The private room on the third floor of Between the Clouds and the Water was very spacious. There were three large tables and plenty of space.
Fang Youshan sat at a table close to the window. From the floor-to-ceiling glass, he could clearly see the houses in the distance, the snow on the houses, and the gray sky.
If he wasn't the provincial governor of Yin Province, Fang Youshan would be very willing to warm up the wine and chat with a few friends in such an environment.
But obviously, he didn't dare to do so. Even thinking about it made him afraid. He came to the banquet because he was worried that something had happened to the rich merchants in Yin Province. To be precise, something had happened to the merchants in Rulin County.
As the administrative center of the province, Rulin County was both the county office and the office of the provincial office. It was considered the political and economic center of Yin Province, and a place where merchants liked to gather.
The county magistrate of Rulin County didn't come because his position wasn't high enough. He was very sad. He belonged to the legendary category of people who didn't do good in their previous lives. There was a saying, "Evil in the previous life, evil in this life, evil in the past, evil in the past, evil in the present, evil in the past, evil in the past, evil in the past, evil in the past, evil in the past, evil in the past, evil in the provincial capital."
For example, Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan were once city officials in the provincial capital. Originally, they should have been the most powerful in the city, but the provincial and provincial governments also had offices there.
As the highest official in Yin Province, Fang Youshan had a good life. Seeing the stern faces of the merchants today, he couldn't help but feel uneasy. He thought, "Is there nothing to sell?"
While Fang Youshan was thinking, the dishes were served. There was a plate of tofu, a plate of cold pork rind, a big pot of cabbage, stewed pork belly with vermicelli, a plate of pig intestines, a plate of bean sprouts mixed with tofu, a plate of stir-fried tenderloin with mushrooms, a plate of steamed pork knuckle, and a pile of bones with meat.
Even if there were eight dishes, there was no abalone, shark fin, sea cucumber, bear paw, venison, and so on.
Fang Youshan let out a long breath. He was really afraid that if the merchants ordered those dishes, he would immediately get up and leave. Otherwise, if a provincial governor went to Between the Clouds and the Water to eat that during a disaster, he would be tired of living.
Even so, Fang Youshan was very careful when he looked at the waiter. He kept saying, "There's too much, too much, I can't finish it."
"Provincial Governor, you don't have to be so courteous with us. Today's dishes and wine will not be paid for by the province. In a while, there will be pork trotters soup. Eight dishes and one soup. It's not much. Look, there are twelve people at the table. We can all finish it.
A person sitting next to Fang Youshan said enthusiastically.
Fang Youshan recognized him. He was the president of the Silver State Chamber of Commerce, Mi Cang Man. It was a name that could express happiness. Other than him, there were also two vice-presidents, Qi Miao and Du Yao, as well as a group of directors. All of them were outstanding talents in various industries in the Yin Province. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the Yin Province's commodities were under their control.
Fang Youshan glanced at the snow that was still falling outside the window and swept her gaze over the steaming hot dishes on the table. She said, "I don't think wine is necessary, right?"
"Of course, Lord Fang. No matter what, you have to drink with us today. It's a very important matter." Mi Cang Man continued to persuade with a smile.
The waiter brought in a container to warm the wine. The strong aroma of the white wine assailed the nostrils. Frequent drinkers could tell that this wine was at least 50% alcohol by just smelling it.
Qi Miao immediately received the waiter and poured the wine into the three qian cup in front of Fang Youshan. He stopped when it was full and poured it for someone else.
"Lord Fang, we are very grateful that you have honored us with your presence today. Come, come, come. With such a snowy scene, let's toast." Mi Cang Man picked up his wine and stood up to toast Fang Youshan. Without waiting for him to speak, he raised his head and downed the entire cup. He slowly exhaled and praised, "Good wine."
The others followed suit.
Seeing this, Fang Youshan could only pick up the wine cup and lightly sip it. About a qian worth of wine entered his mouth. He lightly smacked his lips twice and savored the aftertaste. He nodded and admitted that it was good wine.
Mi Cang Man hurriedly filled up the wine cup for the provincial governor and recommended the dishes, "Lord, please eat. I like to eat the big bones Between the Clouds and the Water the most. It's better than the meat. I didn't know why before, but after thinking about it, maybe it's because of the hard work of the meat."
As he spoke, he picked up a big bone and took a few bites, rubbing off the oil in his mouth.
The others also picked up a bone and ate it, not paying attention to the other dishes.
