Back to the Beginning of Ming to do Charity

Lin Yuan lacked talents, talents who were literate and flexible and could judge the current situation. Some of these people could be officials, some could be advisors, but Lin Yuan hoped that their desire for power would not exceed their own abilities.

Having been on the top for too long, when Lin Yuan looked at a person, he would measure the value of the person, what value could be created, what trouble they would bring, and whether the value was greater than the trouble.

But those he could see were all at the upper level. As for the middle and lower levels, that was the task of important officials, and the management of subordinates would also be counted in their political achievements.

Officials also need to be evaluated, but what was evaluated was their reputation among the common people. If the happiness index of the common people in a region was high, then it did not matter whether the official had outstanding political achievements. After all, major events that need to be resolved were not happening everywhere, and so using this alone to determine political performance was not comprehensive.

Towards this person, Yang Shaowei, Lin Yuan had paid some attention to before. After all, Song Shizhao was a domineering person. He looked amiable and approachable, but he was actually very shrewd and selfish. Even if he gave his disciples to Lin Yuan for use, he never told Lin Yuan who was good at what, whether they were excellent talents or possessed any flaws.

Lin Yuan didn't care about this little bit of scheming. Whether people had real talents and knowledge, it was all revealed through their handling of practical issues. Just basing it all on one mouth, even if Song Shizhao said it, Lin Yuan would not immediately believe it.

Only Yang Shaowei was the only disciple who was kept at Song Shizhao's side.

Judging from Song Shizhao's bad habits, Yang Shaowei must have his own outstanding qualities.

"Let him try." Lin Yuan put his chin on his hand and said to Chen Baisong, "It has been so long since any new officials have been appointed, and the people below are also anxious."

While they believe in the South Bodhisattva, they would also not abandon the pursuit of self-interest.

Chen Baisong's current thinking mode was still far away from Lin Yuan's, but he had learned to pretend to understand. When Lin Yuan asked him, he would answer the question clearly and logically. But after asking him again, he couldn't remember anything he had said previously.

This could also be counted as a kind of talent.

Lin Yuan even felt that Chen Baisong was doing this deliberately.

The people beside him were all old foxes like Song Shizhao.

Most of them were smart people.

Whereas people who were both loyal and simpleminded were rare.

"Look at what capability he has." Lin Yuan smiled.

The low shacks did not even have a yard. The roof tiles were almost all broken yet there was no tile picker hired to fix it. The countless years of weathering the wind and sunlight caused the house to look crude and rough. Although it could keep out the wind, it was difficult to keep out the rain. It was hard to imagine that an official who once had real power in the Tian Wan regime would willingly move from an exquisite mansion to this kind of residence.

When Yang Shaowei stood in front of this shack, he also sighed in his heart. That Sun Yunzhou really knew how to choose, and acted decisively. Once such a person insisted on something, it would be difficult for others to persuade him from it.

But was he, Yang Shaowei, just another fellow?

The corner of Yang Shaowei's mouth hooked up in a smile and he knocked on the door of the Sun family's house.

It was an old servant who opened the door. He had gray hair that was a little messy. Only after he informed him, did he take Yang Shaowei to see Sun Yunzhou.

Although this house was small, it was considered to have all the necessities. Yang Shaowei was taken to the study.

He wanted to spend the least amount of time to persuade Sun Yunzhou to surrender to the South Bodhisattva. It was too troublesome and took too long of a time to use methods, so it was better to have a face-to-face conversation with Sun Yunzhou.

If Sun Yunzhou persisted, it would not be too late for him to use other means.

Sun Yunzhou had never seen Yang Shaowei before, nor did he know who Yang Shaowei was.

But he knew that Yang Shaowei worked for the Southern King, and Yang Shaowei did not hide this when he introduced himself.

