Tianjin, starting with unorthodox methods to achieve immortality

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After leaving the Ganzhou dock, the boat traveled downstream for less than half an hour before the river widened.

The mountains on both sides of the river are not as rugged and majestic as those in the north; they are a light green, thinly veiled with a layer of moisture.

The river breeze brushed against my face, damp and refreshing, completely different from the dry, cold sea breeze at the Tianjin dock.

Chen Mo stood at the bow of the boat, lost in thought, his clothes fluttering in the wind.

Li Jinrong crawled out of the cabin, holding a plate of peanuts in his hand. He kept popping them into his mouth as he walked, chewing them with a crunching sound.

He stopped beside Chen Mo, craned his neck to look at the misty river in front of him, and handed him the dish of peanuts. "Want to try some?"

Chen Mo waved his hand, not taking it.

"Uncle Chen, I have something to tell you." The fat man chewed on peanuts and secretly glanced at him.

"Um?"

"After you unload the goods, aren't you really going to see my cousin?"

"I'm not going."

The fat man took the plate of peanuts back, picked up another one, and popped it into his mouth. "I've already told everyone over there how amazing and capable you are. If you don't go see you, where will I put my face?"

"Put it wherever you like."

The fat man choked for a moment; a peanut got stuck in his throat, and he coughed twice before it went down.

"Alright."

He dusted the salt off his hands. "If you don't like it, then forget it. I'll send a telegram to my uncle later and tell him that you've already found someone, so they can look for someone else."

Chen Mo ignored him.

The fat man leaned against the ship's railing, his arms draped over the bars, his head resting on his arms, looking at Chen Mo with his face turned to the side. The river wind made his hair a mess.

"Uncle Chen, you really don't give me any face."

"Um."

"Okay, let's not talk about it anymore."

The fat man stood there for a while, then, finding it boring, changed the subject again.

"Uncle Chen, have you ever tried the food from Ganzhou?"

"without."

"Then we must try it properly this time."

The fat man's eyes lit up at the mention of food, and his earlier disappointment vanished completely.

"Let me tell you, Ganzhou is completely different from Tianjin."

"Where we live is by the sea, so we eat seafood, emphasizing freshness. Here, we live near mountains and rivers, so we eat mountain delicacies and river fish, emphasizing rich flavor. Don't think rich flavor means salty, no, it's more like..."

The fat man gestured for a long time but couldn't find the right words, and he scratched his head in frustration.

"Rich and mellow?" Chen Mo said.

"Yes! Rich and full-bodied!" The fat man clapped his hands. "That's exactly what I mean, it's just a bit too spicy."

"Spicy?" Chen Mo glanced at him. "Aren't you supposed to be able to handle spicy food? If you really can't, you can..."

The fat man shook his head with a bitter face: "That depends on how spicy it is. The spiciness we have is from the chili sauce; we just add a little to enhance the flavor."

"It's different here. The spiciness here comes from chili peppers, bird's eye chilies, and small red chilies. They put a handful of them in every dish they stir-fry, and I'm sweating buckets when I eat it. Last time I ate a bowl of fried noodles in Ganzhou city, it was so spicy that I drank three pots of tea, and my tongue was numb for a long time."

Chen Mo did not respond, his gaze fixed on the water ahead.

The river bends here, and the bamboo groves on the bank grow denser, their tips swaying in the wind.

"But then again," the fat man smacked his lips, as if savoring something, "the food in Ganzhou is spicy, but it's really delicious. Don't listen to my complaints, you'll know once you try it for yourself."

"The spiciness isn't dry spiciness, it's fragrant spiciness. After the spiciness ends, there's a lingering fragrance in your mouth, making you want to have another bite."

So, do you like it or not?

The fat man thought for a few seconds and said very seriously, "I both love and hate it."

Chen Mo glanced at him but didn't say anything.

The cabin door behind me creaked open.

They both turned around at the same time.

Shen Yunjin walked out of the cabin, wearing a dark blue cotton cheongsam with a gray woolen coat over it, and her hair was loosely tied up with a plain silver hairpin.

