Chapter 167 Bus Trial

Half a month passed in a flash.

The track laying work connecting Xiajing City with the surrounding provinces is in full swing, and the track laying in Xiajing City is also nearing completion.

Doctor Wan took time off to inspect the area and reported the progress to the Minister: "The track laying will be completed in about three to five days, and then we can organize a trial run of the public bus."

Du Qingtang continued writing without stopping, saying without looking up, "It's the final stage. I hope Master Wan will take care of it."

Doctor Wan repeatedly said he dared not: "Your Excellency is too kind. This is my duty."

Du Qingtang added, "Go and ask Lord Su to come over."

Doctor Wan withdrew in response. Not long after, Doctor Su entered the duty room and bowed to greet him.

"Your humble servant greets you, sir. What are your instructions?"

Du Qingtang handed him a manuscript: "Publish this manuscript on the front page of the newspaper on May 1st."

Doctor Su took it and took a look. It was a report about recruiting pilot personnel for public buses.

Although Doctor Su was in charge of the Yuheng Qinglisi, he had also heard of the track laying that the Dushui Qinglisi was responsible for.

During this period, he could see the diligent construction teams on the streets while going to and from work every day. He had been looking forward to the trains and public buses that were being talked about so much in the DPRK for a long time.

Doctor Su read the manuscript quickly, suppressed his excitement, and said in a resounding voice, "Your Excellency's orders will be followed. I will arrange for the craftsmen to print the newspaper later!"

Du Qingtang then instructed, "Remember to inform the Ministry of Revenue. They've probably already written the manuscript, so move the front-page copy to the next issue."

Doctor Su responded respectfully and walked out with the manuscript.

......

On the morning of the first day of May, the golden crow rose in the east, and people took to the streets. The city of Xiajing, which had been silent for several hours, gradually became lively again.

Passing by a newsstand on the street corner, the clerk was waving newspapers and shouting at the top of his voice.

"The latest issue of the newspaper is now on the shelves, don't miss it if you pass by!"

"Last time, we talked about Wang Sheng's dream again. So, what kind of dream world will he enter this time, and what kind of thrilling and ups and downs will he experience? For details, please watch the latest issue of 'Wang Sheng's Dream Journey'!"

"The imperial court will be conducting a trial run of public buses on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. Interested parties please register at the government office. Four hundred people will be randomly selected to ride the buses for free, and will be given ten free travel cards and ten eggs. This is a rare opportunity, don't miss it!"

When the people passing by heard this, they stopped.

"Public bus? Could it be that the construction team has been busy with this recently?"

"What's the difference between this public bus and a horse-drawn or ox-drawn carriage?"

"I'm not interested in any car, but the court is giving away free eggs!"

"Give me a newspaper. The last issue ended abruptly at the moment Wang Sheng fell asleep. It's so frustrating, I have to read it to my heart's content today!"

Whether they were literate or not, people flocked to the newsstand.

I would buy a newspaper for a penny, roll it up and put it in my arms, then continue walking towards the rising sun, or just sit on the ground and read it as if no one was around.

Some people were reluctant to pay the money and shamelessly approached: "Girl, what did the newspaper say?"

The young girl, wearing a dress made of coarse cloth, sat cross-legged on the cement floor. She looked up at the white-haired old woman, not caring about her attempt to take advantage of her. She patted the seat next to her and said, "Grandma, come and sit here. I'll read to you."

The old lady sat down happily and said: "Girl, you are really amazing. You can even recognize words."

The young girl Xu Qing smiled and said, "I couldn't read a single word before. It was only after I went to the Qiong English Society that I started learning to read and write."

The old lady looked confused: "Qiong English Society?"

Xu Qing introduced Qiong English Publishing House to her.

After hearing this, the old lady slapped her thigh and said, "This Qiong English Club is really great. My granddaughter can't read either. When she grows up, I will let her go to the Qiong English Club!"

The woman next to her, who was also reluctant to buy a newspaper and shamelessly rubbed Xu Qing's newspaper, curled her lips and said, "What's the point of reading a book, little girl? She's so idle all day long. If she had that much time, she could have washed a few more clothes and made a few more embroidery pieces."

As soon as this was said, many people echoed it.

"Your in-laws don't care how many words you can read or how much education you have. They only care about whether you can work and whether you are good at giving birth."

"If the girl doesn't work, how can we expect her brothers to do the same? Boys will do great things in the future, how can they do rough and tiring labor?"

"Girl, I advise you not to go to that Qiong Ying Club. It has a terrible reputation outside. The boy who lives next door to me said that he would never marry a woman who is a member of the Qiong Ying Club. Be careful that you won't be able to get married."

