The Bookish Scholar of the Red Mansion

Although Songjiang Mansion is not big, it is surrounded by water and land, with rivers and streams crisscrossing it. Starting from Fucheng, we need to go to Chuansha Hall. The most time-saving way is of course to go straight. This journey can take up to two or three days, taking into account the inconvenience of transportation. If you ride a fast horse or take a special boat, the round trip only takes two or three days.

Chen Heng has plenty of time during this trip, so he is not in a hurry to come back. So he deliberately chose a long road, just in time to do other things together. This route first goes to the uppermost Haixian County, and then from Haixian County to the adjacent Chuanshating. After finishing the matters at Chuansha Hall, we will return to Fucheng via Nanhui County.

Such a journey just happened to cover the areas under the jurisdiction of Tang Jinsen, Jia Yucun, and Jiang Yuanbai. The construction of the port requires their joint efforts. Chen Heng naturally understands this when going out and relying on friends.

After deciding on the route, Chen Heng spent half a day arranging the county government affairs. Considering that Xinda has been with him for a long time, his behavior in the world is enough to support his appearance. Chen Heng deliberately did not bring Xinda with him this time, and asked him to stay in the county government office and take care of affairs temporarily with Xiao Ping, the chief secretary.

With Daiyu running the house inside and Xinda and Xiaoping helping each other outside, Chen Heng felt that there would be no big problems. In the afternoon of that day, he took Liu Xianglian, Yan Xiaoer and others with him and embarked on the land route to Haihai County.

Huating County is not far from Haihai County. We set out in the afternoon of that day, and in the afternoon of the next day, Chen Heng had already arrived at the gate of Haixian County. Because this time I went out, I was wearing normal clothes. Chen Heng did not let Liu Xianglian go up and hand over his badge, and just lined up to enter the city with the surrounding Hai County residents.

While waiting, Chen Heng looked at the scenery of Haihai County. Although the place looks like today, it is not as lively and prosperous as it would be in later generations. But compared with Lou County, Jinshan, and Fengxian, it is far from being a hindrance.

The city wall of Haihai County was also built during the Jiajing period of the former Ming Dynasty. At that time, various places in the south of the Yangtze River were harassed by Japanese pirates all year round. The people along the coast were really miserable and had no choice but to build city walls to guard against the pirates who came and went without a trace. The traces of swords on the wall can still be identified to this day.

Chen Heng looked at them for a few more times and then looked away. It was their turn to enter the city. When they first entered the county, they were not in a hurry to meet Tang Jinsen. Instead, we rented a few rooms in a local inn and took advantage of the night to explore Haihai County.

When the lanterns came on, there were many people on the street. As a land of fish and water, people taking leisurely night walks are indispensable. Seeing that everyone looked very relaxed and comfortable, Chen Heng became more and more happy. This Tang Jinsen is indeed a capable minister and official. Thinking of this, Chen Heng's grasp of the port affairs became even better.

The next day, after taking a rest and washing up, Chen Heng immediately went to the county government office to visit Tang Jinsen. The latter was also a little surprised that Chen Heng would come. The letters between each other never stopped, and there was nothing worthy of Chen Heng's special trip.

Hold on!

Brother Tang.

As soon as the two friends who were on the same list met, they couldn't stop smiling. Tang Jinsen pulled Chen Heng to the main hall of the back office, pressed him on the opposite side of him, and said enthusiastically: Last time in Huating, you put a lot of thought into it. It's so nice of you to come today, no matter what, you have to let me entertain you. Return.

Chen Heng quickly waved his hand and said jokingly: But some small things are worth worrying about for so long.

Old Wen told me that when you were with him in Shenzhou, it was best to eat fish. Tang Jinsen raised his eyebrows, and after finishing Wen Yu's gossip, he retorted teasingly, You have forgotten that in my county What are you most famous for?”

