The green grass was boundless, and the rice in the fields had grown. Whose carriage and horses were making a ruckus? Living in fear all day long, the heart of the mortal world is not cold. Why worry about the lack of sunlight? I'll give you lollipops.
After discovering something that could replace candles, Old Man Pi and Old Man Yuan Zhi didn't sleep that night. They took the four mats that they used to drag the children back and forth, sat on the marble floor, and guarded.
Old Man Yuan Zhi asked questions from time to time and let Old Man Pi answer them. In addition to talking about the Zhang Family and the Wang Family, Old Man Pi also pondered about the problem of the glowing object.
Having learned the Book of Nature, he wanted to use the knowledge in the book to interpret what he saw. However, he found that the book, which seemed very profound at first, was too simple when compared to the object in front of him.
"There must be a deeper level of books. The Book of Nature is like a clear stream. Then there must be a small river, a big river, a big river, and a big sea. Yes, that's right. It turns out that this road is so long."
Old Man Pi thought about this matter, but he didn't know whether the glowing object in front of him was a big river or a big sea.
If Wang Juan was here, she would tell him that this was only a small part of a small river. The book of nature could not even be considered a small stream. It would be more appropriate to call it the mouth of a spring. The depth of the sea of technology depended on the vastness of the starry sky. The more one knew, the shallower they found themselves.
Old Man Yuan Zhi had never learned the Book of Nature. He couldn't understand anything that was' invented 'by the Zhang family. Hearing Old Man Pi muttering, he asked curiously,
"Long Ze, what are you talking about? Do you know what's going on? "
"I don't know. I only know that the lightning in the sky is bright because two different kinds of clouds collide. It has nothing to do with immortals. The thing hanging there will light up. Is it because two different kinds of things collide? For example, the flint we use. "
Old Man Pi tried his best to use his knowledge to explain this phenomenon. He seemed to have found a connection, but he couldn't accurately explain it. The flint would light up continuously when it was struck, but that kind of light would have intermittent intervals. The thing above his head didn't stop shining.
Old Man Yuan Zhi was even more confused. How did this have anything to do with flint again? If he couldn't figure it out, he said to Old Man Pi, "Don't think about it. Let's talk about the three types of seeds. Can it be used throughout the Great Tang? "
"It should be possible. The Zhang family is testing it as well. They've succeeded in planting rice in Sanshui County, and they've succeeded in planting rice in Hua Yuan County. Since there's no Zhang family in Yao Province to guide them personally, they've succeeded in planting rice in other places. Lu Zhou has succeeded. If this place succeeds as well, it can only mean one thing.
Different methods need to be adopted in different places. The reason for this is that what can help other things grow is not necessarily a pig, a duck, and so on. "
Old Man Pi summarized the seeds.
Old Man Yuan Zhi also understood and said, "I understand. It's local conditions. For example, the Zhang family in Sanshui County first raised an earth dragon in Zhuangzi. In addition to feeding the chickens, it can also be used in places where the soil is not good. After drilling, the hard ground will become soft. We should ask the Agriculture Temple to send people to guard it."
"That's fine, but we can't order the Zhang family around. It's dawn. Eat some porridge and go to sleep." Old Man Pi yawned and found that the sun had come out. Time passed so quickly. A night had passed just like that.
The two of them stood up. Old man Bi rubbed his sore legs, but he was fine after moving around a bit. Old man Yuanzhi, on the other hand, couldn't even stand up. This was thanks to the four cushions. There was a layer between them that blocked out the cold air. Otherwise, he might have to be carried away because of the marble floor.
When Old Man Pi supported Old Man Yuan Zhi, who was moving little by little, back to his courtyard, the dining tables had already been set up. Someone was holding a pen and paper in his hand and asking them one by one.
"What do you eat? There are steamed buns, about this big. There are mutton stuffing, pork stuffing, leek and egg stuffing, and pies with the same stuffing. There are also steamed buns and fruits, oil cakes, rice porridge, millet porridge, two kinds of rice mixed together, soy milk and tofu pudding, sweet and salty. Little kid, who drinks milk and egg cake? "
His ears were full of such inquiries. Old Man Yuan Zhi turned to look at Old Man Pi in puzzlement. What was going on?
When he was on the ship, he didn't eat so many things. There were only three kinds. Two kinds of rice porridge, soy milk and tofu pudding, and the salty one.
