To The Land of Nevernight

It was impossible for Tang Shen to hide Xu Hui's matter from his husband. When Liang Song asked, he hesitated for a while and said it out.

Tang Shen said: "Yuzhi said, he didn't want to bother me at first, but you were in Jinling at the time, sir, and this matter is very important, so he can only come to me to try his luck."

Liang Song: "I really don't want him to come to you."

Tang Shen was taken aback, and looked up at Liang Song.

Liang Song: "Shen'er, since he has already told you who the Taoist Hua is, and why he asked you for information from Taoist Hua, you should know what is behind it."

Tang Shen replied in his heart, isn't it the palace coup more than 20 years ago?But he didn't speak, and lowered his head without saying a word.But he didn't say it, Liang Song also knew that he knew it in his heart.

Liang Song heaved a long sigh.

He is a young student, but he is tactful and has some ideas in dealing with people.When Xu Hui told Tang Shen about the matter, Tang Shen would definitely find out the truth of the matter quietly and find out what he, a gentleman, has been busy with these past few months.Even if Tang Shen didn't say anything, he knew that Tang Shen knew about it.

Liang Chanyu said earnestly: "I know as a teacher, you don't really want to be an official."

Tang Shen: "Nor..." The officialdom is dangerous, and the officialdom is full of ups and downs. No one can guarantee that they will be able to cross the boat safely.Tang Shen's goal is to be admitted to Juren, and from then on he will become a rich and noble squire, and live a stable and good life with his sister in this beautiful Jiangnan water town, eating and drinking well every day.

"Okay, as a teacher, how can I not know the thoughts in your heart."

"...Mr. understands me."

"It's not wrong for you to think so. You once said that everyone is responsible for the rise and fall of the world. It is a good thing to have such lofty ambitions, but my teacher has never asked you to discipline yourself by this. Today's Song Dynasty seems to be peaceful. The Liao people have always been eyeing it. If you can spend your life in peace and happiness, this is also the wish of the teacher."

The two walked to the alley, Liang Song stopped, and said in a serious voice: "What Yuzhi asked you to do, from today onwards, has nothing to do with you, so don't interfere."

Tang Shen was stunned.

Liang Song said with a smile: "Xiao Sanyuan Tang, go back, there are so many files in the Gusu Mansion, I have to go back and review them as a teacher!"

The steward of Liang's mansion had been waiting for a long time at the alley. Before Liang Song boarded the carriage, Tang Shen stepped forward quickly, stood under the carriage, and called out, "Sir!" Liang Song opened the curtain of the carriage, and saw this handsome Standing under the willows, Xiao Erlang said seriously, "Sir, I wish I could live a happy life. I also want to say this to my husband. I also wish my husband a happy life and a happy life!"

Liang Song stared at Tang Shen in amazement, and said for a long time, "Okay!"

Tang Shen watched Liang Song leave at the alley.

"Oh, I don't know if my husband listened or not."

Tang Shen was very worried.As a modern person, although he is familiar with the Four Books and Five Classics, and he has memorized the phrase of Confucius, "The ruler is the minister, the father is the father, the son is the son", but he just memorizes it and cannot do it.In the world of the previous life, at the end of the Southern Song Dynasty, the prime minister Lu Xiufu jumped into the sea with his young master in his arms to die for his country. Hundreds of thousands of subjects died generously. He had heard the story of no China after Yashan.

Even in the palace coup 25 years ago, the prince and Zhong Daru were framed by someone, and they didn't really want to force the palace.But today's Great Song Dynasty is Guotai Minan.Today's emperor is not a good emperor, but he is not a fool either.He was obsessed with cultivating immortals, but he didn't fully employ traitors. There is hope for this country.

"What exactly is the master trying to do!" Tang Shen looked up to the sky and sighed.

Back home, Tang Shen was depressed, but when he entered the house, he found another guest in the yard.

Tang Shen didn't expect to see Tang Juren here, and this time not only Tang Juren, Mrs. Tang, the housekeeper of the Tang House, but also Tang Yun came here.

With such a big battle, I don't know what to do.

Tang Shen stepped forward and said, "Uncle, aunt, cousin."

