Great Imperial Merchant

Ever since Han Shiqian agreed to leave with them, Cheng Weizhe was really happy for a long time.

At the end of November, Danluo had the first snow in the 15-year winter of Apocalypse.

In just one night, the world was covered under the white snow, and the cold wind whizzed past, bringing the coldest chill in winter.

At Yinshizheng, Yang Zhongyuan struggled to get out of the bed. He first looked at the brazier beside the bed and added some carbon into it. Then he put on his cloak and rubbed his hands to open the door of the side room.

All of a sudden, the damp cold wind rushed towards him. Yang Zhongyuan tightened his cloak and walked out slowly.

The courtyard was already covered with snow at the moment, although the sky was not yet clear, the bright white snow lit up the dark morning.The snow was so thick that it creaked when he stepped on it. As soon as Yang Zhongyuan took a few steps, he heard a thin voice from the next room calling him: "Uncle Yuan."

Yang Zhongyuan turned his head to look, and saw that Xu Xiaotian had opened the window of the main room and poked his head out to look at him.

Because of the cold, his delicate little face was flushed red, looking like a freshly ripe apple, very cute.

Yang Zhongyuan smiled at him: "Little Tian, ​​is it cold in the room? Uncle will add another brazier for you."

Xu Xiaotian shook his head and asked him, "Uncle Yuan, are you going to work?"

"Yes," Yang Zhongyuan said, walked into the shop and turned on the fire, boiled a pot of hot water, and then stood at the door of the shop and said to him, "Xiaotian, it's cold outside, go to sleep, wait until you're hungry Get up and eat again."

There are two stoves in the shop, so it is not cold in winter.Yang Zhongyuan burned everything up and down, and it immediately became warm.

"Uncle Yuan, I'm not sleepy anymore, let's help you." Xu Xiaotian said, wanting to go out and open the door for him.

Yang Zhongyuan hurriedly said: "No, you go back quickly, be obedient, get up early and get cold, you will get sick."

Xu Xiaotian then climbed back to the window and looked at him eagerly.

Although Yang Zhongyuan and Cheng Weizhe are very doting on weekdays, Yang Zhongyuan is not only Xu Xiaotian's Uncle Yuan, but also his master.When he became serious, Xu Xiaotian was still very obedient.

"Go back quickly and sleep more. Be good." Yang Zhongyuan said.

Seeing what he said, Xu Xiaotian shrank his head, immediately closed the window obediently, and went under the bed to continue sleeping.

Yang Zhongyuan shook his head amusedly, and waited for the room to warm up before opening the door of the shop in front.The chicken soup in the cauldron has already released a strong smell, accompanied by the wind blowing non-stop, it can rush far away in one go.

Winter season is the most suitable for warming and nourishing. Yang Zhongyuan replaced the yam with shiitake mushrooms, so that the umami taste of the soup presents another characteristic.

After Yang Zhongyuan set up the tables, chairs and benches, and swept the floor again, a pot of hot water was boiled.

He first poured some into the small basin he used for washing, and poured the rest into the big basin, so that he could clean up the ingredients later.

After putting the potatoes, carrots and three cabbages into the pot, Yang Zhongyuan took the cup and went to the yard to brush his teeth.Although the bristle toothbrushes and green salt sold in the grocery store opposite were a bit more expensive, Yang Zhongyuan had gotten used to it in the palace for many years, so now it was refreshing to have a toothbrush for everyone in the family.

When Cheng Weizhe was standing at the door of the shop stomping his feet, Yang Zhongyuan had just finished wiping his face with hot water: "It's really cold today, why did you get up so early."

Yang Zhongyuan looked back at him, and poured him a basin of warm water: "I'm not sleepy at all, so get up and tidy up first."

Cheng Weizhe wiped off the snow on the deerskin short boots before stepping into the room with his head down: "I brought some floor mats from the store last year, so as to save the guests from stepping on the floor when they come in."

Yang Zhongyuan brought him the washing water to the shop: "You should be more thoughtful, come here and wash your face, so you can wake up."

"Who am I, I must be perfect in everything I do." Cheng Weizhe snorted triumphantly, put the floor mats first, and then came to wash up.

The water was very hot, and the water was mixed just right. After Cheng Weizhe finished washing, he applied a hot towel to his face, and immediately exclaimed, "Oh, it's cool!"

Yang Zhongyuan gave him a funny look, put the millet into the boiled earthenware pot and cooked it, and at the same time served the goji berries and longan meat that he had prepared earlier to Cheng Weizhe: "Add goji berries after half a cup of tea, and longan after half a cup of tea." .”

"Why is the porridge made so complicated today?" Cheng Weizhe ordered, and sat obediently beside the clay pot.

Anyway, it was cold, and it was warmer and more comfortable to sit by the stove.

Yang Zhongyuan also dragged the big basin with ingredients to this side, then sat beside him and started cleaning.

"It's snowing suddenly, I'm afraid that everyone will be afraid of the cold, so make some warm porridge to suppress it first, so as not to catch the wind and cold during the New Year's Eve."

Cheng Weizhe put the wolfberry into the pot, closed the lid and continued to stare at Yang Zhongyuan: "My Xiaoyuan is the most virtuous, and I am very happy for my husband."

Hearing him say such words shamelessly, Yang Zhongyuan was still peeling potatoes expressionlessly, obviously he was used to it long ago.

Cheng Weizhe only watched the sharp blade in his hand flying up and down, and the muddy potato turned into a white and fat ball in an instant, and immediately closed his mouth.

