Wen Xuerong was lying leisurely in the breeze, and a figure sat down beside her, no need to guess, she knew that it was the eldest brother Cedar who came.

"Brother, there is plenty of time for this trip, why don't we go to the Tianshan Mountains to have a look, I heard that there are snow lotus flowers blooming on the Tianshan Mountains, I want to find out."

Wen Xuesong glanced at her sister, and said softly: "Silly sister, the snow lotus is in full bloom in July and August, and now it is spring, and it is too early to bloom." However, we can go and see it first, familiarize ourselves with the environment first, and wait until the autumn to look for it, it will be easier to find. ”

Wen Xuesong is ten years older than her sister, so she naturally loves this little sister very much, although Xuerong is fourteen years old, she still loves her like a child.

Therefore, as long as he is free, he will take his little sister to travel and broaden his knowledge.

Moreover, whatever the little sister asks, nothing will be granted.

When the two of them were about to get on their horses and leave, there were bursts of calls in the distance: "The eldest son, the second miss, I finally found you." ”

The brother and sister stopped and waited, and the person who came was Uncle Batu who was in the market just now, and he said excitedly: "Second Lady, Eldest Prince, Batu is going to hold the "Ucha Banquet" in the yurt tonight, and warmly invites you to participate as guest of honor. As he spoke, he bent down deeply, put his right hand on his heart, and made the most formal Mongolian gift.

The two brothers and sisters hurriedly returned the salute, and Cedar said: "Thank you Uncle Batu for your kind invitation, our two brothers and sisters will definitely go on time." Xue Rong nodded desperately on the side, excited and excited.

"Honored guest, Batu is waiting for you."

After watching Uncle Batu walk away, Xue Rong looked at the eldest brother excitedly and said, "Brother, did you hear that?" Uncle invited us to the "Ucha" banquet! I've heard that this is a traditional dish that is served only when the most honored guests of the Mongolian people are entertained! ”

"Well, it seems that Uncle Batu is a Mongolian tribesman, and this is the most solemn etiquette when their clan feasts guests, but do you know what the "Banquet of Ucha" means? Cedar followed Xue Rong's words and asked her rhetorically.

"I know, my mother told me about it." Xue Rong cocked her chin triumphantly.

"Oh, then you tell my brother, my brother is still afraid that there will be omissions, and when the time comes, I'm afraid that I will lose my etiquette?" Cedar smiled slyly and took the opportunity to take his sister to the army.

"Well, when Genghis Khan set the world, the heroes of the big banquet set up a whole sheep banquet called "Wucha's Banquet". The etiquette of the "Banquet of Ucha" is the most grand, and the guests invited have no difference in status or status, only priority and priority. At the time of the banquet, all the guests invited to the banquet were seated in order according to the Mongolian customs, starting with the guests and elders......"

Speaking of this, Wen Xuerong stopped, pursed her lips and asked Xuesong: "Brother, am I right?" ”

"All right." The latter is appreciative of the eye and thumbs up.

……

At dusk, the invited guests entered the yurt in turn.

Cedar Xuerong is the guest of honor invited by Uncle Batua, Cedar is the first to sit at the table, followed by Xuerong, and then the elders of his clan, after being seated in order of generation, they sit around the red lacquer square table placed in it.

When all the guests were seated, the host, Uncle Batua, walked in with a large square wooden plate with a boiled, steaming whole sheep's back, placed on the red lacquered square table among the guests, and placed the sheep's head in the direction of the guest of honor.

Then, the host raised the silver bowl and presented white fresh milk to Cedar Xuerong and the guests, indicating that the guests would be welcomed with the purest and most auspicious food on the grassland.

After receiving the fresh milk in turn, the two Cedar siblings and other guests gently dipped a little tit on the ring finger of their right hand like the host, and played it to the sky and the earth once and again with sincerity and respect, and finally tasted it again, in order to show their respect for the heavens, the earth, the gods, and the master.

Xue Rong followed her brother, and after doing all this solemnly, a pretty smile appeared on her face, her eyes widened, and she looked at Uncle Batu with anticipation.

Because next, the host will chant the traditional "Ucha feast" greeting.

I saw Uncle Batu clear his throat, raise the fresh milk in one hand, and sing in a clear and clear tone:

Dear guests above,

Allow me to offer the whole lamb that is tender;

Its broad back,

It's like the vastness of the universe;

Its fat limbs,

It's like the four major states.

Its high head,

It's like the top of Sembul Hill;

Its long straight bones,

It's like a sandalwood tree in the mountains.

Take the chief sheep all,

Placed among the distinguished guests and friends,

Take that mellow wine,

Pour a glittering cup,

Blessed guests

Please enjoy it.

Uncle Batua's beautiful and sacred singing came to an abrupt end, and Xue Rong and the guests were still immersed in this soulful singing, unwilling to wake up.

Cedar gently pulled down her sister's shirt and reminded her that she had finished singing.

