In Yizhou City, a grand banquet was being held in a restaurant.
The entire restaurant was not open to the public. The old men from the sanatorium were sitting around three tables, drinking and chatting. From time to time, loud laughter and curses could be heard.
The other tables were filled with people of different ages, all of whom were the children and grandchildren of the old men.
The old men who came here would not work for nothing. Not only did they come here themselves, but they also brought the younger generation who was not in an important position in the imperial court. Their purpose was self-evident.
"Xiao Bao, looking at the dishes, it doesn't seem like you made them yourself. Let me taste them. Sure enough, they lack the taste of home. Tell me, are you worthy of us who came here from thousands of miles away? We already have one foot in the coffin and half of our bodies buried in the ground. You still don't let us experience the feeling of home. How can you bear to do that? "
At the table, Bi Gou wolfed down a piece of lamb chop and swallowed it with narrowed eyes. He then drank a mouthful of wine and questioned Zhang Xiaobao who was accompanying him.
Zhang Xiaobao looked at Bi Gou with a strange expression and then glanced at the other old men who were eating. He wrinkled his nose and did not say a word.
Wang Juan held back her laughter and picked up a piece of soft fried pork fillet for Bi Gou. She said sweetly, "Grandpa Bi, we usually eat the dishes made by the restaurant and feel that the taste is not bad. When the chefs of the restaurant see that we need to eat, they will specially adjust the ingredients. I don't feel that the food lacks the feeling of home.
Xiao Bao, you explain. Look, you have made the grandpas misunderstand. Don't just sit there like a fool. It's good to make a toast. How can you let the grandpas nitpick? "
Zhang Xiaobao did as he was told and raised his glass to toast everyone. He didn't say anything but just tilted his head back and downed the entire glass of wine. He smacked his lips and said, "It's a pity that the wine we brought out today is of a good vintage. I drank a lot of it in one gulp. My brother and sister have been thinking about it for a long time but haven't been able to drink to their heart's content."
"Xiao Bao, don't play dumb. Zhang Xiaobao and the others only drink a small cup of wine occasionally. Can you bear to let them drink freely?" Bi Shu saw that Zhang Xiaobao was changing the topic, so he immediately stopped him.
Zhang Xiaobao took the wine that Wang Juan refilled, smiled, and said, "The dishes that the cooks of the restaurant made today are not bad. The dishes that they usually make are not in line with the taste of home because everyone has a different understanding of home. Therefore, the dishes they make are called common dishes, at most with the word 'fine' in front.
I believe you can taste today's dishes. They are all authentic East City flavors. In the past, when you were an official in the capital, you ate the most Beijing food. After that, I went to Sanshui County to retire, so the taste changed slightly. Today, I asked someone to make a special Beijing flavor.
Furthermore, the main problem is that I'm a regional commander, not a professional chef. Even if I'm a chef, I won't be able to cook all the dishes in the restaurant. "
"So you admit that you didn't cook, right?" Bi Shu grasped the crux of the problem.
"Well, Grandpa Bi, if you have any other requests, just say it. I will not refuse if I can help. What do you think?" Zhang Xiaobao simply did not beat around the bush.
Bi Shu reached out his chopsticks to pick up the food on the plate and put it in his mouth to chew. After a while, he said to Yao Chong next to him with a smile, "Yuanzhi, try this fried pork belly. It really tastes like Chang Dong City. I remember that ten or eight years ago, eating the internal organs of animals became popular in the capital. In the past, people didn't eat it because they thought it was dirty. Later, it became … "
"I remember, I remember when Long Ze mentioned it. At that time, it was Xiao Bao's family who released many recipes for making internal organs. Everyone didn't want to waste them. Later, people everywhere started to eat them.
Don't underestimate the internal organs of animals. I don't know how many are thrown away every day. There are people who can't eat meat. After eating intestines and livers, their stomachs have more oil and water. Their health is better, and their food consumption is also less. The Zhang Family and the Wang Family contributed a great merit. "
Yao Chong echoed. After he finished speaking, he raised his cup to Zhang Xiaobao as a sign of praise.
So the old men at the table praised Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan one after another.
Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan looked at each other and suddenly felt that the situation was not good. There must be a reason for the old men to be so polite. They didn't know what they wanted the two of them to do.
