The beginning of the story of the Tang Dynasty's Imperial Son-in-Law: A rhinoceros comes knocki

Chapter 115 A Lesson Learned

When Wang Zhihuan woke up the next morning, it was already broad daylight.

He lay on the bamboo mat and stared at the roof beams for a long time.

Grey wasn't by the pillow; a shallow dent was pressed into the corner of the blanket.

Ah Huang's tail drooped down from the foot of the bed, swaying with each breath.

My body still feels tired and weak.

Yesterday's whole day of sitting still didn't take up physical strength, but it did take up mental energy.

Sitting in the side hall of the county government office, with a cup of cold tea in front of me, watching the sun move from east to west outside the window, that feeling was more tiring than doing a day's farm work.

He rolled out of bed, put on his shoes, and went to the kitchen.

Xiaoman was already boiling water, and the flames in the stove made her cheeks glow red.

Tie Dan squatted by the well to wash his face, water splashing all over him, muttering something under his breath.

As usual, Dalang sat under the jujube tree, holding the Three Character Classic, and recited it softly.

Everything seemed normal. It was as if nothing had happened yesterday. But he knew that things might not be so simple.

Wang Zhi scooped up a ladle of water to wash his face and sat down under the jujube tree.

Xiaoman brought over a bowl of porridge. The millet porridge was thick and creamy, with a layer of rice oil on top. He took a sip; it was scalding hot, but it warmed his stomach and his heart.

"What about Pinellia?" he asked.

"I'm drying the medicinal herbs in the backyard." Dalang put down his book. "I spread out the Poria cocos that I harvested last night to prevent them from getting damp."

Wang Zhi nodded and said nothing more.

He was halfway through his porridge when he suddenly put down his bowl and leaned back in his chair.

What happened yesterday cannot be left unresolved.

A fall into a pit, a gain in your wit. He suffered a loss, so he needs to understand why he suffered the loss.

A person shouldn't fall in the same place twice.

To be honest, as a time traveler, he's somewhat disgraced the profession.

His peaceful life had dulled his sense of vigilance.

Yuwen Ren summoned him because he had taken in orphans without proper registration.

He genuinely didn't know this law; after all, no one is perfect.

It's been almost a year since he transmigrated here. He's been busy farming, brewing wine, and practicing medicine, thinking he's living a sensible life, but he hasn't even figured out the most basic rules.

What if something else happens next time? Or the time after that?

He closed his eyes and brought up the Merit System panel.

Balance: 1040.

enough.

He opened the redemption list and found that section.

"Exchange for 'The Great Tang Code with Commentary', 240 remaining"

A warm current flowed into my mind.

It's not like a flood that overwhelms everything, but rather like a gentle stream that seeps in bit by bit.

A vast amount of information, including laws, commentaries, cases, and precedents, unfolded in his mind like an old book that had been opened, with every page clearly visible.

He closed his eyes and rummaged through his mind.

Marriage and Household Registration Section. Terms and Conditions for Adopting Orphans.

"All adopted children must be registered with the government and have two guarantors. Only after verification can they be considered legal. Those who violate this rule will be punished with forty strokes of the cane, and the children will be returned to their original clan."

Forty strokes of the cane. He almost received those forty strokes yesterday.

Regarding marriage registration: Adopting orphans requires registration. He's already learned his lesson the hard way about this.

What about the distillery?

He tapped his fingers lightly twice on his knee.

Miscellaneous Laws. Regulations on Markets and Neighborhoods.

"Anyone who opens a market, sets up a shop, or establishes a workshop must first report to the local prefecture or county. After verification, a certificate will be issued before business can commence. Anyone who violates this rule will have their property confiscated and be fined ten catties of copper."

His distillery has been open for almost two months. It has everything: copper pots, earthenware jars, bamboo pipes, and a cellar.

Songlao sold more than a dozen jars, Yunmenchun placed an order for two months' worth, and even Tianlu sent out several jars.

