Chapter 35: The Selfishness of Human Nature
"Ah Xian, the city gate is open. Shall we go to Wangjianglou first or find Brother Zong Ze first? Qi Erhu was a little apprehensive in his heart. A big wild boar weighing more than 300 pounds, can Wangjianglou eat it?
The pink sun slowly rises, and the clear blue sky glows brightly. This ancient city is embraced by a patch of pink sunshine, and it is like a fairyland.
All kinds of people on the official road gradually became noisy, riding horses, leading donkeys to carry goods, carrying burdens, driving cars, and selling vegetables. Baili Tianxian and Qi Dahu, father and son, who were at the forefront, paid thirteen yuan and successfully entered Taohua County.
Baili Tianxian thought in his heart, this is the ancient poll tax. The first two documents, the large goods are five documents, and the small pieces are not counted. It seems that the county magistrate is not a big corrupt official! No geese have ever plucked their feathers.
Sitting on the slow old ox cart, stepping on the long bluestone street more than two zhang wide, the hundred miles of Tianxian admire the various shops with wine flags fluttering in the morning light.
Such a prosperous scene did not have the slightest post-war depression and decline. It seems that Lord Gongsun is indeed a good official who is diligent and loves the people.
Qi Dahu jumped out of the car and led the old cow to walk in the bustling crowd. Looking at the three-room restaurant with flying eaves and warped walls not far away, he chuckled in a slightly hoarse voice.
"Ah Xian, in front of you is the Wangjiang Building where Brother Zong Ze works."
Baili Tianxian looked at this magnificent three-house building with wood and stone structure. The triangular wine flag on the eaves swayed in the wind, and three vigorous and powerful traditional large plaques hung above the main gate. The hollow carved wooden windows are particularly dazzling in the morning light, and the diligent second brother wipes the counters, tables and chairs in the hall with his hands and feet.
It seems that this Wangjiang Tower is indeed the most luxurious restaurant in Taohua County. Baili Tianxian jumped off the ox cart lightly, took the opportunity to carry down the small basket containing braised vegetables, and looked at Qi Dahu's father and son and smiled.
"Uncle Qi, Brother Big Tiger, Brother Second Tiger. I'm going to explore the way first! "Then trot into your shop. In fact, Baili Tianxian has another biggest purpose, that is, to see if the shopkeeper of this store is really as rumored?
The subtleties see the truth, and the concept of the manager can be seen from the words and deeds of the little second brother. If you are humble and courteous, you can consider cooperating with this Wangjiang Tower. Instead, make a plan.
Hearing the sound of footsteps outside, Yu San, who was wiping the counter, raised his head suddenly. When I saw a country girl wearing a blue cloth flower skirt and carrying a small bamboo basket walking outside the door, I couldn't help but 'chuckle' in my heart. I couldn't help but reach out and touch the twenty big coins in my arms, and looked at the person with a somewhat panicked expression.
"Second brother, is your shopkeeper there?" Baili Tianxian smiled and looked at the shopkeeper with an unnatural face. But I was secretly thinking in my heart, could it be that the waiters in ancient times were so thin-skinned? Shouldn't people who work in a service industry like restaurants be warm and polite to strangers to consumers?
Why is this man so strange?
Yu San settled down and squeezed the rag in his hand. An unnatural smile appeared on his face, and he replied in a low voice.
"I don't know girl, what is the matter of looking for my shopkeeper?"
Baili Tianxian pointed to the outside of the door and chuckled.
"I don't hide it from the little second brother. Yesterday, I was born with a vision, and I was lucky enough to hunt a wild boar and wanted to sell the pig to your store. ”
As soon as Baili Tianxian's words fell, he saw the smile of the shopkeeper frozen on his lips.
Yu San secretly clenched his fists, stepped forward and whispered.
"I'm afraid I'm going to disappoint the girl! Last night, my son-in-law got dozens of catties of wild boar, and today he is the shopkeeper, and he will not buy meat again! After speaking, he ignored Baili Tianxian and went straight to wipe the table. The moment he turned around, Yu San often exhaled a breath of turbidity.
