This item on the water is just a small deal. The real big deal lies in the large area of land that will be cleared on the west coast.
The area around the West Lake has long been a place where every inch of land is of high value. The three embankments in the southeast, north and south have long been battlegrounds for large restaurants, merchants and brothels. Over the years, all the places that can be occupied have been so crowded that water cannot enter. The West Bank
Once a large area is cleared, it should be extremely popular, at least Yan Zhengzhi thinks so.
Yan Zhengsu convened a promotion briefing meeting with merchants of all sizes in the city. The content of the meeting was very simple. After the West Bank is cleared, it will be official land, but in order to raise money, Yan Zhengsu is willing to use part of the land for pre-sale. In the future,
Once the West Bank is cleared, only those who spend money to buy land in advance can occupy a place there.
However, what Yan Zhengsheng didn't expect was that when faced with the dozen or so plots of land marked out, the merchants in Hangzhou City did not show a positive attitude. From beginning to end, they all responded to the new prefect's plans with a wait-and-see attitude.
attitude. No one wants to buy a piece of worthless land that is soaked in water with snakes and rats all day long. Moreover, the prefect has proposed such a high price, as high as two thousand taels of silver per acre. This is simply crazy.
In the final analysis, no one believed that this plan would succeed. After all, merchants were only pursuing profits, which was one of the reasons for their low status.
At this embarrassing moment, the Lin family showed the vision they should have as a long-established family. Or it can't be called vision. In their hearts, Lin Boyong and Lin Ke just wanted to use money to hook up with the new prefect.
It was nothing more than a relationship. The Lin family resolutely took action in silence and bought twenty acres of land on the west bank that was not yet known whether it could be used for 40,000 taels of silver. The Lin family took action, and other merchants had to buy some symbolically.
Although they only bought one or two acres of ground, more than a dozen merchants gathered the necessary silver. For this matter, many merchants secretly cursed the Lin family for causing them to waste money. If the Lin family did not take action, they would
There is no need to spend this money. The prefect is like running water, and the merchants are deeply rooted in Hangzhou. What can he do?
Yan Zhengsheng doesn't care what they think, what he wants is that his plan can be pushed forward. He has no gratitude to the Lin family, because in Yan Zhengsheng's view, it is these businessmen who are taking advantage, and those lands will skyrocket in the future.
He had no choice but to ask the court for permission to sell part of his land to raise funds.
The project finally started. Although there were many twists and turns in the process, the prefect lost more than ten pounds. Whenever he had free time, he went to the construction site to supervise and personally participated in the excavation and dredging work. But finally, ten months later, the huge project was completed.
Finally completed, a six-bridge long embankment connects the north and south. A large area of silt and weedy waters on the west side of the West Lake was excavated and cleared. A water diversion channel connected a tributary of Qiantang six miles away. During the Meiyu hurricane season that year, the water on the west bank of the West Lake was
For the first time, the wasteland was not submerged by the swollen lake water. When the green shade of transplanted willow trees danced on the long embankment, and when the water surface in the west of the lake changed from turbid and smelly to clear and green, those talented people in Hangzhou who were skeptical about this
Suddenly I realized that it was done.
When the miscellaneous trees and weeds on the west bank were cleared away, and the rotten tree roots and weeds were removed, the west bank embankment reinforced with stones took on a new look. The mud-covered west bank is flat and wide, backed by the foot of the west mountain, and facing the east
The blue waves are rippling, and this place has simply become a geomantic treasure. It was not until this moment that the previous businessmen realized how short-sighted they were. They approached the government one after another and wanted to buy the land there, but the answer they received was that the land on the west bank
It will no longer be sold and will be used as official land for official use.
The merchants beat their chests and beat their feet. They hated themselves for not buying more before, and regretted so much that they almost vomited blood. The Lin family, who had eaten up twenty acres of land in one breath, was undoubtedly the biggest beneficiary. In just one year, what had originally been
The price of two thousand taels of land on the west coast has doubled. The Lin family does not eat or drink, but has already made 40,000 to 50,000 taels of silver just by changing hands.
However, how could the Lin family take action? Even Lin Boyong and Lin Ke were extremely surprised by this great thing that fell from the sky. The Lin family wanted to keep these twenty acres of land until the price was sky-high, or when the need arises, they would take action.
Of course, the land cannot be left empty. Since last spring, Lin Ke has ordered people to build walls and houses on that land, and plant trees and flowers. Although it is just a few simple courtyards, it is still named Lin Family Villa. After the renovation,
The scenery there is beautiful and the environment is quiet. Except for Lin Boyong who comes to stay occasionally, Lin Ke often comes to stay. No other people are allowed to live here, and it has become Lin Ke's private residence.
…
In the evening, Lin Jue, who was sitting on a cart, was crossing the long embankment to the foot of Qixia Ridge in the north under the setting sun. The villa on the west bank of Lin's family is close to the northwest, just on the side of Qixia Ridge. Walking from the long embankment
Passing is the quickest shortcut.
