Xiaobei and the others wanted to go to a place in Fengzhou to look at potatoes, so they walked along the Yellow River.
After coming out of the capital, they first went east and then turned north, which happened to be the route of the Yellow River. It was better than crossing the mountains and then going to the desert.
It was not that their team could not pass through such steep terrain, but that it was meaningless. The road was difficult and they walked slowly. They could not expect to meet anyone for ten days or half a month.
Walking along the Yellow River was different. In any case, the Yellow River was a mother river. If people wanted to live, they had to rely on a water source.
Xiaobei and the others made up their minds to have more contact with people along the way. They did not expect to catch a corrupt official or anything.
The current officials had become smarter, especially after the imperial court did not give them land and changed it to a simple salary. In addition, they would be inspected openly and secretly almost every half a month, and they would be given a generous reward when they left office.
The officials calculated the cost of committing crimes and found that there were no huge benefits and a good way to live after leaving the Tang Empire. They all chose to be honest officials.
The imperial court of the Tang Empire paid a lot of money for the inspectors. It seemed to increase the financial burden, but in fact, it made the national treasury more income than before.
The officials who were qualified to participate in the morning court all understood what was going on. The local officials used various means to embezzle thousands of times more money than the inspectors.
More importantly, once the officials put their minds on how to embezzle money, they would not be able to put more energy into governing the area. Once it became a habit or a hidden rule, the officialdom would be in chaos. The people would no longer support the imperial court and lose the hearts of the people. No matter how tall the Great Wall was, it would be useless.
Therefore, Xiaobei and the others could only try to find trouble with the officials based on their abilities, but it was difficult to find any officials who secretly put money into their own pockets.
Walking along the Yellow River could be close to the people. Every time they stopped at a place, they would take a look, and then invite everyone to sing, dance, eat, and so on.
It was impossible to say that they did not commit any crimes. According to the people, if they did not commit any crimes, why did they come? Could it be that you don't like the people of our village? You came to our door but did not even say hello? Did we offend you? Did you still treat us as Tang people?
Under such circumstances, during the month-long journey, Xiaobei and the others had nearly half a month to help the people repair their houses. The nine little fellows and Xu Yilong each drank more than a catty of grape wine, which was over the limit.
The only thing worth rejoicing over was that they had already considered the problems they would encounter along the way. They had prepared a lot of food and building materials. There were also sets of tool boxes. There were also kitchen knives, hoes, and other accessories that they could exchange or give away. As for the corresponding wooden handles, they believed that the people would make them themselves and install them.
Along the way, the commoners took out their own dried vegetables, cured meat, ham, and other things to serve them. Xiaobei's team didn't say anything and used them to cook. They didn't give them a single copper coin. Giving them money would hurt their feelings, so they could only use other things to make up for it.
Today, Xiao Bei's team arrived at Xialu Village, which was next to the Yellow River in Yinzhou's Zhenxiang County.
There weren't many people in the village. Last year's census recorded 210 households, 1,305 people. This year, under normal circumstances, there would be a few more, a dozen, or dozens more. It was hard to be sure. It needed to see how many children were born and how many people died.
Relatively speaking, the data was quite accurate. There wasn't a situation where someone wasn't registered in the household register and didn't report it. It involved welfare, especially children. If your family accidentally gave birth to twins three times in a row, don't be afraid. They won't be fined and will be rewarded for being too good at giving birth. You don't have to worry about whether your children will have food to eat. The imperial court will help you raise them. If your family had twins this year, they would even invite you to make a report. Was there a secret recipe?
"The village chief of Xialu Village is surnamed Zhao. He's 42 years old this year. He took over from his father. His father was the previous village chief. His grandfather was the previous village chief. His great-grandfather … unknown. Xiang as in detail. Xiang as in not Xiang. No education? No education? Just no enrollment record. "
When they were about to reach Xialu Village, Xiao Yuan took out a piece of paper and introduced it.
"I told you to memorize it. Why don't you read it? Who doesn't know how to read it? Look, I'll read it for you. He … why isn't there anything on the paper? " Xiao Bei grumbled in dissatisfaction. He snatched the paper and was about to read it, but he was dumbfounded. Paper was paper. It was like a big white book. It was blank and much cleaner than the word 'field'.
"Xiao Yuan, you're bullying me. Brother, look at Xiao Yuan. He's clearly holding a blank piece of paper and yet he's still pretending." Xiao Bei was unhappy again and complained to Xiao Hai.
Xiao Hai was silent. No matter how much he protected his sister, he couldn't be shameless, right? No matter how good his logic was, he couldn't find a reason to be biased towards his sister.