Xu Qing couldn't help but roll her eyes. What kind of bullshit is this?

She is proud of her studies, so why does she care about others?

If he doesn't marry her, she doesn't want to marry him either.

This kind of man is arrogant and looks down on women from the bottom of his heart. Any woman who marries him will be unlucky for eight lifetimes. She will be immersed in misery for the rest of her life, being squeezed and exploited, and she will not be able to rest in peace even after death.

Xu Qing ignored the opposing voices and did not persuade the old lady to let her granddaughter learn to read and write.

This is a matter of self-awareness, no matter how much others say it, it will be of no use.

Xu Qing thought about this and felt very sad.

They try every possible way to enrich themselves, but there are always people who think that they are not worthy of studying and that this is a right only enjoyed by men.

Among these people, five to six out of ten are women.

It is so ironic that the people who are most harsh on women are also women.

A feeling of powerlessness swept over her body. Xu Qing sighed, shook the newspaper, and read aloud in a crisp voice.

Everyone fell silent and listened attentively with their ears pricked up.

Xu Qing started reading from the front page. As she read, everyone was whispering.

“How could a cart be driven without oxen or horses?”

"It only takes half an incense stick to get from the north to the south of the city?"

"For four cents, you can take a public bus and travel through the four districts of the east, south, west, and north?"

"My God, this is too cheap! In the past, we would have to spend more than ten or twenty coins to travel four districts by ox cart!"

"It's not only cheap but also fast. I want to sign up for it."

"If you want to go, go ahead. It's free anyway, and you can get ten eggs for free."

"What if something unexpected happens during the journey?"

"Don't worry about that. How could something created by Marquis Wen'an be unsafe?"

"That's true. Marquis Wen'an is the greatest guarantee. So, shall we go?"

"Walk!"

On that day, thousands of people went to the government office to register.

There are young people who are simply looking for excitement, and there are also grandpas and grandmas who come here just for the eggs.

"Why can't I sign up?" The white-haired old woman put her hands on her hips and fiercely questioned the clerk in charge of registration, "You must give me an explanation, otherwise I will sleep in the government office tonight!"

Her eggs!

Her eggs were gone before she even got them!

The clerk was speechless and resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "You are old. For safety reasons, only people under 40 are allowed to register."

The old woman kept nagging, spit flying: "Why didn't you make it clear before? The newspaper didn't say that people over 40 couldn't apply. You're discriminating against me based on age. I'm going to take this to the court. I'm going to file a complaint with His Majesty and have him remove your official hat!"

Petty official: “…”

People laugh when they are extremely speechless.

The clerk and his colleagues on both sides laughed so hard that their shoulders were shaking, and the people who came to register were also laughing so hard that they were rolling on the ground.

"Old man, it's clearly written in the newspaper. You probably didn't hear it clearly." The clerk said patiently, "You can ask your son, grandson, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter to come and register."

Anyway, the more people sign up, the more hype there is, and the more famous the public bus will become.

They did their job well, so naturally they were rewarded handsomely by their superiors!

The old woman's eyes lit up, and she walked away briskly. A moment later, she returned with her family, "Sir, I'm here to sign up again! With so many people, there must be one person who can be chosen, right? Ten eggs!"

Everyone looked at the huge crowd: "......"

-

The registration deadline is on the evening of May 3rd.

On the fourth day of May, the government randomly selected 400 people, and the yamen runners went door to door to notify them based on the addresses left when they registered, carrying free bus cards and eggs.

Those who were selected were ecstatic, while those who were not selected sighed.

"I'll take the bus tomorrow and come back to tell you what it feels like."

"Eggs! My eggs are gone!"

"Alas, I can only wait until it is officially opened before I can experience it."

Some people in the city were happy while others were sad. At the imperial farm outside the city, after two decades of hard work by Du Qingtang and the craftsmen, four public buses were successfully manufactured and passed a trial run.

At the entrance of the research institute, Du Qingtang folded his arms, looking at the bus that was the size of a railway carriage, and instructed the researchers: "Send the bus to the west of the city later, and you will also be responsible for the trial run tomorrow."

"yes!"

At Du Qingtang's request, the construction team laid a track from Huangzhuang to Xiajing City.

Just heat up the steam engine and you can easily send four behemoths into the city.

Du Qingtang asked again: "How is the driver training going?"

The researchers were busy making cars and it was impossible for them to drive trains and buses all the time. Du Qingtang borrowed dozens of imperial guards from Emperor Qingyuan and asked the researchers to teach them how to drive.

These imperial guards are loyal to Emperor Qingyuan, will not cause trouble, and can ensure the safety of passengers.

