Chapter 31 Great Victory
The eunuch Qi came and went in a hurry. After seeing Yunxi, he took the medicinal herbs and returned to the other side of the river.
"We've received a lot of supplies recently, and the eunuchs are all very busy, so I won't stay any longer." Eunuch Qi was always efficient and decisive in his work.
The 100,000 taels of silver notes that were left behind greatly excited Su Qing, Luo the Registrar, and Wu the Household Manager.
I thought I could pay for the medicine for the people after the New Year.
It will be distributed in mid-December now.
Just in time for the New Year, with this money, every household can have a good New Year.
One million catties of medicinal herbs were loaded onto a ship and transported to the other side of the river.
This is quite a commotion.
Some people at the dock had already guessed that the military might have bought up all the remaining medicinal herbs.
When the government notified the twenty villages below that constables would soon come with silver to collect the IOUs, everyone's guess came true.
"This must be the end of hardship and the beginning of happiness."
"Yes, in the first half of the year, we only sold a little over 400,000 catties of medicinal herbs, and they were all in such high demand. In the second half of the year, the quantity tripled, and they were all sold out."
"Nanjiang County, things seem to have gone a little too smoothly?"
Su Qing officially became the county magistrate.
Their lives in Nanjiang County are getting better and better.
Regardless of whether there is a bumper harvest of grain or the medicinal herbs are all bought up by others.
And, extremely importantly, its role as a logistical transit hub has made life better and better for the locals.
The information Su Qing gathered was more than just that.
When Qi, the palace official, came this time, he shared some news with her.
Even Gu Congsi made friends in the prefectural city to keep abreast of the court's movements.
Her appointment as county magistrate was more of a result than a beginning.
From the time the rebels entered the city last year until the first half of this year.
The emperor's position in the capital was unstable, and factional struggles were fierce.
Even though they were generals, they were often coerced.
In this situation, logistics and troop deployment are not smooth.
If it weren't for the general's strenuous efforts at the front, the rebels would have captured even more cities.
Even so, they had suffered a series of defeats before.
I guess they lost too much.
The commotion in the capital finally subsided.
The general agreed to many of his proposals, and appointing Su Qing as the magistrate of Nanjiang County was just one of them.
There were also military supplies to be replenished in various places, and Guangyue Prefecture finally had a prefect.
The emperor also played a significant role in this.
He wholeheartedly supported his third brother, who was the general.
After overcoming many difficulties, the struggle in the rear was finally quelled.
It is often said that to quell external threats, one must first secure internal stability, and that is certainly true.
My appointment as county magistrate was the result of a struggle.
So everything is going smoothly now.
That's why supplies kept arriving.
Even the military officials were paying money much faster.
That's more like it.
To end the war, people on our own must unite.
Although Nanjiang County is small, it is constantly affected by the situation.
No one can remain unaffected.
The political situation is now stable.
The people of Nanjiang County are living a good life.
For example, of the 100,000 taels of silver for medicinal herbs, 70,000 to 80,000 taels are for this year's goods.
Since the news was released on the twelfth day of the twelfth lunar month.
By the nineteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, most farmers had already taken their money to buy New Year's goods.
What?
I've already bought all the New Year's goods.
Do you want to buy more?
Absolutely!
Now we can buy a little more freely!
Farm tools, clothing, and pork that we couldn't afford to buy before, we can now buy.
Oh, and you can also buy some paper and pens.
The children will be able to go back to school after the New Year.
In the second year of Yongsheng, the last batch of merchant ships of the year lined up at the Nanjiang County wharf waiting to unload their cargo.
Merchants in the past all knew that they could make a fortune in Nanjiang County.
Maybe we can even transport some medicinal herbs for resale.
But no one expected it.
Forget about the medicinal herbs; they've all been snapped up by the quick-handed individuals and the military.
But all the goods they brought, from small children's toys to large furniture and ornaments, sold extremely well.
The firewood, spices, chickens, ducks, and geese that were delivered were also snapped up.
"Are the people from Nanjiang County really that rich?"
"Why didn't I bring more goods?!"
"What a pity, what a pity, we're too late, otherwise we could have brought another ship over."
"This is no longer Nanjiang County, it's clearly a mini-Jiangnan."
Merchants from other places, upon hearing of this, rushed over in their horse-drawn carts to sell their goods.
Before the holiday, the government offices also made their final preparations.
Just distributing the money for the medicinal herbs has already been hard enough for everyone.
