Being an emperor is not something he can do, so he can only rely on his connections.

Yunzhou, the provincial government office.

The entrance to the prefectural government office was bustling with carriages and chariots, a variety of official sedan chairs and small carriages with green canopies parked thickly. Officials in robes of varying ranks exchanged greetings and bows, the air thick with a formal, lively yet formal atmosphere. Today was the day when the county magistrates and their chief clerks from all the counties under Yunzhou's jurisdiction gathered at the prefectural government office for their monthly reports.

As soon as Zhang Jingwei got off the carriage, he met several familiar officials.

A young county magistrate, wearing a blue seventh-grade 鸂鶒 patch and looking rather youthful, stepped forward quickly, bowed, and spoke with a hint of respect and envy: "How is Mr. Zhang, the county magistrate?"

Zhang Jingwei was awarded the title of county baron for his merits. Although it was not an actual position, the title was respected, so the county magistrate of the same level also addressed him by his title to show respect.

Zhang Jingwei smiled and returned the greeting calmly, "Thank you, County Magistrate Li."

A clerk nearby, wearing a green eighth-grade oriole patch, also hurriedly bowed and said, "Hello, County Magistrate Zhang."

Zhang Jingwei responded equally politely, "Master Wang, thank you for your courtesy."

At that moment, a familiar figure hurried through the crowd. It was Inspector Yang Zhao. Seeing Zhang Jingwei, his eyes lit up, and he clasped his fists and smiled, "Hey, County Master Zhang! You're here early! It's been half a month since we last met at the Wushisan Case, and you seem even more energetic!"

Zhang Jingwei had a good impression of this colleague who had fought alongside him, and smiled and invited him, "Inspector Yang, you've worked hard. I'm staying in Yunzhou tonight. Why don't we find a place to have a few drinks and catch up?"

Yang Zhao's face showed regret as he pointed to the sword and badge on his waist. "Thank you for your kindness, County Master! Unfortunately, I'm on duty tonight and can't drink due to my duties. Another day! Another day I'll host you and I'll definitely toast you a few drinks!"

"Okay, it's a deal!" Zhang Jingwei nodded in agreement.

As they were exchanging pleasantries, a clerk from the provincial government hurriedly popped his head out of the meeting room, waved to the people in the corridor and whispered, "Quick, quick, quick! The prefect has arrived! Everyone, please come into the hall at once!"

The originally noisy corridor suddenly became quiet, and the officials straightened their clothes and filed in. A whisper echoed among the crowd:

"Why did Your Excellency arrive only today? You are later than usual."

"He must have been delayed while handling important documents at the government office. Your Excellency is diligent and tireless, as we all know."

"Exactly! As subordinates, we should follow His Majesty's example and serve the public with self-denial!"

The atmosphere in the conference hall was solemn.

In the main hall, several armchairs served as seats for the county magistrates. In the outer hall stood the chief clerks, registrars, and other assistant officials from Yunzhou and its various counties. Yunzhou Prefect Liu Yanzhi, dressed in a robe with a white pheasant patch, sat at the head of the table. His face was gaunt, his gaze calm, and he exuded an air of authority that came from beneath his breath. Though nearly fifty, he was in good spirits. He was currently sipping a cup of tea, slowly, waiting for everyone to quiet down.

When the officials had all stood and sat down, the room was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. Liu Yanzhi put down his teacup, his eyes slowly swept across the hall, his voice calm but penetrating:

"Thank you for your hard work, colleagues."

The officials in the hall bowed in unison and responded, "Thank you for your hard work, Your Majesty!"

"No new policies have been announced in today's monthly tax bill." Liu Yanzhi went straight to the point. "Last year's autumn taxes in all counties have been fully paid at the previous collection points, which is very good. Today I will focus on listening to people's livelihood, public security, and commerce. Please report in turn." He looked at the Hunyuan County Magistrate who was sitting in the first seat on the left.

Magistrate Li of Hunyuan County immediately stood up, pulled a thick scroll from his sleeve, cleared his throat, and began to recite it in a rhythmic manner. The content was nothing more than clichés like "Peace in the country," "The people are happy at work," "Occassional thieves have been apprehended by the police," and "Trade routes are unimpeded, and the market is prosperous." However, the text was long and full of details. Next came Magistrates Xingrong and Zuoyuan. Without exception, they both held thick documents in their hands, carefully weighing each word, fearing to miss anything, and their reports took longer and longer.

