The fleet arrived at Yao County Port in the evening.
Fu Xiaoguan stood in front of Yan Xiwen with a knowing smile on his face.
"This place is getting better and better!" He looked at the still busy dock under the setting sun and the ships still plying the Yangtze River, and said, "I guess this is something you didn't foresee?"
Yan Xiwen also laughed. The nervousness he had felt just now disappeared with Fu Xiaoguan's words - he was still the same as yesterday!
"I never imagined it would be as prosperous as it is today. When I first followed your advice and started tinkering with this dock, I only wanted to build a dock and a berth. I never imagined it would become like this..."
Yan Xiwen took a deep breath and also looked out at the river. "Even now, Yao County Port can no longer meet the Yangtze River's shipping capacity. So, I was just discussing with the head of the Lu family that we should build another port on Shanglin Island, which is close to the river. What do you think, Your Majesty?"
Fu Xiaoguan nodded, "It's a little close. This is your territory, you can do whatever you want..."
After saying this, he looked at Lu Feng who was waiting on the side, "Master Lu, you did a good job!"
Lu Feng was flattered and knelt down with a plop. "This humble servant, this humble servant, all of this is given by Your Majesty! I am deeply grateful!"
This is what Lu Feng really thinks.
If it weren't for Fu Xiaoguan's instructions, his Lu family would have been wiped out long ago. How could it be like this now? Although he only gets 20% of the profits of Lu's Shipping, all his family members work for Lu's Shipping!
What's more, the shipping business is now many times better than that of the Wu Dynasty. The profit of 20% alone has already caught up with the income of the entire Lu family's canal transportation.
So he added, "Your Majesty, I have received such great blessings from Your Majesty that I cannot repay you. I have thought... to donate 10% of the 20% profit to the royal family. I will only have 10% profit!"
Fu Xiaoguan was amused. This person was sensible. People who knew what was good for them would not take advantage of others.
"Get up."
Lu Feng stood up tremblingly.
"I must fulfill my promises. You've managed Lu's Shipping to its current state, thanks to your ability. I won't take advantage of you. But along the way, I still feel that there are not enough docks along the river. So... you can send your people to survey the river to see if there are any places suitable for building a port."
"Don't limit yourself to the Yangtze River. The Yellow River, the Li River, the Daling River... as long as the waterway is suitable, it can be navigable. If the waterway is not suitable but the business along the route is extremely necessary, you can directly submit a letter to Yan Xiwen, and he will forward it to the three provinces, and consider widening the waterway and building a navigation channel."
"Please keep this matter in mind. Of course, the Ministry of Works is also working on it, but perhaps you, Lu, are more knowledgeable in this area. When the time comes, we can compare the two and choose the best method. This will benefit both the country and the people."
Fu Xiaoguan encouraged Lu Feng, and Lu Feng was deeply moved.
He cried bitterly, recounting his absurd behavior in the past and expressing gratitude to His Majesty for giving him and Lu a new life.
He remembered Fu Xiaoguan's words firmly, and the next day he sent Lu's sons who were skilled in surveying to major river basins across the country, making a huge contribution to the development of shipping in Daxia.
This was something Fu Xiaoguan had not expected at the moment.
The convoy left Yaoxian Port as the sun set and headed towards Xishan Villa.
…
…
The news that His Majesty was coming to the Xishan Villa had already spread.
Qin Ruoxue had someone carefully tidy up the villa. Now she was sitting in the pavilion with her grandfather, glancing at the moon gate from time to time. She asked anxiously, "Grandpa, do you think...will they stay in Yao County tonight?"
Qin Bingzhong smiled and shook his head. "They've already arrived in Yao County. Given His Majesty's temperament, he will definitely rush to the West Mountain Villa overnight."
"So…should I go prepare some food?"
"The Ministry of Rites said that the Empress Dowager, the Senior Official, and three other ladies have arrived..."
"Don't keep calling him Mr. Fu. He's the emperor recognized by His Majesty!"
"He is the great official Fu. Your Majesty's recognition of him is a sign of your kindness. This man is too shameless to refuse. Is he worthy of being the emperor? People who don't know would think he has something going on with the Empress Dowager... Isn't this tarnishing the Empress Dowager's innocence? It's ridiculous."
Qin Bingzhong couldn't accept the idea that Fu Daguan was the emperor because it was against the etiquette!
He spoke with a glaring expression, and Qin Ruoxue curled her lips, thinking that the emperor doesn't care, why are you so excited?
"Then I'll ask the kitchen to prepare food for a table of people."
"The same goes for the Ministry of Rites. Minister of Rites Xiao Yulou is not a good person!"
Qin Bingzhong slapped the newspaper in his hand, furious. "The Ministry of Rites represents national etiquette, and he, a dignified minister, did such a vile thing. He's bullying Your Majesty's kindness! If I were still an official in the court, I would severely report him!"
Qin Ruoxue stuck out her tongue behind Qin Bingzhong. Her grandfather was getting older, and after she came back, she found that he talked a lot more. Alas... she was too busy and couldn't accompany her grandfather to listen to his nagging.
Now that you've listened to it...it feels a bit nagging.
She went to the kitchen. Qin Bingzhong exhaled a breath of foul air and picked up another newspaper to read, but he was still muttering: "You treacherous ministers, if you dare to bully the young Majesty, I will go to Guanyun City and pull you out!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Fu Xiaoguan and his group walked out.
"Brother Qin, who are you trying to find out?"
What a familiar voice! Qin Bingzhong suddenly looked up. He squinted his eyes and saw Fu Xiaoguan. He stood up tremblingly, "Your Majesty!"
Fu Xiaoguan walked over and held Qin Bingzhong's thin shoulders - it had only been a few years since they last saw each other, and Qin Bingzhong had aged a lot.
His eyesight is not very good, his back is hunched, and there are many more wrinkles on his face.
"We agreed back in Linjiang that you are my elder brother and I am your younger brother. We are friends regardless of age. Brother, please don't ever call me Your Majesty!"
Qin Bingzhong's eyes were filled with tears. He stared at Fu Xiaoguan, the young man he had met at Linjiang Academy... He had become a young man now.
He had a thick beard on his lips, but his eyes were no different from those of the past - still so clear, still so warm.
He held onto Fu Xiaoguan's arms with trembling hands, his lips quivering, "Brother... yes, yes, we are friends regardless of age. Let me take a good look at you again!"
Fu Xiaoguan's eyes were slightly red. Qin Bingzhong was an old man he respected very much since he came to this world. He was once a great scholar in the Yu Dynasty. He was dissatisfied with the officialdom and retired to Linjiang.
He once advocated the sacred learning, but he was not stubborn. He accepted the Neo-Confucian code simply because he believed that the Neo-Confucian code had greater significance for the world.
For this reason, he gave up his work on commenting on the sacred teachings and came to Xishan Academy to be the dean. He stayed there until almost everyone in Xishan had left.
He said...Xishan College is his hope.
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