Fenghou

Everyone was surrounding a spinning wheel. They thought that only the chief steward came in, but unexpectedly, seven or eight men came in at once. They were so frightened that they all returned to their respective positions, and there was a sudden silence in the hall.

"Bian Wuniang, what were you arguing about just now?"

Gu Xin asked the oldest woman, who was actually only 20 years old. The woman got up with a blushing face and said, "Boss, Yang Xiaomei can get your number one reward!"

Gu Xin was surprised and delighted at once, before a little lady spun the wheel in three steps and two steps, she said excitedly: "Really? You made it?"

The little lady's face became even redder, and she handed Gu Xin a spinning spindle full of cotton thread. Gu Xin picked it up and looked at it closely, his eyes became brighter and brighter, and he completely forgot about the group of high-ranking officials behind him.

Zhou Chengdong coughed twice, and all the ladies covered their mouths and chuckled, which woke Gu Xin up. He hurriedly bowed to Chen Qing and said, "The villain is so excited, I forgot Your Highness, I deserve death!"

Chen Qing asked with a smile: "Is there any breakthrough?"

"Yes! Yes! It's what the villain just said to His Highness, the insurmountable difficulty. The villain set a number one reward, offering a reward of [-] guan, but it was taken down."

Chen Qing's eyes lit up, "You mean, you can twist the wires by machine instead of twisting them by hand?"

"Yes, Your Highness, look at the line on it!"

Gu Xin pointed to the spinning spindle and said, "I can see that it is spun. It is thin and even. It is obviously not rubbed by hand."

Chen Qing also understood the reason behind it. Cotton cotton has short fibers and is difficult to twist into threads. It must be twisted together by hand, but now it is spun directly. How is this done?

"The villain doesn't quite understand, so I need to ask."

Gu Xin first introduced: "This is the Miss Yang I told Your Highness just now, she earns money to support her family, and her name is Yang Xiaomei."

Chen Qing smiled and nodded, "Ask! I'll be listening."

The little lady obviously knew who the senior official in front of her was. Chuanshan was called His Highness, and there was only one person. She stood up a little nervously.

"Tell me, how did Miss Xiaomei do it?"

"I've been thinking about this for the past few days. Last night at home, I suddenly thought, since grass cotton can be spun by machine, can I mix some grass cotton flowers into it?"

"very smart!"

Chen Qing blurted out that adding cotton to the kapok was a very clever way.

"Go on!" Chen Qing smiled and waved his hands.

Yang Xiaomei blushed and continued: "I came here early in the morning to experiment, sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't work, and then I increased the amount little by little, and found that adding four taels of grass cotton to a catty of wood cotton was enough, and it was the most effective. Appropriate, adding more seems to be easy to form a group."

"Great, a ratio of two and a half."

"The chief manager, the key is to mix the two kinds of cotton evenly. It must be evenly stirred, otherwise the thread will be easily broken."

"Understand! Understood!" Gu Xin is an expert, of course he knows the importance of mixing well.

Yang Xiaomei took a peek at Chen Qing, and summoned up her courage again: "Boss, actually I have another suggestion?"

Even Jiang Yanxian secretly praised this little lady for being smart, she would seize the opportunity, and the opportunity to communicate with His Royal Highness Yong Wang might be the only one in her life.

Gu Xin felt dizzy for a while, so he could only bite the bullet and ask, "Do you have any other suggestions?"

"I think we can actually use water spinning!"

Chen Qing's eyes lit up, and he asked with a smile, "Do you think hydraulic spinning is feasible?"

"I think it's okay. My hometown uses water power to grind flour. The flour is white, fine and uniform. In fact, the same is true for our spinning. The key is to have uniform force. Water power can do this, and then people will be freed." Come out, feed materials at the side, check for broken threads, the amount of hydraulic spinning must be several times that of our manual spinning, and it must be spinning well."

Chen Qing was full of praise in his heart, water spinning had indeed achieved great development in the Southern Song Dynasty, and it was rare for this little lady to want it.

"Yes, your suggestion is very good, and today's performance is also very good. It has solved the biggest problem of cotton weaving. It deserves a big reward. I will give you a reward too!"

