Chapter 137 – Young Boy, Do You Want to Eat a Pile of Poop? (Part 2)
“I’ve read what you wrote; this is just the beginning. With enough effort, anyone can perform reasonably well. But the real value lies in persistence. Training hard for one or two days isn’t difficult; the challenge is maintaining that discipline for an entire year, turning it into a habit.”
The elite qualities expected of soldiers are still lacking in these people, and Jiang Pengji isn’t as optimistic as Xu Ke.
She once led the formidable Lion Brigade, and her standards have been honed to a fine edge. By her criteria, not even a millennium would yield a soldier that meets her requirements. Of course, the conditions in ancient battles were different, and such demands couldn’t have been so strict.
Noticing Jiang Pengji’s expression showed no sign of satisfaction or dissatisfaction, Xu Ke sighed inwardly; the Young Master truly is someone with grand ambitions.
Who knows what transpired last night? The ambition in the Young Master’s heart feels even more distinct now.
“Ke will do my utmost to supervise and absolutely won’t let the Young Master down.” Xu Ke promised solemnly.
Jiang Pengji scoffed, “Why would I be disappointed?”
Xu Ke was momentarily taken aback, his lips moved as he wanted to speak, but Jiang Pengji cut him off.
“If they don’t train seriously, they might lose their little lives. Let me give you a heads-up—there’s been unusual activity in Cangzhou Meng County, and civil unrest is likely brewing. The distance between Hejian County and Cangzhou Meng County is a brisk ride of no more than half a month. If the rebellious commoners and bandits invade Hejian County, these people will not only need to eradicate the bandits lurking in the nearby mountains but will also face the desperate mob of commoners.”
Jiang Pengji’s gaze was fierce, carrying a chilling severity that would send shivers down the spine of even seasoned generals.
“I’ve said before, the Liu Residence does not raise waste.” She stated coldly, “If they don’t want to live, then it’s a one-way street to death.”
To Jiang Pengji, the ancient wars were merely marked as “brutal,” certainly not to the extent of being cruel.
Having witnessed true mountains of corpses and rivers of blood, having seen real hell on earth, everything else paled in comparison.
Xu Ke’s eyes widened slightly, seemingly overlooking everything else, completely captivated by her words about “unusual activity in Cangzhou Meng County.”
“Cangzhou Meng County?” Xu Ke was left stunned, quickly responding, “That’s crucial to the Eastqing national border; how could there be civil unrest?”
Jiang Pengji rolled her eyes dismissively, “If it’s in chaos, then so be it; what does that have to do with me?”
Xu Ke almost choked on his own spit from her bluntness.
Not that he argues, even if the Eastqing royals are losing their favor, and the power of the gentry is rising—”a nation’s ruler” is no longer as imposing as before nor as charming to attract scholars and loyalists—Eastqing remains a nation.
Regardless, the Young Master’s father is still the Governor of Eastqing. Is it really alright to speak so plainly?
Before Xu Ke could voice his thoughts, Jiang Pengji redirected the conversation, “I’m merely an outsider; national affairs are beyond my reach. Civil unrest in Cangzhou Meng County will naturally concern the ministers in court; indeed, it’s none of my business.”
That argument was not flawed.
Xu Ke was utterly speechless; though her reasoning was somewhat twisted, she at least managed to circle back to a proper conclusion.
To be honest, Xu Ke felt quite rebellious in this world. Perhaps no one could be more defiant than him—until he met the Young Master.
This was a comparison of small fish to big fish; they weren’t even in the same league.
“You speak the truth, Young Master.” Despite his inner turmoil, Xu Ke maintained a bright smile. After a moment’s contemplation, he stated, “If what the Young Master said is true, and civil unrest has already begun in Cangzhou Meng County, it might reach Hejian in just a couple of months; at the very least, news will travel soon.”
“That’s for sure.”
In ancient times, communication was indeed slow, but three or two months was ample time for news of the unrest in Cangzhou Meng County to reach Hejian.
Xu Ke cupped his hands, saying, “If that’s the case, I fear I may have an unsettling request.”
“What unsettling request? Just say it.”
Feeling a bit awkward, Xu Ke admitted, “Even if the unrest doesn’t spread to Hejian, the people will be on edge, and prices for rice and cloth will likely rise. Based on my earlier calculations, the farm guards need to buy their rice every ten days, but if the news of unrest spreads, the price of rice could soar. What would have sufficed for ten days might barely cover three to five days instead.”
Jiang Pengji glanced sideways. Is this kid planning to hoard food?
In this era, having grain in hand keeps one calm; food is of utmost importance.
Just as Xu Ke said, if the news of unrest in Cangzhou Meng County reaches Hejian County, the prices for rice would skyrocket.
Too expensive to afford!
Since the Liu Residence had the means to receive news early, it was wise to buy when prices were low and stock up, just in case.
Under normal circumstances, this would be a smart way to make a profit. She remembered that in her past life, several powerful factions gained wealth through such means—buying low and selling high, finally becoming local hegemonic powers.
However, after weighing her options, Jiang Pengji ultimately decided against it.
It wasn’t that she wasn’t tempted, but it felt too sinister. While she held no fondness for the ancient era, she wouldn’t exploit the common people.
True strength arises from defeating those stronger, step by step towards greatness, rather than bullying the weak.
Though she didn’t agree, she had to admit Xu Ke’s suggestion offered her a realization.
“I might not do anything underhanded, but buying rice for personal use is still acceptable.” Jiang Pengji stated, “You’ll need to go to the accounting room shortly and draw some silver, charged to my account, to buy a supply of rice—enough to last those at the farm for half a year.”
Though Eastqing was declining, the state’s deterrence was still there. Cangzhou Meng County was in a perilous location, and the court wouldn’t truly turn a blind eye; civil unrest would likely only cause turmoil in limited areas; it shouldn’t be enough to spread to other counties in Eastqing. Thus, stocking enough for thirty people for half a year should suffice.
Xu Ke waited for a while, but when Jiang Pengji didn’t speak again, he hesitated momentarily before asking quietly.
“Does the Young Master have any other instructions?”
Jiang Pengji frowned, “No, you little brat, do you have something else on your mind? Just say it without beating around the bush.”
Xu Ke spoke slowly, “While the Young Master’s avoidance of exploitation is indeed virtuous, I’m sure the other gentry in Hejian won’t miss this opportunity. Most of them have fertile fields and overflowing granaries…”
She laughed scornfully, “If everyone else rushed off to eat a pile of poop, that doesn’t mean that pile of poop is genuinely tasty; why should I subject myself to that?”
Xu Ke: “…”
“No, that’s not what Ke meant.”
Xu Ke inhaled deeply, struggling to banish Jiang Pengji’s ludicrous yet vivid metaphor from his mind; it was too captivating.
Otherwise, he would be helplessly imagining a bunch of people devouring a pile of poop while he joins in on the scene.
What a vividly disgusting analogy!
