Looking at his master, the apprentice fell into deep thought.
In fact, the Zeng family was a well-known culinary family. Moreover, the imperial examinations in Qi State had never set a threshold, so naturally there were members of the Zeng family who passed the imperial examinations and became officials, which was considered an official status.
Zeng Yin was well-educated since childhood, with good food, clothing, and etiquette.
When have you ever seen such a bold way of eating?
Grabbing it directly with your hands, this, this is outrageous...
But Zeng Yin ignored all that talk and simply greeted his disciples and followers, "Go pick your own. I'll treat you."
They had already been tempted by the aroma from the stall, and when they heard this, they immediately cheered and ran to make their choice.
The eldest disciple also followed.
The young disciple was curious: "Hey, I thought you didn't eat it, uncle."
The eldest disciple snorted softly, "I'm just trying it critically to see how it tastes."
The disciple didn't quite understand, but still said "Oh" obediently.
The moment the food entered his mouth, the eldest disciple stopped talking and stopped being picky. He just picked it up and put it in his mouth.
Others are similar. When they first encounter this taste, they will be shocked, but soon they can't stop.
The eldest disciple's attitude took a 180-degree turn. Not only did he not question or stop his master, but he was very active in helping his master, taking skewers and passing ingredients.
Zeng Yin was a little surprised. After all, this man was notoriously stubborn. Even if he thought the food tasted good, he wouldn't change his mind so quickly.
The eldest disciple replied without him having to ask, "Master has always had a cold constitution. This seasoning has a spicy taste and has a subtle effect of dispelling the cold. Master should find it very useful."
Zeng Yin looked at him with a smile. "This is called chili pepper, a crop that originated in the Zhou Kingdom. It seems that Fenghe County is also starting to grow it."
The eldest disciple was slightly stunned: "How did Master know?"
Then Zeng Yin pointed and said, "It's written over there."
So, the eldest apprentice looked over and saw a board hanging next to the skewers stall, and on the board were clearly written the relevant scientific knowledge about chili peppers and peppercorns, with every detail clearly explained.
This shocked the eldest disciple greatly.
Because in his opinion, if he got such a rare seasoning, even if he knew it couldn't be kept secret, he would at least make more money.
But this stall owner did the opposite and displayed his products so openly.
From the place of origin to the purpose, even the method of making this rare red oil is written clearly, as if they are afraid that others don’t know.
They didn't know that there was a school in Fenghe County that specialized in teaching cooking, and they just thought it was rare.
If you have learned such a good cooking method, shouldn’t you keep it secret and treat it as a family heirloom?
What's the point of just hanging it up like this?
The eldest disciple was a little confused, and at this time they had already finished their meal.
At this time, there were more people on the street, and there was a constant stream of diners near the skewer stall.
Zeng Yin did not disturb Wang Da from doing business, thinking that it would be the same if he asked later.
The purpose of their trip was Shi's Restaurant.
At this time, the restaurant was also crowded with diners.
Shi Mo happened to be in the store today.
Actually, Shi Mo, as the third son of the Shi family, has never been involved in the family business and has always focused on studying.
But now he comes to help look after the store whenever he has time.
Everyone in the Shi family caravan said that Sanlangjun was trying to help his eldest brother, and some people even wondered behind his back whether the brothers were finally going to have a big fight for the family property?
But only Shi Yun understood his younger brother best: "You always come over at mealtime, you really pick the right time."
Shi Mo smiled, then took a deep breath and shrank his protruding belly back.
While the two brothers were talking, Zeng Yin and others arrived.
The group was very conspicuous.
The reason is simple: only a few people bring kitchen utensils into the restaurant.
The clever waiter immediately went back to report to Shi Mo, and Shi Jia Sanlang soon came out to greet him.
As a result, Zeng Yin was invited to the back hall before he could even order any food.
Fortunately, he had just had a meal of skewers, so he didn’t feel hungry anymore, so he smiled and revealed his identity.
Then I received exclamations and cheers from the entire kitchen.
Shi Mo was also extremely surprised. After all, the Zeng family was quite famous, so he straightened his expression and asked seriously, "I wonder what brings Mr. Zeng here?"
