The second year of Wu Zhenxing, the beginning of the fifth month, Jindi.
Outside the eastern gate of Wei Sheng City, the new official road had been opened up very wide.
The construction of this road, rarely seen in Jindi, had begun in September of last year. It followed the hills and mountains outside the city and extended for ten-some li to the east. Eventually, it stopped at a place called Liangjia River. The original village was widened and a new town was built on the side of the mountain and river.
As if it had a grudge against the words' west 'and' south ', the construction of this town, supervised by the female minister, was named' Dongcheng '.
At the beginning of the fifth month, everything seemed tense and chaotic. Carriages and merchant caravans were transporting large amounts of goods inside and outside the city. Entering the city from the west, the defensive walls had not yet been completed, but there were already watchtowers and patrolling troops. The city was divided by simple roads, and construction was still in full swing at various construction sites. There were small residential areas made up of shacks, a messy market, and peddlers pushing carts and carrying loads to deliver food or water to the various construction sites …
Starting from the second half of last year, news of the Southwest Martial Meet had gradually swept the entire world.
The 'Number One Martial Meet of the World', which could enrich the stories of storytellers, was only a minor detail in this information. The Chinese army's move to 'completely open up' affected almost everyone in Jiangnan and the Central Plains, including the scholars, farmers, merchants, and merchants. A faction that had defeated the Jurchen faction through the study of things was now magnanimously selling the fruits of its labor. Those with keen senses could sense that a massive wave was about to arrive.
For example, starting from the ninth month of last year, news of the southwest selling ironsmithing, cannon-making, glass-making, papermaking, and other crafts had already begun to spread. The southwest would send envoys to teach the various crafts of Jindi, and the rumor that the female minister wanted to build a new city to accommodate all these trades continued to ferment throughout the winter. By the time spring arrived, almost all the great merchants of Jindi were ready to move, gathering in Wei Sheng in an attempt to find an opportunity to get a share of the pie.
In the past, Jindi and the southwest were far apart, and the exquisite artifacts, glass, perfumes, books, and even weapons from the other side had been transported here, their value multiplying by dozens of times. Once such a place was built in Jindi, all the finished goods within a radius of several hundred li, or even a thousand li, would be transported here. No one would not be envious of the profits.
Thus, taking advantage of this wave, Lou Shuwan had already distributed the profits at sky-high prices before work had even begun on the eastern city. Apart from the military industry, the rest of the glass, perfume, weaving, books, canned food, and even luxury goods were generously distributed to everyone. First, the teachers from the Huaxia Army would teach the first batch of masters from Jindi and build the most important demonstration workshop. After that, each family would send people to learn from them and then start their own businesses on a large scale.
At the same time, Lou Shuwan's generosity had caused most of the aristocrats and merchants of Jindi to form a 'union'. Words of praise for the female minister's beauty had steadily increased in Jindi over the past few months, and the number of assassinations and criticisms that had been caused by various reasons had decreased by more than half.
At the same time, Lou Shuwan's generosity also made most of the gentry and merchants in Jin 'benefit'. Words of praise about the beauty of a female physiognomy increased steadily in Jin over the past few months. The assassinations and criticisms that were caused by various reasons in the past also decreased by more than half.
At the same time, some well-informed people had secretly compared the benefits of the various powers in Jindi. At least on the surface, the benefits of Jindi were comparable to those of Liu Guangshi, who was the richest and most imposing. And in this Southwest Convention, some well-informed people had secretly compared the benefits obtained by the various factions. At least on the surface, the benefits obtained by the Land of Jin were comparable to that of the richest faction, Liu Guangshi, and perhaps even surpassed it. In the eyes of the public, if the female minister did not have such a deep relationship with the southwest, how could Jindi have gained so many benefits?
This was how the rumors spread. As for the truth of the matter, it was often so complicated that even the people involved could not explain it clearly. In last year's Southwest Conference, the troops led by An Xifu had truly achieved enormous results. And these enormous results were not like those of Liu Guangshi's diplomatic mission, which had paid an enormous and solid price. In truth, they were acting like hoodlums under the guidance of the courtesan. They had basically used the two times they had helped Liu Chengzong and the Hua Xia army at Liangshan as a bargaining chip that they could use without limit. They opened their mouths wide, asking for this and that.
