Crossing the famine, I am a poor fish, and my descendants have to work hard

The 90-acre yard is divided into two yards: the front yard and the back yard. The front yard covers an area of ​​30 acres and the back yard covers an area of ​​more than 60 acres.

The front yard, also known as the outer garden, is used to receive guests and handle official business.

A three-door gate is set up, with two east and west corner doors on both sides.

Straight down, there are two symmetrical rows of four outer study rooms. These two outer study rooms are used to handle official business and entertain male guests who are not allowed to enter the backyard.

Further out were the stables and carriage houses, as well as several rows of servants' quarters set back from a narrow courtyard.

After passing the outer gate, there is the second main gate of the entire courtyard.

In the middle are five bright meeting rooms, with greenhouses, ear rooms, tea rooms and other buildings on both sides.

Further in is the inner courtyard. In the center of the front of the inner courtyard are five large halls with ear rooms, which can be used to receive distinguished guests, close friends, hold banquets, or for family use.

The small courtyard on the left side of the main hall was enclosed and used as Zhao Yuanzhen's inner study.

The right side is designed as a side hall and a hall with grass and trees. A main courtyard with seven rooms and seven frames is built across a white stone corridor and a hanging flower gate. Next to it are double-story wing rooms, triple-story ear rooms, and three-story summer houses in front and back.

This huge house has more than 20 rooms, and these are Zhao Yuanzhen’s main rooms.

The three rows of houses behind the main house are used as kitchens. They are designed with two corner doors, one leading to the back porch, which is a smaller meeting room for female family members to manage affairs or receive guests.

Another corner door connects to the corridor, leading to the large garden.

With Zhao Yuanzhen's main house as the center, 11 courtyards and houses were built in the east, west and north directions. These were for the children born later, such as Zhang Xinbai, Zhang Xinnian, Zhang Xinshu, Zhang Zijin, Ziyou and Zipei, to live in.

Those courtyards that were close to Zhao Yuanzhen's main house were connected by corridors.

The courtyards farther away were separated by north-south alleys. Behind several courtyards and the main house, flower and grass forests were built, and a large lotus pond was dug and some lotus flowers were planted.

These are basically all the buildings. The layout of many previous houses is different from this one, so Zhao Yuanzhen decided to demolish them all and rebuild them again. The small courtyard that can be used can be retained.

After she had finished designing the entire yard's design drawings and had them reprinted, she was going to give them to the shopkeeper.

After carefully explaining the drawings and various points that required special attention to the shopkeeper, Zhao Yuanzhen left with peace of mind.

Go to the dessert shop and wait for Zhang Xinshu to finish his work, and then go back to the village together.

After Zhao Yuanzhen got home, she went to confirm the preparations for tomorrow's banquet.

Various dishes, staff allocation, etc.

Because it was a buffet, we ordered more dishes, 12 dishes in a round. In three days, Qian Xiaohui ordered 72 dishes.

The table is changed twice a day, once at noon and once at night, for three days.

The dishes served in the morning are relatively simple, consisting of breakfast items such as steamed buns, flower rolls, steamed bread, wontons, sesame cakes, fried dough sticks, cakes, mutton offal soup, steamed dumplings, rice noodles, rice vermicelli, etc.

The pigs, cattle and sheep have been slaughtered almost all over the past two days, and the meat has been prepared and placed in the ice cellar so there is no need to worry about it going bad.

A lot of wedding invitations were sent out, including to nearby villages, with the main purpose of creating a lively atmosphere.

As expected, many people started to arrive on the morning of the banquet, some to congratulate and share in the good fortune, and some just to get a free meal.

No matter what the purpose is, Zhao Yuanzhen welcomes everyone. Everyone who comes is a guest and they eat as much as they want.

Zhang Shang and the village chief were responsible for serving the guests and arranging the tables.

The kitchen has already brought a variety of prepared breakfasts to the table, as well as a variety of exquisite cold dishes.

"Zihu, eat this, eat more, eat meat, eat more meat, and eat less rice!"

As soon as Zhao Yuanzhen came over, she heard Wu Erping's voice. Her sister-in-law was still the same as always.

"Mother, sister-in-law."

Zhao Yuanzhen greeted.

"Second brother, have you eaten yet? Do you want to eat with us?"

"Mom, I've eaten. You guys can eat. Just ask them to bring whatever you want."

"No, no, these are enough to eat, there is no need for anything else."

"Sister-in-law, ask them to bring two more plates of braised beef in soy sauce. This one is all gone."

"Okay, sister-in-law, I'll ask the kitchen to send it over right away."

Zhao Yuanzhen raised her hand and called a maid to bring two plates of braised beef.

"Okay, it's up to my sister-in-law to be open-minded."

Wu Erping was very happy.

"Eat quickly, eating won't stop you from talking."

Sun Zhang gave Wu Erping a blank look.

Wu Erping didn't take it seriously and still waved the chopsticks, leaving afterimages.

Zhao Yuanzhen took a look around and then started to tidy herself up.

Change clothes and do your makeup, after all, Zhang Xinshu’s colleagues and teachers will be here soon.

Qian Xiaohui and Li Zhijuan were also very considerate in cleaning up the mess so as not to embarrass the third brother.

Around 9 o'clock in the morning, Zhang Xinshu's colleagues, classmates and teachers began to come over.

Zhao Yuanzhen and Zhang Xinshu went to greet them in person.

Zhang Xinshu introduced both sides.

"Teacher, this is my mother, and this is my eldest brother, eldest sister-in-law, second brother, and second sister-in-law."

