NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 296: A Young Daughter's Thoughts
Five days later.
The forty-ninth year of the Yonghe era of the Wei Dynasty, April fifteenth.
In the Kyoto Prefecture, spring flowers are in full bloom, yet the streets are sparsely populated.
Most of the residents of each ward are staying at home, gathering in small groups to chat leisurely.
The streets are serene; from Vermilion Bird Street to the left and right Black Tortoise Roads, the Black Armor Guard stands every five steps, looking cold and upright.
After the morning drum sounds, the City Guard dons their armor, carrying woven bamboo baskets on their backs, holding brooms, shovels, and other tools, cleaning the streets one by one.
The constables from the county governments of Changle and Yongnian work harder, as they are responsible for taking the trash and debris outside the prefecture.
After each street and alley is cleaned, a member of the Night Watch Department inspects it carefully and makes a record.
"Vermilion Bird Street: Cleaned and organized!"
"Black Tortoise Street: Cleaned and organized!"
"Datong Road: Cleaned and organized!"
"..."
If any street is found to be non-compliant or not clean enough by the Night Watch Department, they will harshly reprimand the City Guard and constables.
"In just three days, it will be the grand event of our Great Wei Dynasty. The Holy Emperor will be attending the ceremony from outside the Imperial City. How dare you be so careless and negligent?"
"Yes, yes…"
Besides the Night Watch Department, City Guard, and county officials, clerks from the Ministry of Rites are also running around each ward and market, checking the lanterns hanging at the east and west gates, and the attire of ward personnel.
"Mr. Liu, we at Qingping Ward have made ample preparations today. Could we possibly rank well among the one hundred and eight wards?"
The ward master, who is in his thirties and quite perceptive, sidles up to the clerk from the Ministry of Rites and discreetly hands him an oiled paper parcel.
He knows offering money is futile and might cost the clerk his job, but an oiled parcel with roast duck is much more subtle.
The clerk weighs the parcel twice, glances around the ward gate, and then looks at the ward master with a friendly tone:
"Chief Cui, Qingping Ward is near the Kyoto Academy. It should originally receive a 'good' rating, but have you considered what day it is in three days?"
"It's the first grand event to select talents in our Great Wei Dynasty since its founding."
"Not only will wards like Qingping, inevitably chosen by the Holy Emperor for the viewing route, be vibrant, even those located at far corners are giving it their all."
The clerk pauses for a moment, then continues with a serious expression: "Compared to the sixteen wards in the north, Qingping Ward is at the bottom. Even among the sixteen wards surrounding the east and west markets, Qingping Ward can only rank in the lower middle."
"As for the south... around Dakong Temple, they've already replaced their gates with ones made of golden jade, and the roads have been resurfaced..."
As he elaborates, Chief Cui's face turns unpleasant, inwardly cursing the ward masters in the north and south.
It's understandable that the sixteen northern wards are intricately arranged, given their proximity to the Imperial City, where dukes, marquises, royal family members, and wealthy merchants reside, but those couple in the south...
Well, they can't really be blamed.
Dakong Temple is located in the southern sixteen wards. During the grand event, almost all the people from Kyoto Prefecture will gather there. It's said that temporary platforms have been built at Qu Pond, specifically for merchants to set up stalls.
The houses on the outskirts of the wards have been converted into inns for Jianghu guests and noble family sons from other prefectures to rest.
At Dakong Temple and Qu Pond, the main venues for the grand event, stands have been set up on the mountains; numerous painted boats are arranged on the pond for viewing.
"Damn, are the wards near the east and west markets crazy? They aren't even near the north or south. Why are they preparing so thoroughly?"
Hearing this, the clerk from the Ministry of Rites glances at him and laughs: "Master Cui, you might have forgotten what the east and west markets are for."
"Now that Kyoto Prefecture is filled with Jianghu guests and noble families from afar, it's the merchants of the two markets who supply the daily essentials."
"And those noble sons and noble daughters, the gold in their pockets alone isn't less than a myriad. Spending a thousand on a stroll through the East Market is nothing."
"I've heard that the other day, a reckless youth from Chuan Mansion came to compete for a Jade Ruyi with the son of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. Can you guess the outcome?"
Master Cui says: "The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue's family doesn't lack money. A youth from a remote place like Chuan Mansion probably wouldn't stand a chance, right?"
"But you're mistaken!" The clerk shakes his head, speaking in an exaggerated tone:
"That reckless youth simply threw out ten golden notes without batting an eye!"
"Ten notes?" Master Cui is astonished: "Wouldn't that be a hundred thousand gold?!"
"Exactly, at that time, the Vice Minister's son was dumbfounded, calling the youth stupid with too much money." The clerk sighs:
"Never mind if they're foolish, but this shows that these noble sons and daughters from other provinces genuinely have abundant gold."
"And those inheritors from Taoist sects or academic sacred lands, if they fancy something, they won't hesitate either, even exchanging rare talismans, elixirs, and such."
Upon hearing this, Master Cui understands his implication: "Then for this grand event, my Qingping Ward..."
The clerk shakes his head: "If you care, quickly find craftsmen to spruce up the facade. Otherwise, we can only give Qingping Ward a 'middle-upper' rating."
"..."
As the grand event approaches, not only does the entire Kyoto Prefecture prepare from top to bottom, but the Jianghu guests and noble family sons from other provinces are also getting ready.
However, they don't concern themselves with the streets or market wards. Instead, with one hand holding the "Talents List" and the other the odds list from the gambling house, they argue heatedly, faces flushed red.
For the people of Kyoto Prefecture, apart from watching, the mere mention of "Little Sword Immortal" Chen Yi can make them hold their heads high.
But the people from other prefectures are still debating the merits of their own prefectural talents.
"Jiangnan Prefecture's 'Golden Saber' Wang Wu, a high disciple of the Ba Dao Sect, is now at Fourth Grade Upper Rank in cultivation, having mastered the Sword Dao. Surely he can make it to the top fifty, if not the top hundred?"