Great Zhou Wensheng

Chapter 133 Imperial Edict! The titles of the Four Great Talents of Jiangnan are announced!
Jinling.

The dusk is falling,

A half-moon hangs from the eaves of the governor's mansion in Jiangnan.

Wei Guanlan sat upright at his desk, reviewing documents. His vermilion brush hovered in the air, and the candlelight made the furrows between his brows appear even deeper.

Chief Secretary Cui Han stood on the left, holding the dossier.

Sima Du Shangjun stood with his hand on his sword, his armor gleaming faintly under the lamplight.

The sound of the abacus beads from the registrar Wang Qin was intermittent, as if he were calculating the accounts of the money and grain of the ten prefectures in Jiangnan this year.

The leather scabbard of the sword at the waist of the sergeant Zhou Ashui was worn rough—this veteran general, who had retired from the border army, always kept his knuckles on the guard of the sword.

"Your Excellency, the Prefect of Changzhou, Li Shouyi, the Prefect of Jiangzhou, Xue Chonghu, the Prefect of Huzhou, Xu Changren, and others have once again jointly submitted a memorial."

I ask you, sir, when will you mobilize troops from the ten prefectures of Jiangnan to besiege the Taihu Demon Court?

Although Li Shouyi of Changzhou and Zhou Shanzhang of Jiangzhou had previously led their troops in a battle against the Taihu Demon Court, suppressing them within Taihu Lake.

However, fishermen in the surrounding counties were afraid of the demon soldiers in the lake and could not enter the lake to fish, leading to a life of hardship! Farmers and merchants from the surrounding areas dared not approach the lake.

This has already severely impacted the livelihoods of people in several surrounding prefectures!

The registrar Xie Gubai suddenly coughed lightly and handed over a transcribed document.

The flickering candlelight cast a blood-red glow, making the red annotations on the documents on the desk appear as if they were written in ink.

"Ugh!"

Governor Wei Guanlan looked at the document, sighed softly, and fell silent.

The memorial jointly submitted by the prefects of the ten prefectures of Jiangnan Circuit, handed over by Xie Gubai, the registrar, weighed heavily on his palm.

Li Shouyi of Changzhou, Xue Chonghu of Jiangzhou, Xu Changren of Huzhou... the names of these prefects in various prefectures in Jiangnan are all like a death warrant.

—The demon court of Taihu Lake has not been destroyed, and the people are suffering!

Fishermen on Taihu Lake dare not venture out, merchants take detours, and farmers live in constant fear. If no troops are dispatched soon, the livelihoods of people in several prefectures south of the Yangtze River may be completely destroyed.

If this continues, the prefectures in Jiangnan will fall into ruin within a year, and the revenue and taxes will drop significantly, causing great anxiety to the prefects.

This will greatly affect their performance evaluation by the court this year, and even more so their future careers!
Can……

Is it because he is unwilling to send troops?
For some unknown reason, there has been no response to the imperial edict from the Great Zhou Dynasty.

How to mobilize troops?

Wei Guanlan tapped the table lightly with his fingertips, his gaze deep and thoughtful.

It wasn't that he didn't want to send troops, but rather—he dared not act rashly!

Jiangnan Circuit is a vital center for the production, distribution, and processing of money, taxes, grain, silk, and salt for the Great Zhou Dynasty!

The Great Zhou Dynasty had extremely strict control over the military power of Jiangnan Circuit. Without an imperial edict, anyone who amassed troops from the ten prefectures of Jiangnan Circuit would be guilty of treason!
not to mention……

He slowly raised his eyes and swept his gaze over the crowd below.

Chief Clerk Cui Han lowered his head and remained silent, Sima Du Shangjun frowned, Military Officer Zhou Ashui's knuckles turned white from gripping the beads, and Registrar Wang Qin had long since stopped using his abacus.

Of these people, how many can be trusted?
Is there a deeper meaning behind the court's silence for months?

