The roast suckling pig has crispy skin and tender meat just by eating it like this.
The skin is not greasy at all, the fat inside is roasted out, and it can be eaten with the two kinds of condiments prepared by Xu Qinyu. Roasted suckling pig must be eaten with sugar. Some people think it looks strange with sugar, but it tastes completely different. The roasted suckling pig dipped in sugar thoroughly stimulates the aroma, and it is crispy and sweet in the mouth.
The other is also a dry dipping sauce, which is made with her own secret seasonings, spicy and peppery, which have completely different tastes from white sugar.
Xu Qinyu felt that it was a waste to give the roast suckling pig to the imperial servant, but this was the only way for now.
Madam Zhu knew how delicious the food was just by smelling it, but she still couldn't help it. After hearing the young master's words asking her to taste it, she nodded and put some from the extra dish on her plate.
She originally thought that the roast suckling pig outside tasted the best, but once she tasted the other dishes, she knew she was wrong. Every dish made by this young master amazed her. If everyone wasn’t there, she would have wanted to feast on them. They were so delicious.
These dishes are so delicious, how delicious must the roast suckling pig outside be.
Madam Zhu also took a bite, put down her bowl and chopsticks, wiped the corner of her lips, and said softly: "Originally, I was suspicious of the young master because he was young. I hope you will forgive me. The young master's cooking skills are already superb."
It was the first time she knew that cooking could reach such a level.
Xu Qinyu said, "As long as Madam Zhu thinks it's OK, get ready. The waiter should be here soon. We can serve the food as soon as he arrives."
…
This imperial emissary's surname is Fu. He is a descendant of the distant cousin of Empress Dowager Fu's ancestors, several generations away. His name is Fu Chenghong, and he is already in his thirties. Although Empress Dowager Fu entered the palace as a concubine in the past, the Fu family was just an ordinary duke, and he was just a distant relative from an earlier generation, so naturally he did not get any benefits.
Fu Chenghong was not from the capital. He studied the Four Books and Five Classics and took the imperial examinations since he was young, but his academic level was mediocre. It was not until he was 30 that he barely passed the examination, and it was by coincidence that he borrowed the power of Concubine Fu Guifei.
When the new emperor ascended the throne and opened an imperial examination, he went to Beijing to take the exam. Because his surname was Fu, he finally made it to the palace examination, but his academic knowledge was mediocre and he did not make it into the first class. The new emperor gave him the second class. He first stayed in the Hanlin Academy. The previous Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue suddenly died of a heart attack in the court. The Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, who was only in his twenties, became the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, and the vacant position of Right Vice Minister was taken over by Fu Chenghong.
The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue was a fourth-rank official.
After becoming the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, many people fawned on him. He was not fat originally, but now he was full of fat and trembled when he walked. Many people mocked him behind his back for relying on the power of the Fu family. Now that his life was finally better, he ate and drank recklessly and turned himself into a pig. His personality became more and more weird. It was common for him to beat and scold the servants in the house. He even tortured several maids to death. However, the maids were all in death contracts and their lives were worthless. If they were beaten to death, they would just be thrown into the mass grave and no one would vent their anger for them.
Even if outsiders find out, they can just shut them up by simply saying that they stole something from the house.
In the case of embezzlement of military pay, because the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue was busy with other matters, he was appointed as an imperial envoy to go to the southwest to investigate the case.
The embezzlement of military pay was originally done by the Ministry of Revenue, but the money all went into the pocket of the King of Handong, and he also gained some benefits. Naturally, he understood that it was just a procedure. However, in the southwest, such a barren place, the Minister of Revenue was unwilling to come, and of course he was unwilling to come either, but he had to come. When he came, he naturally took out his anger on the prefect of Raozhou. This prefect was also short-sighted. The food he treated him to was ordinary meals, and the prefect's office did not allow him to hold banquets and invite actors for entertainment.
After staying in the prefect's mansion for a few days, he went out to eat, deliberately trying to make the prefect uncomfortable.
The food at Zuixianlou was actually quite good, but he was angry and naturally wanted to vent it.
Later, he heard from people around him that the owner of Zhu's Restaurant was the governor's sister-in-law, so he asked the officials around him to order a table of evening meal at Zhu's Restaurant.
