Porridge and side dishes [farming]

Chapter 82 Why Didn't You Come Over Earlier

Er Gouzi ate two pieces of dim sum, which were really delicious, but when he turned around, he saw that Li Ji didn't eat any more, and he didn't eat any more.

Er Gouzi is innocent, but not stupid.From Li Ji's performance, Er Gouzi could feel that something serious might have happened, which made Li Ji very disturbed.

Er Gouzi remembered that Li Ji said that he had found his father. Although Er Gouzi had no idea about the word father, since it was related to his mother, he would do whatever Li Ji asked him to do.

The carriage drove all the way, except for the bumpy road when leaving the village, the rest of the road was smooth and stable.The benches in the carriage were fluffy and soft, and it was extremely comfortable to sit on. Li Ji raised his eyes to look at the decorations inside the carriage. They were all made of high-quality silk with various accessories, not vulgar, but with that kind of extravagance.

The county magistrate, the person who stands at the top of the county, is the parent officer of the whole county and has the highest power here.

Such a person is Er Gouzi's biological father.

If it had been two years earlier, or before Li Ji met Er Gouzi, it would be great.With such a father around, Er Gouzi will have no worries about food and clothing for the rest of his life.The county magistrate will give him all the best things, whether it is food, basic necessities of life, housing, transportation, and an impeccable and perfect wife.

What is fortune making people, the first one to meet Er Gouzi was Li Ji.

The carriage stopped, Li Ji trembled and looked at the butler and nodded slightly.The butler got out of the car first and waited for the two to get off.

Er Gouzi was waiting for Li Ji, Li Ji said softly, "You go first."

Here, Er Gouzi is the serious master.

Er Gouzi got out of the car, and the butler wanted to reach out to support him, but Er Gouzi avoided him.Er Gouzi doesn't like being touched by anyone other than Li Ji.Jumping off the carriage and looking back, Li Ji poked his toes down, there should be a small stool underneath, and it's no problem to step on the small stool.

Er Gouzi was afraid that he would not be able to step on it stably, so he stretched out his hand to help Li Ji down.Li Ji looked at Er Gouzi and smiled, then turned to look at the County Grandfather's Mansion.

There were two rows of maids and servants standing at the door, all dressed in uniform, neat and tidy.Seeing the other side looking over, they all bowed and saluted: "I have seen the two young masters."

Li Ji subconsciously took half a step back. He is an ordinary person after all, and he is not used to such a scene.

The steward led the way in front: "You two young masters, please follow."

"I'm sorry." Li Ji and Er Gouzi followed the butler, and entered the county grandpa's mansion through the side door.

There are three entrances to the house.One is the main entrance, which will only be opened when there is a big event.For example, when distinguished guests come to visit, such as weddings and funerals, they will not be opened easily.The second is the side door, which is used by guests to petition and to enter and exit by oneself.The third is the back door, which is generally used by the servants to go in and out. Of course, there are also some shady things, and the only way to enter and leave the mansion is through the inconspicuous back door.

The matter of Er Gouzi has not been revealed to the world, so the front door cannot be opened at this time.

Even through the side door, Li Ji thought it was very grand.There are two doors open, the color of lacquer red with finely carved patterns.

Li Ji took a look when he walked in, and then looked ahead.

People have already arrived here, so they don't think it's strange to see anything behind.

After three years of clearing the magistrate, one hundred thousand snowflake silver.Even honest officials will have specific channels for getting money.Ordinary people have heard it and hit it with a stick, saying that they are all corrupt officials, but is this really the case?

Enter the gate, pass through the second gate, and walk through a long corridor to the back garden.In the rockery Bitan in the garden, the flowers are in full bloom, and the green willows beside the lake are swaying with the breeze.Li Ji had never seen any magnificent place, and when he looked around, he felt that there was nothing like a fairyland.

The butler led the two of them to a water corridor, and when they stepped on it, they could feel the echo of the hollow below. When Li Ji walked halfway, he saw a table in a small pavilion in the lake surrounded by eight or nine servant girls. There was only one person sitting on the seat, and Li Ji could see clearly that this person was the magistrate.

