Great Song Dynasty Writer

Chapter 210 Sweetwater Lane

"I don't know about that, but you can ask the Censorate."

The official with the goatee thought for a moment and said, "After you leave the examination hall, head west to the main street inside the Nanxun Gate, then head north, cross the Longjin Bridge over the Cai River, and enter the Zhuque Gate. Inside the Zhuque Gate is the inner city. Once you're in the inner city, continue north along the Imperial Street. On the west side of the Imperial Street is the Kaifeng Prefectural Government Office. When you see the intersection where the Kaifeng Prefectural Government Office is located, turn west and walk straight. The Censorate is located on this east-west street, south of the east gate of the Ministry of Personnel. It shouldn't be hard to find."

This string of words sounded chaotic, but Lu Beigu had a good sense of direction and could understand it completely.

In fact, after finding the main street inside Nanxunmen, walk north until you see the Kaifeng Prefectural Government Office, then walk west to reach the Censorate.

Although the route is not complicated, the distance is quite long.

Even a young man like Lu Beigu was panting heavily as they walked all the way to the Censorate.

After resting for a while, Lu Beigu showed his provincial examination number to the gatekeeper of the Censorate and then explained his purpose. However, the gatekeeper of the Censorate ignored him and asked who would be responsible if he revealed the address of an official.

Moreover, even if you give them their address, you usually can't find them.

Because officials in the capital of the Song Dynasty all started work at 6:00 AM and finished get off work at 2:00 PM. If it was the hottest time of summer, they could even finish get off work at noon.

Apart from the regular officials who had to attend the morning court session and had to go to the waiting room before dawn to report to the emperor at the Chuigong Hall, the other officials in the capital were quite leisurely. They generally still had plenty of energy after get off work in the afternoon and would usually choose to seek some entertainment, such as going to a formal restaurant for drinks, going to a theater to watch a performance, or attending a banquet. In short, they would not go home until the evening, so they were unlikely to be at home in the afternoon.

At this moment, an official dressed in a scarlet robe and wearing a silver fish-shaped pouch at his waist walked out of the main gate of the Censorate.

"What's wrong?" he asked casually.

The clerk replied, "This man has come looking for Lord Zhao."

Lu Beigu hurriedly said, "I am a student of the Imperial Censor Zhao. I have come to the capital to participate in the provincial examination of the Ministry of Rites and wish to pay my respects to Lord Zhao. However, I do not know the location of Lord Zhao's residence, so I have come to the Censorate to inquire."

"What's your name?"

“Luzhou Lubei Gu”

“Lu Beigu?” The official in the scarlet robe pondered for a moment, as if he remembered him. “I did hear him praise Lord Zhao for his integrity, his dislike of luxury, and that he did not live on the west side of the inner city where the official residences were concentrated, but rather in Xiaotianshui Lane in the southeast corner of the inner city.”

“You will exit from here, cross the Imperial Street and continue east until you see the back gate of the Great Xiangguo Temple. Then go northeast to reach Xiaotianshui Alley. Remember, it is Xiaotianshui Alley, not the First, Second, Third, or Fourth Tianshui Alley. The alley with the old plum tree behind the wall is Xiaotianshui Alley. The alley is quite deep and you will need to search carefully.”

"Thank you for your guidance! May I ask your name, sir?"

“Fan Shidao, the Imperial Censor in charge of miscellaneous affairs.”

The censorate system of the Song Dynasty was also known as the "Censorate and Remonstrance Bureau". The "Censorate" refers to the Censorate, and the "Remonstrance Bureau" refers to the Censorate.

The Censorate was headed by one Vice Censor-in-Chief, with one Deputy Censor-in-Chief, followed by two Palace Attendant Censors and six Supervising Censors.

The Palace Attendant Censor was a regular attendee who was required to attend court assemblies to supervise all officials and had the duty to impeach officials for illegal acts. The Supervising Censors were responsible for supervising the Six Ministries and local affairs, respectively.

