Chapter Twenty-Three: Gu Zhengchen: Better to Be Myself

Li Yi stood there with a smile, dressed in simple cloth, his hand still clutching a tattered palm-leaf fan.

Gu Zhengchen felt a bit puzzled. Was this guy stalking him again? What a creep—stalking another man, what was that supposed to accomplish?

Li Yi gestured with his fan toward the procession carrying the betrothal gifts. "This procession is far more extravagant than the one your family sent..."

Gu Zhengchen had a strong urge to kick the man. He was hitting a sore spot; given the state of the Gu family, they were lucky they hadn't just sent two wild pheasants instead of the traditional wild geese. Besides, it was the Zhao family who had been fawning over the Gu family in the first place.

"This is fine."

After saying this, Gu Zhengchen clasped his hands behind his back and turned to walk away.

Li Yi caught up, and seeing that Gu Zhengchen showed no signs of dejection or anger, he asked, "Are you not even slightly moved?"

Gu Zhengchen shrugged with a chuckle, completely indifferent.

A woman like Zhao Ya'er—lacking both substance and sense, possessing nothing but a decent shell—was not worth regretting. As for the Zhao family, they were snobs who didn't just distance themselves when their son-in-law fell on hard times, but even threw stones from a distance; they were even less worth keeping.

From the bottom of his heart, Gu Zhengchen looked down on the Zhao family.

However, in Li Yi's eyes, this "looking down" translated into a sense of detachment—like "reaching the point where the stream ends, and sitting to watch the clouds rise." He couldn't help but praise, "Scholar Gu has a fine temperament. May I invite you for a cup of tea?"

Gu Zhengchen pointed toward a middle-aged man nearby who was pretending to shop for medicinal plasters. "Tea is fine, but aren't we missing someone?"

Li Yi raised an eyebrow. Such sharp observation—to actually notice the secretary, Yan Bin.

Gu Zhengchen didn't particularly want to notice them, but if you're going to tail someone, you should at least be professional. That man had poked his head out to peek seven or eight times while buying dog-skin plaster; didn't he see the vendor trying to shoo him away? Besides, this was the same guy who had been crouching by the east fence of the Gu residence with Li Yi yesterday, looking miserable, before leaving without a word. Did they really think they could hide in the crowd? With those big heads and faces...

At the teahouse.

After Li Yi introduced Yan Bin and exchanged a few polite pleasantries, his smile faded. He grew serious and asked, "Having seen your remarkable methods yesterday, I would like to ask you, Scholar Gu: if you were to govern a region, how would you administer it and bring prosperity to the people?"

Gu Zhengchen looked deeply at Li Yi. "Are you a man of the Imperial Court?"

Li Yi did not deny it; he only said, "Please, answer the question, Scholar."

Gu Zhengchen lifted his teacup, pondered for a moment, and said earnestly, "To govern a region—the term 'region' is too broad. You must know that every place has different geography, different mountains and rivers, different yields, and different customs. To govern, one must adapt to local conditions. Take this Teng County, for instance. What is most abundant here?"

Li Yi paused, then ventured, "Water?"

Yan Bin added, "Mountains?"

Gu Zhengchen looked at the two of them, exasperated, and tapped the table. "What Teng County has most is coal."

"Coal?"

Li Yi and Yan Bin were surprised.

Coal, known in ancient times by various names like 'smoke stone' or 'black cinnabar,' had been used on a significant scale since the Han Dynasty. By the Song Dynasty, records stated that "the millions of families in the capital relied entirely on stone coal."

In the current Ming Dynasty, coal was even more indispensable. Beyond the needs of Emperor Zhu's family in Nanjing for warmth, the mass minting of copper coins and the forging of weaponry required vast amounts of coal.

The Ming Dynasty's external wars were not yet over; the Northeast had not been reclaimed, Goryeo was playing a double game, the Northern Yuan forces still posed a threat beyond the northern passes, and in the Southwest, the Yuan Prince of Liang still occupied Yunnan. Without coal, what would they use for smelting? Firewood sticks simply wouldn't do.

Gu Zhengchen spoke gravely: "If Teng County can mine coal and use the Grand Canal for transport to sell it, the county could flourish within a decade. Of course, whether to focus on government-led mining or merchant-led extraction, and how to balance revenue for the court with benefits for the people, would require careful deliberation. I am merely speaking on paper."

Li Yi looked at Gu Zhengchen in astonishment. This man was far-sighted and possessed unique vision; if he entered the bureaucracy, he would surely achieve great things. Yet, Gu Zhengchen was oversimplifying the problem. Coal mining required massive amounts of labor, and Teng County was a minor county with fewer than six thousand households; it couldn't possibly support large-scale mining.

"Having studied in poverty, what is your ambition?" Li Yi asked.

Gu Zhengchen replied, "Why don't you go first?"

Li Yi's expression turned solemn. He replied with absolute sincerity, "My lifelong ambition is to be a 'Gong and Huang' of this dynasty."

Gu Zhengchen's brow flickered. Gong and Huang referred to the virtuous Han Dynasty officials Gong Sui and Huang Ba. As the *History of the Song* noted, they were the paradigms of ancient administration and justice. It seemed this man had true ambition.

Li Yi looked at Gu Zhengchen.

Gu Zhengchen blew on his tea and said calmly, "I prefer to be myself."

Li Yi was struck with shock.

*I prefer to be myself!*

It was an unexpected answer. As recorded in the *A New Account of the Tales of the World*, when Huan Wen asked Yin Hao how he compared to him, Yin replied, "I have been with myself for so long; I prefer to be myself!"

It meant: I do not wish to compete with you; I only wish to be who I am, upholding my own convictions and aspirations.

In the vast sea of literature, only a handful of figures like Xin Qiji or Lu You had ever dared to voice such a sentiment. In this world, countless people drifted through life like willow catkins in the wind or duckweed on the water, justifying their loss of self and sycophancy with the excuse of being helpless. How many truly held onto "I prefer to be myself," never forgetting their original intent or their convictions?

To be oneself is not about being unconventional; it is about being steadfast in seeking the truth and living out one's beliefs!

After watching Gu Zhengchen depart, Li Yi said to Yan Bin, "Add Gu Zhengchen's name to the list of recommended candidates. The court needs talent like this."

Yan Bin was concerned: "I worry he is too rigid. With such sharp edges, he will be suppressed once he enters the bureaucracy."

Li Yi's face grew heavy. He whispered, "The capital is filled with Huai subordinates. Now that Hu Weiyong controls the Secretariat, it won't be long before he becomes the Right Chancellor. People say he is bold and calculating, but he is also sinister and vicious; I fear he will not tolerate anyone who stands out."

Yan Bin nodded and asked, "Then should we hold Gu Zhengchen back for a few years? He is still young."

Li Yi waved his hand, insisting, "Though the Emperor hails from the Huai region, the Huai-Xi nobility cannot cover the sky. Hu Weiyong may control the Secretariat, but he does not control the world. If Gu Zhengchen is truly jade, he must endure the pain of being carved. Only then can he become a vessel of worth!"

Yan Bin smiled faintly. "The County Magistrate means to say: 'Strong winds reveal the sturdy grass; times of chaos reveal the loyal subject.'"

Just then, the County Vice-Magistrate, Jin Dache, hurried over and said urgently, "Magistrate, an imperial decree has arrived."

Li Yi handed his fan to Yan Bin, straightened his robes, and said in a deep, resolute voice, "Back to the County Office!"