"Your Excellency, they are already proficient in driving trains, so I think driving a coach shouldn't be a problem. After today's trial run, I will find time to teach them how to drive a coach."

Du Qingtang responded and gave a few more instructions before heading home against the backdrop of a sky full of rosy clouds.

After Du Qingtang left, the researchers heated up the steam engine and sent the public bus to the bus station that was urgently built in the west of the city.

As soon as the four huge vehicles appeared, they attracted people living nearby to come and watch.

"This car is really impressive. It's almost as tall as a house."

"It's just as the rumors say. There's not even a horse or a cow."

"It's a pity that we arrived too late and didn't get to see with our own eyes how it entered the city."

"We can see it tomorrow morning. It's only a few hours away. We can still wait."

Everyone stood in the distance and watched for a long time until the Golden Crow set in the west and the Jade Rabbit rose in the east.

Before going to bed, they were still thinking about tomorrow's trial, and reminded their family: "Remember to wake me up at 1:00 AM tomorrow morning."

"Got it. Let's go watch the fun too. Only if we go early can we grab a good seat."

That night, countless people fell asleep with joy and anticipation.

-

The next day, at six o'clock in the morning.

Du Qingtang stood in front of the bus station, watching the researchers make preparations before the trial.

In order to prepare for today's trial, Du Qingtang took half a day off and did not even attend the grand court meeting. He got up at daybreak, had a quick meal and rushed to the west of the city. It has been half an hour now.

The four hundred selected people arrived at the bus station one after another, crowded together, and looked curiously at the public bus and the woman in the purple official robe.

"Is she the Marquis of Wen'an? She looks so young."

"Not only is he young, he's also very handsome."

"Well, seeing Marquis Wen'an reminds me of my naughty kid. When he was little, he spent all day climbing trees to catch birds and going down to the river to catch fish. Now he's grown up, but he doesn't have any special skills and can't make much money. Why is it that other people's children always have the most promising future?"

"Look at what you're saying. How many people can grow up to be like Marquis Wen'an? Most people are already very happy as long as they can live a down-to-earth life, earn money, and have enough to eat and drink. You should be content."

"When does it start? I can't wait."

Du Qingtang tilted his head and said calmly, "After one stick of incense."

The woman who was speaking was stunned for a moment. When Du Qingtang turned his head, stepped forward, pointed at the wheels of the public bus, and said something to the researcher, she slowly came back to her senses. Her face was full of disbelief. She looked around and said in a dazed tone: "Was Marquis Wen'an talking to me just now?"

"It's so obvious, why do you have to show it off in front of us?"

"Damn it! Take back what you just said and let me speak!"

"So she must have heard me praising Marquis Wen'an for his handsome appearance. Then why did she ignore me?"

"Marquis Wen'an must be shy and embarrassed to talk to you."

“Puff—”

One researcher couldn't help but laugh out loud.

After laughing, he suddenly felt a chill on his back. He raised his head as if he had realized something and met Du Qingtang's deathly gaze.

Du Qingtang: stare.jpg

The institute's body shook violently, and it slipped to the other side of the public bus, pretending to be very busy, trying to use the huge body of the bus to block the murderous gaze of the hospital chief.

The other three researchers tried hard to suppress their laughter and looked at their unlucky colleague with gloating eyes.

Du Qingtang: “…”

No one is worry-free.

I'm too tired to curse.

......

A stick of incense passes in a flash.

It was already 9 o'clock, and the researcher finished his inspection and gestured to the yamen runner.

The yamen runner understood, opened the front and back doors of the public bus, and shouted at the top of his voice: "Everyone can get on the bus. Once on the bus, you must take your seats as soon as possible and are not allowed to walk around at will..."

Four hundred people responded sparsely and boarded the public bus in an orderly manner.

The seats in public buses are still made of wood, with two seats on each side and a narrow aisle in the middle.

Everyone found a place to sit down, looked here, touched there, their faces full of curiosity and excitement.

"Wow, these windows are actually made of glass! Before I got on the bus, I was thinking there wasn't even a piece of oil paper on the windows. If it rains and blows, won't we be soaked to the skin?"

"The glass is crystal clear, and we were standing far away before, so we couldn't have seen it without looking carefully."

"Taking a public bus costs money, and glass windows are part of the bus. So, I can be considered a buyer of glass. From now on, when I go out, I can tell everyone I've bought glass. It will definitely make me look good!"

Everyone burst into laughter, and the laughter almost blew the roof off the car.

The researcher couldn't help laughing. He made sure everyone was on board and heated up the steam engine with ease.

When the water in the boiler boiled, the researcher opened the steam valve, quickly got into the cab, and said loudly, "Everyone, please sit tight. We're off."

