Chapter 132: Breaking off love
"Sir, this is the mighty general."
Zhou Tongzhi used all his strength and finally dragged the rebellious Husky in front of the prefect. Panting, he freed one hand, took out a handkerchief from the secret pocket of his wide sleeve, and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
After wiping the sweat off his face, Zhou Tongzhi leaned over and pressed the dog's head firmly: "Mighty General, why don't you come and meet the prefect?"
“Ahhhh!”
The mighty general looked unhappy and glared at Zhou Tongzhi with a cross-eyed look.
There was deathly silence in the lobby.
Everyone watched this scene in silence, only the mighty general let out a pig-slaughtering howl.
Wu Tongzhi scratched his head, looked at the prefect, then at Zhou Tongzhi, and hesitated for a long moment before finally asking, "Master Zhou, is this...mighty general really a wolf?"
It has to be said that Wu Tongzhi asked what was really in Du Qingtang's mind.
The other officials echoed this.
"I don't think so."
"You can't see the wolf's majesty and dominance at all."
Faced with the questioning, Zhou Tongzhi was unhappy and said firmly: "Of course it is a wolf!"
“Ahhhh!”
The mighty general held his head high and chest out, as if in agreement, with his tail raised up, pointing straight to the roof.
Du Qingtang: “…”
Du Qingtang couldn't bear to watch any longer and warned, "The wolf's muzzle is longer and more pointed, its ears are short and upright, its eyes are mostly yellow and sharp, and its tail hangs straight down. Look at it again."
Zhou Tongzhi looked closely and saw that the mighty general had a round face, eyes that were a clear and stupid blue, and his tail was raised upright.
At first glance, it looks like a wolf, but in fact there are many differences.
Zhou Tongzhi: “…”
Other officials: “…”
Zhou Tongzhi's hand holding the leash trembled slightly, and the goat's beard trembled with it: "So, what is it?"
"It doesn't look like a dog. Most dogs are docile and loyal. This one... is obviously a troublemaker. Judging from its eyes, it doesn't look very smart. It doesn't look like it can be a guardhouse."
"Could it be a hybrid of a wolf and something else?"
Du Qingtang: “…”
In fact, it is indeed a hybrid of wolves and other dogs, but I didn’t expect that Daxia actually had such a thing.
"Let's just treat it as a dog for now." Du Qingtang said, "Sir Zhou, it's obviously not suitable for guarding the government office. You can take it back."
Zhou Tongzhi had a look of despair: "Sir! No, sir! Although the mighty general is a little naughty, he is agile and majestic, enough to intimidate those with evil intentions!"
Du Qingtang narrowed his eyes, his inquiring gaze fixed on Zhou Tongzhi: "You don't want to raise the child yourself, so you just give it to the government, right?"
Zhou Tongzhi's old face froze, and was caught by Wu Tongzhi.
Wu Tongzhi laughed and said with a tut-tut sound, "No wonder I felt something was amiss. Sir Zhou, you seem so impatient, like you're desperate to get rid of some burden."
The burden tilted his head: "Ouch?"
Seeing this, everyone became more convinced of Wu Tongzhi's inference.
"You don't look very smart at first glance."
"He's been howling non-stop since he came in. He's a troublemaker."
"Oh~ No wonder~"
Zhou Tongzhi's old face flushed red, and he wished he could find a hole to crawl into. He stiffened his neck and said, "Your Excellency, I didn't realize that the mighty general was not a wolf, but a dog!"
"Why do you still call it the Mighty General? Look at its silly appearance, it really doesn't deserve the name."
Zhou Tongzhi glared at Zheng Tongpan, who seemed to be enjoying the fun, and sighed deeply. In an instant, he seemed to have aged more than ten years. He twirled his beard and said, "Your Excellency, you don't know, but ever since the guards brought it back to the palace, it hasn't stopped howling, day and night. The neighbors even thought I had killed a dog in my house and came knocking on the door to find out what was going on."
Speaking of this, Zhou Tongzhi couldn't help but grit his teeth.
When his neighbor asked him about it, he was quite unhappy. The mighty general was a wolf, how could he be compared with a dog?
The result is really...
Zhou Tongzhi wiped his face, his mouth bitter. "That would be fine, but it's already chewed up the door curtains, carpets, tablecloths, and pillows in my mansion. I ordered them to be put away, and then it started chewing the table legs and chair legs. It's only been four days, and all the tables and chairs in my mansion are in tatters."
The officials looked at Zhou Tongzhi, who had a face full of bitterness and hatred. They wanted to laugh but didn't dare to. Air began to leak from their mouths: "Puff——"
Du Qingtang couldn't help laughing: "So you sent this little house-wrecker to the government office?"
