舌尖上的航海丨第26集 “水头”的酒故事

酒救了一个国家！

此话一出，立刻引起《东方神卅号》船员一片哗然：这是天方夜漂吧！

《东方神州号》“水头”鲁冀被船员称为酒故事专家。

鲁冀出生于著名酒乡一河北衡水，是衡水老白干的产地

“水头”是水手长的简称，船上的”兵头将尾“。

逢年过节，无论船在大洋里还是靠泊在港口，船上的各类活动总少不了鲁冀，一边喝着家乡的老白干，一边讲看与酒有关的故事。

一年中秋，船靠泊在码头，”水头”特意取出一瓶家乡衡水的老白干，兴致勃勃地说：“当年京剧大师程硯秋就喜欢衝水老白干！”接着讲了一叚程大师饮酒的故事，说一次，程砚秋在火车上遇见一位老朋友，歺车伙房里倾其所有做了几道拿手菜，还未等菜到齐，程大师自带的衡水老白干已经喝下了大半瓶。老朋友问道，喝酒会坏嗓子。程大师笑着回答说：嗓子不好的，不喝酒也好不了，嗓子好的，喝酒也坏不了，有时还能增强嗓声！老朋友听了哈哈大笑：“程大师的哑嗓是喝出来的！”。程砚秋解释说，酒吃过极，太伤身体，喝酒要有度。

时间长了，每逢船上有庆祝活动，人们望看饮酒的“水头“都会说一句：”酒吃过极，太伤身体，喝酒要有度！“

“水头”不以为然，仍然埋头喝着酒。一字一板的讲着酒的故事。

一次，船靠泊在意大利米兰港，正值当地的圣诞节，晚歺时，大厨特意加了几个菜，“水头”将家乡带来的老白干酌了满满一杯。

人们望着“水头”酒杯的酒，习惯地说了句：“酒喝过极，太伤身体，喝酒要有度！”

此刻，”水头”一反常态，将杯中酒一干而尽，借看酒劲，激动地说了句：”唱酒要有度，喝多了要伤身体，但是你们知道。酒救了一个国家吗？”

“酒救了一个国家！？”人们疑惑地直摇头！

“对，就是我们船仃靠的国家意大利！”

接着”水头”讲了一个鲜为人知的历史故事，

人们望着满嘴酒气的“水头”，听他讲述这个真实的故事。

故事发生在公元1241年冬天，圣诞节刚过。

这一年，整个欧州在严寒和战争的威胁下瑟瑟发抖。蒙古军队的铁蹄己踏过冰冻的多匘河，前锋己越过阿尔卑斯山，进入了意大利。

这是蒙古军队第二次西征，势如破竹，一路横扫。就在整个意大利绝望地等待亡国和惨遭大屠杀的时刻，奇迹发生了！

“水头”讲到此处，故意买了一个关子：“什么奇迹？你们猜猜！“

人们议论纷纷：”猜不到！”

“水头”举起手中的酒杯，一字一板地说：”是酒救了这个国家！”

此刻，歺厅里出现了文章开头的局面：”绝不可能！这是天方夜谭！“

接着”水头”兴致勃勃地讲了一个酒的故事。

就在兵临城下，整个意大利处于绝望的时刻，一天清晨，围城的蒙古军队突然消失的无影无踪。

原来，正当蒙古铁蹄准备踏进城池的前夕，从遥远东方来了一队疲惫而悲伤的快骑，带来了一个惊天的消息：国王窩阔台大汗驾崩了！

按照蒙古开国元勳成吉斯汗定下的规矩：大汗死后，所有黄金家族的所有子孙，无论他们身在何处，都必须立刻返回蒙古夲部参加新大汗的推举。

窩阔合大汗之死，让欧洲文明躲过一场浩劫！世界历史为之发生了变化。回溯这叚历史，欧州人要感谢一种东西：酒！

窝阔合大汗因酗酒而死。

窝阔合是成吉斯汗第三个儿子，是馬背上长大的“天之骄子”，驍勇善战，屡立奇功，是蒙古帝国的著名虎將。因小时候受苦太多，登基后开始享受生活。最大的享受就是喝酒，每次喝酒，能从天黑喝到天亮。堪称嗜酒如命，使其身体日况愈下。众臣苦心劝谏也无用。

