It was raining…
Lu Shaozhi was guided to Shen Mingyuan’s room.
Shen Mingyuan was brewing tea.
Seeing his guest arrive, he smiled and gestured to the seat opposite him. “Have a seat.”
Shen Mingyuan, dressed in dark robes, leaned casually by the window, his slender fingers turning a teacup, revealing a thin, bony wrist.
Though his posture was relaxed and seemingly careless, he carried it with an air of effortless grace.
Lu Shaozhi wore a Mili, its deep black veil hanging down, concealing his entire figure and face.
Following the instruction, he sat opposite Shen Mingyuan and politely asked, “How should I address you?”
“Before inquiring about another’s identity, one should first introduce themselves, shouldn’t they?” Shen Mingyuan placed one of the teacups in front of him and gestured with his hand. “Magistrate, please.”
Lu Shaozhi: “…”
Wasn’t it clear enough who he was? Why would he need to introduce himself?
Lu Shaozhi stood up, removed the Mili, and placed it aside, then bowed respectfully. “This humble official, Lu Shaozhi, Magistrate of Luming County, greets you, sir.”
“I am but a commoner, Magistrate. You honor me too much.” Though Shen Mingyuan spoke humbly, he remained seated, accepting the gesture without moving.
Lu Shaozhi took a jade pendant from his sleeve and presented it with both hands. “Returning this to its rightful owner.”
It was unmistakably the jade pendant Shen Mingyuan had recently pawned at the pawnshop, engraved with the character “Qi” on the front.
The pawnshop clerk hadn’t recognized it as the “Qi” of Prince Qi, only noting the jade’s warm, smooth texture as a rare treasure, and handed it to the shopkeeper.
The shopkeeper was immediately alarmed. Not daring to keep an imperial item, he hurriedly brought the pendant to the magistrate without delay.
Shen Mingyuan’s whereabouts weren’t hard to trace. After leaving the pawnshop with a large sum of money, he made no effort to conceal himself. Not only Lu Shaozhi, but several unscrupulous thieves in the city had also taken notice, waiting for nightfall.
Shen Mingyuan glanced at the pendant and couldn’t help but chuckle. “Magistrate, you misunderstand. This pendant was a gift from someone else. I should have treasured it, but unfortunately, my pockets are empty, so I had to exchange it for some silver.”
As the saying goes, if someone brought a jade pendant gifted by Prince Qi, engraved with his emblem, would you believe they had no connection to Prince Qi, or would you believe I am Prince Qi himself?
The magistrate replied humbly, “Sir, you have traveled from afar. It is only proper for this humble official to host you. How could I allow you to pay? Please take back the pendant. I have prepared a modest meal at my residence. If you do not mind, you may stay at my humble abode for the time being.”
Lu Shaozhi only wanted to placate Shen Mingyuan and see him leave Luming as soon as possible.
The affairs of the princes were something he had no desire to involve himself in.
Lu Shaozhi was talented, becoming a scholar at the age of fourteen. His family held high hopes for him, wishing that one day he would ascend to the imperial court and bring glory to their name.
Yet Lu Shaozhi himself harbored no such grand ambitions.
Throughout history, the downfall of every dynasty did not begin with a grand spectacle. It was like a tiny ant burrowing into a thousand-mile-long embankment—so insignificant that no one paid it any mind.
Only when the embankment collapsed did people realize that its once-solid foundation had been completely hollowed out, and that tiny ant had grown into a vast colony.
Lu Shaozhi knew he was intelligent, and that was why he felt sorrow—because he could clearly see one ant after another gnawing away at the embankment day and night.
He could feel the tremors beneath his feet. He knew that Da Yin would one day crumble like a great tower, reduced to ruins.
That day likely would not be too far off—he could see it, yet he was powerless to avert it.
This sense of helplessness stemmed from increasingly frequent natural disasters, from the perpetually unstable border regions, and from the occasional news arriving from the capital, which spoke only of romantic dalliances or the emperor’s family affairs.
Utterly absurd.
With the empire beset by internal strife and external threats, and the common people suffering, what he wished to hear were discussions on governance and saving the nation—not tales of how Prince Qi had dazzled all at a poetry gathering, or what gifts the emperor and the Crown Prince had prepared for His Highness’s birthday, such trivial and decadent gossip.
And then there was the abbot of Fahua Temple, who upon meeting Prince Qi had exclaimed that he was destined for Buddhism and could ensure Da Yin’s eternal peace.
Lu Shaozhi found it hard to comprehend—was there not a single sensible person left in the vast city of Shengjing?