"A master at demolishing a house? That metaphor is quite fitting."
"Master Zhou, you are not being kind in this matter."
"This dog is really causing trouble, why not just throw it away?"
The mighty general who inexplicably became the target of public criticism: "Ouch?"
Zhou Tongzhi felt a little reluctant and looked at Du Qingtang: "Sir, if we let the mighty general wander the streets, he might die in the hands of criminals in no time. Although he is a little naughty, he is energetic..."
Zhou Tongzhi chattered incessantly, listing the various merits of the mighty general with great difficulty, trying to persuade the prefect to keep it.
Du Qingtang pondered for a moment, then said in a tone that brooked no argument: "Since it's full of energy, send it to the barracks. Let it chase after the soldiers during their daily drills. This will not only train the soldiers' reaction abilities, but also consume its energy, preventing it from causing trouble."
Except for some government soldiers, most of them received their salaries but had nothing to do.
The government does not keep idle people, and Du Qingtang does not want to keep a group of useless people who are becoming increasingly degenerate.
If another country were to invade one day, how could these soldiers protect the city and ensure the safety of the people?
Zhou Tongzhi and others: "......"
You are worthy of being called the governor.
Zhou Tongzhi thought about it and found this a good idea. He glanced at the mighty general who was howling with his head held high and acting very silly, and sighed: "Then I'll have to trouble you to send someone to take it to the military camp."
If it had been a little more honest, Zhou Tongzhi would not have treated it as a hot potato and sent it away.
It's really too much, even an old man like him can't stand it!
Du Qingtang ordered two yamen runners to escort the mighty general to the military camp, then turned to business: "The fresh fruit garden will open in a few days. The four of you will go there to entertain the guests."
The two associate magistrates and the two assistant judges were all stunned: "Ah?"
Although I know that the fresh fruit orchard is important, there is no need to let them do the work of servants there, right?
Du Qingtang adjusted his sleeves lightly, speaking calmly, "I see you're quite idle. I guess you've finished reviewing all the official documents and have time to come out and watch the fun, so I've found something for you to do."
Zhou Tongzhi and the other four: “???”
Others: “Puff——”
Du Qingtang raised his eyebrows slightly: "Why? Not happy? Not happy?"
"Haha, how could that be? I'm extremely happy and delighted."
"Yes, I can't wait any longer."
Du Qingtang glanced at the four smiling faces that were uglier than crying, the smile on his lips deepened, and he turned around and went back to the duty room.
Because of this delay by Zhou Tongzhi, I could have finished my official business before leaving my shift, but now I probably have to work overtime.
If she is not happy, no one else can be happy either.
Others: “…”
Thank you so much!
-
In a blink of an eye, it was June 16th and the fresh fruit garden opened.
The fresh fruit gardens in the surrounding prefectures had their own people from Shaoqing Prefecture who were responsible for attracting customers, while the fresh fruit gardens in Shaoqing Prefecture were staffed by the four masters, Zhou, Wu, Zheng and Wang, who took the initiative to take on the responsibilities of waiters.
At the hour of Yin, four adults wearing the same bright yellow clothes scattered around the shop, waiting for customers to come.
Outside the gate of the Fresh Fruit Garden, people came to join in the fun after hearing that the government had opened a shop again.
"I heard that the fruits in the fresh orchard are watered with spring water from the mountains. Eating more of them can help you stay healthy."
"And the fresh fruit garden has a dedicated delivery guy. As long as you give him a call and tell him when to go, he will deliver the fruits to your door."
"You know what? With a delivery guy, we can eat delicious food at home. The prefect always has so many wonderful ideas. It would be a pity if he didn't do business."
"If the prefect goes into business, who will want to be an official in Shaoqing Prefecture? I guess in ten or eight years, Shaoqing Prefecture will still be the same."
"Hiss—let's forget it then."
"The prefect is here!"
There was a loud shout, and everyone seemed to realize something, and turned their heads to the east in unison.
The prefect was wearing a crimson official robe. He dismounted from his horse swiftly, the arc of the crimson robe's hem dragging through the air as sharp as a knife.
"Greetings, sir!"
The people shouted in unison, their expressions showing respect.
Du Qingtang nodded, walked forward slowly, and stood under the plaque draped with red silk.
Soon, it was three quarters past three in the morning.
"The auspicious time has arrived, unveil the plaque——"
Du Qingtang raised his hand and grasped a corner of the red silk. When he retracted his wrist, the red silk slid down, revealing the three words "Fresh Fruit Garden" painted with silver hooks and iron.
"I hereby declare that the fresh fruit garden is officially open. You may enter and purchase as much as you like."
