In the past few days, Ichiyo Sorayama has fallen into the troubles of happiness.
That Mr. Fukuzawa would invite Sorayama Kazuyo to a small gathering every now and then, either to drink wine or to taste tea, or to ask Yamami Sakiko to make some simple Japanese confectionery for Sorayama Kazuyo to taste.
of energy.
A lonely boat in the vast sea, an empty mountain with no escape.
The cunning, or experienced Fukuzawa Daikichi is like the most skilled swordsman, always able to grasp the best time and attack method, which makes the real peerless swordsman Sorayama Kazuha tired of dealing with it. After several cold-faced rejections,
, after sternly scolding and even asking for mercy in disguise to no avail, I had to reluctantly accept it.
Sometimes Sorayama Kazuha will also reflect: Is it possible that with my own cultivation, I still can't resist the loneliness that a strange world brings to my soul, so that I need to communicate with similar people?
Kazuyo Sorayama, who thinks too highly of himself, seems not to realize that as long as he is still a human being and has not turned into a sword, how can human beings, as social animals, have no desires, no desires, no thoughts...
"Mr. Fukuzawa, I'm not good at being perfunctory. Regarding the matter of teaching, if I say I'll consider it, I'll seriously consider it. Why do you have to force it on me?" Sorayama Kazuyo's hoarse voice showed a rare hint of impatience. He really felt sorry for him.
The man in front of him had no choice. If this was a sword fight, he would have lost completely.
Fukuzawa smiled gently and said: "My behavior has caused trouble to Mr. Sorayama. I am extremely ashamed, but for the future of Japan, I have to sacrifice my husband's purity and my own shameless trouble... I won't mention these today. Please have a taste of Sakiko."
Although the dumplings are made without glutinous rice and red beans, they still have a unique flavor."
Yamami Sakiko dragged a small plate and placed it in front of Sorayama Kazuyo, and said softly: "Sorayama-sama once said that he was a chef in Kyoto, so please comment on my little girl's craftsmanship."
"Hmm..." Sorayama picked up one and chewed it carefully, then suddenly said: "The rice has been cooked for too long, and it is too soft and glutinous, but not elastic enough. I need to add less flour next time, as it will take away the sweetness of the dumplings.
, if you are afraid that it is not sticky enough, you can pound it for a little longer; do not put the sugar directly into the flour, but dissolve it with warm water and cook it together with the rice..."
Every time Sorayama Kazuyo said a word, the girl's face turned rosy. She didn't know that the popular glutinous rice dumplings had so many flaws in Sorayama Kazuyo's mouth.
Fukuzawa also curiously picked up one and put it into his mouth. He half-closed his eyes and tried to taste it. After a while, he opened his eyes and admired: "Mr. Sorayama really has a god's tongue! No matter what, I just think this dumpling is sweet."
It's delicious, and it's three points better than my craftsmanship. If I didn't know what kind of person you are, I would have thought that you were just talking nonsense."
Kazuyo Sorayama ignored the girl's expression and continued to comment unceremoniously: "The miso soup from last time requires water at a temperature similar to body temperature to be slowly stirred and melted. The fish bones and kelp in the soup are cooked before adding them.
Good miso, if you put it in too early, the particles are too large, part of the aroma is volatilized, and part is not integrated into the soup at all; the sashimi fish fillet is cut too thin and uneven, which will affect the lips and teeth.
The touch of time is also a pity for good wine..."
Kazuha Sorayama, who has never had high requirements for food, will probably be much harsher than any other food critic in the world once he starts to get serious about it. Moreover, as a short-term cook with not very high cooking skills, his every word
The city hits the key points of girls' cooking.
Hearing Fukuzawa Daikichi nod frequently, he seemed to be unable to see the mist gradually forming in Sakiko's eyes. The old fox must have heard the implication of Sorayama Kazuha's words: Your kindness in inviting me to taste the delicious food is not a need at all in my opinion.
The repayment of kindness and fine wine are not included in the calculation, but trying to use these small means to extort favors will definitely be in vain, so let's forget it.
But Fukuzawa Daikichi didn't care. How could a person like him not see the character of Sorayama Kazuha that was almost engraved in his bones? He believed that for a cold person like Sorayama Kazuha, every time you let him say one more word to you,
It will deepen the bond. No matter whether the other party is praising, insulting, or sarcastic, the effect is the same.
It was too late for Fukuzawa to be happy, so how could he mind such a trivial matter, but...he could only say sorry to Sakiko silently, but with the wisdom of a young girl, he believed that with a little explanation afterwards, she would understand his painstaking efforts.
What's more... he even had some doubts whether the girl in front of him would really shed tears because of his lack of cooking skills. This girl has enjoyed glory and wealth, experienced mountains of blood and blood, tasted poverty, hunger and cold, and studied in Europe and the United States.
A young girl with thousands of worlds fused in her heart, even she dare not say that she can easily influence her mind, so how could she lose control of her mind with just a few words.
Just when Fukuzawa was deep in thought, an angry shout outside the door interrupted Kazuyo Sorayama's voice and the current somewhat unclear atmosphere.
A moment ago, in the restaurant.
"Coffee, coffee, coffee! It's coffee every day. It's bitter and astringent. How is this different from the taste of soaking an old mat in water? I can't bear it anymore. I want to drink a bowl of miso soup crazily! How can I fix it!"
