The scenery along the way didn't change much, but for some reason, after leaving Hedong Circuit and entering the Jingji Circuit, Fang Jie felt he had discovered something different in his senses. The capital, Chang'an, was the heart of the Sui Dynasty, and the Jingji Circuit was the ribs protecting that heart.
Of the twenty-four circuits of the Sui Dynasty, the governors-general of all circuits except the Jingji Circuit held the rank of second-grade officials. However, the governor-general of the Jingji Circuit was a first-grade official.
Perhaps in the minds of ordinary people, a first-grade official was simply a very high-ranking official. But this high-ranking official represented the emperor's trust. Since the founding of the Sui Dynasty, every governor-general of the Jingji Circuit had been someone the emperor highly valued and trusted without reservation. The Jingji Circuit protected the capital; how could the emperor entrust such a large region to someone he didn't trust?
Just like, in the heat of battle, how could soldiers dare to expose their backs to the enemy? Jingji Province was one of the smaller of the twenty-four provinces of the Sui Dynasty, yet its territory was still larger than that of the Eastern Chu Kingdom.
When Fang Jie and his party entered Jingji Province, the weather was already warm enough to make them yearn for the afternoon sun. Every time they passed a village and saw the elderly sitting peacefully by piles of firewood, chatting and basking in the sun, Fang Jie felt a pang of envy and nostalgia for his past life. The elderly, often more languid than the young, preferred to bask in the sun's warmth for longer periods.
Their conversations rarely touched on national affairs; they were often filled with reminiscences of their youth.
Looking at these elderly people, Fang Jie couldn't help but think that among these seemingly frail villagers, perhaps some were veterans who had survived countless battles, or perhaps some had once been incredibly wealthy. Their later years, though not prosperous, were peaceful.
The social system of the Sui Dynasty had gradually improved over the past century, and there were written regulations governing the care of the elderly. For example, elderly people over fifty years old received a monthly allowance of ten copper coins from the village head, while those over sixty received fifteen. They also received cotton-padded clothes and quilts every winter. If they lived to seventy, they received even more allowances and care; even the county magistrate would give way to those over seventy.
Especially during this reign, the emperor's concern for the elderly was particularly heartwarming. Therefore, Emperor Tianyou, Yang Yi, was hailed by the people as the most respectful and filial emperor of the Sui Dynasty in its hundred-year history.
There is a story, though its veracity is unknown, that is widely circulated among the people. It tells of when the emperor was still the fourth prince, on a southern inspection tour as an imperial envoy. When the procession crossed a stone bridge, an elderly man with a cane, perhaps tired from walking, sat down to rest in the middle of the bridge. Perhaps due to the warm afternoon sun, the old man fell asleep against the bridge.
The fourth prince, Yang Yi, stopped his men from waking the old man and shooing him away. He personally went over, took off his own cloak, and covered the old man with it. Fearing the old man would catch a cold, he specially had a cotton cushion removed from his carriage and placed under him, gently helping the old man to lie down. Then he sat down beside the old man and used a palm-leaf fan to keep away mosquitoes.
The accompanying officials and attendants were all deeply moved. They sat like this for about half an hour before the old man finally woke up. The Fourth Prince, Yang Yi, asked him his age, and the old man replied seventy-two. Yang Yi immediately gave the old man a large red envelope, saying it was a tribute from the court to those over seventy.
He used the word "tribute," not "favor."
After the old man woke up, Yang Yi helped him cross the bridge before the procession continued. Just when everyone thought this little incident was over, Yang Yi did something else that commanded respect. He ordered his men to find out where the old man lived, then arrested his son, daughter-in-law, grandson, and granddaughter-in-law—a whole host of people—and publicly berated them in front of the entire village.
To let a man in his seventies go out alone, without anyone to help him, is unfilial, especially since… the old man planned to walk several miles to town to buy the osmanthus cakes he wanted, and none of his dozen or so family members offered to help him. This was even more intolerable.
A beating followed, and the old man's son and grandson cried out in remorse.
This story was widely told among the people, and soon reached the ears of the Emperor of the Sui Dynasty. After learning of it, the Emperor remained silent for a long time, then abandoned his plan to make his third son the crown prince shortly afterward.
Later, it is said that the old man lived to be over ninety and died peacefully without illness.
Before his death, the old man held the hand of his nearly eighty-year-old son and said, "I'm sorry you've suffered so much, being unable to hold your head high in the village for half your life. But this beating has brought our family a lifetime of peace, so it was worth it." "Isn't there still such a large sum of silver? Now that I'm dying, I can use it to buy a house in the city and send the children there. I can't let them become the laughingstock of the village again because of you."
Of course, no one else knew this.
Fang Jie heard this story before entering the capital region. At the time, he just smiled and whispered a single word. Although Da Quan, Mu Xiaoyao, and Mr. Zhuo all heard it, no one understood the meaning of that word. Mr. Zhuo quietly pondered it and realized that this seemingly carefree young man's mind was surprisingly insightful.
The word Fang Jie uttered was: "xiu" .
...
...
The seven prefectures of the capital region: Fang Jie and his group entered the capital region from Hedong Province via Xiping Prefecture. After passing through Xiping Prefecture, they reached Beidi Prefecture, then Sanshui, Sanyang, and Sanyuan, finally arriving at Chang'an, the capital of the Sui Dynasty.
It must be said that the security situation in the capital region was remarkably good. As Fang Jie and his party traveled along the Hexi and Hedong routes, they occasionally encountered bandits in the mountains and wilderness. Upon entering Xiping County, Fang Jie suddenly realized what he had been sensing was different: in every city and even every village, there wasn't a single robber, not even a beggar.
