Chapter 18 Roasted Chicken Before leaving, the junior officer specially roasted the whole chicken…
What does it mean to receive timely rain after a long drought? You can tell just by looking at her expression at this moment.
Seeing her like this, Aunt Liu chuckled and replied, "Indigofera tinctoria is used for medicine; it's a real treasure. If you have a headache or fever, just boil a bowl of it, sweat it out, and you'll feel much better! It's also very effective for treating colds and coughs."
Yu Nie had no time to listen to the details of its function. She squatted down and picked up A Hui's clothes to examine them closely in the sunlight. Under the light, she could see that the "stains" had a faint bluish glow.
Her heart pounded, eager to confirm if this indigo plant was the one she was looking for. She quickly took a bamboo tube from her waist and dripped wood ash and aged black vinegar onto it. In no time, the almost visible stain returned to its clear, bright indigo color.
Aunt Liu was astonished by her actions, exclaiming that it was a miraculous skill, her eyes wide with amazement: "Oh my, what trick did Xiao Qiqi use? The indigo juice has returned to its original color."
Staring at the colors on the clothes in his hand, Yu Nie was overjoyed and stood up abruptly, muttering to himself, "What does it mean to find a way out of a dark place? There's always a way out, and things will work themselves out in the end."
The surprise came so suddenly that she looked at the indigo mark in disbelief, holding it up to the sun two or three times before she was sure it wasn't a dream, but real.
"Found it! I found the blue pigment!" She was overjoyed, her voice trembling with excitement.
Zijing, who was half-squatting under the eaves of the kitchen, heard her joyful shout. He turned the unripe pheasant on the tree branch, picked at its ear, and looked up at the happy figure not far away.
Yu Nie turned around and ran over, eager to share the good news with him. She handed the clothes in her hand to Zi Jing: "Captain, look! I've finally found this spiritual seed containing blue pigment after searching high and low."
As she spoke, she excitedly spread the garment on a clean table and repeated the procedure she had just demonstrated to Aunt Liu.
Seeing the stains return to a clear blue in her hands, Zijing unconsciously stopped turning the branch.
He squinted at the gradually spreading, bright color on the fabric. In the various kingdoms and tribes of the world, Taoism was rampant, and countless sorcerers and magicians posed as gods and demons. Some would mix vinegar into boiling oil and pretend to be unharmed. Others would use incense ash as elixirs, boasting of curing all diseases. Still others dared to claim they could access the immortal realm of Penglai and obtain the elixir of immortality. He had seen many such tricks, but this was the first time he had ever seen someone turn a stain on clothing into a new color.
"That's quite unusual." He placed the branch he was holding on the support, got up, and went closer to take a look.
The color on his clothes was still a bit too dark, not quite peacock blue. He ran his fingertips over the stain of black vinegar and wood ash, sniffed it, then looked up at her: "Vinegar?"
Guessing his doubts, she explained to him the principle that blue pigment turns yellow-green when it comes into contact with alkaline wood ash, and reverts to blue when it comes into contact with acidic black vinegar.
Zi Jing's gaze returned to the mark, and he said thoughtfully, "So, only spirit seedlings with blue pigment, mixed with wood ash and black vinegar, can produce this indigo?"
“That’s right, that’s the logic,” Yu Nie said, arms crossed.
His eyelashes drooped: "You learned all of these things from that notebook?"
Yu Nie replied, "That's not entirely true; it's mostly just his own wild guesses."
Upon hearing this, he smiled calmly at her and said, "Oh? I wonder what other novel tricks the young Taoist priest has come up with?"
Perhaps she had found what she was looking for, and the process of making peacock blue was finally underway. She was too excited, or perhaps it was out of trust in him, but she casually mentioned a few things: "Purify the coarse salt, make ice with saltpeter, and there's one more thing that would be more useful for you people who are often on the battlefield."
Upon hearing this, his eyebrows twitched slightly, and a hint of interest flickered in his eyes: "What is it?"
She met his gaze, her eyes darting around: "Alcohol."
"Alcohol?" Seeing his questioning expression, and knowing that such a thing didn't exist at this time, she carefully explained what alcohol was and how it was made.
After speaking for a moment, she didn't forget to tell him, "This thing can cleanse sores and heal wounds. With it, there will be fewer casualties on the battlefield, and soldiers will not lose their lives needlessly due to infected and festering wounds."
After listening, Zi Jing slowed down the stroking of the jade thumb ring. He looked at her charming and bright smiling face and said slowly, "This thing is indeed a good thing."
"Of course," she said generously. "When the captain leaves our Lingbao Temple, I'll give him a few more bottles to keep with him."
