border cook

Jiang Yanyi put a piece of chicken in the okra bowl, coughed twice and said, "I accidentally kicked you when I lifted my foot."

Only then did Okra half-believe and continue to eat.

Yang Xiu said uncomfortably: "The old scholar's family is poor, and the old mother in the family said that she wanted to eat some fish when she was dying. But when the old scholar went to Beijing to catch the exam, he borrowed the travel expenses from his relatives and neighbors. After failing the exam, he returned home in disgrace. I also owed a large sum of money. The old scholar had no money to buy fish for his old mother. When he was telling a story in Laifu Restaurant, a guest in a private room happened to order a plate of fish. chopsticks, the old scholar secretly hid the fish and prepared to take it back to the old mother."

"Unexpectedly, a waiter in the restaurant saw it, and the waiter informed the manager of the restaurant that the scholar had dirty hands and feet and secretly hid the fish ordered by the guests. The manager of the restaurant did an investigation and found out that it was hidden by the old scholar. The fish that got up was only touched by two chopsticks. He thought it was eaten by the old Xiucai, so he reported it to the owner of the restaurant. The thugs threw it into the street together, and their reputation was ruined."

"Later, the old scholar was shy and said all the good things, so he bought a fish on credit from the fishmonger, and when he took it home to cook for his old mother, the old mother heard the rumor that he stole the fish from the restaurant, and finally refused to eat the fish. But he died with his mouth open. Later, the incident became serious, and Yuan Wai, who ordered the fish in the private room that day, spoke for the old scholar, saying that he hadn't finished eating the fish, but the rumors have become huge waves. It was soon submerged, and everyone still firmly believes that the old scholar was greedy and ate the fish from the restaurant."

It is said that life is full of states, but Jiang Yanyi never thought that there are so many grievances in the old scholar's dirty hands and feet. She couldn't help but sigh: "The two of you will go to see the old scholar with me some other day."

She has already decided to invite the old scholar to come and sit in the lecture hall. This old scholar was able to sit in the Laifu Restaurant before, and his storytelling skills must be excellent.Having such a festive relationship with Laifu Restaurant, Jiang Yanyi is not worried that he will be poached by Laifu Restaurant later on.

*

After making something delicious, Jiang Yanyi naturally didn't forget to send a copy to Feng Shuo.

An unexpected surprise was that after she fed the cat food for several days in a row, the female cat was finally not that wary of Jiang Yanyi. In the cat's nest, he almost ran away without hearing any movement.

The kittens all opened their eyes, and huddled under the mother cat, meowing, one by one obediently.I don't know if it's Jiang Yanyi's illusion, but they seem to be a little bit bigger than when they were born, and the cat fur on their bodies is also thicker.

When she entered the room, she said to Feng Shuo with a happy face, "I think this litter of cats can be fed."

Feng Shuo wore a black gold Kesi brocade dress today, half of his long hair was tied up with a golden crown, and the other half was loose behind him, elegant and elegant.

"This litter of cats is so noisy, it keeps barking all day long." The disgust in his tone was obvious, but there was no look of boredom on his face.

Jiang Yanyi hurriedly said: "Be patient for a few more days, and when the kittens are bigger and stronger, I will move them to my yard."

Now the mother cat is not as guarded against her as before, and Jiang Yanyi feels that after a while, she will definitely be able to take the cats away together.

Feng Shuo raised his head and looked at Jiang Yanyi: "What have you been up to lately?"

In the past, she was busy with business in the store, so she couldn't come here often. In the past few days, her foot injury has healed, and the store is still closed, but the time to come here is even less than before.

Jiang Yanyi offered treasures and usually put the dry pot with the lid on the table, and said with a smile: "Busy to make delicious food."

Even with the pot lid covering it, the spicy and spicy aroma coming out of the pot is still very attractive.

She took out the small stove that she brought along: "Put the silver charcoal in here, and you can simmer and eat."

Feng Shuo automatically interpreted Jiang Yanyi's words as "busy to make him delicious food", the corners of his lips raised slightly, his mood immediately improved a few degrees, but he said: "Where did you learn these weird things?" How to cook."

Jiang Yanyi's heart tightened. This was the first time someone asked her this question. She laughed dryly and said perfunctorily, "I figured it out by myself."

Afraid that Feng Shuo would ask any more questions, she urged: "Take off the lid and have a taste."

