Chapter 28 Wei Sheng Xue: It is what the emperor dreams of
After bidding farewell to E'ou, Wei Shengxue returned to his place of residence in Shanfu County.
The guard at the door saluted as usual, but did not immediately step aside. Instead, he hesitated in his place.
This obviously abnormal behavior naturally caught her attention, but Weishengxue just thought that the other party was in trouble and wanted to ask for help, but was too embarrassed to speak up.
"What's wrong with you?" She slowed down her speech, and her already soft voice sounded even more soothing.
The guard turned around and took out a basket from the side.
It was a basket woven with simple and crude craftsmanship, and the material used was the most common wild vine, which was a material that wealthy families would never use, but was widely used among the common people.
This is……
"It was sent by an old man, who said it was presented to His Majesty and the Immortal Master." The guard's voice became softer and softer as he spoke, because he knew that this was really against the rules.
Everything Your Majesty wants to eat must be strictly checked again and again. The things used by immortals are also of the highest quality. How can the things sent by ordinary people be delivered directly to the immortals?
But... he remembered the old man coming over with a cane. His back was a little hunched, and he walked slowly, half a step at a time. His other hand held the basket tightly in his arms, afraid that it would get hurt in the slightest.
The cautious and attentive look reminded him of his old father at home, and he couldn't help but feel pity. He should have refused it directly, but he unconsciously kept the basket. Now, he was even more blinded by greed and actually sent it to the immortal.
The guard's face showed even more regret. He immediately retracted his hand and leaned forward to apologize: "I have failed in my duty and should accept the punishment. Please don't bother me with this, Master." As he said this, he was about to deal with the basket.
Wei Shengxue stopped him and said, "Give it to me."
The basket was not big, and was padded with lotus leaves with some water residue on it, which showed that it had been carefully cleaned before use. The basket was also covered with lotus leaves, and it was obvious that the person who delivered it was doing his utmost to keep the items inside clean.
Wei Shengxue used his spiritual power to explore and found that it was a handful of bean sprouts and a few pieces of tofu.
"So it was him."
She didn't know how to describe her feelings. It was just a small favor, but she received sincere thanks from others.
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Some time ago.
Ying Zheng summoned the county magistrate, the three elders and others in Shanfu County. Weisheng Xue had nothing to do so he ran around.
Relying on her spiritual power, she came and went quickly, and watched the progress of Mo Ge's classes every day, and she also became interested.
She felt that she was not cut out to be a teacher, and she also knew that her understanding was very different from that of the world, so she didn't dare to teach serious things. So she packed a small bag of malt candy, stopped when she saw a big tree, and sat under the tree to distribute it to the children.
Sweetness is a luxury now, and the children who got candy refused to leave. So she took them to make rainbows, windmills, and bamboo dragonflies, and also listened to some complaints from the children.
"Every September, my family eats bean rice. It makes me bloated and uncomfortable."
"Your family is okay. My family starts eating it in August. My mother even mixes bean leaves into it and cooks it into a paste." Another child frowned and made a vomiting expression.
Beans taste bad, and eating them in large quantities can cause bloating and indigestion, and in severe cases, can even cause poisoning.
When Zhang Yi was lobbying the King of Han on behalf of Qin, he mocked him: "Han is a dangerous place with mountains. The only crops grown there are beans instead of wheat. The people's food is mostly bean rice and broth with peas."
This means that your place in Korea is rubbish and ordinary people can only eat bean rice and drink bean leaf soup.
It can be seen that beans have always been at the bottom of the contempt chain among many staple foods.
But there is no way. Planting beans can fertilize the land, and in order to ensure the minimum yield, the people usually mix different crops on one acre of land. All these factors add up, and there is always a time every year when they have to eat this unpleasant bean rice.
Wei Shengxue listened to their complaints and said, "Let's do a little experiment called 'How to make unpalatable beans taste good'. Do you want to join us?"
A child licked the candy in his hand and said with longing: "If you can add sugar to bean rice, I will definitely like it."
