Chapter 119 Trump Card
"Oh? When will your Wu County have some special products?" Lu Zhaoshi was in a good mood and rarely made jokes. He was also curious about what County Magistrate Hu brought.
"Erlang, let the adults see him!" County Magistrate Hu pushed Erlang in front of the governor.
If I could gain the favor of the governor and receive a letter of recommendation in the future imperial examinations, that would be great.
"Yes, Aye!" Hu Erlang stood up and opened the gift box.
"Oh, the little boy has grown so big?" Lu Zhaoshi understood.
I didn't notice it just now, but now I see that the young Hu Jia Erlang from a few years ago has grown taller and bigger.
He has a clear and upright look, is modest and polite, and has a bit of the character of a scholar. His every move is as gentle as jade and upright as a gentleman, unlike the arrogance and coldness of pedantic scholars.
"Please look, sir!" said Hu Erlang.
Lu Zhaoshi saw two exquisite white porcelain jars and two bundles of vermicelli in the gift box. "What are these?"
"These are fern root vermicelli and kudzu root vermicelli. Inside the porcelain jar are sour jujube cakes and wild honey from Wuxian County! These are just some local specialties, though I'm not offering them as a token of my respect. Your Excellency, the Governor, please try them."
Hu Erlang spoke in a steady tone, neither hurried nor slow, respectful but not flattering, which made Lu Zhaoshi very fond of him.
"Let me see! I've been in Wuzhou for almost ten years, and this is the first time I've seen vermicelli!" Lu Zhaoshi picked up the vermicelli, looked at it carefully, and put it under his nose to sniff it.
"What is it made of? Why does it smell like medicine?" Lu Zhaoshi asked.
"Your Excellency is right. This is made from fern roots and kudzu roots. It is a new delicacy in Wu County." Hu Erlang replied.
"Can this be eaten?" Lu Zhaoshi was surprised.
The Lu family is one of the Five Surnames and Seven Famous Clan, a prominent family. They have never heard of or eaten the food that poor people eat.
I knew these things had medicinal value, but I didn't expect they could also be eaten.
"Yes, medicine and food have the same origin. We specially brought a chef to cook for you, sir." Hu Erlang bowed.
"Where is the cook?" asked Lu Zhaoshi.
"This is Huang Si, the chef of Fumanlou." Hu Erlang pointed at Huang Si.
"Oh, you guys are well prepared! It seems I must try this vermicelli today!" Lu Zhaoshi said with a smile.
"Your Excellency is busy with official duties! How dare I disturb you so frequently!" Hu Erlang smiled.
"Come here, take Chef Huang to the kitchen. I want to see how delicious this specialty is. I asked you to make a special trip here!" Lu Zhaoshi did not offend County Magistrate Hu.
"What is this?" Lu Zhaoshi opened the white porcelain jar and saw rolls of sour jujube.
"Sour jujube rolls! Made with sour jujube and honey. This jar is made with wild honey." Hu Erlang introduced.
Lu Zhaoshi tasted the sour jujube strips, which were sour and sweet, with a very special taste.
The ancients had few sources of sweets, and this sour and sweet thing, wild honey, was very much to Lu Zhaoshi's liking. He accepted it readily and asked someone to send it to his wife.
"Why did you in Wu County think of doing this? Do you have any explanation?" Lu Zhaoshi knew that the father and son would not give this thing for free, they must have some ulterior motive.
These things are not very expensive. If you really want to give them as gifts, you shouldn't give them.
"Nothing can be hidden from you, sir!" This is what County Magistrate Hu was waiting for.
"Brain fern and kudzu roots can be used as food to satisfy hunger, and vermicelli noodles can be made and sold to supplement household income. Fern and kudzu roots are abundant in Wuxian County, and we are promoting their production throughout the county. We hope to be able to sell them in nearby provincial capitals..."
County Magistrate Hu used Wu County's own resources to develop agricultural and sideline products, including artificial beekeeping and tea oil, and made them into Wu County's specialties to make up for Wu County's agricultural shortcomings.
