Chapter 10

Just can't stand the lack of frankness of the ancients at such times! Clearly, they are so happy they want to jump, yet they still say that their teaching is inadequate and that it makes people laugh, and they are even harsher than usual! After a while, Xia Hongsheng, while inwardly criticizing his teacher, and Xu Qixian, with their ears bright red, respectfully bowed to the group of teachers and then awkwardly stood to one side, making way for the few green stones. The old headmaster, not minding the small details, lifted his robe and sat down, and the other teachers also sat down on one side. Seeing that they did not leave but sat down instead, Xia Hongsheng's face turned grim—he had already seen the blue-clad servant who dared not come closer. From the looks of it, these people did not plan to leave for a while. They even set up tea utensils, clearly intending to enjoy the spring scenery of Luanzhou while drinking tea and chatting.

Xia Hongsheng quickly gave Xu Qixian a meaningful look. Xu Qixian understood Xia Hongsheng's intention and was about to speak, but the old headmaster raised his hand to stop him.

"Jingshi, you have truly surprised me greatly! First, there was the 'Three-Character Classic,' then those two poems, and now your views on the gentleman's conduct and the kitchen. It really leaves me puzzled. Could it be that you truly met a fairy on Laojun Mountain and were enlightened by them?" The old headmaster said to Xia Hongsheng with a smile. "The poem 'Grass grows and orioles fly in the second month of spring' is full of vitality, brimming with childlike fun and the spirit of spring. The word choice is exquisite, especially in the line 'Willows by the dike are drunk in the spring mist,' where the word 'drunk' brings the entire scene to life. It is complemented by the playful children, creating a balance of stillness and movement, and the language is simple and unadorned, a stark contrast to the overly ornate and empty poetry of today, hinting at a return to simplicity. The farewell poem, on the other hand, is meticulously structured, with a blend of formal and informal tones, shifting from the concrete to the abstract, and the line 'A true friend is never far, even if separated by a thousand miles' expresses deep friendship and the idea that mountains and rivers cannot separate true friends. The poem is well-structured, with a flowing rhythm and a broad perspective, making it a classic of farewell poetry."

"Master Yan, how did you come to know... My impromptu works are not worthy of such high praise, and I feel ashamed," Xia Hongsheng said, feeling genuinely ashamed because the two poems were not his own, and he felt uneasy about presenting them.

"We were originally planning to enjoy tea on this back mountain during the midday sun, but we unexpectedly witnessed the scene in the academy just now. If these two poems are truly your impromptu works, then we, as teachers, are truly ashamed. Your impromptu works are already so impressive, how much more so would your serious works be, surpassing even us?" One of the teachers laughed and explained, then added, "I can confidently say that within five years, this student's academic achievements will not be inferior to ours, a blessing for our academy!"

"Master, your praise is too high, I am truly humbled!" Xia Hongsheng quickly bowed.

"The discussion on the gentleman's conduct and the kitchen can be included in our academy's annotations, and your fellow students can also use it as a reference," the headmaster said. Xu Qixian and Xia Hongsheng's teachers were so excited that they were scratching their heads and ears, forgetting their usual decorum.

At this moment, Xia Hongsheng was not really listening. He and Xu Qixian were eager to leave, as the pressure from these old teachers was overwhelming. However, the teachers seemed to have no intention of letting them go. Another teacher said, "Today, hearing the discussion on the gentleman's conduct and the kitchen has broadened my horizons. The line 'A gentleman in the world should look upon the masses, embrace the world, establish the mind of heaven and earth, establish the destiny of the people, continue the lost learning of the sages, and open a peaceful era for future generations' truly expresses our aspirations and ideals. Alas, today we have tea but no wine, otherwise, just for this line, we would raise a cup!"

Saying this, he picked up the tea and drank it as if it were wine. The other teachers also chimed in, "Indeed, indeed."

"Yes, looking upon the masses, embracing the world, establishing the mind of heaven and earth, establishing the destiny of the people, continuing the lost learning of the sages, and opening a peaceful era for future generations... This is indeed our lifelong aspiration! I did not expect that a young boy would express it so clearly. Xia Hongsheng, though young, has a broad and noble heart!" The headmaster sighed, and for a moment, no one spoke. Xia Hongsheng could guess their emotions. Chinese ancient scholars had a simple and noble collective mission: to use their knowledge to create a well-governed society and benefit the people. However, these teachers, unable to serve the country, could only teach in the academy, leaving them with a sense of regret. After a while, the headmaster laughed and shook his head, saying, "Let's not be like this. Today, the sky is clear and the breeze gentle. Let's not waste this beautiful spring day. Come, I will personally make tea for all of you!"

Saying this, he started to make the tea himself. Xia Hongsheng watched with wide eyes as the headmaster put the tea leaves into a bowl, stirred them with a bamboo whisk, and then added salt, ginger, and some Sichuan pepper to the tea. Uh, is this still tea... This is clearly a salty soup!

