Obtain beef

The next day.

Xie Zhuo got up very early; his eyes were smiling, and he walked with a brisk pace.

Seeing Xie Zhuo's change from his previous seriousness, Wang Qianxin was also happy: the young master is finally happy, and his life will be a little easier.

Before even reaching the entrance to the training ground, shouts could be heard coming from inside the training ground.

When the guards saw that it was Xie Zhuo, they hurriedly went to report to the soldiers who were training. Xie Zhuo waved his hand to indicate that they should not disturb them. He stood under the flag on the training ground and slowly observed the soldiers' training movements.

Today, the infantry battalion soldiers are training to chop down scarecrows; wherever their long swords point, heads fall to the ground.

The infantry battalion commander saw Xie Zhuo and said, "General Xie, would you all like to show us what you've got?"

"Good!" The soldiers were excited when they heard Xie Zhuo's name. General Xie was the most capable person here, and it would be great to get his guidance.

Facing the soldiers' burning gazes, Xie Zhuo remained calm. In fact, he was more skilled with spears and swords, but he couldn't spoil the fun with the soldiers' enthusiasm.

Chop, slash, block, cut... Xie Zhuo took the broadsword and performed a simple set of sword techniques.

"Good!" the soldiers exclaimed. Xie Zhuo's movements were too fast; they couldn't see the moves clearly, only the shadows of the blade.

"You must remember that the neck, chest, and abdomen are all vital points. You must strike accurately and aim for the enemy's vital points to strike hard."

As he spoke, Xie Zhuo slowed down his movements and demonstrated again.

The militiamen all stared wide-eyed, held their breath, and focused all their attention on him.

The tip of the knife drew a graceful arc in the air.

With a "crack," the four scarecrows lined up side by side were cleanly cut in half at the waist. The lower halves of the scarecrows remained fixed to the ground, but the upper halves had flown several feet away, landing on the ground covered in dust.

He chopped four scarecrows in half with one stroke, and the cuts were actually quite clean. How much strength must that have taken? But General Xie looked completely relaxed, as if it hadn't taken any effort at all.

All the soldiers had the same thought in their minds: General Xie is unfathomable!

"If you miss the first time, practice ten more times."

Then, the sounds of chopping scarecrows echoed throughout the field.

*

Xie Zhuo spends his days training at the drill ground, with a lot of things to do every day. He can only see Fu Zhi Qiao when he is less busy in the evening, so he cherishes every moment they spend together.

Wang Qianxin would come to pick her up in his carriage every few days. Fortunately, Yu Roulan didn't restrict her too much, otherwise she wouldn't have a good reason to go out every day.

Fu Zhiqiao frequently visited Xie Zhuo's courtyard, and the most shocked person was Ming Bo, the steward of the courtyard.

Every time Mingbo received Fu Zhiqiao, he felt a little uneasy. Reflecting on whether he had been negligent in any way, he noticed that Wang Qianxin was also very polite to Miss Fu. Wang Qianxin was the young master's confidant; how could he possibly treat someone so highly regarded by the young master with disrespect? He had already decided that he must be even more respectful to Miss Fu in the future.

Xie Zhuo had official business to attend to, but he didn't want Fu Zhiqiao to leave. He set up a soft couch for Fu Zhiqiao not far from his desk, and worried that she would be bored, he even brought over a lot of storybooks.

With Fu Zhi Qiao around, Xie Zhuo didn't find his work boring. He would glance at her from time to time, and he felt content as long as he could be under the same roof with her.

The two shared a room, but Xie Zhuo never overstepped the bounds and acted very properly. It was Fu Zhi Qiao who always made unwanted advances. At first, Xie Zhuo would remain unmoved, but later he just let her be, since he quite liked her anyway.

As they spent more time together, Xie Zhuo gradually became more thick-skinned and no longer blushed easily.

After visiting many times, Fu Zhiqiao learned Xie Zhuo's identity: the only legitimate son of the Duan Prince's Mansion, and the future Duan Prince.

Since they met, Fu Zhi Qiao had never inquired about his background. She knew that Xie Zhuo's family background might be extraordinary, but she did not expect him to be so distinguished.

Upon hearing Xie Zhuo's admission, Fu Zhi Qiao gasped and remained speechless for a long time.

If she had known she had such a powerful patron by her side, why would she have bothered asking Xu Shangqiang to act as a go-between? This thought flashed through her mind for only a second before she dismissed it. She was more worried. It wasn't that she was underestimating herself; it was simply that the hierarchy in the Great Wei was extremely strict, and the difference in status between her and Xie Zhuo was too great. This left her no time to dwell on it…

Xie Zhuo thought she was angry that he had concealed his identity, so he coughed lightly and said, "I didn't mean to hide it."

"I'm not blaming you."

The young master, disregarding his own safety, shielded her from harm and escorted her to Black Tiger Mountain... Recalling the previous scenes, Fu Zhi Qiao felt a little ashamed, as if she had done nothing for him.

Xie Zhuo was good to her, and she wanted to repay him in kind.

Xie Zhuo visibly lost weight as he led a group of militiamen with no martial arts skills in training every day.

Fu Zhiqiao went to Wang Qianxin to ask about the situation.

In just one month, Xie Zhuo had to train these civilians with no martial arts background to be ready for battle. The pressure was immense. In addition, the army camp served communal meals, and although he didn't complain about the taste, he really didn't have much of an appetite.

After Fu Zhi Qiao found out, she stayed at home and studied cooking with Xiao Yue to feed Xie Zhuo. Every time she came to Xie Zhuo's place, she would bring soup and food that had been stewed in the mansion.