In the end, Ning Yi did not know whether to laugh or cry as he agreed to most of the demands.
In his serious conversation with the people around him, he revealed two reasons. One was that he was returning a plum for the sake of his friendship with the Liangshan army. The second was that he believed that among the various powers of the world, Jindi was the most energetic force representing the Han people in their resistance. As a result, even if they had not mentioned it, Ning Yi had already planned to give them many things.
Of course, this second reason was extremely personal and had not been widely spread due to the need for secrecy. Under the background that the women of Jindi ignored such rumors with a smile, it was not surprising that this period of history was only passed down as gossip in later generations.
The eastern part of the city, which was built with the efforts of each household, was the military camp, residential area, and demonstration factory area. This was not the territory of each household, but no one complained about the division of labor in the construction first. At the beginning of the fifth month, two experimental blast furnaces had already been built in the most important iron smelting area. In the last few days, the furnaces had been lit and black pillars of smoke rose into the sky. Many blacksmiths who had come to learn had already thrown themselves into work.
To the northeast of the city, near a nearby hill, there was an area where a small stream flowed. This area was connected to the military camp for residences and studies. The first to live here was the three-hundred-strong diplomatic mission from the southwest. This included a hundred-some craftsmen, twenty-some teachers, and a reinforced company of Huaxia army escorts. The leader of the diplomatic mission was called Xue Guangcheng.
Other than the people from the Huaxia army, a large number of craftsmen selected from Jindi and young scholars with nimble minds had already gathered here. Before the workshop started, these craftsmen and scholars had to receive a round of teaching on physics, including mathematics, physics, and chemistry. This was for them to be able to draw inferences after the basic principles were taught to them. At the same time, they were also trying to select some of these craftsmen who could become researchers, so that the cycle of physics could continue to advance.
The Huaxia army had asked for a high price for this kind of basic physics teaching. Even Liu Guangshi did not buy it. However, for Jindi, Ning Yi had practically forced them to buy it.
This also included dividing the shares of various technologies outside of the military. This was to 'benefit' the wealthy of Jindi and attract them to build a large number of supporting plans for the new industrial area. This was something that no one other than the new imperial court of Fujian could buy. When Lou Shuwan saw this, she muttered in disdain, "This fellow wants to teach me how to do things?" However, after that, she felt that there were many coincidences between the two of them. After adapting to the situation, her words became "these places are too simple", "this is child's play", and so on. She shook her head and sighed.
In the afternoon, a crowd gathered in the learning area in the north. More than ten classrooms were filled. The window of the first classroom in the east was covered with curtains. Guards were stationed outside. The female teacher in the classroom had lit candles. She was conducting an experiment on the imaging of small holes during her lecture.
"… The first person to conduct this experiment was actually the late Saint Mo Zi. He had described such a thing in the 'Classic of Mo'. He said, 'When the scenery arrives, there is an end at noon, and the scenery lasts. It is said that at the end. ' What it means is … through these seemingly ordinary physics and optical experiments, we can derive some useful principles. In the end, because of these principles, we created the monocular used on the battlefield. In the future, we might even be able to create a monocular that is thousands of miles away, or even ten thousand miles away … In the southwest, the monocular that can be used to see the moon has actually been created … "
This female teacher's appearance was not beautiful. However, her words were warm and clear, and sounded exceptionally organized. At this moment, sitting at the forefront was impressively the female prime minister, Lou Shuwan, who wore a long green dress and appeared awe-inspiring even though she was sitting there. Accompanied by Shi Jin and An Xifu, she watched the experiment with great interest. She even asked questions like "what's on the moon? Have you seen Chang 'e?"
The female teacher then combined the "round sky and square earth" theory to talk about novel words like the earth was a ball and the moon was also a ball. A group of craftsmen and scholars listened in amazement. Lou Shuwan was somewhat dismayed when she heard that Chang 'e and the rabbit were not on the moon. Later, she asked if the monocular in the southwest was not done well enough and could not see clearly enough. The female teacher could only nod in agreement.
"I think so," Lou Shuwan said with a smile.
