Chapter 24 Situ Zhaoling

Chapter 24 Situ Zhaoling

As the Vice Minister of Personnel in charge of official appointments and evaluations, and also holding the rank of the First Rank Grand Tutor in the court, Chu Jiubian’s combined authority was sufficient to oversee the imperial examinations, which made it entirely reasonable for him to manage this matter.

In his past life, the imperial examination system provided opportunities for all scholars.

But if Chu Jiubian were to reform the imperial examinations, he would not limit them to literary assessments alone, nor would he only recruit scholars and literati.

He would certainly add multiple subjects, including engineering, agriculture, mathematics, medicine, as well as subjects at which women excelled, such as embroidery and handicrafts.

The evaluation criteria would not be limited to cultural literacy; professional skills, comprehension, and innate talent would be far more important.

The System Marketplace offered many specialized books for purchase. He could first train a few "instructors" in relevant fields and then have them educate the scholars who passed the examinations.

His mind quickly organized these plans, already forming a clear framework.

These instructors trained in advance had to be sufficiently loyal to Chu Jiubian—it would be even better if they were devotees.

This way, when the scholars later passed the examinations, they would also favor Chu Jiubian under the influence of these instructors.

He wouldn’t be doing all the work only for others to reap the benefits.

Chu Jiubian unconsciously fidgeted with the pen.

If things could develop according to his vision, he would be able to recruit talent from various fields for his own use.

Replacing officials in the capital might be more challenging, but it would be much easier in the provinces.

Local officials were often merchants who bought their offices or those who had risen through connections with certain factions—they had few ties to the powerful noble families at the center of authority.

They were like insignificant screws in a vast operating machine, usually going unnoticed.

Thus, Chu Jiubian had plenty of opportunity to replace them gradually with his own people.

In this era, where the common people had virtually no understanding of politics, they did not know the emperor or the Ministers of the Six Ministries. The only officials they could rely on and look up to were their local superiors—the Prefect, the county magistrate, these local officials.

If these local officials were loyal to Chu Jiubian, then most of the population of the Da Ning Dynasty would be under his control.

The common people were easily influenced. Whether they would live peacefully farming in a stable nation or rise up in rebellion amid suffering would all depend on Chu Jiubian’s decision.

The look in Chu Jiubian’s eyes deepened.

A fragile nerve in his mind seemed to tremble lightly, with a ringing in his ears.

Suddenly, there was a soft sound as Chu Jiubian leaned back in his chair; his chin was lifted by a warm hand.

Qin Xiao gazed down at him, noticing the madness fading from his eyes.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked.

Chu Jiubian stared up at him intently.

After a few moments, he beamed. "Did I scare you?"

Seeing Qin Xiao still studying him with a probing gaze, Chu Jiubian’s smile deepened.

He covered Qin Xiao’s warm hand with his cold one and said meaningfully, "We're alike. You understand."

In that moment, Qin Xiao felt as if he had returned to the ninth day of the month.

This person had fallen from the sky, and at that time, Qin Xiao had gripped his fragile neck, with just enough pressure to kill him.

Back then, Chu Jiubian had also held his wrist like this, without any fear, and had even smiled while uttering strange words.

Now, too—what did he mean by "alike"?

Why would Qin Xiao understand?

Qin Xiao let go of his chin and instead grasped his wrist, saying, "Qin Lie, bring the medicine."

Qin Zhaoyang immediately stepped forward, producing a bottle of medicine from his robe and handing it to Qin Xiao. He also gave him a clean, new white cloth strip—likely kept handy due to frequent injuries.

After delivering these, he retreated back into the shadows.

Chu Jiubian looked down and noticed a cut from his right thumb to his palm, the skin torn open, half his hand soaked in blood. Even Qin Xiao’s hand was streaked with crimson.

He glanced at the desk and saw a pen broken into two pieces.

Qin Xiao sprinkled some powder onto his wound, and a burning sensation spread instantly through his entire arm. Chu Jiubian’s hand trembled instinctively.

Qin Xiao looked at his face but saw no trace of pain.

"Not as good as the pens from our immortal realm," Chu Jiubian said.

