It's a small restaurant, and there is not even a signboard outside. The four of them got out of the car and walked to the entrance of the store, which was very old-fashioned, with a brick-paved floor and uneven floors, and five square tables painted with wood. At this time, there were no customers in the store, the faint yellow light in the store, an old man in his 60s who looked at the back was looking back to them and bowed his head to wipe the table very seriously, and he didn't look back when he heard a sound of footsteps behind him and said: "I'm sorry, everyone is sold out today, and the shop is closed!" ”

When Huang Lao heard the old man's words, he had no intention of leaving, and said to the thin and lonely back: "Fourth brother, it's me." ”

When the old man heard this, he turned around, and Ximen Qing found that the old man's beard and eyebrows were already snow-white, and he didn't look like he was in his sixties at this time, and he was probably in his seventies.

"Oh, eighth, here. Why is it so late today, you sit on the ground by yourself, and I'll prepare for you. The old man turned around and saw clearly that it was Huang Laocai and said. After saying that, he turned around and walked towards the kitchen, not showing too much enthusiasm.

The four of them picked a table in the back and sat down, Liu Ju and Lu Sanjin were very surprised by the name between the two old men, but because they had worked in a special department for many years, they didn't take the initiative to ask anything, and sat quietly in their positions without saying anything.

But Ximen Qingyuan is not as old and sophisticated as the two of them, and he is cautious. Looking at Huang Lao curiously, he asked, "Old man, is this your fourth brother driving it?" ”

Huang Lao didn't answer immediately, he looked at Liu Ju and Lu Sanjin, and looked at Ximen Qing. Ximen Qing's question is really abrupt, but this is also where Huang Lao likes him, he has been in a high position for a long time, and he has been intriguing all his life, there are too many cautious people around him, and he can't see the heart hidden under the surface of these people, but there are too few frank people like Ximen Qing, such people dare to resist directly when they encounter things they don't like, and the situation is stronger than others, and they will directly retreat, without dragging their feet or compromises.

Huang Lao retracted his thoughts and looked at Ximen Qing and said: "Well, he is my cousin, I am the eighth and youngest, he is the fourth, and now there are only two of us brothers left, the fourth brother went up the mountain to learn Taoism with a strange person when he was young, and after he finished learning, he went down the mountain to catch up with the bad times, and it was the time to suppress these, so when he was young, he hid and hid, visited famous mountains and rivers, and had an adventure that made him a great success, and then because of some things, the result was not very good, and I won't mention the twists and turns, and after the accident, I launched a relationship to save him, He also saw through the world because of this, fortunately, in addition to his profound Taoism, he also has a unique skill of shabu mutton, and he saw a mutton restaurant here, and I often come to eat some often. ”

When Ximen Qing heard the old man say that this old man was a very powerful Taoist priest, he instantly became interested, and it was hard to find a master like this who only existed in novels before. When he found out the cigarette and saw that there were only three cigarettes, he took them out and lit them for the three of them, and he threatened to go to the kitchen to help, but he didn't say anything about it three times, so he ran to the kitchen.

Ximen Qing came to the kitchen and saw that the old man was using a strange sharp knife to pick the mutton on a whole sheep that had been skinned, don't look at the old man so old, but the hand holding the knife was extremely steady, and he did not tremble at all. The knife is precise, do not hurt the bones and take the meat, along the spine of the lamb under the tenderloin, and then look at the good piece of mutton in the porcelain plate next to it, the piece is as thin as paper, the knife technique is superb, quite the meaning of the cow.

Ximen Qing couldn't help but be stunned behind the old man, this is like seeing a famous painter waving a paintbrush, a masterpiece leaps on the paper, this is art, it is a visual enjoyment.

When the old man heard the footsteps, he had already noticed Ximen Qing's arrival, and ignored it, and after the knife flew up and down in his hand to remove the mutton he needed, he said, "Young man, are you in trouble?" ”

Seeing that the old man didn't turn around but knew that it was behind him, Ximen Qing thought that he was really a master, and said respectfully: "Old man, your sword skills are really powerful, and you are amazing, can you teach me?" ”

The old man ignored Ximen Qing, and continued to slice the mutton in his hand, waiting for the following.

