Chapter 43 The building is about to collapse, let’s go find someone to support us in the capital!
It’s spring and the scenery is bright.
Guizhier still remembers that in Linghe County, there was an orange lantern at the door of the inn welcoming guests.
The waiter is warm and polite, and has a keen eye.
"I have been running this business for decades and I never cheat anyone, young or old." The shop owner stroked his beard and frowned.
"The newly opened store may not look impressive, but it always claims to be full, refusing to let its competitors take a peek."
We must attract all the customers to this Lantern Festival dinner.
Hearing these lofty words and ambitions, Guizhi'er ignored them.
The creamy pastry was poured into the pot, and as it heated, it gradually began to foam. She continued to stir it with a wooden spoon to prevent it from burning.
"Laicheng is located east of Mount Xiao and south of the northern border." Gui Zhi'er muttered to herself, "It's also a key point connecting Donglu and Zhenbei Prefecture."
So this is the location for the store?
The tea leaves expand in the pot and hot steam rises.
The springy tapioca starch beads tumbled up and down like small fish swimming in a pond.
The last step is to sprinkle the honey gold liquid and stir evenly.
"This is pearl milk tea. You can drink it with this hollow young bamboo stick." Guizhier poured it into the bamboo tube cup.
Not to mention the taste, the appearance alone is quite novel.
The shop owner and the chef looked at each other and couldn't wait to take a sip.
At first, the fragrance of tea and the richness of milk blend together, followed by the sweetness of honey.
"Delicious!" Their eyes lit up.
If the braised meat dishes that Guizhier recommended showed her cooking skills, then the milk tea was the icing on the cake.
"It's exquisitely crafted and easy to carry. Holding a cup while everyone enjoys the lanterns is the perfect way to enjoy it."
The shop owner was so happy that he almost pulled out a few of his beards.
The night deepened and a cold wind blew gently.
Moonlight dotted the sparse branches, and shadows drew wondrous patterns on the ground. Like the dance of colorful feathers, or like fine wine drifting through the clouds.
The Lantern Festival is a lively occasion when the whole family is reunited.
Most travelers who travel far away gaze at the moon in the inn and express their deep thoughts.
"The Lantern Festival dinner is about to begin!" All the shop assistants came out. "Dear guests, please come downstairs and enjoy the food together."
Knock on the door to give a gift, and the one handed over is bubble milk tea.
Most of the guests were not interested and did not want to join in the fun, but were attracted by the novel milk tea shapes.
"Waiter, what is this?" The dusty merchant had a dark complexion but his eyes were shrewd.
He was wearing a coarse cloth gown and a cloth bag tied around his waist filled with silver, money and bills.
If you don't show off your wealth, you must be a big customer.
"Sir, please try it. Our boss said it's called Osmanthus Pearl Milk Tea." The shop assistant recommended it with all his might.
It is brewed by Mr. Muxi himself and is a top quality product.
The traveling merchant picked up the bamboo cup, touched the rim of the cup to his lips, and took a sip.
"It tastes sweet, not bad." He narrowed his eyes slightly and sucked up a tapioca starch bead with a straw. "Huh? This is..."
The pearls are round and plump, wrapped in the aroma of milk tea, and released between the teeth.
The traveling merchant was stunned at first, then his cheeks puffed up and he chewed methodically.
"Looks like something new, give us a drink too." The knight who was resting here stretched out his hand and greeted.
They were men and women, all of them looked heroic, each with a long sword at their waist, and the scabbard seemed to have the logo of their school engraved on it.
Traveling around the world, I am quite curious about this new thing.
The shop assistant smiled and handed it over quickly.
The heroine couldn't wait to take a sip.
The taste is rich and fragrant, with the blend of tea and creamy pastry. The mellowness and harmony are so smooth that a few pearls jump out. The fragrance lingers in your mouth after drinking it.
"Brother, let's go downstairs and take a look at the Lantern Festival banquet!"
In the lobby of the inn, there is the aroma of braised meat, people are reciting poems and appreciating the moon, and people from all over the world gather together.
Away from the endless hustle and bustle, Wang Pu lived alone in a corner and took out the "Spring and Autumn Gongyang Zhuan" from his bag.
The book cover is pure gray-blue, and the slightly yellowed bookmark is printed with an elegant title.
The knife skills for cutting the paper are smooth and the ink marks are dazzling.
You can tell at a glance that this is a collection of top-quality and precious books.
As the youngest scholar in the school, the old gentleman gave him this book, hoping that he would study hard and achieve success.
"Sir, I'm sorry to have failed you." Wang Pu sighed. "Only when I embarked on the path of learning did I realize that the road is full of thorns and difficult to reach the beautiful world."
He opened the book and ran his fingers over the pages.
Gongyang Chuan teaches profound principles in subtle ways, from "the age of chaos" to "the age of peace and prosperity" and then to "the age of great peace".