The fat man frowned. "Your cold isn't better yet, why are you out here?"

"He's almost fully recovered."

"I've been cooped up in the cabin for days, so I came out to get some fresh air."

Her voice was a little hoarse and nasal; she hadn't fully recovered from her cold.

"I had a high fever a few days ago and was in a daze, but I'm finally awake today. If I don't get out soon, I'll rot away."

A breeze carrying moisture rushed towards her face. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and when she opened them again, the weariness on her face had lessened.

Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the clouds, falling on her face and bringing a touch of warmth to her pale complexion.

"What were you talking about just now? I heard you talking about chili peppers in the cabin."

.......

The sound of the small steamboat's motor echoed across the river, and the scenery on both banks slowly receded into the distance.

After walking for about 15 minutes, a stone bridge could be seen in the distance spanning the river. The bridge piers were sturdy, the arches were high and wide, and the stone slabs on the bridge were polished to a shine by the years.

After crossing the bridge, the outline of the dock became clear.

The bluestone steps extend into the water, where seven or eight boats, both cargo and passenger, are moored.

The dock was bustling with people, a chaotic scene.

When the ship docked, Chen Mo saw three people standing on the pier, looking at their ship.

The leader was a man in his forties, wearing a gray-blue bamboo cloth long gown.

Behind him stood two young men, both dressed in short-sleeved shirts, broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, clearly men who did manual labor.

The fat man recognized him immediately and waved from the bow of the boat, calling out, "Uncle Li, Uncle Li, over here!"

The man called Uncle Li squinted at him, a smile spreading across his face. He waved to the two men behind him and strode forward to greet him.

As soon as the boat docked, the fat man jumped onto the pier, shook hands with the man, and the two whispered a few words to each other.

Chen Mo didn't pay much attention; it was mostly just small talk.

Shen Yunjin stood next to Chen Mo and introduced him in a low voice: "That is the Li family's manager in Ganzhou. His surname is Li and his name is Li Demao."

"They say they're distant relatives, but they're not really related to the Li family by blood. They're just reliable people who've been around for over ten years."

.....

After finishing his conversation with the fat man, Li Demao turned his gaze to Chen Mo, and cupped his hands in a smile: "This must be Mr. Chen? The young master mentioned you in his letter. I've heard so much about you."

Chen Mo returned the greeting with a cupped hand, without saying anything more.

Li Demao didn't mind. He turned his head, his gaze falling on the stern of the ship, and a warmer smile spread across his face as he quickly walked over.

"Uncle Fu!" Li Demao cupped his hands in greeting. "You must have had a long journey. Life on the ship is tough, and you're still going along at your age. The Li family's work really can't function without you."

Uncle Fu waved his hand and said with a smile, "De Mao, don't flatter me. What hardship have I endured? I've just been eating and sleeping on the boat. It's you who's been managing so many things all by yourself in Ganzhou. It must have been tough."

Li Demao repeatedly said "Of course," then turned to the burly man next to Uncle Fu, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Brother Tie Kun, it's been a long time. The last time I saw you was in Jinshi. Now that you're back in Ganzhou, we must have a good drink together."

Tie Kun smiled and nodded. "Manager Li, you're too kind. The goods are the priority; we can talk about drinks later."

"Alright, the car is ready and parked right above the dock. Brother Tie Kun, I'll need you to take some men to carry the boxes up there."

Tie Kun grunted in agreement and waved to the group of guards behind him: "Let's go."

Several people followed him off the boat and walked along the gangplank to the dock.

Two trucks were parked on the dock, their cargo compartments lined with straw, clearly indicating they were used for hauling goods.

Tie Kun directed the men to set up the gangplank, and then he boarded the boat first and lifted the tarpaulin.

He raised his chin, and the four guards, in pairs, each carried a box and carefully made their way up the gangway to the dock.

With the wooden crate pressing down on their shoulders, the guards' steps became noticeably heavier, but they coordinated well and walked steadily.

