Chapter 45: Little Wan Knows How to Act Spoiled
Wei Wanlan was a little surprised by the changes in the Sage Nurturing System. He slowly opened his lips, feeling that he was in a very magical state.
Beside him, in front of their desks, the Sage Nurturing System appeared as a floating translucent golden script, shimmering with the brilliance of glass, but only he could see it; Su Jingzhi couldn’t.
Wei Wanlan clicked on one of the options.
When his fingertip touched the golden characters, the interface flickered slightly, displaying a tool interface. The assassination ring and the Windfall he had used before appeared as gray icons, indicating they could no longer be used.
Wei Wanlan wanted to touch the screen to see what other good things there were.
His index finger was pinched; the touch on either side of his knuckle was rough.
He looked up and saw the Regent King’s displeased face:
“What did I just say?” Su Jingzhi asked.
In the study of the Purple Forbidden City, surrounded by charcoal fires, his voice was clear and cold, stunning Wei Wanlan, who instantly broke out in a cold sweat: “Uh.”
How could he be so curious about the newly online Sage Nurturing System and lower his guard against the big villain?
Su Jingzhi frowned slightly, as if he had noticed Wei Wanlan’s absentmindedness. His dark eyes reflected Wei Wanlan’s dazed face:
“Mm?”
QAQ!!!
He was most afraid of the big villain’s cold humph.
Even though he didn’t say a word, the oppressive feeling was overwhelming.
Wei Wanlan quickly collected himself.
Then he somehow associated it with “Task Two.” Could the system mean that since Task One was too difficult, it was encouraging him to do Task Two first?
He was too familiar with the content of Task Two.
Main Task Two was precisely the main achievement Su Jingzhi accomplished after usurping the throne in the original book. Wei Wanlan composed himself and answered: “The Regent King was analyzing the internal troubles of the court.”
Bingo, correct!
The Regent King’s expression clearly eased, and he released his grip on his finger. Wei Wanlan felt that the place where the calluses had rubbed against him was warm. He withdrew his hand into his sleeve.
Su Jingzhi explained again:
“Since twenty or thirty years ago, corruption has been rampant in the Great Wei court. Every action of the court will attract layers of exploitation, and the corrupt officials will do their best to find loopholes to exploit. This bad atmosphere permeates from top to bottom; in the countryside, it’s difficult to move an inch without money.”
Wei Wanlan hadn’t been to the countryside much, but he had watched television. Wasn’t Heshen in that television show a big corrupt official?
If there were so many Heshen’s sucking the blood of the Great Wei court, each bloated like a fat fish…
Ugh.
Wei Wanlan secretly chuckled inwardly; he didn’t dare to imagine the scene.
Then Su Jingzhi continued: “Corruption breeds evil forces. Some corrupt officials dare not openly collect money; they will secretly act as protectors for others, taking a cut of the profits. The East City Gang is a good example.”
Wei Wanlan nodded.
Su Jingzhi: “After eliminating corrupt officials and bullies, what should be done next?”
Wei Wanlan: “…” Why is there a question-and-answer session? QAQ
404 wasn’t around, so Wei Wanlan didn’t dare to answer randomly. He made an analogy in his heart: If many troublemakers left the class, and many seats were left empty, it should be time to—
“Recruit people?”
“Mm.”
Bingo, correct again!!!
A strong sense of accomplishment exploded in his mind like fireworks; Wei Wanlan gave himself a mental thumbs-up. The big villain’s expression was even brighter than before.
——Surely he just wants a more cooperative little puppet?
Thinking of this, Wei Wanlan’s head drooped.
His previous complacency was shattered by the realization of the truth, to the extent that he was momentarily immersed in the sadness of being used, and he didn’t notice that the Regent King had said many more sentences.
His inattention annoyed the big villain again.
Tap, tap.
The Regent King tapped the table.
Su Jingzhi coughed several times: “How much arable land is there in the Great Wei?”
“…Ah?”
Another question QAQ!
Su Jingzhi: “Is the output per mu 400 jin or 800 jin?”
Multiple choice questions???
“If the Tujue have a war and invade the border, and 2 million shi of military rations are urgently needed, which states should bear how much?”
Even essay questions!
Let alone Wei Wanlan being distracted; even if he had listened carefully, these questions were not within his knowledge base.
How familiar with the total tax revenue of each prefecture and county in the Great Wei would one have to be to answer the Regent King’s questions so readily?
Wei Wanlan couldn’t help but break out in a cold sweat—being a little puppet wasn’t easy!
Su Jingzhi’s slightly sunny face instantly darkened.
The Regent King of the Great Wei always kept his word and would never repeat an order twice. Everyone in front of him was always nervous and listening attentively.
Only this time did he find himself in the firing line.
The big villain asked again: “How much arable land?”
Let me guess…
“9.6 million square qian mu?”
——What’s a square qian mu?!
Su Jingzhi’s eyebrows twitched at this answer. He skipped this question and went to the next one:
“How much is the yield per mu?”
“800 jin…” This number was more auspicious.
Su Jingzhi swallowed, picking up his teacup:
“Which states should bear the burden?”
“Suzhou and Hangzhou?” He only knew these two nearby and familiar states.
Su Jingzhi took a deep breath; his face, visible above the teacup, was gloomy.
