The turn of March and April during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty. It is the twilight of spring, the warbler flies and the grass grows, the flowers and branches are splendid, the swallows murmur, and the partridges are crisp. A horse-drawn carriage came from the official road from Kaizhou to Kaifeng in the north. In the carriage sat a young man and a young man who was driving a carriage, and the young man was dressed in a green shirt, which was made of coarse cloth, but which was also cleanly washed. Looking at the age of about twenty-six or seventeen, a square and peaceful face, thick lips. Behind him was a shiny braid, a brass hookah in his hand, and a piece of jade around his waist. The young man's tiger head and tiger brain, about sixteen or seventeen years old, exuded with a tiger energy, very cute. He pulled the whip in his hand towards the horse's ear, and with a snap, the horse ran with its hooves turned over the flowers.

The young man hurriedly shouted, "Slow down, what's the hurry?" Take your time and enjoy the beautiful scenery of this late spring. The boy replied, "There is nothing but some trees, some flowers, and a few birds flying in the sky." The young man shook his head and said, "No, you don't know how to be elegant. As he spoke, he squinted his eyes and groaned: "The flowers fade and the red and green apricots are small, and when the swallows come, the green water surrounds them." ”

The young man smiled and said, "Third uncle, you are prosperous again." Wherever you go, your poems go. The young man said, "This is not my poem, it is the words of the great writer Su Dongpo." The young man whipped again: "I don't know Su Dongpo Su Xipo, my stomach is growling." It's better to find a place to play as soon as possible, and poetry can't be eaten as a meal. ”

The young man smiled and did not speak again, he took off the cigarette pouch and pinched it in his hand, stretched out his head to look out, and asked the young man, "Guangde, where are you?" The young man didn't look back: "Third uncle, it's not far from Daokou Town in front, do you want to fight there?" The roast chicken in Daokou is famous all over the world, and I can already smell the aroma of roast chicken, and my saliva is flowing out. The man called the third uncle kicked him in the ass: "You know how to eat, but you don't want to hit the tip at the crossing." There is a big car shop ten miles and half a mile after the crossing, where I drink bowls of noodles and pull them down. ”

The young man named Guangde swallowed his saliva when he heard this, and muttered in a low voice: "The big poor, the big poor, I don't want to spend so much money, and I die of slamming the door." No wonder people give you such a nickname. The third uncle obviously heard it, and scolded with a smile: "You also called the big poor man?" Can I see if it will make you hungry to death? I don't eat Daokou roast chicken. The boy did not dare to say anything more, but raised his eyebrows, sighed, and shook the whip hard, which was really on the horse's back. The horse was in pain, and ran faster again.

Now is the season of wheat flowering, and the farmers are also getting a moment of spring leisure at this moment. There are not many people in the fields on both sides, but there are many people coming and going on the official road. Suddenly, the chaotic and hurried sound of horses' hooves sounded behind him, mixed with the sound of bells, and rolled up the dust.

Guangde looked back and saw a few fast horses coming from behind. "Third uncle, there are a few fast horses coming from behind, don't be bandits, quickly hide the silver ticket." The third uncle was not in a hurry: "How do you know that people are bandits, can't people take this road?" Don't think too badly of people. Besides, in broad daylight, which bandit is so bold and dares to rob? ”

Having said that, the third uncle still put his hand into his sleeve, took out a few large silver tickets, unscrewed the base of the hookah and put it in, and turned the base on as fast as he could. It turned out that the hookah was specially made, and the base could be unscrewed, which was more than enough to put a few silver tickets in. After tightening, you can't see any gaps, and no one would have thought that there is a silver ticket hidden under the hookah. After putting away the silver ticket, the third uncle said to Guangde: "Pull over the car and let them pass." When Guangde heard this, he flicked his whip to the right, and the horse slowed down and walked to the side.

The sound of the hooves of the horses behind him was getting closer and closer, and then it came instantly, and Guangde's heart suddenly became nervous. Suddenly, the horses slowed down and walked side by side with the carriages of the master and servant. Although the third uncle had seen the world and the silver ticket was hidden, his heart immediately hung up. I thought to myself, "What the hell are these people going to do?"

I saw a lean man sitting right away, who didn't seem to be too tall, about the same age as himself, with a dark face, a little stubble, and a pair of eyes full of light. I saw him clenching his fists on the horse, and asked with a smile: "Borrow light, boss, how far is the front from the crossing?" When the third uncle saw that someone was asking for directions, he immediately put his mind at ease, and he also bowed his hand: "Less than ten miles ahead is Daokou Town, you guys rushed to Daokou to hit the point, right?"

