Zhang Zhaozhi said with a smile, "Has my brother-in-law's alcohol tolerance improved in the past few years?"
Zhang Zhaoci said, "That's just the kind of person he is, what progress can you expect from him? Does Dad still need to drink a couple of sips with every meal?"
Zhang Zhaozhi said, "Yes, drink it. It's medicinal wine he brewed himself. He drinks a little bit with each lunch and dinner. By the way, when the old man wrote to me, he specially sent someone to bring me a few jars. I've left them at the inn. Later, send someone to the inn to tell my attendants to send their luggage over."
Zhang Zhaoci said, "I'll have someone clean up the front yard for you, and you can live here with your entourage."
Zhang Zhaozhi said, "Alright, now that I'm here, I'll follow your arrangements."
The east wing of the front yard became Xu Rao's study, the main house became a place to receive guests, and the bedroom to the east of the main house became a guest room. All the rooms here had kang beds. Zhang Zhaoci had seen this when he went to the farmhouse with them. In winter, you would throw two pieces of firewood into the kang hole and your body would be warm all night.
The west wing was also used as a guest room, with a large kang (heated brick bed) inside, which could sleep several people.
It was the season when all kinds of vegetables were growing in abundance, and there were many for sale on the street. Zhang Zhaoci instructed Granny Zhao to go to the street to buy vegetables and meat, and also arranged for Xu Rao's pageboy, Xiao Liang, to go to the inn on the street to pick up the people. When Xu Rao returned from the front office, Zhang Zhaozhi had already been taken to the main house in the backyard by Zhang Zhaoci. Xu Di and Xu Zhi sat around one side, and Zhang Zhaozhi told his two nephews stories about going to sea.
After a slight sense of unfamiliarity, we gradually regained the original sense of familiarity after not seeing each other for more than ten years.
Xu Rao's alcohol tolerance was indeed poor. After drinking two cups with everyone, he refused to drink anymore. Zhang Zhaozhi, on the other hand, talked about his experiences over the years while taking a few sips of wine from his cup.
After the Zhang family offended someone, the old patriarch of the Zhang family passed away. In fact, Zhang Zhaoci's father had been looking for a way out for his family for a long time. He knew very well that at that time, the capital city was outwardly peaceful and prosperous, but inwardly there were undercurrents. It was because he did not want to get too involved that he planned to leave for another place.
The son is easy to find, but the daughter is getting old and is about to get married. If she goes out with us, what if we end up in a poor, remote area? How will she find a husband?
It just so happened that back then, because Zhang's father saved the Marquis of Yongning, the two families jokingly said that their children would become in-laws. However, they had not exchanged any gifts or formalities. The matter was urgent, so Zhang's father asked someone to pass on a message to the old lady of the Xu family. The old lady of the Xu family took the opportunity to go to the temple to burn incense. After Zhang's father met with the old lady of the Xu family, he returned and began to arrange the marriage between Xu Rao and Zhang Zhaoci.
After arranging their daughter's marriage, the Zhang family took advantage of the old man's period of mourning to marry their daughter off to his husband's family. The Zhang family then announced to the outside world that they were going back to their hometown to observe mourning for the old man. They left without even having time to deal with some of their businesses in the capital.
The Zhang family's ancestral home is in the south. After escorting the coffin back to their hometown to bury the Zhang family patriarch, the Zhang family members didn't even bother to pack their belongings before taking a boat and leaving under the cover of night.
After arriving at the seaside by boat, they boarded a waiting ship at a pier. Fortunately, the Zhang family had been skilled in medicine and had saved many people in the past. This time, the whole family was escorted by several martial arts masters, which helped them shake off their pursuers and successfully board the ship to go out to sea.
After sailing on the sea for many days, they finally arrived at the island that the eldest son of the Zhang family had his eye on.
According to Zhang Zhaozhi, the Xu family of three felt that the island should be the modern Hainan Island, not only because it is spring-like all year round, but also because Zhang Zhaozhi said that everyone there says it is the ends of the earth, isn't that Sanya?
Zhang Zhaozhi is a very eloquent person. When he describes things, people feel as if they are there. Not only did Xu Zhi forget to eat while listening, but even Xu Di, who prides himself on having traveled all over the country and having a wide range of knowledge, listened with great interest.
Xu Di sighed and said longingly, "Third Uncle, when can I go with you to see it?"
Zhang Zhaozhi smiled and said, "You are still young, now is the time for you to study. Read more books, and once you have studied well, I will take you to broaden your horizons."
Xu Di nodded repeatedly, and Zhang Zhaoci said, "Third Brother, after all these years, can't our family go back to the capital?"
Zhang Zhaozhi smiled and said, "Our father, eldest brother, and second brother have all discussed this matter. They feel there is no need to return to the capital. With you all here in the capital, we will stay there and guard it. If anything happens in the capital in the future, you can take a boat to our side. It can be considered as finding a way out for you."
Zhang Zhaoci said, "It's been so many years since I've seen you all." At this point, she choked up a little.
Zhang Zhaozhi said, "I'm here now, aren't I? I've taken care of everything along the way, and your parents will come to visit you too."
Zhang Zhaozhi's luggage was placed in the front yard. After the meal, Zhang Zhaozhi took the Xu family to see the gifts he had brought for them, including food, drinks, toys, and most of all, some fabrics.
Zhang Zhaozhi said, "I happened to be buying fabric in Yuhang. I thought you were here and we didn't have much of this stuff, so I brought some for you to keep for making clothes for your families."
Xu Rao said, "Third Brother, have you seen the trade market on the street?"
Zhang Zhaozhi said, "I know about the border market, but I've never been there. I'll go check it out tomorrow."
Xu Rao said, "How can I develop the trade market? Now, many things on the grassland are traded through the trade market. I'm thinking about how to make the trade market bigger and better so that the people of Xihe can benefit from it, make money, and have money in their hands so that their lives can improve."
Zhang Zhaozhi said, "It's a good idea of yours. I'll go take a look tomorrow and then we can discuss it further. By the way, our ship brought back some good seeds from its voyage. Some of them can be grown there, and some can't. I'll have them bring them over for you to try planting. If some of them grow well, we can have more food to eat, which would be a good thing, wouldn't it?"
This was like a pillow being handed to someone when they were sleepy. Xu Rao quickly thanked them. Even Xu Di was very interested in what kind of plant seeds they could bring.
Hexi County is located on the western border of Daliang. Although it is close to the nomadic peoples to the west, some merchants from the west still come here. Sometimes you can also meet Persians and Hu people on the street. They all came through the Silk Road.
Xu Rao initially thought of befriending one or two such people and asking them to bring back some plant seeds, but in the past few days, Xu Rao had not found a suitable opportunity. Then Zhang Zhaozhi came, and the Zhang family's ship could bring back plant seeds directly from abroad, which made Xu Rao the happiest.
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