In the morning, Xu Chang came to see Xu Ping several times, and when he saw that he was silent, he finally couldn't help but say: "I'm going to go to the town in a while, won't Da Lang go?" ”

Xu Ping reacted at this time, yesterday the wine and meat were also invited to eat, and the village was also planned, so he said to Xu Chang: "Okay, let's go together." ”

There were no horses in the village, so the two of them rode a donkey and went along the dirt road behind the village to Baisha Town.

At this time, it is the middle of April, just summer, and it should be the season when the vegetation is lush and the cattle and sheep are everywhere. But on both sides of the road were wasteland, with reeds and weeds, and the occasional exposed ground was covered with the salinity of white flowers.

Where is the Central Plains in memory, it is like going to the Mobei Wasteland. Xu Ping sighed secretly in his heart, in his previous life, when he talked about the Northern Song Dynasty, he was all prosperous in Bianliang City, but he didn't want the surroundings of the capital to be so desolate.

At this time, Zhongmu County did not exceed 4,000 households, and the population was at most 20,000, which was not as large as the population of a smaller township in the previous life, which was really unimaginable. In the Song Dynasty, taxes were apportioned according to households, and in order to reduce the burden, the population of each household was generally very small, and the actual population may be less than 20,000.

Walking all the way, Xu Ping secretly counted the distance. Horses, donkeys and mules, if they don't hurry, the normal speed is about four or five kilometers an hour, because it is slower to carry people, it should also be three or four kilometers an hour. This is all common sense that they need to know in this industry, and it is also a legacy of China's implementation of semi-mechanization in those years.

After walking straight for more than an hour, I finally entered the town of White Sands.

Baisha Town is close to the Jinshui River, and because of its navigation, shops are opened by the river. The Xu family's restaurant is the most luxurious building, which is very eye-catching. Around the restaurant, there are a few rice shops, grocery stores and inns. Behind the shops, there are three or two hundred households.

Xu Ping suddenly laughed out loud.

Xu Chang turned his head and looked at him strangely: "What is Da Lang laughing at?" ”

Xu Ping shook his head: "It's nothing, it's nothing." ”

He suddenly remembered that someone must have described Baisha Town in this era, with a dense population, many shops, and a bustling market. After all, this is a town, and the town has a prison town to collect taxes, and it must be commercial to a certain extent, otherwise the collection of Rui will not even be enough to supervise the town, and the court will lose money.

People in later generations will definitely be deceived when they see it, where can they think that here is not even the scale of a slightly larger village in Xu Ping's previous life, there are dozens of shops large and small, and even a tax collector will not send it to you, and collecting this tax is not enough to worry about these shops.

The two rode a donkey to the door of the Xu family restaurant, and picked a wine guise outside the door, with four big characters on it: "Breeze Xu Lai", which is very poetic.

Liu Xiaoyi and a small servant were wearing new clothes, black shoes and white socks, very energetic, and were greeting guests outside the door. Seeing Xu Ping and the others, he hurriedly came up to lead the donkey, and shouted loudly: "The little official is here!" ”

Xu Ping got off the donkey and entered the restaurant with Xu Chang.

At this time, it was noon, the downstairs was full, the people were buzzing, and the business was actually good.

Most of these are running boats on the Jinshui River, and they are all small businesses. It is not far from Bianliang, and you can go to the capital in one go when you are full. The closer you are to the capital, the higher the price, and saving a little is a little.

A junior two came up to greet the two and led them all the way to the backyard.

