2 PM brings good fortune to the Jade-faced Intestine

◎Ping'er's Perspective◎

"Ping'er, here, have this." A thin boy looked at the girl who was staring blankly, broke off half a steamed bun and handed it to her.

The girl named Ping'er carefully took the steamed bun, but tucked it into her bosom. She glanced at the dim light outside the temple; the rain was pouring down, and the muddy water had seeped into the temple, staining the bluestone slabs black.

She hates rain the most.

The Dragon King Temple was dark and damp. They lived there every day, barely managing to find a quilt to cover themselves with. However, Lixi Town was rainy, and once it rained, the bedding always smelled musty. Every night, the heavy quilt weighed her down, making it hard to breathe, and the dampness made it even less warm.

She used to love rain. She was afraid of thunder, and her parents would gently hold her in their arms, bringing her treats and toys to lull her to sleep. Now… she glanced at the children huddled together in a corner, shivering, and her nose stung with tears.

These are all children without homes. When it's cold, they can only hug each other, as if that's the only way they can find some comfort.

She was sensible at a young age and knew that her family had committed a crime and been taken away by the soldiers. She, on the other hand, was taken in by a kind county magistrate and at least had a stable place to live and enough food to barely fill her stomach.

But she was still unhappy here. She wanted to go back to the big courtyard where she had many older brothers and sisters to play with, and where she had beautiful new clothes and delicious food...

However, recently, things have changed a bit. A few days ago, two incredibly kind older brothers and sisters came to visit. They were so beautiful that everyone was captivated. As soon as they arrived, they prepared delicious meals for everyone, ensuring everyone had a full stomach. They also brought many clean new clothes and bedding for them. They are as kind as the county magistrate.

My mother used to say that the gods in heaven are all kind people who have pity on mortals. Could it be that the dragon god in the temple heard her wish and sent these two older brothers and sisters?

She took out the half-eaten steamed bun, warmed by her body heat, from her bosom and placed it on the offering table on tiptoe.

"Lord Dragon God, please have a meal. Don't go hungry like I used to."

Ping'er thought for a moment and then added, "If you're full, don't let me go hungry."

As the childish voice faded, Ping'er was about to leave when she heard a very soft "Good" coming from behind the statue.

She froze, looking up at the dragon statue in front of her with suspicion. It remained motionless and lifeless, just as before.

How can a statue talk? You must have misheard.

She stared dejectedly at the ground, but this time she heard a very clear response: "I have received your wish."

"Is that Lord Dragon God?" Ping'er's eyes widened.

The voice was gentle, and the person sounded quite young, not at all like an old man. But didn't Mother say that the Dragon God had lived for thousands of years?

She stood on tiptoe and strained to see into the dragon's eyes, hoping the Dragon God would say something more, but she never heard that voice again.

"Ping'er, what are you talking to yourself about?"

The boy who had just handed her the steamed bun looked puzzled when he saw that she had placed it on the offering table.

"The Dragon God has spoken! He just said he heard my wish!" Ping'er exclaimed excitedly, pointing at the Dragon God statue.

The boy looked at her, then at the statue, and solemnly walked to the statue, where he kowtowed three times.

He knew Ping'er wouldn't lie. Ping'er was from a wealthy family; she had read far more books and knew far more than they, born orphans. If Ping'er said the Dragon God had heard her wish, then it couldn't be false.

He followed Ping'er's example and placed the cake he had hidden in his bosom on it.

In the past, these white cakes were a life-saving food; he could eat them for several days if he was careful with his diet. Now, with his handsome older brothers and sisters cooking for him every day, he eats his fill, but he still can't shake the habit of hiding the cakes in his clothes.

He decided to stop sneaking around. He would offer the hidden steamed buns and pancakes to the Dragon God.

When Yan Yunzhao and Lou Su arrived at the Dragon God Temple again, they saw the offering table piled high with apples and steamed buns.

…………

Early that morning, Lou Su asked Yan Yunzhao for leave, saying he was going back to the clinic in Panlong Town where he had been last seen to have his pulse checked.

Yan Yunzhao temporarily took over Lou Su's daily tasks of picking wild vegetables and mushrooms, hunting pheasants, fishing, and catching shrimp, leaving the small shop to be looked after by the three grass demons.

Jingming, Qingxi, and Shuyu have become increasingly efficient in recent days. They have not only learned many home-style dishes from Yan Yunzhao, but can also make hamburgers for her. So she felt at ease leaving the shop to them to go up the mountain.

The birdsong in the forest was melodious in the early morning. Yan Yunzhao picked up the Blade Snow sword, which had not been drawn for a long time, and stretched its blade.

Her magical power is currently low, and even Renxue doesn't have enough magical power to replenish it. She can only lie dead in her hands, letting Yan Yunzhao chop wood and kill chickens with her.

Yan Yunzhao concealed her aura and spotted a red-crested, green-tailed pheasant in the distance. Delighted, she cautiously approached, sword in hand. She hid behind a tree stump, plotting how to ambush the pheasant.

Pheasants are usually very wary, and catching them is not easy. "If only we had a slingshot," Yan Yunzhao sighed.

