[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-top-scholar-of-da-ling":3,"chapter-the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-37":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Top Scholar of Da Ling",{"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},2288872,4475,"Chapter 37: Recruited Two Sanhe Gods?","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-37",37,"\u003Cp>The sun had begun to sink westward, its orange-red rays streaming through the county office windows and casting light upon Jiang Mingyu and Cloud of the Murong’s faces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the county office, Jiang Mingyu, Cloud of the Murong, and Tu Kesiluo were discussing the current situation in Shangmu County.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After deliberating for some time, Jiang Mingyu offered several suggestions, which Cloud of the Murong endorsed. Yet the gravity of the situation gradually darkened Cloud of the Murong’s expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Xingqiu, your ideas are excellent. But now in Shangmu County, everything is in ruins, foreign tribes lurk like tigers, and the people are terrified—where do we even begin?” he asked with a bitter smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu sighed: “First, hire some yamen runners. We have no loyal staff of our own; with just the few of us, we can accomplish nothing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cloud of the Murong smiled bitterly: “The county’s people fear death—how can we recruit them?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu said: “We can hire yamen runners with silver. Estimate how much we have available.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cloud of the Murong looked troubled, silent for a long while before holding up one hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu said: “Fifty thousand taels should suffice for now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cloud of the Murong’s smile turned awkward: “Brother Xingqiu, we only have five thousand taels.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu froze, then sighed in regret: “The county office has decayed to this state—no wonder the people are panicked.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cloud of the Murong said: “Foreign tribes have plundered us; the former magistrate squandered everything. Five thousand taels remaining is already a miracle.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu fell into thought, then spoke slowly: “I’ll find a way to solve the silver problem.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cloud of the Murong asked curiously: “Brother Xingqiu, what’s your plan?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu took an object from his traveling bag and said: “I have a tea cup called ‘Radiant Change Celestial Eye,’ gifted to me by a wealthy merchant in the capital—its value is considerable. Tomorrow, I’ll take it to the pawnshop first; it should fetch enough silver to ease our immediate crisis. Recruiting yamen runners must be handled quickly—once we have men under us, we’ll find ways to earn more. Calming the people’s hearts is the priority.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing Jiang Mingyu’s words, Cloud of the Murong’s eyes flickered with admiration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Xingqiu, you’re willing to sell such a priceless treasure? Your concern for the people’s safety truly moves me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu smiled faintly: “Enough flattery. Let’s get it done first thing tomorrow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Cloud of the Murong clearly couldn’t wait—he turned toward the door: “No need to wait till tomorrow. Since the silver problem is solved, I’ll go recruit people right now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu glanced out the window: “So urgent? Have dinner first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cloud of the Murong didn’t pause his steps: “Time waits for no one. You and Master Tu eat first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu watched Cloud of the Murong’s figure recede, his expression a mix of exasperation and amusement. He shook his head and sighed: “He’s as impulsive as an Aries.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu adjusted his mood slightly, turned back to the table, and sipped his tea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside, the sky darkened gradually; tiny lights flickered on, illuminating the hall of the county office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tu Kesiluo watched Jiang Mingyu and said gently: “Lord Jiang, Cloud of the Murong doesn’t know how rare that tea cup is—but I do. Are you really willing to pawn it off, afraid it’ll vanish like a meat bun thrown to a dog?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu smiled and nodded: “No matter how precious the cup, it’s still an external possession. Compared to Shangmu County’s stability, it’s insignificant. The county is in crisis, the people’s hearts are scattered—how could I sit idle?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tu Kesiluo nodded: “You’re right. Solving the silver issue is only the first step; recruiting yamen runners must be done quickly. By the way, have you considered appealing to His Majesty for aid—or seeking help from the True Immortal of Seven Seas?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu frowned in thought: “This cannot be done rashly. Our position is delicate—we must proceed with caution. We’ve already offended Prince Qi; if we seek aid blindly, we may fall into someone else’s trap.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tu Kesiluo nodded in agreement: “You’re right. Prudence is the best strategy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beneath a solitary lamp, Jiang Mingyu sat at the table, surrounded by dusty ledgers. His gaze focused intently on the crooked, scattered script within. These seemingly chaotic records revealed vast amounts of information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, Jiang Mingyu frowned slightly—he noticed certain entries were puzzling, hinting at hidden traces. Then he fell into deep thought, his hands propped beneath his cheeks, as if pondering something intently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, he slapped his thigh hard, as if struck by sudden insight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu realized that to properly counter the foreign invasion, he must first fully understand Shangmu County’s condition. As a transmigrator, he possessed knowledge unknown to this world—and he could use it to earn wealth here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the first watch, urgent footsteps sounded outside the door, and Cloud of the Murong appeared in the threshold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Xingqiu, I’m back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing him slumped, Jiang Mingyu set down the ledger: “Didn’t recruit anyone?