border cook

After listening to Jiang Yanyi's words, Chef Yao was silent for a moment, then declined, "I appreciate the kindness of shopkeeper Jiang, although I am dissatisfied with the owner, but if I leave Laifu Restaurant because of this matter, then my old Yao is not kind. "

Jiang Yanyi smiled and said, "Master Yao, you are a loving person."

She took the small stove, said hello to Chef Yao after paying the bill, and left.

She wanted to tell the blacksmith that this stove was her own creation, and she couldn't make such a stove for others.But after thinking about it, the blacksmith had to grope for a long time before this thing was made, but since there is already a model, it is much easier to draw a gourd according to the model.Even if this blacksmith refuses to help the person who comes to him, other blacksmiths will not make money.

She can't buy off all the blacksmiths in the world.

The only way to resist this trend is probably to make people of this era awaken to copyright awareness, but this is definitely a long way to go.

*

Jiang Yanyi first left the blacksmith's shop with the boiler, and after Yao and the blacksmith negotiated the price of repairing the kitchen knife, he also left the blacksmith's shop and returned to Fu Restaurant.

Today, Chef Yao was hacked because his ancestral kitchen knife was hacked, and the owner of Laifu Restaurant blatantly favored the new chef.

Now that the anger is over, I feel that I am really negligent of my duty if I leave what I have to do today.

How did he know that the fact that he and Jiang Yanyi left the blacksmith's shop one after the other was quickly spread to the ears of the owner of Laifu Restaurant.

When Chef Yao returned to the restaurant, he found that the building was still in order and there was no chaos at all. He was relieved, but at the same time he was a little surprised that no one could handle the part of the back kitchen that he was in charge of. Succession, could it be that the dishes have been changed?

He stopped a shop waiter: "Today, the main course has been changed?"

Chef Yao is the head chef of the back kitchen, everyone in the building respects him quite a bit, the waiter said: "It was Master Jin who suggested to change it to a pot, and Ma Yuanwai was also satisfied with the changed main course, and gave him a reward. "

Chef Jin is the new cook at Laifu Restaurant.

Nowadays, soup pots are popular in the elite circles of Xizhou City. If you are entertaining guests, eating a meal of pots is much more expensive than custom-made noodles. Ma Yuanwai is naturally not dissatisfied with the restaurant's act of using pots as compensation for not attending the meeting.

When Chef Yao thought that the person surnamed Jin had blocked the basket for him today, even though he felt guilty for being impulsive, he felt even more aggrieved.

He was about to go back to the back kitchen when the servant next to the owner came down from upstairs, "Master Yao, the shopkeeper is looking for you."

Chef Yao knew that his boss must be looking for him for today's job, and he was ready to be reprimanded, so he went upstairs with the boy.

The owner of Laifu Restaurant was waiting in a private room, and after the servant led Chef Yao over, he withdrew.

"Boss, you are looking for me." Cook Yao has worked in the restaurant for more than ten years, so he naturally doesn't speak the polite words of others.

The owner of Laifu Restaurant is Xu, a middle-aged man with a thin body. At first glance, he has a refined temperament, but if you look closely, you can find a shrewdness hidden between his brows, like a weasel.

"Old Yao, it's thanks to you that Laifu Restaurant can be what it is today, after all these years." Shopkeeper Xu said, flicking his abacus.

Chef Yao is not good at talking about these things, once the resentment in his heart passed, he felt even more guilty when he heard this: "Where is the boss?"

Shopkeeper Xu said: "I know that you have stayed in the restaurant for a long time, and you have great prestige, and the people below respect you. In the back kitchen, you have always said one thing about the other. When Master Jin came, because his ancestors were imperial chefs , full of pride, how I have disagreements with you..."

Chef Yao finally understood. Shopkeeper Xu felt that he dominated the kitchen and aimed at Chef Jin just because Chef Jin had his own arrogance and didn't respect him as much as others.

Chef Yao interrupted him: "Master, the conscience of heaven and earth, it's the man surnamed Jin who doesn't look down on our small place in Xizhou, how about every capital city, I can't understand him picking up the bowl to eat and putting down the bowl to scold his mother, and only occasionally talk to him A few words. But he turned his head and took my ancestral kitchen knife to chop the big bone. I really can't bear this tone! I beat him this morning, and I don't regret it! But I am really ashamed of leaving the table and leaving it alone. No matter how much I lost, I will compensate you, my boss."

