Chapter 115: They were shocked
Xiao Hanzheng stuffed the letter back into the envelope.
"The last time I went to the prefecture city, I saved a pair of brothers who were in trouble. So, I asked them to go to the prefecture city to help me with some matters while keeping an eye on the general's mansion. If anything happened in the general's mansion, they would inform me. As long as there's a chance to pour salt on their wound, I'll ask them not to let go of the opportunity to do so."
Those two brothers were capable, but they encountered many setbacks and depended on each other.
In his previous life, he knew his older brother.
His younger brother had died of illness, and because of that, his older brother acted in such a crazy way.
When he went to the prefectural city, he happened to meet them and saved his younger brother.
The two of them took the initiative to seek refuge with him and assist him according to his wish.
Shi Qingluo laughed lightly. "So you've also started to make plans."
She felt that her young husband was not someone who would only rely on the imperial examinations for things to happen.
Xiao Hanzheng chuckled and said, "I learnt this from my wife."
Shi Qingluo leaned into his embrace and played with a strand of his hair with her fingertips. "What do you think the emperor will reward us for the cement recipe and fertiliser recipe?"
Xiao Hanzheng said, "I was just about to say this. Mo Qingling came to me today to probe what reward we want."
He continued, "What do you want? You decide."
He could naturally earn fame and fortune from his achievements and didn't need to actively ask for it.
Shi Qingluo thought for a moment. "Why don't we ask the emperor to reward us with the mountain where the Taoist temple is located? What do you think?"
The mountain was a primitive forest, and very few people dared to delve deep into it.
Naturally, there were many hidden treasures there.
There were even rumours among the few villagers that immortals stayed there.
In addition to the old priest's news, everyone felt that the mountain was even more mysterious.
It could be used as a shield when they caused trouble.
Moreover, there were large plots of wild beets and sumac trees on the mountain.
If someone eyed the mountain for the sumac trees and decided to make it private, the raw materials for their workshop would be gone.
There were also ginseng that her husband mentioned and other things in this mountain.
Recently, she often went to the mountain and discovered that she could plant many fruit trees and medicinal herbs even if she didn't venture deep into the mountain.
She and her husband had never explored the mountain further.
If it became theirs, they could go in at any time to take a look and find some good things.
As an agricultural expert, she was very interested in this undeveloped forest.
Xiao Hanzheng didn't expect his wife to be interested in that mountain.
"Alright, I'll talk to Mo Qingling tomorrow." He had already become good friends with him.
Shi Qingluo continued, "The chickens, ducks, pigs, and sheep on the mountain at the old residence are growing well. I'm going to buy another batch and put them there."
More than a month ago, Bai Xu's uncle had helped them to get some pigs and sheep, as well as more than 100 milk cows.
She also hired experts from the nearby villages to plant crops on the mountain, including soybeans, wheat, beets, peanuts, and so on.
In the future, they would use soybeans to extract oil and make tofu.
They could also feed the bean dregs to the cows and sheep.
Adding wheat bran would also make the feed more nutritional.
They had also planted a lot of vegetables.
Next time, they could use the feces of cows, sheep, chickens, and ducks as fertilisers.
They could recycle all the waste produced at the mountain.
Of course, she watered the fields with her spring water, so were the chickens, ducks, pigs, cows and sheep.
This would boost the crops and livestock's survival rate increase, improve their taste, and enhance their nutritional value.
Xiao Hanzheng was very supportive of all of these. "Good!"
Then, Xiao Hanzheng focused on studying, while Shi Qingluo focused on crop and livestock production.
After observing for a period of time, she had selected more than a dozen families and taught them how to make tofu, beancurd, miso sauce, and soy sauce.
3 families were producing the same goods and would ramp up their production in the future.
This guaranteed a stable supply of goods and she even let them sign a contract to prevent them from sharing their trade secrets with others.
Those who learnt how to do it from her would share 20% of the profits in the first 3 years' sales with her family.
Without her permission, they could not leak the recipe out.
She did not ask for profits from the three families who made tofu.
Instead, she asked them to provide five years of bean dregs for free.
After making tofu, they would sell it in the village to attract more people to come to the village and buy it.
It was too tiring to make tofu.
Shi Qingluo was prepared to dump it out and let others make it.
She did not want to make her mother-in-law and her brother's younger siblings work too hard.
Of course, these families agreed without hesitation.
They were especially grateful to Shi Qingluo.
After they started working, they would sell them in their own yards first.
They were prepared to follow Shi Qingluo's instructions and build a few sheltered areas at the entrance of the village to sell the goods.
There wasn't any excess supply after a day of sale.
It also attracted many merchants, be it those in small or bigger business, to come to the village to buy them in bulk before reselling them.
Along with those who came to buy saltpetre and mosquito repellent incense, the entire Xiaxi village became livelier.
Some also came to ask Xiao Hanzheng about selling their dishes at their guest house near the village entrance. The business was quite good.
Some merchants who came from afar did not stay overnight in the county town.
