The Little Officials of the Song Dynasty

The Zhenzong Dynasty of the Northern Song Dynasty, the Song Dynasty and the Liao Dynasty, after many wars, concluded the Chanyuan Alliance. The Song Dynasty would give the Liao Dynasty coins every year. Since then, the peace model has been opened and economic and trade exchanges have been initiated. During Liu Hou's hearing in politics, he also faithfully fulfilled the covenant.

It was after this that the exchanges between the two countries increased, so there was a relatively complete and standardized diplomatic etiquette. The more permanent envoys between each other are Zhengdan and Birthday. The former celebrates New Year's Day and the latter celebrates the emperor's birthday.

Because the two countries are adjacent to each other and the fighting power of the Liao Kingdom is exploding, their treatment in the Song Dynasty is relatively high. After they come, they will have a royal feast, while other countries will be arranged by the Privy Council.

When countries entered the Song Dynasty domain after a long journey, the imperial court would send envoys to accompany them to Bianjing along the way to ensure that there would be no accidents on the road. After entering Beijing, there will be an envoy to accompany the itinerary in Bianjing.

These companions are all officials from the Privy Council or Hongyou Temple. They accompany them throughout the whole journey from a few days before New Year’s Day to Beijing to their farewells around the fifth day of the lunar new year. At that time, there will be ambassadors who will take over and send them out of the country. It is necessary to ensure that the entire process is rigorous and that no mistakes can be made.

Since there is a reception, the foreign language must not be bad. Both departments require officials to learn foreign languages. It is said that the most powerful one can master five or six languages.

At the beginning, Zheng Ling was forced to learn Khitan, and almost went crazy.

Now Hongshe Temple lacks people and is very busy, but they also know that Zheng Ling is basically a member of the Academy of Fine Arts. They are afraid that he will pretend to be dead if they are too many, so they send him to meet the Kaifeng Mansion on the banquet dishes.

For the banquet for the reception of the envoys, the dishes must be confirmed by all departments.

It’s already November, and envoys from various countries will arrive one after another at the end of December. Actually, there is not much time left. There are still many things for everyone. For example, some post houses were checked out some time ago and some places need to be repaired. Now arrangements are being made. Craftsman, special person supervises the repair work.

In fact, this post is inspected collectively twice a year, but it can't stand the accident.

On Zheng Ling's side, he has an acquaintance in Kaifeng. Basically everyone knows that he has a closer relationship with the Zheng family, and he also knows that it is actually his relative. Anyway, every time there is a new dish in Kaifeng Mansion, this guy can definitely eat it the first time.

Therefore, instead of watching him howling ghosts and wolves at Hongpu Temple every day, it is better to send him to meet with Kaifeng Mansion.

Zheng Ling felt that he was relieved from purgatory at once, and went to Yunyan with a smile.

Yun Yan was also very happy when he came back. The Privy Council sent a foodie to come over. It's good to say that now I am afraid that the people from Honghe Temple are forced to do so. This is not okay and that is not okay. Since it is Zheng Ling, that’s fine. It's done!

Zheng Ling basically said that he was "good and good" in everything that Brother Yan said, and the food in the Privy Council was very sincere. He was about 30 years old and was born in a scholar. His surname was Gao and Mingcheng. He was very easy-going. When he first came, Yun Yanhui hasn't ordered the recipe yet, so he told him very apologetically, he probably waited a few more days.

Gao Mingcheng smiled and said: "It's okay, you're busy with you, I'm mainly here to rub the food in your cafeteria."

Yun Yan replied: "..."

Gao Mingcheng told Yun Yan back with a mysterious look: "You don't know, the concierge almost fought for this place!"

"..." Yun Yan wiped his sweat back, "It's easy to say, I asked the kitchen to bring the barbecued pork...this one has already been made."

Gao Mingcheng actually knew about char siu, he probably heard what his colleague said, but he didn't understand the ridicule behind it, and happily tried the char siu.

Yun Yan called back to the kitchen to make two char siu, one is char siu with honey sauce, and the other is char siu with crispy skin.

Although both are char siu, the taste is very different.

The "fleshness" of the honey-glazed barbecued pork is heavier, fat and thin, tender and sweet, and has an excellent flavor. The crispy char siu is crunchy when bitten down, and it has a melt-in-mouth feeling. The salty taste is a little bit heavier, and it is more obviously sweet and salty.

The pork used for this char siu is bought from the Shao Zhuyuan of Daxiangguo Temple. They raise pigs and eat meat all the year round, and the meat is of excellent quality. However, if Yun Yanhui were not his own and couldn't buy pork yet, they would breed on a small scale.

At this time, there are not many types of pork eating, or the "shi" class rarely eats pork. However, after making char siu, it is really refreshing. It is not only extremely delicious, in line with the taste of Tokyo people, but also golden in color and fragrant. Greasy and good looking.

Gao Mingcheng, a native of Bianjing, ate his eyes with a smile.

Zheng Ling had it for the first time, and it felt very good.

Yun Yan replied, "One is the barbecued pork with honey sauce, and the other is barbecued pork with crispy skin. I don't know if I should choose one of them, or put both dishes on the menu? If they are both included, will they be too repetitive? "

Gao Mingcheng nodded, "Yes, if both meats are added, it's not very good. I think this crispy barbecued pork has a more unique and distinctive flavor, so it's better to choose this one."

"Well, all right." Yun Yan wrote it down in reply.