Shopkeeper Xu said: "Let's not talk about the issue of compensation. You always say that Master Jin is wrong, but today Master Jin was beaten by you, and you turned around and left, but Master Jin didn't even care about the hospital. How did you make today's banquet?"

Chef Yao came up again full of resentment: "Boss, what you said really made me sad. I have never had anything wrong in Laifu Restaurant for so many years, just because today, for the first time, you feel that only that The person surnamed Jin is wholeheartedly doing good for the restaurant, and I’ve been working for nothing for more than ten years?"

Shopkeeper Xu said: "When the Laifu Antique Soup is opened, I think you know who is in the way. Shopkeeper Jiang Ji heard that he is the apprentice of Chef Li in Xizhou Daying, and you and Chef Li wear a pair of trousers." I met you last time at the Han Mansion banquet, today you left the restaurant with your front foot, and you met Jiang Ji's shopkeeper in the blacksmith's shop with your back foot, isn't it a bit of a coincidence?"

Chef Yao said angrily: "Blacksmith Feng is the best at blacksmithing in the entire Xizhou City, my knife was ruined like that by Jin..."

Shopkeeper Xu interrupted him impatiently: "Don't keep talking about your kitchen knife. How many do you want? I'll get someone to remake you as many as you want. Can I compensate you for your kitchen knife? You are my restaurant. The old man in the restaurant, the people below regard you as half of the shopkeeper, but...Old Yao, I am the owner of this restaurant."

He is a businessman, and a businessman is destined to have more thoughts than others. Today, Chef Yao left the table and met Jiang Yan at the blacksmith's shop, which is really too coincidental.

On weekdays, Chef Yao relied on his seniority and often pointed fingers at the management of the restaurant. Shopkeeper Xu had long been dissatisfied with him.

As soon as shopkeeper Xu said those words, Chef Yao didn't make a sound for a long time. After a while, he said, "So you called me over today, my boss. It's not because I didn't finish cooking today's noodles, but because you think I have something to do with shopkeeper Jiang. What kind of collusion? These years, the waiters in the restaurant have been stealing and playing tricks, and I reprimanded them when I saw it, do you think I am too lenient?"

If Chef Yao still felt guilty towards him before, now he is only disappointed, he said with a wry smile: "Today at the blacksmith shop, shopkeeper Jiang heard that my ancestral kitchen knife was chopped down by someone chopping a big bone. I am not fair, and want to invite me to work in her shop."

When shopkeeper Xu heard this, his expression changed instantly.

Chef Yao went on to say: "But I thought about my friendship with Laifu Restaurant for 15 years, so I declined! Once I come back to the owner, you will know who I met. If I want to come to the owner, he is worried about me early in the morning. Follow me."

Shopkeeper Xu wanted to get some words out of Chef Yao's mouth, so he said: "That's not the case, it's just that someone happened to see it. Since you said you didn't respond to Mr. Jiang Ji's family, let me ask you, what are the tin boxes she made at the blacksmith's place for?" of?"

Chef Yao felt sorry for his knife the whole time. He didn't remember to ask Jiang Yanyi what it was. He shook his head and said disappointedly: "I didn't ask Shopkeeper Jiang, and I don't know what it was used for."

Shopkeeper Xu's expression was clearly disbelieving.

Chef Yao didn't want to say any more, he took off a large bunch of keys from his waist and put them on the shopkeeper Xu's table: "This is the key to the warehouse, my boss, you were kind to me back then, but later no matter how many restaurants you have, In such a difficult situation, I have never thought of leaving, and I have worked in the restaurant for 15 years, and I have paid off your kindness."

Although Shopkeeper Xu had long intended to train newcomers to replace Chef Yao, his current behavior still made him panic, and he shouted: "Old Yao, what are you doing?"

Without Chef Yao, who will he find to take over the restaurant business in a short time?

But Chef Yao didn't turn his head when he left: "I'm quitting, boss, you can hire Gao Ming."

