Weishui Pier has been very busy recently.

After the Mid-Autumn Festival, the late rice in Jiangnan Province is harvested, and after it is dried, grain merchants go to buy it.

Although grain prices have dropped because this year's rice production has more than doubled compared to last year, for families who grow Nanyang rice, their income has almost doubled.

Of course, in order to prevent grain prices from falling further and causing low prices to harm farmers, Donghai Fisheries also specially arranged ships to go to Suzhou, Hangzhou and other places to purchase and transport rice.

Li Kuan's long-planned promotion of alcoholic beverages can finally take a solid step forward.

"Your Majesty, please try this new wine, it's very strong."

In the brewing workshop, Wu Meiniang personally brought a glass of freshly brewed wine for Li Kuan to taste.

The Shaodaozi served in Prince Chu's Mansion is now regarded as the strongest drink in the Tang Dynasty.

However, not everyone likes this kind of spirit, and the price is relatively high, so now that food is relatively abundant, the brewery has immediately expanded its scale and is preparing to launch various types of drinks.

"Well, the alcohol content of this wine is enough. However, if you want to take the high-end route, you still need to cellar it, otherwise the taste will be a bit strong. In this way, we will decide based on the quality of the rice and the quality of the brewed wine.

Distinguish the level of drinks. Wuliangye, which takes the high-end route, must use the best raw materials, use the best spring water, and have the glass workshop specially make glass bottles for packaging. As for the Erguotou of this size, it doesn’t matter, as long as it is strong enough

That’s fine.”

The previous Shao Daozi had already gained a reputation in Chang'an City, and now that the higher-priced Wuliangye and the cheaper Erguotou were launched, Li Kuan was not worried that there would be no market.

However, what he values ​​most is not the market in Chang'an City.

"By the way, after these Erguotou came out, they immediately arranged for people to be sent to Liangzhou quickly, and asked Ma Zhou to find a way to promote them to the grasslands. The herdsmen around Liangzhou have made a lot of money in the past few years. Erguotou is so good.

It’s time for them to taste the food.”

One pound of Erguotou consumes about two to three pounds of rice, so the cost is actually not high.

However, on the grassland, Li Kuan was prepared to sell it for at least several hundred pennies per catty.

Alternatively, you can exchange cattle and sheep for them.

"My lord, you are treating those barbarians as fat sheep and slaughter them every once in a while."

When Wu Meiniang heard what Li Kuan said, she knew what he was planning.

The Hu people here generally live in places with extremely cold winters, and they have a natural affinity for high-alcohol wine.

"They are raising sheep and cattle peacefully. We buy their wool, provide them with tea, cloth, fine wine, and fine porcelain. They should be grateful to me. How can you say that you are doing this, Mei Niang?"

How about killing them? You still need to improve your consciousness."

As soon as Li Kuan's words came out, Cheng Jingwen on the side immediately turned her head and pretended that she had not heard anything.

Wu Meiniang and Qing'er were also speechless for a while.

My prince is good at everything, but sometimes he is a bit thick-skinned.

"I heard that during this period, there are many more women and children in Xue Yantuo in the West Market. Your lord, does this matter have something to do with you?"

Cheng Jingwen asked softly from the side.

Unlike Wu Meiniang, Cheng Jingwen didn't know much about Li Kuan's plans outside, and it was more difficult for her to accept some special methods.

However, in any major event in the Tang Dynasty that had something to do with barbarians, Li Kuan's shadow could be found in almost all corners of the world. Cheng Jingwen was not stupid, so she asked this question.

"Why does Jingwen have such doubts? These Xue Yantuo women and children lived a life of cold and starvation on the grasslands. Now they have arrived in Chang'an City. Although they were sold into slavery, at least they don't have to worry about not having enough to eat or sleep well.

As for the Tang Dynasty, the pockets of many craftsmen and common people have bulged up in recent years. Whether it is marrying wives, taking concubines, or buying slaves, the demand is very strong. The arrival of these Xue Yantuo people is a win-win situation.

"

Cheng Jingwen:......

"Your Majesty, we brew wine on such a large scale, which consumes a lot of food. Will the imperial censor jump out to impeach us again?"

Wu Meiniang cleverly changed the topic to other places.

Throughout the dynasties, wine making was actually discouraged, and sometimes even prohibited.

Therefore, Wu Meiniang's doubt is actually something that is very likely to happen.

"We mainly use rice to make wine. The promotion of double-cropping rice in Jiangnan Province this year was very successful. Next year, without any further encouragement from the court, more people will plant double-cropping rice. By then, the rice production will further increase.

If we don’t purchase a large amount to make wine, farmers will have a bumper harvest but not a good one.”

Li Kuan naturally would not make money for himself, so the people did not have enough food rations.

This was not his intention in making wine.

In fact, in Li Kuan's opinion, the Tang Dynasty had every way to ensure that there was no shortage of food.

With a population of less than 100 million, occupying such a vast land, there is still a lot of fertile land that has not yet been developed.

