In the first year of Guangxu, under the careful governance of Gong Jichang, the Miao people of Zhenyuan Mansion lived and worked in peace and contentment, and the social order was in order, so he decided to go back to his hometown of Rulin.

Gong Jichang brought a part of the soldiers and horses, and handed over the rest to his cousin Gong Tianyuan (deputy general) and his eldest cousin Zhu Rongsen (military general) to take care of it.

Along the way, this "Xinjie Battalion" army opened the road in the mountains, and built bridges when encountering water, which was convenient for pedestrians and businessmen, and the ancient roads and post roads in Guizhou, Hunan and other places, especially the passage between Shaoyang and Huaihua in the southwest, Suining, Wugang and other counties and cities, were mostly built by Gong Jichang in those years.

When Gong Jichang and his entourage arrived at Rulin Wushui, they could not cross the river because there was no bridge. Gong Jichang requisitioned a large number of civilian boats and bamboo and wooden rafts, and it took a lot of twists and turns for foreign cannons to cross the river.

Rulin County has the ancient "Miao Xinjiang area, Chu South Pole edge" said, the territory of the high mountains, the rivers are horizontal, in the long history of the city, there is no real sense of the highway and bridge, only a few rugged post roads for the south to the north, Wushui "less boats and the convenience" can only support the raft, the transportation is all on the shoulder, the people's livelihood is difficult.

The Wushui River is wide and the waves are urgent, and it is not easy to repair the bridge. In the long history before the construction of the Rongchang Bridge, there was only a very small temporary bridge built in the narrowest part of the riverbed immediately adjacent to Jiangjiatuan Village on the outskirts of the city, called "Tongji Bridge", which was later washed away by floods and never repaired again due to lack of funds.

People want to cross the Wushui River, and those who have money can hire small boats to ferry, or support their own bamboo rafts to cross the river; Those who have no money have to tie their clothes and trousers, and look for shallow places to cross the river naked, and if the rain rises, they can only stare dryly.

As for the old and infirm, or women and children, they are even more regarded as moats, looking at the river and sighing. For thousands of years, how many living beings have been swallowed up by raging rivers. Wushui is sad, the bridge is difficult to repair, and the "difficult bridge" is therefore named.

After going ashore, Gong Jichang personally fired four cannons in a row at the city gate, and Yang Tailai, the magistrate of the county, was so frightened that he hurriedly came out and came out in a panic: "General, is there a bandit attack?" ”

Gong Jichang pulled out his revolver and scolded: "Your mother, scold me for being a bandit, Lao Tzu shot you!" ”

Yang Tailai said with a smile on his face: "General, the villain is wrong, I will compensate you." ”

Gong Jichang asked: "It's been seven or eight years since Lao Tzu left Rulin County, why hasn't a stone arch bridge been built on the Wushui River?" What have you all done!? ”

Yang Tailai said with a sad face: "The lower officials can't do anything, a stone bridge costs thousands of taels of silver, I have raised it for a few years, and the local tyrants and rich gentry are very stingy one by one, refusing to give out the silver, and they have not been able to do so." ”

Gong Jichang said: "Just a Wushui bridge, get a few dollars." I see that you are all fat-headed, big-eared, big-bellied, and all your public funds have been squandered by you! ”

Yang Tailai was taught such a lesson, although he was dissatisfied, he didn't dare to contradict it: "My lord, Rulin County is too poor, if I take taxes again, people will rebel again." Just ......"

"If there's a fart, how much silver does Wushui Bridge need?" Gong Jichang said angrily.

"Almost...... Almost...... One...... 10,000 taels. "Yang Tailai is struggling.