Ximen Qing didn't care, shouldn't the master in his heart be like this, and continued: "Old man, I'll come and see if there is anything I need help with, my Sichuan cuisine is okay, and I can basically use these guys in the kitchen, in addition, I heard Huang Lao say that your Taoism is all over the sky, I just want to come to you to mix a familiar face, and there may be a place to ask you to make a move in the future." Hey hey"

The old man didn't say anything to Ximen Qing's words, he had already seen through the world, how could he do anything because of a few words.

In this way, in the kitchen, the old man cut the mutton seriously, and Ximen Qing stood behind the old man and watched quietly. The three of them were smoking cigarettes outside, and they didn't speak to each other, except for the faint sound of quick knives cutting flesh in the whole hotel, it was obvious that the needles were falling in this small space, and it seemed that everyone had something hidden in their hearts, just waiting for a meeting point, and then it broke out in full force, and it seemed that the calm before the storm was extremely oppressive.

Ximen Qing stared at the old man's regular knife swinging movements, and couldn't help but be distracted.

Entering a state of unconsciousness, I don't know how long it took, Ximen Qing woke up in the voice of the old man, there was a feeling that a long time had passed, looking at the watch in his hand, the time displayed by the hands told him that less than two minutes had passed. He looked at his watch and felt as if something had happened in this short period of time, but he didn't know anything. I couldn't help but fall into thought, and when I heard the old man speak, I said in a daze: "Ah.. What's wrong? ”

"Young man, don't you want to help, take out this shabu-shabu." Ximen Qing finally came back to his senses, looked at the old man who was already facing him at this time, and said to him in a strong voice.

Ximen Qing felt that the old man seemed to be different from just now at this time, and he couldn't understand what was different.

"Good, good. Take it to the outside table, right? Ximen Qing agreed. Pick up the shabu-shabu that was placed on the stone counter in the kitchen and go out.

After setting up the shabu-shabu on the table, looking at the three people on the table still smoking cigarettes, whoever speaks first is a loser, a little speechless, thinking that this is not an atmosphere for eating, and I have to find a way to ease it.

So he ran to the kitchen again and asked the old man, "Do you have any wine and snacks here?" Peanuts or something. ”

The old man pointed to the two life-tall wine jars in the corner of the wall and said: "There are two pot heads and rice wine in the middle of the wall, both of which I brewed myself, and asked if it was okay, which one do you like to drink, go and fight it yourself, there is a guy who fights wine over there." I don't have any appetizers in this shop, but the lamb will be ready soon, so you go to the bar first. ”

After speaking, the old man continued to be busy with the things in his hands, in an orderly manner. Ximen Qing ran to the wine jar and picked up the wine bucket, first in the jar on the left hand side, picked up a wine bowl and poured it inside, and then drank it into his mouth, and immediately felt as if he had swallowed a fire in his mouth, and then from his mouth to his stomach as if he was burned by a raging fire, a stream of hot air rushed from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, and fine sweat broke out on his head instantly.

This wine is really sweet, with a long aftertaste, but it burns the throat and is a little uncontrollable. He picked up the wine hopper again and poured a little from another wine jar and poured it into the wine bowl, this wine was orange and yellow, clear and transparent, with a mellow aroma overflowing, and the taste was mellow and smooth when drunk, and the taste was pure and pure.

Ximen Qing thought about it and felt that the two pots with mutton should be better, and the taste of the two should be very exciting, but the degree is a bit high, it is so late now, there are old people outside, it is easy to hurt the stomach, and it is better to be milder with rice wine. Having made up his mind, he fought five nights with a wine bucket, and each bowl was only half full.

It took three trips to take it out, and when Simon had finished his work, he saw that everything was ready, and just as he had guessed, the old man was also on the table, and it was not in vain that he had made five nights of wine with his own cleverness.

Ximen Qing sat down next to Lu Sanjin very unceremoniously, and the atmosphere at the table was also a lot more harmonious at this time, the old man was chatting with Huang Lao, and Lu Sanjin was also talking to Liu Ju. Looking at the chopsticks that no one has moved yet, I can't wait to ask about the fragrant shabu-shabu and the mutton that shows the knife work.

But don't look at his usual no big or small, at the dinner table, the person with the highest status needs to start chopsticks first, and the reason why others can eat is still understood, Ximen Qing is an anxious person, and his mouth is overflowing with saliva at this time, so he urged: "Old man." It's ready to eat, right? ”

Huang Lao looked at Ximen Qing's anxious appearance, glanced at the old man, his eyes were full of helpless smiles, and he didn't deliberately tease Ximen Qing, picked up the chopsticks and sandwiched a piece of mutton, briefly swiped it in the shabu-shabu, and then dipped it in the prepared dipping stack and put it in his mouth.

