Kaifeng Bistro

"Where is he?!" Zhuo Zhuo rolled up his sleeves angrily: "This annoying guy, he deserves to be indifferent and not allow others to pursue a better life?"

"But," Tan Zhifeng looked at Bai Yutang who was walking ahead, and felt that he needed to remind Zhuo Zhuo: "But Brother Bai...he has someone he likes, and it's useless for you to hang around him."

"Oh, everyone has the love of beauty!" Zhuo Zhuo carelessly raised his hand to caress his hairpin, and said indifferently: "Maybe what that guy Yi Yi said is also true, my flowering period is now , My heart is always pounding, I can't help it!"

After hearing Zhuo Zhuo's nonsensical answer, Tan Zhifeng was even more uncertain.He raised his hand and pressed his chest, but he didn't feel his heart beating faster than usual. However, Xu Gan also told him that his flowering period has not really come yet. Feeling restless like scorching...

The surrounding traffic was busy and lively, and the gate of the city was already crowded with people who went out of the city for an outing. They waited for a long time before they could leave the city. All kinds of paper-made carts and horse pavilions are lined up on both sides of the roads in the suburbs. Moreover, many other vendors in the city know that there are often tourists in the suburbs on this day, so they move all their shops. Arrived outside the city.

Tan Zhifeng and the others walked along the main road outside the city. On both sides, those who sold melons and fruits, baked cakes and snacks, green balls, cold utensils sold one after another, and some people sold pots of carefully planted flowers, which children loved. Eat the gadgets that you love to play, and every shop is crowded with curious customers.

Bai Yutang continued to explain to them: "This is called the 'earth instrument outside the gate'. I lived in Kaifeng for a while, and every time I catch up with the Qingming Festival, I like to go outside the city to have a look at this time. Many things are placed on weekdays. I can't see you in Kaifeng."

Just as they were talking, a light and gorgeous sedan passed by them. Although the curtain of the sedan had not been drawn down, the two women sitting inside were just hiding in the dark and whispering softly, holding round fans and Shaking, half covered his face and looked at the passers-by outside.When Tan Zhifeng and the others made way for the sedan chair, they saw a string of delicate peach blossoms thrown out of the sedan chair and landed at Tan Zhifeng's feet.Only hearing the two people in the sedan chair laughing softly, the sedan chair went so far away, Zhuo Zhuo excitedly picked up the flower branches on the ground and dangled them in front of Tan Zhifeng's eyes: "Oh Zhifeng, this is called Peach Blossom Luck!"

"However," Zhuo Zhuo rolled his eyes, and continued: "They won't force you to return home to get married later, will they?!"

Bai Yutang laughed at the side and said: "No. At most, they saw that Zhifeng was handsome, and tried him with this flower. If it was a scholar who didn't have a sweetheart, if the husband was affectionate, and the concubine was interested, maybe it would be fine. It became a good story."

Zhuo Zhuo wanted to say something more, but suddenly felt a chill in his back, Xu Gan stretched out his hand from behind, and took the flower from Zhuo Zhuo's hand.Zhuo Zhuo looked back, and immediately said with a smirk: "Master...I'm just saying, with you here, who would dare to grab Zhifeng..."

Xu Gan didn't say anything, just held the flower in his hand and looked at it.Tan Zhifeng had just realized what had happened. Seeing Xu Yan's expression was uneasy, he said, "...Actually, I was walking side by side with Big Brother Bai just now. Maybe this flower was originally thrown for Big Brother Bai."

"Haha." Bai Yutang laughed: "Zhifeng, I heard them talking in the sedan chair just now, saying, 'I don't know how old you are, has he had the crown ceremony?' It must not be me. Don't you Didn't you hear?"

Tan Zhifeng did vaguely hear them saying something like "Crown ceremony", but he didn't expect that it had anything to do with him. Just as he was about to explain, Bai Yutang put his hands on his shoulders and led him forward for a few minutes. Step by step, he said to him: "What's wrong with making Xu Gan nervous?"

Tan Zhifeng looked back and saw that Xu Yan was holding a flower branch in his hand, but he didn't throw it away, but handed it to Ling'er who was sitting on his shoulder. Ling'er touched the soft and delicate petals, and gently sniffed them. Then, he lowered his head and smiled at Xu Gan: "Spring is here."

"Yes." Xu Gan said flatly, "Spring is here."

Tan Zhifeng raised his eyes and saw the green willow branches hanging down beside the river embankment outside the city, gently swaying with the warm spring breeze, and in the woods not far from the river embankment, clusters of goose yellow flowers can be seen everywhere, dotted with green willow branches. The fluffy green grass is more fresh and lovely.Tourists set up fruit snacks under the trees in the forest, drink tea and sit and talk. Girls' spring clothes are lightly fluttering, and their laughter is loud. Sure enough, there is a lot of vitality that cannot be experienced in the city.

Tan Zhifeng looked back at the food box in Xu Gan's hand, then stopped, and said to Bai Yutang, "Brother Bai, Xu Gan and I want to visit the family of an old friend. Would you like to rest in the forest for a while and eat some food?" Something, we'll come back to you later."

"Is there a picnic?" Zhuo Zhuo asked excitedly, "Zhifeng, why didn't I know you brought food?"

"It's all in the food box." Tan Zhifeng raised his hand and pointed.After visiting the city for a while, everyone was indeed a little hungry, so they quickened their pace and walked towards the woods together.

