While Mr. Wu was enjoying himself in the bathtub, there was a small disturbance in Chen Lin's room.
The room Chen Xiaobing arranged for the members of the inspection team was a "standard room" with one room per person, which could accommodate one master and one servant. Chen Ding brought Chen Yu, but Chen Lin brought Chen Yue.
Although they are brothers and sisters, they are still young people after all, so living in the same room will cause many inconveniences. The Chen brothers and sisters felt very embarrassed as soon as they entered the room-do they want to stay or not?
Chen Dingyou wanted to make adjustments, but there was only one woman in the entire inspection team, Chen Yue, and she couldn't make adjustments despite her immense abilities.
"How about we get another room." Chen Ding said, "In the worst case, we can pay for the room ourselves." He immediately went to find Chen Xiaobing.
"It's not difficult to get another room." Chen Xiaobing immediately took them to the front desk. Unexpectedly, the front desk clerk looked at the reservation book and looked embarrassed: there were really no free rooms.
"Can't you adjust even one room?" Chen Xiaobing asked.
"There are no rooms left," the waiter said. "The bookings are fully booked these days - if it's later, we can still try. We need it tonight, but there is really no way."
Chen Lin said: "How about I find another inn to stay at. As long as it's nearby, it'll be fine. I'm just told to sleep at night!"
Chen Xiaobing thought that was all he could do. Immediately, a coachman was sent to take him and his luggage to a hotel in Bobu Town to settle down.
He wrote a few lines on the official document he carried with him, stamped it with his own seal, and said: "Take this and go to the hotel to register. All the room and board expenses incurred in the hotel can be recorded."
Chen Lin picked it up and was about to go out. Thinking of his sister, he took Chen Yue aside and taught him a lesson with a straight face: "You live alone, be strict in your family, and don't leave the room if you have nothing to do! This place looks prosperous, but in fact it is a mixed bag. Don't show your face easily! Cousin and second uncle They're all next door, please ask them to take care of you if you need anything. Don't go to the banquet in the evening - it's inconvenient."
Unexpectedly, Chen Xiaobing heard this and immediately said seriously: "Ms. Chen Yue is also a member of the inspection team, how can she not go? Besides, it is a banquet of the Senate, what is the inconvenience?"
Chen Lin was so embarrassed that he had no choice but to say: "Since Comrade Chen said so, you can just go and wait for me to come back together!"
The rickshaw driver took Chen Lin and his luggage from the hotel to Bobu Town. Compared with the coastal road, this place is more "market". The streets are criss-crossed and bustling with people. Full of life in the market. The driver pulled him all the way to a small white two-story building in a secluded side street near the Wenlan River.
"This is it. Sir, just take the letter of introduction and register." The rickshaw driver said as he helped him unload his luggage from the back of the car.
"Yes, yes, I'm here to help you, little brother." Chen Lin took out a coupon from his sleeve and said, "Let me drink some wine for you."
"Thank you, sir." The guy pulling the cart was not polite, he said hello, took the "tip", pulled up the cart and was about to leave, then turned back and said with a smile: "The journey is lonely, uncle, you can go for a walk on Heyuan Street. I guarantee you will be relaxed and happy."
Chen Lin knew from his smile that Heyuan Street was not a good place. He turned around to look at the hotel the coachman had brought him. It was a two-story building with whitewashed walls and a brick-red roof. The windows are painted blue again. Looking at it under the clear blue sky is almost blinding.
That's all, I saw flower pots everywhere on the walls, beside the steps, and on the handrails of the second floor balcony, with flowers of all colors blooming everywhere. Especially the two big jasmine plants next to the door are in full bloom, and the air is filled with the fragrant fragrance of jasmine.
"Is this an inn?" If Longhao Bay Hotel completely exceeded Chen Lin's imagination of an "inn", then this "hotel" in front of him completely subverted his understanding of an inn.
Just as he was wondering, the two lattice glass doors of the small building opened, and a waiter, also in white clothes and black trousers, came out and greeted:
"Is the guest coming to stay at the hotel?"
"This is... Jasmine Hotel?" Chen Lin glanced at the note in his hand.
"Yes, it's just a small shop."
"I want to stay in a hotel." When Chen Lin heard that he was right, he immediately handed over the note.
The waiter took the note and took a look at it, and suddenly he was in awe: "It turns out that the guest is a guest of the Senate! Sorry, disrespectful!" After saying that, he picked up Chen Lin's luggage and said, "Please come in."
Walking up the steps and entering the house, I felt cool and cool in front of my eyes. The decoration here is different from the Longhao Bay Hotel. The foyer is not big, but the layout is neat and the decoration is reduced, but it is very beautiful. Despite the flowers blooming outside, the foyer is only filled with green plants. The walls are simply painted white, with a few landscape paintings hanging on them. Indoor furniture is mostly made of rattan and bamboo, with simple and plain patterns. There are bookshelves along the wall, filled with all kinds of books... Although it is not a traditional Chinese study room, you can still feel the owner's quiet and elegant hobby.
Compared with the luxury of Longhao Bay, this place made him feel more at ease.
“What an elegant and quiet place!”