Before Old Man Pi could answer, he continued to ask if he ate wontons, soaked buns, mutton soup, pancakes, and so on. These were the habits of people who could eat breakfast everywhere. There were also the eating methods that the Zhang family later 'invented'. In total, there were more than 30 things and hundreds of combinations.
"This …" Old Man Pi understood what he meant. Why couldn't he eat when he was on the ship?
"This is not the breakfast that my chef made. This is the treatment provided by the Zhang Family and the Wang Family's Sea and Clouds Restaurant. With the Henan Road as the boundary, that is Between the Clouds and the Water, and this is Sea and Clouds Restaurant. In the future, they will compete with each other. Just know that. What do you want to eat? I want a big bowl of steamed egg cake and a drawer of shumai. "
"I'm the same as you. How can I be asked? So troublesome." After hearing so many things, Old Man Yuan Zhi was confused. He didn't know how to choose, so he could only order the same as Old Man Pi.
"If I don't ask one by one, how can I serve? The amount of food for each meal is the amount that others say, and then add it up a little. Otherwise, it will be a waste. I didn't spend money. "
Old Man Bi called a clerk over and told them what to eat. He explained to Old Man Yuanzhi.
Old Man Yuan Zhi nodded to show that he understood, and then suddenly asked, "What about the leftovers from the restaurants?"
"What about the restaurants in the capital? The good things are taken home by the waiter, and the bad things are given to the beggars waiting for food. The rest is thrown away. It's the same in the restaurant, but the good things are left for the people who can't eat, and the bad things are fed to the pigs. Sigh ~! When will the people of Tang stop eating this kind of thing? "
Old Man Pi didn't feel good when he talked about this. Even though Zhang Wang's restaurant was already very good, and everything that was given to the people was the best, after all, it was the leftovers of others. It wasn't the first time that he saw other restaurants put the leftovers together with the swill in a bucket for people to grab.
There was a lucky child who fished out a bitten chicken claw from the swill in the bucket, and he was very grateful to the person who brought it over.
"It's a pity that I'm still the Minister of Revenue, in charge of the land and money of the world, but I can't change anything." Old Man Pi sighed. The more he thought about it, the more sullen he felt.
"It's almost done. It's almost done. The emperor is working hard to govern the country, and the Zhang Wang and Zhang Wang's methods." Old Man Yuan Zhi was even more sullen than Old Man Pi.
*****
When the sun rose, Zhang Zhong's team continued their journey and walked back unhurriedly.
The road that hadn't been repaired was not wide enough, and the team was large, so the people at the back didn't dare to force their way through. They could only wait until they encountered a small path and quickly go around to the front. The people in front of them also hid by the side of the road.
Zhang Zhong had already told the team not to walk side by side, leaving space for passersby. However, pedestrians didn't dare to do that. If they bumped into someone with a bad temper, they would be punished.
Li Xun rode beside the house while holding a clip in his hand and using a charcoal stick to draw on the paper. From time to time, he would ask Zhang Xiaobao, who was also riding a horse, how to build the road in this place and how wide it should be.
Or when they encountered a river, he would ask Zhang Xiaobao what kind of bridge should be built. Should it be an arch bridge or a flat bridge made of wood?
Zhang Xiaobao had never studied civil engineering, so how could he know? He could only look at the surrounding environment. If there was a barren mountain, he would say to build a stone bridge. If there was a dense forest, or if there was no mountain, he would say to build a wooden bridge. It mainly depended on the difficulty of finding the materials.
The team walked and walked until it was noon. It was time to eat, so they stopped to rest, mainly because the horses were tired.
They carried out the little guys who had just woken up and let them play around by themselves. Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan began to cook for the younger brother and sister alone. Others could eat in the big pot, but the little guys couldn't eat with them.
"What are we going to do today? Are we going to make soft fried meat? We made it last time, but it was a little difficult to eat. Why don't we make fish? "Wang Juan tied her apron and asked Zhang Xiaobao.
"The fish we brought this time has too many bones. It's too tiring to beat the fish. Let's make snow cotton bean paste. The little guys like to eat sweet things. You mix the bean paste, and I'll beat the eggs."
Zhang Xiaobao said after a pause and began to take out the eggs.
The people in the inner courtyard didn't have any reaction. They were used to it, but the other officials were envious. The four little guys didn't eat the soft fried meat last time and shared it with them. Only then did they realize that the best cooks Between the Clouds and the Water turned out to be the two oldest kids in the family of Governor Zhang and General Wang.