Instead, they stayed in the guest house for one night after buying their goods and continued their journey on the next day.
A guest house's prospering business naturally inspired another guest house to operate here too.
Very soon, another month passed.
The Xiao family's new house was ready, including the custom-made furniture that Shi Qingluo had drawn. They had also moved this furniture into the house.
Then, they chose an auspicious day for the Xiao family to move in.
This was a joyous occasion. The Xiao family was now wealthy.
Shi Qingluo and Xiao Hanzheng also wanted to have some fun, so they held a banquet with delicious dishes served continuously to the guests.
Not only did the people from the village attend it, but many people from the nearby villages also came.
Bai Xu and his family also came from the county town.
Many of Xiao Hanzheng's classmates who were on good terms with him also attended it.
They gathered the guests at the courtyard and laid the banquet at the cement road outside.
The villagers and those from nearby villages, including the merchants who came to buy goods, could come and eat whatever they wanted.
On top of the meat and vegetables, everyone was happy and glad that they could try new dishes that Shi Qingluo prepared.
Then, everyone was surprised by some people's presence – the magistrate, Mo Qingling, and the ex-official who had just become Xiao Hanzheng's teacher.
The two happened to meet each on the way here, so they came together.
Xiao Hanzheng invited them in politely.
"Teacher and Shaoqing, this way please!"
Mo Qingling's nickname was Shaoqing, and they usually called their close friends by their nicknames.
Xiao Hanzheng's teacher, Hou Dongsheng, looked like he was in his 50s.
He was elegant and energetic, but in fact, he was almost 60.
He was very satisfied with Xiao Hanzheng, a disciple he had recently accepted.
With a loving smile on his face, he said, "Your new home is in the bamboo forest. The environment is very good."
Xiao Hanzheng smiled intimately and said, "If you like it, come and stay for a while, teacher."
He had just been accepted as his disciple a few days ago.
This also shocked the county school's overseer and his classmates.
Because he suited the old man's favour, he invited him to be his disciple.
The old man had also accepted 3 disciples in the past, but that was 10 years ago.
In the past 10 years, he had not accepted anyone else.
He had initially claimed that he would not accept any more disciples, but he had broken that promise. This shocked everyone.
This also caused many of his classmates to become envious and jealous.
At the same time, many people changed their attitudes towards him.
Mr. Hou chuckled and said, "Let's talk about it later."
He appreciated his disciple's invitation.
Then, he handed a box to Xiao Hanzheng.
It was his gift for housewarming.
Mo Qingling presented him with his gift and said with a smile, "Congratulations, Jinyu!"
Jinyu was the name that his teacher had given to Xiao Hanzheng when he accepted him as his disciple.
Then, Mo Qingling took out an imperial edict and said, "Today, apart from congratulating you, I have also brought the emperor's reward for you!"
These words shocked those who came for housewarming.
How did the Xiao family receive the emperor's reward again?
Chapter 116: Why is her brain so good?
The moment Mo Qingling took out the imperial edict, everyone stood up and knelt down.
He held the imperial edict and read it once.
The gist of it was that Xiao Hanzheng had rendered meritorious service by offering the cement recipe, so he was specially rewarded with the large mountain in Xiaxi village.
Everyone was a little confused about the content of the imperial verdict.
Why would the emperor want to reward Xiao Hanzheng with that large mountain?
After he finished reciting, Mo Qingling passed the imperial edict and the mountain contract to Xiao Hanzheng.
He deliberately smiled and said, "The emperor knows that you and your wife are interested in this large mountain, so he directly rewarded you with it."
This meant that Xiao Hanzheng requested this from the emperor.
Most importantly, the emperor was now paying closer attention to Xiao Hanzheng and he would have a bright future ahead.
As long as they weren't stupid, they were able to get this hint.
Xiao Hanzheng's classmates, in particular, were a little conflicted.
They were all still elementary scholars, but the emperor already knew Xiao Hanzheng's name.
Although he was rewarded with gold the previous time and that mountain now, the key was to leave an impression on the emperor.
This time, when Xiao Hanzheng wanted a mountain, the emperor gave it to him.
This meant that the emperor looked highly on Xiao Hanzheng.
They were really envious!
Then, everyone took a look at Shi Qingluo, who was becoming more and more beautiful.
Xiao Hanzheng was really lucky.
Even when he was unconscious on the bed, he was able to marry such a powerful old immortal's disciple to chongxi.
Now, not only did the families in Xiaxi village have more money in their hands because of Shi Qingluo, everyone could see the changes in the Xiao family.
The villagers were happy for Xiao Hanzheng and his wife, especially for Shi Qingluo to be the owner of that mountain where the old immortal lived.
Everyone felt that this was ideal.
Xiao Hanzheng accepted the imperial edict with both hands and kept it well first.
Only then did he come out to greet everyone and dine in with them.
After eating, Mr. Hou, Mo Qingling, the teachers from the county school, Xiao Hanzheng's classmates, and others visited the Xiao family's new house together.
The layout of the Xiao family's building was not quite the same as the current one.
