Distant Mountain Battle Song

Chapter 135 Oil-splashed noodles are a profound principle

The wheat ground by the stone mill is not very white; it has a slight yellow tinge.

This kind of wheat flour tastes the best, although it still has a slightly rough texture, which is the perfect match for the wild way of eating oil-splashed noodles.

When the spicy herb is dried and crushed in a mortar and pestle, it turns brownish-yellow. When hot oil is poured over it, the areas that are heated will darken to a deep red, while the areas that are heated less will turn brown. When mixed with pale yellow wide noodles, bright green wild onions, and sour leafy greens with a yellowish tinge, it surpasses many other foods in terms of color.

However, that's still not enough. Crush the garlic root and extract its juice, then add it to the oil-splashed noodles to elevate the flavor even further.

As for the bright red and tender braised pork, cut into large slices and generously covering the oil-splashed noodles, only then can a bowl of appetizing oil-splashed noodles be officially formed.

When eating this kind of noodles, you should first mix the noodles well, and it's best to leave the tender braised meat at the bottom of the bowl so that it can quietly blend with the other ingredients and wait for a new complex flavor to emerge.

At this point, pick up a mouthful of oil-splashed noodles with your chopsticks, stuff it into your mouth while it's still hot, and after all the flavors have fully stimulated your taste buds, chew the noodles three times before swallowing them and putting them into your stomach.

When chewing noodles, it's best not to bite them off. Just chew the whole noodle until it's full of holes. This way, the first part of the noodle will be warm and comforting in your stomach, the various flavors in the middle will be stimulating your throat, and the noodles in your mouth will continue to stimulate your taste buds and make you salivate...

The first bite of oil-splashed noodles is the climax, and this climax will continue until the noodles in the bowl are finished. When you still want more, you can use your chopsticks to pick up a piece of braised meat, watch the meat slice covered in sauce trembling on the chopsticks, and swallow it in one bite. Press the meat slice with your tongue, and the fat will be crushed immediately. Then use your teeth to cut the skin and lean meat into pieces, and you can eat it.

When eating meat, you shouldn't eat too quickly, and you shouldn't eat too little meat. You need to eat at least three slices of meat, each about half the size of your palm and a fraction of an inch thick, in succession to give your body a different kind of satisfaction than noodles.

Finally, while the aftertaste of the noodles and braised meat is still lingering in your body, pour a bowl of hot noodle soup and then further process the various ingredients at the bottom of the bowl.

After letting it cool down a bit, he picked up the bowl and, like a whale sucking up water, drank all the noodle soup, then slammed the spotless bowl onto the table.

Only after a meal of oil-splashed noodles, with its touch of wildness and rugged Northwest style, is it truly considered finished.

Originally, after they finished eating the noodles and drinking the soup, they could continue working like oxen and horses. But Eji was kind and gave them a full incense stick's worth of digestion time. Once that time was up, they were sent back to work.

Yun Ce didn't mention the assassination attempt on the Grand Marshal, neither did E Ji, Feng An, or Liang Kun. Only Zhang Min spoke up, quietly analyzing the pros and cons with Yun Ce after dinner.

"Assassinations are common in Chang'an, so you don't need to worry about it. According to the records of Panxing Tower, in the first half of the year alone, 186 nobles of the rank of Daifu or above in Chang'an were assassinated. Among them, 27 families were wiped out. Oh, including the Ren family, which you did yourself."

Yun Ce gasped and said, "So, even someone like the Grand Marshal being assassinated is a common occurrence?"

Zhang Min shook her head and said, "Generally speaking, the higher a person's position and the less people are willing to assassinate them, because the backlash after an assassination is something that most people can't withstand. However, once an assassination attempt begins, it means that the other party is determined to fight them to the death."

Yun Ce said, "Politics shouldn't be like this. Politics should be a science of mutual compromise and concession, not a lose-lose situation."

Zhang Min sighed and said, "Everyone used to think the same way, but perhaps the compromise has been going on for too long, and many conflicts have accumulated to the point that it is no longer possible to reach a consensus through compromise."

Three hundred and five years ago, Jiang Yu, the then-renowned young master of the Jiang family, was riding his horse in Chang'an after drinking. As a result, he accidentally trampled and killed one of Han's servants. The Jiang family took the initiative to send someone to apologize, and Han accepted the apology.

As a result, ten days later, when the Jiang family was worshipping their ancestors at their old residence in Jimingyi, they were besieged by six hundred men in black. In just half a night, the entire Jiang family of one hundred and thirty-three, along with more than two hundred guards and servants, were all killed.

It is said that Han was responsible for this, and then Han was killed by several enemies who had old grudges against him.

From then on, even if the nobles offended someone, they never bothered to apologize in person. They lived with the mindset of, "If you can kill me, then come; if you can't, then just endure it."

Yun Ce looked at Zhang Min and asked, "Where is the Emperor?"

Zhang Min shook his head and said, "The emperor generally doesn't concern himself with the feuds between aristocratic families."