Gao Mingcheng took a bite of the sour and spicy bracken, holding a bowl and said: "Yun Xiaolang, I am very worried now."

Yun Yan replied, "...what are you worried about?"

Gao Mingcheng: "At that time, the envoys of the Liao State will eat the royal feast, and the other envoys will eat the dishes of the Kaifeng Mansion. What if the envoys of the Liao State feel that others eat better... This will affect the diplomatic relations between the two countries. !"

Yun Yan replied: "..."

Yun Yan was a little embarrassed when he returned, isn't this all an idea from your Privy Council?

Gao Mingcheng took another bite of the barbecued pork and said vaguely: "No, I'm going to warn the royal chef, and prepare the dishes."

Zheng Ling said quietly on the side: "It's useless. The annual banquets are all of the same specifications. Even if you make a little better, you won’t be able to find flowers. In fact, everyone’s craftsmanship is not much different, and even the royal kitchen is better. Some, the point is that Kaifeng Mansion can innovate in the specifications, and there are more restrictions on the Imperial Kitchen."

"It makes sense..." Gao Mingcheng glanced back at Yun Yan with regret, "I have to report to the superior when I go back. I have to control the number of new dishes."

Yun Yan didn't expect to give him a char siew to reduce his workload and touched his head, "It's okay if you are happy."

He has never seen it before, and is trying to reduce the workload for others.

But think about it, reducing the workload for him now is to reduce trouble later. Although the people of Liao State do not like the taste of Kaifengfu canteens, there are still two things to say, but this possibility must be eliminated.

...

The affairs of Kaifeng Prefecture are complicated, the affairs of Kaifeng Prefecture are complicated, and the affairs of Kaifeng Prefecture are complicated. Important things are said three times.

Therefore, as winter gradually approaches, it is not only the reception work for the mission to Beijing that needs to be prepared, but also the social relief work.

It can be said that the Song Dynasty has been plagued by disasters, and there has been disasters almost every year. Moreover, according to the historical knowledge of Yunyanhui, the Song Dynasty at this time was entering the third cold period in history. There was news earlier that there were no plum trees growing in the northern part of the country, let alone crops.

Almost every year, there are people who die from freezing, not only the poor, but even families who can eat and wear are in danger of freezing to death and frostbite.

But I have to say that the social welfare of the Song Dynasty is still very good. In addition to the various government-run and private-run almshouses, such as the kind children who Zheng Ping once stayed in, the court will distribute materials every winter, and the system is very complete.

As for the arrangements in the Gyeonggi region, the Kaifeng government is undoubtedly responsible.

This year, Kaifeng Mansion was a bumper harvest because of Yunyanhui's policy of increasing income and reducing expenditure. Given the aspirations at the beginning of the reform, it is natural that part of the proceeds will also be donated to help the poor.

This kind of relief activities are often combined with local tyrants.

——Attention, the local tyrants usually refer to the local monks and Taoists.

The monks had a broad mass base, and the Taoists were forcibly pushed by the court, and they were all very wealthy.

Of course, on the surface, the government generally insists that they are volunteers...

Because Yunyan was hung up at Tianqingguan, he was familiar with various temples in Beijing, and had been an apprentice to the abbot of Daxiangguo Temple, so he had to hold two positions. One was the planner of dishes for the embassy’s reception feast, and the other was to join in. To the relief activities of the local tyrants in series.

Yun Yanhui had come into contact with this job in Daxiangguo Temple before, so he was still familiar with the road, and the people who met were all acquaintances, even if they weren't, the other party would definitely know him.

It is not an exaggeration to say that Yun Yanhui is basically a legend in the religious world of Bianjing. Although he has not been a monk, he is still recognized as his own.

The fruits and vegetables harvested in Kaifeng Prefecture were also divided into batches and sent to various relief agencies. Among them, some prime minister's fried dough sticks were prepared more intimately. Although the prime minister's fried dough sticks have flown into ordinary people, everyone agrees that Kaifeng's products are the only ones. The most authentic.

Yun Yan was accustomed to being on the front line, so he distributed the supplies together at the scene. After the imperial court, he sent the Kaifeng government private to pay for it, and the staff of Daxiangguo Temple was next to him, and they could chat from time to time.

The poor people who came to get the supplies were very grateful. They didn't expect to receive the prime minister's fried dough sticks from Kaifeng Prefecture. This was a surprise to them. Even if the secret recipe was spread, they still couldn't buy the raw materials to make them because of their poverty.

An old woman even got down and bowed in the direction of Kaifeng Mansion. Yun Yan went back to help her and heard her muttering something, "Thank you Bao Xianggong, Bao Xianggong is not old in the spring and autumn, and has many children and grandchildren..."

Yun Yan replied: "??"

Yun Yan replied: "Mother-in-law! Bao Fuzun hasn't got married yet!"

The old woman opened her muddy eyes with a look of surprise, and turned to sadness: "Huh? Bao Xianggong is a good man. He is not married. She must have been delayed by political affairs!" She asked with concern, "Is there any clan taking over." Give the heir to Master Bao?"

When the people next to him heard Bao Zheng's name, they all came to ask with concern.

"Bao Xianggong loves the people like a son, does he have no descendants?"

"Brother, how is Bao Xianggong's health?"

"...Wait," Yun Yanhui suddenly felt a little dizzy and couldn't help calling a stop. "Are you misunderstanding something? Our mansion is only in his twenties now!"

Old woman: "Nonsense!"

Yun Yan replied: "..."