Once ignited, hope was soon shattered, and the ups and downs of the expression on Feng Zhong's face also failed to escape Xiang Kang's eyes, so he asked in a low voice, "What?" Big brother, is it possible that the new county order does not enter the oil and salt and does not accept other people's benefits? ”

"It's not that you don't take benefits from others." Feng Zhong shook his head and said in a low voice: "Although the foolish brother has never dealt with the new county order, he didn't say anything about what he didn't accept from anyone, so I don't think he should be the kind of person who can't deal with him." ”

Xiang Kangyun thought very quickly, and when he heard this, he only thought for a moment, and immediately said: "In this case, is it that the eldest brother has inconvenient hands, and he is worried that he will not be able to come up with enough things to make that county order tempted?" ”

"Brother Xian is really smart, and he can guess it." Feng Zhong praised it sincerely, and then said in a low voice: "Don't hide it from the virtuous brother, although I, the pavilion chief, look majestic, in addition to having Lu Mi every month, the county's surplus money and grain every year can be shared, and occasionally I can get some other benefits, but the expenses under my back are not small, in addition to supporting my family and courtesy, I also have to raise a group of doormen to let them run errands for me, and dealing with the township and county is even more indispensable to spend money, even if I have a little savings in my hand, I am afraid that I will not be able to impress the county order." ”

Xiang Kang, who was full of bad ideas and bad ideas, finally had nothing to say this time - he was so poor that he couldn't help Feng Zhong even if he wanted to help Feng Zhong in terms of money. But fortunately, modern people have a lot of experience and theories in this area of whiskers and flattery, and after a little consideration, Xiang Kang asked again: "So big brother, have you heard that the new county order has any special preferences?" What does he particularly like? ”

"What do you particularly like?" Feng Zhong recalled for a long time before he hesitated and said: "I don't know very well, but I heard that he seems to be more picky about food, and the cooks of several wine shops in the city have been asked by him to cook, and he likes to send him any good game in the township." ”

"Picky about eating?" Xiang Kang was a little dazed, and asked again, "What about the others?" Does he have any other preferences? ”

"Like, I like to put on a show." Feng Zhong recalled for a long time before he remembered this, and said: "Thank you Brother Xian for your advice, I will find a way to inquire carefully as soon as possible, and after hearing the news, I will ask Brother Xian to discuss it again." ”

When Xiang Kang nodded in agreement, Feng Zhong's wife walked in in with a cower, and while carefully saluting the brothers of the Xiang family, he beckoned the doorman to help carry the food and get the food, Feng Zhong hurriedly arranged a few doormen to help his wife, and Xiang Kang also sat back in his place and waited for the meal.

Feng Zhong and his wife were indeed deliberately trying to please the Xiang brothers, and in addition to the fish and mussels that were relatively easy to get in the Huai River Valley, the dishes to entertain the Xiang brothers were also not cheap dried meat and fatty meat boiled with millet, and two jars of rice wine bought from the county were also moved. As a result, seeing such a meal, the Xiang family brothers all had their eyes lit up, needless to say, the Feng family guests who had been eating in Feng Zhong's house all the year round were also ecstatic, Feng Zhong had just called everyone to eat, and the Xiang brothers and all the guests pounced on the desk like hungry wolves, shook off their cheeks and chewed on the sea, and even forgot to drink wine.

Only Xiang Kang did not forget to exchange glasses with Feng Zhong and toast each other, the reason is that Xiang Kang has not forgotten the etiquette and demeanor, and the second is that the food in this era is very wrong Xiang Kang's appetite - fish and mussels are boiled in white water, dipped in black paste with a strange flavor sauce to eat, the so-called dried meat is air-dried meat, which is also boiled in white water and eaten with dipping sauce, and the so-called millet is boiled directly with pork fat cut into pieces, and it is greasy and greasy to eat without salt and pepper in the mouth, Xiang Kang, who has raised his mouth in the 21st century, is certainly not used to eating such things.

Feng Zhong must be praised here, after unconsciously feeling that Xiang Kang was actually quite easy to get close to, Feng Zhong actually noticed that Xiang Kang seemed to be a little dissatisfied with his own food, and took the initiative to ask, "Brother Xian, what's the matter?" You don't seem to like these dishes? What do you want to eat? Do you want the foolish brother to ask your sister-in-law Qiu to make some food again? ”

"Don't bother Sister-in-law Qiu." Xiang Kang shook his head and said, "It's not that I don't like these dishes, it's just that my appetite is not very good." ”

"Do you want to eat some barbecue?" Feng Zhong took the initiative to say again: "I remember that there should still be some pork at home, ask your sister-in-law Qiu to cut it and roast it for you to eat?" ”

Xiang Kang was a little tempted, but considering the terrible seasonings of this era, and the fact that he couldn't be too picky and lose his manners, Xiang Kang still shook his head, and was about to decline, when suddenly his heart moved again, and he hurriedly raised his head and asked, "Brother Feng, do you have any dried lotus leaves at home?" ”

