Chapter 133 A modern-minded talent...
Qi Chengming astutely asked, "Who is the local organization responsible for responding?"
"It's the county magistrate, a man named Huo Ming, and several local wealthy families. They all strongly support distributing grain to control the locusts." The guard who answered was quite clever; he had specifically inquired about the county magistrate's deeds in preparation for His Highness's questions.
Qi Chengming listened absentmindedly.
What he really wanted to know was... the situation of that wealthy man. But even the most astute guard wouldn't inquire into such details.
"Let's go find an inn to stay in," Qi Chengming said to everyone.
The situation is temporarily under control, and he wants to see if there's anything he can do to help.
Guanyang County was deserted, referring to the migrant population. When they carried their luggage to the inn's entrance, they could vaguely see the innkeeper's worried face, and then his sudden burst of enthusiasm when he saw them.
"Please come in, gentlemen!" The waiter, who had been listless, suddenly became extremely attentive. "Shall I fetch you some hot water to wash up?"
"No need to trouble yourself, just bring some food for my brothers." Steward Hua glanced at his master, knowingly instructed the waiter, and then called him aside to ask about the situation.
Soon after, Steward Hua returned.
Qi Chengming himself had a private superior room, but Gan Tang would definitely have to sleep on the couch outside, which was considered a suite in ancient times. He replied:
"Young master, the shopkeeper said that although the county has just suffered from the locust plague, it can still manage. It is said that a local official surnamed He, who is very prestigious, is on good terms with merchants from Jiangnan. With the combined efforts of several parties and the distribution of grain, the grain should be enough to last until the imperial court comes to provide disaster relief. As long as this year's taxes are waived, the biggest difficulty can be overcome."
"Guanyang County is not a large area, and it usually relies on passing ships on the waterways of Jiangnan for supplies, which has supported its prosperity. The biggest worry now is that people from other places may not come to stay anymore. Lord He and Lord Huo are out there trying to find a solution for this!"
Qi Chengming felt a surge of excitement: "..."
Yes, that person's surname is He.
He knew what was going on: "Let's go try our luck."
Steward Hua paused for a moment, then his suppressed gloom rose: "Yes." He knew that the prince had always been full of ingenious ideas, and that many of the novel things that appeared in Liuzhou originated from their mansion.
This time, we encountered the Locust God on the way, and the Prince must want to help. I've got a plan!
Qi Chengming didn't bring many people with him, only Mr. Qin, Steward Hua, and two of the best guards. Soon after they left, they saw people banging gongs and drums in the street.
Two servants, straining their breath, shouted: "Catch locusts and bring them to the He residence to collect grain! One bag of locusts can be exchanged for one bushel of rice and one bushel of new grain. Also, merchants from Jiangnan are cooperating with Guanyang to run a hog farm, and they've signed contracts to recruit people!"
Qi Chengming: "...?"
Wait a minute, why does that sound so familiar?
I'm familiar with this terminology.
Jiangnan traveling merchants...
Qi Chengming pondered the words for a moment, then his steps naturally turned, and he followed the servants and some commoners towards the Qi residence.
"Could this be..." Qin Liusong, as the person most deeply involved in various affairs in Liuzhou, also felt a bit surprised and uncertain. He glanced at the street in the distance.
In the distance, before the Qi residence could even be seen, a commotion arose. A long line of commoners, arranged by servants, slowly moved forward along the street. Some people returned beaming, carrying cloth bags, patiently reassuring their friends, relatives, or strangers waiting in the line.
"What kind of grain is it?" someone not far from Qin Liusong asked.
He smelled a domineering and unique fragrance.
The aroma was incredibly enticing. Even Qin Liusong, who was used to eating good food in Liuzhou, couldn't help but swallow hard, taking a deep breath to try and discern the scent. It seemed somewhat like something deep-fried.
Qi Chengming had a bad feeling: "..."
Asking him to think about how to deal with the locust plague will only lead him to fry locusts in oil and catch some of their natural predators like chickens and ducks to eat them. While it's better than nothing, it's still better than ignoring it completely.
But the drawbacks seem quite serious... Qi Chengming didn't know much before his transmigration, only remembering that it was said that people allergic to locusts would have problems if they ate them. Ancient times couldn't afford the luxurious costs of modern times either, so the locusts they caught were all deep-fried and eaten—that couldn't be mass-produced for human consumption.
Could the Qi family be doing just that?
This is so much like something a time traveler would do.
But Qi Chengming was still thinking about the traveling merchants from Jiangnan they had mentioned earlier. The group struggled to inquire in the crowd for a long time before finally finding the hog farm, which was a bit difficult. Many people who had heard the gongs and drums were flocking to the area, hoping to at least get some work and have something to eat since they couldn't farm.
"Give this to your supervisor." Qi Chengming took out a small token from his purse and handed it over.
This is a management certificate commonly used within the caravan. If this factory is truly related to him, he would recognize this brand. If this factory was built by some traveling merchants from Jiangnan who saw business opportunities, imitating Liuzhou, they would probably have heard of Qi Chengming's caravan.
You'll know as soon as you ask.
The people recruiting workers at the hog farm were extremely busy, but seeing that Qi Chengming and his group had an extraordinary demeanor and were dressed in very luxurious clothes, they dared not neglect them and quickly told someone to send the sign inside.
Before long, the person in charge hurriedly came out to greet them personally, looking extremely reserved and awkward. He took out a wooden plaque with fewer patterns for comparison and then invited the group into the factory.
