Li Chengqian waved his hand: "Teacher, it's not that the students are smart, it's just that the teacher has been too tired recently!"
"If it had been left in the past, there would have been no need for students to remind me of this!"
"Teacher, you should pay more attention to rest. On a twenty thousand mile voyage, you will face powerful enemies. The Royal Navy of the Tang Dynasty needs a marshal who is in good condition."
Su Chen laughed: "It's true that I was too nervous, mainly because of this cannibalism. Every time I heard about it, it was definitely not good, and it was unexpected every time. As soon as I heard the news about cannibalism, I couldn't help but
Think the worst!”
"Your Highness is a good reminder, a few big cannibals can't make much waves!"
"Oh, by the way, Liu Si, what did you want to say just now?"
Butler Liu Si replied: "Master, the two gentlemen said they saw large ships from the Central Plains in Panyu. Only then did I remember to report to the young master. In fact, there have been many large ships heading south in recent months."
"Quite a few?
Be specific!”
"this.
.
I just heard people talk about it and didn’t inquire about it carefully, so I was negligent!”
Su Chen smiled: "Who has nothing to do and stays at the port all day counting ships? What did you neglect?"
"Don't worry, just tell me slowly. Who did you hear it from?"
Liu Si continued: "It's just an official at the port. When I went to the port last month to wait for our ship to arrive, I had a few words with him."
"At that time, he asked the old slave whether any new trade routes had been opened in the south, and why so many large ships were heading south?
The old slave was also curious after hearing this, so he chatted with him for a few more words."
"It was he who told the old slave that there have been a lot of big ships going south in the past two months, and we only saw big ships going south, but no big ships going north..."
After hearing this, Su Chen was a little curious and felt that it was necessary to know more about the specific situation. He always felt like the remnants of the powerful family were planning some conspiracy behind the scenes.
"It's a bit strange, but you are still too vague."
Liu Si asked carefully: "How about I go find the official again, or the young master asks the government to report it."
"Even if the government doesn't have detailed records on this matter, the officials below are very clear about it."
Su Chen nodded: "I originally decided to visit the Fuzhou Governor tomorrow."
"In this case, I will write a letter and ask the Fuzhou governor to help investigate. Liu Si, you will send it to me later."
Li Chengqian asked: "Do you want my help?"
Su Chen: "Don't you want to expose your identity and deal with local officials?"
Li Chengqian nodded: "Yes! I find it troublesome!"
"I don't know why the teacher is interested in this matter, but we don't have much time, so I'll just bother you."
Su Chen smiled: "No need to trouble His Highness this time, His Highness is just resting."
"Oh, teacher, are you an old acquaintance with the Fuzhou governor?"
"That's not true!"
"As far as I know, local officials generally hate dealing with the military. Even though you are the Lord Protector, teacher, you have no right to interfere in local political affairs."
"Teacher, you can just write a letter and someone will help you?
After all, he is also the governor of a state, so he won’t be so flattering to the teacher, right?”
Su Chen's eyes widened: "Why does Your Highness have such distrust in the officials of the Tang Dynasty that you don't allow them, who are good officials, to take the initiative to help me?"
Li Chengqian smiled and said: "It's not that I don't trust local officials, but I don't trust your reputation among officials, teacher."
"Teacher, although you have little prestige in the court and among the people, most officials hate you very much."
Su Chen shrugged: "You know, my presence brings out their idiocy!"
"But this Fuzhou governor is most likely a good official, and he will most likely help me."
Seeing Li Chengqian looking at him curiously, Su Chen took the initiative to explain: "Although I have never met this Fuzhou governor, I did him a small favor. It can be regarded as a small favor that Changle did for him."
Li Chengqian became even more curious.
"Didn't I buy a lot of land in Fuzhou and want to plant tea trees and tung trees? Changle took care of this matter."
"At that time, Changle sent people to bring a lot of gold and silver, and the Fuzhou governor was also very talkative."
Li Chengqian disagreed:
Nonsense! The Imperial Princess and the Lord Protector came to buy land in a place where no one has shit, how can the local officials not talk about it?
Su Chen continued: "At that time, the Fuzhou governor confiscated the gold and silver, but asked if he could help him transport some cloth, farm tools, and ironware!"
Li Chengqian became interested now,
"The steward didn't dare agree, so he had to write a letter and report to Changle. Changle thought the governor was quite interesting, so he went to ask me."
"I directly asked people to transport two large ships of various farm tools, ironware and various living supplies for him!"
Li Chengqian nodded: "It seems that this Fuzhou governor is really a rare official!"
"Teacher, please do your own business. I'll go out for a walk. If the Fuzhou governor doesn't want to help, we'll talk about it later."
Su Chen wrote a letter to the Fuzhou governor and asked Liu Si to send it without telling him. He rested for a long time and went to the shipyard the next day.
When he returned to the other hospital at noon, Li Chengqian said: "The teacher really guessed it right. Yuan Gang, the governor of Fuzhou, sent someone here to say that the matter has been investigated and the results have been found."
"I asked the teacher if he was free in the afternoon. He came to report to the teacher in person. He really took the initiative to help!"
Su Chen was stunned: "The results will come out so soon!"
"Liu Si, please reply to the official and tell me that I will host a banquet tonight to thank Governor Yuan for his help!"
In the evening, Fuzhou Governor Yuan Gang came to the other courtyard to see Su Chen.
Li Chengqian, who was very curious about Yuan Gang, took the trouble to meet with Yuan Gang, the governor, together with Su Chen, but did not reveal his identity.
"I am ashamed of myself for not being able to fulfill my duty as a landlord and bothering the Lord Protector!"
Su Chen smiled and said, "I'm disturbing the governor for no reason, but I'm really curious about the ships coming and going from Fuzhou recently!"
Yuantuna cupped his hands and said: "After receiving the handwritten letter from the Protector yesterday, I sorted out the records and hope it will be helpful to the Protector."
Saying that, Yuantuna handed over some pieces of paper.
Su Chen came over to take a look and was surprised: "Prince Governor Yuan, your records are detailed enough!"
Yuan Gang smiled: "In fact, there were not many business travelers in Fuzhou, Xianguan. But for some reason, in the past two or three months, there has been a sudden increase in the number of passing ships, and there are many new large ships!"
"The lower official was also very curious, so he asked the Yamen servant to make detailed records!"
"Fortunately, the official is quite attentive in his work. This is what I have sorted out. I have also brought the original records. They are just outside. Do you need me to bring them in?"
Su Chen shook his hand hurriedly: "No need! This is detailed enough!"
But Li Chengqian suddenly interrupted: "Teacher, the students are very curious, so let the governor bring the records to open the students' eyes."
Su Chen turned his head and glanced at Li Chengqian: "This..."
Yuantuna smiled and said: "Since this young master is curious, I will have someone bring it in."
After a while, an official came in with a stack of account books.
