The Red Mansion's Dress to Become the King of Beijing

Historians must have their own calculations. Don’t forget that historians are now a duo. When the first emperor and today are more and more stingy with titles, the two brothers’ abilities can be seen. The key is that historians are not like Prince Teng of the royal family. garish.

It is impossible for such a restrained historian to completely fall to the Beijing Palace, even if the two families have been on good terms - Shui Rong knows that he is not capable enough to let others put the whole family's future on him.

As soon as he showed his bastard spirit, all the heroes bowed to... the golden finger. He looked for it, and there were really some in the system mall, but he couldn't afford it.

No matter what, if Shui Rong got Shi Nai to Shanhaiguan, the historian would definitely repay him.

Among other things, guarding a pass alone, no matter which one Shi Nai and Shi Ding is, at least it will not be like under the eyes of the Northwest General Wu, who will not reach out for everything: neither dare nor can.

It is said that in the original book, in order to save money, the historian seems to let the girls in the family do all the needlework.

Xiangyun stayed up all night in order to contact Xiren... Don't say where Xiren got the confidence to let the girl who used to serve her work for her. The incompatibility of title status is always certain.

To become a general guarding the Shanhaiguan, just relying on salary and daily filial piety, the two brothers must live well with their families attached to each other.

To be honest, the salary of officials in this dynasty is still relatively low. Although it is not as ridiculously low as in the early Ming Dynasty, it is useless to support a family with salary alone, let alone greet and send to socialize.

Shui Rong made up his mind, and asked the little icon, "When was the last time I wrote a letter to Brother Shi Jia? Has it been more than a month?"

The small icon answered: "No."

"Then we'll talk about it later. I'll send the letter with the annual ceremony later, just to say hello and let him prepare. Create a new to-do list for me."

"it is good."

In a blink of an eye, it was the middle of the twelfth lunar month, and Manager Xu had already brought a few old people who were used to it back to Shenyang.

These people, including Guanshi Xu, are not only good at farming, but also learned how to serve corn and sweet potatoes and prepare fertilizers from Shui Rong. At the same time, their families are all in the Northeast, so this time they went back with the task assigned by the prince. Not at all.

Otherwise, it would be a hard job to go to the Northeast in winter before the new-style housing barracks on one's own site were built, or in the current Little Ice Age.

Shui Rong had just received a letter from Lao Xu declaring his safety, and the whole of Beijing was greeted with heavy snow.

The outdoor temperature was more than minus 20 degrees Celsius, coupled with the knee-deep snow around, Shui Rong got out of the carriage, fully armed, walked along the newly repaired cement road, and walked alternately to the main courtyard of his villa. , he couldn't help but sigh with Xiao Icon, "My mentality has been a little bit broken all the way... I hope I'm not too delicate as a modern person."

The little icon said: "If you, the host, don't say it first, I'm afraid they will suffer terribly, let alone ordinary farmers."

Shui Rong couldn't help but let out a long sigh, "It's beyond my power."

In fact, everyone in Biezhuang heard that the prince was coming, so they had already cleared the snow that had hit the ground in advance. Unfortunately, after a heavy snowfall at night, the snow on the ground returned to the level of the calf.

Five days ago, Xue Biao's merchant ship just shipped a whole ship of coal.After a little division, the palace kept half of the coal, and the remaining half of the coal arrived at Biezhuang. The next day, the temperature dropped and snow fell.

The water dissolves in the Wang Mansion's study, and when looking at the snow through the window, he waved his pen to tell the Wang Mansion and Biezhuang not to be frugal. It is required that as long as you go out, you must be given warm ginger soup.

The measures were appropriate and timely. At this moment, Shui Rong was sitting in the hall of the main courtyard of the other village listening to the steward's report with a hand stove in his pocket. He learned that the three of the two Zhuangzi had caught the wind and cold, and it was not severe. The doctor came to see it and said Just take the medicine and rest for two or three days.

Shui Rong nodded, and asked again, "Don't waste money, you can take care of the people in our palace. If the surrounding farmers can't stand it and come to ask for heating, you can put them in our original big dormitory. Don't let them waste time, remember to arrange some work for them, we don't support idlers in our house."

Looking at the amount of snowfall, the houses in Zhuangzi, including those of the tenants of the royal family, have all been repaired and strengthened. The houses on the roofs are all fine due to the snow, but the houses of the surrounding people... It is obvious that there is a lot of bad luck.

Big households don't have to worry, ordinary households...it's hard to say.

On the one hand, Shui Rong is sympathetic to their situation, and on the other hand, it is utilitarian to say that it can win people's hearts a little bit, and it is not costly to benefit anyway.

