The invasion of the abyss begins with the Laughing at the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 84: Fuzhou Chen Family
The moon was bright and the stars were sparse. The bright moonlight shone into a large house with four courtyards. The four words "Chen Family Villa" on the plaque were shining brightly, carrying a sense of historical vicissitudes.

The arm-thick candle emitted a dazzling light, dispelling the deep darkness. Three long shadows were reflected obliquely on the mottled window.

"Sir, I have found out that the people who want to trade with our Chen family at Taibai Restaurant tomorrow are from southern Liaoning, and the leader is a young man who is nearly 20 years old."

"They have a total of thirty large Fu ships that arrived at the port today. The guards on the ships are sturdy, with prominent temples and murderous eyes, like soldiers."

Wearing a Dongpo scarf and a black round-necked robe, the thin old man stroked his gray beard and spoke solemnly.

The Chen family business has been rooted in Yuegang for hundreds of years and has a profound foundation. In just one hour, Shen Yuanliang and his men's background were almost figured out and their underwear was almost stripped off.

If the crew on the ship had not been well-trained and kept their mouths shut, Shen Yuanliang's name, background, etc. might not have been kept secret.

"Liaonan? Is there a portrait of him?"

Putting down the account book in his hand and rubbing his sore eyes, Chen Qingwen, a man in his early thirties with a small mustache and an extraordinarily handsome appearance, asked in surprise.

This afternoon, Dongmei unexpectedly approached Chen's business, wanting to conduct a large-scale transaction involving nearly a million silver coins.

Fearing that there might be fraud or a trap set by his enemies, Chen Qingwen ordered the housekeeper, Grandpa Chen, to investigate the whole story to avoid being deceived.

Chen Qingwen had no choice but to be careful and cautious. Recently, the Chen family in Fuzhou had suffered many disasters and several transactions had gone wrong. If he had not been careful enough, the Chen family business might have disappeared long ago.

"Sir, this is the portrait of the leader."

The old man in black robe slowly opened the portrait in his hand, and the image of Shen Yuanliang holding a monocular telescope appeared on the paper, vivid and lifelike.

"Hmm! Why do I feel that the person in front of me is very familiar, as if I have known him before?"

Looking at the handsome Shen Yuanliang, Chen Qingwen frowned, his brain working frantically, but he still couldn't figure it out.

"Daddy, why does the person in this painting look so much like you? It's like they were carved from the same mold!"

At the side, a little girl about ten years old, with a bun on her head and wearing a pink double-breasted silk dress, was holding a rag doll and asked in confusion.

"Miss!"

These words awakened the dreamer. The old man in black robe's eyes lit up instantly, his face showed excitement, and he blurted out.

As the old butler of the Chen family in Fuzhou, he is very familiar with his own eldest daughter. Even though he hasn't seen her for twenty years, he can't forget the eldest daughter whom he has watched grow up since she was a child.

Things have changed and people have changed. We haven’t seen each other for more than 20 years. I wonder how the eldest lady is doing?
"Sister? Then doesn't he mean my nephew?"

The scenes from twenty years ago suddenly flashed through his mind. Thinking of that gentle and kind sister, Chen Qingwen, who was in his thirties, was stunned for a moment.

The Chen family of Fuzhou and the Shen family of southern Liaoning have a friendship that goes back generations. Although the Shen family has fallen into decline and its past glory has been blown away by the wind and rain, the grandfathers of the two families are still good brothers who are loyal to each other.

Thus, an arranged marriage between children was verbally concluded. Thirty or forty years later, the former eldest daughter has become Shen Chen today.

"Then isn't he my cousin?"

Pointing at Shen Yuanliang in the portrait, Chen Rongrong, who was about ten years old, had eyes that lit up like light bulbs, and her joy was beyond words.

……

The next day, Taibai Restaurant.

"Dad, why hasn't my cousin come yet? All the flowers I've been waiting for have wilted!"

With her chin propped up on the old elm wood table with both hands, Chen Rongrong muttered with a dazed look in her eyes. The Chen family in Fuzhou is small, and there is only one person in the third generation, that is Chen Rongrong. She has no playmates and is very eager for Shen Yuanliang's arrival. She was so happy that she didn't sleep all night.

"Rongrong, when you see your cousin later, just pretend you don't know him, okay?"

Chen Qingwen, who was wearing a moon-white round-necked robe and a Dongpo scarf on his head, gave the instructions with a serious expression.

The Chen family is currently in a precarious situation, with many enemies lurking in secret. Chen Qingwen does not want his nephew to be implicated, so as to avoid any unexpected disaster.

"Huh, why?"

Chen Rongrong snorted and muttered in dissatisfaction, her pouting lips almost looked like an oil bottle was hanging on them.

"Be good and obey."

Without explaining why, Chen Qingwen frowned and gave instructions again.

"Boom boom boom!"

Just then, crisp footsteps were heard, and Shen Yuanliang and his party appeared at Taibai Restaurant. They walked up the creaking wooden stairs and arrived at the third floor in a blink of an eye.

Shen Yuanliang was seen wearing a moon-white round-necked robe, holding a folding fan, with the corners of his mouth slightly raised, sword-like eyebrows and star-like eyes, and he was so elegant that people could not help but like him at first sight.

"My name is Shen Yuanliang, 'Yuan' which means a new beginning, 'Liang' which means a kind nature. Nice to meet you all."

Folding the folding fan in his hand, Shen Yuanliang straightened his clothes, bowed solemnly and said.

When the two sides met for the first time, the person in front of him gave Shen Yuanliang a very friendly feeling, and his attitude unconsciously became a lot gentler.

"My last name is Chen, and others call me Shopkeeper Chen or Young Master."

"Brother Shen, please come this way!"

Chen Qingwen stood up and led Shen Yuanliang and his party to a window seat, from where they could overlook the entire Yuegang, the bustling streets, the mountains of goods, and the ships filling the ocean.

"Waiter, six servings of four-fruit soup and cat porridge."

"The fruit must be fresh, the soup stock for the Mao Zai Congee must be old, and add some sugar, but not too much."

Looking at Shen Yuanliang, whose features were very similar to his, after sitting down, Chen Qingwen suppressed his excitement and carefully instructed the waiter beside him.

"Maozai porridge, porridge made from kittens?"

When Qiu Ju heard the words "cat porridge", she got goose bumps all over her body. How could she eat such a cute kitten?
"Four-fruit soup is a very famous local delicacy. It is made with a variety of fruits and is refreshing and best suited for summer consumption."

"Mao Zai Congee is not porridge made by Mao Zai, but is mainly seafood. In the true sense, it is more like a bowl of seafood congee, with pork bone soup that has been boiled over high heat for three days and three nights added in, and the taste is very delicious."

Hearing this, Chen Rongrong, who was holding the rag doll, burst into laughter, her eyes curved like a crescent moon, and then she enthusiastically and generously introduced the local specialties of Zhangzhou.

"Well, it's pretty good."

After taking a mouthful of cat porridge and a sip of four-fruit soup, Shen Yuanliang gave a thumbs up and praised it highly.

The specialty foods of areas outside the Great Wall are really just specialty foods. Unlike the delicacies of areas south of the Yangtze River, they are finely crafted, made with the best ingredients, and are colorful, fragrant and delicious, making people very appetizing at first sight.

One is just for survival and to fill the stomach, the other is to live better and fully enjoy life. The two are incomparable!

(End of this chapter)