Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Ling Pingan woke up the the morning.
He felt that his right hand was a little numb.
He raised his hand and saw that the skin on his palm was showing signs of bruising.
He moved his hand slightly, and an obvious numbness appeared on his arm.
“Whew!” The owner of the bookstore, who had never suffered since he was young, sucked in a breath of cold air.
“What happened?” He scratched his head and tried to recall carefully. Then, he remembered that he had fought with someone in his dream last night!
“Um…” he thought for a while and got a general idea.
Perhaps he didn’t sleep well last night, so his arm touched or hit the edge of the bed.
In his dream, it was a fight.
“It should be that!” He, who had been good at using scientific analysis since he was young, nodded.
Then, he walked to the balcony with his injured hand in his other hand and did a set of broadcast gymnastics.
Finally…
The numbness in his arms was relieved a lot.
However, it was still a little uncomfortable!
Holding his arm, the owner of the bookstore, who had never suffered since he was young, walked downstairs.
Meow!
Like a child who had done something wrong, the kitten Bastet lowered her head and purred pitifully.
“Little one… What’s wrong with you?” Ling Pingan saw the little one’s expression, squatted down, and stroked her head.
Meow!
The little guy purred softly, stuck out her tongue, and licked the back of her owner’s hand.
“I’m fine!”Ling Pingan thought that she was concerned about him, so he smiled and shook his arm. “It’ll be fine in a few minutes!”
In fact, his arm was only slightly numb, but it was more of a sore!
It was a bit like a physical reaction from a sudden intense exercise after a long time of not exercising.
The bruise on his palm had long been removed.
It turned out that he didn’t sleep well last night!
Meow!
The little one jumped into his arms and rubbed against him intimately.
Carrying the little one, Ling Pingan opened the door of the shop and walked to the breakfast shop next door. Just like before, he came back with steamed dumplings and tofu pudding.
Sitting at the counter, Ling Pingan turned on the TV.
At this time, it was 8:30 am. The old movie ‘Journey to the West’ had been played countless times on the TV.
Ling Pingan raised his head and looked at the classic artistic images on the TV.
Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, Monk Sha!
Monk Tang, the Jade Emperor, Tathagata…
“The classics from the past are still better… ” he sighed.
The classics from the past were all vivid and lifelike.
Now…
The young artists were considering that being able to say their lines in the original voice was a great advantage and a professional virtue!
As a result, the screen was filled with all kinds of crudely made godly dramas that made were stupid.
Of course, Ling Pingan also knew that it wasn’t all the young artist’s fault.
The director, the screenwriter, the producer, the capital, the audience…
Everyone was to blame.
Moreover, he couldn’t change this situation.
Therefore, he could only sigh and started eating breakfast.
Moreover, his thoughts quickly shifted to another level.
“By the Way… Tomorrow is August…” he counted the calendar. “In ten days, I’ll be able to receive my allowance again!”
Thinking of this, the young bookstore owner became happy.
What made him even happier was that the college entrance examination was coming.
“Since it’s so, I have to go and get some of the latest college entrance examination teaching materials!” He said, “I have to find a way to earn some money with this opportunity!”
He remembered that when his aunt ran this bookstore a few years ago, the college entrance examination season was the most popular every year.
It was always more than their usual revenue.
Unfortunately, after he took over, the business during the college entrance examination season was also very dull.
Last year, during the entire college entrance examination season, he only sold a few dozen books.
No matter what, this year shouldn’t be less than last year, right?
If that was the case, it would be too embarrassing!
With this thought in mind, the young bookstore owner raised his head and said to the scared kitten at the corner of the counter, “Bastet, today, you and I will go out and take a look at Jiangcheng City’s book wholesale market!”
“Let’s get some books back!”
“Then, let’s go to the copy shop over there and design some new posters!”
The wallpaper and posters of the bookstore needed to be updated.
Meow!
The little one purred softly and laid down spiritually.
After breakfast, Ling Pingan put away the trash and carried her out, and threw the trash into the trash can.
Then, he was ready to go out.
Using the e-hailing app, he called an e-hailing taxi and set the destination at Jiangcheng City’s book wholesale market.
Then, he pulled down the shutter door and locked the door.
Carrying the kitten Bastet, he walked to the roadside and began to wait.
About five minutes later, a black car stopped in front of Ling Pingan. “Are you a guest with the phone number ending with XXXX?”
