Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Cooking at the Post Station Lord Li whispered to Wang...

Sun pulled Lin Qiuran's hand and said, "Qiuran, look, isn't that Madam Yu?"

Lin Qiuran nodded and said to the driver, "Uncle, can you stop for us for a while?"

There were only four people returning by car today. Lin Qiuran apologized to the lady in the car with him. When the ox cart stopped, Lin Qiuran slowly got off. Madam Yu also followed with her maid.

Yu patted her chest and breathed a sigh of relief, "Fortunately, I made it in time."

Although the eldest son of the Wang family was the chief clerk, his family had no carriage. A carriage cost over a hundred taels of silver, so how could they afford it? Madam Yu came over with her maid.

At the end of today's banquet, Li and Wang Zhubu kept praising the food. Wang Zhubu also said that the prefect would come to the county town for inspection in two days, and the county magistrate was worried about how to entertain him. He thought the prefect might not be willing to go to the big restaurant, so it would be better to entertain him well at the post station.

The dishes today are very good, delicious and with many varieties.

After Wang Zhubu spoke, Madam Zhao didn't dare to say anything about the cook. This was related to her husband's future. Madam Zhao was more careful than anyone else and quickly asked Yu to find Lin Qiuran.

Zhao knew now and was getting anxious. "My brother's wife found him. How could we know where he lives? Hurry up and look for him. Maybe he can catch up with her before he goes far."

Yu was still angry. She said, "Sister-in-law thinks any cook can do it. She can make something out of nothing."

Madam Zhao admitted her fault. "Sister-in-law, I didn't give the correct instructions yesterday. I was wrong. This is related to the master's future and also to Yu'an County... Please don't take your scolding to heart. Madam Lin can give you more wages. That's all fine."

Zhao had already found a chef, and he also cooked according to the menu given by Lin Qiuran. If Lin Qiuran couldn't do it, he would take over. Who knew that Lin Qiuran was indeed capable.

Yu snorted. Only when her uncle was well could the family be well. However, she only knew that Lin Qiuran was from Xiaojia Village and was pregnant, so it would be inconvenient for her to go back since she was far away.

After asking around, she found out that there was an oxcart going back to Xiaojia Village at 3 p.m. Lin Qiuran was pregnant, so she would probably have to take this one.

After hurrying to the south city gate, Yu saw that the ox cart had already moved forward. There were four people sitting on the cart. Among them, the one wearing blue cloth was Lin Qiuran.

Madam Yu quickly asked her maid to call for the person to stay.

Yu took a breath. Lin Qiuran looked at her and didn't think there was anything wrong with the food. She asked, "I wonder why Madam Yu came here?"

Yu glanced at the driver and the lady in the carriage and whispered, "Madam Lin, can you please excuse me for a moment?"

Lin Qiuran followed Yu to the side. Yu lowered her voice and said, "On the first day of next month, the prefect, Lord Zhao, will come to Yu'an County for an inspection. I heard that Lord Zhao is an upright official, and the county magistrate is worried about how to entertain him. Today, my uncle tasted the food you cooked and it was delicious. I'm wondering if you would like to go."

If Lin Qiuran nodded, there would be no need to even taste the food.

Yu said, "If you're willing, I'll pay you four coins a day. Just cook some delicious home-cooked meals. It doesn't have to be extravagant, but it has to taste good."

Yu calculated the wages, which were already quite a bit. The nine cents she was paid for preparing the banquet was because there were many tables, sixteen with over a dozen dishes each, which would take a day and a half. Cooking at the post station only required one table, so the work was lighter.

However, if he went, he would only stay for one day and would not be able to do anything else. If he was only given one or two coins of silver, I think Lin Qiuran would not be willing to come.

Yu also did some calculations. If she went to the best restaurant in the county, a table of delicious dishes would cost one or two taels of silver, and that was just for one meal. But if she asked Lin Qiuran to cook, although the labor fee would take up the bulk of the cost, she wouldn't need to prepare the dishes herself, and together they wouldn't cost that much.

