Chapter 115: The election and examination are over.
In Wei Chu's opinion, if Lin Zhi is willing to canvass for votes, she might be able to get a lot of support.
It was precisely because the election was approaching and Lin Zhi had not yet expressed her position that he decided to come to her house to find out what she thought. Unexpectedly, Lin Zhi had no idea of her own appeal at all.
When Lin Zhi heard this, she was stunned. She had never thought about it in this way.
Seeing her like this, Chef Wei knew she needed time to think things over, so he said, "Think about it first. I'll come back in a few days to ask what you think."
Lin Zhi nodded in agreement, and after Chef Wei left, she immediately went to discuss the matter with Lin Sen and Song Jiaoniang.
"Deputy Chief..." Song Jiaoniang's face flushed at the mere mention of it. She had previously heard Madam Yu discuss the selection process for the Deputy Chief. This meant that if Chef Wei could secure a spot, it meant his family was almost certain to be among the top fifty in Bianjing!
How many restaurants are there in Bianjing? There are probably more than a thousand. Linzhiji has become only 2% of the top 2% in just one year.
Lin Sen was also very excited: "The opportunity is right in front of us, we can't miss it!"
"But what exactly is this deputy leader going to do?"
"I imagine every guild is pretty much the same." Back when Lin Sen was the owner of a silk shop, he often kept in touch with the local guild leaders. "My main job was to help them coordinate the affairs of the various shops. For the fabric guilds, we'd compete in weaving skills, needlework techniques, and speed, recommending talented individuals to the government. Occasionally, I'd also organize exchanges within the guild and citywide events to expand their visibility..."
"I think the responsibilities of a restaurant business are pretty much the same," Lin Sen said, his voice flowing. Finally, he concluded, "It's not a thankless job. On the contrary, it allows me to get to know more colleagues and exchange information."
"Let's try it first." Seeing her daughter still pondering, Song Jiaoniang tugged at Lin Zhi's sleeve. "Look at our shop. We've grown from a small stall to where we are now, and no one thought of it, right? Besides, even if we don't get selected, it's not a big deal. At least it will let people in the industry know the importance of Lin Zhiji."
"Your mother is right."
"Also, this year our family's reputation is at its peak. Who knows, we might not have this opportunity again later on!"
Lin Zhi listened to her parents' words and gradually formed an idea. After all, when one has the opportunity to seize power, they must do so. Just like the steward in a wealthy family, the positions at the top are all fixed. If you miss this opportunity, you don't know when you will get a seat at the table again.
After serving for two days, Linzhi visited Chef Cui and Chef You successively, and got a general understanding of the selection process and the responsibilities and obligations of the deputy head, and finally made up his mind.
Meanwhile, the examination room was filled with the rustling sound of pens scraping across paper. As two days and one night passed, this final day and night tested not only one's academic knowledge but also one's endurance.
Seeing that it was getting dark, Mr. Guo took out a candle and lit it, then called the servant for a pot of hot water, poured it into the bowl of fried noodles, and stirred it into a batter with chopsticks.
Fried noodles are similar to the pheasant soup cakes made in Linzhi. They are both made with soaked noodle soup, but the taste varies greatly depending on the family.
Mr. Guo was only staying in such a small inn, and the servants had no control over the food, so the fried noodles were very bland and tasteless.
Then he took out the steamed buns from the examination box, but the buns had become dry and hard after being there for two days. He had to stretch his neck to swallow a bite, and his throat was sore from the pain.
He had no choice but to soak the pancake in batter to soften it before eating. However, the taste became even weirder after soaking, so he could only frown and hold his breath as he swallowed it. At the same time, he couldn't help but think of the fish soup he had eaten when he first entered the examination room.
The fish fillet soup was made by a food shop near the inn. The crucian carp was cut into thin and even pieces, and the fish bones were picked out cleanly. It tasted sweet, soft and delicious.
It’s not that the third sister is stingy and unwilling to prepare meat dishes for Mr. Guo. It’s just that it’s the golden September, with high temperatures during the day and freezing cold at night, and dishes like meat patties are easy to spoil.
Seeing that every year there were candidates who were sent out due to stomach upset, the third sister and Mr. Guo did not dare to take the risk, so they only put some dry food, pickles, pickled meat and fried noodles in Mr. Guo's box. Only on the first day could they eat fresh meat and vegetables.
Now thinking back, the aroma of the fish soup was still lingering in his nose. But as he was thinking, he was suddenly stunned. He smelled a whiff of pork.
Mr. Guo was at a loss for words, thinking he had gotten the test wrong, remembering that fish soup tasted like pork. He shook his head, munching on a dry bun while flipping through the paper.
But after a moment, he suddenly looked up: "No!"
Mr. Guo initially thought it was an illusion, but when he sniffed, the alluring fragrance actually penetrated his nasal cavity, making his Adam's apple tremble and his appetite surge.
Some people around also smelled the fragrance, especially the student sitting opposite Shen Yan, who looked at Shen Yan in amazement.
Chen Yan took out a ceramic bowl from the examination box, put the fried dough cakes broken apart by the inspecting officers into it, then put the lard and braised pork cakes in it, and then poured the hot water brought by the officers into it. Finally, he just covered it with a lid and simmered it for a while.
The solid lard and braised pork pancakes began to ooze oil when they came into contact with hot water. The oil gradually dissipated over time, and a fragrant aroma seeped out from the cracks in the clay pot.