Wang Pu originally believed that since the first year of Yongjing when the emperor cleaned up the world, the harvests had been abundant and the people were happy, and it must be a peaceful world.
"But this is my third time passing through Laicheng on my way to the imperial examination." Wang Pu shook his head. "Every year is getting worse."
He muttered to himself.
"When you are poor, you must change. Change will bring you success!" A crisp and clear voice continued.
"Sir." Wang Pu quickly put the book in his hand aside.
After he stood up, he did not use crutches to make his posture unsteady, but folded his hands respectfully in front of him to salute.
Guizhier waved her hand to indicate that there was no need to be polite, and instead looked at him gently, encouraging him to speak freely.
Wang Pu hesitated for a moment and gritted his teeth.
He simply started talking about the plague in the spring of the second year of Chengshuo and then talked about the bandits he met a few days ago.
From hearsay about the invasion of Lingnan, to witnessing the increase in land tax and tax silver.
The more I talked, the more frightened I became.
"Sir, do you think Daliang is still prosperous now?" Wang Pu's body was stiff and his teeth were chattering.
If these words were heard by someone with ulterior motives, not only would your life be in danger, not to mention passing the imperial examination.
But he wanted to ask.
In this lively Lantern Festival, under the light of candlelight, he has a handsome face and a bit of elegant scholarly air.
There was resentment in his eyes.
"In times of peace, be prepared for danger." Gui Zhier didn't give a clear answer, but she didn't blame him either. She reached out and patted Wang Pu's shoulder, comforting him to sit down.
Looking at the present and the past, the rise and fall of feudal dynasties is inevitable.
Guizhier spoke in a clear voice: "In a prosperous era, the people multiply, and when there are more people, they need to eat."
She spoke clearly, and each word sounded like pearls falling on a plate, explaining the truth in the simplest way.
"How much grain can one acre of land produce?" Gui Zhi'er pointed out the key point. "Plus, with the gentry swallowing up land, the existing land simply can't support the increased population."
As the saying goes, "When officials force the people to rebel," the poor who cannot get enough food will either die or rebel.
She walked to the window and placed her fingers lightly on the window frame.
With a creaky sound, as the window was pushed open, the cheerful sounds from the streets and alleys exploded in my ears.
Women, children, old and young, all held lanterns, and excited children skipped through the crowd.
There are cute rabbits and colorful lanterns with blooming petals.
Inside the inn, merchants and knights were drinking and playing finger-guessing games, shouting non-stop.
If you tell them that the building is about to collapse, you will either be laughed at as hysterical or reported to the police and arrested.
Neither the Danu people nor the bandits can become a big force.
As long as the gates of Laicheng remain intact, it means this place is solid and reliable, and even if there is a crisis, it is still far away...
At this time, hundreds of kilometers away in Zhenbei Prefecture.
Some people coincidentally thought of the same thing and also considered the issue of head tax and land tax.
The bright moon hung high in the sky, and the dry branches in the courtyard stretched out their bony branches, casting dark shadows that looked like claws and fangs on the ground.
The sandalwood tables and chairs were arranged in an orderly manner, and the cool breeze brought a hint of coolness.
"Please take away all the plates. Who has an appetite now?" The pot-bellied tycoon suddenly stood up.
His lips trembled and his mustache jumped up and down like a frightened mouse.
The atmosphere became increasingly tense.
"Don't worry, Mr. Zhang. The new policy only concerns the central capital. It's not our Linghe's turn yet." The tall and skinny old man took a sip of tea and tried to suppress his inner panic.
"My dear brother, I'm afraid the lips and teeth will be cold if they are gone!" The pot-bellied gentry slammed the table and stood up. "He wants to leave his name in history, but he's taking our land away from us."
No wonder Mr. Zhang is so anxious.
Liu Shanyuan, the prefect of the central city, was the new official who made three big moves upon taking office.
How dare you make a fuss about taxation!
A notice was issued, stating that taxes and fees would be levied based on the actual land owned, and that those who concealed their land would be asked to surrender quickly, or be pardoned if they confessed.
Anyone who resists or conceals the truth will be severely punished.
"I heard that even if you give gold and silver to Magistrate Liu, his steward will accept it without fail." The words squeezed out from between his teeth were filled with strong anger.
“But when the actual investigation took place, they refused to cover up anything.”
The pot-bellied tycoon sneered.
The corners of the mouth, which were originally well-maintained and smooth, now drooped downward, forming an ugly arc.
In his opinion, Prefect Liu was not as good as the previous one.
At least Magistrate Ma knows how to achieve a win-win situation and he has to do his job if he gets paid.
"We're really desperate. Let's go find some backers in the capital and make a scene, and report it to the emperor!" The pot-bellied tycoon suddenly sat back on the carved wooden chair.
The heavy chair made a loud bang.
"Brother, calm down."
The tall, skinny old man put down his teacup awkwardly.
"Well, our Linghe hasn't produced any talented people in many years, and there's really no one in the capital to support us."
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