Chapter 22 Konjac Jelly for Humans and Cats!

"There's one more thing I need to trouble Young Master Xu with." Lin Yao looked slightly uncomfortable. He had helped her out of kindness, but she felt bad about having to trouble him again.

Seeing how quickly she had adjusted her emotions, Xu Zhiheng couldn't help but feel curious and wanted to know if she had anything else to say. "Speak freely."

"I cannot let the culprit go unpunished after suffering this misfortune today. I stabbed that masked man in the leg; he will surely need to find a doctor. If we inquire at the town's clinic, we can definitely find the person who suffered this injury. Besides, the knife was bought from Wu's blacksmith shop. The coroner can compare the wound and determine if it is the same person who committed this crime today," Lin Yao said calmly and clearly.

Xu Zhiheng was genuinely surprised. This young woman looked three or four years younger than him, yet she was so calm and thoughtful in the face of adversity. It was truly rare.

"Alright." Xu Zhiheng agreed, half-jokingly adding, "But in this way, Miss Lin will owe me even more favors."

"I will never forget Young Master Xu's life-saving grace. If Young Master Xu ever needs anything in the future, I will do my best to help." Lin Yao said earnestly.

Xu Zhiheng didn't take these words to heart and waved his hand, "Let's go, if we're late, there won't be anyone left at the yamen."

When Lin Yao and Xu Zhiheng came out of the yamen, the sun had already set, and the sky was dyed orange-red. Xu Zhiheng escorted Lin Yao home, where they encountered Jin Yu and Mantang fighting at the Lin family's gate.

Upon seeing Xu Zhiheng, the two stopped what they were doing and called out in unison, "My lord."

Mantang raised his hand to straighten his clothes, which were slightly disheveled from the sparring. "Young master, when we found the young master of the Lin family, he had been knocked unconscious and thrown into a cave." He paused, then added, "We have already taken him to see a doctor, and the consultation fee and medicine cost a total of one hundred and eighty coins."

Upon hearing the first part of the sentence, Lin Yao's heart clenched, and she was about to step inside to check on Lin Cheng's condition. But upon hearing the second part, she immediately stopped, "Please wait a moment, young master, I'll get the money right away."

Xu Zhiheng was unusually uncomfortable at this moment. After all, he usually had to pretend to be a miserly playboy who cared about money more than anything, so his subordinates' mercenary nature was in line with his persona. He waved his hand and said, "No rush, no rush, you can go at your own pace."

Lin Yao strode into the room, rummaged through the cloth bag where she usually hid her copper coins, carefully counted out 180 coins, and hurriedly handed them to Xu Zhiheng. "Today, my brother and I were saved by you, sir. From now on, if you come to my house, all food will be free."

Xu Zhiheng nimbly mounted his horse. "Then thank you very much, young lady!" With that, Xu Zhiheng turned and left with Jin Yu and Mantang. Only then did Lin Yao have time to speak with the three people who were eagerly waiting inside the room.

Lin Cheng waited on the side, his mind already full of questions, "Ayao, how did you get like this?"

Lin Yao then recounted the events of the day to them in detail. After listening, Lin Cheng slammed his fist heavily on the table. "I never imagined that your uncle's family could be so vicious! From now on, I will stay by your side. If anything happens to you, how can I face my father and mother?"

Wang Xiaoyu quickly brought over a basin of hot water to wipe Lin Yao's face. Hearing Lin Yao's story, she was also filled with righteous indignation: "It's outrageous! They say blood is thicker than water, how could they be so heartless?"

"The human heart is the most unpredictable thing." Lin Yao looked at her wound, slightly lost in thought.

Lin Yao injured her hand and has been unable to prepare food for her stall or cook for the past few days.

Lin Cheng originally wanted to take on both cooking and setting up the stall by himself, but he simply couldn't manage it all by himself. Seeing this, Wang Xiaoyu wanted to stay at the Lin family to serve him, saying that since her master was injured, it was only right for her to serve him.

Lin Yao had to persuade Wang Xiaoyu to come over and cook one meal a day during mealtimes, and she could also give her some pointers on cooking skills.

After dinner and washing up, Lin Yao sat on the edge of the bed, applying medicine to the wound on her hand while pondering to herself, "My hand is injured and I can't earn money during this time. What should I do?" For her, not being able to earn money was like torture.

