Xie Lanzhi was slightly taken aback. She had to listen carefully because the little phoenix was naturally perceptive and would always be the first to discover future crises. This was not only due to the protagonist's halo, but also an amazing innate wisdom.
"Tell me about it?"
Si Xitong gazed intently into her eyes. She loved those soft eyes the most, and she always enveloped her figure in them like a warm spring ocean.
She doesn't know what she looked like in her past life, but beneath her skin lies a peaceful and precious soul. Kindness is only one aspect; she possesses much more charm.
She is convincing. She can change people. These are her strengths, but everything has two sides; where there is light, there is shadow, and strengths can also be burdens.
Si Xitong slowly said, "If it weren't for the chaotic times, I could rest assured that you could do whatever you wanted. I know you came from a peaceful world and settled in a relatively fair place."
“I don’t need you to change, because you will handle things according to the facts, which is also your strength.”
Her expression turned solemn, and her tone became almost ruthless as she warned, "Now that you have commanded two states and your power has grown to the point of being capable of launching a northern expedition, you must remember that the tallest tree in the forest will be felled by the wind, and the tallest tree on the bank will be swept away by the current. If you excel above others, the masses will criticize you. Many things require decisive action and realistic judgment. It is certainly appropriate to act prudently, but sometimes what seems appropriate is just an illusion. There are countless illusions in the world, and you cannot guarantee that you can see through them all."
"Just as there are illusions that can deceive the eyes, there are also illusions that can overwhelm the five senses. What will you do when an illusion that can deceive your senses has already lost its chance to think things through?"
Xie Lanzhi's body suddenly trembled. She felt as if her soul had been seen through, inside and out, which terrified her. She wasn't afraid of the little phoenix, but rather amazed by her perfection. She was a natural-born genius.
Unlike the original story, Little Phoenix did not experience many hardships; two years was enough for her to strategize and plan.
The little phoenix regards her as her teacher, and she should also regard her as her teacher.
Xie Lanzhi took a deep breath: "I understand. Bring Princess Jiuyin over. I will not be stingy with the rewards due to meritorious officials."
Si Xitong felt relieved.
She no longer had to regard the reward as compensation, but rather as a natural and proper reward for meritorious service from her sovereign.
Even if the result is the same, if the feelings are different, the meaning is completely different.
Princess Jiuyin was sent to the palace by her elder brother, Si Maogong.
Si Maogong specifically told his sister, "Although I am now a second-class duke, I am still a member of the royal family. My sister should have known since childhood that we siblings are destined to be extraordinary, and we cannot live such a mundane life. Therefore, this time I am sending you to Lanzhang Palace in accordance with His Highness's wishes, so that you can marry the Crown Prince of the Northern Region."
"When you give birth to a son, he will be the heir of the Northern Region. Your heir will be protected by both your brother and His Highness. When the land is unified, he will be the legitimate grandson of the Great Jin!"
Princess Jiuyin said, "Brother, don't worry. I've known my fate since I was a child. I don't resent it. I'm just afraid I have no choice."
In chaotic times, few people have the life to be picky. Even the father of the king, who was trying to curry favor with the Shi Kingdom just a month ago and wanted to form a marriage alliance with the Shi Kingdom, lost his kingdom overnight and became a useless person, without even the courage to choose to die.
Princess Jiuyin does not respect the weak, so even when her father fell ill from drinking, she only went to visit him briefly and offered a few words of advice. When that was useless, she stopped trying to persuade him next time.
Si Maogong praised, "Sister, go in."
Princess Jiuyin entered Lanzhang Palace and finally met the Lord Xie who had destroyed Jiujin with a flick of his finger...
Xie Zhu sat upright on the upper couch, her noble status and elegant demeanor exuding a carefree spirit that transcended social status. In her, Princess Jiuyin sensed the unbridled freedom of a king among birds, recklessly indulging in a freedom that fledglings could only dream of.
This is thanks to the Lord!
Princess Jiuyin knelt and said, "Si Caifeng, daughter of the deposed ruler of Jin, pays her respects to Marshal Xie!"
Xie Lanzhi waved her hand dismissively: "Please take a seat."
Si Xitong happened to be at Jianzhang Palace looking at the examination papers.
Xie Lanzhi sized up Princess Jiuyin. Her royal lineage was indeed striking; she was beautiful. Even with her gentle, serene demeanor, like autumn water, there was a fierce, predatory glint in her eyes. Such eyes were like those of a cornered beast, desperately fighting for survival. Even a hunter would feel a chill at the sight of a dying animal.
