Unexpectedly, Ji Lan not only promised to provide wool and kapok for free. He also exchanged the sword for 4,200 yuan to Wang Xu, and kept him to live in the house for a day. It's rare to go back to the city, how can you miss the opportunity to make a big purchase? Wang Xu took Ah Ji to the north of the city early in the morning, preparing to be the first to enter the morning market.

At this time, Ji Lan, who had painted men's clothes, was also preparing to rush to her cousin's Baisi Mansion to deal with official business. They met at a restaurant in the east of the city when they met, and Ji Lan made the east for Wang Xu and Ah Ji to practice. Early in the morning, Ji Yuan followed his sister and never left. The little girl thought about it last night, but she still didn't understand the dumb riddle between her sister and Wang Xu. So much so that I didn't sleep well all night, and two huge dark circles hung on my face, like pandas. It looks even cuter.

"Sister! You tell Yuan'er. What does it mean to choose a few horses? ”

Ji Lan can't do anything about this sister. I had to tell the reason.

"I wanted to try him again."

"Oh! Yuan'er got it. If he had been a greedy man, he would have asked for four horses. Is that right? ”

With such a simple truth, how could Ji Lan of Hui Zhilan's heart ask? She doted on her sister and pushed her to the bed.

"Sister can tell you, but you have to sleep honestly."

Ji Yuan nodded.

"I've always been unsure of Wei Xu's identity. If this person is really the son of Zhongshan Kingdom, I will kill him yesterday. ”

She can be sure that Wang Xu is not the son of the world. At least the crown prince of one country could never be kept free-range, and only one handmaid was with him. At best, he is a concubine or an unambitious son. Yesterday's oolong was really funny. However, Wang Xu already knew the secret of defending the country. If he is really the magnate of Beidi, returning to China will definitely become a hidden danger to the future of the country. Although the initiator of all this is Ji Lan. But the interests of the country are paramount, and she has no choice.

Only after confirming two things can she convince herself and let Wang Xu live. First, confirming the identity of the other party is not a threat to the defense of the country. However, Wang Xu is not the core figure of power. Second, understand that the other side has plans to stay in the country for a long time.

"The Son of Heaven drives six, the princes drive five, the ministers drive four, the doctor drives three, the scholar drives two, and the concubine drives one. This is the Great Zhou ritual system, and everyone in the world knows it. Even the Southern Barbarian Chu Jun did not dare to trespass. How dare a small country ignore etiquette and law? ”

Her sister's words hit Ji Yuan hard. Because she doesn't know. Of course, women don't need to know this, after all, the men in the family just need to know. They don't need to go into the political center of deceit.

"Oh! Wei Xu chose two horses, which means that he is a scholar. ”

"Maybe he's not even a scholar. Do you remember? He said he rode one and his sister rode one. ”

"Why?"

"The people of the Great Zhou, who can ride a horse? Wei Xu is just a down-and-out Beidi person. ”

Why did the Great Zhou Dynasty only have chariots but no cavalry? It's ridiculous to say. Because the saddle and stirrup were not invented at this time. The ability to ride a horse belongs to those peoples on horseback. They started practicing from a young age, grew into spiral legs, and naturally adapted to it. If adults learn to ride horses, it will seriously affect the inheritance of offspring. Why are the nomads in the north particularly brave and good at fighting since the beginning of the two Jin Dynasty? That's because of stirrups and saddles, cavalry can be called real cavalry. Can crush the infantry completely. If it was in the Spring and Autumn Period, before the cavalry had run a few miles, the soldiers would report to the commander. I want to take a break because my butt hurts so badly. How else does this fight?

The cavalry of the Spring and Autumn Period was more chicken. It is purely disposable chopsticks. Used to break up enemy formations. Then, there is basically no then. Therefore, at this time, the chariot soldiers are the main force and trump card in the war. The Great Zhou fought wars with the nomads in the north. Judging from the record, the two sides can draw a lot. If you have a chariot that can ram, stab, and shoot arrows, why should you be guilty of riding?

