Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Jinjiang Solo
"Hey, hey, be careful with your words. If Mr. Cheng knows you said that to him, you'll get beaten up."
Zhang Mengzhi kindly reminded.
"Yes, yes, yes, Zhang Mengzhi is still smart."
Cheng Jianshe reacted immediately after being reminded by him and slapped his mouth lightly a few times.
"By the way, can you lend me your phone?"
Cheng Jianshe walked to the desk, picked up the phone and dialed directly. He wanted to find Cheng's father and ask him to find a few reliable old Chinese medicine practitioners. The most important thing was to see if there were any in Shanghai. If not, he would have to look for them somewhere else.
"Dad, it's me, Jianshe."
After the call was connected, Cheng Jianshe directly reported his identity.
"Yes, I'm calling you from Zhang Mengzhi's office. Yes, his Taibailou has opened in Shanghai, and we can eat authentic Sichuan cuisine when we come back. Oh, no, that's not what I want to talk to Dad about. I want to ask if you know any reliable old Chinese medicine practitioners in Shanghai?"
Cheng Jianshe changed the subject from the beginning, but fortunately he still remembered his purpose and quickly brought it back.
"...Yes, the doctors in the hospital said there was nothing they could do for grandpa's condition and asked me to prepare for his death. It was Zhang Mengzhi who reminded me to come today. Western medicine can't help, so let's try Chinese medicine!"
Cheng Jianshe hung up the phone and waited for nearly half an hour. Finally, he got the name of a national player from a call from Cheng's father, and the other party also agreed to treat Mr. Cheng.
"Dad, don't worry. I will communicate with him properly when he comes. He is willing to fly from the capital for your sake. How can I offend him?"
Cheng Jianshe said a little aggrievedly that he was already in his twenties and he was usually very reliable in doing things!
I don’t know what was said on the phone, and the call ended after a while.
"Zhang Mengzhi, you are the lucky star of our family. I have to go back to the hospital to take care of grandpa now and ask the doctors to delay the arrival of the national players as much as possible."
Cheng Jianshe jumped up and hugged Zhang Mengzhi, then hurried back to prepare.
"Hey, you pooped."
Seeing that he even forgot to take his bag, Zhang Mengzhi quickly picked it up and chased after him.
Another half month passed, and Cheng Jianshe came to Taibailou again. Because the new restaurant was opening, Zhang Mengzhi was afraid of accidents, so he had to stay in Shanghai for two months.
"Zhang Mengzhi, I want to become sworn brothers with you."
Cheng Jianshe gave him a big hug as soon as he entered the door.
"Get lost, you have a fiancée, don't hug anyone casually. You don't want your innocence, I still want it!"
Zhang Mengzhi saw that he was in a good mood and joked.
"Bah, you're talking nonsense." Upon hearing this, Cheng Jianshe quickly jumped to the side, putting more than two meters between him and Zhang Mengzhi.
"It seems that Cheng Lao is fine now."
Zhang Mengzhi had visited Mr. Cheng once before, but the old man was lying on a hospital bed and had difficulty speaking, so he only stayed for a while and then left.
"Yes, he is feeling much better now. After only ten days of taking the medicine, my grandfather can sit up and even chat with grandma."
Cheng Jianshe was really happy. He didn't expect that his grandfather could be saved by the national player. If he took the medicine prescribed by the national player, he would be able to walk again soon.
"That's a good thing! Unfortunately, the old man has to avoid a lot of things now. But I asked someone to make some chicken soup. You can take it back for the old man to drink!"
For fear that the tonic would affect the efficacy of the medicine for the old man, no tonic was added to the chicken soup, only red dates, wolfberries and bamboo shoots.
"Okay, okay, I've been envious of your cooking for a long time. Can you prepare some more so that grandma and I can have a taste?"
Cheng Jianshe was so happy to hear him say that! He almost flew up. "Yes, how can you be left out?"
Zhang Mengzhi said unhappily and asked someone to bring him the chicken soup that was simmering on the stove.
"Oh my god, I have to send the chicken soup to the hospital quickly, otherwise it will get cold."
When Cheng Jianshe heard about chicken soup, he forgot about Zhang Mengzhi's existence. He picked up the soup and ran away, without any airs of a governor's son.