Next, we need to purchase supplies for the wounded soldiers' sanatorium to ensure that the wounded soldiers can have a good New Year.
The battle at the front was raging, and those being transported here were all officers and soldiers with extremely serious injuries.
Wang Bingfang and Zhou Qianhu were in charge of taking over and managing the operation, which reassured Su Qing.
Furthermore, the docks were frozen over, so all merchant ships, except for military vessels, had to stop crossing. The shipping company had to send people to guard the docks, otherwise problems would definitely arise.
There needs to be a summary of all aspects of medical training, and a number of medical and nursing staff to be trained next year.
There are also many things to do at the county school.
This year's county examination went smoothly, with approximately 120 candidates applying.
The first exam will be held on the sixth day of the second lunar month next year.
Other matters need to be completed before the end of the year.
Instructor Gu and the head of the rites department have almost finished the arrangements.
Next came the various tasks in the workshop, including reporting the dates of work stoppage and start.
The criminal investigation department also compiled a considerable amount of documents.
They worked with Constable Wu to compile a list of all the cases, big and small, that had been solved this year.
Most of the disputes involved docks and conflicts between villages.
There were also several restaurant staff fighting over customers, as well as petty theft and other misconduct.
After reading through these documents, Su Qing and Gu Congsi felt dizzy and disoriented, and they didn't even know how much strong tea they had drunk.
But the last thing cannot be taken lightly.
The task was completed by Luo, the registrar, Wu, the head of the household, and Wei, the clerk.
Of the three, one was Su Qing's right-hand man, one was in charge of local finances, and the last was in charge of evaluating local officials.
Because the prefect of Guangyue Prefecture had just arrived this year, there was no year-end assessment of the county magistrates in the counties below.
But Su Qing and the others are all "veterans" of Nanjiang County.
The performance evaluation of clerks and runners in the government office must be carried out.
It is said that without rules, nothing can be accomplished.
The same applies to government offices.
Whenever someone makes a mistake, Wei Lifang will definitely make a note of it.
Even when someone came to Su Qing for help, Su Qing would only smile and reply, "Let's see how things go."
That means they refuse to withdraw.
After all, if her subordinates oppressed the people and acted tyrannically, she would be even more ruthless than Wei Lifang.
Because of her attitude, Wei Lifang was absolutely fair.
Despite his quiet and unassuming demeanor throughout the year, he remained out of the public eye.
However, the officials in charge of the bureaucracy are always keeping an eye on the mistakes of other departments, and even the village chiefs and neighborhood leaders below them.
Everyone usually hates them intensely.
But now, we should thank them for their supervision, which has helped us make fewer mistakes.
Because it's the end of the year.
Magistrate Su will distribute bonuses based on everyone's year-end performance evaluation and daily performance!
If the entire department performs well, there will be a departmental bonus!
The busier you are and the better you do, the more bonus you will receive.
There are already monthly rewards.
But you can receive another one at the end of the year.
Anyone who works in a government office wants to earn more food for their family so they can have a prosperous New Year.
This part of the calculation is a real headache.
Su Qing, Gu Congsi.
In addition to Luo, the Registrar, Wu, the Household Officer, and Wei, the Clerk,
The five men had already calculated it, and after they figured it out, they would then have Officer Wu and Clerk Gong take a look.
It wasn't until the 26th day of the twelfth lunar month that the bonuses for each part were finally calculated.
The final number truly surprised everyone.
The government has its perks; they certainly won't forget about them.
Although everyone trusted Magistrate Su, receiving the bonus brought a different feeling.
Is this just a bonus?
No way.
After all, working in the government office meant you were never short of food and drink.
This is more like an affirmation of their work.
It's even more important than money.
Is it a sense of accomplishment?
This term is novel; it was used by Magistrate Su.
When Mei Niang came, she brought chicken, duck and mutton that she had last year, so there will definitely be plenty this year.
There were just too many people queuing up to receive the New Year's gifts this year, so we had to distribute them to various departments and let them go back and distribute them themselves.
Even so, no one wanted to leave. They would check each other's New Year's gifts, even though they were all the same. But it was still good to see the excitement.
When Mei Niang came over, Gu Congsi went to greet her immediately.
Su Qing had no choice but to pretend she hadn't seen it.
In Nanjiang County, from ordinary people to officials, everyone was especially happy during this festival.
After the yamen (government office) finished distributing the New Year's gifts, the clerks and runners who remained on duty took the gifts back home for the New Year.
Su Qing, however, could not remain idle.