"Yang Gongzi." Sun Yunzhou was originally sitting in front of the desk with pen, ink, paper and inkstone placed out on it. His handwriting was very excellent, and he had a serious and solemn face with a goatee. He looked at Yang Shaowei without any expression on his facr. It seemed that he knew he would be found a long time ago. He said in a deep voice, "When Sun has finished writing this word, Sun will go with you."

Yang Shaowei was gentle and polite with him: "Where do you want to go, Lord Sun?"

Sun Yunzhou looked at him: "Can Sun actually pick a place myself?"

Towards these provocative words Yang Shaowei acted as if he hadn't heard anything. He smiled and said, "Why don't I be the host, and treat Lord Sun at the teahouse to enjoy some tea? I heard that the new Biluochun is very good, will Lord Sun give me this face." (TN: biluochun=a type of green tea grown in the Dongting Mountain region near Lake Tai)

Sun Yunzhou looked directly at Yang Shaowei, and did not make any concessions: "That is not necessary. I'm not of the same path as Yang Gongzi, so there is no need to travel together."

"Why do you say we are not of the same path?" Yang Shaowei, "Is it possible that Lord Sun just wants to stay in Hanyang and serve Xu Shouhui, an emperor in name only?"

Sun Yunzhou glanced at him: "Yang Gongzi is trying to provoke me?"

"Yang Gongzi, you can forget about using a psychological approach to get Sun to do as you wish. Sun has always had a clear conscience."

The expression on Yang Shaowei's face became solemn, and he said to Sun Yunzhou: "I was wrong to have taken Lord Sun lightly."

Sun Yunzhou was unmoved.

Yang Shaowei also said: "Lord Sun, what merit of Xu Shouhui allowed him to gain such a loyal minister like you? He has neither vision, the ability to judge people, nor the skill to govern others. If one day, he did rule the empire, how much better does Lord Sun think he will be when compared with the emperor of the Yuan Dynasty?"

It was not that Sun Yunzhou did not understand this truth, but understanding and doing were always two different things.

Sun Yunzhou: "If Yang Gongzi is here to talk to Sun about this, then you don't need to waste your breath anymore."

Yang Shaowei sneered and said, "Does Lord Sun think you are a rare loyal minister?"

Sun Yunzhou asked him back: "And what is Yang Gongzi's motive?"

To be an official, one always had something they were after. What Sun Yunzhou wanted was reputation and fame. No matter in front of outsiders or behind them, he must have a good reputation. Therefore, he never coveted things from the common people. To be an upright official, he only had a wife and did not even have a single close maid. There were no concubines, and no past of frequenting brothels. He wanted to make himself a perfect person.

Yang Shaowei smiled and said: "What I am after, I am afraid that it will be hard for Lord Sun to ever reach in your lifetime."

Sun Yunzhou was not angry: "Why don't Yang Gongzi tell Sun? Let Sun have an understanding?"

Yang Shaowei changed the topic: "Lord Sun was born in a famous family, unlike in myself, I was born in a small family. And with my birth, I was destined to be a poor scholar in the future. And who knew when I would be able to marry a wife and have children. When the world went up in chaos, what I thought at the time was where my next meal would be."

"I'm afraid Lord Sun had never worried about this. A family that can raise someone like Lord Sun, who wants to leave a mark in history despite barely passing middle age, must be a famous one. Is my guess correct?"

Sun Yunzhou: "So what? Yang Gongzi went out to be an official, for fame or profit?"

Yang Shaowei smiled and shook his head: "It is neither for fame nor profit."

Sun Yunzhou: "Not for fame or fortune, then I imagine it is to build up the manifestations of heaven and earth's spirit, to build up a good life for the populace?"

Yang Shaowei laughed: "Lord Sun, I am inferior to Zhang Zai (TN: Chinese philosopher and politician who wrote the above). How can I be compared with him? Does Lord Sun know what the outside world looks like now? And do you know why Hanyang has no power to stand against our army or any other enemy? And do you know how heart-stirring it is when the sky changes its master?!"

"Lord Sun, after sitting in the well and watching that single piece of sky for a long time, I really thought that the sky was only that big."

