Chapter 55: Linhan County

  The border of the country of Hanghai, standing with guns and ammunition, are soldiers of Hanghai who are responsible for checking guests going to Tianchao. Because Hanghai has a rule: anyone can live in Hanghai as long as they settle there for two years, they can own a token of Hanghai and enjoy all the benefits of Hanghai, under the protection of Hanghai, even if you are a great evil person, as long as you enter the territory of Hanghai, the emperor of Tianchao dare not order your execution. Therefore, many corrupt officials regard Hanghai as a paradise and escape here to continue their lives. Of course, living in Hanghai also comes with some responsibilities, such as paying taxes, serving in the military, boys being sent to the army for training, etc. However, there are exceptions, like Liu Qingqing, who owns two tokens due to Huakui Shenghui and has special privileges, respected and noble Princess Tonggong. Even ordinary people like Xiaolian, owning a token of Hanghai, can get protection from Hanghai, as long as she doesn't leave Hanghai, no one will be in danger.

  Now, Liu Qingqing and Hu Zhongren stood at the city gate, undergoing the soldiers' inspection. The soldier looked at their tokens and was extremely respectful: "So you're the Flower Crown and Honored Guest. Forgive me! Are you going back to get married?" Everyone in the country of Hanhai knew about the system of the Flower Crown Festival, that the Flower Crown was allowed to return with the Honored Guest to the guest's own hometown.

  Hu Zhongren's face was filled with a happy smile, and he said: "Yes, we are indeed going back to the Heavenly Dynasty to get married. In a few days, King Jing of the Hanhai Kingdom and Princess Lan will also attend our wedding."

  The soldier was even more polite: "Congratulations, please!" The soldier saluted Hu Zhongren and Liu Qingqing with a bow and let them pass!

  Two men thanked the soldiers, mounted their horses, one in front of the other, and rushed to Kyoto. It was already autumn, with crisp air and pleasant weather. Between the vast sea and the capital city, there were rural towns and villages, where the two men chased each other on horseback, not yielding to each other. Liu Qing had been washing his face and riding horses since he was a child, and his horsemanship was not bad, but Hu Zhongren feared that he might make a mistake, so he always rushed ahead to clear the way for him.

  As dusk approached, the two arrived at Linhan County Town. Compared to the villages and towns they had passed through earlier, this place seemed much more prosperous. The two dismounted and walked on foot, strolling in the wide streets. After a day's journey, Liu Qingqing was indeed a bit tired. Fortunately, she had traveled extensively with her grandmother when she was young and wasn't afraid of walking, but like today, riding horses all day without rest except for lunch was unprecedented.

  On the street, people came and went, buying all kinds of snacks, which could finally stimulate Liu Qingqing's appetite. She picked and bought in front, while Hu Zhongren paid the bill behind her, not caring about the price at all, nor asking if Hu Zhongren had enough money to pay the bill.

  As night fell, the lanterns of the shops were already hung high, emitting a dim glow. The two walked and ate, and Hu Zhongren was also eating, necessarily, because Liu Qingqing had only bought a few snacks, so he asked Hu Zhongren to finish them off. As a result, Hu Shao, who never usually eats casually on the streets, already felt a bit full. Seeing that Liu Qingqing's belly was already full, and there were not many shops ahead, Hu Zhongren said: "Let's take a look at which one we should stay in? Don't miss the head of the accommodation."

  Liu Qingqing stood still, looking ahead. Indeed, there was only one inn in front of them. The two walked to the door and the shopkeeper came forward: "Two guests, staying overnight? Please come inside."

  "Hu Zhongren said: 'One room. Take good care of the two horses, we still have a long way to go tomorrow.' He took out some silver from his pocket as a reward."

  The shopkeeper's eyebrows opened with a smile: "Good, you," he said, raising his voice, "Two guests are coming to stay, wife, hurry up and come out to welcome them."

  The shop was set up with a front hall and a back room, and several customers were seated in the front hall eating dinner. The boss's loud call was answered by a woman in a blue dress who emerged slowly from the back, carrying a plate of chicken. Liu Qingqing immediately caught the aroma, even though she had already eaten her fill, and her stomach growled at the sight of the delicious-looking chicken. She quickly asked, "Boss, your chicken smells so good, how did you make it?"

  The landlady put the chicken on the customer's table, turned around and smiled at him: "You two guests are from afar, right? The rural silly chicken here is very famous, let alone in Linwan, even nationwide you can't find a second one."

  Huzhongren looked at Liu Qingqing, who was about to have a big appetite, and saw a corner where he sat down and said: "Since that's the case, let's try it. Bring a rural silly chicken, another stir-fry dish, and a jar of Chen Nian Xinghua Village...". He turned his head and asked Liu Qingqing: "What kind of stir-fry do you want to eat? What about the staple food?"

  Liu Qingqing opened the menu on the table and took a look: "Let's have eggplant in sauce then."

  The dishes were served quickly, and the two of them sat down to drink a cup of fragrant Xinghua wine to quench their thirst. At this time, the boss's wife brought up a small steamed chicken, which was placed in a bamboo container on a tray, apparently already cooked; The sauce eggplant was arranged in the shape of a fish, with very fine stripes, also resembling the scales on a fish's body. The diced meat at the head... The vinegar and garlic were mixed together, and the aroma was overflowing. Liu Qingqing glanced at Hu Zhongren: "Please." He took the lead in picking up his chopsticks, knowing that Hu Zhongren ate quickly and without elegance, so he had to hurry, otherwise he would have to lick the plate clean.