Ximen Qing watched the old man move his chopsticks, followed by a piece of mutton at a fast speed, and put it in his mouth. As soon as you eat the mutton, the taste is really tender, and the taste brought by the dipping sauce that I don't know what it is made of is really amazing. He couldn't help but close his eyes and let out a sound of enjoyment in his mouth.

After swallowing the mutton in his mouth, he saw that everyone had put off the chopsticks, and he was not far behind, and while eating quickly, he asked the old man: "Old man, do you have anything special about this mutton?" How is it so delicious. ”

The old man didn't speak, he didn't hurry to suck the mutton, and Huang Lao explained on the side: "Fourth brother, he doesn't like to talk, in the future, you don't call the old man, call the fourth master." ”

Hearing this, Ximen Qing respectfully shouted at the old man: "Fourth grandfather! ”

The old man looked at Ximen Qing with a smile and nodded, which was a response.

Huang Lao continued: "The mutton here is all black-headed white sheep from outside the mountain, and the meat we eat is the meat on the back of the sheep's neck, and a sheep can't produce a few taels of such meat, and even worse, the meat of the sheep's rump - point, and the next few mutton, commonly known as the size of the three-pronged grinding cucumber strips, tastes not fishy, not greasy, you can't buy it even if you have money in Yizhou." Today we are a good time, this time the sheep is probably tomorrow, because we came to do it in advance, the fourth brother can cut out nine hundred and eighty-one pieces of meat a pound of meat, each piece of mutton is as thin as paper, the selection of materials here is authentic, of course, the price is not cheap, if you eat up, there may not be a seat for us.

Ximen Qingyan heard that there was still so much exquisiteness, and it would be faster to start, and he didn't know when he would be able to eat such a good thing next time. Liu Ju and Lu Sanjin were also conquered by this taste, and when they saw Ximen Qing's eagerness to fight, they hurriedly said: "Bastard boy, slow down, leave me some." ”

Ximen Qing heard the leader's words, and he didn't want to pay attention to it, but thinking that he would have to make a living under these two subordinates in the future, he reluctantly slowed down his pace, picked up the wine bowl and said: "Bureau Liu, Lao Lu thank you for your attention, and the boy respects you." ”

After he finished speaking, he picked up the wine bowl and took a sip, Lu Sanjin looked at him like that, and said: "You kid respects us and drinks so much, is there any sincerity, and don't always use your 20 yuan a pack of cigarettes as favors in the future, and make it solemn, people who don't know still think that you are an ancestral treasure." ”

After speaking, Lu Sanjin took out a special cigarette from under the table, and there was no sign on it. Ximen Qing took it, he knew that although Lao Lu was hitting him, he was also giving him a round field, and cast a grateful look at Lu Sanjin, but said in his mouth: "Lao Lu, you are not right, I don't drink well, so I do what I can, although my cigarettes are only 20 yuan a pack, but it is the best cigarette I smoke, I will share my best things with you, so this respect is not in the wine and wine, and the gratitude is not in the price of cigarettes." Hey hey"

The rest of the people listened to Ximen Qing's words, and they all nodded with a smile, and Lu Sanjin also smiled helplessly: "Bastard boy, you know that you will play poor with me all day long." Why don't you respect Huang Lao for a cup? ”

"Yes, yes. I respect you, old man. You'll have to point me in the middle of nowhere! Ximen Qing heard the guidance in Lu Sanjin's words, and took the opportunity to pick up the wine bowl and said to Huang Lao.

"Don't be so polite, if you are so respectful when you drink with me later, then don't come. The old man is not short of compliments, haha! Huang Lao said jokingly, and after speaking, he still took a sip of the wine in the bowl for his face, obviously teasing him.

"Yes, old man, then don't blame me for not being big or small in the future." Ximen Qing said.

The fourth master next to him listened happily to their conversation at this time and found it interesting. Ximen Qing noticed that the fourth master's interest had improved at this time, and hurriedly picked up the wine bowl again, and said, "Fourth grandfather, your old knife worker is so good, can you teach the boy me?" ”

The fourth master watched Ximen Qing toast him and did not refuse, smiled and picked up the bowl and took a sip, and nodded. Just when Ximen Qing felt that there would be no response, the fourth master said slowly: "Yes, your qualifications are still good, and you can still achieve this effect after practicing diligently for ten or twenty years." ”

"Fourth grandfather, it's been so long." Ximen Qing said disappointedly. The fourth master didn't speak, but when he saw the narrow eyes of Huang Lao next to him, he reacted, he never thought that the fourth master, who didn't care about everything, would actually tease him. Said angrily: "Fourth grandfather, don't bring this!" ”

The four people at the table laughed when they heard this.

