Chapter 5 Chapter 4 The Fragrance of the Ancient Alley

Fireworks in March is the most beautiful season in the ancient city of Yangzhou.There is a faint smell of green grass floating everywhere in the air. Even if you close your eyes, you can still feel a piece of lush greenery; The sun is bright but not dazzling, and there seems to be no trace of haze in the world. In such an environment, it is difficult not to have a good mood. Zhu Xiaohua, the head chef of the "Miaoweiju" restaurant, is in a bad mood at this time.He sat on an armchair in the backyard, drooping his eyes and looking at a large water basin under his feet, looking very disappointed.

A big fresh black fish was churning back and forth in the clear water, as if it wanted to get out of trouble.There was a "squeak" in the basin, and water splashed from time to time, shining brightly in the sun. A boy of seventeen or eighteen years old was standing by the basin with his head bowed. He seemed to be a handyman in his clothes.From time to time, he raised his eyes and sneaked a sneak peek at Zhu Xiaohua, as if he had been reprimanded but not convinced. "Tell me, what did you tell you before you went out?" Zhu Xiaohua asked slowly, showing his fat belly. The young man replied honestly: "You said you want me to buy a mullet and come back to fillet it."

"Then what did you buy me?" "I bought mullet." The young man seemed puzzled and aggrieved. "How can you be a mullet?" Zhu Xiaohua moved his body in displeasure, pointed to the water basin and said, "This is clearly a black fish." "Isn't black fish just mullet? It's just called differently..." the young man muttered softly. "The black fish is the mullet?" Zhu Xiaohua snorted through his nose, and was about to say something, when someone in the front hall outside the courtyard interjected: "This kind of statement is totally wrong!"

Accompanied by the voice, a young man had already walked into the courtyard, greeted with a smile: "Chef Zhu, hello! Let me help you teach this little guy a lesson, how about it?" After speaking, without waiting for Zhu Xiaohua to answer, he went He came to the young man on his own, shook his head and said: "The black fish and the mullet are indeed the same species, but they are different. Only the adult individuals with a growth period of more than eight months and a pure black color can be picked. It is called black fish. Before that, the scales on this fish could not reach the true black color, but showed different shades of black, so it was called black fish at this time. In those days, black fish and mullet were never confused, how could you not even know these things?"

After hearing these words, the young man froze in place, speechless for a moment. "Hey, he has only been here for two weeks, and he still has a lot to learn. If I could have you, I would have to worry less." Zhu Xiaohua said a few words with emotion, and then said to the boy: "I said To cut fish fillets, of course, half-adult fish with a growth period of five months and a six-point black color are most suitable, and the meat is tender and not scattered. But you bought me such a big black fish." At this point, he stood up. Standing up, he took two steps around the water basin, "Look at the color, this fish is already a year and a half old, oh, let's take it to the back kitchen to boil the soup later."

"Chef Zhu's selection of ingredients is rigorous and meticulous, and he really lives up to his reputation. I have been working in the vegetable market for ten years, and I have never seen it before." The young man said respectfully. "Hey, you're being polite, you're being polite." Zhu Xiaohua received the compliment, his face glowed red, the unhappiness just now was swept away, and he turned his head and told the young man beside him, "Go and pour a cup of tea for this gentleman." The man giggled and said, "No need, I'm sending a message for Uncle Xu, please invite Chef Zhu to have a gathering at the 'Yi Xiao Tian' restaurant at noon today."

"Okay, we must go on time!" Zhu Xiaohua readily agreed. The task was completed, and the young people didn't stay long. After a few polite words, they left.The young man looked at his back and asked curiously, "Master, who is this man?" "He is the head of 'Yixiaotian', Shen Fei, I will be satisfied when you can have half of his ability in grocery shopping." After saying this, Zhu Xiaohua lowered his head and muttered to himself: "He hastily invited me to 'Yi Xiao Tian' to gather together. It seems that those rumors are true?" Shen Fei came out of "Miaoweiju" and went straight to the "Fushou Building" in the north of the city.The purpose of his coming here is naturally to meet the chef of "Fu Shou Lou": Li Dong.

When Shen Fei saw Li Dong, this muscular guy was taking a nap on a recliner in the back kitchen with his eyes closed.Everyone in Yangzhou's culinary world knows that Li Dong's temper is not very good, especially when he is resting, he is the most annoying to be disturbed by others.So Shen Fei could only stand aside with a wry smile, waiting patiently. In addition to Li Dong, there is another handsome young man in the back kitchen.He didn't rest, and his eyes were even wider open, but it had been five minutes since Shen Fei came in, yet he didn't even glance at Shen Fei, such a living person seemed to him to be completely non-existent.

His eyes are always fixed on one thing: a green cucumber on the chopping board. Suddenly, his figure swayed slightly, and then a blade of light jumped onto the chopping board.In the sound of "Tuk Tuk Tuk" moving the knife, it seemed that in the blink of an eye, the cucumber had become a pile of thin cucumber slices. Even the well-informed Shen Fei couldn't help admiring softly: "Good knife skills." Shen Fei's words seemed to disturb Li Dong, his brows twitched slightly, but he did not open his eyes, and then said coldly: "Ah Jun, what is your task this morning?"

"To cut a hundred cucumbers, each one should be cut into more than two hundred slices, and the thickness should be uniform." The young man named Ah Jun spoke in a soft voice, looking a bit like a girl. "What number is this?" "Master, it's already a hundred." "Okay." Li Dong nodded, "From now on, let's cut another hundred." "Understood, Master." When Ah Jun said this, his eyes were a little red with grievance. "Do you know why you are being fined for this hundred?" "I don't know." Ah Jun answered honestly.

