"Girl, come with me to the back kitchen."

After a while, Xiao Er, who had previously led the old city into the store, went up to the fourth floor and said flattering to the old city.

Old Cheng nodded, got up and walked downstairs with Xiao Er.

"Girl, the shopkeeper said you want to work in Drunken Gexuan?" Xiao Er said with a smile.

“……”

"Hehe," seeing that the old city didn't answer, Xiao Er was a little embarrassed, and said, "Girl, I don't know if you can solve a puzzle or two for me, what is the mystery of this pen painting shop?" ”

"......" Old Cheng squinted his gaze and swept over Xiao Er's flattering face.

"Hey, hey...... Xiao Er scratched his head, "Why don't I introduce you to the situation of Drunken Gexuan?" ”

“……”

"......" Xiao Er was embarrassed to speak again.

When I arrived at the back kitchen, I saw that the shopkeeper was talking to a cook here, and when he saw the old city walking in, he led the cook over and said, "Girl, this is the best chef in my Zui Ge Xuan." ”

"I've seen my seniors." The old city said respectfully to the cook.

For such a title, the cook seemed to be very useful, and said unhurriedly: "The girl is young, but she has this bearing, not bad," the cook looked at the old city carefully, "In this way, you make the simplest food, the requirement is that this food is known to everyone, the method is simple, and it is because everyone can do it, in order to taste what you do is different from others, when the girl makes it, please tell your method and steps, the ingredients and utensils are here, the girl can start." ”

"Okay." Old City replied.

350 grams of eggplant, 60 grams of lean meat, 5 shiitake mushrooms, 4 red dates, 2 slices of ginger," Old Cheng said, rummaging through the ingredients.

"First wash the lean meat and cut it into thin strips, then soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in water, remove the stems and squeeze the dry water, cut into thin strips, soak the red dates in water, remove the core and cut them into thin strips, and peel the ginger and cut them into thin strips," Jiucheng said, and the movements synchronized with the voice flowed, "Wash the eggplant with its head and tail, cut it into thin strips 5 cm long, blanch it in boiling water for 1 minute, and drain the water," When the eggplant was drained, Jiucheng said, "Put the lean meat, shiitake mushrooms, red dates and ginger shreds into a bowl, add 1 tablespoon of oil, half a tablespoon of sugar, 1 tablespoon of chicken powder, Mix half a tablespoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and half a cup of water to mix well, this is the sauce," she said, she took the sauce and drained eggplant, "put the sauce into the blanched eggplant strips, mix well, or take a deep dish to spread a layer of eggplant strips, scoop in a layer of sauce, stack the eggplant strips, pour 1 tablespoon of oil, cover and boil the water in the pot, put the eggplant in the water and steam it over high heat for a quarter of an hour, and then it can be out of the pot."

The old city has completed this set of actions.

"Not bad, not bad," the cook's eyes were full of appreciation at this time, "the action is smooth and smooth, without delay, presumably the girl is a master." ”

“……”

The Old City was silent.

After about a quarter of an hour, the old city started to put on a plate: "Folk side dishes, steamed eggplant," he said, placing the plate on the table next to the cook, "please." ”

The cook rubbed his hands, looked at the plate, sniffed again, and then took the wooden chopsticks, picked up a piece of eggplant and put it in his mouth.

"Yes, yes, the eggplant melts in the mouth, the shredded meat is the adjunct, and the prepared sauce is even more fragrant, this dish can be described as full of color and flavor." The cook seemed to enjoy it.

"Master Zhang, look?" The shopkeeper asked the cook.

"Let her stay, although this little girl is still young, she already has such attainments, which is really good." The cook laughed.

Outside the city of Hangzhou, the pen paints the tang, the courtyard.

Begonia and the masked man sat at the stone table by the pond, two cups of tea on the stone table, and the two looked at each other, their eyes staggered.

"How?" Begonia asked.

"You're right, but it's far from that simple, they're just greedy for a few stinky money." The man was a little angry.

"Of course things can't be so simple," Begonia picked up the tea in her hand and took a sip, "That's why you need my help." ”

"Brother Tang, although you and I are familiar at first sight, I don't know much about you, and you know such secret news, I really don't know if I can believe you." The man smiled wryly.

"How to gain your trust...... Begonia muttered, and then raised his voice, "Brother Yao's belief or not is not up to me, I can only say that I can help you, as for whether you want to help you or not, it is your own choice." ”

"......" The man stared at Begonia's clear eyes with fierce eyes, and said after a while, "Brother Tang, I only ask you two questions. ”

"Excuse me." Begonias are not alarmed.

"First, can I trust you?"

"Yes."

"Second, why do you know that the Cen family is the ghost?" The man's gaze sharpened as he spoke.

Begonia was silent.

"Can't you really say?" The man asked again.

Begonia shook her head.

The man was also silent, bowing his head and pondering, and after a while, the man gritted his teeth and suddenly raised his head: "Okay, I believe you." ”

"Next, you can pay more attention to the situation in Zuige Xuan and the City Lord's Mansion." Haitang said, "I'll go back first, Brother Yao, please." ”

"Kojo, do you understand?" Chef Zhang introduced the situation of Drunken Gexuan to the old city, and then asked with a smile.