Li Demao stood to the side, holding a booklet in his hand, marking each item that was brought up with a pen.

After marking the last number, he closed the booklet and smiled at Uncle Fu, saying, "The numbers match. Thank you for escorting us all the way, Uncle Fu."

Uncle Fu nodded, said nothing more, and turned to the fat man, saying, "Young Master, the goods have been handed over. I'll take Tie Kun and the others to settle in first. Are you staying in Ganzhou for a few days?"

The fat man waved his hand at him: "You guys go first, I have some personal matters to attend to, I'll leave in a couple of days."

Uncle Fu responded and, along with Tie Kun and the guards, followed the truck away.

The dock became much quieter immediately.

Li Demao tucked the booklet into his pocket and smiled at the fat man: "Young Master, please let me know if you need a car. Should I send someone to take you to Grandma's?"

"No need, no need, it's just a few steps," the fat man laughed. "I can walk there myself, Uncle Li, you go ahead with your work."

Li Demao nodded to Shen Yunjin as a greeting, then cupped his hands in a gesture of respect to Chen Mo: "Mr. Chen, although Ganzhou is a small place, it has some pretty good food. If the young master takes you sightseeing, you should try it; it won't be a loss."

"it is good."

Chen Mo gave him a polite smile.

The fat man turned to look at him and said, "Come on, Uncle Chen, I'll take you to eat my grandma's cooking. I'm not bragging, but you won't find another place in Ganzhou that makes my grandma's steamed pork with rice flour."

The three of them walked up the stone steps behind the dock, passed through several narrow alleys, and entered the old city of Ganzhou.

The streets in the city are not wide, and both sides are lined with old houses with blue bricks, gray tiles, and upturned eaves.

Some of the lintels still have faded plaques hanging above them, which still faintly reveal their former grandeur.

Some families were cooking over a fire, and smoke seeped out from between the tiles, spreading through the alleyway and mingling with the aroma of firewood and food.

After passing through several narrow alleys, the terrain gradually rises.

The walls on both sides were also higher, and a few loquat leaves peeked out from the top of the walls, swaying gently in the wind.

The fat man turned into a narrower alleyway with practiced ease and stopped in front of a black lacquered wooden door.

The door knocker was made of bronze, polished to a shine, and engraved with an auspicious beast whose shape was indistinct.

"We're here." The fat man patted the door knocker and called out, "Grandma, it's me, Jinrong!"

A series of light footsteps came from inside, and the door creaked open a crack, revealing a round face.

She was a woman in her forties, wearing a blue apron, with flour still on her hands.

"Young master is back!" The woman smiled as she opened the door, then called inside, "Grandma, young master has arrived!"

As the fat man walked inside, he turned back to greet Chen Mo, "Come in, come in, don't be shy."

The yard wasn't big, but it was kept very clean.

The ground is paved with blue bricks, and a clump of bamboo grows in the corner of the wall.

The door to the main hall was open, and you could see an eight-immortal table and a grand master's chair inside, with a landscape painting hanging in the center.

An old woman walked out of the main hall.

She wore a dark blue silk gown, her hair was neatly combed and tied into a bun at the back of her head, with a jade hairpin inserted in it.

She doesn't have many wrinkles on her face, and her skin is the kind that's fair and clean, like someone who's been indoors for years.

Judging by her appearance alone, she was just an ordinary wealthy old lady with a kind face.

But Chen Mo noticed her eyes.

Unlike the cloudy eyes of most old women, her eyes were very clear, and when she looked at someone, it was as if she could see right through you.

She stood on the threshold, her gaze lingering on the fat man for a moment before she smiled and nodded, and then turned to Shen Yunjin.

"Yun girl, did you get sick on the way? You've lost a lot of weight."

Shen Yunjin stepped forward and took the old lady's arm. "Grandma, you're almost better. You just caught a chill on the way. It's nothing serious."

The old lady patted the back of her hand, and her gaze finally fell on Chen Mo.

Just for a fleeting moment.

Chen Mo clearly saw the old lady's eyes flicker a few times.