His smile deepened slightly, and he bowed respectfully, saying, "In that case, I thank you, young Taoist priest, for bestowing upon me... this miraculous elixir."
His eyes, so elegant and refined, were clear and pure, with a slightly upturned corner that carried a touch of unrestrained and dashing sharpness. When he looked at people quietly, he was gentle and kind, as if he wanted to draw the person in front of him into his eyes. Yu Nie blushed slightly under his gaze.
She looked away awkwardly, grabbed Ah Hui's clothes from the table, coughed lightly, and said calmly, "Colonel, no need to be so polite. I need to go find my junior brother to get some woad. I'll talk to you later."
After saying that, she walked very quickly and left in a hurry.
Watching her retreating figure, Zi Jing's eyes darkened.
When Lu Jinshi arrived, he bumped right into Yu Nie, who was heading to the front courtyard. Both of them were startled. Yu Nie was in a good mood at the time and wanted to greet him without holding a grudge. However, he stiffened his neck and walked straight past her.
Being ignored to his face, Yu Nie didn't have time to argue with him. She gritted her teeth and continued walking towards the front yard.
When Lu Jinshi turned the corner and reached the backyard, Zijing was already sitting back down in front of the grill, turning the nearly cooked chicken. The plump pheasant was roasted to a golden brown and crispy perfection, sizzling with oil, and its aroma made one's stomach rumble.
When Lu Jinshi saw Aunt Liu washing clothes by the well not far away, he felt it inappropriate to stand and report important matters. After thinking for a moment, he sat down next to Zijing.
Zi Jing drew the dagger from his waist, deftly sliced off a piece of meat, put it in his mouth, chewed it a couple of times, and looked relaxed.
Lu Jinshi glanced at Aunt Liu, who was washing clothes, leaned forward slightly, and whispered, "Commander, we just received news that the secret agent who was guarding outside the county government last night said that He Renzhi sent his trusted men out of the city on horseback overnight, and they didn't return until noon today."
Zi Jing poked at the firewood, making the fire burn even brighter: "Where did the men Magistrate He sent go?"
"The Prefect's residence," Lu Jinshi replied succinctly.
The answer was no surprise. Zhao Shuhuai, the prefect of Dingzhou, was the second son of Prince Yan, and was transferred here three years ago.
This man was originally the governor of Xuzhou. During his tenure, he was known for his rampant bribery and embezzlement, and he even forcibly took his subordinates' wives as concubines, which incited the military advisors of the prefecture to raise an army and rebel.
The imperial court was furious upon hearing the report. After sending envoys to quell the rebellion, Zhao Shuhuai was dismissed from his post to appease the people's resentment. However, less than three months later, he was promoted to the position of prefect of Dingzhou.
As the son of a prince, his official career was as smooth as drinking water. Even though he committed such a heinous crime, he was not punished with caning in court, nor was he spared the suffering of exile.
Although Dingzhou is a strategic border town, the prefectural governor's office is located in the rear, making it an excellent place for the imperial family and nobility to enhance their prestige.
Within a few years, once he has accumulated enough experience, Zhao Shuhuai will be able to return to the capital, Jian'an, and be promoted to higher ranks, enjoying wine in the breeze.
Unfortunately, man proposes, God disposes; even with the best strategies, one cannot escape the unpredictability of life.
Ten years ago, the east bank of the river was in a different place; ten years later, the west bank. The soldiers who were once looked down upon by the imperial family have inadvertently risen to power over them.
"Our men disguised themselves as robbers, stole their bundle, discovered the secret letter inside, and quickly made a copy of its contents." Attendant Lu, wary of his surroundings, took out a scroll of letter paper wrapped in mulberry bark from his robes and presented it with both hands.
Zijing freed one hand to take it, opened it, and took a look.
This secret report, titled "Request for Military Supplies Due to Urgent Border Situation," appears on the surface to be an ordinary official document, but he knew it wouldn't be that simple. He examined it more closely and said, "What a clever tactic of feigning one thing while secretly doing another. This letter is ostensibly an official document, but in reality, it's a secret plea for help. He Renzhi really values his life; he only realized the danger and was already rushing to call for reinforcements."
Lu Jinshi couldn't decipher the hidden meaning in the letter. He recognized all the words but couldn't understand the significance. He dared not ask too many questions and could only try to guess the meaning from his master's words with doubt: "He Renzhi sent a message to Zhao Shuhuai. If the latter sees that things are not going well, will he abandon him?"
"It's hard to say." Zi Jing put away the secret letter and tucked it into the jade belt at his waist.