Ji Lan helped her sister lie down and helped the girl take off her shoes and socks. The little girl obediently wrapped the brocade quilt and asked:

"Sister! You heard him say that you couldn't bear to let him go. Is that right? ”

Ji Lan was stunned. I didn't expect my sister to be able to see through her mind. After a moment, Wan Er smiled. pinched the girl's pink little face, and then left. Ji Yuan muttered to himself:

Who is his sister? I'd love to get acquainted. He must be an interesting weirdo, too. ”

The two little girls don't know each other's true identities, but they have two things in common. The eldest brother who also doesn't know each other's identities. and having a sister who is not their real brother.

Legend has it that a few decades ago, when the Duke of Eizuki was in power. Qicheng has already been expanded once, and this place was originally intended to be the new capital of the country. This monarch was not afraid of the threat of the Jin kingdom and intended to move the capital to the north. It has the taste of the Son of Heaven guarding the country. It is precisely because of this that Ji Yu is very loved by the Chinese people. When Wei Guo was in power, he had a resurgence in the past. However, he was later conspired by his father to seize the country, and returned to the country after fleeing for a few years. After all, it is a fight and killing, and internal friction is constant. The revival of the patriotic country was dragged down by political internal strife. Since then, it has been sluggish.

Wang Xu, who was buying on a large scale, was extremely entangled at this time. Walking through the crowded morning market in the north of the city, I have been wandering around for half an hour. I haven't made up my mind about what to buy yet. There are so many things that I need to walk 200 miles to get home. If he buys something of no value, he will feel sorry for the hardships of the journey.

The morning market is open once from the time of the north of the city to noon, and the afternoon market is opened again from time to time. In the market of 100 steps, not only the vendors have to set up their stalls early, but also come in advance to compete for places. Even the people who shop are scrambling to grasp this rare trading opportunity. Such an intense shopping scene is no less than the scene of overseas purchasing and buyers scanning goods in later generations. However, Wang Xu likes this kind of shopping behavior with a very clear purpose. People know what they need and don't waste their time on boring shopping. Shop and go, refreshing and efficient.

After a while, the crowded market was crowded, and most of the crowd dispersed. Occasionally, you can see some vendors laughing and tidying up their stalls, and it seems that today's business is exceptionally good, and all the goods they bring are sold out early. From time to time, I also said hello to the neighboring stalls and said a few jokes. It is estimated that it is to show off, and by the way, pretend to be profound.

The bath bucket he wanted the most, and the bath in the creek was cold and warm. But how to move back is a problem. And those bronze utensils used in the kitchen made him love it even more. Every day, in addition to barbecue, it is to cook some wild vegetable broth in a clay pot, if you buy a copper tripod and use it as a wok, at least you can live a more flavorful life. However, even if you can afford it, you can't bring it back. It's really heart-wrenching. I accidentally saw the rice sold by the merchants of the Yue Kingdom, perhaps because he had not tasted the taste of grain for a long time, Wang Xu was salivating, and he could no longer bear it, so he decided to buy a small bag to remember the taste of future generations. After a circle, the silk cloth, linen cloth, and kapok cloth purchased were too much for the two of them to bear.

At this moment, Wang Xu stopped in front of a strange stall. There are small colorful cloth bags and pieces of cloth of various colors on display. Cloth bags are filled with goods in the form of lumps or powders. They are arranged according to the color, and the prices vary greatly. This stall is the most crowded place, with most people buying yellowish lumps. There are also many poor people in ragged clothes who buy those pieces of cloth.

"What is this?"

Wang Xu curiously pointed to a small blue cloth bag, which was filled with something like yellow-brown preserved fruit. The vendor was busy and had no time to answer his questions. Constantly collecting money and greeting other guests. Aji tugged at his robe and whispered:

"Dried plums."