"How many slices did you end up with this cucumber?" "Two hundred and eighteen tablets." "Very good." Li Dong was silent for a moment, and then ordered, "You put the first forty pieces upright and stack them together, and then put the last forty pieces upright and stack them together." According to Ah Jun's words, he carefully counted forty slices of cucumbers from the head to the tail, and stacked them neatly into two piles.Looking at the two piles of cucumbers, his face changed, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. "Do you know why you were punished now?" Li Dong still closed his eyes, expressionless. "Understood..." Ah Jun's voice was as small as a mosquito humming, and tears were about to fall. Shen Fei finally couldn't help but sighed, because he felt that this Ah Jun was really pitiful.The reason why he was punished was because after forty slices of cucumbers were stacked together, the pile at the tail was about one millimeter higher than the pile at the beginning. The forty slices of cucumbers are altogether one millimeter higher, and the difference is really negligible when it is averaged on each slice of cucumber.But because of this almost negligible mistake, the young man wasted all morning. "Why are you sighing? Do you know that you have harmed him." Li Dong finally opened his eyes when he said this, and stared at Shen Fei unceremoniously. Shen Fei shook his head sadly, his expression was even more aggrieved than Ah Jun's just now. Li Dong snorted, and said: "When you came in just now, although he didn't look at you, his mood has changed. At the beginning of the knife attack, he could still hold his mind, but later on, His mood became more and more impetuous, and he always wanted to finish the work early to see who was coming. Although this thought was extremely weak in his mind, it distracted his mind after all, and his knife speed naturally slowed down. So although I kept my eyes closed, as soon as I heard the sound of the knife, I knew that those cucumber slices would definitely become thicker and thicker.” "Hey." Shen Fei smiled self-deprecatingly, "What you said is indeed reasonable, but if there is such a slight difference, you will be punished. I am worried that all the cucumbers in Yangzhou City will be bought up by your 'Fu Shou Lou'." Li Dong rolled his eyes, and said proudly: "If I didn't strive for excellence during practice, how could I, 'Fu Shou Lou', be able to monopolize the title of the number one knife maker in Yangzhou City where there are so many masters?" "That's right." Shen Fei bowed and saluted, "'Fu Shou Lou''s knife skills are well-known throughout the city, and Chef Li is indeed indispensable." "Yeah." Li Dong's expression softened a little after hearing this, "Okay, let's stop talking, what are you doing in the back kitchen of my 'Fushou Building', Caitou of 'Yixiaotian'?" "After listening to Uncle Xu's order, come and invite Chef Li to come to 'Yixiaotian' to discuss matters at noon today." "Oh? Since it's a matter of discussion, I'm afraid it's not just me?" Shen Fei smiled slightly: "Chef Li's guess is very accurate, it is confirmed that he will appear in 'Yixiaotian' this afternoon, as well as Mr. Chen from 'Jingyuexuan', Mr. Ma from 'Tianxiangge', 'Miaoweiju' Chef Zhu. I will then go to the west of the city 'Shuihuaxuan' to invite Chef Jin Yiying there." No matter how arrogant and rude Li Dong was, when he heard these names, he couldn't help but look serious. He stood up from the recliner, cupped his hands, and said, "Okay! You bring a reply to Boss Xu, and I will definitely attend the appointment on time! " In the west of Yangzhou City, "Shuihuaxuan" restaurant. It wasn't time to pick up customers, so the lobby of the restaurant was empty, except for a white, middle-aged man with glasses sitting at a table in the corner.When Shen Fei walked into the hall, they immediately saw each other. Bursts of tangy fragrance wafted out from the back kitchen, Shen Fei couldn't help but inhale deeply, with an intoxicated expression. "'Egrets fly in front of Xisai Mountain, peach blossoms and mandarin fish are fat in the water.' Haha, Shen Fei, you must have smelled this fragrance and found it all the way, right?" The middle-aged man said with a smile, kind and sweet skim. "Chef Jin made fun of me again." Shen Fei walked to the table, "I came here specifically to find you, and I have business to do." It turns out that this man is not a guest, he is Jin Yiying, the chef of "Shuihuaxuan".He waved his hand and said, "Hey, let's put aside the business for now, brother and you haven't seen each other for a while. Just sit down and taste the 'braised mandarin fish' made by my apprentice." Shen Fei didn't refuse, sat down opposite Jin Yiying, then smiled and said: "This is exactly what I want. I ran outside for a whole morning, and finally came to you, just to save time with you Have a drink or two. Look, what is this?" With that said, Shen Fei raised his hand and put a small porcelain altar on the table.Jin Yiying held the porcelain altar in her hands, and impatiently unscrewed the stopper, a strong smell of wine immediately permeated the air.Jin Yiying smiled brightly, nodded and praised repeatedly: "Good stuff! Good