Everyone's expression became serious, and they quickly sat up straight, holding their breath, looking ahead nervously and expectantly.

In full view of the crowd, white steam filled the front of the car, emitting a low and rhythmic humming sound.

Everyone only felt their bodies shake slightly, and the public bus drove out along the track.

The scenery on both sides gradually receded, everyone was stunned, and exclamations and screams rang out one after another.

"It's moving! The car is really moving!"

"It's really fast, more than ten times faster than a horse-drawn carriage!"

"Pinch me... Ouch! It's real! I'm not dreaming!"

"Oh my god, I feel like I'm flying!"

The public bus drove out of the deserted bus station amidst a lot of noise and drove onto the bustling street.

Du Qingtang and two other researchers who had never driven a car followed on horseback, far behind the bus.

Listening to the people's shouts, the researcher chuckled.

"When we first got on the train, we were just as noisy as they are."

"My parents came to visit the institute a while ago, and I told them about the public bus. They must be watching the excitement on the street right now, and they would proudly tell people around them that their son built it."

"My wife and daughter are the same. Why are they a little embarrassed?"

Du Qingtang glanced at them without saying anything, but was wondering whether the girls from the Du family would come over.

She didn't mention it at the dinner table last night, and they didn't ask about it.

However, Du Qingtang is not such a pretentious person. They all have their own careers, and they can't put their business aside just to come and watch the fun.

Du Qingtang was thinking randomly in his mind, looking into the distance, and saw a huge crowd of people in front of him.

At this point, the second trial run of public buses officially began.

......

The news of the trial operation of public buses on the fifth day of May had already spread. At this time, the streets were filled with people watching the fun, and the second and third floors of shops along the street were also full of people.

In addition to the onlookers, there were also yamen runners who maintained order. They held a knife in one hand, kept their eyes and ears open, and prevented outsiders from entering the streets and affecting the trial operation of public buses.

"Here it comes! The public bus is here!"

With a loud shout, everyone became excited and looked towards the west.

At the end of the street, a huge machine about one story high was moving steadily and quickly towards the east along the track.

There are four such huge vehicles, each one is ten feet apart, like a small mountain, which is shocking and amazing.

"Marquis Wen'an is truly amazing. Such a magnificent and unique car was created by her."

"The carriage can actually hold hundreds of people, and it moves as fast as the wind. It's truly a miracle!"

"Marquis Wen'an must be a deity sent from heaven!"

As soon as this statement was made, many people agreed with it.

Du Qinglan was lying on the windowsill on the second floor of the teahouse. When she heard this, she immediately smiled and hummed in response, "It's just like a fairy."

Her youngest son is the best in the world, even more powerful than gods!

The Princess of Changle County held up her face, looking at the public bus with amazement, and said softly, "Marquis Wen'an is omnipotent. If I could become a woman like her, I would be willing to live in a magnificent golden palace and eat delicious food every day."

Du Qinglan nodded rapidly: "Hmm... hm?"

Du Qinglan suddenly opened her eyes wide and turned to look at the Princess of Changle County: "What did you say?"

The Princess of Changle blinked, then blinked again, and smiled playfully: "Sister Lan, you clearly heard it clearly."

"You." Du Qinglan stretched her neck, looked westward, and muttered to herself, "I wonder if Marquis Wen'an will show up with the public bus."

Yesterday, while the youngest sister was still on duty, they agreed to give her a surprise.

She was with the members of the Qiong English Society, while the others were in the pub diagonally across the street.

I wonder how Xianyu would react when he sees them.

Du Qinglan thought so and smiled at Du Qingzhu who was leaning on the window and looking down.

Du Qingzhu also saw her and waved like a lucky cat.

The Princess of Changle County didn't notice Du Qinglan's little move. She was standing on a stool, with one of her small earrings hanging on the windowsill. Her pink earrings were dangling. She pouted and said somewhat depressedly, "The people in the car looked so happy. I wanted to go to the government office to register, but my mother wouldn't let me. She was worried that I would be kidnapped."

The sliding windows of the public bus were pushed open, and the passengers waved and cheered to the people on both sides of the street. Some of them stretched their faces out of the windows, opened their mouths wide, let the spring breeze fill their mouths, and made echoing "ah--".

The onlookers burst into laughter when they saw this.

Du Qinglan also laughed and stroked the little girl's hanging bun, her eyes full of pity: "The Crown Prince's wife is doing this for your own good. Those beggars love girls like you with red lips, white teeth, and a pink and tender complexion. Then they will sell you into the deep mountains and old forests to be the wife of an ugly monster."

The Princess of Changle puffed up her cheeks and said angrily, "Sister Lan, don't scare me."

