The Ming Dynasty's Spokesperson

After Lin Tailai left Yangzhou City, he slowly traveled south along the canal, escorted by dozens of family servants and three hundred Suzhou Wei Yunjun soldiers who were returning home.

It was already mid-July, and the weather was beginning to cool down.

Most of the "family servants" who followed Lin Tailai northward were very happy. For them, returning to Suzhou was like going home.

And they knew that as long as they returned to Suzhou, they would definitely become the most popular figures.

After all, they were the witnesses of many things, and I'm afraid that all Suzhou people wanted to hear first-hand legendary stories from them.

Then these legendary stories such as "Mr. Lin's Battle with the Queen Mother of the Northern Tartars" would become the latest storytelling materials and become popular throughout the city.

They couldn't wait to show off their knowledge of the past year to their relatives, friends, and colleagues.

Sitting in the boat, looking at the scenery on the shore, it seemed that they were already close to Hushu Pass, so he sighed deeply.

The left and right guards at the cabin door asked, "We are almost home, why are you sighing?"

Lin Tailai replied, "Every time I think about returning to Suzhou, there will be countless trivial matters, and I feel annoyed."

Lin Tailai has no intention of returning home in glory.

Returning home in glory is the mentality of poor people after they become rich, and he, Lin Tailai, was already very successful in his hometown, so he doesn't need to show off again.

No matter whether he is glorious outside, as long as he returns to Suzhou, he is the unique Mr. Lin.

This second half of the year in Suzhou, Mr. Lin only wants to do two major things, one is to start the project of dredging the old road in the lower reaches of Wusong River, and the other is to hold a literary conference.

But there will definitely be countless other things coming to him, and there is nothing he can do about it. As the saying goes, rich people in the mountains have distant relatives, and this is how human relationships are, and it is inevitable.

Then Lin Tailai ordered: "Stay at Hushuguan for one day and set off tomorrow morning!"

Zhang Wen, the left protector, asked in surprise: "Why? According to the route, we can reach the city today."

Lin Tailai complained: "Your mistress Wang said that tomorrow is the 100th day of the child, so it is more meaningful and impressive for me to go home at the same time tomorrow."

The great official Lin was powerless to complain about this. Wang Shiwu seemed to pay special attention to empty formalism, especially in his son's affairs.

Although the Zhang brothers wanted to go home early, they didn't say anything after the mistress had spoken.

Then they rested at Hushuguan for a day, accepted the hospitality of the tax officer, and then set off again early the next morning.

Near noon, the fleet finally arrived at Fengqiao, which was ten miles outside the city.

In the social etiquette of Suzhou City at that time, the more formal nodes of welcoming and seeing off were all at Fengqiao.

After Lin Tailai became famous in Suzhou, he also participated in welcoming or seeing off ceremonies at Fengqiao several times.

Of course, it seems that Mr. Lin has an ominous aura, and it is true that there are always some accidents in every welcoming ceremony.

Today, the bank under Fengqiao was crowded with people and the sound of gongs and drums was standard. What was surprising was that Governor Zhou Ji also appeared here.

Wang Zhiyou, the deputy envoy of Zhejiang Province and the acting governor of Suzhou Prefecture, thought that he, as the governor of the prefecture and the brother-in-law of Lin Tailai, must be the most handsome guy in today's welcoming ceremony, until Governor Zhou appeared.

Wang Fuzun asked in surprise: "How dare the Grand Chancellor condescend to attend today's ceremony? If you have anything to ask, please ask Lin Jiuyuan to visit the Court of Inspection tomorrow."

Governor Zhou waved his hand and said: "I am not here to welcome Mr. Lin, but the world's first champion!"

The main organizer Wang Fuzun had to temporarily adjust his position and let Governor Zhou stand in the first place.

After a while, the sound of trumpets and suonas that roared to the sky spread from the canal to the shore, which can be said to be heard before the boat is seen.

Experienced people know that this is a big shot coming.

Who else could dare to blow such a loud noise outside Suzhou City today except for the returning home official Lin?

The left and right guards had been following Lin for a long time, and their eyesight had been trained.

After looking at the shore for a few times, they reported to the cabin: "Boss! The leader on the shore is an old man, maybe the governor! The governor is standing behind him!"

Hearing this news, Lin Tailai had to come out of the cabin in advance and stand at the bow waiting for the dock.

After getting off the boat, he took a few steps forward to greet - others gave face, so he couldn't be too rude on his side.

"I don't want to bother the Zhongcheng! It's really embarrassing for the juniors!" Lin Tailai said modestly.

Governor Zhou also spoke: "I respect not the clothes, but the top scholar!"

Lin Tailai also flattered very strongly: "I heard that Zhou Zhongcheng governed my Wu area, and his official reputation was outstanding, catching up with Hai Qingtian twenty years ago!"

