Chapter 160

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Protagonist:

Song Miao

He did not know if it was because the horse was mischievous and ill-mannered, combined with his own mediocre horsemanship, making the whole journey jolting, Lu Wenming's ears still rang with a buzzing sound.

Hearing that shout, the voice was actually no longer as clear as before, but the tone and intonation were still familiar, leaving him no time to care about anything like sleeves or headcloths.

Looking up, he saw a dim yellow lantern coming toward him across the way, shadows flickering, actually unable to see the face clearly, but Lu Wenming immediately shouted in response: "Huaiduan!"

Calling out, he did not even bother to take the torch hanging nearby, taking two or three steps at a time to go forward and meet him.

Old friends meeting only put arms around each other and patted shoulders, unable to speak coherently.

Lu Wenming had thought of countless questions on the road; at this moment, he asked whichever one he caught, not caring about the order at all, while Li Huaiduan across from him also opened his mouth to ask, pulling the man's arm as they walked toward the back office.

Two men and two old crows went "gah gah gah" all day, asking about the old man, asking about the wife and children, asking about health.

Finally returning to the room and sitting down, Li Huaiduan personally served tea, and asked: "How is my godmother's health? Last time I asked you, you didn't say; I sent someone back to the countryside to ask, saying she has suffered from rheumatism in recent years, her knees hurt every now and then. I found a medicated wine prescription for her, which contains a medicinal guide of ten centipedes over seven inches long. I entrusted many merchants to help, and finally found them in Guangnan. They are already soaked, and everyone says they need to be soaked for a year to take effect. Since you have come, take them back. When you meet an acquaintance, ask them to bring them back to my hometown."

Centipedes are easy to find in Guangnan; flip over a piece of wood and you can see one. But ones seven inches long are nearly becoming spirits; where are they so easy to find?

Lu Wenming first gulped down three teacups of tea in one breath, then said: "Such a rare thing, you keep it yourself to do a favor. Once it's soaked, give a bottle to Old Lady."

Li Huaiduan was originally smiling, but that smile slowly faded, and he asked: "Old Lu, you still treat me as an outsider, right?"

He continued: "It's not for you, it's for my godmother. I recognized her as my dry mother. If it weren't for you bringing the contract, if it weren't for the godmother taking care of me, a country boy like me wouldn't have survived that winter back then. How could I have entered the Zhou Xue? How could I have become an official? How could I have today? I might as well have ended up as a village schoolteacher."

"Although I am not a big official and have no power, at least I have an official identity now—Brother, let me say a few heartfelt words to you. Why won't you listen? Rather than serving as a staff member for someone else with no benefit, why not come to my place? You don't need to worry about food, clothing, or housing; I will take care of it all. Bring your sister-in-law and children over, and you can keep company with my people. Isn't that good?"

"By then you can study on your own. If you don't pass in three years, try for three more. With your learning and ability, it's just a temporary run of bad luck. How can there be a reason for bad luck to last forever? Once you achieve fame and success, you and I, as brothers, can look after each other. Isn't that good?"

Li Huaiduan had said this many times in letters before, but Lu Wenming pretended not to see, and later simply refused to open the letters at all.

He had a bit of literati pride in him. To serve under someone else's door as a staff member, even if humiliated, at least he was supporting himself. But if he went to Li Huaiduan's place, what difference would it be from eating soft rice? Not to mention he would still have to support his family.

Moreover, after taking the exam for so many years and failing every time, his spirit had already declined, and he had begun to doubt his own abilities.

If he never passed, would he rely on an old friend for food for a lifetime?

Huaiduan was not a big official either. His family used to be bare walls, and now he was just a drifter in the officialdom, with little spare energy.

Yet the friendship between the two sides was like this.

In the past, Lu Wenming avoided and ignored it, but at this moment, he raised his head and said decisively: "Huaiduan, don't persuade me. I am doing very well right now."

"You're doing great, my ass!"

Li Huaiduan cursed.

Cursing while pointing at his robe, his shoes, and then his face, he said angrily: "Your lips and face are chapped. Look at this yellow mud all over you, this dirt all over you, this sweat all over you. Your headcloth is soaked through. Is this how someone is used? Running here in the middle of the night to deliver news—those who know think you're a staff member, those who don't think you owe a karmic debt from ten lifetimes!"

Lu Wenming shook his head and said: "I volunteered. Knowing you are an official here, I recommended myself to come. I have a matter to ask for your help."

