The textile mills started from the previous year, and last year they were greatly developed, among which Li Su and various families and several big businessmen were the leaders, and each of them had no less than 1,000 people under its name, especially Li Su and several well-prepared big businessmen, the number of people in their factories had already exceeded 2,000 people, and the cloth produced also accounted for the majority of the market.

The development of textile mills is closely related to the promotion and planting of cotton, since Li Su used the need to conquer Goguryeo as an excuse to let the imperial court promote cotton planting in the Tang Dynasty, the output of cotton has almost risen at a rocket-like speed, and by virtue of this shareholder wind, Li Su has set up a large textile factory, and the construction of textile mills has naturally further stimulated the output of cotton, after all, cotton does not occupy fertile land, and it is drought tolerant, which can be described as a very ideal cash crop.

Zhang Liu works in a textile factory under Li Su's name, of course, she didn't know that the young newspaper gentleman in front of her was her boss and His Royal Highness King Qi of the Tang Dynasty.

"Sister-in-law Zhang, how long do you have to work in the textile factory every day?" Li Su then asked, although he could also get an answer from Wang Zihao, but this was an interview, so it was natural to have an interview.

"This is not necessarily, although the regulation is to work five hours a day, but if the materials are sufficient, we generally have to work overtime, but there is also overtime pay for overtime, so although it is tiring, there are many people who are willing to work overtime." Zhang Liu replied with a smile.

"So what is your current income and can you support your family?" Li Su asked a question that even Li Zhi was very concerned about.

"Hehe, when I used to be an ordinary female worker, I could get half a square of money every month, and a family of four could save a little, but I could also cope with it, and now I have been promoted to the team leader who manages ten people. I can get about 800 wen a month. Coupled with the various benefits of the New Year's holidays, as well as the cost of overtime, there is no problem in supporting a family now. And you can save a few dollars in your hands, and occasionally you can cut some meat for your children to eat. Zhang Liu replied very calmly, and when he spoke. He also had a satisfied smile on his face, clearly satisfied with his current life.

However, after hearing each other's words, whether it was Li Su or Li Zhi, the two fell silent, it was not easy to live in Chang'an, the prices in the city were originally higher than those in other areas, and with the development of industry and commerce in the past two years, the income of ordinary residents increased, but with it. is the rise in prices, 500 Wen for a family of four for a month, which makes both of them a little unimaginable.

Next, Li Su asked Zhang Liu a few more questions. But the subject slowly shifts from her work in the factory. Slowly changed to the comparison of Zhang's sister-in-law's life before and after entering the factory. Speaking of her previous life, even Sister-in-law Zhang, who had always been optimistic, became a little sad. After her husband died, in order to feed the whole family, she was washing and cooking for people day and night, but despite this, the whole family was still hungry and full, and even had a record of a few days without cooking.

Later, thanks to Li Su, she was helping people cook in the coal mine at first, then washing bottles in the cannery, and finally entered the textile factory. Now her biggest wish is to save some money, and then raise her two children, marry a daughter-in-law for her son, find a good in-law for her daughter, and then she can retire at home.

After listening to the words of Zhang Liu, a simple woman, Li Su turned his head to look at Li Zhi, and found that the other party blinked his eyes, his eyes were full of confusion, obviously, this was the first time he came into contact with the people at the bottom of the society, and it was also the first time he heard such a simple but great life plan, and it was even no exaggeration to say that this may be the first time Li Zhi thought that there was such a way of living in this world?

After asking all the questions that should be asked, Li Su also took notes seriously, although his hand dog crawling words even Li Zhi couldn't look down on, but in the eyes of Zhang Liu's mother-in-law and two children, there was a flash of envy and awe, after all, in their opinion, as long as they are literate and write, they are the existence they need to look up to.

After closing the notebook and cleaning up the pen and ink, Li Su looked at the sky and found that it was almost time for dinner, and Li Zhi next to him also stood up, looking like he wanted to leave with him. However, Li Su did not stand up, but took out a note from his arms, and then handed it to Zhang Liu's hand and said: "Sister-in-law Zhang, this is today's interview fee, although it is not much, but it can be regarded as a piece of our newspaper's heart, please be sure to smile!" ”

Sister-in-law Zhang took the note, she recognized that this was a change issued by the imperial court, and with this exchange, she could go to the government to exchange it for copper coins, but it was a pity that she was illiterate, and she didn't know how much it was, and she was embarrassed to ask. I just heard Li Su say that it was the cost of the interview, and it was not much, so I accepted it.

Next, Li Su and Li Zhi are leaving, but Zhang Liu has to leave them for a meal, after all, two scholars can come to her house as guests, which really makes the family flourish, how can they not stay for a meal?

