Cao Weiyan looked at the imposing imperial guard retinue and then at the man leading them—someone he didn’t recognize at all. But he dared not offend him—not someone he could afford to cross. Any official from the capital had direct access to the Emperor’s ear.

"I’ve disgraced myself," Cao Weiyan said, not daring to offer any excuse, hastily straightening his attire.

The Left Chancellor, his expression stern, produced a token and an imperial edict. "This official is Left Chancellor Guan Zhongxian, appointed by His Majesty as the Imperial Envoy. I have come to inspect Ji City regarding the man-made rain you reported."

Cao Weiyan’s face lit up with joy. He had written the memorial himself and knew exactly how he had framed his own merits in it.

"So it’s about the rainfall! Why trouble the Envoy to come personally? Had the Envoy sent word, this lowly official would have brought the airplane to the capital instead," Cao Weiyan grovelled.

Guan Zhongxian sneered. "What of the drought plaguing Ji City and neighboring regions?"

Cao Weiyan was left speechless, sheepishly scratching his nose. "Of course, the drought takes priority. I spoke out of turn."

Guan Zhongxian asked, "Where is the airplane? Take this official to see it."

Cao Weiyan said, "Your Excellency, you must be weary from travel. Why not rest and dine first before viewing it?"

"What hardship is this to me? The suffering of the disaster-stricken people is the real hardship. The common folk are still running about, anxious over next year’s harvest—how could this official have any appetite to eat?"

Cao Weiyan chuckled ingratiatingly. "Your Excellency is truly a virtuous official who cares for the people. This lowly official will arrange it at once."

Guan Zhongxian said, "What is there to arrange? This official merely wishes to see the airplane."

Cao Weiyan smiled insincerely. "The builders are mere illiterate craftsmen. Without some instructions, I fear they might offend Your Excellency."

Cao Weiyan stepped out and summoned a yamen officer. "Go over there and relay my orders to those Taoists. Tell them that if they value their lives, they’d better not speak carelessly—or else I’ll raze their temple to the ground."

"Yes," the yamen officer acknowledged and left.

The Vice-Prefect asked, "My Lord, this lowly official feels that the Left Chancellor’s words just now sounded somewhat off."

Cao Weiyan scoffed. "The Envoy’s full of bureaucratic bluster. We’re all officials here—who can’t see through each other’s games? This ‘concern for the people’ act—it’s just a bribe short, and he’ll sing a different tune."

Cao Weiyan returned, bringing Guan Zhongxian to the location of the flying machine.

"Sir, that’s the flying machine."

Upon seeing the flying machine, Guan Zhongxian and the person beside him both lit up, stepping forward together to inspect it. They examined it for a long time before finally stopping.

The person accompanying Guan Zhongxian was likely his trusted aide, who murmured something in his ear. Guan Zhongxian turned and asked, "Craftsmen are one thing, but why are there also Taoist masters here?"

To be honest, even now, Cao Weiyan hadn’t fully grasped the role these Taoist masters played in the flying machine’s construction. He couldn’t understand why Bing Wengu had insisted on involving a group of Taoist masters in the first place.

Cao Weiyan could only throw Qing Jingzi a pointed glance. "My Lord is asking you a question. Answer him!"

Qing Jingzi glanced at the envoy and bowed in the Taoist fashion. "Sir, we are primarily responsible for the dry ice for making rain and other aspects involving chemical experiments."

Qing Jingzi was also involved in other research projects under Bing Wengu, though they had yet to yield results and thus were not suitable for disclosure.

Guan Zhongxian looked at them kindly, nodding approvingly as if quite satisfied with their work.

Turning back to Cao Weiyan, however, his expression hardened. "Since artificial rainfall has already been successfully conducted in Ji County, why hasn’t it been implemented elsewhere? On my journey here, I still saw dried-up fields. Do you realize how much more grain will be lost by delaying even a single day before harvest season?"

"You may not know this, sir," Cao Weiyan replied bitterly. "It’s not that I am unwilling to provide artificial rainfall for the people. The technology is still unstable. Back then, I slaved day and night with these Taoist masters and craftsmen to develop it, and after much effort, we succeeded—but only once, in Ji County. After that, it never worked again."

"Oh, is that so?" Guan Zhongxian said ambiguously. "Since it succeeded in Ji County before, perhaps we should try again there. Maybe it will work once more."

Cao Weiyan sweated nervously. "Sir has traveled far and must be weary. I’ve already arranged a meal—perhaps we should eat first..."

"I’ve said it before—until the drought is resolved, I have no appetite."

Cao Weiyan signaled to a subordinate, who soon brought over a chest. Taking it, Cao Weiyan opened it before Guan Zhongxian. "Will this do?"