Naturally, the matter of cooking for a man outside the family had to be kept secret from Yu Roulan, so Fu Zhiqiao directed Xiaoyue to cook in her own small kitchen. After a few times, she unexpectedly discovered that Xiaoyue had a talent for cooking. Many things that other cooks didn't understand, Xiaoyue grasped immediately. After hearing her explanation, Xiaoyue could make the dishes taste pretty close to the original.

Someone from the manor reported that there was an old ox that was too old to work in the fields, and it wouldn't be good to keep it on the manor to eat its food.

Slaughtering a draft ox without permission is a crime punishable by imprisonment, but it is permissible to slaughter an old ox that is no longer able to work. After reporting the incident to the authorities, the villagers slaughtered the old ox!

The old ox was originally a draft animal and was well-fed. After slaughtering, it yielded four or five hundred catties of meat. Wenjiang sent several dozen catties to the Fu residence, and the rest was stored in the manor's ice cellar.

Four large, intact pieces of beef shank. Fu Zhi Qiao planned to use these pieces to make braised beef, as she hadn't tasted beef for over a year.

The star anise, cinnamon, fennel seeds, and Sichuan peppercorns were leftover from her previous braised pork. She made some minor modifications, added some spices, stuffed them into a muslin bag, and started making braised beef.

She prepared the ingredients herself, and Xiaoyue took care of the rest of the steps.

"Xiaoyue!"

When Xiaoyue heard the girl call her, she quickly replied, "What can I do for you, Miss?"

Fu Zhiqiao pointed to the beef.

As usual, Fu Zhi Qiao directed Xiao Yue to do the work: soaking the meat in water to remove blood, blanching it to skim off the foam, adding seasonings...

"Remember, bring it to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat for two hours. After it's done, don't take it out. Skim off the oil from the broth, let the beef soak in the broth for an hour, then take it out and drain it."

Because it was from an older cow, the meat was coarser, so it needed to be stewed in a pot for a full two hours. Slow stewing over low heat would bring out the best flavor. The stewed beef would then soak in the broth overnight to fully absorb the flavor. After explaining the steps and precautions to Xiaoyue, Fu Zhiqiao left the kitchen.

After Fu Zhi Qiao left, a cook came in and looked at the pot of dark soup. "Is this...is this edible?"

"Yes!" Xiaoyue had no doubt whatsoever; nothing her daughter made was ever bad.

The pot was bubbling away, the dark brown sauce had soaked into the meat, and it was emitting a strong aroma.

The braised beef was ready the next day.

The beef was rich in flavor and had a glossy, oily sheen. The sliced ​​beef, after being marinated, was arranged on a plate, with the tendons and meat interwoven in distinct layers. Fu Zhi Qiao ate two slices to satisfy her craving and left a plate for herself and Yu Rou Lan.

The remaining braised beef was packed into a food box and brought to Xie Zhuo.

Uncle Ming opened the door for her: "Miss Fu, the young master is already waiting for you."

Upon hearing this, Yinxing's eyes widened, and she stammered, "Miss, weren't we here to see Young Master Zhao Xie? Why did that person just mention 'Young Master'?"

"Yes, Young Master Xie is the heir."

In the past, Wang Qianxin would personally pick up Fu Zhiqiao when she came over. Today was the first time she brought Yinxing to visit. The title "Young Master" almost scared Yinxing to death.

Ginkgo was so frightened that her face changed color, and she was completely stunned. It took her a long time to come to her senses. Seeing that Fu Zhi Qiao was about to walk ahead, she hurriedly followed. She dared not wander around the young master's courtyard on her own; it was better to stay by the young lady's side.

Fu Zhi Qiao advised her: "Just keep his identity in mind. As long as he doesn't explicitly state his identity, you should still address him as Young Master Xie as usual."

Ginkgo nodded, indicating that she understood.

Since Yinxing couldn't enter the study, she handed the food box to Fu Zhiqiao.

When Fu Zhiqiao entered, Xie Zhuo was still handling official business. He lowered his eyes slightly to look at the documents, and the evening light shone on his face, outlining his profile as exquisitely as if it had been carved by a knife.

Letting the woman's gaze roam freely over his face, Xie Zhuo's eyes flickered with a hint of a smile. When he looked at Fu Zhi Qiao, his eyes seemed to hold a sky full of stars, captivating all who looked into them.

Looking at the food box in Fu Zhiqiao's hand, he didn't show any particular emotion on his face, but he was secretly delighted.

Fu Zhi Qiao opened the food box and took out the beef. The strong aroma made Xie Zhuo's stomach rumble. He asked Fu Zhi Qiao with some surprise, "Is it beef?"

Xie Zhuo came from a noble family and had naturally eaten beef before, but this was the first time he had ever seen beef this dark in color.

"Try it quickly."

Xie Zhuo picked up a piece with his chopsticks. The beef tendon was chewy, and the beef was tender. Both melted in his mouth at the same time, with a rich and savory flavor. The more he chewed, the more fragrant it became. Every bite was an ultimate enjoyment!

"Is it tasty?"

"Delicious! Even the imperial chefs in the palace can't make this delicious beef!" Xie Zhuo had never eaten such delicious beef before. One slice wasn't enough for him, and in no time, he had devoured a whole plate of braised beef.

When Wang Qianxin came in, the lingering aroma of beef in the air wafted into his nostrils, making him incredibly hungry. He stared longingly at the food box, and Fu Zhiqiao found it amusing: "There's another dish inside for you."

Wang Qianxin's eyes widened in disbelief: "Thank you, Miss Fu!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he felt a thorn in his side.

Xie Zhuo glanced at him, his eyes like they held a knife.

Wang Qianxin immediately tensed up to protect the food box, secretly swallowing hard: "Young Master, this is from Miss Fu!"

Did I say anything? Look at you, so pathetic!

Xie Zhuo turned his head away, no longer looking at Wang Qianxin's sycophantic manner.