Chapter 218 Jade Rainbow Bridge (two in one)

"Master, can't you drive away mosquitoes?"

Liang Qu got the answer and felt relieved.

Yang Dongxiong nodded in response.

"Among the five insects, most of them are born with spirits and seek benefits and avoid harm.

Only a small number of insects, insects, and scaled insects, such as turbellarians, flying mosquitoes, and oysters, are too low in intelligence.

Unless they become spirits and develop intelligence, they will not feel the power of warriors. Even if you are a master, you have to light mosquito coils at night, otherwise you will be in a panic."

There are five kinds of insects in the world, insects, scaled insects, hairy insects, and feathered insects.

These five kinds are the cognition of the ancestors on living things.

Among them, insects refer to naked insects, which have no hair or armor, such as turbellarians, earthworms, frogs, etc. Humans also have no hair or armor, so the saint is the leader of insects.

The rest is easy to understand. Scaled insects are scaly animals, including winged flying insects, and dragons are the leaders of scaled insects.

Caterpillars refer to animals, feathered insects refer to birds, and insects refer to insects with shells and some aquatic creatures with shells.

"Then it's not just my problem. It's true that some creatures have low IQs and don't have the emotion of fear."

After figuring out the reason, Liang Qu felt much more balanced.

It's good that he is not an exception.

Then he ran out, and when he came back, he was holding several huge copper pots in his hands, a total of six, placed in a circle on the big table.

The copper pots have a unique shape, with a hollow chimney protruding in the middle.

These six copper pots were made by Li Yuan from the third senior brother's shop a few days ago. When Liang Qu went to invite the third senior brother, he happened to bring them together.

"Your shape is unique."

Yang Dongxiong saw such a novel cooking utensil for the first time, picked up one to observe, and guessed.

"Is it a hot pot? The middle is used to put charcoal fire?"

"Hey, Master has a keen eye!"

Yang Dongxiong laughed and said, "It's just hot pot, you probably won't make such a big fuss, right?"

It's not uncommon to cook hot pot. It has been around for a long time. There are several hot pot restaurants in Pingyang County.

It's not uncommon to eat while cooking. Dashun calls it "antique soup", named after the "gulp" sound made when the food is put into boiling water.

There is even a "five-cooked pot" in the mandarin duck pot. A copper pot is divided into five compartments to cook different foods to prevent them from mixing flavors.

The real creation of Liang Qu is to put all of these together, and add his Liang's secret pot base!

"That's right, the highlight of today is your apprentice's secret pot base!"

He untied the clay pot and poured the scarlet hot pot base into the copper pot, followed by bone soup, mushrooms, and pickled cabbage.

When it was poured out of the clay pot, it was still steaming and not completely cooled.

Not everyone likes spicy food.

For this purpose, Liang Qu prepared six pots in total, including three spicy dishes, one beef bone, one mushroom, and one pickled cabbage, gathering the four most common flavors.

Spicy, pure, fresh, and sour!

Yang Dongxiong sniffed and his nose itched: "What a strong spicy smell, how many peppers did you put? Why is it so fragrant?"

"The best butter, with peppers, peppers, cinnamon, onions, bean curd, star anise, fermented glutinous rice, bean paste, white sugar, grass fruit, fennel, licorice, grass bandit..."

Liang Qu said more than ten kinds of spices in one breath, and he couldn't count them with ten fingers.

Yang Dongxiong was stunned when he heard it, and suddenly felt that it was very reasonable that it was so fragrant.

"I never thought that you have a talent for cooking..."

Liang Qu smiled.

"It smells so good. I can smell it even when I'm walking in the backyard. I'm still thinking about what to eat tonight."

Xu walked out of the corridor slowly, twisting a small round fan in her hand to cover half of her face, and showed great interest in the six copper pots in front of her.

"Xiaojiu, what is the name of this thing you brought? Why have I never seen it before?"

"To answer Master's wife, I call it hot pot, which I made recently.

It tastes spicy and fresh, very suitable for hot pot, especially meat rolls. I'm afraid that everyone is not used to spicy food, so I also prepared other flavors."

"Hey, Master's wife! Let alone the backyard, I can smell it at the door!"

Xiang Changsong and Hu Qi walked through the corridor and quickly came to the hall.

Xiang Changsong put his hands on the table, leaned over and took a deep breath, and his stomach growled.

