Seeing this, the surrounding shops opened for business one after another, but none of them were as popular as this place.
The镖局 (escort agency) personnel returned after fifteen days, bringing with them fresh beef and mutton.
He Zifeng went over to pick up the goods and was somewhat surprised when he took inventory: "All of this meat is deboned?"
“Yes,” the escort agency member replied.
He Zifeng was surprised that the people on the grassland were quite honest; if you didn't count the weight of the bones, it was much cheaper than he had imagined.
After checking all the goods, I settled the remaining payment.
The first floor has been all the rage lately, and as a result, the prices of the stalls there have skyrocketed.
As soon as He Zifeng got his hands on the cookware, he arranged for everyone to get to work.
The next morning, a sign was prominently displayed in the shop: "The stew pot restaurant on the second floor is open. Everyone is welcome to come and eat there."
Even regular customers who come here often are pleasantly surprised by the aroma. The smell of stewed meat fills the air early in the morning, constantly wafting into their noses.
Upon going upstairs, I saw beautiful copper pots, crescent-shaped pots hanging on an iron chain; their design alone was quite attractive. There were large and small pots.
The small pot contains half a jin of meat, and the large pot contains one jin of meat. The prices are 300 and 500 coins respectively.
Inside were some potatoes and tender white cabbage hearts, topped with a layer of nearly cooked flatbread. It was draped over the top like a blanket. The steam from the pan cooked the flatbread, giving it a savory and meaty flavor.
Both the side dishes and the flatbread are included with the pot; if you add any other side dishes or flatbread, you will be charged extra.
There are two kinds of hot pot here, one for beef and one for lamb. They've already stewed the beef and lamb over high heat for two hours, and they're already tender and flavorful.
The food sold downstairs, whether it's high-end luxury or affordable gourmet food, can't compare to the satisfaction of eating meat in large chunks.
The aroma of meat was so enticing that the diners seemed to move on their own, and once they sat down, their mouths watered.
Moreover, the stew pot here is quite ingenious. When the food is cooked and brought to the table by the waiter, it's still steaming hot. A small candlestick, about the size of a palm, sits underneath, with a candle burning on top. This heating method keeps it steaming hot!
"I'd like a beef one."
"I'll have one too, a large one."
The meat here is already stewed; you just need to blanch it in the broth, then put some flatbread on top, and it's ready to be served.
The first diners to arrive can start eating.
I used to think beef was just too gamey and tough. But now, not only the meat, but even the tendons on top are trembling and translucent. One bite and it's soft, tender, and full of flavor. You can't taste any gamey taste at all.
Eating meat with gusto is the most satisfying thing. A small pot costing 300 coins is enough for one person. The bok choy at the bottom is very tender, even a little sweet, and the dried tofu is also delicious. Tearing off a piece of flatbread perfectly balances the saltiness, making for an incredibly satisfying meal.
Eating meat and getting a hug has been my wish during this period of heavy snow blocking the roads, and I can finally say that it has come true.
I've only had it once, but I'm already craving to try lamb again. They also sell rice wine here, it's like water. It doesn't give you a headache. You could get together with a few people and just enjoy a meal. Drinking heartily and eating large bowls of meat is more satisfying than anything else.
They also offer delivery after you finish eating. However, you need to order in advance and leave your address, and they will deliver all at once in the afternoon.
They had a great time eating this morning. But my family hasn't tried it yet. I'm thinking of buying some to take home so they can have a taste.
The aroma from the second floor drew customers from the first floor to the second floor; few could resist its fragrance. Before long, the second floor was almost full.
They sold thirty taels of silver on the first day.
Many people still don't know this, but luckily He Zifeng was prepared in advance and found helpers beforehand. Plus, Chef Zhang had experience with such situations and knew how to handle rushing things. Even if they hadn't sold out of meat, they could have sold more.
He Zifeng came over to check the accounts, carefully put away the silver, and heard that they were going to stew more meat tomorrow.
He Zifeng took the money and went to the escort agency again. Their stew pot was so popular that they definitely wouldn't have enough beef and mutton to sell. Besides, their trip had taken too long, so they needed to prepare in advance.
The owner of the escort agency said, "Sure, but there's not much meat left from the herdsmen. This is probably the last time we'll transport it." The meat there is all pure meat; once it's slaughtered, everyone else who saw it also took out their money to buy it.
The owner of the escort agency said, "There's something else. We took a detour back. There were already some refugees along the way." They were all victims of the disaster, displaced and desperate to make a living. Half of them sold their children, and if they had nothing to sell, they had no choice but to rob. But no one dared to rob these tall, strong men from the escort agency, especially since they were carrying swords.
He Zifeng replied, "I understand. You all need to be careful. No matter how much meat we have, bring it all back. If I don't have enough money, you can cover it for me for now. I'll definitely pay you back when we get back."
