Chapter 127: Conspiracy Brewing
On New Year's Eve, Du Qingtang stayed awake all night and did not go back to his room to sleep until the first day of the first lunar month.
Before going to bed, Du Qingtang put the two New Year's money in a secret compartment together with her important things.
Du Qingtang is not short of money. She has kept all the New Year's money given to her by her sisters over the years and has not spent a single penny.
It has a different meaning, and she wants to keep it.
When I woke up again, the darkness in the room was as thick as velvet. The only faint light seeped in through the gaps in the curtains. There was silence all around, and I could hear my own breathing and heartbeat.
Du Qingtang lay flat on his back, feeling as if he didn't know what year it was.
I stood up and opened the curtains. The golden afternoon sun came in through the window, shining warmly on my face.
Du Qingtang narrowed his eyes slightly. From here he could see that the doors and windows of the west wing were closed. Du Qingzhu and Du Qingju were probably still asleep.
After basking in the sun for a while until his cheeks felt slightly hot, Du Qingtang took a book from the bookshelf, lay back down, leaned against the headboard and read, enjoying this hard-earned leisure time.
About an hour later, the sound of a door opening was heard outside.
Not long after, the sound of footsteps was heard again.
It was Du Qingzhu who got up. Judging from the direction he was going, he should be going to the kitchen to find something to eat.
Du Qingtang finished reading the entire page, put a bookmark there as a mark, and got up to change his clothes.
When I opened the door, a cold wind blew in my face, but was blocked out by the thick woolen coat.
"Xianyu, I'm planning to make some glutinous rice balls. Would you like to join us?" Du Qingzhu poked her head out of the kitchen and asked softly, "Xiao Ba hasn't woken up yet. How about we eat dumplings tonight?"
I originally planned to eat it in the morning, but I was so sleepy that I couldn’t open my eyes. I just wanted to snuggle up in bed, so I didn’t even remember about dumplings.
I fell asleep again at noon and can only eat at night.
Du Qingtang didn't care and walked towards the kitchen: "I'll eat eight."
She has no interest in glutinous rice products, especially rice balls. If she eats too much, she always feels that they are stuck in her throat and she can't swallow them, which makes her very uncomfortable.
Du Qingzhu turned and walked in: "Eight good, auspicious."
Du Qingtang rolled up his sleeves and made dumplings with Du Qingzhu.
After making the glutinous rice balls, Du Qingju also got up.
The round dumplings sitting in a row on the chopping board are so cute.
The glutinous rice balls were put into the boiling water, and Du Qingtang took this opportunity to wash up.
After applying facial cream, the glutinous rice balls are ready.
The Du sisters have been eating the glutinous rice balls since they were young. They have also tried other fillings, but they always feel that they are not as delicious as the ones with sesame filling.
After eating eight dumplings and washing the dishes, the three sisters sat under the eaves to bask in the sun and chatted casually.
At this time, Du Yi came over and said, "Master, someone is here to deliver New Year gifts."
Du Qingtang opened his eyes, and Du Yi added, "There are the officials from the government office, the four families of Zhao, Qian, Sun, and Li, as well as the merchants in the city."
Since the establishment of the supervisory team, the shops owned by wealthy families and merchants have been severely affected. They have to close for rectification every few days. Among them, dozens of shops failed to meet the standards three times in a row and were directly taken over by the government.
Du Qingtang did not hide his wealth and with a wave of his hand, he rented these shops to the people at a low price.
Sending New Year gifts now is probably to please her and ask her to go easy on him.
Du Qingtang closed his eyes again: "Send it to the warehouse and register it."
The inspection team has always enforced the law impartially. It is obvious that those shops have been singled out as negative examples because they refused to change despite repeated warnings, and have become a laughing stock in the city.
She has never been partial to anyone, and she will never take the opportunity to take revenge.
After eating dumplings in the evening, Du Qingtang and Du Qingzhu lay flat on the kang in thin clothes. The kang was warm, and they didn't feel cold even with just a blanket covering their stomachs.
Du Qingju took out silver needles and gave acupuncture to the two of them.
Du Qingtang worked on paperwork for a long time, and even though he was very careful, his shoulders, neck and lumbar spine were still injured. At the end of the year, he worked all night to handle official business, and his eyes were not very comfortable.
Du Qingzhu has a cold body and suffers from dysmenorrhea, which is an old problem. She has been cooking for many years and has some injuries on her wrists. Although they are not serious, they should not be taken lightly, so as not to aggravate the symptoms and affect her daily life.
"You two, what will you do without me?" Du Qingju inserted the silver needle into the acupuncture point, "Mark the time, and remind me to remove it after one stick of incense."
Du Qingtang hummed and said seriously, "Thank you, Eighth Sister."
Du Qingzhu said sweetly, softly and cutely: "I will definitely lose my appetite without Xiaoba..."
Du Qingju continued: "I don't have any appetite, but you can have cakes."
Du Qingzhu: “???”
Du Qingtang: “…”
Du Qingtang couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Du Qingzhu choked, turned away angrily, and ignored her annoying sister.
Du Qingju curled her lips, gave the two of them silver needles, and went to study medical books aside.
Du Qingtang calculated the time, and after an incense stick of time, he called out, "Eighth Sister."
"I'm here." Du Qingju put down the medical book and walked forward. She lowered her head and glanced, then subconsciously lowered her voice. "Seventh Sister is asleep."
