Chapter 302: Awaiting the Young Master's Orders

As soon as this idea came to Jiang Jinshi, he felt it wasn't very realistic. Even he knew that a woman couldn't ascend to the position of head of a scholar-gentry clan; how could Cui Wangshu not know?

But a second thought revealed that this woman's courage wasn't small, which could be seen from her inviting him to talk and confessing.

Bold, so her goals were naturally not small!

Relying on her being a woman, this matter was naturally full of difficulties, but it had to be said that this proposal was very tempting.

Jiang Jinshi's intelligence network would take an unknown amount of time to infiltrate the south. If he had Cui Wangshu as an inside agent within the scholar-gentry, it would be much more convenient.

Even...

He could use the other party to eradicate the scholar-gentry in one fell swoop!

The current emperor was a puppet, and standing behind him were these scholar-gentry. It could be said that both sides would clash sooner or later, and this Cui Wangshu cooperating with him was also because she saw this point.

But she was very confident; no one had ever been able to completely eradicate the scholar-gentry, and their success even required the support of the scholar-gentry behind the scenes.

This was Cui Wangshu's confidence. It could be said that she had never thought Jiang Jinshi could eliminate the scholar-gentry.

Every person in power couldn't stand being checked and balanced by the scholar-gentry, yet they had to rely on them.

In her thinking, although the scholar-gentry hadn't taken root in Beijiang, that was because Beijiang was too poor and they looked down on it, not because the scholar-gentry weren't capable.

Jiang Jinshi being able to kill his way out of this barren land could be considered as having some ability. Betting on him in advance would definitely not be a loss.

They could survive and continue for such a long time because they naturally had their own way of survival, never putting all their eggs in one basket; this was the most basic thing.

The Ming army failed, but the Cui clan was still the Cui clan, and she was still the eldest young lady of the Cui clan.

But if Jiang Jinshi could stand firm in the torrent of these chaotic times, her weight in the clan would increase quite a bit.

At that time, she might really have a chance to compete with others for the position of clan head. The more successful Jiang Jinshi was, the greater her chances would be.

However, Jiang Jinshi didn't think so. The existence of the scholar-gentry would only continuously exploit the commoners. He couldn't collude with the other party, but just using them...

This matter was feasible!

Jiang Jinshi chuckled, unable to tell if he was happy or angry, "You, a delicate woman, can you bear it?"

Hearing this, Cui Wangshu finally completely let go of her heart and subconsciously relaxed quite a bit, "Whether I can bear it or not is not for words to say."

Her words added a few more points of sincerity, "Young Master Jiang can wait and see! Since I can find out your identity, young master, I naturally have some meager skills. Perhaps Young Master Jiang can try first. If I am truly not worth using, it will be no loss to you!"

Interesting!

Jiang Jinshi's mouth hooked up: "Yes!"

Cui Wangshu knew that this hurdle was temporarily passed, but she didn't dare to relax and immediately added: "I know your goals, young master, so tomorrow, I will call someone to send the list to your hands!"

"Good!" Jiang Jinshi suddenly asked: "Your Cui clan holds this poetry gathering, why do you still collect a 'brush fee'? Isn't this contradictory?"

Cui Wangshu responded respectfully: "Returning to your words, young master, the Cui clan's candidates for the imperial examination have already been decided. This poetry gathering is just a small means to attract these literati to come!"

Jiang Jinshi thought for a while and understood. These scholar-gentry really played dirty!

They released rumors to let these literati come to participate, and deliberately 'leaked' that the poetry gathering was linked to the imperial examination, making the literati rush over. In fact, they had already selected excellent talent early on.

This move was just to prevent talented people who had fallen through the cracks from being discovered by other families. After all, the imperial examination was imminent, and if some 'monster' really popped up and was discovered by other families, it would add quite a few uncertain factors.

When they were still looking forward to being selected, they didn't know that everything had already been decided, and what they were doing was just useless work.

If there was really someone with great ability, the scholar-gentry would have snatched them up early on; they wouldn't slowly use a poetry gathering to select them.

