novelraw Chapter 60: This is It
Chapter 60: This is It
Chapter 60: This is It
No one formally introduced Wen Gu, but the various details provided by the patrol captain Yang during their journey had already confirmed the identity of his "cousin."
As Wen Gu bowed, Tietou, standing beside him, also called out, "Cousin."
Although their relationship was even more distant, Tietou himself was unaware of this. Wen Gu had told him to just follow along and not worry about anything else.
Thus, Tietou called him "Cousin" in front of everyone, sounding completely natural and without any hint of being out of place.
The young man in fine clothes dismounted from his carriage with steady dignity. As he walked over to look at Wen Gu and the other, his expression turned warm and welcoming.
"I've finally managed to wait for you!"
He showed no surprise upon hearing Tietou call him cousin. He had already been informed of Tietou's situation and treated him as a childlike individual.
Young Master Zhao appraised Wen Gu.
Compared to Tietou, Wen Gu indeed appeared a bit more refined and delicate.Glancing back at the group of five hundred people behind Wen Gu, he patted Wen Gu's shoulder.
"Good! This is excellent!"
Young Master Zhao took Wen Gu's arm and beckoned to Tietou.
"Come, let's get into the carriage first. It's warm inside."
Wen Gu walked forward with the pull, then paused slightly, looking back.
Young Master Zhao said, "Don't worry, there are people to arrange for the group."
Wen Gu nodded to Escort Leader Lin and County Lieutenant Zhou, signaling for them to proceed with the arrangements.
Watching Wen Gu and Tietou board the large carriage, the cavalry on both sides remounted, escorting the vehicles back to the city.
Meanwhile, the group hesitated to move.
"Should... should we kneel?" a villager asked nervously, trembling.
"There's no need. Young Master doesn't care about such formalities," Patrol Captain Yang replied.
At this moment, the others in the group, who had been lost in thought, finally snapped back to reality.
The north wind was biting, their noses were red with cold, but their hearts were ablaze, and their breathing quickened.
Zhao Clan, their Young Master!
What was this? This was the prince of an emperor!
Our Boss Wen is actually brothers with the prince!
Real brothers!
Little Liu was so excited that he trembled even more violently than when he first saw the corpse drivers, but that was out of fear, whereas this was pure excitement.
He Da and the others also had shining eyes.
My old He family is going to prosper!
I am Boss Wen's loyal follower! No one can snatch me away!
They looked at the departing carriage ahead, craning their necks, wanting to shout something, but they dared not. They could only silently roar in their hearts:
Boss Wen! Please don't forget about us still here!
At this moment, inside the luxurious large carriage.
Medicinal incense wafted, but it was not acrid or choking.
A brazier was placed beside them.
A follower set up a small table with two plates of pastries and a pot of tea.
After Tietou boarded, he sat by the side, eating and drinking. His cousin had told him to feel free, so he truly did, as there was nothing else to do.
Wen Gu, however, was fully alert.
Young Master Zhao's grand display and elaborate reception were unlikely to be solely for him and his group.
They weren't important enough for that.
Wen Gu didn't hold back. At this point, facing such a powerful scion of a prominent family and his own cousin, he decided not to appear too calculating.
Therefore, Wen Gu, in the manner of speaking freely with a relative, inquired about the reason.
Cousin Zhao smiled and explained the coincidence of the day.
There was a ritual sacrifice ceremony outside the city today, a date chosen long ago.
Several important defensive fortifications in the outer city were scheduled to break ground on an auspicious day, which was today, marking their formal commencement.
In this era, people attached great importance to such ceremonies, honoring mountains, rivers, sun, moon, heaven, earth, and spirits.
The sacrifice had just concluded when they heard that Wen Gu, his cousin, had arrived with five hundred people, so they came out of the city to greet him.
This grand reception was not because of Wen Gu, but since it coincided with such a propitious day, Young Master Zhao was happy to personally lead the welcoming party.
Wen Gu's group was the first team of five hundred people to arrive this year!
The city defense soldiers had gone out on patrol several times, yet they hadn't brought back as many people as Wen Gu had incidentally brought with him.
Everything was about symbolism.
Before they even met, Young Master Zhao's most lasting impression of his cousin was that this cousin was quite auspicious.
