Another pigeon flew to the capital from Shuzhou. This time, Savant's Restaurant presented a new dish of chicken and duck, with a few simple herbs. The recipe was written very well.
Compared to pork, it seemed to be more beneficial to the body. It slightly diverted some people's attention from pork.
Immediately after, Sanshui County and Huayuan County sent a large amount of pork to the capital. Most of it was frozen, and a small portion was live pigs.
On the first morning of the pork, the city gates had just opened when people saw large carts. Some of them were carrying pigs with their legs tied up, while others were carrying half frozen pork.
As for how much there was, no one knew. Anyway, from the entrance to the end of the road, there were still carts transporting pork.
The commoners and the soldiers guarding the city looked at the carts in a daze. They all knew how much pork was worth now. Who was this? Who transported so much pork? They probably made a lot of money this time. They were smart enough to keep the pork until now.
After a while, the soldiers guarding the gate remembered to check. As soon as they walked in front of the first cart, they immediately raised a flag. The pattern on the flag was very cute. It was a rice seedling with big eyes. It was holding a bowl of feed in its arms. It held the edge with one hand and took out the feed with the other.
Seeing this pattern, the soldiers guarding the gate sighed in relief. If it was real, then they didn't have to check each cart. It saved them a lot of trouble.
The commoners in the capital also recognized this flag. It was the unique flag of the Zhang family of Sanshui County. When the wind blew, there was a golden border around the flag. If one looked carefully, they could see that the background of the rice seedling was actually a flood dragon.
"The Zhang family didn't do anything wrong. Others wouldn't dare to use such a thing." The leader of the guards said to the soldier beside him.
The soldier nodded. "Yes, yes. Only the Zhang family can suddenly take out so much pork. Go and see if there is anyone you know. If there is, don't check."
The other guards nodded in agreement. Otherwise, how long would it take to check?
With the arrival of a batch of pork in the capital, the price of pork immediately plummeted. All of the officials in the royal court, including Li Longji, knew just how capable the Zhang Family and Wang Family were. With just the strength of one family, they were able to affect the price of an entire capital.
If not for the fact that Old Man Pi, Old Yao, and Old Liu had also written a letter to the capital, Li Longji would have already made a move on the Zhang Clan and Wang Clan. How could he allow a single party to control the prices of goods in the capital?
There were three points written clearly in the letter. The first was to let the officials understand the importance of the economy. Whether it was to keep an eye on the merchants or to raise the status of the merchants, it was up to them to decide. They could not look down on the merchants like before.
The second reason was the importance of breeding, especially set breeding. The consumption of food would be much lower, and at the same time, the methane pool could be used to reduce unpleasant smells and increase food production.
The third reason was to let the people in Yanzhou and other places in the north use more sleighs when it snowed in winter. There were cows and sheep that froze to death there. Taking advantage of the rising prices of goods in the capital, they could be transported over and become a habit.
The last point was the least important but also the most important. It was that the Zhang Family and Wang Clan could choose a good place to help the imperial clan set up a large-scale breeding farm to control the prices of goods.
Li Longji was relieved when he saw the last point. He understood that rather than using it to control the prices of goods, it was more like using it to help him earn more money. This money was not controlled by the officials of the royal court, and the Ministry of Revenue could not control it. In the future, if he wanted to build a house or go out to hunt, he would no longer need to argue with the officials.
At the same time, the Zhang Family and Wang Clan were showing that they were not ambitious.
*****
If they could affect the prices of goods in the capital, then they could naturally affect the prices of goods in Shuzhou.
It was almost the New Year. In order to make the people of Shuzhou more relaxed during the New Year, the Zhang Family's restaurant launched a series of new dishes. The pigs that had not yet grown up were also taken out to be slaughtered for meat. The price was also much higher, and it was no different from slaughtering the pigs that had grown up.
Old Man Bi and the others had been eating for ten consecutive days. There were three meals a day, and every meal had at least ten dishes with pork in it. Surprisingly, they didn't get to eat the same dish. By the time they were satisfied with three hundred dishes, they were already sick of it.
When the four old men found the newly built kindergarten, a group of children were being watched and played in the yard. From the oldest to the youngest, the children of the rich families in Shuzhou were all in the kindergarten. The oldest was five years old, and the youngest was a baby who had just turned one month old.
However, there were no children younger than one year old here. Their families were reluctant to send children younger than one year old here. This was not only because the education environment of the Zhang Family and Wang Clan was good, but also because many families wanted to curry favor with Zhang Zhong.
Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan were watching the children play in the courtyard at this time. The marble floor was covered with a carpet, and there were curtains around to block the wind. All kinds of toys were piled up there. Whoever wanted to play with them could grab them by themselves. However, most of the time, the children snatched the toys from others. It was unknown whether it was a good idea to snatch others' toys, or if they wanted to play with others and make a "seductive" action.
"Xiao Bao." Old Man Pi did not go in. He waved and shouted to Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan.
