Chapter 15: Fleeing Through the Night to the Governor's Mansion, Reviving a Millennium of Canal Trade in Huaiyang

Master Xu hurriedly shouted, “Move to the side, make way quickly!” The sedan bearers immediately shifted to the right, and in the blink of an eye, the white horse brushed past them. Its tail struck one bearer’s face, making him cry out in pain, “You brute! I made way for you, and you still hit me!”

Another bearer came over and, seeing the obvious bloody marks on his companion’s face, quickly tried to comfort him, “Don’t bother getting angry at an animal. What matters is making good time.”

“It didn’t hit your face, so of course you don’t know how much it hurts,” grumbled the bearer who’d been struck, clearly displeased, but knowing Master Xu was waiting, he gritted his teeth and lifted the sedan again.

Meanwhile, Young Master Shen had left the Shen residence, heading east until he reached the lively, east-west Cloth Street, famed for its bustling clothing shops. By night, many merchants had already shuttered their doors, but a few who lived above their shops kept their doors open, preparing dinner.

Crossing a small bridge and passing over the north-south moat, he could see from afar the large red lanterns hanging high outside every establishment, lighting up the street. Waiters from taverns and inns called out to prospective customers along the way.

Back at the Shen residence, Master Shen and his wife were enjoying the cool air under the trellis. Smiling, the wife spoke of their future daughter-in-law, “My dear, Miss Xu is truly a fine young lady. Our ancestors must be watching over us.”

“Indeed. Let’s plan the wedding for the Dragon Boat Festival,” replied Master Shen, weary from the day and already prepared for sleep after washing up.

At this very moment, Young Master Shen was strolling down Screw Street with Xiaolong, mouth watering at the delicious smells wafting from the shops nearby.

Suddenly, feeling adventurous, Young Master Shen declared, “Come on, let’s go all the way to the Canal Governor’s Office and have a look around.”

“That far, young master?” Xiaolong exclaimed in surprise.

“Afraid of the distance? You can turn back if you want; I’ll go alone.” Without looking back, Young Master Shen pressed on.

“Wait for me, young master!” Xiaolong, alarmed, hurried to catch up.

Master and servant set out under the cover of night, leaving from Bamboo Lane by the river, crossing half the county until they finally arrived at the city center.

“Xiaolong, do you know? In the south, there’s Suzhou and Hangzhou; in the north, Huai’an and Yangzhou. Our Huai’an Prefecture is famous, and Shanyang County is even more so.”

Tired from the walk, Young Master Shen sat on a stone bench facing the Governor’s Office and recited historical facts with pride. In the Ming dynasty, Huai’an flourished thanks to the Grand Canal and its vital grain transport system.

After the Grand Canal was constructed in the Sui dynasty, successive dynasties used it to transport southern grain north. When the Yongle Emperor moved the capital to Beijing, the vast population in the barren north created a huge food shortage, which had to be filled by the grain-rich southern provinces.

Thus, the grain transport system was established, with officials assigned to oversee it. Chen Xuan, a noble from Pingjiang, became the first Grand Canal Supervisor, and the Grand Canal itself became the lifeline of the Ming dynasty.

On the north-south axis of Shanyang City, just north of the Zhenhuai Tower, across the street, stood the former site of the Canal Governor’s Office. At first, Huai’an was not the seat of the canal administration, but in the second year of the Jingtai era (1451), Censor Yu Zhan became the first Canal Governor to take office in Huai’an, ushering in an era of civil administration. This marked the beginning of four centuries of prosperity for the city.

Once the Canal Governor’s seat was established in Huai’an, his successor, Ling Yunyi, moved the office to its present location. Since its construction in the sixth year of the Qiandao era in the Southern Song (1170), it had served as the seat of Huai’an’s government for many dynasties, reaching its peak during the Ming.

Successive canal governors continually expanded and renovated the office, making it grander with each generation. According to the Ming-era Gazetteer of Huai’an Prefecture, the canal governor’s office once boasted five main halls, five central halls, five large buildings, five back halls, three rooms each on the east and west sides, seven kitchen rooms by the gate, six records rooms, over twenty clerks’ rooms, five rooms on each side for attendants, three offices, four flower rooms in the central hall, three garden pavilions, four east side rooms, a fifteen-room west courtyard, over thirty east and west wing rooms, three shrines, three guesthouses, three ceremonial gates, two side gates, five main gates, two drum towers, three archways, and rooms for various officials and soldiers—a truly impressive compound. (The above is partially adapted from online sources.)

“Young master, look at those lions—how majestic they are!” Xiaolong stared in awe at the stone lions.

The imposing Canal Governor’s Office faced the three-story watchtower across the street, and the stone lions in front caught Young Master Shen’s attention for their uniqueness. Erected during the Ming dynasty, they had watched over the gates for more than 140 years: the male lion on the east side with a ball under its paw, the female on the west with a cub beneath her paw.

The towering watchtower marked the heart of Shanyang County, built originally in the Southern Song. During the Ming, when the city was rebuilt, the bell and drum tower was converted into a watchtower, used for marking the hours and sounding alarms.

Its base was a raised brick and stone platform, with an arched doorway at the center. The platform tapered as it rose, forming a trapezoid, with brick steps at the side for ascent and a railing around the top. Above, the two-story wooden pavilion spanned three bays, with double eaves of blue tiles and a hip roof, timeless and elegant.

“I really wish I could go inside the Governor’s Office and have a look,” sighed Young Master Shen. “By the way, in the Tongzhi era of the Qing dynasty, the watchtower was renamed Zhenhuai Tower, in hopes of suppressing the frequent floods of the Huai River. The existing wooden structure was rebuilt in the seventh year of the Guangxu reign (1881).”

But Young Master Shen knew this place was heavily guarded—an ordinary man like him could not simply enter. Still, he resolved to find another time to climb the watchtower for a panoramic view.

“Young master, when the little heir is born, you’ll be able to go inside for a visit!” Xiaolong blurted out.

“Yes, we will. Definitely,” Young Master Shen replied.

After resting, he rose and said, “Let’s go home.”

To find out what happens next, stay tuned for the next installment.