At the pier by the Ba River in Lantian County, the sound of cicadas was noisy and irritating at first.
But after listening for a while, they automatically turned the sound of cicadas into background music.
Thirty people moved the goods onto the ship. After everything was placed properly, they found a place to sit and look at the scenery outside.
A shout to start the ship sounded. The people on the shore pushed the ship with bamboo poles, and the wheels on both sides of the ship started to rotate slowly.
About two miles south of the wharf, there were three waterwheels rotating.
The waterwheels were connected to large earthworms that were shelled. The people working next to them put wheat kernels on them.
While processing, they also collected the shelled wheat and cleaned the wheat bran.
Not far away, a shed was built. The shed provided free tea, the worst kind of tea foam, for one coin a bag.
Inspector Zhangsun Xin sat at the side, fanning himself as he drank tea with his four aides.
Luo Oucheng's four cousins passed the exam, and all of them got first class.
After passing the interview with the Ministry of Personnel, the four of them applied to help Inspector Zhangsun Xin deal with and learn about government affairs in Lantian County.
Now, the four of them were subordinates of Inspector Zhangsun Xin. Zhangsun Xin pulled the four of them to make money together.
The four of them helped to come up with ideas. Each of them took half of the profits. Zhangsun Xin paid for it and took eighty percent.
The money they earned from selling chrysanthemums, finding people to work on the spinning wheel, and making canned fruit was mostly invested into the flour processing.
Three waterwheels shelled the wheat, and a group of people in the shed shook the ceramic core of the flour grinding machine.
Then there were people in charge of weighing and bagging.
The paper bags made of paper were one catty each, and they all contained sixty percent powder, so the price was higher.
Two catties contained seventy and eighty percent powder, and ten catties contained ninety percent powder.
The discarded black flour was fifty catties each, so it was cheap.
When others bought it, they could make steamed buns with black flour.
"Inspector Zhangsun, few people buy black flour. Why don't we set up a small bakery in the back and turn the black flour into bread?"
Luo Oucheng drank the tea foam, and he didn't mind at all. He gave Zhangsun Xin ideas.
The four of them took twenty percent of the profits and wanted to make money.
"The black bread that Li Yi sells in Zhuangzi for one coin? It's hard and sour. "
Zhangsun Xin had tried it before, and it tasted awful. The Li Family Zhuangzi had announced the recipe. Not only was there a layer of wheat on the outside, there was also very finely ground wheat bran.
The cost of making this kind of black bread alone was more than one tael. It was long and difficult to eat it.
Many commoners were still willing to buy it. No matter how bad it tasted, it was still better than cooking wheat rice. Wheat rice was expensive and tasted sour.
Those who were reluctant to spend money on long trips could buy a bag of black bread, which could last them for two to three months.
Along with dried salted vegetables, they would be able to fill their stomachs as long as there was water.
"Yes, the Li Family Zhuangzi has announced how to make it. Someone has rented or bought the same flour grinder. The inferior flour is suitable for making black bread."
Luo Oucheng said as he took out a piece of black bread from his bag.
"Ou Cheng, why are you still eating this?" Zhangsun Xin was surprised.
In the past few days, both sides had been exchanging letters. The ships traveled by water, so they would charge one coin for running errands, sending letters back and forth between Lantian County and Chang 'an.
They had just met today, but Luo Oucheng was actually eating black bread.
"Once, we didn't pass the imperial examinations. The four of us sought out Inspector Zhangsun to join his sect. We wanted to walk the path of Gan Ye." Luo Oucheng said.
Luo Oucheng continued, "At that time, we knew about Inspector Zhangsun's difficulties, so we gathered together to think of a solution."
"The first was to survive first, and have a virtuous wife at home. So we had the inspector bring his wife here." Luo Oucheng followed.
Luo Oujun said tacitly, "Later, when we analyzed Li Dongzhu, we no longer pondered over the knowledge in books. We looked at the Li Family Zhuangzi's layout."
"And then?" Zhangsun Xin listened and nodded.
"And then we looked at things differently from before. This time, for the imperial examinations, we answered with ease. Li Dongzhu is a great talent."
Luo Oucheng said as he cupped his fists in the direction of the Li Family Zhuangzi.
The other three also cupped their hands.
"Looking at him can pass the imperial examinations?" Zhangsun Xin wiped her sweat. It was hot outside.
"Li Dongzhu's actions are for the country and the people. The current affairs itself is for the country and the people. Just memorizing the books is enough. The poetry test is the foundation of writing. "
Luo Oujun told Zhangsun Xin what they learned, for the country and the people.
Luo Oucheng also took out a piece of bread, "What the people eat, we naturally eat. In the future, when we govern the place, we must know what the people need."
"Poetry is good, and the current emperor likes it. But without the ability to govern, the emperor will not give a good official. "Luo Oucheng concluded.
"Li Yi has the ability to govern? He … Ah, built a bakery, huh? Good, if he can bake black bread, he can bake other kinds of bread. "
Zhangsun Xin, who knew some of the situation, did not dare to say. This was not political wisdom, but survival instinct.
"Inspector Zhangsun, we came to shuck." A group of people drove a cart to the place.
A man in his fifties slightly bent his waist and bowed, smiling as he spoke.
"See which platform is about to end. Go and wait. There is tea here. The weather is hot, so you can't lack water and get heatstroke. "
Zhangsun Xin pointed to the position of the water wheels. Three water wheels drove nine shuckers.
After he built it, he did not collect money. The people came to shuck as they pleased, and he also provided free tea for everyone.
If the people wanted to grind flour and collect money, they would have to shake the worst layer of flour themselves.
When they shook it, the outer layer would fall down. Collecting it would be money to borrow tools.
He did not count on corruption and bribery to make money. He did processing and middleman business.
He provided a lot of jobs. When everyone praised him, he was willing to be a good official.
What he came into contact with in Lantian County was officials working seriously, mining detailed accounts to pay taxes, and the people supporting the work of the yamen.
The entire atmosphere was like this. He could not do anything bad even if he wanted to.
And the people had a good impression of him. If they did not grind flour after shucking, they would specifically leave some wheat bran.
This was because Zhangsun Xin said that in the middle of June, they would catch piglets to raise. A four-month-old pig was not small.
When they were killed for meat during the New Year, everyone would leave some wheat bran for him.
The people drove the carriages over. Zhangsun Xin drank a mouthful of tea and sighed.
"Actually, it is not difficult to be a good official. First, you have to know how to make money. Only then can you help the people make money.
When you have money, there is no need to be greedy. If you work with me and make money, don't take the blood and sweat of the people. "
The four of them: "…"
"Inspector Zhangsun is right." Luo Oucheng was stunned for a moment and quickly cooperated.
"Li Yi has not been doing anything recently. I suspect that he is going to cause trouble."
Zhangsun Xin did not forget to think about Li Yi every day. According to his observation, Li Yi would make a move every once in a while.
In the past few days, Li Yi had not done anything other than taking out a ship.
According to the pattern, the longer Li Yi did not cause trouble, the bigger the trouble he would cause.
"We will keep an eye on him. Once we find a chance to make money, we will follow." Luo Oucheng expressed his understanding.
The four of them had also figured out the pattern. They were waiting for Li Yi to appear and seize the best time to make a fortune.
The Li Family Zhuangzi did not lie in this regard. He had never cheated anyone.
Brothers and sisters reading outside the station, if you have the ability, please come to Qidian to support. In addition to subscriptions, the key was whether anyone had monthly tickets or recommendation tickets. These two tickets were in short supply. The farmer bowed.
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