"I was wondering what Junior Brother was doing so mysteriously before. It turns out it was hot pot. But why is the base so fragrant?

Junior Brother, let's open a restaurant together. You only need to provide a recipe. You don't have to worry about choosing a location or hiring people. I will split the profits with you 50-50!"

"Junior Brother, let me do it. We will split 40-60. I will split 40 and you will split 60."

Xu Zishuai came in from outside and ruined Xiang Changsong's good business.

"Why is Senior Brother Xu still competing with Junior Brother for profits? It's not fair!"

"What do you mean by fair or not fair?"

Lu Gang's voice came from outside, followed by a beautiful figure.

"Brother Lu, Sister Zhuo? Come on, come on, Junior Brother, everyone is here, where are the dishes? Serve them quickly! I've been teaching apprentices all afternoon today, and they've drunk three cans of water. They're already very tired."

"Right away, I'll ask the kitchen to prepare it."

Liang Qu ran to the kitchen, and quickly led a few servants up to put plates of cut meat rolls on the table, as well as small dishes of divided condiments.

Another person held a shovel in one hand and used tongs to put the red-hot charcoal into the copper pot with the other hand.

Liang Qu only brought the pot base and seasonings, and the rest were from his master's house.

The master's ice cellar was very large, and there was everything in it. The mutton was frozen hard, and it was the best meat rolls when cut directly.

Everyone usually dipped the meat in small dishes when eating shabu-shabu, and everyone picked what they liked.

It's not the first time we have dinner together. We have them four or five times a month. We are so familiar with each other that it feels like we are at home.

Liang Qu's favorite ratio is one spoonful of chopped peanuts, one spoonful of minced coriander, one spoonful of minced green onion, one spoonful of oil, one spoonful of minced garlic, and finally drizzled with sesame oil to cover the ingredients, and the fragrance is fragrant.

"The water is boiling. The water is boiling. Let me have a taste first."

The hot red oil simmered in the copper stove, evaporating white steam.

Xiang Changsong picked up a cooked mutton roll with chopsticks, dipped the sauce into the plate, and stuffed it into his mouth before it was completely cool. It was so hot that he let out hot breath.

"Ha, ha, that's delicious!"

"It's my first time to eat such delicious shabu-shabu. It's very unique. No wonder I heard the fourth and eighth junior brothers arguing when I walked in. I really could open a restaurant in Pingyang County. The business must be good. I will buy all the copper pots that the junior brother wants. It’s packed!”

"Third senior brother is joking. I don't have time to take care of the restaurant. Let's try this."

Liang Qu took a plate of dark stuff from his servant and brought it to the table. On the plate were thin slices as big as the palm of his hand, covered with black dots. They were the soul of hot pot - hairy tripe!

He specially asked his servants from the Yang family to buy it and process it. After soaking it in ice water, it became dark and shiny, and the quality was very good.

Xu Zishuai picked up a piece and watched it repeatedly, and it took him a while to remember what it was.

"Beef tripe? Can you eat it even in the water?"

Liang Qu stretched out two fingers: "Senior Brother Xu, give it a taste and boil it for two breaths, but don't boil it for too long."

Xu Zishuai ironed a piece of it doubtfully and stuffed it into his mouth. Everyone focused their attention on it, only to see that his brows were getting tighter and tighter.

Liang Qu smiled and asked, "How?"

"I can't tell. I'll try it again."

He heated another piece, and after the crunching sound, Xu Zishuai swallowed it.

"What about now?"

"It doesn't taste good. Don't try it. I'll suffer for you."

After everyone had a taste of it, Xiang Changsong snatched the hairy belly that had moved over.

"You still eat it if it doesn't taste good!? Bring it to you!"

"Senior Brother Xu is not interesting enough."

Yang Dongxiong also tentatively tasted a piece and nodded.

“The taste is very good, it’s the first time I’ve eaten something so crispy.”

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"Everyone, feel free to eat. I asked Uncle Hu to make a lot of them, and there are many more plates to come!"

Hu Qi was so hot that he sweated on his forehead, and suddenly felt a cold air blowing on his neck. He looked around: "Why is it so cool in Master's room? Is there an ice cream?"

