Chapter 512 Written Explanation

Chapter 512 Written Explanation

Chapter 512 Written Explanation
Soon after Xiao Xia returned to Jiangdu, the summer harvest season arrived. Outside the city of Jiangdu was an endless field of golden wheat waves, and people harvesting wheat could be seen everywhere. All the officials and their families went to the fields to harvest wheat.

Xiao Xia also brought several wives to harvest wheat in a government field outside the city. Of course, harvesting wheat for officials was a ritual as well as a social activity. While harvesting wheat in the field, the officials discussed state affairs.

The ladies also symbolically waved their sickles twice, and then sat under the shed, chatting and drinking tea.

Xiao Xia was wearing a bamboo hat and his face was covered in sweat. He stood up, wiped the sweat off his face, and looked at his wives with a smile.

Cui Yu was chatting with Gao Jiong's old wife, Heba. On the bench behind them, Zhang Qiao was also chatting with Lu Xieting. Xiaoqing was more than five months pregnant, so of course she couldn't come to the field.

Zhang Qiao and Lu Xieting are both from Jiangnan, and they have a very good relationship. Zhang Qiao is from Piling County, and Lu Xieting is from Wu County, so their hometowns are very close to each other.

Cui Yu raised the teapot and waved to her husband, and Xiao Xia came over with a smile.

"What are you talking about?"

Cui Yu smiled slightly and said, "I was talking to Auntie about the benefits of honeycomb coal!"

Xiao Xia asked with a smile: "Madam, have you started using honeycomb coal at home?"

Heba smiled and nodded, "My husband is the most enthusiastic about new things. Our family was also the first to use honeycomb coal. I even prepared a stove to make tea."

"How do you feel, ma'am?"

"I think small honeycomb coal is the best. One piece of coal is just enough to make a pot of tea. It is clean, convenient and cheap."

Honeycomb coal began to be promoted among the people a month ago. The craftsmen of the Sui Dynasty were very creative. They not only made honeycomb coal and coal balls, as well as special stoves, but also made a small honeycomb coal, which was small and thin, like a persimmon cake. This is the honeycomb coal used for making tea. Because there were no thermos bottles in the Sui Dynasty, water had to be boiled every time tea was brewed. If too much honeycomb coal was used, it would be wasted, so this small coal cake specifically for making tea was created. One coal cake is just enough to make a pot of tea.

Heba thought for a moment and then smiled: "The fire stick is also very useful!"

A fire stick is a long match, a thin bamboo stick, about the same length as a chopstick, with gunpowder at the front end that will ignite at a touch. It is used to light coal cakes and honeycomb coal. Coal cakes and honeycomb coal are coated with a layer of saltpeter liquid, which makes it easier to ignite them with a fire stick.

Of course, this is how rich families use it. Poor families use coal balls. Honeycomb coal is used to make fire. After the thin honeycomb coal is burned, coal balls are used on top. This is because there is saltpeter liquid on the honeycomb coal, which is easy to burn, but it is also relatively expensive. Poor families often share one piece.

Moreover, the fire sticks used by poor families were bundles of wheat straw, which were almost free.

Xiao Xia drank a bowl of herbal tea and asked Zhang Qiao, "Does Baiyun Temple have its own wheat fields?"

Zhang Qiao smiled and nodded, "Of course, but we have a division of labor. I am responsible for growing herbs, and the other sisters are responsible for growing food, so I have never harvested wheat."

"Sir, I have harvested wheat before!" Lu Xieting said with a smile.

"Your big family also wants to go to the fields?"

Lu Xieting nodded. "At this time of year, the wheat is ripe, and the autumn rice is ripe. All the children of the Lu family have to follow the head of the family to the fields to harvest the wheat and rice. In addition, the male members of the family have to go to the paddy fields to plant rice. They really plant rice, not just for show. Women don't have to go to the fields, but they have to carry the rice seedlings. The head of the family said that we are a farming and reading family. Only if we understand the hard work of farming can the family be passed down."

Xiao Xia said happily: "With such a good family tradition, it's no wonder that the Wu family can last for so long."

At this time, a personal soldier came running to report, "Your Highness, Yuan Wenzhen wants to see you!"

