It was too late that day, and Karl would not be able to go to the vegetable garden until tomorrow, and although he was a little unhappy, he finally agreed. Piyu and I left the Doge's Mansion and headed back to the town.

We went to the house first, but when we saw that the door was locked, we thought that my father and Anne were in the garden, so we went to the garden again.

Sure enough, when we arrived at the garden, my father and Anne had just come down from the mountain with the craftsmen, and when they saw us returning, everyone was very concerned about the outcome of the trip.

Pi You laughed and told the chef in the cafeteria to cook a big meal for everyone today, put more meat and less vegetables.

Hearing this, the craftsmen cheered, and they stayed in the garden day and night, doing all manual work, but eating only coarse tea and light rice.

It's not that my father was stingy, a vegetable garden was far from enough to support these craftsmen and workers, and my father did his best.

Hearing that there is meat to eat today, I am naturally very happy, and the face tanned by the sun blooms with a smile, but under the glow of the sunset, the face full of dust is even more vicissitudes.

Hearing that Pi You wanted to arrange for everyone to have a good meal, his father knew that the trip was very smooth, and he said loudly: "Fathers, there has never been a chance to announce a big thing, today I also happened to borrow people are talking about it, Kyushu Mining was officially established, Pi You, is our president, all the craftsmen are under the management of Pi You from now on, it is really worthy of our pride, Kyushu Mining was established, and actually invited a princess to be the president, this may be something that I didn't dream of as a vegetable farmer, I also want to make a statement here, from now on, This family is headed by Piyou, and I take a few of my former workers to tend the vegetable patch every day."

A craftsman laughed: "Uncle Shen, if you don't say that you are still open-minded, and your foreign daughter-in-law is in charge, this is also the first in our entire Qing Kingdom." ”

The crowd laughed.

My father also smiled and said, "It can't be counted as the first one, before that, our family was also headed by a daughter-in-law." He glanced at Anne, and that look was full of affection. The two of them have gone through hardships and wandering, and perhaps they can finally enjoy their old age at this moment. I saw that my father, who had never been smiling, was also joking, and Anne didn't seem to understand, she just looked at him, and he smiled, and she was happy.

Pi You said generously: "Fellow workers, since Kyushu Mining has been established, from tomorrow, we will come out of the vegetable field, dig the pit, mine the rough stone, process jewelry and jade, and go back to our old business." We are a family, naturally we can't treat everyone badly, I have asked Uncle Shi to draw up a payroll, we are all artists who have eaten at the Crown Hotel, and the net worth is naturally indispensable, Uncle Shi means that everyone can give a little, it doesn't matter if you don't give, but I think Kyushu Mining can't use everyone in vain, I plan to give everyone five pounds each. ”

Five pounds is a lot, and it takes a top chef like Fat Chef to earn twenty pounds a month, and Nemo and I hunt an adult wild boar for three or four pounds most of the time. The workers employed by my father in the vegetable garden were only paid two pounds a month.

After Pi You finished speaking, craftsmen, you look at me, I look at you, and they didn't speak, this may be a scene that all presidents and general managers have never seen, how can no one applaud when the salary increase is announced?

Uncle Shi blinked his eyes and said, "Lady president, I have something I want to inquire with you." He was used to calling a little girl like Piyou a girl, and just now he heard what his father said about the president, so he called out together.

Pi You said: "Uncle Shi, you say! ”

"We usually spend copper coins over there, and the rich man's house will hide some silver, how much is this pound worth by you?"

It suddenly dawned on Pi You that these Chinese craftsmen didn't know what the exchange rate was, and it was estimated that many people didn't know what the pound was. She smiled and said to Uncle Shi: "In China, how many catties of rice can you buy for a day's work?" ”

Uncle Shi said: "We don't count it by day, it is paid monthly, the foreman will give five copper plates every month, and five copper plates can buy a bag of millet, as for the small worker, it is different, some give two, some give one, and more are just about food and not money, hey, it is already good to be able to eat over there, and when you meet a kind boss, you will give half a bag of millet at the end of the year." To be honest, we can work here, we are quite content, it doesn't matter if we give money or not, at least Lao Shen won't let us starve to death. ”

Pi You couldn't help but be a little moved when he looked at these craftsmen, "Uncle Shi, I don't dare to say more, five pounds can buy at least ten bags of rice in Aoxuan." ”

At this said, the eyes of the craftsmen instantly lit up, and they cheered and exchanged ears, and each of them had a happy face, for they saw hope in Pi Xuan.

Pi You said: "In order to let everyone work with peace of mind, let's first pay everyone this month's salary in advance." As he spoke, he took out some pounds and handed them to Uncle Shi, who was embarrassed and said, "I didn't do the work, how can I give the money first." Although he said this, Uncle Shi, who had been poor all his life, only said politely and began to pay the craftsmen.

The craftsmen carefully held the grip in their hands, some in their trouser pockets, others unbuttoning their clothes or belts and putting them in their close-fitting pockets.