stuff!" "This is more than 40 years old fine wine. It is the bottom of the 'Yixiaotian' wine cellar. I can only secretly make such a small jar every year." Shen Fei shook his head triumphantly. "Good! Good!" Jin Yiying was so excited that he seemed to be able to say only "good". He pressed his nose deeply into the porcelain jar, wishing he could get his head into it too. Good wine naturally needs to be paired with delicious food. As far as this point is concerned, whenever Shen Fei comes to "Shuihuaxuan" as a guest, Jin Yiying has never let him down. After a while, a steaming, tender and plump mandarin fish was served on the table. The city of Yangzhou is densely covered with rivers and rich in aquatic products. There are countless kinds of fish, but today's mandarin fish is not produced in Yangzhou. The mandarin fish has a fat body, so it is also called "fat mandarin fish".Compared with ordinary mandarin fish, the mandarin fish in front of him is thinner and longer. "This is the 'Peach Blossom Mandarin' produced in Huangshan, Anhui. It usually lives in crevices in mountain streams and rocks, so it is thin. Every spring, when the peach blossoms are in full bloom, there is continuous rain in Huangshan and the stream rises. This 'Peach Blossom Mandarin' ’ and will jump out of the rock crevices and follow the stream to feed on the abundant small fish and shrimps in the water. At this time, the ‘peach blossom mandarin fish’ is the most delicious among all the mandarin fishes in the world.” Jin Yiying enthusiastically introduced the origin and history of this mandarin fish. characteristics, Shen Fei couldn't help swallowing his saliva when he said it. Such a good fish, of course, must be an excellent swordsman. Although Zhang Xiaodong is only eighteen years old, he has already been recognized as one of the most promising rising stars in Yangzhou's culinary world.Some people say that at least half of the main dishes that "Shuihuaxuan" cooks every day are actually written by Zhang Xiaodong, and the standard of these dishes is almost no lower than that of his master Jin Yiying. Now Zhang Xiaodong is standing at the dining table, waiting respectfully for Master and Shen Fei to taste and comment on the "Braised Peach Blossom Mandarin" he made. When he was with drinking friends, Shen Fei never knew what it means to be polite. He picked up the chopsticks, picked up the fattest piece of fish meat from the belly of the fish, dipped it in the soup, dripped it into his mouth, and chewed After swallowing heavily, he finally let out his mouth and said with emotion: "Sigh, to be able to eat a mouthful of such a plump mandarin fish, after running around all morning, it's finally a worthwhile trip." Jin Yiying looked at Shen Fei, and sighed softly: "Oh, for a wolf like you, it's suitable to eat large pieces of Dongpo elbow, and it's really reckless to eat fish." Shen Fei laughed loudly: "Just eat to your heart's content, why bother so much." Jin Yiying shook her head helplessly, ignored him, picked up a little fish with chopsticks, and tasted it carefully.Zhang Xiaodong looked at him expectantly. For this young man, no matter how busy he is, as long as he can get a word of appreciation from his master, he will be satisfied. But Jin Yiying frowned, gave a disappointing "hmm", and said, "The taste is not bad, but the heat is a little bit overcooked, and it lost some tenderness." "Impossible." After all, Zhang Xiaodong was young, and immediately murmured impatiently, "To tell you the truth, I tasted a small piece of fish before serving it, and I made sure that it was cooked just right." "What? You actually ate the first bite? But the fish was clearly intact just now, and there was no sign that it hadn't been eaten at all." Shen Fei said in amazement, while turning the fish on the plate to the next. No defect can be seen on the other side of the body. Zhang Xiaodong hesitated for a moment, picked up a pair of chopsticks, gently picked up the gills of the fish, pursed his mouth, and said, "Here, it's here." Sure enough, a small piece of fish meat was missing at the neck closest to the head, but it was just blocked by the mandarin fish's thick gill cover, so it couldn't be seen from the surface at all.Shen Fei couldn't help laughing, jokingly said: "Good guy, you really are there. I have been working in the kitchen of 'Yixiaotian' for ten years, and I never thought of such a way to steal fish. I admire it." Jin Yiying shook her head dumbfoundingly: "The mastery of the heat depends entirely on eyesight and senses, there is no one like you. The heat may be right when your fish is just out of the pan, but after you put it on the plate, the fish Both the fish and the soup are still hot, and the fish is still being heated and changed from the plate to the final customer, so it is still a bit overdone in the end.” Zhang Xiaodong scratched his head, but his face showed joy: "Master is really right, I have gained a lot today!" Jin Yiying took a sip of her wine contentedly, and said with a smile: "The knowledge about fire control is extensive and profound. What you have learned now is just a drop in the bucket." Shen Fei chuckled, and said: "Chef Jin's cooking skills have long been famous throughout