Xu Chang asked Xiao Er: "Why don't you see Director Tan?" ”

Xiao Er sighed: "Don't mention it, the town of Zhou Jian here begged for a concubine last month, and he will be free in our restaurant pavilion if he has nothing to do." Every time I come, I have to go up to serve Director Tan, and the supervisor is annoyed and annoyed. ”

Xu Pingqi said: "What kind of character is this Zhou Jian Town?" has a big backstage, dare to beg for a wife and concubine under his own control? Not afraid of being sued? ”

Xiao Er shook his head: "The people don't fight with the officials, we, the small people, who are going to be naughty with these officials and eunuchs?" ”

According to the regulations of the Song Dynasty, officials could not find women under their own control, but could only buy and hire maidservants and maids to make them. This is naturally to prevent officials from engaging in irregularities, but in fact, as long as no one sues, no one takes it seriously.

Director Tan's name is Tan Bennian, who was originally an old man when the Xu family opened a restaurant in Tokyo, and moved to Baisha Town with the Xu family to manage all the chores in the restaurant now. According to Xu Ping's previous life, this is a professional manager, who receives money on a monthly basis and dividends. Strictly speaking, his identity is similar to Xu Chang, and he has the status of master and servant like the Xu family, but unlike Xu Chang, who is domesticated, he generally does not participate in the housework of the Xu family.

Not long after that, when he arrived in the backyard, Xiao Er went back to the front to get busy.

When Xu Ping and the others arrived in front of their parents' room, Yahuan Ying'er saw it and hurriedly went in to spread the word.

As Ying'er entered the room, I saw Xu Zheng and his wife pressing a table, and Zhang Sanniang had a dark face and was not very good-looking.

Xu Parallel saluted, and Zhang Sanniang said, "You two came late, and Granny Hong just left." The day before yesterday, I said that Zhuangzhong should advocate the matter by Granny Hong, and you two made a lot of tricks for me yesterday. Da Lang is young, don't talk about him, Xu Chang, you are an old adult, how do you make trouble! ”

Xu Chang looked at Xu Ping, sighed secretly in his heart, lowered his head and didn't reply.

Xu Ping had no choice but to bite the bullet and say: "It's not about Xu Chang's business, it's all my own opinion." That Granny Hong didn't have any knowledge, and the grange was handed over to him to manage, didn't she throw it away for nothing? ”

Zhang Sanniang said with a cold face: "How much knowledge do you have?" I haven't seen you for a few days, and I've learned to talk back! ”

Xu Zheng touched the sparse beard on his chin, and said slowly: "I tasted some of the wine you made yesterday, and it is very strong, and it can be regarded as a first-class wine." I heard that it was steamed with sake lees? Why don't you tell us about it? This is also a way to make money. ”

Xu Ping hurriedly said: "Xu Chang also said to me, but I think that we are the only one who sells wine yesterday, and we can't sell it elsewhere. ”

Xu Zheng sighed: "My child, you only know one thing, but you don't know the other. We wine farmers make bad wine, who can guarantee that there will be no accidents? Either it is sour, or it is defeated, and the sake is steamed out with sake lees to make up for it, and it also saves a lot of glutinous rice for sake brewing. This year's drought has led you to wonder where food prices have risen! ”

Zhang Sanniang said to her husband unhappily: "Old man, what are you talking about?" I'm teaching my children! Don't get out of the way! ”

Xu Zhengdao: "You don't teach, the child is much more well-behaved than before, that Granny Hong, I don't think she is a secretary, give her a few dollars as soon as possible and send her home!" It's not that you don't know, we took over this restaurant, where did you think that the wine saved was so bad! My hair is a lot grayer. ”

Zhang Sanniang said: "What's the use of you talking about this? Three sentences are inseparable from the word money, I think you are a drill out of the copper coin eye! ”

Xu Zhengdao: "Money is like honey, that's a drop is sweet!" If it weren't for the lack of money, how would we have come to this rural place? The city of Tokyo is bustling and lively, and there are many benefits! ”

Zhang Sanniang sneered: "That is, there are many sisters in the Tokyo Qinglou, how can it be like here, there are only three or two private prostitutes, even if you have the heart, you can't go!" ”

Xu Zheng turned his face: "In front of the child, what are you talking nonsense?" No measure! ”

