Picking Them Up

The Southern Xia delegation and Jixia Academy set off on their return journey with their tails between their legs, and news of the major events that had taken place quickly spread.

In a teahouse in a town still some distance from the capital, many people were having a lively discussion.

"To be honest, whenever Southern Xia came up before, I really felt intimidated. It was like I was afraid they'd look down on us. But I've seen the light now. The stupid things those fellows did would make a man laugh his teeth out. What right do they have to look down on us?"

"Exactly. Those Southern Xia officials-how does that saying go? Gold and jade on the outside, rotten stuffing within! Their emperor isn't as good as ours, either. He takes all sorts of officials, fragrant or foul."

"The delegation was one thing, but Jixia Academy was the real shock. I honestly thought it was a sacred place of learning, far beyond our reach! I thought our scholars in Great Qi couldn't possibly measure up! Who knew the Star of Literature had descended among us?"

"Didn't the imperial preceptor say so? Great Qi shows signs of a golden age, so it's only natural for the Star of Literature to descend."

"Hey, do you think Lord Shen, who wrote those works that crushed Jixia Academy's, wrote them himself? Or was he really moved by a communion between heaven and man and blessed with a flood of talent?"

"My guess is he was moved by a communion between heaven and man. Otherwise, why didn't he show any sign of his abilities before?"

"I think it was his own ability. He was the third-place scholar in the last imperial examination, so he had the foundation. Maybe he suddenly saw the light. If he had no talent, how could His Highness the Crown Prince have promoted him straight to crown prince's secretary?"

Shen Anlan and the Marquis of Shuoping, who were quietly eating in the teahouse: ...

The Marquis of Shuoping: "Son, the third-place scholar in the last examination, Lord Shen? Are they talking about you?"

Shen Anlan's expression stiffened as he forced a smile. "P... probably not."

A stick of incense later, after they had managed to buy a pirated copy of the Lingering Voices of Immortal Sages and carefully asked around about the whole affair.

The two sat in their carriage, staring at each other.

The Marquis of Shuoping: "Son~ What's going on? Did you leave a clone of yourself in the capital?"

Shen Anlan's face turned ashen. Gritting his teeth, he pointed at one of the poems in the Lingering Voices of Immortal Sages. "Yes, I left my own flesh and blood, who only recovered two years ago, in the capital."

The Marquis of Shuoping: ...

Shen Anlan: "The one of the opposite sex who looks like she was carved from the same mold as me."

The Marquis of Shuoping: ...

Shen Anlan: "The one who shared our mother's belly with me for eight months."

The Marquis of Shuoping: He could tell his son was deeply resentful.

It was all clear now. The "Shen Anlan" whose name had spread across the world was probably Shen Anxin in disguise.

The Marquis of Shuoping: "Anxin must have had a reason. Don't blame her."

Shen Anlan: "Of course I know she had a reason. Could it be that my unreliable little sister wanted to turn our family's ancestral graves over?

"I'm just angry that she couldn't tell how serious this was. Even if we were found out, His Majesty isn't a muddleheaded ruler. He wouldn't take our lives. At worst, we'd lose our offices and titles.

"But if anyone discovers Shen Anxin has been attending court disguised as a man, she'll be the first in the line of fire. For deceiving and defying the emperor, she might not even keep her life!"

The Marquis of Shuoping grew anxious at once. "Then what do we do?"

Shen Anlan was already frantically tugging at his hair. "While no one has discovered the truth, we need to hurry back. As long as I can switch places with her without a hitch, everything else can be dealt with!"

The Marquis of Shuoping immediately said, "Then don't worry about me. Ride back as fast as you can. Don't let me delay you."

The Marquis of Shuoping had only just recovered and was not fit to travel quickly, so he could only let his son go ahead.

Shen Anlan hesitated for a moment. There was no other choice.

He was just about to step out of the carriage.

Suddenly, the urgent sound of horses and men came from outside.

The Marquis of Shuoping and Shen Anlan were instantly on guard. They lifted the curtain and saw that they were surrounded several ranks deep.

