Chapter 81, the Fast Food Trial Program, has only one word, and I'll only say it once...
Erhu, wrapped in a thick, coarse cotton quilt, bent over and lay prone by the window opening on the watchtower. The window opening was small and square, just big enough to fit his large, bearded face.
The snow was still falling outside, and a lot of snow had accumulated on the windowsill, which Erhu tirelessly swept away. He had been like this since noon, and when he saw someone who vaguely resembled Madam Shen approaching, he eagerly pulled his face out and shouted, "Coming, coming!"
He admitted his mistake several times and got kicked in the buttocks several times by Hu Mazi before he finally behaved.
Although it was cold in the snow, it was also less likely to cause fires. This year, only two small fires broke out in the other instructors' quarters, but they were quickly extinguished and did not cause any major disasters, which was a stroke of luck amidst misfortune.
The watchtower north of the bridge where Hu Mazi, Zhang Liubao, and Cao Xing were stationed was not large. Usually, only four people were on duty there. The rest of the brothers were either patrolling the streets, guarding the gate, or being assigned to sweep snow on the Imperial Street.
Normally, there's nothing major to do, and as long as you can endure the cold and hunger, this job isn't too arduous, at least it's much better than jumping into ditches to shovel snow. Right now, they're gathered around a bean-guessing game, playing while waiting for Madam Chen to bring them food.
Cao Xing put his hands behind his back, grabbed some beans, poured them into a broken bowl, and shook it on the table. He glanced at Erhu, then leaned down and teased Hu Mazi and Zhang Liubao, "Quickly announce the numbers! The loser washes the dishes. Hey, look at Erhu, it's good to have him by the window. His face can block the window completely, not a breath of wind can get in, and the room feels much warmer."
Hearing the clatter of beans in his bowl, Hu Mazi pondered, "Fifteen!"
Zhang Liubao then reported: "Nine!"
Erhu pulled his face out, leaving a window frame mark on it. He turned around, scratching his butt as he said, "Ten!"
Cao Xing squinted and chuckled, "Too many pockmarked faces, too few six-year-olds, report again!"
Just as Erhu was about to speak, he caught a glimpse of something in the distance out of the corner of his eye, and instantly jumped up, peering through the window and shouting, "I'm done playing! I'm done playing! This time it's really happening! I see it! Madam Chen is driving a donkey cart!"
No one paid him any attention. After a moment's thought, Hu Mazi continued counting: "Twelve." He then said to Cao Xing and Zhang Liubao, "He has called for Madam Chen six times in this hour. He must have mistaken her for someone else again."
Zhang Liubao didn't move an inch and said, "Fourteen."
Erhu panicked: "They're really here!" He grabbed Zhang Liubao next to him and dragged him to the window. "Look! Isn't that right? Hurry up and get down. Aren't you that damned regimental commander?!"
Zhang Liubao rubbed his eyes and stuck his head out to take a look.
It really is!
"He didn't lie to me this time, it really is Madam Shen." He quickly threw off the bedding and hurried downstairs to get the food.
The ground floor of this watchtower was originally a warehouse for storing firewood, dry food, clothing, fire forks, water buckets, and other items.
Zhang Liubao quickly found the bowls and chopsticks that the four of them usually used in a pile of junk and stacked them together.
Just then, Shen Miao arrived.
The donkey cart was covered with a thick cotton quilt, and there was a stove underneath. When they came in, the quilt was lifted, and steam was still rising from it, along with a warm fragrance. Zhang Liubao couldn't help but swallow.
Six large bowls of food were neatly arranged, and there were two other bowls, one containing steamed buns and the other containing mixed grain rice.
Following the list written down yesterday, Zhang Liubao handed over the bowls and announced the dishes. Shen Miao, holding a large ladle, suddenly felt like a cafeteria auntie.
She first filled the bowls with rice, pressing it down firmly, then covered them with vegetables, giving each vegetable a full spoonful without her hand trembling. But as she filled them, Shen Miao noticed a problem: everyone's bowls were different sizes; some bowls were overflowing with rice and vegetables, while others were only half full.
The food was mixed together, with the soup soaking into the rice, which affected the taste. Over time, this inevitably made people feel it was unfair.