Before Du Qinglan could say anything, a member of the community in the private room spoke first: "Why would I lie to you? My mother was abducted by a beggar and sold to my father."

Everyone looked stunned.

The Princess of Changle's eyes widened, twisting her fingers together, and it took her a long while to find her voice: "Xu Qing, you... I remember you said before that you had no father or mother."

Xu Qing said frankly, "I didn't know until I was eight years old that my mother was originally from a wealthy family. She was kidnapped at a lantern festival and sold to my hometown, a very remote mountain village."

"My father treated my mother very badly. He beat and scolded her, and forced her to have children one after another." Xu Qing paused, "I am the eldest. I have three younger sisters, four older brothers and a younger brother."

Everyone counted on their fingers and gasped.

The Princess of Changle County said in a difficult tone, "Doesn't that mean I have to give birth to one child every year?"

The harm of childbirth to women is irreversible. Giving birth to one child a year is simply not treating her as a human being!

Xu Qing nodded, her tone calm. "I asked my mother if she wanted to go back. She said she did. She wanted to leave there all the time. So I stole the key, opened the chain on her leg, and let her escape."

"My little sister complained to my father, and he beat me severely with a stick as thick as my wrist. I almost died from the pain."

"Fortunately, I made it through and left that place after half a year. Before leaving, I reported to the police and arrested many beggars and rescued many abducted women. After that, I disguised myself as a boy and made a living everywhere. Finally, I came to Xiajing and settled here."

Xu Qing met everyone's shocked and sympathetic gazes and smiled nonchalantly: "Pahuazi is a bad guy, my father is also a bad guy, the only victim in this whole thing is my mother."

"She's suffered enough already. I don't want her to have to face us, the symbols of evil, every day for the rest of her life."

Xu Qing scratched her head, looked at the Princess of Changle County, and said uncomfortably, "Originally, I didn't intend to say this. After all... it's not very glorious. I'm a bit of a face-sitter, and I can't stand other people's strange looks. But since Sister Lan said it, I couldn't help but say a few more words."

"In recent years, the imperial court has cracked down on human trafficking gangs, but many beggars still defy the law and commit crimes. Everyone should be vigilant when going out and not give beggars an opportunity to take advantage."

Du Qinglan frowned slightly and hesitated for a moment before speaking: "Your mother... Have you seen your mother since then?"

Xu Qing nodded and then shook her head. "After I left the Xu family, I wandered around for a few years and stayed in Nanzhili for a while. Someone mentioned my mother's name, but I didn't go to see her. Knowing that she was doing well was enough for me."

The Princess of Changle County rubbed her eyes and said in a muffled voice, "Sister Xu, you are very good. You can't choose your birth, but you made the right decision."

"That's right, at least you didn't help the evil. Faced with the choice between family affection and justice, you chose the latter and chose to sacrifice your own family for the greater good."

Everyone praised Xu Qing, and the sincerity in their eyes did not seem fake.

Xu Qing felt a lump in her throat and slowly smiled.

This is why she never forgets to read and learn to read while doing odd jobs, and why she sticks to her original intention no matter how hard or tired she is, and never leaves the Qiong English Society.

Because all members have warm hearts.

Here, she felt the warmth and security of home.

Xu Qing thought that this was a priceless treasure that those who believed that women were not worthy of reading and writing would never be able to possess.

......

"Marquis Wen'an! Marquis Wen'an is here!"

The woman's high-pitched cry broke the silence in the private room.

Xu Qing blinked quickly, blinking away the sparkling tears in her eyes, and ran to the window, saying with a smile, "Let me take a look at what the legendary Marquis Wen'an looks like."

The Princess of Changle wrinkled her nose and tried to recall: "I once went to the palace with my grandmother and mother, and I saw Marquis Wen'an from afar..."

"Wow—" Xu Qing's exclamation interrupted the Changle County Lady's words, "Marquis Wen'an is really as the rumors say, with an extraordinary demeanor and heroic appearance!"

These words easily aroused the curiosity of the members, and they all put down their teacups and cakes and ran to the window.

Fortunately, the windows of the teahouse are large enough, and there are four windows to meet the guests' needs to watch the fun when necessary.

Dozens of heads popped out of the windows, looking into the distance, and then—

"Wow!"

Three people rode their horses past on the spacious and clean cement street.

The leader was wearing a purple official robe, his long raven-feather hair was tied into a bun, his eyes were as dark as stars, deep and calm, his superior facial features were like thick ink, sharpness and coldness were cleverly blended together, he was noble and aloof, and beneath his calmness, there was a hidden indescribable sense of oppression.

Not only the members of the Qiongying English Society, but all the onlookers stared at her blankly, without moving their eyes.

