Hearing that he didn't like power struggles, Chang Suining said, "But Mr. Zheng has become famous. With all the forces rising up, celebrities are also one of the resources that need to be won over and fought for. Holding a treasure is also a crime. Whether to enter the arena is often beyond Mr. Zheng's control."
"That's true." Zheng Chao did not deny it and sighed, "To be honest, I passed through several places along the way and was almost detained by someone. I used both soft and hard tactics and used Ling An's name many times before I was able to get away with difficulty."
At this point, he frankly explained his purpose: "So, I, Zheng, dared to enter the precious land of Jiangdu just to seek the protection of the governor."
Nowadays, everyone knows Chang Suining's reputation and no one dares to provoke her easily. Now that he has entered Jiangdu, those people can't just reach out and rob him.
Chang Suining smiled without commenting: "It turns out that Mr. Guan Cang regards Jiangdu as a place to escape from disaster."
Zheng Chao stood up at the right time and raised his hand to greet Chang Suining, who was sitting at the top of the table. He said, "I am not good at planning things, and although I cannot work in the governor's office, I would like to recommend myself to Wuer Academy and seek a teaching position, so that I can devote my heart and soul to the affairs of Jiangdu school."
From the beginning to the end, what he sought was not power and intrigue in the officialdom, but to use what he had learned to teach the world.
This is what Zheng Chao has come to understand about his ego and true self over the past year.
And looking at the world today, only Jiang can provide a stage that allows him to realize his ambitions with peace of mind.
He also knew that even if he did not seek a job in the Governor's Mansion but instead taught in Wuer Academy, it would be equivalent to working for Chang Suining, which was also another kind of political stance. However, he did not care about the eyes of others - and even if Chang Suining really felt uneasy in the future, and even if the situation in Jiangdu collapsed, he at least still had his nephew, and it would still be feasible for his nephew to come forward to save his life.
Looking at Zheng Chao who sincerely recommended himself, Chang Suining smiled knowingly.
She knew then that she was not mistaken.
Everyone has different ambitions. From the very beginning, Zheng Chao, the "Mr. Caotang", had the ambition only to study the world's academic affairs.
The fundamental conflict between him and the Zheng clan arose from his ambitions and obsessions.
People with such a character are destined to be unsuitable for being in the field of power. Power and struggle are a whirlpool to them, which only bring them exhaustion and confinement.
To these people, the existence of Wueryuan is like a sack tailor-made for them.
Chang Suining knew that Zheng Chao did not come for her. People like him, whose hearts are filled with their own obsessions and ideals, are unlikely to be impressed by other people or other things. This is probably one of the reasons why it is still difficult to impress Prince Rong despite his reputation for benevolence.
But Chang Suining didn't mind.
There are many kinds of people in the world, and not everyone should be subservient to her and be loyal to her.
The stable relationships in this world are not just about subordination and superiority. In certain matters, the relationship between like-minded colleagues can also be long-lasting.
She wanted Zheng Chao to come, and Zheng Chao came. This was her ability, and for her, this was enough.
However, she could not agree to Zheng Chao's self-recommendation.
She smiled and said, "I have never doubted your knowledge and ability, but the number of teachers in the Chinese Literature and Mathematics Departments of Wuer Academy is far more than enough."
Zheng Chao looked up in astonishment - was this a rejection? He knew that Jiangdu was now a holy place in the eyes of many scholars, and it must have no shortage of people to teach. But with his reputation and talent... even if the place was full, it shouldn't be too much to force him in, right? Zheng Chao had some confidence in the beginning, after all, he was really popular now.
Could it be that... those who offer themselves to you are destined not to be cherished? For a moment, Zheng Chao began to doubt his life and himself.
"Mr. Guan Cang, please don't rush to make a decision." Chang Suining also stood up and invited, "It's not too late, why don't you follow me to Wueryuan to take a look."
Although Zheng Chao was confused, he still nodded.
Chang Suining went back first to change out of his official uniform and put on a simple robe.
This was obviously also a new gown. During the half year that Chang Suining had been away from Jiangdu, whenever the weaving and embroidery workshop delivered new materials and new embroidery patterns, Xier would make clothes for her own daughter and saved up two large boxes of them. In Grandma Jin's words, new patterns should be asked to be worn by the governor first so that they can be better sold.
At this time, Chang Suining was wearing a moon-blue robe with a light gauze cover. On the robe was embroidered peacock feathers with silver thread using the latest embroidery method from Yangzhou, Jiangdu. Each feather looked lifelike and translucent, and when she walked, it was like the feathers moving in the wind.
Even Zheng Chao, who didn't care about elegant clothes, couldn't help but admire it when he saw it.
"The fabric and embroidery are all from Jiangdu Weaving and Embroidery Workshop." Chang Suining said with a smile, "I'll make one for you later."