Shen Miao kept this small detail in mind and secretly pondered whether to provide tableware uniformly next time. Although the cheapest bamboo bowls could be used, the cost would increase.
If we run into Instructor Lin later, we need to have a good talk with him and come up with a solution.
After finishing her meal, Shen Miao retrieved the receipt, left the menu for tomorrow, and prepared to head to the next watchtower.
She walked from one end to the other, and then back from the other end to the beginning on the return trip, collecting all the menus from the soldiers. This way, she could know what dishes they had ordered and what their dietary preferences were. It also made it easier for her to prepare the food in appropriate quantities, knowing exactly which dishes to make more of and which to make less of, thus preventing waste.
She curtsied to Zhang Liubao to say goodbye, patted the donkey, picked up her umbrella, and drove off in the donkey cart.
When Zhang Liu escorted Shen Miao out, he was surprised to find that her donkey cart was quite different. Not only did it have an oilcloth canopy with the "Shen Ji" sign engraved on it, but even the donkey pulling the cart was wearing a carefully woven small straw hat and a snow-proof raincoat.
There was a bell hanging around the donkey's neck, and a specially made small wooden plaque hanging below the bell, which read "Loves Donkeys, Shen Shiyi Lang" and below that was a line of small characters. He didn't look at it closely, but it should be Shen Ji's address.
Zhang Liubao was dumbfounded. Whose donkey is this, braying to Chen Shiyilang?
As the sound of the bells on the donkey's neck faded into the distance, Zhang Liubao hurriedly turned back and found that no one had come down to collect the food. He angrily shouted at the top of his lungs towards the stairs, "The food is here! Do you all expect me to bring it up for you? Get down here yourselves and get it! I'm not some maidservant taking care of new mothers!"
"Coming, coming!" Erhu was the first to tumble downstairs, carrying his big basin and steamed buns, and also bringing Hu Mazi's share upstairs. Cao Xing saw this and scolded, "Why didn't you help me get mine too?" Fortunately, he had only gone halfway when Zhang Liubao handed him his food.
The four of them were finally able to sit around the brazier and enjoy their meal.
"This braised pork belly is so delicious!"
Erhu's first bite was of the fragrant braised pork with preserved mustard greens.
He stuffed a large, glistening piece of pork belly into his mouth. The fatty part, along with the skin, was steamed until incredibly tender and soft, without being greasy at all. The lean part, soaked in the salty aroma of the preserved mustard greens and the rich sauce, became more and more fragrant with every chew.
Even on its own, the preserved mustard greens are exceptionally delicious. Unlike sauerkraut, these dried vegetables not only have a unique aroma, but also become oily and tender after being cooked with pork belly, with a salty yet sweet aftertaste. Pour the sauce from the preserved mustard greens over rice, and with this oily rice, Erhu felt he could easily eat three bowls of rice with just this one dish.
"This preserved vegetable dish is really good. I'm not good with words, so I can't think of anything else to say. It's just so good, so excellent." Erhu said while eating the preserved vegetable dish in big bites and shoveling rice into his mouth.
Having eaten too much meat, he casually picked up a piece of stir-fried cabbage with vinegar, took a couple of bites, and excitedly exclaimed, pointing at the dish with his chopsticks. Before he could even swallow, he said to Hu Mazi, "The cabbage is excellent too!"
"I'll give it a try." Hu Mazi unceremoniously reached out his chopsticks and put a mouthful of stir-fried cabbage with vinegar into his rice bowl, nodding as he tasted it.
It was indeed delicious, crisp and refreshing, with a sweet and sour flavor that whetted the appetite.
White cabbage is a common winter vegetable, and Hu Mazi thought he was already tired of it. But the unique sourness made all the difference. The stalks were crunchy, while the leaves, soaked in the sourness, were smooth and soft. The vinegar, soy sauce, and salty flavors were all present in the leaves, making it exceptionally refreshing.
There's also stir-fried winter melon, which looks simple and unassuming, but it's actually stir-fried just right. The top is crisp, while the part closer to the melon is soft, glutinous, and sweet.
After enjoying a dish as flavorful as braised pork belly with preserved mustard greens, a bite of winter melon offers a refreshing aftertaste.