The others were also silent, making Xu Yilong feel that the atmosphere was somewhat heavy. Just as she was about to open her mouth to ease the tension, Xiao Bei smiled at Xiao Yuan with the paper in his hand and said, "Xiao Yuan, I know. You want to give me a surprise, right?"
"Forget it. What surprise? Last night when everyone was eating, you gave me a piece of information and asked me to look at it. I scanned it twice. Then you pulled me to ask how many experimental sites the Sitong Temple had here. What did you want me to do? I could only follow the method my brother and sister taught me to memorize the pictures. Now you're asking me about the local situation. If I don't take a blank piece of paper, how can I concentrate on recalling the pictures? "
The simple and honest Xiao Yuan spoke his mind.
Xiao Bei pouted. "Xiao Yuan, you won't be able to find a wife in your lifetime. An official who doesn't know how to coax girls isn't a good genius. Hmph! Ah, a group of people rushed over. They must be from Xialu Village. Xiao Yuan, how does the information describe Village Chief Zhao? "
"It didn't write. Forty-two years old," Xiao Yuan replied. Looking at his expression, it was clear that he didn't care what Xiao Bei said.
Xu Yilong, who was at the side, realized that she was once again nervous for nothing. The atmosphere didn't matter to the nine people. Looking at Xiao Bei and Xiao Yuan, she shook her head and felt endless envy in her heart. She didn't believe that Xiao Bei wouldn't marry Xiao Yuan. Habit was a scary thing. What was more scary was Xiao Yuan's personality and talent.
In the blink of an eye, Xiao Bei, who had forgotten what had just happened, was staring at the crowd. Suddenly, he clapped his hands and shouted happily, "I know. The one surrounded in the middle is the village chief. Forty-two years old and looks slightly old."
Xiao Yuan interrupted without giving face. "That's his father. He's fifty-seven years old this year."
"How do you know?" Xiao Bei was unconvinced.
"Because there are records of his father. He has less hair on his forehead, two sideburns over his shoulders, and two moles on his left cheek," Xiao Yuan added.
"I really can't afford to be hurt today. Xiao Yuan, next time you insist on saying everything, even if I interrupt you." Xiao Bei saw that the person in the middle was indeed bald. The person supporting him by the side was probably the current village chief.
Seeing that the people were getting closer, Xiao Bei first looked at the guard at the side. The guard nodded, meaning that the scout from before had confirmed that there was no danger in the crowd.
Xiao Bei immediately took the lead and ran over. His main target was the bald old man. As for the current village chief, sorry, your father is more important than you. If you dare to be unreasonable, I'll catch you and send you to the mines. Crime: unfilial.
"Uncle Zhao, why did you come personally? We should be the ones visiting you. But your body is really good. If it were me, I'd be so tired that I'd be panting from running all the way here from our village. "Xiao Bei, who ran up to him, raised his head and greeted him happily.
Not to mention Xiaobei's official position and background, just based on his appearance, expression, and the words he said, he had won the favor of all the villagers. To what extent? If Xiaobei accidentally broke one of their thermos bottles, not only would they not say that Xiaobei was in the wrong, they would even say that they wanted to get a new one, but did not have the time to kick it. At the same time, they would kick the other thermos bottle so that Xiaobei could enjoy listening to the sound.
Even if he did something wrong, that cute look made it impossible for people to feel unhappy. They would even worry that Xiao Bei would feel bad. Plus, with the words "our village" in his speech, he instantly closed the distance between them.
The old village chief ran his hands through his hair. He was smiling so widely that his eyes could not be seen. He nodded repeatedly and said, "Our Xiao Bei must be tired. This is my useless son, Zhao Wuneng."
"Wu, I mean." The current village chief, Zhao Wuneng, corrected his father's words. His voice was slightly lower.
"You can? What can you do? Wu, you made a mistake when you were registered, so you are Wu. You think you have half of our Xiao Bei's ability? "The old village chief did not show any mercy and reprimanded him with a straight face.
When he turned around to face Xiao Bei and the other nine people, he changed his expression and said kindly like a father, "I heard that you are going to Feng Zhou. Don't be in a hurry. Go home and stay for two days. The village has prepared everything. There is nothing else, but there is a lot of fish. Don't look at the frozen Yellow River. Before, the village had a lot of fish online and raised them in warm ponds."
Xiao Bei's eyes quickly turned and he nodded. "Eat. Do you have carp? We love to eat carp from the Yellow River the most. It has a hint of earthy taste. When I went to India with my elder brother and sister, I was not used to eating fish from the stream. I can't taste the earthy taste and feel less like home. "
Xiao Yuan and the others nodded vigorously to show their agreement.
In fact, they really did not want to eat it. The fish that people caught before the ice was frozen could be sold at a high price when the weather turned cold. However, they had to eat it. Not only did they have to eat it, but they also had to act like they were in a hurry. Otherwise, they would seem estranged. They could only see what the village needed and make up for it when the time came.
