Chapter 118
At this time, Gu Bin and his son, who were missed by Wang Lang, were arriving at a dock in Zhijiang Prefecture with their servants and friends.
"Hey, there is a direct boat to Yichun." They originally wanted to take a water route and then change to land to reach Yichun, but they didn't expect that there was a direct boat.
"Boatman, how much is the ferry fare from here to Yichun?"
Captain Ah Sheng, played by Han Chaosheng, glanced at them before slowly saying, "Five taels of silver per person, including meals. You can eat whatever is available on board."
“It’s not expensive.”
The subordinate standing next to Han Chaosheng thought to himself, "Of course it's not expensive. They only charged the cost." The higher-ups had instructed us not to charge too high a fee for the ferry to Yichun.
"One thing I must clarify is that personal luggage must not exceed 30 kilograms and cannot take up too much space. Otherwise, additional charges will apply."
"Okay, okay." Gu Bin and the others agreed, indicating they understood. The full-trip passenger fee wasn't high to begin with, so the boat owner's rule was understandable.
After they settled down in the cabin, Gu Bin and his friends went to the deck to get some fresh air.
Besides them, there were some other guests on the deck, and the captain was also there. He and several sailors were fiddling with the canvas.
The two chatted casually, not paying much attention to the people around them.
"Abin, I see that Wang Gongcao admires you very much and treats people sincerely. Why don't you follow him? At least you will definitely be valued by him." Because Gu Bin was going to take his father to Yichun to consult Doctor Ba, he left a letter to politely decline Wang Gongcao's invitation. His friends felt sorry for him.
Gu Bin looked towards the river with a distant gaze, "A wise bird chooses a tree to roost in, and a phoenix will only roost in a paulownia tree. Although I, Gu Bin, cannot be compared with the phoenix, I am not the one who kneels down and bows down to everyone I meet." The implication was that he still looked down on Wang Lang, so he was unwilling to worship him as his master.
The friend was speechless for a moment, "Isn't Wang Gongcao a good person?" As soon as he entered the officialdom, he was given an important position under the second-in-command of Qiannan, which was already a very high starting point.
Gu Bin smiled but said nothing. Wang Lang appeared sincere and, to outsiders, a man of talent, bearing the appearance of a prime minister. But in reality, he was indecisive, wise but slow to act, generous on the outside but cautious on the inside. Furthermore, he hadn't achieved much in Yichun, yet in Qiannan, he was promoted directly to second-in-command, indicating a precarious foundation. Promotion without merit was definitely problematic.
Wang Lang wanted to hire him as a strategist, but he didn't want to get on board. He wasn't in a rush to establish himself, so he decided to just look around and see what was around him.
Han Chaosheng was fiddling with the sail ropes nearby. After hearing the conversation between the two, his eyes flashed and he soon went down the deck.
Gu Bin looked at his back, thoughtful.
Jinxi Prefecture
After being treated unfairly once again, Xu Chong resigned from his post and left.
After arriving home, he asked his wife to pack her luggage while he called his children over.
"I, your father, can no longer bear the sight of that old bald donkey Wei Yuanwang. I have already resigned from my post and intend to go to Yichun. Don't be afraid. If all goes well, I will soon bring people back to take you to Yichun together."
Madam Xu said, "My husband has been wronged over the years, and his great talents and abilities have not been able to be fully utilized. Now that you can no longer bear it, then let it go."
"Yes, Dad, go and rest assured. I'll take good care of the family," Xu Chong's eldest son replied. Over the years, his father had done so much for Jinxi Prefecture, but all the credit went to Wei Taishou, leaving very little to his father. It could be said that half of the entire Jinxi Prefecture was supported by his father. Yet, his father was often suppressed, and only given special treatment when he was needed. He felt sorry for his father, too.
