White-robed Minister

Chapter 206 0204 [News Reaches Back to Guangdong]

The current prefect of Shaozhou is Xue Liyong.

His elder brother, Xue Lihe, successfully prevented Wang Anshi from implementing a tea monopoly in Guangdong this year. Perhaps his argument was quite reasonable, because he didn't offend Wang Anshi and their relationship is actually quite good.

He also has a nephew named Xue Yi, who is currently at home observing mourning for his father. A few years later, he will pass the martial arts examination and become the top martial arts scholar.

"This official promotion—tsk tsk." Xue Liyong looked at the official gazette and couldn't help but sigh.

The son, Xue Qi, said, "Sir, I heard that many officials came to our house today with gifts to offer their congratulations. Our house refused to receive any guests, except for Judge Liu, who was allowed to enter. However, his gifts were too valuable, and our house did not accept them."

Xue Liyong praised, "The Yu family has very strict family discipline, which is truly admirable."

"Let's go and offer our congratulations too," Xue Qi suggested.

Xue Liyong thought for a moment and said, "I'll go tomorrow."

The next day, the father and son, carrying ordinary small gifts, went to the Yu family's old house in the suburbs.

Madam Lin and Yu Shuying warmly welcomed them.

Xue Liyong said to Madam Lin, "Lord Yu Xiang has a discerning eye; he has truly chosen a worthy son-in-law. At such a young age, he single-handedly went to the border to expand the territory by thousands of miles, making unparalleled contributions to the court. Since the founding of the Song Dynasty, there has never been such a hero."

Madam Lin beamed, "My foolish son-in-law, unaware of the dangers of the battlefield, went there recklessly. It was only thanks to the bravery of his veteran generals that the country was able to recover lost territory."

Xue Liyong said, "Our dynasty has countless fierce generals. If it weren't for Commander Wen's skillful strategies, how could they have successfully expanded our territory?"

Madam Lin was secretly overjoyed, but she remained increasingly modest.

Xue Liyong then showered the Yu family with compliments, clearly intending to curry favor with them. The father and son had lunch at the Yu family's house, and both enjoyed themselves before taking their leave.

After seeing off the prefect and his son, Madam Lin said to her son, "If the Emperor summons you to serve again, you should accept the offer."

Yu Shuying said, "I am really worried about leaving my mother alone at home."

Madam Lin smiled and said, "I have Tiger Head to keep me company."

Hu Tou is Xu Lai's nephew, sometimes also called Hu Zi. He previously studied under Yu Shanyuan and is now living in the Yu family's home to continue his studies.

Yu Shuying said, "Hu Tou is not even ten years old yet, how can he take care of people?"

Yu Shuying always held an official position, and even a Beijing official, though he was never given a real post.

Xu Lai's great achievement pleased the emperor greatly.

Because of this favor, Yu Shuying's second elder brother was promoted to prefect, and Yu Shuying was also summoned by the emperor. However, Yu Shuying declined the emperor's summons, citing the need to care for his elderly mother.

Yu Shuying stayed at home studying mathematics and physics, which he found much more interesting than being an official.

"Grandma, Uncle, I've finished reciting 'Gongsun Chou'!" Hu Tou ran over quickly.

This kid is almost eight years old. He has a good memory and can memorize things very quickly.

Madam Lin smiled and reached out to affectionately pat his head: "Good boy, you'll be able to become a top scholar just like your third uncle in the future."

The old lady's eldest son died young, her second son's family were officials working elsewhere, and her third son's children were all still very young. Of the children in the family, only Hu Tou could run around freely, and the old lady doted on him as if he were her own grandson.

Tiger Head asked, "I heard from the servants that my third uncle has performed a great service this time and has been promoted to a very high-ranking official. Can I also become such a high-ranking official?"

Madam Lin smiled and said, "As long as you study hard, that's fine."

"I can memorize things very quickly," Tiger Head said earnestly.

"Hahaha!"

Madam Lin and Yu Shuying both laughed.

Guangzhou.

Guangzhou is bustling with activity these days.

