Chapter One Hundred and Twelve: Volunteers Building the Embankment

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Scholar Zhang departed Luoyang and returned to Chang’an. Liu Yuxi, having received orders for transfer, came to seek his counsel regarding the Censorate and thus accompanied Scholar Zhang. Meanwhile, Li He immersed himself in study at Changgu. Jiao Haiqing was undoubtedly overwhelmed with work at the foot of Pingshan Mountain. For a moment, Wei Renshi found himself without a single companion to converse with. Life, at times, truly felt as lonely as snow.

Wei Renshi sat upon the river embankment, watching two hundred men cast stones into the river, intending to slightly alter its course and spare a section of the riverbank, allowing them to repair the embankment.

“Master Wei, you certainly have a leisurely disposition,” a voice came from behind him.

Wei Renshi turned to see Liang Yuxi, the innkeeper of Drunken Dawn Pavilion, who had arrived unbeknownst to him.

“Which eye of yours sees leisure here? Clearly, I’m just eating dust,” Wei Renshi replied.

“Recently, word has spread throughout Luoyang that the Yi Meng Tower, concerned about the embankment’s long neglect and fearing that floods might break through and harm the people, has taken it upon itself to fund repairs for the city’s embankments, repaying the support and affection of Luoyang’s citizens,” Liang Yuxi said to Wei Renshi. “Now, whenever the townsfolk speak of Yi Meng Tower, they praise its righteous deed. Master Wei, you truly have the skill to turn disaster into blessing.”

“And what does Drunken Dawn Pavilion intend to do?” Wei Renshi asked with a smile, knowing well that Liang Yuxi’s appearance here was no accident.

Liang Yuxi replied, “Master Wei, when you asked if Drunken Dawn Pavilion dared to follow Yi Meng Tower’s example, I promised we would. Tomorrow, a hundred men from Drunken Dawn Pavilion will come to the embankment. Their food and lodging will be covered by us, but they will work under your direction to repair the embankment.”

“Excellent,” Wei Renshi nodded.

“Perhaps the other nine guilds will join as well,” Liang Yuxi added. “They won’t fail to see the benefits.”

“They will only see the reputation,” Wei Renshi smiled. “And that’s not bad. This way, people will know that under the inspiring example of Yi Meng Tower and Drunken Dawn Pavilion’s voluntary embankment repairs, others have joined in. In the end, it’s our two guilds who gain the lion’s share of the glory.”

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Liang Yuxi stepped forward and asked, “So you mean our two guilds set the example, and the other eight joined after seeing our righteous deed, which only enhances our noble spirit?”

Wei Renshi nodded and added, “Indeed. Also, have you noticed the clothes worn by those working below?”

Liang Yuxi glanced down and said, “They all seem the same. Why?”

“Go take a closer look,” Wei Renshi instructed.

Liang Yuxi looked again, then hesitated before lifting his robe and sliding down to the riverbank below, stumbling a few steps before steadying himself and approaching the workers.

All two hundred laborers wore identical garments, matching in both style and color; the only differences were their heights and builds. On the back of each garment, embroidered in white thread, were the large characters: ‘Yi Meng Tower Embankment Volunteers.’

Liang Yuxi pondered quietly for a moment, then turned and struggled back up the embankment. Covered in dust, he looked somewhat disheveled, but his eyes shone brightly as he approached Wei Renshi and said, “I must make a hundred identical outfits for Drunken Dawn Pavilion’s volunteers, embroidered with our name on the back!”

Wei Renshi smiled. “A promising youth!”

Liang Yuxi twitched his eyebrows, suppressing the urge to kick this young man off the embankment, and said, “Thank you, Master Wei, for the reminder.”

“To outsiders, this is a clear symbol. Seeing it confirms the rumors of Yi Meng Tower’s virtuous act, making it more widely believed. The uniformity also conveys order and unity, which increases public trust and goodwill—very important,” Wei Renshi explained. “For the workers, it fosters solidarity. The title ‘volunteer’ gives them a dignified identity, boosting their enthusiasm. They begin to feel they are doing good for the people, not being punished. Naturally, they work more diligently.”

Though Liang Yuxi found some of Wei Renshi’s words perplexing, he grasped the essence: making the volunteers’ noble deed more visible to the public, deepening the impression of Yi Meng Tower’s benevolence, and giving workers a flattering title to encourage willing, earnest labor.

He shared his thoughts with Wei Renshi.

Wei Renshi gave a highly approving smile and said, “Indeed, a youth worthy of teaching!”

Liang Yuxi’s face darkened; he slapped his own mouth, then turned and left.

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Delighted at having successfully driven Liang Yuxi away, Wei Renshi grinned broadly. Such moments of joy were rare these days.

Not long after Liang Yuxi’s departure, before Wei Renshi could even watch the cloud overhead drift away, he found himself enveloped in shadow.

“Greetings, sir,” Sun Peng bowed and said, “The embankment inspector from Chang’an has arrived at Yi Meng Tower.”

“Good. Wait until this cloud passes, then we shall return,” Wei Renshi replied, looking up again.

Sun Peng stepped back and stood quietly beside him.

A rare moment alone.

Regretting the fleeting solitude, Wei Renshi stood and descended from the embankment to his carriage.

The embankment inspector was an official subordinate of the Ministry of Waterways and Dykes, holding a modest rank—eighth grade lower—responsible for overseeing embankment and dyke construction, canal dredging, and fisheries.

Though the rank was low, he was a professional hydraulic engineer.

Wei Renshi never neglected technical personnel, especially in this era, understanding better than most that technology is the foremost productive force—and these people held mastery over it.

Inside Yi Meng Tower, though the embankment inspector had hurried all the way here, starving and tempted by the sumptuous feast before him, he did not touch a morsel until Wei Renshi arrived.

This was the man sent by Scholar Zhang to assist him, and one whom Zhang claimed might very well become the empire’s next baron. Therefore, he dared not be careless or disrespectful.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, inspector,” said the young gentleman who entered with the voice—the very prodigy Scholar Zhang had spoken of.

The embankment inspector straightened with renewed spirit and rose to his feet.