Lord of the House

Chapter Four

Zhou Pu and Chen Enze rode a fast horse to go first. Lin Fu didn't go ashore in the afternoon, so he sat idle in the cabin and read a book.

If you are not in this era, you will not know how rare books or literacy are for ordinary people.

There is also a paper-making workshop below the Lin family. There are seventy sheets of paper, and the price of a single piece of paper is three hundred dollars. Zhao Hu, who is strong and strong, works as a porter for half a month at the Shanglindu Wharf. The booklet is even more difficult for small families to give up. When Lin Fu and the others left Shiliang County, apart from the two hundred taels of silver and four horses they carried with them, the book from this wooden crate was probably the most valuable.

Tianzhuhei official ship sailed into the mouth of Chaotian Lake.

Lin Bie rode on the horse and saw from a distance that the outline of Jiangning City's blue-black city in the twilight merged with the intermittent blue-black ridges, which seemed to lie at the end of Chaotian Lake, water and sky, as if the sky/human world of the Dayue Dynasty. There are also some large or small sandbars scattered in the Chaojiang Lake. The large reeds on the nearby lake beach do not know when the wildfire ignited, and it was burned to black. It may also be to prevent the river bandits from hiding and arson, and wild ducks can also be seen. Waterfowl to burn charred carcasses.

Two hundred miles from Shiliang County, the waterway is full of lonely countryside with sparse forests and fields scattered with a few cottages. Jiangning, the famous southern capital of the Dayue Dynasty, stretches across the river and the sky, between the horizons, and there is no reason for the heart to gushing out a pride.

Lin Fu felt that he was getting used to this world more and more. No matter how huge and magnificent the city was in this era, even the Jiangning city with a population of 150,000 households was far from being comparable to the reinforced concrete forest in a thousand years. Once you get used to this world, you will feel that it is a miracle that a city with a population of 600,000 or 700,000 can emerge in this era.

In fact, the population of Jiangning once exceeded 200,000 households in the time of Emperor Gaozu, Taizong moved the capital to Yanjing, and the wealthy and wealthy households in Jiangning were ordered to move to Yanjing as many as 60,000 households, and then moved 30,000 households to fill Yunnan. Forced migration led to a sharp decline in Jiangning City, and the population once dropped below 100,000 households. Then Jiangning stayed in Beijing as a dynasty, gathering the essence of the rich and prosperous in the east of the Yangtze River. In the past century, the population has gradually recovered to about 150,000 households. The population living in the city alone is as many as 60,000 households.

Lin Bie was sitting on a horse, and it was hard to imagine how much effort and energy it would take to maintain a city with a population of 150,000 in this era when transportation mainly relied on human, animal, and waterways.

Zhao Hu also came to Jiangning for the first time. He followed Lin Bie on horseback, looked at Chaotian Lake in front of him, and said with emotion: "I thought Hongzepu was the largest lake in the world, but Chaotian Lake has not been heard much, and its water surface is higher than that of Hongzepu. Much bigger."

In front of it is Chaotian Station. Chaotian Lake is actually a vast waterway directly connected to the Yangtze River. Due to the narrow water surface, it is nearly 30 miles away from the water gate in the north of Jiangning City. When officials entered the capital, they had to pass through Gutiandang, so it was renamed Chaotian Lake, which has been in use to this day.

Hongzepu is also known as Hongze Lake after a thousand years. The entire Hongzepu area is much larger than the Chaotian Lake in front of you, but Hongzepu is composed of a series of small lakes, especially in autumn, winter and spring, when you look at the water surface of those small lakes, it is true Not as wide as the Chaotian Lake in front of him, Lin Fu smiled and Zhao Hu explained the difference.

Although Zhao Hu was asked to follow Zhou Pu to learn boxing and kung fu, Lin Fu didn't want Zhao Hu to become a simple martial artist, and he always explained to him in detail what he knew when he had the opportunity to give him more insight.

"Actually, the water surface at this time is still small. During the summer and autumn flood season, the lake that swung toward the sky was as wide as a hundred miles..." Lin Fu said, "The earth embankment we passed by in the afternoon was the distant embankment that swayed toward the sky."

