Chapter 80 To have a government job and housing, you need...
Wang Wei's Wangchuan Villa was not just a large villa; in fact, it was a large valley!
When Wang Wei planned this area, he built twenty scenic spots in this valley and forest, including mountains, ridges, forests, lakes, streams, and so on. For example, the famous lines that need to be memorized, "In the empty mountains, no one is seen, but the sound of voices is heard. The setting sun shines into the deep forest, and reflects again on the green moss," describe one of the scenic spots, "Deer Enclosure."
Deer Enclosure (鹿監) is actually a place where Wang Wei enclosed a forest with a wooden fence in the mountains and then raised many deer inside.
Lu Xiaoqi felt dizzy looking at it. According to this description, Wangchuan was much larger than Qinghe Ancient Town, and it would have to include the mountains behind it. It was like creating another tourist attraction.
At that time, it was just one person's home.
A sudden surge of resentment towards the wealthy welled up within her, and she almost began humming, "Socialism is good, socialism is good..."
......
"Can you accept a smaller version of Wangchuan?" Lu Xiaoqi asked Wang Wei solemnly as she sat down in front of him.
Shrink it down to the size of a single house.
It was already the afternoon of the second day. Wang Wei and Li Guinian had gotten drunk the day before and slept until noon, when Lu Xiaoqi came to their door in a hurry.
After venting his frustrations and letting go of the past, Wang Wei's melancholy and apathy had vanished. Yesterday, he seemed less peaceful and more detached from everything, but now he appeared much more vibrant.
Although he looks like an older man, he is a very handsome and gentle one.
Wang Wei carefully considered his words: "Young friend Lu, I already understand that Wangchuan is a thing of the past and can never be recreated."
Lu Xiaoqi was a little confused: "Then... what is your wish?"
"The so-called return to Wangchuan is merely a longing in my heart," Wang Wei said leisurely. "Where my heart finds peace is my home. Streams flow through bamboo groves, wild clouds drift over mountains. When I am no longer confined to 'Wang Wei's Wangchuan,' all I see is Wangchuan amidst the green mountains."
The Poet-Buddha truly lives up to his name; his words are full of Zen wisdom.
However, Lu Xiaoqi was completely confused.
Li Guinian sighed and rubbed his forehead, saying, "What Wang Wei meant was that he was no longer attached to the original Wangchuan. Any place that made him feel at peace was his Wangchuan."
Lu Xiaoniangzi is good in every way, except that her literary cultivation needs to be improved a little bit.
Wang Wei nodded slightly: "Regardless of size, all I seek is peace of mind."
He cultivates his heart.
Lu Xiaoqi understood, breathed a sigh of relief, and her face lit up with joy.
As long as she doesn't buy another big valley or something, that's fine.
Her eyes darted around: "Wang Shifo..."
Wang Wei's face stiffened upon hearing this, and his embarrassment was palpable. He smiled wryly and said, "Young friend Lu, please use the proper form of address here."
“Then let’s call him Teacher Wang.” Lu Xiaoqi felt awkward calling him that, but went along with it. “Teacher Wang, I happen to have a large area here that I want to give to you.”
She also brought the original map of Qinghe Ancient Town and spread it on the table: "Li Gongfeng should have told you about Qinghe Ancient Town, right? We are currently operating Zones 1, 2 and 5. Now I want to plan Zones 6 and 7 as a garden-style high-end resort hotel and would like to ask for your help in the landscaping aspect."
Zones 6 and 7 are next to Zone 5. This area doesn't have a large flow of people, making it perfect for a resort-style hotel—quiet and peaceful.
Although part of Zone 7 has been designated as a logistics area, as long as it is isolated, the remaining area, together with Zone 6, is still a very large area.
The resort hotel she wanted should resemble Wangchuan, allowing guests to stay in a garden that embodies the most beautiful aspects of Chinese aesthetics.
“No, and it’s not just Districts 6 and 7. I want to hand over the rest of the garden landscaping in Qinghe Ancient Town to you.” Lu Xiaoqi had full confidence in the talent selected by the system, not to mention Wang Wei’s illustrious resume with the Wangchuan Villa.
Even if you put it on LinkedIn, people would say it's awesome.
“You can totally treat Zones 6 and 7 like Wangchuan and mess around with them.”
