Chapter 1645 – Reclaiming Nan Sheng, Killing An Huan (Fifty-Five)
Jiang Ji had been traversing the northern regions for over a decade, celebrating New Year according to northern customs. This was her very first proper celebration of the Southern New Year. The Southern New Year was vastly different, not only in customs but also in the environment.
In the North, the snow was always thick, yet it didn’t feel too cold around the New Year.
The South, however, was different; the snow wasn’t heavy, but the air carried an ominous chill that could send shivers down your spine.
At this time, during wartime, the festive atmosphere familiar to the idle folks was almost non-existent, and the streets were nearly deserted.
Starting half a month before the New Year, Jiang Ji had been secretly visiting various places to ensure that the common people were properly settled, finding some peace of mind only after doing so.
In this world, there were plenty of people who appeared compliant while being disobedient, hence the scandals of poor oversight and ineffective execution.
Even in an age with explosive information like the future interstellar, it wouldn’t do, let alone in the ancient times with such inconvenient communication.
The people below didn’t take the common people seriously, nor her decrees. Relief supplies for the victims were misappropriated, which was all too normal. Thus, Jiang Ji’s undercover visits were stained with blood.
She had investigated and eliminated corruption along the way, leaving local officials anxious this New Year, fearing her unseen judgment.
Who knows where she popped up from!
Those with lighter crimes were rebuked from top to bottom, and no one involved escaped unscathed.
For the more serious offenders, those embezzling funds that met Jiang Ji’s standards, losing their heads was considered lenient.
Of course, her covert trips weren’t solely about punishment; promotions were also in store.
While embezzlers were detestable, those who trembled while diligently fulfilling their duties deserved reward and encouragement too.
Jiang Ji kept a mental ledger of everyone and everything she encountered along the way—some deserved promotions as they were underutilized in their current posts, some lacked experience and needed a year or two to hone their skills before being elevated, and some just deserved recognition without the need for advancement.
“The snow outside is melting; why is our lord dressed so lightly?”
Wei Ci had not followed Jiang Ji around haphazardly but remained behind to manage New Year matters.
Even if he wanted to accompany her, Jiang Ji wouldn’t allow it.
After all, Wei Ci didn’t possess her robust physique; if he were to run about in the freezing cold for a month, he’d surely fall ill.
“I’m not afraid of the cold.”
Jiang Ji began untying the strings of her rain cloak while tossing the bamboo slip register to Wei Ci.
Lightweight paper had its drawbacks; if it got wet, the ink would smudge. To avoid that, Jiang Ji documented everything on bamboo slips, carving the characters with a knife. Even if the slips got damp, the writing would endure long enough for her to return and have Wei Ci and the others transcribe them.
Wei Ci opened the bamboo slips. The top names were of those executed by the lord, each name followed by their crimes. In the middle were about twenty names reprimanded or demoted, and at the end were a dozen receiving praise and promotions…
“This New Year, let’s promote these few individuals.”
“Understood!”
“As for those penalized or executed, their documentation is still en route. It’s a long journey, and it’ll probably take a couple of days to arrive,” Jiang Ji smiled. “To return quickly and accompany you during this New Year, I made every effort to shorten the journey. Isn’t that moving?”
Wei Ci sighed, “I want to feel moved, but this year, the tasks are especially numerous. I have the heart but lack the strength.”
Every New Year and festival, high-ranking officials received generous rewards as a sort of year-end bonus, and so did those who worked hard and performed excellently.
Except for the ministers whose rewards Jiang Ji personally reviewed, everyone else was taken care of by those beneath her…
Previously, with only a fraction of Dongqing, her territory wasn’t large and the officials few, making New Year’s preparations easy.
Now, with Dongqing, Beijiang, and the two provinces of Nan Sheng, the scale had expanded, and New Year gifts needed to be prepared well in advance to be delivered across various locations.
This habit didn’t start until the monarch of her previous life ascended the throne.
From her ascendancy to the passing of that monarch, eighteen years went by, and despite fierce court struggles, the lower-level bureaucracy was relatively clear.
Now, preparations began early, spurred on by Wei Ci’s advice as well as the insights from the idle folk.
Even minor year-end bonuses were a great source of encouragement for those who received them and served as a reminder for those who didn’t to stay alert.
The types of gifts were fairly simple—like a set of writing materials, some paper, or cloth…
The amount and significance of these gifts mattered little; what was essential was the meaning behind them.
This wasn’t merely about winning hearts but also served to keep many officials in check, making them constantly aware and wary of complacency.
Especially knowing that Jiang Ji would conduct inspections at the grassroots level every year-end, they dared not slack off.
Receiving a gift meant doing excellently that year, and that the reaper was pleased. They wouldn’t need to worry about not having their heads come New Year.
As for those who didn’t receive anything, they were certainly apprehensive, fearing disaster lurking just around the corner.
Over the years, aside from the two provinces of Nan Sheng still learning the ropes, the people of Dongqing understood her temperament.
For those guilty of dereliction and embezzlement, she had a swift hand and wouldn’t blink an eye.
As long as one was diligent in their duties and earnest, she was a gracious and benevolent ruler.
Every New Year, the common folk would marvel at how their officials became exceptionally diligent, with performance and efficiency soaring.
For example, among the New Year letters received this year, one particularly amusing one stood out:
A mediocre little county magistrate who had served for twenty-three years in a remote location complained his elderly mother had heard of an exotic peach from beyond the realm and was particularly craving it. He wished to buy her half a pound, but alas, his tiny county had none, and the cross-regional purchasing price was exorbitantly high. Jiang Ji found this request reasonable; given the magistrate’s decent performance last year and good reputation locally, she elevated his gift from some paper and ink sticks to a pound of peeled exotic peaches.
Not to mention how flabbergasted the magistrate was receiving those peaches, Jiang Ji was busy until the dawn of New Year’s Eve before she finally laid down her brush.
With wars occurring everywhere this year, winter funding was allocated for the relief of over a million folks in the two provinces of Nan Sheng.
If not for the hints from the recent assassination attempts against the Nan family that helped her seize seven families of the Fenzhou aristocracy and enriched her coffers, her finances would be running dry.
The New Year banquet wasn’t as lavish and grand as in previous years; it felt more like a home-style gathering, with everyone coming together to share a meal and summarize the past year’s achievements.
In contrast to her understated approach, on the other side, An was feeling mighty pleased.
From afar, Hua Yuan could hear An’s laughter.
He adjusted his expression to show just the right amount of curiosity and entered the main tent with a smile.
“May I ask what good fortune brings our lord such joy?”
Kneeling beside An was the shy Xichang Princess, her delicate hand being held in An’s, his palm continuously rubbing it affectionately.
“Heaven has not forsaken my descendants!”
An said, tears brimming in his eyes.
Though he claimed the Xichang Princess was merely an accessory without the right to bear him a young master, now that she was indeed pregnant, he felt elated.
The Xichang Princess’s pregnancy proved that his hidden ailment had indeed been cured, making him a wholesome man at last.
