When Ying Zheng arrived at Shang Jun's Courtyard, he found that Li Shui was not there. While he ordered people to look for Li Shui, he visited with great interest.
There's a lot of weird stuff here. A vessel for distilling fairy wine, a stone mill for grinding flour, a rolling pin for making dumplings, and a large steamer for steaming buns.
Only the alchemy furnace is not visible.
Zhao Gao felt happy in his heart, and then said calmly: "Master Huai doesn't seem to be too serious about alchemy."
Ying Zheng nodded slightly, called a craftsman over, and asked, "Why are all the utensils in Shangjun's courtyard related to food? Where is the alchemy furnace?"
This craftsman was originally a poor Guizhou leader. Before meeting Li Shui, he faced the loess and turned his back to the sky. The biggest official he had ever seen was Li Zheng. Now that he suddenly had to face the emperor, he had already collapsed to the ground in fear.
Fortunately, these days, there are many high-ranking officials coming and going in Shangjun Courtyard, so the craftsman is still a little mentally prepared and can barely think.
He said tremblingly: "In the past... In the past, when Pangu created the world, the pure and light ones rose to become the sky, while the heavy and turbid ones sank to the earth."
Having said this, Takumi has become much calmer. After all, he knows this set of words by heart and has said them countless times. Even if you are scared to shit, you can still speak smoothly as long as you start.
Zhao Gao was a little amused: "These ignorant Guizhou leaders, the preface and the follower are irrelevant. When I ask you about the alchemy furnace, what do you think Pangu opened the world?"
Ying Zheng didn't interrupt the craftsman. Anyway, he was idle now. Let's see what he said before talking.
The craftsman continued: "Mortals live on the ground. Breathing the turbid air on the ground and eating whole grains, there is already a lot of turbid air in the body."
"Therefore, Mr. Huai believes that if you want to become an immortal, the first step is to use immortal things to cleanse the internal organs and drain away the turbid qi in the body. In this way, the body will be as light as a swallow and float like an immortal. Then take the elixir, and then you can You can ascend to the fairyland. Otherwise, it is like a feather that has been wetted by rain. No matter how much you blow it, it will not float."
Ying Zheng nodded after hearing this: "It makes sense, it makes sense. So, Huai Guzi has been busy making food all day just to cleanse my internal organs. He is just waiting for the time to start making elixirs?" "
The craftsman bowed and replied: "Yes, Mr. Huai always said that if a worker wants to do his job well, he must first sharpen his tools."
Ying Zheng nodded in agreement, and then said to Zhao Gao: "It can be seen from this that it is difficult to know people's hearts. If I hadn't asked you today, even I would have thought that Huaiguzi was slacking off. No wonder Confucius said, It is not a gentleman if a person does not know something but is not surprised. It can be seen that the word 'people do not know' happens all the time."
Zhao Gao had no choice but to bow and reply: "Your Majesty understands everything clearly, and I admire you."
Although he was complimenting, Zhao Gao was a little disapproving in his heart: "Huai Guzi is really preparing for alchemy by doing this? Why don't I believe it?"
Ying Zheng walked around the Shangjun Villa. He first visited Li Shui's study, then the kitchen, and then tried to push two stone mills.
No matter what Ying Zheng does, Jianghu can always get him to become an immortal in a roundabout way.
Ying Zheng felt very happy when he heard this, and Zhao Gao felt envious after hearing this.
Zhao Gao was not envious of immortality, but envied Li Shui for being able to find such a talent. Look, this craftsman was trembling with fear, but he lied without blinking. If I had such a talent, why would I go to the palace to plead guilty today?
While he was thinking, Ying Zheng had already slowly walked up the stairs. There is a two-story building here.
Ying Zheng stood on the small building, looked up, and saw thousands of hectares of farmland in Shangjun Villa, which seemed to be endless, stretching to the horizon.
Ying Zheng asked the craftsman: "Is this a good field for the trial of field substitution? If you only plant half of the field, you can harvest more than two stones of corn."
The craftsman replied: "Yes. However, the farmers in the field are no longer the same people as before. The original farmers did not believe Mr. Huai. They were bewitched by traitors and falsely accused Mr. Huai. They have been trapped and killed."
Ying Zheng nodded. He didn't care about killing a few farmers. If he deserves to die, let him die.
What Ying Zheng really laments is the Daitian Law itself. He said: "At the beginning, like everyone else, I also had doubts about the Daitian Law. Why can only half of the field be planted, but it can increase production? At that time, many civil and military ministers criticized Sophora Millet."
"If Li Xinfu Yao hadn't begged him so hard, I might have killed him. It can be seen that the consensus may not be right. Huaiguzi has a bad relationship with the courtiers. Is it really his fault?"
This question was clearly meant for Zhao Gao.
Zhao Gaogan laughed and said, "I don't know."
Ying Zheng said to himself again: "I remember that when Huaiguzi first entered the palace to refine elixirs, many alchemists accused him and slandered him. I originally thought that Huaiguzi had evil intentions and aroused public anger. I will investigate. It was later discovered that Lu Lie and his group of alchemists were jealous of Huaiguzi's furnace for refining elixirs, which had cut off their financial path to find the Immortal Mountain."
