At night, red lanterns illuminate the yard brightly.
Gu Qi lit a few lights in the room and glanced at the bed: Yuan Zhe was still sleeping.
After sitting at the table for a while, I saw the little eunuch walking along the gravel path carrying a food box, so I got up and went out to greet him.
"Why is it heavier than before?" Gu Qi asked after taking the food box.
The young eunuch replied: "Your Highness went to the imperial kitchen today and asked for some preserves and snacks. Your Majesty also asked the imperial kitchen to prepare some dry food, and they are all here."
"Oh, thank you very much, father-in-law."
Watching the little eunuch leave, Gu Qi carried the food box and walked into the house.
After entering the room, Yuan Zhe was already sitting at the table, drinking tea.
"Your Highness, when did you get up?"
With a smile in his eyes, Yuan Zhe took the food box from Gu Qi and took out the candied fruits and snacks wrapped in it: "These are for you. I went to Tuzhou and there is no such delicious food."
"Thank you, Your Highness." Gu Qi took the things over politely and put them all into the bag. With these, it will be easier to swallow when taking medicine.
"Who prepared these?" Yuan Zhe took out the food and found that there was another layer underneath with a little dry food in it.
"These are prepared by His Majesty."
"Oh." Yuan Zhe sat down, holding chopsticks in his hands in a daze.
Gu Qi took a sip of porridge and asked, "Your Highness, will there be an escort when I return to Qingzhou this time?"
Yuan Zhe came back to his senses and glanced at her meaningfully: "No."
Gu Qi saw his defensiveness, but didn't care at all.
Pretending to be stupid is the best way to get close to Yuan Zhe.
She munched on the vegetables and said vaguely: "Your Highness, if you arrive in Qingzhou safely, please send a letter to reassure me."
"What are you worried about?"
"Of course I care about you, Your Highness! You are so kind to me."
Yuan Zhe narrowed his eyes and whispered: "Then are you willing to be my king's man?"
"That's what you said," Gu Qi picked up a pig's trotter and gnawed on it and said, "Aren't you and Your Highness in the same camp?"
"Haha, as long as you don't count on me, you will burn high incense."
Gu Qi glanced at him and stopped answering.
On the fifth day of the first lunar month, standing at the gate of the palace, my ears were filled with the roaring sound of firecrackers.
Chang Bin patted Gu Qi on the shoulder: "Good friend, take care along the way."
Gu Qi imitated his behavior and said with a smile, "You too."
Yuan Zhe led his horse closer and straightened Gu Qi's collar: "Have a safe trip, take care of yourself."
Perhaps because he didn't get a good rest last night, Yuan Zhe's voice was a little hoarse.
Gu Qishen bowed: "The same goes for Your Highness, I will say goodbye."
"Um."
The two parted ways, one heading east and the other heading west.
Xue Peilin looked out from the carriage in front and saw Gu Qi getting into the carriage and lowering the curtain.
The carriage creaked and drove towards West Street. Gu Qi opened the curtain and looked back.
Chang Bin stood there and waved. Yuan Zhe had already left, and all he could see was his whip-swinging back and the fine dust kicked up by the horse's hooves.
People on the street, wearing new clothes, were walking happily through the streets. A few children were in the corner, holding long sticks of incense and trying to light the firecrackers in front of them. They only heard a "bang" and the firecrackers exploded. Open, the children clapped their hands and laughed.
Gu Qi wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, breathed a long sigh of relief, and relieved her depressed mood.
Passing by the Tongsheng Escort Agency, I saw that the door of the Escort Agency had the characters "Fu" and couplets pasted on it, but the door was closed. It seemed that no business had been accepted yet.
There were more people on the street than usual, and the carriage could only move forward slowly.
"Master Xue, take care along the way!"
Hearing the familiar voice, Gu Qi moved to the other side, opened the curtain, and saw Liu Jigang standing at the gate of Liu Mansion, saying goodbye to Xue Peilin.
Liu Xiangning stood nearby. When she saw Gu Qi, she saluted slightly: "Master Pei, take care of yourself along the way."
Gu Qi smiled and said, "You too."
Further forward, it seems to be Yan Churong's mansion.
Gu Qi looked forward and saw Yan Churong standing at the door, holding a baggage in his hand.
"I thought you went to Jishan Hall."
The carriage did not stop, so Yan Churong had no choice but to take big steps and move forward: "This is for you."
Gu Qi took the baggage he handed and asked, "What is this?"
He smiled and said, "Eat, I'm afraid you'll be hungry on the way."
"Thank you," Gu Qi put the bundle on his lap and waved to him: "Come back soon."
Instead of being obedient, Yan Churong reached out and grabbed the side of the car: "The road is long and may not be smooth. If you encounter danger, remember to save your life."
Gu Qi nodded vigorously, and he felt relieved. He loosened his hands and stood still.
Starting during the day, the team stopped at dusk.
"Master Pei." The curtain was opened by Xue Peilin from the outside.
"Master Xue."
Xue Peilin rubbed his cold hands and said, "It's getting late. Why don't we stay here for one night and set off again at dawn tomorrow."
Gu Qi looked out and said with a smile: "In that case, I'll ask someone to set up a tent and rest here tonight."
The wind at night was a bit wild and gave me a headache.
"Master Xue," the surroundings were dark, and Gu Qi was suddenly a little scared, so she had to grab Xue Peilin and said: "There won't be any wild beasts suddenly running out of here, right?"
Xue Peilin smiled and said: "Don't worry, Mr. Pei. This is an official road. It will be cleaned up for hundreds of miles. There will be no wild animals."
"Oh." After hearing Xue Peilin's words, he felt a little relieved.
