Chapter 65 Roasting a Whole Lamb: Ninth Brother Can Also Do Martial Arts! Shen Miao only just realized...

A group of people were crammed onto the flatbed oxcart, which slowly and swayed its way out of the city.

Autumn scenery is indeed more beautiful in the north where the four seasons are distinct, but in terms of the ease of surviving the winter, in the Song Dynasty without heating, it is naturally easier to survive in the south.

The Jiangnan and Lingnan regions are lush and green all year round, with many flowers blooming even in winter, and the weather is as warm as spring. Especially in Lingnan, it's probably still hot enough to wear a light shirt, lay out a straw mat, swat mosquitoes, and eat chilled melons at this time of year.

Naturally, it's difficult to perceive the changes that come with just one leaf falling.

Shen Miao sat on the oxcart, which slowly pulled out of the outer city gate and onto the post road, where the view suddenly opened up.

The sky is high and the clouds are light, the countryside is golden, the branches and leaves are all dyed in autumn colors, and the road is covered with fallen yellow leaves. Some houses have branches of persimmon trees laden with fruit sticking out from their courtyard walls. The small persimmons hang from the branches like little lanterns, which look particularly cute and festive.

Further along the post road, wheat fields stretched out on both sides. Many farmers were busy sowing winter wheat in the fields. They had just finished harvesting wheat in August and were now rushing to plant winter wheat. During this most important time of the year, all the farmers, men and women alike, were working in the fields, and even the children were busy.

Many children ran barefoot through the fields, their clothes rolled up, groping and running around, helping their families pick up stones and pull weeds. Others carried seeds for their parents and helped sow them.

Some weren't so well-behaved. Not far away, on fields that had already been harvested and were about to be left fallow, there were still one or two tall haystacks piled up, presumably to be used for burning as compost. A mischievous child kept climbing up and then sliding down, covered in bits of hay, his bottom sore from the falls, but he was still grinning from ear to ear.

Before he could even enjoy himself for a moment, his fierce mother grabbed him by the ear, pressed him against her leg, and started slapping him repeatedly: "You little rascal, I'm so busy you can barely keep your feet on the ground, and instead of helping out properly, you're running around like a monkey. If you mess with the haystack again, believe me, I'll beat you to death, you little brat!"

Then the child screamed like a pig being slaughtered: "Mother! Dear Mother! I won't do it again!"

Shen Miao was both amused and distressed. It was getting cold in the mornings and evenings, and almost all the adults and children working there were wearing summer jackets and were reluctant to wear shoes. Except for a few young women who were wearing straw sandals, most of the men, children and even old women were barefoot in the fields.

But upon closer inspection, she noticed a farmer sowing wheat whose body was tanned to a bronze color, covered in beads of sweat as if he had just washed, and glistening under the autumn sun.

Shen Miao comforted herself, thinking that perhaps wearing only a single layer of clothing was because the work was too strenuous, and she was sweating profusely while working, so she didn't feel the coolness.

Xiangjie also looked around, and when she saw the child being beaten, she seemed quite empathetic, shrinking back in fright and muttering softly, "It hurts so much!" Shen Miao chuckled inwardly: If Xiangjie caught him using the haystack as a slide, she would definitely do the same!

Chen Chuan squeezed next to Xiang Jie'er, sitting on the swaying flatbed cart, his eyes closed as he quietly recited the "Song Dynasty Criminal Code".

Shen Miao was a hypocrite; she bought the two law books handwritten by lawyer Deng and even planned a study schedule for herself—memorizing ten articles every night before bed, so she could finish reading them in less than two months! What a perfect plan! But when she opened the first page, she couldn't even read for fifteen minutes before her eyelids started drooping and she was overcome with sleepiness.

Especially since I sleep quite soundly like this.

Shen Miao also deeply analyzed herself: this really wasn't her problem. She found it very difficult to read this book of traditional Chinese characters, written vertically from right to left with small print and no punctuation. Even after transmigrating, her habit of reading horizontal simplified characters from her previous life was still lingering in her body, making her read much slower than a proper Song Dynasty person.

For example, Ji Ge'er, Xiang Jie'er, and Chen Chuan learned to read and write much faster than her, because they were like blank slates and didn't need to "translate in their minds".

The law is especially dry and boring.