The lean man replied, "Yes, the brothers went to Zhuxian Town to catch the temple fair, and they were going to fight at the crossing. Are the two of you also in a hurry? The third uncle replied: "Exactly, Zhuxian Town is famous all over the world for the April 8th Conference, and such a lively place cannot be missed." Where did you come from? The man said: "Kaizhou Puyang, what about you?" The third uncle smiled: "Then we are serious fellow countrymen, dare to ask where this master is in Kaizhou?" ”

The man groaned slightly: "Kaizhou Liutun people's name, surnamed Liu, dare to ask the boss your surname?" The third uncle replied loudly: "Don't dare, don't dare, the little surname is Zhang, a native of Bagongqiao, Kaizhou." Since we are on the same path, I hope you will take care of you. The man said: "It's easy to say, let's take a step ahead, thank you very much." The third uncle hurriedly said: "They are all fellow countrymen, polite." ”

The group hurried forward again, and a puff of smoke and dust rose on the road. Guangde sat in the carriage and counted silently: "One, two, three...... Seven, a total of seven horses. Then he turned around and asked strangely: "Third uncle, our surname is Qin, how do you say that the surname is Zhang?" And we are from Taiping Town, how do you say that it is from Bagong Bridge? ”

The third uncle said thoughtfully: "These people are unknown, I don't think they are good stubble." Just now, when he asked me for the road, he looked straight into the car with his two eyes, and I had an extra heart and a lie. Boy, let's learn a little, everyone knows Qin Sanbao in Taiping Town, if you really meet a strongman, won't you turn us upside down? Even if the silver ticket can't be turned over, it won't let us go, and it will definitely tie us up with meat tickets and let our family take the silver. Maybe tear up the ticket and break our stomachs. ”

Guangde was so frightened that he stuck out his tongue: "It's still our third uncle who has seen the world, and he can tell who he is at a glance." Drive, oh! "Another whip.

The third uncle was Qin Yuxuan, and the young man was his nephew Qin Guangde.

The two walked about seven or eight miles further, and seeing that Daokou Town was about to arrive, Qin Zhenxuan asked Guangde to slow down the horse. The two of them believed in the reins and slowly walked towards Daokou Town.

"Hey, little brother, dare to ask what's ahead?" Qin Yixuan suddenly heard a crisp voice outside the car, and he couldn't help but lift the curtain and look out.

I saw a young girl running parallel to the carriage, who looked to be about eighteen or nineteen years old, and no more than twenty at most. He was dressed in plain pale green clothes, wore a red cloak, rode a red horse, and had a sword hanging from his waist.

"You, you...... Are you talking to me? Guangde was fascinated by the girl's beauty, and his eyes looked at her directly, and it took a long time to come to his senses.

The girl laughed: "Why do you look at people like this, and you shame me, don't you talk to you, do you talk to your horse?" ”

"Oh, oh, what did you just ask?" Guangde didn't know if he really didn't hear it or if he wanted to talk to the girl more.

"I ask you what is the town in front of you? Look at you, still looking at people like that. The girl sneered.

"Oh, oh, you ask what's ahead of you, right? Probably Daokou Town, right? ”

"I asked you for directions, but you asked about me, I know why I asked you for?"

"I'm not asking you, I'm asking my third uncle." Guangde disguised.

"Guangde, don't look at indecency, how did my father and I teach you at home?" Qin Yixuan arched his hand to the girl and said, "Don't be surprised girl, country boy, uneducated. ”

The girl turned her gaze to Qin Yanxuan, as soon as her eyes made contact, she quickly lowered her head, and arched her hand on the horse and said, "Pingshui meets, disturbed, dare to ask where is ahead?" ”

"Ahead is Daokou Town, is the girl going to be sharpened?" Qin Yixuan asked.

"Yes, I've been walking all morning, I'm hungry and thirsty, and I want to find a better place to eat." The girl smiled shyly and said, "Is there anything delicious in that Daokou Town?" ”

"Yes, yes, the roast chicken at Daokou is delicious." Guangde interjected.

"It seems that the girl is a guest from afar, the roast chicken in this Daokou Town is indeed famous all over the world, and it is a pity not to taste it in Daokou Town." Qin Yixuan interrupted Guangde's words.

"Oh, roast chicken, well, after listening to your introduction, then I have to try it. But I don't know which roast chicken is the most authentic? The girl continued.

