The Age of Discovery: Chinese cuisine swept across Europe

Chapter 327 ancestor worship

After passing the examination, Min Xi returned to his hometown. I don't know who had informed his relatives and friends in advance, but as soon as he arrived home, he was surrounded by the tribesmen, and soon there was the sound of gongs and drums. It seemed that they had been preparing for a long time and were waiting for him to show up.

The clan leader came over personally and led Min Xi to the ancestral temple to worship. After worshipping his ancestors, he also worshipped his parents.

The clan leader took Min Xi's hand and said, "Xiaojiu, now that you have passed the exam, you are a scholar master. We didn't know you were a good student at the beginning, otherwise we wouldn't have let you suffer so much and sent you to school so early. I hope you don't blame us."

"How could that be possible? I am able to survive thanks to the care of my relatives and friends. It's not easy for anyone. It's a huge favor that you can save a bite of food for me. How dare you ask you to send me to school? Min Jiu is definitely not the kind of person who is ungrateful." Min Xi said.

The clan leader said, "I'm relieved that you think this way. There is one more thing I want to discuss with you. Your ancestral home is too dilapidated. The clan has decided to raise money to renovate your house. When you come back to worship your ancestors in the future, you will have a place to stay."

Min Xi nodded: "The house should indeed be renovated, but the family doesn't have to pay for it, I can do it myself. How much does it cost?"

The clan leader thought for a moment and said, "About twenty or thirty taels will be enough."

"Since you want to repair it, you should renovate it properly. Use better wood and make it sturdier." Min Xi took out a silver note from it, "This is a hundred taels of silver note. Use it to help my family repair the house. If it is not enough, send a letter to the Yunxiang Store in the capital and ask them to pass it to me. If there is any extra, you don't have to return it to me. Keep it for the children in the clan to start school. By the way, I won't come back to live in my house for the time being after it is repaired, so you can lend it to the clan and neighbors for a private school. The clan leader will be in charge of it."

Min Xi plans to sponsor the children of his clan and neighbors to go to school in the future, but he will not give all the money at once. He will give a little every year to ensure that all the money can be used for the children.

The clan leader asked about Min Xi's marriage again: "You are not young anymore, and you don't have any close relatives at home. Let our clan arrange your marriage for you."

Upon hearing this, Min Xi quickly said, "Thank you all for your concern. You don't need to worry about my marriage. I have a brother-in-law who will arrange it for me."

The clan leader also knew that Min Xi's success was inseparable from his sworn brother. After hearing what he said, he said nothing more: "Okay, when you marry a new wife, remember to bring her back to offer sacrifices to the ancestors."

"Okay!" Min Xi responded, thinking in his heart whether to call Yun Ji back to offer sacrifices to the ancestors.

After returning to his hometown to pay respects to his ancestors, Min Xi hurried back to Beijing. For no other reason, but because Diego was going back to get married, he couldn't let Gao'er wait too long.

When they returned to Beijing, it was already early September. This season happened to be the most beautiful autumn in Beijing. The autumn was deep and the temperature was pleasant. It was a good time to hold a wedding.

Without any surprise, Yun Ji also passed the examination and became a scholar, and was also the best-class student on government stipend. He would receive six dou of rice every month and four taels of government stipend silver every year. Although it was not much, it was considered as public food.

Yun Ji was not happy about himself passing the imperial examination. He was happy for Min Xi passing the imperial examination. He even set up several tables at the Yunxiang Restaurant and invited relatives and friends to attend the wedding banquet.

Min Xi suddenly felt a little emotional. When he was admitted to university, all the junior college students in the same village held a banquet, but when he was admitted to a key university, no one congratulated him. It was his grandparents who had to swallow their pride and call back his father, aunt and others, and ordered them to raise money for his university tuition.

Now that he has no parents and has passed the imperial examination, there are still people who help him prepare a banquet to celebrate. It would be a lie to say that he didn't feel sad.

During the banquet, Tao's grandfather, uncle, and cousins ​​all arrived. Tao Yuan raised his glass and clinked it with Min Xi, saying, "Brother Jiu, from now on we will be competitors on the same front."

Min Xi was stunned for a moment, then he reacted and couldn't help laughing, "I am a stupid brother, please don't pull me too far away." They are scholars from the same province, and they will be competitors in the future when they take the imperial examinations, but Min Xi has not decided whether to take the imperial examination.

Tao Yuan lowered his voice again and said, "When Brother Ji passed the imperial examination, we planned to hold a banquet for him, but he refused, saying it was not worth celebrating. As soon as you came back, he immediately held a banquet for you. He really treats you differently from himself."

Hearing this, Min Xi looked at Yun Ji and said with a smile, "Your expectations of him are too low. Seventh Brother should at least pass the imperial examination to hold a banquet. I am not talented, and passing the imperial examination may be the limit for me, so Seventh Brother held a banquet for me."

Yun Ji said, "When you pass the imperial examination, I will host a three-day banquet for you at Yun Xiang Restaurant."

Min Xi smiled: "In order to save you money, I still won't take the exam."

