Chapter 55: A Young Rank-Two Military Official

The wind brushed across the surface of the Qinhuai River, carrying a watery coolness as it swept over both banks of the Dachong Bridge.

Gu Zhengchen could not help but shiver, only to realize that his back was drenched and his forehead was beaded with cold sweat.

What an overwhelming aura that middle-aged man possessed!

Was it him?

Gu Zhengchen was somewhat uncertain. In terms of physical appearance, he did not bear the legendary likeness of a pig-dragon with supreme ugliness, but there was no denying that his prominent cheekbones and slightly elongated chin closely matched historical records.

Majestic yet composed, robust and resolute, speaking with bold grandeur, and flanked by imperial guards.

Was it him?

Gu Zhengchen raised a hand to touch his forehead, glanced into the distance of West Chang'an Street, turned, and walked toward the ferry, where he hired a boat to return to his inn.

Imperial City, Palace of Earthly Tranquility.

Empress Ma was holding a needle and thread, mending garments just like any ordinary housewife, while conversing with Consort Guo. Suddenly, a resonant voice echoed from outside the door: "Little sister."

Consort Guo stood up, looked at Empress Ma, and smiled with a chuckle, "It is already so late, yet His Majesty still comes to visit the Empress. It truly shows deep affection."

Empress Ma set aside her sewing and joined Consort Guo in stepping forward to offer respectful greetings.

"Consort Guo is here as well."

Zhu Yuanzhang raised a hand to waive the formalities.

Seeing the irrepressible smile on Zhu Yuanzhang's face, Empress Ma bantered with Consort Guo, "His Majesty has encountered something joyous. Look, he can barely contain his smile."

Zhu Yuanzhang burst into a hearty laugh, walked over to the table and sat down, placing one hand upon the surface. "After the evening court session, I went out in disguise to visit the elderly and frail soldiers of the capital garrison, checking whether the winter cloth we bestowed was distributed in sufficient quantities. On my way back to the palace, I met an interesting scholar, one whom the Empress even knows."

"I know him too?"

Empress Ma was somewhat surprised.

"Though we have never met, I have already heard his name."

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled. Seeing that Empress Ma could not guess, he stood up and gestured with a motion mimicking the use of a reaping scythe.

Empress Ma immediately realized: "What Your Majesty speaks of is that scythe-scholar Gu Zhengchen, isn't it?"

"The scythe-scholar?"

Consort Guo looked at Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma in bewilderment.

Zhu Yuanzhang sat back down and explained to Consort Guo, "The Empress is quite right; it is none other than that scythe-scholar. In the past, when commoners harvested wheat, they used sickles, reaping no more than two mu a day. But with the scythe, one can harvest six mu a day. I have already issued an imperial decree to the prefectures and counties in the north: reduce corvée labor in the winter and manufacture more scythes."

Consort Guo sighed with deep emotion, "Six mu in a single day! Your Majesty, this is truly a magnificent undertaking that benefits the people. I have heard that during the summer harvest, many crops were beaten down into the mud by wind and rain before they could be gathered in time. Helpless, the commoners could only scrape up tiny bits of wheat from the soil, looking utterly wretched..."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded repeatedly, accepting the cup of tea handed to him by Empress Ma. "The summer harvest is a race against time itself. Moreover, the scythe saves both time and effort; it is indeed beneficial to the people."

Empress Ma sat down, picking up her needle, thread, and robe. "This Scholar Gu came to Jinling and happened to be encountered by Your Majesty. It shows there is still a measure of fate between you. You said he was interesting—in what way is he interesting?"

Zhu Yuanzhang blew on his teacup, took a sip, and laughed. "He was standing beside the bridge in deep thought. When I stepped forward to question him, he actually said he wanted to find a path for the dynasty that ensures immortality and everlasting endurance of the state. Haha! I possess all under heaven, with countless brilliant strategists and fierce generals, yet no one has ever contemplated such a matter. Even Liu Bowen and Li Shanchang have never dared to dream of an immortal dynasty."

Empress Ma turned solemn, repeating the words, "An immortal dynasty, the everlasting endurance of the state?"

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded gravely.

Consort Guo asked, "Does Your Majesty believe him?"

Zhu Yuanzhang shook his head slightly. "A young scholar, possessing merely a bit of literary wit. To make me believe him, these two remarks are far from enough. Yet he awakened me: if one wishes for the empire to endure for ten thousand generations without decaying, one must dare to tread a new path."

Indeed, tread a new path!

What the men of the previous dynasty dared not do, I shall do.

Those whom the men of the previous dynasty dared not execute, I shall execute.

