The struggle of the reborn prince

Zhao Tong then talked about his next plan. He planned to build two roads along the main canal, one horizontal and one vertical, two bridges to connect with the official road, and then choose a place with higher terrain beside the main road to build four a new village and let all the tenants move in.

"Second Master, why do you need to build a road and move to live? Now the tenants can live in a decent place, and the road can be used!" Zheng Fu, the chief steward, looked at the prince and asked suspiciously.

"I said that we should take a longer view, don't just look at the point on the toe, we have to do big things, the road is repaired, the things we plant can be easily transported out, and the things we need are brought in. We not only need to build roads , but also to build a wharf on the Bian River, as the saying goes, "If you want to get rich, you must first build roads"!" Zhao Tong explained, "The same is true for building new villages. The tenants live, except for some of the rented houses. Yes, and some of them were built by myself on open land, either in disrepair or leaking, if you were allowed to live in such a place, would you stay there with peace of mind?"

"As soon as the second master said it, I understood that we wanted to plant the sycamore tree to attract the golden phoenix!" Zheng Lu, the second steward, suddenly said.

"Second Lord, it will cost a lot of money to pave roads, build bridges, build dams, and dredge the main canal!" Zheng Fu, the chief steward, said with a smack of teeth.

"The money that should be spent must be spent, don't feel distressed!" Zhao Tang said with a smile, "And since we want to do it, we must do it well. I don't understand these things, so I need you to worry more, but the standard should not be low. Ganqu It needs to be widened and deepened, and it will not be rebuilt in less than two years. The width of the road must ensure that two large vehicles can run side by side. A hundred stone carts are the limit, choose low-lying places that are not suitable for farming to dig ponds to store water, so that it is convenient to irrigate the fields nearby when there is drought!"

Several people were dumbfounded when they heard it. The prince was a big deal when he made a move, but what he said next surprised them even more, "I plan to build a new village here, here, and here. back and forth between them!" Zhao Tong clicked on the map and said: "Each village must be able to accommodate five hundred households, the layout must be reasonable, and it must be easy to enter and exit. Each household must be able to accommodate at least six people in a family. Ten households must have a common water well... that's all for now, we'll discuss the details after we get down!"

"Second Master, if we build roads and build villages, we may not have enough manpower, and secondly, we may delay the farming season!" Zheng Lu said secretly.

"Hehe, we can start the work according to the priority. We can't delay the farming season. Let's build the dam and dredge the canal first. We can delay the construction of the new village and start the work after the summer harvest. But you can secretly release this news!" Zhao Tong laughed lightly. said.

"Yes, just follow the second master's orders!" Zheng Lu saw the sly smile on the prince's face, and immediately understood, sighing secretly that the prince is really a big kid.

"Now, we must do two things right now: Second, work harder, find experts who understand water conservancy and road construction technology, and make calculations to see how many people are needed, how many workers, and how long it will take to complete. At the same time, purchase Tools and materials, complete these tasks before the start of work, don’t delay; you, the big manager, will take people to each village to recruit people tomorrow, you must be kind, bring cash, and whoever signs up will register the advance wages immediately, this must not be ambiguous! "

"Yes!" "Yes, we will arrange manpower to do it right away!" The two nodded in agreement.

"Second Master, I have another question, please tell me, how much should we pay them in advance?" Zheng Fu asked.

"How much money does a family need to survive the spring famine?" Zhao Tong asked rhetorically.

"Three pennies per month is enough!" Zheng Fu said after some calculations.

"Okay, let's pay in advance at the rate of three pennies, and tell them that after work starts, they will have two meals a day, and they will be rewarded for doing a good job!" Zhao Tong immediately made a decision.

"Second Master, I'm afraid the mansion will be in short supply if we do this. If we recruit 1000 people, the salary will be [-] Wen, the food will be [-] Wen, and the construction period will be [-] days. The expenditure alone will cost [-]. Guan, plus tools and materials, I don’t know how much it will cost!” Zheng Fu said distressedly, a middle-class family’s wealth is only a few hundred pennies, and it would cost tens of thousands of pennies for the prince to open his mouth.

"I've already considered this. There are still 19 coins in the mansion. We can't run out of this. Besides, we can think of other ways to earn it back. Don't worry about money. I'll take care of it!" He said confidently that he has been thinking about this matter for several days, and he has already thought of a way to get money. If he succeeds, the money will flow in like flowing water.

"What can you do, kid, unless you ask the emperor for it? If you can get money, why do you need us in charge!" Zheng Fu slandered, looking at the chief executive who had been silent all this time, and suddenly thought of the prince. Just building a warm house earned nearly ten thousand guan for the mansion, maybe the prince can really think of other ways to make money, otherwise the chief manager wouldn't let him be in charge.The more Zheng Fu thought about it, the more he felt right, and there was something wrong with the way he looked at the prince.

"My lord has explained everything, everyone must do it with all my heart. This time it is my lord who will set up the stage for you, and you must sing this play well!" Huang Jingchen casually said a sentence that the lord often said these two days. It is simple and clear.

