When I came to the Red Chamber World, of course, Lin Daiyu and Xue Baochai were the first choice for marrying a wife. Unfortunately, Lin Daiyu was still too young. If I guess correctly, she was still around 10 or 11 years old at this time.

How could it be possible to wait for 5 or 6 years by yourself?

Jia Yingchun is actually not bad, but Xue Baochai is better, and Shi Zhongkui is undoubtedly the Neptune at this time.

After looking at Xue Pan, he thought that this guy was instigated by his servants to beat him to death, and then was sentenced to death by Jia Yucun to escape from the crime. It can be said that he had cheated his sister directly.

In ancient times, a girl whose father died early was difficult to marry, and she had such a brother. In addition to those who were greedy for the wealth of the Xue family, she basically had the possibility of marrying a good family.

Before the Jia family lost power and had a great loss, no one in the Jia family thought that Jia Baoyu would marry Xue Baochai.

However, as Mrs. Wang grew up slowly, she should have vaguely understood in her heart that other powerful families looked down on the rebellious Jia Baoyu, otherwise why wouldn't there even be a serious person to propose marriage?

Similarly, Jia Mu does love Lin Daiyu, but it must be nonsense to say that Jia Mu did not focus on the Lin family’s money, as well as Lin Daiyu’s mother Jia Min’s dowry back then.

But the old lady didn't expect that the Jia family would lose so quickly.

To a certain extent, Lin Daiyu and Xue Baochai are just tools for Jia Mu to maintain the Jia family.

However, before Xue Baochai got married, she often persuaded Jia Baoyu to study, which showed that she knew very well that relying on the protection of her ancestors' past contributions would not last long.

In other words, compared to Jia Baoyu who doesn’t like studying and spends many years in rouge, Xue Baochai would rather marry a young Jinshi if she has a choice.

So Shi Zhongkui didn't feel that he didn't have the chance to marry Lin Daimei or Xue Baochai.

It is actually easier for Xue Baochai to do so, because as long as Xue Pan agrees, Aunt Xue is not qualified to object.

Among the three virtues and four virtues, following the father at home, following the husband when he gets married, and following the son when he dies is not empty talk.

After Xue Pan's father died, he had absolute authority to decide Xue Baochai's marriage.

Thinking of this, Shi Zhongkui certainly had a better attitude towards Jia Lian and Xue Pan.

However, he knew better in his heart that money was indispensable.

I couldn't help but think of saffron again, but the question was how to get the rhizome of saffron.

After thinking for a while, he nodded to Shun'er, reached into his sleeve as a cover, and took out the only few taels of silver left from the space.

"As Brother Xue means, I will buy some wine, meat and some spices. Tonight, I will drink and eat barbecue."

Shun'er was about to come forward to take the money, but when Xue Pan heard Shi Zhongkui wanted to drink and eat barbecue, he muttered to the outside.

Let your servants ride home to get good wine and meat, as well as stoves for barbecue, charcoal and other things.

Then when he thought of the spices, he couldn't help but look at Shi Zhongkui in confusion, "What spices do brother want?"

Shi Zhongkui laughed and took the opportunity to talk nonsense, "I used to mention spices in the restaurant because I had a friend who lived in Wannian County, Chang'an. My family had some business dealings with Hu merchants in the Western Regions for many years.

After I got the case in the county and government tests, the virtuous brother came to ask for advice, and also used a recipe and Western spices as a thank-you gift to me, asking me about my experience in studying over the years.

But I was worried that if that virtuous brother failed the imperial examination, he would not dare to take the lead. He just accepted the recipe first. I heard that it tasted great if it was used for barbecue.

I happened to take it out tonight and try it with the three brothers. Is it really the same as that classmate said?"

Jia Lian, Feng Ziying, and Xue Pan thought for a while and thought that Shi Zhongkui was right to only take the formula. If the other party failed the scholar's exam, it would be fine if the spice business was gone. I was afraid that the other party would exchange his study experience for the recipe and money, and everyone would know it.

But Shi Zhongkui was not worried at all.

Pretending to be nothing, he told the cumin, peppercorn, cardamom, star anise, and dogwood.

After hearing this, the three of them thought he was really stupid.

But for Shi Zhongkui, except for cumin, everything else he added at will.

Moreover, cumin, pepper, cardamom, star anise, and dogwood are too common. Experienced people can know these five spices by just smelling the smell.

Five-spice powder with different spice ratios must have been added to the dishes in the restaurant before.

His purpose is just to express that he has a way to obtain spices from the Western Regions and make plans for the future.

The reason why saffron is expensive is not only the high transportation cost, but also because a flower only has three flower styles.

One kilogram of dried flowers costs 60,000, or even more than 100,000.

In addition, the flowering period is short, so the flowers must be harvested when they are about to bloom, and they have to be dried on the same day, so the price is of course expensive.

But for myself who owns a space farm, it will bloom ten kilograms of flowers every time, and it does not require manual collection and can be collected and dried with just one thought.

And the flowers planted will definitely not be worse than those in the Western Regions.

However, this thing was a specialty of Greece and Iro in this era, and it was not seed planting, but rhizomes.

Fortunately, during the Yuan Dynasty's expedition, it not only brought back saffron, but also brought back the rhizomes that were seeds.

Xue Pan said at the dinner table that he had seen a wealthy family planting potted plants in Nanjing.

Shi Zhongkui couldn't help but get him drunk and talk to him.

------

Jia Lian and Feng Ziying looked at each other and couldn't help but regret not knowing Shi Zhongkui earlier.

In addition to the spice path, the two also thought that if they could also be like the scholar Shi Zhongkui talked about.

I studied with Shi Zhongkui as soon as possible. With his ability to win the case leader, I said that I could also get a scholar exam if I didn’t.

But after a while, the two of them sighed in their hearts. Any study they read, even juren and jinshi who were idle at home could be invited to be teachers.

As for the spice path, both of them are not stupid. They haven’t seen anything, so they really believe whatever Shi Zhongkui said.

Not long after, the servants of the Xue family brought back all the wine, meat, spices and barbecue tools, and brought Aunt Xue's advice to him not to be crazy about alcohol.

Of course, the servants prepared for the preparations for charcoal fire. After Xue Pan and the other two had eaten Shi Zhongkui, they personally added a little bit of pepper to replace the spices of dogwood.

Suddenly, I kept drinking.

Fortunately, dogwood itself is an ancient spicy seasoning, so the three of them are not suspicious.

In addition, I had drunk a lot in the restaurant before, but before I knew it, Shi Zhongkui was completely drunk.

Looking at the three drunkards who were helped into the guest room by their servants, Shi Zhongkui smiled in his heart.

I took the opportunity to learn from Xue Pan what the surname of the people who plant saffron in Jinling is.

By the way, I also asked about the family that has shops in Beijing, and there seems to be a farm outside the city that specializes in growing flowers as the source of rouge raw materials.

When Shi Zhongkui heard about the farm, his eyes lit up.

At noon the next day, Xue Pan, who had been hung up at Shi Zhongkui's house for a night, had eaten breakfast casually and asked about the dried fruit without any surprise.

Shi Zhongkui did not plan to sell it, but gave him 10 kilograms of peach jelly, dried persimmons, dried dates and raisins each.

Sometimes things that are given for free are far more expensive than things that are bought.

Sure enough, Shi Zhongkui, who was sitting at home holding a book and drinking tea, waited for almost two hours before he heard a knock on the door.
Chapter completed!