Chapter 381: A Young Man in Bright Clothes and on a Spirited Horse (Part 2) [Two-in-One]
Gu Chi: "..."
He also lowered his voice: "My lord, this is something to be said in private. Do not let Qin Gongsu and the others hear it."
If Qin Li and the others heard this...
Hehehe, I reckon Qin Li and his men can lead their troops to besiege Heyin County. Listen to that, does our lord sound like a human being? Qin Li and his men aren't like Zhao Dayi, who gets more and more enthusiastic as he works; they're getting impatient with the work.
Shen Tang gave him a coquettish glare.
He said, "I still know how to maintain that level of discretion."
What is she pursuing?
She gets something for free without getting caught in the trap, and she manages to clear her name completely. Everyone who talks about her—whether they're an ally or an enemy—speaks highly of her character.
Simply having a good reputation is of little use, but having both a strong fist and a good reputation is no less than being invincible! It allows you to occupy the moral high ground and point fingers at your competitors.
Gu Chi: "..."
Shen Tang led his troops on a tour outside and returned to the familiar government office. Before he could even settle into his post, several clerks in charge of documents came over with official documents.
Several piles of things crashed down, nearly burying her.
Shen Tang: "...Hasn't the tide been dealt with yet?"
The official said, "These still need to be reviewed by Lord Shen personally."
The task looked huge, but it could actually be completed in half a day. However, after leading her troops on a long journey, Shen Tang just wanted to take a nice shower before going to sleep. She rolled these words on her tongue a few times.
In the end, I succumbed to my nature as a corporate slave.
She doesn't feel at ease if she doesn't work before going to sleep.
I got so busy that I couldn't fall asleep anymore.
As Shen Tang expected, only half a day after she returned, Qin Li and the others came over to hint that they wanted to go back.
Shen Tang pretended not to understand and even mentioned with a smile the idea that He Yin was going to hold the second Fugu City New Year Games.
We plan to invite the other three families to send representatives over to celebrate the year we've all had, despite its ups and downs.
I hope next year will be even better.
Qin Li and the others had also heard about this event.
At the time, they thought Shen Tang was just fooling around, but the subsequent developments were beyond their expectations. In addition, they had been busy with the local people in He Yin recently—they hadn't dealt with many refugees and bandits, but instead helped people dig most of the river channels, reservoirs and canals—and had frequent contact with the local people. They gained a deeper understanding of the seemingly absurd sports meet and the great role it played in a subtle way.
"I cannot refuse Lord Shen's kind invitation, but the soldiers under your command have been away from home for a long time. With the end of the year approaching, they are eager to return to their families and should reunite with them. Even if I were to agree, this matter must be approved by my lord..."
Qin Li wasn't so easily led by the nose.
After pondering for a few moments, Shen Tang smiled and said, "Look at my memory, I didn't think things through. I'll write a letter now."
Hearing that Chen Tang was going to release the people, Qin Li felt secretly relieved.
He was also afraid that Shen Tang would use an excuse to detain people.
This time, it wasn't that I suspected Shen Tang of being ambitious; it was simply that I observed the habits of Gu Chi, Qi Shan, and all the officials in the government office. This Lord Shen loved to squeeze people to do work. He would squeeze every last drop of profit out of them, regardless of whether they were friend or foe.
I really don't know where they learned this bizarre style.
Aren't they afraid that they'll find out about He Yin's situation and then betray him? Qin Li had this question in his mind, but he hadn't found an answer after all this time. This Lord Shen was completely different from anyone he had ever seen or heard of before; his actions were unpredictable, and he didn't know whether he was good or bad.
Shen Tang changed the subject.
"Gentlemen, could you please postpone your departure for another day? Yuanliang and Wangchao have praised your noble character to the skies. Once the reservoir and waterway are truly completed, the people of Heyin will no longer have to worry about going hungry. How could we not be deeply grateful? However, we are returning in a hurry today and there is no time to start preparations. Tomorrow I will host a dinner to thank you all for your hard work these past few days."