Chen Qing smiled slightly: "I will ask the Xianyang County Government to reward you with a one-acre yard so that you can take good care of your parents."

There was an exclamation all around, rewarding the house!It’s so enviable. An acre of yard in Xianyang costs a thousand guan. They earn ten guan a month and work hard for ten years before they can afford it.

Tears welled up in Yang Xiaomei's eyes, she knelt down and kowtowed desperately to Chen Qing without saying a word.

Chen Qing helped the thin little lady up and said with a smile: "I reward you in the yard, but there is also a hundred coins rewarded by your chief steward. Don't be shy to ask him for it."

Seeing sweat on Gu Xin's forehead, he hurriedly said, "Don't dare! Don't dare! Villains will also increase rewards."

Chen Qing said to him solemnly: "Rewards are one thing, but I am more concerned about implementing the inventions and suggestions of the little lady. There is still half a month before the Chinese New Year. First cloth that comes out, don't let me down."

"It's completely in time, I will let Xiaomei weave this piece of cloth by myself."

Chen Qing said to Zhou Chengdong again: "As for the application of water power to weaving, I will leave it to your craftsman department. You can study it first, and then try it after the spring thaw."

Zhou Chengdong bowed and said, "Xiaozhi will start working on this tomorrow!"

Chen Qing turned his head to look at Jiang Yanxian, Jiang Yanxian smiled slightly and said: "The humble post will tell the county government, how can the reward of His Highness not be arranged!"

……

Jingzhaocheng Juxiang Restaurant is located on West Street. It is one of the top ten restaurants in Jingzhao. The Juxiang sake produced in the restaurant is very famous. Jingzhao’s wine also implements a monopoly system. Only restaurants and hotels with a winemaking license can buy koji cakes, and then brew all kinds of wine.

Therefore, the eighteen bowls of fragrant wine that Wu Song drank in the three bowls of Gougang Hotel, it is likely that the small hotel bought someone else’s muddy wine and mixed it with water, because it is definitely not qualified to make wine, and if it is found by the county government to make bootleg wine, it will be jailed. of.

Juxiang Sake is very famous, and the business of the restaurant is also very good. In a private room on the third floor, three men are sitting together drinking and listening to music. The man on the right is about 30 years old, with a long, thin and pale face. His eyes were not straight, and there was a hint of evil.

This person is Lu Jiang, the second son of Lu Datong, the governor of Fangzhou. He is currently a vagrant, doing nothing at home all day long.

The point is that his father sold the house in Lin'an in order to redeem his sentence. Together with all his savings, he collected [-] yuan and handed it over to the Ministry of Punishment before he was freed.

But their family was poor and had no money to rent a house. Thanks to uncle Lu Yihao who gave them 100 taels of silver, they were able to come to Jingzhao. Chen Qing gave Lu Yihao face and arranged a five-acre official house for Lu Datong. , and gave him five hundred guan as a settling allowance, and then became the governor of Fangzhou.

Lu Xiu also gave his uncle Lu Datong a thousand guan, and Lu Datong left the thousand and five hundred guan to his wife and children. The son is strictly controlled.

The best way to strictly control his son is to only give him five pennies of pocket money every month. Lu Tang doesn't want to stay at home and spends his days wandering around. How can five pennies be enough for him to spend? up.

He doesn't harm the people now, it's not that he has changed his nature, but that he doesn't have a bunch of dog legs to work for him, he doesn't even have a entourage, he is alone, not to mention harming the people, even if he is on the street If he flirts with a woman, his small body will be beaten to death.

Lu Tang was extremely embarrassed. He had never been so eager for money like he is now. He was thinking about how to make money and how to get rich all day long.If he has money, he can spend his days and nights in Jingzhao City, and be romantic.

But his surname is Lu after all, and this surname has attracted the attention of interested people.

Lu Xian somehow met two businessman friends, and today the two businessman friends invited him to have dinner at Juxianglou.

These two people seemed to be quite rich, and Lu Xian began to think about how to make money from them.

Chapter 918 Broker

"Come on! Brother Lu, I'd like to toast you again!" The tall Dongzhu Xie was a little drunk, and his tongue curled up when he spoke.