"After this incident, I became a little suspicious when I heard someone slandering Huaiguzi again. Has Huaiguzi also touched their interests? This important minister in the court really wants to do what they said. All the people asked for orders, and for the sake of the Qin Dynasty, is that why you want to oppose Huaiguzi?"
Having said this, Zhao Gao was speechless. All I can say is: "Your Majesty's words have benefited me a lot."
Suddenly, two old farmers in ragged clothes walked in timidly outside.
According to the rules of Shangjun Courtyard, those with patches on their clothes can come in for free. Therefore, these two old farmers carefully entered Shangjun's courtyard.
A craftsman guarding the gate in Mashan stopped them and asked, "Who are you? What do you want?"
The two old farmers took out Qin banliang from their bodies and said, "Let's pay the rent."
Zhao Gao's eyes suddenly lit up and he asked the craftsman next to him: "Why do they have to pay rent? What are they renting?"
The craftsman said: "They rented cattle."
Zhao Gao was immediately overjoyed and said to Ying Zheng: "This must be a farmer near Xianyang City. They worked hard, saved money, and had a cattle, but some time ago, they were all bought by Huai Guzi. It is said that Huaiguo Guzi controls almost all the cattle. Therefore, farmers can only come to Huaiguzi to rent cattle."
"This locust millet, in addition to the land rent, there is another cattle rent."
After hearing this, Ying Zheng felt faintly unhappy. He resented Confucian scholars who prayed for the people all day long, but this did not mean that he did not care about the people.
If Li Shui really took advantage of the situation and used cattle to control a large number of farmers, he would not allow it. Especially these farmers are Guanzhong people. Once something goes wrong, the foundation of Da Qin will be unstable.
Ying Zheng said to the craftsman behind him: "Call those two old farmers up. There is no need to say that I am here."
The craftsman responded and went to call someone.
As for Zhao Gao's slander and Ying Zheng's dissatisfaction, the craftsmen are not worried at all. Because he didn't see it at all.
After a while, two old farmers went up to the small building. Although the craftsmen did not say that the emperor was here, they saw that Ying Zheng was dressed in luxurious clothes and guessed that he was a high official. So they were all tied up and trembling.
Ying Zheng signaled to Zhao Gao.
So Zhao Gao asked as pleasantly as possible: "Why do you want to rent cattle?"
The two old farmers said: "Some time ago, Mr. Huai bought cattle at a very high price. The villain thought that he could sell them at a high price and buy them back at a low price. Who knows, everyone nearby sold their cattle to Mr. Huai... The villain will no longer be able to buy cows."
Zhao Gao asked again: "Are all the people in Guanzhong like this?"
The old farmer replied: "Yes."
Zhao Gao asked again: "A few days ago, didn't the Huns send 30,000 cattle and 30,000 sheep? Why can't you buy so many cattle into Guanzhong?"
The old farmer scratched his head and said, "Those cows belong to Mr. Huai. If Mr. Huai doesn't sell them, then of course I can't buy them either."
So Ying Zheng looked at the craftsman's shop.
The craftsman knew about this problem because he heard it from Li Shui and Li Xin. So he said with a flattering look: "My master said, what is this called... oversupply. Once these 30,000 cattle start to be sold, the price will definitely drop to the point where they are worthless, and there will be no money to be made at all."
"It's better to keep them in your hands and not sell them. After a while, release dozens or hundreds of them and sell them in other places. In this way, you can make more money."
Zhao Gao muttered: "It turns out it's to make money. Lord Huai, he seems to be very interested in money. A cup of immortal wine costs one hundred thousand, and a steamed bun costs five hundred..."
When Ying Zheng heard this, his expression turned cold and he said calmly: "My reward is enough to make him have enough food and clothing. Why does he still like money so much?"
Ying Zheng looked at the craftsman. Seeing that Ying Zheng was angry, the craftsman was a little scared. He scratched his head and said, "Maybe... maybe... for the purpose of refining elixirs?"
Ying Zheng was furious: "Are you so presumptuous that you use Qin Banliang to make elixirs?"
The craftsman knelt on the ground and did not dare to speak.
In fact, Li Shui usually trained them. Tell them that no matter what Shangjun Courtyard does, it must involve alchemy.
Today, this craftsman has really tried his best.
Ying Zheng felt unhappy and was about to ask the craftsman a few more words when he suddenly saw a plume of smoke rising from the direction of Xianyang City.
He was stunned for a moment, squinted his eyes, and soon saw two fast horses running over quickly.
The person on the horse seemed a bit familiar.
Ying Zheng asked Zhao Gao: "Who is over there?"
Zhao Gao looked at it for a while and said, "It seems...it's Huaiguzi and Li Xin."
Soon, as the galloping horse got closer and closer, Ying Zheng saw clearly that it was indeed Li Shui and Li Xin.
No, no, no, except for the two of them. There is a third person. It was a girl, stretched across a horse, struggling and screaming.
"This..." Ying Zheng couldn't believe his eyes.
Immediately afterwards, Chun Yuyue from behind had already led people to catch up. While chasing her, he shouted loudly: "You two shameless people robbed a girl in broad daylight and caught her without restraint."
Zhao Gao looked gloating, lowering his head and snickering. And Ying Zheng's face suddenly darkened. Go to Baidu to read the latest chapter of "I was a great hero in the Qin Dynasty" for free as soon as possible.