Making them bring their own military rations and work for so long...
They should still be given a good meal.
Otherwise, if she went back and complained, wouldn't her reputation be ruined? Shen Tang's calculations were crystal clear, and Gu Chi could hear them all from across the council hall. Shen Tang had lowered herself and made her point so bluntly; how could the crowd not agree?
It's just a matter of leaving a day later, it's not a big problem.
"Respect is not as good as obedience."
The Shentang government office was always frugal and simple.
Even the thank-you banquet didn't feature any delicacies; every dish was made with ordinary home-cooked ingredients. The only advantage was that the portions were large, filling, and the food tasted great.
The current lack of culinary skills—which is also related to the limited culinary records in the Thief Star's Words of Power—makes survival the most important thing in this world, and the desire for food only leads to decadence—but Shen Tang is different. How can one work properly if they don't eat well and are full?
Occasionally, if she wanted to try a new dish, she would have the cooks in the government canteen experiment with the recipes she had written, and only when the taste was almost perfect would it be introduced as a new dish. The veteran officials in the government office frankly admitted that they wouldn't easily give up their jobs just because of the canteen's food!
Therefore, this thank-you banquet was not considered shabby.
The cook also slaughtered more than thirty pigs in one go.
Every part of the meat was carefully prepared and served as a delicious meal for everyone. At the thank-you banquet, the guests ate very little; most of the food was given to the soldiers who had worked so hard recently.
"Shen Jun, what kind of meat is this?"
Shao Chong took a couple of bites, and his eyes lit up.
While others refrained from speaking during meals, he had no such reservations.
Shen Tang said, "It's pork, from the government-raised pigs."
To be precise, it was raised by Shen Tang.
Last year, some of the pigs were used as prizes for the sports meet, and the rest were given away as gifts or eaten to satisfy her cravings. When she was bored, she asked Xu Jie to help her buy a hundred piglets.
Most of the time, the pigs were looked after by lower-level officials and fed by commoners. Shen Tang would occasionally go to the pig farm to inspect them, especially on the day when the pigs were old enough to be castrated. He would ruthlessly destroy the flowers and even pick a basin of eggs.
Not only government offices, but many ordinary people also started raising pigs. Upon hearing this, Shen Tang sent Lin Feng with "Pig Castration Manual" and "Pig Raising Manual" to visit, inspect, and promote the practice door-to-door. They checked the quality and location of the pigsties, gave instructions on pig raising, and urged ordinary people to raise pigs scientifically, emphasizing that pigsties should never be combined with latrines!
Chu Yao didn't quite approve of this job.
What should you do if you encounter someone who is unreasonable?
Shen Tang waved his hand, signaling Yu Zi to follow as well.
Lin Feng dislikes conflict, but Yu Zi is different. Her upbringing and years of struggling in the streets have made her fierce and savage at heart. She is usually restrained, but if you provoke her, she can stand her hands on her hips and argue back without losing.
Yu Zi later reflected on her actions and realized she had been too rough.
This is disgraceful to our lord, Lord Shen.
Shen Tang, however, thought this was excellent.
Everyone has their own unique personality traits. There's no need to mold everyone into the same mold. What's wrong with a little girl being a bit fierce? Even fierceness has its own kind of beauty.
Therefore, Yu Zi became even less restrained.
They're always in a rush.
Lin Feng, who was also around her, became much more outgoing.
These two young girls are indispensable in raising pigs.
With repeated orders from the government, the common people also began to raise pigs scientifically and in a standardized manner. When Shen Tang was preparing for the New Year, he sent ten pigs to the three families of Tianhai, Shangnan, and Yiru.
With the positive reviews from the people at the table... this will definitely boost the reputation of Heyin's specialty pork!
At that time, no household will have to worry about selling their pigs.