Feng Shuo said: "I haven't had a medicinal bath this morning, I'll come out to eat after the medicinal bath."

Jiang Yanyi nodded: "Then you go."

Bathing with a full stomach is not very good for the body.

When Jiang Yanyi finished speaking, he found that Feng Shuo looked at him with hesitant eyes, and then went to the back room without saying a word.

Jiang Yanyi was afraid that the dry pot would be cold, so he went out and asked the boy to take the red-hot silver charcoal and put it in the small stove, and covered the two iron plates at the mouth of the stove, leaving only a small opening to let the temperature of the silver charcoal inside spread out, warming the stove. With the pot.

After doing this, she habitually went to Fengshuo's bookcase to look for books to read. The servant hadn't exited the door yet, and when she saw this scene accidentally, she was very surprised, and could even be described as horrified.

The servants who served in Fengshuo's courtyard knew that the bookcase in his room was not to be touched, even the cleaning on weekdays was done by guard Xing.

He just wanted to remind Jiang Yanyi not to touch those books, when Jiang Yanyi asked in the direction of the back room: "Why can't I find the travel journal I read last time?"

Soon Feng Shuo's cold and low voice came from the back room: "The third row of bookshelves, the sixth book from the left."

The young man looked like he had seen a ghost, and walked out of the room in a faltering footsteps, with turbulent waves in his heart. It seemed that the prince treated this Jiang girl really unusually, and he became more and more respectful to Jiang Yanyi from then on.

Jiang Yanyi didn't know about these things. Following Feng Shuo's words, she really found the book she hadn't finished reading last time, and also found some other travel notes by the way. The pages of the book are very new, which are quite different from other frequently flipped books. , obviously bought new.

Suddenly, Jiang Yanyi's heart twitched wildly like a deer bumping wildly. Could it be that Feng Shuo found these books for him?

"Did you find it?" Feng Shuo's voice came from the back room.

Jiang Yanyi nodded, and after nodding, he realized that Feng Shuo couldn't see, his face was slightly hot, and he replied, "I found it."

She looked at a newly placed book on the shelf, and asked Feng Shuo, "What's the second book from the left on the third row on your shelf?"

""Huyang Jialan Ji" was written by Shen Xuanzhi, the doctor of Guanglu in the former dynasty, when he visited various ancient temples after he resigned. Although it is to mourn the fall of the former dynasty through the empty gate, you can still read the rumors and customs about the ancient temples in various places."

Jiang Yanyi always knew that Feng Shuo's voice was nice, but there was never a moment when it sounded like this.

Sure enough, is there a poetic and bookish spirit in his stomach?

And he has clearly memorized the location of the books on his entire bookshelf?

Jiang Yan didn't believe in evil, and asked several more books, and found that Feng Shuo could answer accurately.

Unwilling to give up, she looked up at the books on the top row of the bookshelf that obviously hadn't been turned very often and asked him, "What is the No. 11 book on the top right?"

""Hundreds of Military Classics"." When he said this, Feng Shuo had already come out of the back room. He changed into a robe of silk with double nests and clouds and geese. Draped over his shoulders, it formed an extreme contrast with his meticulously dressed cloud goose robe, coupled with his cold face, inexplicably added a sense of abstinence.

Seeing Jiang Yanyi still standing in front of the bookcase, he said, "The military book is boring, I'm afraid you won't like it."

Jiang Yanyi turned around and was immediately amazed. She walked over with the travel notes in her hand, "Hey, I'm just curious."

She sat cross-legged on the futon where she often reads: "You have read all the books on the bookcase."

Feng Shuo glanced at him: "Don't read the books in the bookcase, keep them as decorations?"

Jiang Yanyi has already added a filter of knowledge and talent to him. Even though his tone of voice is awkward at the moment, it doesn't sound so annoying anymore.

She cupped her chin in her hands and asked, "You also read the newly posted travel notes?"

Feng Shuo said: "After a rough look, I thought it was acceptable, so I kept it."

Although someone likes to talk hard, Jiang Yanyi still has a sweet heart.

She quickly asked Feng Shuo to sit down: "Try the incense pot I made."

Feng Shuo sat down opposite her. He usually only eats half full for breakfast, but this morning he ate very full with white rice.

Jiang Yanyi looked at him expectantly: "How does it taste?"

