Kingdom of Heaven and Han

Chapter 170 Gold and Silver Zongzi
Niu Gao stood up, and secretly twisted his waist.Said: "To mention punishment, Zhizhi has always said that we should improve our troops and streamline our administration. Like Dengzhou, there are very few general political affairs. As long as the subordinates work hard, there is not much to know the state. I am a rough man, and I have been the state for a few months. A character like Ti Xing is naturally easy to capture."

Wang Ruohai smiled bitterly in his heart.Normally, it was indeed what Niu Gao said.But Wang Xiaolie's rule was different.Whether it's military or political affairs, everyone likes to make the numbers clear.Calculations are necessary when there are numbers. For those who have never studied mathematics since childhood, calculation is not an easy task.Even Wang Ruohai felt dizzy when he came into contact with these all of a sudden.

Niu Gao said: "Today is the Dragon Boat Festival, we have set up a special banquet, and we will go together with the punishment."

Wang Ruohai said: "Everything is busy at this time, so there is no need. I will read the official documents here so as not to delay the control time."

After hearing this, Niu Gao laughed and said: "It's not too late. The Dragon Boat Festival is a big festival of the year, how can we not take a break?"

Wang Ruohai had no choice but to stand up and leave the official hall with Niu Gao.

Walking on the street, seeing pedestrians are beaming.The child tied a long life thread on his hand, and ran around madly with a toy in his hand.Wormwood is planted in front of every house, and the smell of realgar is in the air.

Walking on the road, from time to time, a hawker selling rice dumplings with a basket walked by, yelling.

Wang Ruohai said: "It looks like the zongzi sold are pretty good, let's buy a few and bring them as gifts."

After finishing speaking, I stopped a peddler and bought his zongzi.

The peddler said, "Guest officer, I have gold and silver rice dumplings here. Which one do you want?"

Wang Ruohai is from She County, Huainan. Hearing what the peddler said, he couldn't help but wonder: "I've only heard of one kind of zongzi. Why do you have two kinds here? What is golden zongzi? What kind is silver zongzi? What's the difference?"

The peddler said: "Golden rice dumplings are made of millet, wrapped in quince leaves, and they are square. The millet is golden in color, so it is called golden rice dumplings. Silver rice dumplings are made of glutinous rice wrapped in reed leaves, and they look triangular. Because glutinous rice is white , hence the name Silver Zongzi. Gold Zongzi is fragrant, while Silver Zongzi is sweet, let the guest officials buy a few.”

Wang Ruohai said: "Isn't your silver rice dumpling the usual food? It's the first time I've heard of gold rice dumplings. Well, give me ten of each to taste something new. After decades of eating rice dumplings, it turns out there are gold rice dumplings." of."

The peddler happily said hello.They each took ten rice dumplings, wrapped them in lotus leaves, and carried them to Wang Ruohai's followers.

Wang Ruohai lived in the Yamen of the Criminal Division, and in order to separate, Wang Xiaolie lived in the Yamen of Rang County.The distance between the two places is not far, and they will arrive soon.

After entering the yamen, meet Wang Xiaohun and stop.Wang Ruohai said: "I saw a strange thing on the street today. It turns out that there are golden rice dumplings for the Dragon Boat Festival here. They use millet rice, which is different from glutinous rice in other places. I bought ten of them specially, and I will try them with Zhizhi."

Wang Xiaolie said: "What's so strange about this? The world is so big that different places naturally eat differently. In many places in the north, rice is not grown at all, so rice dumplings are naturally made of millet. There are quince trees in their mountains, and the leaves grow as long as they are. It’s big and has a special taste, and it’s used to make zongzi. There are some in the yamen today, but it’s worth the punishment. This kind of food is common in the nearby states, but not many other places.”

Wang Ruohai was amazed when he heard this.I have only heard of using glutinous rice to make zongzi since I was a child, but I have never heard of using millet.Millet is sticky, so it is just right for making zongzi.However, compared with glutinous rice, millet has a unique aroma.Wrapped in quince leaves, it has a unique taste.

Everyone sat down and chatted.

Not long after, the officials set up wine and dishes in the back office.Wang Xiaolie invited Wang Ruohai and several important officials to the banquet together.