Li Su originally wanted to excuse himself, but when he saw Li Zhi, his eyes rolled, and he deliberately excused himself a few times before agreeing. The reason why he took Li Zhi in this interview was to let him know more about the lives of the lower-class people, no matter whether he could inherit the throne in the future or not, it was not a bad thing to learn more about the people's suffering.

Li Zhi is a child, as a prince, he has tasted all kinds of deliciousness, but it is the first time to be a guest in the home of a poor person like Zhang Liu, and he also wants to taste it, what is the difference between what the poor people eat and what he usually eats?

Taking advantage of the opportunity for Zhang Liu's mother-in-law and daughter-in-law to cook in the kitchen, Li Zhi leaned into Li Su's ear and whispered: "Sixth brother, this family lives so hard, and you are so rich, but you only give them consistent money, isn't this too much deduction?" ”

"Cut, what do children know, no matter how hard and poor Sister-in-law Zhang has been in the past few years, but she is also a person who has worked hard to carry it, such women have backbone, if you give too much, people will not accept it at all, and this has always been a lot of money for them, I am worried that after Sister-in-law Zhang knows, she may not accept it." Li Su knocked on Li Zhi's head and said with a lesson.

Li Zhi pushed away Li Su's hand with a dissatisfied face, rubbed his head and said: "If you don't give it, you won't give it, but the life of this sister-in-law of the Zhang family is really not easy, a woman with two children, and a mother-in-law to raise, and she happens to work in the factory of the sixth brother, it is always easy to raise the salary, right?" ”

"Do you still need to say it?" Li Zhi glanced at Li Zhi, but then said to him with a straight face, "Ninth brother, although Sister-in-law Zhang's family is pitiful, but you have to remember that there are thousands of people in this world who are more pitiful than them, and we met today, so I will help her, but this can only solve the suffering of the family, in terms of the standards of the saints, at most it can only be regarded as Xiaoren, but as princes, we can do a lot for the country and the people. The whole society, only the big aspects have changed, and some other details will naturally change with it! ”

Although Li Zhi was young, he could understand Li Su's words, and I saw him say respectfully: "Thank you for the teachings of the sixth brother, the younger brother understands!" ”

Looking at Li Zhi's appearance of being thorough, Li Zhi also nodded with satisfaction, although Li Zhi's character is flawed, but this intelligence is stronger than several other brothers, although Li Zhi in history is not highly evaluated, but in fact, he is also an extremely outstanding emperor, of course, if he can be more decisive, he will definitely not be covered up by Li Shimin in front and Wu Meiniang in the back.

After a while, Zhang Liu's mother-in-law and daughter-in-law served the prepared meal, and it could be seen that in order to entertain Li Su and Li Zhi, the two scholars, they really put a lot of effort into the meal, the staple food is millet porridge and white flour steamed buns, six dishes, in addition to four seasonal vegetables, there are two large bowls of 'special' meat dishes.

One of the meat dishes is steamed fish, and it is still carp, which can make Li Su and Li Zhi cry and laugh, because carp and Li have the same sound, so after their old Li family sat in the country, it was forbidden to eat carp, but although this decree was promulgated, it was difficult to implement, and the princes and nobles naturally could not take the risk of eating carp, but for poor people, it would be good to be able to open meat, no matter what kind of fish you are? As long as you can eat, no matter how lenient the government is, it can't be managed on the dinner table of every household. Therefore, carp is still eaten among the common people, but no one dares to sell it openly, some of them are sold secretly, and the price is also very low.

As for the second dish, Li Su looked familiar, this dish is a burnt yellow dough, which is boiled with some vegetables and tofu, and there is a thick layer of oil floating on top of the dish, which smells fragrant, and even Li Su, who has a sharp nose, can smell a smell of sea. It was this smell of the sea that finally reminded Li Su of what this thing was.

"Two gentlemen, there is nothing to eat in the poor family, but the steamed fish and the whale meat next to it are still good, please use them slowly!" After the meal was served, Zhang Liu's mother-in-law and daughter-in-law did not serve it, but stood aside and said. After all, in this era, women can't be served with guests, and there are no adult men in their family, so they can only let Li Su and Li Zhi eat by themselves.

"Huh? This is also whale meat, why is it different from the one you brought back, Sixth Brother? Li Zhi curiously picked up a dough, looked at it carefully, then threw it into his mouth and chewed it, and found that it was really similar to the whale meat that Li Su brought from Dengzhou, and because of the cooking method, the texture and taste were good, so he was happy and ate several pieces in a row.

Li Su watched his younger brother eat 'whale meat' beside him, but the corners of his mouth kept twitching, wanting to stop it, but he didn't know how to speak, so he had no choice but to let Li Zhi stuff it into his stomach.