My younger brother Zhuge Liang

Chapter 74 Ah Liang, you must learn how to train soldiers from General Guan
Before coming to Yuzhang, Zhuge Jin had already decided to celebrate the New Year with his family, and he felt that he had plenty of time.

I didn’t expect it to be so urgent at the last minute. I didn’t meet up with my uncle until New Year’s Eve.

I have to lament that the plan really cannot keep up with the changes in the war situation. Many opportunities for war are discovered temporarily and are fleeting.

Fortunately, the results were achieved faster than initially expected.

Within just ten days of arriving in Yuzhang, all the counties at the mouth of Pengli Lake had been firmly occupied, order in Chaisang had been restored, and the counterattacking enemy had been severely damaged and defeated, thus achieving a successful start with three battles and three victories.

After returning to the government office, Zhuge Jin personally invited his uncle to take a seat, with Guan Yu accompanying him, and then ordered the banquet to begin.

Although this dinner tonight is not the New Year's Eve dinner, Zhuge Jin also arranged it very solemnly, just like the New Year's Eve dinner. He and Zhuge Liang could have been on an equal footing with Guan Yu, but with his uncle present, there was no way.

The regular dishes and wine had already been prepared, and the maids brought them quickly and placed them according to the specifications for each table.

Zhuge Xuan, Guan Yu and Gan Ning had been traveling by boat for days, and they could not make a fire on the boat, so they ate only dry food. They knew they could reach Chaisang tonight, so they were too lazy to eat at noon, and saved their stomachs for hot food at night.

When the preheated wine and food were served, they started eating right away, not caring about the "three rounds of drinking" etiquette of toasting, because they were all family after all.

Guan Yu saw a cold dish on the table, a vegetable that looked like pickled radish strips, in a rectangular shape, but smoother than radish strips, and chewier and more refreshing. He asked casually, "Zi Yu, what is this? Why have I never tasted it anywhere else?"

Zhuge Xuan was also curious, but he was too senior to ask his nephew. Guan Yu asked for him, and he happily pricked up his ears to listen.

He and Guan Yu had only been together for more than 20 days, but Guan Yu came to rescue him, saved his life, and treated him with respect. Zhuge Xuan was very grateful to Guan Yu and had already regarded him as a brother and close friend.

In terms of age, Zhuge Xuan was only thirty-five or thirty-six, only fifteen years older than Zhuge Jin. This age difference between uncles and nephews was normal in ancient times. On the contrary, there was a difference of more than ten years between him and his eldest brother Zhuge Gui. (Zhuge Gui and Zhuge Xuan were brothers from the same mother, and their mothers had a large age gap when giving birth to them.)

Liu Bei is 36 this year and will be 37 soon after the Chinese New Year. Guan Yu is only one or two years younger than Liu Bei, so they are of the same age as Zhuge Xuan.

Zhuge Xuan also had a long beard, but it was not as thick and wide as Guan Yu's. Guan Yu's beard spread to both sides of his cheeks, while Zhuge Xuan's beard only stopped at his chin, making him look more like an immortal. Because they both had beautiful beards, it was easier for them to get along with each other.

When Zhuge Jin heard Yun Chang's question, he also answered:

"This is actually just pickled mustard heads cut off separately, and when pickling, they are squeezed with a large stone to remove excess water to avoid excessive moisture and acidification. A few months ago, didn't I persuade Lord Xuande to plant winter mustard in Guangling to barely make up for the shortage of military rations during the spring famine?

However, mustard is not easy to store for a long time, so I thought of this method. Yuzhang has a warm climate, so winter mustard matures earlier and can be harvested now. I tried to make a little bit, and if it works, I can bring this method back to Guangling in February next year.

Although Yuzhang produces many vegetables, it does not produce salt. This product can only be tried and cannot be promoted. Guangling is an important town for Huai salt, and salt is as cheap as dirt, so it is just right for this. The specific method will also need to be adjusted when the time comes.