"good!"
There were cheers and thunderous applause.
Du Qingtang stepped aside, and the people filed into the fruit garden.
The four lords, King Zhou, Wu, and King Zheng, smiled and warmly entertained the guests who came to inquire about the price.
The guys stood at the door and shouted hard to attract more people to come in and buy.
"You have to taste all the fruits in the fresh orchard before you buy them. If they are not sweet, you don't have to pay!"
“Come to the Fresh Orchard and enjoy a cool summer!”
There is a special tasting area next to the gate, and you can only taste one piece or one piece of each fruit.
After trying it, people were amazed by it.
“So sweet!”
"As sweet as honey... no, sweeter than that!"
"How much are these grapes per pound? Give me two pounds."
"I'll buy a watermelon and three honeydew melons."
The copper coins fell into the coin box, making a crisp and pleasant sound.
The shopkeeper who was in charge of collecting money was grinning from ear to ear, his eyes narrowed into slits.
"Thank you for your patronage. Here is your membership card."
"Sir, please take care and come back next time!"
In addition to those who came to the shop to buy fruits and vegetables, there were also many wealthy families who sent their maids and servants to make reservations.
The maids and servants specify which fruits they want and whether they need to be cut. After paying a deposit, they leave their address and the time for delivery and can leave.
The delivery guy in bright yellow clothes quickly got the packaged fruits and vegetables and ran all the way out of the orchard.
Despite the scorching sun, they are full of energy.
The prefect said that their job is one where the more you work, the more you earn.
Not only do you receive a fixed daily wage, but if you exceed a certain number of orders, you can also get a share of the delivery fee for the excess.
As long as they run fast enough and deliver enough, they can earn a lot of money every month.
With money, they can have enough food to eat.
"These days are becoming more and more promising!"
"Who says it isn't?"
Two delivery guys met on a narrow road, sighed casually, and strode forward with their food boxes.
Their faces were full of smiles and their eyes were full of hope.
......
On June 16th, the fresh fruit garden in Shaoqing Prefecture had a net profit of 1,600 taels, and the fresh fruit gardens in the surrounding prefectures had a total profit of 7,900 taels.
In fact, the fruits and vegetables in the fresh orchard are very affordable, and the advantage is that they make small profits but quick turnover.
When customers see that the fruits are cheap and that they are sweet and juicy after trying them, eight or nine out of ten of them buy some to take home.
In this way, more people will consume and naturally earn more.
At the same time, this also allowed major shops in the city to discover business opportunities.
The fresh orchard arranges delivery guys to deliver fruits and vegetables to customers’ doorsteps, so can they also hire people to deliver the goods to customers’ doorsteps?
No matter whether it is food or daily necessities, as long as you pay a deposit, it can be delivered to your door!
So over the next half month, shops in Shaoqing Prefecture and surrounding prefectures began to post notices hiring delivery boys.
Walking on the street, you can see delivery guys wearing colorful uniforms holding food boxes or carrying things, walking steadily and quickly under the scorching sun.
Although they were sweating profusely and even felt dizzy due to the heat, they were full of energy as long as they thought of the wages given by their boss, and they wished they could deliver food for twelve hours a day.
"Now many shops have followed the example of Fresh Orchard and started delivery services. This not only promotes consumption but also solves the livelihood problems of some people. It's really great!"
Wu Tongzhi clapped his hands, his eyes full of joy.
In comparison, Du Qingtang remained calm: "The emergence of every industry can, to a certain extent, provide many opportunities for ordinary people to make money. As long as they work hard, their lives will not be too bad."
Wu Tongzhi agreed, his expression becoming serious as he reported in a serious tone, "Ever since the government issued its decree strictly prohibiting the abandonment and killing of baby girls and the trafficking of children, and offering rewards to encourage public reporting, we've received 6,836 reports to date, 5,798 of which have been confirmed, with 1,976 of those occurring in the prefectural capital."
This means that at least 5,798 people have been rescued so far.
Du Qingtang's brows relaxed, and he was quite satisfied with the data.
It is true that the above situation still exists within the territory of Shaoqing Prefecture, and many people may even be protecting each other, but at least thousands of people survived and escaped from the devil's den with the help of the government.
"Just keep an eye on it and report once a month," Du Qingtang instructed. "Go call Mr. Zhou."
"yes."
Wu Tongzhi stepped back and Zhou Tongzhi came over soon.
"Your humble servant greets you, sir. I wonder what important matter has you summoned me for?"
Du Qingtang asked directly, "How is the anti-pornography team progressing?"
