The outside world was in turmoil, but Pan Garden remained relatively peaceful for the time being.
Shao Xun sat under a crooked-neck tree, scribbling on the ground with a branch.
More than two months had passed in the blink of an eye.
The winter wheat planted last year was nearing harvest.
The livestock that had successfully survived the winter were thriving in the season of growth, their numbers increasing steadily.
The three groups of children under his management were balancing work, training, and study, and everyone was making progress.
The two newly recruited teams of soldiers were becoming more disciplined.
At his suggestion, the battalion commander, Mi Huang, had appointed Li Zhong (a veteran of the former Luoyang Central Army) and Huang Biao as team leaders.
They were now drilling day and night, and the troops were starting to take shape—though, to be honest, they already had a solid foundation.
Even Yang Bao had been behaving himself lately, perhaps satisfied with his position as a supervisor.
Everything was going well...
"Goals," Shao Xun wrote these two words in the soft dirt.
In truth, he had already outlined the general direction: to prepare a fallback plan.
Luoyang was a death trap, good for reaping benefits but not suitable as a foundation for growth.
On this point, his interests aligned with those of Sima Yue.
Even if they didn't align, there was nothing he could do about it.
Given his background and status, rising to prominence in the short term was nothing but a dream.
The only way forward was to "borrow a shell to go public"—to first attach himself to Sima Yue's faction and take things one step at a time.
So, did he have an ultimate goal?
Of course he did.
But saying it out loud now would only invite ridicule, and he'd be so embarrassed he could dig out a three-room house with his bare hands.
Shao Xun lifted his foot and erased the two words he had just written, then wrote "Measures" instead.
How should he work toward his goals?
First, by befriending influential people and gaining their favor.
Second, by building a loyal team to prepare for future governance.
Third, by rigorously training his troops, earning military merits, and securing promotions.
And fourth, by guarding against various uncertainties and eliminating competitors.
These were the four main directions of effort.
There were other, secondary efforts as well, but they were lower priority.
With limited energy, it was best to focus on the big picture and let the smaller things go.
Once he had thought this through, he quickly erased the words and wrote "Difficulties."
What difficulties did he face?
The biggest difficulty was his lowly birth—an original sin with no solution.
For example, when it came to marriage, a potential avenue for gaining political resources through in-laws, his options were severely limited: he could only marry a woman from a military household.
It wasn't that Shao Xun was a snob, but in terms of looks and refinement, the women from military households just didn't measure up!
Thinking back to the group of elegant ladies he had seen at the entertainment gathering two months ago, and comparing them to the military household women he had encountered in Xuzhou, he couldn't help but feel exasperated.
Women from scholarly families didn't do farm work, so their skin was smooth and well-maintained.
They had grown up with ample nutrition, so their figures were better.
Their fathers were more likely to have married beautiful women, so their genes were superior, making them more attractive overall.
And when it came to education, ninety-nine percent of military household women were illiterate, with no talents to speak of—there was just no comparison.
Of course, things weren't entirely black and white.
What era was this? Many old rules were slowly being broken.
Just a few days ago, the elusive Mi Huang had paid a visit.
After observing the soldiers' drills, he was very pleased and, during a casual conversation, had asked about Shao Xun's marital status.
Mi Huang had hinted that, starting a few years ago, due to the frequent changes in the political landscape, many officials had been convicted, and entire families had been wiped out.
Some women from scholarly families who had married into these households were supposed to be executed along with their husbands, but because of their family connections, they had been spared and taken back by their birth families.
However, these women were now in a difficult position—no one dared to marry them.
For example, after Zhao Wang Sima Lun was killed for usurping the throne, the false crown princess Liu (wife of the false crown prince Sima Fu) had been spared because her brother Liu Kun had gained the favor of Qi Wang Sima Jiong.
But someone like Liu, despite being a criminal and a widow, was still out of Shao Xun's reach—his status was simply too low.
However, women from less prominent families of convicted officials might not be entirely out of the question.
Still, he felt it was best not to rush into anything.
He would wait a bit longer.
Besides, he still had family in Donghai, and he would need to consult them on this matter.
"Difficulties..."
Shao Xun rubbed his rough face with his large hand.
"This face is probably beyond saving, even with skincare products. My appearance and demeanor are ruined."
Don't laugh—appearance and demeanor were important criteria for selecting officials.
Shao Xun was tall and robust, which immediately clashed with the scholarly preference for a more delicate, refined look.
In fact, he was surprised that Lady Pei hadn't found him "ugly."
Moreover, his sun-weathered face and hands calloused from years of wielding bows and swords—how could they meet the standards?
It was hopeless!
Sometimes it was downright discouraging.
The Xiongnu in Bingzhou were very welcoming to brave warriors from the Central Plains, offering money, houses, and women—damn, the treatment was too good.
If it weren't for the fact that he, as a man from the future, still had some sense of national pride, he might as well have gone and joined the Xiongnu.
With his skills in archery and horsemanship, he could have easily become a minor chieftain.