As the carriage returned to the city, Cousin Zhao informed Wen Gu that, apart from a few individuals of special status who could enter the city early, most of the group would need to stay in the outer city area for a day or two.
All northbound migrating groups were treated the same.
Wen Gu expressed understanding.
He understood; it was quarantine.
Besides the epidemic of evil, it was to prevent other diseases. Direct quarantine was the simplest and most resource-efficient method.
Cousin Zhao said, "There will be herbal medicine and porridge provided in the outer city area. You can exchange for what you need directly. You don't need to worry."
Seeing Wen Gu's curiosity about Xin Prefecture City, he introduced the current management model of the city.
The outer city area of Xin Prefecture City, which was being expanded, not only included defensive fortifications but also designated districts, mostly military districts.
The inner city was also divided into districts and markets. Districts were residential areas for residents, and markets were commercial areas.
They could be seen as self-contained communities managed with a closed system.
Each district was a walled area with timed gates. This effectively combined the security concepts of fortifications with city management.
The carriage entered the city and drove directly to their residence.
The Zhao family's current residence was formed by merging and renovating several large houses.
After the Zhao family gained power, they had also built many small courtyards here. Relatives kept coming to join them, and they needed residences.
For instance, this time, the Zhao family had prepared a courtyard in advance for the arrival of Wen Gu and his brother.
Even though the facilities were not as advanced as those of their previous wealthy households, in this time of scarce supplies, this courtyard was incredibly valuable and rare.
Not everyone could be directly allocated a courtyard.
Under the steward's direction, the servants were busy. The rooms had been fumigated once in advance, and upon moving in today, they were fumigated again.
Madam Shen, Wen Gu's maternal aunt, had specifically sent someone over and had some precious goods placed out.
Wen Gu and Tietou were led to this courtyard.
Although the buildings within the courtyard were not as exquisitely built due to current conditions, they were spacious and bright, with flowers and plants even planted.
Only in the courtyards of wealthy families could one see such ornamental plants; outside, they would have long been burned for firewood.
After changing their clothes, they were led to meet their aunt and uncle and attend a small family banquet.
Cousin-in-law was also present, bringing their five-year-old nephew.
Due to the hurried arrival, no welcome gifts were prepared. Wen Gu said he would make up for it next time.
He himself, however, received many gifts.
As for the gifts he pledged to make up for, and genuinely emphasized doing so, no one took it seriously.
In such troubled times, it was already incredibly difficult to survive and reach Xin Prefecture, let alone have the spare capacity to prepare gifts?
His aunt looked at him with heartache and had more clothes and daily necessities brought to him.
His aunt’s status had changed, and she now possessed a certain dignity and elegance. However, her appearance strongly resembled Wen Gu's memory of his own mother.
During the family banquet, Wen Gu displayed genuine emotion, reminiscing about old times and departed loved ones with his aunt.
Any initial sense of estrangement gradually disappeared as they talked.
Uncle, the Zhao Family Head, had injured his leg during the onset of the chaotic times. He had been undergoing treatment, with somewhat satisfactory results. Now, he could walk for a short while each day, but overall, his mobility was impaired.
His mental state was excellent, his mind clear and his will strong. He greeted Wen Gu with a kind and hearty smile.
No one dared to underestimate the leader of the Zhao Clan.
Most affairs were currently handled by his cousin, but the overall control still rested with this uncle.
Due to his impaired mobility, craftsmen had made a spacious "wheelchair" resembling a carriage compartment; strictly speaking, it was more like a wheeled vehicle.
Craftsmen serving nobles usually made things as magnificent and grand as possible.
Seeing that his uncle did not shy away from his leg condition, Wen Gu said, "When I was traveling, I saw a craftsman make a type of wheelchair. Although it wasn't grand or comfortable, it was small and agile, and easy to control. I'll draw the blueprints for my cousin when I return."
Zhao Family Head initially intended to decline, but upon hearing "easy to control," he did not refuse and smiled kindly. "You have made a contribution by bringing five hundred people. Think about what you would like to exchange for, and go find your cousin tomorrow."
It was a small family banquet, without the other members of the large Zhao family. The meal concluded quickly, as everyone was busy with their own affairs.
Wen Gu also returned to his small courtyard and took out his brush to get to work.
The matter of the wheelchair was simple; he would draw the blueprint, and the Zhao family's craftsmen would refine and build it.
