The Romance of the Famous Marshals of the Early Tang Dynasty Li Jichuan

Chapter 31: Xu Rat Shows His Might

Early in the morning of the thirteenth day, after breakfast, Xu Maogong (Li Ji), Wei Rui, Wei Ying, housekeeper Xu Quan, and Xu Mouse brought all kinds of gifts, and the five people and five horses prepared to set off to send Wei Rui and Wei Ying back to their grandfather's house.

Xu Gai said to Xu Maogong (Li Ji): "Son, our family has just moved to Weinan County, Huazhou, and my father recently went to Zaocun to buy land, and my father will not go this time, you go to your grandfather's house, say hello to your grandfather and grandmother for your father, go early and return early."

Xu Maogong (Li Ji) said: "Dad, my son has written it down."

Mrs. said to Xu Maogong (Li Ji): "Son, when you go to your grandfather's house, say hello to your grandfather and grandmother for your mother, and say hello to your uncle, don't stay at your grandfather's house for too long, and when you come back, spend more time learning from Mr. Kong."

Xu Maogong (Li Ji) said: "Mother, my son sent Wei Rui and Wei Ying to his grandfather's house, stayed overnight and went back, and remembered his mother's words: Come back early and learn your skills."

Mrs. took Wei Rui's hand and said, "Wei Rui, you are in a hurry to go back, my aunt will not stop you, and when you grow up, you will stay longer."

Wei Rui said: "Auntie, I'll come back in a few years."

Mrs. took Wei Ying's hand and said, "Wei Ying, you go to the private school to study more hard, you are better than the aunt, and the aunt reads less."

Wei Ying said: "Auntie, I'll go back and discuss with my grandfather and grandmother, I want to learn martial arts from Xu Maogong (Li Ji)."

Madame smiled and said, "Okay."

Xu Gai instructed the housekeeper Xu Quan: "Butler, there have been many scoundrels and bandits recently, get up early during the day and hurry, find a good inn before dark, and rest early after eating."

The housekeeper Xu Quan said: "Master, the little one has been written down, I just made a round trip a few days ago, and the road is very familiar, please rest assured."

Xu Gai instructed the housekeeper Xu Quan: "Butler, it's winter, it's dark early, remember to leave early tomorrow, hurry up on the road."

The housekeeper Xu Quan said, "Yes, master."

Xu Gai instructed Xu Rat: "Xu Rat, take care of the young master."

Xu Rat said: "Master, please rest assured."

Xu Gai said to the five people: "Hurry up."

Xu Maogong (Li Ji) responded: "Yes." ”

Xu Maogong (Li Ji), Wei Rui, Wei Ying, housekeeper Xu Quan, and Xu Mouse rode their horses and whipped to Zezhou.

On the evening of the sixteenth day, Xu Maogong (Li Ji), housekeeper Xu Quan, and Xu Mouse returned to Xu Gai's house in Weinan County, Huazhou.

Xu Maogong (Li Ji) walked into the main hall, the servant brought tea, and the lady came out when she heard the news, and asked with a smile: "Xu Maogong (Li Ji), how are your grandfather and grandmother?"

Xu Maogong (Li Ji) replied with a smile: "Mother, grandpa and grandma are fine."

Madame smiled and asked, "Xu Maogong (Li Ji), how is your uncle?"

Xu Maogong (Li Ji) replied with a smile: "Mother, my uncle is an official in another place, and I haven't seen it, and my grandfather said: Uncle is very good."

The lady then asked, "Xu Maogong (Li Ji), is this journey smooth?"

Xu Maogong (Li Ji) replied with a smile: "Mother, we got up early in the morning and hurried, a few days ago, just had a round trip, the road is very familiar, the road is fast, it will arrive in the evening, you can find a good inn before dark, the road is very smooth."

The lady instructed the housekeeper Xu Quan: "Butler, go and set the table, let's have dinner."

Butler Xu Quan responded: "Yes." "Turn and leave.

Xu Maogong (Li Ji) asked with a smile: "Mother, Dad hasn't come back yet."

The lady replied with a smile: "Xu Maogong (Li Ji), your father, I guessed that you would come back today, and I made a simmered duck at home this morning, and I plan to let you send it to Mr. Kong tomorrow morning, so I left late this morning."