the city. It's a pity that when you meet a rude diner like me, how can you tell them so clearly? Isn't that a bit of a waste of effort?" "'Shuihuaxuan' can occupy a place among hundreds of restaurants in Huaiyang, relying on this second-to-none ability to control the heat. Our goal is to make the most picky diners unable to pick a single fault in the link of heat Come." Jin Yiying said, shaking her head triumphantly. The fish has been eaten, the wine has been drunk, and the side dishes are also upside down. Jin Yiying put down her chopsticks, looked at Shen Fei: "Let's go." "Oh, do you know where we are going?" Shen Fei rubbed his chin with a smile. "I've already heard about the bet between Jiang Shan and Uncle Xu. What's your purpose for coming to me now? Needless to say, I can guess three or four points." "Okay." Chen Fei slapped his hands happily, "Since this is the case, I don't need to say more. The time is almost up, let's go now." At noon on weekdays, the "Yixiaotian" restaurant is always full of guests and very lively.But today, a sign was put up at the entrance of the restaurant to suspend business, which made many diners come here in high spirits and return in frustration. The three people Ma Yun mentioned last night: Zhu Xiaohua, Li Dong, and Jin Yiying came to the "Yixiaotian" restaurant successively.For the entire afternoon thereafter, the door of "Yixiaotian" was closed. This situation confirmed the rumors about the gambling game in the market from one angle, and people's emotions were affected by it. Some people were concerned, some were worried, and of course some people were secretly gloating. In any case, starting from the afternoon, the rumor spread more rapidly in the streets and alleys of Yangzhou City, and became the hottest topic of discussion among people in restaurants, teahouses, and streets and alleys. I just don't know if that "one knife fresh" whose whereabouts are hard to find has also heard the news? Shen Fei, who usually leaves the stall at four or five o'clock in the afternoon every day, has a leisurely time today because the restaurant is closed.After inviting the three chefs to "Yixiaotian", his task is completed.He returned home and took a comfortable nap, and then came to the alley early and set up a frying pan.After a while, the unique smell wafted through the alley. Because it was still early, those regular customers hadn't appeared yet, and the stall seemed deserted, with only two guests sitting at a small table. Although there were not many guests, Shen Fei didn't dare to neglect at all. He waved his hand holding the bamboo chopsticks up and down, and the ten pieces of stinky dried tofu fried in the oil pan at the same time also kept jumping and rolling, and almost none of them appeared for a while. pause. Only in this way can the fried stinky tofu be evenly heated, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, achieving the best taste.Only this kind of stinky tofu can be worthy of the two guests sitting at the table. Of the two men and women, one is the daughter of Uncle Xu, the owner of "Yixiaotian", and the other is Jiang Shan, the queen of the imperial chef in the capital who has stirred up the Yangzhou culinary world in the past two days. Two steaming bowls of fried stinky tofu were placed on the table.Shen Fei greeted with a smile: "Come on, two, please taste it, you're welcome." Dried stinky tofu is deep-fried until golden, served with silver-white bean sprouts, emerald green coriander, and bright red chili sauce. The ordinary small bowl is surprisingly colorful.Before Jiang Shan moved his chopsticks, he couldn't help but praise: "Good!" But Xu Lijie glanced at Shen Fei, and said with something in her words: "It's good, but I don't dare to eat it." Shen Fei immediately understood what she meant, and said with a smile: "Don't worry, I will treat you as a guest today, no money will be charged." "You did it voluntarily. Don't rely on me to bully you for small business." After Xu Lijie finished speaking, she smiled at Jiang Shan: "Come on, try it, it tastes really good." "Okay, we're all friends, so there's no need to see outsiders." Jiang Shan said, picking up a piece of dried tofu, putting it in his mouth and chewing. Shen Fei looked at Jiang Shan expectantly: "How does it taste?" Jiang Shan gave a thumbs up: "Good! Crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, the taste is excellent. It has both the original flavor of tofu and a special 'exotic fragrance', and..." "And what?" Seeing Jiang Shan's hesitation to speak, Shen Fei couldn't help leaning over, impatiently asking. Jiang Shan picked up another piece of dried tofu and sipped it lightly on his lips, but did not chew it. The marinade inhaled from the dried tofu immediately penetrated between his lips and teeth.I saw him savoring it for a while, and said: "There is a wonderful umami taste in your marinade, there must be something famous!" Shen Fei laughed loudly: "A master is a master, and nothing can be hidden from you." As he spoke, he scooped up a spoonful of marinade with a spoon, then leaned the edge of the spoon against the wall of the bowl, and slowly poured out the marinade inside.I saw some extremely tiny tan round particles on