Chapter 89 The First Signs of Crisis in Pumpkin Pancakes
The earthenware jar filled with stinky vinegar in the corner of the yard had been sitting there for three whole months, and it was finally time to taste it. Lin Yao lifted the jar, and a burst of sour smell immediately wafted out, carrying a peculiar aroma that slowly spread throughout the yard.
The vinegar in the jar was a light brown color, with a thin layer of rice film floating on the surface, and the rice grains at the bottom were all swollen from soaking. Lin Yao scooped up a spoonful, and the vinegar dripped down the side of the spoon. The sour smell was mixed with a bit of a foul odor, which made people want to "keep away".
Just like Wang Xiaoyu and the others at this moment, they all hid in the kitchen and were unwilling to go near.
Wang Xiaoyu covered her nose and mumbled, "This smell is even stronger than a latrine. Why does Master like this?"
Ah Zhu was eating the steamed meat roll that Zhao Niangzi had just made, but now, smelling this, he couldn't even swallow the meat roll: "The shopkeeper said the other day that this vinegar can stimulate the appetite, but now, smelling this, I can't eat anything at all."
They weren't making a fuss about keeping their conversation quiet from Lin Yao, so she overheard everything. It seemed people weren't very accepting of "stinky vinegar," but that was understandable; it was like fermented mung bean juice in Beijing—its appeal was limited. Lin Yao thought for a moment and decided to change the name on the menu from "stinky vinegar" to its alternative name—"longevity vinegar."
In ancient times, people generally did not live long lives, and longevity was a deep-seated wish in everyone's heart. Lin Yao chose this name precisely to attract everyone's attention, and at the same time, she also instructed everyone to inform guests in advance about the characteristics of the "Longevity Vinegar" flavor.
The renamed "Longevity Vinegar" was served in a small celadon bowl by Lin Yao and placed on the display shelf at the entrance of the shop. Next to it was a red paper with the words "Fine Grains and Fine Wine, Promotes Longevity".
Just then, an old man carrying a load on a shoulder pole passed by. He glanced at the words on the red paper and paused, asking, "What kind of rare thing is this longevity vinegar?"
Following Lin Yao's instructions, Ah Zhu replied, "Sir, this vinegar is made by fermenting fine grains for three months. It smells a bit strange, but it tastes refreshingly sour. Drinking it regularly can strengthen the spleen, aid digestion, and bring good fortune and longevity."
The old man hesitated, stroking his beard, before finally entering the shop and pulling out two copper coins: "Give me half a bowl to try." As soon as Ah Zhu handed him the vinegar, the old man took a small sip, his brow furrowing sharply. Ah Zhu expected a scolding, but instead, the old man smacked his lips, took a large gulp, wiped his mouth, and laughed: "This flavor is strong, but it has a unique kick that other vinegars don't have! Not bad!"
As they were talking, there was another commotion at the door. A woman dressed in silk was helped by her maid as she walked by. Upon smelling the odor, she covered her nose and exclaimed, "What is this stinky stuff? Get away from it!" The maid quickly protected her and moved around to the side. Before leaving, the maid glared at Lin Yao, who was fiddling with the "longevity vinegar" at the door, as if she had been offended.
By the time the sun was high in the sky, only a small portion of the vinegar on the shelf had been sold, and most of the buyers were middle-aged and elderly people attracted by the word "longevity." Indeed, "longevity vinegar" can only cater to a niche market.
Although Lin Yao was a little disappointed with the result, she quickly adjusted. After all, different regions have different customs and people are different, and it's normal that people from Jiangnan are not used to the food from Lingnan.
But to say she wasn't sad at all would be a lie. Lin Yao left the restaurant, bought a pumpkin, and planned to go to the martial arts school to make pumpkin pancakes with the children to relax.
When Lin Yao walked into the martial arts school carrying a heavy pumpkin, Xu Zhiheng didn't come over to help her take the basket as usual. She walked towards the training ground, and Jin Yu saw her and hurriedly ran over to take the basket from her back.
Lin Yao loosened her back, which was a little sore from being pressed by the pumpkin, and looked around. Not only was Xu Zhiheng not there, but Lu Dazhi was also nowhere to be seen. She asked, "Why are you all alone?"
Just as Jin Yu was about to answer, a familiar voice came from above Lin Yao's head: "It's not just him, there's me too."
Lin Yao looked up and saw Bai Yi eating peaches on the tree.
He jumped down from the tree, dusted himself off, and said, "Aheng's merchant ship ran into some trouble, and he took some men to demand an explanation." Seeing the pumpkin Jin Yu was carrying, his eyes lit up, and he excitedly asked, "What's this pumpkin for?"
"Pumpkin pancakes." Lin Yao was a little disappointed that Xu Zhiheng wasn't there. He was such a great helper, not only hardworking but also very pleasing to the eye.
"Pumpkin pancakes?" Bai Yi's eyes lit up even more. He took a few steps closer to the basket and poked the round pumpkin. "How can this thing be made into pancakes?"
Jin Yu shook his head and sighed, "Young Master Bai, is this your first time seeing a pumpkin?"
Bai Yi nodded: "But I've eaten pumpkin porridge."
Lin Yao chose a handy knife and prepared to cut the pumpkin: "After peeling and steaming this pumpkin, knead it with flour, and fry it until it's crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and sweet." She turned to Jin Yu and said, "Go and get the big basin from the kitchen, and boil some water."
Jin Yu responded and ran off, but Bai Yi wasn't going to sit idle: "I'll peel it!" He took the knife and practiced peeling the pumpkin for a long time, eventually getting a peel so thick it could be eaten as a vegetable.
