The Three Spirit Stones

Chapter 119 Fan Zhongyan

Cheng Sanbao sent in another visiting card, which read as usual: "I learned that the Marquis was ill, and I request to visit him." The signature was: Fan Zhongyan,

Cheng Yu smiled knowingly, it was Brother Zhu who came.

Fan Zhongyan is Zhu Shuo. His father died when he was two years old, and his mother remarried Zhu. He took her surname and named himself Shuo. It was not until he was 29 that he changed his surname back to Fan and changed his name to Zhongyan.

This year, he was transferred to the Xixi Salt Warehouse Supervisor in Taizhou, responsible for supervising the storage, transportation and resale of Huai salt. He returned to Beijing for work these days and heard that Cheng Yu was ill, so he immediately came to the Marquis' Mansion to visit him.

Cheng Sanbao personally led Fan Zhongyan into the courtyard. Cheng Yu was already standing on the steps waiting for him. When he saw Cheng Yu, he clasped his fists and bowed, saying, "Xiwen greets the Marquis. The Marquis is still ill, how dare I trouble you to come out in person?"

"It's okay. I'm glad Xiwen can come visit me."

After saying that, the two of them went into the study hand in hand and sat down.

The servant served them fragrant tea, and the two chatted while drinking tea.

He had heard that Cheng Yu was seriously injured and that a doctor had to be called overnight for emergency treatment. He was extremely worried.

Now that he saw that Cheng Yu's health had improved, he felt relieved. Although he did not tell the cause and effect of his injury, there were rumors outside that it was related to Lady Hua Ning Zuojun. Of course, he could not ask about these people's private affairs casually. Now that he saw with his own eyes that he was safe and sound, it was enough.

After the pleasantries, Fan Zhongyan talked about his transfer.

When he arrived in Taizhou, he saw that the Yanhai Weir built in the Tang Dynasty had already collapsed.

The sea tides often flooded, and the autumn waves hit every year, floating houses, flooding farmland, salt farming was irregular, and people were uneasy.

Although his job did not include building the Weihai Weir, he also planned to write to Zhang Lun, the deputy envoy of the Jianghuai Transportation Administration, to suggest rebuilding the Weihai Weir.

But building a dam is not easy. There are many technical difficulties. The initial estimate is that the dam base is 30 feet wide, 15 feet high, 10 feet wide, and about 140 miles long.

The first thing is to determine the site of the embankment. If it is too close to the sea, the embankment will be frequently impacted by tides and will be difficult to survive for long. If it is too far from the sea, it will not be able to block the tides, and its defensive function will be weakened, affecting salt production.

The second issue was the choice of seawall materials. The previous Changfeng Weir was made of "pile up earth", which was easy to collapse, so he wanted to use stones, but there were few mountains and stones in this area, and transportation was also difficult.

There was also a section of Kowloon Harbor where the winds were strong and the waves were high. Often the seawalls built during the day would be washed away by the waves at night. A folk song that was popular at the time said,

[Kowloon Harbor is connected to other harbors, the tides are unusually changeable, even without wind there are three-foot waves, the foundation is laid in the morning and the light is on in the evening]

He told Cheng Yu that these problems had been bothering him for some time. Thinking that Cheng Industry had rich experience in engineering construction, he came to visit Cheng Yu as soon as he returned to Beijing.

Cheng Yu immediately stated that building the sea dam was a major event that would benefit the country and the people, and he would fully support it.

When it came to the choice of materials for the seawall, he asked him to use cement mixed with stone, but Fan Zhongyan was worried that the cost of cement would be very high given the large amount of material required for the entire seawall.

Cheng Yu told him not to worry, cement could be provided to them at half the price, and it was not necessary to use cement for the entire weir, some places could use local materials, cement or stone could be used in key areas and outsourced areas,

In addition to materials, technical personnel from Chengshi Industry can also be sent to him to follow Fan Zhongyan to Taizhou to repair the dam.

Fan Zhongyan was very grateful for Cheng Yu's great support.

He stood up, bowed deeply and said, "My Lord, you are so kind. On behalf of the people of Taizhou, Xiwen would like to express his gratitude to you."

Cheng Yu quickly helped him up and said, "Xiwen, you are too polite. I am only doing what I can do."

After discussing official business, Cheng Yu invited Fan Zhongyan to have lunch.

After three rounds of drinking, Fan Zhongyan finally couldn't help asking about the reason for his injury. Cheng Yu sighed and simply told him what happened.

He was stunned when he heard this, and the corners of his mouth twitched.

He had met Ah Cai once a long time ago and felt that this woman was very special, very courageous, and a little ignorant of the immensity of heaven and earth.

