Fan Zhen was stunned: "Stealing the recipe for making wine here?" How could the Wu family do such a thing? As I said before, except for the sake lees from the official liquor service, which are used to make vinegar, all the sake lees in the county are made by 'Zuixianju', and they buy rice soup porridge to help the poor. Doing so is to give them a piece of benevolence to make wine and make money without forgetting to help the poor, and having a unique way to make wine is secondary. ”

Mei Yaochen shook his head again and again: "Those market businessmen only recognize money in their eyes, where do they think about this?" The official said that 'Qixiangju' had stolen their method of making liquor and was selling spirits in his own restaurant. ”

Fan Zhen's face was extremely ugly: "Previously, Wu Xiaoyuan falsely accused the people of being drunk privately, and used lynching in the official office to violate the law. It was only because Dr. He of the Changshe interceded that he was only reprimanded and was not imprisoned. Last time, I learned a lesson, and I don't know how to converge! ”

At this moment, Du Zhongxiao brought two bottles of wine in, put them on the table and said, "This is what I saved a few months ago, the wine is fragrant, and it is not comparable to the spirits sold outside." There was no way to drink this kind of wine outside, so the two officials tasted it. ”

Without waiting for Du Zhongxiao to pour the wine, Fan Zhen said: "Little official, sit down and talk, I have something to ask you." ”

Du Zhongxiao didn't know why, sat down, and arched his hand: "If the county magistrate has something to ask, just give orders." ”

"Let me ask you, just now Mei Shengyu said that 'Qixiangju' stole your method of making wine here, I don't know if it is true?"

Du Zhongxiao looked at Mei Yaochen before he replied carefully: "This matter is absolutely true. Yesterday we were making wine in the backyard when we saw a figure climbing out of the wall. In the early hours of this morning, there was a newspaper that 'Qixiangju' sells spirits there, and they themselves said that the preparation method comes from me, and the wine is exactly the same. I also went to someone to buy some and tasted it, and the preparation method should be correct, but the craftsmanship is not refined, and the taste is a little bland. Practice makes perfect, and when they get the hang of it, they can always make the same wine. ”

Speaking of this, Du Zhongxiao sighed: "Alas, we small brokers all rely on a unique craft to live. Now that the craft has been learned, I can only think of another way, otherwise how to support the cost of the restaurant? The Wu family is a big family, rich and powerful, and has a lot of capital, compared to doing business, how can we get past them? A few years later, when the term of office of the magistrate expires, it will be even more miserable if there is another official like the Shi County Order. ”

After speaking, Du Zhongxiao opened the wine bottle, filled the two of them with wine and said: "Official, taste it, Chen's spirits have a different fragrance." ”

The three of them drank a glass of wine, and Fan Zhen pondered for a while and said, "Little official, you don't have to worry about this matter. I said it, let your restaurant specialize in making wine from sake lees, and you are not allowed to make wine. In the past few months, I have also been asked by others, every day you have fixed your family soup porridge, and you firmly remember what you said at that time. You are serious about business, how can you let the powerful people use means to bully you. Wait until tomorrow, when I have confirmation, and then I will ask you and the people from 'Qixiangju' to go to the county government and explain the matter clearly. Except for your home, other restaurants are not allowed to make wine from sake lees! ”

Du Zhongxiao was stunned for a moment, couldn't help but be overjoyed, and said, "Official, is this happening?" ”

"Of course it does! If the government says it, how can it not be counted! The last time I let go of the Wu family lightly, it was to save face for Dr. He, and they continued to mess around, and Dr. He couldn't speak. It is inconvenient for Su Tong to come forward in this matter, and it is good for the county to decide. ”

Du Zhongxiao nodded, then changed the topic and diligently persuaded the two to drink. This kind of thing stops at the point, and it keeps asking, but it is annoying. Ironically, even if Du Zhongxiao came up with more ways to compete with "Qixiangju", the effect would not be as effective as Fan Zhen's words. How can the people fight with the officials, as long as they can make the government stand on their side, they will be invincible. In the past, Wu Kejiu was arrogant and domineering, and what gave him confidence was not to control the Han family's food and clothing, but to have the government on his side. Now that the officials have changed, the position of the government has changed, and the initiative has naturally changed.