I needed it urgently this time, so I didn’t seal the jar for pickling. I opened it and added salt and pressed it with stones. If it is exposed to the wind, it can’t be kept for long and will rot quickly. If I want to store it for a long time in the future, I still have to seal it in a jar and pickle it for at least half a month before opening the jar for consumption, otherwise it may be poisonous. ”

Zhuge Jin had some basic knowledge of chemistry and knew very well that any salt-pickled food, if sealed, would initially produce a large amount of nitrite, which would then slowly react over the next half a month and transform into other substances.

There are too many news reports on TV and the Internet about people who made their own pickled vegetables, sauerkraut, and ended up being hospitalized for nitrite poisoning after eating them.

These things should either be allowed to circulate with air to avoid anaerobic respiration, and be quickly pickled and eaten immediately, or be sealed and stored for more than half a month. Eating them when they are just pickled for two or three days is the most fatal.

The pickled mustard tuber served at the banquet at this moment was what Zhuge Jin had pickled for only half a day and then washed to remove the salt from the surface.

Early in the morning, several captured monk officers who would rather die than surrender were given a lot of porridge and vegetables to ensure their safety - if they were poisoned by nitrite, the symptoms would show up in half a day at most.

Guan Yu didn't understand these chemical principles, but like Liu Bei, he had formed a habit. As long as it was a trick taught by Zhuge Jin, he would strictly follow it regardless of whether he understood it or not.

He did not dare to neglect it at all and wrote down all the precautions Zhuge Jin mentioned casually. Then he asked, "Does this dish have a name? Is it pickled winter mustard head?"

Zhuge Jin thought about it and decided not to let the name of Zhacai be forgotten, so he suggested: "This thing needs to be squeezed and dehydrated with heavy stones, so we should call it Zhacai."

Pickled vegetables existed in the late Han Dynasty, but they were all pickled whole. This was because mustard at that time had not yet been bred and differentiated, and there were no varieties with particularly developed leaves, bulbs, or seeds. All organs were very evenly distributed, making them difficult to separate.

Compared with mustard greens, cabbage has even less breeding differentiation and is thrown in whole.

Because the dehydration was not thorough enough and the oleic acid in the rapeseed was also pickled, the final product had a short shelf life and had to be eaten within a month or two. Moreover, it would become sour without exception. Therefore, there was no pure pickle in this era, and at most it could only be considered sauerkraut.

When Guan Yu heard the name and heard that pickling it this way could preserve it for a longer time, he quickly said that he would tell his elder brother when he got back.

Everyone was talking about the benefits of the pickled mustard tuber method, and soon servants brought the main course. Long charcoal stoves were brought up, with a thin layer of burning charcoal at the bottom. Then clean thin iron plates were brought in and placed on the charcoal stoves.

A small oil can was placed on each table, and a maid would help brush oil on the iron plate from time to time. In front of each person was a freshly blanched mandarin fish, which was cut open and the inside of the abdomen was placed on the iron plate. There was also some mutton, which was also sliced thinly and grilled on the iron plate.

Guan Yu and Zhuge Xuan were treated the best. On the iron plate between them was a sturgeon that had been basically cooked and had the middle part cut into thin fish fillets.

Guan Yu couldn't help but regret when he saw that. He ate too much side dish just now! If he had known earlier, he should have eaten less even if it tasted delicious!
Fortunately, he soon realized that the side dishes did not make him feel full, but instead whetted his appetite.

"I never thought that Tzuyu not only had so many brilliant ideas, but also could come up with so many ways to have fun."

Guan Yu said as he devoured the food like crazy. Mandarin fish has no small bones, and sturgeon is even bigger. Its ribs are almost like chicken bones, so it is easy to pick out and eat it just like meat.

What's more, there are thin lamb rolls that can be grilled together. Guan Yu felt that he had never eaten such delicious food in his life. He has been hanging out with his elder brother for more than ten years and has seen how people at the governor level enjoy their lives, but his creativity is not as good as Ziyu's.

