Fox Road Travel Notes

Hunan cuisine has a long history, originating from the Chu State, the southern overlord during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period.

Because the culture and customs are very different from those of other countries in the Central Plains.

Therefore, in this land, cooking techniques and eating habits with very regional characteristics have gradually formed.

Wang Heming was born in Chu, and the Xi family he pretended to be this time was from a prominent family in Chu.

Therefore, today’s meal is arranged with the flavor of Chu—Hunan cuisine.

Yesterday, Chen Zican had specially confessed that Wang Heming was particularly interested in this dish.

Not only did he specially invite the most famous Hunan chef in Handan, but he also confirmed the dishes one by one with him.

Each dish is personally instructed to ensure perfection.

Farewell My Concubine, Zuan Shark's Fin, Yongzhou Blood Duck, Three-layer Chicken, Fish Head with Chopped Pepper, Dong'an Chicken, Stir-fried Scalloped Beef...

Each dish is carefully selected and made with the finest ingredients, and the fresh, tender and fragrant dishes are brought to the table, making Chen Zican twitch his fingers.

During the banquet, everyone was talking loudly, guessing and giving orders, and most of them were Wang Heming who was in charge of socializing.

He is well-read and talented, and has experienced great changes in his family and country.

When dealing with others, you have a kind of calm and happy temperament. It couldn't be easier to deal with such small scenes.

Monk Tong wears a green robe and a hat, pretending to be a housekeeper, standing at the door, ready to respond to summons.

After three rounds of drinking, Chen Zican, who was sitting at the bottom, always seemed a little absent-minded.

Apart from chatting casually with his neighbors, he often turned his head to look at the painting hanging on the wall in the nave.

Zhongxian Cheng, who was sitting next to him, had met him twice and knew that Mr. Xi Xiuyu, although not as talented and learned as his brother Nai, was the only son of Kang Hou, the chairman of the Xi family.

He has more say in disaster relief than his literary and elegant cousin, Xi Xiuxian.

So he struck up a conversation and said, "I met Master Xi Yashan the day before yesterday and had a pleasant conversation. Why do you seem to have something else on your mind today?"

Chen Zican was stunned for a moment, then raised his glass to apologize to everyone.

"I am young and can't hide things in my heart, but it makes everyone laugh."

Zhongxian Cheng stood up, toasted him with a glass of wine, and asked him what was on his mind.

Chen Zican sighed and said, "Brother, I am worried about Mr. Zhou!"

"I saw the clouds were gathering yesterday and thought it would rain heavily today, but it turned out..."

"Alas, people are dying of hunger all over the land. Relieving disasters is like putting out fires. If the drought continues like this, it will be difficult for Sima Jin to speak in the court..."

When everyone heard this, they all felt that the enthusiasm of this young master was out of place during the banquet, and they were silent for a while.

Wang Heming also turned his head and glanced at the painting, raised the corners of his mouth, and shook his head slightly.

He stood up and said with a smile: "My fifth brother is quite like the ancients and is very concerned about his friends' affairs."

"I heard from the maid that he opened the window and saw the moon in the middle of the night, and he sighed for half the night."

"God's will is unpredictable. If it doesn't rain, there is nothing we can do."

"But everyone here is the land god of Handan."

"If you do your best, you may not be able to turn things around. Jin Shangshu also has a bright face."

"Come, let me toast you all. Your kindness in helping us today will not only be forgotten by Master Zhou, but also by my Xi family!"

However, Zhongxian Cheng noticed the strange behavior of the Xi brothers, walked to the painting hanging in the middle hall, and looked up.

What I saw in the painting was a thousand-mile mist, half a bright moon, green mountains in the distance, and a Taoist man standing proudly in the wind on a lonely boat.

He carried a bamboo hat on his back, exposing the hilt of his sword.

After just one glance, Zhong Xiancheng couldn't help but exclaimed: "What a painting!"

"The brushwork is majestic and the bones are noble. It has the charm of the Tang Dynasty, but it is also rich in the Song Dynasty!"

"Master Xi, the style of this painting is high and varied, and it seems to be beyond the reach of today's people. I wonder which famous artist it is from?..."

Everyone saw that the Xi family brothers' expressions changed slightly at the same time, and they looked at each other.