Everything was to their liking! Erhu ate with great gusto, finishing every last drop of soup.
Hu Mazi, too, after finishing his meal, lazily slumped there, holding the empty bowl in his hands, still savoring the taste of the food.
That Kung Pao Chicken was so delicious! No wonder it was a favorite of General Yue Fei! The chicken was tender and springy, with a slight spiciness at first, followed by sweetness. It was neither too spicy nor too sweet, which brought out the tenderness and freshness of the chicken.
The dish actually had a sour taste, which meant that vinegar had been added, but it didn't taste strange at all. The vinegar flavor coated the crispy peanuts, making them crunchy and fragrant. The carrots and cucumbers inside were also stir-fried to a crispness, making him unable to stop eating them.
Garlic turnips are also delicious. Each piece of turnip, cut into chunks, is coated with minced garlic and stir-fried until slightly crisp, making them even tastier than stewed ones. In particular, the strong flavor of the garlic perfectly balances the original blandness of the turnips.
It tastes good no matter how you eat it. Even though they are just simple dishes, they are very satisfying.
This is Madam Shen's skill.
She always manages to make ordinary dishes taste far better than those in other restaurants. She doesn't add any rare ingredients or use any unusual seasonings; it's just the same simple home cooking method, yet the taste is different, absolutely different.
Zhang Liubao wiped his mouth, let out a loud burp, and muttered to himself, "Although instant soup noodles are delicious, they get tiring after a while. It's so good to have a hot meal today. After eating this meal, even my hands and feet feel warm."
Cao Xing buried his head in his food, so engrossed in it that he didn't want to talk at all. After finishing, he even picked up the grains of rice that had fallen on him and put them in his mouth. Only then did he exhale and sigh with satisfaction, "I don't usually like to pour soup over rice, but Madam Chen's cooking is so good that I don't feel greasy at all. Now my stomach is full, but my mouth still feels craving something else, as if I want to eat something more."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Liubao suddenly remembered tomorrow's dishes and hurriedly reached for the menu: "Madam Shen gave us tomorrow's menu, let me read it to you... Hey, strange, it seems different from today's? The first dish is Jiangnan West Road (Jiangxi) Three-Cup Chicken Rice? It includes steamed egg and cabbage with fermented black beans. Hey, Madam Shen, could she possibly know how to cook southern dishes from various prefectures and cities? I suppose she learned it from the merchants who travel here? Last time I even saw someone selling tea from Hongzhou. Madam Shen is really amazing."
"Next is braised pork rice, with egg and cabbage as side dishes. The last one is stir-fried garlic sprouts with cured pork rice, with the same side dishes. But this time there's soup, a clear broth with pickled mustard greens. Which one do you want to order? I want to eat chicken from Jiangnan; I've never tasted it in my entire life."
"I want chicken too."
"Braised pork belly, I love braised pork belly the most!"
"Then I'll order garlic sprouts, so we can take turns eating them."
The four of them sat around the menu, their stomachs warm and full, yet they continued their lively discussion. Now, being on duty here, they felt a sense of anticipation because of the delicious food, and the days no longer felt so dull.
After delivering the meals, Shen Miao ran into Instructor Lin on her way back from patrolling the streets. She had already come up with a way to adjust the lunchboxes. After discussing it with Instructor Lin and getting his approval, she went straight to the pottery kiln and ordered dozens of square plates.
The plate had slightly upturned edges and a slightly concave center, and its appearance was similar to that of stainless steel plates in later generations. Shen Miao also asked the pottery master to make it with three compartments, which were perfect for placing dishes and rice, so that the flavors would not mix.
She will bring these plates with her when she delivers the food, and the customers only need to pay a deposit for the plates.
If you decide you don't want to order anymore, you can get your deposit back. This way, you won't be upset by the additional packaging fee.
Shen Miao has already planned to gradually develop this fast food business. In the future, she will rent a small shop to run a fast food business, separate from her small soup noodle shop. The fast food restaurant should ideally be located at a place that is about the same distance from most of the watchtowers and the central line of the Kaifeng government office. The space inside doesn't need to be too large, since it will mainly serve group meals. Renting a small room will be enough, and the rent shouldn't be too expensive.
