Guo's house's kitchen was kept spotless, and all the kitchen utensils were placed in fixed positions and in order. The most conspicuous thing was seven kitchen knives of different sizes and shapes, lined up from left to right, with a carved pattern on the wooden handles. A half-open chrysanthemum is the symbol of Taibai Tower. It is the only one in Yangzhou City and there is no other semicolon. The last trace of doubt disappeared, and Yun Niang began to believe that Liu He really deigned to be a cook here.
"That guest surnamed Guo, could it be that he belongs to King Huai... No, it doesn't look like that. King Huai is so noble, how could he allow his descendants to have the habits of Jianghu people..." Yun Niang thought in her mind, and she became more cautious in her words.
Li Qixian politely asked her for advice on how to cook cricket porridge, and Yun Niang did not hide her secrets. She took half japonica rice and half glutinous rice, started with washing, and carefully taught her the essentials of cooking porridge.
Pour the water and rice into the pot and boil until it boils. Add the shredded crickets at the right time, add a little cooking wine to remove the fishy smell, and finally add salt to taste. Yun Niang pointed out: "The key to cooking cricket porridge lies in the heat. The water and rice must be harmonious and soft and greasy. The proper proportion can only be grasped by trying a few times."
Li Qixian memorized it carefully. She sincerely asked Yun Niang for advice, hoping that she could cook porridge for Guo Chuanlin with her own hands in the future. The hand holding the sword should not hold the kitchen knife, as that would destroy the will for revenge, but neither her father's spirit in heaven nor Guo Chuanlin who awakened her body and mind wanted to see only hatred left in her life.
The porridge pot on the stove gurgled loudly. Li Qixian opened the lid and released a crack. Hot air gushes out, and the fragrance of rice fills the air, adding a little warmth.
When Guo Chuanlin stepped into the kitchen, Yun Niang was not surprised. She had already expected that things were not that simple. The cricket porridge was just a pretext and the drama had just begun. She stood in front of the stove with her hands down, waiting patiently for Guo Chuanlin. State your true intentions.
Li Qixian filled a bowl of porridge and handed it to him. Guo Chuanlin took it, tasted a few mouthfuls, nodded in approval, and asked Yun Niang: "Isn't the recipe for this cricket porridge spread from Hanfu in Yangzhou?" ?”
He actually came for the Han Mansion, which had committed a serious crime of treason! Yun Niang's heart trembled, her face was slightly stiff, and she didn't dare to hide it, so she could only say: "Yes, but there is no Han Mansion anymore."
Guo Chuanlin sighed: "Yes, wealth and honor go as quickly as they come. The Han family has such great momentum, but now only a bowl of cricket porridge is left."
Yun Niang lowered her head and said nothing, and the long-dusted memories passed through her mind one after another. The fire cooked the oil, and it flourished for a while. It turned the world upside down overnight, fell from the clouds into dust, and ended up with everyone being executed. Who could have thought!
Guo Chuanlin put down the cricket porridge and said leisurely: "You worked in the Han Mansion in the early years, right? From the way you talk, I shouldn't be a lowly servant."
Yun Niang was silent for a moment, then said solemnly: "How high can a cook who specializes in cooking porridge be?"
"Oh, you just cook porridge in Han Mansion?"
"I only cook porridge, and I only know how to cook porridge. Compared with some cooks who only knead the dough, and some who only chop onions, it is already a complicated job."
When Yangzhou Hanfu was in its heyday, the food was astonishingly luxurious, as can be seen by simply kneading the dough and chopping green onions. Guo Chuanlin shook his head unconsciously. He was not opposed to the desire for food, but it was too much to pay attention to this level. What a waste of manpower.
"How many cooks like you are there in the Han family?"
"Including the internal and external kitchens, there must be hundreds of people, not counting the cooks who run small stoves for the master and his wife."
"Who are the direct relatives of the Han family?" Tu Qiong saw that Guo Chuanlin finally got to the point.
Old cases that have been filed for many years sometimes come to light again. I don’t know if the person coming here is to reverse the case for the Han government, or to eradicate the root cause. Yun Niang glanced at him and knew that since she was found by the other party, there was no escape. Besides, after so many years, she had a husband and a son. The Han family was not worth risking her life for. She immediately considered: "Ding of the Han family There are four prosperous branches in Yangzhou alone, with hundreds of people inside and outside. I can’t tell you all at once. I wonder which room Mr. Guo wants to ask about?"
Guo Chuanlin knew little about the details of the Han family, so he thought for a moment and said, "Let's talk about Han Yang."
"That's the eldest son. Han Yang is the patriarch. He has three sons. The eldest son is named Lan, the second son is named Ling, and the third son is named Yue. They are all officials in the court. Han Lan is a civil servant, and Han Ling and Han Yue are both Military attaché, the specific official position, we servants don’t know very well.”
"How many brothers are Han Yang?"
