Wang Yan listened attentively and nodded repeatedly, but Uncle Lu noticed that she was distracted and angrily shouted at her to continue cooking.
Wang Yan quickly turned back and continued chopping the walnuts in her hand, but she was still secretly thinking about what she had just thought!
My brother is currently the most overworked person in the family.
He hadn't really enjoyed life, and Wang Yan felt that he hadn't lived a proper life since leaving the mansion.
For Wang Yan, passing the preliminary examination and becoming a student was more than enough.
After all, they didn't expect their brother to become an official or a famous scholar. Wang Pangzi's initial idea was just to jokingly let his brother study and see if he could pass the exam.
I didn't expect Wang Xing to be so hardworking; he has really put in a lot of effort lately.
Otherwise, based solely on his level of knowledge from studying and learning at the Third Young Master's place, and occasionally listening to others, he wouldn't have stood out.
Wang Yan thought he had no problem reading and writing, and maybe he could get a near-bottom score? But it would be a bit difficult for him to get a middle-to-upper-level score in the exam.
Now that we have a scholar in our family, people look at us with more respect when we go out.
At least in the area where they live, Wang Xing is quite successful.
Moreover, although Wang Yan's family was just a small business, didn't they make a lot of money by chance?
They can afford to keep Wang Xing taking exams, so he can rest whenever he wants.
In short, all these reasons boil down to one thing: I didn't want my brother to be under too much pressure, taking exams non-stop.
However, although Wang Xing did not want to participate in the academy examination so soon, he did not want to rest at home; he wanted to travel and study abroad.
If you want to go, then go! The whole family is supportive!
Wang Xing will not participate in the academy examination this year; he will go next year. He can use this year or so to travel around, cultivate his mind, and broaden his horizons.
Wang Xing's trip was not undertaken alone; it was organized by their academy.
The literary culture is flourishing in this dynasty, so countless students travel abroad every year.
Many regulations have been established to ensure the safety of these students.
For example, if a student falls ill while traveling, they can apply for a subsidy from the government, which will reimburse them.
Post stations were also set up along the way, and anyone with a scholar's seal could stay there at a cheaper price, and so on.
Private schools, temples, and charity schools, as well as some great educators, often liked to invite students who had traveled abroad to give lectures.
Moreover, due to the flourishing cultural atmosphere and economic development, the main participants in study tours were not only students, but also officials, monks, nobles, and people from many other professions.
As a result, the "tourism routes" were planned very well, and Wang Xing went with everyone from the academy this time.
It will pass by some good academies, free schools, temples and the like.
Just like the Qingsong Academy that Gu Yan went to back then, this time, Wang Xing also has the opportunity to go in and study for half a month.
You should know that this academy is not easy to get into; it only admits students who have made great progress in their studies.
We're not trying to belittle ourselves. Wang Xing just didn't get into this school.
Let alone Wang Xing, even Gu Yan (the second wife's son) was raised with such good educational resources until he was ten years old, and he only got in because of the second wife's father's letter.
But now that he has this opportunity, he can go in and listen to the lectures given by the great scholars there, which will surely benefit him greatly.
Unlike those students who had already established their path through the imperial examinations, their purpose in traveling and studying was to seek out renowned teachers and pursue official success.
Wang Xing and his group weren't seeking official positions this time, mainly because they weren't qualified. They simply wanted to attend a lecture and enjoy some sightseeing.
………………………………………………………………
"Did you buy the map you're taking with you? What spot did you choose for the donkey provided by your academy today? And have you prepared all the clothes, shoes, and socks you're supposed to bring?"
When Aunt Wang saw Wang Xing return from buying a map, a barrage of questions came crashing down on him.
"I bought it, I bought it. I chose the first one on the edge of the donkey."
Aunt Wang smiled, "Okay! I've finished making the cushions for you. Take them with you. Have you packed all your other luggage?"
"Everything is packed up; it can all fit in one book basket. The banknotes have also been sewn into the clothes."
I've already exchanged all the loose change I need for the journey into my purse.
"Alright, alright!" Aunt Wang was relieved to see that everything needed for the journey had been packed.
My brother is leaving soon, so I'm going to cook a feast to send him off.
Fish marinated in fermented rice wine, casserole with mixed mushrooms, chili peppers, and tofu, boiled sliced pork, spicy chicken, braised duck (similar to Peking duck), mushroom and shrimp rice, and ham and amaranth soup.
There were also two desserts after the meal: one was duck with peach kernels, and the other was cloud cake.
The peach kernel duck was a recipe Wang Yan learned from Lu Qi that day, and the cloud cake was specially made by Fatty Wang in collaboration with Wang Yan so that Wang Xing could take it with him on the road.
Peach Kernel Duck Stew: Take a duck, put it in spring water and cook it until done. Take it out, remove all the bones, put the remaining duck meat in a rectangular plate, pound it until it is firm, and then cut it into rectangular pieces.
After soaking the peach kernels in hot water, peel off the skin, put them in hot oil, and fry until crispy.
Then start preparing the batter: flour, water, ground Sichuan peppercorns, eggs, ground pepper, salt, cornstarch, Shaoxing wine, and sesame oil.
Mix all the above ingredients into a batter. Add oil to a pan and heat it. Then, put the chopped duck meat into the batter.
Each piece of duck meat is evenly coated with batter, then topped with a freshly fried peach kernel, and fried until golden brown.
Crispy and delicious, tender and juicy, the aroma of peach kernels combines with the rich flavor of duck meat.
It tasted delicious. A plate of it was served, and Wang Xing ate half of it all by himself.