"Erdan, what a fool you are! You're adding sugar to the bean rice! Why don't you just dream of sugar raining from the sky?"
"If I had sugar in every meal, I'd eat shit!"
unicorn
"!!!" Everyone looked at the warrior who made the shocking statement.
Wei Shengxue was also at a loss whether to laugh or cry.
She clapped her hands to attract the children's attention. "Let's try the first method first: sprouting beans."
On this day, every child went home holding a small box the size of a palm, covered with an opaque cloth. When the elders asked about it, they said it was homework assigned by the teacher and they were not allowed to touch it.
"Beans should be planted in the soil. If they are soaked in water, they will rot." The elder said based on his own experience.
"The immortal said that this will make the beans taste better." When children come into contact with new and interesting things, they are reluctant to let go no matter what you say.
A few days later, the grown bean sprouts pushed up the covering cloth, and the children gathered over excitedly with the bean sprouts.
Those who successfully sprouted beans held the box and showed off, while those who failed stood aside dejectedly, shouting that they would go home and try again, and that they would definitely succeed.
"Yours is so white, my bean sprouts are a little green."
Wei Shengxue understood immediately, "You couldn't help but open it and take a look."
"Okay everyone, I'm here to announce: 'Make unpalatable beans tasty' method number one, success!"
It was just a normal verbal procedure, but for these children, it was the most formal scene they had ever experienced.
It really gives people a huge sense of accomplishment!
"My Immortal, can I teach this method to my family?"
"sure."
"Immortal, can I bring my family to learn the second method of 'making unpalatable beans tasty'?"
"no problem."
So the next day, there were several more adults who wanted to attend the small classroom under the big tree.
Compared to the simple method of sprouting bean sprouts, which only requires hands and every household has ready-made tools, making tofu is obviously much more troublesome.
Not to mention the tofu molds, filtering cloths, and large pots for cooking soy milk that need to be prepared separately, just the stone mill for grinding the soy milk is difficult enough.
Most people backed off, and only a few were still listening attentively.
"An adult taught us how to make a stone mill, and now all the stonemasons in the village are making stone mills."
It turned out to be Mo Ge's side.
What a coincidence.
After listening to the class, some people hurried back to a house in the village.
"Third uncle, uncle, are you here?"
…
"I need to ask the immortal about this matter first."
The old man with white hair and beard knocked his cane and said, "I'll go with you tomorrow."
The answer is of course: Yes.
Weishengxue was worried that he couldn't promote his tofu and couldn't earn more merit.
She had been chattering under the tree for so long, and finally someone who could do the work came!
Still an acquaintance.
The household registration management here is strict, and you need to verify your identity card and letter of introduction when entering and leaving.
As one of the oldest people in the neighborhood, the old man has a high generation and long experience. Even the village head has to call him uncle, so verifying the inheritance is naturally not a problem for him.
Wei Shengxue said, "If anyone asks, just say that I gave it to you. And if you have some spare money, help your neighbors."
After saying that, she left.
Behind him, the old man was in tears.
…
The old man was taught the method of making tofu by an immortal himself, and no one, from the village head to the petty official underground, dared to trouble him.
Since he returned to the village, he has been studying the recipe of tofu behind closed doors.
Although the immortal taught me the method, many practical difficulties still need to be overcome by myself.
Wei Shengxue told him that grinding soy milk was laborious and that he could harness an ox and let it do the grinding. But the old man didn't dare do that. Oxen were now considered ancestors and had to be well cared for except when plowing the fields. Even their food was finer than that of humans.
It just so happens that it is not the busy farming season, and there are many young men in the village who are strong and have not yet reached adulthood.
The old man went home and thought about it for a day, and found that he could not handle it alone, so he had to involve a few neighbors.
After two or three days of hard work, a group of people finally made a few plates of tofu.
"How about it?"
"tasty!"
"Bah, it's what the immortal taught me, so of course it tastes good. I'm asking if you can sell it!"
"Let them trade something."