Seeing that Du Zhongxiao took the initiative not to mention the matter of the restaurant anymore and was well-behaved, Mei Yaochen and Fan Zhen both nodded secretly. It is inevitable that businessmen in the market only focus on the small profits in front of them, but readers should not be like this. The regime uses high-ranking officials to attract the people to study and become officials, but scholars must not get into the eyes of money, this is the mainstream of the times, and it is this pair of tangled contradictions that constitute the theme of the times.

At this time, there was a difference between the scholars and the later gentry, and compared with the Ming and Qing dynasties, the salary was higher, but the property was less. The most common thing for officials is to take a large family to travel around, and when they are old, they will settle down in one place and continue to provide scientific research for the next generation. is like Mei Yaochen, his hometown is in Xuancheng, but since he was a child, he has traveled with his uncle Mei Xun, and he has not fixed his family industry. My father and brother are in my hometown, relying on Mei Xun to help, and they have a rough industry, and they are not a very large family. One day he was old, and most of them built a new home in a place where he had been an official.

After reading a good book and becoming an official, you will have everything. If you can't be an official, everything will be empty, and everything about the official is on that official.

After talking a few words of learning, I unconsciously turned the topic to the hottest topic at this time, the Northwest War.

Mei Yaochen said: "The northwest is in turmoil, and everyone in the world talks about soldiers. In the past few years, I have spent countless efforts to re-note "The Art of War", and the manuscript has been read to Jingren, I don't know what you think? ”

Fan Zhen said: "In all dynasties, there is no shortage of people who note "Sun Tzu". Sheng Yu's note "Sun Tzu", which is not out of the ordinary, and more detailed than its predecessors, is really a big family. It's just that I'm a scholar, I don't know soldiers, and Sheng Yu still has time to show the generals in front. ”

Mei Yaochen said: "The soldiers are treacherous, and the major affairs of the country must be investigated in detail. In the past few years, the imperial court was so greedy and incompetent in the northwest that the generals lost their divisions and lost their land, and the situation was so erosive. Now the imperial court uses Han Fan and Han Fan as the commanders, and Han Xianggong is determined to improve, but unfortunately there is no one under him. As long as Fan Xianggong is stubborn, he will not move forward, and where can he see the shadow in the northwest of Pingding! ”

At this time, Mei Yaochen was already dissatisfied with Fan Zhongyan, and his tone was not so respectful. He was frustrated many times, and when the Northwest War started, he pinned his hopes on making meritorious contributions, and spent countless painstaking efforts in "The Art of War". How did I know that my friend Ouyang Xiu recommended himself to Fan Zhongyan, but there was no news at all, and his achievements in the northwest became a bubble. This kind of person is the most prone to extremism, and the unhappiness in his career turns into suspicion of Fan Zhongyan.

Fan Zhen has been studying in the pavilion for many years, and he has been friends with Fan Zhongyan and others, and after listening to Mei Yaochen's words, he just made a haha.

Mei Yaochen took a sip of wine and said to Du Zhongxiao: "Little official, have you ever heard of the war in the northwest?" ”

Du Zhongxiao replied cautiously: "This kind of big event, everyone on the streets and alleys is talking about it, how can you not know it." I heard that in the past few years, the imperial court has lost one battle after another, and the party has become more and more unscrupulous, and the situation is getting worse day by day. The war can't be fought, and after listening to people, the whole court wants to negotiate peace. ”

Mei Yaochen sighed: "Alas, there is no one in the world!" The small state of Dangxiang Yuer, a poor and barren land, has let the northwest erode to this point! If there is a far-sighted handsome, why worry about killing this clown! It's a pity that the hearted are powerless, and the powerful are heartless! ”

Du Zhongxiao didn't know who Mei Yaochen said was powerless, who said he was unintentional, and he didn't dare to talk about that. After thinking about it, he said: "Zai Xia is just a scholar in a small place, and he doesn't know much about the affairs of the imperial court. However, when it comes to the battle between the two armies, the generals are important, and the soldiers should not be underestimated. There are also forbidden troops stationed in this county, and when I see them on weekdays, although they are brightly dressed and have bright armor, they lack a kind of murderous aura that an army should have. In the final analysis, the army itself can't fight, even if Sun Wu is reincarnated, what can it do? In the history books, Sun Tzu tried to be a general, first beheaded the palace maid to correct the military discipline, and the army was cleaned up, so that there were all kinds of tricks and tricks in the military books. The army of a country must first have the appearance of an army before it can be said to be invincible. ”

Mei Yaochen was most proud of "Sun Tzu's Art of War", and Du Zhongxiao's words made him a little unhappy.