Yun Ji looked at him helplessly, and Min Xi had to beg for mercy: "I was just kidding, you have to try it at least once."

After the wedding banquet, it was time to arrange Diego's wedding. The house was bought before leaving, and someone was arranged to clean it up. Now everything is ready. The new house is at the junction of West City and South City. The house is not big, with only one courtyard, but the main house and the side rooms have a total of seven or eight rooms, which is enough for a family to live in.

Diego was the only one in his family. Gao'er's parents were servants of the Duke's Mansion. The Duke's Mansion meant that when they were old and wanted to go out and live with their children, they could be set free. So even if Gao'er's parents moved in, there would still be enough room for them.

The daughter of the Duke's Mansion was to be married on September 12, and Diego and Gao'er's wedding was scheduled for September 26. During this period, they could prepare for the wedding.

The new house has been prepared and the furniture has been set. What they need to do next is to perfect the details, purchase various daily necessities, prepare the wedding banquet, etc.

Min Xi was also considerate enough to install a bread oven, tandoori oven and other stoves in Diego's new house to make it easier for Diego to display his cooking skills.

As for whether Miss Gao'er wants to be a housewife at home after getting married, or to help out in the store, it is up to her to choose. It will just be the salary of one more person. In the future, when Aunt Luo and her husband are too old to work, the store can be handed over to Diego and his wife to manage.

Min Xi and Yun Ji held Diego's wedding in a grand manner, giving enough face to the Duke's Mansion, and Miss Gao'er's parents were also very satisfied.

Diego has been living on the streets since he was a child. He has suffered a lot and experienced the ups and downs of life. It was not until he met Min Xi and Yun Ji that he finally felt the warmth of home. Now he finally has his own little home. God knows how emotional he feels.

So on the second day after his marriage, he brought his new bride to serve tea to Min Xi and Yun Ji.

According to custom, on the second day after the wedding, the bride has to meet her parents-in-law and offer them tea.

Diego has no parents, only Min Xi and Yun Ji, two bosses who are both his brothers and friends. Gao Er is from the Duke's Mansion, a girl from a wealthy family, so her experience is naturally not comparable to that of a girl from a small family. After listening to Diego's story about how he met Min Xi and Yun Ji, she felt that she should come over and offer tea to Min Xi and Yun Ji.

Gao'er put on new makeup and wore new clothes. Although she was not wearing any jewelry, she had hairpins, rings and other ornaments. Diego also made a full set of head ornaments for her, but she did not dare to wear them all.

Min Xi and Yun Ji drank the tea offered by the bride and gave her a big red envelope.

Min Xi said, "Diego's wife, we watched Brother Diego grow up. He is a miserable man. I believe he has suffered enough in the first half of his life, and the rest of his life will be sweet. He has always been very good-tempered and patient. He is a grateful person. He will always remember those who are good to him and treat them well without expecting anything in return. In Diego's hometown, men don't have three wives and four concubines. As long as you treat him well, you will have good days ahead."

Gao'er glanced at Diego, smiled and nodded: "Thank you, sir. I'll remember it."

"Here, you don't have to call yourself a slave. Now that you have been stripped of your citizenship, you will be a commoner in the future. You can just use me." Min Xi said.

Gao'er nodded: "Okay, I'll remember it."

Yun Ji said, "Diego's wife, Diego is now working as a pastry chef in a pastry shop. Do you want to go to the shop with him or stay at home?"

Gao'er's eyes lit up: "Can I go to the store too?"

Yun Ji nodded: "Of course, we will pay you."

"I'm willing to go!" Gao'er especially liked the pastry shop because the smell in the shop made people feel particularly satisfied. She used to fantasize about how happy it would be if she could stay in the shop every day like the boss's wife. Unexpectedly, her wish was fulfilled as soon as she got married.

"Okay, when Diego goes to the store in a few days, you can go with him." Yun Ji said.

After returning from the Yun family, Gao'er couldn't help but sigh: "I thought the boss was very old, but I didn't expect him to be so young. Are both bosses unmarried? I didn't see the boss's wives." In fact, she was more impressed by the looks of the two men. They were so beautiful that one was more beautiful than the other. What a beautiful girl must be to not feel inferior in front of such a husband.

"No, they are not married yet," said Diego.

Gao'er asked again: "Is the marriage settled?"

"I haven't heard of it. Master Yun said that he would discuss marriage after he has achieved success. Master Min said that Master Yun hasn't started a family yet, so he's not in a hurry."

Gao'er blinked her eyes and suddenly realized something, but she pursed her lips and said nothing.

After Gao'er returned home, Diego went to the store to work, and Gao'er followed him.

Min Xi and Yun Ji are now scholars, and they are qualified to enter the county school (prefecture school, state school), which is called a student. Min Xi is not from the capital, but with the status of a scholar, he can still enroll across the border.

Although Wenchang Academy was not a government-run school, it was also qualified to recruit students and was recognized by the government. Tao Yuan studied here.

Yun Ji will naturally go to Wenchang Academy, but Min Xi is not so sure. If he goes to Wenchang Academy, Yun Lin will have to stay in the Tao family.