She made a point of wearing a thick cloak and was going to the wounded soldiers' sanatorium again.
One reason was to check on winter supplies, and the other was to pass by the dock and deliver New Year's gifts to those on duty there.
Officer Wu was also busy, as he arranged for people to deliver supplies to the villages and hamlets under his jurisdiction.
Everyone worked hard this year, and Magistrate Su specially allocated the funds to them.
Once all the errands are finished.
Su Qing was about to sit down when Gu Congsi stopped her and took the snow-covered cloak off her.
I'll skip it when I'm busy.
Now that they finally have some free time, the two of them face each other, feeling rather awkward.
Su Qing wanted to say something, so she subconsciously flipped through the calligraphy copybooks on the table.
Fortunately, Yunxi and her younger sister ran in, breaking the silence.
They are writing a letter to Qi Neiguan, wanting to ask Sister Su and Brother Gu if it is appropriate to write it this way.
Both of them were wearing fur coats given to them by the eunuch Qi, which looked exceptionally warm.
After studying for several months, they both made a lot of progress and even started to resemble each other like siblings.
Su Qing and Gu Congsi helped take a look, corrected the typos and grammatical errors, and then asked them to sit down and copy it again.
Sending letters before the New Year is also a long-standing tradition.
However, this year, Madam Zhu only sent a message to her family and husband's family, and did not prepare any gifts for the festival.
Su Qing and Mei Niang, on the other hand, remained the same.
The only difference was that Gu Congsi secretly bought gifts and slipped them into her pocket, then sent them back to her hometown.
The two children were writing letters, and Su Qing couldn't help but glance at Gu Congsi.
Since returning from the provincial examination, he, who was already a man of few words, has become even more so.
However, the connections he made in the state capital proved useful; Gu Congsi was the one who passed on many pieces of information to her.
Whenever the topic of marriage came up, Gu Congsi would immediately avoid the question.
If you still don't understand, then you're just pretending to be stupid.
Su Qing considered for a moment and said, "I still need to copy the calendar later. Can Chief Gu help me out?"
The annual calendar is a calendar compiled by the Imperial Astronomical Bureau of the Imperial Court for the following year.
The following year's various festivals, as well as the birthdays of the Emperor and Empress Dowager, the anniversary of the late Emperor's death, etc., are all marked.
The imperial court distributed the documents to local authorities, who then distributed them to various counties. Each county had to make several copies for backup, making the process quite complicated.
That's a pretty good excuse.
Gu Congsi nodded, and after the two children left, the two of them cut paper and copied it down.
Gu Congsi was still the main writer, while she handed him paper and drank tea.
I copied a few pages.
Gu Congsi turned to look at Su Qing and said, "Don't call me Chief Gu."
What should we shout?
Su Qing didn't say anything, but just handed him paper and told him to continue writing.
Gu Congsi actually continued copying.
After Su Qing finished copying one book, he checked it and continued copying.
“You can call me Congsi,” Gu Congsi suddenly said. “We are engaged, so we can’t be strangers.”
Su Qing paused, her vermilion brush still in her hand.
It's finally here.
Before and after Gu Congsi passed the imperial examination and became a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial-level imperial examination), she was determined to break off the engagement.
However, he first brought back He Caoyun, and then used his connections in the prefectural city to gather information from various sources, which greatly benefited the affairs of the government.
Not to mention, it can also make Mei Niang happy.
This made it difficult for Su Qing to explain herself clearly.
I thought she had an understanding with the Gu family!
After Gu Congsi passed the imperial examination, everything was over.
Unexpectedly, the Gu couple have stopped causing trouble recently, as if they have been persuaded.
Su Qing sighed, deciding to make things clear.
The reason I kept him was precisely for this.
A rare smile suddenly appeared on Gu Congsi's handsome face.
His already striking features made him even more captivating at that moment.
Su Qing was taken aback, and Gu Congsi seized the opportunity: "Some things don't need to be said in a hurry."
"Just consider it giving me a chance. You won't lose anything, right?"
ah? !
Did she hear that right?!
Gu Congsi handed her the second copied calendar and said, "I'll take the rest home and copy them."
"My dad's handwriting is also quite good."
“He said that now that I’m a scholar who has passed the imperial examination, I’m in charge of many things at home.”
Gu Congsi left quickly; anyone who didn't know better would have thought there was a raging flood or a ferocious beast behind him.
Su Qing was still in shock.
Gu Congsi's words left her somewhat incredulous!
What does it mean to say that some things don't need to be said in a hurry?
