PFC Chapter 267 Ying Wuyou visits Li Shiqi 3
Chapter 267 Ying Wuyou visits Li Shiqi 3
At this moment, Li Shiqi felt as if his mind was a tangled mess, with all sorts of thoughts rushing in, leaving him bewildered and completely at a loss as to how to deal with the situation before him. Those once unwavering beliefs and convictions suddenly seemed to have lost their solid foundation, teetering on the brink of collapse, appearing so precarious.
At that moment, Ying Wuyou did not give Li Shiqi much time to ponder. She looked directly at Li Shiqi with bright eyes and said earnestly, "The world belongs to all people! Only when everyone works together, for the common people, and for our great China, can we strive and forge ahead. Even if each person can only contribute their insignificant share, little by little, it may be enough to allow the people to live a peaceful life for even just one day."
Ignoring Li Shiqi's changing expression, Ying Wuyou continued, "Sir, you clearly possess extraordinary talent and lofty ambitions, so why do you waste your time here? Do you think that serving in the court will allow you to do everything for my father, to help Qin exploit the people? That's not true. Only with a certain position can wealth truly be used for the benefit of the people."
Upon hearing this, Li Shiqi was deeply shaken. He was especially struck by the word "Huaxia" uttered by Ying Wuyou. Ying Wuyou hadn't mentioned "Great Qin," but instead used "Huaxia" to refer to this vast land. What did this mean? Did Ying Wuyou's ambitions transcend the simple struggle between the six states, and that he viewed the entire Central Plains as a unified whole, yearning for a grand blueprint of unifying the world?
When Li Shiqi imagined the magnificent future where the world was unified, with no more distinctions between the states of Chu, Qin, and Qi, and only the Chinese nation standing proudly in the world; and the scene where everyone was no longer cattle or horses to be driven at will by the monarch, but genuinely working hard for the well-being of the people, he felt his heart surge with emotion and could hardly contain himself.
With a smile, Ying Wuyou continued, “Leaving aside other matters for now, I presume you have already moved into the heated kang I invented? You see, if this heated kang had only been created by an old farmer in the countryside, even though it has many wonderful features and practical uses, how could the common people of the world have enjoyed such a warm and cold-resistant heated kang without the full support and widespread promotion of the imperial court?”
Li Shiqi nodded slightly in agreement. He understood this principle well: even if ordinary people possessed a thousand ingenious ideas and countless fine things, without the active advocacy and powerful promotion of the court, it would all be in vain. However, on the other hand, if rulers in high positions could truly care for the people and wholeheartedly work for their well-being, then the lives of the people would undoubtedly improve day by day and become increasingly better.
Just then, Li Shiqi suddenly recalled Princess Jiayang's actions in recent years. Whether it was the highly praised heated kang bed, the curved plow that greatly improved agricultural productivity, or the water mill and stone mill that brought convenience to people's daily lives, all of them truly benefited the people! Thinking of this, Li Shiqi couldn't help but feel respect for Princess Jiayang.
Li Shiqi always considered himself a man of great learning and talent, yet he remained unrecognized. Deep down, he yearned for a discerning eye to recognize his abilities and rescue him from this abyss of obscurity. Ideally, this person would be an enlightened ruler; if he were fortunate enough to find such a person, he would be utterly devoted and loyal to the death. However, as he truly began to ponder this question, a doubt arose in his mind—was his yearning for a wise ruler truly for his own benefit, or for the sake of all people?
After a profound self-analysis, Li Shiqi had to admit that if it were simply for his own benefit, why bother following a wise ruler? After all, following a wise ruler might lead to lasting fame, but conversely, would following a tyrant necessarily result in eternal infamy? In fact, history is full of good officials who remained honest and upright and spoke out for the people even under tyrannical rule! Thinking of this, Li Shiqi fell into deep thought.
Just now, Ying Wuyou's words were like a lightning bolt piercing the night sky, instantly illuminating the fog in Li Shiqi's mind. He suddenly realized that he had been stuck in a rut, and that his thinking had been completely wrong all along. Reflecting on his mediocre life over the years, Li Shiqi felt deeply ashamed, feeling that he had truly failed the teachings and expectations of his predecessors.
At this moment, Li Shiqi's expression became unusually serious. He stared firmly at Ying Wuyou before him and said sincerely, "What the princess says is absolutely right. I was indeed confused before and thought too narrowly. Thanks to the princess's guidance, I have finally come to my senses. I am truly ashamed that I have accomplished nothing over the years."
After a slight pause, he continued, "Your words today have been a great enlightenment to me. From this day forward, I am willing to serve you with utmost loyalty and wholeheartedly assist you in achieving your great cause." With that, Li Shiqi bowed deeply to Ying Wuyou to express his determination and respect.
Ying Wuyou smiled warmly and gently helped Li Shiqi up. Her bright, star-like eyes gazed at him as she spoke softly, “Sir, you are a benevolent and righteous man with a heart full of love for all people! Let’s not dwell on the past. I have already reported your situation to my father in detail. After careful consideration, he has decided to appoint you as a Censor-in-Chief. Firstly, you will assist the Grand Censor in monitoring the officials of the court, meticulously recording their words, deeds, merits, and demerits, and compiling them into historical records. Secondly, you will also participate in the detailed investigation of the geography, population, and resources of various counties and prefectures in our Great Qin.”
Upon hearing this, Li Shiqi's mouth gaped open in astonishment, almost big enough to fit an egg. He never imagined that the King of Qin would bestow such an official position upon him. Although the position of Imperial Censor might not sound like a high-ranking or powerful post, it actually wielded real power! Just the first task—supervising all officials—was something only the King's closest confidants were qualified to hold! Before this, he had merely been an insignificant official, yet the King of Qin valued him so much, bestowing upon him such an important position without hesitation. This was truly unbelievable to Li Shiqi.
Furthermore, there was the task of compiling information on the population, wealth, and geography of the Qin Empire. This work sounds challenging and arduous, but in reality, it was not only of great significance to ordinary people, but also crucial to their future career advancement.
Li Shiqi glanced at Ying Wuyou with deep gratitude, thinking to himself, "Without a doubt, all of this must have been due to Princess Jiayang speaking highly of me to the King. After all, I've been working diligently in Chenliu County for over a decade, and if it weren't for Princess Jiayang's recommendation, I probably still wouldn't have attracted the attention of the higher-ups." With this thought, Li Shiqi firmly believed that, no matter what, Princess Jiayang was undoubtedly the discerning mentor in his life. Therefore, he secretly resolved that, if given the opportunity in the future, he would do everything in his power to repay Princess Jiayang's kindness and recognition.
After a long while, Li Shiqi finally spoke slowly, saying, "I am deeply grateful for Your Majesty's high regard for me. I will do my utmost and will never fail in this mission!"
Upon hearing this, Ying Wuyou's face immediately lit up with a satisfied smile, and he replied, "Very well, since that's the case, then it's settled! In a few days, you will be able to take up your post." Afterwards, Li Shiqi and Ying Wuyou exchanged a few more words, and then Ying Wuyou took the initiative to express his intention to take his leave.
Finally, Ying Wuyou handed over the house deeds, land deeds, and other items to Li Shiqi, then left Li Shiqi's courtyard with a smile and light steps.
As soon as he stepped out of the courtyard, he was greeted by a blast of cold air, but at that moment Ying Wuyou felt exceptionally relaxed and happy.