novelraw Chapter 62: Arrangements
Chapter 62: Arrangements
Chapter 62: Arrangements
Cousin Zhao's proposed district names carried too much weight, not as a wish for Wen Gu, but as a blessing for the Zhao Clan.
Nowadays, the district names in the city were either for warding off evil and bringing good fortune, or for blessings and prayers, such as Fu Lu Shou Xi, Ji Xiang An Rui, and many others. However, for the Young Master of the Zhao Clan to personally choose and inscribe the names indicated that these were areas of focus.
The districts currently being planned in Xin Prefecture City were not like the old names from before.
The luxurious districts near the core area were named by the Zhao family's patriarch. However, most of the later districts were named by the scholars and officials below, and then submitted for approval.
Although these two districts Wen Gu requested were not personally named by his maternal uncle, they were still named and inscribed by the Young Master Zhao, making them different from ordinary districts!
Wen Gu was called to join his aunt for a meal as soon as he returned to the courtyard.
Without delay, Wen Gu called Tie Tou and went to his aunt's place for dinner.
The room was warm, heated by the underfloor heating.
Tie Tou sat by the side, eating non-stop, uninterested in anything else.There was no one else present at this moment, and the aunt-nephew relationship had progressed rapidly in the past two days, making their conversations even more intimate and casual.
Madam Shen asked, "Your cousin said you are going to be a district head?"
Wen Gu nodded.
It was likely that his cousin had told his aunt when it was first mentioned. His aunt wouldn't know about what had just happened at his cousin's place so quickly.
Therefore, Wen Gu explained the management rights of the two districts that had just been confirmed and that his cousin had inscribed the names.
Madam Shen did not pay much attention to the management rights of the two districts, but her smile appeared when she heard that Wen Gu was given two sets of houses and courtyards for each district, and that the Young Master Zhao had personally inscribed the names.
"The houses over there are small. I will keep the courtyards here for you. Come and stay for a few days when you have free time, and keep me company," Madam Shen said.
"Okay, as long as you don't mind."
Wen Gu's eyes lit up when he saw a maidservant bringing over a small cauldron.
Madam Shen attached great importance to what she ate. While the dishes didn't have to be exquisite, some dishes had to be hot. For stewed dishes, the lid would only be opened when they were served.
The small cauldron brought over at this moment was one of them, and it was opened only after it was served.
Wen Gu was interested in its style.
There was no one else here, so he was not reserved. He reached out and fiddled with the beast-shaped clasp on the small cauldron.
"This is an ancient pressure cooker!"
It saved time and firewood, and the ingredients cooked were even softer and more tender.
Seeing this, Madam Shen smiled, thinking that Wen Gu still had a bit of a youthful spirit.
"What else do you need over there?" Madam Shen asked.
Wen Gu thought for a moment, "An alchemy furnace, or other alchemy room equipment."
Madam Shen's brows furrowed, and a hint of sternness appeared in her eyes. She was worried that Wen Gu might be misled by some wicked rumors and go astray.
Seeing the change in Madam Shen's expression, Wen Gu recounted what he had told his cousin earlier – the Taoist priest refining fine salt, and the refuge in Jin Wu City.
"I just want to refine some useful things, like pills, but I'm not very interested. Cousin also agreed to let me build a Taoist temple within the district," Wen Gu said.
Madam Shen's expression softened.
"Alright, I'll keep an eye out for you. Initially, your cousin and uncle killed a batch of deceiving monks and rogue priests, and it seems many of their equipment are still stored away."
It was also a reminder to Wen Gu that proper, well-behaved monks and Taoist priests were fine. However, if they made mistakes and broke taboo, the Zhao father and son would not show any mercy.
Wen Gu nodded honestly, "Yes, Cousin also reminded me."
He then smiled and said, "When the equipment is ready, I'll have that Taoist priest refine another batch of top-quality fine salt. Cousin said it was good! Not only salt, but also white sugar, which will definitely be finer than the white sugar in the kitchen!"
Madam Shen said cheerfully, "Okay, I'll have someone look for it as soon as possible. I'm waiting for your top-quality fine salt and white sugar."
After dinner, Wen Gu and Tie Tou left.
Madam Shen sat there, quietly pondering what Wen Gu had said. The maids had all left, and a woman brought over a teacup and handed it to her. She was a trusted maidservant of Madam Shen.
"Madam is not satisfied that Young Master Cousin is only becoming a district head?"
Madam Shen shook her head, "With his current status, getting a high official position right after arriving is not a good thing.
'The prime minister rises from the local government, and the fierce general emerges from the ranks. He is young but can remain calm, which is quite good.'
Many of the Shen family relatives came to seek refuge, asking for official positions and benefits. Soon, they were suppressed by Young Master Zhao and came to complain to her.
What was the use of crying?
In this world, there were so many people who wanted to succeed. Without real ability, even if you were given something, you wouldn't be able to hold onto it! Who was to blame?
Even the Zhao family couldn't get a good deal, let alone those who didn't have the surname Zhao!
Although the imperial examination was suspended, it was only temporary.
As more and more people came from the south, similar selection systems would likely emerge soon.
In fact, to this day, the real positions of power were all held by the confidants of the father and son. Other positions were just given to placate people.
Wen Gu's ability to find an alternative path surprised Madam Shen even more, and she was even more pleased.
In just two days of meeting, how many people could get the personal inscription and naming from the Young Master of the Zhao Clan?
Madam Shen smiled leisurely and said to the maid beside her:
"I think he likes that copper pot quite a bit. Go to the storeroom and pick one to give to him."