He explained in detail how he was sent by his master to come to Hua Prefecture to help dig channels and rivers, how he was made a group leader by Han Li, what he did along the way, leading a group of companions, what he is doing now, and what he will do in the future.

He said everyone worked hard and devoted themselves along the way, spoke of the resistance they encountered, and finally said: "I have lived half my life. In the past, I always talked about war on paper. Now I am actually doing real work. Whether it succeeds or not, since I have started, I don't want to stop. That Han Zhengyan, with such reputation and talent, running around, his miserable state is no better than mine."

"You don't know. In our kitchen there is a young lady with an apprentice. Not only is her cooking excellent, but she can also manage food, clothing, and housing. I don't have to worry about anything."

"Even when we met an old woman on the road and heard about the embankment repair and river digging, everyone had to pitch in."

"I am a grown man. Should I shrink back and play dead?"

At first he was just speaking, but as he spoke, a surge of heat rose in his heart, his nose felt sour, his eyes felt hot. He did not shed tears; the tears were already held in his eye sockets, not from sadness or grievance, but from excitement.

In the middle of the night, Li Huaiduan saw his old friend's appearance with his own eyes and had nothing more to say. He took out the document from his bosom, looked it over once more, and cursed: "To mobilize so many boats within a day, prepare to receive the storeroom, and arrange manpower—you might as well just kill me!"

He cursed again: "I'm afraid some ghost has stolen your soul. You never cared this much about your own affairs before!"

While cursing, he went out the door. Soon after, he brought a map, a roster, and a stack of blank paper. He circled and compared on the map according to the roster, then copied it onto the paper.

Lu Wenming hurriedly asked: "What are you doing? Let me help out?"

Li Huaiduan said in a bad mood: "What help can you give? Do you know who can be assigned how?"

He continued: "So many boats, lining up and docking at the pier also need someone to manage. Then there is the grain and people mentioned later to be transported. Can they really arrive on time? If they don't, everything will be wasted!"

Lu Wenming said: "This matter is personally followed up by Han Zhengyan. Since he has spoken, he has never gone back on his word before."

He continued: "He said I can make the decision here. Even if the grain and people don't come, all remuneration will still be paid."

Speaking, he took out a cloth bag from his close-fitting pocket.

Li Huaiduan snorted and said: "Such a difficult task. Does he think money will make it work?!"

After years of friendship, hearing this, how could Lu Wenming not know this matter had a way? He laughed and said: "Isn't it because you, Huaiduan, are here!"

Li Huaiduan rolled his eyes, but still opened it to look at the banknotes inside. Seeing the amount, he finally sighed in relief and said: "With this, I can speak to the people below. Otherwise, I could only use authority to pressure them. Although I am a superior official, it is not convenient to force people too much."

He looked for half a day and said: "It is too late now. Hurrying is useless. Tomorrow morning I will assign it down, calling the people below to each be responsible for a place. It would be best if the boats arrive in batches..."

Li Huaiduan said while writing and drawing. As he wrote, he suddenly heard a long "Goo—" sound. Looking up, he saw Lu Wenming opposite him also looking blank, lowering his head to look at the source of the sound—it was Lu's stomach growling.

"You didn't eat dinner?" Li Huaiduan was stunned. "I'll send someone to buy some food!"

"In the middle of the night, buy what food? I came all the way and didn't see a few shops open."

Seeing Li Huaiduan about to speak, Lu Wenming took out an oilcloth bundle from his pocket. Opening it, inside was another lotus leaf wrap.

"I brought my own food—Huaiduan, do you have a stove here?"

Li Huaiduan had just gone to find a stove and came back. Seeing what was inside the lotus leaf wrap Lu Wenming opened, he couldn't help but frown and said: "What is this?"

"Song Xiaoniangzi said this is Hulless Barley Cake."

Li Huaiduan frowned even more and said: "For no reason, don't you have fine grain to eat? Why are you eating hulless barley?"

He continued: "Wait for me to finish this bit, and I'll find you something edible."

Speaking, he indeed hurriedly buried his head in organizing.

After he finally managed to divide out a framework and was just about to breathe a sigh of relief, when he inhaled again, he felt something was not right.

This breath I inhaled, how... it seems... a bit strangely fragrant?

?? Only this much for tonight as well, sorry, the word count is low so the Plot is a bit Slow QAQ...