the bottom of the spoon. Shen Fei handed the spoon to Jiang Shan: "Look!" Jiang Shan nodded with a smile: "I see." Xu Lijie moved her head closer and asked curiously, "Stop playing charades, both of you, what is this?" "Haven't you seen it?" Shen Fei handed the spoon to Xu Lijie, "This is shrimp roe." "Shrimp roe?" Xu Lijie stared at those small round granules with wide eyes, as if she still didn't quite understand. "Yes, to put it bluntly, they are the eggs of river prawns." Jiang Shan explained, "March and April every year is the season for river prawns to lay eggs in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. The female prawns caught at this time are washed repeatedly in clean water, and then Filter out the clean water, and you can get this good thing.” "Not bad." Shen Fei looked at Jiang Shan with a smile, "You are from the north, so you know this secret unexpectedly." Jiang Shan waved his hand modestly: "It's just a coincidence. When I came to Yangzhou last year, I once ate a bowl of noodles in a small noodle restaurant. The taste was delicious, and I still can't forget it." "Oh? It's really not easy for a bowl of noodles to win Mr. Jiang's praise. I wonder what's so special about this noodles?" Xu Lijie's eyes were shining with curiosity. "That bowl of noodles is called 'Three Shrimp Noodles'. Needless to say, the noodles are exquisite and the soup is clear and fresh. What is rare is that the noodles are covered with a layer of white, a layer of red, and a layer of brown. There are three mouth-watering dishes delicious." "Wait, don't say what it is, let me guess." Shen Fei stopped Jiang Shan, thought about it with interest, and said, "Since it's called 'Three Shrimp Noodles', it must have something to do with shrimp. Hmm , the white ones should be shrimp, the red ones are probably shrimp paste, and the brown ones are of course shrimp roe." Jiang Shan slapped his hands: "That's right! After mixing these three delicacies into the noodle soup, you can imagine the taste of this bowl of noodles. Especially the shrimp roe on the top layer is the best in the soup. I know After I tasted it once, I will never forget it. Brother Fei added it to the marinade of fried stinky tofu to complement the smell with extreme freshness, but it made such a delicious taste, which is really unique, interesting, and interesting.” Hearing Jiang Shan's praise, Shen Fei was very proud, and said cheerfully: "Haha, how about it, I use this bowl of fried stinky tofu to treat you to the 'Spring River Flower and Moon Banquet', does it match?" Xu Lijie gave him a rude look: "Come on, don't be ashamed here, how did you get into the elegant hall, you smelly thing?" "You can't say that. The vulgar and the elegant are things that are compatible." Although Jiang Shan was refuting Xu Lijie's point of view, his soft tone still sounded very pleasant.He paused for a moment, then suddenly asked Shen Fei: "Are you interested in developing in Beijing?" Shen Fei was stunned: "What are you doing?" "That's right, I run a star-rated restaurant in Beijing, and the top floor specializes in snacks." Jiang Shan said unhurriedly, "I have tasted all the food there, and to be honest, nothing can compare to yours. Fried stinky tofu." "Oh?" Xu Lijie raised her eyebrows, seemingly surprised, "Could it be that you want to dig Shen Fei over?" Jiang Shan nodded and looked at Fei Shen: "If you are willing to go there, I can guarantee that you will have a very satisfactory income." Shen Fei smiled lightly and said, "I won't go." Xu Lijie felt that the emperor was not in a hurry and the eunuchs were in a hurry, so she jumped in and said, "Why? You shouldn't make a decision so quickly. You should think about it carefully, maybe it's a good opportunity." Shen Fei touched the beard stubble on his chin, and said seriously: "I set up a stall here, and hundreds of customers come every day, eating nearly a thousand pieces of stinky tofu. If I go to your hotel, how much can I sell in a day?" What about a piece of stinky tofu?" "This... will definitely decrease in quantity, but there, the price of each piece of stinky tofu can be increased by ten times." Jiang Shan thought for a while, then added, "Also, if your stinky tofu becomes a A brand is an intangible asset for a hotel. At that time, even if you don’t make a lot of money, we will hire you with a high salary.” Shen Fei leaned back on the chair, and laughed: "No, you didn't understand what I meant. I mean, now hundreds of people eat my fried stinky tofu every day, and they like to eat my fried stinky tofu. I make fried stinky tofu, and they are happy. Every day I make hundreds of people happy, and I am also happy, very fulfilled. Why should I leave here?" Although Shen Fei didn't have any words of rejection in these words, Jiang Shan knew in his heart that it was basically impossible to persuade him to change his mind.This man, who seems to be indifferent to everything, actually has a very clear attitude towards things. Such people are often very assertive and difficult to be changed.Besides, if a person is living a happy life, why do you want to persuade him to change his current life? Jiang Shan shook his head and made a resigned expression: "I have never thought