Chapter 164 Reminiscing
"I just want to ask, are you here for tourism?"
"What if it is, and what if it isn't?"
The leading man saw that they were staring at him warily, so he quickly asked his companions to put away their axes and grinned, "You misunderstood us. We are not here to rob, we are here to attract customers!"
Xu Bing asked doubtfully, "Attracting customers?"
The man pointed to a row of ox carts parked nearby and said, "Look at those ox carts over there. They are our carts. It's more than ten miles from the station to the hot springs in Pingnan County. It's very convenient to take an ox cart!"
Xu Bing asked, "Is the fare expensive?"
"Not expensive, not expensive, ten cents per person."
It’s really not expensive. Xu Bing asked the guards to pack their bags and prepare to take a ox cart to the hot spring town.
The servant Li Qiu hurriedly stopped him: "Prime Minister, are we really going to sit down? What if they... have bad intentions and want to hurt you when they see the money?"
Xu Bing stroked his beard and whispered, "Look at those ox carts, they have sheds on top and straw mats underneath, they are specially used to transport people.
Although these people look tall, their eyes are clear and they don't look like vicious people. Besides, the guards are not vegetarians. If they can't even beat a few ordinary people, they might as well go back to farming."
Li Qiu was still a little nervous, and followed Xu Bing closely with the package in hand.
Because there were so many people, they were divided into three ox carts. The one Xu Bing was sitting on happened to be the ox cart of the man who had just spoken.
The driver cracked his whip and said, "It's going to be bumpy ahead, please hold on tight, sir."
"Hey." Xu Bing chose a comfortable sitting position and sat down, with two guards with the best kung fu skills guarding him.
Xu Bing asked, "Little brother, why did you use a hatchet to pick someone up just now?"
"Well, it's all because of the disturbance in Pingbei County!" The man was a good talker and slowly recounted what had happened before.
"In the past few years, we were very poor here. People couldn't afford to eat and lived a hard life. Later, the county magistrate led us to build hot springs. Many outsiders came to visit, and the people in the county began to live a better life."
"Pingnan County has become wealthy, and neighboring Pingbei County is extremely jealous. Since there are no hot springs in their county, they often go to the train station to rob tourists, making it so that tourists from other places dare not come."
"The county magistrate saw that it was a big deal. It would ruin the reputation of Pingnan County! We have finally started a business, how can we let them ruin it? So he ordered the men in the county to drive ox carts to the railway station to pick up people. This would make money and protect tourists at the same time."
"We just had a fight with some bastards from Pingbei County, and you arrived before we had time to put away our weapons."
Xu Bing smiled and stroked his beard and said, "This is a good idea. It kills two birds with one stone. But next time, don't pick someone up with a hatchet. It's scary."
Everyone in the car burst into laughter at the same time.
"Where are you from, sir?"
Xu Bing hugged his knees and said, "I came from Suzhou."
"Suzhou is a great place. It's like heaven above and Suzhou and Hangzhou below. I heard the scenery there is picturesque. I'll take my wife there to see it when I have enough money!"
Xu Bing nodded in agreement, "The scenery is nice, it's worth a visit."
The man smiled innocently and said, "Our Pingnan County is not bad either. There are many hot spring pools. In recent years, we have built greenhouses. We can eat fresh fruits and vegetables in winter. Especially the specialty sheep horn crisp melon, which is sweet and juicy. It will definitely satisfy your appetite!"
"Oh? Then have a good taste of mine."
While we were chatting and laughing, the ox cart had arrived in Pingnan County. It was now early winter and there was a light snow a few days ago, so the snow on the road was cleared clean.
There were many pedestrians walking on the street. Some were wearing fur coats and fur hats, while others were wearing silk coats and robes. It seemed that they were indeed living a prosperous life.
"Ouch~~ We're here, get off slowly."
"Okay." The guard helped Xu Bing get off the carriage, and Li Qiu took out a hundred-cent note from his pocket and handed it to him.
"There are nine people in total. I'll give you ten cents in change." The man took out some change from his pocket.
Li Qiu quickly waved his hand: "No thanks." He didn't feel comfortable asking for ten cents after giving them such a long ride.
The man was not polite. Pullers like them often received such tips, and they never thought too much or too little.
After everyone left, Xu Bing did not go directly to the county government office, but strolled along the roadside with his subordinates.
In fact, he had been to Pingnan County once many years ago, but it was only sixteen or seventeen years ago.
At that time, Xu Bing was only twenty-six or twenty-seven years old. After failing the imperial examination, he was sent to Xizhou to take up a post. He happened to be going the same way as Han Song, so the two of them set out together.
When passing near Pingnan County, they encountered robbers. The gang was extremely vicious. When they heard that the two were officials preparing to take office, they planned to kill them to silence them.
Fortunately, Han Song knew some martial arts and helped him escape and get to his new post smoothly.
He stayed in Pingnan County for half a month. At that time, the place was so poor that there was not a single restaurant on the street. Beggars were everywhere on the street, and the people were skinny and half-naked.
Comparing them now, they are completely different. It seems that Jinghuai's efforts over the past few years have not been in vain.
After a walk, he arrived at the Pingnan County government office. Li Qiu walked up to the gatekeeper and greeted him, saying that he wanted Lord Han's friend to come and see him.
The bailiff did not dare to delay and ran in to pass on the message. Soon Han Song came out.
Han Song's eyes almost popped out of his head when they first met. The man in his forties ran over, hugged Xu Bing and said excitedly: "Oh my God, why are you here!"