Copper coins are valuable, and many people are reluctant to give them away, but bartering them is much better.
"We can even let them trade for beans. The beans from several of our households combined won't last long."
"Firewood, beans, kudzu... whatever it is, we collect it all."
These are things that can be used in daily life and are not of high value. Most people can afford them and are willing to take them out.
After they discussed it, they picked some tofu and sold it at the market. It was sold out in just two or three hours.
At the beginning, no one dared to try it, but some people were flexible and shouted out the name "granted by the immortal", and soon many people came to see the novelty.
That day they sold all their tofu and exchanged the proceeds for salt and meat. After dividing it among several families, it was enough to cover half a month's earnings!
The woman who was left at home busy with things came out to greet them. She watched them take out bag after bag of things, including a large basket of beans, and she was so happy that she counted them over and over again.
"This, this is too much."
"Oh my god, please bless me, this is really, but this is..."
The old man sat down on a wooden stool with the help of his cane, and urged the young man and girl to notify the elderly people in the village and meet at the oldest man's house.
Every household in the village has to contribute, and the money earned is shared by everyone. Whoever contributes more gets more.
In this era, a village is a group, a family, and a natural community of interests.
Those with strong strength grind the soy milk, those with good cooking skills boil the soy milk, those with dexterity make tofu, and driving the cart and selling the soy milk are left to the young people, who divide the work and cooperate with each other.
It is just a prototype now, but it is foreseeable that in time it will grow into a big tree that blocks out the sky and benefits all directions.
As time went by, they became a little famous for selling tofu, and had more connections and information than before.
One day, a young man in the village was about to close his stall when he saw someone coming to give him a message.
The immortal is leaving with Your Majesty.
"Thank you for your kindness. We will remember this favor."
Several young people hurriedly ran towards the village.
After selling tofu for the first time, they wanted to give the immortal a return gift, but there was no one under the big tree, and they couldn't look for him everywhere, so they could only keep him in their hearts.
But if you don’t catch up this time, you will never have another chance.
"Go find Lord Moge." The oldest man in the village was silent for a long time after hearing this, and then called the old man over, "San'er, you go for this matter."
They didn't dare to take the initiative to go to the officials, but in order to repay the immortal's kindness, they had to make this trip.
The old man threw away his crutches and walked a few steps in the yard, patting his chest: "Uncle, don't worry, I'm in good health."
Fortunately, everything went well. After hearing their purpose, Mo Ge agreed to take people there.
"You will definitely not be able to see the Immortal Master. Even the things you have to give him depend on whether the guards at the door will leave them."
After setting the time, several young people took turns carrying the old man back to the village, and the young and old in the village immediately got moving.
The person with the best eyesight went to the pond near the village and picked out a few of the most complete and brightest lotus leaves, then drew well water and washed them repeatedly. By the way, the water-drawing windlass was also taught by an immortal.
They can use it now, and they should all remember the immortal's great kindness.
"My bean sprouts are growing well, white and tender. I'll bring some for the immortal too."
They found the best and newest basket in the village and wrapped it carefully with freshly picked lotus leaves. They didn't dare give more than that.
A bundle of bean sprouts is picked out one by one; a few pieces of tofu are the tenderest and whitest part in the middle of a plate of tofu.
He walked along the village paths, waded through a small river, took a bullock cart for a while, walked along the city's main road, and finally handed the basket to the guard at the door, saying that it was a tribute to the immortal and His Majesty.
------
Weishengxue took the basket to the kitchen and handed the things to them.
"We will use them tonight and send one to His Majesty as well."
The chef opened the lotus leaf package and found some yellowed tofu inside with broken edges and corners. Another one was some wilted bean sprouts, which were thin and thin. It was obvious that the beans used were not of good quality.
"Master, this..."
Wei Shengxue looked at them with a cautious look and smiled softly, "Don't look down on them. What they represent is much more important than you."
This is not just tofu and bean sprouts, but also the dream of many emperors.
——People’s hearts.
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