The previous agreement with the emperor was that Lishan only had the right to cast it but not the right to use it. The emperor has not yet seen what the firearm looks like.
"I don't have any on hand right now."
"But……"
Seeing that Cen Wenwen was also very embarrassed, Zhang Yang led the people into the village and said, "Tell your Majesty to send it to him in a month or two. I have been very busy recently."
Cen Wenwen looked around curiously, "What has the county prince been busy with recently?"
Zhang Yang casually picked a courgette from the cultivation field nearby, broke it into two sections, and gave them to Cen Wenwen and Xu Jingzong, "What else can I be busy with? I'm busy farming."
Cen Wenwen ate courgettes and wondered, "Can this farm be so busy?"
"We are busy. There are too many things to take care of. Recently we have been busy planting onions, garlic, and green cabbages. We have also planted a lot of cabbages to harvest before winter comes. Now that the autumnal equinox has passed, we are all busy.
It’s already cold dew, and when the frost comes and the beginning of winter comes, there will be no vegetables left to plant, and people will be busy even if they don’t wait for time.”
Cen Wenwen thought about it carefully, eating the crispy cucumber, and felt that there was some truth to these words.
Xu Jingzong smiled and said: "We have already seen the achievements of Taifu Temple at the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet in Taiji Hall. Now the civil and military officials of the whole dynasty are discussing this matter."
Cen Wenwen ate the crispy courgette and said: "Your Majesty did say that Taifu Temple provides convenience to villages and counties in various places, but it is difficult to move the extra acres. After all, villages and counties all over the country have to harvest, and one more
Half an acre of land can be used to grow food."
Looking at a paddy field in Lishan Mountain, the rice was growing very well. Cen Wenwen added, "Just like these fields, they only grow food. If you plant fruit trees, the local county magistrate will come to interrogate you."
The fact is that as Cen Wenwen said, if there is a way, the court is the court, and the place is the place.
No matter what the court says, local affairs are another matter. Some of them may be overcorrected or simply fooled.
The lower states and counties have no choice but to act out of delusion.
From Shangguan Yi's lobbying in the past few months, most people in dozens of villages and counties around Lishan, including Weinan, have superficially agreed, as long as a few are willing to move their land or reclaim a few acres of land for planting.
vegetable.
Land resources and water irrigation are both difficult problems. After all, if you give up your efforts and land resources to fruit and vegetable cultivation, there will be less allocated to other fields.
This kind of over-cultivation is contrary to the philosophy of Taifu Temple.
It is difficult to do things one by one and do them in one go.
Li Tai looked solemn, "Brother Wenwen said it is absolutely true."
Since Li Tai stopped looking at the drawings, he has returned to his usual lazy self. Many vegetables have been grown in the village, which has resulted in a rich supply of vegetarian food for him.
The fat man's mood improved again, and his worries disappeared.
Zhang Yang shook the fan in his hand and said with a smile: "You have to do things one by one and take your time. I think as long as Taifu Temple keeps working hard, is down-to-earth, and expands fruit and vegetable planting, it will definitely affect the surrounding villages and counties."
An acre of cultivated millet costs about one stone. This is considered to mean that when the weather is good and the fields are relatively fertile, an acre of cultivated millet only costs about one stone.
According to the current price of grain, which costs four qian per dou of rice, one stone of rice is equivalent to ten dou, which eliminates the 10% to 20% gap between official and civilian prices.
The value of one acre of land is about fifty to sixty yuan.
The value of acres is too low, and the lower the value of acres, the easier it is to annex land.
So to increase the value of the land, for example, plant an acre of courgettes, grapes, or cabbage, so that the value of the land can be higher.
After all, the current environment in Guanzhong is not as bad as it will be in later generations a thousand years later.
There is still time for everything.
There was a smile on Zhang Yang's expression, "No problem, we still need to plant trees to make the land fertile again. Sand prevention forests have already been planted in the Hexi Corridor."
In response, Cen Wenwen whispered: "Perseverance is a good thing, but persisting overnight is useless."
Most ancient people were pessimistic, like Li Yuan, Zhang Gongjin or Ouyang Xun.
Since everyone is so pessimistic, Zhang Yang feels that he can be more optimistic. This world is not easy. If he is not optimistic, life will only be bitter.
He asked Li Tai to take Cen Wenwen to the wine shop and introduce him to the steam engine on the way, regardless of whether he could understand it or not.
Apart from Cen Wenwen's expression of confusion, he didn't know how to praise the creation in front of him from beginning to end. Anyway, Li Tai said it very well.
In the end, Cen Wenwen shook his head and went to the wine shop.
The steam engine seems to be Li Tai's greatest achievement, and the village has recently begun its third reconstruction and expansion.
