It is said that on this day, Princess Jian'an personally dressed Prince Lu and sent him to study. A maid from Beijing came in and said: "The disciple said that a woman dressed in men's clothing came outside. She claimed to be from Jinling, and her surname was Xi Mingsi.
Gu, I am reading at Ling O'clock and now I want to sell two prescriptions from a rich country to King Lu. Because she is a woman, she specially asks to see the princess, saying it is more convenient for both of us."
Princess Jian'an frowned and said, "If it's a man, he must have recommended himself. Why is he a woman?"
Her wet nurse said from the side: "Now that it's like this, just don't see her anymore."
Princess Jian'an said: "It would be nice to meet her and see what kind of medicine she sells in her gourd. Maybe she recommends her brother. We are new here and are not familiar with the place. We can only try our luck." Then she ordered someone to take it.
The woman came in.
Not long after, the fourth aunt Xi came in. She was dressed in green cloth. At first glance, she looked a bit like a young scholar. She had a delicate appearance, and her eyes and brows showed a bit of determination. She was holding a small bamboo basket in her hand and approached Princess Jian'an like a man.
He bowed: "I've met the princess."
Princess Jian'an asked her to sit down with a smile and asked: "The girl said that she sells a good recipe to enrich the country?"
Sister Xi said: "Yes. There are two ways for women of the people to make the country rich."
Princess Jian'an said: "I would like to hear the details."
Sigu Xi said: "Whether it is the world or a country, if the people are happy, they will be prosperous. The most important thing for the people to be happy is food and salt. There have always been water and salt gangs in the south of the Yangtze River, but they are not under the control of the officials. Because of this
Their self-interest is extremely great, and people have a strong desire for profit, and they are not bound by the law. However, the self-interest of these two people is extremely great, but the root cause is still insufficient supply. Food and salt are both insufficient. If they are insufficient, they will be scarce, if they are scarce, they will be expensive, and if they are expensive, they will be expensive.
The people's livelihood is difficult. Now I have two ways to produce grain and salt, so that the people will not be hungry and have salt."
Princess Jian'an opened her eyes wide.
Fourth Aunt Xi uncovered the cloth on the bamboo basket, and there was a small porcelain bowl inside. She took out the small bowl and pointed out: "These are South American potatoes that I asked the inn to steam before going out. They are sweet and delicious, but now
The weather is cold, it’s probably freezing now. Princess, would you like to try it?”
The woman standing aside hurriedly came up to stop her and said, "No, Your Highness, I'm afraid it's poisonous!"
Fourth Gu Xi raised her eyebrows and said, "Do you want me to try it first?"
Princess Jian'an said calmly: "I am a stranger to you, and I have never offended anyone. What is the benefit of poisoning me?"
He took a closer look at the contents of the bowl. It was the size of a goose egg, light yellow in color, with some small holes in it, and asked, "Is this food?"
Sigu Xi gently rolled up her sleeves, twisted the thing and peeled it off. The inside was still yellow, a bit like a sweet potato with the skin removed. She broke it off hard, but it didn't move, and she raised her head apologetically.
Princess Jian'an laughed and ordered someone to take a knife to cut it open.
A maid brought a sky-blue Ru kiln plate and a silver knife. Xi Sigu glanced at the silver knife, cut it open herself, and cut it into small pieces. She twisted a piece first and put it in her mouth, frowning and saying: "
It really doesn’t taste that good when it’s cold.”
Princess Jian'an also twisted a piece of it into her mouth. She thought it was really sweet and said with a smile: "It tastes good to me." She also asked the maids on the side to taste it too. Others said it was sweet after eating it.
Xi Sigu said: "This product is highly productive and easy to plant in any place. The best thing is that it can also bear fruit in autumn. It can take as short as a month or as long as one and a half months to grow into a crop. If it can be promoted to the people, it can be guaranteed at least.
No famine.”
Princess Jian'an was shocked: "Seriously?"
Sigu Xi said: "Because of this, all the Western countries have been able to eliminate famine."
The older maid next to me said: "It's just for fun. It would be a bit weird if you use it as food."
Sigu Xi said: "This girl has probably never been hungry. In times of disaster, ordinary people will even eat tree roots and turf. This food can be used as a staple food."
Princess Jian'an frowned slightly and said, "I just don't know if the farmer is willing to grow this if he is used to growing rice."
Sigu Xi said: "You can plant this after the rice is harvested in the autumn. It won't grow well if the weather is too hot. As the saying goes, a black cat or a white cat is a good cat if it can catch mice. No matter the grains, they can fill their stomachs.
That’s good food.”
Princess Jian'an suddenly laughed. Sigu Xi saw that her face suddenly brightened up. Although she was younger, she already had a somewhat moving look. She nodded unconsciously. Then she added: "It's just that the storage must be done properly. In addition,
When eating, it must be steamed or boiled until it is thoroughly cooked, and cannot be eaten half-raw."
Princess Jian'an said with a smile: "It seems that the girl is here to sell this thing."
