I was the richest man in Da Song

Chapter 16
Originally, the tax collector just teased He Shao to find the current prime minister, but he did not expect that He Shao would actually go.

He Shao didn't know Li Hang at all, so he had to bite the bullet and come to the door, otherwise the investment of more than 1 yuan in distiller's yeast and these grains would have to be thrown away in vain.

Others may not know where Li Hang lives, but Min Weng, the snakehead who knows the whole Kaifeng city like the palm of his hand, naturally knows.

After inquiring about the location from Min Weng, He Shao changed his clothes, wearing a scarf and hat and a blue shirt, which was light and more formal.

To the south of the imperial palace is Xiuzhengfang. Basically all the dignitaries of the Song Dynasty lived in Xiuzhengfang. Li Hang, who was the prime minister of the dynasty, naturally also lived here.

The houses in Xiuzhengfang are no different from other places, even worse than Chong'anfang, where wealthy merchants and rich merchants gather in Kaifeng.

It's just that there are very few outsiders running around in the streets of Xiuzhengfang, and occasionally some proud people can be seen, so He Shao hurriedly stood aside to avoid them.

After wandering around Xiuzhengfang like a headless fly for a long time, he finally found the place Min Weng said, and when he saw the plaque with the word Xiangfu on it, He Shao knew he had found the right place.

But even if He Shao found the prime minister's mansion, the officials of the prime minister's mansion blocked him out. Even if the status of merchants in the Song Dynasty improved, they would not be able to enter the prime minister's door without being invited.

He Shao was unwilling to leave like this, and found a shade tree outside the gate of Xiangfu to enjoy the shade while waiting for the opportunity.

This summer in Kaifeng City was extremely hot, and He Shao was already sweating profusely after waiting for half an hour. Just as he was about to leave, a red sedan chair landed in front of the Prime Minister's Mansion.

A fat old man in brocade clothes got off the sedan chair with the help of the bearer. The old man's face was pale and he couldn't even walk steadily.

After seeing this man, He Shao was overjoyed, he knew this old man, he was a frequent customer of the fragrant butcher shop, and he was the one who completed his made-up family tree.

"Mister, stay here, sir!" He Shao called out hastily.

"Who is making noise here?" The servants on the side stepped forward to block He Shao.

"Oh? It's you, what are you doing here if you don't do your business well?"

The old man also recognized He Shao, but his voice lacked strength.

"The business of the fragrant butcher shop is so good that it was envied by others, and it was deliberately set on fire. Now it has started some other businesses, but it has been made things difficult by the yamen. I have no choice but to come to the prime minister's mansion, but I can't even enter this door." "

"Being made things difficult by the yamen?"

"Old man, do you know Mr. Xiang? Can you make a report on your behalf?"

"Of course I recognize it, you come with me"

The old man walked into the yard with the help of the servant beside him, and no one dared to stop him with the old man leading the way.

I thought that even if the place where Zaifu lived in the current dynasty did not have the style of a royal garden, it would naturally be built with mountains, pierced with ponds and planted with bamboo forests, but after entering, I found that the whole Yuanzi was very ordinary, with no other decorations except some flowers and plants.

The servant assisted him to sit down, and the old man was already sweating profusely during the short distance of tens of meters. Even if He Shao was not a doctor, he could tell that the man was extremely weak.

Seeing that there was no one around, He Shao didn't understand why he was sitting in the main seat. This old man who kept going to the fragrant meat shop in the past few days was actually the prime minister of the court.

"Having seen Li Xiang, He Shao has eyes that don't recognize Mount Tai, so he doesn't know that you are the prime minister of the court"

He Shao hastily cupped his hands in salute, he should have knelt down, but He Shao was really not used to it and couldn't bend his legs.

"Don't you have a poisonous eye?" Li Hang waved his hand, motioning for He Shao to sit down and talk.

"It's been a long time since you went to the butcher shop," He Shao asked.

"Recently I'm not feeling well, and the old man's salary is not much, so I can't afford you a few meals"

Li Hang is gentle and has no airs towards anyone, so it's normal that He Shao can't recognize him.

The servants opened all the doors and windows, and they felt more comfortable after introducing a gust of draft.

"The health of the old man is getting worse day by day. I used to stay at the Zhengshitang for a whole day. Now I have to come back early. The old man is from the north and can't stand the heat."

