Chapter 110 Chicken Stew with Mushrooms, Fried Spring Rolls...

When Lu Zhao and Qingjiu had finished their meal, only four or five tables of guests remained in the main hall, but the Qiao family still had delivery orders.

When Qingjiu saw Zheng Sanhua coming to deliver firewood, he lent a hand.

"Thank you very much." Zheng Sanhua carried the firewood into the backyard.

Seeing Qingjiu helping, Lu Zhao followed to fetch firewood. Qiao Mancang hurriedly came over, saying, "It's alright for us to do it. You're wearing official robes; it wouldn't be good if they got dirty or torn."

"It's alright, it can still be worn after some mending." Lu Zhao has now gotten used to the simple life in the city.

With the help of two more people, the cartload of firewood was quickly unloaded. Lin paid her and felt sorry for Zheng Sanhua, saying, "Sanhua, didn't your shop hire people? Why did you have to deliver it? It's such a big cartload of firewood, it's too much for a young girl like you. Let a strong young man deliver it."

“I don’t visit other people’s houses often, but I wanted to talk to Sister Mianmian, so I came here specifically.” Zheng Sanhua put away the money and thanked Lu Zhao and his servant. “Lord Lu, your new house has a garden, and you can burn all those dry branches and fallen leaves, which will save you a lot of money. If you need any sawing tools, just come to my shop to borrow them. My shop has everything you need.”

Lu Zhao said "okay" and got ready to go to his shift. Qingjiu was still talking to someone, "Miss Sanhua, have you been to our new residence? How did you know we have a garden?"

"That's what Sister Mianmian said. She also mentioned a large pond that, if used properly, would provide enough fish and lotus roots for our family." Zheng Sanhua had never been there before, and she couldn't wait to find Qiao Mianmian. After saying this, she left.

In the backyard, Qiao Mianmian was still frying fish marinated in fermented rice wine. After being marinated in fermented rice wine, the fish meat was shaped like garlic cloves, making it particularly firm and with a salty and savory flavor.

Pan-fry over low heat in oil, no seasoning needed, just sprinkle with chopped green onions when it's done.

"Sister Mianmian, this fish smells so good." Zheng Sanhua went into the kitchen, sat down in front of the stove, and helped add firewood to start the fire.

“It really smells delicious. I gave you two fish on your coming-of-age day. This is homemade fermented fish, and you can even taste a hint of sweetness after tasting it carefully.” After washing the pot, Qiao Mianmian started stir-frying the small fish.

Because of my grandfather's connections, Qiao's restaurant had dealings with many fishmongers, and fresh fish were delivered to them every day. Over time, people knew that Qiao's fish was delicious, and more and more people ordered fish from them.

"Sure, I'll wait to eat." Zheng Sanhua said with a smile, then brought up Lu Zhao's new residence, "I just don't understand, Lord Lu already has a new residence, why is he still living in our alley?"

Qiao Mianmian said she didn't know either, "Maybe it's because I'm used to living here."

After frying the small mixed fish in the pot until fragrant, add dried chili peppers and soybean paste to simmer. Soon, you can smell the aroma of the sauce.

The two chatted and laughed until it was time for the Qiao family to have dinner, at which point Zheng Sanhua finally went home.

The day of Zheng Sanhua's coming-of-age ceremony arrived quickly. Qiao Mianmian took her cousin to deliver vegetables, and she also prepared silver earrings as a gift for Zheng Sanhua.

When they arrived at the Zheng family home, a large crowd had already gathered. Only after seeing Zheng Sanhua's coming-of-age ceremony did Qiao Mianmian follow her grandmother home.

Zhang held her granddaughter's hand and said, "You all have grown up so much. In the blink of an eye, Sanhua is a young lady now. Just now, I heard the Jiang family and the Zheng family introducing a son-in-law. I wonder if it will work out."

She glanced at her granddaughter and said, "Speaking of which, Sanhua is so capable. It's really unfair to make her marry into the family. Every family has its own problems. The Zheng family has no choice. Fortunately, Sanhua is strong-willed. It's good that she can take charge of the family in the future."

