Flowers in full bloom

Chapter 175: Lord Pei Sends a Horse

In a pretext, Dianzhuan had eaten more salt than Hualei had eaten rice. Hualei thought these stewed foods tasted good, so she brought them to Lu Dianzhuan to taste and give him some advice on her own stewed foods. Hualei also brought two jars of rice wine from Mrs. Pei's winery.

After Lu Dianzhuan got off work, he was so happy that he had a big mouth. He took Gui Jijiu and Dr. Fu to his home and ate all the chicken gizzards, duck livers and pig intestines that Hua Lei had sent over. Two five-jin wine jars were also placed under the table.

Before long, the purchase menu of the Imperial College Canteen included twice-a-decade orders for braised goods. The braised goods business was booming, but there was still a shortage of goods from time to time, so Hualei had to add braised meat, eggs, and dried tofu. Before long, potato chips and lotus root slices also began to join the ranks of braised goods.

The viscera of chickens, ducks, geese and pigs slaughtered every day once again become a golden channel for making money after processing.

If all the chickens, ducks and geese sent to the Imperial College canteen had to have heads and feet, Hua Lei would definitely have braised the duck heads and chicken feet in new ways for Lu Dianzhan to taste.

The daily delivery of food to the Imperial College canteen began in an orderly manner. With the participation of Tian Changmu's family, Hualei's preliminary work arrangements were also very good. In addition, Tian Xiaocheng and Tian Xiaoquan were both smart, willing to learn, and sweet-talkers, so although the ingredients in the Imperial College canteen would change every day and the quantity would also increase or decrease.

But Hualei's delivery team has never had any problems. The vegetables delivered every time are freshly picked and cleaned without a trace of dirt. The soy products are also freshly made, with a strong bean flavor, the tofu is smooth and delicious, and the dried tofu is firm and compact.

The chickens, ducks, geese and pigs were all freshly slaughtered in the morning, cleaned inside and out without a single stray hair or blood stain, and there was no mention of water being secretly injected to increase the weight of the chickens, ducks and geese. The Imperial Academy was very satisfied, and Hua Lei was also very satisfied, and returned to the Marquis' Mansion with peace of mind.

It was almost the end of December, and there were still more than two months before the New Year. On this day, seven or eight retired soldiers came to Dingbei Marquis's Mansion and asked to see Mrs. Pei, the Marquis's old lady, and they went to Songhe Hall.

Hua Lei had eaten breakfast in Songhe Hall this morning. She was talking to Madam Pei at this time. When she heard that there were retired soldiers who wanted to see her, Madam Pei did not ask her to avoid them. Hua Lei just sat in Songhe Hall and listened to them quietly. The Imperial College was closed that day. Rong Jin, Rong Jue and Xiao Yuan were all in the Marquis' Mansion and were called to Songhe Hall.

It turned out that when old Marquis Pei of Mobei heard that Xiaoyuan and Rongjue had both been admitted to the Imperial College, he was very happy, so he went to the Mobei horse farm in person to pick out two three-year-old ponies, and asked these retired soldiers to bring them from Mobei to Shangjing City. Now the two ponies were tied in the stable of the Marquis' Mansion.

Rong Jue was overjoyed when he heard this, and immediately took Xiao Yuan to the stable behind the mansion to see the foal. Madam Pei did not stop them, and let Rong Jin take the two little guys away. Hua Lei still sat quietly beside Madam Pei, listening to these retired veterans talk.

It turned out that although there had been no major wars in Mobei in recent years, it was occasionally attacked by Beichen Kingdom, especially before winter. Because the winter in Beichen Kingdom in the north was extremely cold and there was no supply of food and fodder, their people and horses could not get enough food, so they would cross the dividing line between the two countries to Mobei to steal rice, food and fodder.

Naturally, the army of the Dasheng Dynasty would fight resolutely and even look for opportunities to raid the enemy, so sometimes it was inevitable that soldiers would be injured and retired. In addition, older soldiers also had to be replaced by new ones, so every year there would be retired soldiers returning to their hometown in the capital.

If they were not injured, it would be fine. They could go home and farm the land with the subsidy from the Ministry of War and make a living. However, the lives of injured soldiers were more difficult. This year, another batch of disabled soldiers would arrive in the capital in four or five days.

In previous years, these soldiers were all supported by the Marquis' Mansion, which placed them in its own pottery workshop, blacksmith shop, etc. However, over the past ten years, many disabled soldiers have been accepted, and now the pottery workshop and blacksmith shop are overcrowded and a little unable to absorb the staff.

Some time ago, at Hualei's suggestion, the Marquis' Mansion opened a winery, which was able to absorb more than half of the accumulated soldiers. Most of them were placed in the winery, and the rest were placed in the expanded pottery workshop.

This year's batch of disabled soldiers numbered about 170 to 180 people, more than in previous years. If they were placed in the Marquis' Mansion, there would really be no place to put them. After hearing the details of the situation from a soldier sitting below, Old Madam Pei felt very embarrassed.

Hua Lei had heard about this matter from Madam Pei before, and she knew that the mansion did not have any workshops to accommodate these disabled soldiers. Seeing Madam Pei's embarrassed look, she spoke carefully, "Grandma Pei, if these people are willing to come to my farm, I can arrange for them. I still need people on my farm."

The soldier sitting at the bottom brightened up when he heard this, turned around and looked, but when he saw clearly that Hua Lei who was speaking was only a child of thirteen or fourteen years old, he turned away in disappointment and said to Madam Pei.

"Madam, we are here to bring letters and horses to the old marquis, and to thank you. For so many years, the Marquis' Mansion has been taking care of our family, giving them money every year to support them and keep them from starving to death. Since the Marquis' Mansion is in trouble this year, how can we shamelessly ask the Marquis' Mansion to accommodate us? This is not the Marquis' Mansion's business."

After a pause, he continued, "Madam, please rest assured. Most of these disabled soldiers are not seriously injured. After receiving the subsidy from the Ministry of War, they should be able to find a job outside. Madam, don't worry."

Madam Pei looked at the old soldier who was speaking, and then at Hua Lei. Although she knew that Hua Lei Manor did need people, these soldiers who had just come off the battlefield were still very aggressive, and she was afraid that Hua Lei could not control them.

Especially since these soldiers themselves were injured, they might have been stimulated more physically and mentally, and their tempers were even greater. If Hualei couldn't control them and subdue them, then the village would be in chaos.

It was not the responsibility of the Marquis's Mansion to place these disabled soldiers. It was the Marquis' compassion. If she insisted on agreeing to place these veterans for the sake of her Marquis's face, it would bring trouble to Hua Lei, which was not what Madam Pei wanted to see.