Don't go back to hometown

Heavy snow fell in Jinling for several days in a row. The cold air was threatening. The number of people infected with wind-cold was increasing day by day. In addition, the road was covered with snow and ice, causing many people to fall and get hurt. The medical center and pharmacy were overcrowded.

I heard that the north side of the canal has been frozen, and there are occasional ice floes in the sections of the Huaian and Yangzhou rivers.Jinling is adjacent to the Yangtze River. The river is wide and deep, and there is no sign of freezing, but some ponds and wells in the city have not been spared.

The chilling blizzard made people have to hide at home, and the always bustling Jinling City fell silent, and the Imperial Academy had to suspend classes because of the snow.

Except for the local students in Jinling, most of them were trapped in the Guozijian dormitory, as were Zhang Tao, Li Haobin, and Liu Dingcai, Xie Cheng’s classmates in Yangzhou Academy.

Zhang Tao is the first runner-up in the provincial examination, and like Xie Cheng, he directly enters the Guozijian, while Li Haobin and Liu Dingcai enter through the selection examination.The three of them were lucky enough to be in the same dormitory, and the other roommate was Juren Zeng Hu, who entered school three years earlier than them. At this moment, the four of them were wrapped in quilts and squeezed together on the common bunk to endorse.

After flipping through the books for a while, his hands became stiff from the cold. Zhang Tao breathed and rubbed his hands, feeling worried: "It's so cold in November, how can we still have the twelfth lunar month?"

Li Haobin said: "This year's weather is really abnormal. This month's residence report is late. I'm afraid the road to the north has been blocked by heavy snow. I just don't know if it will affect our going to the capital to catch the exam."

"It can't be." Zeng Hu shrank his feet under the quilt, "After the first month, it will be spring, and the snow will never fall until February."

Liu Dingcai comforted Li Haobin: "Brother Zeng is right, maybe the snow will stop tomorrow and the weather will be warm again."

Apart from him, Zhang, Li, and Zeng all planned to end up with Xie Cheng and take part in the examination in February next year.

Li Haobin nodded, and said again: "It will be colder when the snow stops, I plan to buy another cotton coat, how about you?"

Jiangnan had never been so cold, and the clothes they brought were obviously not enough.

"...I'll go with you." Zeng Hu hesitated for a while before saying.

His family was not rich, and he only had a thin quilted jacket to wear under his school uniform.Originally, I planned to rely on it to survive the winter, and I only changed my inner shirt and outer robe on weekdays.But the weather in the past two days made him a little bit unbearable, and he had to take the exam next year, so he still decided to buy a winter coat, and he must not fall ill at this time.

"Go to Langyun Pavilion to buy it." Zhang Tao suggested, "It is the property of Xie Cheng's family. The price of cotton-padded clothes and quilts in the city must have increased dramatically at the moment, but Xie Cheng will not cheat us."

Zeng Hu was taken aback: "Langyunge's ready-made clothes are quite expensive without price increases, right?"

He had stayed in Jinling for three years, so he naturally knew that Langyun Pavilion belonged to the Xie family in Yangzhou, but he never thought that Xie Cheng was this "Xie".

It turned out that Xie Cheng was not only talented and learned, but also a son of a rich family.

Perhaps it was because although he was usually taciturn, he was still approachable and never stingy in exchanging knowledge with his classmates, so he neither had the arrogance of a literati, nor the brassy smell of a rich boy.

Zeng Hu had a good impression of him, but he really couldn't afford Langyun Pavilion's clothes.

But Liu Dingcai said: "No, I heard from other students that this year, Langyun Pavilion not only sells high-quality winter clothes, but also sells cheap cotton clothes, which are cheaper than other shops."

Zhang Tao echoed: "Well, two days ago, someone in the dormitory next door bought one in the snow. They said that the cotton is thick, the fabric is durable, and can resist freezing."

Zeng Hu was surprised: "It's thick and durable, and it's cheaper than others, so you can't lose money?"

Liu Dingcai huddled under the quilt, and waved it with a finger: "No, no, it's so cold now, and the prices of cotton clothes in all clothing stores have increased, but Langyun Pavilion, which has not increased in price, still has the best business. Do you know why?"

Zeng Hu: "Why?"

Liu Dingcai: "Because Langyunge's clothes have always been famous for their upper fabrics, novel styles, and exquisite embroidery threads, the same is true for the high-quality winter clothes sold this year. Although the prices have increased like other shops, they are still the first choice of many wealthy families. It makes money. But the cheap cotton coats it sells this year are simple in style, durable in fabric, thick in cotton, and the price has not increased, so they are naturally very popular."

