Dian Wei was berated by his mother until his face was red with shame.
"But… Mother, it was Young Master Lu who told me to come back and kowtow to you first!" he said pitifully.
"Kowtow? Kowtow for what?" Dian Wei's mother was even more furious. "You came back just because Young Master Lu told you to? What if something happened to him in the meantime? Your duty is to protect him! Protect him with your life! I… I don't need you to kowtow! If something happens to Young Master Lu, what good will it do if you break your head bowing?"
"You dog-like creature, don't forget your past. In the army, you were disliked even as a cook. Don't think that just because you've achieved something, you can walk all over people. Without Young Master Lu, you are nothing. If you take off your clothes now, and I don't teach you a lesson today, then I… then I might as well die!"
Scolded like this by his mother…
Dian Wei quickly took off his upper garment and resigned himself to his mother's beating with a switch.
Had he done something wrong? It seemed not…
But his mother was right, wasn't she? How important was Young Master Lu's life?
Even though Dian Wei was obeying orders to return, what if something unexpected happened in the meantime? His mother hitting him was one thing, but perhaps… in her anger, she might even take her own life.
It's good that she's hitting me, it's good…
Dian Wei himself didn't have strong opinions. He was a straightforward person. In the army, he did as Young Master Lu said, and at home, he did as his mother said.
His mother told him to always stay by his "benefactor's" side, so… that was how it should be!
*Whack… whack!*
The switch bit into his flesh. Although it didn't hurt, Dian Wei gritted his teeth, feigned a groan, and exclaimed, "I know I was wrong, I know I was wrong."
"Do you know what you should be doing now?"
"I know!"
"Know what?"
Dian Wei replied, "To know gratitude and repay it."
*Whack…*
Another blow landed. The old woman's hands were already trembling, but she showed no mercy. "Explain yourself clearly, repay what kind of gratitude!"
"To repay Young Master Lu's kindness in promoting me, and… and his kindness in giving me a new life! No matter when, I must protect Young Master Lu and ensure his safety!"
Correct answer!
However, the old woman put all her strength into it, and with a "crack," another switch landed on Dian Wei's back.
"I'm hitting you so you'll remember. Our family is doing well, you don't need to worry about us… Do what you should do, protect the person you should protect! Wherever Young Master Lu goes, you follow and protect him, always be vigilant, and be sure to keep those petty villains away from our benefactor!"
Dian Wei's mother was a very stubborn woman. Because she hadn't read much, her convictions were limited, but one thing she always emphasized was repaying kindness.
Before, they couldn't eat their fill or wear warm clothes, and their house in the countryside leaked rain and wind when it rained. Now, they could live in such a good house, and her son could achieve so much. All she thought about was repaying kindness.
Similarly, she wanted her son, Dian Wei, to fully understand this sentiment of repaying kindness.
*Crack crack crack!*
Another seven or eight blows, and Dian Wei's mother was almost exhausted.
Although Dian Wei didn't feel pain, his back was covered in bruises.
He knelt on the ground and tried to comfort his mother. "Are you feeling better, Mother? Son… Son remembers. From today onwards, I will not leave Young Master Lu's side, even if it means being a beast of burden…"
Dian Wei's mother's anger finally subsided a little. Looking at Dian Wei's back, her eyes held endless tenderness, but she still maintained a stern expression.
"It's good that you understand. Since you're back, there are a few free-range chickens in our backyard. Take them to Young Master Lu. Don't just stand there foolishly, hurry back and protect our benefactor's safety!"
As she said this, her daughter-in-law whispered, "What kind of person is Young Master Lu? How could he possibly care about our chickens!"
Dian Wei's mother felt that her daughter-in-law had a point.
"Alas…" she sighed, and then hit Dian Wei again. "Forget it, be more sensible from now on. When others flatter you and praise you for your great achievements, always remember to attribute those merits to our benefactor. Without him, you'd still be a cook! Without him, Mother and your wife would still be living in a dilapidated house that leaked wind every night! We wouldn't have money for medicine either! Without him, how would you have had the opportunity to achieve anything? I won't lecture you this time. If I find out you sneak away again, even if you come home, I, as your mother, won't want you as my son anymore! Do you remember that?"
