Kaifeng Bistro

It was the first time for Tan Zhifeng to buy fish in the market. He moved forward curiously, and saw that the ground was full of shallow wooden barrels, inside which live fish were covered with wicker branches. Stop swimming.Seeing the two of them approaching, the fish seller hurriedly greeted them: "Both of you, this is the car fish that has just been transported from the Yellow River, it is fresh and cheap, less than a hundred cash per catty, don't you want to buy some and try something new? "

Just as Tan Zhifeng was about to answer, he suddenly felt an unusual aura floating around. This aura was very similar to the aura of the old man who came to visit Xu Yan that day. He immediately became vigilant and exchanged glances with Yi Yi .Yi Yi pulled him to squat down, and the two pretended to pick fish carefully, Tan Zhifeng whispered to Yi Yi: "Here we come."

Yi Yi gave a "hmm", picked it up casually for a while, and asked Tan Zhifeng, "Do you want to buy it?"

Tan Zhifeng quickly replied: "Buy...Of course I will." Yi Yi hesitantly took out the money and handed it to the vendor, while Tan Zhifeng took the strings of fish and threw them into the bamboo basket, and at the same time said to Yi Yi: "It's you Otherwise, how could they believe it?"

Yi Yi looked at the fish seller happily counting the money with a bit of distress, and sighed: "Tan Zhifeng, you are such a prodigal."

After that, he picked up the bamboo basket, and the two of them continued walking along the river bank for a while, stopping several times along the way to buy some other things.There were fewer and fewer pedestrians in front of him, and Tan Zhifeng also felt that the unpleasant breath was getting closer to him, and even Yi Yi's breathing became heavier.Tan Zhifeng approached him half-jokingly and said, "Yiyi, do you think they will use drugs or wear sacks..."

Before he finished speaking, there was a sound of approaching footsteps behind him. Tan Zhifeng turned his head in fear, and saw that the one who followed was none other than the old man who came that day.He smiled and said to Tan Zhifeng: "Isn't this shopkeeper Tan? We met at your... and Xu Gan's house. Now I heard that Xu Gan is going to take the imperial exam tomorrow. Neighbor prepared a small gift for him. You also know that there are too few children studying in the south of the city. If he can go to high school this year, I hope he can take care of our old friends in the future!"

Tan Zhifeng and Yi Yi glanced at each other, Tan Zhifeng was about to nod, but Yi Yi stopped him and said to the old man, "What gift? Just take it out. Let's go back and pass it on to Xu Yi."

"Ah..." The old man was taken aback for a moment: "Because... the neighbors gathered together, so there are two big boxes for odds and ends. Although there are nothing valuable, it is a little bit of our kindness after all. It is in the alley over there. My son is helping to pick it up, please go over and have a look, and let me send it back with you later, as for me... I won't bother Xu Gan's study."

Yi Yi loosened Tan Zhifeng's hand, and Tan Zhifeng nodded and said, "That's good." Then he followed the old man into the alley.As soon as he entered the narrow alley, the surrounding light dimmed immediately, and two tall men came out from the courtyard door of a nearby house, blocking the way of Tan Zhifeng and Yi Yi one after the other.

Tan Zhifeng held the bamboo basket tightly in his hand, and the only sound in the alley was the flopping of the strings of fish.Just when he was thinking about whether he should shout or try to run away, he saw one of them raised his hand expressionlessly and sprinkled a handful of unknown powder. Trapped.

……

The tavern was closed in the afternoon and did not reopen at night. Many scholars came to have a look, and then left resentfully.Someone said: "Hey, I heard that shopkeeper Tan's elder brother Xu Yan will also take the imperial examination tomorrow. I think he is afraid that he will be disturbed, so he closed the door. Let's be considerate of shopkeeper Tan. Go to another house and use it casually." gone."

The other person also responded: "Yes, but now, if I can eat a bowl of toon root wontons that shopkeeper Tan made earlier, or the delicious steamed buns filled with soup... Oh, I will be more motivated to write now! "

The scholars who came with them laughed loudly. They counted the various delicacies recently served in the Zhifeng Tavern, and reluctantly walked towards the outside of the wheat straw alley together.

In the courtyard next door, Xu Yan sat on the steps with a sullen face, and Zhuo Zhuo, Shang Shang, and Ling'er sat at the bottom of the steps together, and Zhuo Zhuo said cautiously: "O... Great God? You should think about the bright side, you see, not only Tan Zhifeng is lost, Yi Yi...Yi Yi is gone too..."

"Sister Zhuozhuo, is this a good thing?" Shangshang asked wonderingly: "Brother Yiyi is not here, who will give us advice?"

"Ah... I mean, what if, what if they are together?" Zhuo Zhuo gestured to Shang Shang to shut him up, and at the same time took a cautious look at Xu Gan: "Just, even if you don't believe Zhi Zhi Feng, you also have to trust Yi Yi, right, he knows Feng is more measured in doing things..."

