Chapter 3: After three rounds of drinks, please don’t report me, sir.

At noon, the sunlight gradually became brighter.

The two tables of customers at Guiji Braised Food Restaurant were fully booked today.

The wooden dining table is next to a fire wall, and behind it is the stove where firewood and straw are burning, making crackling sounds.

It’s like a sleeping winter, just opening its sleepy eyes.

"The dishes are on the table. Please come in, my lords. Call me if you need anything."

Guizhier was busy dealing with the individual customers in line, so she just bowed briefly.

As the snow melted, the roads became muddy and the temperature was even colder than yesterday.

The two visitors may have been riding in a carriage, so their shoes were clean, but they were still wrapped in thick cotton robes.

As soon as I entered the store, warmth hit me.

"This design is really clever. The walls are thin, and the heat makes it warm here." Liu Shanyuan was very surprised.

"Brother Liu, you will have a delicious meal in the future." A middle-aged man in a blue robe with a round collar and a double-breasted front said with a smile, clapping his hands.

He has thick lips and dark circles under his eyes.

Compared with Liu Shanyuan opposite him, his temperament is much worse.

Magistrate Ma was demoted for standing on the wrong side in the factional struggle.

According to incomplete statistics, he and his staff ate a total of twelve fat pigs, twelve goats, and one hundred and seven native chickens in less than a year in Zhenbei.

He drank 336 kilograms of rice wine, slept with several young widows, and accomplished nothing.

Now his backer has turned the tables in the political struggle, and through active operations, he can finally get away with it.

"Congratulations on your promotion, sir." Liu Shanyuan slowly raised his glass to his chest. "I hope you can say a few good words for me when we get to Beijing."

As for one’s career, it changes over time.

"Okay, okay, come and try this Snow Sleeping Clam." Magistrate Ma laughed.

Liu Shanyuan lowered his head and stared, feeling a moment of resistance in his heart.

The food on the plate is bright red in color, and you can see that the ingredients have been quickly stir-fried in a hot oil pan. The meat is firm and elastic.

The nose is even more alluring, with just the right amount of spiciness.

But no matter how elegant the name is, it is essentially a frog!

This thing has rough skin and a bloated body, and it might even be poisonous. How can you eat it?

Yesterday he just thought that Miss Gui’s hot stew was good and was no less delicious than the Cuiyuan Restaurant in Beijing.

But this dish...

Well, the handover of government affairs still requires a lot of coordination, and it would be bad to offend Magistrate Ma.

Liu Shanyuan held his breath and picked up a small piece of flesh and bone with a fearless attitude.

The first feeling when he put it in his mouth was fresh, tender and smooth. He couldn't help but chew it lightly, and the juicy aroma filled the air.

It's salty and flavorful, without any of the dryness that other meats have.

Liu Shanyuan's eyes lit up.

"How is it?" Magistrate Ma asked calmly, as if he was watching a show.

"Although the restaurant is small, the food is as good as Cuiyuan Restaurant." Liu Shanyuan maintained his original evaluation.

"Hahahaha, Brother Liu, you just arrived in the northern border and you already miss the capital?" Magistrate Ma raised his eyebrows and joked.

Feeling touched at the heart of the matter, Liu Shanyuan awkwardly picked up a wooden spoon and scooped a mouthful of soup.

This taste was even more surprising.

Regular vegetarian soup is made with just some fresh vegetables, such as diced white radish and winter melon, and sliced ​​black fungus and tofu, and has a light taste.

Guiji’s soup base is particularly flavorful, soft, tender and sweet.

"Cordyceps, goji berries... plus these nourishing ingredients, the store is willing to spend so much money, can they really maintain their business?"

Liu Shanyuan was quite puzzled.

"Small profits but quick turnover, it's a blessing for our shop if adults like it." Guizhier finished selling small items and came to refill the wine.

She bent down slowly, picked up the wine jug with her slender fingers, and poured it into the glass with ease.

Guizhier's movements were light and smooth, and the amber rice wine drew an elegant arc in the air and finally fell into the cup.

The sound of water is like a beautiful piece of music.

Liu Shanyuan nodded in response and said no more, but his gaze lingered for a moment longer.