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cloud of the Murong sighed and leaned close, whispering: “I talked my lips raw—finally tricked and cajoled two people into coming.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He clearly felt ashamed of his own performance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They’re outside. Shall I bring them in?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two people?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu chuckled wryly: “Not bad. Our county office’s strength just doubled.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let them in. I must meet them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, Cloud of the Murong led two men inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first to catch the eye was a rough-looking man in his forties, thick beard, bushy black eyebrows, eyes gleaming with cunning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tall and broad, he wore a tattered hat, his hair unkempt, as if he hadn’t washed or combed it in days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though disheveled, his body was strong, clearly trained in martial arts for years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His name was Li Goudan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beside him stood a thin, youthful man, barely twenty, his cheeks sunken, eyes dull, one foot shifting restlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His clothes were worn, sleeves frayed, hair a mess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked impoverished, hardened by hardship, his face timid, as if he’d never done heavy labor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu sighed inwardly: “These two are clearly the Qianshi ’s Sanhe gods—but at least I don’t have to pay them daily wages!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stood, pulled out two taels of silver from his robe, and handed it to Li Goudan and Wu Xia’er with a smile: “Welcome to our county office. We’re in dire need of hands—work hard with me, and you won’t be shortchanged. Take this silver, treat yourselves to a good meal, then buy proper gear.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu understood the art of promising employees a future—he knew when to lay on the big Bing .\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Goudan squinted, took the silver, and grinned: “My lord, rest assured—as long as I get food, I’ll do whatever you command.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Xia’er took the silver and nodded shyly, whispering: “I’ll do my best.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the bearded Li Goudan and the gaunt Wu Xia’er officially became members of the county office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the lamplight, Jiang Mingyu yawned: “Go rest early. Tomorrow, come with me to tour the town.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the second watch, Jiang Mingyu tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep from a flood of trivial concerns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, a low knock came at the door, followed by Cloud of the Murong’s voice: “Brother Xingqiu, are you asleep?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu sighed: “Brother Yunhai, what urgent matter brings you here at this hour? Come in.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cloud of the Murong opened the door, his expression strangely alluring: “Brother Xingqiu, the night is long—would you like me to keep you company?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His seductive glance held countless things Jiang Mingyu desperately did not want to understand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu shuddered: “Brother Yunhai, don’t joke with me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cloud of the Murong smiled faintly: “When His Majesty was still Crown Prince, I served as his reader.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even His Majesty couldn’t forget me—would you like to try?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wouldn’t it be lovely if we huddled together for warmth?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu recalled past scenes and suddenly understood—he imagined the Emperor’s behavior combined with Cloud of the Murong’s words, and his mind filled with a nauseating picture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No—I have a cleanliness fetish. Go back to bed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu, eyes wary, yanked the blanket tightly around himself, fearing Cloud of the Murong might tackle him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His flustered state made Cloud of the Murong laugh again: “Brother Xingqiu, I was just teasing you—look how scared you are. I brought you this blanket because I feared you’d catch cold—see?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lying in bed, Jiang Mingyu noticed Cloud of the Murong was still holding a thick cotton quilt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Placing the quilt on the bed, Cloud of the Murong smirked: “Brother Xingqiu, really no company tonight?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu rolled his eyes: “Get out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cloud of the Murong chuckled, set down the quilt, and left. Jiang Mingyu slowly closed his eyes. He didn’t know when he fell asleep—but when he opened them, the sky was bright.\u003C\u002Fp>",1490,"2026-06-20T03:28:17.113Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","76ff91562ac49280da9de0abf3cb3c9f2d7613df9d5d49eeae0517b05e9c2992","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-38","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-36",392,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-top-scholar-of-da-ling-cover.jpg"]