But he never went to the county government to report it.

The bowl of porridge in my hand suddenly felt heavy.

He opened his eyes and placed the bowl on the stone table.

The movement was very gentle, but the porcelain bowl still made a crisp "tap" sound when it hit the stone surface.

This shouldn't be happening, it really shouldn't be happening!

I've at least come from a society with a sound legal system.

How could I make such a basic mistake?

Xiaoman peeked out from the kitchen, glanced at him, and then shrank back inside.

Wang Zhi leaned back in his chair, staring at the jujube tree leaves overhead.

The morning light filtered through the leaves, casting dappled patterns on his face.

He recalled Yuwen Ren's face from yesterday. What if he had asked about the distillery instead of the three children?

A fine of ten catties of copper. More than ten thousand coins, enough for the farm's expenses for more than half a year.

More importantly, his copper pot was confiscated, his earthenware jar was smashed, and his bamboo pipes were used to chop firewood—all the possessions he had painstakingly accumulated vanished overnight.

His palms were a little damp.

I can't think about it anymore. The more I think about it, the more frightened I become.

But we can't help but think about it.

He closed his eyes and opened the "Great Tang Code Commentary" in his mind.

Chapters on Household and Marriage; Chapters on Land and Housing; Chapters on Taxes and Labor Service; Chapters on Miscellaneous Laws.

One by one, word by word.

He read very slowly. It wasn't that he couldn't understand it, but rather that the more he read, the more alarmed he became.

In the Miscellaneous Laws section on Market Regulations, he had only seen the clause "Workshops must be declared."

Scroll down today for even more details—

"Anyone who privately manufactures yeast will be punished with eighty strokes of the cane, and the yeast will be confiscated by the government."

Fermentation yeast.

His yeast was redeemed from the system, not "made" by himself. Does that count as making it privately?

The law does not say where it comes from, but only that it was created privately.

If the authorities determine that the yeast in his possession is of dubious origin, he can be punished for manufacturing it illegally.

The stick is eighty.

Eighty strokes of the cane could cripple even a strong man.

He has such small arms and legs.

His back started to break out in a cold sweat again.

No rush, scroll down further.

"Anyone who brews wine and puts it on the market must have it inspected by the government. Only wine that meets the standards is allowed to be sold. Anyone who violates this rule will be punished with sixty strokes of the cane and the wine will be confiscated by the government."

Which of his Songlao, Yunmenchun, and Tianlu wines was inspected by the government? None. Not a single one.

Sixty strokes of the cane.

Adding the previous eighty strokes, that makes one hundred and forty. After that, will the person still be alive?

Wang Zhi also read through the entire legal text again. Not to look at the specific clauses, but to understand the legislative logic.

He stood up and went to the backyard.

Zhou Xia was squatting next to the bamboo tray, turning over the sliced ​​Poria cocos one by one.

The slices of Poria cocos gleamed with a faint jade-like color in the morning light, and had a slightly bitter medicinal aroma.

"Pinellia ternata".

Zhou Xia looked up: "Master."

"Did you see Young Master Cheng in Chang'an yesterday?"

"I saw him." Zhou Xia stood up, brushing the dirt off her knees. "He said the adoption papers have been processed. He's also spoken to Duke Cheng, so Yuwen Ren won't cause any more trouble."

Wang Zhi nodded. Then he remained silent for a moment.

"There's one more thing; you need to go there again today."

Zhou Xia straightened up.

"A winery." Wang Zhihuan pointed to the row of blue brick houses behind him. "It's been open for almost two months, but it hasn't been registered with the county government. According to the law, it's a fine of ten catties of copper, and the equipment will be confiscated."

Zhou Xia's face paled slightly.

He practiced medicine in the Taihang Mountains and witnessed the government sealing off shops.

Some of the merchants who were fined lost their entire fortunes, while others had their families torn apart.

"I'll go right away," he said.

