Thank you to Nora7 for the ko-fi~ ♡⸜(˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶)⸝♡
Summer is scorching, the cicadas’ chorus fills the ears. Liu Jian strolled through the corridor, heading towards the inner chamber. After the establishment of the Great Zhao, following the traditions of the previous dynasty, national history and calendar were separated. The Grand Historian was in charge of history, and the Qintian Observatory managed the calendar. His position as the Qintian Observatory’s astronomical official held a fifth-rank title, not inferior to the historiographers.
Moreover, His Majesty placed great importance on the affairs within the observatory.
Stepping into the courtyard, a high platform came into view. Resembling the clock tower in front of the Taiji Hall, this wooden platform had an armillary sphere at the top for astronomical calculations; below was an armillary instrument for demonstration. One dynamic, the other static, resembling the universe. On the side of the platform, there was also a cylindrical auxiliary tower, towering high and still under construction.
This was the astronomical observatory commissioned by the emperor. Similar to a thousand-mile telescope but a hundred times larger in scale. Once completed, it could observe the mysteries of the world from a distance of thousands of miles. For this novel device, not only did the Ministry of Works exhaust its efforts, but the Qintian Observatory also dispatched numerous personnel. When it was finally calibrated, it would unveil the secrets of the heavens!
However, the observatory wasn’t his purpose for coming today. Passing by the platform, he reached the buildings on the west side of the small courtyard, pushing open one of the doors. A sour smell immediately wafted in.
Covering his nose with his sleeve, Liu Jian frowned, “Zi Le, have you not left the house for several days?”
In the scorching heat, there was no ice basin in the room and no maidservant fanning. Without bathing for days, the smell was imaginable. Yet, the man sitting at the desk paid no attention, his clothes disheveled, his hair messy, and some rice grains stuck to his beard. If seen by court officials, he might be accused of neglecting his appearance.
Seeing that the other party completely ignored his suggestion, Liu Jian sighed, stepped into the room, opened the windows one by one, gathered the scattered papers, and placed them in front of the man. He said, “Zi Le, it’s time to take a break.”
At this moment, Li Xin noticed the presence of another person in the room. Annoyed, he scratched his messy hair with a pen holder, saying casually, “I’m just about to reach a crucial point. Give it another two days!”
“Today is Ding Si’s first day.” Liu Jian remained composed and threw out a sentence.
Li Xin paused, then suddenly stood up, “Has the solar eclipse happened? What time is it now? Is the observatory ready?”
A rapid succession of questions, and Liu Jian answered unhurriedly, “No hurry, it’s not yet Shen hour. The observatory is still being calibrated, but even when completed, it can’t directly observe the sun.”
Li Xin carefully calculated the timing of the solar eclipses that would occur in the next two years. This time, on the Ding Si day of the sixth month, it would happen at the Shen Zheng moment. The deviation wouldn’t exceed half an hour. As a calculator, Li Xin naturally wanted to see if the results were accurate, especially with the construction of the observatory, which heightened his anticipation.
Upon hearing Liu Jian’s response, he became irritated, “If not now, when else would we have the chance? The Ministry of Works is full of useless people!”
This reaction was not unexpected. Liu Jian brushed away the dust on the couch with his sleeve and sat down, saying, “In any case, it’s not usable anymore. Sit first; I have something to discuss with you.”
Li Xin snorted, “It’s not another request for me to assist in teaching, is it? Too many fools around, wasting time!”
Li Xin disliked teaching and was even more annoyed when someone disturbed his research. However, Liu Jian had been tutoring students since his time in the Liang mansion and continued to have teaching assistants by his side even after becoming the astronomical official. Thus, the matter of teaching assistants had been a subject of disagreement between the two for some time, with no resolution yet.
Liu Jian, indifferent to his attitude, directly asked, “Senior Brother, do you know how much bonus the Qintian Observatory received last year?”
“Huh?” Li Xin was a bit puzzled, “Wasn’t it twenty taels?”
Currently, the salaries of officials in the capital consist of half rice and half money. Officials like Liu Jian, holding a fifth-rank position, receive a monthly salary of three guan in addition to their official rice stipend and land allocation. Although the Kai Ming Tongbao is currently stable, after a year, it amounts to only thirty-six guan. However, Li Xin’s bonus is a substantial twenty guan! If those officials in the clean-water yamen heard about it, their eyes might turn red.
Liu Jian corrected him, “Twenty guan is what you received. Last year, the Qintian Observatory received a total of one hundred and thirty guan, with everyone in the observatory sharing the profits. This amount is probably unprecedented, even in the six ministries. Do you know where this money comes from?”
“Emperor’s almanac?” Li Xin, being part of the Qintian Observatory, had at least heard a bit about the origin of the bonus.
“That’s right. Last year, three percent of the proceeds from the printing of the imperial almanac were given by the emperor to the Qintian Observatory, leading to the bonus. The imperial almanac is printed every year, and the number of copies might increase in the coming years. Just this alone is enough to ensure a worry-free life for all officials in the observatory, allowing them to focus on their calculations.”
Liu Jian spoke earnestly.
Most officials in the Qintian Observatory were obsessed with studying, spending their days immersed in calculations without many opportunities to make money. They relied on their salaries to get by. However, with this bonus from the imperial almanac, everything changed. As the number of recovered territories increased, more people would buy the imperial almanac. Over time, with just the bonus, the officials would have enough to live comfortably without any worries.
