Ma Erniang's Splendid Pastoral

Chapter 135 Cake is the Worst

Mo Wanyi said: "My dowry is enough to cover the expenses of my future children, and now I have another dowry. I am content, Zichang, do you understand?"

"I understand, Wanniang."

"In this life, I only want to live with you until I grow old."

Ma Qifeng stretched out his arms to embrace his wife's slender body, "Well, let's just grow old easily." This is really what he thought of, but he didn't expect it to come true. God has treated him well, and he is satisfied.

Sisters Ma Miner and Princess Yunbao are learning etiquette with the old mother. The princess learns very quickly. No matter what the old mother learns, the old mother can do it with just one click. The sisters have a bit of difficulty. They have to repeat a movement several times to do it well. .

Ma Min'er is a fake ancient, so learning the etiquette of the ancients is of course difficult, while Ma Yue'er was only four years old when she was exiled. Leaving the circle of wealth and honor early, he is no different from ordinary people.

"Sister, why do you have to study so hard like me, you should have learned it?" Ma Yueer asked puzzled.

Ma Min'er's reflexes are also strong, "Little sister, our father is an unfavored bastard, what kind of good mother at home sent us to teach us."

"That's right." Mayue'er smiled.

Master Yunbao didn't avoid herself when she heard the two sisters talking about these things, and smiled, "How is it? Take my light."

Ma Yueer smiled, "Maybe I'll marry a commoner, so I don't need these etiquettes."

"That's true." Princess Yunbao said, "What about you, sister Min?"

"Thank you, princess, for letting us learn so much."

Master Yunbao raised her eyebrows, "But why do I feel that you are reluctant."

"Hee hee, it's nothing, thank you Princess anyway." Ma Miner didn't admit that she didn't like these etiquettes, but she also understood that if she could marry Xia Zhen, she had to learn these things, and she really had to thank her .

"Oh, I'm a little hungry, why don't we go to the kitchen and make some snacks." Princess Yunbao suggested.

"What does the princess want to eat?"

"That fluffy chicken cake."

"Okay, let's go together." The three young ladies went to the kitchen, and there was a long table for them to tinker with.

"Erniang, what do you want to do with the princess today, I will prepare the materials for you."

"We are going to make a soft cake." Ma Min'er replied, in fact what they are going to make is the most common chiffon cake in modern times.

"What materials do you want?" Shi Chunyue asked.

"Water, oil, sugar, eggs, and a whisk."

Shi Chunyue prepared all the things they wanted. Of course, the chef was Ma Miner. She had cooked many times for modern mothers, and she was quite skilled. In the egg bowl, use an egg beater..."

"Wait, I want to see what the eggbeater is?" the princess asked curiously.

"It's made of Zhumi, like a bamboo basket." Ma Min'er showed her the eggbeater made by Zhumi.

"Oh." The princess took it in his hand, "It seems quite fun." Looking back and forth.

Ma Min'er continued: "We stir them until they are slightly whitish and emulsified, then pour in the flour and mix well until no dry powder is visible."

While talking, he took the egg beater and demonstrated it to them. Beating this thing is quite laborious.

"Is Ma Erniang struggling? I can see that you are sweating on your forehead." The princess asked.

"Of course you have to work hard, otherwise you won't be able to make a cake."

"Oh."

Ma Miner took out the eggs again, separated the egg whites from the egg yolks, placed the separated egg yolks in the batter, and stirred the egg yolks and batter until smooth without particles.

……

Watching others stirring the batter, Master Yunbao was also curious, and took it over and tried stirring it a few times, "Oh, no, my hands are sore."

Ma Miner took it over with a smile, "I'll do it."

Although the princess and Ma Yue'er didn't do much, it was interesting to watch and talk to Ma Min'er. The afternoon passed before they knew it, and when their cake was baked, it was getting late.

Shi Chunyue has already prepared all the dinner, and will wait until the time for dinner.

Ma Min'er didn't care if she could eat or not, so she quickly took out a few to pay everyone back, "How is it?"

