Chapter 249 Backer
Chu Qichang looked at the expressions of the guests at the two tables. Those who came from wealthy families were just curious and had never seen this thing before, but Mr. Wang Liu, several members of the Lin family, and one or two people who were not from wealthy families but had considerable wealth at home had obviously recognized it.
Chu Qichang also showed some surprise and curiosity on Wang Liu's face. He had been in contact with Daxingzhuang a lot, and he knew that Manager Xu was the manager of the Dongfulou branch in Qiyang County under Wang Maolin. He also knew that the Dongfulou branch in Shezhou was newly decorated and seemed to be looking for a chef. It was about to open.
So, the Wang family didn’t know that the Shen family would do this?
The Wang family really didn't know that the amount of tofu made by Sangluo every day was really small. In addition, Qiyang was not close to Shezhou, so it was not easy to supply the goods. Of course, the most important thing was that Manager Xu had no idea about the special nature of Li Qi's thing.
A restaurant owner like Manager Xu was not qualified to be the guest of honor of the Zheng family, so Manager Xu himself did not know what extraordinary background the two-cent piece of tofu he found in the East and West Markets of Qiyang County had.
Considering that it was not easy to supply goods from a long distance and the world was in chaos, when helping Sang Luo to buy food, he learned that Sang Luo was also from a small family, a young lady living with her sister-in-law and brother-in-law. This young lady had several prescriptions in her hands and did a small business of a few cents... Although the boss was not a bad family, Manager Xu had some kindness after all and did not want to cause any trouble for Sang Luo, so he simply did not report it to Shezhou.
So the Wang family really didn’t know.
When Chen Lie came back to the table, a classmate asked him with a smile: "Brother Chen, are you on good terms with the Zheng family?"
Shen Lie didn't react at first, "Which Zheng family?"
The classmate glanced at the table and said with a smile: "Li Qi is already at this table, why are you asking which Zheng family it is?"
Chu Qichang quickly took over the conversation: "What you don't know is that this has nothing to do with the Zheng family. It is something that the Shen family can do. The lady Sang that our emperor commended is not from a small family. She is from the Sang family of Dongjun, and is a fellow villager of our governor's wife."
Then he told Shen Lie in a few words that Li Qi was the only one with the Zheng family in Shezhou.
Chen Lie had been studying in the provincial school for several months and was quite familiar with the situation in Shezhou. He knew about the Zheng family, but he never thought that his family would be involved with the Zheng family, so he did not associate the Zheng family with them at all. Now, after listening to Chu Qichang's explanation, he finally understood the reason why his classmate said that. He was calm, neither panicked nor complacent. He just smiled and said, "Really? That's a coincidence. You can try it. It tastes better when it's hot."
As he spoke he sat down and asked everyone to start the meal. He also added that food was in short supply everywhere and it was impossible to buy wine. So there would be a banquet without wine, and he asked everyone to bear with him for the poor hospitality.
The fact that he acted so calmly made all the classmates present look upon him with more seriousness. Furthermore, what Chu Qichang said just now was quite intriguing.
They only knew that Sang had presented the plow to the emperor and was commended by him, but they had never imagined that Sang's family background was not low. Especially when he said that she was from the same hometown as the governor's wife, it was obvious that Sang and the governor's wife had a good relationship.
Those who were more observant discovered that the walls in the Shen family's house were different from any they had seen before. They were exceptionally white and smooth, as if Wang Liu and the children of the Lin family had known it at a glance, a unique recipe that neither of their two families could match.
Who has the most prescriptions in the world?
Aristocratic family.
Because inheritance relies on words and books, and the families with the most books are actually the aristocratic families. Ordinary people have little chance to read, let alone touch books.
At the housewarming party, Shen Lie and his classmates redefined their views on Shen Lie, the Shen family, and the now famous Madam Sang of the Shen family.
Chen Lie waited until all the guests had left before he told Sang Luo about this.
Sang Luo was not afraid. She had known about the tofu recipe for a long time in the hands of some aristocratic families. As for the big aristocratic families, they had countless small recipes like this, including tofu recipes, snack recipes, rouge recipes, incense recipes, and so on.