Zhang Yang listened to Xu Jingzong's story. Li Shimin talked with him for a long time in Ganlu Hall yesterday.
During this period, many matters of the Ministry of Rites were involved, as well as many shady arrangements.
Xu Jingzong bowed and said, "I don't know how much Shilang Zhang has said to His Majesty. I have said everything I can."
Zhang Yang patted his shoulder and said, "Actually, I have already told His Majesty, it doesn't matter if you say it or not."
Xu Jingzong said with emotion: "In the future, the Ministry of Rites and others will still have to obey the orders of the county marquis."
"Hasn't the news from Nanzhao been sent yet?"
Speaking of Nanzhao, Xu Jingzong looked solemn, "I heard that Nanzhao had arranged for someone to send news, but they were intercepted by thieves before they even left Nanzhao's territory. Our spies from the Ministry of Rites have indeed found out that in Nanzhao it is true
There is a group of soldiers and thieves making trouble, but we still don’t know who they are.”
"As for robbers, there are some who loot a house, but it is rare to loot a whole village. How can any robbers loot a country in Nanzhao?"
Zhang Yang asked: "Since I will still be in charge of the affairs of the Ministry of Etiquette in the future..."
"You should listen to the arrangements of the county prince."
Xu Jingzong bowed, he was now the Minister of Rites, and his official career had reached the point where he had fulfilled his wish. Whether he could make further progress in the future also depended on his own destiny.
However, it is not easy to be ranked among the six ministers. Xu Jingzong now regards Zhang Yang's words as a wise saying.
He would do whatever the magistrate in front of him, who was younger than himself, ordered him to do, even if it meant bowing his head to the ground.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! Zhang Yang shook the fan in his hand and said, "In the future, you should keep any reports on Nanzhao's affairs. As for Nanzhao's envoys coming to Chang'an City to complain, it's fine.
, it doesn’t matter if you ask for help, don’t agree easily until the other party has witnesses.”
Xu Jingzong cupped his hands and said: "As long as there is news, the lower officials will definitely inform the county marquis, and the county marquis will make the decision."
This was Li Shimin's order, and it was also what Xu Jingzong was willing to do.
Zhang Yang added: "The Ministry of Rites will continue to work hard for you in the future."
Xu Jingzong bowed and said, "Don't worry, Marquis of the County."
Farewell to Xu Jingzong, Zhang Yang said he was happy but not happy at all. The shop of the Ministry of Rites was so big and it would be renovated and streamlined in the future.
The Diplomatic Academy was established at that time to deal with foreign enemies, such as Tibet, Turks, Xue Yantuo, or to recover Goguryeo.
When Li Shimin felt that the national power of the Tang Dynasty had reached a certain level, he would feel that the Ministry of Rites did not need to be so large.
A person like Xu Jingzong will not just be a minister of the Ministry of Rites, he will continue to move up in the future.
The Ministry of Rites needs to be restructured and streamlined. It is also necessary to get rid of the minutiae. The uncontrolled expansion over the years should be brought back and put to an end.
As for who to entrust this matter to, it is definitely not Xu Jingzong. He will not let his hard work be cut off.
To put it bluntly, Li Shimin's superficial approval or praise of the Ministry of Rites was all false.
This emperor never gave up power in his heart. Centralization of power means concentrating power into one body.
Will he let the Ministry of Rites remain in the hands of his entire Lishan County Marquis?
It is a good thing to be prepared for a rainy day. Whether it is a disturbance in the court or an opponent in the court, the eyes surrounding the Ministry of Rites never leave.
Li Shimin's idea was just to let the fruits of the Ministry of Rites stay on the branches for a while.
As for when to remove it, it's a matter of time.
Zhang Yang felt that it was time to find the next person to take over the Ministry of Rites.
The blacksmith shop is already very busy, but now it is not as busy as it was in the past. Today, the blacksmith shop is still working hard on the iron casting process.
The casting needs to be made more refined.
The steam engine has stopped and has been wrapped in tarpaulin during the rainy season.
Zhang Yang sat down at the door of the blacksmith shop, and Master Jiang also sat beside him, "Why are you so free today?"
"Master, I plan to ask you to be a teacher in the academy in the future."
"Be a teacher?" Master Jiang shook his head and said, "How can I, an illiterate old man, teach?"
Master Jiang took out a piece of cake, broke it in half and handed it over.
Zhang Yang took the half piece of cake, frowned and said: "No need to be literate, your boss will teach practical blacksmithing and casting."
Master Jiang still shook his head, "The old man is a rough man, how can he teach others? That is what scholars do."
"The scholar does not know how to cast."
"The old man is quite old. It's a good job in this blacksmith shop."