Fang Youshan wondered if the bones were really delicious. He stretched out his chopsticks and picked up a rib that looked easy to remove. He tore it with his teeth and put it into his mouth. After chewing slightly, his brows furrowed.
'Bones Between the Clouds and the Water? If the bones Between the Clouds and the Water were cooked to this taste, then it wouldn't be called Between the Clouds and the Water. Other than salt, there seems to be nothing else, and it's not cooked yet. Look at the white foam on the bones, it probably hasn't even been heated once. '
Fang Youshan was very surprised. He didn't believe that the dishes Between the Clouds and the Water would taste like this.
With doubts, Fang Youshan picked up other dishes. After that, he was satisfied. The other seven dishes tasted good, as expected of Between the Clouds and the Water, a well-known signature dish.
Fang Youshan put down his chopsticks and picked up the wine cup. He looked at Mi Cang Man.
Mi Cang Man was gritting his teeth, looking pained. When he saw the provincial governor looking over, he showed an embarrassed look. He grabbed the wine cup with his oily hand and said, "Lord, drink."
Fang Youshan drank another mouthful and began to look around. Everyone seemed to be in pain and asked, "Not good?"
"Lord, it's stuffed. I said before that cooking a big pot is different from cooking a small pot, but they didn't believe me. Sure enough, after cooking for a while, it's still not cooked." Vice President Du Yao complained.
"Cook again." Mi Cang Man scratched his teeth with his hand and blurted out two words.
Fang Youshan was at a loss. He picked up the toothpick box on the table and pushed it over, asking, "You put in the salt too early, right?"
"Yes." Mi Cang Man clapped his hands and said, "It's true. It's said that you should put in the salt after cooking the bones. Moreover, the bones should be cracked open as much as possible so that the meat will rot faster. Lord, you're amazing. I salute you."
Fang Youshan picked up the wine cup and drank again. He wanted to see what this group of people wanted from him.
Mi Cang Man breathed out a mouthful of wine and smiled at Fang Youshan, "Lord, I won't hide it from you. I invited you here today because I have something to discuss with you."
"Well said, well said." Fang Youshan smiled in response.
"Lord, I'm sure you know that it's snowing heavily in Yin Province. The flat areas are almost waist-deep and the thicker areas are as tall as a person. We had a meeting last night and decided to discuss with you whether or not we don't need to open Changping Warehouse in Yin Province. "
Mi Cang Man filled Fang Youshan's cup with wine as he spoke. As soon as he finished speaking, he raised the cup and toasted again.
Fang Youshan was stunned. Then, his face filled with anger and his eyes widened. But after a while, he put on a smile. It wasn't a cold smile, but a very relaxed one. He leaned back on the chair and raised the cup to his mouth. He raised his head and drank it all. He closed his eyes and savored the aftertaste.
After a while, Fang Youshan opened his eyes and said with a smile, "Good wine, let's all drink."
"Drink, drink." Everyone obeyed.
"Boss Mi, President Mi." Fang Youshan spoke to Mi Cang Man politely.
"And all the presidents and directors, it's not that I don't want to give you face, but you've gone too far. It's snowing heavily in Yin Province. If you don't let the government open the warehouse, I won't say whether the troops stationed in Yin Province can raid your houses. I'll just say that even if you arrange for manpower in the army, how much money do you think you can make?
How long can you block the news when you're making a fortune? Then, where will you run with the money? How long will it take for Xiaobei and the others to find out? How long will it take to catch up with you? Eat. "
Fang Youshan stopped talking and began to pick up the food.
This time, it was the merchants' turn to be stunned. They looked at each other and smiled.
Vice President Qi Miao raised the cup. "Lord, I toast you. You're a good official."
Fang Youshan didn't move.
Qi Miao drank the wine and refilled the cup. He held it in his hand again. "Lord, Xiaobei's protection team is in Yin Province. If they know that there are merchants in Ru Lin County who have made a fortune, they'll send a vanguard team over in three days at most. It's only about two hundred and sixty kilometers from where they said they were stationed to Ru Lin County.
Although the snow has sealed off the road, they will definitely arrive within three days. If they had sent the small group of elites to protect them, before this time tomorrow, our heads will definitely fall to the ground. Xiao Bei and the others, who have the intention to kill, will not let us live for more than twenty-four hours. We have never doubted that they have the ability to do so. "
After he finished speaking, he finished the wine.