Wang Wei was somewhat bewildered, even unusually at a loss: "Young friend Lu, this... garden-style high-end resort hotel, and garden landscaping... I don't really understand."
These are all technical terms.
Lu Xiaoqi and Li Guinian explained it to him, and Wang Wei finally understood the concept of a resort hotel. It was roughly equivalent to the villas in Lishan where nobles used to stay for a few days in their spare time, but hotels were for all commoners and had the characteristics of inns.
Seeing that he still had some doubts, Lu Xiaoqi understood that it was a bit too much to ask someone who was new to the place to accept all of this at once.
She immediately said, "You don't have to make a decision right away. You can stay here or go to the city to take a walk and get familiar with this era."
Li Guinian nodded: "There are many interesting things here, Mojie, I can accompany you."
Wang Wei smiled and said, "Then we will do as you two say."
Lu Xiaoqi relaxed and, remembering their innate abilities, asked them about it. However, the two of them were already tipsy from the system notification that popped up yesterday and hadn't had a chance to check it yet.
Wang Wei's innate talent was "resonance of the mind".
He repeated the description from his backend: "After acquiring this ability, one's affinity with natural elements increases by fifty percent. When tourists enter the gardens he has built, their negative emotions decrease by fifty percent, they resonate with nature, and gain inner peace."
Wang Wei chuckled: "This seems to have destined me to rebuild Wangchuan here."
It's a little sad to think that the gods summoned him here not because of his poetry and painting, but because of Wangchuan.
Indeed, Wangchuan was his spiritual home and his salvation.
After hearing the description of this ability, Lu Xiaoqi froze on the spot, her mouth agape in surprise. It took her a while to come to her senses—what is a BUG? This is a BUG! She couldn't even imagine how popular the hotel would be after it opened!
"My ability is 'Feast of Bliss'," Li Guinian said, not wanting to be outdone, and immediately checked his talent ability. "This ability needs to be used in conjunction with the 'Floral Splendor Pavilion' to recreate a grand Tang Dynasty palace banquet..."
He looked up, clearly dissatisfied: "That's it."
Lu Xiaoqi said that the system can be really frustrating sometimes, but she's gotten used to it now: "There should be a detailed introduction after the Hua'e Xianghui Tower is built."
She should have realized it sooner. Everyone else received various fragments after fulfilling their wishes, but Li Guinian received a complete and special architectural blueprint. When did the system become so generous? It turns out it was meant to be used in conjunction with other systems.
That makes sense.
"The Flower Calyx Pavilion!?" Li Guinian and Wang Wei had already shifted their focus to this, exchanged a glance, and said in unison.
Lu Xiaoqi nodded: "After your wish is fulfilled, I will receive the blueprint for this special building, Hua'e Xianghui Tower."
She originally thought it was just a movie setting, but she didn't expect that there really was such a building in history, which Li Longji built specifically to hold various banquets.
That old guy really knows how to have fun.
Li Guinian was most familiar with this building, and he exclaimed excitedly, "Great! My 'Dance of the Rainbow Skirts' should be performed in the Hua'e Xianghui Building!"
In its heyday, the Hua'e Xianghui Tower was a veritable feast of elegantly dressed people, exquisite dishes, and a plethora of song, dance, and entertainment, all vying for attention. ①
Lu Xiaoqi pointed to the lake in Zone 8, where there was a small island in the center. Of course, calling it a small island would be an exaggeration; it was so small that no one could even get on it. There was only a replica of an ancient pagoda there, which you could see while on a boat trip.
“I plan to build the Hua'e Xianghui Tower here,” she said. “You’ll need to take a boat to get in.”
Li Guinian laughed: "Interesting!"
He was already looking forward to it even before construction had started.
After chatting with them for a few more minutes, Lu Xiaoqi took her leave. She went to Guanmai Hall first.
Guanmaitang is fully booked every day. Lu Xiaoqi finally managed to find a gap to chat with Zhang Zhongjing for a while before going to Section 5. Su Jun said that he had arranged for Huang Daopo and Zhucui to work in the textile workshop in Section 5 today.
The weather has been rather cold these past few days, so there are fewer tourists in the ancient town than usual, which makes it much quieter. The tourists don't seem anxious; they're all taking photos, riding boats, and some are even relaxing on the benches by the shore, basking in the sun.
