Lin Suniang had already greeted her at the door of the hall, saw Li Zhang, and said with a smile: "When did the brother of the Li family come?" It's just a matter of talking. ”

Li Zhang grimaced: "You are my sister-in-law, don't call me brother anymore, just uncle." ”

Lin Suniang smiled and didn't bother to pay attention to him.

This is that they have been friends for more than ten years, and they have always been casual. Another Lin Suniang and Xu Ping have already completed all the formalities of marrying each other, and when they are only waiting for the last step of marrying into the cave house, everyone has regarded her as a member of the Xu family and has no scruples. In Xu Ping's previous life, this was the marriage certificate was obtained, and the only thing left was to hold the wedding.

Entering the door, seeing Lin Wensi sitting in the middle, Xu Ping hurriedly stepped forward and saluted: "I've seen the teacher." In the past two days, Uncle Li Shishu has been around here on a business trip, and his eldest man wants to live in my house for a few days, so it is not easy to go to school. ”

Lin Wensi nodded with a dark face. This kind of trick has been played by two children since childhood, and Lin Wensi has long been used to it, and Xu Ping is not a scholar, so he is too lazy to manage it too strictly.

Li Zhang saw it and hurriedly came up: "I haven't seen Xiucai for a long time, I came in a hurry this time, and I didn't have time to bring you some gifts." Next time you come to Tokyo, come and sit at my house. ”

Lin Wensi said: "Da Lang has a heart, sit down and watch the tea." ”

At this time, the title of Xiucai, derived from the Xiucai Branch of the Tang Dynasty, was originally the most important in the imperial examination, and it was the honorific title of scholars, which could not be compared with later generations. In this era, scholars can barely be regarded as humble only if they are in high school on the gold list of the palace examination and claim to be a showman. In Xu Ping's impression, everyone who reads is called Xiucai, every time he hears someone else call Lin Wensi like this, he has a strange feeling, his old man has gone to the Golden Palace to participate in the palace examination, and his status is not low.

In this era, there are almost no privileges other than exemption from military service, but if it is in the local area, it is also a scholar with some status, and it can be respected from top to bottom. But this is Kaifeng Mansion, and there are so many places to flood that there are no Jinshi who fall into the ranks, not to mention a three-handed department.

A few people sat down, Su'er brought tea, and Xu Ping said: "Yesterday, Su'er went to tell me that the family should plant some mulberry trees around, and I went to pick up the saplings early this morning and brought them." At this time, I have to go out to watch, and don't let the bankers come nonsense. ”

Lin Wensi said: "These will be hard for you." ”

Xu Ping hurriedly said: "This is what students should do, where is the hard work?" ”

Lin Suniang said to Su'er: "Su'er, go and serve two bowls of soup." ”

Xu Ping hurriedly stopped: "Lady, we are not outsiders, so there is no need to be so troublesome, I will go and watch and speak later." ”

Welcoming tea and sending soup are the rules at this time, and the Lin family is more particular than the Xu family. In Xu Ping's impression, the Central Plains in the previous life also had this custom, the name was more vivid, and the last soup was called "egg soup", especially when it was egg soup, which was very appropriate, I don't know if it was also passed down from the Song Dynasty in that world.

When they went out, Xu Ping and Li Zhang went to watch Zhuangke plant trees, which was no different from later generations, nothing more than digging deep pits, filling less soil and watering more for the first time, without going into details.

After a while, Lin Suniang and Su'er came out, brought tea to everyone, and pointed out the location of the tree planting. This is their home, and of course everything is obeyed.

After all the busyness, it was already afternoon, Lin Suniang let everyone have a snack, and then they said goodbye.

Xu Ping returned to the gate of his house, but found that there were a few horses tied to the door, and Li Yonghe was drinking tea with a few soldiers accompanied by Xu Chang.

couldn't help but wonder: "Uncle Shi, isn't there a few days left to be busy with business?" ”

Li Yonghe was also impatient: "My boss just came to report that I had something to go back to discuss, and I couldn't help myself if I put down the matter here." ”

Xu Ping just shook his head: "What kind of yamen is this?" It's really hard to figure out how to spend people on a holiday, and to call people back after a holiday. ”

Li Yonghe kept a calm face and did not speak.

There is no impermeable wall in this world, and even if that incident is secret, some rumors have more or less reached Li Yonghe's ears, not to mention that the subjects of the Great Song Dynasty have a nature of gossiping. But this matter is really important, and the implication is too widespread, and the world will be shaken as soon as it comes out. Li Yonghe didn't dare to ask, didn't dare to say, let alone inquire, and didn't dare to show it on his face, so he could only let it rot in his heart.

Why spend him? The ministers of the Qianyuan Festival saw the driver, but they didn't let him see the emperor!

If Xu Ping knew some historical gossip about the Northern Song Dynasty in his previous life, he would have been able to figure this thing out. It's a pity that his historical knowledge is basically from textbooks, and he rarely even watches whimsical historical TV series.

Seeing Li Yonghe's unhappy appearance, Xu Ping didn't want to ask much, so he said, "Then does Li Zhang want to go back with him?" Our brother has also been gone for many days. ”

Li Yonghe said: "Go back together, Daddy Duan won't let him come out." ”

Xu Ping hurriedly asked Gao Daquan to take two villagers to chop a large bundle of sweet sorghum and come back, and asked Li Zhang to take it back and eat it slowly. In this rural place, there were no decent gifts.