"Oh? Afraid? "Fang Youshan asked with a smile. He still didn't drink.
"Afraid? If you don't do anything wrong, you won't be afraid of ghosts knocking on your door. "Qi Miao was still pouring wine and holding it." Lord, you misunderstood. It's our fault that we didn't explain clearly. "
"Yes, it's our fault." Mi Cang Man followed. The others echoed.
Qi Miao continued, "Daren should know that there is only grain in Changping Warehouse in Yin Province, unlike in the capital. There is meat, oil, cloth, and other miscellaneous things that have been frozen for a long time. Therefore, there is not much use for you to open Changping Warehouse.
As for us, although we're cheap merchants, we know that we have to do our best at crucial times. Everyone knows that the heavens are heartless. As for us in the Chamber of Commerce … we've never counted on the heavens. What does the heavens have to do with us?
It's said that there's a way to go against the heavens. Therefore, we've decided to try. Lord, you know that every time there's a disaster, the people in the affected areas suffer. Our Chamber of Commerce thinks, why? Because the heavens are angry? Bah!
So what if the heavens are angry? The people in Kaguang County were still taken away by Xiaobei. I don't know what's going on over there, but I believe that they'll be fine. Xiaobei will settle them down.
Normally, our Chamber of Commerce is very idle. Now that we have something to do, we'll go against the heavens. Thus, we came to discuss with you. We won't open Changping Warehouse, but we'll take care of the remaining three counties in Yin Province.
You should be able to see that most of the dishes on the table are pork. Director Ding E is the largest supplier of pigs in the province. Apart from Kaguang County, he has breeding bases in the other three counties. He's already sent a telegram for the other two counties to cooperate with the slaughter of pigs. Starting tomorrow morning, pork bone soup will be provided for free. At the same time, the price of each cut of pork will be reduced by one copper coin. "
Ding E stood up and cupped his fists at Fang You Shan.
Qi Miao continued, "My family sells vegetable oil. Starting tomorrow, soybean oil will be reduced by one copper coin. Vice President Du's family sells grain. Every bushel of rice will be reduced by two copper coins. A bag of ten catties of flour will be reduced by three copper coins. The president's family sells fine cotton and ready-made clothes. Starting tomorrow morning, cotton cloth will be reduced by two copper coins. Ready-Made clothes will be given a 50% discount.
As for the other industries managed by the directors, apart from luxury goods, starting tomorrow, the prices of Yin Province's three counties will be reduced. At the same time, starting tomorrow, until the roads are reopened, there will be free steamed buns, porridge, soup, pancakes, and other breakfasts every morning. There will be free bone soup at noon. Every night, the villagers can participate in barbecue parties and watch programs.
Of course, during the day, they have to work to repair the damaged houses in the three counties as soon as possible and clear the snow. We'll have to trouble Milord to arrange everything.
The people from the Chamber of Commerce just want to let the heavens see a festive Yin Province, let them see the cheerful faces of the children, and let them see how warm the hearts of people are in the cold snow. Milord, please. "
Qi Miao drank another cup of wine and praised, "It's delicious."
At this time, Fang You Shan's face was full of shock. As he listened to Qi Miao, his eyes swept across the faces of the merchants. When Qi Miao finished drinking, he hurriedly stood up and cupped his hands to the people around him. He picked up the small wine pot and didn't pour it into the wine cup.
He said to the crowd, "Everyone, you are all good people. This official was wrong. This official is deeply ashamed. I respect all of you. You are all loyal soldiers of the Yin Province, the backbone of the Great Tang. Cheers."
The wine pot in front of him was four taels. He drank a little just now, so there was still more than three taels left. He drank all of it in one breath. It was much more satisfying than the small wine cup of three taels.
"Cheers." Everyone raised their cups at the same time.
"Milord, eat the vegetables and suppress the wine." Mi Cang hurriedly urged.
Fang You Shan threw down his chopsticks and grabbed a pig bone. He bit into it and began to tear it off. He nodded as he ate, vaguely saying that it was delicious.
In fact, the bone was not fully cooked because there was only a little salt. There was even foam on it, but Fang You Shan thought that this was the most delicious thing.
He believed that from tomorrow onwards, all the people of Yin Province would praise this bone.
He never thought that today would be like this. He didn't even dare to think about it. He only thought that because of the heavy snow, he needed to open the Changping Warehouse to release grain to suppress the sudden surge in grain prices. As long as there was food, the people would be able to persevere.
