Landlord of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 276 Three Hundred Altars of Wine
Sishi, a round of icy sun appeared in the sky, but it was sunshine after all, shining on the earth and on people's faces, it was full of brilliance.

All the people visited Xu Qing's house, drank ginger soup, Xu Qing sent a lot of sugar, and all the people left happily.Later, several well-informed small landlords and some remote people came one after another. Xu Qing had nothing to do with them, so they all talked to them and met with them.Those common people were also as if they were in front of Sheng Chong. At noon, no one came at last.There is an agreement in the custom that Bai Ke does not come to the door during meals.

At this time, the servant who had gone to drive away the doormen came back and said to Xu Qing: "Master, the rest have been driven away, but there is one who refuses to leave. He didn't have a banquet last night, but was in his room."

"Oh? Call him here," Xu Qing thought, this person is not as vain as others, could it be that he is really talented.The few who were driven out had already suffered from the wind and cold, and now they have suffered from the wind and cold and were driven out again.Isn't it a narrow escape?Thinking of this, Xu Qing felt a little sympathetic, and almost forgave them, and let the servants find them.But thinking about what they said last night, the anger in my heart came up again, and I gave up my previous thoughts.

After a while, a strong boy came. Unlike those scholars, this person seemed to be a martial artist.I saw him take a step forward, clasped his fists and said, "Under the leadership of Xia Yang."

Xu Qing's heart moved, but his face remained calm, why?Because the dark river is only a top secret existence in front of outsiders.

Seeing Xu Qing's expressionless and puzzled face, the martial artist cupped his fists again and offered him something.A black box was handed to Xu Qing, quietly opened, and a half-yellow leaf-potato leaf fell out!
Seeing this leaf, Xu Qing believed most of it, but still asked: "Well, why are you here?" Xu Qing gently crushed the potato leaves, waved his hand, and let those maidservants go down.

Wu Menke said softly: "My lord, I am under Chief Yang Xin. Chief Yang Xin was ordered by the lord to transport those jars back, and he was stationed in a valley at this time. Chief Yang Xin asked me to stay in the Red Mountain. Wait for the lord to come back, and inform him when he comes back."

Xu Qing had several questions in his mind, but he just said, "Where is Yang Xin? If it's not far away, let him come to see me?"

If this Wumen guest asked Xu Qing to meet Yang Cheng somewhere, then Xu Qing would be half puzzled.But now just let Yang Xin come to see him, the initiative is in his hands, and nothing will happen.

Wu Menke didn't hesitate, he took his orders and left, saying that he could get here in two hours.

At noon, some snacks were served, Xu Qing ate tea and snacks, and finally remembered the purpose of going to Hongshan Town: to arrange vacant rooms for the people behind.

Find old man Ni Bai and count the vacant rooms in the house one by one.From the outside to the inside, there are 120 external guest rooms, 60 private guest rooms, and room for [-] people for servants.Xu Qing estimated that it was not enough, so he asked how many servants there were in Ni Bai's family, and if they could move it.

The old man Ni Bai was surprised, and the servants of the Bailai No. [-] family said that the people had been moved, and the male and female servants were all sleeping in the same bed.

Xu Qing couldn't help frowning and asked, "When did so many people get added to the family?"

Ni Baiwen replied: "Master, when you left, there was nothing in the barn at home. It was full in the past few years, and there are five people who burn fire every day to prevent moisture. Do you think there are many people? Mainly It's over there in the warehouse, and there are a few abacus and a few gongers."

The abacus is the clerk and the accountant, and the gongman is the one who goes to the countryside to advise on farming and mulberry. Not all farmers in the countryside are diligent, and there are also lazy people who need to be reminded to do their work, and they are threatened by rent and tax increases.

Xu Qing asked Ni Bai to take him to the warehouse for a stroll.There are two warehouses in the family. There is one in Bofu, Luonan County, with a capacity of [-] shi, and another one outside, with a capacity of [-] shi.The one at home is mainly for storing fine grains, while the one outside is for coarsely processed grains.

When he opened the granary at home, Xu Qing felt the harvest season, like a monkey entering the peach garden.Ni Bai pointed to the rows of bamboo poles placed horizontally on a high place on the east side, on which hung bacon and air-dried meat with good color and luster, and said: "Master, the bacon here is dried after autumn, and last year's ones have been thrown outside. The warehouse has gone."

I went to another place with a jar, and there were many cured fish hanging on the jar: "The bottom here is pickled rice flower fish, and the top is all fished in my own pond."

These fish and meat can reflect the family background in ancient times.Because a lot of gold and silver just means that your family is rich, but a lot of food means that your family has a lot of people.We have to prepare so much food at home, how can we not have too many people?However, Xu Qing was only relieved, but when he saw Ni Bai pointing at the three hundred altars of immortal wine, he was really excited.

The old man Ni Bai said: "The three hundred altars of immortal wine were transported from Chang'an more than two years ago, and they have been hidden here. Because of the master's order, we didn't throw them away, oh, that's right. Master, why? How long will this wine be kept?"

Xu Qing gave old man Ni Bai a white look, but he also knew that there was a reason for old man Ni's doubts.In the Tang Dynasty, the wine was puree wine, and this kind of wine could not be kept for a long time, and it would become acidic if left for a long time.However, Xu Qing's distilled wine is different. Everyone in the later generations knows that the longer the wine is brewed, the more fragrant it will be.

The most important change in this fragrance is that it is more valuable!
Xu Qing's family has money, but Xu Qing is still in an embarrassing state where he can't starve to death or freeze. His monthly pocket money of [-] Wen was almost cancelled.In this way, there are still three days to check the thirty cents, and if there is a penny missing, it must be accounted for.

So looking at the three hundred jars of wine, Xu Qing was delighted. How much would it cost?

He asked Ni Bai, what is the market price of this fairy wine now?

Ni Bai smiled and said: "I don't know how many little old children are sold in Chang'an, but here in Luonan, the ones sold from Steward Yang are all 15 taels a jar. There is a price but no market!"

"Fifteen one altar! Hongshan Town sells one hundred altars in one month, isn't it 500 taels of silver? Excluding travel expenses, raw materials and labor, there is still a net income of 1000 taels? Tens of thousands of taels a year, this is just East of Chang’an, plus others, 10 taels a year?” Xu Qing calculated, glanced at the 40 jars of wine, and muttered: “These 1 jars, let alone [-] taels a jar, haha ...[-] taels..."

Ni Bai couldn't believe it, but Xu Qing didn't give him any explanation, and said directly: "Ni Bai, these three hundred altars of immortal wine are the most important things in the mansion, they must be strictly guarded! If someone other than me comes in, if something goes wrong, my lord, I'll make you lose your security at the end of the day!"

(End of this chapter)