However, it would be best to set up a few tables in the store so that it can still accommodate occasional customers who come in for fast food, but the main business is still takeout and group meals.
She planned to talk to Lawyer Deng in a few days. She would spend some money and borrow his connections in the yamen to ask him to introduce her to the clerks in the various departments of the yamen to discuss the group meal arrangement and see if it was feasible.
If all goes well, after the Lantern Festival, once the government office is officially opened, it might be able to expand the boxed lunches and group meals from the local militia to the Kaifeng government office.
This means she'll have to hire someone. But then again, she'll need to hire people at the duck farm anyway after spring, so this will solve the problem at the same time.
This fast food restaurant serves only home-style stir-fries, which are nothing special or secret in the Song Dynasty where stir-frying is common. Therefore, there is no need to buy servants; regular employees will suffice.
Shen Miao planned to ask Dwarf Toothbone to act as a go-between, finding her workers at the duck farm and a skilled cook who excelled at stir-frying. She would also hire two deliverymen and an accountant. She didn't plan to make her fast food restaurant too big; these three people would be enough to support her daily business.
As for the food at the fast food restaurant, Shen Miao didn't plan to cook it herself, but instead left it to the hired chefs. She would mainly be busy at the soup noodle shop. In the fast food restaurant business, she mainly controlled the daily menu and the quality control before new dishes were introduced—she would have the chefs make them first, taste them herself, and if she felt there were no problems, she would set the standards and tastes.
After all, this fast food restaurant isn't positioned to pursue the ultimate in deliciousness, but rather to be convenient, quick, and affordable. Therefore, if the food is at least above average by her standards, that's enough.
Shen Miao carefully counted her savings from the profits she had made during this period of business, the extra money she had earned from organizing banquets, and so on, estimating that it would be enough to cover these investment expenses.
Money hidden in a cellar won't generate more money.
In her past life, when she hesitated and was filled with worries, her grandfather often told her that to learn how to do business, she must first learn how to spend money. Only by continuously expanding her business could she make money and accumulate more and more wealth.
Of course, you can't take too big a step, or you'll end up making a mess of things.
Shen Miao felt that she had been quite cautious in her actions, and the business opportunities she chose were all well thought out. Where there is demand, there is supply. She had noticed these demands with the perspective of future generations, and she wanted to seize the opportunity to cultivate diners' dining habits.
People have a tendency to be accustomed to a particular restaurant's taste, dishes, operating model, or opening hours, and will subconsciously go there to eat often.
Her group meal model is perfect for those ancient laborers, artisans, craftsmen, and students confined to academies and private schools who can only eat in the canteen, who are too busy to go out and buy food.
The former is too busy to go out for food; the latter has no other choice but to order several times to try different flavors.
From the very beginning, Shen Miao had a precise and "narrow" understanding of her market positioning. Her fast food restaurant was not designed for ordinary diners, but rather for busy people.
The soldiers were one of them. Although they weren't too busy, they couldn't leave their posts, and there was no canteen. Most of them were unmarried bachelors, so their need for group meals was huge.
As for the Kaifeng government office, Shen Miao had been there several times to inquire about Chen Chuan's abduction case. She had observed that the officials were indeed extremely busy.
Especially the clerks in the government offices, they are the lowest-ranking and hardest working. They have no official rank and their salaries are meager. They rely entirely on "tribute" from people like Deng the lawyer to generate gray income in order to live a decent life.
But often, even this secure job isn't easy to hold onto, as there are many superiors who require them to show respect and engage in social interactions, creating a hierarchy of pressure.
This was all revealed to her by Attorney Deng during casual conversation.
Based on her observations over several occasions, most of the minor officials in the yamen appeared quite respectable on the surface, but only a minority brought their own meals or had servants deliver them. Most of them were not actually wealthy; some had to support a family of more than ten people, while others had two working spouses whose wives would take on odd jobs to supplement the family income; still others had mortgages.
Shenmiao's fast food offerings are good value for money and taste decent. Now is the perfect opportunity; they can start with the local militia as a pilot program, and then see if they can secure a partnership with the Kaifeng government.
If things go well, perhaps in the future we can try to talk business with the Imperial Academy and other government offices and start cooperation.
