Chastity Layman

  Chapter 227 Blood Tofu

   Pig farming cannot solve Datang’s financial difficulties, at least not now.

  Two black pigs passed slowly in front of the monarch and his ministers, twisting their buttocks. On the other side, there were two big white pigs lying on the ground and rolling.

   "Why do your pigs look different?" Li Shimin was a little surprised. He had seen several kinds of pigs in this village.

"Your Majesty, I have recently been researching on raising pigs, so I found a way to select some pigs from various places. In fact, there are many varieties of pigs, just like cattle and horses. Different pigs are produced in different places and have different characteristics. According to the minister Recent surveys have found that there are now no less than a hundred pig breeds in various parts of the Tang Dynasty, and there are several well-known ones, and even different names in different places.”

"Yanzhao and Liaodong are called pigs, Guandong and West are called pigs or pigs, and southern Chu are called pigs. The pigs in the Liaodong area have white heads and black bodies. The pigs in the east area are mostly white. Between the Yellow River and the Huaihe River Pigs born in China have big ears. Pigs in Hebei have thick skin and folds, while pigs born in Bashu have short legs. Pigs in Jiangnan have small ears..."

It turned out that Qin Lang thought that the pigs at this time were all black pigs, and that the white pigs were all pig breeds introduced from abroad in later generations. Now after in-depth research, he discovered that there are actually many native pig breeds in ancient China, including white, black, and flowers. , sharp teeth, sharp mouth, big ears, small ears, long legs, short legs, long faces, short faces, all kinds of people, each with its own characteristics.

   Some pigs even look like wild boars.

   Li Shimin was amazed, but obviously his mind was not on these pigs.

   "Before you promoted the tax on industry and commerce in the border city of Youzhou, and you engaged in salt and iron monopoly, the imperial court opposed it!" Li Shimin's words showed that the current tax reform was actually very difficult.

Before Qin Lang carried out the tax reform in Youzhou, he lost his position due to the reform. In the end, Li Shimin had to compromise with the local tyrants and even the gentry, and claimed that this was only a temporary strategy for the border city of Youzhou, a wartime method against the Turks. , This allowed those people to calm down their dissatisfaction.

   Now many people are shouting that the war is over, and that the temporary tax law of Youzhou border city will be ended. The emperor wanted to engage in salt and iron monopoly and industrial and commercial taxes like Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, but there were many people who refused to agree.

  Actually, how could Qin Lang not understand these things?

  After all, any policy reform is actually to touch vested interest groups. Who are the vested interests?

   To put it bluntly, it is actually those powerful nobles and relatives, the gentry tyrants in those places, they have the ability to intervene in those salt and iron businesses, ordinary people, it doesn't matter.

   Just like what he saw when he was in Youzhou, who can go out for trade, which company is not behind those famous families, or even the high-ranking officials and nobles of the court?

  If the imperial court wanted to change taxes, it was natural to steal money from their pockets. Even though they actually made a lot of money, they still didn't want to spit it out.

As long as the court wants to set up industrial and commercial taxes, or engage in salt and iron monopoly, there will be a lot of people opposing it immediately. They even sprayed the great emperor Han Wudi, saying that he is a tyrant, etc. . The reason is nothing more than the reform of salt and iron during Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. Many tax reforms actually touched the interests of the nobles and powerful people.

"Your Majesty, look at these pigs. There are all kinds of pigs from all over the world, but in my eyes, no matter whether they are black, white or spotted, whether they have big ears or short legs, they are all raised for meat. So all pigs that can eat meat are good pigs.”

  Qin Lang asked people to get ready to cook.

   "Do you want to try pork, Your Majesty?"

  Emperors actually ate pork. Pork was known as one of the three animals in Tailao as early as the pre-Qin period, and it was listed with cattle and sheep. The son of heaven eats too much prison, and the princes eat less prison.

  The princes, high officials and high officials used pigs and sheep for sacrifices, and the emperor could use cattle, pigs and sheep.

  The average person can only use chickens, ducks and fish, and the common people can only eat grass.

  It is naturally a good thing that can be used as a sacrificial offering, something that can be used to sacrifice to heaven or ancestors. Therefore, from the pre-Qin period to the Tang Dynasty, the royal family and nobles also ate pork, but relatively less. Since the Northern Dynasties, because Hu and Han were mixed together, and Hu Feng was often caught, mutton was respected.

  I think that when the white horse crossed the river, the Eastern Jin Dynasty was established, the economy was backward, and the material was poor.

  Even nobles and ministers can hardly eat meat, so pork is regarded as a treasure. At that time, every time they got a pig, they would cut off a piece of meat from the pig's neck and give it to Emperor Jin Yuan for exclusive use.

   This piece of meat was not dared to be used privately by officials, so it was called forbidden meat by the people at that time.

  The word 禁脔 comes from this, a piece of pork neck.

   "Pork tastes bad, it's not beautiful!" Li Shimin doesn't like pork very much.

   "That's because I don't know how to cook. The pork is so good that it can be stuffed with dragon meat from the sky."

   Pork is unpalatable, mainly because there are few pigs castrated at this time, and there are many free-range pigs. In addition, there is a lack of seasoning and no cooking methods, so it is normal for pork to be unpalatable. For example, in later generations, pork in New Zealand had an unpalatable taste. The reason is that pigs in New Zealand are rarely castrated. Secondly, they still have legal protection. Pigs can only be killed humanely and cannot be stabbed with a knife. Bleeding was done, making these pigs taste bad.