Sister Xi said: "Exactly."
"What about the other recipe?"
Xi Sigu said: "The method of drying salt from sea water has been around since ancient times, but the salt produced is coarse and the yield is small, which is worse than boiling salt. Now I have a new method of drying salt, which can produce good salt."
He took out a small paper bag from his pocket and said, "This is the newly produced salt."
Princess Jian'an looked at the salt in the paper bag and said, "It looks good, but unfortunately Luzhou is not near the sea."
Sigu Xi said: "Just go to the sea and buy some private land to build a workshop."
Princess Jian'an nodded and said: "It's the same idea. But I can't make the decision on this matter. I have to discuss it with my maternal uncle. I wonder where the girl lives? How can I find you in the future?"
Sigu Xi raised her eyebrows and asked, "Princess, won't you ask me if what I said is true?"
Princess Jian'an smiled and said: "No need to ask, it must be true. I can trust the fourth girl."
Fourth Gu Xi was stunned.
Princess Jian'an said: "A black cat and a white cat that can catch mice are good cats. I have never heard of this saying. Last year, I heard my second brother mention it. Mr. Jia Cong of Rongguo Mansion once said this."
Fourth Aunt Xi burst into laughter and praised: "The princess is really smart."
Princess Jian'an said: "I once inquired about the fourth girl. The fourth girl saved Lord Lin Hai's daughter with a few words at the birthday banquet of the old lady in your mansion that day."
Sigu Xi glanced at her: "Save?"
Princess Jian'an said: "After the chaos in Beijing, if I still don't understand that she sincerely doesn't want to marry my second brother, wouldn't I be a fool?"
Fourth Gu Xi smiled sweetly: "Princess is not stupid, she is very smart." Then she stood up and saluted, "My little girl, Jia Shi, loves spring."
Princess Jian'an accepted it indifferently and said seriously: "Is the fourth girl coming to Luzhou just to sell money?"
Jia Xichun said: "Yes."
Princess Jian'an said: "Why did you choose Luzhou?"
Xichun said: "Luzhou is small, and the King of Lu is young. If he wants to be stable, he must win over the people. Therefore, he will value the people more than other princes. My prescriptions will be easy to sell."
Princess Jian'an sighed softly: "That's it. I'm very happy because Sanjia has taken a liking to him."
Xichun asked softly: "Does the King of Lu want that chair?"
Princess Jian'an said: "Who among my father's sons doesn't have such thoughts?"
Xichun said: "You are so young, you have no soldiers, no money, what can you use to rob?"
Princess Jian'an lowered her eyes and said, "My brother has a kind heart."
Xichun shook his head: "If the world is unified, and the late emperor is tyrannical and the people are extremely resentful, then establishing a benevolent monarch can bring peace to the people. Today the world is divided like the late Han Dynasty... Liu Xuande is benevolent and righteous, so he lost."
Princess Jian'an sat upright, nodded and said, "Please give me some advice, Miss Four."
Xichun said: "Give up."
Princess Jian'an blinked.
"If he is benevolent and righteous, benevolence and righteousness will be defeated in troubled times. If he is not benevolent and righteous, he will be no different from the other princes, and he is no better than others. It is better to treat the people well, feel at ease in Luzhou, and streamline the army and administration to ensure peace. It is impossible to say that the general situation will change in a hundred years, and his descendants will be blessed.
What? King Zhuang of Chu once dominated the country for a while, but Chu was just a small wild country at first."
Princess Jian'an frowned and said: "From what I see, miss, the world is in ruins? Maybe my father will come back suddenly?"
Xichun said: "Then what? Will all the princes surrender their weapons and kill them at the first sight? Or do you think that as soon as the Supreme Emperor comes out, the world's soldiers and horses will immediately surrender? The world's soldiers and horses have already been subdued by various princes; before they are conquered, the world's soldiers and horses will be subjugated.
Most of the commanders of the army and horses have already listed many crimes on the Supreme Emperor's desk, how could they themselves not know about it."
Princess Jian'an said: "There are also people in the world. People are loyal and consider the overall situation after all."
Xichun asked curiously: "Who told you such a strange idea? The princess thought that the common people in the world would abandon their wives, children, children, food, clothing and property, and for the sake of the Supreme Emperor who had never met but had collected taxes, she went to fight with bare hands against the soldiers of the world who had bright guns and armor.
Horse fighting? Speaking of loyalty, the little girl reminded King Lu of something. There are few people in the world who have studied, so they may not pay much attention to who is the emperor. If one tax is heavy and the other is light, they will definitely support the one with light tax.
He pointed to the uneaten potatoes that had been put aside and said, "They will never be loyal to this thing - food is the first thing for the people. If King Lu even skips the salt class, they will become even more loyal. If there is a chance
The Japanese want to attack Luzhou, but they are afraid that the neighboring princes will impose heavier taxes, and they will desperately resist for the prince of Lu. People are willing to make great efforts to protect themselves."
Princess Jian'an saw her talking and talking about selling things, and said with a smile: "The fourth girl is really here to sell things."