"Grandpa Bi, in fact, we haven't done enough. The Tang Empire is the Tang Empire's Tang Empire. Everyone is doing what they can. That's why our Tang Empire is flourishing like spring. We don't dare to claim credit."
Wang Juan immediately became modest. If possible, she even wanted to pull Zhang Xiaobao and quickly leave here. It wasn't that this group of old men was bad, but that they definitely had something to trouble the two of them with. Otherwise, why would they use such methods?
These old demons had already cultivated to the point where they didn't need to use their eyes to communicate smoothly. As soon as Wang Juan finished speaking, Yao Chong immediately said, "Whose contributions can't be denied. Uh … a few days ago, when we asked about Xiaobei and the others, you said they were in Wenshan County. Why haven't they returned yet? I think they did a lot of good things in Wenshan. When they see them, they should properly show off their contributions. "
"Yuanzhi is right. We should help them show off their contributions. After not seeing them for so many days, I've been missing them." An old man next to Bigou chimed in.
Zhang Xiaobao glanced at him and thought, you've only seen Xiaobei and the others once. How can you think of them? You're amazing if you can remember what they look like.
Cursing in his heart, Zhang Xiaobao said, "When they came back, they took a detour, intending to help investigate the cement market elsewhere. In the end, when they ran to Maozhou's Tonghua County, they were delayed by some matters. They needed to clearly investigate the local situation before returning. Because the various grandfathers had to go to other prefectures to oversee matters, they won't be able to see them in the short term. It's a pity."
As they spoke, the people at the other tables, whether it was the old men or the juniors they had brought, all stopped what they were doing and began to pay attention. Those who weren't on the same floor didn't know about this matter and continued to eat and drink.
Of course, since they weren't arranged to be on the same floor or had entered a private room elsewhere instead of gathering in the hall to eat, it could be assumed that their status in the family wasn't very high. The most important people were all gathered around Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan.
At present, the juniors in the hall weren't very old. The younger ones were 15 or 16 years old, and the older ones were just over 30 years old. It could be assumed that those who were too old either had important positions or weren't suitable for the family's nurturing. Those who were too young were still insensible.
When the group of juniors ate, they didn't pay attention to the wine and food at all. All of their ears were focused on Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan's table.
There were two people in their thirties sitting at the table closest to the main table. When they heard the old men talking to Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan, they looked at each other in surprise and were deeply shocked.
They were from the same family. Before they came, the elders in the family had repeated countless times that when they came, they had to be as modest as possible, as respectful as possible. No matter what they saw, no matter what they heard, they weren't allowed to casually interrupt. No matter what Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan did, they weren't allowed to laugh at anything they said, because they didn't have the qualifications to do so.
Moreover, even if what Xiao Bao and Cuckoo said seemed childish to you, there must be a reason. Not only must you not look down on them, you must carefully ponder why they did what they did. A person who commanded a magnificent army and thousands of horses to contend with and kill the enemy, a person who came up with a plan to destroy the foundation of others, how could he be childish?
The two of them recalled the words of the elders when they came, and now they couldn't understand. What was being said at the table was clearly ordinary family talk, but why did they feel as if they were facing a perilous situation?
The other juniors had also sensed the different atmosphere amidst the soft voices. They seriously watched and carefully listened, their minds endlessly pondering.
The people at the main table didn't seem to notice the fierce collision in front of them. The old men were still praising Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan, as well as Xiao Bei and the other nine. Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan were constantly modest, even telling interesting stories, making the old men laugh heartily.
"Xiao Bao, the county magistrate Wang Chang that you just said Xiao Bei and the others encountered in Wenshan was truly an interesting person. He didn't do the work of the yamen, but instead ran over to the tavern to help out, all for the sake of letting his old mother eat well. Filial piety, incompetence, dereliction of duty. Using the small righteousness of filial piety to implicate the great righteousness of thousands of common people, you can't do it, you can't do it, right? "
Just now, when Zhang Xiaobao talked about the matter of his younger brother and sister in Wenshan, the old men were deeply moved, so Bi Gou summed it up.