Li Ji paused and sighed silently.What should come will always come, and since it has come, let it be at ease.

When he got closer, Li Ji pulled Er Gouzi and knelt down and bowed down: "Li Ji, a grassroots man, kowtows to your lord."

Er Gouzi doesn't know how to say this set of words, so he will do what Li Ji does.

Knocking his head on the ground, he waited for a while before he heard the trembling voice of the magistrate: "Get up."

Li Ji stood up and didn't look up. He just kept his eyes on his nose, nose and heart. He knew that the county magistrate must not be looking at him at this moment.

The magistrate of the county was staring at Er Gouzi. He first noticed the old jade pendant hanging around Er Gouzi's neck. Perhaps he had been with Er Gouzi on the mountain for many years, and bumps and bumps were inevitable. You can see the scratches on it, but you can still see the pattern, it was really brought by the county magistrate to Li Yan back then.

"Sit down." The county magistrate looked at Er Gouzi up and down, and then said with suppressed emotions.

Li Ji led Er Gouzi to sit down. The table was so big that at least two people could stand between the seats. After Er Gouzi sat down, seeing Li Ji sitting a little far away, he frowned slightly and stared at Li Ji.

Li Ji felt Er Gouzi's gaze, and whispered obediently.

The county magistrate also saw that Er Gouzi was not dependent on Li Ji, but simply obeyed.

This is also the case, and it can be seen that Li Ji is really kind to Er Gouzi, otherwise Er Gouzi would not listen to Li Ji like this.

The magistrate of the county ordered to pass the dishes, and the snacks and fruits that were originally placed on the table were removed one by one. A line of maidservants came in a file. scattered.

Just by smelling the aroma, you can feel what kind of deliciousness it will be.Li Ji lowered his head and said nothing, the magistrate wanted to talk to Er Gouzi but couldn't find anything to talk about.

Simply talk to Li Ji first, and start the conversation: "It's really presumptuous to call you here all of a sudden. I'm also doing this for my own selfishness. You don't need to think too much about it. This is just a simple meal."

Li Ji didn't want to talk, but the county magistrate spoke up, and the county magistrate couldn't be left alone.

"It is our honor to have dinner with you."

The county magistrate nodded, and just about to say something, he remembered that things should be said after dinner, so he said with a smile: "Let's not be polite, there are no outsiders around, so let's do it."

After talking about cloth dishes, the three servant girls stood up and stood on the left side of the three people on the table, holding a pair of chopsticks and waiting.

Where have Li Ji and Er Gouzi seen this before?Li Ji didn't know at all that he didn't dare to move easily. Er Gouzi watched Li Ji not move, so he followed suit.

The magistrate of the county was not thinking about the meal, but he wanted to watch the two of them eat. He looked at the performance of the two with some doubts, and then realized that the two grew up in the mountain village, so they didn't know the rules of the big family.

"If you want to eat something, just say it. I have a maid to help me pick it up. Don't worry about the size of the table, it's inconvenient for us to pick it up by ourselves."

In fact, there are few rules here for the county magistrate, because the magistrate himself is also from ordinary people, which makes the maids serve dishes mostly because the table is big and it is inconvenient to eat. Those who are really from rich families, Wash your hands with petal water and rinse your mouth with mint tea before eating.

The magistrate of the county sometimes does it to add some elegance, but usually he does it according to his own habits.

Li Ji didn't know the rules of the big family, and it could even be said that the door of the big family didn't know where the door opened.

Er Gouzi looked at Li Ji, and then at the food on the table.With a glance at the past, all kinds of dishes are exquisite in color and fragrance.Er Gouzi is a person with a strong appetite, and when he sees the meat that is closer, his eyes light up subconsciously.

Er Gouzi didn't even pick up his chopsticks, but the maid standing next to Er Gouzi had already picked up the chopsticks and picked up a piece of the dish that Er Gouzi had just seen, and carefully put it into Er Gouzi's bowl.

Er Gouzi was slightly stunned, and looked at the maid curiously.The servant girl felt Er Gouzi's gaze, and she didn't dare to make a fuss at all, but slightly bowed her knees and gave a half-respect, very polite.