Give him a chance, and give yourself a chance too.
She wasn't wrong, was she?
Let her keep an eye on things while she's still ahead? Like having your cake and eating it too?! Treat him as a backup option?!
Although Gu Congsi's suggestion was indeed an excellent choice.
After all, he was good-looking and talented.
But can he handle things at home?
That's not necessarily true, although I probably don't care myself.
But since he's already gone this far, if I still stubbornly refuse, it seems like it will only hurt him more?
Su Qing handed one copy of the calendar to the duty officer and took the other copy back to the inner courtyard.
Seeing that Qingqing was lost in thought, Mei Niang quickly came over to ask her what was wrong.
"I was thinking about Gu Congsi."
Oh, it was him.
Mei Niang smiled very happily: "I've told your grandmother, your eldest uncle, and your maternal uncle. They're definitely happy for you."
"Cong Si is now a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial examination), and he might even pass the Jinshi (a successful candidate in the metropolitan examination) next year."
"As long as you have a good husband, your mother will be happy no matter what."
Su Cheng, who was practicing calligraphy, nodded in agreement. What did a little kid under six years old know?
Mei Niang must have mentioned it often.
Not wanting to spoil the mood during the Lunar New Year, Su Qing vaguely replied, "Let's talk about it next year."
The world is ever-changing.
Who knows what next year will bring?
Su Qing simply lay down on the soft couch, teasing her younger brother while eating the dried fruit her mother brought over.
There was plenty of charcoal fire in the room, which made her so comfortable that she fell asleep immediately.
Mei Niang looked at her daughter with affection and whispered to Su Cheng, "Be quiet, don't disturb your sister's sleep."
"Qingqing is too tired."
The better Nanjiang County develops, the more official business there will be.
Many of the things she had to deal with were headaches to hear about, yet she was required to handle them one by one.
After all, it concerns people's livelihood, so we can't be careless.
Wu Shanyue and Wu Hufang changed into casual clothes and came over to talk, moving very quietly.
She only put down the sachets, pouches and shoes she had made herself. After going to the outer room, she still whispered to Mei Niang, "Thank you, Mei Niang. If you hadn't often talked to my mother, she definitely wouldn't be used to it here."
The mother and her two daughters spent most of their lives with their father, who was stationed in other places, and rarely returned to their hometown.
If it weren't for Magistrate Su's tolerance and Mei Niang's help, she would definitely have been bullied by her two uncles.
The county magistrate gave her a respectable job.
Mei Niang's status in the hearts of the people of Nanjiang County is beyond doubt. Everyone knows that she is extremely kind-hearted and will help anyone in trouble.
During Su Qing's rest period, people came to her door one after another, but Mei Niang turned them all away.
So much so that she didn't wake up until dusk.
How come it's almost evening when I opened my eyes?
And she could already smell the hot food.
I only work half a day, take a long nap in the afternoon, and eat right after I wake up.
This life is more comfortable than that of an immortal.
Su Qing had just gotten up to wash her face and prepare to eat when she heard hurried footsteps outside again.
Su Qing subconsciously turned her head, her eyes sharpening, her previous laziness vanishing.
"Good news!"
"Great news!" Gong Bingfang came to report personally, "Commander Xue has sent word that a great victory has been won at the front!"
Really?!
Su Qing took the battle report.
"The rebels have been driven out of Guanglefu."
"The three counties that had fallen into enemy hands were all recaptured."
"Only Prince Wuyong's fiefdom, namely Gaoqing Prefecture, remains in the hands of the rebels."
This is indeed fantastic news.
Nagao Qingzhou is a desolate place with limited supplies.
Even if they don't attack, just besieging them won't last long.
Two years, at most one or two years.
The war in Shunchang Kingdom will then be over.
Let's not talk about those distant things.
If we only talk about Guangyuefu now, there are no rebels harassing the people anymore.
"Very good."
"That's wonderful."
Su Qing could not hide her excitement.
The other people living in the back courtyard of the yamen, such as the families of the registrar and the clerk, and even the Gu family, all rushed over when they heard about this, their faces full of joy.
"Have they really driven the rebels out of Guang Le Fu?"
"The General personally led the surprise attack battalion and achieved such a result."
"At least the fighting is a bit further away from Nanjiang County now."
The battles used to take place on the other side of the river.
Even if you try not to look, you can still feel it.
We are all people who have experienced war, and no one dares to recall what happened when the rebels entered the city.
