[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-simultaneously-transmigrated-my-cheat-skill-is-m":3,"chapter-simultaneously-transmigrated-my-cheat-skill-is-m-simultaneously-transmigrated-my-cheat-skill-is-m-chapter-74":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Simultaneously Transmigrated: My Cheat Skill Is Myself",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2315329,4528,"Chapter 74: Great Song Loyal Citizen Zhang Jie","simultaneously-transmigrated-my-cheat-skill-is-m-chapter-74",74,"\u003Cp>“Uncle overpraises me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jie maintained his usual humility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uncle, please come inside.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jie invited Wen Bin into his home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After you, nephew.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Bin replied. Unlike before, when he had looked down from above,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jie, now having passed the provincial exam as the top scholar, had earned the right to stand equal to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although passing as the top scholar did not guarantee success in the palace exam,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the top scholar still held great advantages over other juren.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Zhang Jie was young—youth was his greatest asset!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, youth meant infinite possibilities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jie walked a step ahead of Wen Bin, leading him toward the Zhang household.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along the way, Zhang Jie recounted amusing anecdotes from the imperial examination path, helping to lighten the mood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Bin, for his part, appeared genuinely interested,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>and for a time, the two men—despite their decades-long age gap—talked cheerfully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Our young master has grown up!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching this, the old steward felt deeply satisfied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jie now had the full capability to uphold the Zhang family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Poqi’s eyes sparkled with admiration:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>to her, the county magistrate had always been a towering figure,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>yet Zhang Jie now chatted and laughed freely with such a powerful man,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>meaning Zhang Jie himself had entered the upper echelons of society.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the Zhang family’s laborers felt a sense of pride.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to other landlords who drained their workers to the bone, Zhang Jie treated them exceptionally well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only did he never withhold wages, but he also gave gifts during festivals and holidays,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>and often provided aid when families faced hardship or illness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that Zhang Jie’s status was secure, their lives had hope.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jie waved his hand: “How could one expect a horse to run without feeding it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jie led Wen Bin into the reception hall and treated him with great hospitality—this need not be detailed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their conversation centered on:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Bin: “Young brother, I’ve got high hopes for you!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From now on, in Yanggu County, I’ve got your back!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, he subtly warned him not to overstep boundaries,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>such as exploiting his juren status to claim tax exemptions by accepting excessive land transfers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If next year’s tax revenue falls short, everyone will suffer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Land transfers were fine, but not to excess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jie replied: “I have always been a loyal subject of the Great Song,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>loyal to the Emperor, and would never do anything to harm the people.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, Zhang Jie produced a jade pendant, saying it was something he found on his journey to the imperial exams,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>but since he was absorbed in books and scholarship, he lacked the skill to appraise it, and begged his uncle to examine it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Bin held the jade pendant, worth at least three or four hundred taels, and his smile grew even brighter:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>as the magistrate of Yanggu County, he certainly didn’t lack three or four hundred taels of silver,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>but what delighted him was that this young brother still understood the ways of the world,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>and had not looked down on him just because he had become top scholar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Great Song inherited the Five Dynasties’ system, where county magistrates served three-year terms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Emperor Zhenzong, although adjustments were made, the three-year term became the dominant norm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, due to the growing number of officials and severe bureaucratic bloat,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>actual terms were often shortened to two years or even less.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frequent reassignments made it difficult for magistrates to master local affairs, worsening the “strong clerks, weak officials” phenomenon,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>forcing magistrates like him to rely on local power brokers to govern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jie, now holding the title of top scholar, was clearly a rising local power broker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Winning over some, suppressing others, and supporting a few local power brokers—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>this was a necessary ritual for every new magistrate upon taking office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had come specifically to win over Zhang Jie, this new power broker, and suppress the old ones led by the assistant magistrate and county constable,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>who competed with him for power and profit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What if, in a few years, Zhang Jie grew too powerful to be controlled by the magistrate?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What problem was that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His own term was barely over a year long—he only needed to ensure Zhang Jie didn’t oppose him during that time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether Zhang Jie or the next magistrate gained the upper hand afterward was none of his concern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He chose to trust the wisdom of future generations~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, perhaps Zhang Jie would pass the palace exam next year?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he and Zhang Jie would serve together in the capital, and they’d need to maintain good relations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, serving together in court is like sharing the same boat!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nephew, no need to see me off.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the Zhang family gate, Wen Bin, satisfied with his outcome, beamed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uncle, take care. I’ll be sure to attend tomorrow on time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jie bowed farewell to Wen Bin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Why are there so many banquets?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After seeing Wen Bin off, Zhang Jie rubbed his temples.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After passing the provincial exam, he had already attended the banquet in Jinan Prefecture,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>then another hosted by County Magistrate Wen Bin in Yuncheng County,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>and now back in Yanggu County, Wen Bin had invited him again to tomorrow’s banquet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Day after day, all he did was attend banquets—how could he get anything else done?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or was attending banquets itself one of Wen Bin’s most important tasks?