The Little Officials of the Song Dynasty Chapter 57: To grow vegetables

Yun Yanhui went out from the yamen of Kaifeng mansion with three coin in her arms. Because she got up early and the yamen had not yet opened, the police yawned and opened the door for him.

"Did you sleep well last night?" Yun Yan asked him back with a smile.

The man glanced at his new colleague and said lazily, "Who can sleep well recently."

Yunyan nodded back and went out.

All the way to the fish market, it is a boom. Fresh fish are transported to Bianjing overnight. In order to buy good fish, many people get up early. Yun Yan went back to find a fish stall, squatted down and looked at it for a while, "Bring me some little hairy fish."

The hawker used wicker to wear small fish, a total of six strings, Yunyan took it back and handed the money to the hawker.

Then, Yun Yan returned with six bunches of small fish, and went to the pet street where she helped her brother buy cat food. Along the street, there are many shops with kittens and puppies, and there are many precious breeds.

Seeing a family on the road, there is a litter of pastoral raccoon cats, lively and cute, and Yun Yan walked in after returning.

The boss saw Yunyan back with Xiaoyu in his hand, so he greeted him with a smile: "Xiao Langjun wants to take the cat home?"

Yunyan nodded back, "The house is infested with rats, hire some kittens to go back."

Song people regarded cat raising as a concubine, and if they were more particular, they would use salt or small fish as a dowry, and then bring the kitten back. Lu You wrote "Wrap the salt to welcome the little raccoon slave", the raccoon slave refers to the cat, who picks up the cat from the owner and wants to give the owner salt.

If you buy it from a cat dealer, you will have to give the little fish to the cat mother. For example, in the poem of Huang Valley, "The raccoon slave will count the children, buy fish and wear a willow to hire a cicada", which is exactly the description of this custom. Cicada slaves, like raccoon slaves, are also another name for cats.

Yesterday, Li Yunyan came back to know from Baoxing that there was a rat infestation in the Kaifeng government office recently. It's just that no one has time to pick up some raccoon slaves back, or it's too troublesome, no, that's why there are still people complaining this morning.

Yun Yanhui's work starts here. His employment is not a betrothal offer, but a hiring offer.

"Look, the yellow raccoon has the most talent for catching rats, and both parents are good at it. The first few litters have been taken over to guard the warehouse. It's good to say." The boss also boasted of his family background, Although it is a pastoral cat, it has some background.

"I look good." These kittens are also six months old, approaching the teenage years of human beings. At this age, the cat mother has taught some skills, and it is the time to be active.

Yun Yan Hui paid the boss and brought back a litter of six kittens with a cage.

Cats are the most lethargic. Yun Yan was afraid that they would make trouble in a new environment, so she asked for a black cloth to cover it to make them feel more secure. The several cats were also very face-saving, and fell asleep together.

Yun Yanhui took the six cats back to Kaifeng Mansion and went to Bao Zheng's place.

"What is this? Did you buy it with Sanguan money?" Bao Zheng asked, still a little impatient, very curious about what happened to Yun Yan's first thing. An errand will be done with caution and as much as possible.

Gongsun Ce, who was beside him, couldn't help but poked his head, wondering what was under the black cloth.

"You haven't spent all the money yet, this is just a warm-up." Yun Yan took off the black cloth and said, "We hired six mouse-catchers for you--bring something about the grains of the Cao Cao in the yamen of Kaifeng. Supervise the rat infestation inside and outside the third hospital. The monthly money only needs a few bowls of leftover rice and a few small hairy fish as a reward."

The six raccoon cats who were woken up by the jolts opened their sleepy eyes and shouted softly at the Shaoyin of Fengfu: "Meow~~"

One after another, it's so lively.

Bao Zheng and Gongsun Ce were stunned, and for a long time, Fang burst into laughter.

"Okay, okay," Bao Zheng laughed until he wiped away his tears, "on the first day of his tenure, he was hired as a rat catcher. Brother Yan did a good job. It's really imminent. It's just that you can get a new look. Didn't do it?"

"Don't worry, my lord, I said it was just to warm up, I still have three coins left." Yun Yanhui also laughed, "I want to hire people and cars for the remaining money to grow in the government office. All the flowers and plants have been plucked."

As I said earlier, the Kaifeng government also has to take care of the greening of the environment. The greening in Tokyo is particularly good. Trees such as peach, plum, apricot, pear and other flowers are planted beside the main road. There are lotus flowers in the river ditches, and elm willows are also planted on the river banks. The Song people's love for gardens made them turn the whole of Tokyo into a large garden.

Imagine, with such an atmosphere, can the greenery in Kaifeng government be bad?

But Yun Yanhui said now that all the flowers and plants in the government office will be pulled up!

Hey, if this is completely removed, wouldn't it really be "refreshed" based on the green area in the government office?

Bao Zheng was also a little confused, "You, what did you pull out the flowers and plants for?" Although the imperial court could not control the flowers and plants in the Kaifeng Mansion, but if they were really bare, they would definitely be called by the officials to ask. Let's talk.

