The First Great Ancestor of the Five Dynasties

Chapter 196 Back to Jingzhou
"Ah-choo-!~~"

At the post station outside Anding County, Jingzhou, Zhu Xiu was riding a gray donkey, covered his mouth and nose with a handkerchief, and sneezed loudly.

After blowing her nose, Zhu Xiu rubbed her red nose, her eyes a little dull.

After traveling for nearly a month, I didn't expect that I would take a detour to Changwucheng and catch a cold.

"Which bastard is scolding me behind my back?" Zhu Xiu was depressed, wiped her nose, and changed into a clean handkerchief.

The gray donkey and the black egg flapped their ears and chewed their thick lips, revealing a few big teeth. They were a little disgusted with the guy riding on their back.

The group took a short rest at the post house and continued on their way to the county town.

A postman galloped back to the county seat to report the news of Zhu Xiu's return to Jiedu Mansion.

After walking for another hour, we can get back to Anding County.

After passing the post pavilion, the official road leading to the county town suddenly became wider and wider. The road was paved with stone slabs and as clean as new. The pedestrians were getting denser and denser. There were small vendors selling goods on both sides of the official road from time to time.

"Candied haws on a stick~Fresh and delicious candied haws on a stick! Only six cents a bunch!~~"

There was a vendor selling homemade candied haws with a loud voice, attracting many pedestrians to gather around.

Li Chongjin dragged Shi Xiangwen and ran towards him, pushed through the crowd, took out a lot of coins and shouted loudly: "Ten skewers for the uncle!"

The vendor was overjoyed and hurriedly took the coins, counted them roughly, wrapped ten bunches of candied haws in rough paper and handed them to him: "Please take this, sir!"

A group of sniffling dolls raised their dirty faces and looked at him with envious eyes, and the sounds of swallowing saliva could be heard from time to time.

Li Chongjin was so proud that he took out a bunch, opened his mouth, and ate four or five red hawthorn fruits in one mouthful, which attracted a group of dolls to marvel in unison.

Shi Xiangwen looked at the candied haws in his hand, and then at the dolls surrounding the two of him. He stretched out two fingers to pick off the hawthorn fruits one by one, and gave them to the greedy children, which caused a moment of shyness and confusion. A joyful childish laugh.

When Li Chongjin saw the dolls gathered around Shi Xiangwen, he unconvincedly took out two bunches of candied haws and shouted: "I have some here too!"

The dolls burst into surprise and laughed again, and they swarmed around Li Chongjin, scrambling for the candied haws in his hand.

Zhu Xiu glanced at them and shook his head. Sure enough, they were two older problem children.

After finally getting rid of the dolls, Shi Xiangwen ran over holding two bunches of candied haws and handed one bunch to Zhu Xiu.

Zhu Xiu smiled and said: "Give it to the eldest lady, but I won't eat it."

"Oh." Shi Xiangwen handed it to Fu Jinzhan.

Fu Jinzhan smiled, and thanked him.

Shi Xiangwen smiled naively and happily ate the last bunch of candied haws.

Zhu Xiu glanced at Li Chongjin, who was licking his mouth and wiggling his fingers, and sighed: "Shi Dalang still has a conscience~ Unlike some people, who only care about eating for themselves!"

Li Chongjin blinked and smiled sheepishly: "How about I go buy some more?"

As he said this, he touched his arms and stopped smiling. He didn't have much money in his pocket.

Zhu Xiu said warily: "Don't look at me, I don't have any money to lend you! When I came here, Marshal and Marshal Chai told me not to give you too much money, lest you get into trouble by drinking and drinking!"

Li Chongjin said with a flattering smile: "Brother, please lend me some first, and I will return it to you when you return to Kaifeng and receive your salary!"

Zhu Xiu shook his head: "No! I won't borrow it if I have one! How dare I disobey the orders of the two commanders? Don't forget, we made an agreement beforehand. I, Jingzhou, do not support idlers. You have to rely on me for food and clothing." Earn it yourself!”