As a deputy to the Censorate, if the Attendant Censor also had the title of "Knowing Miscellaneous Affairs," it would be equivalent to "presiding over the daily work of the Censorate," which also meant that the Vice Censor-in-Chief did not actually have any real duties.

So, this person is Zhao Bian's immediate superior.

"This student thanks Master Fan!" Lu Beigu said again.

Fan Shidao waved his hand, got into the mule cart parked at the entrance of the Censorate, and left.

Lu Beigu rested for a while. He originally wanted to hire a donkey cart, but coincidentally, there were government offices all around here. The Ministry of Personnel, the Secretariat, the Kaifeng Prefectural Government, and the Censorate were all clustered together here. Officials had their own carriages when they traveled, and even if they didn't, their subordinates would hire horse-drawn or mule-drawn carriages for them.

Therefore, cheap and good-quality donkey carts are nowhere to be seen here, and no donkey cart driver dares to come here to solicit passengers. After all, this kind of place is not only managed by the Kaifeng Prefecture's Left and Right Wing Offices, also known as "Wing Officials", but also patrolled by soldiers from the Street Office. If they catch a donkey cart driver soliciting passengers here, driving him away is considered lenient; in serious cases, they will confiscate the donkey and cart together.

So, Lu Beigu gritted his teeth and kept going!

Following Fan Shidao's directions, he returned to the entrance of the Kaifeng government office, then crossed the bustling Imperial Street and continued eastward. The road he passed was between the Daqianming Temple and the Daxiangguo Temple, and there were still quite a few people there.

However, as you continue northeast, the grandeur of the inner city's government offices and the extreme prosperity of the Imperial Street gradually fade away. Although the streets remain orderly, there are now more simple residences and small shops selling daily necessities on both sides.

Upon entering Sweetwater Lane, Lu Beigu felt a refreshing, slightly moist mist permeating the air.

Why is this place called "Sweetwater Lane"?

Because many of the groundwaters in Kaifeng have high salinity and taste bitter, and although there are many water systems near Kaifeng, such as the Yellow River, Bian River, Cai River, and Wuzhang River, the water quality is poor. Therefore, these waters are collectively called "bitter water" and can only be used for washing clothes and production.

"Sweet water" refers to well water that can be drunk directly. In fact, there are many sweet water wells in Kaifeng, but this area in the inner city has an unusually large number of sweet water wells. Over time, it became known as "Sweet Water Lane".

As for the depiction of Sweetwater Lane as an entertainment venue in the game "Justice Online," it's not historically accurate. Places in Kaifeng with a high concentration of young women were located in the eastern part of the inner city, quite a distance from Sweetwater Lane. Furthermore, Sweetwater Lane's business model revolved around selling water.

This area has attracted many vendors who specialize in selling water, leading to the development of water-based businesses.

"Ah—the sweet water is here—freshly drawn well water, so refreshing!"

From time to time, shouts could be heard, carrying a unique rhythm; this was the legendary "Sweet Water Order".

A man pushing a wheelbarrow with several large wooden buckets fixed on it, the rims of the buckets wet, slowly made his way along the alley, calling out his wares.

Besides itinerant water vendors, the alley was mostly lined with "water shops" and "drink stalls" that faced the street.

Water shops often have a pool or a large water vat at the entrance, covered with a wooden lid or a thin bamboo mat to prevent dust. The waiter either scoops water with a wooden ladle and puts it into the customer's own container, or pours the water directly into the shop.

What attracted him even more were the "drinks" stalls.

The roadside stalls selling "drinks" are everywhere, with various wooden signs or small banners displaying the names of the drinks. The aromas are either sweet, sour, or have the unique fragrance of herbs, all intertwined and permeating the humid air.

The so-called "drinks" were various hot and cold beverages made with sweet water in this era. He had seen Ji Yun drink perilla drink in Luzhou. The variety of drinks in Kaifeng was even more extensive, a veritable feast for the eyes. Perilla drink, mung bean soup, pear juice, sour plum soup, and in addition to these common ones, there were also drinks with different flavors made with freshly crushed fruits, such as ginger and mandarin orange water, lychee paste water, agarwood water, and fragrant herb drink.

