The Little Officials of the Song Dynasty - Chapter 57

Yun Yan returned from the Kaifeng government office with three sets of money in his arms. Because he got up early and had not yet opened the office, the messenger yawned and opened the door for him.

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

The man glanced at his new colleague and said lazily, “Who can sleep well these days.”

Yun Yan nodded back and went out.

All the way to the fish market, it was a boom. Fresh fish were transported to Bianjing overnight. Many people got up early to buy good fish. Yun Yan went back to find a fish stall and squatted down to look at it for a while, “Little Maoyu, bring me some.”

The vendor pierced the small fish with a wicker, and he wore a total of six strings. Yun Yan took it back and handed the money to the vendor.

Then, Yun Yan returned with six bunches of small fishes, and walked down the street where he helped the brothers buy cat food. Along the street, there are many shops with kittens and puppies, and there are no shortage of rare breeds.

Seeing a family on the road, there is a litter of idyllic tabby cats, lively and cute, Yun Yan walked in.

Seeing that Yun Yan was carrying the small fish in his hand, the boss greeted him with a smile: “Little Lang Jun wants to take the cat home?”

Yun Yan nodded back, “There is a rat infestation at home, hire some kittens to go back.”

The Song people regarded raising cats as marrying a concubine, and they were more particular about taking salt or small fish as the bride price, and then bringing the kitten back. Lu You wrote, “Wrapped in salt to welcome a little raccoon slave.” A raccoon slave refers to a cat, who picks up the cat from the owner and wants to deliver salt to the owner.

If you buy it from a cat dealer, you have to give a small fish to the cat mother. For example, in the poem of Huangshan Valley, “The raccoon slave will count his sons, buy fish and wear willows and hire cicadas”, which describes this custom. Like a raccoon slave, it is also another name for a cat.

Yesterday, Li Yunyan learned from Bao Xing. Recently, there was a rat infestation in Kaifeng Mansion. It was especially fierce and made everyone unable to sleep at night. It’s just that no one has time to pick up some raccoon slaves back, or it is too troublesome. No, there are still people complaining this morning.

Yun Yanhui’s work starts here. His hiring was not an offer, but a hiring offer.

“Look, the yellow raccoon pattern has the most talent for catching rats, and both parents are good at them. The first few litters have been taken to guard the warehouse. They are all right.” The boss also boasted about his family background, even though he was a pastoralist. Cat, that also has some background.

“I think it’s good.” These kittens are also six months old, and they are approaching human youth. At this age, the mother cat has already taught some skills, and it is time to be active.

Yun Yan took the money back to the boss, and took a litter of six kittens back together with the cage.

Cats are the most lethargic. Yun Yan was afraid that they would make trouble in a new environment, so he ordered a black cloth to cover them to make them feel more secure. The several cats were also very embarrassed and fell asleep in a huddle together.

Yun Yan returned to Kaifeng Mansion with six cats, 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 what kind of movement Yun Yan returned to the first thing, logically speaking, everyone is about the first errand. They will be cautious and try their best to do well.

Gongsun Ce on the side couldn’t help but probe his head, wondering what was under the black cloth.

“The three rounds of money are not over, this is the warm-up.” Yun Yan opened the black cloth back, “I have hired six rat catchers for you-to raise the issue of Kaifeng government officials, and inspect the third. Rats are infested inside and outside the hospital. You only need a few bowls of leftover rice for a month, and you can give a few small hairy fish.”

The six tabby cats that were awakened by the bumps opened their dim sleepy eyes, and rushed to Kai Fengfu Shaoyin to shout softly: “Meow~~”

One after another for a while, so lively.

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

“Okay, okay,” Bao Zheng smiled with tears, “On the first day of his tenure, he wrapped the salt and pierced the fish and hired a rat catcher. Brother Yan did a good job, and it is indeed imminent. But you didn’t do it with a new look. ?”

“Shao Yin is not anxious, I said it was just a warm-up, and there is still money left in Sanguan.” Yun Yan also laughed back, “I want to hire people and cars for the rest of the money, and use all the flowers and plants planted in the government office. Pull it out.”

As mentioned earlier, Kaifeng Prefecture also has to take care of the greening of the environment. The greening of the Tokyo city has been done very well. Peach, plum, apricot, pear and other trees and various flowers are planted along the main road, and there are lotus flowers in the river ditch, but there are also elms and willows planted on the banks of the river, not to mention the love of the people in the city. The Song people’s love for gardens allowed them to turn the entire Tokyo city into a large garden.

Just imagine, with such a ethos, can the greenery in the Kaifeng Mansion be poor?

But Yun Yan said back now that he wants to pull out all the flowers and plants in the mansion!

Hey, if this is all pulled out, wouldn’t it really be a “new look” based on the green area in the mansion?

Bao Zheng was also a little confused, “You, what did you pull out the flowers and plants for?” Although the imperial court can’t control the planting of flowers and plants in the Kaifeng mansion, if you are really bald, you will definitely be called for questioning by the official.

“Pull it out, sell it to garden flower beds, and buy rapeseeds and vegetable seedlings for the money,” Yun Yan said with enthusiasm. Money!”

