Chapter 53 Intelligence Network (IV)
It was the eleventh month of the lunar calendar, and the water in Beijing had already begun to freeze. On this cold day, Prince Yong had hot pot at his residence. In the iron box with a switchable top, the pale blue flame of the burning glazed fire boiled the clear soup in the copper pot. The thin slices of mutton were dipped in the soup for a while, and they could be eaten after the color changed. Dipped in sesame paste and chive sauce, it was even more delicious.
Prince Yong was afraid of heat. Whenever it got hot, he would feel chest tightness and shortness of breath. After using the glass fire, he no longer felt that way. Even when the soup was boiling, the temperature in the room remained cool. Compared with the past, the number of hot pots eaten this year has increased significantly.
After having a full and comfortable meal, he just returned to the study to rest when the guard Gouer came in, "Your Majesty, Huo Chong is here to deliver Liuli Huo."
Prince Yong did not answer immediately. Glazed fire is a good thing, but Huo Chong, who made it, is not a good person. Prince Yong never expected that Huo Chong would be so good at judging people and immediately sold the recipe of Glazed Fire after meeting the Fourteenth Old Man.
According to Prince Yong's informants, Huo Chong had been imprisoned at that time. But Prince Yong still thought Huo Chong was a jerk who was very good at changing his attitude according to the situation. Since they were both officials, would it be better to ask for an official position from the Fourteenth Prince than from Prince Yong?
The dog quietly lowered his hands and waited. Looking at this loyal dog servant, Prince Yong asked, "How much did he bring? What did he say?"
The dog quickly replied, "My master, Huo Chong brought 2,600 kilograms of Glazed Fire. He said he would send you this much in two months."
"Dog. Some merchants asked you how to buy Liuli Fire. Take Huo Chong to meet them."
Gou'er was stunned when he heard the order. Prince Yong did not explain, but just ordered Gou'er to do it quickly.
After Gou'er left, Prince Yong called his staff again. He whispered to him to spread the news of Huo Chong's arrival in Beijing. Although he did not specify who to tell, the staff understood and went back to work.
On the third day after Huo Chong sent Liulihuo, he came to Prince Yong's mansion to say goodbye at Gou'er's suggestion. Now that the matter was done, Huo Chong didn't want to stay in the capital city, a place of trouble, for even a second longer.
The visiting card was sent in, but no one came out to pass on the message. Huo Chong waited in the cold wind. The cold wind in the capital was much better than the cold and damp sea breeze at the seaside, but it was still uncomfortable enough.
As he was stamping his feet to keep warm, he heard the sound of horse hooves. A group of people and horses were heading straight for the gate of Prince Yong's mansion. Huo Chong hurriedly stood far away, not daring to bump into this group of people and horses who were bossing him around. The horse team stopped at the gate, and the leader jumped off his horse and ran straight towards Huo Chong, cursing, "You are so good, Huo Chong, you actually lied to me."
Huo Chong still had some impression of this accent, so he looked up and saw that it was indeed the Fourteenth Master. He saw the Fourteenth Master holding a horse whip, looking furious.
Seeing that he was about to be beaten, Huo Chong sighed inwardly and knelt down to pay respect to the Fourteenth Master first, "I pay my respects to the Fourteenth Master."
With a snap, Old Fourteen whipped Huo Chong in front of him and shouted, "Huo Chong, what did you do to the prescription you gave me?!"
Huo Chong felt a little relieved. This was completely within the normal range, so he replied, "Reporting to the Fourteenth Master, I will write it down as I did it in the countryside."
The Fourteenth Master shouted, "Why is yours so much cheaper?"
"Reporting to Master Fourteen. My workshop is small, and the wages are low. I would like to ask...Master Fourteen, has the capital city made glazed fire?"
"If you can't make it, I'll kill you if you ask!" Old Fourteen said angrily.
Huo Chong was even more relieved. Since it could be made, what was the Fourteenth Master so angry about? It would be strange if things made in the capital were cheaper than those made in the countryside.
On this side, the Fourteenth Brother was furious and yelled at Huo Chong for being dishonest. On the other side, the gate of Prince Yong's mansion, which had been closed to Huo Chong, opened, and soon someone said, "Fourteenth Brother, you finally came to my door. Are you here to teach me a lesson?"
Judging from the voice, it should be Prince Yong coming out.
The Fourteenth Prince greeted Prince Yong angrily, then said angrily: "Fourth brother, I'm leaving now." After that, he ordered people to take Huo Chong away.
Prince Yong laughed and said, "Fourth Brother, Huo Chong is an official after all. It would be bad if you arrested him directly and let others know."
The Fourteenth Old Man seemed stunned, and then Huo Chong heard Prince Yong say: "How about this, Huo Chong is the one who sent me the Glazed Fire, bring him to my house for questioning."
The Fourteenth Old Man seemed extremely angry, but after a moment he replied, "That's fine. If we want to teach Huo Chong a lesson, we'll have to ask Fourth Brother to do it."
Huo Chong was not afraid when facing the Fourteenth Old Man, but when he heard that the Fourth Master was going to take action, he was really a little scared. No matter what contributions the Fourth Master had made in history, he was indeed a ruthless killer. If he was taught a lesson by the Fourth Master, he might not survive.