"Well, it's even more delicious than last time, it's fluffy and soft."

Ma Min'er smiled, "This time it's better than last time because you're standing next to it. It's the fluffiest and softest when it comes out of the pan, so it's delicious."

"Oh, I see."

Shi Chunyue reminded with a smile: "Eat two less, be careful that you won't be able to eat dinner."

At this moment, someone came over from the door of the kitchen, "Princess, the princess sent someone over to ask you to go to the front hall."

Hearing that the mother concubine sent someone, Rainbow Dash ran forward with her skirt in hand.

"The princess is homesick." Shi Chunyue sighed.

"If it were me, I would think about it too." Ma Yue'er curled her lips.

Ma Min'er sighed: "I guess they didn't come to pick up the princess."

"Ah, why?" Mayueer asked puzzled.

"There are still six days until the Chinese New Year. If I had come to pick her up to go to Qingzhou to celebrate the New Year, I would have picked her up long ago. I wouldn't have waited until now. I guess it was just to send some food and clothes."

"God, the princess is really pitiful."

For some reason, Ma Miner saw something else in this matter. Could it be that the situation in the capital is not optimistic, is it that the border is not peaceful?She sweated for Xia Zhen and hoped that everything would be safe for him.

When the sisters of the Ma family came to the front hall, the mother-in-law sent by the princess was comforting the princess, "Princess, don't cry, the princess can't do it either, there are Turkic people on the edge of Qingzhou, and the battle is fierce, you can Stay here with peace of mind, and when the other side calms down, the princess will send someone to pick you up."

"No, I'm going back with you now."

"Princess, please don't, absolutely not. The princess has urged you to stay in the General's Mansion with peace of mind. The General's Mansion is the safest place."

Rainbow Dash stomped angrily and ran back to her room when she heard that she couldn't go home, and the head nurse hurried after her to coax her.

Princess Yunbao didn't have dinner with the Ma family that night, and she didn't know how long she had been arguing with the head nurse, but the next day, the head nurse still didn't take her away, and left by herself.

Because Princess Yunbao was unhappy, Ma's family had a very quiet New Year's Eve, and even the villagers didn't dare to come and walk around because of the presence of Princess Yunbao.

After the new year, news came from the capital and the border one after another. Sometimes it was said that the king of Jin had reached the capital, and sometimes it was said that the king of Jin had retreated three hundred miles away from the capital. Qingzhou was besieged by the Turks a year ago, and the first month of the year had just passed. , the Turks attacked Yizhou, and actually hit the border of Pingding County.

The entire Great Wei Dynasty seemed to be caught in the middle of the war, and the common people were terrified and uneasy, and some even fled with their bags.

"Where are you planning to escape?" Father Shi asked when he saw the man with the burden on his shoulders while standing beside the high official.

"I don't know, let's run east anyway."

"I heard that the east is the sea, do you want to jump into the sea?"

"..." Passerby A was stopped by the question.

"Where is the little brother from?" Father Shi took the opportunity to ask.

"Chuanling people."

"So it's from another county, did the Turks really come to your county?"

"Well, yes, it seems to be blocked by the people led by the old general, but to be on the safe side, we still fled eastward, father, you are about to be beaten down, so you should run away quickly."

"With the old general around, I don't believe that the Turkic people will be able to conquer it!" Father Shi didn't take it seriously, stepped off his official career, and continued to inspect the wheat fields.

The chaotic situation outside calmed Princess Yunbao, who had been clamoring to go back, she stopped clamoring to go back, "Then what about my mother and concubine, my father and king are in the capital, how can she beat a foreigner as a woman. "

"Princess, don't worry, the prince must have left the general who fought, you don't have to worry."

Princess Yunbao sighed deeply, how could she not be worried?
Ma Min'er smiled slightly, "Princess, lunch is on the table for you, you can eat it while it's hot, I have something else to do, so I'll go downstairs first."

"Well, go about your business."

"Thank you Princess." Ma Min'er turned around, saw two old mothers, and said softly, "Persuade the princess to eat some, it will be too much for the body if you don't eat."

