In the blink of an eye, winter is coming.

Tao Ran asked the students to harvest the half-grown cabbage and the white radish as thick as a calf.

He began to organize the students to dig deep into the cellar.

In the middle of winter, this is the only vegetable that can be supplemented with various vitamin ABCs for students, although their own bean sprouts will never run out of stock. But if you eat it for a long time, I'm afraid that my classmates will grow into bean sprouts.

Now these students have just been built by the four old generals, and they are all as strong as calves.

Guaranteeing them home for the end of the year will surprise the adults in the family.

Especially the royal relatives and the children of the family, they themselves can't believe that all this is true.

The originally weak eldest grandson Chong, Fang Yiai and others can now nibble on four breads in one meal, not counting a small pot of rice soup and a big bowl of meat and vegetables.

Not to mention Wei Chi Baolin, Cheng Chumo and others, they are all stubble of seven or eight breads, so they still cry out early in the morning every day, looking forward to the early opening of the canteen.

It's just the amount of food for a living piglet. Recently, Tao Ran has been eating even more, shaking his head every day.

The reason is simple, the cost of food is seriously beyond the budget at the beginning.

But no matter how nervous you are, you can't help but let these growing children have a full stomach.

There was no way to raise more funds, and reality forced Tao Ran to continue to make his business bigger and stronger.

So Tao Ran put his business on coal.

As a traverser, I know that somewhere in Shanxi in the later generations, a random shovel will be a black shiny carbon block.

Although the cost of transportation will be very high now, there is no shortage of labor.

Hundreds of laborers, plus thousands of unsuccessful candidates who volunteered to stay.

Tao Ran has the possibility of creating great wealth in his hands.

What's more important is that there is a huge treasure buried at the bottom of the back mountain of Nanshan Academy, which Tao Ran found by chance after a rainstorm, and the black and shiny coal was washed out of the ground by the flood on the mountain, which made Tao Ran really excited.

Although vigorous mining will cause more dangerous natural disasters such as landslides at the bottom of the mountain, Tao Ran knows that as long as the bottom of the mountain is mined, the safety factor can still be guaranteed.

In this era when there is no guarantee of deep mining technology, the safety factor is higher when it is ensured that there will be no collapse accidents.

The winter in Chang'an is particularly cold, and the best coal is definitely a scarce resource that Chang'an residents are crazy to buy.

It is no problem for him to use the palace of His Majesty Li Er first, and to get the mining rights of coal in the case of Longyan Dayue.

Besides, if there is no coal in the academy, these future flowers of the Tang Dynasty will not be frozen.

As the dean of the college, he definitely doesn't want to see this scene.

After Tao Ran made a plan, he rode rhubarb to the palace.

Rhubarb is now awesome, and it is the only horse in the entire Tang Dynasty that can freely enter and leave the palace.

Tao Ran was able to ride on him a lot, at least saving a lot of cumbersome reporting and waiting links.

"Your Majesty, the Marquis of Chang'an is here."

Yang Hao, the chief attendant of the inner chamberlain, gave a message to His Majesty Li Er, who was in the imperial study to approve the folds.

"Oh, Kuaixuan, I haven't seen the Marquis of Chang'an for a long time."

His Majesty Li Er put down the fold in his hand and said.

"Minister An Marquis Taoran, see Your Majesty."

Tao Ran entered the imperial study and said respectfully.

"Aiqing, hurry up and excuse me. There must be something big going on when you enter the palace today, right? ”

His Majesty Li Er's eyes were like torches, and he looked at Tao Ran and asked gently.

"Your Majesty, the minister is indeed here today to start an important matter."

Tao Ran replied truthfully.

"Oh, Chang'an Hou might as well say it directly, isn't the prince and Changle naughty in the academy? To tell you the truth, I and the Queen miss them so much! ”

His Majesty Li Er said with emotion.

"Your Majesty, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Her Royal Highness the Princess have performed very well in the academy, and they are worthy of Your Majesty's blood! The prince has made great achievements in martial arts and the art of war, and the princess has a tendency to surpass the eldest girl in terms of medical skills, which is really amazing to the ministers! ”

Tao Ran replied truthfully.

"Chang'an Hou? Is that really the case? ”

His Majesty Li Er stood up excitedly, his voice trembling slightly.

The mentality of hoping that the son will become a dragon and the daughter will become a phoenix has existed since ancient times, and it is also the eternal expectation of parents for their children!

As His Majesty Li Er, he is in the position of the Son of Heaven, and he is not exempt from vulgarity.

