Old Man Pi really wanted to stop Zhang Xiaobao, who was preparing to rest, to ask about the logistics. Seeing that Zhang Xiaobao was tired, he felt that the expert should be tired too. He suppressed his anxiety and said, "After dinner, let the doctor give you a massage. You can sit on the pole together."
"Okay, thank you, Grandpa Bi. I heard that there are many herbs here, and some animals can also be used as medicine. If you want to help the local people, you can set up a shop here to buy herbs. You can exchange them with salt and cloth. It's best to take the opportunity to find a few people who are willing to teach here and enlighten the people. Now we have to discuss things with others. How can we still be the land and people of the Tang Empire?"
The more Zhang Xiaobao thought about it, the more sullen he felt. He did not blame the local people, but the officials who used to work here. They did not ask for relief supplies from the imperial court when there was a disaster, and they even had to pay tribute every year. They only wanted to get but were not prepared to pay. Now, the people were also not willing to pay.
If this was a place where his father was an official, he only needed to call for help when he encountered difficulties, and the people would immediately respond to the call. For example, the donation in Wangjiang was like this.
In Yizhou, no one would care about you even if you shouted until your voice was hoarse. You left a mess behind, and it was under the circumstances that there was no time to manage it.
Old Man Pi also knew the situation here. There were not many people, and if they did not help, it would not be good in the long run. The Zhang family had the ability to manage. If they gave them two years, they would be able to make the local people better.
However, the Zhang family came here to organize the logistics, not to manage the local area. There were more important tasks waiting for the Zhang family to do. Wouldn't it be a waste to leave them in a province with a population of four thousand?
Xiao Bao's suggestion was good, but who would be willing to come?
Thinking of this, he asked, "Xiao Bao, do you think others are willing to come here to teach the people?"
"Yes, there are. Not only that, there are many. The current court officials are allowed to have children according to their ranks. The number of children they have is also different. There are many children in aristocratic families who don't have the ability to take over the position. They can't all be illiterate, right?
They couldn't be overshadowed by officials, and they didn't have a position in the clan. If they were told to come here, they would be given an official position, and they would fight to get it. Another benefit was that no matter what their position was in the clan, the clan would give them some support for the sake of face.
Find a hundred descendants of aristocratic families. When they see that the lives of the people here are not good, they will naturally think of a way. After two or three years of training, the hedonistic descendants will also mature. I believe that most of them will understand what is called responsibility. If such people are given an official position, there is no need to worry that they will not do well. "
Zhang Xiaobao felt that he didn't have the time to take care of the people in Yizhou, so he found someone to take care of them. This place was so poor that no one could have any bad intentions. Once the descendants of aristocratic families came here for an official position, it was impossible for them not to develop.
Old Man Pi listened to Zhang Xiaobao's words and couldn't help but nod. He knew that Xiao Bao didn't have anyone to teach him this method. Xiao Bao just thought of it casually. He seemed to have more insight than before.
"Sigh! It would be great if all the descendants of aristocratic families could be like Xiao Bao and Cuckoo. They would be sensible and sensible. Go and rest. Let this old man think about it and see if this matter can be done. "
Old Man Pi sighed with emotion and turned to find Old Man Yao to discuss this matter. This was not a small matter and it required the emperor's approval. It was not easy to give an official position. Of course, it depended on the person. If Xiao Bao wanted an official position now, there was no need for Zhang Zhong to do it. The imperial court would arrange it. After living for so long, he had never seen children like Xiao Bao and Cuckoo.
*****
There was no doubt about the standard of the Zhang family's cooks. The food was not ready yet, but the fragrance was spread out with the wind. Even if the local people didn't help, they were willing to watch the fun.
It was impossible to say that they were not tempted by the smell of the food. They wanted to experience how it felt to eat it. They were both cooking meat, but the food they made smelled so good. No one knew what was in it. Also, the chicken soup was more delicious than the soup made by the mountain pheasant.