Shopkeeper Xu was so angry that he slapped the table: "He also said that he had no collusion with that yellow-haired girl from Jiang Ji, so you guys are clearly colluding!"

***

When Chef Yao left Laifu Restaurant, Jiang Yan didn't know what he meant.She is still worried about the rejection of the old scholar, so that when she went to deliver the "medicinal" meal to Feng Shuo the next day, she felt a little depressed.

Feng Shuo asked her the reason, and learned that it was yesterday that he had run into a wall when he asked the old scholar to tell a story. After thinking for a while, he said, "Why don't you send someone to see what he is doing recently?"

Jiang Yanyi was a little enlightened by Feng Shuo.

If the old scholar really doesn't want to talk about books anymore, then life will definitely be the same as before, and she won't have to worry about it, and she will directly focus on the next target.But if he wavered a little, he might read the story books and practice his storytelling skills, which means there is still room for persuasion.

After Jiang Yanyi went back, he asked Bing Shao to visit the old scholar again, but Bing Shao didn't come back until the afternoon, almost missing dinner.

Jiang Yanyi asked, "How?"

Bing Shao said: "The old scholar closed the door and told a group of children in the yard. His skills are indeed excellent."

He squatted outside someone's house in the cold wind and eavesdropped all afternoon, and he was not willing to leave. The story told by the old scholar was really wonderful.

When Jiang Yanyi heard it, there was no joke!So he asked Bing Shao to bring some cakes and wine to invite the old scholar every day.

But Bing Shao is a dull-mouthed gourd, he is obedient and can't speak, every time he listens to the old scholar's storytelling through the courtyard door in the cold wind, although it is a bit cold, but the story is told by the old scholar, he feels strange enjoy.

After the old scholar finished speaking, he put the cakes and liquor at the door of the old scholar and left.

This continued for several days, and Bing Shao, a loyal listener, finally impressed the old scholar.

On this day, when he was squatting at the door of someone's house with soju and ready to eavesdrop, the old scholar opened the door directly.

Bing Shao thought that he was going to drive someone away, so he put down the liquor and was about to leave voluntarily, but the old scholar stopped him and said, "Let's go, take me to see your boss."

It was only then that Bing Shao noticed that the old scholar had changed into a pair of patched but clean clothes today, which looked like he only wore them when he saw guests.

Bing Shao always had a paralyzed face, and the old scholar didn't see any contempt or sympathy on his face, the self-esteem hidden behind the patches all over his body was preserved, and his thin back straightened a bit .

*

Jiang Yanyi was very pleasantly surprised that the old scholar was willing to come out of the mountain. After negotiating with the old scholar about sitting in court, he talked about the "book" he wanted to talk about.

As the owner, they have the right to decide what stories their storytellers tell.

No matter what era, people are more interested in poignant love stories. Jiang Yanyi dictated the previous stories of "Dream of Red Mansions" to the old scholar. The old scholar asked for a pen and paper, and listened to and wrote. He has already memorized it.

"My master's story is good. Although my little old man didn't talk about storytelling later, it is still clear what stories are being told in Xizhou City. I have never heard this story told by my master before." The old scholar was amazed.

Jiang Yanyi said: "This story is written by an old gentleman surnamed Cao. Although I have read his book, my knowledge is still superficial, and I can't describe the deep meaning between his words."

The old scholar hurriedly asked: "I don't know what book it is. I will read it when I have a chance."

Jiang Yanyi just shook his head: "The old man's books are no longer available."

The old scholar automatically understood that it was written by the former court, and was later listed as a banned book by the court and burned, so he just regretted it.

He said: "Master, let me tell the story for a while, and see if there are any omissions."

Jiang Yanyi nodded.

As soon as the old scholar patted Xingmu, his whole body instantly entered the state. Even though Jiang Yanyi had watched it on TV countless times before, he was still attracted by what the old scholar said.

He is very eloquent, and his emotional mobilization is also in place, and he can only feel hearty when he listens.

For this ability, Jiang Yanyi paid him a good salary, but the old scholar was only willing to pay half of it.

