Chapter 7: Look at what I have found

This cat, just as haughty as those two thousand years later, completely ignored Ren Hong, merely lazily yawning, standing up, and taking small, delicate steps to the edge, before leaping lightly and disappearing into some crevice.

Thus, wheat-based dishes remain merely a secondary accompaniment on the table, unable to challenge the primary position of various rice dishes.

Because the planting of winter wheat, also known as宿麦, has matured, it is sown in autumn and harvested in the following summer. This allows impoverished farmers, who are often in a state of transition, to catch their breath and avoid starvation during times of scarcity. It is regarded as a good emergency crop.

Naan

Ren Hong is most concerned about the reserves of one type: "I remember that during the last grain storage registration, there was still quite a bit of wheat left?"

Paper

The paper in Dunhuang County is quite abundant. Ren Hong also inquired about its source and discovered that it mostly comes from the weaving rooms of the government that produce silk and linen. There, a large amount of needles, threads, and scraps of fabric are generated every day. In order to avoid waste, an unknown craftsman chopped, boiled, and pounded these materials, thus creating the first sheet of paper

Ren Hong smiled without answering, and Xia Dingmao began to guess one by one

Due to their rough texture, these ancient papers are not very suitable for writing; they are more often used to wrap small items. In the eastern kitchen, there are many such papers, on which are written terms like "fuzi" and "xixin," indicating that they are clearly used for packaging medicinal materials

In addition, there are two large stone mills, which are said to have been invented by Lu Ban. They have a long history; although they were initially used for grinding wheat, their use did not spread widely

Please ask Chef Luo to take out 5 stones of wheat and grind them all

There are also several foot-operated pestles. Thank heaven, this item has already appeared in the Han Dynasty, so there is no need for Ren Hong to invent it.

Ren Hong laughed and scolded, "Sooner or later, I will throw this raccoon slave that does not catch mice properly out."

The evidence is as solid as a mountain, indicating that Cai Lun merely improved the papermaking technique. Prior to this, at least since the Wenjing period, rough hemp paper had already appeared in Guanzhong, which later generations referred to as Baqiao paper, while the Han people called it "He Ti".

Thus, from a very early time, wheat has been the staple food of the poor. Some nobles and officials even regarded eating wheat porridge during mourning as a form of simple filial piety

Braised Lamb Pancakes

Paper was invented here, yet no one remembers the name of that craftsman

Because wheat is coated with a layer of bran, when cooked as a grain, it is very hard and coarse, and can easily cause bloating. Furthermore, it can lead to food poisoning if the wheat becomes damp and sprouts, making it far less safe and palatable compared to using millet or rice

Since Zhang Qian's return, the Han people have been delighted to acquire sesame. However, decades have passed, and this substance has still not been regarded as food, but rather initially as a medicinal material: it is said that when Ren Hong first arrived in the Han Dynasty, he was given a considerable amount of sesame soup by physicians, which was believed to nourish the five internal organs, enhance vitality and strength, promote muscle growth, and replenish the marrow and brain.

However, during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, the situation underwent a change

but rather "sesame"

There are quite a few varieties, but at present, due to the coarse flour, the methods are also monotonous, and the taste leaves much to be desired, while also having to confront the deeply rooted traditional grain food culture of China

This item has traveled through various counties and cities without being seen; indeed, as you said, it can only be found in places that sell medicinal herbs

It is not about eating people

There is also a practice of stuffing cooked and water-mixed dough into the mouth, similar to the later Tibetan tsampa, referred to as "糒" (bèi), which is often used as military rations.

Xiao Qi is a black and gray spotted tabby cat, specifically a Chinese tabby cat. Its ancestors are native felines that have been catching mice for humans since the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period

Indeed, it is high-quality black sesame.

Compared to the coarse rice with soybean paste that is common these days, it is indeed too delicious, prompting Xu Fengde, who has always been indifferent to worldly affairs, to have the courage to compete for the title of the best place in the entire county.

Xia Dingmao used to never wash his hands before cooking, but recently he has changed this old habit after listening to Ren Hong's advice

Ren Hong smiled and said: "It is something that has not been done before. As for what it is, Elder Xia will know shortly. However, I still lack one thing that can add brilliance to it..."

Ren Hong explained: "It is not to be used as medicine, but rather to be sprinkled on the food that will be prepared later, which will enhance its aroma"

Ren Hong has a great fondness for Southern black sesame paste, but the taste of sesame soup is truly hard to commend

In the room specifically designated for storing bamboo slips, while Ren Hong was organizing the documents, he came across several sheets of hemp paper, on which many characters were still written.

The water used is spring water from Xuanquan, located two kilometers away. After being brought in, it is stored in a water tank, clear and icy cold. It is mixed with the not-so-finely ground yellow flour, and then an egg is added.

The snacks from Dunhuang, which arrived at Xiadingmaodian, are all from two thousand years in the future. Under the guidance of Ren Hong, they were primarily prepared in the kitchen of Xuanquan Zhi, relying on a single wok and a variety of exquisite dishes. It is through this that Xuanquan Zhi became widely known within the county in just six months

Pounding rice is a tedious and laborious task, typically assigned to convicts or those who have committed offenses. Just as people are categorized into different ranks, rice is similarly classified into four grades based on the fineness of the pounding: the finest rice is called imperial rice, followed by bai rice, can rice, and li rice, which are provided to travelers of varying ranks.