Zhao Hu looked at the fields around him and said, "In summer and autumn, when the sky spreads to the sky for hundreds of miles, wouldn't this place become a water marsh? Why should the river embankment be built so far away instead of being built here?"

"The floods are fierce in summer and autumn. The narrower the river embankments on both sides, the more ferocious the floods bound in the river embankments will be. If the river embankment on the north bank collapses, it can be tolerated. If the south bank collapses, it will be a catastrophe— -Even if you want to build an embankment here, you can only build a sand embankment. This is a beach field, a wild field planted in wasteland. Those farmers planting grain here is a gambling time. There is only one season before the flood season. After the harvest, the days will be much more prosperous..." Lin Fu said, thinking that a strong river embankment can be built with reinforced concrete in a thousand years. In this era, the river embankment is mostly made of earth, and although the stone embankment is quite strong, the price is extremely high. , In order to prevent the threat of floods to the river embankment during the flood season, the river embankment will be built as wide as possible. To the Jiangning section, especially in order to protect Jiangning City on the south bank from being threatened by floods, Chaotian Lake can be said to be a flood buffer zone left on purpose. Except for a very small number of river embankments on the north bank of Chaotian Lake, other embankments are prohibited even if there are rich people. The use of stone to build embankments is also the reason why the estuary in the north of Jiangning is far more narrow than after a thousand years.

"Haha, I didn't expect you to be unfamiliar with poetry, but know Hewu..." Gu Wuchen and Yang Pu in plain robes came from behind, and Miss Gu's family, Gu Junxun, changed into men's clothes and followed behind Gu Wuchen like a servant. In the twilight, it was very interesting to see her dodging eyes, Lin Xilin and his subordinates adorned him far behind.

"Why did Master Gu come ashore?" Lin Bie got off his horse and gave Gu Wuchen a salute.

"After entering Jiangning City, do you still have a chance to come out and see Jiang Tian's profile?" Gu Wuchen asked, "It's not far from the ferry in front of me. I just happened to be doing some exercise. After returning to the capital for nearly a year, my muscles and bones are not as strong as when I was in the army."

Lin Fu gave the horse to Zhao Hu to lead, and he accompanied Gu Wuchen to the ferry ahead, and the official ship was still sailing along the waterway near the shore.

At the beginning, Gu Wuchen talked with Lin Fu about poetry, literature and classics at the old house of Gu's family, and when he wanted to give him some advice, he saw that Lin Fu was clumsy in answering, but when his level was limited, he lightened his mind. At this time, he inadvertently listened to him and the family around him. Servant Tanhewu was so eloquent in his talk, but he felt strange. He thought to himself, how could he put his mind on these worldly and miscellaneous arts before the imperial examination?

Gu Wuchen has been in the army for nearly ten years. He will not rest on his laurels and think that all miscellaneous arts except poetry, literature and classics are useless. On the contrary, he thinks that as an assistant minister and a ruler, he is interested in being proficient in the art of the world. On the way, I talked to Lin Fu about river affairs: "I don't know much about river affairs, and Xunniang's grandfather, Duke Tang, once served as the governor of the river. I can only talk about narrow embankments, wide embankments, and distant embankments. I heard it from him, but I didn't expect to hear it again, but it is here with you... The flood in the Yangtze River is not serious, the flood in the Yellow River has already endangered the country, and there is no dispute between the DPRK and China on the management of the river. Do you have any ideas? ?"

"How can I dare to buy it with my little knowledge?" Lin Fu said humbly, "In my spare time, I have read Tang Gong's theory of using water to flush sand by fixing the embankment. They are all pearls and jade. Master Gu asked me what I had. Gao Jian, I also sold Tang Gong's words to you."

"..." Gu Wuchen laughed and was very satisfied with Lin Fu's answer. Only then did he feel that the young man in front of him was still somewhat talented. He walked slowly all the way to the ferry in front of the post house, and discussed the punishment name with Lin Fu with great interest. Seeing that Lin Fu's knowledge is not particularly profound, but he is involved, and his insights are quite novel. Gu Wuchen restrained his attitude and said, "With your talent It’s more than enough to put one county; if you only want to be an official, you will be over half a hundred years old before you can display your talents,” he said earnestly, “I don’t advocate dead reading, but don’t jump over the Dragon Gate. , how can you show your talents in front of the emperor?" These words were sincere.