He said, "Once my dead mother left, the little old man originally didn't plan to talk about books in this life, but at this age, only this three-inch tongue is left to do. When the dead mother was buried, it was all done with the help of the neighbors." The funeral is over. If the little old man goes away one day, I'm afraid I will have to trouble them. Now I only want to earn a few coffin money, and I will not disturb the neighbors in the future. I am old, and the storytelling is not right It used to be good, my boss is a kind person, I think of my boss's kindness, half of the money is enough."

The old scholar's temperament was also twisted, and Jiang Yan couldn't persuade him, so he asked Mrs. Chen from the tailor shop next door to make three clothes for the old scholar to wear when storytelling.

***

The day before Jiang Yanyi's shop resumed business, the Xizhou government issued a verdict. The dead cat in front of Jiang Yanyi's shop, as well as the rumors about her uncle's eating in her shop and the three brothers, were all blamed by the Hu family.

The notice was posted on the bulletin board in front of the government office for a whole day, not only cleaning up all the stigma, but also promoting Jiang Yanyi's hot pot restaurant for free.

But Laifu Antique Soup also spent a lot of money to suppress Jiang Yanyi's shop.

When Jiang Yanyi went to the horse butcher to sell mutton, the horse butcher said that all the sheep had been bought by Laifu Restaurant.

Without mutton, how can tomorrow's soup pot be sold?

Jiang Yanyi hurriedly asked Yang Xiu and Bing Shao to go to other butcher shops in the city, and the answer they got was that they were bought by Laifu Restaurant.

Mutton is only affordable for wealthy families, and major butchers also stock up on meat according to market demand, so they basically hoard less mutton.Laifu Restaurant is now the largest antique soup shop in Xizhou. The rich and noble families picture the signboard of the imperial chef in the other shop, and they don't buy mutton back to their own homes for the cook to cook.Therefore, Laifu Restaurant has the ability to sell all the mutton within two days.

Jiang Yanyi remembered this tone in his heart and asked Yang Xiu, Bing and Shao to go out of the city for a trip, and finally bought two sheep from a farmer outside the city.

I thought that the operation of Laifu Restaurant to buy all the mutton in the city was enough, but on the opening day, Laifu Antique Soup was even more arrogant and staged what it means to be rich and powerful, as long as it can kill you, no matter the price—— — Their pots are sold at half price today.

After Jiang Yanyi's store resumed business, there were loyal customers who wanted to come to Jiang Yanyi's store to eat, and they were attracted by the other party's operations.So much so that Jiang Yanyi's shop was empty at noon. Compared with the bustle in front of Laifu Antiques, it was pitifully deserted.

Disgusting people who can't.

Jiang Yanyi directly asked Yang Xiu to go to Laifu Antique Soup to order a pot, and then ordered the mutton of four whole sheep, saying that it was packed and taken away.

The waiter couldn't stand it anymore, so he quickly called the owner of Laifu Restaurant out.

Yang Xiu looks fierce and looks like a gangster, not to mention that he didn't say that he would not give money. If Laifu Antique Soup was released by himself, no matter how much he eats, it will be half price.

But he ordered mutton from four sheep, but only paid for two sheep. When the quantity was small, it was halved and he didn’t feel pain in the meat. When the quantity was too large, he felt uncomfortable!The owner of Laifu Restaurant saw that Yang Xiu was obviously trying to find fault, and tried to "persuade" Yang Xiu from the restaurant's thugs, but in the end they were all "persuaded" to go up.

Yang Xiu was sharp-tongued, and after putting the man down, he sold it miserably. He yelled, "Why did you come back from Laifu Restaurant? You said you would sell it at half price. Why would you refuse to sell it when I bought four sheep?"

Although buying so much mutton all at once is not something normal people can do, but the diners who had heard the news were a little hesitant because of Yang Xiu's rant, and even the diners who were eating in the store hesitated. They all changed their faces, and asked shopkeeper Xu: "Are the pots in your store half price?"

Shopkeeper Xu was so anxious that he had no choice but to appease the diners first: "It's half price, it's half price, everything is half price."

Yang Xiu hurriedly said, "Why isn't the mutton I want sold?"

Shopkeeper Xu said tactfully, "It's only half price if you eat in the store."

Yang Xiu looked fierce: "Hey, are you temporarily adding conditions? Everyone commented, he said that the pots in the store are sold at half price today, and now he said that they are only half priced in the store. Will you have to pay for it later?" Said that you have to eat in the store at noon to get half price?"