She tried several times, and each time she would fall asleep holding the book. She had been reading for several months and was still stuck on the first page.

It's heartbreaking.

Unexpectedly, the flower she intentionally planted didn't bloom, while Chen Chuan's unintentional act turned out to be a success.

Once, he saw Shen Miao forcing herself to read books and study the law with a pained expression on her face, so he wanted to come over and see what was so ugly that it could make Shen's older sister's face wrinkle like a sauerkraut strip.

He found it so addictive that he borrowed it from Shen Miao every day to read it, even though he couldn't understand most of it.

Shen Miao was overjoyed and quickly lent him the book to read.

Chen Chuan has been self-studying for a long time now. Originally, his knowledge of characters was limited, so at first he could only memorize the characters he didn't know and ask Shen Miao about them when Shen Miao had time. If it was a traditional character that Shen Miao didn't recognize either, he would copy it down on paper and pen, noting which page and entry of the book he didn't recognize, and then wait for Ji Ge'er to come back and teach him. He would then write the definition and pronunciation next to it.

He is very persevering and can also calm his mind.

For example, Chen Chuan didn't understand the character "鬭" at first. After he remembered it and asked around, he would write it next to the character: "pronounced like 'dou', comes from 'zhu dou ou ren li', meaning to fight or struggle, such as '鬭鸡' or '两虎相鬭'."

He started reading when the boards were still in place on his legs, which was perfect for reading because of his limited mobility. To this day, he has his own "Chen Chuan Dictionary".

Thanks to him as a companion in learning to read, Xiangjie, who was naturally playful and active, actually learned quite a few more characters.

Now even Sister Xiang can read the Thousand Character Classic fluently, no longer as stumbling as before, circling three unfamiliar characters for every sentence she learns (there are only four characters in a row).

With the help of Ji Ge'er when he took leave and came home every few days, Chen Chuan was able to gradually begin to memorize the legal provisions.

Shen Miao didn't know if his interest was related to the times she had taken him to the yamen (government office) – ever since Chen Chuan's leg healed, Shen Miao would take him to the yamen whenever she had free time to inquire about his case, whether there was any news about the kidnapper who had abducted someone, whether they had found out which prefecture he had been lost in, or whether anyone had come looking for him. But each time they returned disappointed.

According to Deng, the lawyer, the Kaifeng yamen was overwhelmed with cases every day. Not only had they not yet started investigating Chen Chuan's abduction case, but they also couldn't spare the time to search for the missing persons cases that occurred during the Lotus Festival. Several yamen runners investigated hastily for a few days without any leads. In the end, in order to close the case and make their year-end performance reviews look better, they concealed the truth from their superiors and the victims and hastily sentenced the victim to "drowning," just to get by.

This is a common tactic used by some cunning old clerks to deceive their superiors and subordinates.

Shen Miao could only sigh.

Next to Chen Chuan was Yan Shu, who had fallen asleep while listening to Chen Chuan recite his lessons. Yan Shu rested his head on Chen Chuan's shoulder and slept soundly with soft snores.

Ji Ge'er, who was sitting next to the inkstone, leaned out and chatted with Bai Laosan, who was driving the cart.

It turned out that Bai Laosan's family was the "richest" in their small village. Old Man Bai started with a tattered straw mat and worked his way up to become a silk merchant in Bianjing City by weaving straw mats and shoes. His story was quite legendary. Ji Ge'er listened to this story of starting from scratch with great interest and simply climbed onto the carriage shaft to sit with Bai Laosan.

Today, the flatbed cart was crammed with three adults—Chen Miao, Xie Qi, and Tang Er, and four children—Xiang Jie'er, Ji Ge'er, Chen Chuan, and Yan Shu. The cart was so crowded that there wasn't a single space left. Poor Xie Qi, who was tall, couldn't even stretch his legs out and could only bend them in front of his chest.

He sat in a very well-behaved posture.

Atao, Fuxing, and Youyu stayed in the shop and continued doing business as usual. Shenmiao had originally planned for them to come together, but they could have just closed the shop and taken a day off.

But Atao refused. Ever since she learned that Shen Miao calculated wages based on the number of bowls of soup noodles, pots of wine, grilled fish, and roast duck sold as "commissions," she was furious!

