Chapter 11: Mu Jingli personally welcomes Prefect Song. "Why not go together?"...

On the way down the mountain, Wen Yu was leading the way. She was stained with the aura of the Temple of Spring, which easily attracted the raccoons and birds in the mountains. If it were just these small creatures, it would be fine, but Wen Yu was afraid that it would attract some large beasts, which would alarm Song Linsheng. So she led the way in advance to drive away those little monsters.

The group descended the mountain smoothly and returned to the waiting carriage at the foot of the mountain. Xiyan praised Wenyu's familiarity with the terrain, practically praising him to the skies. Only Song Linsheng smiled and said nothing.

"Madam, you are so familiar with Houchun Mountain, but are you a hunter in the mountain?" Xiyan asked Wenyu while packing his things, tidying up the carriage frame, and harnessing the horses tied to the side to eat grass back to the carriage.

What hunter? How can this girl look like a hunter from head to toe? Wen Yu muttered to herself.

"Uh... not really..." Wen Yu thought about it, not knowing how to respond.

"Look at Madam Wenyu's demeanor. How can she be a hunter?" Song Linsheng interrupted, looking at Xiyan with amusement. Who would call a beautiful and petite girl a hunter the first time they met her?

"Don't blame me, madam! I just saw that you are quite familiar with the road..." Xiyan smiled at Wenyu and continued to pick up the work in his hands.

"Mrs. Wenyu, where is your brother's home?" Song Linsheng stood beside Wenyu and asked her with his head tilted.

I don't know. I haven't started to make up the story yet. Wen Yu secretly found it funny. It turns out that people can't lie. The same goes for fairies. One lie must be filled with countless lies, and there are often so many mistakes and omissions that it's frightening.

Wen Yu felt a little helpless when she saw Song Linsheng's sincere and clear eyes. She thought about it and recalled her vague memories of Jiangyang Mansion, which seemed to have a huge camphor tree planted in the yard. A plan came to her mind, and she answered.

"My brother's home is in the east of the city. There's a very lush camphor tree in the yard..."

Camphor tree? Song Linsheng's mind turned.

The two were chatting and laughing, and after washing and tidying up the inkstone, they came over to talk.

"Sir, the carriage is ready, please get in!"

Song Linsheng turned around and said to Xi Yan, "Let Madam Wenyu ride in my carriage, and you can help me harness another horse."

Wen Yu thought to herself, how can I let Song Linsheng ride the horse while I monopolize his carriage? That's not right! Wen Yu hurriedly spoke out to stop him.

"Why don't we ride together?" Song Linsheng was injured, how could he be allowed to ride a bumpy horse.

Song Linsheng smiled lightly and did not refuse. The two of them got on the carriage and headed towards Jiangyang Mansion.

Jiangyang Prefecture is backed by green mountains and surrounded by water on three sides. Once you drive outside the city, you have to change boats. After a lot of trouble, Song Linsheng and Wen Yu finally entered the city.

The small boat swayed along the river and slowly moved forward in the city. Song Linsheng and Wen Yu stood at the bow, and behind them was the old man who was washing the inkstone and rowing the boat. The rest of the servants and belongings were scattered on the other boats at the back, forming a long straight line on the river.

The streets were bustling with activity. Shops of all kinds lined the streets, their doors filled with all sorts of novelties. Many young men and women were hawking wooden slaves. Perhaps because they saw Wen Yu and the others were unfamiliar, they curiously glanced at them a few times before enthusiastically inviting them to buy some. However, the most common items in the shops were colorful lanterns.

"It's so lively! Isn't the New Year already over? Why are there still so many lantern-making shops?" Wen Yu was a little puzzled. She kept looking towards the shore and thanked the sisters for their warm greetings with a smile.

Song Linsheng followed her gaze and explained to Wen Yu, "If it were any other prefecture, the lanterns would have been taken down by now. But this is Jiangyang Prefecture."

