The boat glowed as the six strings were plucked. Sitting by the shore, the boat gazed into the distance.
Because Er Niu was working beside Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan, Xu Si was arranged to transport the food stones, take a steam bath, cultivate new seeds, feed the livestock used for planting, and the swimming pool for Xiao Bei and the other little guys. All of these required this thing.
Xu Si did not forget to practice his guitar. It was not because he liked music, but because he liked a girl from the inner courtyard who played the Hu Jia well. He felt that he was not good enough for her. What should he do? After discussing with Zhang Xiaobao, Zhang Xiaobao gave him a guitar and said that if he played it well, he would be able to match the sound of the Hu Jia. As for whether it was true or not, Zhang Xiaobao was not sure.
Anyway, Zhang Xiaobao's out-of-tune "Thousands of Rivers and Mountains Will Always Love" was probably not good enough. Every time Wang Juan heard Zhang Xiaobao play, she would praise him. This song could be used as a killing weapon on the battlefield.
At this time, Xu Si was sitting on a boat passing by Jizhou. When he saw the Fish Mountain, he missed it and stopped. Actually, it had nothing to do with the Fish Mountain. Even though many famous people had written here before, the main reason was that he was hungry. He rummaged through his bag and found the canned food that Zhang Xiaobao and Wang family had just developed.
It was only used in the inner courtyard and was not sold outside. Even the palace did not give it to Li Longji. They were afraid that Li Longji would be addicted to it and ask for it every day. The canned food in his hand was the canned food of Yangtze River Swordfish. The fine scales were removed, the internal organs were removed, and even the bitter taste was removed.
Xu Si was about to eat it and the remaining half of the jar of black bean sauce that he did not finish yesterday. He took out the 'guokui' and was about to eat it when he smacked his lips. He wanted to drink wine, but he realized that he had finished the bottle the day before yesterday. After eating such good food, he would feel sorry for the Yangtze River Swordfish if he did not drink some wine.
Xu Si started to look at the shore. There was a wine shop on the north shore that also sold tea. Okay, that's it. "Boatman, come to the north shore. I will go up and eat something. If you are hungry, you can eat too. After you eat, I will pay for you."
"Sir, you can't go over like this. People are still sailing on the north shore. If you head over head, you will be looking for a quarrel." The boatman said worriedly.
"You are stupid. You just go forward and turn your head..............." This was a simple problem for Xu Si.... and the boatman boatman..
When the boatman heard this, he continued to move forward. Taking advantage of the fact that there were no other boats passing by, he swerved his oar and slowly moved to the shore. There really were other boats docked here. On the shore, there were already stakes for the boats to anchor. The boatman first set up a gangplank and let Xu Si go up. Only then did he anchor the boat. He also called his wife and children on the boat to eat together. Today's meal was being treated, so at least half a chicken would be eaten.
The wife and children were very happy. Half a chicken. That's more than 10 to 20 copper coins. They had met a good person.
Only the men were prepared to drink a bowl of rice wine. They would be embarrassed if they drank too much. They couldn't find a good person to cheat. Otherwise, they would rather travel by land next time.
Xu Si didn't care about this small amount of money. How much can a meal in a small wine shop cost? He was anxious to find a wine that could go with the Yangtze River Swordfish. He asked the manager and the waiter, but they didn't have any wine that Xu Si could think of. In the end, he had to order a wine that was half a year old. The manager had promised that it was definitely not the kind of wine that was only half a month old.
Xu Si didn't care if the manager couldn't sell it or if the wine was really buried. As long as it was drinkable, it was fine. He didn't have anything else. He would just let the Yangtze River Swordfish out of the can later.
He didn't forget to shout to the manager and the waiter, "Don't put ginger in it, and don't put anything else. It must be the best. I will give you as much as you want."
Ever since Xu Si followed the new owner, he didn't like to drink anything else. He didn't even put sugar in his soy milk. The waiter immediately replied, "Okay, a bowl of half a year old wine. Don't put wine in the water. Just serve the wine directly."
The second half of the sentence was shouted to the kitchen behind. It was estimated that there were people in the kitchen who were busy cooking and mixing wine. It sounded scary.
Soon, the wine was served. Xu Si smelled it. Not bad, there was no water. No, there was no wine in the water. It was very pure. He looked at the six empty wine bowls on the table next to him. He was looking for a place to relieve himself. He finally understood why his alcohol tolerance was so high.