She adjusted her stance, bent down and quietly approached from behind. When she was less than two meters away from the pheasant, she pounced!

The pheasant flapped its wings in panic and flew forward, its feathers landing all over Yan Yunzhao's face. She couldn't open her eyes from the flapping wings, but she let it escape, only managing to grab a tuft of feathers and stare blankly at it.

How could I, a dignified inner disciple of the immortal sect and a grass demon with outstanding talent, not even be able to catch a pheasant?

Energetic, Yan Yunzhao chased after the pheasant, unwilling to admit defeat.

The pheasant flew halfway and ran halfway, with Yan Yunzhao chasing after it, wielding her gleaming greatsword. Seizing the opportunity, she hurled her Blade Snow, the blade piercing the pheasant with perfect accuracy.

Yan Yunzhao took a deep breath; he was now covered in sweat and chicken feathers from exhaustion.

"How can this pheasant run so fast?"

She gasped for breath and bent down to draw her sword. The pheasant was already at rest, lying motionless on the ground. Adhering to the principle of "killing without torturing," she always delivered a swift and decisive blow.

Yan Yunzhao carried a chicken in one hand and picked a full basket of wild vegetables and mushrooms before leisurely descending the mountain. It was already late, and there were still fish and shrimp left to catch.

She put down the basket and slumped down in the shop. Jingming, Qingxi, and Shuyu came over to massage her shoulders and back, reporting on the day's events in a flurry of voices, seemingly quite happy.

"Thanks for your hard work, boss!"

She slumped in her chair, recalling how Lou Su used to be able to bring back four pheasants in just one morning, and couldn't help but sigh, "When Lou Su comes back, I must ask him how to hunt pheasants."

Even she was struggling with the amount of exercise she had done that day, and she didn't utter a sound as she looked at the frail Lou Su.

Am I being too harsh on him?

"Jingming, from now on you will go up the mountain to help out with Young Master Lou. Qingxi, Shuyu, and I are enough to manage the shop." Yan Yunzhao picked up the tea that Qingxi handed him and took a sip.

“No problem, boss! I’ll pour the tea today, and Qingxi and Shuyu will cook in the kitchen. We earned two thousand coins!” Jingming came over and sat down next to her, grinning as he put his arm around her.

Yan Yunzhao nearly choked on his tea: "Two thousand coins?"

Only then did she have a moment to look around. The shop had been tidied up, just as clean and tidy as when she left. The velvety little bowls were filled with food, and the food was now lazily sleeping on the table.

"Yes! The customers who came today all praised us for learning so quickly, saying that our dishes are exactly the same as yours."

Yan Yunzhao nodded and patted them on the shoulder with satisfaction: "You did a really good job! I can now entrust the shop to you with peace of mind."

With a juicy meat bun stuffed in her mouth, Qingxi mumbled, "Shuyu is skillful; she even made a new sauce today."

"Oh?" Yan Yunzhao suddenly became interested. When he saw Shuyu carrying a jar of brown sauce over, he curiously tasted it.

It has a delicious, savory flavor, is smooth but not too oily, and the seasonings are just right.

Shuyu smiled and said, "This is my homemade mushroom sauce. It's great for mixing with noodles! What do you think, boss?"

Unexpectedly, Shuyu is so talented. The mushroom and chicken sauce that Yan Yunzhao couldn't make was accidentally created by her.

So Yan Yunzhao praised her wholeheartedly, and looking at them, he inexplicably felt a strange sense of relief, like "children taking charge for the first time".

"Shuyu, from now on you will follow me and learn cooking skills diligently, so that you can have a skill to make a living in the future. Of course, Jingming and Qingxi can also learn together if they are interested."

Yan Yunzhao said happily that after a busy day, looking at the three energetic grass spirits, he didn't seem so tired anymore.

Jingming was the most lively of the three grass spirits, yet also the most composed, truly the eldest sister. She joked, "I'm a bit clumsy, while Qingxi only knows how to eat all day long. It seems only Shuyu can inherit the eldest's true skills!"

Qingxi ate with great relish, only smiling sheepishly without saying a word. Shuyu, on the other hand, was gentle and mild-mannered, truly the most suitable personality for the eldest disciple.

The group chuckled and laughed as they chopped the meat into pieces and marinated it. After processing the ingredients, they all returned to their rooms. Yan Yunzhao sat on the bed, looking at the empty bed in the downstairs room. He felt a little uneasy, as if the room had suddenly become much emptier.

It would take Lou Su five or six days to travel back and forth by carriage. The thought of having to go up the mountain alone to collect ingredients for a whole week made her collapse weakly onto the bed, secretly praying that Lou Su would return soon.

Yan Yunzhao lay on the bed, secretly shedding tears. She had intended to study the recipes, but perhaps because she had exhausted herself that day, she soon fell into a deep sleep.

The bright moonlight illuminated the white, misty spiritual energy that enveloped the small house, making it clearly visible. The spiritual energy continuously gathered from outside the window to the top of Yan Yunzhao's head, only to be slowly absorbed by her body.

