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

In early October, a cold wind began to blow.

Winter is approaching, and people are busy preparing various supplies to keep warm.

"Judging from this year's situation, there might be a heavy snowfall." Chen Boshan tightened his clothes and frowned.

Winter hasn't even fully arrived yet, and even a man like him feels the cold. When winter truly arrives, it might be even colder than usual.

"So be it if it snows heavily." Chen Huai'an sat in a restaurant in the county town, watching the large number of workers working enthusiastically below. "This year's heavy snow might actually be a good thing."

"Are you talking about war?" Chen Boshan understood. "Indeed, according to the court report, troops will be dispatched to the Eastern Turks this winter. The colder the winter, the greater the losses for the Eastern Turks."

"Speaking of which, Huai'an, are you going back?"

Chen Huai'an nodded silently: "I'll be going back in a few days. It will take more than twenty days to travel. By the time I get back, it will be around November in Chang'an."

"There are many matters to attend to at the end of the year, so I must leave."

He paused, then said seriously, "I will leave you an address and some money at the ancestral hall. If you encounter any difficulties that cannot be resolved locally, come to Chang'an to find me!"

"Oh, don't worry. Don't you know who we Chen Family Village are? We're not troublemakers, and we won't offend anyone."

"It's better to be safe than sorry," Chen Huai'an shook his head. "I can only be at ease if you're all safe and sound."

"Alright." Seeing that he had already said so much, Chen Boshan said no more and turned to look down and said, "Magistrate Pei's actions are indeed swift. In such a short time, he has already reached this level."

"I reckon it should be fixed by March next year."

Chen Huai'an smiled faintly and said, "It concerns his own future, how could he not care?"

"The city walls and streets weren't difficult to build, and Pei Shouzhou was a very shrewd man. He borrowed my name slightly, saying that I had given the order, and the local people cooperated very well, so the process was relatively fast."

"Once all these are repaired, the Fuxi Temple is built, and the Cai River is dredged and connected to the Ying River, Wanqiu County will get better and better."

"Unfortunately, this is all I can do."

Chen Boshan hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

He understood very well that Chen Huai'an had already done a great deal of work.

As the Minister of Revenue and Minister of Works, he should have a broad vision and not be confined to one place.

His excessive favoritism towards his hometown goes beyond his duties and raises suspicions of abusing his power for personal gain.

"You have done so much. The people of this land will never forget everything you have done!" Chen Boshan said firmly, as if he had made a decision.

Chen Huai'an didn't take it seriously and laughed it off: "Whether they remember or not is not important to me. What's important is that the villagers have hope for the future."

"Alright, I'll go to the county government office first. Uncle Boshan, you can go back now."

Chen Huai'an didn't take the matter to heart. He was preparing to leave, and there were some things he needed to prepare.

Chen Boshan opened his mouth, let out a long sigh, and his eyes were extremely complicated.

"..."

Wanqiu County, County Government Office.

Chen Huai'an walked straight in, and just then Pei Shouzhou was busy at the county office. When he saw Chen Huai'an arrive, he quickly got up to greet him.

Chen Huai'an plopped down and got straight to the point: "I'm leaving soon, and before I do, there are a few things I need to tell you."

"Please speak, Your Excellency." Pei Shouzhou became serious, not daring to be negligent.

"The projects undertaken in Wanqiu County must be completed by March of next year, and the quality must be guaranteed." Chen Huai'an sighed slightly. "Remember, it's a must."

"Otherwise, I might not have approved the funding for you to dredge the Cai River and connect it to the Ying River!"

"You can write the memorial in advance and submit it to the emperor some time before the expected completion date. Do not delay."

Pei Shouzhou was startled for a moment, but wisely didn't ask any more questions, only saying that he knew.

He didn't understand why Chen Huai'an said it had to be done quickly, because if it went past March next year, the funding might not be approved.

The fact that Chen Huai'an didn't say what the reason was proves that it was beyond his knowledge.

Just do as Chen Huai'an says.

"To speed things up, I don't care what method you use, whether you borrow my name or find your own way to raise the money, there are only two points." Chen Huai'an narrowed his eyes and held up two fingers.

Pei Shouzhou pricked up his ears, his expression serious.

"First of all, we can't delay paying the people. We should pay them whatever amount is owed. This winter might be quite cold, and the villagers are all waiting for this money to get through the winter," Chen Huai'an said.

"Secondly, no corvée labor should be imposed; the local people must be put first!"

"Please rest assured, Your Excellency." Pei Shouzhou bowed deeply. "This humble official will certainly keep Your Excellency's instructions in mind and will never cross these two red lines under any circumstances."

"Alright." Chen Huai'an nodded slightly. "Judging from your surname, I can roughly tell that you must be from a prominent family. Once the Fuxi Academy is built, you can take out some of the books yourself and write to me to let me know. I will then send over a batch of printed books."

"The Fuxi Mausoleum and the Fuxi Academy will be the county's most prestigious landmarks in the future, and we absolutely cannot afford to mess them up."

"I understand," Pei Shouzhou replied at first, then remembered something, paused for a moment, and said, "I have a question, I wonder if you could tell me, sir?"

"Ask away."

"Did my uncle have any last wishes before he passed away?"

Who is your uncle?

"My uncle is... the former Minister of Revenue, Pei Ju."

Chen Huai'an was speechless for a moment, then asked, "Are you from the Pei family of Hedong, Old Man Pei's nephew?"

"Yes." Pei Shouzhou lowered his head, looking somewhat forlorn. "When my uncle passed away, it had been almost a month by the time I arrived in Chang'an. I offered incense and paid my respects to him, and then hurriedly returned to Wanqiu County."

Chen Huai'an really didn't expect that Pei Shouzhou had such a background.

Given such a powerful background, why did he serve as the magistrate of Wanqiu County for so many years?

Furthermore, Chen Huai'an could see that Pei Shouzhou was capable.

However, he did not ask further about these questions, but replied, "Old Pei passed away peacefully without any last wishes. The only thing he had was his reluctance to leave this world."

"Is that so?" Pei Shouzhou was somewhat lost in thought.

Chen Huai'an patted him on the shoulder: "Do a good job, do what I told you to do, and make Wanqiu County develop."

"As Old Man Pei's nephew, I can't let him down!"

"..."