Qiao Mianmian felt that having Zheng Sanhua marry into the family was actually a good thing. If she were to marry out, how could the husband's family in ancient times allow their daughter-in-law to go out and earn money like this?

Moreover, Sanhua is indeed strong-willed, and it's unlikely that she would be willing to humble herself.

"Yes, I think it's a good idea too," Qiao Mianmian replied, before going back to take care of Le Ge'er with her grandmother.

The baby was a little over four months old, the cutest time of his life. Qiao Mianmian was playing with Le Ge'er when she saw Cui Zhi from across the street come out to pour water. She called out, "Miss Cui Zhi, I heard from Lord Lu that your roof is leaking. You can ask Uncle Meng to help you fix it. It's going to rain a lot from now on, so if you don't fix it soon, the house will be wet all the time."

"Okay, thank you, Miss Qiao." Cuizhi smiled when she saw Le Ge'er smile.

Qiao Mianmian simply carried Le Ge'er out, saying, "Usually, Lord Lu and the others are all out, so you must be quite bored, right?"

Cuizhi was a maid who grew up by Old Madam Lu's side. She was steady in her speech and actions. "Actually, it's alright. She does laundry in the morning and sweeping in the afternoon, so the days pass quickly."

In reality, the chores at home were finished quickly, but the master wasn't home for meals; sometimes he even took her out to eat with him. The courtyard was small, and by the morning the chores were done, leaving her with nothing to do in the afternoon, as the master wasn't home.

“If you have time, you can come over for a visit often. My grandmother is here, Aunt Meng next door is here too, and so is Sister-in-law Wang. They’re all very easygoing. I know Lord Lu is often away from home, so if you need anything, just ask someone. Don’t be shy. We all live in the alley, and we help each other out sometimes. Look, Le’er is smiling at you. That little rascal gets happy when he sees a pretty girl. Do you want to hold him?” Qiao Mianmian said, handing her little nephew over.

Cuizhi instinctively wanted to refuse, but looking at the chubby Le Ge'er, she thought she would only hold him for a while. After reaching out to take him, she realized that Le Ge'er was warm and cozy. "Qiao... Fifth Miss Qiao, please help me."

She hasn't held a baby much, so she'll be very nervous.

Qiao Mianmian helped Cuizhi support Le Ge'er's waist, "Don't be afraid, I'm here. Besides, he doesn't recognize anyone, he just keeps smiling at you. You don't know, the little guy is so fussy, he needs to drink milk every one or two hours. My grandmother has to carry him back and forth between the house and the food shop several times a day."

Cuizhi quickly got the hang of it. Looking at the child's cute face, she forgot what she had been thinking and a while passed by without realizing it.

Qiao Mianmian was good at chatting and even took Cuizhi to the Wang family to see Chen's daughter. The afternoon passed quickly.

She carried Le Ge'er home. "Grandma, let's go to the food shop. It's almost time."

Zhang closed the door and took her granddaughter and great-grandson to the food shop.

At this time, after the guests had left the Zheng family, Zheng Ming and Jiang Shi began to talk about the person Jiang Shi's younger sister had mentioned. "Your aunt said that the man's parents have passed away, and his older brothers and sisters are all married. He sells goods on the streets. He is a clever man, and he is willing to marry into the family, saying that having a large family is better than living alone."

Jiang thought that if a man could make a living on his own, it meant he was able-bodied and had no problems. Since it was a marriage arranged by marriage, she couldn't expect him to have a good family background. Besides, the peddler was eloquent and could help the family business in the future.

Zheng Ming had some concerns, but he couldn't make a decision yet since he hadn't met the person.

The couple looked at their daughter, who remained silent. Jiang asked, "What are your thoughts? It would be best if you could tell us clearly. If you're willing, then we can meet; if not, we can find someone else. Since this is a marriage arrangement, I don't expect it to be settled so quickly."

“Mother, it’s not that I’m dissatisfied with the person my aunt suggested, it’s just…” Zheng Sanhua said, biting her lower lip, chuckling, and lowering her head without saying anything more.

Jiang pressed further, "But what?"