When it was Zhang Jingwei's turn, he rose leisurely. In stark contrast to the other three county magistrates, his hands were empty; no thick documents were being produced. Amidst the crowd's slightly surprised gazes, he calmly pulled out a... scroll? Unfolding, it revealed no ordinary vertical scroll, but a horizontal sheet of tough, cooked rice paper.

"Teacher," Zhang Jingwei handed the scroll over with both hands, "I've recently tried a new way of recording. I've compiled all of Gaoyang County's civil affairs, tax revenue and expenditure, public security cases, trade trends, and official performance evaluations this month. I call it... 'Excel.'"

Liu Yanzhi frowned slightly, puzzled by the unfamiliar word. He took the scroll and slowly unfolded it on the desk.

The entire conference room fell silent, everyone's attention focused on the spread of paper. Instead of densely packed text, the paper was divided into neat grids, horizontally and vertically, with meticulously drawn ink lines. Horizontally, the dates ran from the first of the month to the 30th, while vertically, the various items were clearly listed: Civil Affairs (broken down into litigation, relief, and corvée labor), Grain and Taxes (incoming, outgoing, and remaining), Public Security (number of cases, solved cases, and fugitives), Commerce (market taxes, caravan taxes, and large-scale transactions), and Investigation (official names and evaluations). Each grid contained the data for the day or month, written in concise numbers or phrases! Clear and concise!

Liu Yanzhi's previously calm face gradually revealed a look of surprise. He stroked his beard, his eyes lingering over the "form," quickly scanning from the beginning of the month to the end, then from civil affairs to surveys. The more he read, the brighter his eyes became. This report dispensed with all the empty words and clichés, leaving only the most core data and events. It was clear, intuitive, and efficient! He couldn't help but whisper in admiration: "Wonderful! Wonderful! This thing... this thing is wonderful! Daily matters, clear and concise, detailed yet incredibly concise! The reader can understand it at a glance, and the author has also saved a lot of red tape! Great! What a great 'form'!"

As soon as he made this comment, an uncontrollable rustling sound erupted in the meeting hall. The other three county magistrates craned their necks to see what was going on, and the officials standing outside couldn't help but whisper to each other, their faces filled with curiosity and shock.

"Your Majesty, could you allow me to... take a look?" Hunyuan County Magistrate Li couldn't help but speak.

"Of course." Liu Yanzhi was in a good mood and signaled the clerk to pass the form to the three county magistrates for circulation.

The form was passed from one person to another, with exclamations coming one after another:

"As expected! He's truly the man who solved the biggest case, County Master Zhang! He's incredibly ingenious! He's managed to condense such a monthly rule onto a single sheet of paper! Readers can examine it like lines on the palm of their hand, and the writer can achieve twice the result with half the effort!"

"How wonderful! How wonderful! May I ask, my fellow county magistrate, what exactly is the name of this writing format? Is it called 'Yikesai'? Where does it come from? What is its style?" County Magistrate Xingrong Wang was amazed.

Magistrate Li of Hunyuan County even asked directly, "Could this 'Yikesaier' (he imitated Zhang Jingwei's pronunciation) be a new and strange style of writing that has come from the Western Regions?"

Zhang Jingwei was about to explain that this was his own "invention" when he saw Liu Yanzhi, who was sitting in the main seat, stroking his beard and smiling, his eyes gleaming with erudition and insight, and he said aloud:

"No! This isn't something from a foreign country, it's an ancient 'thing' from our Central Plains! Do you remember? In the ancient Tianyuan Dynasty (a slave-owning dynasty), primitive people used knotted ropes to record events: big knots for major events, small knots for minor events. By the time of the strife among the Tianfen states (similar to the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period), this had evolved into using net knots to record events, with the warp and weft arranged horizontally, each fulfilling its own function, and the order gradually became clear! This is the prototype of the 'table'! It wasn't until our Confucian sages edited and summarized the Six Classics, standardized the writing system, and established regulations that the modern writing styles of 'books' and 'classics' came into being. The warp and weft method is simply a tracing back to the source, recreating the ancient principle of net knot recording on paper with pen and ink, simplifying the complex and returning to its original simplicity! This is a new use of an ancient method, a great virtue!"

Zhang Jingwei was stunned, his mind racing like a thousand beasts. "Holy shit! This Excel spreadsheet... is it really something our ancestors left behind?! This... shouldn't I ask Microsoft for some royalties?!"