Lu Tang picked up the wine glass and drank it down, and then poured wine for Master Xie, Master Xie waved his hand quickly, "You guys drink first, I want to take a nap first."

After speaking, he threw his head on the table and fell asleep drunk.

Another businessman, Wang Dongzhu, said with a smile: "My partner is a big drinker, and he collapses after drinking a few cups. Everyone in the industry is no stranger to it."

Lu Hang's heart moved, and he hurriedly asked, "I don't know what line of business Master Wang is in?"

Proprietor Wang laughed, "Brother Lu's question is interesting, of course it's a business."

Seeing that the other party refused to tell him the truth, Lu Xian couldn't help but sighed and said, "I used to be a man of luxury and riches, but now I'm down and down, and I can't even afford a glass of wine. If you hadn't invited me, I'm afraid I wouldn't even be able to do this." The threshold of the restaurant can't even pass!"

After speaking, he drank the wine in the glass in one gulp.

At this moment, Dongzhu Xie, who was lying on the table, opened his eyes slightly, and gave Dongzhu Wang a wink, and Dongzhu Wang nodded calmly.

Proprietor Wang smiled again and said: "Brother, if you don't have money, you have to find a way to earn it. Money doesn't just fall from the sky by itself."

"I want to make money too, but I can't find it!"

Proprietor Wang said calmly: "Business also pays attention to relying on mountains to eat mountains, and water to eat water. To put it bluntly, you must use all the resources around you, and you must be good at turning these resources into money. Isn't the money coming?"

Lu Tang pondered for a moment and said, "My father is the governor of Fangzhou. Does this count as a resource?"

Proprietor Wang was almost smothered to death by a sip of wine, why is this bastard not enlightened at all?

"Brother! People go to high places, water flows to low places, and the money also flows to high places. People from Fangzhou have always come to Jingzhao to make money. I haven't heard that people from Jingzhao go to Fangzhou to make money. Otherwise, we What are you doing here from Daming Mansion eagerly?"

"I really can't think of it! Brother, how about giving me some advice?"

Proprietor Wang has nothing to do with him, he has never seen such a stupid person.

"Okay! Do you know what is the most sought-after in Jingzhao now? It will also be the most valuable thing in the future."

"Young and beautiful woman!"

Dongzhu Xie, who was lying on the table, suddenly groaned in pain, and Dongzhu Wang quickly patted him to let him continue to sleep.

"Now the most valuable and most sought-after thing is land. The south of Jingzhao City has expanded five miles. Do you know how many people are watching this land? I heard that every high-ranking official will be given a piece of land. How much wealth is stored in it? Can't you see it?"

"Every high-ranking official has one piece, so does my father also have one?" Lu Tang asked excitedly.

"Your father is not old enough. He has to serve in the Sichuan-Shaanxi Xuanfu Envoy for more than five years, but you can ask the princess for a piece of land! Even if I buy the land with money, if the land along the street, we can give you an acre of land." The benefit of a thousand guan, if it is residential land, you can get [-] guan for an acre, and if you can get ten acres of land, you will be paid."

Lu Tang was fascinated when he heard that, ten mu is worth ten thousand guan!I can get thousands or even tens of thousands of benefits just by being a broker, why not do it?

"I'm going to find the princess now!"

What he thought of was to directly ask for a piece of land. If he sold it for [-] acres per mu, he could earn [-] acres for [-] acres, and he could continue to spend his days and nights.

Proprietor Wang gave him a note with his address on it, and Lu Tang ran away in a hurry.

Master Xie suddenly sat up and said, "I feel that this is risky. If he really gets ten acres of land and has money in his hands, wouldn't he need to ask us?"

Proprietor Wang said coldly: "Concubine Lu will give him the land? Overthinking it, if you give him the land, it's better to let him go to Fangzhou. Don't worry, he will come to the inn to beg us tomorrow at the latest. Let's wait and see!"

"The question is, can he get what we want?"

Proprietor Wang pondered for a while and said: "He and Lu Wei are uncles and nephews. The relationship between the two is very good. The key is that he can bridge the gap for us. Invite Lu Wei out for a meal, and we can get to know Lu Wei."

"I'm afraid that Lu Wei will not agree!"