Such people tend to pursue their goals relentlessly and without hesitation.
"Your eyesight is excellent. Keep it up," Xie Lanzhi said, "until you get what you want."
Si Caifeng's eyes suddenly lit up.
Xie Lanzhi didn't waste any words; she admired this kind of woman.
After Si Caifeng took her seat, she announced the imperial decree: "Si Caifeng, the Princess of Jiuyin of Jin, is dignified, virtuous, and beautiful. She and the Crown Prince of the Northern Region are a perfect match, a beautiful story among men. Now, on behalf of the King, I, the commander, am issuing this decree at the request of the Lord of Fengning. I hereby bestow upon Princess Si Caifeng the title of the second legitimate daughter of the eldest son of the Jin royal family, and grant her the title of Princess Yongning. She will be granted the fief of the Three Jins, with 3,000 soldiers and 88,000 taels of precious gifts, and will be married off to the Northern Region with the honors due to a princess."
"To forge an alliance between our two nations!"
"Your subject receives the decree!" Si Caifeng rose from her seat and bowed again, this time the palace maids helped her up.
Xie Lanzhi exchanged a few pleasantries. Si Caifeng left the palace and met Si Maogong. Si Maogong was still very nervous about the matter, but when he saw his sister come out, followed by a group of Xie soldiers, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
It seems that my sister has gained the Lord's attention.
Si Xitong returned to Lanzhang Palace right on time.
Xie Lanzhi was wiping her sword with a cloth, lost in thought. She was unaware that she had polished the sword until it shone. The blade of the sword trembled with its owner's movements, as if afraid of being damaged.
Si Xitong went to save Eshi and put him back on the sword rack.
"It seems you've been thinking a lot about this."
Xie Lanzhi came to her senses and said, "Aren't you royals the powerful and ambitious people of Shengzhi?"
Si Xitong thought she was thinking about something, but the royal family was actually not worth mentioning.
She said calmly, "A petty person can be put to great use."
“Very useful.” Xie Lanzhi thought of Yelü Qiqi, who was by Yelü Lili’s side, and began to sympathize with her. She also imagined that her rival’s backyard would not be peaceful in the future.
She sighed for no reason: "It's a good thing that you're the only one in my backyard. If there were a few more, they would probably cause a huge uproar."
Without giving it much thought, I suddenly felt that something was off about the atmosphere around me.
As soon as Xie Lanzhi turned her head, she saw Si Xitong's eyes ripple with waves of emotion, encompassing her figure as if trying to draw her into a vortex.
Then, she smiled kindly and asked, "How many more would you like?"
Xie Lanzhi suddenly broke out in a cold sweat. In recent days, she has become increasingly convinced that Little Phoenix is not to be trifled with, truly not to be trifled with.
"Wh...what do you mean several? You're all I need in this life." She quickly went behind her and massaged her shoulders. She coaxed her gently, "In this world, nobody can mess with me except you."
Immediately, she was pulled back in front of the little girl.
Si Xitong tiptoed and pulled her collar over, making her lean close to her. She saw Xie Lanzhi's beautiful face so close, her breath clear, her lips delicate and moist. Xie Lanzhi swallowed softly.
She declared her ownership with possessiveness: "Lanzhi, you must remember, no one can mess with me."
"Only you can be the one in my life."
"Others...don't even have the right to get close."
Xie Lanzhi nodded happily: "Of course, of course, from now on I belong to Little Phoenix."
She never realized that the soft, cute, and pitiful little phoenix had become so assertive in less than a year.
A note from the author:
Key point: "A tree that stands out in the forest will be felled by the wind; a mound that rises above the bank will be eroded by the current; a person who excels above others will be criticized by the masses." This saying comes from Li Kang's "On Destiny" (运命论) during the Three Kingdoms period (Wei Dynasty).
Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 18:34:50 on December 12, 2021 and 12:14:58 on December 13, 2021!
Thank you to the little angel who threw the landmine: Tingyuan (1);
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
Chapter 68 Promoting the Imperial Examination System in Tianjing
The letter from the Northern Region arrived very quickly. Yelü Lili agreed to the marriage alliance and chose an auspicious day to hold the wedding in June.
The two parties signed the marriage certificate.
