Ming Dynasty: Domination of the World from the Imperial Examination

Chapter 263: Pink peach blossoms reflect the sun, and willows sway along the embankment!
Zhou Ziliang did not have a deep conversation with Xia Zhibai.

The words are not speculative.

Moreover, Xia Zhibai was very determined to make achievements in salt administration. He would not directly stop him. Instead, he supported and encouraged him in various ways, and even told Xia Zhibai to go directly to the Governor for help if he needed it.

It can be said that it shows great sincerity.

Soon.

The group arrived at Yuhang City.

Yuhang is the "Hangzhou" that means "heaven above and Suzhou and Hangzhou below".

Although it is October, the weather in Yuhang is not cold, but rather very pleasant.

As the seat of Linjiang Prefecture.

The surrounding environment is very famous and prosperous, with pink walls and black tiles, and the West Lake is not far away.

Zhou Ziliang seemed to want to take everyone to appreciate the beautiful scenery of Yuhang, so he walked around the West Lake. It was late autumn and the lotus flowers in the lake had already withered, leaving only bare stems. However, the lake water was clear, and from time to time a few fish jumped out of the water, making it look very peaceful and natural.

A breeze blew by, rippling the lake water and blowing up the fallen leaves.

Under the rippling green waves, the withered yellow lotus branches sway in the water, giving people a sense of desolation.

Zhou Ziliang looked at the picturesque West Lake and said with a smile: "Hangzhou is so prosperous today, thanks to Su Dongpo."

"If Su Dongpo had not managed the waterway and dredged the West Lake, the West Lake would have become increasingly desolate, not to mention dry, but at least overgrown with weeds and covered with mud, without any sense of the shimmering water or the misty mountains."

"Su Dongpo achieved all this with only 100 certificates of ordination."

"It was equivalent to 17,000 strings of cash at the time."

"Su Dongpo was able to accomplish so many things with so little money. I think people underestimate his talent for governance."

Walking along the West Lake, Zhou Ziliang spoke with emotion.

Wang Xuanfan echoed, "Most people know that Su Dongpo was a good poet, but few know that he was also good at governing the area. However, at the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, West Lake had not been governed to such an extent. It was a group of officials in Zhejiang who, despite the dangers and hardships, resolutely wrote to the court and organized manpower to dredge the lake."

"Today, a large amount of silt dredged from the vicinity of West Lake is used as base fertilizer for farmland."

“The swamps now have been transformed into fertile farmland.”

"Supporting thousands of households."

Other officials of Zhejiang Provincial Government nodded.

Talking about the efforts he has made to manage West Lake over the years.

In short, it is to seek credit.

At the same time, he could use this opportunity to demonstrate his talents to Tang He and others. If he could win their favor, he might be selected by the court in the future and make further progress. Even if not, this would be a glory for himself and fully demonstrate to Xia Zhibai and others that they were truly talented and capable.

I have always offered suggestions and advice to the local area and have made real efforts to make it better.

Xia Zhibai looked at the Sugong Causeway not far away and said softly, "The weeping willows brush against the embankment, and the lake water becomes lively. Su Dongpo really did something that benefited the country and the people."

"A great man does not seek many plans, but only the one who makes the decisions. If all the turtles and fish are released, the green will be clean, and the reeds will be blocked in front of the slope. Who can continue the good things of the day? The hundred-foot cliff can still be polished. The stars in the sky should also be happy, bathing in the golden waves when the moon is bright."

"We are all the successors of our predecessors."

Hear the words.

Zhou Ziliang's eyelids twitched.

He closed his eyes slightly and glanced at Xia Zhibai indifferently. He could hear the teasing in Xia Zhibai's words.

Xia Zhibai did not recognize their "political achievements", but only thought that they were "the glory of their predecessors". If it were not for Su Dongpo's dredging of the waterway, how could West Lake have received so much attention? How could it be listed as a "political achievement" and praised for them?

Xia Zhibai approved of their dredging of the West Lake, but did not think it was a great political achievement.

Because they were not pioneers.

Wang Xuanfan smiled and said, "Imperial Envoy Xia is quite quick to speak."

"Pioneers are indeed important, but inheriting and carrying forward the tradition is equally important. If it weren't for our efforts to manage it, West Lake would have long been overgrown with weeds and filled with mud. How could we have such a beautiful scenery today?"

"Besides, Su Dongpo may not be the first one."

"He also followed the deeds of his predecessors, but he is more well-known to the world because of Su Dongpo."

Xia Zhibai nodded, then shook his head.

He said calmly: "That is indeed true, but sometimes, creating something from scratch is the most important thing. If our ancestors had not dredged the river and accumulated and summarized the methods of using silt, how could there be so many fertile fields beside lakes all over the world?"

Wang Xuanfan's eyes were gloomy as he asked, "Are there really so many things that came into being from nothing in this world?"

"I can't see."

Xia Zhibai smiled and pointed to the West Lake with smooth waterways. He said, "Just like the water in this lake, it needs to be dredged from time to time, otherwise it will be blocked and turn the originally good West Lake into a stinking lake. The waterways need to be dredged from time to time, and the houses should also be cleaned from time to time. If they are not cleaned, they will be covered with dust."

"When it comes to dredging waterways, the waterways in different parts of the world are different, so the dredging methods and means are also different."

“You can’t generalize.”

“Flexibility.”

“It’s a very profound subject.”

"Unify knowledge and action, apply knowledge to the world, and benefit the world."

