The Comeback of the Cannon-Fodder Supporting Actress

Chapter 1035: Chapter 1012: Honor Amid Chaos 80

Mei Boqing’s face showed no expression, but his eyes revealed a hint of shock.

”Your mother has developed quite the skill, even able to foresee floods.”

Xiao Song smiled proudly: ”Of course, my mother is talented. Back then when my parents traveled from the Capital to the Southern Yi, it was all thanks to my mother watching the skies and finding water sources that they arrived without losing a single person. Her ability to predict the weather is impressive; if she says it will rain tomorrow, it surely won’t be sunny. If she says drought is coming, there will definitely be no rain.”

Mei Boqing listened, his brows furrowed: ”If there really is a flood, it should be reported to the court soon...”

He stopped speaking before completing his sentence.

Having lived to the present age, Mei Boqing’s youthful innocence and arrogance have been mostly worn away.

He was now a seasoned elder, naturally aware that even if the court were informed of a flood next spring, no one would care.

Court ministers only knew to exploit the people, and Emperor Jingqing was becoming increasingly ignorant, only pampering the Noble Consort Li and ignoring everything else. Added to the encroachment by noble families, Da Qi was in crisis everywhere, yet not a single person had emerged to manage the aftermath. Informing them of disasters, what use would that be?

Xiao Song could see what Mei Boqing was thinking.

After waiting a while, he said: ”Back then on the way to the Southern Yi, my mother encountered drought and locust plagues, leading to starvation across the land, but did anyone in the court care? No one. Nowadays, in Da Qi’s court, the rulers and ministers are even worse, indulging in dreams. Even if there truly is a flood, who will stand up and take charge?”

Mei Boqing listened and felt his spine bending a little, he sighed deeply: ”It’s just the common people who suffer.”

Mei Boqing pointed to a chair: ”Sit down.”

Xiao Song sat down: ”Master should really visit the Southern Yi with us. You don’t know, but things are really good there now.”

Xiao Song, eloquent and persuasive, began to tell stories of Xiao Yuan’s achievements over the years, from salt production to providing quality seeds for the people, from road construction to stimulating commerce, captivating Mei Boqing.

”Young people get accustomed to Southern Yi, and once we leave Yuexuan, it feels uncomfortable. You don’t know how well our roads are built there—not only in the Prefecture City but even village roads are paved with cement, no dust during dry times and not muddy when it rains, it’s very smooth to walk on. Leaving Yuexuan onto dirt roads, we really can’t stand it...”

Mei Boqing grew more interested, asking Xiao Song in detail about the food yield there, the lives of the people, and more.

When he heard that not only could the people in Nanyi Prefecture eat well and dress warmly, but that children could attend school for free, and those who fell ill could get timely medical treatment, he couldn’t help but praise: ”It’s really good, really good...”

Xiao Song smiled: ”That’s why I said you should come and see. Though Yangzhou City is bustling, if you look at our Nanyi Prefecture, that’s true prosperity. My mother said, if you visit, she will surely give you a warm welcome. If you bring along the masters, my mother will be even happier.”

”Well...”

Mei Boqing hesitated a bit.

Xiao Song then urged: ”You teach here, but wouldn’t you continue teaching in Nanyi Prefecture? We have even more students there; more students, fewer teachers. If you’re willing to bring the masters over, that would solve a critical shortage. Master, think about how many children in Nanyi are eager to learn, how many pairs of eyes are longing for education. The children want to learn, my father is intent on cultivating talent, but there are no teachers... Also, if not for yourself, consider the masters and senior disciples; if there truly is a flood next spring, you won’t be any safer in Yangzhou City. If something happens, my mother would be heartbroken.”

Xiao Song earnestly persuaded Mei Boqing from various angles, eventually causing him to waver.

Xiao Song seized the opportunity to express his desire to talk with the Master’s wife, and Mei Boqing instructed the servants to take him to see Mrs. Mei.

After Xiao Song left, Mei Boqing opened the letter to read it.

After reading, he sighed heavily: ”This child, this child...”

Anning’s letter poured out troubles to Mei Boqing, constantly saying how the Southern Yi lacked talent, not just a little, but severely lacking. The Southern Barbarian Prefectures lacked sufficient officials, and teaching positions were even more scarce, causing her and Xiao Yuan to nearly worry themselves sick.

They were trying to attract disaster survivors to discover various talents but were still insufficient.

Due to the lack of personnel, many policies couldn’t be implemented and some of her ideas couldn’t be realized. She wanted to ask Mei Boqing for help to introduce some senior and junior disciples to go over, promising excellent treatment for those willing. If anyone with true talent and learning came, they would be immediately appointed.

Reading the letter, Mei Boqing understood Anning’s intentions.

Anning was inviting him and his students over for both talent recruitment and for the prestige it could bring.

Mei Boqing was a great scholar of the time, and his disciples and grand-disciples possessed many genuine skills. Among them were people with significant reputations. If these people were willing to go to the Southern Yi, it would undoubtedly indicate to the world that the Southern Yi was favored by the people.

Additionally, Anning hoped to use Mei Boqing’s reputation to attract more talent.

From Xiao Song’s account, Mei Boqing guessed Xiao Yuan’s ambition to conquer Zhongyuan, naturally realizing that if Xiao Yuan wanted to unite the north and south, he would need talent from all fields.

The Southern Barbarian Prefectures had always been considered barbaric, lacking education, unfamiliar with etiquette, thus generally short of usable people.

So, the couple had set their sights on him.

He wanted to refuse but when he thought of Anning, thoughts of his deceased daughter came to mind.

Anning and his daughter were about the same age; they played especially well together as children, and he treated Anning like his own daughter.

Now his daughter had been gone for years, and Imperial Censor Liu had also passed away long ago. He sympathized with Anning for losing her parents early and mourned for his own daughter, so he somewhat treated Anning like his daughter. Anning’s letter pleading softened his resolve considerably.

That child was in difficulty, and as her uncle, he couldn’t just ignore it.

However, asking him to abandon his household and career to go to the Southern Yi, he was unwilling to leave behind old friends in Yangzhou.

Moreover, he still had some scholarly pride, feeling that going to the Southern Yi was not much different from joining rebels.

While he pondered indecisively, Xiao Song had already visited Mrs. Mei.

He handed Anning’s letter to Mrs. Mei and talked about how Anning thought of her, describing the prosperity of the Southern Yi, and how Anning wanted to invite them over to see it for themselves.

Additionally, Xiao Song spoke about the potential flooding next spring, persuading Mrs. Mei to consider the family.

If it were anything else, Mrs. Mei might not have been swayed, but the mention of flooding made her worried.

Finally, when Xiao Song recounted seeing starving refugees along the way, it convinced Mrs. Mei to make a decision.