Ling Pingan nodded.
The driver immediately unlocked the car door. Ling Pingan carried the kitten, Bastet, and sat on it.
“Are you going to Jiangcheng City’s book wholesale market?” The driver seemed to look at the order and hesitated.
“Yes! “Ling Pingan smiled and asked, “Sir, is there a problem?”
“No! No…” the driver answered embarrassedly, “It’s just that there will be a bit of traffic there today…”
“Huh?” Ling Pingan didn’t quite understand. “How is that possible?”
Ever since Jiangcheng City transformed into an intelligent processing and high-tech digital city, with the use and application of various new technologies, it was rare for the traffic jam to last for half a day in the past.
Under the big data, the transportation department could keep track of the traffic flow on the main roads in real-time and predict the traffic flow for the next half an hour.
Generally, it could be divided.
“The Gonghe party and the Datong Party are putting up posters and promoting the book wholesale market and the surrounding areas today…” the driver sighed.
Ling Pingan was curious. “Didn’t they do it in the past years?”
“But this year, they increased the manpower by several times and invested several times more than in the past years!” The driver said, “So, it’s a bit congested over there!”
Ling Pingan listened and was slightly stunned.
“The main battlefield has shifted to Guangnan this year?” He scratched his head.
However, these things had nothing to do with him.
He didn’t care!
Therefore, he said to the driver, “Then I’ll have to trouble you, sir!”
“No problem!” The driver said straightforwardly, “I’m just explaining to you that there might be a bit of a traffic jam!”
“Sure!” Ling Pingan said with a smile.
Therefore, the car slowly started and drove into the main road.
“The target is out!”
Situ He was about to read the documents when he received an emergency report.
“Where is the target going?”He immediately asked.
“General…” the staff who came to report hesitated, “It seems to be Jiangcheng City’s book wholesale market…”
“Hiss!” Situ He took a deep breath.
What period of the year was that?
In less than twenty days, the college entrance examination would be held.
In less than a month, the national examination would be held!
Without a doubt, the college entrance examination and the national examination every year were the two most important internal affairs of the Federal Empire!
Their importance was above everything else!
The college entrance examination was related to the fairness of education and the future of the country!
As for the national examination, it was related to the selection of talents and the future governance of officials!
In the past two thousand years, other than the change of dynasties, there was nothing more important than these two matters in the federal empire!
A twenty-four-year history, countless pages were talking about these two matters.
The rise and fall of the rule of chaos were directly related to these two matters!
Therefore, regardless of whether it was the Datong Party or the Gonghe party, every election would use the book wholesale market and the vicinity of the examination venue as one of the main battlegrounds, investing a large number of resources!
They were not only for the present but also for the future!
And their target was to suddenly go to a sensitive area like the wholesale market of Jiangcheng city at such a sensitive time.
What did he want to do?
Was he just casually looking around?
Impossible!
There must be a deeper meaning!
Situ He immediately became nervous.
“Inform the colleagues in the location…”Situ He paced a few steps and said, “Immediately put on the highest alert state!”
“At the same time, inform the colleagues nearby to reinforce them!”
“We must ensure that the book wholesale market today is orderly and without any accidents!”
“Yes!”The staff nodded.
Watching the staff leave, Situ He picked up the red phone and dialed.
“Commander-in-chief…”
“It’s me, Situ He…”
“Yes…”
“The target suddenly went to the book wholesale market today…”
“The purpose and intention are unknown…”
“Yes!” Situ He stood at attention. “I will personally go over to supervise and make sure there are no accidents!”
Sitting in the car, Ling Pingan looked at the tall buildings outside the window.
He couldn’t help but start playing with his phone.
He had no choice. He was stuck on the viaduct.
The traffic ahead was blocked.
It was said that the traffic jam was caused by the Datong party giving a speech at the book wholesale market.
After playing with his phone for a while, the traffic jam finally started to move.
Slowly, the traffic returned to normal.
“Hey!”The driver was also very surprised. “What made the traffic so smooth today?”
“Do you usually have to stay in the jam for a long time?”Ling Pingan asked curiously.
“Yes… I was stuck here for an hour yesterday!” The driver replied.
“Oh…”Ling Pingan nodded.
The traffic jam completely returned to normal in just five minutes.
