Quick Transmigration: Underdog Turns out to be Untouchable

Chapter 1188: Chapter 1098: Lady Chancellor 36

In the scorching heat of July, the Holy Decree for the construction of the Empress’s birthday residence by the Emperor was finally announced, to be built on Yangming Mountain in the northwest of this county.

The County Magistrate has been preoccupied with this matter lately, so the County Magistrate’s Wife often visits the bamboo garden of the bookstore to read and chat with Shuangshuang and Mrs. Wang, passing the time.

Now the County Magistrate’s Wife and Mrs. Wang are close friends. Initially, the County Magistrate’s Wife thought Mrs. Wang was just an ordinary farmer’s wife with exceptional luck, having given birth to a good daughter.

However, after getting to know each other, the County Magistrate’s Wife discovered that Mrs. Wang was not a coarse farmer’s wife at all, and found she could converse easily with her. Moreover, Mrs. Wang was quite knowledgeable and literate, with no shortage of learning.

The County Magistrate’s Wife didn’t think much of it, assuming it was all taught by Yin Zheng, as she was well aware of Yin Shuangshuang’s family affairs due to their long cooperation.

To hear the County Magistrate’s Wife tell it, Yin Shuangshuang’s family members are all extraordinary; only their background limits their development. If they were born into a prominent family with good teachers, their accomplishments would be limitless now.

Yin Zheng, who eavesdropped outside, could learn several hundred characters, and now self-taught, he can discuss history with those who have passed the Scholar exams. This shows his intelligence and strong self-learning ability.

As for Yin Shuangshuang, there’s even more to say; the County Magistrate’s Wife witnessed her skills firsthand and humbly admits that Yin Shuangshuang may be more capable than herself.

With such a talented father and daughter, having a clever wife and mother is not surprising, but the County Magistrate’s Wife is quite impressed by the good relationship between this couple.

Men generally like pretty concubines and maidservants with red sleeves adding fragrance, lacking the patience to teach their wives to read.

However, the County Magistrate’s Wife does not envy Mrs. Wang for having such a loving husband, as her own situation is not bad either. The County Magistrate is self-disciplined, never visiting brothels or taking concubines or maidservants, and their relationship is harmonious, a model admired by many noblewomen.

Now, as the summer heat lingers, the three of them have set up reclining couches under the bamboo trees, each occupying a couch, reclining with books, leisurely reading, sipping tea, and eating snacks.

The shade under the bamboo grove is very cool, with the wind rustling the bamboo leaves, surrounded by the fresh scent of bamboo.

Yin Shuangshuang has in her arms the Little Li Nu brought back by Mrs. Wang; in contrast to Lu You who stayed indoors with Li Nu, Yin Shuangshuang leisurely enjoys the outdoors with Li Nu, truly comfortable and carefree.

Reading for too long can also be tiring, so after reading for a while, the County Magistrate’s Wife puts down her book, takes a sip of tea, and chats casually with Mrs. Wang and Yin Shuangshuang.

During their casual conversation, the County Magistrate’s Wife mentions the defense of General Feng at the border. Previously, some small bands of barbarians disturbed the border, but surprisingly, General Feng’s subordinate easily captured these invading barbarians without any action from General Feng.

These invading barbarians were initially to be executed, but coincidentally, as the Emperor needed to construct the Empress’s birthday residence for the upcoming Empress’s birthday, he ordered General Feng not to kill.

However, General Feng’s subordinate, having witnessed firsthand the village slaughtered by barbarians, was indignant and, after receiving the decree, defied the order and killed them all.

The court’s civil servants criticized General Feng for his failure to control his subordinates, demanding that all who defied the decree be executed and General Feng punished, while the military generals strongly defended General Feng.

In the end, the Emperor decided it was inappropriate to execute the defiant subordinate and his soldiers due to the Empress’s birthday and instead demoted them to slave status, with the government selling them as slaves.

Though this punishment is severe, it is extremely lenient compared to the death penalty that is typically issued for defying decrees.

As for General Feng, being the Emperor’s confidant, the Emperor wished to protect him, and the court officials’ protests were rendered futile.

The County Magistrate’s Wife sighed after finishing, ”My husband once said that the tension between civil and military officials in court is growing.”

Civil servants always think military generals are coarse and should be inferior to them. Military generals feel civil servants can’t distinguish priorities and continuously lecture them with sage’s words, telling them to be open-hearted and merciful and to educate barbarians with saintly teachings.

They often criticize them for being too cruel to the barbarian captives at the border, always wanting them eradicated, which truly damages heaven’s harmony.”

Mrs. Wang, frowning, sighed along, ”These civil servants have gone too far; border military generals defending the frontier, having seen the barbarian’s brutal crimes, naturally hate them, and every time they eradicate the barbarian captives they cherish the common people, which is understandable.

Moreover, when those barbarians slaughter our Han people, they hardly spared a life in kindness, yet expected us to forgive these perpetrators of violence. What kind of logic is this? The sage’s words speak of repaying grievance with kindness, but what about repaying kindness? With fairness, repay grievances, and with kindness, repay kindness.”

Yin Shuangshuang scoffed, ”These civil servants merely use the sage’s words as a guise, vying for power. The reason they suppress the military so is simply because the current dynasty does not prioritize civil over military as the previous dynasty did.

They speak so casually only because the blade has not cut their own flesh, they don’t feel the pain. If we sent all their families to the border and let the barbarians slaughter them brutally, let’s see if they still preach with sage’s words, showing mercy to those barbarians.

If you ask me, if they continue to procrastinate over mercy for border barbarian captives, teaching with sage’s words, we should send them all to the barbarian tribes to properly educate those barbarians with their sage’s words.

Let’s see if in the end they teach the barbarians with sage’s words, or if the barbarians slaughter them all, letting them experience firsthand the brutality of the barbarians.”

”Ultimately, this issue is rooted in the discord between civil and military officials; it’s also the result of generals conquering and civil servants governing, unable to understand each other,” Mrs. Wang remarked on the side.

Yin Shuangshuang shook her head, ”Mother, you’re mistaken; throughout history, many civil servants mounted horses to fight wars, just as many generals dismounted to govern. Civil and military officials should complement each other, not undermine one another.

In battles, generals fought bravely, leading troops fearlessly, while civil servants strategized, assisting generals with wisdom, ensuring invincibility on the battlefield.

The best cooperation in this regard is between General An and the already retired former Prime Minister Mr. Wei. At that time, General An and Mr. Wei joined forces on the battlefield, defeating the enemy undefeated.

Unfortunately, later, General An supported the wrong faction in a succession battle. Now, to avoid the new Emperor’s suspicion, he can only retreat to his manor, not daring to stand out.

And Prime Minister Mr. Wei, disheartened over reform issues, resigned and distanced himself from the court, now whereabouts unknown; this literary-military harmony example has thus quietly departed the court, truly a pity.”

What Yin Shuangshuang knew naturally came from hearing scholars discuss court affairs in the bookstore.