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Published at 11th of July 2023 07:24:26 AM


Chapter 82

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Development Of Shuangque County

 

Jiang Gan remained indifferent, regardless of whether the plan was cunning or not, as long as it worked.

Huangfu Yuchen did not object, “Guard Yang, you shall handle this matter.”

“Yes.”

“Now that Shen Jinzhong’s matter is essentially resolved, it is imperative to eradicate the bandits of the Black Demon Lair. Do any of you have brilliant strategies?” Huangfu Yuchen asked.

Jiang Gan spoke, “If the previous method is employed skillfully, perhaps it may yield other remarkable effects. We can take advantage of the dim twilight and pretend to kill Shen Jinzhong’s son. Overwhelmed by grief and fury, Shen Jinzhong will undoubtedly develop a deeper hatred towards the Black Demon Bandits. He will surely transform his sorrow into strength, racking his brains to devise strategies to eliminate the bandits. Perhaps he will personally lead troops up the mountain.”

Everyone: “…”

“Father is truly remarkable!” Yan Jin praised Jiang Gan with a thumbs up.

Receiving his son’s admiration, Jiang Gan grew more excited. “If this method proves ineffective, there are other alternatives. Firstly, we can report to the prefect, urging the governor to dispatch more soldiers to eliminate the criminals. Secondly, the young master can send someone to capture the leaders of the bandits. By capturing the five ringleaders, the Black Demon Bandits will crumble like loose sand, making their eradication easier. Thirdly, through a strategy of division, we can sow discord among the five leaders, causing them to fall apart individually. However, this plan will take a considerable amount of time and requires a certain understanding of the personalities of the five leaders.”

The others silently vowed never to offend Jiang Gan in the future.

“Father, you’re amazing!” Yan Jin threw himself into Jiang Gan’s embrace.

Several people, including Song Chaobang, chuckled, believing that Yan Jin didn’t truly comprehend what was being said.

Without hesitation, Huangfu Yuchen made a decision. “Although the second method would yield quicker results, we will proceed with the first approach — reporting to the prefect. The court doesn’t maintain such a substantial military force just to feed them. Jun Xiang, take the imperial order and make your way to the prefectural yamen. The Black Demon Bandits have been in Shuangque County for two years, and the prefect must have heard some rumors, but there hasn’t been any action. There might be some issues involved. If the prefect tries to evade responsibility or handles the matter lightly, then present the imperial order to him.”

“Yes.” Jun Xiang received the token and departed. After a while, the sound of fading horse hooves could be heard from outside the inn.

“Let’s go out together, assess the public sentiment, and determine how Shuangque County can recover its economic development after dealing with the bandits.”

The group followed Huangfu Yuchen as they walked outside, all unconsciously thinking of Yan Ge. With the God of Wealth by their side, why should they bother coming up with solutions?

Huangfu Yuchen noticed their thoughts and his gaze became cold. “He is my beloved, not my subordinate. If you’ve had enough of your black hats, I can fulfill your wishes.”

“We dare not, Your Highness.”

The group casually strolled along the street.

Song Chaobang, as an elder of the previous dynasty and the Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince, possessed true wisdom. After contemplating for a moment, he spoke, “I have thought about Yan Guiren’s business model, and regardless of the trade, novelty is always the defining characteristic. Can Shuangque County draw inspiration from this?”

Jiang Gan took the conversation, “If you talk about the characteristics of Shuangque County, it must be the birds.”

Huangfu Yuchen nodded, “We all seem to be thinking along the same lines. How exactly can we make use of birds?”

Song Chaobang suggested, “Perhaps we can organize a grand event, similar to the Hundred Flowers Festival in the capital, where we capture more birds and attract tourists.”

“Or we can simply hold a beauty pageant for birds?” Deng Mande eagerly offered another suggestion.

While the officials debated fervently, Yan Ge leisurely strolled along the streets, occasionally entering shops to browse. Gao Feng and Du Juan silently followed.

Since the Black Demon Bandits settled in Sanzhu Mountain, young people with ambitions sought opportunities elsewhere. The sons of wealthy families no longer dared to be arrogant in front of bandits and had become quiet, so young and handsome men were rarely seen in the county anymore. Passersby couldn’t help but cast more glances at Yan Ge, secretly admiring him. Young girls blushed when they caught a glimpse of him.