As for the food prepared by Zhu's Restaurant, he also sent people to inquire about it. The taste was average, but the portion was good. He did not go there for the taste, but to humiliate the prefect. After he had the evening meal at Zhu's Restaurant, he would beat Madam Zhu with a stick on the grounds that the food tasted bad. He would beat her in front of the prefect. Just thinking about it made him happy.
So Fu Chenghong also invited the prefect to have dinner at Zhu's restaurant.
Governor Zhu originally had no intention of accompanying Fu Chenghong to dinner, but when he heard Fu Chenghong say that he had booked a dinner table at Zhu's Restaurant, he understood Fu Chenghong's plan. He also could not watch Fu Chenghong embarrass his wife's sister, so he went with him. If Fu Chenghong really did embarrass his wife's sister, he would be able to protect her.
Fu Chenghong and Governor Zhu went to Zhu's Restaurant at about the same time, accompanied by two other officials from Fu Chenghong's side, who also came from the capital.
When the few people arrived at Qingguhu in a carriage, they smelled a strange fragrance as soon as the carriage entered.
The aroma was so strong and delicious that the two officials beside Fu Chenghong could not help but lift the curtain to look outside. They also asked the governor Zhu, "Master Zhu, there is a very famous restaurant in this market. Why didn't you tell our Master Fu about it? If you knew there was such a restaurant, you wouldn't have to go to Zhu's Restaurant for dinner."
Governor Zhu was also a little surprised when he smelled this smell. He naturally knew which restaurants there were in the ancient Qing Dynasty, and no matter which restaurant it was, it would be impossible to have this smell.
In his opinion, there seemed to be only one person who could make such a delicious dish.
Governor Zhu's heart skipped a beat. Wei Xuan was in Raozhou City. He said that he came with Yu Niang to look at shops and land. Yu Niang wanted to open a wine shop or a restaurant.
Could it be that this food was made by Yu Niang?
But where did Yu Niang do it? Zhu's Restaurant? But Wei Xuan probably didn't know that Fu Chenghong was going to make things difficult for Zhu's Restaurant?
Forget it, maybe it was just his random guess, maybe it was food made by someone else.
Fu Chenghong was also attracted by the fragrance and started drooling, but he held back and did not open the curtain to look outside.
He also heard the governor Zhu say, "I don't often go out to eat, so I'm not very familiar with the wine houses in Qingguhu."
Fu Chenghong sneered in his heart and thought, let's see how you can continue pretending when we go to Zhu's Restaurant later.
The further the carriage went inside, the stronger the fragrance became.
Even the two officials couldn't help but murmur, "What kind of food is this? I've never smelled such a fragrance in the capital."
Seeing Fu Chenghong's cold face, another person quickly said, "Maybe it's just the aroma that's tempting, but the taste is just average."
When we arrived in front of Zhu's Restaurant, the fragrance seemed to be right between our nostrils.
The two officials were surprised. Could it be that the fragrance really came from Zhu’s Restaurant?
After getting off the carriage, the four of them entered the Zhu family restaurant.
The waiter recognized the two officials and also recognized Governor Zhu. He was surprised for a moment, then quickly led the four people to the largest private room on the second floor and opened the window so that they could see the bustling crowd below. After they sat down, another waiter came up not with tea, but with a white porcelain soup basin. The basin was milky white in color, dotted with dense small granules. They didn't recognize what it was, but it looked quite tempting.
Fu Chenghong couldn't help frowning. Before he could say anything, the two officials immediately scolded him, "You don't serve tea. What kind of tea is this?"
The waiter was a little scared, but still said, "Hello, adults. This is the water chestnut drink made by the chef of our restaurant. He said it can replace tea. Would you like to try it first?"
Xu Qinyu was the first to make the water chestnut soup, which she placed in well water to chill.
Water chestnut cake is also easy to make. After chopping it, boil it with rock sugar, then add some prepared honey and lotus root powder to thicken it.
It tastes refreshing and sweet, and the cooking time is well controlled. The shredded water chestnuts still have a refreshing, crisp and tender texture. Although it is just the beginning of autumn, the weather is still a bit dry, so the cooked water chestnuts are chilled in well water. When they are served two hours later, they are already icy and refreshing.
Xu Qinyu made a lot, and in addition to what was served, there was still a lot left in the kitchen.