Du Qingtang turned around and saw Du Qingzhu sleeping soundly with his head tilted.
Du Qingju removed the needle from the youngest child first, and then it was the turn of the sleeping one.
She put the silver needle into the needle bag and whispered softly, "Xianyu, go back. Seventh Sister, please sleep with me tonight."
Du Qingtang got off the kang and walked out in his slippers.
When I opened the door, a cold wind blew in my face, and I felt a faint cool liquid falling on my face.
Du Qingtang looked up and saw snowflakes starting to fall from the sky. Although not as heavy as the previous year's snow, it was not to be underestimated. A thick layer of snow had fallen on the mouth of the water tank in the yard.
Du Qingtang looked back and saw Du Qingju covering Du Qingzhu with a quilt, her profile looking beautiful and gentle.
She said nothing, but just closed the door gently.
Du Qingtang came out of the west wing, strolled along the corridor, passed the east wing, and her bedroom was in front of her.
Just as he was about to push the door open, an inaudible crisp sound was heard in the snowy night.
Like...the sound of stones falling.
Du Qingtang seemed to sense something and looked towards the wall in the northeast direction.
Half a head slowly emerged from the two-person-high wall. With the help of the bright moonlight and the dim light of the lantern, Du Qingtang could tell that the long hair flying in the wind was slightly curly.
Slightly curly long hair......
A name comes to mind.
While he was thinking, half of his head turned into a whole head, growing steadily on the top of the wall.
Their eyes met. Although it was dark at night, Du Qingtang inexplicably felt that the other person's eyes were burning with a bright light.
"Ayu!"
Du Qingtang: “…”
Du Qingtang didn't respond, and the young man growing on the wall called again.
"Ayu!"
His voice was very low, as if he were a thief.
Du Qingtang: “…”
He is just here to steal. What good man would climb over the wall in the middle of the night?
Du Qingtang was speechless and choked. Perhaps it was Pei Yuchun's gaze that was too intense, or perhaps she was worried about disturbing Zhu Ju and the others in the west wing. She stepped forward, expressionless, "If I hadn't given the guards leave, you would have been kicked out as a pervert by now."
"Ayu, I'm not a pervert." Pei Yuchun pursed his lips and admitted his mistake in a weak voice, "I'm sorry, Ayu, the government office door is locked from the inside, I can't get in."
Du Qingtang said unhappily, "You don't have to come."
Pei Yuchun whispered: "But I want to see you."
Du Qingtang paused for breath.
Pei Yuchun leaned over the wall, looking down at the distant and cold woman. "My grandmother, aunt, and nephew are all in Xiajing. I'm all alone in Loushan Pass."
"Ayu, I haven't seen you for a long time. I miss you very much."
Du Qingtang raised her head slightly. The young man had snow on his head and his nose and ears were red from the cold, but his green eyes were clear and bright, staring at her intently, as if expecting something.
Eighth sister's medical skills have improved further. After only one stick of acupuncture, her eyesight has improved a lot.
Du Qingtang thought that she shouldn't have acupuncture tonight, so she wouldn't pay attention to every detail.
"General Pei is wrong. There are hundreds of thousands of soldiers at Loushan Pass. How can you say you are the only one there?"
Pei Yuchun seemed oblivious to the coldness in Du Qingtang's tone. He sniffed, looked at her eagerly, and silently played the victim, "Ayu, my clothes are all wet from the snow. I'm so cold."
Du Qingtang's gaze fixed on the young man's shoulders for a moment. The color of the clothes was slightly darker, indicating that they were soaked. "The snow is so heavy, you shouldn't have come."
Pei Yuchun said frankly, "I didn't expect it to snow tonight. I made Green Cloud Cake this afternoon. Since I had nothing to do in the army, I thought I'd personally bring it to you and see you at the same time. I didn't expect it to snow halfway along the way."
"Ayu, you know I never give up halfway. Even if it snows and hail, even if the sky falls, I will stick to it until the end."
"And I was just planning to take a sneak peek, put down the Green Cloud Cake, and leave. I didn't expect you, Yu, to show up and think I was a pervert."
Du Qingtang thought of when he first entered Loushan Pass, Pei Yuchun was calm and reserved, steady and dignified, behaved modestly, and knew when to advance and retreat.
Unlike now, he was like a split personality, like he was three and a half years old, stubborn and rebellious, trying to please her in every way, and deliberately acting good, giving her the illusion that he would cry on the spot if he spoke harshly.
“A-choo——”
The deliberately suppressed sneeze brought Du Qingtang back to reality. The young man rubbed the tip of his nose. Another hand grew out of the wall, and the oil-paper bag in his hand swayed gently.
"Ayu, Green Cloud Cake."
"I carried it in my arms the whole way. It's still warm."
"Ayu, would you like to try a piece?"
Ayu Ayu, one call after another, noisier than the pearl bird.
Du Qingtang rubbed his brows, feeling a bit awkward and at a loss as to where to start: "Come down."
Pei Yuchun's eyes lit up slightly, and a slight smile appeared on his lips: "Ayu, you are so good to me."
Du Qingtang: "...Go to Guixiang Room and leave when the snow stops."
Pei Yuchun passed the oil-paper package over the wall and said cheerfully, "Ayu, take it. I'll be right back."
