The weak scholar in the end of ancient times

Chapter 88 Hit it off

There was a slight disturbance during the journey into the city, which deviated a little from the original plan, but the convoy did not stop and eventually arrived at Sihaifang.

A ward was specially reserved for them in Xinzhou City, where the four families, their subordinates, guards, and attendants could all stay.

The four families in the neighborhood are separated, each with its own house and courtyard.

Feng Zaining and his grandmother moved into the courtyard that belonged to the Feng family.

In the past, given their wealth, they would never have considered such a small place. But the situation is different now; owning a piece of land would indeed provide them with temporary peace of mind.

Grandmother Wei sat down and relaxed for a while, looking at the architecture and decoration style of the North with great emotion.

"Decades have passed since we parted..."

Madam Wei was actually born in the North. She was among the first to move in because she knew the culture and customs of the North better than the rest of the Feng family.

"Having spent most of my life away from the North, I'm no longer used to coming back."

As I get older, my spirits have become somewhat low.

Feng Zaining told his grandmother to rest first, while he went to the study that had been prepared.

A trusted confidant walked over, and when no one else was around, he whispered, "This place is too small."

Feng Zaining also thought it was too small, but the situation is different now.

"At times like these, having a place to stay and a place to live is very difficult."

Several trusted confidants then entered and told Feng Zaining the information they had gathered.

For example, this house expansion.

Expanding the area is not difficult in terms of land, but building materials and craftsmen are scarce. Especially building materials, a quick inquiry in the market will tell you that in Xinzhou City, apart from a few important figures who still have some stockpiled building materials, more than half of the others have been reserved by Wanfuyuan.

Wanfuyuan has many powerful backers, and no one wants to directly offend such a large group of people.
The garden was built with the tacit approval of the Zhao family.

“We inquired about the situation of other people who migrated north this year, and compared to them, our place is the largest!” one person said.

The Zhao family had built a batch of houses in Sihaifang where they lived in advance. Although the living conditions were not comparable to those in the past, they were already quite good in the current world.

The study gradually quieted down.
Feng Zaining remained seated without saying a word.

"Young Master?" someone asked tentatively.

Feng Zaining looked over, his eyes slightly darkening: "Building materials and houses are just minor matters."

At this moment, what he cared about was not a big house or a big yard.

Traveling from south to north, his biggest concern was whether he could lead his people to survive!
And, could we... help the family take another step forward?
"We've all had a long and tiring journey, so let's rest for a couple of days first. And a reminder: please don't say anything inappropriate!"

"Yes!"

Feng Zaining then thought of the Baoqiao Bridge he had seen on the road.

We will indeed send people to investigate, but it's not convenient to send too many people at this time.

Sihaifang was bustling with activity.

People from other neighborhoods were very curious.

However, people were specially arranged at the entrance of Sihaifang to refuse visitors who came to try and probe.

That night, Feng Zaining was preoccupied with many thoughts and his mind was unsettled. He had arrived in an unfamiliar place and thought he wouldn't be able to sleep well, but he was so tired from the journey that he slept soundly until dawn.

When I woke up the next day, I didn't dare to rest for long.

"I'm afraid we'll have many distinguished guests visiting today." He instructed his servants to make extra preparations.

Thinking of the list he had seen before, Feng Zaining already had a plan in mind.

Some items on this list are marked with special attention.

For example, the powerful and wealthy of the past, or the newly rich today, would probably not condescend to come.

I still have to prepare generous gifts myself before visiting them.

Among the city's rising elites, he planned to start with the Shen family.

Just then, the steward came to report that the Shen brothers, Shen Qing and Shen Liu, had come to visit.

"..."

Feng Zaining thought he had misheard.

"Who? Which Shen family?"

The steward was also very excited: "The Shen family of Madam Shen from the Zhao family!"

The Shen family is a newly rich family. Although they were merchants before, their status is now very different. They can openly fight with the Zhao family's collateral branches in Xinzhou City.

When I was gathering information beforehand, I heard that the two brothers in the Shen family were somewhat arrogant and haughty.

It turned out that the two of them had come in person, and they were the first visitors of the day!
While excited, I was also wary.

Although they didn't know the other party's intentions, it was indeed beneficial to their own plans.

Soon, the Shen brothers were welcomed inside.

Feng Zaining wore a sincere and enthusiastic smile.

Then he realized that the smiles on the faces of the two members of the Shen family were more genuine and enthusiastic than his.

Feng Zaining: ? ? ?

The Shen brothers, Qingliu and Jiaqing, were truly excited at this moment.

The four families who moved into Sihaifang learned that they used to be in the maritime trade and were very wealthy!

The four families were led by the Feng family, so they went to the Feng family first.

If the Feng family can fill the remaining gap in funds and supplies, they won't need to look for anyone else.

The day before wasn't suitable, so I started preparing early this morning and rushed over as soon as the gate opened.

the other side.

Jingxingfang, I also keep track of time while revisiting the past.

