"It's snowing! It's snowing!" Xiaobai ran around the yard excitedly.

At this latitude of Quyang County, snow is rare.

Especially today, the snow is not small, not the thin snow that melts when it falls into the ground... The bamboo forest is covered with a layer of white mist, crystal clear, and it is one of the rare ice and snow scenery in the south.

Xiaobai laughed and rolled in the snow.

Xiao Hei in front of Xiong Wuliang's door grinned slightly, and wanted to go over to play with snow, but he was unwilling to leave his post without permission.

If we were both brothers and sisters, why was the difference so big?

At such a young age, I have been under pressure that I shouldn't have to bear at this age!

Just at this moment, Xiong Wuliang pushed the door out.

A gust of cold wind blew, and Xiong Wuliang shivered with a chill.

Xiaoyi also walked out and smiled and put a thick brocade robe on Xiong Wuliang... the chill was relieved.

Xiong Wuliang stretched his waist long, wrapped his robe tightly, and looked at the courtyard thoughtfully.

It has been two or three years since he came to this world. This is the first time he has seen such heavy snow.

"Go and play." Xiong Wuliang shook his hand happily and said to Xiao Hei who was full of desire.

Si Yi cheered and went to play with Xiaobai to play with the snow, while Xiaohei struggled. After a while, he could not withstand the temptation of Baipai and rushed into the snow pile.

Xiong Wuliang turned his head and happened to see Ying Zhuo standing alone in the distance, looking at the snow scene as if thinking... There was a hint of sorrow in his eyebrows.

This winter is so cold...

Even the Chu State, located in the southeast, was snowing. The Qin State, located in the northwest, was even colder at this time.

I don’t know if Qin will be hungry all over this winter.

In recent years, Qin has been very unsuccessful - last winter, Ying Zhuang made trouble, and a civil war severely damaged Qin's vitality... This year is another extremely cold that is rare in a century...

Half an hour later, Xiong Wuliang was covered in snow and led Xiaohei and Xiaobai back to the house.

Everyone was already frozen at this moment.

Xiong Wuliang glanced at Ying Zhuo who was still frowning, and called a few personal soldiers to carry the firewood prepared early into the house. Soon, the copper furnace in the house ignited a fire.

The temperature rose rapidly, and everyone in the house breathed a sigh of relief.

The New Year is coming soon, and Huang Xie has not been home for more than a year. This winter, he asked Xiong Wuliang for a leave and went back to Yingdu - the price was that a three-year agreement turned into three and a half years.

He is truly an unscrupulous boss - after taking more than ten days of annual leave, he actually signed a contract of half a year for an extra half of his life.

...

The wind and snow outside the house are howling, while the inside is as warm as spring.

Xiong Wuliang, Si Yi, Ying Zhuo, Xiaohei and Xiaobai sat together around the copper stove. There was a kettle on it, and Xiong Wuliang was boiling water and cooking tea.

He had no habit of putting any spices into the tea... A pot of tea emitted a faint tea fragrance.

Qu Yuan, Zhao Hua, Zhong Hua and Shao Hu came together. When he saw Xiong Wuliang cooking tea around the stove, Qu Yuan smiled slightly: "The Lord is so interested."

Xiong Wuliang waved and signaled his personal soldiers to bring four more teacups, and then poured steaming tea for the four confidants... The four bowed and thanked them, picked up the teacup and drank it in small mouthfuls, feeling that the cold air on their bodies was removed.

"This winter is particularly cold, and it has even snowed hard for a hundred years..." Qu Yuan bowed and said, "When Xia and Zhaohua were in a car to inspect the four counties under their jurisdiction, I saw that the people had sufficient surplus food and strong houses, and there was no disaster at present."

Xiong Wuliang nodded - for the people of this era, wind and snow are not beautiful scenery, but often represent disasters.

Fortunately, the houses in the fiefdom are all cement houses. If they were thatched huts, they might have been crushed by the heavy snow.

Having said that, I didn’t expect Qu Yuan and Zhao Hua to patrol the entire fiefdom in the past few days... Xiong Wuliang was a little moved. This snowy place is not only extremely difficult to walk on the road, but also easily in danger.

Shaohu also bowed and reported in a muffled voice: "Master, our new army in Quyang has been assembled. The 'hot kang' mentioned by the Master is adopted in the camp. It seems very useful at present."

"If a snow disaster occurs, the new Quyang army can be dispatched at any time to rescue the snow disaster."

...

After drinking the tea, the four confidants stood up and said goodbye.

The snow was getting heavier and heavier. Xiong Wuliang had a holiday for the chef and the servants - after all, the end of the year is approaching and the snow is so heavy, so they have to let them go home early.

As for the meal issue at the Hou Mansion... Xiong Wuliang had plans early.

The sender went to Shi Er to get a special copper pot with three legs at the bottom and a high tube inside to hold charcoal fire.

First boil the charcoal fire, then pour water into the copper pot.

Add some oil, pepper, ginger, garlic, green onion, and then pour some fermented glutinous rice noodles to season... The Warring States version of hot pot base is ready.

This hot pot is expensive - pepper is a specialty of the Bashu region and is a very expensive spice in Chu State. As for onions and garlic, it is also expensive in winter.

The most important pepper... there aren't any now, but it can also be replaced by a spicy plant rhizome.

In a short while, a strong and spicy fragrance rose in the house—

Xiaobai couldn't stand it anymore, so he squatted behind Xiong Wuliang with his arms in his arms, watching Xiong Wuliang's operation with eager eyes.

Si Yi also surrounded him and was ready to beat him.

My son rarely cooks on weekdays, but occasionally he goes to the kitchen and often makes unforgettable delicacies.

Although Ying Zhuo was still sitting there without moving, his eyes glanced in the direction of Xiong Wuliang from time to time - obviously he was also moved.

Xiong Wuliang smiled and asked people to get the ingredients—a variety of ingredients.

There are cut sliced ​​meat, some fish and shrimp, and various vegetables (it is not easy to eat vegetables in winter).

"Come here." Xiong Wuliang greeted happily.

"Scent!" A mouthful of hot and oily mouthful, swallowed it into his mouth with two pepper seeds, and Si Yi's eyes immediately lit up.

"Spicy!" Xiaobai's eyes were watery, but he kept mouthing.

Ying Zhuo ate mutton slices in small mouthfuls, his eyes shiny.

Xiong Wuliang looked at Ying Zhuo and said with concern: "Can you eat spicy food on your shoulder injury?"

Ying Zhuo glanced at Xiong Wuliang and didn't answer, making Xiong Wuliang angry.

Si Yi and Xiaobai both laughed, and their hearts were as clear as a mirror.

...

The heavy snow suddenly came, and Wei Ran was punished by the old nose.

Wei Ran, the Prime Minister of the Qin Dynasty, was ordered by Queen Mother Xuan, and went to Chu State to ask for Xiong Wuliang.

The convoy traveled in the snow with difficulty, within a few miles, but only saw the wind and snow whistling, and could not see a living person.

Wei Ran rubbed his nose - even though he had tried his best to wrap the car tightly, the cold wind could not stop pouring in.

"Ah Yeh!" Wei Ran wrapped the small quilt tightly on his body.

Wei Ran in the car could still hold on, but the Qin knights escorted outside the car could not hold back... The iron armor on his body was covered with thick layers of frost, and his eyebrows and noses were covered with ice, which was really embarrassing.

This embarrassed convoy was just wandering around and stopping... Walking out of Wu Pass, crossing the Qin-Chu border, and heading straight to Yingdu, Chu State...

...

———
Chapter completed!