allonlinenovel Chapter 149 Go to Fucheng
Chapter 149 Go to Fucheng
The next day, just as dawn broke and the first rays of sunlight appeared, Gu Mochen, Ye Qingchen, and the others woke up and quickly got up to wash and get ready. After a flurry of activity, they sat around the table and quickly ate a simple breakfast of steaming hot egg noodles.
After filling their stomachs, the group hurried to their newly purchased carriage, placed their luggage properly, and then boarded the carriage one by one, preparing to embark on their journey to the prefectural city. With a crisp crack of the whip, the horse reared up and pulled the carriage along the official road at breakneck speed.
However, this official road was not as smooth and easy as imagined; rather, it was rugged and uneven, with many ups and downs. If it weren't for the fact that everyone present possessed martial arts skills and a certain level of martial arts prowess, they probably wouldn't have dared to traverse it so boldly. Some sections were as narrow as a sheep's path, barely wide enough for a single carriage to pass; the towering peaks on both sides of the road created a strong sense of oppression, as if they might collapse at any moment. Other places saw sudden steep ascents and rapid descents, causing one's heart to rise and fall with their own.
Faced with such difficult and treacherous road conditions, the group discussed for a moment and decided to let the carriage continue carrying the heavy luggage, while they themselves dismounted and walked. In this way, although their steps were slightly tiring, they felt much more at ease and secure.
Ye Qingchen, who had initially complained about the lack of attention paid to Lai County by the prefectural government, which had slowed down her journey, instantly felt her dissatisfaction vanish after personally experiencing the hardships of the journey. She couldn't help but exclaim, "This road is so rugged and difficult; it's already a great favor that the prefectural government sent someone. How can I still harbor resentment?" With this thought, Ye Qingchen's attitude towards the prefectural government instantly changed; her previous dissatisfaction and blame transformed into understanding and tolerance.
Gu Mochen said, "It seems that the saying 'the mountains are high and the emperor is far away' is true. Even in a place as close to the capital as this, there are such remote places, and it is indeed inevitable that people will not investigate. I can understand the difficulties of this government office."
Old Master Lu narrowed his eyes slightly and slowly said, "You young people are still too naive and inexperienced! You haven't been to enough places, so your knowledge is naturally limited. You must know that most officials in this world, when they took the imperial examinations and passed the Jinshi exams, truly harbored a heart that wanted to be an upright and honest official! However, things are unpredictable. After they actually passed the Jinshi exams, they would face a serious problem—being forced to choose sides! Not choosing sides? How could that be acceptable? In this intricate officialdom..." Without choosing a side to align with, it's impossible to gain a foothold! Once you've chosen a side, you're no longer in control. From then on, you must prioritize the interests of your team in everything you do; the slightest mistake could lead to disaster. Besides, in this world, you're bound to get your shoes wet. As time goes by, some people succumb to various temptations, or they encounter setbacks in their careers or become disillusioned with officialdom. In their despair, they can only turn to ill-gotten gains, hoping to find some solace and compensation in money.
Zhao Zhixin shook his head with a serious and firm expression, saying, "Grandpa Lu, you're wrong! How can setbacks in officialdom be an excuse for someone to become a corrupt official? If I am fortunate enough to pass the imperial examination and enter officialdom, I will definitely uphold the principles of integrity and honesty, be an upright official, and strive to reverse the corrupt atmosphere in officialdom! Life is short, only a few decades. One can either live a life as weighty and valuable as Mount Tai, or as light and meaningless as a feather. How can one easily demean and belittle oneself simply because of material possessions and temporary temptations?" After speaking, his still somewhat immature face frowned slightly, as if filled with deep dissatisfaction and indignation at this viewpoint; at the same time, his small fists clenched tightly, as if he had secretly vowed to fight to the end for it.
After hearing what he said, Ye Qingchen remembered that saying and said, "Life is either as weighty as Mount Tai or as light as a feather. Zhixin, you're right." Zhao Zhixin nodded after hearing Ye Qingchen's words and said, "That's it! I just couldn't say it!"
Gu Mochen nodded slightly and said with a smile, "You little fellow, you are still so young, yet you can comprehend such profound principles. It is truly remarkable! Given time, you will surely achieve great things! Zhixin, starting tomorrow, you must diligently practice martial arts, and then I will personally teach you how to read and write. Let's begin with the Three Character Classic!"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Zhixin's eyes instantly lit up with excitement, and his tender little face flushed red with joy. He exclaimed excitedly, "Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness!" For Xiao Zhixin, who had always longed to study and learn martial arts, this was simply incredible news. Something he had never even dared to dream of before was now truly before his eyes.
Ye Qingchen nodded slightly, looking at Zhao Zhixin with gentle eyes, and said slowly, "Zhixin, although reading and understanding principles are important, you can't just limit yourself to book knowledge! As a member of our family of doctors, medical skills are equally important. After all, traditional Chinese medicine has a long history and is profound, containing the wisdom and practical experience of countless ancestors. So, you must study it diligently and pass on this skill."
Zhao Zhixin smiled sweetly and quickly replied, "What Your Highness says is absolutely right. I will keep it in mind and work even harder to learn traditional Chinese medicine. Please guide me on anything I don't understand."
Ye Qingchen nodded in satisfaction, reached out and gently patted Zhao Zhixin's shoulder, praising, "Zhixin is truly a sensible and ambitious child. With your intelligence and diligence, I believe you will surely achieve great things in the medical field in the future." Her eyes were full of expectation, as if she could already see Zhao Zhixin becoming a well-rounded individual.
As they talked, they saw a flat road ahead, getting closer and closer to the prefectural city. It was almost noon, so they immediately boarded the carriage and sped off, finally arriving at the city gate of Ji City before noon. Unlike the chaotic and polluted Lai County, the prefectural city was surrounded by excellent buildings. It was an important commercial and trading area, selling not only goods from Great Xia but also from various countries. Ye Qingchen immediately took a liking to the furs displayed by one of the vendors.