Great Qin Emperor

Chapter 1 People, rely on yourself
"Two bowls of grain rice, one bowl of barley rice, three bowls of bean leaf soup, and another bowl of bean rice." The shop owner yelled into the shop, turned around and glanced at Zhou Chong, and began to sell: " Little brother, what do you want? The shop has rice, barley, bean, millet, rice, pancakes, bean leaf soup, bamboo shoot soup, butter flavor, dog oil flavor, Suet or lard, little brother, which one do you want to taste?"

We all know that China is a country with a long history, but in the pre-Qin period (note: pre-Qin refers to before the Qin Dynasty), its food culture was much worse than that of the Tang and Song Dynasties, not to mention modern times.

What we eat in our daily life is rice, that is, rice made of rice. Rice was also produced in the late Warring States period, but its output was not high, and its proportion in the proportion of food was too small. Millet ranked first .Wheat is also cultivated, but its eating method is very different from the current pasta. It is mainly grain food, that is, it is cooked and eaten. Even now, some areas of China are still eating grain wheat, called wheat rice.During the Warring States period, due to the invention of stone mills, pasta gradually began to be eaten. Before Qin Shihuang unified China, there were already hawkers selling cakes on the streets of Xianyang.

Millet rice is yellow rice.Shu is the bean in our daily life. For a long time in ancient times, beans were not ground into tofu like we are now, let alone used to extract oil, but cooked and eaten, called Shu rice.

Now, we have many oils to choose from in our daily life. In the pre-Qin period, people ate animal oil because there was no vegetable oil at that time, and different animal oils were used according to different periods, such as frying lamb and suckling pig with butter in spring; Fried pheasant and dried fish in dog oil; fried calf and deer in lard in autumn; fresh fish and geese in mutton oil in winter. (Note: I personally think that this way of eating can only exist in the families of the powerful, wealthy businessmen and tycoons, how can ordinary people have this kind of treatment.)
Beans were very popular in ancient times. One reason was that beans were edible and easy to store. Therefore, the government encouraged the cultivation of beans for a long time.The common people are also happy to grow beans, because apart from eating beans, bean leaves are also a common dish for common people, and bean leaf soup is a soup that poor people often drink.

We all know that Jiangnan is a land of fish and rice, and rice is mainly produced in Jiangnan.However, in the pre-Qin period, China's economic center of gravity was in the Central Plains and Guanzhong area. The population in the south of the Yangtze River was sparse and the development level was not high. The proportion of rice in the grain was not large. Therefore, although rice is beautiful and rice is delicious, it is not widely used. wide.This restaurant in Xianyang was able to sell rice, which was not easy at the time. The owner of the shop was excited when he thought about it, and he was quite proud, looking at Zhou Chong very proudly.

Although Zhou Chong, a white-collar worker in a star enterprise, is busy with work, he likes to read some books in his spare time, especially Chinese history books. He also knows the difference between rice, millet, millet, bean, wheat, and hemp.Even if he doesn't understand these differences, when he looks around, those customers eat either barley rice or bean rice, which is impossible to eat in modern society, and he knows that he will definitely not be able to eat it. I am proud of the rice, and I added a cake, and I opened my mouth to say, "A bowl of rice, and a cake." Suddenly remembering that I was shy and penniless, I changed my mouth and said, "No, I'm not hungry. "

He was using it as a cover-up to save face. Unexpectedly, the well-informed store owner was quick to expose it in one bite: "Aren't you hungry? You've been standing here for a long time, drooling all the time." Swallowing it in the stomach, lying without finding a place, it won't work with my big eyes."

Zhou Chong's face turned red all of a sudden, and he hurriedly argued, "My money was stolen by a thief." In Xianyang during the Warring States period, the current king of Qin is the famous Qin Shihuang, but he has not yet started his unification war that will last forever in history.In ancient times, a thief was called a thief, or a thief who wears a stick, or a thief. Zhou Chong still knows this.

Zhou Chong, who has read a lot of history books, thought that he could handle it well, but something unexpected happened to him. The shop owner and the diners in the shop became nervous after hearing his words, and the diners put down their jobs. Greeting the guests again, staring at him, the shop owner hurriedly asked: "Where did you lose it? Tell me quickly, so we can catch the thief, or we will be miserable and go to prison."

