Guide to traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty

In March of Yangchun, the first batch of refugees had opened up wasteland in Nanyang Prefecture and Xiangyang Prefecture.

Soybeans are mainly grown, and March of the lunar calendar is just the right time for spring sowing. After the summer harvest, you can still do a summer plowing. Subsequent refugees can even be sown in autumn.

Leguminous crops are very suitable for land reclamation and can also accumulate fertility for the soil.

As early as last autumn and winter, Zhu Guoxiang was stocking up on beans and shipped them to new areas in winter and spring.

Before Ju Ming launched his army, Sichuan was levied and plundered by the imperial court.

The combination of raising troops to rebel and dealing with the encirclement and suppression took up to a year and a half, during which a lot of food was consumed. Now there are still 100,000 soldiers, and rations and seeds have to be distributed to the refugees. The granaries in various prefectures and counties are all empty.

Fortunately, we captured a large amount of enemy food and grass when we defeated the various officers and soldiers. Otherwise, we would be even more stretched this year.

Currently, the war bonds issued by the Sichuan Gorge Economic and Strategy Office still owe the people more than 300,000 shi of grain.

This year we must guard against a run on bonds by wealthy households, and Zhu Guoxiang plans to issue a batch of "bonds to enrich the people." If the people who bought "war bonds" last year don't cash in this year, they won't have to buy "enrichment bonds" again.

Dean Zhu can only delay this for a year or two, and then he can get through the difficult period smoothly. Especially corn and sweet potatoes, after the planting was promoted throughout Sichuan!

The gentry and landlords could only endure it, fearing that Zhu Xianggong would be driven into a hurry and face the consequences directly. By then, the food would still have to be handed over, and they wouldn't even be able to get a bond certificate.

"Marshal, this is from the Imperial Palace." Bai Sheng held out two small jars as if offering treasures.

Ju Ming patted the seal on the can and looked at it. There was a can of rock sugar and a can of brown sugar. He couldn't help but ask: "Where did my dad get it?"

Bai Sheng explained: "My husband didn't want the tribute from Suizhou, but he returned it last year. But Suizhou's sugar-shuang households sincerely contributed, and asked the government to send it again this spring. My husband accepted it and canceled the tribute." system, no official is allowed to collect tribute.”

Suining was the main producer of rock sugar in the Northern Song Dynasty. After being listed as a tribute, most of the sugar frosting households there were forced to go bankrupt.

Ju Ming raised troops to occupy Sichuan, and the sugar frost households suddenly had hope in life.

It's a pity that the rock sugar technology is too primitive, and the output is only a small amount every year. It is a by-product of making brown sugar.

The method of drenching sugar with yellow mud and water in "Tiangong Kaiwu" is 100% based on hearsay.

With Ju Ming's poor science knowledge, when he first read this, he subconsciously thought it was impossible. Because charcoal can be used to absorb impurities, and yellow mud water cannot undergo chemical reactions, yellow mud water does not have any physical or chemical effects.

So I searched for videos and information, and sure enough, no one had successfully recovered.

Later, Ju Ming searched for historical papers. Some scholars conducted research on ancient white sugar and concluded that it is a kind of brown sugar that is lighter in color than brown sugar...

Ju Ming also searched for the modern sugar production process and found that a centrifuge was a good solution. The main reason was that it was difficult to prepare phosphoric acid or sulfurous acid in ancient times.

After getting off work in the evening, Zhu Ming returned to the back house carrying two cans of candy and found that Zhang Jinping had returned from Chengdu.

"Why don't you send someone to tell us?" Zhu Ming said happily.

Zhang Jinping said a blessing: "My husband is busy with business, so it is inconvenient to disturb him in the front hall."

Ju Ming said on a whim: "I just got a can of icing sugar and a can of brown sugar. Call them all over, and I will make delicious snacks for my husband."

Not long after, Zheng Yuanyi, Zhao Fujin, and Zhao Fujin arrived. Li Shishi and Pei Yueli Chang'e also moved in two days ago.

Zhu Ming thought Pei Yueli's Chang'e's name was too long, so he directly changed it to Pei Chang'e.

The relationship between the girls can't be said to be harmonious, nor can it be said to be tense, it's just like that anyway.

On the other hand, Zhao Fujin was so innocent and unsuspecting that everyone thought this little girl was pretty good.

I saw Ju Ming get some corn and pound the brown sugar into powder.

Then bring the iron pot and the stove. After the iron pot is heated, add some lard, stir-fry the corn evenly, then cover the pot, draw firewood and fry slowly over low heat.

When you hear a bouncing sound in the pot, shake the pot until there is no sound.

Ju Ming opened the lid of the pot and a smell of aroma hit his face.

The brown sugar has been grated and added over low heat. Mix well. The brown sugar melts and coats the popcorn.

"Come and have a taste," Zhu Ming stretched out his hand to grab it, then suddenly retracted it, blowing on his fingers and saying, "Phew, it's so hot!"

When the temperature dropped slightly, Ju Ming grabbed two and stuffed them into his mouth. It was the same taste as he remembered.

He was extremely satisfied with his "cooking skills". He had only seen people make popcorn before, but he never expected that he would succeed on his first try.

Zhang Jinping asked the maid to bring a few pairs of chopsticks, picked up one and tasted it, nodded with a smile and said, "It's delicious."

The wives and concubines all tried it one after another, and even the maids got some.

Corn finally had a new use. Ju Ming said to Zhang Jinping: "Invite a few officials and their families to come as guests and show them. This product can be widely spread. Today's rich people only eat young corn. Let the rich also have a taste." Popcorn."

Zhang Jinping smiled and said: "Is this called popcorn? It's quite appropriate. After the officials and women taste it, they will definitely go home and let the cooks fry it. It will appear on the streets in less than a month or two."