And it was the Brocade Guard!!!!

Both men's faces turned deathly pale. Had they been exposed? They hurried out of the carriage.

The men and horses parted, revealing two tall, upright young figures.

One look at them left the Marquis of Shuoping and Shen Anlan dumbstruck. Once they recovered, they saw no point in struggling and hurried forward to confess their guilt.

"Your humble servants pay our respects to Your Highnesses, the second and third princes."

Xiao Yanfeng nodded. Xiao Yance stepped forward warmly and helped them up. "There's no need for such formalities. We came under Imperial Father's orders, expressly to welcome you both. Come, get in the carriage. We can talk on the way."

The Marquis of Shuoping and Shen Anlan: ????

The Brocade Guard escorted the carriage on the journey back.

Inside, the Shen father and son could barely keep up.

It was not that what Xiao Yanfeng and Xiao Yance said was too shocking, but that they spoke so vaguely.

They could hardly be blamed. After all, the Shen father and son had yet to hear Shen Anxin's thoughts, and no one knew whether they would be able to. That limited what the four of them could discuss.

But the Shen father and son had learned the most important answer.

Shen Anxin's disguise had long been an open secret among all the civil and military officials. Not only was Emperor Hongyao unoffended, he also valued her highly.

Everyone was convinced she was a lucky star who could bring good fortune to Great Qi, so they all played along with her act.

Allowing her to serve as the crown prince's secretary under Shen Anlan's identity was also a way of protecting her.

As for the other things they could not explain, the Shen father and son would understand for themselves once they returned and spent time with Shen Anxin.

When father and son spoke privately, the Marquis of Shuoping still struggled to take it in. A crime of enormous magnitude had simply vanished; it was just like a dream.

The worried old father said, "They said something incredible has happened with Anxin. What do you think it could be?"

Shen Anlan: "It must be something beyond ordinary understanding. The Lingering Voices of Immortal Sages alone definitely wasn't written by Anxin."

How did she even dare?!

If she was using his name, she shouldn't have done anything extra, hey!

She had even made his "name spread across the world"... Was that something he could have written?

Shen Anlan wanted to cry, but no tears came.

"Its origin is a mystery, and it must have something to do with the changes in Anxin. Father, do you remember the strange old Daoist you met when you were looking for someone to treat her?"

The Marquis of Shuoping immediately grew excited. "Of course I remember. What he said sounded like mystical nonsense, and we didn't believe him at all, but the facts proved him right."

Shen Anxin had been born with a dulled mind. Though she was alive, it was as if she had no soul, only an empty shell.

The Marquis of Shuoping had sought out many people and tried many methods, all to no avail, until a wandering, half-mad old Daoist passed by.

He said Shen Anxin's body had been too weak at birth to contain her soul, so her soul had gone to another world.

To outsiders, that sounded like she had died and been reincarnated.

But the old Daoist had added one more thing: sincerity brings an answer; when the time is ripe, her soul will return of its own accord. Without sincerity, there will be no chance in this lifetime.

The Shen family had not really believed him, but they had still cared for Shen Anxin with all their hearts, tending an empty shell until she was fifteen. Then one day, she opened her eyes, lively and bright, and looked at them curiously. At last, after all the bitterness, sweetness had come.

"Anxin's many peculiarities may really be because her soul once lived in another world."

The Marquis of Shuoping's paternal feelings immediately surged, his heart aching for her. "She was in another world without us to look after her. I wonder if she lived well, whether she suffered..."

The corner of Shen Anlan's mouth twitched. "She probably didn't treat herself too badly. Otherwise, she wouldn't have the temperament she has now."

The Marquis of Shuoping thought about it and felt a little reassured.

Shen Anlan had another concern he had not voiced. He had observed the two princes' expressions when they mentioned Shen Anxin.

The second prince was stern, but his expression softened when he spoke of her.

The third prince looked even more eager to be close to her. He seemed anxious to return, and his words hinted that something entertaining could happen if he stayed near her.