Zhang Tao added: "And I heard from the classmate next door that you are required to bring your household registration when you buy it. Adults have one set, and the elderly and children can buy more sets. No one else is allowed to resell and raise the price. The Xie family is doing good deeds to help everyone survive the winter. "

Zeng Hu was stunned for a long time, and sighed softly with the quilt wrapped tightly around his body: "No wonder, only such a family of great kindness can raise a gentleman like Xie Jieyuan."

Li Haobin listened for a while, then suddenly said: "I think this is probably Xie Cheng's idea."

Seeing Zeng Hu's doubts, Li Haobin explained: "He took over the family business at the age of 16 and is quite proficient in business. It is not surprising that he came up with such a way to benefit both the people and himself."

Zeng Hu nodded, feeling sincere admiration for Xie Cheng, a junior who was many years younger than him.

Sure enough, the snow stopped that night, and Zeng Hu and the others went to Langyun Pavilion to buy cotton-padded clothes.

The cold wind was like a blade, and it hurt people's cheeks.Pedestrians on the road shrunk their necks and hurried, and they all came out to buy while the snow stopped.The guys in the shops on both sides of the street kept clearing the snow, and the steps in front of the door were still covered with a thin layer of ice.

But when Zeng Hu came out of Langyun Pavilion with his thick cotton coat in his arms, he suddenly felt that this winter might not be so difficult.

……

Xie's family, Xie Chengzheng is going to visit Fang Zhizhou while the snow is stopping.

As soon as he got into the carriage, there was the sound of horses crying outside the door.

Jiang Xianyu also came to look for him while the snow stopped, his nose and ears were red from the cold.

"Are you going out?"

"En." Xie Cheng pulled him into the carriage, and ordered his servants to take his horse to the stable to keep warm.

The carriage moved forward slowly, Xie Cheng covered his frozen red hands, touched his face, and kissed his red nose.

"How do you come here on horseback? It's too cold."

Jiang Xianyu touched his lips, and said: "Walking is not easy, but riding a horse is fast and steady."

Xie Cheng warmed his hands up a bit, and moved them to the side of the pre-lighted charcoal stove in the car, "I'm going to visit the teacher, you can go with me."

Jiang Xianyu knew that Fang Zhizhou was aware of his identity, but he hadn't officially met him yet, "He didn't say he wanted to see me, so wouldn't it be good for me to rush along?"

Xie Cheng: "It's okay, the teacher heard about the Ping An Escort's shipment of charcoal and medicinal materials to Huai'an, and just wanted to meet you."

Jiang Xianyu nodded when he heard the words, and said again: "I just wanted to tell you about this. Now the price of firewood and charcoal in the city is getting more and more expensive. When will we release the charcoal?"

The firewood in the firewood shop was basically sold out, but due to the raging wind and snow, no farmers and mountain people sent new firewood, and the prices of the remaining firewood and charcoal went up.In this way, not to mention burning fires for heating, it is a problem for poor people to even boil water for cooking.

"I'm going to discuss this matter with my teacher." Xie Chengdao, "I planned to set up a firewood shop and sell charcoal at a low price. But after thinking about it, it's not feasible."

"Firstly, our foundation in Jinling is not deep, so it is easy to attract the wind. Second, our family alone is not enough to control the market price of charcoal. The cheap cotton clothes sold in Langyun Pavilion are like this."

Jiang Xianyu frowned upon hearing this: "Then what should we do?"

Xie Cheng: "I plan to discuss with the teacher and sell all the charcoal and medicinal materials to the government at the cost price, and the government will sell them at a unified price. First, it can ensure that ordinary people can afford it and use it; second, it can control those who drive up prices. merchants."

Jiang Xianyu blinked, thinking about Xie Cheng's method: "If someone dares to sell more expensive than the government, the government will have a reason to punish him."

"Yes."

Jiang Xianyu: "What about grain, oil and rice noodles?"

Originally, they thought that this year’s harvest would be good, and even if there was a snowstorm, the people’s homes should have food, but they ignored that the price of grain, oil, rice and noodles in the city had increased a lot due to the obstruction of water and land.

"No hurry," Xie Cheng said, "let's discuss with the teacher and do everything."

Jiang Xianyu nodded.

……

Jiang Xianyu was a little nervous when meeting Fang Zhizhou for the first time.

He was very restrained at first, and laughed awkwardly when he heard the other party's praise.Later, when we got down to business, we gradually forgot about being nervous.