After listening to the lesson, Lou Shuwan, Shi Jin, An Xifu, and the others left the classroom. Some of the young officials who had participated in the lesson also followed them out. Lou Shuwan and An Xifu talked about Ning Yi.
"… I remember many years ago in Hangzhou, before the Holy Duke's army attacked, Ning Yi and his wife, Tan'Er, came over to play. A young lady from an official's family in the city was locked up at home all day, depressed, and everyone was helpless. Su Tan'Er went to visit, and Ning Yi gave her an idea to send a box of silkworms over. Not long after, the young lady picked mulberry leaves every day to feed the silkworms, and her spirits actually rose … "
She smiled coldly. "A person covered in silk is not a silkworm breeder. Later on, Ning Yi manipulated people's hearts and made many achievements. Outsiders called him the Devil of the Heart, saying that he could see through people's hearts. But now, it seems that the truth of all things in the world is what he wants, not just people's hearts. "
She smiled relatively kindly in the classroom. At this time, when she left the classroom, her footsteps were fast, and her words were also fast. She didn't show any anger. The surrounding young officials listened to the story of the past from the mouth of such an important person, and for a moment, no one dared to continue. Everyone walked into a small building not far away, and entered a room for receiving guests and discussing matters. Lou Shuwan then waved her hand and let everyone sit down.
"This Teacher Hu Meilan has a clear mind, and her reaction is also fast. What does she usually like?" Do you know where it is? "Lou Shuwan asked An Xifu.
An Xifu nodded and told her about this teacher's usual hobbies, including what kind of food she liked to eat, how she usually liked to draw, and how she occasionally drew. Lou Shuwan looked at the officials in the room. "Can any of you guess her origin and what kind of background she has?"
"She must be from a learned family …"
"Her father's generation must have a great scholar …"
The officials expressed their thoughts one after another, and Lou Shuwan raised her eyebrows at An Xifu. An Xifu looked at everyone. "This woman was born of a peasant family, but she has a good temperament and is patient since she was young. After the Hua Xia Army arrived in the southwest, they took her in as a teacher in the school. Her only task was to teach students. She didn't read much, and her drawing wasn't good, but she did a good job in teaching."
The room was silent for a moment, and everyone looked at each other. Lou Shuwan smiled and tapped her fingers on the small table beside her a few times, but then her smile disappeared.
"In the past, we always thought that this kind of quick-witted person must be from a learned family, just like reading the Four Books and Five Classics. First, they must memorize it, and when they reach middle age, they will see more and think more. Only then will they learn how to apply each principle, and then they will be able to teach students so flexibly. But in the southwest, that Ning Rentu's way of doing things is completely different. He doesn't force people to read the Four Books and Five Classics, and he imparts knowledge based on practicality. This Teacher Hu Meilan was taught to teach, and in a few years, she can teach dozens of teachers, and dozens of teachers can become hundreds of teachers in a few years … "
"You are the second batch of officials to come here. You are still young, and your brains are good. Although some of you have read the books of sages for more than ten years, and some of you are ignorant, you can still change. "I'm not saying that the old methods are bad, but there are new methods here. It's up to you to figure them out and learn them. Thus, put aside the knowledge of the sages in your hearts. While you're here, be humble and learn the methods of the Southwest. This is a mission for you. Whoever learns well will be put in an important position in the future. "
Lou Shuwan looked around at everyone. "Other than this, there is another matter … You are all the best young people in our family. You are well-read, have your own ideas, and some of you know how to have fun and make friends. You are all officials, so you represent the face of Jin Land … The masters and teachers who came from the southwest this time are our honored guests. Since you are here, you must make friends with them. Sometimes, the people here are careless and can't do what they want, so you must pay more attention to them. If they want something, think of a way to satisfy them. You must let them eat well, live well, live well, and feel at home … "
"The ultimate goal of this matter is to let them stay in Jin Land. But you must be generous, you can be attentive, but don't be dirty, and don't place too much emphasis on the goal. Making friends with the Hua Xia Army will be beneficial to you in the future. They will stay here for a year or two, and they are also outstanding people. The more you learn, the wider your future path will be. So don't mess it up … "
"… Of course, for those who can stay in Jin Land, we will not be stingy with rewards. They will be given official positions, fame, and fortune. I will guarantee that they will not have to worry about food and clothing for the rest of their lives. Even for those who have family in the southwest, I will personally negotiate with Ning Rentu and bring their family over safely so that they don't have to worry about these things. As for those who accomplish this, you will also be rewarded handsomely. Master An will explain these matters clearly to you in the future … "
Regarding the matter of roping in the envoy group, there were actually rumors going around before they came. The young officials looked at each other and nodded one after another. Lou Shuwan reminded them a few more times before waving her hand to let them leave. After these officials left the room, An Xifu then said, "Xue Guangcheng has been keeping a tight watch on these Hua Xia soldiers recently. I'm afraid there won't be any results in a short time."
