After being locked down for so many days, the Zhang family was really nervous about food.
Rice grains are okay, but meat and vegetable ingredients that cannot be stored need to be purchased and replenished every day.
You won't be hungry for the time being, but the food will be tasteless.
Therefore, it was only Qian Long's words to leave Lihori for a banquet and so on.
Nearly a hundred Song soldiers were all pot-bellied men. The food had always been good after they arrived under the command of King Yan, but they had lived a hard life to some extent, so as long as they could eat well, they didn't have any objections.
However, the Zhang family has been rich for so long that even the servants are not used to having simple meals, let alone the masters.
As a result, the guard dog, the donkey driving the car, the ornamental fish in the pond, and the peacocks in the garden, if they could have two ounces of meat, were all sacrificed to the Five Zang Temple.
Even the potted green trees, exotic flowers and plants were all damaged, and those that were really inedible were used as firewood.
In the past few days, Zhang Yangfan and others gathered in the courtyard where Qian Long lived and had meals together.
Holding the rice ball in his hand, Zhang Yangfan found it hard to swallow. Seeing the pits and devastation in the courtyard, he felt even more melancholy.
"If there is a future, I will definitely stop doing those flashy things. Plant some fruits and vegetables, and raise some chickens, ducks, dolphins, and dogs. That is the right way..."
After hearing this, Qian Long joked, "Why not just raise elephants?"
Zhang Yangfan couldn't laugh or cry, "Elephant meat is rough and tastes like chewed wax. Moreover, elephants eat a huge amount of food and grow very slowly. Even the people in Champa only use it for service and rarely eat it."
An adult elephant weighs at least 5,000 to 6,000 kilograms, but larger animals tend to have thicker muscle fibers, which most people don't find delicious. The elephant's trunk and tongue are slightly softer and more tender.
"Really? I wanted to try it originally..."
Qian Long shrugged, picked up a large bowl of white rice, scooped out half a spoonful of lard, poured some salt water on it, stirred it evenly, and then put it all into his mouth in two or three bites.
After devouring it, he added tea into the empty bowl, swiped it a few times with chopsticks, and drank it all in one gulp. The bowl he finally put down was clean, with no rice grains visible.
The way Qian Long ate at this moment was completely different from the nobility he showed at the previous banquet, where he never tired of fine food and meticulous food.
Although he had seen it several times, Zhang Yangfan still felt a little dazed and couldn't help but sigh, "I didn't expect that someone from a prominent family led by money would be able to enjoy such rough food, which makes me admire him so much."
"Human beings, you have to be able to enjoy happiness and suffering. Bitterness and sweetness are mostly determined by your mentality, and are not so absolute... Zhang Yuanwai, just relax, your family will definitely have a future, and it will become more and more prosperous..."
Qian Long stood up while stroking his round belly, walked out of the pavilion and looked at the sky, "The sun is shining brightly, it's time to fall asleep."
Then he turned around and said to everyone in the pavilion, "After everyone has finished eating, it's best if everyone can sleep for a while."
Seeing Qian Long strolling back to the bedroom, Zhang Yangfan looked a little confused. He didn't quite understand why everyone was asked to go to bed. Could it be that he relied on daydreaming to escape from the real predicament?
Shaking his head and smiling, Zhang Yangfan pinched his nose and fed the rice ball into his mouth.
In fact, there were constant shouts outside Zhang's house, and the noise made people's heads hurt. Even if they wanted to sleep, few people could really sleep.
However, Qian Long may have been blessed by his body shape. He was able to sleep after eating. He propped up his legs on a high pillow and slept beautifully for more than an hour.
I got up from the couch feeling refreshed, but then I felt something was wrong.
Why is it so quiet? Are those unruly people occupying the city tired?
After leaving the door, there was no one in the yard. When I walked outside the yard, I saw some Zhang family servants passing by happily carrying baskets.
