Go back to the prosperous days and become a layman

Chapter 876 875 I'd rather die than tell!
A note before the main text:
I've seen your opinions on the textual research in the comments section, and I humbly accept them.

The starting point wasn't hydrology, because research and writing are much more difficult than writing about the plot; it took more than two hours to write the text and add pictures.

The research on "kneeling" consists of 1165 words. I added 1205 words of text at the end of the chapter, bringing the total text to 5280 words. The total price remains the same as the original price of 4075 words.

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Kneeling is considered the highest form of respect in Chinese culture.

Some say that kneeling and bowing originated in the Yuan Dynasty and has continued to this day, but Tang Zhitong thinks it may have started even earlier, such as in the Shang Dynasty.

Many characters in oracle bone script are pictographs. Among them, the characters for "woman" and "mother" look very much like women kneeling in a gesture of respect, making it hard not to associate them with kneeling and worship. Of course, it is also possible that they simply represent the posture of a woman kneeling.

Kneeling was common before the "Three Kingdoms of Wei, Shu, and Wu" were established, because the folding chair (Hu bed) had not yet been introduced to the Central Plains at that time.

From royalty and nobility to commoners, people sit upright, or kneel, in slightly formal occasions. This is the origin of the phrase "sitting upright and dignified." Sitting upright and dignified is not only an adjective but also a physical action and a form of etiquette.

Kneeling is very demanding on the lower body muscles. If you get tired or sleepy, there's no Red Bull to drink, but there's something you can use to help you rest.

This object is called a "pingji" (凭几), which is somewhat similar to the armrests on the sides of a computer chair, but the pingji is movable.

When using a pingji (凭几), you should place your knees under the pingji while kneeling, and then rest your elbows on the pingji to relieve pressure. This elegant posture is called "pingji" or "yiji".

Many ancient poems contain the phrases "leaning on the railing" and "leaning on the table." While the table may have been obsolete by that time, the usage of "leaning" has remained.

Although the "凭几" (píng jǐ) is gone, its influence remains. Even the modern "茶几" (chá jǐ) borrows the character "几" (jǐ) from "凭几".

During the Sui and Tang dynasties, the Hu chair gradually became popular and evolved into a more comfortable seating device.

The Tang Dynasty painting "Palace Music" is the best evidence of this. A group of wealthy nobles are playing drinking games while listening to folk songs. They look so relaxed and carefree. Yang Guifei might even be in the painting.

By the Song Dynasty, the style of the Grand Master's Chair had been finalized, combining the armrests with the chair. Kneeling was finally separated from sitting and became a special posture for performing grand ceremonies.

Everyone says "Snotty-nosed Song Dynasty," but the Song Dynasty had very strict rules regarding the etiquette of "kneeling," which was not at all "snotty-nosed." It could only be used in special activities or ceremonies such as sacrifices. When the emperor and his ministers met in daily court meetings, they only performed the bowing ceremony.

The "Treatise on Rites" in the History of Song Dynasty further records that performing private rites and kneeling in the imperial court was illegal, and offenders would be fined one month's salary as punishment.

Before the Song Dynasty, it wasn't always the case that subjects had to kneel before their ruler.

Before the Western Han Dynasty, when ministers bowed to the emperor, the emperor was required to return the bow.

After Dong Zhongshu proposed "dismissing all other schools of thought and exclusively honoring Confucianism," the gap in status between the emperor and his subjects began to widen, and subjects bowed to the emperor, but the emperor no longer returned the bow.

However, the prime minister is an exception. When the prime minister comes to court, the emperor still has to rise from his seat and personally greet him.

If the emperor met the prime minister on the street, both of them would have to get out of their carriages and bow to each other. This etiquette is the origin of the phrase "becoming prime minister" in the phrase "being enfeoffed as a marquis and appointed as prime minister".

Zhao Gao dared to call a deer a horse because he was the prime minister, a high-ranking official with great power.

By the Yuan Dynasty, kneeling and bowing had become a common etiquette, and the Ming and Qing Dynasties further developed and popularized it, with people going down the ranks and almost becoming kowtowers.

However, there were some differences between the Ming and Qing dynasties.

During the Ming Dynasty, when foreign envoys came to pay tribute, they had to kneel and bow. However, by the late Qing Dynasty, foreigners no longer had to kneel. Some people said it was because "foreigners do not have breasts" and were physically disabled. Considering that they should not be bullied, they were "permitted" not to kneel.

This claim is unreliable. If such an event had actually occurred, it would have been because the foreigners were exceptionally strong.

The Eight Banners were no match for the foreigners, and the foreigners were too lazy to bow down to those with queues. To save face, the queue-wearing people just made up some excuse to justify themselves.

