Thank you to Beverly for the ko-fi~ ٩(^ᗜ^ )و ´-
It’s raining again. Chen Yue looked at the continuous drizzle outside the window, feeling a myriad of emotions. Just a few months ago, he was eagerly anticipating the day when a beneficent rain would come to end the drought. However, now that the rain has actually arrived, it brings a strong sense of anxiety.
In the cold winter days, with continuous rain, can the laborers working on the road construction outside endure it? What if they fall ill? How will it affect the progress of road construction with slippery roads and muddy conditions on the construction site?
Countless thoughts swirled in Chen Yue’s mind. In the end, he decided to put on a raincoat and lead the servants towards the construction site.
Last year, Chen Yue learned about the news of recruiting grain for road construction in Ji County. After much contemplation, he finally made up his mind and secured a section of the official road, about ten miles long. Because the project was not large, and the required grain was less than expected, Chen Yue thought he had made a profitable deal. Little did he know that when the grain was actually transported, and construction began, the signs of drought started to emerge.
This was a shipload of grain during a severe drought! Even if he sold it in his hometown, it would be a considerable sum of money, let alone transporting it to Ji County from afar.
Moreover, in the event of a drought, construction projects across the region would come to a halt. If banditry broke out, it might attract refugees. How long had it been since Ji County was pacified? Could they endure a severe drought under such circumstances?
Although the local officials kept assuring that the road construction would continue and not be abandoned halfway, most of the merchants who had jointly undertaken the road section with him had backed out. Although it resulted in a loss of manpower and resources, they ultimately did not suffer financial losses. Should he leave early to preserve his capital or grit his teeth and take a gamble? Somehow, Chen Yue remembered the prosperous scene he witnessed when he first arrived in Jinyang and impulsively decided to stay. Now, he was completely tied to Ji County.
Every day, Chen Yue had to go to the construction site, supervise the laborers, and calculate the food consumption. Coming from a small clan with limited financial resources, he often found himself wishing to split a coin into eight pieces. Fortunately, the officials overseeing the road construction did not resort to any dirty tricks and kept their initial promise not to add more workers to his construction site. With just this little support, he managed to keep the construction going.
As the drought persisted day by day, he could hear reports of more refugees entering the region and more bandits appearing. Chen Yue felt like he was walking on a tightrope, teetering on the edge of a precipice at any moment. However, this precarious balance remained unbroken. The rebels from You County, Qing County, and Yan County were always eradicated shortly after entering the region. The swarm of refugees, too numerous to count, was absorbed by the more complex construction projects.
But could a mere Ji County have such capabilities?
The anxiety never faded, but a quiet confidence also emerged. Chen Yue found himself increasingly curious about this land. If the road could really be completed and they survived this disastrous year, what would Ji County become?
Unbeknownst to him, Chen Yue had forgotten his initial plans. It seemed that this stretch of road had become his foundation and lifeline. For over half a year, every day was the same, until the winter rain arrived.
Rain was good, but the road under construction was more important than the next year’s spring planting. With completion on the horizon, they couldn’t afford any complications.
Hastening to the construction site, Chen Yue found it different from what he expected. Despite the continuous drizzle, there were still many laborers on the road. Most were wearing raincoats, pushing carts, and moving sand, busy and cheerful. Some were gathered outside makeshift sheds, each holding a wooden bowl and queuing up around a pot emitting a delicious aroma.
Was this the county sending meat? Every ten days, the county magistrate, Sun, would visit the construction site, bringing some game for the laborers as a gesture of goodwill. It was a small but effective kindness. With such a benevolent magistrate, the county’s administration remained stable even during a severe drought, and not a single peasant uprising occurred.
As the person in charge of the construction of the official road outside the county, Chen Yue was quite familiar with Magistrate Sun. However, it was surprising that the magistrate had come to the construction site, not even a full ten days after his last visit. Was he worried about unexpected changes due to the rainy weather?
Speculating in his mind, Chen Yue did not stop his steps and quickly found Magistrate Sun, who was surrounded by a group of clerks. Upon seeing Chen Yue, Magistrate Sun smiled and said, “Chen Lang, your timing is perfect. I was just thinking of sending someone to invite you.”
Chen Yue was somewhat surprised. “But is something wrong? Is there a shortage of funds or provisions?”