"Ma Erniang, if you are free, often come to the princess's room to sit." The old mother whispered very politely.

"Okay." Ma Min'er agreed with a smile, turned around, left the room and went downstairs.

Since the princess failed to return to Qingzhou years ago, her temper has been unstable, and her studies have been interrupted. Sister Ma Min'er has no chance to accompany her, and she is a little estranged.

Going downstairs, Ma Miner arrived at the restaurant, Master Jiang had already taken the upper seat, "Master, eat first, don't wait for me." Ever since the princess didn't come down to eat, Feng Jiangyi often came to eat, he likes to be lively .

"Has the Princess eaten?" Mo Wanyi asked.

"When I came down, she hadn't eaten yet." Ma Min'er replied.

"The nuns around her should be able to persuade her."

"Yes, this is their duty." Ma Min'er said.

"Oh, then let's eat quickly."

"Well," Ma Min'er said, "Father, let's have a family meeting after dinner."

"Why do you want to open it?" What Ma Sanlang asked was also what everyone wanted to ask.

"Well, I'll tell everyone when it's time to eat. It's a big deal to eat and drink first." Ma Min'er bowed her head first to eat.

Feng Jiangyi took a deep look at the little lady, smiled and lowered his head to eat.

Seeing that Ma Min'er was so serious, everyone tensed up without knowing it, and hurried to eat. After a good meal and a family meeting, they knew what she was going to say.

In the small family leisure room, there are benches sitting around. Ma Saburo did not lean on the backrest, but held it in his arms and leaned forward slightly, "Second Sister, what do you want to say, shall we listen?"

Ma Min'er glanced at the door, "Master Jiang, if you want to come in, come in."

"But I'm not your family!"

Ma Min'er said: "We have long regarded you as a grandfather, please sit down quickly, maybe I will ask you for advice later?"

"Really, then I'll come in and sit." Feng Jiangyi walked in with a smile.

Ma Dalang gave up the single chair to Jiang Fuzi, and sat on the back of the chair next to his eldest sister.

Seeing that everyone was waiting for her to speak, Ma Min'er said, "Everyone knows what's going on outside, right?"

"I saw the refugees fleeing eastward." Ma Sanlang said, "Some of my classmates are planning to go to the Fucheng, saying that the Fucheng is big and has gates that are easy to defend, and it is not easy for the enemy to break through."

Ma Min'er said: "I don't know about Fucheng, but the Turks actually attacked Chuanling County. We are only separated from Chuanling County by a mountain ridge behind Xiaoniu Mountain. Logically speaking, as long as there are troops guarding behind the mountain ridge, the It is not easy to attack until Ping Ding, even if it is attacked, it will take time."

"Erniang is right." Jiang Fuzi said: "It makes sense why the main barracks of Yizhou Prefecture is located in Pingding. Except for the mountain ridge behind Xiaoniu Mountain, the entire Xiaoniu Mountain's mountain ridge extends all the way to the north. Yu County has formed a natural barrier."

"My master really knows astronomy and geography." In the tense atmosphere, Ma Min'er did not forget to remark.

Master Jiang shook his head and smiled, "What did Er Niang want to say?"

"As for me, I'm just planning for the worst."

"How bad is it?"

Ma Min'er replied: "If the enemy fights to Pingding, we are country people, we don't have city gates to protect, but we have to protect ourselves."

"How are you going to protect yourself?"

"Do you still remember the place where my family stored food?"

"Wow, Second Sister is talking about the deep valley in Calf Mountain!"

Ma Min'er nodded, "With the strength of the Xia family in the past, it would have been very difficult to pacify this area, but now that General Xia has been transferred to the capital by the King of Jin, the Turkic people may have found out about it, so they will be unscrupulous attack our Wei border defense line, all the way from Liangzhou Prefecture in the west to Yizhou Prefecture in the east."

Ma Qifeng said: "Isn't there an old general?"

Ma Min'er replied: "The old general must have soldiers to fight."