"Cough, let me wash it for you, don't get your hands cold." After putting down the longan, Cheng Weizhe finally couldn't help but continue talking.

Yang Zhongyuan shook his head, threw the peeled potatoes and carrots into the warm water basin to soak, and then continued to pick up the cabbage leaf by leaf.Danluo's cabbage is very famous, with white leaves and green leaves, crisp and refreshing, and the cabbage heart is slightly sweet when eaten raw, which is very popular among ordinary people.

There is nothing to eat in winter, so I can only eat this cabbage that is not afraid of the cold and easy to feed, which can be regarded as a change of taste.

"No need, the snow is quite thick outside, and the sky is not sunny, maybe it will fall again today, and there won't be too many guests."

His shop opened early, so he didn't call the helper's uncle to prepare the ingredients and open the shop in the morning. He only asked him to wash the dishes after the meal time. Although the wages were not too much, it was a waste of time to take care of the meals at noon and night. Good job.

After Yang Zhongyuan washed the vegetables, he quickly cut the diced potatoes and carrots. The cabbage used for the noodles has not been done yet, and he is afraid that it will lose its freshness if it is cooked early.The meat stuffing for making buns was already chopped last night. Yang Zhongyuan glanced back at the millet porridge in the pot, and then started chopping cabbage.

At the same time, Cheng Weizhe wiped all the tables, chairs and benches of the shop with hot water, and took the hot water that had just been boiled on the stove in the courtyard to iron the plates and bowls. The two of them were busy with each other. They didn't speak, but they didn't feel tired.

While the two of them were busy working, the dark sky outside finally gradually brightened up, and the sun, which was not very powerful in winter, barely peeked out half of its head from the clouds, but it still refused to give the earth more heat.

Gradually, the Xueta Lane, which was so quiet just now, also became lively. Every household got up to prepare for a new day of busy work, but they were all shocked by the silvery white all over the world.

From time to time, you can hear the happy laughter of the children in the nearby courtyard after seeing the snow. Yang Zhongyuan raised the corner of his mouth and turned his head to ask Cheng Weizhe, "Shall I eat steamed meat dragon? The shop is busy recently, and we always eat buns. It's a change of taste."

Cheng Weizhe was still making peace, nodded after listening, and said, "Okay, you can eat whatever you want, as long as you don't get tired."

The smile on Yang Zhongyuan's face deepened even more. He added some pepper, oil and salt to the half bowl of minced meat that he had just divided out, and then he took out a piece of dough for steaming buns, kneaded it evenly, and rolled it into a dough .

Meat dragon is much simpler than steamed stuffed buns. You just need to spread the meat filling evenly on the dough, then roll it into a tube shape from one end of the dough, and put the whole strip in the pot for steaming.

Yang Zhongyuan rolled up two meat dragons, then rolled them into a cage drawer and put them away: "The third son will come later, let him steam them together, his master knows how to cook."

Cheng Weizhe nodded, while drooling silently, he worked harder and harder to make up.

Because of the snow falling and the colder weather, the common people went out later than in summer. When the sky was bright, they finally saw pedestrians passing by in the Snow Pagoda Lane.

Yang Zhongyuan stood at the door and looked around: "It is estimated that there will be guests coming to the door in a while, let's eat the meal first."

Cheng Weizhe nodded, and took out two big bowls of the wolfberry, longan, and millet porridge that Wen had been on the stove in the courtyard, put them on the table first, picked up two meat dragons, and put them on the plate. When he came in, Yang Zhongyuan had already Put pickles and peanuts.A breakfast meal looks rich and delicious.

The meat dragon is very fragrant. Although it is filled with meat, it tastes like meat with the sweetness of wheat. It is really enjoyable to eat this early in the morning.Cheng Weizhe bit off half of it and put it in his belly, and then he let out a long sigh of relief: "Oh, Xiao Yuan, you said that I can't bear you to get up early, but I only like to eat the delicacies you cook, what should I do."

"It's early in the morning, what are you doing, eat quickly, and there will be guests at any time."

Compared with him, Yang Zhongyuan ate a little faster, and he was already eating a bowl of porridge like a meat dragon, and he felt full of strength all of a sudden.

However, this day was probably due to the bad weather. Many households did not go to work, which naturally affected the business of Xueta Lane.

Regarding this, Yang Zhongyuan didn't mind. He was really busy recently, and he was happy to take the opportunity to have a leisurely day.

But he was not happy for a long time. Not long after breakfast, the first customer came on snow, followed by one after another, and after a while, the small noodle shop was full of people again.

Although the business is nearly half less than before, it is still more than other family members.

Yang Zhongyuan never talked nonsense. He took out the dough and began to roll out the noodles. After a while, bowls of noodle soup were served on the table.

As the weather turns colder, there are many more diners eating chicken soup and silver noodles than La Tiaozi, so he prepared a few pots of toppings today, and planned to close the door for a rest when they were sold out.

When the diners were all down with the hot chicken soup, the chatterbox opened up, and some familiar diners began to chat with Yang Zhongyuan and Cheng Weizhe: "Oh, two little bosses, have you heard about Meng Ji?"

Yang Zhongyuan and Cheng Weizhe looked at each other, and shook their heads blankly at the same time. Yang Zhongyuan said: "The shop is too busy recently, so I really don't care about it."

The diner smiled indifferently, but still said: "Meng Tiao is a stingy man. I heard that he was cheated out of tens of taels of silver. He squatted at the door of the shop and yelled and scolded him for several days."