Chapter 4: Fried Peanuts

After speaking, he opened his hand in front of Xiuxiu, revealing five or six peanuts inside

Xiu Xiu complimented, "Why doesn't the official stir-fry the others as well?"

Xiu Xiu replied: "Yes, my mother is responsible for daily life, and I do all the cooking"

Xu Ping stood there in a daze. In this era, there is a strong emphasis on respecting teachers and valuing the way, so it is only natural that he should rise early every day to pay his respects to his teacher.

Xu Ping said: "This was originally a guest room, and since I have no guests coming, I might as well use it. You can stay here without any worries; just let me know if you need anything."

Xiu Xiu opened the door and saw that there was a bed and a table inside, with all the bedding complete. For a moment, she hesitated: "I am a servant, how can I live in such a place?"

Xu Ping touched the pot with his hand. Seeing this, Xiu Xiu hurriedly said, "My lord, please do not do such things; these are the tasks of our servants. Please wait a moment, I will go fetch some water to clean the pot."

Xu Ping said: "No need."

Xu Ping shook his head and remained silent

Xu Ping opened his eyes and asked her, "Can you cook?"

Although she says this, her feet do not move. She is just an eight-year-old girl; how could she fetch water? As for frying peanuts, is that something the poor can afford? Such a large iron wok must cost quite a bit; her family still uses clay pots for cooking. Besides, frying dishes is not in vogue now, so where would they find the spare money to repair the sieve?

Upon being mentioned by Xiuxiu, Xu Ping felt somewhat uncomfortable and reassured himself: "The teacher has just failed the imperial examination, so he must be feeling uneasy. Allowing him some time to calm down is also for his own good"

But this is not Tokyo, this is the countryside of Kaifeng Prefecture. Although it is only a few dozen miles away from Tokyo, it is entirely two different worlds

Upon exiting the hospital gate, I happened to encounter Xu Chang idly standing in front of his residence. The small courtyard where he originally lived had been given to Granny Hong, and he had moved to the gatehouse, where he also took on the duty of a doorkeeper.

After Xu Ping finished speaking, he stirred the peanuts in the pot a few times, and the scalding temperature conveyed a warm sensation that seeped deep into his heart

Upon entering the kitchen, the first thing that caught Xu Ping's eye was a large pot on the stove, which felt somewhat familiar to him, reminiscent of the earthen stoves in rural areas of later generations. However, at this time, the popular cooking method was not the stir-frying that would become common later; what was referred to as stir-frying was mostly dry frying, rather than the oil-intensive quick frying. This large pot was used for steaming and boiling food. If Xu Ping wanted to enjoy dishes that suited his taste, there were still many tasks to be accomplished.

Recalling his poor foundation in classical Chinese, Xu Ping said to Xiuxiu: "The gentleman is weary from his journey; I shall not disturb him. It is not too late to visit tomorrow."

Rest assured to start the fire, as you cannot master the heat.

Xiu Xiu brought back breakfast, which consisted of three steamed buns and a bowl of millet porridge. It has been like this for the past few days, and Xu Ping did not pay much attention, simply taking the buns and eating them

After finishing breakfast, Xiuxiu tidied up while Xu Ping sat at the table, rinsed his mouth, and closed his eyes to rest his spirit

Yet, there is a sense of impatience within me. In the past, when I was indulging in a life of extravagance, I rarely dined at home; it was customary to reserve a table at a restaurant, as this was the manner of the young gentlemen in the capital.

Every morning it is steamed buns and congee, whether good or bad, isn't it just the life of a wealthy family? It would be better to have enjoyed better food in a past life, this cannot continue any longer

After taking a bite, I noticed Xiuxiu was looking at me strangely, so I couldn't help but ask her: "Why are you looking at me like that? Aren't you going to eat? There is an extra one today."

Xiu Xiu murmured: "I went to the kitchen, and Granny Hong said to just bring back something for the gentleman, since he doesn't eat anyway; he is going to town to drink."

Xiu Xiu called out softly, quickly stood up, and said to Xu Ping: "My lord, please stand back a bit; let me handle this."