Lou Shuwan smiled and nodded. "There's still a long time, let's take it slowly. Xue Guangcheng is not a simple person. Back then, he directly kidnapped Liu Yu in Bianliang. After sending Liu Yu away, he returned to Bianliang alone and used that Little Prince Wanyan Qingjue as a bargaining chip to exchange for the lives of all the people in Bianliang. In the end, he still survived. This kind of person is not as easy to deal with as Zhan Wu. Now that he is in cahoots with Zhan Wu, he is even more arrogant. You stay here and keep an eye on them. The most important thing to avoid is that they act recklessly and make people hate them instead. "
"Then why do we have to clarify these matters with them now?"
"This matter must be magnanimous. The news can be spread out first. It's fine," Lou Shuwan said. "We want them to stay and promise them high positions and generous salaries. We also have to tell them that even if they stay, they won't become enemies with the Hua Xia Army. I will negotiate with Ning Yi openly. This way, they will have less to worry about. "
"Ning Yi's side … will agree?"
"Since he can send people over, he must be mentally prepared. He is a businessman and likes to do business. As long as these people agree on their own, I'm sure we can negotiate with the southwest side. As for this side, we can use our brains. We can also use honey traps. They have been here for a few years and have no one to take care of them. Which family's women are cultured and reasonable? We can meet them. If both parties are willing, it won't be a disgrace to anyone … Also, there's that Teacher Hu. She has family in the southwest, but she has to stay here alone for such a long time. She might be lonely … "
As Lou Shuwan spoke, An Xifu was still nodding initially. However, when she mentioned Hu Meilan, he frowned slightly. At this point, Lou Shuwan stopped. After a while, she shook her head and laughed. "Forget it. It's immoral and petty to do such a thing. We can use it on those who don't have a family, but forget about it on those who do. Let nature take its course. We can arrange for a few educated and reasonable girls to befriend her."
A gentle breeze blew the curtains in the room. The afternoon sun seeped in through the window. As Lou Shuwan spoke about these things, a complicated look flashed across her eyes. She thought of herself many years ago in Hangzhou. Now, all she could say was that she was too petty. Her hair moved slightly, and there was a slight sigh at the corner of her lips …
The next moment, the complicated look in her eyes dissipated, and her gaze became clear again. "That's right. Liu Guangshi is eager to make trouble in the Central Plains. He might send troops north soon. In the end, he should want to take over Bianliang and all the territories south of the Yellow River. This matter is already clear."
"Last year in Chengdu, many people could already see it." An Xifu said, "We first received the diplomatic mission. He received the first batch of military equipment made in the southwest. Now that he has a strong army, it's not surprising that he's ready to make a move."
Lou Shuwan smiled. "He wants to go north. Yin Zong, Zou Xu, and the others are starting to get anxious. After all, Zou Xu betrayed the Huaxia army. He didn't get any benefits in the southwest deal this time. Ning Yi is also ruthless. He privately expressed to Liu Guangshi that if he can defeat Zou Xu and hand him over to the Huaxia army, he can return ten to twenty percent of the money he paid in the past. This isn't a small deal. Liu Guangshi is rubbing his palms together. "
An Xifu heard this and frowned slightly. "There's a reaction from Zou Xu?"
"You're smart." Lou Shuwan said, "He wants to cooperate with me to buy some things back for emergencies. He's willing to personally come to Jindi to discuss the details with me."