Tang Juren was a little embarrassed.

When Tang Shen first came to Gusu Mansion last year, Tang Juren was angry with Tang Xiucai, so he intentionally gave Tang Shen and Tang Juan a bad look.Although Tang Juren specially held a three-day and three-night flowing water feast for Tang Shen after Tang Shen's family passed the examination, but now he still feels quite embarrassed when he sees Tang Shen.

Tang Juren was in a dilemma, Mrs. Tang said first: "Shen'er, we are here to congratulate you for winning the first prize in the college entrance examination, and won the small three yuan in the children's examination!"

That's it?

It's just to congratulate him on winning the small three yuan. There shouldn't be such a big battle, there must be other things.Tang Shenxin had doubts but didn't say anything, he smiled and said, "Thank you, auntie."

Tang Juren found an opportunity to say, "Shen'er, I didn't expect you to be so talented. You are the first child of our Tang family to test Xiao Sanyuan."

"Uncle was joking, it's just the children's exam, I haven't taken the township exam yet."

Tang Juren didn't know what to say.

Seeing this, Mrs. Tang sighed and said, "Shen'er, it's not a good idea to talk like that. Let me tell you the truth. Today I came with your uncle and cousin to bring you back to the Tang Family Ancestral Hall to worship your ancestors. I I know that your father once said that we will not return to the Tang family in this life. But we are a family after all. You have won a small three yuan, such a big happy event, the Tang family got the news this morning, and want to congratulate you. "

Tang Shen: "So it's about this."

Ancient literati participated in the scientific examination, if they were poor students, there were not many rules.If a student from a scholarly family has achieved fame, he will have to worship the ancestors in the ancestral hall and tell the ancestors about the achievements and deeds of the descendants.For a big family like the Tang family, being admitted as a scholar does not mean opening a temple to worship their ancestors. Tang Shen's scholar father did not worship their ancestors, nor did Tang Juren when he was admitted as a scholar.But after Tang Juren was admitted to Juren, he opened a hall to worship his ancestors.

Although Tang Shen is only a scholar now, he is still a child of the Sanyuan, and he is worthy of opening a temple to worship his ancestors.

Tang Ju said: "Nephew, I did something wrong earlier. Alas, as your aunt said, as an elder, I shouldn't blame you for what happened to the previous generation. You got a child Try Xiao Sanyuan, it stands to reason that the Tang family wants to open an ancestral hall for you, are you willing?"

Tang Shen thought for a moment, then asked: "Uncle, I can't let it go. When the old lady passed away, my father didn't go back to Gusu Mansion for the funeral?"

Tang Juren: "Since you know it, why bother to say it again, this is already a thing of the past."

Tang Juren's father had two sons, one Tang Juren and one Tang Xiucai.Tang Juren believed that his mother treated Tang Xiucai well, no matter what estrangement there was between Tang Xiucai and Tang Xiucai, Tang Xiucai should not ignore his mother when she left!He couldn't let go of this matter, and now he felt guilty towards Tang Shen, and he just realized that he shouldn't blame Tang Xiucai's mistakes on the brothers and sisters of the Tang family.

Tang Shendao: "I will go to worship the ancestors of course. There is just one thing, I want to ask my uncle and aunt to help me."

Tang Juren asked, "What's the matter?"

Tang Shen: "Let me and my sister offer a stick of incense to the old lady on behalf of my father..."

Tang Juren was speechless.

The next day, Tang Shen and Tang Juan went to the ancestral grave of the Tang family and put incense on Mrs. Tang.Tang Shen heaved a sigh of relief, he believed that he would never owe the Tang family anything again.

Tang Ju said: "Nephew, I was wrong about what happened earlier!"

Tang Shen: "Uncle, you talk too much."

Tang Shen was admitted to the junior three yuan examination, and all members of the Tang family in the five counties of Gusu Prefecture came.Tang Juren was in charge of opening the ancestral hall, and he told the world and ancestors about Tang Shen's deeds in front of the ancestor's tablet.The clansmen congratulated Tang Shen one after another, and Tang Juren held a three-day, three-night, one-hundred-table banquet for Tang Shen in Gusu Mansion.

