Fanning asked in a low voice, "Are all the sea pearls on the market processed like this?" ”

Jiang Xianling said with a smile: "Most of the sea pearls are not very round, if you pick a round and large sea pearl, it is the best Kun pearl, one is worth a thousand yuan, and it is generally paid as a tribute to the Son of Heaven, which is rarely seen in the market."

And like this, natural sea pearls are used for a little processing, rounding, and polishing, which belong to the high-grade Kunzhu, which is as big as a longan, and it costs three or five hundred yuan for a piece, but it can be bought on the market.

Again, it is the artificially cultivated sea pearl, which belongs to the medium-grade Kunzhu, its gloss is not as good as the natural sea pearl, and the connoisseur can distinguish it, and the same longan is large, and it also costs fifty or sixty yuan.

Smaller lower grade Kunzhu also costs thirty or fifty times, no matter how small it is, there is no more, we don't sell it, so there is a saying in the Beijing jewelry market, saying that Kunzhu is as small as a cherry, that is, the smallest Kunzhu is as big as a cherry, and the smaller one than a cherry is not Kunzhu. ”

"Every year, the income of residents is very good!"

"Almost, the raw materials of sea pearls are monopolized by the government, we pick out the best sea pearls to pay tribute, and the rest is divided into countless packages, everyone draws lots to buy, in fact, they are all about the same, a sea pearl, the government keeps two percent of the profits, private people take three percent of the profits, and the remaining fifty percent of the profits are transportation, jewelry stores, etc., we don't care."

Fanning then visited the farm, the school, and the county government, and it was still early, so he did not spend the night in Qi County, but got on a boat and went to Han County.

Fanning stayed in Kunzhou for three days, and on the last day he traveled to Tang County in a horse-drawn carriage.

Tang County is the first county seat established by his novice, and he has a deep affection for Tang County, which has also left him too many good memories.

The official road was very wide, and Fanning was surprised to find that the wheels of the carriage were actually made of iron, and there were rubber tires on them, no wonder it was stable, fast and comfortable.

"There are only two of these rubber iron-wheeled carriages in Kunzhou, one is the special seat of the mine supervisor, and this one belongs to the government office, which is specially prepared for distinguished guests, and even the lower officials go out on horseback."

"The conditions in Kunzhou are good, why not buy a few more?"

Zhao Qin smiled bitterly and said: "Don't hide it from Your Highness, this kind of rubber iron wheel is more used in the military, even if it is civilian, it is mainly to meet the use of dignitaries and the palace, it is difficult to buy it in the market, the mine supervisor is given by the palace, and we still have a lot of favors to get it." ”

Fanning is right to think about it, the key is that the production of rubber tires is not large, and priority is given to meeting the military, especially steel ballistas, which are not much in the civilian market, and this kind of rubber tires will gradually become popular after at least twenty or thirty years.

He thought for a moment and asked, "Is there a connection between Kunzhou and Beidao?" ”

"A few years ago, Kitajima came to Kunzhou to buy a batch of horses, but then they didn't come, but Akita and Kitajima often have contact, and every time Kitajima comes to Japan, merchant ships usually go to Akita to buy a batch of ponies."

"This kind of rubber iron wheel is also produced in Beidao, and I will ask the merchant ship to bring fifty pairs over, and you can assemble it yourself, you can load fifty carriages, and compensate each county government for two, and the rest can be used as a fixed mail car, what does Governor Zhao think?"

Zhao Qin was overjoyed, and hurriedly said: "It's best to teach us to repair the car together, if the tire is broken, we are helpless." ”

Fanning smiled, "Yes, when I send the wheels, I will teach you how to repair the car as well." ”

.........

Fan Ning and his entourage arrived in Tang County at dusk, this time, Fan Ning did not let Zhao Qin accompany him, only brought two entourages, wearing ordinary green clothes and long shirts, just like foreign merchants, and calmly walked into the city.

At this time, it has been five or six years since he last came to Tang County, Tang County has not changed much, the whole county seems quiet and warm, walking on the stone road, there are bright Japanese girls with bright eyes and teeth in the shops and taverns on both sides.

Fan Ning walked into a tavern that he used to frequent, originally called Kunnan Tavern, but now renamed Xu Kee Restaurant.

Walking into the door, the shopkeeper who always sat on the counter and dozed off was gone, replaced by a young woman of twenty-six or seventeen years old, who looked quite beautiful, but her eyebrows should be a Japanese woman, she was wearing Song Dynasty costumes, and it was very likely that she was a Japanese girl who had obtained Song Dynasty citizenship.