Du Qingtang raised his hand, and the oil paper bag was fixed with a thin rope, inevitably touching the young man's fingertips.
The cool touch spread along her skin. Du Qingtang remained calm as she carried the oil-paper bag. When Pei Yuchun jumped off the wall, landing lightly on his feet like a nimble big cat, she said calmly, "Come on, I'll take you to the Guixiang Room."
"Thank you, Ayu."
Pei Yuchun smiled and followed behind Du Qingtang.
The two of them had just been talking in the snow, and a layer of snow had fallen on their heads and shoulders.
Pei Yuchun raised his hand and gently stroked the right shoulder of the person in front of him.
Then the left shoulder and the top of the head.
Careful and gentle as the wind.
After brushing off the snow on Du Qingtang, Pei Yuchun casually patted his head and shoulders.
Snowflakes fell down, scattering crystals all over the ground.
Du Qingtang pushed open the door of the Guixiang Room and lit a candle: "Please sit down first. I'll go pour tea."
Pei Yuchun stood with his hands hanging down, his back straight as a pine tree: "Thank you, Ayu."
Du Qingtang shook his head and turned to leave.
You came here in the snow, but I didn't even give you a cup of tea. It seems like I owe you a lot, as if I can never repay you in this lifetime.
The tea was warmed on the stove half an hour ago and is still hot.
Du Qingtang brought the teapot over. Pei Yuchun sat in the first seat on the left. The oil paper package had been opened, revealing emerald green pastries, neatly stacked without any damage, not even the corners that were easily damaged.
Du Qingtang took the teacup, poured a cup and placed it next to Pei Yuchun.
Pei Yuchun picked up a piece of green cloud cake and handed it to Du Qingtang: "Ayu, would you like to try it?"
You can smell the sweet aroma of Green Cloud Cake before you put it in your mouth.
Du Qingtang lowered his eyes, picked up the green cloud cake on the oil paper, and took a sip.
Pei Yuchun's expression remained unchanged. He turned his wrist and ate the cake in his hand. He smiled and asked, "How is it? Is it delicious?"
Du Qingtang hummed softly as a response: "It's late at night. Remember to put out the candles and close the door before leaving."
Just as he was about to turn around and leave, Pei Yuchun suddenly asked, "Ayu, do you like the lanterns I made?"
Du Qingtang paused for a moment, his eyes filled with just the right amount of confusion: "What lantern?"
Pei Yuchun's eyes dimmed slightly, and he pinched his fingertips: "Nothing, maybe I remembered it wrong."
The fingertips that had pierced the bamboo thorns felt a dull pain. Pei Yuchun took a sip of tea, and the hot steam gurgled, casting a thin veil over his moist green eyes. "By the way, Ah Yu, I've been cooking for you these days. I think that green-eyed guy won't mind, right?"
Green eyes again.
Du Qingtang faintly smelled the fragrance of tea, looked away, and his gaze fell on the void: "Then don't bring me food anymore, and don't come again."
I can't give you what you want.
There are more important things waiting for me than love.
Pei Yuchun's eyelashes trembled, and tears welled up in his eyes. For a moment, he looked like he was about to cry. After a long while, he said in a hoarse voice, "It's late. Ah Yu, go and get some rest. I'll leave when the snow stops."
The young man avoided the question, so Du Qingtang stopped talking and turned away.
About half an hour later, a slight sound was heard outside the house, and then it fell silent.
Du Qingtang took a sip of tea and turned the page of the book.
The light flickered, and her expression darkened for a moment, then returned to normal.
-
On the fifth day of the first lunar month, Shixiang Pavilion and Xinglin Hall reopened.
Du Qingzhu wrapped in a cloak walked into the Food Fragrance Pavilion. There were already many diners sitting in the lobby.
There are ordinary people who are working hard to eat.
"It has to be Shixiang Pavilion. I've been feeling sluggish these past few days. Eating and drinking well here makes me feel energetic right away."
"Isn't it strange that the food at Shixiang Pavilion is better than that at other restaurants?
"The main thing is that the ingredients are fresh and the portions are generous. Even when other restaurants have surprise inspections, they always find loopholes and mix fresh ingredients with leftovers to feed us."
"Ever since Shixiang Pavilion opened, I haven't been to any other restaurant. For snacks, I can go to any Shixiang Pavilion, but for main dishes, this is the one to go."
This statement drew the support of many people.
There were also literati and poets who were reciting poems and composing couplets and appreciating the calligraphy and paintings in Shixiang Pavilion.
"It is said that the owner of the Food Fragrance Pavilion is a woman. I imagine she must be a talented woman to have written such a magnificent poem."
"Mr. Wang likes this poem "Rural Life" the most; it is quite interesting."
"Hey, did you guys say the government will open registration for the county exam at the end of the month?"
"I think so. The prefect has done so many things that benefited the people, and this one thing wouldn't be a big deal. He probably wouldn't go back on his word."
"If that's the case, I have to sign up for the county exam."
"Zhang also had this plan. I had everything ready earlier, but was expelled from the government. If Shaoqing Prefecture reinstated the imperial examination, Zhang would not want to miss this opportunity."
Du Qingzhu turned his back to the scholars and smiled slightly.
Of course, the scientific reporting registration will be open.
Her youngest child was already thinking about what questions would be in the provincial exam.
The top scholar of the Six Yuan Scholarship has set the questions himself, so you guys can just be happy!