Wang Heming forced a smile and said: "Although this "Dongting Feidu Picture" is a few years old, it is just ordinary. Mr. Zhong has over-praised it..."

Chen Zican rushed to say: "Come on, please have another drink, and then we will move to the study room."

"Wouldn't it be nice to first appreciate a few ancient paintings that will be used for disaster relief, then drink in the style of famous people, and then have a few drinks?"

It doesn't matter to others, but Sun Shangshu and Liu Jinshi are both cunning and deceitful figures who have gotten old in the world.

As soon as Chen Zican looked around him, he knew that this painting must be unusual for the Xi family.

The two of them left the table and walked to Zhong Xian Cheng. They only glanced at each other and blurted out at the same time: "Okay!"

After hearing this, everyone stood up one after another and gathered around the painting to comment.

Some say that the characters are vivid and charming, and the clothes are like flying. Some say that the waves are shining like thousands of hectares, and the ink is so sophisticated...

Liu Jinshi frowned, stood on tiptoes, and carefully identified the lines of inscription in the upper right corner.

He murmured in his mouth: "Returning to Haishan Mountain after the banquet, the moon is floating in the dew and bathing in the golden elixir. In the deep of night, the crane shines through the blue sky of autumn, and the west wind from thousands of miles away is cold. Replied..."

Sun Shangshu also wanted to see who painted this painting, but his old eyes were dim and he could not see clearly.

Hearing Liu Jinshi read "Hui Taoist", he suddenly exclaimed: "Hui... Lu Zu?"

"How can this be?"

Liu Jinshi also shook his head and said: "There are quite a few poems handed down by Lu Zu, but this painting -"

"I'm sorry for my lack of knowledge, but have you seen any of them?"

Everyone shook their heads.

Lu Dongbin?

Could it be that this painting is a self-portrait of a god?

What a joke!

Everyone was full of praise for this painting, but now they felt quite embarrassed.

I wonder if some madman from the previous dynasty took Lu Zu's name in vain. Could it be Tang Yin? Or Zhang Ling? But calligraphy doesn’t seem like...

Sun Shangshu shook his head, feeling quite disappointed.

The Xi family is just like this, they are all fake. No matter how good their writing is, it would not be a shame to hang it out.

Seeing that everyone was seated again and no one mentioned the painting in the middle hall, the Xi family brothers were very relieved.

After a few more drinks and seeing that it was already afternoon, they all went to the study to look at famous paintings.

Before Chen Zican stood up, he winked at Tong Monk. Tong Monk understood and nodded.

In the study, everyone was full of praise for several fake ancient paintings made by Wang Heming.

Soon, the six paintings were finalized one by one.

Even the county magistrate of Zhou gritted his teeth and bought Han Gan's painting of "Horse in Changzhou".

Six paintings, a total of thirty-four thousand taels of silver were raised.

"Xi Xiuxian" Mr. Xi immediately announced that the silver price of these paintings could be paid off with food.

Everyone was overjoyed again.

Thousands of taels of silver, although it's not a big deal, it still hurts to spend it.

As for food, every warehouse has plenty of it.

For them, the food cannot be eaten or used up. What is the difference between it and dung?

Everyone was happy now, and the Xi brothers led everyone back to the hall again and asked people to serve food and wine again.

Xi Xiuxian said that in order to thank all the squires for their generous donations, they must drink to their heart's content today and never return home until they are drunk.

Everyone humbly bowed to each other and took their seats. When "Xi Xiuxian" took his seat, he pretended not to care and glanced at the "Dongting Feidu Picture" in the auditorium, with a look of surprise on his face.

When "Xi Xiuyu" saw this, he also glanced sideways and couldn't help but jump up.

He laughed loudly and said: "All the land gods came to my humble home to help with disaster relief. This kind deed really moved God!"

"It's raining outside, it's raining..."

Everyone was stunned. It was cloudless when they arrived. The doors and windows in the hall were tightly closed, and they couldn't see outside at all. How did he know it was raining?

Magistrate Zhou was the most excited. He pushed his chair away and opened the door in three steps at a time.

He was suddenly startled and laughed loudly: "It's raining!"

"Oh my god, it's really raining!"