Xu Si tasted the wine and frowned. He was satisfied. At least it was real wine. Although the taste was not as good as the ones he drank at home, no one at home ate canned food. There was a good chef who cooked for them. Who would eat canned food when they were out. They were afraid that people like him who lived in the inner courtyard wouldn't be able to get used to the food outside Between the Clouds and the Water.
It was all his fault for being greedy. He drank all the wine he brought in advance. He had to make do with it. How could this wine be paired with the Yangtze River Swordfish?
When he was about to take the can, he saw the manager and waiter looking at him. He ordered, "What side dishes do you have? Give me a few."
The manager and waiter nodded and happily went to take the dishes. Xu Si was embarrassed when he ordered the dishes. It was not good to only order a bowl of wine.
He took out more than half of the jar of black bean sauce. After thinking for a while, he also took out the small bamboo tube of spicy cabbage. Finally, he took out the can of Yangtze River Swordfish. Under the watchful eyes of the people eating under the shed, he opened the can.
Immediately, a few people were surprised. Xu Si knew that these were people who had never seen canned food before. They were used to it. As a servant, he could only eat, wear, and live in the Wang and Zhang Family. He could also make do with Commandery Prince Li's house. This was also the reason why some people didn't leave even though they had saved enough money to leave.
Xu Si didn't care about the curiosity of others. He used his chopsticks to pick the can. There was a layer of jelly on the top of the can. Inside, there was yellow and white meat. The yellow meat was smoked first, and the white meat was steamed directly. One was chewy, and the other was tender. There were also about ten pieces of ginger.
He picked up a piece of ginger and put it in his mouth. There was the spiciness of Weiwei and the fragrance of the fish. He sighed in his heart. This was the kindness of the young master and his wife. He had to repay them well.
The manager and waiter also brought over four side dishes. The amount was not small. The five inch plates were filled to the brim. After placing the food on the table, he took the opportunity to look at the can. He sniffed and smiled, "Brother, where did you buy the fish? It looks good. "
"It's not sold anywhere. It's always in the inner courtyard of Zhuangzi. It's called canned food. Of course, it's good. This is a kind gesture. The master is afraid that the servants who go out will not be used to the food from other places."
Xu Si's emotions were fluctuating too much today. He thought about the girl in the inner courtyard and thought about how good the master was, so he casually replied.
"Oh." The manager and waiter responded. In fact, he didn't understand what was going on. Which Zhuangzi was so considerate of the servants? He actually made canned food. He didn't believe it and turned around to add more tea for others.
There was an eight and a half year old boy in the boat that brought Xu Si here. When they were on the boat, Xu Si gave him a sweet piece of ginger called Little Bird. The family hoped that one day the child could spread his wings and fly. However, life was tough. Usually, Little Bird would help steer the boat when it was smooth sailing. After a few days of contact, he was no stranger to Xu Si.
When he heard the manager say that Uncle Xu ate fish, he put down the chicken head in his hand and said, "Uncle Xu likes to eat fish. When we get on the boat, Little Bird will fish for Uncle Xu. Little Bird knows how to catch big fish."
When Xu Si heard Little Bird's words, he immediately smiled. He liked children because the young master and his wife were children. He waved his hand, "Then Little Bird will treat Uncle Xu to fish later. Uncle Xu will treat Little Bird to fish now. Uncle Xu can't finish it alone."
The child didn't know the preciousness of the food in the iron sheet. He put the chicken head in his mother's plate and happily jumped over, "Then Little Bird will help Uncle eat."
When Little Bird ate, he finally realized that something was wrong. His family had a boat and he usually ate fish. He was tired of it, but why was the fish in the box so delicious? The bones were soft and the cold was delicious. When he put it in his mouth, it slipped into his stomach. It was cool and refreshing.
"Uncle Xu, which Zhuangzi are you from? Are you really a servant? "The child was straightforward and said whatever was on his mind.
"Yes, I'm a servant. I'm from Zhangjia Zhuangzi San Shui County. I was sent out to do some work." Xu Si specially picked a piece of smoked meat for Little Bird. Children generally liked to eat chewy food as snacks. Of course, younger children were more willing to eat soft food. They also liked to eat fatty meat. It was fine if they were chewed and stuffed into their mouth first. Their teeth were not fully grown yet, so it was good to eat something that could enter their stomach.
Little Bird didn't know what San Shui County was. He casually nodded to show that he understood and lowered his head to help Uncle Xu eat.
