The Fallen Nation System, Turning the Tide - Chapter 91: Acrobatics

Chapter 91: Acrobatics

“It’s just a bit of acrobatics, pardon my poor skills.”

Zhang Yu’s proposal was also an important matter: how to tax temples.

“Indeed, temple operations need regulation. As Gao Yun suggested, temples must register and pay taxes according to law. Otherwise, their land should be confiscated and returned to the state. We should also set knowledge and cultivation requirements for monks and Taoists based on the scale of their temples.”

Xu Ying added: “If they engage in charitable acts like education or poverty relief, they could deduct a certain amount of taxes for that year based on the scale, but there should be limits. Zhang Yu, you work out the specific amounts when you return.”

The officials murmured among themselves, some nodding while others looked serious and seemingly disapproving.

Yang Tong found it strange and quietly asked He Chongguang: “Wasn’t this supposed to be a birthday celebration for the Hall of Gathered Talents staff? Why are we discussing state affairs?”

He Chongguang, long accustomed to this, replied: “The birthday is just an excuse. They’re actually using this to showcase achievements and seek opportunities for themselves.”

Yang Tong retreated somewhat confused, quietly watching the proceedings.

After the banquet, busy work resumed. They needed to settle all pending matters before year’s end, otherwise the New Year celebrations would be plagued with worries.

Upon returning, Xu Ying exiled all who deserved exile and discussed with officials the establishment of female households in Zhenping. This way, after imposing taxes on concubines, if some families drove them away, these women could settle in Zhenping.

The matters were quite miscellaneous, requiring detailed planning. The new policies would be announced and implemented during next year’s Spring Festival.

Regarding tree planting in Zhenping, Xu Ying remembered they needed to dispatch skilled arborists. She mentioned this to Xu Lang, who pointed at the tree outside the courtyard: “This was sent by Huang Tuto, the magistrate of Wuxing County. He claims it’s a specially developed non-fruiting citrus tree for ornamental purposes. I think he might have such talents.”

Xu Ying didn’t recall immediately, so Xu Lang reminded her: “The one you demoted to plant citrus trees during Spring Festival – you said he couldn’t leave Wuxing until he grew them properly.”

“So it’s him!” Xu Ying found it novel. “Ornamental trees that don’t bear fruit? Fancy him thinking of that. In that case, have him send some technicians to Zhenping.”

However, given his ability to grow citrus trees that didn’t bear fruit, Xu Ying wasn’t entirely confident and decided to find other experts familiar with plants.

Meanwhile, Wang Qiu’s group stayed in Zixu Kingdom. The king, learning they came from the eastern empire, specially held a banquet and showed them Zixu’s national conditions and technological research.

The first thing that caught their eye was a suit of armor. A Zixu minister proudly introduced: “Our armor is invulnerable to blades and spears, protecting soldiers from injury on the battlefield.”

Five golden-haired, blue-eyed soldiers stepped forward. Four of them removed the heavy armor, gritting their teeth as they lifted it together to dress the burliest soldier.

Then someone raised a sword and took turns slashing at the armored soldier. Yet the soldier didn’t even blink, standing firm as if rooted to the ground.

Wang Qiu marveled inwardly but showed no expression. Facing the proud Zixu minister, she calmly said: “This resembles our cloth that’s invulnerable to blades and spears and impervious to water and fire. However, our cloth is thin as cicada wings, making it much more convenient and lightweight.”

Niu Pengnan glanced at Wang Qiu in slight surprise – when did they possess such cloth?

Wang Qiu turned to look at Niu Pengnan, her smile unchanged, her heart steady and face unflushed.

The members of the Women’s Army had initially believed the Jin Dynasty truly possessed such marvels. Their earlier awe at the armor of Zixu Kingdom dissipated, their postures straightened, and they became filled with confidence.

The king, not witnessing the expected astonishment, glared fiercely at his officials. They had underestimated the Eastern powerhow dare they present such shoddy equipment!

The Zixu minister immediately understood, swiftly waving his hand. The soldiers dejectedly removed the armor, placed it back on the racks, and wheeled the rolling frames away.

Wang Qiu’s group’s disdain for the armor seemed to provoke Zixu Kingdom. Next, they wheeled in something truly substantial. When Niu Pengnan saw the bizarre contraptionresembling scrap metal pieced togetherhis earlier unease vanished completely.

The Zixu minister declared, “We discovered steam’s impact could harm skin and attempted to harness this force. After years of experimentation, we finally constructed this.”

Wang Qiu feigned composure and nodded. “Where is this device currently deployed?”

The minister awkwardly touched his nose. In truth, this wasn’t their invention but war spoils from Wu You Guo after their defeat, offered as tribute instead of treasure.

Wu You Guo had extravagantly praised the device, yet when obtained, it proved unusable. Delivered disassembled, despite all efforts, it initially refused to function. After much tinkering, it barely operated but with negligible effect.