Bao Zheng, Gongsun Ce: “…”

There are many green areas inside and outside the Kaifeng government office, totaling dozens of acres. Imagine that if the green grass turns into vegetables…

Bao Zheng shook his head again and again: “How did this make it?”

“Why can’t this be done?” Yun Yan asked back, “Did the imperial court explicitly prohibit officials from growing vegetables in the palace?”

Bao Zheng: “No, but the government office is a government office, and farmland is farmland…”

Yun Yan replied: “The grass is green, and the vegetables are also green. Why should we say that we have changed the land to farmland? It is obvious that we are planting vegetables for greening! Isn’t this very pleasing to the eye?”

Bao Zheng: “…”

Yun Yan thought back to his heart, Baoda, if you travel to a later date, you will find that the government offices in the upper and lower parts of the Song Dynasty are full of vegetable fields. At that time, inflation was severe and officials had to grow their own vegetables and be self-sufficient.

Don’t you see, it’s planted well, and there is still surplus that can be sold to make some money to make up for the public expense!

In other words, the people who grow flowers have a talent for growing vegetables, and they can grow vegetables wherever they go.

Bao Zheng’s head is big. Although there is no express prohibition, the matter is not right when he hears it.

Not to blame him, when the government of the Northern Song Dynasty became a common practice in growing vegetables, the emperor at that time also found it inappropriate, thinking it was impertinent. However, since it was really impossible to prohibit it, in the end, I had to close one eye and grow vegetables, but I could only eat it myself, and I was not allowed to sell it.

Hearing this, Gongsun Ce had a flash of inspiration and said, “Students think that this is a good way, but it is a good way to increase income and reduce expenditure. Growing vegetables in the mansion, one can be self-sufficient in the future, and the other is that now the mansion is not only too redundant, but also The degree of busyness of the Cao Cao varies greatly. There are many things to do with punishment and household affairs.

Approval is to write documents and certificates in various formats.

Among the six cadres of the government, the main function is that the master is responsible for the assessment of officials, sacrifices, rituals, schools, hospitals and other matters. In comparison with farms, taxes, etc., soldiers and soldiers are in charge of military defense, ceremonies, etc., while lawmakers are in charge of discussing laws and penalties. In comparison, civil servants are indeed the most leisurely.

Gongsun Ce also agreed with Yun Yanhui’s idea, because in this way, before the court did not adjust the functions of the Cao Cao, even if you can’t use them, it can play some role.

Yun Yanhui added another sentence: “Even busy officials, don’t they want to dig, dig, and water their muscles and bones in their spare time? I think this has the function of training. The ground is empty. Raising some flowers and plants, using manpower to water and fertilize, has no benefit. If it is to grow vegetables, it will be more affordable. The land of our government is still so big and so much…”

Yun Yan talked about a big call back, but Bao Zheng felt that he was going to be persuaded as he listened! It seems that what they did before was wasted, and they were all sorry for Bianjing’s money!

“It’s going to be slow… Let me think about it,” Bao Zheng paced back and forth for a long time, thinking for a long time, and finally said, “Although it is not explicitly prohibited, I still can’t cut it first and play it later. I will enter the palace today and ask the official! “

Yun Yan turned back and said, “Then you remember to be a little pitiful, and mention how pitiful the deserted land is!”

Bao Zheng wanted to say, what a waste! The land of the government office is used for offices, so why not grow vegetables?

Yun Yan thought back to himself, the posthumous posthumous posthumous posthumous name of today’s official is Renzong, what is “benevolence”? Just soft-hearted! Legend has it that he was able to endure thirst all the way because he found out that his servant did not bring water when he was out, and feared that he would be punished if he wanted water to drink.

To change to another emperor, Yun Yanhui had to weigh up and couldn’t come up with this idea.

…

In the afternoon, Bao Zheng changed his clothes and went to the palace to see the officials. He mentioned that he hoped that fruits and vegetables could be used for the greening of the government office. He said euphemistically that it could not only relieve the officials from their official duties, but also increase income and reduce expenditure, and contribute to the country’s province. Money.

As expected, Renzong was different from other emperors, and he was deeply moved, “Isn’t the peach and plum fruit trees planted beside the Imperial Street, so you can increase income and reduce expenditure, what’s wrong with worrying about the country? Why does Aiqing need to be so small? .”

Bao Zheng sweated for a while, but he didn’t expect that it would become a worry for the country. He was really embarrassed, blushing and black face, thanking Junen and went back.

…

“…So so, the officials agreed.” Bao Zheng said.

After hearing the news, Yun Yan was a bit less stable than usual, and had a more lively atmosphere. Since then, he said: “Then we will grow vegetables by order from now on!”

Bao Zheng: “………………”

Gongsun Ce couldn’t help wiping his sweat. “Brother Yan, the official just agreed to exchange fruits and vegetables for flowers and plants… Wouldn’t it be a bit shameless to claim to plant vegetables by order?”

Yun Yan replied solemnly: “Sir, you just make me cool, can’t you?”

“…” Gongsun Ce said silently, “Well…”