ushernet Chapter 173 So that’s it
Chapter 173 So that’s it
"Your subordinate greets Your Majesty. I had previously heard reports from below that only General Zhao Yun was present. I did not expect Your Majesty to have come as well."
At the governor's mansion, Tian Feng met Chen Er and Zhao Yun. The moment he saw Chen Er, Tian Feng was helpless. His lord had actually come secretly. If it weren't for his confidence in himself...
Tian Feng almost thought that he or someone under him had made some mistake or done something so serious that Chen Er had come on an incognito visit.
“Yuan Hao, don’t worry, I’m not here to cause you trouble. I just have important business to attend to and am passing through Jizhou City, so I thought I’d stop by to see Governor Tian, who doesn’t even go home for the New Year, and take a rest.” Chen Er said to Tian Feng.
Yuan Hao was Tian Feng's pseudonym.
"My lord, you flatter me. I simply found the journey too long, and my wife and children came to Jizhou to spend the New Year with me, so I didn't return to Yuyang."
Tian Feng casually said to Chen Er, who had been friends with Tian Feng and the others for several years. Although they were nominally in a superior-subordinate relationship, their private friendship was very good.
Everyone could see the qualities of a benevolent ruler in Chen Er. Although no one knew how long Chen Er could maintain this character, they were still enjoying the relationship between ruler and subject for the time being.
“Yuanhao, you’re always like this. From now on, let your sister-in-law stay in Jizhou City to take care of you. But it would be best if you could find a suitable successor as soon as possible. You know, the future belongs to the young. We can’t always have the energy to handle everything like we do now,” Chen Er said to Tian Feng.
Tian Feng nodded and said to Chen Er, "What you say, my lord, resonates deeply with me. After all, a government needs a reserve of talented people to function smoothly."
All the local officials, both high and low, were influenced by Chen Er's advanced ideas. If they couldn't keep up with Chen Er's thinking, they would be considered relatively backward within the local system and would find it difficult to climb to higher positions.
"My lord, what brings you south? Has something changed in the south?" Tian Feng asked Chen Er. After Yuan Shu's death, there was no force that could truly threaten the safety of the region. What could have happened in the south that required Chen Er to personally travel south?
"This matter is not exactly a secret. The main reason I went south this time was because Liu Bei, the governor of Ba Commandery, invited me to a meeting. I've been thinking lately that I don't have anything to do, so I might as well take this opportunity to go south and inspect the situation in my local areas."
Chen Er blurted out to Tian Feng, but he didn't give any more specific details. After all, it was inconvenient to tell others about the Chosen Ones. Moreover, if Tian Feng and the others knew that there were other so-called divinely aided beings, would they still support him as they did now? This was also something Chen Er was considering.
Chen Er would keep the matter of the Chosen One to himself and would not tell anyone.
"I see." Tian Feng knew what kind of person Chen Er was, and he understood that Chen Er had told him everything he could. So Tian Feng didn't ask any further questions and changed the subject. He stood up and said to Chen Er, "My lord, I have some things I would like to discuss with you regarding the construction of the school."
"Yuan Hao, just say what you have to say."
“My lord, the schools in Ji Province are being built very quickly, and the normal school you mentioned is also under preparation. However, I believe that the construction of schools cannot rely entirely on the government, because our financial situation simply cannot support the construction and daily expenses of all schools in the entire province or even the whole region.”
"So what's your opinion?" Hearing Tian Feng's words, Chen Er knew that he was indeed talking about the timing and situation. When the new policy was implemented, education was indeed not considered to be a continuous investment process. Later, after Chen Er realized this, he did not immediately point out the problem because he wanted to see how his subordinates would handle it.
Tian Feng replied, "I believe we can get private funds to build the school, and even cover its daily expenses." "Would they be willing to provide private funding?" Chen Er asked.
"My lord, if you ask what in this world would most willingly make merchants and landlords take out their money to help others, I believe the most likely answer is education," Tian Feng said confidently to Chen Er.
Upon hearing Tian Feng's words, Chen Er immediately realized that sponsoring education was a prestigious thing to do, especially since Confucianism was still prevalent in this era.
Moreover, Chen Er has gradually popularized the system of examinations to select talents in the local area, so education has become an even more important matter. Those merchants and landlords probably also want their children to learn more knowledge, pass the exams, and become so-called superior people.
"Yuan Hao's suggestion is feasible." Chen Er nodded and said, "However, I still need to go south now. You should draft a document about this matter and send it back to Yuyang for Wen Ruo and the others to discuss and proceed with. But there is one thing to note: what we need to do is not to make it mandatory, but to promote it. If this matter has to be made mandatory, then we will lose the original meaning of doing it."
"My subordinate understands."
Chen Er only stayed in Jizhou City for one night, and did not reveal his whereabouts to anyone else. After talking with Tian Feng all night, Chen Er bid farewell to Tian Feng early the next morning and continued his journey south with Zhao Yun.
"May your lord have a safe journey!"
After seeing Chen Er off, Tian Feng addressed his attendants, "The lord's whereabouts must be kept secret. At least for the next month, no one should discuss it casually. Understand?"
"Yes, my lord."
Tian Feng understood Chen Er's purpose in secretly heading south. He didn't want to ruin Chen Er's plan, as he also wanted to see if the local area had achieved the expected results under their governance.
However, popularizing education would also greatly benefit the Kong family, so the two sides had a great deal of common interest in this regard, which is why Kong Rong agreed to temporarily take over the position of governor.
However, in reality, the governance of Qingzhou has always been the responsibility of Deputy Leader Deng Ting. However, since Deng Ting is relatively unknown and lacks experience, he has been serving as Deputy Leader in Qingzhou, which is also a form of training.
Once Chen Er and the Kong family's affairs have progressed further, or once Deng Ting has achieved some significant political accomplishments, Kong Rong will have to step down and yield the position to a more capable person.
However, Deng Ting will continue to hone her skills in her deputy position.