However, it is true that foreigners cannot squat, because they cannot maintain their balance in a squatting position. Therefore, any place in China that receives foreign friends must have a toilet seat, otherwise they cannot defecate.

After liberation, the Chinese people stood up!

If someone were to kneel down to another person at this time, then the blood of the martyrs would have been shed in vain!

Faced with Gu Mancang's grand gesture, Tang Zhitong dodged in time and managed to pull him up.

If there are people surrounding them, this situation will be difficult to resolve, and Tang Zhitong will probably only have one option left: to kneel back.

"Mancang, a man's knees are worth gold; he should only kneel to heaven, earth, and his parents. You cannot repeat this mistake." Tang Zhitong helped Gu Mancang up, bent down to brush the dust off his knees, and said solemnly.

"Teacher Tang, I just... I just... I really have no other way to thank you." Gu Mancang's eyes were filled with tears. He knew that kneeling was not a good thing, but the great kindness he had shown was something he truly could not repay.

"If I really wanted to repay your kindness or show my gratitude, I wouldn't have helped you. I would have gone back to find someone who could give me something in return. Alright, wipe your tears, buy a ticket, and go back home during the holidays." Tang Zhitong patted Gu Mancang's shoulder, appearing like a caring older brother.

Currently, it is not only difficult to exchange for national food coupons in Beijing, but even passenger transport ports are under stricter control.

Passengers are allowed to bring some dry food that can be eaten directly to fill their stomachs during the journey, but it is strictly forbidden to bring unprocessed ingredients such as whole grains, flour, rice, and cornmeal onto the train.

The postal service also issued corresponding regulations, listing grain as a key control item and requiring all post offices to check it when accepting and sending mail.

According to Tang Zhitong, the actual implementation was not that strict.

If the sender says their mother is seriously ill and the snacks inside are for the elderly to help her recover, then the sender is sending them to the elderly to help her recover.

Faced with such filial piety, the staff often turn a blind eye, collect the postage, stamp it, and send it away.

However, there is a prerequisite: it cannot be too conspicuous. Two or three kilograms is acceptable, but any more than that is not good.

Tang Zhitong knew about Gu Mancang's hometown situation and planned to help him get more corn. Because of the large quantity, it was inconvenient to send it directly from the transport train, so as not to make the people in his unit think that he could easily get the grain.

If you go through the Hujialou Post Office, you can send small packages multiple times, but once the package reaches Gu Mancang's home, it's hard for someone with ulterior motives not to notice or intercept it.

The safest way is for Gu Mancang to carry it back himself.

"Mmm. I heard from my classmates that we're not allowed to bring food on the train anymore. What should we do?" Gu Mancang nodded while wiping away her tears. With the holiday just around the corner, many students from other places were planning to cut back on their rations and buy dry food to take back home. So they were all very familiar with the regulations for taking the train.

"You don't need to worry about that. I'll help you figure out how to get the grain onto the truck. Don't tell anyone about this, keep your mouth shut." Tang Zhitong had already considered this issue since he wanted to help Gu Mancang.

It might be difficult for others, since staff check each passenger's luggage before boarding the train, but it's not a problem for Tang Zhitong. He definitely can't let Gu Mancang go through the normal security checkpoint. He'll accompany him from the security checkpoint into the escort carriage, and when the train arrives at the Beijing station, he'll open the door to the escort carriage, let him into the passenger carriage, find his seat, and as long as he doesn't open his luggage, no one will know what he's carrying.

As for the grain that Gu Mancang brought, he must have said that it was the grain he had saved by living frugally on a regular basis. The amount was quite large, so he asked the transport office to do him a favor.

The escorts pass through Henan Province every now and then, so the situation there is no secret to them.

People are inherently compassionate. If they can help local people in need without having to provide their own food, no normal person would refuse.

As for the rule that no outsiders are allowed in the escort vehicle, isn't there someone accompanying you as a guarantor?

"Thank you, Teacher Tang!" Gu Mancang wiped away her tears with her arm, her eyes red, and bowed to Tang Zhitong.

"Alright, go back now and calm yourself down on the way. I have to go to work." Tang Zhitong glanced at his watch; it was Monday, and he needed to go and process some documents as usual.

Tang Zhitong watched as Gu Mancang entered the dormitory building and was about to push his bicycle to the transport office when he heard Wei Zhizhen call his name.

"Teacher Wei, look how hot you are, you're covered in sweat. It's cooler over there, let's go talk in the shade." Tang Zhitong was very careful about how she addressed Wei Zhizhen. When outsiders were present, she always called him Section Chief Wei, but in private, they both called each other "Teacher," and the teacher-student relationship was established very quickly.

