After getting off the carriage, I stood by the lake and stared at the villa.
The villa is built in a flat valley beside the lake. Standing on the upper floor of the manor, you can have a panoramic view of the lake, with towering mountain ridges on both sides.
There is a small stream flowing slowly through the village. It is live water drawn from the source of the lake, and it flows continuously.
The downstream of the lake is undulating farmland, and the water from the lake is used for farmland irrigation after it flows out.
To the south of the farmland, many wooden houses are built on high ground. Although they are not as grand as villas, they are still safe and orderly.
This is Baishui Village and Yang Fan's villa. If nothing else, this is Yang Fan's roots in the Tang Dynasty.
Suddenly Yang Laifu's voice came from behind.
"Sir, the mountain wind by the lake is a bit chilly. Hurry up and go inside Zhuangzi. You, a short-sleeved person, be careful not to catch the wind and cold."
Yang Laifu is actually only in his forties, but his face is full of wrinkles, his body is strong and more like a farmer who has been working all year round, but his eyes are clear and bright, showing a shrewdness that does not match his appearance.
After all, he was his father's former book boy. He was literate and well-educated. Maybe he had been working too hard in the past few years, so he looked a bit older.
Yang Fan didn't seem to hear his words, but seemed to be talking to himself.
"What makes life meaningful?"
Yang Laifu was stunned when he heard this, but he immediately replied:
"My lord, this old slave has little education and doesn't know any big principles. In my heart, my biggest wish is to have a prosperous and prosperous family. As long as I follow my heart, I will go in this direction." Just work hard, that’s the meaning of my life.”
Yang Fan suddenly realized it and laughed heartily.
Yes, why do you think so much? Just follow your heart. As long as you feel clear in your heart, you can do whatever you want and feel happy. Why worry so much?
Sure enough, having an elder in a family is like having a treasure.
"Uncle Fu, thank you."
The excited Yang Fan hugged Yang Laifu and spun him around, leaving him confused.
Looking at Yang Fan running into the villa, Yang Laifu had a worried look on his face. He rubbed his hands and stood by the lake a little at a loss, mumbling to himself.
"Young Master doesn't like masculine styles, does he? If that's the case, how can I be worthy of the dead master? He doesn't have a wife yet, so we have to help him find a match as soon as possible."
Fortunately, Yang Fan didn't hear it, otherwise he would have known that Yang Laifu thought he was a rabbit, and would have had to vomit blood and die again.
******
The next day, Yang Laifu ran off to nowhere. Two little girls were counting the goods brought back yesterday in the front yard.
Suddenly, a drum-like voice sounded:
"Brother Yishan, I've sent money. Hurry up and come out to pick up the guests. This villa of yours is really easy to find."
With this voice, people who didn't know better thought it was a visitor from a brothel.
After the two little girls in the front yard cooed, they hurried forward to open the door.
With this broken voice, one could immediately tell that it was Mr. Cheng who bought a glass mirror in the store yesterday.
Although they were very popular with the young master, they could not neglect the distinguished guests and did not dare to neglect them. Xing'er opened the door and led Cheng Chumo into the lobby, while Wan'er went to report.
After entering the lobby, Cheng Chumo asked before he sat down:
"What is your young master doing? Why don't you see him?"
Xing'er looked like she was about to say something, but she couldn't help but reply, so she pointed in the direction of the side courtyard.
Cheng Chumo was not one to sit idle, so he lifted his legs and prepared to go.
Myolie hurriedly shouted:
"Young Master, wait a minute, that, that... that's the kitchen..."
Cheng Chumo's mouth twitched and he asked doubtfully: "Is Brother Yishan in the kitchen? What is he doing there? Isn't he a lord? How can he go to a place like that?"
It turned out that yesterday Cheng Chumo went back to ask for money from Cheng Yaojin and showed off a 6-foot-tall mirror in front of Cheng Yaojin.
In the end, not only was he left empty-handed, but he was also beaten up by Cheng Yaojin.
So I had to tell Cheng Yaojin about the process of getting to know Yang Fan. After a final check, wasn't this Yang Fan the boy that His Majesty wanted to reward?
It's no wonder that he is so cautious. When he is in his position, he is most afraid of being tricked.
Only then did Cheng Chumo know that the person who sold him the glazed mirror was actually the Baron of Wannian County.
At Cheng Yaojin's urging, he shouted and delivered the money early in the morning.
Xing'er saw that she couldn't deal with it, so she lowered her head and said, "The young master is cooking..."
The look on his face seemed as if Yang Fan had lost a lot of face in the kitchen.
But that’s not to blame for her exaggeration, even though it’s not yet the Song Dynasty when Neo-Confucianism flourished.
But everyone's words and deeds are bound by etiquette and law, and daily behavior is a judgment on whether a person can be called a gentleman.
It is also popular in this period for a gentleman to stay away from the kitchen. It belongs to a gentleman, so just stay away from the kitchen. What do you think of a man who spends all day in the kitchen?
If all gentlemen are in the kitchen, why do they need cooks and servants?
Therefore, even for open-minded men of the Tang Dynasty, cooking was a very shameless thing, let alone a noble with a title.
Yang Laifu and Myolie actually tried to persuade Yang Fan several times.