......
Du Qingju stepped down on the stool and found that Xinglin Hall was already open.
Liang Chuxia has always been diligent, and she has probably cleaned the lobby by now.
Her little apprentice has a good talent for studying medicine and is willing to work hard. In time, he will be able to stand on his own.
Unfortunately, the youngest brother will leave Shaoqing Prefecture after his three-year term ends. It is estimated that by then, their master-disciple relationship will be over.
I don’t know how far the discount is from Xiajing, and whether His Majesty will agree to promote forceps.
If forceps became more common, women in the world would suffer less pain during childbirth.
Du Qingju was lost in thought as she climbed the stairs and walked into the clinic.
"Doctor Du is here!"
"Doctor, I have a lump on my stomach. It's red and swollen, and it hurts when I touch it."
"doctor......"
Du Qingju suddenly came back to her senses and was startled by the scene in front of her. She stood there in a daze.
The lobby was almost full of people, with at least dozens of them visible.
They described the symptoms in rapid succession, looking at her with eager yet trusting eyes.
Du Qingju was a little dazed. Was she dreaming?
Liang Chuxia came forward and whispered in a low voice, suppressing her excitement: "Master, these people are here to see you. They have been waiting outside the door since early morning."
So... not dreaming?
Du Qingju calmed herself down and a gentle smile appeared on her beautiful face: "Everyone, please be patient and come one by one."
"good!"
Everyone sat back, suppressed their anxiety and waited for the consultation.
Du Qingju hardly had any rest the whole day after that, and didn't even have time to eat lunch.
Patients came one after another, filling up the not-so-big Xinglin Hall, and many were standing outside the door waiting.
"Doctor Du, I'm here to see you for a follow-up consultation." Zhang Wenzhou sat down opposite the long desk with a silly smile on his dark face.
Du Qingju smiled and asked, "How's your recovery? Did you feel any discomfort after returning?"
Zhang Wenzhou lifted up his trouser legs and said, "I got a fever on the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month. The bleeding stopped the next day, and the scabs started forming on the first day of the first lunar month. Now the edges have fallen off."
The patients who were still waiting in line stretched their necks to look over, and when they saw the hideous centipede-like wound, they immediately gasped.
"Is he the hunter who had his leg bitten off by a blind bear years ago and nearly became a cripple?"
"Yes, that's him."
"The wounds are scabbed over and still look so terrible. I can't imagine how serious it was at the time."
"The bones were sticking out, and two palm-sized pieces of flesh were torn apart, leaving only a tiny bit hanging on the leg."
"This shows that Doctor Du's medical skills are superb, a hundred times better than those old guys in Yiyuan Hall!"
"I heard that Dr. Du is a very skilled doctor, so I came to see her."
After seeing off the last patient, the sun had already set and a jade rabbit was looming in the east.
Liang Chuxia rubbed her wrist, which was sore from applying medicine, and leaned limply against the medicine cabinet. "Master, our Xinglin Hall has finally come to fruition after all the hard work, and its reputation has spread far and wide."
Du Qingju handed her a bag of medicine and said, "Go back and soak your hands. It can dissolve blood stasis and relieve pain."
Liang Chuxia thanked him and put the medicine bag into the hidden pocket of her wide sleeve. "Master, now that the clinic's business is picking up, shouldn't you hire two more doctors? You can't handle it all by yourself, and I'm only half-baked, so I can't handle it on my own for the time being."
Du Qingju pondered for a moment and said, "I'll post the job posting tomorrow. It's getting late today, so I'll take you home first."
Liang Chuxia didn't bother to be polite with her: "Then I'll have to trouble you, Master."
After a cup of tea, Liang Chuxia got off the carriage at the Liang family's gate, waved her hand and said crisply: "Thank you for sending me back, Master. Be careful on your journey, and see you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow."
Du Jiu cracked the whip, and the carriage rumbled towards the government office.
Liang Chuxia watched the carriage go away before walking into the house.
In the yard, the eldest brother and the younger brother were sorting out the herbs they had dug up in the mountains today.
Seeing Liang Chuxia, Brother Liang snorted coldly: "A girl is always out in public and only comes back late at night. If the news gets out, who would dare to marry you?"
Liang Xiaodi took over the conversation: "Brother, please stop talking. She doesn't even listen to Grandpa, so how can she take our words to heart?"
Liang Chuxia bit her lip and raised her chin. "It's just getting dark, how can it be considered the middle of the night? Besides, it's not like I just came back from playing outside. There are many patients at Xinglin Hall today, and my master and I have been busy until now."
Having said that, Liang Chuxia felt that there was no need to explain, so she picked up her skirt and ran into her room.
Little Brother Liang sneered, "Xinglin Hall has so many patients? This is the biggest joke I've heard this year!"
Brother Liang put the herbs into the dustpan and said, "Hasn't it been rumored these days that the female doctor at Xinglintang is so skilled that she can even heal a broken leg?"
Liang Xiaodi disagreed: "Nine out of ten, it's that female doctor who's putting on a show. She's only a few years older than my sister, and she's a skilled doctor. She's not afraid of hurting her back by bragging."
Brother Liang thought about it and said nothing more.
So what if Liang Chuxia is talented? How can a girl like her inherit her grandfather's legacy?
After grandpa passes away, the clinic will belong to him alone.
......
