BSI Chapter 124 Dengzhou in Sight
Chapter 124 Dengzhou in Sight
afternoon.
After the convoy crossed the last mountain ridge, a breathtaking view suddenly opened up before them.
In the distance, the sea and sky meet at the horizon, with vast expanses of blue waves.
Sunlight spilled across the sea, making it shimmer like scattered gold. Several seagulls circled overhead, their calls clear and melodious.
The sea breeze swept over us, carrying a salty, fishy smell, and made the carriage curtains flutter loudly.
Lu Yan lifted the carriage curtain and stepped down.
He stood on the mountain ridge, gazing into the distance.
The coastline meanders and twists, like a giant dragon lying between heaven and earth. Along the coast, the outline of a city can be vaguely seen—gray city walls, dense houses, and towering gate towers.
That is Dengzhou City.
"Master, that's Dengzhou," Zhao Changying said, riding over and pointing into the distance.
Lu Yan nodded and took a deep breath.
The sea breeze filled my lungs, bringing an indescribable sense of freshness.
He had lived in Jinan for five years and had long been accustomed to the dryness and dust of the inland areas. Now, upon suddenly smelling the sea breeze, he felt an indescribable sense of exhilaration.
"Dengzhou..."
Lu Yan muttered to himself, a slight smile appearing on his lips.
He finally arrived.
"Master, there's a fork in the road ahead," Zhao Changying said. "Going north is the main road, leading directly to Dengzhou City; going east is a side road that goes around to the port. Which way would you like to take, Master?"
"We'll take the official road," Lu Yan said. "I'm an official appointed by the imperial court, and naturally I must use the main gate to go to my post in Dengzhou."
"yes."
Zhao Changying turned his horse around and went to the front to deliver the order.
Lu Yan got back into the carriage, but did not lower the curtain.
He leaned against the car window, looking at the scenery outside.
Below the mountains lies a vast plain. Scattered across the plain are a few villages and farmlands. The fields, planted with wheat and sorghum, have already been harvested, leaving only bare furrows.
If you keep going forward, you'll reach Dengzhou City.
The convoy moved slowly along the official road.
As they drew closer, the outline of Dengzhou City became clearer and clearer.
The city wall, built of blue bricks, stood about three zhang high and bore the marks of time. Several flags fluttered in the sea breeze atop the city tower. At the city gate, a few soldiers stood lazily, glancing at the approaching convoy without questioning them.
"Is this the garrison commander of Dengzhou?" Lu Yan frowned.
"Yes." Shen Qing rode closer to the carriage and said in a low voice, "The soldiers of Dengzhou Guard have long been derelict in their ways. They only know how to collect salaries without working and exploit their soldiers; they have no fighting power whatsoever."
Lu Yan shook his head and remained silent.
The convoy entered the city gate and proceeded along the main street.
Dengzhou City is small, but bustling. Shops line both sides of the street, their signs and banners in a riot of colors. The streets are teeming with people: peddlers carrying loads, merchants driving carts, fishermen in short tunics, and wealthy people dressed in silk.
The air was filled with various smells—fishy, sea salt, wine, food—mixing together to create a unique, down-to-earth atmosphere.
"This is Dengzhou," Lu Yan thought to himself as he looked out the window.
Unlike Jinan, Dengzhou is a port city. The people here rely on the sea for their livelihood, and their personalities are more rugged and direct than those of people from inland areas.
This is a place full of opportunities.
It is also a place fraught with danger.
"Master, the government office is just ahead," Zhao Changying's voice came from outside the carriage window.
Lu Yan pulled himself out of his thoughts, lifted the carriage curtain, and looked ahead.
The government office was located in the center of the city and was an imposing building. It had a vermilion gate with two stone lions guarding the entrance, and a plaque above the gate with the three large characters "Dengzhou Prefecture" written on it.
Several yamen runners stood at the entrance and hurriedly came forward to greet the approaching convoy.
"Who goes there?"
Zhao Changying rode forward and showed his waist badge.
"The newly appointed Prefect of Dengzhou, Lord Lu, has arrived at his post. Go and inform him immediately!"
Upon hearing this, the constables' expressions immediately changed.
"So it's Lord Lu! We were blind to your greatness, please forgive us!"
They rushed into the government office to inform the prefect.
Lu Yan stepped down from the carriage and straightened his clothes.
Today he was wearing a brand-new official robe—a blue robe with a mandarin duck embroidered on the chest, a black gauze hat, and a jade belt. Although he was only a seventh-rank official, he was still a dignified court official with an extraordinary bearing.
A short while later, the gates of the government office opened, and a group of people came out to greet them.
The leader was an elderly man in his fifties, wearing a scarlet official robe with a cloud and goose embroidered on his chest; he was Zhou Wenyuan, the prefect of Dengzhou.
"Lord Lu has come from afar; I have failed to greet you properly. Please forgive me!"
Zhou Wenyuan smiled broadly and bowed with his hands clasped in greeting.
Lu Yan quickly returned the greeting.
"Lord Zhou, you are too kind. I am new here and will have to rely on your guidance."
