Chapter 45 Chapter 45 A bowl of chicken soup, let's drink chicken soup, Jiuyang...
"Gentle, be gentle! Do you want to hurt me to death?"
Inside Xing'antang, the guy who applied the medicine was a bit too heavy-handed, and the shopkeeper Liu, who was sticking his butt out, immediately broke out in a cold sweat due to the pain.
"Dad, just bear with it, it will be fine soon." Liu Qichuang advised from the side.
After the waiter had administered the medicine and left, leaving only the father and son in the room, Liu Qichang could no longer wait to ask:
"What's going on today? Hasn't the county magistrate been taking care of you perfectly these past few years? Why would he be so ruthless today, publicly punishing you with fifty lashes?"
It would have been fine if he didn't mention it, but once he did, Shopkeeper Liu became furious.
Shopkeeper Liu said a little excitedly: "They are all wolves that can never be tamed!"
The anger affected the wound on his butt, causing him to scream in pain again.
Over the years, not only during the holidays, but also every month, I have to give filial piety to Cui Han. I didn't expect that I would raise such an ungrateful person who would turn his back on me.
"Dad, you're still injured. Calm down first." Liu Qichang consoled him while asking, "What's going on with that businessman surnamed Huang?"
The incident happened too suddenly. After carrying his father back and applying medicine, he still didn't have a chance to find out what happened.
"I wanted to pass off Phytolacca as wild ginseng and sell it to him at a high price. I didn't expect that the little girl next to me would see through my plan!"
Shopkeeper Liu couldn't help but feel a pang of pain when he thought about the ten wild ginseng plants he had painstakingly saved up and had to sell them off at such a low price. He had used this trick before, and it had always worked, but he had never expected it to backfire today.
Not only did Huang Furen get a great bargain, but he was also beaten with fifty sticks in public. There were quite a few people from Qingkang Town watching at the time, and he was completely embarrassed.
"Father, is the little girl you are talking about the one wearing a goose yellow dress?" Liu Qichuang confirmed with his father.
"Yes, it's her." Shopkeeper Liu gritted his teeth and said hatefully.
Receiving a positive response, Liu Qichang clenched his hands tightly in his sleeves. The humiliation he suffered at the noodle stall that day suddenly flooded back into his mind. His dislocated wrist seemed to ache slightly, reminding him that this vengeance must be avenged!
"Father, you know, she is Doctor Zhao's daughter."
"Which Doctor Zhao?" Shopkeeper Liu couldn't remember for a moment.
"That's Doctor Zhao who left our Xing'an Hall not long ago."
Liu Qichang had hoped to manipulate Doctor Zhao that day, so that he would ask Zhao Qingyue to apologize. Unexpectedly, Doctor Zhao was also a stubborn person, and would rather leave Xing'antang than listen to him.
After Liu Qichuang's reminder, Manager Liu finally remembered.
"I remember now. I scolded you for this after he left."
Doctor Zhao was a skilled doctor, and with him in charge at Xing'antang, Manager Liu felt more at ease. So even though he knew that the doctor often secretly prepared medicine from home and brought it to patients, in order to preserve the reputation, Manager Liu turned a blind eye and let him do it.
Knowing that this living signboard was driven away by his son's words, he got very angry with Liu Qichuang.
He didn't expect that the girl turned out to be his daughter.
"He really raised a good daughter!" Shopkeeper Liu snorted coldly, "Since he is unjust, don't blame me for being unkind!"
He called Liu Qichang to his side and gave him a few instructions.
Liu Qichang was delighted after hearing this. This method was too great! If it worked, the Zhao family's good days would be over.
"Daddy, just leave it to me!" He could also use this opportunity to avenge his grievances at the noodle stall. He immediately patted his chest and promised, "I will definitely do a good job on this."
After talking about the Zhao family, Liu Qichuang thought of the county magistrate's attitude today.
He hesitated and said, "Since the county magistrate is so disrespectful to my family, then Cui Xin and I shouldn't get too close."
He was drinking with Cui Xin today and was having a great time when suddenly a servant came in hurriedly and whispered something in Cui Xin's ear.
When he looked up again, he found Cui Xin's expression was different.
Cui Xin hurriedly said a few perfunctory words to him and left the restaurant in a hurry, as if he was deliberately avoiding him.
The person who was treating him as a brother the moment before, avoided him like the plague the next second. Liu Qichuang didn't understand what he meant, but he was the son of the county magistrate after all, so he didn't dare to stop him and just watched him leave.
He was left alone to drink, and he got drunk without realizing it.
After a long time, the servants found him in the restaurant and took him to the county government office. Looking back now, Cui Xin must have known the news early on, which is why he acted like this.
"I actually considered him a brother! He asked me to help deal with that pharmacy, and I did. I didn't expect that he would be so eager to cut ties with me over such a small incident!"
Liu Qichuang felt that he had been fooled. He punched the table, then covered his hand, grimaced, and jumped in pain.
"What's going on with the pharmacy?" This time it was Shopkeeper Liu's turn to ask.
"Cui Xin got sick at the pharmacy a while ago." Liu Qichang said with a hint of gloating, "He couldn't beat anyone, so he came to me for help."
"He wants the recipe for Qibao Meiran Pills from the pharmacy. Since we can't get it openly, we'll do it secretly. I selected an apprentice from Xing'antang who is well-qualified and intelligent, sent him to the pharmacy, and told him to steal the recipe as soon as he gets a chance." He was proud of his plan.
