However, after entering the West Garden, Zhang Yanling was still amazed by the majestic scenery in the garden. The entire West Garden was obviously carefully designed, with rockeries, bamboo forests and flowers and trees scattered at random, pavilions, corridors and pavilions dotted among them. Green flowers and bamboo forests, black rugged rocks, red
The cloisters and pavilions, the white snow, and the harmonious combination of various colors form a picture that is both majestic, solemn, rich and exquisite, which is really amazing.
Zhang Yanling thought to herself: His house is pretty good, but compared with the Dingguo Palace, it still looks petty. The Zhang family has not been prosperous for a long time, and his house has just been built. How can it be compared with the old nobles? No matter it is
Wealth or foundation and magnanimity are both far inferior.
Under the leadership of Xu Yande, everyone walked along the winding corridor to a hill-like rockery. There was an exquisite pavilion with the words "Plum Blossom Pavilion" written on the hanging plaque. Two paintings were hung on the pillars next to it.
The couplet reads: The plum blossoms are three points whiter than the snow, but the snow loses the fragrance of the plum blossoms.
"This is the Plum Blossom Appreciation Pavilion. I've heard about it a long time ago, but I've never been here. Yande, I've been to your mansion many times, and you haven't invited me to come even once." Zhu Lin looked around and said.
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Zhang Lun chuckled and said: "Brother Zhu Lin, what are you doing here? The plum blossom appreciation in the Western Garden is a gathering between Mr. Cheng Guogong and those literati. What are you doing here? Are you right to recite poetry? Do you have that elegance and enthusiasm?
Are you talented?"
Zhu Lin scratched his head and said, "That's all."
Zhang Lun laughed, and Xu Yande also laughed and said: "Don't say you haven't been here before, I rarely come here. Except for outsiders who are allowed to come during the plum blossom viewing season, no casual visitors are allowed to come here during the rest of the time.
However, my family members live in the inner residence of the Duke of Chengguo's residence, surrounding it and in the garden."
Zhu Lin winked and said, "I understand, I understand."
Zhang Lun seemed to understand and burst into laughter.
Zhang Yanling listened to their conversation and looked at their actions, and always felt a little strange. It was the inner garden, and it was not the plum blossom season. Why did these three people invite themselves here? They winked, as if they were hiding something.
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"No more gossip, let's drink wine, enjoy the snow, and eat barbecue. Come, bring the things." Xu Yande ordered loudly.
A group of servants carried tables, chairs, stoves, pots and pans into the pavilion. After getting ready to light the stove, several strong men carried something wrapped in oilcloth into the pavilion and hung it on the iron hook on the pavilion pillar.
When a servant pulled off the oilcloth with a roar, Zhang Yanling was shocked to find that it was actually a bear. It had sharp fangs and claws and was covered in black fur. Even though it was dead, it still looked ferocious and terrifying.
"Where...where did this thing come from?" Zhang Yanling asked in shock.
"Hahaha. I told you it's a good thing, right? This blind big bear was caught in the woods of Miyun Beishan Mountain a few days ago. Brother Yande and his men fought with it in the woods for more than an hour before catching it.
Shoot him. This black bear is really powerful. He was hit by seven or eight arrows without dying, and he even tried to hurt people. Look at the arrow holes in his body."
Zhang Lun stood up with a smile and came to the hanging bear. He ruffled the bear's hair and pointed to Zhang Yanling the wounds of the few arrow shafts that still had half of them left.
Zhang Yanling stood up in shock to check, turned to Xu Yande and praised: "How awesome, Mr. Xu, how can a person who can hunt bears be an ordinary person? He is a well-deserved warrior."
Xu Yande showed a complacent look on his face and said with a smile: "There, I happened to meet this beast, hiding in a tree hole and humming, so I hunted it and brought it back for drinking. Bear meat is a great tonic, but others
If you dare not eat it, we are not afraid. Today we just ate it and drank it."
Zhu Lin smiled and said: "I heard that the Marquis of Jianchang accompanied the prince to the Western Mountains for hunting more than a month ago and captured a leopard alive. That's pretty impressive."
