Three Kingdoms

In ordinary people's impression of the festival, food probably takes up at least one-third of the space. During the holidays, it is probably the most simple wish of ordinary people to take out the food that they are usually reluctant to eat, sit together as a family, chat together, and have a full meal.

"What are you eating today?" Zao Zhi seemed to have just wandered around the fields again. He was wearing a raincoat and moved his nose as soon as he entered the door. He seemed to smell some fragrance and asked excitedly.

"Eat meat..." Pang Tong lay aside lazily, "Is there anything better than eating meat these days?"

"I know it's meat, but the smell of this meat seems to be a little different..." Zao Zhi smelled it, and suddenly his eyes lit up and he said, "Is it possible that the pigs raised in Baibo Valley in Pingyang are here?"

Fei Qian laughed loudly, greeted Zao Zhi to sit down, and said: "That's right, it's been almost a year, so now it's more decent. I sent a few here, and I just killed one. There are three or four others in the backyard..."

"Just killed? Who killed him?" Zao Zhi asked curiously while handing the coir raincoat to the attendant.

"Yuan Zhi, who else can it be? Yuan Zhi said that he has been doing some document work for a while, and there is no blood on his hands. Kill a living creature to practice your skills first..." Pang Tongyi groaned and said, "Kill." Even if a pig has seen blood? It's just itchy hands, right? But this pig is really fat..."

"How fat? No, I have to go take a look..." Zao Zhi said that he couldn't sit still and must go to the crime scene to take a look.

Fei Qian smiled and said, "Okay, let's go and see it together. Will Shiyuan go?"

"What's there to see? Oh, really, let's go..." Although Pang Tong said this, he still stood up and followed Fei Qian and Zao Zhi to the backyard.

Originally, pigs in the Han Dynasty were not castrated. Such pigs are very lively and basically no different from wild boars. They usually have nothing to do and wander around. Even if they are surrounded by fences, they will use their bodies from time to time. Go bang, it won't stop even at night, chirping and roaring all night long.

Because they are lively and active, these uncastrated pigs are extremely difficult to raise, even more difficult than stubborn sheep. Pigs seem to be born in the chaotic camp. Cattle and sheep have some sheep that can be taken away. As long as you look at the first sheep, other sheep will occasionally get lost and can be easily found, but uncastrated pigs are It was completely different. Once he was let out, he was like a pig that had exploded in the nest. He ran so fast and jumped that the pigherder couldn't watch him. He was so embarrassed that sometimes he found that the pig had escaped and had to run several miles before he could find it. Yes, they are not afraid of humans. If you hit them with a pole, these thick-skinned and thick-skinned generals will jump even more happily.

At first, the castration work did not go so smoothly. Although the techniques of cattle and sheep may have some similarities, there are still some problems in the practical process. Finally, it was discovered that castrating pigs must start from a young age and provide extracurricular tutoring. , uh, the disinfection work can generally guarantee the success rate.

Pigs who have escaped from low-level taste are obviously very different. Their tempers have become very docile. Even if no one is watching over them, they cannot run far and slowly look for food nearby. Even if the pig pen is opened, it will still lie peacefully in the pen most of the time without moving. Loving the pigsty is like being in bed as a homebody. You are always lazy, just like sitting next to the TV and computer. Unless the delivery boy comes to deliver the food, you basically don't move.

The pigs who have escaped from low-level tastes like this grow at a speed that is almost visible to the naked eye, just like blowing a sheepskin raft. They eat and sleep, and eat while sleeping. Their weight begins to increase rapidly, and they keep to themselves. Apart from feeding at regular intervals, they do not do anything at all. No extra attention is required, it saves time, worry and effort. It is simply the favorite of the policeman.

Zao Zhi was originally responsible for this, but came to Guanzhong before the results came out. Now after seeing the big pig that died in the backyard, he couldn't help but smile with relief.

So fat...

Look at this fat, it's three fingers thick, Zao Zhi couldn't help but swallow a mouthful of saliva.

"One advantage of such pigs is that they are less likely to be infected by parasites... Well, parasites are..." Fei Qian patted the huge pig's head and said, "That's what the book says, the so-called pigs are blind. People with cross eyelashes are more likely to get sick if they eat..."

"Oh? Castration...can castration avoid the smell?" Xu Shu was instructing his attendants to cut the whole pig into pieces. Hearing this, he couldn't help but ask with some interest.

