Gospel of Lazy Cancer

These past few days Yao Chen's mood was not very high, as the Chinese New Year was about to come, and the group had to work overtime in a foreign land, everyone's faces were not happy.

The imperial power is concentrated, communication is inconvenient, how long the people below will have to wait for the Beijing-China court meeting, the longer the time, the more desperate Yao Chen will be.

Not to mention the New Year's Eve, the Lantern Festival will not be in time.

No luck than Yao Chen, Fang Yushan has gotten used to it, and his awareness is very high, he is just a brick where he needs to move, he has a wife and son, which comforts Yao Chen.With him taking the lead, the others cheered up.

Yao Chen: I often feel out of place with you because of the high salt content.

Sure enough, after formally proposing and perfecting the strategy of beaming water and attacking sand, how could the imperial court let them disband and return to their respective families?Of course, hurry up and work!It's all for the well-being of the common people, the common people in the world, sacrifice your family for everyone!

Also, since you guys won’t be able to come back anyway, let’s explore the canal by the way. Since it’s connected to the Yellow River, the canal has been seriously silted up, okay?

Yao Chen looked indifferent.

The canal was first built in the Spring and Autumn Period. King Fucha of Wu conquered the Qi State in the north, connected the Jianghuai River, and channeled the water from the Yangtze River into the Huaihe River.

1000 years later, the canal gradually developed and connected the Yellow River. The cities along the way prospered with the benefit of water transportation, and Jiangnan became a place of prosperity.

"Until our dynasty, we relied heavily on the canal. Most of the food in the capital was supplied from the south, and there were countless ships and goods. However, the blockage became more and more serious. Sometimes the water depth was insufficient and navigation was not possible. The court dredged several times, but there was no long-term success Law."

Fang Yushan is well-read and knowledgeable, and is familiar with the affairs of the Ministry of Industry. He and Yao Chen introduced the situation in detail, and lamented the difficulty of water control.He predicted that they would not be able to go back within half a year, so he encouraged Yao Chen.

"The south of the Yangtze River is prosperous, the women are as gentle as water, and there are thin horses in Yangzhou, the world flocks to them."

Yao Chen: I don't even want to go.

Along with the decree, there were also items brought to them by the people of Jingzhong.

Compared with others who have one box and two boxes, Yao Chen has a full car.

In addition to the New Year gifts packaged by Fourth Uncle Beijing and Pu Jiayan, there were also various local ceremonies and specialties from Jinyang, and even Mrs. Fang also sent a book of water control strategies annotated by famous experts.

Fang Yushan, only concerned by his wife and children: I may not be my own...

Some of the gifts from Park Jiayan were clothes for Yao Chen's own use, and some of them were packaged New Year's gifts, so that it was convenient for him to move around and socialize, and to establish a good relationship with officials.The gifts from the family were very solid, such as pickled bacon, sausages, pickles, and long-lasting candies. Yao Chen only shared some of the candies with everyone, and they were well received.

"Is this a Jinyang snack? It's rich in milk and delicious."

"I didn't expect to be able to taste the taste of fruit in winter. It seems to be pears? I don't know if they can be bought in the capital."

"No." A senior person in the capital said regretfully.

Yao Chen thought for a while, and said: "My sister did it all, and she opened a shop in Jinyang. In a few years, my brother-in-law will go to Beijing to take the exam, and then maybe he will open a branch in Beijing. If you want it now, you can do it in my shop." It's decided here, next time I'll let the family carry more."

"Then thank you very much!" Jinyang is not too far away from the capital, and the shipping fee can be borne.

A group of people went south along the river, and originally planned to go to Yuhang first and then go north to investigate. Fang Yushan fell ill when they passed by Yangzhou.

"It's said that it's warmer in the south, but it's not always true..." He drank the medicine bitterly.

It was wet and cold, and the northern man expressed his admiration.

Just when the New Year's Day came, they disembarked first to repair, and simply changed to start from Yangzhou, go south to Yuhang, and then turn back to the north.

It's not the flood season of the Yangtze River, the situation is not urgent, no matter how unkind the court is, it must allow officials to celebrate the festival, right?

Presenting a New Year gift to the local officials who received the reception, the other party also returned the gift. Yao Chen found that the pork in the south is very delicious, has no smell and is suitable for fat and thin.

The local official explained: "There are many lakes in the waterlands in the south, and the water plants of Pingzao are fed, and the meat is fragrant and easy to fat."

Other New Year gifts include rice cakes, fresh lake fish, winter bamboo shoots, etc. It is inconvenient to bring back so many ingredients, so the group decided to eat them together at the reunion dinner to repay the friendship of colleagues.

