The water flowed, and it was never too late to be happy. They cooked cows and sheep, drank wine, and exchanged cups.
Zhang Zhong really brought his family to the village. The three old men also wanted to see how life there was, so they followed along.
When they arrived, the three old men found that it was not easy to come to a conclusion. If they said that the locals were not living well, all of them seemed to be very happy, and there was no sign of worry in their eyes.
If they said that they were living well, all of their clothes were made of linen, and even the chief was the same. His face was obviously pale, and the little boy did not wear clothes, running around the mountain with his thighs exposed.
"This is the relationship between spiritual civilization and material civilization that Xiao Bao and Cuckoo often talk about. It would be good if we could let them obtain more material income without destroying their unity and upward spirit."
Old Man Pi was now like a theorist who specialized in this field, and said to Old Man Yao and Old Man Chang beside him.
Old Man Yao was also used to this kind of talk. Anyone could say it, and it was the kind that kept saying it. However, the most difficult thing was how to increase the income of the local people.
The outspoken Old Man Chang asked for Old Man Yao's opinion.
"Yongcheng, what do you think we should do to increase the income of the local people?"
When Zhang Zhong heard Old Man Chang ask him, he was just about to say his idea, but after thinking for a while, he asked, "I wonder if Uncle Zhang has a good idea?"
As he spoke, Zhang Zhong glanced at Old Man Pi and Old Man Yao, which meant that they had thought of a way.
Old Man Zhang shook his head at the same time. If they had a way, they would have said it long ago. The food produced in this place was enough for them to eat. Now that they were close to the prefectural city, it was more convenient to go outside. There was also the village that was far away. Only the wild animals on the mountain could be sold for some money. There were many fruits, but no one wanted them.
Using the method in Shuzhou to raise them? What could be raised on the mountain? This place seemed to be a place where people could ski, so that the commoners could earn a little money. However, not every mountain could ski.
Seeing that the three old men couldn't answer, Zhang Zhong stopped talking about this topic. He pointed to the trees on the mountain and said, "There are many trees here. Even if it is cold in winter, there is no lack of coal."
"Yes, cut them all down and make terraced fields," Old Man Chang thought Zhang Zhong was reminding them of the idea of harvesting the trees, so he immediately followed suit.
"Uncle Zhang, there are already enough mudslides here. Let's stop tormenting people. What I mean is to choose a mountain that won't affect the roads and people. We can cut down and plant on it. The skiers need to keep warm when they come here, so we can earn some money. This won't solve the fundamental problem."
When Zhang Zhong heard Old Man Chang's words, he was shocked. If they really did that, the commoners here would be finished. Although they didn't deliberately protect the environment, they couldn't deliberately destroy it. They could make use of it, but they couldn't risk their lives and not care about the survival of the future generations and destroy all the resources.
Now Old Man Chang understood that they were talking about the matter of skiing, not the way to make the commoners really rich.
The four of them talked and watched. The Jang Wong Clan brought the seven little ones and chatted with the three wives of the local clan leader with the help of the 'translator'.
Zhang Zhong wasn't afraid that his wife would say something wrong. Even if he said something wrong, his wife wouldn't do it. Even if the Jang Wong Clan didn't wear the title of nobility, she still looked dignified and amiable, which made the three wives of the clan leader feel very comfortable. Especially the seven little ones' cute appearance, they immediately conquered everyone.
Even the clan leader, who accompanied them, wanted to snatch one back and raise it himself. It would be even better if he could snatch two. The few of them talked and laughed as they entered the hall in the stronghold. This was the center of the entire stronghold. It was made of stone, and the walls outside the stronghold were built with a mixture of stone and wood.
The clan leader, Qiang Hu, was very enthusiastic. He didn't care if it was time for dinner. As soon as they arrived, he began to prepare. The cows used for farming were killed, the sheep were killed, and all kinds of animals hunted in the mountains were killed.
There was no need for other methods. In fact, they didn't have many cooking methods. They just took out the meat and roasted it. It was lively and convenient at the same time.
Old Man Pi and the other two saw that the cows were killed and felt distressed. They glanced at Zhang Zhong. Zhang Zhong seemed to be indifferent. It was as if the cows were no different from pigs.
While roasting the meat, the people in the stronghold danced and sang with Zhang Zhong and the Wang Clan. Wang Juan's father finally played a role at this time. Although he usually didn't care about anything, he had a high tolerance for alcohol. He was the kind of person who drank until the cup was empty. He helped Zhang Zhong drink a lot of alcohol.