"Sir, are you tired from walking? How about a bowl of plum juice? It's refreshing, thirst-quenching, and relieves autumn dryness—it's the best!" A lean man wearing a small blue hat, who was tending a beverage stall, saw Lu Beigu standing at the alley entrance looking around with a tired expression on his face and immediately greeted him warmly.

Lu Beigu was indeed thirsty and his throat felt tight from walking.

He swallowed hard, walked up to the stall, and asked, "May I ask which way to 'Little Sweetwater Alley'?"

The wiry man's enthusiastic smile faded slightly. His eyes darted around, and instead of answering directly, he picked up a rough porcelain bowl and scooped up some deep red plum juice from a wooden bucket emitting a slight chill. With a flick of his wrist, the cool juice settled steadily into the bowl, with a few plump plums floating among it.

He skillfully pushed the bowl in front of Lu Beigu, his face beaming with a smile again: "Sir, there are quite a few alleys with similar names in Sweet Water Alley! You're asking for directions without any explanation, and I'm so busy with business that I'm a little confused. Why don't you try my family's secret recipe plum juice first? It'll quench your thirst and clear your mind, so I can give you directions, right? It's seven coins a bowl, with ice, and it's the perfect way to beat the fatigue!"

The meaning couldn't be clearer.

Lu Beigu understood. He had walked a long way to get here, probably at least five or six kilometers, and was indeed very thirsty. In addition, seven coins was not expensive, so he did not hesitate any longer. He took out a copper coin from his sleeve and put it on the stall, saying, "Then I'll have a bowl."

"Alright! You're very kind, sir!"

The man quickly took the money, his smile immediately becoming much more sincere and warm, and he pushed the bowl forward a little further.

"Please enjoy your drink; I guarantee you'll want more!"

Lu Beigu picked up the bowl, and the icy coldness seeped into his fingertips.

He took a big gulp, and the sweet and sour, icy juice, with its unique plum fragrance, instantly filled his mouth and slid down his parched throat. The coolness relieved much of his fatigue and invigorated him.

He couldn't help but drink a few more sips, and only after finishing did he put down the bowl, chewing on the plums, and mumbled a praise: "It really tastes good."

"Hehe, this family recipe relies on the good water from Sweetwater Lane!" The man rubbed his hands proudly. Seeing that Lu Beigu was satisfied with his drink, he then pointed out the way to him: "The 'Little Sweetwater Lane' you are looking for, sir, is that the one with the inconspicuous alley entrance. Just turn in and keep walking."

Following the vendor's directions, Lu Beigu stepped into the quiet alley.

Little Sweetwater Alley was indeed secluded and deep, with only enough space for two or three people to walk side by side, and the bluestone pavement was smoothed by the passage of time.

The alley is filled with small courtyards with white walls and gray tiles, giving it a peaceful and tranquil feel.

As he walked, he kept an eye on the scene in front of the door, searching for the old plum tree.

Finally, in the middle of the alley, he saw an inconspicuous wooden door. The door was ajar and not closed, and next to the door, leaning against the wall, grew an old plum tree with gnarled branches.

It was late autumn, and although there were no plum blossoms, the vigorous branches stretched out obliquely, casting sparse shadows under the clear autumn sun, exuding a serene and noble charm.

A surge of excitement welled up in Lu Beigu's heart. After traversing nearly half of Kaifeng City, he finally found it!

He straightened his clothes, took a deep breath, and stepped forward to gently knock on the door knocker.

"Tap, tap tap."

Footsteps soon came from inside the door, and an old servant, dressed in clean cloth and around forty years old, opened the door, looking at the young scholar with suspicion: "What brings you here, sir?"

Lu Beigu bowed respectfully: "Please inform Lord Zhao that I, Lu Beigu, a former disciple of yours from Luzhou, have come to pay my respects to my esteemed teacher."

(End of this chapter)