Zhang Xiaobao's eyes turned, first sweeping over the faces of the old men near him, then looking at the juniors of the old men at the other tables. He took a deep breath and then sighed heavily.
The juniors were even more curious. What was going on? Why did Zhang Xiaobao look so helpless?
Wang Juan pursed her lips and smiled. She said to Bi Gou, "Grandpa Bi, you don't have to worry about righteousness. It's fine as long as you handle it well. You can leave for various places this afternoon, and we just happen to be going to Yizhou Prefecture. If there's someone on the way, he can be a companion. What do you think? "
"Only those on the way can be a companion?" Bi Gou was obviously not satisfied with Wang Juan's selective compromise, so he continued to ask.
Yao Chong said, "Cuckoo said it was handled well. It was also Xiaobei and the others' work. But I can't bear it. Xiaobei and the others are still young and are at the age to play. But they were born in a family like yours, so they have to work early. It's really hard for them."
"Yes, ah, no." Zhang Xiaobao had just agreed to Yao Chong's words, but he immediately changed his mind. "In fact, it doesn't matter. If they want to do it, they can do it. If they don't want to do it, they can't do it. We don't care.
As their older brother, my attitude towards them is not to encourage, oppose, support, or hinder them. I won't make any special arrangements for them. They have their own money. If they do something wrong, as long as it doesn't hurt others, they can use money to make up for it. What do you think? "
"I think it's wrong." Seeing that Xiao Bao in front of him was more evasive than Cuckoo just now, Bi Gou widened his eyes. Cuckoo just compromised a little bit, but Xiao Bao immediately rejected it. How could this be?
So he continued, "Xiao Bao, let's be frank today. You have the nerve to say that you didn't help your younger brother and sister? Look at the stories you made with the knowledge in elementary school. Now they have been published and distributed all over the Tang Empire.
Take a look at what you usually tell them. You tell them the tips and points of administration and economy as fun things to play with. Once they are not around, you send the most capable assistants of you and Cuckoo to follow them. Do you dare to say that you don't support them? "
Zhang Xiaobao nodded embarrassedly. "Okay, okay. How many people? Cuckoo and I will test them. Then we will arrange positions to train and guide them according to their different personalities and abilities. But let's make it clear first. After the war, we will not continue to take care of them. We will not take care of them. "
Bi Gou raised his arm and drew a circle. "We will take care of our juniors in this hall. We will take care of the juniors in the other rooms and halls."
"Okay, I will go all out." Zhang Xiaobao raised his cup.
"Let's eat, let's talk about today's food. It's really comfortable. It's not about the quality of the food. It's mainly because when I see Xiao Bao and Cuckoo, my mood is inexplicably better. Oh, this pork shoulder is fat but not greasy. Try it, try it."
Bi Gou clinked his cup with Zhang Xiaobao, drank a mouthful of wine, and ate happily. The other old men also began to taste the delicacies carefully.
The juniors in the hall widened their eyes and opened their mouths slightly. They were all surprised. Feeling the joyful atmosphere in the hall, they couldn't suppress the excitement in their hearts.
At this moment, they finally understood why they felt so nervous before. It turned out that the elders were really having a confrontation with Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan. The two of them acted respectfully as if they were juniors, but they refused to admit anything until the elders were forced to the brink of death. Only then did they speak frankly.
It was really a great skill. If they didn't speak frankly, the two of them wouldn't go along with it. But if they spoke frankly, the other party would immediately agree and give them face. However, they owed the old men a favor. If they beat around the bush, even if they owed them a favor, they would return it in a roundabout way in the future. But now, if Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan needed the old men to return a favor, they would ask directly. They couldn't refuse even if they wanted to.
After thinking about this, they began to think about what kind of work Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan would arrange for them. It shouldn't be bad and could be used to train them. The old men couldn't be easily dealt with when they asked for help.
Zhang Xiaobao ate a few mouthfuls of food. Wang Juan beside him nudged him. He turned his head and winked at Wang Juan. The two of them smiled knowingly. Everything was understood without words.
Their communication was inadvertently discovered by Bi Gou and Yao Chong. They looked at each other and suddenly felt that something was wrong. The previous sense of achievement disappeared in an instant. They looked like they had succeeded in scheming against others but suddenly regretted that they had been schemed against.
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