Zeng Yin had come with the intention of challenging someone, but perhaps because he had just enjoyed a delicious meal, or perhaps because the aroma of food in the lobby was too tempting, he changed his words: "Let's exchange some ideas and learn from each other. This will also help improve our skills."
This is a polite way of saying it, but the word "exchange of ideas" is still there.
In the martial arts world, it is called challenging someone else.
In a restaurant, it is a competition of skills.
Everyone in the kitchen looked at each other, and then turned their eyes to Shi Mo.
Someone whispered, "San Langjun, Da Langjun is busy today and hasn't returned yet. Should we wait for him to come back and make a decision?"
Unexpectedly, Shi Mo said directly: "It's okay, no need to wait for my brother." After that, he looked at Zeng Yin and said, "Your request has been accepted by our Shi Family Restaurant."
When these words were spoken, all the cooks gasped.
The person who just spoke was quite worried: "Sanlangjun, is this... inappropriate?"
Shi Mo just smiled and said softly, "There's nothing wrong with it. Have you forgotten? When our restaurant was first established, it wasn't for making money, but for becoming famous. What could be more famous than competing with everyone?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the man immediately stopped talking and stood aside obediently.
On Zeng Yin's side, they directly sent out Zeng Yin's eldest disciple.
In the past, the person he "competed" with was a fat chef in the kitchen.
He has a chubby and honest appearance, and speaks very eloquently, especially to the Zeng family. He praises them to the highest standards, with "fan" written on his left eye and "fanboy" written on his right eye.
Zeng Yin was used to this kind of reaction.
The eldest disciple was also very confident.
He began, "When it comes to cooking, using fire is the most important thing. Let's first discuss how to make fire."
The reason I mentioned this is because the eldest disciple is quite proficient in making fire.
This may sound like a commonplace, even unremarkable, but a good fire is essential for cooking a good meal. Knowing how to make it burn vigorously, what kind of firewood to choose, and how to control the size of the fire all require years of experience...
Before he could finish his thought, he saw the fat cook nodding repeatedly: "Okay, I wonder what kind of bellows you want to use?"
"...What bellows?"
The fat cook pointed it out to him.
Then the eldest disciple saw that the stove these people were using was different from the ones he usually saw. Next to the fire, there was a wooden box with a stick on it, and someone was pulling it.
When you pull it, there is a whirring sound and the fire immediately becomes brighter.
Although this thing is far inferior to what Lin Meng uses in school, it is high-tech for the indigenous people!
The eldest disciple's unique skills became ineffective in an instant.
He was silent for a moment, then said, "In that case, let's compete in knife skills."
This was also his point of pride. Since his eldest disciple had started out as a culinary artist, he was extremely proficient in cutting techniques and could accurately find the texture of the meat. The slices of meat he cut were always uniform in size.
The fat chef didn't seem surprised at all and directly took out two radishes.
The eldest disciple was surprised: "What are you going to do?"
The fat cook laughed and said, "I'm sorry to make you laugh, sir. I've only been learning for a short time, so my knife skills are really average. I haven't learned a lot yet. I can only carve simple radish flowers. I'm sorry to show off my poor performance."
Then, everyone witnessed the process of the radish blooming.
Eldest Disciple: ...
What's wrong with you people here?
Do you have a misunderstanding about the word "xianchou"?
The fat chef seemed to really admire the Zeng family, with a filter three meters thick. Even if the eldest apprentice did not respond, he still took him around with great enthusiasm and introduced him to everything in the kitchen.
Zeng Yin's mood also fluctuated.
It’s not because they are inferior to others in everything they are good at. On the contrary, it is precisely because of this inferiority that makes him happy.
Zeng Yin immediately turned around, looking at Shi Mo with shining eyes, and asked, "Are you still hiring a cook?"
Shi Mo was stunned: "What do you mean?"
"If so, what do you think of me?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the whole room fell silent.
The Zeng family members who followed were all stunned. They really didn't expect such a turn of events.