Even at the Biyong Academy where Ji Ge'er studies, the small canteen could implement this group meal model. If there were a small restaurant specializing in fast food, there would be no fear of being overwhelmed. Even if the distance was a bit far, they could simply deliver the food by car.
Therefore, Shen Miao thought that he might need to buy two more donkeys and two food carts. The food carts had to be designed to hold large buckets of food inside, be enclosed on all four sides, and be able to keep the food warm so that it wouldn't get cold.
Shen Miao had done this kind of work, supplying group meals to office buildings, in her previous life. Back then, it was easy: large styrofoam takeout boxes, covered with wheeled outdoor canvas trolleys, transported by truck to the underground parking lot, loaded, and driven away. In later generations, there are so many ways to keep things warm, there's no need to worry at all.
In the Song Dynasty... Shen Miao decided to find Old Man Yang, draw a diagram, and ask him to make a box-shaped food cart that could be pulled by a donkey to try it out.
On the way home, leading her beloved Shen Shiyilang, Shen Miao gradually came to terms with everything. In truth, this was the path she had taken to build her fortune in her previous life. Now, it felt like she was retracing her steps from a thousand years ago.
One, two, three, four… Counting them up, she realized she had quite a lot to do, and Chen Miao was filled with energy again. She liked this feeling: all the efforts she had made were converging on her future self, and she was moving forward step by step, making progress day by day.
It's wonderful to be a new version of yourself every day.
She was working for herself, so she didn't feel it was hard work, and she didn't complain. Every penny she earned was for herself, so what was there to complain about?
She was humming the song "Just one word, I'll only say it once" when she reached the entrance of Yangliu East Alley and saw Generals Yue and Xi arriving again.
This time, they were all leading large horses, dressed in riding attire to keep warm, wearing fur cloaks and woolen hats, clearly indicating that they were about to embark on a long journey.
Hearing the bell, Yue Teng turned around and saw Shen Miao. He cupped his hands slightly and said with a smile, "Before I leave, I'll try Shen Niangzi's cooking one more time."
Xi Feijing tied his large black horse, which was completely black without a single white hair, to the entrance of the soup shop. He turned around and said in a very friendly manner, "Madam Chen, please don't be offended. I've come to bother you again during the first month of the lunar year."
Shen Miao glanced at Xi Feijing's horse and thought to herself, "This should be a donkey cart." While mentally labeling the horse, she parked the cart and asked them what they wanted to eat.
Without hesitation, Yue Teng replied, "I still want to eat tofu."
Xi Feijing then chimed in, "I eat mutton."
Shen Miao smiled and said, "Then let's make Dongpo Tofu. Dongpo Tofu is pan-fried until golden brown, then stir-fried, and then stewed in a small earthenware pot with some torreya nuts. It's very fragrant, and General Yue should like it. General Xi, would you like to try the mutton soup? It's the most comforting thing to eat on a snowy day like this. Just put some scallions and radishes in the clear broth, simmer it on the stove, and dip thin slices of fresh mutton leg in sesame sauce. It's very delicious."
Both of them found the words tempting and agreed.
Shen Miao led the two generals into the shop and asked them to sit down. She then went into the kitchen to prepare the dishes, squatted down and picked out meat from the basket, wanting to find a tender leg of lamb to slice.
Inside the shop, Yue Teng was already seated and waiting, but Xi Feijing noticed that he had gotten something dirty on his hands while tying up his horse, leaving them covered in a black stain. Still somewhat particular about his appearance, he couldn't clean them with a handkerchief, so he went to the counter and asked, "Madam Chen, may I borrow some water to wash my hands?"
Shen Miao was already boiling water and cutting mutton when she looked up and replied, "General Xi, please come into the backyard."
He then leaned out and instructed Atao, who was arranging silk threads in the courtyard: "Atao, please prepare a basin of warm water for the guests to wash their hands."
Atao quickly put down the winnowing basket: "It's here!"
Xi Feijing said softly, "I'm sorry to bother you," and then lifted the curtain and walked into the backyard of the Shen family.
He glanced at the Shen family's courtyard with great curiosity.
