In the twelfth lunar month of the first year of Tianbao, all the prefectures and cities under the jurisdiction of the Shule Army, such as Shouhuo and Fengsuibao, received training classes from Shule City. They also received training courses from a military organization called the Dry Food Department in Shule Town.
The amount of food was not large, maybe just to give them a taste.
One kind of food is called biscuits, which are made by frying dry flour, highland barley flour, mutton fat, and salt. They are hammered into shape with a special iron mold and can be eaten after drying. This kind of food has no moisture. It is recommended to use
Wrapped in oil paper, it has a shelf life of three to six months in a dry environment.
Another kind of food is meat strips marinated in salt and air-dried. The length of storage time depends on the level of salt. Basically, cured meat that is more than two years old can only be used as an ingredient, otherwise it will be difficult to swallow.
In these three training classes, there are officers who are responsible for teaching the making of bacon and compressed biscuits. According to Li Siye's requirements, the fire chiefs in the army must learn the skills of making these two kinds of food.
In addition, the Diaowan training class and the medical training class also started at the same time, and they were required to complete their studies within one month. So far, the three fires of the new town envoy were called three training classes, and they had all spread to 6,000 people.
Conquer the army.
After the Yuanzheng period in the second year of Tianbao, Shule Town issued internal affairs regulations to all military stations. The internal affairs regulations required that soldiers marching must carry the following items: two pieces of sheep felt, the size and thickness must not be illegal, a wooden bowl, and a water bag with a capacity of
Three kilograms of fresh water, quilts, dry food bags, weapons, and fire chiefs can carry cooking utensils and buckets. In addition, personal items must not exceed one kilogram. Private horses must have a veterinary examination certificate, valid for six months, and must have horseshoes
.
After the internal affairs regulations are promulgated, the above requirements must be met within one month, and the entire army will conduct inspections and conduct assessment competitions in February.
These strange internal affairs regulations were regarded as useless by the soldiers, but they had to comply with them because the town envoy also had severe penalties for not complying with the regulations, and would have to deduct the monthly pay.
The Shangyuan Festival has arrived as scheduled, and lights have been hung up everywhere in Shule City. Although this western border city in Qi is not as carnival as the Shangyuan Festival in Chang'an and Luoyang, it is still the most festive festival of the year.
The eaves of the temples in the city are covered with lotus lanterns, and the monks also set up sheds outside the temples to give to the poor with noodles and cocoons prepared in the temples.
Outside the gate of the Governor's Mansion, several servants cleaned the street, scrubbed the peach charms on the door, and hung up a few lanterns.
Li Siye had just put some officials in the mansion on leave, and Chief Zhao Zheng came to visit. Li Siye knew that he was here to have a meal, so he stayed in the mansion to sit around, asking about some chemistry knowledge, and maybe giving some advice.
"General Li, Shangyuan Ankang."
"Shang Yuan Ankang, today is a festival, so don't go back to the Taoist temple. Stay at home and have a simple meal."
Zhao Zhengyi didn't get what he asked for: "It would be better to obey orders than to be respectful."
At noon, the family banquet was held in the inner courtyard. A long table was placed in the center. Li Siye and his wife sat on the left and right sides of the table, and Li Meier leaned next to his sister-in-law. Taoist Zhao shamelessly sat on the table. Feng Changqing and Chuulu specially
Called from the army, there were also Yan Xiaosi, Tian Zhen, Duan Xiushi and others.
The staple food of the family banquet is the specialty of the Lantern Festival, food cakes and silk cages. Since sucrose is a scarce commodity, the food cakes of wealthy people are sweet. The common people are better and use jujube paste as fillings. Poor people also use jujube paste as fillings.
The common people could only use salt.
Li Siye smiled and said to everyone: "We have a new method of cooking in copper pots tonight. Madam Wu, please order someone to bring the pot and sauce."
Everyone took a closer look and saw two maids carrying a brass vessel forward. It looked like a tripod but not a tripod. There was a stove in the center and a pot surrounding it. White soup was rolling in the pot. Tian Zhen said loudly:
"Isn't this the Guoding you invited us to eat when we first arrived in Qixi that year? It seems to have improved a lot now. At that time, Teng Mu and I ate ten kilograms of mutton in a row. It's a pity that he didn't
I can’t eat anymore…”
Tian Zhen's voice became quieter and quieter, Li Siye's expression became sad, and everyone fell silent.
Upon seeing this, Twelve Niang ordered someone to offer the sauce, and asked Tian Zhen with a smile: "Did you eat sauce last time? This time, Li Lang specially bought a lot of sesame seeds and made sesame sauce."
Tian Zhen knew she had made a mistake and tried to restore the festive atmosphere: "This is sesame paste. It looks slimy. Is it delicious?"
