Records of the Cattle and Horses of Chang'an

It is the end of May now, which is indeed a good season for lychees, but the lychees from Lexianlou have not been delivered yet.

"litchi?"

"Have the lychees from Lexianlou arrived this year? Shopkeeper Wang, why didn't you tell me earlier?"

The guests also saw the plate of lychees and were as surprised as Shopkeeper Wang: "This year's lychees are so fresh!"

"Shopkeeper Wang, I want to take some of these lychees home!"

The waiter walked over to Shopkeeper Wang, put down the tray, and chuckled, "These aren't real lychees, they're a 'lychee tree' made by the young lady!"

Shopkeeper Wang leaned over to take a closer look and couldn't help but shake his head in admiration: "What a clever idea! Just the color, the fragrance, just this color..."

"Shopkeeper, it tastes delicious too!"

Shopkeeper Wang glared at him and asked, "Have you tasted it?"

The young man laughed and said, "Hey, the lady said that this should be eaten while it's hot. It won't taste good if it's cold!" Then he handed the chopsticks to Shopkeeper Wang attentively.

"Hmph~" Shopkeeper Wang took the chopsticks and was about to pick up a lychee when he saw a pair of chopsticks take the lead and pick up one.

It was Liu Qilang from before. He had been sitting at the table closest to Shopkeeper Wang, always paying attention to what was going on. Anyway, Shopkeeper Wang had just said that he would invite him to eat together.

He stuffed a lychee directly into his mouth. The next second, a crisp and moving "crack" sound was heard, followed by a cry of "ah". The hot liquid inside made him dance with joy.

Shopkeeper Wang didn't have time to react. Seeing this, he thought something had happened and hurriedly supported him: "What's wrong?"

"Good, so hot!" After Liu Qilang recovered, he chewed carefully and stretched out his chopsticks to pick up another dish, but his mouth refused to stop: "The ladies of the lychee tree must love it. It tastes like it's made of milk to me."

Seeing this, Shopkeeper Wang knew that this guy was a cunning guy. He wanted to eat a few more bites, so he quickly picked up a lychee and ate it.

The young man was very discerning and introduced it to Liu Qilang and the guests who had gathered around him: "This dish, the young lady said, is called Braised Lamb Chops with Fermented Red Bean Curd."

Liu Qilang was also a tough guy. Even though the lamb chops were still hot, he immediately put them into his mouth. With a push of his tongue and a gentle sip, the lamb meat and the bones separated. "Great! I didn't expect there was such a way to eat lamb. Even the radish is stewed well. It's really addictive."

Lexianlou Box

Shopkeeper Wang had long since lost his morning contempt and greeted Jiang Shangxian solemnly, "May I know your name, young lady?"

"My surname is Jiang." Jiang Shangxian knew from his attitude that he was almost certain to get the job.

Shopkeeper Wang personally poured Jiang Shangxian a cup of tea and said politely, "Where does Miss Jiang live? To be honest, I admire your cooking skills. Even in Chang'an, the most prosperous city in the world, I've never seen such cleverness. However, Lexianlou serves lunch and dinner. Even after curfew, it's still full of guests. I think you're not married yet. I wonder if that's convenient for you."

Jiang Shangxian had thought about this before coming here. After the daily curfew in Chang'an City, once the gates were closed, no one in the market could get away. If she had to work here, she would definitely not be able to go home. "I wonder if there's any accommodation in Lexian Tower? I live in Yong'anfang, and after the curfew, it's indeed a little inconvenient."

"Yes, we do. The chefs, waiters, apprentices, and grandmothers all live in the backyard, but young lady..." Shopkeeper Wang said thoughtfully, "It's not convenient for you, young lady. I have an idea. How about you sell this recipe to Lexianlou?"

If it were before, selling the prescription would be a good idea. She could make hundreds of prescriptions by selling one prescription. But it is not possible now. If she sells the prescription to Lexianlou, they can use it to dominate the market and increase their popularity in Chang'an City. But what about herself?

Lexianlou is not a fool. After buying a prescription, he will tell everyone that he bought it from him. Isn't that giving competitors a clue?

She lowered her head and remained silent, just as she was thinking about how to start the conversation when she heard someone enter the adjacent private room. The person's voice was a little loud, and even through the wall, they could hear: "I'm not bragging to you all, but the young lady from the house next door has been missing for just two days. When she was found by the Dali Temple and the Jinwu Guards last night, not only did she lose her life, but her death was also not innocent!"