The two people who were eating at the side immediately understood why a servant could eat something that others had never seen before. It turned out that he was a member of Sanshui's Zhang Family. The servants of Sanshui's Zhang Family couldn't be judged by the standards of a servant. Any random one of them could write and calculate. It was said that a waiter in one of Shuiyun's flagship stores could recite poems and discuss prose with others.
Immediately, one of them stood up and clasped his hands, "It's actually Brother Xu. Brother Xu, please accept my toast."
As he spoke, he finished a big bowl of wine. The other person quickly stood up and also followed suit.
Xu Si had no choice but to stand up. No matter how powerful the master was, he still had to follow the etiquette. Even if the wine of the two people was mixed into the water, he still had to drink a bowl. Fortunately, he still had a high alcohol tolerance. When he drank at home, the alcohol content was high. He raised his head and drank the wine.
The two people were tactful and didn't disturb him. They smiled at Xu Si in a friendly manner and asked the shopkeeper and waiter to bring more wine. In the future, they would talk to others. The people from the Zhang family in San Shui didn't have the slightest bit of arrogance and even drank a bowl of wine.
After eating two pieces of fish, Little Bird put down his chopsticks. It wasn't that he didn't want to eat, but that his parents were giving him a look. Seeing Uncle Xu drinking a bowl of wine with someone, he turned his head and asked, "Uncle Xu, where did this fish come from? Little Bird has never eaten it before. How much did uncle pay for this fish?"
"This fish is from the Yangtze River. In the future, if Little Bird wants to go, he can row a boat to take a look. This fish was caught by our family's boat when it passed by the Yangtze River and brought to Luoyang."
Xu Si considered his own alcohol tolerance and signaled the shopkeeper to bring another bowl over as he spoke to Little Bird.
"Uncle Xu has a boat? Is it big? Is it bigger than my family's boat? "Little Bird compared.
"It's big. It can sail in the sea. Uncle doesn't have a boat. It's the main family's boat. The two docks at the Jingshui Boat Company made it."
Xu Si gave Little Bird another piece of fish and continued.
This time, Little Bird didn't eat. He looked at Xu Si with hope and asked carefully, "Uncle Xu, is it really the Jingshui Boat Company? Is there a new boat there? It looks similar to other small boats, but when going against the current, it's very fast. Furthermore, it has wheels that are specially used to swing the net, allowing it to fish while moving.
Little Bird saw it once. That person clearly had a big boat, but he insisted on rowing a small boat around Little Bird. He even told his father that the boat couldn't be bought by others and had to be custom-made at the Jingshui Boat Company.
The price isn't expensive, but how do we buy it? Uncle Xu, can you help us think of a way? "
Xu Si pondered for a moment. Just as Little Bird's father was about to pull Little Bird back, he said, "Little Bird, do you want to buy it?"
"Yes. My family also wants a good boat. It's not strenuous to carry people, and it's convenient to fish. Many people want to buy it." Little Bird nodded vigorously.
Xu Si made a decision. "Then how about this? Uncle Xu will write a letter back now. In a few days, Uncle Xu will return home. Little Bird, find others who want to buy a new boat and send Uncle Xu to Luoyang first. Uncle Xu will also pay for a portion of the stones. It's just a matter of traveling a little further. After arriving at Luoyang, wait a few days before a new boat is delivered to Luoyang.
You can bring it back. "Xu Si was prepared to use his authority. Since he had discovered a market, he had to expand it. From the looks of it, he needed to increase the manpower at the Jingshui Boat Company. The market research had not been done properly. The only reason he had ordered custom-made boats was because he was afraid that they wouldn't sell well.
Little Bird was delighted. Afraid that Uncle Xu was lying, he pressed, "Uncle Xu, can you really get a new boat? Isn't Uncle Xu a servant? "
"Little Bird, don't speak nonsense," Little Bird's father reprimanded.
Without waiting for Xu Si to explain, one of the two people who had been drinking with Xu Si spoke to Little Bird.
"Little guy, your Uncle Xu is no ordinary servant. He is in the inner courtyard of the Zhang Family and Wang Family. The words of the Zhang Family and Wang Family are final. Why aren't you thanking your Uncle Xu?"
"Ah? That impressive? A servant can speak on behalf of the master? Thank you, Uncle Xu. My return trip is free of charge. What I say counts. Isn't that right, Father? "
Little Bird similarly guaranteed. Little Bird's father nodded. That was what he meant. His son's words represented the adults.
