She is different from the empress in the history books

Chapter 19 Rye Cake

While Pei Peng was wandering around Fang City, Chengyang County with his family, Zhou Keping, the county magistrate of Chengyang County, was diligently carrying out the work of spring plowing and encouraging agriculture.

It is said to persuade farmers, but in fact, farmers have relied on the weather for generations, and their control over the weather is much more precise than Zhou Keping.

Zhou Keping is more responsible for mediating the fights caused by the water grab, and also helping to negotiate with big households in the city, renting some farm tools and cattle, etc., to help with spring plowing.

However, due to the bad weather last year, some farmers were hit by disasters and ate their grains for emergency purposes.

This added another task to Zhou Keping, which was to find merchants to buy grain seeds in the name of the county government and lend them to these farmers.

On this day, he was arranging this matter and felt that he could take a rest, so he heard someone reported that Princess Chengyang had finally gone out.

Zhou Keping put down the teacup he picked up unconsciously.

Over the past few days, he seemed to be completely unaffected by Pei Peng on the surface, but it's not like he didn't think about Pei Peng's thoughts in private.

Although the nobles who have been sealed off as fiefdoms do not have jurisdiction in the actual sense, but as the central government's control over the local area gradually weakens, it is not that no one has exceeded their authority to intervene in local government affairs, especially the princes.

After all, overreaching the system has become a trend in central Beijing. The princes in the fiefdoms have titles, government soldiers, and have recruited some talents. Why can't they overstep their power?
Of course, there are very few princesses, princesses and county owners who do this. At most, they are just taking care of relatives for selfish reasons, or occupying some fields and villages.

But Zhou Keping always felt that Princess Chengyang was not that simple.

After entering Taizhou, she restrained the soldiers she brought with her very well, did not rush into the common people, and interacted with the local wealthy families politely.

This pie is for long-term fame.

And once there is a need for fame, most people will pursue power.

Zhou Keping suffered from insomnia for several nights in a row, which made his already dark complexion even darker.

But Pei Peng did not move for a long time.

They have lived in Chengyang County for half a decade, and only the servants who are purchasing goods go out every day without hesitation, but they are not unruly, easy-going, love to chat, and never maliciously lower the price, let alone eat more and take more.

At first, some merchants wanted to give away free gifts to please Pei Peng, while others secretly gave gifts to buyers, hoping to gain access to the princess's residence in the long run, but they were all rejected.

The next ones who often go out are Xu Zhao, Yang Luo and others.

Xu Zhao, as the son of the Xu family, is very well-mannered and has a good appearance, so he is quite popular.

Today I was invited to be a guest, and tomorrow I went to a school run by a great scholar in the county to exchange knowledge with the young talents in the county.

Zhou Keping silently paid attention to Xu Zhao's words and deeds, and found that although he had said some good things to Pei Peng, it was not too much, so he didn't care too much.

On the other hand, Yang Luo and others concerned Zhou Keping even more.

They went back and forth several times in the city and the countryside, as if they were just chatting with the people, but Zhou Keping knew better what they were doing - to understand the people's sentiments.

And what's next?

What does Princess Chengyang want to do after she understands the people's sentiments?

Zhou Keping felt that it was time for him to talk to her.

It's not for confrontation, maybe they can have other relationships besides confrontation.

After he made this decision, Princess Chengyang finally left the house.

Pei Peng changed into clothes that were made of good material but simple in style, and she had a hairstyle popular among women in Taizhou, which she felt was pretty good.

Although it can't be hidden from some people with clear ears and eyes, walking on the street in such a dress will never attract the attention of the common people.

Chengyang County is far less prosperous than the capital city, and even seems a bit messy, but Pei Peng had a good time shopping - this is her restaurant after all.

"what is this?"

Pei Peng noticed a small stall. A woman kept kneading rough and gray dough, and quickly rolled it out with a wooden stick to make it thinner, and pasted it inside a large urn. , She took it up with her hands without fear of the heat, and put it on the board.

Pei Peng could tell that it was some kind of scone, but in her opinion, it was probably not delicious.

But there were many people gathered in front of this stall. When the pot of pancakes was cooked, they started buying them one after another. Five or ten pieces were wrapped by the woman with wide leaves, or simply tied with rough straw ropes. Pass it to the guest.

The woman raised her head and glanced at Pei Peng, knowing at a glance that he was a noble man.

She was a little uneasy, knowing that such a person would not buy her pancakes, and would not even glance at them when passing by in a sedan chair.

She whispered back:
"This is a rye cake."

Pei Peng has heard of rye. Her mother said that before entering the palace, what she ate at home was rye.

"Bring me three, and we'll try it too."

Pei Peng took the three wheat cakes, and the maid behind him handed the woman a handful of copper coins.

The cake was freshly baked and still steaming, but it had no aroma.

Although it was covered with leaves, Pei Peng still felt a little hot, so he changed hands, Yang Luo noticed it, and silently stretched out his hand to help Pei Peng.

Pei Peng handed it to him.

"Let's share it, everyone has a taste. There may be something special about so many people buying it."

Pei Peng was the first to break off a piece, half-covering his mouth with his other hand, and ate it.

Very rough.When chewing, you can feel the unknown impurities in the cake, hard particles, and some uncrushed shells.There is no wheat aroma, and it even has a stale taste.

Pei Peng has never eaten such food, even in the worst years of her life in the palace, it was just that there were fewer vegetables and meat, and the rice noodles were still fine.

She suppressed the discomfort, chewed a few times, and swallowed.

Xu Shu also had an ugly face. Pei Peng raised her daughter and never tires of fine food and delicate food. Wherever she has eaten such food, none of the maids around her would eat it.

Xu Shu wanted to spit it out, but when she saw A Niang's actions, she also gritted her teeth and swallowed.

Others are also very unaccustomed to it, and they resolutely refused to touch it after the first bite.

Cheng Fei had eaten rye cakes and rye steamed buns before, but...it really didn't taste like this.

Pei Peng was even more puzzled, and asked the old woman who was waiting for the next pot of scones:
"Why did you buy this? I tasted mediocre."

The old woman was very thin, with a hunched back, and her ears were not very good. She didn't even hear Pei Peng's question.

Pei Peng asked again, but a middle-aged man next to him replied:
"Don't ask her, she has bad ears. She bought it because she is the only one in the family and her hands and feet are not flexible. It is too troublesome to open the fire by herself. The cakes sold here are cheap and can fill her stomach. She bought it Go back and eat."

Xu Shu nodded lightly, which makes sense, but why did other people buy it?
"As for us, you see, I and a few people standing over there, we are doing odd jobs in the city. Our master's family doesn't provide food. Our homes are in the village and we can't go back. This family Pancakes are the cheapest, and once baked, they are better and more delicious than those at home.”

　I don’t know how many people are watching. I hope you can communicate more and give us your opinions.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)