After a long silence, Wei Guanlan finally spoke, his voice deep and resonant:

"Order the prefects of each prefecture to guard their respective cities and not to act without authorization!"

"Strengthen patrols in all counties along the shores of Taihu Lake. Whenever demon soldiers appear or leave Taihu Lake, the garrison and yamen runners of this prefecture shall immediately carry out their suppression!"

"As for the Jiangnan Road army... wait another month."

"If there is still no response to the imperial edict..."

His eyes sharpened, and he tapped his finger heavily. "I will personally submit a petition to the court to plead guilty and send troops to punish the Taihu Demon Court!"

—If the court still does not respond after another month, then he will be forced to... take the initiative to send troops to annihilate the Taihu Demon Court!

Otherwise, if they just wait around, the money and grain of the ten prefectures in Jiangnan Circuit will probably decrease by 10% or 20%, and their political achievements will rank last among the ten circuits of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

His career as the governor of Jiangnan has probably come to an end here! His hopes of returning to the capital for promotion are likely just wishful thinking.

Upon hearing this, the officers exchanged bewildered glances.

The room was completely silent; even the candlelight seemed to freeze.

The water clock inside the hall dripped drop by drop, its "drip-drop" sound like a knife scraping bone.

Wait another month?
If the court still does not respond a month later, will Governor Wei Guanlan really dare to mobilize troops from the ten prefectures of Jiangnan Circuit?

Chief Secretary Cui Han lowered his eyelids slightly, his fingertips silently stroking a letter in his sleeve—a letter delivered a month ago by an "old acquaintance" in the court, implying that the court was unwilling to easily mobilize troops.

Sima Du Shangjun's face was cold and stern, his thumb unconsciously pressing against the hilt of his sword, as if ready to draw it at any moment.

Suddenly, Military Advisor Zhou Ashui grinned, revealing a set of gleaming white teeth: "Sir, the men under my command are already sharpening their swords!"

The registrar, Wang Qin, remained silent, only making a snapping sound with the abacus beads in his hand, seemingly unintentional yet startled.

Registrar Xie Gubai gently closed the document in his hand and said in a low voice, "If Your Excellency insists on doing so, I will... draft orders for the troops in each prefecture first."

— Apart from Zhou Ashui, the military advisor, who had a strong desire to make a name for himself, no one else objected, but no one truly agreed with him either.

Wei Guanlan's gaze was as deep as an abyss as he slowly swept over the expressions of everyone in the hall, a cold smile playing on his lips.

good very good.

The waters of Nanjing are deeper than those of Taihu Lake!
The leak continues.

The night grew even deeper.

Suddenly, the sound of horses' hooves was heard outside the mansion.

"The Ministry of War sends an urgent message over 800 li! — Governor of Jiangnan Circuit, Wei Guanlan, has received the imperial decree!"

A messenger in scarlet robes rushed in, the corners of his robes still damp with the scent of Suzhou mist, and sweat stains still clinging to his forehead.

Holding the imperial edict aloft with both hands, its gold-embroidered cloud patterns gleamed brightly in the twilight.

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Wei Guanlan, the Prefect of Jiangnan Circuit, shall command a thousand warships and troops from ten prefectures to hunt on Taihu Lake."

The demon court, arrogant and tyrannical, has usurped the water palace of Taihu Lake and proclaimed itself king. Three months are all that is required to annihilate its court! Its golden core must be shattered, and its head displayed at the gates of Jinling City!

"My lord, take the order!"

Wei Guanlan accepted the imperial edict with both hands, his fingertips trembling almost imperceptibly.

—Finally!

After months of agonizing waiting, the imperial decree finally arrived.

With this imperial edict, he could mobilize troops from Jiangnan Circuit and send them to Taihu Lake.

He slowly rose, holding the imperial edict in yellow silk. His gaze swept over the officials below the governor's mansion of Jiangnan Circuit. The gloom between his brows vanished, replaced by a sharp and piercing look.

"The imperial edict has arrived! Issue the order!"