As luck would have it, Zhou Tongzhi had just reviewed the progress that morning and was planning to report back that afternoon, so he replied swiftly, "The anti-pornography squad has so far busted 126 brothels. The principal offenders and accomplices have all been brought to justice, and the victims have all been returned home or placed in charity homes."
Du Qingtang stroked the dark pattern on the pen: "One hundred and twenty-six are all in the capital?"
Zhou Tongzhi paused and nodded.
Du Qingtang tutted his words, "You're quite courageous."
Zhou Tongzhi sighed, "Brothels are shady and can earn a lot of money, so naturally some people are willing to take risks for the money."
Du Qingtang casually asked, "How much silver was seized? And how much ransom did those prostitutes pay?"
Zhou Tongzhi's mouth twitched at the word "ransom", but those people knew that brothels were not tolerated by Daxia, but they still went to such a dirty place, which was tantamount to knowingly breaking the law.
The prefect is kind and willing to give them a chance to reform. A ransom of only 12,000 taels is much better than three years in prison.
"Your Excellency, the anti-pornography team has seized a total of 720,000 taels, plus the ransom, the total is 1,680,000 taels."
Du Qingtang: "...How much?"
Even though I knew that running a brothel could make money, I didn't expect that I could embezzle hundreds of thousands of taels.
Zhou Tongzhi repeated it again, and then explained: "Your Excellency may not know, but many prostitutes have been caught more than once, and the highest ransom paid by one person was 120,000 taels."
Twelve hundred thousand taels, which means he was caught twelve times in twelve brothels.
Du Qingtang: “…”
These people are the ones who will always eat shit.
Du Qingtang thought of the women who were sold into brothels and tapped the table with his fingers. "Build another... no, build two more charity halls."
In addition to abducted women, there are also many abandoned baby girls, all of whom need a safe haven.
The current charity hall is still too small and can only accommodate two or three hundred people.
"Besides that, we will select a few more houses, open them up, repair them, and continue to run the school."
Women need a place to live and they also need an education.
Not only them, there are many children in the city who do not have the opportunity to go to school.
As long as enough money is provided, every family will send their children to school.
The prerequisite is that there are enough schools.
Du Qingtang pondered for a moment and added, "Let the magistrates of the four counties start to open schools. If public funds are not enough to pay for the tuition, they can be withdrawn from the government office. However, every child must be registered."
This can, to a certain extent, prevent people from abusing public resources for personal gain and embezzling tuition funds.
There really are people like this who are greedy for even their children's tuition money and are not afraid of being struck by lightning.
Du Qingtang crossed his fingers and leaned back in his chair, wondering if there was anything else he should give instructions.
Du Qingtang noticed a smallpox scar under Zhou Tongzhi's eye. It wasn't very obvious and he hadn't noticed it before. He thought to himself, "Master Zhou, send someone to investigate and find out how many people have been vaccinated."
Planting beans?
Zhou Tongzhi was stunned for a moment before he realized that this pox was not a bean, but the pox of cowpox.
Zhou Tongzhi knew that it was the man in front of him who discovered that cowpox could prevent smallpox. Last year, when he was serving in another place, the imperial court also ordered local officials to organize the people to be vaccinated.
Most people respected scholars. The prefect was the top scorer in the imperial examination, and with the government's vigorous propaganda, eight or nine out of ten people were vaccinated against smallpox.
only......
Zhou Tongzhi hesitated for a moment, then spoke frankly, "Shaoqing Prefecture was in chaos and disorder before, and the government was inactive. I'm afraid no one would get vaccinated."
It's not that there aren't many, it's very likely that there aren't any at all.
Du Qingtang heard what Zhou Tongzhi hadn't said yet and accepted it well: "So far, there has been no smallpox outbreak in Shaoqing Prefecture. It's still not too late to get the cowpox vaccination."
Once an outbreak occurs, even with the availability of Tianju Drink, people will inevitably die from smallpox.
It is better to prepare in advance to avoid unnecessary casualties.
Zhou Tongzhi knew that the prefect was concerned about the well-being of the people and the peace of Shaoqing Prefecture, so he bowed and replied, "I will send someone to investigate and give you a reply as soon as possible."
Du Qingtang waved her hand, and Zhou Tongzhi left. She continued to handle official business at her desk.
......
Two days later, Judge Zheng came to report: "Sir, the craftsmen have built the dried fruit factory according to your requirements. Would you like to go and take a look in person?"
Du Qingtang glanced at the documents on his right. There were only a dozen or so left. He put down his wolf-hair brush and stood up: "Let's go and take a look."
Judge Zheng straightened his official hat and trotted after him.