Zhuge Jin showed no sign of enjoyment at all, but said solemnly: "I invite you all to taste this delicacy today, not just for enjoyment. It is also for Yunchang to experience that mustard seeds can also be used to extract oil and roast food.

When I make pickled mustard tuber, I have to remove both the leaves and the seeds, because things that contain a lot of oil have a strong sour taste and cannot be put together with other pickled things, otherwise everything will become sour and rotten.

But these rapeseeds can actually produce oil after being steamed, pounded and pressed. I just asked people to try it these days, so the stone mortar I used only produced a few cans. If you make a lot of mustard in the future, you may be able to think of a better way to press the cut rapeseed to improve efficiency. " Guan Yu heard this and was in awe again.

I am just superficial! Tzuyu is not enjoying herself. She is providing a full-service package from beginning to end. She persuaded her elder brother to plant winter mustard and also thoroughly explored the uses of winter mustard after it matured.

Moreover, who would have imagined that he completed the experiments on mustard seeds and mustard in just three or four days after entering Chaisang City and sending Chen Dao away?

When Chen Dao and Gan Ning were sent to pick up the people, these two things had not happened yet! Even Gan Ning hadn't heard of it.

How swift is this mind?
Guan Yu could not help but sigh: "I used to think that the names of Shennong, Suiren and Youchao mentioned by the ancients were just the accumulation of the wisdom of the ancient sages whose names were lost.

Today I know that there really are such people in the world, who can taste hundreds of herbs like Shennong and explore all things to nourish people. Ziyu, my brother and I underestimated you in the past!"

Zhuge Jin quickly said modestly, "No, I just had an idea for these two things at first, but I didn't know how to start. Who knew that the day after Xingba left, I talked to Aliang about it and inspired him, and he immediately started working on it and experimented several times before he came up with these. I just grumbled a few words."

In fact, it is certainly impossible for Zhuge Jin to offer only a few complaints.

It should be said that after he seduced Zhuge Liang to pay attention to these two topics, when Zhuge Liang started to work on them, if he encountered something that he didn't understand about the general direction, Zhuge Jin would still find ways to hint at it, but the specific implementation details were indeed figured out by Zhuge Liang.

But today is the first meeting between Zhuge Liang and the top leaders of Liu Bei's camp. Zhuge Jin does not want the image of Zhuge Liang that he and the Song family originally created to be too different from the actual situation.

What Guan Yu saw and heard at the banquet tonight will certainly be sent back to Guangling via messenger and told to Liu Bei.

Zhuge Jin had taken time out from taking care of the civil affairs of Chaisang in the previous three days to plan these two little surprises at this welcoming banquet and New Year's Eve dinner.

The purpose was to get the upper hand before Guan Yu had the chance to have an in-depth conversation with Zhuge Liang.

After listening to Zhuge Jin's words, Guan Yu was indeed filled with awe.

Looking at the young man next to Tzuyu who had just greeted him but had not had time to chat with him, he put away his previous contempt of "He is ten times better than Tzuyu, I'm afraid they are just boasting to each other."

This young man is really something, and he is even more handsome than Tzuyu. At first glance, he looks like an immortal.

"Zhuge...my dear brother, you are truly a talented person. Do you have a courtesy name?" Guan Yu was a little embarrassed for a moment. He wanted to call the other party Aliang, but felt it was not solemn. When the words were on the tip of his tongue, he remembered that the other party had no courtesy name.

Zhuge Jin was waiting for this moment. He quickly stood up, bowed to Zhuge Xuan, and suggested:
"Uncle, although Aliang is still underage, he has already made many contributions to our family and done some good things for the people.

The day after tomorrow is New Year's Day. In the new year, why not give Ah Liang a name? I've been thinking about it these days and I think 'Kong Ming' is a good name. What do you think, uncle?"

Zhuge Xuan was eating grilled lamb slices with his mouth full. He quickly drank a few sips of wine, wiped his mouth, stroked his beard and nodded: "Not bad, the name Kongming is fine. Ah Liang, I hope you can also be far-sighted and upright in the future."