After finishing the wheelchair blueprints, Wen Gu pondered his next plan.
The six great clans likely all possessed mines. The Zhao Clan should hold coal mines.
Based on his observations, people at this time had already been exposed to coal, using it for warmth and iron smelting.
However, most wealthy families nowadays still used charcoal, fine smokeless charcoal, which was also elegant.
For most other people, after the difficulty of logging increased, they used coal more often.
Well, a honeycomb coal stove was added to the plan.
Since it involved coal mines, it wasn't easy to get involved initially. He needed to achieve something first before he could speak up.
This small courtyard, while comfortable to live in, was too restrictive for him to fully utilize his abilities.
He needed to move out.
The next day, Wen Gu first went to his aunt's place to establish his presence and then sought out his cousin.
He had made an appointment yesterday and went to find him directly.
This young master of the Zhao Clan was indeed busy, with a constant stream of people coming and going. When he finally had a moment, there were two scholars by his side, constantly copying and organizing something.
When Wen Gu entered the room, his cousin did not ask them to leave.
These were clearly confidantes, and Wen Gu didn't mind. As he wouldn't be discussing classified information yet, when the time came, his cousin would naturally dismiss them.
He first handed over the wheelchair blueprints and said, "This is what I was talking about yesterday. See if it works for you, cousin."
How to use it and in what situations were for his cousin and uncle to decide. Wen Gu just provided the blueprints.
Cousin Zhao took the blueprints, glanced at them, and praised, "It is indeed ingenious and agile. You are thoughtful!"
However, today's discussion was not about this.
He handed the blueprints to a scholar and looked back at Wen Gu, speaking kindly.
"Collecting refugees and bringing in population counts as merits. Have you thought about what you want? Just tell me directly, cousin."
As he spoke kindly, Wen Gu eagerly sat on a nearby chair and asked, "Can I be an official?"
Young Master Zhao's smile remained natural. "Yes! Talent is in short supply these days..."
Saying this, he picked up a booklet from the side, which listed various old and new official positions. He opened to the vacant page and was about to hand it to Wen Gu.
Wen Gu said, "I want to be a district head."
The booklet in his cousin's hand "thumped" onto the desk.
The room fell silent.
The scribe beside him, who was writing, had his penmanship falter and couldn't help but look up.
Cousin Zhao withdrew his hand, his eyes filled with confusion. "The district head you are referring to, is it the head of a neighborhood district?"
Managing a village is done by a village chief or village elder.
Managing a district is done by a district head, or district overseer.
He had initially thought Wen Gu would make an outrageous demand, but he hadn't expected his cousin's aspirations to be so unconventional.
Is a district head considered an "official"?
Wen Gu sat up slightly, his expression serious.
"I brought five hundred people this time. Since I am here, I must settle down. I promised them I would settle them when I brought them here."
Cousin Zhao looked at him as if he were some peculiar specimen.
"How about you consider it again?"
He couldn't even count the number of relatives who had asked him for official positions. Some had little ability but sky-high ambitions.
But why was this cousin going against the grain?
If you can ask for it, I can't grant it without losing face!
Cousin Zhao carefully chose his words and said, "District head, perhaps it's not as easy as you think."
He gestured to the side.
A scholar next to him immediately handed over a scroll. There was no need for explanation.
Wen Gu was envious. He mused that he should teach his future secretary, Cheng Zhi, well.
In front of him, Cousin Zhao had already unfurled the scroll, which was a district map of Xin Prefecture City's inner city.
Square units were distributed across the diagram, forming the inner city of Xin Prefecture City.
These square structures varied in size, annotated with text and different patterns. Outsiders could not understand the patterns, but some were unannotated.
Cousin Zhao pointed to the districts near the Zhao family residence.
"This area is where nobles and powerful families reside."
Then he moved outward.
"This area here is mostly for merchants and commoners. The collected refugees will also be dispersed and settled within the districts here."
"And this area? This section near the city wall."
Wen Gu pointed to the unannotated squares.
"No one is there; it's vacant," Cousin Zhao said.
"I want this kind," Wen Gu said.
Wen Gu's finger tapped on a plain square. His face was serene, but his eyes were filled with the determination of a young person describing their aspirations and ambitions.
"Starting from a vacant lot will allow me to fully display my talents!"
(End of Chapter)