Be a small county magistrate in ancient times

Chapter 557 Thanks to Lord Meng's invitation

Of the three, Feng Zhong'an noticed Xinjie first.

He sighed inwardly. It seemed that Meng Changqing had done some things in Beishan County. He could tell the care put into building these streets with just a glance.

The closer the carriage got, the more it became clear that the local people must have put a lot of effort into maintaining this street.

He lifted the carriage curtain, peering at the row of buildings that were getting closer and closer, when he heard someone behind him say, "How much would it cost to build a street like this? Where would Beishan County get the money?"

These words were spoken by Xu Xiaoyun.

Upon hearing this, Feng Zhong'an immediately ordered the caravan to stop, leaned out of the carriage, and smiled at the two people behind him, saying, "I wonder what they're selling on the street. It smells delicious. It's already this late, why don't we go over there and get something to eat?"

Li Daolang got out of the carriage, looking troubled: "My lords, we are not on a secret mission. Now that we are here, shouldn't we inform the magistrate first?"

Xu Xiaoyun lifted the carriage curtain, "It's just a meal here, why is Registrar Li so inflexible?"

Seeing that they both meant the same thing, Li Daolang could only smile awkwardly, get into the car, and follow behind them.

On the new street, there were regulations prohibiting riding horses or driving cars. As soon as they arrived at the street entrance, they were stopped by the guards stationed there.

Feng Zhong'an said to Xu Xiaoyun, "Let's go inside for a walk, and leave a few constables here to watch over the carriages and horses."

Xu Xiaoyun caught up with Feng Zhong'an in two steps, "After sitting in the carriage for so long, it's good to stretch your legs."

Li Daolang, being of low status and little influence, had no choice but to follow behind the two.

Not long after they entered, Xu Xiaoyun pointed to a corner and said, "Look, there seem to be words carved on that stone."

The constables following behind immediately stepped forward with torches, and under the yellow light, the three characters "Xing'an Street" came into view of the people present.

Li Daolang said with a smile, "Just from this name alone, one can see Lord Meng's high expectations for Beishan County."

Xu Xiaoyun and Feng Zhong'an didn't respond, and Li Daolang awkwardly stroked his beard.

As you continue walking, you'll see neat rows of shops on both sides of the street. Except for a few that are closed, all the other shops are open for business with their lights on, and several shops even come out to greet passersby.

They sell all kinds of snacks, as well as miscellaneous goods.

The flavors of various foods mingled together, creating a continuous stream of aromas.

An enthusiastic waiter followed them and said, "Sir, we have delicious mutton soup. Would you like to try it?"

Feng Zhong'an stopped and said to Xu Xiaoyun, "I'm actually hungry, you two..."

Xu Xiaoyun chimed in at the opportune moment: "I am indeed hungry. Waiter, which restaurant sells the mutton soup you mentioned?"

"It's right here." The waiter pointed everyone to the right. "We have mutton soup and pork bone soup. The owner's pancakes are also exceptional. The fried pancakes are fragrant and crispy, and the flatbreads are chewy and springy. They're delicious and reasonably priced. Once you come in and try them, I guarantee you'll want to come back a second time."

The three of them looked in the direction he pointed and saw that it was a small shop with two rooms. The shop was fairly clean, and there weren't many people inside. Only one table of people was sitting by the window. It seemed to be a family, a husband and wife with three children.

"How about this place?" Feng Zhong'an seemed to be asking for the other two's opinions, but he had already started walking inside, saying as he went, "Let's not let this waiter waste his breath."

Xu Xiaoyun said to the constables behind her, "Leave a few guards behind, the rest of you go and have dinner."

"Yes!"

Once they entered, Feng Zhong'an had already found a seat. Although there were four or five empty tables, he deliberately sat next to that family, seemingly intending to inquire about something. "Come on, come on!" Feng Zhong'an waved to them with a smile. Anyone unaware of the situation would probably assume the three were longtime friends.

After the three of them sat down, the waiter who had greeted them earlier quickly served hot tea and asked, "What would you three gentlemen like to order?"

Although Xu Xiaoyun and Li Daolang met the waiter's gaze, they did not speak, waiting for Feng Zhong'an to speak first.

Feng Zhong'an laughed and said, "After listening to you talk so much, bring me three of your shop's most popular dishes."

"Alright! Here are three bowls of mutton soup for the three of you, along with some fried dough and flatbread." The waiter could tell they weren't short of money, so he didn't bring up the cost at this point. "Please wait a moment, they'll be right there!"

After the waiter left, Li Daolang immediately picked up the teapot on the table and poured tea for the other two, saying with a forced smile, "In such a remote place, I'm afraid there's not much good tea." He sounded embarrassed, as if the tea was something he had brought out himself to entertain his guests.

"It's alright, there's no need to be so formal when you're traveling." Feng Zhong'an seemed to be in a good mood, picked up the teacup in front of him, and politely took a sip.

"This tea is better than the tea at the tea stall." Feng Zhong'an's gaze quickly fell on the table next to him.

Li Daolang felt a vague sense of unease.

Looking at that table, the parents had kind faces and looked at their children with kind eyes, but upon closer inspection, it seemed that wasn't the case.

Of the three children, the boy was quite strong, but the two older girls were a different story. Although they were pretty, their clothes were tattered, and there was dirt under their fingernails as they held the cakes. They ate their food ravenously.

It's obvious that these two girls rarely get to eat such good food.

Looking at the parents, their pained gazes towards the girls seemed somewhat hypocritical and laughable.

"The mutton soup is here!" The waiter quickly walked over to them with a tray. "Sirs, please enjoy your meal."

The waiter quickly served the soup and flatbread. Seeing that they had no intention of chatting with him, he didn't say anything more and stepped aside.

The soup on the table smelled delicious, and none of the three of them expected to taste something so good in Liangzhou.

Without a word, I picked up the bowl and started drinking. The hot soup had a slightly spicy taste, and as soon as it entered my stomach, I felt warmth seeping out from my body.

Feng Zhong'an couldn't help but raise an eyebrow; it really did taste good.

Then try the flatbreads, which are perfectly delicious when eaten with soup.

The three of them ate until they were half full before stopping. Feng Zhong'an sighed, "I haven't tasted anything like this since I left the capital."

"Both of you have accompanied me to Liangzhou, and have been busy with official duties these past few days. It's a rare opportunity for you to sit in a small eatery like this, savoring the local cuisine and appreciating the local people and scenery."

At this moment, Xu Xiaoyun couldn't resist teasing him, saying, "It's all thanks to Lord Meng's invitation."

Feng Zhong'an forced a smile and called over the waiter to ask the price, "How much for our table?"

Before the waiter could even speak, Li Daolang said, "I'll settle the bill."

“Hey.” Feng Zhong’an waved his hand. “No need to argue with me.” After saying that, he looked at the waiter.

The waiter had already calculated the price: "It's eighty-four coins in total. Since this is your first time visiting our shop, eighty coins will suffice."

"The price is reasonable, though," Feng Zhong'an joked. "If you charge like this, the owner won't be happy."

The waiter replied with a smile, "I am charging this amount in accordance with the owner's wishes."