Li Chongjin was annoyed and glared: "Earn what you earn! I, the Black King, have joined your Tiger Camp, how dare you deduct my food and salary?"

Zhu Xiu smiled and said: "The Weihu Camp is the elite of the Zhangyi Army. How can you join just by saying you want to join? If you want to join the Weihu Camp, you must first pass the trial training! Even if you become a member of the Weihu Camp, you will not be able to join." You have to abide by the rules and military laws, otherwise you will be punished, and you won’t even get half a penny of salary!”

"I'm your elder brother, shouldn't you take extra care of him?" Li Chongjin said with a dark face.

Zhu Xiu curled his lips: "There are no fathers and sons in the army, let alone brothers! Don't forget the commander-in-chief's advice. When you come to Jingzhou, you must obey my orders and act. But don't blame me for reminding you before anything goes wrong. Don't violate military discipline, otherwise you will be severely punished." loan!"

"Wow, wow! I'm so angry!" Li Chongjin was furious and clenched his old fist, "You kid, come down! I wonder if I, the king, won't deal with you properly!"

Zhu Xiu sneered contemptuously, pointed at him and shouted: "Da Lang, this guy is itchy again. Help him relax his muscles and bones!"

"Oh." Shi Xiangwen finished eating the last few hawthorn fruits, his mouth bulging, rolled up his sleeves and strode towards Li Chongjin.

Li Chongjin's face turned dark and he ran away, shouting angrily: "Shi Dalang! You white-eyed wolf! I paid for the candied haws you ate just now!"

Shi Xiangwen ignored him, grinned honestly, clenched his fists, and followed Li Chongjin.

The two chased each other on the official road for a while, and soon, a series of miserable wailing sounds came from the front.

The common people did not dare to get close and stood in the distance to watch. They saw a huge man as big as a hill, pressing down another big man with a black face and a fierce look, and beat him violently.

It has become a habit for the two problem children to fight and fight along the way, and Zhu Xiu and others don't take it to heart.

Fu Jinzhan bit off a hawthorn pill, tasted it carefully, and said with a smile: "It's not as delicious as the ones sold in Guanghe Shop."

Zhu Xiu said with a smile: "The candied haws on a stick is an original creation of Guanghe Shanghui. These small vendors are just copying the gourd, and it is difficult to master its subtleties in a short time. The candies sold in Guanghe Shop, from the selection of materials to the workmanship, as well as the production of syrup , all have a complete set of processes and unique techniques, and even a simple bunch of candied haws can be made unique."

Fu Jinzhan said: "The candies in Guanghe Shop are indeed exquisite and delicious, but the price is too high and ordinary people cannot afford them. It would be better if they were cheaper."

Zhu Xiu smiled and said: "Guanghe Shang is following the high-end boutique route. Its main target groups are dignitaries and wealthy businessmen. The price of the products will not go down too much. However, candy making does not have such advanced techniques. As time goes by, the market will There will be many imitations on the market, gradually forming an industrial chain around candy, and small merchants and hawkers will emerge to support many families."

Fu Jinzhan was stunned for a moment after listening to it. Many words sounded particularly fresh, but after careful consideration, there was no lack of connotation.

"You know this Guanghe store quite well." Fu Jinzhan sighed.

Pan Mei, who was behind her, snorted coldly: "Madam, you don't know something. Guanghe Shanghui was originally created by Zhu Xiaozi. Naturally, no one knows better than him! With Zhu Xiaozi's greed for money, let him lower the price of candy. I'm afraid it will hurt more than cutting off a few pieces of his flesh!"

Fu Jinzhan was startled, and his beautiful eyes were filled with surprise: "Guanghe Commercial Center is your property?"

Zhu Xiu smiled shyly and cupped her hands: "Make the madam laugh."

