At the beginning of the morning, the mother and daughter each carried a back basket, Xia Li's back basket was filled with ice powder, and Xia's back basket was filled with a few porcelain jars with spices and a few beautiful empty dishes, all of which were tightly covered with cloths.

Before going out, Xia still put a hat on Xia Li.

They came to the east of the village and got on Uncle Huang's ox cart. It costs three cents per person in the car, and the bucket or basket that occupies the place also counts as money. Xia Li and Xia Shi held the basket in their arms, so they didn't need to pay another money.

When there were eight people in the car, Uncle Huang drove away.

The other people in the car were all going to the county market to sell things, and it was buckets and baskets, which took up a lot of space. These people were very curious when they saw that Xia's mother and daughter rarely brought so many things.

Xia Li greeted them with a smile and sat in the car in a daze

Aunt Li in the south of the village couldn't help it and asked, "Leave the girl, what are you carrying in the basket?" ”

Xia replied first, "It was some freshly picked vegetables and vegetables that were given to a sister in the embroidery workshop." She often helps me, I don't have any money, I can only send some fresh vegetables to thank her. ”

Vegetables can not be covered so tightly. Aunt Li pursed her lips and didn't ask any more.

The red morning sun hung obliquely in the east, the thin morning mist had not completely dissipated, the flowers and plants were rolling with crystal dewdrops, the morning breeze was blowing, the fragrance of flowers and herbs and the fragrance of wheat and earth surrounded the nose, and the vast golden wheat fields were endless......

The early morning in the countryside is beautiful.

To the east and north of the Huaxiang Mountains are large plains, fertile land, and a true land of fish and rice. At this time, it is the season of harvesting winter wheat and rapeseed, and the fields are already busy.

Xia Li was very happy in his heart. It is a blessing to be able to travel through the peaceful and prosperous times, away from the troubled times and the misery of life, and to have a mother who loves him.

The ox cart walked for half an hour before reaching the county seat and stopped outside the city gate. Uncle Huang said that he would get on the bus here at the end of the day, and he would not wait for it.

The crowd agreed to get out of the car in a hurry, and hurried to the bazaar, hoping to occupy a good port.

After Xia and Xia Li entered the city, they went straight to Yixiang Restaurant.

Tongning County is less than 100 miles away from the provincial capital Jin'anfu, and the water and land transportation are very developed, which belongs to the important town of Xiangjiang Province. The city is bustling with traffic, many shops, and a prosperous scene.

Yixiang Restaurant is in the most prosperous Sanjin Street, the street is wide, the cries of selling come and go, most of the shops on both sides are blue brick houses, and there are only a few wooden houses.

Yixiang Restaurant is a two-storey blue brick house, the vermilion carved door has been opened, and there are several strings of colored lanterns hanging next to it.

Xia Li followed Xia Shi in. Seeing that the lobby is very large, there are more than 20 square tables, with a vermilion staircase on the left, a brown counter in front of it, and a small wooden sign with recipes written on the wall behind the counter.

The roof of the lobby is very high, and there is a vermilion guardrail on the second floor, and behind the guardrail are small vermilion doors, which should be private rooms.

There was such a luxurious restaurant in the small county town in ancient times, which surprised Xia Li.

Xia Li glanced at the small wooden pai, there were about 30 kinds of dishes, as well as small snacks such as soup dumplings and siu mai, as well as dessert soups such as wine-stuffed dumplings and pear white fungus.

There were people at a few tables, well-dressed and eating breakfast at a leisurely pace.

Xiao Er greeted him and said, "Auntie, sister, are you here for breakfast?" The sweet soup in our restaurant is very good. ”

Xia Li said, "Second brother, we want to talk to the shopkeeper about something." ”

A middle-aged man in a cyan robe behind the counter said, "What am I the shopkeeper, what is the little lady looking for me?" ”

Xia Li and Xia Shi walked to the counter, they put the back basket on the ground, Xia Li took out three blue and white porcelain bowls and two blue and white porcelain plates from the back basket and put them on the counter. These dishes and bowls are only used by them during the New Year's holiday, and they are also brought in order to make the ice powder look good.

Shopkeeper He asked puzzledly, "What do you mean by this?" ”

Two little two people came around, and the people who were eating also turned their heads to look at them.

Xia Li smiled and said nothing, and continued the movements in his hands.

She first scooped half a bowl of ice powder into each of the three bowls, and then turned a blue and white porcelain plate on a small bowl filled with ice powder, and a semicircular small pale red "iceberg" appeared in the plate. I turned the ice powder from the three wine cups into another plate, and the three small "icebergs" were pale green.

She added a little rose brine to the red ice powder, and a little aloe vera juice to the green ice powder. This kind of ice powder is slightly more concentrated, easy to shape, and good-looking, but the taste is not as good as the ice powder with appropriate tenderness.

Even if the ice powder made of blue lantern seeds increases the concentration, it is trembling and a little collapsed, which slightly affects the appearance. But it is crystal clear, and it is still so beautiful that the people next to it applaud.

Xia Li first added some brown sugar water and crushed peanuts to three bowls, then added a little more red bean paste and sesame seeds to one bowl, and added winter melon diced sugar and rose marinade to the third bowl.

Then, add ingredients to the dish with only one "iceberg", and add a circle of honey water, rose marinade, diced winter melon, and sesame seeds around the "iceberg".

Add the same material to the middle of the three small "icebergs" as the big "icebergs".

After doing all this, Xia Li said, "This kind of food is called ice powder, which is my family's ancestral craft. Cool and sweet, tender and refreshing, shengjin relieves heat, also anti-inflammatory and diuretic, appetizing and spleen, young and old, it is the best sweet soup in summer. He pointed to the dishes in turn, "This is the original ice powder, this is the three fresh ice powder, this is the family photo, this is the pink beauty, this is the three musketeers." ”

Shopkeeper He was surprised and said, "The name is strange, can this be eaten?" ”

Xia Li said, "This is made of ingredients, of course you can eat it." As he spoke, he brought the original ice powder to Shopkeeper He, "You can taste it." ”

Shopkeeper He saw that the mother and daughter were eighty percent here to sell their sons. Regardless of whether this thing called ice powder is as good as they say, at least it looks good.

He took the bowl and mixed it with a spoon, eating it slowly and carefully without any expression on his face. Even if there was a hint of surprise in his eyes, it disappeared in an instant.

Xia Li secretly slandered, what a cunning profiteer.

Xia Li smiled, "Shopkeeper He, how is it, is it refreshing and tender, sweet and thirst-quenching?" ”

Before Shopkeeper He could speak, a girl came over and said first, "Uncle He, the second girl and the fourth young master asked you to take all these ice powders to the box, they want to take a look." ”

Xia Li looked sideways, it was a thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl, wearing a bean-green armor, combing her sideburns and her hair in a bun, white and smart, which girl should it be.

Shopkeeper He wanted to say that he would take it when I negotiated the price, but he didn't dare, so he told Xiao Er to take the tray to bring these bowls of noodles to the box on the second floor. smiled at Xia Li's mother and daughter, "My girl and young master are interested in this food, so you can go with me to meet them." ”