As Xu Qinghuan's words fell, the originally boiling square fell into a bizarre silence.
After a brief pause, an old salt seller squeezed half of his body out of the crowd and shouted.
"Imperial Envoy, we commoners... naturally know that you love the people."
"But your words are going to kill us lowly people!"
"Because the court's rules are there, scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants, we craftsmen who do manual labor can't even rank at the bottom."
"Today you granted official status with a stroke of your pen, tomorrow if another Imperial Envoy comes to audit and settle accounts... wouldn't this official status become a death warrant!"
As soon as these words came out, Sun Erniang, who was still happily holding the silver, trembled her hand, and ten taels of snow-white silver almost hit her instep.
Madame Liu's voice trembled.
"My Lord, I have lived for more than half my life, and I have seen too many people who have received things they shouldn't have, and ended up with their homes confiscated and their families exterminated.
"I won't take this money, and I dare not even think about official status, just pretend I haven't been here today."
Butcher Zhang also clamored off the stage.
"Lord Xu! My family has been killing pigs for generations, if my name is written in the government's register."
"Isn't that asking for a short life! Everyone tell me if this makes sense!"
The people who were excited just now instantly calmed down and shrank back, for fear of being involved with this high platform.
Xu Qinghuan turned her head to look at Li Sheng beside her and reached out for a cup of tea.
Xu Qinghuan just stood on the high platform, slowly scraping off the tea foam, drinking a cup of tea clean, before handing the teacup back.
"You are afraid of death, afraid of being blamed by the court." Xu Qinghuan looked at the dense crowd below the stage.
"But do you know how many people are dying in Zhenbei City every day because of the lack of people like you?"
Xu Qinghuan held up a finger.
"The Zhenbei Army's grain and forage accounts have been unaudited for exactly fourteen months. The frontline soldiers eat old rice mixed with sand, and go out to fight the Helian people's sabers with empty stomachs. Have you counted the wronged souls who died from lack of grain and forage?"
Then, she extended a second finger.
"This spring, thirty-one people died in the wounded soldier camp, nine of whom died because they mistakenly took moldy and spoiled medicinal materials, literally rotting through their intestines and rolling on the ground in pain before breathing their last."
Subsequently, a third finger stood up.
"As for the military equipment withdrawn from the frontline, up to 60% of it was scrapped. Those crossbows and spears broke and piled up like mountains in the warehouse."
"There are only a few craftsmen in the Military Equipment Bureau who know how to repair them. The soldiers can only use crossbows with broken strings to block arrows, and are trampled into minced meat by the enemy's hooves."
"These people who can save lives are now standing alive in front of me, but you tell me that you are not worthy!"
The audience was silent, even Butcher Zhang stopped the action of patting his knife, opened his mouth and couldn't speak for a long time.
Xu Qinghuan took a step forward, staring at the people in the front row.
"I ask you, what was the background of the founding emperor of the Great Qian before he raised an army?"
No one dared to answer. The laws of the Great Qian were strict, and rashly discussing the background of the founding emperor was a felony punishable by beheading.
Xu Qinghuan gave the answer herself.
"The founding emperor struck iron in Peixian for exactly twelve years! Among the founding heroes, there were plenty of pig-killing butchers, cloth-selling merchants, and carriage-driving coachmen!"
"The first military equipment manual of the Great Qian was drawn by the founding emperor himself, and it is enshrined in the Imperial Ancestral Temple in the capital!"
The old salt seller swallowed his saliva and boldly pursued a question: "My Lord, are these things recorded in books? Do the court officials recognize them?"
Xu Qinghuan reached out her hand to Li Sheng.
Li Sheng immediately took out a handwritten copy from his arms and handed it over with both hands.
Xu Qinghuan unfolded the copy and held it high, rustling in the wind of the North.
"This is the original text of the edict in Volume 72 of the 'Veritable Records of the Founding Emperor of the Great Qian', Li Sheng, read it to them!"
Li Sheng was stunned for a moment, but still took a step forward and read aloud.
"Those who have rendered meritorious service to the country, regardless of whether they are civil, military, farmers, artisans, or merchants, can be granted titles to reward their merits! The civil can pacify the state, the military can stabilize the country, the farmers can nourish the people, and the artisans can sharpen the weapons. The four stand together, and none can be lacking!"
Xu Qinghuan shook the paper in her hand, questioning the entire audience.
"The founding emperor wrote it in black and white in the veritable records. One hundred years ago, craftsmen could be granted titles. Why not today? Who among you dares to say that the rules set by the founding emperor are wrong!"
The old salt seller was intimidated by these words and tremblingly asked the last question.
"My Lord, if you leave, will this Hundred Crafts Bureau still count?"
