White-robed Minister

51 [Reaching the summit, I am the peak]

Starting from Guangzhou city, there are very few rice paddies in the suburbs; vegetables and flowers are mainly grown there.

This is much more profitable than growing rice, and being close to the city means there's no worry about selling it.

Along the way, in front of and behind the farmhouses, lychee and mulberry trees have sprouted new leaves. Occasionally, one can see some kapok trees, their flowering season not yet over, with fallen petals covering the ground.

The group wasn't fully engaged in their work yet; they were mostly in a relaxed, outing mood. Farmers occasionally glanced at them curiously, guessing that these scholars might be heading to Pujian Mountain for a visit.

The western foothills of Pujian Mountain are undulating, and the forests there are not allowed to be cultivated into farmland. Woodcutters have to cut firewood to supply the city.

Xu Lai pulled Ding Zhengchen along to find nearby farmers and paid them to cut down thin bamboo to make hiking sticks.

One for each person.

The further northeast you go, the more rugged the mountain road becomes, and some people can't go on after climbing for a while.

"Take a break, take a break, my legs are so weak." A scholar sat down on the ground, panting heavily.

Xu Lai had a vague impression of this person; his name seemed to be Luo Dunxin, and he came from a second-class household in the countryside of Zengcheng County.

Once the guy sat down, he refused to get up, so everyone stopped to rest and waited for him to recover.

We waited and waited, but there was still no movement.

The young master of the landlord's family, a scholar from a respectable family, was usually lazy and lacked physical exercise. His previous ambition was quickly worn down by the steep mountain path, and judging from his appearance, he probably wanted to turn back the way he came.

It has a significant impact on overall morale!

Influenced by Luo Dunxin, several others also developed a fear of difficulty.

Xu Lai went over to help him with his luggage: "Brother Luo, are you still able to walk? How about I carry you to Pujian Temple to rest?"

"No need, I can walk by myself."

Luo Dunxin stood up with an awkward smile. How could he let someone carry him? But he didn't take the luggage back, tacitly agreeing that Xu would do it for him.

As Xu Lai walked, he said, "If we can make this happen, we will surely become famous in Guangzhou and be praised by the people. Even if Lord Yu is transferred away from Guangzhou, the new prefect will look at us differently. As long as he passes the provincial examination next year, he will definitely be sent to the capital for the metropolitan examination."

The scholar has been granted a degree!

These four words appeared in everyone's minds, and they immediately felt their legs regain strength.

Even Luo Dunxin, who wanted to give up, took back his belongings: "I started my education at six and studied all the way to the state school. What are a few mountain paths? Can they be more arduous than fifteen years of hard study?"

Actually, this mountain path is nothing at all; it's just that those few people are too physically weak!

Yang Shu, who has practiced martial arts since childhood, has climbed up to this point without even panting.

Xu Lai, who had honed his leg strength at Feixia Mountain, was also full of energy and walked as if on flat ground.

The group continued their ascent, but the boost to their willpower from the "successful candidate in the imperial examination" gradually became insufficient to overcome the difficulties they faced in reality.

"Ouch, stop, stop...wait a minute, I'm getting a leg cramp!"

Liang Wensu had been gritting his teeth and persevering, but suddenly his face turned pale with pain and he almost fell down. His page quickly stepped forward to help him up.

Xu Lai couldn't help but sigh: Alas, these young masters still need to train harder.

How weak are they?

Looking at Cai Duliu, who is nearly sixty years old, he still looks normal and shows no signs of fatigue.

Xu Lai then looked at Ding Zhengchen, the son of a foreign merchant, who was still struggling, but his legs were trembling slightly, and it was difficult for him to even lift his feet.

Xu Lai had no choice but to announce, "Let's rest for a while."

Everyone quickly stopped to rest, drink water and eat dry food to replenish their strength.

At this point, no one realized that Xu Lai had inexplicably become the leader, and everyone was actually following his orders.

This is perhaps because the operation was initiated by Xu Lai, so it was natural for him to take the lead.

Xu Lai didn't rest for a moment. He walked over and sat down next to Cai Chengyou, munching on a rice cake, and asked, "Director Cai, from the city to the foot of the mountain, if we bury earthenware pipes underground, can they replace bamboo pipes?"

"no."

Cai Chengyou shook his head without hesitation: "There are a few earthenware pipes underground in Guangzhou, but those are for drainage, so it doesn't matter if there are leaks. It's different if water is drawn from Pujian Mountain, which is more than ten miles away. It has to rely on the mountain's elevation being higher than the city walls to use its water flow to connect the waterways and allow it to flow into the city's reservoir. If there are leaks along the way, the water supply will be insufficient."

Xu Lai understood.

Although terracotta pipes are often used in urban underground tunnel systems, the sealing at pipe joints is very poor.

What Tsai Cheng-yu referred to as "water flow" and "lack of force" is actually "water pressure" and "insufficient water pressure".

Bamboo tubes ensure airtightness, and fish glue is applied to the joints for an inner and outer fit. Hemp rope is wrapped around the surface of the bamboo tubes to prevent breakage, and lacquer is then applied to the surface of the hemp rope to slow down weathering.

Xu Lai then inquired out of curiosity, "I've heard that Kaifeng has a network of underground channels. Is Guangzhou's underground system the same?"

Cai Chengyou shook his head again: "The soil underground in Guangzhou is all soft, so it's impossible to dig too many underground channels. If the soil weren't as soft as tofu, the East and West City of Guangzhou would have been built long ago. Mr. Yu inquired about the expansion last year, but the difficulties were too great, so we had to give up."