Zhang Mengzhi looked at his irritable look, rolled her eyes behind him and let him be.
"Master, a customer ordered a Huaiyang dish, and we can't cook it well."
Zhang Mengzhi brought a group of apprentices from Shu Province. Although they learned a lot of dishes from Zhang Mengzhi, they mainly learned Sichuan cuisine and only learned the general idea of dishes from other places.
But the people who came today ordered famous dishes of Huaiyang cuisine. They haven’t learned it very well, so I won’t embarrass myself.
In Shanghai, apart from their own local cuisine, the most popular dish in restaurants is Huaiyang cuisine.
He thought that the local cuisine would be the first to come out, but he was surprised that Huaiyang cuisine came out first.
"Okay, please wait for a moment, I'll go down and do it right away."
Zhang Mengzhi stood up, put on his chef's uniform, put on his chef's hat, and walked downstairs to the kitchen.
Recently, there have been many people who have deliberately made things difficult for Taibai Tower like they did today, which is one of the reasons why he didn't dare to leave.
If we cannot convince those who deliberately find fault, the reputation of Taibai Tower will be affected.
Zhang Mengzhi's disciples watched their master prepare Huaiyang cuisine without any hesitation or thought. It was obvious that this dish was nothing to their master, and it was not difficult at all.
The disciples' admiration for their master increased again, and they became die-hard fans. They wanted to know if there was any dish in the world that could stump their master?
In addition to Sichuan cuisine, he is also very proficient in other cuisines!
"All cooking skills are interconnected. When you reach my level, no matter what other cuisine you choose, it won't be difficult for you."
Zhang Mengzhi comforted his disciples when he saw their shocked faces.
"Master, not everyone is you!" The disciples knew their own limitations. They were far inferior to their master in terms of talent, and it was good enough for them to learn Sichuan cuisine well.
"Master, I want to learn Huaiyang cuisine."
Zhang Mengzhi's sixth disciple held him back.
"Sure, do you want to learn from a formal master? Or do you want to learn on your own?"
Zhang Mengzhi did not reject his disciple's progress, nor did he stop him from becoming a disciple of another master.
"I want to learn from a master and study Huaiyang cuisine."
As a Sichuan cuisine chef, the sixth apprentice needs the master's consent before he can become another apprentice.
"Then I'll see if there's a master chef willing to take you in!"
Zhang Mengzhi did not take the responsibility of teaching him, but he knew that he was not as good as the real Huaiyang cuisine master.
His main business is Sichuan cuisine. He only studied other cuisines for Sichuan cuisine and Taibailou. It is said that knowing yourself and the enemy can lead to victory in every battle.
If you want to promote Sichuan cuisine to the whole country beyond Sichuan Province, you have to understand the local food culture.
As he knew that people in Shanghai prefer sweet taste and love beets, he would add a lot of sweet dishes when drawing up the menu.
Dishes like Dongpo pork and sweet and sour spare ribs are very suitable for making in Shanghai, and many people order them every day!
"Thank you, Master."
The sixth disciple thought that the master would reject his request to find another famous teacher, but he did not expect Zhang Mengzhi to agree immediately.
The sixth disciple was very happy about this, and he had a higher degree of recognition for Zhang Mengzhi. He decided to work in Taibai Tower after he graduated to repay Zhang Mengzhi for his support.
Zhang Mengzhi himself did not think so much. Since he had promised his sixth apprentice, he would seriously look for one for him. Not all Huaiyang cuisine masters opened restaurants and hotels. Some masters were so focused on improving their cooking skills that they even did not have a job in order to concentrate on studying dishes.
However, they also take on some private jobs, so they don't worry about them and their families not being able to afford food.
This is exactly what Zhang Mengzhi was looking for. He went to visit in person with a bunch of gifts.
"I know what you are here for. I can teach him, but how much he can learn depends on him."
The master chef of Huaiyang cuisine, Gu, looked at the stacks of money on the table and tried hard to take his eyes away from them.
No, what kind of good person would come to someone else's home as a guest and bring tens of thousands of dollars in cash?
The impact was incredible! In an instant, Chef Gu was tempted.
To be honest, he agreed to it because of the other party's generosity. He offered 10,000 yuan at once. If he taught the other party's apprentice well, he would get more benefits after the other party became a master.