He considered that if the prices of various goods were too high, he would ask the people of the Chamber of Commerce, "Do you want to provoke Xiao Bao? Do you plan to go bankrupt after making a profit? "
He thought that this could scare the people of the Chamber of Commerce and keep the prices of Yin Province within a certain range. It would be fine after the roads were cleared. A large amount of relief materials would flood in and the prices would not go up anymore.
But from now on, Fang You Shan felt that he didn't need to think about scaring anyone with Xiao Bao anymore. He just needed to go back to the yamen and start to mobilize the people to work together. Then, he would cooperate with the people of the Chamber of Commerce to mobilize various materials.
After that, he would write a letter of commendation and send it to the imperial court. He just needed to tell the truth.
This was the merchant of Yin Province. This was the merchant of Yin Province during the snow disaster. The people of Yin Province would definitely be shocked tomorrow. They would never think that during the snow disaster, not only did the prices of Yin Province not go up, but they also went down. There was free food in the morning, at noon, and at night, as well as entertainment.
Under the pressure of the heavens, the adults would not despair, the elderly were still kind, and the children were still so happy. No, they shouldn't think like that. It should be that the adults had more hope for the future, the elderly were more kind, and the children were happier.
But the meat on the bones did not rot.
Fang You Shan, who had stuffed his mouth to his teeth, used his hand to scratch a few times and said to the people around him, "You have to continue cooking. It's best to add some coriander and chopped green onions on top of the soup."
"You're right, sir. We will also prepare pepper and ginger. If you need it, add it yourself to dispel the cold." Mi Cang Man added.
Fang You Shan nodded satisfactorily, "Very good, very thoughtful. When I go back, I will write a memorial and submit it to the imperial court. We have to send the news first so that the imperial court does not need to worry and can better allocate the materials. Tell me your names later."
"Thank you, sir." Mi Cang Man smiled, "We think so too. We hope that the imperial court will praise us in the newspapers."
"Yes, yes." Fang You Shan was certain.
Thus, the host and guests enjoyed themselves and finished all the dishes on the table. Everyone went downstairs and went back to arrange things.
*****
The protection team, who were still camping by the Yellow River, was busy.
They needed to circle the airdrop location. It was a very large area and there was also an obvious thick line made by piling up tree branches. Someone was there to clear the falling snow from time to time to give the people in the sky a different visual difference from other places. Once the line was crossed, the airdrop could be dropped. There was no need to be accurate within a few dozen meters.
The people of Hehejin soon got along well with the people of Kaguang County. The adults found things to do when they were not tired. The children went to rest after bathing. Even Nan Nan, who had always wanted to play with Xiao Bei, did not have the energy. She lay on the mattress, curled herself into a ball and fell asleep very quickly.
"I'm sleeping too. Wake me up when the plane arrives." Xiao Bei, who had been worried and busy the whole morning, could not take it anymore. He took off his coat, wore a sweater, and got into bed. He covered his head and went to sleep.
"Everyone sleep, everyone sleep." Xiao Yuan was not in the mood to wait. He estimated that the plane would only arrive after a while. He learned from Xiao Bei and slept with his clothes on.
Xiao Yuan and the rest did not force themselves to stay awake. One by one, they went to find a place to rest.
The people of the Seedling Protection Team were still doing things according to their usual training. Some of them were completely relaxed, some of them were taking a nap, some of them were doing light work, and some of them were busy.
With such adjustments, they could maintain a portion of them at their peak condition at any time and throw themselves into an emergency situation. It was the most common level three combat readiness.
The current heavy snow was not worth the Seedling Protection Team being in a state of level one combat readiness. Therefore, they were very relaxed. The open and hidden sentries changed every hour. The kitchen provided food 24 hours a day. It was all too common for the Seedling Protection Team to repair the tents and clear the snow.
However, in the eyes of the people of Kaguang County and Hehejin, the Seedling Protection Team was now in a very tense state. The people of the Seedling Protection Team were busy all the time. The hidden sentries hid themselves under the snow, the open sentries stood motionless, and the mobile sentries made squeaking sounds as they moved through the snow.
There were also medical personnel checking the bodies of the people like themselves. Some people brought the children to class. The chefs who cooked would come every once in a while to ask if they were hungry and what they wanted to eat. There were also people doing fire prevention, moisture prevention, and collapse prevention checks.
It was really too busy. It would tire them out.