Before Qi Chengming could even give a signal, Steward Hua tactfully stopped the guards and led them to a side room to wait with him.
The only ones truly involved in the conversation were the Prince and Mr. Qin.
Qin Liusong: "..."
Ever since His Highness pulled out that little plaque… something completely unheard of in Liuzhou, clearly a secret known only to the new emperor himself, he'd been sitting there, scratching his head and fidgeting with anxiety. But with a group of people coming out, he couldn't just let His Highness go inside alone with others; what about the emperor's safety?
Qin Liusong could only grit his teeth and continue sitting, trying his best to minimize his presence and pretend to be a mural.
"What is your name, sir?" In the main room, the steward asked cautiously when he saw that the one leading the group was the very young Qi Chengming.
It's strange, really.
Qin Liusong discreetly observed the steward. Thick eyebrows, large eyes, broad shoulders, and thick arms; his hands were calloused, and he lacked the refined air expected of someone raised in the field. By all accounts, this man looked more like a soldier than a steward—
Qin Liusong was suddenly startled.
What was the Weiyong Earl's Mansion, the maternal family of the new emperor, for again?
He abruptly stopped his thoughts, focusing on his nose and mind.
Qi Chengming answered tactfully: "My surname is Qi. I'm just borrowing this manager's sign. I only want to ask some questions."
The wooden plaque he produced was a top-tier managerial plaque, used for auditing accounts. Within the caravan, Lao Hua's rank and status were roughly equivalent to this human-shaped plaque. Conversely, taking it out in another region would be a devastating blow.
But Qi Chengming watched as... the reason why this manager was so agitated and cautious seemed to have nothing to do with the wooden sign.
really.
After Qi Chengming introduced himself, the manager's eyes lit up, and he was about to say something when he got excited. However, the shrewdness he had developed from running the factory made him swallow his words back, and he could only awkwardly try to smooth things over:
"So it's... Lord Qi. Whatever you need to ask, I'll ask around, whether I know the answer or not!"
Qi Chengming thought to himself that it was fine in an obscure little place like Guanyang County, but if all the merchants who traveled to Jiangnan every day were such conspicuous demobilized soldiers, it would be too eye-catching. It had been more than a year and there hadn't been any problems. Besides, people who had served in the military shouldn't have such a direct demeanor.
With that in mind, he asked all the questions that piqued his curiosity.
The manager smoothly continued, "Yes, it's the factory that our caravan signed the contract to build. It's been more than half a year, and the soap factory is also preparing to expand here. Lord He from Guanyang is a visionary. He wanted to make some achievements and rise to prominence locally early on, so he made connections with this place."
"This time the locust plague came, but who knew it would be just in time... at least everyone didn't become refugees, and they can still keep busy." Speaking of these things, the manager also felt a chill run down his spine and sighed deeply.
Although he was sent here to work, he has been here for quite some time. The respectable old men who have tea with him in the morning, the smiling factory servants he sees on the road, and those from high-ranking families, who used to look down on him like a peasant, now speak to him very politely.
How could one not develop some affection for such a place? How could one bear to see it almost become a refugee camp before it had even made a name for itself?
It's all thanks to Lord He's discerning eye!
Qi Chengming gradually calmed down and developed a bit of goodwill towards him.
Sure enough, these familiar-sounding items all originated from his caravan and even Liuzhou. The methods he had already mastered, coupled with Lord He's exceptionally keen eye, led him to take notice and prepare to replicate them locally.
The caravans went to Jiangnan to do business, only mentioning the largest deals they'd made and the most exquisite and beautiful items they'd sold. The client, no matter how hard he tried, could only extract that much value from the caravans and then try to make something of themselves later. Who would have the discerning eye and keen insight of Lord He?
He grew up in ancient feudal society, and he immediately saw the benefits of building factories in modern industrialization!
Qi Chengming felt an overwhelming sense of excitement, as if he had found a kindred spirit.
I can't tell...
In the original story, Qi Chengming's impression of this Master He was very simple—a man of great loyalty, a man of strong character, and a master of both poetry and painting.
And that was it.
Although this Mr. He was a well-known scholar and a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), his official career was mediocre. To put it bluntly, he had no great talent, only noble skills and character.
In modern times, he would be a truly accomplished and highly respected veteran artist.
He has impeccable character; he's the kind of person who could single-handedly clean up the art world.
Therefore, Qi Chengming never had any expectations of this great master. The reason he wanted to get to know him was because the great master's behavior in the original book made him very likable.
...So you're not a genius from ancient times, but a modern genius with vision hundreds of years ahead of your time?!
We absolutely have to get to know them properly now; it would be a real shame not to recruit them!
Qi Chengming was so agitated that he paced back and forth in the room, trying to calm his turmoil. He began to plan how to get involved in the Guanyang County incident and make his disguise stand out.
Qin Liusong, who felt increasingly uneasy as he listened, remained silent.
'Reborn.'
That was his first reaction.
'Oh no, the new emperor seems to have been bewitched by this guy!'
Qin Liusong's expression suddenly changed.
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Author's note: Hahaha, this is a huge misunderstanding.
Mini-theater:
Qin Liusong: If I had known he was coming, I wouldn't have come.
Song Gu: Is this "confidant" treatment unique to me, or do we both receive it?
Huang Dong: I am no match for Lord He's talent; I am nothing but a yesterday's news.
Lu Yu: ...Is he probably tripped up by some minister on the road again?
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