Kingdom of Heaven and Han

Chapter 286 So You Are an Official
The servant took the dumplings from the plate, put a plate and a bowl of soup in front of everyone.He said: "When the dumplings are served, the dishes will also be served immediately. What kind of wine do you guys want to drink? The shop has both Jinsha Spring from Yicheng and white wine from this county."

"Baijiu! Want baijiu!" Zhang Yan shouted hastily.This shop is much bigger and cleaner than the noodle shop during the day.Zhang Chi not only ordered dumplings, but also ordered several dishes. Zhang Yan really felt sorry for the money he spent.

The boy agreed and walked quickly.

Chen Qing swallowed.Said: "Alright. We've been tired from walking for the past two days. We drank two glasses of white wine and slept soundly at night."

Not long after, the servant brought another plate of chicken feet, a plate of pig ears, a plate of lotus root slices, and a plate of mixed preserved eggs.Said: "The cold dishes are all served, everyone please take your time. The hot dishes will be served soon."

Zhang Yan said again and again: "I heard people say that there are fillings in these dumplings, which are equivalent to dishes. Why do you need to order so many dishes?"

Zhang Chi said: "You have come from a long way, and the journey is hard, so naturally you should eat better. There are garrisons around Xinye, soldiers. They don't pay attention to food, so the dishes here are not refined. When the wine is served, let's drink two glasses and have breakfast Rest."

Chen Qing nodded again and again: "Okay, okay, very good! Don't be afraid of my nephew's jokes, I have lived for decades, and this is the first time I have eaten such a hearty meal!"

While talking, he looked at the dumplings on the plate and the dishes on the table.

The boy brought the wine.Said: "This is last year's old wine, not as strong as this year's wine. Use it slowly, everyone."

When the servant left, Zhang Chi poured wine for his father and Chen Qing.Said: "The white wine is too strong, Miss Chen should not drink it."

Ding Niang hastily said in a low voice: "I don't drink alcohol."

Zhang Chi nodded and smiled at Dingniang.Raising the wine glass, he said: "You have come from a long way, drink a glass of wine to relieve fatigue."

After speaking, he raised his glass and drank it.

Chen Qing drank the wine, smacked his lips, and said, "This wine is a bit strong. We also sell baijiu in the countryside, it's not like this."

Zhang Yan said: "All wine sellers in the countryside have to add water! Of course, this kind of shop sells real wine!"

Zhang Chi smiled.Said: "The dumplings don't taste good when they're cold. Let's chat while eating. There are two hot dishes, and they'll be served right away."

Chen Qing has long wanted to taste the taste of dumplings.After hearing this, he picked up the chopsticks and put one in his mouth.Bite hard, can't help grinning.After swallowing a few mouthfuls, he said: "Oh, this dumpling looks cold, but I didn't expect it to be so hot inside!"

Zhang Chi said: "The stuffed ones won't be cold for a while. When you eat it, you can bite it open first, so it won't be so hot."

After taking a few mouthfuls, Chen Qing said: "This dumpling is delicious! Compared with wonton, the filling is bigger and the taste is also good! In my opinion, such a large plate is enough to fill you up. My nephew, I don't know how much the dumplings are worth compared to their face value ?”

Zhang Chi said: "Dumplings contain meat, so they are more expensive than noodles."

Chen Qing nodded again and again: "I think so. I eat this dumpling, which is full of meat. Why is it not expensive?"

In the countryside, there are no butchers selling meat except during the market.If you want to eat meat, you often have to wait until the New Year's Eve and other major festivals, when several families join together to kill pigs.Most of their tastes will feel that pork is extremely delicious.This kind of dumpling filled with pure meat is naturally a delicacy in the world.

Dingniang ate the dumplings, and peeked at Zhang Chi from time to time, feeling a sweet feeling in her heart, but she couldn't explain it clearly.Judging by his appearance, he is still satisfied with himself, maybe this is the man he wants to live with in his life.

Chicken feet and pig ears are not expensive.In this era, they are all leftovers, and not many people eat them.Xinye is different here. The main customers are soldiers, who like to drink, so naturally they also like these snacks.

After eating for a while, hot dishes came out.One is a big bowl of braised pork with preserved vegetables, and the other is stewed chicken with chestnuts.The taste goes with rice, and the quantity is large.

Looking at the food on the table, Zhang Yan only felt his heart tremble.Even if Erlang fell in love with Dingniang, he didn't have to pay such a big capital.This place sells dumplings, as long as one plate of dumplings per person is enough, you will be full.How much does it cost for so many dishes?
After eating two pieces of meat, Chen Qing only felt satisfied.I have never eaten so much in my life.

After drinking a glass of wine, Chen Qing asked: "Xian Zhi, look at the officials in the yamen today, are you an official in the army?"

Zhang Chi said: "Recently, the army has been rectified, and I have been promoted. Now I am the commander of the cavalry, but I am still a junior officer."

Hearing that he was a junior officer, Chen Qing couldn't help feeling a little frustrated.Looking at Zhang Chi's ostentation, I thought he was a high-ranking official, but I didn't expect that he was still a subordinate.

Officers at the battalion level, the infantry are called commanders, and the cavalry are called military envoys.However, there are no divisions in Wang Xiaohun's army, and they are collectively called commanders.