But Huo Chong had no right to make a decision at this time. Someone immediately carried Huo Chong to Prince Yong's mansion. Not long after, Huo Chong was kneeling in a hall of unknown location, just like entering a court. Prince Yong was sitting in the main seat, and the Fourteenth Master was sitting in the guest seat.
The Fourteenth Master shouted, "Huo Chong, why is the Glazed Fire you made so much cheaper?"
"Reporting to the Fourteenth Master, it is clearly stated in the recipe I wrote. The vinegar I used was the kind of bad vinegar, which is so sour that it is inedible. The vinegar essence I steamed was made with that kind of sour water. Vinegar is more expensive than wine, and the vinegar I used is cheaper, so the glass fire is cheaper."
After hearing such a reasonable explanation, Old Fourteen said angrily: "Huo Chong, do you think I don't even understand this? If so, it's just a difference of one or two times. The reason for the price difference of ten times must not be this vinegar."
Huo Chong's evaluation of the Fourteenth Prince immediately dropped. It seemed that this prince was just a prince. How could the royal workshop be compared with the workshop in the mountain village?
Just as he was thinking about how to get away with it, he heard the Fourth Master sneer, "Huo Chong, you are still so dishonest. Do you think that your Fourteenth Master dare not teach you a lesson just because you are an official?"
You are provoking your mother! Huo Chong thought helplessly. But the fourth and the fourteenth are brothers, and they are born of the same mother. Even if they have no feelings for each other, even if they are politically opposed, they are on the same side when facing Huo Chong. Huo Chong felt that he should not think wrongly about this basic position.
So Huo Chong knelt down and said nothing. It was not Huo Chong's turn to interrupt the conversation between the brothers.
The Fourteenth Brother did not say anything either, and seemed to be thinking about something. In the silence, someone from outside walked in quickly and whispered something to the Fourth Master. The Fourth Master quickly stood up and whispered something to the Fourteenth Brother. The two brothers immediately stood up and left together. As for what they said, Huo Chong did not hear a single word.
Huo Chong now felt that the idea of taking advantage of the situation that he had just unconsciously thought of was indeed a big mistake. With a little fear, he reaffirmed his position and state of mind. No matter how the upper class fought among themselves, they were all united in oppressing Huo Chong, the lower class. Any idea of taking advantage of the situation that he had just unconsciously thought of was a dead end.
Huo Chong waited and waited until his legs became numb. He could only press his hands gently on the ground and slightly lift his legs. With just a little movement, he felt as if his legs were being pricked by needles. At the same time, the guards shouted angrily from behind: "Why are you moving? Don't move!"
In the painful feeling of living a year, with the sound of footsteps, the princes came back. The two seemed to want to let someone take the seat, but the man said calmly: "You two brothers talk, I will sit anywhere."
So the fourth and fourteenth brothers returned to their original positions, and the newcomer found a chair behind Huo Chong and sat down. Huo Chong felt his body begin to tremble, and he was almost shaky. This was not an act, Huo Chong had never suffered such a hardship in his life.
At this moment of collapse, the fourth brother said coldly: "Why, kneeling for such a long time, did you break your legs?"
As soon as he finished speaking such harsh words, Old Fourteen said unhappily: "Huo Chong, stand up and talk."
Huo Chong was like being pardoned, and tried hard to get up. But after a few attempts, his legs seemed to be not his own, and they were completely out of control. The fourth brother said unhappily, "Pull him up. Give him a bench."
The guards quickly pulled Huo Chong up and put a bench under him. When Huo Chong sat down, one of them slapped him on the head and told him to keep his head down and not to raise it. Huo Chong's legs felt like they were pierced by needles, numb and painful, and he almost fell to the ground.
But the Fourth Master shouted angrily, "You daring slave! Huo Chong is an official after all. The Fourteenth Master can make him kneel, so it's not your turn to beat him. Drag this slave out and give him twenty lashes!"
The guard who had just slapped Huo Chong heard this and quickly shouted, "Fourth Master, I didn't know he was an official. Fourth Master, I really didn't know."
The other guards had already grabbed this guy and were dragging him out, and they heard the shouts of “Fourth Master, I was wrong, Fourth Master, I was wrong” getting farther and farther away.
Old Fourteen snorted, "Hmph, what a good servant raised by Fourth Brother."
"Fourteenth brother. I invited you in because I didn't want to see you punish Huo Chong in public. Even if you want to beat him, do it at home. What's the point of doing it outside in front of others?"
"Heh." A chuckle came from behind Huo Chong.
The fourth and fourteenth brothers stopped bickering immediately. The fourteenth brother asked impatiently, "Huo Chong, let me ask you again. Why is the glass fire you made so cheap?"
Huo Chong tried his best to hold back his discomfort and answered as calmly as possible: "Reporting to the Fourteenth Master. I have just thought about this. To make glass fire, you need alcohol and vinegar. This thing is originally used for burning, and vinegar that cannot be drunk can also be used to evaporate vinegar. The same is true for wine. Many people can't drink the strong liquor I brew at home. But the alcohol that can be evaporated from that strong liquor is high. I have already written it on the recipe. It is best to use strong liquor brewed from ground beans..."
"What are you doing with your hands? Are you going to write?" The fourth brother interrupted Huo Chong.
"...If I write it down, I think it will be easier to explain." Huo Chong decided to tell the truth . He was used to using PPT and other auxiliary tools when he was explaining things. His fingers moved unconsciously, which was really due to his desire for text tools.