"No rush." ​​Wang Zhihuan raised his hand and pressed down on his shoulder. "Finish what you have to say first."

He turned and walked back to the front yard, took a cloth bag from the cabinet, and placed it on the stone table.

The bag contained two strings of cash, left over from the last sale of wine.

"This is the fee."

He pushed the cloth bag aside. "Go to Chang'an and find Young Master Cheng. Ask him for help."

The distillery's license, all taxes due, and all fines must be paid in full. He should also be the guarantor.

Zhou Xia took the cloth bag, weighed it in her hand, and put it in her pocket.

"Master, is there anything else you need to tell me?"

"There's one more thing," Wang Zhihuan called after him, "the yeast starter."

Zhou Xia turned around.

"The source of the yeast used in our distillery cannot be ambiguous."

Wang Zhi also said, "According to the laws of the Tang Dynasty, privately manufacturing yeast is a serious crime."

If anyone asks, don't say a word that I did it myself.

Zhou Xia's expression turned serious.

"Go find Young Master Cheng and ask him for a favor."

Wang Zhi also took out a small cloth bag from his pocket, which contained several samples of yeast starter. "The Duke of Cheng's mansion holds annual sacrifices..."

When entertaining guests, a large amount of wine is consumed, and the mansion has its own quota for purchasing yeast from official workshops.

Please, Young Master Cheng, issue a gift document in the name of the Cheng family, stating that the Cheng family has allocated a batch of official wine from its own quota to the Wang Family Estate Winery in Lantian for use. The date should be early, before our winery opens.

Zhou Xia took the cloth bag and carefully put it away.

"This way, even if someone investigates later, the source of the yeast will be clear. It was purchased by the Cheng family, or it was given as a gift by the Cheng family, and it bears the seal of the Cheng family."

Wang Zhi paused for a moment, then said, "This document, like the license, should be kept in its original form, with a copy sent to the county government for filing."

"Don't worry, Master, I've got it." Zhou Xia said.

"Go ahead," Wang Zhi waved his hand, "be back before dark."

Zhou Xia responded, led out the gray donkey, and mounted it.

The donkey's hooves clattered on the rammed earth, raising a small cloud of dust, and in the blink of an eye, it was out of the courtyard.

Wang Zhi still stood at the courtyard gate, watching his figure disappear at the end of the official road.

Ah Huang had followed him around without him noticing, resting her chin on his knee, her wet nose pressing against the back of his hand.

He bent down and rubbed Ah Huang's head.

"Stop messing around," he said. "There's no jerky today."

Ah Huang ignored him and kept rubbing against him.

Wang Zhihuan ignored it, turned around and walked back to the courtyard, where he sat down under the jujube tree.

The porridge on the stone table had gone cold. He picked it up and drank it in a few gulps.

Xiaoman came over to collect the bowls, and he handed them to her, saying, "Make two more dishes for lunch, so Banxia can eat them when she comes back."

Xiaoman responded and turned to go into the kitchen.

Tie Dan ran over from the goose pen, clutching a handful of wild grass, his face beaming with excitement: "Master! The biggest goose laid two eggs today!"

"two?"

"Two! One big and one small!" Tie Dan gestured, his eyes sparkling. "The goose egg is a whole size bigger than the chicken egg!"

Wang Zhi glanced at him, and the corners of his mouth curved slightly.

"Marinate it. It will be ready to eat in about two weeks."

Tie Dan exclaimed "Hey!" and turned to run, but after a couple of steps he turned back: "Master, are pickled goose eggs the same as pickled chicken eggs?"

"Same. Add Sichuan peppercorns to the salt water."

Tie Dan ran away again, and this time he didn't come back.

Wang Zhi leaned back in his chair, looking at the cats, dogs, children, jujube trees, and stone table in the yard.

The lingering fear in my heart hasn't subsided yet.

It wasn't because he was timid, but because he knew all too well that in this world, kindness, compassion, and ability were no match for a piece of paper stamped with an official seal.

