Du Ke has two sons and two daughters. The eldest son is living away from home, and the youngest son is a concubine who has just started a family. The two daughters are also one legitimate daughter and one concubine daughter, and they are both married. The Du family is also a rare clean family in the capital, and the family tradition is very good. However, after all, it is a noble family, and it lacks the harmonious atmosphere of the Qin family.
Du Ke listened to them chatting for a while, and then they talked about paying homage to the teacher.
Grandpa Qin took this opportunity to ask: "Sir, Afang has been accepted as your disciple in gratitude for your kindness. Do you think it is okay to arrange the four bows tomorrow morning for the apprenticeship ceremony?" The four bows are the highest etiquette in Qiguo, and are only used to pay homage to heaven and earth, the king, parents, and teachers.
Generally speaking, the four bows are more used by literati, such as students paying homage to their teachers. Scholars used the four-bow ceremony to pay respect to Confucius, so students used the same ceremony to pay respect to their teachers. Grandpa Qin mentioned the four-bow ceremony here mainly to show his respect for Du Ke and his importance to this matter.
Du Ke said, "No problem." Although he was in the Ministry of War, he was also a civil official and agreed to use the four-bow ceremony.
When they were talking about the four-bow ceremony, Yang Haiyan came. When they
saw Yang Haiyan coming, Grandma Qin and Mother Qin immediately said enthusiastically, "Yanyan is here." In fact, they were not enthusiastic, but felt relieved and relieved, because no matter how polite Master Du was, they were not used to it.
Yang Haiyan smiled and said, "Grandma, mother." Then she greeted Du Ke, Grandpa Qin, and Qin's father, and finally looked at Qin Fang: "Husband, dinner is ready, why don't we start early, so that the teacher and Lord Shen can rest early after dinner?"
Qin Fang nodded and looked at Du Ke: "Teacher, why don't we have dinner first? You haven't rested in the afternoon, so you can rest early in the evening." When I went to the teacher's yard just now, the servants told me that the teacher didn't rest in the afternoon, so I knew it.
Du Ke was indeed tired. He thought about things all afternoon. Now he accompanied the old man of the Qin family to chat for a while. He also wanted to rest early. After the apprenticeship ceremony tomorrow morning, he also wanted to go to the Beast Mountain Taoist Temple. To borrow the words of modern people, Du Ke is a workaholic and a civil servant.
Dinner was a homely meal, and every dish was a homely snack prepared by Yang Haiyan, which was different from the dishes prepared by Kun Zhang in the past.
For example, the cold dishes included cold potato shreds, smashed cucumber, roasted vegetables, and pickled radish, and the hot dishes included braised fish, sweet and sour pork ribs, egg and tofu soup, bacon and broccoli, pepper and salt potato cakes, hand-shredded chicken breast, cucumber scrambled eggs, and shrimp egg custard.
Although it was a family dinner today, men and women still sat at separate tables, separated by a screen.
Du Ke, Grandpa Qin, Qin's father, Shen Lixian, Qin Fang, and Qin Shouye sat at one table.
Grandma Qin, Qin's mother, Yang Haiyan, Qin Shoucheng, and Niu Dan sat at another table.
Qin Siya and Sanya did not come out to meet the guests. They were 13 and 10 years old, and they had reached the age where boys and girls were not allowed to sit at the same table. So they were not allowed to come out. They ate in their own yard.
Although it was a home-cooked meal, Yang Haiyan paid attention to the color, aroma and taste of the dishes. At least the dishes were very beautiful, so people's appetite increased when they saw them.
In addition to the dishes, Yang Haiyan also prepared wine. The wine was boiled, cooked, and then chilled in ice. It was not cold, with a little coolness, and tasted very good. Qin Fang also liked this wine very much. In the past, when he had dinner, he would drink a bowl even if there were no guests. Seeing that his wife had prepared it, he proudly introduced it to Du Ke and Shen Lixian: "Teacher, Mr. Shen, come and try what Zhuo Jing made by hand. It tastes very good." As he spoke, he poured a bowl for Du Ke and Shen Lixian.
As soon as the wine was poured out, there was a smell of wine. Shen Lixian said, "Is this wine?" Speaking of it, there was no wine in Qi State. Some ordinary people did make it themselves, but it was very rare. Because wine is made of glutinous rice, which is more expensive than rice, how could ordinary people afford to make this at home? "It smells very good, is it made of rice?" Only the sons of aristocratic families would ask such questions.
Qin Fang said: "There are many kinds of wine. Most people drink rice wine, which is brewed from grains. Even the wine bought outside is generally rice wine brewed from grains. Some more noble ones are brewed from fruits. Like us ordinary people..." Qin Fang thought about it and realized that he was no longer an ordinary person. "Ordinary people drink wine that is brewed from glutinous rice at home, but it is very rare because people can't afford it." So for ordinary people, they would only go out to buy wine on special days, or invite important guests to drink when they have important guests at home. "However, this kind of wine is different from the brewed wine made by Zhuo Jing. Brewed wine sounds like wine, but it is not actually wine. It has a very low alcohol content and is slightly sweet, which is more popular with women. Zhuo Jing said that it is similar to sugar water. Lord Shen might as well try it."