There have always been eight rumors that she is arrogant and domineering, and he thought that rumors can not be trusted. Now that he heard Cheng Yu talk about it, he suddenly realized that these are actually true.

This woman has such a bad temper. Just because her husband slept with several maids, she actually shot him with a crossbow?

But what made him laugh and cry was that a heroic figure like the Marquis would actually be afraid of his wife?

Looking at his listless appearance, Fan Zhongyan felt that he was really pitiful.

"My Lord, in fact, to please a woman, it is best to cater to her preferences."

He gave Cheng Yu some advice.

“How to please them?”

"Just give her whatever she likes. For example, if she likes new clothes, find the best fabrics for her. If she likes jewelry, find the latest and most special jewelry for her. Once she is happy, you can talk to her. As long as she softens her heart, things will be easy."

Just like him?

Ah Cai used to like all kinds of gold jewelry. Later, she often asked the goldsmith to make various styles of jewelry for her. Now her collection is enough to open several museums, so jewelry gifts no longer interest her.

What gift can make her happier?

He held his chin in his hand and thought hard.

Suddenly, he remembered that a long time ago, she seemed to like collecting some calligraphy works by famous people in the Northern Song Dynasty. That book is still in her study.

Celebrity in the Northern Song Dynasty?

Isn’t this what you’re looking at?

He looked at Fan Zhongyan, the future famous prime minister, who was sitting in front of him.

But before, his name was Zhu Shuo. If Ah Cai knew that he was Fan Zhongyan, she would have asked him to write poems and calligraphy.

"Xiwen,"

Cheng Yu looked at Fan Zhongyan and said happily, "I like to collect calligraphy from various masters."

"If Xiwen could write a few poems and put your name on them, I'm sure she would like them very much."

"Ah?! So simple?"

"It's that simple,"

……

Inside the small building, Ah Cai finished her bath and prepared to rest. A large notebook on the dressing table caught her attention.

What is this?

This morning, it didn't seem like it.

She opened the book and saw

Page 1, Sumuzhay·Nostalgia

Blue sky, yellow leaves on the ground, autumn colors on the waves, cold smoke on the waves. The mountains reflect the setting sun, the sky meets the water, the fragrant grass is ruthless, even beyond the setting sun. The soul is sad, chasing the travel thoughts, every night, unless there are good dreams to keep people asleep. Don't lean alone on the high moonlit building, the wine goes into the sad intestines and turns into tears of lovesickness.

Signed by: Fan Zhongyan

Page 2, Fisherman's Pride: Autumn Thoughts

The scenery is strange when autumn comes under Saixia, and the geese in Hengyang leave without paying attention.Sounds are heard from all sides, thousands of miles away, long smoke sets, the sun sets, and the lonely city closes.A cup of turbid wine can lead to a home thousands of miles away, but Yan Ran has no plan to return home.The Qiang pipes are covered with frost, people can't sleep, and the general's hair is white and his husband is in tears.

Signed by: Fan Zhongyan

This book is the work of Fan Zhongyan until the end.

Ah Cai was very surprised. She hadn't collected famous poems for a long time and had even forgotten about this hobby. Who sent her this book?

"like or not?"

A familiar voice sounded behind me.

She turned around and saw Cheng Yu standing there, looking at her with complicated eyes.

"You sent it?"

"Well, Fan Zhongyan came to visit today. I remembered that you used to like collecting poems by famous people in the Northern Song Dynasty, so I asked him to write a few poems."

"A thousand years from now, we'll sell it for a few hundred million."

She said these words to Cheng Yu at that time. He still remembered clearly her adorable money-loving look at that time.

Hearing this, Ah Cai could no longer control the emotions that had been suppressed for so long in her heart, and tears began to fall.

He walked up to her and held her in his arms, saying emotionally, "Baby, I really love you."

"I hope to give you the best things in the world. I don't want you to suffer or be tired."

"This world is indeed cruel, but I don't want you to see this cruelty. I just want you to see the good side under my protection. I just hope you can live a simple and happy life."

"I have lived for more than a thousand years and have seen too much suffering in the world. Suffering is never necessary."

"I don't deny that Lu Wuchen put himself in your shoes. He was acting as a close friend, but I am different. As your man, if I can't protect you and let you suffer, it would be a shame for me."

"My love for you is never the love that a master has for his pet. My love for you is engraved in my bones. I can lose everything but you."

"I have thought a lot during this period, and I know very well that without you in my life, my life would be a torture."

"I really, really miss you!"

The disgusting smell from him finally disappeared, and that familiar and warm feeling returned.

Ah Cai cried in his arms and said, "I miss you too!"

Finally I can hear these long-awaited words.

Cheng Yu couldn't help but shed tears, and the empty feeling in his heart was slowly filled!