Zheng Chao's polite refusal turned into a thank you - beautiful clothes were not important, but since he was going to make clothes for him, he should have a chance to stay, right? "How did you get here, sir?" Chang Suining asked as he walked out with Zheng Chao, "Do you have a horse?"
Zheng Chao: "There is only one skinny donkey."
Originally, I had horses, and they were all good horses given by my nephew, but they were all sold... It was all because my nephew and his people were such big eaters.
Chang Suining then instructed his side: "Ani, have someone prepare a carriage for the master."
The carriage and horses were soon ready. Zheng Chao got on the carriage outside the governor's mansion and followed Chang Suining towards Wueryuan.
Passing through the streets, the carriages moved slowly. Listening to the noise outside, Zheng Chao looked through the carved and hollow windows of the carriage and saw a bustling scene everywhere.
It was clearly afternoon, but when passing a street market, Zheng Chao saw many vendors on both sides had just arrived and were busy setting up their stalls. He knew that this was the evening market, which showed that there was no curfew in Jiangdu city.
On the way to Jiangdu, Zheng Chao saw that there was no curfew in many places, but there were still very few people walking out at night. No one dared to go out, and no one had the heart to go out and stroll around.
In comparison, it can be seen that Jiangdu’s public security is stable and the people are at peace.
After passing through another long street, the traffic became increasingly slow and there was a temporary traffic jam. Zheng Chao simply opened the window and looked forward. He saw many people dressed as literati gathered in front of a restaurant.
There were several famous scholars writing poems here. One of them was drunk and recited poems aloud at the fence on the second floor. He threw down a stack of poems written while drunk, which attracted the literati downstairs to grab them.
Soon, patrolling officers came forward and evacuated the growing crowd.
Going further ahead, Zheng Chao saw a few merchants with exotic faces leading a camel with two boxes hanging on the camel's back. The sound of camel bells attracted a group of children to run after them.
In an alley on one side, a group of women in coarse cloth clothes came out chatting and laughing. Most of them wore headscarves and rolled up their sleeves, looking like they had just got off work.
Zheng Chao looked at it again and again, and couldn't help feeling emotional.
He had been to many places during this year, and what he had seen were nothing more than two kinds of scenes: either the place was falling and being destroyed, or it seemed stable but was actually secretly accumulating forces and gathering swords, storms and rain.
Jiangdu actually belongs to the third type.
There is building and remodeling here, and the weather is sunny and the wind is light.
To put it simply, it gives people the feeling that everyone is down-to-earth, hardworking and motivated, seriously studying their way of life and living a good life.
Zheng Chao believes that people will show completely different faces and human nature when they are falling or moving upward, and he is no exception.
He liked it here so much. This atmosphere was perfect for him to carry out his educational work. He made up his mind to stay.
Otherwise, what if I move Ling An out? I wonder if Governor Chang can do me a favor? But then I thought, Ling An doesn't even have a status yet, so where can his uncle ask for a favor?
While Zheng Chao was thinking, the carriage had already stopped.
In front of the gate of Wuer Courtyard, a young man in gorgeous clothes was about to enter the courtyard, but was stopped by two servants, one big and one small.
The young man was followed by an attendant, who had a bundle in his arms.
"I'm here to bring some clothes to my thirteenth uncle. He hasn't been home for five or six days as he's trying to repair some missing old books... Why can't I go in and see him?" the young man asked dissatisfiedly.
"Gu Erlang, please give us this bundle, and we will pass it on to Mr. Gu Shisan..." The older servant said helplessly, "Please go back, all the schools are still in class now."
The second son of the Gu family was born with a handsome face and loved to show off. Whenever he came to the courtyard to look for the teachers of the Gu family, he would deliberately pass by the classroom with the most young girls to attract the attention of the female students, causing them to lose their concentration in class...
Therefore, several managers in the courtyard secretly issued a ban on Gu Erlang's entry.
While Gu Erlang was arguing with the servant boy guarding the gate, Chang Suining and his group had arrived.
Hearing the noise, Gu Erlang subconsciously turned his head to look, and saw a young man with a jade hairpin casually tying his ponytail jumped off a tall horse, the woven feathers on his wide and flowing robe shining brightly.
Gu Erlang was so fascinated by the scene that when the young man turned around, he could see clearly that it was actually an uncovered female face.
To be exact, it was the most beautiful face he had ever seen...even more beautiful than the one in the mirror.
Gu Erlang almost stared blankly.
Chang Suining had already brought Zheng Chao here.
The older servant boy exclaimed in surprise: "...It's the governor!"
He had met Chang Suining once when the plaque was unveiled on July 7 last year.
The other little servant boy's eyes lit up and he quickly followed him in bowing respectfully.
Gu Erlang was extremely surprised when he heard this. This is the Chang Suining in the rumors? How could she be so young and so pretty?