Because Shen Anxin was so important, Emperor Hongyao had sent princes and the Brocade Guard to escort them back.

Clearly, the imperial family's attitude toward Shen Anxin was fairly positive. They did not regard her as an object to be used.

What worried Shen Anlan most was the claim that she was a lucky star. That was no good thing.

If Shen Anxin really was so important to Great Qi and the imperial family, it might mean she would lose her freedom. To consolidate the imperial family's position, she would surely have to marry into it.

And although his little sister had never said so, he knew she could not lose her freedom, much less wanted to marry into the imperial family.

Crown prince's secretary?

Shen Anlan recalled the misunderstanding from before, and his head immediately began to ache.

Better hurry back. Until then, please don't stir up any more trouble!

Anxin, please let me have a little peace of mind!!!!!

At that moment, Shen Anxin was attending court. Her nose itched and she wanted to sneeze, so she used Xiao Yanchen's tall frame as cover and secretly raised a hand to rub it.

She could not help sighing inwardly. I haven't seen Xiao Yanfeng or Xiao Yance for days. Great Qi's all-star prince lineup isn't complete, and I've lost some of my motivation to attend court.

The fourth prince, Xiao Yanshu, the fifth, Xiao Yanjue, and the youngest, Xiao Yanyu, could not help feeling awkward. Sorry, they had not finished growing up yet.

Xiao Yanchen glanced helplessly at Shen Anxin. The second and third princes had gone to pick the men up, not merely to ensure their safety. After all, "Shen Anlan" had become famous in a single battle.

They also needed to prepare the two men mentally in advance. Whether or not the father and son could hear Shen Anxin's thoughts in the future, their cooperation was indispensable.

Shen Anxin: Forget it. Chacha, bring on the gossip. Once Shen Anlan comes back, I won't have a chance to eat the court officials' melons anymore. I'd better rack up more points while I can.

Chacha: All right, searching...

Most of the civil and military officials who could hear her thoughts had grown indifferent. They had already lost all the face they could lose, and now they could eat melons while discussing state affairs with the emperor.

But there did not seem to be any big melons today, only trivial matters.

Shen Anxin had nearly lost interest in eating them.

Just then, the minister of works stepped forward to report on their progress, and a stack of papers was brought before the throne.

Shen Anxin heard the key words, and her attention was caught at once.

Shen Anxin: Heavens, I haven't even made a move, and they've already found woodblock printing among the people? They've even started experimenting!

The minister of works immediately lifted his head and puffed out his chest. In fact, based on the information Shen Anxin had provided earlier, they had already worked out the basics and understood the principle.

Impatient to get something done, he had not wanted to wait for Shen Anlan to return. He wanted to try it himself first.

The minister of works had sent people to carve the printing blocks. While gathering suitable craftsmen, he had happened upon one who had already made woodblock prints.

This was probably the early form Chacha had mentioned among the people.

The minister of works had immediately reported it to Emperor Hongyao, who decided they might as well treat it as an accidental discovery of woodblock printing. That would spare Shen Anxin from racking her brains over how to pass it on to Shen Anlan so he could help them.

Shen Anxin marveled inwardly. I suppose I'm witnessing the birth of one of the four great inventions in another world.

The melon-eating crowd: Four great inventions?????

Which four? What are the other three?

Ahhhh, they sound like they must be important!!!!

But no one could ask. They could only listen to Shen Anxin's exclamations.

Why didn't they say what the craftsman's name was? This is going to be recorded in history. I'm rather curious how he thought of it. From the perspective of those of us in later generations, it might seem quite simple, but for this man to invent printing now is truly a miracle.

Since Shen Anxin was curious, everyone naturally wanted to satisfy her curiosity.

Emperor Hongyao gave the minister of works a look. "What is the craftsman's full name, and how did he come to think of woodblock printing?"

The minister of works was in a difficult spot. He really did not know the craftsman's name, so he could only explain the reason first. "Reporting to Your Majesty, he is just an ordinary carpenter, and he came up with woodblock printing by chance.