Emma, Mr. Baili's money is really hard to take. If the shopkeeper finds out about this, it will be a big trouble.
No way! Someone is the first to get there.
It's not good to be a teacher! Baili Tianxian walked out of the store dejectedly, looked back, and suddenly found a familiar figure standing in the window on the second floor.
Hundred miles of Tianxian seconds understand. Say that good human nature is good! It turns out that in the face of interests, the superficial harmony is so vulnerable.
In order not to worry Qi Dahu's father and son, Baili Tianxian strode forward. In the clear big eyes, there is a calmness and wisdom that does not match the age.
This is Taohua County, there is more than one restaurant!
"Ah Xian, but you're in trouble?" Qi Dahu asked nervously.
Qi Erhu's face sank, and he was about to break into the restaurant. Leaving a low, indignant voice.
"I'm going to track down Brother Ze." He didn't believe it, could it be that Brother Xun Ze in the same village was embarrassed not to help?
"Uncle Qi, Brother Big Tiger and Brother Second Tiger, let's go to another house and ask." Baili Tianxian hurriedly called Qi Erhu, who was in a hurry.
This simple peasant boy, he has never doubted the selfishness of human nature?
"Erhu is back, it's right to listen to Xiaoxian." Probably Uncle Qi also saw the familiar figure on the second floor, and hurriedly called out to stop his son.
Baili Tianxian glanced at the surrounding shops and chose a more pleasing one to walk in.
At the gate of the fragrant building, a few little second brothers in green shirts and short clothes were busy cleaning. How many days have passed, and there is finally a smile on the face of the shopkeeper yesterday. Although they don't know what the treasurer is happy about, it is a happy thing after all.
Seeing someone walk into front of his store, the enthusiastic little second brother put down the rag in his hand and stepped forward with a smile and asked.
"Girl, but what's the matter?" Because he saw the three people behind Baili Tianxian and the old ox cart pulling goods.
"Hello little second brother, may I ask if the shopkeeper of your store is available?" Baili Tianxian did not beat around the bush and directly looked for the shopkeeper in the store.
"Yes. Girl, please wait in the store, and the little one will call me the shopkeeper. The enthusiastic second brother invited Baili Tianxian into the store and sat down. Turning around, 'Oooo
With little effort, a middle-aged uncle with a smile on his face, a burly figure, and a cross-collared navy blue robe hurriedly walked in from the backyard.
Baili Tianxian got up politely, and learned from the Jianghu people in the film and television drama to clasp their fists and salute the visitors.
"Good shopkeeper!" The crisp voice is like a yellow warbler, which is very good.
Shopkeeper Fang was stunned for a moment, and his bronze majestic face showed unfathomable surprise! is a little girl who is as warm as spring, even if she is wearing a coarse old cloth clothes, she still can't hide the scorching fragrance at this time. Especially those big eyes that are as clear as water, they are full of calmness and wisdom that do not match age.
Is this really a small village girl? Shopkeeper Fang pressed the question in his heart and returned the salute with a fist.
"I don't know what the girl is looking for?" As he spoke, his eyes unintentionally swept over the table. In the small bamboo basket, a touch of sauce red is revealed under the green plantain leaves, and a vague smell of sauce wafts into the air, making people feel the urge to have a big appetite.
Baili Tianxian didn't beat around the bush and said directly.
"Yesterday, I was fortunate enough to hunt a wild boar and want to sell it to the shopkeeper." After speaking, he pointed out the door.
"Oh! All of this? Shopkeeper Fang pressed the surprise in his heart and raised his eyes. I saw an ox cart parked at the gate, and next to it stood three crop men dressed in coarse linen clothes.
The Peach Blossom Mountain, which stretches for thousands of miles, hides endless dangers, which are not something that these men in the village can touch, let alone the little girl in front of them! Could it be ...... Does this have anything to do with yesterday's vision? It seems that this good thing is one after another! The shopkeeper praised silently in his heart.
