"Oh, in such a weather, it's windy and snowy. You two are not staying at home, why are you still coming out? Look at the snow so strong, it's hard to walk. How nice it's to roast charcoal warmly at home!"

Old Tang, who was sweeping snow at the entrance of the restaurant, saw Zong Gu and Qi Benji coming together, and stopped and shouted loudly.

When the two arrived, Chibengji smiled and said, "This heavy snow brings endless scenery! We were about to go to Longmen Mountain to enjoy the snow, so we bought some wine and food from our host and took it up the mountain."

"Okay, okay, let's follow me." Old Tang hurriedly put down the tools in his hand, leading the way while talking nonstop. "A few days ago, the little officials didn't mention Zhang Shierlang's strong wine in the city? Later, we thought about it, it was a way. It was just the southbound Avenue, with many merchants coming and going, and there were many people working as a coolie to carry goods. Isn't it just the people who want to enjoy those wine and food? I went to the city to discuss with Zhang Shierlang. Shierlang was a good man, and he did not humiliate Zhang's face and agreed in one go. But he couldn't make the decision to sell wine, but it was thanks to my elder sister that the matter was settled."

Qi Benji asked, "How can Sister Tang help with this?"

"It's all destined by God. The fate has come, and it will go well no matter what. My elder sister went back to Longmen and sold her house in Taohuafang in the city. You said it was a coincidence? The one who bought that house was the young lady of Ducaoguan. We were forced to have no choice but to let my elder sister come to the door and say it, but she didn't expect the young lady to agree at once!"

Chibenghi said: "I am a good person for the young lady."

"Isn't that true? I heard that this young lady was also the daughter of a poor family. She had been with the Ducao official since she was a child, and later she took it as an outdoor room. When the official went to Lingnan to become an official, the young lady had followed the official to the smoky land for six years, and had a deep friendship with the official, and all the officials followed him. After not many days, Sansi Shop sent someone to say that we would like to deliver it to our door in the future, five or ten days!"

Qi Benji was surprised: "The father-in-law has made good luck, and he actually has such a good thing! Even Zhang Shierlang's place, I heard that he had to go to the shop by himself, why did you send it here specifically?"

Old Tang waved his hands repeatedly: "Darling, don't misunderstand it, it's not just for us. Originally, Sansi Shop was going to send wine to the nearby imperial guard camp, and I will deliver it to us by the way."

"That's a great fortune! With this business, if you work hard, it may not be a way to make a fortune."

After entering the door, Old Tang asked Zhong Gu and Qi Benji to sit down, and went to ask for a drink, saying, "Isn't that? We originally bought this restaurant at the beginning of the year, but we didn't get any interest in a year. I thought that we would pay back the money from the government by the end of the year, so we would not do it anymore and go back to the city to plant flowers. Now we have this more way, let's see how the business is at the end of the year before we make a decision."

Zhong Gu and Qi Benji knocked down the snowflakes on their bodies, sat down in their seats, and watched Old Tang busy.

Chibengji smiled and said, "Without a life, this old man is busy like a different person."

Zhong Gu said: "That's natural. If there is no way, who would be willing to give up his family business? By the way, Wujiu, you are doing nothing every day, is it not a solution. Have you ever thought about finding something to do?"

Qi Benji shook his head: "A scholar is useless. I have no power to tie a chicken in my hands, I can't bear my shoulders and I can't lift my hands. What can I do?"

Zhong Guzhengrong said: "Two days ago, my father wrote from Sishui County, saying that the transfer department would recruit some scholars to ask the people from the three departments to teach arithmetic and accounting. My father specifically told him not to treat this matter as a casual time. Now the Cao official does things on Jingxi Road, so there are many such people. The meaning of the letter is that if you learn this, you will be a lifelong iron rice bowl, which is more reliable than eating the official family's meal. You and I are scholars, and you are a public official, and you can't let go of your own posture. This path is just right."

Qibengji said, "Lingzun wants you to learn."

Zong Gu nodded: "That's right, and it's indisputable. After the New Year, the people from the Sansi will go to study as soon as they arrive in Luoyang."

Qi Benji lowered his head and thought for a while before saying, "Great quality, I'm sorry, what's the use of learning this? To be a accountant? Then it's better to be a public official! What's the mystery? Can you reveal it?"

Zhong Gu shook his head with a wry smile: "My father's letter just said that, and I'm still confused here! He said that I don't do anything, so he learned this skill and could make a living and support my family."

As a son-in-law, Qi Benji lived a life like a god, without worrying about food and drink. Every day he traveled around, visited relatives and friends, and ignored everything. When he talked about what to learn and what to do, he was unwilling to do. People who are used to being lazy suddenly went to those tense days again for no reason, and no one could make a decision at once.

Seeing that Old Tang brought the wine over, Qibengji said, "Don't talk about these things for now. Then Dazhi will have a look and talk about me. It's not too late to make a decision. Today, the snow outside is so good that I won't say these disturbing words."

What else can Zonggu say? He didn't want to go, but his father's order was hard to violate. Zonggu yearned for the life of his ancestors like a god-like life, proudly sniffing in the mountains and forests, hungry eating wild fruits, thirsty drinking mountain springs, and always with the world. However, as the eldest son of the family, he had to help his father take on the responsibility of the family. He was able to be free when he was young, but now he is already an adult and has many brothers in his family, so he can't live that kind of life anymore.

Old Tang put down the plate he was holding and said to the two: "I heard that this strong wine tastes unique when it is hot, especially in the snowy weather. Drink it very warms your body. You two drink a pot, and then go and enjoy the snow when your body is warm."

"It's the best, thank you, my father!" Chibengi said, lifting the wine pot and filling it with wine.

Old Tang pointed to several braised dishes on the table and said, "This is what I learned from Zhang Shierlang. It is said that it was passed down from the home of the Ducao official. The restaurant in Baisha and his family have been selling this, and it is famous for several nearby state troops!"

Those were all kinds of braised foods sold by Xu Ping at Baisha’s restaurant in order to sell liquor. They were made according to his impression of his previous life. They were nothing more than braised tofu, chicken feet, pig ears, sheep’s hooves, and various animals. There were also people who ate these in this era, but they were not common. Only a few big places, such as Kaifeng Prefecture, were people who were doing some remediation. However, the taste they made was light, unlike the heavy salt, sauce and heavy flavors made by Xu Ping, which was suitable for the lower class people.

Xu Ping's craftsmanship is average, that is, it means that if there is no comparison, everyone will just eat it. After so many years, after the improvement of many people in this era, it is no longer the rough look that Xu Ping did back then. (To be continued...)
Chapter completed!