This is different from something like papermaking, which is related to profit. These small recipes are more to add color to their lives and to the family's foundation. The real big families will not take this seriously, especially for something as cheap as tofu. If they sell it out, the big families will probably feel that their status has dropped. If there are really people among the people who can make tofu, will the aristocratic families kill them?
However, it was somewhat beyond Sang Luo's expectation that there was one person from Shezhou, a noble family, who knew the tofu recipe.
Chen Ning knew that her sister-in-law would start making tofu again once the soybeans were harvested in the fall, because a large amount of soybeans were interplanted with fruit trees on the mountain land at home this year, and they couldn't just eat all of them, so she asked, "Will selling tofu at home piss off Zheng?"
The little girl now has some idea about aristocratic families, commoner families, and the like.
Chen Lie said: "We'll know after a few days of waiting to see how the Zheng family reacts. It won't be too late to consider it then."
Chen Ning didn't understand for a moment, so Chen An explained for her, "Among the classmates who came today, some are really good friends with Big Brother, some are just here to show their support, and some are just here to socialize."
It’s mainly about their family. His sister-in-law has been very popular in Shezhou recently.
Shen Ning understood, his eyes slightly rounded: "Brother, are you saying that someone will tell the Zheng family about this?"
"Yes, but the Zheng family may not react."
Seeing that he sounded quite confident, Sang Luo glanced at Chen Lie.
Chen Lie would never keep her in suspense, and said, "First, you have a very high reputation in Shezhou now. Zheng would not dare to make a big fuss over such a small matter. The memorial archway granted by the emperor was not erected in vain, and the imperial edict is still on display at home. Second, do you know who the provincial school doctor originally wanted to be?"
Sang Luo raised her eyebrows slightly: "Could it be a member of the Zheng family?"
"It was the old master of the Zheng family. With the support of the governor Zeng and his wife, he was reluctant to teach the knowledge he had to outsiders. I heard from Lord Chu that this old master Zheng had made Lord Changshi sit on the bench several times, and Governor Zeng got angry and directly hired the old man of the Lin family instead."
Sang Luo recalled what Concubine Fan had said to her before, and she understood a little. She reacted quickly and asked Chen Lie, "So, there are no Zheng family members who are currently serving as officials in Da Qi?"
If there were any descendants of the Zheng family serving as officials in the court, they would not dare to go against the imperial decree so blatantly. Now they have already gone against Governor Zeng. As long as Governor Zeng is in office in Shezhou, it will not be easy for the descendants of the Zheng family to enter the officialdom.
Chen Lie smiled and said, "That's right. Nowadays, officials are either appointed by the emperor, or recommended by high officials or provincial governors, or they have to take the imperial examination. In the imperial examination, one has to be recommended by the provincial governor to enter the capital to take the exam. Zheng's trick has cut off this path. Therefore, as long as the imperial power is stable, if Zheng still wants to serve as an official in the court, he will never offend the emperor."
Then it is not a matter of just getting rid of Governor Zeng and turning the situation around.
…
Shen Lie had predicted this.
However, on the second day, someone leaked the news to the Zheng family intentionally or unintentionally. The recipe was brought into the Zheng family by Old Madam Zheng as a dowry. She has always been proud of these little recipes in her hands. When she heard that Sang, who was quite famous in Shezhou City recently, also had a recipe for making Li Qi, she naturally felt unhappy.
"The Sang family of Dongjun, is that a high-ranking family? They are just like the Wang family and the Lin family."
He was already furious, and he wanted to go and make trouble for Sang Luo.
They have been married for decades. When Mrs. Zheng glances, Mr. Zheng knows what she is thinking. Even the maids pinching his legs and fanning him can't relieve his annoyance. "Be quiet. The Sang family is not someone you can vent your anger on. Besides, there are two families in Daqi that are Li Qi's. Can you teach them all a lesson?"
"That's not something a peasant can do. You tell me, if you hadn't rejected the provincial doctoral student, would Dalang and his family be so frustrated now? Why couldn't you get a position as a chief secretary or a county magistrate? Would it be the turn of the Lin family's Dalang to be the county magistrate?"
This statement simply lit a fire. Sang Luo didn't know that the imperial court had obtained the papermaking formula to set up a paper mill, but how could Old Master Zheng not know? At this point, he had to admit it no matter how reluctant he was. He had taken a wrong step in the beginning.