"It's not an ice mirror." Yang Dongxiong pointed to the ice platform in the corner that was whining and emitting water vapor. "A few days ago, Yue Long gave me two things called ice platforms. They can cool the air on hot days and make sleeping at night much more comfortable."

"Is there such a good thing? Where can I buy it? I'll buy one."

"Yue Long said it is a new thing from the imperial capital. It will probably take some time before it can be purchased on the market."

Xu Zishuai was quite sorry.

"It's been really hot recently. It's the rainy season again. It rains all the time. People are so stuffy outside that they can't breathe. I can't go to the yard to practice every day. Otherwise, I'll be hot and sweaty. It's really uncomfortable. So I started to practice meditation. ”

Senior Sister Zhuo picked up a few pieces of cooked meat: "Won't the Tianbo Chamber of Commerce be opened the day after tomorrow? They said they are going to hold an auction, and there may be ice platforms for sale. By the way, will Master go to the auction?"

Yang Dongxiong wiped the corners of his mouth.

"The head of the Tianbo Chamber of Commerce personally came to my door and sent me an invitation. I thought there was nothing else to do, so it would be okay to go there to cheer me up."

"I heard that Tianbo Auction has countless rare treasures. Last month in Huaiyin Mansion, an ancient book was sold for more than 1.3 million taels! Even if I sold it, I couldn't even afford a fraction of that book. Not sure whether it is true."

"More than 1.3 million? Those things have nothing to do with us. The auction items in Pingyang County are probably not that valuable treasures."

"Not necessarily. Except for the counties at the foot of the imperial capital, how can there be as many people and martial arts masters as we are in the neighboring counties? Plus, it's the first time we open it, so we will definitely take it seriously."

"Who should I sell it to?"

Xiang Changsong wondered.

An ordinary wealthy businessman would spend a few thousand taels. Tens of thousands taels would not be a problem, but when it reaches the millions level, I am afraid only those wealthy families can afford it.

Their family really has a mine, and there are thousands of people in the clan at every turn.

Xu Zishuai scooped some clear soup into his bowl: "Junior brother Xiang, have you forgotten the magistrate of Pingyang County? Isn't the Jian family a wealthy family, with three masters of elephants? One million taels is not a small thing. I heard people discussing it two days ago. It is said that he has made great achievements in dealing with disasters.

Not to mention the Jian family, there is also the eldest brother Yue Long, the grandson of Duke Guo, who is well-known, and Wei Lin, whose grandfather is Liang Guo Gong.

The people in the Anti-Monster Division are pretty much the same, or maybe they are someone else. They are all rich and gentry, and there are quite a few wealthy families in our Pingyang County. "

"Our county is changing so fast day by day. I don't know if I will recognize my senior brother when he comes back.

A few days ago, two more houses were built next to my house. They both have three courtyards and large gardens. They are extremely wealthy, just like the house of the ninth junior brother. "

"Me? I'm that simple. There aren't even any carvings on the pillars. It's just that the place is big. The land in Yixing Town is not valuable, not to mention that it wasn't even a town when it was built. It's just a small village. You can build as much as you want. "

"It will be valuable in the future. When Pingyang County becomes Pingyang Prefecture, Yixing Town will definitely be included. When the junior brother's house is in the middle, it will be the central location!"

"The third courtyard with a garden is so comfortable, I can't even imagine how comfortable it is. The small courtyard I have in the second courtyard is boring to live in."

"Speaking of which, I have never been to Ninth Junior Brother's house, let alone attended Junior Brother's housewarming party. When will Junior Brother Liang make up for it?"

“Isn’t this what today’s meal is all about?”

"Hey, I saw this mutton roll being pulled out of Master's ice cellar with my own eyes. Does that count?"

"Why not? Senior brother, you enjoyed your meal so much, and now you turn your back on me and deny me?"

Everyone was laughing and making noise.

Yang Dongxiong and Xu didn't talk much, and looked at everyone happily.

…

The light and shadow are like horses whipping.

On June 18th, it never rained, it was just cloudy, and the sky and the earth were covered with gray.

According to the information on the invitation, the Tianbo auction will start at 15:00, and is expected to last an hour and a half. Lunch will be provided at the end.

Liang Qu did some morning exercise and took a shower to get rid of the smell of sweat. He rummaged through the wardrobe and chose a black outfit with red edges. It was simple but slim-fitting. It was a gift from his wife in May.