Shen Lixian wanted to try it after smelling it, and after Qin Fang introduced it, he took a small sip and tasted it lightly. The reason for taking a small sip was that he was afraid that the alcohol content was high. As a result, it was just as Qin Fang said, it was really slightly sweet and refreshing. He felt that he could drink a whole bowl in one breath.
Seeing Shen Lixian like this, Du Ke was naturally not polite. He took a sip and it tasted great. To conquer a person's heart, you can start by conquering a man's stomach. Du Ke felt that Qin Fang was really lucky. He was lucky and had good fortune, so he married such a thoughtful wife. Qin Fang, this wife, was very good at living.
The living that Du Ke described was not the kind of living that was thrifty, but the kind of living that knew how to live. "This wine tastes very good. Is it difficult to make?"
Qin Fang said, "This... I don't know either. I'll ask Zhuo Jing."
There was only a screen between the two tables. Yang Haiyan naturally heard Du Ke's question. She said, "Teacher, making wine is not difficult. Moreover, drinking a few sips of wine every day is good for the body and can activate blood circulation. Adding some wolfberries and red dates can also replenish qi and blood. Not only that, for women, it also has certain medicinal value." She thought for a while and said, "Teacher, if there are elderly people in your family, you can also eat it. Our grandparents, father and mother are also eating it."
Du Ke was a filial person. The reason he asked this was because he was thinking of his old father. Old Master Du likes sweets and wine, but he was so angry with Du Ke two years ago that he fell seriously ill. He could no longer be greedy for sweets or wine. Now Du Ke drank the wine, just to find out if his old father could drink it. But when he heard that it was also good for women, Du Ke became more interested. He would not doubt Yang Haiyan's words. In fact, he had a good impression of Yang Haiyan. This good impression was simply a recognition of Yang Haiyan's ability. He felt that an outstanding girl like Yang Haiyan, since she had mentioned the benefits of wine, would naturally not just talk nonsense.
However, in front of everyone at this moment, Du Ke did not say much: "I see."
The guests enjoyed this dinner very much.
After the meal, Qin Fang asked Qin Shouye to send Shen Lixian back to the courtyard instead of him, and he personally sent Du Ke back to the courtyard. Generally speaking, it is common for a younger brother to receive distinguished guests instead of his older brother. After all, Qin's father and mother are of a slightly higher grade, so it is not appropriate to send Shen Lixian, so Qin Shouye is the most suitable.
Du Ke is Qin Fang's teacher, so naturally Qin Fang sent him back. When
they arrived at the courtyard, Qin Fang said, "Teacher, I asked Zhuo Jing to make some wine, and then wrote down the recipe and sent it to the teacher's wife. What do you think?"
Du Ke nodded: "Well, it's hard for your wife to be so thoughtful." Since he is his disciple, Du Ke will never be polite to his own people.
Qin Fang was still happy about Du Ke's impoliteness. If the teacher was polite to him, he would be unhappy. "Then the teacher will take a rest first, and the student will go back."
Du Ke: "I won't keep you. I am really tired today."
Qin Fang returned to his yard and saw Yang Haiyan standing against the wall. He walked over with a smile and stood side by side with her: "My wife, you have worked hard today."
Yang Haiyan laughed at his serious tone and said: "Then how will my husband compensate me?"
Qin Fang looked at her with a suspicious expression, as if Yang Haiyan had said something threatening.
Yang Haiyan couldn't help laughing.
Qin Fang also smiled: "I just told the teacher that I will send some wine to the teacher's wife in the capital."
Yang Haiyan said: "Okay." This was exactly what she said during dinner. "I will write down the recipe and some precautions. If the elderly in the teacher's family eat it, please ask the doctor to check their health first. Generally, there is no harm, but just in case, it is better to be cautious." Qin Fang said:
"My wife is still careful."
Yang Haiyan wanted to laugh when she heard him call his wife: "Why not wait until August to send it? The watermelons will be ripe by then, and some cauliflower, broccoli and tomatoes can also be sent. It only takes three days to ride a horse from Yunxiang County to the capital. Prepare ice by then and freeze the things in it, and they will not go bad." In fact, as for watermelons, they will not go bad even if ice is not prepared. But the weather is hot, cauliflower, broccoli and tomatoes are not easy to store, they will rot.
Qin Fang thought: "Why not prepare more and send some to the emperor."
Yang Haiyan: "..." Is this man addicted to giving things?
Qin Fang smiled mysteriously: "The emperor must have never eaten watermelon. I am an honest minister. If I eat good things, I must honor the emperor. Besides, Lord Shen has eaten it today. It would not be appropriate if I don't send some to the emperor."
Yang Haiyan knew what Qin Fang meant. In modern terms, he wanted to go for the simple personality.
The next day
The people in the general's mansion got up very early today because Qin Fang was going to formally become Du Ke's apprentice. Even Shen Lixian got up early. As the only visitor, he was a witness.
After Qin Fang got up early in the morning, he took a bath and cleansed himself from head to toe. As the most important and highest etiquette, the four prostrations require the performer to purify himself to show the importance of the four prostrations.
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