Thinking that Wen Gu was going to live outside, Madam Shen said:
"He probably won't be able to stay in the courtyards here for many days. When he moves out, you go and see what else he needs."
On the other side, Wen Gu, who had returned to his residence, took out his notebook and began to write his development plan.
His cousin had also sent over the blueprints for the two districts. Wen Gu needed to plan them carefully.
He had to seize the time!
Winter was approaching, and this was the peak season for southern households to move north, as well as the time for major clans to make profits. Of course, he had to earn more!
The next day, Wen Gu went to his new territory.
He also had people bring over the quarantined team from outside.
Apart from nearly a hundred people who were determined to farm and raise chickens, the remaining four hundred people were brought over.
Wen Gu was currently in the first district, in the newly acquired house, and had called over some important personnel from the team.
While the important figures looked down on this courtyard, for people at the bottom like He Da, they were incredibly envious.
"First, regarding the distribution."
Wen Gu asked He Xiao Di to record.
"The Taoist priest will go to the opposite district, where a Taoist temple will be built. The Taoist priest enjoys alchemy, and the alchemy process will produce qi. Ordinary people should not be too close."
Daoist Master Qingyi couldn't resist the temptation and followed today. Hearing Wen Gu's words, he looked expectantly at the opposite district, even though he couldn't see it.
"Regarding the district names."
Wen Gu took out two pieces of paper, each with "Jing Xing" and "Qing Yun" written on them.
Which one was Jing Xing, and which one was Qing Yun?
He Da spoke first, "Let's call our side Qingyun!"
Whether it brings auspiciousness or not, I don't understand. I only know of Qingyun above!
Qingyun sounds like Qingyun!
Let's call our side Qingyun District!
The others also nodded.
Yes, yes, it sounds very auspicious.
However, Daoist Master Qingyi also said at this time, "I divined and found that this name has a connection with me."
He genuinely felt that this name had a connection with him.
A long time ago, when he was apprenticing and choosing a name, he took a name starting with "Qing" and wanted to call himself Qingyun.
But Qingyun soaring straight up was too direct, too ostentatious. At that time, he had neither ability nor reputation, so he chose to be more low-key and took the first stroke of the character "Yun."
He had not yet made a name for himself, so he still had to be slightly low-key and choose a homophone.
Qingyun was just right for him!
"I once thought of naming the Taoist temple Qingyun Temple!"
As for how long ago "once" was, that was not something he needed others to know.
With Daoist Master Qingyi speaking, the others dared not argue.
In the entire team, in terms of reputation, Wen Gu was first, and the Taoist priest was second.
Wen Gu did not argue. Since Daoist Master Qingyi had spoken, the others could only endure it.
Yu Er nudged He Da with his elbow.
He Da did not dare to compete with the Taoist priest.
Wen Gu said, "Then the opposite district will be called Qingyun District. Besides building the Taoist temple there, I also plan to move the blacksmith shop there. Blacksmith Yu and the others will go there."
Wen Gu looked at Yu Er and asked, "Are you following your brother or...?"
Yu Er immediately said, "Blacksmithing needs help, and my friend and I can both help, so we'll go to Qingyun District with my brother!"
Seeing Wen Gu agree, Yu Er smugly said to He Da:
"Bye-bye! I'm moving to Qingyun... Qingyun District!"
He Da: "You old rascal!"
He wanted to say that he wanted to go too, but still didn't dare to speak up, waiting quietly for the assignments.
He couldn't help but curse in his heart: Qingyi the rogue Taoist, you are a sinner!
Wen Gu continued to assign personnel.
Most people were still assigned to Jingxing District here.
As for Wen Gu's two sets of residences, one was for him to live in within the district, and the other was to serve as a temporary office.
Everyone present looked at Wen Gu.
"District Head, you live here too?" He Da asked.
"Since I'm the head of these two districts, of course I live here," Wen Gu said.
"The Zhao family..."
"During festivals or other special occasions, I will live there, but I usually live here. I have residences on both sides, and there's also a courtyard in the Zhao family mansion."
"Oh, oh! That's good then."
A false alarm, the reliance was still there!
Wen Gu glanced at them and continued to explain the use of the other residence and the affairs that needed to be handled normally.
The others understood and nodded: "We understand, that's the small yamen for the two districts, where important matters are handled!"
Wen Gu looked at the blueprints of the two districts in his hand and felt that many things were missing.
He still needed a layout map of Xin Prefecture City.
What he had seen from his cousin was only a part of it, and he didn't recognize all the symbols. He also didn't have perfect memory.
But it didn't matter, his powerful summoning technique:
"Cheng Zhi!"
"I'm here, District Head?"
"I have a task for you. Settle everyone down today and let them rest. Tomorrow, you, Escort Leader Lin, Zhou Shan, He Da, and the others will go and explore Xin Prefecture City, and understand the layout of the city's districts."
"Okay!" Cheng Zhi responded excitedly.
Although this was a strange place and there were many nobles in the city, as long as they were careful and didn't court death, they didn't need to worry.
Their District Head had a patron!
Wen Gu looked at everyone, "For now, let's settle down. The conditions are limited, and the residences are simple, but you don't need to be frightened. Once you can live peacefully, take good care of your health first. Everyone should believe that things will get better and better!"
"What if someone causes trouble?" Zhou Shan asked.
"Protect yourselves first, and take emergency measures if necessary."
Wen Gu raised his hand and pointed to the inner city wall not far in front.
"The City Defense Army is there. If anything happens, blow a whistle."
If a whistle didn't bring anyone, it meant it was a competition between people with connections.
(End of this chapter)