"Pull it out, sell it to the garden, and exchange the money to buy rapeseed and vegetable seedlings," Yun Yanhui said enthusiastically, "Then all the places where flowers and plants were grown, all grow vegetables! After finishing some of them, eat them by yourself, and leave the rest. Sell ​​money!"

Bao Zheng and Gongsun Ce: "..."

There are many green spaces inside and outside the Kaifeng Mansion, there are always dozens of acres. Imagine if that green grass turns into vegetables...

Bao Zheng shook his head again and again: "How does this make it happen?"

"Why doesn't this work?" Yun Yan asked back, "Did the imperial court clearly prohibit officials from growing vegetables in the government office?"

Bao Zheng: "No, but the government office is the government office, and the farmland is the farmland..."

Yunyan replied: "The grass is also green, and the vegetables are also green. Why do we say that we have changed the land to farmland, obviously we are planting vegetables for greening! Isn't this very pleasing to the eye?"

Bao Zheng: "..."

Yunyan thinks back, Bao Da, if you travel to a later date, you will find that the government offices up and down the Song Dynasty are full of vegetable fields. At that time, inflation was so severe that officials had to grow their own vegetables and become self-sufficient.

Don't see me, I've planted it well, and I still have surplus to sell to make some money to supplement the public funds!

Or say that the people of the flower family have the talent to grow vegetables and can grow vegetables anywhere.

Bao Zheng's head is big. Although there is no express prohibition, but this matter is inappropriate when he hears it.

I don't blame him. When the government of the late Northern Song Dynasty grew vegetables, the emperor at the time also felt it was inappropriate and thought it was a loss of dignity. But because it was really unstoppable, in the end, I had to turn a blind eye. It was okay to grow vegetables, but I could only eat them myself, and I was not allowed to sell them.

Gongsun Ce heard this, but had a flash of inspiration and said: "Students think this method is good, but it is a good way to increase income and reduce expenditure. If you grow vegetables in the house, one will be self-sufficient in fruits and vegetables in the future, and two, now the house is not only overstaffed. Serious, and the busyness of the Cao Cao varies greatly, there are many punishments and household affairs, and the officials of the Cao Cao only criticize the book and have nothing to do.”

Approval is to write documents, certificates, etc. in various formats.

Among the six cadres in the prefecture, the main function is that the meritorious officer is responsible for assessing officials, sacrifices, rituals and music, schools, and hospitals. , marriage, farm house, taxation, etc., Bing Cao is in charge of military defense, guards of honor, etc., Law Cao is in charge of deliberating laws, executing sentences, etc. Compared with Shi Cao, it is indeed the most leisurely.

Gongsun Ce also agrees with Yun Yanhui's idea, because in this way, before the court has not adjusted the functions of the various Cao Cao, even if you can't do anything about them, at least they can play some role.

Yun Yanhui added: "Even if you are a busy official, don't you want to dig soil and water your muscles and bones when you are not working? I think this has the function of exercise. There is no time to raise some flowers and plants, and it takes manpower to water and fertilize, and there is no profit. If you grow vegetables, it will be much more beneficial.

Yunyan made a big call back to Papa. Bao Zheng listened and felt that he was about to be persuaded! It seems that what they have done before is wasted, and they are all sorry for Bianjing's inch of land and inch of gold!

"This matter is slow... Let me think about it," Bao Zheng paced back and forth with his hands behind his back, thinking about it for a long time, and finally said, "Although it's not expressly prohibited, you can't kill it first and then play it. I will enter the palace today and ask Officials!"

Yunyan crossed her hands back and said, "Then remember to be more pitiful, and mention how pitiful the abandoned land is!"

Bao Zheng wanted to say, what a waste! The land of the government office is used for office work. If you don’t grow vegetables, it will be abandoned!

Yunyan thought back to herself, the posthumous title of today's official family will be Renzong, what does "ren" mean? Just soft-hearted! Legend has it that he was able to endure thirst all the way back to the palace because he found that his servants did not bring water with him when he was out, and was afraid that he would be punished for asking them to drink water.

If you want to change the emperor, Yun Yanhui will not be able to come up with this idea after weighing it.

……

In the afternoon, Bao Zheng really changed his clothes and went to the palace to meet the officials. He mentioned that he hoped to use fruits and vegetables as the greening in the government office. Save the country money.

Renzong was really different from other emperors, and was deeply moved, "Isn't the peach and plum fruit trees planted next to the imperial street, so the source of income and expenditure is reduced, what's wrong with worrying about the country? Why should Aiqing be so careless? Change it."

Bao Zheng sweated for a while, but he didn't expect this to be a worry for the country. He was really embarrassed, and went back to thank Junen with a blushing face.

……

"...That's the case, the officials agreed." Bao Zheng said.

Yunyan returned to hearing the news, she was a little less stable than usual, and more lively, and said to herself: "From now on, we will grow vegetables according to the order!"

Bao Zheng: "…………"

Gongsun Ce couldn't help wiping his sweat, "Brother Yan, the officials just agreed to exchange our fruits and vegetables for flowers and plants... Wouldn't it be a bit cheeky to claim that we are growing vegetables under the decree?"

Yunyan replied solemnly: "Sir, can you please let me have a good time?"

"..." Gongsun Ce said speechlessly, "Okay..."