Tofu Dongshi

At the same time, the Zhen family tea house in the east of Ningcheng.

Zhao Guozhong, who originally said he would arrive in the morning, delayed his arrival until the afternoon, making everyone in the tea house wait anxiously.

Zhen Zhigong was even more manic, and almost left a pile of stalls, patted his ass and left, but Zhou Fusheng and others tried to persuade him for a long time before he reluctantly endured it.

But in this way, the tea house had an extra half a day for setting up, and when the father-in-law really arrived, everyone was more confident.

Zhao Guozhong was only a sixth-rank eunuch, but when he came, he was even more ostentatious than the fourth-rank eunuch of Ningcheng. He sat in eight large sedan chairs, and the accompanying guards and guards of honor lined up for a full mile.

Fortunately, when the tea house was first established, the Zhen family spent a lot of money and built it in a very grand style. A large area of ​​houses was built, like a large-scale holiday villa, enough to accommodate hundreds of people.

Zhao Guozhong was over fifty years old, with slanted eyes, a long pony face, a high-pitched voice, and strange yin and yang tones. Most of the people in the tea house saw a live eunuch for the first time, and they couldn't stop laughing secretly behind their backs.

Although it was also the first time for Zhen Zhigong to deal with this father-in-law directly, but in the past years when he presented tribute tea to the palace, he was also indispensable among the countless gifts that he had prepared with filial piety. The greetings are very joyful and harmonious.

However, when Zhao Guozhong entered the tea house, he saw that the three hills to the west were bare and black, not to mention the tea trees, and he couldn't even see the weeds, so he immediately grimaced, "What's going on?"

Liang Xing, the steward of the tea house who accompanied him, hurriedly explained: "Reporting to my father-in-law, it is like this. The tea trees on these three mountains are nearly 30 years old, and the tea produced has begun to age, and the quality has also declined. The days are all cut off, and new trees are going to be replanted."

This statement was put forward by Zhen Zhigong yesterday, and it was unified in the whole tea house. Those who were injured in the firefighting were properly resettled and compensated. Say something that is not good for the Zhen family.

If it is true that someone deliberately set fire to cause such a huge loss, but now they don’t even know who the arson suspect is, it will not only greatly damage the reputation of the tea house, but also cause dissatisfaction and suspicion of the Zhen family in the palace. After putting out the fire that day, after careful consideration, he decided to conceal the truth from the outside world—of course, the arsonist must be investigated to the end, and absolutely will not be tolerated.

Zhao Guozhong obviously didn't believe in this explanation, squinting his eyes and said: "Since it is cutting down trees, why is the mountain all black, as if it had been burned by fire."

Liang Xing was so nervous that his palms were sweating, but his face remained calm, "Elder-in-law is really wise, these mountains were indeed set on fire after the trees were felled, just to remove weeds, wild trees and harmful insects and ants in the soil. The ashes also fertilize the soil so that new trees can grow faster."

Zhao Guozhong didn't have the slightest idea about farming. Hearing Liang Xing speak clearly and calmly, he believed it if he didn't believe it.After a while, he turned his eyes and asked again: "Then what about the ten loads of tea leaves that you want to pay tribute this time?"

Zhen Zhigong bowed slightly, and said neither humble nor overbearing: "Report to Eunuch, it has been prepared, and originally planned to send a car to the capital in a few days, since Eunuch is here in person today, you might as well go check it out now."

Zhao Guozhong nodded with a serious face, "This is a business, and it cannot be sloppy."

When a group of people came to the warehouse of the tea house, they saw ten red-lacquered wooden boxes stacked neatly inside.

Zhen Zhigong raised his hand, "Which box do you want to inspect?"

The ten wooden boxes looked exactly the same in appearance, without any difference. Zhao Guozhong glanced back and forth, then casually pointed at the sixth wooden box, "Just this one."

Zhen Zhigong immediately ordered: "Liang Xing, open the box."

Liang Xing stepped forward in response, took out the key and unlocked the big brass lock hanging on the outside of the wooden box, lifted the top cover of the wooden box, and inside was a tin inner box that was moisture-proof and solid, and locked the tin box with another key. Open the box, and then peel off the top layer of moisture-proof mulberry paper, revealing the smooth green tea leaves underneath.