In the past few days, the two kids had never heard of most of the dishes they cooked for the four little guys, let alone see them. Whatever the four little guys couldn't eat, they would put aside for the people in the inner courtyard to eat.
At first, it was for the sake of flattery. Some officials came over and insisted on eating the leftovers of others, even if the leftovers might have the little guys' saliva on them.
However, after eating it, they realized that it wasn't the case at all. No wonder the General's daughter didn't let others cook for the little guys. Last time, they were chased away when they sent roasted pork tendons. So this was the reason.
While Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan were busy, the four little guys ran around crazily. They found everything fun and ran everywhere, exhausting the servant girls who were protecting them.
Xiaobei ran around and around until she came to a family of four hiding in a ditch by the roadside. They didn't dare to move.
The most attractive thing about this family was that there was also a pair of twins. They looked exactly the same, but they were girls. They looked about the same age as her and were timidly huddling in their mother's arms.
Xiaobei ran closer, crossed her legs and crossed her arms. Weiwei leaned forward and stared at the two sisters with her head tilted. Her big eyes kept blinking, as if she was very curious.
After staring at the two for a while, she looked at her own clothes and finally found the difference. She was wearing clothes, while the two opposite her weren't wearing clothes. Their little faces were also dark.
After standing there and pondering for a while, Xiaobei turned around and ran back into the house. Two servant girls chased after her to protect her. The remaining servant girl said to the family of four, "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid. This is the Provincial Governor's family. They won't hurt you."
The servant girl's comforting words didn't have much of an effect. It would be a lie if the husband and wife said that they weren't afraid. If they encountered an adult, it would be easier to handle. If that precious little girl ran here and cried, then the adult would want their family's lives.
After running into the house, Xiaobei fiddled with it for a while. When she came out, she held a small stick in each hand. On the top of the stick was a round piece with a diameter of ten centimeters wrapped in tin foil. She turned around and ran back.
The parents of the two twins were frightened. They didn't know what this little girl was going to do, but they didn't do anything.
This time, Xiaobei ran until she was in front of the two girls. She giggled a few times and reached out her hands to pass the two things she was holding to the two girls. She said, "Candy, candy, eat candy."
The maidservant standing by the side understood that the little girl was going to give her a candy. She quickly said to the two frightened adults, "This is my family's Xiao Bei's wife. She's giving your daughter a candy. Quickly take it, otherwise if she cries …"
The rest of the words didn't need to be said. The couple knew what she meant as soon as they heard it. The woman reached out to take the candy, but Xiaobei didn't give it to her. She wanted to pass it to the two girls.
The woman immediately pushed her two daughters forward. "Big boys, small boys, quickly take it. It's candy."
The two girls weren't as generous as Xiaobei. Maybe it was because of the people they were in contact with, or maybe it was because of the nutrition, or maybe it was because of the different education methods. They were so scared that they didn't dare to reach out.
Xiaobei was stunned for a moment. She stuffed the candy in her left hand into the servant girl's hand and freed her hand to tear off the wrapper of the candy in her right hand. There was a layer of glutinous rice paper inside. She demonstrated by licking the lollipop that Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan had specially made for them. She even smacked her lips twice and handed it over again.
The two sisters' eyes immediately widened. This can be eaten? It looks so good.
One of them stretched out his small hand and took it. Then, he imitated Xiao Bei's actions and licked it with his tongue. He seemed to have discovered something very strange. He made a sound of acknowledgment and licked it twice. Finally, he revealed a pure and innocent smile.
At this time, the other one also followed her example and licked it. She smiled happily like the first one.
At this time, Xiaobei finished peeling the other candy and handed it over. When the second girl grabbed the candy in her hand and licked it like a treasure, Xiaobei seemed to have done the greatest thing. She spread her arms and smiled like a flower as she watched the two girls lick the candy.
The three servant girls beside Xiaobei also smiled. The kind-hearted master, the kind-hearted young lady, and the young master. Even this little ancestor, when others thought that she didn't know anything, knew how to give good things to people who needed them.
The couple was dumbfounded. They had never seen such a big candy before. There were three colors stacked together in circles. What was even more unexpected was that the girl opposite them, who was about the same age as their two daughters, was so sensible.
If it was said that when an adult gave something to others, they would make use of it in this way, but this little girl definitely wouldn't. How did the master teach such a kind child? If a child could be like this, then there was no need to talk about an adult.
