For the first class of Guozijian in his life, Wu Yan didn't listen to it at all.

It's easy to get a meal, and I packed my things early, so that I can go to the meeting hall with the big army later. When she left Guangye Hall, someone stepped forward to stop her, but she didn't know her.

"Student Wu...... Hehe, presumptuous, "The person who came was not very old, had a round face, and his eyes were like crescent moons when he smiled.

Wu Yan didn't remember seeing this person, so he asked, "Are you ......?"

"Oh~ Look at me, I forgot to introduce myself," the person who came was a little embarrassed: "In Xia Wang Youren, the word Jiuhua, has been coming to Beiyong for more than a year, and now he is the chief of Guangye Hall." ”

"Oh, I'm glad I will," Wu Yan bowed.

Wang Youren returned the salute with a smile and said, "Where is it," as if he remembered something, and said: "By the way, Hao Daqiang, Hao Dazhuang is the cousin below." ”

As soon as Wu Yan heard it, it turned out to be half an acquaintance: "Then Master Hao is your ......"

"It's Uncle Down," replied Wang Youren.

"Oh, huh? Why don't you study in Nanjing? Wu Yan suddenly remembered that the Hao family and the Wang family were both local nobles in Liuhe.

Wang Youren smiled honestly and said, "Hehe, there is no other reason, in fact, I just want to go farther, and I agreed with my parents for a limit of three years." ”

"Heh, I see," Wu Yan couldn't help laughing, thinking that this was an up-and-coming disciple of a wealthy family.

Then he asked, "You've been here for more than a year, aren't you about to ascend to the church?" ”

"Hehe, Mr. said that when you pass the exam in March, you can be promoted to Chengxintang," Wang Youren said with a smile, his eyes bent into a crescent moon again.

"Then, just congratulate you in advance," Wu Yan was a little ridiculous, and he was still a little envious in his heart, after all, he had some hope, how could he be like himself, and he had to survive.

"Hehe, then thank you first," Wang Youren laughed again: "By the way, I just want to say that if you don't understand anything in the future, or if you need help, just ask, you are from your hometown." ”

"Okay, thank you," Wu Yan agreed very happily.

The two chatted for a long time, and at this time, more and more students went to the restaurant, although there were many people, but they were orderly, and sure enough, no one dared to make a noise, and I don't know if it was the reason why the punishment was too strict, but it was really a whip!

The Jingyi Pavilion behind the Yilun Hall was rebuilt in the Jiajing year, and after the reconstruction, it became an independent courtyard with two compartments, the wing room was used as a place for sacrificing wine and the office of the priest, and the rest of the subordinate officials were arranged in the northernmost row of rooms, and the dining hall was in the northeast corner, in the middle of the land temple and the classic hall.

Wu Yan walked into the dining hall and saw that the space was not small, and it was not much different from the old-fashioned cafeteria she imagined, with tables lined up, and students had to pick up their own meals, and then sit down and eat in order. The only difference is that the students who eat here are all well-mannered, and the meal is quiet, and even the sound of chewing is rare. In such an atmosphere, she didn't dare to come out, so she quietly took the meal, found an empty seat to sit down, and Wang Youren sat next to her.

Besides, this meal is not very appetizing after just looking at it, and it is obviously a hundred and eight thousand miles away from the food in the palace. As a cook himself, Wu Yan is not very selective in his diet, so as to ensure balanced nutrition. After all, the taste was raised, and when I looked at this lackluster meal, I didn't feel how hungry I was.

No wonder I have to emphasize to her again and again that you can't talk about the beauty and evil of food, and you can't go to the chef for trouble because it's not delicious, it turns out that it's notoriously unpalatable! It's just two meals, every day, every month, every year...... I can't imagine if I will endure the trouble of not looking for a chef when I arrive.

"I would have inquired first...... "Wu Yan muttered in his mouth to vent his frustration. Wang Youren heard her complaint sincerely, and hurriedly motioned to her to stop talking, so as not to be punished.

His reaction made Wu Yan a little curious: "If you talk about it, how will you punish it?" ”

Wang Youren was helpless, looked around, and saw that no one was paying attention to this side, so he lowered his voice and said: "Fifty lashes!" Send the origin of the personal errand! ”

Wu Yan's eyes widened when he heard this: "Ah......" I didn't notice that the voice came out, but I reacted instantly, not good! So he hurriedly silenced him, and buried his head in pretending to eat.

Don't dare to complain anymore, otherwise you will be whipped...... She didn't want to be punished and embarrassed on the first day.

Ay...... Wu Yan sighed in his heart, forget it, it will be done.

The rice husks were not cleaned, and there was sand...... Stir-fried vegetables in lard, too greasy...... You can't put more salt...... It's not good to cut vegetables, and the cutting board can't work...... The master's craftsmanship is too bad, this is unpalatable......

Wu Yan complained in his heart, counted the grains of rice and swallowed it, and when it was easy to pull it, he looked up at the others and looked up at the others...... They actually looked so calm that they didn't even have a disgusted expression?

Mom, I'm convinced!

After finishing the meal, I returned to Guangye Hall, and then began to study in the afternoon, which was another ordeal, and I had to sit and wait for a long time to pass...... Before I knew it, it was dinner time.

Wu Yan came to the restaurant again, and now she doesn't complain, because she doesn't expect it at all, she just wants to eat and go back quickly.