Seeing that the little guys agreed so readily, the villagers were happy. They turned around and walked back. Xiao Bei grabbed the old village chief's hand and jumped up and down. As he walked, he said, "Uncle Zhao, are there many people in our village who chisel the ice to catch fish in winter?"
"Not many. Chiseling the ice is a laborious job. It is far from the big county town. If they are not fresh, they are not worth much if they are transported there. If they were raised in advance, they would have been transported to the county town long ago. They would rent a few houses in the village to raise them and sell them when the time comes," the old village chief replied naturally.
Xiao Bei nodded. "Oh, why don't we use a charcoal brazier to float on the water?"
"We have to go over the mountain. Do you think the brazier will overturn?"
"Yes, Uncle Zhao. I suddenly thought of something. Our village has a thermometer, right?" Xiao Bei asked again.
"Yes, it is used to hatch chicks and ducklings. It was given to me by your family. When the chicks are not hatched, I will take care of it. When the chicks are hatched, I will take care of it once a day. No one is allowed to say that they have lost it. Everyone in the village knows about it. Although the thermometer is small, it requires a lot of technology. Other countries dream of having it, but they can't make it. I have to protect it. I can't blind Xiao Bao and Cuckoo."
The old village chief spoke very seriously at this time. It was a kind of guarantee.
Xiao Bei smacked his lips. "The cost of that thing is very low. If someone tries to rob it, it will be fine to give it to them to ensure your safety. When you return, report it to the authorities. Since there is a thermometer, I just happened to bring something with me. It is a heater. It is hand-cranked to generate electricity. When it passes through the resistance, it becomes hot. Take out two sets to sell fish in winter. "
As Xiao Bei spoke, he asked someone to deliver two sets. They were not small, about the size of a commonly used bench.
The old man received one in his hand and looked at it carefully. He said, "The things in the village will be accepted. We still have to protect the thermometer with our lives. If we give it to someone who tries to rob us, it will make the robbers think that we are weak. Next time, there will be people who will rob us. Is a needle small? Whoever tries to rob us will have their hands chopped off. It will make people who want to rob us avoid us as soon as they think of Xialu Village. Just like dealing with thieves, if you catch them, beat them to death. Let them know that stealing is wrong. "
"Okay, I support you. Beat them to death. If they die, it will be on me." Xiao Bei saw that the old man was determined, so he would not talk to him about the law. There might be situations where people took advantage of loopholes, but generally speaking, the advantages outweighed the disadvantages.
The old village chief led Xiao Bei and the others to the village. Most of the team stayed by the river. Otherwise, the village would not be able to arrange everything.
There were also a few relatively strong village men protecting the hand-cranked heater. They didn't play any tricks of refusing to accept Xiaobei's gift and happily accepted it. They knew very well that this thing, which was the size of two benches, was an important tool to increase their income in winter.
"Uncle Zhao, don't worry when the thing is broken. Send me a telegram. Someone will come up with the fastest way to solve it. In winter, try to catch the big fish and release the small fish. Live by the river and leave something for others and grandchildren. Don't catch all of them."
Xiao Bei followed everyone to the village. On the way, he did not forget to tell the old village chief what to do.
"I understand, I understand. Catch the big fish and release the small fish. Catch the male and release the female. These are the rules of hunting and fishing, especially when taking care of children. It's not good to always trouble you if the thing is broken. We will find a few people to send it to the capital for repair. "The old village chief glanced at the heater from time to time and said happily.
Xiao Bei shook his head. "Don't trouble me. I can't see the telegrams you send. The name is ours. The matters are handled by the people below. The officials will only inform us if they need to clean up. We have a special line at every telegraph office, so it's convenient to use it. How many tens of thousands of telegrams do you want us to deal with it? Huh? Candies? "
Xiao Bei, who was telling the truth, suddenly saw a person in the village carrying a box on his back. The person also held a coal stove in his hand. At first glance, it seemed to be used for heating. Upon closer inspection, he found a few rows of small holes on the wooden box.
Xiao Bei thought for a moment and remembered the candies blowing, so he asked tentatively.
The old village chief stopped and waved at the person. "Idiot, come here. Xiao Bei and the others want to eat candies."
When the person came closer, the old village chief introduced him to Xiao Bei and the others. "This is an old skill passed down in the village. In the past, we used to make clay figurines. Later, when the price of wheat stabilized, we started to make dough figurines. In the past three years, when the price of sugar stabilized, we started to make candies."
"Okay, okay. Continue to make clay figurines and dough figurines. It's a skill. Let's not talk about other things. Let's talk about toys. There are also shapes in them. Help me make a panda. "Xiao Bei made a very difficult request. The panda did not care about its size, but its color.