Since Feng Shuo regained his sense of taste, he hasn't eaten all the delicacies from mountains and seas. He has never eaten such a pot in his memory, but Feng Shuo is not sure if he has tasted such a dish with similar taste when he lost his sense of taste.

After pondering for a moment, he said, "Not bad."

Regarding his reply, Jiang Yanyi was not disappointed at all. After all, he is a prince, and he has never eaten any delicious food. He can get the word "good", and he is expected to be very popular among other dignitaries. She can't help but laugh. Out of sight.

Feng Shuo was dazzled by her smile, his eyes darkened slightly, and he turned his head to look out the window.

In order to allow light and ventilation in the room, the servants installed a layer of windshield gauze on the windows. Now even if the windows are opened in the room, the cold wind will not blow in, but the scenery outside can be seen from the inside.

"In a few days, it will snow in Xizhou City." He said.

Jiang Yanyi followed him and turned his head to look out of the window. The asparagus bamboo in front of the window was warmed by the earth dragon, and it was still luxuriant in the severe winter and the twelfth lunar month. Above the asparagus bamboo bushes was a half gray and bleak sky.

At this time, Jiang Yanyi didn't know the meaning of Feng Shuo's words, so he thought he was lamenting the season. A few days later, Jiang Yanyi and Yang Xiubingshao went to the south of the city to look for old scholars, and found many officers and soldiers distributing quilts and rice grains at the street entrance. Zhifeng Shuo was worried that if it snowed, countless people would freeze to death and starve to death in Xizhou City.

**

Two days later.

People in the south of the city lined up in the street to receive quilts and rice grains.

When Jiang Yanyi passed by and took a look, she felt that every face was dusty, and she couldn't remember or tell who was who, but every pair of eyes lit up again in the ashes-like darkness, Like the sparks bursting out in the night, they are small but scorching the night to be riddled with holes.

There were voices like "Liaonan Wang Renhou", "Liaonan Wang Merciful", "Liaonan Wang Shande", etc. They praised Feng Shuo, but Jiang Yanyi was also very happy.

Yang Xiu, Bing and Shao had already explored the way before, and they found the residence of the old scholar without much effort.

The house is dilapidated and ventilated on all sides.

A shed was set up in the yard, and under the shed was a simple firepit. An old man in ragged clothes was gesticulating on the ground with a charcoal stick, teaching several children around the firepit to read and write.

Jiang Yanyi knocked the rusty door knocker, and the old man turned his head and looked at the door with vacant eyes: "Which distinguished guest is visiting the humble house?"

He has gray beard and hair, and looks a bit down and out, but he is in good spirits.

Jiang Yanyi asked Bing Shao to bring over a jug of wine and a roast chicken bought on the way, and said with a smile, "It's not a distinguished guest, I'm bothering you rashly today, and I want to invite the old man to come out and tell a story."

Mentioning the word storytelling, the old man's eyes flashed with disappointment, and he waved his hands again and again: "I haven't done this job for many years, and I can't speak easily anymore. You should find someone else."

Pointing to the wine and roast chicken, he said: "Take these things back together, the little old man will not be rewarded for nothing."

Jiang Yanyi said: "Old man, don't be self-effacing. When you were a storyteller, there was always a round of applause..."

"It's all the past, no need to mention it again, let's go back!"

The old man seemed unwilling to talk more about storytelling, and got up with a straight face to drive them away himself.

Yang Xiu, Bing and Shao were afraid that he would be bad for Jiang Yanyi, so they hurriedly protected Jiang Yanyi.

Jiang Yanyi was afraid that the two of them would not be serious about what to do, so he hurriedly said, "Don't hurt the old man."

Several people were kicked out of the gate, and Lao Xiu returned all the wine and meat to Bing Shao, and closed the dilapidated courtyard gate with a bang.

Jiang Yanyi didn't expect such a closed door, and he was in a complicated mood for a while.

Yang Xiu looked at her and said, "Shopkeeper, what should we do now?"

Jiang Yanyi shouted through the door: "Old man, I am the owner of Jiangji Antique Soup, and I sincerely want to invite you to come out to tell a story. If you change your mind, come to Jiangji Antique Soup to find me anytime."

There was only an old scholar's voice from inside: "You go."

