Chapter Six, the renowned Lu Wenzong

Lu Youcai enjoys drinking a bit of liquor, and he particularly loves the Yanghe Daqu produced in Baiyanghe Town of Taoyuan County, which is not far from Yancheng County. No matter how poor he is, every time he goes to the town, he always buys a small jar. If he really has no money, he will buy a jar on credit, as he is quite familiar with the liquor shop.

Guangyuan is not foolish enough to think that his grandfather truly cannot chew, so he quickly tries to take the chicken leg back. However, Lu Youcai would not allow it, and after a back-and-forth, it ended up being Guangyuan who ate it.

A pot of chicken soup, a plate of spinach stir-fried with eggs, two pieces of tofu dressed in soy sauce, and a small dish of steamed salted dried fish, all arranged on the table, are enough to make anyone's mouth water just by looking at them

In the early days of the nation, there was a severe crackdown on private salt traders, which may be related to the emergence of a certain Zhang Shicheng among the private salt traders who opposed Emperor Taizu.

Lu Wenliang took the wine jar from his son's hands and poured half a bowl for his cousin. It was not out of reluctance, but rather out of concern that his cousin, who had never drunk alcohol before, might get drunk if he drank too much

"Who around here doesn't know that my family's Wenliang is good..." The Wang family then offered another round of compliments.

Um, which one

Lu Youcai dipped a chopstick into the wine bowl and then put it into his mouth to slurp it, which is his habit. He has been doing this for decades, and he does not know why.

Just add a little more salt and it will be perfect

After taking a sip of Yanghe Daqu, Lu Si felt that this wine was truly exceptional. Not only was it smooth and gentle on the palate, but it also carried a fragrant aroma down the throat, without the unpleasant odor characteristic of inferior wines.

It is said to be tidying up, but in fact, there is not much to tidy; it is merely the bedding covered by the father and son and the straw mat laid on the ground. Aside from that, there are only the food brought from the road and the tools used for work

Once you and your nephew return from the river work, I will make a trip back to my family to find a wife for each of you... The young ladies from my family are all quite beautiful...

In any case, the courtyard is filled with the laughter and praises of the Wang family, and that loud voice can be heard clearly from several houses away

Lu Sihuan smiled foolishly and walked up to Song Wu, saying, "Master Wu, please write the name Lu Wenzong for me."

It is uncertain whether what Wang said was true or false, but Tian E was indeed moved by these words. She approached Wang and inquired about which families in her maternal home had daughters who were still unmarried, suggesting that if suitable, she would mention it to the Lu family.

Take a sip first

Little Four, this thigh is for you

Lu Wenliang smiled and then nodded, saying: "You are one year older than your grandfather; if he can drink, you can drink too." After saying this, he poured some for his son as well, but it was clearly less than what he poured for his cousin

Tian E glanced at her son, as a mother has always kept the matter of finding a daughter-in-law in her heart

Lu Youcai, however, handed the chicken leg to Guangyuan, saying: "As one grows old, the teeth become useless and cannot chew; let the eldest grandson eat it"

"Little Four, have a drink."

When Song Wu was young, he attended social studies for three years, and he could write the Hundred Family Surnames and simple characters. That is why Old Ma allowed him to register households. Later, he joined the team to handle some record-keeping and grain management tasks, which was equivalent to the village accountant in Lu Si's previous life. It was an easy job

Song Wu took out the register for the river workers, and while opening it, he said to Lu Wenliang: "Your family has been assigned a task; when the time comes, just carry the load. Tomorrow, bring three carrying poles and three pairs of baskets. Make sure to bring some dry rations for the journey, and also try to bring as much grain as possible. After all, Huai'an is a remote area, and if the grain provided by the authorities is insufficient, everyone will have to rely on their own supplies..."

Lu Si watched from the side, feeling a warmth in his heart. This family, whether it is his uncle himself, his cousin Wenliang, or his nephew Guangyuan, are all very kind-hearted people

This was also the first proper meal that Lu Si had after arriving in this era. If every meal were like this, he would not have entertained the thought of stealing someone else's dog food.

Elderly individuals tend to be this way, yet none of them lack a deep affection for their children and grandchildren

In the afternoon, Lu Si's second aunt, Mrs. Wang, came over. This woman is inherently shrewd; she immediately began with flattering words, saying that if it weren't for the support of the eldest master, as a woman, she would have no way to deal with matters concerning the public. She praised her nephew Wenliang profusely, and then proceeded to commend her niece-in-law Tian'e, which also brought a fair amount of praise to Lu Si.

Guangyuan was still mumbling about wanting to bring two more sets of clothes, but his father, Lu Wenliang, directly told him not to bring any. He said that working in river construction is akin to working with mud, and bringing any clothes would be a waste. It would be better to just wear a tattered cotton coat from start to finish. When out in the field, there is no need to be particular about bathing; it would be good enough if there is hot water available on the construction site to soak one's feet.

Do you have a name now

This exorbitant profit has led to the emergence of many private salt traders engaging in the salt trade, in addition to the salt merchants authorized by the government

Lu Siben initially wanted to blurt out that he would never go to Yangzhou, but upon seeing his uncle's somewhat expectant gaze, the words that were on the tip of his tongue were forcefully swallowed back.

The character "also" may refer to the son of Second Uncle's family, Lu Xiaohua, or it may refer to one's own grandson

Grandfather, I also want to drink

Guangyuan looked at his father with a fawning expression, this kid had a history of stealing his grandfather's wine a few years ago

Lu Youcai raised his wine bowl and looked at his children and grandchildren, while Lu Si and the other two quickly raised their bowls to clink with Lu Youcai's

Sir

Then it is settled, the Lu family will send three people: Lu Wenliang, Lu Guangyuan, and your family's little Si, right

Lu Si is also accustomed to the unusual; breaking bones is connected to tendons. No matter how bad the Wang family is, they are still his second aunt, and one must always give face.

