Punch: From third-rate anchor to top chef

Li Xiao, Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei stood outside the high-speed railway station, looking at the strange yet vibrant city in front of them, their hearts full of anticipation for this trip to Guangxi.

"We're finally in Nanning. This journey has been really difficult."

Li Xiao stretched lazily, an excited smile on his face.

Zhang Yuedong nodded and agreed:

"Yeah, but when I think about the journey ahead, I feel that it's all worth it."

Lin Yifei couldn't wait to take out his phone and started taking pictures of the surrounding streets, muttering:

"I must quickly record this wonderful beginning."

They arrived at the hotel they had booked in advance, took a short rest, and then couldn't wait to explore the charm of this city.

As their first stop, they chose Qingxiu Mountain, the most famous mountain in Nanning.

When they stepped into the Qingxiu Mountain Scenic Area, it was as if they had entered a green fairy tale world, with lush vegetation, evergreen trees and various subtropical plants competing for beauty.

Li Xiao took a deep breath and sighed:

"The air here is so fresh, it feels like every breath I take can cleanse my lungs."

Zhang Yuedong smiled and said:
"This is the charm of the green city of Nanning. There is green everywhere, which makes people feel particularly comfortable."

Walking along the winding mountain road, they admired the beautiful scenery along the way.

The flowers on the roadside are colorful, some can be named and some cannot. They sway gently in the breeze, as if welcoming guests from afar.

Lin Yifei stopped from time to time to take pictures of the beautiful flowers. He also took Li Xiao and Zhang Yuedong to take photos together, wanting to capture this beautiful moment.

As they walked, a towering pagoda appeared before their eyes. This was the iconic building of Qingxiu Mountain - the Dragon Elephant Pagoda.

The Dragon Elephant Pagoda, also known as the Qingshan Pagoda, was first built during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty. It was named after the Buddhist scripture that "dragons have great power when walking on water, and elephants have great power when walking on land."

The original tower was made of black bricks, with eight sides and nine floors. In 1937, it was struck by lightning and one-third of the upper part of the tower collapsed. During the Anti-Japanese War, the authorities demolished the entire tower on the grounds that they could reduce the targets for Japanese bombing.

It was rebuilt on the original site in 1985. After the reconstruction, the tower has a reinforced concrete structure, eight sides, nine floors, a height of 53.35 meters, a base diameter of 12 meters, and 207 spiral staircases inside the tower.

The three stood under the Dragon Elephant Tower, looking up at this ancient and majestic building, their hearts filled with awe. "This Dragon Elephant Tower is really magnificent, it is worthy of being the landmark building of Nanning." Li Xiao exclaimed sincerely. Zhang Yuedong continued: "And it has such a long history and legendary stories, which adds to its charm." Lin Yifei asked curiously: "What's the story? Tell me quickly."

So Zhang Yuedong told them the legend about the Dragon Elephant Pagoda: During the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, Xiao Yunju, a juren from Nanning, passed the imperial examination and became the Minister of Rites of the imperial court. His ancestral tomb was buried in a Feng Shui treasure land where phoenixes play with peonies, so he always had a prosperous career. However, the phoenix can fly, and in order to ensure that the descendants of the Xiao family will become officials from generation to generation, they must find a way to keep the phoenix.

Therefore, Xiao Yunju funded the construction of the Dragon Elephant Pagoda on the top of Fengchi Ridge in Qingxiu Mountain, trying to use the pagoda to press down the wings of the phoenix. This legend records the natural environment, national customs and ethical morals of the local people, and also reflects people's yearning and pursuit for a better life.

After listening to the story, the three of them had a deeper understanding and knowledge of the Dragon Elephant Tower. They decided to climb the Dragon Elephant Tower and overlook the beautiful scenery of Nanning. Climbing up the narrow spiral staircase, you can feel the weight of history with every step. Finally, they reached the top of the tower. Standing on the observation deck at the top of the tower, you can see the scenery on both sides of the Yongjiang River. In the distance, high-rise buildings stand in rows, traffic is heavy, and it is a prosperous urban scene; in the near distance, it is surrounded by green mountains and green waters, and shaded by green trees, as if it is a paradise. The breeze blows on your face, bringing a hint of coolness, making people feel extremely comfortable. "Wow, Nanning is so beautiful from here!" Li Xiao couldn't help but exclaimed. Zhang Yuedong also nodded in agreement: "Yes, this city has both modern prosperity and the tranquility of nature, which is really intoxicating." Lin Yifei was busy recording the beautiful scenery with his camera, and kept saying, "I want to take all these beautiful scenery back so that my friends can also feel the charm of Nanning."

