“Can strategists not ascend the throne?”
Chapter 267: Harvest is Useless
Yuan Xi’s look was truly one of a kind!
Even Zhang He, who had interacted with him a few times, almost didn’t recognize him.
It’s important to note that this second son of the Yuan clan, although not as noticed as his brother and younger sibling—stuck awkwardly in between—still managed to present himself with the air of a noble young master when he and Ju Shou and Gao Gan left Ye City, even if he toned down his attire to disguise his identity.
But now… even if you disregarded his travel-worn appearance, he somewhat resembled a villager hustling into Ye City for the market.
The contrast was really quite striking.
If you asked Yuan Xi, he’d say he had no choice but to change his vibe.
To avoid being defined by others as some sort of great talent, he had to show up like this; otherwise, “Yuan Xi” would be discovered and snagged in Chang’an.
And let’s talk about that mule and cotton bag…
Honestly, no matter how ugly it looked, functionality is key.
Yuan Xi figured that out pretty fast on this trip to Chang’an.
“Why do you look at me like that, Junyi? I haven’t changed my face, have I?”
He said this while feeling his own face, convinced that nothing had dramatically changed.
From the perspective of others, his face hadn’t changed, but at first glance, it sure made people do a double-take, wondering if he’d been poisoned or something.
Luckily, Zhang He provided a logical explanation for what he saw and figured it was just a manifestation of Yuan Xi’s tough journey, quickly dismissing the bewildered guards looking in their direction, leading Yuan Xi to meet Yuan Shao.
However, Zhang He, this warrior, was only a bit astonished by Yuan Xi’s current look compared to his former self, while for Yuan Shao, seeing his son like this was a full-on shock.
He first stared at the mule, which only appeared thanks to Zhang He guiding it there, then slowly shifted his gaze to Yuan Xi’s face and clothing, his lips twitching slightly, “You… escaped from a disaster?”
Is the capital that dangerous?
Yuan Shao couldn’t help but ponder whether sending this son to the capital was one of his worst decisions.
A quick trip and the kid came back with his mind all out of whack!
But seeing Yuan Xi looking happy, as if he truly had something good from that place, eased his urge to call a doctor for a check-up.
He waved Zhang He away and asked him to keep an eye on Yuan Xi, making sure no one commented on his son’s odd demeanor. Then he sent someone to summon his strategists.
In balancing reassuring his son and consulting about the situation, Yuan Shao decisively chose the latter.
Since they were going to hear the report about this trip to Chang’an, might as well get everyone’s ears on it.
Ju Shou, who arrived first, unconsciously fixed his gaze on Yuan Xi and the mule next to him before turning to Yuan Shao.
What surprised him was that the usually image-conscious Yuan Shao even had a hint of a smile on his face.
This made Ju Shou suspect something was up.
He clasped his hands toward Yuan Shao and said, “Looks like I can congratulate you first, my lord?”
Yuan Shao replied, “Congratulations are a bit premature, but your and Hezi’s earlier judgment wasn’t wrong. Xian Yi has informed me that Yuan Hao indeed didn’t betray me; he had to submit to the bandits under unavoidable circumstances and even cut ties with our subordinates in Bingzhou, so we nearly thought he was dead.”
With Yuan Shao feeling jubilant, he didn’t seem to mind Yuan Xi’s market-goer appearance much anymore.
With Tian Feng’s loyalty and Ju Shou’s triumph in Runan, he was feeling quite proud of his subordinate’s loyalty and abilities.
No matter how mighty the Chang’an court, they weren’t immune to Ju Shou’s sudden intervention in Runan, disrupting Qiao Yan’s plans against him using Yuan Shu, and with Tian Feng sneaking inside, leaking secrets from Chang’an.
How could he not be happy?
In this euphoric mood, Yuan Shao even thought, considering this son risked his life for information, he wouldn’t even summon his other two sons to join in on this report—how uncharacteristically fair of him!
When everyone gathered, Yuan Shao gestured for Yuan Xi to present the findings.
“Let’s skip the elaborate stuff and just talk about what’s been brought back.” Yuan Xi recalled the narration he had prepared on his return trip to Ye City, starting off.
Seeing Yuan Shao nod, Yuan Xi continued, “First up, paper.”
He began pulling out worn clothes from the box he carried, using a knife to slice open the seams between two layers, retrieving dozens of sheets of paper.
These papers were clearly sorted into three categories on the ground: bamboo paper, green sandalwood paper, and mulberry bark paper.
Thanks to their sturdiness, aside from some creases caused by how they were carried, there was no damage from folding at all.
Most present were scholars, and without much need for Yuan Xi to elaborate, they could sense the uniqueness of the papers as they unfurled them one by one.
Yuan Xi explained, “When I arrived in Chang’an, it just so happened that a new road was completed. The road from Chang’an’s South Gate to Gui Palace was laid down, and it’s indestructible—neither foot nor knife can damage it. I have no idea what it’s made of, but it was on this road that these new types of paper were showcased.”