"Oh, I'm afraid it will be hard for the common people in this area to have a peaceful life."

Ma Min'er said: "Master Jiang, if my grandfather comes again, please tell him that my fourth uncle works in the yamen of Yunshui Town, and asked Li Tingchang to find a place in Xiaoniu Mountain or Wangbeizi Mountain in the north. Take refuge in case the Turks suddenly invade, burn, kill and loot."

Master Jiang stroked his beard and nodded, "Okay, I'll mention something when I see him."

Ma Min'er said something she didn't want to say but had to say, "Father, do you still remember what I said last year that there will be rain this year?"

"As far as I can remember, I was always worried about the rain."

"I guess it will be around April, but I don't know when it will be!"

"The first month is almost over, and it will be February. How about asking Mr. Jiang for a fortune-telling when the dragon raises its head in February?"

Just as he was wondering how Ma Min'er knew there would be floods in the north this year, Master Jiang shook his head when he suddenly heard Ma Qifeng's question, "I can only count that there will be rain after April, and I don't know the specifics."

Ma Miner's smiling eyes kept staring at Feng Jiangyi, and finally found a problem, that is, Feng Jiangyi never took the initiative to mention natural disasters and man-made disasters, even if he occasionally slipped a word, it was something others mentioned, so he just What to agree with, and the scope of conformity will never exceed the people and things proposed by others.

It is impossible to get secrets from him. Although Ma Dalang told her that this old man may be very proficient in the Book of Changes, astronomical phenomena, and the art of distorting yellow, he never leaked his words and made himself a living. An ordinary Meng Xuefu.

On February [-], when the dragon raised its head, the people did not even ask for rain, but it rained lightly all day. The old people who had lived all their lives knew that this year's situation might not be so good, and they finally understood why the Ma family didn't sell grain.

The old man in Yunshui Town went to Ma's house to find out the root cause, "Ma Erniang, why do you think you have a secret?"

"Father Hu, it's not that I figured out the secret. Think about it, did the drought almost kill everyone four years ago?"

"Of course, if it weren't for Pingding being a place of good geomantic omen, we would either die of starvation, or go into exile just like the people in other places."

"Father, don't you old people often say that there is a drought every three years and a flood every three years. If there is a drought, there will be a flood. This is passed down from the ancestors. I reckon and prevent it."

"But you know almost every time it rains in advance?"

"Father, my head looks like old cold legs. If the rain comes, I will react. It's really not a coincidence."

Father Hu looked disbelieving, "There are many people with cold legs, but I found that you are the most accurate."

Ma Min'er stopped talking to him, and deliberately left out a sentence, "Father, I think people in the next county are fleeing eastward, we have to make preparations."

"What preparations are you making?" Old man Hu's attention was indeed attracted.

"You see, my yard is so eye-catching. If bad guys come, I think my house will be the first to be robbed and beaten..."

"That's right." Father Hu interrupted her, "Who made you so rich?"

"Father..." Ma Miner bluffed with dissatisfaction.

Father Hu realized that he was speaking sourly, so he quickly smiled, "Second Mother, don't be surprised, my father just said that he is not jealous...not jealous..."

"Father, the life in your town is not bad. If you can, go to the mountain and find a cave to hide."

"Oh, Erniang reminded me right." Father Hu had always believed in Ma Min'er, and he stopped asking about Yu after hearing what she said, and hurried back to town to let his son find a cave.

Ma Min'er turned her head, was taken aback, and patted her heart, "Princess, have you had breakfast?"

"Eat!" Princess Yunbao tilted her head slightly and stared at Ma Min'er with a good look.

"Princess, why are you staring at me like this?"

Princess Yunbao suddenly said: "Could it be that you are Mistress Yu descending to the mortal world?"

"Hey, princess, don't talk nonsense, this girl is Xiaomin, Xiaomin..."

"Then why did that old man say you are very effective?"

"Princess, didn't I just say that I have a problem with my head, and when it rains, I will react and feel a little bit of pain." Ma Min'er is most afraid of being turned into a ghost. My head has turned into a faulty person, this is really...