The river in Jiangyang Prefecture is rich in water, and the people love to place lanterns in the river. Therefore, the craft of making lanterns has developed very well, and every household makes them by hand.

"In a few days, it will be March 3rd, the Shangsi Festival. The people of Jiangyang Prefecture have a custom of worshipping the God of Spring during the Shangsi Festival, holding spring welcoming ceremonies and praying for a good harvest for the new year's sowing."

Song Linsheng explained to Wen Yu slowly, "On the Shangsi Festival, there's no need to worry about gender differences. Both men and women of appropriate age can go out and attend the wine-drinking banquets held by taverns, poetry societies, and music studios. Everyone, regardless of gender, sits on either side of a stream, enjoying the spring breeze, drinking wine, and lighting lanterns to pray."

If you have someone you like, you can go home and ask your family elders to propose to them. If you are bolder, you can express your feelings to them in person.

"Oh? That must be fun!"

It turned out to be a festival to commemorate her master, the God of Spring, Ju Mang. Wen Yu was delighted. How could she not join in the fun?

"I once participated in the Spring Festival ceremony when I was young. It was indeed quite interesting. When you find your brother and settle down, you can go and see it."

While Song Linsheng and Wen Yu were talking, Xiyan directed Lao Zeng to dock at the ferry near the stone steps. Then he came up from the stern and reported to Song Linsheng, "Master! We're here!"

"From here, go ashore and turn one street, and you'll reach the Jiangyang government office on Pingjiang Street. Go a few more streets to Guan'an Lane on Shuqian Street, and you'll find the old house."

Xiyan held a map of Jiangyang Prefecture spread out in his hands, which he had taken from the carriage on his way down the mountain. He was concentrating on it, keeping an eye on the route and asking Song Linsheng for his opinion.

"Sir, do you think we should go back to the mansion to settle down first, or go to the government office to take up our posts first?"

Song Linsheng got off the boat first, turned around and gestured for Wen Yu to get off the boat with his hand. After helping Wen Yu down, he returned to Xiyan and said,

"Let's send Madam Wenyu to find her brother first."

Wen Yu turned around upon hearing this and saw Song Linsheng's serious expression. She was not looking for a brother at all. She just wanted to find an excuse to go into the city with Song Linsheng. Now Song Linsheng had to report to the government office or go back to the Song residence. Could she really follow him all the way?

Wen Yu was a little discouraged. She had to think of a way to stay with Song Linsheng. She was really afraid that something might happen to him and she wouldn't be able to protect him in time.

But Wen Yu also understood that a solution could be thought of later, and he couldn't dwell on it any longer at this moment, so he could only say goodbye first.

"I'll go find my brother myself! You've all been tired from the journey, so you should go back and settle down as soon as possible!"

Wen Yu jumped up the stone steps and quickly reached the shore. She turned around and waved to Song Linsheng and his group. Song Linsheng followed, his lips moving slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but he didn't speak for a long time. Finally, under Wen Yu's curious gaze, he hesitated and said:

"I'll be the prefect of Jiangyang Prefecture when I take up my new post. If Madam Wenyu has any difficulties in finding her relatives, please feel free to come to me. I will definitely help you."

"Also... on Shangsi Day... if my wife has settled everything and is still interested..."

If you are still interested, could you please invite me to go with you? Song Linsheng couldn't bring himself to say it. None of the poetry and books he had read or the principles he had learned had taught him how to talk to a woman.

"Shangsi Day? What's wrong with Shangsi Day?" Wen Yu was a little surprised. Why didn't he speak as freely as yesterday? Yesterday he clearly had the leisure to joke.

Song Linsheng was torn between heaven and earth in his head, but he was ultimately defeated.

"The Shangsi Festival is very unique. My lady, you can come and see it." Song Linsheng clasped his hands together and bowed to Wen Yu, but did not leave.

