Chapter 218: Chapter 218

Gu Chengyu took a quick bath and set off with Ye Zhiqiu. It would take them over half an hour to walk from the inn to the government office, passing by Gu Chengyu’s First-class House on the way.

Gu Chengyu planned to take two boxes of pastries from First-class House. It’s better to get them from his own shop than to buy them elsewhere, especially since he taught the cook to make a lot today, and the shop wouldn’t open until tomorrow, so these pastries wouldn’t be finished.

As for tea leaves and other items, they would be bought from the grocery store and teahouse on their way.

The two arrived at the government office with their gifts, and it was already late afternoon. Someone was already standing outside the back residence of the government office. Gu Chengyu looked closely and saw the person’s attire suggested he was a steward.

"Greetings to both young lords! Is this Mr. Gu?" The steward at the door immediately stepped forward to greet and inquire upon seeing Gu Chengyu and his companion.

When the steward straightened up, he looked at Gu Chengyu’s face, his pupils contracted, and he was stunned for a moment before lowering his head, restoring his normal expression.

Gu Chengyu was somewhat surprised, why single him out? "Indeed, it is I! May I know your name, steward?"

"You may call me Steward Yu, Young Master! Our master would like to meet you alone. Please, follow me to the study!" Steward Yu was from the Yu Family and had accompanied the Yu Family since they married off. He now serves in the outer yard.

"I apologize for the inconvenience, but I must ask Mr. Ye to first wait in the flower hall. The evening banquet will be in a while; please rest a bit, Mr. Ye!" Steward Yu motioned to another servant to lead Ye Zhiqiu to the flower hall.

Gu Chengyu found it curious, as it seemed they had arrived too early, though the invitation clearly stated late afternoon. No wonder there were no other guests at the main door; he wondered why Lord Jiang wanted to see him alone.

Steward Yu led the way, and soon they arrived at the outer study.

"Master! Mr. Gu is here!"

Gu Chengyu glanced around and noticed two servants standing outside the study’s door, hinting it might be a restricted area.

"Let him in!" Inside the study, Prefect Jiang paused his brush. He was practicing calligraphy!

Gu Chengyu entered the study and bowed to Prefect Jiang, "Student Gu Chengyu greets Lord Prefect!"

"No need for formalities!" Prefect Jiang put down the brush and turned his gaze to Gu Chengyu.

Gu Chengyu was wearing a smoke-blue satin round-neck robe, a piece of white jade hung from his waist, and his hair was tied with a headband. Young as he was, he exuded a certain charm! Prefect Jiang, looking at Gu Chengyu’s face, thought he looked very much like someone.

"May I ask why Lord Prefect has called for me?" Noticing Prefect Jiang’s absent-mindedness, Gu Chengyu reminded him immediately.

"Oh! I read your policy essay, and did you come up with these strategies yourself?" Prefect Jiang asked cordially, with a gentle tone, without using the official self-reference.

"To answer Lord Prefect, some I read in books, and some are my own ideas," Gu Chengyu replied respectfully.

"The strategies you’ve written, besides those concerning water conservation, have you practiced them?" Prefect Jiang was very interested in Gu Chengyu’s water conservation strategies, though they weren’t detailed in the essay, and he wanted Gu Chengyu to write down a detailed plan!

"Farming methods have been practiced by my family. Lord Prefect might as well allocate some fields as experimental plots; if effective, it can be promoted, bringing benefits to the populace!" Gu Chengyu thought it might not yield as much as a thousand catties per mu like in his previous life, but it should easily produce two to three times the current yield.

"I’ve already turned your policy essay into a memorial and submitted it to the Holy Emperor; now we just await his response. You must prepare as the Holy Emperor might assign this matter to us in Jingyuan Prefecture to first test," Prefect Jiang said, taking a sip of tea to ease his throat.

"Regarding the water conservation issue, our northern location sees fewer occurrences of it, compared to the Jiangnan area where floods are more prevalent. Your written strategy isn’t detailed enough—do you have a plan in mind?"

"Regarding flooding, I haven’t visited riverbanks or dykes. These thoughts were organized by me from historical texts, incorporating my understanding, but these are merely theoretical discussions, and without practical experience, I can’t assure they’re effective!"

"No need for humility. I actually think your policies can be attempted. Even if the dykes aren’t reinforced yearly, they’re frequently maintained, and require major repairs every few years, which hardly inspires confidence. It might be better to seek solutions elsewhere. As for now, we await the Holy Decree!"

Prefect Jiang felt there was no rush, for without the Holy Emperor’s decree, there’d be little point in implementation. While he aspired to be an official who truly cared for the people, he was, after all, a politician.

"If indeed I have the honor of bringing welfare to the people, I shall not shy from responsibility!" Such beneficial matters—he’d be a fool not to pursue them!

"You must understand, if this plan succeeds, it holds great benefit for you. Why else take civil service exams if not to gain office? If the Holy Emperor remembers you, you’ll naturally enjoy more opportunities for prestigious positions upon passing your Advanced Scholar exams!"

Prefect Jiang recognized Gu Chengyu’s understanding of seizing opportunities—a quality that would serve him well if he entered officialdom, spurring a desire to mentor him with advice.

"I must thank Lord Prefect for bestowing me this honor!" Indeed, if Lord Jiang hadn’t reported Gu Chengyu’s name but claimed the ideas as his own, Gu Chengyu could only watch helplessly, as he wasn’t even a Scholar yet, and not need warrant any attention from Prefect Jiang.

Seeing Gu Chengyu appreciative of the opportunity, Prefect Jiang jested, "Ha-ha! Just remember who gave you your first break!"

Farming is secondary, yet reporting the flood idea was inevitable. There’s talk of building reservoirs, which would require labor and funds—undertakings that can’t proceed without court authorization, lest tax revenue be misused without decree to construct them.

"Another matter: the thieves you apprehended last time—never mention them again!" Prefect Jiang feared Gu Chengyu might get entangled with these matters. Despite apprehending them as bandits, given their madness, erring on the side of caution was wise.

"Hmm? Couldn’t capture the ringleader?" Gu Chengyu, not overthinking, assumed it was the bandit leader’s escape, fearing he might return for revenge, prompting Prefect Jiang’s warning.

"The leader indeed escaped. In any case, tell no one about this!" Prefect Jiang chose discretion, revealing no more than necessary.

With furrowed brows, Gu Chengyu pondered. Given Prefect Jiang’s grave demeanor, it suggested deeper concerns. The bandit’s leader escaped, yet the government hadn’t issued a reward for his arrest—were they leaving it be?

This defies logic, suggesting one explanation: the leader wasn’t someone Prefect Jiang could afford to provoke, or perhaps it was the person behind the leader whom he couldn’t challenge!

A flash of insight came to Gu Chengyu, but he refrained from probing further. If the matter was beyond Prefect Jiang, he, too, must steer clear. Yet, unbeknownst to Gu Chengyu, he had already become involved, and this issue would link closely to him in the future!