"I remember, I remember everything!" Dian Wei said quickly.
He knew his mother's nature best. She always repaid kindness. If he dared to sneak back or if Young Master Lu had any mishap, she was capable of killing herself to atone.
At this…
The few guards who had come to deliver the message were a bit bewildered.
It was clearly a happy occasion, and even Dian Wei's return was at the behest of Commander Lu. It was understandable, a family reunion, a joyous event, but the old woman… was actually lecturing the Commander so harshly!
The key point was that Commander Dian was now a heroic figure. In all thirteen prefectures of the Han Dynasty, who heard the name "Ancient Evil Fellow" and didn't feel a chill down their spine!
But… it seemed Dian Wei's mother was even more formidable!
With a "gulp," the leading guard swallowed his saliva and respectfully bowed to the old woman. "Old madam, a specialized craftsman will come to hang this plaque later. We… we shall take our leave now."
They fled in disarray.
Dian Wei didn't delay. After bowing to his mother several times, he took out the gold and silver Lu Yu had given him, patted his son Dian Man's head, and left.
His home wasn't close to the Cai mansion… His mother's words had made Dian Wei a little worried about Young Master Lu's safety.
In reality… Chenliu Prefecture was very safe.
After Dian Wei left, the old lady stroked Dian Man's head and instructed:
"Study martial arts diligently. When your martial arts are proficient, go with your father to protect our benefactor! Repaying kindness is something our Dian family will always be eager to do for Young Master Lu!"
As she said this, tears flowed from the old lady's eyes.
She hadn't read many books and understood very little of the world's principles!
Only the principle of not forgetting the well-digger when drinking water was deeply engraved in her heart.
Kindness, even a drop of kindness, should be remembered for a lifetime and repaid with a lifetime! Moreover, Young Master Lu's kindness to their family was not a drop, but a waterfall!
…
…
Chenliu Prefecture, Cai Mansion.
Lu Yu and Sister Zhaoji had a long-awaited reunion, and naturally, there were hugs. Oh, not kisses, but deep hugs.
He could feel Zhaoji's sister's noticeable change in her hugs!
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Lu Yu and Cai Zhaoji sat down together in the mansion's dining hall.
Today, Lu Yu had given all the soldiers a day off to visit their mothers. Lu Yu was fortunate that despite the considerable effort, he had managed to get the brothers of the Long Xiao Battalion to bring their families to Chenliu Prefecture.
Speaking of which, Lu Yu was quite well-off at the time, and houses weren't expensive in this era, so buying a hundred small residences was not a problem.
But during this period…
He was a bit short on cash, with only the oil mill business left. He had enough to spend, but not to save…
Lu Yu was already contemplating having Cheng Yu return to his old trade.
The table today was filled with delicacies: fried locusts, fried crucian carp, stir-fried mutton, stir-fried deer tongue, and chicken… Good luck, tonight we eat chicken!
Such a feast made Lu Yu feel a long-lost appetite!
Indeed, the expansion of the oil mill and the rapid promotion of oil had quickly changed the dietary habits of the local people in Yanzhou. Most of the common people had bid farewell to bland food!
As Lu Yu ate, Cai Zhaoji smiled and said,
"Fei Di, eating chicken… this chicken is something sister personally made for you. I didn't expect that when chicken meat is put into this hot oil and stir-fried with some sauce… the originally soft chicken suddenly becomes firm and chewy, and it's especially delicious with a bite, leaving a lasting aftertaste!"
Cai Zhaoji had recently taken a liking to cooking.
She suddenly realized that, much like reading, with the advent of oil, the dishes no longer remained the same. There were many more possibilities, which made Cai Zhaoji very fond of experimenting.
However… the terms "soft and chewy" and "firm and chewy," and "a bite of…"
Lu Yu's eyes widened slightly. Why were Zhaoji's words so suggestive!
