Ma Qiu took a hundred coins and thanked the old Zen master, but it was already getting late, so he simply stayed overnight in a dilapidated Zen monastery.
That night, I talked about Buddhism and Taoism with the old Zen master again until dawn.
On the way back to the city, I met Si Huaijin, a colleague who also sold combs. Si Huaijin was much older than Ma Qiu.
"Congratulations, dear brother. It seems that you are also a resourceful and wise man."
Si Huaijin smiled, cupped his hands and said, "Congratulations, my dear brother, you are also outstanding and unique."
Although they compete for the management position together, it takes ten people. From now on, they will be colleagues. There is no competition, so they must have a good relationship.
"Come with us?"
"good!"
Si Huaijin was already in his forties, but he was talented, handsome, and dressed in a blue-grey robe. He walked like a typical Confucian benevolent gentleman.
But if you judge him based on his appearance, then this person's opponents will probably regret it for the rest of their lives, because those who know him will give him the name "Soochow Zhoulang".
In other words, under his gentle and benevolent gentleman's image, he hides the heart of a Zhou Lang in troubled times. He is decisive in killing, but he is proud of his talents.
He originally worked for Changsun Wuji, but because he was not reused, he left angrily, and even threatened: I will not be kept here, there will be a place for me. If you are not more important to me today, you will definitely ask me for help tomorrow.
This almost made Changsun Wuji angry to death. You are such a proud person who relies on your talents. There will still be no room for you in the next life.
In these years, he wandered around Chang'an City, hanging out in various brothels, relying on his reputation to make a living.
Yesterday, when he heard that the King of Shu was recruiting management personnel, he got up from the courtesan's bed and laughed three times: When I return in glory, I promise you ten miles of red makeup.
The two walked to the east gate of Chang'an City and met Wang Yi again, an old man over fifty years old.
Si Huaijin has been hanging around Chang'an City all year round, so he naturally knows Wang Yi, so he stepped forward and said, "This junior has met Wang Yuanwai Lang."
Old man Wang Yi waved his hand and said with a smile: "That's all in the past, don't mention it anymore."
"Huaijin, I didn't expect you to choose King Shu in the end. Why?"
"Didn't the old gentleman also choose King Shu?"
"Hahaha, I only want ten thousand dollars, but you are different!"
Ma Qiu frowned. Unexpectedly, the old man turned out to be Yuan Wai Lang. Yuan Wai Lang was an official title in the previous dynasty and belonged to the Ministry of Civil Affairs. Yuan Wai Lang was the second-in-command of the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
Let me go, this old man turns out to have a lot of background.
However, most of the officials in the previous dynasty worked for the Tang Dynasty, but this old man did not, so why did he come to compete for this position again?
"Brother Ma Qiu, let me introduce to you, this is senior Wang Yi."
Si Huaijin talked with Ma Qiu and felt that Ma Qiu was a good young man who was knowledgeable and understood the world, so he introduced Wang Yi to Ma Qiu.
Ma Qiu quickly bowed and saluted: "I have met the prince!"
Wang Yi also bowed and saluted, and said with a smile: "Both of you are young talents. Following the King of Shu, you will definitely have a good future. Work hard..."
"I can't do it anymore. I only want the ten dollars, hahaha..."
The three of them talked and laughed and walked towards the Shu Palace.
…
Prince Shu's Mansion.
Among the one hundred servants recruited yesterday, Li Ke selected fifteen cooks, eight of whom were men and seven of whom were women. They were all very hard-working people.
At this moment, there are fifteen iron pots placed in the yard, with various spices and cut vegetables placed next to them.
"Today, I personally teach you how to cook..."
"Stir-fried dishes are divided into stir-fry, raw stir-fry, cooked stir-fry, smooth stir-fry, clear stir-fry, dry stir-fry..."
"Every technique has its own uniqueness. Don't underestimate any detail. The most important thing is the control of the heat..."
Everyone listened very carefully!
If they don't take it seriously, if they can't learn from the King of Shu, they may be kicked out of the King of Shu's palace, and they won't be able to get the high salary.