Behind her, Pan Mei said sourly: "In addition to Guanghe Shanghui, we walked all the way from Chang'an. The Taihe Restaurant where we ate and the Shenghe Mansion where we stayed were all created by Zhu Xiaozi. He is now a real rich man, so What do you call a rich man!" Zhu Xiu glared at him angrily: "No one will think you are mute if you don't speak!"

Pan Mei curled her lips and turned her head to look at the scenery.

Fu Jinzhan's beautiful face was stunned, and he murmured: "You have only been in Jingzhou for two years, and you have actually purchased such a large property?"

Zhu Xiu said modestly: "It's all thanks to Shi Jieshuai's support and support from friends from all walks of life. In fact, many businesses are partnerships with others, and I just have a small part in it."

Pan Mei yelled: "Anyway, our old Pan is determined to follow you from now on. You have to control what I eat and drink. Even if I don't have any money in my pocket, I have to control what you want!"

Zhu Xiu said angrily: "Friendship is friendship, and you will not be short of the salary you should be given. If you want the extra, you have to earn it on your own! I am not your father, so I still have to care about you marrying a wife and having children?"

Pan Mei was furious and reached out to catch him: "Good boy! What you said at the beginning will not count if you deceive me now? Please beat me!"

Zhu Xiu lay on the back of the donkey, opened his throat and shouted for help: "Shi Dalang! Help me!"

Pan Mei was startled and quickly retracted her hand. If Shi Xiangwen was summoned, he would be the one who would be pushed to the ground and humiliated in public.

"You're a cruel kid! If you have the guts, don't call him Shi Dalang. Let's challenge him to a duel!"

Zhu Xiu dusted off his robe and said disdainfully: "I am a gentleman, how can I touch you?"

Fu Jinzhan laughed like a silver bell: "You two have always bickered in Cangzhou, and they still don't stop now."

Zhu Xiu and Pan Mei glared at each other, turned their heads and snorted coldly.

On the wide official road, Fu Jinzhan saw some stocky women wearing red armbands, walking around to supervise the compliance of business travelers with health regulations. There were also some military men wearing Xuan robes with iron short sticks slung around their waists. The soldiers patrolled back and forth to maintain law and order.

Most people who speak with a Jingzhou accent can consciously abide by the hygiene regulations and throw away garbage at designated places. Those who need to use the toilet will go to the chic huts on the roadside, euphemistically called public toilets.

Even if there are travelers from out of town who don’t understand Anding County’s rules, there will still be people standing under the signboards repeating the county’s health regulations over and over again.

Along the way, Zhu Xiu introduced Fu Jinzhan softly, and Fu Jinzhan nodded in admiration as he looked at it.

“Littering of garbage, open defecation and filth on the ground makes the stench sky high, not only unsightly, but also easy to breed harmful bacteria and infect underground water sources. If things go on like this, it is easy to make people sick. In the city, people When living in concentrated areas, we must pay more attention to protecting environmental hygiene.”

Zhu Xiu patiently and meticulously conveyed the concepts of environmental protection and health to Fu Jinzhan.

Fu Jinzhan seemed to understand: "In the great cities of the Central Plains, such as Kaifeng and Yedu, except for a few main roads, many streets and alleys also have piles of dust and stinky odors. They should indeed be rectified. It's just that you said filth It’s easy to breed germs, so what’s the explanation for this germ?”

Zhu Xiu said with a smile: "Madam, you still remember that when we were defending the city in Cangzhou, we collected a large amount of excrement and urine, boiled it and poured it on the top of the city. We also called it gold juice. Any Khitan soldier who was scalded by gold juice would It is difficult to cure, and the wound will fester and pus within a few days. It is precisely because the feces and urine contain germs that infect the human body and make people sick.

There are also injuries caused by rusty iron tools. The injured are prone to dizziness, headaches, and tight and painful muscles all over the body. This is also because rust contains germs. The same reason applies. "

Fu Jinzhan said: "So, germs are the source of disease."