Er Gouzi tried to look at another dish of meat, and the maid immediately put that dish into Er Gouzi's bowl.

Li Ji also noticed the situation here, and secretly swallowed, the clever girl knew that she wanted to eat it just by looking at her before she could say anything.

Li Ji looked at the magistrate, and the magistrate nodded to him.

Li Ji nodded to Er Gouzi again, after all, it was the first time the two of them had dinner together, so they shouldn't get mixed up because of his emotions.

The dishes were placed far away, and it was difficult for Li Ji to pick them up by himself, so he tried to look at whatever he wanted to eat, and the maid walked around consciously, and gave him the dishes Li Ji had seen one by one.

Li Ji had never heard of this, and had never seen it.At first, I felt rare, and then I felt sorry for the maid who served me.After these emotions turned around, Li Ji felt it was funny again, to have the opportunity to serve the official, I don't know how many people can't do it if they spend their entire lives working hard.

The maids are indeed hardworking, but they are paid a considerable sum every month. The maids with high ranks even earn much more than those outside who work hard for a month.

It's no wonder that so many people want to make a fortune and make money, and then buy maids and servants. Being served like this is really enjoyable from the bottom of their hearts.

It's just that Li Ji is not a person who knows how to enjoy himself by nature. If he can, he still wants to sit at home with Er Gouzi on the kang, pick up vegetables from each other, and eat while chatting.

After eating a few mouthfuls of food, the maids brought the freshly warmed wine.Li Ji remembered that Xue Langzhong, the head of the village, once said that drinking on an empty stomach hurts the stomach, so the wine was delivered after a few mouthfuls of food.

I poured wine for the three of them separately, as if mixed with the fragrance of flowers, it was intoxicating.

Li Ji had only seen wild flowers blooming in the mountains, but he didn't know a few serious flowers, so he couldn't smell any flowers.

"This is self-brewed wine. The plum blossoms bloomed well in the courtyard last year, but it was a pity that they fell. I asked someone to collect the fallen flowers and brew this wine with snow water on the spot. It has been fermented for several months. Drink it It's not very intoxicating, it's good for pleasure." The magistrate took a sip of the wine in the glass and nodded, "I remembered it a few days ago, but I didn't want to drink it. It's an elegant thing to invite you to drink together today. "

Li Ji couldn't understand such eloquent words, he didn't know a single word, so how could he understand these literary words.

Picking up the wine glass and taking a sip, the taste is soft, with a sweet and sour taste, and the scent of flowers in the mouth is full of alcohol.

If you usually drink alcohol, and what you drink is the feeling brought by alcohol, then drinking this wine is pure enjoyment.

"Good wine." These words were not compliments, they came directly from the lips and tongue.

Er Gouzi also took a sip and thought it was delicious, so he swallowed the whole cup as soon as he raised his head.Unlike Li Ji.Li Ji is reluctant to eat when he encounters a good one, and wants to taste it bit by bit, and this is the case with drinking and tea.Er Gouzi fills his stomach as soon as he encounters a good thing, because if something else goes wrong, he will miss the good thing.

The servant girl who had bottomed out the glass immediately continued, and Er Gouzi drank it up again boldly, and then buried himself in eating.

Then the maid got busy, helping Er Gouzi pick up food non-stop, which was not enough for Er Gouzi to eat alone.

In the blink of an eye, Er Gouzi stuffed the meat and vegetables that had just been brought into his mouth and swallowed them into his stomach.

The magistrate of the county hadn't even had a bite of food when he was taken aback by Er Gouzi's eating.

When the bowl of rice was finished, the servant girl brought up another bowl and took away the clean bowl.

The result was soon, the bowl bottomed out again, and Er Gouzi obviously didn't mean to be full at all.

What made Li Ji most gratified was Er Gouzi's appetite, and his eating appearance was also very appetizing.Watching Er Gouzi eat, Li Ji felt that he could throw away all his troubles. Even if he only watched Er Gouzi eat, Li Ji could watch him all day, as long as Er Gouzi could eat.

The county magistrate was a little surprised, and after watching it for a while, he sighed and said: "The appetite is so good, no wonder he looks so strong."