In Nanjiang County, almost every family wears mourning clothes; everyone has become accustomed to it.
Habits are habits.
Some wounds remain deep in my heart.
Mei Niang and Zhu Niangzi's eyes had long been red with anger.
After their husbands passed away, if it weren't for Qingqing supporting them, the two families would have been in dire straits long ago.
Especially for Zhu Niangzi, there is a high probability that she and her daughter will be separated.
As they were talking, Magistrate Tian, whom they hadn't seen for a long time, suddenly appeared. He was emaciated and looked very old. He grabbed someone at random and asked, "Really? The rebels have really been driven away?"
Upon receiving an affirmative answer, Magistrate Tian burst into tears, weeping for his deceased wife, son, and daughter.
He cried because he was terrified by the rebels.
I cried because he's been like a useless person for the past two years.
Some people didn't know who County Magistrate Tian was. Only after Yunxi explained in a low voice did they realize that this was the County Magistrate they hadn't seen for a long time.
Of the six people in the family, he was the only one who survived.
He then spent his days drinking.
If it weren't for Magistrate Su and Mei Niang still caring about him and making sure his monthly salary was paid in installments, he might have starved to death long ago.
Only after hearing that the rebels had been driven away did he step into the government office to confirm the news.
County Magistrate Tian cried until he was hoarse.
He was crying on behalf of almost everyone present.
War is never right.
Wars that harm civilians are even more heinous crimes.
Those who survived the ordeal finally found some relief at this moment.
This year is truly a good year.
Good news keeps coming, ensuring everyone has a good New Year.
The couple, Officer Wu and his wife, were also happy. Both of their sons had joined the army, and once the war was completely over, they would be able to return home.
Needless to say, the people of Nanjiang County are even more vulnerable.
This is exciting news for everyone.
The battle report was sent all the way from Nanjiang County to the capital city.
Shunchang Kingdom has finally achieved a great victory!
While Su Qing was analyzing the situation with Gu Congsi, she also focused on logistics.
This great victory was inseparable from the unity and concerted efforts of the entire imperial court.
As long as logistics are good, the general and his troops will surely achieve results.
So Su Qing couldn't help but say, "Why didn't you do this earlier?"
Gu Congsi said, "The emperor's position is unstable, and there are too many people who want to seize power."
This was, of course, a private conversation between the two of them; it shouldn't be discussed in public.
Although Su Qing understood, she only felt it was a pity.
No wonder people say that even the strongest fortress can't keep out traitors from within.
If we cannot unite as one and work together, who knows when we will be able to reclaim the remaining three counties of Guangyue Prefecture?
Regardless, everyone had a very happy Spring Festival.
The fireworks displays on the 30th of the twelfth lunar month, the first day of the Lunar New Year, and the sixth day of the Lunar New Year were all extremely beautiful.
The restaurants, led by Ye Family Restaurant and Ye Family Shop, all competed to outdo each other, making the already bustling Nanjiang County even more vibrant.
The lanterns for the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month are even more dazzling.
All sorts of lanterns were displayed.
The main street of the county town hadn't been this lively in a long time.
Compared to last year's quiet and deserted atmosphere, this year is much better.
The people in the back courtyard of the yamen were bound to come out to see what was going on.
Gu Congsi had been waiting for Su Qing for a while. The two changed into casual clothes and went out to see the lanterns with their families.
Another year has passed.
Time really flies.
When passing by Ye's shop, Gu Congsi deliberately took a detour, and Su Qing was too lazy to squeeze in, as there were too many people there.
But the shopkeeper of the Ye family shop had sharp eyes and called out from afar, "Magistrate Su, wait a moment."
As he spoke, once the people around him had stopped paying attention, he secretly took out a square sandalwood box from the counter.
The box contained a small, palm-sized glass palace lantern.
"When the Ye family's boat came before the New Year, the eldest young master specifically instructed that this lamp be brought along as a gift for you."
The moment the glass palace lantern was brought out, it attracted the attention of Yunxi and the other children.
Even before it was lit, it was already like this; once the inner core was lit, it became even more dazzling.
Su Qing did not answer.
This looks expensive; she can't afford it.
Seeing Su Qing wave her hand, the shopkeeper added, "This is not just a glass palace lantern; there are also riddles on it."
"The answer is what you want to know."
What she wanted to know.
It's also related to Ye Shanming.
Uncle Su?
It's such a good day, why bring up his bad luck?
Su Qing glanced at Aunt Su and her son, who were also out playing.
