The Qingshui County government office wasn't far from the Su family restaurant, only four streets away. Su Hua and her servant arrived in a short time by carriage.
But the timing of their arrival seemed rather unfortunate. Both of the main gates of the yamen were tightly shut, with only a small side gate open beside them. A fat yamen runner was eating... spicy hot pot from a bowl at the entrance.
Su Hua raised an eyebrow. It was her first time visiting the county government office, and she had forgotten that the office also had a lunch break.
Just as he was thinking of coming at another time, the fat constable looked up, his narrow eyes lighting up when he saw Su Hua. "Miss Su, you've arrived. Is there something you need?"
As he spoke, he wiped his mouth, got up, and walked towards the master and servant.
Su Hua nodded and smiled. "I came today because I have something I'd like to discuss with your master. Is he available right now?"
"Convenient, convenient!" The fat constable nodded hurriedly and respectfully led the two of them through the side gate, saying with a smile as they walked, "The magistrate is having lunch now, but it doesn't matter. The magistrate said that as long as it is a young lady, just invite her into the yamen."
Su Hua raised an eyebrow and followed the yamen runner through the side gate. After going around a long corridor, she smelled a familiar spicy aroma. After walking a few more steps, she arrived at a house where the spicy aroma became even stronger.
Looking through the window, one could see a dozen or so yamen runners dressed in dark blue robes enjoying their meal around a table.
On the table, there was a large bowl of spicy hot pot, a large bowl of barbecue, a bowl of snow-white rice in the center, and two bottles of cold drinks.
The constables ate with sweat pouring down their faces and their lips turning red. No one spoke in the room except for the slurping of rice and the sound of chopsticks hitting the rim of bowls.
Su Hua's eyes twitched. Good heavens, this entire government office was full of their restaurant's loyal customers.
The chubby constable chuckled and explained, "Miss Su's restaurant has delicious food. Ever since you set up your stall in front of Baichuan Academy, we've been eating here every day."
Su Hua smiled and said, "The restaurant has a new hot and sour noodle dish today, which is perfect for summer. However, there are not many available. If you like it, go to the restaurant and tell them my name, and I will ask the waiter to save some for you."
"Yes! Then I thank you in advance, young lady!" Upon hearing this, the fat constable immediately smiled and thanked him. The food at Su's Restaurant had never disappointed him, and this new hot and sour noodles must be just as good. After seeing the magistrate, he would have to inform his brothers so that they could taste it when they went to court that evening.
As they were talking, the three of them had already reached the innermost room of the yamen. Next to the room was a bamboo grove, which was quite quiet.
"Knock knock knock!" The fat constable knocked on the door with his fingers. "Sir, Miss Su is looking for you."
Almost as soon as he finished speaking, Magistrate Qin's voice rang out, "Hua'er is here, come in quickly!"
As the fat constable pushed open the door, a spicy and fragrant aroma immediately wafted out. Su Hua looked up, and her almond-shaped eyes widened instantly when she saw the situation inside.
The room was simply furnished with a desk, a soft couch for resting, and a dining table. However, the dining table was exactly the same as the one in the private room of the Su family restaurant, with a hollowed-out center and a charcoal stove placed in the empty space.
On the stove, there was a double-compartment iron pot, with broth bubbling inside. Slices of meat, mushrooms, and greens were rolling around in the pot. The man held a strainer in his hand, which contained three or five cooked squid and shrimp.
Next to the hot pot, there were about ten dishes of fresh food, including the usual dishes at Su Ji Restaurant, as well as a bowl of lively sea fish and shrimp.
Su Hua's temples throbbed. No wonder these yamen runners treated Su Ji's restaurant like their own canteen every day; it turned out their boss was the one who started it.
Moreover, it must be said that this man really knows how to eat; his seafood hot pot is absolutely superb.
The fat constable next to Su Hua had already swallowed hard when he smelled the aroma of the hot pot, and now, looking at the seafood in the man's strainer, his mouth watered.
The man chuckled, put down the strainer, and beckoned to Su Hua, "Hua'er, haven't you had lunch yet? Why don't you sit down and eat with your uncle?"
Looking at the bubbling seafood hotpot, Su Hua was indeed a little tempted. She smiled and nodded, sitting down opposite the man. "In that case, I'll be troubling Uncle Qin today."
"We're all family, just having a casual meal together, what's the big deal!" The man waved his hand, and when he saw the person standing at the door with a rice bowl in his hand, drooling, his lips twitched involuntarily.
He could only cough lightly, "Wang Er, bring the bowl over here!"
"Ah...get the bowl?get the bowl?!" The fat constable suddenly came to his senses, rolled up his sleeve to wipe the drool from the corner of his mouth, and ran from the door to the dining table in one swift motion, shoving his large bowl over.
Her squinty eyes widened as she watched the man, holding a slotted spoon, scoop a large spoonful of meat slices mixed with seafood from the pot and put it into her bowl. Her squinty eyes narrowed into slits as she smiled, "Thank you, sir, thank you, sir..."
"Hmm." Magistrate Qin gave a soft hum, putting down the strainer. "Eat in the bamboo grove before you go out. Don't let those brats see you, understand?"
The fat constable held the bowl as if it were a precious treasure, nodding vigorously, "Sir, please rest assured, I will definitely not let anyone else see, and I will eat before I leave."
As yamen runners, their monthly salary was fixed, and they felt the pinch even when eating spicy hot pot and barbecue. Hot pot was something they could hardly afford, especially seafood, where a large spoonful could cost several taels of silver.
The fat yamen runner looked at the girl opposite him with a big smile on his face, hoping that she would come to the county yamen more often.
"Alright, you can go now." Magistrate Qin waved his hand dismissively when he saw him grinning like a fool.
"Yes, sir, I'll be right there." The fat constable nodded and bowed in agreement, but paused at the door. "Sir, should this door be closed today?"
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