Li Ji nodded and said: "To be honest, he can eat all the dishes on the table by himself. But on weekdays, I control the order, and let him stop when he is seven or eight full. He eats nonsense. Haisai's habit is left over from the mountains, and eating like this all the time is not good for your health."

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Ji remembered that the county magistrate was Er Gouzi's father, and couldn't help but feel a little depressed.

Hearing Li Ji's words, Er Gouzi stopped with his chopsticks, looked at Li Ji and said, "I'll stop after another bowl." This is already the third bowl.

Li Ji said with a smile: "You are not restricted today. It is the first time I have such a good meal. It is a sin not to enjoy it. Eat."

Er Gouzi smiled, and once again lowered his head and plunged into the ocean of delicious food.

The county magistrate watched Er Gouzi eat, feeling relieved for no reason.Being so edible means that he is in good health, and Er Gouzi looks so good, it seems that these years have not been too bad.

The county magistrate said to Li Ji, "He is very attached to you."

Li Ji paused, took a sip of wine to brew, and said: "When he first came down the mountain, he didn't even know how to speak, and he stayed with me when he ate and slept. I want him to talk more like a normal person, so on weekdays When I had free time, I kept talking next to him, but later on he spoke quickly, but he only knew me. In the past two years, he had a lot of contact with the villagers, but he rarely talked to them. It made me feel uncomfortable. It is clear that he has this kind of temperament in the first place, the child is because I didn't teach him well."

If others listened to Li Ji's words, they would definitely think that Er Gouzi is a half-fool, and there is no one who only recognizes one person.But in the eyes of the father, there is no half-sentence between the two of them?

"It can be seen that you are really kind to Er Gouzi. It is also a good thing not to like to kiss people you don't know well." The county magistrate looked at Er Gouzi's eating, "Maybe he was wronged when he was young, so he hid Most of the people."

One can only imagine what it would be like for a wild species brought back from outside by an unfaithful woman in a small village where saliva can drown people.

If you were bullied because you were blinded when you were young, it is very possible that you will refuse to contact others when you grow up.

Hearing what the magistrate said, Li Ji also thought it was possible.But that being the case, why did Er Gouzi only kiss Li Ji?

And this relationship is not cultivated over a long period of time.Li Ji remembered very clearly that when he went to Gao Orion's house, Gao Orion's daughter-in-law once said that Er Gouzi was so powerful at that time that no one would be allowed to approach him, and he would hurt people like a wolf cub when he approached.

When Li Ji went, although Er Gouzi was very wary at first, he got better after saying a few words.Of course, it had something to do with Li Ji mentioning Li Yan, but there were many people who met Er Gouzi at that time, and Li Ji didn't believe that he was the only one who mentioned Li Yan.

Later, Li Ji brought Er Gouzi home, but he didn't see that Er Gouzi had any intention of guarding against him, so he began to obey Li Ji's words within a few days.

And he treats others, even Gao Orion, who saved himself, is very indifferent. When Gao Orion cheated, Er Gouzi went to catch him, but he didn't show any kindness, and he was ruthless.

Why are those two dogs so special to Li Ji alone?

Everyone in the village was wondering, and Li Ji himself was even more surprised.From the beginning to the present, the feelings along the way have come so smoothly.

Li Ji thought about it, but couldn't figure it out. He looked at Er Gouzi, thinking that he would ask Er Gouzi when he had time.

Er Gouzi noticed Li Ji's gaze, smiled at Li Ji, and continued to eat.Li Ji picked up the wine glass, followed Er Gouzi's example, and poured himself a glass of wine.

After drinking two or three jugs of wine, even though it wasn't strong alcohol, it was intoxicating enough. Li Ji was slightly drunk, Er Gouzi's face turned red, and his eating speed slowed down, it seemed that he was full.

Several dishes were added to the dinner table, and each time the dishes were different, with slightly different tastes.

Li Ji had almost eaten, so he only cared about drinking.He was waiting until the magistrate couldn't help but speak out.

The county magistrate wanted to say it several times, but he couldn't open his mouth, so he had to drink one after another.

I couldn't take my eyes off Er Gouzi, the more I drank, the more confused my mind became. Looking at the jade pendant on Er Gouzi's neck, I seemed to see Li Yan smiling at him among the flowers in a trance.

