Chapter 427
After setting up the Xuanzan, Zhao Zhen walked quickly to the stable. Since receiving Wang Lun's pigeon letter, Zhao Zhen had someone clear out a sunny stable and turn it into an elephant stable.
When Zhao Zhen came in, many people had gathered outside the elephant house. In addition to Cheng Wan'er and the female family members, the elephant slave, [Purple Beard Uncle] Huangfu Duan and others who came with them were comforting the two elephants in the elephant house. There were many more elephants a little further away. Zhuang Ding, who was not on duty, also rushed to see it. Normally, these people are not allowed to come to the stable, but today they saw the elephant causing such a sensation, so Zhao Zhen allowed Zhuang Ding to come and see it.
Seeing Zhao Zhen coming, get out of the way and let Zhao Zhen come closer.
It was also the first time for Zhao Zhen to see an elephant. He had only heard of Cao Chong calling him an elephant before. From a close distance, he saw these two giant beasts with shoulder height, nearly two feet in length, and weighing up to 8,000 kilograms. It looks much smaller in front of the elephant.
Zhao Zhen asked: "Brother Huangfuduan, how are these two elephants doing?"
Huangfu said: "Master, these two elephants are in good condition. They like the apples and bamboo shoots prepared by the official, especially the cool bamboo shoots. This elephant officer Ruan Pashan is very fond of the elephants." If you know your habits like the back of your hand, your elephant will be safe.”
Ruan Pashan and a young man behind him knelt on the ground at this time and said to Zhao Zhen: "Siamese elephant slave Ruan Pashan, Ruan Lavi Meng pays homage to the high official."
Zhao Zhen said: "Get up. Now that you have come to Liangshan Prefecture, take good care of these two elephants from now on. The salary will not be short for you. If you have any needs, ask this Zhao Xing to take charge."
Ruan Pashan responded quickly after hearing this.
Zhao Zhen continued: "Is this elephant tame?"
Ruan Pashan said: "Don't worry, the official. These tribute elephants have been tamed in Siam. These two elephants will not get angry easily. The official will feed them in person for a few days. When the two elephants get familiar with each other, let them go." You can ride on the elephant saddle.”
After hearing this, Zhao Zhen became interested, took out two apples from the basket, and handed them over through the fence.
Two elephants, with flexible trunks, stuffed apples into their mouths.
Ruan Pashan said: "Master, this elephant eats grass, leaves, bark, wild plantains and palm leaves, especially juicy things like bamboo shoots, bananas, sugar cane, wild fruits, and young leaves. Master, here is the elephant. I don’t know what kind of bamboo shoots they are, but these two elephants especially like to eat them.”
Zhao Zhen smiled and said: "These bamboo shoots are produced by Qingliang bamboo. These two elephants love to eat them. They just dig two of them every day. Since you know the habits of elephants, take a look at this elephant house. Is there anything wrong with it?"< br>
Ruan Pashan raised his eyes and glanced at Zhao Zhen, then quickly lowered his head and said: "Master, this elephant house is clean and dry, and it can get sunlight. However, this elephant likes warmth and is afraid of cold. It's usually fine. But in this weather, It would be best to cover the elephant house and regenerate some charcoal fire. I also brought two pieces of elephant clothing with me. They were very dirty on the way, so I asked my wife to make a few more to keep them warm."
After hearing this, Zhao Zhen said to Cheng Wan'er: "Madam, let Wang Qiao, the manager, find someone to make two pieces quickly, and make a few more replacement pieces later."
"Guan Zhao, please ask someone to bring some firewood and make a fire to keep warm tonight. Let people from the [Xiu Xiu Camp] come and set the elephant house according to Ruan..."
"Phrasang."
"Yes, Ruan Pashan, remodel it according to Ruan Pashan's instructions. From now on, this Ruan Pashan will be the steward of the elephant house, and his salary will be similar to that of Sun Ji, the disciple of Brother Huangfu Duan."
Zhao Xing responded quickly.
Zhao Zhen went to pick two cool bamboo shoots from the frame. The two elephants really liked them and each touched Zhao Zhen with their trunks.
Chu Yan looked at it, then stepped forward to pick up a bamboo shoot and handed it forward. Unexpectedly, the elephant actually rolled up Chu Yan by the waist, and with a cry of surprise, placed Chu Yan firmly on top of his head.
Chu Yan boldly stepped on the elephant's head and stood on the elephant's back.
Seeing the elephant standing steadily, Chu Yan called to Chu Yuan: "Yuanyuan, come quickly."
Chu Yuan listened and glanced at Zhao Zhen. Seeing that Zhao Zhen had no objection, she also took a bamboo shoot and handed it to the other elephant.
The elephant took the bamboo shoots from Chu Yuan's hand and instead of putting Chu Yuan on the elephant's back, pointed to the basket with its trunk. When everyone saw it, they couldn't help but smile.
Chu Yuan went to get two more sticks and handed one up first. When the elephant finished eating and was about to eat the second stick, she took a step back and pointed at Chu Yan on the elephant's back.
The elephant chirped and nodded its head up and down.
Chu Yuan handed over the bamboo shoots, and the elephant also put Chu Yuan on the elephant's back.
