Chapter 19: Opening a small kitchen. His eyebrows are like feather arrows, giving him a dashing and heroic look. ...

Magistrate Luo added only white coal to the furnace.

The so-called white coal does not refer to its color, but to its texture: it is as pure as black gold and burns without smoke.

Luo Songyan, who was a typical Jiangnan wealthy family, could only brave the wind and snow and watch the embers in the charcoal stove turn into ashes bit by bit.

Fortunately, not long after the lights were turned on, an experienced old man led the group into the city.

"Miss Gui, would you like to follow me into the guest room of the government office, or find an inn to rest for a while?" Facing the person appointed by Prefect Liu, he did not dare to neglect him.

"I won't bother you, sir." Guizhier is used to being alone.

However, after bidding farewell to Magistrate Luo, two attendants remained behind him, their heads bowed and their eyes lowered. Both were neatly dressed in camel-colored cotton robes, escorting the grain and fodder wagons, following orders and disciplining them, but otherwise had no presence.

Called an attendant, but actually a surveillance.

Guizhier felt from the bottom of her heart that Liu Shanyuan was petty.

The earthwork for making the concrete has been handed in. We can’t just run away just because he can’t understand it.

As night fell, Guizhier only needed to look up slightly to see the twinkling stars dotting the sky.

The gibbous moon faces west, casting a soft glow. The inn located beside the road becomes the warmest home for travelers.

"Ms. Gui, the master has already arranged accommodation for you."

The taciturn servant in the camel-colored cotton robe finally spoke at this time, and Guizhier took the horse and followed him.

There is an orange lantern hanging above the door to welcome guests.

The wooden signboard is engraved with the four big characters "Spring and Bright Scenery". Although the store is not luxurious, it looks simple and warm.

"Dear guests, it's so late. Where are you from?" The waiter came forward warmly and politely.

Gui Zhi'er was still thinking about whether to take out the green sign of the government office and said, "Come to the upper rooms. The government office is handling the case, so there is no need to make it public."

Before she could experience it, the servant behind her had already taken out the token and waved it.

"Dear guests, please come in." When the waiter saw the waiter's token, he immediately put away his smile and became cautious.

While calling for help from the shop, he took the reins and led the horse to the backyard, where there was a wooden stick with one end sharpened and driven into the ground, perfect for tying the horse to feed it.

"The name of your inn is quite unique." Gui Zhier said with a smile, "The other inns are either Lai Fu or Lai Yue."

In the center of the hall on the first floor, there are only a few square tables and benches.

It can be seen that the store business is not very hot. The stove in the corner is burning brightly, dispelling some of the night chill.

The waiter smiled flatteringly and said, "Young lady, you have really good taste."

He led the group upstairs, stepping on the wooden stairs, and the sound of his footsteps echoed in the empty space.

There was a hidden world inside the room. The bed was made neatly. Guizhier touched it with her hand and was surprised by the exceptionally soft feel of the bedding.

"Young Lady Gui, please rest for a while. The waiter will bring you food and hot water later." The attendant bowed and said, "I will visit the Governor's Mansion again tomorrow morning."

These two attendants, dressed in camel-colored cotton robes, did their job quite well.

There is nothing wrong with using cinnamon twigs.

Outside the window, there was the occasional sound of a dog barking, but it soon returned to silence.

On a night like this, Guizhier was already satisfied with just a bite of steaming hot food.

A dreamless night.

At noon the next day, after breakfast, the three of them went straight to the Jinglüe Mansion.

Jinglüe was an official position specially set up for border areas in the previous dynasty, mainly in charge of local military and political affairs.

Because this dynasty values ​​civil officials over military affairs, the position of General Manager is nominal and he no longer handles government affairs, but only military affairs, and his power has been greatly reduced.

Luan Shuangbai is not here.

The three of them then went to the training ground of the First Army of the Northern Border.

Before I got close, I heard a sudden loud roar.

"Let's compete. If I lose, I'll take the punishment myself!"

There was an unquestionable determination in his tone, and his roar echoed in the air, making the people around him hold their breath.