As he observed the color change of the peanut skins, Xu Ping instructed Xiu Xiu to extinguish the fire, casually scooping the peanuts out of the pot and placing one in Xiu Xiu's hand

Xiu Xiu said while going to the side to fetch firewood, "Did the official not eat enough just now?"

This firewood has been here for an unknown period, and it is almost rotting. Xiuxiu took the firewood, lit it, and started a fire under the stove

Xu Ping taught Xiu Xiu to shell the peanuts and they ate two pieces

Arriving at the stove, Xu Ping observed that the pot was relatively clean and said to Xiu Xiu, "You should start the fire."

Xiu Xiu stuck out her tongue and said, "It's so hot!"

Xiu Xiu dodged and whispered, "Our hands are quite dirty, my lord, wait a moment, I will go fetch some water to wash them."

Upon seeing Xu Ping bring out a bowl, Xu Chang said: "Dalang, where are you going with that?"

Even the licentiate does not count, let alone the scholar. At this time, the term 'scholar' is a respectful title for educated individuals, implying a high level of knowledge. Therefore, both Xiu Xiu and Zhang San Niang refer to Lin Wensi as Lin the Scholar, although Xu Ping finds it strange

Speaking of the cuisine of the Song Dynasty, one would surely feel a sense of longing if reminiscing about a past life. The bustling and prosperous Bianliang, the capital of the Song Dynasty, is indeed a myth in Chinese history

Xu Ping stood up and saw that Xiu Xiu was still tightly holding onto her small bundle. He said to her, "I will find you a place to stay first"

After a short while, five or six idle men followed behind, all of whom were tenants from the village. This estate currently has more than twenty tenants, and due to the drought, there is little work to be done, so they are all idly staying at home, merely raising pigs and feeding chickens. This estate spans over ten miles and encompasses tens of thousands of acres, which is simply too much land for twenty-odd people to cultivate. However, due to the favorable policies when purchasing the land, they have not paid any taxes in recent years, and the Xu family does not mind.

After a short while, Xiuxiu opened the door and stepped out, a hint of a smile in her eyes. She bowed to Xu Ping and said softly, "Thank you, my lord"

Xu Ping said: "Follow me, from now on we will cook for ourselves in a small kitchen."

Xiu Xiu had no particular ideas, merely following behind Xu Ping

Xu Chang was unaware of what Xu Ping was up to, so he went to the storeroom to fetch a hoe

It is often said that since the Tang Dynasty, the economic focus of China has shifted to the southeast, a statement that typically emphasizes the development of Jiangnan while rarely mentioning the decline of the Central Plains. At this time, northern China is increasingly desolate at its center, while the two wings are comparatively better off. The eastern region, known as Jingdong Donglu, corresponds to what is now Shandong and northern Jiangsu, and the western region, known as Shaanxi Lu, can still be considered relatively prosperous. However, the areas surrounding the two capitals at the center are almost devoid of hope. At this time, northern China is increasingly desolate at its center, while the two wings are comparatively better off. The eastern region, known as Jingdong Donglu, corresponds to what is now Shandong and northern Jiangsu, and the western region, known as Shaanxi Lu, can still be considered relatively prosperous. However, the areas surrounding the two capitals at the center are almost devoid of hope.

In this small courtyard of Xu Ping, there are three main rooms, oriented east to west. One is used as a living room, one is a bedroom, and the other is a study. On each side of the main rooms, there is an additional room.

Xiu Xiu then took the small bundle inside, casually closed the door, and it is unclear what she is doing in there

In the past, when one spoke of the Central Plains, it was undoubtedly a land of fertile fields stretching for thousands of miles, densely populated with people. However, that is no longer the case. At present, the Central Plains are covered in yellow sand, with sparse human habitation, and many areas are characterized by a mix of agriculture and pastoralism. Over a century of turmoil has repeatedly rendered vast stretches of land devoid of human presence, and the vitality of the Central Plains has long been drained.

If we were to use a metaphor for the future, the areas surrounding the two capitals would represent a poverty belt around the two capitals, which is far more severe than the previous poverty belt around Beijing and Tianjin. The land here, due to the flooding of the Yellow River, has long been unsuitable for cultivation, resulting in sparse population and insufficient manpower for governance. Being located around the two capitals, a large portion of the population has been drawn away, including hundreds of thousands of soldiers, officials of various levels from the eastern and western capitals, the royal family, various government offices, and imperial tombs, not to mention the countless corvée labor required by the Yellow River and the Bian River. The population is simply too small to support production development.