Damn! Governor Zhou almost couldn't catch it, you Lin Tailai said that you were too strong!

Family members know their own affairs. I am a mediocre person among the frontier officials. How can I compare with Hai Rui, who is famous all over the world? Of course, Governor Zhou is also very clear. If he is not mediocre, the court will not let him be the governor of Jiangnan. After all, among the three previous governors of Jiangnan, two who did not want to be mediocre did not have a good end. Especially the last governor Li, who committed suicide inexplicably after being besieged by civil unrest. The previous governor was Zhao Zhigao, who was lucky in his old age, and he cannot be compared; the governor before him was Wei, who caused a tax resistance storm and was forced to resign voluntarily, and then strangled the white gloves voluntarily, so he was able to return to his hometown safely. Therefore, Zhou Ji, who is mediocre and does not like to cause trouble, has the opportunity to serve as the governor of Jiangnan. The court only wants stability.

But even if you, Lin Tailai, appreciate him, don't compare him with Hai Rui, that would be just bragging!

Lin Tailai continued to say: "What's wrong with Hai Qingtian? As the saying goes, no one is perfect.

Even Hai Qingtian made mistakes during his tenure as governor of Jiangnan!

Now your chance has come, Zhou Zhongcheng! If you can correct Hai Qingtian's mistakes, wouldn't you surpass Hai Qingtian?"

Governor Zhou: ""

I bet a hundred coins that you, Lin Tailai, are definitely talking about the problem of the lower reaches of the Wusong River!

I have heard about it a long time ago. Last month, Prime Minister Shen Shixing and fellow Shandong native Wang Situ both wrote letters about this matter.

I didn't expect that Lin Tailai would forcefully bring up the topic and start talking about it as soon as he got off the boat.

Governor Zhou only recently heard about the idea of ​​dredging the lower reaches of the Wusong River. He has no idea at the moment and doesn't know what to say at this time.

Wang Fuzun, who was standing by, came to the rescue and said, "This matter cannot be explained in a short time, let's find another time to talk about it slowly and in detail."

So Lin Tailai let Governor Zhou go and greeted everyone else one by one.

No matter what others thought in their hearts, most of them looked happy, only Wu County Magistrate Yuan Hongdao had a drooping face.

It is understandable that great writers are all people of temperament, and Magistrate Yuan is a representative figure of the Gong'an School, a new force in the literary world.

Mr. Lin teased, "What's wrong with County Magistrate Yuan? Who has provoked you? Or is it because you have too much backlog of official business and have been held accountable by your superiors?"

County Magistrate Yuan said unhappily, "I have been the county magistrate of Suzhou for four years. The official business here is really too busy. I want to change to a less busy position, but the court refused."

Lin Tailai immediately shirked responsibility, "This is not my fault! It's your father who doesn't want you to leave Suzhou City! After all, your grain store and the business here are getting bigger and bigger!"

County Magistrate Yuan snorted, "But my father said that it was you who didn't want me to leave Suzhou.

Whose idea was it? Can you two discuss the excuse first?"

"Hahaha!" Lin Tailai changed the subject again and said, "Because in the second half of the year, I plan to hold a literary conference in Suzhou. Don't you want to participate?"

Huh? Yuan Xianzun's eyes lit up, "Is that true? That would be great!"

Lin Tailai instructed, "When the time comes, please ask your public security to send a bunch of people to advocate for me and nominate me as the leader!

Invite a few more fellow practitioners, I will cover the travel expenses, food and lodging!"

Yuan Xianzun said a little uncertainly, "The leader you want to fight for is not from the martial arts world, right?"

He arrived in Suzhou four years ago and saw with his own eyes how Lin Tailai conquered the east and the west, relying on his iron fist and golden whip to beat Suzhou City without any opponents.

At that time, he could not dream that this first hero in Suzhou City would actually covet the position of the leader of the literary world a few years later.

In just a few years, the world has changed dramatically.

After the welcoming ceremony at Fengqiao, Lin Tailai waved to the people on the shore, made a bow, and prepared to board the ship to enter the city.

Although Governor Zhou came to Fengqiao to welcome him, he would not accompany Mr. Lin into the city, as that would be too flattering.

Therefore, it is most appropriate for Wang Zhiyou, the mansion master and relative, to accompany Mr. Lin home.

On the boat, Wang Zhiyou said to Lin Tailai: "The Changmen Gate is too congested, and there is no waterway at the Xumen Gate, so enter the city from the Kuimen Gate."

"Kuimen?" Lin Tailai was unfamiliar with this name.

Wang Fuzun introduced: "It is the gate you opened a few years ago! It was renamed Kuimen in the first half of this year to commemorate your feat of winning the first prize for nine consecutive times."