  The pigs on the Chinese table in later generations have been improved several times, and they were all castrated and raised in pens. The cooking methods are also constantly improved, so they are naturally very delicious.

   "If you can make pork better than dragon meat, I will support you in raising pigs."

  For Qin Lang, this is quite simple.

  Although it is said that most of the pigs at this time were not castrated, some were castrated. There were castrated pigs in Qin Lang's manor, and they were still bred and very fat.

  He is not short of seasonings, let alone cooking methods.

   Let people catch pigs and boil water for preparation.

  The emperor was a little absent-minded.

  He came to ask for a strategy, and Qin Lang also gave a countermeasure.

   It is nothing more than expanding tax sources, that is, population census, cleaning up hidden households, etc., increasing the registered population, and increasing the number of subjects. And the new tax source is to reopen the industrial and commercial city tax and engage in salt and iron monopoly.

  However, for these two strategies, one is that far water cannot quench the near thirst, and the other is that it will touch the interests of many people, and the opposition is very loud.

   How to decide, this is a difficult problem.

  Qin Lang also ignored the emperor's hesitation, the weather is good today, it is very suitable for slaughtering pigs to eat.

  Finally, I chose a Lingnan pig. Both Lingnan pig and Hedong pig are white, but the Hedong pig has thick skin and long ears, while Lingnan pig has less rough skin, small ears and short legs.

   "Old Wang, come to kill a pig."

  Qin Lang yelled at Lao Wang, and Lao Wang responded energetically, then changed the sheepskin robe into a short jacket, and came over with a basket of pig-killing tools on a hook.

  Lao Wang is versatile. He is not only the head of the village, but also builds bricks and stoves, slaughters pigs, and even castrates chickens.

He has a basket of pig killing tools, long curved hooks for hooking pigs, long sharp knives for piercing the throat and bleeding, butcher knives, chopping pig bones, ribs and pig feet, razors, for shaving... ····

  Old Wang first took out three sticks of incense from the basket, then lit a fire in the courtyard, lit the incense, and bowed seriously!

  He was still chanting words, but he couldn't hear what he was chanting.

  After this set of rituals was completed, incense sticks were inserted, and then the hook half as tall as a person was raised and walked towards the fence.

  He didn’t need help, he walked into the stall, pulled his ears, patted his buttocks, “This pig is not bad, it weighs about three hundred catties, not bad, it’s rare to raise such a fat pig.”

Qin Lang said on the side, "Then don't look at what I usually feed it. The special feed for it includes locust powder, clam snail powder, rice bran, sorghum, and soybean meal. In addition, I also give it a few tablespoons every day. Distiller's grains, fresh radishes and leaves are indispensable every day, the combination is so balanced that you can't get fat."

Lao Wang said, "I think this pen is well built. The pen is dry and the pig shed is warm. In addition, the pen is specially built small. The pigs have no room to move around. They are fed five times a day, and they eat less and more meals. In addition to eating and sleeping, you will naturally gain weight."

  Qin Lang gave a thumbs up, "Old Wang, you are really an expert."

   "That's right, laymen watch the excitement, and experts watch the way. Saburo, you are good at raising pigs."

  Qin Lang said modestly, "I also read these methods of raising pigs from ancient books."

He has indeed collected many books on raising pigs by ancient people, not only the Qimin Yaoshu about raising pigs written by people in the Northern Qi Dynasty, but also many books about raising pigs written by people in the Han Dynasty and Wei and Jin Dynasties. That's right, there are even several books dedicated to pig physiognomy, like horse spectacles, which can be judged by the appearance of pigs, which pigs are easy to raise, which pigs are easy to produce meat, etc.

  Old Wang picked out the big white pig weighing about three hundred catties, and then hooked it.

After receiving the hook, he didn't see any movement. With a casual hook, the big white head was caught by his chin, and then Lao Wang lifted up the front half of the big white body with a little force, and he grabbed the pig's ear with the hook in one hand, When the person walked out, the pig followed with its two hind hooves involuntarily while howling.

  Over there, Zhuang Ding has placed a large wooden basin on the ground, and a support has been erected on it.

  Pharaoh carried the pig to the bucket.

   "Go you!"

   With a strong force, he lifted the big white pig weighing more than 300 kilograms to the wooden frame on the vat all at once, took advantage of the momentum and pushed the pig on it with his knee.

   "Sharp knife!"

  Qin Lang handed over the sharp knife, Lao Wang sent it lightly, and the sharp sharp knife hit the position precisely, immediately the bright red pig's blood poured out, and flowed directly into a small wooden barrel next to the big wooden barrel.

  The pig's cry became weaker and weaker, and the pig's hoof kicked a few times and straightened.

   "Take the pig's blood!"

Qin Lang hurried into the kitchen with the pig's blood, sprinkled the pepper and aniseed water that had been boiled just now, sprinkled in an appropriate amount of salt, stirred evenly, then tested the temperature of the water and found that it was about the same, then poured it into the pig's blood and stirred. stand still.

  The pig's blood coagulated quickly, Qin Lang picked up a knife and sliced ​​it into pieces of pig's blood tofu.

  The pig’s blood tofu is done. If you want to eat it later, just take it to the pot and cook it.

   Qin Lang washed his hands and came out, only to find that Li Shimin was still entangled there.

   "Your Majesty."

   "I have decided, I want to appoint you to be in charge of the tax law reform, do you dare to accept it?" Li Shimin finally made up his mind, he stared at Qin Lang and asked.

   "Your Majesty, let's talk about this matter after we have eaten the pig meat!"

  (end of this chapter)