Lin Qiuran didn't bargain this time. Cooking for the prefect might take several days straight. She said, "Okay, just home-cooked food?"

Yu nodded. This was what Wang Zhubu meant. Lord Zhao was honest and incorruptible, and since he had decided not to go to a big restaurant, he should just keep it simple. If he got some delicacies such as chicken, duck, fish and meat at the post station, people would definitely notice, and it would be no different from going to a restaurant.

Yu realized belatedly that there was still a difference. The food in the restaurant was not as delicious as Lin Qiuran's, and it was more expensive.

Lin Qiuran said, "Since it's a home-cooked meal, I can still think of something else to cook when I get there. Madam Yu, should I go directly to the post station?"

Yu nodded and said, "Go to the post station, someone will receive you and you can be paid on the same day."

Lin Qiuran nodded. The county post station wasn't afraid of having her wages deducted. If she did a good job, she might be able to stay a few more days and save more money. It was great to have another job right after leaving the Wang family.

Lin Qiuran returned to the cart, which slowly made its way to Xiaojia Village. Sun and Xiao Dashi didn't ask anything, and the aunt beside him, though curious, didn't ask much. Why pry into other people's affairs?

However, she kept wondering in her heart, the lady who had just spoken to Lin Qiuran was well-dressed and seemed to come from a well-off family. Could it be that the Xiao family had relatives in the county?

After returning to Xiaojia Village, Lin Qiuran paid the taxi fare.

When they got home, Sun quickly closed the door and asked Lin Qiuran what had happened that made Yu Niangzi come after them, hoping that there might be something wrong with the food.

Lin Qiuran said, "At the beginning of next month, the prefect will come to Yu'an for an inspection. The prefect is honest, so the county magistrate wants me to cook some home-cooked meals for him and will pay him four coins a day."

Sun opened her mouth in shock, "Zhizhou!"

When these common people see the chief clerk, they think he is a high-ranking official. The prefect is even higher than the county magistrate.

Lin Qiuran nodded, "I have to go there on the morning of the first day of the new year."

Sun asked, "Do we still need to order the dishes in advance?"

When hosting banquets at Yujiazhuang and Wangjia, dishes have to be ordered in advance because there are many people and many dishes.

Lin Qiuran shook his head. "No need. Just say you want to make some home-cooked dishes. I'll just ask about dietary restrictions that day."

She can just cook any home-cooked meal she wants, but don't be fooled by what Madam Yu said about cooking a few home-cooked dishes. If it really was enough to just stir-fry a vegetable or stew a meat, then she wouldn't come to her.

They want dishes that look like home cooking but taste good, and they want them to be exceptionally good. Ordinary in appearance, but a deeper taste reveals something truly special.

Sun didn't think too much about it. She simply thought that Lin Qiuran's cooking was delicious and the things he prepared were quite useful.

Everyone can cook home-cooked meals, but if you want to make them delicious, you still have to put in the effort. Even though you spent two cents to buy those spices, you can see the rewards now.

Sun smiled and said, "Do you still have those spices? How about I buy some more tomorrow?"

Lin Qiuran said, "That's fine, just buy as much as I did that day."

There was actually some left, enough, but it was always good to have a little extra on hand, just in case. She felt that spices alone weren't enough, so this time, Lin Qiuran planned to make a stock.

There were still three days until the first day of the new year, so Lin Qiuran wasn't in a hurry. She had been exhausted over the past two days, so she went back to her room to rest.

Xiao Dashi had nothing to do, so he went to the river to fish. This time he caught two baskets of crucian carp. Sun Shi saw that there was not enough garlic at home, so she took four eggs, two rice noodles and some money to go to Aunt Yu's house to exchange for garlic.

Sun was very grateful to Aunt Yu. If it weren't for Aunt Yu's help, she would not have the job at Yujiazhuang, let alone go to Wang's house, and she would not even have the chance to cook for the prefect.

