Updated: 2012-10-03

Zhang Ning's residence is indeed not very spacious. As soon as he entered the small courtyard, he had two bamboo herds planted in the small courtyard, and the branches were bare. But it was better to rent a liang of one or two taels a month. If he had been in later generations, would he rent seven or eight rooms in downtown Beijing?

Luo Yaoniang's carriage had to lean on the road outside the yard gate. The alley was not wide and it was immediately blocked halfway. The horse was tied to the bamboo peach tree in the yard because the stables in the yard were too small.

The two ritual servants who were part of the ceremony came to lead the donkey. In addition to Zhang Ning, the family, they were not very good laborers: Zhang Ning, a groom who was almost 60 years old, called him Old Man He; the other was a young man in his teenager, but he was thin and slim and sneered, and often giggled inexplicably. He heard that his surname was Niu, Zhang Ning felt that he was quite "second", so he decided to set a ranking for him. Niu Er was a follower, doing some work of buying firewood and rice to clean the yard, but Zhang Ning felt that his IQ was not very reliable, and the daily expenses were all handed over to Old Man He. The salary of these two people was paid by the Ministry of Rites, so Zhang Ning was not picky.

"Old man He, a customer is here at home today and I want to buy some things. I'm afraid Niu Er can't remember it well, so you go and go and go for a trip." Zhang Ning ordered, "Buy two more pounds of pork ribs, fish, pork, leg meat and ingredients, and buy two more pounds of leg meat."

Old man He agreed and went to withdraw the money. Niu Er took the donkey to feed him. Zhang Ning invited Luo Yaoniang and Wang Zhen into a west wing room and were treated as a study room. Both servants were not there, so Zhang Ning could only do the tea himself.

"We can't bear to ask you to serve tea and water yourself." Luo Yaoniang smiled.

Zhang Ning brought the tea to the table and said disrespectfully: "The house is simple, you two are a little casual. By the way, Wang Maocai, there is a bed in the room north of the east wing. I will take the bedding to clean it up later, so I can make do with it."

Wang Zhen took a big sip of tea and said a little moved: "My friend of Brother Ping'an will never forget this friendship."

Zhang Ning thought to himself: Forget friendship, as long as you don’t think about Yin, I’m fine, I’m not sorry for you.

When Old Man He bought the things back, Zhang Ning stood up and said, "I'll change my clothes and make dinner. You guys will sit down first, and you will lose your companion."

After hearing this, Wang Zhen and Luo Yaoniang were fussed and looked surprised. Wang Zhen said, "A gentleman stayed away from the kitchen, how could he dare to let Brother Ping'an cook and treat him?" Luo Yaoniang said with great interest: "You can still cook?"

Zhang Ning smiled and said, "Old man He usually cooks the meals for three people, but the taste is hard to say. Today, there are guests who cannot let him cook them."

There is no way, just Zhang Ning's income, with a monthly salary of 2 taels and 5 taels, and he will deduct one tael of rent. He should try to go to the restaurant as little as possible, otherwise he will have to borrow money to live. If the expenses are too high at the restaurant and restaurant, it will be different if he buys things at home. A pound of pork is only 20 cents and a pound of carp is less than 20 cents. This meal can be done in less than two cents of silver.

Zhang Ning changed into a moon-white linen cloth and gave him an old clothes, and then entered the kitchen. After a while, Luo Yaoniang also ran in. Seeing him rolling up his sleeves and picking up the kitchen knife, he covered his mouth and smiled: "It turns out that you bought a kitchen knife to make weapons on the road last time. You really know the kitchen knife skills?"

"Niu Er, come in and burn the fire!" Zhang Ning shouted to the outside with a loud voice, and turned to Luo Yaoniang's words, "That's right, I haven't practiced for a long time and I still feel comfortable picking up the kitchen knife." After that, he skillfully cut the ginger into very thin shreds of ginger quickly.

"If you come in, help me and scrape the skin of the yam." Zhang Ning called without looking back.

Luo Yaoniang said angrily: "I have never done such a thing at home." She hesitated for a while, but went there. Seeing that he ignored him, he said again: "Wang Maocai said it well, a gentleman stayed away from the kitchen, no wonder you didn't take the Jinshi exam!"

Zhang Ning said: "Not everyone wants to shine their ancestors, it is true that ordinary people are."

"Then why are you still an official? Why don't you go to be a hermit?" Luo Yaoniang clumsily fiddled with the poor yam, but she didn't expect that it would be very troublesome to do something very simple.

Zhang Ning said earnestly: "Herbs are not that easy to be a hermit. Everyone needs food, clothing, housing and transportation. A paradise has unique abilities. Can I eat and eat with my sages?"

The two of them were chatting and Zhang Ning was cooking. Not long after, a few dishes were prepared: stewed pork ribs in yam, stir-fried fish fillets, carrots, shredded pork, and two vegetarian dishes. The meat was made more. Zhang Ning scooped a bowl, and the rest was left for Old Man He and Niu Er to cook meat.

When the meal was placed in a dining room in the east wing, Zhang Ning brought a jar of Shaoxing wine, and the three of them took a seat to start. The sumptuous dinner was nominally a welcome to Wang Zhen, but in fact, Zhang Ning was mainly to entertain Luo Yaoniang. No matter what, Zhang Ning was very grateful for her helping her to prepare books and report safety.

"How about it taste?" Zhang Ning smiled while pouring wine.

