Chapter 1832: Chuzhou

The sun set beyond the western mountains, the sky blanketed in rosy clouds, and the last slanting rays of sunlight spilled across the canal—yet another scene of exquisite beauty, rich and varied, intoxicating to behold.

The glow of the sunset stretched ten thousand feet, dyeing the entire surface of the canal crimson. At Shanyang Wharf, the air was thick with the clamor of voices. Coolies in short jackets, or some bare-chested entirely, were loading and unloading cargo with all their might—the closer to evening quitting time, the busier they grew.

As the starting point of the Huai-Yang Canal, where the north-south waterways converged, Shanyang's character as a vital thoroughfare had become increasingly prominent over the years. Passenger and cargo vessels plying north and south all basically chose to stop here for rest and resupply, and some wealthy merchants with real strength had even established dedicated freight stations and warehouses in Shanyang to facilitate trade.

After more than thirty years of construction, Shanyang Harbor had grown quite mature. Though its scale could not match the Great Han's famous seaports, nor the Yangzhou Harbor to the south, it was at least the premier port of the Huai-Hai region, boasting more than thirty wharves of various sizes—and it was still being expanded.

The river harbor was spacious with an open view. By evening, most vessels were those entering port to moor, and under the urging of the setting sun, the scene even seemed somewhat chaotic. However, the passenger boat Zhao Pu rode naturally entered the harbor without any obstruction, smoothly and easily—the Zhao family's banner still carried considerable weight.

The boat came alongside the shore, dropped anchor, and lowered the gangplank. Zhao Pu had occupied the highest quarters on the vessel, but he was also the first to disembark. Supported by his servants as he stepped down the gangplank, the scene on the wharf immediately made Zhao Pu furrow his brow.

There, led by Zhao Chengzong, the Prefectural Administrator of Chuzhou, all the officials and clerks of the prefecture, great and small, were waiting with utmost deference. The damp river breeze blowing off the water made one uncomfortable, yet they all bore it with composure, displaying great patience.

Seeing Zhao Pu come ashore, Zhao Chengzong's face immediately lit with joy. He hurried forward and said happily, "Your son greets his father!"

Seeing this, the officials of Chuzhou, whether from curiosity or reverence, bowed in unison to Zhao Pu with respect: "Your subordinates pay respects to Duke Zhao!"

In officialdom, Zhao Pu was a legendary figure. The authority accumulated over twenty years as chancellor could not be completely erased in a mere two years. Most of the officials in Chuzhou had never met Zhao Pu in person—when he had headed south earlier, he had not paused in Chuzhou for even a moment—but his reputation and some of the decrees he had issued were well known to them. Now that they could see the old Chancellor with their own eyes, they naturally all eagerly wanted to show their faces.

As for the thoughts of these officials, Zhao Pu saw through them like a blazing fire. He simply cupped his hands in a brief return salute and said mildly, "Gentlemen, your warm welcome moves this old man deeply. But I am now but a hoary-haired elder, living in retirement from the world. This passing through is merely to visit family. Such courtesy is more than I dare accept!"

Hearing Zhao Pu speak thus, the Administrative Assistant of Chuzhou immediately responded, "Duke Zhao is a senior statesman of the realm, forever worthy of admiration. We subordinates have only received you with the rites of juniors, not as an official welcome. We hope you will not take offense!"

Clearly, Zhao Pu wished to be modest and low-key, but these Chuzhou bureaucrats would not take his words seriously. Setting everything else aside, with Zhao Pu's current rank of Marquis, no one in the localities would dare slight him—that was the most tangible symbol of status. Moreover, anyone who truly took Zhao Pu for a past-his-prime chancellor would be a fool, and on this matter, the bureaucrats of Chuzhou were all clever men.

"I appreciate your sentiments, and I thank you here!" Zhao Pu's tone remained calm and flat. "Please, all of you, return. With so many people crowded here, don't disrupt the order and operation of the wharf!"

"Duke Zhao speaks rightly! The prefecture has already prepared a banquet, and we subordinates humbly request you to grace it with your presence!" Hearing this, the Administrative Assistant glanced at the crowd of passengers still queuing on the boat waiting to disembark for their meals, and hurriedly invited.

"No need!" Zhao Pu waved his hand directly. "I am weary! Please, all of you, return!"

Seeing Zhao Pu so unaccommodating, the Administrative Assistant was taken aback, looking helplessly toward Zhao Chengzong. But Zhao Chengzong, under his father's gaze, dared not second the invitation and lightly waved his hand. Seeing this, the Administrative Assistant led his men in a respectful retreat, leaving the wharf almost with a backward glance at every step.

Having dismissed these flies of Chuzhou, Zhao Pu's expression immediately turned cold. To Zhao Chengzong, who was attending him with care, he said, "This display—was it your doing?"