"Xiao Tang, this morning you said you could find a chef?" After arriving at a shady spot, Wei Zhizhen took out a handkerchief from his pocket, wiped his forehead, and asked directly.

“Yes, I know a teacher at a technical school. That's the designated place for chefs to take exams throughout Beijing. Any chef with aspirations who wants to get a higher grade and a raise has to take the exam there. The teacher has a lot of names on the list, so finding an unemployed chef at home shouldn't be difficult.” Tang Zhitong appeared very confident, but in reality, she had prepared two backup plans for herself.

If you really can't find it, go find Brother Ma and see if any of his fellow disciples have considered coming.

If you still can't find it, go ask Grandpa Ma for help.

The supply is about to be reduced. Grandpa Ma has no pension, and it's not right for him to stay at home playing chess all the time. Coming out to contribute his remaining energy and earning a few dozen yuan a month can supplement the family income and reduce the burden on his children. It's a win-win situation. However, for Grandpa Ma's health, this option is put last.

"Okay, then go ahead and look for it, and come to work as soon as possible." Wei Zhizhen seemed very eager.

"Okay, I'll go now. But what kind of chef does our college want to find who specializes in?" Upon hearing this, Tang Zhitong knew that the man surnamed Huang was doomed, but instead of inquiring about the inside story, he asked about the needs of the School of Posts and Telecommunications.

"Shandong cuisine, I guess. It's not picky about food, everyone can eat it," Wei Zhizhen replied after a moment's thought.

“Okay. How much can the academy offer? I’d like to know what’s going on.” Tang Zhitong wasn’t surprised by Wei Zhizhen’s answer. The cuisine in Beijing has always been dominated by Shandong cuisine, and other cuisines haven’t been mainstream. After liberation, as people from different ancestral backgrounds moved into the city, chefs and restaurants from all over the country began to gather in Beijing on a larger scale.

“Cook, level seven. Huang… that’s the level. The highest you can get is level six.” Wei Zhizhen drew a line.

In the old city of Beijing, which is a level 6 area, a level 7 cook earns 41.5 yuan a month, while a level 6 cook earns 48.5 yuan a month, a difference of 7 yuan.

This salary is far less than that of a college teacher, but definitely higher than that of the vast majority of workers.

"Alright, this salary isn't low. I'll try to negotiate it down to level seven. Let me see if I can find a couple more and bring them over for a trial cooking session tomorrow or the day after." As someone with a chef's skill certificate, Tang Zhitong was also aware of chefs' salaries. There are ten levels of salaries for cooks. Even though it's only level seven, it's still at least in the median range for chefs, which isn't low.

“A taste test? No need. This isn’t the old restaurant we used to be; we don’t follow those rules. Since the technical college is the one that issues certificates to chefs, let’s choose someone with a certificate. The college trusts you, and they trust the technical school too. But you have to pick someone with clean hands; I don’t want to have to change chefs later.” Tang Zhitong was very savvy. Wei Zhizhen was quite surprised; he really hadn’t expected to be able to pick people. This rule still existed a few years ago, but now it’s not so common.

“Okay! Then I’ll choose the one with the higher certification level. Teacher Wei, what if a chef with a higher certification level asks us to help with accommodation or something? Can we help with that?” Tang Zhitong nodded. The trust the academy placed in him was very important, but he still needed to find out the details for the sake of both of them.

“There are dormitories in the cafeteria. We can arrange a room for him alone, but anything bigger won’t do.”

"Okay, then I have a better idea." Tang Zhitong thought for a moment. He had already inquired about work-related matters, so how about asking about things unrelated to work?

"Teacher Wei, has that guy surnamed Huang been arrested?" Tang Zhitong adjusted his bag, looking like he was about to leave, and asked casually.

"Yeah, he got arrested, but he's pretty stubborn, insisting that yesterday's braised pork was his first offense. He's probably cursing you out in his heart." Wei Zhizhen understood that young people couldn't keep their tempers up, so when Tang Zhitong showed concern, he jokingly revealed some of the case's progress.

"Hey, I don't believe it anyway. Judging from his skill and reaction speed, it doesn't seem like it's his first time. What did Song Tie say? He should know, right?" Tang Zhitong shook his head. Of all those who have been to jail, how many can say they're not first-time offenders?
"Song Tie didn't say anything at first, but after the security department did some ideological work with him, he confessed that the guy surnamed Huang often did this, frequently beating him, deducting his rations, and even taking his salary. He's practically a tyrant from the old society. The guy surnamed Huang will probably be sent to jail for a few years. This doesn't sound good if word gets out, so don't talk about it outside." The case wasn't over yet, and considering the college's reputation, Wei Zhizhen didn't forget to give this instruction after revealing the progress of the case.

