What is refined grain? That was food that only officials and powerful people could afford.
Common people like Wu Laoliu and others are lucky enough to be able to eat such coarse grains that are hard to swallow.
As for the refined grain that looks like white snow and tastes sweet in front of you, you can’t even think about it!
But now, they have only been building the city wall for a long time, and the county magistrate is willing to cook this precious fine grain for them to eat. In Wu Laoliu's view, the county magistrate Zhou Yina in front of him is simply closer than his biological parents. .
After all, Wu Laoliu's biological parents only made him suffer when he was born, and never let him taste such sweet and delicate white porridge.
Wu Laoliu's shout made all the surrounding corvees look towards the front not far away, and the originally neat team suddenly became a little chaotic.
Some dishonest people even took advantage of the chaos to jump in line in order to drink the porridge earlier.
In order to maintain order, Zhou Yi gave a loud shout and said: "Anyone who wants to drink porridge should line up to sign for me and receive the bowl. If the queue is chaotic again, no one will want to eat it."
After everyone heard this, they started to line up again.
Zhou Yi also angrily scolded Wu Laoliu, who had just caused the commotion: "Wu Laoliu, drink your porridge well, what are you shouting for! Your good team almost caused chaos!"
"There's pickled mustard over there, go get it yourself! Get in line for me too." After saying that, Zhou Yi felt annoyed and kicked Wu Laoliu on the butt.
Not only was Wu Laoliu not angry after being kicked, but he expressed his joy and thanked Zhou Yi repeatedly: "Thank you for your advice, thank you for your advice. I will definitely take care of that team."
When Wu Laoliu walked to the big wooden barrel, several people in his group also crowded together with a bowl of white porridge.
"Angkor, the county magistrate just said that there is mustard here. What is this mustard!"
Wu Laoliu said with a smile on his face: "You are stupid. You know it is a dish just by hearing the name. It must be a benefit given by the county magistrate to those of us who come to build the city wall on the first day."
"Hurry up, hurry up, they've all been lined up for me. I promised Mr. Zhou to take care of the order of this team."
After hearing this, the few people behind immediately lined up behind Wu Laoliu.
The person who beat the mustards for them was a small catcher in the yamen. When he beat the mustards, his hands were always shaking like the canteen lady's hands.
Upon seeing this, Yang Xiu stepped forward and took the spoon, saying, "Who can eat this little food from you?"
"You guys have already worked hard enough to repair the city wall. The Fuling mustard bought by the magistrate can add some salt to you guys. Why don't you give us a little more?"
The young catcher was only about fifteen or sixteen years old. He was always thrifty and said with a tearful tone: "Master, aren't you afraid that there are so many people and you won't be able to eat enough if you hit the back!"
Yang Xiu was not worried at all. He took a big spoonful from the bucket and poured it into Wu Laoliu's bowl. He said to the young catcher: "It's none of your business. Just take care of it and give them the amount I gave them." .”
With such thick refined grain porridge to drink, this group of people was actually satisfied. Unexpectedly, the county magistrate actually arranged for everyone to have pickled mustard containing oil and salt.
Looking at the white porridge covered in red and shiny mustard in his hand, Wu Laoliu felt in a daze that none of this was real.
Yang Xiu handed the spoon back to the young catcher, and then shouted to Wu Laoliu who was in a daze: "Why are you still standing here? There are so many people waiting for food behind you, just stand aside!"
Wu Laoliu stood aside involuntarily and began to drink porridge in a daze.
More and more people who had repaired the city wall in the morning had prepared their porridge and mustard. Soon, more than two hundred corvees and the police officers from the yamen were given rich and sweet white porridge and mustard.
It's just that these people couldn't help but shed tears while drinking, and some even started to cry.
The reason why these people were crying was simply because they had never tasted such delicious porridge or eaten such delicious pickled mustard. They were crying with tears of gratitude.
Zhou Yi, who was drinking porridge in the shade, found their cries disturbing and thought they were not full.
The impatient Zhou Yi stood up and shouted: "If you are not full, you can put it in the pot again and cry like a baby."
"People who don't know would think that your county magistrate doesn't give you food to eat!"
All the corvees present froze in place and stopped crying when they heard the "rebuke" of the county magistrate Zhou Yi.
"Zhang San, just now the county magistrate said that if one bowl of porridge is not enough, you can continue to add more, right?"
Zhang San, who was sitting next to Li Si, nodded blankly: "I think I heard it too!"
"We haven't woken up today, right? A bowl of such delicious porridge is a luxury, and the county magistrate actually said he can add more if it's not enough?"
Li Si also said in a daze: "Yeah, I feel like I'm dreaming too. Why don't you pinch me and let me see if it hurts."
Zhang San rolled his eyes at Li Si and said, "I only have one hand left, and this hand has to hold the rice bowl filled with porridge."
"You don't know how to put down the bowl and pinch me again!"
Zhang San was reluctant to put down the white porridge and pickled mustard in his hands, so he thought of a way and kicked Li Si on the butt.
This kick made Li Si fall to pieces.
Although he almost fell down, Li Si still firmly protected the porridge in the bowl and did not let it spill even a drop.
You must know that during the period of Chen Guo's corvée service, although the official officials were also in charge of the food, the food they ate was rice bran, rotten vegetable leaves, Guanyin soil, sand and gravel, mixed together in a pot and stewed in random ways.
Not to mention that it was difficult to swallow, even when making rice, only half a bowl was required. It’s unthinkable to ask for a refill and another bowl.
A famous corvee who was still not full after finishing the porridge had the courage to walk up to Zhou Yi and bowed and asked: "Master, can I really continue to drink another bowl?"
Zhou Yi nodded lightly and said, "Go."
After confirming that the county magistrate's words were true, those who had finished the porridge immediately crowded around again, preparing to serve a second bowl.
Zhou Yi looked unhappy when he saw the rice porridge splashed everywhere by the crowd.
When the leader Qian Yong saw this, he immediately understood, so he stepped forward and whipped the chaotic crowd, and the group of looting corvees dispersed immediately.
Capt. Qian's actions almost made these corvees think that the county magistrate was going to renege on his promise and would no longer allow them to continue to add gruel.
But the next second Captain Qian's angry rebuke let them know that they had realized their mistake.
Qian Yong pointed at the bits of white porridge that had been robbed and dropped on the ground, and shouted angrily: "You rogues, it's not like the county magistrate won't let you eat, but you are still making such a fuss. If you want more porridge, you have to queue up for me. If you keep doing this, If you waste food, you won’t be able to drink it all!”
With the beaten man's lesson learned, the rest of the corvees who were about to refill their cups immediately started lining up in a long line to refill their porridge like docile lambs.
At the same time, they also began to despise those people who grabbed the porridge and caused the food to fall on the ground.