"I want a koala." Little Yuan thought of something equally cute.
"Don't listen to Little Yuan. Only Lu Zhou and Chang 'an have koalas. Ordinary people haven't seen them." Xiao Bei was afraid that the other party would be embarrassed, so he helped him out.
Little Zhu stood up and opened the drawing folder. She used a pencil to draw three pictures on the paper. One was the front, one was the side, and one was the back. Koala.
Her craftsmanship shocked the honest fool, and he sincerely commented, "Amazing."
"Of course it's amazing. You don't have to say it. Hurry up and blow it." The village chief, Zhao Wuneng, finally found a chance to interrupt.
The idiot was indeed honest and obedient. He put down the stove and put a tin box on the rack to bake. There was a sugar paste inside. It seemed that it had been cooked before.
The idiot picked out a piece of sugar paste and dipped his hand into a chipped bowl beside him. He began to process the sugar paste into a hollow shape like a big water droplet.
Xiao Bei frowned slightly. The old village chief hurriedly explained, "It's starch, not talc. It can be eaten."
"Talc can be eaten too. I'm just thinking about who will blow it later." Xiao Bei did not care about why the other party did not wash his hands before.
"Whoever buys it has to blow it. He's too young and doesn't know how to use strength. It's difficult for an adult to blow it." The idiot finally spoke.
Xiao Bei nodded and admitted that it was difficult for the buyer to blow the sugar figurine. However, it was also an important test of skills. Xiao Bei had seen one in Yizhou before and the success rate was very high. She did not know how good the idiot was.
While Xiao Bei was thinking, the idiot handed the candy to her and said, "Blow it. You need to use strength …"
"I know. Watch me." Xiao Bei did not need to be told how to use strength. She puffed up her mouth and blew. The idiot began to shape it. When Xiao Bei breathed out, the panda had already taken shape.
The idiot was very satisfied and smiled kindly at Xiao Bei.
"Xiao Bei, you're amazing." Zhao Wuneng praised again.
Xiao Bei was modest. "It's okay. It's important to cooperate. As the saying goes, don't be afraid of a god-like opponent, but be afraid of a pig-like teammate."
"Who said this?" Zhao Wuneng had a strong desire to know.
"My brother." Xiao Bei answered.
"That makes sense." Zhao Wuneng immediately praised.
The idiot was brushing the color of the panda. Xiao Bei did not know if he was holding a brush or a small brush. He dipped it in something like black powder and brushed it on the panda. Then, he dipped it in starch to adjust the color.
"What's black?" Xiao Bei was a little worried and asked.
"Sugar." The old villager gave the answer.
This time, Xiaobei was relieved. She didn't ask why the candy was black, nor did she ask if the black candy was bitter. She knew that as long as the process and the heat were controlled properly, there wouldn't be any problems. Her brother could make the candy into a variety of colors. The easiest way to make black candy was to make black dates, while purple was to make ripe mulberries. Boiling the sugar soup could make the candy from white, yellowish, golden, red, and black.
Of course, this required a very deep foundation. It was theoretically possible, but it did not mean that everyone could do it.
A panda was finished in the hands of the idiot. The idiot took Xiao Zhu's painting and looked at it carefully. He remade the hollow 'water' droplet.
The people around did not show any surprise. Looking at pictures and making things was the most basic professional quality of the Tang Empire's craftsmen. It belonged to the entry level. Some masters even asked their apprentices to do it.
Zhao Wuneng looked at Xiao Bei fiddling with the panda. He thought for a while and said, "Judging from the changes in the craftsmanship of the idiot's family, it can well reflect the economic development. In the transition of clay figurines, dough figurines, and sugar figurines, the imperial court's policy is the first. At the end of economic development, there will be no sugar figurines, because sugar is no longer a necessity for people."
"You little brat. You don't admit that you are incompetent." The old villager began to lecture his son, a 42-year-old brat.
"At the end of economic development, people no longer pursue sugar, but the craftsmanship of making sugar figurines. When sugar is worthless, the craftsmanship will be valuable. Xiao Bei, am I right?"
"Uncle Zhao, you are so awesome. My brother and sister said that people will cherish the simplicity in their hearts more when they are flashy. In fact, I wanted to make a few models just now. Put the sugar inside and blow on it to make it shape. But then I thought about it. How can I show the craftsmanship in that way? Things for the masses have low production costs, fast processing speed, and convenient use, but they are not worth much. "
Xiao Bei freed up a hand and gave a thumbs up.
"Hmm!" The old villager coughed and glanced at his son.
"Didn't they say that the more beautiful something is, the better?" Zhao Wuneng was not convinced.