Yun Niang said: "There are seven or eight men in Han Yang's generation. I can't tell you. Among the four branches in Yangzhou, Han Yang is the eldest. Under him are Han Hu, Han Tuo, Han Ting, and there are also brothers who were born in the concubine. I heard that Han Yang is the eldest. They all do business in other places, and rarely come to Yangzhou except to pay homage to their ancestors. According to the rules set by the ancestors of the Han family, only direct descendants can live in the old house in Yangzhou. Those children who were born from concubines and distant relatives from outside the house will live far away from home after they grow up. Go to another country to find another way out, and only if you stand out and get the approval of the clan leader can you return to Yangzhou to settle down."
"Among Han Yangshu's brothers, is there any one named Han Tianyuan?"
Yun Niang thought for a while, shook her head and said: "I have never heard of it. But the fourth brother of the Han family in the old house in Yangzhou all had the word 'Heaven' in their names. Han Yang was named Tianxiang, and Han Hu was named Tianyou. , Han Tuo's courtesy name is Tianwei, and Han Ting's courtesy name is Tianzheng. Tian Yuan's words seem to be from their generation."
"Are Han Yang's three sons born to the same mother?"
"Yes, they are all born to the main wife, Mrs. Li."
"What is Li's origin?"
Yun Niang seemed to have remembered something and said hesitantly: "Normally, she should be a lady from a wealthy family, but the servants rumored privately that Mrs. Li was from a martial arts background and was skilled in swordsmanship. She seemed to be from the martial arts world, a disciple of some sect... "
"Qingcheng faction?"
"Yes, Qingcheng School! Mrs. Li is from Sichuan and she likes spicy food. She transported chili peppers all the way from Sichuan to Yangzhou. The local cook didn't know how to cook Sichuan cuisine, so she specially hired a cook from Taibai Tower to serve the ladle so she could take a bite. The iron pot is worn out after being used once and can no longer be used to cook Huaiyang dishes..."
"Doesn't Han Yang have any children from a concubine?"
"No, Han Yangjie kept his own life and only took one concubine and never gave birth to any children."
"I heard that he has an illegitimate child outside?"
Yun Niang shook her head and said she had never heard of it. Guo Chuanlin continued: "His name is Han Bing. He was adopted by distant relatives when he was young. He occasionally returns to Yangzhou and settles in an old house in the south of the city. It is said that it is also the property of the Han family and is managed by a man named Min Kui."
When Yun Niang heard the name "Min Kui", she couldn't help but be stunned.
Guo Chuanlin noticed something strange about her and asked, "Do you know Min Kui?"
Yun Niang seemed to have something to hide. She was silent for a long time before reluctantly nodding.
"Tell me about him."
"Min Kui... is an old man who has worked for the Han family for decades. He first followed Han Yang in the jewelry business. He traveled to and from Hudi, in the wind and rain. He worked hard and was very relied on. Later, the old patriarch , that is, Han Yang's father, passed away due to illness. Han Yang had to return to Yangzhou to take charge of the overall situation and take over the position of patriarch, so he entrusted the business to his brother Han Hu, and Min Kui therefore switched to work under Han Hu. But Han Yang Hu didn't like Min Kui. Because of a small mistake, he got angry and kicked him out of the house. What's strange is that Han Yang knew about it and let it go without defending him. As for Min Kui's trouble with Han in the south of the city. I’ve never heard of the family’s property, maybe it was arranged secretly by Han Yang without telling Han Hu in order to compensate him.”
Guo Chuanlin's mind was spinning. Min Kui's expulsion from the Han Mansion was extremely suspicious. Beating a dog depends on the owner's face. How could Han Hu ignore Han Yang's face and rashly drive away his old friend who had been with him for decades? Walk. In all likelihood, the two brothers Han Yang and Han Hu were acting in order to get Min Kui to leave the Han family, set up his own business, and help Han Bing manage his share of the industry. If there had not been such a disaster as the conspiracy to destroy the family, given time, Han Bing will probably take over the jewelry business from Han Hu and legitimately acknowledge his ancestors. Han Yang has good intentions towards this illegitimate son who has no status!
Thinking of this, he felt something in his heart and said calmly: "So that's it. I didn't expect that you, a cook who specializes in cooking porridge, would be so familiar with the affairs of the Han family!"
Yun Niang hesitated for a moment, gritted her teeth and said: "Mr. Guo, when I was working in the Han Mansion, Min Kui... he was my husband, and he treated me well. He told me many things, otherwise I would have to cook alone. How could the porridge cook be so knowledgeable? After the Han family was raided and sealed, Min Kui disappeared. Everyone said he was dead. I was living on the street alone. I had no choice but to find an honest man to marry."
"That honest man is Boss Du, right?"
"Yes, he was setting up a wonton stall on the roadside at that time. After I married him, I saved some money and opened a tavern."
"So Du Ji is no longer your biological flesh and blood?"
"He was born to Du Xing's ex-wife. I have not had a child for so many years. I have long regarded him as my own son. I hope that he will be safe and free from illness and disaster..."