A sudden inspiration struck Lin Yao, reminding her of the konjac tofu she had made a few days ago. Konjac tofu was easy to make; she only needed to tell her brother and Ayu the recipe, and after it was made, she could mix it with seasonings and sell it.

With this in mind, Lin Yao felt much more at ease and slowly drifted off to sleep.

~

The next day, Lin Cheng went up the mountain early to dig konjac.

Lin Yao stayed home, fiddling with the braising liquid for the braised pork offal. The liquid had been used for quite some time, and its flavor had gradually faded. She had her brother buy some medicinal herbs in town, and now she was preparing to re-prepare the braising liquid.

In less than half an hour, Lin Cheng returned with a basket full of taro.

Lin Cheng had just stepped into the house when Wang Xiaoyu arrived. The two of them tacitly began to work, taking the taro out of the basket one by one, washing and peeling them by the basin of water.

After the konjac was almost processed, Lin Yao stopped what she was doing. "We're going to use this konjac to make a new dish called konjac tofu."

Upon hearing this, Lin Cheng and Wang Xiaoyu simultaneously stopped what they were doing and looked at Lin Yao. Lin Yao picked up a peeled taro with her left hand, "First, we need to use a stone mill to grind this taro into a paste."

While Lin Changkang was still alive, the second branch of the Lin family lived a warm and harmonious life, though not one of great wealth. Lin Changkang was a loving husband who cherished his children and wife. While working for a family in the city, he saw them grinding beans to make a juice, which they then boiled and drank. Hearing from the maids that this juice beautified women and made children healthy, he saved up and bought a stone mill.

Later, Lin Changkang joined the army in place of his brother, and his fate was unknown. The second branch of the Lin family was separated, and life became so difficult that even basic food and clothing became a problem, let alone making such things. The stone mill was rarely used, and it had been some time since the last time konjac tofu was made, and the stone mill was covered with dust again.

Lin Cheng looked at the dusty stone mill in front of him, his heart filled with mixed emotions. Lin Yao, seeing Lin Cheng's expression, also felt bad. She gently patted Lin Cheng's shoulder and said, "Brother, let's make konjac tofu. When Father comes back, we'll make it for him too."

Lin Yao placed a peeled taro into the feed inlet of the stone mill, and Lin Cheng began to push the millstone. As the millstone turned, the taro was ground up little by little, and white taro paste slowly flowed from the edge of the millstone, dripping into the wooden basin below.

Next, Wang Xiaoyu took over Lin Yao's work, helping to add konjac to the feed chute. After a considerable amount of konjac paste had accumulated in the basin, Lin Yao said, "Next, we need to add an appropriate amount of wood ash. The amount of wood ash is crucial; too much or too little will affect the taste of the konjac tofu."

As she spoke, she poured lime water into the basin, saying, "Stir quickly until the paste becomes thick." Lin Cheng stirred vigorously until the paste became as thick as a paste before stopping.

"It will take about an hour or two for the konjac tofu to set. Once it's set, you can cut it into pieces, soak it in water, and then cook it whenever you want to eat it. Whether you stir-fry it, boil it, or make a cold dish, the taste is very unique," Lin Yao said with a smile.

While waiting, Lin Yao took Wang Xiaoyu to prepare the sauce for the konjac tofu.

Lin Yao wants to see if she can replicate the human cat treat – Konjac Jelly!

The most crucial ingredient in konjac dessert is the red oil sauce. First, you need to prepare the dry ingredients. Lin Yao took out bay leaves, cinnamon, scallions, dogwood, and cilantro. At this time, chili peppers were not yet widely available, so dogwood was added to the dry ingredients to increase the spiciness.

Lin Yao then took out some Sichuan peppercorns and had Lin Cheng grind them into powder using a stone mortar. She planned to make two versions, one spicy and the other numbing and spicy, and this Sichuan peppercorn powder was specifically for the numbing and spicy konjac.

As the temperature rose, the steam in the pot evaporated rapidly, the lard melted quickly, and the heat intensified. She then poured the prepared dry ingredients into the pot. Bay leaves, cinnamon, scallions, dogwood, and cilantro tumbled in the hot oil, releasing a rich aroma.

Lin Yao stared at the situation in the pot and reminded Lin Cheng, "Brother, stir it, don't let the ingredients burn."

Wang Xiaoyu watched intently, sniffing the fragrance in the air. "Master, it smells so good!"

