Inside the inn, the entire atmosphere was very depressing because of Shopkeeper Xu's low mood.
Everyone here is the captain of Dongchang. No matter where they go, they are the objects of sacrifice. How can they bear this kind of cowardice? If they were not on a mission, they would have rushed to the city gate and captured the defenders.
Got it.
Even so, everyone was panting and their necks were red from holding back.
Shopkeeper Xu was startled when he saw everyone in this state. His hands were trembling and he didn't know where to put them: "Everyone, what's going on? Is the water too hot?"
"No, no, these brothers of mine overreacted because they traveled a long distance and it was too cold outside, but it is very warm in your inn. Shopkeeper Xu, if you have any hot food, please come and serve it to two tables. You
Are you just talking and not doing any business? We are still hungry." Xiao Chen smiled and changed the subject.
Shopkeeper Xu stamped his foot in embarrassment: "My old habit of complaining when I see people comes back again, forgetting that you all came from afar. Although our Tianyi Inn is mainly an inn, our food is also very unique. Like
Nanhu wild fish is our specialty in Yizhou. It is delicious and tender, and with the secret cooking recipe passed down by the chef in the kitchen, it is worth a try. How about I ask the kitchen to cook two for you?"
When we got up in the morning, everyone was busy on the road and didn't eat anything at all. When we were running on the road, we didn't feel anything yet. As soon as we sat down and drank some hot tea, our stomachs began to growl.
Rubbing his stomach, Duan Tianming reached out and patted Shopkeeper Xu, and said dissatisfiedly: "Speaking to Shopkeeper Xu, can you get some ready-made dishes for us to eat first, and then you can introduce them in detail. There are more than a dozen of us with big stomachs."
They are all already cooing."
"Okay, okay, we have good soy sauce beef and special soy sauce rabbit head..." Shopkeeper Xu rubbed his hands with an embarrassed look on his face and looked at Duan Tianming's introduction.
"Stop." Duan Tianming shouted, interrupting Shopkeeper Xu's words, and said in an almost pleading tone: "Shopkeeper Xu, we all know that you are a real person, stop talking and serve the food."
As he spoke, he shook his head and waved his right hand.
Shopkeeper Xu's face turned red instantly: "I'm going to tell the kitchen to serve food to the young master and you all."
After saying that, he turned around and ran into the inner room in a hurry.
In a moment, he ran over again with two large plates of sauced beef in his hands.
"This is the best beef with soy sauce. You can use it first." He said, placing a plate of beef on the table.
Immediately afterwards, two waiters trotted over. One was holding a steaming rabbit head in sauce, and the other was holding two unknown plates of meat and vegetables.
When the waiter placed the dishes on the table, shopkeeper Xu rubbed his hands, nodded to Xiao Chen, and then looked at Duan Tianming: "This is the fastest dish. You can use it first. I will go to the kitchen and let the chef cook it for everyone."
We prepare wild fish from Nanhu Lake in Yizhou."
Seeing shopkeeper Xu busy and busy, Xiao Chen laughed.
"Shopkeeper Xu, go and do your work first. The dishes will be served when they are ready."
"Okay, sir, please be patient, I will go to the kitchen to help." Shopkeeper Xu nodded to Xiao Chen again, bowed and retreated with a flattering look on his face.
Watching Shopkeeper Xu enter the back hall, Duan Tianming winked at the captain on the table next to him, took out his silver needle and tried it on all the dishes.
The captain who was signaled also took out his silver needle and inspected all the dishes one by one.
While waiting for the silver needle to change, Duan Tianming looked at Xiao Chen: "Xiao Chen, I think this shopkeeper Xu is very familiar with the situation in Yizhou. Do you want to ask him about the Ouyang family later?"
"No." Xiao Chen picked up the tea bowl and took a sip, "Don't mention anything about the Ouyang family here, don't even mention the word 'Ouyang'. After dinner, you and I will go out first.
Wandering around the streets of Yizhou City to see if they could get some information from the side. Others checked around the inn to see if there were any potential disadvantages. Remember, we are all civilians now.
All actions must be natural.”
"Yes, Mr. Xiao." Duan Tianming took the lead in answering.
After looking at Yinzhen's eyes again, Duan Tianming picked up the chopsticks and greeted everyone: "Eat, I'm really hungry."
The meal lasted for more than an hour, and strangely, not a single guest came to stay at the hotel.
After eating and drinking, Duan Tianming stretched out his left hand and wiped his mouth: "Shopkeeper Xu."
Hearing the cry, shopkeeper Xu, with his slightly fat body straightened up, ran over again.
"Sir, what are your orders?"
"I am not a young master." Duan Tianming pointed at Xiao Chen, "This is our young master Xiao. Prepare an upper room for our young master to live in, and prepare seven double rooms."
Shopkeeper Xu's eyes turned into slits with laughter: "That's no problem. When the young master and everyone came in just now, I had arranged for the waiter to clean the room. The upper room is on the third floor, and the double room is on the second floor. Please ask the young master to move
Let’s go and see if we are satisfied.”
Duan Tianming waved his hand: "There is no need to look at this double room. Just arrange our Mr. Xiao's room properly."
Shopkeeper Xu nodded hurriedly and bowed: "Of course, of course. Mr. Xiao's upper room is the most comfortable room in our Tianyi Inn. Standing at the window, you can view the beautiful scenery of the main street. Open the door, and you can view the sky below.
A special program of the inn, Guqin performance.”
"Guqin playing?" Xiao Chen couldn't help but glance sideways at the faded guqin placed at the door.
Before coming to Yizhou, Xiao Chen checked the general situation of Yizhou in Dongchang's database. Because he wanted to arrest criminals, he focused on checking the nearby guard stations.
Not far to the south of Yizhou City, the Maoshan Guards are stationed. A hundred miles due west, the Zijin Pass is stationed. Two hundred miles south of Yizhou City is the Daning Dusi who moved to Baoding Prefecture in the first year of Yongle.
.
The understanding of Yizhou City itself is limited to the cultural heritage brought by Yishui Inkstone.
Inkstones were used by literati. When literati gathered, they would compose poems and compose music. And this guqin was the most expressive instrument for singing those tunes.
However, such an elegant instrument, placed in an ordinary inn, looks a bit nondescript.
"May I ask Shopkeeper Xu, who is the person playing the guqin here?" Xiao Chen couldn't help but ask.
"It goes without saying," Duan Tianming directly interjected, "The person who plays the guqin must be a noble lady, maybe a peerless woman. Otherwise, how can the charm of the guqin be played."
Shopkeeper Xu smiled and shook his head gently.
"No?" Duan Tianming was stunned, "That's a legendary luthier? Or a brothel girl?"
Shopkeeper Xu had a smile on his face: "No, the person playing the guqin here is Ouyang Xiaoke, the second son of the Ouyang family, one of the three major families in Yizhou."