Sigh, this prefectural governor never has a moment's rest; even raising pigs requires his attention. Shen Tang took a sip of tea and said with a smile, "Everyone outside says pork is bad, smelly and unpalatable, but that's because they don't know how to raise them..."
Look at the pigs their government offices raise.
Each one is plump and strong, with delicious meat.
Shao Chong wiped the oil from the corner of his mouth with a handkerchief.
He said, "It's really fresh and delicious!"
The others, though silent, agreed with this statement.
Even those who wouldn't touch pork, such cheap meat, remained silent—Shen Jun had eaten it, and not only did he enjoy it, but he even went so far as to raise the pigs himself. What could they say?
Eat it! The taste is truly unforgettable.
Scholars with a literary mind and martial artists with a martial spirit have much bigger appetites than ordinary people, especially the latter. It's as if they have grown three or five stomachs, and they only feel full after eating three or four rounds of big fish and meat and two small buckets of steamed millet.
For a time, both host and guests enjoyed themselves immensely.
The thank-you banquet ended, and they parted ways outside the city the next day. After thinking for a moment, Shen Tang sent two pigs to each of the three families. These two pigs weren't part of the New Year's gifts; they were simply for them.
Qin Li and the Yi Ru envoy initially wanted to refuse, thinking it would be disgraceful to march back with two pigs. However, before they could even utter the words of refusal, Shang Nan Shao Chong hastily accepted them.
He praised Shen Tang in his heart over and over again.
Qin Li and the other two: "..."
Now, they have no choice but to accept it.
They won't accept it?
What if I'm misunderstood as looking down on two pigs?
A gift of a goose feather sent from afar may be small, but the sentiment behind it is profound.
What's more, they were two large, fat pigs that looked like they had been raised to be plump and strong, with short, thick limbs, and weighing several hundred pounds.
They had no choice but to accept it, even though they felt it was a difficult decision.
We embarked on our return journey with two substantial gifts at each end.
Looking at the several large, fat pigs with red ribbon bows tied around their necks, Shen Tang suddenly felt a sense of maternal worry, wondering if these two pigs would live up to her expectations...
Gu Chi endured it all, his lips twisting in a grimace.
"My lord..."
Shen Tang asked, "Hmm?"
"nothing……"
The saying "A mother worries when her son travels a thousand miles" is not used in this way.
Shen Tang rolled her eyes inwardly.
He stretched ungracefully: "Get to work, get to work!"
A good day starts with getting some work done!
Wu Xian had been eagerly awaiting Qin Li and the others' return, only to be stunned to see two supply wagons carrying pigs that looked completely out of place in the army. Looking closer at the red silk ribbons adorning the pigs' necks, he found it even more comical: "Gong Su, what's this?"
Qin Li remained expressionless: "I cannot refuse Mr. Shen's kind invitation."
He then handed Shen Tang's letter to Wu Xian.
Wu Xian opened the app and read it quickly, skimming through it.
He slapped his thigh and laughed, "Haha, Brother Shen is truly a clever fellow. We can pick a few people to go to that sports meet to join in the fun, and also use it to showcase Tianhai's strength. By the way, Brother Shen also said the pork was delicious, is that true?"
Wu Xian's attention was entirely focused on the pork that Shen Tang had described at length, and he was getting hungry from the description.
Qin Li: "..."
Isn't this something wrong?
Shouldn't we ask them about their affairs in Heyin first?
On second thought, Xu Jie had been traveling between the two places, and the lord knew the situation of He Yin all too well.
He nodded: "It's really good."
Wu Xian didn't stand on ceremony and had someone take one back. The letter also contained recipes for two pork dishes.
Qin Li: "..."
He meant that the pig wasn't for Wu Xian.
The pig that belonged to Wu Xian is still at the River Governor's Office.
But this is his own lord. Would he really argue with his lord over a pig? Wu Xian is a smart man. He understood the implied meaning and was happy to give Shen Tang face.