In this way, after the fourth master went to cut the mutton twice halfway, the dishes passed three rounds, and the wine passed five flavors, and finally Ximen Qing was still put down on the table by the wine.

I vaguely remember that someone sent him back to the hotel in the afternoon, but in a different room.

At this time, Ximen Qing patted the soft big bed of the hotel, slowed down for a long time before struggling to get up, ran to the bathroom to wash up briefly, and finally sobered up a little.

Take out your phone to see if there are any messages that haven't been answered by the phone call, because I am in the National Security Bureau in the afternoon, so the mobile phone is turned off and muted, and I have never had a chance to take it out to play.

As soon as I turned on my phone, I received a text message, a phone message from an unnamed phone, which read, "Brother, when will you come back?" Ximenqing's head was confused at this time, wondering who this was, so he replied casually, "Are you?" ”

After sending it, I feel that this number is familiar, and when you look at it, there is a text message from three days ago, only to remember that this is Xu Yi's phone, and I thought it was bad, she would definitely be angry, so I hurriedly remedied one and sent it out, and I was relieved after receiving a reply, and my heart was put down, and I couldn't resist the sleepiness, and I fell asleep before I replied.

He didn't know that at this time, there had been a drastic change in his home, and a big shock was waiting for him.

................................................................. dividing line

In the evening at the headquarters of the National Security Bureau, Ximen Qing was still chatting with Li Ruyan and the three of them in the small room next to the conference room.

Huang Lao, Liu Ju, and Lu Sanjin were discussing things in the office.

"Huang Lao, Sanjin and I think Ximen Qing is very good, and I want to entrust him with an important task, but I am still a little worried about his temperament, you know that the information we collect is all articles on paper, and it can't completely explain the problem, so I want to ask you to do me a favor?" Liu Ju said solemnly.

"Oh....I also think this kid is good, but it can be of great use, what do you want me to help with, just say." Huang Lao affirmed.

"We know that you always have a special way to test people's hearts, so I want to ask you to help test it." Lu Sanjin said.

Huang Lao frowned and thought for a while before saying, "I have retired now, and it is not good to use the country's resources again." Well, I'll take him somewhere later, I'll ask someone to try it out, and you wait to find a way to get up to the meal, and I'll take care of the rest." ”

"Okay, thank you Huang Lao. Sanjin, go call that kid, I'll discuss it with Huang Lao. Liu Ju said.

Lu Sanjin went out to ask Ximen Qing to go, and after a brief discussion between Liu Ju and Huang Lao in the room, Huang Lao walked aside and made a phone call.

………

In the mutton restaurant, when Ximen Qing stood behind the fourth master and watched, the fourth master actually used a secret method to bring Ximen Qing into a special state, but Ximen Qing's understanding of this aspect was limited to the novel, of course, he didn't find anything.

After Ximen Qing entered the unconscious state, the fourth master stood up, and the momentum of the whole person was different in an instant, and he no longer had the feeling of being old just now.

The fourth master took out an ancient bronze mirror from his arms, quickly sealed it on his chest with his right hand, and finally read: "The heart is clear, the heart is born from the mirror, and it is urgent!" The left hand held the mirror in Ximen Qing's heart and brain, and then the mirror was spread flat with the left hand, and the mirror emitted a soft white light upward, which was mixed with a ray of red light and a ray of golden light.

The fourth master carefully observed the light emitted in the bronze mirror, and when the light gradually disappeared, he nodded with satisfaction and withdrew the bronze mirror. Chong Lao San, who was already standing outside the kitchen door at this time, nodded and said: "This son has a pure heart, although he has not reached the state of a child's innocence, but it is really good, fame and fortune are not heavy, but it can be of great use." ”

The three of them nodded with satisfaction when they heard this, and happily returned to their seats, thinking about something in their hearts, but did not speak. The fourth master walked back to Ximenqing's side, and the reverse seal was placed on Ximenqing's head, and then he sat back on the bench and continued to cut the meat, calling Ximenqing.

Ximen Qingcai woke up leisurely.

.......................................................................... dividing line