Copper pot hot pot surprise
Snow Mountain Base.
Lin Changli prepared to return home.
A lush money tree was placed in the lounge, which Sangye had asked him to bring over.
I only brought thirty pots. If they can survive in the snow mountain, then next time I can use a large truck to transport them over in bulk.
Money trees are very easy to grow and have very low requirements for light, water, and even nutrients, making them very suitable for indoor greening in snow mountain bases.
He came here to help the Snow Mountain Base mine minerals from the dormant volcano near the Snow Mountain Tribe. The task is extremely difficult, and a single mishap could cause a volcanic eruption that would engulf the Snow Mountain Tribe.
Therefore, the Snow Mountain Base sought help from the main base, and Lin Changli came to assist.
The mineral resources of the extinct volcano have now been fully mined, and the objective has been achieved.
Lin Changli changed into casual clothes and left the lounge.
Rong Cheng walked over from the other end of the corridor. Her four-month rotation was coming to an end.
"Sangsang's birthday is coming soon, did you know?" Rong Cheng reminded him as he escorted him to the warship.
Lin Changli had looked at Sang Ye's information; her birthday was still a little over a month away, not "coming soon" as Rong Cheng had mentioned.
“We have our own calendar, which is divided according to the twenty-four solar terms, and it is used to guide agricultural production. Sangsang’s birthday is in two weeks,” Rong Cheng explained.
With Eve's super brain, it wasn't difficult to deduce the corresponding lunar calendar date for the current date.
"Have you decided what to give her?" Rong Cheng asked, her hands behind her back, with a "come ask me" expression.
Lin Changli already had other plans, but he also took the opportunity to ask Rong Cheng, "What should I give her?"
Rong Cheng revealed a smug expression.
*
After receiving the message from Lin Changli, Sangye estimated the time. Based on the time difference between the snow mountain and the base, Lin Changli would not be home until eight or nine o'clock in the evening.
So she led Jiang Siwei to visit the present-day Loda Plain.
The main areas have been completely covered with greenery, and the farmland around the foot of the gently sloping mountains near the Loda tribe is neatly arranged.
The Loda Plain has a large temperature difference between day and night, making it ideal for growing fruit crops that require sugar accumulation, such as cantaloupes and grapes.
The sea buckthorn grass and sea buckthorn sheep, which are unique to the Loda Plain, have also been revitalized by the moisture brought by the grass and plants.
At this moment, the Loda Plain is inhabited only by seabuckthorn sheep. They have no natural enemies other than humans, so they are rapidly expanding and multiplying, almost to the point of devouring the entire mountain.
But even without Sangye's instruction, the Loda tribe began hunting on their own. In addition to pregnant ewes, they would capture nearly a hundred seabuckthorn sheep every month, keeping some for their own consumption and sending the rest to the base to exchange for money.
However, according to feedback from the base, although these sheep appear larger and have more meat than before, their fat and meat firmness are far inferior to the sheep breeds provided by Sangye. Moreover, sea buckthorn sheep are difficult to process, always having a lingering gamey smell, not only in rams but also in ewes and even lambs a few months old.
Sangye simply said there was no rush, and to let them reproduce a few more times.
The planted grass and seeds carry a faint spiritual energy, and are the best nutrients for regulating meat development. If sea buckthorn sheep still cannot be raised, it only proves that they are not suitable for the dinner table.
As the grasslands expand, they will be released to graze, allowing the grass seeds to migrate with the herds and spread to more distant places.
Since the sycamore tree said that her cave would become more and more like the real world, and now that there are cats and dogs, then naturally there will be tigers, wolves, foxes, jackals and other carnivorous creatures in the future.
Releasing natural enemies onto the grasslands can control the rate of population reproduction.
Humans can coordinate from the sidelines.
While thinking about the arrangements, Sangye led Jiang Siwei to sit on a huge rock extending from the mountain.
Jiang Siwei grabbed an apple and ate it, spitting out the peel as he looked down from the mountain.
The plain surrounding the Loda tribe settlement and the base not far away, as well as the fjord mountains beneath their feet and on the opposite bank, have been largely transformed.
But in the distance, yellow sand still filled the air and dust filled the sky, and many surface mine pits were exposed, like terrible scars.
There are even more unseen underground areas; if they are not backfilled, the ground will definitely collapse.
Even if Kuwano had reserves, the project would still be enormous and lengthy when faced with the quantity required for a vast planet.
While Sangye was still concentrating on making plans, Jiang Siwei was already rapidly calculating various costs in her mind. In her opinion, this was a completely "losing business" because she did not know that Sangye "had no costs".
