Leaving Stone Bridge Village, Xiao Mo took up his post in Behai Province.

Behai Province was adjacent to the North Sea, hence its name.

Over the years, whenever Xiao Mo had free time, he would examine local gazetteers and cross-reference them with the Qi Kingdom's topographical maps, planning to create a river navigation chart.

When Ruxue awakened, if she wanted to travel the rivers, the best route would be to enter through Ganyue Lake, then into Siming Lake, follow the Chunsong River, and finally pass through Luo River and Yunya River, ultimately reaching the North Sea.

According to Xiao Mo's research over the years through various documents, river travel became increasingly difficult toward the end, so he needed to carefully survey this final stretch of Yunya River to prepare well for Ruxue.

Three months later, Xiao Mo arrived at the North Sea.

Because Zhang Qianzhi had previously served as governor of Behai Province for several years, he had accumulated considerable reputation.

And since Xiao Mo was Zhang Qianzhi's student, not to mention that Xiao Mo's fame had already spread throughout the Qi Kingdom, the aristocratic families and officials of Behai Province were very cooperative regarding Xiao Mo's appointment as governor.

However, in the second year after Xiao Mo arrived in Behai Province, he received a letter.

Old Master Zhang felt he was failing and called for Xiao Mo to come, wanting to see Xiao Mo and Fang Ling one last time.

Xiao Mo traveled day and night, reaching the Zhang residence within half a month.

When Xiao Mo entered Old Master Zhang's residence, everyone wore expressions of sorrow.

At the door of the old master's room, descendants and servants were quietly wiping away tears.

"Xiao Mo, go in. The teacher is waiting for you inside," Fang Ling said to Xiao Mo as he just emerged from the room.

"Yes, Senior Brother."

Xiao Mo bowed to Fang Ling and entered the room.

On the bed, when Old Master Zhang saw Xiao Mo enter, his aged eyes suddenly brightened, "Xiao Mo, you've come."

"Teacher." Xiao Mo hurried forward, sat beside Old Master Zhang's bed, his face showing grief.

"Hehehe," Old Master Zhang looked at Xiao Mo and smiled. "I remember when we first met, you were still a young man under twenty. Now look at you, your temples are white, nearly fifty years old, and you still haven't married."

Xiao Mo shook his head and said self-mockingly, "Having grown so old, being alone, I've gotten used to it."

"You..."

Old Master Zhang sighed.

In the past, Old Master Zhang had mentioned wanting to betroth his daughter to him, but Xiao Mo had politely declined.

The late emperor had also several times intended to find Xiao Mo a wife, but Xiao Mo had declined each time.

After that, Zhang Qianzhi knew he was determined to wait for that woman to return.

"Immortals are ultimately immortals, and mortals are ultimately mortals. The separation between immortal and mortal realms isn't just words." Old Master Zhang held Xiao Mo's hand. "But most of a lifetime has already passed. Speaking of this to you now, you won't listen, and it's useless."

Xiao Mo lowered his head without speaking.

Old Master Zhang continued, "This old man believes that it won't be long before His Majesty will once again rely heavily on you and Fang Ling. The current emperor is just young and immature in temperament, but actually, if His Majesty makes up his mind, he's definitely no worse than the late emperor. His Majesty can see the accumulated problems of the Qi Kingdom.

You just need to do your own work well and wholeheartedly serve the people."

Xiao Mo nodded, "This student understands."

Old Master Zhang raised his head, looking at the ceiling, his pupils gradually dilating:

"Xiao Mo, a human lifetime of a hundred years is truly too short. This old man has lived long enough, yet still feels there are so many things left unfinished.

You must not be like this old man.

Continue walking well.

Don't disappoint the people.

Don't disappoint heaven and earth.

Don't disappoint your own heart."

As Old Master Zhang's last words fell, the hand holding Xiao Mo's dropped to the edge of the bed.

"Father!"

"Father!"

"Grandfather!"

Old Master Zhang's children wailed inconsolably.

Xiao Mo stood up and bowed deeply to his teacher.