Speaking of the congestion of waterways in Suzhou City today, it is really hard to describe. Sometimes you can't travel a few miles in an hour by boat.

The newly opened Kuimen Gate is said to be better than the Changmen Gate, but it is not much better.

If it weren't for the convenience of getting off the boat and changing horses, Lin Tailai would not have thought of taking a boat into the city to go home.

After entering the city, the boat swayed in the waterway for an unknown period of time, and saw the familiar Yinma Bridge.

As the boundary bridge between the two counties in the city, Mr. Lin also has many memories here. He beat people and wrote poems.

Wang Fuzun continued to introduce: "Now the central axis street is divided by Yinma Bridge. The northern section is still called Wolong Street, but the southern section has been renamed Jiuyuan Street."

Lin Tailai knew that after he won the nine consecutive championships, it would cause some physical repercussions in his hometown.

Wang Yusheng's ancestor Wang Ao left the name Xueshi Street seventy or eighty years ago.

But Mr. Lin did not expect that the repercussions would be so great.

Wolong Street is the north-south central axis of Suzhou City. This name should have been used for nearly a thousand years.

In history, it was not until Emperor Qianlong went to the south of the Yangtze River that it was renamed Hulong Street in order to please Emperor Qianlong.

And what virtue and ability did he have to change the name of Wolong Street?

So Lin Tailai sighed: "After all, this is a central axis main road. How can the northern half have one name and the southern half have another name?

I think it is inappropriate to change the name like this. It is too inconvenient for people to use one street with two names."

Wang Fuzun thought about it and said: "So what you mean is to abandon the name of Wolong Street and change the name of the entire street from north to south to Jiuyuan Street?"

Lin Tailai: ""

Could it be that Emperor Qianlong in history never thought of changing Wolong Street to Hulong Street, and the name change was made by local officials to flatter?

People in high positions really can't make random statements!

"Forget it, let's call it Wolong in the north and Jiuyuan in the south." Lin Tailai could only succumb to the status quo in the end, "The name that has been used for thousands of years cannot disappear here in my Lin Tailai."

Going south from Yinma Bridge, you are close to Canglang Pavilion Lin Mansion.

Lin Tailai, who was sitting in the cabin, immediately saw from a distance that in the southern half of the original Wolong Street, now known as Jiuyuan Street, there were two large black objects, standing across the street in an unusually domineering manner.

Wangfuzun, who felt like a tour guide today, had to explain again: "Those are two stone archways, one civil and one military, to show your great achievements."

When he got closer, Lin Tailai could see clearly that each archway had thick eight-legged stone pillars, which were nearly 20 meters wide in the horizontal direction, six to seven meters in the vertical direction, and more than ten meters high overall.

It is said that it is a stone archway, but it is more like two large stone buildings. From the perspective of people of this era, it is definitely a giant structure.

"What a prodigal. How much money did this cost? Who built it?" Lin Daguan felt inexplicably distressed.

There was no shortage of money in the first place, but since I decided to start dredging the lower reaches of the Wusong River this year, I found that I was short of money again.

Otherwise, he would not have taken the idea of ​​Yangzhou salt merchants and asked Wang Yuan to go out to raise money.

Wang Fuzun replied: "The styles of these two stone archways were designed by your steward Gao Changjiang, and their locations were determined by Zhou Futai himself, and then your elder brother constructed them."

"Wait!" Lin Tailai said doubtfully: "Zhou Futai personally surveyed the site? Is he so idle that he even does this kind of thing?"

Wang Fuzun smiled and said: "Our Zhou Futai comes from Shandong, and I know his details very well.

What you may not know is that Zhou Futai is one of the top experts in the field of public education today. He has written ten volumes of "Yangzhai Encyclopedia", and the governorship is only a side job.

So when the Lin family wanted to build these two archways, Zhou Futai personally inspected the Feng Shui site. "

Lin Tailai: ""

I really didn't realize it just now, but Governor Zhou is quite versatile. He is actually a Feng Shui master and can be considered a technical talent.

After being stunned, Lin Tailai joked: "It would have been better if Master Zhou had come a few years earlier. When the construction of Canglang Pavilion Lin Mansion starts, I can ask him to give advice."

Wangfuzun replied: "It's not too late now. Your father has asked Zhou Futai to help rebuild the ancestral home in Linsong Village and the Lin family ancestral hall."

While talking, he abandoned the boat and landed on the shore, entering the house through the main entrance.

To be honest, Lin Daguan, who returned to Suzhou, would rather go to Hengtang Town to inspect Hengtang College or go to the opposite side of Mudu Town to inspect the industrial park.

In Lin Daguan's mind, those places are the foundation of his career, while the city is more about exaggeration and vanity.

But now that he has a wife and a legitimate son, no matter what he thinks in his heart, he must first return to the Canglang Pavilion in the city.

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