When this series of events was over, Tang Shen finally returned home. He went to the bed and said, "If I take the Jieyuan test again in the township examination, it's still worth it. Wouldn't it be exhausting to die in worshiping the ancestors!"

When Don Juan came into the room, he happened to hear this, and the little girl said happily, "Brother wants to study Yuan?"

Tang Shen: "I didn't say that, don't slander me."

"If it's someone else, I don't believe it. If it's my brother, he will definitely pass the exam!"

Tang Shen couldn't laugh or cry: You are really a newborn calf who is not afraid of tigers, and those who don't know are fearless!Examing a Jieyuan is easy to say, but it is no easier than taking a provincial champion in the previous life.Moreover, the township examination area where Tang Shen is now, in future generations, will be the hellish Jiangsu college entrance examination!Taking the Jieyuan test is equivalent to getting the number one scholar in Jiangsu Province, or the provincial number one scholar who only has one in three years!

Tang Shen: "Alright, why are you looking for me?"

Tang Juan remembered: "The past few days we have been eating the floating banquet at the uncle's house, and we have never come back. We finally went home today, and Aunt Yao asked me to ask you what we are going to have for dinner. In the past few days, it was Tang Ju who did it for us. You celebrate. Today, brother, our own family celebrates you."

Tang Shen's heart warmed up: "Okay, you ask Yao Sanjiang to call the accountant Lin's family, and then go to Liang's mansion to see if Mr. Liang is free."

"Okay. So what shall we eat?"

Tang Shen thought about it, and suddenly said, "Just eat hot pot!"

But after a while, Yao San told the accountant Lin's family to call over.Mr. Liang didn't come, and Gusu Mansion was busy with affairs, and he hadn't finished dealing with it.However, he asked Yao San to bring a copybook, presented it to Tang Shen, and told him: "I left in a hurry that day, and I have been busy writing copybooks these days. I never wish you to take the Tongshi Xiaosanyuan. As a teacher I present you this copybook, I hope you practice your calligraphy well and win the first place in the provincial examination."

Tang Shen: "..."

Tang Juan asked strangely: "Brother, didn't you say that your handwriting is excellent, and Master Liang praised you?"

Tang Shen hid the copybook behind his back, and said cheekily: "Master asked me to practice calligraphy, it doesn't mean that I can't write well, you girl know that there is no end to learning! Learn to be old, live to be old, sir wants me to practice calligraphy , is to make me icing on the cake!"

Don Juan: "I really believe it."

Tang Shen: "..."

I'm afraid this sister was not picked up from the street!

Before Tang Shen could speak, Tang Juan ran to the kitchen: "Aunt Yao, Mr. Liang said that brother's handwriting is not good-looking, so he gave him a copybook for him to practice calligraphy!"

Tang Shen: "..." The family ugliness is not publicized, do you understand! ! !

At night, Tang Shen's brother and sister, Yao's mother and son, and Lin Accountant's family all sat in the courtyard.A big mulberry tree was planted in this yard, Aunt Yao put a table under the big tree, eating under the tree in summer night, under the bright moonlight, it was very lively.

Aunt Yao: "Little Master, according to what you said, I brought an air stove and an iron pot, and washed some vegetables and fruits. It's just that you said you want to slice the pork and mutton into thin slices. I don't know what to do." How to do it, just cut them as thin as possible, do you think this will work?"

Tang Shen took a look, the pork and mutton were sliced ​​very thin, although they were not almost transparent like later generations, they were still edible.

In ancient times, eating beef was forbidden, and anyone who stole beef would be imprisoned and punished unless authorized by the government, because cattle were an ancient production tool.Cows need to plow the fields, and every cow is a huge wealth.Ordinary people would not slaughter their own cattle, this is their own way of life.The government also does not allow private slaughter of cattle.

It was a pity in Tang Shen's heart, it was difficult for him to eat beef rolls, but mutton rolls were also good, as for pork, he had no choice but to choose.

"Ms. Yao, I told you to cook the bone broth, but is it ready?"

"It's done, it's been boiled all afternoon, it's delicious!"

