In Mozhu City.
A Taoist priest walked slowly on the street, followed by a little girl wearing three-color clothes and a handsome boy wearing black and white clothes. Both of them had their hands full of fish, attracting the attention of passers-by.
It's just that the performance of the two is very different——
The little girl looked proud, holding the straw rope tightly with both hands, raising her head high, with a serious expression and high spirits, like a little general who had just returned from a victorious battle.
The young man was just the opposite. Facing the looks from so many people, he shrunk his neck and avoided his eyes. When he walked, he unconsciously walked against the wall.
The little girl looked back at him from time to time, accusing him with her eyes of walking too close to the wall and not letting the people in the city see what she had gained.
The group still went to the city's vegetable market to set up a stall and exchange fish for money.
Leave two behind and carry them back to the inn.
The shopkeeper was still sitting at the door with a troubled face. When he saw Song You coming back, he raised his head and stared at him:
"Ah! Sir is back?"
"That's right." Song You smiled at the store and handed him a fish. "While the ice hadn't melted yet, I caught a few fish by the river and left one for the store."
"How can this be done?"
"I still have to borrow the store's stove."
"Sir, if you want to use it, just tell me. Why do you need these?" The store owner put his hands behind his back and refused to take them.
This is indeed the case.
When we first moved in, we had agreed that Song You could borrow the cooking stove, but the oil, salt, sauce, vinegar and firewood would cost money. However, these days, Song You often shares some of the cooking with them. The delicious taste often pleases the old couple. I felt that the food that county officials and state officials had every day could not compare to these. It was really a luxury and blessing that I could enjoy such delicious food by running a shop myself, so I didn't take any more money from him.
I usually make good meals and bring some to him.
Although this shop owner is a bit of a businessman, he is actually a very kind-hearted person.
This can be seen from the time when he helped scold the boy who was suspected of being a liar at the door of the teahouse.
"Don't refuse, store owner."
"well……"
The shopkeeper sighed and finally accepted it.
When the three figures came upstairs, he still turned to stare at them, with a look of confusion on his face.
That night, the river fish was cut into thin slices, cooked with seasonings, and placed in a basin. Topped with chili spices, a spoonful of hot oil was poured down, and the aroma was immediately stimulated. It was another bowl of delicious food that is difficult to eat these days. The dish is ready. Taoists often feel a trance because of this, as if they have traveled through time and space, and they also have a feeling that it is not bad to live like this in this era.
Empress Sanhua was still watching carefully.
However, the days in this small town of Zhaozhou are coming to an end.
It is already the season of spring.
It’s just that spring in the north always comes late.
As the Taoist expected, after today, there have been seven or eight sunny days in a row, the temperature has risen rapidly, and the ice and snow have melted. By mid-February, the ice on the river has completely disappeared, and there is not much snow on the official road.
Song You took advantage of these few days to wash all his clothes, wash and dry the woolen felt blankets and thin quilts. He even washed the quilt bags and used the store's place to dry them.
Sanhua Empress took her coolie swallows to the river and caught many small fish, which were all dried into dried fish.
Pack your bags and take the dried fish with you.
After the rent payment was settled, the quilt bag was taken from upstairs to downstairs, and the keys were taken down, the shopkeeper came in front of him again, still looking confused.
I wanted to discuss paying for the secret recipe of braised pork, but I was afraid that Song You's price would be too expensive, so I had to struggle a bit with setting the price myself, and I was really reluctant to part with it. After getting along with each other for this period of time, we have become familiar with each other. I want to be shameless and ask if I can teach myself not to mention money.
The shop owner had no choice but to rush over to pick up Song You's things and asked diligently:
"Sir is gone?"
"Let's go. Thank you to the store for taking this time." Song You said to him, "The room has been cleaned and everything is intact. There are a lot of things. Would you like to go up and take a look at the store?"
"Of course I can trust you sir."
"It's better to take a look."
"There aren't many things, nothing to see."
"Then keep the key."
"okay……"
The shopkeeper took the key from the Taoist and looked up at him, but he hesitated to speak.
How could a Taoist not know his thoughts?
Seeing this, he just laughed. After thinking for a while, he turned his head, looked at the disc dustpan next to him, and asked curiously:
"What is that?"
"Mr. Hui, those are the specialty dried mushrooms here. What do they seem to be called? Hazel mushrooms. My brother sent them here last year. They were left out all winter and were not eaten. They were stained with moisture. I took advantage of the weather these days. Let's take it out and dry it in the sun." The store owner was anxious, fearing that he would leave later. He had thoughts in his heart and his mind couldn't turn around. He just answered whatever was asked and he answered attentively.
"I remember that during the Lantern Festival, the store stewed chicken and gave us a bowl. Inside..."
"That's it. It's just that it's been soaked in water, and it's dried." After the store replied, he realized, "Sir, don't think this thing is inconspicuous, but it is delicious. If you like it, sir, I will Pack something for your husband and take it with you. If it gets wet on the road, just pick a sunny day and let it dry in the sun."
