Xiang Yue Xiang is an old man who is a smuggler of salt!

Zhu Da finally understood what the other party was doing, and the bits and pieces of his memory were also synthesized, which further corroborated this judgment, he had also seen everyone in and out of the house to buy and sell, take in the grain, and exchange it for a small package, but the twelve-year-old Zhu Da knew that's all, how could a teenager care about the trivial matters of oil, salt, sauce and vinegar, and how could he, who had never been out of the village, know about official salt and private salt.

No wonder the people in the village are in awe of this Xiang Yue, and even Li Zongqi's family gave him three points, in the public's understanding, this smuggler is no different from an outlaw.

When I was learning food processing, the teacher talked about the ancient salt politics in class, and specially mentioned a few words about private salt, which made Zhu Da very impressed, because the ancient salt politics is very different from the modern one, and he also learned about it in his spare time.

In this era, the official salt quality is high, in a sense, it is a means of taxation by the imperial court, there may be official salt in the city, and the towns and villages are generally private salt, because the salt goods involve the tax profits of the government, and the ban is very strict, and at the same time, because of this monopoly and ban, the profits of private sales are not low.

Although trafficking in more than one pound of illicit salt is a capital offense in the law, those who really preside over the trafficking of illicit salt are all powerful and powerful, and even have the direct participation of officials.

“...... The risk of selling less than 10 catties is the greatest, maybe you will be caught and killed, and more than 100 catties depends on the means, and this thousand catties is how to get rich......" The teacher's ridicule is still fresh in my memory.

Thinking about Xiang Yue's regular departure from Baibao Village, Li Zongqi turned a blind eye, and the supply of goods was also very stable, he should not be a hawker who ran a single gang, but like a merchant in the village who took goods for distribution at all levels.

Now Zhu Da can figure out these joints, but the villagers of Baibao Village, who have little knowledge, may not, on the one hand, they eat the illicit salt trafficked to Yue, but on the other hand, they feel that the other party is an outlaw, too close will cause trouble, if it is just an old pawn for the rest of his life on the battlefield, he will not be so feared in a border town military region like Datong.

This also explains a question, after Zhu Da and Zhou Qingyun approached, they were very confused about the living standards of the Xiang family, and they could live so well as a hunter to buy and sell leather goods? Eat all the meat yourself? Zhu Da even wondered if the other party was doing some robbery and murder.

The young man in the cart helped to remove the two pockets, which must have been salt, and Zhu Da also noticed that there was a knife on the wheelbarrow, which must have meant to be prepared.

Xiang Yue stared at Zhu Da at the old man, his brows furrowed, and he was about to speak, such an expression confirmed Zhu Da's judgment, and after a few deep chats that day, the possibility of apprenticeship was cut off.

At this time, he heard the sound of the courtyard door and opened it inward, Zhou Qingyun greeted him with a smile and said, "Uncle Xiang, you are back, how is the eighth uncle!" ”

Qingzhuang, who was called "Eighth Uncle", nodded to Zhou Qingyun, Zhou Qingyun immediately noticed that Zhu Da was also at the door, he looked at Uncle Xiang, then at the "Eighth Uncle", and then at Zhu Da, his eyes rolled, and he said with a smile: "Uncle Xiang, Eighth Uncle, Zhu Da's cooking is delicious, I have been following him for the past few days, let's have lunch together today!" ”

Saying this, the young man of the cart was fine, but Xiang Yue was surprised, glanced at the faces of the two teenagers a few times, frowned and said, "Nonsense!" He didn't say anything else, picked up a bag and walked to the courtyard, the eighth uncle also picked up one and followed, Zhou Qingyun came over to help with the knife, and urged Zhu Da, "Come in quickly!" ”

Zhu Da was stunned, hurriedly walked into the door, and nodded to Zhou Qingyun with gratitude, the other party is really a friend, this is to create an opportunity for himself,

"It's so fishy in the yard." As soon as Xiang Yue and the eighth uncle entered the yard, they smelled that the smell was wrong, and people who don't eat much fish are particularly sensitive to fishy smells, Xiang Yue Xiang Lao Han immediately saw a few fish hanging on the shelf, and immediately roared: "Bastard boy, I'm not at home, you're making a fuss!" ”

"Uncle Xiang, Eighth Uncle, this fish is delicious, it's not worse than meat!" Zhou Qingyun was busy explaining, and when he heard this, Xiang Yue and the eighth uncle were suspicious.