Xiao Bei patted his clothes and said, "Who can make a positioning for beauty? Look at my clothes. The shirt and outside are pure cotton, and the inside is filled with duck down. It is clean, simple, generous, and comfortable. Isn't this another form of beauty? Do you think that my family can't make all kinds of flowers on my clothes?
Look at my head. Two horns are twisted, and the rest of my hair is draped over my shoulders. Don't I look good with a light yellow headband? Isn't it more pleasing to the eye than wearing all kinds of gold and shining stones? Don't tell me that my family doesn't have fist-sized pearls? Green mountains, clear water, and blue sky. Isn't purity also beautiful? "
Zhao Wuneng carefully looked at Xiao Bei and had to nod. He admitted, "It is clearly a very simple outfit, but why does it give people a feeling of luxury?"
"Because it is pure enough. Monotonous doesn't mean boring. A bowl of white rice with a rich rice aroma is more delicious than egg fried rice. A small round cake made with dried flour is more like a snack than a cake. I have always felt that wild vegetable soup is better than vegetable soup. That faint earthy smell has a different kind of fragrance. Cherish it. The Yellow River has a lot of sand, but it doesn't mean that it is not clean because it is filtered by the sand. If I give you distilled water every day, can you stand it? "
These words were said by Xiao Yuan. It sounded very reasonable and made people feel comfortable in their hearts.
When it was his turn to brag, he made a koala. Then it was the other children's turn, including Xu Yilong. A servant girl also asked for a little pig. She said that her zodiac was pig. Tomorrow was her birthday, so she wanted to put the sugar figurine on the cake.
He did not dare to look down on the servant girls. It depended on whose family they were from. The servant girls of the Sanshui, Zhang Wang, and Sanshui were proficient in zither, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and songs. They could be in the hall, in the kitchen, and in the battlefield.
Ordinary families could not hope to marry such a daughter-in-law. They had hundreds of thousands of strings of coins at home. Sorry, don't talk about money. The servant girl's monthly salary was not included. Just the seasonal clothes and face powder cost more than 200 strings of coins a month. That was the purchase price. The production cost of his family was not that high.
The most important thing was knowledge. If you took a water type jade cup or a jade cup to drink at home, you had to consider what the person usually served. Glass type or dragon type? If she accidentally fell to the ground, she would clean up and change to another set. No one would scold her. If someone had to say that someone was meddlesome, it would definitely be the housekeeper. They would ask her why she was careless. What if she cut herself? Would your family dare to say that they would not scold her after she fell to the ground?
Just like Xiao Bei's mother, Jang Wong Clan, and Wang Qiaoer. What did she care about? She and her husband lived in Zhuangzi. Did you think that she would be envious of you if you took out something valuable? What she cared about was very simple. It was her family. Her husband was diligent in his studies, her parents-in-law were harmonious, and her children were sensible and promising. If you wanted to make her lose her composure with a piece of Hangzhou, Suzhou, or Sichuan brocade, it was purely a dream.
The servant girls and servants of Zhang Wang's family were the same. They could only find partners internally. They could not go out at all because they could not find a suitable partner. Their status was only low when they served the master at home. When they went out alone, their status was not low at all. When they encountered a quarrel, they had to listen to a word of advice. Not only did they know who their master was, but they also understood their abilities. Their words were even more convincing than the judgment of the yamen officials. They were selfless and fair.
Therefore, no commoner really treated them as servants. For example, the servant girl now wanted a piglet. Was it overboard? As long as it was not overboard, Xiaobei and the rest did not say anything. Respect and love were in their hearts, not on the surface. At the crucial moment, the servant girl could stand up and block a knife for Xiaobei and the rest. As long as she did not fall, Xiaobei and the rest would be fine. It was better than watching the rules and running away when there was danger.
"Ah, I almost forgot. Sister Xiao Ling's birthday is tomorrow. She will be born on the 20th of October. It's midnight …" Xiaobei guessed.
"What midnight? It's a quarter to three in the morning. The five elements lack wood. After tonight, let's find a place with a lot of woods to celebrate Sister Xiao Ling's birthday. But we can't choose a place with the back of the mountain. It's too dark, and we can't choose a place that welcomes the sun. We have to choose a good place for the sun. "Xiaoyuan immediately corrected him. This was the advantage of having a good memory. It made people feel comfortable.
"Thank you, Miss Bei and the young masters for remembering me." The servant girl Xiao Ling was really touched. Did the master remember the servant's birthday? Yes! But only one or two, and they were the kind that were very important.
For example, Li Longji knew Gao Lishi's birthday, and he remembered it very well. The princes and princesses also remembered it. But in the past, Li Longji would not help to celebrate. He would only find a reason to take a day off.