The bass in Haihai County have always been bigger than the fish caught in Fucheng. This is a favorite delicacy in Dongpo, and it is a famous dish in Qing Dynasty. Chen Heng's mouth was full of saliva for a moment, he put his hands on his hands and laughed and said: How could you not know that I am coming to eat your seabass to see how it is different from the ones in Fucheng?

Tang Jinsen was very proud and replied: The seabass in Fucheng is always served on restaurant tables. Its taste is fresh and strong, and it is popular with beautiful people. The people here do it differently. You can dip it in the sauce and eat it. After one bite, you will know what is the golden and jade dumpling, the delicacy of the south of the Yangtze River. I will give you a piece of seabass soup, a mouthful of thick soup, and a mouthful of delicious fish. Hahaha, I guarantee that you will miss it every day.

Chen Heng did not pretend to be pretentious, and said directly and honestly: Stop talking, quickly put the dishes on the table, and we will chat while eating.

He originally thought that Tang Jinsen hired a cook to cook this dish in the county government office. Unexpectedly, Old Tang recruited a servant and asked him to go to Granny Wu's house in nearby Fangkou to buy fish.

This old woman's craftsmanship is truly outstanding. Her home is not far from the county government office. When the freshly cooked fish is brought over and she takes out the food box, she can eat it directly.

Tang Jinsen arranged a few more side dishes and a pot of wine, and invited Chen Heng to have a drink first. The two of them drank a few drinks slowly, talking only about the past events of the imperial examination and the customs of their hometown. After a while, a servant in green clothes and a small hat came in with a food box. The seabass that he had been waiting for for a long time was finally served. Chen Heng couldn't wait to take a chopstick to taste it.

The delicious taste blooms on the tip of the tongue. The meat is plump and tender. When you bite it gently, you can feel the softness and a hint of soup moistening the tips of your teeth. This is a great addition to the taste.

Chen Hengsheng praised: Life is so precious, and with this fish and this flavor, it's no wonder that Zhang Han said the famous saying, 'How can you control an official for thousands of miles to get a good title?'

What he said came from Zhang Han of the Western Jin Dynasty. The latter is remembered in history as Thinking of Water Shield Perch, which is really enviable.

Tang Jinsen nodded and laughed, drank a glass of thin wine, and actually sang his hometown songs. The magistrate of Haihang County, who was so happy and satisfied, finally asked about the purpose of his distinguished guest's visit.

This matter is easy to talk about. Chen Heng made his intentions clear while eating fish. Tang Jinsen heard that he was asked to issue an official document to recruit adult men from Hai County, but he did not refuse.

This is a major event for Songjiang Mansion. When we were in the government office that day, everyone expressed their anger and wanted to work together to handle this matter. Tang Jinsen agreed immediately and put the issue on the placement of corvees.

With Brother Tang's words, this trip has been worthwhile. Chen Heng gave an overview of his plan again. Tang Jinsen was a little confused when he heard that Chen Heng wanted to pay the corvee, This matter is the common people's responsibility. Chi Xing, you made this move today. From now on. If you think about sending people to do things again, I’m afraid you’ll have to spend money everywhere.”

It doesn't matter, Huating County can afford it. Chen Heng told Tang Jinsen not to worry. The 200,000 taels allocated by the Ministry of Household Affairs will definitely not be able to afford such an expense. But if it is to be completed before spring plowing next year without causing public dissatisfaction, it will definitely not work without spending money.

Tang Jinsen knew that Chen Heng was a person who made decisions later and did not question the other party's plans. Just curious: You asked me to be responsible for the direct road from Fucheng to Chuansha Hall, but you want to build a direct official road?

That's right. Chen Heng put down his wine glass, raised a chopstick and said, Songjiang Prefecture is small, and it's only because of the complicated waterways that it makes the journey so tiring. Brother Tang will explain to the people when he arrives that the official way I want must be It can accommodate three carriages running in parallel. The bridge deck can be narrower, and two carriages must pass each other.