Tang Shen: "Okay, then put this pot of bone soup on the stove, and we can have hot pot."

Yao San asked: "Hot pot? Is this the Boxia offering that Xiaodong is talking about?"

Tang Shen was taken aback for a moment: "Pu Xia offering?"

"Yes. Hey, don't you want to eat the Boxia offering, my little boss?"

Tang Shen was at a loss.

After Yao San's explanation, Tang Shen knew that hot pot had already existed in ancient times!It's just not called hot pot, but dial Xiagong.

Yao San: "When I heard you said you wanted a stove, I wondered if my little boss would like to eat the Boxia offering. Seeing that you asked my mother to wash the vegetables again, I guess you must have the Boxia offering. This hot pot is What, I've never heard of it."

Accountant Lin stroked his beard: "I know what the little boss is talking about. You look at the boiler fire, and then at the iron pot. Where there is fire, there is a pot, isn't it just a hot pot?"

Yao San: "It's hot pot! The word hot pot is more vivid."

Aunt Yao brought out all the dishes, and everyone sat in a circle and began to cook hot pot and eat the dishes.

Tang Shen originally thought that this time he was going to take everyone to try something new, to have a taste of the hot pot of later generations.Unexpectedly, Mrs. Yao knew as much as he did. She went into the kitchen and brought everyone a stack of prepared sauces. There were garlic, onion, soy sauce and other things in it for everyone to dip in and eat.

Tang Shen lost his confidence. At this time, Aunt Yao said: "I never thought that using bone broth to make the rosary offering would be so delicious. San'er and I also ate the lavender offering when we were in Shanxi, but our blush offerings were both delicious. Cooking vegetables in clear water and then dipping them in sauce is far worse than this bone soup."

Tang Shen asked: "Only boil it in clear water?"

"Yes. I never thought about it, but it can be cooked with other things."

Tang Shen's eyes lit up, and after eating the hot pot, he called accountant Lin into the house, and said, "I want to open a restaurant that specializes in hot pot, accountant Lin, do you think it's feasible?"

The accountant Lin was stunned: "This...it's not impossible, but no one thought about it before."

Tang Shen walked around the room twice, stopped and said, "Do you think the hot pot was delicious?"

"It's delicious. The deliciousness of the bone broth has infiltrated into the ingredients, so wonderful!"

"That can be done!"

The next day, Tang Shen asked Aunt Yao to prepare the stove and iron pot again.Aunt Yao thought that he still wanted to eat the Boxia offering, but Tang Shen only asked her to wash a portion of green vegetables and slice a portion of mutton, and didn't let her do it again.Tang Shen put the vegetables and mutton into the pot, and patiently calculated their approximate cooking time.

"It's been a while!"

The wind stove was designed by the tea tasters in the previous dynasty, and it is a tool specially used for brewing tea.The key to making tea is slow and meticulous. There are three holes under the stove, through which the air can be ventilated to ignite the charcoal fire, but it also makes the fire not so strong.Eating hot pot with a stove is fine in the short term, but after a long time, the diners will get impatient and the business will not continue.

Tang Shen locked himself in the room, thought for a long time, counted all the hot pots he had eaten in his previous life, and had a flash of inspiration: "Old Beijing hot pot!"

The most famous hot pot in later generations is Sichuan hot pot, which is spicy and refreshing.In addition, there are many kinds of Cantonese-style hot pot, old Beijing hot pot, etc.Although one of Sichuan hot pot and Cantonese hot pot is more spicy, the other is fresh, but they both cook hot pot on a gas stove or an induction cooker.

The same is true for the Paxia offering in this era, except that the induction cooker is replaced by an air stove.

But the old Beijing hot pot is different.

The old Beijing hot pot does not have an induction cooker, but uses charcoal fire to heat the dishes!The pot of the old Beijing hot pot is a special copper pot with high feet at the bottom, and a long cylindrical groove in the center of the pot, in which charcoal fire is placed.The surroundings of the cylindrical long groove are the place for shabu-shabu.This method makes the hot pot material heat up extremely fast, much faster than the hot pot using an induction cooker.