about your thinking angle before, but I have to admit, it sounds reasonable." Xu Lijie was silent for a moment, seeming to be pondering what Shen Fei said just now, and then she concluded: "You are two people with different personalities. Shen Fei seems to prefer a simple and happy life, while you, Jiang Shan, like challenges and excitement. " "Oh? I like challenges and excitement?" Jiang Shan asked with a noncommittal smile, "How did you find out?" "From your performance yesterday." Xu Lijie said without thinking, "You and my dad made that bet just to beat the crowd and prove that your cooking skills are the best in the world." "No. 1 in the world, No. 1 in the world..." Jiang Shan muttered a few words, then said with a wry smile, "You are wrong, I made that bet with your father just because I knew that my cooking skills were not the best in the world. of." "What?" Xu Lijie scratched her head with a puzzled expression on her face. At this moment, Jiang Shan has completely regarded Xu Lijie and Shen Fei as his friends, so he no longer conceals it, and revealed the real purpose of his trip: "The reason why I came to Yangzhou this time is that I asked Uncle Xu to use the 'firework The March' plaque bet me that it's actually all about forcing someone out." Xu Lijie became more and more confused the more she listened: "Forcing someone? Who is it?" Shen Fei looked at her with reminding eyes, and said: "Oh, don't even think about it, in Yangzhou City, who is the person who values ​​the plaque of 'Fireworks in March' the most?" Xu Lijie frowned and thought for a while, then she suddenly realized: "It's fresh!" Jiang Shan and Shen Fei nodded at the same time.Seeing that she guessed right, Xu Lijie clapped her hands excitedly. She was fascinated by the previous stories of "Yi Dao Xian", but she never thought that Jiang Shan's trip would be related to this person.She stared at Jiang Shan with wide eyes, and couldn't wait to ask: "Why did you find him? Did you want to compete with him in cooking? But he hasn't appeared in thirty years." "No." Jiang Shan corrected the fallacy in Xu Lijie's words, "Eight years ago, 'One Knife Fresh' came to Beijing." "Oh?" Now even Shen Fei was aroused, "So you've seen 'one knife fresh'?" "No, I haven't seen him." Jiang Shan shook his head and said, "Eight years ago, I was a middle school student, and at that time, I had no interest in cooking at all." Xu Lijie showed a surprised expression: "Aren't you a culinary family, a descendant of the royal chef? How could this be?" "Because my father is so outstanding." Speaking of this, Jiang Shan himself laughed, "Is this reason a bit strange? But I really think so. They are all second to none. If I enter this line of work, I will definitely be as flat as I am, and when the time comes, my son will inherit his father’s career and inherit his glory and aura. And this is definitely not the life I want.” "En." Xu Lijie thought for a while, and said, "This is in line with your personality. Your life must be challenging, and there must be a very difficult goal waiting for you to conquer." "That's right. At that time my father was running the best restaurant in Beijing. He had almost everything a chef could achieve. And I was his son, I could only inherit him, I couldn't beat him. So whether my father How to guide, I have never been interested in this business. Until eight years ago, 'Yi Dao Xian' came to Beijing and completely overturned my thinking." "Haven't you never seen him?" Shen Fei asked curiously, "How can he change you?" "Not only have I never met him, I have never even heard of this name before he came to Beijing. As I said, I was not interested in the culinary world at all at that time." Jiang Shan looked into the distance, as if beginning to Drenched in memories. "The first time I had an impression of the three words 'one knife fresh' was one night eight years ago. I came home from school that day and found my father sitting in the living room with the same expression as in the usual It's different. In the past, when he saw me coming home, he would always go up to greet me cheerfully, but that night, he stared at a piece of letter paper on the coffee table with a serious face, as if he didn't notice that I entered the door at all. When I came to his side, he looked up at me and asked, "Xiao Shan, what do you think of Dad's cooking skills?" My father is a confident person, so confident that he is even a little proud. He used to ask similar questions, all with a showing off tone, and I would answer without hesitation: 'Dad, of course you are the most good. 'But that day, when my father spoke, his expression was full of doubts, as if he really had doubts about his cooking skills. His performance made me feel a little bit at a loss for a while, and then I realized that it might have something to do with the letterhead on the coffee table, so I picked up the letterhead and saw a short line of words on it: Come to visit at noon tomorrow.The signature is 'one knife fresh'. My father is well-known and often challenged by chefs from all over the world, winning easily every time.So when I saw that post, I said casually: 'Dad, is there another challenger?Isn't that asking for trouble? ' My father shook his head and said, 'You don't know, this is no ordinary character.In the past month, he has picked all the well-known restaurants in the capital, and there are nearly a hundred famous chefs without any success under his hands. I am afraid it will not be easy for me to beat him. 