In the back kitchen, she, her fourth brother, and Madam Zhu had already eaten a bowl of rice.
Fu Chenghong waved his hand and the two officials stopped talking. The waiter served each of them a bowl and provided a spoon.
Fu Chenghong took a bite first, and after just one bite, he was stunned for a moment. It was icy, cool, crisp and refreshing, with just the right sweetness, not too sweet. He couldn't help but take one spoonful after another, and soon the bowl of water chestnut soup was finished.
Governor Zhu drank in silence, for he knew that only Yu Niang could cook such a fresh and delicious drink.
Could it be that Yu Niang really came here to take care of his wife's sister?
Seeing that everyone had finished drinking, the waiter continued, "My lords, the main dish for tonight's dinner is roasted suckling pig. The aroma you smell outside is the smell of our roasted suckling pig."
The two officials said, "Then send it up quickly."
The other two waiters came up carrying the roasted suckling pig on a wooden chopping board.
The bright red roasted suckling pig was whole. Just the sight of it being carried up like this gave Fu Chenghong and the two officials a great visual shock. They found it incredible that such a small pig could be roasted and eaten whole. It looked like it was roasted, but the aroma was too strong.
The waiter also prepared two servings of dipping sauce for each person.
An official murmured, "Is this candy? Why is roast pork served with candy?"
Even though it’s a whole pig roasted, it’s also a type of barbecue, and isn’t barbecue always eaten with sauce?
The Jixianglou in the capital city has roasted meat. A thin slice is placed on a red-hot iron utensil. With a sizzling sound, the meat rolls up and is eaten with a secret sauce prepared by the chef. The secret sauce is wet. It’s the first time I’ve seen such a dry sauce, and it even uses sugar.
The waiter said, "Our chef said that it tastes even better if you dip it in sugar. You adults can try it."
He then took out a large kitchen knife and cut the suckling pig into neat small pieces according to what the young master in the kitchen had said. "You adults can eat now."
Naturally, Fu Chenghong ate first. He picked up a piece and it was crispy, fragrant and crunchy. The pig skin was roasted to a crispy crisp, and most of the fat was roasted away, leaving only a small part. The aroma of the fat and the crispness of the pig skin went straight to his head, and instantly Fu Chenghong's eyes were only focused on the roast suckling pig.
Fu Chenghong ate with relish, the meal was truly delicious. Even in the capital, he had never tasted such delicious food. The roasted meat at Jixianglou pale in comparison to the roasted suckling pig in front of him.
How can it smell so good? Aren’t the dishes at Zhu’s Restaurant just average?
The other two officials also took a piece and their eyes widened as they took a bite. They simply couldn’t believe it. This thing smelled delicious and tasted even more delicious. It almost made them dizzy with the fragrance.
By the time Governor Zhu tasted the roast suckling pig, he already knew in his heart that Yu Niang was most likely in the kitchen of the tavern.
The food made by Yu Niang is not only delicious, but also has a unique feature, which is that it makes you feel that the delicious dishes you have eaten in big restaurants before are no longer delicacies. After eating the food made by her, your taste will become more discerning.
Zhu Taishou could not help but feel a little worried. He was afraid that someone would covet Yu Niang's craftsmanship. A man like Fu Chenghong would definitely want to flatter him and win credit. Would he want to take Yu Niang with him when he left? Otherwise, when Yu Niang finished cooking and left, Fu Chenghong would not let it go if he could not find her.
Even he could guess that Fu Chenghong and the others must have checked the taste of the food in Zhu's restaurant before and knew for sure that it was not made by Zhu's chef.
Whether it was the trouble of looking for his wife's sister or the desire to take Yu Niang away, the prefect didn't want to see it.
Fu Chenghong ate several pieces in a row and added another piece. He looked at the sugar in front of him, hesitated for a moment, dipped it in the sugar, and it tasted even more fragrant, fragrant but not greasy, with a hint of sweetness. It was even more delicious with the crispy texture.
He hissed and couldn't help asking the waiter, "Is this made by your boss and the chef in the restaurant?"