"Well..." Zheng Sanhua felt embarrassed. When she looked up, she found that her parents were looking at her. She pulled her mother into the house and said, "Let's go inside and talk."

Seeing that the mother and daughter had closed the door and there was no sound from inside, Zheng Ming felt a surge of anger. "Is there anything you can't even hear from me?"

After a while, Zheng Ming saw his wife come out first. His curiosity was about to burst, so he ran over and asked, "What's wrong? What did Sanhua say?"

Jiang glanced back into the house, then pulled Zheng Ming to the backyard. "Oh dear, young ladies are so shy. Why are you shouting like that? Let's go to the backyard and I'll talk to you about it."

Thin-skinned?

Zheng Ming thought to himself that his third daughter had absolutely nothing to do with those three words.

The Zheng family was planning for Zheng Sanhua's future, and Qiao Mianmian went to the food shop and was busy again.

The customer ordered fried spring rolls, so Qiao Mianmian decided to fry extra so she could keep some for her own family.

"Mianmian, this is the Zhou family's order. Give them a larger quantity." Qiao Mancang came in with the order and, afraid that his daughter hadn't understood, added, "It's your fourth sister's eldest sister's family."

"Don't worry, I'll make sure you get plenty." Qiao Mianmian glanced at the order and called to her brother to prepare the fish. "The Zhou family ordered pickled fish. After slicing the fish into fillets, marinate them with egg white and cooking wine. Get a big one; this is the first time the Zhou family has come to our restaurant."

She didn't think much of it; relatives of relatives like this often came to patronize the business. It was a good thing that people were willing to support the business, and the Qiao family would always give them extra portions.

After frying the spring rolls, Qiao Mianmian started making sauerkraut fish. She didn't add anything to the pot, but first stir-fried the sauerkraut until fragrant, and then set it aside.

Heat oil in a pot, add pickled cabbage and dried chili peppers, stir-fry until fragrant and tangy, then add hot water to the pot to blanch the fish fillets.

By this time, the ribs had been marinated, and Qiao Mianmian used another pot to heat oil, preparing to fry the ribs until crispy.

After all the hustle and bustle, Qiao Mianmian was hungry. Once all the dishes were served, she took a fried spring roll to eat.

The spring rolls were filled with cabbage and pork belly, and also had shrimp and cabbage filling. One bite and the juices burst in your mouth. "Second brother and sister-in-law, you should also have something to eat first. If you don't eat something, you'll be starving when it's time for dinner."

Cao Yuan said she wasn't hungry, but Qiao Mianmian had already put the spring roll to her mouth.

"How could we not be hungry? We all eat the same things and do the same things. You must all be hungry." After finishing her spring rolls, Qiao Mianmian started preparing the dishes for her family's meal that day.

There was still half a chicken left to sell. At this point, there were probably no customers coming. Qiao Mianmian blanched the chicken and put it in a pot, preparing to make a chicken stew with mushrooms.

Unsold shiitake mushrooms are usually dried in a dry, well-ventilated place, then a handful are soaked in water. Once the chicken soup in the pot is bubbling, she adds the dried shiitake mushrooms in.

Qiao Mianmian also soaked some glass noodles; she preferred these side dishes to the chicken.

The shiitake mushrooms and glass noodles soak up the aroma of the chicken soup, making them easy to eat without getting stuck in your teeth, and offering a unique texture.

A large pot was simmering chicken and mushrooms, while eggs were being fried on a stove on the ground. Sometimes, if the chickens and ducks weren't sold out quickly, some eggs would be laid.

Qiao Mianmian kept all the eggs for her own family. She added scallions to the eggs, and with a few quick flips, the fragrant scallion omelet was ready to serve.

"Dinner is ready." Qiao Mianmian scooped out the eggs and, after the vermicelli was cooked, divided it into two bowls in a large bowl.

After the family sat down to eat, Qiao Mianmian went to the Wang family's house.

Madam Lin brought over a food box. "Hurry up on the road. Get to your fourth sister's before it gets dark. Don't wander around aimlessly, understand?"