These past few days have been spent adapting to this identity, adapting to this world, without overthinking it. Since I have already accepted this change, life cannot be lived in a daze. At least when it comes to food, although I am not particularly picky, given the conditions, who wouldn't want to eat something more palatable?

Xu Ping said: "Why are you so unrefined"

Xu Ping disregarded her protests, took her hand, and led her back to his residence, where he brought out a large porcelain bowl. Inside was clear water with some other peanuts soaking. He said to Xiu Xiu, "Let us go and farm."

Hearing that Xu Ping is going to farm, these few people came out to watch the excitement as if they were watching a show

At this time, China, or rather the two largest cities in the world, are located in the Central Plains: Tokyo and Kaifeng, and Xi'an and Luoyang. However, surrounding these two capitals is a different scene altogether. Everywhere there are wastelands, uncultivated and only suitable for grazing sheep and horses. Take Zhengzhou, for example, located between the two capitals; in later times, it became a city with a population explosion, claiming a population density that exceeds that of Beijing. Yet at this time, its population was merely a fraction of that in later times, even failing to reach one-tenth of that during the peak of the Tang Dynasty. The contemporary description states, "There are no more than three temples in the north and south, and only one street in the east and west. There are no banquets during the four seasons and eight festivals, and at midnight, there are boundary markers." Not to mention other rural areas.

Xiu Xiu stood to one side, pinched a steamed bun, stole a glance at Xu Ping, and took a gentle bite.

There are many small kitchen utensils nearby, all used for preparing trendy foods, but Xu Ping is not interested; his goal is this large pot

Seeing Xiu Xiu's puzzled expression, Xu Ping smiled and tossed the peanuts in his hand into the pot like throwing dice, stirring them a few times casually

Xiu Xiu cautiously said: "Sir, I am unsure whether I should speak or remain silent. It is already getting late; are you not going to pay your respects to Scholar Lin?"

At this time, the imperial examination system was moving towards standardization, which was significantly different from later periods. In the past, when Fan Jin succeeded in the examination, if it were in this era, one would certainly be puzzled as to what was so joyous about passing the examination. At this time, the term "juren" (the successful candidates) was rarely used; instead, those who passed the preliminary examination were referred to as "gongsheng" (scholars) or "xiang gong jinshi" (provincial scholars), and they could participate in the provincial examination. After passing the provincial examination, there was still the palace examination; if one failed at this final stage, everything would have to start over. The preliminary examination was a one-time qualification test, and one would have to take it again next time, which is why it is said that once one fails, they are nothing. After passing the provincial examination, there was still the palace examination; if one failed at this final stage, everything would have to start over. The preliminary examination was a one-time qualification test, and one would have to take it again next time, which is why it is said that once one fails, they are nothing.

Xiu Xiu finished tidying up and returned to stand beside Xu Ping, remaining silent.

Xiu Xiu hesitated and did not dare to enter

Xu Ping said: "I am going to plant this. By the way, you take a hoe and follow me."

Xu Ping led Xiu Xiu to the outer room on the left and said to her: "From now on, you will live here. Go in and tidy up a bit; I have some matters to attend to later."

Next to the show room are two side rooms, designated for use as a kitchen. This was all part of the planning during the construction of the house, but in reality, they have never been used for cooking.

Xu Ping patted her head and said, "You are also a child from a poor family. Don't you know that it is better to go hungry than to eat seeds? By the way, hasn't your family ever fried them before?"

Xu Ping is currently in Tianzhuang, Zhongmu, which is said to be under the feet of the Son of Heaven and a prime area, yet the conditions are as harsh as those in the borderlands. If one wishes to eat well, one must either go to the city of Dongjing or prepare food oneself

Xu Pingdao: "That old hypocrite is detestable! Do not listen to her, you should eat as well."

That is good

Xiu Xiu said nothing further and obediently followed behind Xu Ping