Lu Jujian began constructing the eastern city last year, but was transferred shortly after construction began. Prefect Zhang Tian then continued construction, but died of heatstroke while inspecting the site.

The current prefect is named Wang Jing, and he is still continuing the construction of the eastern city of Guangzhou.

The main problem is the complex soil structure, which requires overcoming various difficulties; it's not something that can be done casually to build a city wall.

Wang Jing was the grandson of the late prime minister Wang Dan and the nephew of the famous minister Wang Su. He lost his father at a young age and grew up by Wang Su's side.

Wang Jing was extremely dissatisfied with Wang Anshi because the Yellow River had breached its banks this year, flooding his hometown!

Upon returning from inspecting the construction site, his son Wang Gu said, "Sir, a government report has been delivered today."

Wang Jing read through the official gazette, his brow furrowed, and said, "This Wang Anshi is utterly absurd. How can he promote someone like this? Isn't he putting Xu Xingzhi in a very difficult position?"

Wang Gu said, "Xu Xingzhi is a renowned scholar in Lingnan, especially in Guangzhou. The residents inside and outside Guangzhou all drink the water he brought when he was a student. He has made such a great contribution this time, so we must send someone to his home to congratulate and express our condolences."

Wang Jing thought for a moment and said, "Wait a few more days. With such an honor from the court, there will surely be a formal document sent. Go to Qingyuan County for me."

Just two days later, a commendation document was indeed delivered, and the emperor ordered that an imperial edict stele pavilion be erected in Xu Lai's hometown.

Wang Gu led a group of people, setting off with gongs and drums.

The people along the way were buzzing with gossip: "Where is the young master of the Wang family going with all this fanfare?"

"You don't know yet? Scholar Xu has performed a great service!"

"What great achievement?"

"They expanded their territory and I heard they beat the Tibetan chieftain so badly he fled like a dog."

"He can even fight wars?"

"The top scholar is the reincarnation of the God of Literature. When he was in heaven, he probably learned military tactics from the God of War."

"Haha, you don't know. That former head of the Xue family used to be so old and faded that no one patronized her anymore. But now that the news of Scholar Xu's meritorious service has spread, many people have flocked to her courtyard for a banquet."

"What business does Guan Xue have with the head of the guild?"

"Peach blossoms and plum blossoms in the spring breeze, a cup of wine; rivers and lakes in the night rain, ten years of lamplight." This is the poem that Scholar Xu wrote to Master Xue back then!

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The Ding family.

Ding Rulin was also hosting a dinner.

Local officials and merchants congratulated him, because his son had traveled a long way to come to Xu, and was likely to become an official in the future.

If we get on the good side of the Ding family, we might be able to ask Ding Erlang for help and put in a good word for us with Master Xu in the future.

As for Ding Xiaomei's matter, Ding Rulin kept it a secret, fearing that Xu Lai would refuse to give his daughter to him.

Liang Wensu was filled with emotion.

He spent money and pulled strings to get close to Wang Gu, and became quite friendly with the young master of the Wang family. Prefect Wang Jing has already recommended him to study at the Imperial Academy. He will be heading north next spring.

Liang Wensu was in high spirits because of this. As long as he entered the Imperial Academy and became familiar with the examination questions set by the examiners, he would be able to easily pass the imperial examination and become a Jinshi.

As a result, news of Xu Lai's meritorious service and promotion arrived.

This left Liang Wensu with mixed feelings; he was happy for his old friend, but also couldn't help feeling a little jealous. Back then, he and Xu Lai had entered the prefectural school together, and Xu Lai had already become a military commissioner, while he hadn't even passed the imperial examination.

Qingyuan County.

Wang Gu led his men off the boat at the south dock of the city. As soon as he entered the city, the county magistrate and the registrar rushed over to greet him.

Wang Gu said to the county officials, "Xu Jinglue has made great contributions to expanding the territory. His Majesty has commended and rewarded his deeds and wants to build a stele pavilion with an imperial edict in his village."

You shall immediately recruit craftsmen to handle this matter.