Facing the rebuke, Zhao Chengzong immediately explained, "Upon hearing that Father was passing through, the officials of Chuzhou were overjoyed and took the initiative to come pay their respects, to express their reverence!"

"But how did they come to know of my whereabouts?"

At this, Zhao Chengzong could not help but feel embarrassed—the news had naturally leaked from his end. Seeing this, Zhao Pu sighed and said, "I am now but an old man, without office or rank. Hearing them call me Duke Zhao one after another, I have no complaints. But this is Chuzhou, where you govern. If word of this spreads, will it not hand others a handle against you!"

Facing Zhao Pu's admonishment, Zhao Chengzong's expression turned solemn, and he immediately said, "Father's instruction is right. This matter was ill-considered on my part!"

Then Zhao Chengzong said, "You have endured a hard journey by boat. Since you do not wish to attend the banquet, please come with me back to the government office to rest!"

Hearing this, Zhao Pu shook his head and said, "My itinerary is tight; no need for the fuss. I shall lodge at the wharf tonight! Send someone to bring the family here. I'll see them, share a family meal, and that will be that!"

Since Zhao Pu had so instructed, Zhao Chengzong could only comply, immediately arranging for people to handle it. Leading the way toward the wharf inn, Zhao Pu looked left and right along the route, saying, "Shanyang here is a hub of north-south traffic, a vital position. If I had the time, I would like to stroll about the area and see the gains and losses of your governance! But regardless, as the chief official of this prefecture, you must conduct yourself well!"

"Your son understands!" Zhao Chengzong nodded.

Zhao Pu pondered for a moment, then asked, "In the past year, how many people have been replaced in the Chuzhou government?"

Zhao Chengzong sighed: "From the prefectural officials at the top down to the county clerks at the bottom, fully seventy-odd people. More than twenty of them were taken to the capital and executed. Had the court not intervened in time last winter, changing course and letting the officials of the realm breathe a sigh of relief, my Chuzhou would likely have fallen into great disorder..."

Hearing Zhao Chengzong say this, Zhao Pu's expression immediately turned stern. He stopped in his tracks, stared at Zhao Chengzong, and there was a hint of severity in his eyes: "Is that what you think?"

Seeing his old father's expression, Zhao Chengzong immediately grew more alert. Meeting Zhao Pu's gaze, he hesitated: "Have I said something wrong?"

"Of course you're wrong! What are you doing—complaining to me, or grumbling about the court's policies, questioning His Majesty's will!" Zhao Pu said sternly.

Hearing this, Zhao Chengzong said with some urgency, "How would your son dare? I have no such intention at all!"

Frowning, Zhao Pu scrutinized Zhao Chengzong for a long while before saying, "Never mind seventy-odd people—even if everyone in Chuzhou, high and low, were replaced entirely, all you need to do is behave properly, stay in your lane, and do your utmost to guarantee stability throughout Chuzhou! If Chuzhou falls into disorder, that is the crime of you, the Prefectural Administrator—you, as the chief official, bear the primary responsibility!"

"Yes! Your son has been taught!" As the son Zhao Pu valued most, Zhao Chengzong was naturally no fool. Hearing this admonishment, a look of sudden understanding crossed his face, and he answered solemnly.

"In recent years, the court above and the realm within and without have all been unsettled, and for some time to come, things will likely not grow calm either. Remember that as an official you must be cautious—guard against haste and practice forbearance!" Zhao Pu added another instruction.

"Yes!"

"You've been in Chuzhou for two or three years now. What difficulties are there?" Zhao Pu continued asking.

"The situation in Chuzhou is very good. A single canal is enough to benefit the entire prefecture, and we also enjoy the advantages of Hongze. I dare not claim that governance is smooth and the people harmonious, or that the state is prosperous and the people wealthy, but the people under my rule have no worries about food and clothing!" A slight smile tugged at the corner of Zhao Chengzong's mouth. "The greatest difficulty lies with the Huai River, I suppose. Though we have repaired the solid dikes and dredged the ditches, flooding still recurs from time to time, and the people along the banks suffer greatly..."

"Having gained its benefits, one must naturally bear its harms. In governance, you should take the benefits while guarding against the harms!" Zhao Pu said. After a moment's pause, he asked again, "How much arable land is there in the prefecture?"

In the current Great Han, this could be considered a sensitive matter. Zhao Chengzong immediately connected it to something and reported in a low voice, "Registered arable land, approximately thirty thousand qing."

"Registered?" Zhao Pu revealed a hint of amusement. "And the actual amount?"

There was naturally nothing to hide from Zhao Pu. Zhao Chengzong said, "I sent people to investigate. Though not certain, based on estimates, the actual arable land in Chuzhou should be no less than sixty thousand qing..."