Chapter 268 Fertility
When Zhang Qi came back, he said to Zhao Zhen: "Sir, I went to Erlong Mountain and met Master Lu Zhishen. The three places pointed by Director Dong have been excavated and are now close. It is two feet deep, and the excavated soil is already moist. Master Lu Zhishen thinks that compared with the existing three wells, if there is no accident, water can be produced by digging at most one foot. "
Zhao Zhen said: " Commander, it seems that your ability in water points is also very good."
After hearing this, Dong Laodao said: "I will have to wait until the water comes out tomorrow."
Zhao Zhen praised him a few times. Seeing that it was getting late, he left Dong Laodao and returned to the village.
During dinner, the four members of Zhao Zhen's family were chatting. Bai Zhi said: "Guanren, today my brother said that two more medicinal snakes were raised in the snake pit, and there were four medicinal snakes with signs. My brother asked me to ask if they have to be concocted. A medicinal snake?"
Zhao Zhen shook his head and said: "How much medicinal wine can this medicinal snake make?"
Baizhi said: "A medicinal snake can brew ten kilograms of medicinal wine. It is suitable for ten people to drink. It is effective for the first time."
Zhao Zhen thought for a while and said: "Then ask my brother to make one and send it to the village. It can be used as a reward in the future."
Bai Zhi responded with a smile and said, "There is one more thing. The officials will be happy to hear it."
"What's the matter? You are so sure."
Bai Zhi said: "Ruan Xiaoer's wife was infertile before. Now, under my care, she is already one month pregnant."
Zhao Zhen After hearing this, he smiled and said: "Of the three Ruan brothers, only the second brother is married. Now that he has his own flesh and blood in addition to his adopted son, I think he must be very happy."
As he said that, he turned to Cheng Wan'er Said: "Madam, pick two pieces of good satin to be delivered tomorrow, as a congratulation to me."
Cheng Waner said: "Ms., I understand."
Hu Sanniang said: "Speaking of pregnancy, I was chatting with Fourth Sister Hei today. I wanted to compete with her in martial arts. I heard from him that she is two months pregnant."
Zhao Zhen said: "Oh? Jiao Ting me. When I meet him every day, I don't see him saying that I also send two pieces of satin to congratulate me. I will do this in the future."
Cheng Wan'er listened and nodded.
Cheng Waner also said: "Speaking of pregnancy, Mrs. Lin has been pregnant for nearly two months."
Zhao Zhen said: "It seems that there are many newborns in the county this year."
Cheng Wan'er said: "But I want to congratulate my husband. This is a prosperous atmosphere. Liangshan County is under the governance of my husband, the officials are in charge of the Qingming Festival, and the people live and work in peace and contentment. Naturally, more children are born."
Bai Zhi and others listened. They all congratulated Zhao Zhen.
At night, Zhao Zhen went to rest in Jin Cuilian's room.
The wind drove the rain down on the high city, and the clouds pressed lightly with the sound of thunder.
On the second day, after Zhao Zhen and Hu Sanniang had practiced martial arts, they summoned Xiao Rang and Pei Xuan. Zhao Zhen said: "Brothers, I heard that there are several family members of brothers in the county who are pregnant. I think there are also many farmers in the county who are pregnant and have given birth. I plan to reward and punish those who get pregnant and give birth to increase the willingness of farmers to have children. Two brothers. What do you think?”
Xiao Rang and Pei Xuan looked at each other, and Pei Xuan said: "Official, I have observed the politics of the past dynasties, and I can only think of rewards and punishments. As the "Yue Yu" says: "The strong man will not take the old woman. The old man is ordered not to take a strong wife. If a girl does not marry at seventeen, her parents will be guilty; if her husband does not marry at twenty, his parents will be found guilty. , two pots of wine and one dolphin gave birth to three people, the male and his mother; two people were born, and the male and his mother made rice. '"
"There are many records in subsequent dynasties, as recorded in the "Book of Han". During the reign of Emperor Hui, there was a saying: "If a girl is between fifteen and thirty years old, she will not marry." "Book of Jin" also says: "In the tenth month of winter, if the parents do not marry a girl who is seventeen years old, she will be matched by a senior official." "
"In my opinion, these two methods can improve farmers' fertility. I wonder what the officials want to do?" Zhao Zhen said: "I have read a lot of history books. I feel that the government’s policy of arranging wives is too cruel. How about just rewarding her?” If you don't support it, good government will lead to bad government. If this is the case, the personal money will not be collected in the future."