Xu Yande smiled and said: "Exactly. When we heard this, we couldn't believe it. We asked someone to find out what happened that day. I didn't expect that Marquis Jianchang would be so brave and dare to challenge the leopard head-on. And...
He also saved the prince..."
Zhang Yanling's heart was moved. It turned out that they all knew about this matter. He did not publicize this matter. People outside only said that the prince captured the leopard alive. But at this moment, Xu Yande and Zhu Lin said that he caught the leopard and saved the prince. This shows that they do know.
What happened that day. So, does the fact that they are so diligent today have something to do with this matter? Could there be unexpected gains from this matter that day?
"First cut the bear's paws, roast them and eat them." Xu Yande ordered.
The two cooks took out the sharp boning knives from their waists and played with them, peeling off the skin and breaking the bones one by one. Soon, four bear paws were cut off and skinned. After cleaning, they were put on the iron rack and started to roast.
The chef kept smearing the prepared sauce on the bear's paws. As the charcoal grilled, the bear's paws gradually turned golden color. A rich meat aroma filled the pavilion.
"Hahaha, it will be delicious. I can't wait." Zhu Lin said while rubbing his hands.
Zhang Lun also shouted loudly: "Where is the wine? Where is the wine? How can we do it without wine? Where is Qiu Lubai?"
Xu Yande smiled and said: "Why are you in a hurry? It's still very early. Today we will do nothing all day long, just drink and eat meat."
Zhang Lun smiled and said, "I'm afraid you don't have so much good wine for us to drink."
Xu Yande waved his hand, and the servants quickly brought up several large jars of wine. The jars were half as tall as a man, covered with red cloth and pasted with red paper, with the names of the wines written on them. Some are green with bamboo leaves, some are red with daughters, some are white with autumn dew, etc.
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"My old man loves drinking. What kind of wine does he have at home? The wine cellar is full of old wines. Brother Zhang Lun, you can drink as much as you want." Xu Yande said with a smile.
Zhang Lun rubbed his hands, sniffed and said: "That's great, I won't be polite today. Your old man is generous, but my grandpa is stingy, and I can't drink his wine. I'll drink Qiu Lubai first, as a base, Qiu
The dew is not too strong, so as not to make you drunk when you come up."
As he spoke, Zhang Lun reached out to pick up the jar of autumn dew and placed it on the stone bench. He reached out to smash the mud seal and uncovered the red cloth. Suddenly, a sweet aroma of wine wafted out, mixed with the aroma of roasted bear paws.
In the entire pavilion, people in Gou were drooling. Everyone in the seats rolled their throats involuntarily and swallowed their saliva.
"My lord, the bear's paw has healed," the cook reported.
Xu Yande said: "Here it comes, what are you waiting for? You two continue to grill the meat, cook it carefully, don't embarrass me. I'll give you a nice drink later."
The two cooks happily agreed and brought out the hot yellow and orange bear paws on four silver plates.
Here Zhang Lun has poured a large bowl of wine for everyone. Zhang Yanling was not hungry at first. It was only noon and it was not lunch time yet. But the smell of bear paws and the smell of autumn dew white wine had already moved his index finger.
When the bear's paw was brought up, Xu Yande picked up the bowl and said with a smile: "Guys, we agreed to get together in January. Last month was delayed due to official work, so today can be regarded as making up for it. Although it is not in a restaurant outside, but this time
Drinking here is more fun. Come on, have a bowl first."
After saying that, Xu Yande drank a large bowl of wine. Zhang Lun and Zhu Lin were both able to drink, so they drank up their necks. Zhang Yanling had no choice but to drink up the bowl of wine.
Only after he was done to his stomach did he realize that he had been fooled by Zhang Lun. He said that Qiulu Bai was not strong, but at this moment Zhang Yanling felt that his chest and abdomen seemed to be burning. He blushed and stared at Zhang Lun.
Zhang Lun laughed loudly, looked at Zhang Yanling and said, "Brother Yanling, how do you like this wine?"
Zhang Yanling exhaled a fiery breath and said hoarsely: "Good wine, strong enough."
Xu Yande, Zhang Lun, and Zhu Lin all burst into laughter.