Gu Baozhu had just come out through the side gate when she happened to run into Song Anhao, who was returning from the academy. Without hesitation, she stepped in front of him.
“Anhao—”
Song Anhao, who had been hurrying inside, nearly collided with her. He came to an abrupt stop and looked up.
At first, he was merely confused. Then, recognizing her, he asked in surprise, “Sister Baozhu, why are you wearing men’s clothes? And you haven’t even done your hair.”
“Men’s clothes are more convenient when I’m out.”
In truth, she simply didn’t want to attract too much attention. If people found out that Gu Zhongxun had brought his daughter along while inspecting the local administration, there would inevitably be gossip.
Song Anhao frowned in puzzlement. “Then why weren’t you wearing them last time?”
Irritated by all the questions, Gu Baozhu planted her hands on her hips. “I’ll wear what I want. Why are you asking so many questions?”
“I heard the bookshop has been doing quite well recently. You look so pleased with yourself—must have made quite a bit of money, huh?”
Song Anhao took a step back and composed himself.
Could she be regretting that she had sold it too cheaply before and now wanted it back?
“Pleased? My schoolwork was so poor that my brother and my teacher both scolded me. I’ve been studying at the academy these past few days and haven’t gone to the bookshop in ages.”
Seeing the wariness on his face, Gu Baozhu couldn’t help finding it amusing.
“What are you afraid of? It’s not as if I’m going to take the bookshop back.”
“I’ve read The Tale of Qin Niang and The Wronged Man’s Record. They’re both very well written. When will that Peach Blossom Hermit release another story?”
Only after hearing that she had come to ask about a new manuscript did the wariness fade from Song Anhao’s face.
“It’s already being printed. In a few days, the new story will be on sale in Songzhou City.”
He had already discussed it with his elder sister. When they shipped the smokeless coal to the city, they would send the new books along with it, saving the cost of hiring a separate escort.
The next day, Gu Zhongxun inspected all the administrative records from the past year at the prefectural government office, with Song Qiming accompanying him throughout the entire process and answering any questions on the spot.
From official documents and public infrastructure to grain and commercial taxes, from the grain stores to the treasury, every item left Gu Zhongxun astonished.
After the more than seven hundred bandits had been captured shortly after his arrival in Suining Prefecture, the number of thefts, robberies, brawls, and other cases in Suining City and the four counties under its jurisdiction had dropped sharply compared with previous years. Most of the remaining incidents were minor squabbles between neighbors over trivial matters.
The river channel, which had been dry for many years, was flowing again. Although the harvest along both banks had not changed much this year, the amount of wasteland registered by the prefectural government had increased by a full twenty thousand mu. It was easy to imagine that, barring droughts or floods, the harvest next year would certainly be excellent.
This year, Suining Prefecture had been the first to collect and deliver its grain taxes to Songzhou City.
On the road to Suining Prefecture, Gu Zhongxun had also noticed that, beginning at the prefecture’s boundary, watch posts had been established every ten li along the main road, with constables patrolling day and night.
Caravans of merchants and escorted transport teams traveled constantly along the road.
Though everyone seemed to be hurrying, their faces were all bright with smiles. They looked nothing like the merchants of previous years, who had turned pale at the mere mention of Suining Prefecture.
The steadily increasing commercial tax revenue also showed that more and more merchants were coming to Suining City to do business.
When he reached the section on newly registered residents, he found that the population on the household rolls had increased over the year. Apart from newborn infants, most of the increase consisted of temporary residents—fully five hundred people.
“Bring me the household register,” said Gu Zhongxun.
At the desk by the window, the clerk responsible for managing the household registers felt his heart jolt. He cautiously glanced up at Song Qiming’s expression.
Only after seeing him nod did the clerk quickly retrieve the register from the shelf behind him and bring it over.
Gu Zhongxun began flipping through it from the back, scanning the information on the temporary residents registered over the past year.
One-third of them came from Qingxia County and Yunzhu County, while many others had previously moved away and now returned.
After a while, he rose and said to Song Qiming, “Let’s inspect the grain stores first.”
No matter how much had been written on paper, Gu Zhongxun still had his doubts about whether it was true.
He knew that Suining Prefecture had improved over the course of a single year—but could it really have become this much better?