When Wen Yu saw him saluting her, she also imitated Song Linsheng, clasping her hands in front of her chest and bowing slightly forward.

"Thank you, Young Master Song, for bringing me into the city! I'll... leave first, then?"

After Wen Yu finished speaking, Song Linsheng nodded slightly. Wen Yu then turned and headed towards the numerous streets, randomly picking one that looked busier, and dived into it. Then, she blended into the crowd and disappeared.

Song Linsheng watched Wen Yu leave from where he stood, watching her disappear into the bustling crowd, not even a trace of her dress or belt visible. For some reason, the question he had asked the Goddess of Spring at the Wutong Ancestral Temple the previous day suddenly surfaced in his mind: Will we meet again?

Xiyan, who was standing by, called out several times before Song Linsheng finally came back to his senses. It turned out that she was asking him where he was going first. He thought for a moment:

"Let's go to Jiangyang Prefecture first."

The group quickly dispersed and headed towards the Jiangyang government office. On the stone steps where they had just landed, only the old man rowing the boat remained, waiting for the next passenger. The streets were bustling as usual, the sounds of hawkers intertwined, and the atmosphere hadn't slowed down even after someone left.

Pingjiang Street, Jiangyang Prefecture Government Office.

Jiangyang Prefecture has rich land and happy people. The government office has also been renovated and is quite spacious. The entire roof uses a dark blue wooden mortise and tenon structure, with slanted eaves and ridge beasts sitting on top, which is quite interesting.

Song Linsheng and his group arrived at the gate, but before they could even report, someone came out to greet them. It was a young man with a fresh face. He was seen running from the courtyard from a distance and saluted Song Linsheng and his group.

"Excuse me, is this Lord Song from the capital?"

Song Linsheng nodded in agreement when he heard this, and then sent Xiyan to bring the official seal and documents to him for verification.

Soon the man saw the official seal and saluted Song Linsheng again.

"My humble servant, Mu Tong, is the clerk of Jiangyang Prefecture, responsible for receiving and sending annotations, memorials, and other documents. My greetings to the prefect."

Song Linsheng helped Mu Tong up and they greeted each other.

Mu Tong continued, "Master Jia Ren, the magistrate of this government office, is out on business today. I'll be the one to greet Master Song. Master Song, please follow me in! Let's not stand at the door and talk!"

Led by Mu Tong, Song Linsheng and Xiyan's group entered one after another and soon entered the Jiangyang government office.

Along the way, Mu Tong introduced to Song Linsheng the people's livelihood, grain transport, river defense, water conservancy, and grain supervision of Jiangyang Prefecture, covering every detail. Song Linsheng was a little surprised. This Jiangyang Prefecture was really full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. With just a small experience, he could know the affairs of each department of the prefecture like the back of his hand and recite them by heart.

Following Mu Tong's steps, he took Song Linsheng to visit the accounting office, barracks, training ground, meeting room, granary, etc., and finally led Song Linsheng into the backyard.

"Sir Song, the government office is a bit cramped, and there aren't many spacious courtyards. This small courtyard is prepared for you to rest in when you're busy."

"I heard that you are a famous descendant of the Song family in this prefecture, and you have returned from Shangdu. I hope you will not despise me."

Mu Tong was very thoughtful, his arrangements were appropriate, and his words were humorous. Song Linsheng was very satisfied with Mu's experience and believed that they would be able to cooperate well in the future when they worked together.

"Rin Sheng is very satisfied with what Mu has experienced. Thank you, Master Mu, for your careful arrangements."

"Then I won't bother you anymore! Sir Song, feel free to wander around and get familiar with the various departments in the palace."

Mu Tong bowed and left, leaving Song Linsheng and his group behind. Xiyan spontaneously told the servants to clean up quickly. After everything was settled, they had to go back to the Song residence and clean up again...

Song Linsheng stared at the flowers and plants in the yard in a daze, wondering if Madam Wenyu had found her brother.

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