Under the cover of a dark and windy night, Yun Shu and the little fox ground the Body-Tempering Pills into powder and sprinkled it into the wells the city's commoners drank from.
Doing this would definitely dilute the effects of the Body-Tempering Pills, but it was already the best method she could think of for now.
“System, let's split up. You head north, and I'll head south. If we finish early, we can still catch up on some sleep.”
The little fox flashed Yun Shu an OK sign.
On the other side of the city, the Governor's estate was also brightly lit. The high-ranking officials of Zhenbei Prefecture and the governors of various cities were all present, including many familiar faces as well as many new ones.
Pei Wanning held two books in her hands. One was the Body Tempering Technique written down from memory by Shen Jue and Feng Chunya, while the other was a poetry collection she and Shen Yu had written down together.
After pondering for a moment, she said decisively, “We must first have the soldiers in the army learn the Body Tempering Technique and the method of entering the Dao before we can gradually roll it out to the entire north. Otherwise, if any chaos breaks out, it will be very difficult for us to control the situation.”
Shen Jue furrowed his brows and said in a deep voice, “The Divine Lady commanded General Feng and me to spread the Body Tempering Technique throughout the world. If we delay like this, will the Divine Lady be displeased?”
Pei Wanning came from the Heluo Pei Clan.
It was hard for him not to suspect that Pei Wanning's words were an intentional attempt to obstruct him and Feng Chunya from spreading the Body Tempering Technique throughout the world.
Because the Body Tempering Technique was unlike any other book; it was a completely new thing that no one had ever encountered before. Whether it was the common people or the children of noble families learning the Body Tempering Technique, it all depended entirely on one's personal talent and comprehension. Thus, once this Body Tempering Technique spread throughout the world, the hundred-year-old standing of the Heluo Pei Clan would likely be lost.
“General Shen, if my actions are wrong, the Divine Lady will naturally punish me.” There was no longer any hint of youthfulness left on Pei Wanning's face, her brow filled with maturity and stability. “If the Divine Lady does not punish me, then it proves I am not wrong.”
“Absurd,” Shen Jue rebuked in a low voice, speaking with dissatisfaction. “This concerns the Divine Lady, how can you treat it so lightly?! Could it be that Miss Pei wants to secure an early advantage for the Heluo Pei Clan?”
Pei Wanning's face darkened. “Watch your words, General Shen! The Divine Lady bestowed the Body Tempering Technique upon us to spread throughout the world. For the common people, this is naturally a monumental blessing. But if the government cannot control this power, then for the commoners, it will no longer be a blessing, but a disaster that destroys order!”
She paused for a moment before adding, “The Divine Lady holds the people close to her heart. In doing this, I am also thinking of the people. I have never thought of seeking any benefits for the Pei Clan!”
Looking at his niece, who had already grown into a young woman, Pei Du felt a complex mix of emotions. Originally, upon hearing that Pei Wanning wanted to delay spreading the Body Tempering Technique, he, like Shen Jue, had wondered if she was looking out for the Pei Clan. He had even been prepared to subtly advise her that the trend of the times was unstoppable.
Only at this moment did he realize he had once again underestimated this young woman, the first to sit in a position of high authority in thousands of years.
“Miss Pei, while that may be true...”
Seeing that Shen Jue seemed about to say something unpleasant again, Shen Yu, who had been deep in thought, snapped out of it and interrupted him.
“Brother, Miss Pei is a person of great righteousness. You must not make baseless accusations and harm our camaraderie!”
As he spoke, he looked at Pei Wanning and the other officials present, saying warmly, “I was just thinking about it. What Miss Pei says is not without merit. However, if we only let the soldiers in the army learn the Body Tempering Technique first, it would violate the balance between scholarly and martial arts that the Divine Lady spoke of. Why don't we pass both the Body Tempering Technique and the method of entering the Dao through scholarly arts to Yecheng Academy at the same time?”
“The students who can enter Yecheng Academy have all passed tests in various aspects. Even if we let them access the Body Tempering Technique early, I believe they will not act recklessly.”
Hearing this, Pei Wanning let go of her desire to argue with Shen Jue and began to ponder carefully.
“Second Young Master Shen, you make a good point.”
The students of Yecheng Academy were absolutely trustworthy. To enter the academy, not only did the students themselves have to be of upright character, but even their parents could not have any criminal records.
It was no wonder they set such strict admission requirements. The things currently taught in the academy would cause immense trouble if they fell into the hands of those with ill intentions.
For this reason, they had established many new academies in various cities long ago, separating Yecheng Academy from the rest.
These new academies were modeled after the nine-year compulsory education mentioned by Mr. Xiaoming from the other world. Children entered at the age of six, and after completing nine years of study, they could work in the various workshops of the city to earn a living.
Of course, if a student excelled in both character and academics, they could also be recommended by their teachers to take the exam for Yecheng Academy, entering it to learn more profound knowledge.
Currently, there was only one Yecheng Academy, so the enrollment spots were limited. However, she believed that in the near future, they would definitely be able to build more Yecheng Academies.
Cheng Ji and Ye Qingqing exchanged a look. “My wife and I will return to Yecheng immediately to make arrangements for the Body Tempering Technique.”
Shen Yu said to Feng Chunya, “General Feng, go with Governor Cheng and the others. By staying in Yecheng, you can not only teach the Yecheng soldiers the Body Tempering Technique but also deter any troublemakers.”
Feng Chunya cupped her fists and replied, “Understood.”
She and her parents had settled down in Yecheng two years ago, so she was naturally happy to return.
Having resolved the most pressing issue, the group began discussing other matters. With the emergence of the Body Tempering Technique and the methods of entering the Dao, many administrative details and laws had to be updated to keep pace with the times.
The Governor's estate in Xindu City worked around the clock, with everything proceeding in an intense and orderly fashion.
...
During the dog days of summer, Xindu City was scorching hot.
It was an ordinary afternoon.
Yun Shu sat on the wall of a courtyard, her legs dangling as her skirt fluttered and settled in the wind.
A nearby old tree shielded her from the blazing sun.
Holding a half-eaten bowl of ice cream in her hands, her gaze rested on a small figure in the middle of the courtyard.
The young boy had a look of childish seriousness on his face. With every punch he threw, he uttered a sharp grunt. Beads of sweat rolled down his cheeks and soaked into his collar.
Under the tree in the corner, a woman reclined in a bamboo chair. A little girl of about three or four sat on her lap, clapping her chubby hands and shouting in a slurred voice.
“Big… brother… punch!”
The little fox hopped over to Yun Shu's side. “Host, why have you been coming to watch this kid practice his punches so often lately?”
It remembered this little boy.
On the day she and Yun Shu had first arrived in Xindu City, they had run into him, and Yun Shu had even given him a helping hand.
“He has a great talent for martial arts.” Yun Shu handed another bowl of ice cream, which was sitting beside her, to the little fox.
“Then are you going to guide him?”
The little fox asked as it scooped up a mouthful of ice cream.
“We'll see.”
Yun Shu rested her chin in her hand, remaining noncommittal.
“A’le.”
The woman suddenly raised her voice. “Come over and have some water.”
Hearing her call, the boy turned around and ran over.
“Mother.”
“Slow down, there's no rush.” Zhao Chunniang picked up a bowl of cooled tea from the small table next to her bamboo chair and handed it to him.
The boy tilted his head back and gulped it down.
“Are you tired?” Zhao Chunniang pulled up her sleeve and wiped the sweat from her son's forehead.
“I'm not tired, Mother!”
The boy shook his head. “Father is a great hero who helped the Divine Lady slay the evil dragon. I must practice martial arts diligently too!”
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