Chapter 433: Finding a Cultured Man

Not only Bai Yuan wanted to hear about the news from Shanxi, but Li Daoxuan also did. He quickly stuffed a chicken wing from the Desert Wind Sand Chicken into his mouth. As he chewed, he listened to the captain’s report.

The captain chattered away, recounting everything that had happened at the ancient ferry dock to Bai Yuan in great detail.

Li Daoxuan heard every word clearly from above.

Bai Yuan commented, “Excellent. The captain of Bu Zhan Ni’s fifth squad died by our hands. Ah, Bu Zhan Ni is truly our old ‘friend.’ Our clashes have spanned from Chongzhen Year One up till now. Hah, it suddenly came to mind—back then I launched missiles bestowed by the Deity, making Bu Zhan Ni and Wang Zuogua howl for their parents. Ha ha ha ha!”

Hearing this, Li Daoxuan recalled memories flashing through his mind. Bu Zhan Ni was indeed an old adversary they had fought numerous times. Captain Ye Bu Shou of his Seventh Team had been killed by Cheng Xu, Second Captain Dian Deng Zi had been whisked away by Gaojia Village, and now Fifth Captain Old Zhang Fei had fallen at the hands of Old Nan Feng. This net of connections was growing larger and larger. Ha ha.

The captain continued, “When I sailed back, Boss Xing hadn’t returned yet after going to Jie Pond for salt. But before she left, she mentioned a requirement: the residential area at the ancient ferry dock needed planning. The locals shouldn’t be allowed to build houses haphazardly; chaos will inevitably unfold later. But every man sent to Shanxi this time is simple-minded! No one can manage this. Gaojia Village must dispatch a literate man.”

Li Daoxuan heard this and found it most reasonable!

Urban planning was a vital component indeed.

Gaojia Village had never been properly planned previously. He had fixed earlier problems arbitrarily when he pleased, moving things with his “mountain-relocating, sea-shifting” abilities.

As their designer, he supposed he should do some work. Ah, he hadn’t touched his drafting software in over three years… cough… skills decay if unused for a mere three days. Complex designs were likely beyond him, but planning a residential area for a small ancient ferry dock—that was manageable.

He would design it himself, then delegate the task to a cultured man to oversee the work…

Once the captain finished his report, he returned to his ship to rest.

Bai Yuan flung an arm wide, loudly commanding, “Logistics troops, get moving! The Shanxi expeditionary force had just fought a battle using much ammunition. We need to resupply them with more gunpowder and lead bullets! The warships also need gunpowder and cannonballs replenished. All of you, move! Now! Now! Now! And grain—send several boatloads… Ahem! And vinegar! The Deity bestowed vinegar upon us! He even emphasized: In Shanxi, man is iron, noodles are steel—a meal without vinegar brings gnawing hunger. If Shanxi people can’t get vinegar for too long… they’ll rebel!”

At that, he suddenly paused: Eh? Could it be that ten out of six Shanxi people followed the bandits this time… because they hadn’t drunk vinegar for years? Terrifying… truly terrifying! It seemed abstaining from vinegar indeed led to rebellion.

Bai Yuan waved at the porters and shouted, “Ship more vinegar across!”

Thus, Qiachuan Port became busy…

Li Daoxuan busied himself too. He powered on his computer and launched the drafting software untouched for so long, beginning his design.

Given Ming Dynasty technological constraints, tall buildings were entirely unrealistic. Cement houses over two or three stories wouldn’t be sturdy enough—any higher risked becoming dilapidated structures. Underground drainage systems were unnecessary as well; lacking the capability to build sewers fit for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, ordinary drainage ditches would suffice.

With that mindset, designing became remarkably simple.

A few quick strokes drew the basic layout of a grid-patterned small town. Several wide pathways bisected the center, partitioning neighborhoods proportionately…

Before long, it was completed!

He printed the design on a small sheet of paper and placed it in Bai Yuan’s palm.

Bai Yuan bowed deeply, accepted the paper, and rolled it into a scroll.

The designing was resolved easily. But dispatching a cultured man to manage the ancient ferry dock suddenly became a significant challenge…

A cultured man in Gaojia Village… Where could one be found…

Li Daoxuan tapped the region marked “Gaojia Village” outside his enclosure, shifting his perspective back.

No sooner had he returned than he spotted one—Dian Deng Zi Zhao Sheng.

He had just emerged from the Main Fortress of Gaojia, clutching a silver ingot—his recently awarded “Special Prize” for external assignment.

As it turned out, Zhao Sheng had been “dispatched” to Heyang County lately, teaching locals to use fertilizer and cultivate new crops.

“Dispatch” such as this deserved pay, naturally. The village treasury approved a silver ingot as his special bonus, which just happened to be distributed that day.

Zhao Sheng happily cradled the silver ingot, beaming as he dashed toward Gaojia Business Circle…

Li Daoxuan watched him start running… and realized something was amiss.

Sure enough, after ascending the small slope of Gaojia Business Circle, Zhao Sheng suddenly heaved, panting sharply for quite some time. He dared not run further and moved slowly instead. It took him a prolonged walk to reach the clinic entrance.

An Old Doctor sat inside. Zhao Sheng respectfully offered his newly acquired prize: “Doctor, I have come again…”

The Old Doctor shook his head with a chuckle, feeling Zhao Sheng’s pulse: “Mr. Zhao, I told you: No silver needed. Since you never accept payment aiding villagers, how could I take yours? The couplet at my clinic door was written gratis by you!”

Zhao Sheng retorted, “Though your consultation may be waived… those medicinal herbs must be reimbursed. Their purchase from gatherers cost you silver! I cannot use them without compensation.”

Relegated to acceptance, the doctor took the silver: “Mr. Zhao, your wheezing ailment is asthma, a chronic condition. It cannot simply be cured with one decoction—instead, it relies on tonic treatment.”

Zhao Sheng nodded obediently.

The Old Doctor swiftly wrote a prescription and handed it over: “Take daily as prescribed. Interruption is impermissible!”

Zhao Sheng unrolled the paper and observed… failing to recognize a single character.

He plummeted face-down onto the ground: “Doctor! Why do I feel wholly unlettered every time I look at your writings?!”

Old Doctor expressed confusion: “My script is exceedingly legible! What character displeases you?”

Zhao Sheng pointed at two symbols: “What are those?”

Old Doctor replied: “Ma Huang!”

Cold sweat trickled down Zhao Sheng’s face: “Why did ma huang turn out looking thus?”

He pointed to another pair: “And those…?”

Old Doctor stated: “Xing Ren.”

Zhao Shen’s astonishment grew: “Had you not said ‘apricot kernels,’ I’d never have recognized them—but now you mention it, maybe they do resemble the characters…”

He clutched the prescription, gazing 45 degrees at the heavens: “Heavens! Why must doctors scrawl such illegibly?”

Hovering nearby, Li Daoxuan manifested a colossal poster [in Chinese script] expressing: “This question also bewilders me.”