Zhou Qingyun frothed at the mouth and explained there, saying that Zhu Da made it delicious, and Zhou Qingyun had no reason to lie to people in this matter, although the two adults didn't believe it much, they didn't stop Zhu Da from approaching the stove.

"Heat up the cakes and steam the dried meat and pickles together." Xiang Yue gave a simple advice to the old man, it seems that he still doesn't believe that Zhu Da can make the fish delicious, but he is too lazy to care, anyway, the fish is not delicious, just use dried meat and pickled vegetables to eat.

Over there, Zhou Qingyun agreed with a smile, and then went straight to the stove, began to cook with Zhu Da, and specially advised: "If you want to learn martial arts, you have to look at this meal." ”

Zhu Da is not so naïve, but this meal is more delicious, which can make Xiang Laohan have a good impression of himself, which is more beneficial to apprenticeship, this week Qingyun is really good, but martial arts can't be said to be reliable, what "Luohan Six Knives", it's too child's play.

After figuring out the occupation of this old man, Zhu Da was a little "generous" in the use of condiments, the smuggler was well-off, much better than the poor farmers, there was no need to be so saving, the fish soup was to save materials and eat more, if you want to say that the taste is good, it is naturally fried and burned, this time it is braised with soy sauce.

When cooking, Zhu Da thought of one thing, these things he did were very similar to playing games back then, and he wanted to increase the goodwill of the Xiang family and his children through this cooking food, and now Zhou Qingyun has increased a lot, how is Xiang Bo's side, it depends on today's meal, thinking of this, he smiled dumbly, but it made Zhou Qingyun, who was adding firewood and grass on the side, inexplicable.

After the smell came out, Xiang Laohan and the eighth uncle came out of the house and came to the stove to take a look, and Zhou Qingyun was even more excited, but there was a hint of complaint in his tone: "You are too bad a friend, such a delicious method has to wait for Xiang Bo to come back." ”

"It was meant to be used today." Zhu Da replied with a smile, there is no need to say things like "save condiments and save money".

Because there are foreigners, this time three fish were used, a pot full of them, the sauce was ruddy, fragrant, and when it was served on the table, Xiang Yue Xiang Old Man and the eighth uncle both swallowed their saliva, and when the first chopsticks were entered, the doubts on their faces were swept away.

"Some people have tried to eat this thing, it is fishy, bitter and smelly, and some people say that the food made in Datong is delicious, no one believes it, and it is so delicious." The eighth uncle was full of praise.

Xiang Yue was more reserved, which may have something to do with his age, he just said simply, "It's delicious." ”

Say more and talk less, everyone didn't eat less, but fortunately, Zhou Qingyun left one for himself and Zhu Da in advance, and these three didn't seem to be enough to eat.

"Next time I'll learn how to do it, this thing is good, it has enough oil and water, and it's not much different from meat." The eighth uncle said a few words.

Xiang Yue Xiang didn't answer this sentence, but sighed, first glanced at Zhou Qingyun, who was gobbling up, and then asked, "Is there really a thief in the mountains?" Could it be a passerby? ”

"How could it be a passerby, I listened to the steward, it was a deserter from the north, there were not many people, but they were bold and ruthless, if it weren't for the fact that there were many people in charge of Zhuangzi, they would have rushed in." The eighth uncle was full of food and had a lot of fun.

