Mu Mansion Villa.
Zhu Biao got off the carriage, looked at the person poking his head at the corner, and said to Zhou Zong: "Go and ask who it is."
Zhou Zong summoned a guard, and after making arrangements, he caught up with Zhu Biao and knocked on the door knocker.
Mrs. Chen came out and saw that he was the prince. He quickly wanted to salute, but Zhu Biao stopped him: "I am here incognito, so there is no need for so many etiquette. Where is Mr. Gu?"
"Reply to the prince, the master is in the backyard."
Zhu Biao nodded slightly and walked in without waiting for Chen to lead the way.
Entering the second courtyard, Zhou Zong put his hand on the hilt of the knife and swept his sharp eyes across the east and west wings. When he saw that the windows that were originally ajar were slightly closed, he removed his hand from the hilt of the knife.
Walking through the corridor and into the backyard, Zhu Biao saw mist hanging over a wing. Yao Zhen was still standing guard outside the door, so he walked over.
Yao Zhen saluted quickly.
Zhu Biao asked a few questions and then walked into the ear room. The strong smell of alcohol hit his face.
Somewhat pungent and choking.
Mu Ying was half-lying in a chair and rocking, holding a copy of "Tiger Seal Sutra" in her hand. She said to Mu Chun and Mu Sheng who were adding firewood to the side: "If you want to use troops, you must first plan to secure the people; if you want to attack the enemy, you must first make plans." Food; if you want to plan for the enemy, first plan for geographical advantages; if you want to defeat the enemy, first plan for peace; if you want to defend a stronghold, first plan for savings; if you want to plan for a strong army, first plan for rewards and punishments... Before going into battle, planning first is the best."
Gu Zhengchen sat not far away, watching the wine drops slowly falling from the bamboo tube, and took a sip, still a little dissatisfied.
Using Ming Dynasty's shochu as the raw material, distilling high-concentration alcohol is not something that can be achieved by distilling it twice. Even if it is done, you still need to find a way to determine the concentration of alcohol. When I studied chemistry before, I learned the specific gravity method. , you can roughly determine the alcohol concentration. This is what happens later. Now you need the highest purity alcohol, and then dilute it little by little.
Listening to Mu Ying's lecture on the art of war, Gu Zhengchen couldn't help but look over and said, "This "Tiger Ring Sutra" is different from other art of war. It makes good use of flexibility and does not rely on ancient methods."
Mu Ying nodded repeatedly.
Xu Dong, who wrote the "Tiger Seal Sutra", was also a talented person. Sun Bin ranked the right time, place, and people in order in the Art of War, believing that "the time is not as good as the right place, and the right place is not as good as the people." However, when Xu Dong came here, he became "Shangyan Man's Plan". , The middle part talks about the geographical location, the bottom part talks about the weather.”
Gu Zhengchen knew about Xu Dong. Even though this guy had never been on the battlefield, his "Tiger Seal Sutra" was one of the top ten military books in ancient China.
Of course, the first time Gu Zhengchen knew Xu Dong was because of Shen Kuo, a famous scientist in the Northern Song Dynasty. Xu Dong was Shen Kuo's second uncle. I just don’t know if Shen Kuo consulted his second uncle for advice when he was writing "Mengxi Bi Tan".
"Reverse the ancient method to defeat the enemy unexpectedly. This is the essence of "Tiger Ring Sutra"."
A clear voice came.
Gu Zhengchen and Mu Ying stood up quickly, and Mu Chun, Mu Sheng, Wu Rong and others also saluted.
Zhu Biao walked over with a smile, chatted for a few words, then sat down and looked at the steamer on the side. He saw two bamboo tubes connected to the steamer. The bamboo tubes curved to the west, and there was a row of bamboos on the west. The tube spirals down in the shape of a "bow" and extends at the end. Water drops drip from the end of the bamboo tube into the bucket from time to time.
On top of the bamboo joints with the character "Gong", a row of bamboo pipes was set up, and buckets were placed at high places. Water was flowing out continuously, pouring on the bamboo joints with the character "Gong". The water fell to the ground and followed the The groove flows away.
