A scout discovered that Changning Prefecture's rapid development and simultaneous construction of several towns were not solely due to the abundant labor force.
Another crucial factor, equally important, was the novel material used by the people of Huaxia City. The scout, having infiltrated the construction teams, was responsible for mixing these materials.
It was a grey powder, much finer than dust. The people of Huaxia City called it cement and said it was specifically for building houses. The scout had lived in the Da Yu Dynasty for over thirty years and had even built his own house twice, but he had never encountered such a material for construction.
Initially, he believed that houses built with such fine powder would surely not be very sturdy. However, upon the completion of the walls and houses, the scout realized how ridiculous his previous assumptions were.
On a dark and windy night, he sneaked into a new house to test it himself. The houses built with cement were not only more upscale in appearance than mud houses but also significantly more robust.
Due to insufficient detailed information, the scout was unable to obtain household registration. Consequently, he was assigned to the scattered households outside the city. He witnessed firsthand the refugees, who had nothing, happily moving into the newly constructed houses.
The houses were indeed beautifully built. Not only were the windows fitted with glazed tiles to protect against wind and rain, but the roof beams were no longer made of wood but of iron bars, which Huaxia City called rebar.
There were also those massive vehicles that could travel without the need for oxen or horses. When the scout disguised himself as a refugee and worked as a laborer in Changning Prefecture, he not only received dozens of copper coins daily but was also provided with food and lodging, with meat at every meal.
If not for his family being held in the Da Yu Dynasty and the fact that scattered households here could not officially become Huaxia citizens, the scout, for a moment, truly did not wish to return to Da Yu.
Huo Qixiao looked at Su Ling'er before him, extremely curious as to how she had managed to hide in Huaxia for over a year without being expelled and even successfully obtain household registration in the imperial city of Yaoging.
"Oh? You actually live in the eastern part of the imperial city of Yaoging? As far as I know, the eastern part of the imperial city is inhabited by people from that woman's former hometown. Everyone living there, regardless of their origin or background, is thoroughly investigated. I am truly curious, what abilities do you possess to have remained hidden for so long without being discovered, and to have successfully obtained household registration? Could it be, you are one of them?"
Huo Qixiao's gaze at Su Ling'er was complex, filled with amusement and curiosity. When he asked if she was an enemy, a hint of malice flickered in his eyes.
Su Ling'er ignored Huo Qixiao's sharp, dagger-like gaze and gracefully replied, "Young Master is wise. Ling'er was indeed from their... village before. The Empress of the Huaxia Celestial Dynasty, Her Majesty, is precisely Su Muqing, my former cousin..."
Suddenly! Huo Qixiao shot to his feet, took two steps towards Su Ling'er, and grabbed her shoulders. "You actually know Su Muqing? She's your cousin? Then, who is that white-haired man with her? Is his surname Huo? Is he called Huo Qiyuan?"
Su Ling'er's arm was in pain from Huo Qixiao's grip. She dared not get angry and push him away, so she quickly recalled and revealed everything she knew. "Ah~ I only know his surname is Lu. He seems to be the young master of a wealthy family. Su Muqing met him during the famine. That man was very ill at the time, like a dead person. It was mid-summer, yet he was wrapped in cotton clothes for warmth."
"Wearing cotton clothes in mid-summer, ice-reeds... Then what happened? What happened next?" Huo Qixiao tightened his grip on her arm, his eyes bloodshot, staring intently at Su Ling'er.
"Later, later Su Muqing charmed the villagers and drove away all of us who were not pleased with her from Houxi Village. So, I'm not very clear about what happened to them on their journey during the famine. However, I once heard from people in Zhengyi Lane that the current Regent, Huo Qiyuan, is the white-haired man Su Muqing saved back then. It is also said that the dean of the medical college in Yaoging City today was also rescued by her on the roadside."
Seeing the originally beautiful woman's face contorted in pain, pale and baring her teeth, Huo Qixiao finally released her arm. He muttered to himself and returned to his seat. "Why is his surname Lu? It shouldn't be! Even if he couldn't use the surname Huo to hide, his maternal family is Leng. Why would he change his surname to Lu? Lu..."
Wang Bingchang, seeing Huo Qixiao lost in thought, distastefully took out a handkerchief from his sleeve and carefully wiped Huo Qixiao's hand, as if he had touched something dirty by touching Su Ling'er.
After both hands were sufficiently wiped, Wang Bingchang turned to Su Ling'er and asked, "You said that man was sickly, so he must have had others serving him. Do you know the names of those people?"
"He had an old man surnamed Xu with him, who is now the chief eunuch of the imperial city. There was also an auntie surnamed Zhou, who is now Su Muqing's personal governess. I heard that those young guards surnamed Leng back then are now the deputy generals stationed in Si'an Prefecture!" Su Ling'er had previously lived in the remote villages like Houxi Village, so she had no idea who the undefeated God of War of the capital, Huo Qiyuan, was.
"It really is him! It really is Huo Qiyuan!" Huo Qixiao began muttering again.
The old man surnamed Xu, the woman surnamed Zhou, and over a dozen guards surnamed Leng. Others might not know who these people were, but Huo Qixiao, who had known Huo Qiyuan for two lifetimes and fought against him for two lifetimes, how could he not know? These were all Huo Qiyuan's trusted confidantes!
In fact, Xu Zhipeng was not the best candidate for the implementer of Huo Qixiao's plan. However, no matter how much effort he put in, he couldn't find a way to win over these people. In the end, he had to settle for the next best option and chose Xu Zhipeng to carry out the action.
Wang Bingchang suddenly thought of something. "You said Su Muqing also saved the dean of the medical college? What is a medical college? And who is that dean?"
"The medical college is an educational institution established in Yaoging City specifically for studying medicine, and the dean is the renowned divine physician of that era, Gongsun Zan!"
"Gongsun Zan... Gongsun Zan was the one Su Muqing saved in Shihe County... Does that mean the person who played tricks on me at Chen Dahe's manor was Su Muqing?"
Wang Bingchang overturned the teacup in front of him. The teacup hit the ground with a "bang." Although it had been almost three years, he still gnashed his teeth in hatred whenever he recalled the situation at that time.