"Little Wu, is there still meat in the kitchen?" Shopkeeper Fang asked the little second brother standing beside him in a low voice.
"If you go back to the shopkeeper, yesterday's ones have been used up, and Butcher Liu hasn't sent them yet." The shopkeeper put the towel on his shoulder and answered the shopkeeper honestly.
Baili Tianxian couldn't help but feel nervous in his heart. Most of the restaurants are related to the butchers who sell meat, and direct delivery is also common sense, so can't today's wild boar be sold?
"Wild boar doesn't happen every day. Go, tell Butcher Liu that you don't have to send meat today. After speaking, he waved his hand and motioned to the second brother to open the side door of the car and drive the ox cart to the backyard. As he spoke, he glanced at the table intentionally or unintentionally, and his eyes were shrewd.
In the backyard, the shopkeeper and the little two surrounded the treated wild boar in amazement.
"This wild boar is so big."
"Yes! To capture this wild boar, these skills may not be easy! ”
……
Pressing the surprise in his heart, the shopkeeper said slowly.
"Girl, the daily consumption of meat in our store is only fifty or sixty catties. For the rest, I'm afraid there is nothing we can do! There was a hint of regret in his magnetic and warm voice.
This is indeed the daily consumption of meat in Xiangmanlou, and the shopkeeper did not buy more because it was wild boar. Of course, if there is an accident, he is willing to buy two more days of meat.
Fifty or sixty pounds! Baili Tianxian sighed secretly in his heart. That's one-fifth of the amount, and who should I sell the rest to? She didn't want to waste her time selling door-to-door. Besides, the younger siblings at home and the two injured people on the mountain are still waiting for them! You can't let them go hungry.
A hint of cunning flashed in Baili Tianxian's eyes that were as clear as water. In order to sell a pig, I also fight!
Looking at the anxious and overwhelmed looks of several men, Shopkeeper Fang suppressed the doubts in his heart and said lightly.
"Forty pounds a catty, let's cut sixty pounds first!"
Baili Tianxian didn't know what the concept of the forty texts in this world was, and looked at Uncle Qi for help. Those starry eyes flashed with a hint of inquiry? As if to say, "Uncle, this shopkeeper didn't hack our silver, did he?"
Uncle Qi nodded hurriedly, a shallow smile on his weather-covered face. The big rough hands kept rubbing each other, showing the excitement and joy at this time.
Forty wen a pound! This shopkeeper is really kind. At this price, even the shopkeeper of Wangjiang Tower will not be higher than this!
Gotcha! Looking at Uncle Qi's smiling face, this price is really not low! Baili Tianxian is full of joy, and the shopkeeper with this righteous face is also much closer! So he took the opportunity to laugh.
"Uncle shopkeeper, can you borrow your kitchen for the time being?" After speaking, he glanced at the three fathers and sons of the Qi family, and then said.
"Dealing with wild boars last night and rushing again, my uncle and brothers are already hungry, what ......do you think of the shopkeeper?" The sound of the spring is as soft as the sun after the rain, which is particularly pleasant to listen to.
The shopkeeper was stunned! He was thinking about how to keep these people, and take out the meat from the little girl's bamboo basket and taste it! The taste of this braised pork is so unique. I didn't think about it, the little girl is so good!
"Little Five, the girl next door goes to the kitchen. Lingwai informed Master Bai and asked him to come quickly. With that, he strode upstairs with his hands behind his back. But I was secretly muttering in my heart, I mostly use stewing, boiling, marinating, and steaming as the main cooking methods. The brightly colored marinated products in the little girl's basket are indeed rare, mainly because the fragrance is rich and mouth-watering!
Baili Tianxian didn't want to return the shopkeeper of this fragrant building so boldly, and suddenly smiled because his eyebrows and eyes were crooked, so cute.
"Brother Erhu, help me light the fire." Baili Tianxian smiled, followed closely behind Xiao Er with a small bamboo basket, and went to the kitchen happily.