Guizhier looked carefully and found that he was a garrison commander.

His eyes were like two balls of blazing flames, staring straight at the opposite side, his chest heaving, and his breathing becoming heavy and rapid.

Opposite him was Luan Shuangbai.

The young man held a red-tasseled spear, standing like a pine tree. The sun shone obliquely on the martial arts training ground. He said loudly, "Let's fight for superiority. Stop when the time is right."

How dare you, a young boy, decide life and death?

The village chief was dismissive. Although a higher-ranking official could crush someone more powerful than him, they, the military generals, believed most in strength.

As soon as he finished speaking, the village chief took action first.

He also wielded a spear, the iron tip gleaming coldly and radiating sharpness. He took a large step forward and used the move "Dragon Exploring the Sea," his face ferocious.

"Come on!" Luan Shuangbai was not panicked. He moved his feet lightly, dodged like the wind, and the red tasseled spear in his hand also danced.

In an instant, the onlookers were dazzled.

Stab, provoke, and sweep.

Both of them seemed to have some skills, and the battle had both the charm of classical martial arts and the fierceness of frontier fighting.

Luan Shuangbai twisted his waist, retreating to advance, and the red tassel hanging under the tip of the gun fluttered with his steps.

Suddenly, he concentrated his mind and calmed his breath. The gesture of raising his wrist was smooth and powerful. The tip of the gun made a sound of breaking through the air, cutting through the air and leaving a shadow.

"Hit!" The red tassel danced and leaped like a raging fire.

The tip of the spear was suspended an inch in front of the commander's throat.

"I still refuse to accept!" The captain stiffened his neck stubbornly and said coldly, "I'll accept the punishment, but Major General, let's have another match this afternoon."

Luan Shuangbai wiped the sweat from his face and just caught his breath.

The soldiers watching laughed: "Captain, you've already done it three times in a row."

"Pfft." Guizhier was infected by the lively atmosphere and also smiled with sparkling eyes.

The soldiers looked back, all stunned.

The woman had a straight nose and eyebrows like feather arrows, giving her a dashing and heroic demeanor. She was dressed in a red robe, looking neat and elegant. It was unclear what her status was to have allowed her to advance so far into the military.

"Miss Gui, why are you here!" Luan Shuangbai jumped off the round platform in the martial arts training ground in surprise.

The soldiers made way for him and spoke in low voices.

"And he knows the Major General. Could it be..."

"General's wife?"

"I'm here to bring you food and fodder, as entrusted by the prefect," Gui Zhi'er greeted him frankly, saying, "I didn't find you at the governor's residence, so I guessed you were in the barracks, socializing with the soldiers."

Luan Shuangbai smiled bitterly and waved his hand when he heard this.

It was not an exchange of feelings at all, it was clearly a round-the-clock attack by dissatisfied subordinates.

In the vast northern territory, a young boy suddenly appeared from nowhere.

Who can accept this?

After several rounds of competition, his wounds, which had not yet healed, split open again, but even though he endured the pain, he did not dare to show any abnormality.

"Thank you for your hard work." Guizhier blinked lightly, "Since you are here, how about I cook a little something for you? We can have a delicious lunch."

Luan Shuangbai was overjoyed. He took two steps forward and wanted to hold Gui Zhier's hand, but then he realized it was inappropriate and quickly let it go.

His eyes were filled with tears: "Girl, the kitchen camp is now in your hands."

That bowl of fragrant braised pork rice has always lingered in his mind.

This scene caught the eyes of the surrounding soldiers and sparked another round of discussion.

"If it's really Madam, look how touched the young general is. I guess this lady from a noble family has come all the way from the capital..."

Everyone used their imagination to the fullest.

It was not until Gui Zhier walked into the kitchen camp that he understood why Luan Shuangbai looked at him as if he were his own mother.

White flour, steamed buns, a few pieces of meat, and stir-fried cabbage.

"The food we have at the Linghe County garrison is generous and filling. Although there's nothing fancy about it, it's definitely enough to satisfy your hunger!"

The cook sergeant gave a thumbs up.