Although Zhao Guozhong doesn't grow tea, he has lived in the palace for a long time and is also a master tea taster. Once he saw the appearance of the tea, he knew that it was a high-quality tea.

Zhen Zhigong smiled slightly, turned his head and said: "Uncle Zhou, take the tea set and a pot of sweet spring water produced by the tea house, and make a pot of tea for Eunuch Zhao to quench his thirst."

Zhou Fusheng was about to answer, Zhao Guozhong waved his hands, "No need. These teas are dedicated to the masters and nobles in the palace, how dare miscellaneous people overstep."

Zhen Zhigong didn't insist, and took advantage of the situation: "It's getting late, the father-in-law has traveled a long way, and the journey is hard. I have already prepared a banquet in the village to clean up the father-in-law."

Zhao Guozhong casually followed him and took two steps outside, then suddenly turned around and pointed to the first wooden box next to him, and said, "Open this box as well and come to the miscellaneous house to have a look, it seems that there is something wrong with the smell."

Liang Xing, Zhou Fusheng and others had their hearts in their throats immediately, they were so nervous that they didn't dare to breathe, but Zhen Zhigong's face remained unchanged, and he calmly said, "Open the box."

Liang Xing had no choice but to open the first box again. After peeling off the mulberry paper, he saw that the color and shape of the tea leaves underneath were exactly the same as those of the sixth box opened before.

Zhao Guozhong raised his broom eyebrows, and said nonchalantly, "The tea is pretty good. I guess the room smells musty because of the damp."

Zhen Zhigong immediately said: "Liang Xing, hurry up and send someone to clean it, and then bring some charcoal in to dehumidify. If the ten loads of tribute tea get wet, I will only ask you!"

"Yes, this subordinate obeys!" Liang Xing answered loudly, and then immediately went out to make arrangements.

Zhao Guozhong saw that there was nothing more to criticize, so he followed Zhen Zhigong out of the warehouse.

Zhou Fusheng followed behind and secretly wiped the cold sweat off his forehead, this dead eunuch is really treacherous!But no matter how cunning he is, he is no match for his young master!

Of these ten boxes of tea, only the top half is high-quality tea that meets the tribute standard, while the bottom half is of a slightly inferior quality, which can be seen with Zhao Guozhong's eyesight.But the young master predicted that this suspicious and lazy dead eunuch would not take the trouble to pick up the tea leaves from the lower layer for inspection, so he behaved calmly and without any flaws, only suffering from their lack of concentration, secretly sweating from nervousness, luckily It was just a near miss, a false alarm.

In the evening, guests at the tea house hosted a total of [-] banquets to entertain Zhao Guozhong and his party. The food and wine were all produced in the villa. Although the specifications and grades were not as high as those of the royal meals in the palace, they were fresh and unique, and even Zhao Guozhong had a good appetite. Before the banquet, I received ten times the gift of filial piety compared with previous years, and I ate with great gusto.

Zhen Zhigong was absent-minded all the time, he didn't eat two mouthfuls of food, he just wanted to get the old eunuch drunk early, so he frequently persuaded him to drink during the banquet.

That wine is the tea wine brewed by the tea house itself, named "Chun Ya", it tastes refreshing and refreshing, but it has a lot of stamina.Zhao Guozhong became addicted the first time he drank it, so Zhen Zhigong did what he liked and sacrificed his life to accompany his father-in-law. You have a drink and I have a drink, but Zhao Guozhong's alcohol capacity is quite good. In the end, the two of them each drank five pots of wine before they could count on the old man. Guy pours.

The two central figures at the main table drank so freely, the people below naturally had to follow suit, pushing glasses and changing glasses, toasting and staggering.

When Zhen Zhigong staggered out from the tea house leading Hei Feng out, it was already half past Xu time.

Zhou Fusheng also chased after him unsteadily, "Master, where are you going?"

Zhen Zhigong replied with a bit of tongue: "Go back, go back to the city."

Zhou Fusheng was worried, "Are you going back so late? Eunuch Zhao is still in the village."