The two stood on the elephant's back, looked at each other, and actually danced on the elephant's back. Although there were only a few postures, Zhao Zhen looked down and found a different kind of beauty.
The two elephants seemed a little uneasy as they felt the stampede on their backs. Ruan Pashan and Ruan Lavimeng stepped forward and patted the elephants' cheeks, and the two elephants immediately became quiet.
Chu Yan and Chu Yuan also stopped. They tentatively walked up to the elephant's head. The two elephants gently rolled their trunks and sent Chu Yuan and Chu Yan down.
The two of them excitedly said to Zhao Zhen: "My lord, this elephant's back feels so good. When we get along with these two elephants, we can stand on the elephant's back and dance for the lord to see."
Zhao Zhen smiled and nodded.
Cheng Wan'er said: "The two sisters like these two elephants so much, do you want to give them a name?"
Chu Yan and Chu Yuan heard this and looked at Zhao Zhen, their four big eyes twinkling.
Zhao Zhen asked: "Guanshi Ruan, do these two elephants have names?"
Ruan Pashan said: "People of high rank are given names of loyalty, trustworthiness and bravery by the officers and soldiers."
Chu Yan and Chu Yuan curled their lips after hearing this.
Liu Huiniang said: "Official, this name was given by the official family. How can we call it? Loyalty, loyalty and bravery are the names of the two elephants. We will give him a nickname."
After hearing this, Zhao Zhen said: "Madam is right. Madam Yan and Madam Yuan, you two can think of one."
"Dundun."
"Dudu."
Chu Yan and Chu Yuan shouted at once.
Zhao Zhen asked Cheng Waner again, and Cheng Waner said: "Dundun and Dudu match their physiques well, why not just call them this."
After hearing this, Chu Yan and Chu Yuan cheered, walked up to the two elephants, and called out their names happily.
Ruan Pashan was guiding the two of them, calling out their names, and when the elephant looked over, he handed them the food. After seven or eight trips back and forth, the two elephants reacted to their respective names.
Zhao Zhen saw it and said with a smile: "It seems that they both like this name."
When Tao Zongwang, Hou Jian, and Wang Qiao arrived with their people, the three of them first expressed their admiration at the two elephants. Afterwards, with the cooperation of Ruan Pashan and the others, the elephant house was renovated and the elephant body was measured.
When Zhao Zhen saw it, everyone dispersed.
Chu Yan and Chu Yuan were reluctant to leave, so they stayed and together with Ruan Pashan, they comforted the two elephants Dudu and Dundun. But he said that Zhao Zhen left the elephant house and did not go to the back house. He called Zhao Yuanli, Zhao Ji and other close bankers and went to the warehouse.
This warehouse was built on a hill on the east side of Baishi Gang. It was said to be a warehouse, but it was actually built by Tao Zongwang and his men who hollowed out half of the mountain and used elm wood to support it. It has just been launched now.
Passing by the school grounds, Zhao Zhen saw Li Kui holding his arms and spinning around.
Seeing Zhao Zhen, Li Kui walked up quickly, sang a promise, and said: "High official, Tieniu wants to change his position."
After hearing this, Zhao Zhen asked: "Brother Jiao Ting, have you been treated badly?"
"No, no. Senior official, brother Jiao Ting is very good to me. Brothers Li Gun and Xiang Chong are also open-minded men, but they can't fight in battle. Senior official sent me to where brothers Bao Xu and Yan Shude are. Chongfengdu]"
Zhao Zhen said with a smile: "Who said that the Liangshan County Army of Brother Jiao Ting will not go to the town to fight? It was originally to look after the county, and then it was left to guard the county. When troops are sent next year, not only the Liangshan County Army, but also soldiers from other counties will be mobilized . It will be of use to you then.”
Li Kui was overjoyed when he heard this: "This is what I want."
With that said, he bid farewell to Zhao Zhen and left happily.
Zhao Zhen shook his head and ignored him.
When I came to the warehouse, I saw that the door of the warehouse was built in a house, and six disabled soldiers were on duty in the house.
When they saw Zhao Zhen, they all stood up to meet him.
Zhao Zhen said: "Can you get used to it here?"
An old soldier who had lost his left arm said: "Sir, this place is very good. Food is brought from the kitchen every day. I and six other people will be on duty here for ten days, and then someone will come and take turns. The salary is paid according to the full moon. Although He is disabled, and his family's life is much better than that of ordinary farmers. My uncle was also recruited into the [Golden Spear City] some time ago, and he practices martial arts every day, and will fight for high officials in the future."
Zhao Zhen talked to the six people before letting Zhao Yuanli open the door of the warehouse.
Walking into the warehouse, there is only a corner of the entire warehouse. Most of them were collected by Xiao Rang in various counties these days. They are either antiques, calligraphy and paintings, ivory lacquerware, ceramics and bronzes, etc. that are old, or look like Strange, unidentifiable objects.
Zhao Zhen came here and inspected each item. Most of them were ordinary antiques. After registering them, most of them were sent out of the warehouse and sold in various shops in the city. A few exquisite ones are kept for daily replacement in each room, or given away.
