Chapter 17: Opening the Gallery Here
Half an hour later, Chai Xiao, Consort Yun, Su Zhongjing, Zhang Bao, Lady Yi, Zhuque, Yao Jin, and their companions appeared on the streets of the royal city.
Although Daxu was relatively remote, the royal city was, after all, a gathering place, still fairly populous.
It could not compare to the bustling, shoulder-to-shoulder crowds of the capital, but at least there were people coming and going, in groups of three or five.
Chai Xiao calculated the "foot traffic" per unit time, barely equivalent to the level of a modern seventh or eighth-tier city.
Comparable to a rather large county town in the Huguang region.
Not too bad.
Now it depended on how to set the stage for this “banquet” performance!
He stopped in the exact east of the royal city, pointing to a towering building.
“How about one of the establishments being set up here?”
At this, everyone’s eyes widened in shock, even nearly stumbling.
Chai Xiao was pointing at the Clock and Drum Tower used for timekeeping!
Using such a place as a restaurant—wasn’t that courting the wrath of the world?
Zhang Bao trembled as he asked, “Your Majesty, is this the place you mean by ‘you’ll know when you see it’?”
Chai Xiao smiled and nodded.
“Yes! This is the place! Why, do you think it’s inappropriate?”
Consort Yun sighed softly.
“Xiao’er, I just praised your brilliance and skill, how come you’re starting to blunder now?”
“This Clock and Drum Tower is the royal city’s timekeeping center—steady and solid, never off by a moment. How could it serve as a tavern or restaurant?”
Chai Xiao shrugged.
“I’d like to find a ready-made tavern or a good house for rent, something we could use immediately.”
“But such places would have exorbitant rents.”
“If we factor in such expenses, the five thousand six hundred taels would be barely enough, right?”
Consort Yun spoke with sober seriousness.
“Xiao’er, raising silver is indeed our foremost task, but that doesn’t mean we can act recklessly!”
“For example, rent must be paid where due—that’s what the Tutor was worried about while you were having your morning meal!”
“No matter what, we must adhere to our ancestors' rites and regulations.”
“Otherwise, if we disrupt the fundamental rules, even if we raise the funds, we will earn a lifetime of disgrace.”
“If that scheming Second Prince has some censor accuse you in the capital, you’ll have no way to defend yourself!”
Chai Xiao paid no mind to what “Firewood” might do and turned to Su Zhongjing.
“Firewood is a mad dog; accusing people without reason is his habit. So, don’t bother with him!”
“Sir, I am but a humble scholar. What exactly can this Clock and Drum Tower be used for? I hope you will enlighten me.”
Su Zhongjing nodded slightly, shook his sleeve, and stroked his beard before explaining:
“Morning bells and evening drums.”
“The bell tower strikes the bell in the morning to mark the start of the day, while the drum tower beats the drum in the evening to announce dusk.”
“They always come in pairs. Large cities, like Daxu’s royal city, have two pairs; the capital has four.”
“To carry the sound to every corner, the clock and drum towers are built very tall. The capital’s reaches twelve zhang; Daxu’s royal city’s stands eight zhang.”
“The Daxu royal city’s Clock and Drum Tower has three stories: the bottom floor is solid and heavy, housing the various-sized bells and drums.”
The second page continues:
“The middle floor is spacious and clean, used by the timekeepers for their activities.”
“The top floor has eaves with flying rafters and railings all around, serving as an open area suitable for holding events.”
“The conventional functions fall into three categories.”
“First, daily timekeeping to regulate the city’s schedule.”
“Second, emergency warnings. If the city is attacked by enemies or suffers floods or fires, drums are beaten as alarms to rally the entire city.”
“Third, issuing decrees and teaching morals. New edicts are announced, their sound spreading throughout the city. Poems and songs can also be used here to impart rites and norms.”
Upon hearing this, a faint smile spread across Chai Xiao’s lips, like the sun breaking through a light cloud.