Zhao Zhen said: "Of course, there are a lot of wastelands now. I also want to plan for the future. Only with a large population can the output increase."
Xiao Rang said: "What the officials said is true. If we can encourage births , with the mentality of a farmer who values heirs and has many children, there will be more newborns in the future."
Zhao Zhen said: "In this case, how do you think we should reward you?"
Xiao Rang thought for a moment. Said: "Two pots of wine and one dog are a little insufficient. How about changing it to two pots of wine, one piglet, or ten chickens or ducks, one stone of grain and one piece of cloth. But the wine must be well colored. , don’t brew village mash indiscriminately, use fine cloth, not homespun cloth.”
“When piglets, chickens and ducks are raised, they will produce food, and food can solve the current predicament. Why should this wine be colored and good? "Why should the cloth be made of fine cloth?" Zhao Zhen asked.
Xiao Rang said: "The cloth rewards the wife, and the wine comforts the husband. I asked Brother Zhu Fu that the wine used in restaurants everywhere is divided into three grades. The first grade of wine is the new wine from the winery, and the second grade of wine is the new wine from the winery. Add half a ladle of water to a ladle of wine, and add half a ladle of water to the third wine. Even so, this wine is much better than the village mash brewed by ordinary farmers. Among the three wines, the third one is the most popular. Good, just because it’s cheap.”
“Brother Zhu Fu also suggested that the villagers drink it if they don’t have money. I also think it is feasible to make some village mash and use it as a fourth-grade wine for the convenience of the farmers.”
“This is a good wine. All of them have been stored in cellars, and the wine has a mellow taste and a lingering fragrance in the teeth and cheeks. Now, in addition to supplying heads and magistrates throughout the county, the stewards also have quotas. This reward can further motivate the bankers. "
"The same is true for fine cloth. Women are so easy to compare with each other. If someone wears fine cloth clothes, there must be someone who wants to compare. They are all coarse cloth clothes. Now some people wear fine cloth to give birth to children. If you can give birth to children, why can't I?" "
Pei Xuan heard this and said: "Brother Xiao Rang is right. If you don't say anything else, let's talk about this wine. If you eat too much of the good wine, you can eat the village mash. Even though it can be swallowed, But I feel dull.”
Zhao Zhen listened and nodded repeatedly.
I think of the pasture stewards Chao Cuo, Li You, and Shangwang Village Li Zheng who all said that the cattle, sheep, and mare milk produced in the pasture is very productive. In addition to supplying Zhuangshang and Junzhongdutou, all villages The steward had a lot leftover, which was made into cheese.
Zhao Zhen said: "How about adding a pot of cow, sheep and horse milk from a village near the pasture? This thing can also strengthen the body."
As soon as the words fell, Xiao Rang and Pei Xuan objected together: " No..."
The two looked at each other and Pei Xuandao said: "Officials, the right way is: don't worry about the shortage but the inequality. This matter should be treated equally. If you have more milk, you will be rewarded with cheese. If you live near a ranch and have more milk to enjoy, wouldn’t everyone be willing to go to the villages around the ranch? ”
Xiao Rang said: "Exactly."
Hearing this, Zhao Zhen said: "Thanks to the two brothers for reminding me, I almost did something wrong."
Xiao Rang said: "High officials also love to protect and govern. It's just a farmer. There is plenty of cow's milk and goat's milk, but it's easy to handle. I've heard that there is a cheese farm in Bianjing that specializes in making cheese."
"I've seen milk containing sugar put into a bowl and condensed into cheese. When eating it cold, put the bowl in a wooden barrel and sell it along the street. It is very delicious and costs five cents a bowl. You can set up a milk house in the county to receive milk or make cheese, or make cheese. Put less sugar. Use cups instead, only one penny per bowl, small profit but quick turnover. The cheese can even be transported to the main world, which can also be regarded as an industry."
After hearing this, Zhao Zhen nodded repeatedly.
The three of them discussed it carefully, wrote the official document, and had it printed and posted everywhere.
(End of this chapter)