After that person left, they both looked much better; one did laundry and the other read books, and they both seemed to have gained some weight.
With the help of the kind-hearted Mei Niang, the only worry was whether Uncle Su would come back.
"This was made in the Ye family workshop, and it's not worth much anymore," the shopkeeper said.
Worthless?
Su Qing took the lamp and saw two lines of text on the glass palace lamp.
The preceding line is, "How can a business prosper if you try to make a quick buck by cheating others?"
The following line reads, "No business is too small, but reputation is a treasure."
Su Qing almost burst out laughing. Gu Congsi said, "What nonsense! You've ruined such a good lamp."
Who says otherwise?
No wonder people say glass palace lanterns are worthless.
The lanterns are inscribed with timeless verses, while these common sayings are certainly out of place with palace lanterns.
As for the so-called word puzzle, it doesn't seem like a word puzzle at all.
The first sentence sounds like an apology, saying that Ye Shanming had done something wrong last year and wanted to make more money.
However, this person's apology should not be taken entirely at face value.
The second sentence is: Business is not about size.
Others might focus on the fact that even small businesses cannot break their promises.
Su Qing and Gu Congsi understood.
This is most likely a big deal, namely the matter of Uncle Su. Ye Shanming should have taken care of it.
Which island in Hainan should that person be cutting sugarcane on?
"It's nice, it's warm over there," Su Qing said with a smile.
Su Qing handed the lamp to her younger sister to play with, and smiled again as she looked at the bustling street.
"I'm setting off tomorrow," Gu Congsi said. "Come see me off."
Su Qing hesitated for a moment, then nodded: "Okay, have a safe trip."
Gu Congsi then smiled and made an appointment with Su Qing to meet again the next day.
He will have to give it his all in the imperial examination in April and do even better.
The next day, at daybreak.
Instructor Gu and his wife, along with Mei Niang and Su Qing, saw Gu Congsi off together.
Today is only the sixteenth day of the first lunar month; it shouldn't be this early.
After all, it would take at most half a month to get to the capital by carriage.
However, the emperor valued those who passed the imperial examinations, especially the top scorers from each prefecture.
They were allowed to go to the Imperial College in the capital to study in advance, as these were the top officials in their respective prefectures.
No one would miss such an opportunity.
That's the Imperial Academy, where you can learn real skills and make connections with all sorts of people.
That was exactly what Gu Congsi was planning.
They didn't know many people in the capital, and the only one they could get in touch with was through Qi, the palace official.
By going there in advance, I can learn more about the situation in the capital and inform Su Qing at any time.
Since Gu Congsi had done all that, Su Qing naturally took her leave properly and even gave him a letter from the general.
"The general is the third prince, and he has a residence in the capital."
"If something really happens, the people in the mansion might help out because of the letter."
Gu Congsi accepted the gift, looked at Su Qing carefully, bid farewell to Mei Niang, and finally said to his parents, "Father and Mother, I will be gone for several months. Please take care of yourselves."
"If anything happens to Qingqing, our family will do everything in our power to help."
Su Qing sighed inwardly as she watched them say goodbye.
Sure enough, as soon as Gu Congsi left, the expressions on the faces of Instructor Gu and his wife turned grim.
Especially Madam Gu, who practically called Su Qing a vixen.
Instructor Gu also wanted to speak, but as Su Qing's subordinate, and of a lower rank, he could only shake his head and sigh.
Mei Niang, who was originally teary-eyed, changed her expression instantly when she saw the cold faces of the two men, especially their cold faces towards her daughter.
Facing Mei Niang, the couple smiled and nodded, changing their demeanor.
Mei Niang thought she had misread it.
Is this how they usually treat Qingqing?
Su Qing said, "Mother, let's go back to the yamen."
"I was late for the yamen to open today."
It's a new year again.
Time to go to work.
After a month-long vacation.
Everyone should have regained their energy by now!
Is it time to work overtime?
If Su Qing were to say these words aloud, he would definitely be scolded by his subordinates!
So she didn't say anything, she just kept assigning tasks.
The county-level examinations this year will begin in a little over ten days.
The ceremonial staff and Instructor Gu were even busier.
Another batch of wounded soldiers has arrived at the wounded soldiers' ward, and we need to allocate more supplies.
Wu Hufang is busy with spring plowing.
We must now maintain strict defenses; the medicinal herb fields are already large enough, and we cannot expand them recklessly.
As the war progressed, and across the country, especially in several counties near Nanjiang County, the price of wound medicine was soaring that almost everyone was planting it.