Regardless of whether they are men or women, their eyes are filled with admiration and respect.

"Seeing is believing. I've used all the praise I could think of, but I can't even begin to describe one ten-thousandth of Marquis Wen'an's grace."

"Marquis Wen'an is indeed the most extraordinary woman in the world. We are far inferior to her."

"Although Marquis Wen'an is widely criticized within the court for her harsh tactics and inability to be persuaded, her contributions to Daxia are unquestionable. Regardless of how those scholars judge Marquis Wen'an, I will always take her as my role model and look forward to passing the imperial examination and becoming an official, so that I can be as loyal to the emperor and serve the country as Marquis Wen'an, and rise to prominence."

Xu Qing listened to everyone praising Wen'an Hou, her eyelashes trembling, and suddenly half of her body leaned out of the window and shouted loudly: "Master Du, do you want a wife?"

Du Qingtang was listening to two researchers bragging about how good the weapons they made were and how powerful they were.

I was caught off guard by this voice and thought for a moment that I was hallucinating, or that there was another Lord Du present.

The researcher was also stunned.

"Master Du? Which Master Du?"

"The one shouting was a woman, definitely not the headmaster..."

Before he could finish his words, a purse was thrown out from the second floor of the teahouse and headed straight for Du Qingtang.

Then, the crisp female voice sounded again: "Master Du, do you want a wife?"

researcher:"???"

Du Qingtang, who was caught off guard by the purse, said: "......"

Everyone was shocked by Xu Qing's words, and the street fell into complete silence.

Du Qinglan's eyelids twitched wildly. She turned to look at Xu Qing, who was standing in front of another window, and said in disbelief, "Sister Xu, what are you doing?"

Xu Qing's smile remained unchanged: "Don't you think that compared to those stinky men, Master Du is a better match?"

The members were all stunned and couldn't help but think divergently.

In terms of talent, who can compare with the top six scorers?

In terms of ability, who can compare with the Minister of Works and Marquis Wen'an, who was a second-rank official at the age of twenty-four and ranked among the dukes?

In terms of appearance, who can compare with the heroic and extraordinary Marquis Wen'an?

The members looked at each other, as if... there was some truth to it?

Then, another member immediately stuck his head out and said loudly: "I am willing to marry Master Du, even if it means I can be your concubine!"

Du Qingtang: “…”

Du Qinglan: “…”

Everyone: “…”

On the second floor of the tavern, Du Qingzhu tried to hold back, but in the end couldn't help it and burst out laughing.

The laughter was particularly clear in the street where you could hear a pin drop, as if the start button had been pressed, and deafening laughter came from both sides of the street and the upper floors of shops.

"I'm dying of laughter! Girls these days are so bold, they dare to say anything!"

"Those two girls are actually right. If Marquis Wen'an were a man, wouldn't he be the ideal son and son-in-law in our minds?"

"Let's not say this is a joke. Even if it's true, it's not uncommon for people to practice homosexuality throughout history..."

"As a woman, Marquis Wen'an is also a role model for countless people. Isn't it normal for someone to have feelings of admiration for her?"

"But have you noticed that Marquis Wen'an's ears seem to have turned red?"

Thousands of eyes fell on Marquis Wen'an, trying to determine whether it was as the man had just said. Marquis Wen'an's ears turned red.

"It's true."

"Is Marquis Wen'an embarrassed?"

"Of course I am. If this happened to me, I would be blushing and even want to hide in a hole in the ground."

Du Qingtang was indeed a little embarrassed.

Having served as an official for many years, she was already accustomed to being the center of attention, but this was the first time she became the focus of the crowd in this way.

Du Qingtang resisted the urge to dig his toes into the ground and looked up at the source of the sound.

At first glance, they were two unfamiliar girls.

She looks lively and cheerful, as bright as the sun.

Seeing Du Qingtang looking at them, the two girls not only did not avoid her, but were beaming with joy and waved at her vigorously.

The girl in the grey coarse cloth dress smiled with her eyes curved, her tone full of apology: "We just want to express our love for you, not really want to marry you, please don't be offended, sir."

The girl in the pink dress next to her nodded and said a little embarrassedly, "Only in this way will you notice us. I'm really sorry if this has caused you any trouble."

The girl in the gray dress seemed to take a deep breath, her voice faintly trembling. "We want to tell you, thank you for everything you have done for Daxia and for us."

And everything you did for me back then.

Including giving her ten taels of silver when she was dying.

Including hiding the purse containing ten taels of silver under her body.

......

At the age of eight, Xu Qing escaped from her sinful home.

Because she was young and naive, she trusted others easily and was robbed of all her belongings - twenty cents - by a group of beggars who were older than her. She was also beaten all over her body and could only lie in a narrow and dark alley waiting to die.