The adoption certificate from yesterday bore the official seal of Lantian County. That single piece of paper was enough to force Yuwen Ren to release the person.

The winery license I'm applying for today is also on the same piece of paper.

He picked up the teacup and took a sip. The tea was freshly brewed that morning and was still warm, with a bitter taste and a hint of sweetness.

He put down his teacup, stood up, and walked to the backyard.

The door to the distillery was ajar. He pushed it open and went inside.

The copper pot sat gleaming on the stove. Neatly stacked earthenware jars lined the corner, their mouths sealed with oiled paper. A bamboo tube connected to the condenser at the perfect angle.

He squatted down and touched the rim of the copper pot. It was cool and smooth.

This pot was made by the best coppersmith in Chang'an, commissioned by Cheng Chumo. It cost a lot of money and required a great deal of effort.

At that time, he never imagined that even making a copper pot would require government permission.

But he doesn't think about those things anymore.

He believed that Cheng Chumo would handle the copper pot matter well.

The Cheng family had been operating in Chang'an for decades, and registering a coppersmith was just a piece of cake for them.

What he needs to do is complete the paperwork for the distillery.

As for the others—take it one step at a time, there's no rush.

He stood up, dusted off his hands, turned and walked out of the distillery, closing the door behind him.

The sun had already risen above the jujube treetops. The morning mist had dissipated, and the courtyard was bright.

Ah Huang was dozing under the stone bench, Hui Hui was squatting on the windowsill licking his tail, and Hua Hua was hiding among the branches of the jujube tree, with only a section of his furry tail showing.

Wang Zhi picked up the hoe from the corner of the wall and walked into the field.

No matter what happened yesterday, the fields still need to be planted today.

The rice ears were full and heavy, drooping low. When the wind blew, the rice waves surged and rolled from our feet all the way to the foot of the distant mountains.

In about ten days, we can start harvesting.

He squatted down, picked up a stalk of rice, and rubbed it in his palm.

The grains are plump and firm, and the rice grains that are rubbed out are crystal clear, with a sweet aroma.

This year's harvest is secure.

He put down the rice stalks, stood up, and patted the broken husks off his hands.

A horse galloped along the distant official road. The dust kicked up by its hooves rose in a yellow dragon in the morning light.

Wang Zhihuan straightened up and shaded his eyes with his hand to look around.

It wasn't Zhou Xia's donkey. Donkeys aren't that fast. It was a chestnut horse, and the person on its back was wearing a moon-white round-necked robe. From a distance, the person's features looked somewhat familiar.

The horse ran to the edge of the field and was reined in.

Cheng Chumo dismounted and strode over, patting him on the shoulder.

"Brother Wang! You scared me to death! After we parted yesterday, I've been feeling increasingly frightened the more I think about it."

His voice was so loud that it startled a flock of sparrows grazing on the edge of the field.

"My father has already taken care of what happened yesterday. Yuwen Ren won't dare to cause you any more trouble."

Wang Zhihuan nodded: "Thank you."

"No need to thank me." Cheng Chumo waved his hand, took out a stack of papers from his pocket, and handed them over. "Take a look at this."

Wang Zhihuan took it and unfolded it.

The top one is a document issued by the Lantian County Government authorizing the operation of the winery.

The inscription reads: Wang Zhihuan, a farm in Lantian Township, has a winery that sells Songlao, Yunmenchun, Tianlu and other wines.

The paperwork was complete, and the guarantor was Cheng Chumo. The document was stamped with the official seal of Lantian County.

The second document is the registration receipt for the coppersmith shop.

This copper pot was crafted by Jinchang Copper Shop in Chang'an East Market by craftsman Liu Sanchui. It has been registered with the Chang'an County Government, with each piece of equipment clearly marked. The shop owner's private seal and the Chang'an County Government's registration stamp are affixed to the bottom of the document.

