The Age of Discovery: Chinese cuisine swept across Europe

Gao'er's marriage to a foreigner would attract some criticism from neighbors, but she knew that she had made a good marriage. Diego had no parents, brothers, sisters, or other relatives here, and he treated her and her daughter wholeheartedly, and was also very good to her parents.

Every day, apart from working in the store, he never went out to drink or play cards. When he came back, he would help her with housework and cook for her and her mother. The family of three lived in harmony and had no shortage of money. She felt that she had really married a good man and her life was very comfortable.

Diego was not very good at cooking originally, but he gradually improved through daily practice and his cooking skills are quite impressive.

Diego cooked his best lunch, and even Min Xi couldn't help but praise him: "Diego is very talented in cooking. I thought you could only make staple food and snacks, but I didn't expect you to cook so well."

Diego smiled shyly when he was praised: "I learned this from my boss."

"That also requires your effort."

After dinner, the three of them made tea and chatted. Reis was very interested in the details and feelings of Diego's life in Beijing, and asked a lot of questions, because he would also come to live here in the future, and understanding Diego's experience would help him understand what he would face in the future.

Leis suddenly said to Min Xi: "Boss, I want to buy a house in Beijing."

Min Xi asked in surprise: "Buy it now?"

Leis said, "It's not necessary to buy it now. I want to take a look first. If there is nothing suitable, you and Yun Dongjia can help me keep an eye out for it in the future. If there is a suitable one, help me buy it. When I stop working on the ship, I will come and live here."

"Sure. If you trust us, then leave it to us." Min Xi said.

Reis smiled and said, "Of course I trust you. Diego, you guys helped buy this yard, right? I think it's very good."

Min Xi said: "How big a yard do you want, what's the approximate price range, and what are your requirements for the surrounding environment? Just tell us your general requirements and we will help you keep an eye out for them."

Reis said, "You decide. The house doesn't need to be too big. It should be close to where you or Diego live so that it will be convenient for you to travel back and forth in the future."

"Okay, I'll keep an eye on it for you."

While they were chatting, Gao'er came to serve tea several times and winked at Diego several times. Min Xi noticed Gao'er's expression and said to Diego, "Do you have anything to say?"

Diego said awkwardly, "Something happened at the pastry shop. I'll tell you later."

Min Xi probably guessed something: "Is there something wrong with Aunt Luo?"

Diego licked his lips and said, "Gao'er said that she recently discovered our new dim sum styles in Aunt Luo's son-in-law's shop. Those are the new dim sum I researched this year. After they opened the shop, they basically learned our new dim sum styles."

Min Xi nodded: "I understand." Aunt Luo's son-in-law Qiao Dayou left the pastry shop two years ago and started his own pastry shop. He learned the styles of pastries from Diego, and his prices are cheaper than those of Yunxiang West Pastry Shop. His business is booming, but since the two stores are quite far away from each other, it has little impact on the business of this store.

Min Xi also knew that since he brought Western pastries back to Beijing, he couldn't keep a monopoly on them. Sooner or later, others would learn from him. So he had no objection to Aunt Luo's son-in-law starting a new business. But Qiao Dayou was obviously not a smart person. He couldn't draw inferences from one example and innovate. He just copied what Diego did. Not to mention what he learned before he left, but he still made new styles after he left, which meant he learned from Diego.

This must have something to do with Aunt Luo and her husband. Obviously, they also knew that Yun Ji, who was rich and powerful, would not value these snacks. But they forgot that this was Diego's hard work. Diego was inevitably uncomfortable when all his snacks were stolen without permission. But due to Aunt Luo's care, he couldn't say anything. Or Gao'er couldn't bear it, so she urged Diego to tell Min Xi.

Diego hesitated for a moment and said, "It's okay, they are all acquaintances. They opened a store in East City, so it won't interfere with our business."

Min Xi smiled and said, "This is not a business issue, but a question of integrity. Since we are acquaintances, how can I take it away without even saying hello? That would be too disrespectful to you. I'll tell Brother Seven later."

Diego nodded: "Okay."

When Yun Ji came back in the evening, Min Xi talked to him about the West Shop.

After listening to this, Yun Ji said, "Aunt Luo is old now. They have worked hard to run the shop over the years. It's time for her to go back and enjoy her retirement."

Min Xi looked at him and asked, "Are you planning to let Aunt Luo go and leave the shop to Diego?"

