Chapter 624： Unforgettable dinner

Chapter 624 An Unforgettable Feast

"Thanks to the prefect of the government, cough cough, in fact, it is very convenient to go home and have a meal in the humble position." Hearing that the prefect of Zhou invited him to have lunch with him, Catcher Zhang hurriedly bowed and thanked the prefect of Zhou, then paused, lowered his head and declined for a moment.

"Zhang Butou, you don't have to be polite or restrained. Although you and I are in a subordinate relationship, it's just a casual meal, not a job." Zhou Houjie said to Zhang Butou with a smile.

Uh, I don’t seem to be polite and reserved.

Zhu Pingan watched the interaction between the two and did not speak, but he had a strange feeling in his heart. Looking at Zhang Butou's expression just now, it seemed that he was not as polite and restrained as Zhou Houjie said, but a bit like a feeling of disgust. Ah, it's like being bitten by a snake once and being afraid of well ropes for ten years.

"My lord's lesson is that you don't have to be polite when you are in a lowly position." Zhang catcher cupped his hands.

"Well, well, you go, and come over to have dinner together after telling the cook." Zhou Houjie nodded with a smile.

"Yes, my lord." Catcher Zhang retreated in response, and went to the kitchen to arrange for the cooks in the yamen to add food.

"Let's go, Zihou, let's go to the house for a while." Zhou Houjie smiled and stretched out his hand as a gesture of invitation, then pulled Zhu Pingan straight into the lobby.

Shuntianfu Yamen is five rooms wide, and the platform in front of the hall, although old, is magnificent, majestic and majestic. There is a black lacquered public case in the middle of the lobby. Behind the public case is the background screen of the red sun going out to sea. Above the lobby is a plaque of "Mirror Hanging High". Hang a pair of couplets, "Justify the unjust prison, the joints are blocked, it is the atmosphere of Yama; the disaster relief, the compassion is boundless, and it is still the heart of a Bodhisattva." It is fair and majestic yet considerate and caring for the people. It will be an official's attitude, responsibility, love and closeness to the people. It can be seen that it is similar to the couplet outside, and it should also be written by Zhou Zhifu.

Zhou Zhifu took Zhu Ping'an from the lobby to the second hall. The second hall was Zhou Houjie's daily office. The six offices of the government government "officials, households, soldiers, and criminal workers" were all distributed around the second hall. They all came out to salute Zhou Houjie, Zhou Houjie nodded in response, and led Zhu Pingan to the second hall.

Entering the second hall, Zhou Zhifu let Zhu Pingan sit casually, got up and took the teapot from the small charcoal stove, poured Zhu Pingan a cup of tea and brought it over.

Zhu Ping'an got up and left his seat, taking the teacup with both hands.

"The visitor is a guest, Zihou, you just sit down." Zhou Houjie said with a smile.

After sitting down again, Zhu Pingan observed the second hall where Zhou Houjie worked next week. It was arranged by Zhou Houjie like a study room. There were several bookshelves full of books, including the Four Books and Five Classics, as well as "Regulations of the Great Tang Dynasty" and "Regulations of the Great Ming Dynasty". ", "Law Order", "Dagao Continued Edition", "Three Editions" and other law books Judging from the color of books and the degree of wrinkle in page numbers, these books are often read by people.

There is a piece of rice paper on the desk, the ink is also ground, and half of the writing is done on the rice paper. Zhou Houjie should have been writing here just now, and he went out when he heard that he was coming.

"I interrupted your work." Zhu Pingan said apologetically.

"It's okay, holding candles for a while tonight is enough." Zhou Houjie waved his hands indifferently, and then started to clear the table for later dinner.

"Zihou, I have read the paperwork you wrote, and I will leave this matter to my official. I will definitely investigate and find out." After clearing the table, Zhou Houjie said to Zhu Ping'an.

"Thank you, my lord, for being the master of peace." Zhu Ping'an cupped his hands in thanks.