Now, it still takes four to five days for freight to go back and forth between the two places. Chen Heng hopes that after the official road is completed, trucks from Chuansha Hall to Fucheng will be able to travel back and forth in only two or three days.

I understand, let me think about it carefully. When it came to serious matters, Tang Jinsen immediately became serious, The raw materials used...

It doesn't matter, I will take care of it. Chen Heng continued to take care of everything, Brother Tang just needs to arrange the people well and try to ensure that there will be no large casualties during the construction period.

In ancient times, bridges and roads were built without losing a few lives. Compassion does not control soldiers. If you are timid because of this, you might as well go home and cover yourself with a quilt and sleep.

Seeing Chen Heng's promise, Tang Jinsen felt relieved. Then I heard Chen Heng say: When I return to Fucheng, I will first allocate 30,000 taels to you to appease the people. If there is any shortage in the future, just write to me.

After hearing this, Tang Jinsen put the remaining half of his heart in his stomach. In the end, he couldn't help it anymore and finally inquired curiously: Chixing, you spend money so generously. Could it be that the court gave you not 200,000 taels, but one million taels?

Chen Heng smiled and said nothing. This was one of his trump cards. How could he reveal it so easily. He just picked up the wine glass and toasted to Old Tang with a smile. The latter also understood it from his heart, and he was not the chief official in this matter. If he really couldn't do it, it wouldn't be his turn to accuse him.

After a night of drinking like this, Chen Heng didn't stay much the next day and got up directly to continue to Chuansha Hall. It was faster to go from Haishan County to Chuansha Hall. It only took less than a day for Chen Heng to reach the boundary.

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Chuansha Chuansha is also called Beisha. For thousands of years, the quicksand of the Yangtze River has been deposited here due to the support of ocean tides. After forming sandbars, they gradually connected into land, hence the name Chuansha.

The unique landform makes this place famous for its specialties. Beisha Salt Farm is one of them. Chuansha Hall had set up a market in the pre-Ming Dynasty, with merchants and shops competing against each other. Such a prosperous place has never developed large-scale commerce. What's wrong is that it's the Japanese pirates at sea.

Without a comfortable and comfortable external environment, the people of Sichuan and Sha would be plundered by pirates as soon as they prospered. As time goes by, the number of people willing to stay here is getting smaller and smaller year by year.

The fierce external environment has also created the strong character of Sha Min. We can also tell something from the names of the yamen established by Dayong. Chuansha Fumin Department is an official office with a level similar to that of a county government. The name shows how difficult it is to govern.

When Chen Heng met Jia Yucun, the other party was having a headache about everything in Chuansha Hall. The folk custom is to be brave and fierce, which is sometimes a bad thing. Jia Yucun has been dealing with people's disputes all day long since he came here for more than half a month.

It's really difficult to handle. Inside the official office, Jia Yucun shook his head from his position. When he was in Yangzhou before, he was always well-dressed and a handsome middle-aged man with extraordinary charm. Chen Heng would have never imagined that Xuezheng would still look so embarrassed and haggard in the past.

Being bitter before being sweet is not necessarily a bad thing. Chen Heng took the initiative to comfort Jia Yucun. After all, he is the one who brought him into trouble, so he can't just turn a blind eye.

Jia Yucun smiled bitterly, but did not take the words of comfort to heart. He stood up and said, Since you are here, I will accompany you to the port first.

Lord Lao Jia. Chen Heng replied very politely. The two walked out of the official office side by side and pushed the invitation in the official sedan chair. Only escorted by the government officials, I strolled through the streets of Chuansha Hall. Not long after walking, we arrived at the port of Chuansha Hall.

Speaking of a port, Chuansha Port at this time is somewhat spacious compared to the Qingniwa which has not yet been repaired. Thinking of his entire plan, it was all for this place. Chen Heng looked at the old dock, feeling more proud than disappointed. The future Chuansha Port will definitely be no worse than the current Qingniwa port.

