Kaifeng Bistro

Tan Zhifeng was puzzled, and he said to Xu Gan, "You might as well stay with Ling'er for a little rest. I'll go to the tavern."

Xu Gan said hello, and Tan Zhifeng opened the door and walked over.He took a look, and it turned out that the person who came was Le Niang Shuanglian from the alley opposite.Tan Zhifeng hurriedly asked her to sit down, and asked, "Miss Shuanglian, why are you here when you have time?"

With a reassuring faint smile on Shuang Lian's face, she said, "Master Tan, after I saw Ming Jing off last time, I've been wanting to visit you again in Wheat Straw Lane. But I'm afraid I'll disturb your business, so I dare not come to visit rashly. However, I have heard rumors in the streets and alleys recently that Mr. Zhan and Mr. Bai have just returned from the border, I think... I think maybe they know about Mingjing..."

"This..." Tan Zhifeng hurriedly said to her: "It just so happens that Brother Bai said that they might come over for lunch today, or how about you have something to eat and wait for them here?"

Shuang Lian laughed and said, "Since I'm here, why not sing some tunes for the guests to relieve their boredom. You see, I brought all my pianos with me."

"Okay!" The guests who heard it next to him said loudly: "Master Tan, Miss Shuanglian sings a song, and we will give you a reward. Shopkeeper Tan, you just need to prepare us delicious food and wine!"

Shuanglian took off the outer blouse and handed it to a little maid who came with her, then she lightly tuned the strings and sang softly: "The plum blossoms in the waiting hall, the willows on the streams and bridges, the grass is suffocating and the wind is warming the bridle." ..."

"The sorrow of leaving is farther and farther away, and the distance is like spring water..."

Tan Zhifeng looked at Shuanglian's side face playing the piano and listened quietly for a while, then turned around and walked back. As soon as he entered the back kitchen, he saw Yiyi, Zhuo Zhuo, and Changshang leaning against the stove and watching Outside—Yi Yi finally recovered, Tan Zhifeng quickly walked up to Yi Yi, carefully scrutinizing his face.Yi Yi blushed and hid aside when he saw him: "Okay, Tan Zhifeng, I'm fine now."

Tan Zhifeng worriedly pulled up his arm and shook it up and down, then pressed his chest again, trying to use his spiritual power to see if he really recovered.This time Yi Yi returned to his normal state, raised his hand and pushed Tan Zhifeng's hand away impatiently: "I have already said, I'm fine, don't touch me."

"It's fine..." Tan Zhifeng still had lingering fears: "That day, we really suffered a heavy loss, and Xu Yan just woke up, and Zhuozhuo, Shangshang, I, and I were all worried about you..."

"These Shuanglians are so pitiful." Zhuo Zhuo said sympathetically from the side: "Look at Brother Zhan and Brother Bai who went to the border for a few days, and they lost a lot of weight when they came back. Li Weiming couldn't lift his shoulders and couldn't pick one." Scholar, how much pain you will have to suffer there!"

"It's not that...it's not that we have to go too..." Shangshang said with a bitter face, "I, I'm worried about what Ling'er will do..."

"What? Are we going to the border?" Yi Yi lowered his voice and asked, "When was it decided?!"

"No decision." Tan Zhifeng replied in a low voice.Then, he told about Bai Yutang's visit a few days ago.After hearing this, Yi Yi said thoughtfully: "Instead of sitting still and waiting for death, it is better to take the initiative to attack... This is also a way. But... we'd better figure out a way to deal with those people before we go to the northwest."

"Here, think about it as you walk." Tan Zhifeng said as he opened the door and walked into the back yard. After Yi Yi and the others followed, they soon found that the backyard porch was full of strips of dried meat.

"What are you doing here?" Zhuo Zhuo came out and asked wonderingly, "We don't need to eat these things."

Tan Zhifeng carefully adjusted the distance between the jerky, and said: "We don't need it, but eating something occasionally can replenish our strength, and besides, I don't know if Xu Gan will bring Ling'er..., let alone, Brother Zhan said Recently, the Tian family sent a convoy to the northwest to deliver grain and grass, and if possible, they can bring it to the soldiers at the border to taste."