“Then… then… Yangzhou? Guangzhou? Taizhou?” Seeing the big villain becoming increasingly dangerous, Wei Wanlan instinctively felt that the southern states were wrong, but he couldn’t think of the northern states; his mind was racing, his brain already disconnected, “Jizhou? Quanzhou? Yumenzhou? Dongsheng Shenzhou…”
He mumbled a bunch of nonsense.
His lips trembled more and more, his face becoming whiter.
He even felt, “This type of little puppet is too useless; the Regent King will eliminate me at any moment,” wanting to hide under the table.
But even though he knew he had gotten everything wrong, he still had a tiny bit of hope.
Like a math test where you don’t know any of the answers and guess C for everything, but still think you might get a few right.
Wei Wanlan tentatively leaned over, raising his small face, pitiful and expectant:
“Regent King, how did I do?”
A silent atmosphere brewed in the study of the Purple Forbidden City.
The silence intensified Wei Wanlan’s curiosity.
He felt he had a chance.
So, he leaned closer to the Regent King, gazing at Su Jingzhi’s thin lips, hoping to hear the big villain affirm him.
The Regent King put down his teacup, calmly standing up: “I’m going to preside over the afternoon’s small court meeting.”
Did I pass?
Wei Wanlan was excited.
Then, the Regent King picked up a book from his desk and placed it beside him: “Copy the Shanhe Yutu Zongji one hundred times. You’re not allowed to sleep until you finish.”
——Woo…
Annoying!!!
At the seventh hour.
The Regent King appeared on time at the Zhongshu Province’s small court meeting.
Court meetings were generally divided into grand and regular meetings. Grand court meetings involved all the Beijing officials; small court meetings involved key officials from various ministries. Small court meetings were held more frequently, basically daily.
Today, Su Jingzhi primarily dealt with the supervisory system, for which specific details had already been formulated. There were also issues regarding the dilapidated Jinguang Gate in the West City, the abandoned Taiji Palace in the West Inner City, and the arrangement of students from the Imperial College…
Difficult problems were piled before the Regent King.
There were also trivial matters; people below were hesitant to make decisions and afraid of taking responsibility, so they would report everything.
In short, the Regent King’s position, while seemingly glorious, had a high workload and responsibility. Su Jingzhi felt that he had stayed up many more nights than others.
“Your Highness, the New Year’s pictures presented by Suzhou’s Peach Blossom Dock have arrived; Prefect Gu Xiwei has returned to the capital to report on his duties and is outside the Zhongshu Province.”
The reporter was an official from the Zhongshu Province. The minor official approached and found that the people waiting for an audience were outside the Regent King’s study. Tang Tuan leaned on his sword, bored: “Tell Prefect Gu to find a place to sit for a while.”
“Yes.”
The small official obeyed.
Su Jingzhi frowned. When receiving the Minister of Works to review the repair drawings of Jinguang Gate, Su Jingzhi experienced another visual disturbance; he closed his eyes:
“Acceptable; proceed accordingly.”
“Your humble servant obeys.” The Minister of Works withdrew.
Then several more ministers asked questions about minor details. Su Jingzhi rubbed his temples and opened his eyes to see a young eunuch from the Purple Forbidden City also queuing outside. He raised his eyebrows; it wasn’t An Ruyi.
That meant it was something about the little thing. The little thing probably didn’t know what he was doing.
Su Jingzhi suddenly felt a moment of coolness amid the tedious official duties.
But his expression remained the same; he coldly beckoned the eunuch to come over: “What is it, Your Majesty?”
The Purple Forbidden City was filled with the Regent King’s eyes and ears; this eunuch was also an unknown number of the Regent King’s spies; the eunuch stepped forward and quietly reported, “His Majesty is crying.”
Su Jingzhi: “…”
His breath hitched, but his brows furrowed even tighter.
Su Jingzhi asked: “What’s he crying about?”
“His Majesty picked up his pen, ground the ink, wrote, and cried at the same time, saying that Your Highness has assigned too much homework, that his arm hurts, and his wrist aches.”
The little thing’s wrists were white and slender, his small hands thin and pointed, lacking strength.
Su Jingzhi’s heart felt like it had been lightly scratched by his small claws, slightly itchy. He rationally told the eunuch:
“The Shanhe Yutu Zongji is the most accessible and authoritative map of the Great Wei’s territory and resources; others can’t even borrow it. After he finishes copying it one hundred times, the copy will be placed in the National History Museum; this will also be a contribution to future generations.”
“Yes, this humble servant will surely pass on your words to His Majesty.”
The eunuch bowed.
But Su Jingzhi’s ears seemed to be filled with the little thing’s cries.
Even though the Zhongshu Province was so far from the Purple Forbidden City, that whimpering sound, like a small animal, seemed to stick to his ears, making him keep hearing it:
“Regent King, please don’t punish me…”
“Regent King, I’m so tired, QAQ”
The little thing knows how to act spoiled!
It’s not working!
When he sits on the throne himself, if he doesn’t understand anything, he will be deceived; the people will also suffer with him!
Unfortunately, the Regent King didn’t realize that he was merely having inner thoughts; Wei Wanlan wasn’t there; it was just that there seemed to be a tearful Wei Wanlan begging for forgiveness in his heart, jumping around in his heart.
Su Jingzhi fell silent for a moment, thinking of a compromise, saying:
“I’m not interested in New Year’s pictures; have Gu Xiwei send all of Suzhou Peach Blossom Dock’s gifts to the Emperor.”
A slap followed by a sweet date; a bit of reward after finishing the homework.
After confiscating the little thing’s toys, I’ll give him a few to play with; should he be happy now?