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now Zhang Jie had experienced firsthand the old tradition:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eat while talking, eat while chatting.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Forget it—I won’t attend any more banquets after tomorrow.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jie resolved in his heart: after attending Wen Bin’s banquet tomorrow, he would decline all others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He already had a ready excuse: Zhang Jie:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘You all agree that as a top scholar, I naturally aim to pass the palace exam, right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The metropolitan exam is harder than the provincial one, so it’s only natural that I lock myself away to study hard,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>or travel the land to broaden my knowledge, right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then wouldn’t it be perfectly natural that I have no time for other banquets?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arriving at his study, he dismissed the other servants and asked the old steward:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uncle Zhong, have the master craftsmen produced any new work?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young master, here are their best pieces from the past two months.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old steward pulled a box from the bookshelf.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jie opened it, revealing a single tube.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tube emitted a cold, metallic gleam,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>about one meter long, with an internal diameter of roughly two centimeters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jie picked it up, weighed it in his hand, then held it to his eye,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>and found its interior smooth, with no visible burrs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jie nodded in satisfaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young master, are you going to use this to make… that smoking gun?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old steward asked thoughtfully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew his young master had made two short guns before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those two short guns were extremely powerful, stronger than ordinary bows and crossbows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jie nodded slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Making a gun is a massive undertaking, something one person cannot handle alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His longtime steward, as someone close to him, must be informed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And those who frequently make guns know that the hardest parts of modern firearms are the bullets and the barrel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But since Zhang Jie is still working with black powder guns,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the bullets he uses are lead balls, so the hardest part is the barrel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A high-quality barrel is the prerequisite for long range and high accuracy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And because the chamber pressure from ignited gunpowder is too great, the barrel cannot be cast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least not with the current technological level of the Great Song:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cast barrels easily develop defects such as air bubbles and uneven structure,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>making it difficult to meet the demands for high strength and precision,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>especially under high temperature and pressure, where dangerous explosions are likely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only method available in the Great Song is machining.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The barrel of the short flintlock pistol Zhang Jie killed Wang Chuang with\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>was painstakingly drilled out by hand by master craftsmen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Master, the hydraulic machinery blueprints you gave the master craftsmen last period were perfect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After they built them, all the masters praised them—this barrel was drilled out using hydraulic machinery.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old steward marveled at Zhang Jie’s mastery of heaven and earth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just ordinary.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jie waved his hand, unbothered by pride.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That kind of blueprint, in truth, was no different from windmills or waterwheels—only more stable and precise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Sigh. Why hasn’t a modern Zhang Jie—or even an interstellar Zhang Jie—appeared?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jie sighed inwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Using hydraulics is still not as convenient or efficient as internal combustion engines or electricity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though he has perfect recall, he does not know the detailed structural diagrams of internal combustion engines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, he never studied internal combustion engine blueprints in his past life; perfect recall doesn’t mean he can fabricate them out of thin air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for generators, he could build them—but they’d be crude and hard to transmit power through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, the technological level of the Great Song is still far too low,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>and many materials are simply impossible to find in a short time—like rubber.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If only a high-tech Zhang Jie could bring more detailed technological data,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>alloy formulas, and so on, his problems would be solved instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What about a high-tech world like the Pirate World, with its pacifist robots?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How to put it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Due to the isolation of the sea, the differences between islands in the Pirate World are enormous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There’s Vegapunk, a technological genius said to be five hundred years ahead of the world,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>and the Vinsmoke family, who began genetic modification and cloning in the North Blue,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>but some islands are still in the barbaric age of slash-and-burn agriculture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The gap is so vast it’s hard to believe they live in the same world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One thing worth noting is that when Vegapunk had already created\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pacifists capable of rivaling a Rear Admiral-level expert,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the Navy’s low-ranking soldiers were still armed with flintlock muskets, and even their warships were still wooden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The so-called “high-tech” used to cross the Calm Belt is said to be nothing more than embedded Sea Stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One can only say that advanced technology is this simple and unadorned…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And all the officers of Big Mom’s Pirate Crew are Devil Fruit users, each drawing power from within themselves,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>so it’s absurd to think they’d have any motivation to develop technology.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most islands under Big Mom’s Pirate Crew live pastoral, idyllic lives,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>growing various crops to supply ingredients for making delicacies on Cake Island.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pirate Zhang Jie is still a nobody—he dares not now sail to the Grand Line.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he got taken down by some lowly thug with Haki, it’d be ridiculous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In any case, Pirate Zhang Jie has already decided: until he gains the strength to protect himself, he will never leave the island.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pirate Zhang Jie: Stay steady, don’t be reckless～\u003C\u002Fp>",1822,"2026-06-20T14:22:35.989Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","5abffe20112dd42ca197691d560d4963595d76814e06cbb48e75d0dc232f7e6b","simultaneously-transmigrated-my-cheat-skill-is-m-chapter-75","simultaneously-transmigrated-my-cheat-skill-is-m-chapter-73",601,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsimultaneously-transmigrated-my-cheat-skill-is-m-cover.jpg"]