After Fang Zhizhou heard Xie Cheng's idea, he nodded his head: "Your idea is good, but now the government office may not be able to spend much money in the account to buy the medicinal materials and charcoal in your hands."

Xie Chengdao: "Students can deliver the goods first to help the teacher solve the immediate urgent need. When the money from the court for disaster relief arrives, it will not be too late for the teacher to give the money to the students."

Fang Zhizhou was slightly surprised, he didn't expect Xie Cheng to trust him so much, his heart was very ironic, and he felt more and more that he had read the right person.

Turning to Jiang Xianyu again, he said: "What about you? If you are willing to trust me once, I will send an order to the prefects of various places to use the same method to buy medicinal materials and charcoal from the Ping An Escort."

Jiang Xianyu glanced at Xie Cheng, and replied: "Then you have to guarantee that people from the government will not collect money from it and harm the common people."

Xie Cheng hurriedly pulled him, Fang Zhizhou said: "Teacher, don't blame me, Xiao Yu has a straightforward temperament, and he didn't mean to offend."

Fang Zhizhou looked at Jiang Xianyu with admiration, and sighed: "As expected of Jiang Weifeng's descendants, he is indeed a bit like him."

Jiang Xianyu rubbed his ears embarrassedly.

Seeing that Fang Zhizhou was not unhappy, Xie Cheng quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

Fang Zhizhou said again: "The snow has been falling for several days, and some villages and valleys may have been damaged. I plan to notify the counties to send people to the mountains and villages to investigate the situation and help the people."

Xie Cheng: "After a while, the people affected by the disaster may also gather in the city to take refuge."

Fang Zhizhou is inevitably worried: "accommodating disaster victims is also a problem."

Xie Cheng said: "The students thought that the Tribute Academy could be used."

"Gong Yuan?"

"Yes, it is empty now, the place is big enough, and there are all kinds of shanty houses. Although the conditions are a little rough, it is also a place for the victims to stay."

Fang Zhizhou thought for a moment: "It makes sense, but... I'm afraid that the disaster victims will be chaotic and disorderly, disturbing the land of sages."

Xie Chengdao: "Students understand the teacher's concerns, but this Gongyuan is indeed a ready-made place, which can save the government's expenditure on building shelters. In addition, most of the people are in awe of this place of saints and sages. If the victims are in it, it may be easier Follow the arrangements and enlightenment."

Fang Zhizhou instantly understood what Xie Cheng meant, nodded in relief, and was about to say a few words of appreciation when there was a knock on the door.

"My lord, urgent report from Huai'an."

Fang Zhizhou's face became solemn: "Come in."

The messenger outside the door came in with the official messenger and submitted the urgent report.

Fang Zhizhou unfolded it, his pupils trembled, and his face turned pale.

Jiang Xianyu glanced at Xie Cheng, who stood up and bowed to Fang Zhizhou: "Since the teacher has something important to do, the students should go first—"

"Slow!" Fang Zhizhou handed the urgent report to Xie Cheng, "The imperial envoy sent by His Majesty for disaster relief encountered a snowstorm in a mountainous area a hundred miles away from Huai'an City, and his whereabouts are unknown. Now only one team escorting the relief supplies has successfully arrived in Huai'an. "

Xie Cheng was startled, and glanced at the urgent report. As expected, the imperial envoy sent by the imperial court was none other than the Nine Kings!

"How many people can the teacher deploy?" Xie Cheng hurriedly asked, "In such a dangerous situation, can you ask the Jiangnan Jiedu envoy to send troops to reinforce the imperial envoy?"

Fang Zhizhou looked pale, shook his head and said: "I must keep people in Jinling to deal with the disaster, take in the victims, and ensure that there will be no chaos in the city. There are only a handful of people who can be dispatched. Jiangnan Jiedu envoys are loyal to the king, and there is no His Majesty." It is impossible to search and rescue the imperial envoy with all your strength."

Xie Cheng didn't expect Jiedushi to be a loyal king, so his expression became heavy.

"I'll go."

Jiang Xianyu suddenly said: "There are people in my bodyguard bureau. They have been flying bodyguards all year round, and they are very familiar with the Huai'an area. I will take them to meet—"

"No!"

Fang Zhizhou just had a glimmer of hope in his eyes, but he couldn't help being surprised to see Xie Cheng's sharp veto.

Xie Cheng looked at Jiang Xianyu with a frown, and didn't want him to take this muddy water, "It's not easy to find people in the snow, even if your bodyguards are experienced, they can't take on this important task."

Jiang Xianyu still wanted to say something, but when he caught a glimpse of Xie Cheng's dark eyes, he stopped talking immediately.