The driver found a place leeward and lit a bonfire. Several boys gathered together and ate dry food while talking and laughing. Gu Qi and Xue Peilin were chatting alone in front of the fire.
"I heard that Mr. Xue's hometown is in Tuzhou?"
"Yes. I am originally from Yingjiang in Tuzhou. The place we are going to this time is Yingjiang County."
"Yingjiang County, what is the situation like?" Gu Qi gnawed on the dried meat in his hand and listened attentively.
Xue Peilin took out a slender branch from the bonfire and drew it on the ground: "Tuzhou has many hills. Although these hills are not high, they are often connected together. In order to facilitate management, we simply use the mountains as boundaries to divide the hills." There are six counties. Tuzhou is located in the northwest of Zezhou. The Fengjiang River in Zezhou flows to the boundary of Tuzhou and is called "Yingjiang River". The county in the southeast of Tuzhou is called "Yingjiang County" , and the mountain on the border of Yingjiang County is called 'Yingshan'."
By the light of the fire, Gu Qi took a rough look at the map he drew. The six counties in Tuzhou were relatively scattered, and coupled with the obstacles of mountains, it must be very difficult to travel.
Xue Peilin poked at the location of Yingjiang County with a branch and continued: "You should have noticed that Yingjiang County is located in the southeast of Tuzhou. The terrain here is high. If there is no accident, the Yingjiang River will flow all the way to the northwest, but when it gets here !”
Gu Qi looked in the direction Xue Peilin pointed and asked, "What's wrong with Yingshan?"
Xue Peilin answered: "There is a mountain stream in the middle of Yingshan Mountain, and the Yingjiang River flows directly out through the mountain stream. But it is narrow here, and the Yingjiang River carries a lot of sediment when it flows, and it eventually accumulates here."
Perhaps he had read too many of Pei Qihuan's theories on water control, and copied detailed water control strategies, so he understood a little bit about river management.
Now I can actually understand what Xue Peilin said.
So Gu Qi also took out a branch and poked it at the mountain stream of Yingshan Mountain, saying: "Over time, the sediment sinks and accumulates in the mountain stream, and the water of the Yingjiang River cannot flow down. If there is another heavy rain for days at this time, I am afraid that the Yingjiang County It’s going to be flooded.”
"That's right." Xue Peilin nodded, having more expectations for this rising star. "The first one to be flooded was Yingshan County, which is close to Yingshan Mountain, and then Lingjiang County. Several other counties in the northwest are fed by water from the Yingjiang River. If there is a blockage here, there will be droughts in the following areas."
"Master Xue means that as long as this problem in Yingjiang County is solved, all subsequent problems will be solved?"
After hearing this, Xue Peilin shook his head.
Gu Qi was confused again.
"When the water of the Ying River reaches here," Xue Peilin pointed to the third-to-last county in the northwest, "it won't go any further."
"Why?"
Xue Peilin sighed and drew a circle around the county with a branch: "There is a lake here."
"Master Xue means that when the Yingjiang River enters this lake, it will no longer flow downward?"
"Yes," Xue Peilin replied: "Master Pei doesn't know something. The Yingjiang River is originally integrated with Fengjiang River in Zezhou. Zezhou has many plains. When it comes to Tuzhou, the water is mixed with mud, and then enters the lake, which directly causes the lake water body. It’s damaged, the water quality is poor, and there’s always a bad smell.”
Gu Qi was confused. Although Tuzhou and Zezhou were said to be close, they were actually far apart. He never expected that there was such a connection.
Gu Qi muttered: "No wonder His Majesty arranged for Mr. Liu to go to Zezhou."
Xue Peilin stared at the map on the ground, frowned and said: "Yes, there are many rivers in Zezhou, and they are basically branched off from Fengjiang. Fengjiang extends all the way to Tuzhou, which shows that this is the key to water control in Zezhou and Tuzhou. That's Fengjiang. You have drawn up a detailed strategy for water control. Although Liu Jigang and the Hanlin scholar can't understand it, they can handle some basic things. Your Majesty asked you to come to Tuzhou to take a look at Tuzhou. situation, it would be nice to have a countermeasure."
After hearing Xue Peilin's words, Gu Qi began to feel worried.
Pei Qihuan's theory on water control did not mention the connection between Zezhou and Tuzhou. Moreover, Tuzhou was so complicated and he had no experience in water control. He was afraid that his identity would be suspected.
Xue Peilin raised his head and saw that Gu Qiyi was helpless and laughed twice: "Master Pei, you don't have to be like this. I grew up in Tuzhou and know Tuzhou very well, but I still don't have a suitable flood control strategy. There is no need to rush."
Gu Qigan laughed twice and said: "Master Xue is rich in experience and is born and raised in Tuzhou. He must have many plans. Wan Sheng is willing to cooperate fully when the time comes."
Xue Peilin waved his hand: "When it comes to water control, I can't compare to you, Mr. Pei. Mr. Pei doesn't have to worry about this water control. If we work together, we will be able to solve the people's water problem."
Gu Qi smiled awkwardly.
As the night got deeper, Gu Qi tugged on the big cloak on her body and said to Xue Peilin: "Master Xue, it's getting late. Why don't we take a rest early? We will continue our journey tomorrow."
Xue Peilin threw the branches back into the fire and tried to stand up with his hands on his knees. Gu Qi saw that he was old and feared that it would be difficult to stand up, so she took a step forward and helped him stand firm.
Xue Peilin laughed and said, "I'm old, and my bones will get sore if I take even two more steps."
"Mr.
After sending Xue Peilin back to the tent, he gave the boy a few words and went into the tent to rest himself.
The wind outside made a "whimpering" sound, but it was warmer inside. Not long after I lay down, I suddenly felt a cramp in my lower abdomen and something strange in my lower body.
Oops! Could it be that at this time...