Fortunately, the eldest disciple was now being taken outside by the fat chef to see their newly made bacon. Otherwise, he would have rushed over at the speed of a 100-meter sprint, hugged his master's thigh and told him not to be impulsive.
Shi Mo was also startled and quickly said, "Mr. Zeng, there's no need to be like this. Our restaurant really can't afford a famous chef like you."
Zeng Yin said seriously, "Don't worry. Although I am a member of the Zeng family, I don't have to work in our family. Sanlang, don't worry."
Unexpectedly, Shi Mo still shook his head and said sincerely: "We really can't afford it."
"Why?"
"I can't afford the monthly salary."
...What a simple reason.
Although Shi Mo couldn't afford to hire him, he was still willing to make a good relationship with him, so he asked, "Why do you suddenly want to come to our store?"
Zeng Yin did not hide it from him: "Because I see that many things in this kitchen are very fresh, I think if I can work on them, I will definitely gain something."
He said this vaguely and felt a little embarrassed.
After all, I want to learn other people's skills, so this is too straightforward.
But he didn't expect Shi Mo to be more direct than him: "You just want to learn the recipe, right?"
Zeng Yin was startled and quickly explained, "I'm not someone who would push things too far. Just being able to learn some new cooking techniques is a great blessing."
Shi Mo said, "It's okay if you want to learn. There are so many people in Fenghe County who want to learn this. You can just go and sign up."
"...Register for what?"
"If you go north from here, you will find a school. They teach these things there. Bring your tuition with you and they will naturally accept you."
Zeng Yin hadn't expected this to be a class, and couldn't help but ask in surprise, "What are you teaching?"
Shi Mo smiled, hiding the gleam in his eyes, and simply explained the new courses offered by the school. Fearing that they might not understand, he explained each item very clearly. Finally, he said, "As long as you want to learn, we will teach you everything. You can learn any of the dishes you see in our restaurant."
As soon as these words were spoken, Zeng Yin's face was immediately filled with shock.
After confirming it again and again, he could no longer stay and just said goodbye to Shi Mo, then strode out the door.
At this time, the eldest disciple had returned with a piece of bacon in his hand.
The fat chef insisted that he accept it, and Zeng Yin couldn't resist the other party's enthusiasm and had to take it.
Of course, he was also curious about the taste.
But as soon as he came back, he saw the back of his master.
He hurriedly tried to catch up, and asked his fellow apprentice who had also followed him, "Master, what are you going to do? Why are you in such a hurry?"
However, a lot of things had just happened, and Shi Mo's words contained too much information, so his junior brother couldn't explain it clearly.
In the end, I could only conclude with one sentence: "Our master is going to class."
Eldest Disciple: ...???
After everyone left, Shi Mo quietly called a waiter from the Shi Family Restaurant and gently instructed him, "Tell Master Mo about this, and then go find the Zhuang County Magistrate. There's no need to say anything else, just explain Zeng Yin's studies clearly."
The waiter took the order and left.
After hearing this, the fat cook asked curiously, "Why did you tell them this, Mr. Sanlang?"
Shi Mo smiled softly, his voice calm, "Because, our Fenghe County will soon be famous. The Zeng family is coming to study. Who knows how surprising it will be. I'm afraid the place where we teach cooking will have to change again. We need to find a bigger courtyard. Naturally, we have to ask the county governor."
At present, the news of Zeng Yin's admission has not spread yet, and the Chinese New Year is approaching, so there is no rush to find a new school site.
Only Lin Meng was particularly happy.
Because she could see that the progress bar of her task had soared by leaps and bounds!
Depends, depends, Langyun’s life!
And in the midst of the bustling activity, New Year's Eve is soon approaching.
Perhaps because they were afraid of missing the opportunity, most merchants did not leave Fenghe County. They were still working hard to get shops here and simply chose to celebrate the New Year in Fenghe County.
Some shops on the street were closed, but quite a few were still open, especially those who originally lived in the county town. They had obviously decided to work overtime.
But the school did not continue with classes and instead gave the students a holiday.
Not only was the ancient version of the literacy and technical school opened by Master Mo on holiday, but all the private schools in Fenghe County were closed.