An expression of great "admiration" appeared on his face, and he bowed deeply: "Teacher, you are well-versed in ancient and modern knowledge, and you are a genius! Your little tricks can be traced back to the ancient Tianyuan! I... am in awe!" He even felt a little numb from the flattery.

Liu Yanzhi was delighted by his student's well-placed compliment and his interpretation of the "revival of an ancient method." He clapped his hands and smiled, "Jingwei, you're too modest! The fact that you've thought of this method and put it into practice is a great achievement! This 'table' format is concise and efficient, and is truly a major innovation in official documents! I will definitely submit a special memorial to the Ministry of Rites, requesting that a 'table' format be developed for new official documents! If this is implemented, Jingwei, you'll be indispensable!"

"Thank you for your support, teacher!" Zhang Jingwei bowed again, secretly delighted in his heart. This was a great achievement in promoting Excel... Oh no, it was a great achievement in promoting "spread-based" official documents. It was considered a sure thing.

Turning back to business, Liu Yanzhi suppressed his smile and said sternly, "Jingwei, you recently cracked the Gaoyang Wushisan case, apprehended the ringleader, and cleaned up the area. This is a great achievement, and the prefecture has commended you. However..." He changed the subject slightly, with a hint of inquiry, "Accomplices in the case, such as Shi Chongshan, were all escorted to the capital according to the law, and will be executed after the Ministry of Justice and the Dali Temple review the case in the autumn. Why did you sentence Gaoyang's Chief Clerk Xiao Kewei to immediate execution, and specify that the execution be carried out locally?"

Zhang Jingwei was well prepared and answered loudly, "Teacher, I believe that the main culprits, including Shi Chongshan, have committed serious crimes and implicated many people. Taking them to the capital for trial and conviction by the Three Courts, and having them announced to the world, demonstrates the strictness of the state's laws. However, Xiao Kewei is different. He is the local official! As an official appointed by the court, he knowingly broke the law and aided the tyrant. His actions have caused particular harm to the people of Gaoyang, and the public outrage is immense! If he is also taken to the capital, the journey will be long, the situation will be complex, and it will be difficult to quell the local people's hatred! I believe that officials who break the law should be severely punished on the spot to serve as a warning to others. This is the most effective way to quell public resentment and demonstrate the court's determination to rectify the administration and serve the people! Therefore, he is sentenced to immediate execution, and Gaoyang will be punished accordingly to appease the people!"

Liu Yanzhi listened carefully and nodded slowly. "Hmm... this argument... is quite reasonable. Legal principles are nothing more than human feelings, and we must also take into account the sentiments of the people. The prefecture has reviewed your documents and files and found them to be correct. Once you return to Gaoyang, we will execute the law."

"Student obeys your command." Zhang Jingwei replied.

Liu Yanzhi recalled something, his tone becoming slightly more serious. "And that demonic Taoist Shen Kaiyang? Please sentence him to the death penalty of Ling Chi... This beast's crimes are so heinous, they are beyond description. Capital punishment is not excessive. As your teacher... I understand your indignation, and I support your severe punishment to appease the wronged soul and deter the evil spirit. However..." He paused, lowering his voice. "Since Emperor Taizu Ren, our dynasty has abolished cruel corporal punishments like Ling Chi to demonstrate benevolence and forgiveness. They haven't been used for over a hundred years. If this matter is handled improperly, it may lead to criticism from both the government and the public, giving them an excuse to accuse you of abusing torture and violating benevolent policies. You must... be extremely cautious and handle the matter properly. Don't let impulsiveness put you in a passive position."

Zhang Jingwei sensed the concern and reminder in his teacher's words and solemnly clasped his fists: "Teacher's teachings, I will remember them in my heart. I will strictly follow the procedures, make proper arrangements, and never give any excuses to the scoundrels."

Seeing that he understood, Liu Yanzhi stopped talking. He surveyed the officials in the hall and announced, "Today's monthly report has been submitted in detail by all of you. This 'report' by Jingwei is particularly refreshing and fruitful! I hope that upon returning to your posts, you will follow Jingwei's example, diligently and courageously address your duties. Furthermore, you must be more open-minded and work for the benefit of the people! The future is long, and I hope you will all work together to share the burdens of the court and benefit the people!"

All the officials in the hall, from the county magistrate to the chief clerk, all bowed and solemnly responded:

"Follow the instructions of the Great Master! We must work hard!"