公元1241年3月的一天，窝阔合打猎归来，多喝了几杯，突然昏死过去，经过大力抢救，终于转危为安。此次打击使窝阔合收谏不少。但是没过多久，嗜酒成瘾的窝阔合重操旧业一”酗酒”，整日以酒为乐！

这一年的十二月的隆冬季节，蒙古大军跨过多垴河，正准备发动凶悍的攻击。在外涉猎的窝阔合归来，一头躜进暖烘烘的帐篷里豪饮美酒。

这场大酒喝到翌日清晨。此刻部下进帐报告欧州战场的军情，发现窝阔合已经瘫倒在地，不省人世。不久就过世了。时年56岁，在位12年。

窝阔合大汗的驾崩，使欧州躲过了一场浩劫，改变了世界的历史。

至今，欧州人提起那段历史，都不会忘记他们的救命恩人一洒！

“水头”的酒故事很快在航海畀传开了。一位有心的船员将这些故事记录下来，编了一夲书：《“水头“的酒故事》在网上受到网友的热捧！

“Alcohol saved an entire country!”

A new shiphand on the SS Orient burst out laughing upon hearing those words. How

could alcohol save a nation?

One particular sailor on the SS Orient, Lu Ji, who went by the nickname “Shuitou”,

loved to drink and knew of many stories that were related to alcohol. He was born in a town

named Hengshui in the Chinese province of Hebei, where many Chinese liquors were

distilled and created, including the famous Lao Bai Gan. Lu’s nickname, “Shuitou”, came

from the Chinese word for head sailor. Lu was the most experienced and skillful seafarer

onboard, so his fellow crewmates respectfully referred to him as his position, “Shuitou”.

No matter where the SS Orient travelled to, Shuitou could always be found on the

terrace with a bottle of Lao Bai Gan, telling stories of his voyages and of alcohol.

One year, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, as the SS Orient took its place in a foreign

harbor, Shuitou took out a bottle of Lao Bai Gan and boasted to his crewmates, “The Chinese

Opera singer, Cheng Yanqiu, was a huge fan of the Hengshui Lao Bai Gan!”

As his fellow sailors gathered around, Shuitou recounted the story of Cheng Yanqiu and

his favorite liquor. Cheng Yanqiu once ran into an old classmate when taking a train back to

his hometown, and the opera singer drank over half a bottle of Lao Bai Gan before the dining

car even began to cater their dinner. Cheng’s friend told him, “If you keep drinking like this,

you’re going to lose your voice!”

Cheng replied, “If nobody likes my singing, then they won’t start liking it because I

don’t drink. But because everyone already loves my singing, then drinking isn’t going to

make them stop liking it - it will instead make it deeper and more interesting!”

If my voice didn’t sound great, then drinking isn’t going to make it better. But since

everyone already loves my voice, then drinking isn’t going to make them stop liking it - it

will instead make it deeper and more interesting!”

Cheng’s friend laughed at the singer’s sarcastic answer, saying, “Of course! The

beautiful voice of Cheng Yanqiu is all thanks to alcohol!”

Despite Cheng’s love for alcohol, he eventually stopped drinking and ate a fair share of

healthy food. Alcohol was fine in moderation, but Cheng didn’t want to unintentionally

damage his health.

Eventually, whenever the SS Orient hosted an event of celebration, all the other sailors

would say to Shuitou, “Drinks are fine in moderation, but you need to make sure that you

don’t hurt yourself!”

But Shuitou never listened. He continued to drown himself in alcohol while telling tales

of other people’s drunk adventures.