"In addition," said Pieu, "I will have a batch of jeans ordered tomorrow, which is a very strong and durable trousers, and when I traveled in the United States, I saw that many people wore them, so that at least we would not be wearing international clothes like we are now." ”

Pi You said that the Universal Costume can only be regarded as taking care of everyone's self-esteem, and the craftsmen are wearing tattered clothes, and if someone says that they are a group of rice flowers, no one seems to doubt it.

Uncle Shi smiled, "There are clothes to wear, that's great, whether it's good or not, the key is to be strong." ”

"Okay, from now on, even if our Uncle Shi is the foreman, he will arrange work for everyone. It's been a busy day, let's eat. ”

There was another burst of cheers from the people, and they all went to the cafeteria with their bowls.

Pi You took it from the bag in my hand and handed it to my father, "Uncle Shen, this is today's income, you can count it." ”

The father opened the bag and looked at it, startled, "So many!" He also became agitated and handed it to Anne.

Anne didn't look at it, just smiled and said, "It's good to make money!" But he stuffed the money to Piyu, "Didn't you say it just now, you will have the final say in the future, so it is best for you to keep this money." ”

Piyu suddenly burst into tears, and she hugged Anne and began to cry. "Annie, you're so nice!"

With a smile on his face, my father beckoned to me, and father and son walked into the cafeteria together.

The chef served a bowl of rice to the two of us, and my father seemed to be in a particularly good mood today, and he stretched his waist, "Hey, am I really old, and it's time to retire as a farmer?" ”

"That's okay, I'll accompany you to hunt in the wasteland in the future, at this time, anyway, Piyu is in charge, I think she is better than you." I said as I ate.

My father pulled his chopsticks on my head, "You don't grow up, you know how to play." "Although he was still as serious as ever, I could clearly feel the strength of my father's hands.

He sighed, as if to say to me, and also seemed to be talking to himself: "Lin Gong once said that the humble did not dare to forget the country, although we are now a cloth cloth, but we must also have the worries of the world." Now I grow vegetables every day, and the news outside is even more closed, and I don't know what happened to the Qing Kingdom now. ”

I slapped the table, "By the way, father, don't you say that I forgot, Mr. Tanaka from the Japanese Martial Arts Museum gave me some newspapers today, saying that there is some news from China in them." ”

When my father heard this, Huo De stood up and said, "Show it to me." ”

I hurriedly took out the newspapers, thinking to myself, fortunately I didn't throw them away, but I didn't expect my father to really need these newspapers, or to get some news from China.

He didn't eat, but looked by the light. These newspapers are both Chinese and Japanese. The old stonemason came over, "Old Shen, is there any news from home?" ”

The father looked at it a few times and frowned: "This hand of the United States is incomprehensible. Uncle Shi, you also refer to it in detail, the President of the United States approved a bill to return part of the Gengzi indemnity to our Great Qing Kingdom, which is really strange. ”

Old Uncle Shi stretched out his ears to listen, and shook his head repeatedly: "How is it possible, when the eight-nation alliance army entered Beijing, and later Li Zhongtang signed a treaty and lost money, the Chinese alone want to pay people one or two silver, if I want to say that this Li Zhongtang is really generous enough, and the devils of the eight countries want to be really ruthless." ”

Father shook his head, "What power does Li Zhongtang have to sign a treaty, it's nothing more than Lafayette's instructions, he should be the scapegoat." ”

I asked, "Dad, you were falsely imprisoned because you pulled a gun against this Li Zhongtang in the court, why do you still say good things for him now?" ”

My father smiled bitterly and said: "Li Zhongtang and I only have different political views, but we are both dedicated to the country. This Li Zhongtang is far more flexible and agile than me, so Lafayette is willing to explain many things to him. During the years when I was arrested and imprisoned, I listened to Tan Junji tell me an interesting story about Li Zhongtang's visit to Europe. Because of the signing of the contract, Li Zhongtang became scolded by thousands of people, hated by thousands of people, and the black gauze hat of the Beiyang Minister and the Governor of Zhili naturally could not be saved. But not long after, Tsar II of Russia became emperor, and Lafayette saw that Li Hongzhang was idle and had nothing to do, so he gave him an errand and asked him to go to Russia as an envoy. ”

Uncle Shi said: "Those foreigners are going to be greeted from afar. ”

I asked, confused, "Why?" ”

Uncle Shi said with a smile: "If he sees Li Zhongtang, he will be happy, and then sign a treaty or something, wouldn't he make a lot of money." ”

I laughed, halfway through it, and I didn't dare to laugh anymore when I saw my father's bitter face.

But my laughter attracted the craftsmen, and everyone gathered around them, curiously listening to my father talk about the dusty past.

