The Sixteen Kingdoms of the Eastern Jin Dynasty: The Competition in the Central Plains

When several donkey sellers heard this, they all gathered around, all wanting to take on a deal. Guo Pu asked, "You are all donkey sellers, who is willing to drive a donkey cart to take me to Xuancheng?"

"What's the price?" Several donkey sellers asked one after another. Guo Pu smiled and said, "Starting from here, passing Wuhu to Xuancheng. Then starting from Xuancheng, go to Wuxing Wukang. Then go north from Wukang to Jingkou. Finally, go from Jingkou to Jiankang. Who of you is willing to go?"

When several donkey sellers heard this, they all shook their heads after going around so far. But they were reluctant to give up this deal, so one of them asked, "How much will you give for this long detour?"

"I'll give you as much as your donkeys and donkey carts are worth." Guo Pu said generously. Hearing this price, the donkey seller said, "I'm willing to go!"

Guo Pu looked at the man carefully, who was in his thirties and in good health, and said, "Okay!"

Seeing that the deal was settled, the other few people led their donkeys away. Guo Pu and his personal soldier Chongyi got on the donkey cart with a carriage, and the donkey seller became the driver. The driver sat on the left side of the donkey cart and asked Guo Pu in the carriage: "Can we set off?"

"Let's go!" Guo Pu said. The driver raised the whip and shouted "Go!", and the donkey cart started running on the bumpy road. In the evening, the donkey cart arrived in Xuancheng. Guo Pu asked Chongyi to get off and ask where the Neishi Mansion was. Chongyi came back and said: "Go west!"

The donkey cart went west along the East-West Street for a while and saw a government office facing north and south. On the lintel above the gate of the government office, there were five large cursive characters: Xuancheng Neishi Mansion.

The driver stopped the donkey cart at the gate of the government office. When the two officials at the gate saw someone coming, they stepped forward and asked loudly: "Where are you from? No one is allowed to enter the Nei Shi Mansion!"

"I am Guo Pu from Wuchang. Is Nei Shi Shen here?" Guo Pu bowed and saluted. When the two officials heard that it was Guo Pu, they hurriedly returned the salute and said: "It turns out to be the world-famous Lord Guo. I'm sorry! Our Nei Shi has returned to his hometown of Wuxing and Wukang these days!"

"Then I won't go in." Guo Pu said, and he and Chongyi came to the donkey cart. The two got on the donkey cart, and Guo Pu said: "Find a place to stay first, and go to Wuxing and Wukang tomorrow."

The three found an inn and stayed there for one night. The next morning, they ate something quickly and set off on the road in the donkey cart. It was almost noon, and Guo Pu saw a small tavern on the side of the road, so he ordered: "Have a bite to eat and drink here first, and continue on the road in the afternoon."

This tavern was a husband-and-wife shop, a middle-aged couple in their thirties. The three of them came to the tavern and sat down. The male shopkeeper hurried over and asked: "What do you three guests want to eat?"

"Three good dishes and a pot of wine, the sooner the better." Guo Pu said casually. The male shopkeeper said: "Okay! The three guests will wait for a moment, you can have tea first."

The shopkeeper went to cook, and the woman came over with a long plate. There was a pot of tea and three tea bowls on the long plate. The woman put the teapot and tea bowls on the table, and Guo Pu looked the woman up and down. ThisThe woman was tall and dignified. Seeing Guo Pu staring at her, she picked up the plate and said, "Dear guest, please have some tea first. The food and wine will be ready soon."

After drinking tea for a while, the woman came over with three dishes, and Guo Pu began to look at the beautiful woman again. The shopkeeper then came over with a pot of wine and three wine bottles. At this time, several more guests came in, and the shopkeeper said, "Guests are here. Enjoy your meal, three guests!"

While the three of them were eating and drinking, Guo Pu still couldn't forget to take a look at the woman from time to time. After eating and drinking, they calculated the wine and meal fees, and the three of them left the tavern and set off again.

The donkey cart passed a village and saw a group of people sitting on the side of the road, sighing. Guo Pu asked the driver to stop and asked, "Where is this place? What are you doing?"

"Our place is called Tangqi, a big town. This summer, there was a severe drought and the weather was dry. In the fall, there was no rain, so we had to draw water from the river to plant the crops. Who knew that the crops were planted, but the water in the river was getting less and less, and some small rivers were even dry. Even the Tang River outside the village only had some muddy water left. There are one or two thousand people in our town, and it's almost the New Year. Now there is no water to use even for meals!" An elder stood up and said. When Guo Pu heard this, he comforted these people: "Don't worry, folks. I will check the conditions of your land, mountains, rivers and rivers here, and help you dig a well."

"That's great!" The elder said happily.

Guo Pu walked around nearby, and Chongyi, a personal soldier, followed behind. Dozens of villagers from Tangqi Town also followed behind. Some of these people nodded, and some shook their heads. Guo Pu saw what these people were thinking, and he continued to go east, west, south, and north, repeatedly checking the soil on the surface. Guo Pu and Chongyi came to the bank of Tang River again and looked at the little water left in the river. Seeing Guo Pu standing by the river without saying anything, the elder said, "Sir, in order to solve the drinking water problem, the villagers have been looking for water sources and digging wells around the town. But after digging and digging, they have spent a lot of manpower, material resources and financial resources, but they still can't dig a well with abundant water. The elders and villagers have no choice but to burn incense by the long bridge every day and pray for the Buddha's blessing."

The elder said, pointing to a wooden bridge across Tang River not far away. Guo Pu looked and saw that there were offerings on the wooden bridge, and the three incense sticks in the incense burner were still emitting green smoke. In order to reassure the villagers, Guo Pu came to the wooden bridge and piously bowed to the Buddha.

Guo Pu crossed the wooden bridge and came to the south bank of Tanghe River. He saw a Dongwu Sanlang Temple a few dozen steps away from the bank. Guo Pu came to the door of the temple but did not go in. He stood at the door of the temple and bowed deeply, then came to the open space south of the temple. Several villagers with shovels followed him, and Guo Pu said: "You dig a big hole here, I will take a look at the situation."

Guo Pu said, and drew a big circle with a branch. Several young villagers rushed to dig a big hole in a short time. Guo Pu looked at the excavated soil, the surrounding river and the situation nearby, and then said: "Fellow villagers, you can dig a well here, I guarantee thisThe well water in the well is endless and endless!"

Guo Pu said to Chongyi again: "Go to the donkey cart and take all the money in the bag!"

The personal soldier brought the money bag, and Guo Pu said to the elder: "Old man, I just happened to pass by here and would like to help the villagers. You can use this money to hire some skilled craftsmen to dig wells. I have to hurry on my way, so I won't delay here!"

"Your Excellency has helped us dig a well, which is a great merit. May I ask your name?" the elder asked. Guo Pu hesitated for a moment and said: "I am Guo Pu, the Shangshu Lang of the court."

"It turns out to be Mr. Guo. I have heard of your great name for a long time!" Many villagers knelt down and saluted when they heard that it was the famous Guo Pu. Guo Pu pulled these people up and said: "It is our fate to meet with the villagers. It is my blessing to be able to help the villagers. ”

After Guo Pu finished speaking, he bowed to the villagers and got on the donkey cart to Wuxing and Wukang.

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