Kaifeng Bistro

"The night we first came to Kaifeng, we asked someone for directions, but we ran into Zhang Shanchu." Tan Zhifeng had no choice but to start talking about that night with half-truths: "Of course, I didn't know that he was going to jump into the river that day, or , someone wanted to push him to jump into the river. Then, at the corner of this straw lane, we met you again. You were injured and fainted, but we saw someone riding a horse trying to hurt you. Fortunately, , you dodged."

"So that's how it is." Xu Gan narrowed his eyes slightly, as if he had a little impression: "I think something happened to me that night, but why can't I remember it?"

"It's probably because you've just arrived, and you're not in good health." Tan Zhifeng said pretending to be calm, talking about this matter in front of Xu Yan made him suddenly feel a little enlightened.At that time, Bo didn't understand Xu Gan's ability, so he didn't have the guts to attack Xu Gan directly, and he didn't even show his face.

Now, Bo fought against Xu Gan again, although he was in Xu Gan's body at the time, but...would this allow Bo to understand Xu Gan better, and also make Xu Gan's situation more dangerous...

Tan Zhifeng was still thinking about it, but Zhan Zhao said, "Xu Gan, look, Zhifeng believes in you, and I believe in you too. Now that everyone related to the 'Luoposhanren' is dead, I must know sooner, Are you going to Longjin Bridge that day to meet Zhang Shanchu?"

"Who told you this?" Xu Gan asked back.

Zhan Zhao took out a small piece of paper from his sleeve, which was exactly what Bo had picked up when Bo asked the yellow snake to attack Xu Gan that night.

Xu Gan threw the piece of paper on the table: "All I know is that this man named Zhang Shanchu once asked me a lot about the blacksmith's shop, and he never told me why. It's not that I concealed it intentionally. You asked me repeatedly before. I really don't have any impression of my whereabouts that night, so I can only tell you the truth, and you never asked me what is not Luoluoshan. Why should I bother to tell you?!"

Xu Gan stood up: "Guard Zhan, that's all I know."

After all, he finally looked at Tan Zhifeng again, who was staring down at the teacup without looking at him.He turned around and walked towards the door. When he reached the door, he suddenly paused and continued: "Zhang Shanchu is a good man, and he is also a smart man. Guard Zhan, if I were you, I would look for it and see if he left any Download something useful."

Tan Zhifeng looked back, only to see Xu Gan's back disappearing at the door of the house.Zhan Zhao breathed out wearily, picked up the teacup to drink, and suddenly found that this time the milky white tea foam turned into a very cute animal with a round head and a round brain. It dragged its long tail and fluttered. The chubby wings seem to lie on the soft clouds, resting comfortably.

Zhan Zhao's heavy heart eased a little, and he smiled at Tan Zhifeng: "Zhifeng, this...what is this?"

Tan Zhifeng was still looking at the door, where the thick curtain was hanging quietly, and Xu Gan had long since disappeared.He turned his head and smiled at Zhan Zhao, and said, "It's the legendary dragon god in my hometown. It will bring you good luck."

After Xu Gan left, Tan Zhifeng sat opposite Zhan Zhao and drank tea with him.Tan Zhifeng was not as restrained when facing Zhan Zhao as he was when facing Xu Gan, and Zhan Zhao didn't hide it from him, and the two naturally talked about the case.

Zhan Zhao sighed, and said: "Xu Gan is right, even if we rush to the end of this matter, how the case will be judged and how the Northwest War will develop will depend on what the court officials think, what the emperor wants The rules established by our Great Song Dynasty emphasize literature over military affairs, which is why we have repeatedly failed in battles. Previously, we resisted the Northern Liao Dynasty with Xixia, but now Xixia has turned against it. Li Yuanhao is a violent and violent man. After taking advantage of it, I will definitely not let it go, but the people at the border and those soldiers have suffered."

Tan Zhifeng didn't understand what he heard, so he could only comfort him: "Guard Zhan, don't worry too much, there are always good officials in the court, and there are always solutions to things."

Zhan Zhao saw that Tan Zhifeng's eyes were clear and bright, looking at him with trust, and felt a little less gloomy in his heart.He cheered up again, and said to Tan Zhifeng: "No matter what, we still have to sort out all the clues in this case and find out the truth. Zhifeng, do you think Xu Gan knows anything else?"

Tan Zhifeng said: "Although Xu Gan's temper...uh... is a bit bad, he is not a person who doesn't know right from wrong. He knows, so he should have said it all. By the way, what did he just say?"

"He said that Zhang Shanchu asked him about the blacksmith's shop, but he didn't know if Zhang Shanchu was a down-and-out man." Zhan Zhao said.

"No, no, not this, he finally said...'Zhang Shanchu is a smart man, will he leave anything behind?' Right?" Tan Zhifeng continued to ask.

"That's right." Zhan Zhao said, "But we searched all the rooms where he lived, and found nothing. You know Zhang Shanchu's life experience, he is very poor. There are only a few clothes, pen, ink, paper and inkstone, and even his manuscripts. We haven't seen each other..."

