The refugees stood guard at the door, snarling, "Hurry up and do it! If you dare to slack off or try anything funny, you'll be sorry!"
Shen Qingtang nodded, looking timid and hesitant, but her hands moved without hesitation. She secretly took out a special seasoning from her space, first slicing the wild boar meat into thin slices, coating it with starch, and frying it in a pan until golden brown and crispy. Then she added a sweet and sour sauce, quickly stir-fried it, and a fragrant pot of sweet and sour pork was soon ready.
The rich aroma wafted out on the wind, instantly captivating the refugees guarding the door.
I couldn't resist peeking inside and saw that the meat in the plate was golden and translucent, still steaming hot. Just looking at it made my mouth water.
"What...what kind of dish is this? It smells so good!"
The refugees asked in surprise, saying that in their entire lives they had only ever eaten charred meat and mushy wild vegetables.
I've never seen such exquisite dishes before.
Shen Qingtang smiled and deliberately tilted her head as she brought out the sweet and sour pork: "This is called sweet and sour pork, it's delicious, you should try it!"
The refugees could no longer resist and rushed to grab it.
The first bite revealed a crispy exterior coated in a sweet and sour sauce, the aroma of meat exploding in their mouths. It was so delicious they almost swallowed their tongues: "Delicious! So delicious! Even better than roast meat!"
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Shen Qingtang quickly prepared five dishes and a soup: stir-fried wild rabbit, stewed chicken with mushrooms, stir-fried wild vegetables, and cold black fungus salad.
There was also a delicious wild vegetable and tofu soup. Every dish was fragrant and the table was full of food.
The refugees gathered around the table, wolfing down their food and praising it repeatedly: "Your cooking skills are amazing! You should stay here and be the cook, making us such delicious food every day!"
But as they were eating, the leader of the refugees suddenly realized something and looked at Shen Qingtang warily: "You didn't put something in the food, did you?"
Shen Qingtang immediately picked up her chopsticks, took a big bite of sweet and sour pork, and put it in her mouth.
He drank another bowl of soup, chewing as he mumbled, "No...nothing was put in it...I'll eat it...it's delicious..."
The refugees watched her eat with relish, and after checking the ingredients again and finding nothing amiss, they were finally relieved. Once they were full, they waved impatiently, "Alright, you can go back now! Come back and cook again tomorrow. If you can't cook something as delicious as today, see how I deal with you!"
Shen Qingtang nodded quickly, pretending to be scared, and walked back to the wooden house with her head down.
As she passed the corner, she quietly wiped the drool from the corner of her mouth, a cold glint flashing in her eyes.
At the request of the refugees, Shen Qingtang brought the carefully prepared dishes to the main tent in the back mountain, where a pale-faced scholar was sitting.
His blue robe accentuated his handsome features, and his long, slender fingers held the book, giving him a refined and gentle appearance.
But the coldness hidden in his eyes made one's heart tighten. Shen Qingtang recognized him at a glance; this was the leader of the Northern Desert's secret agents in the Great Jin Dynasty, and the mastermind behind the countless deaths in her previous life.
"Did you make this?" The pale-faced scholar put down his book, his gaze falling on the dishes, but he didn't touch his chopsticks. Instead, he looked at Shen Qingtang and said, "Eat first."
Shen Qingtang maintained her crooked mouth and slanted eyes, picked up her chopsticks, tasted each dish, swallowed them smoothly, and showed no signs of discomfort.
The scholar was still not at ease, so he had his guards taste the food. After the guards had eaten for half an hour and confirmed that they had not been poisoned, he slowly picked up his chopsticks.
Shen Qingtang stood to the side, seemingly staring blankly at the ground, but out of the corner of her eye she took in all the commotion outside the tent.
From not far away came the screams of a man, the cries of a woman, and the muffled thud of a knife falling.
Clearly, those who resisted had been killed by the Northern Desert people. She clenched her fists, suppressing the surging hatred within her.
After the scholar finished eating, a steamed fish was prepared again in the tent as requested. The movements were smooth and efficient, without revealing the slightest flaw.
The scholar ate to his heart's content and waved for her to leave, but he didn't notice the cold glint in Shen Qingtang's eyes as she turned away.
As night fell, a commotion suddenly broke out on the mountain. The refugees and guards from the Northern Desert all felt weak and could not stand up. The knives in their hands clattered to the ground.
He didn't even have the strength to speak.
They then realized something was wrong, but they didn't even have the strength to lift their hands, and could only collapse to the ground, their eyes filled with panic.
At this moment, a graceful figure slowly emerged from the shadows. Shen Qingtang washed away the disguise on her face, revealing delicate features and sharp eyes. There was no trace of her foolishness.
She stood in the moonlight, her skin fair and her demeanor aloof.
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