He's loved this duck dish since he was little, and Uncle Lu would always call him to eat it whenever he made it. His sister's version is also delicious now.
Another dessert after the meal was cloud cake. Making this cake is quite time-consuming, but I learned how to make it so that Wang Xing could take it with him on the road.
Yunpian cake is also known as book cake or snowflake cake. You can't use store-bought glutinous rice flour for this.
It had to be cooked glutinous rice flour, and it had to be specially made. Fatty Wang went to two stores before he could find it.
Glutinous rice and indica rice are stir-fried together in a pot, then ground into powder, dried in a cool place, and stored for more than three months to make this pastry.
While it's convenient to buy pre-cooked flour, the syrup used later in the recipe needs to be made by yourself.
Mix the granulated sugar, oil, water, and malt syrup together and let it sit overnight.
Miracles happen with great effort. The proportions must be very precise, with no room for error. And even if the proportions are right, you have to mix all the ingredients very vigorously until they are evenly mixed.
The next day, take out the pre-purchased cooked flour and syrup, mix them together, and knead vigorously by hand until the flour forms a dough.
Then press the prepared dough into a square mold, steam it for half an hour, and remove it.
Then sprinkle a layer of cooked powder on the surface, steam it again for the same amount of time, and then cut it into thin slices. This is cloud cake.
Pick up a slice; it's as white as snow and as thin as paper, with a soft, sweet, and flaky texture. It melts in your mouth with a gentle sip.
Aunt Wang found a box and filled it to the brim for Wang Xing to take with him on the road.
You don't need to drink too much water with this pastry. First, it's not too sweet, and second, it's not dry.
The next day, after finishing his meal, Wang Xing set off with his large book basket, which contained several sets of clothes, several pairs of spare shoes, several books, an umbrella, and some homemade pastries.
Actually, if you bring fewer books, you won't be so tired, but why did he dare to bring only a few? Because he had discussed it with his classmates, and everyone brought different books.
Wang Xing, carrying a basket on his back, walked to the other side of the bridge and encountered a storyteller who was cursing the listeners in front of him.
This listener was quite eccentric; the storyteller struck the gavel at one point to take a break.
But this oddball probably felt uncomfortable and went to the storyteller.
"No, this part of the story is wrong. It's different from the version I heard before. Tell me it again."
The storyteller was puzzled. Had another storyteller altered the version? "Then what version did you hear before?"
"I don't know, I don't know what happened before."
What are you doing? This is a bit disgusting. Don't you know what you're asking? Where did you get your story from?
The storyteller then asked, "Excuse me for being rude, but if you're here looking for trouble, would you please not listen?"
"Stop trying to both listen to stories and cause trouble, okay? You're just in a bad mood, saying these things behind my back. It seems normal, but it's actually disgusting!"
They're being unreasonable. I'm only here to listen to your storytelling because I'm giving you face and supporting you. Why are you being so stubborn?
Ha! He's shameless. What's with all this support? He follows the storyteller to every place he goes, never missing a single performance. I don't know if he's there to read the story or to cause trouble.
This behavior not only failed to show support, but actually ruined the meal!
I don't know where they got the nerve to say that, but this madman not only says it, he also deliberately pretends to be innocent.
"I said I don't know, and I won't listen. I don't want to see your version. You have to come up with a version I've never heard of before I'll leave."
Wang Xing looked at this man and thought, "Is he crazy? If you don't like his storytelling style, just leave. Why bother listening to him tell stories while causing trouble?"
A crowd gathered around to try and dissuade him; it was clear the onlookers meant well. The storyteller, not wanting to cause trouble, remained silent.
But then he simply asked the others a common question, "Will it rain here tomorrow?"
The person listening to the story then exploded again, "Why are you hiding! You have time to ask others if it's raining, but no time to answer my questions?"
Hey! If I don't reply to them, they'll get upset!
Is this listener mentally ill? I don't know, I only know that he may have read some of the arguments between the storyteller and others.
As someone who listens to audiobooks, he feels he has to naturally align himself with the other listeners. He finally found an outlet to vent, so he just went crazy!
Moreover, he felt that he was really righteous. Although he didn't know the person who had argued with the storyteller before, he still came to listen to the storyteller's stories.
But he's just here to listen for free, and after listening, he can find a reason to annoy people. Isn't that great!
The storyteller only asked a completely irrelevant question, and he knew absolutely nothing about it! He didn't even understand the plot or the story, yet he still insisted on causing trouble and disgusting people!
This amused the storyteller; after all, this was his profession, and he was more than capable of verbally abusing such trash.
"You are indeed unaware of your own folly. You are right. You have truly made us onlookers understand the saying: 'There are always oddballs every year, and the longer one lives, the more strange things one sees!'"
This old man observes that you have a ailment in your head, seemingly superficial; if left untreated, it may worsen. (You're mentally ill, go get it treated quickly!)
After saying that, their tone suddenly turned fierce, "You bunch of brats, get out of here! We enjoy storytelling, not cockfighting!"
Wang Xing couldn't help but laugh when he heard this, laughing so hard he was almost convulsing.
The storyteller saw him smile and even clasped his hands in a fist salute from afar.
Wang Xing returned the gesture with a fist and palm salute, and then the two said their goodbyes without exchanging many words.
When Wang Xing left, he was thinking that when he wrote back this time, he would tell his sister to come here and listen to this storyteller's stories.
Regardless of anything else, just his witty and eloquent way of cursing people shows that he is a learned man, and listening to his storytelling here must be extremely interesting!
At that moment, he had no idea that this storyteller would later use his eloquent tongue to help his family's foot shop get revenge.
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