Seeing that Xu Ping couldn't put down the watermelon seeds, Li Hong said: "Since Deputy Envoy Xu can plant watermelons, these seeds will all be given to you." When the melon grows, don't forget to let us taste it together. ”

Xu Ping was overjoyed: "Don't worry, in the summer, I will let the officials of the three divisions taste the taste of watermelon!" ”

Watermelons are a good thing, and the officials of the Great Song Dynasty have already heard about it. However, this thing is only available in the Khitan, and it is not a strategic crop, so it has not been introduced to the Song Realm, and occasionally seeds are brought back, and these officials will not plant it.

Now that Xu Ping has these things, he just bought a lot of garden land in his new home, and it is just right to plant them. In the summer, you might even make a little money selling it.

At this time, the sun was already setting in the west, and the shadows pulled out of the house were getting longer and longer.

Li Hong looked at the sky and said to Kou Yang and Xu Ping: "I have recently returned to Beijing, everything is busy at home, it's not too early, I'll go home first." If there is anything in the yamen, let the miscellaneous officials come to my house and call me. ”

Kou Ying nodded.

Li Hong stood up, saw another bag on the table, and said to Xu Ping: "Why is Deputy Envoy Xu only interested in that watermelon seed?" This time, I heard from the Khitan people that it is extremely drought tolerant, and there are many plantings in the Western Regions, which is not a wrong thing. ”

Hui beans are the chickpeas that Xu Ping said in his previous life, and this thing was also hot for a while, and it is one of the most widely grown beans in the world. However, the biggest feature of chickpeas is drought tolerance, and the yield is not as good as soybeans, so there is no use in the Central Plains. In this era, there is no shortage of land, and if you don't grow food in a dry place, why bother yourself?

Although legumes can fix nitrogen and can be used as green fertilizers to cultivate soil fertility, Huifu beans are not as valuable as soybeans and alfalfa, and Xu Ping is not interested in it.

However, since Li Hong talked about it, Xu Ping also put it away, and said: "I heard that the biggest advantage of Hui beans is drought tolerance, and its use in the Central Plains is limited. However, my Great Song Dynasty has a vast territory, and I may be able to use it in other places. ”

Li Hong nodded and saluted the three of them.

Xu Ping put away the two bags of seeds, and then asked Kou Xuan: "Provincial Lord, a few days ago, we set up a book engraving bureau in the third division to print some books related to people's livelihood such as agricultural medicine, which are popular all over the world, and it is also a matter of virtue and politics." I wonder if the recital has been approved? ”

Kou Ying knew what Xu Ping was thinking, and replied with a smile: "I just approved it yesterday, and today there is an edict to set up three departments to engrave the book, which is temporarily under the regulations editing office. The interest earned from the engraving of the book shall be used as the money of the editor. ”

I didn't have any money in my hand, so I panicked, Xu Ping was used to being a local official, and he felt constrained after arriving in the capital. The minister's money in the Jingli Yamen cannot be compared with the locality, and the minister's money in the entire three divisions is less than 1,000 yuan a year, which is enough for the governors' carriage and horse expenses, and not enough for a fraction of Xu Ping's time in Yongzhou.

However, there are many subsidies for Beijing officials, good benefits, and fast promotions, which cannot be compared with other places.

Set up the compilation and revision of the three divisions of the regulations, the emperor Zhao Zhen was particularly gracious, and the minister's money was preferentially allocated, not 30,000 yuan a month, 30 yuan only. According to the head of the stall, one person does not pay the same amount of money a month.

According to Xu Ping's habits, how can this money be enough? So he came up with an idea, in the name of promoting agriculture and other technologies, to open an engraving bookstore in the third division, earn some money to supplement the yamen's pocket money, and establish his own small treasury.

At this time, the world engraved books, naturally to the Beijing division is the most sophisticated, the Beijing master's book, and the pavilion proofreading, the country Zijian engraved the world's unparalleled. The pavilion gathers the best of the world's literary scholars, and the basic proofreading they have done can be called a model, and once the proofreading is wrong, they will be punished. Guozijian engraving does not hesitate to work, and the materials are exquisite, which is not comparable to private bookstores.