It became even quieter after entering Zone 5.
However, Lu Xiaoqi was not worried.
The overall operation of Zone 5 is satisfactory, except for the uneven distribution of foot traffic, with weekend foot traffic being two to three times that of weekdays. On weekdays, the artisans are quietly working in their own workshops.
Besides some items that are custom-made for the ancient town, the products they make can also be sold in the cultural and creative souvenir shop next door, with the proceeds split 70/30 between them and the ancient town.
Lu Xiaoqi saw that Grandma Huang, who was making lanterns, had opened the door and moved the tables and chairs into the courtyard. She was engrossed in making lanterns under the warm sun.
The Lantern Festival is coming up soon, and Grandma Huang has a lot of work to do.
"Grandma Huang, if you feel tired, please take a rest." She turned the corner and stepped inside.
Grandma Huang looked up and smiled when she saw it was her: "It's alright, Miss Lu, I can listen to the opera and do it at the same time, it's much more comfortable than before."
Lu Xiaoqi glanced to the side and saw that she was listening to opera on her phone.
“Sometimes I even go to listen to Zhu Dajia’s operas, and they are really... I doubt even the old ladies in our county have ever heard such good operas before,” Grandma Huang murmured.
Lu Xiaoqi smiled and said, "Okay, then you can continue doing it. Just remember to go for your monthly check-up."
Grandma Huang: "I know, I know."
As Lu Xiaoqi left Grandma Huang's studio, she suddenly remembered the proposal Su Jun had given her and pondered: It seems that it is indeed necessary to recruit some apprentices for these workshops in District 5.
As she walked into the textile workshop, she heard a burst of laughter and cheerful chatter.
The Han sisters, along with the weavers and embroiderers, surrounded Huang Daopo, listening to her speak. Lu Xiaoqi observed secretly and saw that their respect for Huang Daopo was mixed with affection, indicating that Huang Daopo indeed held an unparalleled position in the textile industry.
When they saw her arrive, everyone quickly offered her a seat.
“Miss Lu, we are listening to Grandma Huang talk about how she improved the spinning machine,” Han Yunshang said happily.
She and her sister were originally from Jiangnan and worked in the textile industry, so they grew up listening to stories of Huang Daopo. They would visit Huang Daopo's shrine to worship during festivals. They never imagined that one day they would see Huang Daopo in person.
Grandma Huang chuckled: "These are all old stories. As people get older, they like to tell old tales."
“Storytelling is great! We can’t wait to listen to it for a while longer,” Lu Xiaoqi laughed.
She saw Zhu Cui sitting to one side as well. Among the group of women, Zhu Cui didn't seem as awkward as she had been the night before.
When Zhu Cui saw that she was looking at her, she quickly stood up: "Miss Lu, is there any work I can do today?"
Her thoughts were simple: since the gods had sent her here to help Miss Lu, she would do her job well. But half the day had passed, and she hadn't been assigned any work; she'd just been led around to look at this and that. Although these things were truly novel and broadened her horizons, Zhu Cui felt uneasy and even a little anxious.
Those present understood her feelings, because they had been through the same thing.
Li Niang smiled and said, "We told her not to worry, but I guess she will only feel at ease if you, Miss Lu, tell her."
Lu Xiaoqi looked at Zhu Cui gently: "The most important thing now is to take you to the hospital to have your foot checked. Zhu Cui, do you want to have surgery? I've done some research, and in your case, modern surgery can't completely restore you to a normal state, but it can make you much better than you are now."
Zhu Cui suddenly opened her eyes wide.
Yesterday, she thought Lu Xiaoqi was just saying it casually to comfort her, but she didn't expect that the other party really wanted to treat her foot and had already consulted a doctor.
Her breathing became heavier.
"Miss Lu..." she began with difficulty, "Can I really see a doctor? Will any doctor be willing to see someone like me with this kind of illness?"
The embroiderer next to her smiled and said, "Don't worry, hospitals nowadays are different from ours back then. Anyone can go there for medical treatment."
Li Niang nodded, "Besides, so what if you have this illness? You're a victim too, don't be embarrassed."