Zhang Yang patted the old man's shoulder and whispered: "I plan to build a park behind the academy in the future. In that park, there will be chefs who teach cooking, weaving and dyeing. Master Jiang can rest assured and go there."
There will always be people like you in that academy."
Hearing this, the master was surprised again, "There is such a place."
Zhang Yang ate half a piece of cake in his hand and said: "I will build a small workshop for Master Jiang alone, and let three or five people help you build a small stove. You are older, and this blacksmith workshop is in full swing.
It's inappropriate and not good for your health. I hope you can come out as soon as possible."
Master Jiang smiled and said: "The old man has been forging iron all his life. During the war, he forged weapons for people. When the world is at peace, he will also forge weapons for the government. If I don't forge iron in this life, I don't know what to do anymore."
The old master is just such a person. Unlike Mr. Ouyang Xun, he can quietly take care of his old age.
Zhang Yang put his arm around the old man's shoulders and said, "The work here is too heavy. There will be more complicated work in the future. You always bring out three or two people here who can take care of themselves. You always have to rest early. When you arrive,
I will provide for you in your old age.”
"Xiao Zhang." Master Jiang whispered: "The old man is used to working hard all his life. If you treat him like this, I feel guilty, old man."
Zhang Yang smiled with relief, "Actually, there are many elders who are good to me. You are not the only one. I also want to provide for many people in their old age."
The old master nodded again, "Your Majesty? The old man heard that he wants his great-granddaughter to rebel."
"ah?"
"Yes." Master Jiang nodded again, "I heard from people in the village that when the emperor has nothing to do, he will tell the villagers here some things about his past, how he raised troops from Jinyang and how he invaded Chang'an City.
, how to support a child to become an emperor and then give him the Zen throne."
Zhang Yang's eyes gradually darkened as he heard this.
Master Jiang said again: "You have to be careful, old people are not all good people. The Supreme Emperor also said that he will teach your daughter all the skills of rebellion."
Holding his forehead in pain, the fan just drooped in his hand, Zhang Yang stood up and said: "When I finish repairing the lathe, I will bring it here for the master to use."
Master Jiang's expression returned to normal, "That's fine."
Li Yuan is old now, and now he likes to talk about the past when he has nothing to do.
But what the old man said was so good? It was a rebellion.
He also said that he wanted to teach his daughter the ability to rebel, but it was better to let the old man have too much time.
After looking at the teacher who was playing chess and drinking tea with Ouyang Xun, Zhang Yang returned to the mountain.
Li Yue was in the vegetable field not far from the Lishan Hot Spring Pool. Her eyes were looking at three pumpkins. The pumpkins were not big, only the size of a bowl.
Zhang Yang also squatted down and looked at the pumpkin.
Suddenly she raised her head and saw her husband, and whispered: "Can I eat it?"
Zhang Yang nodded heavily, "Well, it's probably ready to eat."
Pumpkin is planted in summer and grows well in autumn. Its vines are not good and the fruits it produces are not big.
It was lunch time when Zhang Yang picked the three pumpkins from the vines.
The moment she took them off, Li Yue felt distressed, "I watched them grow up."
Zhang Yang held the pumpkins in his hands and said, "So what if we watch them grow? They are still our food."
"My husband is so cruel."
"Being kind to food is cruelty to yourself."
Li Yue was still sitting there with a look of grievance on his face.
Coming to the kitchen next to his house, Zhang Yang cut the pumpkin and planned to make pumpkin porridge for his children today.
The cut pumpkin looks pretty good, and when you take out the pumpkin seeds inside, they are the seeds for the next season.
The seeds planted will adapt to the soil. Three pumpkins can produce many seeds. Zhang Yang washed them carefully and found three to five hundred seeds.
After so many years, I finally saw a pumpkin. Zhang Yang even ate a piece of it raw. The sweet taste was delicious.
Although the pumpkins grown at home are not very sweet, they are better than nothing.
If there is one more vegetable in Datang, that is something worth celebrating.
Cut off a piece and throw it to the bear. The bear opened his mouth and caught it. He chewed the pumpkin and left with satisfaction.
As much as Li Yue had pity for pumpkins before, she now enjoys eating them with great joy.
This pumpkin porridge doesn't taste sweet, but it has a unique flavor.
Xiao Qingqing was holding a small bowl by herself, looking thoughtfully at the Huaqing Pool at the door of her home.
After finishing the meal, Li Yue coughed twice.
Zhang Yang was also affected and felt a scratchy throat and coughed.
This was great, the couple couldn't stop coughing.
Seeing Aunt Wang and Aunt Yang taking care of Xiao Qingqing's meal, they shook their heads.