The father sighed: "Uncle Shi, although you are telling a joke, it is true. When Li Zhongtang arrived in Europe, he was really treated as a guest by everyone. When he was in St. Petersburg, according to diplomatic etiquette, he wanted to raise the Chinese Russian flag and play and sing the national anthem, but not to mention that our country did not have a national flag and national anthem at that time, so Li Zhongtang temporarily hung up the Yellow Dragon Flag, and temporarily selected a seven-way poem to adapt it, accompanied by ancient songs, and used it as the national anthem in diplomatic etiquette. Later, this poem national anthem became the national anthem of the Qing Dynasty on foreign occasions, and was called "Li Zhongtang Music" by foreigners. ”

I couldn't help laughing again, "Dad, I didn't expect that you also taught me to recite the national anthem of our Great Qing Kingdom, and I clearly remember that poem was written like this." The golden palace is heavy in purple pavilion, and the cactus is on the jade hibiscus. The Taiping Son of Heaven is facing the sky, and the five-colored cloud car drives six dragons. ”

Father nodded: "Yes, this poem describes the scene of the ancient emperor worshipping the emperor on the first day of the first lunar month, the first two sentences first write the magnificent style of the royal palace, the Jinluan Hall is solemn and majestic, the Chaoyuan Pavilion is overlapped, and the dew plate is towering into the clouds. The last two sentences write the extraordinary style of the Son of Heaven's travel, the royal car is finely carved and decorated, colorful, six horses, tall and majestic, and the spirit is magnificent. It expresses the poet's praise for the peaceful and prosperous times and the Son of Heaven who brought them to the peaceful and prosperous times. Looking at it now, Li Zhongtang and his entourage chose this poem as the national anthem, perhaps because they wanted to show a peaceful and prosperous scene of a country in front of foreigners, or an expectation that their country would regain its peace and prosperity! ”

A man said disappreciatively: "These poems are crepe, and the common people can't understand them, so it's better to sing a song of "Jasmine" from my hometown." ”

The father smiled at the man, "You, you, Li Zhongtang's visit to Europe represents the Qing Dynasty, and the reason why he temporarily chose a poem as the national anthem is also to maintain the face of the Qing Dynasty everywhere." The "Jasmine" you said is a small tune song that arose in the folk of the Wanli Dynasty in the Ming Dynasty, which first appeared in the most fleshy love poem "Hanging Branches", and came from Zhang Sheng's teasing Cui Yingying's little yellow song, the so-called flower picking is to flirt with women, or how to call it a flower thief, the dignified "prime minister" of the Qing Dynasty, Li Zhangtong, who respected Confucianism, went to a foreign country to sing a small yellow song, wouldn't it make people laugh off their big teeth? ”

Everyone laughed, and the man scratched his head embarrassedly.

"Okay, these are also some interesting things I heard Tan Junji talk about in prison, who knows if it's true or not, maybe future generations will really make up the story of Master Li running to Europe and the United States to sing a little song. I just can't guess which one the Americans played when they returned the Gengzi indemnity and built the Tsinghua Academy? ”

Uncle Shi stroked his beard and said, "As the old saying goes, a weasel gives a New Year's greeting to a chicken - he doesn't have a good heart." ”

Piyu walked in here, and when he heard his father talk about it, he frowned: "How can an American vomit something that eats something in his stomach?" There is a big conspiracy here, and the Americans are afraid that they will put a long line and catch a big fish. ”

The father did not speak, but picked up the newspaper again and began to read it.

Suddenly, his whole body trembled, and he stayed there in a daze!

Everyone was stunned by his expression, and Pi You secretly pulled me, "Worm, your father won't have epilepsy, right?" ”

I whispered, "Pull it down, your father is just smoking sheep's horns!" ”

"And what's going on with him now?"

"I don't know, there must be something very important in the newspaper."

By this time, my father was already in tears with the newspaper, and he ran to the front with the newspaper in his hand, knelt down towards the north, and then cried loudly.

Everyone was very strange and ran out one after another, and the old stonemason ran over and said in a trembling voice: "Old Shen, what did you say?" ”

The father cried over the paper he was holding: "The newspaper says that the emperor has died!" ”

The old stonemason was shocked when he heard this, and he glared and asked, "Really! ”

The father wept and nodded: "It's true! ”

All of a sudden, the craftsmen were all on their knees, facing north, the older ones weeping, and the younger ones expressionless.

Piyu secretly asked me, "What happened to the death?" I whispered, "It's dead." Then he felt that his father was kneeling, and he was not fit to stand, so he pulled Piyu's clothes and whispered, "Kneel!" ”

Pi Youqi said: "Your emperor is dead, why should I kneel?" ”

As soon as I heard it, it was also the case, Piyu was originally an Ottoman princess, and there was really no reason to kneel to the emperor of the Qing Dynasty.

The old stonemason said with tears in his eyes: "Old Shen, look at it again, what is going on." ”

The father said, "The newspaper said that the day after the emperor died, Lafayette also died. ”

The old stonemason let out an "ah" and said worriedly, "That...... That...... The emperor and the queen mother have collapsed, so who can still control the country! ”

With tears in his eyes, his father said, "I'm afraid that the Qing Dynasty is really going to die," and he said, pointing to the newspaper, "The new emperor is a three-year-old child!" ”