Guan Zhongxian glared at him icily. "Who do you think I am? And where would a mere prefect like you get so much silver? Is this ill-gotten silver? I will have someone investigate this separately. For now, accompany me to Ji County."

With thousands of imperial guards at his command, Guan Zhongxian easily took Cao Weiyan away.

On the road to Ji County, many desperate farmers blocked their path, begging for artificial rainfall. Guan Zhongxian patiently reassured them one by one.

The entire journey was filled with tales of suffering. But when they finally arrived in Ji County and entered the city, Guan Zhongxian was stunned by the sight of its lively, hopeful people.

Was this the same Ji County rumored to have suffered through three years of drought, where the people lived in misery?

"The people of Ji County seem to be doing quite well now," said Guan Zhongxian’s companion, peering out the carriage window to see a street vendor selling fried skewers.

"They’re selling fried food here?" the man exclaimed in surprise.

Guan Zhongxian observed, "Though the people of Ji County wear tattered clothes, clearly having just survived a disaster, they’ve all got life in them. That is the rarest thing. Such energy cannot be faked—it only comes when there is genuine hope for the future."

The other man nodded.

When the group arrived, Bing Wengu came out to greet them and immediately noticed the distinguished man with Guan Zhongxian.

"Long live the Emperor! Ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand years!" Bing Wengu immediately knelt to pay respects to Zhan Yu.

Meanwhile, Cao Weiyan, who was being restrained, turned deathly pale. He had once had the honor of seeing the emperor—during the imperial exams decades ago. But it had been just a fleeting glimpse from afar, and he had long since forgotten the emperor’s face.

His legs gave way, and if not for the yamen officer supporting him, he would have collapsed on the spot.

Zhan Yu stepped forward, smiling warmly as he helped Bing Wengu up. "Rise, my beloved minister. Yuan Ting, you have not only met my expectations but far exceeded them."

Bing Wengu rose to his feet smoothly. "I was just doing my duty."

The Emperor said, "I've gotten the aircraft back for you. Given the severe drought, can you make it rain artificially right away?"

"Yes," Bing Wengu replied promptly.

Since there were no railways in the area, Bing Wengu led the team to the experimental base, instructing Cong Lin to fetch Nan Jinping on the way.

Nan Jinping had been in good spirits recently. Though the aircraft had been seized by Cao Weiyan, she remained unperturbed, as Bing Wengu had assured her that Ji County had the Emperor's spies. Everything was under the Emperor's control, and Nan Jinping knew no one could steal this merit.

With nothing to worry about, Nan Jinping turned her attention to her teahouse business, calling the manager back to reopen it.

Since its reopening, the teahouse had been full every day. After Bing Wengu's successful artificial rainfall, the people of Ji County treated him like a god.

With no direct way to thank him, they flocked to Nan Jinping's teahouse as a way to honor Bing Wengu.

As a farmer in worn-out clothes exited after listening to storytelling, he spotted Nan Jinping and immediately dropped to his knees, but she swiftly caught him.

"Old sir, there's no need for this. This is my teahouse. As a guest here for storytelling, I am merely its owner," Nan Jinping sighed. "Old sir, please tell your villagers not to scrape together money to come here. Spend it on a meal for your families instead."

Many farmers, to show gratitude, contributed pennies village-wide to send a representative to her teahouse. Given its high prices, individual households couldn't afford it otherwise.

To her surprise, the elder's eyes reddened. "Does the Magistrate's husband look down on us peasants?"

Nan Jinping hurriedly explained, "Not at all, Old sir. I merely worry about burdening you."

"No such thing. We villagers wish to come. They say the Magistrate is a heavenly being, and his husband is no ordinary person either. The storybooks you write must contain heavenly wisdom. We seek nothing but to gain some insight and share in your blessings. You don’t know how fiercely villagers vie for this chance—I only got it due to my seniority."

Touched yet alarmed, Nan Jinping recalled Bing Wengu's warning about the Emperor's spies in Ji County.

If such talk reached the Emperor, it would spell potential disaster—implying Bing Wengu was divine would challenge the Emperor's authority.

Yet she knew forbidding such talk outright might backfire.

"Old sir, your words are mistaken. The Emperor is the Celestial Sovereign Star, and Wen Gu is his Marshal Star, assisting him. The Sovereign Star descended to relieve suffering, and the Marshal Star follows. All is due to the Emperor's benevolence."

Uneducated in lofty doctrines, the people readily believed such celestial analogies. Nan Jinping's explanation resonated deeply with the listeners.

Overhearing from the teahouse's second floor, several workshop owners in Ji County marveled.

"Indeed, a man like Lord Bing would have no ordinary husband. With just a few words, she may have averted potential disaster for him."

"Lord Bing cherishes his husband above all. Such way with a man proves Nan Fulang is no common figure—how else could she tame Lord Bing?"