Chef Gu is also a human being, and he needs to eat and live. He has a wife and children. Researching Huaiyang cuisine is his pleasure, but he will not refuse the opportunity to give his wife and children a good life.
So the matter was settled, and the next day Zhang Mengzhi brought his six disciples to pay homage to the master, and he also bought gifts for the disciples.
"Master, please have some tea."
Seeing his apprentice offering tea to others, Zhang Mengzhi was not dissatisfied at all. He calmly sat aside and drank tea, watching the new master and apprentice begin to cultivate their relationship without jealousy.
Everyone has their own aspirations. He has fulfilled the last responsibility a master can fulfill for his sixth disciple.
One of the chefs they brought with them left, so naturally they were short of manpower, so Zhang Mengzhi had to take over on his own. However, he had already called Xia Donghai in Guocheng and asked him to send his fifth apprentice over.
The fourth disciple and Lao Zhou are in the capital, the second and third disciples are in the provincial capital and the mountain city, which means that only the fifth disciple is still in Guocheng and can help him. However, this will make Taibai Tower in Guocheng busier.
There is no other way because the apprentices below the sixth one cannot become masters yet and manage a restaurant on their own.
"Master, you have such a good temper that you actually agreed to let Lao Liu find another master."
As soon as Lao Wu arrived, he complained to his master.
"It's okay, it's okay. His love for Huaiyang cuisine shows that his future is not in Sichuan cuisine. We should wish him the best, right?"
Zhang Mengzhi said with a good attitude.
He actually didn't tell anyone that recently many people in Shanghai wanted to become his apprentice and learn authentic Sichuan cuisine!
There must be spies from other families among them, and some who really want to become his apprentice. Zhang Mengzhi didn't know much about these people, so he asked someone to check their backgrounds and eliminate the spies first.
If there is no problem, he will consider accepting it. As long as the person likes cooking, he will not care about the other person's identity, as long as the person has no problem with character.
Most of Zhang Mengzhi's original apprentices had a basic knowledge of Sichuan cuisine, otherwise they wouldn't have been able to run a restaurant so quickly. The new apprentices weren't as good, and they had to learn Sichuan cuisine from scratch. So if Zhang Mengzhi wanted to take them in, he would take them back to Guocheng to teach them. He couldn't stay in Shanghai for a few apprentices.
Guocheng is his base camp, and so is Shu Province. He has to manage Shu Province well, so as not to be raided by others accidentally.
At present, he only opens Taibailou branches in a few famous cities because the consumption in these cities is high.
When he gets enough bonuses and his finances improve, he plans to open stores in other cities.
In the end, Zhang Mengzhi accepted three apprentices in Shanghai, one of whom was even the son of a Huaiyang cuisine master.
When this disciple became Zhang Mengzhi's disciple, the sensation it caused in Shanghai was even greater than when Zhang Mengzhi's disciple became another disciple.
After all, the sixth apprentice was just an apprentice, while Zhang Mengzhi’s new apprentice was the son of a master of Huaiyang cuisine.
"Boss Zhang, I'm leaving my son in your care."
This master of Huaiyang cuisine feels like he is drowning in a bitter soup because he has a son who doesn't like Huaiyang cuisine but likes Sichuan cuisine.
It's nothing but bitterness!
He had lost all face in Shanghai, but as a father he could not defeat his son, so he had to agree to let him take Zhang Mengzhi as his master.
He had eaten the dishes cooked by Zhang Mengzhi, and he was definitely a master. But he was too young, so people were embarrassed to call him a master, so they called him Boss Zhang to save his decades of reputation.
"Master Gu, don't worry. I will take good care of Xiao Gu."
Yes, this Master Gu and Chef Gu, whom the sixth apprentice worships, are brothers, but he is the elder brother and Chef Gu is the younger brother.
Both brothers are masters of Huaiyang cuisine and are quite famous in Shanghai.
Master Gu never thought that his brother would be the one who suffered in the end when he accepted an apprentice. But when his brother put tens of thousands of yuan in front of him, Master Gu had no choice but to agree.
There is no way, Zhang Mengzhi really gave too much.
My younger brother doesn’t like opening a shop, nor does he like cooking for people every day. Although he occasionally takes private orders, he can only ensure that his family has enough food and drink.
