Promotion and fortune in Song Dynasty

Speaking of winter solstice seasonal delicacies, of course wontons and thin bean porridge.

As for wontons, Lu Ci had already tasted a lot of various fillings, so the interest in tasting them naturally became less intense.

In contrast, red bean porridge is usually less common.And in this cold weather that makes people shrink their heads, the snow-white steaming mist coming out of the cauldron, together with the unique fragrance emitted when the beans and rice grains are boiled soft, are extra attractive .

After eating the half-palm-sized meat bun, although Lu Ci didn't feel hungry, seeing the lively scene and smelling the pleasant aroma of food, he unknowingly moved towards the cauldron. .

The people around had been silently looking at Lu Zhizhou. Seeing someone approaching, they all retreated tacitly to the side, fearing that there would be a trace of white clothes.

Lu Ci blinked unexpectedly, accepted the kindness graciously, walked forward, smiled and said to the amazed shopkeeper, "Have a bowl."

Even in my dreams, I didn't know that I could get this honor. The store owner just seemed to be sleepwalking. He subconsciously responded, and then put a long-handled spoon into the pot, stirred it until it was extremely thick, and then carefully picked it up.

Seeing that he was really going to pour porridge into the big bowl he grabbed casually, Lu Ci couldn't help coughing lightly, and reminded him in a funny way: "A small bowl is enough."

The flattered store originally wanted to give Lu Zhizhou a luxurious treatment, but it was a large porcelain basin comparable to a washbasin.

Lu Ci just glanced at it, and felt that even if his belly burst, he would never be able to finish the drink.

Besides, he still has to save some stomach space for other winter solstice delicacies.

Lu Ci got the normal portion of red bean porridge after persuading the shopkeeper's overwhelming enthusiasm.

Then, amidst everyone's strange comments, he calmly held the bowl, like an ordinary diner, found a clean and empty table, and sat down calmly.

The red bean porridge was boiled extremely soft, exuding a fragrance that made the index finger move, and the consistency was just right.

As long as you mix in some sugar and stir a little, it will be a filling and delicious delicacy.

If it weren't for the gathering of more and more guests, even he who thinks he has a thick skin would not be able to bear it. He must taste it carefully and swallow it slowly.

After using up a small bowl of red bean porridge, Lu Ci left the store calmly, ready to go shopping in the market and buy some items for the New Year.

However, before he had gone far, he caught a glimpse of a rather familiar thin figure out of the corner of his eye, and couldn't help but stop and look across the street.

Although he was wearing a gray and white scholar's shirt, his mental appearance was indeed that of a little raccoon slave.

Because today is the winter solstice, there are many pedestrians on the street, making the crowd gathered around Lu Zhizhou to watch the excitement less conspicuous.

Di Qing, who was wearing a half-worn shirt and was concentrating on the matter at hand, didn't notice that Lu Ci was not far away.

Lu Ci was quite interested in this mature and independent little raccoon slave who was well-behaved and sensible at a young age, thirsty for knowledge, but also self-reliant.

Without hesitation, he postponed his plan to buy new year's goods, and planned to take a closer look to see what tricks this little raccoon slave is up to.

Just as Lu Ci guessed, what the other party did at this time was not something refined.

Silently, Di Qing held a rusty blunt knife in one hand and the neck of a half-dead but still throbbing wild duck in the other. He walked to the edge of the small river that ran through the city, and sat down.

Lu Ci also saw that there were miscellaneous things on the ground, which may have been prepared by Di Qing in advance.

Di Qing didn't know that Lu Zhizhou was ten steps away at this moment, observing his every move with great interest.

With his back to the bustling street, he skillfully rolled up his wide sleeves, took out a piece of rag that he had prepared in advance and wrapped it around his body hastily.

It was just a mistake by Lu Ci, and he cut off the neck of the wild duck he had caught with his own hands very neatly, carried it upside down and bled it, scalded it with the prepared boiling water, and began to pluck the hair.

It's the Chinese New Year, and the little raccoon slave is also planning to give himself an extra meal in Layton?

Seeing his incomparably skillful technique, Lu Ci obviously didn't do it once or twice, so it was a little funny.

The children from poor families who grew up in the mountains, even though they were only half-grown, were capable.

Compared with this hands-on ability, I am afraid that it is much stronger than an adult like him.

Dijiashe is quite a distance from the city of Fenzhou, unless the villagers want to sell mountain products, they can't come down easily.

It's the winter solstice, and the academy is closed, but Di Qing still hasn't gone back?

Just as Lu Ci was thinking, Di Qing had already finished his work, and cleaned up the mess in a very sensible way, without causing extra trouble to the Qing Daosi.

Immediately afterwards, holding the bowl of carefully chopped wild duck meat with joy on his face, he trotted away to another place.

Lu Ci hesitated for a moment, then followed him in a strange way.

After all, it is freshly hunted wild duck meat from the mountains, and its meat quality must be much tougher than that of raised ones... In the cold weather, ordinary hunters are reluctant to go to the mountains, and it is not so easy to get some fresh game.

If Di Qing wanted to sell it in the market, he would be more than happy to pay more to buy it.

Lu Ci was thinking this way, but he saw that Di Qing, who was holding a big bowl of duck meat, was not walking in the direction of the market, but heading in the completely opposite direction.

The more he followed, the more familiar the road became.

After walking through many alleys, the mansion that he saw was close at hand, wasn't it his own?

Because most people went out to buy new year's goods, Di Qing didn't meet many residents along the way.

He glanced left and right vigilantly, then bent down and put the clean porcelain bowl containing duck meat on the steps, then carefully knocked on the door, and listened again.

What he didn't know was that Lu Ci had given all his servants a short vacation and went out by himself, so there was no one in the big house.