It smells so good, so good, so good——
The person sitting opposite was scratching his head. If he hadn't remembered that it was the Autumn Examination, he would have wanted to stand up and see with his own eyes what Chen Yan was cooking.
As for Mr. Guo, who was sitting next to Shen Yan, his face was twisted into a ball. He could only smell but not see the movements of the person next to him. In addition, the people opposite him kept glancing sideways or craning their necks to look, so more guesses and questions surged in his mind.
Next door - what are you doing?
Chen Yan next door was waiting for dinner with his hands in his pockets.
Chen Yan sat quietly and obediently, completely unaware of the gazes of those around him. He secretly calculated the time, and when the time was up, he couldn't wait to reach out and lift the lid of the bowl.
The moment the thick ceramic lid was opened, the savory and fragrant aroma that had previously only been able to sneak out through the gaps instantly exploded, sweeping across the entire examination room with an unstoppable force.
Suddenly, not only the candidates opposite were shocked, but even the invigilator smelled the scent. He pretended to be inspecting the examination room and followed the fragrance all the way to Chen Yan.
Chen Yan acted as if no one was around and was picking up some noodles with chopsticks, slurping them into his mouth.
This soup noodle looks simple. The snow-white noodle is sprinkled with finely chopped minced meat and served with green chopped green onions. The rosy soup is steaming and the overbearing aroma is spreading unrestrainedly.
The examiner couldn't help but swallow his saliva.
Mr. Guo, who was sitting next to him, saw the examiner's eyes wide open and was so anxious that he almost scratched the wall.
As for Chen Yan, he hadn't noticed who was coming yet.
He was still not satisfied after finishing the soba. Under the examiner's gaze, he picked up the earthenware bowl with both hands and gulped down the soup without leaving a drop. The entire earthenware bowl was as clean as if it had been washed.
The examiner watched him wolf down his food, his Adam's apple rolling. Seeing Chen Yan looking up, he hurriedly walked away with his hands behind his back. After walking a few steps, he quietly asked, "When this person brought in, was the food tasteless?"
In fact, it is forbidden to bring strong-smelling food into the imperial examination hall, as it will affect the eating of other candidates. However, this rule only requires that perishable food such as fresh meat cannot be brought into the examination, and does not include cooked rice, fried noodles, and ingredients that can be cooked into soups. In short, the aroma of normal food is not restricted.
"Your Excellency, I just checked the list, and there's nothing unusual about what the student brought." The officer thought carefully and replied, "The only strange thing is the bread he put in the ceramic bowl."
Because the flatbread was round and not like dried noodles, it left a deep impression on him, so the officer remembered it clearly: "The flatbread was cooked by just soaking it in hot water, without even having to heat the stove."
The examiner nodded, secretly amazed. However, since it was the Autumn Examination, it was not the time to ask such questions, so he walked away.
When he returned to his place, the examiner was silent for a while, then he turned aside and instructed the clerk, "Tell the kitchen that I would like to have soup noodles for dinner today."
The clerk quickly responded.
The examiners could satisfy their cravings with soup noodles, but the students in the exam hall were in for a rough ride. By the final day, everyone was exhausted from poor sleep and poor appetite. It would have been fine if everyone was like this, but some people were still enjoying hot, delicious meals—and more than one!
When the exam was over, the officers collected the papers and everyone rushed out of the door with murderous intent on their faces, leaving the people waiting at the door completely bewildered.
"That man is truly despicable—"
"Who on earth is it? I was dreaming about food the entire second half of the night!"
"I feel the need to protest strongly..."
"Why protest? Why not find that person and ask him where he got it from? It will be useful next time."
"Hey, hey, hey, stop being so discouraged! We're definitely going to get into high school!"
Everyone was chattering and laughing, but Mr. Guo, who had come out, actually knew who it was. He kept glancing at Chen Yan in front of him, opening his mouth, wanting to make some friends, but he didn't know how to start.
Only after seeing him get on a carriage did Mr. Guo look away with regret and walk towards the donkey cart not far away.
"Sir." The third sister lifted the curtain and greeted Mr. Guo and got into the carriage. After he was seated, she looked at him eagerly and asked, "How did you do on the exam?"
After a pause, she looked a little proud and lowered her voice to ask, "Is my prediction correct?"
In his previous life, Mr. Guo also passed the Autumn Examination. Although he did not make it into the top three, he was still in the top ten and was finally appointed as the magistrate of Yongfeng County.
Although this official's starting point was not low, it was still a little worse than the top few who stayed in Bianliang City.
Therefore, this time, the third sister told Mr. Guo the test questions in advance. On the one hand, she wanted him to rank higher so that he could stay in Bianjing City and avoid the hardship of living in a remote area. On the other hand, she wanted Mr. Guo to think that she was a good wife and that he would look up to her and treat her better in the future.
Mr. Guo was startled at first, then looked suspicious, and then his face flushed red. "What nonsense are you talking about? Wait a minute? Did you get scammed into buying the test paper from someone else? How much money did you lose? Who is talking nonsense like this?"
"No, it's not." The third sister felt guilty for a moment, then stiffened her neck and said, "Just tell me if it's true or not."
Seeing her reaction, Mr. Guo was so angry that he trembled all over. He said in a deep voice: "Stupid! Stupid! The questions you told me have nothing to do with the test!"
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