The county magistrate and the registrar quickly arranged for the clerk to handle the matter, and also called Uncle Zhang to accompany them.

Uncle Zhang is now the head archer in Qingyuan County. His widow has given birth to a son and a daughter for him, and they are living a comfortable life.

After staying in Qingyuan County for two days, Wang Gu, accompanied by the county magistrate, the registrar, and Zhang Ershu and other officials, led the craftsmen to Qingxi Village.

Chen Yanhong's grandfather also went along, along with many local elders and scholars who rushed to the scene upon hearing the news.

"Qingxi Village is just ahead, and there's a memorial archway for the top scholar standing at the entrance," Uncle Zhang introduced.

Wang Gu walked to the front of the archway, paused to look at it for a while, then led the group to continue forward. He then pointed to a spot and said, "It would be very suitable to build a pavilion here, so that people entering and leaving the village can rest in the pavilion."

The magistrate immediately told the craftsmen, "The pavilion should be built here!"

Just then, Xu Yongnian arrived with the villagers to greet them.

Xu Yongnian is now the village elder, mainly responsible for the security of Qingxi Village, and also in charge of recruiting able-bodied men from the village for battle. Qingxi Village also has its own household head, who is responsible for collecting corvée labor and taxes from the village.

After exchanging pleasantries with Xu Yongnian, Wang Gu pointed to the mulberry groves on the hillsides on both sides of the valley and said, "This place is serene and beautiful; it truly deserves to be the hometown of the top scholar."

Xu Yongnian didn't know what "hometown" meant; he only understood the word "mulberry": "There weren't so many mulberry trees before, and what little there were were just planted haphazardly. Later, my son asked his classmate to invite an expert in sericulture to teach us mountain people how to plant mulberry trees. Life is much better now than before."

Wang Gu nodded and said, "The benefits of sericulture are indeed greater than those of grain fields. I have been to Zhejiang and Jiangsu before, and many mountain villages there also plant mulberry trees."

Xu Yongnian was still wearing coarse cloth clothes.

However, Xu Lai's second brother, Xu An, upon hearing that the prefect's son was coming, specially wore a silk robe to greet him. These silk fabrics were all woven by their own family.

When Wang Gu arrived at Xu Lai's courtyard, he saw that although the house had a tiled roof, the walls were still made of mud. He couldn't help but sigh, "The family of a top scholar is so poor!"

Xu An said, "My family isn't poor; I can afford to wear silk clothes."

"Hahaha!"

Everyone burst into laughter upon hearing this.

Wang Gu was both amused and exasperated, mistaking the top scholar's brother for a simpleton.

Hearing the laughter of the crowd, Xu An quickly added, "Don't you believe me? My family now has four mu of mulberry orchards, all converted from those mountain lands. The harvest from one mu of mulberry orchard is equivalent to several mu of grain-growing mountain land. The expert who taught us sericulture even said that as long as we diligently cultivate the land every year, in twenty or thirty years, one mu of mulberry orchard will be equivalent to ten mu of paddy fields."

Xu Yongnian testified, "My son is telling the truth."

The father and son's antics drew another round of laughter from the crowd.

Sister-in-law Tian Chunlan muttered under her breath, "Those father and son are showing off again. Don't they know who they are? The son of the prefect, do they think they'd even look at our few acres of mulberry orchard?"

Bu Erniang laughed and said, "It's just for fun, it's nothing."

When Xu Lai got married, Tian Chunlan was already pregnant and gave birth to a son who is now running around everywhere.

Tian Chunlan has also become more fond of dressing up, and even bought a bronze mirror—bronze mirrors are a bit pricey, and she couldn't bear to spend the money.

Wang Gu sat at Xu Lai's house for a while, and then went to visit the stream stone where the top scholar practiced calligraphy in his childhood.

This is a popular tourist attraction in the county, second only to Feilai Temple, which was first built by Emperor Wu of Liang. The rock face is inscribed with poems, some by the county magistrate and registrar, others by local scholars and visiting officials.

Wang Gu suddenly became interested and immediately wrote two poems, which he asked the county magistrate to carve on the cliff.