Some people could not stand it anymore. They thought that the Seedling Protection Team was working so hard for them. Therefore, they found Sun Mao and discussed with him whether they should arrange more work for them so that the Seedling Protection Team would not tire themselves out.
Sun Mao really went to find someone to talk to. In the end, when he came back, he was full of smiles. He waved at more than ten people who were the most worried and led them out.
The fifteen people who followed Sun Mao were puzzled. They came to the outside of a tent with Sun Mao and watched as Sun Mao gently lifted the curtain of the tent and gestured for them to take a look. One by one, they gathered there like thieves.
There were a total of ten beds in the tent. Each bed had a person sleeping in a different position. There were guns at the head of the bed, and there were also folded and taken off clothes. Through the gap, there was no smell of sweat or mud, nor was there any smell of feet. Instead, there was a faint floral fragrance. It gave people the feeling that the tent was clean and tidy. The Seedling Protection Team members slept comfortably and peacefully.
After the fifteen people had taken a look, Sun Mao led them through the tents one by one. These were all the people who were resting. After walking through dozens of tents, Sun Mao stopped and said to the people who followed him, "See? There are still many people sleeping. Follow me and take a look. "
Sun Mao went through a few more rows of tents and lifted the curtain for them to take a look. The people inside were also sleeping, but they did not take off their clothes. Furthermore, they were holding guns. As if sensing that someone was looking in, the people facing the curtain opened their eyes and looked over. They smiled and narrowed their eyes again.
After looking through more than a dozen tents, Sun Mao said, "They're not busy. Follow me."
The fifteen people continued to follow him. This time, they could already hear voices outside the tent. Some people were singing softly, some were telling jokes, and some were reciting something under their breaths.
Just as Sun Mao was about to open a gap, the person inside spoke.
"I'm going to take a walk outside and see if there's anything. When I come back, take out the chess pieces if you want to play." When the voice came, the curtain was lifted from the inside. A person holding a notebook and a pen walked out. When he saw Sun Mao and the others, he was stunned at first. Then he said, "County Magistrate Sun, are you here to play chess?"
"No, I'm just looking. I'm curious," Sun Mao quickly replied.
"Look around, look around. If there's anything you don't understand, come and ask. Everyone has nothing to do. Remember not to bring open flames into the tents. Some of them have firearms and oil. If we're not careful, we'll all be in the sky." After saying this, the person walked away.
The fifteen people following Sun Mao fell silent. After a while, Huangfu Yexian, the Guan Jin of He Hejin, muttered to Xiahou Yi, who was beside him, "So they didn't take it seriously. I thought that they would be very nervous and tired in such heavy snow. Who would have thought that I was wrong?"
"Isn't that so? If it wasn't for the fact that it's still snowing, and that we've walked so far, I would have thought that we were on a … what was it again? Oh, a vacation. It looks like a vacation. But look at the intensity of their patrolling. It's even more intense than the other regular local troops we've seen before. What a contrast. "Xiahou Yi frowned and said in puzzlement.
Sun Mao, who was beside him, interjected, "What else could it be? They're strong. The low-intensity arrangement of the protection team is the high-intensity arrangement of the other local troops. Someone once told me that the people of the protection team are very efficient. The individual quality of the soldiers is strong, and the teamwork is good. Everyone in the team knows how to plan.
They don't just listen to the orders of the higher-ups. Each of them knows the overall goal of the team, followed by the battalion goal, and then the team goal. They will adjust when they do their own things to cooperate with the work of others.
For example, when there are ten people in a team, and two people suddenly leave, the other eight people will adjust on their own and share the work of the two people who left. When they return, they will return to their original positions. They don't have to wait for the leader to find out about the situation and think of a way to arrange the order.
In other words, each of them knows the strategic intention and the tactical arrangement. They can assist other people at any time. They can also become the command center in an instant. If there's an emergency and the overall formation is disrupted … "
"They will immediately form a new formation." Huangfu Yexiu finished the sentence in surprise.
"Doesn't that mean that each of them has the commanding ability of a battalion commander and above?" Xiahou Yi was also surprised.