Her gaze lingered on him for only a couple of seconds before she looked away, a smile returning to her face. She turned to the fat man and said, "Is this the Mr. Chen you mentioned in your letter?"

"Yes, yes, yes," the fat man nodded quickly, "Grandma, this is Uncle Chen Mo, whom I mentioned to you. We owe him a lot of thanks along the way..."

"I know, I know," the old lady interrupted him with a smile, "Whenever you write a letter, you always praise people to the skies. Come in and sit down, the food will be ready soon."

The fat man awkwardly touched his nose and followed the old lady into the main hall.

Chen Mo walked at the very back, and Shen Yunjin deliberately slowed down by half a step, lowering her voice to say to him, "My grandmother used to do that kind of thing. Don't be fooled by her current appearance; she was very famous in this area when she was young."

"Which one?" Chen Mo asked knowingly.

Shen Yunjin glared at him. "A fortune teller, the kind who specializes in telling fortunes. She stopped doing it for some reason. She had already given up when I was old enough to remember."

Chen Mo didn't reply, but stepped across the threshold.

In the main hall, there was an eight-immortal table, covered with a tablecloth, with several plates of cold dishes and a plate of thinly sliced ​​braised beef.

The old lady invited them to sit down, and she took the seat of honor. The fat man sat to her right, Shen Yunjin sat to her left, and Chen Mo sat next to the fat man.

The woman who had just opened the door came in carrying a large earthenware pot. The pot was covered and steaming, releasing a rich aroma.

"Steamed pork with rice flour!" The fat man's eyes lit up, and he quickly moved the bowl and plate in front of him.

The lid of the casserole was lifted, and steam rose up.

Inside, there was a layer of golden rice noodles, and underneath the rice noodles were chunks of pork belly. The fatty parts were translucent, while the lean parts were tender and soft. The aroma of the meat mixed with the fragrance of rice and five-spice powder exploded in the air, filling the whole room.

The old lady picked up a piece of food with her chopsticks and placed it on Chen Mo's plate. "Mr. Chen, please try it. It's not very well made, so please don't mind."

Chen Mo thanked him, picked it up, and took a bite.

The meat was stewed until it was extremely tender, almost melting on the tongue with just a touch.

The rice noodles soak up the meat's oil, becoming both sticky and fragrant, rich but not greasy, with a hint of sweetness and a subtle aftertaste of wine.

"It's delicious," Chen Mo said.

He spoke sincerely, but his face showed no emotion.

The old lady glanced at him, smiled, and picked up another piece of stir-fried vegetables for him. "Eating only meat is greasy, have some vegetables with it."

Then, several more dishes were served: Ganzhou stir-fried fish, Ningdu meatballs, Xingguo rice noodle fish, and a pot of pickled cabbage and pig's blood soup.

Each dish was served on a small plate, but all were exquisitely presented, and the taste was indeed spicy, just as the fat man had said.

The fat man was sweating profusely as he ate, slurping and stuffing food into his mouth, his chopsticks almost never stopping.

Shen Yunjin didn't eat much; she had just recovered from a cold and her appetite hadn't returned yet, but she was still tempted by the sauerkraut and pig's blood soup and drank two bowls.

......

After the meal, the woman cleared away the dishes and brewed a pot of tea, which she then served.

The fat man slumped in his chair, rubbing his belly with a satisfied look on his face. "Grandma, let me tell you, I've been to so many places and eaten at so many restaurants, but your cooking is still the best."

"Stop flattering me." The old lady picked up her teacup and took a sip. "Did I cook this meal? It was Aunt Zhang who cooked it."

"What Aunt Zhang does is what you taught her, it's the same."

The old lady ignored him and turned her gaze to Chen Mo.

"Mr. Chen, did you come to Ganzhou to accompany Jinrong on business, or do you have business to attend to yourself?"

Chen Mo put down his teacup, thought for a moment, and decided to cut to the chase.

"Madam, I really do want to ask about something..."

"In Tianjin, Immortality Begins Through Unorthodox Paths" - Stunning writing style and a captivating plot!