Chapter 9

"Lord Lou Baiyue should contact me now." Gu Chensha was not surprised, and he opened the letter. It read, "Canal Dock."

The signature was a "Lou" character, with a faint crescent moon drawn.

Without a doubt, this was from Lou Baiyue.

She had invited Gu Chensha to meet at the Canal Dock.

"Let's go, leave the palace and head to the Canal Dock." Gu Chensha handed the letter to Xiaoyizi: "Burn it. This kind of letter can be used as evidence against you. Don't give anyone a handle on you."

"Yes."

The most prosperous place in the Great Yong Dynasty was undoubtedly the capital city.

And the most prosperous place in the capital city was undoubtedly the Canal Dock.

The first great achievement of Emperor Tianfu was "digging the canal to connect all directions." In his fourteen years on the throne, he initiated this grand project, and in just ten years, it was completed.

In ancient times, there was an emperor who mobilized countless human and material resources to open a north-south canal, which took thirty years, causing the people to suffer and the country to rebel, ultimately leading to his downfall and execution.

However, Emperor Tianfu was different. As soon as he ascended the throne, he began digging the canal, which instead boosted the people's efforts, providing food for the hungry and wages for the workers, preventing chaos. During the canal's construction, whenever a mountain obstructed the way, it would often disappear within a few days.

Difficult waterways were cut open overnight, turning land into rivers.

The people called it a miracle, and over the years, they came to believe that Emperor Tianfu was destined by heaven, with ghosts and gods secretly lending their power to obey his commands.

As the canal was dug, Emperor Tianfu's throne became increasingly stable, and in the end, he won the hearts of the people, making his rule unshakable.

Originally, Emperor Tianfu was an illegitimate child who had wandered among the people and ascended the throne through brutal slaughter. His position was unstable, and there were undercurrents in the court. However, the canal, which connected all directions and showed miracles, immediately solidified the people's hearts.

Moreover, the opening of the canal eliminated countless floods and droughts, ensuring a steady income for the people. Goods from all directions could be continuously transported to the capital, promoting commerce and saving countless lives.

Gu Chensha stood on the dock, watching the ships coming and going, feeling a myriad of emotions.

It could be said that no emperor in history could compare to the current one.

The canal was thousands of feet wide, with a vast expanse of water stretching as far as the eye could see, and it was over a hundred feet deep. Ships of any size could pass through. This was not a small river, and it was not something that could be accomplished by human effort alone.

On the canal, there were countless ships, from small black-roofed boats to large five-toothed warships. In addition, there were deep-draft warships, the Angjing, which were part of the imperial navy, with a grand presence.

Of course, the most eye-catching were the newly developed iron-clad paddle wheelers. These ships were not large, but they were encased in iron, with wheels below, driven by steam power. They could spin like arrows, traveling a thousand miles a day.

These ships were used by the court to deliver official bulletins and memorials, which could be transmitted to various provinces along the canal.

With the canal, the court's control over the regions was greatly strengthened.

Countless new and exotic goods were transported from all over the country to the capital, unloaded at the dock, and the dock was orderly and well-organized.

In the past, docks were dirty, chaotic, and controlled by criminal gangs.

In the tenth year of Emperor Tianfu's reign, the court issued a decree to ban criminal gangs, and many gang leaders were executed, greatly pleasing the people, who praised the emperor as a great ruler.

"Newspapers, newspapers, today's newspapers! The court has issued another announcement, strictly prohibiting the exchange of gold and silver in the market. All transactions must be made with paper money. Those who disobey will have their property confiscated and be imprisoned."

"Indeed, this world is well-governed."

Gu Chensha thought to himself. Although he had no deep feelings for the emperor, he was very impressed by his governance.

In the royal family, there was no familial affection. Each prince was taken from their mother at birth and raised by a large group of wet nurses, maids, nannies, and eunuchs. Once they were old enough, they lived separately, studying and practicing martial arts, always suspicious and cautious of each other, never truly trusting one another.

The harmonious family life of commoners was something the royal family could never have.

The royal family ruled the world with "filial piety and fraternal duty," but the royal family itself lacked these virtues, which was indeed ironic.

But there was no way around it. The weight of the throne and the power to control the lives of the people meant that even family ties had to be set aside.

"Having a country means having no family." Gu Chensha sighed inwardly.

"Sir, the letter only mentions the Canal Dock, with no specific time. Are we going to wait here foolishly?" Xiaoyizi asked.

"You underestimate the Lou family. I was probably followed as soon as I left the palace. They will come to see me." Gu Chensha saw through it clearly.

Sure enough, after standing for a short while, a ship came riding the waves and docked on the side. A man came up and bowed: "Nineteenth Prince, please follow me onto the small boat. My master's large ship is in the middle of the river, and a banquet is prepared."

"Lead the way." Gu Chensha knew this was a servant of the Lou family, stepped onto the gangplank, and boarded the boat, with Xiaoyizi following behind.

The small boat suddenly sped off like an arrow, reaching the middle of the river in no time.

The servant handled the boat smoothly, rowing with great speed without causing any ripples, using hidden strength. His skills were far beyond the ordinary, perhaps even surpassing Xiaoyizi, who had taken "Tiger Wolf Pills."

A small servant of the Lou family had such strength, no wonder they could control the court and remain unshaken.

