Xiao Letian and Fu Qing haven't sat together to drink and chat for a long time. It seems that since Xiao Letian became the prime minister of Ryukyu, the two brothers have been busy with their own affairs except for the big gatherings where they can clink glasses and drink together. One strives for the rise of the Chinese nation, and the other devotes himself to the modernization of the Qing Dynasty.
They are both thoroughgoing reformists, but they sit in different directions.
"How long has it been since we brothers drank alone? One year or two years? I can't remember..." Fu Qing took a sip of the black beer in the crystal glass, and a strong bitter taste filled his mouth.
Xiao Letian looked at his weird expression and smiled, "If you can't get used to the taste, don't drink it. To be honest, I'm the only person in Asia who can accept beer, especially German dark beer..."
"Xiao Hexin and his gang went to Prussia with me, but now they can only accept two flavors: white beer and light beer. You can't enjoy this kind of bitter dark beer!"
Fu Qing pushed aside the rice wine that Xiao Letian pushed over, "No, I want to give it a try. A little bitter taste in my mouth can help me wake up. At least it can make me know that I am still living in this evil world of five turbidities. Save I have fallen for myself!"
"That's not the case. You are already a second-rank official in the imperial court. Why do you feel so miserable when the Prime Minister's Yamen is second only to Guizi Liu? You are responsible for all the industrial plans of the Qing Dynasty. The previous work of setting up telegraph lines was also done. Having been recognized by the imperial court, what else is there to sigh about?”
"If you complain too much, you may break your heart!" Xiao Letian picked up the crystal cup and looked at the dark beer and took a big sip. The sizzling mutton skewers on the table were leaking oil. Drinking beer and licking the skewers is a private dish invented by Xiao Letian. , but it is a pity that he is the only one in Ryukyu who likes this combination.
"Beer goes with this kind of meat skewers. To be honest, I really don't agree with your way of eating... And what is this? Garlic! You even grill the garlic over charcoal fire? It seems like the bare-butt kids in my village have this How to eat it, roast garlic and sweet potatoes in the fire pit..."
"Why are you talking so much nonsense? This was baked by Mr. Long, the best master in North China. Mr. Long will leave on a boat tomorrow. You can't even eat it if you want..."
Outside the glass viewing pavilion, it was indeed Mr. Long who was grilling skewers for Xiao Letian. As Xiao Letian’s first personal bodyguard, of course he knew the boss’s taste, and even knew the boss’s heavy taste... Chili peppers were also roasted over charcoal fire, garlic, The most horrifying thing is that Xiao Letian actually likes to marinate chicken skin with honey and then grill it.
Only Mr. Long knows all these heavy flavor recipes, and others really can't make them.
Master Long was holding the fire, and the kid Kirigakure was on the side. Whenever the kebabs she put on were not neat, she would be scolded by Master Long, which made Sister Kirigakure furious and stamp her feet.
The glass window was very thick and could be seen both inside and outside but the sound was hard to hear clearly. Xiao Letian just used hand gestures to instruct Long Ye to add dishes. Pointing to his neck, and then stretching out four fingers, Master Long understood it from outside.
"Four chicken necks...good!"
Fu Qing looked at Xiao Letian's cynical expression and the barbecue banquet that was almost like a game. He couldn't laugh or cry, "You don't look like a prime minister here. You are dressed casually. I think it is quite suitable for you to go to the capital to be a hutong skewer." ...Tomorrow I will buy you a pair of walnuts and get a myna, and you can have fun with it..."
"Haha, I think that's fine. Being a dandy is such a blessing. You don't have to put so much pressure on yourself. You can spend the rest of your life comfortably, consume all the blessings brought by your mother's womb, and then kick off your legs and fall asleep. That's it for the rest of your life. That’s it…”
"You know, my dear mistress, I'm thinking about it now. You have to enjoy the blessings you deserve. Just look at this glass of dark beer. Although no one in Asia drinks it, I, Xiao Letian, have to drink it, so I spent a lot of money to buy it from Prussia. I invited a brewing master and invested in a small boutique beer workshop in Ryukyu..."
"It's so beautiful. When good wine is brewed, I drink it myself and share it with my brothers. Finally, if the rich ones are rich, I can even transport it to Shanghai to sell... And you can't tell me that the business is really good!"
On the bamboo stick in Fu Qing's hand, the freshly roasted chicken neck was sizzling with oil, sprinkled with various seasonings, and the smell of cumin went straight to his nose. He really couldn't get used to this taste, but he had A habit, or problem... is that as long as Xiao Letian likes it, he will force himself to try and adapt.
Chewing the tender meat and cartilage, Mr. Qing couldn't tell whether the taste was good or bad. Xiao Letian looked at it and shook his head, "Just forget it if you can't get used to it. I'll ask the small kitchen to cook some of your favorite dishes." , why bother yourself?"
Fu Qing shook his head and then gnawed on the chicken neck, just like the neck of his enemy. "No, I want to adapt to your taste... At the same time, I also hope that you can adapt to our taste, my brother. , can’t you be less unique?”
After finally enjoying the appetizers wrapped in brotherly love, one sentence changed the atmosphere of the family banquet. Xiao Letian sighed and said that what was meant to come would eventually come.
"Brother, I have known since I was in the Taihang Mountains that you are a person who does great things. Especially the comic book of Journey to the West that you wrote made me admire my brother deeply... But why are you unwilling to go to the court? Are you going to be an official?"
"Does it mean that the imperial court cannot give you a reward? Or does it mean that the imperial court will not reuse you? Neither of them. As long as you are willing, the position of the first military minister of the Qing Dynasty is yours. Even Prince Gong is willing to give up the position of prime minister. for you……"
"Isn't it enough to be the first person under the emperor? Why do you want to be crowned a knight? It's only natural and reasonable for you to be crowned a prince based on your ability. Why do you bother to start a new business by yourself?"
"It's unwise, this is really unwise!"
Qing Sanye tried his best to persuade Xiao Letian. He hoped that Xiao Letian could change his mind and return to the East Asian order system with the Qing Dynasty as the main body, even if he continued to maintain the status quo of the Ryukyu vassal state.
"Brother, let me tell you something from the bottom of my heart. If you really want to rebel and become an emperor, to be honest, brother, I will feel at ease! Really, this is not some empty talk. Sometimes I really feel that if you really want to stand up, brother If you start a dynasty, brother, maybe I will be your pawn, and I can even do my best to mobilize some Manchus to your command..."
"But I know you very well. You have never meant to be an emperor from the beginning, right? Look at this Chinese code you have created. You have conferred a bunch of nobles, but what is your title? Why don't you mention it? And none of your subordinates have said anything, which only means that you have reached an agreement in advance, and you just don’t want to be knighted!"
"Moreover, you have abolished the idea of the king's power being given by heaven. You have also confirmed the fundamental constitutional status of the Chinese code of law, and you have even not established an emperor within the Chinese people. All of this only proves which position you do not want to go to..."
"Since you don't want to be the emperor at all, why do you want to start a new one? Wouldn't our Qing Dynasty be able to take revenge on you? Your industrialization, your powerful new army, your deep blue ocean fleet, your modern power Dream……"
"Do you think we can't give it to you?"
...