So from the beginning, these scholars were played like monkeys, and the Cui clan even took back the silver for holding the poetry gathering in another way, and might even earn some...

Jiang Jinshi didn't say more and turned to walk toward the door. When his footsteps were about to step out of the cabin, he paused and turned half of his face.

"By the way!" His voice had no emotion, "Next time if you invite me again, you don't have to choose a place that hides knives and soldiers. I like it to be brighter."

Cui Wangshu stood up and bowed solemnly: "Wangshu understands, awaiting the young master's orders."

Jiang Jinshi didn't respond and left with Bai Ting.

Cui Wangshu stood where she was. Until Jiang Jinshi's footsteps completely disappeared, she seemed to suddenly lose her strength, staggered, and supported the edge of the table, her back clothes completely wet.

She had planned this conversation with Jiang Jinshi early on. Secretly investigating the other party was indeed inappropriate, but she was very confident that Jiang Jinshi couldn't refuse the price she offered.

The facts were also like this, so her first step was taken correctly. It was just that she didn't know if Jiang Jinshi really had potential next.

With this understanding, she was confident that she could be more like a fish in water in the subsequent cooperation.

The only miscalculation was that she underestimated the domineering nature of this master of Beijiang. That moment of killing intent was real. If those three sentences couldn't satisfy the other party, the fact that she would die was also real!

It was just that it was more interesting this way, wasn't it?

Jiang Jinshi and Bai Ting didn't speak. Now was not the place to speak.

At this moment, the poetry gathering had long ended. Jiang Jinshi didn't find Zhou Zijing's figure on the deck, so he knew the other party should be waiting for him on the shore.

Zhou Zijing won third place in the poetry gathering and was awarded a set of lake brushes and two ingots of Hui ink.

He held the prize and waited for Jiang Jinshi on the shore, the joy in his eyes somewhat uncontrollable.

When Jiang Jinshi got off the boat, he couldn't wait to share this joy, and Jiang Jinshi walked with him.

"Where does Young Master Jiang live?" Zhou Zijing asked.

"Temporarily staying at an inn." Jiang Jinshi paused, "Mr. Zhou, can we borrow a step to talk?"

The two came to a quiet pavilion by the lake. Jiang Jinshi confirmed that there was no one around before saying solemnly: "Mr. Zhou, I actually came to seek talent for governing Beijiang. Beijiang is vast and sparsely populated, literary education is not flourishing, governance is difficult, and we urgently need people with knowledge to help."

Zhou Zijing widened his eyes, not expecting to suddenly hear this news.

Jiang Jinshi looked directly at Zhou Zijing, "Seeing you today, sir, I know that you not only have talent but also responsibility. Would you be willing to go north with me and plan a great cause together?"

Zhou Zijing stood still for a long time and suddenly laughed up to the sky, with tears in his laughter: "Twenty years! I have had ambitions for twenty years, and today finally... But Young Master Jiang, I am just a cold scholar, without the strength to truss a chicken, what can I do?"

"Sir can do a lot." Jiang Jinshi said sincerely, "To set up schools, we need teachers like you; to manage civil affairs, we need strategists like you; to settle the border people, we need people like you who understand the suffering of the people."

"Beijiang is bitter and cold, not as comfortable as Jiangnan, but there is a world to display ambitions, people who need to be educated, and a cause waiting to be created."

Zhou Zijing was silent for a long time, looking at the night scene of West Lake, and said slowly: "I have a wife and children."

"You can go north together, all expenses will be borne by me."

"Beijiang is bitter and cold, they can't bear the suffering."

"In the bitter and cold land, there is also the warmth of the human world." Jiang Jinshi said, "The people of Beijiang value affection and righteousness the most. As long as you treat them with sincerity, they will repay you with sincerity."

Zhou Zijing was still hesitating. Jiang Jinshi knew he couldn't force it, so he said: "Sir, you don't have to answer immediately. I will continue to go south later, and tell me your decision when I come back!" ===== CHAPTER 303 =====