This was exactly what the Tutor referred to—the top floor could hold events, and that last function, issuing decrees and moral education.
He had been to the drum towers in Xi’an and Beijing before.
Both had two floors.
The first floor held a large drum.
The second floor was an open space for events, akin to a small municipal center.
Now, the Daxu royal city’s drum tower had a full three floors.
Except the first floor with the drums, which could not be altered.
The second floor was for timekeepers’ activities, and the third floor was an open area.
It could be fully utilized!
Whether it related to “rites” depended on interpretation.
If he said these things to his mother, it might sound like evasion or disrespect.
So it was better to let the Tutor speak.
Using leverage to gain advantage—that was a higher level of strategy, wasn’t it?
Su Zhongjing perceptively noticed Chai Xiao’s smile and immediately expressed doubt.
“Your Majesty, did I say something incorrect?”
Chai Xiao clasped his hands in respect.
“Sir, your words are absolutely right!”
“All about the Clock and Drum Tower is here!”
“As you said, the top floor can serve as an open area for events, yes?”
Su Zhongjing nodded.
“Yes!”
But soon, the well-read Tutor realized his student might be trying to find a loophole and quickly stopped him.
“Your Majesty, the open area and events I mentioned do not mean opening a tavern!”
“Activities related to issuing decrees and teaching morals usually involve transmitting rites and music, not feasting and drinking!”
Chai Xiao did not immediately refute or explain further.
His earlier plan to use “open area” and “events” as a breakthrough had failed!
No choice.
If it were someone else, he might have succeeded at once.
But here he was facing Su Zhongjing, the singular scholar of the entire Great Qi dynasty!
Losing to him was no shame at all!
Moreover, he was a friend, not an enemy.
The third page continues:
That said, the real obstacle was not the Tutor nor his mother.
It was the entire old set of ideas.
Deeply ingrained.
Impossible to change overnight.
As the art of war says: be cautious and act slowly.
Haste makes waste.
If one plan fails, devise another.
Take it slowly first—try a “flanking” strategy.
So he pointed to the very top.
“Mother, Sir, shall we not stand here any longer? Let’s go up and have a look, shall we?”
Consort Yun and the Tutor found no reason to object and agreed.
The group ascended the stairs.
This was a drum tower, built of brick and stone, solid and steady.
On the first floor rested a massive drum, like a giant laughing Buddha.
Around it stood dozens of smaller drums, exquisitely crafted.
On the second floor, partitions and screens divided the space into about ten spacious rooms.
Some for storing tools, others with tables and chairs for rest.
The third floor’s eaves were wooden structures, an open platform.
The flying eaves and cantilevers layered one upon another, like birds about to take flight.
Carved railings stood upright, shining brilliantly in the sunlight, as if telling stories of long-standing heritage.
Looking out from here, the entire Daxu royal city lay before them.
They could see the surrounding moat and even the distant, rolling Western Hills.
Suddenly, Chai Xiao asked,
“Sir, when Firewood conveyed the secret order, he mentioned that floodwaters might approach Daxu, right?”
Su Zhongjing nodded slightly.
“Your Majesty, the Second Prince mentioned the breach at Taizhou because of the confluence of the Huang and Huai rivers.”
“The reason he said it might approach Daxu is that Daxu lies not far from both rivers.”
“Early this morning, while Your Majesty was training at the military ground, I summoned the Water Control Supervisor, the River Magistrate, and the village canal chiefs.”
“After their confirmation, the Yellow River’s incursion into the Huai at Taizhou has turned sharply and now flows directly toward Bozhou.”
“This means the Huang and Huai rivers can no longer threaten Daxu.”
“As long as the recent rainfall is monitored and the Ying River’s water level within the city does not rise excessively, Daxu can avoid flooding!”
Chai Xiao was startled in his heart.
Though the Tutor’s description that “this flood will not reach Daxu” seemed calm and unruffled,
Behind every word and phrase lay immense information!