Meanwhile, on the broad cement road, the officials of Suining City, great and small, had already accompanied Gu Zhongxun on foot for nearly an hour.
Song Qiming had practiced martial arts since childhood, so he did not feel tired in the slightest. The other officials, however, were clearly reaching their limits.
In late autumn, they did not sweat much, but the soles of their feet were already aching and sore. Every step felt as though their feet were breaking apart, and the blisters rubbed raw by their shoes made it even more unbearable.
Again and again, they looked toward Gu Zhongxun at the front. Seeing that he still appeared eager and full of energy, they could only sigh inwardly.
Wasn’t he tired?
They had circled from the South Gate to the West Gate, reached the North Gate, and only then entered the government office. It had taken a full two hours. By the end, even Song Qiming had to admire Gu Zhongxun’s stamina.
The moment he sat down, Gu Zhongxun began praising Song Qiming.
“This road has been built exceptionally well. It must have cost a considerable sum.”
Song Qiming replied, “The cement was supplied free of charge by my eldest sister, County Princess Linghui. The road was built by clerks from the government office and prisoners held in the jail, so the expenses were relatively low.”
“The eight streets cost a total of five thousand taels of silver. Thirty percent went toward meals, while the remaining seventy percent was used to make the sewer covers.”
Gu Zhongxun silently calculated the distance they had just covered and the cost involved. Songzhou City was three times the size of Suining City. To pave several main streets properly would likely require tens of thousands of taels of silver.
And then there was the cement. It had been free in Suining City—but would it be free for Songzhou City as well?
“How much cement is needed for one li of road? And roughly how much would it cost?”
Song Qiming deliberately furrowed his brow in apparent confusion. After a long pause, he cupped his hands and apologized to Gu Zhongxun.
“The cement factory is the private property of my eldest sister. I have been occupied with official duties and rarely involve myself in its affairs, so I would need to ask her about the exact price.”
“All I know is that each bag of cement weighs one hundred jin. A single li of cement road requires approximately two thousand five hundred bags.”
Gu Zhongxun looked away, a dark gleam flashing through his eyes.
It was obvious that the Song family had no intention of providing cement for free. Otherwise, Song Qiming would not have stressed that it was Song Jinzhao’s private property.
“That will be all for today. Starting tomorrow, we will inspect the various affairs of Suining Prefecture.”
Only after respectfully seeing him back to the post station did Song Qiming depart.
When he went to the rear courtyard to find Song Jinzhao, he discovered that Song Shixue was at home, with Gu Baozhu beside her, still dressed in men’s clothing.
After pausing briefly, he nodded in greeting. “Miss Gu.”
Gu Baozhu rose and gave him a formal salute. “Lord Song.”
Dressed in men’s clothes while performing a woman’s courtesy—it looked awkward no matter how one viewed it.
The room was full of women, so Song Qiming greeted them briefly and left.
Gu Baozhu stood, preparing to depart as well.
“It seems my father has already returned to the post station, so I should head back too.”
Song Shixue said, “I’ll have He Ye escort you.”
Gu Baozhu waved her hand. “There’s no need. I know the way to the post station.”
Only after she had left did Song Qiming return.
“The moment he sat down, Gu Zhongxun began asking about the cement. I managed to deflect him.”
“But I doubt he’ll give up. He’ll certainly bring it up again in a few days.”
Song Jinzhao said, “The cement shop will open tomorrow. Gu Zhongxun will definitely send someone to inquire about the prices. After that, we’ll take things one step at a time. Remember to play up how difficult things are—the voice of the common people is important too.”
She gave him a meaningful look. “The cement factory and the coal mine have hired more than ten thousand workers. If they cannot make a profit, won’t we have to dismiss them all?”
Immediately understanding her meaning, Song Qiming stroked his chin in thought.
“There are indeed some things that ought to reach Gu Zhongxun’s ears, so that he can ponder them carefully.”
If the people lost their livelihoods, they would cause unrest. Suining Prefecture had never been particularly stable, so Gu Zhongxun would certainly have his concerns.
Song Jinzhao cautioned, “Do it discreetly. Gu Zhongxun must come to the conclusion himself.”
Song Qiming nodded. “Understood.”