As long as the empire of ten thousand generations is threatened, I do not mind sending them away.

It is simply that now is not yet the best time to take action.

Seeing the grim ruthlessness emerging on Zhu Yuanzhang's face, Empress Ma hurriedly said, "Perhaps this man can truly assist Your Majesty in finding an immortal path. I wonder how Your Majesty intends to employ him?"

"The Ministry of Personnel has already arranged it; he is to go to Jurong and serve as the magistrate."

Zhu Yuanzhang reined in his thoughts and said placidly.

Empress Ma smiled faintly. "To be able to propose an immortal dynasty and the everlasting endurance of the state shows he is no ordinary talent."

Knowing that Empress Ma was gently advising him to make heavy use of talent and that assigning Gu Zhengchen merely as a magistrate was too low a post, Zhu Yuanzhang stood up and said, "If he cannot even govern Jurong well, then his talk of an immortal dynasty and the everlasting endurance of the state is nothing more than idle nonsense. That I do not punish him is already an act of great leniency."

Consort Guo covered her mouth and smiled. "Empress, His Majesty is simply giving him a chance to see whether he truly possesses genuine ability."

Empress Ma nodded slightly.

Deep into the night.

The imperial palace was already tranquil, yet Zhu Yuanzhang had no desire to sleep. With his eyes closed, he murmured softly, "In this world, is there truly a method for ten thousand years of immortality? Gu Zhengchen, I too am searching for the answer..."

The next day.

Long before dawn, the morning court session had already begun.

Following the conclusion of the deliberations, as Zhu Yuanzhang was returning along the path to the Huagai Hall, he looked toward his personal military officer, Zhang Huan, and asked, "Have you investigated the matter clearly?"

Zhang Huan replied hastily, "Your Majesty, it has all been investigated. Gu Zhengchen traveled to the capital this time in the company of Liang Jiajun. Liang Jiajun's father, Liang Heng, had a past friendship with Imperial Academy Assistant Kai Ji. Yesterday, the two of them went to Kai Ji's residence to drink as guests. Kai Ji's banquet was sparse and simple, strictly adhering to the imperial decree of four dishes and one soup, with no violations of regulations. Gu Zhengchen's appearance at Dachong Bridge was purely coincidental. At present, he is lodging at the Baoyuan Inn near the Examination Hall."

"He hasn't gone to the Ministry of Personnel to report for duty?"

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned slightly.

Zhang Huan's heart tightened. "No, he hasn't. Perhaps it is because he just entered the capital, and the Mid-Autumn Festival is drawing near..."

Zhu Yuanzhang cast a stern and cold glance at Zhang Huan. "You have been rather—talkative lately!"

Zhang Huan hurriedly begged for forgiveness.

Zhu Yuanzhang cast one more cold glance at Zhang Huan and issued his directive: "Have Liu Bowen come to see me."

Zhang Huan acknowledged the command and let out a long breath of relief.

Walking out of the Baoyuan Inn, Gu Zhengchen led Gu Cheng and Sun Shiba through the alleys and streets of Jinling, enjoying a rare slice of freedom and leisure.

Along the market streets, stalls and shops were set up, and vendors cried out their wares with vigor to entice buyers. Passersby paused in their tracks to argue endlessly over minuscule profits, creating the bustling clamor of the street.

Stepping into a secluded lane, the commotion gradually faded away.

The tranquil lane was like a binding cord, connecting thousands upon thousands of households.

No matter how many springs and autumns passed by in the flow of time, people could always follow this thread of attachment and find their way home.

Passing through the lane and stepping out, the din surged toward them once more.

Before he knew it, Gu Zhengchen had arrived outside the Hongwu Gate.

Extending southward from the Hongwu Gate was a direct thoroughfare to the Zhengyang Gate, while northward lay the Thousand-Step Corridor. Flanking the Thousand-Step Corridor were the Secretariat, the Five Ministries, and the Grand Chief Military Commission, with the Tianque Gate at its far end, followed by the Duan Gate, the Meridian Gate, and the imperial palace.

The intersection at the Hongwu Gate was exceedingly lively. Unlike the bamboo, wood, firewood, and kindling sold at the Jubao Gate, the goods here consisted mostly of chickens, geese, fish, and vegetables—doubtless designed for the convenience of honorable officials to pick up a few provisions to take home after work.

Gu Zhengchen intended to buy a fish to take back and have the inn prepare a fine meal. As he was in the midst of haggling over the price, the sound of hooves came from afar, prompting Gu Cheng and Sun Shiba to hurriedly pull Gu Zhengchen aside out of the way.