The waiter hesitated and said, "It was made by our restaurant's chef, but this chef is an assistant chef who has just come to the restaurant in the past two days. Originally, our boss never let him cook. Today, knowing that you are visiting the restaurant, this assistant chef said that he knows a lot of fresh recipes and wanted to cook. Our boss also knows that his cooking skills are average, and he is afraid that you will not be satisfied with the food, so he let the assistant chef have a try..."
This statement was also made by the young master.
Fu Chenghong then stopped talking.
At the moment he had no other thoughts and just thought that the young chef had the recipe for this fresh food, so it was so delicious.
Fu Chenghong and the other two officials were busy feasting. Most of the roasted suckling pig was quickly eaten by the three of them, and the remaining dishes were served one after another.
I originally thought that the roast suckling pig was very delicious and the other dishes might be just average, but I didn’t expect that the other dishes were also very delicious, even more delicious than those at Beijing Jixianglou, and even had amazing tastes.
It can be said that every dish is delicious and has its own flavor, but the roast suckling pig is the most memorable and you will want to eat it again and again.
Fu Chenghong couldn't help but ask the waiter again, "Which chef made these dishes?"
The guy said yes.
Fu Chenghong was a little surprised. He thought these dishes were made by other chefs. It turned out that the assistant chef could cook so many fresh dishes, but he didn't say anything for the time being.
At dinner today, he ate the table full of dishes happily and was in a good mood. In addition, he had other ideas, so he did not bother Madam Zhu.
Before leaving, Fu Chenghong signaled his men to throw a hundred taels of silver, and said, "I will come to your restaurant to eat in the next few days. Remember to prepare breakfast and dinner. For dinner, prepare a roast suckling pig. Other dishes are optional."
The waiter was stunned for a moment, but could only agree.
After everyone left the tavern, Governor Zhu couldn't help but look towards the backyard. Seeing no one there, he didn't want to go there either, so he followed Fu Chenghong and left.
There were quite a few people outside the restaurant joining in the fun, wondering whether Madam Zhu would be punished like the chef of Zuixianlou. But this gentleman came out after finishing his meal, his eyes, which had been invisible to begin with, narrowed into slits due to his smile, and it was obvious that he was in a good mood.
Everyone was a little surprised. Madam Zhu was actually fine?
Could it be that the aroma I smelled today came from the Zhu Family Restaurant? So the food must have been very delicious, so the gentleman must have been very satisfied with the meal and didn't cause trouble for Madam Zhu.
After everyone left, the waiter went to the kitchen and handed the 100-liang silver note to Madam Zhu, "Boss, this is what the masters left behind when they left. It should be the settlement of the bill."
After that, he repeated to Madam Zhu what the imperial messenger had said when he left. He couldn't help looking at Xu Qinyu with a tearful face while saying, "The imperial messenger also said that he would come over to eat breakfast and dinner tomorrow. For dinner, he would prepare a roast suckling pig, and other dishes were optional."
Because I knew that today's dinner was prepared by this young master, and he was not the assistant chef of Zhu's Restaurant at all, I thought that the young master would leave after preparing this meal.
Madam Zhu's expression, which had been relaxing, froze again.
She thought that after this meal, the policeman would stop bothering her.
Now it seems that the imperial servant really has no intention of continuing to cause trouble for her, but because the food made by the young master is so delicious, he is addicted to it and wants to continue to eat it.
Xu Qinyu said, "Don't worry, Madam Zhu. I will come over tomorrow to cook. But my brother and I have no place to live, so we need Madam Zhu's help to think of a solution."
In order to conceal his and his fourth brother's identities, he definitely could not continue to return to the Bafang Inn and had to live somewhere else.
Madam Zhu said happily, "Thank you very much, young master. If you two don't have a place to stay, you can stay at my house. My house is just for me and my apprentice, and we have a few maids and servants to clean the house, and there are extra guest rooms."
Not only that, she also gave all the one hundred taels of silver today to the young master in front of her.
She knew that if it weren't for this young master, she would be beaten with a stick, and the prefect would also be humiliated.
After the kitchen was done, Xu Qinyu and Pei Weixuan followed Madam Zhu to where she lived.
The house where Madam Zhu lived was in a nearby alley. After walking in and turning a few corners, you would come to a large alley. That was where Madam Zhu's house was. It was a two-story house, big enough for her and Zhu Zhu to live in.
Zhu Zhu admired Xu Qinyu very much ever since he prepared these dishes in the restaurant, and she talked a lot to him along the way.