She once thought that she would be on the brink of death countless times like she was six months ago, and finally die.

When she was on the verge of death, Marquis Wen'an descended from the sky and hid a purse containing ten taels of silver under her body.

After Wen Anhou left, Xu Qing continued to pretend to be dead until nightfall, when she took the money and went to the clinic for treatment.

It was also because of the silver given by Marquis Wen'an that Xu Qing no longer had to beg for a living for the next eight years.

Later, Xu Qing came to Xiajing after many twists and turns and settled there.

In her first year of settling in Xiajing, Xu Qing became a female worker at Fumin Garment Factory and also a member of the Qiongying English Society.

In order to save money to buy books, she had to work as a handyman in a restaurant in her spare time.

Xu Qing was very tired, but she never thought of quitting the Qiongying English Society, giving up reading, and giving up her love for words.

With this inexplicable love, Xu Qing persisted for three whole years.

She went from being illiterate to teaching new members how to read and write.

It was not until today, when Xu Qing unexpectedly met her savior, that she understood where this love came from.

It turns out that fate has been guiding her all along.

Let her go the right way.

Let her follow the light.

......

The public bus departs from the bus station, passes through the south, east and north of the city in turn, and finally returns to the west of the city.

Passing by the teahouse, Du Qingtang looked up and saw Du Qinglan still standing by the window, looking at her with a smile.

Du Qingtang's eyes moved and he looked at the tavern opposite the teahouse.

The six Du sisters and Ruan Ran also stood in front of the window, their eyes filled with joy and pride.

They are proud of me.

Du Qingtang curled his lower lip imperceptibly, and in just a moment, he returned to his calm and composed look.

The public bus pulled into the bus station and four hundred passengers got off one after another.

Their reaction was the same as that of Emperor Qingyuan and a group of officials when they first took a train. Everyone had a genuine smile on their face and walked with a light heart.

"I've lived for over 30 years, and this is the most comfortable car I've ever ridden in. It's smoother than an oxcart or a horsecart, and not bumpy at all."

“Not only is it fast, but the fare is also very low. It would be even more convenient if it could reach nearby towns.”

"In short, it has many advantages. It's more suitable for travel than those ox carts and horse carriages. It only costs a few cents, and you can save that by eating less snacks."

The passengers bowed to Du Qingtang and hurried away, probably eager to go back and share their riding experience.

Du Qingtang led Zhuifeng and instructed the six researchers, "Continue to build the carriages. We must also find ways to improve the steam engine and try to make it go even faster."

A train is tentatively planned to have eighteen carriages. The research institute has already built one, but the quantity is far from meeting the military and civilian standards.

Let’s set a small goal to build twenty trains this year.

As for public buses, they must be treated equally in Beijing and at the local level, without favoritism.

It is tentatively planned that there will be eight vehicles in the provincial capital, four in the prefectural capital, and two in the county town. If we want to fully popularize it, it will take at least one or two years.

Du Qingtang planned to organize another assessment by the research institute once the train was officially operational.

The more skilled craftsmen there are, the better.

The researcher naturally responded without hesitation and bowed to see Du Qingtang off.

On the way back to the Ministry of Works from the west of the city, people were discussing the previous trial run of public buses.

Du Qingtang listened and made sure that there were more praises than criticisms, so he stopped paying attention to it.

When I returned to the Ministry of Works, there were already three piles of documents half a person's height piled up in the duty room, and the pile on the far left was the ones that had to be dealt with in the morning.

Du Qingtang: “…”

Du Qingtang pinched his brows, drank two cups of tea, moistened his throat, took a deep breath, and started to handle official business.

On the other side, Du Qingju returned to the Marquis' Mansion from the west of the city and went straight to Du Qingmei's residence.

There is no class at the Female Medical Bureau today, so Du Qingju plans to give Du Qingmei acupuncture first, and then go to the Seventh Prince's Mansion.

After entering the inner room, Du Qingju first performed a routine pulse check on Du Qingmei.

"Today, the public bus had a trial run, and almost everyone in the city came to watch. The scene was truly spectacular."

"The two members of the Qiong Ying Society expressed their gratitude for all that Xianyu had done for Daxia and the people. Soon after, everyone spontaneously expressed their gratitude to Xianyu."

Du Qingju withdrew her hand and said the same thing: "You are recovering very well. By the end of the month, your body will be back to the same state as before the miscarriage."

Du Qingmei tightened her fingers, responded softly, and said nothing else.

After that, the two sisters remained silent until the acupuncture was over and Du Qingju put the silver needles into the medicine box.