Xu Chong smiled with relief upon hearing this. "Good children, don't worry, as long as you stay in Jinxi Prefecture, you'll be safe. Your father will be furious if he comes all of a sudden like this. If he comes chasing you home, just tell him I'm away on a long journey. Don't reveal that I'm going to Yichun. Don't worry, Wei Yuanwang won't dare to touch you. He'll even have someone protect you as a sign of his benevolence." That old bald donkey has virtue but no talent. His only remaining virtue is morality. If he loses this, how can he sit on the position of prefect of Jinxi Prefecture? He has already calculated all this.
His family members nodded repeatedly at what he said.
The sudden change made his family panic. Seeing his family's forced calmness, he smiled and said, "Don't worry, I've carefully studied the Yichun military settlements over the past few days. I'm 60% sure I can get the result I want when I go there this time."
Xu Chong reassured his family, and it was also his heartfelt words. He had been secretly plotting since the news of Ba Yuan's arrival in the Yichun military settlement. Ba Yuan, despite his stubborn demeanor, was a shrewd old man, and he was also a good judge of character. He'd traveled extensively, yet never encountered a single life-threatening situation? It was all thanks to his sharp eye for character!
Now that he had chosen the Yichun Military Settlement, it must have something special about it. Most importantly, the fact that the head of the Yichun Military Settlement, General Xing Changfeng, dared to appoint Yao Chunnuan, a twenty-year-old woman, as his chief clerk showed that he only promoted people based on their talents, regardless of their background. Wasn't this exactly the master he wanted to serve?
In contrast, he was frustrated in Jinxi Prefecture. Here, he would never get ahead. All the credit either went to his superiors or was shared among several colleagues in the prefectural office, and he received only a tiny bit of honor. If he did well, he deserved the credit, and his superiors would take the credit. If he did poorly, he would be punished by his superiors.
It was this combination of factors that sparked his desire to visit Yichun. Then, coincidentally, Wei Wuwang's nephew, also a colleague, bullied him again, and he seized the opportunity to explode. "Go away! I'm quitting my job. I won't serve you anymore. You and your trusted subordinates, if you can figure out the job I'm doing, it's your job."
Before leaving, Xu Chong warned them again, "Remember, no matter what news you hear, even if it's news of my death, you must not leave Jinxi Prefecture unless I come to pick you up. Remember this."
Xu Chong's predictions proved correct. He had barely managed to infiltrate the escort team he had previously contacted. Upon learning of the incident at the prefectural governor's residence, Wei Yuanwang apprehended his nephew, gave him a harsh scolding, and then personally brought him to Xu's home, intending to apologize. Upon arriving at Xu's residence, he learned that Xu Chong had gone on a long journey to relax, and ordered his men to pursue him. Unfortunately, these men were unable to locate Xu Chong, and naturally, were unable to bring him back.
Upon learning the result, Wei Yuanwang's face turned black as the bottom of a pot, and he slapped his nephew twice on the spot. At the same time, he regretted bullying him too much, thinking that when Xu Chong returned from his travels and returned to the government office, he would not treat him as harshly as before.
*******
Ning Xiaocong was a soldier in the Yichun military settlement. He was handsome and likable, and had recently been transferred to the settlement's main gate to stand guard. He had been instructed by his superiors that some patients might come from far away seeking treatment from Dr. Ba, so they were asked to be polite and not give anyone who came to ask questions a cold shoulder.
Just as they started their work, someone came to ask questions.
"Um, is this the Yichun military settlement?"
"Yes, this is Yichun Military Village. Do you need any help?"
"I've walked a long way and I'm a little thirsty. Can I have a glass of water first?"
"Yes, we have free herbal tea here, would you like some?"
"You have herbal tea? That's great, give me a cup."
"Guest, you can go over there to rest and have some tea." Ning Xiaocong said good-temperedly.
After solving the uncle's stuttering problem, he came to see another doctor who wanted to see him. He directed him to the side and said, "Please go over there and register."
"OK."
Registration mainly involves recording the patient's name, place of origin, current address, symptoms and other information. Finally, a special wooden sign with a number is handed to the other party, and he is asked to queue up to pay and wait for his number to be called.