Xie Lanzhi personally affixed her seal, and Si Xitong also affixed his seal.
Another marriage certificate was soon delivered to Princess Yongning.
In the imperial palace, the two announced their marriage alliance with the Northern Region, causing an uproar throughout the court. All the officials unanimously supported the marriage.
Li, an official transferred from Jiujin, entered the Ministry of Justice as a vice minister. He handed over the results of Jiujin's various inspections to Si Xitong, including the imperial examinations.
The Xie family had heard of the imperial examination system, and some members of the clan advocated transferring the examination to Tianjing, but Si Xitong did not agree, so the Xie family gave up on the idea.
Some people still had their eyes on the imperial examinations and wanted to be the first to take the lead.
Li Ling and his son Li Jin strongly recommended: "Marshal, Your Highness Feng Ning, the imperial examination is very popular among scholars. We believe it should be promoted to Tianjing."
Upon hearing this, Xie was overjoyed. Xie Changwang immediately stepped forward and said, "Marshal Li and the others are absolutely right. The imperial examination is of great benefit to the selection of scholars in Tianjing. Why don't we let Xie assist in the implementation of the imperial examination?"
Si Xitong did not express any opinion.
Xie Lanzhi shook her head: "The imperial examination has already achieved some success in Jin. Moving it back to Tianjing and setting a new location would take too much time. Xie family scholars who participate in the imperial examination all go to the border town to follow local customs."
The implication is that everything shouldn't be tailored to the Xie family, as they lack the ability to support the imperial examinations.
Xie Changwang awkwardly retreated.
The officials in the capital all recommended that the palace examination be held, and they have already begun to propose the establishment of a palace examination.
With Si Xitong behind the scenes, the implementation of the imperial examination system went relatively smoothly, and it officially began to select suitable talents.
The sudden introduction of the imperial examination in Tianjing has become known to many scholars. This is because the imperial examination has been circulating among scholars for half a year and is highly sought after. Even the threshold for studying has been lowered again and again, and now even ordinary families are qualified to enter the court as officials.
This year, Si Xitong offered one hundred vacancies, and a total of three thousand people participated in the Tianjing imperial examinations. He also set up a separate section for recommending candidates for official positions. These candidates were considered semi-officials, receiving a monthly stipend. Once a permanent position became vacant, those recommended for official positions would be given priority for entry into the court.
Even those who officially enter officialdom don't have it easy. If they fail to meet the standards in various aspects within three years, they will be transferred from their original location and replaced by a probationary officer. Although they won't be dismissed, their chances of promotion are slim.
Those who cannot be promoted will be eliminated within five years. This will completely eradicate the problem of one person holding an official position for twenty years and engaging in lazy governance.
Officials serving short-term terms may be reappointed if they demonstrate competent governance. Those with outstanding performance during their reappointment may be directly promoted.
Si Xitong's approach to governance, focusing on practical results, not only improved the quality of officials but also reduced redundant staff to some extent. Previously, the Jin Dynasty's reserve officials were mostly aristocratic protégés, many of whom were based in small, remote areas. Like termites, they swarmed and hollowed out the old dynasty.
Nowadays, the selection process for officials in smaller places is much stricter. In the past, people would rather spend money than go to a small town, but now even spending money is useless, and there are still plenty of people vying for official positions. This is because there is no shortage of talent.
People today are no longer aloof and detached from worldly affairs. In chaotic times, as long as there is rice and meat, people will be motivated to fight and strive.
Everyone would fight tooth and nail for a hard-won opportunity. Especially since even lower-level official positions were open to the common people. Children of ordinary citizens flocked to these positions, and even then, only ten could secure one.
It is no longer like before, when the upper class had no poor families and the lower class had no noble families, creating a polarized divide.
Officials and the people have never had such direct contact as they do now. Officials are no longer as domineering and tyrannical as before, and there is no mutual protection among officials, because they can be replaced at any time and no one needs them.
No matter how powerful your backer is, they won't offend you, so those who want to take advantage of the situation to run rampant in the village are starting to weigh the consequences.
Si Xitong then began to preside over the first imperial examination.
For three days and three nights, fifty people were selected from three thousand applicants. The elimination rate was higher than expected, and the vacant positions remained vacant, without any compromises.
Late at night, Xie Lanzhi rested her chin on her hand, waiting for Si Xitong to return home.
Si Xitong was engrossed in her work at her desk, somewhat ignoring the person in bed.