Fang Yushan knew that Yao Chen knew how to eat, and there were many exclusive recipes, so he intended to let him preside over it. Yao Chen had the idea of ​​repaying the imperial court with a rare trip to the south, so he didn't refuse, and took on the responsibility of preparing the New Year's Eve dinner. Work.

Moreover, when I get busy, I don't miss home so much, and I miss little wolf dogs.

On New Year's Eve, every family is reunited, and a group of hard-working wage earners are out for the holidays.Fang Yushan's condition improved and he was fine, so he celebrated with everyone.

The round table is already filled with large and small plates, all of which are raw food. There are beef, mutton, and fish meat, sliced ​​into thin slices, and placed on ice. Good sprouts, mushrooms and winter vegetables.The main course of the reunion dinner is surrounded by a stove. Each person has a small copper pot with a charcoal fire underneath. Pour the chicken soup that has been boiled in advance into it, heat it with a simmer, and it is bubbling.

"Eat hot pot today?" People in the capital are worthy of eating it all over the world. Some people quickly recognized it and introduced it to others with great interest. "You can adjust the seasoning yourself. If you can eat spicy food, add more cornel peppercorns. If you can't eat spicy food, you can use something else."

"How do you make this light brown sauce? I've never eaten it before. It's fresh, salty and slightly sweet, and has a good flavor."

"Neither salty nor sweet, I don't understand the tastes of southerners, forget it... I'd better get vinegar."

Everyone has different tastes, so I adjusted the taste myself, took the vegetables and ate them hot.

Fang Yushan likes sand tea sauce very much. He puts a small dish by his hand, and eats specially scalded beef tendon balls with spring teeth, which is unique among all the northerners.

Yao Chen: You really might not be your own...

Apart from hot pot and one or two northern pasta dishes, most of the others are southern dishes, which are mainly adapted to local conditions. The ingredients are all southern. Yao Chen also wants to try southern dishes.

One of the dishes is braised pork with dried plums. I consulted a local cook and combined it with Yao Chen's memorized method.First cook the pork belly with spices until it is half-cooked, then color it with soy sauce, and fry it with the skin facing down until the skin is wrinkled and becomes yarn-like. After frying, cut it into large and wide slices, add cooking wine, sugar, and salt , The soy sauce is boiled for a while to taste, and placed at the bottom of the bowl.Then stir-fry the dried plums, put them on the pork belly, pour them into the bowl together with the soup, add a spoonful of sugar, cover the bowl with high heat and steam, turn to medium heat after boiling, turn off the heat and then simmer.When taking it out, turn over the bowl and the basin, that is, the meat is on the top, and the dried plums are on the bottom.

The braised meat is fat but not greasy, tender and refreshing, and the dried plums are especially fragrant after absorbing the oil. It is simply delicious with a bowl of white and crystal clear rice!

Obviously, there are plenty of dishes on the table, and the staple food is dumplings, steamed buns and other pasta, but everyone still can't eat more than a bowl of rice.

"one more bowl."

"Snacks aren't served yet."

"It's nothing, I'll digest it later."

"Then I'll have another half bowl."

The last dessert is sweet-scented osmanthus honey lotus root powder and brown sugar fried rice cakes.Lotus root powder was originally only given as a tribute to the royal family, so it was named tribute powder. After brewing, it is crystal clear and transparent. It is served with honey made from sweet-scented osmanthus. It has a mellow taste and is very nourishing; Take out the rice grains, then cut them into strips, dry and deep-fry them, roll them in brown sugar, and eat them while they are hot. They are glutinous, soft and fragrant.

"I really can't get tired of food, and I can't get tired of fine food."

Even though the officials are well-informed, they were also conquered by this unique dish.

There was a gourmet in the group. It is said that they tried all the restaurants and night markets in the capital, and they couldn't resist writing a letter back to Beijing the next day to show off.

This business trip is worth it!

Since then, Yao Chen has started to take care of the logistics, and he no longer needs to run around drawing maps on the canal. The original records of the canal are very detailed, and the others can handle it, so Yao Chen can concentrate on providing food for everyone.

Of course Yao Chen is very happy, he doesn't have to suffer from the cold, and he also accepts everyone's love.

He usually eats more beef and mutton, but this time he asked him to seize the opportunity and make pork in a different way.

In addition to the pickled pork with dried plums and vegetables that everyone ordered to make again, there are also honey sauce barbecued pork, Dongpo pork, braised pork, braised pork knuckle, sweet and sour pork...

They are all side dishes, and rice is often eaten in the south, which is a perfect match.If you eat pasta, it is also delicious when sandwiched in pancakes or covered with noodles.

The cook in charge of entertaining them also wondered why the southern dishes cooked by the northerners are better than those made by the southerners?

It is indeed the capital city!Unknown.

