Gu Qingshan lived up to expectations; even though there was very little prey left on the mountain, he still managed to bring back a pheasant.
Looking at the thin pheasant, Qin San Niang felt that was enough, since she hadn't originally planned to eat it herself.
As for their own people, they couldn't be neglected either. While preparing beggar's chicken according to the rules, Wu Chunhua was also asked to make large steamed buns from the leftover roe deer meat from yesterday, with the dough prepared in the carriage in the afternoon.
Wu Chunhua was surprised that Qin Sanniang had used some kind of method to ferment the dough, which made it rise so quickly and well.
Liu knew this; she had brought a piece of dough with her, but she didn't realize that the dough she was carrying hadn't been touched at all.
Qin San Niang: This is yeast powder!
Cut the roe deer meat into chunks, add some freshly picked wood ear mushrooms and tender leaves (I don't know what they're called), add the secret seasoning from Aunt Qin, pour in rapeseed oil, stir well, and it smells amazing.
The carriage was parked on the official road not far away. Several guards were still resting in pairs on the ground. They didn't need to set up tents. As long as their master wasn't cold, they could just make do for the night. Besides, the carriage was comparable to a one-bedroom apartment, much better than a tent.
Qin San Niang deliberately sprinkled a lot of spices, and with a gentle southwest wind blowing, the aroma wafted over. She didn't believe that this foodie could resist!
Sure enough, just as the steamed buns were ready, a young man in white robes gracefully arrived.
When Qin Sanniang saw him, she was truly speechless. How could he be so secretly flamboyant! On this journey of escape, how many people were dressed entirely in white? Not to mention wearing a jade crown, golden boots, and a white jade tassel pendant with auspicious cloud patterns hanging from his waist...
Looking at myself, even though I'm wearing newly made linen clothes today, I'm still wearing straw sandals! It's true what they say, comparison is the thief of joy!
Seeing Qin San Niang's dazed look, the young man in white felt quite pleased with himself. He thought his appearance was still admirable, and he wasn't ashamed of the adoring gaze. It seemed to be his due. If he knew what Qin San Niang was thinking, he would probably vomit blood.
"Madam, I had your roe deer meat for lunch, and it was truly delicious. May I ask what this is?"
As he spoke, he approached Qin San Niang, gathered the hem of her clothes, and squatted down, trying to examine the clod of earth closely. He wondered if this clod of earth was edible. Were these refugees so poor that they ate dirt? Although Guanyin soil was edible, eating it would cause mild discomfort and pain, or even death.
Qin San Niang: Well, this guy is a natural at making friends.
The young man in white, named Lan Yao, is the youngest son of Lan Que, the prefect of Dingzhou. He has always been favored. However, the Lan family's ancestral home is in the capital, and the rest of the family has already gone to Dingyuan. While the refugees rose up in rebellion and the Hu people breached the city, our young master Lan Yao was still traveling and studying! Only now, under the protection of the Lan family guards, has he set off for Dingzhou. He remains unhurried and unperturbed, no matter how much the guard leader urges him.
The head guard originally thought he had been given a prestigious job, after all, this young master was very much favored by the prefect and the mistress. He never expected that this young master was such a glutton and a troublemaker. He stopped thinking about the things that happened on the way. Now that they were finally very close to Dingzhou, who would have thought that this young master's gluttony would strike again!
Seeing such a polite young master from a prominent family, Liu and the others did not dare to act rashly, but simply kept a close eye on him from the side.
Qin San Niang gently tapped open the clod of earth, revealing a layer of leaves inside. Even through the leaves, a fragrant aroma wafted over, a fresh and spicy scent she had never smelled before.
"Wonderful! It's infused with Sichuan peppercorns, seasoned with sugar, soy sauce, salt, and other spices. Wrapped in leaves and sealed with mud, that's what makes it so delicious!" His eager expression makes you have no doubt that he's about to reach out with his devilish hand.
I knew this guy was a foodie, but I never expected him to have such discerning taste!
Qin San Niang really wanted to give a thumbs up.
"Young master is truly an expert. This chicken is called Beggar's Chicken. Legend has it that in ancient times, a beggar who had not eaten for many days obtained a chicken. Without a pot, he sealed it in mud to make it taste better, so that the heat would rise quickly, the chicken would cook quickly, and the original flavor would be locked in."
As he spoke, the silly young man found a rock and sat down by himself. The head guard next to him really wanted to cover his face and leave. "Sir, is this really okay? Do we really need this little bit of food?" Although the taste was really not bad.
"Now that you hear what I've said, it's truly wonderful. The name is just right."
The moment he sat down, Qin San Niang felt a little embarrassed about ripping off this foolish young man. She was just pondering his identity; he must be rich and powerful! "Is this clothing made of silk? Or perhaps even better? Aren't you afraid of getting it dirty? Snagging?"
Considering that the child was only eighteen or nineteen years old, Qin San Niang waved her hand and said, "If the young master wants to eat it, then take it back and eat it."
Upon hearing this, the young man's eyes gleamed with a light brighter than a cat seeing a fish. "Then thank you, sister."
Then he saw several emaciated, pale-faced children beside him, and said something to the head guard.
A moment later, a guard brought over a cloth bag and handed it to Qin San Niang. During their conversation, Qin San Niang learned that the young man's name was Lan Yao, and he was from Dingzhou. He was also on his way to find relatives. Furthermore, his family owned businesses throughout the southern region, with Zui Xian Lou (Drunken Immortal Pavilion) located all over the area. She wondered if he would be interested in selling her the recipe; of course, the price was negotiable.
Without a second thought, Qin San Niang readily agreed to the other party's terms. What a joke! Who wouldn't want three hundred taels of silver! Besides, she knew plenty of recipes and didn't care about this beggar's chicken. Moreover, this connection would allow her to get in touch with a young master from a restaurant—that was far more worthwhile than anything else!
He asked the woman to bring him paper and pen, and she wrote down the recipe in detail. Only then did Lan Yao realize that authentic beggar's chicken seasoning required more than ten kinds of ingredients, and the one he made under the current simple conditions was already incredibly delicious. If he could make it this way, his restaurant would be even more prosperous! However, the woman could write, although her handwriting was like a dog's scrawle, it was still barely legible!
"Young Master Lan, this is the recipe. As for the cooking time and other details, any skilled chef can master it by trying a few times. If you ever visit the South, I hope to have the opportunity to visit you again and explore further opportunities for cooperation."
Upon hearing that there were more ways to make it, the woman probably had many more recipes. However, Lan Yao could only take his leave at this moment. He still wanted to test whether the recipe was suitable and whether the finished product would please the diners.
Sure enough, the sons of wealthy families, even if young and seemingly harmless, are not the innocent blank slates one might imagine. Their words and actions are anything but naive.
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