Chapter 378 Qin Si’s Talent
It is said that "a thousand-year-old cellar requires ten-thousand-year-old lees, and the quality of wine depends entirely on the age of the cellar." There are not many old cellars in Qushan Town, and most farmers brew their own wine. If we were to rank the best, Tongmen Inn would be the best.
Tongmen Inn has been famous since the town was first built. Good wine is not afraid of a narrow alley. Drinkers from other places come here one after another, and they praise the wine after taking a sip. It can be said that Tongmen Inn has been able to maintain a steady flow of customers for generations, relying on this century-old cellar: Tongmen Shao.
Mr. Chen is the current head of this Tongmen Inn.
Speaking of Mr. Chen, he is only twenty years old, quick-witted, studious, and a good candidate to become an official. However, his father died suddenly last year. Once the backbone was gone, some people in the clan became restless. The uncles and aunts had long coveted the position of shopkeeper. It was indeed beyond the capacity of the elderly grandfather to guard the inn alone. There were complaints and undercurrents in the clan. Seeing that the century-old foundation was about to be destroyed, he resolutely dropped out of school and returned home. Despite contempt and doubt, he turned the tide. In just a few months, he managed the store in perfect order. The uncles and aunts kept silent on the surface, but secretly they were rubbing their hands and looking forward to a good show.
Once the ambition of young people is aroused, it will grow wildly like vines.
Chen was unwilling to just keep the old cellar, looking at the flat income for several months, he fiddled with his abacus in boredom. The moon climbed down the treetops, and the drinkers gradually left. The attentive waiter was very skillful, and he admired his shopkeeper from the bottom of his heart. When he had free time, he quietly handed him a bowl of old chicken soup.
As the lid of the pot was opened, the aroma filled the air and a layer of golden oil from the chicken soup drifted away.
Mr. Chen took a look and was stunned.
"Xiao Li, this chicken soup..."
When the waiter heard the question about the chicken, he immediately started talking: "Boss, this chicken is indeed a three-year-old good hen, raised at the foot of Qushan Mountain, fed with insects and drinking dew. When I bought the chicken yesterday, I saw that it was full of energy, so I asked the kitchen to keep some for you to make soup."
"I want to ask, who supplies the codonopsis pilosula in this chicken soup?"
"This..." When Xiao Li heard that he was asking about medicinal herbs, he fell silent out of guilt. After hesitating for a long time, he knelt on the ground and told the truth.
"Shopkeeper, to be honest, these herbs are supplied by my family. My grandfather is an old herbalist. Most of the herbs in Ren Tang Pharmacy come from him. Our kitchen used to get the herbs from Ren Tang Pharmacy, but the boss was so dishonest. Not only did he make a high profit, but he also sold inferior products as good ones. Outsiders can't tell. I have been following my grandfather since I was a child, so I know a little bit about it, so I took the initiative to get the herbs from home. But shopkeeper, I, Li San, swear to heaven that the quality of these herbs is first-class and the price is fair. I never used them for my own personal gain."
Mr. Chen quickly helped Xiao Li up. "I know the money in the account. You have always been considerate of the inn. I have seen your hard work over the years. I have no intention of blaming you. The quality of the herbs can be seen from this bowl of chicken soup. I am just a little confused. I want to visit the old man. I wonder when is the right time?"
"Then let's do it now. The old man goes into the mountains during the day and comes back at night to collect medicinal herbs. I guess he's washing and slicing them at this moment." Xiao Li spoke quickly. He wiped his hands on his collar, put a long gown on Chen Sheng, tightened his trouser legs, and was about to lead the way.
Walking in the night, the two of them took a few turns and arrived at the door of a house. When the gate opened, they smelled a strong medicinal fragrance. Sure enough, the flickering candles in the house reflected the figure of an old man.
"Master, come out and see who's here." Xiao Li was overjoyed and diligently moved out the stools and teacups and cleaned them. The old man heard the noise and stopped working. He was startled to see Chen Sheng, not knowing why he came so late at night. He looked a little reserved, but he politely asked him to sit down.
Mr. Chen looked at the old man with a suspicious face, and quickly smiled without beating around the bush.
"Old man, to be honest, I am here to ask you a favor late at night. You are a famous herbalist in Qushan Town and you are familiar with the situation in the mountains. Are there any ginsengs over a hundred years old in this mountain?"
After listening to this, the old man stroked his beard and thought for a moment, then turned back to the house and searched for a while. After a while, he brought out a dark brown wooden box.
When he opened it slightly, what came into view was a top-quality old ginseng with its ginseng whiskers baring its fangs and claws. Even the knowledgeable Xiao Li gasped when he saw it.
Looking at this reed bowl, it is at least fifty years old.
"Boss Chen, to be honest, I really found a century-old ginseng in Qushan a few years ago. I couldn't bear to dig it up at that time, so I tied a red rope around it, thinking that I would let it grow for a few more years. Who would have thought that the ginseng would become spiritual? As soon as I tied the red knot, I turned around and ran away with the backpack on my back. The soil was not even turned over, but the ginseng was gone, and the red rope was lying empty on the soil. In the following years, I climbed over mountains and ridges again, but I couldn't find it." After saying that, he shook his head and pushed the wooden box in front of Mr. Chen, "Although this ginseng is not good, it is old enough. Whether it is used as medicine or food, its medicinal effect is enough."
Mr. Chen stared at the old man and fell into deep thought. The grandfather and grandson looked at each other in silence for a while.
After a moment, he stood up and bowed to the old man.
"Old man, I'm not being picky, I just need old ginseng that's over a hundred years old. Tomorrow, please take me into the mountain. If I'm not mistaken, the old ginseng should still be there. If I can find it, I'll pay a lot of money to buy it. If I can't find it, I won't regret it."
Seeing that Mr. Chen was so persistent, the old man could not refuse and had to nod in agreement.
The next day, before the fog had dispersed, the old herbal farmer and Chen packed up and went into the mountains. It was early autumn, but the grass and trees did not show any signs of withering, but were growing wildly. Xiao Li wanted to take care of his boss, so he ran ahead to clear the grass and open up a path for him. After several twists and turns, they entered a dark jungle, and suddenly a thick fog rose. Chen felt as if his eyes were covered with sand, so he stopped and rubbed his eyes, but when he opened his eyes again, he was the only one there.
There was still thick fog, and he called out loudly, but heard no response.
Mr. Chen didn't dare to move, so he stayed where he was and waited for the fog to dissipate.
After about three quarters of an hour, the thick fog gradually dissipated, and the surrounding scene slowly emerged. Chen Sheng was surprised to find that there was an entrance to a cave not far away. He guessed that the grandfather and grandson disappeared after entering the cave, so he understood what was going on and followed them in.
The light disappeared little by little, but the space in the cave became larger and larger. He was confused and was about to turn around to go back, but a strong aroma of wine wafted from the depths of the cave.
I seem to have smelled this wine somewhere before, but I can't remember where...
He forgot his confusion and fear. The aroma of the wine was so mellow and captivating. He groped forward in the darkness, skimming over the rough soil, and his fingertips touched a wine jar. The aroma of the wine became stronger and stronger. He was dizzy and somehow opened the stopper of the jar, picked up the jar and took a big sip.
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