However, it was obvious that Helen Howard's family could not come up with five hundred taels of silver. With her father's intellect, if he could secure his son’s success in the imperial exam through gift-giving, he certainly wouldn’t be stingy with the money. Since he hadn’t done so, it could only mean they didn’t have the funds. After all, even giving gifts required connections, and as an ordinary commoner, gaining such connections also demanded a huge sum. Was Thomas Ford's elder brother really devoted to teaching and nurturing talent? What a joke—he was nothing more than a money collector. Becoming his disciple meant you’d carry a halo wherever you went to take exams, so naturally, everyone flocked to him with silver in hand. All the scholars and officials who passed the exams under his tutelage bore the mark of the Fang family faction. With Thomas Ford as Grand Secretary constantly promoting them, a political group centered around him was thus born at court.

Even after he was no longer Grand Secretary, his former students and subordinates could still safeguard the Fang family’s interests.

This is what it means to be a politician.

This is the monopoly of politics and aristocratic families.

“All right, don’t be so down. One of these days, I’ll go find little sister Hexiang, and then have her young lady skin me alive. Maybe if I serve her well enough and put her in a good mood, she’ll give your brother a chance to become a disciple!”

William Young said, patting Helen Howard on the shoulder.

The latter glared at him...

“Where did you just touch her?”

She immediately raised her brows coldly, a murderous look in her eyes as she asked.

“Uh?!”

……

The next morning.

South of the Liangshui River mouth.

“Old steward!”

William Young waved enthusiastically at Old Butler.

The latter looked at him in shock. Clearly, William Young’s sudden appearance—especially in a way that seemed as if he’d changed bodies—left him a bit bewildered.

“Sister from the Huang family!”

Next, Miss Walker popped out.

Helen Howard waved at her.

By this time, the canal had shifted to a strong southeasterly wind. All the towmen had been sent away, and there were no other towmen to be seen on the towpath along the canal bank. All the grain barges and civilian boats were racing forward, rushing toward the final destination of this long journey. On a river only a few hundred meters wide, thousands of sails competed—not just a figure of speech, but literally thousands of boats of all sizes, crowding and stretching along the canal. Saying there were a thousand vessels was no exaggeration. These sailboats passed by him, sailing past the mouth of the Liangshui River behind him. Most of the civilian boats docked directly at the west bank wharf, passenger boats entered the Empress Xiao River, and official boats continued forward, passing the crowded wharves at the mouth of the Empress Xiao River, unloading heavy cargo to be carried by laborers into the city to the west...

Zhangjiawan City.

A city with a circumference of six li, even larger than most county seats.

The vast majority of grain barges that couldn’t secure a berth had to continue upstream, where there were two more wharves. Zhangjiawan had upper, middle, and lower wharf clusters, and beyond Zhangjiawan toward Tongzhou, there were even more wharves. On the Grand Canal, tens of thousands of grain barges and countless civilian boats transported at least four million shi of grain every year, as well as everything from timber to silk, tea to porcelain—almost every transportable good imaginable. The economy was stronger in the south and weaker in the north, yet the imperial capital was in the north. As a result, this city depended on the canal for almost everything. It maximized the balance between the southern and northern economies and maintained the empire’s rule over the north.

This was the main artery of the entire empire.

And to ensure that all transportation ran smoothly during the mere nine months of navigable season each year, from here north to Tongzhou North, there were wharves of all sizes.

But most civilian boats and official cargo were concentrated at Zhangjiawan.

Because the upstream river narrowed significantly, while this downstream section was widened by the confluence of the Liangshui River and the Empress Xiao River.

Zhangjiawan was, in this era—and even up to the mid-Qing dynasty—the most important civilian wharf at the northern end of the Grand Canal. It was only in the Jiaqing era, when the North Canal was diverted eastward by floods, forming the modern North Canal and moving the waterway away from Zhangjiawan, that Tongzhou to the north became the most important wharf.

But at this time, the canal still passed right by the east of Zhangjiawan City.

For private merchants and travelers, this was the true end of the canal journey.

The Walker Family’s boat would not continue north.

“This brother looks unfamiliar!”

Old Butler said with a half-smile.

“I’m her cousin!”

William Young said frankly, pointing at Helen Howard.

“Ah, cousin and cousin!”

Old Butler smiled meaningfully.

The young girl behind him remained bewildered. She had definitely recognized William Young—after all, his crazy singing had left a deep impression, and he was her savior. Although he had changed a bit, if you looked closely, you could still recognize him. However, seeing him and Old Butler lie with a straight face once again left this sometimes adorably clueless girl shocked.

“Old steward, after you!”

William Young made a gesture of invitation.

The latter nodded. The boat at his feet passed by William Young, who looked up and flashed a brilliant smile at Miss Walker. Miss Walker snorted proudly, and their boat sailed around William Young.

Next was Charles Howard’s boat.

“Worthy nephew!”

Charles Howard also nodded meaningfully.

Then his boat, too, sailed around William Young.