She's completely obsessed with money; closing the shop is out of the question. Even if Shen Miao isn't around, she'll still sell roast duck!

Fuxing also wanted to stay at home. He was obsessed with protecting the roast ducks and was trying to practice turning the pole with one hand so that the ducks could be roasted faster in the future. He was about to master this skill and couldn't let it go to waste.

Since they were staying, Yu also came to work as usual, and took care of the two dogs as well.

That's good, otherwise Bai Laosan's oxcart really wouldn't be able to fit so many people.

Shen Miao was bored on the ride and her mind wandered. Suddenly, she noticed that Xie Qi was sitting awkwardly, so she quietly moved to the side to make room for the poor tall guy.

Unexpectedly, just as she shuffled to the side, Xie Qi moved his leg again, moved over, and filled the gap.

Shen Miao lowered her head and looked at her hand that was supporting her beside her, and at Xie Qi's well-proportioned, slightly bent fingers that were only an inch away from her.

She paused for a moment, then looked up at him.

He wasn't looking at her; he was gazing at the slowly receding mountains and trees and the reeds by the stream, seemingly engrossed in appreciating the beautiful autumn scenery.

If it weren't for his stiff body, his neck stiffened as if he had a stiff neck, and his ears turning red, Shen Miao would have really been fooled into thinking that he had just moved because his legs were numb from sitting for too long.

She couldn't quite put her finger on what she was thinking; there was some joy, but mostly she felt bewildered and anxious.

She was remarried with three children, and Ninth Brother was perfect in every way, so why would he be blind to her and develop feelings for her? Actually... Shen Miao had vaguely sensed something before.

Today, the two of them were so close together that as the oxcart bumped along the uneven dirt road, she and Ninth Brother would occasionally bump shoulders, brush sleeves, and touch elbows.

It's hard to remain completely unaware; Ninth Sister's concealment wasn't particularly skillful, especially since she was naturally more perceptive than others.

And what about her?

Shen Miao couldn't help but ask herself again, "Was I not moved? Or was I moved?"

She asked several times, but couldn't get a definite answer. Only one thing was clear—she still wanted to make money, open a shop, and do what she loved first before considering anything else.

Even though she was in the Song Dynasty, this thought remained as bright as a candle in her heart.

Actually... there's another reason.

After viewing the original owner's memories, matters of marriage and love made Shen Miao feel cold and timid, causing her to quickly cool down and lose all expectations even if she was momentarily attracted to them.

She not only knew how hard Shen Dajie'er's life was in the Rong family, but she also knew how gentle and caring Rong Dalang was to her when he first arrived in Bianjing. He would bring her an umbrella when it rained and flowers when it was sunny, and he would even dip his finger in tea and teach her to write her name on the table.

The memory of her eldest sister was vivid in her mind and she had never forgotten it.

Later, after marrying into the Rong family, Rong's mother claimed to be ill, and during the day, her daughter-in-law would take care of her. At night, Rong's son would stay in his mother's room to "attend to her illness."

After that, Shen's parents died unexpectedly. After the funeral, the eldest sister was separated from her younger siblings and returned to Jinling alone. She was so grief-stricken that she could hardly get out of bed. She was weak and had to observe mourning. At this time, Rong Dalang had already used the eldest sister's dowry to break into the Mingzhou Prefecture school and went to study in Mingzhou.

From then on, he found a new love interest and almost never went home.

Not to mention what happened after that. Once she fell into Aunt Rong's hands, how could the eldest sister ever live a normal life? Before marriage, she was all sweet talk and flattery, but after marriage, she wished you were dead. The contrast between the two is so ironic and tragic that it makes one shudder.

Shen Miao knew, of course, that Ninth Brother was completely different from Rong Dalang, and it wasn't Ninth Brother who disappointed and saddened her. It was more like a mark left on her body by the original owner, as if constantly warning her not to act impulsively, not to make mistakes, and not to easily promise herself to others.

It has nothing to do with anyone else; what she needs to overcome is the knot in her heart left by her eldest sister.

Shen Miao closed her eyes, took a deep breath, shook off the memories that would make her angry whenever they came to mind, looked up at the vast and boundless sky, and finally calmed down.

She thought to herself, "Let's just pretend we don't know for now. Perhaps one day, she will have the answer for herself and for Ninth Brother."