To put it simply, it's a problem of the loose soil in alluvial plains.

It is possible to forcibly build a city, but the cost of the foundation is too high.

"Xu Sanlang, do you want to become a craftsman?" Luo Dunxin, the young master of the landlord's family, joked.

Xu Lai replied with a smile, "Water conservancy is a matter of great importance to the nation and cannot be ignored. Our mission this time is not only to gain merit but also to accumulate experience in water conservancy, laying a foundation for our future official careers. Brother Luo, if you become an official in the future, wouldn't you want to develop water conservancy projects to benefit the people?"

Luo Dunxin nodded solemnly: "That's only right!"

Yang Shu leaned against a rock and said with a smile, "Sanlang has great ambitions; he's already thinking about his achievements as an official."

Xu Lai loudly asked the crowd, "Which of you here doesn't want to be an official? Who doesn't want to achieve political success? Perhaps one of us will become a prime minister someday!"

As he spoke, Xu Lai raised his hand and pointed at Liang Wensu: "I think Brother Gong has the makings of a prime minister."

"Not at all, not at all, I'm already very happy that I passed the imperial examination." Liang Wensu waved his hands repeatedly, but he was particularly happy in his heart, and his cramped calf seemed to no longer hurt.

Xu Lai then pointed to another student from the inner circle: "Brother Daochang also has the potential to become a prime minister."

The inner eunuch laughed heartily: "If I were prime minister, I would definitely recommend Sanlang for the position of Minister."

Xu Lai continued his deception: "Brother Xingzu can also become a prime minister!"

The classmate he called out clapped and laughed: "I've figured it out! All the scholars here have the potential to be prime ministers. Why don't we take turns doing it, each of us for three to five years? We'll finish when everyone's turn is up."

"Hahaha!"

The scholars laughed heartily.

The atmosphere instantly brightened, and the previous dejection vanished.

Xu Lai raised his staff and shouted, "Fellow ministers, let's climb the mountain together!"

The ministers readily agreed and continued on their way, chatting and laughing.

Xu Lai thought to himself: Damn it, this bunch of weaklings, I have to coax them to climb even a small hill.

It's just a small hill, neither high nor steep.

It's hard to imagine someone being so exhausted.

Next, we walked quite a distance in one go, and could vaguely see the temple.

Xu Lai walked at the front, occasionally turning back to observe the others.

Yang Shu and a few other scholars chatted and laughed all the way, not taking the mountain climb seriously at all.

There were also more than twenty scholars, who, although panting, were completely fine.

Those five or six scholars were walking slower and slower, and had already been left far behind. They'd probably spend the night in the temple, and when they got up tomorrow morning, their legs would be completely useless, and they'd be in pain for days just trying to walk normally.

As they approached the temple gate, Xu Lai stopped and waited.

The students who had fallen behind gradually arrived at this place.

The first day went well; no one gave up. Physical stamina wasn't the problem; the real concern was losing morale.

Xu Lai decided to give everyone another boost.

He climbed to a high platform and shouted with boundless enthusiasm, "This is what mountain climbing is like! The process is difficult, but as long as you persevere to the end, you will be able to see all the mountains below. Inspired by this, I composed a poem, 'Climbing Pujian Mountain,' which I share with you all for mutual encouragement!"

At this moment, everyone was in a good mood, after all, they would soon be able to enter the temple to rest.

The crowd, some standing and some standing, watched Xu Lai with smiles.

Yang Shu had always liked Xu Lai's poems, and he especially flattered him by saying, "Sanlang, please recite them quickly, I am all ears."

My roommate, Wen Zhonghe, also said, "If this poem isn't good, you'll have to treat us to drinks as a penalty when we get back to the city!"

"Quickly chant, quickly chant, don't delay, I'm in a hurry to go to the temple to sleep."

"..."

Xu Lai stood on the high platform, raising his bamboo staff to the sky, his long robe billowing in the wind, and recited with unbridled arrogance: "The scholar's spirit soars to the heavens, step by step ascending to the highest heavens. I will traverse countless cliffs, and at the summit, I will be the peak!"

"What a beautiful poem!"

"What a magnificent view! I stand atop the mountain, the peak!"

"The meaning of 'rising step by step to the highest heavens' is auspicious; in the future, all of us scholars can rise to high positions with ease."

"Xu Sanlang, how many good poems do you still have hidden away? Bring them out quickly."

"..."

Yang Shu smiled and said to Ding Zhengchen, "Ding Erlang, wasn't I right? Sanlang's poems never disappoint. Even the small Pujian Mountain is described with such grandeur."

Ding Zhengchen's legs were trembling. He had never climbed a mountain before, and now, looking at Xu Lai on the high platform, he couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion: "Sanlang has a broad mind and an extraordinary demeanor. I can't write a sentence like 'I am the peak when I reach the summit' even if I rack my brains."

Liang Wensu lowered his head in thought, as he was also composing a poem about climbing a mountain, but none of his attempts could compare to Xu Lai's.

Can't I even beat him in the state college entrance exam, and can't even write poetry as well?

Xu Lai leaped down from the high platform in a few strides, brandishing a bamboo staff and shouting, "Gentlemen, follow me into the temple! Today is the day to make our mark!"

The scholars immediately joined in the laughter and commotion.

Cai Chengyou led his apprentice at the back. He had lived for over fifty years and had worked with countless officials on water conservancy projects. What kind of people hadn't he seen?

He saw it all clearly today; Xu Sanlang had been coaxing the scholars up the mountain like a child the whole time.

Without Xu Sanlang, this surveying team would have long since disbanded and only a few people remained.