In a bamboo shop, an elderly man in his fifties sat on a small stool woven from bamboo, skillfully weaving a bamboo basket with his calloused but agile hands.

Yan Ge walked over and examined the bamboo products in the shop. There were fish baskets, backpack baskets, straw hats, bamboo lanterns, bamboo baskets, bamboo chairs, vegetable baskets, bamboo mats, bamboo sieves, and more. The craftsmanship was exquisite and sturdy.

“Old master, your skills are impressive. May I ask how long it takes to weave a bamboo item?”

The old man chuckled with pride and set aside his work. He gestured with his hands, “It takes burning an incense stick to weave a bamboo basket of this size. The joints in our bamboo products are all hidden, so they won’t prick your hands or back, not even when you sit on them. Young master, feel free to pick whatever you like.”

Yan Ge smiled gently, “I have looked at them, and they are indeed skillfully woven. However, the county is currently facing economic difficulties, and there are already many bamboo shops in the county. The competition is fierce, and I’m afraid they can’t make much profit each day.”

“There’s nothing we can do about that.” The old man sighed deeply and continued, “As the saying goes, we rely on mountains to eat, and we rely on water to drink. The county is abundant In bamboo, and the craftsmanship of bamboo weaving has been passed down from the older generation. We can’t just let it disappear.”

Yan Ge nodded, “Old man, you make a valid point. The skills of the older generation are indeed a form of wealth that needs to be passed down. I do need some bamboo items, but what I want is not available here. Can you weave them for me?”

The old man looked at him curiously, “The bamboo items here are the most comprehensive in the county. What is it that you want? Just tell me, and I can weave it.”

Yan Ge called out, “Du Juan.”

Du Juan opened the small bag she carried on her shoulder and took out a pen and a notebook bound with white paper, handing them to Yan Ge.

Yan Ge flipped open a page and drew on the paper for a while before passing the notebook to the old man.

“This is a round ball. I want it to be woven in a way that it is both round and elastic, but also sturdy.”

The old man immediately understood, “That’s simple. It’s not much different from weaving a round fish basket, except that it needs to be closed. How big do you want it? How many?”

Yan Ge caught sight of a large bowl on the table that could fit a soccer ball perfectly, “Just a little smaller than this bowl. I need ten of them.”

“No problem. It will be a total of twenty coins. You can pay ten coins as a deposit, and you can come to collect the goods in an hour.”

Yan Ge shook his head inwardly. The price was too low. However, the price would increase in the future. He signaled for Du Juan to pay the money.

“Old man, I suppose you’ve noticed that we are outsiders. Do you know if there are any other special products in this area? Besides bamboo, what else is produced abundantly here?”

The old man shook his head, ”You came at the wrong time. If you had come two years earlier, you would have seen a variety of birds. They would land on your shoulders, and you wouldn’t have the heart to shoo them away. It’s a pity…”

Yan Ge asked Du Juan to buy a fish basket and a straw hat before leaving the bamboo shop.

They continued walking for nearly half an hour, stopping and moving. When they turned onto another street, Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen spotted each other from afar and couldn’t help but smile at each other.

Huangfu Yuchen walked up to Yan Ge and looked at the fish basket and straw hat carried by Gao Feng, asking, “What are you buying these for, Little Ge?”

The others consciously stayed behind, keeping a distance of four or five steps.

“I bought them to show you,” Yan Ge said. “If we want to revive the economy of Shuangque County, we can start from this aspect.”

Huangfu Yuchen stopped in his tracks, held Yan Ge’s face, and kissed his forehead, feeling both sad and distressed. “I told you to stay at the inn because I didn’t want you to worry about these things. I came south for the imperial inspection, and I brought you along for you to enjoy and relax, not to burden yourself with concerns.”

He didn’t mind being watched by others, and Yan Ge, who had crossed over from the 21st century, cared even less about the gaze of others. His lips curved as he embraced Huangfu Yuchen’s waist. “I want to help you, and I’m not tired. Besides, reviving a dead city is an interesting challenge.”

Huangfu Yuchen smiled helplessly, “Alright, as long as you’re happy. But you must promise me that you’ll treat this as a hobby, not a responsibility. I don’t want you to feel any pressure. Have fun when it’s time to have fun, and consider these complicated matters when you’re bored and have nothing else to do.”

Song Chaobang and Jiang Gan wiped their sweat in secret. Isn’t this favor going a bit too far?