"You're nervous! Isn't it only ten thousand taels of silver, and it's not gold? The quartermaster, take 10,000 taels of silver tickets to Yang Zhixian. ”

"Okay—"

Quartermaster Zhu Rongchu took out a stack of silver tickets from his briefcase and gave it to Yang Tailai. Yang Tailai, the magistrate of the county, looked at the thick silver ticket, and his eyes lit up: "My lord, where did you get so much silver?" ”

"Lord Zhixian, where do you care where I came from? Don't be—" Gong Jichang snatched the silver ticket back.

"Yes, yes, yes, of course, the officials can't ask for it." Yang Tailai said anxiously.

Gong Jichang slapped Yang Tailai's face with the silver ticket and said: "You can remember, these silver tickets I gave you, you have to build an amphibious wind and rain bridge for me." If you dare to fill your pockets and cut corners, as long as someone reports it, General Ben will shoot you with one shot, understand? ”

Yang Tailai bowed his head and said, "The villain doesn't dare, try your best, oh, no, I will definitely complete the trust given to me by the general." Can the general go to the county office for a drink and a meal? ”

Gong Jichang stopped and said: "No, I have so many brothers, can you afford it?" ”

"It's okay, we have a special fund for official entertainment." Yang Tailai smiled and said, "My lord, have you brought back all your soldiers?" ”

Gong Jichang had a straight face: "Twenty-three out of ten...... Military secrets better be asked less! ”

"Yes, yes, damn the villain." Yang Tailai slapped himself vigorously.........

Gong Jichang just entered the city gate, and the old man Yang Haozhuo stood in the bridge hole of Lijimen wearing a hat, straw shoes, and crutches, and stopped Gong Jichang: "Gong Laoxue, you still owe ten taels of silver, and you haven't given it to me?" ”

"Old Lang Zhong......" Gong Jichang stepped forward to support Yang Haozhuo.

"Hey, you old man, are you still thinking about your money?" Ran Jiufeng said with a smile.

"Madam, of course I remember. The old man did a small business, and he only saved a penny. Ten taels of silver more than 20 years ago, if it is profitable, it is not a hundred taels today, but also 80 taels......" Yang Haozhuo responded.

"Jiufeng, give him two pieces of silver...... Gong Jichang finished speaking and went forward

So, Ran Jiufeng took two ingots of silver and put them in Yang Haozhuo's hands: "Lao Langzhong, is it enough?" ”

"Not enough...... Yang Haozhuo shouted loudly, and chased after him with the silver.

Liu Yuntian, the general of the capital, grabbed Yang Haozhuo's shirt: "Old man, you are looking for death!" Our general only owes you ten taels, and it has already been repaid tenfold, don't you intend to expose your shortcomings in public? ”

"Boy, listen to your accent, it's from the Niushiqiao Stone Courtyard, right?" Yang Hozhuo was not afraid at all.

"Old immortal, I'm from the Stone Courtyard, what's wrong with it?" Liu Yuntian stared at Yang Haozhuo.

"I, Yang Haozhuo, didn't stop Gong Laoxue for these ten taels of silver......" Yang Haozhuo finally said the reason, "Gong Laoxue owes me a promise......"

"What promise?" Liu Yuntian asked.

"After the old man was cut by Jiang Changyi, he got a settling-in allowance of five taels of silver...... And that's not all...... Gong Laoxue said that when he is developed, he will build a bridge on the Wushui River. After so many years, it's still an empty word! I dragged so many foreign guns and cannons today, did you come back to show off! Yang Haozhuo shook off the hat, and then took off his clothes, and the scar on his body was impressive.

"Hey, old man, I see that you really don't have a sense of humility, our general is now the head of Zhenyuan Mansion, you keep claiming to be Gong Laoxue, I think you are old and confused......" Liu Yuntian raised his fist and shouted.

"Liu Yuntian, stop!" Ran Jiufeng immediately stopped Liu Yuntian. Then he said to Yang Haozhuo, "Old Langzhong, you better go back." ”

"If you don't go back - if Gong Laoxue doesn't agree to build the bridge, I won't let your team pass through here." Yang Haozhuo took more than ten steps forward and put his crutches across Gong Jichang's eyes.