"Grandpa Bi, what's the matter?"
Zhang Xiaobao came out and asked in confusion.
"Change the dishes. We can't always eat like this. It's not us. We have a special recipe. If we don't want to eat the food sent by your family, we won't eat it. It's the servants who eat it every day. No one can stand it."
Old Man Pi discussed. After all, they gave good food every day.
"Then what do we eat?" Zhang Xiaobao felt that it was not bad. They ate meat every meal, and they even changed the dishes. Why did they not want to eat anymore?
"Don't we still have chicken, duck, and fish? Change it. Hmm, there's something I want to ask. Where is your father going next? When your father first came here, he planned to stay for two years, which means that he would pay the rent twice. However, it seems that he can't do that.
The bridge has been repaired, and Wangjiang Restaurant has been built. There's also the housing of the commoners, and Li Xun wants to use his own money to build methane ponds for the commoners. I reckon that after the New Year, your father's position will be changed. At most, he will stay until the beginning of summer. That's because he hasn't arrived yet. Once your family leaves, there will be a lot of positions left.
When the time comes, it will be around the beginning of summer. "Old Man Pi blushed a little as he spoke. It was really too much of a bully. He went to a place to build first, and when it was done, he was chased away before he could reap more benefits.
However, there was no other way. Who asked Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Family to build faster? When they arrived at a place, the place would be developed. There was no need to worry about anything at all. Therefore, they could not waste it. Of course, they had to use it as a knife.
Zhang Xiaobao originally wanted to wait for a year, but he did not expect the imperial court to be so anxious. There were many good things in Shuzhou that had not been developed yet. If the new officials left, how could they continue to develop?
"Grandpa Bi, is it time to encourage the local officials to make as few political achievements as possible so that they can stay in the place longer?"
Zhang Xiaobao asked with sarcasm in his words.
Old Man Pi did not know how to answer Zhang Xiaobao's question for a moment. At this moment, Old Man Yao spoke up.
"It is the imperial court that encourages the officials to continue to be promoted. Your father's next rank will definitely be higher than this."
"If he goes any higher, he will enter the capital. Grandpa Yao, you also know how dangerous that place is, right? My father is going in to play with others now? Every time he is promoted, my family has to take out the prescription. If he is promoted once a month, then he will only be a scattered official and an idle position. When there is no promotion, will he be conferred the title of King? "
This time, Zhang Xiaobao was really distressed. He could not always do this. The prescription had to be researched before he could give it to others. The beginning was simple, but the later it was, the more difficult it was. He could not let too many people know.
Liu Zhirou actually really wanted to get more prescriptions, but he also could not say it out loud. He could only use a negotiating tone and said, "Then let's wait until Xia Zhong? I will give your family more time to take up a portion of the business in Shuzhou. "
"Thank you, Grandpa Liu, but can you guarantee that the new batch of officials will still act according to my father's plan? Next time when you go to Luoyang, don't promote your rank. Give them honorary positions. If they are of the same rank, don't give them any real power. Go there and mingle. "
Although Zhang Xiaobao said thank you, the expression on his face didn't show any gratitude at all.
The four old men did not know what to say for a moment. Luoyang was a place for retirement. If they really arranged for Zhang Zhong to go there, then they could not let him go elsewhere to do things.
Old Man Yao thought for a moment, then said to Zhang Xiaobao, "Why don't you arrange for your father to be a provincial governor in another province, one closer to the capital?"
Zhang Xiaobao was also very happy. He immediately nodded and agreed. "Yes, okay. It's good to hear Grandpa Yao's words. Then arrange for my father to go to Yaozhou. My father is familiar with that place."
Clearly knowing that this was impossible, Zhang Xiaobao deliberately asked.
Indeed, the four old men shook their heads without any thought.
"Xiao Bao, your father can't go to that place. Although it's also an upper province, there's the distant Huayuan County there. It's so close to your family's Sanshui County. How can we arrange for your father to go there? Even if we agree, the capital's imperial court will not agree. Change locations."
When Old Man Liu heard that Zhang Xiaobao wanted to arrange for his father to go to Yaozhou, he shook his head vigorously. He definitely could not let Zhang Zhong return to that place. The Zhang family's roots were there. If he connected them, and it was so close to the capital in the future, things would not be easy.
"Then go to Luoyang. Definitely don't arrange for any actual position." Zhang Xiaobao continued to bargain.
Old Man Pi saw that this could not go on, so he could only say, "We'll discuss this matter again. Xiao Bao, it's cold. Can you arrange a few more activities, especially the one at Lake Tai like last time?"
When the four old men came over, they had actually thought of this problem. It was mainly to learn. After Zhang Zhong left, the next provincial governor could do the same.
Zhang Xiaobao really did not think of any activities. It was neither hot nor cold here. It was not like the capital, where he could properly organize.
When he heard Old Man Pi's question, he pondered for a moment before saying, "Well … let's see what Prince Li does."
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