Chapter 120

Chapter 120

As a team leader of the Gui unit of the Shadow Guards, Gui Qi hadn't experienced the feeling of being threatened in such a clumsy manner for a long time.

It was kind of funny.

Gui Qi lifted his chin, choosing to be contrary on purpose.

"Just wait and see."

His master had said that after coming to the North Country, there was no need to be nice to these people. As long as they could get away with it, they could stir up as much trouble as they wanted.

It would be best if they could turn the North Country upside down.

In Liu Family Village, Gui Qi assigned one Shadow Guard to stay behind and teach ice carving to the young men of the village.

Over the next few days, Gui Qi led the remaining men further and further away.

The local clerks from the city no longer followed them. Instead, local government offices dispatched people to accompany the group as they went over mountains and into villages to recruit.

Many found this completely exasperating, thinking the people from Wu Country were way too much trouble.

When the Northern Emperor learned of this, he did not obstruct it at all. On the contrary, he was happy to let it happen.

He had previously been worried that the Wu people might try to befriend nobles and high officials. If they made such connections and bypassed the imperial family to engage in trade directly, it would pose a threat to the crown.

Since the Wu people were willing to help those commoners, let them.

The local clerks accompanying the Wu people also received orders from above, requiring them to make it clear to the people that having the Wu people teach them ice carving was done out of His Majesty's compassion and consideration for the populace.

As expected, wherever ice carving apprentices were recruited, the people were deeply grateful to the Northern Emperor.

This, in turn, made the Northern Emperor very happy, making him even less inclined to restrict the Wu people's recruitment. When Gui Qi reported that they had recruited enough people, the Northern Emperor even ordered him to expand the scope, recruiting five people from each region.

Gui Qi said there weren't enough masters. The Northern court then decreed that those who had learned first should become teachers and continue teaching others.

Gui Qi had no choice but to agree. He immediately took his men and, under the surveillance of local clerks across the North Country, continued recruiting.

Meanwhile, the first batch of apprentices, under the guidance of skilled hands, learned to quarry and carve ice, learning the ropes pretty well.

The bigger the ice sculpture, the better it looked, so they made all kinds of animals on a grand scale.

Ice tigers as tall as three men, ice trees several men tall, pavilions, terraces, and towers carved from ice...

The Northern Emperor and his ministers were the first to view the sculptures in the newly built ice sculpture garden in the suburbs. They were very pleased with the ice carvings inside.

The Shadow Guard disguised as a Wu Country artisan also showed the Northern Emperor a catalog.

Holding the book made of Wu Country paper, the Northern Emperor’s expression darkened.

He hadn't expected Wu Country's papermaking skill to be this refined. The paper was even better than that produced by the North Country's Imperial Paper Workshop.

The paintings in the book and the small notes beside them also amazed the Northern Emperor.

They were depictions of auspicious beasts that supposedly only existed in the immortal realm, painted by Wu Country's State Preceptor, who had encountered immortal fortune in a dream.

Divine dragons, phoenixes, Bai Ze, Qilin, nine-tailed divine foxes...

"If these apprentices' skills advance to a certain level, all the auspicious beasts in this book can be carved." The Shadow Guard briefly explained the meanings of each beast to the Northern Emperor, then proceeded to paint a rosy picture for him.

The Northern Emperor couldn't be more satisfied with these mythical creatures. If they were all carved, who wouldn't say the scenery in the ice sculpture garden was a sign of his North Country's good fortune?

The Northern Emperor immediately ordered the apprentices to practice hard. He also instructed Wu Ming, the official in charge of this affair, to give the Wu Country masters his full cooperation, ensuring they taught the North Country apprentices in the shortest possible time.

By next winter, their North Country would astonish all the other nations.

By the time the North Country's ice sculpture garden began to take shape, it was almost summer in Wu Country.

"The rain just won't stop. It's even inconvenient for drills."

Ji Pingan looked at the rain dripping steadily from the eaves, then turned to ask Shen Yuan, "My father wrote to me, saying it's been raining continuously in Qingyun County lately, and he's a bit worried. Did the village head or the aunties write to you?"