This item is a typical invasive species, reportedly brought back from Dayuan by Zhang Qian during his mission to the Western Regions.

Ren Hong stepped out and happened to see Lu Duoshu driving a cart pulled by an old horse, which was parked outside the Xuanquan Zhi.

Ren Hong gently opened the paper bag, which was filled with flat and small black particles

Isn't that right? Could it be fish roe?

Everyone sit down, everyone sit down, what is so surprising about this? Don't be misled by the fact that Xuanquan is merely a small post station on the frontier; two thousand years later, it became the site of the earliest discovery of paper documents in China, alright!

Several paper bags used for holding items suddenly appeared before Ren Hong, and not only that, but two characters were also written on them in a slanted manner with a brush:

At this moment, Luo Xiaogou was calling a few people to grind flour with a donkey, while Ren Hong naturally could not wait for them. On the other side of the eastern kitchen courtyard, the cook Xia Dingmao had already started kneading the flour with water using the ready-made wheat flour...

Donkey meat with yellow noodles

Just as they were speaking, a call came from the entrance of Xuánquán.

Rye is indeed a type of wheat, and although it is one of the five grains, it has never been favored by the people of the Central Plains

Ren Hong is not at all surprised by the presence of paper in this era

Even so, wheat, as a "coarse grain," has not yet escaped its position at the bottom of the five grains. In terms of price, it is lower than other grains, with only beans, which are also commonly consumed by livestock, being cheaper than it.

Xia Dingmao still hasn't figured it out: "What exactly does a gentleman want to do, that he must resort to using medicine as a lure!"

These small bags are a yellow-brown color. As for their material, it is dense and resilient, resembling linen, yet it is not linen.

However, Ren Hong particularly favored the abundant and affordable wheat, patting the large earthen jar used for storing the wheat and saying

However, the stone mill at Xuanquan Zhi has been modified by Ren Hong: the originally simple concave grinding teeth have been adjusted to the commonly seen eight-section diagonal line pattern of northern stone mills in later generations. Due to the appropriate spacing and orderly arrangement, the efficiency and quality of the grinding surface have been greatly improved, resulting in a flour that is much finer than that produced in other places

Food made from wheat flour is referred to as "bing" by the Han people: when boiled in water in a pot, it is called "tang bing"; when steamed in a steamer, it is called "zheng bing"; these are often sold in the markets of Dunhuang

Decades ago, the great scholar Dong Zhongshu wrote an essay titled "Request to Promote Wheat Cultivation among the People of Guanzhong." Subsequently, Emperor Wu of Han appointed the Minister of Agriculture to spearhead a vigorous campaign to popularize wheat cultivation in the Guanzhong region

Ren Hong had no choice but to unveil the mystery

It is said that, while this is the case, it is none other than that rascal Luo Xiaogou who secretly brings food for the raccoon on ordinary days. Do not be deceived by his burly appearance and full beard; he smiles with great joy when feeding the cat

In the Han Dynasty, among the five grains, in addition to rice primarily produced in the south, the Xuanquan Zhi had gathered over 100 shi, which is equivalent to 3,000 kilograms, sufficient for a delegation of over one hundred people to eat for a month

After he got out of the car, he carefully lifted several small bags from the trunk with both hands and handed them over to Ren Hong

... ...

... ...

Only the yellow dough was kneaded and shaped under his strong hands, and finally pressed into a large flat round dough, which was placed in a clay basin

Lü Duoshu took leave yesterday evening to visit Xiaogu County, to see his elderly mother, to send a letter and clothing to his younger brother, and to help Ren Hong buy some items

Gentlemen, do you prefer steamed buns or fried buns

Luo Xiaogou said: "There are still thirty stones, which is quite a lot."

Until the time of Emperor Wu of Han, large-scale wheat cultivation took place in Guanzhong. The common people, faced with granaries filled to the brim yet unable to chew the hard wheat porridge, found themselves in a predicament. It was then that stone mills began to enter every household

Baked naan

In addition to the cold resistance characteristics of wheat, under the leadership of a grain officer named Zhao Guo, the newly developed Hexi Corridor also saw widespread cultivation, with an area second only to millet

Indeed, this is theoretically the case; it would not be until over one hundred years later, during the Eastern Han Dynasty, that it would be invented by Cai Lun

Ren Hong did not expose it, continuing to move forward, lifting the wooden lids of the earthenware jars along the way, revealing that they were filled to the brim with unhulled grains such as millet, sorghum, wheat, and beans

Adjacent to the granary is the area for processing grains: a row of mortars and pestles, wooden pestles, and stone mortars, used for hulling and winnowing the millet

Little Luo the dog gritted his teeth: "I have long wanted to stew it, but cat meat is not tasty!"

These few packages in hand are no exception; what Ren Hong truly needs is the sesame wrapped in the paper bundle

Dear Sir! The items you requested have been purchased by me from the county and city!

Just a brief message will suffice

When Jian Hong came over, Elder Xia asked:

This combination of cats and dogs is indeed interesting

Xia Dingmao was somewhat curious: "What exactly does the gentleman want the old servant to prepare to eat"

Xia Dingmao also came out and was somewhat surprised to see Hu Ma: "Are you going to decoct medicine, gentleman?"