Qin Xiao snorted lightly and expertly bandaged the wound.

"Thank you," Chu Jiubian said.

Qin Xiao murmured "mm" in reply and called for another pen to be brought. "Can you use your left hand?" he asked.

Many memorials only required a circle to indicate "reviewed." Chu Jiubian nodded. "Yes."

He glanced at his bandaged hand and then looked across the aisle.

Qin Xiao had already returned to his seat, the blood on his left hand still unwashed, and had resumed his work.

He's so capable.

Chu Jiubian also picked up a new memorial.

The matter of the imperial examinations would directly threaten the interests of the noble families. Proposing it recklessly would undoubtedly provoke collective opposition, so it required careful planning and Qin Xiao’s assistance.

Currently, Chu Jiubian had only Jiang Shuoye as a devotee. He hadn't even formally met the twins yet and had no suitable candidates to train as "instructors." Qin Xiao likely didn’t have any either.

So he needed to take advantage of this time to carefully select some.

The reason he needed Qin Xiao’s help was that his influence hadn’t yet reached the local levels or become known among ordinary people. Thus, the imperial examinations needed to be held under the court’s name to achieve broader impact.

Moreover, since he lacked manpower, even if there were clean-background talents willing to take the exams, he couldn’t guarantee their safety. If other factions targeted them, it would be a loss outweighing the gain.

But Qin Xiao had many covert guards who could protect these scholars.

The only issue with such cooperation was that the scholars might lean more toward Qin Xiao rather than him, a nobody.

Therefore, the most crucial task for Chu Jiubian now was to rapidly expand his influence, ensuring that the "Ninth Young Master" was not only active among scholars and nobles.

He needed the ignorant yet simple common people to know him and believe in him.

The common people were numerous and lived in hardship.

They don't trust the imperial court, so they seek something to believe in—such as gods and faith.

Therefore, what Chu Jiubian needs to do is become that "god" in the hearts of the people who can truly help them.

An opportunity.

All he needs now is one opportunity.

And that opportunity might come in the near future, from the great drought in the south.

Naturally, the drought can not only help him gain fame but also serve as a bargaining chip in his negotiations with Qin Xiao.

He intends to use the "resolution of the drought" to get Qin Xiao to agree to work together to hold imperial examinations and to allow him to take full charge of the matter.

Chu Jiubian suppressed his restless thoughts and resumed reviewing the memorials.

Many of these memorials were minor issues, and quite a few were sucking up to the emperor and Qin Xiao. He marked each with a circle to indicate they had been read.

When he opened another one, his hand paused mid-circle.

This one was actually sent by Southern Frontier King Baili Hao—isn't that the father of the Sutu siblings?

Chu Jiubian suddenly realized.

Wait, he had overlooked something before: as the sixth imperial uncle of the young emperor, Southern Frontier King’s surname was "Baili," yet the princess and young prince had the surname Sutu.

"Qin Xiao." He looked up at the person across from him.

Qin Xiao was taken aback and glanced over in surprise.

In the shadows, Qin Zhaoyang, who had been polishing his dagger, also paused and discreetly looked at Chu Jiubian.

Since the Lord had become "Prince Ning," no one had ever addressed him by his full name to his face. Hearing it now, Qin Zhaoyang wasn't used to it.

Chu Jiubian had always referred to Qin Xiao as "Your Lordship" or "Lord Prince Ning," though there was a hint of teasing in it, much like how Qin Xiao called him "Ninth Young Master."

In private, Chu Jiubian always used his given name.

Now, having blurted it out without thinking, he only realized it after speaking.

But since it was already said, he didn’t dwell on it and asked directly, "Does Southern Frontier King have children?"

"He has a pair of twins," Qin Xiao replied.

"Then why don’t the children have his surname?"

Qin Xiao raised an eyebrow. "How do you know that?"

"I am a god," Chu Jiubian stated matter-of-factly.

Qin Xiao: "...Then why don’t you know the reason behind it?"

"My powers are limited, and I don’t want to waste them on such matters," Chu Jiubian replied without hesitation, having fully embraced his "mortal experience."