The two chief stewards of Zhuangzi quickly responded, and naturally added flattery, "The royal family is kind and caring for the people, it is really... a blessing."

Shui Rong laughed: Maybe he wanted to say that it is a blessing for the common people?The manager realized something was wrong when his words came to his lips, and finally stopped in time.

However, Shui Rong took the stewards around the village, visited two or three dormitories, looked at the kitchens and storerooms, and the sky was already dark.

So he stayed in Zhuangzi for one night, and set off for the palace in the capital the next morning when the sun was just right.

After staying in Zhuangzi for one night, Shui Rong felt completely at ease.Even he, a "delicate modern person", feels more comfortable. Even if the treatment of people living in Zhuangzi is not as good as that of Shui Rong, under the premise of full coverage of basic necessities, food, housing and transportation, it can't be called "sad".

It is said that although the sun was shining on the second day, the temperature was still around minus [-] degrees, so the snow was still the same. After coming out of Zhuangzi and entering the city gate, only a few roads were cleared of snow and sprinkled with cinders, but walking It's still choking enough.

Even if he spent most of the time on the return journey, he was nestled in the carriage, and walking for a short distance after getting out of the carriage was enough to make his feet numb from the cold.

Back in his inner study, which was as warm as spring, he untied his hairy cloak, and before he could even bend down, Wang Songhe had already stepped forward to help him... pull out his boots...

Riding boots at this time are very similar to modern styles, except that the leather on the surface of the boots is not so smooth, and the soles are not so waterproof.

The boots landed, melted in water, and then changed out of cold socks, stepped on two small hand stoves, and inhaled while guarding the small teapot in the study, "How do ordinary people go out..."

Wang Songhe poured ginger soup and dissolved it in water, "My lord is working hard...at this time, the people don't go out for nothing, just sweep the roof and the snow in the yard." Of course he knew what the lord wanted to hear, "The situation in Beijing is good, after all The snow has been heavy in winter these years, and the people are used to it. Officials are always watching over the shack, and it doesn’t matter if some people die. It’s hard to say outside the capital.”

Now the winter is sad, but generally I can bear it.But it will only get colder and colder in the future, not to say that winter is colder, but the coldest winter is just like it is now. The key is that the annual average temperature will gradually decline significantly, and the reduction in grain production will become more and more obvious. fatal.

The Ming Dynasty perished because of the terrible climate... Although the bad climate was by no means the only reason for the Ming Dynasty's demise.

It's no big deal to say that it's cold, as long as you prepare enough food and enough fuel, the people will be able to stay at home in the cold weather.

So how important are solid and high-yield crops, how can there be more to say?

It is a pity that the ruling class does not see this at all.Even if the emperor himself saw the high yield of water-soluble corn, he did not express anything in the end: it was nothing more than high yield of corn, which seemed to be grown anywhere.

The emperor's own Huangzhuang has never thought of trying to grow corn, let alone promote it. In fact, even if he wanted to promote it, he probably wouldn't be able to promote it... The reason is water-soluble and understandable. It is like a man of insight who wants to promote corn and sweet potatoes in Jiangnan At present, even if one mu of land produces [-] catties of corn, it will not be more profitable than producing [-] catties of rice.

Don't forget that in this era, powerful gentry controlled a lot of land.

Most of them don't care whether the whole family of those "mud-legged people" who are farming have enough to eat. They only care about how much income their land can bring them every year.

Thinking of this, Shui Rong couldn't help sighing: For now, he will take care of his own one-third of an acre of land first.

In addition to planting soybeans for the Wu family next year, half of the rest of the land that is expected to grow grain will be planted with corn, half with potatoes and sweet potatoes. There are still a lot of rice and sorghum in the warehouse. Having chickens and ducks is not only enough to supply the guards and the people, but also gives him a lot of room to play.

Thinking of this, Shui Rong asked Wang Songhe, "How is the lettuce in the greenhouse?"

Wang Songhe always liked to take care of flowers and plants. Not only did he take care of the lettuce on the window sill of the study well, but she also paid close attention to the lettuce in the greenhouse. "It's good to be willing to burn charcoal."

At that time, when the greenhouse was built, the severe cold was already taken into consideration.

There is a path the size of a stove on each side of the conservatory, and two layers of tunnels are dug along the wall so that the hot smoke can surround the entire conservatory.

After learning that the vegetables in the greenhouse were as usual, Shui Rong didn't say anything and went to have a look.

In the evening, the whole family eats together, and it is rare that the cheap uncle is there.