Next to the table, there is a copper basin.Inside were the gold and silver zongzi bought by Wang Ruohai, and a pile of eggs.

Wang Xiaolie said: "Today's Dragon Boat Festival, it is said that officials should offer sacrifices to Qu Yuan. It's just that it's an extraordinary time, many habits have been discarded, and this year it can only be like this. If there is peace in the past two years, it is better to sacrifice to the next place."

Wang Ruohai said: "Of course it should. I also asked yesterday, and there is no one familiar with etiquette in the state government."

Wang Xiaolie nodded: "Yes, many things have been delayed due to the country's catastrophe. Forget it, let's get together and chat a few gossips. Let's celebrate this year's Dragon Boat Festival like this. As long as the people are happy , I think Qu Zi doesn’t care about the vacancy this time.”

Several people said yes.Qu Yuan was officially recognized by the government. Every year during the Dragon Boat Festival, the Zhizhou should bring officials to officiate.But since the Jin soldiers went south, many of these things have been abandoned.

Wang Xiaolie got up and poured the wine in the bowl on the ground as a sacrifice.

Everyone saluted and sat down again.

Wang Xiaolie said: "The wheat harvest in Dengzhou was harvested two days ago. Everyone has seen that this year is a rare year of big harvest. Next, let the people take all the grain to their homes. After a month or two , but also to ensure the stability of grain prices, and not to hurt farmers with low grain prices.”

Wang Ruohai said: "This year's harvest is huge, and grain prices will inevitably fall. What can I do?"

Wang Xiaolie said: "If the price of grain falls, the government should set a price and open up the purchase."

Wang Ruohai shook his head after hearing this: "I asked yesterday, the sum of the money in Dengzhou's various treasuries is only two thousand guan, how much grain can they collect? If you don't have money in hand, you can't do anything."

Wang Xiaolie said: "Dengzhou has a good harvest, but other places may not be sure. And now it is different from before. The Jin army came to the south, the royal family went south, and I don't know how many people followed them. They are from the north and are used to eating pasta. I heard that the two Zhejiang provinces In the area, noodles cost six to seven hundred renminbi a catty, and some counties even cost more than a penny. There is a boat from Dengzhou to Xiangyang, and from Xiangyang to Ezhou, you can enter the Yangtze River. Afterwards, you can sell it to Liangzhe. .Even if we receive fifty cents a bucket of wheat, there is still a big profit.”

Wang Ruohai smiled wryly after hearing this: "Zhizhi, long-distance trafficking is not easy. Especially now, the road is not smooth."

Wang Xiaolie said: "So it's best for the government to do this in a unified way. Collect the grain from the common people and transport it to Huainan, Zhejiang Province—"

Wang Ruohai waved his hands after hearing this: "There is no need for Huainan. After the Jin people plundered Huainan, they drove Qiangqiang to the north, and no one collected the food. The price of food in Huainan has not been high in the past two years. If it is transported there, I am afraid that there will be no interest."

Wang Xiaolie nodded.This is something I didn't consider.The Jin people happened to go south during the slack season and plundered the population to the north, and no one took the food in Huainan.The remaining population has decreased a lot, and food prices have not risen.The areas around the two Zhejiang provinces are still stable now, but the population in the north has suddenly increased, and food prices have skyrocketed.

After thinking about it, Wang Xiaolie said: "There is no need to rush this matter. In a few months, send someone to investigate and see where it is suitable to sell."

Niu Gao on the side said: "Even if the grain can be sold, how can we collect it from the common people? Now we are short of capital."

Wang Xiaolie said: "There is no other way but to let the common people cooperate with us. We will pay them on credit for the time being, and we will pay back their principal and interest after the money is sold."

Niu Gao listened and nodded: "That's fine too. I'm just afraid that the people won't believe us."

Wang Xiaolie said: "If it's someone else, why bother to owe the common people on credit? Just raise taxes and rob them. We'll discuss this matter at that time."

Wang Ruohai shook his head secretly.The temperament of the people, if they are robbed, they will be robbed.Now that there is no tax and you want to collect their food, how can it be so easy?It was too simple for Wang Xiaolie to think about things.

(End of this chapter)