"Yes." Feng Zhong nodded, and said again: "Does Brother Xian want to pack some dishes and bring them back to the two Xiang Yuan?" Foolish brother, this is going to tell you to prepare for Sister-in-law Qiu? ”

"No, no." Xiang Kang shook his head and said, "Brother Lao invited Sister-in-law Qiu here, I have something to say to her." ”

Feng Zhong agreed, and quickly sent someone to call his wife to talk to Xiang Kang, and then soon, Feng Zhong's wife, who was not too ugly, was invited to Xiang Kang, saluted Xiang Kang with a fearful expression, and said carefully: "Xiang Gongzi, dare to ask what you command?" ”

"Sister-in-law Qiu, I want you to cook a dish." Xiang Kang said: "You go and kill a chicken, remove the hair and internal organs, wash it, and then prepare some clean yellow mud, lotus leaves and twine, and bring it together with a cutting board and a kitchen knife, and I will teach you how to make this dish in person." ”

"Kill chickens?" Feng's wife's expression was extremely embarrassed, and she hesitated and said: "Childe, there are chickens at home, but one is only used to report the point, and the rest are laying eggs, it's a pity to kill them, can you let the slave family go to the market to buy another ...... in a few days." ”

"Kill a chicken that lays eggs." Xiang Kang didn't give Feng's wife a chance to argue, and said inch by inch: "If there are dried mountain mushrooms (dried mushrooms) at home, soak them and wash them and bring them together, and take a few dried dates, cut some meat slices, and try to cut them thinly." ”

Feng Zhong's wife looked at her husband with pleading eyes, but Feng Zhong was extremely embarrassed, and quietly complained about Xiang Kang's inches, but she was embarrassed to refute Xiang Kang's face, so she stubbornly said: "Do what Xiang Kang Gongzi ordered, and bring it when you are ready." ”

Feng's wife was helpless, so she had to agree in a low voice, and quickly went down to prepare, the Xiang family brothers were all inexplicable, and they didn't know what medicine Xiang Kang was selling in the gourd, and none of Feng Zhong and Feng's doormen did not secretly scold Xiang Kang in his stomach for being shameless and kicking his nose in the face, and at the same time, Feng Zhong began to regret knowing such a friend as Xiang Kang in his heart, worried that it would be more difficult to entertain Xiang Kang in the future.

In a moment, Feng's wife prepared everything and called two doormen to help carry it to Xiang Kang's face, but because she was nervous, Feng's wife forgot to prepare yellow mud. Fortunately, this thing is not difficult to prepare, Xiang Kang immediately pointed to a guest of the Feng family who was helping, and ordered: "Go dig some clean yellow mud, use a clean basin, remember, the yellow mud must be as clean as possible." ”

"What do you want yellow mud to cook?" The doorman asked inexplicably.

"Don't ask, you'll know when the time comes." Xiang Kang's tone was indiscriminate, "Go and prepare." ”

glanced at Feng Zhong, who was appreciating his own food, and saw Feng Zhong nodding helplessly, the unlucky doorman had to quietly scold Xiang Kang in his stomach to go out to prepare, Xiang Kang rolled up his sleeves and picked up the knife, and said to Feng Zhong's wife: "Sister-in-law Qiu, I only do it once, you must remember the steps clearly." ”

Feng Zhong's wife nodded dizzily, carefully watching Xiang Kang's operation, Xiang Kang first broke the legs and wings of the chicken that had been dehaired with the back of the knife, and then chopped the soaked dried mushrooms at will, mixed with dried red dates and meat slices, and stuffed them into the chicken's belly together, and then wrapped the chicken with clean lotus leaves, tied it with twine, and put it aside for later use.

At this time, the guest who went out before had already come in with some yellow mud, Xiang Kang saw that there was too much yellow mud, so he poured some of it, and then directly lifted the wine jar on the table and poured the wine, and directly used rice wine and mud - this is because Xiang Kang was too lazy to ask someone to prepare cold boiled water, but Feng Zhong and his wife were secretly distressed when they saw it - the wine in this era is not cheap.

Next, of course, it is the most authentic method of calling the flower chicken, wrapping the chicken wrapped in lotus leaves with yellow mud with a certain humidity, wrapping it thickly, and then putting it into the stove in the middle of the room and burning it directly with firewood, and finally Xiang Kang said to Feng Zhong's wife: "Sister-in-law Qiu, remember, roast for a quarter and a half time." ”

Feng Zhong's wife nodded, and asked cautiously, "Childe, what kind of dish is this?" The slave family has been cooking for 20 years, why have they never seen it? ”