The county magistrate felt sad in his heart, and heaved a long sigh.

Li Ji waited for a long time and didn't hear the voice, so he couldn't help it.

He opened his mouth and asked: "This meal is almost finished, what's on your mind, sir, you can talk about it."

Both left and right are dead, it is better to be stabbed.

The magistrate was slightly stunned, and said with a smile: "After all, you are the one with a sensitive mind. I really have something hard to say. I thought wine was strong and cowardly, but I forgot that wine makes me sad."

Li Ji seemed to understand what he said, but he could understand the mood of the magistrate.His biological son was right in front of his eyes, but he had no words to recognize him.In the past 20 years, the county magistrate has never appeared before, and this suddenly appeared, and Er Gouzi has such a temperament, so what if he doesn't accept it, so what if Er Gouzi hates him.

Li Ji looked down at the wine in the glass, held it tightly, and finally mustered up the courage, raised his head and drank the wine in the glass, saying: "If you really feel guilty, if you don't say it, how will you know how to make it up?"

One sentence shocked the county magistrate, because this sentence just hit the county magistrate's heart.

"You... know what's on my mind?"

At this moment, Li Ji only felt that the wine in his mouth was extremely bitter: "Not long before the lord picked us up, the county magistrate's official family went over to give a great gift, a good thing that I am not qualified to see in my life .”

The county magistrate is a smart man, so he naturally understood what Li Ji meant.

The magistrate was a little helpless, and said: "Just for a gift, you know everything?"

"The county magistrate has a housekeeper who is a junior in Caomin Village. When she came back to the village last time, she asked me to ask some questions about Er Gouziniang. I only said that sister Yan was cheated by a heartless man in the city. When I came back to the village, there was no news. How could the maid of the county magistrate come back to the village and ask a person who had been dead for many years for no reason? At that time, I had imagined that Er Gouzi's father was a great person."

The magistrate of the county did not expect that the county magistrate had noticed it before, so why didn't he tell him earlier?

"You mean the county magistrate already knew about it?"

Li Ji shook his head: "He should just be skeptical, and how could he have imagined that the betrayer I'm talking about is you, the Lord Qingtian of our county."

There was some sarcasm on the corner of Li Ji's lips, which contained the despair that he might leave Er Gouzi.

During the period of knowing the county magistrate, Li Ji could see that the county magistrate would not be a man who cruelly abandoned his wife. If this father really repented and retrieved his son, Li Ji would not be able to stop him.

Because of this, Li Ji hates the county magistrate for no reason, just because of his own selfish desire to stay with Er Gouzi.

Li Ji's words pierced into the softest part of the county magistrate's heart like a knife. At that moment, the county magistrate didn't even dare to look at Er Gouzi, let alone the jade pendant hanging on Er Gouzi's neck.

"I'm sorry for them."

"You are really sorry for them." Li Ji opened his mouth and said something that he felt a little cruel, "Perhaps you really have something to hide. It was not what you wanted to abandon Li Yan, who was pregnant, but you still abandoned her. A pregnant unmarried woman went back to the village with her stomach full, and died after giving birth to a child for five years. These are all facts. It has been 20 years, why didn’t you come here sooner.”

If it had been a few years earlier, perhaps Li Ji would not have met Er Gouzi.

Of course, this is also God's arrangement, Li Ji is destined to meet Er Gouzi first.

Every word Li Ji said could not be avoided by Zhuxin County Grandpa.

The county magistrate cannot change what happened back then, but it's the same, if Li Yan's mother and son are really looking for it, can they still find it?How could Li Yan die?How could Er Gouzi get lost?

In the final analysis, the county magistrate is completely sorry for Er Gouzi, mother and son.

The county magistrate wanted to explain, but he was too ashamed to speak, and only one sentence remained after a thousand words: "Is there any possibility of redemption?"

The author has something to say: just take the example of Heshen’s luxurious life in history, you don’t need to use chopsticks to eat at all, and when you eat, you can see which dish the maid directly puts in Heshen’s mouth.

... I don't know why, but I really want to enjoy it for a while, the kind that pays people to hire