Seeing Xia Hongsheng's shocked expression, the headmaster stroked his beard and smiled, asking, "Jingshi, why are you so surprised? Have you never seen anyone make tea before?"

"Actually, I haven't seen it done this way..." Xia Hongsheng was trying to recall the tea-making methods from his future life, so he said it without thinking.

"Huh! From your tone, it seems you think it's not done this way?" Xia Hongsheng's teacher took a sip of tea and said, "The method of making tea has three stages of boiling: the first boil, when the water forms fish-eye bubbles, is the time to add salt and pepper for flavor; the second boil, when the water bubbles like a string of pearls, is the time to stir the water with a bamboo whisk to ensure even temperature, and then add the tea leaves and stir to create a 'tea flower'; the third boil is when the tea is too old and should be quickly poured into cups."

Xia Hongsheng listened in amazement. This is not drinking tea, this is a waste of good tea! In his future life, he was a tea lover, not overly particular, but he knew that tea leaves needed to be pan-fried and then steeped in water, watching the leaves float and sink, enjoying the aroma, and savoring the taste.

Thinking about this, Xia Hongsheng suddenly clenched his teeth, took a step back, and bowed, saying, "Master Yan, I do know a method of pan-frying tea leaves. The tea made this way is indescribably wonderful. I boldly request some tea leaves from Master Yan, and I will process them with the pan-frying method and then present them to you!"

"Junior! How can you... If you want tea leaves, I have plenty at home! You..." Xu Qixian immediately became anxious, hurriedly trying to explain to the headmaster, but was stopped by the headmaster's wave.

"Hmm? Your words have piqued my interest. I have never heard of the pan-frying method... However, these tea leaves are not easy to come by; they were given to me by a friend in Chang'an. How about we make a deal?"

"Deal? Please, Master Yan, enlighten me!" Xia Hongsheng smiled inwardly, thinking, "This old gentleman is quite interesting, not at all like the pedantic scholars I imagined."

"Yes, I heard that there is a dish called Beggar's Chicken, which is highly praised. If you can satisfy my curiosity, the tea leaves will be no problem." The headmaster looked at Xia Hongsheng with a smile.

"Ha ha, I see! Master Yan, rest assured, I will make sure all the teachers are satisfied. This deal will be worth it for you." Xia Hongsheng was amused by the curious old man and forgot about the hierarchy, laughing heartily. He then turned and called into the forest, "Little Brother Liu, don't hide anymore, bring the things over!"

The blue-clad servant, who had been hiding, couldn't stand it anymore and hurriedly ran over, handing Xia Hongsheng a few small cloth bags. The big rooster had already been plucked and cleaned.

Xia Hongsheng looked around and then bowed to his teacher, saying, "Master, I boldly request that this little brother fetch a lotus leaf from your room. It is essential, and without it, the flavor will be greatly reduced."

"The more curious I become. Go fetch the lotus leaf!" The teacher watched Xia Hongsheng curiously and waved his hand. The blue-clad servant, who was familiar with the academy, quickly ran off to fetch the lotus leaf.

Xia Hongsheng looked at the seasonings: cassia bark, tangerine peel, star anise, cardamom, Sichuan pepper... Many of these were not yet used in cooking but were widely used in traditional Chinese medicine. Among the spices, there were some he didn't need, but he had the servant buy them all to save some for home and to confuse others. Beggar's Chicken, hehe, an exclusive recipe, and he planned to give it to his sister-in-law to sell for money. This was a business opportunity! Scallion oil pancakes, fine salt, fans, tea... Oh, the Tang Dynasty is full of business opportunities!

"Hehe, as the saying goes, 'Food should not be overly refined, and meat should not be overly finely cut.' Ordinary food cannot satisfy the eye. The roasted whole lamb from the Western Regions and the grilled meat from the Arabs are coarse foods. How can foreigners understand the exquisite cuisine of our great nation? Not to mention, there are dozens of ways to cook chicken, such as frying, roasting, stewing, boiling, and deep-frying. Even with just a ball of mud and a few lotus leaves, I can make a delicious Beggar's Chicken. I'm not boasting, but even the pork that people look down upon and consider dirty can be turned into dozens of exquisite dishes in my hands!" Xia Hongsheng, while rubbing the crushed seasonings onto the chicken, couldn't help but talk a lot. He felt like he was back with a group of friends on a camping trip, and he relaxed his guard, talking and cooking at the same time. His modern egalitarian mindset and the independence of an adult were evident, and even when speaking to the academy teachers, he treated them as equals. This made the teachers feel that he had a broad and noble heart, and they were influenced by him, feeling younger and more curious. They watched how he prepared the chicken and sniffed the seasonings, forgetting their usual formality.

Xia Hongsheng wrapped the chicken, which had been coated and stuffed with seasonings, in lotus leaves, and then had the servant mix yellow mud to cover it and bury it in the ground. He then started a fire on the mound of earth.

"Please wait a moment, the Beggar's Chicken will be ready soon." Xia Hongsheng sat by the fire and smiled at everyone.