Abandoned Prince Survival Guide

I don't know how many years the pheasant has been growing. He was afraid that it would be too old to eat when fried, so Xiao Yu stewed the pheasant into soup. He only added ginger, scallion and salt. It was very light. Fortunately, the pheasant itself was delicious and not bad to eat.

Ji Hai and Yu'er ate with great relish. Since they moved to Xiao Yu's house, although they have done a lot of work, they are full and warm, and they don't have to worry about three meals anymore, and they can always eat delicious food. They are very contented and very motivated to work.Xiao Yu seldom assigns work to the brothers and sisters, they are the ones who take the initiative to find work.

Xiao Yu was not satisfied with such bland meals. Every time he had good ingredients, he could only deal with them simply. There were too few condiments, no soy sauce, no chili, and the taste of the dishes was too bland.Yazhou has a lot of big ingredients such as pepper, lemongrass, star anise, and grass fruit, but there are no main ingredients such as sauce and pepper, and everything else is relatively tasteless.

So recently Xiao Yu is thinking about brewing soy sauce. He knows the principle of soy sauce production and has seen the production process of soy sauce on the Internet, but he still needs to study how to do it. He can only try to do it.

The lime kiln was closed, so he didn't have to guard it. When he had time to tinker with it, he bought a few liters of soybeans from Meng's house and started making sauce.

Yazhou people do not pickle pickles except for drying the endless fish, shrimp and shellfish. After all, they can grow vegetables all year round, so there is no need to eat pickles.Soybeans are not used to make bean paste, nor tofu. He has never seen tofu here, and the method of making tofu has not been fully spread among the people. He will try it some other day.

Soybeans in Yazhou are reserved for staple food. Although rice is harvested three times a year, the rice yield is low. If there is a shortage of staple food due to waterlogging or insect infestation, soybean rice must be used to top it off.

Xiao Yu soaked and cooked the soybeans, not too rotten, then took them out and dried them, mixed with the wheat flour bought from Zhoucheng, and put them in a cool place to let them grow moldy. There was no koji as a primer, and he hoped that the soybeans themselves could produce Enough Aspergillus oryzae.

After finishing the soybeans, he started making distiller's yeast again.Polygonum flowers have bloomed in the past few days. He collected some, mashed and mixed with licorice and other medicinal materials bought in the drugstore, and then mixed with ground rice flour, kneaded into dough and fermented. This is the traditional distiller's yeast.

Wait for two days for the koji to ferment, then cook the remaining glutinous rice and put the wine on it. In this weather, it will be almost two or three days. It should be able to catch up with the opening of the lime kiln, which is just a good time to celebrate.

Pei Linzhi has gradually become numb now. His Royal Highness is full of curiosity about everything, and he has to do it by himself. He is used to it. What else can he do besides fight.

Yu'er opened his eyes curiously and looked at Xiao Yu's busy work: "What delicious food does your lord want?" The little girl had a sweet smile on her face, and a slight dimple appeared at the corner of her mouth. She had only been at home for a few days, Her face has become rounder, and she seems to be very at ease in this home.

Xiao Yu clapped his hands and let it go: "I won't tell you yet, just wait."

The voice of Meng's wife came from outside: "Is Mr. Xiao Lang at home?"

Xiao Yu hurried out: "I'm here. Is there something wrong with Mrs. Meng?"

The lady of the Meng family carried a basket, walked lightly, and led a little girl with braids in one hand.This is Meng Sigui's younger sister, Meng Siyuan, who is less than three years old. Meng Sigui originally had a younger brother and younger sister, both of whom died in infancy. Therefore, Meng Hong and his wife regard the two children in the family as precious as eyeballs.

The lady of the Meng family said: "Sigui said that Mr. Wang wanted chicks. My hen happened to be brooding. I hatched twenty chickens, and they all came out neatly the day before yesterday. I let the hen take care of them for two days. Today they are stronger. , bring it to you."

The fish leaned over and looked at the fluffy little yellow chicken: "Wow, there are so many little chickens, so cute!"

Xiao Yu quickly took it over: "Thank you, I just need it. How much?"

The lady of the Meng family smiled and said, "No money. Sigui is here to trouble you all day long."

"Sigui didn't cause trouble, and helped me a lot." Of course, Xiao Yu had to give money. He bought eggs at Meng's house for four pennies. After collecting the chickens, he put ten copper coins in the basket , Unfortunately, there is no food at home, otherwise I would give Xiao Siyuan some snacks, and in the end I had to pinch her little face, "Thank you, Mrs. Meng, for your trouble."

The lady of the Meng family saw the copper coins in the basket: "This is too much."