Zhu Cui met their gazes, and instead of disdain or contempt, she saw only encouragement in their eyes.
Huang Daopo also said, "Zhu Cui, you are still young. I just want to say that for us women, besides money, there is another extremely important thing, and that is a healthy body that doesn't hold us back."
Both of these can help people turn danger into safety in critical moments.
If she weren't in good health, she wouldn't have been able to travel from north to south and then back again in that kind of world.
Lu Xiaoqi silently gave her a thumbs up.
Zhu Cui was a person of great perseverance; otherwise, she wouldn't have managed to cling to life for over a decade when she was thrown into the shack to die. Hearing everyone say this, she nodded without hesitation:
"I do, Miss Lu!"
Lu Xiaoqi was relieved: "Then we'll go to the hospital tomorrow. The surgery and recovery process will probably take about six months."
She had just contacted Zhang Zhongjing and used his connections to get him to speak with the director of the county hospital. It wasn't anything else, but the matter of foot binding was still too morbidly taboo at the time, and she wanted the hospital to keep the surgery confidential, preferably without attracting media attention.
Zhu Cui's eyes widened. "So long?"
Seeing this, Han Yushang smiled and said, "Half a year is just right. By the time you can work, our Hanfu shop will be finished. With your hairstyling skills, you will definitely be very popular. So, you must take good care of your health first so that you can cope with the busy work later."
Zhu Cui relaxed a little after hearing what she said.
Lu Xiaoqi had afternoon tea at the textile workshop and ate two small pastries from a very popular pastry shop in Zone 2: chestnut cake and roasted rice cake, before leaving.
"Grandma Huang, you can arrange your own time during this period. If you want to come and visit the workshop more often, feel free to do so. If you want to go outside, find Su Jun and ask him to find someone to take you around." She said to Grandma Huang before leaving.
She needed to think carefully about how to quickly fulfill Huang Daopo's wish, as her innate abilities were exactly what the textile workshop needed most at the moment.
......
"Prepare a letter of appointment," Su Jun said to Lu Xiaoqi as he used a hammer drill to drive a tiny screw into the joint of the doll. "Invite Master Huang to serve as an advisor to the textile workshop."
Lu Xiaoqi's head was filled with three question marks: "Is that all?"
She casually strolled from Zone 5 to Zone 7, intending to find Su Jun for a proper discussion.
Su Jun inspected the dolls in his hands, put them down with satisfaction. These were all surprises they were going to present to tourists during the Spring Festival.
“It’s not necessarily true that we can complete the mission 100% with this.” He raised his head, his face framed by large goggles that made his nose appear even more prominent. “But we can give it a try. According to you, Master Huang lacks financial security because of the hardships and experiences she went through in the first half of her life. But the fact that she selflessly made the improved spinning machine available to the people shows that she is not a greedy person, but rather that she acquires wealth ethically.”
Lu Xiaoqi unconsciously followed his train of thought and then nodded: "That's true."
Huang Daopo loved money, but she loved it with principle; otherwise, she wouldn't have been so beloved and had a shrine built in her honor.
She had a sudden inspiration: "So, the most crucial thing is her insecurity?"
“Indeed.” A smile flashed in Su Jun’s eyes. “Therefore, this contract must be for life. Only in this way can we give her the greatest sense of security.”
Lu Xiaoqi murmured, "And you also need to own a house."
Why didn't she think of this? Isn't this just like modern people? They want a government job, their own house, preferably one without a mortgage, so they can live a peaceful life.
"I understand!" she exclaimed happily, looking at Su Jun in front of her. "Thank you for reminding me."
Su Jun pretended to be nonchalant: "Then how are you going to thank me?"
Lu Xiaoqi, who was just going to say something casually: ...Why is this guy suddenly so hard to fool?
She rolled her eyes and raised her eyebrows: "You'll find out when the time comes."
Su Jun looked at her expression and knew that she hadn't really thought it through yet. He found it amusing, but he didn't point it out. He just looked down at her and said, "Okay, I'll write it down."
He leaned closer, and his handsome, almost beautiful face immediately magnified, so close that it seemed you could feel his breath and see his eyelashes behind his goggles.
Lu Xiaoqi blinked, wanting to take a step back rather uncooperatively, but then felt that would make her seem too cowardly, so she stood still. She heard him whisper to himself:
"Don't forget, I'll remind you when the time comes."