In the middle was the living room, and on the side was a special place for drinking tea and entertaining guests.
The living room was paved with floor tiles.
It looked clean and bright with furniture made from Chinese-style solid wood.
However, the style was elegant and infused with the modern zen style, so it looked simplistic and more spacious.
It was not bare like the wooden furniture in other houses.
There were thick matching sofa cushions and backrests on it.
The colour of the cloth matched the solid wood and gave a refreshing and classic feeling.
This was the first time they had seen such furniture.
They sat down and said, "Your chair is really not bad."
Xiao Hanzheng smiled and said, "My wife said that chairs arranged together like this are called a sofa. Teacher, if you like it, I'll get a carpenter to make a set for you."
Speaking of which, his family had also accepted a father and son in the village to specialise in making furniture.
He prescribed medicine for the sick father for half a month, and he recovered well.
Then, he took the initiative to come to the Xiao family to work.
He and his wife found out that he actually inherited his craftsmanship from a very experienced craftsman.
He learnt a wide range of skills, and his craftsmanship was even better.
Thus, they accepted the father and son and provided them with food and lodging.
Now, they lived in the old house they previously lived in and signed a contract that they would be identified as the Xiao family's craftsmen.
Mr. Hou was a little thick skinned when talking to his disciple. "Alright, I like this sofa very much."
He was old and sat on a hard stool every day.
Suddenly sitting on this soft sofa made him very comfortable. He liked it.
Mo Qingling was also tempted.
He planned to ask the Xiao family's carpenter to make a sofa like this for him.
Bai Xu couldn't help but think about it, but he also saw a business opportunity.
He thought to himself, why not let the Bai family build a wood workshop that specially made furniture.
Then, they went to look at the guest room and study room.
The guest room and study room had wooden floors and sofas, but designed in a different theme.
The guest room also had a tea table carved from the tree roots with a tea set for making Gongfu tea on it.
They also built a tea cabinet and a display cabinet.
Shi Qingluo let Xiao Hanzheng carved some wooden bottles for putting some tulips, and planted some colourful daisies in a square wooden box.
The wooden box was decorated with a canvas and looked very unique.
There were also a few big pillows on the sofa.
It was very comfortable for people to lean on them.
When people drank Gongfu tea, they would become more relaxed without much realisation.
Xiao Hanzheng also lighted Shi Qingluo's special-made sandalwood.
Its light fragrance lingered around.
Such an atmosphere provided an indescribable sense of comfort and warmth.
Mr. Hou smiled and asked, "Did your wife decorate this?"
From a glance, it didn't seem like his little disciple's work.
Xiao hanzheng smiled and said, "That's right. My wife personally decorated all of these."
It was the first time he had seen this kind of theme, but he fell in love with it at first sight.
Mr. Hou nodded. "You are lucky to have a good wife in your family."
He heard about this disciple's wife.
The more he knew about her, the more he felt that this woman was extraordinary.
Mo Qingling smiled and said, "Yes, I'm a little envious of Jinyu."
He was already married a long time ago, but two years after they were married, his wife passed away from complications in childbirth.
A corpse but two lives gone.
Although they respected each other very politely, he was still saddened by his wife's death.
Therefore, he came to Nanxi county to be the county magistrate.
Besides focusing on the iron mine, he also had plans to soothe his mind.
Looking at the chemistry and love between Xiao Hanzheng and Shi Qingluo, he was really envious.
Xiao Hanzheng couldn't help but smile as they praised his little wife. He admitted generously, "It is indeed my fortune to be able to marry her as my wife."
The few of them sat down and drank tea.
Then, they visited the study room, dining room, kitchen, guest room, latrine, and bathing area.
They discovered that the Xiao family's residence was not only well-built, but also contained many special things, especially the latrine and bathing area.
The latrine was equipped with a white porcelain toilet bowl.
After someone did his business, he only had to press a switch at the back for the water to automatically flush out.
It was clean and hygienic.
Also, the Xiao family did not use toilet chips, but soft toilet paper.
This also made them feel curious.
They even specially asked where they bought it from and if it was expensive.
This was the fruit of Xiao Hanzheng and Shi Qingluo's research for several months.
They finally produced toilet paper at a very low cost.
It was not as white as modern paper and had a slight earthy yellow colour, but was good to use.
Xiao Hanzheng said that they had made this themselves and gave everyone some.
Then, the Xiao family's bathroom amazed them.
There was a water tank on the top.
After heating the water and pouring it in, the user could stand under it and use something called a shower and turn the switch and instant wash.
There was also a push-pull wardrobe in the guest room that they had never seen before.
Not only was it more beautiful and spacious, it also didn't take up as much space compared to those with normal doors.
How did Xiao Hanzheng's wife come up with all these brilliant ideas? Why was her brain so good?
Bai Xu was envious and even a little awkward.
After all, Shi Qingluo had said that the new house would surprise him. At that time, he had scoffed at it, but now he couldn't help but be envious and fall in love with it.
He liked this and also favoured that.