Chapter 4: The Huren's Sudden Move

  He was a barbarian from the north, and since he followed his father to Central Plains when he was young, he had been admiring its prosperity. Look at how high those city walls are! Where can they compare with their nomadic ancestors who had no fixed abode? Look at how large those rich and noble families' mansions are! Which can be compared with the simple tents set up on the grasslands, even the Khan's palace cannot be compared to a small merchant's mansion in Chang'an. Look at those women, each one is so beautiful! Where can they compare with the women on the grasslands, whose faces were blown by the wind and became dark and wrinkled? It is said that the Khan's family's women are all good-looking, but how can they be compared to others after being blown by the wind every day on the grasslands? I estimate that even if we randomly select a few women from Chang'an, we can still surpass them. Look at what people wear, how magnificent! Where can it compare with the coarse and thick and clumsy hemp cloth on the grasslands, which becomes shiny like armor after being smeared with oil and mud in winter.

  So, when he was sixteen years old, his father said that he could start a family and career, so he bid farewell to his parents and came alone to the Central Plains. After traveling around for half of China, he finally arrived at Jianzhou Prefecture's city of Jian'an. In Jian'an, he set up a small sheep soup stall, because on the grasslands, sheep were accustomed to being cooked in large pots, so the flavor of his sheep soup was naturally different from that of the Han people who used small pots to cook it. As a result, business was quite good, and over several years, he earned some money, bought a small courtyard in Jian'an, and married a maidservant from a wealthy family as his wife. Life was not prosperous, but it was fulfilling.

  Yao Jue's biggest dream is to open a small inn in Jian'an City: "If I save for another seven or eight years, it should be enough, right?"

  It's often said that kind-hearted people will receive blessings from the heavens and have noble helpers. So, a few days ago, I heard that a little beggar named Dogzi fainted from hunger for several days but miraculously woke up without seeing a doctor or taking any medicine. I couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration: it seems that this Dogzi has received blessings from the heavens and will surely have a bright future ahead.

  Although Yaoyue is uneducated, he understands the saying that's been passed down on the grasslands: "A fallen eagle will never forget those who helped him." So, these days, he's been letting Erzi, another beggar, bring Dogzi bowls of mutton soup to nourish his body. "Even if he's not a noble person, he's still done a good deed, and the heavens are watching."

  Today, as usual, he left a bowl of mutton soup for Erzi. If he didn't leave it, it wouldn't do. In Jian'an, sheep are not commonly seen. On good days, you can buy several heads in one day, but on bad days, you can't even buy one head in several days. Calculating, they can only slaughter one sheep a day to cook and sell. This is the only mutton soup shop in the whole city, and it's often sold out soon after noon.

  Busy entertaining the guests, he looked up and saw Erzi supporting the beggar called Gouzi slowly approaching the stall. Because of some fear in his heart, he didn't dare to call him "Gouzi" as before, so he smiled and said: "Hey, isn't this Wang Dalang? Are you feeling better?"

  Wang Kuang felt much better today, although still a bit weak, but with his two sons by his side, walking was no problem. His mind preoccupied with worries, he couldn't stay in the temple anymore, so he had his two sons accompany him to stroll around the streets and beg for some food, also to gather information about what he wanted to know. Having drunk mutton soup for several days, he should come over to thank them, so he came to Ya Jue's mutton stall.

  "Thanks to Uncle To's blessing, under his care, I've been feeling better these past few days." As I didn't know the current dynasty's etiquette, I recalled a gesture from old movies and TV shows where people on the grasslands would place one hand on their chest and bow their head, so I did just that.

  He didn't expect to see him so courteous, his eyes lit up: "Wang Dalang is too polite, it's all the blessing of heaven, I don't dare to accept such courtesy." But in his heart, he was even more surprised: In the whole city of Jian'an, there was only one barbarian like himself who knew this etiquette. Even the few merchants in the city didn't know how to do this, but he had long learned to use Han people's etiquette to entertain customers. Could it be that Wang Dalang was indeed a noble person, born with knowledge? He felt even more reverence in his heart. When Wang asked him questions, he answered them one by one, respectfully and reverently. The two sons on the side looked at each other in confusion: How did this barbarian change his nature? Although he had been gentle before, it was not as respectful as today towards their brother. It seemed that he was a bit afraid of their brother?

  He Yuezhan and Wang Kuang had a conversation, and Wang Kuang also understood that it was now the second year of Zhenguan. Fortunately, Emperor Li Shimin is still not bad, and in less than two years, it will be a prosperous world. Although heroes emerge in troubled times, with his own pitiful historical knowledge, and his weak physique, at the age of ten or so, in troubled times, he would probably be cannon fodder, and might even lose his life inexplicably before becoming cannon fodder.

  Having received kindness from others, Wang Kuang naturally wanted to repay it. He couldn't bear the feeling of owing someone a favor. Originally, he was the kind of person who forgot when others owed him, but always remembered when he owed others.

