Ming Dynasty, New Rome, and Infinite Divine Machine

"Are your recipes different?"

"I really don't know. The formula on paper is the same, but in practice it will be customized according to the needs of each bear."

"Wait, what customization?"

"That is, we will put the medicine in the nest and let them eat it. After all, if we usually give medicine, they will definitely not eat it."

"Hmm" Shangluo thought for a moment, "could it be because you always add medicine to the steamed buns, that's why it's like this?"

"It is indeed possible. And there is another aspect - that is, Sichuan seems to add honey to steamed buns."

"Aren't you going to join?"

"Pandas have a daily quota of honey, and of course we add it. But we like to add honey to milk, because milk often needs to be supplemented with vitamins and so on."

"This doesn't seem natural to you?"

"After all, pandas are not accustomed to the climate. After all, it is better for pandas to live in the mountains of Sichuan. And it is not suitable to live in cities. Those protected areas are built around mountains in deep mountains and old forests. That is a suitable place for pandas to live. Hmm. However, the role of modern zoos is not only to exhibit animals, but also to cultivate people’s awareness of coexisting with animals.”

"Like a wild boar?"

"Ah, this wild boar is an accident. No one wants to coexist with wild boars, right? We don't take them in here. After all, wild boars are not like pandas, which have only one litter. And the people of Yingtian have probably seen them a few times, so there's no need to go to the zoo specifically for a 'close encounter'. We just keep them in the native animal area. So, animal conservation is a really complicated task. After all, it's best for pandas to live in the mountains. Don't you agree?"

She looked at Fufu, who was eating a delicious steamed bread and looking back at her. The area around Fufu's mouth was still white from drinking milk with honey. There was a little red juice at the corners of his mouth from eating some watermelon and tomatoes.

"I feel like Fufu still likes it here."

"Will this happen?"

"There are some pandas who like to eat for food. Have you encountered them? After rescuing the pandas, they had to be released, but they kept coming back after they were released."

"How do you know? We have rescued several pandas like this. They were injured or newly independent pandas. They were so hungry that their chests were pressed against their backs. They came down the mountain to seek help from humans. At first, they ate at the homes of local villagers - good guys, They refused to leave after eating human food. They would come down to eat at the end of the day every day, and they would stay nearby after eating. When we went there, many people came around to touch them. A bear weighing several hundred kilograms actually He didn’t resist at all, and there wasn’t even a hint of ferocity in his eyes. He just sat there eating steamed buns. Those who didn’t know better thought there was someone inside the leather holster.”

"There are also differences between animals. The more intelligent animals will choose their own way of survival. Although from the perspective of this population as a whole, it is better for them to live in nature. But when it comes to individuals, that is, they like to eat You're just a softie. It's so hard to fight and kill in the mountains, but down there as long as there are people to play with and feed you, it's pretty good."

"Well, do you think so, Fufu?" Zhu Ling grabbed Fufu's hand and shook it. She shook the bear, which weighed several hundred kilograms, around like jelly, but Fufu didn't resist at all and just shook it and kneaded it.

"Ah" Zhu Ling sighed, "It seems like that's the kind of thing that likes to do business with humans. Isn't it a bad thing anyway?"

"This is the royal way. In our Taiping world, even animals can be inspired. This is simply auspicious. Even animals have become human, right? This should be reported as auspicious."

"Tsk, you're thinking too much. The old Emperor Jiajing has already stipulated that auspiciousness should be reported according to the upper, middle and lower grades. If you report a blessing like this, it will be classified as a lower auspiciousness. In the Jiajing year, you can report it every year. Two thousand of them.”

"Sure enough, our ancestors have already done this kind of thing?"

"Yes." Zhu Ling squatted outside the railing and looked at the panda, "Ah, do you know why I want to raise a panda? It feels like eating and drinking here every day and being loved by someone, it's so good."

"Aren't you the same?"