Du Qingju jumped down on the horse stool, her skirt flying.
Although she was tired, her face was full of joy and she was in the mood to hum a little tune.
Back in the inner house, the lights were on in the west wing, and Du Qingtang and Du Qingzhu were playing chess.
"Seventh sister! Xianyu! I'm back!"
Du Qingju trotted in, eager to share the good news with them: "A lot of people came to the clinic today. They all praised my superb medical skills and said that if I had known that Doctor Du was so good, I wouldn't have wasted money at other clinics."
"They also said that if they have any headaches or fevers in the future, they can come to Xinglintang. Their words showed their full trust in me."
Du Qingzhu twisted the white pieces and clapped his hands: "It shows that hard work pays off. Everyone finally sees your good qualities, Xiao Ba."
"It wasn't easy, but it's worth celebrating." Du Qingtang placed a piece on the chessboard. "I remember Lord Wu's annual gift included a bottle of fruit wine brewed by a foreigner. Why don't we drink it tonight to celebrate Eighth Sister's good fortune and the clinic's further development?"
"good!"
The braised food made on the second day of the New Year in the kitchen was cut and arranged on a plate. Some peanuts were prepared and three glasses of wine were filled. Then everyone sat around the table and drank happily until late at night.
-
The two-week annual leave passed in a flash.
Officials returned to the government offices, prefectural and county schools reopened, and garment factories and trading houses also reopened.
The people had a good New Year and were full of energy. Their minds were full of making money to support their families and live a good life. Shaoqing Prefecture, which had been quiet for half a month, was now filled with vitality and vigor.
Du Qingtang cleaned the duty room and just sat down when Zhou Tongzhi came over: "Sir, this is our review, please take a look."
After reading more than a dozen self-criticisms one by one, I found that they were full of nonsense, full of techniques and no emotion.
However, considering that they had written 50,000 words by hand, Du Qingtang reluctantly forgave them for the fight in the government office.
"I've discovered that, despite clear prohibitions against abandoning baby girls, some people are still exploiting these loopholes. After careful consideration, I plan to send personnel to inspect various locations in Shaoqing Prefecture."
Zhou Tongzhi rolled his eyes and volunteered, "I am willing to help you, sir."
Du Qingtang showed a relieved expression: "In addition to eradicating the trend of favoring boys over girls, we must also be more careful to prevent tragedies like the one in Sanli Village from happening again."
Zhou Tongzhi thought of the heinous evil deeds of the villagers in Sanli Village and despised them from the bottom of his heart. He was also glad that the girls met the prefect. If they had met other officials, they would probably only care about covering up their shame, and they would become innocent victims.
"Rest assured, my lord. I will live up to your expectations and do my utmost to eradicate the bad practices in Shaoqing Prefecture."
Du Qingtang's expression softened slightly. "In addition, I can announce to the entire prefecture that the registration for the county examination in the 19th year of the Qingyuan reign will begin on the 20th of the first lunar month. Those interested in participating must register at the ceremonial office of the local county government office before the 15th of the second lunar month."
Zhou Tongzhi bowed and smiled, "Once the news spreads, the students in Shaoqing Prefecture will surely be overjoyed."
Du Qingtang certainly knew that the students in Shaoqing Prefecture did not fully trust her and were skeptical about her hosting the Tongsheng Examination and the Academy Examination.
It doesn’t matter. Once the county exam is over, all doubts will be proven wrong.
Zhou Tongzhi left with the government troops that day and went on inspection tours to various places.
At the same time, news of registration for the county exam spread like wildfire.
The students rushed around to tell each other and were overjoyed.
"Great! I can finally take the county exam!"
"I have to raise money quickly. If I fail to pass the examination this year, I will not be suitable to continue taking the imperial examination at my age."
"You're only thirty, so why aren't you suitable for the imperial examination? Don't you see seventy-year-olds fighting and struggling in the imperial examination? What are you, a thirty-year-old man?"
"What thirty-year-old man? Me?"
The man's confused expression caused the other students to laugh.
In the Zhou family bookstore, Zhou Jizhong listened to the students' hearty laughter and laughed along with them.
In the evening, when it was almost time to end his shift, Wu Tongzhi came over with the account book.
After Zhou Tongzhi left, Wu Tongzhi temporarily took over his duties, including the garment factory.
"Sir, this is the profit of the garment factory for the twelfth month of last year and half a month of this year. Please take a look."
As soon as Du Qingtang opened it, he was attracted by the account on the first page: "Order from Jingdong Mansion?"
Wu Tongzhi nodded. "This winter is colder than in previous years. It's said that dozens of soldiers froze to death in Jingdong Prefecture. Their families went to the government office to cause trouble. The prefect of Jingdong Prefecture was worried that more people would freeze to death and cause more trouble, so he sent people to the garment factory to place an order."
"Currently, Jingdong Prefecture has only paid a deposit of 5,000 taels. Once the woolen sweaters are finished at the garment factory, the remaining 15,000 taels will be paid."
Du Qingtang responded, and Wu Tongzhi continued, "Fumin Clothing made a profit of 8,200 taels in a month and a half, and the profit from selling it to clothing stores across the country totaled 97,000 taels."
At this point, Wu Tongzhi paused and said, "Sir, are we really not going to discuss cooperation with Xia Jing's clothing store?"
