Mrs. Qin Xiangguo

055

Two months later, winter came.

The restaurant of the Lu family was still bustling with activity.

As soon as Zhao Weizhen entered the door, without waiting for the shopkeeper to speak, he asked directly: "How is the sauerkraut prepared?"

The shopkeeper replied with a bowed smile: "Naturally, the preparations are ready. Madam, come to the backyard to have a look?"

Zhao Weizhen nodded in satisfaction.

Home-pressed sauerkraut is for the whole Lu Mansion to eat, and restaurants are also open in winter, so the demand is even greater.So while Zhao Weizhen pressed sauerkraut in his own house, he also ordered the shopkeeper to start.

In fact, needless to say, the shopkeeper will too.

"The Book of Songs" has a cloud: "Add beans to the fruit, bamboo shoots and fish." Among them, the pickles are talking about pickled vegetables.It can be described as an old tradition of the Chinese nation.

It's just that Zhao Weizhen has more tricks than ordinary people.

When she came to the backyard, as soon as she stepped over the threshold, she saw several pots full of sauerkraut, and several smaller jars of sauerkraut lined up in the corner of the yard, in order.

What is the difference between Northeast sauerkraut and Southern sauerkraut? Refrigerators do not exist in this era, and vegetables that cannot be eaten in autumn must be fully pickled!

If there is no Chinese cabbage, press the green vegetables such as cabbage according to the method of pressing Northeast sauerkraut.The remaining bamboo shoots, mustard greens, turnips, etc. are marinated with salt, vinegar, wine, pepper, ginger, and scallions.

"lady."

The shopkeeper asked expectantly, "How should I make this sauerkraut?"

In the past, restaurants had their own way of cooking, but Zhao Weizhen's new dishes tasted better than the last one, and the shopkeeper still counted on her to come up with new tricks.

"It's easy."

Zhao Weizhen didn't think about it: "What about the fish that you left in advance? There is also pork, which tastes fishy, ​​and it's best stewed with sauerkraut. You can also make dumplings——"

"Dumplings?" The shopkeeper looked blank.

"Uh, it's flat food." Zhao Weizhen explained.

"what?"

"Jiaoer? Wonton?...Forget it."

Humans only started to use stone mills at the end of the Warring States period, and it was not long before they could grind five grains into flour. All pasta in this society are collectively called cakes.As for dumplings and wontons, which were only found in the Eastern Han Dynasty, Zhao Weizhen really couldn't explain them clearly.

Zhao Weizhen chose to give up: "In short, it is a kind of cake, and I will teach you later. Take the fish first... come..."

She was halfway through speaking, when she saw the shopkeeper's eyes glance behind her, and his expression suddenly changed subtly.

Fine.

Without any reminder from the shopkeeper, Zhao Weizhen understood the general idea.She turned around, and sure enough, a heavyweight came.

Ying Zheng walked in the front, followed by the new little follower Ying Chengxue, and the person behind was even more impressive—the old Qin King with white beard and hair, solemn and solemn, just wearing a noble black dark suit, stepped directly into the backyard Come.

He was followed by several guards and servants, and Hu Lala came in a large area, but there was hardly any movement.

Zhao Weizhen: "..."

"Your Majesty!" She couldn't laugh or cry: "Why are you here?"

If you can come, you can come, but how can you come to a restaurant and go to someone's backyard!Zhao Weizhen immediately looked at Xiao Yingzheng, he must have led the way.

The latter felt Zhao Weizhen's gaze, and was not guilty, but nodded seriously.

It means that my great-grandfather wanted to come, so I brought him here.

In the past two months, King Qin's health has deteriorated day by day, not to mention Xianyang, Qin, and even the countries in the Central Plains are waiting for the final news.

However, just a few days ago, Qin Wangji's body seemed to have slowed down a bit. Not only was he able to walk on the ground, but his diet also gradually returned to normal.

This is a good thing, but when he came to the restaurant without saying a word, Zhao Weizhen was still taken aback.

"The widow can't come?" Qin Wangji asked back.

"It's natural to come." Zhao Weizhen smiled and said, "Is the king here for dinner?"

However, although it is said that he has recovered, in the past few months, the old man's condition has deteriorated visibly with the naked eye.

He became thinner like a shriveled balloon, revealing his face, hands and neck, almost to the point of skin to bone.Although King Qin's spirit is still not bad, even his eyes are still as clear as a child's, but...

Seeing him in this state, Zhao Weizhen couldn't help but feel a little sad.

Before time travel, her grandfather was like this before he died.

There is no illness or pain, but people are getting old, and they are getting old, and they are going to the end of life.

But King Qin didn't seem to be affected by his state at all.

"The whole of Xianyang says your food is delicious." King Qin said, "I have to come and taste it anyway."

"Then invite the king to take a seat at the front." Zhao Weizhen said.

"The tofu you made last time tasted good." The old man praised: "This time, I have to get something for the widow that I haven't eaten before."

"That's natural."

Zhao Weizhen said enthusiastically, "I'm discussing this matter with the shopkeeper."