Even after looking at thirty or fifty items, I still couldn't find any treasures. In addition, the warehouse was entirely illuminated by oil lamps and torches, and it was so smoky that Zhao Zhen felt uncomfortable in his eyes.
Zhao Zhen said: "Yuanli, go to Madam to get the luminous beads. Your eyes are sore."
After Zhao Yuanli heard this, he quickly left the warehouse.
Zhao Zhen said: "Send these things you want to see one by one to the warehouse door, and I will take a look there."
Just as he was about to leave, he saw two millstones piled on the ground. Zhao Zhen asked, "Where did these two millstones come from?"
Zhao Ji said: "Sir, this was brought from Songjiazhuang. We couldn't see any difference, so we put it here."
Zhao Zhen stepped forward and took a closer look. He could not see any difference from the one in Songjiazhuang.
He said to Zhao Ji: "Move it out and put it together to see."
After Zhao Ji heard this, he called a group of villagers, worked together to lift out the two stone mills, and stacked them at the door of the warehouse. Zhao Zhen took a closer look and found that the stone mills actually had names. .
World Log
Salt mill (first level, broken wood is used as a pestle, digging the ground is used as a mortar, the pestle and mortar are made to help all people.)
Effect 1: Grinding, coarse salt turns into snowflake fine salt.
After looking at it, Zhao Zhen seemed to realize that Song Jiang was so squandering and the reason why Songjiazhuang could accumulate so much money. With this mill, coarse salt can be ground into fine salt, and Song Jiang's status is convenient, so this can be done.
Zhao Zhen saw it and said to Zhao Ji: "Finally I saw a treasure. Send this stone mill to the prison camp, and have someone send several bags of different salts. Grind them all with this salt mill and bring the ground salt." Zhuang Shang.”
Zhao Zhen looked at a few more items in succession. When Zhao Yuanli came back, he moved into the warehouse and his speed became faster.
A piece of Shuiyun stone as big as a head, a second-level stone, which is a good material for making an inkstone, was sent to Jin Dajian.
A piece of boundary heart stone, I couldn't tell where it was. Zhao Zhen put it in his pocket and planned to put it down when he found time.
A piece of jade was full of flaws. At first, Zhao Zhen thought he had bought it wrong. After looking at it first, he discovered something extraordinary. Staring at it, I felt as if my soul was being sucked in.
World Log:
The spirit of the world (turning decay into magic, weapons into heroes, and ordinary things into spiritual things.)
After Zhao Zhen saw it, he was also shocked. This turned out to be the [World Spirit].
Zhao Zhen thought: "Yes, if used well, it is indeed rare."
"Look at the books. Is there any record of this kind of jade?"
After hearing this, Zhao Yuanli quickly flipped through the books and said to Zhao Zhen: "In addition to finding a piece in Fan County, I also found a piece in Sishui County."
After saying that, I went to the warehouse and rummaged around. As expected, this piece of jade was also the [Spirit of the World].
After watching for a long time, it was getting late, and Zhao Zhen said: "I'll come here today. I will sell what should be sold according to my decision. These exquisite things will be re-recorded."
With that said, Zhao Zhen immediately left the warehouse, nodded with the few veterans guarding the warehouse, and returned to the back house.
That night, Zhao Zhen held a banquet in honor of Xuan Zan, accompanied by all the people in the village and the newcomers Dai Zong, Zhang Shun and other heroes.
At the banquet, Xuanzan saw [Golden Gunner] Xu Ning and asked: "The instructor has always been with the emperor, why did he come to Liangshan?"
Xu Ning said with a smile: "Recently, there have been more and more thieves everywhere, and the world has become chaotic. It is the time for my generation of warriors to use their lives. I have no mercy in Bianjing, and no one appreciates me. It happens that the high officials are here to employ people, so I simply come here. On the battlefield, it’s easy to fight for your wife’s shadow.”
Xuan Zan listened and said: "What my brother said is that in Bianjing, my younger brother is just doing a lot of work every day to hone his martial arts. In the Yamen recently, I have been listening to emergency documents from various places, and the Taiwei only assigned troops to various prefectures. But the Bianjing Imperial Army refused to move out. ”
Xiao Rang said: "It's just the imperial court's way of weakening the local area. Although it weakened the local sergeants, it also gave the thieves an opportunity to grow stronger."
After hearing this, Zhao Zhen said: "Who can say otherwise? If Song Jiang had not captured the state capital, the imperial army had been wiped out in one go, where would there be today's four major bandits?"
"Brother Xuanzan has also commanded sergeants. Now that he is here to vote, I would like to ask you to be a deputy commander. I will ask the ranch to allocate 500 riding horses, and my brother will use them to train the soldiers first. When the war horses are bought next year, Brother Xu Ning will be the commander. , the two of them also formed a battalion of cavalry.”
After hearing this, Xu Ning and Xuan Zan quickly stood up and saluted.
Zhao Zhen said: "The martial arts of the two brothers cannot be buried here. Speaking of which, I really don't have enough war horses. The counties below can only use less than one battalion of war horses. Next year, we will still have to send people to the north to purchase them. Horse.”
(End of chapter)