"Crazy? This is not the way of speaking for a person who is making the first bow, Ikeda! Our Lord Heiji has been abroad for three years, and he has completely forgotten the reserve of the Japanese. Be careful, Heiji, when you return to Japan, you have to say, 'I have
If you can't stand it, you will inevitably be regarded as an alien and ostracized by your colleagues."
"What a shame!" the man called Heiji muttered, "I have been patient for three years, but I can't bear it anymore when I am about to enter my homeland in a few days. It seems that my cultivation is still not enough... Everyone, please forgive me.
…”
"It doesn't have to be like this," the man on the side smiled bitterly and said, "Me too! Every day I am closer to Japan, my tolerance for steak bread decreases. To put it shamefully, I also miss my mother's authentic cooking.
Hot Kanto miso soup, if there are tofu and green onions in the soup, ugh..."
A group of young people dressed in Western-style clothes and with their hair cut short in a Western style sat around the dining table and were discussing dissatisfiedly. The composition of this group of people was quite complex. Some were students from Fukuzawa Daikichi, and some were civil servants assigned by the government.
Some are members of trading societies, but they can generally be divided into two groups.
One group supports the Restoration and has a favorable impression of the Meiji government, but is dissatisfied with the radical faction led by Omura at the top. Most of them were from the Satsuma Domain, Choshu Domain and other major failed feudal clans;
One faction is the traditional force of the shogunate that fought to the death with the overthrow faction. Although they still support the emperor, they are quite hostile to the current government. Whether it is the radical Omura, the conservative Katsumoto or the moderate Kido, they all look at it.
Not on.
They believe that the so-called new government is just divided between the Satsuma and Choshu people, and most of the policies it formulates are biased towards the southwestern vassals. The policies that have been implemented for many years are simply inconsistent with what the world's powerful countries are doing today, and they
They themselves were also marginalized, as most of them were from Aizu, Mito and other feudal clans.
Interestingly, the two factions were divided into the British faction, the French faction, and the German faction. They kept intermingling with each other and argued and even fought many times.
However, they all have great respect for Fukuzawa Daiyoshi, a contemporary great sage and a pure scholar who does not serve in the government. Many of them even privately decided to teach or study in schools run by Fukuzawa after returning to Japan.
"Do you know that the good things Mr. Fukuzawa put in all his efforts to get from the first class cabin were all used to entertain a man of unknown origin?"
"Hmph, what kind of virtue does that person have that makes the teacher favor him so much? I think he is just a guy who cheats on food and drinks. Hey, Shanhai, your sister Sakiko is always serving as a maid. Is that what you said?
Are you going to keep going without posting?"
Sankai Kenjiro struggled to insert a piece of fried steak and cut it fiercely. When he heard this, he suddenly thrust the knife into the wooden table, stared at the other person and said: "With a knife in hand, I will not suffer such a shame and humiliation! Wait!
After disembarking..."
"What? Stop him and shout, 'Draw your sword, let's fight today, will we die or not?' The sword ban has been issued. If you fight in the street, you will be caught. Think about it, instead of being caught by those farmers or businessmen's children,
It would be better to humiliate the police and commit suicide directly."
"This is simply unreasonable! The government is acting so perversely, which is extremely disappointing!"
"Now that Omura is in great power, Lord Katsumoto is being squeezed out everywhere. What can we do?"
"Everyone, don't forget what you have seen along the way and Mr. Fukuzawa's explanation. Reform is inevitable. Katsumoto is stubborn. Although Omura, Kido and others are in power, Japan has reached a point where it has to change. The so-called samurai,
It is already the biggest obstacle to the establishment of a new order. Katsumoto is stubborn. Could it be that..."
"Baga! Warriors are the mainstay. Can you expect a group of untouchables to conquer the world and help the world?"
"Don't forget how Crane City fell. A group of swordsmanship masters were beaten to a crawl by farmers' soldiers with muskets and cannons. The city was destroyed and everyone was killed. Isn't it the case that Dounan Fan threw away his swords and guns and picked up a hoe?
The high and mighty samurai-sama you used to be?"
"Haha, the people in Aizu are so stupid!"
"Haga! Our Aizu samurai are ten thousand times braver than you Mito cowards!"
The debate is starting as usual, but Kenjiro Yamami is clearly in no mood to participate and is trying to "persuade" his opponents with physical means.
"Stop arguing!" Yamami Kenjiro shouted! He stood up slowly and said firmly: "I invited him with good intentions in front of me, but he severely humiliated me in the back. In the past few days, I followed Teacher Fukuzawa's teachings and did not
Solve problems the samurai way, but don't the British often say 'debate' and 'negotiation'? Today I will definitely wait at the door of Mr. Fukuzawa and explain what I have not finished to him in front of the teacher."
Kenjiro Yamami pushed his chair away and strode toward the cabin. His deskmates looked at each other for a moment, then got up and followed him.
Until outside the door of Fukuzawa's room, I heard Sorayama Kazuyo mercilessly judging the cooking skills of Miss Sakiko, the goddess in many hearts. It was a precious thing that they had only imagined for a long time. To be criticized like this is simply unforgivable!
One of the young men cursed loudly: "Asshole! Those who are talking arrogantly inside, get out!"