July is the last season of sericulture. After that, we have to wait until next spring.
In response to the upcoming Sui coin business, Song Che began to stock up on silk in large quantities after returning to Suzhou, purchasing, reeling, weaving, bleaching and dyeing. All workshops entered a busy period.
It’s hot summer, the heat is scorching.
In ancient times, there were no air conditioners, let alone fans. The ancients dressed conservatively, especially women, who would cover themselves tightly no matter how hot it was. Therefore, people had to find ways to escape the heat. The light texture, cool and cool silk silk became the Seasonal bestsellers.
The weather was really mercilessly hot. At first, Song Che would go to the shop for a while while the sun was not strong in the morning, but later he stopped going. Anyway, the business of the shop was stable, and the shop owner was smart and capable, so he was going to enjoy himself as a boss. .
During these days at home, Song Che was not idle in order to escape the summer heat. He did not hesitate to carry out extensive engineering work and dug a large square pit in the courtyard. He surrounded it with stone slabs, covered the inner wall with blue bricks, and lined the bottom with glazed glass. Three wells were drained and an outdoor swimming pool was built.
Then, a two-foot-high shanty was built around the courtyard, and a batch of grape vines were specially imported from Linzhou to cover a large area of the swimming pool. Two swings were set up, and several rattan chairs were placed to provide shade. , play in the swimming pool, escape the summer heat with your beloved wife, and enjoy family happiness.
At noon when the sun was shining brightly, Song Che lay naked on his upper body on a wicker chair, with his legs raised high, humming a tune, and a pair of "sunglasses" on the bridge of his nose, which were polished with black crystal. .
"Gulu gulu." Shen Wenjun emerged from the water and wiped the water stains on her face. She was only wearing private clothes, and her proud figure was perfectly wet.
She walked up to the bank of the pool, put on a wisp of gauze, casually picked a bunch of grapes, walked to the wicker chair and sat down next to Song Che. She kicked her legs lightly on the ground, spun around, and threw herself into Song Che's arms. He picked a grape by himself and ate it, and then picked another grape and fed it to Song Che.
"How can I eat it without peeling off the skin?" Song Che said quietly.
Shen Wenjun peeled off the skin of the grape with his skillful hands and handed it to Song Che's mouth. Just when Song Che opened his mouth to eat, Shen Wenjun withdrew his hand and threw the pulp into his mouth. He hummed softly: "If you want to eat it, peel it off yourself. I won't wait for you." .”
Song Che first smiled, and then sighed: "Oh, I originally wanted to treat Miss Shen to some iced grape juice, but with your attitude, I have to hesitate."
"How is it?" Shen Wenjun came closer and was surprised, "Where can you get ice-cold water on a hot summer day?"
Song Che sighed: "My mouth is a little dry and I want to eat peeled grapes..."
"Then open your mouth."
"ah."
"Too!"
A grape was spit from her mouth into his mouth, passed over her tongue, and went straight into her throat, causing Song Che to cough repeatedly.
But Shen Wenjun was riding on him, "Hehehe..." He smiled heartlessly, "How dare you order me."
"You don't have to drink this iced grape juice!"
"Why."
Just as Song Che was about to get angry, a slippery peeled grape was handed to his mouth, "Bring the ice drink quickly. After you drink it, I have something important to tell you."
Song Che ate the grapes, then picked up the "microphone" on the side, pulled it twice, and then said to his mouth: "Fu'er, Fu'er, quickly give me the 'refrigerator' I hid under the quilt in my ear room." Come on, it’s over.”
After a while, the phone came: "I understand, uncle."
Song Che quickly corrected him: "How many times have I told you, when I finish speaking, I have to add the word 'answer is complete', that's it."
The other end of the receiver: "I know, I know, the answer is over!"
But Shen Wenjun picked up the phone and sighed: "Husband, are we too... worldly? All day long, we are either loving each other on the bed or in the wicker chair. Now we don't even have to move our buttocks to give orders to the servants."
Song Che smiled and said: "Isn't the purpose of making money just to enjoy life? We are not saints, so why can't we be secular."
After a while, Fuli ran into the courtyard holding a wooden box. The box was less than two feet, but it was quite difficult for her to lift it.
"It's such an ugly box. I'm afraid it weighs about ten pounds." Fu'er's face turned red and she fanned her face.
Shen Wenjun circled the box curiously, "What kind of 'refrigerator' is this? It doesn't look like it can hold iced drinks, either horizontally or vertically."
Song Che didn't say anything for the moment, and opened the buckle of the box. Hearing a "bang" sound, the lid was pushed open, and a large stream of frosty white mist was spit out.
When the white mist cleared, a small flat-mouthed urn placed in the center of the box was revealed. The urn was filled with green grape juice, and there was even some crushed ice floating in it.
Song Che picked up the small vat, mixed the juice in three large tea bowls, took a bowl each and handed it to Shen Wenjun and Fu'er: "Try it and see how the ice power is?"
"Thank you, uncle!" Fu'er excitedly held the tea bowl and took a big sip. Her face, which was still red before, instantly cooled down a lot. "It's so ice-cold, so cool, and it tastes good!"