Two spirited horses thundered down the official road, making a crisp clatter. Astride the mounts, courier riders leaned forward, gripping their reins while shouting, "Urgent dispatch passing through, all idlers make way!"

Upon hearing this, the commoners scrambled to get out of the way.

An elderly man carrying a shoulder pole was slow of foot and already too late to dodge. In his panic, the courier abruptly yanked on the reins. The warhorse came to a sudden halt, and the rider on its back, caught completely unprepared, flipped over the horse's head and crashed heavily onto the ground. The horse, startled, reared up on its hind legs and nearly stood vertically.

The other courier, Wei Sheng, seeing this, hastily reined in his mount and vaulted down, crying out, "Chen San! Chen San, wake up!"

Yet the courier named Chen San, collapsed upon the ground, no longer breathed.

"A physician! Is there a physician?!"

Wei Sheng shouted at the top of his lungs. Seeing no response, he abandoned his horse and sprinted toward the Thousand-Step Corridor.

Seeing that a man had died, the old man sat paralyzed on the ground, trembling uncontrollably as the vegetables in his baskets spilled all over the earth. The onlookers did not dare to draw close, fearing they might incur disaster.

"Master!"

Seeing Gu Zhengchen step forward, Gu Cheng called out anxiously.

Gu Zhengchen walked to Chen San's side, knelt down, and felt for his breath—there was none. He placed a finger against the side of the neck—still no pulse. Reaching out to pry open Chen San's eyelids, he saw that the pupils were neither dilated nor dispersed. With a solemn expression, he knelt beside Chen San and began loosening his wrists.

What a difficult task this was. In his modern life, he had attended merely a single first-aid course without even a chance for practical hands-on training; he had no idea whether he could save him or not.

Just as Gu Zhengchen stacked his hands over Chen San's chest, an angry roar rang out from a distance: "Stop what you are doing!"

Gu Zhengchen looked up and saw a square-faced young man hurrying closer. The youth was clad in a scarlet robe adorned with a lion insignia on the chest square. His eyes were large and bright, his gaze resolute and powerful, and the line of his chin was sharply defined.

"Physician Wang, go quickly and treat him!"

The young man issued a stern command.

Following closely behind him was an elderly man carrying a medicine chest, accompanied by four saber-wielding guards.

Gu Zhengchen looked at the young man and drew a deep breath. Who on earth was this person? He looked to be less than thirty years of age, yet he already held the rank of a second-grade military official!

Could it be Li Wenzhong?

No, both Li Wenzhong and Xu Dada were stationed in the north; the Northern Yuan had not been behaving peacefully during this period, and moreover, Li Wenzhong held the rank of a first-grade Grand Commander.

Physician Wang hurried forward, conducted an examination, and then rose with a helpless expression, looking toward the young man. "My Lord Commander, the man is already dead."

Wei Sheng was overcome with grief, kneeling not far from Chen San as he wept and blamed himself.

"Perhaps... there is still hope."

Gu Zhengchen remained kneeling, straightening his upper body. He placed the heel of his left hand upon the lower third of Chen San's breastbone, overlapping it parallelly with his right hand to press down.

"The man is already dead!"

Physician Wang looked somewhat indignant that someone would actually challenge his professional judgment.

The young man looked down at Gu Zhengchen, asking with a piercing gaze, "You say he is not yet dead? Are you certain you can bring him back to life?"

Gu Zhengchen adjusted his breathing and snapped, "If you waste any more breath, he truly will die! Step back, all of you!"

Clang!

A guard drew his saber and stepped forward. "How dare you show disrespect to the Lord Commander?!"

Gu Zhengchen cared nothing about any Lord Commander. The man had not drowned; there was no need to clear his mouth and nose, and it was highly likely he was simply in a state of suspended animation due to a violent fall. He could not afford to waste another second. With a sudden burst of strength, he began chest compressions, silently counting the rhythm in his mind.

The young man raised a hand to halt the guard, watching Chen San's chest rise and fall repeatedly under the pressure, then turned his gaze back to Gu Zhengchen. He could see that this man was expending an immense amount of physical effort; scarcely had he begun when perspiration was already pouring from him in torrents.

Gu Zhengchen, too, felt his stamina draining rapidly, yet he dared not stop. Pushing down time and time again, sweat streamed down his cheeks.

The surroundings were utterly silent, and the gathered onlookers stared in stunned amazement.

"Come back to life!"

Gu Zhengchen gritted his teeth and persisted, shaking his head as beads of sweat the size of peas flew through the air.