  Thinking about it, there's really nothing good to repay with. Helping people for free? Others can handle their own work by themselves and get busy, besides, even if you don't pay wages, you still need to provide food, right? This won't do.

  His eyes fell on the steaming hot mutton soup on the stove, and he suddenly had an idea. So he asked Ya Yue: "Uncle, do you think the sheep on the grassland are delicious or the ones here are delicious?"

  "There shouldn't be much difference, right?" Yu Rou asked somewhat strangely, suddenly bringing this up: "If there really is a difference, then it seems that the mutton on the grasslands tastes better and isn't as gamey, but do all sheep taste like this?"

  "There's a difference, uncle. Think about it, sheep all eat grass, and on the grasslands in spring and summer, aren't the days longer than here?"

  "That's right, especially in the summer, our place starts to get light at 3 am, unlike this southern region which only gets light at 4 am, and it also gets dark much later on the grasslands at night."

  "Uncle, you think that grass needs sunshine to grow well. The longer the sun shines, the better the grass will be naturally. Sheep eat such good grass, and their meat is naturally more delicious. Just like humans, if they eat well every day, their body will generally be better, right? Look at me, after drinking sheep soup for a few days, I can walk now!" Wang began to analyze: "So, the mutton from the grasslands must be more delicious than here."

  "Hmm, if I could sell the sheep from the grasslands, my sheep stall would be even more popular." Ya Yue followed with some nostalgia: "But it's not worth it to transport sheep from the grasslands here."

  Wang Guo knew that in ancient times, no matter which dynasty, trade with the grasslands was basically done using tea leaves, ironware and ceramics for silk, fur and good horses. If they really wanted to exchange live sheep, not to mention how slow it would be, after several months, just the cost of feed for the sheep on the way would be a huge expense. Therefore, no merchant would be willing to exchange cattle and sheep, except for good horses.

  "Uncle, I have a recipe here that can make your mutton soup taste even better."

  "Really?" Yu Rou was a bit skeptical. Since she was old enough to understand, the people on the grasslands would slaughter sheep, cut them into blocks and throw them directly into boiling water with some salt, that's how they cooked and ate. Although the Han people in the Central Plains knew more about food and had many varieties, their way of cooking mutton was roughly the same, at most they might add some ginger. Of course, it's said that the emperor's way of eating sheep is definitely not like this, but if he really wanted to do it delicately, his small stall couldn't afford it.

  "It's actually very simple, Uncle. Why don't you give it a try?" As Wang Kuang's greatest hobby was food, he had confidence: "Uncle, every time you cook mutton, why not first blanch it in boiling water, then add oil to the pot, and stir-fry some crushed ginger until fragrant? Then add the mutton and stir-fry until it changes color. Add some rice wine to simmer for a while, then add salt and broth. The resulting mutton soup will definitely be delicious." In fact, there were several more steps, but Wang Kuang didn't know what seasonings were available now, so he didn't dare say anything. For example, chili peppers - probably hadn't spread here yet, right?

  "Uncle, don't worry, Dogzi's brother brings me back the mutton soup from your place every day and adds some wild vegetables to cook it, it's delicious! I won't get sick." Erzi also chimed in beside him. In his eyes, after falling ill, Dogzi suddenly became incredibly capable, although he didn't know what the reason was, but as a young child, he wouldn't think that much, anyway, Dogzi got better, and that's the happiest thing.

  "Oh? Then I'll try it out tomorrow. If it's really delicious, then in the future when Wang Dalang comes to my place, even if nothing else is said, at least a bowl of mutton soup will be available." Yao Yue couldn't help but feel a little excited. Decided not to wait until tomorrow, he would try it out tonight at home, and if it was really as good as Wang Dalang said, then in the future the wealthy families in the city wouldn't come flocking? If they ate well, the reward would definitely be substantial.

  Farewell to the precipice, finished the mutton soup and returned to the Taoist temple first, then came out again. Wang Kuang and his two sons spent half a day touring Jian'an. Although it was a state city, in Wang Kuang's view, it was still not big enough, not as large as Shi Bei Town in later generations. It makes sense, during the Tang Dynasty, Jian'an was still a semi-developed area, with a small population to begin with, incomparable to the Central Plains region. The entire early Tang population was only so much, and most were concentrated in the Central Plains region, it would be good if Jian'an had a population of over 10,000.

  The whole city is just one street, of course there are many small alleys. Located at the confluence of Songxi and Nanpu streams, there are only three inns and wine houses scattered around, because it is located at the intersection of two rivers and Min territory has many hills and mountains, so it is also a gathering place for merchants, and there are not many shops. Although the population is only over 10,000, there are indeed many passing merchants. After strolling around, Wang Kuang vaguely had an impression in his mind, seeing that the sky was about to darken, he followed the two sons back to the Taoist temple.

  Sorry, I made a mistake earlier. Jian'ou was established in the fourth year of Tang Wu De (621 AD) and was set up as Jianzhou Prefecture on the site of the former Jian'an Prefecture of the Six Dynasties. It wasn't until the first year of Tianbao (742 AD) that it was changed to Jian'an Prefecture.