"This is a matter of my duty, why should Zihou do this. I have met you late, but it has nothing to do with today's case. I will handle this case impartially and will not tarnish the reputation of the court." Zhou Houjie said seriously. road.

"Zihou trusts your lord." Zhu Ping'an smiled calmly.

What Zhu Pingan appreciates is Zhou Houjie. Zhou Houjie is a principled person. Although he appreciates himself, he is not the kind of person who abolishes the public because of personal interests. This is why Zhu Pingan has great respect for Zhou Houjie. A place of goodwill.

Distinguishing between public and private matters is easy to say, but difficult to do in practice. People are born of parents. Those who have no relatives and friends, who don’t eat wind and dew, and have all six senses broken, and those who don’t have all emotions and desires. If it involves relatives and friends, how many officials can handle it with peace of mind and impartiality? If everyone was the stern and selfless Bao Zheng, then Bao Gong would not be famous.

Zhou Houjie couldn't help but smiled slightly, and looked at Zhu Ping'an with even more admiration.

"Actually, I still admire Zihou very much. Regarding the memorial, let alone others, I am afraid that even this official will be overwhelmed and worried." Zhou Houjie nodded the table and mentioned the memorial.

"If it's someone else, that's fine, but if it's an adult, Ping An believes that the adult will play faster than Ping An." Zhu Ping shook his head and joked.

"Not necessarily." Zhou Houjie smiled and shook his head.

At this moment, there was a sound of footsteps outside, and then I saw Catcher Zhang walking over with a food box. There was steam in the food box, and there was a smell of food.

"My lord, the meal is ready." Zhang Butou came over with a food box.

"Okay, then let's have dinner." Zhou Houjie nodded upon hearing this, then looked at Zhu Pingan and said, "Don't be disgusted with rough tea and light food."

"How come, Ping An disturbed the adults." Zhu Pingan said.

After Zhang Tuotou opened the food box and put the meals on the table one by one, Zhu Pingan realized that what Zhou Houjie said was not modest, and also understood Zhang Tutou's expression at the beginning.

Which one, I guess I really dislike it.

There are five dishes and one soup on the dinner table. Five dishes and one soup sound very rich, but hearing is not as good as seeing it. If you see these five dishes and one soup, you will not feel so. Although colorful, five dishes in a row are placed on the table. Together, and the soup in the middle is also a large bowl.

A plate of vinegared mung bean sprouts, a plate of vegetarian fried cabbage, a plate of boiled tofu with cabbage, a plate of boiled peanuts, and a plate of pickled radish strips. The knife skill is good, the radish strips are neatly cut, and some green onions are sprinkled on top .

In the middle is a large bowl of soup, which is also the only meat dish on this table - crucian carp tofu soup. There are two palm-sized crucian carp in the soup. It is estimated that this is an added dish.

Is this the lunch of Sipin Zhifu?

Zhu Ping'an was a little stunned, and then glanced at Zhang Butou.

Zhang Tutou smiled wryly and gave Zhu Pingan a positive look. This was the third time he had had dinner with Zhou Zhifu, and he had already realized it.

"Come on, you're welcome, steamed buns are enough." Zhou Houjie greeted warmly.

"Do adults usually eat these?" Zhu Pingan asked curiously, a little unbelievable. After he won the Juren, the living conditions of his family would be greatly improved, let alone Zhou Houjie, the fourth-rank prefect of Shuntian.

"Food and clothing are enough, enough food and clothing." Zhou Houjie said with a smile, and then greeted warmly, "Zi Hou, hurry up and eat. This is Liuweizhai's tofu, and it tastes best when it is hot."

"Master Zhu, this is the day you came, and the Fu Zun added more dishes." Zhang Butou explained with a wry smile, "Master, do you know which dish is added today."

"This crucian carp tofu soup must be it." Zhu Pingan said.

"Master Zhu is half right. In fact, this boiled peanut is also a dish added by the mansion. His lord ordered the kitchen to prepare meals for him. He felt that it is only reasonable to entertain guests with four dishes." Zhang The catcher shook his head and smiled wryly.

(end of this chapter)