Great Song Dynasty Writer

Chapter 282 Farewell to the Old Year

On the way back, Jia An was obviously tired, and his steps were a little slow, but he still held the sticky candy that he had licked down to only half of, and licked it from time to time.

As I approached my doorstep, the noise faded into the distance, and the chill of the winter night enveloped me once more.

Jia An suddenly stopped and looked up at Lu Beigu with her small face.

"Uncle."

"Ok?"

"That's great." Jia An's voice was full of satisfaction. "It's more fun than going out with Mom to buy beans. It's also better than when Dad comes back and he carries me up high."

The little guy is still young and has never been to school. He was getting sleepy and his speech became incoherent.

However, Lu Beigu still understood what he meant.

For a child who lacks a father's love, the height at which someone once rode on his shoulders became a precious experience in his heart.

He squatted down, looked Jia An straight in the eye, and said gently, "When your uncle has time in the future, he will take you out to play and see higher places, okay?"

Jia An nodded vigorously, her lips curving into a wide, candy-stained smile. Then she stretched out her free little hand and tightly grasped one of Lu Beigu's fingers.

"Yeah! Pinky promise!"

Lu Beigu smiled and extended his little finger, hooking it around that small, cold finger.

"Hook."

Inside the house, Lu Nanzhi was looking out.

Seeing her son return safe and sound, his face still beaming with excitement, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's good that you're back. Come in quickly. The mutton stew is so tender and smells delicious."

When it got completely dark.

"Squeak-"

The door was pushed open, and an even stronger chill swept in, carrying a burly figure inside.

Jia Yan was not wearing his official uniform today. He was wearing a nearly new dark blue narrow-sleeved robe, a worn rhinoceros belt around his waist, and thick-soled leather boots.

He was carrying an oil paper package in his hand.

"You're back?" Lu Nanzhi peeked out from behind the stove. "You must be freezing!"

"Fortunately."

Jia Yan put down his things, rubbed his hands which were red from the cold, and then breathed on them forcefully.

Lu Beigu had just finished washing his hands when he came out of the inner room and said, "Brother-in-law!"

"Bei Gu has arrived."

As Jia Yan greeted them, he unwrapped the oil paper package, revealing several golden-brown, steaming hot oven-baked flatbreads that exuded a fragrant aroma.

"I passed by Cao's shop and saw some freshly baked bread. I'll give it to An'er to eat."

Jia An cheered and grabbed a piece to eat.

Jia Yan's gaze, however, fell on the wine jar that Lu Beigu had placed on the table.

"This is?"

"Oh, it's wine I brought for my brother-in-law."

Jia Yan picked up the wine jar, which was made entirely of red pottery and had its mouth sealed tightly with mud.

Jia Yan was a skilled archer, a true master archer, so his eyesight was excellent. He spotted the small but clear vermilion mark "Neijiufang Fenuojiu" on the seal clay with just one glance!
This is a fine wine from the imperial winery, far superior to the mediocre wines of the marketplace. It's not even a question of whether it's valuable or not; it's simply not available on the market.

"This is imperial wine!"

Jia Yan looked at Lu Beigu and asked, somewhat puzzled, "Beigu, where did you get this?"

"I was studying at the Song family mansion a while ago. In return, the gifts from the Song family mansion were either some Sichuan food made by my elder sister or New Year's gifts."

"Prime Minister Song? Is that Song Xiang?"

Jia Yan was, after all, a military officer, and he had heard of the officials in the government.

"Exactly."

These words immediately made his sister and brother-in-law look at Lu Beigu with new respect.

Under his sister's persistent questioning, Lu Beigu briefly recounted how he met Song Qi in Jiangling Prefecture and received a recommendation, without saying anything else.

Lu Nanzhi carefully picked up the wine jar, her fingertips tracing its cool surface, her face beaming with even more joy: "This is truly a fine product!"

"Why don't you stop drinking it? You might as well keep it and give it away to someone else, Bei Gu, in case it's a waste."

Lu Beigu shook his head and said, "Isn't wine just for drinking? It's the New Year, let's drink!"

"Brother-in-law is afraid you don't know how precious this wine is."