Wang Dongzhu's face became a little grim, "Marshal Du only gave us two months, or he would spend money on it, or tie up Lu Wei's son. If you don't believe him, he won't agree!"

……

Not long after, the two businessmen also left Juxiang Restaurant, and an honest-looking middle-aged man rode a donkey far behind, following their ox cart unhurriedly.

This was something that the two businessmen could never have imagined. Lu Tang had become the death of the Lu family, and even Lu Yihao had murderous intentions. How could Chen Qing not send someone to watch him.

Half an hour later, the follower returned to the official office of the inner guard and went directly to the courtyard of the Ninth Battalion. The official office of the inner guard was like a structure with the word "Hui". official residence.

The inner guard soldiers who followed Lu Xian belonged to the Ninth Battalion, that is, Zhong Huan was in charge. The Ninth Battalion had no special duties. Various economic cases, such as illicit salt, illicit wine, private minting of money, etc.

But it can take care of all these things, but it is not full-time. In fact, it is like a handyman. Of course, the official position is not a handyman, but a mobile camp, or a reserve camp, where it is sent wherever it is needed.

Zhong Huan sat behind the table and listened to his subordinates' report. He felt a little strange. What did the two businessmen ask Lu Tang for?

"Are you sure they came from Daming Mansion, Hebei?"

"Their registration in the inn is Hebei Daming Mansion. I don't know if it is specific."

Jingzhao is more tolerant to businessmen from all over the world, and doesn’t care where they come from. Even Jurchen businessmen who come to Beijing, as long as they are real businessmen and do not traffic in contraband, they can also do business legally in Jingzhao. So basically no one will pretend to be here. no need.

But Zhong Huan was a little sensitive to Hebei Daming Mansion. This kind of businessman from afar must have come to sell and buy goods. How would he have anything to do with an ignorant rascal like Lu Tiao?What's more, Lu Tang is not a local snake.

If he came from Lin'an or the south, maybe he was an old acquaintance, but he came from the Daming Mansion. After much deliberation, there is only one possibility, that the other party came for Lu Tang's background.

Thinking of this, Zhong Huan said to his subordinates, "Don't startle them, keep watching them, arrange more subordinates, and see what business these two businessmen are doing?"

"Humble post obeys orders!"

The subordinates left, Zhong Huan pondered for a moment, it was just the beginning, and it was far from the time to report to the higher authorities.

……

Lu Tang sat stupidly in the reception area of ​​the palace for nearly half an hour, only seeing people coming and going in and out of the palace, as if something happened?

At this time, Steward Liu sent him profusely, "Master Hang, the princess is too busy. She said that if you have nothing serious to do, come back another day. This is the ten taels of silver that the princess gave you. Please accept it."

Lu Tang unceremoniously put ten taels of silver into his bosom, and asked curiously, "Is there any major event in the mansion?"

"That's right! The third lady just gave birth to a son, and everyone is very busy. This is a big event, and the princess is the busiest."

"Oh! Then I'll come back tomorrow. I do have something important to discuss with the princess."

"Then come tomorrow morning! Don't be too early, the time is right, if you are on time, I will dare to set a time for the princess."

Lu Xian was overjoyed, "Okay, I'll be there on time tomorrow."

Lu Yan squeezed the money in his arms, and rushed away excitedly. Needless to say, he must have gone to the brothel, and he would basically squander any money in the brothel.

The butler rushed back to the inner courtyard again, and the inner courtyard was in chaos. Zhao Yingluo gave birth to a son at noon today, a little prematurely, weighing less than five catties. Fortunately, the delivery was normal, and the child was born before everyone was ready. Oh, the two midwives haven't arrived yet!

But fortunately Dr. Liu is here, she can also deliver the baby, holding her feet, slapped the baby's buttocks, and immediately went 'Boom! 'Cry out loud, crying weakly, everyone is really a little worried.

Immediately afterwards, they changed rooms, boiled hot water, bathed the child, wrapped it in swaddling clothes, and worked for a long time. When both mother and child lay down comfortably, everyone was exhausted.

Lu Xiu walked out of the yard and saw the housekeeper from afar, she stepped forward and asked, "Steward Liu, is he gone?"