They had traveled hundreds of miles in Xiping County without seeing a single beggar. Even in Fang Jie's previous life, this was an unprecedented sight. This demonstrated that the officials of the capital region, the closest to the capital, truly dared not be inactive.
"The prosperity of the Sui Dynasty is unparalleled in the world," Fang Jie couldn't help but exclaim as they found an inn in Lulai County.
Mr. Zhuo simply smiled and said that this was because the officials of the capital region understood a principle and therefore dared not slacken their efforts.
Fang Jie asked what this principle was, and Mr. Zhuo smiled and said that since the founding of the Sui Dynasty, the emperors had executed the most officials from the capital region. Because this place is so close to the capital, and because officials are not very trusting or harmonious with each other, if anyone makes a mistake, it won't be long before an impeachment memorial is on the emperor's desk.
Officials not only have to be wary of so-called troublemakers who dare to come to the capital to file complaints, but also carefully guard against their colleagues. No one knows if a close friend who was drinking and having tea with them just a moment ago might submit a memorial to the court the next day accusing them of wrongdoing.
"Officials don't protect each other, and they don't even trust each other..."
Fang Jie murmured, then sighed, "I wonder if this kind of officialdom is a blessing or a curse for the Sui Dynasty."
Mr. Zhuo, intrigued by this, sat down and asked, "What do you mean by a blessing? And what do you mean by a curse?"
Fang Jie plopped down on the bed, then lay back, resting his head on his arm, and said, "A blessing, because officials don't protect each other, the people naturally benefit greatly. And because of this, His Majesty the Emperor doesn't have to worry about officials forming cliques for personal gain. With court officials and local officials not colluding, the Sui Dynasty's rule is stable. His Majesty is probably happy with this situation, and may even have put a lot of thought into it. Anyway, I've never..." "I've seen it; officials are so wary of each other."
"As for misfortune… I mean, what if, in the worst-case scenario, the Sui Dynasty falls into some dangerous situation, and officials and generals completely distrust each other? That would be a huge hidden danger. For example, if a foreign enemy invades the Sui territory, it's hard to guarantee that officials won't refuse to cooperate due to personal grudges. Once such a crisis occurs, the biggest problem the Sui Dynasty will likely face will actually come from within."
Hearing this, Mr. Zhuo simply smiled faintly and asked, "Then do you think any country's soldiers in this world could set foot on Sui territory? The Mongol Yuan? Or the weak and feeble Eastern Chu and Southern Yan?"
The tone of his voice revealed the pride and confidence of a Sui person. Fang Jie thought carefully for a moment, then shook his head: "I truly can't imagine any other country's soldiers in this world who could run rampant on the territory of the Sui Dynasty."
"However..."
He paused and said, "If it weren't for a wise and benevolent ruler throughout the ages, I'm afraid he wouldn't dare let his subjects be so fearful and scheming. Otherwise, wouldn't the emperor be exhausted to the point of vomiting blood?"
"Disrespectful."
Mr. Zhuo rolled his eyes at Fang Jie and said.
"Respect and disrespect aren't on the surface, but in the heart."
Fang Jie said earnestly. Mr. Zhuo glanced at Fang Jie and then sighed, "I haven't seen much respect for His Majesty the Emperor of the Sui Dynasty in your heart."
Fang Jie was taken aback, then said with slight anger, "You're cheating!"
Mr. Zhuo smiled, pondered for a moment, and said, "Since you also say that only a truly wise ruler could control such a court, then I can tell you seriously. Since His Majesty can single-handedly turn the court into this state, he can naturally turn it into something else entirely. When His Majesty wants the officials to be divided, none of them dare to unite. When His Majesty wants the officials to unite, who dares to be disunited?"
Fang Jie was stunned, then sincerely said, "That's powerful."
...
...
Mr. Zhuo looked at Fang Jie seriously and asked, "Why do I always feel that you are filled with doubt, uncertainty, and even a sense of crisis about everything?" "I've never seen this kind of thinking in any other young person. Even an elderly person in their twilight years might not see things as clearly as you do. Aren't you tired of living in constant worry?"
Fang Jie thought for a moment and replied, "Perhaps it's a habit."
Mr. Zhuo said, "Then I'm even more curious, what kind of experience led you to develop such a habit?"
Fang Jie smiled and said, "Can't you read minds yourself?"
Mr. Zhuo rolled his eyes at him and said, "You think mind reading is omnipotent? I've said before that for people with strong minds or solid defenses, mind reading is meaningless. I can't see what's hidden deep within your heart, which is why I'm puzzled as to how someone your age can have such a deep level of cunning."
Fang Jie said seriously, "Is this considered a talent?"
Seeing that he was unwilling to elaborate, Mr. Zhuo didn't press further. He paused for a moment before saying, "Actually... what I'm more curious about is that although you keep saying you have no confidence at all in getting into the Martial Arts Academy, both your tone and your inner thoughts suggest you don't have much worry about it. What kind of ability are you... hiding?"
Fang Jie asked, "Does Master really want to know?"
Mr. Zhuo nodded.
Fang Jie glanced around to make sure no one was watching, then leaned close to Mr. Zhuo's ear and whispered, "I'm not telling you..."
Seeing Mr. Zhuo's utterly bewildered expression, Fang Jie chuckled and said, "Actually, I'm not really sure if I can get into the Martial Arts Academy, but I seem to have a good chance of making it into the Sui Dynasty's officialdom. Perhaps... I'm more suited to be a civil official? Because the methods I've come up with so far, though somewhat laughable and naive, are novel and effective. Maybe they'll really impress the scholars and officials of our Sui Dynasty, and even His Majesty the Emperor might look at me differently."
Mr. Zhuo thought for a moment and said, "Perhaps you'll only discover after you become a civil official... that the bloodshed among scholars is far more intense than among military generals."