After breakfast, Zhao Xu, under the protection of Yu Longzhi, walked from the corridor between Funing Hall and Baoci Palace, facing the continuous winter rain, to Baoci Palace.

At this time, the two palaces were reviewing the memorials. When they saw Zhao Xu coming, they both laughed.

"Brother Six, did you sleep in again this morning?" Queen Mother Xiang asked with a smile.

"The official is young, so it's normal to sleep more!" the Empress Dowager said with a smile.

Zhao Xu paid his respects, sat down between the two palaces, and replied: "It's too cold in winter, so I took a nap for a while."

At this time, the little girl from the Wen family brought warm winter drinks.

This little girl was very careful in her work. After entering the palace, she took the lead in preparing the drinks for the two palaces and Zhao Xu.

I have to say that the Wen family really knows how to maintain good health.

There are different drinks for the four seasons, and they should be adjusted according to different seasons.

For example, hot drinks in winter are usually perilla drinks and Ophiopogon japonicus drinks.

Zhao Xu was already familiar with her, so he nodded to her and said, "Thank you, Xunniang!"

The latter said a long blessing and took the initiative to retreat aside.

This is someone who is very observant!

Zhao Xu smiled and looked at the drink he cooked today. It was Ophiopogon japonicus drink, with Codonopsis pilosula and other things in it.

Zhao Xu nodded, picked it up and drank slowly.

The taste of Ophiopogon japonicus is mixed with the faint fragrance of Codonopsis pilosula, a little honey for seasoning, and a special cooking technique, making it extremely comfortable to drink.

After Zhao Xu drank most of the tea, he put down the tea cup and said leisurely: "Mother, Queen Mother, I heard that Sima Gong came to Beijing yesterday?"

"Yeah!" The Queen Mother snorted softly.

The wife of the Gao family was always in front of her, speaking ill of Sima Guang in a roundabout way.

Especially after Sima Guang went to Chenzhou, the Gao family told her about the things in Chenzhou in a sarcastic way.

Naturally, Sima Guang's ability has been infinitely doubted in the heart of the Empress Dowager.

After all, a minister can only establish his authority by killing people.

How can one serve the country?

That is to say, the late emperor had a decree, so she had to hold her nose to recall him and prepare to appoint him as Prime Minister.

But that’s where it ends.

"Mother, Sima Gong is a minister who is close to the emperor, and he is also a famous official in the world."

"But I heard that Lord Sima doesn't even have a place to live in Bianjing City..."

"So I want to give the mansion to show that the Song Dynasty treats the Confucian officials well and tolerates the administration of the elders... I don't know what the mother-in-law and the queen mean?"

Empress Dowager Xiang said happily: "Sixth brother can think like this, it is really a blessing for the country and the country!"

"What do you think, Your Majesty?" She looked at the Empress Dowager.

Although the Empress Dowager was a little dissatisfied, the officials had already made demands. If she refused, it would not be good news.

Furthermore, it is tradition for the prime minister to confer rank.

After all, even the two palaces know the price of a decent mansion in Bianjing City, and it is absolutely unaffordable even with the normal salary of a minister.

Should Zaizhi be allowed to rent a house?

If it doesn't work well, there will be cases where prime ministers rush to marry widows just for the sake of a mansion.

The descendants of one of the parties involved are now sitting in Baoci Palace!

At that time, after this incident happened, I heard that even the Liao people were secretly watching the joke.

Where can people still laugh at people like this in the Song Dynasty?

Therefore, the residences of the prime ministers in Beijing after Renmiao were all given by the emperor.

However, most of it will be taken back after dismissal from office.

Only those prime ministers who were deeply trusted by the emperor could have a house in Bianjing that could be passed down to their descendants.

This is also a long-term meal ticket.

So, Xiang asked the Queen Mother: "Where does Sixth Brother want to give Duke Sima?"

"Let's go to Zhaoqingfang. I heard there are a lot of houses there!"

Nodding to the Queen Mother, the Queen Mother thought for a while and nodded.

Of course Zhaoqingfang and the others know where it is.

It is on the side of Fengqiu Gate in the northeast of the inner city of Bianjing, adjacent to Huihe Square and Dawa Temple.

The reason why the two palaces know this is because one of the inner court institutions of the Song Dynasty, Ling Jinyuan, was originally located in Zhaoqingfang.

Therefore, most of the houses here are owned by the royal family.

The rest are basically families granted by the royal family.

The noodles are naturally good, and it has always been popular among scholar-bureaucrats.

Zhaoqingfang is where the old residences of celebrities from the Taizong Dynasty were planted.

Zhong Fang never married and had no children, so his property was left to his nephew Zhong Shiheng.

Zhong Shiheng later devoted himself to military service and became the founder of the Zhong family, a general in the Western Army of the Song Dynasty.

In other words, the Zhong house in Zhaoqingfang is the ancestral house of the Zhong family.

The children of the Zhong family will spend their youth and youth in Bianjing City, and then head to the northwest to take over the mantle of their father.

…

Sima Guang looked at the continuous winter rain outside the window.

A peace train, loaded with coal, passed slowly on the road in front of the official house.

Even though it was raining, people along the street still appeared on the roadside wearing raincoats.

They were all waiting for the Taiping Car to stop and then buy the coal from its seller.

Winter is here, and with it the most expensive season in Bianjing City.

Sima Guang could even hear some people complaining: "Why has the price increased again? Wasn't it only two hundred yuan per stone a few days ago?"

One stone weighs ten buckets, which is one hundred and twenty kilograms.

After all, a pound of pebbles costs more than one yuan, which is indeed a very cheap fuel.

The price is only one-third or even one-quarter of charcoal.

But Sima Guang heard the vendor holding the peace cart shout loudly: "You think it's too expensive, Sajia still thinks it's too expensive!"

"Today's coal in Tianmafang is already one hundred and eighty yuan per stone!"

"Two hundred and thirty-five yuan per stone. Sajia only earns thirty-five yuan per stone. It's very cheap. How about you go to Tianmafang outside the city and buy..."

Sima Guang sighed and closed the window.

He knows that for one stone of charcoal, one needs to keep warm and cook.

An ordinary family of four would be burned out in less than half a month.

In other words, the heating bill for an ordinary family is 400 or more per month.

And people can't make much money in winter.

Well……

Not right either!

Sima Guang remembered something he heard from Fan Zuyu last night.

Officials are still ordering Kaifeng Prefecture to purchase sacks from the private sector.

It is used as a reserve and for transporting wheat and beans in the future.

Therefore, there are many families in Bianjing City who can weave sacks to supplement their household income even in winter.

In addition, the officials also asked Kaifeng Prefecture to purchase large quantities of saltpeter.

For the soil materials in various toilets or livestock pens, Kaifeng Prefecture will pay specifically based on the quality of the soil.

Generally, one stone of ordinary saltpeter can be sold for a lot of money.

If it is boiled into saltpeter, the price is said to double.

This can be regarded as a way to make money.

All the saltpeter was sent to the Specialized Arms Manufacturing Bureau.

It is said that Shen Kuo was ordered by an official to study firearms in depth.

This saltpeter and saltpeter are indispensable things for firearms.

Just like rubber leather and rubber bands.

Thinking of this, Sima Guang sighed: "He is indeed a benevolent and sage emperor!"

A young master who is not only willing to benefit the people, but also willing to abolish those double-eating methods.

In addition, His Majesty is courteous to his subordinates and is willing to listen to the advice of his ministers.

It was indeed the most perfect model of emperor that he could imagine.
To be continued...