"His son had taken a job copying books and received a deposit, but he fell ill halfway through and could not complete the contract. He faced the risk of having to pay compensation.

"The carpenter could not write and could not help his son. He usually carved seals, and in his desperation, he thought of carving the entire text and then printing it on paper, so the copying could be finished on time.

"But he only used it that once. The printing was poor and barely passed muster, so he did not spread the method. Your humble servant discovered it by chance."

Shen Anxin listened with great interest.

Emperor Hongyao nodded. "He has rendered a service by offering his skill. Give him a little extra reward."

The minister of works immediately thanked the emperor on the craftsman's behalf.

Shen Anxin: That's it?

Everyone was taken aback. What was wrong? From her tone, Shen Anxin seemed dissatisfied.

Shen Anxin: Is Emperor Hongyao that stingy? For such a great achievement, never mind making him a marquis, he should at least get a residence, land, glory, recognition, and publicity.

The civil and military officials: What is she saying???? How can she call His Majesty stingy???? His Majesty even gave the craftsman an extra reward!

A marquisate, a residence, land, glory and recognition? Is she dreaming? He's just an ordinary craftsman.

For a moment, Emperor Hongyao could not see what he had done wrong either. How had he ended up being scolded?

Xiao Yanchen frowned slightly, as though something was stirring in his mind.

Chacha: Host, this is ancient times. This sort of thing is normal.

There are no patents in ancient times. Once someone figures out a craft, anyone who sees how it works can copy it. An invention itself can't be exchanged for wealth or status.

The people who profit are the merchants who use the technology to open bookshops, stockpile printing blocks, and sell books, or the great clans and officials behind them.

For the craftsman who invented the process, receiving a reward of gold and silver already counts as compensation. Many have their work taken without payment.

It's not really a matter of good and evil or oppression. People in ancient times simply don't have the awareness to protect copyright, and they don't understand the importance of inventors.

Craftsmen have a relatively low status here, and it's very hard for them to enter officialdom.

Chacha's explanation set everyone's minds buzzing.

What was wrong with that?

It had always been this way.

But... it seemed... something was wrong.

For a moment, no one could quite get their minds around it.

Shen Anxin: Tsk, that way of thinking is really irritating. No wonder development was slow in ancient times. There's no respect at all for the talented people who drive the times forward.

If I invented something that could create countless benefits, but because of my status I could only hand it over for others to profit from, and people might not even know I invented it...

People's lives would change, but they wouldn't know whom to thank. In that case, I'd rather not have invented anything at all.

After all, I'm mortal. I don't have a spirit of selfless dedication. Rewards provide motivation, and that's how people's potential can be tapped.

Hearing this, Xiao Yanchen felt as though his mind had cleared in an instant.

The system of military merit they had used in wartime worked on the same principle. If soldiers wanted promotion, they had to kill enemies. With rewards came motivation, and Great Qi's army had swept all before it thereafter.

What if they used the same method for the craftsmen of the realm... promising every craftsman that as long as they developed something useful, they would have fame and profit for the rest of their lives? What would that look like?

Xiao Yanchen's eyes gleamed, as though he could see a more vibrant future.

Shen Anxin: If even one emperor could see this clearly and establish proper rewards regardless of a person's background, countless inventors would surely emerge in his era.

More advanced farming tools could double grain production, and more advanced forging techniques could produce sharp weapons. Even changes to food, clothing, and everyday necessities shouldn't be underestimated.

Take woodblock printing this time. They should understand how great its impact will be. Unfortunately, they don't understand this principle.

Emperor Hongyao's expression gradually grew serious.

More advanced farming tools, more advanced forging.

Why had he never thought that rewards could be used to encourage everyone to make improvements like these, rather than leaving it to fate?

...Who said he didn't understand!

He understood now!!!!!

Emperor Hongyao: "Attend me! Bring the craftsman and his entire family into the palace to receive their rewards!"