The person selling breakfast was an old man in his fifties, with a hunched back and wrinkles on his face that showed the vicissitudes of time.

The business of the breakfast stall didn't seem to be very good. The old man was quite excited when he saw four customers coming.

The old man only sells mutton soup for breakfast. Large pieces of mutton and mutton bones are cooked in a large iron pot. The aroma is rich and makes Cao Liang move his index finger.

"Old man, here are four bowls of mutton soup."

"Okay!" The old man quickly poured out four bowls of mutton soup and brought them to the table.

There are several large pieces of mutton floating in the milky white soup. The mutton is large and generous, each piece is at least two taels. The aroma of the mutton is permeated in the cold wind. It is so delicious to drink a bowl on such a cold morning.

The hot mutton soup is simply a pleasure.

The only shortcoming that Cao Liang felt was that there were no chili peppers in this era, but a large amount of green onions and ginger were added to the mutton soup, which could also ward off the cold and increase the aroma.

The soup was rich and mellow, and the mutton was soft and flavourful. Cao Liang devoured it with great pleasure. Chang'an is close to the Hu area, and the Hu people eat more beef and mutton, so the food in Chang'an has the customs of the Hu people to some extent. Even the tables and stools on the breakfast stalls are

There is almost no difference from the mats of later generations, and it is essentially different from the mats that Han people usually sit on.

"Old man, how much is it?"

"Ten cents a bowl, total forty cents."

The price was so low that it was beyond Cao Liang's expectation. Cao Liang touched his sleeve, took out a piece of broken gold, and handed it over. Copper coins were stupid and heavy, and Cao Liang usually wouldn't carry them.

The old man looked at the piece of gold and found about one tael. One tael of gold was equivalent to about one thousand copper coins. The old man did not dare to take it and said sadly: "Sir, I am running a small business and I can't find this gold for you."

Cao Liang turned back to Yang Hu and Du Yu and said, "Have you brought any copper coins?"

Yang Hu and Du Yu both shook their heads. They came out in a hurry today and didn't bring any money at all. They thought that since Cao Liang was treating him, there was no need for them to bring money. What Fang Bu was carrying was a bigger piece of gold.

I didn't prepare any copper coins at all.

Cao Liang was also at his wits' end. After all, Cao Liang was not short of money. He brought some gold just to be prepared for emergencies. Copper coins were really heavy to play with. If he brought too little, he would not be able to do anything. If he brought too much, just a bunch of money would make people happy.

worn out.

This place is not too far from the bank's silver building. Cao Liang could go there to exchange money, but Cao Liang had time to do it. He simply slapped the gold on the table and said: "Old man, it doesn't matter if you can't find it. This way

Well, I’ll just leave this piece of gold here with you. It’s a reservation for your mutton soup. Let’s eat it next time we come over.”

When the old man heard this, he shook his head and said, "That's not possible. One piece of gold is worth a thousand dollars, and that's a hundred bowls of mutton soup. Old man, I don't even know if I can cook it for that long."

Cao Liang asked curiously: "Isn't it possible that I haven't been doing this business all year round?"

The old man looked gloomy and said: "Sir, you have also seen that my business is bleak, and basically no one cares about it. Maybe I will close down that day."

"Uncle, your mutton soup is delicious, are you worried that no one will patronize it?"

The old man smiled bitterly and said: "Your Majesty, you don't know. This bowl of mutton soup can be exchanged for two buckets of rice. How can ordinary people be willing to eat it? Old man, I only slaughtered a few sheep raised at home to prop up this stall. When I wait,

If the mutton is sold out, maybe it will go out of business."

Cao Liang said: "Let's do this. I'll keep your sheep and send it to the Governor's Mansion later."

When the old man heard this, he was surprised and happy. They were from the Dudu Mansion. No wonder they were so generous. Originally, the old man was worried about selling the mutton every day, but today he met a noble man. The old man was very kind to Cao Liang.

Many thanks.

Cao Liang said curiously: "Old man, since you don't make a living selling mutton soup, what do you do for a living? Do you have land for farming at home?"

When the old man heard this, he looked gloomy and said: "To be honest, my surname is Zhang, old man. I was originally a garrison soldier in Beitun. Because the garrison was abolished and there was no more land to farm, I was forced to do some small business, and my life was precarious."

Cao Liang couldn't help but his eyes lit up. It was hard to find anywhere, and it took no effort to get it. He accidentally ate a bowl of mutton soup, which was sold by a veteran in the field.

Now Cao Liang urgently needs to know the status of the field. In the past, the supply of grain and grass on the entire front line of Yongliang relied entirely on the supply of the local field. In Yongliang and Huainan, the two front lines fighting against the enemy, the field was the best.

.

But how could such a well-run farmland be in such a dilapidated state?

Cao Liang took out another piece of gold, threw it to Old Man Zhang, and said, "Old man, this piece of gold should be considered as compensation. How about you take me to the former Beitun you mentioned to have a look?"

Old man Zhang repeatedly excused himself and said: "No way, no way, sir, what you just gave us is too much. It's just a guide, and it doesn't cost anything. How dare I charge you so much money, sir?"

Just take it back, and as for Qian Beitun, I will definitely take you there, old man."

Cao Liang could feel the deep simplicity in Old Man Zhang. He smiled and said: "Old man, there is no need to be polite. There will be many things that will trouble you in the future. I hope I can give you some advice."

Old man Zhang had no choice but to accept the gold and thank him profusely.

Since Qianbeitun was still a long way from Chang'an, Cao Liang asked Yang Hu to go back and fetch the horses and bring a few more soldiers. Since he was leaving the city, for the sake of safety, Cao Liang decided to bring a few more men.

After leaving the city and heading east along the Wei River, Old Man Zhang said curiously: "Why did the young master think of going to Qianbei Village? The fields there have been abandoned for a long time, with weeds everywhere and nothing to see at all."

Cao Liang asked: "When was this former Beitun abandoned?"

Old man Zhang said: "It wasn't long, it was only two years ago."

"How can a good farm be abandoned just like it is?"

Old man Zhang shook his head and smiled bitterly: "Sir, you don't know something. Among the five villages in the Qianying camp, Qianbeitun is the last to be abandoned. Qiannantun and Qianxitun were abandoned a few years ago. After they were abandoned,

, the government can declare it as ownerless land. After those wealthy families get it, they can just reclaim it and turn it into fertile farmland. However, with just such a reversal, the fields that were originally owned by the officials have become the property of the wealthy families.

private property."

Only then did Cao Liang suddenly realize that the fields that had disappeared inexplicably were not really abandoned, but had been plundered by wealthy families through unknown means, turning the fields that originally belonged to the imperial court into personal property. It was indeed a good plan.
Chapter completed!