"You have, what did you just say, hiding in a cave..."

"Just in case."

"Isn't there old General Xia?"

"Princess, more than half of Yizhou's military strength has been drawn by the prince. If Turkic, Mongolian, and Liao join hands, even if the old general is very brave, we have to take precautions."

"Oh." Princess Yunbao raised her head and looked into the distance, "I don't know how my mother and concubine are doing?"

"Princess, I haven't heard the news of Liangzhou's fall for the time being, so there should be no problem."

"How much I want to hear about my concubine!" Princess Yunbao had tears in her eyes.

"Princess, sometimes no news is the best news." Ma Min'er comforted.

Rainbow Dash wiped away tears, "What are you doing dressed like this?"

Ma Min'er looked down at the short brown burlap on her body, "The permafrost has melted in February, and I'm going to straighten the fence beside the vegetable bed."

"Then I'll be with you."

"Okay."

Princess Yunbao said, "I'm going to change my clothes too."

"It's okay, don't change it, just stand on the side and watch."

"I want to be like you."

"Okay then, I'll find a change of clothes for you."

When Ma Min'er came down with Princess Yunbao, Ma Qifeng and his children had already started digging and building fields. Mo Wanyi had never done rough work in farming, so she stood by the side at a loss.

Ma Yue'er was tearing up the dry fence with cloth gloves on, and was about to tear off all the withered vines on it, "Second Sister, I've already made a piece."

"Okay, I'll come right away."

In Ma’s house, every spring, when the first spring rain comes, the father and daughter of Ma’s family will tidy up a vegetable bed in the yard, from sowing seeds to eating vegetables. Things cultivate feelings, and on the other hand, I don’t forget the pain of exile. I warn my family to remember the bitterness and think about the sweetness, and be a down-to-earth person.

Father Shi came in and saw that the Ma family was still in the mood to tend the vegetable plots, and asked, "Master, I heard that foreigners are coming, how are you doing the vegetable plots?"

Ma Qifeng stopped the hoe in his hand, "No matter what, the plan for a year lies in spring, and what should be planted must be planted."

"Those who escaped said that the horses of the foreigners had trampled all their fields, and there was no harvest."

Ma Qifeng said: "Father Shi, the fields need to be planted, and precautions must also be taken. If there is time, you can tell Second Brother Shi and the others to go to Xiaoniu Mountain to find a place of refuge, lest the enemy come, and there is no place to escape." .”

"The old general is here, so the enemy shouldn't be able to get through, right?" Father Shi still believed in the old general.

"We are in the countryside. It's not that there are gates guarding the city. It's better to be careful."

Father Shi frowned: "We haven't had enemies here for some years."

Ma Min'er asked, "How old is daddy?"

"About seven or eight years."

Ma Min'er smiled and continued to pull the dead vines on the fence.

Father Shi seemed to understand something, and quickly turned around and ran out of the yard, "I'll go back quickly!"

Princess Yunbao stared at his father's back for a while, then turned to ask Ma Min'er, "What do you mean seven or eight years?"

Ma Miner smiled, "It's not interesting."

"Believe it or not, I will punish you?" Princess Yunbao said coldly.

Everyone in the Ma family who was working stopped and looked at her, and it turned out that the rich and powerful would be punished if they disagreed.

Feng Jiangyi walked over, brushed his beard and said: "Little princess, don't be angry, what Ma Erniang means is that there are rules to follow in everything, the old man just now is getting old, and he understands what she said .”

"Then she is one year younger than me, what rules do you know?"

"Haha..." Feng Jiangyi raised his head and laughed loudly, "Little princess, you have been in Ma's house for so long, you have seen the study next to Ma Erniang's bedroom, there are no fewer books than men."

Princess Yunbao is silent, she admits this, although she is a princess, but when it comes to reading scriptures and history, she is not as good as Ma Erniang.

The Ma family saw that Rainbow Dash was calm, and continued to work with their hoes, some breaking up the soil, some digging ditches, and they cooperated tacitly.