Zhuo Zhuo faintly felt that the more she talked, the more uncomfortable Xu Yan's face became. She coughed lightly, squeezed out a forced smile, then lifted her skirt and leaned closer to Shangshang and Ling'er: "Ling'er, what do you say?" When Zhifeng was about to leave, you saw it, ah no, you didn’t see it, but you knew he was going out, right?”

Ling'er nodded, and repeated the conversation with Tan Zhifeng before he left.After hearing this, Xu Gan stood up without saying a word, turned around and walked into the house.

"Hey, God, are you talking about what we should do?" Zhuo Zhuo couldn't help getting up anxiously, and shouted to Xu Gan's back: "Where did Zhifeng go, should we go find him tomorrow?" he……"

At this time, Xu Gan turned his head, his originally heroic face looked very stern at this time, and even carried a trace of solemn murderous look.He paused for a moment, and then said: "Zhuo Zhuo, you will accompany me to the Imperial Academy tomorrow. Shangshang, take care of Ling'er at home."

He turned around, the invisible coercion gradually faded, Zhuo Zhuo seemed to hear him let out a sigh of relief, and then he said in a clear and deep voice: "I believe in Zhifeng."

With that said, he stepped onto the threshold of the house.Zhuo Zhuo let go of his whole body: "Hey, I was scared to death..." Then he looked out of the door with a sad face, raised his hand to embrace Ling'er and Chang Chang by his side, hugged them and sighed: "I hope your two silly brothers are okay..."

……

"You...you're back?" As soon as Xu Gan stepped into the blacksmith's shop, he heard the old man's familiar voice: "Tomorrow the Taixue will open to enroll students, why don't you go back and have a good rest?"

Xu Gan looked at him coldly, and paused every word: "Where is Zhifeng?"

The man looked up at Xu Gan, and immediately looked away frightened. He wiped the table with trembling hands and stammered, "Then, that Mr. Tan lives with you?" What? His whereabouts, how do we..."

Xu Gan took a step forward, and the huge and even clumsy Kunwu came out of its sheath, and there was still a faint faint white light spot lingering on it. When the not-sharp sword tip approached the old man, his whole body began to twitch violently. shaking uncontrollably.

"Tomorrow." Xu Gan said slowly: "I will act according to your request. But you must send Zhifeng back unharmed. If anything goes wrong..."

He leaned forward and lowered his voice: "I will leave Kaifeng immediately and go north...Sometimes I think you seem to have forgotten who is the most honorable person here!"

Kun Wu's sword clanged, and Xu Gan retracted the sword. The face of the old man in front of him was already pale, and beads of sweat kept dripping down his old cheeks.He knelt down on the ground with a plop, and bowed to Xu Gan: "Your Highness, this is definitely not what I, I meant. You also know that my lord just hopes that you can personally do something for us, otherwise, you, you will never I can't make up my mind to break up with these Song people... As for Mr. Tan, even if we give us a hundred courage, we dare not hurt him. He, he is staying with his little boy, in, in a safe place ... just take a break."

"Before entering the examination room tomorrow, I want to see him." Xu Gan stared at the Kunwu sword in front of him: "Otherwise I won't enter the room." His voice sank: "This is not a condition, this is an order."

The old man hesitated and remained silent, as if he was enduring a huge torment in his heart.But at this moment, there was a knocking sound from the next door.The two listened attentively, only to see another ringing sound from the next door, and then a man replied in a somewhat weird voice deliberately concealed: "Okay."

Xu Gan smiled coldly, and walked out the door with his sword in hand, but the voice continued: "Your Highness, I dare not disobey you, but I want to tell you that if you are so compassionate, you may be able to keep him , and may not be able to keep others. This is not a threat... but just... a reminder."

Xu Gan grasped the handle of the sword tightly, and the giant sword suddenly rang, and the room was suddenly filled with cold air.The inside and outside of the house immediately fell into silence, and Xu Gan walked out in this eerie silence.

……

"Tan Zhifeng! If I knew this, I shouldn't have taken you to buy some fish." Yi Yi stared angrily at the bamboo basket thrown not far from the two of them, and complained angrily: "You bought such a fish?" How much? Do you know how difficult it is for me to work hard every day to settle accounts? Just to save you a few copper coins! I walked three extra streets yesterday to buy you that Huang Jing, if everyone spends so much like you and Zhuo Zhuo all day long , your tavern will close down next month!"

Tan Zhifeng really wanted to express his inner helplessness to Yi Yi, but his hands and feet were tied, so he could only say to Yi Yi with a smile on his face: "This...it's not my fault, I will go back and work harder. Can I earn it back for you by cooking? Besides... Besides, how did I know that they would bring the fish baskets along with us, and lock them up with us... It's a pity for these fresh fish... "

Yi Yi glanced at him, and when he saw the forced smile on Tan Zhifeng's face, his expression softened immediately.He tried his best to hold his breath not to smell the fishy smell that had been drilling into his nose, and asked Tan Zhifeng in a low voice, "How do you plan to escape?"