The small courtyard was very tidy. The snow hadn't been swept away, as if it had been deliberately left out for play. A row of snowmen of all sizes were lined up along the vegetable patch.
As far as the eye could see, there were also many straw hats, brooms, and dustpans hanging on the wall. Madam Chen's habit of tidying things up seemed quite different from others, but the way they were hung in rows, with even the nails hammered in neatly, was inexplicably pleasing to the eye.
His gaze swept over the makeshift donkey shed in the corner, where the donkey that had just been pulling the cart was leisurely chewing on wheat straw, a name tag hanging around its neck.
Turning around, not far behind where he was standing, there was a small, frozen pond with unmelted snow piled up around it and a wooden sign with words written on it: "The frogs have hibernated. See you in spring."
He couldn't help but smile knowingly.
There were two dogs in the yard. One was huddled in the kotatsu in the porch, its two front paws holding a fat cat, and it was carefully licking the cat's fur. The other was chasing after chickens.
Something's strange. He looked at the smaller dog, puzzled, wondering why it kept trying to bite the chicken's rear end.
What's so great about licking a chicken's ass?
Just as he was wondering about the dog, he suddenly heard children's voices behind him. He turned around and saw a little girl in a red cotton coat whispering to a little boy of similar age behind a pillar not far from him.
The two children looked very serious, and it was unclear what they were saying.
Xi Feijing, who was always unserious, immediately leaned against a pillar and strained his ears to listen to even the children's conversation.
The chubby little girl lowered her voice and said, "Xiao Chuan, Liu Douhua and Gou'er outnumber us, and our brother is useless; he's already 'fallen in battle.' If we want to win, you have to listen to me. In a moment, I'll go out and lure them out. You hide here, and when they come in, after they've taken a few steps, you pull the rope to trip them up. Then I'll rush in and take them down in one fell swoop. Do you understand?"
The little boy nodded: "Okay."
Upon hearing this, Xi Feijing understood. It turned out that the two children were playing a game of "leading troops into battle," and he immediately became interested.
After saying that, the little girl tiptoed to a more conspicuous place to hide—she hid behind the chicken coop, with her back to the gate, and deliberately showed half of her head.
A short while later, two furtive little figures appeared at the back gate, presumably the dog and Liu Douhua she had mentioned. The two children cautiously peeked out from the gate and immediately spotted the little girl's hiding place. Their faces lit up with joy, thinking they had a chance. They exchanged a glance and couldn't wait to rush up and grab her.
Unexpectedly, the little girl and boy had already buried a rope in the snow. The little boy seized the opportunity and suddenly pulled the rope. Gou'er and Liu Douhua were caught off guard and tripped and fell to the ground with a "plop".
Seeing this, the little girl rushed out in a flash. Before they could get up, she used her chubby body to press them firmly into the snow. Then she shouted to Chen Chuan, "Little Chuan, come out and help!"
Liu Douhua and Gou'er were pinned down by her, struggling frantically, but they couldn't break free from her grasp.
Then, the little girl pretended to cut the dog's body, shouting, "The dog is 'dead'!", but instead of punishing Liu Douhua, she "kidnapped" her and whispered a few instructions to her.
Then Liu Douhua could only feign indignation and stand by the door, shouting loudly, "Zeng Biti, we've caught Xiang Jie'er, come and help us!" The last boy outside, with snot dripping from his nose, fell for the trick and hurriedly ran over.
He watched with his own eyes as the little girl truly triumphed over the odds, wiping out all her opponents.
So this is the Xiang Jie'er that Ninth Brother often mentioned; she must be Madam Shen's younger sister.
Xi Feijing immediately guessed what was going on, and at the same time, he couldn't help but feel a pang of regret for such a talented individual. He thought to himself: "At such a young age, without any formal instruction, he can already apply military strategy so naturally while playing with his friends..."
The children who lost were dejected and had no choice but to obediently give each of them a bag of candy. Xiangjie was overjoyed, grabbed both hands full, and skipped back, then generously offered to share the candy with Chen Chuan.
Xi Feijing had just washed his hands with the water ladle that Atao handed him, but instead of leaving, he squatted down, looked at Xiangjie'er, and asked gently, "Little girl, are you Madam Chen's sister?"