After a whole day of sightseeing in Qingxiu Mountain, the three of them were a little tired, but their hearts were full of joy. With a good impression of the city, they were ready to taste Nanning's delicacies and continue to explore the unique charm of the city.

The next day, the three of them came to the three streets and two alleys of the ancient city of Yongzhou. The antique architectural style of "blue bricks, black tiles, horse head walls, corridors, eaves and lattice windows" made them feel like they had traveled back to the ancient city of Yongzhou. The streets were bustling with people, and there were all kinds of specialty shops, exuding a strong historical and cultural atmosphere.

Li Xiao looked around curiously and said, "The buildings here are really unique. It feels like every brick and tile is telling stories from the past." Lin Yifei nodded in agreement, "Yes, walking here, I can imagine the prosperous scene of ancient Nanning, with merchants gathering and traffic." Zhang Yuedong smiled and said, "Not only that, there are many traditional cultural displays here. We can learn more about Nanning's history and culture."

They strolled along the bluestone road, admiring the ancient buildings on both sides. When passing by a traditional handicraft shop, Li Xiao was attracted by the exquisite hydrangeas in the shop. He walked into the shop, picked up a hydrangea and looked at it carefully. The colorful silk threads embroidered beautiful patterns, which were very delicate. "This hydrangea is really beautiful. I want to buy one to take back as a souvenir." Li Xiao said to his companions. Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei also walked into the shop. They were very interested in the various handicrafts in the shop. While appreciating them, they listened to the owner's introduction to the production process and cultural connotations behind these handicrafts.

After walking around the ancient city for a while, the three people's stomachs began to growl. They decided to try Nanning's specialty food - Laoyou Noodles. It is said that Water Street is a good place to taste Laoyou Noodles, where there are many time-honored noodle shops with authentic taste. So, they followed the guidance of the navigation and came to Water Street.

Water Street was bustling with various food stalls and shops on both sides of the street, and the air was filled with the aroma of delicious food. They walked into a very popular Laoyou Noodle Shop, which was full of diners. Everyone was eating noodles and chatting happily, full of the strong atmosphere of life.

The three of them found an empty seat and sat down. The waiter came over enthusiastically and handed them the menu. Li Xiao looked at the menu and said in some confusion: "There are so many types of Laoyou noodles, which one should I choose?" Zhang Yuedong smiled and said: "Why don't we each order one, so that we can taste different flavors." Lin Yifei agreed: "This is a good idea. I want an Laoyou eight-treasure noodle. It must have a lot of ingredients." Li Xiao thought about it and said: "Then I want an Laoyou pork offal noodle. The combination of pork offal and Laoyou noodles must be delicious." Zhang Yuedong ordered a classic Laoyou beef noodle.

Soon, the steaming hot Laoyou noodles were served. Each bowl of noodles was pink and tender, with thick soup, garnished with green chopped green onions and coriander, and bright red chili oil. The aroma of sour bamboo shoots, fermented black beans, chili and other seasonings was so fragrant that it made people salivate.

Li Xiao couldn't wait to pick up the chopsticks, picked up a handful of noodles, blew on it, and then put it into his mouth. The smooth rice noodles were wrapped in rich soup, and the sour, spicy and fragrant taste instantly spread in his mouth, stimulating his taste buds. "Wow, this tastes great!" Li Xiao couldn't help but exclaimed, "The rice noodles are very chewy, the soup is fresh and sour, and has a slight spicy taste, it's very appetizing."

Zhang Yuedong also tasted his Laoyou beef noodle and nodded, saying, "It's really delicious. The beef is very tender and cooked just right. The soup base is very rich and you can taste the aroma of the pork bones."

While eating his Laoyou Bazhen Noodles, Lin Yifei said, "My portion is also good. It contains pork, beef, squid, quail eggs and other ingredients. Every bite is very satisfying. And the soup also contains day lily, which adds a touch of deliciousness."

While eating noodles, they talked about their love for Laoyoufen. Li Xiao asked curiously: "Do you know the origin of the name Laoyoufen?" Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei shook their heads. So Li Xiao told them the legend of Laoyoufen: "Legend has it that in the 20s, an old man would visit a teahouse in Nanning every day and became good friends with the owner. One day, the old man was sick with a cold and did not come to the teahouse. The owner was worried about him, so he used stir-fried minced garlic, fermented black beans, chili peppers, sour bamboo shoots, minced beef, pepper powder and other ingredients to cook a bowl of hot noodles for the old man. After eating, the old man broke out in a hot sweat and his cold was cured. He was very grateful, so he wrote a plaque with the words 'Laoyou Changlin' ​​and gave it to the owner. Later, this kind of noodles was called 'Laoyou Noodles', and later combined with the rice noodles that the locals like to eat, it developed into the current Laoyoufen."