Seeing a carriage parked on the official road, Xiao Xia sneered in his heart and said, "Go tell them that today is the day for harvesting wheat, so we won't talk about official business. If he wants to come to harvest wheat, I welcome him. If he wants to talk about official business, please ask him to come to the General Manager's Mansion to see me tomorrow morning!"

"Yes, sir!" The personal soldier ran along the ridge of the field and said a few words to one of Yuan Wenzhen's men. The man went back to report, and soon the carriage slowly left.

Heba laughed and said, "Your Highness, this child of the Yuan family is not very smart. If he is willing to work with you in the harvest, then many things will be easy to discuss."

Xiao Xia smiled faintly and said, "It seems that he is not stupid!"

Only then did Heba realize that Yuan Wenzhen was walking towards him along the ridge of the field. He had changed his clothes and was wearing a short shirt, a bamboo hat, and a sickle in his hand. He walked towards her with a smile on his face.

Xiao Xia nodded. These children of Guanlong nobles have both IQ and EQ, and they are truly talented.

Yuan Wenzhen said nothing, walked down to the wheat field and started to harvest wheat with skillful movements. Xiao Xia also did not say anything. The two of them harvested wheat every fifty steps. When Xiao Xia left with his family, Yuan Wenzhen was still bending over to harvest wheat. He had already harvested three acres of wheat field.

The next morning, Yuan Wenzhen came to the General Manager's Mansion again and was soon brought before Xiao Xia.

Xiao Xia looked at him for a moment and waved his hand, "Please sit down!"

Yuan Wenzhen pondered for a while and said, "The Guanlong nobles did not participate in the rebellion of the Shanyue tyrants. It is my personal responsibility. I wanted the Shanyue people's salt fields, so I encouraged them to rebel. Lan Zhaotian promised me that he would give me the salt fields regardless of whether the rebellion was successful or not. Unfortunately, he broke his promise."

Xiao Xia smiled and said, "Then explain to me, where did tens of thousands of sets of Northern Qi armor come from?"

"I bought it from the Baoguo Association. I specifically asked them and they have a close relationship with the Baoguo Association. They even set up the Jianguo Association in imitation of the Baoguo Association."

Xiao Xia nodded, "I understand your feelings. You want to shoulder all the responsibilities by yourself and clear the Guanlong nobles. You are indeed a Guanlong child with a strong sense of responsibility, but I don't like you to think that I am so simple-minded."

Xiao Xia took out a copy of the interrogation record from the drawer and threw it on the table. "Explain it to me! Who is Houmo Chenchong? The 15,000 sets of armor he escorted were shipped from Tianlu Manor in Yong County. Whose manor is Tianlu Manor? If I notify the court to search now, what else can they find?"

Yuan Wenzhen was stunned for a moment, his face turned extremely ugly. Hou Mo and Chen Chong should have committed suicide by taking poison. How could they still have the nerve to live? "

Yuan Wenzhen said after a while: "Perhaps it was done privately by the Houmochen family and has nothing to do with the Guanlong nobles."

Xiao Xia shook his head. "You are still really confused. Let me tell you! I caught Houmo Chen Chong three months ago, but until now, the Houmo Chen family is still safe and sound. Have you ever thought about why? Is it because Jiangdu and Luoyang are too far apart? In three months, the report has not been delivered to the emperor's desk?"

Yuan Wenzhen finally understood that Xiao Xia did not intend to send the report to the emperor, which meant that they still had room for negotiation.

"Your Highness, just tell me what you want!"

Xiao Xia said coldly: "I just want an explanation. What did your Yuan family head promise me in the beginning? And what did you do? Why did you break even the head's promise?"

"Does Your Highness need to hear my explanation?"

Xiao Xia shook his head. "I want a written explanation from your master, but as the first step of my counterattack, I will no longer allow the Guanlong nobles to run the salt business in Jiangnan. Within ten days, you will hand over all your shops to the Jiangnan Salt and Iron Supervisor, which was previously the Xihai Salt Company.

Then I will give you another twenty days to hand over your master's written explanation to me, otherwise, I will hand over the 15,000 sets of armor and Houmo Chen Chong to the emperor.

I also advise you not to think about transferring your troops. I have already thought about it. You won't have any chance."

Yuan Wenzhen nodded silently.

(End of this chapter)