Yang Xiu's talk just hit what many diners who were watching were worried about. Many people shook their heads and left, and some people who originally wanted to order a pot. Laifu Antique Soup had to wait so long again, so he went directly to Jiang Yanyi's shop.

Shopkeeper Xu's hemorrhage today is to suppress Jiang Yanyi's shop so that he can't fight back. Seeing the current situation, he is afraid that Yang Xiu will continue to mess around and drive away the diners in his shop, so he has to reluctantly sell the four sheep for the price of two sheep gave him.

Naturally, Yang Xiu asked them to borrow a cart to pull the mutton, and asked for the help of two waiters from Laifu Antique Soup to deliver it.

When shopkeeper Xu saw that Yang Xiu had brought the mutton to Jiang Yanyi's shop, his face turned green with anger, and impulsively ran to Jiang Yanyi's shop to scold him.

However, before he could speak, Jiang Yanyi said with a smile on his face: "Oh, thank you shopkeeper Xu today. I went to various butcher shops yesterday, and they all said that you bought all the mutton in the shop. Who knew you bought it?" The meat is actually used to do such good deeds today. It is really embarrassing for the shop to buy four of your sheep for the money of two sheep."

Shopkeeper Xu has lived such an advanced age, he can be regarded as having experienced what it means to punish every word!

Jiang Yanyi's actions were indeed not very kind, but judging from the Daxuan law, he couldn't find any mistakes.

Just like he blatantly copied the furnishings in other people's stores.

Shopkeeper Xu knew very well that he couldn't get any good out of the theory on the street, but instead told the onlookers to see a joke for no reason, so he had to leave in disgrace.

But with Yang Xiu's appearance, people who go to Laifu Antique Soup Shop to eat also follow suit, and there are not a few people who ask for half or a whole sheep.

The one who made Jiang Yanyi dumbfounded was probably He Xingniang. He Xingniang didn't know that her dividends did not include the Laifu Antique Soup Shop, but now that Jiang Yanyi bought four sheep with the money she bought for two sheep, she closed the shop and ran away. Go to Lion Dakai to buy two sheep.

After all, if you buy it and eat it, you can make it into smoked mutton. When you entertain guests during the Chinese New Year, it will be more face-saving to put mutton on the table!

Such cheap fools don't take advantage of it.

Laifu Antique Soup was once a disaster. So many people bought mutton, the little mutton they hoarded was not enough to look at.Later, I had to announce that it would not be sold at half price today, and those who didn't get the wool couldn't help complaining.

Even the diners who originally ate the pot in the store felt uncomfortable. Although it is not that they can't afford the money for eating the pot, but you said half price at first, and it will not be half price when people finish eating, what a joke ?

Furthermore, it’s okay for those lions who open their mouths not to implement half price, but some diners only ate a normal portion, and they came for the half price discount. If you suddenly cancel the discount, then you have to wrestle up.

*

Without the malicious consumption and crushing from Laifu Antique Soup, Jiang Yanyi's side went much smoother.

Laifu Antique Soup learns from her in everything, and there is a grill at the door of the store to roast meat.

But Jiang Yanyi not only put a barbecue grill to barbecue, but also placed a ready-made dry pot at the door, with vegetarian dishes under the pot and meat on the upper layer. At first glance, it was all meat, with a huge visual impact and a spicy aroma. It also floated far away along the north wind.

There is a small stove under the pot to keep it warm, so it will not be cold for a long time.

People passing by have never seen such a novel pot. As long as they have money in their pockets, they will most likely enter the store to try something new.

As soon as a customer ordered dry pot, Jiang Yanyi could only get into the back kitchen to work, and greeted Yang Xiu at the door.

When the diners entered the store, they found that there was a long table in the store, with Xingmu placed on the chopping board, and they were a little curious, thinking that this palm-sized small store also invited a storyteller.

When the store was full of customers, the old scholar stroked the wood and opened his voice, and the store unconsciously fell silent. The old scholar's voice was very penetrating, and there were many people listening to books outside the store at the back. people.

Thanks to the old scholar's storytelling, the diners were all focused on listening to the story. They ate slowly, and the table could not be vacated, so Jiang Yanyi didn't have to bury his head in the back kitchen all the time.