It made sense, and Qin Xiao had no comeback.

He chuckled lightly and said, "The Southern Frontier region was ceded to foreign tribes for nearly a hundred years. After Emperor Wu reclaimed it, the locals remained tough, and the people didn’t acknowledge the court—they only recognized the Chieftain."

"The Chieftain’s surname is Sutu?" Chu Jiubian guessed immediately. "Could it be that this Southern Frontier King married the local Chieftain?"

"More or less. He married the current Holy Woman, who is the next Chieftain."

The old Chieftain is still alive, but once he passes, this Holy Woman, Sutu Anli, will become the new Chieftain.

"I see."

This kind of relationship is equivalent to the husband moving into his wife's family, so the children took their mother’s surname.

In the Southern Frontier, women can also hold power, indicating that women there are not bound by so-called rules and restrictions.

If that’s the case, Situ Zhaoling could do even more.

Having her as a follower, Chu Jiubian felt incredibly lucky.

"What did Southern Frontier King say?" Qin Xiao asked.

"The Southern Frontier is suffering a severe drought, and he requests funds and grain from the court," Chu Jiubian replied.

He hadn’t expected Southern Frontier King to submit a memorial.

Vassal princes govern their territories, acting like local kings with their own administrative offices and armies. They collect a portion of grain and monetary taxes from the people first, submitting the remainder to the court.

In other words, most matters within the fiefdom are handled by the vassal prince themselves.

In the event of a drought, it should logically be their responsibility to worry about the people’s livelihood. The court doesn’t need to be overly concerned, as any unrest or hardship among the people would first impact the vassal prince.

But now, the tables have turned: the court is worrying about the people in these fiefdoms, while the vassal princes are only focused on demanding resources from the court.

The followers chosen by the system are all of good character and ability, so he instinctively assumed that the father of the Sutu siblings wouldn’t be a greedy person.

Naturally, Prince Pingxi Baili Zheng, who appeared earlier in the "armed cards" and governed the Sichuan region, shouldn’t be shirking his responsibilities either.

After a moment of contemplation, Chu Jiubian understood and couldn’t help but look at Qin Xiao.

Now, with Baili Hong newly ascended to the throne and his claim to the throne not entirely solid, various forces in the capital and those vassal princes are watching eagerly for an opportunity to criticize the emperor and Qin Xiao.

If the current drought leads to widespread unrest, these powerful factions will undoubtedly join forces with the vassal princes to place all the blame on their common enemies—the young emperor and Qin Xiao.

Either the young emperor is deemed virtueless and illegitimate, prompting divine punishment, or Qin Xiao is accused of causing chaos as a relative of the emperor, with heaven sending a warning.

The common people are easily swayed and would readily believe such claims. In that case, the emperor might have to issue an edict of self-criticism, and Qin Xiao could be forced to sacrifice himself to atone or step down.

If Qin Xiao doesn’t sacrifice himself, he would truly be seen as a traitorous minister who brings disaster to the nation and its people.

Treading on thin ice, surrounded by wolves.

Chu Jiubian saw the situation Qin Xiao was facing clearly.

Qin Xiao himself was even more aware.

His expression grew solemn.

The droughts in Sichuan and Huguang alone were already more than he could handle, and now the Southern Frontier was demanding help. Where could he find so much grain and silver?

He couldn’t help but look at Chu Jiubian.

During the morning court, he had already considered collaborating with him.

Their eyes met, and Chu Jiubian smiled. "Want me to help you?"

"You have a way?"

"Yes."

Qin Xiao felt a wave of relief. "What do you want?"

Another deal between them—they both knew the drill by now, so there was no need for further explanation.

Chu Jiubian thought this kind of cooperative relationship was great: an exchange of interests where both could get what they wanted.

"Let's put it on credit for now," he said. "I'll tell you when I need it."

The matter of the imperial examinations couldn't be mentioned yet, and Qin Xiao definitely wouldn't agree to it anyway.

But once the drought crisis was resolved, Chu Jiubian's name would get out there, his points would increase, and he might even find suitable followers to participate in the imperial examinations.