"Yixingzhang, Yixingzhang's roast chicken, take a bite full of oil, so you can't wait to swallow your tongue." Guangde looked at the girl and swallowed his saliva, not knowing whether he remembered the roast chicken drooling or coveted the girl's beauty.

"That's right, Yixing Zhang's roast chicken is indeed famous all over the world, the girl might as well try it." Qin Yuxuan nodded.

"Okay, thank you." The girl looked at Qin Yuxuan and smiled, then clamped her legs on the horse, and the horse immediately galloped away.

"Girl, wait for us in Yixing Zhang, we invite you to eat roast chicken." Guangde straightened his neck and shouted to the girl.

I saw that the girl smiled back but didn't answer, but her eyes were not Guangde, but Qin Yanxuan.

Daokou Town is located in the middle of Kaizhou to Kaifeng, which is the place where pedestrians eat at the tip. The roast chicken in this Daokou town is really famous all over the world, and the inheritance of skills for more than 300 years has made the roast chicken here famous. All the merchants who pass by at the crossing do not taste the roast chicken at the crossing. At this time, it was noon, just in time for the meal, so there were a lot of people in the street, and it is not an exaggeration to describe the restaurant and restaurant business as hot. Suddenly, Guangde pointed to a two-story restaurant in front of him and shouted excitedly: "Yixing Zhang, Yixing Zhang's roast chicken!" ”

Qin Yanxuan sat in the car and said calmly: "Don't go to Yixingzhang, continue to walk, there is a ten-mile shop at the crossing, eat there." Guangde hurriedly said: "Third uncle, I won't leave if I don't eat roast chicken." ”

As he spoke, he threw the whip to the ground, grabbed the reins, puffed out his cheeks and pouted to play with his temperament.

"It is said that the drunkard's intention is not to drink, but I think you are Guangde's intention is not to be a chicken." Qin Yixuan said with a smile.

When Guangde heard this, he immediately widened his eyes and said, "What's not in the chicken?" I'm going to eat Daokou roast chicken. ”

"Okay, okay, if I'm wrong, I think you want to eat roast chicken and see beautiful women, who knows if they will be there? Well, it's up to you for once. Qin Yixuan said, got out of the car and walked into the "Yixing Zhang" restaurant.

"Yixing Zhang" is the largest restaurant in Daokou Town, with diners and friends. The two entered the restaurant, and the bartender hurriedly greeted them and said, "Second master, the downstairs is full, and there happens to be an empty table upstairs, if you are late, there will be no place to sit." Come on, come upstairs please. ”

The two went upstairs, and sure enough, they found that the upstairs was also full of guests, except for a table by the window in the northeast corner that was empty. The two of them sat down and asked for four dishes, a pot of wine, and of course roast chicken is indispensable.

Guangde poured the wine, tore a chicken thigh and bit it hard, then took another sip of wine and said: "Drinking wine and eating chicken, it's really a fairy life." ”

"Wouldn't it be better if that girl was with you?" Qin Yixuan said with a smile and a sip of wine.

"Yes, yes, she's definitely here." As he spoke, he was looking around with his eyes as he nibbled on a chicken leg, when suddenly his eyes stopped.

However, his eyes did not rest on the girl, but on a group of men at the next table. There were seven men in the group, and they were the first seven men who asked them for directions on the road, and those seven men were eating meat and drinking wine.

"Oh, it turned out to be Boss Zhang, what a coincidence, I didn't expect you to eat here, come on, let's have a drink." It was the lean man with the black face who spoke.

"Oh, it turned out to be Boss Liu, fortunately, okay, let's drink this cup together." Qin Yixuan hurriedly stood up and toasted the lean man.

"Hahaha, Yixing Zhang's roast chicken and wine really live up to its reputation." The man drank the wine dry in one gulp.

Qin Zhenxuan also drained the wine in the cup, and then arched his hand to the man and said, "Boss Liu, please." The man also arched his hand and said, "Okay, Boss Zhang, please." With that, the two of them sat down and continued to eat.

Guangde finished eating a chicken leg and didn't see the girl, he couldn't help but feel a little lost, poured another glass of wine and was about to drink, when suddenly the bartender's voice came from downstairs: "Girl, the upstairs and downstairs guests are full today, you better go to another house to eat." I'm really sorry, but there is no place for it. ”

"I don't believe it, I'll go upstairs to take a look, do you think I order less food alone?" As he spoke, there was the sound of going up the stairs.