After a while, the sorghum was cut back, Li Yonghe asked the soldiers to carry it, and when he saw that it was not early, he was about to set off, and said to Xu Ping: "This time I came and went in a hurry, and I didn't go to Baisha Town to see Brother Xu and sister-in-law, you make amends to them for me, forgive me!" ”

Xu Ping responded, and asked Xu Chang to take two jars of liquor brewed for the first time, and asked Li Yonghe to bring it back, and said: "Daddy Duan has always loved wine, bring this back to him to taste, when I go to Tokyo City, I will go to see you again." ”

Li Yonghe took it and put it on his horse. Wine is a very sensitive thing, and although the wine tax became an important revenue for the central government in the Song Dynasty, local finances were very dependent on it. Xu Ping didn't dare to send more, otherwise he would be found out when he entered the city, and Li Yong and this sesame petty official could not afford to be guilty.

After all the explanations, Li Yonghe pulled Xu Ping aside again and whispered: "This time I went to inspect the grassland and heard some bad news. In the city of Tokyo, a group of evil teenagers returned to this neighborhood and entangled a group of sergeants under the herd division, stealing people's money and not doing good deeds. Your family is a first-class household here, it is difficult to ensure that you can't become fat in the eyes of others, and you will guard the door in the future and be careful in everything. ”

Xu Ping nodded: "A few days ago, my mother also said that this year's Kaifeng Mansion is not peaceful, there are many displaced people, and there are people who are falling into the first place to make wind and rain." The new envoy Xiuxiu in my family, her family was robbed of dozens of sheep and couldn't get by. It seems to be a little more careful. ”

Li Yonghe said: "Sister-in-law Xu is a careful person, this is not empty words, you know it in your heart." I've also heard people say that there are a few people who are not entangled in this annex and are doing trouble. However, they are scholars, they are nothing more than a deception, and they will not get involved with evil teenagers, otherwise they will cause trouble, and the punishment of the court will be extraordinary. In short, you are now like a self-reliant portal, not as good as before, everything is careful! ”

After explaining here, Li Zhang was still reluctant: "It's only been a day, and I haven't recognized the door, so I have to go back!" I don't know when I'll come next time. ”

Xu Ping smiled and put him on the horse: "If you are two years older, you will be as old as me, and you will be able to ride a horse by yourself, and you don't have to follow your father." ”

Li Zhang pouted: "Can you walk around by yourself?" Don't go to see me in Tokyo! ”

Xu Ping said: "I don't have time, such a big Zhuangzi has to be taken care of, how can I compare with you?" ”

Watching Li Yonghe and his entourage ride away, Xu Ping shook his head and sighed. Being an official in this era is nothing more than that, and being supported by others makes the group turn around, it is better to stick to the manor yourself.

When he returned to the courtyard, he saw that the coal was piled up under the tree, so he asked Xu Chang to bring Gao Daquan a few pieces out and find a hammer to smash them.

He took a few more men with him and dug up clay to make a stove.

The briquette stove is not fancy, it is only technical when it is done well, Xu Ping just asks for it to be usable, and even the furnace is just to find a few pieces of iron and stuff it inside.

The stove was done, but there was no iron sheet to wrap it, so I had to find a clay pot to break it, put it together and apply a layer on the outside, and then tie it with hemp rope.

The stove is done here, and the coal is mashed over there. Xu Ping first took some crushed coal and mixed it with water, and smeared a thick layer in the furnace, which was used as a burn-resistant layer.

When they were done, they let them move to their own small yard and put them outside the kitchen. Looking at the height, Xiuxiu should be just right to use, and there is no need to step on a stool to boil water anymore.

Xu Chang said: "If Da Lang wants to burn stone charcoal, the original stove can also be used, why bother to do this in one fell swoop?" ”

Xu Ping said: "This is not to burn charcoal, but because the original stove is too high, and Xiuxiu is young and often can't reach it." I'm not used to cooking in the kitchen, so I'll make a small stove here. ”

Xu Chang sighed: "Da Lang is really good to Xiuxiu, this girl!" ”

Xu Ping looked at Xu Chang and said seriously: "A girl like this, her family suffered, she was sold by her father and mother, and her flesh and blood were separated. I'm not hard-hearted, how can I bear to call her like a cow and a horse! ”

Xu Chang smiled and didn't speak. The soft-heartedness of the master is the blessing of these subordinates.

The two of them came out, gathered the mashed coal dust outside, and found clay to mix together, added water and mixed well, so that it was not dry or wet, which was just right.

At this time, Xu Ping realized that it was not easy to make this pile into briquettes, and there was no mold. After thinking about it, I had to dig a round hole in the ground, put firewood in it and burn it to dry, and use it as a mold.

The briquettes can not be pierced indiscriminately, and when burning, the upper and lower eyes should be transparent, so as to be hot, and this requires the same eyes on all briquettes. Xu Ping made a wooden plank as big as a hole in the ground, and the eye on it was opened, and a bamboo branch of the same thickness was inserted, and it was a mold.

Put this mold into the hole, let Gao Daquan lead people to fill it with pulverized coal, fill it with solid and bring it out together with a wooden board, and a briquette will be made.

Of course, this briquette could not be compared with the machine made in his previous life, not only was it not exquisite, but it was not so strong, so he had to be carefully moved into his small courtyard.

When it was finished, Xu Ping poured out a little alcohol from the alcohol lamp made a few days ago and poured it on the firewood, stuffed it into the furnace to make a primer, and slowly lit the stove.

A group of villagers gathered around to see the strangeness, and when they saw the fire, one of the villagers said: "This stove is interesting, let's also go get one, and it is convenient to catch a pheasant and hare at night and burn it." ”

Everyone said yes and rushed out.

Xu Ping moved a stool and sat next to the newly made briquette stove, watching the fire burn more and more, and couldn't help but look at it.

I don't know what happened to Xiuxiu at home?