At this time, the man finally reacted. He remembered what the servant girl had said. The Provincial Governor's wife Xiaobei?
"But, but is it the Provincial Governor Zhang who just arrived in Shuzhou? The great official that people always say is good? "The man reacted and asked in a trembling voice.
"The Provincial Governor of Shuzhou is my master. My master said that the people will judge whether he is good or not." The servant girl's voice was soft and slightly proud as she replied.
"Good, good official. He is indeed a great official. I, I will kowtow to the master." When the man got this answer, he knelt down with a thump and kowtowed to the group.
The woman also let go of her two daughters and kowtowed with her husband. The two girls didn't seem to understand what was going on with their parents. They held the candy sticks tightly in their hands and blinked anxiously.
The commotion here finally alarmed the other side. Two guards ran over to check the situation. One servant girl stopped the guards and told them what had just happened. The other two servant girls went to help the people.
When the guards heard this, one stayed behind to guard and the other went back to report.
Zhang Zhong was preparing to eat. After hearing the guard's report, he laughed out loud.
"Good, this is my Zhang family's people. You have the people in your heart. There should be more people on the road. It's time to eat. Let's eat together. Someone, go and find everyone in front to eat together. A father can't be worse than his daughter."
Zhang Zhong was happy. His daughter really fought for him. She actually ran out to give candy to others.
The officials around Zhang Zhong were also puzzled. Could it be that if the father was good, the child would be good too? It really made people jealous. It was always doubtful that the adults could buy the people's hearts. But the children also knew that helping their fathers to buy the people's hearts was a hundred times better than the adults doing it directly.
After Zhang Zhong gave the order, someone immediately went to the two sides of the group to call people. The guards also became more vigilant.
Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan had just finished making snow cotton bean paste. When they heard the news, they frowned at the same time.
"In the future, there will be two strong protection team members beside the four of them at all times. What if they encounter an assassination? Xiao Bei and the others must have felt that they don't have enough companions because they usually play with four people. It seems that we have to find them playmates. "
Zhang Xiaobao was not surprised that his sister could do such a thing. It was normal, but he was not satisfied with the guards. If they were sent by someone to kill, his sister would have been dead long ago. Love was love, but they could not ignore their safety.
Wang Juan also felt that it was dangerous and said, "It seems that we have to make pistols as soon as possible in the future. We also have to choose people with good skills and cultivate a special team of bodyguards. We can't not be close to the people. Back then, wherever the chairman went, he had to inform us in advance and check again for fear of danger.
But the Prime Minister is different. As long as something happens, he has to fly over. It's temporary. The people can't check at all. One is relying on the charm of the person, and the other is that the bodyguards are strong enough. "
No matter what, Xiao Bei did not encounter any danger this time. When the maid came to call Xiao Bei to eat, Xiao Bei's eyes lit up.
This was also a conditioned reflex. She had probably heard the word "eat" the most. More importantly, she knew that the food was delicious. It was made by her brother and sister.
Knowing that she could eat good food again, Xiaobei held the sisters' hands and walked back, one in each hand. After taking two steps, she lost her balance and fell on the ground. While others were worried, she got up, turned around, and pulled the sisters up again. This time, they were walking forward, so they didn't have to fall on their buttocks.
When Xiao Bei pulled them into the group, the maid coaxed Xiao Bei to take the two sisters to take a bath and find new clothes to wear. The two sisters felt that the atmosphere was different and were very obedient. However, they did not let go of the lollipops in their hands. Even when they were bathing, they held the lollipops in their hands. To them, this was probably the most precious gift.
At this time, it was already time to eat. There were only about 30 people on the road, so there was no need to check them one by one. In today's accidental situation, the probability of deliberately hurting Zhang Zhong was too small.
Zhang Zhong was bold and greeted the people one by one. Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan were helpless. They could only personally accompany Zhang Zhong and chase the bodyguards away. This made Zhang Zhong seem closer to the people. He was greeting his family.
However, the people in the inner courtyard of the Zhang family knew that with the young master and young lady around, there was no need to worry about the master's safety.
The people were indeed moved. He was a good official. It was the first time they saw an official without any bodyguards talk to them so cordially.
After a round of greetings, everyone started to eat.
But just as they started to eat, two horses came from the front. Two yamen runners jumped off the horses and ran to Zhang Zhong to report, "Sir, Official Bi is back. He brought many people with him. Among them is an old man. Official Bi calls him Yuan Zhi."
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