Lu Shaozhi was not brave enough. He could not become the one who beat the drum in the dark to awaken everyone, nor did he have the courage to defy the overwhelming tide of the times and turn back the impending collapse.
Luming was a fine little town; he could live out his days here.
Shen Mingyuan took the jade pendant and casually tucked it away, smiling as he said, “With such a gracious invitation from Your Excellency, I really should not decline. How about I take up a position in the county office? That could serve as payment for my lodging and meals.”
Lu Shaozhi sighed inwardly. This is bad—he’s eyeing my position.
Although the appointment or removal of a county magistrate required approval from the Ministry of Personnel and review by the emperor before implementation, beyond the law, power could accomplish many things.
So, with Prince Qi backing this man, he could even become a prefect. Why bother competing for the humble post of a county magistrate?
He had worked so hard to bring Luming to its current state.
Hesitating, Lu Shaozhi replied, “Luming has always been a remote and impoverished place. For someone of your talents, staying here would be a waste. Perhaps I could write a letter of recommendation for you to head east to Hepu? Hepu is prosperous, and you would not have to endure hardship there.”
He was subtly encouraging this.
The magistrate of Hepu had secured his minor official post because his sister had entered the palace as a consort—someone with connections should stick with others who had connections, sparing ordinary folk from their meddling.
“Your Excellency misunderstands,” Shen Mingyuan said with a gentle smile. “I have heard that Your Excellency handles every matter personally. I merely wish to share some of your burden, serving as an advisor would suffice. Might Your Excellency grant me this opportunity to be of service?”
“I am unworthy of such consideration,” Lu Shaozhi replied, unable to hold back any longer. He spoke respectfully, “Forgive my dullness, but if Prince Qi has any instructions, please speak plainly.”
“What does this have to do with Prince Qi? If Your Excellency is referring to this jade pendant, it was Prince Qi who wished to recruit me. I declined, but he insisted on pressing it into my hands.” Shen Mingyuan spoke slowly. “Seeing that the pendant was worth a fair sum, I thought it would be a waste not to take it, so I accepted.”
He sighed regretfully and added, “Had I known Your Excellency would misunderstand me because of this pendant, I would never have accepted it.”
Lu Shaozhi forced a dry laugh, offering no comment on this performance.
Shen Mingyuan’s gaze was sincere. “Every word I have spoken is true. Yuzhou has been struck by disaster, leaving the land barren for miles, yet Luming remains peaceful and prosperous. This is proof enough of Your Excellency’s care for the people. Luming County is a fine place, and I wish to work alongside Your Excellency to make it even better.”
Lu Shaozhi was visibly moved. He bowed deeply and said, “I… would be deeply honored.”
As if anyone would believe that.
Lu Shaozhi dismissed Shen Mingyuan’s words as nonsense, but seeing his determination, it seemed this advisor role was unavoidable.
Shen Mingyuan’s origins were mysterious, and the Prince Qi standing behind him could not be ignored. So be it—he would have to take things one step at a time.
Shen Mingyuan rose and returned the bow, and for a moment, both host and guest appeared content.
He poured out the cold tea in front of Lu Shaozhi and replaced it with a fresh cup.
Shen Mingyuan said, "With the prolonged drought over the past months, Luming County might still manage for a while relying on past grain reserves, but living off dwindling resources is no long-term solution. Has Your Honor considered strategies to break this deadlock?"
When the conversation turned to serious matters, Lu Shaozhi grew interested.
He asked earnestly, "What wise counsel does the gentleman have?"
"I have three strategies—superior, moderate, and inferior. Which would the County Magistrate prefer to hear?" Shen Mingyuan felt he was missing a fan in his hand.
As a fellow scholar, Lu Shaozhi was all too familiar with this rhetorical flourish. He rolled his eyes subtly, though his expression remained humble. "Naturally, we should adopt the best. Please share the superior strategy, sir."
Shen Mingyuan replied, "Generate wealth through medicinal herbs, and use commerce to sustain agriculture."
Lu Shaozhi was taken aback, silently repeating the words to himself, his brow furrowed in thought.
Shen Mingyuan explained, "Having arrived from outside the city, I observed cracked earth in the fields like fish scales, with seventy percent of the young crops on the ridges withered. If this continues, I fear the remaining grain will not survive until harvest. It would be better to convert half of the drought-stricken farmland into medicinal herb fields. Herbs such as woad, motherwort, purslane, and cassia seeds are drought-resistant and fast-growing—at least better than lamenting over barren fields. Coincidentally, in my humble opinion, Luming has several areas well-suited for cultivating medicinal herbs."