In Wang Xiao's hunting army, the generals and below are junior officers, the generals above are senior officers, and the generals are called mid-level officers in the middle.Whenever we talk about middle- and lower-level officers, we mean officers below the general level.When talking about middle and senior officers, it means general and above officers.As a commander, Zhang Chi is only one step away from being promoted to a mid-level officer, and has a bright future.It's just a country family, how do they know these rules?

Chen Qing asked again: "I don't know how much you pay a month as a commander? Can your salary support your family?"

Zhang Chi said: "Recently, I have a new seal, and now I only pay a salary. I am living in the army. I am paid 35 per month. Although I am not very rich, it should be enough to support my family."

"35 strokes?" Chen Qing's eyes widened in disbelief.Turning to look at Zhang Yan, full of suspicion.

Zhang Chi said with a smile: "I just got promoted, and I was paid two months' salary. In the past, there was no money in the army, and the salary was often insufficient, and everyone owed some. This time, I will pay the full amount, and I will also pay what I owed before." Yes, I have some spare cash in my hand. I was thinking that when I have the opportunity, I will give the family dozens of dollars to buy cattle and then repair the house. It just so happens that Dad is here."

Chen Qing nodded, still in disbelief.How much do rural people earn in a year?Zhang Chi's 35 times a month is simply astronomical.Don't talk about supporting the family, this is a big official.I just wanted to find a husband for my daughter, but I didn't expect to bump into such a family all of a sudden, it was like a dream.

Dingniang was taken aback by this number, the dumpling in her mouth was not chewed, she choked and her face flushed red.

Zhang Yan didn't believe it either.He knew that his son was not bad in the army, but he was promoted to such a high position in less than two years, how could it be possible?

Wang Xiaolie's army was newly formed. Some of the officers came from the defeated generals of the old army, and most of them were selected from the soldiers.Most of the lower-level officers nowadays are promoted quickly, and it is not uncommon for Zhang Chi to be promoted from a pawn to a commander in one year.

Swallowing his saliva hard, Zhang Yan said: "I received a letter from you at home earlier, saying that you were promoted recently, so you were promoted to commander?"

Zhang Chi nodded: "That's right. Many people in our army are like this now, and it's not surprising. I helped Shanzhou at the beginning of the year and made some contributions. I saved Jingmen a few days ago and I have military merits, so I was promoted. Be quick."

Zhang Yan nodded: "Erlang, you are now 35 yuan a month. How can your mother and I dare to think about such a lot of money? Alas, with so much money, I don't know whether to buy some land. One day you will stop serving in the army. Even when you return to your hometown, you will be a member of the staff.”

Zhang Chi said with a smile: "Father, I have been in the army for less than two years, and promotion is even more recent. Although the monthly salary is quite a lot, I haven't saved any money, so don't think about it. Besides, officers in the army always send their wives Who will go back to the hometown when Xiao is taken to Xinye City? We don’t know how many years it will take us to fight the Jinlu! Even if we win the Jinlu, there are other things.”

"Aren't you going home?" Zhang Yan was a little disappointed.In his heart, he really didn't know what his son would do if he didn't come home.

Zhang Chi said: "The army is busy with business and the treatment is good, so of course I won't go home. If it was before, I have today, and I should take my parents out to support them. But it's different now. Wang Guan said that the parents of soldiers have their own place. Take care, you don’t have to run around with yourself. Now military officers take care of their own small families, the family gives some money, and the daily affairs are taken care of by the government.”

Zhang Yan said: "Since you joined the army, the yamen has indeed come to record your name. But it's been more than a year, and I don't know what it's useful for."

Zhang Chi said: "Now all things are newly established, and many things have not been done by the Yamen. After a long time, when there are all officials, it will naturally be useful."

Zhang Yan sighed: "Within tens of miles of our family, there is no one who is an official. Suddenly you become an official, and I don't know what to do. As long as you live well outside, you don't have to worry about home. .”

Zhang Chi said: "Father, today is different from the past, the world is different. Didn't you notice it? Since the king observed Xiangyang, it has changed a lot. Farmers' taxes are not so heavy, and the market is prosperous. All of a sudden In a short time, everyone's life will be better."

Zhang Yan nodded: "That's true for you to say that. Now, an acre of land receives three buckets of tax, and the tax is not much. Almost every family can eat and wear clothes. Although there are a lot of fifty labors a year, they are not arranged during the busy farming season. By the way, now that the government has called for it, many clubs have been opened in the countryside. I raised ducks with a few neighbors, but for a short time, I haven’t seen any money yet. But Goro’s wicker club in the village can get two pennies a month. "

Chen Qingdao: "What you said is true. What kind of life did we live in Shaanxi before? Before the Jin people came, we could barely make ends meet. When the Jin people came, people died everywhere, and only two or three households were left in ten households. I know there is such a good place in the world!"

Zhang Chi said: "When you are at home, you see few things, and you don't think there is anything. I am a soldier. I travel to many places and see a lot of things. What was the army like before? It may be possible to please the officers. I can live on. If the officers don’t like me, I don’t know when I will die. Recently, our army has been rectified. Officers who are not good to the soldiers are all expelled from the army. Our army is very different from before. Why is the place where Wang observes and governs the same as before? As long as you live with peace of mind, it will definitely get better and better in the future."

(End of this chapter)