Lin Yao shook her head as she watched, then took the knife and began to process the pumpkin again: "Let me do it. Otherwise, you'll end up peeling the pumpkin so much that there's hardly any flesh left." She moved swiftly, the knife cutting along the pumpkin skin to reveal the orange-yellow flesh inside.
Bai Yi reached out and pinched a piece of pumpkin, stuffing it into his mouth. The taste on his tongue was surprisingly sweet: "It tastes good even raw!"
"Be careful not to get an upset stomach." Lin Yao cut the peeled pumpkin into chunks and put them into the wooden basin that Jin Yu brought over. "Steam it until it's cooked through, and remember to mash it into a puree several times."
Just as Jin Yu brought the pumpkin into the kitchen, several teenagers ran over from the schoolyard, chattering around Lin Yao: "Sister Lin, what delicious food are you making today?" "Is it red bean buns?"
Lin Yao took out a few maltose candies from her cloth bag and gave them to them: "We're making pumpkin pancakes today. Whoever kneads the dough well can have an extra piece."
The children cheered and dispersed.
Soon, the sweet aroma of pumpkin wafted from the kitchen. Jin Yu brought out the steamed pumpkin puree, and the children eagerly wanted to knead the dough, resulting in flour flying all over their faces, which made Lin Yao laugh.
Once the dough was pinched into small pieces, flattened, and placed into the hot oil, the sweet aroma mixed with the fragrance of oil filled the entire martial arts hall. Bai Yi stood by the stove, holding a pair of chopsticks, eager to try it out: "Is it cooked yet?" His eagerness made several children impatient as well, with Song Mi and Lin Song each clinging to one of Lin Yao's legs and acting coquettishly.
"Greedy cats." Lin Yao picked up the first batch of pumpkin pancakes she had made, drained the oil, and handed them to them. "Let them cool down before you eat."
The child held the piping hot pumpkin pancake, breathing on it as he took small bites.
As Bai Yi ate the pumpkin cake, the soft outer layer mixed with the smooth filling and the perfect sweetness made him exclaim, "Delicious! Ah Heng will definitely regret missing it when he gets back."
Seeing everyone's satisfied expressions, Lin Yao's initial disappointment vanished. The children's chatter around the stove, mingled with the sweet aroma of pumpkin, made her feel warm and cozy all over.
As dusk settled, a group of nearly a hundred bandits stopped in the woods beside the official road outside Jianglin City.
The bearded man at the head of the group reined in his horse, squinting as he surveyed the city gate. From there, he could glimpse a small street where several vendors carrying loads on shoulder poles were hurrying into the city, their bamboo baskets revealing bright red fruit and plump white rice cakes. There seemed to be a tavern along the street; as the wind lifted the curtains, one could glimpse flickering lights and indistinct figures inside, and in the distance, the faint sound of stringed instruments drifted in.
He stared intently at the bustling scene, his eyes unblinking. Suddenly, he heard the sound of a clapper from the city gate. Two crisp sounds followed, and the soldiers guarding the city began to push open the heavy city gate, slowly pulling the bustling area inward.
"Damn it," Wang Qin spat, "I've never seen such a prosperous place in all my years of traveling around. Even the goods carried by the peddler are much better than those in our rural areas."
He stroked the curved sword at his waist, and the bandits behind him began to stir. Some started to caress their weapons, while others pushed and shoved each other, emitting bursts of rough laughter and curses.
"Brother, this city looks incredibly wealthy!" A skinny man leaned forward, his small eyes gleaming. "With so many of us, if we sneak in tonight, we're guaranteed to make a fortune!"
Just as the bearded man was about to nod, a muffled cough suddenly came from behind him. A masked man spurred his horse forward and said in a rough voice, "Brother, think it over."
He raised his hand and pointed towards the city wall. Many armored soldiers stood guard at the city gate, their dark figures spaced every few steps, their spears gleaming coldly in the twilight. "Jiangnan is a prosperous region, and the imperial court has deployed heavy troops to guard it. I heard that the general guarding Jianglin was transferred from the north, and his soldiers are seasoned veterans, unlike those incompetent fools we encountered a few days ago."
Skinny Monkey spat defiantly, "So what if they have more soldiers? We have plenty of men too. We'll sneak in at night and catch them off guard!" His eyes darted sideways at Lü Xiao, his anger rising. Lü Xiao had only saved his elder brother's life in the chaos of battle and had only been in the ranks for a few days. Today was his first time joining the raid, and he dared to contradict him in public.
"You think this is some kind of mountain stronghold?" Lü Xiao sneered. "See the drawbridge over the moat? It's definitely lowered at night. How can we cross it silently? Even if we swim across, the archers there aren't pushovers." He paused, his gaze sweeping over the dark outlines of the villages in the distance. "In my opinion, we should first explore the surrounding villages and towns. There are many wealthy families there, but the defenses are sparse. We can plunder enough grain and gold, then come back and slowly wear down Jianglin City."
Skinny Monkey had expected his elder brother to scold the newcomer for meddling, but to his surprise, Wang Qin actually frowned and pondered Lü Xiao's words. This made him feel even worse. He had followed his elder brother through thick and thin for so many years, yet now he was being suppressed by an unknown outsider.
Wang Qin's gaze lingered on the city wall for a moment before he finally lashed the horse's rump with his whip: "Damn it, I'll do as you say! Let's go to the nearby villages and towns and make some money first. Once I've rested up enough, I'll come back and devour this piece of fat meat!"
The sound of horses' hooves rang out again, and the nearly one hundred-person group turned around and moved haphazardly toward the distant villages and towns.
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