Hearing that there was no movement inside, he couldn't help showing a puzzled expression on his face, so he had to increase his strength a little, and slammed the door with a "bang".

He seemed sure that the people inside would hear it this time, so he stopped listening to his ears, but turned around and was about to slip away——

"Di Qing?"

When Lu Ci saw that the little raccoon slave had brought the wild duck meat he wanted so much to the door, and was about to continue to be an unknown hero, he came out dumbfounded and told the man who was about to run away. Stop it.

Di Qing was so frightened that he jumped up a little, his eyes widened, and he stammered, "Lu, Zhizhou Lu."

Lu Ci looked at him with a smile, and then at the duck: "This is it?"

"..." Di Qing stared blankly at the smiling Lu Ci, his cheeks turned red little by little, and his voice became smaller and smaller: "I, I don't know either."

Di Qing still remembered that the mountain goods he sent were not accepted by this handsome man, and he insisted on paying for both.

He didn't want those silver taels at all, he just wanted to secretly see that Lang Jun's pretty smile.

But those servants refused to take him for nothing, they wanted to calculate the money clearly.

When will we see that Lu Zhizhou again?

Di Qing pondered while hunting, pondered while memorizing, and pondered all the time when he went to college.

Since being sent to the government school, Lu Zhizhou has shown great importance to the management of the school field, and has also given a lot of plans.

After the gradual implementation, although the first crops are not yet mature, at least the college is no longer as stretched as it used to be.

Not only did Di Qing not need to use his family's money, but he could also save some food subsidies to go back.

However, although the Di family couldn't afford the second son to go to school, they were not greedy for the youngest son's food. With the addition of half a child, it was time for him to eat. As for the rations, just stuff them in your own stomach.

In addition, Di Qing had already taught himself the skills of hunting and digging mountain goods. When the college was over, as long as he finished his homework, he would go wandering up the mountain and go tossing things.

Thinking of Lu Ci's particularly nice smile when he bought the yam he dug with his own hands... Di Qing couldn't help but have a soft spot for the yams hidden everywhere.

It's a pity that no matter how much he picks, Lu Zhai won't need it for the time being.

Di Qing was not discouraged either, and all the mountain goods he picked up from the call were dragged to the market and sold in time.Little things add up, and he has saved a small sum of money one after another.

He began to think about what to buy with this money to make Lu Zhizhou happy.

He remembered clearly the hours he spent in Lu's house, and he also remembered the whispered chatter of the servants.

They laughed and said that the reason why the Lord's nickname was bestowed by the emperor is because the officials knew that their Lord likes to eat. When he was in Beijing, there were imperial meals delivered to his door every three days, and the Lord went. Friends from all over the world will also send some food every month.

Di Qing took all these words to heart.

The weather was cold, the mountains were covered by heavy snow, and the wild animals were almost extinct in the market. When he was wandering up the mountain as usual, he found such a wild duck looking for food, which made him very happy.

After finally catching it, I was full of thoughts about cooking it cleanly, and then hurriedly sent it to Lu Zhizhou who likes to eat.

Unexpectedly, he would be caught by Lu Ci himself, and Di Qing dared not tell the truth in a hurry.

If Lu Ci hadn't witnessed the whole process with his own eyes, he would have never imagined that this shy, simple-looking, seemingly honest boy from the mountains would dare to lie in front of Zhizhou, a magistrate who would bow his head even to bullies.

He was so annoyed that he couldn't help reaching out and knocking on Di Qing's forehead: "You are so young, you dare to talk nonsense!"

Di Qing's eyes widened, and he looked at Lu Ci in shock.

He didn't know at all how he had leaked the truth, and he was afraid that Lu Ci would be angry, so he really didn't dare to speak now.

Look at his bewildered expression, he looks more like a little raccoon slave who has done something bad and was discovered by his master.

"Little liar. There is no one left in my family." Lu Ci was not really angry, rubbed his head casually, and said with a smile, "So I can't cook the duck meat you brought."

Di Qing couldn't help saying 'ah'.

Taking advantage of his height, Lu Ci deliberately grabbed him by the collar of his clothes, trying to lift him up like a rabbit.

What I didn't expect was that Di Qing looked thin, but his muscles were extremely solid, and the weight was not small.

When he mentioned it, he didn't move it.

Lu Ci let go of his hand nonchalantly, as if nothing had happened, raised his eyebrows and said, "Since you dare to lie to me, then I will punish you..."

Di Qing looked uneasy.

Lu Ci added lightly: "...Come and have lunch and breakfast with me."

After hearing this, Di Qing didn't react for a while.

After he understood the meaning of the words, his face was full of unbelievable surprise: "Really, really?"

If I hadn't heard it with my own ears, I would have been hit by a big pie falling from the sky!

Lu Ci raised his eyebrows and said meaningfully: "Of course, when the little liar is having dinner, I will also test you carefully to see if you have read the few books I gave you last time, and whether you have read them or not. You will be punished for writing a nine-disease poem."

Little liar: "..."

The author has something to say: Notes:

1. Wonton, bean porridge, etc. during the winter solstice festival. "Jingchu Sui Shi Ji" records that during the Southern and Northern Dynasties, red bean porridge was eaten in Jingchu area. According to legend, Gonggong had two sons who were not talented. They died on the winter solstice and became plague ghosts. , is to exorcise evil spirits.

2. According to "Sui Shi Za Ji", folks still have the custom of writing "Nine Dispelling Cold Ci" the next day after the winter solstice.It is said that "nine extremes of cold" will not come until spring.In Su Ziyu's poem "Winter Solstice", there is a sentence "It seems that money is more important than charcoal, and it is not difficult to count ninety-nine this year".