The two members of the Shen family should have already taken action. Since it concerns their finances and reputation, they will definitely be very proactive. They have been making a lot of moves lately and will certainly not miss out on those wealthy households in Sihaifang.

They make friends on the first day, discuss business on the second, and at most, they'll bring people over in three days.

He Da told Wen Gu, "There are new people here, coming to Jingxingfang to gather information. They seem to be people who often sunbathe, and some of them are quite dark-skinned, but they don't seem to be ordinary villagers."

Wen Gu asked, "How many people are there?"

He Da was uncertain: "About two or three? Maybe there are others we haven't discovered yet."

Reflecting on the past, I realized: What's the point of having two or three?

He said, "Ignore it, handle it normally."

He Da didn't pay much attention to it.

They've never lacked people to gather information here. At first, it was the locals, and later it was the new residents who moved here from the north. Almost everyone sent someone to find out what was going on.

Jingxingfang seemed to be the same as usual.

Another day passed.

Just as Wen Gu had guessed, the Shen brothers visited the Feng family on their first day to express their goodwill and even talked about Wanfuyuan.

Feng Zaining followed the topic and expressed interest.

The two sides hit it off immediately and reached an agreement, discussing profit sharing the very next day.

Feng Zaining's interest in participating in the Wanfuyuan project stems from both interest and a desire to explore new avenues. It also allows him to integrate into Xinzhou more quickly and build a new network of relationships.

It's just a little money; they have plenty of money in their hands now.

Once the profit sharing was agreed upon, the Feng family could directly cover the missing funds and provisions.

However, Shen Qing said, "We still need to go to Jingxingfang to let them know."

When discussing the Wanfuyuan project, Feng Zaining couldn't answer some of his questions and had to consult Wen Gu for clarification. He also took the opportunity to tell Wen Gu the good news that "the gap has been filled."

Feng Zaining had always wanted to get to know the newly rich man who was in charge of building the Baoqiao Bridge. His conversations with the Shen brothers also included probing and guiding.

Although Wen Gu was just a minor neighborhood head, everyone knew that he was no ordinary person. He was not only the cousin of the Zhao family, but also highly regarded by the Zhao family's leader, and could be called a "newly rich."

So, on the third day after Shen and Feng met, they went to Jingxingfang together.

"Don't we need to write a post first?" Feng Zaining asked.

“No need for that. We’re close to Wen Gu, we know him very well, there’s no need for that. Besides, he usually works there, we can just go there,” Shen Qing said.

The three, accompanied by their entourage, arrived at Jingxingfang.

Feng Zaining looked at the plaque that read "Jingqing Public Office".

Shen Liu explained, "My cousin wrote the plaque for me!"

A hint of seriousness appeared in Feng Zaining's eyes.

Shen Qing walked over to the guardhouse and knocked on the window: "Old Luo, open the door!"

Feng Zaining's gaze lingered on the windshield for only a moment before fading away, his focus shifting to the gatekeeper inside. That sharp, scrutinizing look that swept over him in that instant was no ordinary gatekeeper.

Upon entering the courtyard of the government office, Feng Zaining remarked, "This man seems unusual."

Shen Liu gave him a look that said, "You have a good eye," and said, "They were retired from the Patrol Guard."

Before coming here, Feng Zaining had inquired about the nature of the patrol and guard command in Xinzhou.

I felt a little annoyed. The gift I brought today was still too meager!

Shen Qing and Shen Liu knew the way well and found the document room.

But only Cheng Zhi and He Xiaodi were working inside.

"What about reviewing?" Shen Qing asked.

Cheng Zhi bowed before replying, "The ward head has gone to Qingyun Ward across the street. Should we send someone to fetch him?"

Shen Qing thought for a moment and then asked, "How long will it take him to come back?"

"It won't be long." Cheng Zhi thought about what they had discussed that morning, and then looked at the sky. "He should be back within an hour."

“Then we don’t need to go look for him. He must have something to do over there. Let’s wait here for now,” Shen Qing said.

Shen Liu explained to Feng Zaining, "Jingxingfang is open to the public, but Qingyunfang is currently restricted. There are several kilns inside, and some technical secrets are involved, so it is under strict control for the time being."

The office is not a place to linger, and the area for entertaining guests is too boring.

Shen Qing asked, "Is Pei Jing here?"

Cheng Zhi replied, "Yes, Young Master Pei came over this morning."

"Then let's go find Pei Jing; it's warm where he is."

Step out of the document room.

Feng Zaining asked, "Who is Pei Jing?"

Shen Qing said, "Pei Jun's younger brother, you know Pei Jun, right?"

Feng Zaining: "...Chief of the Patrol and Guard Division."

How could I not know! I just highlighted it on the list not long ago!

Seeing Feng Zaining's serious expression, Shen Qing said with a smile, "Hey, don't worry, Pei Jing is Pei Jing, he's different from his brother. He also invested money in Wanfuyuan. I told you about this yesterday."

Feng Zaining thought to himself: But you didn't say he was here!
If I knew, I would definitely make some preparations in advance, at least preparing an extra small gift.