"Not at all, Lord Lu is a young man of great talent and has a bright future. I admire him greatly."
After exchanging pleasantries, Zhou Wenyuan invited Lu Yan into the government office for a chat.
Lu Yan followed Zhou Wenyuan into the government office, passing through the front hall and the second hall, and arrived at the flower hall in the back.
Tea and refreshments had already been laid out in the flower hall, with several maids standing by.
"Please have a seat, Lord Lu," Zhou Wenyuan said.
Lu Yan sat down as instructed, picked up his teacup, and took a small sip.
"Good tea."
"This is Wuyi rock tea from Fujian, brought back from the south by someone from this prefecture. If Lord Lu likes it, this prefecture will send some to you later."
"Then thank you very much, Lord Zhou."
After exchanging a few more polite words, Zhou Wenyuan began to introduce the situation in Dengzhou.
"Dengzhou is located on the coast, surrounded by the sea on three sides, and connected to the inland only on the west. This prefecture administers one county and seven districts, with a population of approximately 500,000."
"Dengzhou's main industries are fishing and salt production. The fishing industry goes without saying; Dengzhou's seafood is famous throughout Shandong. As for salt production..."
Zhou Wenyuan paused, a hint of embarrassment on his face.
"The salt industry is a state monopoly, and this prefecture cannot say much about it."
Lu Yan understood.
The salt industry in Dengzhou was ostensibly a government monopoly, but in reality, it was rife with illegal salt trade. Zhou Wenyuan couldn't possibly be unaware of the Li family's illegal salt business; he simply dared not speak of it.
"Besides fishing and salt production, Dengzhou has another important responsibility—to support Liaodong," Zhou Wenyuan continued.
"Since the Battle of Sarhu, there has been continuous warfare in Liaodong. The imperial court established the Dengzhou-Laizhou Governorate in Dengzhou, specifically responsible for the logistical support of Liaodong. The naval force in Dengzhou was also established to support Liaodong."
"Lord Lu's main responsibility upon assuming his post is the construction of warships. This is a task assigned by the imperial court, and it cannot be taken lightly."
Lu Yan nodded.
"Your humble servant understands."
"Regarding the construction of the warships, this government will fully cooperate with Lord Lu," Zhou Wenyuan said. "However..."
He paused, a hint of embarrassment on his face.
"But what?"
"However, the situation in Dengzhou is rather complicated," Zhou Wenyuan said in a low voice. "Lord Lu is new here, so there are some things we should be careful about."
Lu Yan's heart stirred.
"What does Lord Zhou mean by...?"
Zhou Wenyuan looked around to make sure no one was watching before whispering:
"In Dengzhou, there lived a family surnamed Li, who were the largest maritime merchants in the area. The Li family had been operating in Dengzhou for three generations, wielding immense power and maintaining intricate connections with the government and the navy."
"Lord Lu will be on official business in Dengzhou, and will inevitably have to deal with the Li family. My intention is..."
He gave Lu Yan a meaningful look.
"Avoid offending others if you can avoid it."
Upon hearing this, Lu Yan smiled slightly.
"Thank you for the reminder, Lord Zhou. I will remember it."
Seeing Lu Yan's humble attitude, Zhou Wenyuan's smile widened.
"Lord Lu is a wise man, so I won't say any more. Come, come, have some tea."
After chatting for a while, Zhou Wenyuan arranged for someone to take Lu Yan to the Tongpan Yamen (prefectural magistrate's office) to settle in.
Lu Yan took his leave and walked along the corridor of the government office.
Shen Qing appeared behind him without him noticing and whispered:
"Master, do you believe Zhou Wenyuan's words?"
Lu Yan's lips curled up slightly.
"I believe it, and I don't believe it."
"What do you mean?"
"He said the Li family is powerful, that's true. He told me not to offend the Li family, that's also true," Lu Yan said. "But his purpose isn't for my own good, it's for his own."
"He was afraid that I would clash with the Li family and drag him into it. So he gave me a heads-up, hoping I would back down."
Shen Qing nodded.
"The boss is wise."
Lu Yan didn't say anything and walked out of the government office gate.
Outside the door, Zhao Changying and his guards had been waiting for a long time.
"Master, the magistrate's office has been cleaned thoroughly. Please come in."
Lu Yan nodded and got into the carriage.
The carriage moved slowly along the street, heading towards the magistrate's office.
Lu Yan leaned against the carriage and closed his eyes.
A map of Dengzhou appeared in my mind.
The Li family, the navy, officialdom...
A complex web of relationships is slowly unfolding before his eyes.
He knew that from this day forward, he would be battling this net.
But he wasn't afraid.
Because he also has his own internet.
One hundred and fifty elite guards, one hundred and twenty flintlock muskets, and five breech-loading cannons.
Furthermore, Shen Qing's intelligence network is quietly taking shape.
These are his trump cards.
The carriage bumped along the street and finally stopped in front of a mansion.
Lu Yan stepped down from the carriage and looked up at the plaque above the door.
"Dengzhou Tongpan Yamen" (Dengzhou Prefectural Office).
He took a deep breath and stepped inside.
Dengzhou.
he came.