In his opinion, there is no merchant who would sell ore, cloth and dried fruits in one place. And the business is a bit too good. Completely illogical.

"Oh? What is this sale? It looks like it's very popular. ”

"Young master... This is an accompaniment for cooking. ”

It is understandable that there was no vinegar in the Great Zhou Dynasty, and dried plums were used to replace it to increase the sourness of the meal. But what the hell is this colorful cloth head? Could it be dried kelp? Used as a substitute for MSG? But I've never seen kelp white or red. Wang Xu looked at Ah Ji suspiciously.

After the girl solved the puzzles, she knew the wisdom of the ancients. The cloth is boiled separately in various condiments and then dried. It is generally used by poor people or long-distance travelers. When they cook, they put the cloth in clean water and boil it for a while. For example, the white piece of cloth is salt cloth. After the water is boiled, a salty taste comes out.

As for those lumpy things, it's actually table salt. The whiter and finer it is, the better the quality and the more expensive it is. It may be that the process of purification in salt production is too backward. That's why it's yellow. And the lump of salt seems to have been dug out of the salt mine and sold without treatment. It is estimated that if you eat it for a long time, it is easy to be poisoned.

"This pack of mustard powder, I want it."

Ah Ji thought that Wang Xu would buy some salt, but the other party actually bought a bag of mustard powder. Then the two rushed to the restaurant in the east of the city, and Wang Xu was in a trance along the way. He walked like he was drunk and staggered. The cloth he was holding in his hand fell unexpectedly twice. Ah Ji carefully supported him, and finally came to the restaurant.

At this time, it was just past the hour, and there was still half an hour before the agreed time. The two of them chose a secluded place on the second floor of the restaurant and sat down. When the shopkeeper saw the salute of the big bag and the small bag, he immediately went up to greet him with a smile. After learning that he was here with Ji Lan, he was extremely respectful.

"It turned out to be a distinguished guest of Shao Sima Mansion! Please, please. ”

As he spoke, he wiped the cases in front of the two with his sleeve.

"What needs the customer, even if it is small."

Wang Xu, who was silent and lost his soul all the way, finally opened his mouth.

"Little second brother! Can you ask for a bowl of water? ”

Xiao Er saw that his face was pale, thinking that Wang Xu was in poor health and did not want to be disturbed. So after hurriedly serving two bowls of water, he quietly left. Wang Xu stared at the water in the pottery bowl for a long time. Remove a pinch of mustard powder from the bag and sprinkle it in the water. Ah Ji on the side, his eyes widened, watching the young master drink a whole bowl of spicy water with a bang. There wasn't even a trace of fluctuation on his face. After a while, Wang Xu wiped the corners of his mouth and sighed lightly:

"It's really spicy..."

Tears flowed down the table. But after a while, he began to giggle with a wooden expression. Ah Ji has been with him for six years, and he has never felt that Wang Xu is a weirdo. Even after recovering from his injuries, he would always say stupid things and behave a little grotesquely. But the girl only thinks that he has experienced life and death, and a moment of discomfort will seem abnormal. followed Wang Xu's changes, and Ah Ji actually liked it very much. Especially on that day, the girl was deeply moved by cutting her wrists to save her with blood. I've never been more excited about the future than I am now. However, at this moment, recalling what the maid said, I felt that the person in front of me was so unfamiliar.

The appearance of mustard powder made Wang Xu recall the dusty past. I remember when I was studying in the UK with my wife, he worked in a cafeteria. Guests always like to ask about the condiments on the table. He knew that the spice that held the pale green paste was wasabi, but he didn't know how to say wasabi in English. So I asked the foreman. The eldest sister is also Chinese, but it is really laborious to listen to the English of Shaanxi accent. As for the answer.

"King Sabi!"