"We are not that simple. Do you know why everyone in our family studies Neo-Confucianism instead of Ren Xue? Because Ren Xue involves too many things and is too troublesome, and requires dealing with people. Especially social engineering, then It is simply a culmination of all the troubles in the world. It is Neo-Confucianism, simple and direct. Like me now, stay in this mountain, take a break from the troubles, and just deal with my 'object of observation'. Simple and direct, There’s not that much trouble.”

"Is your brother like this too?"

"Well, it's actually quite good to deal with test tubes. The outside world is full of chaos, and only the inside of test tubes and bottles and jars can be purified. If you think about it, the Pure Land is really a Pure Land. It's so clean that it's busy in vain. . Once you enter, you are cut off from all information from the outside world. It’s not even that you specifically blocked the information from the outside world, but that the information from the outside world simply cannot catch up with your consciousness.”

"Well, how about it? Have you made up your mind?"

"No matter if others come or not tomorrow, I definitely want to give it a try. I feel that taking a retreat once in a while will be very helpful for the body and mind. Oh, by the way, have you considered expanding your business in the future? I feel that everyone will think about it from time to time. I want to be lazy. It doesn’t necessarily mean 365 times, it feels like 10 times is about the same. Isn’t it good to take two hours to be lazy for a day or something. If compared to sleep, this has greatly improved the quality of sleep. One-third of your life has been made up for.”

Chapter 571 Steamed Bread

"Well, it's still the original recipe, and it still has a familiar taste."

"Of course it's the original formula. Only Fufu eats it. If the formula is changed and Fufu doesn't eat it, then there's no need to make it."

Sitting next to Fufu's inner room, Shangluo also finished a fist-sized steamed bun.

"By the way, it turns out that only Fufu ate before? So what did the other bears eat?"

"We have prepared other snacks. Fruits and other staple foods include bamboo shoots in addition to cooking. Anyway, pandas don't eat meat. If they don't eat meat, it won't cost a lot of money. It would be nice to provide more fruits of different types. .In addition, there are many pandas who love to eat pumpkins.”

"Ah yes, there are pumpkins."

"Did you also know? I thought not many people knew about it. Pandas are quite suitable to eat pumpkin, because it contains fiber, which can promote pandas' digestion. In addition, although there is sugar, it is moderate, and it will not exceed the limit if you eat a lot. Recommended intake. And sometimes, the animal’s mood is also a welfare that needs to be taken care of. It’s not a big problem to eat a little more sugar.”

"It's great to be a panda." Shangluo sighed, "Every day as long as I sit there, someone will come and give me something to eat."

"I feel like you are the same, right? Don't you just sit there and someone comes to give you exercises?"

"I did feel that way before. But after meeting Daozu some time ago, I knew what Daozu meant. He was raising his sword. He expected me to be of great use when the time came, and it was not for nothing. But you , are you also being served food while you are sitting there?"

"Me? Yes, indeed. Although I have to 'perform a show' and so on, I am much busier than a panda. However, I have a very clear understanding of my affairs - compared with people who are really working, I This little bit of hard work is nothing. So you see, am I doing an internship? I will try to support myself in the future."

“Is raising pandas enough?”

"That's enough. The wages at Yuyuan are very generous, so it's no problem to support yourself. Well, unless"

"Unless what?"

"Unless." She shook her head, "Actually, you see, I am eating the court's money because I feel bad about it. I am actually very lazy. If I can eat the court's money with peace of mind, then I will. Anyway, I am very lazy. The elders eat much more than me. Not even more than me."

"That's true. So what can I do to make you feel at ease?"

"It's okay to just think of princess as a career plan. Breeder can be a part-time job."

"Well, a princess can be considered a profession, right?"

"Forget it. There is a difference between a full-time princess and a part-time princess. If pandas are also divided into full-time pandas and part-time pandas, then part-time pandas should only come to the zoo to eat bamboo during working hours and do whatever they should do when they go back after get off work. For another example, there are Full-time monks and part-time monks.”