An Xifu looked at her. Lou Shuwan said, "I agree."
"Zou Xu is a big shot. Isn't he afraid that we'll sell him back to the southwest?"
"Why should we sell him? I'm not that close to Ning Yi. He killed my father. " Lou Shuwan laughed. "Also, if Ning Yi sells things to Liu Guangshi, I can also sell things to Zou Xu. They're fighting in the Central Plains, and we'll sell things to both sides. The longer they fight, the better. We can't just let the southwest take advantage of us. We can do this business, but I want you to participate in the specific negotiations. "
An Xifu nodded, then looked at the school outside the house. "But we're still building here. If the Huaxia army protests …"
Lou Shuwan smiled.
"Then let Ning Yi write a letter from the southwest to scold me. Who's afraid? "
*****
The afternoon sun gradually slanted, and the sunlight coming in through the window became more and more golden. Lou Shuwan arranged the following matters one by one. An Xifu also left. Only then did she call Shi Jin in from outside and let him sit down at the side. Then, she made a cup of tea for the vigilante who had followed her for many years and protected her safety for many years.
"Mr. Shi, you seem to have something on your mind recently. Did something happen?"
Shi Jin had been by her side all these years and had saved her life countless times. Thus, Lou Shuwan had always respected this swordsman. Shi Jin frowned slightly. Then, he looked at her and smiled.
"There's some news from the pugilistic world. I've been paying attention these few days."
"Can you tell me about it?"
"I've been looking for Brother Lin's child for the past few years. Minister Lou knows that when the State of Vaud was attacked by the war, it was hard to find the child. Coupled with the situation in Jindi these years, many people can no longer be found. But recently, I heard that the great monk Lin Zongwu has been traveling in the pugilistic world recently. He's accompanied by a little monk called Ping 'an. He's eleven or twelve years old, but he's highly skilled in martial arts. Coincidentally, my Brother Lin's child was originally named Mu Anping. His age is also coincidentally similar … "
Lou Shuwan nodded. "Mr. Shi, do you think they might be the same person?"
"When I was inquiring about the State of Vaud, I heard that during the time when Brother Lin was in trouble, the great monk had a duel with a madman. That madman was a disciple of Grandmaster Zhou. The great monk almost lost that fight … If it's really Brother Lin who lost his family at that time, then maybe Lin Zongwu found his child later on. I don't know what he was thinking. Maybe he felt ashamed and kidnapped the child to take revenge. Unfortunately, Brother Lin died later, so he took the child as his disciple. "
"That's possible," Lou Shuwan said softly. Lou Shuwan said softly. She looked at Shi Jin for a moment. "Mr. Shi has protected me all these years. Lou Shuwan can't repay you in this life. Now that it's related to Master Lin's child, I can't force you to stay. If you want to find the child, I can only let him go. You don't have to hesitate on this matter. Now that the situation in Jin has calmed down, there are fewer people who want to assassinate you. I only hope that you can come back after you find the child. I'll definitely give the child the best things here. "
The evening sun shone in through the window and passed through the room. Lou Shuwan smiled as she talked about this matter openly. Shi Jin looked at her and then smiled openly. He shook his head. "The matter here is more important. I've already asked someone to find the child. It's just that I've been thinking about this for the past few days. It's inevitable that my heart is moved. I'll stay here. I won't leave. "
Lou Shuwan stood there and tilted her head to look at him. After a while, she finally let out a long sigh of relief. She bent her knees and patted her chest. She smiled so hard that her eyes squinted. She said, "I was scared to death. I thought I was going to die just now … Mr. Shi said that you won't leave. That's great."
She rarely showed such a playful and vaguely youthful expression in front of others. After a while, they left the room. She regained the dignified and awe-inspiring demeanor of the Jin female minister.
This was a busy day. She still had many people to meet, including the troublesome head of the Hua Xia military, Xue Guangcheng. But now, even if Lou Shuwan confronted Mr. Ning from the southwest, she would not be at a disadvantage.
Of course, they hadn't seen each other for a long time …
What would happen the moment they met again?
She would sometimes think about this matter.
Maybe … she was getting old …
But she was still looking forward to it …
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