Ling Pingan’s car returned to its normal speed.
Twenty minutes later, he carried the kitten Bastet and got off the car at the intersection of Cultural Avenue.
“Didn’t they say… that the Datong Party is going to hold a speech?”Ling Pingan looked ahead. There were no signs of the road being occupied.
Other than the countless posters and leaflets on the street, there were no signs of the road being occupied.
An old man who was enjoying the cool by the roadside heard his question and answered with a smile, “Young man, that’s because the Urban Management Officers are here. They won’t let them occupy the road anymore!”
“Is the Datong Party so obedient?” Ling Pingan laughed.
As everyone knew, scholars were all arrogant.
Wouldn’t I lose my reputation if I do what you say?
Especially the ancestors of the Datong Party. They were the Qing Liu of the previous dynasty.
They were the best at throwing tantrums and doing as they wish.
The old man chuckled and said, “That’s because the Gonghe party’s podium was also demolished!”
Ling Pingan suddenly understood.
Hence, he thanked the old man and carried the kitten, Bastet, through the tree-lined path in front of him and turned into an ancient-looking alley.
In the alley, there was a hubbub of voices and an endless stream of people.
Jiangcheng City’s book wholesale market was at the corner.
Speaking of which, this wholesale market could be considered the oldest market in Jiangcheng city.
Jiangcheng city had existed since the city was founded!
It was built together with Jiangcheng University and the scholar temple next to Jiangcheng University.
After all, since ancient times, the administration of literature and martial arts had been the most respected thing in the federal empire.
Among them, the rule of literature was the most important!
What was the best way to embody the rule of literature?
In ancient times, it was to gather the strength of the entire country and, at the peak of the dynasty, cultivate a masterpiece that would leave its name in history!
For example, the “Yongle Grand Ceremony”!
After the Federal Empire was established, Taizu changed the rules of the game and the way of playing.
He stopped amending books!
He started to build schools and bookstores!
When Taizong ascended to the throne, of course, it was ‘I inherited the legacy of the late Emperor and followed the great cause of the late emperor, trembling with fear, and thriving with the world!’.
Since both his ancestors and his father did this.
In order to show that he was indeed the successor of Taizu and Taizong’s work, and he was indeed a filial son.
After Gaozong ascended the throne, he became a school maniac!
In his life, Gaozong built a hundred universities, a thousand high schools, and a few thousand junior high schools.
When Gaozong passed away and the era of discipline ended, the Emperor ruled and the cabinet supported him.
The cabinet ministers ‘failed the world’s expectations and received the emperor’s favor’.
Did they dare not build a school?
No!
Not only could they not build a school, but they had to build more and better!
Universities, high schools, junior high schools…
They had to work hard to build them!
Within a hundred years, every county had achieved the plan of building and improving their primary, junior high, and senior high schools.
It had laid a solid foundation for the implementation of nine-year compulsory education and the subsequent twelve-year compulsory education!
Even today, the issue of education was still the focus of criticism between the Datong Party and the Gonghe party.
The opposition party, in particular, was extremely enthusiastic about the shortcomings of the ruling party on the issue of education.
And that was indeed a very good canvassing point!
After all, most of the people in the federal empire who were willing to vote were those who were over 30 years old.
They had families, and their children happened to be in the educational stage.
There was nothing they cared about more than education!
Therefore, as an accessory to education, the cultural industry, and the book industry had become the focus and key of every city!
Therefore, in the year that Jiangcheng City was founded, the first mayor naturally took Jiangcheng University, the scholar’s temple, and this book wholesale market as his first fire, throwing in unlimited enthusiasm!
And he succeeded!
Until now, Jiangcheng University still had the statue of the mayor and his life description.
In a sense, the mayor, who later became the supervisor of Guangnan Governor District, had achieved a certain degree of immortality!
Therefore, even the appearance of Jiangcheng city had changed countless times now.
However, Jiangcheng University and the nearby book wholesale market still retained many of the original looks from 200 years ago!
Especially this small alley that entered the market, which had the atmosphere of it.
Walking in it, one couldn’t help but feel as if one had traveled through time!
Every time Ling Pingan came here, he would walk slowly and look around slowly.
The shops on both sides maintained the style of the decorations from 200 years ago.
Even the shop assistants in the shop were wearing the clothes from 200 years ago, and it was pleasing to the eyes of the customers!