'After saying this, he stopped talking to me, looking preoccupied. I didn't ask too much, just thought: If this 'One Knife Fresh' can't even beat other chefs in Beijing, how can it compare with my father?But the first time I saw my father's stage fright, I felt a little excited in my heart. Maybe subconsciously, I have been waiting for someone who can defeat him. The next day, I was at school, but my mind was always thinking about the competition between my father and 'one knife fresh'.I didn't listen to what the teacher said in class.Then I thought, I still have an ancestral culinary instinct in my blood, and with the right stimulation, it will burn in my body sooner or later. After school, I kept rushing home, eager to know the results of the competition.When I opened the door and walked into the room, I was immediately overwhelmed by a heavy atmosphere. I saw my father sitting in the middle of the living room, his face pale.A circle of people stood around him, all his friends and apprentices.All of these people are well-known figures in the culinary world, and they are usually in high spirits and arrogant.But now, they all have sullen faces, looking downcast.The living room was full of people, but it was quiet and there was no sound. " Having said that, Jiang Shan stopped.Although many years have passed, when he recalls the scene at that time, he still feels oppressed in his heart. "It was your father who lost, right?" Xu Lijie said sympathetically, "He is so proud, he must place more importance on the outcome." "Not only did I lose, but I lost very badly." Jiang Shan smiled wryly, and continued, "My father has an apprentice named Wang Lang, who is not a few years older than me. He has a cheerful personality and has a good relationship with me. I quietly He pulled aside and asked about the situation. Wang Lang said with a mournful face: "Master lost, he wants to seal the knife, and quit the culinary world." Although I had already guessed a bit about the result of the comparison test, my heart sank when I heard this, and I couldn't help but say: "If you lose, you lose. At worst, you can win back."If the knife is sealed when you lose, then there will be no cooks in Beijing long ago. '" "Well said!" Shen Fei cheered, "What's your father's reaction?" "He shook his head, looked at me sadly, and said: 'You didn't see that person, you don't understand. He only took one knife today, and I was completely defeated. What face do I have to suffer such a fiasco? In the culinary world? And in my life, it is impossible to surpass him in culinary skills.' Seeing my father, whom I have always admired, be so depressed, I was both surprised and uncomfortable. I didn't think much about it at the time, and blurted out: "If you can't win, then there is me. I will start learning cooking from tomorrow."Aren't our Jiang family descendants of the royal chef? Could it be that we can't hold our heads up like this? ' After hearing my words, my father's eyes lit up.He stood up, took my hand without saying a word, and led me into the back room.I had a premonition that something was going to happen, and I was both excited and apprehensive. 进屋后，父亲和我面对面坐下，然后看着我的眼睛，严肃地问：'小山，你刚才说的话是认真的么？ ' 我少年人的血性一上来，再加上血液中世代相传的烹饪天性也被激起，当下不再犹豫，坚定地点了点头。 我父亲非常兴奋，说：'我姜家传了两百多年的厨艺，博大精深。以前你不愿意学，我也不想勉强你。今天你主动提了出来，我比什么都高兴。从明天开始，我就正式封刀，专心调教你。我们姜家和一刀鲜两百多年的恩怨，要想咸鱼翻身，就全靠你了！ '" “两百多年的恩怨？这怎么讲？”徐丽婕诧异地看着姜山。 “我当时也很奇怪。后来听我父亲慢慢讲述，这才明白了其中的原委。原来两百多年前，'一刀鲜'进宫给乾隆爷奉上'烟花三月'的时候，我姜家的先祖就在宫中担任御厨总领。清宫一百零八名御厨，在乾隆爷胃口不佳时却全都无能为力，却被一个淮扬民间的厨子抢走了风头，脸面上未免都有些挂不住。本来大内总领御厨自然就是'天下第一名厨'的代名词，但这件事过后，民间纷纷传言，姜家'天下第一名厨'的称号应该让给'一刀鲜'才对。 我的先祖听到这样的话，心里当然不太痛快。但他作为一代厨界宗师，也不是心胸狭隘之人。半年后，他辞去了御厨总领的职务，专程来到扬州城，向'一刀鲜'讨教'烟花三月'这道菜的做法。 我先祖以堂堂御厨总领的身份，能做出这样的举动，可谓给足了'一刀鲜'面子。可没想到'一刀鲜'竟然闭门不见，还传出话来，说我先祖是无法体会'烟花三月'的真缔的。 " “那这个'一刀鲜'做得就有些过分了。”徐丽婕看看沈飞，“你说是不是？” 沈飞却是一副“事不关己，高高挂起”的姿态，大咧咧地说：“嗨，这种胜负名利的事情，何必那么在意呢？” “你说得倒是轻松。”徐丽婕白了他一眼，“有几个人像你这样的，一点追求都没有。” “飞哥生性淡然，我倒是十分佩服。”姜山的语气颇为诚恳，“不过我姜家世代性格中都带有一种天生的傲气。'一刀鲜'如此做法，我先祖心中极为愤懑，两家从此便结下了梁子。 后来我先祖好几次来到'一笑天'酒楼，向'一刀鲜'提出挑战。无奈终究技差一筹，始终无法获胜。此后两家的后人分别繁衍，这段恩怨也代代相传，纠缠不息。 " “难道两百多年来，你们姜家就从来没有赢过'一刀鲜'的传人吗？”虽然知道很不礼貌，但徐丽婕还是忍不住问了一句。 “那当然不会。”姜山微微一笑，看似并不介意，“两百多年的时间，两家的后人天资都是有慧有钝，努力程度也是或勤或惰，虽说大部分的情况我姜家都处于下风，但其中也不免会间或出一两个奇才，在那一代的争斗中领得先机。可是不管怎样，我先祖的一个遗愿却始终都没有实现。” “两百多年的遗愿？”沈飞也忍不住好奇地问到，“是什么？” “就是关于'烟花三月'的奥秘。自从乾隆爷御赐菜名之后，它便成了厨界传说中的天下第一名菜。我们两家的恩怨也是因此而起，可奇怪的是，'一刀鲜'和他的传人们以后却再也没有做过这道菜。甚至有几次我们姜家比试获胜，对他们百般羞辱，他们也一直隐忍不发，始终保守着这道菜的秘密。这件事便成了我们姜家两百多年来最大的遗憾。” 徐丽婕点点头：“不错。这就好比两支球队比赛，你不仅输多胜少，而且在所有的比赛中，对方都一直雪藏着队中的头号主力，使你仅有的那几次胜利也显得成色不足。” “这个比喻有点意思……”沈飞好像突然想到什么，嘻地一笑，又说：“也许这道菜根本就不存在，只是一个虚名而已。” 姜山断然摇了摇头：“不可能。乾隆爷御笔的'烟花三月'牌匾两百多年来一直悬挂在'一笑天'酒楼的大堂中，那是绝对假不了的。” 徐丽婕“嗯”了一声，对姜山的观点表示赞同，然后又问道：“八年前那个'一刀鲜'胜了你父亲之后，去了哪里呢？” “他的消失比他的出现更加突然。有人说，他在当天晚上就上了回扬州的汽车，从此就再也没有出现过。” “真是一个奇怪的人，这样来去匆匆，那他此行的目的又是什么呢？难道就仅仅是要让北京厨界难堪吗？” “那恐怕只有他自己才知道了。”面对徐丽婕的这个问题，姜山也只能两手一摊，做了个无可奉告的表情。 “嗯……”沈飞摸着下巴，沉吟了片刻，问姜山：“你这次到扬州，就是为了找到这个'一刀鲜'的传人，为你父亲报仇？” “报仇也谈不上。只是按我父亲的说法，我们俩都是各自家族中百年难遇的烹饪天才，既然生活在同一个时代，如果不分个胜负，实在是太可惜了。” “那你有把握赢他吗？”徐丽婕问道。 