By then, with Qin Xiao owing him a promise, he could propose helping Qin Xiao recruit scholars for the exams on the condition that he be in full charge of the examination process.

Qin Xiao would surely agree.

This way, it would be a breeze for him to cultivate a group of scholars loyal to him and place his own people among the examination candidates.

Previously, Chu Jiubian had always stated his conditions directly, but this time he was beating around the bush—clearly, it wasn't an easy matter.

Such an obvious little plan—it would be strange if Qin Xiao didn't see through it.

Still, he didn't think twice and agreed, saying, "Should I write you an IOU? That way, if I go back on my word, you can use it to threaten me."

Chu Jiubian deadpanned, "Why not just not go back on your word?"

Qin Xiao laughed, took out a new piece of paper, and wrote out an IOU neatly.

Qin Zhaoyang, sharp as ever, came forward and handed the IOU to Chu Jiubian.

The writing on the IOU was strong and forceful, with just a few short lines:

"Today, Qin Xiao owes Chu Jiubian one promise.

If not fulfilled, may I be struck by lightning.

Jingrui Year 1, June 16."

Quite the severe oath.

Chu Jiubian took it with a smile.

He tucked the IOU into his sleeve and then transferred it into his system space.

"Making a vow before a deity," he said with interest, looking at Qin Xiao. "The oath will truly take effect."

If Qin Xiao broke his promise, he'd just zap him a few times with an electric baton.

Chu Jiubian thought with malicious delight.

Qin Xiao nodded, though it was unclear whether he paid it much mind.

"Your Majesty." Greetings rang out one after another outside the hall.

Chu Jiubian looked outside and soon saw a small figure approaching from a distance.

Upon reaching the doorway, the little one stopped, grabbed the hem of his robe, carefully lifted his little leg, and struggled somewhat to step over the threshold, which reached his knees.

Chu Jiubian almost laughed.

Qin Xiao remained seated, unmoving, and Chu Jiubian didn't move either, but both their gazes were fixed on the small figure.

Hong Fu, standing behind Baili Hong, subtly reached out to support him, afraid the Little Majesty might stumble or fall.

After successfully crossing the threshold, Baili Hong turned around and beamed at him.

Eunuch Hong smiled back and said softly, "Your Majesty is truly amazing."

Baili Hong giggled, turned, and walked into the room, calling out in a childlike voice, "Uncle, I can cross the threshold by myself now!"

It was only then that he noticed that besides Qin Xiao, there was someone else in the room.

When he saw it was Chu Jiubian, his eyes lit up.

It was the immortal Chu Jiubian!

But earlier that morning, his uncle had told him that from now on, he shouldn't address Chu Jiubian by his full name but should instead call him "Sir."

His uncle said that "Sir" was an elder, someone to be respected just like his uncle.

So the little one quickly composed himself, bowed in Chu Jiubian's direction, and said crisply, "Good day, Sir."

Chu Jiubian was somewhat surprised.

He then stood up and returned the bow. "Good day, Your Majesty."

Baili Hong turned to Qin Xiao and bowed again. "Good day, Uncle."

Qin Xiao: "..."

He stood up helplessly and returned the bow.

Baili Hong was delighted.

But he soon noticed the bandage on Chu Jiubian's hand and rushed over to ask concernedly, "Sir, is your hand injured?"

Chu Jiubian crouched down to meet his gaze. "I accidentally cut myself."

"Does it hurt a lot?" The little one's face scrunched up with worry. "You can ask Uncle to blow on it for you."

Chu Jiubian: "?"

Baili Hong said seriously, "Once when I burned my hand drinking porridge, Uncle blew on it for a long time, and it got better."

"Your Majesty," Qin Xiao interjected, "have you finished practicing your calligraphy for today?"

"I'll do it right away." Baili Hong cleverly winked at Chu Jiubian, then quickly walked to the desk and stretched out his short arms toward Qin Xiao.

Qin Xiao hoisted him onto the chair and made sure he was seated properly.

The cushion on the chair was thick, so even after sitting down, Baili Hong could write comfortably at the desk.

Baili Hong touched the back of Qin Xiao's hand, where dried bloodstains were visible. Guessing it was Chu Jiubian's blood, the little one glanced worriedly in his direction once more.

