The next morning.
Hearing that Song Che and the others were going to Jiangning, Yun Niang got up before dawn and made many cakes, cooked food, and light meals for them to take on the road.
My uncle Shen Fang also gave me 500 taels of silver as payment.
"Hmm...this flower cake is so delicious."
Shen Wenjun stood at the bow of the boat, chewing cakes with one hand and saying goodbye to relatives and friends on the dock with the other.
It seemed to be really delicious, she even sucked all the crumbs off her hands.
"Brother Song, this little cook's skills are really good. If you can marry her back to your family in the future, we won't have to worry about delicious food every day."
Her eyes were wide open, so candid and eager.
In order to facilitate travel, the three women all changed into men's clothes and agreed that they would be addressed as "brothers".
Find a cook to cook delicious food.
Find a heroine to come and visit the home.
Find two sisters to talk to.
Shen Wenjun was extremely generous when it came to helping his husband to have concubines so that he could have a family full of children and grandchildren and become an "old lady" himself.
Song Che said bitterly: "I only have two bombs and one gun. Aren't you afraid that one day I will run out of ammunition and food?"
Shen Wenjun smiled, held up two fingers, and said playfully and cunningly: "I will clean and maintain your gun every day. It will last at least twenty years."
"hiss……"
Song Che took a deep breath.
When he returns from the southwest this time, he must learn the yin and yang cultivation technique from Jiang Yuntian.
…
Jiangning, also known as Jinling, is the capital of Jiangnan Road and one of the richest cities in the south.
If Yangzhou, Suzhou and Hangzhou are the pearls on the canal, then Jiangning is the "pearl on the Qinhuai River", and it is the largest and brightest one.
The fifth day of April, in the morning.
Passenger ship docks at Jiangning Pier.
Song Che spent a lot of money to buy a luxury carriage with "four horses" as a means of transportation for the long journey ahead.
There is a branch of Tianxia Bank in Jiangning, and Shen Wenjun often comes here to communicate.
"Jiangning is also a famous city of brocade. The silk produced here is comparable to that of Suzhou and Hangzhou. Especially their silk yarns and damasks are better than Suzhou's. But when it comes to brocade cloth, our Suzhou's is better... "
Shen Wenjun talked about Jiangning's silk weaving industry while walking. She has always been very aloof about Jinxiu. To be praised in her mouth, Jiangning, Jiangning, is by no means a wasted reputation.
"So, Jiangning will also send people to participate in the Splendid Conference, right?" Song Che asked.
Qin Ruo hummed: "Actually, many cities in the south of the Yangtze River will send people to participate in the conference, including Chen Rencai and the Chen family. Five embroiderers went there the year before last, all of them are top-notch craftsmen in Suzhou... There may be fewer this year. After all, the southwest is a multi-ethnic region, and when it comes to the Miao people, everyone is afraid, but century-old brands like us who have fought hard for their reputation will definitely go there."
Shen Wenjun added: "The most famous Jinxiu family in Jiangning has a surname of Wu. Don't believe me when I say it. Although Wu Shouxin, the young master of the Wu family, is a man, his embroidery skills are as good as any of the skilled women in Jiangnan."
Embroidery for men?
In fact, it’s not impossible. Who says women are inferior to men, and who says men are inferior to women?
"No!"
Lin Yue, who was driving outside, suddenly put his head in and said in a surprised tone: "We women can still hold the stool. He is a big man, sitting there motionless and embroidering. Isn't he afraid of a sore back and a sore butt?"
Rough words or not, Song Che also had such doubts in his heart.
"Brother Lin, you are so embarrassed again!" Qin Ruo blushed and glared at her.
Shen Wenjun also rolled his eyes, "Forget about deducting her wages."
"Hey, hey, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no." My stomach is already growling."
Qin Ruo and Shen Wenjun looked at each other and said two words in unison:
"Duck!"
Roast duck, salted duck, sauce duck, braised duck...
As long as it has something to do with ducks, Jiangning has something special.
If you want to ask where to eat duck, it has to be "Suyunzhai" by the river.
"Every time there are guys coming back from Jiangning, I have to ask them to go to Suyunzhai and bring back a few salted ducks. Unfortunately, they are not freshly cooked, and the meat has changed when they take them home."
It looked really delicious. Shen Wenjun had just arrived at the door and was already salivating when he smelled the aroma.
Looking at the door again, there was a yellow notice, which read:
"Suyunzhai is asking for a poem, related to 'duck'. If you can be selected to be on the list, you can have a free meal."
The Qinhuai River is a gathering place for literati and poets, and Jiangning is also a very poetic city. Even eating a duck requires a poem.
Now, isn't this just for free meal coupons?
"Brother Song is very talented and well-spoken. Why don't you take a chance on this opportunity?" Shen Wenjun said with a smile.
Song Che spread his hands: "This is too simple. I will recite the poem and you will write it."
Shen Wenjun folded his sleeves, wrote and started writing.
Song Che shook his head and sang softly: "Duck duck duck, singing to the sky, white hair floats on the green water, red palms stir the clear waves."
Originally it was "goose, goose, goose", but there doesn't seem to be much difference between the duck and the goose, so I applied it.
"This poem alone will definitely earn you a lunch."
Shen Wenjun strode into Suyunzhai with the poem and slapped it on the counter: "Boss Lu, please appreciate this poem!"
Behind the counter, a fat middle-aged man picked up the poem and recited it twice, and couldn't help but applaud:
"What a poem, what a poem!"
Many diners who like literary style couldn't help but praise:
"The first line is chanted repeatedly, and the second line simulates the expression of the duck, giving people the feeling of hearing the sound. The third couplet is relative to each other, going back and forth, and the movement and stillness are intertwined. It is endlessly wonderful!"
"This poem seems to be popular, like a child chanting casually, but when you taste it carefully, it actually has a wonderful artistic conception, just like this piece of salted duck in my hand, it is fragrant in your mouth and has endless aftertaste!"
"Which disciple is this brother? He writes such good poems. Come on, come on. How about we share a seat and have a drink or two?"
"Hey, I actually heard this poem by chance. It's not original to me. I just came here to ask for lunch." Song Che waved his hand to decline the guest's kindness, and then asked the boss with a smile:
"Shopkeeper, what do you think?"
"No matter what, if I heard this poem today, then it will be on the yellow list, and then you can have enough to eat and drink!"
The shopkeeper asked the bookkeeper to copy the list and shouted:
"Four distinguished guests, please come to the private seats on the second floor!"
The boy led Song Che and others upstairs.
The window on the second floor offers a great view of the riverside, where passenger ships and water transport come and go repeatedly, creating a grand and prosperous scene.
Song Che picked the best seat and was about to sit down, but the waiter greeted him:
"Hey, sir, you can't sit in this seat. You'd better move to the back. You'll still have a good view."
"Oh?" Song Che was a little confused: "Isn't this seat vacant? Why can't I sit down?"
The waiter smiled apologetically and said, "You are foreigners and don't know. This seat has been occupied by Mr. Lu of Jiangning Mansion for a long time. Ordinary people cannot sit on it."
"Then what if we sit down?" Lin Yue asked.
The waiter said bitterly: "Last time, I was slapped hard because there was a hair on the table. If he saw someone occupying a seat, he wouldn't tell you what he would do to you. I would definitely not be able to bear it and walk away." …”
