"Where is that Brother Yunqing you are talking about? Take me... take me to see him."
Chongzhen was a little excited, he really wanted to meet this capable person that the little boy said.
Xiaowa was slightly startled after hearing what he said, then pointed at him and said with a look of realization: "Hey, are you the cousin that my brother Yun Qing said he wanted to come back?"
"Ah, it must be you, otherwise why would you be so anxious to see him!"
"Come with me, I'm about to deliver grandpa's stewed meat to Brother Yunqing."
Xiaowa said, leading the way through the village towards the official road at the other end.
Seeing this, Chongzhen immediately followed him.
When passing through the village, he checked from house to house, and sure enough, there was a large boiler burning at the door of every house.
Behind them, Wei Zhongxian and Wang Chengen looked at each other and followed closely behind them without daring to be careless.
In the teahouse, when Hu Yunqing heard Niu Wazi say that his cousin had come with two people, he hurried out of the house without even wearing a coat.
As soon as he went out, he looked at Chongzhen and others who were coming towards him.
Hu Yunqing looked Chongzhen up and down.
Sure enough, he was rich. Although he was wearing plain clothes, his silk and satin outfit was still eye-catching. The only flaw was that the cuffs were broken, and there was an obvious mark that they had been patched with needlework.
And seeing how he looked so dusty all the way, Hu Yunqing's heart instantly warmed up.
Although the person has changed greatly from the memory, it is still a good thing that relatives come all the way to pick me up for the New Year.
Chongzhen saw that he had been staring at the cuffs that he had asked the queen to patch, and his face turned slightly red. He hid his hands behind his back and was about to speak.
Hu Yunqing stepped forward, grabbed his cold hand, and said enthusiastically: "Brother, why are you going out on such a cold day? Come on, go inside with me to warm up!"
Chongzhen wanted to throw away his hand, but Hu Yunqing's hand was really warm, especially when he heard him calling "cousin", the corner of his mouth twitched, and he was dragged into the room before he could react. Wei Zhongxian and Wang Chengen looked at each other from behind. Follow.
It's freezing outside, but once you step inside, it's like two different worlds.
warm!
It was ten times and a hundred times warmer than the charcoal fire he burned in the palace.
Hu Yunqing just pulled him to sit on the bench. After just a few steps into the house, he felt the heat in the air. When he lowered his head, he saw that the ground was neatly paved with mud bricks.
"Come on, take off your coat. Wash your hands so you don't catch a cold when you go out later. I'm going to get food for you and your two friends." Hu Yunqing said, bringing a basin of hot water.
Chongzhen went to Deling to pay homage to his brother today, and took Wei Zhongxian back to the capital by the way. He had already been blown by the cold wind for a long time.
At this time, seeing the hot water didn't matter. After undressing under Wang Chengen's service, he started washing his hands with the hot water.
Hu Yunqing took a look and frowned slightly. It looked like his little brother had really made a fortune. He was followed by two followers. Except for the older one, the other one serving him looked like he was a good kung fu expert.
After Chongzhen took off his clothes and felt the scorching warmth in the house more directly, he deepened his mind and ordered the Ministry of Industry to produce it when he returned to the palace, and even wanted to promote the idea among the people.
So I couldn't help but ask: "I heard that the warmth in your house comes from floor heating. Is it troublesome to make that thing?"
"What's the trouble? As long as you know how to forge, just make some iron sheet and knock it into a round pipe." Hu Yunqing glanced at him and said with a smile: "I'm afraid your little brother has made a lot of money in the past few years, so you don't need me." Plant things from the mountains.”
"It's useful, but I don't know how much it costs."
Chongzhen smiled awkwardly, the mighty Emperor of Heaven was actually called a little brother.
His brother never shouted like that when he was alive.
"It's very cheap. Brother Yunqing taught us that as long as we go to the city and buy some iron that rich people don't want, we can get it for dozens of big bucks. But laying bricks is troublesome and the mud is mud every day."
The enthusiastic Niu Wazi put the casserole in the inner hall and walked out.
Chongzhen was startled. He stepped hard on a mud brick and saw that the iron pipe buried underneath was black and beautiful. At first glance, it was not made of good iron.
Boilers, floor heating, mud bricks... these simple things made together can be so warm.
If every household in the capital had these things, then this winter would no longer be so cold.
While he was thinking, Hu Yunqing prepared a meal and served it.
"Let's eat!"
The meal consisted of a pork casserole, boiled potatoes on a plate, and a pot of polenta mush.
Apart from eating pork, Chongzhen had never seen any of these things before.
Wang Chengen and Wei Zhongxian wanted to test the poison, but Chongzhen scolded them and backed down!
Hu Yunqing was speechless for a while.
This little brother of mine doesn't make much money and his clothes are torn, but his profile is greater than those who served as soldiers or officials in the past!
Chongzhen took a sip of corn mush from an earthen bowl, his eyes lit up as he picked up a piece of potato and put it into his mouth, feeling his mouth full.
These are so filling!
After a few mouthfuls, he felt full in his stomach and couldn't help but asked in surprise: "What are these?"
Chongzhen pointed to the corn mush and potatoes.
"Hey, you little brother, you are nothing like my brother Yunqing, you are so stupid! Didn't I just tell you in the village that these are the potatoes and corns that my brother Yunqing asked us to grow." Niu Wazi ate while eating smiled.
Chongzhen has a bad face, and I was actually called stupid to death by a little kid...
Wang Chengen and Wei Zhongxian next to them were also confused. These two ordinary people dared to ridicule the emperor like this.
But Chongzhen didn't care about these. He only cared about people's livelihood, so he hurriedly asked: "How did you grow these two things? Where did the seeds come from?"
"I'm your cousin, can't you shout?" Hu Yunqing was a bit boastful. He greeted him warmly for a long time, but his little brother didn't give any face to him. He said "you" and said "you" when he said it. Is it difficult?
"Hey, a businessman from the south passed by here before. He had a gangrene attack and was cured by Brother Yunqing, so he brought us the seeds." Niu Wazi looked like he knew everything.
Seeds from the South?
Chongzhen and others looked surprised. Why didn't they know there were such seeds in the south?
Hu Yunqing, on the other hand, saw their puzzled looks, shook his head and said: "These are grown in the coastal areas of Fujian and Guangdong, but because there are too many corrupt officials in the current government, promoting these good things will affect the interests of several major parties. , so I won’t promote it.”
Chongzhen immediately narrowed his eyes and said, "How do you say this?"
He was a little angry. Although his officials were fiercely partisan, they were not people who harmed the country and the people! Today, a common man is making such nonsense about a court official. What does he think of the emperor?
When Hu Yunqing saw his younger brother's interest, he also put down his bowl, pointed at the potatoes and corn paste, and said, "Brother, this thing is imported from overseas. How much do you think this thing can produce per acre of land?"