Seeing the basket full of fresh meat and vegetables, Qian Long murmured in his heart. He thought Shili Hari would burn bridges, but he actually sent the ingredients?
Just at this time, Pu Shiwen trotted over in a hurry, smiling broadly, as if he had picked up money.
"Commander, I am so happy! What a great joy!"
Qian Long sniffed and glanced at Pu Shiwen's abdomen, "Is it possible that you are pregnant?"
Pu Shiwen smiled awkwardly and hurriedly
He bowed and stood, "I got carried away for a moment. Please forgive me, Commander... It is the right-hand minister of Champa who came to pay homage to me and gave me many important gifts. This is the gift list. Please take a look at it."
"Here comes Bao Tuo Bald Flower? Haha, I can't hold it in anymore anymore!?"
Qian Long sneered and took the gift list, glanced at it briefly, and said disdainfully, "He robbed us and gave us the stolen goods backhand. This guy is really shameless."
Pu Shiwen really didn't notice this, and he didn't care, "Commander, a few details are innocuous, the important thing is that Baotou Tuhua is showing kindness to us, and he sent troops to suppress the unruly people, and also sent food... Commander, the arrival of two powerful officials from Champa means that the situation has changed and that we are about to get rid of the predicament and turn the crisis into safety?"
Qian Long closed the gift list, threw it into Pu Shiwen's arms, and curled his lips, "There will be changes, but it's hard to say what our situation will be like."
These words made Pu Shiwen a little confused, "The lower official is stupid and does not understand the commander's meaning."
"You will understand soon... By the way, where is Baotou Bald Flower now?"
Seeing that Qian Long had no intention of explaining, Pu Shiwen didn't dare to ask any more questions, "It's been a while since he arrived, but I wanted to hang him out in the meantime so as not to disturb the commander's rest, so I asked him to wait in the main hall."
"It's only now that he's enlightened. He really should have endured it... Forget it, seeing as he's about to cross the river, it doesn't matter. I'd have sent him away sooner."
After Qian Long finished speaking, he walked to the main hall of Zhangjia alone.
In the main hall of the Zhang family, Bao Tuo, a bald man with a stern face, kept tapping the armrest of the chair with his fingers, looking a little restless.
Seeing this, Mr. Wang, who was sitting nearby, became angry and said, "When Shili Hari came, the envoys of the Song Dynasty greeted him at the front door with great courtesy. However, the minister condescended to pay a visit, but they deliberately ignored him and left him here." He didn't even ask, and he didn't even get a cup of tea. It was really too much to deceive someone. I see, the people of Song Dynasty have identified Shili Heli, and it is a foregone conclusion that the two sides will be in trouble for each other. In this case, even if Shangqing is warm to him, A cold butt won’t help either.”
Bao Tuo Tuhua was aroused, and he did have the urge to throw up his sleeves and leave immediately, but in the end he endured it, "A little impatience will ruin the big plan, let's wait a little longer."
However, Mr. Wang continued, "Shangqing, even if the King of Yan Chen soldiers in Qiongzhou, it is just a bluff. According to the system of the Song Dynasty, he has no right to interfere in the affairs of the vassal state, and he dare not initiate border provocations and use foreign troops without permission. Otherwise, everyone in the Song Dynasty will No one can tolerate him."
"Sigh... I know this too, but a tiger squatting at the door of the house, even if it does nothing, is enough to change people's hearts. I don't want the Song Dynasty to provide any help. I just ask them not to blatantly favor Shili Hari. After I take back the throne and stabilize the situation, I won’t need to look at them anymore, and it won’t be too late to make calculations then.”
Bao Tuo Tuhua seemed to be determined to endure the humiliation, so Mr. Wang had no choice but to temporarily put aside his obstructionist thoughts and became silent to think of other countermeasures.
Not long after, footsteps were heard outside the hall, and Bao Tuo Bald Flower's spirits were lifted.
Qian Long stepped into the main hall and said indifferently, "Your Majesty, Your Excellency, is here. What do you want to do for me?"