"Flexibility is the best way to benefit the country and the people. If you only learn to follow the instructions, you may become a fool!"

"The same goes for governing the world." Tang He stood aside, listening with a smile.

He could tell that Xia Zhibai was arguing with the people from Zhejiang Provincial Government.

People from the Zhejiang Provincial Government believed that changes should be made on the original basis, but Xia Zhibai directly asked them to learn to "adapt".

Dredging the West Lake is just an excuse.

Zhou Ziliang said: "It seems that Xia Qinshi has his own unique insights on governing the country, which is really precious. We are different. We are really stupid and can only follow the book and imitate the ancients to govern the local area. But maybe we are lucky and govern well."

"only."

"Just like a broken lotus leaf in the water."

"After all, there are still some imperfections, so this time it needs to be handled by Imperial Envoy Xia."

"With Xia Qinshi's unique insights into the way of governing the country, I'm sure he will give us a satisfactory result."

"I am waiting for the spring when the flowers bloom, the peach blossoms reflect the sun, and the willows brush the banks!"

Zhou Ziliang looked at Xia Zhibai with a smile on his face, not revealing any malice. Instead, he was full of goodwill. However, there was a hint of strength and coldness in his eyes, as if he didn't take Xia Zhibai seriously.

Xia Zhibai looked normal.

He stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the calm lake. Suddenly, he bent down to pick up a stone. Then, he twisted his body slightly and threw it out with force. The stone created several waves on the water surface and finally sank to the bottom of the water.

Xia Zhibai said: "I still have the ability to skip stones on water, I think I can create some ripples."

"When paired with the reflected peach blossoms, it might be a different kind of scenery."

"The sky is about to snow, clouds fill the lake, the towers flicker and the mountains appear and disappear."

Hua Lun and others did not pay attention to the secret confrontation between Xia Zhibai and Zhou Ziliang and others at first, but as they listened later, they heard something unusual and immediately realized that there was something behind the words.

However, Hua Lun, Lian Zining and others were a little confused.

Zhou Ziliang and others clearly gave them such a warm reception, and even said they would fully support them, so why would they show a gesture of "defection" at this time?
What's the point?
Hua Lun and Lian Zining looked at each other, with a hint of solemnity in their eyes.

They have vaguely realized that Zhou Ziliang and other Zhejiang officials may not be as kind as they appear.

But there is a deeper meaning.

The verbal confrontation between Xia Zhibai and Zhou Ziliang and others basically stopped at that point. They didn't say more or continue the conversation. It seemed that none of them wanted to damage the relationship. Afterwards, they were all in a good mood and enjoyed the beautiful scenery of West Lake.

Although it is October, the scenery is still as beautiful as ever.

After some fun, a minor official came over and said a few words to Zhou Ziliang. Zhou Ziliang turned around and bowed to Tang He and the others, saying, "My lords, the banquet in the city is ready. Although it is not appropriate for you to come here after such a long journey, it is not a bad time."

"Besides, I have also dealt with the salt administration, so perhaps I can be of help."

Zhou Ziliang did not seek Xia Zhibai's advice, but looked directly at Tang He.

Tang He’s attitude is the most important thing.

Tang He's expression was calm and he thought for a while before saying, "Okay."

"Since it's hard to refuse such a kind invitation, let's go for it."

"Just think of it as understanding the local conditions and customs of Zhejiang. I think the imperial court will not blame you if they know about it."

Zhou Ziliang's face lit up, and he said repeatedly: "Duke Xin is right. We are here to follow orders, so why should we be so formal? It's just that we don't know what you like, so we just follow our usual habits and cook some homely dishes, taking some lotus roots and fish from West Lake. I hope you don't mind."

Tang He said: "Simple is good."

"It's just a simple meal, no need to be so extravagant."

"Thank you, Duke Xin, for your understanding." Zhou Ziliang nodded repeatedly.

Wang Xuanfan glanced at Xia Zhibai with a hint of contempt in his eyes, but soon recovered and said with a smile: "The banquet is not far from West Lake. It will be a good thing to enjoy the beautiful scenery while having a meal."

"Haha."

Xia Zhibai smiled faintly.

He did not take Zhou Ziliang's little trick seriously.

He just wanted to use the banquet to explain some situations, perhaps to mislead, perhaps to guide, or perhaps to persuade secretly, all to express their attitude. He actually didn't care much about their attitude, because he didn't come for them.

Just heard about the delicious food in Hangzhou.

A "famous dish" popped up in his mind.

West Lake Fish With Vinegar Sauce!

I just don’t know if West Lake Vinegar Fish is available nowadays?
Will it taste better than in later generations?
Xia Zhibai was a little distracted, and when he came to his senses, he had already arrived at a restaurant.

The area around the restaurant had already been cleared, and the decoration around it clearly matched Tang He's character. After all, Tang He was a soldier who led troops into battle and had a relatively generous personality. This kind of situation of drinking and eating meat in large bowls would make Tang He more likely to be satisfied.

This is true.

The lively scene before him, especially the crowded tables, was somewhat beyond Tang He's expectations.

The group of people took their seats one after another.

As the main official on this trip south, Xia Zhibai naturally sat at the main table. The officials sitting at the same table with him, besides Tang He, were only Zhou Ziliang and Wang Xuanfan. Jiang Lin did not appear in the restaurant and turned away when he was near the restaurant.

He knows how to keep his distance.

No one seemed surprised that Jiang Li was not present.

(End of this chapter)