Chapter 48: All Preparations Complete

  Watching Xue Weihai leave, Song Kai stood there in a daze, deep in thought for a long time.

  Song Kai likes his current life, perhaps with a few less privileges, but ultimately free and easy. In the future, when the store is bigger and opens in Chang'an City, he can still see Liu Yuyan.

  As an official, one needs the wisdom and courage of an official. Now is a chaotic era, and if you're not careful, you'll end up on the wrong side and lose your head in no time.

  Song Kai's history is not good, or rather, he has never deliberately studied the history of the Tang Dynasty, just knowing some general events to cope with exams. At this level, it's better not to think about changing the course of history.

  Shaking his head, Song Kai squatted down and continued to carve mahjong tiles.

  After a while, a cry of despair came from the front: "I forgot! I still have to learn math problems!"

  It was Li Menghan's shout, and the wail still had a few points of excitement.

  Upon hearing this voice, Song Kai burst out laughing and the depression in his heart dissipated. No matter which path he took, as long as the people around him were happy and the people beside him changed for the better, that was enough.

  Before long, Li Menghan ran into the backyard wearing a long skirt like the wind.

  "What's going on? It's all your fault, Song Kai! You tell me, what were you randomly writing on my homework for? Now I have to learn your weird characters," Li Menghuan pouted, her round little face was very cute, although she was complaining, there was still a hint of delight in her voice. She was an intelligent girl after all, and naturally enjoyed learning new things.

  Song Kai looked at the sky and said, "You go back and tell that old antique father of yours that this is called algebraic calculation. It's actually the same as Chinese characters, just with a different symbol. As for that cross thing, it's just a substitute sign. This is called substitution method. Once you master this substitution method of operation, no matter what arithmetic problem, you can settle it immediately."

  Li Menghan nodded, "What you said, I'm afraid my father has already figured it out. He had me come today to ask for your guidance on the calculation rules."

  "This... you can come again tomorrow, just say that it's hard to learn in a short time, and continue playing tomorrow," Song Kai said with a smile.

  Li Menghan jumped up after hearing this, made a face at Song Kai, and then left with a group of more than ten children.

  Those kids were reluctant to leave and insisted on taking a set of mahjong home to play with. Song Kai, of course, refused, no matter how much gold they offered; this was the secret to attracting customers in the future.

  In the evening, after dinner, Nie Lingdang pulled Song Kai to play Chinese chess.

  Zhao Tieshan also wanted to play mahjong, but unfortunately Nie Zhongtang was not willing to play with him. The main reason is that this person is too boastful and has a thick skin. He would take the opportunity to fawn on Nie Zhongtang, who thought to himself: "What kind of person am I? The more I hear Zhao Tieshan boasting, the more I want to slap him to death."

  "In two days it will be the Mid-Autumn Poetry Party, do you want to go and have some fun?" asked Song Kai, playing chess in the house.

  "Will there be poetry? What's fun about that? I don't know how to compose poems, only a few vulgar verses," Nie Zhongyun said, dismounting his horse and tying its legs.

  Song Kai laughed and said: "You are the author of Shui Diao Ge Tou, your name Nie Hong, must have spread throughout the Tang Dynasty."

  Nie Lingdang was about to continue jumping on horseback, but when he heard Song Kai's words, his eyes lit up and said: "Right! Song Kai, write another poem for me. At the poetry meeting later, I'll also go show off."

  "Go on, if you're a talented scholar, you should vote for Qiuyue, she's the spokesperson of our inn," said Song Kai, "General!"

  "No way, come on! You're luring me into talking and distracting me... That's natural, but I have to pretend to be a man again." Nie Ling Tong rearranged the chess pieces.

  "Haha, being a talented girl doesn't come with voting rights," Song Kai stood up, "I'm not playing anymore, I'm really dead tired, tomorrow I still have to get up early for morning training, unlike you, who can sleep in."

  "You're really out of energy, leave now, remember, send me a poem."

  As she spoke, Nie Ling Tong walked out of the room.

  The next day, Song Kai returned from his morning training and heard that an official had come to see him.

  After Song Kai hastily washed and changed his clothes, he headed to the front hall. The front hall was bustling with noise, mainly because Li Menghan had brought her siblings over to play mahjong again.

  There was a man standing in the hall, dressed formally and with proper manners. At first glance, it was clear that he had come on official business rather than to chat or eat.

  Song Kai walked over, bowed his hands towards the person and said: "I am Song, the owner of this Red Dust Inn."

  "Song Lang An Hao, I am the Doctor of Jing Xue in this province, in charge of the major events of this Mid-Autumn Poetry Meeting," The man, who was around forty years old, was very modest and courteous, and he bowed to Song with his hands clasped together.