After the reform of Shang Yang, the Qin State implemented the policy of sitting together, monitoring each other for treachery and reporting to the government, so Qin State "does not pick up what is lost" and was able to rule.The store owner and the others heard that Zhou Chong's money had been stolen. Although it was not a big deal, if it happened in the area they supervised, they would not be able to get away with it.And the laws of the Qin State know that the punishment is severe and the law is severe, and the punishment is heavy for minor crimes. Although it is a small case, the punishment is not light, and there is no fear. (Note: Mr. Meng Chang stole King Qin's fine robes to buy King Qin's beloved concubine with thieves, and was able to escape back to Qi. It was a wrestling among the princes and had little to do with the common people.)
Zhou Chong was startled by their reaction at first, and then he understood immediately. If this incident alarmed the government, he, an unknown time traveler, would be punished severely. If he was not good enough, he would be beheaded as a spy. It's not impossible, so he hurriedly changed his words: "It's my fault, I lost it."

"You scared us to death." The store owner and the others let out a long sigh of relief, and the diners picked up their rice bowls and began to eat.

The shop owner greeted two customers, and said to Zhou Chong: "Little brother, please sit down." He turned his head and shouted inside: "Bring me a bowl of barley rice and a bowl of bean leaf soup."

Zhou Chong was already so hungry that his heart was on his back, and the saliva he swallowed could fill a few bowls. He was quite relieved, and thanked the shop owner: "Thank you, boss, for your kindness, but I don't have money for meals."

"It's inevitable that there is an urgent matter when you are away. I will remember the meal money for you first, and it will not be too late to give it to me when you have it." Niu Big Eye was very kind, moved a stool for him and said: "Little Brother, come, sit here."

In Chinese history books, Qin State is "the country of tigers and wolves" and "the first meritorious service". A moral traitor, never thought that Niu Dayan, the restaurant owner, would be so righteous and give him food.As for the meal price, remember it first, it is just to save his face, it is tantamount to giving him a meal for nothing.

According to my opinion, the reason why Qin State was able to win in the Warring States period when all heroes were competing and finally unified China was that apart from Qin State’s advanced military measures, its government was very efficient and could be a model for future generations. In general, it is still very efficient and the management is very good.However, historians of later generations have obliterated this point, which is a pity! (Press: It's just my personal opinion, friends don't have to take it seriously.)
Zhou Chong was really hungry, so he sat down politely and said, "Brother Niu, can you give me a bowl of rice?" It's not that Zhou Chong is picky about food, but that he, a modern person who is accustomed to eating rice, is not used to it. Ancient foods such as barley rice and bean rice.

Rice grows in the south of the Yangtze River, while Xianyang is far away in Guanzhong. It is two or three thousand miles away. Although a bowl of rice is not expensive, it is much more expensive than beans and rice. Zhou Chong is in danger. Not bad, I never thought that he would be picky eaters, not only Niu Dayan was stunned, but the guests were also stunned, if they were not hindered by Qin's law that forbids the common people to whisper privately, there must be a lot of discussion , it is wrong to blame Zhou Chong.

Once again, historical knowledge came into play. Only then did Zhou Chong remember his mistake, and hurriedly said, "Brother Niu, this is a merciless request. If there is any embarrassment, please don't mind. Brother Niu, please let me know." Brother, a bowl of bean rice."

Niu Dayan smiled and said, "You are welcome, little brother. In our Great Qin State, in addition to rewards for farming and killing enemies, there are also rewards for doing good deeds. Little brother, one bowl is not enough, right? Give little brother two bowls of rice." Rice, a bowl of bamboo shoot soup."

After the reform of Shang Yang, the Qin State implemented the "self-cultivation and war out". This measure has been ridiculed by later generations, especially the Confucianism. A good farmer is an excellent soldier on the battlefield. Therefore, the Qin State has many good generals and warriors during the war, and the country has enough resources in peacetime, so that it can become stronger and stronger in the war, and finally unify China.

A small waiter from the shop brought rice and soup and put it in front of Zhou Chong, and his voice slowly faded away.

Zhou Chong grabbed the chopsticks and put them in the rice, but didn't put it in his mouth. Niu Dayan was very strange and asked: "Little brother, the food is not delicious? How about adding some butter for you? Little brother, what are you doing?" What? Why are the tears rolling around? The rice is not delicious, so there is no need to shed tears. Qing Ji is light, why is it useless to be stunned!"

After being dazed for a while, Zhou Chong stood up, bowed deeply to Niu Big Eye, and said, "Thank you Brother Niu, I'm full. I will repay you for today's love." Without waiting for Niu Big Eye to speak, he turned and left the restaurant.

Zhou Chong was studying history, and he once lamented how pedantic it was for the ancients not to eat "the food that comes from you". However, when he received alms from Niu Dayan for the first time in his life, he felt an inexplicable sense of humiliation in his heart. Only then did he understand why the ancients would rather go hungry The mood of dying without eating "the food that comes from you": that is a kind of self-esteem, which dilutes life and death.

Of course, Zhou Chong is not the kind of useless ancient who sits and waits to die, but secretly makes up his mind: people, rely on themselves!Determined to use their own hands to get out of the current predicament.

(End of this chapter)