Even Instructor He caught about twenty crucian carp.

I received a little over twenty coins.

After everyone left, Chen Gui whispered something to Da Cheng's father and Qing Shan.

The two men looked serious, as if they had received a military order.

They left quietly.

In the village.

Xia Xuezheng would occasionally go out to look around, filled with anticipation.

Instructor Xu came out of the main hall, looked at the sunset on the horizon, and asked, "Is it already late afternoon?"

Xia Xuezheng: "I wonder how much Instructor He has learned?"

Instructor Xu: "Hmph, these are just tricks of some country folk. There was a drought a while ago, and every village was short of water. The river was almost dry. But it rained recently, and it finally filled in the shallow riverbed."

"Where would there be fish? It's all a trick by the villagers, those greedy mountain folk who're only after their money. They'll probably only get a hundred coins back in an hour, and we won't even get fifty. What a huge loss..."

Xia Xuezheng frowned, his rebuttal stuck in his throat. Although Instructor Xu's words were harsh, they were ultimately true.

Before long, there was a commotion outside.

Instructor He, his face tanned a dark red, strolled around the village, asking everyone he met, "Hey, how did you know I caught a fish?"

Xia Xuezheng laughed heartily, "I'm back."

Not long after.

Before Xia Xuezheng could ask, Instructor He said solemnly, "More than twenty crucian carp, after deducting the entrance fee for fishing, there are still more than twenty coins left."

Xia Xuezheng was taken aback, then a slight smile appeared on his lips as he looked at Instructor Xu.

Instructor Xu retorted instinctively: "Impossible. The village is clearly in a drought. Where would there be so many fish?"

This completely overturned his impression.

Could this be a trick by some unscrupulous mountain folk? There must be something fishy going on here.

Those students who didn't go fishing felt deep regret.

"If I had known, I would have gone too. Not only could I have fun, but I could also earn money from the village. What a great deal!"

"Yes, it's a pity it's dark, otherwise I would definitely go fishing."

Chen Gui said with a smile, "Please wait a moment, everyone. We'll have braised fish in half an hour. It'll be very fresh. It'll cost ten coins per person."

The students cheered.

Instructor Xu was stunned for a moment. What a cunning plan.

Fish bought for five coins a pound are then sold for ten coins a serving.

It's like getting a fish for free.

Not long after.

The small mountain village began to bustle with activity. Chen Xian, unusually, said, "Watch closely. To make this dish well, the best thing to do is choose a slightly larger fish. It will look and taste better. Small fish are not as good..."

Many villagers gathered around Chen Xian, as this was one of the few opportunities he had to learn from the head chef.

Especially Zhang Daguang's family, because their chicken tasted pretty good, many people ate it, which further strengthened his determination to cook.

Chen Xian: "We don't have much time now. When we cook the fish, it's best to sprinkle some salt on it and marinate it for an hour. We don't have time today, so let's get started!"

With dozens of people, Chen Xian couldn't possibly finish the job by himself, so all the brave women in the village pitched in.

Dozens of pots were set up in a row, just like the lively scene at a village market.

Chen Xian patrolled back and forth.

Some of the lazier women, such as Dayou's wife and Dali's wife, were gossiping quietly and watching the commotion.

Anyway, they're always charging money from those young people from outside the village. This time, the village is cooking for everyone. Usually, the village head will give everyone a free meal.

Just mix them together.

He was happy to get a free meal, including fish and meat, and told the lie with a gleeful grin.

“Look at Sister Guihua, Huzi’s mother, and Chunxiu’s mother, they’re working so hard. What’s the point? We should just relax.”

"Yes, they are too honest, too naive, too trusting."

"You could have just done a quick, perfunctory job without paying anyone. Why are you working so diligently?"

Over there, a stage was set up under the big banyan tree in Qingxia Village.

Su Wenxuan and Su Wenhao directed everyone to work busily.

Torches and lanterns have already been set up.

Su Wenxuan walked to the old man's side and said nervously, "Grandpa, everything depends on you."

The old man chuckled, "Just you wait and see, young man."

Soon, the aroma of fish filled the entire Qingxia Village.

Erzhuzi called the two people to dinner, and also called the elderly couple away.

"We have them too?"

He shakily pulled out a copper coin from his pocket.

Erzhuzi chuckled, "A meal doesn't cost much, does it?"

The old man's eyes held a complex expression.

Instructor Xu originally planned to tough it out for a while, but his stomach started growling.

Xia Xuezheng called out, "Together?"

He was just shouting casually, not expecting his stubborn colleague to come over.

"Um."

Um?

Xia Xuezheng found it somewhat amusing.

When he received the crucian carp, which was emitting a rich meaty aroma, Instructor Xu was taken aback. Not only was the chicken cooked well in the mountains, but now the fish was also so delicious.

It tastes even better than what the chefs at the big restaurants in the county town make.

All around were sounds of people swallowing their saliva and praising.

"The Chen family's big pot tastes better. The other aunties' cooking is not as good, but the bright red color and the oil secretion make your mouth water just by looking at it. It's really good."

After finishing their meal, everyone let out a satisfied burp.

Looking up at the bright stars in the night sky, I felt listless but inspired to write poetry.

Chen Gui coughed lightly, "Have you all finished eating?"

A chorus of laughter rang out. "Alright, thank you for the treat. Old village head."

Chen Gui said in a deep voice, "Then let's all go see the show together. It's a show that's become quite famous in Daxing Town and even the county town recently. The playwright is Young Master Wenxuan, and the original work is by Mr. Liaozhai. Please look forward to it."

The students complained that after eating, they wanted to digest their food. "The opera is no interest. It's so old-fashioned. I've seen it countless times. I heard there are crested monkeys in the countryside. Why don't we take lanterns and catch them, fry them in oil? I've had them in restaurants before, and they taste amazing, so fragrant!"

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