Magistrate Sun waved his hand. “Chen Lang, don’t worry. The road is being excellently constructed and will be completed in three days. Without your assistance, how could the road be built so smoothly? A few days ago, the provincial governor issued an order to commend the contributions of the virtuous individuals who donated. I didn’t dare to neglect it and ordered to engrave the achievements on stone. Today, I came to erect the monument.”
Monument? What monument? Chen Yue felt a mix of anxiety and confusion. Following Magistrate Sun a few steps, they arrived at the roadside. There stood a three-foot-tall short monument.
“Ten miles from here, Chen Yue donated and repaired. In the second year of Yuanqi, enduring a long drought, more than 1,200 lives were saved by this road.”
With just these two simple sentences, plain and unadorned, Chen Yue could no longer read the subsequent words. He felt a lump in his throat, his eyes stinging. Tears were about to fall. What was the purpose of taking on this stretch of road? Just to earn money and provisions. Despite half a year of hard work and facing constant anxieties, the significance of this road had already changed in his heart. However, a road was still a road. He never thought that the food used to build the road actually saved the laborers who toiled day and night, those tattered and impoverished souls.
Where did these people come from? They weren’t conscripts or drafted soldiers; they were just refugees. People who lost their homes, had no fields to cultivate and were wandering without a stable place to live. And he, by providing them with job opportunities, gave them shelter and sustenance. This was, in essence, saving lives.
He saved more than a thousand lives, all thanks to this road!
Months of hard work and months of worries, at this moment, all seemed to vanish. Chen Yue even felt that he had received the best reward. This monument would stand here permanently, visible to every passerby, showcasing his achievements. His name would be recorded in the county’s records, and perhaps, thousands of years later, someone would be able to trace his footsteps. Just a merchant, born in a humble family, what else could be more valuable than this?
Seeing Chen Yue so moved that he could hardly contain himself, Magistrate Sun added, “When this road is completed, within ten years, besides the post stations, only Chen Lang will be allowed to open a shop here. The provincial governor has also prepared some goods. Chen Lang can choose and purchase one, it’s said to be exclusively for sale for three years.”
What?! Chen Yue couldn’t care less about losing composure. Without wiping away his tears, he looked up suddenly. Leaving aside the right to open a shop, just the exclusive sales for three years represented a lucrative profit that was much more tempting than previously mentioned!
Magistrate Sun had already retracted his smiling face, folded his sleeves, and respectfully bowed to Chen Yue. “Thanks to Mr. Chen, the county was able to weather the disaster during the great calamity. I also want to express my gratitude to Mr. Chen.”
These were heartfelt words. Did the road construction only save refugees? Not exactly. Many of the items worn by the laborers, carried in their hands, and used in their homes were acquired through purchases from the local people. The circulation of these goods also provided the villagers with extra funds, allowing them to get through the disaster year. In a year of great calamity, with no signs of chaos among the people, such achievements were dazzling! And all of this came from Chen Yue taking on the responsibility of building the road. If he had left halfway, could he have endured it on his own? Probably not.
Therefore, this bow was sincere and earnest.
Chen Yue was a commoner, how could he have seen the county chief bow to him? He quickly bowed in return. However, during this bow, he suddenly recalled a sentence he had learned from books in his early years.
“If one gives generously to the people and can aid the masses, what is it called? It can be called benevolence.” “What is the essence of benevolence? It must be close to being sage!”
Back when Zigong conversed with Confucius, he couldn’t comprehend it. But today, with just one road, he had saved a thousand lives. What about the hundreds of roads in Ji County and the labor of tens of thousands of workers? What kind of extraordinary feat was that? To provide relief to the masses during a great disaster, was this not the true behavior of a sage?!
Perhaps coming to Ji County was the most correct choice in his life. His family, his relatives, should also move to this place. If they could settle down by the official road he built, that would be the best!
※
After the thunderstorm on that day, Jinyang experienced three days of heavy rain in succession. The long-parched land received thorough nourishment, making the incense at the Huai’en Temple flourish even more.
However, some people still chose not to enter the temple to worship Buddha. Sitting in the narrow official residence, Xie Kun reclined on a couch, leisurely playing with his toddler son in a cradle.
“Brother, you’ve come to carry Shang’er out again. Aren’t you afraid Sister-in-law will blame you?” Walking into the room, Xie Pou saw this scene and teasingly remarked.