In a blink of an eye, another young man came over hesitantly.
"Excuse me, sir, what can I do for you?"
The young man seemed a little embarrassed. "Well, I accompanied my mother to see a doctor yesterday, and I saw a plaque hanging there saying, 'Juntun is recruiting all kinds of talents, with preferential treatment. Interested parties will be interviewed.' Is this true?"
"It's true."
Needless to say, Yao Chunnuan had this rectangular wooden plaque secretly hung there. The population of the military settlements, including those in hiding, had already reached 140,000 or 150,000 people, and there was a severe shortage of talent from all walks of life.
"I am not very talented, but I wonder if I can find a job in your place?"
"Looking for a job? Welcome, welcome. I wonder what skills you are good at, sir?" Ning Xiaocong asked while handing him a cup of tea.
After a conversation, the young man also got a sign and went to the next location.
After Xu Chong arrived in Yichun with the escort agency, he immediately went to the Yichun military settlement to wait. After watching for a long time, he walked forward with a swagger.
"Excuse me, sir, do you need any help?"
"The old man just wants to ask for a drink of water."
"Free tea is over there, please help yourself, sir."
After drinking the water, Xu Chong said again, "Young man, I have to go to the bathroom."
"Uncle, look, there's a house two meters to the left. That's the toilet. You can go there."
Xu Chong went there and found that the public toilets were divided into men's and women's, and they were very clean. It was obvious that someone was taking care of them regularly.
In fact, this public restroom was newly built. Yao Chunnuan had specifically instructed everyone, including the reception requirements for the gate guards. Yao Chunnuan firmly believed that courtesy is always appreciated. Opportunities come to those who are prepared. Making things convenient for others is making things convenient for yourself.
First of all, the guards at the gates are always the face of a person or faction. Strangers usually form their first impression of the owner or faction from this. Therefore, those who can serve as guards at the military village gates are all trained, and Yao Chunnuan strictly forbids them from looking down on others.
A kind word can warm you through the winter, but harsh words can hurt you through the summer heat. People seeking medical treatment are already anxious, and since they are from a different place, it would be hurtful if they were to be met with rudeness even for a single question.
Those who come here for medical treatment are not necessarily without talent. Ancient people had even greater pride than modern people. If a talented individual feels slighted, those with strong pride will likely walk away. If a single oversight results in the loss of such a talent, the loss would be far greater than the gain.
Before the claws were exposed, the recruitment of talents could only be carried out secretly, and even the recruitment order could not be posted. After all the effort, someone fell into the trap, but I was not able to catch him. Isn't it a pity?
Yao Chunnuan hadn't anticipated the impact of Ba Yuan's arrival in the Yichun military settlement. Wouldn't that be even greater than their recruitment notice? She'd assumed it would at best attract a few poor, sick people seeking medical treatment, perhaps even some talented individuals among them. But she'd underestimated the influence and appeal of Ba Yuan, the legendary doctor.
Yao Chunnuan didn't realize how difficult old man Ba Yuan was to deal with, but others knew it. He had been traveling for so many years, and there were many people who had tried to keep him. Seeing his value, many people wanted to keep him for a long time, but no one succeeded.
But the Yichun Military Village was successful. Not only did he want to live in the Yichun Military Village for a long time, but he also wanted to write books, found a school and recruit disciples. What magic did the Yichun Military Village have?
Many people were curious and wanted to find out.
Furthermore, upon hearing that Ba Yuan would be residing in Yichun permanently, some displaced civilians also packed their bags and headed for Yichun. Regardless of the reason, Dr. Ba had chosen to reside in Yichun permanently, so there must be a reason. As for your claim that Yichun borders Daliang and the Northern Di, where war could break out at any moment, making it unsafe? Dr. Ba was no fool. He dared to announce his permanent residency in Yichun, so Yichun's safety was a foregone conclusion. Furthermore, Daliang was surrounded by the Yi people to the east, the Xirong to the west, the Nanman to the south, and the Beidi to the north. Truthfully, no place was safe.
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