Later, as his recipe spread, the pigs in Jiangnan suffered, and Yao Chen became the nemesis of pigs.

Pig: What kind of grudge? !

One day, I suddenly wanted to eat northern dishes, and changed to dry-stir-fried beef, mutton and stewed radishes. Everyone wondered, why not make pork?Although those dishes are also delicious.

Yao Chen: "...I'm going back to the north, let's get used to it in advance."

The return journey started at the beginning of summer, and when we were approaching the capital, we encountered the flood season of the Yellow River. The pilot project had been completed, and the results were just ready for acceptance.The inspection team stopped and collected some data.

Perhaps because the Shushui sand attack project has finally achieved results, and this section is not the main period of summer floods, the water flow is turbulent and there is no sediment retention, everyone is happy.

At this time, it was rumored that the Yang family who was married to the Pu family had a big melon.

Yang, the mother of the head of the Yang family, has an improper relationship with her grandson!

There was already a commotion in the capital, and it spread rapidly to the surrounding cities, even Yao Chen and the others heard about it.

"How is it possible? It's pure nonsense!" Someone scoffed.

"If it's true, the Yang family's reputation for thousands of years will be ruined in one day." Fang Yushan said with a frown, as the family declined one by one, he couldn't help but feel hurt.

Yao Chen faintly felt that there was a shadow of a little wolf dog in it, otherwise, why would there be no accident sooner or later, but it happened when the lady of the Yang family was about to give birth?

The little wolf dog also fought hard in order not to get married.

The truth is similar to what Yao Chen guessed.

When the sage first heard the rumors, he thought it was a joke. The people behind him had all the evidence, so he couldn't believe it. Because the first emperor noticed that the Yang family was rich in gold and jade, and it was ruined in it.

Last year, when he first heard such rumors, the emperor ordered Pu Jiayan to conduct a secret investigation. He thought that the Pu family and the Yang family were on good terms. Later, it was discovered that the relationship between Yang and his grandson had been maintained for many years (his grandson is not yet a weak crown), and it had already happened when her husband was alive. The family pretended to be deaf and dumb, and even the cause of her husband's death was very suspicious.

The news of this matter was spread because the grandson of Yang's family was drunk and beat someone to death in the brothel, and he yelled out when he was taken away by the yamen servants. He probably couldn't bear the psychological pressure, and he had nowhere to vent his depression and pain. Maybe he was already crazy up.

It was also embarrassing.

The emperor was very satisfied with Park Jiayan's selflessness, loyalty, dedication, and sympathy for his marriage. He was already an older unmarried young man, but his marriages did not go well. Previously, the daughter of the Yang family was a filial piety for his grandfather, and he did not change his mind and choose someone else. I don't want to be put in a dilemma by doing bad things with good intentions.

"In your opinion, how should we deal with the Yang family?"

"It's all up to the saint to decide." Park Jia said from the bottom of his heart.

"Your marriage... oh... If there is someone you like, talk to me." It was a compensation.

Pu Jiayan didn't dare to respond, if the saints later find out that he has an affair with Yao Chen, he must be punished for deceiving the emperor.

According to the current decree, the Yang family is unkind and deprives him of his imperial order. The head of the Yang family is not strict in governing the family, unkind and unfilial, stripped of his official status, and the three generations of his direct descendants are not allowed to be official.

Although there was no explicit mention of the Yang family's scandal, everyone saw it: This is the real deal!

For a while, the Yang family became street rats, and the face of the aristocratic family was also dishonored.

The original head of the Yang family was the son of the Yang family. Now that the new head is taking office, he is not of the Yang family. The first thing he does is to clean up the family.

When Yang died of illness, the funeral was rushed and no one came to express condolences, but he still lived in the ancestral grave for the sake of the Yang family's face.Not long after, his grandson fell into the water after drinking and died, and all the family members, young and old, were packed up and sent back to their hometown, waiting for future generations to pass the exam.

No wonder the new head of the family is ruthless, the family is prosperous, the family is prosperous, and the other is damaged. If one person commits a scandal, thousands of people in the whole family have to pay for it. How many girls in this generation are waiting in the boudoir, how many children are officials in the court, and now they have been retired. There are too many people who have been affected in their careers.It's like a mouse dropping, spoiling a pot of porridge.

There were even businessmen who, seeing that the Yang family had been hit hard by this, came to ask for their daughter-in-law with the idea that the other party would clear the place and sell it for a big sale. They were kicked out of the Yang family, and they even mocked the Yang family behind: "Be careful that you throw it in your hands."

The new head of the family gritted his teeth and carried it hard: the woman was divorced and kept at home, even if she went to the women's temple, she would not allow it easily, let alone merchants!