Zhang Zhong didn't drink much usually. He was always drunk, so he usually drank some medicinal wine and wine. Even if he was socializing with others, Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan didn't allow him to drink too much. The medicine and soup for hangovers were all prepared.
Before coming this time, Zhang Zhong and the Wang Clan had prepared. They specifically drank the diuretic medicine prescribed by the doctor. At the same time, they also made a medicine that simulated the absorption of alcohol into the blood. This allowed the alcohol to be excreted through the urine as much as possible.
The people in the inner courtyard of Zhang Zhong and the Wang Clan were specially used to compete with others in drinking. They tried to eat as little as possible. That would fill their stomachs and make it difficult for the alcohol to be excreted. After mixing with food, more alcohol would enter the bloodstream.
Chief Qiang Hu drank a little too much. When he wasn't drunk, he also spoke a lot. He hugged Zhang Zhong, who was also full of smiles, and said, "Brother Zhang, good, good official. I've never seen an official like you, especially one from your family. You can sing and dance. Don't worry, I'll pay the rent this year and also the tribute. Even if the other strongholds don't take it, I'll gather enough money for you to send to the capital."
"Then I'll have to thank Brother Qiang Hu. Brother Qiang Hu's wine is also good. Come, let's drink."
Zhang Zhong didn't care about the rent or the tribute. He just didn't want to send the wine to the capital. Who could do anything to him? This place wasn't like Shuzhou, where the annual rent was not high and the tribute was high. The rent from Yizhou was paid by the province. If he refused to pay the tribute, who would dare to impeach him? The rent was not even enough to cover the salaries of the two families.
Wang Juan's father, who had a mission, also came over. He threw away the cup in his hand and said under the puzzled gazes of others, "It's not enough. Change bowls and drink."
Qiang Hu also knew who this was. He was a Rank 3 official. Seeing that the official was so bold, he also changed bowls.
The other people who were drinking also changed their cups. Only Old Man Pi and the other two didn't move. They still couldn't tell what was good about the wine. Seeing Zhang Zhong praise it without blushing, the three old men were really helpless.
If the wine was good, then what was the wine made by the Zhang family? When did the people who opened the restaurant learn to lie with their eyes wide open?
As they drank, a problem appeared. The meat was mostly eaten by the people in the stronghold. The people of the Zhang Family and the Wang Family rarely touched it, but they drank a lot of wine. How much wine could there be in a small stronghold? Wine was made with grain.
After Zhang Zhong drank another bowl of wine, the people in the stronghold found Qiang Hu and whispered that there was no wine left.
This time, Qiang Hu was dumbfounded. He was drinking to his heart's content, but the wine was gone. This … this was embarrassing. Could he tell the guests to stop drinking and drink all the wine?
Just as Qiang Hu was in a dilemma, Wang Juan's father spoke. He said to Zhang Zhong, "In-law, I remember that we also brought a lot of wine when we came. Don't drink the same kind all the time. Let's change."
"Yes, yes, if you didn't mention it, I would have forgotten. Indeed, Brother Qiang Hu, why don't you try the wine I brought?" Zhang Zhong had been waiting for this opportunity. He was really afraid that they wouldn't be able to finish the wine in the stronghold, so he used a negotiating tone when he asked. After all, it wasn't good to take the wine when someone was treating you to a meal.
Qiang Hu couldn't care less about anything else. All the wine in the stronghold had been drunk. Since Zhang Zhong brought the wine over, he might as well drink it. He happily agreed and ordered someone to follow him to get more wine.
When the wine was changed, the three old men who had been drinking quietly poured out the wine in their cups. They held their cups in their hands and waited for someone to pour the wine brought by Zhang Zhong. Only after drinking the wine made by the Zhang family did they know what wine was. They thought that Zhang Zhong wouldn't send bad wine to the stronghold. Besides, the Zhang family didn't have any bad wine either.
As soon as the people in the stronghold drank the new wine, they all became excited. It was good wine, and it wasn't brewed with grains. When they drank it, it was quite strong. There were all kinds of fruit flavors. Even the children drank a few mouthfuls and clamored to drink more.