When they confronted Wu You Guo, the latter openly mocked Zixu’s incompetence, claiming only master craftsmen could appreciate its value. The creator being dead, there was no solution. Wu You Guo sneered that Zixu would never grasp its secretsuseless even in their hands.

And so it was: Zixu could only use it for intimidation, never practical application.

Wang Qiu’s question stumped the minister. The king’s expression darkened further. Wiping his forehead with a sleeve, the minister hurriedly ordered another demonstration.

Soon, many pushed in a massive object, arranging it throughout the hall. Learning from past embarrassment, the minister let the demonstrator explain.

A lanky, stage-frightened man trembled as he spoke, the translator calmly relaying: “This tool lets humans experience flight.”

Wang Qiu alertly straightened. The crowd marveled, wondering how it workedcould it truly reach the skies?

Behind the giant frame, rope-pullers stood ready. Colleagues attached bird wings to the thin man’s back and tied ropes around his waist and legs. Once prepared, one pulled him forward for direction.

The ropes tightened, lifting him airborne. Soaring smoothly, the bird-man swung before Wang Qiu.

She sighed in reliefit relied on external aids, not true free flight.

The Women’s Army felt equally unimpressed, especially former assassins among them to whom scaling walls was trivial.

“Having seen Your Kingdom’s display, we possess similar techniques. Would the King permit us to showcase ours?”

Having reached their domain of expertise, Wang Qiu felt it was time to intimidate the Zixu Kingdom delegation, lest they discover the earlier deception.

As the king nodded and the crowd slowly lowered the floating bird-man midair, Wang Qiu and Shí Yī Niáng stepped forward. Sprinting lightly, they leaped onto the massive iron frame with the grace of swallows, agile and nimble as flight, reaching the top in the blink of an eye.

The Zixu monarch and his officials stood gaping, jaws nearly dropping, utterly stunned by the spectacle, forgetting to breathe.

Half-lowered and suspended, the bird-man hung limply, limbs slack.

“They… they truly can fly…” murmured the Zixu people.

Not just Wang Qiu aloneseveral others casually emerged from the Women’s Army, effortlessly scaling the frame.

Wang Qiu descended, landing steadily without even panting, and modestly said, “Merely some agility, a bit of acrobatics. I apologize for the crude display.”

The dazed king recovered, untangling his tongue to babble a string of words. The translator stiffly turned to Wang Qiu: “We also possess instruments that predict celestial phenomena, but they are large. We must move outside to view them.”

Niu Pengnan chuckled at this. “Our emperor can directly command the weathersummon wind and rain, clear skies or downpours at will.”

Zixu’s pride crumbled into shame. While they had been gloating over their prized devices, the Eastern civilization had left them far behind, even mastering control over nature.

Moreover, the envoys themselves were extraordinarily skilledadept at flight, combat, and Wizardry.

The king, who had once harbored ambitions to expand his territory and sweep the continent, now faced reality and treated Wang Qiu’s party with utmost respect.

Just then, a man pushed forward a wooden-wheeled vehicle with two large round wheels. A minister waved dismissively, urging him to leave.

Wang Qiu, intrigued, intervened, “Regardless, let us have a look.”

The Zixu minister hesitated, but the king, not daring to refuse, promptly permitted the demonstration.

The man beamed, mounted the wooden-wheeled vehicle, lifted his feet to the pedals below, and after a wobbly start, quickly steadied it, setting the vehicle smoothly in motion.

Wang Qiu’s eyelids twitched sharply, yet he noted the Zixu crowd’s scorn and embarrassment, as if a weakness had been exposed. A plan formed in his mind.

“This could be quite useful for transporting heavy goods,” Wang Qiu praised.

The minister dismissed it, “Ambassador, you may not knowthis contraption requires strenuous pedaling, breaks easily, and needs frequent repairs. It’s inferior to simple handcarts.”

Understanding, Wang Qiu’s eyes gleamed as he proposed, “Why not gift this to our dynasty? I find it novel and wish to present it to His Majesty for amusement. If pleased, he may permit your envoys to reside long-term in our capital.”

This aligned perfectly with the king’s desireshe longed to send emissaries to study in Da Jin but feared Wang Qiu would disdain them, barring them from even setting foot there.

Eager to secure the offer, the king hastily agreed, “We’ll gift itnot just the vehicle, but all previous instruments as wellto demonstrate our sincerity. We ask only that you speak favorably of us before the Emperor of Da Jin.”

There was an unexpected delight. Wang Qiu raised an eyebrow, concealing his inner joy, and said calmly, “This is only natural.”

The people of Zixu Kingdom all felt they had gained a great bargain. Their king, worried that Wang Qiu might look down upon the previous shabby gifts, hurriedly added several more chests of treasures.

Wang Qiu meticulously recorded all the gifts from Zixu Kingdom in the ledger. Seeing that other countries’ tribute sections were much longer, the king gritted his teeth and presented ironware along with various books.

The king had an ulterior motive in sending bookswithout translation, the Great Jin wouldn’t understand them. This would force their envoys to travel to Great Jin, thus achieving his goal.