Xie Qi was unaware that his poor acting skills had already been seen through, and his bright red ears had completely betrayed him.

He also noticed his ears were burning hot, and wanted to cover them with his hands, but then felt that would only make things worse. So, in despair, he counted his heartbeats, which felt like they were about to burst out of his chest, and muttered to himself, "Keep beating! Beat louder! Who can beat you faster? You impatient, unsteady, and useless thing, calm down!"

I really wanted to reach out and press down on his wildly beating chest.

Xie Qi was in a state of panic, his heart nearly stopping, while Shen Miao, for a moment, regained her composure. She leaned against the carriage railing, enjoying the cool autumn breeze, and asked Bai Laosan, "Young Master Bai, what kind of sheep are you preparing? Lamb or adult sheep? Would you like the whole roasted lamb to be plain, spicy, or savory...?"

Bai Laosan cracked his whip, gently patted the old ox's rump, and laughed, "Today's sheep is a Xingqing Prefecture Tan sheep that I specially bought from the sheep butcher. They're just over a year old, fifty catties each, and they're top-quality. As for the flavor, Madam Shen, just cook it however you like. My father spent a lot of money and even bought an ounce of pepper, which I'll give to you later to use entirely on this whole roasted lamb!"

Shen Miao pondered for a moment and said, "Such good lamb is best cooked in its original flavor. Simply season it with salt, cumin, and pepper, and roast the skin until it's crispy. That will be delicious enough. Using too many seasonings will mask the natural flavor of the lamb. So, let's just cook it in its original flavor."

"I'll listen to you, Madam Shen! No, my whole family will listen to you!"

Bai Laosan had a hundred percent admiration for Shen Niangzi's cooking skills. He was a veteran diner who had been "hooked" since "hand-grabbed pancakes". After that, he would eat every new dish that Shen Ji made. He never missed a single meal!

Not only that, he also bought red bean pastry buns, small steamed buns, instant soup dumplings, braised pork, roasted fish, and roasted duck to send back to Baijia Village for his elderly parents who had returned to their old house to enjoy the fresh food. His parents praised everything he bought to the skies, and later they would often send their farmhands to Bianjing City in a donkey cart to buy more. They would buy a whole cartload at a time. If it weren't for the fact that roasted fish and roasted duck don't keep for long, they would have bought them in bags and stored them at home, just like they would buy instant soup dumplings.

Even the pickled cabbage and bamboo shoots that Shen Miao pickled for her own consumption were not spared by his family. Once, Bai Laosan was eating soup noodles at the front shop when he suddenly smelled a sour aroma coming from the backyard that was so strong it made his mouth water. He couldn't sit still after smelling it. Wasn't this what his father loved the most? So he shamelessly bought two jars from Shen's wife and took them back to his parents to eat with their porridge.

Bai Laosan's parents finished the whole jar in just two days and even asked Bai Laosan for more. But where was he supposed to get it? It was food they made for themselves, and he was too embarrassed to ask for it back!

When Old Man Bai heard that his son had invited Shen Miao, who could make roasted fish and roasted duck, to make roasted whole lamb, he was so happy that he ate better these past few days, had more energy to walk, and was able to climb up to the granary to dry the grain in one go. His back and legs no longer ached.

However, ever since he ate Shen Ji's food, he has developed a good appetite. There is no dish that Shen Ji buys that he doesn't like. Just the braised pork made by Shen Miao is enough for him to eat with three big steamed buns or two or three bowls of rice every meal. After eating, he can also have some roasted duck.

He used to be a rather thin old man, but now he looks like he's fermented and is quite round.

Chenliu Town is about twenty li from Bianjing City. It takes two hours to travel by oxcart, and by the time we arrived in town it was already past noon. From there it took another half an hour to get to the village. After sitting for so long, my legs and buttocks went numb.

Upon reaching the village entrance, one could see Bai Lao Er's house, decorated in a lively and festive manner, from afar. Bai Lao Er's house consisted of five large tile-roofed rooms, with red cloths hanging on the courtyard walls and gates. Inside, the doors, windows, tables, chairs, and benches were decorated with the character for "happiness," and large red lanterns were hung every few steps.

Bai Laosan hurriedly drove the car inside. As soon as Shen Miao and the others got out of the car, they were surrounded by the enthusiastic Bai family, who offered them tea, candy, and fried beans. This delighted Xiang Jie'er and Yan Shu!