If this hurdle cannot be passed, the Yang family will fall out of the ranks of first-rate families. Fortunately, there are people in the court who are officials, so there is still a glimmer of life.

When Yao Chen arrived in Beijing, the matter of the Yang family had already been settled.

Everyone inspected them and returned to Beijing. When their family and friends saw them, no matter how unconscionable they were, they dared not say that they had lost weight.

"It's winter, if you don't eat more, how can you survive the cold?" The old glutton justified himself.

"Don't fool me, can the south be as cold as the north?" His old friend knew his virtue, so he didn't buy it.

"Go there personally and teach you how to be a human being."

His old friend was dubious: "What about spring and summer? It's also cold?"

"..."

"Tell me what delicious food you found!" Although he gave his friend a good meal, he was sure that he had indeed eaten a lot of good food, and asked why.

The old glutton thought for a while, and said, "Probably because I went out with the right person."

He is not the only one, Fang Yushan was also looked at twice by the saint when he was on business.

"The Qing family has worked hard." The saint praised Fang Yushan without changing his expression.The latter felt ashamed, and showed his merits to the members of the investigation team, especially Yao Chen. Whether it was improving the water control strategy, finding information to draw a map, helping to check for leaks and filling vacancies, or being in charge of logistics, they were all very appropriate and without a single mistake.

The emperor nodded in satisfaction and rewarded them one by one.

The two monarchs and ministers were talking about the many rivers and lakes in the south of the Yangtze River. Zhao Sanlang suddenly asked: "Is the Jiangnan pig (pig from the south of the Yangtze River) raised with algae and aquatic plants really so delicious? Now the dish of pickled pork with dried plums has spread all over the capital." .”

The capital consumes tens of thousands of livestock every day, including pigs. Recently, the sales volume has soared, and the price of meat has soared. The common people have complained that they can't even afford cheap meat like pork, so the sage paid attention.

Fang Yushan's psychological quality is also very good. He just froze for a moment, and said: "Northern pigs have short snouts, and river pigs have small ears. The species are similar and different, and the quality of the meat has its own flavor. Jiang pig is more suitable for this dish."

Zhao Sanlang felt the same, and talked about water conservancy again.

Fang Yushan: If you encounter someone with a straight temper, you have to go to the notebook and speak out.

Let's talk about business with you. Why did you suddenly turn to pig raising? How could Ming Jun do such a thing?

Yao Silang gave Yao Chen a bear hug, and even picked him up to weigh him up.

"It's heavy."

"..."

Yao Chen took a good rest and waited for Park Jiayan at home. His letter should have arrived a few days ago, but no one came to the door in the afternoon, Yao Chen was a little surprised.

"Don't wait, maybe the yamen happened to have something to do and couldn't leave."

It was fine if he didn't say anything, Yao Chen immediately felt that something was wrong inside.

"If you have something to hide from me, just tell it straight up. Usually, you will definitely not take the initiative to make excuses for him, but say that he has changed his mind and moved to Qin Muchu and so on."

Yao Silang wanted to hit himself: let you talk too much!

He struggled a few times, but still explained the reason clearly, thinking that it is better to be prepared for the bad news.Ever since Yao Chen and Pu Jiayan reunited, he ordered people to closely monitor the movements of the Pu family. Recently, he found out that the Pu family sent a matchmaker to the Yang family, and the latter went to the Taoist temple to inquire about good and bad luck. Families do want to marry.

Yao Silang couldn't understand it.

Could it be that Pu Shilang is high-spirited, honest and righteous, or out of political investment considerations, he still insists on marrying the Yang family, so he can help the Yang family at this time?

Or did Pu Jiayan feel that after this matter, the Yang family's daughter was easy to handle, so he simply married a Buddha and went back to worship, and then he and Yao Chen lived together?

"Don't worry, I'm fine." Facing fourth uncle's worried gaze, Yao Chen instead advised him to be calm: "We'll talk when we meet."

However, after a few days passed, there was still no news about Park Jiayan. Yao Silang went to Dali Temple to inquire again, and when he learned that Park Jiayan had taken sick leave, he had some guesses in his heart and asked Yao Chen to listen.

Yao Chen thought it was okay to guess blindly, so he said, "Go directly to the door!"

Yao Silang was worried, so he followed suit, saying: "I'll be guarding outside, and if I don't come out for an hour, I'll go to the yamen to report the crime and save you."

Yao Chen: "I can't..."

Yao Silang snorted coldly: "Think about the Yang family, you may only have heard that the Yang family and his grandson died, and the slaves who were dragged to the mass graves are hard to count. Who will carefully distinguish between those who know and those who don't? How much is that room originally? People? In the end, there are only a few direct bloodlines left. This family is black!"

Yao Chen: Thank you for your encouragement!