"When we meet this Mr. Chen, be courteous. We don't know whether he truly has any ability, but his reputation has already spread through Three Rivers. We mustn't show him too little respect. Word would get out, and that would make it harder to reassure the people."
Commandery Governor Wang of Qin looked surprisingly scholarly and frail. Dressed in plain clothes and surrounded by several servants, he chatted casually with the people beside him.
The retainers at his side nodded, though their expressions showed they thought little of the matter. They called this visit a courtesy, but they had also come to assess the man. After all, anyone who could become a commandery governor in these times had powerful backing. Wang Bai wielded considerable influence even within the Qin Dynasty, and his clan included a renowned general like Wang Jian, whose might had shaken an era.
It was precisely because of that background that Wang Bai had been sent to a place as unsettled as Three Rivers Commandery.
"My first task in Three Rivers is to settle the people's minds. Winning over the wealthy gentry, respected elders, and eminent scholars is the first step. Mr. Chen is much talked about at present. If I can persuade him to join us, the work will be twice as effective for half the effort."
As they talked, Wang Bai and his party walked along a path between the fields. The land Chen Cuo had bought was vast, somewhat larger than an ordinary village. They had announced themselves at the gate, and a servant of Chen Manor had hurried back to report their arrival. The round trip would take time, so Wang Bai and the others walked slowly onward as they waited.
As they went, they saw people working in the fields on either