"Shouldn't they?" Sun Mao asked with a smile. He continued, "How dare they join the protection team if they don't have some ability? Someone told me that they are not just pure combatants. They can form the framework of a country. We all know that the protection team is the most powerful team in the Tang Empire. It's just that we haven't understood it in detail before. The people don't have the idea of knowing everything about the protection team. They only need to know that they are omnipotent, right? "
Xiahou Yi nodded. "Yes, now that you mention it, I really feel that way. After thinking about it carefully, I realized that the protection team is actually the most familiar and the most mysterious team. Familiar because we know that the protection team is the most solid support. Mysterious because we don't know how they operate internally. Thinking about it, I feel that it's very interesting. Don't you guys wonder? Why is that so? "
As soon as he said that, everyone fell into deep thought. It was really like what he said. The protection team seemed to be around everyone. When children played war games, there would always be people who would rush to play the role of the protection team. However, no child had specifically thought about understanding the specific division of labor of the protection team. Every child had their own understanding of the protection team. However, no one had specifically asked about how the protection team was like.
The internal operation and coordination method of the protection team was actually selectively forgotten by everyone just like that. It was unbelievable. What went wrong?
When everyone was thinking about it, some people suddenly felt cold all over, as if their thoughts were being controlled by someone to make them forget some things.
"No, that's not right." A voice suddenly sounded behind everyone. Everyone was startled and could not help but turn around to look.
Xu Yilong was here. He could not sleep. Coincidentally, there were a few questions that he did not know how to answer. He planned to come over and learn from the person who came up with the strategy in the protection team, so he strolled over here. The person who could come up with strategies in the protection team was not bad at all.
Sun Mao heaved a sigh of relief and introduced, "He's Xu Yilong. His grandfather has a very high position in Jixian Courtyard. He told me a lot of things before. He's a few years older than Xiaobei and the rest. He follows Xiaobei and the rest, accompanying them to play and learning at the same time."
"Oh!" Everyone expressed that they understood.
Xu Yilong was not in a hurry to find someone to ask questions. Instead, he said to everyone, "Your perspective is wrong. The protection team has never been mysterious. It's just that many people are not willing to waste time to understand it. In everyone's eyes, the protection team is not a combat team. It's a sublimated stability and happiness. It's an umbrella in the rain and snow, a shade under the scorching sun.
Wherever the protection team appears, everyone can sleep in peace, eat in peace, and not be afraid of anything. Think about it carefully. What is this?
This is home, and this is parents. It can be said that most people are familiar with their own father or mother. However, how many people specifically conduct a rational analysis of their parents' psychology and behavior? Many children imitate their parents when they play house, but who can completely reflect their parents' actions and psychology?
Everyone, think about it carefully. Do you really understand your parents? Anyway, I can't. Every time I want to make a record, fill in the form of my father's or mother's behavior, and then apply behavioral psychology, I feel very awkward. It makes me feel unfamiliar with my parents. I feel disgusted and resist it from the bottom of my heart.
It's the same for the protection team. It's not that everyone can't understand, but they're not willing to. Subconsciously, they make us refuse to analyze and dissect the details of the protection team. We're more willing to think that the protection team is the closest to us. It's the strongest. It's my support and my shelter.
Others can't scold the protection team, and others can't belittle the protection team. Otherwise, it's insulting me, just like who scolds my parents. Understand? It's a very simple principle. You guys continue with your work. I'm going to ask a few questions. "
Xu Yilong analyzed, waved at Sun Mao and the rest, and went into the tent.
Sun Mao and the rest looked at each other.
"He's indeed knowledgeable." Huangfu Yexiu sighed.
"He's right. After thinking about it, it's really like that. Haha!" Xiahou Yi no longer felt afraid.
"So the protection team has always been in this position in my heart?" Sun Mao rubbed his hands.
The rest nodded. It seemed that it was really simple. When facing the protection team, they already treated themselves as children. However, this was not shameful. The protection team was very good as a parent and had never disappointed them. It was just like how they did not feel the slightest bit of fear even though the snow was still falling.
"Do you still want to continue watching?" Sun Mao asked.
Everyone thought about it and shook their heads. There was nothing to watch. It was fine as long as they knew that the protection team was not tired.
"Why don't … we go to the kitchen and take a look? What are we eating tonight? "Xiahou Yi suggested.
Sun Mao agreed. "That works too. It'll be good if we can have braised pork ribs. The last time we had braised pork ribs was a month ago."
"How can what you eat be the same as what the protection team eats?" Huangfu Yexiu teased.
A person from Kaguang County laughed and said, "It's the same. The Zhang Family and Wang Family sent people to our county to help us get rich. There's a chef among them. What do you think?"
"Why don't I have one?" Huangfu Yexiu asked enviously.