The low voice was like a feather brushing against my heart, leaving a slight itch.
Su Jun straightened up, a faint smile on his face, and went back to continue making his puppet, leaving Lu Xiaoqi standing there.
She suddenly raised her hand and touched her face. Hmm, it was a little hot, and she felt a little lost.
That's terrifying! When did this guy become so sinister?
Where is the gentlemanly and gentle man we were promised?
Patting her chest, Lu Xiaoqi banished the jumbled thoughts from her mind and dashed out. She needed to find Chen Yingying and get her to offer her a lifetime contract.
As Lu Xiaoqi passed through Zone One, she brushed past a man.
"Why does this look so familiar..." A thought popped into her mind.
......
Lin Rong stood below Qinghe Tower, squinting at the building that stood by the lake.
This is absolutely a beautiful antique-style building. Even though he had seen many pictures and videos of it online, he had to admit that only by actually coming to the site and seeing it with his own eyes could he truly appreciate its beauty.
The exquisite eaves, adorned with glazed animal figures that are either lively or solemn, are all vividly charming, adding a unique vitality to the elegant pavilion. The intricate and beautiful bracket sets, of course, are a sight to behold; everyone who visits must point their camera at them and take a few pictures.
But Lin Rong's gaze was completely drawn to the green glazed tiles of Qinghe Tower.
Under the warm winter sun, they display a jade-like luster, and a jade of exceptional clarity, almost flowing. When the wind sweeps across the eaves, the light and shadows floating between the tiles come alive, creating a shimmering effect from light to dark.
Emerald green glazed tiles paired with ebony beams and carved window lattices, occasionally accented with apricot yellow, perfectly capture the elegance of Jiangnan while maintaining a dignified yet lively feel. No wonder online guides list climbing Qinghe Tower and taking photos as one of the top ten must-do activities in Qinghe Ancient Town. Right now, many girls dressed in Hanfu and full ancient costumes are taking pictures, attracting the attention and knowing smiles of many tourists.
Lin Rong's gaze and the binoculars in his hand remained fixed on the glazed tiles.
An expert can tell the quality of these tiles at a glance.
He inwardly groaned, his brow furrowed, his expression completely different from the tourists around him.
After coming down from Qinghe Tower, he visited other places briefly before leaving the ancient town, seemingly uninterested in the things that ordinary tourists like.
After getting back into his car, he made a phone call:
"Mr. Yamada... Yes, I arrived at Qinghe Ancient Town today."
Yamada's voice came through the microphone: "Lin-kun, did you see the tiles they used? What did they look like in person?"
Lin Rong hesitated for a moment, then decided to tell the truth: "The actual product is even better than the pictures. The glaze is pure, the jade is translucent, and if you look closely, you can even see the 'dragonfly wing' crystals inside. Compared to the Forbidden City, it may only lack a layer of iridescent sheen."
Iridescence is a colored halo formed on the glaze of ancient ceramics due to long-term environmental influences, giving the glaze a rainbow-like effect. For glazed tiles to exhibit iridescence, it takes at least a century.
This is not something that can be solved by technology; it requires time. This indicates that the glazed tiles fired in Qinghe Ancient Town actually met the standards of the imperial court.
Yamada fell silent; Lin Rong's evaluation was already the highest possible.
Lin Rong felt immense pressure and asked, "Mr. Yamada, what... is there for me to do next?"
Yamada suddenly asked, "Isn't the tile kiln in Qinghe Ancient Town nearby? Lin-kun, could you stay there for a few more days and help me find out about them?"
He asked the question politely, but how could Lin Rong refuse?
Despite inwardly grumbling, Lin Rong outwardly agreed respectfully: "Yes, Mr. Yamada."
After hanging up the phone, Lin Rong sighed deeply.
He thought to himself, "Yamada is truly cunning and extremely cautious."
At the time, Qinghe Ancient Town was just an unopened tourist attraction, not worth paying attention to at all. He only mentioned on the phone that the craftsmen here planned to fire their own tiles, and also said that the peacock blue glazed tiles produced by Jingye were not authentic. An ordinary person might have just laughed it off, but Yamada actually remembered it.
No wonder he got to his current position.
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