"I know, Mom. I'm not a five-year-old anymore." Qiao Mianmian knew it wasn't safe at night and wouldn't linger on the streets.

As she carried the food box out, she noticed that Lu Zhao and Qing Jiu were almost full, so she took a special look at Lu Zhao's burn. Thankfully, it was just a small red dot, barely noticeable unless you looked closely.

The food box was filled with food. After swinging the spatula for a long time, Qiao Mianmian had become much stronger, and she didn't dare to stop along the way.

As she approached her fourth sister's house, she felt unwell, but when she turned around, she couldn't see anyone.

For two days in a row, Qiao Mianmian didn't notice anything unusual, and she thought she might be overthinking it. She even added a comment while chatting with her second sister-in-law.

On this day, when Qiao Mianmian went to her fourth sister's house again, she heard someone fall down in the alley behind her. She turned around but did not see anyone at the entrance of the alley.

At times like this, she wasn't one to be overly curious, so she quickened her pace toward her fourth sister's house.

Just as she turned a corner, a man suddenly called out to her, limping.

"You must be the fifth daughter of the Qiao family?"

"Who are you?" Qiao Mianmian didn't recognize the other person, but felt that the other person looked like someone she had seen before.

"I'm a relative of your fourth sister's family. I'm lost. Can you take me there?" Han Jianchuan had just fallen, but he had recovered by now and strode over.

Qiao Mianmian felt that the other person's eyes were lecherous and he didn't look like a good person. "Don't come any closer! I don't know any relatives like you!"

"You're too late to say that!" Han Jianchuan, seeing that he could grab Qiao Mianmian within reach, revealed a fierce look. "My sister was right, she really is a pretty young lady. If I marry you, I'll have someone to rely on for the rest of my life. You can't run away now... Damn it... You hit me... Ouch..."

Han Jianchuan was an idle man who often shirked his work. He was also not tall, only two fingers taller than Qiao Mianmian.

Qiao Mianmian sensed the other person's ill intentions and threw the food box at them. The other person was alone, and it was still daylight. As she hit them, she shouted, "Help! There's a pervert here!"

She continued to punch him until blood was streaming from Han Jianchuan's forehead before she finally stopped to catch her breath.

Just then, Lu Zhao ran over, asking, "What happened?"

"Lord Lu... it's you! This guy tried... tried to molest me. But he's skinny, I only hit him a few times, and he's like this." Qiao Mianmian breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Lu Zhao, panting heavily. "Where did this piece of trash come from, trying to take advantage of me?"

She was still angry as she spoke, so she got up and kicked him a couple more times.

Qingjiu, who arrived a little late, was shocked to see the man on the ground. "What... what happened?"

Lu Zhao's face was ashen. He didn't answer Qing Jiu's question, but instead asked Qiao Mianmian if she was injured.

"No, I'm quick and strong, he's no match for me. It's just a pity about the food I brought, it's all spilled, and the food box is all torn to shreds." Qiao Mianmian glared at the man on the ground, "Who are you, pouncing on every little girl you see? And you said you'd marry me, don't you even know what you look like? You should really be castrated!"

She did just that, stomping hard on Han Jianchuan's crotch twice, only stopping when Lu Zhao reminded her that people were coming from all around.

“It’s getting dark. I’ll take you to the Wang family first. I’ll interrogate this person myself; there are too many people on the street,” Lu Zhao said.

Qiao Mianmian turned her head and looked around. Sure enough, four or five people had stopped to watch the commotion. She thought that she hadn't done anything wrong and didn't know the man on the ground. Then she remembered that this was ancient times, so she agreed with Lu Zhao's statement.

Lu Zhao had Qingjiu take the man to the City God's Office, while he escorted Qiao Mianmian to the Wang family.

"Lord Lu, thank you. But why did you come this way today?" She remembered that Lu Zhao always went straight home after meals, and their house was not in the same direction as her fourth sister's house.

“I heard you and Sister-in-law Qiao say that something seemed off on the road. I figured it was the City God's duty to check if the road was unsafe, so I came to take a look.” Lu Zhao’s tone was still very serious. He escorted Qiao Mianmian to the Wang family’s door. “It’s getting dark, you can go inside now.”