"Indeed, there are part-time monks. So what do part-time princesses do?"

"Just a name, not fulfilling royal responsibilities, and not getting a salary. That's what my aunt is like. She has her own property outside - because to be honest, there are too many things. If you can make money by yourself, there will be a lot of money. People will choose to leave.”

"Then do you have any princes in your family who can be part-time princes?"

"Yes, after all, you know the rules of the old Zhu family. The royal family cannot participate in politics, not even a little bit. The prince's work is also ceremonial, social, and extremely cumbersome. It is not the year of Hongwu anymore. It’s not money directly, it’s salary coupons, the amount is very small.”

"Luquan? What is that?"

"A type of indefinitely redeemable treasury bond, used to replace traditional fiefdoms. In the past, princes and princesses all had their own fiefdoms. Now, that's gone, leaving only stipends. For example, since I'm the eldest princess, I should be able to get around 20 taels of stipends by the time I'm 5, and then earn 3% interest annually, which is 1500 taels. After deducting the 75% interest tax, I'm left with around 800 taels, which works out to about per month."

"That's it? I thought the royal family could get a lot of money, but why is it almost the same as salary?"

"That's a lot. After all, it's paid unconditionally. And if you're really short of money, you can still sell it as a pawn. As a national bond that can be redeemed indefinitely, the Lu Guan can be circulated and is quite popular on the market. In addition, although three or four The expenses in Beijing are still too little, but if you find an extra job, 10 taels plus salary will be pretty good. If you get about 50 taels per month, you can live well even in the capital."

"Wait a minute." Shangluo asked her, "Do you lack some knowledge about the consumption to maintain your daily expenses?"

"Eh? What about, for example?"

"For example, how much does your dress cost?"

"Wait a minute. I really didn't ask."

"I see that you occasionally wear work clothes? Then you still wear a skirt when you go out, right? Where does the fabric of your skirt come from?"

"Of course it's from the Weaving Bureau."

"Do you know how much the materials from the Weaving Bureau cost per piece?"

"." Zhu Ling was stunned for a moment. She took out the jade sign and dialed the phone.

"Hello? Sister-in-law, it's me. I'm not looking for you. Is Song Shanggong here? Ask her to answer the phone. Sister Shanggong, how much do the clothes I usually wear cost?"

The number was reported over there. Zhu Ling was stunned for a moment.

"20 taels a piece? What? My overalls??? How much does the brocade I wear cost?"

The number was reported again over there. Zhu Ling was completely dumbfounded:

"More than 150 taels per horse? taels including the labor cost??? And you only wear it once?"

"That's right." The other person replied, "My eldest princess, haven't you noticed that the embroidered materials you wear during the New Year and festivals are only worn once? Because they cannot be washed, the gold threads, embroidery, etc. on them will not be washed. It's useless once it's worn, so it can only be worn once. I usually buy clothes for you, which costs more than a thousand taels every year."

"Then where did my aunt get the money? Didn't she go out? How could she still have money to wear these?"

"You are talking about the eldest princess of Ningguo. She is a stock trader. She pawned her salary coupons to trade stocks, and then she made a fortune. Now she often supplements the expenses of the palace. You forgot that she often looks at your Did she bring you clothes? She gave them to you at her own expense. She also spent money to buy equipment for the emperor. "

"What about my brother?"

"Your Majesty, except for the replacement of his dragon robes every year, he wears no more than eight sets of regular clothes in all seasons. He has indeed saved money. But he has built a few small centrifuges in the Changchun Palace, and they don't turn them off when they are turned on. Then But if you pull the industrial cable directly, the electricity meter will turn like a ticker. Among you, you are the one who saves the most money. Just raise a panda and wear overalls."

"But I don't need such expensive overalls! Isn't it more than a hundred dollars a pair?"