"Fifth sister, you should have a good rest. I still have to go to the Seventh Prince's Mansion, so I'll leave first."

The crisp sound of the bead curtain colliding was heard. Du Qingmei lay on the bed, staring at the plum blossoms embroidered on the ceiling of the tent, lost in thought.

After a long time, Du Qingmei sighed and finally made a decision.

-

After the fifth day of May, public buses became a hot topic of conversation among the people in the city.

On the eighth day of May, four public buses officially began operation.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development has set up bus stations in four urban areas, and each urban area is allocated a public bus.

Public buses depart on time at 12:00 AM every day, follow the same route, and travel in the order of east, south, west and north.

There are eight stations in each urban area. Passengers can wait for the bus at a nearby station, pay the fare as soon as they get on the bus, and then take their seats after receiving the receipt.

In addition to the driver, each public bus is also equipped with two ticket sellers.

The ticket sellers were minor clerks from the Ministry of Revenue, who would send the fares they earned directly to the Ministry every day. At the end of the month, the profits would be summarized and put into the Zuo Cangku together with the profits of official shops such as Ningxiang Tower, Liulifang, and Xiasheng Newspaper Bureau.

The fares are divided into four levels: only one cent is charged within the city, two cents is charged for traveling across another city, and so on, with the highest being four cents.

The above information will be published in the Xiasheng Daily, and the government will also post notices to inform the people of the city.

Thanks to proper publicity and plenty of hype, there was a constant stream of passengers on the first day of official operation. By the hour of Hai, the four buses had made a total profit of 472 taels.

This amount is not even a fraction of the daily profit of Ningxiang Tower and Liulifang, but the operation of public buses is aimed at convenience and benefiting the people, and increasing revenue for the national treasury is secondary.

——"It's better than not earning a penny."

After Emperor Qingyuan learned about the first day's profit from Minister Qi, he expressed great optimism.

......

Twenty days passed in a flash.

After Du Qingmei finished her double confinement, she took a bath and washed her hair with the help of Cuizhen and Cuiyue, and walked out of the bedroom where she had stayed for two full months.

The midday sun shines on my body, the breeze blows on my face, and the crisp sound of birds sings in my ears.

Du Qingmei looked up at the sky and felt as if she was in another world.

That night, the girls of the Du family, who had been busy outside all day, returned to the Wen'an Marquis Mansion. When they saw Du Qingmei sitting in the dining room, they were all stunned and it took them a long time to react.

"Look at my memory. Xiaowu has finished her confinement."

"How are you feeling? If you feel unwell, just tell Xiaoba. You can't hide your illness and avoid seeing a doctor."

Du Qingmei met Du Qingqin's concerned gaze, her throat tightened, and she whispered, "I'm fine. Xiao Ba has been giving me acupuncture every day for the past two months, and I'm already fully recovered."

Du Qingqin's expression softened slightly: "That's good. You really scared us that day."

"I'm sorry for making you worry about me." Du Qingmei lowered her head, her voice barely audible, "I... I plan to go to Lianhua Temple for spiritual practice."

The dining room suddenly became quiet.

Du Qingtang lowered his eyes, fiddling with the tassels on the table curtain with his fingertips, and said calmly, "I'll ask Meng Fang to donate some money to Lianhua Temple."

Lianhua Temple is a temple located on the outskirts of the city. Backed by mountains and forests, it has a quiet environment and is a good place for spiritual practice.

Du Qingmei's nose felt sore, and she suppressed the sob that was about to burst out of her throat: "Thank you for the jade."

Du Qingtang shook his head and said politely, "It's my duty."

I had no taste for the dinner.

Du Qingtang was the first to put down his bowl and chopsticks and get up to leave.

Du Qingmei watched Du Qingtang go away from the corner of her eye, then stood up and said, "I plan to go there in the next two days, so I'll go back and pack my luggage first."

After returning to her residence, Du Qingmei began to pack up the boxes.

These boxes were all brought from Baoding Prefecture to Xiajing by her. Apart from the clothes she often used, there were four or five boxes that had never been opened.

Du Qingmei planned to take this opportunity to pack up and only take a few plain clothes with her.

Du Qingmei took out the clothes one by one, put the ones she wanted to take away aside, and put the ones she didn't want to take away directly into the closet.

When taking the last piece of clothing out of the box, a piece of rice paper floated to the ground.

Du Qingmei bent down to pick it up, but before she stood up, the words "My Dream" came into her sight.

This was the homework that Xianyu assigned to them during the Lantern Festival that year.

Later, Xianyu became the top scorer in high school and returned the homework to them.

Du Qingmei stared at the contents on the paper, and after a moment, tears welled up in her eyes.

Her dream...

It ultimately didn't happen.