"Your Majesty, the ministers dare not deceive Your Majesty, what Wei Chen said is true, and when they return to the palace after the end of the year, Your Majesty will know when they see it."

"Okay, Chang'an Hou has worked hard, I'm very happy, let's say, what's the matter to negotiate with me today?"

The shrewd His Majesty Li Er changed his words and cut to the point.

"Your Majesty, the minister is preparing to mine, and the profits are not only used for the expenses of the college, but also for His Majesty's taxes, and the mines mined by the minister will be supplied to the palace free of charge every year, ensuring that Your Majesty, the queen and the concubines can live a warm winter."

Tao Ran replied truthfully.

"Oh, in this way, Chang'an Hou is preparing to mine coal?"

His Majesty Li Er asked happily.

"Your Majesty, Weichen has this intention. However, the minister needed some iron to make tools for digging coal. A shop is also required. ”

"As far as I know, the production of coal is very small, so the palace and the ministers burn charcoal in the winter, which also leads to the high price of charcoal, because the production of charcoal is even more limited. If Chang'an Hou can really mine coal, I can't ask for it, I can't ask for it, this is a great thing for the benefit of the country and the people. I'm 10,000 to support you in starting a business. I'll solve the problem of iron. The problem of the shop is not a problem at all, Chang'an Hou, you can build it on both sides of your shop. ”

His Majesty Li Er was overjoyed, and said with a smile.

"Your Majesty, the minister is confident that the people of the entire Chang'an City will use coal for the winter this year, and the people will not be frozen in the cold winter."

"What Chang'an Hou said is exactly what I think. I don't know why, Chang'anhou can do everything for the sake of the people, every sentence can be said to my heart, I can be a good minister like Chang'anhou, it is really my luck. You are here today, and I have something to ask you for your opinion. ”

His Majesty Li Er said solemnly.

"Your Majesty, please speak, Weichen listens."

Tao Ran replied respectfully.

"The Lufu rebellion case has come to an end, and it is waiting for the three divisions of the Criminal Department, Dali Temple and Yushitai to be tried. When the evidence is conclusive, there is no chance that they will get away with it. It's just that I wonder if there is something secretly going on in the other families, because lately I have felt too calm, and all the families have begun to behave with their tails between their legs, and they have lost their previous arrogance and unstoppable manners. Chang'an Hou helped me analyze the truth in this. ”

His Majesty Li Er looked at Tao Ran and asked.

"Your Majesty, the minister thinks that Your Majesty can take advantage of the victory to pursue and continue to put pressure on them."

Tao Ran pondered for a moment before replying.

"How do you keep pressing?" His Majesty Li Er immediately became interested, and asked excitedly.

So Tao Ran smiled and told His Majesty Li Er about his thoughts.

"Chang'an Hou Dacai! Only Chang'an Hou can come up with such an idea, and I am very relieved. Nanshan's coal mine Chang'an Hou is mined. ”

His Majesty Li Er laughed happily and said.

"Thank you Your Majesty for this, the academy is busy with affairs, so the minister will retire first."

"Don't worry, the queen has prepared winter clothes for the prince and Changle, just come over today and bring them together."

"Obey."

So Tao Ran obtained the winter clothes of the prince and Changle in the Lizheng Palace.

was pulled by Empress Changsun and asked about the careful interrogation, which was nothing more than the recent situation of the crown prince and Princess Changle.

Tao Ran had to repeat what he had said to His Majesty Li Er again.

"If that's the case, Chang'an Hou is really bothered. can make Chengqian and Changle make such great progress. ”

Empress Eldest Sun said happily.

"Queen Mother, who can make the royal brother and sister make such great progress?"

While talking, a meaty little fat man came to the Lizheng Palace.

"The sons and daughters see the queen mother, and say hello to the queen mother."

"Qingque, this is the Marquis of Chang'an, whom you often talk about, and also the teacher of your imperial brother and sister."

Empress Eldest Sun cordially took Li Tai's hand and said.

"The Minister Marquis of Chang has seen His Royal Highness the King of Wei."

Tao Ran said to Shi Li, the master of calligraphy and painting recorded in the history books.

"Qingque has seen Chang'anhou, Qingque has admired Chang'anhou for a long time, and I can see it today, and finally I have a wish of Qingque."

The chubby little fat man Li Tai said like a little adult.

"Chang'an Hou, you don't know. Qingque, the child, saw how sad Cheng Qian and Changle were to study at the academy, and he also wanted to go to the academy to study, but was rejected by His Majesty because he was too young, so Qingque cried for a few days. ”

Empress Eldest Sun couldn't hide the smile on the corner of her mouth when she said it now.