In this situation, blindly expanding the medicinal herb fields will only result in huge losses.
Moreover, if the war goes smoothly.
We won't need as many wound medicines in the future.
Even if Nanjiang County were to cultivate medicinal herbs, it would need to change the types.
"Plant more grains. No matter when, planting more grains is always the right thing to do," Su Qing said. "There will be many refugees coming before and after the New Year. Let's arrange for them to clear the wasteland."
"The government should allocate some silver to them, but not too much, lest they develop a habit of getting something for nothing."
While handling official business, Su Qing listened to the frequent reports of victories from the front lines.
Even the fiefdom of the Martial Prince has seen a breakthrough.
The general is indeed formidable.
As long as those behind him don't hold him back, he can indeed win battles.
I heard he's only twenty-one this year.
He can truly be called a genius.
The 20th day of the first month of the third year of Yongsheng.
The three shifts and six departments of the Nanjiang County government office have been put on the right track.
Xue, the garrison commander from across the river, unexpectedly visits.
"I came suddenly, but since I was about to leave, I had to tell you." Xue Shoubei and Su Qing hadn't actually met many times.
However, they maintained extremely frequent contact.
Especially after taking care of wounded soldiers and transporting supplies, they would communicate every few days.
His interactions with his subordinates became even more frequent.
Therefore, Commander Xue and his men would definitely have to come in person to break camp and head to the front lines.
Su Qing was also mentally prepared.
Xue Shoubei was one of the garrison commanders who trained the general, so he was bound to go to the front lines with him.
Su Qing thought for a moment and asked, "How should we handle the logistics over there?"
One is how to care for the wounded.
Secondly, is it still possible to transport supplies through Nanjiang County?
Su Qing wasn't reluctant to give up these two things.
The former is extremely costly in terms of financial and material resources, and local governments with no resources absolutely cannot support it.
It's actually a burden.
The latter does indeed make a profit, that much is undeniable.
However, relying on only one transportation route is somewhat unsafe.
Xue Shoubei's eyes once again revealed his appreciation: "These are the two things I want to talk about."
“The front line is more than 100 miles away from Nanjiang County, so it is impossible to send the wounded in an emergency. At that time, we may need to receive wounded soldiers who need long-term recuperation here.”
"Commander Zhou will be transferred to a county not far from the front line, where another sanatorium for wounded soldiers will be built."
Su Qing nodded, letting Commander Xue continue.
"The imperial court will issue a new decree soon."
“Nanjiang County is indeed not the only transit point for supplies anymore. Four more routes have been opened to ensure that logistical supplies from various places are delivered to the front lines.” Commander Xue said with great confidence, “Within a year, all the rebel leaders will be captured.”
"At that time, the world will be at peace."
When Commander Xue finished speaking, everyone present was excited.
The world is at peace.
Just thinking about it.
I was very happy.
The recent victories have truly boosted the confidence of everyone in Shunchang Kingdom.
Commander Xue also brought letters from the eunuch Qi and the general.
Both expressed their gratitude.
Qi Neiguan's emotions were more outwardly expressed in his letter, and he stated frankly that the logistics in Nanjiang County were excellent.
Without their help, the war wouldn't have gone so smoothly.
The general's words were reserved, yet he was generous with his praise. However, he didn't send any calligraphy samples this time, which suggests that the war situation is indeed very urgent.
After reading the letter, Su Qing knew that it was time to say goodbye to Commander Xue and Commander Zhou.
She arrived in June of the first year of Yongsheng and began to come into contact with the military at the end of the year.
It is now the end of the first month of the third year of Yongsheng.
The friendship with Commander Xue, and especially Commander Zhou, can be considered a kind of camaraderie in battle.
"I hope the war will end soon."
"Come to Nanjiang County again then, and we'll have a drink together."
Everyone knows Su Qing's alcohol tolerance.
When she says this, she is essentially risking her life to accompany him.
Everyone laughed, and Commander Zhou cupped his hands in greeting: "I will definitely come. Please don't mind if the magistrate doesn't find it inappropriate."
How could that be?
Having already given up drinking, Magistrate Tian, who was finally on duty, scratched his head.
Don't mention alcohol, or he won't be able to resist.
Everyone couldn't help but laugh again.
Even the county magistrate of Lian County regained his spirits.
How could the days to come be anything but wonderful?!
Su Qing smiled, but no one can relax until the very last moment; pride comes before a fall.
However, given the general's personality, he shouldn't become an arrogant soldier, right?