Both of them had their bags stuffed full, glanced at each other, and covered their mouths to chuckle. Now these two gluttons could indulge in their snacks to their hearts' content.

A wedding table was set up in front of the courtyard, and several other tables were also placed in front of the door. In the backyard, a blue cloth stove shed was erected, with several earthen stoves standing side by side, smoke rising from them. Aunts from the village who had come to help were already chopping and cooking vegetables. The backyard was filled with baskets of various kinds of vegetables, meats, fruits, and vegetables, and there were also more than a dozen fresh fish in water vats, which would occasionally jump up and splash water all over the ground. In the corner of the wall, there were also more than a dozen wine vats, and the aroma of mellow wine was very intoxicating.

The most eye-catching thing was naturally the whole sheep that had been slaughtered and was placed on the table.

In the front yard, the bride was still getting ready in her room. Soon, the wedding procession arrived, and her family members would block the door and chase after the new groom with cotton swabs, making a ruckus—it was quite fun.

In the Song Dynasty, the banquet at the bride's family's home would not begin until after dusk when the bride left home. Shen Miao looked at the sky and thought that now was the perfect time to start preparing.

Bai Laosan called over several little girls from the Bai family and took Xiangjie, Jige, Chen Chuan, and Yanshu outside to pick pomegranates. The children, like wild horses, excitedly grabbed their baskets and ran off.

Xiangjie even patted her chest and boasted to the Bai family girls, "I'm the best at climbing trees! I'll climb it in a bit, and you can catch me from below."

Ji-ge'er immediately exposed her: "Come on, who was it last time? Trying to climb the tree to pick osmanthus flowers, clinging tightly to the trunk with both hands, kicking upwards with all their might, their bottom sticking up and down, their face turning red from strain, but they just couldn't climb up..."

"It was Liu Douhua who couldn't climb up because he was sticking his butt out, not me!" Xiangjie blushed and whispered in defense, "Brother, don't say that, Liu Douhua will be embarrassed later."

Ji Ge'er was so amused that he choked on his own saliva and coughed all the way.

Tang Er naturally stayed by Shen Miao's side to help her, while Bai Laosan warmly invited Xie Qi into the house to sit and have tea. However, less than a quarter of an hour later, while Shen Miao was preparing spices such as Sichuan peppercorns, fennel, cumin, dried ginger, and cardamom, Xie Qi suddenly fled from the house in a disheveled state.

She blinked and looked at him, puzzled.

Xie Qi explained to her with difficulty, "The room was full of old women. They...they surrounded me, pressing me to tell if I was engaged. They all wanted to marry their daughters to me." He paused, then added in shock, "They...they even touched my hand!"

Shen Miao laughed so hard her knife trembled. Xie Qi was dressed in plain, unremarkable fine cloth clothes. The Bai family and the villagers who came to help with the wedding banquet did not know Xie Qi's background. They only thought that he was a good citizen from the city, just like Shen Miao. Seeing that he was so handsome, they naturally found him pleasing to the eye. He was a refined and elegant nobleman, and he had never seen such a forced marriage before.

If it falls into the hands of the old women in the countryside, it will be completely exploited.

Xie Qi looked at Shen Miao with a wronged and accusing expression, while Madam Shen laughed until tears streamed down her face. Was it really that funny?

"Sorry...sorry..." Shen Miao wiped the corner of her eye with the back of her hand, suppressing a laugh, "Ninth Brother, you should stay by my side and be the cook for a while, so you won't get eaten by the old ladies inside..." Before she finished speaking, she laughed again.

Xie Qi pursed his lips, but still said with a wronged expression, "What kind of work is a cook supposed to do?"

This time, Shen Miao was stumped. What task should she assign to Ninth Brother, who never lifted a finger? After glancing around, she had a sudden inspiration. She picked up a large stone mortar and pestle, handed it to him, pointed to the chopped spices on the table, and said with a smile, "Please have Ninth Brother grind them into powder."

Xie Qi took it and indeed did as he was told to pound the grain.