In fact, before the invention of induction cooker and gas stove, people have been using this kind of hot pot.Only later, only the old Beijing hot pot still used this special pot.

The drawing of the hot pot is not difficult to draw, and it is much simpler to make than the still.Tang Shen drew a blueprint and gave it to Blacksmith Wang at the alley. He said, "I want to make a copper pot and an iron pot. When will it be ready?"

Blacksmith Wang looked at it: "This thing is rare, but it is also very simple. I will give it to you in three days."

After receiving two hot pots, Tang Shen asked Aunt Yao to cook another pot of bone soup.He carefully poured the bone broth into the hot pot, took three red-hot charcoals, and put them into the long slot.After the bone broth boiled, Tang Shen picked up two chopsticks of green vegetables, put one into the copper pot and the other into the iron pot.

About half a cup of tea time, the vegetables in the copper pot are fully cooked.After a while, the dishes in the iron pot were cooked.

Tang Shen: "It's okay, this time is acceptable, even using an iron pot."

The specific heat capacity of copper is smaller than that of iron. With the same charcoal fire, the temperature of copper will rise faster than that of iron, and it will take less time to cook.But copper is more expensive than iron.Iron was still very expensive in the previous dynasty, but in this dynasty, iron can be seen everywhere.

After solving the problem of the pot, the raw materials are left.

In later generations, the three most important things in hot pot are the bottom of the pot, the dipping sauce, and the fresh ingredients.Tang Shen is not worried about the first two. He has thousands of years of experience in eating in the Chinese nation. It is only a matter of time before he can make delicious pot bottoms and dipping sauces.But for fresh ingredients, Tang Shen thought about it and smiled.

He is not worried!

Tang's logistics came in handy at this time.

In the entire Gusu Mansion, no restaurant dares to say that it can deliver fresh ingredients from the west of Gusu Mansion to the east of the city within half an hour.But Down's Logistics can!Tang Shen asked Lin accountant to hire three cooks, and asked that the three cooks come from different places, and the cooking skills and tastes of the three cooks are also different.

Tang Shen and the three cooks studied for half a month, and finally they came up with four delicious pot bases and twelve dipping sauces with different flavors.

Everything is ready, now only the east wind is missing.

Tang Shen called Yao San over, and the two came to the dormitory compound of Tang's Logistics.Today's Tang's logistics has employed more than 150 people.Tang Shen has set up a supervisor in each city to be in charge of the logistics business in this area.In addition, he established a strict supervision system among logistics partners.

When a buddy has an accident, the buddy and the supervisor are responsible together.This top-down supervision system makes Tang's logistics business safer.Tang's logistics earns very little money for Tang Shen every month, almost not much profit, and Tang Shen even gives the guys a wage increase.But Tang Shen has been doing this business all the time, because he didn't just do logistics from the beginning.

Tang Shen called all the supervisors over, and said, "Next month, I will open a restaurant on Suijin Street. Managers, this restaurant is different from other restaurants. I need the freshest ingredients. Naturally, this kind of thing will not waste money. Outsider Tian, ​​I'm counting on everyone. Besides, I hope that from tomorrow onwards, all housekeepers will ask their fellows to help me with one thing in Gusu Mansion."

The stewards said: "Little boss, there is no problem in delivering the ingredients, what else do you want to do?"

Tang Shen smiled and said, "It's for advertising. I need the guys from Tang's Logistics to advertise our newly opened restaurant throughout Gusu Prefecture!"

There are more than 100 shopkeepers all over the major streets in Gusu Prefecture, and more than 100 shopkeepers who are very familiar with the stall owners and residents in various squares and have to deal with them on a daily basis. His eyeliner is also the best candidate he can use for advertising!

Mrs. Tang heard about Tang Shen's hot pot business, she was quite surprised, and asked Tang Shen, "You really want to do this business?"

Tang Shen: "Auntie also knows?"

Mrs. Tang: "I don't know. Although we have servants in the Tang family and don't need to do Tang's logistics business, your fellows have spread the word that you are going to open a restaurant dedicated to the business of saccharine offerings. The streets and alleys of Su Mansion. I didn’t think before that I could specialize in the business of xia gong. As far as I know, you are the first one. It’s not that the business of xia gong is not easy to do, but the ingredients must be fresh enough The amount is still very large." Just after finishing speaking, Mrs. Tang herself was stunned, she said: "I forgot, Shen Er, your Tang's logistics is not a ready-made way to deliver ingredients!"