The dried fruit factory is located in the South City Gate and covers a vast area. The production department is the largest, occupying nearly two-thirds of the land. In addition, there are sales department, quality inspection department, finance department, warehouse and other departments.
Next to the gate of each department stands a half-person-high stone tablet with the name of each department engraved on it. There is also a line of small characters below, making the corresponding responsibilities clear at a glance.
In addition to the above departments, there are also a kitchen, canteen and dormitories.
Garment factories and dried fruit factories are both government-run and must be treated equally.
The garment factory provides free accommodation and lunch to its workers, as does the dried fruit factory.
Several small kilns were built to the southeast of the dried fruit factory to produce porcelain jars.
Unlike woolen clothes, dried fruits need to be stored in sealed containers to extend their shelf life as much as possible.
Du Qingtang had also thought about making glass jars, but then he thought of the Liuli Workshop in Xiajing and gave up the idea.
After much thought, I decided to store it in a porcelain jar.
Instead of buying from porcelain craftsmen outside, it is better to be self-sufficient. You just need to hire some craftsmen and pay them enough wages every month.
There is also barbed wire around the top of the wall to prevent criminals from climbing over and stealing things.
Judge Zheng secretly observed the prefect's expression and asked cautiously, "Sir, are there any deficiencies? If so, I will quickly summon craftsmen to repair it."
Du Qingtang shook his head. Although there was suspicion of borrowing, he could not find any fault with it. "Let's go. We can start preparing for recruitment when we get back."
Zheng Tongpan felt relieved, his steps even jumping with joy: "Yes, I will obey your orders!"
The attendants had already come out, so Du Qingtang asked Zheng Tongpan to go back first and rode to the market on horseback himself.
She wanted to try her luck again and see if she could get a few more carts of potatoes and sweet potatoes.
However, after taking a look around the market, unfortunately, there was no foreigner selling these two crops.
Du Qingtang did not ask any further questions so as not to arouse the vigilance of foreigners, and went home directly.
After entering the west city gate and heading east, you will see shops lined up along the street, pedestrians flowing frequently, cars and horses coming and going in an endless stream, the cries of vendors rising one after another, and almost everyone with a smile on their face.
When approaching the government office, Du Qingtang inadvertently glanced and found a man and a horse coming from the south.
Looking closely, who else could it be but Pei Yuchun?
Just as General Feng said, Pei Yuchun had lost a lot of weight after this disaster, and he looked even more emaciated in a dark green round-necked, narrow-sleeved robe.
Perhaps it was because martial artists had sharper senses, Pei Yuchun's gaze passed through the crowd and accurately locked onto Du Qingtang.
The young man was startled for a moment, then smiled, raised his hand holding the whip, and waved it at Du Qingtang.
Du Qingtang looked around and found a teahouse on his left, so he raised his hand and pointed.
Pei Yuchun gripped the reins tightly with his long fingers and rode his horse towards her.
Du Qingtang tied his horse to the hitching post next to the teahouse and walked into the teahouse first.
The waiter came over with a big smile on his face: "What would you like to drink, sir?"
Du Qingtang said, "A pot of Biluochun in the elegant room on the second floor."
The waiter raised his hand and said, "Okay, sir, please come this way."
Du Qingtang walked straight towards the stairs without paying any attention to the people behind him.
She knew that Pei Yuchun would follow.
"Sir, please come in."
Du Qingtang walked into the private room and the waiter left.
"Ayu." Pei Yuchun came quickly, stood tall at the door, and looked at her with a smile.
"Sit down." Du Qingtang raised her hand to signal, and waited for Pei Yuchun to sit down opposite her before asking, "How is your injury?"
The young man's green eyes rippled. He was secretly delighted by Du Qingtang's concern, but he also felt a little uneasy about the general's keenness. However, he did not show any of it on his face, and said in a light tone: "Ayu, don't worry. I have practiced martial arts for many years and my foundation is very good. With the care of Dean Lan, I have recovered long ago."
Du Qingtang sat upright, looking directly at the person opposite him: "Actually, there's absolutely no need for you to be so subservient, hiding your true nature, and pretending to be something else just to please me."
Pei Yuchun clasped his knees tightly with his fingers, feeling increasingly uneasy: "Ayu, I..."
"Don't call me Ayu."
"I thought I made myself clear, but you still don't seem to understand what I mean." Du Qingtang didn't give Pei Yuchun a chance to speak. "Then I'll say it one last time."
Du Qingtang spoke clearly, "Don't come again. I won't agree to be with you."
Something in Pei Yuchun's green eyes seemed to dim, and his voice was as light as mist, which was blown away by the wind: "I didn't agree, it doesn't count."
"Don't play tricks." Du Qingtang's voice was cold, like ice filling his ears. "You only make me feel troubled, and I don't like the way you look."