This time, it was Xu Si's turn to be surprised. From Little Bird's confident look, it wasn't the first time he had done so. Other than his master, which other family's adults would dare let a child make a decision? Impressive.
With a thought, Xu Si asked Little Bird, "Do you want to learn something even more impressive? If you want to learn, Uncle Luoyang will arrange it for you. As long as you are willing to work hard, it won't be difficult for you to take the imperial examinations when you grow up. "
"Really? More impressive than Uncle Xu? "Little Bird was tempted. He really wanted to be knowledgeable, but unfortunately, he never had the chance.
"What does Uncle count for? In the main family, there are many people more impressive than Uncle, especially a group of children who have studied for several years. Any one of them is more capable than Uncle. Uncle can't take the imperial examinations, but they can. "
Xu Si naturally understood the capabilities of his master. Talents were nurtured from generation to generation. The younger the generation, the more impressive they would be in the future. This was because the previous generation had to write down their experiences for the later generation to read.
This time, Little Bird didn't stare at Xu Si's canned food. He ran back to his parents and discussed with them whether they should go to Luoyang to learn from others.
At this time, Xu Si also stopped eating. He took out a charcoal pencil and spread out a piece of paper. He began to write a plan to sell the boat to a further place. He planned to find a local yamen after they set off, pay them some money, and use his identity to get the yamen to send them to Luoyang.
The sun gradually moved to the center of the sky, giving people a warm feeling. After writing the letter and drinking two mouthfuls of wine, Xu Si picked up the guitar on his back and began to play. He only played but didn't sing.
After playing a song, he was about to put away the guitar and continue on his way when a person came from the riverside. Before the person came close, the person praised, "Good, good song. The soft sound is like a woman going out, clear and crisp like spring water dripping from the heart. Brother, please. When I heard the sound of your guitar, I was suddenly enlightened, especially in the midst of the reeds and flowers, I peeled a leaf to peek at the person I admire. Good song, good guitar, what a combination of heart and soul."
Xu Si was shocked. The person who came was right. He was thinking of someone else. But when his thoughts were heard by someone from the guitar, it was as if he had no secrets. It was very uncomfortable. He didn't know what this person meant. Could it be that he was mocking him?
When he looked at the person, he saw that he was in his twenties. He had a clear face and bright eyes. He wore a blue silk headscarf, a light gray robe, a pair of wooden pig leather boots, and a four-finger wide belt around his waist. He had his hands behind his back and was leaning in front of Xu Si.
Xu Si didn't know what this person was and didn't know what to say. He continued to put the guitar back into the cloth bag and pretended that he didn't hear anything.
"Brother, why are you in such a hurry to leave? Why don't you play another song and let me listen to it for a while? The fish in this box is not bad. Shopkeeper, add another bowl of wine, don't mix it with water. Brother, am I right? "
The person who came didn't treat him as an outsider and sat next to Xu Si. When he saw the little bird eating the remaining canned fish, he wanted to try it, regardless of whether the shopkeeper allowed it or not.
Xu Si could see that this person should be a scholar. Only a scholar would be so free and easy. When they encountered strange things, they would go forward and try delicious food. It didn't matter if they knew each other before. As long as they felt that they were the same kind of person, they would drink with you until they lost their sense of direction. They could chat for an entire night and wouldn't feel tired.
Seeing that the person wanted to eat the canned food, Xu Si let him eat it. He also pushed some spicy cabbage in front of the person. If they ate it today, there would be new things to eat tomorrow. There was a branch of Between the Clouds and the Water over there.
The person who came didn't stand on ceremony with Xu Si. He picked up a piece of swordfish and ate it happily. After eating a piece, he stuck out his tongue and licked his lips. He praised, "Tender as lamb fat, crispy as an old man's skin. Brother, am I right?"
"Brother, you must have misheard. There is no woman and spring water. Listen to the soft sound, that is because I want to get more silk. Listen to the crisp sound, that is the sound of copper coins. I am crazy about money. My surname is Xu. When I was begging on the street, I was ranked fourth. Everyone called me Xu Si. I am afraid of being poor. When I have nothing to do, I think about how to make money."
Of course, Xu Si couldn't admit that his thoughts had been guessed and misled.
"Oh? Is that so? My father's surname is Wang. His name is Wei. His courtesy name is Mojie. Wang Wei, Wang Mojie. Brother Xu's business must be good. How come I have never seen this iron box before? "
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