Fei Qian nodded and said: "It's natural. After these pigs are castrated, they don't run around, and the food they eat is carefully selected and cooked. Naturally, they can basically avoid the disadvantages of fishy smell, although there may still be some. There are occasional cases, but as long as it is cooked thoroughly, the disease can generally be avoided. Someone, take this pig head, burn the hair with fire, wash and peel it clean, cook it for half an hour, and then call me... …”

Unlike Xu Shu and others who focused on pork, Fei Qian almost drooled when he looked at the pig's head. This fat head and big ears really can't be wasted. Think of the pig's ears, pig's scalp, pig's nose, and so on. It’s chewy and greasy, and it’s one of life’s great pleasures to cut it into pieces and drink with it…

Zao Zhi had already touched the fat on the pig's belly. He smiled happily when he saw the layers of pork belly. He didn't care about the lard staining his hands. "This is good, this is good! This one is fat and thin, which is best for roasting." For roasting, take fine pine and cypress wood, put it on a stone board, cut it into thin slices, and lay it out flat. When it is curled, add a little bit of minced rice to achieve the four-character wonderful combination of crispness, fragrance, tenderness, and richness. Once you take a bite, the meat juice will flow between your teeth...hiss..."

Zao Zhi took a sip of saliva.

Gudu.

This was the sound of Pang Tong swallowing his saliva.

When Pang Tong saw Fei Qian and others' eyes focused on him, he couldn't help but blush. He forced himself to say: "I didn't eat any breakfast! I'm just waiting for today's meal. What's wrong? I can't do it? I want it." This piece, this fat! Cut a piece for me, cook it, I want to eat it!" Pang Tong pointed to a piece of white fat, making no secret of his special preference for fat.

Perhaps for later generations, fat meat is too greasy and unpalatable, but for the people of the Han Dynasty who had never tasted large pieces of fat meat, the feeling and taste of a mouth full of fat was unlike any other meat. Said to be incomparable.

In this era, there are almost no real large pieces of fat meat. Whether it is cattle, sheep, horses, or pigs, it is basically skin connected with lean meat or bones. Although fat is not absent, there is no way for it whether it is cattle or sheep. Like a pig, it accumulates so much fat.

In fact, starting from primitive people, the pursuit of fats and oils has been deeply embedded in genes, otherwise the human body would not only have enzymes to digest animal fiber but not plant fiber.

Why farming peoples are often not as physically strong as nomadic peoples is partly due to their fat intake. Oil contains a lot of energy, as well as various vitamins and amino acids. Saturated fatty acids are the fuel for human body operation, while monounsaturated fatty acids are blood vessel scavengers. Polyunsaturated fatty acids can strengthen the brain and promote development, so It is not surprising that nomadic people with sufficient fat intake, especially the upper-class nomadic barbarians, have stronger bodies than agricultural people.

Therefore, if we want to improve a nation, whether it can eat meat and whether it has an intake of fat is a very critical issue.

"There is no pursuit..." Fei Qian gave Pang Tong a look of contempt unceremoniously, "Is it good to just eat boiled fat meat? You have no sense of beauty when you eat like this... By the way, is there any dogwood?"

Fei Qian turned to ask the attendant on the side. After receiving the affirmative answer, Fei Qian beamed, "Boiled pork slices! You can make boiled pork slices! Haha... Someone, just cut it off with this piece of meat... Yes, just that piece, Then cut the meat into half finger-thick slices, add the chicken liquid, and add cornstarch... Well, there is no cornstarch, just use wheat flour, add some fermented rice, remember, knead with your hands, and along the Only in one direction can the flavor be absorbed, mix evenly and then let it rest..."

Fei Qian was frothing at the mouth as he talked, wishing he could bring out all the dishes for future generations. Hearing this, Zao Zhi was stunned for a moment, and immediately asked someone to quickly get a pen and record it down while swallowing his saliva.

"Following your appetite is not the right path...I'm going to the front hall first..." Perhaps Fei Qian just said that Pang Tong didn't pursue him. Now Pang Tong swallowed his saliva, hummed and waved his sleeves to express his dissatisfaction with Fei Qian. , left first.

Fei Qian glanced at it, ignored Pang Tong, and continued to instruct the attendants on how to cook.

With many hands and fast speed, the whole pig feast was served one after another.

There was a big cauldron in the middle, where pig meat was stewed. Pork blood, pork bones, pork intestines, and hearts were rising and falling in the water. After two or three times of floating blood foam was removed, the smell of meat gradually became dominant. It spread throughout the hall, like thousands of little hooks hooking up in the heart.

What, lead poisoning?

This was the top banquet standard in the Han Dynasty. You can learn more about what Dingshi House is, especially today, the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival. Without this big cauldron, what kind of banquet would it be?

Just eat less, not every day.

On the bluestone slab to the side, a servant was grilling sliced ​​pork belly. The pork belly gradually curled up on the hot stone slab, and from time to time there was the sound of grease exploding.

On the other side are the boiled pork slices that Fei Qianyan taught by example, in a huge pottery pot, showing the magnanimity of the Han Dynasty. There are also some grilled ribs, twice-cooked pork, sliced ​​pork head, green salt minced rice and other dipping sauces, large and small. Small bean dishes and earthenware bowls were placed in a large area.