Wang Xu was called Xiao Wang by everyone in the store. As soon as the foreman sister spoke, he thought that the other party was scolding herself. When I got home, I told my wife about it. Unexpectedly, the wife smiled and leaned back and forth, as if cramping. After popular science, I learned that the foreman sister was not scolding, but her accent was too strong. Japan's mustard is called Washabi (Washabi) in English, but in fact, wasabi is not wasabi, and its rhizome is also called Japanese horseradish and domestic wasabi is not beaten with eight poles. It's just that everyone follows the clouds and perpetuates the mistakes. And the mustard powder he bought was made from grinding mustard seeds, authentic mustard.

Ah Ji's appearance is exactly the same as that of his wife Xia Yunnuo. The girl's meticulous care made him forget the lover who once existed. Perhaps with the idea that what has come is safe, Wang Xu chose to escape from the past. Whenever I think that in another time and space, there is a woman who misses and waits for him, I always feel worried. The bits and pieces of the past have been deeply imprinted in my heart and lingered.

Until Shen, Ji Lan came to the appointment with her sister. Wang Xu was relieved from his memories. It is better to read 10,000 books than to travel 10,000 miles. This outing can be described as a great increase in knowledge. He was very grateful, and gave Ji Lan a fist salute and thanked the other party for his hospitality. After a few words of greeting, small copper tripods were placed on several cases in front of the four people. Although there are only four dishes, they are all hard dishes. Boiled turtles, roast chicken, leg of lamb and a dish that looks like braised pork.

It's strange today, the little maid next to Ji Lan also has a seat. It is said that slaves and maidservants are not allowed to eat with their master's house. A few people were chatting, and there were no people around to make dishes or pour wine. On the contrary, it is extraordinarily relaxed. Wang Xu has a soft spot for that plate of braised pork, fat but not greasy, and the meat is firm, so he can't help but praise:

"This meat is delicious, but beef?"

The little maid, pretending to be very polite, was chewing and swallowing food slowly. As soon as he heard this, he couldn't hold back, and immediately squirted out the food in his mouth. Ji Lan, as the master, did not scold the little girl for the first time, but stared at Wang Xu with wide eyes. Aji's expression was even more exaggerated, coughing incessantly, and even tears welled up. One hand covered his mouth, apparently squirting out a lot of food.

"Uh... What's wrong with that? ”

Wang Xu repeatedly considered what he had just said. Think there's no problem, huh? It's not a bad joke. Why did the three people in front of them show an idiot look? Or did he have food on his face, and he looked more ridiculous. So, I hurriedly wiped two handfuls with my hands, but there was nothing except the greasy side of my mouth.

"Sir, don't talk nonsense. Slaughtering cattle is a grave crime, punishable by beheading, and at least by 30 years of canging and imprisonment. How can you eat its flesh? ”

Ji Lan's words frightened him. Isn't it just eating beef, as for killing the head and going to prison? The chivalrous heroes in the TV series are not all drinking in big bowls and eating beef. I have never seen the government officials chasing them all day long, shouting and shouting and killing. Could it be that the mascot of the Great Zhou Dynasty is the cow? Is this conducive to improving the development of agriculture? Wang Xu's face was full of question marks.

Why is that? Could it be that the slaughter of cattle hinders the cultivation of the people and harms the country? ”

Ji Yuan and Ah Ji, who had come back to their senses from Wang Xu's shocking remarks, looked around in unison at this moment. Like a thief, he took control of these two people. I only heard Ji Lan whisper:

"The ox is the sacrificial head of the Son of Heaven, and slaughtering it for no reason is regarded as an accomplice. Sir Hugh must mention it again, so as not to bring calamity. ”

Ji Lan was able to explain, and she had already taken a great risk. After all, her brother is in a high position, and if he is accidentally heard by his political enemies, he will use this to frame the Shao Sima Mansion with a disobedient heart. Their brother and sister are also at a loss for words.

