sbdcsierra Chapter 826 Song Ruier Passes the Imperial Examination
Chapter 826 Song Ruier Passes the Imperial Examination
Lord Liang took it all personally, and even the constables who had been standing by and watching picked up their weapons.
A foot is just a matter of a few shovels. To prevent them from falling, Qiao Lian'er had them stand on a solid spot and dig sideways.
Lord Liang had never done any work before, and after digging only a few strokes, he was already panting heavily, clutching his back.
Some people cast strange glances at him, as if to say, "He can't even do this little job well; he's too weak."
Thinking of what Qiao Lian'er said about becoming the first person to open a canal in Xuan County, whether it was true or not, this belief already existed in Lord Liang's mind, as if it had a guiding force.
Lord Liang mustered all his strength and slammed the shovel down hard.
The rock layer, which had already been thinned out, made a crisp sound, then broke into several pieces of gravel and fell through the air, accompanied by the clear and cheerful sound of flowing water.
Everyone was shocked and quickly looked into the opening.
Below was a surging river with a large flow, which gave it a sense of weight in the dim twilight, suggesting that the riverbed was definitely not shallow.
"There's water! There really is water!" a constable shouted.
"It's not just water, it's an underground river, a huge underground river."
Then everyone continued digging, and those who couldn't wait to eat joined in. While digging, they carefully ensured safety, and the increasingly wider river surface was revealed before their eyes.
Finally, the distance between the two sides of the underground river in front of them was determined, and it turned out to be almost two zhang wide.
Everyone took a deep breath, their hearts filled with indescribable excitement. This could be called a great river. They tested the water with long bamboo poles, and every spot was very deep.
Moreover, judging from the direction of the river's flow, it is not far from the most extensive farmland area, and for areas further away, it can be diverted through a separate branch.
If you're lucky, it could really benefit the entire county.
"That's wonderful, that's wonderful! With such a big river, we'll never have to worry about water again."
"Yes, who would have thought that such a large underground river was hidden beneath our Xuan County? It's all thanks to Princess Zhenguo, otherwise, people would have remained unaware of it for generations."
"It's not just a few generations. If it weren't for the Princess Zhenguo, even if it were hundreds or thousands of years later, no one would have found this underground river."
At this moment, all the doubts and ridicule that Qiao Lian'er had previously faced vanished.
Instead, they expressed heartfelt admiration and respect for her abilities.
As expected of the renowned princess who protects the nation, she knows everything and is capable of anything.
The people all knelt down and shouted, "Long live the Princess Zhenguo!"
Qiao Lian'er was already used to this kind of thing. All she had to do was prove herself right through her actions.
She simply said, "Everyone is hungry, let's go eat first. I will design the route of the diversion channel based on the situation in Tai County. Tomorrow everyone will have their own tasks, so let's work together to dig out the waterway that irrigates the whole county as soon as possible."
Lord Liang wiped the sweat from his forehead, grinned like a fool, and with a hint of obsequiousness, ran up to Qiao Lian'er, clasped his hands in a gesture of seeking advice.
"Princess Zhenguo, I can be considered the first person to open up the canal."
He was glad that he hadn't argued back, but instead did as the Princess Zhenguo said.
Although he only dug a few shovelfuls, and his contribution was insignificant compared to that of the Princess Zhenguo, he was truly proud.
Qiao Lian'er smiled helplessly.
"As I said, if Lord Liang takes the lead and digs out the water, he will be the first person to do so."
Lord Liang was delighted to hear this. He stroked his beard and chuckled. For the past ten years since he took office, he had been troubled by the water problem in Xuan County. He had also been unable to sleep at night and had no appetite because of the people's riots. Now, all was well. A powerful underground river with abundant water had been dug out, and all these troubles would be gone. He felt relaxed and extremely comfortable.
Moreover, he was the first person to open up a canal.
It must be written into the family genealogy, and also into the local chronicles.
The people were very enthusiastic, and they even discussed the river during their meals.
The food was already delicious, and with hope for the future, the food in my hands smelled even better.
Everyone felt dizzy, as if they were dreaming.
"Lord Liang, congratulations! We won't have to argue about this anymore." Lord Zhu was also relieved.
"The officials and people of Tai County will help dig the road and divert the water until the task is completed. After that, when we meet, we can sit down and have a drink and play chess. We will no longer have to be at each other's throats and get red in the face."
"Ah, Princess Zhenguo is truly a remarkable person. She has only just taken over Queyuan Prefecture, yet she already knows the situation here like the back of her hand and has found such a good river," Lord Liang remarked.
Lord Zhu smiled mysteriously: "There are some things we don't understand, and we don't need to ask too much. Just know that wherever Princess Zhenguo goes, she brings blessings. The great victory in the East China Sea was also because of Princess Zhenguo."
Lord Liang was filled with even greater respect.
He also had higher expectations for the future. With water to irrigate, not only would people be able to fill their stomachs and live in peace and contentment, but agriculture, sericulture, and hemp would also develop rapidly, promoting commercial prosperity. He hoped to see a thriving and prosperous situation.
He had been in Xuan County for ten years without any transfer, simply because the area was in chaos, which resulted in a poor track record.
If the situation improves, it might change his career path and allow him to rise to a higher position.
If these things can be achieved, the Princess Zhenguo will be his greatest benefactor, whom he will never forget.
Qiao Lian'er finalized the diversion route for the river and the number of people needed.
A total of seven waterways need to be diverted, and then smaller streams need to be diverted based on the distribution of farmland.
Upon receiving Qiao Lian'er's planning map, Lord Liang and his advisor exchanged a glance, their faces showing surprise. It was no exaggeration to say that the Princess Zhenguo was a divine being.
Having just arrived, they already have a thorough understanding of all aspects of the situation, down to the smallest detail, including the number of acres of farmland and villages, which determines the size of the diversion channels, and the specific planning of the river channels to fit the actual terrain.
The next day, according to Princess Zhenguo's plan, Lord Liang divided the villagers into different teams and asked them to dig canals for the fields in their respective areas as much as possible, which would increase everyone's enthusiasm.
Everyone got to work with great enthusiasm.
Qiao Lian'er saw that the number of people was more than enough, and even exceeded the quota, so she designated an underground river in Tai County for Lord Zhu. Lord Zhu then led the people of the county back to dig a tunnel for his hometown.
She doesn't have to worry about that anymore; she just needs to deliver food and other supplies every day.
Soon, the day arrived for the results of the provincial examination to be announced.
Fifteen-year-old Song Ruier stood in front of the list, a smile playing on her lips.
Yes, he made the list, ranking in the top ten, and became a Juren (a successful candidate in the imperial examinations).
He is about to become someone who holds power in the officialdom, and he is about to have the confidence to confront the Qiao family.