姜山没有正面回答，只是淡淡说了句：“越没有把握的事情，我做起来就越有兴趣。” “你们之间的这场比试，可真是让人期待啊。我简直恨不能现在就把'一刀鲜'找来，和你决个胜负。对了，照我看，你在这里干等并不是好办法，你应该主动去找他。”徐丽婕越说越兴奋，帮姜山出起了主意。 姜山无奈地笑笑：“我在扬州人生地不熟的，上哪里去找？” “我可以帮你啊。还有沈飞，他可是个扬州通。沈飞，你一定会帮忙的吧，对不对？”徐丽婕闪着大眼睛看着沈飞，那神情分明让人无法拒绝。 沈飞做出一副无奈的表情，深深叹了口气，说道：“好吧。我只有一个条件。” “哦？什么条件？”姜山立刻追问。他深知，在扬州找人，如果能得到沈飞的帮助，绝对能起到事半功倍的效果。 沈飞嘿嘿一笑：“你们俩比试时做的菜，都要让我带回家去下酒。” “好的，一言为定！”姜山一边说，一边伸出了右手。沈飞和徐丽婕对看了一眼，也各自伸出一只手来，随着“啪啪”两声清响，三只手掌叠在了一起。 暮色渐临，在“一笑天”酒楼内聚集了一下午的诸多扬州名厨终于散去。偌大的酒楼厅堂内，就只剩下了徐叔和凌永生师徒二人。 “师父，您觉得那个办法可行吗？”凌永生见徐叔总是沉默不语，忍不住开口问道。他所说的办法，就是众人商讨了好几个小时，最后定下来的挑战姜山的计策。 徐叔缓缓地摇了摇头，说：“我不知道。” “您是对朱大厨、李大厨或者金大厨的技艺不放心吗？” “不。”徐叔毫不犹豫地说道，“朱晓华的选料本事、李冬的刀功、金宜英的火候掌控能力均已登峰造极，不仅在扬州城内首屈一指，即便是放眼天下，相信也没人能在这几个单项技艺中战胜他们。” “您是觉得选定的菜肴不理想，无法同时发挥这三个人的特长？” “也不是。'大煮干丝'不仅是淮扬名菜，而且在烹制时，对选料、到刀功和火候的要求都非常高，用这道菜和姜山比试，再合适不过了。” “那您在担心什么呢？”凌永生看起来是非得打破砂锅问到底了。 徐叔再次摇了摇头，他也不知道自己在担心什么，这个计划至少从表面上看起来是无懈可击的。 姜山向扬州厨界下了战书，其中并没有限定要一对一的单挑。朱晓华、李冬、金宜英，他们的综合厨艺与姜山相比虽然相差甚远，但在各自专长的技艺上，却绝对是厨界顶尖的水平。如果他们联手，在烹饪一道菜肴时分别操作自己最拿手的环节，以此方法与姜山一搏，会是怎样的结果呢？ 这就好比学生高考，最终的状元自然是总分最高的那位。但各门的单科第一往往另有他人。把各门的单科最高分相加，这样的总分只怕是高考状元也会觉得高不可攀。 用这种方法对付姜山虽然有些胜之不武，但对于一个赌局来说，获胜才是最重要的。 不知为什么，徐叔却心中总觉得有些不妥。他隐隐感到，这方法中有个大大的漏洞，可漏洞到底在哪里，他又说不上来。 但至少有一点是可以肯定的：要对付姜山，决不能仅仅依靠这一个方法。 在经营“一笑天”酒楼的二十多年中，徐叔早已明白：不要把所有的苹果都放在同一个篮子里。所以，在下午和众多名厨商量的同时，他已在心中盘算好了后备的方案。 总之，面对姜山这个可怕的对手，不管结果如何，他都会用尽所有的能量和办法去最大程度的争取胜利。这样即使失败，他也能问心无愧，不留遗憾。 失败并不可怕。谁都会有失败的时候，谁也都有机会在失败后重新站起来。至于那块牌匾，在以前，徐叔会把它视作自己的生命。可经历了二十多年的风雨之后，他已经明白，那对自己来说，并不是最重要的。 在一个人的生命中，有一些东西，要远比事业、荣誉、地位和财富重要得多。所以，当徐叔看见徐丽婕从外面进来的时候，他立刻笑容满面，把那些所谓的烦恼都抛在了脑后。 “别多想了。”他拍了拍凌永生的肩膀，“让我们做晚饭去。” 小炒仔鸡、冬笋肉片、清炒莴苣、三鲜汤，虽然都是些普普通通的家常菜肴，但每一道都是色形兼备，香气扑鼻。 沈飞吃得酣畅淋漓，嘴里还不停地感慨：“一顿家常便饭，却能吃到徐叔和小凌子做的菜，真是口福不浅哪。大小姐，这可都是托了你的福，你怎么不早点回来呢？” 徐丽婕甜甜地一笑，对徐叔说：“爸，您每天都做这么好吃的菜肴，把我的嘴吃馋了，您可得负责。” “负责，负责。”徐叔此时的样子完全是个疼爱的女儿的憨厚长者，“只要你喜欢，我就顿顿做给你吃。” 徐丽婕想到下午和姜山的交谈，趁着父亲心情不错，试探着询问：“爸，您知道姜山为什么要让您用'烟花三月'的牌匾来打赌吗？” 徐叔愣了一下：“我不是很清楚……年轻人，也许是为了出名吧。” “不对，他是想逼'一刀鲜'出现。” 徐叔和凌永生诧异地对看一眼，都停下了手中的筷子。 见到自己的话题很受关注，徐丽婕略感得意，接着，她便把姜山和“一刀鲜”家族之间的恩恩怨怨向徐叔师徒复述了一遍。 凌永生想象着两大烹饪世家延续了两百多年的争斗，不禁有些心驰神往。同时，他也认为这是一个不错的消息：“这么说来，姜山并不是刻意要找我们'一笑天'的麻烦了？” 徐叔沉吟了片刻，说：“是不是要找'一笑天'的麻烦，这倒并不重要。毕竟赌局已经定下了，如果我们赢不了姜山，'一刀鲜'又始终不出现，那块牌匾还是要输给人家的。” “'一刀鲜'不出现，我们可以去找他呀。”徐丽婕提议道，然后她看着徐叔说，“爸，至少他以前住在什么地方，您应该知道的吧？” “那已经是三十年前的事情了。”徐叔回忆着，“那时候，'一刀鲜'好像是住在城东的彩衣巷附近。” “彩衣巷？这名字倒有点意思。这个地方现在还有吗？” “有倒是有……”沈飞意识到徐丽婕的意思，犹豫地挠挠脑袋，“不过这么多年过去了，肯定早已经物是人非呀……” “去看看又不会损失什么。”徐丽婕用筷子尾巴在沈飞脑袋上敲了一下，“别那么懒，我们明天上午就去。” 原以为明天不用早起买菜，可以睡个懒觉的，现在看来是泡了汤。沈飞叹了口气，一副受了委屈的样子，那饭菜吃在口中似乎也不那么香甜了。 改革开放以来，经过二十多年的建设，扬州在各方面都取得了长足的发展。尤其是近几年市政府大力推行旨在彻底改善扬州市容市貌的“亮化工程”，更是如同给美丽的古城又穿上了一件华丽的外衣。走在宽敞的街头，看着车来人往，两侧商家豪楼林立，不由得让人感慨古城正在大步地迈向又一个繁华盛世。 不过扬州变化的速度虽然很快，一些古老的、承载着某段历史的东西却被小心地保留了下来，使你在享受新都市完美的现代生活的同时，仍能感受到这座城市中无处不在的历史底蕴。在热闹的大街上，你便时常能够看到两幢高耸的大厦间夹着一个小小的路口，一眼望去，曲折无尽，不知通往何处。 走进路口，再拐上一两个弯，这时，你会发现自己彷佛到了另外一个世界中。 刚才的喧嚣和繁华全都消失得无影无踪了，你眼前只有狭长的巷道，光光的石板路，和两侧青砖黛瓦的民屋。 这，便是扬州城的古巷。 住在这里的，都是地地道道的扬州人。他们说着如爆谷声般清脆硬朗的扬州方言，过着悠然自得的传统生活。他们喝扬州的老白干，吃扬州的盐水鹅，并且像祖祖辈辈一样，享受着走街蹿坊的邻里乐趣。 当然，享受这种生活的都是一些年纪较大的人。年轻人们有了家业以后，多半都搬了出去，住进了宽敞明亮的楼房中。也许等他们老去的时候，会再次怀恋起这片带给他们安逸童年的地方。 彩衣巷位于扬州城东，距离“一笑天”酒楼并不是很远。徐丽婕提前通知了姜山，三人会合后，在沈飞的带领下来到了目的地。此时已是上午九点多钟，但天色却是阴沉沉的，空气中也弥漫着一种浓厚的湿气，更给小巷增添了一种深幽的气氛。 由于事隔久远，又不知道具体的地址，三人的寻找多少带有一点盲目性。好在沈飞有着自来熟的本领，遇见在巷子里遛弯的大爷大妈，没两句话便能和人攀谈起来。不过接连问了好几个人，却都说不知道“一刀鲜”这个名字，不免让人有些沮丧。 最后的一个大妈颇为热心，帮沈飞等人出起了主意：“你们可以到四十三号的王老太太那块问下子，老太太在这块住了一辈子，附近的事情没得她不晓得的。” 王老太太今年已经快九十岁了，但身体仍然很好。沈飞三人找到她的时候，她正坐在门口的藤椅上，全神贯注地倾听身旁收音机里咿咿呀呀播放的评剧。 “老太太！”沈飞走上前，大着嗓门嚷了句。 王老太太把收音机的音量调小，上下打量了沈飞一通，问道：“做甚呢？黠仔？” “黠仔”是地道的扬州话，意思便是“小孩”。的确，在她的眼里，年近而立的沈飞也不过是个小孩。 “老太太，跟你问个人！” “哪一个？”老太太虽然牙齿有些不关风，但说起扬州话来仍然是简洁利落。 “一刀鲜，还听说过嗲？” “哪个？”老太太眯起眼睛，又问了一遍。 “一刀鲜！做菜做得不丑！”沈飞又加大些音量，听起来语气有些生硬。其实这只是扬州方言的特点，抑扬顿挫，节奏感很强。江苏一带民间有句俗语“宁听苏州人吵架，不听扬州人说话”，便是用苏州的轻柔吴语来对比扬州的方言，即使两个苏州人吵架，那语气声调也比扬州人平常说话要好听得多。 老太太这回似乎听清楚了，她瘪着嘴摇摇头，很肯定地说了一句：“没得这个人。” 沈飞回过头来，对着姜山和徐丽婕做了个无奈的表情。就在这时，忽听得一个脆生生的童音说道：“你们要找'一刀鲜'呀？” 众人循声看了过去，说话的是一个六七岁大的小男孩。脑袋大身子小，乌黑的头发如锅盖似的扣着，圆圆的脸蛋上一双大眼睛忽闪不停，一副古灵精怪的模样。 这男孩之前一直蹲在巷边玩耍，三人也没有在意，此时见他突然跳出来插话，都不免有些暗自奇怪。 徐丽婕看他生得机灵可爱，一边笑吟吟地走过去，一边说道：“是啊。小朋友，你知道这个人在哪里吗？” “哈哈哈，不知道。”小孩顽皮地大笑起来，眼睛眯成了一条细缝，似乎对自己这个小小的恶作剧颇感得意。然后转身蹲下，又开始自顾自地翻动巷边的石块玩耍。 徐丽婕走到他身边，也蹲了下来，摸着他的大脑袋，好奇地问：“小朋友，你翻石头找什么呢？蟋蟀得到秋天才会有呀？” 小孩得意地歪着脖子：“找好东西，不能告诉你。”说完，他一撅屁股，站起身跑开了。 徐丽婕看他拐进了不远处的一条巷口，向姜山等人笑着说道：“你们看这个小家伙，真有意思。” “哪块跑得来的小促狭鬼！”连王老太太也感慨了一句。 “噢？”沈飞皱了皱眉头，“老太太，你之前没望到过这个黠仔？” 王老太太摇摇头：“没望过，是外头跑过来玩的。” “有意思。”沈飞摸着下巴，冲姜山和徐丽婕会了个意，“走！我们去那边看看。” 扬州的古巷的一大特点便是阡佰纵横，四通八达。不熟悉道路的人，进了巷区，便如同走进迷宫一般。 当沈飞三人走进小男孩刚才消失的那个巷口时，小家伙早已跑得无影无踪了，在他们面前又出现了三四条其它的巷口，通往巷区的更深处。 “现在怎么办？往哪边走？”徐丽婕一边问沈飞，一边看了看手表，快十一点了，他们已经在这小巷里转了一个多小时，对于“一刀鲜”的下落却还是一点消息都没有。 沈飞没有回答她的问题，他好像突然被施了什么魔法，一动不动地站在那里，如同定住了一般。 “你怎么了？”徐丽婕诧异地问着，一转头，却发现姜山也是一副怔怔的表情，似乎突然发现了什么奇怪的事情。 徐丽婕莫名其妙地看着这两个人，可随即她也明白了怎么回事，使劲地吸了吸鼻子，赞叹道：“好香！” 一股奇妙的香味，正从巷子深处幽幽地飘了出来！ 这香味纯正无比，让人浑身上下涌起一股说不出的舒适感觉；同时又朴实无华，不带一点的媚气，吸入鼻中，让人不由自主地回想起童年放学后，饥肠辘辘地推开家门时，从厨房间飘出的那股暖暖的饭香。 姜山和沈飞都是见多识广的人，刚才默不作声，便是在对这香味进行细细的分辨。奇怪的是，他们竟丝毫闻不出这香味是出自何种原料，那感觉就像面对着一张纯净白洁的绢布，虽看不到一丝色彩，但却给人一种掩盖不住的美感。 姜山和沈飞对看了一眼，不约而同的指着右手边的第二条巷口，说道：“这边！” 那股神奇的香味，正是从这巷口中飘出来的！ 这是一条死巷。死巷的意思就是这条巷子只有一个出口，另一头却是封闭不通的。巷道极窄，大概只有一米来宽，头顶的天空也便成了细细的一条，使巷道中显得有些阴暗。 可小巷底却有一片较大的空地，给人一种豁然开朗，别有洞天的感觉。空地两侧被修成了小小的花台，种着些月季之类的花草，品种虽然普通，但出现在这小巷深处，却是别有一番韵味。 花台后是一座独门小院，离小院越近，那股香味便越发的浓郁。 院门虚掩着，沈飞走上前，正要伸手去敲，只听得一个苍老的声音在院内说道：“门没锁，几位请进来吧。” 既然主人想邀，沈飞也就不再客气，他推开门，大咧咧地走进了院子。 院落不大，但却收拾得整洁利落。院门左首边有一口小小的水井，青石井沿内侧被桶绳磨出了深深的凹槽，从一个侧面显示出院落存在的历史。院中散养着几只老母鸡，正咯咯咯地四下闲逛觅食。 正对院门的是两间小小的平房，可能是因为屋内空间狭小，一张八仙桌被搬到了院子中央，四把椅子围成一圈。桌上摆着一堆碗筷，看起来，这里的主人已经准备要吃午饭了。 一名老者站在东首小屋的门口，只见他身形高瘦，一身布衫，虽然须发都已有些见白，但是腰挺腿直，脸上的神情也矍铄得很。 姜山对着老者行了个礼，