When it was time to eat, other than the protection team who changed shifts, everyone else picked up their utensils and stood in line to wait.
Ever since they ate with the Zhang Family and the Wang Family, the others stopped cooking. They could not swallow the food they made and just waited for the ready-made food. It had nothing to do with laziness. After all, the food made by the Zhang Family and the Wang Family was delicious. Everyone had a good relationship with each other. The only thing they had to worry about was what if they could not eat it in the future.
Zhang Xiaobao said that he would drink soup, and he really only drank a little soup. He asked someone to boil it with the wild herbs that could be found here. After drinking it quickly, he and Wang Juan went to find a place to rest.
Fang Sima and the others ate bowl after bowl. No one knew what they were thinking. They drank tea while eating. Perhaps they thought that it could help them digest faster and eat more.
"Governor Zhang, is this your family's cook? Delicious, really delicious. " Fang Sima really could not eat anymore. Looking at the food in front of him competing with him, he drank the seafood soup slowly and leaned on the stool as he asked Zhang Zhong.
Zhang Zhong ate slowly and did not have an appetite. One reason was that the situation in the area was not very optimistic. Another reason was that he had not eaten the food cooked by his son and daughter-in-law for several days. To be honest, the food cooked by the chef was really good. However, no matter how he ate, he felt that it was not as good as the food cooked by his son and daughter-in-law.
Even if his son and daughter-in-law did not tell him in advance when they were cooking, as long as he ate, he could taste it, especially when it came to the combination of seasonings. His son only needed to smell it to know how much seasonings should be put in during this period of time. It was called accurate. He did not know how to practice.
Zhang Zhong did not know that his son used to sell thirteen spices. It would be strange if he could not smell the richness and age of each seasonings.
Hearing Fang Sima's praise, he said a little absent-mindedly, "It's not bad. It can be eaten. Every chef is proficient in different things. This seafood soup was not made by the best chef. He went to stew. When there is a chance, I will let you taste the real delicacy. My son Xiao Bao and daughter-in-law Cuckoo made it."
Zhang Zhong was speaking the truth. However, in Fang Sima's ears, it was not the case.
"Governor Zhang's son and daughter-in-law can cook? I am convinced. If my son can cook, I will also feel that it is the most delicious food in the world. Governor Zhang, is the chef you brought an imperial chef? "
"What is an imperial chef? Usually, they have to use the seasonings specially sent to the palace by my family. Many dishes have to be written and sent to them for them to learn. They are all like ghosts chasing after you, regardless of whether you are busy or not. When the emperor is tired of a certain dish, he will rush to send a new dish. If such an imperial chef really came to my family, I would not want him. "
It was also the truth, but Fang Sima felt awkward when he heard it. He thought in his heart, "If you are so good, you can send recipes to the emperor. Why would you be sent to Yizhou? You are too arrogant. "
Fang Sima did not dare to offend him on the surface. He humbly asked for advice, "Then why is the chef in your family so good?"
"If the chef in the restaurant is not good, won't he die of loss? The chain restaurant Between the Clouds and the Water and Between the Sea and the Clouds is owned by my family. There is also the Savant's Restaurant in the capital. "
Zhang Zhong put down his chopsticks and signaled the person beside him to bring a bowl of wild vegetable soup that his son had just drunk.
"Ah? Between the Clouds and the Water is owned by your family? Then you are Zhang Zhong, aren't you? " Fang Sima was surprised. After saying this, he remembered that the other party was called Zhang Zhong and told him when he came.
Smiling embarrassedly, Fang Sima changed his previous attitude and became even more respectful. He sat up straight and didn't dare to speak as loudly as before. Instead, he said softly,
"Lord Zhang, I didn't know that you were coming. Sorry for the disrespect. If I had known that you were Zhang Zhong of Sanshui County, I would have eaten slower and tasted more. Maybe I could eat more."
While Zhang Zhong was wondering if he had such a big reputation, Fang Sima continued, "To be honest, my son is studying at Jianjia Academy in Sanshui County. When he went there, he was only given money for traveling expenses. He left the year before last. I don't know what to do when he comes to the capital.