Zhu Xiu smiled, and said again: "But everything has its pros and cons. Although gold juice and iron rust can cause people to get sick, they are by no means useless. Madam, you know that although feces and urine are dirty, as long as they are handled properly, It can also be made into a good medicine to cure diseases and save lives. White and yellow stools in the human philtrum come from this. There is also rust, which can also treat boils, swelling and poison, and detoxify poisonous insects, snakes and ants.

In the fertile land method promoted in Jingzhou, excrement and urine are also important fertilizers.”

Pan Mei had just bought two dripping cucumbers from a vegetable farmer's basket on the roadside. She snapped half of them in one bite and chewed them heartily.

Zhu Xiu glanced at him and said quietly: "But there are still many farmers who have not mastered the method of fertilizing the land. They often pour a scoop of urine directly on the fruits and vegetables. Therefore, it is more hygienic to wash fresh fruits and vegetables before eating them."

Pan Mei's eyes widened, her chewing movements froze, and she held the cucumber head in her hand, looking at a loss.

Fu Jinzhan wanted to reach out and take the cucumber handed by Pan Mei, but after hearing Zhu Xiu's words, he quickly retracted his hand and showed an awkward but polite smile.

"Ouch~ vomit~"

Ignoring Pan Mei who was holding on to the saddle and retching, Zhu Xiu and Fu Jinzhan continued to walk forward.

"The governors of the three prefectures of Jingzhao, Henan, and Kaifeng should really come and listen to your lectures. If they had your opinion, they would not allow a huge capital city to dump ash at will in the streets and alleys. There will be sewage flowing everywhere and it will be messy.”

Fu Jinzhan was filled with emotion.

Zhu Xiu smiled. In fact, there is not much harmful garbage produced these days. Most of the filth in the city is the excrement of people and livestock. With a little attention and planning, it can be greatly improved.

As human activities increase in an area, the groundwater source will be most seriously harmed in the long run.

One of the main reasons why Chang'an City was abandoned in the Han Dynasty was that the groundwater source was severely halogenated.

Zhu Xiu is committed to building Anding County into the political, cultural, and commercial center of the Jinghe River Basin, and the issue of environmental sanitation must be taken seriously from now on.

A carriage was parked outside the east gate of Anding County. Shi Kuangwei, dressed in a gray cloth robe with his sleeves rolled up, squatted on the carriage in front of the carriage, chatting with Guan Tieshi.

Shi Kuangwei has a lot of white hair on his head, his dark face is much fatter, and his wrinkles are getting deeper. He looks like a simple old farmer.

Guan Tieshi was also dressed in casual clothes, looking at the official road while talking.

Shi Lingyan cut his hands behind his back and walked in a circle around the carriage, kicking the pebbles at his feet boredly and looking up at the crowd from time to time.

"Here we come!" Guan Tieshi's sharp eyes spotted Shi Xiangwen, who was the first to show up among the crowd.

Shi Lingyan's black pearl-like eyes burst into surprise and he flew away.

Skuangwei was very appreciative of the excitement shown by his daughter, curled his lips and scolded someone in a low voice in his heart.

Shi Kuangwei squinted his eyes and looked into the distance, glanced around and landed on Fu Jinzhan.

"It's been more than two years since we left Cangzhou, and Mrs. Fu is still beautiful and charming!" Guan Tieshi sighed.

Shi Kuangwei glanced at him, rubbed his chin, and suddenly said: "What do you think Mr. Zhu wants to do by bringing Mrs. Fu to Jingzhou?"

Guan Tieshi was stunned: "Didn't Mr. Young Master's letter say that Mrs. Fu came to Jingzhou to relax and have some fun, and then return together with her brother when he leaves Qizhou?"

"Let's relax? Play?" Skuangwei curled his lips, jumped out of the carriage, patted his buttocks, and cursed: "This little bastard has bad intentions!"

With that said, Shi Kuangwei stepped forward to greet him, and Guan Tieshi hurriedly followed him with confusion on his face.

(End of this chapter)