"Lao Langzhong, I have lost all the money to you, why don't you let you go?" Gong Jichang smiled slightly.

"If you don't agree to repair the bridge on the Wushui River, don't go." Yang Hozhuo said.

"Lao Langzhong, I think you are really dizzy...... "I don't know when, Yang Tai, the magistrate, came up and raised the silver ticket in his hand.

"Lord Yang, this silver ticket must be several thousand taels, right? Who gave it to you? Yang Haozhuo asked.

"Lord Gong gave it." Yang Tai said.

"Gong Laoxue, he promised to repair the bridge." Yang Haozhuo was a little excited.

"Of course." Yang Tailai replied.

"That's great." Yang Haozhuo threw away his crutches and ran to tell him, "Lord Gong is going to repair the South Bridge, Lord Gong is going to repair the South Bridge-"

……

Therefore, the developed Gong Jichang sincerely offered a huge amount of silver 10,000 taels to build the bridge, and entrusted his friend Lu Zanchen to supervise the repair, Yang Haozhuo was responsible for stone mining, and erected a five-arch stone wind and rain bridge on Wushuidu in the south of the city, and named "Rongchang Bridge" with his own name and font name, in order to show the meaning of glory and prosperity.

Rongchang Bridge, four and five arches, the required bluestone is taken from the nearest material, all of which are quarried from the Lion Rock on the bank of the Wushui River, and are chiseled and chiseled masonry. The builders used traditional techniques such as soil cofferdam, manual scooping of water, tung oil mixed with glutinous rice slurry and other traditional techniques to overcome many difficulties and finally complete the bridge.

On the day of completion, the whole county rejoiced. There are 36 stone steps at the north and south ends of the bridge. Climb the stairs and go up, the bridge body flies the eaves and warps the corners, and there are four pillars and 28 rows of wind and rain pavilions. The bridge deck is paved with slate stone, and the two sides are built with fine chisel pressure bridge long stones, and the middle part of the bridge pavilion is a two-storey pavilion and a temple is set up, and two Bodhisattvas are enshrined. The north and south ends are the building block honeycomb archway, two big stone lions squat under the archway, 1.6 meters high, nearly 2 meters long, the next is all carved base, the carving is exquisite, the art is heavenly, the mood is Bi Xiao, lifelike.

Since then, Rongchang Bridge has become the only place for people to come and go from the north to the south and the best place to take a cool shelter and stop to rest. There are benevolent people who are enthusiastic about public welfare, and set up some tea on the bridge to provide free tea to quench the thirst of pedestrians. There are also straw sandals sold on the bridge for those who lack shoes. People come and go on the wind and rain bridge, and people have never forgotten Gong Jichang's righteous deeds.

It is also strange to say that in the more than 20 years after the completion of the bridge, there were no huge waves in the Wushui River with two floods in the previous three years, and the folk legend was that the bridge was protected by the lion, so that the river was calm and the bridge was safe and sound. As a result, the four stone lions thus had spirituality, accepted sacrifices, and became famous and became the iconic sculpture of Rongchang Bridge.

Rongchang Bridge is not only a highway bridge in a simple sense, but also a Confucian cultural bridge with far-reaching connotation and unique charm. Since ancient times, the valley in front of Rongchang Bridge has been called "the left lion and the right elephant, the two mountains face each other, and the hole is in it", and the "hole" is the place where the so-called mountains and rivers of the Yin and Yang family condense the spiritual energy.

The three scenic spots near Rongchang Bridge are respectively known as "Wushui Hanqing", "Jiangcun Chundu" and "South Lake Moonlight". Standing on the bridge, looking around the county, I saw the green mountains enclosed, the clear water flowing, the mountains and waters, all in sight. The beauty of the 36 peaks, the danger of the Lion Rock, and the majesty of Ma'anshan are all in sight......