Four years later, Xiao Mo passed fifty.

A great flood struck Behai Province!

Xiao Mo immediately braved heavy rain to go to the most severely affected areas and dangerous sections of the dikes, personally inspecting the disaster conditions, water levels, breach locations, and flooded areas.

Xiao Mo mobilized clerks, couriers, and even conscripted fishermen and boatmen familiar with water conditions to relay information about disasters, water level changes, and dike conditions between upstream and downstream areas and various villages. He quickly drew rough maps of affected areas, marking dangerous zones, high ground, supply points, and major transportation routes, personally overseeing the opening of granaries for disaster relief, settling displaced people, and emphasizing epidemic prevention.

Additionally, Xiao Mo implemented work-for-relief programs, digging diversion channels, confining water to scour sand, and constructing sectioned cofferdams.

In this once-in-a-decade flood, the speed of comforting disaster victims and the minimal impact were the best since the founding of the Qi Kingdom.

Afterward, Xiao Mo conducted deep investigations of all rivers in Behai Province, undertook water conservancy projects, and directed flow irrigation.

Areas that were previously prone to flooding were transformed into acres of fertile farmland.

Xiao Mo also authored "Essential Water Conservancy Techniques of the Qi Kingdom," which expounded various methods for managing rivers and responding to floods, even establishing relatively detailed standards.

From this point on, Xiao Mo's reputation among the people reached its peak.

At fifty-three, Xiao Mo suddenly received devastating news that Senior Brother Fang Ling had died of illness at his residence.

Holding the letter his senior brother had sent, Xiao Mo sat in the courtyard, silent for a long time.

The following year, Xiao Mo received news that County Magistrate Sun was seriously ill. He immediately set out but ultimately failed to see County Magistrate Sun one last time.

In the twelfth year of Jianle, Xiao Mo, now over fifty-five, received an imperial edict.

The Qi ruler summoned Xiao Mo back to the capital.

In the thirteenth year of Jianle, Xiao Mo became prime minister of the Qi Kingdom and initiated reforms again!

Xiao Mo used his reputation to pave the way. No matter what aristocratic family or clan, they had to be wary of such a prime minister who had shown kindness to the world and already bore the name of "sage."

Moreover, the Qi Kingdom had not yet reached a terminal condition. With His Majesty's support, Xiao Mo widely recruited ambitious people to carry out reforms.

Xiao Mo knew that his remaining time was also limited. In this lifetime, he would do as much as he could, which would at least not disappoint the trust of the late emperor, his teacher, and his senior brother.

In the sixteenth year of Jianle, the new laws of the Qi Kingdom were implemented.

In the twentieth year of Jianle, four years after the implementation of the new laws, the world already showed a completely renewed atmosphere. At this time, Xiao Mo was already sixty-three years old.

In the twenty-fourth year of Jianle, Xiao Mo was already sixty-seven years old. At this time, all the turmoil in the court had subsided.

The following year, sixty-eight-year-old Xiao Mo petitioned His Majesty, requesting to retire and return home.

The Qi ruler tried to retain him multiple times, but Xiao Mo was determined to leave.

He could feel that he didn't have even two years left and only wanted to return to his homeland.

The Qi ruler finally had to agree.

However, Xiao Mo's position as prime minister was not withdrawn, with Minister of Personnel Zheng Mohan temporarily acting as prime minister.

The reason for not withdrawing Xiao Mo's prime minister position was because Xiao Mo had offended too many aristocratic families and clans.

Retaining the prime minister position, with the protection of the realm's fortune, Xiao Mo could also spend his twilight years in peace.

On this day, just as Xiao Mo finished packing his belongings in the residence and was writing his final memorial as a farewell message to His Majesty, Xiao Mo's brush paused.

This old man nearly seventy years old seemed to sense something and looked in a certain direction.

In that direction was a mountain.

Outside a cave halfway up the mountain, purple sun grass and blue waterfall flowers bloomed everywhere.

Inside the cave, a white python gradually transformed.

Finally, a woman in a white dress lay on the ground, her eyelashes trembled lightly.