Yi Yi looked at the strings of dried meat dangling under the eaves, feeling annoyed and funny. He turned around and saw the neat rows of pots next to the steps. He pointed at those pots. To Tan Zhifeng: "Don't tell me, you still plan to bring these."

"That's the fish bream I made, and there are all kinds of sauces." Tan Zhifeng walked over and inspected them one by one with great care: "Now is a good time to make these. The book says: 'Anyone who cooks bream, spring and autumn is the best time. , It’s not good in winter and summer. Take a new carp, remove the scales, and then it will be scorpion. The scorpion is two inches long, one inch wide, and five minutes thick...'"

He paused, and then said: "Then, we need to use japonica rice as grits, add dogwood, orange peel, and good wine, and stir them together in a basin. Put the fish in these urns, one row of fish, one row of grits , until it is full, and when the white pulp flows out, it will be almost ready..."

"Looks like we've had a good time again along the way!" Just as Tan Zhifeng finished speaking, Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang walked up to him side by side, and it was Bai Yutang who spoke just now.Tan Zhifeng stood up and said with a smile: "On the way... there must be so many ingredients available in Kaifeng, I just try to think of something that can be stored for a long time and prepare it." Speaking of this, he was suddenly taken aback: "Wait Wait... are you and Big Brother Zhan going together too?"

"What else have you prepared?" Bai Yutang didn't answer his question, but continued to ask curiously.

Tan Zhifeng said: "Of course there are pancakes, pickles, and ham...but..."

"Really?!" Upon hearing the word "ham", Shangshang happily asked, "What kind of ham?"

"Well..." Tan Zhifeng took them to the next hut, and said to them: "There are many ways to make ham, such as winter ham marinated in midwinter, smoked ham smoked from roasted bamboo leaves, and sugar-marinated ham." candied legs, and marinated with other meats..."

Just as she was talking, Shuanglian's singing came from the front again.Tan Zhifeng remembered the purpose of Shuanglian's coming here, so he hurriedly said to Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang: "By the way, both of you, hurry up and sit in front. Miss Shuanglian also wants to ask if you have seen Li Weiming at the border. Later After she finished singing the song, you can chat. Why don't I cut some smoked legs, how about drinking for you, Big Brother Bai?"

"Okay!" Bai Yutang said with a smile as he smelled the fragrance in the room, "Then we will be disrespectful!"

Here, Shuanglian is still singing: "Swallows fly to peek at the painted building, and jade hooks hang down the curtains. The cool waves don't move, and the patterns are flat. Crystal double pillows, and there are fallen hairpins beside them..."

Across the wall, the melodious and melodious music seems to be incompatible with Xu Gan who is sitting indifferently in the room.He walked to the wall, opened the wooden box containing the Kunwu sword, half knelt down, and carefully looked at the giant sword in the box.

After a while, he raised his hand again, frowning and looked at his palm.There seemed to be a small group of faint black air beating there.

Xu Gan shut the box with a snap, got up and walked to the bedside to look outside.The bright sunlight outside the window seemed to sting his eyes a little.As soon as he closed his eyes, a blood-red alley appeared in front of his eyes, and his head began to ache a little.

Amidst the bright red, there was a vague figure swaying between the sky and the earth, walking towards him. It was a tall and strong body. There seemed to be two horns on his head, and his hair was hanging loose. Braided, his bronze skin gleamed in the flames, he held a silver battle axe, and approached himself step by step: "Ying Long, you killed 81 of my brothers, this account, you You should still remember! Beneath your sword are countless howling dead souls, and you will always be burdened with blood debts, and your end... is coming!"

Xu Gan opened his eyes suddenly, and when he looked down again, the small cloud of black smoke in his palm had disappeared, as if it had penetrated into his skin.The applause from the next door came one after another, and the brilliance in his dark eyes became dim at this moment.