Gao Lishi was already very happy. Otherwise, he would not be so loyal. Moreover, because of his loyalty, he had gained the favor of Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan. He even let Zhang Xiaobao recognize him as his adoptive father. When a person was loyal to such a degree, no one would have the nerve to find fault with him, even if he was a eunuch.
Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan had both been betrayed before. Otherwise, the two people's information would not have been leaked. That kind of pain was truly unforgettable.
And Wang Juan also did not have the information that Zhang Xiaobao had been to prison to learn his skills and change his identity time and time again. Zhang Xiaobao also did not have the ability to escape from Wang Juan's control at the last moment. It was called the Seamless Way. A skilled butcher dissects an ox, but the person is not an ox. Betrayal and loyalty were really a cycle, pervasive. Who was in heaven? Who was in hell?
Therefore, Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan liked Gao Lishi because he did not betray. But they always felt that Li Longji had given Gao Lishi too little. You don't even show up for someone's birthday? Well, if you don't show up, we will. Therefore, Li Longji had to show up and follow.
In recent years, Gao Lishi's birthday had always been celebrated by four people. He, Li Longji, Zhang Xiaobao, and Wang Juan. Zhang Xiaobao would make a very small cake, followed by more than 20 dishes. After the dishes were prepared, the four stoves would cook at the same time. In a very short time, the table was filled with dishes.
Gao Lishi was an exception. Even the Crown Prince had to call him Master Gao. There were many servants in the Zhang Family and Wang Family. Unexpectedly, everyone who followed the team was remembered.
Xiao Ling knew these things. What moved her was not Xiao Yuan's memory, but Xiao Bei and Xiao Yuan's willingness to remember. She believed that in the team of more than 20,000 people, the young master and the young ladies could remember everyone's birthday. Because there were only 350 days in a year, it was enough to remember the number of days.
Xiao Ling knew the young master's ability, but the people of Xialu Village did not. When they heard Xiao Bei and Xiao Yuan directly mention a servant's birthday, they were shocked beyond words.
Xiao Ling, who had received a birthday gift, ran away happily. Xiao Bei began to carefully ask the old village chief about the situation in the village.
The old village chief answered, and the village chief's son helped to fill in the gaps. There were also villagers who interjected from time to time. Everyone lied and cheated. They even revealed that the village had deliberately underreported the rent by 77 dou this year.
"This … we were too selfish. The harvest was obviously good, but we underreported it just to leave more money for the village's public use."
The old village chief spoke. When he faced Xiao Bei, he actually blushed. He really could not lie in front of Xiao Bei's big, watery and innocent eyes.
The people in the village were very nervous. Underreporting? With the benefits of the imperial court, they did not need to spend money on medical treatment, raising children, providing for old age, education, and so on. In the end, they played tricks on the rent money. It was unreasonable.
Xiao Bei nodded naturally and said, "It's fine if it's underreported. Actually, our Tang Empire really does not care if you underreported the amount of grain. My brother and sister cherish the grain, and we also do not waste it. It is not that the Tang Empire lacks grain now, but it is not easy to control. We need to find a balance. Of course, more importantly, our family does not have the habit of throwing away large amounts of staple food."
"Not lacking? No one is starving? "The old village chief did not believe it.
Xiao Bei was even more unconvinced. He said, "Some people do not have enough to eat, but it is not a problem of grain. It is that they live in a remote area. The normal official road does not pass through. They do not pay rent, not to mention silk and taxes. They open up the mountain to plant some grain. If the year is not good, a flood or a drought will finish them.
Usually, they have to wear clothes, eat salt, buy vegetable oil, and plant a few mu of grain. It is not enough for their daily needs. It is even more difficult for children to go to school. They can only see them once a month because they live in school. If not, they will walk for two days and come back after two days. "
The villagers deeply agreed. It was indeed as Xiao Bei said. Remote areas, especially the mountains, were really poor. They were so poor that people could not bear to look at them.
"Xiao Bei, can't we just build the official road there?" A villager suggested.
"No, definitely not. It is not worth it. There are more than 30 miles of mountain road, and there are a total of six families. How can I build the road there? If the money used to build the road was stored in the bank, just a year's interest would be enough for them to live for the rest of their lives. How stupid would the imperial court be to let them build the road? "
When Xiao Bei thought of the 30 miles of mountain road that would be wasted money, he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.
When the villagers heard this, they all felt that it was really impossible to build the road. It was meaningless. It was better to let the people in the mountains move down. In the past, there were various reasons to avoid the world. War was chaotic, taxes were high, and so on. Now, if they still used this as a reason, it would not be a reason.
Because the imperial court would not watch you starve to death after you moved down. For the time being, they would provide you with some money and a place to live. They would help you find work. If you did not know anything, they could even teach you for a few months.