"Understood." Old City said.

"Today is the first day of your work, you can help me get familiar with it first, and start cooking from tomorrow." Chef Zhang said.

"Okay." Old City said, "Senior, can I ask a few questions that have nothing to do with Drunken Gexuan?" ”

"A question that has nothing to do with Drunken Gexuan?" Chef Zhang was stunned for a moment, and then said, "No problem, just ask, anyway, it's over now, and there's nothing important." ”

"Why is the Painting Hall so famous in Hangzhou?" Old Town asked the question she wanted to know most.

"Aren't you from Xiaocheng?" Chef Zhang was a little stunned.

"To be honest, I just arrived in Hangzhou, and I don't know anything about these things, and it's just a coincidence that I settled down in the pen and painting."

"That's it," Chef Zhang seemed to be brewing words, "It's strange to say that this place is not far from the city, but very few people can find its location, according to the shopkeeper of Brush Painting, there is only a fate to be felt, when the news just spread in Hangzhou City, such a mysterious place, naturally aroused people's curiosity, a large number of people went to find the pen and paint Tang to no avail, and a very small number of people found the pen and painted Tang," Chef Zhang said, a touch of yearning appeared on his face," Later, some people said that it was the pen painting Tang deliberately so, using such a trick to make the wine shop famous, but well, such a voice soon disappeared, I heard that the city lord just took office soon encountered some big trouble, the official position may not be guaranteed, even the family may be implicated, at this time the shopkeeper of the pen painting Tang helped the city lord solve this trouble perfectly, the city lord also received the above reward, and later the city lord personally confirmed the authenticity of the pen painting Tang wine shop, and also gave the pen painting Tang a number of special brands, It says you can enter and leave the city gates at any time, and it seems to have other uses, but I don't know about that. Chef Zhang said, "It is precisely because the city lord has to give three points to the shopkeeper of the pen and painting, so many years, the pen and the painting Tang naturally has such a reputation in Hangzhou City." ”

"Thank you seniors for your doubts." The old city said, but the doubts in his heart did not decrease but increased.

"Xiaocheng, how do you think of your cooking skills after you have been learning to cook with me for so many years?" The old man squinted slightly, leaning against an ancient tree, very leisurely.

"Master, Xiaocheng thinks it's still delicious from you!" The little girl looked fifteen or sixteen years old, with smiling eyes.

"I know how you play tricks," the old man touched the girl's head, "I mean, how do you think you cook?" ”

"Hmm......" the girl pondered for a moment, "It's far worse than the master, obviously the methods and materials are the same, but there is always something missing. ”

"Xiaocheng, you have followed me since childhood, although you have traveled a lot of places, but you have never experienced anything alone," the old man said slowly, while meeting the girl's gaze, "Xiaocheng, you have also reached the age of the Xuan, and after the ceremony, Xiaocheng will have to go on its own." ”

Old Cheng sat up from the bed, a ray of sunlight hit his face through the window, rubbed his face, and Old Cheng slowly got up.

"I dreamed of the master again......" While thinking, he washed up and went downstairs, just like yesterday, Begonia was making breakfast in the back kitchen, and Xiaoyue was lazily lying on the table.

"Morning!" Xiao Yue shouted at the old city.

The old city just nodded slightly to greet Xiao Yue, and now in her heart, the four words "Brush and Paint" are wrapped in layers of thick fog, although it seems that Brush and Brush Tang is not a gathering place for evil demons, but for her, it is still a place that needs to be cautious.

"Xiaocheng," Haitang walked out with a dinner plate and sat down opposite Xiao Yue, "Come over and have something to eat." ”

"Hmm." The Old City replied and sat down as well.

"Begonia, can I ask you a few questions?"

After the meal, Begonia was cleaning up the dishes and chopsticks, said the old city.

"Of course, I am glad to do so," Haitang smiled, "girl, you go to the courtyard for a walk." ”

Xiao Yue was stunned, but she didn't expect it to be opened: "Okay, good." With that, she reluctantly walked out.

"What kind of place is it?" She asked.

"Ask that question," Begonia smiled, "what do you think of it?" ”

"There is such a big reputation in Hangzhou City, it seems that everyone is proud to be able to come to the pen and paint the tang, but they say that they can't find where the pen and painting are located, this is the feeling that the outside world gives me," the old city frowned, "I feel that everything is not so simple, so I came to ask you, instead of blindly guessing yourself, it is better to ask you directly." ”

"That's right," Begonia blinked, "It's just a wine shop." ”

“……”

"Does Kojo want to know why I invited you?"

"......" The old city still did not speak.

"Because I have your stuff here." Begonia said unhurriedly.

"What do you mean?" The old city frowned.

"Someone put one of your things with me and asked me to pass it on to you." Haitang said, his face was not shocked, "But you don't need to ask me what this thing is, who gave it to me, you will know when the time comes, since you have worked in Zuige Xuan, then concentrate on what you need to do," Haitang sighed, "Today seems to be an important festival in Hangzhou City, you can also join in the fun." ”

After that, Begonia no longer paid attention to the old city and walked into the back kitchen with the used dinner plate.

The old city stood still and muttered for a moment, then walked out.