"Yes, my lord set up the stage. We will sing an opera, and we will definitely live up to your lord's trust!" The few people in charge are all sensible people, and they immediately understood what the chief executive meant. .

"This job is done well, and I won't treat everyone badly. I will reward you according to your merits after the work is done!" Zhao Tang stood up and said to several people with his hands behind his back. And a little funny.

"Thank you, Second Master!" The three of them thanked in unison with suppressed laughter.

"Cough, Zheng Shou, how are the preparations for the New Year's Eve going? Don't let these things affect the New Year's Eve?" Huang Jingchen also couldn't stop laughing, coughing dryly and said to the third steward.

"Boss, I have bought all the things to eat for the New Year, the filial piety from Zhuangzi has also been delivered, and the 'welfare' ordered by the second master is also ready. In addition, I have invited a theater troupe and a few juggling troupes. He is well-known in Beijing!"

"Okay, all the things during the Chinese New Year are cumbersome, and there is a large population this year, so pay attention to fire prevention and thieves, and don't make any mistakes!" Huang Jingchen nodded and instructed.

"Don't worry, the manager, all the small ones have been arranged, and more people will be sent to patrol at night!" Zheng Shou replied respectfully.

"Okay, everything has been arranged for today, and we will have to work hard for everyone in the next few days. I invite everyone to dinner today, which is considered a reward for everyone!" Zhao Tong stood up and said with a smile, "See Xi, order the banquet to open!"

"Okay!" Jian Xi agreed, and immediately went out to order the kitchen to serve.

When a few people entered the restaurant next door, they first saw a copper hot pot on the table, with hot soup boiling inside, but the pot looked a little different from what they used to see. The pot and the stove on the table were integrated. .Speaking of which, hot pot has a long history. In this era, it has been common in taverns in Bianjing, but it is still a pot, just like modern times, whether it is chicken, duck, fish, or delicacies.

There were two large plates of cut mutton on the table, which looked like sheets of bamboo paper as thin as cicada's wings. Under the skillful hands of the cook, the plate looked like a big peony flower in full bloom. There are a few small bowls and small plates, with red, green and green seasonings in them, which are really beautiful. In addition, there are four kinds of side dishes to accompany the wine. On the side tables, there are tofu, spinach, cabbage and lettuce. Produced fresh vegetables.

Those in charge knew the prince's "eccentricities" and didn't like to eat fruit to watch the market, but today's way of eating still confused them. They didn't know how to serve chopsticks for a while, and even Huang Jingchen, who often eats imperial food, was blindsided Now, I wondered if the prince wanted to invite everyone to eat raw mutton and vegetables with those seasonings, and then drink the soup.

"Come on, today I invite everyone to eat hot-boiled mutton!" Looking at everyone's appearance, Zhao Tang knew that none of them had eaten it before. He took a small bowl filled with sesame paste, and quickly took some coriander powder from the seasoning plate. , minced leeks (I can’t find anywhere at this time, so I can only make do with it), fermented bean curd (this is what he fiddled with in the kitchen), put it in a bowl, stir well, add some salt and put it in front of Huang Jingchen , and then changed a pair of chopsticks to pick up a piece of mutton and placed it in the boiling soup in the pot for a few times. When the meat turned gray, put it on Huang Jingchen's dinner plate, "Uncle Huang, taste it!"

Huang Jingchen looked at Zhao Tun suspiciously, picked it up and dipped it in the dipping material that he had just prepared, put it in his mouth, chewed it carefully, and immediately picked up a piece of mutton and put it in the soup to rinse it. After smearing the small ingredients, he eagerly put it in his mouth. After eating a few slices, he found that everyone at the table was staring at him.

"Where did the lord learn how to eat it? This mutton is so tender and delicious that people can't bear to put it on chopsticks. This old man has lost his composure!" Huang Jingchen said embarrassingly with his old face flushed.

"My lord, this mutton is the hind legs of Shanzhou sheep. After it was frozen, the chefs let the cooks fly their blades out. This soup is the chicken soup cooked by the prince himself. There are mushrooms, dried shrimps, and scallops in it. It is the fermented bean curd made by the prince, and it tastes different when it is put in the dipping sauce, and even this pot is drawn by the prince, and the craftsmen in the mansion made it!" Hearing Huang Jingchen's question, he offered a treasure when he saw it. He seemed to introduce that he participated in all these matters, and he spoke clearly and logically.

"My lord learned from that fairy teacher. I heard that he is famous for his love of food!" After hearing Jianxi's introduction, Huang Jingchen whispered in Zhao Tian's ear.

"Haha..." Zhao Tun laughed dryly, didn't answer, and gave Huang Jingchen a look that you know and I know.

Zhao Tang looked at the few people who were eating with gusto, and felt secretly happy. Although his cottage version of hot-boiled mutton was good, he couldn't know the secret recipe of other ingredients. The taste was definitely much worse than modern ones. If these people on the table can live another thousand and 800 years to eat authentic boiled mutton in 'Donglaishun', they will definitely beat themselves up before stepping on their feet, I'm afraid they are not as tall as Peng Zuchi Zhong', maybe I have passed down this way of eating, and be regarded as the authentic originator by later generations!