"Is it better to put some ice in the room?" He Shao asked.

"This year's weather is extraordinarily hot, and the ice in Kaifeng costs ten cents a catty. Although my husband has a lot of salary, it is delicious, and the family has a lot of mouths. If you can save one item, count it one item."

"I still have a lot of ice in the cellar that I can't use, why don't you send some to Xiang Li?"

What kind of cellar is there in He Shao's house? He wanted to please him deliberately, but Li Hang's eyebrows were furrowed, and his attitude changed sharply.

"Nonsense, the old man Qingzheng will not accept your things all his life, come and see off"

Seeing two servants coming, He Shao hurriedly explained

"Li Xiang misunderstood, this ice is an ordinary thing, it can be controlled everywhere, and there is absolutely no intention of bribery"

"There are things that can be restrained everywhere? Today's young people don't know what the sky is high and the earth is thick," Li Hang scolded.

"To prove what I said is true, He Shao is willing to make ice in front of Prime Minister Li."

"Okay, didn't you come to the old man because the yamen made things difficult? If you can make ice in midsummer in front of the old man, the old man will believe what you said is true. If you can't, then it's just nonsense. What you said There's no credibility whatsoever."

"I need a big tank full of water." He Shao said and took out dozens of coins and handed them to the servants of the Prime Minister's mansion, "Go and buy me some water stones."

After Li Hang nodded, the servant took the money and left.

The price of saliva is very cheap and can be seen everywhere. There are many shady corners on the ground, especially the corners of pigsty and toilets.In addition, there are also some saliva produced from Glauber's salt mine, which are also sold in medicine stores.

For dozens of pennies, I bought a whole bag of hydrazine.

"Li Xiang, look"

The servant helped Li Hang up and came to the prepared jar. Li Hang took a closer look and found that it was indeed water.

He Shao poured all the hydrite into the tank, and soon bursts of cold air came out of the tank, the original water turned into ice cubes under Li Hang's gaze, and the tank containing the water was directly burst.

"So simple?" Li Hang's eyes were filled with shock.

"It's that simple"

It's just making ice from liquefied stones, and He Shao couldn't figure out how difficult it is.

"The ice cubes in the market cost ten yuan a catty, but you only used some worthless hydrazine for hundreds of catties of ice?"

"That's why I'm telling you, how can this be regarded as bribery? Limestone is very cheap, and you don't need to pay for water. The only price for making these ices is that you didn't calculate the amount properly and burst your tank." He Shao laughed.

"No wonder the alchemist once said that the hydrating stone is born from the breath of sea brine, and it is the most sacred thing in the world.

A piece of your ice is worthless but mine is worth a hundred dollars, and the ice in the house will be handed over to you from now on.”

"I'll deliver the ice from your place, but the method of making ice is a secret, you can't pass it on"

"Don't worry, I still understand the rules"

Someone has already knocked down the ice and put it in the basin.

"Ice is worthless, knock a few more yuan to let the old man cool off"

"Go and bring a melon up"

Li Hang was helped to the gazebo and put a tray of ice cubes beside him. He opened his chest slightly with a fan, and a watermelon was soaked in well water in the basin next to him.

After feeling the coolness, Li Hang's spirit improved a lot, and he even waved his fan and recited a poem.

"Spread out to take advantage of the cold, open a room to sleep and relax"

He Shao saw that Li Hang was in a good mood, so he also recited a song
"The sky and the earth are scorching hot, and the fans are swaying gently. Knocking on the ice and snow, sinking plums and floating melons, how can a building be a hundred feet tall?
The summer pavilion needs to be swept quietly, and the shade of the trees is thick with green waves and ponds.Liushuixi bridge, the right army watching geese, it is better to have a happy birthday! "

The Song Dynasty emphasized literature over martial arts, and one or two lines of poems suitable for the occasion were even more effective than money. After listening to these words, Li Hang sat up from his chair.

"Seconds"

Li Hang and He Shao discussed a lot of literature. He Shao didn't know much, but he had memorized a lot of poems in the nine-year compulsory education. Occasionally, a sentence or two surprised Li Hang.

In Li Hang's eyes, He Shao is not only brilliant, but also gorgeous.

(End of this chapter)