Xu Qinyu didn't say much. Her voice was still a bit delicate after all. She was afraid of revealing her true intentions, so she just replied with two simple sentences.
After arriving at Zhu's house, Mrs. Zhu thought the two were really brothers, so she arranged for them to live in a private room.
Xu Qinyu didn't know how to tell the truth, so she just asked Madam Zhu to prepare an extra quilt because she and her brother were not used to sleeping in the same quilt.
Madam Zhu prepared two quilts for the two of them.
Xu Qinyu didn't have any worries either, as she knew her fourth brother's character, and this was a special period.
The two asked for water to wash. The medicine applied on her body was not the medicine given by her fourth brother, but it could not be washed away with clean water. She did not need to reapply it for the past few days. In order to have an even skin tone, Xu Qinyu also applied ointment on her skin. Soon her skin turned dark.
After she finished washing, it was her fourth brother's turn to wash.
After washing up, they went to bed. Fortunately, the bed was big enough for each of them to sleep in a quilt.
Pei Weixuan was a little stiff. Xu Qinyu thought she could remain calm, but even she was a little nervous. She just chatted with Pei Weixuan to ease her emotions. "Fourth brother, since this imperial emissary came to the southwest for show, when can he leave?" She didn't want to keep cooking for this man. From what her fourth brother said before, this imperial emissary was not only the Queen Mother and the King of Handong's man, but also not a good official.
If he was a good official, would he not devote himself to investigating the military pay embezzlement case?
In short, Xu Qinyu didn't have a good impression of this police officer.
Pei Weixuan said: "It should take another four or five days."
Xu Qinyu was a little disappointed. "Then I have to prepare food for him for another four or five days."
She was still very confident in her cooking skills, and the waiter was a foodie, so they would definitely eat at Zhu's Restaurant in the next few days.
Pei Weixuan said: "Not only that, I'm afraid he will have other ideas."
"Have you come up with other thoughts?" Xu Qinyu's tone was a little dazed. "What does Fourth Brother mean by this?"
Pei Weixuan spoke a few words in a low voice.
Xu Qinyu's heart skipped a beat when she heard this. She said, "Fourth brother, then I am in trouble."
Although it will not affect other people, it will bring trouble to myself.
Pei Weixuan said, "Don't be afraid, Yu Niang, I have a way."
He whispered a few words to Yu Niang before continuing, "Although Fu Chenghong took the surnames of the Empress Dowager and the King of Handong, he is only a distant relative. His ancestors were distant cousins of the Empress Dowager Fu's great-grandfather's family. Fu Chenghong's family is not from the capital. He used to live an ordinary life and was considered a poor man. He passed the imperial examination at the age of 30. Later, the new emperor opened an imperial examination, and he went to Beijing to take the exam. Relying on the relationship between the Empress Dowager Fu and the King of Handong, he was awarded the second-class Jinshi. He first entered the Hanlin Academy. Later, the Minister of Revenue died of illness, and the original Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue became the Minister of Revenue. He was promoted directly from the Hanlin Academy to the position of Right Vice Minister."
Speaking of this, he also told Yu Niang that Fu Chenghong was a mean-spirited person. When he was in a bad mood, he would often beat and scold the servants in the mansion, and even tortured and killed several young maids.
Upon hearing this, Xu Qinyu clenched her fists.
Pei Weixuan said this and then said, "So, Yu Niang, don't worry. The method I told you will definitely work. But you will have to bear with it for the next few days and cook for him for a few days."
Xu Qinyu hummed, her voice sounding a little depressed.
Pei Weixuan knew why Xiao Yu Niang was unhappy, because she heard that Fu Chenghong had tortured and killed several maids.
He wanted to tell Yu Niang not to worry, because Fu Chenghong would not live for many days. However, it was not easy to tell Yu Niang directly about such a murder. Besides, not only would Fu Chenghong die, but there would be many consequences, including the Ministry of Revenue in the capital.
Xu Qinyu knew that the method her fourth brother told her would definitely work. She had to admit that her fourth brother was really good at understanding people's hearts. If she were this imperial envoy, she would be tempted.
But even so, when she thought about this imperial servant abusing the little maid, she didn't want to say anything and remained silent.