Chapter 196 Entering the Mountains
The medicated oil, which promotes blood circulation and removes blood stasis, was very effective. Lin Yuesha grimaced and endured the swelling and pain, massaging her ankle for almost half an hour. Her ankle, which had been swollen like a pig's trotter, looked much normal afterward.
Although the medicated oil has a pungent smell, it is not unbearable.
“The wind is strong in the mountains at night. There are straw curtains on the outside, and another layer of thick cloth is hung inside.”
As Xiao Qi spoke, he took out a piece of fabric about the size of a window from the cabinet on the kang (a heated brick bed), which was similar to a modern curtain.
"Brother Yun, I'll take care of it."
Lin Yuesha stood up and noticed that there were wires on both sides above the window. She hooked a thick cloth onto the wires, which indeed blocked a lot of the cold wind.
"Let's keep this oil lamp burning; it'll be convenient if we need to get up at night."
The windows and doors were all tightly covered, and the light from the snowy night outside couldn't get through, Xiao Qi said considerately.
After he finished speaking, he quickly went upstairs, sat down at his desk, and picked up a book at random.
However, a quarter of an hour passed, the tea grew cold, he took a sip and frowned, then realized that he was holding the Analects of Confucius.
Well, since the book is in his hands, I might as well take a look at it.
Xiao Qi flipped through two pages and couldn't bear to look. The men were sleazy and the women were ugly. He really didn't know his subordinates had such poor taste.
It was late at night, but Xiao Qi was still not sleepy.
He stood up and quietly went downstairs to see if his younger sister was asleep.
Lin Yuesha's sleeping posture wasn't exactly pleasant; she seemed less guarded when asleep, appearing quite naive and innocent.
When Xiao Qi went downstairs, the little girl was already breathing evenly.
He casually extinguished the candles, leaving only a dim oil lamp that could barely provide any light.
"The pockmarked face has come down, but she's stopped and won't leave. Will she do something to her?"
Lin Yuesha was half asleep when she heard footsteps. She pretended to be asleep, but her body was actually tense.
Perhaps he discovered something, so he wanted to completely break off relations at this time and force himself on her while she was on her period. He's an absolute beast!
Holding the dagger in her hand, Lin Yuesha was in a state of inner turmoil.
Ultimately, the pockmarked man saved her life. If she were to kill him with a single blow, wouldn't that be repaying kindness with enmity?
Or, instead of killing him, let's turn him into a eunuch.
However, eunuchs cannot have sex, so life is meaningless; they might as well go see the King of Hell.
Lin Yuesha's mind raced, a fierce internal struggle raging within her. After a while, the footsteps faded into the distance, and the pockmarked man had already gone upstairs.
There was no further movement that night.
Lin Yuesha waited for a long time before finally drifting off to sleep.
The pheasant was simmered over a low flame on a large stove overnight, until the meat was tender enough to fall off the bone and the aroma became even more intense.
In the morning, the two of them made hot soup noodles with chicken broth. After Lin Yuesha finished eating, she insisted on going out for a walk, as she wanted to familiarize herself with the surrounding terrain.
"Brother Yun, I see the kitchen is fully stocked with sauces. Do you go hunting often?"
After the snow, a sunny day finally arrived, and Lin Yuesha sat on a small stool basking in the sun.
"I've dug some traps in the mountains, and I go to check on them occasionally."
While tidying up the kitchen, Xiao Qi suddenly realized that the two of them had quite a big appetite. The food prepared for three days was only enough for one and a half days.
The rice and flour, in particular, are almost gone. There's only a thin layer of rice left, just enough to make one pot of porridge.
"There's a piece of tofu and a few steamed buns. What should we have for dinner?"
Unable to leave the mountains, Lin Yuesha engrossed herself in reading travelogues, her only concern being the food.
The travelogue not only includes reviews but also illustrations, making it easy for readers to understand at a glance.