When Sun arrived at Aunt Yu's house and explained her purpose, Aunt Yu immediately went to dig garlic, saying that she didn't want anything, let alone money.

Sun finally persuaded her to keep the money and the things. "Just accept it. The eggs are worthless. The sausage is made by Qiu Ran. Now Qiu Ran cooks and sells it in the city, and he uses a lot of garlic. If you do this, I won't be able to come over next time."

Aunt Yu sighed and said, "It's not something expensive, and we can't finish it at home. We have two families, so you still need to pay for it."

Sun smiled and said, "It's not something blown by the wind. It's better to be close to me."

Aunt Yu asked about the vegetable business, and Sun said, "Business is okay, but it depends on fate. If my father can catch fish, he can make money. If he can't, there's nothing we can do."

Thanks to God's blessing, the past few days have been pretty good. Even if there are no fish, there are other things to do, and life is getting better and better.

Sun didn't tell anyone about going to the county town to cook. She had a good relationship with Aunt Yu, but she was also afraid that Aunt Yu would accidentally let the secret slip and cause resentment.

Aunt Yu: "Just take your time. How is Qiuran? Don't get too tired."

Sun didn't know why Aunt Yu suddenly asked this, "It's okay, no morning sickness either."

Aunt Yu whispered, "That Li Cuihua who lives in your backyard is such a gossip. She said she saw you go to the clinic a while ago and she said Qiuran's pregnancy couldn't be saved..."

This time, Sun really wants to move out quickly. This guy never says good things and you never know when he might do something bad.

What a bad heart.

Aunt Yu said, "Don't tell anyone about your money-making plans. She might get jealous. And you already have a grandson, and your daughter-in-law is pregnant, yet you don't even know how to be kind."

Sun returned home with a heavy heart. It was already dark. She fried three eggs for Lin Qiuran and cut the rice sausage she brought back.

Lin Qiuran ate a bowl of rice, walked around twice, washed up and went to bed.

The next day, when the two of them were leaving to sell fish, Sun gave them several more instructions, "Don't go out. If you need anything, go find your Aunt Yu. And if you see Li Cuihua, stay away from her!"

Lin Qiuran nodded. She was already an adult, so there was no need for so many instructions.

The Xiao family sold fish for two days straight, but on the 30th, it rained all day, so the three of them stayed indoors. Sun was worried about how Lin Qiuran would get there if it rained on the first day of the lunar year, as the oxcart would definitely not move. However, the next day, the rain stopped and the road cleared up.

Lin Qiuran brought Sun to help, and took an ox cart to the city gate. After asking for directions, they arrived at the post station. After entering, they were greeted by a man, the post station's cook. He had a round face and was slightly fat. He was not tall, and had a big belly.

"The adults haven't arrived yet. They said there are four or five of us, plus the guests from the county town, so we're preparing for a table of eight or nine people. If you need anything, just tell me. There's still time to buy it now."

Lin Qiuran asked, "Only for one day?"

The cook didn't say anything. It was the order of the county magistrate, Lord Li, to ask Lin Qiuran to come. He said that the food should be prepared for one day first, and if the magistrates didn't like it, it could not be used again.

Seeing that no one answered, Lin Qiuran did not ask any more questions. "Then I'll be busy now. I'll find you if I have anything else."

The cook nodded. He was paid for his job, and he was happy to relax and have someone come. It wasn't that he looked down on Lin Qiuran, but it was just that a young woman couldn't have any good cooking skills.

Lin Qiuran took a quick look and saw that the kitchen had everything, including live chickens, ducks, fish, pork, two pieces of pork belly, and two large bones, which were probably brought back when he bought the meat.

It was still early, and a cool breeze was blowing outside. In August, the weather was much cooler. The journey from the state capital to the county seat was tiring, so hot soup was a must; it was a pleasant experience at this time of year.

Lin Qiuran planned to make some pork floss first and then make a pot of dumpling soup, but ordinary dumpling soup would definitely be hard to eat. She said, "Mom, you killed all the chickens and ducks."