Naturally, he had also heard of Chang Suining's age and appearance, but because he had never seen him, his impression of this Governor Chang mostly stayed on the memory that he had "extorted" his family's books and clansmen, and that he had enslaved him to copy books... At most, he would add that he was a murderous and powerful man who was rare in a century.
In short, he felt both disgusted and afraid.
But seeing it now... Gu Erlang looked at that face and realized how superficial he had been before! It was not until Chang Suining came to him that Gu Erlang came back to his senses and saluted: "...Hello, Sir Governor!"
The book boy at the side said at the right time: "Sir Governor, this is the second son of the Gu family... coming to deliver something to Mr. Gu Shisan."
Chang Suining understood that he was Gu Xiu's second son, the most beautiful and vain peacock in Jiangdu as rumored.
She nodded to Gu Erlang with a smile and walked into the yard without stopping.
Seeing that Gu Erlang had no intention of leaving, the servant boy said in a low voice with a bitter look on his face: "Gu Erlang, please don't make things difficult for us..."
"Give them the things..." Gu Erlang interrupted the boy and turned to leave: "Follow me back."
He wanted to go home to discuss something with his father! When one of the stewards in Wueryuan heard that Chang Suining was coming in person, he hurried over to greet him, very surprised and frightened: "I didn't know that the governor was coming, I'm sorry for not welcoming you from afar!"
This steward, who is about 40 years old, is named Mao. He was one of the literati that Chang Suining found when he wrote the manifesto to attack Xu Zhengye. He is a good friend of Lu Xiucai. He was summoned by Lu Xiucai in an urgent letter last year. Now he works as a steward in Wueryuan, handling daily affairs in the courtyard.
"I just came here to take a look on a whim. There's no need to alarm everyone." Chang Suining introduced him with a smile: "This is Zheng Chao, Mr. Zheng."
Manager Mao was very surprised when he heard this. Mr. Zheng Chao from Xingyang? He could not help but stand in awe and said, "I am Mao Ze from Shouzhou. I have heard of Mr. Zheng's great name for a long time!"
Zheng Chao smiled and raised his hand to return the greeting.
When Chang Suining suggested that he wanted to look around, Manager Mao enthusiastically led the way.
In the Literature Museum, students from various schools were having classes. When they saw the big face of Manager Mao suddenly appear outside the window, two students who were originally a little sleepy were frightened and quickly sat up straight.
It was the first time Chang Suining saw students in class, so he went to the window and looked into the classroom.
There was an immediate commotion in the hall.
"Silence, silence!" The teacher knocked on the ruler and cast a serious look at Chang Suining who was causing the restlessness.
One Gu family son is annoying enough, but whose beautiful and conspicuous bag is this? It even comes to trouble his young students! Why don't these conspicuous bags go to the school next door? There are only old scholars in their thirties.
There is a class for children next door, but these people are never seen going there - it seems that they respect the elders and love the young, and only pick on the troublemakers in the middle!
After class, he must find some stewards to talk about this matter! The teacher was so angry that he even glared at Chang Suining.
Chang Suining immediately stepped back tactfully.
When they went to the Academy of Mathematics again, Chang Suining had gained experience and did not come closer.
After the Mathematics Hall, there is the Medical Hall. The students here are no longer confined to the classroom. Several female students are drying herbs in the yard, and there are people guarding the medicine jars on the stove in the corridor.
When we arrived at the Engineering Building, it became much noisier, with sounds of banging, chiseling, and quarreling.
"My ancestors have been carpenters for eight generations. If I say it won't work, it won't work!" A carpenter in shorts was sawing something and said, "Not everything in the book can be trusted... Only those who have tried it themselves will know!"
Another man who looked like a scholar snatched the saw from his hand unconvincedly: "Then I will give it a try. I just don't believe it today! How can the precious books handed down by the Mohist school be false!"
The two were more stubborn than each other. As they were arguing, more and more craftsmen and apprentices came forward, and the voices were mixed.
Chang Suining stopped Manager Mao from going forward to persuade him, saying that as with any work, there can be progress only if there are disagreements and disputes.
She and Zheng Chao finally arrived at the Agricultural Science Museum.
The Agricultural Science Hall was the largest of the five halls because it needed to carry out on-site planting and breeding. The hall occupied most of the backyard of Wueryuan. In addition to the backyard, several acres of open space were expanded for use.
In the Agricultural College, Zheng Chao unexpectedly met an old friend.
"Uncle Zheng!" Yuan Hao was also surprised to see Zheng Chao.
It's the end of the month, please give me a monthly ticket, thank you everyone! Thanks to Yi Shen Xing Huo, Heroine Please Don't Suddenly Decrease IQ, Book Friend 20230911215940209, Book Friend 33021204301270, Feng Xiaojiu has been waiting for the reward from book friends! (Xiao Wei will appear next week, I have to finish writing Jiangdu Shi first, good night~)
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