With candy in her mouth, Xiangjie turned her head when she heard the question and answered crisply, "Yes."
Xi Feijing then asked, "Who were you impersonating just now?"
Xiang Jie proudly tilted her little face up: "I'm Mulan! I'm a female general!" As she spoke, she pointed to Chen Chuan beside her, "Xiao Chuan is my personal guard."
Chen Chuan's cheeks were bulging from eating candy, and he nodded in agreement—he didn't care what his team was, as long as he was on Xiang Jie'er's team. Because Liu Douhua's team was always losing, they couldn't beat Xiang Jie'er.
He doesn't want to keep losing.
Xi Feijing couldn't help but laugh and ask, "So, what's your name?"
Xiangjie was very clever. Upon hearing this, she immediately stared at him warily: "My elder sister said that I shouldn't tell strangers my name or eat anything given to me by strangers. What are you doing in my house? What are you doing here?"
Xi Feijing, mistaken for a bad guy, burst into laughter. He then pointed to her hand and asked, "Can I see your palm? It looks quite large to me, and your legs aren't short either."
This child is dressed so warmly and is quite chubby, yet he runs very fast; he must be a promising talent.
To everyone's surprise, Xiangjie became even more wary and exclaimed, "No! My sister said that a young lady's hands cannot be shown to just anyone, especially boys. How can you be so impolite in someone else's home!"
Xi Feijing laughed so hard he could hardly breathe, repeatedly saying, "Good, good, good." After laughing, he continued, "When Ninth Brother comes back, would you like to learn our Xi family's staff techniques from him? After the New Year, Ninth Brother will teach you, okay?"
Xiangjie was stunned. Forgetting her anger, she blinked curiously and asked, "You know Ninth Brother? How do you know Ninth Brother?"
Xi Feijing nodded and said, "Of course I recognize him. Half of Ninth Brother's stick fighting skills were learned from me."
Xiangjie was still puzzled: "Then why do you want me to learn it?"
Xi Feijing countered, "Didn't you want to be a female general?"
Xiang Jie tilted her head, puzzled, and asked, "Can I become a general just by learning this?"
Xi Feijing laughed and said, "Learning this skill won't make you a general right away, but it will help you defend yourself, stay healthy, and avoid being bullied. When you grow up, if you still want to be a female general, you can have Ninth Brother send a message to Youzhou, and I will send someone to pick you up."
Since he recognizes Ninth Brother, he must not be a bad person.
Xiangjie thought about it carefully and replied, "Alright, but I don't know if I can learn it. My brother said I can't even climb a tree, so I'm afraid I don't have any talent."
“Your brother is bad at judging people. I think you have a lot of talent. You’re bold and meticulous.” Xi Feijing looked at her clever and intelligent appearance and also thought of his two daughters when they were young.
He chuckled softly a few times: "Let's learn first. Anyway, our two families will be one family sooner or later, so there's no harm in learning."
Just then, Shen Miao came out of the kitchen carrying a pot and poked her head out to call him: "General Xi, why are you chatting with the child? The offerings are ready."
Upon hearing this, Xi Feijing patted the snow off his knees, stood up, and said to Xiang Jie'er with gentle eyes, "Then I shall go, young general. Perhaps we shall meet again someday."
Xiangjie nodded while holding the candy, then suddenly looked up and asked, "Where is Youzhou? What if I want to become a female general, but you don't remember me? How will I find you in the future? Should I ask Ninth Brother?"
After a moment's thought, Xi Feijing simply took out a small jade dagger from his pocket and handed it to Xiangjie: "This is a worthless item, you can take it. But you are still young, so you can give it to your older sister for safekeeping later, and don't lose it. You don't need to take it out often. You can take it out when you want to be a general in the future. Consider this my token to you."
The jade dagger was only half the length of a palm, with the three characters "Xi Feijing" engraved on the hilt. Xiang Jie held it in her hands and examined it for a long time, but she only recognized the character "Fei" out of the three. She scratched her head a little embarrassedly.
"Then it's a promise. You should practice martial arts well and grow up well."
Xi Feijing smiled, his eyes crinkling, flicked his sleeves, and easily returned to the front to eat his mutton "Bo Xia Gong".
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