"Because you didn't send a telegram," another person from Kaguang County replied with a smile.
Huangfu Yexiu looked at Sun Mao and asked, "They'll come if we send a telegram?"
"Of course. How can parents not care when their children are saved? At that time, I sent a telegram at the end of the first year. They came at the beginning of the second year. It looked like they were going to have a good life. However, a heavy snow came and all the livestock and poultry were brought here. We'll just give them to the protection team. When we come back, we'll be familiar with them. It's simple. "
Sun Mao seemed to be comforting himself, but also seemed to be saying it for the people from Kaguang County to hear.
The people from Kaguang County felt that it was a pity. However, when they thought about how they were alive and already knew how to raise livestock, it was fine to spend a little more effort.
Everyone went around in circles as they talked. They were almost confused. After asking a few people on guard duty, they finally found a place to cook.
There were more than 20 big stoves. There were a few fires that were not extinguished. There were pots on them. Some were boiling water, while others were boiling soup.
At the side, there were a few people dissecting freshly slaughtered pigs. A few cooks sat at the table under the shed and ate. It looked like there was wine too.
Sun Mao and the others arrived. Before they could say anything, a cook at the table stood up and greeted them warmly, "County Magistrate Sun, you're here? I was just about to send someone to look for you. Come over here and sign the contract. "
As he spoke, the cook pulled Sun Mao to the table.
A stack of papers was placed on the table. Sun Mao did not look at them. He asked in confusion, "What contract?"
"A sales contract. Kaguang County brought a lot of live poultry and livestock. We'll buy them. There are two parts. One is the adult livestock and poultry. We'll pay directly. The other part is the cubs. I don't think they can be brought back alive. We'll kill them too. When the snow stops, we'll give you more cubs. You can continue to raise them. Just treat it as selling a batch of poultry and livestock. "
As the cook spoke, he passed a pen to Sun Mao for him to sign. There was also ink for his fingerprint or the county magistrate's seal.
Sun Mao tried to hide. "No, no, no. I'm not selling. I'm giving it to the protection team. How can I take this money? How are you trying to trap me? "
The other people from Kaguang County nodded vigorously in support of the county magistrate.
Huangfu Yecui and Xiahou Yi also felt that they should not take money. They ate and stayed in the other party's tent. Furthermore, the other party was the one who saved them. How could they accept money? They would be criticized behind their backs.
"What?!" The cook glared at Sun Mao. "It's not us who bought it. According to the imperial court's policy, the losses of the people in the affected areas are borne by the imperial court. After the disaster, the people there can continue to develop. Compared to the compensation paid by the Tang Empire, the people who can continue to develop steadily will create more wealth. It's not pity, it's to better maintain the speed of economic growth."
Another cook chimed in. "Your Kaguang County suffered a disaster. If there was no rescue, people would have died. Now, it's the livestock and poultry that were lost. If we compensate you with money, you can buy daily necessities and compensate your cubs and poultry seedlings. You won't have idle labor to waste.
Our protection team is eating for free because this portion of livestock and poultry is calculated according to the loss, and not according to the loss. It's our own account. "
Huangfu Yecui seemed to understand. He asked, "Are you saying that the protection team is falsifying the accounts to cheat the imperial court?"
"How is it false? It's really impossible to bring the livestock and poultry out alive. Even if the snow stops, the roads are difficult to get through. When the people of Kaguang County go back, they have to rebuild their houses. How can they take care of them? Therefore, losses are inevitable. It's just that we eat them, not throw them into the snow to freeze. For example, if we didn't bring the livestock and poultry out and left them in the county, wouldn't they all freeze to death now? We should compensate them, right? When we go back, won't the people in the county take out the frozen ones to eat? "The cook explained.
Huangfu Yecui felt that it made sense. He replied, "Now that you mention it, it seems to be true."
"That's right. We even took advantage of them. Otherwise, the Kaguang County would eat the food themselves. Then, they would get a subsidy." The cook explained further.
"Is it the same?" Xiahou Yi felt that something was wrong.
Sun Mao also felt the same. After thinking for a while, he said, "Didn't we eat at your place too? And you even treat us. "
"County Magistrate Sun, you haven't changed your mind. Seeing a doctor has always been free, right?" The cook asked.