When he spoke the first half, those around him showed a hint of confusion.
What do you mean by “a road that can’t be destroyed by feet or knives”?
Earth is earth, stone is stone; even if it was a mix of bricks and stones, there has to be some sort of name, right? How can there be a material we don’t know about?
But they couldn’t shake the thought that someone like Yuan Xi wouldn’t need to start off with an exaggerated claim to capture their attention; he could simply share his findings as they were.
So, could it be that he was actually telling the truth?
With everyone, including Yuan Shao, feeling muddled without witnessing the scene in Chang’an, they could only listen as Yuan Xi continued, “The raw materials of these three types of paper, like the Leping Marquis paper from before, haven’t been disclosed publicly, and their purposes differ. The first type is the coarsest and cheapest, while the other two have better ink retention, especially the last one. When you write on it, the surface subtly shines with a glimmer, making it a favorite among the upper-class literati used by Qiao Bingzhou to maintain good relations.”
As Yuan Xi reached this part, he handed the mulberry bark paper he held to Yuan Shao.
Even though they were indoors, the thin texture of the mulberry paper became increasingly clear as it approached Yuan Shao.
Yuan Shao felt that unless he were blind, he would definitely notice this unique quality.
The beautiful base color of this paper was irreplaceably special for the face-conscious aristocracy.
If he had to choose between this paper and some supposedly fine silk as a writing medium, he would likely choose this paper without hesitation.
But how was this paper made?
What materials were used?
Yuan Xi seemed to catch the confusion on Yuan Shao’s face, replying, “Actually, many folks in Chang’an are trying to uncover the materials behind this paper, but perhaps Qiao Bingzhou anticipated this and deliberately infused other plant scents into the already produced sheets to throw off anyone’s judgment. The true main materials of these three types of paper might completely mask their scents.”
“According to Yuan Hao’s suggestion, instead of exploring this matter further in Chang’an, it might be better to return to a more fundamental situation. Many workers who originally produced the Leping Marquis paper in Bingzhou may not be at their former posts anymore, but I’m sure there are quite a few who would get in touch with them soon, and you might discover something too, Father.”
“But… Mr. Yuan Hao hopes that Father doesn’t get things backward. Paper is just a recording medium; at this moment, it doesn’t have the power to fundamentally change the battlefield situation. If we truly need a large quantity of paper, we should just go to Bingzhou and buy the cheapest new kind. Instead of focusing on the paper itself, he hopes Father will pay more attention to the information recorded on it.”
Yuan Xi immediately pulled out a few more items from the layers of his clothing.
Seeing his strategists move forward a few steps due to the mention of the three new types of paper, Yuan Shao signaled for Yuan Xi to hand these books over to Ju Shou and the others.
Yuan Xi pointed to the book in Ju Shou’s hands and said, “This is Mr. Yuan Hao’s method for increasing grain production that he saw while sneaking into the place in Bingzhou that produces farming tools; it only lacks the method for making fertilizer.”
Upon hearing “increase production,” not only Yuan Shao but even the usually composed Ju Shou couldn’t help but show a hint of excitement.
He quickly flipped through the book in his hands.
If they had previously thought that the continuous improvements in paper production in Bingzhou were bad news for them, at this moment, it felt like a piece of good news.
Without such a channel for news, for Yuan Xi to bring this kind of information back to Ji Province, he would either need dozens of bamboo slips or dozens of silk rolls, but neither method would be as convenient and discreet as the way he was currently using.
But after Ju Shou browsed through a few pages of the book, Yuan Shao saw his expression shift from initial excitement to seriousness, eventually settling into a heavy silence.
When Ju Shou roughly flipped to the last page of the book, he suddenly let out a long sigh and delivered a response that stunned Yuan Shao, “My lord, the contents of this book… are not something we can use.”
Yuan Shao quickly asked, “Why? Is there a trick in it?”
“No, quite the opposite. The farming methods recorded here have a solid logic that ensures the maximum efficiency from every piece of farmland. I believe Yuan Hao must have had this sent to us through Xian Yi after seeing the correlation between theory and practice.”
When Ju Shou said this, he glanced at Yuan Xi, who instinctively responded, “It’s not just Mr. Yuan Hao; I’ve seen it too.”
What Guo Jia saw while taking Yuan Xi around Chang’an gave him the confidence to back Ju Shou and Tian Feng at this moment.
However, this response didn’t make the agricultural classic any more precious; instead, it only confirmed Ju Shou’s judgment.
With a wry smile, Ju Shou said, “My lord, the reason Bingzhou can achieve such astonishing yields today is that they’ve been reshaping their rules and developing order for more than five years, from Bingzhou to Liang Province to Sili. You tell me, how would you implement such a method?”
Yuan Shao hesitated for a moment before replying, “Have the Son of Heaven issue an order standardizing farming practices?”
