No war in the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 79: The Domineering Monk Qian
The next day, after Su Ze arrived at the store and house affairs office, he took Feng Shiyuan and Zhang Shutong, and various bottles and jars, to the sauce and vinegar shop.

Zhang Wusheng, the head of the sauce and vinegar village, had already prepared empty sauce jars and was waiting to welcome Su Ze's team at the entrance of the alley.

Zhang Wusheng was also forced into a corner by the wealthy monks of Daxiangguo Temple.

Almost twenty years ago, when Zhang Wusheng just took over the sauce factory from his deceased father, he had no problem supporting his family with the profits from a year's hard work in making sauces, and he even had some surplus.

Ten years ago, with the rising food prices in Bianjing City and the continuous increase in the prices of raw materials for making sauces, the profits of the sauce factory became smaller and smaller, and the family could only barely make enough to eat.

Five years ago, Zhang Wusheng had to borrow money from Qian Monk of Daxiangguo Temple to buy the raw materials for making sauce.

Today, he has to bear more and more loans and increasingly heavy interest.

The day before yesterday, Qian Monk from Daxiangguo Temple came to the door and threatened that if Zhang Wusheng could not pay the money, he would sell his daughter to the camp outside the city as a prostitute.

Only then did Zhang Wusheng make up his mind to give it a try with Shi Yi Suo.

Zhang Wusheng welcomed Su Ze into the yard. The servants of the market exchange carried the raw materials for making sauce into the yard, and then Su Ze began to teach Zhang Wusheng how to make sauce.

In fact, many steps of making sauce with hydrochloric acid are not much different from those of making sauce using traditional methods. After listening to it, Zhang Wusheng looked at Su Ze. Is that it?
Using this method? Can you really make it in seven days?
Zhang Wusheng looked at the clay pot in Su Ze's hand, and at the "secret sauce" in the pot, he was skeptical.

According to Su Ze, this is an old recipe passed down from his ancestors, which his ancestors obtained from an old Taoist priest with a fairy-like appearance in exchange for a working ox.

Zhang Wusheng gritted his teeth. It was only seven days anyway. Su Chu had already promised that if the sauce could not be produced within seven days, he would not charge a penny for the raw materials. The only loss he would suffer was the seven days of taking care of the sauce jar.

But at this moment, there was a noise outside the yard.

Zhang Wusheng's face changed, and he said in horror:

"It's Monk Qian from Daxiangguo Temple!"

Then came the sound of every household closing their doors, and then Zhang Wusheng's yard door was kicked open, and several strong and sturdy temple-guarding monks, surrounding a handsome young monk, appeared in front of Su Ze.

Seeing Su Ze in his green official robe, the young monk was slightly startled. He then smiled and said:

"Xianqing of Daxiangguo Temple, greets Su Tiju."

The one who comes is not kind.

Su Ze said seriously:

"you know me?"

"How could I not know Su Tiju of the Municipal Exchange?"

"Since you recognize me, why don't you bow?"

The young monk smiled and said:

"I am a humble monk, but I am also an official of the Buddhist and Taoist Department. I would like to greet Su Tiju."

The monk named Xianqing performed a kowtow to Su Ze. His etiquette was very standard, but Su Ze felt a strong sense of provocation.

It is said that the monk Qian from Daxiangguo Temple is domineering, and Su Ze finally saw it.

The industries of Daxiangguo Temple are spread across all walks of life in Bianliang, and Changshengku is the main source of income for Daxiangguo Temple.

Both businesses of the Municipal Exchange posed a threat to the business of Daxiangguo Temple.

These days, Zhang Shutong tried to persuade the shop and house workshop owners to join the market exchange, but the biggest obstacle was the Daxiangguo Temple.

Su Ze looked at Xianqing, but he was not angry at Xianqing's arrogant attitude.

Su Ze just sighed, how difficult it is to reform. Even a simple law on the market exchange of shops and houses has encountered such great resistance. It is no wonder that reforms in history have always required political strongmen to promote them. If you want to break the old order, you must use strong means.

Su Ze was not angry, and didn't even look at Xianqing directly, but this made Xianqing feel extremely humiliated.

He originally did not take Su Ze, a minor official of the selection level, seriously.

If Su Ze had not impeached Lu Yijian and became famous in Bianjing City, such a minor official would not even be qualified to curry favor with Xianqing.

Su Ze looked at Xian Qing and said calmly:
"These monk soldiers aren't necessarily all officials, are they? Why don't they bow to me when they see me?"

Xianqing frowned, and the monks guarding the temple beside him looked at him. The yard in front of Zhang Wusheng was very muddy. These monks guarding the yard were all wearing decent silk robes. If they knelt here, their robes would be stained with mud.

Xianqing knew that it was Su Ze who disgusted him. He looked at Feng Shiyuan and other clerks and runners behind Su Ze and said:

"Then should Su Tiju's subordinates also pay homage to me?"

Su Ze said:

"According to the Official Law, clerks and yamen runners can meet officials without bowing when performing official duties. The city exchange office is currently performing official duties."

Xianqing was secretly angry, but there was nothing he could do. There had been Buddhist and Taoist officials in every dynasty, but these positions were basically just names without power.

Su Ze, a minor official in charge of selecting personnel, does hold the official seal of a department. Obviously, his power is much greater than that of Xianqing, a monk official.

This is the characteristic of the official rank system in the Song Dynasty. Whether one has power depends on the specific assignment, and the official position only determines daily salary and treatment.

Xianqing could only wave his hand, and the guarding monk behind him knelt in the muddy ground and saluted Su Ze.

After the ceremony, the guard monks were all covered in mud.

Xianqing lost face, and turned to Zhang Wusheng and said:
"Zhang Wusheng! When will you repay the money you owe our Changsheng Treasury?"

Then Xianqing looked at Su Ze and said:
"Su Tiju, paying back debts is only natural, right?"

At this time, Feng Shiyuan whispered in Su Ze's ear:

"Tizhu, according to the Song Dynasty Law, disputes over private lending must be resolved by the government after a lawsuit is filed. Private debt collection is prohibited."

After hearing this, Su Ze relaxed his brows and said to Xianqing, "According to the Song Dynasty Law, disputes over private lending must be resolved by the government after a lawsuit is filed. If you want to collect your debt, you should go to Kaifeng Prefecture and file a lawsuit first!"

After saying this, Su Ze said directly to the guards in front of the hall: "Kick them out!"

Xianqing glanced at Su Ze with a resentful look, then turned around, waved his robe, and said with a flick of his sleeves:
"Zhang Wusheng, then wait and see me in the Kaifeng Prefecture Court!"

At this time, Zhang Wusheng was so frightened that he collapsed on the ground. Su Ze helped him up and said:
"Just focus on making the sauce, and I'll take care of the rest for you."

"Feng Shiyuan, arrange for a few of the hall servants to stay in the sauce and vinegar, and make sure the people from Daxiangguo Temple don't do anything dirty."
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In the next few days, Zhang Wusheng made sauce at home.

Zeng Gong also sent a message that the first issue of the tabloid had been almost edited and would be brought to Su Ze for review during the next ten-day break.

The two people from the Imperial City Bureau seemed to have found some clues and did not ask Su Ze to help solve the case.

Daxiangguo Temple never went to Jiangculi again, and Su Ze thought these bald donkeys had stopped.

Seven days later, Su Zegang arrived at the store and was about to go to the soy sauce and vinegar shop to check on the soy sauce production at Zhang Wusheng's house.

However, he received a summons from the Taifu Temple, and the judge Zhang Fangping wanted to see him.

(End of this chapter)