Unexpectedly, the first person to taste pickled fish would be King Qin!

When a heavyweight customer came, the whole kitchen was trembling, and Zhao Weizhen showed 100% concentration.

The bones and meat of the river fish are separated, and the bones are used to make soup. The fish fillets are best marinated with salt and wine.Then take out the pickled sauerkraut and cut it up, add condiments and fish soup to cook.When the water boils, throw the marinated fish into it.

The process of sauerkraut fish is not complicated, Zhao Weizhen didn't even do it himself, just verbal instructions, and soon a pot of fish was ready.

Although the spices and ingredients of this era are not as complete as those of later generations, the taste is bound to be far from the modern sauerkraut fish.But Zhao Weizhen thinks that the problem is not big: there is no chili, so people in the pre-Qin era are not very accepting of spicy taste.

And taking into account the stomachs of the elderly and children, she even asked the cook to put less pepper in order to highlight the sour and salty taste

When the shopkeeper brought the fish, vegetables, and other food to the table one after another, Zhao Weizhen took a seat with a pot of mead.

"Your Majesty and the two sons, try it quickly."

Zhao Weizhen poured wine for King Qin: "I don't know how it tastes yet."

Old King Qin didn't move his chopsticks, but when he smelled mead, he showed a childlike expression of disgust: "Why is it light wine?"

"Your Majesty wants to drink strong wine, but my concubine is afraid that the palace doctor will chase me and beat her." Zhao Weizhen retorted, "There is better strong wine than strong wine, and light wine is better than light wine. Your Majesty, give it a try."

Speaking like this, it's like a granddaughter acting like a baby with her grandfather.

"Humph."

Qin Wangji showed displeasure, but he took a drink and found that it was really good.

The taste of the mead is almost invisible, but the sweetness of the honey makes up for this shortcoming.King Qin made a taste, then put down the wine vessel: "It's not bad."

After speaking, he picked up the chopsticks.

Zhao Weizhen raised his hand to signal the biscuits on the table: "Your Majesty, you can use the biscuits together."

The sour taste is already appetizing, and the fish is properly processed, and sauerkraut is used as a side dish, which completely covers up the earthy smell, leaving only the deliciousness.

The biscuits are soaked in the soup, and the aroma of wheat and sour is perfectly blended, which is also very appetizing.

Just for tasting, King Qin ate half a cake with fish and sauerkraut, expressing his satisfaction with actions.

As for Xiao Yingzheng and Xiao Chengyu who were already growing tall?But one was not afraid, the other didn't understand, dared to dine with King Qin, and did not eat less.

This moved the old attendant behind King Qin badly: Although King Qin was able to eat normally after his condition improved, his appetite has not been very good all the time.

I ate more today than in the past.

However, seeing the old man eating quickly, Zhao Weizhen immediately said, "Slow down, Your Majesty, this is just one piece of cake."

King Qin: "...do you dare not feed the widow?"

If it were someone else, I'm afraid he would have been frightened by the monarch's words.

But Zhao Weizhen was not afraid.

It's not that she doesn't have old people at home, even Zhao Liang would occasionally go wrong when he overeats, let alone King Qin's age.

Now that the old king of Qin is so skinny, his stomach probably started to give up work slowly. Eating too much may not be a good thing.

Zhao Weizhen directly said: "If the king is willing, I will copy the recipes for sauerkraut and fish to the cooks in the palace. If you want to eat it in the future, let them make it again. If you eat too much at one time, it will easily accumulate food, which is not good for the stomach. It’s not easy to get better, but it’s still a little—”

"Okay, okay."

The old king of Qin interrupted her, but he didn't blame her. Instead, a bit of resentment appeared on his face covered with ravines.

Hearing Zhao Weizhen's endless chatter, he somewhat slowed down his eating speed.Putting down his chopsticks, King Qin teased, but also sighed: "Meng Kai's temperament, I don't think he is from Handan, but rather like a pungent Chu girl."

Zhao Weizhen raised his lips: "It's a compliment for me to be king."

There is still a concubine in the front, and a "minister" will suddenly appear.

Although Zhao Weizhen now has the false name of discussing his wife, it is no problem to be a minister, but now it is somewhat joking.

Qin Wang paused for a moment because of her self-proclaimed change, and also laughed: "The widow sees that Zhao Guo is not exhausted of those stubborn brains, isn't this also a living treasure?"

Zhao Weizhen pursed his lips on purpose.

When King Qin and the two young masters had almost eaten, Zhao Weizhen waved his hand and took down all the food, wine and dishes on the long table.

"Your Majesty." She said, "You are full, can you explain why you are here?"

"Ok?"

Zhao Weizhen went straight to the point, but the old king of Qin was not in a hurry.Instead, he looked up in confusion: "The widow can't just come to eat?"

If you said that before you got sick, Zhao Weizhen would still believe it a little bit.

But now, seeing that King Qin didn't have many days left, he went out of the palace and came to this small restaurant as soon as his health improved.