"The South Bodhisattva is intelligent and decisive, the people under his governance live and work in peace and contentment. He knows how to judge people and make good use of them, and those people who he uses he will use without suspicion. I am fortunate to have a mentor and teacher. I am not afraid of you laughing when I say this, but my teacher himself has said that he is jealous and petty, but the South Bodhisattva never treated him with suspicion."

Yang Shaowei: "If Lord Sun insists on opposing the South Bodhisattva, have you thought about the consequences?"

Sun Yunzhou: "Yang Gongzi doesn't need to persuade me anymore. Sun has made up my mind, and I won't change it in this life."

Yang Shaowei glanced at Sun Yunzhou: "Lord Sun, remember your words."

Sun Yunzhou: "Sun will never change."

Yang Shaowei left. After leaving the Sun family's house, he stood in front of the door and looked at the door without expression. He would make Sun Yunzhou regret and make Sun Yunzhou unable to raise his head high in his presence.

Since Sun Yunzhou didn't want to walk the easy path, then he shall wait, wait for Sun Yunzhou himself to beg him for a ladder.

Yang Shaowei smiled at the corner of his mouth and turned to leave.

When Sun Yunzhou discovered that the people's support he relied on was not on his side, Yang Shaowei's goal would be achieved.

"He really thinks he is some kind of virtuous official." Yang Shaowei cursed while drinking tea, "Your name going down in history? It truly cannot sound better than singing. Why don't you go to bed all day and night and see if it will happen in your daydreams!"

His servant asked in a low voice, "Does Gongzi have any countermeasures?"

Yang Shaowei: "If there is no countermeasure, what am I doing complaining to you?"

The servant breathed a sigh of relief. He knew that the gongzi had been unhappy these days.

After coming to Hanyang for so long, he was finally entrusted with an important task, but he also encountered a stubborn opponent. He didn't dare to provoke the gongzi again, and quickly said: "Gongzi, would you like to use some snacks?"

Yang Shaowei took a deep breath: "Serve it up, and when I'm full, I will settle accounts with him."

The servant hurriedly went out, leaving Yang Shaowei alone in the room.

After Yang Shaowei had eaten and drank his fill, he called over his people and discussed for a whole night. The several people fell asleep in the room with their clothes still on, and if anyone thought of something in the middle of the night, everyone was called up to continue the discussion.

The next day, the storytellers walked into the teahouses again as well as took to the streets.

The common people didn’t have much entertainment normally. If they could listen to some stories, then that was already a good pastime. The storyteller on the streets didn't ask for money, but if they were willing to give some rewards afterwards then wonderful, and even if they didn’t want to then there was nothing to it.

The common people liked to listen to the stories about the Three Kingdoms or Farewell My Concubine. The bigger the battles, the more beauties there were, the better.

But this time the storytellers were no longer telling these familiar stories.

They began to talk about Hanyang, the history of Hanyang, and the great people who had appeared in Hanyang, praising Hanyang's water and soil and the people it raised.

Then the tone changed and the storytellers began to criticize the Tian Wan regime.

But their criticism was very tactful. They criticized Tian Wan for deceiving the people, using the people, and then hurting the people.

The common people were very naive. Their way of thinking was almost a straight line. They felt that what the storyteller said at the beginning was right, and therefore what followed couldn't be wrong either. After thinking about it carefully, it seemed that after Xu Shouhui became the emperor, they were no better off than when they used to live under the Yuan Dynasty.

So Xu Shouhui became an incapable emperor, and his officials naturally became sycophantic and traitorous officials.

"I want to tell him a truth, there will never be any virtuous officials under an incapable emperor." Yang Shaowei stood by the windowsill, watching the common people on the streets surrounding the storyteller, and said with a smile, "If you are a virtuous official, how can you follow an incapable and ignorant monarch? What a laugh."

AN: Sun Yunzhou: "I'm just a bit too concerned about my face."