Speaking of knowing that her brother is not just spending money and messing around, the concubine is very relieved, and treats this brother more gently and tolerantly.And the cheap uncle has been appreciated by the water solution, and there are a lot of new gadgets in the palace to attract him, so he is not in a hurry to go back outside the pass.

In fact, Shui Rong is very clear: Uncle Cheap has been nesting in the palace for a while, apart from occasionally substituting popular science for his younger brothers and sisters, he is obsessed with a lot of experimental instruments and equipment, and "fiddles and tosses" without stopping.

But from the perspective of Shui Rong, Uncle Cheap's "tossing" is quite methodical, and it already has the meaning of scientific research for later generations.So he had to smile at this uncle... even if he didn't count how many mines he had brought to the palace.

Speaking of which, it's been a while since I haven't sat at the same table like this, and I have a chance to take a closer look at my cheap uncle... Shui Rong blinked: Does the promised scientific research make people bald?Not only did Uncle Cheap not lose his hair, but why was his face flushed?Am I... am I missing something?

When Shui Rong had any doubts, he immediately asked his bound secretary, "Do you know?"

Little Icon did not disappoint him, "Last night, the host's uncle slept with the girl who served him. Wang Songhe told you about it, but you just came back at that time, and you were distracted while holding the hand stove."

Shui Rong nodded, "I see. My uncle doesn't delay anything."

Shui Rong nodded, and in Uncle Cheap's eyes, it was...a little bit of sarcasm, without malice...Anyway, his face turned redder.

Concubine Toffee saw the interaction between the two, so she used the serving chopsticks to pick up the cold lettuce and put it on the plate in front of her brother, "Eat it, you should vent your anger."

Shui Rong's four younger brothers and sisters seemed to have never heard of it, eating their own food without making any unnecessary noises.

The concubine didn't feel ashamed when her brother adopted the girl from the family, but she also didn't think it was an honorable thing.It's just that the brother's behavior aroused another concern for the concubine.

After the meal, Concubine Toffee specially asked Shui Rong to stay for a while.

After the crowd retreated, the concubine simply talked with Xiaoxin, "My lord, do you want to pick some girls to come up?"

Even though he was somewhat prepared, Shui Rong still laughed when he heard this, "No need, let the concubine mother worry about it."

The concubine saw that the prince didn't look angry, so she asked again, "Really?"

Before the deity exchanged with Shui Rong, he almost completely replaced the group of people who served him personally. Now the servants who are in charge of Shui Rong's daily life are not the same group before the deity left.

The eunuch Mei Fei served the deity for a long time when he was a child, but during the years when the deity was ten years old and left, Mei Fei had a lot of errands to do, and the time spent by the deity's side was not too much...so after the water melting , there are small icons to help open and hang, and there is an environment created by the deity, even if the water-soluble and the deity have different temperaments, many people including Mei Fei will notice that the prince has changed, but they will never feel that the prince is simply like Another person.

As long as the prince has a little bit of prestige, he wants to clean up those "close servants" who serve him in daily life. There are indeed a few "not very clean".The concubine must have heard about the "uncleanness" of these people, and that's why the concubine was so cautious when she mentioned arranging a few rooms for Shui Rong.

Shui Rong was also quite frank, "Mother and Concubine, no matter how you choose people in Beijing, you will feel more at ease than not being able to go back to the Northeast, right?"

The concubine understood immediately, "Are we... going back soon?"

Shui Rong is willing to explain to this stepmother who has always been very clear and upright, "Such a terrible weather... It will still be the same next year. How can those tribes outside the pass survive? That one," he pointed to the palace. Direction, "Isn't it that I look down on him, who can support the front thousands of miles from west to east?"

If the pressure in the north is too great to bear, the emperor will open the gate of Shanhaiguan and put the water solution back to the top bar.It's just that this kind of top bar is simply what Beijing Palace can't wish for.

The concubine understood again in seconds, and she smiled almost immediately, "This...it's really great. It's okay to go back and choose again." After a pause, she still asked worriedly, "The prince's marriage will also be done when the time comes." consider?"

Shui Rong nodded, "Exactly."

A few days later, it will be the monthly time when the aristocrats of the palace gather to meet their family members. Because it is the end of the year, various banquets in the palace will be held soon, and the ladies in the palace will have a lot of things to discuss with the people they want to meet. So the Sixth Palace, which has always been peaceful, actually has a lively feeling.

It is said that the temperature has risen these days, around minus ten degrees, and there is no more snow, so the savings on all roads in the capital have been cleared up. Even so, it is still quite tormenting for the elderly Mrs. Wang to visit the palace this time. .