Chapter 572 Work

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Song Shanggong over there shook his head, "My Princess, you have certain rules for your clothes. You can't skip them. Your brother has already skipped all the rest. You really can’t save these things. Because the person who cuts your clothes also relies on the money he makes to make clothes for you every year. You only need to cut a few sets of work clothes yourself, which is already a lot of money. You don’t have to worry about anything else. ——If you really want to save money, wear more school uniforms."

"But my school uniform seems to be very expensive, right? The Imperial College uniform is very expensive, right?"

"Although it is very expensive, it can be washed repeatedly, which saves a lot of money. Do you understand?"

After hanging up the phone, Zhu Ling was silent for a long time.

"How's it going? Is the problem clear?"

"Save money, save shit." Zhu Ling muttered, "It turns out that I can't save much money at all. I thought I would be able to live independently by raising pandas, but I didn't expect that there was still so much difference. Come to think of it, those clothes are not Everything that falls from the sky always costs money. It’s just as simple as eating and drinking water, but I didn’t expect it to be so expensive. Well, I have to find a way to make money.”

As she said that, she looked at Shangluo:

"Shang Tianjun! Do you have a job that makes money here? One thousand taels a month!"

"You can just dream. Why don't you rob a thousand taels a month? Ha, you could have robbed it, but in the end you were willing to do a job, right? You are really a kind person."

"But is it really not the case?"

"No no."

"Then do you need investment?"

"Investment? What investment?"

"Actually, I can invest the coupons in you."

"Huh?" Shangluo was stunned for a moment, "How much do you plan to invest? We are actually quite short of money now. I haven't negotiated the money from Guoxing yet."

"Actually, I have done some research. The current market price of Lu coupons is generally about 1.8 times the face value. If a 10 tael coupon is used for pawn sales, it can be sold for 18 taels. Because it is an investment, the tax rate is preferential, so it is about Do you think I can invest around 17 taels?"

"Wait a minute." Shangluo thought about it for a while, "I think you have to think about this carefully. I may not be able to guarantee your return on investment, because the money may come in very slowly. But before that, I I can offer you a job, what do you think?"

"What kind of job? Do you get 1000 taels per month?"

"One tael, do you want to do it?"

"One tael? Ah, this is a thousand dollars, right? That's fine."

"It's really easy for you to be satisfied with anything from 1000 taels to 1 tael."

"Because the things in the canteen are very cheap. I am still aware of the daily prices, but I am not aware of the huge expenses that are not covered by my hands. Why do you hire me for a tael of silver?"

"Wait a minute." Shangluo lifted up his collar.

"Hey??? What are you doing?"

"???" Shangluo was stunned for a moment, "What do you usually look at?" He put his hand into his collar and took out Qiuqiu from his bag.

Qiuqiu looks a little bigger than before, and is now as big as a 20-inch cake.

"Eh? What is this?"

"Long. Since you are also raising Xiangrui, please help me take care of Qiuqiu."

[Oh~~] Apollonia suddenly said, [Good idea, Qiuqiu really needs to be raised like this. 】

Qiuqiu wants to come out to breathe air, which is why it is willing to follow Shangluo. Because their race has to travel through the wind in all directions to grow up, and it actually follows Shangluo to gain experience.

However, Shangluo couldn't keep it tied to his hand all the time. He was already a grown man. It wouldn't be appropriate for him to run around with a balloon all day long. He would look like a giant baby of 6 years and 120 months old.

But if the balloon stays stuck in the bag, it won't grow. It will always stay this big.

[It’s a good idea to find a place to take care of the ball. It will indeed grow up. 】

"So, Miss Zhu Ling, could you please take care of this dragon for me?"

He handed over the rope.

"Ah, that's it." Zhu Ling nodded and said, "I heard my brother say that the dragon here looks like this. Not to mention, it is really suitable in the Royal Garden, because there are other auspicious animals raised in the Royal Garden. .”

"And auspiciousness? Like what?"

"For example, the Dangkang that can dance the Dangkang dance, the white unicorn, the white elephant, etc. - there are real auspiciousness. But since you gave it to me to raise, then I will take it with me?"