With that in mind, Su Qing, along with Luo Zhubu, Gong Bingfang, and others, helped Zhou Qianhu organize the supplies.
Doctors Bai and Hao from the Department of Medical Training also arrived.
Pack up all kinds of stretchers for Commander Zhou, along with all the unused wound medicines and miscellaneous medical equipment, and send them all over.
The sanatorium for wounded soldiers in Nanjiang County may soon become history.
But it will definitely be needed beforehand.
Of course, medical training does not train medical staff.
Only the thirty most capable men were selected to go to the front lines with Commander Zhou for retraining.
However, if there are experienced people willing to go with him, Commander Zhou would be even more welcoming.
Su Qing did discover it.
At the beginning of each of the three years of Yong Sheng's reign, the first thing she does is send off her "fiancé".
Now that we're sending Zhou Qianhu away, it's truly heartbreaking.
But all good things must come to an end; it was only a matter of time.
The people at the dock in Nanjiang County noticed that the number of wounded soldiers was decreasing, and they felt a sense of loss.
I used to be both afraid and apprehensive.
Now that people aren't coming anymore, it's inevitable that we'll ask a few more questions.
Knowing that the front lines were advancing, he could only say, "That's a good thing; it means the war is about to end."
"The rebels are too difficult to deal with."
"Let the world be at peace soon, wouldn't it be better if everyone just farmed and did business properly?"
Nanjiang County, which was extremely bustling at the end of last year, is still prosperous this year, but there are far fewer of the old guards and wounded soldiers.
Fortunately, the county examination is coming soon.
The students from various villages gathered together, creating an even more lively atmosphere.
It's the county-level examination again!
here we go again!
Without the troublemaking clerk Su this year, everything seems so harmonious.
Fei Kaiyu was naturally one of the test takers.
He prepared diligently for several months, determined to pass the exam this time.
The result was exactly as he had predicted.
The results of this year's county-level examinations came out on February 22nd.
Fei Kaiyu is firmly in first place among the fifteen available spots.
"Not bad, you've actually become the top scholar in the county." Su Qing smiled. "Those few months of seclusion have definitely been useful."
Fei Kaiyu smiled shyly after being praised by Magistrate Su.
The fifteen candidates bowed to the county magistrate, received travel expenses from the government office, and prepared to head to the prefectural city.
The prefectural examination and the prefectural school examination are still waiting for them.
Only after passing all the exams can one become a Xiucai (a scholar who has passed all the examinations).
Everyone knows that His Majesty attaches great importance to the imperial examination system.
They must study hard and do well in the exams.
If only I could be like Gu Anshou.
If I went to the capital, entered the Imperial Academy, and was even praised by the Emperor in person, that would be wonderful.
Another group of people left.
Su Qing muttered to herself, "What's going on this year? We've been giving people away the whole time."
Fortunately, Nanjiang County remains as usual.
Moreover, the number of medicinal fields is also kept within a reasonable range.
This year, with many victories and a reduction in the intensity of warfare, more people in various regions are planting medicinal herbs.
The medicinal herbs are definitely cheap, there's no need to add any more land.
If you still want to trade medicinal herbs in the future, you should start thinking about changing your business now.
Their Nanjiang County is suitable for growing medicinal herbs, and they shouldn't waste this advantage.
Su Qing made a list of several precious medicinal herbs and asked the Medical Training Department to help purchase the seeds.
The more precious the medicinal herb, the more demanding its cultivation conditions.
Three of these types must be planted in valleys to survive.
Su Qing looked at the map of the county.
Shan'ao Village.
This village left a very deep impression on her.
Last year, when medicinal herbs were not selling well.
The villagers from their village came to help voluntarily.
They said they didn't want money or interest, just the medicinal herbs.
It was also from their village that the local people started helping her find solutions.
And this village is a well-known poor village in Nanjiang County.
As you can tell from the name, this village is built among three mountains.
Even though the mountains here aren't high, it's still quite a hassle to get out.
When I heard reports before the Lunar New Year, I realized that their village had bought the fewest amount of New Year's goods among all the villages.
Therefore, these three categories of medicinal materials.
She wants to plant it in the poorest mountain village in the county.
Once we earn enough money, we might be able to build a road leading to the county town.
Su Qing called out a few names: "Go to Shan'ao Village for an inspection in three days."
"Let's go and see what kind of medicinal herbs are suitable to grow there."
What mountain valley village?
From now on, it should be called Medicine Valley Village!
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