"Well. Diego is fully capable of opening his own shop. He has been working in our shop all this time. Isn't it to repay our kindness? We can't let him suffer any grievances. I will talk to Aunt Luo another day and let them go back and rest. If they still want to make use of their remaining energy, they can go to help out in her son-in-law's shop." Yun Ji said.

"Then you should talk to them nicely and don't give them less money than they deserve. After all, they have worked for the Yun family for so many years." Min Xi reminded him.

"Of course I know that."

"Funiu is old enough, Gao'er can bring her to the store to help, but the store needs to hire two more people to help, otherwise it will be too busy. Let's find someone before Aunt Luo and her husband leave."

"I know. Let Diego make the decision on this matter. After all, he will be the shopkeeper in the future." Yun Ji said.

Min Xi didn't know what Yun Ji had said to Aunt Luo. Aunt Luo had already agreed to leave at the end of July. Min Xi didn't ask how much pension money she had given him. It was all paid out of Yun Ji's own pocket.

Diego found two helpers to help, they were Gao'er's cousins. Learning to make dim sum in a dim sum shop inevitably means that one's skills will be learned by others. It is better to let relatives learn than strangers, so Min Xi and Yun Ji did not raise any objections. As long as the person is down-to-earth and willing to work hard, the contract requires that they cannot voluntarily quit their job and start a new business within five years. As for what happens after five years, we will talk about it later.

Lei Si wanted to buy a house in Beijing, so Min Xi introduced him to a broker and asked the broker to accompany him to look for houses. Lei Si looked at many houses during his stay in Beijing, but the location was not good, the house was too big or too small, and he could not find a house that suited his taste.

You can't be impatient when buying a house. After all, the layout of Beijing city has been determined. There are no new houses, only old ones, and the supply is limited. If you want to buy a suitable one, you really need to rely on luck.

Min Xi advised him not to rush to buy, as he was not in a hurry to move in anyway, and maybe there would be a more suitable house after waiting for two years.

Leis thought it was right, so he stopped being anxious. After looking at the houses in the hands of the broker, he was no longer in a hurry to look for houses, and went to enjoy life in Beijing. Listening to music, drinking tea, shopping and looking for delicious food, there is endless fun every day.

After Zhao Shizhen went to work in the Ministry of War, Min Xi devoted himself to the research and development of steam engines.

Compared to bicycles and guns, steam engines are really big things. This is much more difficult than before. Min Xi has never done it before, and Zhao Shizhen doesn't have much time to come, so he has to figure it out by himself. Sometimes Yun Ji comes back from the government office and helps to come up with ideas.

Min Xi pondered for a long time and finally decided to make a mini version of the steam engine first, make all the components, assemble them, verify its function and power, and then make the big one after confirming its feasibility.

Min Xi considered the practical use of the steam engine and finally chose the push mill as the experimental object because the function of the machine is suitable for reciprocating movements. Although the use of steam engines to push mills will eventually be abandoned due to excessive waste of fuel, there must be a beginning attempt. After all, when the steam engine was first built, it must have been very crude and impractical, and it needed to be gradually improved so that the machine would become more and more useful.

All things are difficult at the beginning. Min Xi used everything he could at home. If there were not enough, he asked the blacksmith to polish some accessories according to his requirements, and worked hard to improve every aspect of the steam mill.

After Min Xi finished his check-in, he saw his colleagues walking around or playing, so he did not sit down and went home to tinker with the steam engine. As soon as he left the government office, he ran into Zhao Shizhen's old servant: "Master Min."

Min Xi looked up at him: "It's you, Uncle Deng."

Lao Deng said, "My master said that he will come to visit you tomorrow. Please wait for him at home."

Min Xi nodded: "Okay! It's amazing that he had the heart to ask you to tell him in advance. Last time, Lord Zhao failed, and he will not make the same mistake again this time."

In fact, it is no wonder that Zhao Shizhen arranged for someone to say hello in advance. In fact, he went to visit the Yun family during his last holiday, but Min Xi and Yun Ji took Captain Reis to play outside the city, so he didn't meet anyone.

Tomorrow is a day off, and Zhao Shizhen will come home, probably to study the making of the steam engine with him.

The next day, Min Xi did not arrange any other activities and waited for Zhao Shizhen to come home.

Yun Ji didn't go out either, but took Yun Lin to learn horse riding and archery in the training ground at home.

Zhao Shizhen arrived very early and came over after breakfast. When he saw Min Xi, he treated him as if he were a long-lost friend: "Brother Quanzhen, long time no see!"