“If we want to build this place—a wharf big enough to berth five or six sand ships…” Jia Yucun worried, “Without tens of thousands of people, it may be difficult to complete it before spring plowing.”

Like Chen Heng, Jia Yucun's political career is directly linked to this matter. Regardless of the two people's titles, they hinted at a casual acquaintance. In terms of interests, the two of them are truly grasshoppers on the same rope.

Chen Heng had no intention of hiding anything from Jia Yucun. Just pull it beside you and send it away. He informed Jia Yucun of some of his subsequent methods to appease Jia Yucun's anxiety.

After listening in silence, Jia Yucun looked surprised and then happy. Finally, he looked at Chen Heng blankly and shouted: If this is really possible, I dare to issue a military order to you. If we can't complete the work as scheduled, please just tie it up. Just go to the lower officials and plead guilty.

If something really happened, Jia Yucun would not be able to take the blame for himself. Chen Heng smiled and shook his head, infecting Jia Yucun's emotions with full confidence, and said: Don't worry, we will build mountains when encountering mountains and build bridges when encountering waters. The Emperor and God will pay off. This will definitely happen and no one can stop us.

Affected by Chen Heng's firm words, Jia Yucun became more confident and hurriedly asked: How many men should I recruit here?

Considering the actual situation of Chuansha Hall, Jia Yucun took office not long ago. Chen Heng thought for a while and replied: There is no need to ask too much at the beginning, the people are still hesitant. They can come if they want, no need to force them. After a month, they see that we are true to our word, and more people will come naturally. ”

Seeing that Chen Heng did not put any pressure on himself, Jia Yucun immediately reassured and said: I'll keep this in mind.

Chen Heng stopped talking and just looked at the endless waves of the sea. Thinking of the grand scene here afterwards, I wish I had witnessed it with my own eyes.

The sea breeze was so cold that it interrupted Chen Heng's thoughts. The wind blows into the robe and the hair scarf flies away. Chen Heng couldn't help but said in the end: Steal the power of God and change to a peaceful world.

From Chen Heng's words, I could hear the other party's ambition. Jiayu Village, standing side by side, looks at the same sky and water in the distance. Comparing the magnificence of the people next to him and looking at his own age, Jia Yucun felt that time and time could not wait for him.

The common people are contented, and history is useless. Changing the topic, Chen Heng added a little more originality to his ambition. Jia Yucun murmured and repeated Chen Heng's words in his heart. I couldn't help but ask: If this port can be built, will it really benefit the whole country and leave a name in history?

Chen Heng's vision and experience allow him to cut through the fog of history and directly see the future. He nodded and smiled: It will definitely benefit one party. How Qingshi will record us depends on what happens in the future.

That night, Chen Heng was invited to Jia Yucun's home as a guest. Because of his friendship with Ying Lian, Chen Heng was lucky enough to meet Jiao Xing. When the latter heard that Chen Heng was the husband of the former lady, he was also filled with emotions.

After a banquet where the guests of honor enjoyed themselves, Chen Heng set off for Nanhui County the next day to meet his old friend Jiang Yuanbai.

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Speaking of Chen Heng, a good friend, he is really enjoying his life now. Since Jiang Yuanbai made up his mind not to continue participating in the examination, Jiang Yuanbai's interest in promotion has not been much higher.

When I first came to Nanhui County to serve as an official, I did more than just do my job. The rest of the time, he used it all for shopping and fun. When Chen Heng met him, Jiang Yuanbai was still painting in the county government office, which really opened Chen Heng's horizons.

You live like this all day long? Chen Heng was really surprised and felt incredible.

Jiang Yuanbai also spoke plausibly and explained with a smile: Zhixing, you don't understand this. His friend began to shake his head, I also have the knack of being an official.

Oh?! Come and tell me. Chen Heng was so surprised that he couldn't help but ask.

Jiang Yuanbai put down his pen, waved his long sleeves, and said proudly: I think the most important thing for an official is not to disturb the people. As long as there is no one in the county doing evil, I hope they don't come here less often to keep each other clean.