It could be said that most of his difficulties stemmed from his lowly birth.
In a society obsessed with bloodlines, it would take an immense amount of effort to change his fate.
"Scratch, scratch..."
Shao Xun used the branch to messily cross out the word "Difficulties," as if venting his frustration.
Was this damn court even worth protecting?
The heat of midsummer was scorching, and the windows were open to let in the northern breeze.
June arrived quickly, and Lady Pei, dressed in a cool two-piece garment with a sheer outer robe, rode in a carriage to the fields.
The two-piece garment, originally a type of armor from the Han dynasty, had evolved into a form of clothing and became a popular undergarment.
By the Tai Kang era of the Jin dynasty, it had become fashionable for both men and women to wear these undergarments as outerwear, creating a striking sight in the summer heat.
Lady Pei, with her figure, looked stunning in the two-piece garment, leaving onlookers unable to look away.
But she paid no attention to the stares, her gaze fixed on the rows of harvested wheat, a smile on her face.
Shao Xun, accompanied by ten soldiers, stood guard nearby.
He too looked on with satisfaction at the elderly soldiers swinging their sickles with vigor—ah, it seemed Yang Bao was also working in the fields.
"Farming is essential..." he couldn't help but recall the words he had heard before.
In these chaotic times, this was probably a great morale booster.
Looking at the old soldiers, they seemed to prefer harvesting grain over going to war and killing.
So, who was responsible for all this chaos, forcing the common people to pay the price?
Didn't they feel any guilt?
What was even more infuriating was that they were still living in luxury, indulging in drugs, idle talk, lavish feasts, and surrounded by beautiful women.
After wreaking havoc in the north and realizing the situation was hopeless, they simply packed up and headed south.
In Jiangnan, they had grand mansions, vast estates, and hordes of serfs, allowing them to live in peace and continue their selfish schemes.
When Shao Xun had read about this period in history, he had been enchanted by the romanticized accounts of the scholars' refined lifestyles and the so-called "Wei-Jin demeanor."
It had all seemed so beautiful, artistic, and romantic, with a refreshing aura that was intoxicating.
But now that he had traveled back in time, he could no longer see things from the scholars' perspective.
He now felt that these people were tainted by original sin and needed to be reformed.
But the sad truth was that he still had to rely on them for survival, even flattering and catering to them.
Perhaps this was just how life was—constantly making choices and compromises, until one's edges were worn smooth and they were swallowed by the tides of time.
"Supervisor, you seem lost in thought?" Lady Pei glanced at him curiously and asked.
"In war, supplies are of utmost importance," Shao Xun replied.
"But now, with constant fighting across the provinces, prefectures, and military districts, men cannot farm, women cannot weave, and the people are left to suffer in the ditches, their homes reduced to ruins. If this continues, military provisions will surely run short. My lady, you have managed Pan Garden with such order and efficiency—I deeply admire you. The nearly thousand soldiers and civilians under your care also deeply appreciate your virtue."
"You're quite the smooth talker," Lady Pei said with a faint smile.
"I suppose you said the same to Liang Lanbi and Yu Wenjun that day?"
Shao Xun was taken aback.
Lady Pei lowered the carriage curtain and fell silent for a moment.
"Let's head to Luoyang," she ordered after a while.
"Yes, my lady," Shao Xun replied, calling for horses and mounting his own.
The other nine soldiers also mounted their horses, spreading out around the carriage.
The carriage moved slowly, heading west.
It was midday, and the sun was blazing.
After just a short while, Lady Pei lifted the curtain again to let in some air.
"Liang Lanbi's father, General Liang Fen, is a scholar from the western region (Guanxi) and is acquainted with Yan Ding of Tianshui and others. They often gather together," Lady Pei's gentle voice came from within the carriage.
"Since you are on good terms with Mi Huang, you should be cautious. For now, it may not matter, but if the situation changes, scholars from Henan, Hebei, the western region, and even Wu may not see eye to eye, and that could have consequences. You—should be a bit more careful."
Shao Xun was startled and immediately replied, "Thank you for the advice, my lady."
Indeed, there were divisions among the scholars of the realm.
He had vaguely sensed this, but he hadn't realized how deep the rifts were.
During the southward migration of the aristocracy, it seemed that few scholars from Hebei (north of the Yellow River) had moved south, while many from Henan had.
As for the scholars from Guanxi, he wasn't very familiar with their situation.
But it seemed that after Luoyang fell, the Guanxi scholars—primarily Yan Ding of Tianshui and Jia Pi of Wuwei—had escorted Sima Ye (Emperor Min of Jin) to Chang'an and installed him as emperor.
At the time, many scholars from the east had refused to go to Chang'an.
Was it really necessary?
If Lady Pei hadn't warned him, he might have stepped on this landmine.
While it might not have had much of an impact, he wasn't from a scholarly family, and his margin for error was slim.
There was no need to take such risks.
The rest of the journey passed in silence.
As the sun began to set, the carriage entered the city through the Shangdong Gate and headed straight for the Minister of Works' residence.
(End of Chapter)