The envoys of other countries came to the Song Dynasty, and the exquisite engravings of these Guozijian were important materials for their smuggling.

A few years ago, Xu Ping put on movable type printing calligraphy, which was also slowly implemented, but it was still concentrated on government notices. It is difficult to change people's concepts all at once, and ordinary people still think that the engraving is a good book.

Xu Ping printed books in the third division, and naturally did not print various classics compared with Guozijian, mainly aiming at practical books. Even Xu Ping has an idea that he can print some popular words at this time, such as Benzhi Monster, or new words and vulgar songs, and there may be a market. There are many literate people and idlers in the capital, and the market is still quite large.

However, Xu Ping is mentioning it now, and the main purpose is still in the money law mentioned earlier.

Listening to Li Hong's gossip just now, Xu Ping thought carefully in his heart, there are too many problems involved in the reform of the money law, and it can't be solved by just a few words, not to mention that no one may listen to what he says.

If the issue of currency is not clarified, the use of new iron money will only be a disaster. At that time, people will not remember what Xu Ping said at that time, they will only say that iron money cannot be used, and even implicate Xu Ping and scold him.

Since there is an opportunity to print books, it is better to print a batch of books so that people who are concerned with this issue can express their views. Only by taking facts as the basis and explaining things clearly can we minimize future troubles.

Kou Ying didn't know what Xu Ping was thinking, and said to him: "The Engraving Book Bureau can be done, and with your habit of doing things, you will definitely not lose your capital." With the money, the Ordinance Revision Office can start looking at things. You have two hats, and you can't delay either side, and the adjutant is very important. Here in the Salt and Iron Division, Han Zong needless to say, I have worked with you for several years, and I think he is also very effective. This Judge Guo seems to be trustworthy as well. Zheng Jian, who is in the Gouyuan, has always been careful in his work, and he has been an official in Beijing for several years, so he doesn't have to worry. You can put it down, and you won't be in a mess. What is the staffing in the editing office? ”

In addition to compiling data from previous years, the Editorial Office also had to compile various regulations, and it needed many more officials than the various yamen of the three divisions. From the beginning of the preparation to the present, through various channels, Xu Ping has a rough idea of the candidates.

Hearing Kou Ying's question, Xu Ping said: "Now that's the case, where the Editing Institute is, I plan to let the three divisions of Yantie, Hubu, and Duzhi each send a judge to do things. There is no need to be a permanent observer in the editing office, but it is necessary to arrive every two or three days so that the revised regulations will not contradict the existing regulations. The Salt and Iron Division is set here for Han Zong, and the other two divisions have to discuss with the two deputy envoys. ”

Kou Ying nodded: "Yes." What about the others? ”

"Pang Ji, who raised the sugar business, recommended Tuntian staff Wailang Fang Kai. Fang Kai is the son of Fang Ding, who returned to China with Chen Hongjin, and was known to Xue Shilang when he was a teenager. Han Yushi and Cai Shenzheng recommended Uncle Cao Ying together, praised each other, and they were also competent. There are also Liu Xin and Wang Gongchen of the Zhiji Xianyuan, who are the eight years of the Heavenly Sage, and I have a lot of contacts with them, and I also feel that I can serve in the editing office. ”

After listening to Xu Ping's speech, Kou Xuan was silent and thought in his heart.

Wang Gongchen and Liu Xin are in the capital, and Kou Yang knows a little. Wang Gongchen and Xu Ping are fellow countrymen, and it is not a secret that they usually have many contacts. But for officials, it is common to support each other, and they are champions, and the pavilion is also appropriate, and there is nothing. As for the other two, Fang Kaikou had heard a little bit about it, but Uncle Cao Ying had no impression at all.

But in the matter of the editing office, isn't it my duty to praise Xu Ping? (To be continued.) )