Seeing Gu Wuchen's persistent desire to persuade himself to participate in the test, Lin Fu said with a wry smile: "Lin Fu also knows this truth, but people are specialized and lazy. These side-skills and miscellaneous arts are read with relish, but the sages' articles are like medicine. …”

"You also know that it is bitter like medicine," Gu Wuchen shook his head and smiled, stood here and pondered for a moment, and said, "I have a suggestion, I wonder if you should agree?"

"Please listen to your words."

"When I arrive in Jiangning, I always have to hire a screen friend to help me with my official duties. If you don't dislike it, it will not only solve your livelihood in Jiangning, but also make it easier for you to participate in the capital test..." Gu Wuchen said.

"..." Lin Bie was slightly startled, but he didn't expect Gu Wuchen to suddenly bring this up. Muyou is an aide and a master familiar to later generations. When an official takes office, if you don’t want to fool the subordinate officials below, and you want to do the affairs under your jurisdiction well, you need a capable staff team to plan for him. Don't worry about arguing for those supporting officials. When Gu Wuchen came to Jiangning, Yang Pu, Yang Shi, and Ma Chao were three entourages who were capable of martial arts and could not help Gu Wuchen with specific official duties. His son Gu Siyuan came to Jiangning to concentrate on his studies in Jiangning Guozijian. Can be used as a servant or a book boy, Gu Wuchen does not have a really handy assistant. Being an assistant to Gu Wuchen is definitely much better than being a petty official of the 8th or 9th grade or even not in the mainstream. The power gained by relying on Gu Wuchen is also more powerful than those of the petty bureaucrats who enter the office. The only downside is that it takes time. Follow Gu Wuchen's side.

Lin Fu went to Jiangning to do a lot of things, how could he follow Gu Wuchen's side?

Lin Fu had many thoughts in his heart, and one thought even wondered if Gu Wuchen still meant Liu Yue'er. After all, by keeping himself by his side, he could even live with him in Gu's mansion and be Liu Yue'er as a cook. Of course, Yue'er also wanted to live in Gu's house and continue to be a cook for the Gu family, but then she thought that even if Gu Wuchen was obsessed with Liu Yue'er, she shouldn't be so urgent, maybe she really appreciated herself.

It's a real headache.

"Master Gu's appreciation makes Lin Fu unable to repay," Lin Fu said, "It's just that Lin Fu came to Jiangning because he was ridiculed and angry by his own family this time. ~ If Mr. Gu is called for something, Lin Fu will not refuse, it's just... just..." Lin Fushen connected two "just" emotionally, as if he was bullied by his family with a heart full of sadness, and then said to Gu Wuchen, "Lin Fu came to Jiangning because he wanted to find an official and a half-job, and he just wanted this official and half-job for his whole life, and there was no other extravagance."

Gu Junxun heard her mother say that Lin Bie was just an unimportant person in the Lin family. Seeing his sad expression, he couldn't help being infected. He felt pity for him, holding her father's arm and begging in a low voice: "Dad, Don't force Young Master Lin to come to my house to be your friend..."

Gu Wuchen laughed dumbly. He was thinking that the second generation of Lin Fu was kind to his Gu family and Lin Fu had some talents, so he thought of inviting him to be a staff member. He didn't even know what happened to the Lin family during this period of time, so he said to Lin Fu with regret: "Since you have difficulties and you already have ambitions, I won't force you to seek your background, and I can't do it now. I promise you, you will settle down in Jiangning and talk about it."

While talking here, I saw that I walked to the ferry. Liu Xilin sent someone to inform the post house in the afternoon. Before the official ship arrived, the post chief also prepared a carriage and a sedan chair to wait at the ferry. Lin Fu looked at it from a distance, and Zhou Pu and Chen Size, who had left in the afternoon, were also waiting there. , I wanted to walk over and ask them why they stayed at the ferry and didn't enter the city, but at dusk, the short boy behind Zhou Pu raised his hand and ran towards him: "Brother Lin, Uncle Zhou said that you were walking behind with the boat, why should you He lied to Xiaoman!"

But it was Xiaoman, who hadn't seen him for more than ten days, who dressed as a teenager and waited for him at the ferry with Zhou Pu.

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