When he heard that he could steal the recipe for Qibao Meiran Pills, greed flashed in Shopkeeper Liu's eyes.
But after what happened today, he was a little uncertain and said, "Since the county magistrate is so disrespectful to my family, then shouldn't Cui Xin and I get too close?"
"No." Shopkeeper Liu shook his head and said, "You continue to get along with him. He will be useful in the future. If the matter is exposed, you can put the blame on him and say it was his instructions."
The old ones are always the wisest. Liu Qichang was annoyed that he hadn't thought of this before. He nodded and said, "I'll obey Daddy in everything."
Both sides have their own thoughts.
Zhao Mingsheng cleaned the kitchen and found that there were still a lot of ingredients in it.
She noticed a clean old hen that was perfect for making soup. Jing Liu was injured and Yan Zhuo didn't look well either. He looked pale every time she saw him.
This angelica and astragalus chicken soup is the most nourishing.
Having made up his mind, Zhao Mingsheng rolled up his sleeves and got to work.
But she forgot that this wasn't the Zhao family's home, and there weren't any readily available herbs. The most important ingredients in this Angelica and Astragalus Chicken Soup were Angelica, Astragalus, and Wolfberry.
It’s probably too late to go to the pharmacy to buy it now.
Zhao Mingsheng suddenly had an idea and took out the porcelain bottle containing Nine Yang Qi Replenishing Pills from his sleeve and poured out one at random.
After stuffing the cleaned chicken into the casserole, she added the herbs by splitting the smooth pill in half and throwing them into the pot. They both had the same effect of replenishing blood and qi.
While the soup was simmering, Zhao Mingsheng cooked two more dishes: a spicy and sour baby cabbage and sweet and sour pork ribs. She didn't know Yan Zhuo's preferences, so she chose these two dishes, one meat, one vegetable, one spicy, one sweet.
As for Jingliu's porridge, it's even easier. Add some chicken broth to the porridge. Once the broth is cooked, take a piece of tender chicken and shred it into thin strips. Spread the porridge thinly, then sprinkle with some chopped green onions. Then, you have a fragrant shredded chicken porridge.
The aroma of the soup spreads for miles before it even comes out of the pot.
It was the first time for Yan Zhuo to wait at the table before the meal was even served. Because the aroma was so good, he could smell it from his study, and since he didn't want to work anymore, he just came out to wait.
One after another, delicious dishes were placed on the table. Jing Liu slowly moved to the front of the table without knowing when.
Normally, the two of them were quite casual when they were together, and since Jingliu was injured, they had been eating at the same table during this period.
Zhao Mingsheng put down the last pot of chicken soup and was about to leave when Yan Zhuo stopped him.
"You've worked so hard today. You haven't eaten yet, have you? Why don't you join us?"
Zhao Mingsheng was about to shake her head, but the hunger in her stomach betrayed her.
"Gu...ji..."
It was indeed a busy day today, and she didn't even have time to eat lunch.
Yan Zhuo had sharp hearing, so naturally, this sound wouldn't escape his ears. He couldn't help but curl up the corners of his mouth. But he was afraid that the girl would be embarrassed, so he straightened his lips again in the next second, pretending that nothing had happened.
Zhao Mingsheng wondered if she had seen it wrong. Did she just see Yan Zhuo smile?
But she was indeed hungry, so she didn't care too much.
She nodded and said, "Okay."
The milky white chicken soup is dotted with scattered golden oil beads, a thin layer that does not look greasy. Instead, a bowl of it will whet your appetite.
When Jing Liu was about to have some chicken soup, Yan Zhuo coughed lightly.
Jing Liu was so frightened that he immediately withdrew his hand and pitifully picked up the white porridge in front of him.
Although this bowl of white rice porridge is much more normal than the "black rice porridge" the night before, it is so mediocre compared to so many delicious foods.
"This chicken soup is a bit too oily for you." Zhao Mingsheng consoled him, "You should try porridge instead; it tastes good too."
Jing Liu responded weakly, looking at the delicious chicken soup while scooping a spoonful of rice porridge into his mouth, intending to satisfy his taste buds with a feast for his eyes.
After taking a sip of the porridge, his eyes lit up.
"tasty!"
He didn't expect that ordinary white porridge could be so delicious. He put spoonful after spoonful into his mouth and finished a bowl in no time.
"Anything else?" Jing Liu asked expectantly and cautiously.
"Yes, I'll get it for you."
Zhao Mingsheng had expected that even Cui Ergou in their family had an astonishing appetite, and a tall and strong man like Jing Liu would definitely not be full after eating only one bowl, so she specially cooked a big pot.
She took Jingliu's bowl and just left the chair when she heard a voice from behind.
"If it's more, please give me a bowl too."
It was Yan Zhuo's voice, with a hint of embarrassment.
Zhao Mingsheng turned around in surprise and saw a suspicious blush flash across his face.
Yan Zhuo cleared his cough somewhat embarrassedly.
"If it's not much, forget it. Leave it for Jingliu."
He didn't mean to snatch the food from his subordinates, it was just that Jingliu was eating so happily!
Zhao Mingsheng's eyes curved with laughter. Yan Zhuo looked unexpectedly... cute.
"Don't worry, there are plenty," she said.
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