As soon as the words fell, Xu Gai walked into the main hall and asked with a smile: "Xu Maogong (Li Ji), your grandfather and grandmother, are you okay?"

Xu Maogong (Li Ji) replied with a smile: "Dad, grandpa and grandma are fine."

Xu Gai then asked, "Xu Maogong (Li Ji), is this journey still smooth?"

Xu Maogong (Li Ji) said with a smile: "Dad is very smooth, I only made a round trip a few days ago, the road is very familiar, the road is very smooth, my mother said: don't live in my grandfather's house for too long, after coming back, spend more time learning from Mr. Kong." The child stayed only one night and rushed back, just arriving home. ”

Xu Gai said with a smile: "Xu Maogong (Li Ji), as the saying goes: farming depends on the sky to eat, farming time does not wait for people, now is a good time to buy land, buy the land, hire farmers to farm, or rent out, spring plowing and planting seeds in time."

The housekeeper Xu Quan replied: "Master, madam, the dinner table has been set."

Mrs. smiled and said, "Xu Maogong (Li Ji), after a day of travel, are you hungry?" Chat while eating. ”

Six dishes were placed on the table: a plate of pork with a hand, a casserole with Yiya five-flavor chicken, a plate of steamed dried mackerel, a plate of sauced beef, a plate of braised pork, a plate of dried tofu, and a jar of red sorghum in the corner of the table.

Xu Gai sat in the center, his wife sat on the left, Xu Maogong (Li Ji) sat on the right, Xu Gai instructed the housekeeper Xu Quan: "Butler, go and call Xu Rat, you two sent the eldest young master to his grandfather's house for a hard time, sit down and eat together."

Butler Xu Quan responded: "Yes." "Turn and leave.

After a while, the housekeepers Xu Quan and Xu Mouse walked into the main hall one after the other.

Xu Gai said with a smile: "Xu Rat, sit next to your eldest young master."

Xu Mouse smiled and said: "Master Xie, after speaking, I sat down next to Xu Maogong (Li Ji), and the housekeeper Xu Quan came over with two pairs of dishes and chopsticks, handed one to Xu Mouse, and sat down next to Xu Mouse.

Xu Maogong (Li Ji) asked with a smile: "Dad, I haven't seen you go around buying land before."

Xu Gai replied with a smile: "In Lihu County, Caozhou, our Xu family has a lot of ancestral land, and there are not many newly bought lands. Dad hasn't been to see Mr. Kong for a few days, I guess you come back tonight, I will make a simmering duck this morning, and you will go and send it to Mr. Kong's house tomorrow morning. ”

Xu Maogong (Li Ji) responded with a smile: "Yes, Dad."

The lady smiled and said, "The dishes are cold, let's eat them quickly."

Xu Gai used chopsticks to pick up a large piece of meat from the large plate on the right, put it in the rice bowl in front of him, and then scooped a spoonful of soup from the large plate on the right with a big spoon, poured it into the rice bowl in front of him, picked up the rice bowl, and ate a bite of the meat with juice and rice.

Xu Gai put down the rice bowl. While saying with a smile: "Xu Maogong (Li Ji), the meat your mother makes now is better than what I make."

Madame smiled and said, "Master, it's over."

Xu Gai greeted: "Butler, Xu Rat, today's meat is very delicious, let's eat it."

Madame, Xu Maogong (Li Ji), housekeeper Xu Quan, and Xu Mouse all followed Xu Gai's example, sandwiching meat, scooping soup, and eating meat with juice and rice.

Xu Gai instructed the butler Xu Quan: "Butler, pour wine for the master."

The housekeeper Xu Quan took the wine jug, walked to Xu Gai's side, and poured Xu Gai full of wine.

Xu Gai took a sip of wine and said, "Housekeeper, tomorrow I will go to Jiao Village with the master to buy land." The lord heard that the yield of wheat, corn, soybeans, peanuts, sweet potatoes and other crops in Weinan County, Huazhou is quite high, this year's floods, the harvest is not good, many farmers are in a hurry to sell the land, no one buys, the lord to buy it. ”

Butler Xu Quan smiled and said, "Yes, master."