These days, ordinary people may still have to eat twice a day, but the military has a lot of training, so at least three meals a day must be provided.

"Affordability comes first." Guizhier said with a smile.

She thought for a moment and decided to do something with the noodles. Xiaolongbao and pan-fried dumplings, one steamed and the other fried, were perfect.

Although it is called white flour, it is not pure white flour.

The productivity of Daliang is not high, and food depends entirely on God's gift. The yield per mu is low, so wheat can only be mixed with corn, millet, sorghum, etc.

There is not much meat left, which is just enough.

"Captain, please just cook according to the usual amount of food and be a little more restrained." Guizhi'er's strategy is to prioritize quality over quantity.

She took out her luggage. As a qualified chef, it was basic for her to carry some seasonings with her.

"Okay." The sergeant nodded, then slapped his head. "By the way, there's some mutton frozen in the ice tank outside that was bought at a low price. No one likes to eat it. If you can use it, just take it."

Guizhi'er was pleasantly surprised: "It can be used, it can be used."

The wild mutton in the frontier has a strong fishy smell, and generally only nomadic people can get used to its taste.

Guizhier has her own tricks.

She first observed that the mutton in the ice tank was bright red with clear lines, indicating that it was fresh and good meat.

"Sergeant, lend me your carving knife."

Guizhier's fingers flexibly separated the fat and lean meat, and then removed the fascia with fat in the gaps between the muscles.

Chop half of it into stuffing and cut the other half into pieces, then put them into the pot with cold water.

"Young lady, don't you wait until the water boils before putting the meat in?" A soldier interrupted curiously.

Guizhier shook her head: "It's best to use cold water to blanch the mutton, as it will take longer to heat."

She placed a gauze bag in the pot, which contained crushed cloves, amomum villosum, cardamom, perilla, etc.

"If you use hot water directly, the outer layer of meat will shrink, and the blood and fishy smell inside will be difficult to remove." Guizhier added.

At the same time, the seasoning she added also gave the mutton a unique flavor. As the milky white foam surfaced, she used a spoon to precisely skim off the impurities.

The soldiers were amazed to see that she could knead the dough and chop the stuffing at the same time, and they stretched their necks to learn from her.

"What are you looking at? Hurry up and put the buns in the steamer!" The cook sergeant gave him a slap on the head.

Just now he heard the head of the second hamlet say that he had received information from the squad leader of the fourth row, that this young lady might be the wife of a major general, and that she must be respected.

Guizhi'er was unaware of other people's speculations and was only concentrating on cooking on the chopping board.

She washed the white radish and cut it into pieces. She raised her hand slightly, and the vegetables on the plate slid obediently into the pot without even splashing water.

Next, she processed the carrots. The knife flashed and the shredded carrots were neatly arranged. After a few "swish" cuts, they were chopped into small pieces.

Then, she brewed the peppercorns with boiling water, filtered the pepper water and poured it into the mutton filling.

"Wow, what knife skills he has..." Several cooks were envious.

The kitchen camp has always been a place that recruits look down upon.

While others are wielding swords and guns with great fanfare, they spend their days huddled around pots and pans, figuring out what to do with the cabbages stored in the cellar.

Today I know that cooking can be so smooth and effortless. Two words to describe it - beautiful!

The white radish and mutton soup was bubbling in the pot, and Guizhier started to make dumplings.

First, use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a thin sheet, add the filling, and then pinch the folds one by one.

Small and exquisite, delicate and cute.

At this moment, a cook went out to throw away the rotten vegetable leaves he had cleaned up. "How is it, Madam? Can you cook?" a curious person took advantage of the break in training to get some information.

The news that the general's wife would personally cook to reward the soldiers had spread.

Everyone was whispering in private.

I heard that most of the ladies have never done housework, so I wonder if you will just pretend to do it and eventually supervise the work of the kitchen camp.

"Just wait for it to be snatched!" The cook chuckled. "I know how to cook it, but it's mutton."

"Ah?" The busybodies were greatly disappointed.

This is worse than not being able to do it.

Lamb is so fishy and smelly, how disgusting it is!