Under the setting sun, the willow shade on the long embankment is dense, and the sunlight shines through the gaps between the swaying long branches, which is mottled and beautiful. Although it is midsummer and the heat wave is overwhelming in the city, the long embankment is quiet and cool. The trees
The birds are chirping in the shade, the sound is sweet, the lakes on both sides are shining with golden light, and the brightly colored boats and dinghy boats are slowly rippling on the lake, which makes people have to admire the courage and vision of Yan Zhifu.
This created this magnificent scene in the lake.
The car passed the long embankment and arrived at the northwest lake shore, then turned west and walked around the lake. Qixialing covered the setting sun, and the sky suddenly became dark. There seemed to be a layer of light blue smoke surrounding the lake at dusk.
, there also seems to be lingering water vapor transpiration, giving people a strange sense of beauty.
Since the west bank has just been renovated and the land is prohibited for sale, the further you go along the lake bank, the quieter and deserted it becomes. Weeds and trees that have not been removed line both sides, and there is still a sense of desolation. Fortunately, the road
It is smooth. A stone-brick avenue has already run through the land on the west bank, and these miscellaneous trees and weeds will not affect the journey of carriages and horses.
After the sun officially set, in the dusk, Lin Jue saw a tall and long fancy wall in front of him. The black tiles and white walls, with hollow carvings, were very exquisite. In this desolate scene, how could he see this?
The wall gives people an extremely abrupt feeling, as if they suddenly saw human traces in the wilderness.
"Young master, we've arrived. Please get off the car and go in by yourself. The eldest master said that no one else is allowed to enter the villa. I can't take you in." The boy who was driving the bus jumped out of the car and stood in the car.
Gongshou Road outside the window.
Lin Jue frowned. It was puzzling that Lin Ke had such strict rules. However, Lin Jue didn't care. He opened the door and got out of the car, threw a bunch of money to the boy, straightened his clothes and helped him.
He held his hair in a bun and walked forward slowly.
A branch road leads along the wall to the lake shore. Around the corner of the wall, there is an open land in front of you. Not far away, under the shade of more than a dozen dark green willow trees, is a small pier inlaid with bluestones, and a small boat is tied to the shore.
The edge undulated slowly. Lin Jue walked slowly over, and then he saw the tall gatehouse on the right and the dark figure standing at the door with hands behind his hands.
"Lin Jue, are you here?"
"Brother, it's me. Brother, you must have been waiting for a long time."
"It didn't take long, but the food and wine have been set out, and we're really waiting for you to come."
"Brother, thank you for your trouble."
The two brothers briefly saluted with their hands raised, and after a brief exchange of words, Lin Ke turned around and entered the door with his hands behind his hands, and Lin Jue followed slowly in.
Inside the gate is a huge empty courtyard, with piles of earth and rocks, and piles of Taihu stones that were transported lying on the ground. Those are used to decorate the courtyard. Obviously everything is still in progress and has not yet been completed.
There are several tall trees standing in the corner of the yard, with their crowns reaching into the clouds, and their shadows standing silently like ink. These were the only big trees that could remain in this wasteland, and the rest were crooked melons, cracked dates, and weeds.
The thorns have long been dug up and reduced to charcoal.
"It's so grand. I've only heard about Xiyuan. Today is my first time here." Lin Jue said.
Lin Ke smiled and said: "If you like this place, you can come and live here often in the future. I spent 40,000 taels of silver to get this land. They all said I was crazy at first, but now this 20-acre mansion costs only 100,000 taels of silver."
You can't buy it. This is the best place on the west coast. In time, when it is completed, it will be one of the best gardens in Jiangnan. At that time, any private garden in Yangzhou or the Liuyuan Garden in Suzhou will be compared to it."
Lin Jue smiled and said: "Brother is so elegant."
Lin Ke said in a deep voice: "You don't know me, I'm just a bit strong. I have to do what I want to do, no matter the cost."
Lin Jue nodded. He looked forward. Beside several newly planted trees, several houses were standing in the dusk. The lights in the middle room were still on.
"The cloister of the monastery has not yet been built here, so those few rooms are the only residences. The purpose is peace and tranquility, let's go in." Lin Ke said.
Lin Jue nodded and smiled: "It is indeed quiet enough. There is no sound except the chirping of insects and the wind. You can't even see the shadow of a servant. Are they all hiding?"
Lin Ke turned around and smiled: "I'm not hiding. In fact, there are not many servants here, only three or four people close to me. This place is so big and dark, you just didn't see them. Look back.
Look, there’s another one following behind.”
Lin Jue turned around in surprise and saw a shadow following a dozen steps behind. At the same time, Lin Jue also saw that the courtyard door had been tightly and silently closed at some point.
