Chapter 296 Hypothesis
Lamb skewers don't need to be marinated. Three pieces of lean meat and one piece of fat are skewered on a bamboo stick. This way, the fat renders its own oil, which soaks into the lean meat, making it juicy and flavorful. Sprinkle with cumin, sesame seeds, and chili powder for a pure and original taste without any gamey smell.
Lin Yuesha wondered how the pockmarked woman prepared the ingredients. Last time, she mentioned wanting to eat chicken wings and chicken cartilage, and Lin Yuesha found that there was a whole bag of them, enough to make a lot of skewers.
Unlike modern times, chickens in the Great Qi Dynasty were never sold separately; they were always sold as whole chickens. It was rare for them to sell parts separately, so it was not easy for the pockmarked man to get some scattered chickens.
These are all her favorite foods, and there are many different kinds.
"Do you need my help?"
Standing behind Lin Yuesha, Xiao Qi watched his younger sister's busy figure and asked in a low voice.
"No, no need."
Lin Yuesha waved her hand, saying she could quickly prepare the ingredients, and she also noticed there was extra beef, which she planned to use to make dumplings with scallions.
Barbecue is all meat, and it gets greasy if you eat too much of it, and you get hungry easily. If you leave some dumplings, you can have them as a late-night snack if you get hungry at night.
"Then I'll wait to eat my fill."
Xiao Qi touched the red pouch in his arms, inside which was a crescent-shaped jade pendant, a gift he had given to Lin Yuesha.
That day, he passed by a shop and saw a jade pendant, which reminded him of his younger sister. He bought it without hesitation.
Unfortunately, he was a poor scholar who relied on Lin Yuesha for support. If he wanted to give gifts without restraint, he had to reveal his true identity.
Xiao Qi wondered to himself, if one day the truth came out, would his little sister be furious and feel ashamed, as if she had been deceived?
His unwillingness to think about these things is perhaps a form of escapism.
"Brother Yun."
Lin Yuesha remembered that the pockmarked man said he was an accountant. She guessed that the pockmarked man must be someone who worked for a high-ranking family, or at least had connections and money.
She had never been to the black market and didn't know what it was like.
"The black market is just a normal market, but there are shady businesses inside."
Xiao Qi didn't say much, worried that his little sister would be curious and insist on going to the black market.
Lin Yuesha nodded. She had never heard of the black market, and it must have a very high barrier to entry, not just anyone could go there. As for shady businesses, she wasn't interested in them either. She was just happy to be able to buy such fresh ingredients.
"Brother Yun, are you familiar with the prefectural city?"
Lin Yuesha cut the meat, skewered it, and still managed to talk to the pockmarked man.
For her, the pockmarked man was her confidant, and they could talk about anything without any taboos.
Ever since she glimpsed the secret of the pockmarked man in the cabin, Lin Yuesha felt that he was a real person with flesh and blood, and at least liked women, and was not so ethereal anymore.
"I'm fairly familiar with it."
Xiao Qi, who had spent most of his time in the north, looked at Lin Yuesha, wondering why his younger sister had asked him that.
What information are you looking for?
After waiting for a while without receiving a reply from his younger sister, Xiao Qi took the initiative to ask.
"I do have a small question."
Lin Yuesha hesitated for a moment, then said, "I went to Changqing Academy today but didn't see my elder brother. I asked the page to tell him that my elder brother had asked the teacher for leave because of an emergency at home."
The problem is, it's unusual that even an honest guy like me can lie.
Lin Yuesha was certain that there was no emergency at home; her parents were both away and had not returned, and her stepbrother had not come home either.
If someone suddenly disappears and lies, where could they have gone?
I heard that brothels don't open during the day and you have to wait until the afternoon. Lin Yuesha gave her stepbrother one hundred taels of silver because she was afraid he would go looking for prostitutes.
Xiao Qi: "..."
It was inconvenient to go out during the day, and Xiao Qi wanted to find a substitute, but his subordinates were all busy.
He had to lie in order to see Lin Yuesha, but now his younger sister has exposed him.
What kind of excuse should he make up if she asks him about it?
“My older brother is an honest man, but he can also lie. I don’t know what he’s been up to.”
Lin Yuesha was old-fashioned and thought that studying was the right path. If he were to be captivated by a woman, it would be fine to marry her, but he would have to inform his parents first.
Xiao Qi: "..."
"What if Brother gets led astray and ends up in a brothel? I don't know if that hundred taels of silver will be enough."
I've heard that drinking with courtesans costs a lot of money. Lin Yuesha has experienced it firsthand. The food and drinks cost money, the songs cost money, and even passing on a message costs money. If you don't have enough money, you might be stripped naked and thrown into the street. For a scholar, this means losing both face and substance.
That's still good; if you were tricked into a shady place, it wouldn't just be a matter of money.
Lin Yuesha was worried that her stepbrother would not be able to handle it and would eventually suffer physical and mental damage.
Xiao Qi: "..."
Is that the impression he left on my younger sister? If I had known, I should have arranged to meet him that evening. One lie leads to countless more to cover it up.
"There's a book fair in the south of the city today, and many book lovers are here to sell their books. I suppose your elder brother is a book lover, so he must have gone to the book fair."
The book fair in the prefectural city is held every year. It is mostly book lovers who can't make ends meet who come to sell their books. If they meet someone at the book fair who catches their eye, they can sell the books for a high price.
An old book, sold to a bookstore, is subject to various price reductions, and then resold by the bookstore. Books in the prefectural city are often targeted at individuals, and if you're lucky, you might even find a rare copy.
Xiao Qi had a sudden inspiration and came up with an excuse for himself. He happened to have two newly bought old books in his hand.
"Yes, I might have misunderstood. My older brother is a book lover."
Lin Yuesha nodded. The bookshelves in her home, even in Chenjia Village, were always spotless. Xiao Qi would wash his hands every time he read, and the books were never folded.
A book can be read dozens of times and still feel brand new.
For scholars, wealthy families naturally have the money and access to resources, while those from humble backgrounds find it difficult to buy their desired books, except for printed copies from bookstores.
It's understandable that my stepbrother lied and asked for leave just to go out and buy books.
Lin Yuesha didn't understand. If she did, she would have loved to go to the book fair. With her limited appreciation skills, she was completely ignorant of classical Chinese literature and could only read vulgar stories.
Xiao Qi nodded secretly; his younger sister was quite self-aware.
"Speaking of which, my older brother's birthday is coming up soon, and I still don't know what to give him."
Lin Yuesha began to worry again. After all, they were close family members, and Xiao Qi had been very good to her. Lin Yuesha thought that she had money and had to show her appreciation.
Food is out of the question, as that doesn't really count as a gift. So what should I give as a present?
"He has plenty of writing materials, so how about a jade pendant?"
Lin Yuesha had a headache. Pouches and sachets were hardly gifts; they were too insignificant.
Xiao Qi's birthday falls on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, which is still more than a month away.
"Men usually only have a few personal items, such as clothes and shoes. Since you are my older brother, there is no need to give me anything too expensive."
Xiao Qi blinked, pondering what he lacked, and then assessed his younger sister's capabilities before finally saying, "Just sending shoes and socks will suffice."
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