Min Xi looked him up and down and said, "It's been a long time since we last met. Chang Ji looks good. It seems that the position of the Arsenal Department is suitable for you."

Zhao Shizhen chuckled, "It's not bad. I can come into contact with different weapons every day, and I have a deeper understanding of muskets."

"That's good. I've been trying to make a steam engine that can grind mills recently. I made a small model. You can come and help me take a look." Min Xi called him to the laboratory.

"Okay. But I have other news for you. I heard that the Jiangnan Shipyard has built the first replica of a galleon, and it will be launched for sea trials next month."

"Really?" Min Xi was extremely surprised. Five years had passed since they presented the galleon, and they finally heard good news. The speed was slower than they expected, but it was okay. At least they had achieved a breakthrough. Building the same ship again in the future should be very fast.

Now that the galleon has been built, Min Xi is also considering how likely it is to make a steamship. Sailboats mainly rely on the wind to travel. Once there is no wind, they must rely on sailors to row. Under normal circumstances, the number of sailors on a sailboat is limited. It is difficult to rely on a dozen people to drive a large ship of thousands of tons. Therefore, when there is no wind, the ship is basically stagnant.

If the ship is equipped with a steam engine, the machine can propel the ship forward when there is no wind or headwind.

"It's true. The Ministry of War is planning to send someone to watch the ceremony. Do you want to go and see?" Zhao Shizhen asked.

"Of course I want to! Will you go too? I'm going to ask for leave and go to the shipyard to witness the launching of our own galleon." Min Xi said excitedly, "I wonder if Brother Qi is free to go. He's always busy over there."

Yun Ji worked in the Hanlin Academy. Actually, there is a lot to say about it. He was mainly compiling history books, and most of the time, he was studying. Sometimes, the Grand Secretaries of the Hanlin Academy would organize them to attend classes, where senior Hanlin scholars would give lectures, and then everyone would speak freely and express their political views.

In the future, they may all be the emperor's teachers, and they will have to give lectures to the emperor. They cannot do without sufficient knowledge and eloquence. Moreover, they may become cabinet ministers in the future, and it is even more unacceptable to have no political views.

"Then ask Brother Minglang. If it is possible to go, we can go together." Zhao Shizhen said.

"Okay, I'll ask him later. Come and take a look at my grinding machine. There are some parts that I just can't fix." Min Xi invited Zhao Shizhen to see his new model.

This small model is a simple steam engine made from various pieces. The principle is very simple, but it is quite difficult to make the steam reach the level of driving a small millstone. Even though Min Xi is proficient in this principle and has been debugging for a long time, he still cannot achieve the ideal effect. It may be that the power is too small and the energy is lost too much during the transmission process.

Zhao Shizhen was very interested in this new machine, but he just found it interesting and couldn't help much. After all, he had no idea about steam engines, and he only had a rough understanding of it. It was good enough for him to understand its working principle. He couldn't offer any constructive suggestions at all.

The two men tinkered with the steam engine model for the entire morning but still didn't make much progress.

During lunch, Min Xi told Yun Ji about the launch of the galleon at the shipyard. Yun Ji was really delighted: "That's great! It's finally built. I was worried that they couldn't make it."

"I don't know how it's built. I plan to watch the launching ceremony next month. Will you go?" Min Xi said.

"Are you going to the government office to ask for leave?"

"Yes, our office is quite idle. We haven't done any serious work in the past few months. It shouldn't be a big deal to be absent for a while. As long as the boss approves the leave. That's the galleon we brought back. It would be a pity not to witness it."

Yun Ji sighed, "I would like to go, but I'm afraid I can't. From what the Grand Secretary said, he plans to let me give a lecture on classics and history to Your Majesty next month."

"Are you going to give lectures to His Majesty?" Min Xi was very surprised.

"Yeah, it's a bit fast, right? I was surprised too. I thought I would have to wait another two years." Yun Ji shrugged.

"That means the university scholar thinks you have the ability, so he made an exception and allowed you to preach. Good luck!" Min Xi encouraged him with a smile.

"I'm really a little unsure. I'll tell you later."

"it is good!"

"Then you can't go to Yingtian Prefecture? Then Chang Ji and I will go together and come back to tell you about the situation of the galleon." Min Xi said.

"it is good."

Zhao Shizhen couldn't help but chuckle when he saw the two of them talking as if no one else was around, with no room for a third person to get involved. They could be considered close friends with similar interests. It was a bit enviable.