Jiang Shan thought the seaside food festival was over, but Jiao's mother had a surprise attack.
"We can't waste all those votes we got yesterday. Magistrate Cao's son helped us so much; we can't let him down!"
"That kind of hot pot... what was it again? We make that! Five coins a bowl, no bargaining!"
"We still have so much food at home, we can't eat it all. We'll sell as much as we can to earn more money to buy Sanlang pens, ink and paper, and also to buy more cloth to make some winter clothes for Shan'er and the children!"
"Fourth Aunt, could you please go next door and borrow a few large pots and some charcoal? Xiao Wen, could you add two more pieces of wood to that wheelbarrow to make it more stable?"
"Shan'er, what are you wandering around for? Didn't you hear me tell you to stay home and rest for a few days to take good care of your pregnancy? Sanlang, take two pieces of that cake to the school, and I'll take the rest with me. I have a big use for it!"
The whole family was being bossed around by Jiao's mother. Even more strangely, Jiangshan, the pillar of the family, was not put to any use.
When the old lady of the house speaks, who dares to disobey?
Half an hour later, the food festival welcomed Jiang's private kitchen dishes, which were different from the usual ones.
There were no diverse dishes, no spectacular performances, and no strange yet catchy advertising slogans; there were only two pots of soup.
Yes, it's just two pots of soup.
The stall owner was an old lady.
There were quite a few onlookers. Those who knew the situation would assume that Jiang's Private Kitchen had encountered some trouble yesterday, with its stall being smashed and the owners seemingly affected, leaving them only able to make do with the competition today. Those who didn't know the situation thought that Jiang's Private Kitchen was about to come up with something new, and they were all craning their necks to wait.
When Jiang's Private Kitchen stall was set up, the seaside food festival was already packed with people, and many people rushed over almost instinctively after hearing the commotion.
Madam Cao had already arrived with her son, but surprisingly, she did not see Jiang Shan and Jiao Sanlang.
Cao Qing was somewhat interested and wanted to go forward to find out what was going on, but her mother stopped her.
Madam Cao had witnessed Jiao's mother's distraught state the day before, but she never expected that she would change so drastically in just one day, transforming into a woman with sharp edges and a fighting spirit.
The hot pot broth has a rich aroma, unlike barbecue, the former has a more complex flavor and more distinct layers of taste.
To the left of Jiao's mother stood a large sign that read "Jiang's Hot Pot, 5 coins a bowl." Behind her was a wheelbarrow, neatly arranged with various fresh ingredients: sliced mutton, lively seafood, and cleaned fruits and vegetables.
Home-cooked dishes turned into hot pot is quite novel; I just don't know how it will taste.
First, Jiao's mother put a few slices of mutton and a handful of fresh green vegetables into the pot. She stirred the vegetables in the pot a few times with her chopsticks, then scooped them out with a bamboo bowl, sprinkled some chopped green onions and a small spoonful of sesame paste on top.
"This is mutton, five coins a bowl, savory and delicious, anyone want to try some?"
Although there were many onlookers, no one dared to reach out. The mutton smelled so strong; could it really be eaten? No one believed it.
"Aunt Jiao, may I have a taste?" Cao Qing shook off Madam Cao's hand and stepped forward to ask politely.
Madam Jiao smiled slightly, bent down, and asked, "Young Master Cao, are you allergic to mutton? Do you like sesame paste?"
Cao Qing shook his head and said, "Sesame and sesame are fragrant. I've eaten mutton, so it's fine."
Only then did Jiao's mother hand him the bowl.
Cao Qing couldn't wait to pick up a slice of beef, and dipped it in extra sauce. His eyes lit up when he took a bite.
"Mom! Mom! It's so delicious!" Cao Qing finished eating in two bites and even licked the remaining soup clean in the bowl.
What could be more convincing than his actions?
"Give me a bowl, I want more seafood!"
"Give me a bowl, I want it spicy!"
"Me too! I want more meat!"
"I want the three-delicacy soup!"
By the time Cao Qing realized what was happening, a long queue had already formed in the crowd, and he anxiously called out for his mother.
Just then, Magistrate Cao arrived, surrounded by the crowd, with Li Minghe, the heir of the Marquis of Qingyang, standing beside him.
“Young Master Li, this is Jiang’s mother… Where is Jiang?” Magistrate Cao asked Jiao’s mother.
Madam Jiao stopped what she was doing, stepped forward and curtsied, saying, "My daughter almost had a miscarriage yesterday, so I told her to rest well at home."
Magistrate Cao was aware of yesterday's incident and had ordered an investigation. Fortunately, no one in the family was injured; otherwise, that important person might have cost him his official position.
"What's in the pot? Why are so many people queuing up?" Li Minghe saw Jiao's mother and felt that the woman in front of him looked familiar.
But with delicious food in front of him, he didn't have time to think about anything else.
Mrs. Jiao curtsied and smiled slightly. "This is a hot pot. The broth is carefully simmered with pork bones, and all the seasonings are in the pot. You can just put whatever you want to eat in the pot and cook it. It retains the freshness of the ingredients and has a rich broth flavor. It's convenient and quick."
Li Minghe stepped forward, pointed to the ingredients in the wheelbarrow, ordered a few items, and said, "Give me a bowl too."
"Does the young master have any preferences or taboos regarding food?" Madam Jiao asked casually.
To his surprise, Li Minghe's face darkened at the question. He was the heir apparent to the Marquis of Qingyang; could his likes and dislikes be casually inquired about?
Just as he was about to get angry, he saw Jiao's mother smile and turn her head to say something to the woman beside her.
Li Minghe's feeling intensified; he felt as if he had seen this woman somewhere before.
"The hot pot broth is very delicious. Would you prefer spicy broth or clear broth, young master?"
"Red soup, please!"
After finishing the food in his bowl, Li Minghe tossed a silver ingot into his hand and turned to leave.
Magistrate Cao followed closely behind.
"Young master, there are also shortbreads and pan-fried buns from Tongfuzhai ahead. They taste quite good. Shall I accompany you to take a look?"
"I'm not going to look anymore. I'm going to the inn to see Young Master Fu. You can do as you please!"
Magistrate Cao respectfully saw the deity off, breathed a sigh of relief, and happily ran off to find his son.
Under the influence of Jiao Jiasanlang, his son suddenly stopped stuttering. This was a great blessing from their ancestors, and as the county head, he had to show his appreciation.
When Li Minghe saw that Fu Zhi's head was covered in blood, he was shocked.
This master and servant were usually inseparable. The master was a kind master, and the servant was a clever servant. What must have happened to make the master punish the servant so severely?
Fu Zhi knelt on the ground, his face pale, his forehead was bruised and blood was flowing all over his face, but he didn't dare to wipe it away.
"What's wrong?" Li Minghe pushed open the door and asked Fu Qiyuan, who was standing by the window in a daze.
Fu Qiyuan slowly turned around, met his friend's concerned gaze, and shook his head with a wry smile.
"Guards, take him away. Once he has recovered from his injuries, send him back to the capital."
"Young master! Young master, please don't! I know I was wrong, please forgive me this time, I will never dare to do it again!"
"Take him away!" Fu Qiyuan shouted sternly.
Having known Fu Qiyuan for three years, this was the first time Li Minghe had ever seen him so angry.
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