Xichun said: "Regardless of whether she is selling things or not, it makes sense for the princess to only listen to me."
Princess Jian'an sighed: "It makes sense."
Xichun said: "I hope King Lu will stop daydreaming about the blue sky and actually govern the country well."
Princess Jian'an sighed again: "I have learned a lesson." She suddenly smiled and said, "I know some of these principles, but I can't explain them."
Xichun was stunned for a moment and said, "Could it be that the princess wants to use my words to convince Grandpa Ling?"
Princess Jian'an stood up and said to her, "Borrowed it."
Xichun smiled and said: "What a little girl! She is really good."
Princess Jian'an asked again: "These two recipes that the fourth girl came to sell are important things. Why don't they come from men?"
Xichun said: "I want to go out for a walk on my own. It's rare to leave the capital without anyone to control me. Seeing how big the world is is also a good way to gain insights."
Xichun smiled softly, said no more, and stood up to leave. Princess Jian'an first ordered someone to bring the Ru kiln plate with potato cubes and the paper bag wrapped with salt to her brother and maternal uncle to taste and kiss them.
After sending Jia Xichun to the door of the house, Laolao waved his hand.
When they arrived at the carriage, no one was seen. Xichun opened the curtain and took a look. Wu You was sitting inside, taking a nap, so she gave him a slap: "Hey! Coachman! Your lady is back!"
"Huh?" Wu You rubbed his eyes, "It's so fast."
Xichun pushed him and complained: "You slept peacefully, and you are not afraid that they will treat me as a profiteer. Go out and catch the car!"
Wu You hummed: "That princess is so respectful to you. She eats cold potatoes so sweetly that she almost treats you as a female Zhuge. How can she take you?" After saying that, he stood up and climbed to the front.
He raised his riding crop and shouted "Yo~~"
Xichun was startled, then she laughed while sitting in the car. The wheels turned slightly, and the carriage jolted away.
Three days later, Princess Jian'an and Prince Lu's uncle Zeng Chu came to the inn where Wu You was staying in Xichun to discuss matters. The two of them had just sold these two prescriptions to King Wu a few days ago, and now they sold them again.
After the business was done and the banknotes were in hand, the two of them were ready to leave Luzhou and go to the next place. Prince Lu suddenly came to the inn in person and bowed to Xichun with a sullen face: "I heard from my sister that the fourth girl is...
Strange woman. The little king received a letter from the Nine Emperors Uncle the day before yesterday, asking the kings to send people or themselves to the capital to discuss politics, discuss imperial examinations, river management and other matters. The little king is young and wants to ask the fourth girl for advice. "
Xichun saw that he was just a child and said, "Does the King of Lu want to impress others?"
King Lu nodded and raised his face: "Although I am young, my ambition is not small."
Xichun said: "You are only six years old, but you have impressed so many emperors and uncles. Luzhou is so small. If they don't kill you now, will they wait until you grow up and become more capable?"
King Lu was stunned and turned to look at his uncle Zeng Chun who was standing beside him.
Zeng Chu was surprised and immediately bowed to Jia Xichun: "Thank you for reminding me, miss! Now it is right for us to hide our clumsiness."
Xichun nodded and said: "If the King of Lu is happy, everyone can follow his advice. Why bother to use weapons to deal with people who are easy to persuade?"
After chatting for a while, Zeng Cheng took advantage of Xichun's good mood and asked, "I wonder which prince the Rongguo Mansion is interested in now?"
Xichun said: "Sooner or later, all the princes will settle down and seal their lands, some of them have not even settled down yet. How can we see the good news at this time? Let's say ten years at least."
When Zeng Tong heard the word "princes", a trace of gloom suddenly flashed across his face, and then a trace of joy flashed across his face, and he nodded repeatedly.
The two of them said goodbye for a while, and Xichun ordered her housekeeper Wu to see them off. When they arrived at the door of the inn, Zeng Chu secretly gave Wu a piece of silver and asked quietly: "Is your girl married?"
Butler Wu first took the silver and hid it in his sleeve, then whispered: "Yes."
Zeng Chu frowned and asked in a low voice: "Which family?"
Butler Wu said: "I'm sorry, I can't say that. Anyway, he looks very good and has great abilities. The most rare thing is that he doesn't dislike the four girls' provocativeness."
Zeng Chun asked: "How come you four girls are so aggressive?"
Butler Wu pulled his sleeves and waved two fingers in front of his mouth: "Of course you have to be polite in front of others. When outsiders are gone, you will immediately show your true colors. It's amazing, our master can't afford to offend her!"
Zeng Chun turned his head and took a few glances inside. He was doubtful and muttered: "It doesn't look like it."
Prince Lu put his little head next to him and whispered: "Last night, my aunt told me that there are rumors in Beijing that this fourth girl is a shrew."
Zeng Cheng hesitated for a moment, then looked back at the inn, sighed, "That's all." Then he led his nephew there.
Butler Wu took the money and hummed a tune and went back to resume his duties.