But the taste was indeed excellent. It seemed that Zhaoji's sister not only had superb literary talent but also great potential in cooking!
As Lu Yu ate…
Cai Zhaoji continued to explain.
"There's a great deal of learning involved in cooking chicken…"
*Gulp…*
Lu Yu subconsciously swallowed half a chicken leg.
Zhaoji's sister said… cooking chicken is a learned skill!
Uh… it seems… there might be some truth to that. In any profession, one can excel. What's wrong with cooking chicken? If you cook chicken well, you'll have many repeat customers!
As Lu Yu was lost in thought…
Cai Zhaoji's words continued: "When stir-frying with oil, the most difficult thing to master is not the amount of sauce, but the heat. The heat cannot be too much or too little; it needs to be just right. This is similar to frying locusts…"
"Although both are fried, controlling the temperature… is indeed important. If fried too much, the top will turn black, but if fried too lightly, it won't be crispy enough."
Hearing this, Lu Yu had already finished a chicken leg.
He had to admit, Zhaoji's sister's voice was very pleasant.
But talented women… always had the same flaw as scholars.
They liked to summarize everything into grand theories.
One should know that many Michelin chefs cook by feel. Cooking is all about practice.
However…
Lu Yu looked at Cai Zhaoji in surprise. "Zhaoji's sister? You understand how to control the temperature?"
"I know a little," Cai Zhaoji nodded. "Mu'er visits me from time to time, so she teaches me methods to control the heat by observing the flame's color. It's quite useful for stir-frying!"
Heh heh…
Hearing this, Lu Yu chuckled. He wondered if Cao Mu was still using the old method of forging steel?
Recording the exact temperature of stir-frying, and then based on taste…
She must have figured out the most suitable temperature for stir-frying. Yes… that's what she must have done.
He thought this, but Lu Yu didn't bother to ask for details. As long as they were happy, it was fine.
Wait?
Is the forging workshop so idle lately?
Lu Yu raised his eyebrows and continued to ask, "Zhaoji's sister? Is the forging workshop not busy recently? Is that girl Cao Mu… still coming here?"
He recalled that a month ago, to rush out the entire set of fine steel halberds and fine steel armor and horse armor for the Long Xiao Battalion… the forging workshop was working day and night, and Cao Mu was also working around the clock!
Now… it was idle? That's strange?
"Alas…" Cai Zhaoji sighed softly. "Not only is Mu'er idle, but the oil mill managed by 'Kongming' is also idle…"
"Mu'er told me that these days, unless one exchanges grain, ordinary gold and silver cannot buy the best steel. He's like a clever cook who can't cook without rice, so the entire forging workshop is idle."
"As for… Kongming's side, there has been a severe drought for two full months without a drop of rain. The grain in the entire Yanzhou is almost depleted. Where can they get ingredients to extract oil? However… fortunately…"
As she reached this point, Cai Zhaoji's eyes blinked repeatedly.
"Fortunately, Kongming and Old Wei popularized oil among thousands of households some time ago. It was also reported from the military camp that at the Battle of Puyang, the Cao army soldiers ate fried locusts to survive and thus defeated Lü Bu. Now… the people of Yanzhou and the four prefectures of Xuzhou all know that locusts are a good thing, and they are catching them in large numbers. This has, to some extent, averted the panic caused by the drought."
Hearing this, Lu Yu nodded slightly!
This situation was very good…
One must know that if the millions of people in Yanzhou were to fall into panic due to drought and grain shortages, it would lead to great chaos, and possibly even riots.
Lu Yu had been contemplating how to promote locust consumption among the populace, but in fact… the Battle of Puyang, using locusts as rations, had already spread throughout Yanzhou… and even to other prefectures and counties of the Central Plains. Many feudal lords had followed suit…
However, the results… heh heh! Many fell ill from poisoning.
Now, a rumor circulated throughout the Central Plains: only the locusts in the eight prefectures of Yanzhou and the four prefectures of Xuzhou could be eaten. Locusts in other places would kill anyone who ate them!