Jia Yan explained, “There are only two places in the Forbidden City where wine is brewed: the Imperial Wine Storehouse and the Inner Wine Workshop. The Imperial Wine Storehouse produces three grades of wine for the Emperor, for sacrificial rites, and for regular consumption. The Inner Wine Workshop produces three grades of wine: glutinous rice wine, rice wine, and regular cooking wine. The wine from the Imperial Wine Storehouse is used for sacrifices, while only the wine from the Inner Wine Workshop is for drinking. This 'glutinous rice wine' is usually reserved for the Emperor and is given to important officials by the Emperor. As for the rice wine and regular cooking wine, I heard that the Imperial Guards in the palace have the opportunity to be rewarded and taste them.”

"It's alright, brother-in-law, drink up."

Seeing that Lu Beigu was determined, Jia Yan no longer refused.

After all, he was a soldier who loved drinking, and he couldn't afford to drink such a fine wine as Fano wine.

As dusk fell, the oil lamp inside the house was lit, casting a dim, yellowish glow over the small dining table.

The New Year's Eve dinner was quite lavish, considering it's only once a year.

A large bowl of radish and mutton soup is the main dish. In the milky white and thick soup, tender and boneless mutton chunks and almost transparent stewed radish chunks float on the surface, with specks of golden mutton fat on the surface and bright green scallions sprinkled among them.

Then came three hot meat dishes: steamed Yellow River carp, scallion-braised rabbit, and skewered vegetables.

The large carp looks the most impressive, with its body, over a foot long, lying on a large celadon plate. The scales have been removed, and its belly is stuffed with ginger slices and scallion segments. However, carp is not a perch after all, so this method is actually a bit rough, and it can be greasy if you eat too much of it.

Lu Beigu was quite surprised by the scallion-stirred rabbit. This dish is made by chopping wild rabbit into pieces, marinating it in sauce, and then pouring boiling oil over it until cooked. It is the last dish to be served, so the surface of the brownish-red rabbit meat is slightly charred and glistening with oil, while the inside is tender and juicy. A large amount of scallion segments are stimulated by the hot oil to release a rich and spicy aroma, which is salty and fragrant and whets the appetite.

As for the skewered vegetables, they are mainly for children. The method is to mix finely minced chicken with crunchy water chestnut cubes and minced ginger, then carefully roll them into strips with blanched vegetables, steam them, and then cut them into sections.

In addition, there is a hot vegetarian dish, the famous "Stir-fried Gold and Jade".

Of course, the essence of this dish is not as elegant as its name suggests. It is actually just pan-fried tofu and boiled greens. The method is to pan-fry thick slices of firm tofu until golden brown on both sides, forming a crispy and chewy "golden coat", and then boil it with tender green cabbage. The golden tofu pieces and jade-like greens float in the clear soup, and the aroma of beans, oil and the sweetness of vegetables blend into the soup. It is a rice soup that stimulates the appetite.

There were also quite a few cold dishes, with the first ones served being a combination of aspic and preserved meat.

The aspic was probably made from pork. The amber-colored, translucent gelatinous substance was served on a plate, sliced ​​as thin as cicada wings, revealing the tiny pieces of meat and tendons embedded inside. It was perfect for pairing with alcohol.

The "double-flavor preserved meat" dish consists of half preserved pork and half preserved fish. The preserved fish is made from grass carp, with a deep red and glossy surface, firm and fibrous flesh, and a unique sheen and salt frost on the surface after air drying.

The last thing Lu Nanzhi specially served was a snack she had carefully prepared a few days ago—several plates of golden and crispy fried dough sticks, which are small snacks made by fermenting rice flour or wheat flour and then deep-frying them. They are shaped like small cakes and coated with dense white sesame seeds. One bite fills your mouth with fragrance. There was also a small dish of spicy mustard greens, which are pickled mustard green strips made with dogwood, ginger, salt and other ingredients. They are bright red and tempting, and have a sour and spicy flavor that whets the appetite.

"Have a taste."

Lu Nanzhi looked at Jia Yan and Lu Beigu with a mixture of nervousness and anticipation. She only spent this much time and effort on these few days throughout the year.

Jia Yan had long been itching to get his hands on that jar of "Neijiufang Fenuo Wine," and now, smelling the aroma of the food, his stomach rumbled even more.

He rubbed his hands together and looked at Lu Beigu first: "Beigu, shall we... start?"

“Open!” Lu Beigu nodded with a smile, his tone decisive.

Excitement flashed in Jia Yan's eyes. He carefully carried the wine jar to the table, then took out a small hand knife from his waist and used the tip of the knife to carefully pry open the mud seal around the mouth of the jar, bit by bit.