A large ship appeared in the middle of the river.

This ship was black, actually encased in black iron, making it sturdy and capable of naval combat.

Boarding the large ship from the small boat, the interior was a different world, with carved railings, jade steps, and gold and red decorations. The air was fragrant, and the walls were made of large glass panels, allowing one to enjoy the scenery. The gentle breeze and the boat on the river were a rare pleasure.

The large ship had four levels. The first level was for the owner, the second for the maids, the third for the kitchen, and the fourth for the sailors.

The ship was powered by paddle wheels, driven by mechanical force, moving swiftly in the water.

The paddle wheels were a mechanism created by the Heavenly Palace Academy, using the expansion of steam from burning oil to drive the wheels. This was a revolutionary change.

The large ship, like a black tiger lying on the river, could accommodate hundreds of people, with enough food to support everyone for ten to fifteen days, making it a small mansion.

The people on the ship were all strong, even the women were agile and disciplined, like an army.

"The Lou family has great military achievements, and they run their household like an army. This is a sign of prosperity." Gu Chensha pondered, having read many books and recently gained insight, allowing him to see the big picture from small details.

"Everyone, step back."

The servants all retreated, and the man who had brought them on board said to Xiaoyizi: "Sir, please follow me downstairs. A meal is prepared for you."

Xiaoyizi, seeing Gu Chensha nod, followed down.

On the upper deck of the large ship, only two people remained, a man and a woman.

The woman was naturally Lou Baiyue.

She stood with her back to Gu Chensha, wearing a light blue cloak, exuding a deep and profound aura.

"In the Tianfu Dynasty, the emperor ordered the digging of canals to connect the east, west, north, and south. The east-west river was named the Yangtze, and the north-south river was named the Heavenly River."

Lou Baiyue's voice was steady: "For this, the emperor wrote a world-shocking poem on the day the canal was completed."

"Rolling Yangtze flows east, waves wash away heroes, right and wrong, success and failure, all turn to emptiness. The green mountains remain, how many times has the sunset turned red. White-haired fishermen and woodcutters on the riverbank, accustomed to the autumn moon and spring breeze, a pot of turbid wine brings joy, all the events of ancient and modern times, are spoken of with laughter."

She recited the poem slowly, the historical atmosphere overwhelming.

This poem, written by Emperor Tianfu, spread throughout the land, making scholars bow in admiration.

Gu Chensha also loved the poem's vast and profound nature, often admiring it in secret.

But at the moment, he did not know what Lou Baiyue meant, and he listened quietly, smiling foolishly: "I never pay attention to my studies, and I don't understand poetry. What do you want from me today?"

"Gu Chensha." Lou Baiyue turned around, her figure seemingly taller and her aura completely transformed, her cultivation seemingly complete: "Despite your constant act of madness, you cannot fool those who are observant. You are not stupid; a truly stupid person would not have survived this long."

"What do you want?" Gu Chensha immediately appeared suspicious and fearful, his body hunching, a skill he had honed over many years to hide his true self.

"I assume you know that I have been ordered by the emperor to befriend you. What do you think of it?" Lou Baiyue spoke casually, as if the marriage was not a big deal to her, as if she were talking about someone else.

"No, no, no..." Gu Chensha waved his hands and retreated, even more terrified, as if encountering a snake or a scorpion. Although he had received early news, he did not know what Lou Baiyue's intentions were, and it was not impossible that she was setting a trap.

Years ago, this woman had ordered other princes to beat him, clearly not a good person.

"Although this is the emperor's order, today is a private meeting, so there's no need to be formal. Besides, you are a prince, and I am a subject. If this were to be known, I might be impeached for not showing proper respect." Lou Baiyue waved her hand, her tone somewhat condescending.

According to the rules, Gu Chensha, as a prince, should be treated with great respect, and Lou Baiyue's attitude was highly disrespectful.

But Lou Baiyue was proud, even towards other princes. Once, someone complained about her lack of respect, but Emperor Tianfu praised her, saying, "This woman is proud of kings and dukes, with the spirit of the ancients."

This showed how much the emperor favored her.

"What does the emperor want?" Gu Chensha asked, though he had great skills, he still showed a cautious and timid demeanor.

"You look really disgusting." Lou Baiyue's face darkened: "Although I look down on all men, the current emperor is a great ruler, suppressing evil, eliminating demons, saving the people, and stabilizing the country. He has also given women a chance to rise, sweeping away a thousand years of corruption. Even if you are not ambitious, you should still have inherited the emperor's blood."

Gu Chensha just stared blankly: "What are you talking about?"

"I am here today to ask you one thing." Lou Baiyue looked down at him: "Do you have the ambition to rise to prominence in the future?"

"Rise to prominence?" Gu Chensha took two more steps back: "I am already a prince, a noble, a dragon's son, a phoenix's grandson. What more do I need to rise to prominence?"

"Your life as a prince is worse than that of a wealthy commoner. Even a well-off family in the countryside has dozens of servants, travels in carriages, and lives in luxury. You, however, live in constant fear, pretending to be mad, hiding your true self. Even if you live, it is a miserable life. Don't you want to change anything?" Lou Baiyue's eyes fixed on him, trying to see through him.

Gu Chensha shook his head repeatedly: "It's fine now. I don't want to change."

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