"Not much, just take it. You and I both need money to buy chickens." Poor people, chicken buttocks are oil and salt pots, and they may not be willing to eat eggs.

The lady of the Meng family said: "I wanted to send you the hen, but I was afraid that it would run away to my house with the chicks, and the chicks would not recognize our family in the future. You should raise them in a pen for a few days and feed some rice and Water, let it out after a little bigger."

Xiao Yu cupped his hands: "Okay, thank you."

The lady of the Meng family took her youngest daughter and was about to leave. Ji Hai came back from outside with a bundle of firewood on his back, with some wild fruits in his pocket. When he saw Meng Siyuan, he picked one out of his pocket and handed it to her.The lady of the Meng family thanked her with a smile and left.

The bundle of firewood was taller than Ji Hai, I don't know how he moved it on his back, Xiao Yu hurriedly said: "Put it down quickly."

Ji Hai was not in a hurry to set firewood, but picked the two biggest fruits and handed them to Xiao Yu: "Lang Jun, Hou Zili, you eat."

Xiao Yu saw that it was a kiwi fruit, but it was not as big as common ones, so it should be wild: "Is it ripe?"

"It's ready." Ji Hai nodded.

Xiao Yu pinched it, it was a bit soft, so he tore off the outer skin and tasted it, the first taste was sour, but afterward it was a bit sweet, in the age when there were no snacks, it was barely okay.

Ji Hai picked two more for Pei Linzhi, and the rest for his sister.Only then did he put the firewood on his back under the eaves.

Xiao Yu brought Ji Hai brothers and sisters to the house. Although he had two more mouths, don't worry too much. The weeds in the yard were cleaned up, the water tank was always full, and the firewood pile never got smaller. , the food is also hot, and the bath water is ready-made, and even his clothes are washed by the fish, but he stops him.

Pei Linzhi also wanted to help him wash his clothes, but he refused, saying: "Do it yourself, and you will have enough food and clothing." He is not willing to enjoy the privilege.

Not only that, but the vegetable plot in the yard was gradually cultivated by the brothers and sisters, and they planted gourds, sunflowers, husks, scallions, leeks, green onions and other vegetables and spices, which are simply two good helpers.

When it comes to vegetables, Xiao Yu burst into tears, there are too few types!There are only gourds (Hugua), winter amaranth (Kwai) and pea sprouts (Huo). Even in a place like Yazhou where summer is always like a year, there are no more varieties to make it play.

Eggplant, pepper, radish and other vegetables are not domestically produced, but water spinach, cabbage, amaranth, and wax gourd are all produced in China, and they don’t even exist here. The inconvenient transportation and information blockage are too serious.It can only improve slowly.

After the koji was made, Xiao Yu boiled the remaining several catties of glutinous rice, then mixed it with koji, and put it in a small urn to ferment.He saw his grandma do it with his own eyes, and he couldn't go wrong. The next step is to see the quality of the finished product.The soybeans have begun to grow moldy, and it may take some time.

In the past two days, the tile shop has sent a lot of tiles with bullock carts, and the yard slowly piled up into a hill.Xiao Yu also prepared a lot of rafters according to the master's request, and went to buy a few stones of glutinous rice to make adhesives. Everything was waiting for the lime kiln to start construction and repair the roof.

The day of opening the lime kiln finally arrived. Xiao Yu and Pei Linzhi slowly opened the kiln, which was still warm, and took out the first white stone from it. Xiao Yu put it into the water himself, only to hear With a stabbing sound, the stones slowly spread out in the water.

Xiao Yu shouted excitedly: "Successful!" The first lime burning was so successful, no wonder he was so excited.

The kiln door was fully opened, exposing a large amount of white blocky lime, which is amazing. It turns out that the lime is burned out in this way, and it seems not difficult.

Xiao Yu is not afraid of the people who help him learn the skills, this is not his patent in the first place.Generally, people’s demand for lime is not large, and only clay is used to build houses, and the roofs are all thatched roofs. Lime and glutinous rice are not used as adhesives, and the cost is too high.

He kept the lime from the first kiln for his own use, and then started to burn the second kiln, which he planned to sell to tile shops.Once the tile roof bonding technology of his family spreads, many people will re-strengthen their roofs. At that time, the demand for lime will increase greatly, and he will take the lead.

The successful burning of lime is something worth celebrating, Xiao Yu invited all the helpers to come to his house for dinner.He personally cooked a large table of dishes, including seafood, mutton bought from the market, hares hunted by Pei Lin, and most importantly, wine.The glutinous rice wine was even more successful than Xiao Yu expected.