Yuan Chun only asked his mother to bend down, expressing his intentions, and hurriedly ordered Baoqin to take his mother to change into dry clothes and shoes and socks—knowing that it was not easy to go out, the emperor ordered his relatives to go to his mother's residence first to change clothes Goodbye.

That is to say, Mrs. Wang had to go with Yuan Chun to visit Empress Wu Guifei after changing her clothes before returning to Fengzao Palace to speak.

Fortunately, Fengzao Palace is adjacent to Kunning Palace and Jingren Palace, otherwise Mrs. Wang would have to suffer even more.But even if she suffers twice as much, it is impossible for her not to come and ask Sister Feng to visit on her behalf... This time she really has something important to ask her mother.

Mrs. Wang had overheated ginger tea before she asked, "Is there a charter for Baoyu's marriage?"

There is no shortage of various banquets at the end of the year. As long as the empress is willing, she can accept many more posts, which will be very cheap at that time.

Why couldn't Yuanchun see what mother was thinking?

She frowned slightly, then smiled, "What do you think at home?"

Even if her daughter's concubine title didn't make her more proud or glorious, her position is always here.Mrs. Wang was still angry, "Baoyu is always your mother's brother."

There are only two noble concubines in the palace... Wu Guifei may be able to mention the title of imperial concubine in the future... Yuan Chun shook his head, "I don't have a brother who can guard the border and has 20 elite soldiers in his hand."

Mrs. Wang immediately fell silent.She has never been a quick-witted person, and she is used to keeping her mouth shut when she doesn't know how to speak.

Seeing this, Yuan Chun laughed again, "What is mother planning?"

Mrs. Wang suddenly felt relieved: No matter what, she is also my daughter... But she is not that stupid, "Our family has a good relationship with the Zhen family, and the eldest girl of his family also entered the palace. I thought it would be better for the two families to marry each other." Dear? It's just that the elders on both sides said to wait until they are older." Obviously the old lady is not happy!Mrs. Wang would not say anything wrong about her daughter's grandmother in front of her daughter, but the meaning has already arrived.

Yuan Chun didn't know what Jia's mother was up to, but seeing Baoyu and Daiyu going to Beijing to study every day, she knew it.It's just that Daiyu is an orphan, even though Yuanchun sympathized with this cousin, she didn't want Baoyu to marry her so that her family would lose an in-law to help her.

She thought for a while and then asked, "Do you have anything to say about the Beijing Palace?"

This is what Mrs. Wang is hesitating about!For Baoyu to marry the sister of the King of Beijing, or for Daiyu to be married to the King of Beijing, or even for the younger brother of the King of Beijing, these are all good marriages, and the Rong family will definitely get a strong support.However, Baoyu and Daiyu had been studying in the palace for more than half a year, and there was still no news from the palace. Mrs. Wang wondered if she should ask Yuan Chun to ask Princess Dowager Beijing while her married woman was in the palace.

Yuan Chun has always been in contact with the Beijing Prince's Mansion: they have played "tacit ball" more than once, but the Rong Mansion is not clear about this.

Yuan Chun pondered for a while, and always felt that Baoyu couldn't marry a girl from the Wang family in Beijing, but his cousin Daiyu...maybe there was some luck...

Of course, even if Daiyu told the younger brother of the King of Beijing that he was sure that he would be his wife, it would not be interesting in Yuan Chun's view.However, if you want to tell your cousin to King Beijing, you have to impress him with something.

Yuan Chun thought for a while, then suddenly turned to look at her mother, "Ma'am, how much is the property of the Lin family in our house...?"

Mrs. Wang's expression froze, she was silent for a while before she said, "A few hundred thousand taels of silver."

My uncle's family is a duke's family. It has been passed down for several generations. My uncle is also the censor of salt inspection, plus my aunt's dowry in the past. No matter how I calculate it, it will not be less than one million...

So the mother's sentence "hundreds of thousands" is actually left over, and the mother does not want to return it to the cousin.

Yuan Chun understands what she understands, but she doesn't get entangled: Putting aside the food and clothing expenses of her mother's family for the time being, it costs at least 10,000+ to repair the family's villa, and it also costs countless to get through the "passes" for her uncle and father for her.

As a person with vested interests, she has no reason to reprimand her natal family's selfishness and greed.

Thinking of this, she solemnly said: "Madam, it's better to prepare a decent dowry for sister Daiyu."

Mrs. Wang didn't know what Yuan Chun was thinking, but her daughter's complexion was already red and white, and she was silent for a while before saying, "I'll make a note."

The author has something to say: the weekend is even later, but I can get a fat stamp~~~~~~~