He said to Xu Ping again: "You will live here for the past two days, pass down the method of steaming wine, and subsidize it." Now the restaurant is open for three or two days, where can I stand it. ”

Xu Ping said: "How much wine is in the lees?" What can it do? Why, is there a lot of rancid wine in the restaurant now? I have a way of making them good wine. ”

Xu Zheng's eyes lit up: "Is there really a way?" My son, you are a natural restaurant owner, and it is in vain that I sold wine for decades before I gave birth to you! ”

Zhang Sanniang said impatiently: "I gave birth to the child, I want him to study and become an official, where will he sell wine for a lifetime like you!" ”

Xu Zheng waved his hand: "Don't listen to your mother's nonsense, what's wrong with selling wine?" The high-rise buildings and houses you live in, and the silk and satin you wear, aren't they all earned from wine? You tell me, how do you cure bad wine? ”

Xu Ping said: "Let's see, whether the rancidity is terrible." ”

Xu Zheng hurriedly instructed Ying'er to go to the wine cellar and get two bottles of wine, and opened them in the house.

Xu Ping sniffed it and said, "This bottle is not powerful, just add clear lime water to filter and then fry it, and then mix it with good wine, and it will be fine." The other bottle is a little heavy, and the sour smell can't be cleaned, so I have to wash it with water, and then put it in the pot and steam it. ”

Xu Zhengdao: "Is it really still going to be steamed?" What is the reason for adding lime water? ”

Xu Ping blurted out: "There is too much acid, of course I add alkali!" ”

Seeing that everyone's expressions were even more puzzled, they hurriedly changed their words: "Clear lime water can remove the sour taste, this is a common truth, Dad, you can try it." ”

Seeing that Xu Zheng was suspicious, Xu Ping sighed in his heart. Although the wine is an organic acid, it is still a weak acid after all, and the clear lime water is alkali, and the acid and alkali are neutralized to generate calcium salts that are insoluble in water, and it is good to filter them out. Although this knowledge is simple, it is too advanced for this era.

With a way, Xu Zheng couldn't sit still for a moment, called Xu Chang, and the two went to the wine cellar to experiment, and only Zhang Sanniang and Xu Ping were left in the house.

Zhang Sanniang's face softened, pulled Xu Ping to sit down in front of her, stroked his head and said, "Since coming to the countryside, my son has indeed been a lot more well-behaved. Da Lang, you have an idea in your heart, you can only be happy as a mother, where is the meaning of reprimanding you? But you also think about it, Granny Hong has watched me grow up since I was a child, and now I am helpless, how can I bear to treat her slowly? You should bear more with her. ”

Being so close to Zhang Sanniang, Xu Ping is a little unnatural, but he still has some residual consciousness of the previous gentleman, and the nature of mother and son is not excluded. Speaking of which, Xu Ping's parents really love him, but in the words of Xu Ping's previous life, Zhang Sanniang and Xu Zheng are both career-oriented and don't want to tie him to their side.

After thinking for a while, Xu Ping said: "Mom misses the old, and I understand, but as long as you arrange Granny Hong's ministry casually, the money will be given as it is, so why bother giving her the entire Zhuangzi?" ”

Zhang Sanniang said: "According to you, what should I do?" ”

Xu Ping said: "I only let her take care of the affairs in the yard, and I have my own opinions in the field." ”

Zhang Sanniang bowed her head and did not speak.

Xu Ping was in a hurry, so he took out the sketch he drew yesterday and handed it to Zhang Sanniang.

Zhang Sanniang took the piece of paper in her hand, looked horizontally and vertically, confused.

Xu Ping pointed out to her, where is the river, where is the ditch, where is the ditch, where is the canal, where to plant rice, where to plant trees. Where is the orchard, where is the vegetable garden, where are the sheep, where are the cattle.

Zhang Sanniang smiled bitterly: "That's it, I'll talk about these things when your father comes back, but I don't have an idea." ”