said that Cao Cao Cao arrived, and when several people were discussing He Zhongli, he came together with one person.

After seeing the ceremony, He Zhongli pointed to the people around him: "This is Miao Diancheng, who is a jinshi in the same year as me, and he is in the pavilion together, and he is very good." ”

Everyone sat down, Li Dui introduced Du Zhongxiao, and said to He Zhongli: "This is a post-study in Benzhou, and I have worked very hard in my career. Because it is not easy to study in a poor rural area, I came to the capital with me to study and broaden my horizons. ”

He Zhongli looked at Du Zhongxiao and said with a smile: "This is the person who has a dispute with the Wu family?" I've heard that you can make sake from sake lees, and the sake you make is very powerful, but I don't know if it's right or not? ”

Du Zhongxiao said respectfully: "If you learn such a method when you are young, you can really make wine from the lees." ”

He Zhongli nodded: "The capital is different from the state and county, the song is forbidden and the alcohol is not banned, you will do this, the capital is very useful." ”

After speaking, he talked about some interesting stories about the capital with Li Dui and others, and then ignored Du Zhongxiao. As for the contradiction between Du Zhongxiao and the Wu family, he didn't mention it.

Du Zhongxiao didn't know what this person meant, so he had to stand aside silently and listen to them talk about some miscellaneous things.

In the middle of the day, Li Hui invited guests who were not from Xuzhou, Ouyang Xiu and Mu Xiucai arrived together. These two are Su Shunqin's friends and have a deep friendship. Su Shunqin's father, Su Qi, is the son-in-law of former Prime Minister Wang Dan, and has a wide range of connections in the capital, which is not comparable to others. Li Dui is a speech official, and he is the same age as these people, so he naturally came together with these people.

Everyone sat down, Ouyang Xiu looked at Du Zhongxiao and said, "Su Zimei sent you an article before, which is very ancient and novel in grammar, and everyone loves it when they read it. What's new these days? ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "Back to the official, look at the approaching exam, the students have been working hard recently, and those articles have long been gone." ”

Ouyang Xiu sighed again and again, but didn't say anything. When he was young, he accidentally got a set of incomplete Han Yu anthologies, and he studied them carefully. Later, when he failed in the imperial examinations twice, he woke up and worked hard to get high school in one fell swoop. After winning the Jinshi, Ouyang Xiu held high the banner of Han Yu again and introduced the ancient texts. Du Zhongxiao realized early on that the imperial examination was inconsistent with that style of writing, this was the path Ouyang Xiu himself had walked, and what was there to say.

Seeing that it was not early, Li Dui ordered his subordinates to serve the food, took out two bottles of wine and said to everyone: "This little brother has a method, he can make wine from the lees, and he is very powerful." The older this wine is, the more mellow it becomes, and it is very different from ordinary water wines. These two bottles were brought from home, and it is rare to try them when the room is full today. ”

After speaking, he ordered someone to fill the audience and led everyone to drink.

Putting down the wine glass, Mu Xiu said: "This wine will feel a little dizzy when it goes down, and it is really different from other wines." Little brother, the capital is not as good as the county, and the big families make their own wine, and it is a pity to discard the useless things of sake lees. When I came, Wang Shiyu once mentioned that his family made a lot of wine, and the lees were piled up like a mountain. If there is such a way in the world, you must help him steam the wine from the lees at home. ”

The history of serving the emperor is higher than the history of serving the palace in the palace, and there is only one person, at this time, it is Wang Su, who is Li Dui's colleague and superior, and will not be polite to Li Dui. Wang Su was born in a big family, and his father Wang Dan was a famous man for a generation, and his family was big. The capital specializes in koji, and it is not forbidden to brew wine privately, and it is a kind of custom in the capital for large households to make their own wine, and there are several wines that are very famous. Large households brew privately, and the lees can't make vinegar, so how to deal with it has become a problem. It is because the bad people in the capital are worse than in the prefecture and county, and many families make a living from it. Du Zhongxiao's set of sake lees to make wine, and then buy rice soup porridge, has a broader market in the capital, but it is only scattered to those rich and noble families.

