It's not easy to support a family. Jian Ning, who only made some money by writing books, felt poor again after buying a house and buying a series of things. Especially in the afternoon, when the craftsmen are counting the labor, this feeling is even more profound.

The status of craftsmen in the Ming Dynasty was not high, but the labor cost was very high. In addition, some related materials are not cheap. In the end, it is a second-hand house to buy, no matter how well it is maintained, some places still have to be done.

Therefore, although the work can be done in two days, the silver is indispensable. After enduring the pain and taking out another five taels of silver, classmate Jane, who was sitting at the desk, couldn't help but sigh that it was not easy to survive, and the code words couldn't be stopped!

"Sir, Fuda is back."

Li Niang reported at the door, "The saltpeter and candles you asked for have been bought." ”

"Whoa."

Jian Ning put down her pen and walked downstairs, and couldn't help frowning when she saw the little saltpeter on the table, "Why is this saltpeter?" ”

Fu Da looked frightened, "Sir, this saltpeter is controlled by the imperial court, and the pharmacy only has a small stock, and it has been obtained from several stores here." ”

Jian Ning squinted her eyes and said secretly in her heart: "Then the saltpeter in the cold drink shop is not controlled?" Sure enough, in Daming, you still have to talk about connections. ”

He didn't speak, only nodded slightly, "Then let's put it first, I'll think about it in two days." ”

"Sir, what do you want so much saltpeter?"

Li Fu said curiously: "I heard that saltpeter will cause diarrhea when eaten. ”

"Smack", as soon as he finished speaking, he was hit by Li Niang in the back of the head, "What are you talking nonsense about?" Don't you know this? ”

As he spoke, he saluted again and again to make amends, "Sir, don't worry about him, this kid is a wild child......"

Jian Ning waved his hand and said, "Don't be nervous, it's all your own family, you don't have to be so restrained when you speak." Besides, he was not wrong, but I asked for this saltpeter not to be eaten directly, but to make cold drinks. ”

"Cold drinks?"

Mosquito coils appeared in the eyes of the three people, "Did Mr. say that it is a cold drink from a cold drink shop?" ”

Second Brother Jian stuck out his tongue and head, "Sanniang, I want to eat cold drinks, frozen sour plum soup, it's hot to death." ”

Jian Ning chuckled and said, "Naturally, it's a cold drink in a cold drink shop." ”

After a pause, he looked at the saltpeter on the table, thought for a while, and said, "Go and get a basin and a sea bowl, and draw some water, and the sea bowl will be cold and white." ”

"Whoa."

A few subordinates are curious, could it be that Mr. will still make cold drinks?

Saltpeter ice production began in the late Song Dynasty, and in the middle of the Ming Dynasty, there were many cold drink shops in major cities in the summer. It's just that the ancient Chinese people regarded the craft as an heirloom and easily ignored people, so many people did not know that saltpeter could be used to make ice.

What Janinen needed was quickly brought in. She put the bowl of the sea in which it was boiled and put it into a wooden basin with the water from the well, poured all the saltpeter into it, and after a while, the water in the bowl began to freeze in the eyes of several people.

At first, it was a thin layer, and then after a while, it condensed into lumps, which frightened several people's faces pale, and their mouths said again and again: "Immortal, immortal ......"

Jian Ning shook her head, "The ice cubes in the cold drink shop are also made like this, where is the immortal art?" It's just that they hide these methods to make a fortune and don't want others to know about it. ”

"Sir is such a good method, even know this!"

Zhang Niang couldn't help but admire, "Scholars are really different." Those vulgar people only think that they are holding mountains of gold and silver, but they do not know that there is everything in the books of the sages, but the gentlemen have pity and do not want to compete with them. ”

Jian Ning smiled and didn't answer.

The gentleman in your old man's mouth is precisely the culprit of the end of the Ming Empire. For example, the ban on the sea. How much treasure did Zheng He bring back from his trip to the West? But that group of people can open their eyes and talk nonsense for their own selfish interests, and when the capable emperor is gone, even the blueprints of the treasure ship will be burned, and the last chance for China to rise in the world will be lost, so that future generations can't help but sigh when they see this history: If it wasn't done at that time, maybe it wouldn't be so miserable later.

It's a pity that history can't be repeated, and then the opening of Longqing to the sea in the future is a similar situation. Obviously, the state finances and the people's income have changed because of this, but in order to monopolize the benefits of sea trade, the group of scholars and doctors insisted on turning the white into black.

In the nearly 300-year history of the Ming Dynasty, there were far more literati than other dynasties, and at the end of the Ming Dynasty, there was a joke that "the water is too cold". Qian Qianyi, the leader of Donglin, met the Qing army entering the customs, and his temperament was not even as good as his prostitute and concubine Liu.

asked him to commit suicide by jumping into the lake together, and even said such shameless words as the water was too cold. If this is the case, it is conceivable that other literati can be identified.

Fortunately, the atmosphere is still good at the moment, and I don't have to worry about these things. It's useless to worry about it anyway, it's better to live your own little life.

"This wooden basin will be taken out to dry again, and the saltpeter in it can be reused. In two days, I asked someone to buy some more, and I made some ice basins in the house, so that the house would be more comfortable. ”

Jian Ning instructed, "Go buy some plum hawthorn, make some black plum soup, and everyone will drink it later." ”

"Whoa."