As the sun sets, only a small part of it can be seen. Although it is an early spring evening, it gives people a warm and cozy feeling.

Qiao Mianmian: "You should go back quickly too. That man looked familiar to me today, and he even mentioned his sister. Although I don't know him, I have a feeling he has ulterior motives."

"Don't worry, once they're in my hands, there's no one who won't talk to me." Lu Zhao was very confident about this.

"You're amazing! As expected of the Commander of the City God's Office, with you here, there are fewer and fewer thieves in Lin'an City." Qiao Mianmian praised Lu Zhao without reservation. "Then take care, it's getting dark, please be careful."

She thought that even a handsome man like Lu Zhao walking on the street would be in danger, since many people kept male prostitutes in ancient times.

After waving goodbye to Lu Zhao, Qiao Mianmian went into her fourth sister's house.

She didn't mention what happened on the road to her fourth sister, who was pregnant and the matter hadn't been investigated yet, so she didn't want her fourth sister to worry about her.

However, Lin Xiahe still noticed that her younger sister had scratches on the back of her hand.

"You mean this? The food shop was so busy today, I bumped into it by accident. You know, our business is getting better and better, and I'm planning to save up for a few more months to see if we can buy the shop by the end of the year." After washing up, Qiao Mianmian hugged her fourth sister and lay down. "Fourth sister, it's more reassuring to sleep with you. It reminds me of the days before you got married."

When the past was mentioned, Lin Xiahe also reminisced. The two sisters took turns saying a few words, and after some time, they finally fell asleep.

On the other hand, Lu Zhao was only detained once, and Han Jianchuan confessed everything.

"It was all my sister's idea. She said that the Qiao family's business is booming now, and as long as I marry the Qiao family's youngest daughter, I will be able to live a life of comfort and ease."

Han Jianchuan was whipped twice, leaving bloody welts on his chest. "But my sister knew the Qiao family would never marry their daughter to me, so she made me force the issue. Sir, it's not my fault! It was all my sister's idea; she's the mastermind!"

Han Jianchuan cried uncontrollably, fearing he would die there; he had even wet himself in fright.

Especially the man opposite him, who had a handsome face, made his hair stand on end and he felt a chilling murderous aura.

Lu Zhao then asked who Han Jianchuan's sister was, and after a series of interrogations, it was already late at night.

When he and Qingjiu returned home, Qingjiu was so sleepy that she could barely keep her eyes open.

"Those siblings are really despicable. They actually tried to ruin Miss Qiao's reputation. If the Qiao family finds out tomorrow, they definitely won't let it go!" Qingjiu was furious. "Miss Qiao is such a good person. Luckily, she has some fighting skills, otherwise that scoundrel would have really taken advantage of her."

Lu Zhao frowned more and more as he listened.

Qingjiu was still babbling on when he arrived at the door. His master told him to shut up, so he quickly covered his mouth.

"This matter must not be told to anyone else, not a single person." Lu Zhao stood at the door. "Otherwise, it will affect Miss Qiao's reputation, understand?"

“Yes, yes, I definitely won’t tell,” Qingjiu nodded.

Lu Zhao then pushed open the door and went in.

By the moonlight, Qingjiu noticed that her master's face was terribly dark. It seemed that someone dared to do such a thing in her master's territory, which had angered her master greatly.

Fortunately, Miss Qiao was alright. As Qingjiu lay down, she thought to herself this and immediately fell asleep.

The next day, Qingjiu had just gotten up when she learned that her master had already gone to the City God's Office. She hurriedly washed up, asking, "Why didn't the master call me today?"

Cuizhi said, "I also asked the master, and he said he can go by himself."

"That won't do!" Qingjiu didn't care about anything else, quickly washed her face and ran out, only to bump into Zheng Ming. "Uncle Zheng, what brings you here? Are you looking for my master? He went to the City God's Office."

"I'm not looking for Lord Lu, I'm here to see you." Yesterday, Zheng Ming deliberately waited until dark, but Qingjiu didn't return, so he washed his face this morning and came over specifically.