As soon as Fan Ning walked in, the female shopkeeper greeted him with a smile, "Welcome to the shop." ”

As soon as she looked up and saw Fanning, she was stunned, "You.... Aren't you Fan Zhizhou? ”

"The female shopkeeper still knows me?"

The female shopkeeper nodded again and again, she looked at both sides, no one paid attention here, she hurriedly said, "Please sit upstairs!" ”

Fanning followed the female shopkeeper upstairs and sat down, and the female shopkeeper brought him sake and said in a low voice: "Do the officials remember me?" I'm with Aya, and my name is Xiaowen. ”

Fan Ning vaguely remembered that Aya had a good friend named Xiaowen, and the two were from the same village, and they were the first batch of Japanese girls to come to Kunzhou.

"I seem to have a little impression that Aya was almost bullied at that time, did you report me?"

"That's me!"

The female shopkeeper was very excited, "Official, how is Aya now, I know she married you, what about her now?" ”

Fan Ning was also very happy to meet the old man in his hometown, he smiled slightly: "Aya gave birth to a son for me, he is seven years old, their mother and son are very good, and now in the far south, I am an official there." ”

"She's lucky!" The female shopkeeper sighed softly: "I was so envious of her at that time, why didn't I marry an official?" I also like officials! I cried for days. ”

Fan Ning was moved in his heart, patted her hand, and comforted her: "You are not bad, you are actually the shopkeeper, this is your restaurant?"

The female shopkeeper gently held Fan Ning's hand, "Actually, I am in charge, and the officials also know him." ”

Fan Ning was stunned, he thought about it, and suddenly asked, "Could it be Xu Qing?" ”

Xu Qing was Zhu Pei's personal guard to Fan Ning, and later stayed in Kunzhou, and there has been no news for more than ten years.

"It's him!"

Fanning was overjoyed, "Where is he now?" ”

The female shopkeeper was gloomy, "He died of illness two years ago, it was a wound left by his youth, and he had been thinking about the official before he left." ”

Fanning's nose was a little sour, he met Xu Qing when he was twelve, he was already forty years old at that time, and in the past twenty years, Xu Qing died in his sixties, which is not an early death, but he didn't get to see him for the last time.

"Does he have any descendants?"

"His eldest wife died early, did not give birth to him, but I gave birth to two sons, and now they are all studying, the child's father left us a house and this restaurant, there are two acres of land outside the city, life is very peaceful, I am also very satisfied, if there is any difficulty, his apprentices will come to help."

"Need I help you with something? You're welcome, I'm not boasting, there's nothing in the world that I can't do. ”

The female shopkeeper said in a low voice: "My father-in-law's greatest wish is to be buried with his mother, if the officials can help, I want to go to Wu County and move his mother's bones to Kunzhou, so that his wish can also be achieved, and our family can stay in Kunzhou forever, to be honest, we don't want to leave." ”

Fan Ning nodded, this request is not excessive, he knows that it is difficult for the people of Kunzhou to return to the Song Dynasty, and it can only be allowed with special approval, like the case of the female shopkeeper, it is generally not approved, but say hello by himself, it is not a big problem, it is estimated that Zhao Qin does not know the relationship between Xu Qing and himself.

"What about you? Do you have any difficulties that you need my help with? Fanning asked with another smile.

The female shopkeeper glanced at Fan Ning shyly and nodded, "Of course there is, I want to ask the official to fulfill one of my wishes." ”

Fan Ning asked his entourage to take a hundred taels of gold, wrote a letter on the spot, and put it on the table with the gold and said: "It is generally very troublesome to move the grave, you take this letter and go directly to the Wu County Official, they will give me a few thin noodles, and they will definitely help you make proper arrangements, in short, you don't have to worry too much, as for going to the Song Dynasty, I will say hello to the prefect and the county order, you can take the first boat back next spring, as for this bit of gold, I leave a little heart to Xu Qing's descendants, give them the use of marrying wives in the future, you can accept it!" ”

The female shopkeeper refused to accept it, Fanning had to accept it, and she had to accept it.

Fanning took out another pearl, handed it to her and said with a smile: "This is what I gave you for Aya, otherwise, Aya will complain about me when I go back." ”

The female shopkeeper did not refrain this time, took Mingzhu and whispered: "I would rather be sent to me by the official." ”

Fan Ning smiled slightly: "Since you care so much, then treat it as if I gave it to you." ”

…………

Early the next morning, Fan Ning told Zhao Qin about Xu Qing, and Zhao Qin promised that he would properly arrange for Xu Qing's wife to return to the Great Song Dynasty to move the grave.

Fanning boarded the ship and left Kunzhou, leaving the land he had worked so hard into, and he didn't know what year and month it would be when he came back.