I had something to take care of this morning, so I updated early. If I can come back in the evening, I’ll add another update, but don’t even think about 12,000 words or anything like that; the historical record is 4,000...
Chen Xi looked at the city walls in front of him, and upon seeing the few officials of Fenggao come out to welcome him and the others, he sighed deeply. This place is too poor, he thought. Looking around, he couldn’t spot a single fat person. The Bandits of Mount Tai really knew how to stir up trouble, shearing the sheep without bothering to let them grow. What’s there to plunder from the poor?
Standing inside the administrative center of Fenggao, a gust of wind blew, causing a layer of dust to fall from the beams. Opening the granary, it was so empty even a mouse could starve to death inside.
"Lord Xuande, Fenggao really is terribly poor," Chen Xi said helplessly, spreading his hands. "Impoverished and lacking everything. But this is also good in a way, we don’t have to worry about anything. As long as these people can get enough to eat, they’ll be willing to do whatever we ask," he added.
"Truly impoverished and lacking everything," Liu Bei said with a wry smile. "Zichuan, are you ready to take over this mess?" He had thought Mount Tai would be poor, but never to this extent. Not a single person in the entire city was dressed finely.
"These are not big troubles. Within three to five days, we should receive news. Originally, we thought Zhang Shiping and Su Shuang would arrive before us, but they haven’t yet. It’s actually better this way. We’re not short of money and grain. Lord Xuande, you should start by opening the granary to relieve those affected by the disaster. Tell them that in three days, we’re going to repair water conservancy, renovate the city walls, and let them know that if they work, they will be fed, and they’ll also be paid," Chen Xi explained, shrugging as he looked at the empty official granary. He might not have money, but in this world, there are plenty willing to pay for knowledge.
"If that’s the case, I’ll start implementing it right away," Liu Bei said, patting Chen Xi’s shoulder. "I’ll leave the rest to you."
In the following days, Chen Xi went about his business in a seemingly carefree way, yet without making much of an error. After all, the overall direction was correct.
For Chen Xi, all he needed to do was to tell the officials below him roughly what to do, and those people would fill in the gaps. Then they would draft plans, submit them to Chen Xi for review, and after some fine-tuning with his transmigrator’s foresight and consideration of the era’s actual circumstances, the strategic plans were settled.
Because of this approach, although it was only a matter of a few days, the governance structure of Fenggao was essentially established. All state affairs began to be managed in an orderly fashion, and those semi-bandit semi-poor people in the city were also being organized by Liu Bei to start contributing their due value.
"Zichuan, you seem to always have nothing to do," Jian Yong noticed Chen Xi taking a nap during a rare moment of respite over a cup of tea.
"I have already taken care of the big picture," Chen Xi said, propping up his head and half-closing his eyes. "What to do, where to put people, how to manage them—that’s not my concern. My job is to set up the framework," he replied, not bothering to mind his manners with someone as good-natured and easy-going as Jian Yong, a fellow villager of Liu Bei.
"Zichuan, haven’t you always said that the capable should do more work? Even Zilong has been pulled in to handle affairs. How do you still have the mood to sleep? I always feel like you lack energy during the day," said Jian Yong, half advising, half resigning to the situation.
"That’s not what was said when tasks were divided. You all had that Schadenfreude-looking expression," Chen Xi opened his eyes and took a sip of tea. "Not only do I need to handle the Grain in Ear festival, but also reclamation, disaster relief, migrants, fortifications, swiftly raising taxes, ascertaining the population, promoting commerce, and so forth."
Chen Xi tallied things up one by one, leaving Jian Yong, who had just arrived at Mount Tai, thoroughly dispirited. Originally, when tasks were distributed, Chen Xi grandly indicated that he could handle the overall direction and planning, leading everyone to happily let him take on the bulk of the responsibilities, resulting in this outcome.
Chen Xi took five or six days to sort out all matters, and thereafter, he just sat in the Political Office watching Jian Yong bustling about with government affairs. Of course, Zhao Yun had it no easier, as all the details of agricultural colonization were entrusted to him. But looking at it, Zhao Yun seemed to be struggling considerably, and Chen Xi had to offer advice several times. Nevertheless, Zhao Yun was still exhausted and only after much time spent revising, the work was barely passable.
"Who could have thought that you would finish three months’ worth of work in just five days!" Jian Yong was evidently frantic, laboring every day, then seeing his immediate superior leisurely sipping tea. Was there any humanity left?
"You all are just too slow," Chen Xi said listlessly. Having nothing to do was quite torturous, especially when he couldn’t leave the Political Office, and there was always someone who couldn’t understand what he had written. Although they could recognize each character, when strung together, they couldn’t comprehend the meanings at all.
Zichuan..." Jian Yong’s mustache twitched with irritation. Originally, as Liu Bei’s friend, he had come from the plains to help at Mount Tai, but after arriving, he witnessed what could only be described as a fiendish talent, a major blow to him!
"Report, Deputy of Chen Commandery, Zhongshan Su Shuang, and Zhang Shiping seek an audience." Just as Chen Xi was preparing to continue teasing Jian Yong and Zhao Yun, a messenger came in, bowed, and reported.
"At last they’ve arrived—good. Any later and our food supplies would have been insufficient. It looks like I’ll be able to wrap up all the affairs today," Chen Xi said, smiling. "Xianhe, I’m off to handle my matters."
After Chen Xi left, Jian Yong finally felt a sense of inner peace. He turned to Zhao Yun, who was still reviewing matters related to agricultural colonization, and asked, "Zilong, why are you so silent today?"
"Our strategist is beyond our comparison. Though young, he’s truly a genius. He has already taken care of the bigger picture, and giving these tasks to us is more about getting us familiar with handling government affairs. I believe that even without us, he could complete all the work within a ten-day period," Zhao Yun put down his brush and sighed. The more he familiarized himself with the government work related to agricultural colonization, the more Zhao Yun felt that Chen Xi was honing him.
"Xuande asked me to keep an eye on him to prevent overexertion, fearing he might work himself to death. But now, I don’t worry about it at all. Those tasks might exhaust us, but for Zichuan, they’re probably not even a concern," Jian Yong shook his head as he spoke.
Chen Xi walked out the door, bowed with a smile, and said, "You two have finally arrived. Lord Xuande has been waiting here for several days. He recently patrolled the counties because of the Bandits of Mount Tai, but if you’re willing to wait a day or two, Lord Xuande will likely return soon."
"We do not deserve such a grand gesture from the Deputy of Chen Commandery. We would dare not obstruct the important matters of Lord Xuande. Brother Zhang and I have come from Zhongshan this time, having heard that Mount Tai is short of supplies, and we wish to present a hundred thousand stone of grain to support Lord Xuande’s cause," Su Shuang’s voice boomed, truly impactful, justifying the saying that money talks—nothing short of splurging could describe his and Zhang’s performance.
"A hundred thousand dan," Chen Xi acknowledged Su Shuang’s resolve with approval. Indeed, although not ranked among the Four Great Merchants of the Late Han, he deserved to be called a wealthy merchant. "Let’s speak frankly, I will accept the hundred thousand dan of grain. The contract was drawn up by me; you must have already checked it, otherwise you wouldn’t have returned."
At the mention of this, both Su Shuang and Zhang Shiping visibly relaxed. They were not afraid that more would be demanded of them, but rather feared if nothing would be accepted—inflating demands and bargaining down were commonplace. Since the grain was accepted, there was now room for negotiation, making their efforts and connections expended to hastily gather and transport a batch of grain worthwhile.