Chapter 400: Li Yuan's One-Day Tour of Weinan (2)

Building roads requires a lot of manpower and material resources.

Li Yuan sighed, "Your County Magistrate really poured in a lot of resources."

"That's why we say the County Magistrate is good." Liuzi said solemnly, "The County Magistrate doesn't take a single thread from us, doesn't levy corvée labor, but instead gives wages to road workers. Isn't that good?"

Li Yuan chuckled, "Alright, alright, your County Magistrate is good enough."

"However, I've heard that your County Magistrate hardly ever shows his face."

"Even when cases arise that need him to preside over justice, he never appears; basically it's always the Xianya Chief Clerk who steps up, and last year someone in the court even impeached him over this!"

"What do they know!" Liuzi exclaimed angrily, "The County Magistrate is so busy normally, where would he find time to handle these matters!"

"Rather than having the County Magistrate personally preside over so-called justice, we'd rather he not appear, because we know he's doing substantive work, wholeheartedly for us."

Speaking, he paused, "Besides, the County Magistrate isn't ignoring these matters; he generally solves problems at the root, greatly reducing the number of cases."

"How does he solve things at the root?" Li Yuan wondered.

"Hmm..." Liuzi thought and said, "For example, when the County Magistrate first took office, he directly arrested a notorious large gang; recently he even issued a bounty, offering rewards for reporting those who commit illicit acts, and I heard the county jail can't hold all the prisoners."

"Yesterday, in front of everyone, he executed a batch of those deserving death."

Now I understand!

Li Yuan understood; what Liuzi meant by solving problems at the root was using iron-blooded methods to purge the guilty, shocking everyone.

Indeed, it's a very good method; speaking of killing multiple birds with one stone, there's no problem.

Afterwards, Li Yuan occasionally asked a question, and Liuzi patiently answered them all.

Walking along, Liuzi suddenly stopped, pointing at a distant huge three-story building and said, "Sir, look, that's the library built by the County Magistrate; it's said to house a vast collection of books—whatever you can't imagine, you won't fail to see."

"This year the imperial examinations will be held; I don't know how many scholars from all over have come just to read books there. It's open twelve shichen a day; no matter when you go, you basically can't find a seat."

"I've already seen it." Li Yuan's slightly cloudy eyes were somewhat shocked, because even standing outside, one could vaguely see the crowded scene inside.

If a building this large were completely like that inside, there must be at least several thousand scholars crammed in.

What a shocking scene!

Back when the imperial examinations were held, he had never seen so many scholars.

"What conditions are needed to enter and read?" Li Yuan asked, tilting his head.

"What conditions?" Liuzi didn't understand, "Why would there be any conditions? Anyone can go."

Upon hearing that, not only Li Yuan but also Li Fushun beside him were shocked, exclaiming, "How could that be? With such a vast collection of books inside, could it really be that there are no conditions at all to let these scholars read?"

The two of them really found it hard to understand.

In their view, books are precious, even ordinary ones, let alone those that others find hard to access.

Isn't it precisely books and the path upward that aristocratic families use to win people's hearts?

Chen Yan satisfies both points: he has books, and his connections are just as strong; he can completely use this to win people's hearts and become a rising great power.

Why not do that?

Li Fushun didn't understand.

"There's basically no condition." Liuzi thought carefully, "If you count paying one wen per shichen of reading inside as a condition."

Li Yuan: "......"

Li Fushun: "......"

Now the two of them had nothing left to say.

One wen per shichen—what a ridiculous condition.

Who knows how many people in the world have thrown down tens or hundreds of strings of cash and still couldn't find a way to read precious books.

For a moment, speechless, both silently digested the news.

After a moment, Li Yuan furrowed his brows, then relaxed, as if he'd figured something out, and burst into loud laughter.

Hahaha, I understand, I understand!

It's small, we are small-minded.

Li Fushun asked, not understanding, "May I ask, sir, what is small?"

"Sigh!" Li Yuan sighed, "It's that our vision is too narrow."

Li Fushun, being able to follow Li Yuan, is naturally no fool; hearing this, he instantly understood.

He gave a wry smile and shook his head, "Indeed, it's me... I, the petty one, have measured a gentleman's belly with a petty heart."

Liuzi didn't quite understand the two's words, but he didn't think much of it; after all, he just needed to attend to the guests well.

"Liuzi." Li Yuan called, "Can we go in and have a look?"

Liuzi hesitated a bit: "Before, there would definitely be no problem, but now there are too many people; squeezing in would likely be difficult. If you two don't mind, going in to look is certainly fine."

"Hmm... then forget it." Li Yuan really wanted to go in and see, but thinking of his old bones, if he bumped into something it might cause trouble for his son-in-law, so he gave up.

"Alright, then I'll tell you about the situation inside." Liuzi also didn't want to go in, after all it's too crowded; to satisfy the guests' curiosity, he told Li Yuan everything about what's inside, the layout, and the rules.

The master and servant listened with relish, feeling that today's trip was not in vain.

Not long after, they arrived in front of a shop; Liuzi introduced, "Take a look, this is the honeycomb coal made by the County Magistrate—it's quite cheap and burns for a long time."

Precisely because of the honeycomb coal, our winter days have become far easier than before.

This time Liuzi brought them to see the honeycomb coal, causing Li Yuan to praise it repeatedly.

Next, Liuzi pointed to the neighboring shop and said, "That's the padded coat shop; unfortunately, the County Magistrate didn't sell many last year, supposedly due to scarce materials, but word has it that this year everyone will be able to wear padded coats."

Padded coats?

Upon hearing, Li Yuan quickly asked, "Isn't that the slightly puffy thing stuffed with some white material, which is warm to wear?"

"Huh?" Liuzi exclaimed in surprise, "Looks like you've heard of it, sir."

"Hmph." Li Yuan suddenly puffed up with pride, "I've not only heard of it, I've even worn it."

"Your luck is truly good." Liuzi said enviously, "Last year I only managed to buy one, which I gave to my sister to wear; I didn't even get one for myself."

But I'll definitely be able to wear it this year.

Haha, then I'll congratulate you in advance. Li Yuan was in a good mood, he patted little Liuzi on the shoulder: "Come on, let's keep watching."