Jiang Yanyi sighed, she returned without success today, she left the wine and roast chicken at the gate of the courtyard, and left with Yang Xiu, Bing Shao and the others.

On the way, Yang Xiu couldn't help complaining about the old scholar, "This old antique doesn't know how to flatter."

Jiang Yanyi said: "Forget it, let everything go as it pleases. He fell into such a big stumble in storytelling back then, and the old mother also died of hatred. It is understandable for him not to want to talk about books anymore."

Counting the days, the stoves she made today can be picked up. On the way back, Jiang Yanyi stopped by the blacksmith's shop to pick up the stoves, but ran into an old acquaintance again.

It was Chef Yao who was in charge of Laifu Restaurant.

The last time they held a banquet together in the Han Mansion, Jiang Yanyi had a good impression of him, but now that the owner of Laifu Restaurant has come out, he doesn't know what Chef Yao's position is in it, so he is not as comfortable as before when greeting him.

But Chef Yao was quite aggrieved, and said: "Master Jiang, the owner of Laifu Restaurant is not kind, but it's not that I, Old Yao, are not kind, so don't hold me too grudges!"

Although there was no awareness of copyright in ancient times, Laifu Antique Soup Shop copied everything from her shop, and others were neither blind nor foolish.

Jiang Yanyi said: "What's the matter, Master Yao, what do you want to get here?"

Speaking of this, Chef Yao became furious, and uttered a few swear words referring to his father and mother, "The new cook in the antique soup shop is really a damn thing, this kitchen knife of my father is an ancestral cooking knife." Dude, he's a son of a bitch, take it to me to chop a big bone, and look what a mess I've made with my knife!"

The Laifu Antique Soup Shop is next to the Laifu Restaurant, so it is a family anyway, and the back kitchen is not separated.

The kitchen knife that Chef Yao was holding had a big cut, and it was cut in several places.

As a cook, Jiang Yanyi could naturally see that this was a kitchen knife with exquisite workmanship and shape. Using such a knife to cut big bones, if it was her, she would feel so distressed to death.

Jiang Yanyi sighed, "It's a pity to have such a good knife."

Chef Yao's heart was bleeding, he said angrily: "That turtle grandson touched my ancestral knife, I was so angry that I just beat him up, the owner is fine, he openly reprimanded me in front of everyone in the restaurant!"

"I have worked tirelessly in Laifu Restaurant for more than ten years, and the boss only paid me [-] yuan a month. When I bought shares and distributed dividends, the boss didn't let me buy shares. Now it's good, the new cook Didn’t he have a royal chef’s sign in his ancestor? Not only did the boss give him a dividend, but he also paid him two thousand dollars a month!”

Jiang Yanyi said: "This matter is indeed wrong with the owner of Laifu Restaurant. Even if he doesn't know that this knife can't be used to cut big bones, but Master Yao, you have made great contributions for so many years, so he shouldn't chill your heart like this."

Chef Yao has worked in Laifu Restaurant for so many years, no matter what, there is love in it, Jiang Yanyi, an outsider, said so, Chef Yao felt even more sad, shook his head and couldn't hold back his red eyes: "This is a heartwarming person!" , it’s all about money. At that time, the owner just opened the restaurant, and everything was difficult. At one time, he couldn’t pay wages even for half a year. The restaurant is booming, and the host probably has forgotten about the little affection back then."

He sighed and said: "Shopkeeper Jiang, open your antique soup shop quickly. If you compare that turtle grandson, I won't see him being superior in every way! What's wrong with the ancestor being the imperial cook, he is not the imperial cook!"

Jiang Yanyi's eyes moved slightly, and he said tentatively: "Master Yao, I really don't deserve you. You and my master are both people who value love and righteousness. You have supported Fu Restaurant for so many years, and now you have to bear this anger." If you want, why not come to my shop and I will pay you double the wages."

She launched a dry pot as soon as she opened her business. Making dry pots is more troublesome than soup pots, and requires a cook to keep on the stove in the back kitchen.Aunt Guo is the master of Dunzi. She can chop vegetables well, but she can't handle cooking well.

If she trapped herself to death on the stove, no one would look at the tent outside.

Chef Yao is good at making stir-fry dishes, and she has already seen his skills before when he held banquets in the Han Mansion.

If Chef Yao is willing to come out from Laifu Restaurant to work with her, and cook the dry pot in the future, she can save a lot of worry.