The ten prefectures of Jiangnan Circuit have assembled 100,000 troops, ready to march!
The naval fleets of all prefectures were to assemble at the Jinling Water Fortress within ten days. Bows, crossbows, kerosene, and exorcising talismans were all prepared!

Soon—the army will march to Taihu Lake to slay the demons and eliminate the rebels!

His gaze turned cold, and his voice was as firm as iron: "In this battle, Ao Li must be killed!"

—The Demon King Ao Li has been entrenched in Taihu Lake for months, establishing his own government and court, wreaking havoc in various prefectures of Jiangnan. Now, it is time for reckoning!

The officials below the hall had different expressions, some wanting to speak but others hesitant. However, since the imperial edict had arrived, no one dared to be negligent, and they all respectfully bowed.

"As ordered!"

Sergeant Zhou Ashui grinned, his eyes blazing with killing intent: "This subordinate will immediately go and muster 100,000 troops!"

Sima Du Shangjun said in a deep voice, "This humble general will personally supervise the troops to ensure the safety of the warships."

Chief Secretary Cui Han nodded slightly, but glanced thoughtfully at the imperial edict before lowering his eyes to conceal the deeper meaning in them.

The clerk Xie Gubai picked up his pen and wrote quickly, drafting a troop mobilization document. The vermilion marks fell heavily, like blood staining a war declaration.

The military forces of the ten prefectures of Jiangnan Circuit are finally about to be mobilized!
Wei Guanlan stood with his hands behind his back, looking out the window.

"Wang, the chief clerk, immediately prepare the provisions and pay needed for the 100,000-strong army, and have all the warships and armor repaired without fail."

Wei Guanlan turned around and instructed the chief clerk.

"grown ups."

Wang Qin's Adam's apple bobbed laboriously, and the account book in her sleeve was clenched so tightly that it was deeply wrinkled, her pale knuckles almost piercing the silk.

The candlelight in the hall flickered.

Cold sweat trickled down Wang Qin's temples, leaving dark stains on the bluestone ground.

The hall was dead silent.

Wei Guanlan's gaze darkened, and his voice was as firm as iron: "Registrar Wang, didn't you hear what I said?"

His gaze was sharp as a blade, fixed intently on Wang Qin's face.

The air inside the hall suddenly seemed to freeze.

Cold sweat beaded on Wang Qin's forehead, and she finally knelt down with a thud, her voice trembling:

"Your Excellency, the 100,000-strong navy consumes 8,000 shi of millet and 10,000 taels of silver daily, a huge waste!"

The government treasury's funds and provisions may not be sufficient to support the deployment of an army of 100,000!
It's only enough for an army of 50,000 for six months.

His voice suddenly dropped, and he abruptly touched the ground with his forehead: "The Taihu Demon Court has only a little over ten thousand demons!"

"How about we deploy our 50,000-strong naval force? That would be enough to annihilate them!"

When Chief Clerk Wang Qin uttered these words, the entire hall erupted in uproar!

Sergeant Zhou Ashui abruptly stood up, slamming his hand on the table, which trembled violently, and shouted sharply:

"Nonsense! Jiangnan Province is a land of plenty, free from disasters and calamities, with abundant resources. How could it be that it can't even raise enough provisions for an army of 100,000?!"

Wang Qin's face was ashen, her teeth clenched, and she tremblingly pulled an account book from her sleeve, raising it high above her head with both hands, her voice hoarse:
"My lord... please take a look..."

Wei Guanlan snatched it away, his fingers deftly flipping through it, a cold glint in his eyes growing stronger. —The grain reserves in the granaries and the military pay treasury were both insufficient to support an army of 100,000. Repair costs for the warships were outstanding, and half of the warships were rotten and beyond repair!

"boom--!"

The ledger was thrown to the ground, its pages scattering and falling like snowflakes.

A murderous intent flashed in Wei Guanlan's eyes, and his voice was deep and thunderous:

"A hundred years ago, the governor of Jiangnan Circuit mobilized 100,000 elite troops from ten prefectures, along with a thousand warships and 30,000 armored soldiers, to fight a bloody battle on the lake and slay 100,000 water demons from the Taihu Demon Court!"