Now with this ten thousand yuan, not only can my family live a good life, but I can also buy a house in the city for my son as a new home.
"Don't worry, Dad. I will take good care of myself. And you should be happy for me. After arriving in Shu Province, I will be able to eat Sichuan cuisine every day."
Xiao Gu had no sorrow of parting at all, he only yearned for Sichuan cuisine. He heard from his fifth brother that only Sichuan cuisine eaten in Shu Province was the most authentic.
Many dishes taste different when eaten in other places. This is not a problem with the chef or the cooking skills, but the quality of the water and ingredients.
Some dishes are very particular about the water quality and ingredients. You can only eat the most authentic ones in the local area. If you leave the local area, the taste will not be the same.
As a master of Huaiyang cuisine, he has a son who likes Sichuan cuisine. Master Gu beat and scolded his son at the beginning, but his son just likes Sichuan cuisine!
He especially likes spicy dishes, and even likes them to the point of wanting to eat them every day. Since Taibailou opened in Shanghai, he has come to Taibailou to eat every day. Master Gu had no choice but to turn a blind eye. After all, what else could he do if his son didn't like the dishes in his own restaurant?
His wife and eldest son were both trying to persuade him, so for the sake of his younger son he shamelessly asked Zhang Mengzhi to become his apprentice.
Although the two restaurants compete with each other, they are not on the same track, so the two sides can still coexist peacefully.
When Zhang Mengzhi found out that the person who came to Taibai Tower to eat every day and pestered him to become his apprentice was the youngest son of Chef Gu’s brother, he was also shocked, okay?
Is it such a coincidence? Sometimes he wanted to ask God, can such a dramatic plot happen in real life?
It has to be said that accepting Master Gu’s youngest son would be beneficial to Taibai Tower.
"Looking at your playful and smiling face, I feel uneasy."
Faced with his youngest son's indifferent attitude, Master Gu replied with a stiff face.
The youngest son was unreliable since birth, so he often cleaned up the mess for Xiao Gu. Now that his son is leaving him and his wife, Master Gu is reluctant to let him go. However, his youngest son doesn't think so, and he was only excited from beginning to end.
I really want to hit someone, Master Gu thought as he looked at his little son who had a happy face.
"Okay, we're getting on the plane!"
Zhang Mengzhi quickly grabbed the apprentice and tried to stop him from letting himself go. He could not guarantee that he could save the apprentice from Master Gu.
"Then Dad, I'm leaving. You tell Mom and Big Brother that I'll be back after I finish my studies. By then, I'll go to work in Taibai Tower, and you'll be able to see me every day!"
After saying this, Xiao Gu followed Zhang Mengzhi without looking back, leaving Master Gu with a cursing face.
This son was raised in vain!
Zhang Mengzhi took his three apprentices on a plane. Except for him, none of the others had ever been on a plane, so they seemed particularly excited as soon as they got on the plane.
"Okay, stop making noise and be quiet."
Zhang Mengzhi knocked his head once, and immediately the three older disciples fell silent.
"Master, how long are we going to sit here?"
Xiao Gu lay on the chair and asked Zhang Mengzhi in the back row.
"Don't worry, it won't take long, just a few hours."
Zhang Mengzhi was reading a newspaper and still had time to answer his apprentice's questions.
"Master, after we get off the plane, will we arrive in Guocheng?"
The new seventh disciple looked at the white clouds outside. His ears felt a little uncomfortable when the plane first took off, but now he feels much better.
"It still needs a turnaround." Zhang Mengzhi answered his disciples' questions patiently.
"Master, the clouds in the sky are so white!"
The ninth disciple wanted to reach out and touch the clouds, but unfortunately the plane window could not be opened. It was my first time on a plane, and I didn’t expect that the window on top could not be opened. The ninth disciple was so disappointed!
"There will be plenty of opportunities to see it later. If you get tired of sitting, just close your eyes and take a nap. We'll be there soon."
Zhang Mengzhi looked at his disciples who were never sleepy, and he didn't know where they got the energy from. Anyway, he was sleepy, so half an hour after the plane took off, Zhang Mengzhi fell asleep.