Of course, no matter what era you are in, you will never really dislike having too much food.

It's just that Li Kuan needs to find a balance.

"You are right in whatever you say, prince. No wonder the nobles in Chang'an City love and hate you."

Cheng Jingwen complained speechlessly.

…

In the most prosperous area of ​​Liangzhou City, a new restaurant has been opened.

On the day of the opening, all officials from Liangzhou came to support it, and the momentum was huge.

Even the most stupid person knows that this restaurant called "Ajinomoto" is special.

Therefore, no one is needed to maintain order. No one in Liangzhou City has ever dared to cause trouble here.

"Chief, this Ajinomoto roast lamb is much better than what we have eaten before. It is really worth the price."

Tuoba Yong held a roasted lamb chop in his hand, chewing it while his hands were full of oil, while talking to Tuoba Cheng.

Now, with Tuoba's slave-catching team of nearly a thousand men, Tuoba Yong and Tuoba Cheng can be regarded as equal figures in Liangzhou City.

Recently, they received instructions to deal with a group of Xueyantuo tribes along the Yellow River.

Before setting off, they came to try out Ajinomoto, which had just opened a few days ago.

"It's normal if it tastes good. I heard that Ajinomoto is the top restaurant in Chang'an City, and many of the dishes in it are spread from the Prince of Chu's Mansion. If you think about the dishes that His Highness the Prince of Chu can appreciate,

How bad can it be?"

Tuoba Cheng took a sip of the strong wine in the glass, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and chatted with Tuoba Yong while tasting the food.

Don’t think that Hu people don’t have any pursuit of delicious food.

When it comes to delicious food, people all over the world have the same reaction.

"What you said, chief, seems to be correct. This is the product of the cooperation between the Prime Minister of Ajinomoto and the Prince of Chu. No wonder so many big shots in Liangzhou City came to attend the opening ceremony of Ajinomoto. I heard that Ma Changshi

If I want to entertain guests, I always choose Ajinomoto now. If someone invites me to dinner, if I don’t go to Ajinomoto, I won’t be able to ask him out now.”

There is no such thing as airtight in the world.

In addition, what Tuoba Yong and the others said was not a secret, so naturally word spread quickly.

"I heard before that Shopkeeper Wang from the Chu Palace came to Liangzhou to promote spices, attracting many leaders of nearby tribes to buy them. In recent years, more and more spices have been shipped from Chang'an to Liangzhou. In my opinion, with this

After Ajinomoto, the land of northwest really ushered in the peak of spice use."

Tuoba Cheng also bought spices in Liangzhou a few years ago. However, because everyone has not fully mastered the skills of using spices, and the spices are expensive, many people are reluctant to buy them a second time after buying them once.

.

However, now, various exquisite dishes of Ajinomoto have made everyone realize the importance of spices again.

I think it will definitely be easier to promote spices in the future.

Liangzhou is not only a necessary place for the Silk Road, but also an important node with the hometown of Tuyuhun and surrounding tribes. Countless barbarians come in and out every day.

These Hu people with bulging pockets are still very willing to spend money on food.

No wonder Ma Zhou asked Northwest Trading to open a shop next to Ajinomoto, specializing in selling various spices.

Even, in order to reduce the difficulty of using spices, Ma Zhou also specially made prepared seasoning packets.

This fool-like cooking method is most suitable for those barbarians.

"Chief, the greater the influence of the Chu Palace's related industries in Liangzhou, the easier our lives will be. When the Tang Dynasty completely conquers tribes such as Xue Yantuo and Western Turks, we can directly join the Tang Dynasty household registration and become a

A true Tang Dynasty man. When the time comes, I will also go to Chang'an to buy a yard and enjoy the feeling of being in heaven."

Although Tuobayong is not tired of his current life, he obviously yearns for Chang'an more.

The Hu people of this era, especially those around Liangzhou who were greatly influenced by the Tang Dynasty, all have a dream of Chang'an in their hearts.

It is their ultimate dream to settle down in Chang'an one day.

"Don't worry, according to this trend, Xue Yantuo and the Western Turks will not be able to survive for a few more years. However, His Highness the King of Chu may have other arrangements for us by then."

Tuoba Yong now has extraordinary knowledge. While frequently capturing barbarians around Liangzhou, he also keenly felt that the Tang Dynasty's national power advantage was becoming more and more obvious.

To put it bluntly, there is no one around Datang who can be its enemy.

Even, Datang was fully capable of winning several local wars at the same time.

"I heard that the Guanshishan Academy run by His Royal Highness the King of Chu in Chang'an City is the best academy in the Tang Dynasty. When my two boys grow up, I must send them to Guanshishan Academy to study. As for me,

I will sell my life to His Highness the King of Chu."

"Tch, His Highness the King of Chu doesn't even remember who you are, so stop putting so much money on yourself. It's better to go on this trip and perform well. Maybe your opportunity will come."
Chapter completed!