But two months before you came, my son sent a letter saying that he is now rich and has been praised by the teacher. He is going to take the exam this year and will definitely come back with honors. He said that the job was arranged by the Zhang family and that he was going to teach while learning. He taught all the children of the Zhang Family and the Wang Family.
In the letter, he said that the children of the Zhang Family and the Wang Family were excellent. When they started teaching, they were always asked questions. They had no choice but to work hard so that they could teach others. Just like the couplet in the Zhuangzi School of the Zhang Family and the Wang Family, it said, "Before educating others, educate yourself. Read and read the heart."
In the letter, he also wrote many things Between the Clouds and the Water, which made people yearn for it. When they were worried that they would not have the chance to see it, Lord Zhang, you came. But I don't understand, Lord Zhang, why are you here? "
Fang Sima was puzzled. Why did such an official come to Yizhou? Did he offend someone he could not afford to offend?
Zhang Zhong, on the other hand, did not care at all. He smiled and said, "Being an official anywhere is the same. As long as I can let the common people live a good life, I will also feel at ease. The three dynasties have a difficult man as a general, and the four seas are at peace. One day, when the common people of my dynasty all live a good life, I will retire and return to my hometown. I will be a rich man, and let Xiaobao and Juan have two more children, to be happy at my knees.
Suhang is a good place, but I don't want to be an official. I will go wherever it is difficult and let the people live a good life. Yizhou is poor, so I am happy to come here. "
Zhang Zhong, who did not know about this mission, really wanted to be a good local official.
Hearing Zhang Zhong's words, Fang Sima stood up and bowed respectfully. He said, "Your Excellency has a good temperament. I admire you. When you first came here, I didn't think much about this place. Now that I know you are here, I am relieved. If you have any orders in the future, I will rush to the front and let the people of Yizhou live a good life."
Fang Sima was not flattering. If it were someone else, he would not dare to be so bold. But he knew Zhang Zhong. In the letter, his son had written about Zhang Zhong in detail. Every time he went to a place, no matter how the place was like, he would definitely make the local people rich. It was too easy for such a person to govern Yizhou, which had a population of 4,000.
Zhang Zhong also stood up. "With Fang Sima's words, I will make Yizhou a prosperous place in two years."
Just as the two of them were appreciating each other, Old Man Bi, who was not too far away, had a worried expression on his face. He said to Old Man Zhang and Old Man Yao.
"It seems that Xiao Bao, Cuckoo, and the two masters of the Zhang family really did not tell others about this matter. Zhang Zhong is still in the mood to govern this place. We have to talk to him. Otherwise, it will be a waste of time. Let's see how the imperial court will discuss this matter. If they agree to let the sons of aristocratic families come here, there will be no need for Zhang Zhong."
"It's time to talk to him. At the same time, we have to ask Xiao Bao and Cuckoo what the arrangement is. If we told them earlier, they should have made preparations in advance. Why can't they see it when they arrive? Can't they think of a way? "
Old Man Yao was also anxious. He was not worried about whether Yizhou could be governed well. If there was really nothing else, he would let Zhang Zhong manage it well. With the ability of a master, it was too easy. The problem was that he could not do it now. Along the way, the Zhang family did not seem to have made any preparations at all.
Old Man Chang swallowed half a steamed bun and said, "Let's wait and see. Maybe they are making arrangements. Let's not disturb them."
Old Man Pi and Old Man Yao had to listen to Old Man Chang and continue to wait. If the Zhang family could not do it, then others could not.
Everyone had their own thoughts. When the meal was almost finished, a lot of people suddenly appeared in the city. It was estimated that there were more than 100 of them. They walked straight towards them.
"Send someone to ask. Could it be that they want to rebel?" Fang Sima said nervously.
Before anyone went over, the people of the Zhang family had already contacted them. They came back and reported, "Master, they said that they want to help and thank you."
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