He suddenly approached Wang Qin, speaking slowly and deliberately, each word like a knife piercing her heart:
"Back then, the Jiangnan region was financially capable enough to support an army of 100,000 men in a campaign!"
Now, after a century of peace and prosperity, free from disasters and calamities, the Jiangnan region is even more prosperous than before.

I've only just taken office, and you're already telling me that the treasury doesn't have enough money and grain to send out an army of 100,000?!

You—give me an explanation!

Wang Qin was almost lying face down on the ground, her forehead pressed tightly against the cold bricks, her voice barely a whisper:
"This...this humble official...this humble official dares not speak presumptuously..."

"Don't you dare?"

Wei Guanlan sneered, and suddenly raised his right hand—

"Zheng——!"

The sword at her waist was drawn half an inch from its sheath, its cold light like frost, reflecting on Wang Qin's pale face, splitting his terrified expression into two halves of light and shadow.

"You have misled my military intelligence; I will execute you!"
Now, are you brave enough?

Wang Qin trembled violently, and finally cried out in a broken voice:
"Your Excellency is wise! Although Jiangnan is prosperous, the money and grain collected over the years... have not entered the treasury at all!"

He suddenly looked up, his eyes bloodshot, his voice trembling yet each word like a knife:

"A hundred years ago, Nanjing still had millions of households paying taxes and grain!"

But now, the number of taxpayers... is less than 500,000!
In the third year of the Tian Shou reign, Suzhou actually paid 150,000 shi of grain, Yangzhou paid 400,000 taels of silver in taxes... Hangzhou, Changzhou, and Huzhou all paid less than half of what they originally paid!
Of the taxes collected in Jiangnan, thirty percent went into the national treasury, thirty percent was used to support officials and soldiers, and only the remainder went into the storehouses… Where would there be any surplus to support a hundred thousand troops on the march?!

Wei Guanlan's eyes darkened, and his voice was as cold as ice:

Where have all those taxpayers gone?

Wang Qin gave a bitter laugh, her voice hoarse:

"Over the past century, large and small powerful clans have swallowed up nearly half of the spiritual fields and merchants, and the common people have been reduced to tenant farmers... These powerful families have their own ways of hiding, and the taxes they pay are negligible!"
The treasury's finances in Jiangnan are declining steadily!

He was unwilling to say because he was from a collateral branch of the Jinling Wang clan.

He was naturally very clear about where the money and grain in Jiangnan went.

However, the deployment of 100,000 troops had consumed enormous amounts of money and provisions, leaving the Jiangnan treasury short of both. He couldn't hide this fact from the world no matter what he wanted to do.

The hall was deathly silent, with only the flickering candlelight illuminating the pale faces of the officials.

Wei Guanlan slowly closed his eyes, his vision went dark, his body swayed slightly, and he took a deep breath.

He had long known that the twelve powerful families of Jinling were annexing land, but he never imagined that it would reach the point of shaking the foundation of the country and emptying the treasury of Jiangnan Circuit!

"My lord, why not first dispatch 50,000 naval troops to Taihu Lake to encircle and annihilate them?"

Zhou Ashui clasped his hands in a fist and spoke, the bronze armor plates clanging as he moved.

"My lord, you must not!"

Three months ago, intelligence indicated that the demon army of the Taihu Demon Court numbered only slightly over ten thousand. Now—twelve demon-summoning banners have been erected along the shores of Taihu Lake, continuously recruiting demon soldiers, likely exceeding twenty to thirty thousand!

Du Shangjun strode forward, his iron boots shattering the lamplight on the ground:
"The water demons are skilled in water warfare."

Our army has been out of practice for a long time. If we launch a strong attack on your general with 50,000 troops, I am afraid that our army will suffer more than half of its losses, or even be defeated!
"No army less than 100,000 should be dispatched!"