It's all meat.

No words are spoken when eating, and no words are spoken when sleeping. This is quite reasonable. You are talking about things while eating, and basically your mind is not on the food. When really tempting food is placed in front of you, who has time to compare and compare?

The four people present, after devouring a meal, when they couldn't even take the last sip of broth, abandoned the battlefield full of wreckage and moved to a small pavilion in the courtyard to drink tea, chat, and eat.

"It would be great if I could eat like this every day, uh..." Pang Tong burped, his breath smelling of fat, he touched his belly with satisfaction, with a satisfied look on his face, "If the common people can also In this way, it can be called a prosperous age..."

Zao Zhi sneered and said: "Don't think about it, it's impossible...Raising livestock is more troublesome than you think, and it consumes food and grass. Ordinary people can't afford it..."

Fei Qian nodded and said: "Food problem. Nowadays, ordinary people are eager to eat any excess food. How can they be willing to use it to raise livestock? However, I have already asked people to start planting in the three places of Pingyang and Yinshan in Guanzhong. Alfalfa, this kind of grass is better than ordinary grass, and can also be used to feed pigs, so after a while, there will be more meat, but it is still difficult for ordinary people to eat like us... "

In the Han Dynasty, in addition to various plagues, the most important obstacle to large-scale animal raising was insufficient food and grass. When people eat even tree bark and soil, how can we raise chickens, ducks, and pigs?

hehe.

"So..." Fei Qian changed the topic and said, "Whether we can eat more meat next depends on Yuan Zhi..."

Xu Shu pointed to his nose, then rolled his eyes and said, "Is there food in Sichuan?"

Fei Qian nodded and said: "Not only, but many." Due to the terrain, Sichuan and Shu have not been greatly affected by the war. Fei Qian remembers that after Liu Bei entered Shu, he was like a nouveau riche. They all trembled, generously awarded rewards, and paid off all the debts he had promised during his many years of war. This shows how much money and food reserves Sichuan and Sichuan have.

Xu Shu immediately clapped his hands and said through gritted teeth: "Shan! For the sake of eating meat! Why should I eat this Sichuan!"

Pang Yuan, um, Pang Shiyuan, has indeed gained a lot of weight during this period, and encouraged Xu Shu: "Yes, eating meat is a big deal, you must have meat to eat!"

"And south of Sichuan, there is Jiaozhi, which is said to be a place with three crops a year..." Fei Qian said, "There are also all kinds of spices, agarwood, etc... However, Jiaozhi has never been a king. As for the rebellion, if Yuan Zhi takes over Sichuan and Shu, he might as well follow the strategy of the Western Qiang and lure the Yue people to come to trade with each other. Gradually, it may have miraculous effects..." The most important thing Fei Qian still wants to know is whether there are any sweet potatoes in Jiaozhi now. Ah, this is really a killer weapon that can change a lot of things.

Xu Shu nodded solemnly.

"Jiaozhi is still too far away, let's talk about Sichuan and Sichuan first..." Fei Qian changed the subject and said, "I'm worried that Liu Xiuwen is too impatient and will rush forward with light troops, and there are many dangerous places in Sichuan, making it easy to be ambushed... So after the Yuan Dynasty reaches Hanzhong, we might as well use more people from Sichuan, anyway we are not in a hurry..."

Pang Tong also nodded and said: "Most of the soldiers in Sichuan are hunters in the mountains. They travel in the mountains and are good at bows and crossbows. If you are not careful, you may be ambushed..."

"There are some special things that Yuan Zhi also needs to bear in mind..." Fei Qian looked at Xu Shu and said, emphasizing, "In Sichuan and Jiaozhi, you are not allowed to drink raw water directly, and you are not allowed to march in the spring and summer! There are many insects and beasts in the land. If If someone dies in the upper reaches, miasma will occur in the lower reaches. We must take precautions. Whenever water is used, whether it is for drinking or washing, it must be boiled before use. This is one of them. In spring and summer, there are often heavy rains that continue continuously, causing mountains and landslides. It is bad and cuts off food routes. There are many insects in spring and summer, covering the ground. In autumn and winter, moxa can be burned to drive them away. If heavy rain invades the basin and the vegetation is wet, how to deal with it? Therefore, it is not suitable to march in spring and summer. Send troops in autumn and withdraw in winter. , work step by step, not seeking quick victory, but seeking stability. This is the second one. Look forward to the source and be cautious."

Xu Shu bowed his hands and said, "Please remember this."

"Okay, come on, get the wine! Let's wish Yuan Zhi to go here, and he will be like Fu Bo, the sword pointed, the mountain will be leveled, and there will be no disadvantages!"

Four wine bowls held together reflected the setting sun, creating a riot of brilliant colors...