Chapter 397: Vanguard

Chapter 397: Pioneer of the Path

Quan Shan Cheng, the Xuan Ai Si Mansion.

Xu Zhun stepped over the towering threshold, passing the drum with amplification function, the red glow from the "Silence" and "Avoidance" signs on both sides swept past him, confirming his identity, the embroidered and brocaded armed lion slowly lowered its head.

Inside the main hall, Yang Bai Ze in a blue long robe had been waiting here.

"Xu Lao, how is the matter going?"

Xu Zhun bowed and said, "Return to the master, as of today, Quan Shan Cheng has opened four Confucian temples, recruited six thousand students, the teaching staff, food and lodging subsidies, teaching equipment, etc., are all in place, and the educational work has gradually moved onto the right track."

"Have the teachers' identities been checked?"

"You can rest assured, I personally oversaw this, all those with gentry backgrounds have been driven out by the subordinate. The ones hired are some with clean backgrounds, experienced low-level clerks."

Yang Bai Ze nodded very satisfied, "These people, though sour and unable to endure, reading dead books, old scholars. But only they dare to leave their homeland at this time, from the imperial mainland to the Wo region to teach. So on the issue of treatment, we must satisfy their requirements as much as possible, never be stingy with those few melons and vegetables."

"Understood. All their salaries and benefits are at least twice that of the mainland, and they are very satisfied with this."

"That's good."

Yang Bai Ze continued to ask, "How is the progress of the private schools for enlightenment?"

"The recruitment work is progressing smoothly, the cooperation of the people in the city is very high, we don't need to promote much, they will send their children to enroll on their own."

Xu Zhun with a slight smile, "Now in Quan Shan Cheng, the popularity of the imperial Han names has exceeded fifty percent, and currently major enterprises are cooperating with us to simultaneously implement Han name registration, plus the 'Ming Yu' education laid by the empire before. I believe within ten years, most of the Wo people will forget their original surnames, only remembering the Han names we gave them."

"What about the labor export aspect?"

This is the last move of Yang Bai Ze's new policies three-pronged approach.

Xu Zhun had already prepared in his mind, answering fluently, "This month, we have exported five thousand young and strong men to the imperial Chongqing Prefecture, compared to last month, the increase is gratifying. However, Pei Gong has sent a message asking us to find some new prefectures, not to send all to him, as Chongqing Prefecture doesn't need so many laborers."

"Where else can we send if not to Chongqing Prefecture? Others are not my teachers. We don't need to worry about this; I believe with the teacher's means, there will be a way."

Yang Bai Ze didn't think at all about how Pei Xing Jian would place so many new young and strong men, but he knew his teacher would definitely handle this.

"Are there any problems in terms of funding?"

"This is our most prominent shortcoming. Although we have taken over all the industries of the Heng Shi Group and Hei Long Capital in Quan Shan Cheng, they didn't leave much in Quan Shan Cheng, and some truly profitable gray industries we can't continue. Relying solely on the legitimate income, compared to current expenditures, it's still a bit tight."

Xu Zhun's face straightened, "With the treasure notes we have now, we can only last a month. When the time comes, if there's no other funding source, we'll have to sell off the assets under the Xuan Ai Si name."

"Sell if you must, don't have any psychological burden, after all, it's a bargain we picked up, losing it won't hurt."

Yang Bai Ze didn't care, "If all are sold, how long can it be maintained?"

"Under someone's takeover, it won't exceed half a year."

"Enough."

Yang Bai Ze shook his large sleeves, tone resolute, "Even within half a year, the situation in the Wo region will settle. By then, money won't be a problem."

Xu Zhun's white-haired eyebrows twitched, though he didn't know why Yang Bai Ze was so confident, he didn't ask.

"So, under the premise of not considering funding sustainability, our new policies in Quan Shan Cheng can be said to be implemented very smoothly."

Yang Bai Ze turned around with his hands behind his back, looking up at the flowing Qinghai red sun pattern behind the main hall.