Xiajing is the capital of the emperor, where every inch of land is worth a lot of money and there are countless wealthy people.
Once the woolen sweater market is expanded to Xiajing, making a fortune will be a piece of cake.
Du Qingtang lowered his eyes and flipped through the account book: "They looked down on woolen clothes in the past, but someone will come to ask for them one day."
"In addition, in addition to the variety of woolen sweaters, I also plan to divide them into winter thickened styles, winter styles, spring and autumn styles, and spring and autumn thin styles."
This will allow us to better cater to the different needs of different customers.
Wu Tongzhi had no doubts and wrote it down in the book: "My Lord, do you have any other instructions?"
Du Qingtang asked, "Has the tax silver been sent to Xiajing?"
Wu Tongzhi was stunned for a moment, then slapped his head and said, "Look at my memory. I sent it on the 29th of the twelfth lunar month. I was planning to come over to let you know, but someone called me away and I forgot."
After saying this, he bowed and said, "I am guilty, please punish me, sir."
"Then write a thousand-word self-criticism." Du Qingtang just asked casually. Since Wu Tongzhi took the initiative to ask for punishment, she would not be polite.
Wu Tongzhi: “…???”
-
But on New Year's Eve, Mrs. Wang attended the palace banquet wearing a woolen sweater, which made the ladies want to buy the same one.
From the first to the fifth day of the first lunar month, people have to visit relatives and friends and attend various banquets. As soon as things calm down on the sixth day of the first lunar month, the ladies will send people to the major clothing stores in Beijing to inquire about the news of woolen clothes.
However, after visiting all the clothing stores in Xiajing, the answer given was that there were no woolen sweaters.
"How is that possible? Didn't Madam Wang say that the garment factory in Shaoqing Prefecture gave the woolen sweaters to clothing stores across the country for sale? If they were sold elsewhere, there's no reason why they wouldn't be sold in Xiajing."
Little did he know that the owner of the clothing store was getting anxious and angry, and regretted not folding the clothes.
"Is it true, as you say, that the families of the princes and officials in the capital are all inquiring about woolen coats?"
The clerk nodded with a bitter face: "It's absolutely true. Not only our store, but all the other clothing stores have been asked about this as well."
The boss regretted it deeply when he thought of the people from Shaoqing Prefecture who came to discuss cooperation a few months ago.
If he had known that woolen sweaters were so popular, he would never have kicked the person out.
The waiter boldly asked, "Boss, why don't you send someone to buy some from other places?"
The boss glared at him and said unhappily, "You idiot, how can you buy clothes from other places at a cheaper price than the ones from the Shaoqingfu Garment Factory?"
We are all in business, so we know each other well.
Woolen sweaters are popular everywhere, and those ready-made clothing stores are probably going to rip him off!
The clerk also regretted it. If he had known what would happen, he would have persuaded his boss to keep the sweaters. "Then we won't sell them?"
The boss' heart was bleeding as he thought of the money that had slipped through his fingers. He took a sip of tea to calm himself down and said, "It's too early to go to Shaoqing Prefecture. The weather will be warm by the time we get there and back. Who would want to buy a woolen coat? Forget it, I'll send someone over when the weather gets cooler."
The clerk was about to respond when he suddenly heard the sound of hurried horse hooves outside the shop.
Looking closely, the person leading the group was the messenger who was responsible for delivering memorials.
Behind the folding wheelbarrow was a large group of people, some of whom were pulling carts covered with strange-shaped lumps of earth.
The group was so large that it attracted countless people to watch.
"What is this?"
“No.”
"Since it's presented to His Majesty, it must be a rare thing." The waiter smacked his lips and muttered to himself.
......
"Your Majesty, an urgent report has arrived from Shaoqing Prefecture."
In the imperial study, Emperor Qingyuan was teasing a magpie.
Magpies are permanent residents in the Imperial Study. Except for their migration south in winter, they spend the rest of their time in the Imperial Study eating and drinking, enjoying the caress and feeding of the Emperor.
While water freezes into ice in the northwest, summer in Beijing is gradually warming up in the first month of the year.
When the magpie came back from the south, the first thing he did was to find the yellow two-legged beast to reminisce about the past.
It’s a pity that the purple two-legged beast is not here, and the bird misses her very much.
Hearing that it was an urgent report from Shaoqing Prefecture, Emperor Qingyuan paused and said, "Hurry and bring it here for me to see."
A few months have passed. Did Lord Du bring me a surprise or a shock?
The urgent memorial went through layers of strict inspection and was finally sent to the emperor.
Emperor Qingyuan opened the urgent memorial and just after reading the first sentence, he stood up suddenly, startling the magpie so much that it flapped its wings and flew away, landing on a bird stand nearby.
Emperor Qingyuan stared at the urgent memorial with disbelief in his eyes, muttering, "A crop yielding over 2,000 kilograms per mu?"
Fu Rui, who was standing by, trembled violently.
How many?
Two thousand kilograms?!
Did he hear it wrong, or did Lord Du write it wrong?
"Fury."
"The servant is here."
"Do you believe there are crops in this world that can produce 2,000 kilograms per mu?"
Fu Rui pondered for a moment and said cautiously, "What I mean is that there is nothing strange in the world. Just because it didn't exist before doesn't mean it doesn't exist."
"If it is true as Lord Du said, all people in the world will have food to eat, and there will be no more starving people in Daxia."