The third document is a gift document from the Duke of Cheng's mansion.

The inscription reads: "The Duke of Cheng's mansion purchased a quantity of official yeast from the Chang'an Wine and Yeast Shop for its own use."

Twenty catties of wine are hereby allocated to the Wangjiazhuang Winery in Lantian for brewing. This document is hereby issued, with Cheng Chumo as guarantor. The seal of the Cheng family is affixed at the end.

Three sheets of paper, and the matter was handled perfectly.

Wang Zhihuan stared at the three pieces of paper and remained silent for a long while.

Cheng Chumo had already completed the task that Zhou Xia had asked him to do.

Not a single item was missing, and even the amount of yeast written on the gift document was twice as much as he had stated.

How did you know I was going to do these things?

"That's what my father said. Otherwise, why would he be called cunning and shrewd?"

Wang Zhihuan: "————?"

Cheng Chumo grinned and said, "Last night I was talking to my dad about your distillery, and he asked if you had obtained the license and if the yeast you used was from somewhere."

I said I hadn't heard you mention it. My dad told me to take care of it first thing this morning.

He paused, then added, "My father said that people like Yuwen Ren are always looking for trouble in small ways."

If I'm going to help you, I have to do it first; I can't wait for him to take another bite.

"There's one more thing."

Cheng Chumo shoved the reins into Wang Zhihuan's hand, turned and walked away, but after taking only two steps, he suddenly turned back. "By the way, did you send Banxia to Chang'an today?"

"Yes. Have him go and talk to you about setting up the winery."

"Then I should be able to run into him on the way." Cheng Chumo mounted his horse, "so he won't make a wasted trip."

The chestnut horse reared up and galloped towards Chang'an.

Wang Zhihuan stood on the edge of the field, watching the dust gradually settle.

About fifteen minutes later, the sound of donkey hooves could be heard again on the official road.

The gray donkey trotted back, and Zhou Xia dismounted, a fine layer of sweat on his forehead, still clutching the cloth bag containing the yeast sample in his arms.

"Master, we ran into Young Master Cheng on the way."

Zhou Xia took out the cloth bag and handed it to Wang Zhihuan. "He said that the distillery's license, the copper pot's registration, and the documents regarding the Cheng family's gift of the yeast have all been completed and handed over to Master."

He took a breath, untied the water pouch from his waist, took a sip, and wiped his mouth with his sleeve.

"Young Master Cheng also said that he forgot to tell you earlier, and asked you to take some time to go to the county government office in person to submit the original of the gift document for filing."

He said that although the Cheng family had already kept a copy, the county government should also keep one for complete assurance.

Wang Zhihuan took the cloth bag and nodded.

"You've made a long trip, you must be tired. Go and rest."

Zhou Xia responded and led the gray donkey to the backyard.

After taking a couple of steps, he turned back to look at his master, his lips twitched as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he said nothing and led the donkey away.

Wang Zhi was still standing at the courtyard gate, watching his back turn as he turned the corner of the winery.

The three pieces of paper in my arms, pressed against my skin, were no longer cold.

He turned and walked back into the courtyard, where he sat down under the jujube tree.

Ah Huang crawled out from under the stone bench and rested his chin on his knee. Hui Hui jumped down from the windowsill and rubbed against his ankle.

Xiaoman brought out tea from Xinhu from the kitchen and placed it on the stone table.

"Master, the tea is ready."

Wang Zhihuan picked up the teacup and took a sip.

The tea was freshly brewed and scalding hot. He blew on it and took another sip.

Bitter, with a sweet aftertaste.

He put down his teacup, leaned back in his chair, and looked at the jujube tree leaves overhead.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, falling on the stone table, on the back of his hand, and into the bowl of Xinhu tea.

In the distance, on the ridges of the fields, the rice stalks swayed in the wind, rustling softly.

This year's harvest should be secure.

He closed his eyes, and the corners of his mouth curved slightly.