Xu Qinghuan put away the copy, her tone calmed down, and gave a promise.
"I will write a memorial today, send it by 800-li express directly to the Emperor. Whether this Hundred Crafts Bureau complies with the rules, the Emperor has the final say."
"This path was paved for you by the founding emperor a hundred years ago. Today, I am merely sweeping away the dust on it and returning the dignity that rightfully belongs to you."
Having said this, the way of retreat has been paved clearly for them, backed by the posthumous edict of the founding emperor.
If they still don't dare to accept this official status, it would be true cowardice.
Zhao Tiezhu pulled his wife Liu Zaohua with his only remaining right hand, knelt down straight, and knocked his forehead on the wooden board with a bang.
"Commoner Zhao Tiezhu is willing to join the Hundred Crafts Bureau and repair military equipment for you for a lifetime!"
Madame Liu held the silver in her arms again, followed and knelt on the ground, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Sun Erniang also slapped her thigh and knelt down with a thud: "This common woman will also do it! To be able to get an official status in this life, it's worth dying for!"
With these three taking the lead, the people off the stage no longer had any misgivings. The sound wave rapidly gathered from a few sporadic sentences into a huge shout.
The old salt seller, who was still afraid just now, also bent his knees at this moment, shouting 'Imperial Envoy Qingtian' along with everyone. The entire West Market burst into a huge sound wave.
Xu Qinghuan walked down the high platform, ordered Li Sheng to set up a registration office at the West Market, and turned to get into the carriage.
...
After Li Sheng finished giving instructions, he returned to the mansion.
Li Sheng rode his horse beside the carriage window and said through the curtain, his tone revealing some lingering fear.
"Miss, that edict of the founding emperor you just brought out, your subordinate previously flipped through forty-seven volumes of veritable records, and didn't even find a shadow of it!"
Xu Qinghuan leaned against the soft cushion, closed her eyes to rest, and answered casually.
"There are a total of three hundred and twelve volumes of the veritable records of the founding emperor, you only flipped through forty-seven volumes, go back and continue flipping."
Li Sheng closed his mouth and didn't ask further, but he knew very well in his heart.
That so-called handwritten copy was clearly written by the Miss herself in the study last night.
If those censors in the capital knew about it, the crime of forging the posthumous edict of the founding emperor would be enough to execute nine generations of the family.
However, maybe it was missed somewhere?
Well... it must be the fault of that Hanlin compiler!
Returning to the Imperial Envoy's temporary residence.
As soon as Li Sheng handed the horse reins to the porter, he quickly walked to Xu Qinghuan to report.
"Miss, that young scholar who identified herbs on the arena just now has been standing outside the door for almost two incense sticks of time, saying he wants to see you."
Xu Qinghuan paused just as she was about to step over the threshold, turning her head to look at Li Sheng.
"How long has he been here?"
"About the time it takes for two incense sticks to burn. He's been standing there properly the whole time, hasn't even shifted his position."
Xu Qinghuan nodded and instructed, "Have him wait in the main hall."
Li Sheng stopped in his tracks, hesitated for a moment, and finally voiced the thoughts he had been holding back for days.
"My Lord, this person arrived in Zhenbei City a few days ago and immediately started asking around about you. He even asked for details like what you eat every day and how many attendants you bring with you. It was all very specific."
"I thought he was acting suspiciously, so I treated him as a potential spy. I had a portrait drawn and presented to you. You didn't even look at it at the time, just set it aside and said to ignore it."
"But on the way back from the arena today, when I handed you that portrait again, you stared at it for a long time. Who exactly is this person?"
Xu Qinghuan didn't reply, walking straight toward the main hall while her mind raced with calculations.
Li Sheng's observation was correct.
When she first received the portrait, she truly hadn't recognized who the person was.
After all, someone with such an ordinary appearance would likely be impossible to pick out in a sea of people.
It wasn't until today at the arena, when she saw this person blindfolded, accurately picking out fourteen poisonous herbs in a very short amount of time relying solely on smell and touch.
Only then did she connect this extraordinary ability to identify herbs with that specific character from the original novel.
Inside the main hall.
Hearing the footsteps outside the door, the young scholar immediately turned around.
He straightened the hem of his green robe, lifted the fabric, and performed a deep, formal bow.
Kneeling with both knees on the ground, his forehead touching the gray bricks, and his hands stretched out flat in front of him, he lowered his posture to the extreme.
"This commoner has long heard of the Imperial Envoy's great name, and today I make bold to visit."
Sitting in the seat of honor, Xu Qinghuan looked at the person kneeling below her. Her expression remained neutral, but her heart was in turmoil.
It really is the second male lead from the original novel!