Seeing that she couldn't get her hands in, Mo Wanyi hurriedly moved two small stools to celebrate the New Year, "Princess, please sit down—"

"Thank you ma'am."

"Master Jiang is being polite."

In mid-February, just after a spring rain, the sun was not very good, and there was a feeling of chilly spring, Feng Jiangyi put the stool towards the corridor sheltered from the wind, reached out to take the spring tea handed over by Madam Ma, and took a sip , "In a few days, the budding willows will be full of greenery and a bright spring."

"Master, do you have a feeling that I am awakened with everything?"

"Haha, does Erniang have a feeling of growing with everything?"

"That's natural."

"Ha ha……"

The vegetable bed was overturned, and the seeds were sown after a few days in the sun. Before it had time, the war extended to Pingding County. The Turkic people carried out a surprise attack on a windy and dark night.

"Hurry up, hurry up, everyone run to Calf Mountain."

"Wow..." cry.

"Mother..." shouted.

……

While the torches were shaking, the people in the countryside outside Pingding County hurriedly ran for their lives to Xiaoniu Mountain.

Although the Ma family had been prepared for a long time, they were also caught off guard by the sudden sneak attack. This was the first time that the Ma family, including Ma Min'er, faced the war head-on. Their usual competence and calm seemed worthless at this time. All that remains is panic, restlessness, and desperate escape.

Father Fu refused to leave and wanted to take care of the house, "I'm so old and old, if I am really killed by the enemy, I will be killed. I want to stay here, and I won't leave."

"Father, do you feel sorry for the things at home?"

Father Fu turned his head and said nothing, as a tacit consent.

"Father, all the valuables have been put into the cellar, so don't worry, hurry up and come with us." Ma Min'er pulled him while talking, but in the end, the father was like a tree stump, and she couldn't pull it.

"Uncle Niu, come and pull."

Niu Dabao came over and directly picked up Father Fu, who thumped his shoulder hard, "Brother Niu, put me down, I'm not stupid, I'm hiding in the cellar to watch the house." .

Hearing the sound of horseshoes getting closer, Feng Jiangyi could understand the loyal servant's mind and said, "In that case, let him stay, and we hurry into the mountain."

Mrs. Jiang said so, so Ma Min'er and others had no choice but to do what they wanted, "Father, don't be brave. If the enemy wants to take something, let them take it. Things are dead, but people are moving." , things are gone, and you can make money to buy them back, people..."

"Let's go, you guys go quickly..." Father Fu waved his hand, telling them to leave quickly.

Ma Qifeng sighed deeply, and led a large family towards Xiaoniu Mountain, and soon merged into the crowd. Ma Qimeng had been looking for Lao Liu, and when he saw them following him, he quickly turned his head, "Lao Liu , I heard that you have a hole to escape in Xiaoniu Mountain, right?"

"Yes, where is father?"

Ma Chengzu stopped by the side of the road to wait for Feng Jiangyi, when he arrived, he was talking to him.

Ma Qifeng hurried over, "Father, I'm ready for the hole, you and the third brother can go together."

Ma Chengzu nodded, "I am determined."

"I... we are a family!"

Ma Qizhang, Ma's second son, came out of nowhere, "Since it is a family, I should have a place."

"Of course, of course."

While the torch was shaking, Ma Min'er glanced at the second uncle who had been depressed due to corruption, and had no time to sigh for him when he ran for his life.

In Pingding County, even the indifferent Xia Zetao came out to deal with the enemy. He was asking people to close the city gates and defend everywhere, "Don't be careless, set up defenses quickly, and don't let the enemy take advantage of loopholes."

"Yes, General—" The general who was deploying replied sonorously.

Ma Zetao nodded, and a scout stepped forward, "General, the old general has a letter."

He stretched out his hand to take the secret letter, opened it to look, his brows were deeply frowned, why is it like this?Why did my father leave Lingchuan for Wu County?If you can't hold on to the peace...wouldn't it be...

(End of this chapter)