The history of wine making is actually very long, but for the general public, wine is still a luxury. Because the grain output is low, there is not enough food to eat, and there is no surplus food for wine making, so wine is affordable for rich people.

More than half of the people who came to eat have never drank wine. The glutinous rice wine tastes sweet, mellow and delicious, and has a long aftertaste. Everyone praises it endlessly.There are very few masters like Xiao Yu, not only the wages are generous, but also the food is rich, who would not want to work for such a family.

Hearing that Xiao Yu's house was going to repair the tile roof the next day, everyone asked if they wanted help.Xiao Yu just wanted to invite someone, and the other party took the initiative to ask, so he agreed.

Before the meal was finished, the son of the mason master Guo hurried to find him, and said with a mournful face, "Father, those who killed thousands of swords came to collect pearls again."

The noisy table suddenly fell silent. Lao Guo was from a neighboring village. The government went to the neighboring village to collect pearls. Their village should be next.

Master Guo became more courageous after drinking the wine, and his eyes widened and he shouted: "Pearls, pearls, they know pearls every day, why don't they go to the sea to fish for them themselves! I don't want to serve you!"

Xiao Guo yelled at his father: "What are you yelling at me, you go back and tell them."

Meng Hong quickly persuaded: "Don't do it. Master Guo just drank some wine and was in high spirits. He will definitely have a fight with the government people when he goes back. Da Lang will go back and tell the government people first to let them come back tomorrow."

Xiao Guo couldn't hold back his tears: "My mother and I have told each other that they refuse to leave, and they will move food if they don't give pearls."

Master Guo stood up abruptly: "He dares! I'll go back and argue with them now."

Several villagers hurriedly stopped him: "Master Guo, don't fight, it will not be beneficial to confront them. Have you forgotten Yoshida from our village?"

Xiao Yu noticed that the chopsticks in Ji Hai's hand stopped when he was eating, and Ji Tian should be his father.

Meng Hong said to Xiao Guo: "Da Lang will go back first and tell the good students in the government that your father has gone to the sea to fish for pearls. I don't know when he will come back. Let them come back tomorrow."

Xiao Guo raised his hand, wiped his tears with the back of his hand, turned around and walked away sobbing.Master Guo was persuaded to sit down and sighed heavily: "This government that kills thousands of knives doesn't give people a way to survive."

Someone sighed: "That's right, it will be our turn in two days. It used to be collected once a year, but now it is collected once every three months. Doesn't it take time for pearls to grow? Are they still allowed to live?"

It was the first time Xiao Yu met the government collecting pearls, so he asked curiously, "How do you collect these pearls? Does every family want them?"

Meng Hong explained: "Using the village as a unit. In the past, the harvest was once a year, and the number was not large. Each family took turns to hand in pearls. Sometimes it might not be the same in one or two years. Now it is harvested three or four times a year, and no one escapes. not drop."

"Pearls grow naturally, so the probability of pearls in the picked shells is very small?" Xiao Yu asked.

Meng Hong nodded: "Very, very small. Sometimes you are unlucky. Picking hundreds of pearl shells may not produce a single pearl. The pearls in shallow seas have been picked long ago, and pearls in deep seas are almost dead. Drowning or being buried in the belly of fish There are countless pearl divers, our pearl officials used to be proud of pearls, but now everyone talks about pearls.

Xiao Yu frowned: "These pearls are of little use. Those nobles in the north do things that waste people's money for their own selfishness. It's really hateful!"

Jewelry and other things have no practical use, but are symbols that people use to show off their wealth. For such meaningless things, people's lives are ignored. It really is a cannibalistic society!

Pei Linzhi kept silent, but when he heard what Xiao Yu said, he couldn't help staring at him.

Someone said to Master Guo: "Master Guo, how many pearls do you need to hand in? Can you borrow one for emergency?"

Master Guo shook his head and sighed: "We have to hand over a big bead. Who would like to borrow it?"

"Big pearls are not easy to handle." Pearls have a time limit for growing. The bigger pearls take longer to grow, but they are also rarer. It is all about luck to get them.

Meng Hong suddenly turned his head and said to Xiao Yu: "Lang Jun, I'm afraid I won't be able to help tomorrow, so I'll go to sea to pick pearls."

Master Guo wiped away tears: "Let's go to sea together tomorrow."

Another person also said that he couldn't come and wanted to pick pearls.

Looking at their sad faces, Xiao Yu knew that this was an extremely dangerous thing, and he felt extremely uncomfortable.

When everyone finished eating and left, Xiao Yu stopped Meng Hong: "Brother Meng, wait a minute, I have something to say to you."