Shen Miao then focused on preparing the sheep. Roasted whole lamb existed as early as the Han Dynasty. The "Essential Techniques for the Common People" records the method of roasting lamb in the Han Dynasty: "To roast lamb, clean the lamb meat skewers, soak them in pepper water, rub them with salt and seasonings, and then skewer them in the fire." In the Tang Dynasty, there was even a "burning tail banquet" that was popular throughout the era.

Given the Song people's great fondness for mutton, it is quite normal for them to present a whole roasted lamb as a respectable gift for their daughters' dowries.

Shen Miao instructed Tang Er to turn the sheep over and, using fine salt, soy sauce, cumin, and a pinch of precious pepper, he reached into the sheep's belly and rubbed the pepper, salt, and sauce evenly on his hands, repeating this several times until the flavor penetrated to the bone.

Next, the firewood needs to be prepared. First, the firewood needs to be lit until it is completely burning and there is no smoke. The fire needs to be even and gentle before the sheep can be skewered and placed on the grill. Tang Er hurriedly used iron hooks and ropes to tie the sheep tightly to the grill, and then slowly rotated the grill. This is similar to the principle of roasting duck, which is to ensure even heating.

When the lamb is first roasted, the outer layer of lamb fat gradually melts, sizzling and dripping onto the embers, constantly creating fragrant flames. At this point, you need to find a long-handled brush, dip it in oil and honey, and repeatedly brush the lamb's surface with it. The oil moisturizes the lamb, while the honey adds color and prevents it from burning.

Roast it slowly like this. You can't rush roasting a lamb; you have to keep an eye on the fire at all times. The real skill in roasting a lamb lies in the places you can't see; it all depends on your eyesight and experience. Shen Miao told Tang Er to turn it even slower until the skin is golden brown and reddish, the meat is cooked through and falls off the bone, and the aroma is irresistible. That means it'll be ready soon.

The freshly roasted lamb attracted a large crowd to come and watch.

Xie Qi's carefully prepared seasoning powder finally came in handy. He poured hot oil over it to release its aroma, then added minced garlic, vinegar, and shredded scallions to create a ready-made dipping sauce. Shen Miao didn't pour the spices over the lamb. She thought that everyone's taste was different, so it was better to prepare the dipping sauce separately. Those who wanted the sauce could use it separately, while those who wanted the lamb to taste its original flavor could leave it unsalted. This was the best approach.

The aroma of the roasted lamb was so enticing that even the busy aunties who were cooking put down their work to look at and smell the glistening roasted lamb, exclaiming, "It smells so good!"

"It's roasting perfectly, sizzling and dripping with oil!"

"Wow, you little girl, you're so young, how come your roast lamb skills are so amazing!"

Shen Miao laughed at their straightforward praise.

It was already late when Shen Miao finished roasting the lamb. Outside, the commotion had already ended. The groom had been beaten by the Bai family and had to run away with his head in his hands. He had to scatter a lot of copper coins to "buy his way" and finally got his bride away.

Next came the "departure banquet" to entertain relatives and friends, including the bride's family. Several strong men from the Bai family worked together to carry a whole roasted lamb to the center of the banquet table, so that the guests could see it and to demonstrate the wealth of the bride's family.

After everyone had had their fill of looking, Tang Er sliced ​​the meat into plates right there on the spot. He was really good at slicing meat. Holding a slender, crescent-shaped knife, he first dismembered the limbs, then separated the spine and ribs. In no time, he had sliced ​​the mutton into thin slices and arranged them neatly on the plates.

Xiangjie and the others also came back skipping and jumping with a bag full of pomegranates. When they heard that the bride had already gotten into the bridal sedan chair, they were so annoyed that they beat their chests and stamped their feet: "If only we had come back earlier, I wouldn't have even seen what the bride looks like!"

Shen Miao didn't see it either, but she didn't come here to see the bride in the first place!

Bai Laosan also arranged a table for Shen Miao and her group, in the front courtyard where they wouldn't have to worry about the wind and cold. Shen Miao pulled her family around to sit down, and they properly enjoyed a traditional open-air feast typical of rural Song Dynasty times—

The cold dishes were vinegar peanuts and vinegar celery, followed by the first course of fried tofu with shredded bamboo shoots and wood ear fungus (symbolizing wealth and prosperity), braised pig's head, roasted chicken, steamed fish, braised pork with dried bamboo shoots, vegetable soup, and finally dessert and sweet soup: glutinous rice cakes dipped in white sugar and red date and longan sweet soup.

