Kaifeng Bistro

Tan Zhifeng couldn't help clapping his hands behind him: "When did you learn it?"

"When you are doing it." Xu Gan turned the knife in his hand and asked, "Can it be used?"

"Of course." Tan Zhifeng took a closer look, and found that they were both even and square, and each piece was just right.

He was just about to roll up his sleeves to wrap stuffing, but Xu Gan said, "Relax. I'll do it."

Tan Zhifeng feels that Xu Gan's enthusiasm for cooking is getting higher and higher, and if this continues, he will soon lose his job.He thought about it and said, "Well, I'm with you? Otherwise, I have nothing to do."

Xu Gan didn't refuse this time, he handed Tan Zhifeng a stack of skins, and watched him stuffing carefully. Among the 24 solar term wontons, the winter solstice wonton is shaped like a small ingot, which looks very round and cute. "Winter solstice, a yang is born", Tan Zhifeng explained to Xu Gan, this wonton looks like the rising sun.

Seeing that Tan Zhifeng wrapped a few bags, Xu Yan started to do it. The speed of the two of them was doubled, and the layer of skin became thinner and thinner, and soon bottomed out.

"What is he here for?" Xu Gan finally spoke again.

"Brother Zhan?" Tan Zhifeng carefully wrapped the last two wontons.Bamboo shoots and ferns are both vegetarian dishes, and the stuffing is easy to disperse. Although oil and sauce are added, you still need to be extra careful when wrapping them.Tan Zhifeng raised his head and looked at Xu Gan's face. Xu Gan turned sideways with a calm expression. He didn't seem very happy, but he wasn't too angry. Tan Zhifeng wanted to make big things into small things. He pretended to be relaxed and said: "He... came to eat."

Xu Gan patted the flour on his hands, and said indifferently: "We don't care about the affairs of the government."

As he spoke, he took out a few cooked wontons, blew them gently for a while, and handed them to Tan Zhifeng's mouth: "Taste it."

Tan Zhifeng only ate one, Xu Gan ate the remaining two by himself, nodded, and began to pour bowls out.

Tan Zhifeng hesitated for a while, and said, "Well...but..."

"No but." Xu Gan put several bowls of wontons on a wooden plate and brought them out.After returning, he said to Tan Zhifeng, "That's Zhan Zhao's responsibility."

"But..." Tan Zhifeng said unrelentingly: "Brother Zhan is also for the people of Kaifeng..."

"There is no but." Xu Gan continued to serve out wontons, and before leaving, he did not forget to turn around and ask, "What do you and I keep them for?"

When Xu Gan came back again, Tan Zhifeng finally came up with a few rebuttals: "Look, Brother Zhan also said that this case is related to the safety of all the people in Kaifeng, that Xixia spy..."

"If Kaifeng is in chaos." Xu Gan said, "I will take you and Ling'er away. The world is so big, there is always a place for the three of us."

"You can't say that completely..." Tan Zhifeng was quick to think, and said to Xu Gan: "Under the overturned nest, how can there be any eggs? If the world is in chaos, where should we hide? Besides, Ling'er is so young, and he can bear the bumps all the way. Got it? Also, there are many children like Ling'er, adults can still protect themselves, what should they do? If Xi Xia hits us again, I don't know how many..."

"Okay, don't talk about it." Xu Gan stabbed the knife into the empty chopping board, making Tan Zhifeng tremble in fright.Fortunately, Xu Gan immediately slowed down his tone: "I always feel that..."

He paused, and said to Tan Zhifeng: "I was afraid that you would be worried, but I never said it, so it's better to tell you now."

He stopped and looked into Tan Zhifeng's eyes: "The spy of Xixia is not a simple person."

Xu Gan's next sentence made Tan Zhifeng's heart skip a beat: "He came after me."

Tan Zhifeng was stunned on the spot, but Xu Yan took his hand and sat down by the stove, and said to Tan Zhifeng: "First, when he galloped to kill me, did he know that I was going to meet Zhang Shanchu at Longjin Bridge? I guessed it only after reading the note? Second, he secretly handed the note into the Kaifeng Mansion to falsely accuse me. Needless to say. If these two points are still for Zhang Shanchu’s death, it makes sense, but third, then In the evening, Duan Tieta and I met on the stage, I suspect..."

He looked at Tan Zhifeng, and continued: "I suspect that person is him."

"Ah..." Tan Zhifeng couldn't help but blurted out.He was really surprised, and his thoughts became a little confused: "You, how do you... I mean, why do you think so?"

Xu Gan raised his hand, and helped Tan Zhifeng wipe the flour on his cheeks: "No reason, intuition."

Although Tan Zhifeng always felt that he was not smart enough, but because of this, he always remembered his purpose very clearly. For example, right now, he suddenly saw a little hope of persuading him from Xu Gan's words.

Just as he was about to speak, Xu Gan hugged him again and said, "Do you know why I must stay here?"

Tan Zhifeng's thoughts were interrupted again, he shook his head in doubt: "Why?"

"I'm afraid he will harm you." Xu Gan said and stood up, "You don't need to say anything, at night, you look at Ling'er, I will go to Killing Pig Alley."

"What?" Tan Zhifeng was stunned again, "Why did you go there?"

