Chapter 191: The Dispute over the Canal

Sanya pondered for a moment and said, "How about we go to Jinzhou next door? I heard there are canals there, maybe we can think of a solution."

"Alright, it's a good opportunity to visit the governor of Jinzhou."

The next morning, the mother and daughter set off for Jinzhou.

On the way, Feng Lan deliberately stopped the carriage near a canal.

The scene before her shocked her. The canal, which was supposed to be complete, was actually broken at the junction of the two cities, and the water flow on the Jinzhou side was rushing.

"What's going on?" Feng Lan got out of the car to check.

An old farmer passing by shook his head and sighed, "Well, it's a long story. Back then, the imperial court ordered the construction of this canal, and it was originally going to lead all the way to our area. But halfway through, Jinzhou wanted to expropriate our land, saying they wanted to reroute it."

"Then you don't want to?"

The old farmer sneered, "It's not that we don't want to, it's that the compensation they offer is too little. Only three taels of silver per mu of land. What good is that? The land our ancestors have cultivated for generations is being sold to them at such a low price?"

Sanya frowned when she heard this, "What happened next?"

"Then it just got stuck there. Our local government didn't care, and the people in Jinzhou simply stopped repairing it, leaving the canal broken for more than ten years."

Feng Lan had an idea in mind.

They continued on their journey and arrived at Jinzhou City, where they found that it was indeed much more prosperous than their own place.

The streets are wide, shops are lined up, and people are coming and going in an endless stream.

"No wonder they don't want to build a canal here."

San Ya whispered, "We don't lack water here, so why bother helping us?"

"You can't say that."

Feng Lan shook her head. "The imperial court's order is to open the water supply. What they are doing is just lip service to it."

After finding an inn to stay in, Feng Lan asked San Ya to inquire about the situation of the Jinzhou governor.

San Ya came back quickly, looking unhappy.

"Mom, this is more complicated than we thought."

"How do you say that?"

"The Jinzhou governor's surname is Qian, Qian Wenyuan. I heard he's greedy and hates anyone mentioning the canal in front of him. Several merchants who tried to smooth things over were driven away by him."

Feng Lan frowned, "So difficult?"

"What's even worse is that I heard he was the one who made the decision to cut off the canal. He said it was local self-government and there would be no outside interference."

San Ya became more and more worried as she spoke. "Mom, why don't we just not get involved in this mess? Governor Qian is obviously not someone to be trifled with. If we anger him, it won't be good for us."

"yes."

Chen Kangbo also advised, "This matter involves the government of two places. We are just ordinary people and cannot care about so much."

Feng Lan shook her head.

"How do you know it won't work if you don't try?"

The next day, Feng Lan changed into her best clothes and brought carefully prepared gifts to Qian's house to deliver a visiting card.

The Qian family's steward was a fat middle-aged man with eyes so small that they were just slits.

He took the visiting card, glanced at it, and his face immediately darkened.

"Feng Lan? Never heard of her."

"Butler, I'm from the neighboring city. I'd like to meet Lord Qian and discuss something important with him," Feng Lan said politely.

The butler sneered, "Important matters? What important matters can compare to my master's official business?"

"It's about the canal."

As soon as he finished speaking, the butler's expression became even uglier.

He threw the visiting card back and said, "Get lost! My master said he won't see anyone who has anything to do with the canal!"

"Butler, please calm down. We are here to talk sincerely..."

"What are you talking about?"

The butler waved for the doorman to come over, "Kick them out! Don't let people like this in again!"

Feng Lan was unceremoniously pushed out of the Qian Mansion and the visiting card was thrown on the ground.

The onlookers pointed and talked, some gloated, and some shook their heads in sympathy.

San Ya quickly stepped forward to help her mother up, her face livid, "These people are going too far!"

"Let's go." Chen Kangbo looked at Feng Lan with concern. "This kind of person is totally unreasonable."

Feng Lan brushed off the dust on her body and bent down to pick up the dirty visiting card.

A glint of determination flashed in her eyes, "Let's go? We've just started."

"Mother, do you still want to try?" San Ya said worriedly, "It's obvious that Governor Qian doesn't want to see us. There's no point in forcing him."

"It's his business not to see you, but I can't help but try."

Feng Lan straightened her clothes and asked, "What about the people who are waiting for the canal to open? Are they going to suffer for generations just because of the selfishness of these officials?"

Chen Kangbo sighed, "But we are insignificant and have little influence. How can we fight against the officials?"

"Who said we were going to fight?"

Feng Lan's eyes flashed, "Since the main gate won't let you in, then we'll have to think of another way."

When San Ya heard this, she knew what her mother was going to do.

"Mom, what bad idea have you come up with?"

"What bad idea?" Feng Lan glared at her daughter unhappily. "I want to solve the problem with wisdom."

She looked at the high walls of the Qian Mansion and had already made up her mind.

Feng Lan spent three days in Jinzhou City, visiting almost every street and alley.

She wanted to find a breakthrough, but every time she inquired about Governor Qian, he would shake his head and wave his hands, fearing that she would get into trouble.

On the evening of the fourth day, Chen Kangbo returned to the inn and saw Feng Lan soaking her feet by the bed. Her ankles were red and swollen.

"Lan'er, why are you doing this?"

Chen Kangbo squatted down and looked at his wife's scraped heels. "I'll go get you some medicine."

"No need, just a night's rest will be enough." Feng Lan waved her hand.

“Must buy!”

Chen Kangbo was tough for once, "If you keep going like this, your legs will be broken."

He went out to a drugstore and bought some ointment for bruises and injuries.

On the way back, I met the housekeeper whom I had met at the gate of Qian's house during the day.

The housekeeper was talking in a low voice with a few people. Chen Kangbo didn't want to pay attention, but he heard his own name.

"The man surnamed Chen just went to buy medicine. It seems that they are really staying at the Fulai Inn."

"Master Qian has ordered that these people must not be allowed to cause trouble in Jinzhou."

"Don't worry, we'll let them know how powerful we are tonight."

Chen Kangbo was shocked and hurried back to the inn.

"Lan'er, we have to be careful tonight." He repeated what he heard.

Feng Lan frowned, "It seems that Governor Qian really doesn't want us to stay here."

"Mom, why don't we go back first."

Sanya said worriedly, "It's too dangerous here."

"no."

Feng Lan shook her head. "I've come all this way, and I'm not willing to go back like this."

In the middle of the night, San Ya suddenly smelled smoke.

She sat up alertly and found smoke drifting in through the crack in the door.

"Mom! Comber! There's a fire!"

The three of them quickly got up and found that the downstairs was already on fire.

The inn's stairs were burned off and they were trapped on the second floor.

"Jump out the window!" Feng Lan made a quick decision.

Chen Kangbo jumped down first, then caught Feng Lan and San Ya.

As soon as I landed, several men in black rushed over with sticks in their hands.

"Want to run? Not that easy!"

Chen Kangbo stood in front of his wife and daughter, "Who are you? Why are you trying to harm us?"