Xu Bing smiled and patted his back, saying, "Let me go quickly, or you'll strangle me to death."
Han Song let him go, held his arm and looked him up and down: "Hey, why didn't you mention writing a letter to me when you came? I was really surprised. This... this is a friend coming from afar, isn't it a pleasure!"
"Okay, come in quickly." Xu Bing made his old friend blush with embarrassment and pushed him into the county government office.
The two hadn't seen each other for more than four years since they last parted. Han Song's temples had turned a lot grayer, and Xu Bing had a few more wrinkles.
The two of them sat in the study, and the servants brought charcoal to boil water and make tea.
"Zifang, how come you have time to come here this time?" Han Song dismissed the servants and poured tea for him himself.
Xu Bing took the teacup and said, "The emperor sent me to Suzhou to do some work, and I just happened to come and see you on my way back."
Han Song showed an expression of "as expected": "I said you wouldn't come to see me specially."
"I'm so busy that I don't have the time to go out and have fun."
"I know. I'm just kidding you. What big event has happened that the emperor sent you to Suzhou?"
Xu Bing put down his teacup and said, "This is really a big deal. I guess it will get to you after the New Year."
He told Han Song in detail what happened in Suzhou. At the end, he mentioned that the emperor exiled thousands of students. Han Song sat up straight in surprise.
"More than a thousand people were exiled?!"
Xu Bing nodded, "I have also advised the emperor that exile to Beidi is too severe a punishment, but the emperor has made it clear that he wants to punish him severely this time."
Han Song sighed: "I have studied hard for more than ten years, but it all went to waste in one day. What a pity."
Xu Bing said, "Let's not talk about that. When I came here, I saw that the county had changed a lot. You have governed Pingnan County well in the past few years!"
Speaking of Han Song, I have a lot to say, but it's getting late, and Xu Bing and his group are exhausted from the long journey and haven't had dinner yet.
"Let's go out for dinner first and talk while we eat!"
*
Fumanlou is one of the more famous restaurants in Pingnan County. The most famous dish here is Garlic Pork Knuckle.
Everything from the ingredients to the processing is extremely particular. The dish is made by choosing the freshly slaughtered pork elbows, preparing it one day in advance, and simmering it over low heat for eight hours before serving.
The pork elbow just out of the pot is soft but not mushy, fat but not greasy, and so delicious that it will make your teeth fall off after one bite. The supply cannot meet the demand every day, and if you want to eat fresh pork elbow, you must make a reservation a few days in advance.
When Han Song brought Xu Bing and his party here, the pork elbows had already been booked out. Han Song went to the owner of the restaurant to discuss whether he could spare one for Xu Bing to try.
The restaurant owner was also a straightforward person and immediately gave away the pork elbow that he had reserved for his wife.
The attendants stayed downstairs to eat, and the two went to the private room upstairs. Suzhou cuisine is mainly meat dishes. Although it is not as refined as southern cuisine, it is better in terms of large quantity and rich taste, which makes people's appetites whetted.
“Try this pork elbow dish now. You will never forget it once you have it!”
Xu Bing picked up a piece with chopsticks and tasted it. The fragrance instantly exploded in his mouth. The soft skin and flesh did not need to be chewed, and it melted in one sip.
"Mmm! This tastes really good!"
Han Song also picked up a piece for himself, and swallowed it in one gulp, sighing with satisfaction.
Neither of them was a big eater, so after taking a few bites they put down their chopsticks, poured themselves some wine and started chatting.
"I took the people with me to build the hot spring you asked me to build after I came back from Beijing. But at first they didn't believe that this pool could make money. After all, who would come all the way here just to take a bath in this poor and remote area? I didn't expect that a railway would be built here later!"
Han Song seemed particularly excited when he mentioned this. "How can such a heavy piece of metal run by itself?"
"I don't know either. It was all researched by the people in the scientific research department. I heard that the appearance of this train was drawn by the emperor himself." Xu Bing showed a meaningful expression.
Han Song understood instantly that perhaps this train was the magical power displayed by the emperor.
The emperor is different from ordinary people. This was evident from his last visit to Beijing. The military parade still left a deep impression on him, as did the subsequent sports meeting, which were not something ordinary people could think of.
Xu Bing: "On the way here, I heard that people from Pingbei County often go to the train station to rob?"
"That's right!" Han Song was furious when he mentioned this matter.
"How can there be such shameless people? Pingnan and Pingbei are brother counties. When we were poor a few years ago, they looked down on us. Now that we are rich, they have changed their ways to harm us. It's like bamboo growing on the stove, it's really damaging the family!"
Xu Bing was amused by him: "It's a good idea for you to send people to pick up tourists. Why not develop it, equip them with special carriages, and write a few signs to hang on the platform, so that no one will be scared by those men."
"Okay, I'll tell them to do it when we get back."
After three rounds of drinks, both of them were a little tipsy. Xu Bing rarely had anyone to drink and chat with on weekdays, and because of the difference in their status, the two of them didn't have so many concerns.
"Jinghuai, I'm so glad to see you're getting better."
Han Song smiled and drank a glass of wine, "Happy!"
"I really envy you..." Xu Bing said without any context.
Han Song could tell there was something behind his words and couldn't help asking, "Zifang, did something happen in the capital...did the emperor make things difficult for you?"
"The emperor didn't embarrass me, but he made me more embarrassed than he did."
Han Song was a little confused by him and looked at him in confusion.
Xu Bing said faintly: "The emperor...may want to make Princess Changle the crown prince."
(End of this chapter)
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