Zhen Zhigong said nonchalantly: "I'm so scared! That old eunuch is so drunk that he won't be able to get up until noon tomorrow. I just need to come back before then."

Zhou Fusheng was taken aback, and hurriedly lowered his voice, "Okay, my young master, please keep your voice down so that no one can hear you."

I looked around and saw that no outsiders were around, so I felt a little relieved.

Zhen Zhigong waved his hands, indicating that it's okay, then he lifted his long legs and got on the horse, and walked away in the night.

Zhou Fusheng stood there speechless and looked at the sky. At this time, he had to rush to the city without a doubt. He must be thinking about the little tofu at home.

Even if that kid is useless, it would be an amazing skill to make the young master who loves meat and dislikes become a good vegetarian!

Half an hour later, Zhen Zhigong entered the house in the dark, thinking that the little boy must be snoring and sleeping soundly at this time, his heart softened to the point of dripping water.

It's just that he didn't see each other for a day, and he felt very impatient.Tsk, Young Master Zhen really suffered a lot this time.

I screamed in my heart, but when I gently pushed the door and entered, the corners of my lips couldn't stop rising, and I was still thinking about it, when I meet someone later, should I do this or that first?

However, he was disappointed when he entered the house. There was no one on the bed, and the quilt was neatly folded.

After being stunned for a moment, he turned around and ran out of his room to the next door, knocking the door open with a bang without hesitation, "Little Tofu!"

However, no one answered, and the room was also empty and silent.

The drunkenness disappeared, and my heart sank to the bottom of the valley in an instant.

A quarter of an hour later.

Chen Ma had never seen such a terrifying young master, with a ferocious face and red eyes, like a ghost in the night, she was so frightened that she almost fainted, trembling all over, she said: "Elder, young master, Mr. Dou is not going to go in the afternoon Is the tea house gone, you, why did you come back to find him?"

Zhen Zhigong Zhen Zhigong clenched his fists, holding back the violence in his chest, "Who said he went to the tea house?"

"Yes, it's Madam! In the afternoon, Madam said that you have a lot of affairs and asked him to help you..."

Before Mama Chen finished speaking, Zhen Zhigong rushed out of the yard like lightning.

Another quarter of an hour later.

The Zhen Mansion mansion, which had fallen into a deep sleep, was brightly lit and everyone was startled. They watched in fear in the dark as the mother and son, the eldest lady and the young master, had an open and fierce dispute in front of the whole house for the first time in history.

"Mother, where did you send the little tofu?"

"Go where he should go!"

"Mother, my son begs you for the last time in this life, give him back to me."

"What nonsense are you talking about! At this time, you should stay in the tea house and think about countermeasures to resolve the biggest crisis of the Zhen family in hundreds of years, instead of running home drunk to question your mother for an irrelevant outsider! "

"Little Tofu is not an outsider! He is my son's beloved! Without him, what is the use of my son's wealth and glory?! I, Zhen Zhigong, swear here tonight that he will not marry him in this life!"

As soon as the words came out, the whole family was shocked.

Qin's face was pale, and she was speechless for a long time, and she burst into tears amidst the shock, anger and pain.

Master Zhen next to him looked dull, as if listening to the Arabian Nights.

Zhen Zhigong was also heartbroken like his eyes were burning, and he knelt down on his knees with a "plop", "Mother, when my son was with Xiaodoufu in Yongping County last time, he didn't realize his feelings for him, so I heard After you became sick with grief due to the disappearance of your son, you left Yongping and rushed back to Ningcheng without even saying hello to him, so that you were separated from him for several months and almost missed him. This time, your son will not Repeat the same mistakes."

"The kindness of a drop of water should be repaid by the spring, not to mention that Little Tofu has saved his son again and again. His son's life is already his. If he is allowed to go to the ends of the world, he must be brought back. I'm sorry, father, Mother, my son knows that he is not filial and has disappointed you two elders. He is not worthy of being the head of the Zhen family anymore, so let him be self-willed for a while!"

After saying "Bah bah bah", he knocked his head three times in a row.

Qin's tears fell like rain, and finally covered her face and sobbed: "He, went to Sucheng..."

"Thank you mother for making it happen!" Zhen Zhigong got on his horse and left with tears.