But what's the use of knowing this? With Zeng Ziqian's family background and personality, could he ever get back at the soft slap that was given to him?
Therefore, Mrs. Zheng's complaints hit the nail on the head for Mr. Zheng. As soon as the words fell, Mr. Zheng's face darkened and he slammed the string of Buddhist beads in his hand on the table next to him: "If you want to wait until Zeng Ziqian is promoted so that Dalang and the others can't make a breakthrough, then just go and move Daxingzhuang."
He stood up and left. The string of Buddhist beads that he often played with in his hands had broken. Dozens of beads rolled off the table, bouncing on the stone floor and hitting the stone slabs like heavy rain.
Old Madam Zheng was so frightened that she jumped slightly and was speechless for a moment. The eldest wife, who had complaints about her father-in-law, did not dare to add fuel to the fire and hurriedly advised Old Madam Zheng: "Mom, forget it. After all, it's just one more family who can do Li Qi, which is not a big deal. The Sang family is favored by the emperor, so we don't need to run into them at this time."
Mrs. Zheng was really dreaming at this time. Tofu is such an affordable and nutritious good thing, would Sangluo let it have the surname Zheng in Shezhou?
On the second day after the move, the nanny that Concubine Fan mentioned arrived at the Shen family. Sang Luo did not wait to see how Zheng would react, but asked the old nanny to take a letter and went to see Concubine Fan for a decision.
It is said to be making decisions, but in fact it is just looking for a backer.
The original words were: "What the Zheng family can make, can't ordinary people eat it? It's a rare and cheap and nourishing food. Who said that only people with the surname Zheng are allowed in Shezhou? Madam, if I really open this shop after the soybean harvest, the Zheng family won't dare to trouble me for this, right?"
Concubine Fan was delighted when she saw it. She did not reply to the letter and said to her trusted nanny, "Nanny Zhong, tell Ah Luo tomorrow to open the farm. Just open it! Not only open it, but also open it in the name of her Daxing Manor. There is no need to wait for the soybean harvest. I will send her ten carts first. She can open it tomorrow."
After being happy, she was considerate of Sang Luo. As soon as Zeng Sanlang came back at noon, she went to him to ask for two good men, the secret guards trained by the Zeng family.
What do they need people for? They are afraid that Zheng will not dare to do it openly, so they say, "It seems that the Zheng family is not very smart, so it is better to be careful. Give me two good hands and I will send them to Daxingzhuang."
Zeng Sanlang looked at his wife and laughed. There was no one around, so he shook his head and said, "No need to send anyone over there. Don't worry, it's very safe."
When Concubine Fan heard this, her brows moved: "What do you mean?"
Zeng Sanlang had a smile in his eyes: "The Zheng family doesn't dare. If they are really so stupid as to send someone, their bones will be smashed and thrown back to the Zheng family mansion."
Fan Fei Niang's eyes slightly widened, and then she blinked. She looked at Zeng Sanlang and pointed her index finger at the sky: "Who is that?"
Zeng Sanlang laughed and said nothing, but the meaning in his eyes was clear.
How could His Majesty not protect someone who could improve the curved plow and come up with a recipe for papermaking by his own efforts? Even Shen Lie, before he left Beijing, His Majesty had instructed him to be taught separately, to ensure that he could be sent to Beijing after three years of study and be useful. But it was too eye-catching at the moment, so he did not take any action for the time being.
Concubine Fan was in a better mood now. She even had half an extra bowl of lunch. In the afternoon, she wrote a letter back to Sang Luo, saying that if she wanted to, she could go ahead and don't ask about other things. She would keep her safe!
Along with the letter was a message from Nanny Zhong that ten carts of soybeans could be sent to her first, asking Sang Luo to give the key of the shop to Nanny Zhong and take it back first, and the soybeans would be delivered to the warehouse behind the shop.
Sang Luo was really happy: "No need to send it, I'll just borrow it and I'll send it back to her when the harvest comes. But there's something I need to ask for a favor, Madam Fei."
After Nanny Zhong took the key and left, Sang Luo turned around and went to Chen's house, holding her waist.
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