She rubbed the back of her sore neck and went to the front shop to have a look, and found that the diners were eating very little, for fear that the old scholar's voice would be drowned out.

Satisfied, Jiang Yanyi moved a pony to sit in the corner, ready to rest for a while, but in the blink of an eye, he found that Feng Shuo had come to the store at some time.He seemed to like the soup pot more, the copper pot was boiling, and there was a plate of sliced ​​mutton on the table.

In the presence of the crowd, Jiang Yanyi didn't dare to go over blatantly, so he asked him why he came to the store with his eyes.

Feng Shuo also gave Jiang Yanyi a look, but Jiang Yanyi looked at him for a long while, but still didn't understand what he wanted to express, and his eyebrows were so tangled that they were fighting.When there were more customers in the back shop, Jiang Yanyi got into the kitchen to get busy again.

Compared with dry pot, the advantage of mutton soup pot is that no matter how long you eat it, you can keep eating it.

Jiang Yanyi discovered that Feng Shuo had been sitting there from noon until evening, not to mention Yang Xiu and Bing Shao, even Qiukui had sneaked a look at Feng Shuo several times, wondering why he Not full yet.

The popularity of dry pot was far beyond Jiang Yanyi's imagination, and many people asked to take it home with them.

Except for a sneak break at noon, she spent the rest of the time in the kitchen, swinging the spatula to the back, her hands were so sore that she had no strength, and Yang Xiu, Bing and Shao were all responsible for collecting the bills.

After going through this day, Jiang Yanyi was so tired that his back hurt, and he felt more and more that he must find a cook to be responsible for making dry pot.

The good news is that on the first day after the resumption of business, the business is still booming. The newly launched dry pot in the store is selling well, and the "Dream of Red Mansions" that the old scholar said was also relayed by diners everywhere. satisfy.

***

Feng Shuo sat in the store all afternoon, and seemed to have something to say to her, but Jiang Yanyi got busy later and didn't care about him, so after dinner in the evening, Jiang Yanyi went to Feng's mansion again.

She now enters and exits his room very casually, and the first thing she says when she enters the door is: "Why did you sit in the store all afternoon today?"

Feng Shuo sat on the armchair, his whole body was a bit gloomy, but when he heard Jiang Yanyi's voice, the gloom dissipated completely.

His exquisite eyebrows and eyes are raised slightly, a brocade feather satin cloak is draped over his shoulders, and the gold and silver embroidery patterns on the ink-colored robe twisted with gold and silver threads are shining faintly. , just said: "I want to see you."

Jiang Yanyi's heart skipped a beat for no reason.

She suppressed the shame in her heart and muttered, "Don't we meet every day?"

It was already dark in the room, Feng Shuo's expression became less clear in the twilight of Sihe, Jiang Yanyi couldn't see the expression in his eyes clearly.

She walked towards him and asked, "Where is the fire pocket? Why don't you light the lamp?"

When she was looking for firecrackers on the table, Feng Shuo turned his head and stared at her profile all the time, with a focused and somewhat paranoid expression. He seemed to have something to say, but in the end everything got stuck in his throat.

The moment Jiang Yanyi found Huoziezi and was about to light the candles, he suddenly held her hand.

Perhaps because of the "medicinal" diet and "medical" bath these days, Feng Shuo's hands are no longer as cool as before, but Jiang Yanyi was still taken aback, and turned to look at him: "What's wrong?"

Feng Shuo said, "Can you stay tonight?"

Jiang Yanyi was so frightened that the roots of her hair almost stood on end, and she suspected that she had heard wrong: "What... what?"

She trembled her hand, and almost didn't take out the torch, but luckily Feng Shuo caught it in time.

The moment the candle was lit, the surroundings suddenly lit up.

It was also at this time that Jiang Yanyi saw clearly that there was a scratch on Feng Shuo's forehead, which seemed to be cut by some fragments.Even though he covered it with broken hair, it was still obvious that the bloodstains were new.

Feng Shuo obviously didn't care about the injury on his forehead, he just said in a daze, "I want to spend the last few hours of my birthday with you."

Jiang Yanyi froze in place.

Today... is his birthday? ! !