For farming families, their lives depended on the harvest, so too much or too little rain was a real worry.

Shen Yuan shook his head. "I haven't received any. But Brother Shi Song sent a letter via a security escort agency—a thick stack, with letters from Little Yuan and Baozhu."

Perhaps the village head and the aunties didn't want to trouble him. Shen Yuan happened to be writing back to his friends in Qingyun County. "I asked Brother Shi Song to find Brother Sanhu and ask about it, and also help keep an eye on Dashu Village."

"Maybe it rained heavily earlier but stopped later. Don't worry too much."

"I see you've been getting close to Fifth Granduncle. He must have told you," Ji Pingan teased, then continued, "The standards were revised recently. Regardless of military branch, there must be one outdoor training session every seven days. This includes mountain running, flat-ground running, and obstacle courses. For flat-ground running, it's at least forty li, and it must be done with weighted packs."

Shen Yuan couldn't help but shudder. "Just listening to it sounds exhausting."

"Tell me about it. The first time, we ran on flat ground. Everyone was completely spent afterward, lying all over the place. The next day on duty, everyone's legs were trembling, mine included. I just gritted my teeth and endured it. I reckon the training will only get harder. What we're doing now is probably just the appetizer."

Despite his complaints, Ji Pingan was quite satisfied with these changes.

If things continued as before, with training only once every two weeks and just going through the motions with fake drills, who could they possibly defeat?

The team he led was relatively good, though they were part of the marginalized Imperial Guards, mostly made up of sidelined young masters from various families.

There were also those from smaller households who had spent considerable silver to squeeze in.

They didn't have the privilege to quit because they were tired or to stubbornly oppose their officers.

Even if they cried out for their parents from exhaustion, the next day they still gathered, trembling and leaning on canes.

Training those underlings who came from distinguished backgrounds was truly as difficult as climbing to the sky.

They weren't here to be soldiers; they were here to live like young masters and enjoy comfort.

Lately, many positions in the Imperial Guards had been vacated. They were all people who couldn't endure the hardship and had their families transfer them to more leisurely posts.

"Speaking of which, it's thanks to this rain. Otherwise, I wouldn't have had time to come play at your place today." Ji Pingan relaxed, lying on the wooden board with his arms pillowing his head, feeling drowsy.

Seeing him close his eyes, Shen Yuan quickly said, "My aunt made a lot of dishes today, many of which you like. Eat first before sleeping, brother. Otherwise, if the food is reheated, it won't taste as good."

Ji Pingan perked up immediately. "I trouble your aunt every time I come. But her cooking is truly excellent. Once you eat it, you crave more."

"Then eat more today, brother."

Ji Pingan smacked his lips. Hmm, today he definitely had to eat until he was stuffed.

Shen Yuan finished packing his reply letters, stood up, and went with Ji Pingan to eat. Suddenly, he remembered something: "Oh, right, brother. Have you been to see Sister Pingxin lately? She sent a messenger yesterday with a verbal message, asking me to tell you to go see her."

"If she sends someone again, just tell her I'm busy and can't go."

Ji Pingan's expression was not good as he spoke, showing signs of irritation.

Shen Yuan asked him, "Did something happen?"

Not wanting Shen Yuan to worry, Ji Pingan sighed and replied honestly, "It's nothing much. My parents are pushing me to get married, and they even asked my sister to pressure me too. Not only are they urging me, but they’ve also started setting me up. Asking me to visit her is actually just an excuse to show me portraits of potential brides."

Last time Ji Pingan was called over, he thought something had happened to his sister, but instead, he was handed several portraits. He really didn't want a repeat of that.

Shen Yuan was quiet for a bit, calculating that his Brother Ping'an was already twenty-four, which was indeed considered quite late for marriage around here.

"Brother, do you have someone you like?"

Ji Pingan hesitated oddly, "Not really."

If there wasn't, then there wasn't—what did "not really" mean?

Shen Yuan raised an eyebrow, "Ah, so there is someone. What family is she from? If she feels the same way, why not talk to your family about it? That way, you wouldn’t have to endure the whole matchmaking thing anymore."