Luo Yaoniang picked up a fish fillet without any hesitation, and was about to say a few sarcastic words, but her face changed and she couldn't help but say, "Zhang Ping'an, okay, you really have a good hand."

"Just kidding, it's not a waste of fame to make a few home-cooked dishes." Zhang Ning said proudly, picking up the wine glass to signal to Wang Zhen.

Of course, Zhang Ning of the Ming Dynasty did not know how to cook, and what brought this little skill was his memory in later generations. He used to know how to cook, but now the taste is not much worse. The products used in modern daily use were ginger, garlic, scallion, vinegar, wine, salt, sugar, etc., but there were only MSG and chili. However, Zhang Ning used seaweed sauce to make noodles instead of MSG, which was not much worse.

Luo Yaoniang couldn't help but say, "Why don't I have a wine glass? This is your way of hospitality?"

"What wine do girls drink?" Zhang Ning looked at the dimmering light outside, "I won't leave you after dinner, I won't go home early."

"You are the child! My father doesn't even ask, you still care about me!" Luo Yaoniang said angrily, "Who are you me?" As soon as she finished this sentence, she suddenly felt inappropriate: it seemed as if I admitted that he was someone. Her face turned slightly red, and she still dissatisfied: "Come on the wine glass and see if I don't drink you down."

Luo Yaoniang is really relaxed at home. Yang Shiqi is busy with official duties and basically doesn’t care about her. She doesn’t have her own mother in the Yang family, so who cares about her?

Zhang Ning said: "You can really drink... Well, a heroine, a hero among women, is disrespectful. Can't you add a cup?"

Wang Zhen was quite etiquette at the beginning, but soon found that Zhang Ning was not that true at all. He was picking up food by himself, so he was not polite and said less and ate more vegetables. He ate and drank in the sea. He slept on the road without eating enough. Although this table tonight was not a delicacy, it was very helpful for him.

Luo Yaoniang was so arrogant that her face turned red like a peach blossom after she sucked the three cups, her eyes were blurred, and her words were a little bit unrelated: "Zhang Ping'an, what's going on with your Miss Fang, what's wrong with you and her?"

"Don't drink it." Zhang Ning hurriedly advised.

Luo Yaoniang refused to rely on her and asked Wang Zhen again: "Are you his neighbor? What is Zhang Ping'an's reputation in his hometown?"

Wang Zhen glanced at Zhang Ning in a lewd manner and said, "Brother Ping'an is a scholar, and he has good knowledge and character... I don't know who the woman surnamed Fang is, but I have seen the lady from the Wang family. I have already broken the engagement contract. Please rest assured Miss Luo."

"Miss Wang family, there is still a marriage contract?" Luo Yaoniang looked at Zhang Ning with red eyes.

Zhang Ning turned to look at Wang Zhen in shock, thinking that you are drunk too much? I kindly treat you, why did you do so much! Luo Yaoniang is the lady, so I don’t know what she is doing: She and I have not passed through the matchmaker of her parents, so how dare I suck you like modern times?

He used to be a rule-abiding person, and in the Ming Dynasty he was also unwilling to challenge the order at this time easily.

"I have quit the engagement, didn't Wang Maocai say it?" Zhang Ning explained calmly. He didn't want to make Luo Yaonong anxious. Besides, this girl has a fat waist, a good figure, a good face, and a good person. She is jealous and a little spicy. She is a bit jealous and spicy. However, Zhang Ning doesn't care. If she really wants it, it's okay. Besides, it's great to be a relative and backer with Yang Shiqi.

Luo Yaoniang had an angry and sad expression: "Why did you leave the engagement contract? You left the mess all the time?"

Zhang Ning said: "How could I do such a thing? I was still unconscious when I broke off the engagement. At that time, I was about to die. The unmarried girl of Miss Wang's family was also a normal person to break off the engagement for the sake of her future."

After hearing this, Wang Zhen said, "A woman is indifferent and righteous, Brother Ping'an doesn't need to care."

"Who do you say is unkind and righteous?" Luo Yaoniang cursed with red eyes.

Wang Zhen was stunned: "I'm talking about the little girl of the Wang family."

Luo Yaoniang said: "You gentlemen are all gentlemen, who are not indifferent and righteous, and have the face to talk about women..."

"I told you not to drink, you have to pretend to be a heroine." Zhang Ning said angrily, and turned to Wang Zhen and said, "I'm drunk, I don't have to care about what I say. I'll send her back. You eat first, and we both continue to drink when I come back."

"I'm sending off the guests. Miss Luo, don't be too polite, let's go." Zhang Ning stood up and said.

Luo Yaoniang was so amused and crying: "What kind of politeness are you? Are you still polite to chase people?"

Zhang Ning glanced at the sky: "It's getting late. If you are drunk, what would Lord Yang think if you don't go back in the evening?"

Luo Yaoniang drank some wine and was a little unhappy when she was about Miss Wang, but she was sober. When she heard his words, she remembered her father saying she wanted to find an opportunity to see Zhang Ning. It would be not a good thing to leave a bad impression on her father. She was quite conscious. After thinking about it, she didn't mess around. She stood up and went out angrily: "Who wants you to send it!"

"I'll send it to the entrance of Qianyu Hutong." Zhang Ning was not relieved and hurriedly followed, then rushed to the stable to lead the donkey.

Luo Yaoniang didn't wait for him at all, and said: "What are you afraid of after quitting the engagement? Now that you have regained your fame and status, can you still be an official? When you go back and coax that Wang family lady, can you still be able to do it?"

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