When the scholars sent to Lingnan by Prince Wei and Prince Chu arrived at Swamp Prefecture, they were carefully arranged by Zhao Yao. Not all of these scholars were to remain in Swamp Prefecture; so were to be sent to other prefectures. However, due to the impending trade conference at Swamp Prefecture, there was a pressing need for manpower, so they were temporarily kept in Swamp Prefecture to assist.
These days, the scholars have been receiving training at the Ministry of Rites. Their main role in the trade conference is to warmly welco foreign guests, helping them to understand Swamp Prefecture and experience the charm of the Great Zhou as a land of etiquette.
There are nurous training programs at the Ministry, starting with familiarizing the scholars with Swamp Prefecture. Not knowing Swamp Prefecture well, how would they introduce it to foreign guests?
It was the first ti for these scholars visiting Swamp Prefecture, and they knew nothing about it. Before coming to Swamp Prefecture, their impression was that Swamp Prefecture was broken, old, poor, dirty, and chaotic – just a remote, impoverished region. However, once they arrived, they found Swamp Prefecture to be completely different from what they imagined.
The Swamp Prefecture they saw was not large, nor was it as bustling as the capital, but it was not at all run-down; it was incredibly orderly, clean, and very attractive.
What shocked them most was the official roads and streets inside and outside Swamp Prefecture, all paved with cent and exceedingly smooth and beautiful. Also, the city walls of Swamp Prefecture were constructed magnificently and solemnly, not inferior to other places inland.
What shocked them the most were the docks of Swamp Prefecture, which are several tis larger than those in the capital. However, since the trade conference has not yet started, the docks were not bustling with activity. They could imagine how lively the docks would beco once the trade conference began.
Oh, the four taverns located east, south, west, and north of the docks are even more luxurious than the most prestigious tavern in the capital. Moreover, the service in these taverns is called ’service’ in the true sense, extrely good, truly making guests feel at ho.
Additionally, the ships docked by the harbor were quite unique. It is said that these towering and imposing ships were designed by Prince Han, exceptionally impressive.
Walking south from the dock, there is a large park. The park is akin to a garden, open to everyone, aning anyone can enjoy the flowers, the outdoors, and leisure activities there, regardless of their social status.
Although the park is not comparable to the gardens of the wealthy, it is very beautiful, with charming cent pathways, various flowers they had never seen before, trees they hadn’t encountered before, and most importantly, a large lake in the center of the park. The lake is very clear, and people can boat on it or fish by its banks.
Besides these, many fruit trees are planted in the park, all unfamiliar to them. When the fruits ripen, the people can freely pick and eat them without having to pay.
They thought they were well-read and rarely ignorant about anything. But upon arriving at Swamp Prefecture, they realized there were many things here they had never seen or heard of, making them marvel at everything. Certainly, here they also felt a sense of their ignorance.
Before coming, they were worried about the miasma, having heard that Lingnan was perennially covered in dense, pervasive miasma, causing many Lingnan people to die from it. Once there, they found that Swamp Prefecture had no miasma. It was said only the wild mountains and forests had miasma.
The weather in Swamp Prefecture is warm, with a climate not dry, and most importantly, the place is filled with the scent of flowers and birds singing - truly a paradise.
Before arriving at Swamp Prefecture, the scholars were full of various worries. After coming to Swamp Prefecture, all their anxieties faded away completely, and they imdiately fell in love with the place.
They learned that Swamp Prefecture was not always like this, and was pretty much as they imagined, until Prince Han arrived and transford Swamp Prefecture into such a beautiful and clean place.
It is said that the current Swamp Prefecture is not yet fully constructed. They could not imagine how astonishing it would be once it is completely built.
Regarding their amazent with Swamp Prefecture, the scholars couldn’t finish talking even after three days and nights. Let’s discuss the scholars’ training situation instead.
After the scholars beco familiar with the entire Swamp Prefecture, they also need to know about the local specialties. Speaking of fruits, Swamp Prefecture has lychee, longan, sugarcane, oranges, peaches, etc. The oranges and peaches in Swamp Prefecture are sowhat different from those in the capital. Also, many dicinal herbs and grains are unavailable in the capital. In short, Swamp Prefecture is rich in resources.
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