The county has not only poor people, but also rich people. With the stew pot, money flows in every day.
The owner of the security escort agency nodded.
He Zifeng then went to see the county magistrate, whose subordinates said he was practicing calligraphy.
He Zifeng has now gotten to know the county magistrate to some extent and knows that the magistrate is in a good mood since he can still calm down and write.
He sent someone to inform him that he was waiting outside.
The county magistrate was writing when he heard that He Zifeng had arrived. He immediately put down his pen and invited him in.
The county magistrate now earns a considerable income every day just from selling vegetables. Some people have even asked if he could open another one, and many businessmen are also interested in joining in.
The county magistrate was delighted to hear this; the merchants had probably also found out that the county was short of money, so they were just waiting for the price to be quoted.
Unexpectedly, there was also He Zifeng next to the county magistrate.
The county magistrate didn't feel good about being held hostage. This comeback was truly brilliant, proving these merchants wrong and preventing them from looking down on him.
He Zifeng entered the county magistrate's room from outside. Just as he was about to bow, the county magistrate stopped him and asked, "What's wrong?"
The county magistrate knew that He Zifeng was a man of action, unlike others who would fawn over him even when there was nothing to do.
He Zifeng isn't that kind of person; he must have come here for a reason.
He Zifeng then told the escort agency about the refugees outside.
At first, the county magistrate had a slight smile on his face, but after hearing He Zifeng's words, his expression turned serious. He said, "I knew that none of the other county magistrates around me listened to me." He was somewhat distressed.
Although I can understand my colleagues' thoughts, everyone has their own territory, and the county magistrate should just manage his own territory and has no right to tell others what to do.
But the thought that people are forced to leave their homes in such freezing weather suggests that they must have been driven to desperation to do so.
The county magistrate immediately sent two people out to check how many refugees there were and what the situation was like outside.
The magistrate then summoned Constable Zhu to discuss matters. Since Constable Zhu had not participated in the last matter concerning the clerk, he had given up drinking and was available whenever summoned.
He has to serve him obediently.
As soon as Constable Zhu arrived, he said, "Sir, you were looking for me."
The county magistrate nodded.
When Constable Zhu saw that He Zifeng was also there, he realized that with no clerk in the county, only the three of them were in charge. Each of them had their own affairs to handle, and now that all three of them had come together, it must be something big.
Officer Zhu was unaware of what had happened. He looked at He Zifeng with curiosity.
He Zifeng said, "The lord is worried about the refugees outside."
Officer Zhu, an old man in the county, understood immediately upon hearing this. If it weren't for the county's arrangements this year, some of their people would likely have become refugees. This snow disaster was truly rare and had taken everyone by surprise.
Officer Zhu said, "Our city gates have been reinforced; those people can't force their way in."
They had long heard that refugees were prone to causing trouble. Honest people wouldn't survive to the next county town on their escape route; these people were used to burning, killing, and looting. Letting them into the town would be destabilizing and bring a lot of trouble to the county's residents.
Constable Zhu said, "Sir, if this matter were entrusted to me, I could lead thirty constables and two hundred auxiliary soldiers to guard the city gate." He wouldn't have dared to say this before, but after this period of training, the constables had undergone a complete transformation. Dealing with some petty thieves would be no problem for them!
The county magistrate nodded and said, "We'll talk about it when he gets back." He didn't give him a definite answer.
The county magistrate was feeling rather annoyed. He wanted to think about things alone and told the two men to go outside for a walk.
After Zhu the constable left, he pulled He Zifeng into another rest room and said, "Brother He, tell me what exactly happened?"
Constable Zhu has now realized that the county magistrate favors He Zifeng more, but He Zifeng respects him greatly and doesn't display any arrogance. Besides, He Zifeng was someone he promoted, so it doesn't affect him much. Instead, he wants to learn some things through He Zifeng, so he doesn't have to guess on his own.
He Zifeng then told the story of the refugees.
"Our magistrate isn't being soft-hearted, is he?" Zhu, the head constable, said. "I've been a constable for so many years, and this is the first time I've seen a magistrate like this." But a magistrate like this is still much better than one who is hard-hearted.
He Zifeng said, "When winter came, the county magistrate even ordered our brothers to check how many people were in the entire county." At that time, their county had less than 50,000 people. Inflating population figures was common in every county, but no one expected the previous magistrate to be so audacious as to conceal half the population.
He Zifeng gave a slight reminder, and Zhu the constable realized what was going on. He asked in surprise, "The magistrate wants to recruit these people to make up the numbers?"
He Zifeng said, "Otherwise, he would know that our troops have not suffered any casualties due to the snow disaster. Defending the city will definitely not be a problem. If he is still so worried, it must be something else."
After a moment's thought, Officer Zhu said, "That makes sense." He then fell into deep thought, realizing he had acted rashly just now.
Author's Note: Making up for yesterday's update
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