He laughed again and said: The people's failure to live a good life is their own fault. As long as they are hardworking and willing to work, I will neither commit corruption nor bend the law for personal gain. How can they not live a prosperous life?

After hearing this, Chen Heng couldn't find anything to refute. After laughing, he had no choice but to nod, as if he agreed with his friend's reasoning. In this world, everyone has his own way of living, so why impose your own wishes on others.

When Jiang Yuanbai saw Chen Heng's reaction, he was overjoyed and said, I knew you would understand me if you hold the line.

Chen Heng didn't need to be polite when speaking to this old friend. He directly warned: Since you want to be an official in peace, Brother Jiang must not make a mistake and cause himself to be in danger.

Chen Heng also talked about Li Zhi's hatred for corrupt officials, and Jiang Yuanbai's heart rang with alarm bells. He said hurriedly: Don't worry, Chi Xing. I will wait until my two sisters get married, and the family will be more stable. I can't tell. I will resign and return to my hometown, and continue to be my idler in the mountains and rivers.

That is to say, the Jiang family is not as wealthy as the Xue family. Otherwise, Jiang Yuan would be chosen in vain. He might rather join Xue Biao and indulge in the mountains and rivers all day long.

Chen Heng heard this and said curiously: When the family is more stable, I will understand. Why do we have to wait for the two sisters to get married? He knew that Jiang Yuanbai had two sisters, and their relationship was even better. But how could it be connected with Jiang Yuanbai's resignation?

You don't understand this. Jiang Yuanbai smiled wildly and revealed his mystery, It is better for the county magistrate's sister to marry than to be elected.

Hahahahaha. Chen Heng really couldn't stand this living treasure. Jiang Yuanbai's talents would always be used in places that others would never think of.

That's okay, that's okay. After laughing, Chen Heng nodded and suggested: When your sister gets married, you can write a letter and send it to me. I will also send you some congratulatory gifts to build your reputation. So as not to disturb others. I just heard Jiang Yuanbai say that he has a confidant who is the number one scholar, but I don't know when the number one scholar said this.

This is what you said. Jiang Yuanbai rubbed his hands excitedly, I don't want anything else, just write a copybook for my two sisters. In a few years, maybe you can sell it for some money.

Hurry up and ask someone to serve wine and food. Chen Heng said angrily.

Old friends reunited, and the two spent the whole night talking about their old friendship. When they parted the next day, Chen Heng made it clear why he was here. What else could Jiang Yuanbai have to say, without asking a single detail. Directly ask Chen Heng to keep the official document he wrote and copy it exactly. He said that after Chen Heng left, he would send it to the countryside the next day.

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Back in Fucheng, early November is already halfway through. In the afternoon, the sun shines brightly. As soon as Yan Xiaoer parked the carriage in front of the county government gate, Chen Heng jumped out of the carriage and asked Xinda who was coming, Is there nothing going on in the county government recently?

It's all good. There are also a lot of people applying for corvee service from the eight villages. Speaking of this, Xinda couldn't wipe away the joy on his face.

Hearing this, Chen Heng breathed a sigh of relief, and then said: Tell your sister-in-law. In three to five days, I will entertain distinguished guests at the county government office, and let her help arrange it. By the way, I can't tell then. There will be a female guest, and she may even make an appearance.

Okay. Xinda nodded hurriedly. He was not only Chen Heng's master, but also the chief manager around Chen Heng.

The group of people stepped up the steps and just crossed the gate. Xinda suddenly said: Sir, there is a distant visitor who has been waiting at our county office for many days recently. He is from the capital, and he wants to see you...

When Chen Heng heard what Xinda said, he didn't ask who the person was. He said directly: Just let him come to see me.

With many years of tacit understanding, Xinda would never say this to someone he didn't want to see. Chen Heng knew it well and was just waiting for someone to come to his door and see his true appearance.

Thanks to the book friend Blue Raindrop for the reward, hahahahaha