If you could still starve to death like this, how lazy would you be? You would even find it tiring to go to the yamen to receive the people? As long as you went, there would be no problem. If you were old and could not work, there would be the pension department to take care of you. If you were disabled, there would be the disability department to take care of you. If you were young, you would quickly go to school. There would be no need to worry about food or clothes. Under such conditions, you deserve to starve to death!
It was not that they did not sympathize with you, but they really could not find a reason to sympathize with you.
"Xiaobei, tell me, how much food does our Tang Empire have in reserve?" The old villager was concerned about national affairs.
Xiaobei shook his head. "I really don't know. They never gave us this number. You don't want me to send a telegram to ask my brother and sister, do you?"
"No, no," the old villager quickly said.
Xiaobei thought for a while and added, "Anyway, our Tang Empire has a lot of food. In the past, the place in the north, my brother and sister called it the former Turkic Jue, the latter Turkic Jue, etc. Now it belongs to the Tang Empire. There are many cattle, sheep, and horses on the grassland. We can also grow corn and potatoes.
"In the past, the northern part of Hebei Province was directly under the jurisdiction of the Tang Empire. It was not like the first few years. Nominally, it belonged to the Tang Empire, but it never paid rent. Now, my brother and sister are in charge of it. There are many advanced farming equipment in use. For fear of affecting the grain market in other places, they do not dare to sell it.
As long as the logistics are normal, no one will starve to death. Even if you don't starve to death, don't waste food. Everyone can save the food and let the merchants bring it overseas to exchange for things. We can't always use force to rob, right? "
"What did they exchange for?" Zhao Wuneng asked Xiaobei, who was more than two rounds younger than him, with a modest and studious look.
Looking at Xiaobei, he was actually very conflicted. She was obviously a child, but he had to show respect. She was obviously a child, but she knew more things than he did. He had been fighting in his heart. The contempt for Xiaobei's age and the importance of her position were really torturous.
Xiaobei could feel that many people looked down on her age, but she didn't care. It was just like others saying that she relied on the power of her family. She admitted that she did rely on the power of her family. Otherwise, who would care about her? Admitting it was one thing, but she would not give up using the power of her family.
According to her thoughts, if she used it, then so be it. She did not rely on the power of her family to rob other children of their candies, nor did she force them to buy or sell. Instead, she helped many people.
Therefore, Xiaobei could understand Zhao Wuneng's thoughts and answered, "If it were different kinds of ores, my brother and sister would generally draw the approximate range. Especially my brother, he seems to know the distribution of all kinds of resources overseas. Sister once said that the reason why my brother remembered a lot of resources was because his original purpose was not pure. He could use the excuse of the second or third development of resources to deceive people. But I don't think there's anything wrong with deceiving people overseas, right? "
Zhao Wuneng deeply agreed with Xiaobei's words. At this time, he no longer looked down on people younger than him, even if he clearly knew that Xiao Bao and Cuckoo were younger than him by more than 20 years.
"It's good to deceive people, and we should deceive them. It's better than directly attacking them. The people who were deceived should thank our family's Xiao Bao, and we should thank Xiao Bao even more. Xiao Bao didn't use his tricks on us. The price of salt and vegetable oil has always been low. It's all thanks to Xiao Bao."
The old village held a supportive attitude, and the people in the surrounding villages showed sympathetic expressions.
They knew how black-hearted and daring merchants could be, but no matter what the merchants thought, the prices of salt, vegetable oil, rice, wheat, and millet had always been maintained at a very stable level. There was also coarse hemp and fine hemp. Other than salt, the price of other things always increased at twice the rate of income.
As for salt, the price of salt had been fixed for three years. It didn't decrease or increase. It was three copper coins for two catties. It was much cheaper than the salt bought over ten years ago. No merchant dared to touch the price. Whoever touched it would die, beyond redemption.
This was definitely thanks to Xiao Bao. When the caravans came over, they said that they weren't afraid of the imperial court's policies. If there were policies, there would be loopholes. They were afraid of touching Xiao Bao's bottom line because Xiao Bao and they followed the same rules of the game. Jianghu matters were settled in jianghu. Once jianghu means were involved, it was bound to be bloody.
The merchants didn't dare to fight Xiao Bao like this. Therefore, the price of salt had never changed despite the imperial court's decree. This was because Xiao Bao had said that the necessities of survival were not allowed to fluctuate.
As a result, the price of these things was very stable. The merchants would still ship them over to sell and still make a profit. It could be seen how bad the merchants were in the past. They clearly had profits, but they still wanted to raise the price.
Thinking about Xiao Bao's matter, a villager asked, "Xiaobei, does Xiao Bao and Cuckoo's child have a name?"