“I just played a tune, and Shang’er danced in response!” Xie Kun laughed triumphantly. Shang’er was his young son, born just last year, named Xie Shang. This clever and lovable child had already shown signs of agility at just one year old, earning the affection of Xie Kun.
Xie Pou couldn’t help but chuckle, “Jinyang is blessed with timely rainfall, and everyone is rushing to the temple to pay their respects. Only you would take a break and hide at home.”
“This is not taking a break.” Xie Kun pinched his son’s cheek and continued, “If everyone goes to Huai’en Temple, Lord Liang might not be pleased.”
With just this statement, Xie Pou discerned the underlying message. Lord Liang, known for his belief in Buddhism, was well-known. However, among the officials in Jinyang, many were aware that Lord Liang actually placed more emphasis on Confucianism. While he could believe in Buddhism and cultivate Dao, when it came to governing, he needed political achievements. As long as one could fulfill their duties competently, Lord Liang didn’t care about personal beliefs.
It was precisely because of this that Xie Kun continued his previous hobby of studying Huang-Lao Daoism and occasionally engaged in philosophical discussions during leisure. There was no intention of approaching the idea of converting to Buddhism. Whether it was Daoism or philosophical discussions, they were quite different from the past when he served under Wang Yan. Hobbies were hobbies, but governing and performing official duties were his primary responsibilities.
After honing his skills in Yueping for two years and experiencing a severe drought, he was finally promoted to the position of Jinyang Prefect. Come next spring, he would take office immediately. This was not something that the Internal Historian of Yueping could compare to. Gao Hong, who had once served as Jinyang Prefect, was now the Administrator of Wei Commandery. With Lord Liang’s territory expanding, there was a possibility of further promotion.
This position as Jinyang Prefect was an assignment that Xie Kun had eagerly sought but the thought was unattainable!
Precisely because of this unexpected promotion, Xie Kun became even more cautious in his actions.
Understanding his older brother’s temperament well, Xie Pou sighed, “Unfortunately, the new inspectors for Yu County and Yan County have changed. Some even said that Chi Zhong, Prefect Chi, and Administrator Gao could have been promoted to inspectors.”
Sun Li, the former Assistant Official, had already become the Administrator of Ji County. Stirring up trouble with trusted aides like Chi Zhong and Gao Hong was just a matter of time. Unexpectedly, the court acted swiftly, rapidly replacing the inspectors. The monumental achievement of annihilating Shi Le became an item up for grabs. Such actions naturally provoked discontent among some individuals.
Xie Kun didn’t care at all, saying, “Lord Liang has his reasons for not contending. As long as the sweet rain falls, who cares about a mere Inspector?”
Although the words sounded somewhat arrogant, they held a profound truth. When the Huai’en Temple prayed for rain, it received a downpour. Could even the Emperor in Yang County achieve such a feat? Just this one rain changed hearts.
The position of Inspector was no longer as significant.
“Brother…” Hearing his elder brother speak so openly, Xie Pou was somewhat speechless.
“You should think about yourself. The Qiuxian Academy is not a place to stay for long.” Xie Kun suddenly changed the subject, “Learn from Wen Taizhen or Zu Fuchen. Only holding an official position is fundamental.”
Wen Qiao had already entered the Inspector’s office, becoming Chi Jian’s deputy, and Zu Taizhi had taken up the role of Army Adviser in the Ministry of Works, holding a crucial position in the Six Offices. Both individuals were of a similar age to Xie Pou but held high and influential positions, making others envy them.
In Bing County, nurturing ambitions was not easy; holding an official position was the right path.
Xie Pou was momentarily stunned but immediately nodded solemnly. As a member of the Xie family, he should shoulder the responsibility.
Seeing his younger brother nod, Xie Kun smiled slightly, no longer discussing these official matters, and started playing with his son again. Xie Pou shook his head wryly and joined in the fun.
Outside the window, the sound of rain gradually subsided, blending into the wind.
Author’s note:
Xie Shang is Xie An’s cousin and one of the foundational figures in the rise of the Xie family in the Eastern Jin Dynasty.
Tian Yuqing: The development of the Chen clan in Chen Commandery during the Eastern Jin Dynasty is represented by three figures: Xie Kun, Xie Shang, and Xie An. Xie Kun rose as a scholar of metaphysics, Xie Shang established practical strength, and Xie An achieved numerous accomplishments in both internal and external affairs.
