End of the World Crisis, My Husband is from Ancient Times

Xiaofu led Fan Mengmeng to an elegantly decorated study, where the air was thick with the scent of sandalwood and books. Teng Junze was already waiting, beside him stood an elderly man with white hair and a sharp gaze. It was none other than his advisor, Mr. Chen. Fan Mengmeng felt uneasy, unsure of what Teng Junze was about to do.

"Miss Fan, please sit down." Teng Junze pointed to a chair beside him, his tone gentle, completely different from his previous harshness.

Fan Mengmeng sat down as she was told and secretly looked at Master Chen. Feeling his scrutinizing gaze, she felt even more uneasy.

"I invited Miss Fan here today to ask for your advice on some of the challenges of local governance," Teng Junze said straight to the point, his tone sincere. "Recently, banditry has been rampant, and the people are suffering terribly. I've been searching for a solution, but I've been unable to find one."

Fan Mengmeng relaxed a little; this was within her capabilities. "Sir, could you please tell me the details?"

Teng Junze then recounted the causes, scale, and government response of the bandit problem, his words revealing deep concern.

Fan Mengmeng listened attentively, her mind racing through various modern approaches to dealing with similar problems. Drawing on the realities of ancient times, she offered suggestions, such as strengthening grassroots development, developing the economy, providing employment opportunities, and establishing a more effective public security system.

Teng Junze listened intently, nodding his head from time to time, a flicker of admiration in his eyes. Meanwhile, Master Chen observed silently from the side, his brow furrowed, seemingly disagreeing with Fan Mengmeng's philosophy.

After Fan Mengmeng finished speaking, Teng Junze exclaimed, "Miss Fan's insights are truly unique and refreshing." He paused, then asked, "But these concepts seem to differ from our dynasty's traditional way of governing..."

Fan Mengmeng's heart tightened, knowing that Master Chen was about to attack. Sure enough, Master Chen stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Sir, I think Miss Fan's ideas, while good, are too radical and perhaps inappropriate..." He gave Fan Mengmeng a meaningful look. "For example, developing the economy and encouraging merchants, doesn't that contradict our national policy of prioritizing agriculture and suppressing commerce?"

Fan Mengmeng's heart sank, a chill running down her feet. She tried to remain calm, but her slightly trembling hands betrayed her nervousness. She understood that Master Chen was trying to intimidate her and test her limits. "Mr. Chen, that's wrong," Fan Mengmeng said, taking a deep breath and forcing Master Chen's gaze to meet hers. "While the national policy of prioritizing agriculture and suppressing commerce certainly has its historical reasons, banditry is rampant and the people are displaced. If we don't adapt and just cling to the old ways, I'm afraid..."

"How dare you!" Master Chen interrupted harshly, puffing his beard and glaring. "You, a mere woman, dare to discuss state policy! Do you know..." Several of his servants behind him joined in, pointing at Fan Mengmeng and whispering, their words filled with contempt and disdain. "Enough!" Teng Junze shouted in a deep voice, and the study suddenly fell silent. He looked at Fan Mengmeng, a hint of inquiry in his eyes. "Miss Fan, please continue."

Fan Mengmeng looked at Teng Junze gratefully, calmed herself down, and continued, "I don't want to completely deny the national policy of emphasizing agriculture and suppressing commerce, but I want to put forward some supplementary suggestions, such as encouraging merchants to invest in agriculture, build water conservancy projects, and develop handicrafts..." She tried her best to explain her ideas in simple and easy-to-understand language, trying to avoid using modern vocabulary, but Master Chen was still relentless, constantly raising questions, and his words were sharp. Every sentence was like a sharp knife, piercing Fan Mengmeng's soft spot.

Teng Junze remained silent, seemingly contemplating Fan Mengmeng's suggestion while also weighing Mr. Chen's concerns. The atmosphere in the study was heavy and oppressive. Fan Mengmeng felt like a butterfly trapped in a spider's web, unable to escape no matter how hard she struggled. "Actually..." Fan Mengmeng paused, pulling a neatly folded piece of paper from her sleeve. "I can explain this in a more intuitive way..." She slowly unfolded the paper, revealing a few simple lines and shapes...

On the paper Fan Mengmeng unfolded wasn't the familiar text Teng Junze and Master Chen were familiar with, but rather a series of graphs composed of horizontal and vertical lines, accompanied by simple numbers. Pointing to one that resembled a bar chart from later times, she explained, "For example, this shows the grain yield from last autumn's harvest. Each bar represents a village, and the height of the bar represents the yield. This way, we can clearly see which village had the highest and lowest yields, giving us a clearer picture of the overall grain situation."

Teng Junze's gaze was fixed on the diagram. Initially, his brow furrowed, but gradually, his expression relaxed, a flicker of realization in his eyes. He reached out and gently touched the paper, his fingertips tracing the lines as if touching a whole new world. "So that's how it is," he murmured, his voice tinged with undisguised excitement. "This way, many complex problems can become simple and clear."

Master Chen stared at the paper with suspicion. He stroked his beard, trying to find a flaw in it, but Fan Mengmeng's explanation was so logical and the diagrams so concise that he couldn't find any reason to refute it. He could only cough dryly to cover up his embarrassment. "Ahem, even so, this... this is just a side note. Governing a country and maintaining its security is no joke..."

Teng Junze ignored Master Chen's questioning. He looked at Fan Mengmeng, his eyes gleaming with admiration. "Miss Fan, your insights are indeed unique. I have decided to test your ideas in a few villages first."

Fan Mengmeng was ecstatic. She felt like she was one step closer to her goal, and her heart finally settled down. "Thank you for your trust, sir!"

"Tomorrow, you will come with me to several villages outside the city." Teng Junze's tone left no room for doubt.

Fan Mengmeng felt an inexplicable excitement, mixed with a hint of unease. She wasn't sure if she could successfully handle the upcoming challenges, nor did she know if Teng Junze truly trusted her.

The next morning, a horse-drawn carriage rumbled, carrying Fan Mengmeng and Teng Junze out of the city. Fan Mengmeng lifted the curtain and looked out at the bustling crowd, feeling both curious and nervous. Teng Junze sat across from her, gazing at her intently, a meaningful smile playing on his lips...