Lu Jinshi was worried and uneasy: "That Zhao fellow has really become a coward. Will the game become difficult from now on? We have already alerted the enemy. He Renzhi is wary of us. The prefect knows that he has a grudge against the Grand Commander. He will probably avoid us like the plague. If he stops now, we will have no evidence to punish him. If we only deal with He Renzhi, won't all the hard work the commander has put in be in vain?"
Over the past few days, he had secretly laid a trap and uncovered all the evidence of He Renzhi's collusion with the Rouran. He not only discovered their secret route for smuggling grain but also obtained a handwritten confession from Tuli Jun Sijin. Now, with both witnesses and physical evidence, He Renzhi has nowhere to escape.
As for what Attendant Lu was worried about, Zi Jing thought it was unnecessary. Zhao Shuhuai wasn't born with a brilliant mind; given his character, he would only fall into the trap. Besides, He Renzhi was his proper father-in-law; this father-in-law/son-in-law relationship had to be shown to outsiders, or at least to his beautiful wife. Otherwise, he, a prince, would be a laughingstock for lacking even this much ability.
“When have I ever made a losing deal? Let’s see. Even if Zhao Shuhuai wants to run, we’ll have to see if he has the ability.” Zijing tore off a chicken leg and threw it to Lu Jinshi, dusted his hands and stood up: “After you finish eating, take the rest to the kitchen and put it in a bowl with a cover.”
Lu Jinshi stood up as well: "Aren't you going to eat, sir?"
Zi Jing paused slightly, his gaze sweeping over the two bamboo tubes left on the table. He then composed himself and said, "Leave them for the young Taoist priest." With that, he walked toward the front yard with his hands behind his back. "Hurry up, we still need to go to the government office. If we're late, Guard Xie might not be able to resist taking action."
When Lu Jinshi saw that his master was going to leave food for someone who didn't know proper manners, he was taken aback and looked puzzled.
He didn't dare say much, quickly finished the chicken leg in his hand, and put the rest of the roast chicken into a bowl as Zijing instructed. When he came out, he didn't forget to remind Aunt Liu who the food on the long table was for.
After doing all that, he quickly left as well.
Pilgrims arrived at the main hall in the front courtyard. Langxi was not there, so Ahui was picking the indigo herbs she had gathered the day before in the courtyard. Naturally, the task of greeting people fell to her.
Through the window, she saw Zijing followed by Attendant Lu, and the two of them walked briskly out of the temple.
After distributing amulets to the worshippers and seeing them off, Ah Hui selected some fresh and tender woad. For her first time preparing this, she only needed a small amount—just a handful.
After taking the indigo plant, she returned to the backyard, pounded it into juice in a stone mortar, poured it into a clean earthenware bowl, added a certain proportion of wood ash and alum, and then boiled it in a medicinal pot.
It takes about an hour to cook, requiring constant stirring, which is naturally tiring. She worked without a break, and although Ah Hui offered to help, she was afraid of missing anything important, so she did it herself.
As the sun gradually set in the west, the liquid in the medicine pot, illuminated by the afterglow, was completely different from what it had been at first. The initially dark and turbid mixture was now gradually becoming clear, turning into a strange color that was blue with a hint of green.
Looking at the colors that were as vibrant as before, Yu Nie's eyes suddenly lit up, and he called out to Ah Hui and Aunt Liu to come and see.
When the two men saw that the contents of her pot really did have that peacock blue color, they couldn't help but marvel, saying that this indigo plant could not only cure diseases, but could also turn into the valuable peacock blue.
After searching for many days, Yu Nie finally saw hope, and half of the weight was lifted from her heart.
She pondered that after boiling it down to powder and drying it, she would compare it with the original peacock blue she brought from the Rong family to see if there was any color difference.
If there is a color difference, the proportions need to be adjusted again.
Seeing that she had made progress, Aunt Liu called her to go to the kitchen to eat, saying, "If you don't go eat soon, the oil on the roast chicken will be heated away."
She turned around in confusion: "Roast chicken? Where did this roast chicken come from? Did Aunt Liu slaughter the chicks in the coop?"
"You silly girl, you were so busy fiddling with this peacock blue that you didn't even notice what was going on in the kitchen." Aunt Liu chuckled. "That young captain specially saved a whole roasted pheasant for you before he left. I was worried it would get cold, so I kept it warm on the stove for you."
Thinking that such a good thing was possible, Yu Nie handed the wooden spoon in her hand to A Hui and ran into the kitchen to see.
She lifted the lid and saw the roast chicken, missing a leg, lying peacefully in the earthenware bowl, its aroma so enticing it made her mouth water.
A note from the author:
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Lingmiao is a Taoist term, which is actually a synonym for plants.
Also, thank you all for adding this to your favorites! I promise I'll update more often. [Let me see][Let me see]
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