Chapter 44 Carving

Wen Zhenyi sat aside and listened carefully: "Is the tuition very expensive?"

Chen Hanxing looked at her with a smile and shook his head: "What is truly valuable is not the salary, but the books and the writing brush, ink, paper and inkstone. Take the simplest book as an example. I can copy a book for one tael of silver, but the selling price may be more than one tael of silver."

"So, the truly valuable things are actually these brushes, inkstones, paper, and books?"

“Yes, these are uncontrollable.”

"Brother Shen, can you remember all the things you just bought?"

"I have a good memory."

As the two were talking, they had already arrived at Cheng Mansion.

Shen Hanxing got out of the car first and extended his hand towards her.

When Wen Zhenyi saw the hand he extended to her, she didn't hesitate and jumped out of the carriage holding his hand.

Shen Hanxing watched her jump down, looked at the horse stool behind her, and smiled helplessly.

Wen Zhenyi followed his line of sight and looked back, only then did she notice there was a stool next to the carriage. She stuck out her tongue and said, "I didn't see it."

After seeing her stand firm, Chen Hanxing withdrew his hand: "I'll go hand in the silver and accounts first, and I'll go to the kitchen later."

Wen Zhen nodded: "Okay, I'll go get busy first." After that, he picked up his toolbox and walked towards the kitchen.

Mrs. Wen and the others wanted to come and had already started washing vegetables with the cook.

When Wen Zhenyi arrived, he found a clean apron and washed his hands with soap nuts.

Mrs. Wen, Ma Yinghe, and the three cooks all stood beside her: "Yi Yi, what should we do first?"

"We need to prepare the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall first. Normally, this dish should be simmered for a whole day and night, but I've reduced a few ingredients, but the cooking time hasn't been reduced much."

At this time, Chef Qian asked, "What do you need us to do now?"

"Kill the chicken, and let's make the broth first."

Chef Qian immediately arranged for the servants to kill a chicken.

"Grandma, where's the bacon and pork leg you brought?"

"It's here." Old Mrs. Wen pointed to the bacon pork leg on the table next to her.

"Ask Dad to help me cut some off so I can put them in the pot."

"good."

Wen Zhenyi checked the foamed food he had instructed them to prepare yesterday. Although time was a bit tight, it was generally good. He took out an abalone and prepared to cut it into pieces. "Mom, I'll show you once, and you do the rest."

Ma Yinghe nodded: "Okay."

Wen Zhenyi changed the abalone into a beautiful knife flower: "Mom, do you understand?"

"clear."

Wen Zhenyi looked at Cook Feng again: "I'll need some more casseroles."

"I'll get it right away."

Wen Zhenyi looked at Cook Li again and said, "Aunt Li, could you please help me cut these?"

Chef Li asked about the size and shape of the knife and immediately started to get busy.

Wen Zhenyi asked the waiter to start the fire and prepare to make the broth.

The servants in the Cheng Mansion worked quickly and prepared everything she needed in a short while.

Wen Zhenyi poured clean water into a large pot, waited for the water to boil, poured in the shark fins and fish lips, then poured in rice wine and boiled it for half a cup of tea, then took out the shark fins and fish lips and set them aside.

Similarly, put the other ingredients into the pot one by one and blanch them for half a cup of tea, then take them out and set aside.

Clean the pot, add clean water, put in ginger slices, star anise, bay leaves, rock sugar, green onions, Huadiao wine, put in bacon, pork legs and chickens, bring to a boil over high heat, and simmer over low heat for a few hours.

In another pot, wrap the shark fin, fish lips and other ingredients with gauze, add water, ginger slices, rice wine, and green onions into the pot, bring to a boil and simmer over high heat.

The servants in the kitchen didn't quite believe Wen Zhenyi at first, but after seeing his smooth and fluid operation, they were all stunned.

Chef Li was still cutting the ingredients and placing them in bowls for later use.

Wen Zhenyi then took out her toolbox and began to make the necessary plating.

She looked at the fruits available for sale and bought them all. They weren't particularly good, but generally they were still usable.

She asked the servants to help peel some of the necessary fruits and vegetables, then she took out a carving knife and started carving something on them.

Wen Yongman was responsible for helping to watch the fire on the stove. Since he didn't have much to do at that time, he ran to her side and saw her hands flying skillfully.

"Sister, what are you doing?"

Wen Zhenyi didn't look up at him, still concentrating on carving what he needed: "This is for the decoration of the dish."

Most people in the kitchen were busy washing and picking vegetables, so there wasn't much else to do. They all came over out of curiosity.

All I saw was that she made a pear into many white pear blossoms, the flowers were transparent and lifelike.

Cook Feng was stunned: "Miss Wen, can we take a look?"

Wen Zhen nodded: "Just pick it up and look at it yourself."

Chef Feng carefully took a pear blossom out of the water and placed it in the palm of her hand. The petals were wet with water, as if they had just been picked.

Cook Qian said excitedly, "Let me see, let me see."

Cook Feng carefully handed the pear blossoms to her and said, "Miss Wen, are these pear blossoms edible?"

Wen Zhenyi raised his head and looked at her with amusement: "This is made of pears, why can't we eat it? Although it has a light salty taste, it also stimulates the aroma and sweetness of the pears."

She placed the carved pear blossoms in a basin of light salt water to prevent them from turning black.

Wen Yongnan looked at the pear blossoms in the pot. They could be used as a dish and were pleasing to the eye.

Wen Zhenyi saw that it was almost enough, so he picked up another taro and started carving it.

Ma Yinghe watched her movements from the side, not knowing if she could do it.

Wen Zhenyi looked at her and smiled, "Mom, do you want to try it?"

"Me?" Ma Yinghe was a little uncertain.

"Well, there are still quite a few pears. I've made enough." He handed her the carving knife and said, "Try it."

Ma Yinghe was not shy. She picked up the carving knife, found a smaller and less attractive pear and started trying.

Old Man Wen looked at the pear blossoms in the basin and asked, "Yi Yi, can we eat them?"

Wen Zhenyi looked at his grandfather and found that his eyes were fixed on the pear blossoms in the basin. He took one out and handed it to him: "Try it."

Old Man Wen looked at the thing in her hand and was about to take it when he felt a gaze on him. He looked up and saw his old wife looking at him with a smile.

The message in his eyes is, try one.

Old Man Wen retracted his outstretched hand and said, "Ahem, I'm just asking out of curiosity. I'm going to work." Then he ran away.

Wen Zhenyi turned to look at Old Lady Wen: "Grandma, it's okay for Grandpa to eat one."

Mrs. Wen looked at Old Man Wen's background with a look of disgust: "What can he do? He's not good at anything. He's more active than anyone else in eating. Don't give him any. If it's not enough later, you'll have to spend time making it again."