"He has a nickname, Ming Ming. He hasn't had a real name yet. It will be a cruel battle. When we came out, Ming Ming was a little bigger. He was chubby and fun to play with. Oh, I remember something. When you secretly dig for coal, you have to be careful. Also, you can use it for yourself, but you can't sell it. "
When Xiaobei talked about his nephew, his face was full of happiness. Then he changed the topic and talked about stealing coal.
The villagers were shocked. Zhao Wuneng stuttered and asked, "You, you know?"
"We know. Brother and sister said that no matter how much coal is shipped back from the outside, where there is coal in the Tang Empire, people will still dig for it themselves. This is because the labor cost of digging a basket of coal is very low, and coal is zero cost. How can they not dig it out and use it for themselves?
Brother and sister also said that places with coal in the open are like their own children. When they are hungry, they can go to the kitchen and secretly get a steamed bun to eat. Don't tell me the adults won't let them? As long as the children don't throw the steamed bun away or sell it, it's fine. If they secretly dig for coal for themselves, they won't be able to finish it even after a thousand years.
Let me tell you, if you have coal in the local area, you can use it for yourself. You are not allowed to open a factory to use it, and you can't sell it for money. Once you do that, your main income will be mining coal. If all the coal in front of your house is dug out, what will your children and grandchildren do? "
When he said this, Xiaobei's expression became serious. Obviously, he wasn't representing himself.
"Xiao Bao and Cuckoo are so benevolent." The old villager was touched. He swore to the heavens that he would only dig for his own use. He wouldn't give it away or sell it.
Xiaobei waved his hand. "Let's not talk about this vexing matter. We brought gifts for you when we came to the village to eat fish. They are books. Books on fish farming in net cages. No matter how many fish there are in the Yellow River, it can't compare to the harvest when you raise them yourself. Before we came, we checked the information. You have a lot of big puddles here. The sewage is discharged into the puddles, and the water content is high. It's just right for fish farming. Dig them out every year and dig out the silt below to use in the fields. "
"And, and that …" Xiaoyuan opened his mouth to say something.
"Yes, and the whale meat from the sea. It's marinated, and each family gets 20 catties. Then, you guys load the coal for us. We want the good kind of coal. If you don't want coal, we can't make coal blocks. There's not enough time."
Xiaobei continued.
"And, and …"
"Yes, and …"
"Xiaobei, can you let me say it once?" Xiaoyuan was very dissatisfied.
"You say it. I allow you to say it. Say it." Xiaobei agreed.
Xiaoyuan's good mood immediately disappeared. "It feels like you're giving it to me out of charity."
"You mean you don't intend to say it? You don't want charity? Then I'll say it. "
"Yes, and there's also dried vegetables. Each family gets 30 catties. We don't produce that kind of vegetable here. I'll tell you how to make it. You can also figure out how to cook it yourself." Xiaoyuan finally got rid of his addiction of giving things.
The villagers were even happier. They knew that the children would prepare things to be given along the way. Otherwise, if they ate along the way, it would really be a waste of money.
When Zhao Wuneng heard that so many things were given, he was very embarrassed. "I've made you guys spend money again."
"No, it's just the cost of transportation. We didn't spend any money on the things. The merchants who sell the dried vegetables came to us and asked us to help them promote it. Now that you guys have eaten well, in about ten days, the county town will probably sell it."
Xiaobei smiled and explained. It was indeed as she said. When they heard that she was going out, merchants immediately came to give her things and asked her to help promote it to others. Especially the merchants in the South. The food in the North and South was different. Without someone to help promote it, it was impossible for both sides to like each other's food.
Normally, if Xiaobei and the rest were to help promote it, they would have to be paid. If someone else did it, the effect would definitely not be as good as theirs. However, Xiaobei and the rest didn't earn this money. They treated it as a friendly help.
The villagers were very happy. Not only did they see Xiaobei and the rest, but they also received technology and things.
Everyone ate fish together. Of course, the large group didn't get a share. There wasn't enough fish in the village. Only a small group of people ate it.
The next day, at dawn, the group bade farewell to Xiaolu Village and continued forward.
After walking for a few more days, when they were about to reach Yin Province, it started to snow.
For the time being, there was no wind whistling, nor was there any winter thunder.
Snow. It was pure snow. The sky was dark. Even though it was noon, large amounts of snow fell like cotton.
The children raised their heads to look. One by one, the black dots gradually became bigger. When they reached out to catch it, they saw that the snow was white. The snow was made up of small snowflakes. If they looked carefully, they could see that most of the small snowflakes had six petals. As for those that weren't, it was because they had been damaged when they stuck together.
When the snow in her hand melted into water, Xiaobei blinked and said, "It's snowing so heavily. It's going to be troublesome."
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