That Christmas, the SS Orient sailed to the Port of Milan in Italy. During dinner, the

head chef prepared a table full of delicious dishes, and Shuitou put forward the Lao Bai Gan

he brought specifically from his hometown.

All the other sailors looked at Shuitou, and said, “Remember to drink in moderation!”

That day, Shuitou exceeded the expectations of all his crewmates. Rather than ignoring

his friends’ advice, he only took one shot and stopped before he poured a second. He smiled,

and said enthusiastically, “You’re right, alcohol can be harmful to the body. But did you know

that alcohol once saved an entire nation?”

“It saved an entire nation?” The sailors asked, shaking their heads.

“Yes! That nation is exactly the country that we’re in right now - Italy!”

Shuitou put down his glass, and described the unknown part of history that concerned

Italy and alcohol. His crewmates leaned in closer to Shuitou as the smell of unfinished liquor

filled the atmosphere, and listened carefully.

The story transpired in the year 1241, on Christmas Day.

During the 13th century, Europe was plagued with the threats of war, bitter winters, and

famine. The Mongol Army had just crossed over the frozen Danube River, crossing the Alps

and barging into Italy.

This was the second westward conquest of the Mongol Army, who swept through

country after country and wreaked havoc and destruction. Just when Italy seemed to fall

desperately into despair, a miracle fell into the hands of the Italian people.

“Can you guess what the miracle was?” Shuitou asked his crew.

The sailors argued for a moment, and all admitted, “We have no idea!”

Shuitou lifted his glass from the table, and exclaimed, “The miracle was alcohol!”

“That’s impossible!” The sailors yelled, “There’s no way that alcohol could have saved

the people!”

Shuitou laughed and continued his story. The Italian capital was under siege, and the

Italian people fell into desperation and despair. But one morning, to everybody’s surprise, the

Mongol Army simply disappeared without a trace.

It turned out that just before the Mongols readied themselves for the invasion of the city, a messenger rode in on his horse and told the army that Mongol Emperor, Odegai Khan, had

passed away!

According to Genghis Khan’s decree, after Odegai died, every single descendant of the

imperial family must return to the Mongolian headquarters no matter where they were, no

matter what they were doing, in order to participate in the selection of the next great Khan.

The death of Odegai Khan saved Italy from a devastating catastrophe, and altered the

entire course of world history. Looking back, the European people have only one thing to

thank: Alcohol!

Odegai Khan died as a result of alcohol poisoning. He was the third son of Genghis

Khan, and grew up as a “Son of Heaven”. Brave and courageous on the battlefield, he was

trained by the most vicious generals in the Mongol Army and participated in the conquests of

China, Iran, and Central Asia. But because of the stressful training and pressure he went

through as a child, he turned to alcoholism when he came of age. He drank almost everyday

from dusk until dawn, deteriorating his health and ignoring the suggestions from his advisors.

In March 1241, Odegai returned home after hunting and drank a little more than he

usually did. He fainted from alcohol poisoning, and after intensive care and treatments,

luckily escaped death by mere inches. Though this near-death experience struck Odegai hard,

he soon returned to his old habits of overdrinking, despite what his advisors and family told

him.

In December of the same year, the Mongol Army prepared for their ferocious siege of

Italy. Odegai once again set out on a hunting trip, and as he returned, he zipped up his tent

and flooded himself in wine.

The next morning, Odegai’s men entered his resting quarters to report on the military

situation in Italy. Horrifically, they discovered Odegai lying on the floor motionless, his

breath taken away by alcohol. Odegai was 56 years old, and had been on the throne for 12

years.

The death of Odegai Khan saved Europe from an attack that could have changed the

course of history.

Even now, whenever historians speak of the miraculously cancelled siege of Italy, they

mention the part that alcohol played in the ordeal.

Shuitou’s passion for storytelling and his drunken humor was admired by the majority of

his fellow sailors. One of his crewmates enjoyed his tales so much that he published a book

titled “The Drunken Stories of Shuitou” that became loved by many.