Zhu Da and Zhou Qingyun both pricked up their ears to listen, this is not the parents in the village, Xiang Bo's face was even more gloomy, and he said in a muffled voice: "The news from the villages along the road will not be bad, it seems that it is really in the mountains." ”

Speaking of this, Xiang Bo sighed, and said a little dejectedly: "What kind of world is this, the Tartars are here again, there are leopards in the mountains, and there are actually thieves." ”

"Brother Xiang, let's stop hunting in the mountains, don't talk about entering the mountains, be careful in this village, those thieves in the mountains are going to go down the mountain, the steward has already said, and the news from the official will come down soon."

Zhu Da and Zhou Qingyun were ignorant of these words, and Zhu Da didn't understand it, this is so important to go into the mountains to hunt, this thought flashed in a flash, the things to ponder, more precisely, are too many things to reverie, Xiang Bo and this "eighth uncle" chatted with a lot of information, since he woke up, what he has seen and heard and even his memory is only everything in this Baibao Village, his parents' knowledge is also closed, and the information outside is only the faint smoke of the sky, and nothing else.

But in today's conversation, he brought a scaly claw from the outside world, and Zhu Da subconsciously felt that the world was a little more open, which made him very excited.

After eating, the eighth uncle pushed the cart away, the cart was full of two bags of wheat grains, and before leaving, he smiled and said, "Next time I come with good wine, let's eat fish and drink." ”

As soon as the foreigner left, Zhou Qingyun stepped forward with a blank eye, although he hadn't opened his mouth yet, Zhu Da could guess that this Zhou Qingyun wanted to help him beg to learn martial arts, the other party's intentions were good, but the time was not right now, Zhou Qingyun shouldn't open his mouth about this matter, with this old man's insight and character, if he thought that he approached Zhou Qingyun with a purpose, I am afraid that he would be even more disgusted.

But Zhou Qingyun didn't speak, because Xiang Yue Xiangbo's face was gloomy, and he could see that he was thinking about something that was not easy to do, and what he did at this time would have the opposite effect.

In the end, Xiang Yue Xiangbo glanced at Zhou Qingyun first, and then said to Zhu Da: "You go home!" ”

The tone was not good, and he waved his hand to signal, Zhu Da didn't say anything, but Zhou Qingyun was a little anxious, but he didn't say anything after seeing Xiang Bo's face.

Walking out of the courtyard of Xiangjia's house, he heard behind him, "Go into the house, I want to ask you ......", Zhu Da raised his head and exhaled, I am afraid that the road of apprenticeship will be broken in a short time, he is very depressed and unwilling, but he has no resentment, because this is also a matter of course, why should I accept you as an apprentice, the ability of others to settle down, no relatives and no reason, just for these few mouthfuls of fish to teach you?

Think about yourself and the Xiang family, young and old, I'm afraid that it is only in these ten days to talk and deal with each other, I used to be like strangers, I didn't know each other for ten days, why should I accept apprentices and teach them.

Zhu Da thought about it while jogging, in the final analysis, he still has to rely on himself, no matter what, he has exercised his body first, he has initially established a friendship with Zhou Qingyun, the road is not over, just continue to be optimistic.

After handing over the grain, it is said that it is a slack, but the family still has to prepare for the winter, and it is not yet time to rest, the same is true for the Zhu family and his wife, after Zhu Da finished exercising, he went to hide the puddle by the river a little, and then went home with the harvest, these days the fish was eaten, Zhu Da's parents were already looking forward to dinner, and there was no doubt about Zhu Da's craftsmanship.

On the edge of the stove, Zhu Da and his mother Zhu Wang's were busy, and after returning home, he did not show a trace of frustration and unwillingness, there was no need to let his parents worry, and in this busyness, Zhu Da felt that his mood had improved.

"Is the little brother of the Zhu family at home?" A voice sounded outside the courtyard gate, but it was Xiang Yue's voice.