This idea was so tempting that even Emperor Qingyuan was tempted, so he made a quick decision and said, "Come here, summon the Minister of Revenue Qi Jiang to the audience."
Immediately, a eunuch rushed to the Ministry of Revenue to invite the Minister of Revenue over.
Emperor Qingyuan exhaled, slowly sat back, calmed his mind and continued to read the urgent report.
A compass that can tell direction.
Du Aiqing said in an urgent report that this thing could be used in navigation, but Emperor Qingyuan thought of more.
The compass can be used not only in navigation, but also in marching and fighting.
Whenever soldiers fought in mountains, deserts, or grasslands, they could easily get lost.
With this compass, you can move forward towards your destination, saving a lot of time and avoiding unnecessary casualties.
Wait for the Minister of Revenue to come and give it to him.
Emperor Qingyuan continued to read.
Du Aiqing said that her sister, the head of Deyang Township who developed the Tianju Drink, also developed forceps that can assist in childbirth.
Forceps delivery...
Emperor Qingyuan's gaze became distant.
I still remember when Rong Jieer was born, her mother suffered a lot. If only there were forceps at that time...
"Chiu~"
The crisp bird song brought Emperor Qingyuan back to reality from his memories. He lowered his eyes and found that the magpie had come to his hand without him knowing when.
The magpie tilts its head and rubs against the wall.
A faint smile appeared on the round and elegant face of Emperor Qingyuan: "Come, summon the head of the Imperial Hospital, Lan Shizhong."
On the other side, the eunuch came to the Ministry of Revenue, but did not see the Minister of Revenue.
Not only the Minister of Revenue, but seven or eight out of ten officials in the Ministry of Revenue disappeared. The entire Ministry of Revenue was empty, with only a few minor clerks left.
The eunuch asked the clerk where Minister Qi had gone. The clerk replied, "The local tax silver has arrived, and the adults have gone to the Left Treasury to watch the fun."
The eunuch was secretly puzzled. It wasn't the first time that tax silver was delivered, so what excitement was there to see?
The clerk saw what he was thinking and said with a smile, "You don't know, sir. It's said that the Shaoqing Prefecture sent a million taels of tax silver, which alarmed the entire six ministries, so everyone went to watch the excitement."
One million taels?!
The eunuch was stunned and didn't care about anything else, so he ran to join in the fun.
Anyway, Minister Qi is there, so it can't be considered dereliction of duty.
Outside the gate of Zuozangku, there was a huge crowd of people.
Everyone looked dazed, staring blankly ahead.
The eunuch followed their line of sight and was almost blinded by the light.
silver!
It's all silver!
In addition to silver, there are also gold ingots and silver notes.
"Is this really sent from Shaoqing Prefecture?"
"Isn't Shaoqing Prefecture famous for its chaos and poverty? How could there be a million taels of tax silver?"
"Just now, I heard Lord Qi mention that this 1.36 million is not just last year's tax revenue, but also includes the amount embezzled by local officials over the past 15 years."
"If I remember correctly, the prefect of Shaoqing Prefecture is Du Qingtang?"
"So it was Du Qingtang who made those officials return all the tax money they embezzled?"
"Most likely they found it after the officials were punished and the confiscations were carried out."
"In other words, Du Qingtang has completely taken control of Shaoqing Mansion?"
The scene suddenly became quiet.
Everyone looked at the mountain of gold and silver, feeling mixed emotions.
Once upon a time, everyone thought that Du Qingtang would surely die if he went to Shaoqing Mansion.
Who would have thought that Du Qingtang not only lived well to this day, but also eradicated the local cancer and paid more than one million taels of tax silver in one go.
"Oh! Lord Du has truly astonished me! With this tax silver, the soldiers at the border will have a year's supply of food and wages!"
Minister Qi clasped his hands together, grinning from ear to ear, almost fainting with excitement.
He said that Lord Du was the great treasure of the Ministry of Revenue and the golden Pi Xiu of the national treasury.
It had only been a few months, and Lord Du had given him such a big surprise again.
The Minister of Works, whose usually serious face was covered with a hint of smile, twirled his beard and said, "Lord Du's methods are extraordinary. I think Shaoqing Prefecture has undergone tremendous changes now."
The eunuch slowly lowered his chin, walked to Minister Qi, and whispered, "Master Qi, His Majesty is calling you over."
Minister Qi's expression became serious. He did not dare to hesitate and followed the eunuch to the imperial study.
After entering, Minister Qi bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you."
"Minister Qi, please excuse me." Emperor Qingyuan wasted no time in inquiring and simply instructed Fu Rui to teach him how to grow potatoes, sweet potatoes, and peppers, as well as how to make a compass. "Minister Du has discovered a crop in Shaoqing Prefecture that can yield over 2,000 kilograms per mu and has even sent four carts. Send someone to the imperial farm to test the soil."
Minister Qi's pupils constricted. Two thousand kilograms?!
Emperor Qingyuan continued, "In addition to this, there is also a compass, which can be used to determine direction. It needs to be made as soon as possible and sent to the border and the shipyard in Hangzhou Prefecture."
Minister Qi, with his many years of experience in government, was extremely perceptive. He immediately realized the importance of high-yield crops and compass needles to Daxia. Unable to conceal his excitement, he bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, I will follow your command."