Pei Yuchun's pupils contracted, and the smile on his face gradually faded until it disappeared completely.
It was only then that he finally dropped his disguise, his green eyes dark and deep, revealing the danger and sharpness of a military commander.
In the private room, Du Qingtang and Pei Yuchun sat face to face.
It was more like a confrontation than a conversation.
"In fact, during the period after I recovered from my illness, I also hesitated and hesitated."
"I tried to let go, tried to forget you, but without exception, I failed."
"Ah... I can't do this."
"Last year, when you first arrived at Loushan Pass, you single-handedly silenced the generals and later shot dead the Qi army's challenger, forcing General Zhang and his men to apologize to you."
"You were so resilient, brave, and fearless back then, and I will never forget that."
"Later, when the war subsided, you left for Shaoqing Prefecture, while I buried my feelings deep in my heart and continued to guard Loushan Pass."
"Later, those green eyes made me fully understand my feelings, so I confessed my feelings to you."
"Isn't that green-eyed girl always so delicate? Why do you dislike it when it's my turn?"
Du Qingtang was unmoved: "None of this matters. I don't care why you like me. I'm sitting here today just to tell you..."
"Tell me you can't be with me, tell me not to come again." Pei Yuchun said for her, his green eyes dark as deep, sadness and pain intertwined. "I can feel that you have feelings for me, but why do you always keep me at a distance?"
"Ayu, what are you afraid of?"
What are you afraid of?
Afraid of repeating the same mistakes.
To be fair, Pei Yuchun was a qualified lover.
From eyes to appearance to figure, t grew up to be what she wanted.
He is steady and dignified, capable, and can humble himself and flatter others just to win her favor.
Whenever she faced Pei Yuchun, the snake from the Garden of Eden would always coil around her ear, hissing and spitting out its tongue, tempting her to eat the fruit that symbolized sin.
It says—
"Love between men and women is natural, and you can also have a sweet love."
"Eat, eat this fruit."
"Eat it, and you will have a perfect lover and enjoy the ultimate pleasure."
She was lured to the edge of the cliff, but was pulled back by reason.
Reason screams: No! You can't!
You still have unfulfilled ideals, you still have to go higher and reach the top of the world.
In this tug-of-war between temptation and reason, she hovered on the edge of danger again and again, only to be pulled back to reality by reason.
That night she had a dream and found herself standing on the edge of a cliff with a bottomless abyss below.
If she took half a step forward, she would fall into the abyss and her body would be gone.
After calming down, Du Qingtang felt that she had really lost her mind.
She has been reincarnated three times, and each time she had a bad ending because of men.
How could she repeat the same mistake?
How could she make the same mistake again!
If you don't make a decision when you should, you will suffer the consequences.
That dream must have been a warning from God, telling her not to hesitate and to make a resolution as soon as possible.
"You're wrong. I'm not afraid of anything."
"Ever since I disguised myself as a man to take the imperial examination, I've been fearless."
"I admit that I have a crush on you."
Before joy could fill his eyes, Du Qingtang changed the subject.
"But in my heart, my career is the most important thing in my life. I don't care about love affairs or romantic relationships."
"You keep saying you're attracted to me and want me to respond, but have you ever considered that if I'm with you and word gets back to Xiajing, it could very well be used by those men in the court who hate me to the core to bring me down?"
"They will pounce on me like wolves on meat, impeach me, attack me, and incite the people of the world to stand against me, making me the target of public criticism. Then they will force me out of the court and force me to marry and raise children."
"When that day comes, all my decades of perseverance will be wasted. Do you understand?"
The questions are deafening and thought-provoking.
Pei Yuchun felt as if he had been hit by a stern warning. His expression was blank for a moment, and his voice was hoarse: "I..."
Du Qingtang sneered, "You men are always like this, trying to trap a woman in the name of love, clipping her wings, breaking her limbs, trapping her in the backyard, and making her your forbidden lover, your property."
"How infatuated, how disgusting."
With every word Du Qingtang spoke, Pei Yuchun's face turned paler.
"In short, today you and I are sitting here, and I just want to tell you very clearly——"
"I will never marry, let alone have children."
"I will fight for my career and for women's rights throughout my life."
"If you don't succeed, you will die."
......
As soon as the words fell, the private room fell into dead silence.
Neither Du Qingtang nor Pei Yuchun spoke.
The waiter knocked on the door and came in. In addition to a pot of Biluochun tea, he also presented a small plate of cakes: "Sir, your tea is here!"
The hot summer breeze blew into the private room, allowing the almost stagnant air in the room to resume circulation.