Only one day later, when Tang Shen went to Liang's mansion to find a teacher to hand in homework, even Liang Song knew about it.

"I heard that you are going to open a restaurant that specializes in dialing Xiagong?"

Even Tang Shen was shocked by the efficiency of his logistics staff.

"Yes, sir."

The status of businessmen in this era was not as high as that of scholars, but it was not as low as Tang Shen remembered.Although there are not many officials engaged in business, it is not uncommon.Most of the time, officials are busy with official duties, and their family members are in business.Tang Shen is only a scholar now, and he doesn't even have a reputation. No one thinks it's wrong for him to open a restaurant.

Liang Song also said: "Since I came to Gusu Mansion, I haven't eaten the Paxia offering for a long time. When you mention it like this, I miss it a little."

Tang Shen: "Sir, why don't you come to my house today. I have a special copper pot in my house. It's very good to eat the Boxia offering."

Liang Song: "Okay, then I'll go to your house and have a look."

The largest restaurant in Gusu Mansion is Qianqiu Restaurant, and there are many restaurants on Suijin Street.Tang Shen asked the logistics guy to advertise, so naturally he couldn't hide it from these restaurants.It was a coincidence that the restaurant that Lin Zhangfang bought was diagonally opposite to Qianqiu Restaurant, and the distance between the two shops was only 50 meters.

At noon that day, there was an endless stream of diners in Qianqiu Building.Shopkeeper Yao of Qianqiu Building looked at the restaurant under renovation opposite from a distance, fiddled with the rosary in his hand.After a while, he called Ji Ji: "Did you find out the name of the restaurant?"

The clerk shook his head: "Never. The shopkeeper, Tang Xiaosanyuan is also strange. He is a good scholar. He just passed the children's examination. Why doesn't Xiaosanyuan continue to study? The township examination, which is held every three years, will be next year! Only one year , it’s really strange that he doesn’t prepare for the provincial examination, but also opens a restaurant.”

"He is only fourteen. He is the youngest boy in the history of the Gusu Mansion. Even if he fails to pass the Juren examination next year, he will only be fifteen. When he recharges his energy for three years, at eighteen o'clock It will be a good story to be admitted to Juren again!" Shopkeeper Yao thought for a while, and said: "That restaurant is only in the business of making rosary offerings, so we don't have much to do with it."

The waiter said: "Our Qianqiu Building is a time-honored brand in Gusu Mansion, how dare he have any connection with us? The shopkeeper, then he may have found the wrong person!"

Shopkeeper Yao sneered: "You ignorant thing. Go, go to work!"

Shopkeeper Yao looked at the workers who were busy in the opposite restaurant, plucking the rosary beads in their hands, making a clicking sound.He sees much farther than the boy.When Tang Shen asked the logistics guy to advertise, he specifically said that this restaurant was only in the business of making pilgrimage offerings, in order to let the people of Gusu Mansion know what the restaurant does and know what it is.Secondly, it is actually a reassurance to these time-honored restaurants in Gusu Mansion.

Tang Shen, who has only been in Gusu Mansion for one year, has done amazing things.

Ordinary people don't know, but shopkeeper Yao has heard from his boss that the soap, scented soap, and essential oils produced by the Tang Family's Treasure Pavilion are all written by this little Tang Sanyuan.Besides, his unprofitable logistics business, even though he did not make money, he did not lose money, which has surprised many merchants who were not optimistic about the logistics business at first.

And in the past few days, shopkeeper Yao realized that Tang Shen was not in the logistics business, but he was planning the entire Gusu Mansion!

A year ago, who would have believed that someone could let the [-] people in Gusu Mansion know that his family was going to open a restaurant in one day.As the saying goes, one pass ten, ten pass one hundred.Tang Shen's move was too clever, and it was hidden too deeply.

Shopkeeper Yao said with emotion: "Young people are awesome!"