"It seems Brother Zizhan has been quite carefree these years out in the world! Truly worthy of being the 'True Refined Scholar' admired by scholars and adored by countless young maidens!"
This "True Refined Scholar" comnt carried rather profound implications.
Even soone as thick-skinned as Su Zizhan couldn't help feeling slightly embarrassed at this mont.
The reason was simple - ever since being appointed as an imperial inspector by the official two years ago, tasked with inspecting various construction projects on his behalf.
At that ti, the official had specifically instructed him not to rush back with reports, but to thoroughly experience local customs and scenery, preferably docunting them in detail.
Initially, Su Zizhan hadn't understood the intention, until he visited a remote small county and discovered its exceptionally delicious sweet peaches. Locals told him that during spring, the miles of peach forests created absolutely breathtaking scenery.
Soon after, soone specially brought him peach wine brewed the previous year.
With fine food, excellent wine, and beautiful blossoms under the full moon - well, caught in the mont, Su Zizhan spontaneously composed a poem right then.
Yet who could have expected that within days, this poem appeared verbatim in newspapers distributed nationwide.
Su Shi was naturally talented and skilled at making friends, already quite famous among scholars. Combined with the poem's beauty and its vivid descriptions of fine wine and scenery...
In short, with all these factors combined, the previously unknown Taohua County instantly beca "trending." Coincidentally, new roads had recently been built there, and soon scholars and students ca streaming in continuously.
This not only boosted peach sales, but the locally brewed peach blossom wine beca wildly popular among scholars. Even so young maidens would occasionally sip a cup or two, claiming they wanted to experience the wine that had so captivated the talented Master Su!
Similar phenona occurred with Dingzhou's West Wind wine, Ba Lin's Qiongchuan Waterfall, Mount Lu's cloud mist tea, Jiangbei's milk bricks, Yizhou's ten-mile maple forest, Yueyang Tower, and more...
Su Shi had always been generous with his brush, writing spontaneously as inspiration struck. At first he didn't think much of it, but even soone as carefree as him eventually noticed sothing after repeated occurrences.
Especially when returning from his travels, he happened to revisit one location and discovered that within just two years, the previously remote and impoverished small county now had every household living in new houses and wearing new clothes.
Moreover, with scholars and artists flocking there from everywhere, its reputation kept growing...
Su Shi: "..."
anwhile, due to his high exposure, clever writers occasionally rode his popularity wave with works like "Detective Stories of Su Zizhan," "Collection of Su Zizhan's Favorite Foods," "Su Zizhan Pleading for the People: Two or Three Incidents of Confronting Corrupt Officials," and various others.
These consistently achieved impressive sales figures.
Of course, there were also ridiculous ones like "The Complicated, Forbidden Love Story Between Master Su and a Certain Famous Courtesan."
Needless to say, after that publication, a certain courtesan saw her fa and value skyrocket overnight. In any case, amidst all these mixed true and false stories...
Su Shi himself unsurprisingly beca the latest public sensation.
Eventually, everywhere he went and every delicacy he tasted attracted countless admirers who ca to pay homage.
Coincidentally, the official's road construction projects had progressed quite smoothly by then, with local specialty trade and travel activities becoming increasingly frequent...
In short, by the ti Su Shi himself realized what was happening, the situation was already firmly established.
The unfortunate part was that even his younger brother's recent letters had shifted from concerned warnings like "Elder brother, aren't you being sowhat too conspicuous? Don't forget the official's official business" to teasing questions like "Is that Guanxi roasted lamb leg really that delicious?"
Su Shi: "..."
Especially when facing his friend's teasing that clearly enjoyed watching the drama.
Fortunately, Su Zizhan had always been thick-skinned. After his brief embarrassnt, he quickly relaxed, even happily sharing various amusing travel anecdotes with his friend while sipping tea.
Well, sigh, Zihou seems in low spirits right now, better share more cheerful stories...
Clearly reading his thoughts, Zhang Dun across from him paused briefly while holding his teacup.
With each harboring their own thoughts, the two chatted for another half-cup of tea ti. As old friends reunited in harmonious atmosphere, Su Shi suddenly rembered sothing and abruptly asked:
"By the way, Brother Zihou, since the official is already pregnant, what about the child's father?"
"I haven't heard any news about the official getting married either!" he finally muttered quietly:
"Could it be that I've been away too long and my information is outdated? Or did the official only appoint so male consorts?"
Well, after all, she is the official - keeping a few male consorts in the rear palace would be quite normal.
Zhang Dun: "..." Slowly setting down his teacup, Zhang Zihou imdiately looked up with a smile:
"Heh, it's quite late tonight, and my humble residence is really too shabby. I won't detain Brother Zizhan any longer today."
Su Zizhan: "???"
The next day, inside the palace
Flipping through the new quarterly account books sent by Mada Su, particularly noticing the multiplied numbers within, An Ning nodded with satisfaction.
Excellent. Indeed, celebrity effect and such things are extrely useful.
"Build roads before getting rich" is also quite effective!
See, the money spent earlier has now returned multiplied!
However, looking at the "Su Zizhan Poetry Collection" in her hand, An Ning couldn't help stroking her chin:
Undeniably, the poems in this volu were all excellent, that's true. But perhaps because she'd grown accustod to the earlier ones, this collection - though by the sa person - sohow felt like it had lost so of its distinctive flavor...
Even though it contained many poems praising her.
Sigh. Setting down the poetry volu, An Ning sighed inwardly. No wonder most tiless masterpieces by renowned poets erged during tis of frustration!
People, especially poets, really shouldn't have lives that are too smooth.
Should she manually increase the difficulty a bit?
Yet looking at Su Zizhan's carefree expression and his every movent radiating sunny, dashing youthfulness, she lightly coughed. The great demon king An Ning ultimately restrained her itching hands and instead smiled at the person before her:
"Very good, Minister Su's performance this ti greatly pleases ..."
Glancing at his sowhat weathered face, An Ning felt a rare twinge of conscience.
Forget it, his journey has been arduous enough - better let Minister Su rest for a while.
Coincidentally, the Ministry of War has been quite short-handed lately.
Unaware he'd narrowly avoided calamity, Master Su smiled just as breezily: "The official's brilliant strategies and governance have created this harmonious prosperity."
"For your subject to witness such flourishing tis is truly the greatest honor."
Honored, huh? Good that you feel honored. Rest assured, you talented scholar will have plenty more opportunities to witness flourishing tis...
An Ning thought cheerfully to herself.
Days passed gradually. As An Ning's pregnancy advanced, daily morning court sessions were temporarily suspended.
By mid-May, another victory report arrived from the Western Xia battlefield. After capturing Ganzhou, and with An Ning continuously supplying gold coins and equipnt, the army kept advancing triumphantly and had now reached the Western Xia capital...
Perhaps because recent happy events had been too concentrated, that night after handling morials, just as An Ning prepared to rest, she suddenly felt wetness below...
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