Tan Zhifeng looked at Zhan Zhao, and Zhan Zhao also looked at Tan Zhifeng. Both of them realized a fact - if Zhang Shanchu's death was an accident, where are the manuscripts of the scripts he wrote?

"It's impossible not to find a single piece of paper." Zhan Zhao murmured, "Besides, he hasn't finished his 'Oil Seller'. Zhifeng, tell me, has he finished it?"

"This, I really can't guess." Tan Zhifeng shook his head, and said half-jokingly: "I hope he finishes writing, so Yiyi can at least have less regrets."

"There's also the 'Wang Blacksmith', which is said at the end of the volume." Yi Yi and the others saw Xu Yan leaving, and came out with lingering fear: "This should be written, I don't know how many people stretch their necks now Wait, if I don’t know where he lives, I would have sent him the blade a long time ago!”

"What extra?" Zhan Zhao asked puzzled, "Yi Yi, you mean, Tiejiang Wang didn't finish that book either?"

"That's right, maybe it's..." He said halfway, Tan Zhifeng and Zhan Zhao were stunned together, and then Zhan Zhao said in a low voice: "It's the whereabouts of those two soldiers and maybe other people who fled from the northwest. !"

"Then, those two soldiers are probably dead." Tan Zhifeng's voice trembled because of nervousness: "Because old man Zhang is dead? Maybe the thieves from Xixia killed them together. But he didn't get any information from them. s things."

Tan Zhifeng continued: "Maybe they guessed the relationship between old man Zhang and Zhang Shanchu, maybe they didn't, but no matter what, Zhang Shanchu blamed himself because he wrote the matter in the book, so that his father might still have them The rest of the village died."

"I think," Zhan Zhaofang listened to what Tan Zhifeng said seriously, drank his cup of tea, and said, "They don't know the relationship between old man Zhang and Zhang Shanchu. Most of the people in their village are surnamed Zhang. Perhaps they thought they were just fellow villagers, and Zhang Shanchu had heard it by accident. So, Zhifeng, what else do they not know?"

"Oh, what the hell are you two talking about? You tell me what I said, how good would it be to say it once and for all?!" Zhuo Zhuo said anxiously: "Zhan Huwei, aren't you looking for something left by Zhang Shanchu? Are you sure? I searched everywhere, his fasting house, and the house in his hometown?"

Zhan Zhao and Tan Zhifeng have reached a consensus, and the other three are still waiting nervously.Tan Zhifeng looked past them and looked at the narrow entrance leading to the cellar.

"What he doesn't know is that Zhang Shanchu is also very familiar with this shop." Tan Zhifeng said softly, "Because only here, he can see his father. They said that Zhang Shanchu often came here to buy pancakes... Maybe he He would pretend not to know old man Zhang, but old man Zhang still received him happily, and always baked a few cakes when there were few people, waiting for his son who might come to visit him."

Tan Zhifeng stood up, with a faint smile on his face, the teacup in front of him was already cold, and the chubby little dragon inside changed its shape, looking a little funny.He picked it up and drank a little, the cold tea had a dry and bitter taste.

"Zhao Zhuo, when you stacked cabbage in the cellar, did you notice that any piece of soil was a bit loose?" Tan Zhifeng asked.

"Where is it? It's all frozen." Zhuo Zhuo said: "Why do you ask this? Now that the cabbage is full, you won't let me move it out for you again?!"

"You really want me to move out?! I won't do it, you go!" Zhuo Zhuo met Tan Zhifeng's eyes. "...Going to go together!"

"Don't bother, Miss Zhuo Zhuo, do it." Zhan Zhao was about to unbutton his official uniform when suddenly the footsteps of a guest came from the door.

"I'll come back at night." Zhan Zhao winked at Tan Zhifeng, turned and walked out the door.

……

Tan Zhifeng looked at the narrow entrance leading to the cellar, feeling nervous and excited, but it was a pity that guests came in one after another, so he had to pretend to be nonchalant and go about his business as usual.Before the Song Dynasty, most people could only eat two meals a day, but in this era, and in a place like Kaifeng with convenient transportation and abundant supplies, people lived affluently, and most people began to eat three meals a day.

The scholars studied hard at three o'clock and five o'clock, and at noon they were already hungry, so they came to Tan Zhifeng's shop for lunch in groups of two or three.Tan Zhifeng didn't dare to smash his own signboard, so he hurriedly prepared the meal to be served at noon.

For such a good thing as mutton, fresh ingredients should naturally not be wasted. Tan Zhifeng made steamed dumplings in the morning, and the rest, together with the mutton bones bought by Yi Yi, stewed a large pot of fragrant mutton.At this moment, the aroma was wafting in the tavern.Yi Yi also inquired about it, and learned that although mutton is expensive, the hoofs left over from the slaughtered sheep are very cheap. He bought a lot of them and Tan Zhifeng marinated them early. Pad the belly first.

Tan Zhifeng prepared the noodles again according to the way he made five-spice noodles for Xu Gan in the morning, but this time he didn't add sesame seeds to the noodles, and the noodles were thicker and more chewy.After a while, take out the pot, take out each bowl and cut a few thin, crisp and juicy white radish slices, pour the stewed mutton and soup on it, it should be enough to supplement the energy needed for the rest of the day for these guests.