In the back kitchen next door, Tan Zhifeng has already cut the ham with the skin into large cubes, mixed the honey wine and simmered it on the pot, and served out a plate of side dishes. Toasting to the tune, the hall was full of laughter and laughter, and when Tan Zhifeng simmered the honey ham, there was already a strong aroma inside and outside the house.

At this time, Shuanglian finished singing the last song, stood up and gave a blessing, then ordered the maid to put away the piano, and the guests couldn't wait to taste the ham served and chatted about various news that had recently reached the capital.Tan Zhifeng personally brought a portion of honey ham to Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang, and Shuanglian happened to come to their table.A little embarrassed, she bowed to Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang, and asked them about Li Weiming's whereabouts.

Bai Yutang didn't know who Li Weiming was, but Zhan Zhao immediately answered her, "Don't worry, girl, I saw him once in Master Han's tent. There hasn't been any war there recently, so he should be safe."

After hearing this, Shuanglian's brows relaxed a lot.She bowed her head again and thanked her a few times before leaving the tavern with her maid.Bai Yutang listened to Zhan Zhao and Tan Zhifeng talk about what happened between her and Li Weiming before, Bai Yutang spun his wine glass thoughtfully, and said with a smile: "No wonder they are all about the sorrow of spring water, so her lover is far away at the border now ah."

"He is a civil servant. If there are no major accidents, he should not be in danger." Zhan Zhao pondered for a while, and then said in a deep voice, "However, other people may not be so lucky..."

"By the way," Tan Zhifeng suddenly remembered what Bai Yutang said just now. He leaned forward and asked in a low voice, "Brother Zhan, you and Brother Bai, are you leaving Kaifeng too? You...where are you going?"

"Go to the northwest." Zhan Zhao's voice was very low: "We have reported the matter in the northwest and last time to Mr. Bao truthfully. After hearing this, Mr. Bao was very shocked. He wants to report this matter to the Tian Family , but right now, we don't have enough evidence. The Privy Council is likely to bite back, saying that Mr. Bao spread rumors to stir up trouble and disturb the hearts of the people. In this way, we will be even more passive."

"Then what should we do?" Zhuo Zhuo didn't know when he sat down, "Could it be that you want to go to the northwest to catch a few half-human, half-ghost guys and bring them back for the emperor to see?"

"Hush." ​​Tan Zhifeng hurriedly made a gesture to Zhuo Zhuo: "I think Brother Zhan and the others are just going there to check the situation of the Xixia army in detail?"

"Yes." Zhan Zhao replied: "There are only a few monsters like this locked up in the prison now. Mr. Bao has ordered that they be strictly guarded, and no accidents will be allowed to them. Because according to what we know so far, these people have to die once. After that, changes will occur, so as long as they don't die, they should be no different from ordinary people for the time being."

"That's true..." Tan Zhifeng also nodded and said: "Besides, after they become monsters, they will start killing people, and the people killed by them will completely lose the ability to think, and become people who can only kill and attack people." tool……"

"I don't understand," Zhuo Zhuo knocked on the table in doubt: "That...the person who turned them into this way, why did he do this? What is the difference between these two types of people for him?"

"Of course there is!" Bai Yutang's eyes flashed coldly: "Miss Zhuozhuo, you have never been on the battlefield, so you don't know that a large number of soldiers who are not afraid of death are needed to stand in front of the charge. Although the Xixia people are brave, After all, they are flesh and blood, but these monsters are different, they are not afraid of pain, bleeding or even broken arms, let them take the lead in attacking the city, I am afraid no one can stop it!"

"As for those monsters with brains, they are even more useful." Bai Yutang continued under his burning and terrified eyes: "As the saying goes, capture the king first when capturing the thief, and if you take the head of a general out of ten thousand armies , you can’t just rely on not being afraid of death, but also being able to recognize the opponent’s generals, and being able to ride horses and shoot arrows, these things, I’m afraid that kind of puppet soldiers can’t do it.”

"Yutang is right." Zhan Zhao sighed: "I'm afraid, Xixia people are much more difficult to deal with than we imagined..."