Sun Mao nodded. The cook continued, "Look, seeing a doctor is the policy of the Tang Empire. It's not that we have to pay extra. Next is the food. Normally, when we pass by Kaguang County, you take out the food for us to eat. Then, we will leave something for you. Usually, the value of the food is higher than what you give us. This is the normal behavior of the Seedling Protection Team, right?"
"That's true. The people of the Tang Empire all know that when you pass by, the people treat you to food and you leave something behind. Everyone will treat it as a gathering and then take advantage of you. But, the livestock are not given to you by us. It's the country's subsidy. Now, you are giving it to us for free. "Sun Mao emphasized.
"How is it for free? If the livestock are not brought out, they will freeze to death. Then, you can eat them when you go back. What we are eating now is what you should eat. Aren't the frozen livestock given to us by you? Will the imperial court accept your frozen livestock? "The cook argued back and forth.
Sun Mao frowned. "But if the imperial court doesn't accept the frozen livestock, they will definitely give us a discount and then deduct it from the subsidy. That's because we eat meat to improve our standard of living. The imperial court was like this in the past."
"But your livestock were eaten by us. You didn't eat it yourself. Of course, the imperial court will subsidize you." The cook said.
Huangfu Yechi added, "Doesn't that mean that the Seedling Protection Team is taking advantage of you? The imperial court fully subsidizes, but you ate the food. Kaguang County didn't lose anything. What about you? "
"Didn't we also provide food to the people of Kaguang County? It's the same as before. How are we taking advantage of you? "The cook explained.
"No, there's something wrong here. I keep feeling that something is missing. Let me think, what's missing?" Huangfu Yechi was in pain. He pulled at his hair and thought hard.
At this time, Xu Yilong wandered over. She was hungry and wanted to bake a pastry with chili sauce. Coincidentally, she wandered into this kitchen and didn't go to other kitchens. It was a coincidence.
He also happened to hear what Huangfu Yechi and the cook were talking about. He smiled and helped. "Don't count. The Seedling Protection Team actually ate the imperial court's food. It's not a big deal because the Seedling Protection Team paid for it. Many officials know that the imperial court won't give a single cent to the Zhang Family and Wang Family, no matter how much money Zhang Family and Wang Family paid.
They make their own official robes, give their own salaries, and supplement their own benefits. They can even make their own official seals. That's why Xiaobei's clothes are always overdone. Of course, the prefectural soldiers are even more overdone. It's just that no one cares. "
"Then my Kaguang County can't take money." Sun Mao couldn't accept it.
The cook said, "Are you stupid? This money isn't from my family, it's from the imperial court. Although the imperial court doesn't give my family money, a part of my family's money belongs to the imperial court. To be precise, it's two parts. One part is provided by Xiaobei and the rest for the Tang Dynasty's children, in exchange for tax benefits. The other part is provided by my family for the other citizens, in exchange for the rights to manage the tourist sites given by the imperial court.
My family won't use this money. It's for you. If you don't take it from us, we'll hand it over to the imperial court and the imperial court will give it to you. What's the point? "
"Is there?" Huangfu Yechi, Xiahou Yi, and Sun Mao asked Xu Yilong together.
Xu Yilong proved, "Yes, but Zhang Family and Wang Family always suffer losses when they exchange with the imperial court. They always take out a portion of their money to subsidize the citizens. In the past, it was in the name of the imperial court, but now it doesn't matter.
Aiya, don't think about this. Just use it. Cultivate well and speed up the county's economic development. Let every family live a good life. With more money, more taxes will be paid. Brother Xiao Bao and Sister Cuckoo don't care about that bit of money. There are other people who donate. They take care of it and don't give the imperial court any income. "
"Alright." Sun Mao was very touched. "Xiao Bao and Cuckoo really lost a lot."
"They also got it. Not everyone can make every family in the Tang Dynasty set up a longevity tablet. No one dares to think so," Xu Yilong said enviously.
"Of course, of course. Xiao Bao and Cuckoo can't be lost," Sun Mao said.
"Sign." The chef pushed the contract over. It was the imperial court's disaster subsidy.
"It's too expensive, it's too expensive." Sun Mao objected once he saw it.
"It's not expensive. There's also the cost of building houses and roads. It's a premium. We won't give you any other subsidies," the chef explained.
Sun Mao said 'oh' and picked up the pen to sign. He took out an official seal from his chest and stamped it. He took a stack of notes. When he returned, he would distribute them from family to family. He didn't dare to keep any for himself.
Xu Yilong got a flatbread. She spread chili sauce on it and roasted it on the fire.
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