Li Xin, extremely sharp when it came to numbers, wasn’t particularly obsessed with money. He furrowed his brows, “So what? Even without the bonus, wouldn’t the imperial almanac still need calculations?”
“Zi Le, have you ever considered anything other than the imperial almanac?” Liu Jian asked in response. “Not just the Qintian Observatory, but if the Ministry of Works, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Imperial Medical Bureau contribute to the well-being of the people and publish books for the public, they too can receive commendations. In which era has there been such benevolent governance? The emperor values craftsmanship, for us, it’s an opportunity that comes once in a millennium! However, individual efforts have their limits…”
Picking up a piece of paper from the table and giving it a gentle shake, Liu Jian sighed, “Just like your fascination with celestial measurements these past two years. Even if you can improve the celestial coordinate board and create a sextant, wouldn’t you still need people to measure the data from various places? If you had a few more assistants, wouldn’t it be much more efficient?”
“People in this world are mostly foolish; having them around is always a hindrance…” Li Xin couldn’t help muttering. He had used assistants before, but they were all clumsy, not even matching up to his junior brother, let alone his mentor Liu Hui, who was in a league of his own.
“When was that?” Liu Jian expressed some frustration, “Back then, we were just kids, and even when we went to Qiuzhi Academy, we only recruited a few students. But now it’s different; the imperial examinations are held twice a year, and in subjects like arithmetic and mathematical sciences, there are often two or three dozen who pass! If we choose from these people, we can surely find talented individuals! Senior Brother, they all grew up studying ‘The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art.’ In theory, they should be considered our peers. If we can recruit more into the Qintian Observatory, not only will it help with our current workload, but passing on our knowledge would be a great accomplishment. Should we let the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works take them all away?”
Scholars who excel in the Ming arithmetic subject are highly sought after. Not to mention the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works, even the counties below are recruiting them to handle administrative accounts. Nowadays, the format of account books has changed, and if mistakes are found by higher authorities, no one can afford the consequences. Therefore, acquiring talents for the Qintian Observatory requires some competition.
This statement finally touched a nerve with Li Xin, who hesitated for a moment, “Then, can I choose two to try?”
A smile appeared on Liu Jian’s face, “As long as Zi Le has the intention, there’s nothing to worry about!”
The Qintian Observatory is a prestigious place, where one can immerse themselves in calculations and have access to powerful tools like the observatory. With a well-padded wallet, what’s there to fear about the lack of teaching assistants? Borrowing them from Qiuzhi Academy is a simple matter. Liu Jian decided to draft a memorial, confident that it would be approved by the emperor!
Seeing that Li Xin still seemed somewhat reluctant, Liu Jian smiled slightly and took out a telescope from his sleeve, “Even without the observatory, this can still be used. Let’s set up a paper wall in the courtyard, reflect the sunlight with white paper, and observe it closely with the telescope. It shouldn’t hurt your eyes.”
Li Xin was delighted and immediately stood up, “What are we waiting for then?”
His sleeve was tugged, causing him to stagger in his steps. However, Liu Jian’s smile remained unchanged. His junior brother was the most dedicated person he knew. Without marriage or children, if he didn’t find a few students, how could he pass down his lifetime of knowledge? Liu Jian couldn’t assist with that, but leaving a mark for the name “Li Xin” in the annals of history was something worth attempting.
Side by side, the two hurriedly left the room.
The next day.
“Your Majesty, there was an unusual phenomenon in the sky yesterday. I believe it is a sign from heaven condemning the wicked thieves pretending to be Han. Since April, there has been a locust plague in Yong County again, and the Xiongnu are acting recklessly, encroaching on our territory and harming our people. It is a sign that the heavens are not pleased!” The Grand Military Commissioner, Linghu Sheng, spoke as soon as the court session began.
Of course, this was a pre-arranged script, and the preparations for the Western Expedition had been in progress for a long time within the country. They just didn’t expect even the locust plague to come to their aid.
Li Xin nodded slightly, “What you said is indeed true. The Han residing in Yong and Qin is indeed a hidden threat. Now, with the signs from the heavens, we should lead our troops to conquer and pacify Yong and Qin!”
The spirits of the people in the court were invigorated. This meant a comprehensive offensive against the Xiongnu! Once the Xiongnu were subdued, Great Zhao would only have one enemy remaining to the south. Unifying the entire realm seemed imminent!
Sweeping his gaze over the courtiers, Emperor Liang Feng’s lips curled slightly, “General Yi, I command you to lead fifty thousand troops to march against the Xiongnu!”
When the Han attacked before the establishment of Great Zhao, it took sixty thousand troops to confront them. Now, in the war to annihilate a country, only fifty thousand troops were dispatched. Wasn’t this too overconfident?
However, General Yiyan remained impassive, stepping forward, “I obey the command! I will not return to the court until the Xiongnu are defeated!”
“I await good news!”
Their gazes met, a blend of solemnity and sharpness, yet both radiating a fearless spirit.
Without Liu Yuan, without Liu Cong, without Liu Yao, without Shi Le and Wang Mi, what was left of the Xiongnu now? It was time to make those marauders who had once disrupted the entire realm pay the price!
On that day, the grand army pledged allegiance in the royal capital. Three days later, the forces mobilized, heading towards Tong Pass.