The waves surge, the red sun rises and falls.

"How are the other major cities progressing?"

"They are also progressing, but they are taking a conservative attitude, far behind us in intensity. Even the core city of the Wo region, Kyoto, has only opened two Confucian temples, and the number of students enrolled is not even half of ours."

Xu Zhun hesitated, "It's clear that these people are still watching from the wall, and we are still the most noticeable bird that stands out."

"Let them watch from the side!"

Yang Bai Ze, between glances, revealed his sharpness, "Moreover, we are not just a bird that stands out, but pioneers who resist the tide and break through the mountains!"

Xu Zhun neither agreed nor disagreed with Yang Bai Ze's spirited words, but instead asked, "I heard that the Wo region's Xuan Ai Shi Li Bu Feng Li Daren summoned you in the Huangliang dream?"

"Indeed." Yang Bai Ze didn't choose to hide, answering candidly.

"What did Li Daren order?"

Yang Bai Ze said calmly, "He also told us to slow down our pace, not to be too eager for quick results."

"Li Daren is reminding you. A tree that stands out in the forest will be shaken by the wind; if we always lead by a wide margin, the possibility of being attacked from both sides is not small. Those people won't wait so obediently for us to take the biggest credit. We can't just focus on the front, not guarding our backs."

Xu Zhun's words were true; having floated and sunk in the imperial court for half his life, he had never seen the beautiful scenery above the sea, but the undercurrents that could devour bones below had experienced too much.

The character 'official' has two mouths, one must be able to speak eloquent words, the other must swallow bitter grievances.

It's not enough to just eat 'credit'; the key is to learn how to share, leaving some food for others.

Eating alone is a great taboo in officialdom.

Yang Bai Ze is an unyielding young talent, with a clear and firm bone structure, which is not a big problem, but if both mouths are tightly bitten, he won't be well-received.

Pei Xing Jian was the same when he was young, doing things with thunderous and swift force, his official position rising rapidly, and even his sequence advanced quickly.

However, others may not know, but as someone who has followed Pei Xing Jian all his life, Xu Zhun is very clear; the hardships Pei Xing Jian has endured are far more than the merits he has received.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have been driven from the imperial court to the capital Nanjing, then fallen to the Chengdu Prefecture, which others consider a chicken rib, to receive cold looks under the eaves of the Daoist temple.

"I know your concerns, Xu Lao, but our situation is different from theirs. Our backs don't have high-ranking officials as support; if we look back and forth because of worrying about being attacked from both sides, we might not even get a bowl of soup in the end."

Yang Bai Ze's heroic face was covered with a threatening killing intent, "If they are truly shameless and dare to draw their swords behind us, then we'll take care of them all together!"

Seeing his resolute attitude, Xu Zhun's lips twitched slightly, but he remained silent for a long time.

"You can rest assured, I'm not a fool."

Yang Bai Ze turned around, looking at the old man still with worry in his brows, and smiled, "If it's not the last moment, I also don't want to pluck the gentry's whiskers. You don't need to worry too much; this time is the last move before the old prime minister retires, he has been watching, these gentry should have some restraint, not too arrogant."

"You still don't understand these gentry."

Xu Zhun shook his head, "Those people have despicable means, no bottom line; I'm worried that they smile on the surface, but behind the scenes use some despicable methods."

Yang Bai Ze didn't care at all, laughed loudly, "You always worry they will send someone to kill me?"

"It's not impossible. This is the Wo region, where examples of imperial officials being killed are common, and it's easy to find a hawk or Wo bandit to take the blame. Moreover, your..."

Xu Zhun looked like he wanted to speak but stopped, after holding back for a long time, sighed, "A gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall."

Yang Bai Ze understood in his heart, calmly said, "A gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall because he has no power to hold a chicken, can't support the wall that's about to collapse. My sequence grade is not high, but we are not isolated in Quan Shan Cheng."