The dining hall was quiet at all times, Wu Yan was the same, quietly received the meal, sat down quietly, and quietly looked at the bowl of porridge in front of him...... corn porridge, corn tortillas, and a plate of salty dishes...... A wave of 'sadness' rose from the bottom of my heart, inexplicably and for no reason.

She was stunned for a moment before she picked up the bowl, without a spoon, only to pour it into her mouth...... A familiar and unfamiliar sense of touch instantly filled his mouth, hard and weird, and Wu Yan almost cried...... It's really unpalatable, don't lie to me!

At this moment, her sadness seemed so real, for this bowl of polenta, it was unpalatable beyond imagination! In fact, it is not to blame the cook, because the ancients really did not know anything about corn as a staple food, why was it introduced to China for one or two hundred years, but it has not been the main source of carbohydrates on the table?

Christopher Columbus brought back corn from the Americas, but not with the Native Americans, who had to alkalize the corn beforehand, and the aborigines used plant ash, which they did in the third century B.C.

Corn is the real staple food in the Americas, and adding alkali plays an important role in cooking as much as wheat flour is made into pasta in the Chinese diet. Authentic Taco is soft and rich even after baking, and is very elastic.

There are many reasons why corn in the Ming and Qing dynasties could not become a staple food, but one of the most important reasons is that corn without alkali treatment not only tastes bad, but also is prone to 'leprosy disease' if it is eaten for a long time. This terrible skin disease, once known as 'Italian leprosy', is the result of a lack of niacin in the diet.

Corn is actually rich in niacin, but it is a combined type of niacin, which cannot be used and absorbed, and can only be absorbed by the human body after alkali treatment to make niacin become free niacin. Xu Guangqi's "Complete Book of Agricultural Administration" was the first to use "corn" to name this food, perhaps hoping that it would really become a grain like rice, but it does not record the simplest cooking method of pre-processing plant ashes, which is not only more delicious, but also more nutritious, and can really be regarded as a staple food.

The Palm Food Hall is responsible for the supply of food for the teachers and students of Guozijian, and chooses corn as a substitute for staple food, is it to save money and grain? Wu Yan couldn't help but think about it. But I just crossed such an idea in my mind, and I didn't think to delve into it.

After dinner, Wu Yan avoided the apprenticeship ceremony in Yilun Hall in the evening on the grounds that the palace door was going to be locked.

Chengxian Street archway,

Uncle Zhang's carriage was already waiting there, and Wu Yan couldn't help but speed up his pace when he saw it, and there was a burst of cheers in his heart, finally letting go of the wind!

Uncle Zhang also smiled when he saw her, and said, "Girl, hurry up and get in the car, it's hard work today." ”

Wu Yan walked to the front of the carriage in three steps and two steps, jumped into the carriage as soon as he jumped up, and even the horse trembled.

Uncle Zhang hurriedly stabilized the horse, and said to her with a smile: "Look at the girl's happiness, how is the day today?" ”

"Hey, hey, yes!"

"That's good, that's good," Uncle Zhang didn't hear what Wu Yan said in the opposite direction, and continued to ask with a smile: "Where does the girl want to go?" ”

Wu Yan didn't think about it and said, "Go back to Jinyin Hutong." ”

"Huh? Don't you go back to the palace? ”

"Don't go back, go home and have a big meal!"

"Okay, girl, sit down......"

Back to Jinyin Hutong, back to the small courtyard, Wu Yan was really relaxed, and he was home. And for her return, the people in the family were always full of enthusiasm, especially Mama, who was simply overjoyed, as if they had not seen her for centuries.

Wu Yan said that he wanted to eat a big meal, and Mama asked people to go to Zhang Luo hot pot, Wu Yan quickly stopped it, and said: "Mama, I'm afraid it's too late, the big meal is just a casual remark, just stir-fry the vegetables and have a bowl of rice on the hour, and I haven't eaten enough in the country." ”

When Mama heard that her girl was not full, she was not happy: "Yo! Isn't Guozijian a Taixue run by the imperial court? Why don't you give it enough? ”

Wu Yan had no choice but to say: "It's not that I don't care about being full, it's just that it's too unpalatable, and students are not allowed to talk about it...... If you talk about it, you have to punish it! ”

"What is this? The chef's cooking skills are not good, if you change one, it's over, why can't you talk about it! Also punished...... How to punish? Can't whip it? ”

"Hey, Mama just guessed it! Fifty lashes. ”

"What?" Mama's eyes widened when she heard this, and she said angrily: "There is no royal law anymore!" ”

Wu Yan didn't want to dwell on this issue, and said, "Mama, come here on the whole day with some delicious food, what are you hungry about......?"

"Oh, look at me!" Mama clapped her hands, and then suddenly reacted: "Confused, patronizing and talking!" I'll ask Xiao Dong to arrange it. ”

"Well, just do it on the hour, don't be too complicated."

"Got it!" Mama casually agreed, lifted her feet and walked to the outer courtyard.

Wu Yan went back to the house to change out of his shirt, washed up briefly, and then changed into clean civilian clothes brought by the maid Ai Youwei.

"Girl, are you going back to the palace tonight?" Ai Youwei asked.

"Don't go back, I'll have something to deal with later, and I have to get up early tomorrow ......"