It turned out that this rule was set by the famous Duke Zhou. The sacrifices used by the Son of Heaven are called Taigao, which are three animals: cattle, sheep, and pigs. And the standard of the princes' sacrifice was a few prisons, in which there were no cattle. Therefore, slaughtering cattle for no reason is regarded as transgressing the etiquette system and has the heart of peeping into the royal power. After understanding the reason, Wang Xu never mentioned eating beef. After all, he really did. If you are labeled as a rebel because of this, then what is it worth?

Suddenly, there was a dead silence, and the atmosphere seemed tense and awkward. Wang Xu didn't dare to squeak because of his weak heart, but just buried his head in eating the plate of roasted meat that looked like beef. Ji Lan knew that Wang Xu was from Beidi, and it was not strange that he had eaten beef. After all, it is an uncivilized cattle herdsman, and it is impossible for people to learn to abide by Zhou etiquette like the Central Plains people. Obviously, her words scared Wang Xu. Seeing the other party's well-behaved and quiet eating, Ji Lan pursed her lips and smiled.

"Sir, don't be restrained, it seems that you are slacking off."

Wang Xu smiled at Ji Lan and continued to eat the plate of braised pork. Seeing that he was so fond of him, Ji Lan explained:

"This is the flesh of a beast, and the flesh is not as tight as a pig."

"Ahem... Cough. ”

I'm almost about to reproduce the gaffe of the two girls before. Wang Xu endured his nausea and coughed twice in a low voice. That's how I suppressed the churning in my stomach. Where would anyone say something when someone else was eating? What's even more excessive is that he pointed to the braised pork he ate and said that it didn't look like. His reaction made Ji Lan feel a little apologetic, thinking that Wang Xu was jealous of this thing. I didn't tell each other in advance, and the other party ate something that shouldn't be eaten. But where did she know that Wang Xu had become like this when she heard the pig.

Pig and are homophones, and the people of the Great Zhou Dynasty used to call pigs with pigs. Pigs are more commonly used to refer to wild boars with manes. It's just a habit.

"Don't blame you, sir, for not taking good care of me. I don't know if Mr. is afraid of this thing. Come! Remove this meat. ”

Wang Xu hurriedly stood up and saluted, explaining:

"Don't blame Lan Gongzi. It's ugly. I was in too much of a hurry to choke. Childe continued. ”

This far-fetched reason, how could Ji Lan, who is as discerning as a torch, believe it? It's all about the other party's kindness. Maybe she didn't want her to blame herself, so she deliberately politely belittled herself and took responsibility. Ji Lan drank a glass of water and wine with him as an apology. The two of them tacitly agreed.

"This beast is extremely rare, such as a bear such as a pig, black and white, edible copper licking bamboo, called Pi beast."

"What? Pi beast? ”

Wang Xu's surprised expression made Ji Lan confirm that the other party was taboo about this thing. Obviously, this meal can no longer be eaten. At this time, Wang Xu was holding a copper tripod and vomited. Just like Wang Xu thought before, Ji Lan thought the same. Perhaps the people of Beidi regard the beast as a national treasure of the beast, and they can't be slaughtered and eaten at will.

However, a modern man unknowingly ate the meat of a giant panda, a national treasure. It seems like this will be the reaction. The situation of the giant pandas is very miserable. Not only in modern times, but also in ancient times. Otherwise, it wouldn't be called a beast.

Legend has it that a person with good deeds found a panda gnawing on metal on farm tools in a farmer's home. So he captured it and presented it to the landlord of the village. The landlord was overjoyed, and the pandas were kept in captivity and raised with copper and iron every day. Who expected that the panda would only eat and not pull. It's worth it! Isn't this an iron-eating beast? Pixiu is a mythical beast that the ancients lewd out according to the panda's will, with a big mouth and no anus, only in and out. It means that devouring wealth without leaking it is actually a treasure to attract wealth.

The giant panda who went down the mountain to walk to a farmer's house, intending to grind his teeth or mistaking farming tools for bamboo to gnaw on, eventually made a great contribution to the life of future generations.