Minister Qi paused and then recounted what he had just heard: "Your Majesty, you may not know that the tax silver just sent by Shaoqing Prefecture is a full 1.36 million taels."
A look of surprise flashed across Emperor Qingyuan's eyes, and Fu Rui's hand trembled, almost dropping his whisk to the ground.
Everyone knows the situation in Shaoqing Prefecture. Even if Lord Du had three heads and six arms, he couldn't have created a million taels of tax revenue in just a few months, right?
Fortunately, Minister Qi quickly explained the inside story.
Emperor Qingyuan twirled his beard, easily understanding Du Aiqing's intention and couldn't help laughing.
This Du Aiqing is still as petty and vindictive as ever.
Even if there are thousands of mountains and rivers between us, we must find ways to slap those people in the face.
"It's a good thing after all. A full treasury can strengthen the country and benefit the people." Emperor Qingyuan waved his hand, "Go ahead and complete these two tasks as soon as possible."
"Yes, I will take my leave."
After Minister Qi left, Dean Lan came next.
Emperor Qingyuan got straight to the point: "The head of Deyang Township presented forceps that facilitate childbirth. I have reviewed the relevant comparative data and have decided to promote their use nationwide. I will leave this matter to you."
Forceps?
Lan Yuanshou was a little embarrassed: "Your Majesty, I am a man, I am afraid..."
Emperor Qingyuan had indeed overlooked this point. After a moment's hesitation, he changed his tone and said, "Then let your wife do it. I will then pass on an order to local officials, instructing their female relatives to promote the use of forceps in their local areas."
There are many inconveniences for men, but it is much easier for women to promote.
Lan Yuanshou bowed and said, "Your Majesty is wise and wise. I will follow your Majesty's wishes."
Promoting the use of forceps is also a contribution, so there is no need for him to refuse.
After Dean Lan left, silence returned to the imperial study.
"Chiu~"
Emperor Qingyuan gently stroked the magpie's shiny feathers, and a fleeting smile appeared in his eyes.
My dear Lord Du, you are truly a huge treasure. You can always dig out surprises that I can't imagine.
Three years later, what will Shaoqing Prefecture become in Du Qingtang's hands?
Emperor Qingyuan smiled and twirled his beard, waiting to see what would happen.
-
On the 20th day of the first lunar month, registration for the county examination officially begins.
At dawn that day, scholars from all over Shaoqing Prefecture set out from their homes and headed to the local government office to register for the county examination.
When they arrived at the yamen, the clerk in the ritual office handed them a form for mutual marriage between the imperial court and the government. Applicants had to fill in their name, age, place of origin, family history and physical characteristics, show the form to the gatekeeper, get the seal of approval from the Confucian school, and finally pay a registration fee of 200 coins.
In this way, the registration for the county examination is considered successful.
"Okay, you can go now." The clerk said with a serious face.
"Excuse me, sir, but the county exam starts on February 22nd?"
The clerk nodded: "Yes, it's this day."
All the applicants breathed a sigh of relief, bowed to the clerk, and left the yamen together.
"Since we can register, I believe the county exam will be held as scheduled without any problems."
"The prefect has always been strict in abiding by the law, honest and caring for the people. He will never go back on his word."
"That's fine. I'm really scared of those people before. These days, I even dream that the county exam is suddenly cancelled on the day of the exam, and I'm thrown out of the exam room by the yamen runners, and I'm never allowed to take the imperial examination again in my life."
"What you think about during the day, you dream about at night. Relax and focus on preparing for the exam."
Registration for the county examination continues until February 15th.
On February 17th, Du Qingtang called Captain Huang, Captain Ma, Mu Tingyu and another Captain Zhang.
"The county exam is approaching. I intend to dispatch prefectural soldiers to each county to patrol the examination halls during the exam period. The four of you will lead the patrol."
The four men received the order and left the government office to return to the military camp.
Huang Qianzong was traveling with Ma Qianzong. Seeing that Ma Qianzong looked strange, he asked, "What's wrong?"
Ma Qianzong's face was gloomy. "Why did the prefect send me to Heyang County? Why can someone with the surname Wan go to Qingyang County?"
Heyang County is the poorest of the four counties and has the fewest educated people. Why didn't the prefect let the captain go there, but instead let him, a captain, go?
Huang Qianzong casually said, "Perhaps they are worried about a sudden attack from outsiders in Heyang County. Can you control the situation if you go there?"
General Ma Qian sneered, obviously not believing it.
In fact, General Huang Qian did not think that there was anything wrong with the prefect's arrangement. Isn't it right that those who are capable should do more work?
However, General Ma Qian was a person who easily got stuck in a rut and actually developed a grudge against the prefect.
General Ma Qian returned to the military camp, threw the reins to the soldier, and returned to his own tent with a gloomy face.
Thinking of the prefect's arrangements for the umpteenth time, he still felt angry.
The prefect was really unfair, letting a bandit surpass him, a captain!
Just at this moment, the tent door was opened and someone walked in.
Without a second thought, Ma Qianzong said, "Get out!"
The visitor was not afraid at all and chuckled: "General Ma, I want to discuss a deal with you."
General Ma Qian suddenly raised his head.
——At his rank, he is not qualified to be called a general.
"Once you succeed, you will become a true general, holding military power and a high position, and you will no longer need to be constrained by anyone."
After a long time, desire finally prevailed over everything.
"What... do you want me to do?"
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