"This is your refining method, why do you need to pour water on it?"
Zhu Biao was very curious.
Gu Zhengchen introduced: "Your Highness, the wine steam coming out of the steamer is as hot as the steam when making tea. We need to find a way to condense it, so we need to pour cold water on it."
Zhu Biao looked at Gu Zhengchen: "Mr. Gu, there is no one else here. We don't want to come and go when we talk. I still like to be more casual - it is rare to be more casual."
Gu Zhengchen smiled, casually brought some distilled and cooled wine, and brought it to Zhu Biao: "Dalang, come, let's drink..."
Zhu Biao frowned and said to Mu Ying: "Every time Mr. Gu calls Da Lang, Gu always feels that there is something evil in him."
Gu Zhengchen was very depressed. Zhu Biao's intuition must have been too accurate.
Before meeting Zhu Dalang, Gu Zhengchen knew a Dalang, but his surname was Wu.
No, you have to be more serious.
Although Shi Naian should have passed away in the third year of Hongwu at this time, the repair and correction of "Water Margin" has not yet been completed. At this time, Luo Guanzhong should be busy working on both projects, completing his "Popular Romance of the Three Kingdoms" and perfecting "Water Margin" at the same time.
It won't take three to five years for these two books to be completed. If Zhu Biao sees Pan Xiaolian and Wu Dalang in the book and thinks of him, it probably won't be a matter of beating him up...
Gu Zhengchen suppressed his smile and promised: "My respect for His Highness is like the endless stream of a surging river, and it's also like..."
Muchun's eyes widened, sir, he is really good at this, he needs to learn it, oh, daddy, why are you hitting me, what, this is a traitor who can't learn it?
How is it possible? Mr. Gu is a very loyal minister.
Mu Ying felt a little sad when she saw Mu Sheng nodding. It seemed that she had entrusted someone to someone else. Who could have seen a loyal minister say such flattering words.
Zhu Biao choked.
He didn't know whether he choked on Gu Zhengchen's words or on the strong drink.
After Zhu Biao regained his breath, he glared at Gu Zhengchen fiercely, and then pointed at the wine bowl: "This wine is really strong. Such strong wine is extraordinary. Give me some. Wei Guogong is coming back, Mr. Gu." You need to bring some souvenirs."
Gu Zhengchen nodded. Xu Da was going back to Jinling, so he should give him some good wine.
Zhou Zong came over and said a few words to Zhu Biao.
Zhu Biao frowned and raised his hand. After Zhou Zong stepped aside, he stood up and said to Mu Ying and Gu Zhengchen: "The famine in Zhending Mansion has been covered up by the prefect for more than a month. Now many people have died of hunger and freezing. People, Your Majesty is furious and wants to kill all the officials in Zhending Mansion who are covering up the truth. I want to go back to the palace to persuade you."
Mu Ying gritted her teeth: "These guys actually did such a thing. Why did Your Highness stop them? Wouldn't it be better to let His Majesty kill them?"
"Can't kill!"
Zhu Biao and Gu Zhengchen spoke out at the same time.
Zhu Biao looked at Gu Zhengchen, who nodded slightly: "At least we can't kill them all right now. We should give them a chance to solve the famine as soon as possible, and then deal with it after the famine is solved."
After serving as a county magistrate, Gu Zhengchen realized the difficulty of controlling local areas and that the court's control over the lower classes was not firm. In times of famine, if the court wanted to provide disaster relief quickly, it had to rely on officials.
They were all killed, and the people sent had no idea what was going on. They only knew how to give random orders, and it was difficult to solve the problem as quickly as possible.
Zhu Biao sighed: "The world is peaceful, but there are still frozen bones on the road. Mr. Gu, I hope that one day we can really see the prosperous age you mentioned, where people can have enough food and warm clothes."
Gu Zhengchen said solemnly: "The road is long and long, and I will search for it from top to bottom! I will devote my life to assisting the Ming Dynasty and opening up a prosperous age!"