Xu Gai took a sip of wine and said: "Xu Maogong (Li Ji), Dad made a simmered male duck at home this morning, and it will be stewed for twelve hours tomorrow morning, and I will make another famous dish tomorrow morning, and you will send it to Mr. Kong tomorrow morning."

Xu Maogong (Li Ji) said: "Dad, I'll go tomorrow morning."

Xu Gai pointed to the lid of the casserole and said, "This Yiya five-flavor chicken will not be cold if it has a lid, and it is best to eat this dish in winter."

Xu Gai picked up the casserole lid and handed it to the housekeeper Xu Quan, who put the casserole lid on the corner of the table.

Xu Gai turned over the chicken in the casserole with chopsticks, then used chopsticks to tear off a large piece of chicken breast meat, put it in a small dish in front of Xu Maogong (Li Ji), and said with a smile: "Xu Maogong (Li Ji), today's Yiya five-flavor chicken is made by your mother, how about tasting it?"

Xu Maogong (Li Ji) used chopsticks to tear off a small piece of chicken breast meat in a small plate and put it in his mouth to chew carefully, and said with a smile while chewing: "Dad, the easy-toothed five-flavor chicken made by my mother tastes so good."

Xu Gai said: "Let's try it."

On the morning of the seventeenth day, after breakfast, Xu Gai instructed Xu Maogong (Li Ji): "Son, Dad went to Jiaocun with the housekeeper to buy land today, Dad made a simmered male duck yesterday morning, and made Yiya five-flavor chicken this morning, today is not a market, you and Xu Mouse will be sent directly to Mr. Kong's house."

Xu Maogong (Li Ji) said: "Dad, I'll go after packing up, and ask Mr. Kong about teaching literature by the way."

Xu Gai said: "Son, this year, there are many scoundrels and bandits in these nearby states, so go out and bring weapons to defend yourself."

Xu Maogong (Li Ji) said: "Dad, the child rode a big white horse and brought a gossip silk gun to Mr. Kong's house to deliver food."

After Xu Gai finished speaking, he rode on a horse and went to Jiaocun to buy land with the housekeeper Xu Quan and the others.

Xu Maogong (Li Ji) and Xu Mouse found two extra-large food boxes and packed them with stewed male duck and Yiya five-flavor chicken respectively.

Xu Maogong (Li Ji) took out the big white horse and looked carefully at the gossip silk winding spear hanging on the bird's wing ring victory hook very firmly.

Xu Maogong (Li Ji) and Xu Mouse each hung a king-size food box on their horses, and the two of them went out of the courtyard gate, rode on horses and ran to Mr. Kong's house.

When passing by the bazaar, Xu Mouse asked: "Young master, the little one forgot to bring wine to Mr. Kong, the last time I ate, Mr. Kong drank half a glass of wine, and the little one went to buy a small jar of wine for Mr. Kong, okay?"

Xu Maogong (Li Ji) said: "Xu Rat, there is an auspicious restaurant in front, let's go there and buy a small jar of wine for Mr. Kong."

After a while, when they arrived at the Jixiang Restaurant, the two dismounted, tied the horses, and Xu Mouse and Xu Maogong (Li Ji) walked into the Jixiang Restaurant one after the other.

Xu Rat walked to the counter and said to the shopkeeper, "Shopkeeper, buy a small jar of wine." The shopkeeper took out a small jar of wine and put it on the counter, and the rat took off the blue cloth bag on his body, took out a small piece of broken silver and handed it to the shopkeeper.

Suddenly, a male duck-like shout came from upstairs: "Sing a little song, give five taels of silver, call Ruyi Langjun, and give you a gold ingot!"

As soon as the shouting stopped, the woman's cry of "Woo woo woo ......" came down.

Xu Mouse wrapped the blue cloth bag and tied it to his body, and said, "Young Master, there is a rogue pulling a woman."

Xu Maogong (Li Ji) instructed: "Xu Mouse, go upstairs and have a look."

Xu Mouse responded: "Yes." Running quickly towards the stairs, Xu Maogong (Li Ji) strode towards the stairs.