Chapter 851: I Am Gu Yanwu
Li Daoxuan saw the scholar diligently noting everything, which piqued his interest.
He continued to observe him closely.
The scholar, with a flurry of strokes, described the grand train on his paper. After a moment of deep thought, he let out a long sigh and added a special note: "This contraption is far too miraculous; those who haven't witnessed it firsthand will surely not believe. Exercise caution in its dissemination."
Li Daoxuan chuckled.
Not long after, the train arrived at Sanhuan County, thirty li away.
This was now just an intermediate stop. Zhu Cunji's construction team had been quite efficient, extending the West Yan Railway all the way to Luochuan County, covering half the distance to Yan'an.
Sanhuan County was no longer the terminus.
However, Li Daoxuan needed to alight here. His purpose in taking the train this time was specifically to visit Sanhuan County and indulge in Sanhuan steamed meat and Sanhuan liáohuā sugar.
The Gourmand Heavenly Lord had few other hobbies. Staying cooped up at home all day, aside from amusing himself by playing with the little people, his sole pursuits were research and indulging his appetite.
As soon as he stepped out of Sanhuan Train Station, he saw a bustling commercial street, aptly named "Sanhuan Delicacy Street."
This was Zhu Cunji's doing!
He had emulated Li Daoxuan's Xi'an East Gate project, setting up a row of simple stall sheds and gathering numerous vendors to sell Sanhuan County's specialty foods.
This food street was positioned right at the train station's exit, a truly prime location. Any tourist alighting here would find it impossible to resist sampling some of the offerings.
Li Daoxuan carried his birdcage, walked over, found a seat, ordered several snacks, and ate with gusto.
Just as he was enjoying himself, the group of scholars from earlier reappeared.
It turned out these scholars had also come to Sanhuan County for a spring outing.
The group indulged in a boisterous feast by the snack stalls, making an outstanding contribution to Sanhuan County's GDP.
Li Daoxuan was about to dismiss them when he heard the scholar named Gu say, "Gentlemen, have you not noticed that the Prince of Qin's Mansion's train and Sanhuan Delicacy Street are quite remarkable?"
The scholars replied, "Brother Gu, what profound insights do you have?"
Brother Gu elaborated, "The train is so convenient; it transports us from Xi'an to Sanhuan County in less than an hour. Naturally, more and more people like us will be willing to come to Sanhuan County for spring outings. And here, a snack street has been organized to entertain tourists with local specialty foods. When these two measures are combined, observe... the once impoverished Sanhuan County now appears as vibrant as the prosperous counties in Jiangnan."
The other scholars looked bewildered. "Huh? Is that so?"
Seeing that no one understood him, Brother Gu couldn't help but sigh inwardly: *These people are hopeless. Their vision and insight are lacking; they only know how to eat, drink, and be merry. There's no common ground for discussion with them.*
Li Daoxuan, however, found it rather amusing. This scholar named Gu possessed some genuine insight. He had already savored the specialty foods he craved, so he decided to follow the man and see what else might unfold.
After finishing their snacks, the scholars were ready to continue their sightseeing.
One of them asked a vendor, "Is there anything interesting to see or do in your Sanhuan County?"
The vendor smiled. "Distinguished gentlemen, our Sanhuan County is the hometown of a very famous figure: Li Jing! You've heard of him, haven't you? A few days ago, people from the Prince of Qin's Mansion came to Sanhuan County for an investigation and located Li Jing's former residence. If you're interested, you might want to take a look."
The scholars, as expected, were greatly intrigued. "Oh, Li Jing's former residence? Let's go see it!"
Following the vendor's directions, the group exited the city. By Sanhuan County's East Gate, a large number of carriages were surprisingly lined up, their drivers loudly hawking: "Carriages to Li Jing's former residence! Twenty *wen* per person for a one-way trip, only twenty *wen*!"
The scholars certainly weren't short on funds. They paid the fare, and several carriages set off, soon delivering them to a picturesque spot amidst hills and clear waters.
A dilapidated house stood built against the mountainside, with a small river flowing beside it, its waters an emerald green, lending the scene a poetic charm.
That decrepit house was, of course, the so-called "Li Jing's former residence."
Li Daoxuan took one look and nearly burst out laughing. The people from the Prince of Qin's Mansion must have found this...
...thing from goodness knows where. The surrounding scenery was top-notch, yet the house itself was crumbling and ancient.
Of course, this couldn't be Li Jing's genuine former residence, but who truly cared whether it was authentic or not?
A sign proclaiming it "Li Jing's Former Residence" hung by the door, and inside, a rusty iron spear and a pile of worn-out books were displayed.
Despite being such a paltry display, a large number of tourists genuinely milled around it.
After all, ancient tourists hadn't yet endured the "beating" of countless fake scenic spots; they were still naive, even adorable, sightseers. The group of scholars was no different, circling Li Jing's former residence incessantly, examining every single exhibit with wide-eyed curiosity for a good long while.
Someone began reciting poetry: "Beneath Shentou Ridge stands Wei Gong's shrine, / Lofty towers, vaulted halls, and Jia's stele. / Yet laughable is the brat Han Zhen, / Commanding warriors with an infant's decree. / Spears of gold and horses of iron, the day kings rise, / Feathered fans and silken turbans, when bandits flee. / Tactics intended for governing the nation, / Their original intent unknown to rebel decree."
A nearby scholar immediately exclaimed, "Excellent poem, excellent poem! Young Master Zhang possesses truly fine literary talent!"
Brother Gu, however, shook his head and murmured, "That's clearly a poem written by Wang Han, a poet from the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties. One person copied it, and the others are applauding. Alas!"
He spoke softly, unheard by anyone else, but Li Daoxuan, using his "Focus" function, could hear even the faintest whisper with perfect clarity. He paused, slightly taken aback. *Oh, so it was Wang Han who wrote it. Learned something new, learned something new.*
The other scholars were truly just enjoying themselves.
Brother Gu, however, settled down at a stone table by the river, took out paper and brush, and began recording his observations: "Sanhuan County is vigorously developing tourism, and the flow of people between Xi'an Prefecture and Sanhuan County has become quite frequent. The dignitaries and wealthy officials from Xi'an Prefecture are spending their money in Sanhuan County, which the poor locals are earning... This is excellent! Even if this Li Jing's former residence is a fabrication, it is still worth promoting."
Finding this amusing, Li Daoxuan simply walked over and settled onto a seat directly opposite Brother Gu.
Brother Gu sensed someone opposite him, looked up in surprise, and saw a young man who looked vaguely familiar but whose face he couldn't quite place. He asked, intrigued, "Esteemed brother..."
Li Daoxuan smiled, "My surname is Li, and others call me Steward Li."
"Ah, Steward Li, good to meet you." Brother Gu clasped his hands in greeting. "I am Gu Yanwu. May I ask what advice you have for me?"
Hearing his name, Li Daoxuan's heart skipped a beat. *I knew this person was different from the others. He truly is a prominent figure after all.*
However, this prominent figure was still very young, barely in his early twenties. He appeared quite immature, even a little naive.
Li Daoxuan smiled faintly, "I traveled to Sanhuan with you in the same carriage. On the train, I already noticed you were different from the other scholars. Now, here, I find you even more remarkable, standing out like a crane among chickens. Are you perhaps documenting your observations from this journey with your writing and sketching?"
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