Although Zhao Zhen, Lu Xu, and Lu Yao had different mentality, they still quickly ate up all the tomato scrambled eggs in front of them.
Later, Zhao Zhen asked about Lu Yao and started a poaching business. He wanted Lu Yao to join the palace as the royal cook. Even if it didn't work, he would tell the palace chefs his cooking methods.
However, this time Lu Yao firmly rejected Zhao Zhen.
"Your Majesty, it's not that I don't want to do it this time. It's just that I signed an agreement with Fan Lou before. Those secret recipes and cooking methods cannot be told to others."
Zhao Zhen frowned and looked at Lu Xu, meaning he wanted Lu Xu to persuade his son.
Although Lu Yao had already made up his mind, he thought that he, the father of the Song Dynasty, would wear a pair of trousers with Zhao Zhen, but what Lu Xu said this time shocked Zhao Zhen.
"Your Majesty, Wei Chen's views on this matter are actually the same as Quan Zi's. After all, Lu Yao has already signed a contract with Fan Lou and there is no way to break the contract. Our Lu family still pays more attention to credibility."
After Lu Xu said these words, Lu Yao began to admire his father from the bottom of his heart.
These words also woke Zhao Zhen up. What was wrong with him? Was it that he had been making money so easily recently that he had even forgotten the most basic credibility and started poaching?
However, although he knew in his heart that what he said was wrong, because of the emperor's face, Zhao Zhen would not admit his mistake in person.
Seeing this, Lu Yao said: "Your Majesty, although most of the secret recipes of the dishes have been sold to Fan Lou, I have not told others the recipe of this tomato scrambled egg. If the chefs in the palace want to learn it,
I can teach you everything I have, but..."
At this point, Lu Yao looked embarrassed. Seeing this, Zhao Zhen said, "Although this dish is extremely delicious, the ingredients actually only require eggs and the tomatoes you mentioned. Is there any difficulty?"
Lu Yao smiled bitterly and said, "That's right, Your Majesty. Although eggs are very easy to obtain, tomatoes like this have not yet appeared in our territory."
Zhao Zhen suddenly realized that this was the main reason why the recipe of this dish was not sold to Fan Lou by Lu Yao, so he said: "Then, is there a solution?"
Lu Yao nodded and said: "Yes, Wei Chen has seeds of several vegetables and ingredients including tomatoes. However, due to the current weather, there is no way to sow them. We can only wait until next spring to plant the seeds.
Next, after harvesting in the fall, you don’t have to worry about the quantity of tomatoes.”
"I see," Lu Xu also reacted and said, "Then those vegetable plots you asked for before are just for growing these things?"
Lu Yao nodded and said: "Yes, Your Majesty, there is no way to add this dish to the royal menu now, but by this fall, if Your Majesty needs it, I will definitely go to the palace to help the imperial chefs master some exclusive
The secret recipe, in addition to tomatoes, also contains some other ingredients, these things should be much more delicious than Fan Lou’s current dishes."
Zhao Zhen's eyes lit up, but he also knew that Lu Yao had never engaged in loss-making business since he made his fortune. Since he was able to show such a hand to himself when he entered the palace today, he either thought of another idea, or...
Ask for yourself.
So Zhao Zhen said: "I think, Qing family, you want to negotiate the price with me next. How many dishes are there and the price? Just ask."
As a top foodie, Zhao Zhen used to earn money from the lottery industry. No matter how loud Lu Yao was, he should still be able to afford it.
Unexpectedly, Lu Yao said four words at this time.
"Not taking a penny."
This sentence did not make Zhao Zhen happy. He knew that Lu Yao would definitely make other demands.
Sure enough, Lu Yao said next: "With all due respect, your Majesty asked me to enter the palace today because of the land I bought from Mr. Bao before?"
Zhao Zhen looked at Lu Yao and said, "Yes, I am a little surprised. In the inner city of Bianjing, your businessmanship has allowed you to gain a lot of money, but this time you bought it from Bao Zheng.
But there is a piece of land in the outer city that no one has cared about for a long time. I really can’t figure out what you are going to do with that land when you buy it?”
Lu Yao smiled slightly, stood up from his seat, bowed to Zhao Zhen very solemnly, and then said: "This is exactly what Wei Chen is going to say next. You can also understand that I use these dishes.
I’ll give you the secret recipe in exchange.”
"But it doesn't matter."
Lu Yao continued: "I want to build the newly purchased piece of land into a venue for entertainment projects, and then I want to hold a Cuju competition. For this, I need your Majesty's capital injection, and I also need the royal family's support.
This is for publicity.”
"Cuju competition?" Lu Xu and Zhao Zhen said in unison.
"Yes, the Cuju competition is just a Cuju competition for all people to participate in."
Lu Xu was confused. When did Lu Yao start studying Cuju? What did this kid learn while he was away from home?
When Zhao Zhen heard about the Cuju competition proposed by Lu Yao, he felt a little unhappy.
Although the rules of this Cuju are different from modern football, Lu Yao still wanted to make Cuju the same size as football, so he bought the land, because in terms of area, the land in the outer city
The size can be turned into a medium-sized football field. As for the external appearance, Lu Yao has his own design in mind.