The dried ingredients in the pot gradually darkened in color, and the aroma became increasingly rich. Lin Yao asked Lin Cheng to scoop out the dried ingredients, "They shouldn't be fried for too long, otherwise they will taste bitter. Scoop out some of this oil and ingredients first; this is the foundation for making the spicy flavor."

Lin Cheng carefully scooped out the oil and placed it in a bowl. Lin Yao added some white sesame seeds to the bowl, stirred it well to allow the sesame seeds to fully absorb the aroma of the oil, and then poured it into a bowl of konjac.

Wang Xiaoyu took the chopsticks from Lin Yao and quickly started stirring.

Meanwhile, Lin Yao directed Lin Cheng to continue working in the pot. "Brother, pour in the rest of the Sichuan peppercorn powder and make it spicy." As the Sichuan peppercorn powder was poured into the pot, a numbing and fragrant aroma rose up, blending with the previous aroma to create a richer flavor.

Then, Lin Cheng poured the spicy seasoning oil into another bowl of konjac.

At this moment, the spicy konjac was ready. Wang Xiaoyu ladled out three bowls of konjac and handed them to Lin Yao and Lin Cheng. Then she turned around and handed the third bowl to Lin Song, who was watching eagerly from the side. Lin Yao took the bowl and said, "Ayu, you should try it too. As chefs, we need to know how to taste this so that we can make more delicious dishes in the future."

Wang Xiaoyu nodded hurriedly and served herself a bowl as well.

After stirring, Lin Cheng picked it up and took a big bite. The intense spiciness made him cough, but the taste was addictive. After a moment, he put another bite in his mouth. "This spiciness is so satisfying!"

Wang Xiaoyu nodded repeatedly from the side.

Of course, in the 21st century, this is known as "human cat treats," because once you eat one pack, you want to eat another.

After swallowing a large mouthful of konjac noodles, Lin Cheng asked Lin Yao, "Little sister, what's this dish called?"

Lin Yao said, "Let's call it Konjac Delight."

"This name is good, and just like the name suggests, it tastes very refreshing!" Lin Cheng said with a smile. Lin Song, who had been silent all along, also ate with a flushed face, hissing and panting, but his hands kept moving.

While the Lin family was enjoying a harmonious time, chaos erupted at the docks.

A note from the author:

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I highly recommend my upcoming novel, "The Evil Woman Fears the Persistent Man" (a food-themed detective story)! Wow! [droopy-eared rabbit head]

A strange case suddenly occurred in Yuhang County

A thrush killed seven people, leaving only half a footprint at the scene;

The corpse-carrying driver screamed in terror as the burly man in the coffin transformed into a woman in red.

A virgin awaiting marriage has been impersonated; where is the mastermind hiding behind this?

Hua Linlang transmigrated and became the most beautiful woman in Yuhang County, a family with immense wealth.

Unfortunately, her parents died unexpectedly, leaving her an orphan girl who was coveted by the entire clan and awaited to be devoured.

Hua Linlang: ...It's not a big problem.

He's a modern forensic scientist and criminal psychology double champion, and although he accidentally got himself into trouble, he brought all his skills with him.

While investigating the case, I'll also take the opportunity to revitalize our family business and expand our restaurants and eateries nationwide!

The newly appointed county magistrate, Ji Huai, was full of vigor and had a knack for solving cases.

He initially considered Hua Linlang the prime suspect, but she meticulously unraveled the mystery in front of him, revealing the secrets of the case in a single sentence.

From then on, he investigated cases, and she performed autopsies; he hunted down criminals, and she profiled them.

He was working overtime on an empty stomach, and she thoughtfully handed him a bowl of osmanthus-flavored rice wine.

Ji Huai was deeply moved; how could he possibly miss such a wonderful man!

The person in front of me had a captivating gaze, and she and he were truly a match made in heaven!

The next moment, Liangren parted her lips slightly: "Three taels a bowl, Ji Lang, cash or on the tab?"

Ji Huai: .....

Everyone says Hua Linlang is a femme fatale, but Ji Huai feels that if this "femme fatale" can stay for him, he would be happy to accept it.

He looked at her calm profile as she performed the autopsy and asked softly:

"Hua Linlang, besides cases and money, is there anything else in your world?"

Flower Beauty: "For example?"

Ji Huai: "Me."

Flower Beauty: "Get lost."

Ji Huai: "See you later."

Male protagonist's self-conquest strategy

Initial thought: "She must have something on her mind."

Later: He trapped her in a small space, his hot breath brushing against her ear: "Linlang, what you really want is me."