"It's called Miyue Chicken." Xiang Kang, who had already thought of a belly of nonsense, casually recited nonsense and said: "In the past, when the eighth son of our Chu State was about to marry to the Qin State as the Empress Dowager Xuan, in order to thank the mother country for her nurturing grace, when bidding farewell to the King of Chu, he used this method to make this dish, and the King of Chu was full of praise after eating, and on the spot he ordered this dish to be the imperial dish of the court of Chu State, which only the princes and nobles of Chu State could eat, which was very noble. And because this dish was made by Miyue, the king of Chu also personally named this dish Miyue chicken. ”

"The origin of this dish is actually noble?" Feng Zhong's wife was very surprised, and asked curiously: "Xiang Gongzi, this dish is so delicious, even the King of Chu likes it?" ”

"Whether it's delicious or not, you'll know later, sister-in-law Qiu." Xiang Kang smiled confidently, turned to Feng Zhong and said, "Big brother, you should also remember the story I said just now, and it will be useful to you." ”

Feng Zhong nodded confusedly, and looked at the mud in the fire curiously, he really couldn't believe that the hen roasted with yellow mud would have such a noble origin, which could make the king of Chu who was holding a golden flat pole to carry firewood full of praise. The Xiang brothers next to him continued to look at each other, and they couldn't remember that there was such a story about the famous Mi Bazi of Chu State.

After washing his hands, Xiang Kang first asked Feng Zhong's wife to prepare some clear sauce (ancient soy sauce), and then sat back on the table to eat and drink, Feng Zhong and the Xiang brothers were itchy and unbearable, and they walked to the stove to see Xiqi, and talked in a low voice, but Xiang Kang didn't pay attention to it at all. In the end, it was Feng Zhong's wife who cowered and reminded Xiang Kangdao: "Xiang Gongzi, a moment and a half has come, what should I do next?" ”

"Take it out." Xiang Kang didn't bother to wash his hands again, and directly ordered: "Smash the yellow mud to remove it, untie the lotus leaf and put the chicken on the plate, and then you can tear it and dip it in the sauce." ”

According to Xiang Kang's instructions, Feng Zhong's wife took out the so-called Miyue chicken with fire chopsticks with the help of the doorman, and just smashed the solidified yellow mud on the case, the tempting aroma of meat was already coming to the nostrils, so that Feng Zhong and his wife, the children of the Xiang family and the guests of the Feng family in the room couldn't help but snort, and exclaimed: "It's so fragrant!" ”

After untying the lotus leaves, the Miyue chicken is even more fragrant, and even Feng Zhong's children, who were hiding outside the door to watch the excitement, couldn't help but stick their heads into the room, greedily smelling the tempting meat, and the appearance of the chicken is also very attractive, and the yellow and clear look makes people full of appetite. Then without waiting for Xiang Kang's instructions, Feng Zhong immediately started to tear the chicken, but it was also at this time that Feng Zhong was surprised to find that the chicken was so tender that it could be torn directly almost effortlessly, and then tore off a piece of meat and dipped it in the clear sauce and put it in his mouth, and after a few chews, Feng Zhong was stunned and exclaimed: "Oh my God! There is still such food in the world?! ”

"The slave family has been cooking for 20 years, and they have never made such a delicious chicken!"

This is the exclamation of Feng Zhong's wife after tasting the taste, and the Xiang brothers and the Feng family's disciples over there are all hands and feet, scrambling to tear the chicken and dip it, and then they also exclaimed one after another, "It's delicious!" It's so delicious! It turns out that chicken can be so delicious, why didn't I know it before?! ”

The mushrooms, red dates and slices of meat stuffed in the belly of the chicken also made people in the late Bronze Age almost cry when they ate it, and almost swallowed their tongues into their stomachs.

Xiang Kang, who has eaten the name of Hua Chicken countless times in modern society, of course he will not mind not being able to taste the delicious food he made with his own hands, and stepped forward to pull Feng Zhong, who was full of oil, into the distance, Xiang Kang attached to Feng Zhong's ear and whispered: "Big brother, didn't you say that the new county magistrate likes to be picky about eating?" On the first day of the first day of October, take Sister-in-law Qiu to congratulate the county order, and let Sister-in-law Qiu make such a moon chicken for the county order, as long as he is happy to eat, your pavilion chief position should be able to be kept. ”

Feng Zhong was stunned, and it took a while to come back to his senses, and he hurriedly clasped his fists at Xiang Kang, bowed to the ground, and said excitedly: "Brother Xiang, thank you for your guidance, Brother Fool understands, Brother Fool understands everything!" Brother, don't worry, as long as I can get my wish, in the future, you can just walk sideways in this Shiling Pavilion! ”

"Mother-in-law, mother-in-law, don't just care about the taste, go and kill another chicken, do this and invite Xiang Gongzi to eat! Look at you guys, one by one, you only care about eating for yourself, why don't you know how to leave some for Xiang Kang's son?! ”

"Big brother, no need, I got my heart, your chickens keep laying eggs, let's talk about it later."

"No, no, the chickens that lay eggs can be raised and bought again, but today Brother Xiang, you must eat one, otherwise I will not be happy in my heart, foolish brother!"