After hearing the story, Zhang Yuedong said with emotion: "I didn't expect that there is such a heartwarming story behind a small bowl of Laoyoufen. This is not only a bowl of food, but also a symbol of friendship." Lin Yifei also said: "Yes, eating this bowl of Laoyoufen makes me feel warm in my heart. This is the charm of food."

After eating Laoyou Noodles, the three of them walked out of the noodle shop contentedly. They continued to stroll in Water Street and tasted some other special snacks of Nanning, such as sour noodles and rolled noodles. The sour noodles were sour and sweet, and the rolled noodles were thin in skin and large in filling, which left a deep impression on them.

After leaving Nanning, the three took the high-speed train to Liuzhou. As soon as they got off the train, Li Xiao excitedly shouted, "We are finally in Liuzhou. I can't wait to eat the authentic snail rice noodle!" Zhang Yuedong smiled and said, "Don't worry, let's put our luggage away first, and then slowly explore the food and scenery of this city." Lin Yifei also nodded in agreement.

After a short rest at the hotel, they went to the famous Yaobu ​​Ancient Town in Liuzhou. Yaobu ​​Ancient Town is located at the foot of Panlong Mountain in Liuzhou City and on the banks of Liujiang River. It originated in the 6th year of Yuanding of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty and has a history of more than 43 years. In ancient times, it was famous for firing bricks and tiles, which were transported to various places through the dock, hence the name "Yaobu". During the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, the dock was busy with water transportation, and merchants gathered. Yaobu ​​Ancient Town gradually became the most prosperous settlement in Liuzhou. Today, Yaobu ​​Ancient Town is one of the top ten key projects of the Liuzhou Municipal Government. It is known as the shining pearl of the "Bai Li Liujiang" and enjoys a first-line river view. The total construction area of ​​the ancient town is about 4 square meters, which is the finishing touch of the "Bai Li Liujiang" landscape belt of the Liuzhou City A scenic spot.

When they walked into Yaobu ​​Ancient Town, it was as if they had traveled back to ancient Liuzhou. The buildings here adopt the typical Lingnan architectural style, with blue bricks and gray tiles, flying eaves and corners, wood carvings and stone carvings, and other exquisite decorations. Every detail reveals the atmosphere of simplicity and elegance. On both sides of the street, there are shops lined up, flags fluttering, and various specialty shops are dazzling, including handicraft shops, traditional snack shops, teahouses, bars, etc.

Li Xiao was attracted by a handicraft shop. He walked into the shop and saw many exquisite Liuzhou handicrafts, such as Zhuang brocade, Miao silver jewelry, Yao embroidery, etc. He picked up a piece of Zhuang brocade, carefully admired the exquisite patterns on it, and exclaimed: "The craftsmanship of this Zhuang brocade is so exquisite. Every stitch and every thread contains the wisdom and culture of the nation." Zhang Yuedong also nodded in agreement: "Yes, these handicrafts are not only works of art, but also carriers of Liuzhou's history and culture." Lin Yifei was busy recording these exquisite handicrafts with a camera. He said: "I want to take pictures of these beautiful things so that more people can understand the culture of Liuzhou."

After leaving the handicraft shop, they continued to stroll in the ancient town. As they walked, they came to the ancient wharf. The ancient wharf is the oldest ferry in Liuzhou, and has witnessed the vicissitudes of the ancient city of Liuzhou. Standing on the wharf, they can imagine the prosperous scene of ships coming and going and merchants gathering. Li Xiao said with emotion: "This used to be the commercial center of Liuzhou. Although it is no longer prosperous now, the heavy sense of history is still shocking." Zhang Yuedong said: "Yes, these ancient buildings and wharves are witnesses of Liuzhou's history. They silently tell the past of this city."

After walking around the ancient town for a while, the three people's stomachs started to growl. They decided to try Liuzhou's specialty food - snail noodles. They heard that there were many good snail noodle shops in Yaobu ​​Ancient Town, so they walked into a popular snail noodle shop.

The restaurant was full of diners, all of whom were enjoying the snail noodles with gusto. The air was filled with the strong aroma of sour bamboo shoots and snail soup. The three of them found an empty seat and sat down. The waiter came over enthusiastically and handed them the menu. Li Xiao looked at the menu and said in some confusion: "There are so many types of snail noodles, which one should I choose?" Zhang Yuedong smiled and said: "Why don't we each order one, so that we can taste different flavors." Lin Yifei agreed: "This is a good idea. I want a signature snail noodle to see how signature it is." Li Xiao thought about it and said: "Then I want a spicy and sour bamboo shoot snail noodle. I like sour bamboo shoots the most." Zhang Yuedong ordered a three-fresh snail noodle. (End of this chapter)