Chapter 45 Qingzhou Prefecture Qingzhou Prefecture

The towering buildings on the river bank make the mountains and rivers of Chu seem as if they were shrinking into the earth.

As we approached Qingzhou Wharf, the first thing that caught our eyes was a tall building rising from the ground. The building was five stories high, and each floor was decorated with carved beams and painted rafters, magnificent and golden. It looked arrogantly at the passers-by on the boats coming and going.

It is now early March, and the weather in Qingzhou is warmer. Willows are planted on both sides of the river. At this time, the willows are drooping, and occasionally there are catkins flying by, which adds a bit of beauty to this riverside building.

The pier was bustling with people coming and going.

When everyone on the boat saw the dock, they couldn't help but cheer. Even though they were escorted by an official ship, they still felt uneasy before they got to the actual dock. Now they finally felt relieved.

Even Mr. Wen, who was calm and composed, sighed deeply at this moment: "We've finally arrived in Qingzhou Prefecture."

It was only a three-day trip, but it felt like three years had passed.

Mr. Wen was holding a bamboo slip tightly. He did not hesitate when he hit someone before, but he felt heartbroken when he found that the bamboo slip was broken.

Second Uncle Su was much happier. He smiled and shouted, "We're glad we're here. Erlang, when we get into the city, let's go see a doctor first. Your hand is the most important thing."

Su Fengzhang moved his fingers, and the area around his thumb felt slightly numb. He didn't know if it was because he drank a bowl of spiritual spring water in one breath last night, but the wound seemed to have healed.

The people on their boat quickly attracted the attention of the people at the dock. Of course, it was not Su Fengzhang who was so majestic and domineering, but they all looked miserable. Some of them had wounds and blood on their bodies, and there were even soldiers standing on them.

When the bodies of the pirates were carried away, the people on the dock screamed and were unable to dodge.

"Let's go down quickly. I'm about to vomit when I smell the blood." Wenzhu also said.

On the other side, the Fang brother and sister came down a little slower. Xiao Yi was seriously injured, so Fang Yu had to spend several times the price to find two coolies to help, and only then did they carry the person down.

Fang Linlang looked around and said, "Why isn't Mr. Su here?"

"We just met by chance, I'm afraid he left first." Fang Yu also regretted not coming out earlier.

Fang Linlang added, "We should thank him again."

Fang Yu said, "He is a candidate and will definitely take part in this provincial examination. When we arrive in Qingzhou and see our uncle, it won't be difficult to find him."

Fang Linlang groaned after hearing this and said, "That would be bad."

Su Fengzhang had no idea what the Fang brothers and sisters were thinking. The Qingzhou wharf was many times busier than that in Hushan County.

The streets are full of various restaurants, from all over the world. It is a very lively time now, and all kinds of aromas fill the air, forming a strange and tempting smell.

There was a meat pie shop not far from them, and the tempting aroma of meat could be smelled a mile away.

Su Fengzhang's stomach growled uncontrollably and he subconsciously began to swallow. It was a physiological reaction and he couldn't control it.

Mr. Wen also heard this and suggested with a smile, "Now that we've arrived in Qingzhou, there's no need to rush on. Let's go sit down and have something to eat before we go. Otherwise, even the strongest person will be exhausted."

"Dad, let's eat at that one." Wenzhu said excitedly, pointing to the meat pie shop.

It's not his fault. There are few noodles in Hushan County. Although this meat pie is common, it seems strange to them.

Several people sat down in the shop. One of them ordered a meat pie, and the shopkeeper also gave him a bowl of soup. The meat pie was as big as two palms of an adult man. The meat juice overflowed when he took a bite of it, and it was a great enjoyment to drink a mouthful of soup.

Su Fengzhang had to eat half a meat pie before he recovered. He had exerted a lot of effort yesterday, and he felt hungrier even faster.

On the contrary, Wenzhu had big eyes and a small stomach. He couldn't eat half of it anymore, so he simply tore half of it and handed it to Su Fengzhang. Su Fengzhang ate it all without hesitation and was just full after finishing it.

Wenzhu looked at it and said, "No wonder you are taller and bigger than me. It turns out you eat more than me."

Mr. Wen was muttering to his son, "I've been telling you to eat more since you were little, but you just wouldn't listen. You only have yourself to blame for being short."

Seeing that the two were about to quarrel again, Su Fengzhang quickly changed the subject: "Sir, is that building in front the Linjiang Building?"

Mr. Wen nodded and said with a smile, "Yes, that is the famous Linjiang Tower."

Linjiang Tower is not only famous in this area, but also well-known in the entire Da Zhou. Many literati and poets even come from thousands of miles away just to see the charm of Linjiang Tower.

From this angle, they could see the Linjiang Tower by looking up. Su Fengzhang took a look and felt that apart from being a little taller, there didn't seem to be anything special about it. After all, he had once stepped foot in various palaces of the Forbidden City.

Mr. Wen added, "Many scholars like to gather here, and the owner of Linjiang Tower welcomes them. Every year around the provincial examinations, Linjiang Tower is at its busiest."

As for why it was not the provincial examination or the academy examination, it was naturally because Linjianglou looked down on scholars and the Juren was just the threshold.