With a soft "pop," the mud seal was completely removed, and an extremely mellow, clear aroma of wine, with a unique sweet and glutinous rice flavor, instantly filled the air, momentarily suppressing the rich aroma of the dishes on the table.

"Wow!" Jia Yan couldn't help but take a deep breath, his face full of rapture. "Fine wine! Just from the aroma, you can tell it's extraordinary!"

He picked up the two cleanest rough porcelain bowls from the table—these were the best wine vessels in the house.

He first solemnly picked up the wine jar, carefully tilted it, and the amber-colored, almost transparent, clear wine gushed out, gleaming enticingly under the dim light of the oil lamp. The wine poured into the bowl without producing a single cloud.

Jia Yan carefully controlled the amount of wine poured, giving Lu Beigu and himself only about half a bowl each before immediately sealing the jar, afraid that the wine would escape.

"My wife, you've worked hard, why don't you have a little bite?" Jia Yan looked at Lu Nanzhi.

Lu Nanzhi quickly waved her hand and laughed, "I can't handle this expensive stuff, you two brothers drink it."

She picked up a piece of skewered vegetable for Jia An and then scooped a spoonful of radish and mutton soup into his bowl.

Jia Yan then picked up the bowl and said to Lu Beigu, "Beigu, thank you so much for this generous gift! I really don't know what to say. This wine is far too precious!"

His voice carried an almost pious excitement, indicating he was truly a wine lover.

"Brother-in-law, you flatter me. After being separated for many years, we are finally reunited. This is the time when it should be put to good use."

Lu Beigu also picked up his bowl, and the two gently clinked it together.

Jia Yan first took a small sip, closed his eyes to savor it, his throat bobbing, his face showing extreme enjoyment. After a long while, he let out a long sigh: "Good! Really good! Clear, crisp, mellow, rich, and with a long-lasting sweet aftertaste. It's a hundred times better than the turbid wine we get in the army! No, a thousand times, ten thousand times better! This is truly good wine!"

He sighed, then couldn't resist taking a small sip before putting down his bowl and picking up his chopsticks.

Seeing her husband so satisfied, Lu Nanzhi beamed with joy and urged, "Eat up, eat up, while it's hot!"

Jia An had already eaten most of a baked flatbread, and then set his sights on the scallion-fried rabbit. He clumsily picked up a piece with his little hands, his mouth watering at the rich aroma of scallion oil.

Lu Beigu was very interested in the "Boiled Gold and Jade" dish. He picked up a piece of golden fried tofu, and sure enough, the outer skin was slightly chewy, and the inside was full of the sweet soup of cabbage. It was very fragrant with bean flavor and refreshing.

Jia Yan took a bite of the aspic, which was cool and chewy. Paired with the refreshing taste of the imperial wine, the flavor was exquisite. He then picked up a large piece of scallion-braised rabbit and ate with gusto, becoming more talkative.

He picked up the bowl with a solemn expression: "Today is New Year's Eve, a time for family reunion. Bei Gu has already become the top scholar in the provincial examination. If he passes the imperial examination in the future, that would be truly remarkable! I wish Bei Gu success in the provincial examination of the Ministry of Rites, and I further wish for peace and prosperity for your family in the coming year! Cheers!"

"Cheers!" Lu Beigu put down his chopsticks, picked up his wine bowl, and agreed.

After a few drinks, the atmosphere became even more harmonious.

Jia An was actually full after only a few bites, and ran to the side to start fiddling with the little clay figurines that Lu Beigu had bought for him.

Lu Beigu and Jia Yan sat facing each other, their faces illuminated by the firelight in the charcoal brazier.

“Bei Gu, this Prime Minister Song is a great man who has served as prime minister twice and privy councilor twice. You have gained his favor and were even given this imperial wine. Don’t you think there is a deeper meaning behind this?”

Lu Beigu was both amused and exasperated. There was nothing he could do; even modern people instinctively felt this way about many powerful figures.

But in reality, everyone is human. It's true that some people hold high positions and great power, but we still need to demystify them, right?
"It doesn't have any special meaning; it's just a return gift."

Lu Beigu changed the subject, saying, "By the way, brother-in-law, which military unit are you serving in now?"

"Sigh, let's make him a captain in the Japanese army."

