The immortal of the Tang Dynasty, but the game starts at Xuanwu Gate?

Two days later, upon receiving the news, Chen Boshan hurriedly returned with a group of young people and a few men in their thirties and forties.

"Where's Huai'an? Damn it, I heard he threatened to shoot my sparrow, come out if you dare!" Big Dog, Chen Hao, Chen Mugen's son and Chen Huai'an's childhood playmate, shouted loudly.

"Alright, Big Dog, Huai'an should be in the village. Let's go in and talk about it," Chen Boshan said helplessly.

He was a man nearing fifty, easy-going, down-to-earth, and hardworking. He was the most respected person in Chenjiazhuang besides Chen Youde.

"Hmph, just you wait and see how I teach him a lesson today!"

Chen Hao strode into the village with an imposing air, and the people behind him followed happily.

"I bet ten coins that in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Big Dog will be fooled into a fool by Huai'an," Chen Boshan's son, Chen Shuo, said with certainty.

The young man next to him strongly disagreed: "Impossible. So many years have passed, do you think the big dog hasn't changed at all?"

"It'll last at most half an incense stick's time, I'll bet on it."

Chen Shuo: "..."

Damn it, based on what you said earlier, I thought you were betting that Big Dog wouldn't be fooled.

As a result, you look down on big dogs even more!

The group walked into the village chatting and laughing. Many of them were around the same age as Chen Huai'an and had been very close friends in the past.

Upon hearing that Huai'an had returned, they immediately came back as quickly as possible.

According to the rules, if they were to leave at any time like this, being fined would be the least of their worries. However, the officials knew their connections, so they didn't make things too difficult for them and even told them they could go back to work anytime.

"Oh dear, I was wrong, big brother, you're my big brother, I was wrong... wrong, wrong, wrong!"

A short while later, everyone suddenly saw Chen Huai'an walking over with one hand on Chen Hao's shoulder.

The latter grimaced in pain and kept begging for mercy.

"Please let me go, please let me go for a moment," the big dog pleaded with a pained expression.

Chen Huai'an gave a half-smile: "Weren't you just being quite arrogant?"

"Whose sparrow were you going to pluck again?"

Chen Hao was on the verge of tears. His shoulder was aching terribly. He felt as if his shoulder wasn't being squeezed by a hand, but rather by a huge iron clamp.

"Beat...my little brat, who else could it be?"

"Huai'an, you know we're best friends, how could I possibly lay a hand on you?"

Chen Huai'an then released him. Chen Hao quickly rubbed his shoulder, puzzled, and said, "What kind of magic pill did you take during the few years you were gone? Your grip has become so strong."

"Huai'an," Chen Boshan called out.

"Uncle Boshan," Chen Huai'an replied with a smile.

In Chenjiazhuang, Chen Boshan was arguably the best person to him. Putting aside the past, he had recently inquired about it and found that since he left, Chen Boshan had been the one to regularly clean and repair the house.

Otherwise, he wouldn't even have a place to stay when he returns.

Looking at the face that was much more mature than he remembered, Chen Boshan said with relief, "It's good that you're back."

He was an honest man who didn't say much; a simple "It's good that you're back" was enough to express his feelings.

"Huai'an!"

The teenagers were quite talkative, and they came over to greet Chen Huai'an, reminisce, and tell jokes.

For a moment, Chen Huai'an felt as if he had returned to his childhood.

Everyone is still here; the only change is that everyone has grown up a lot and matured.

Many of them have already started families and have children who are already several years old.

After everyone had chatted for a while, Chen Boshan asked, "Judging from your expression, are you about to go out?"

Chen Huai'an said, "Yes, I originally planned to go to the county government office in person to discuss some matters with the magistrate, but since you and Uncle Boshan are all back, then forget it."

"How can we just let it go? We can't delay..."

"I'll have someone send the magistrate to find me. Come on, Big Dog, let's have a few drinks together," Chen Huai'an said, putting his arm around Chen Hao's shoulder.

Chen Boshan: "..."

Well, officials of the third rank are really something, they can get the county magistrate to come to their door in person at the drop of a hat.

"Alright, you better not be like you were when you were a kid, drinking too much and falling into the water. Now Sister Xingzi can't carry you anymore," Chen Hao said with a grin.

"It's not certain who can outdrink whom!" Chen Huai'an scoffed, then instructed Wang Bai behind him, "Go to the county government office and have the magistrate bring a map of the surrounding area."

"Yes, sir." Wang Bai immediately agreed and turned to leave.

"Let's go back inside!" Chen Huai'an called to everyone as they walked inside.

Today is destined to be another banquet.

Meanwhile, Wang Bai found Pei Shouzhou and learned that Chen Huai'an wanted to see him. He didn't even bother to eat and quickly followed Wang Bai to Chen Family Village.

Speaking of which, he has visited Chenjiazhuang quite a few times in the past two years.

After all, it was Chen Huai'an's hometown, so Pei Shouzhou dared not neglect them and often came to visit and ask them what they needed.

He has a pretty good relationship with the villagers.

When they arrived at Chenjiazhuang, there were several tables set up in the ancestral hall, and Pei Shouzhou was invited by Chen Mugen to go in and have a few drinks.

Pei Shouzhou dared not refuse and followed him inside.

Upon seeing Chen Huai'an, he hurriedly bowed and said, "This humble official, Pei Shouzhou, greets Your Excellency, Minister."

Chen Huai'an gestured for him to stop being so polite, then asked, "Did you bring what I asked you to bring?"

"I brought it." Pei Shouzhou took out a geomantic map from his pocket and carefully unfolded it on the table.

"Reporting to Your Excellency," Pei Shouzhou immediately replied, "This is the Cai River. Its predecessor was the Honggou Canal during the Warring States period and the Langtang Canal during the Western Han Dynasty. After the Wei and Jin Dynasties, it was commonly known as the Cai River. It surrounds Wanqiu City and is the main source of water for our county."

"Why isn't there a canal for water transport?" Chen Huai'an asked again. "Is the river not big enough?"

"Uh..." Pei Shouzhou said bitterly, "Reporting to the Minister, during the reign of Emperor Yang of Sui, after the Tongji Canal was opened, the main transport of grain by the court changed to the Bian River, and the Cai River was not properly dredged and gradually became silted up."

"Nowadays, there is basically no benefit to navigation."

Chen Huai'an was taken aback, then realized that there seemed to be such a thing, and said seriously, "If the Cai River is dredged and a canal is dug to connect with the Ying River in the south, could Wanqiu County become a transit point for grain transport?"

When the topic came up, Pei Shouzhou didn't know how to bring it up.

Chen Boshan replied from the side, "Huai'an, we're doing that right now, slowly dredging the river."

"The problem is that we don't have enough manpower, so it will probably take many years to achieve what you described."

Chen Huai'an was somewhat surprised and looked at Pei Shouzhou, hoping that the other party could give him an answer.

"Your Excellency, it is like this." Pei Shouzhou dared not conceal the truth and explained, "The imperial court has issued an order to dredge water conservancy projects, and the water conservancy project in Wanqiu County is naturally the Cai River."

"I also intend to do as you suggested, but the funds allocated by the court are not much... I can only proceed slowly."

"..."

PS: I got on at 10:09 and got off at 8:98. I'm out of here. I'll never play gold again. Please don't follow my example and become a speculator.

That's all for now, I need to get my packed lunch.