Lin Qiuran planned to add broth. There's a saying that goes, "A good cook cannot cook without rice." When it comes to making home-cooked dishes, even if you carve patterns on the dish, at best, it will only preserve its original flavor. Some dishes may look like ordinary home-cooked dishes, but inside, they're seasoned with broth, creating a delicious flavor that leaves a lasting impression.

The chicken and duck shanks were blanched in water, with scallions and ginger added to the soup, and then simmered over low heat. Lin Qiuran also made chicken floss to use for the dumpling soup later. The Wang family loved braised pork, so this dish was a must.

While Lin Qiuran and Sun were busy in the kitchen, the chef of the post station was standing guard outside.

It was past noon and no one came.

Lin Qiuran was not in a hurry either. The more time she was given, the more preparation she could make.

At two quarters past three in the afternoon, someone from the provincial government arrived.

The lord walking in front was wearing a blue official robe, accompanied by County Magistrate Li, County Deputy, and Chief Clerk Wang. There were also four others who came with Lord Zhao.

County Magistrate Li said, "Your Excellency has worked hard on the journey. The post station has prepared food. Please enjoy it first."

The prefect Zhao Jinshan nodded. He didn't like going to restaurants because it was wasteful and he was happy to just eat some simple home-cooked meals.

Magistrate Li winked at his attendant, who hurried to the inn's kitchen. When they arrived at the main hall for dinner, the cold dishes were already on the table: a simple dish of smashed cucumber and spinach with vermicelli.

There were eight people at the table, and Zhao Jinshan sat at the head of the table. County Magistrate Li said, "The food is rough, so please make do with it."

Zhao Jinshan said: "It's okay. Food is the most important thing for the people. We will eat what the people eat."

Everyone was already quite hungry after their long journey. Meals were served one after another. County Magistrate Li handed a pair of chopsticks to Lord Zhao and said, "Eat first. We'll discuss business in the afternoon."

County Magistrate Li did not order any drinks to be served because he had other important matters to attend to in the afternoon.

Everyone was waiting for Lord Zhao to start eating. Zhao Jinshan took a bite of the smashed cucumber first. The cucumber was sour and delicious, with a hint of garlic, which was just right to relieve the fatigue from the journey.

The spinach was also light and refreshing. These two cold dishes were common at home, yet they tasted delicious. Zhao Jinshan's face was no longer tired. Remembering County Magistrate Li's comment about the rough food, he couldn't help but say, "It's not easy to make simple food delicious."

Lord Li looked at Lord Zhao's face, not knowing whether he was really talking about the food or using it to plead with him. He said, "Sir, there was little rain in July. It only rained twice at the beginning and end of the month. However, the canals and embankments have already..."

Zhao Jinshan said, "Let's eat first."

County Magistrate Li ordered his attendant, "Go and hurry up and heat up the dishes."

It seems like he's just talking about the food.

Soon, hot dishes were served on the table. They were all Zhao Jinshan's usual home-cooked dishes: fried eggplant, fried cowpea, braised pork, etc.

It's common, but each dish tastes different. After Mr. Zhao tasted one, his eyes lit up. The chef at the post station is very skilled.

Finally, a bowl of dumpling soup was served. The emerald green leaves looked like jade, and the evenly spaced dumplings resembled pearls. County Magistrate Li served it to Lord Zhao and his companions, saying, "You've been tired from the journey, sir. Please enjoy something warm."

Zhao Jinshan scooped some with a spoon and blew on it. This dumpling soup was excellent and very delicious.

Drinking this just dispels the boredom of the car ride

Zhao Jinshan used a lot of food, and Lord Li noticed it. After dinner, he whispered to Wang Zhubu, "Let Madam Lin cook for the few days Lord Zhao is here."

The author has something to say:

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[Starry Eyes] Looking for nutrient solution~ It’s the end of the month, no more expired~

I have to take a day off tomorrow [star eyes][panda head]