"Husband, where did this refrigerator come from? I heard you hid it in the quilt before. How can it be kept cold?" Shen Wenjun asked while enjoying the iced drink.
Song Che smiled and pointed at the grooves around the wooden box that were still billowing with white smoke: "The stuff here is the 'saltpeter' I bought from the saltpeter. When saltpeter is mixed with water, it will absorb a lot of heat, enough to make the water freeze. Then place the urn in the box and seal it in a low temperature environment for half an hour, and you will have a cool ice drink;
As for why it is placed in a quilt, it is because the quilt can insulate and reduce the loss of ice power."
Having said that, he put the empty vat back into the wooden box, closed the lid and sealed it tightly, and told Fu'er: "With the current ice power, we can still make another bowl of iced drink. I can squeeze it in the dining room." For the good grape juice, you can add some more to the jar, and when it's almost chilled, send it to your parents."
"My uncle is the most powerful person I have ever seen!" Fu'er drank the grape juice in one gulp, breathed a sigh of relief, and ran out of the courtyard holding the refrigerator.
"Hey, since this refrigerator is so magical, why don't we make a bigger one and put it in Yunshuifang to provide cool air for the female celebrities to cool down." Shen Wenjun suggested.
Song Che shook his head, "The refrigerator can only be kept sealed, and saltpeter is very expensive. Yunshuifang is also made of cloth, and the color will fade if it is dyed with moisture."
Shen Wenjun smiled and said: "Then make a few small refrigerators and give everyone a bowl every day during the hot weather. It is also a good way to cool down and relieve irritability."
Song Che lay back on the wicker chair, "Madam said earlier that she had something important to tell me after drinking the iced drink. What was it?"
Shen Wenjun put down his tea bowl, leaned closer and said, "During the few days you stayed in Hangzhou, something big happened in Suzhou Mansion. Mr. Zhou resigned and returned to his hometown!"
Song Che took it as a matter of course, "That old man, you have been greedy for money and you have reached your age. Retirement is normal."
"He did not retreat normally, but was forced to do so," Shen Wenjun said: "There has been some kind of 'stick gang' that has arisen outside Suzhou recently. They are all made up of refugees and rob business travelers passing by. According to rumors, , they are going to break into Suzhou Prefecture, and they are going to... want to rebel!"
Shen Wenjun suppressed the last word "rebellion" very low.
In ancient times, the most taboo word was "rebellion". Anyone with this word would either have their whole family killed or three tribes annihilated.
The appearance of the Stick Gang was unexpected but not surprising to Song Che. Even "rebellion" seems reasonable.
Men who don't have enough to eat can only steal and become thieves; women who don't have enough to eat can only sell themselves into prostitutes.
If you steal and sell yourself and still don't have enough to eat, then you will have no choice but to rebel against the emperor.
Ever since he went out to recruit workers for the first time and was hit on the head by a stone, Song Che knew that one day something would happen outside Suzhou.
"Madam, whether it's true or false, the word rebellion must be kept in your stomach. Don't spread it to the outside world to avoid disaster." Song Che solemnly advised.
Shen Wenjun sighed softly: "We just solved the Feiyun Gang and finally opened up the business routes, but then the 'Gun Gang' came again. Our father originally planned to wait until the hot weather to resume business, but I'm afraid it will have to go back to the future. I declined."
"After Mr. Zhou resigned, who would take over the cash cow of Suzhou?" Song Che asked.
"This is exactly what I want to mention to you," Shen Wenjun said: "According to the information that our father has found out, the new Suzhou magistrate is the first-level Jinshi in this year's imperial examination, and his name is 'He Qiu'."
"Oh? A Jinshi with a good academic background can be promoted to the fifth rank of state magistrate?"
According to the imperial examination system of the Liang Dynasty, the general Jinshi passed the ninth rank and became an official from the eighth rank. Even the top scholar of the first class could only be a secretary from the sixth rank at most. This He Qiu was a fifth-rank magistrate of the state when he arrived, and he was also an administrator with a lot of money like Suzhou. His relationship was definitely extraordinary.
"Do you still remember that I told you about Chen Rencai's bird's nest business when we were choosing a business partner at the Yangzhou Chamber of Commerce?" Shen Wenjun asked first.
"Is this He Qiu a relative of Chen Rencai?"
"I can't say that I'm a close relative, but a cousin from my mother's side. In terms of seniority, He Qiu is still Chen Rencai's cousin," Shen Wenjun said more and more melancholy. "It used to be that when Mr. Zhou was here, the Shen and Chen families could still get along, but now A relative of the Chen family has become a parent official in Suzhou, alas... I'm afraid our family's business will be difficult to do in the future."
Song Che hummed: "We do business openly and pay taxes on time and on time, so why should we worry about taking advantage of others?"
Shen Wenjun sighed: "Don't let our father hear what you said, otherwise he will blame our family for having no backers."
No backer?
The first high-ranking official in the Privy Council, the first-rank military and aircraft minister, the powerful Master Gao Chengao, all have to address him as "Song Guye". This is not a support, but an iron mountain support!
"When will the new official take office?"
"He said he would come tomorrow. Our father has even prepared a housewarming gift for him."
"Okay, let's go tomorrow to see if this new magistrate is a human or a dog."