Qin Zhaoyang walked over to hold the paper open for him and prepare the ink, accidentally blocking his line of sight.

The boy looked up at Qin Zhaoyang, and when the other looked back at him, he grinned, revealing a row of small white teeth.

Even the most aloof man couldn't hold back; Qin Zhaoyang's eyes also crinkled with a smile.

Chu Jiubian sat back down and noticed the child quickly assuming a solemn expression as he began to write, each character carefully, with intense concentration and without any sign of impatience.

As expected of the protagonist, even in his childhood he was so diligent.

He averted his eyes and looked toward Qin Xiao.

Qin Xiao had already resumed reviewing memorials and only looked up when he sensed Chu Jiubian's gaze.

Chu Jiubian lifted his injured right hand to push back his hair, then gently blew on his palm, his eyes never leaving Qin Xiao.

This was about Baili Hong asking him to help "make it better."

Qin Xiao silently allowed a small smile, lowered his eyes, and continued working.

Chu Jiubian, having teased him, was in a rather good mood and resumed doodling circles.

For the rest of the afternoon, the three of them were occupied with their own work.

It wasn't until dinnertime, when the sky grew overcast and the light dimmed, that they finally wrapped up their duties.

Baili Hong invited Chu Jiubian to join them for dinner in the main hall. Qin Xiao didn't protest, so Chu Jiubian accepted the invitation.

The dinner table was again filled with simmered dishes.

The young emperor didn't seem to enjoy these much, merely picking at his porridge, yet his expression was oddly pleased.

Who knew what the little one was so happily amused about.

Chu Jiubian glanced at Qin Xiao again and noticed he, too, was eating only a steamed cabbage dish, barely touching anything else.

It seemed both uncle and nephew were a bit picky with their food.

Of course, Chu Jiubian himself didn't care for these dishes either, and he found himself thinking once more of the precious iron wok and stir-fried dishes.

He had previously hesitated, thinking iron ore was too valuable and smelting technology too primitive, so he hadn't made one.

But in fact, his system space sold iron woks, and since they were daily necessities, they were quite cheap—only two points.

There was no reason to neglect his appetite any longer, and if the young emperor was this picky, he might end up malnourished. What if he didn't grow tall?

Why not buy two iron woks, one for himself and one for the Yangxin Hall?

Tomorrow, then—let the ancients taste what real "food" was like.

From tonight through tomorrow night, there would be light rain on and off. The sky was already overcast, and a damp wind swept into the room, causing Baili Hong to shiver.

Qin Xiao noticed, but before he could give any orders, Hong Fu had already hurried to close the window.

They had finished their meal and rinsed their mouths.

Chu Jiubian stood up and walked to the doorway, looking outside.

The system notified him there were twenty minutes left until the rain began.

"It's about to rain," Qin Xiao said, walking to his side. "I'll walk you back."

Why walk him back?

He was a perfectly capable adult, and with so many imperial guards protecting him, what was there to escort?

Chu Jiubian sensed something was unusual.

But without dwelling on it, he declined, "I can go back on my own."

Qin Xiao didn't press further.

Chu Jiubian bid farewell to the young emperor and left.

Qin Xiao walked with him to the gate of the Hall of Mental Cultivation's courtyard.

The sky was gloomy and dark, with faint flashes of lightning and rumbles of thunder echoing from thick clouds. A damp, cool wind tugged at their clothing, causing them to snap and billow noisily.

Qin Xiao watched the young man's slender figure walking along the long palace corridor. The deep crimson walls on either side, looming and shadowy, made his silhouette appear even more slight.

The cool wind stirred his already messy hair, blowing his silver-white strands over his shoulders. Chu Jiubian used his bandaged hand to tuck it behind his ear.

He carried a palpable loneliness about him.

Qin Xiao suddenly understood what Chu Jiubian had meant that afternoon.

They were the same.

The rain came suddenly, and the night grew much cooler. Qin Xiao even changed to a heavier blanket when he went to sleep.

The sound of rain masked footsteps.