She didn't mean anything else, even if Zhao Weizhen was beaten stupid, she wouldn't believe it.

"The widow just thinks it's boring to lie down and raise him all the time in the palace, and everyone around him treats the widow like ceramics, which is boring." Qin Wang said: "So I want to talk to Meng Kai."

"What does Your Majesty want to talk about?" Zhao Weizhen asked.

"Let's talk about the world."

"..."

Zhao Weizhen's body stopped slightly when a huge word came over him.

However, King Qin's tone was as if this "world" and the pickled fish that he ate just now were commonplace.

Zhao Weizhen quickly thought about it in his mind, and then said: "I think that in the past few decades, there have been countless people who have talked with the king. Among them, there are many people who are more talented and capable than Meng Wei. Why should Meng Wei pick up people in front of the king? Tooth wise?"

This time calling himself a minister, it is a serious monarch and minister answering.

"Wisdom after picking up people's teeth?"

King Qin repeated Zhao Weizhen's words, and said with great interest: "Meng Kai has always been witty, so don't be modest."

Uh.

When did Picking up People's Tooth and Wisdom come from?Zhao Weizhen felt a little guilty.

"Come."

It was obvious that he wanted to talk about the world, but King Qin was very interested, as if he was asking Zhao Weizhen to share some interesting things in his daily life: "Since you don't want to catch up with others, let's say something different."

"What does Your Majesty want to hear?"

Zhao Weizhen is still not sure about King Qin's thinking: "A minister is not as good as Shang Jun in governing the world, Zhang Yi is not as good at talking, politics is not as good as Fan Ju, and fighting is not as good as the generals. If you want to talk about new technologies, maybe Meng Kai can still discuss with the King of Qin. If you want to talk The world, I am afraid that there is nothing new to say to the king."

King Qin: "Tell me why you chose Qin?"

This is easy.

Zhao Weizhen replied with a smile: "Naturally, the goal of playing chess is to win. Qin Guo swallowed most of the white pieces in this chess game, and went to help the black pieces to play chess. Isn't it easier to find a way to make the white pieces turn around? There is no difference between the tourists who flock to Qin, they are nothing more than speculation and want to take advantage of Qin's east wind."

The King of Qin asked again: "Since you said that you will win the chess game, what will Meng Kai do after winning?"

That's what it's for!

Knowing the purpose of the old king of Qin, Zhao Weizhen can relax.

She pondered for a moment, then solemnly responded: "Yichen sees that after winning this chess game, the real trouble will be."

"How troublesome?"

"Your Majesty, please think about it. If a game brings benefits, it is gambling." Zhao Weizhen talked eloquently: "If there is no winner or loser in the chess game, everyone in the world will focus on winning and losing, and don't care about other things for the time being."

Taking the analogy of chess completely avoids putting sharply contradictory issues on the bright side.

"Winning or losing is not so important, what is important is how to share the benefits later. This game of chess has been played for hundreds of years, and not only the monarchs and clans of their own countries participated in it. The craftsmen and heads of Guizhou who have worked hard are all waiting for a result."

Zhao Weizhen concluded: "Even if this result does not meet everyone's wishes, we still have to give an explanation. Otherwise..."

King Qin: "Otherwise, how about it?"

Zhao Weizhen: "Internal and external troubles."

King Qin was silent.

This is what it means to wait for Zhao Weizhen to continue.She further mentioned: "Score the betting money internally, and make those who lose the chess game not so angry externally. How to do it, I think, is more difficult than unifying the world."

When King Qin heard this, his joking face gradually became serious.

But there was still a bit of satisfaction on his face, it was obvious that Zhao Weizhen had hit his heart.

Only Zhao Weizhen dared to discuss this with the Great Demon King.

Looking at the world, the six countries dare not want to unify, and the only thing Qin Ting and his officials are thinking about is unification.What will happen after unification seems to be far away from them.

Zhao Weizhen came here through time travel by herself, knowing the future, she is not worried about unification, but what she is more worried about is that after the unification of Qin State, this country has not been able to hold on.

But how to keep it...

But it is a task of hell difficulty level.

After a long time, the old king of Qin nodded slowly.

"That's what Meng Kai said," he said slowly, "Qin is like a rolling chariot, pushed to the finish line, and no one thinks about what will happen afterwards."

Zhao Weizhen was shocked.

She widened her eyes slightly, then turned to look at Xiao Yingzheng.

Xiao Yingzheng, who was sitting beside Qin Wangji, looked away silently, which was extremely rare.

This……

Meng Yi didn't dare to speak, it was definitely Xiao Yingzheng's slip of the tongue!No wonder he came here with Qin Wangji today, so he didn't dare to talk too much.

Thinking of what he said in Handan Baba, Zhao Weizhen instantly broke out in a cold sweat.

However, seeing the change in her expression, King Qin just laughed out loud again, and the face he raised just now turned into that of an old urchin again.

"Since Meng Kai said it, he has to give the widow an explanation."

Although the King of Qin didn't mean to blame, he still deliberately said: "The widow is here today to ask for an explanation."