Zhuge Liang stood up and thanked him: "Thank you for the courtesy name, uncle. I will never forget your teachings. Thank you for the compliment, Lord Yunchang."

Zhuge Jin beside him also nodded silently, feeling quite comforted. Fortunately, his butterfly effect did not cause any trouble in this matter, and Aliang's development trajectory has not yet shown any bad deviations.

Starting next year, everyone can finally call him Aliang Kongming. It is a bit early to choose a name at the age of 17. But Zhuge Jin himself was also chosen at the age of 19, which is one year earlier than normal.

When Guan Yu saw that Zhuge Liang finally wrote something, he quickly continued the previous topic and started to flatter each other.

Zhuge Jin took this opportunity to find a gap in the conversation between the two and interrupted and suggested: "Yunchang, since you and my brother are so close, I have an unwelcome request. I will need Yunchang's care in the future."

Guan Yu agreed without even thinking: "It's not difficult, just tell me."

Zhuge Jin bowed and said, "In fact, although our army took Pengze and Chaisang in ten days, it was all luck. My brother is only good at making plans, but not good at commanding the army, nor does he understand daily training.

After the Battle of Chaisang, our army had 7,000 to 8,000 soldiers available, and we captured more than 3,000 in the Battle of Lushan. Now that you, Yunchang, have brought back all the Danyang soldiers, I calculated that until the subsequent decisive battle with Zuo Rong, our army's total available field force is about 12,000.

But among them, there are only more than 4,000 core veterans, and the rest are new recruits, the longest of whom has only been with us for more than ten days, and the latest for only three days. I am not worried about the tactics and martial arts of these captives, nor do I ask for quick success. But military discipline and loyalty need to be improved urgently.

If we can transform these soldiers into a brave, disciplined and resolute army within a month or two, we will surely win a great victory in the subsequent decisive battle against Zuo Rong!

I have already calculated that although Zuo Rong still claims to have 40,000 to 50,000 men, the veteran county soldiers should have been greatly weakened by the successive battles, and there may be only 2,000 to 3,000 of them left. The rest of the monk soldiers should also have only a few thousand. Even if fanatical believers are temporarily transferred to make up for the number, the maximum number would be 10,000.

It can be seen that what we will face at that time are only 3,000 veterans of Zuo Rong, 10,000 monks and fanatical believers, and the remaining 30,000 are just new recruits and civilians. As long as our army can match the total number of county soldiers and monks of the enemy, and with Yunchang's ability to lead troops, how can we not win? The 30,000 pure mob are no different from ordinary Yellow Turbans, so there is no need to worry.

How about this? For the next two months, the task of training our entire army will be given to Yun Chang to be in full charge and enforce the rules. In addition, please allow A Liang to observe and learn from the sidelines. I am really not good at this and I can’t teach him. "

Zhuge Jin knew that what his brother lacked most now was the practical opportunity to train and manage the army, and he was not good at this aspect. He had never read "Wujing Zongyao" and "Jixiao Xinshu" in his previous life.

Guan Yu is already a top-tier general in the world who is good at commanding troops and winning over soldiers. How could he not seize this opportunity?
Guan Yu couldn't help but feel proud when he heard this, but he still stroked his beard and pretended to be modest: "Hey, the Zhuge family has a long history of learning, so what's the point of my experience of exploring the formation on my own?"

Unfortunately, he could not resist Zhuge Jin's compliment. Seeing that wise men in the world like the Zhuge brothers were praising his ability to command the army, Guan Yu was so proud that he agreed to everything.

　Because I ran out of manuscripts last night, I had to get up and write the first update in the morning. I got up a little late, and woke up at around 6 o'clock today.

　　It's 10 minutes later, but I'll give you an extra words. This chapter has words.

　　During the Sanjiang period, I will still write 10,000 words a day. I will see if there are any recommended positions later, and I will add more words based on the recommended positions to maintain 10,000 words.

(End of this chapter)