Weishui Wharf in the golden autumn season.
A young man from a wealthy family appeared at the dock with a servant, waving a folding fan in his hand.
He glanced at the passenger ships docked at the pier, chose the boatman who looked most pleasing to his eye, and asked, "Are you going to Jiangling Prefecture?"
The boatman pointed blankly at the west side of the dock and said, "The boats to Jiangling Prefecture are all over there. Just go over there and ask anyone and they'll tell you. This is the boat to Jiangnan."
Bang!
The rich young man folded his folding fan, brought his servant with him, and came to the west side of the pier like a crab.
"Jiangling Prefecture, Jiangling Prefecture. Those going to Jiangling Prefecture, please pay here! We will leave early tomorrow morning."
From a distance, you can hear the boatmen shouting loudly on the shore.
The rich young man walked over and stopped the boatman with a folding fan, "Jiangling Mansion?"
When the boatman saw the rich young man's attire, he immediately smiled and said, "Yes, yes, we are going to Jiangling Prefecture."
"Which ship?"
The boatman pointed to a relatively new passenger ship behind them and said, "This is a three-decker passenger ship, a luxurious cruise ship, going directly to Jiangling Prefecture. The scenery along the way is magnificent. I guarantee you will have a great time and eat to your heart's content."
The rich young man looked at the passenger ship with some disdain and ordered the servant, "Go up and take a look, but don't run into any black ships."
The waiter immediately retorted, "Young Master, you're such a jokester! Our ship is registered with the Wucheng Military Commission. We operate legally and pay taxes on time. Look here, young master. Do you see the emblem on the hull? It was built by the Jiangnan Dacang Shipyard. The owner paid several hundred taels of silver in taxes to buy this ship."
The rich young man wrinkled his nose, "Okura Shipyard? Never heard of it."
"Sir, you've probably never been to Jiangnan, so it's normal you haven't heard of the Dacang Shipyard. The Dacang Shipyard is currently the largest shipyard in the coastal area. Sir, do you know where the wood for the ships at the Dacang Shipyard comes from?"
"Where?" the rich young man asked absentmindedly.
The ship's staff spoke enthusiastically, "All the wood was shipped from overseas, and they're all fifty or even a hundred years old. To be honest, sir, our ship is built with wood that's a hundred years old. It's luxurious and comfortable enough. The luxury suite on the third floor is completely worthy of your status."
I promise you won't regret choosing to take our ship. When you return to the capital, I guarantee you'll still be willing to take our ship."
The rich young man's servant came down from the boat and said with a blank expression, "The ground floor is dirty and messy. The second and third floors are clean and comfortable, but they are a bit small."
The boatman chuckled, "The boat is only this big. To carry so many people, the cabins have to be smaller. No matter which boat you go on, the cabins are all the same size. But other boats are definitely not as clean and comfortable as ours."
The rich young man remained noncommittal. "I heard you say before that your ship won't depart until tomorrow."
"Yes, yes, we'll leave early tomorrow morning."
"Can't you leave today?"
"Sir, you're joking. This is already the fastest speed. If you had come here at the beginning of the year and taken a boat to Jiangling Prefecture, there would only be one boat a month. The direct route from Beijing to Jiangling was not a popular route at that time. Until that book..."
"Mr. Yang Talks about Jiangling" was published in May this year. As soon as it was released, it topped the book sales list." The rich young man said proudly.
The boatman slapped his thigh. "Yes, yes, it's 'Mr. Yang Speaks of Jiangling.' Young Master is truly knowledgeable. Since the publication of this book, many knowledgeable people like you have flocked to Jiangling by boat."
The passenger ship from the capital to Jiangling has changed from once a month to once every two weeks, then to once every ten days, once every five days, and now once every three days! "Your arrival is a good opportunity, as tomorrow is the day the ship leaves. If you miss our ship, you'll have to wait another three days for another ship to Jiangling Prefecture."
At this time, someone asked about the boat to Jiangling.
You can tell at first glance that he is a wealthy man.
The boatmen were so excited that they kept rubbing their hands. They were all rich people, fat sheep!
The boat fare is small money, but the money spent on food, drinks and tips along the way is the big money.
"Sir, look, there's another person going to Jiangling. There aren't many cabins left on the second and third floors. You might as well reserve one now. Otherwise, it'll be too late and they'll all be reserved."
The rich young man was persuaded and paid money to book a cabin.
After the boatman made a deal, he hurried off to greet the new passengers.
After booking a cabin, the rich young man found an inn near the pier to stay.
He didn't want to stay on the boat at night, and he didn't lack the money anyway.
As a result, one inn was full, two inns were full, and I had to go to the third inn before I could get a room in the upper floors.
"Brother, are you going to Jiangling?"
Someone took the initiative to come forward and say hello.
The rich young man looked at the other person curiously. He was neither poor nor rich, just a kid from an ordinary family.
The young man from the Xiaomin family waved the wooden sign in his hand and said, "I'm going to Jiangling too. It seems we are on the same boat?"
The wealthy young man nodded and asked, "Are you also a fan of Mr. Yang's books?"
"Exactly! So we're from the same field. I also decided to go to Jiangling Prefecture after reading 'Mr. Yang's Talks about Jiangling'."
"So do I!" The rich young man laughed. He was very fortunate to meet someone of the same mind.
"Mr. Yang Talks about Jiangling" is written in gorgeous and beautiful language, like a long poem, full of romance.
