Chapter 1715 – The Combination of Martial and Civil
“Sigh, how come I never noticed all these annoying issues before?”
Jiang Pengji gazed at the pile of official documents on her desk, letting out a heavy sigh with a face full of despair. Her work efficiency was sky-high, yet no matter how hard she toiled, the pile never seemed to diminish. The most exasperating part was that this endless cycle showed no signs of ending; she wished she could just topple it all.
“Nan Sheng can’t be compared to Dongqing. Dongqing has been under our lord’s governance for so many years, with a complete set of regulations in place, so many trivial matters don’t even bother our lord. But Nan Sheng has just come out of more than a decade of war; it’s normal for it to be bustling with activity now…”
After all this busyness, once the post-war reconstruction in Nan Sheng gets on track, the things that require Jiang Pengji’s personal attention will greatly decrease.
Wei Ci patiently consoled her, a subtle smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Just looking at him made her spirits lift.
Jiang Pengji was merely venting her frustrations; a few complaints were enough to calm her down. “Being busy is one thing, but hogging my time alone with Zixiao is what truly ticks me off. This is precious time I painstakingly ‘borrowed’ from Shaoyin!”
Hearing this, Wei Ci’s mouth twitched uncontrollably.
Although Lü Zheng had only recently joined, he had already caught the odd obsession with the elusive Young Master, just like Yang Si.
Jiang Pengji was quite crafty herself; she used the “Young Master” as a shield, tricking Lü Zheng into shouldering many tedious chores.
If Lü Zheng and the others knew their lord had been practicing abstinence and that a “Young Master” was simply impossible, they’d probably spit blood in anger.
“Don’t let Shaoyin hear you say that. If he does, he’s likely to throw caution to the wind and fight you to the end.”
Yang Si and his gang were utterly loyal to Jiang Pengji, but she was equally ruthless in playing her tricks on them.
Wei Ci watched their playful banter with a mix of guilt, feeling like an accomplice to their shenanigans.
Jiang Pengji chuckled, “I’m a very cautious person, isn’t that right, Zixiao?”
Wei Ci: “…”
What’s so praiseworthy about that?
Does he not believe Yang Si and Feng Zhen would be crying by now if they heard?
“Hey? This Mi Hua really has some skills! She managed to get Jingxian and Zishi to speak highly of her. You have to know, those two are the toughest cookies, and very hard to please.” Jiang Pengji said as she scrolled through the news Yang Si sent over.
Not only did it contain work reports, but it also included praises for Mi Hua. It wasn’t just Yang Si; even that scoundrel Feng Zhen was singing her praises.
They not only recognized Mi Hua’s character and talent but also acknowledged her abilities.
These two weren’t easy to deal with; outsiders had a tough time getting their pulse. As for trying to win their favor? Nearly impossible.
Having them actively speak well of someone was genuinely rare.
After years of knowing them, Jiang Pengji could count on one hand the number of people who could raise their favorability to the max.
Wei Ci remarked, “That’s not surprising.”
Back when Mi Hua was navigating the officialdom, she was hated by many. Even if no one dared to confront her openly, plenty behind her back cursed her to hell. Surviving with so many enemies keeping tabs on her? She had to have some capabilities, right?
Given her skills, raising the favorability of Yang Si and Feng Zhen shouldn’t be as difficult as anticipated.
Jiang Pengji laughed, “I have higher hopes for her now. Let’s see if she won’t disappoint me.”
Wei Ci began, “So the lord’s intention is…”
His brows furrowed slightly as he sensed something was off.
From what he gathered, it seemed the lord wanted to elevate Mi Hua’s status?
Thinking that through, Wei Ci felt a bit of disagreement.
According to Mi Hua’s talent, she could earn everyone’s respect through her achievements, reaching the same heights as in her past life was only a matter of time.
But the lord seemed to want to rush things, giving her a push behind the scenes. Wouldn’t that backfire?
“We have Nong Qin for martial prowess, but we still need another for the civil side,” Jiang Pengji chimed in, “I need a woman like Mi Hua. Her timing couldn’t be more perfect.”
While there were capable women around her, most had certain biases.
With Nong Qin leading the female martial generals, they had managed to hold their ground, but the civil ranks were still largely unexplored.
Wei Ci suggested, “What about Wei Jingxian?”
He reminded his lord that Jingxian had been working alongside her husband Feng Jin for years—just because her presence was low-key didn’t mean she should be forgotten.
Jiang Pengji replied, “I’ve considered Jingxian. However, she’s too soft, lacks aggression and ambition.”
“Then how about Bai Yuexia?”
Jiang Pengji commented, “Her? I have special plans for her; she should focus on her research and steer clear of messy disputes.”
While Jingxian was competent, her personality and family background inclined her toward a more conservative approach; lacking ambition, where would her drive for advancement come from? Without aggression, how could she intimidate adversaries or showcase her strength? If that’s the case, she was not the one Jiang Pengji desired.
Bai Yuexia was promising too, according to Wei Ci, her future achievements wouldn’t be low.
However, being a specialist, coming from the Mo family, her battlefield wasn’t in the court.
Jiang Pengji didn’t want Bai Yuexia to expend energy in such areas.
What she needed was a benchmark to make the world acknowledge the achievements and status women could attain in politics.
Nong Qin was a warrior, Wei Jingxian was too mild, Bai Yuexia was specialized… and as for the others, some were lacking in background and credentials, while others were lacking in talent. None could serve as the politically weighted piece in Jiang Pengji’s hand. Just when she was at a loss, Mi Hua appeared.
Even if Mi Hua seemed harmless, Jiang Pengji could see the burning desire and ambition for power in her eyes.
What was even more valuable was that Mi Hua possessed the capabilities to match that ambition.
The timing of Mi Hua’s appearance was just right.
Thus, Jiang Pengji planned to elevate Mi Hua as an important benchmark for women in the court, serving as a role model for all women in the world.
Only with the combination of martial and civil can one truly secure their place in the court.
With them around, the world wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss women as before.
Wei Ci quickly grasped Jiang Pengji’s intentions.
“If that’s the case, Mi Hua is indeed the most suitable candidate.”
Jiang Pengji candidly expressed her thoughts to Wei Ci, “That’s what I think, but whether the opportunity can be seized depends on Mi Hua herself. If she can rise to the occasion, I will definitely nurture her. But if she turns out to be a useless waste, I won’t force it…”
After all, supporting a hollow figure would not only leave her disappointed but might also invite backlash.
Wei Ci nodded, “The lord’s long-term vision will surely lead to success.”
Jiang Pengji smiled, “Zixiao speaks so much to my liking.”
Amidst Jiang Pengji’s deep dive into work, the idlers were finding the recent streams a bit dull, leaving them feeling somewhat uninspired.
Fortunately, the idle ones still had the cheerful fountain of joy that was the Empress of the Mountain Spirit to bring them back to life!
While the anchor spent all day dealing with official documents, which was terribly boring, watching the Empress was a different story—much more fun!
