"How could a delicate woman from an official family go ten or fifteen days without bathing, and still eat and live with refugees? And even argue over a roasted sweet potato?"
"Isn't this like a dog's life?"
Madam Liu Xun looked disdainful and laughed with her youngest daughter, Liu Ajiao, covering their faces.
Madam Lu coughed lightly.
cough.
"Da Qiao, your father and the prefect were talking about a dish called roast duck, which was actually made by you!"
Mrs. Lu changed the subject in an exaggerated tone.
Old Man Qiao still had some influence in the North during those years.
"It's not difficult. Bleed and pluck the live duck, but don't gut it. Just make a small hole in the duck, take out the internal organs, pour boiling water into the duck's belly, tie the hole closed, and hang it over a fire to roast. Once the duck is cooked, pour the fermented rice wine and honey brine into the duck's belly while it's still hot, and then pour on caramel coloring, rice vinegar, and salt."
Qiao Jingjing held no grudge against these people for mocking her family's hardships.
She was eager to popularize Peking duck, a famous dish that everyone in later generations could enjoy, to every aristocratic woman here who was high above others, detached from the realities of life and from the suffering masses.
The women, however, did not drool over Qiao Jingjing's roast duck.
I didn't feel her great compassion.
On the contrary, when they heard about the bloodletting and internal organ removal, they all looked disgusted.
They all abandoned their seats and left.
Even Qiao Manman was taken by Lu Qiuqiu to stroll in the small garden.
The silvery laughter echoed through the hall.
"This method prevents the duck from losing moisture during roasting, and it also allows the duck skin to puff up without becoming soft, resulting in a very thin and crispy skin."
The pampered and noble Madam Lu remained in the reception room, awkwardly listening to Qiao Jingjing's theoretical explanation of how to make roast duck, and her long story about how to raise a duckling.
It tastes like chewing wax.
“Da Qiao, all the sisters have gone to stroll in the garden! You should go and take a look too. Let the little girl lead you. Have fun, don’t be shy, and don’t need to follow any rules in front of me.”
Finally, Qiao Jingjing finished telling a part of the duck story.
Madam Lu seized the opportunity to get rid of them.
The Lu family's residence was surrounded by high brick walls and several courtyards, the tallest building being five stories high, with watchtowers at each of the four corners, resembling a military fortress. In the center was a small garden, the domain of the women.
Mrs. Lu was confident that every girl would yearn for his family's garden.
But Qiao Jingjing is a modern soul who is used to forest parks, wetland parks, and scenic countryside.
She had seen many of the prominent figures from the Three Kingdoms period in movies, TV dramas, and storybooks.
for example.
There was a young man named Lu Xun in this mansion, whom the women were eagerly anticipating, hoping to catch a glimpse of his shadow through the cracks in the doors or behind the screens. This was Lu Xun, the future famous prime minister of Eastern Wu, who burned down Liu Bei's eight hundred-mile-long camp. Right now, he was right next to Lu Kang.
The same Lu Xun who was secretly escorted out of the city by Lu Kang with a rope around his waist the night before Sun Ce breached the city.
She was also the blind date that Old Man Qiao had arranged for her today.
"Sister! So you've been here all along? I've been looking for you everywhere."
Qiao Manman and Lu Qiuqiu held hands, seemingly having a lot to say to each other. When they saw Qiao Jingjing, their faces lit up with smiles.
Qiao Manman then became mysterious again.
"Sister, although the Lu family has many rules and regulations, and young men and women cannot meet freely, luckily we have Qiuqiu's help. She said she can take you to see that young master Lu Xun. Hehe."
"Sister Qiao, don't be shy. Everyone in the manor knows that my grandmother and your father have already discussed it. They'll say we're meeting today and the engagement ceremony will be next spring. Actually... hehe... it's fine if you stay at our house from today onwards. Hehe. Tomorrow I'll start calling you sister-in-law."
The two girls were grinning from ear to ear.
Qiao Jingjing spent most of the day there, only pretending to cooperate with her father's delusional fantasies. As a result, a group of colorful and boisterous female relatives, the younger generation of Lu Ji and Lu Xun, became her persistent troubles.
Qiao Jingjing's face clearly showed her displeasure, and she sulked on the spot.
Lu Qiuqiu insisted that she was shy, and on her own initiative, she and Qiao Manman pulled her to the study.
"Come on, we're already here! My brother is truly handsome and talented, a perfect match for Sister Qiao's beauty, you won't be at a disadvantage."
Prefect Lu's study stood solemnly and imposingly right in front of him.
puff--
A bucket of cold water was poured over her head, and Qiao Jingjing was immediately drenched.
The two women, Qiao Manman and Lu Qiuqiu, also became innocent bystanders.
When Qiao Jingjing wiped her eyes and ran her fingers through her wet hair, Liu Ajiao stood with her hands on her hips, looking quite arrogant.
"This northern refugee girl who only knows how to pick mulberry leaves and raise silkworms, dares to dream of marrying into the prefect's family and becoming a phoenix? Humph! You dare to steal the limelight from a rich young lady like me? Tie her up and throw her into the moat outside Fengtai Gate!" Liu Ajiao called to the dozen or so lackeys behind her.
The lackeys swarmed forward.
Before Qiao Jingjing could figure out what kind of trouble she had gotten herself into, she instinctively turned and ran.
Unfortunately, the skirt was too cumbersome, and her physical fitness hadn't yet reached marathon level. Qiao Jingjing was jumping around in the huge Lu mansion, and it looked like she was about to be caught by those kids.
In a moment of panic, Qiao Jingjing rushed into what was probably a stable.
She didn't care about the stench; all she wanted was to grab a BMW and escape quickly.
Unfortunately, Prefect Lu had too many fine horses, and the stables were in complete chaos.
In the ensuing panic, she not only failed to retrieve the BMW but was also taken hostage by a masked man in black.
A cold, menacing short sword was pressed against her chest.
"Don't tell anyone, or I'll kill you."
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