The military system of the Song Dynasty was inherited from the Later Zhou Dynasty, and the most elite troops in the Song Dynasty's Imperial Guard were the so-called "Upper Four Armies", namely the Pengri, Tianwu, Longwei, and Shenwei Armies.

These troops were the true strategic reserves of the Song Dynasty, unlike the mediocre Imperial Guards. They were not only capable of undertaking field missions as mobile corps, but each unit was also a meritorious force with a distinguished history in its military designation.

For example, the Peng Japanese Army was originally a Liang army unit that surrendered when Liang and Jin were facing off against each other across the river.

Kang Yanxiao, the Right Vanguard Commander of the Liang army who had fled to Bianliang from Hedong, led a hundred cavalrymen to surrender and revealed the details of the Liang army. Emperor Zhuangzong immediately took off his precious belt and bestowed it upon Kang Yanxiao. He then formed the Pengri Army based on Kang Yanxiao's troops and put it in charge of guarding Bianliang.

During the Song Dynasty, the Pengri Army was directly under the jurisdiction of the Palace Guard Commandery, which comprised 35 battalions, 34 of which were in Kaifeng and one in Zhengzhou.

A battalion-level unit has 500 men, and it is divided into five "du" (commanders), each with 100 men, and is under the command of a "dutou" (commander-in-chief).

Below the captain are ten generals, generals of the guard, officers of the bureau, and other junior officers.

"It's incredible."

Lu Beigu said very seriously.

Although military men in the Song Dynasty did not have much status, Jia Yan was able to become a captain in the "Upper Four Armies" by the age of thirty, which shows that his martial arts skills and ability to command troops were undoubtedly excellent.

"It sounds impressive, but the Imperial Guards have their share of troubles."

Jia Yan, emboldened by the alcohol, said, "The higher-ups are embezzling rations and rewards, exploiting us at every level. Let alone what ends up in the hands of ordinary soldiers, how much of it actually reaches us captains?"

He sighed, his tone tinged with helplessness: "We're caught in the middle, responsible to our superiors while also trying to appease our subordinates. It's tough! Sometimes, even when we know something is wrong, we can only turn a blind eye."

The Northern Song Dynasty suffered from a serious problem of "redundant soldiers" and huge military expenditures, but the treatment of rank-and-file soldiers was often not guaranteed, leading to lax military discipline and a decline in combat effectiveness.

Even the Japanese army, one of the most elite forces in the Song Dynasty, exhibited this phenomenon. However, their equipment, training, and provisions were far superior to those of other imperial guards, allowing them to maintain a certain level of combat effectiveness.

Lu Beigu took a sip of wine, put down his bowl, and said, "The most important matters of the state are sacrifice and war. Soldiers are the claws and teeth of the state. If the claws and teeth are not strong, then troubles will arise."

"It's New Year's Eve today, let's not talk about these troublesome things!"

"Come on, have another drink!"

Jia Yan clinked his bowl against Lu Beigu's heavily, then tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp.

The wine was excellent, and the two of them quickly became quite drunk.

Outside, the drumbeats of the Nuo opera became more frequent, and occasionally the shouts of "Nuo! Nuo!" from the exorcists could be heard, as if they wanted to drive away all the evil spirits of the old year.

When Lu Beigu was in high spirits, he picked up his brush and composed a poem on the spot, using the rhyme scheme of the fourteenth rhyme group of the Shangping school. Then he threw down his brush and drank wine.

At midnight, far away in the direction of the imperial city, the first wave of New Year's fireworks shot into the night sky with a "whoosh" and exploded with a "bang," their brilliant light briefly illuminating the window frames.

The momentous second year of the Jiayou era quietly began with the tolling of the midnight bell.

After they finished staying up all night on New Year's Eve and went back to their rooms to sleep, Lu Nanzhi was in charge of clearing away the tables, chairs, and dishes. She picked up a piece of paper and carefully looked at the poem her younger brother had written.

Farewell to the Year

Fleeting clouds drift by as the year draws to a close; the winter snow seals the door, its frozen state still lingering.

The spring platter on the table still retains its green hue; the fur coat and sable fur are worn out, and the wine is almost gone.

The world of martial arts is not afraid of the early frost and snow; the lamplight is especially suitable for watching the sword under the sword.

Tomorrow, a clear blue sky will surely reveal a path; the Milky Way, hanging upside down, will cleanse the world of its grime!

(End of this chapter)