And it came to pass after two days, that the day had come to feast on the neighbors. Jian Ning had changed her clothes early and put on the hedge. No way, she is not married yet, unless she voluntarily combs it up and never marries, otherwise as long as she wears this women's dress, she still has to wear a good fence in front of the public, otherwise it will be immoral.

This is not Wangjia Village, and the rules in the city are heavier than in the countryside.

The streets were full of tables and chairs, and the neighbors knew about it when they went to share the sugar yesterday. Knowing that the new neighbors had to do errands today, they lent their tables and chairs one after another, and many servants came over early in the morning to help, so that Jian Ning could feel the warmth of the neighborhood at that time.

The daughters-in-law surrounded Jian Ning and praised one after another, "Oh, Jane's lady, you are dressed like an immortal in a painting, you are so good-looking!" ”

Jian Ning smiled and saluted, "Thank you ladies and daughters today, we will have a drink in the courtyard later, happy and happy." ”

"That's a must! This housewarming is a great event, and they will all be neighbors in the future, today, we are not polite to you, and we have a good meal! ”

The spicy ladies laughed one after another, and talked about Jian Ning's marriage as they spoke, "Hey, those country women don't know anything, and you don't have to worry about them as a lady of the Jian family." If you want to aunt, your conditions are so good that you are in the sky, and you are afraid that you will not find a man to hold up the façade? Although a son-in-law is recruited to come to the door, there is no need to be angry with the mother-in-law, and he is comfortable! ”

"That's it, that's it! Lady of the Jian family, can you buy this big business by yourself, and you are literate and hyphenated, where do you need to marry someone? Find a man to come to the door! I think your brother is also very good, although he is a little stupid, but he is honest, and his appearance is also thoughtful, if you find a girl for him, Aunt Bao will be on him! ”

Jian Ning's face was embarrassed.

Feelings, whether it's a 21st century aunt or a 16th century aunt, love to worry about these things?

From the perspective of these ancients, Jian Ning and Second Brother Jian are definitely older young people, and they didn't have any conditions before, but now that they have conditions, marriage is naturally the top priority.

However, when they opened their mouths, they were recruiting sons-in-law, and their remarks that they were not angry with their mother-in-law surprised Jian Ning.

Sure enough, it is Jiangnan, where the capital is budding, and the daughters-in-law in the city have realized the benefits of women's independence. It is no wonder that this kind of thing became popular in the middle of the Ming Dynasty, and by the way, it was derived from Guangzhou, Fujian Province to Jiangsu and Zhejiang.

Shaking his head slightly, he opened the topic and said: "The weather is a little hot today, I asked Mrs. Zhang to make a chilled black plum soup, and the aunts will eat some to get rid of the heat first, and you will have to be busy later." ”

"Howler! Don't worry, keep it for you! ”

The flowing water seats in the street were opened, and the neighbors in the square came to congratulate them, and Jian Ning, as a member of the family, naturally wanted to go out to say hello.

When they saw the person who went out to greet them wearing a hedge, a group of neighbors were still a little surprised. After all, there are too few women who can support their own families these days.

Jian Ning saluted, said a few words, and went home under Zhang Niang's escort. And those neighbors handed the gifts they brought to Li Niang.

The ancients still exchanged heavy gifts, and naturally they couldn't be empty-handed when they came to eat the banquet, and they had to follow the order. Those who have money will give a penny, and those who have no money will also bring a few eggs.

How much is not informal, it is a mind.

The old gentleman who can write in the shop sits at the door and writes down the things sent by each family, which is a favor, and which family will do something in the future, will have to be returned.

Not long after Jian Ning entered the house and sat down, Xiaoqi and Fang Zheng in the workshop came.

Jian Ning hurriedly stepped forward to greet him, Xiaoqi was in charge of this street, and he was a character who could not be offended. Therefore, when these people came, they had no gifts, and they had to give a few pieces of silver to seek refuge.

Fang Zheng, Xiaoqi and others naturally can't sit with those ordinary people outside, so opening another table in the main house is regarded as a distinguished guest treatment.

After a while, Hu Yanshu also came over with a gift, this is his benefactor, and naturally he is also sitting at the table in the room. However, due to the difference between men and women, the two of them spoke at a long distance.

Xiaoqi Zhou Panda was a little surprised, this little lady actually knew Hu Yanshu?

Although Hu Yanshu's parents are gone, but after being a famous minister, he was born in a prestigious family for hundreds of years, and he still has fame, although Xiaoqi is not small, but he does not dare to hold it up in front of the reader.

Seeing Hu Yanshu coming, he immediately got up and gave his hand again and again, "Oh, this, isn't this Bai Wenzhai's Hu Gongzi?" ”

Hu Yanshu glanced at Zhou Panda and said with a smile: "I almost forgot, Maxiang is your old manager, and my sister will have to take care of you in the future." ”

Zhou Pan was taken aback, subconsciously looked at Fang Zheng, saw Fang Zheng blinked slightly, and had a number in his heart, so he arched his hand and said, "Where to take care of it?" Maintaining law and order in this workshop is the next duty, and Hu Gongzi tortures me! ”

Hu Yanshu chuckled, "Zhou Xiaoqi is known in the justice workshop, you and I have to drink a few more drinks today, my sister's life is hard, and I will have to bother you to take care of it in the future." ”