Chapter 21 Travel
The days passed as usual. Zhao Yan, who came from the capital, was indeed not used to the climate of Quanzhou. There was a sea breeze from time to time, and the air was very humid. He felt a little listless.
In the afternoon, the strong wind came again and all the lights in the room were blown out. Anfu was cleaning up while muttering about going to buy some lights.
"Don't go to the Dengshi Hall." Zhao Yan said.
Anfu was puzzled, "Why? Aren't the lights there good?"
"There she is."
Anfu understood immediately and went out to ask Uncle Ji if there was anywhere else that sold lanterns.
Uncle Ji didn't understand and asked, "Yes, there is a place, but it's a bit far. The craftsmanship of the Lantern Master is well-known. Why don't you go here?"
Anfu was not in a position to speak directly, so he just kept urging him to drive faster.
But things didn't go as planned. There was a strong wind and we couldn't go that far.
Anfu had no choice but to bite the bullet and come to Dengshitang.
Yu Huatang was just introducing the lanterns to some fishermen who were out at sea. Seeing him coming over, he asked with some confusion, "What do you need?"
Anfu was so nervous that he didn't know what to do. With a large group of people behind him urging him to do so, he hesitantly stated his needs.
"These hanging lamps have been improved. They are windproof and heavy enough. There are six in total, enough for four or five rooms." After Yu Huatang finished his usual introduction and said the amount of silver, he looked at Anfu.
Anfu came back to his senses, "Thank you...Miss Yu." He handed over the silver, took the lamp, and ran away for his life.
After returning to his residence in the government office and having someone help him change into his clothes, Anfu brought the prepared mung bean soup to the front hall.
"Sir, the sugar water is here, you take a rest first."
Zhao Yan put down the document in his hand. At this time, Yan Quan asked, "Sir, are you feeling uncomfortable due to internal heat?"
"It's just that I didn't sleep well these past two days, and I'm a little hot-headed. It's nothing serious."
Yan Quan knew that most people who came to the coastal town had some difficulty adapting to the local environment, so he introduced a few warming and nourishing recipes.
It got dark early today, and by the time Zhao Yan was about to get off work, the lights in the government office had already been turned on. The light source was brighter than usual, and he couldn't help but take a few more glances.
Yan Quan had been wanting to praise Quanzhou's customs and culture, and now, finally seizing the opportunity, he said cordially, "Your Excellency also bought a lantern from Qiao Deng Niangzi. I'm not trying to be flattering, but the lanterns she makes are not only exquisite, but also the brightest. For those of us who work at desks every day, our eyes won't get tired after a long time."
Zhao Yan was surprised for a moment, then fell silent again. "My servant bought it. It must have been a coincidence."
"It's a good buy. Although there is a Judeng Hall in front, it is definitely not as good as the craftsmanship of the Qiaodeng Lady."
Zhao Yan's heart was in turmoil, but he only answered reluctantly.
After a few more days, the sky finally cleared up and became bright.
Zhao Yan checked the records of various commercial ports and passing ships in Quanzhou at the government office. He knew nothing about this place and needed to get started as soon as possible.
Quanzhou is close to the coast, and most of the people make a living by fishing. Countless people have died at sea simply because of the strong winds and waves at sea or because they lost their way, and Hui'an County was the worst hit.
The area is surrounded by the sea on three sides, bordering Meizhou Bay to the north and Quanzhou Bay to the south. It is the location of the central fishing port.
Last year, when the sea surged, eight people lost contact. Although the file stated that they were given compensation and their houses were rebuilt, he wanted to go and see for himself how these people relied on the weather for their livelihood and understand what dangers could be avoided.
It takes half a day to travel from the government office to Hui'an County. After Zhao Yan got off the carriage, he vaguely saw two familiar figures in front of him.
When the two came closer, they found out that it was Yu Huatang with Xu Fu.
Uncle Ji called out in a lively voice, "Mrs. Qiaodeng."
Yu Huatang smiled politely. Seeing Zhao Yan was there, he pulled Xu Fu over and saluted, "Greetings, sir."
"No need to be so polite." Zhao Yan helped her up.
Anfu was shocked and confused for a moment, and couldn't help but look at the two of them.
How come they acted as if nothing had happened, distant and unfamiliar, making him, a servant, extremely nervous.
Since the master had spoken, he, as a servant, should have said hello. But how could he say it? He hesitated and said, "Hello, Miss Yu... Miss Yu."
Yu Huatang still smiled politely.
Xu Fu had never seen such a high-ranking official before, and he stared at Zhao Yan in a daze.
When he came to his senses, he found that although the governor had a cold face, he was not the kind of person who would show off his power. So he boldly asked, "Are you here to do business?"
Zhao Yan replied, "Last year, eight people were lost in a boat that capsized at sea. I wanted to take a look at the structure of the boat."
Xu Fu was a warm-hearted person. After listening to the governor's story, he said impatiently, "I know this matter best. One of the people involved is the cousin of my good friend. The sea was huge that day, and the lights on the ship were extinguished by the seawater. The lighthouse also happened to be out of light, so they lost their direction and were overturned by the waves..."
Zhao Yan followed his finger and looked at the light on the observation deck high above. "Is there no way to replace it with other materials?"
Xu Fu replied, "We've thought about it for a long time and tried various materials, but it still gets blown out by the sea breeze. My senior sister is also researching it now, so we'll see when we can make it."
After hearing his words, Zhao Yan looked at Yu Huatang. She seemed a little sick after not seeing her for a few days, but she was still full of energy when he saw her that day.
Is it really as Xu Fu said, that he is deep in thought every day and cannot sleep?
Zhao Yan said calmly, "This is a matter concerning the people. Although it is urgent, Miss Yu still needs to take care of her health."
Anfu heard his master talking to Miss Yu again. As a servant, he needed even more care, but his master wouldn't let him say it out loud. This was really frustrating. Finally, he said, "Miss Yu... Miss Yu, take care of yourself."
Yu Huatang smiled knowingly to show his gratitude.
Zhao Yan saw that she was carrying a lot of things and asked, "Are you going somewhere?"
Yu Huatang replied, "My cousin invited me over for dinner to celebrate his nephew's birthday. I happened to bring him some newly improved lamps to try out."
After hearing this, Zhao Yan didn't know what to say. He had never known her family background.
At this time, Master Ji interrupted, "Yu Hui, that kid, the child has already become a teenager. Time flies. Will Madam Qiaodeng come back after going there today?"
"We're back. After lunch, we'll go back to Quanzhou. It's getting late, so we'll say goodbye first."
Zhao Yan saw her about to leave and said, "When are you coming back? I have a car and we can go together."
"Your Excellency is busy with affairs, thank you for your kindness. We can come back on our own." After saying that, he led Xu Fu to a road on the left.
Zhao Yan and An Fu were originally planning to walk towards a road on the right, but they hesitated to move. Only when they saw her figure disappear around the corner did they turn back.
It takes time to visit eight households.
By sunset, he also realized that the size and structure of the merchant ship were not a big problem. The problem was that they had lost their way at sea, and the lights were their only basis for identifying the direction.
Yu Hui hadn't seen Yu Huatang for a long time. Every time she came, she either bought some food or some daily necessities. Today, she brought so many things. He scolded her, "Sister, you've spent so much money. Life is hard for a woman like you. Don't buy things anymore in the future. Just come directly."
"What are you talking about, cousin? These lights are just for me to practice. I just hope you don't mind." After saying that, he teased his nephew Yu Jian again.
Yu Jian is fourteen years old now. The little kid who used to follow her around and ask her for candy would feel embarrassed now.
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