Qiang Hu drank a bowl of wine and smacked his lips. He looked at Zhang Zhong in confusion and asked, "Brother Zhang, where did your wine come from? Why does it taste better than mine? "
Zhang Zhong thought to himself, "Isn't this nonsense? If my wine can't catch up with your stronghold's, why would I open a restaurant? The most important thing is that you don't have a good son and a good daughter-in-law."
"Brother Qiang Hu, to tell you the truth, there are countless restaurants in my family. There are people who specialize in wine making in each place. They make wine according to the local conditions. This time, when I came to Yizhou, I also planned to find a place to specialize in wine making. It should be in Mengdao County. I want to make wine with strong flavor, not soy flavor. You wouldn't understand even if I told you. You just need to know that I want to build a wine-making place here.
The wine you drink is made with fruits from Shuzhou. There are wild fruits all over the mountains and plains there. No one wants them at all. In Heitian, no one wants them, but I want them. I make them into fruit wine. After fermentation, I add some white wine during the second fermentation process.
See, the taste has changed. It tastes good and has a bit of aftertaste. When you drink it, it lingers in your mouth. After drinking it, you feel dizzy and comfortable. I originally planned to sell it in the restaurant, but unfortunately, before I could brew some, I came here and couldn't sell it.
The main thing is that there are many people there who can help pick the fruits. There are also many fruits. It's a pity that a wine that can make you rich doesn't have the benefits here. "
Zhang Zhong seemed to have drunk too much. He squinted his eyes and complained to Qiang Hu.
Qiang Hu was also confused, but he understood. When he heard Zhang Zhong's words, he had an idea and said, "Brother Zhang, there are many fruits here. And the Heitian you mentioned, is it this thing?"
Seeing the residue left in the wine for some reason, Qiang Hu wandered to the side of the wall and found several black fruits the size of soybeans. He brought them to Zhang Zhong.
"Yes, this is it. It can also cure diseases. Are there many fruits here?" Zhang Zhong took one, threw it into his mouth, and swallowed it.
"Many, many, many, the whole mountain is full of them. No one eats them, and people don't want them when you ship them to the outside. There is no need to be afraid of few people. Everyone, adults and children, will do it. Since you have nothing to do, you can take out and sell the good wine and let others taste the wine here."
Qiang Hu was simple and didn't know what Zhang Zhong was thinking. He felt that he had a good relationship with Zhang Zhong, so he wanted to help.
Old Man Yao and the other two listened at the side. At this time, they finally knew what Zhang Zhong wanted to do. Instead of ordering others to do something, it was better to let others find it themselves. This move was really silent. No wonder he insisted on holding a banquet and a ball at the foot of the mountain. It turned out that he wanted to drink the wine of others and take out his wine to 'seduce' others.
Good ability, they couldn't help but be impressed.
"If all the local officials can be like this, why worry that the people of Tang can't live a good life? Yongcheng is usually listless and afraid of his wife, but now he is quite pleasing to the eye. "
Old Man Chang whispered to Old Man Pi and Old Man Yao. He felt that the wine in his mouth tasted better than before.
"Good wine. Many of the wild fruits here in the mountain have turned into wine, which is valuable. The first method is to build a ski resort. The second method is to make wine. Let's see what other methods there are."
Old Man Yao was also in a good mood. Being able to see the local people living a good life was sweeter than eating honey.
Old Man Pi was also very emotional. "Seeking merit, not publicity. The Zhang family's way of doing things is still so unpredictable. Perhaps in the future, the people here will understand Zhang Zhong's good intentions."
Zhang Zhong had already started to discuss cooperation with Qiang Hu. Zhang Zhong began to propose to help the stronghold make wine and sell it for free.
Qiang Hu didn't agree. He wanted to help Zhang Zhong pick fruits for free. As for selling them or not, it didn't matter.
Neither of them gave in. In the end, Wang Juan's father came up with an idea so that neither side would lose out. This year, they would let people pick fruits and the Zhang family would buy them to make wine. They would make wine in the city and let the people in the stronghold learn. Next year, Zhang Zhong would no longer buy fruits. He would buy wine, do the second fermentation himself, and sell it in the restaurant. This way, no one would lose out, and no one would take advantage of the other.
Zhang Zhong, who was in a daze, and Qiang Hu, who was in a daze, agreed happily. The matter was settled in this way. After that, it was time to drink and celebrate. Zhang Zhong also sent a lot of spices to the stronghold to test on the barbecued meat. The taste was really good.