Lu Shaozhi had not held much hope initially, but he hadn’t expected Shen Mingyuan to offer genuinely useful advice.
Unconsciously, his attitude shifted; he no longer regarded Shen Mingyuan purely as a lackey of the powerful. "That may be so, but food is the people’s heaven. The common folk will not willingly uproot their crops to plant medicinal herbs, even if the crops are already withered."
Shen Mingyuan clicked his tongue lightly. "Though I am new here, judging by the state of the city, I can see that Your Honor must be diligent in governance and compassionate toward the people. The efforts you have made for Luming are surely noticed by the populace. I do not doubt your reputation, so why should you lack confidence?"
Flattered unexpectedly, Lu Shaozhi felt a bit embarrassed. "Not exactly…"
Shen Mingyuan leaned back in his chair, unconcerned. "Besides, where profit lies, the world follows. Use wealth as an incentive—offer rewards from the government to those who convert farmland to herb fields. Even if the people have doubts, they will comply. Magistrate Lu, surely I need not teach you this?"
As if sensing Lu Shaozhi’s growing interest, Shen Mingyuan relaxed entirely, even becoming casual in his self-reference.
Lu Shaozhi countered, "You make it sound easy. Luming is just a small county—where will the money come from? And you still need to form a merchant caravan. Doesn’t that require funds too?"
Shen Mingyuan tossed the jade pendant he had just retrieved, a smug smile on his face. "Even Your Honor came to deliver money to me because of this pendant. Surely there will be others more eager than you to do the same."
Lu Shaozhi fell silent. After a long pause, he stammered, "Isn’t that… somewhat improper?"
Shen Mingyuan chuckled. "Do you believe that if I give them an opportunity to send me money and curry favor, they will even thank me for it?"
Lu Shaozhi did believe it.
After all, Shen Mingyuan was quite thick-skinned… no, rather, highly intelligent.
Lu Shaozhi was also a decisive man. Once resolved, he began discussing the details with Shen Mingyuan.
Shen Mingyuan’s appearance was peculiar, but his speech and insights were extraordinary, earning Lu Shaozhi’s genuine admiration.
How strange—why had such a person remained obscure in the past?
He also realized one thing: at the very least, Shen Mingyuan sincerely had the people’s interests at heart.
Lu Shaozhi gave a light cough and couldn't resist gossiping, "So Prince Qi genuinely wanted to recruit you, and you really turned him down?"
Shen Mingyuan glanced at him. "Don't believe it?"
"I dare not believe it," Lu Shaozhi admitted honestly. "If even Prince Qi couldn't secure such a talent, how could I possibly deserve it?"
Shen Mingyuan said seriously, "Don't celebrate too soon. I'm a big trouble."
Not exactly overjoyed, Lu Shaozhi thought Shen Mingyuan had appeared out of nowhere, and his insistence on staying in Luming was equally bizarre.
Just as he was about to speak, a faint, chilly sensation brushed against his face.
Lu Shaozhi paused and looked out the window, murmuring softly, "Is it raining?"
From the first month to the fifth month of the year, this was the first rain.
Unbidden, Lu Shaozhi recalled books that described how the arrival of sages and great talents into the world was often accompanied by celestial phenomena as auspicious signs—would future generations, centuries later, look back at this rain after months of drought and marvel that everything had been foretold?
Could this seemingly ordinary moment in the long river of history, because of Shen Mingyuan's presence, become a grand and magnificent scene in the brushstrokes of future generations?
Misty rain drifted in.
Unaware that Lu Shaozhi was already thinking centuries ahead, Shen Mingyuan opened the window wider, watching the excited crowds celebrating in the streets, and remarked casually, "It's just a light rain."
It would stop within half an hour, doing little to alleviate the drought.
Lu Shaozhi suddenly smiled. "It doesn't matter. It's a good omen."
Author's Note:
Chinese Teacher: In literary works from the late Da Yin period and afterward, many scholars frequently mention this rain. Analyze the role of this rain in different texts.
History Teacher: In his book On Xia, Mr. Wen Xu wrote, "As raindrops fell, the collapse of the old dynasty brewed like a tide in the clouds." Analyze the social conditions at the end of the Yin Dynasty and explain the meaning of Mr. Wen Xu's statement.
Geography Teacher: What might have caused this rain? What impact did it have on the drought?
Math Teacher: Xiao Ming's normal running speed is 200 meters per minute. When it rains, his speed decreases by 0.5 meters per second every minute. The distance from his school to home is 2,100 meters. How long does it take Xiao Ming to get home from school after it starts raining?
Students: …With such a long distance, can't he just take a taxi?