"The queen mother is making fun of Qingque again, Qingque only heard Chang'anhou's poetry on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, and was completely impressed by Chang'anhou's talent, I don't know if Chang'anhou is willing to accept Qingque into the college next year, so that Qingque can study under the teacher."

Li Tai's eyes flashed, and he looked up at Tao Ran and asked.

The fact that the crown prince Li Chengqian and Princess Changle were able to follow the Marquis of Chang'an in front of them so firmly to study at the academy was enough to prove his talent and charm, and both the father and the queen mother praised this person, which strengthened Li Tai's determination to apprentice to the Marquis of Chang'an.

How could Tao Ran bear to refuse a sincere request from a child less than eight years old. Looking at a pair of clear and pure eyes in front of him.

Tao Ran nodded deeply and spoke.

"When the school starts next year, the teacher will come to pick you up in person."

"Thank you, teacher." Li Tai said respectfully. Then he turned to look at Empress Eldest Sun excitedly. "Queen Mother, Qingque has finally become a student of Chang'an Hou."

Empress Eldest Sun lovingly stroked Li Tai's head, but there was an indescribable taste in her heart.

What happened to my own children? Why are you in a hurry to worship Chang'an Hou as a teacher?

"Teacher, please go back to the academy and greet the royal brother and sister on behalf of the green sparrow, the royal sister is the best for the green sparrow, and she thinks about the green finch if she has anything to eat, only after the royal sister enters the academy, no one gives the green finch good food, and the green finch has lost a lot of weight."

Li Tai said aggrievedly.

Li Tai's words made Empress Eldest Sun and Tao Ran laugh.

"The teacher must bring the words of Qingque to Princess Changle, and when Qingque enters the academy next year, the teacher guarantees that you can eat fat, and there are many delicious foods in the college."

Under Li Taiyi's reluctant gaze, Tao Ran left the Lizheng Hall and returned to Nanshan Academy.

The winter clothes handed over to him by Empress Changsun were sent to the dormitory of the crown prince and Changle respectively.

Changle couldn't help but ask on Twitter, and when he learned that his father and queen mother were well, and Qingque missed her very much, Changle had a happy smile on his face.

On the contrary, the prince is much more stable, and more and more often, this little prince has begun to calmly not show his joy, anger and sorrow on his face.

Tao Ran returned to the bottom of the mountain and summoned Zhang Ming to the location where he had discovered the coal mine.

handed a few shovels made for himself by the Ministry of Industry to Zhang Ming and others.

"Dig down from here, and you guys will dig together in the shape of a deep pit."

Tao Ran gestured as he walked.

"Don't worry, Master Hou, the little one knows how to dig."

Zhang Ming quickly understood what Tao Ran meant and replied.

Within a quarter of an hour, the voices of the laborers were heard.

"There's something under Master Hou, and I can't dig it."

Hearing this, Tao Ran hurriedly walked over, and sure enough, the laborers' shovels were full of black coals.

Tao Ran was overjoyed. "Just because I want these things, Zhang Ming organized people to take turns to excavate, and from today on, the wages of workers will be doubled."

Tao Ran's words filled the laborers with strength, and since they followed Chang'an Hou to work on the farm, their income has been rising month by month.

Now their income has surpassed the income of many shop guys in Chang'an City, which they never dreamed of before coming to the farm.

Moreover, Chang'anhou also provides free accommodation and accommodation, and the accommodation conditions are quite good.

"At night, I let the kitchen kill the pigs and open meat for the brothers." Tao Ran's next words made the workers cheer completely.

Nowadays, the taste of pork is fatter than that of beef and mutton, and under the improvement of Hou Ye, pork has subverted their previous perception of pork.

"Come on, big guy, you have to be worthy of Lord Hou's salary and the pork slaughtered for us." Foreman Zhang Ming shouted loudly.

Tao Ran once again came to the Ministry of Industry to find Yuan Weilei, the waiter of the Ministry of Industry, this time Tao Ran brought Yuan Weilei a whole pig's head meat, you can't go empty-handed every time and return with a full load.

"Help me build a hundred shovels, this is allowed by His Majesty, these silver cakes are the money for raw materials and the hard work of craftsmen, don't be polite to me this time, otherwise I won't teach you to recognize drawings in the future."

Tao Ran said with a smile.

"Okay, but a hundred shovels is not a small amount, it will take a few days." Yuan Weilei replied truthfully.

"No hurry, no hurry. Ten days later I will bring someone to fetch it. Tao Ran said goodbye to Yuan Weilei and returned to Nanshan Academy.