That very evening, the cook prepared the dish and distributed it to all the officials and subordinates.
Finally, not forgetting to soothe Qin Li's emotions, he said earnestly, "Gong Su, you've had a hard time on this trip."
He Yin and Tian Hai live close by.
The excavated reservoirs and waterways will benefit both Tianhai and the surrounding area.
It's only right that I help Shen Tang with some chores.
These days may seem like a huge loss, but looking at it in the long run, it's a sure-fire way to make money.
Qin Li looked thinner, and he knew that Qin Li had been having a hard time in He Yin lately and needed to eat more.
Similar situations have occurred in Shangnan and other places.
Zhang He accepted the gift without hesitation. Hearing about the Wu Dan Wu Zhe's extremely high efficiency, he was naturally tempted. However, being tempted did not mean he could put it into action. The situation in Yi Ru was different from that in He Yin, and the governance experience could not be copied. It could only be used as a reference.
This trip wasn't a complete loss.
The atmosphere in Shangnan was the most lively among the three.
The twelve sisters-in-law of Gu Ren's family... no, their sworn brothers, were either saved by him or impressed by his character. Coupled with Gu Ren's sincere treatment of them in their daily interactions, they were willing to risk their lives for their eldest brother.
What's a little manual labor?
If it helps the big brother's cause, they can temporarily set aside their pride as martial arts heroes and focus on farming!
Shangnan benefited the most from Heyin's governance experience.
Of course, it cannot be copied verbatim; it must be modified based on the experience of the River Governor to suit its own development path. Furthermore, the fact that displaced people and bandits pose no immediate threat to Shangnan makes these two pieces of good news worth celebrating.
Pork has also successfully captured people's hearts.
However, such pigs can only be found in Heyin.
If you want to eat it, you can only buy it from He Yin.
It's quite troublesome.
But Shen Tang was very considerate and helped solve this problem.
"Wenzhu, what do you think of this idea?"
They wanted to change the stereotype that pork was cheap meat. Shen Tang slammed his hand on the table and declared that pork should be positioned as a high-end, premium product. Not every pig is a Heyin pig, and not every Heyin pig is a qualified, high-quality pig. Only pigs raised strictly according to the manual are genuine premium Heyin pigs! They would also classify them into three grades: superior, medium, and inferior, based on their appearance.
Each product is designed for people with different spending levels.
The finest pigs are slaughtered by the richest people.
Pigs, He Yin has them.
Shen Tang also tried to build up his reputation.
Now all that's left is the sales channel.
This matter absolutely cannot be resolved by Xu Jie!
Xu Jie: "..."
Why did he feel that Shen Jun was ordering him around too easily?
But he certainly wouldn't miss out on a good opportunity to make money.
It looks small at the moment, but these animals are easy to raise and will eat almost anything. If they can be promoted on a large scale and accepted by people, there will be no need to worry about sales. Monopolies are the most profitable business.
Pork is still one of the few meat options available.
If one could take it all for themselves...
Xu Jie couldn't help but feel a little tempted.
Even if the prospects aren't that good, this job isn't complicated. It's just helping Shen Tang, doing him a favor, and building good relationships. It's not a loss. Xu Jie didn't agree immediately, but hesitated for a moment.
He then said, "I think this is feasible."
Having received a positive answer, Shen Tang breathed a sigh of relief.
Although the living standards of the common people in Heyin have improved, they are still terrified of poverty. They eat meat at most once a year. Even this year, with a bumper millet harvest, in addition to the seeds, every household is exchanging fresh millet for other people's old rice, because old rice is cheaper and new millet can be exchanged for more grain. With more grain, they won't feel so anxious.
The county has several thousand pigs, which their meager consumption level can't possibly consume. If there are other sales channels, then there's no need to worry.
Shen Tang was not worried, but she didn't know that her friends in the far southeast of the continent were worried.
_(:з」∠)_
As expected, someone is about to meet their end.
(End of this chapter)
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