When Tan Zhifeng came near the woods, he was surprised to find that not only the people who went out of the city to watch the spring scenery gathered here, but also many singers and dancers. He even saw a few teenagers with red lips and white teeth and those dressed in rich The young masters sat side by side, singing softly.The brothel girls I saw just before leaving the city were also sitting under the shade of the trees, pouring tea and wine for the guests, talking and laughing, it was very lively.

Tan Zhifeng was about to find a clean and shady place for everyone to sit and rest, and eat some snacks to satisfy their hunger. When he was looking around, he saw the eyes of those rich men looking up and down maliciously on him. Just as he was about to avoid it, Xu Gan had already stood in front of him calmly, blocking the sight of those looking at him.

"Go." He said to Tan Zhifeng, "Let's go over there."

Bai Yutang also cast a warning look at those people, and the three adults and the two children walked deeper into the woods for a while, the number of people gradually decreased, and the surroundings became cooler and quieter.They found a flat grassland under the tree together, Yi Yi spread out a piece of tarpaulin that he brought, Tan Zhifeng opened the upper layer of the food box, and placed the prepared snacks on the tarpaulin, including the green balls eaten in the morning, and glutinous rice Ci, three fresh lotus flower cakes, other than that, are all fresh fruits of this season, such as black plums, rain pears, apricots... a full circle.

"Okay," Tan Zhifeng stood up, and told Changshang, "Xu Yan and I are going to do something, you stay and take care of Ling'er with everyone."

Changshang nodded and said, "I know, you're going to see a little sister, as you said."

"That's right." Tan Zhifeng smiled at him and picked up the food box.He opened it again to check, and found that the top was empty, and on the bottom layer, there were more than a dozen layers of crispy three-fresh lotus flower crisps.

Tan Zhifeng had already found out from Chen Qing that Zhou Yanjing's wife and daughter lived in a spare house of a wealthy family in the outskirts of Kaifeng.After Tan Zhifeng and Xu Gan walked out of the woods, they walked for another half an hour, and gradually saw patches of farmland.At this time, it was already hot, and the farmers in short brown clothes were still working hard in the fields, which was quite different from the leisurely and lively scene in the suburbs of Kaifeng just now.

It seems that this place should be close to Zhuangzi on the outskirts of the city that Zhou Yanjing mentioned, and these fields probably belong to the owner of Zhuangzi.Tan Zhifeng heard Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang tell him several times that the Great Song Dynasty seems to be prosperous now, but outside of Kaifeng City, the life of ordinary people is not easy.A large amount of farmland is in the hands of the country gentry, heroes and generals of the Song Dynasty, and many farmers’ land is occupied by those officials and local tyrants. "The rich have hopeful land, and the poor have no land to stand on", even in the suburbs of Kaifeng. .In addition, there have been repeated wars with Xixia recently, and corvée and taxes have become more and more heavy. Seventy-eight out of ten of the taxes are used to raise soldiers, but it is still difficult to meet the increasing military expenditure.Now that Tan Zhifeng has seen it with his own eyes, he knows why Bai Yutang is so worried about the situation of Song Dynasty—this battle cannot be fought endlessly.

Xu Gan went up to ask a farmer a few words, the man got up and raised his hand to point him in the direction, Xu Gan walked back and asked Tan Zhifeng: "Are you tired?"

Tan Zhifeng shook his head, and the two continued to walk along the ridge of the field. After walking for a while, they saw a continuous and neat courtyard wall.Not far from the large house, there were several scattered small courtyards. As soon as Tan Zhifeng walked to a half-closed courtyard door, he heard a girl's immature voice coming from inside.

"The spring day carries the sun, and there is Ming Canggeng. The woman carries the Yi basket, walks quietly, and longs for the soft mulberry."

"Spring, spring..."

Tan Zhifeng looked back at Xu Gan, and Xu Gan said, "This is it."

Tan Zhifeng raised his hand and knocked lightly on the courtyard door, and it immediately became quiet inside.The two of them were waiting at the gate of the courtyard. At this time, Tan Zhifeng looked up and found that there were also two strings of "Zi Tui Yan" hanging on the door. One string was very exquisitely made, even more vivid and lovely than his. Crooked and fat, it looks like it was made by a child.

After a while, footsteps were heard in the courtyard, the courtyard door opened, and there stood a woman in her late thirties, dressed in plain onyx, at the door.She stood at the door, looked at Tan Zhifeng for a few times, and said with some hesitation: "You... you... are the old friends of the deceased husband?"

When she was speaking, a little girl behind her suddenly poked her head out and looked at Tan Zhifeng suspiciously.She also wore a snow-white jacket and skirt, with white cloth strips tied around her head.Seeing Tan Zhifeng's eyes on her, she lowered her head unhappy and said, "I...I don't like wearing this dress, but mother said..."

"Pengpeng." The woman stopped her with a voice.The little girl seemed even more aggrieved, her mouth curled up and down, as if she was about to cry.

Tan Zhifeng quickly took the food box from Xu Gan, opened it, took a three-fresh lotus flower cake and handed it over, saying, "Here, I brought this specially for you."

As soon as the little girl looked at the dim sum in Tan Zhifeng's hand, she immediately became happy. She looked up at the woman standing in front of her. The woman seemed to be touched when she saw the lotus cake. She slowly bent over and gave a blessing, Said: "The two of you are indeed Cheng Gong's friends, come in and sit down."

Tan Zhifeng followed her into the yard, and saw that although the house was not big, it was cleaned everywhere. The woman looked at Tan Zhifeng carefully in front of the house door, and saluted him again, saying: "This , the shopkeeper of the tavern in Wheat Straw Lane, right? Cheng Gong always mentions you to me these days, especially the cakes you made. Lotus Cake... I never thought you would still remember..."