In short, the grain problem was temporarily alleviated due to the widespread capture of locusts, but it was ultimately not a long-term solution.
Millions of people catching locusts could not sustain them for long.
Next, they could only place their hopes on rice.
Huuu… Lu Yu let out a soft sigh.
Cai Zhaoji looked up. "Why are you sighing, Fei Di? Are you worried about something…"
"No!" Lu Yu waved his hand… He didn't want to transfer his worries to Zhaoji's sister.
Besides, who wasn't worried?
Drought-resistant rice and regular rice had never been planted in the Central Plains before. This was the first year of planting, and although it only took four months to mature, the yield was uncertain. Lu Yu was not confident.
This concerned the grain supply for the next year!
"There must be something?" Cai Zhaoji saw through Lu Yu at a glance. Fei Di was always full of confidence and rarely sighed. "Are you not telling me? Will sister get angry?"
This…
Lu Yu placed his hand on the dining table and gestured for Cai Zhaoji to lean closer.
Cai Zhaoji obediently leaned her head forward, her ear almost touching Lu Yu's mouth…
Only then did Lu Yu's voice come out.
"Zhaoji's sister, can you help me with something…"
"The Long Xiao Battalion lost fifty-five brothers in this battle. I've just inquired, and thirty of them have parents still alive, and thirty-five have wives and children…"
As she said this, Cai Zhaoji seemed to realize something. "Fei Di, you mean…?"
"I've prepared some money and some grain saved by the Long Xiao Battalion. Zhaoji's sister, please deliver them for me…"
"If I go myself, they might be afraid. Zhaoji's sister is a woman and the descendant of a famous scholar, known for her talent, which would make them feel more comfortable…"
"Furthermore, Zhaoji's sister, you must tell them that even though their sons or their fathers are gone, our Long Xiao Battalion will provide pensions for these elderly people, and we will also raise their sons until they are eighteen years old. All expenses during this period will be borne by us."
Whoa… As soon as Lu Yu said this, Cai Zhaoji's previously swirling eyes suddenly focused.
She looked at Fei Di with great surprise. She was a kind-hearted person and naturally admired Lu Yu's benevolent actions.
In fact, Cai Zhaoji felt that she hadn't befriended Lu Yu brother in vain since childhood, and she even felt a sense of accomplishment.
After a moment, Cai Zhaoji said loudly.
"The arduous task of fighting on the front lines… Fei Di, you manage it. Leave the aftermath to sister. Don't worry, sister will handle this matter for you!"
Hearing this, Lu Yu nodded…
He didn't doubt that Zhaoji's sister could handle it!
After all, when they went south to search for relatives in the past, whenever they encountered poor people, Zhaoji's sister would always help them…
Perhaps this was due to studying the classics, or perhaps… it was Zhaoji's sister's innate nature.
It seemed that this nature was very suitable for becoming a mother of the nation, wasn't it?
Ahem… He cleared his throat lightly, Lu Yu shook his head, where was his mind wandering? Was he dreaming of being an emperor during the day?
However, speaking of which…
Lu Yu intended to help Zhaoji's sister realize her dream.
Rebuilding the Imperial Academy had always been Zhaoji's sister's dream. Moreover… according to Lu Yu's plan, after the Son of Heaven returned east, scholars across the land would also lack a place to belong, a leader in the literary world.
Lu Yu had an idea: to have Zhaoji's sister inherit her father's legacy and become the head of the Imperial Academy and a doctor of the School of Classics. However, the first step to reaching such a height required some reputation!
Providing condolences and making promises to the families of the fallen soldiers was also a form of reputation.
The rest would have to wait until the Son of Heaven returned east.
It had to be said, Lu Yu was looking forward to the Son of Heaven's return east.
Many of his ideas could only be realized with the help of the sacred value that the Han Dynasty had maintained for hundreds of years!
Let's wait and see…
One year later, the Son of Heaven was on his way back east!
One year later, the revival of the Imperial Academy was also on its way!
Also in one year, the Hegemony of Wei Wu set sail and would usher in a new chapter!
…
…