  Another PhD!

  Song Kai felt inferior, he was only a master's degree holder and couldn't hold his breath in front of others. However, he also understood that although he was a doctorate holder, in the Great Tang Empire, this position was only at the ninth rank, which was the lowest official title. Moreover, this was in Suzhou City, if it were to be changed to another lower-ranking prefecture, even a doctoral degree holder couldn't get into the ninth rank.

  Song Kai lets Chang Sheng pour tea.

  The person opposite was very humble and didn't waste words, directly saying: "Song Lang, I've heard that the tea leaves at your guest shop are extremely good, and you're willing to supply them at a low price to support this poetry gathering. On behalf of the organizers, thank you for your generosity."

  "It's nothing, it's nothing," Song Lang waved his hand. "The price is absolutely low, and our guest house also gives away free tea baskets, which can be considered as a contribution to the poetry gathering."

  "That's very good, I'll send someone over tomorrow to collect the tea," the man said as he stood up and took his leave.

  "It's definitely not going to be a big deal," Song Kai waved his hand.

  "Boss, aren't we being taken advantage of?" Changsheng said, walking over with a pot of tea.

  "Why?" Song Kai wondered.

  "Tea leaves aren't profitable to begin with, and we're still giving away tea leaf baskets. I took a look, those tea leaf baskets are made very intricately, probably not cheap at all. If one is placed on each table, wouldn't that be around 50 or 60?" Chang Sheng felt a bit heartbroken.

  Song Kai burst out laughing and patted Chang Sheng's shoulder, he liked employees like Chang Sheng who regarded the store as their home.

  "Don't worry, the more exquisite we do, the better our hotel's service is," Song Kai smiled.

  Changsheng walked to the counter with his head hung low, unable to understand Song Kai's words. On the counter was a tea leaf basket made of woven bamboo strips, about the size of a palm, in the shape of a lantern. Inside was lined with beautiful rice paper, while the outside was painted with simple landscape and figure paintings. In the distance were continuous mountains and rivers, and nearby were pavilions and waterside kiosks. Two middle-aged men were playing chess in the pavilion, accompanied by a pretty young maid boiling water and brewing tea.

  How much does this cost? I estimate at least one hundred cents!

  Chang Sheng muttered to himself and shook his head as he walked away.

  Nie Lingdang checked the accounts and found that yesterday's and today's business had clearly improved a bit. A pleased smile involuntarily appeared on her face. This was just the beginning, after the Mid-Autumn poetry gathering, Hongchen Guest House would definitely be even more prosperous. Hmm, the new dishes they were developing seemed to be taking shape too.

  In the evening, Nie Lingdang and Song Kai sat opposite each other in the room, with a chessboard on the table and a plate of steamed eggs beside it.

  Nie Ling stared at the balut, a few doubts flashing in his eyes. "This black and white thing, can it really be eaten? Won't we get poisoned?"

  Song Kai curled up his lips, "It's not poisonous, but the taste is really unknown to ancient people... uh, that is, us, whether we can get used to eating it."

  As he spoke, Song Kai took a bite of it himself. The taste was still passable, but the color was a bit off and should be like jade transparency. It should be due to the slight difference in fire timing. Although it's quick pickling, it takes more than ten days. I believe that when I take it out again after tomorrow, the color and taste will be better.

  Nie Ling Tong saw that Song Kai didn't show any signs of poisoning, and carefully took a sip. He frowned and said: "The taste is okay, but it's not delicious at all. Why develop this dish?"

  "This dish is the hardest to replicate, enough for those people to study for a while, with this buffer period, plus our new dishes in the restaurant, it should be able to make the restaurant big. Song Kai couldn't help but smile, as long as Nie Lingdang also said it was okay, this pine flower egg, he had really spent a lot of time to succeed."

  Two people continued playing chess, chatting about family affairs.

  "Has my poem been written for me?" Nie Ling Tong didn't take it seriously and completely regarded Song Kai as a poetic genius.

  "Alright, I'll think about it and give you an answer tomorrow," Song Kai said as he took another bite of his steamed egg.

  "Hmm, after the war in Holy City is over, let's open a shop there," Nie Lingdang changed the subject abruptly, "The county lord has taken a liking to you."

  "I'm not going, once I get there, if it's not the water and soil that don't suit me, then it's you, who will bully me to death," Song Kai said as he played chess.

  Nie Lingdang's hand paused, then he suddenly stood up, "Forget it! Who cares."

  After finishing speaking, she quickly walked away with a twist of her hips.

  Song Kai was stunned, what's going on, how could this girl change her attitude so quickly?

  But at least I can get some early rest now...

  Before you know it, Mid-Autumn Festival has arrived.