A sudden clap of thunder erupted outside the hall, followed by a torrential downpour.

Wei Guanlan lightly tapped the sandalwood table with his fingertips, the dull tapping sound echoing in the council hall.

"The matter of sending troops should be postponed for now. First, we should raise provisions and supplies for an army of 100,000!"

He suddenly looked up, made a decision, a sharp glint in his eyes, and slammed his hand on the table, shouting, "Issue the order!"

The sound, like a dragon's roar, shook the beams, causing dust to fall in a flurry.

"Starting today—in one city and ten prefectures of Jiangnan Province, a special tax for exterminating demons will be levied to raise funds for the army!"

He put his hands behind his back and gave a cold laugh.

"Someone, prepare the 'Spring River Banquet' for me at Duojing Tower in Jinling City!"
Invite the twelve powerful clans of Jinling, and all the prominent families and clans of Jiangnan, large and small, to this banquet!

The twelve powerful families of Jinling amassed such a fortune in just a century; their bloated bellies must be bleeding by now.

Jinling City.

July.

Inside the governor's office, military reports and documents were piled up like mountains, and the sounds of clashing armor and weapons rang out day and night.

The governor's mansion was brightly lit, officials were rushing around, and abacus beads were clattering as copper coins and grain from various prefectures and counties were collected and flowed into the military treasury like a flowing river.

Meanwhile, along the Qinhuai River, the music and singing never cease.

Painted boats glide on the water, amidst glittering pavilions and towers, where talented men and beautiful women chat and laugh, while the shouts and battle cries of the naval forces training on the opposite bank become the drumbeats to entertain them.

On the day the July issue of "Jiangnan Yaji" was released, the bookstores along the Qinhuai River, large and small, were immediately surrounded by swarms of literati and scholars as soon as they took down their door panels.

"Don't grab them! Leave me three copies of 'Jiangnan Elegance'!"

"Raise the price by 20%, sell it to me first!"

In just a short while, all 10,000 copies of the new issue were sold out.

The scholars and officials of the bookstore worked through the night to copy the books, filling the air with the fragrance of ink. They rubbed their aching wrists and smiled bitterly: "This isn't selling books, it's robbing people!"

On the streets and alleys, scholars who managed to snag a copy of the new issue of "Jiangnan Elegant Gathering" disregarded their dignity and gathered in small groups under the eaves of teahouses, eagerly turning the pages.

"Look! Young Master Jiang has four more new works!" a scholar in a blue robe exclaimed, slapping the table. "Including the previous ten, that makes fourteen exquisite essays by officials of the rank of Nobleman or above!"

"Three essays in Mingzhou, eleven essays in Dafu."

His companion gasped. "Xie Qihe, a member of the powerful Xie family of Jinling, has only managed to write three articles for the prefecture, twelve articles for the county, and five articles for the town after three years."

This Young Master Jiang is truly unprecedented and unparalleled! He is absolutely breathtaking!

"In my opinion, with these fourteen articles, Young Master Jiang should be a shoo-in for the title of one of the Four Great Talents of Jiangnan this year!"

The scholar in plain clothes lowered his voice, "It seems the ranking of the 'Four Great Talents of Jiangnan' will have to change today."

Originally, Gu Yong, Xie Qihe, Wang Moqing, and Lu Jingyue, the four most popular candidates for the title of "Four Great Talents of Jiangnan," would likely be squeezed out.

Suddenly, a gasp of astonishment came from the back of the crowd.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound—

"Quickly look at the last page of 'Jiangnan Elegance Collection,' the list of titles for the Four Great Talents of Jiangnan has been announced!"

The last page of the book in the scholar's hand was prominently printed with a large vermilion seal.

The handwritten inscription by Zhou Dunshi, a literary giant of Jiangnan, resounded like thunder—List of titles bestowed upon the Four Great Talents of Jiangnan during the Fifteenth Year of Heaven's Grace:
Jiang Xingzhou: The foremost scholar in Jiangnan!