Moreover, the King of Shu is a royal nobleman, so it would be a great honor to be able to personally teach them how to stir-fry.
And they admired this prince from the bottom of their hearts.
An old friend said that a gentleman stays away from the kitchen. As the son of His Majesty, the King of Shu cooks himself. This is very down-to-earth.
Li Ke's operation was as fierce as a tiger's, and the fifteen apprentices were stunned. A plate of pork belly fried with green garlic and full of color, fragrance and green garlic came out of the pot.
"Everyone has a taste first to see how my dish is, and then you can go stir-fry it..."
Haizhu quickly came to Li Ke's side and whispered: "Young Master, five of the twenty people have returned, and the rest have not arrived yet..."
Li Ke nodded and said with a smile: "Let them wait first..."
Those who can pass the test are, after all, the best among men, and they are also the ones who are proud of their talents.
It won't work if they don't temper their tempers. What he needs is people who surrender to him, not an uncle.
Everyone tasted the pork belly fried with green garlic and immediately praised it.
They are well-known chefs, or they have been in the chef industry for more than ten years, but they have never made such delicious food.
But they couldn't figure it out. How could the King of Shu, who had the power to stretch out his hands and open his mouth to eat, as a prince, cook such delicious food?
"Okay, next, I will continue to teach you..."
In one afternoon, Li Ke had already cooked more than a dozen dishes, all of which were famous cuisines of later generations.
Li Ke was able to cook such dishes thanks to the fact that he had no wife in his previous life and he was a foodie.
When a person comes home from get off work, he starts to turn on his mobile phone and learns how to cook. Over time, he becomes a well-known chef.
Although not as good as those gold medal chefs, it is more than enough to defeat ordinary hotel chefs.
"Okay, that's it for today. Today's task is to fry a dish, a soup and a dessert for each person."
"Old Zhu, when they're done, ask the maid to bring them to the restaurant."
"The king wants to entertain the king's senior officials."
"yes!"
"By the way, take out eight jins of my king's fine wine..."
Lao Zhu was surprised. He didn't expect that the young master valued these people so much.
Not only was the banquet prepared with stir-fried vegetables, but the best wine was also served. He only drank one glass of that wine, and it was really Qiong Nian Yu Ye.
In the living room of Prince Shu's Mansion.
At this moment, eight people have come. Looking at the time, it is already afternoon. It seems that these are the only eight people who have passed the assessment this time.
Even if others return now, they have missed the time and are considered eliminated.
And all eight of them knew each other.
However, these people were still a little angry.
They had passed the assessment and had agreed to meet at noon, but the King of Shu ignored them and refused to meet.
But even if they were angry, they could only endure it, because the King of Shu was their boss.
"Everyone, I've been waiting for a long time!"
"I have just personally cooked for you all to entertain you on your successful return."
Everyone heard that the King of Shu actually cooked for them in order to entertain them?
Gentlemen stay away from the kitchen. Although the king of Shu is a prince, he cooks for them.
this……
"King Shu, our status is low and we are not worthy of King Shu..."
"Yes, the King of Shu is a prince, how can he cook?"
"King Shu, just now we blamed King Shu, but now... I am so ashamed!"
Everyone was really moved, and they also worked for other wealthy families, even the families of princes, generals and ministers.
But no one has ever treated them as human beings. At most, they are just humble servants, just tools for working.
However, except for the old man Wang Yi, he has never worked in other people's homes. The only time he worked for others was when he was a member of the Ministry of Civil Affairs of the Sui Dynasty eighteen years ago.
However, he was also moved by King Shu.
A man dies for one who knows him well, and a woman looks good for one who pleases herself!
The King of Shu is like this, why don't they die for the King of Shu?
"From a certain point of view, all people are born equal, and there is no distinction between high and low. I was just born in the royal family. You are knowledgeable, don't demean yourselves like this."
"Besides, you will be my king's right-hand man from now on, how can you be a despicable person?"
"Let's go, I'm hosting a banquet today to entertain you."
Biquge