"Hello teacher."

Several people quickly saluted.

"Hello, teacher. Thanks to your teaching, Zhang Xinshu is what he is today. Please come in."

Zhao Yuanzhen took the old tutor to the main seat at the main table.

She estimated that among the people who came, the old tutor was the most respected and virtuous, so it was appropriate for him to take the main seat.

Zhao Yuanzhen asked Zhang Xinshu to stay here with her.

Zhao Yuanzhen waved her hand and started serving snacks.

Zhao Yuanzhen selects the best tea, and the snacks are all modern specialty cakes made in the kitchen.

Four desserts were served, followed by six appetizers and fruits.

A platter of dried fruit and candied fruits, all of which are dried at home, are very delicious.

Fruits also ripen in this season, including cherries, plums, peaches, watermelons, cantaloupes, strawberries, etc.

The melons are cut into small pieces and a small fork is provided to make it easier to eat.

Zhao Yuanzhen served a drink of kumquat lemon to each table.

It tastes sour and sweet, and is delicious, and most importantly, easy to make.

It’s not complicated, otherwise there would be too much and the cook would be overwhelmed.

Because many of Zhang Xinshu’s colleagues, classmates and friends were invited to the lunch dinner, Zhao Yuanzhen ordered 16 dishes.

In order not to embarrass Zhang Xinshu, Qian Xiaohui put in a lot of effort.

From cutting vegetables to plating, from heat to seasoning, we ensure that every dish is delicious and tasty.

Four cold dishes: five-spice braised beef, roast duck, ginger and black beans, crystal pork elbow

Four hot dishes: roasted lamb leg, roast goose with safflower salt, four-happiness meatballs, and halal mandarin fish.

Four seafood dishes: braised sea cucumber, abalone, shark fin and fish belly soup, blanched prawns and fried hairtail.

Four dishes: stewed turtle with Ganoderma lucidum, Sichuan style blood curd, stewed chicken with cordyceps, and braised pork.

Soup: Phoenix Corn Soup

Staple food: red bean rice.

The main feature is that there is meat if you want meat, and there are meat on both sides of the vegetables.

Many ingredients are difficult to buy, and Zhao Yuanzhen bought them all in the system mall.

Especially seafood, which even the old master has rarely eaten.

In order to prevent dishes from being served one after another, Zhao Yuanzhen waited until all the dishes were ready, and served all 16 dishes on a table at the same time, one table at a time.

There were a total of 48 tables here today. When Zhao Yuanzhen prepared the dishes, she prepared them based on 60 tables. She would rather have more than less.

There were many people being served, and basically all the tables were served in more than 10 minutes.

The chef looked at so many dishes and didn't know which one to pick up first with his chopsticks. He didn't recognize some of them, but he could tell that they were all meat.

Hmm, what is this, it’s so delicious. This one is delicious, that one is delicious too. What should I do? Each one is delicious.

Except for those tables with some status, the rest were from the surrounding villages. They usually didn’t have enough to eat, but here was a table full of non-vegetarian dishes, all meat!

They didn't say a word, just took a bite of meat and a sip of wine.

Zhao Yuanzhen served each table the lowest-proof, light-fragrant liquor, 38 degrees, for fear that the alcohol content was too high and would make people drunk.

But even so, I still got drunk a lot.

Zhang Xinshu followed Zhao Yuanzhen, toasted everyone, and then went to the old tutor's table to join them.

He looked at the dishes that the old tutor liked to eat and secretly wrote them down, and would bring some ingredients to the old tutor later.

The old master particularly liked that wine and his eyes narrowed every time he drank it.

Zhang Xinshu also took note of it.

Zhao Yuanzhen was busy toasting and inviting everyone to eat and drink.

After being busy for more than an hour, I can finally relax.

Most of the people at the old master's table had put down their chopsticks and were about to leave.

Zhao Yuanzhen hurried over and exchanged a few polite words with the old tutor.

Then the old tutor was about to leave, and Zhao Yuanzhen saw him off. When they arrived at the carriage, Zhang Xinshu asked someone to pack a lot of food and wine for the old tutor.

The old tutor accepted the gift from his beloved disciple and happily left in his car.

This young apprentice is not only good at studying and careful, but also cares about this old man. Not bad, not bad.

After seeing off the old tutor, others who had finished their meal also left one after another.

Zhao Yuanzhen called Qian Xiaohui and the others to come over for dinner.

You've been busy all morning, take a break.

The banquet that started in the afternoon was officially a buffet. After eating at one table, you would go to the next table. You could eat, but you couldn't take anything.

There are 12 dishes on each table. There are no fixed dishes or fixed people. The main focus is on being casual.

The chefs have carefully checked the materials and dishes, and the selection of ingredients and dishes, so you just need to prepare them according to the plan every day.

Fortunately, the family has many skilled cooks who come from the farm and workshops. Through reasonable deployment, they can be divided into two shifts to work in turn to ensure the smooth progress of the banquet.

But the workload is still quite heavy, so let’s give them a day off after the buffet is over!

Zhao Yuanzhen did not attend the buffet for the next two days. It was not easy for her to return to the capital, and time was tight, so she had to hurry to get things done!

The next day, Zhao Yuanzhen took the servant to the shop again.

The housekeeper was smart, he had already cleaned up the shop and moved all the things away!

The butler was left waiting for Zhao Yuanzhen!

The housekeeper respectfully handed her the key, paid the outstanding rent, and then said goodbye and left!

Zhao Yuanzhen stared at his back as he walked away. Don’t be impatient!

I'll go to your house in the evening!