—Poetry and prose: He was particularly skilled in poetry and prose, with beautiful diction and profound artistic conception. All of his articles were included in "Jiangnan" and spread throughout Jiangnan.

— Zhou Dunshi's evaluation: He was a man of elegant writing style and quick wit. Although he came from a humble background, he possessed profound knowledge and his writing was powerful.

Xie Qihe, the second most talented scholar in Jiangnan!

He is proficient in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting! His writing is steady and logically rigorous, and he is particularly skilled in political commentary. His musical skills are superb, and his landscape paintings have profound artistic conception.

— Zhou Dunshi commented: "The family has a strong sense of integrity and a restrained literary style. Although it is slightly less ostentatious, it has a profound foundation and should be a model for the Confucian scholars in Jiangnan."

Gu Yong, the third most talented scholar in Jiangnan!
He was particularly skilled in parallel prose, with ornate and elegant language. He once wrote "Ode to the River," which was hailed as "the finest parallel prose in Jiangnan."

Zhou Dunshi commented: "His writing is brilliant and elegant, but he lacks a bit of sharpness. If he could improve further, he could compete for the top spot."

Wang Moqing, the fourth most talented scholar in Jiangnan!

He was particularly skilled in five-character regulated verse, and also adept at chess, having played against national champions with a mixed record of wins and losses; he was also an expert in tea ceremony.

—Zhou Dunshi's assessment: "He is exceptionally talented and dashing, but lacks composure. If he could dedicate himself to scholarship, he could make even greater progress."

Qinhuai River.

Mingyue Tower.

In a private room on the second floor, a celadon teacup crashed to the ground, shattering into pieces.

Several young men in brocade robes appeared with ashen faces—these were the scions of the Gu, Xie, Wang, and Lu families, who were originally considered the most promising candidates for the title of "Four Great Talents of Jiangnan."

Lu Jingyue gripped "Jiangnan Elegant Gathering" tightly, his knuckles turning white, his face ashen.

"What a fine Jiang Xingzhou!"

He forced out a hoarse laugh, "Two months ago you were an unknown nobody in Jinling, and now, overnight, you dare to steal my title as one of the Four Great Talents of Jiangnan!"

This title should have been his, and he always considered it his for the taking!
Beside the rosewood table by the window, the other three men had grim, iron-like expressions.

Xie Qihe ran his fingertips along the red annotation on the page that read "The First Talent of Jiangnan," and suddenly sneered: "Zhou Dunshi, he's doing this on purpose—to flatter Jiang Xingzhou!"
If he were willing to postpone the publication of Jiang Xingzhou's article by two months, he could avoid being named the "Jiangnan Talent" this year.

It wouldn't be too late to bestow the title of one of the Four Great Talents of Jiangnan upon Jiang Xingzhou three years later.

But he simply refused to wait those three years!

"boom!"

Wang Moqing slammed his fist on the table, causing the ink in the inkstone to spill out and spread a hideous black stain on the Xuelang paper: "Hmph!"

Xie Qihe's title as the number one scholar in Jiangnan was also snatched away by him!
We have all dropped one place in the ranking of the Four Great Talents!
The powerful families of Jinling were completely overshadowed by this poor scholar!

The excited chatter of scholars downstairs drifted over: "Young Master Jiang's poem 'A Spray of Plum Blossoms - The Moon Fills the West Tower' is likely to become a sensation throughout Jiangnan, and he could be a contender for this year's top poet."

Wang Moqing was a little out of breath and suddenly pushed open the carved window lattice.

The scorching July sun poured in, making the jade pendant at his waist shine dazzlingly.

On the painted boats on the river, the singing girls were all singing new lyrics for poems about traveling on the river, such as "Bodhisattva's Charm: Ode to Feet", "A Spray of Plum Blossoms: The Moon Fills the West Tower", "I Often Remember the Sunset at the Creek Pavilion", and "Looking at the Sea Tide, the Southeast's Scenic Beauty".

(End of this chapter)