Since becoming a disciple, he hasn't bought much ordinary clothes, only a few pairs of shoes and socks.

When the season changes, the mistress will send people to bring clothes. The styles are quite good and the aesthetics are all online.

At an auction, there is no need to dress very luxuriously. The people who can receive invitations have extraordinary identities. Brother Xu and others have also designated them. Are you more luxurious than them in the past?

Wasn't that meant to embarrass someone in the past?

After hanging up the sachet and putting away the badge, Liang Qu took the invitation and rode up Chishan to Pingyang County.

"The clouds flying towards Nanpu are flying towards the painted building, and the rain is rolling down the western mountain behind the bead curtain at dusk."

Liang Qu crossed the street and looked up at the tall buildings in front of him.

When I came to Pingyang County in the past, I only visited a few places. Yang Mansion, Butou, Academy, and Medical Clinic were all in the southeast, and I never went to the west.

I had no idea that a three-story building was rising from the ground to the west.

The carved beams and painted buildings are full of orioles.

A rough calculation shows that the entire Tianbo Tower is twenty-five meters high.

There are three floors in total, and that floor is at least eight meters long. Even before you enter, you can guess how vast and majestic it is inside.

only……

The shape of the building made Liang Qu feel a little weird. He always felt that there was something wrong with such a lobby-style building.

Like...a big tree with many layers?

Liang Qu gently pinched the horse's belly. Chishan understood and speeded up. After turning a street, he found that the entire Tianbo Tower was almost blocked by water.

Ordinary people cannot enter the auction of Tianbo Chamber of Commerce, but this does not prevent them from watching the excitement outside.

There are people, and naturally there are vendors, carrying a pole while walking and selling wontons, steamed buns, and candied haws.

In front of Tianbo Tower, there was a bustling crowd, shoulder to shoulder.

Liang Qu had no choice but to turn over and get down to lead the horse. He was 1.86 meters tall, half a head taller than the others, and he saw acrobatics in the crowd at a glance.

It was a boy of thirteen or fourteen standing on one foot on a wooden stake with a large vat on his head.

The sultry weather made the boy's neck covered with a layer of sweat grease, which was so even that it looked like it had been brushed on.

The big vat was at least half the size of a boy. From his hands to his feet to his neck, everything was trembling. Blue veins were protruding, and they were twisting under the skin like thin snakes. People couldn't help but wonder if he had squeezed all the blood out of his bones.

Liang Qu led the horse and walked over, and the people around him moved out of the way unconsciously.

His clothes were clean and tidy, without even a crease, and they smelled faintly of spices. He looked like he was no ordinary person.

I had rarely seen similar rivers and lakes in Liangqu before, so it was inevitable to stop for a moment.

I heard that according to Jianghu rules, if the vat above your head falls, you have to swallow the broken pottery pieces alive.

"Liang Qu! What are you looking at?"

Liang Qu raised his head.

Ran Zhongshi and others stood at the door of Tianbo Tower and waved to him.

"coming!"

None of it is easy.

Liang Qu touched his pocket and took out half a grain of broken silver the size of a fingernail, about one dollar, and threw it into the broken bowl in front of the boy, causing the man beside him to thank him frantically.

The boy swallowed, a smile appeared on his face full of salt grains, and he pushed harder.

"Brother Ran, Brother Xiang, Brother Bai."

When Liang Qu came to the crowd, a young man stepped forward to lead the horse.

Xiang Fangsu glanced behind him.

"What's so interesting about these tricks?"

"I find it strange. I haven't seen it before."

"Let's go. Come now, you've received the invitation, right? Let's go in and hang out together?"

"good."

The steward at the door read the invitation and bowed to lead the group in.

Liang Qu followed the others through a corridor and came to the spacious hall. As soon as he entered, he was shocked by the sight in front of him.

Not only him, but many people around him stopped and felt the shock from inside.

The entire hall is almost a square. There is not a single pillar in it, except for a very thick ancient tree growing in the center!

The trunk is as green as jade, and the thick and lush branches extend in all directions, intertwining and coiling like pythons, forming a big top that lifts the entire second floor!

What the hell is this?

"Brother Liang, haven't you seen it?" Ran Zhongshi patted him on the shoulder, "The Jasper Hongqiao tree, the entire Tianbo Tower under our feet grew from that tree!"