Although the food in the south is light, it has its own unique characteristics. The author of the travelogue was a scholar from the north who had been taking the imperial examinations for many years but was still only a junior student. He then had the idea of traveling.
In his travelogue, he most praised the barbecue of the barbarians.
"If there's plenty of meat, grilled meat would be a great option."
Lin Yuesha swallowed hard. The marinated meat sizzled and dripped with oil over the fire, brushed with soy sauce, sprinkled with chili powder, and served with a little Shaoxing wine. It would be so refreshing to eat this on a cold day.
"Want some?"
Xiao Qi raised an eyebrow. There are many other things in the mountains, but there's definitely plenty of meat.
Where can I find meat?
The meat should ideally be fresh; frozen meat needs to be thawed first, otherwise it will lose its natural flavor.
"Let's go to the mountains and take a look."
Xiao Qi stood up and was about to go out when Lin Yuesha hurriedly followed behind him, as she also wanted to go for a walk.
However, the surrounding area was covered in snow of unknown depth, and falling into a large pit could be fatal.
"Put your cloak on and let's go."
Xiao Qi nodded and led Lin Yuesha onto a small path.
The air in the mountains was exceptionally fresh. On the way, Lin Yuesha spotted a small squirrel with a large tail.
The little squirrel seemed to rarely see any human traces. The bolder one jumped down from the tree, found a low branch, and followed the two people.
"This place is wonderful!"
Lin Yuesha took a deep breath. If she had food to eat and clothes to wear, living in seclusion in the mountains wouldn't be such a bad life. She wouldn't need to be so worldly, nor would she need to deal with complicated relationships.
"There are advantages to living in the mountains, but there are many mosquitoes in the summer and it is difficult to leave the mountains in the winter. The scenery is the same all year round, and you will get tired of it sooner or later."
Staying in the mountains brings only loneliness, lacking the warmth and life of human interaction.
Lin Yuesha nodded; what the pockmarked man said made sense.
The two came to a trap with several footprints, but no prey.
Following the footprints, Xiao Qi easily found pheasants and rabbits, returning home with a full catch. On their way back, the two also hunted a badger.
In modern times, the environment is so poor that even pheasants and rabbits are rarely seen, but in Daqi, they are everywhere.
Lin Yuesha's eyes sparkled as she fantasized about having a barbecue, but her favorite food was still grilled beef and mutton, which were hard to find in the mountains.
"This is a badger. You can render badger oil to treat burns, and its fur can be used to make calligraphy brushes."
Xiao Qi was busy explaining to his younger sister that most restaurants in the county sell badger meat, which is delicious when braised.
He had more experience than Lin Yuesha when it came to roasting pheasants and rabbits.
In the past, when traveling and sleeping in the wilderness, Xiao Qi often had to hunt in the mountains to fill his stomach.
There was hot water in the kitchen, and Xiao Qi quickly plucked the feathers from the pheasant and then skinned the rabbit.
The scene was bloody, but Lin Yuesha quickly accepted it. As a chef, handling ingredients was just the most basic skill.
"There's a small jar next to the stove with honey in it. When the roasted meat is done, brush it with honey, and it tastes even better."
After Xiao Qi finished processing the food, Lin Yuesha took charge of pickling it, and the two reached an agreement on what to eat.
There was meat, but no wine.
"Brother Yun, don't you drink?"
Lin Yuesha searched the kitchen but couldn't find a single wine jar.
"There's sorghum liquor, but it's too strong; you can't drink it."
Xiao Qi opened the cabinet and took out a small wine jar.
There's still half a jar of wine left, not for drinking, but for wiping away injuries with it. That's why it's being kept for later use.
What temperature is sorghum liquor?
Lin Yuesha had no idea. She wanted to try it, but considering her unstable alcohol tolerance, she gave up the idea.
If he gets drunk, it's like a lamb willingly walking into the wolf's mouth, giving the pockmarked man a perfect opportunity to take advantage.
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