Teaching will not resume until after the first month of the lunar year.
Then the children returned home, the family reunited and enjoyed the happiness of family life.
The Wang family is no exception.
Wang Da’s skewers stall business is still booming, but he did not choose to set up a stall during the holidays. Instead, he brought all the necessary utensils and went back to cook a meal specifically for his family.
Although the dishes are not as exquisite as those in regular restaurants, they are brightly colored.
Taking a prosperous name is also a good omen.
Wang An, who worked in a charcoal pencil factory, also returned home and helped his parents, uncles and aunts clean the house, put up couplets and prepare for the New Year.
His two younger brothers and Wang Er's daughter Nizi followed them around. While the adults were busy, the children played and talked and laughed, making the place lively.
At this moment, someone came and knocked on the door.
Wang Da was a little surprised: "Why are you coming to visit at this time?"
Wang An also looked puzzled, but he didn't say much. He just put down the work in his hands and walked over to open the door.
Then he saw that the person coming was an official from the yamen in official uniform.
Wang An immediately asked, "I wonder what brings you here, sir?"
If someone else called him "Sir", the official would probably respond, but he knew that although the person in front of him was still a commoner, he was the manager of the factory and was very important. The county magistrate had praised him countless times.
The official immediately returned the greeting, smiling and saying, "I don't deserve it. I'm here to tell you something good."
Wang An was curious: "Please speak frankly."
The official handed a letter to Wang An and said, "The prefect is planning to provide all private schools in the county with more charcoal pencils and paper after the New Year, so students won't have to buy them themselves. I've been ordered to ask you to discuss this matter."
Wang An was surprised when he heard this: "Are they going to give it away for free?"
The officer nodded: "Yes."
This sounds really fresh.
Wang An wanted to ask more, but he also realized that the messenger was just delivering a message and probably didn't know the inside story, so he didn't say anything else. He just turned around and shouted in his hometown accent: "Dad, Second Uncle, I'm going out for a while!"
It was Wang Er who replied: "Cut some meat when you come back."
"good."
When Wang An looked at the official again, he regained his usual composure and spoke in the official language of Qi, his words clear and articulate: "Let's go now."
The official was stunned for a moment, but quickly recovered and said with a smile, "Don't worry, sir. I have another matter to attend to."
As he spoke, he took out a red cloth bag.
Looking at the package, Wang An was surprised: "What is this?"
Then the messenger said, "Master Mo asked me to bring this along. He said that you and your younger brothers and sisters are very diligent in their studies, so he asked me to bring some gifts to the children to celebrate the New Year."
After hearing this, Wang An wanted to turn around and call for help.
As a result, the three children had been squatting nearby and watching early on, and now there was no need to call them, they just ran over.
Everyone looked excited.
The State of Qi also had the tradition of giving New Year's money during the Spring Festival. Although it was rare to give New Year's money when children were young, they always had inertial thinking.
Since most of the students in Mr. Mo's school are adults and there are fewer children, they take classes with a group of people who are old enough to be their parents.
With their brother Wang An, they lived a particularly comfortable life in school.
What's more, the cloth bag itself is bright red, which inevitably reminds people of a gift.
So, the three children lined up and waited obediently.
Wang An was not the kind of brother who would withhold good things from his younger siblings. He just smiled and said, "Thank you for your help, sir." Then he took the cloth bag.
I weighed it and it felt a bit heavy.
Without suspecting anything, he opened it in front of the children and asked as he opened it, "I wonder if this is the one my family has, or if others have it?"
The official smiled and said, "All the children of the appropriate age have received one. Master Mo has had other private schools distribute them as well, saying that paper is cheap now and charcoal pencils are easy to buy. Providing more of these will help the children study well."
Wang An was stunned, feeling that this gift was a little different from what he had expected.
By this time, the bundle had already been opened.
The three children looked over, their faces full of smiles.
Then I saw clearly that it was a stack of papers, bound into three parts, with names written on each.
Besides the name, there are four big characters——
Winter vacation homework.
Three dolls: ...the smile suddenly disappeared.
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