The banquet in the village was naturally not as refined as the restaurants in Bianjing (Kaifeng), but it had its own kind of charm.

For example, the vegetable soup is made by simmering various chopped vegetables and wild greens, with some chopped rice flour and water paste added. The soup is thick and only a little salt and sesame oil are added, so your mouth is full of refreshing vegetable flavor.

Shen Miao quite liked it; it had a very light and refreshing taste, like a vegetarian dumpling soup. Just thinking about it, the vegetables were probably still in the field half an hour before it went into the pot, picked and cooked fresh, so naturally they were crisp, tender, and fragrant.

The glutinous rice cake was pounded to perfection, soft, chewy, and stretchy. Pick it up, dip it in white sugar coated with crushed peanuts, and put it in your mouth. The mouth is filled with the aroma of rice and the sweetness of sugar. It's really delicious.

Plates of roasted whole lamb slices were served, attracting many guests to crane their necks to look. The table next to Shen Miao's was the main table, where the men of the Bai family—Old Man Bai, the eldest Bai brother, the second Bai brother, and the third Bai brother—sat together.

Originally, Bai Lao Er was crying because of his daughter's marriage, but when he smelled the aroma of the whole roasted lamb, his tears hadn't even dried yet when he subconsciously stretched out his chopsticks, which collided with the chopsticks that Bai Lao Di had stretched out.

Old Man Bai roared, "You unfilial son!"

Bai Lao Er had no choice but to awkwardly put down his chopsticks, watching as his father took away the most fragrant piece of lamb leg.

After that, he stopped crying and buried his head in the mutton, fighting with his father and brothers for it: once Madam Shen's whole roasted lamb was served, all the other dishes seemed bland! Like the Bai family and other relatives, they were all dumbfounded by what they were eating.

Bai Lao Er thought to himself, "As expected of the cook specially invited from Bianjing City, her skills are better than many master chefs. Truly excellent!"

When guests came over to offer a toast, they would always mention how good the mutton was. Bai Lao Er, his face flushed from drinking, proudly puffed out his chest and puffed out his belly. After sitting down, he said to Bai Lao San, "You're really something, managing to invite Madam Shen here. Now the whole village knows my daughter married well, and even the banquet for her departure is top-notch!"

With his mouth full of juicy roasted whole lamb, Bai Laosan could only nod and didn't have time to agree.

The moment the roast lamb was placed on the table, its aroma seemed to waft straight into his nose, making his stomach rumble. One bite, and oh my god, the outer skin was crispy and fragrant, like fried sesame leaves, making a satisfying crunch in his mouth; the meat inside was tender and juicy, soft and succulent, bursting with flavor with every bite, incredibly fragrant, and without a trace of gamey taste. Dipping it in the sauce elevated the flavor even further, a delightful sensation that went from his tongue to his very heart.

Bai Laosan was filled with admiration. He had gone to the backyard to bring tea to Madam Shen and noticed that her roasting steps were nothing special. So how could the roasted lamb turn out so extraordinary? It was truly amazing!

After the meal, Bai Laosan suggested giving Shen Miao an extra goose as a return gift. Bai Laodie also gave her an extra string of cash, muttering, "No matter what dish Shen Niangzi makes, her skills are unique. Excellent, truly excellent."

Shen Miao accepted it with a smile, without being polite.

It was getting late, and it would take three hours to get back, so the group decided to stay at the Bai family's house for the night.

Bai Laosan had already cleaned several rooms and prepared newly aired bedding. Shen Miao led Xiang Jie'er to live in one room, Xie Qi, Chen Chuan, and Ji Ge'er squeezed into another room, and Tang Er lived with Yan Shu.

The next day, Bai Laosan sent his wife to ask, "If Madam Chen isn't busy, would you like to take a stroll around our village before you go back? Our village has three rivers flowing through it, and many lakes and ponds; the scenery is quite nice."

A lake? A pond? Upon hearing this, Shen Miao became interested and agreed.

The sky outside had just turned blue, and the sunlight was faint. Xiangjie was still sleeping soundly, turning from side to side like a pancake. She didn't wake her up and let her sleep a little longer.