He felt regret the moment those words left his mouth because he quickly realized that the greater role of Liu Bian as the Son of Heaven was to gather a group of court officials under the legitimacy represented by the imperial decrees, getting places like Yanzhou, Xuzhou, and Youzhou to listen to commands from Ye City. However, that doesn’t mean that the common folks under this Son of Heaven would follow this when it came to methods of farming.
Yuan Shao certainly didn’t hold the same accumulated prestige in civilian matters as Qiao Yan, nor had he established a pattern of alternating lands for military and civilian use. This all led to—
Even if he suddenly received such an agricultural “divine book” validated by practice, it would be like a piece of meat placed right in front of him that he couldn’t take a bite of.
He couldn’t, or rather, he didn’t have the conditions to do so!
If he rashly promoted this throughout all the regions of Ji and Qing, how would he explain that the measures he proposed could actually increase production?
Tell them that under the “false court” of Chang’an, they were faithfully executing such orders, and with the help of these measures and special fertilizers, their yields could reach three times ours, so we should learn from them?
If Yuan Shao were to say that, it would be no different than promoting Qiao Yan’s reputation!
In fact, it would be another blow to his prestige.
Certainly, there would be people among the populace questioning why, if that was the case, Yuan Shao hadn’t thought of such beneficial methods for the people as early as Qiao Yan did?
After all, he was more than twice her age, yet he lagged so much behind her in long-term planning; how embarrassing!
Ju Shou could see from Yuan Shao’s expression that he had made a decision and said nothing to dissuade him, only saying, “We are still underestimating Qiao Bingzhou. Her early achievements in Bingzhou have overshadowed these foundational methods, causing us to chase after them selectively. This book isn’t entirely useless; some of the farming tools and pest control remedies in it can be made quickly.”
Yuan Shao nodded.
What should have been a moment of treasure gained now weighed heavily on his heart due to this analysis.
Even with Ju Shou’s last words of consolation, he just couldn’t bring himself to feel happy.
Perhaps the only thing he was somewhat grateful for was that this book was handed to Ju Shou first; had it reached him first, he would have established a conclusive evaluation before Ju Shou could refute it, making his face look even worse.
Qiao Yan… It’s all Qiao Yan’s fault!
Yuan Shao seethed internally, turning to see Yuan Xi carefully observing his expression and snapped, “What are you looking at? Say the next thing.”
Yuan Xi pointed to the book in Shen Pei’s hands, “This is the medical tome compiled by Qiao Bingzhou, Hua Tuo, Wu Pu, and others; it’s the latest revised edition. It outlines common diseases and treatment methods that everyday people can use, promoting their dissemination in the countryside to reduce casualties from diseases.”
At first glance, this seemed like a good thing.
But after flipping through a couple of pages, Shen Pei gave a similar judgement to Tian Feng’s on the agricultural book, “This item does have some use for my lord, but it’s quite limited.”
“If we transcribe a few more copies and send them to each county and township, it could indeed allow people to consult and get treated, but there’s a lot of content in this book. To produce at least over a hundred copies, who will do the transcription? If the copies are identical to what they have in Bingzhou, who should take the credit?”
His words, although not delivered kindly, were the truth.
The amount of work needed for transcription was considerable, and once it got to the village chief, it would become another burden.
If they were still tangled up with sorting out taxes and other miscellaneous tasks, this medical book would probably fail to serve the local medical offices, even risking neighborly disputes.
Compared to sending it to the folk, this book, given their current circumstances, seemed better off kept in the central government as a reference for medical officers.
Yuan Shao: “……”
The three new types of paper and two remarkable books brought him no substantial benefit; it only seemed to emphasize just how much he and Qiao Yan were pulling apart.
He felt like he was going to explode from holding his breath.
Yet he couldn’t blame Tian Feng for asking Yuan Xi to bring these things back.
It was already hard enough for Tian Feng to obtain these things in such a perilous situation; if he received condemnation in Ye City, it would only demoralize his subordinates.
Yuan Shao couldn’t help but wonder if Tian Feng made such judgments because some things considered normal in Bingzhou and Sili had been neglected during his experiences in the journeys back and forth from Bingzhou to Chang’an over the past six months.
Just thinking about this possibility felt like a thorn in his throat.
Taking a deep breath, Yuan Shao shouted at Yuan Xi, “Next item, do I have to urge you again?”
Yuan Xi could clearly see Yuan Shao’s anger now; he knew he couldn’t present another seemingly informational item that wasn’t very useful.
So, with a shift in thought, he brought a mule forward to present to everyone.
“This item… should be useful for us in Ji Province! On the way back, I tested its load capacity and endurance, and it was astonishing! Father, Bingzhou has crossbred donkeys and horses, forming mules for military supplies; why don’t we give it a try?”
This was a completely different situation from spreading agricultural books and medical knowledge.
All it required was a command from his father!