Plans such as using local specialties to attract foreign merchants and boost the development of Wu County are discussed one by one.
Lu Zhaoshi didn't take it seriously at first, as it turned out to be food for the common people to fill their stomachs. But the more he listened, the more shocked he became. This development model was unheard of, but when he thought about it carefully, it made a lot of sense.
The area is vast and sparsely populated, labor is scarce, production tools are backward, culture is backward, people cannot get enough to eat, and people of all ethnic groups live together.
Stability is the first element. The premise of stability is not to go hungry, so you need to have alternative food.
The most practical approach is to use local materials. Fern roots and kudzu roots make good use of this, as do tea oil and beekeeping.
It has low labor cost, quick results and great economic value!
Tea oil and honey are essential daily necessities for the upper class. If they were truly made into specialties, wouldn't merchants flock not only to Wuxian but also to Wuzhou? The mere thought of it makes one excited.
I have always felt that I have come to a remote and desolate place with no money and no people, and I have great ambitions but nowhere to display them.
It turns out that I was looking too high and not looking down! I didn’t have my feet on the ground!
Look at County Magistrate Hu, he has never given up over the years and finally made a name for himself. I come from a prominent family, so how can I be worse than him?
This aroused Lu Zhaoshi's desire to win! He should do something practical himself!
After asking for details, he learned that it came from Su Bucheng, the magistrate of Chang'an County, and became curious about this magistrate Su.
Seeing that the governor was in high spirits, County Magistrate Hu listed all the measures he had to take to improve the soil in Huanggou Village, rotate crops, and prepare to build roads and vigorously develop the village.
"Cough cough cough!" Hu Erlang coughed repeatedly but failed to stop his father from talking big.
Lu Zhaoshi looked at Hu Erlang meaningfully, and County Magistrate Hu realized belatedly that he had revealed all the cards he had played for several years.
I couldn't help but feel regretful. What kind of achievements would I have in the future? I hated myself for speaking too quickly.
"Sir, what you just said are just plans and have not been implemented yet..." County Magistrate Hu said embarrassedly.
"No wonder he can be appointed as the magistrate of Chang'an County since he can plan the development in a few years!" Lu Zhaoshi felt a sense of appreciation for Su Bucheng's talent.
"Sir!" An old woman came from outside the house to deliver a message.
"Madam sent this old servant to ask if those sour and sweet things are still available. The young lady enjoyed them very much." The old woman's face was full of joy.
"Well, it's just this one jar. Why, Madam, don't you want to vomit?" Lu Zhaoshi was very happy to hear that.
The whole family was happy that the daughter-in-law was pregnant, but she suffered from severe morning sickness and vomited everything she ate every day, which made the whole family very worried.
Finally heard good news today.
"Yes, the young lady found this sour and sweet dish very appetizing and ate a lot of it in a row." The old woman said with a smile.
"This..." Lu Zhaoshi looked at Hu Erlang in embarrassment, wondering if he still had it?
"Sir, I have a few more cans here. I'll ask someone to get them for me right away." Hu Erlang took the initiative to say this without waiting for Lu Zhaoshi to speak.
"In that case, thank you very much, nephew!" Lu Zhaoshi even changed the way he addressed Hu Erlang.
Hu Erlang went out and found the coachman waiting at the gate of the provincial government, and asked him to go back and get all the sour jujube rolls.
There was an iron pot in the governor's kitchen, which Huang Si used easily. He also had all the seasonings, and soon several delicious dishes were served on the table.
"Sir, please try it and see how it tastes!" County Magistrate Hu asked.
"Well, not bad, not bad!" Lu Zhaoshi didn't expect that this country food would be so delicious.
"Sir, this vermicelli is not easy to break, easy to store and transport, and can be sold far away!" When County Magistrate Hu talked about this, he couldn't stop talking.
"That's right! It would be great if every county could be as self-reliant as your Wu County!" Lu Zhaoshi sighed. "You should start selling vermicelli as soon as possible and set an example for other counties. I'll visit Huanggou Village in a few days!"
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