Yet Qin Xiao, who should have been deep asleep, suddenly opened his eyes, drew the long sword from under his pillow, and scanned the dark room alertly toward the outside of the bedchamber.

"Sir!" Qin Zhaoyang's voice came from the outer room, uncharacteristically anxious.

Qin Xiao's heart sank, and he quickly walked over.

They met at the entrance to the bedchamber. Qin Zhaoyang urgently said, "His Majesty has a high fever!"

==

A peal of thunder sounded. Chu Jiubian glanced outside.

His head felt foggy, with a dull ache at his temples and the back of his skull.

On his way back, impulsively, he had walked in the rain for a while along the palace path. After returning, he had taken a bath.

Now he was feeling lightheaded and confused—he must be running a fever.

He rubbed his temples and lay down on the bed.

Xiao Xiangzi was on night watch duty outside tonight, with a thick quilt laid out and having drunk ginger tea, so he shouldn't be cold.

He closed his eyes for a moment to collect himself, then opened the system interface and entered the Divine Realm.

Perhaps because he entered here as a mental projection, he felt no discomfort at all.

Sitting on the divine throne, he looked down toward the long table. There was still only one chair, which was sufficient since he hadn't planned to summon two believers at once.

"Call Situ Zhaoling," he said.

"Detected that believer Situ Zhaoling is in a sleeping state, beginning summoning."

"Summoning successful."

As the mechanical voice spoke, Chu Jiubian "saw" a figure clad in a burgundy gown fall from the distant mist.

At the same time, a startled cry echoed throughout the space.

That afternoon, Situ Zhaoling had been pulled by her little brother to his courtyard, where he said he wanted to build some kind of "waterwheel" for irrigation.

He had drawn some messy sketches that she couldn't really understand, but she was used to it by now.

Her brother was always coming up with weird contraptions—bamboo dragonflies that could fly, rotating fans that could fan air on their own, wooden chairs with adjustable heights...

Now, since the Southern Frontier was suffering a severe drought, he probably got the idea to create an irrigation waterwheel.

But with the rivers almost completely dry, they didn't need tools—they needed water.

Her mother, the Southern Border Saintess, had been performing Rain Invocation ceremonies every day lately, with no success.

Her father, the Southern Frontier King, was so worried he was going gray.

Situ Zhaoling was worried too—so worried that she had been having nightmares for days, dreaming of parched fields, crops failing, and people suffering everywhere.

In her dreams, the common folk would drag her mother, the saintess, to the sacrificial altar, demanding she be offered as a sacrifice.

They would even break into the royal compound, burning and looting.

Each time, she would wake up in tears.

Tonight, completely exhausted, she closed her eyes, dreading more nightmares—and sure enough, they did.

She dreamed of standing by a dried-up river, surrounded by yellowed, dead crops.

Feeling dizzy, she suddenly felt the ground give way beneath her, and she began to fall.

Terrified, she screamed out.

It was both fear and a release.

Tears streamed down her cheeks as her vision blurred with mist.

Suddenly, a mysterious cry reached her ears, and the next moment, a huge, golden bird descended from the clouds, its long tail leaving a trail of golden sparkles.

Situ Zhaoling blinked.

Is that… a phoenix?

She stared in disbelief as the golden phoenix swooped toward her, its radiance making her tears flow even more.

The phoenix swept past her, and then she felt herself sinking into a mass of soft feathers.

The sensation of weightlessness vanished, and accompanied by the phoenix’s ethereal cries, she was carried upward.

As if in a dream, Situ Zhaoling sat up and realized she was now riding on the phoenix’s back, soaring through the mist.

She felt both bewildered and exhilarated.

Finally, it wasn’t a nightmare.

She reached out to stroke the phoenix’s feathers—they were soft and warm to the touch, like those of a living creature.

Before long, she noticed the mist thinning ahead. Faintly, she could make out the silhouette of upturned eaves in the sky and a massive, shadowy figure seated amid the clouds ahead, like the grandest statue in a temple.

As they broke through the mist, the view opened up before her.

Situ Zhaoling finally saw the figure clearly—it appeared to be a man seated on a wide white jade throne!