She got up, tied her hair, and washed up. She walked to the window and propped it up halfway with a wooden stick, only to find Xie Qi practicing martial arts in the yard, dressed in a smart, narrow-sleeved outfit. He seemed to be practicing staff techniques, but he didn't bring a long staff. Instead, he was holding a thin carrying pole from the Bai family.

At first glance, it seemed a bit comical, but upon closer inspection, it became clear that he truly possessed martial arts skills, wielding a carrying pole with incredible speed and power, creating a fierce gust of wind.

"Ninth Brother knows martial arts too!" Shen Miao was surprised to find out and squatted by the window to peek. She usually saw him wearing loose-fitting robes, speaking and acting slowly and methodically, exuding a scholarly air. She never expected him to be both literate and skilled in martial arts!

He moved with a series of movements, the carrying pole moving with him, sometimes picking, sometimes stabbing, sometimes chopping, sometimes wiping. The wind blew and rolled up his clothes, the hem of his tight-fitting clothes suddenly lifting up to reveal a section of his abdominal muscles.

Ouch.

Do not look at what is improper.

Shen Miao blushed and wanted to squat down and stop watching, but she couldn't bear to. So she leaned on the windowsill, covered her eyes with both hands, and secretly peeked out from between her spread fingers, watching the whole thing with bright eyes.

He was still silently evaluating in his mind:

What a slender waist! Not an ounce of fat. The muscles are thin and cling to his body, with strong lines. When he exerts himself, the outline of his firm abdominal muscles becomes clearly visible. You really can't underestimate Ninth Brother!

But soon, with his movement, that section of his waist was quickly covered by the falling fabric.

This wind is really something, why doesn't it blow higher...?

Seeing that he had finished playing, his forehead was soaked with sweat, and a few strands clung to his cheeks, making him look even more different from his usual neat and tidy appearance. At this moment, he had an unusually bright and spirited young man vibe.

She stared blankly at it.

Xie Qi wiped his sweat and turned to ask Yan Shu to fetch his clothes. Shen Miao also quickly squatted down guiltily.

After Xie Qi went inside and no one was outside, she pretended to come out as if nothing had happened and patted her slightly hot face with water. At this moment, Bai Laosan's wife came in with breakfast.

But the children hadn't gotten up yet, and Tang Er was still snoring.

Shen Miao then ate alone with Xie Qi first.

Xie Qi held a plain white steamed bun and glanced slightly to the side.

Why does Madam Shen seem a little flustered and quiet today? And why does her face seem a little red?

Didn't sleep well?

Shen Miao noticed that Xie Qi seemed to be secretly observing her, so she quickly finished her steamed bun in a few bites and suggested that she go for a walk outside with Bai's wife. As a result, Xie Qi also stood up, straightened his clothes and said, "I will go with Madam Shen."

Shen Miao replied guiltily, “…”

Fortunately, after walking a few steps, Shen Miao's thoughts, which had been preoccupied with abs, were finally diverted by the scenery of the fields in Baijia Village. Beauty was secondary; she discovered that Baijia Village did indeed have many ponds and mulberry trees. The terrain here was flat, and ponds easily formed in places with slight slopes. Almost along the river, you could see one every few steps.

There are also many ponds connected to a large area of ​​unclaimed wasteland, which has been left to rot in vain. Thick green algae float on the surface of the pond water, and reeds and cattails grow all over the ponds. The fields are also full of weeds.

Such fertile fields along the river and connected to the ponds, yet no one cultivates them? Shen Miao felt a sense of doubt. She took a few more steps forward, put her hand in front of her eyes to shade her eyes, and looked around. It seemed that several acres of land were abandoned.

Seeing that Shen Miao was looking at the land with great interest, seemingly quite interested in it, Bai's wife quickly said, "This land was cleared out by the government's decree to survey the fields. It used to be the hidden land of Master Guo in town, but now it has been taken over by the government. However... the people of our Bai family village are afraid of Master Guo and dare not buy it from the government to cultivate, so it has been left uncultivated. Their family acts very domineeringly. If Madam Shen wants to buy land, it would be better to buy from someone else."

Shen Miao asked curiously, "Why? And who is this Master Guo?"

Xie Qi, however, knew this and remained silent for a moment before speaking, "It is the maternal family of the deposed Empress Guo, the Guo family of Yingchuan."