However, although football has become a very popular sport in modern society, the World Cup, which is held every four years, is the most famous football event in contemporary society, and the audience can be said to be countless. Under that, football is also
It is an essential event in the Olympic Games. Going one level further down, there are regional leagues for each country and different regions.
However, the level of the national football team really makes Lu Yao not interested in Chinese football.
However, compared with football, regardless of development and scale, there was a big difference in audience level in ancient times. Unlike sports that can be participated by all people, the recreational Cuju game was popular among Chinese people as early as the Warring States Period.
, and it became a method of military training for military strategists from the Han Dynasty, Cuju organizations and Cuju artists appeared in the Song Dynasty, and Cuju on ice became popular in the Qing Dynasty. Therefore, it can be said that Cuju is a sports wonder that has been spread for a long time in ancient China and has a great influence.
In the Song Dynasty, people from the inner courtyard of the palace to ordinary families enjoyed Cuju. The "Picture of Song Taizu Cuju" painted by Qian Xuan of the Yuan Dynasty depicts the scene of Song Taizu Zhao Kuangyin playing football with Zhao Jiong, Zhao Pu and others. Citizens also often play football on the Imperial Street.
Playing Cuju in Hengjie: "When you raise your eyes, you will smile cleverly on the swing, but when you touch it, you will play Cuju wildly."
Cuju activities were also practiced among women. Many Song Dynasty bronze mirrors have patterns of men and women playing football against each other. Song Dynasty pottery pillows also depict scenes of folk girls playing football.
In this era, the rules of Cuju have gradually become more perfect. In addition to inflatable balls, the existence of goals has been introduced, which greatly strengthens the similarity between Cuju and football.
However, although ordinary people also play Cuju, it has not reached the level of Cuju played by the whole people. Moreover, ordinary people are busy working every day and have very little time to get together to play this sport. And Lu Yao
What I want to see is that all people can participate in this sport.
However, for Zhao Zhen, he himself is not very interested in Cuju. The Cuju mentioned just now is more often performed as a performance during the celebration of major festivals. In ordinary times, more often
This sport is played by the wealthy gentry and aristocrats in the capital. Their sons, including servants, sometimes spontaneously form two or three teams to compete with each other.
Zhao Zhen actually had a Cuju performance team. Every festival, they would hold exhibition games for Zhao Zhen to watch. At first, Zhao Zhen watched a few games with great interest, but later, he felt bored.
Tasteless.
I don’t know why, but Lu Yao is very enthusiastic about Cuju.
"So, you bought that piece of land just to hold your so-called Cuju competition?" Zhao Zhen confirmed with Lu Yao again.
Lu Yao nodded and said: "Yes, and what I must tell your Majesty is that this project will not earn a lot of profits at the beginning, and it will also require your Majesty's strong support, out of the national treasury or your Majesty's personal funds.
You can use some of your money to build momentum and publicity.”
Zhao Zhen thought for a while and said, "Is it because you like Cuju very much that you thought of holding this kind of competition?"
Lu Yao smiled and said, "That's right."
Lu Xuxin on the side said, "Why don't I know?"
Lu Yao continued: "Furthermore, I think your majesty is tired of seeing ordinary Cuju. In order to reach the stage where everyone starts from scratch, I have to change the rules of Cuju, the number of participants, and the size of the stadium.
redesign.”
"But," Zhao Zhen asked, "I am more interested, why do you love Cuju so much?"
Lu Yao thought for a while and said: "It's really because Wei Chen observed in this city and saw that ordinary people really didn't have any other entertainment projects except daily work and going out on the streets to buy things or eat. Although
It is said that the lottery industry has emerged recently, but even if the threshold is low, the lottery industry still requires a cost investment, and Cuju is a sport that can truly achieve zero cost."
Zhao Zhen's eyes kept moving, and Lu Yao smiled bitterly in his heart. Zhao Zhen saw the benefits from the lottery industry. Even though he had some secret recipes for delicious food, he probably couldn't give other conditions.
He won't agree easily.
So, Lu Yao stepped forward and said a few words in Zhao Zhen's ear, and Zhao Zhen's face gradually became filled with joy.
"Is this true?" Zhao Zhen asked quickly.
Lu Yao nodded repeatedly and said: "It is absolutely true that once the league is held, the income will be more substantial than the lottery industry, but your Majesty will need to invest a lot of money and publicity in the early stage."
Zhao Zhen thought for a while and said: "As long as the later financial income can reach the amount you mentioned, the initial investment will be worthwhile. Tell me about your plan."
Lu Yao immediately said: "First of all, although the people now know something about Cuju, it is not cost-effective for them to go to such a distant place to watch a game, so we must combine the lottery industry with publicity to attract the people.
The enthusiasm was heightened.”
Zhao Zhen felt that this method was feasible and said: "You are right. First of all, we need to break the fact that it is mostly played by the gentry and aristocrats, and then there are performances at festivals and celebrations to break the impression that Cuju has in people's minds."
Lu Yao continued: "Yes, in addition to the number of games, if there is only one game, the people watching will only feel that they are not satisfied, and they will not know much about the new Cuju I designed."
"Then, how many games do Lu Qing think are more suitable?"
Lu Yao thought for a while and said: "For the first competition, eight teams will be just right, and one winning team will be determined in the end!"