"In order not to let Zhan Zhao bother you again." Xu Gan said, "You always want to find Li Weiming, have you ever thought about that Le Niang?"

"Shuanglian?" Tan Zhifeng didn't know whether it was joy or sorrow. He wanted to persuade Xu Gan to let him help Zhan Zhao. He didn't want Xu Gan to go into battle by himself. After all, his purpose was to protect Xu Gan, but now he made a mess. The cart before the horse.

"Smart." Xu Gan patted Tan Zhifeng on the head. Although Tan Zhifeng didn't know where he was smart, he pulled Xu Gan and said, "No, no, I mean, we have to tell Mr. Zhan about this."

"You don't need to tell him." Xu Gan said again, "Trust me, your brother, or him?"

"I believe you, I believe you..." Tan Zhifeng held onto Xu Gan's sleeve even tighter, "But you can't go."

……

As the night darkened, Xu Gan closed the door of the small courtyard, and Tan Zhifeng and Ling'er were already sound asleep.

He just walked two steps, Tan Zhifeng jumped off the bed with a carp, ran to the next door and pulled Yi Yi: "Look at Ling'er!"

"Are you crazy?" Yi Yi stretched out his hand to stop him, "It's late at night, where are you going?"

"Xu Gan suspects that Bo is after him!" Tan Zhifeng said anxiously, "He's going to find that Le Niang, I have to follow him..."

"I'll go." Yi Yi said, "Xu Yan has nothing to worry about, but you..."

"No, if he dies, I won't live." Tan Zhifeng said, "I have to go. If I meet Bo, you and him are no match."

Yi Yi sighed: "Half an hour, if you don't come back, I will take Zhuo Zhuo and Chang Chang to the Killing Pig Alley to look for you."

Tan Zhifeng didn't care about so much, Xu Yan was gone, he took advantage of Yi Yi to put down his hand, Tan Zhifeng brushed past him and ran out.

Before Xu Gan reached the entrance of the alley, he suddenly heard footsteps behind him.He looked back, Tan Zhifeng ran over and grabbed him: "Don't go from there!"

Xu Gan was taken aback, but from Tan Zhifeng's eyes, he realized that Tan Zhifeng would not be obedient this time.

"Okay." Xu Yan followed Tan Zhifeng back to the end of the alley, came to the low wall, supported Tan Zhifeng to climb up the low wall, and then jumped over by himself.

"Later," he told Tan Zhifeng in a low voice: "You wait for me at the entrance of Killing Pig Alley. If I don't come out after a while, you go to Zhan Zhao."

Tan Zhifeng shook his head stubbornly: "I'll follow you."

The winter solstice is approaching, and the street market outside is very lively. People in Bianliang often say "fat winter solstice, thin year". They only say that before and after the winter solstice, Kaifeng people go out to eat, drink and have fun, even if they are struggling during the New Year.Although the vicinity of Wheatstraw Lane is usually quiet, but now, the silk and bamboo orchestras in the rows of brothels, the singing of Yinggeyan and dancing are all in one piece, making Tan Zhifeng's ears buzzing.

Along the way, the doors of small buildings opened and closed, and Tan Zhifeng saw many familiar faces who usually patronized his tavern.The scholars smelled of alcohol and had smiles on their faces. No one noticed Tan Zhifeng behind Xu Gan, and no one dared to take a second look at Xu Gan.

The two of them walked a few more steps in. Xu Gan seemed to have figured it out a long time ago, and stopped in front of a small building. Compared with the crowded buildings at the front of the alley, this building looked much deserted, with only the entrance The half-lit lanterns still hanging remind passers-by that the place is still open for business.

The water droplets on Tan Zhifeng's neck were quiet, which made him heave a sigh of relief.Xu Gan raised his hand and knocked on the door. When the door opened, a middle-aged woman with a tired expression came out. She straightened her temples with a smile on her face: "Guest officer...do you want to..."

"Shuanglian." Xu Gan said, "I want to see her."

An unnatural look appeared on the woman's face, she looked up at Xu Gan, and said fearfully, "Shuanglian...it's a coincidence, Shuanglian is ill."

"Mom, don't go..." Tan Zhifeng quickly grabbed the woman who was about to close the door, "She...is she okay? We are Li Weiming's friends, let's come and see her."

When the woman heard Li Weiming, her complexion suddenly changed, she gritted her teeth and scolded: "It's that damned short-lived ghost, I told Shuanglian not to associate with him, but in the end... I made myself a human, a ghost... "

"Mom..." Tan Zhifeng took out a bag of money from his arms and handed it over: "We just want to see her."

Xu Yan stopped Tan Zhifeng's hand, and said to the woman: "Li Weiming has been filial to your 'mother', right? Shuanglian's illness is not good, and your family's business can't continue, get out of the way!"

"You...you can see a doctor?" The middle-aged woman was dubious.

Xu Gan didn't answer, just grabbed her by the shoulder and pushed her back: "Lead the way."

The woman looked at Xu Gan tremblingly, and finally gave in.She took two steps back, led them upstairs to a closed door, and knocked on it.

There was no movement in the room, but Tan Zhifeng listened carefully, and seemed to hear a few painful sobs.Tan Zhifeng pushed open the door carefully, only to see that the room was dimly lit, and at first glance it was empty. Tan Zhifeng looked again, and there was a thin figure curled up by the wall.