As soon as he fell asleep, his disciples stopped talking and quietly lay on the window to watch the clouds.
He took a few apprentices and stayed in Shu Province for one night. He went to see Cheng's father and told him about Cheng's situation in Shanghai.
"You are so thoughtful that you even made a special trip for this matter. It's great to have made a good friend like Jianshe. You should support each other in the future!"
Cheng's father called his son every day, so he certainly knew what was going on back home. But Zhang Mengzhi had to make this trip in person, which showed that he really regarded Cheng Jianshe as a friend.
Not only did she bring him many local specialties from her hometown, she also brought back some things for her son.
"You can't see Cheng Jianshe's face on the phone, and you don't know whether he has lost weight or not."
Zhang Mengzhi answered with a smile while holding the tea.
"Yes, he has been away in Shanghai for the past few months, and his father and I are far away from him and can't help him. We are really worried about him and his parents-in-law. Fortunately, everything is fine now, and we are relieved."
Cheng's mother came over with some fruit and sat next to her husband.
"Cheng Jianshe is in good spirits. I went to see him before I passed away. He was in good spirits and could even walk slowly."
Zhang Mengzhi brought good news, so Cheng's parents were naturally very happy. Their son was fine, and Mr. Cheng's health was also recovering.
This is really great news!
"We'll get married in a few months, and you're welcome to come to the provincial capital for a drink then."
Zhang Mengzhi was flattered that Cheng's father invited her personally. At least in the provincial capital, there were not many people who could be invited by him.
"Thank you, uncle. I will definitely attend then."
Zhang Mengzhi agreed. He would come even if Cheng's father didn't invite him, because Cheng Jianshe was himself and the other party had invited him when he was in Shanghai.
After having dinner with Cheng's father and mother, Zhang Mengzhi left Cheng's house.
There was no way out. The two elders were too enthusiastic and insisted that he eat dinner before leaving. Zhang Mengzhi had no choice but to stay and even cooked a dish. He couldn't just stand by and watch the elders busy in the kitchen!
The dishes he prepared were all delicious, and the first dish to be eaten was his Kung Pao Chicken. After receiving praise from the two elders, he returned to his residence in the provincial capital with great joy.
He not only has houses in the provincial capital, but also in the mountain city. Not to mention the capital, his wife bought him several courtyard houses. Some are big, some are small. He rents out the well-preserved ones. The ones that are particularly shabby are not renovated and are left there.
My nephew said that the land in the capital will be very valuable in the future!
Even in Shanghai, Zhang Mengzhi bought a three-bedroom house so that she would have a place to live when she went to check for it later.
He doesn't like staying in hotels because he doesn't think it's as comfortable as his own home. Even if the service is not as good as a hotel, Zhang Mengzhi still likes to live in his own place.
Influenced by him, the wealthy families around him bought houses, and those without money were saving money and waiting to buy houses.
Zhang Mengzhi's influence can be imagined, at least on the people around her. Even Zhang's father and mother pooled their money to buy a house for their youngest daughter.
"We bought this house for you. It's about the same size as your sister's. We as parents can't be partial. Even if Meng Zhi had already made plans for you, her sister, we as parents should still treat you equally."
Mother Zhang took her daughter to see the house she bought for her.
"Thank you, Mom."
Zhang's father was at work, so Zhang Mengyu could only hug her mother.
"Silly child, you are my child, why are you thanking me? Your father and I do favor Meng Zhi the most among our three children, but you should also know that he is your father's and our first child. His birth has made us stand up straight, and we no longer need to be scolded as extinct families."
Mother Zhang still feels sad when she thinks about being cursed for not having any descendants.
"Mom, I never felt that you and Dad were partial. My sister and I have always had better food and clothing than my brother since we were young. Even his room was the smallest and the worst lit."
Zhang Mengyu hugged her mother, and the mother and daughter had a thorough conversation.
"You value my brother, but you don't ignore me and my sister! Whose daughter can get a new set of clothes every year, but my brother doesn't! Is this considered partiality? Even if you are partial, you are partial to me and my sister!"
Whose daughter has pocket money? She and her sister have had it since they were young, and they get two yuan a month. Dad only earns a few dozen yuan, but he can give four yuan a month as pocket money to his daughters. Just based on this, no one can say that they are biased.
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