Chapter 9: First level, fast and steady Among the many courtyards of the Blacksmith Shop, the treatment in the Central Courtyard is relatively average, but the chef, Fatty Sun, is better off than the heads of other courtyards. Nowadays, those who can keep themselves fat are not ordinary people. Three years of drought will not starve a cook to death. This is not just a saying. The food and drink for more than a hundred people can be easily passed around and the people can live a comfortable life, not to mention that Fatty Sun has the support of the second shopkeeper Sun Ding? When Fatty Sun called Li Yuan into the kitchen, swinging a large spoon, all the apprentices looked at him with envy and jealousy. However, seeing him being ordered around and spending the whole morning cutting vegetables and swinging a spoon, I couldn't help but feel a little gloating. “It’s not easy to be a cook!” In front of the big stove, Li Yuan was sweating profusely and felt a little sore in his teeth. These three big pots are a bit bigger than the ones I had seen in the countryside in my previous life, the ones used in weddings and funerals. It would be more accurate to say that they were shovels rather than spoons. He first cut three large pots of radishes and cabbages, and then had to walk around in front of the three large pots and stir-fry them non-stop. Even though his physical strength had improved a bit in the past few days, he still felt sore in his arms. "He does have some perseverance."
Fatty Sun leaned against the door frame: "Pay attention to stir it evenly. The one on the left doesn't matter, but you have to be more careful with the other two. If they get mushy, hmm..." Among the several yards of the blacksmith shop, he was the only one who had no helpers. It was not because the shop did not want to assign one, but he was reluctant to have anyone share his profits. Apprentices, of course, are different. Fatty Sun, who had been watching for a while, actually had an idea in mind. He gave a warning and walked towards the small kitchen with a knife in hand. His skillful knife skills attracted Li Yuan's attention. But at a glance, Fatty Sun had already drawn the curtain. "Shopkeeper Cao's small kitchen..." Although he didn't see anything, when he smelled the smell coming from there, Li Yuan felt his stomach lurching and his eyes were a little jealous. That small kitchen was the foundation of Fatty Sun's life. It only provided food for the three shopkeepers and their families in the backyard. Every meal was filled with the best chicken, duck, fish and meat, and the aroma was tangy. "It's really clear who's in what class, there's nothing to hide at all..." Li Yuan was busy around three large pots, sweating profusely and sighing in his heart. Not to mention the shopkeepers' small stoves, the three big pots in front of him were not the same. The one on the left was almost cooked with pure water, and the one they were going to eat had almost no oil or water, but a strong taste of salt. "call!" Shaking his sore arms, Li Yuan took a deep breath, and while trying the Ape Six Breathing Method, he also used the White Ape Posture's power-generating method. The small cloth curtain blocked him, and naturally also blocked Fatty Sun. "Standing technique, hammer technique, breathing technique... Apart from the fighting techniques I haven't seen before, these three techniques must be connected in some way..." The air was filled with smoke from the stove, but Li Yuan's eyes were bright. The weapons he wield are changed every two days. On the first day in the kitchen, he naturally used the 'Bone-Chopping Knife'. But even if he didn't wield the 'Training Hammer', the experience of mastering the cloak hammer technique was gone, but what he learned was still there. While Fatty Sun was away, Li Yuan went off to think about how to master the Ape Six Breathing Technique. This was like the state of slacking off at work in the previous life. The three pots of food were quickly cooked and served. As usual, Fatty Sun personally carried the food boxes to the backyard.
The task of serving meals naturally fell on Li Yuan. "Brother Li, you actually entered the kitchen? This is a good job, right?" "Humph! With Fatty Sun's habit of finger-licking, there's no chance he can get even a little bit of profit!" "I want to eat some meat, ah..." …… When it’s time for dinner, the Central Courtyard is the busiest. Apprentices and helpers from various courtyards flock in, making it very lively. Li Yuan's hands were steady, and he did not imitate the cafeteria auntie from his previous life. If you are not allowed to eat enough boiled vegetables and steamed buns which have no oil in them, it will cause trouble. Being a kitchen helper is not easy. Judging from the first half of the day, he is more tired than other apprentices. But after noon, Li Yuan had the most sumptuous meal he had ever had in this life. Two steamed buns, a steamed bun, a large bowl of boiled vegetables with half a bowl of fat, and in addition, there were actually two eggs! "There are three elements for growing taller, and the most important one is milk!" In the small courtyard, Li Yuan felt his mouth watering. In the past month, apart from the minced meat he bought and a few eggs his second brother gave him from time to time, he really had nothing to eat. So much so that now when I see two pieces of fat meat, my saliva begins to flow faster. Seeing him like this, Fatty Sun nodded with satisfaction: "Eat." Li Yuan rolled up his sleeves and wolfed down the food. The steamed bread dipped in the broth became sweeter. After eating this bowl of fatty meat that he would not even bother to even look at in his previous life, Li Yuan even felt a sense of satisfaction. "Thank you, chef." Feeling Fatty Sun's gaze, Li Yuan wiped his mouth. When the granaries are full, people know etiquette; when they have enough food and clothing, they know honor and disgrace; when one is starving to the point of being skin and bones, honor and disgrace seem as light as clouds. "Ah." Fatty Sun paced back and forth with his hands behind his back, glancing at Li Yuan with the side of his eyes. The latter stood up and lowered his head, knowing that the dates had been eaten and the next thing to do was to follow the rules. "You are not considered a helper assigned by the shop, so your monthly salary will naturally be based on your previous salary. You still have to do the other work!" Fatty Sun was very satisfied with Li Yuan's attitude. After knocking him, his tone softened a lot: "We can't say anything else, but the kitchen doesn't need your help. As long as you follow the rules and work hard, we can support you in less than two months!" "Thank you, chef!" Li Yuan showed gratitude on his face and was determined in his heart.