"Everyone in the city has a curfew every day. How did the girl next door get lost?"

"Well, I had dinner at my uncle's house and stayed to play with my sisters for a while. We all live in the same neighborhood. Who knew something would happen just a short distance away?"

The man slapped his thigh as he spoke, sighing with emotion: "Her uncle's family thought she had arrived home early, and her father and mother thought the child was still playing at her uncle's. At the end of the night, she still hadn't returned, so her father went to look for her. Only then did he realize something had happened! Oh, that night, our neighborhood was bustling with activity, with the Jinwu Guards going door to door looking for her. Tsk tsk tsk tsk..."

While the other end was talking lively, Jiang Shangxian and Manager Wang were silent here.

The news about a young lady in Chang'an City who disappeared and whose body was found has been a hot topic recently. Jiang Shangxian has heard it several times, but he didn't take it seriously at all. The main reason was that she stayed at home as soon as it got dark, so the bad guys couldn't break into her house and abduct her, right?

She considered carefully and said, "Manager Wang, how about this? I'll go home before curfew every day and work in the building during the day."

As soon as these words came out, Wang Shiguan's brow furrowed. How could this be possible? The restaurant's business was at night. The literati in Chang'an City were partying every night and would not stop until the next day.

Then Jiang Shangxian said, "I know this is hindering our business, so I'd like to take in a few apprentices and teach them the three dishes we made today."

Shopkeeper Wang's eyes lit up, and his face showed a hint of urgency: "Ms. Jiang, are you serious?"

"Of course I'm serious." Jiang Shangxian nodded and continued to bait: "Every month, I will teach them three to five new dishes. As for the wages..."

"Okay, okay!" Shopkeeper Wang stood up excitedly. "Of course, I won't let you suffer any loss in wages! You are generous, and Lexianlou is not stingy. I guarantee that you will be satisfied."

Jiang Shangxian had a smile on his face, but his heart was bleeding. He felt that Old Biden must be calling him an idiot in his heart.

What can I do? Damn this mission. Forget it. Money and other things are enough as long as I can go home.

After comforting himself like this, Jiang Shangxian felt better: "Manager Wang, the most important ingredient used in the first of the three dishes I made today, the squirrel mandarin fish..."

After mentioning all the special ingredients needed for his three dishes, Manager Wang promised that he would be able to get everything together tomorrow and wait for Jiang Shangxian to cook.

"Then I'll have to trouble Shopkeeper Wang." Jiang Shangxian finished his instructions and talked about the most important thing: "To be honest, Shopkeeper Wang, there is something I need to clarify with you."

Shopkeeper Wang's expression froze, thinking she was about to make a request. He said sternly, "Auntie Jiang, just say it."

Damn it, she was just a young lady, but now she has become Aunt Jiang, a name used by people in the Tang Dynasty to show affection. She really can't love her!

Jiang Shangxian suppressed his inner complaints and sighed, "I do have a lot of recipes. If I just take a few out and sell them, I can get a lot of money. I came to Lexianlou just to make a name for myself."

Shopkeeper Wang was stunned for a moment and asked, "Aunt Jiang, are you thinking of joining the Imperial Chef's Bureau?"

Nowadays, there are so many men who want to become famous that their brains are really spinning. Restaurants, post stations, bookstores, and all places where poems can be written are filled with poems written by these men who want to become famous. But if this woman wants to become famous, he really can't guess any other way, unless she wants to join the Six Bureaus and Twelve Departments.

Jiang Shangxian pursed his lips, neither confirming nor denying, and simply said, "I hope that Shopkeeper Wang will remember to mention my name every time he creates a new dish."

Shopkeeper Wang thought he had guessed it right, and planned to leave some new dishes for Jiang Shangxian before she entered the Shangshi Bureau. If she entered the palace in the future, his Lexianlou would be even more famous, and it would be known to the outside world as the same restaurant as the Daming Palace!

"Okay, okay. Then, Aunt Jiang, from now on, you will go to Lexianlou at 9:00 PM every day and return home at 5:00 PM. How about that?"

How could Jiang Shangxian be bad? Wasn't she just a poor wage earner?

After coming out of Lexian Tower, Jiang Shangxian went straight to the West Market. It was almost noon now, and Jiang Wangri must still be selling braised mutton in the West Market. He didn't know how this guy was doing in his absence.