Mu Xiu is a friend of Su Shunqin, and Su Shunqin is Wang Su's nephew, and the relationship is connected. Du Zhongxiao can make wine from sake lees, Wang Su has long heard of it, and for his family, this is a very practical technique. As soon as he heard that someone had arrived in the capital, he hurriedly sent someone to ask.

Du Zhongxiao saw Li Dui nodding and arched his hand: "Back to the official, it's not difficult to make wine in the lees, it's just that this is my family's way to make a living-"

Seeing that Du Zhongxiao was embarrassed, Mu Xiu smiled and said, "Are you afraid that someone will learn your secret method?" What kind of people are the king's servants, and where will they learn these things. Besides, the capital has always forbidden private brewing, and you don't need koji to make wine, and you can't do business in the capital. Go and help the big families make wine from the lees, and they will count you for a little more. With the government taking care of you, who dares to learn your secret method of making wine! ”

Li Dui smiled: "Yes, there will always be a day when the secret method will be learned, and it is fundamental that the government allows you to specialize." In Linying County, no matter how careful your family is, haven't you been learned by the people of 'Qixiangju'? It's just that the state and county understand the matter and don't allow other families to make wine in the same way. ”

Hearing this, Du Zhongxiao said happily: "If the official said so, then he should do so." If an official needs it, I'll help make sake. The kid came to Beijing to study, in order to meet some outstanding people, learn some articles and poems, and the money is still second. ”

Du Zhongxiao had already understood that what secret methods were carefully kept out of people in this era, and they didn't work at all. Some small industries, such as cooking delicious food, a certain product of particularly good quality, and being able to do handicrafts, this kind of big commercial value is simply impossible. Rather than hoping that no one will learn, it is better to cooperate with the government and use official means to ensure its own interests. Therefore, in this era, there are often people who offer secret methods to the imperial court. The influence is relatively large, such as the wet copper smelting on Jinghu Road, and the technology is still controlled by the family, and it has an official body. During the Zhenzong period, there were also people who offered the technology of making brass, but it was not very useful and was not promoted. Du Zhongxiao just shirked, just for show, otherwise it would give people the impression of being inflammatory, which would be disgusting.

Wang Dan is a generation of celebrities, and his family is extraordinary. Don't look at Wang Su's official position, he has too many relatives, and there are really many people in high positions in the court. Coupled with Wang Dan's relatives and friends, it is not comparable to ordinary people. Having a relationship with this kind of family is something that many people can't ask for, and Du Zhongxiao is no exception. Even if he becomes a jinshi and an official in the future, having this relationship will have infinite benefits.

He Zhongli on the side said with a smile: "It turns out that the method of making wine in the lees will also be used by the people of 'Qixiangju'." A few days ago, the junior staff of his family wrote a letter, saying that he would also come to the capital to study in a few days. If so, it would be easier to do it with his help. ”

Hearing this, Ouyang Xiu said, "The doctor is badly speaking. Li Dianzhong made it clear just now that what 'its fragrant residence' was the method of making wine from this family. We scholars always have to be cheeky, how can we do such a thing? ”

He Zhongli said: "They don't care about this kind of thing, how can others say anything." ”

Du Zhongxiao looked at Li Dui, Li Dui understood, and said lightly: "The Du family relies on this method to make a living, how can they not care." It's just that the Wu family is a big family in this county, and they have nothing to do. Fortunately, Fan Town, Zhixian County, understood the reason, and only allowed the Du family to make wine from sake lees, which suppressed the matter. If you encounter someone as confused as the previous county magistrate, the two are still in a lawsuit. Uncle Yong is right, we scholars are the most important things, and the right thing is right and wrong, how can it be ambiguous. Dr. He, although the Wu family is your cousin, this kind of thing cannot be ambiguous. ”

He Zhongli was not annoyed, and said with a smile: "You are very reasonable, the junior members of the Wu family are outside, and I will persuade myself." ”

In the final analysis, He Zhongli has no feelings for the Wu family, and if others oppose it, he will forget it. As I said, I have an explanation for the Wu family, and the friendship of a rich man in the countryside can't compare to the attitude of his colleagues in the officialdom after all.