At dusk, when the night market was busiest, Boss Du turned off the lights and closed the night, hired a carriage, and followed the guest surnamed Guo to his private residence in the south of Yangzhou City.
I thought that Xiao He was snatched away by the powerful and there would be no chance of meeting him again, but I didn't expect that things would turn around. Du Ji felt mixed emotions in his heart, he was worried and happy at the same time. His hands were trembling slightly, and his excitement was palpable. Yun Niang was deeply worried. How could the Liu family be so arrogant and arrogant that they would allow their niece to abandon Taibai Tower and become a little cook? The other party must be a secretive big shot, forcing the Liu family to swallow their anger and only dare to complain a few times in front of their son, causing this trouble. As soon as Hou Men fell into the depths of the sea, Liu He bent down and became a cook. How could he get out? What is the intention of the guest named Guo? Is it really just for a bowl of cricket porridge?
But for the sake of her son, she had no choice but to take a gamble.
The carriage turned a corner and drove into the lush mountain forest. It meandered along the mountain road and stopped in front of an old mansion. Several capable servants came forward to see Guo Chuanlin, and according to his instructions, they led Boss Du's family in to the flower hall to have tea and rest.
Yun Niang is a person who has seen the world. She knows the identity of the owner just by looking at the tables and chairs in the hall. She hurriedly stopped Du Ji from sitting down, pulled her husband and son to the bottom, and told them to wait patiently and never show impatience.
"Mom, what are you doing? We are not servants!" Du Ji felt that since the master invited them, there was no need to be so formal. If Liu He saw it, it would be very embarrassing.
Yun Niang pointed to a calligraphy hanging on the west wall and asked in a low voice: "Do you know whose hand that calligraphy was written by?"
Du Ji raised his head and looked up, only to see a five-character poem written on it, "The rushing water pushes the white sand, and the mountains and rivers are unforgettable. The fish in the pond are empty, and the young people stand alone on the stage." The structure is wide open and closed, and the strokes are vertical and horizontal, and the force penetrates the back of the paper. Although he came from a humble background, he had been reading and writing with Yun Niang since he was a child, and he also dabbled in pen and ink poetry. After careful speculation, the poem seemed to have the meaning of a sudden end to great passion.
Yun Niang whispered: "That is the handwriting of King Huai. Although there is no signature or seal, it...can't be wrong!"
Du Ji suddenly gasped when he heard this.
Guo Chuanlin made an impromptu decision and invited the Du family to his residence. He lowered his head and thought for a moment. He was about to call Li Qixian when he suddenly heard familiar footsteps coming from behind. He tiptoed as if he didn't want to notice. He pretended not to know and let a pair of soft hands cover his eyes.
"Want me to guess who you are?" he asked with a smile.
Li Qixian's voice rang in his ears, "Haha, if you deliberately guess wrong to tease me, who will you guess?"
Guo Chuanlin didn't want to be fooled by her and turned around to hug her waist. Li Qixian blushed and ran away, complaining: "I go out early and come back late. I wander outside all day long. It's boring to leave me here alone." bored to death!"
"First greet the guests in the flower hall. Tomorrow I will take you to the city to relax and taste the flavor of Huaiyang cuisine." Guo Chuanlin's eyes fell on her. "Out of Furong" is different.
Li Qixian looked at him from a distance through the window and asked, "Is he your friend?"
"No. The two older ones are the owner and the cook of Du Ji Tavern. The man's surname is Du, the woman's name is Yun Niang, and the younger one is their son Du Ji."
Li Qixian was a little surprised. In her impression, Guo Chuanlin was not a hospitable person. He had a purpose in everything he did. "Do you want to prepare a banquet for guests?" She guessed that the kitchen staff was insufficient, so she asked them to help cook.
Guo Chuanlin pinched the tip of her nose and asked, "Do you know who the cook here is?"
"Liu He from Taibai Tower, I heard that King Huai specially sent someone to ask for it from the Liu family." After eating a few delicious and light Weiyang dishes, Li Qixian became curious about the new cook and asked about her origins. , and even went to the kitchen to meet her. She had a very good impression of Liu He, who was neat and refreshing, gentle and calm, and had everyone's style.
Guo Chuanlin said: "It was a coincidence. I heard that Du Ji fell in love with Liu He and wanted to marry her. I just wanted to ask Yun Niang a few words, so I invited them all here."
Li Qixian was stunned for a moment, then immediately realized the key and blurted out, "Who is Yun Niang?"
"She can cook authentic cricket porridge. She should be a servant who was demobilized by the Han Mansion in Yangzhou. Go and call Liu He and ask her to stabilize Du Ji. Then invite Yun Niang to the kitchen and say that you want to ask her Please teach me how to cook cricket porridge."
Hearing the words "shell cricket porridge", Li Qixian immediately remembered his father and senior brother, Geling Town, Cheng Santable, the past, like a faded dream. She calmed down, her eyes moved, and she said subconsciously: "If you like cricket porridge, I will cook it for you every day!" This is not coquettishness or politeness, but a sincere thought. Blood feud is a double-edged sword. , hurting others and hurting himself, Li Qixian felt very tired, and just wanted to be with his junior brother, entrusting himself and everything to him.
Guo Chuanlin held her hand and said meaningfully: "These hands should not hold kitchen knives. These hands are used to hold swords."
Li Qixian's heart trembled. She realized that something was wrong with her. These days, she had been living well and living well. Unknowingly, her will for revenge was gradually wearing away. Since when did she only focus on him and ignore the burden she was carrying? Deep hatred? She lowered her head, clenched her fists, let her carefully manicured nails dig into her palms, and murmured: "I know...I won't forget..."
Guo Chuanlin pinched her chin and whispered: "Don't worry, I'm with you in everything. One day, I will help you kill your enemies and avenge your master."
Li Qixian glanced at him with complicated eyes, turned around and ran towards the kitchen. Yes, her junior brother will help her, but she can't be a dodder wrapped around a big tree. If she doesn't even have this little courage, how can she be worthy of her father who died tragically? Why should she fight with Qin Rong? An inexplicable anger surged in her chest, hatred and competitiveness mixed together, making her full of fighting spirit.
His arms couldn't twist his thighs, and King Huai ordered that even if the Liu family were reluctant, they could only send Liu He to the Guo Mansion to work as a cook. She was more discerning and found out that the mansion in the south of Yangzhou City, surrounded by mountains and rivers, was not the residence of King Huai, but a private property donated to a teacher named Guo. What kind of person could be worthy of such a generous gift from King Huai? She is experienced in the world and is good at dancing. She vaguely feels that the water is very deep. She solemnly reminds her niece to be careful in her words and deeds, so as not to violate taboos and get into trouble.
Liu He was a smart man. He was always aware of what he saw and heard. Before leaving, he received some advice from the Liu family, so he naturally knew what to do. Since arriving at the Guo Mansion, she has been acting as her own cook. She doesn't talk much or watch much. She mostly stays in the small courtyard with the little girl who serves her, and only goes to the back garden after dusk to relax. Take a walk and look at the lakes and mountains.
Therefore, when Li Qixian came to her and relayed Guo Chuanlin's instructions, she did not show the slightest surprise and made up her mind to reject Du Ji's infatuation without leaving any room for right or wrong.