"Try it yourself."
The slightly sad atmosphere just now has been diluted. Li Siye personally used chopsticks to fiddle with the chimney at the mouth of the pot, and the soup began to boil. The maids brought a basket of mutton slices and fish fillets, and Li Siye personally dropped them into the soup until the water boiled again.
, he first picked up the shrunken pieces of meat with chopsticks, and said with a smile: "It's time to start!"
Everyone put their chopsticks into the pot and picked out the meat slices. After dipping them in the sauce, their mouths were full of fragrance. Tian Zhen said loudly: "The taste of the meat is different from last time. No, it should be because the soup is different."
.”
"Of course it's different," Li Siye said with a smile: "I found a lot of things for this hot pot ingredient, including peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon, benzoin, bay leaves, and cinnamon. I'm just asking you, does it smell good?"
"Smells."
Chuulu kept eating with his head lowered. Since he was the youngest among all the people, he also received the most care. Twelve Niang took out a silk scarf to wipe the sweat on his head. The child looked up and smiled honestly.
, said thank you to Twelve Niang, lowered his head and continued eating meat, Li Siye simply gave him a few more chopsticks.
Old Taoist Zhao is much cleaner than before, and the tattered linen clothes on his body have been replaced with new linen robes. However, maybe because of his age, his body smells when he sweats. Li Meier was almost smoked when she sat opposite him.
He pinched his nose, but Li Siye stopped him with his eyes. However, the old Taoist himself did not realize that the hot meat slices slurred in his mouth when he was eating meat. It seemed that the heat made his body tremble, and sweat flowed down his forehead. A maid held it
I handed him the silk handkerchief to wipe his sweat and never asked for it back.
Maybe it was because the room was designed like an earthen kang and there was a flue on the back wall, which made the room too warm. When they went out from the front door, a gust of cool breeze blew, and their whole bodies felt comfortable and airy, and the sweat evaporated and soaked them unconsciously.
, this Lantern Festival is celebrated appropriately.
There will be a performance of various operas in the market in the afternoon. Twelve Niangs and Mei'er were invited by the Pei family members to watch from the street on the round-arched spire building adjacent to the South Market. This building was built by the Shule royal family to participate in major festivals such as the Buddha Ceremony.
Modern people call it the Byzantine style.
They had never seen this kind of architectural style up close. Since Qixi is rich in gypsum soil, it is mixed with water and built into columns. After drying, it can be shaped into a beautiful and elegant style. Ms. Pei invited them to stand on the corridor on the second floor.
Various performances on the streets above and below passed by them like a revolving lantern in a parade.
A man from Tianzhu was playing the flute, and in the basket on his chest was a flat-necked snake that twisted and danced to the sound of the music. Behind him was a Persian man with fire pills strung on metal bars in his hands. He was able to turn one of the fire pills
It's really surprising to swallow it into your stomach and then spit out billowing flames.
Next is the bamboo pole handstand. A woman wearing a narrow red skirt puts her head on the bamboo pole. Below him is a skinny old man who supports the head of the pole with his shoulders. In addition to doing handstands on the top of the pole, the woman also performs various tricks.
There was a red ribbon draped over her shoulders, swaying in circles in the wind, like a red bird flapping its wings in the blue sky.
Meier thought with great regret that it was a pity that my brother could not come with them and could not see so many beautiful performances.
Li Siye had a party with the soldiers in the Shule Army in the afternoon. A simple performance stage was set up in front of the barracks. The men in the army were also versatile. Some could play the flute, some could play the pipa, some could play the drums in rhythm, and some could
Some people even perform the drama of joining the army.
It is said that this drama of joining the army is the origin of all dramas, and it is a comedy form. Two men put makeup on their faces and red lips, one pretends to join the army, and the other wears bird feathers on his forehead to pretend to be a falcon.
Folks seem to be more open-minded and go to great lengths to be funny.
"Gao Canjun, let me ask you, why don't you betroth your little lady to me?"
"I'm a bad tooth, and you look like a bird, but you still want to marry my daughter?"
"What's wrong with me? Why am I not worthy of being your good son-in-law? You just enriched your own pockets and married three beautiful concubines, who are younger than your own women. It's like an old cow gnawing on young grass. You've gnawed it.
It's not just young grass, but you went to show off in front of the censor. Who the hell are you showing off to in front of? You have to run in front of the censor. Why, do you think your head is tougher than others?"
All the soldiers laughed loudly in the audience, and Li Siye couldn't help but smile. Such a drama was actually created to ridicule corrupt officials. One has to admire the imagination of the ruling class. This is a bit like setting up negative examples in the future, and doing the opposite.