After Xue Rong came to his senses, Cedar turned the wooden plate on the table so that the sheep's head was facing the master, and Uncle Batu took out a delicate Mongolian saber from his body, cut a few small pieces of meat around the whole sheep, and then put it in a small plate and spread it to the sky, which means that the holy food will be honored to the sky and the earth first.

Xue Rong didn't blink, she watched Uncle Batu's every move fixedly, and then looked at the fragrant mutton on the table, and her hunger immediately became swirling, because the rich fragrance was too attractive.

"Little glutton, are you hungry? Don't worry, Uncle is about to start dividing the mutton. Cedar on the side saw her sister's intention and comforted her teasingly.

Sure enough, the master half-squatted down, and began to skillfully divide the whole mutton into small pieces, and after dividing them, he stacked and placed these pieces, and then put the sheep's head on it, turned the wooden plate, and turned the direction of the sheep's head to the cedar, and handed the handle of the knife to the cedar's hand, stood respectfully, raised his hands, palms up, bent down slightly, and said: "Distinguished guests, please eat!" Then he sat down under the square table.

Cedar smiled and took off the sheep's head, cut off three pieces of meat on each side of the sheep's back bone, and put them down after exchanging them left and right, before saying loudly: "Everyone, please start eating!" ”

As he spoke, he grabbed two pieces of mutton with his hands and put them on the plate in front of Wen Xuerong.

So, everyone sitting around picked up the mutton on the big plate and ate it lively.

While eating, they praised the beauty of its taste, and occasionally held mare's milk wine, and kept toasting each other.

"Brother, this mutton is too fragrant, how can there be such delicious mutton? It's a pity that Daddy and Auntie didn't come, so they couldn't eat such delicious mutton. Xue Rong vaguely expressed his regret while eating.

In fact, Xue Rong is still young, and she doesn't understand the mystery of the "Banquet of Ucha".

The whole mutton itself is indeed delicious and tender, and because of a series of solemn ceremonies before eating, it makes people look forward to it. This, coupled with the host's incomparable respect for the guests, gives this whole lamb to it

The meaning of the noble blessing of great piety.

Therefore, eating the fragrant and tender mutton, enjoying the highest courtesy that can only be enjoyed as the most distinguished guest, and in this rich atmosphere, I feel as if I am in the Mongolian people

In the unique atmosphere of life, can it not be delicious and abnormal, toothless and unforgettable!

In a lively, solemn and harmonious atmosphere, the "Wucha Banquet" enjoyed the guests and the hosts, and ended perfectly.

Uncle Batu's family stood at the door of the yurt, respectfully sent the guests away one by one, and when they saw that the two brothers and sisters of Xuerong had finally come out, they smiled and said: "Two distinguished guests, please come to this "Wucha Banquet" again when you have the opportunity next time, okay?" ”

"Okay, Uncle Batu, next time, I will bring my father and aunt and let them taste this delicious Wucha feast too." Wen Xuerong readily agreed, because she liked this simple folk style too much, and hoped that her parents could also feel it and like it.

Batu laughed heartily and replied, "Okay, Batu will invite distinguished guests next time." ”

After Wen Xuerong reluctantly left, she said to Xuesong beside her: "Brother, you said, if Uncle Batu knew that we were the sons and daughters of the chief soldier's family, would he still invite us to be the most honored guest of honor?" ”

"Rong'er, this has nothing to do with what kind of identity we are, the reason why we have become their most honored guest of honor is because you are in their hearts, you are a bold and chivalrous, sincere to others, and eager for others, pure heart, and never look down on them in the slightest. Therefore, they will become the most worthy and sincere friends in their hearts. If not, even if you are the emperor's daughter, they will not look down on you. ”

"Well, brother, I see! No matter who I am, the most important thing is this sincere heart! Wen Xuerong touched her heart with her hand, her eyes were simple and firm.

The two brothers and sisters walked all the way, chatting all the way, and suddenly a fast horse galloped in the distance, and after the horse galloped in front of them, the person on the horse quickly turned over and dismounted, and it turned out to be the family in the house. I saw him hurriedly shouting at the two of them: "The eldest son, the second miss, the little one can find you, go back with the little one!" The master's order has arrived, and he will return to Beijing in three days. The lord wants you to hurry back to the house, but you don't dare to delay the time to return to Beijing. ”

When Cedar heard this, he naturally knew that the stakes were very high, and his father could be transferred back to Beijing to take up a post, which was exactly what his parents had been looking forward to, so he didn't dare to delay for a moment, and immediately turned his horse around and returned home.

And what about Wen Xuerong? Before leaving, he was still reluctant to give up, and looked in the direction of the Tianshan Mountains several times.

"Sister, don't worry, wait for the next time you have the opportunity to go again, my brother will definitely find the Tianshan Snow Lotus for you." Cedar saw her sister's reluctance and immediately comforted her sullen.

However, a few years later, Xue Rong really went to Tianshan, but not to find Snow Lotus, nor to be accompanied by his eldest brother, but to follow his lover's footsteps in the wind, frost, rain and snow......