The waiter noticed that the atmosphere between the two guests was not right, so he quickly poured two cups of tea and left quietly.
Du Qingtang's eyes turned slightly and fell on the osmanthus cake.
"Go back and don't come here again."
Pei Yuchun stared at the person opposite him, his throat was blocked and his eyes were sore.
During Pei Yuchun's twenty-one years, everyone around him got married and had children when they reached age.
His father died young, leaving him only a thin book.
It contains his father's earnest expectations for him, as well as the old stories of his father and mother, including how they met and how they fell in love.
My father fell in love with my mother at first sight and married her despite her foreign background.
My mother once said on her deathbed that if you meet someone you like, you must express your feelings directly and not miss out on it and end up with regrets.
At that time, Pei Yuchun was still young and had no idea about love.
Later, he joined the army. During his eight years of military service, Pei Yuchun was attached to Loushan Pass and had no mood for love.
It wasn't until last February that he met Du Qingtang in the midst of war.
Pei Yuchun fell in love with Du Qingtang at first sight, and after realizing his feelings, he naturally wanted to be with her.
He poured out his heart and made himself look the way Du Qingtang "liked", believing that dripping water would wear away a stone and that one day she would accept him.
After listening to Du Qingtang's words, Pei Yuchun was shocked to realize that he had been self-satisfied and self-righteous from the beginning to the end.
He only cared about himself and never considered Du Qingtang's situation.
Everyone says that women are inferior to men. This can be seen from the attitude of the military generals on the day Du Qingzhu entered the pass.
Du Qingtang took the imperial examination as a woman and became an official in the court. Later, her identity was exposed and she was subjected to countless attacks and insults.
If she had not been holding muskets and firearms, she would have been sentenced to death for deceiving the emperor.
Now that the war has subsided, although Du Qingtang is serving far away in Shaoqing Prefecture, there are countless officials in the court who regard her as a thorn in their side.
They were eager to find something to hold against Du Qingtang. Even if it was a tiny bit, they would magnify it infinitely and force her to death on the pretext of the government and the country.
Pei Yuchun knew all too well those hypocritical civil servants.
They are like a group of mad dogs that rely on peeing to mark their territory. In order to expel Du Qingtang, a woman, from the court and consolidate the men's position, they will use any means.
If Du Qingtang had close contacts with him, those people would most likely ask His Majesty to dismiss her fourth-rank official position that she had earned at the risk of deceiving the emperor, on the grounds that she was indulging in love and unable to handle important responsibilities.
What will happen to Du Qingtang after he is dismissed from office?
Du Qingtang holds the weapon of a powerful army, and the royal family will certainly not allow her to escape from control.
His Majesty is very likely to give her to a prince or a member of the royal family.
Either the main wife or the concubine.
Either way, it is tantamount to breaking the wings of an eagle that should soar in the sky, locking her in a gorgeous cage, forcing her to sing all day long, and becoming a caged bird without dignity.
Thousands of thoughts flooded into Pei Yuchun's mind, and he felt as if a huge rock was pressing on his chest, making it difficult for him to breathe and almost vomiting blood.
Pei Yuchun ignored the overwhelming feeling of suffocation and the discomfort in his hands and feet, and stood up and bowed to Du Qingtang.
The young man didn't straighten his back, but instead lowered his head so that only the slightly curled top of his head could be seen. His voice was hoarse, and he buried all his emotions deep in his heart: "I'm sorry, Pei is too selfish, only caring about myself, and never considering the situation and difficulties of Master Du."
"Everything that happened in the past was my fault. I hope Master Du will forgive me."
"From now on, Pei will no longer come to Shaoqing Mansion to bother Lord Du. I wish Lord Du all the best and a smooth and successful career."
Pei Yuchun left after he finished speaking.
Du Qingtang was the only one left in the private room. She quietly finished her osmanthus cake, drank a pot of Biluochun tea, left a silver ingot on the table, and went home.
.......
When Du Qingtang returned to the government office, Zhou Tongzhi had been waiting for a long time.
"Sir, at your request, I have sent people to investigate and found that only a very small number of people in the city and the four counties under my jurisdiction have been vaccinated."
Du Qingtang was not surprised by this.
Although the imperial court popularized suturing, it had not yet spread to Shaoqing Prefecture. The doctors in Shaoqing Prefecture felt that the suturing techniques used by Du Qingju and the military doctors were too bloody and were unwilling to learn them.
From this point on, the imperial court promoted cowpox, and eighty to ninety percent of the people in the world were vaccinated with cowpox. The people in Shaoqing Prefecture, let alone being vaccinated, probably most of them had never even heard of it.