Yun Ce thought for a moment and said, "So you mean the emperor doesn't actually have the power to restrain the powerful families in Chang'an?"

Zhang Min laughed and said, "That's why Yu Heng dared to openly cuckold the emperor, and in the end, the emperor not only swallowed the bitter pill but also issued an edict to pardon Yu Heng."

"When did the emperors of the Han Dynasty cease to be emperors?" "Emperors have never been emperors. They were forcibly installed by Prince Huo, and later, when they became disobedient, Prince Huo killed three of them. Tell me, under such circumstances, how much prestige could an emperor have?"

Furthermore, the Yellow Emperor, who was expelled back then, was from the Xuanyuan clan. They made peace with the Guifang people, ultimately creating a powerful enemy for us. Therefore, neither the Yellow Emperor nor the Emperor was ever a very important figure in the hearts of the Han people.

Of course, this excludes the occasion of offering sacrifices to Heaven.

Yun Ce pondered for a long time before saying, "Then, what is the spirit of the Han Dynasty, the spiritual force that has enabled the Han Dynasty to maintain its unity for thousands of years?"

Zhang Min's eyes lit up, and without hesitation, she said, "Naturally, it's Tiewei Pass, and those fierce warriors inside who wear armor and wield weapons for the Han Dynasty."

It is because of them that the people of the Han Dynasty can live such a peaceful and joyful life. It is because of their fearless obstruction of the Gui Fang people, who are even more ferocious than evil spirits, that the Han Dynasty can exist.

In the Han Dynasty, every warrior's ultimate dream was to go to Iron Enclosure Pass to kill the Gui Fang people, and every scholar's ultimate dream was also to enter Iron Enclosure Pass, to offer advice and strategies to those fierce warriors, to prepare their armies, and to sing their praises.

The women of the Han Dynasty were proud of them, and the children of the Han Dynasty took them as their role models.

Yun Ce, on this trip north of the Great Wall, you will meet the best, most sincere, bravest, and kindest people of the Han Dynasty.

They are fundamentally different from those in China; you will definitely like them, and with your abilities, you will surely become one of them.

Yun Ce looked at Zhang Min's pretty face and suddenly smiled, patting her small hand and saying, "Do you still remember the Chang'an you told me about before?"
You said it was the most prosperous city in the world, and that it was the most beautiful and noble city in the world. But when I found out, it was just a luxuriously decorated pigsty.

Every fat pig there is so fat it's dripping with oil. Every fat pig there feeds on humans. They do no work, they are unworthy of their ancestors and the people who have placed them in high positions. They only know how to feed on human blood and take pleasure in torturing others.

Tell me, what's so good about Chang'an like this?

Zhang Min's pretty face turned pale at Yun Ce's words, and it took her a while to say, "What kind of place do you like?"

“Yuncheng!” Yun Ce said without hesitation.

"You mean the Cloud City you're about to build?"

"That's right. You'll see clearly when the time comes what a city is, and you'll also see clearly what kind of city it is."

From now on, anyone can enter Cloud City. As long as he abides by the rules of Cloud City, Cloud City will guarantee that he will be treated fairly. As long as he does not commit crimes, his family and property will always be safe. There, as long as you work, you will definitely get food. As long as he supports Cloud City, Cloud City will support him without hesitation.

In that city, there was no distinction between high and low, noble and lowly. If one had to categorize people into different classes, then those with high moral character would be the best, those who defend their country would be the best, those who act bravely for a just cause would be the best, those who sacrifice themselves for others would be the best, those who diligently educate others would be the best, those who work hard would be the best, and those who are kind and benevolent would be the best.

We do not judge people by their bloodline, nor by their wealth, nor by their power.

In this city, we judge people solely by right and wrong, and we determine status solely by contribution. An old farmer who can grow the best grain may not necessarily be an honored guest at a celebratory banquet, and a person of high position and power may not necessarily become the focus of attention in the public eye.

A beautiful woman is beautiful inside, not in her appearance; a wise woman is wise in her usefulness, not in her eloquence; and a brave woman is brave in the number of enemy heads she has amassed, not in her dazzling armor or fancy martial arts skills.

To be honest, Zhang Min, I came from the wilderness. I even spent some time with a herd of pigs. Even among pigs, there was no example of infighting. Even when pigs fought with bears, the mighty wild boars charged ahead, knowing to protect the pregnant sows and piglets. Even in the fiercest battles, their king, though heavily wounded, fought to the death.

Zhang Min, do you really think that your so-called "big men" are better than pigs?

Yun Ce's words shocked not only Zhang Min, but also E Ji, Feng An, and Liang Kun, who couldn't help but gather around and look at Yun Ce sitting in the middle with admiration.

With tears in her eyes, Eji pointed at Zhang Min and said, "That fierce pig king was killed by you on Fanzi Mountain, and then cut into pieces and eaten by the dogs."

Zhang Min was stunned by Eji's inexplicable accusation, then suddenly stood up, pointed at Yun Ce and roared, "I knew it, I knew it! In the end, you were the one who took the Dragon Pearl!"

(End of this chapter)