"Okay! I'll keep my mouth shut, I won't tell even if you beat me to death!" Tang Zhitong solemnly promised, almost as if he were swearing an oath to the heavens.

Tang Zhitong ran all the way, because he didn't know Teacher Wang's name. After arriving at the technical school, he had to ask around a lot before he finally found him.

"Little Tang? I don't have any pickled cabbage or pickled peppers for you." Although it had been more than a year since they last met, Tang Zhitong had left a deep impression on Teacher Wang. He had presided over many exams and tested many candidates. He was the only one who had ever tried to take advantage of the vocational school's food supplies.

"Professor Wang, I didn't come here to find ingredients. I wanted to ask you if any of my senior classmates are currently unemployed. Our college has a vacancy for a head chef." Tang Zhitong was sweating bullets, not expecting that Professor Wang would remember this.

"Is this really true?" Teacher Wang was delighted. She immediately grabbed Tang Zhitong's hand and asked in a very friendly manner, "Weren't you a deliveryman? How come you're at school now? Are you a teacher?"

"No, I'm still working at the post office, but last year I was selected as a sponsored student to study at the Post and Telecommunications Institute. The teachers at the institute know I have some cooking skills, so they entrusted this matter to me. You were the first person I thought of." Tang Zhitong was very respectful and explained the whole story in a few words. He was also very happy, as he could tell from Teacher Wang's attitude that the chef's job was settled and he didn't need to bother Brother Ma anymore.

"Oh, college students are great, very good. You've presided over many exams, but I've only ever seen one as quick-witted as you." Teacher Wang held Tang Zhitong's hand, patted the back of his hand, and kept praising him.

"Hehe, not bad. I'm a little embarrassed by your praise." After all, she wasn't a child of ten years old. Being praised by a grown man while holding her hand made Tang Zhitong feel somewhat uncomfortable. If she hadn't felt it would be impolite to pull her hand away, she would have already tactically retreated.

“You should praise achievements. If you were to leave the culinary industry and become a college student, I would definitely have to work with the other teachers to make you a role model in our culinary field.” The more Teacher Wang looked at Tang Zhitong, the more satisfied he became. But the more satisfied he was, the more regretful he felt for not taking him on as an apprentice sooner. Now it was too late to say anything.

"Thank you for your kind words, teacher. Well, let's talk about the chef. The academy is quite anxious. If we can finalize the job, I'll have to start working tomorrow." Tang Zhitong decided to end the conversation when he saw that Teacher Wang was getting more and more out of line.

The chef profession has always been considered one of the lowest of the low. Tang Zhitong, having been through it all, certainly wouldn't look down on chefs, but given other options, he wouldn't become a professional chef.

These days, without a range hood, being constantly exposed to the smoke and fumes from the stove poses a significant challenge to one's health. The high incidence of lung cancer in men is not solely due to smoking; according to data, kitchen fumes cause greater damage to the lungs than smoking.

"So urgent? I do have some candidates. I wonder what kind of chef your college needs and what conditions you can offer?" When it came to business, Teacher Wang finally loosened his grip and gave Tang Zhitong his freedom.

"Proficient in Shandong cuisine, and preferably also a little bit of other cuisines. The salary will be at level seven, and the academy will also provide a dormitory room, a single room. Most importantly, you must be honest and upright. Everyone is struggling these days, so please don't do anything shady." Tang Zhitong slightly increased the conditions given by Wei Zhizhen, and emphasized professional ethics.

“I definitely can’t introduce you to a dishonest cook, I can’t bear the embarrassment. I actually have someone in mind. I’ll call him over first, you can talk to him first, and if you’re satisfied, then you can discuss the salary.” Teacher Wang glanced at her watch. Since Tang Zhitong insisted on starting work tomorrow, it had to be settled today. Time was tight, so she’d get the person here first, and they could discuss the other details later.

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Teacher Wang." Tang Zhitong also wanted to meet the chef first. Although Wei Zhizhen said he trusted her and there was no need to arrange for the chef to taste the dishes, Tang Zhitong couldn't take that seriously. She still had to try it out. This was to be responsible to Wei Zhizhen, to the academy, and to herself.

However, judging from what Teacher Wang said, the salary for a level seven cook is too low?
Tang Zhitong was somewhat expectant; someone who could earn such recognition from the chef evaluation teachers must have something truly remarkable about them.

Tang Zhitong thought he would decide later based on the situation. If the other party was really capable, he could give them a level six rating within his authority, which would be 48.5 yuan a month. That should be enough, right?
If you're still not satisfied, unless the other party has the skills of a chef who has hosted state banquets, and you can go back and try to negotiate, it's somewhat of a waste.

(End of this chapter)