Du Qingtang rubbed his brows and made a decisive decision: "Immediately post a notice to inform the entire prefecture that all children over the age of five must go to the vaccination clinics in the prefecture and various counties within five days to be vaccinated against cowpox. Anyone who refuses to comply will be forced to do so."
"Besides this, please inform everyone about the school enrollment and the dried fruit factory recruitment."
She doesn't care when the schools in the four counties under her jurisdiction start recruiting students, but she still has to take care of the enrollment in the provincial capital.
Zhou Tongzhi nodded in agreement and asked, "What are the conditions for recruiting workers at the dried fruit factory?"
Du Qingtang pondered for a moment: "It's similar to the recruitment conditions of a garment factory, but women don't need to be good at making clothes."
"One more rule must be added: both male and female workers must be neatly dressed. Those who are unkempt are not allowed to apply. Even if they are selected by chance, they will be checked monthly after starting work. If any problems are found, they will be immediately expelled from the dried fruit factory and will never be hired by government-run factories again."
Zhou Tongzhi could also understand. After all, dried fruits are meant to be eaten. If a sloppy worker was hired into the factory, the dried fruits produced would not be clean. If a customer bought them and got sick from eating them, it would affect the reputation of the dried fruit factory.
Du Qingtang estimated the time: "The school will start recruiting students in twenty days. By then, the school should have been repaired."
Zhou Tongzhi nodded in agreement, and after leaving, he quickly drafted a notice and ordered someone to post it.
After an incense stick of time, the clerk stood next to the notice wall and read the notice aloud.
The people in the city gathered here, and there were many different opinions.
"Great! The government is going to build another factory! I wonder how many workers they'll recruit in the first batch. I never make it to the garment factory, and it really pisss me off."
"Actually, you don't have to insist on working in a factory. You can rent a shop from the government at a low price and work as a delivery boy, set up a stall in the market, or even clean public toilets. As long as you're diligent, you can make money."
"Auntie, you're right. You can find work everywhere in Shaoqing Prefecture now. You won't starve to death anyway."
"The prefect really loves our children. He just opened four schools, and now he's opened four more. Each school can accommodate 2,000 people, which means there are a total of 8,000 places!"
"My daughter just turned six, so I'll go there early."
"But what is this cowpox? Why do we have to get vaccinated against it?"
"Didn't the official say that this stuff can prevent smallpox?"
Exclamations rang out one after another.
"It can actually prevent smallpox? In five days, right? Then I'll be the first one to go to the vaccination clinic and get vaccinated!"
"I still remember when I was a kid, someone in my village got smallpox and infected dozens of people. In the end, they all died. When they died, they were covered in blood. It was terrifying."
"Don't worry, just get vaccinated when the time comes."
"No, we don't know what cowpox is, so we get vaccinated? What if we die?"
"You idiot, if the prefect wasn't absolutely sure, would he tell us?"
“That’s right!”
......
Du Qingtang quickly finished processing today's official documents and returned to the third hall as the gong sounded for the end of his shift.
Du Qingzhu and Du Qingju have returned and are teasing Youyou in the west wing.
Du Qingzhu threw the ball of yarn out, and Youyou flew out as fast as lightning, grabbed the ball of yarn in one bite, ran back with his short legs, and put it at Du Qingzhu's feet.
"Meow~"
Youyou sat down obediently, looking like he was asking for praise.
Du Qingzhu rubbed her head, threw the ball of yarn out again, and lazily ordered: "Youyou, go pick it up."
"Meow~"
Youyou ran out panting, and ran back panting with a ball of wool in his mouth.
Du Qingtang: “…”
This is walking the dog.
Youyou is still a child.
Seeing Du Qingtang coming back, Du Qingju picked up Youyou and walked out: "Xianyu is back, go change your clothes first and eat later."
Du Qingzhu rolled up his sleeves and said in a long tone: "Hurry up, hurry up, I prepared a spicy dish today~"
Du Qingtang responded and walked east with Zhuju.
The bedrooms are on the east side, as is the kitchen.
Du Qingju glanced at Du Qingtang and said softly, "Xianyu, are you in a good mood today?"
Du Qingtang hummed softly and nodded in response: "Do you know the calamity mentioned in the storybook? I went through a calamity these days."
Du Qingzhu's eyes widened as he followed up her words and asked, "What was the result?"
Du Qingtang gently stroked his waistband: "My life was originally hanging by a thread, but fortunately, I woke up at the critical moment and swung my sword to cut off all thoughts."
"Wow—" Du Qingzhu clapped his hands in agreement. "Then aren't you going to ascend right here and become an immortal in heaven?"
Du Qingtang didn't say anything, but just smiled slowly.
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