The next morning, Yan Yunzhao stretched comfortably and felt exceptionally light. He then realized that he had unknowingly broken through a level. He felt full of power, his hearing and vision were clear, and his internal magic power had become more abundant.

"Could I be some kind of cultivation prodigy? Breaking through one level of the twelfth realm so easily is far too easy."

However, in the mortal realm, what one cultivates is no longer important; the only useful thing is finding ingredients on the mountain every day.

This time, she went up the mountain to hunt pheasants, and she specially made a slingshot. Although it was not very flexible, it should be fine for hunting pheasants and ducks, so she went up the mountain full of confidence.

Two hours later, Yan Yunzhao, who had chased the pheasants all over the mountain, collapsed on the ground, completely baffled, and exclaimed that even folk remedies were not easy to imitate.

She sat by the stream for a while, looking around. The area was spacious, perfect for testing the extent of her current strength.

Yan Yunzhao picked up a stone, nocked it onto his slingshot, held his breath, and stared intently at the vital points of a wild boar a hundred meters away. He gathered his spiritual energy in front of him, released the slingshot, and killed it instantly.

She looked around to make sure no one was nearby before leaping forward and putting the wild boar into her Thousand Elephant Pouch. Pheasants were much more agile than wild boars, so Yan Yunzhao simply gave up on the idea of ​​catching a pheasant and obediently took the wild boar from the Thousand Elephant Pouch down the mountain.

Since this breakthrough in my cultivation level, I can see and hear much farther, making hunting much easier. Back at the inn, I'll naturally treat everyone to a roast suckling pig dish; some beer would be even better.

Wild boar meat is fragrant, but it takes a long time and effort to prepare. It took Yan Yunzhao, Jingming, and the other two a full hour to process the raw meat in the kitchen.

However, the most delicious use of wild boar meat is to make cured meat. It tastes great whether stir-fried or eaten raw with vinegar. As usual, I picked a good piece of meat, sliced ​​it, marinated it, and air-dried it, then hung it out to dry at the entrance of the shop.

She still remembered a dish her family used to make for the New Year in her childhood in the countryside: cleaned intestines, stuffed with duck blood or cooked noodles, and then roasted in a large pot until crispy and fragrant. She didn't remember the specific process, but her hands were itching to try it herself.

The dough is still kneaded, scallions are added, sausages are stuffed in, tied with string, and then slowly boiled in a large pot.

This dish is all about the smoky aroma from the pan-frying process, and you have to replicate this final step. Take the cooked intestines and cut them into small, even pieces, being careful not to spill the filling inside. Place them in a flat-bottomed pan, grease the bottom, and pan-fry over medium heat.

She didn't quite remember what the dish was called, so she came up with a new name that sounded auspicious: "Good Fortune Comes with Jade Noodle Sausage".

The pan-fried sausages are golden brown in the middle, sizzling with oil at the edges, and you can vaguely see the fine scallions. As soon as you lift the lid, you can smell the aroma of scallions mixed with the fragrance of the dough.

When the food was brought out of the kitchen, the diners were indeed curious. Most of them were regular customers who were generous enough to pay and take it away to try.

Yan Yunzhao said, "Please wait a moment, everyone. This dish is called 'Good Fortune Comes with Jade Noodle Sausage,' and I made eighteen of them to bring you good luck."

Before entering the kitchen, she counted the number of customers in the shop; there were eighteen in total, which was precisely the number she counted.

"The 'Turning the Tide' Jade Noodle Sausage is a traditional delicacy from my hometown. It's a pity that it's been lost. I've come here to recreate it for everyone to try. It's priced at fifty coins per piece."

"Boss Yan, isn't this too expensive? A bowl of noodles for me only costs twenty coins!"

"Yeah, yeah," everyone chimed in, but they weren't buying it.

"You all misunderstand. Since it is a stroke of good fortune, it is more than just a title. This fifty coins also includes the incense money for the Dragon King Temple. I have been working hard at the Dragon King Temple for many days, and I am sure that your wishes have been conveyed."

Upon hearing this, everyone seemed to reconsider for a moment.

This plan imitates Guiyuelou's style. Having heard that Master Bai raised prices, claiming it was to add incense money to the Heavenly Lord's Palace, she also wanted to add incense money to the Dragon King Temple.

The reason is quite coincidental: the Dragon God and she suffered the same heavenly tribulation on the same day, which suggests a sense of mutual sympathy.

After this incident, the Dragon King Temple gradually regained its popularity. However, since the Dragon God is in charge of water and wealth, it's unknown whether the prayers of the village elders for many children and blessings will be answered.

[Author's Note]

I've already mentioned this in the author's notes, but I'll repeat it again: some pheasants are protected animals, and wild animals cannot be hunted or eaten indiscriminately! This novel is set in a fictional ancient world; please don't take it too literally.

Summarize the personalities or characteristics of the three grass fairies [heart emoji]

Jingming: Lively yet composed, with the demeanor of an elder sister.

Shuyu: Skillful, gentle, and a good cook.

Qingxi: A foodie with a simple and honest personality.

Their characteristics will be further highlighted in later articles~