that's enough. …… …… Call ~ As late autumn passed, the weather turned colder. A north wind blew overnight, and Gaoliu County was covered in white. Although the winter was bleak, Chaiyufang was at its busiest time of the year. Under the tents made of coarse cloth, there are firewood and fish shops, and even charcoal sellers from nearby towns are shouting their wares. A steady stream of pedestrians gathered from various urban areas, walking here and there. Among firewood, rice, oil and salt, firewood ranks first and is an indispensable item for every household. Especially in winter, it is difficult to survive without enough firewood. In previous years, every household would prepare firewood and charcoal early before winter came, but this year's heavy snow came too early, making it even more lively than in previous years. Even people from the inner city come here to buy. With the popularity, there are naturally more vendors, and many fishermen also come here to sell their last catch of the year. "Thank you for your hard work, Brother Li. I will definitely deliver it to your shop tomorrow morning!" "Brother Li, walk slowly!" "Brother Li, I still have a dozen fresh 'clamfish' here, would you like some?" …… In the East Market of Chaiyufang, a group of vendors gathered around a young man in thick linen clothes. The boy looked to be about fifteen or sixteen years old. Although he was not strong, his physique was not inferior to that of his peers. Although his skin color was a little darker, his eyes were very bright, giving people a sense of shrewdness and capability. This is naturally Li Yuan. "Thank you all for your help. That's all for today's shopping." Li Yuancai bought a batch of fish and charcoal and left despite the enthusiasm of the vendors. Ever since he inadvertently revealed his mathematical talent, Fatty Sun took him along on the purchasing mission for the Central Courtyard. This time, he even let him come here to purchase on his own. "The Chai Gang and the Fisherman Gang have a wide range of goods, and the quantity is large, but the prices are also high. Buying at the market can save 10% or 20%. Unfortunately, this is Fatty Sun's plate, and if you put your hands on it, you will be chopped off." Li Yuan stuffed the found silver change back into his arms and was very careful. In winter, the Chaiyufang was crowded with people and thefts happened from time to time. Li Yuan felt relieved after touching the fist-sized hammer on his lower back. "Standing and lifting the hammer, I can now maintain the Six Ape Breathing Method throughout the entire process. I should be able to master it in the next few days." His root bones should be around average, but with the support of the mastery-level Cloak Hammer Technique, his progress in martial arts seems to be almost the same as that of a person with superior root bones. In more than a month, he was able to get started. At this moment, under the thick linen clothes, his muscles and bones have become quite strong. "Brother Li is here again?" The street vendor on the corner saw Li Yuan and greeted him:
"We have some good stuff coming in. Can you see if there is anything Master Sun needs?" Chaiyufang is big, but also small. There are only a few people coming to buy things. Although Li Yuan doesn't come often, the stall owners all recognize him. "Master Sun asked me to buy food and charcoal. You..." Li Yuan glanced at the stall. The stall owner was selling a variety of items, including spices, cured fish and meat, and some odds and ends collected from nowhere. "Hey? And the shoes?" Li Yuan looked a little strange. It was a black leather boot with two obvious holes on the instep. Seeing the shoes, the stall owner looked unhappy and said, "Hey, this broken shoe was picked up by Liu Laizi from somewhere in the back street. He insisted on selling it to me, and he only had one. What do you think is going on?" "The material is OK, but the tear is a bit big." Li Yuan flipped it casually, and a white light appeared in his eyes. [Black Leather Liuhe Boots (Level 1)] [Boots made of six different kinds of leather, but with the addition of 'black snake' leather, they can barely be called fine goods...] [Control conditions: All four limbs are complete] [Control effect: fast and brisk (right)] First-class shoes! Li Yuan's heart skipped a beat. In the twenty days since he joined the kitchen, he has been out seven or eight times. He has been to almost every part of Rongsheng District and Chaiyufang. He has found a large number of weapons that are not of the highest grade, but this is the first time he has seen weapons that are of the highest grade. "Ugh." The stall owner was full of indignation: "The shoes are good, but I only have one pair, and they are so torn. That bastard Liu Laizi insisted on selling them to me for one penny of silver. If you want them, just take the one penny..." Believe it or not! Li Yuan shook his hands and threw the boots back onto the stall. In those days, productivity was low and daily necessities were very valuable, but it was obviously impossible to sell a worn-out shoe for only one penny of silver. "One penny of silver belongs to someone else. If Brother Li wants it, then just take the forty copper coins." The stall owner looked very painful. "If you say so, then keep it for yourself." Li Yuan was somewhat tempted, but he still bargained: "Look, Master Sun asked me to buy some spices. I was originally going to Rongsheng District to have a look, but I think the spices on your stall are also okay..." "Brother Li has a good eye. These are all top-quality spices!" The stall owner's face was filled with surprise, and he finally gave away the worn-out shoe as a gift with a painful heart.
hum! In the dark space where the weapon talisman was located, on a small gray stone platform, there were low-grade weapons such as bone-cutting knives, and the broken boots also fell there. "The first one is level one!" Looking up at the Palm of Weaponry with only one star on it, Li Yuan felt a headache again. A thousand pounds of pig iron, a hundred taels of silver, and one tael of gold. These were the conditions required for advancement to the second level of the Military Control Scroll. Right now, he simply couldn't even think about it. Poor! (End of this chapter)