A private banquet that was discreet and low-key but not shabby, and both guests and hosts enjoyed themselves greatly.

Liu Shanyuan also wanted to ask for some advice on governance strategies.

After all, in addition to the central city, Zhenbei Prefecture also has jurisdiction over four areas: Yusai Pass, Shierbao, Longsha Town, and Linghe County.

Magistrate Ma's eyes wandered: "This, this place has different customs and practices. Brother Liu, you will naturally understand it after you take over."

Guizhier pursed her lips and smiled behind her back.

As for the extent of Magistrate Ma's understanding of government affairs, it is only:

Make decisions on the spur of the moment, make promises with a pat of the chest, and leave without a pat of the butt.

When Liu Shanyuan met her mocking eyes, he understood a little bit. He stopped talking about the depressing topic and instead introduced the latest developments in the capital to Magistrate Ma.

After three rounds of drinks, we got down to business.

Magistrate Ma straightened the sleeves of his cotton robe, sat up straight, and waved his hand solemnly: "Young lady, please go down and add another dish."

"Yes." Guizhier got up and left tactfully.

The sign at the door of Guiji Braised Food Store changed to "Sold out today".

Heavy cotton curtains were also placed carefully to protect against the cold wind.

The fire is blazing in the shop, and it is warm and cozy. There is no better place to talk about private topics.

"Brother Liu, are you really from the capital?" Magistrate Ma took a sip of the mellow rice wine, lowered his voice, and squinted his eyes in the sour taste.

"This... please don't report me if I tell you this, sir." Liu Shanyuan lowered his head in shame. "I did stay in the Chuhuai area for a few days along the way."

There are many literati and poets along the Chuhuai River, and there are also fireworks and brothels for ten miles.

"Ha." Magistrate Ma put down his cup in dissatisfaction, and a few drops of wine splashed onto the table. "Brother Liu, you are joking. You know what I want to ask."

He looked gloomy and looked around, as if the cheerful conversation just now was all a lie.

"I really don't know, please tell me clearly, sir." Liu Shanyuan was very nervous.

The situation was somewhat deadlocked for a while.

When a new official takes office, he often needs to carry half of the "fish token". The local government will give him the other half for inspection before handing it over.

The fish symbol is fine.

The pass should be fine except that the portrait is not quite right.

As for Magistrate Ma, he was from Jiangyin and Kuaiji. In the 15th year of Yongjing, he was granted the title of Jinshi and was sent to serve as an official in other places. He should not have met Liu Shanyuan in person in the capital.

Everything fits perfectly.

Liu Shanyuan raised his eyes, his skin gradually becoming pale and transparent under the sunlight, as if one could see the tiny blood vessels behind the skin, revealing his morbid fragility.

His gaze passed Magistrate Ma and passed through the wooden-framed lattice window.

There was a man hiding in a hidden place beside a tree in the courtyard. It was the housekeeper.

The butler put his five fingers together and wiped them across his neck.

Liu Shanyuan shook his head slightly.

"Hahahaha, just a joke, don't take it to heart, brother." Magistrate Ma's expression warmed up. "You came from the capital, why didn't you tell me about the Vanguard Major General?"

"You mean General Luan..."

As the topic changed, both sides continued to chat and laugh, and the atmosphere returned to being warm and harmonious.

In the back kitchen, Guizhier was fiddling with the heavy oranges with a branch.

Grill slowly over low heat, turning constantly to ensure even cooking.

When the surface of the orange turned slightly yellow and exuded an attractive caramel aroma, she opened it and tasted one first.

"It's delicious. Add this roasted kumquat and it'll be thirty copper coins."

She thought casually that she was definitely not a profiteer.

The money collected is not just the money for the two oranges, but the compensation for mental damages for pretending to be deaf and dumb even though one could clearly hear the conversation.

And the reward for allowing the housekeeper to hide in the courtyard.

Although everyone thought she couldn't see or hear.

Yes, troubled times are coming.

Civil officials use their pens to bring peace to the world, while military generals use their horses to decide the outcome of the world.

And she was just the owner of a small braised food shop, a poor foreign woman who came to the military camp to look for her relatives.