Wen Zhu suddenly whispered, "Feng Zhang, you don't know, this place is incredibly expensive. It's like slaughtering a pig. The first floor lobby is a bit better, but the private rooms on the second floor and above get more expensive the higher you go. You still have to have money to get in. You have to have both money and face."

Before he could finish his words, Mr. Wen came over and scolded him, "If you were a talented writer and famous throughout the world, you wouldn't have to pay to enter this place. People would be begging you to go there."

Wen Zhu touched his head and said innocently, "Dad, what good things are you thinking? If I had such literary talent, I would have passed the imperial examination and become an official. Why would I stay at home and be beaten by you?"

"If you don't have it yourself, don't say these meaningless sour words here. It will only delay Feng Zhang." Mr. Wen was angry that this kid had no ambition at all. That would be fine, but he always held his disciple back.

After a lot of commotion, it was already noon when we actually entered Qingzhou City. The city was even more lively, and the shops on the street were dazzling.

Wen Zhu didn't dare stand next to his father, so he leaned against Su Fengzhang and said, "Qingzhou Prefecture is lively, right? I heard that Linzhou Prefecture next door is even more lively. They say it's the most prosperous place in Jiangnan."

"It is indeed lively. If we have the chance in the future, we can go to Linzhou Prefecture to take a look." Su Fengzhang replied.

Linzhou Prefecture is well-known throughout the world and is naturally not comparable to the small Qingzhou. The emperor of the previous dynasty liked to spend his private time in Linzhou the most, and there is even a royal garden from the previous dynasty left there.

Su Fengzhang looked carefully at the streets on both sides. The shadow of last year's flood had disappeared without a trace, and Qingzhou Prefecture was still as prosperous as before. If it were not for the encounter with bandits and pirates, Su Fengzhang would almost have forgotten about last year's flood.

The Wen family has a small courtyard in Qingzhou Prefecture. It is not large, but the location is excellent, close to the county government office. If they had not bought it early, the price would probably have more than doubled by now.

It was agreed before departure that Su Fengzhang would stay at the Wen family's house and would just pay some rent as a token of his gratitude. It was only because of Su Fengzhang's insistence that Mr. Wen agreed to accept it.

Although this house is small, it has everything needed for everything. The doorman and his wife can not only look after the house but also clean and cook. Knowing that the owner was coming, they had already cleaned the house early.

As soon as they settled down, Mr. Wen called his son and students to him and asked solemnly, "What did you see on your way into the city today?"

Wen Zhu was stunned for a moment and looked at her father in disbelief: "Dad, I was so tired last night, why don't you let me rest today?"

Seeing him getting angrier, Mr. Wen angrily said, "You speak first."

Wenzhu scratched his head and could only answer honestly: "There are a lot of people, it's very lively, and the shops on both sides are also busy. Qingzhou Prefecture is worthy of being Qingzhou Prefecture. I even saw a shop selling foreign spices."

"Then what?" Mr. Wen continued to ask.

Wen Zhu was frightened by his voice and shuddered, hesitatingly saying, "Then, then isn't this good?"

Mr. Wen couldn't describe his disappointment anymore. He glared at him, then looked at Su Fengzhang expectantly: "What about you?"

Su Fengzhang thought for a moment and said, "The city is prosperous and bustling, and the people live and work in peace and contentment."

"Yes, what else?" Mr. Wen nodded.

Wen Zhu interrupted dissatisfiedly: "Dad, isn't this exactly what I said?"

"Shut up and let him finish." Mr. Wen glared at him again, almost blowing his beard.

Su Fengzhang then continued, "Qingzhou is suffering from severe flooding. Last year, news came that the entire Qingzhou Prefecture was flooded, but today it seems to be unaffected. This shows that the current prefect, Lord Fang, is very capable."

"If we had simply used forceful tactics and forced the people to contribute money and effort to repair their homes, even if prosperity had been restored on the surface, the local people would have been severely weakened. But today, the people are in very good spirits, their eyes are bright, and it's clear they have hope for the future."

"If that's the case, this Lord Fang is not only very capable, but he's probably also very popular among the people."

Mr. Wen's eyes lit up with a smile as he nodded and said, "Not bad. You've thought of this, so you have a plan in mind."

After saying this, he glared at Wenzhu again and scolded her, "All you do all day is eat, drink and have fun. Look at how bustling the streets are and how prosperous the people are. Don't you think about the higher levels?"

Wenzhu touched his nose and dared not speak, for fear of bringing bad luck.

Su Fengzhang came to the rescue: "If you had asked me first, I probably wouldn't have thought too much about it. It was only after Wenzhu said it that I dared to think about it more deeply."

"Don't speak for him. He's an adult but still acts like a child. I won't be at peace even when I die," Mr. Wen scolded.

Wenzhu was used to being scolded, so she lowered her head and pretended to be submissive, but secretly winked at Su Fengzhang.

Mr. Wen knew this all too well, and tired of scolding him, he didn't bother to say anything more. He just said, "Last year, after Prefect Fang took office, he did several important things. He is the chief examiner for this imperial examination. The case is in my room. You can think about it when you have time."

"Yes, sir." Su Fengzhang agreed naturally.

"Yes, Dad." Wenzhu agreed weakly.

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The author has something to say: Sister Fang is not the heroine