Then after the New Year, let's go together

I did not receive a name from my grandfather; I chose one for myself. In any case, I think this name is quite satisfactory.

After Wu finished tidying up the table, he went to help his daughter-in-law, chattering away beside her. At one moment, he advised her to wear an extra layer of cotton clothing, otherwise it would be unbearably cold in the twelfth lunar month. Then he mentioned that she should sew two shoulder pads, or else her shoulders would be damaged by the weight of the burdens. ... A moment later, he remarked that if she didn't bring a change of clothes, she should prepare some needles and thread, otherwise if her clothes got torn, she would have nothing to mend them with ...

With two or three months remaining until the end of the year and the arrival of spring, who knows whether this matter will come to fruition by then? Lu Si, considering not wanting to disappoint his uncle, agreed to it in advance.

Salt is certainly abundant in Yancheng, and the prices are low, with one pound costing only a few cents. However, if the salt is transported and sold to Jiangxi, Henan, or Huguang, the price can at least multiply by five or six times, and may even reach ten times or more.

In the evening, Song Wu, a neighbor who works under Old Ma, came over. He was there to register the river work for the Lu family and to inform them about the tools they needed to prepare

The same applies here with Lu Si

Um ... ...

Even if they have only plain meals, even if they sometimes go without food, in their hearts they always wish for their men and children to have a better life

Lu Wenliang mentioned to Song Wu about his arrangement with his second uncle's family, to which Song Wu nodded and said to Wang Shi that her nephew is not unattractive

Later, during the Chenghua period, the salt industry underwent a reform in its management. The court directly took control of the four major salt fields that were the source of production, while the distribution aspect gradually loosened. Consequently, the authorities turned a blind eye to the smuggling of salt and did not impose significant crackdowns.

After chewing on a small dried fish, Lu Youcai suddenly looked up at his nephew and said, "Once the river work is done and after the New Year, you should go to Yangzhou to learn a trade... You are not a child anymore, your mother passed away early, and your grandfather is often away from home. As your uncle, I cannot just watch you grow up without finding a wife."

Tomorrow you and your brother, along with your nephew, will go to work on the river, so let's have a little drink today

The two women are typical of ordinary rural wives in this era; as long as their husbands and children are well, they themselves are content with everything.

After Lu Wenliang set down his wine bowl, he used his chopsticks to pick up a chicken leg from the basin and placed it into his cousin's bowl, then he handed another chicken leg to his father

After half a bowl of Yanghe Daqu, a flush appeared on Lu Si's face. Uncle Lu Youcai's chopsticks did not reach for the chicken soup at all, only picking at the tofu and small dried fish.

It has also been a while since I had meat, and with Lu Youcai and Lu Wenliang desperately feeding Lu Si chicken, Lu Si truly ate until his belly was round and full. That craving for meat was also instantly satisfied.

On the side, Guangyuan was delighted to see his uncle willing to go to Yangzhou to learn a trade, so he picked up his bowl and clinked it with his uncle's. He was thinking about being able to learn the craft well together with his uncle and then bringing home a wife together.

One cannot afford to drink too much, as this wine is not cheap; a jar containing ten pounds costs twenty copper coins. Therefore, he probably drinks about one or two taels per meal, and by controlling his intake in this way, he can make it last for a month

Tian E and her mother-in-law, Mrs. Wu, entered the main room carrying a small wooden bucket filled with rice. In the Huaiyang region, there is no strict rule that women cannot sit at the table; as long as the family is gathered together, they can share a meal. If the family is large, even an eight immortals table may not be enough to accommodate everyone. When mealtime arrives, the old and young gather together, creating a lively atmosphere.

No wonder that Yanghe Town was able to make the Yanghe brand so renowned in the future

Guangyuan poured wine for his grandfather, and the grandson, being filial, directly filled the bowl to the brim, fearing it might be three or two portions. Usually, Lu Youcai would definitely scold his grandson a couple of times and then pour some wine back into the jar. However, this time he said nothing and did not pour any back; instead, he asked Guangyuan to pour some for his father and Lu Si as well.

Virtuous and capable, this is probably the case

The meal was enjoyed in a harmonious atmosphere, even though Aunt Wu and Sister-in-law Tian'e felt aggrieved in their hearts, they did not show it on their faces, but kept it deeply hidden within. Perhaps both of them understood that since the matter had been settled, it could not be changed, and thinking too much about it would be of no use.

Wu and Tian E could hardly resist Lu Si's persuasion to take a piece at first, but thereafter they basically did not take any more meat.

Song's five-character writing is fairly neat. Just as he finished writing the names of Wen Liang and his son, he was about to pick up the brush to write Lu Xiao Si when he heard Lu Si's voice: "Master Wu, could you please not write Lu Xiao Si? I have a name now."

Not only was Song Wu surprised, but Lu Youcai and his three grandchildren were equally astonished, as were Wang Shi and Tian E, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, and they were all very curious

After finishing the meal, Aunt Wu tidied up the table, while Sister-in-law Tian E went to gather the things that her husband and son had taken outside

Song Wu was somewhat surprised, "When did your father give you a name?"

In Lu Si's impression, Lu Youcai and his father had never given him alcohol to drink

Otherwise, if other places are unclear, the Xinxing Market in Yancheng County can catch hundreds of salt smugglers every year

Lu Si scooped a bit of salt from the salt jar with a small spoon and sprinkled it into the pot. This salt was not the fine salt that Lu Si had consumed in his previous life, but rather coarse salt grains, resembling the large salt used in rural areas for pickling vegetables in his former life