  Although they had eaten so many snacks in their stomachs, seeing such delicious food, they still couldn't help but eat it mouthful by mouthful. In a short while, the table was in disarray.

  Liu Qingqing patted her full belly, feeling extremely satisfied as she smacked her lips: "I didn't expect to find such a culinary master in this mountain village county, I really want to meet him."

  Liu Qingqing beckoned to the boss's wife, who walked over with a swaying gait like a willow in the wind. Liu Qingqing put her hand on the woman's shoulder and said, "Beauty, can we meet this brilliant chef?"

  The landlady said with difficulty: "My family's chef doesn't like to see new guests, as long as the food is good and you come often, it's not necessary to meet."

  Liu Qingqing gave a hint to Hu Zhongren, who understood and took out ten taels of silver, placing them on the table: "If you can arrange for me to see him, this ten taels of silver is yours."

  The proprietress's eyes sparkled as she grasped the silver in her hand, smiling slyly: "Well, I'll give it a try. May I ask where you two gentlemen are from and what your names are?" What's going on? Gentlemen, sharp-eared readers must have also heard this, right?

  Your guess is too accurate.

  Liu Qingqing also dressed as a man, which was convenient for traveling.

  Liu Qingqing said: "I am Mu Ou, he is Gu Yue, we come from Hanhai, and have just arrived at Bao Di." Hu Zhongren smiled at Liu Qingqing, very satisfied with her answer.

  The boss's wife nodded and said, "Two guests, please wait a moment. Since he is from the vast ocean, he shouldn't refuse. I'll go ask him." After finishing speaking, she strode towards the kitchen. Hu Zhongren gave a thumbs up to Liu Qingqing, praising his rich experience in the Jianghu world.

  Liu Qingqing raised her head slightly, it's nothing. When she was a kid, she and her grandma traveled the world, always appearing as a boy, often using fake names, she got used to lying, it's convenient for doing things.

  After eating the dishes, the two of them had a common goal and felt that this person was not simple. In such a desolate small county, they could produce such a chef with royal level skills, it's simply a food god. Liu Qingqing was even more suspicious, could it be that this person was actually herself who was supposed to marry, namely Yue Qianshan's fiancée?

  When Liu Qingqing met Qing Luan and Qing Yang in the vast ocean country, Qing Yang told her about their past because she had suffered from a mental illness at that time and didn't remember anything before. So Qing Yang told her many things related to both of them.

  Originally, Liu Qingqing and Liu Qingyang were the children of Imperial Chef Lei Huan, a good friend of Liu Fengchun. They were originally surnamed Lei and lived with their parents in Kyoto. However, when Yang was 8 years old and Qingqing was 3 years old, their mother, Madame Lei, suddenly disappeared without a trace. Lei Huan searched everywhere but couldn't find her, became depressed and made mistakes at work in the imperial palace, and was eventually dismissed by the emperor with a generous gift of gold to return home. Lei Huan then gave his two children to be adopted by his good brother Liu Fengchun, while he himself went out to search for Madame Lei...

  So, Qingyang and Qinclear changed their surname to Liu and became the adopted daughter and son of Liu Fengchun. Liu Fengchun had only one biological daughter, Liu Qinglian, so she treated these two children as if they were her own flesh and blood. The two children inherited their father's excellent culinary skills and helped Liu Fengchun manage the kitchen in Kyoto. However, because Qingqing was a girl, Liu Fengchun took her back to the Liu family village to grow up with Qinglian. Only during the annual March inspection of the nationwide branches did Qingyang go to Kyoto to take over the kitchen from his brother.

  Because Liu Qingqing was ill, she claimed to have forgotten her culinary skills and turned to study singing and dancing. After earning the title of Huakui, she would return to Kyoto. At that time, Liu Qingqing told Qingyang and Qingluan that she would not blame Qingluan for past events, and the two would still be good sisters like when they were young. Therefore, after the Huakui banquet, Qingyang and Qingluan immediately returned to Kyoto, especially Qingluan, who heard that her mother, Bai Shi, was seriously ill and wanted to rush back to her mother's side as soon as possible.

  Liu Qingqing was also thinking about the real Liu Qingqing's whereabouts, and she thought that the most likely place for Liu Qingqing to be was in Sai Bei, because besides her brother, the person she missed the most in this world was Yue Qianshan. Her lover, especially after being replaced by Bai Shi and married to Hu Zhongren, however, Yue Qianshan came to Hong Cuishan Zhuang and said he was Liu Qingqing, so there were two possibilities for Liu Qingqing: one was that she had gone to Sai Bei but the two had missed each other; the other was that she had drifted to a foreign land and was living in exile. Now, this chef's skills were so superb that they reminded Liu Qingqing of Yue Qianshan's description of his fiancée, who had made several eggplant dishes that completely conquered Yue Qianshan. Today, this chef's sauce eggplant dish completely conquered Hu Zhongren and herself, making Liu Qingqing suspicious, perhaps this person was the one she had impersonated.

  Liu Qingqing's mind was preoccupied with the movie when the boss led a person to the front hall. Hu Zhongren and Liu Qingqing both looked back at this person, and it really was possible, she was indeed a woman.