Ji Pingan coughed lightly, flustered as he tried to change the subject.

"No, no, you’re still so young and already talking about this—are you looking for a wife yourself? Should I ask my sister to set you up with someone suitable?"

Shen Yuan, who had inadvertently brought the fire upon himself, hurriedly dropped the subject, worryingly looking around. Ji Pingan, not understanding what Shen Yuan was looking at, reached out and pinched Shen Yuan’s chin, turning him back to face him.

"What are you looking at?"

Shen Yuan shook his head, said it was nothing, and then pulled Ji Pingan along to hurry up.

Helpless on the outside and resigned on the inside, Shen Yuan let out a barely audible sigh.

Brother, you have no idea—you really shouldn’t say things like that.

If word got to Xie Yulin, it would be Xie Yulin who got jealous, but I’d be the one to suffer.

The rain in Youyang finally stopped after nine consecutive days, and the skies cleared.

The muddy ground splashed with mud wherever people walked. No matter how careful they were, their shoes would end up caked in thick mud, growing heavier with each step until they had to stop and scrape it off.

The horses traded from the North Country were really liked by Li Xing.

Such warhorses were priceless and hard to come by; if it weren't for this trade with the North Country, there would have been no way to acquire them.

The only downside was that all the horses were stallions and had been castrated.

There was also plenty of grain. Although the national treasury wasn’t overflowing, the granaries were now much fuller.

Supplies were immediately sent to the border to support the troops and reduce casualties.

Not only that, but the two workshops in the outskirts, aside from supplying the North Country, also began selling to other countries.

With so many nobles and dignitaries in various nations, there was no reason why some should have it and others not.

Since money wasn’t an issue, they simply bought.

In a short time, the workshops tripled in size.

Not only were skilled workers recruited, but even cleaners were hired in large numbers.

Vendors popped up all around the workshops, and their sales were booming.

Shen Yuan held a ten percent stake in these two workshops, and every month, someone would deliver the silver to the Storytellers' Union.

The remaining eighty percent went to the national treasury, while ten percent went into Li Xing’s private coffers.

Coincidentally, the day the rain stopped was also the day the workshop delivered the silver.

Shen Yuan didn’t go to the theater first, instead waiting at the Storytellers' Union.

The head manager of the workshop, Chu Fan, had come from the palace and was said to be a trusted confidant of Emperor Wu, making him reliable.

The two had never met before, so when the silver was delivered for the first time, Chu Fan decided to come in person to get acquainted.

The western part of the city was chaotic, but the shops around Shen Yuan remained undisturbed, all thanks to Shen Ye.

Chu Fan ordered his men to carry twelve large wooden chests into the room, with Ji Shuang stepping forward to guide them.

Seeing Chu Fan, Shen Yuan greeted him, "Hello, Manager Chu."

Looking at the outstretched hand, Chu Fan tentatively shook it, "State Preceptor Shen, I hope you are well."

Pleased that Chu Fan caught on to his gesture, Shen Yuan’s eyes lit up, and his smile deepened.

Shen Yuan led him to the second floor, where tea was soon served.

"Try the tea here."

Chu Fan took a sip and nodded, "Excellent tea."

"Let me pack some for you to take when you leave. Come back for more when you run out."

Shen Yuan’s words took Chu Fan aback, not expecting such warmth and openness from him.

Just as Chu Fan was about to say something, they heard yelling from outside.

The voice sounded fierce and aggressive, clearly hostile.

Shen Yuan stood up and opened the door to check, with Chu Fan following closely behind.

Downstairs, a young man in fancy clothes was acting high and mighty, kicking away a union worker who approached him, and shouted angrily, "What filthy thing dares to come near me?"

Shen Yuan scowled and was about to go downstairs when Chu Fan grabbed his arm from the side.

Confused, Shen Yuan looked back, and Chu Fan shook his head with a grave expression.

"That’s the son of the Pingcheng Commandery Prince. It would be best if the State Preceptor did not show himself."