"Then why are you so embarrassed?"
"Didn't we also accept the fish sir?"
"I really like the taste of that stupid chicken stewed with mushrooms, and my cat also likes it very much. In this case, I accept it without shame..." Song You smiled and saluted, and after a pause, "It's just that this hazelnut I’m afraid the mushrooms won’t work, the store seems to have chickens in the backyard, I wonder if we can spend money to buy one?”
"..."
The store owner's eyes flickered and he was in trouble.
Things are not easy in the north these days. The chickens in the store are all hens that are several years old, so I feel a little reluctant to part with them.
I just think of the taste of the braised pork I have eaten...
"!"
The shopkeeper gritted his teeth and said, "Why talk about money? Let's go catch one for sir and take it away! It's not easy to carry it with you. You need to kill it and eat it as soon as possible!"
"Is this good?"
"Sir, don't refuse."
"That's good."
Song You stood there waiting for him.
The store owner was stingy, but he really planned to give it to him. As soon as he finished speaking, he turned around and walked back.
Soon there was a flurry of chickens and dogs in the backyard. Not long after, the store owner came with a chicken, tied it with a hemp rope and handed it to the Taoist.
"Thank you, store owner."
"gentlemen……"
"What? What else does the store have to do?"
"I don't know...I don't know..."
The store owner's eyes flickered, still confused.
"Why are you hesitating?" Song You said to him with a smile, but he put his hand into his arms. When he took it out again, he already had a piece of paper in his hand, "Is this what the store wants?"
"this……"
The shopkeeper stretched out his hand to take it dully.
The paper is ordinary paper, folded, and when you open it, you can see that it is full of words.
Just the recipe for brine.
There are no lengthy narratives, and there is nothing unnecessary. It is most suitable for people who have not read much. At this time, with a quick scan, you can see that the ingredients are written carefully and in detail. Each ingredient, how much should be used, what are the technical points and precautions, including the preservation and reuse of brine, and which meat is most suitable, all are used The most straightforward and simple words are written clearly.
"There are a lot of spices in this ingredient. Fortunately, there are no sky-high prices like ambergris, dipterocarp, and so on. Although it is not cheap, if the store can sell it to wealthy people, it may be possible to make a lot of money."
"this……"
The shopkeeper looked at the Taoist blankly.
"Thank you to the store for the hazelnut mushrooms and fat chicken, and thank you to the store for taking care of them in the past two months." The Taoist just smiled and said to him, "The formula may be valuable, but the least valuable way is to carry it in your arms. Li returned to the Taoist temple with me, and the store owner didn’t need to say anything. If it can be promoted and spread all over the country, so that I don’t have to make it myself when I want to eat it in the future, it will be a great help to me. "
"Thank you sir."
"Farewell."
Song You had put the quilt bag on the horse's back and tied the chicken. He bowed to him and walked out.
The shopkeeper still held the paper, looking down, and from time to time he looked up at the figures, followed them, and stood at the door to watch them leave.
The bay-red horse seemed to be spiritual. Not only did it not need a rein, it even knew what to do without the Taoist saying anything. The calico cat still followed the Taoist with small steps, but looked back at him from time to time. His eyes were clearly the same as that of the little girl.
"Suddenly..."
There are swallows flying in the sky.
The shopkeeper stood there blankly holding the paper.
It is now February, and the business in the teahouse next door is much quieter than during the Chinese New Year. However, it is refreshing to eat big fish and meat, and you still have to eat the clear porridge that flows slowly on weekdays. The storyteller still comes to the teahouse. The storyteller told stories about gods, demons and ghosts for people's entertainment, and the voice reached the ears of the shop owner.
But as the store owner listened, he had an idea——
In the past two months, the Taoist who lives in his own house has taken his cat to listen to books next door almost every day. However, no matter the listeners at the table next to him or the storyteller on the stage, none of them know that a living person can do magic. An expert Taoist priest and two monsters were sitting next to them.
If you tell it yourself to the storyteller, or find someone to write it down, I'm afraid it will be no less than an adventure in the story.
Come back to the house and read this recipe carefully.
After all, he also runs an inn. It is the only inn in Mozhu City. Whether he is rich or not, he still has experience.
He recognized all the spices written on this piece of paper, except for the one called "pepper" that was unfamiliar to him. I have seen my husband use it during this period of time, and he said it was brought by a fairy named Yanxian from the south. Many people in the south have started to plant it, and some people have brought it to the north to sell it, but after all, there are only a few.
Where to buy it became a problem that troubled him.
This trouble continued until he went upstairs to tidy up the gentleman's room when he saw a potted plant on the window sill that was not tall and swaying in the wind, with a small red lantern on it. It was really cute.
…
Golden Jasmine launches a plan to save expired monthly tickets——
It’s the end of the month again, and the monthly ticket in your hand is about to expire. It would be a waste not to vote, so why not vote for Jasmine! Every month, the babies hope to have a home, so come and save them!
(End of chapter)