Jiangling Prefecture's beautiful natural scenery, poetic folk customs, delicious food, passionate girls, unique architecture, and wonderful encounters make everyone who has read "Mr. Yang Talks about Jiangling" full of yearning for Jiangling Prefecture.
Hu Tianyou, a young man from a wealthy family, has been unable to control his desire to visit Jiangling since he finished reading "Mr. Yang Talks about Jiangling".
He had never felt such a strong yearning for a place.
"Mr. Yang Talks about Jiangling" is like poison mixed with sugar, which makes people unable to stop.
There are many fellow travelers in the inn.
Everyone exchanged names and started chatting enthusiastically.
The topics are all over the place.
Talk about housing prices in Xinmin County, Shanhe Academy, the naked streaking event at the beginning of the month, what new book Mr. Yang has published, the young ladies in Xinmin County, and whether the women in Jiangling or the women in the capital are better...
A group of well-fed and energetic young men turned the inn into a vegetable market, making it extremely lively.
The next morning, a group of people boarded the ship, yawning but inexplicably excited.
When everyone was gathered, the passenger ship set sail, carrying the dreams and aspirations of the young people, heading south to Jiangling Prefecture.
…
Three days later, Su Zheng will take his wife and children south to Jiangling Prefecture to serve as a county official.
Before leaving, he spent several days bidding farewell to his teachers and classmates and inviting colleagues to dinner.
When there were only a few days left, he finally had time and went to the mountain to say goodbye to Gu Jiu.
Gu Jiu swept the bed to welcome him and made tea himself.
"I wish cousin Su great success in his endeavors!"
"Thank you, cousin. To be honest, this is my first time serving as a county magistrate, leading the people of a county that has been plagued by rebels. I'm a little unsure."
Su Zheng spoke his mind in front of Gu Jiu, without trying to be too boastful. He was feeling unsure and wanted to ask Gu Jiu for advice.
Gu Jiu clapped his hands, and the maid Aqing went to the study and soon brought back an account book and put it on the table.
Su Zheng was curious about the contents of the account book.
Gu Jiu placed his hand on the account book. "Cousin Su will soon be going to Jiangling Prefecture to serve as the magistrate of Xiajiang County. Has Cousin Su ever been familiar with the situation in Xiajiang County?"
Su Zheng nodded. "I only understand the basic situation. But because of the rebellion last year, there must be discrepancies between the local situation and the records of the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Personnel. I'm wondering where to start when I get there."
Gu Jiu chuckled softly, "My suggestion is to start with repairing the city walls and paving the roads. Calculate the land and population. Cousin Su, don't touch this area lightly until you have established a firm foothold."
Su Zheng frowned slightly. "Could it be that the local tyrants are too powerful to be eliminated even after their death?"
Gu Jiu shook his head. "The powerful have suffered heavy losses from the rebellion and are temporarily unable to fight the government. However, the local clan power is a stubborn problem. The local rebellion has not only not harmed the clan power, but has actually strengthened it. The clan power is clearly superior to the government, which is a big problem."
My opinion is that Cousin Su could consider cooperating with local powerful people to jointly fight against the rural clan forces. Repairing the city walls and paving the way would be the bond of cooperation.
Su Zheng frowned. "Repairing the city walls and paving the roads requires money and grain. The local rebels just had an uproar, and in the past few years there have been all sorts of natural and man-made disasters. As you can imagine, there's neither money nor grain in the county government treasury."
Gu Jiu smiled softly, "Don't worry about the money and food issue, cousin Su. When you get there, someone will contact you to help you gain a foothold there and cultivate Xiajiang County."
Su Zheng was puzzled.
Gu Jiu smiled and said, "Brother Su, have you forgotten who I am? I am a businessman! Money and food are not a problem for businessmen. The real problem lies in how much support the government can give to local commerce."
"From what Sister Xiaojiu said, could it be that they are planning to copy the model of Xinmin County?"
"Of course not. Xiajiang County has fertile land, mountains and water. It's excellent for growing rice and medicinal herbs. Plus, it's close to the waterway, so I have a preliminary idea of how to develop the area."
After saying this, Gu Jiu pushed the account book forward and said, "This records the basic situation of Xiajiang County and its various towns. It also records the complicated grievances and hatreds between the major local families. I hope this account book can play a role in helping cousin Su govern Xiajiang County."
It has more than just a little effect, it is clearly a guide to governing the Lower Jiang River.
Su Zheng flipped through the account book excitedly.
The account book records the situation of each wealthy family.
The population, the amount of land, the number of shops, the main income, who is the head of the family, who has the final say, what is the background and support, personality and preferences are all recorded in the book...
With this account book, Su Zheng had a clear understanding of the Xiajiang County he was about to take power in.
He knew every local name clearly, and the account books had notes on how to deal with them.
Su Zheng held the treasure book tightly.
"Sister Xiaojiu is amazing. She must have put a lot of effort into collecting so much information."
Gu Jiu smiled and said, "I have a hobby of collecting things and information. The people below me followed my example. Whenever they go to a place, they always like to inquire about the local situation and compile it into a book. After years of hard work, I finally have this account book."
Su Zheng stood up and bowed to Gu Jiu, "Thank you, little sister Jiu."
"Cousin Su, you're welcome!" Gu Jiu accepted the half-bow.
Su Zheng said solemnly: "I will definitely not let Sister Xiaojiu down!"
"I look forward to Cousin Su achieving success in Xiajiang County and realizing your ideals of being an official."
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