For the first time, he truly realized just how unreliable the legendary Shen brothers really were!
Across the street is Qingyunfang.

Master Qingyi has made a new "ritual implement," which he will use to exchange for some "merit" from believers once the Taoist temple is built.

Upon hearing that Wen Gu had come over, Master Qingyi quickly handed the item in his hand to the young Taoist and waved his hand rapidly.

The young Taoist was also experienced; without asking a single question, he picked him up and ran towards the warehouse.

If Master Wen doesn't like the items that Master has crafted, that's fine. But if he does like them, he's very likely to use the "Give it to me" technique.

But the reasons that Chief Wen gives each time are always irresistible.

The master will regret it afterwards.

After going back and forth a few times, this is the reaction we see now.

Qingyi returned to the house empty-handed, and didn't give Wen Gu a friendly look.

I came to Qingyunfang this morning, first visited a few kilns to check on their progress, and then came here to leisurely drink tea.

When Master Qingyi arrived, Wen Gu asked, "Have you finished making the gift I asked you to refine?"

Master Qingyi: "What gift?"

Let's review what we've learned.

Master Qingyi thought for a moment and remembered: "Oh, you mean the gift we had to give when we were learning the craft? It's being made!"

He paused, then added, "Color matching isn't easy; I failed several times."

Before Wen Gu could press him further, he retorted, as if complaining, "I don't understand. In this day and age, what's the point of spending time learning calligraphy and painting?"

Observe Wen Gu's expression while he speaks.

If anyone else did this, the Taoist priest would definitely think that person was an idiot with nothing better to do.

But when you look at it from the perspective of Wen Gu, you always feel like this scoundrel of a scholar is up to something bad.

Wen Gu calmly replied, "A balance between work and rest is essential for self-cultivation."

Taoist priest: I don't believe you for a second!

"Why learn calligraphy and painting? You should learn tea ceremony. It will be useful when the Wanfuyuan teahouse is built."

Wen Gu didn't continue the topic with him, but said instead, "Besides the learning ceremony, there's also the New Year's ceremony. You should hurry up!"

Master Qingyi was only responsible for one part of the process; the other parts were completed by specialized craftsmen.

The craftsmen were working hard on their research, but Master Qingyi was slacking off from time to time.

While reviewing the time and sipping tea, he offered some words of encouragement.

At this moment, someone from Jingxingfang came to deliver the news.

"The Feng family from Sihaifang has come?" Wen Gu's voice was neither loud nor soft.

Master Qingyi looked up and gazed over.

Wen Gu put down his teacup and said, "Distinguished guests have arrived over there. I'll go over first."

"and many more!"

Master Qingyi called out to him.

The muscles on his face were twitching slightly due to excessive tension.

The Taoist priest called over a young Taoist boy: "Bring me the newly made gourd for warding off evil."

A colorful gourd, engraved with talismans to ward off evil, was handed to Wen Gu.

"Put it at your local government office first; it'll be safer there with someone guarding it."

Master Qingyi is also keeping an eye on the four wealthy families in Sihaifang. They might all become his major clients in the future. As the saying goes, you can't get something for nothing.

Looking at the magic gourd in his hand, Wen Gu knew what Master Qingyi was up to: "They worship the Sea Goddess and Buddha."

Master Qingyi thought to himself: That's why we need to let them be influenced by the Taoist ritual implements!
Wen Gu returned to Jingxingfang with the box containing the treasure gourd.

First, I went to Pei Jing's place and was given some colored glass beads for the puzzle.

Then, he led the Shen brothers and Feng Zaining to the reception room.

In front of them, he casually took the treasure gourd out of the box and placed it aside as a decoration.

Then, when the three people's attention had wandered, Wen Gu brought the topic back and expressed his welcome to Feng Zaining.

Welcome to the Feng family of Sihaifang, officially joining the Wanfuyuan sponsor group!

The group discussed the construction of Wanfuyuan for a while.

Feng Zaining had other matters to attend to at home, so he took his leave.

Wen Gu also gave him an access pass: "Next time you come, you can go directly into the government office."

Having just resolved a troublesome matter, Shen Qing and Shen Liu were looking for some fun and didn't linger.

After they left, Cheng Zhi took out an exquisite box.

This was the gift Feng Zaining presented on his first visit.

The box is not large, but you can tell that the craftsmanship is very exquisite.

It contains nine pearls and coral beads of considerable size.

However, Wen Gu preferred the outer box to the jewelry inside.

After playing with it for a while, Wen Gu prepared a return gift.

Chang Shun was instructed to take Cheng Zhi and deliver the return gift to Sihaifang.

As evening fell, before the gates of the neighborhood closed, Feng Zaining saw the return gift at home.

Boom!
A wooden box sat on the table. It wasn't particularly exquisite, but the materials were decent, and it was rather heavy.

Feng Zaining opened it out of curiosity.

The box has two layers.

The top layer is a bamboo leaf-shaped glass book knife with a warm and smooth texture.

The next layer was full of grain coupons.

It was stamped with a bright red seal that read "Jingqing Public Office".

(End of this chapter)