"You said it well, sir," the waiter immediately cheered up after hearing his praise. "Our Jasmine Hotel is a famous and elegant place in the local area. Scholars who come from other places to study all like to stay here and talk here in the evening. Knowledge. There are many people who come here specifically to talk and gather."
"I didn't expect your boss to be so elegant!" Chen Lin nodded repeatedly.
"Our proprietor was originally a Jinshi gentleman in the county," the waiter lowered his voice when he said this, "He is also a Jinshi master!"
Is this happening? Chen Lin was quite surprised. So far, at least in Guangzhou, I have not heard of any Jinshi master defecting to Kun. The remaining Jinshi are all following the "leave or surrender" routine, hiding in their own properties and living in seclusion. I have never heard of anyone coming out to run an industry. Besides, what kind of business is not good to run? How about running an inn? This is not a "respectable business."
Needless to say, this "gentleman in the county" is Liu Dalin. According to the history of another time and space, he had been dead for more than two years at this time. However, the arrival of the Senate cured his illness in this time and space and took good care of his body. Liu Jinshi's body was much stronger than it was on D-Day. Although he cannot walk freely, he can still walk around a bit with a cane.
Liu Dalin had never officially surrendered, and maintained an aloof "cooperative relationship" with the Senate, but to be fair, he had never caused any trouble to the Senate. Over the years, there have been many personal letters from mainland China seeking information about the Kun thief. He always replied to every letter. The letters said good things about the Senate, but he did not answer any questions concerning military and political matters. Therefore, he was favored by the elders. Although with the victory of the second counter-encirclement and suppression campaign, the Senate has gained a firm foothold in Lingao and even Hainan Island, and its power has reached as far as the Pearl River Delta. Liu Dalin's utilization value has actually dropped significantly, but the Senate has given very preferential treatment to this Ming Dynasty Jinshi. The Molixuan Academy he presided over has continued to exist as the "cultural salon" of traditional Confucianism in Lingao.
Liu Jinshi was not a "corrupt Confucian" who did not make progress. He did not fully agree with the Australians' policy actions in Lingao, but he admired the rapid development of the local area and the people who were not discouraged. Therefore, he accepted the letter of appointment shortly after the establishment of the County Advisory Bureau. Become a member of the Advisory Board.
Even though he is a committee member, Liu Jinshi rarely goes to meetings. First of all, he is not as "motivated" as other committee members, and he is not enthusiastic about seeking benefits for his children and grandchildren and accumulating money. Secondly, I have suggestions for local construction. I also feel that my legs are disabled. I mostly stay at home on weekdays and rarely go out. It seems that I can't say anything good. In the end, he still felt somewhat guilty towards Daming.
Over the years, he has lived quietly like this, with his family relying on the income from the fields and his position as the mountain chief at Molixuan. All the land at home has been given to the "Tiandihui" for a long time. The "shares" sent by the Heaven and Earth Society are always more than others. Needless to say, it goes without saying that this is an extra allowance quietly given to him by the senators to take care of his self-esteem and reputation - in this regard, he is quite grateful to the senators. of.
Most of the servants at home have been dismissed, leaving only a few old servants to follow them. The servants' children and Liu Jinshi's children all went to Fangcaodi to study. Based on their academic performance, they could not be exempted from tuition fees, but they were all exempted.
Liu Dalin also talked about Confucianism, poetry and stereotyped writing with his son. But my son is obviously not a student. This made him very disappointed, but when he thought about it next year, what was the use of learning this? There is no need for this under the Senate.
The originally peaceful and comfortable life has been broken since three years. For some unknown reason, Liu Jinshi's relatives and friends suddenly began to visit Lingao frequently.
Those who come are mostly their nephews and younger generations. He said he was here for a "visit", but in fact, after he arrived, he said a few polite words and asked about Lingao's situation, and then went out to buy on a shopping spree, buying "Australian goods".
If he only came here to make purchases, that would be enough. He would wander around the streets and ask around. Because of his suspicious behavior, he was even arrested by the police several times. In the end, Liu Dalin came forward and was released on bail.
Only then did Liu Dalin learn that in addition to buying Australian goods, Liu Dalin wanted to "visit" relatives and friends, and also wanted to buy real estate and land in Lingao - "as a retreat plan."
Originally, Liu Dalin didn't care whether he was buying goods or preparing three cunning rabbit holes. Anyone who comes to visit is warmly received by him. However, these visitors still follow the old habit of staying at the homes of relatives and friends when they go to other places.
Staying with distant guests is a wonderful thing, but there are too many old friends and relatives. In fact, the Liu family does not have many relatives on the mainland, but Liu Dalin also has several hundred people who were awarded the Juren and Jinshi qualifications in the same year.
As a result, Liu's house, which was originally peaceful, became crowded with people. Visitors are entertained every month. Sometimes one group just leaves, and another group comes again.
The Liu family not only has to entertain visitors with food and lodging, but also sends people to accompany them on shopping trips and help go to the dock to handle consignments. If something goes wrong locally, the Liu family has to help with the matter and deal with the aftermath... Not only is it financially unbearable, but life is also severely affected. Big impact.
(End of chapter)