Yan Ge coughed awkwardly and glanced at Huangfu Yuchen, “I promise. Let’s go back to the inn for now.”

Once they returned to the inn and each had a cup of hot tea, Huangfu Yuchen spoke up, “Little Ge, while we were out, we were exploring potential development paths and gained some insights. Listen to our ideas first, and feel free to add any suggestions or different perspectives.”

Yan Ge nodded.

Song Chaobang began, “First, we can make full use of the bird resources in Shuangque County. Taking inspiration from the Hundred Flowers Festival in the capital, we can organize a bird-watching event or even a beauty pageant to attract tourists and stimulate the local economy.”

Jiang Gan added, “Once the tourists arrive, we need to find ways to make them stay longer and spend more in terms of food, accommodation, and entertainment. We should pay extra attention to the two major inns in the county. If the proprietors are facing financial difficulties, I believe it’s necessary for the county government to provide some subsidies to improve the quality of the inns.”

Song Chaobang looked at Yan Ge and continued, “We have also noticed the abundance of bamboo shops in the county. We can encourage the craftsmen to create more exquisite bamboo products and sell them to other regions.”

Huangfu Yuchen suggested, “These are the two main aspects for now. The Great Han Kingdom values culture, and there are many literati who appreciate and engage in artistic pursuits. Organizing a poetry gathering with the theme of birds and bamboo could be a good approach.”

Yan Ge raised his thumb in approval, and Huangfu Yuchen couldn’t laugh or cry.

Yan Ge added, “Both of these ideas are excellent. Let me briefly supplement them. Regarding the bird specialty, Old Master Fan’s extraordinary bird-calling skills can be utilized. During the bird-watching event, this unique talent can become a highlight. It is evident that Old Master Fan also cares about the development of Shuangque County and would likely be willing to assist. The initial stage won’t be easy, but we can have performances in neighboring counties or promote the event. Word of mouth will spread. As for the bamboo aspect, in addition to producing practical utensils, the craftsmen can create more exquisite items using bamboo. For example, carving bamboo into animal shapes like crabs, dragonflies, cats, dogs, etc., or making bamboo horses, small houses, and even hairpins, dyeing them in various colors. This will significantly increase their value. The idea of a poetry gathering is excellent, but it requires a relatively high reward. Otherwise, who would come to the unknown Shuangque County? After all is said and done, it can be summed up in two words—distinctive features. As long as we have distinctive features, we can definitely attract people.”

Song Chaobang and Jiang Gan nodded repeatedly. Yan Ge was known as the “Leader of the Jing Merchants Alliance,” he truly possessed a broader mindset and a more far-sighted vision than them.

Gao Feng hesitated to speak.

Yan Ge was always tolerant of his subordinates, so he smiled and said, “Speak your mind.”

Gao Feng spoke up, “Madam just ordered ten bamboo items from that bamboo shop. I wonder what they are for. I’ve been pondering for a while, but I don’t find anything particularly remarkable about those bamboo balls.” He smiled awkwardly.

Huangfu Yuchen and the others looked at Yan Ge with curiosity.

Yan Ge smiled mysteriously, “It’s a secret. The answer will be revealed after we return to the capital.”

Huangfu Yuchen and the others were stunned, then they realized that he had come up with another money-making scheme.

“Oh, by the way, Chen Chen,” Yan Ge changed the topic, “You something about the country magistrate stepping down. Now that you’re not in the capital, where will you find a new county magistrate?”

Huangfu Yuchen was once again taken aback by being called “Chen Chen” and glanced at Yan Ge helplessly. “Below the county magistrate, there are county assistants and record keepers. I have already sent someone to investigate the two of them. The county assistant just leads an aimless life and isn’t worth mentioning. The record keeper has some talent and is relatively upright. He once secretly reported the matters of the Black Demon Bandits to the prefecture yamen, but ultimately failed due to Shen’s interference. Let the record keeper temporarily act as the county magistrate. We’ll consider our options after returning to the capital. Minister Wen, please write a detailed plan based on today’s discussion and hand it to the record keeper before we leave Shuangque County.”

“Understood.”

Yang Zhuo entered the room and said, “Master, everything has been arranged properly. We will take action tonight.”

“Has Jun Xiang come back?”

Gao Yun said: “Not yet.”

Huangfu Yuchen turned to Yan Ge and said, “Would you like join in on the excitement?”

Yan Ge nodded repeatedly, “Go, we go.”





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