But who knows that Yang Fan has a big mouth? In this era where only cooking is done without seasoning, he can only do it himself.
Cheng Chumo was a carefree person, and he usually hated observing etiquette, so his eyes shone with interest.
"Brother Yishan actually knows how to cook? Take me to see him quickly."
Xing'er had a sad face and didn't know how to answer, but she still led Cheng Chumo to the kitchen.
She secretly made up her mind to learn the young master's cooking methods as soon as possible, otherwise the next time guests come over and they still need the young master to cook, wouldn't it make them look useless and redundant as maids and servants.
As soon as I got close to the kitchen, I heard a strange sound coming from inside: "Chop chop chop chop chop..."
It's like chopping meat but not like it, because the sound is very regular and makes people feel relaxed and happy.
"Master, please go out quickly. Young Master Cheng is already waiting in the lobby. I will do the rest. I learned from the cooks in Chang'an City..." This was Wan'er's voice.
"She dares to be called a cook like that? She doesn't even teach you how to cut vegetables. Just leave me alone. I'll finish cutting it soon. Let Mr. Cheng wait for a while. As the saying goes, food is the most important thing for people, and the sky is big and the earth is big. Eating is the biggest thing, I guess he won’t blame me.”
Cheng Chumo laughed, strode into the kitchen and said:
"Brother Yishan is right, this is like my home, where do I need entertainment?"
Myolie, who was following behind, almost staggered. Young Master Cheng was really too thick-skinned.
Just now, he was yelling outside the gate, saying that he was a guest and asking the young master to go out to greet him. Now he said that he was his own home.
Cheng Chumo didn't treat himself as an outsider, and Yang Fan was very casual. He glanced at him and said:
"Brother Cheng, why don't you stay in the lobby and go into the kitchen? Aren't you afraid that others will scold you for not being a gentleman?"
Cheng Chumo smiled heartily and said nonchalantly:
"You are not afraid of any lord, so why should I, a rough guy in the army, be afraid?"
What's more, I haven't inherited the title yet, and I will wait until I do.
But Brother Yishan, it was hard for you to hide this from me. You didn't tell me after your meritorious service. Yesterday, I thought you were a businessman.
Yang Fan rolled his eyes and was speechless:
"Whether it's a lord or a merchant, they all have one head and two eyes. What's the difference? Do they still have to eat and sleep the same?"
Unexpectedly, Yang Fan answered like this, and Cheng Chumo was stunned.
However, Xing'er and Wan'er were used to hearing Yang Fan's shocking words and had no reaction at all.
After cutting the mutton in his hand, Yang Fan put down the knife and asked while washing his hands.
"Brother Cheng, what do you want from me? It's not just to give me money. It's a small thing like this. Just ask someone to deliver it. However, you came at the right time. You are in luck today. I want you to taste the delicious food of the gods." .”
Yang Fan turned around and washed his hands on the other side. Only then did Cheng Chumo see clearly that the meat on the board was mutton, but the meat had been cut into slices as thin as cicada silk.
"We'll talk about this later. Just brothers, don't you just want to eat mutton? Who hasn't eaten it before? The meat smells very strong. I still prefer to eat beef."
Cheng Chumo looked unbelieving.
Hehehe, Yang Fan thought to himself, I would like to eat beef, but cattle are an important labor force in this era, and if you kill them casually, you will have to go to jail, but mutton hot pot is also good, so he said:
"Don't believe it? Don't swallow your tongue when you eat later."
Cheng Chumo touched the back of his head naively:
"Is it really that delicious?"
Yang Fan rolled his eyes and said with a joking expression:
"How about we make a bet..."
If you don't like it after a while, you can take the colored glaze at Chang'an shop, and there is no limit.
If you eat and still want to eat, just call me big brother, what do you think? Do you dare to bet?
Cheng Chumo suddenly smiled and nodded quickly with a wink:
"Brother Yishan, you are such a fool. If you want to give me Liuli, just give it to me. Why are you making any bets?"
But you agree, I haven't liked mutton since I was a child, but I will be merciful in the future and won't take away all the glazed mirrors in your Chang'an store.
Then I secretly reminded myself that no matter how delicious it is, I still have to say that I don’t like it. Isn’t it just eating mutton? He just endured it and it passed, but he still didn't believe in the evil.
Does mutton have a glaze aroma?
Only when he finally called Yang Fan his eldest brother with a grimace did he realize that the second-rate guy turned out to be him.
At this time, Xing'er, who had just gone out, ran over panting.
"Master, Master... hurry up and take a look. There are many carriages outside, all filled with money and silk..."
"Brother Yishan, the escort car should have arrived. Let's go and take a look."
As soon as a few people walked to the front yard, a delicate voice came from the back of the leading carriage:
"Brother, you don't keep your word. You promised to wait for me, but why did you run off by yourself on horseback? You will tell Daddy when you go back that you bullied me."
Then a small white jade-like hand gently opened the car curtain, revealing a pure and beautiful face. A pair of watery eyes looked towards Yang Fan.
Yang Fan couldn't help but secretly praise her, what a woman with bright eyes, white teeth, and a charming spirit.
Well, that's wrong, I should call her little girl.
After all, the person in front of her is probably not even old enough to have haircuts, and she still has two round buns on her head.
Who did she call eldest brother just now? Could it be...