Master Li immediately complimented: "The marshal and his wife really care about the people. Whenever there are good things, they must share them with all the people."

This flattery made Zhang Jinping feel comfortable, and his impression of Li Shishi changed a lot.

Zhang Jinping said: "Our ancestors occasionally acquired the method of smelting copper with gall alum. After improving it, they did not hide it privately and presented it to the imperial court for the promotion of the world."

Master Li didn't know what gallbladder smelting copper was, but he continued to praise: "Unexpectedly, the art of gallbladder smelting copper was donated by my ancestors. This has benefited all people, which is really admirable."

Zhu Ming glanced at Li Shishi. This singer was good at creating atmosphere. She made Zhang Jinping feel happy when they first met.

The next day, Zhang Jinping went to Mrs. Yan's place and presented the popcorn recipe to the old lady, and then invited several officials and their families as guests.

When Ju Ming took his family to Xiangyang, popcorn had already spread among the upper class in Hanzhong and quickly spread to middle and lower-class families.

The common people at the bottom can't afford brown sugar, so just don't mix it with sugar.

Anyway, corn is cheap, and children from poor families finally have another snack to eat. Usually, if I feel greedy, I will ask my mother to buy some popcorn, and I will immediately have happy childhood memories.

In fact, popcorn already existed in the Song Dynasty and was made from rice. The official name is Bolou, and it is commonly known as Nuomihua. It was first recorded in the early Southern Song Dynasty.

The official ship traveled eastward and stopped at Yangzhou.

After receiving the news, the wealthy people here came to visit one after another, and they automatically arranged the order.

Zheng Lan dragged his old body and bowed: "I am an old man, I would like to pay my respects to the Generalissimo!"

Zhu Ming helped him personally and said with a smile, "No need to be polite, Aweng."

The old man stood up straight, smiling so hard that his face wrinkled, and he deliberately glanced at the other tribes.

Min Wenwei immediately bowed: "My Majesty, Min Wenwei, pays homage to His Excellency the Grand Marshal of Sichuan Gorge!"

Ju Ming nodded and asked, "Brother Min (Min Zishun) hasn't returned home yet?"

Min Wenwei said: "Reporting to the Generalissimo, my nephew has been sent to Guangnan under supervision. Although the court promised to release him, it will take at least a month before he can come back."

"After I come back, I will be put to good use." Ju Ming promised.

Min Wenwei was overjoyed when he heard this and asked tentatively: "Nowadays, official schools have been suspended in various places, and there are fewer and fewer students in private academies. I wonder when the imperial examination will be resumed by Mr. Jinglue?"

"Three years later." The Zhu family and his son have already discussed it and will announce it to the public soon.

Nowadays, the government under Zhu's rule mostly uses old officials from the Song Dynasty and old officials.

Old officials are more popular than scholars because they can get started immediately. But there are also flaws. Corruption is more serious than that of scholars. They are all old fried dough sticks who can use various loopholes to make money.

Although young scholars have no political experience, they still have some ideals and aspirations. On the whole, it is not as large-scale corruption as that of old officials.

Zhu Guoxiang has established an inspectorate, and the angry youth Chen Dong serves as the censor of the capital, responsible for detecting all kinds of corruption and malfeasance.

From last year to this year, more than 70% of the corrupt officials sentenced to death were old officials.

More than ten people were executed in succession and more than forty people were exiled to southern Sichuan, four of which were at the level of shogunate and county magistrate.

Every time a person was executed or exiled, Zhu Guoxiang would send the case details to the various prefectures and counties in the form of official documents. Now the trend of corruption has finally subsided, at least it is no longer so blatant, it is all about quietly taking advantage of loopholes to make money.

Min Wenwei was ecstatic: "Is the imperial examination really going to be resumed in three years?"

Ju Ming disclosed the information in advance and said: "Students from each county first go to the government to take the imperial examination. This is the government examination. Those who pass the exam will go to Hanzhong to take the exam again, and those who are admitted can become officials."

Thanks to the proliferation of Jinshi during the Huizong era of the Song Dynasty, neither the Zhu family nor his son had to make any reforms.

Anyway, just like the imperial court, it is not easy for a new scholar to even be a county magistrate.

Only those at the top can be county registrars, while those at the bottom are all low-level officials who have to accumulate experience and political achievements little by little.

In the future, when a new dynasty is established, only the number one scholar, the second best scholar, and the third best scholar can be directly awarded the official position of county magistrate.

When the elders of other families came to pay their respects, Min Wenwei took a step back, thinking about how to expand his influence.

In today's territory, Chengdu has the most cultural heritage, followed by Yangzhou.

And the Yangzhou Academy run by Min Wenwei has the best teaching quality. He can train students to become officials and become the literary emperor of that generation in the future.

After meeting the local wealthy people, Ju Ming said to Min Wenwei: "The Hanzhong imperial examination will test mathematics, law, famine relief, and water conservancy, and the official documents will naturally be retained. As for the Confucian classics, I have annotated "The Great Learning" and "The Doctrine of the Doctrine" "Yi" and the revised "Tao Yongce", these are all required exams. Chief Min Shan, I'm afraid you need to read more books."

Min Wenwei was startled and then said bravely: "The knowledge of the Generalissimo is naturally the best in the world. Not to mention all the people in the Sichuan Gorge, even the scholars in the Song Dynasty should learn from it."

"Hahaha," Zhu Ming laughed, "Chief Min Shan is indeed very knowledgeable and can distinguish between good and bad academics."

Min Wenwei seemed unable to hear the irony. His future teaching content will be whatever Zhu Ming said, and he must also achieve the first place in Hanzhong!