"The Zhang family will lose out this time. The wine will be sold immediately after the fruits are put away. The Zhang family needs to put in money first to give the locals a chance to make money in advance. The first fermentation will take at least three months to make wine, and the second fermentation will also take about five months to make wine.
When did the Zhang family pick fruits and make wine in Shuzhou with the locals? There don't seem to be many wild fruits there, and there's not enough time. "
As Old Man Pi spoke, he suddenly thought of this very important question.
Old Man Chang explained, "Those are Lu Zhou's fruits. They've been there for two years. Of course, the taste is good. It's impossible to achieve this taste in eight months. If the taste is not good enough, Qiang Hu will think it's not easy to sell. How can he agree? I think it will take at least two years for the Zhang family to turn the fruits in Yi Zhou into wine before they can make money.
What's this called? Yes, holding the goods. The Zhang family usually likes to use the 'quasi-cash flow' method when doing business. That is, they try to transfer as much money as possible. When doing business, they always put in a small part of their money and let the local merchants cooperate. If it weren't for the sake of the local people, they wouldn't be willing to put money here. "
"That's right. I heard Xiao Bao and Cuckoo occasionally mention that there's a method called cash flow to make money. Something like borrowing, splitting, and mortgaging should be more profitable. However, Cuckoo doesn't seem to agree, and Xiao Bao also said so. I really don't know what kind of method it is. Why don't they use it?"
Old Man Pi also knew some things. He didn't know that this kind of business model would cause financial turmoil, especially when Zhang Xiaobao was operating it. In this era, if Zhang Xiaobao wanted to, he could mess up the entire financial system of Tang. The financial system was already unstable, especially when it came to currency exchange.
Qiang Hu didn't know what this brother of his planned, and he didn't know the specific situation of the Zhang family. He didn't even know where Shuzhou was. He only knew that this official was good, and Zhang Zhong's little guys were fun to play with. It was a pity that he couldn't snatch them.
Looking at the seven little guys and then looking at his own children, the difference was like heaven and earth. Even if they changed into the same beautiful clothes, it still wouldn't work.
"Brother Zhang, how did you raise your children? Aiya, I wish I could take a pair of them and put them at home. They sit there like little adults. When other people go over to talk to them, they always welcome them with a smile. My family's children are far worse. They are not big, but their tempers are not small."
Qiang Hu pulled Zhang Zhong and asked with jealousy.
Zhang Zhong thought to himself, Of course. Look at who's teaching them. You haven't seen Xiao Bao and Cuckoo. Otherwise, wouldn't you be jealous to death? How can the methods of immortals be compared to mortals? Sigh ~! He didn't know if his son and daughter-in-law had suffered along the way. When this matter was over, he would really have to become an official in Luoyang or Beijing. He didn't want his two children to run around and suffer along with him.
Sighing softly, Zhang Zhong put on a smile and said, "Brother Qiang Hu, this isn't easy. Send your children to my place and see if they can play with Xiaobei and the others. It'll be fine if they stay with me for a while."
"This … It's not easy to control my two children. If I'm not careful, they'll run away. They won't listen to me no matter how I beat them. If I leave them with you, won't they cause trouble for you?"
Qiang Hu was really tempted. Not to mention whether he could learn to be as sensible as the other children, even the food and drink at the foot of the mountain was better than on the mountain. However, he heard that when Zhang Zhong came, the seven children had their own big houses, the kind with wheels below, and there were specialized doctors to take care of them.
If he really sent them down, they wouldn't have to worry about getting sick. They could eat well and play well. They could even learn how to read and write with other children. Look at other children. They could actually use a branch to write their names on the ground. If they learned it, when they met people from other strongholds in the future, they could squat there and write their names. Aiya, that would be so embarrassing. Now, he could only be envious of other children.
When Zhang Zhong saw that Qiang Hu's words had some meaning, he immediately said, "Don't worry. Children run around looking for things to play with. I have a lot of toys. As long as there are children to play with, they'll be safe. This matter is settled. We'll take them back at night. The more the merrier."
This time, Qiang Hu didn't insist and happily agreed. Suddenly, he thought of something and said, "Brother Zhang, how about this? I'll look for people from other strongholds to pick fruits together so that your family can brew more wine."
"Really? Then Brother Qiang Hu has helped me a lot. Drink. "Zhang Zhong was completely relieved. He raised the bowl and drank it all.
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