diskusbooks Chapter 16 Life Experiences: Talking Points in Old Age
Chapter 16 Life Experiences: Talking Points in Old Age
Ever since arriving at the Mulan Hunting Grounds, Yinzhuo had been diligently kept by Kangxi's side, serving as a dutiful mascot. He basically had no free time from the moment he opened his eyes in the morning until he fell asleep at night. Before, when he was busy, he thought that when he had some free time, he would sleep for a day or two. But now that he was really free, after lying in bed for less than a day, Yinzhuo felt uncomfortable all over.
"Sigh, people are just like that, always so stubborn. Before, when I was so busy I was practically on my feet, all I could think about was having time to get a good night's sleep. Now, I have plenty of time, but I just can't fall asleep. Dexi, have someone bring me some water. I'll wash up and then we'll take the people for a walk around here."
Since he couldn't lie down, Yinzhuo simply stopped lingering on the bed. With Dexi's help, he tidied up briefly and then led his men out of the tent.
Fearing that something might happen to Yinzhi and his companions, Kangxi specially assigned four skilled guards to each of them. The grasslands were not like the capital. Although the scenery was beautiful, there were many hidden dangers. Before Kangxi arrived, the hunting grounds had already driven away the wild animals within a radius of dozens of miles. However, no one could guarantee that no one would escape. So even with his men, Yinzhi did not dare to go too far. He simply had a blanket laid out by a small river not far from their camp and lay down on it to enjoy the sunset over the grasslands.
The grassland scenery under the setting sun is quite beautiful, and the surroundings are spacious and quiet. Apart from the chirping of insects nearby, the sound of the campsite not far away can be heard from a distance, but because it is a bit far away, it does not seem noisy.
Yinzhuo thoroughly enjoyed this rare tranquility, closing his eyes and letting his mind wander freely, instantly feeling incredibly relaxed and at ease.
"Sixth Brother, so you ran here. We went to look for you, Dexi, this morning and you were still asleep. Then we found out this evening that you had come out with people. We searched around here for a long time, but we never expected to find you lying here."
Upon hearing the voice, Yinzhu knew that there would be no peace and quiet today. He sat up abruptly and turned to look at the group of people walking towards him.
"Third brother, fourth brother, fifth brother, seventh brother, you've arrived. It was getting dark and the grassland was dangerous, so we didn't dare to wander around. The scenery here is nice, and it's quite nice to lie here and watch the sunset. Fourth brother, come and sit over here quickly. Dexi just picked a lot of sorghum berries by the river. They taste very good. Come and try some."
Having not seen these young men for a few days, Yinzhuo was actually quite happy to see them arrive, especially when he saw his future powerful patron, Yinzhen, smiling and nodding in greeting. He couldn't help but beam with joy, getting up to pull Yinzhen to sit down beside him.
"Sixth brother, we're brothers, why are you treating us differently? Not only did you invite your fourth brother to sit down, but you also only share the good food with him."
Yinzhi didn't take Yinzhi's accusations seriously at all. While handing Yinzhen the sorghum fruits that had already been washed in the basin next to him, he didn't forget to retort a few words to Yinzhi.
"What's wrong with treating him differently? He's my own brother. Shouldn't I treat him better? Besides, Third Brother, you've always been more shameless than Fourth Brother. If I don't give you anything, I certainly won't be shortchanged myself, right? Fifth Brother, Seventh Brother, don't you agree?"
Because Yinqi had always been raised by the Empress Dowager's side, he was never fluent in either Manchu or Chinese. So when he was with his brothers, he was always the one who stood quietly to the side and listened. Yinyou was born with a leg disability and walked with a slight limp. He was always a little self-conscious and never participated in his brothers' playful fights. Neither of them expected that they would be affected just by standing by today.
"Sixth Brother is right. He's much thicker-skinned than Fourth and Third Brothers, and he's not one to suffer a loss. There's really no need to worry about him making himself suffer."
Perhaps it was because the group had gotten to know each other better over the past few days, or perhaps it was because they had arrived on the grasslands and there were many Mongolian speakers who gave Yinqi confidence, as he had become quite bold and even started teasing Yinzhi. Although Yinyou did not speak, he nodded seriously after Yinqi finished speaking, clearly agreeing with what Yinqi said.
"Heh, you guys are all in cahoots now. You think I'm shameless? Fine, then don't eat any of these wild fruits. I'll be shameless and eat them all."
Yinzhuo didn't take his brothers' teasing to heart. He walked over to Yinzhen, sat down, and snatched the bowl of wild fruit from Yinzhen's hand, eating it. It seemed he really didn't intend to leave any for any of them.
Soon after the sun set, the sky gradually darkened. That's how it is on the grassland; it's unbearably hot when the sun is out, but the temperature drops drastically as soon as the sun goes down. Since they weren't far from the camp and had others with them, none of them wanted to go back just yet. So they had someone clear away the weeds around them, went back to the camp to get a brazier and grill, lit a campfire by the river, and planned to have their dinner there.
In his previous life, Yinzhuo's favorite thing to do before bed was to watch videos of outdoor camping to help him fall asleep. He also fantasized that one day when he had money, he would buy a motorhome and travel all over the country, find a beautiful and peaceful place, set up a tent, light a campfire, and experience the fun of camping. He never expected that this wish, which he couldn't realize back then, would be so easily fulfilled in the Qing Dynasty, which lasted for hundreds of years.
"As the saying goes, self-reliance leads to abundance. Dexi, have someone bring over a grill. I also want to experience the joy of grilling meat myself."
Yinzhuo wanted to grill the meat himself. Although Dexi was afraid that he would hurt himself, he did not dare to disobey his master's order. He had someone bring over the grill and charcoal brazier and set them up. After handing the skewered meat to Yinzhuo, he stood aside and stared at him intently, ready to quickly pull his master away if anything went wrong.
"Relax, Dexi. Although this is my first time grilling meat myself, I've seen others do it before. Don't worry, it's very simple. Just put the meat on the rack, turn it over every now and then, and sprinkle on the seasonings when it's almost cooked. Then grill it for a little while longer and it's ready to eat..."
Yinzhuo's words were so simple that they instantly made Yinzhi and the others who were watching from the side eager to try it out. They exchanged glances and walked over to Yinzhuo in unison.
Sixth Brother, is grilling meat really as simple as you say? Just flipping it occasionally and sprinkling on the seasoning when it's almost cooked?
When the group arrived, Yinzhuo's first batch of skewers was already cooked. Yinzhuo skillfully sprinkled on the seasonings, turned them over a few times to ensure the seasonings were evenly heated, then took a skewer to taste it. He then asked Dexi to distribute the cooked skewers to the young men to try.
"Of course, weren't you all right here while I grilled these? Let me tell you, practice is the only criterion for testing truth. If you want to know if grilling meat is as simple as I say, just try it yourself. Even if you don't grill it well, it's okay. Just consider it a life experience, something to talk about when you're old. In the future, you can brag to your younger siblings, 'On such and such a day, I personally grilled meat in such and such a place, and the taste was simply amazing…'"
Yinzhi, Yinzhen, and the others were clearly moved by Yinzuo's words. Of course, among them, only Yinzhen genuinely wanted to challenge himself; the other three were simply interested in boasting.