This realization made Jiang Siwei extremely uncomfortable, as if countless ants were crawling all over her body.
Seeing Sangye's calm and collected demeanor, Jiang Siwei felt even more uncomfortable.
So she leaned closer and poked Sangye: "You were quite shrewd when you were doing business with me, how come you're doing something stupid now?"
Sangye Gang was a little stunned when he heard this, but he quickly realized what Jiang Siwei meant.
If Sangye hadn't been certain she wanted to buy the planet, she certainly wouldn't have gone to such great lengths; at most, she would have just renovated the West Building where she usually lived. But once she had the idea of buying the planet, she planned to transform it into her "new home," just like she had managed Shifangwu.
As for the loss that Jiang Siwei imagined, it really wasn't that bad.
There are no costs for raw materials, only labor costs are covered by the base; the base also provides additional subsidies for tree species. Once the different crop areas are planned and the crops are sold after maturity, the profits will be substantial.
“You’ve already planted it, haven’t you thought about turning it into a tourist attraction?” Jiang Siwei was still thinking of other ideas. “Do you know Mingyang Star? Mingyang Star has a green coverage rate of 50%, which is higher than the capital star. It’s known as the ‘Botanical Garden.’ Many people pay to go to Mingyang Star and stay in the rainforest hotel for a week. Mingyang Star’s tourism revenue ranks first among all the planets in the Empire.”
A thought flashed through Sangye's mind.
“That’s only because the G5 Legion is stationed on Mingyang Star, so only two or three areas are open; as for the capital city, which is full of greenery, only a few invited people and natives visiting relatives and friends can enter.” Jiang Siwei patted her on the back. “You could turn this place into a tourist attraction, but that might require royal approval and profit sharing with the royal family, unless you buy the planet and transfer sovereignty to your personal ownership. Then I’ll open my family’s shopping mall here and give you a cut.” Thinking about it, Jiang Siwei was already beaming with joy.
Tourist attractions have always been highly profitable. Just thinking about how much money she could make if she could actually make it happen, she was already imagining the wonderful sound of money flowing into her pocket.
Sangye had much more to think about. Jiang Siwei had only provided her with an idea, but in reality, Black Tower Star could do much more than Mingyang Star. Mingyang Star could only experience plant forests; but Black Tower Star, in addition to forests, could also touch all kinds of animals and even experience raising them themselves.
These ordinary animals posed no threat to the sentries and guides.
Back when we were still in the Shifangwu world, many wealthy families had their own horse farms, allowing their children to get to know horses from a young age, and even raise them themselves.
The wild horses in Sangye Cave can come in handy.
Visitors can freely adopt horses or learn to ride. The stables charge a maintenance fee and await the visitor's next visit.
However, all of this is predicated on the premise that Kuwano buys the planet.
Although the planets were purchased, they remained under the Empire's administration. The Empire could still levy taxes and station executives and troops there. However, to maintain private ownership, in practice, private planets were directly managed by individuals who held executive titles but no actual military ranks—a situation everyone understood. This resulted in situations where a military general and a planetary executive officer coexisted.
Sangye was unwilling; she didn't want to share with others.
However, the thought of Sangye made him a little annoyed. Lin Changli hadn't said he wouldn't sell, but he hadn't given a price yet.
She was determined to get an answer from him when he returned tonight.
*
When Sang Ye and Jiang Siwei returned to the West Building, Lin Changli had not yet arrived.
Aso Mente and Jiang Sili each held a daughter and breastfed her, while Du Yuan and Wu Jianing each held a bottle to feed the kittens and puppies.
Although they can eat some complementary foods, the four sisters still each have a bottle of goat milk every morning and evening. If they are not given any, they cry and follow people around, whimpering. Even the hardest-hearted person can't resist this kind of whining and can only give in again and again.
Sangye had only taken out one bag of goat milk powder, which he had almost finished drinking.
Jiang Siwei ran over to tease her nieces, which made them refuse to eat the rest of their food and just stare at Jiang Siwei's funny faces.
Jiang Sili looked at her helplessly, quite indulgently.
Aso Ment was delighted to be free and immediately handed Kalista, whom he was holding, to Jiang Siwei. She had been clinging to him all day and it was a good time for her to get up and move around.
Her maternal love surged during childbirth, but it has now stabilized.
In contrast, Jiang Sili wished he could carry his daughters with him.
Sangsejin finished her drink first, then ran to Sangye with her tail held high, but didn't take the initiative, waiting for Sangye to bend down and pet her.
Sangye scooped him up and held him in her arms: "What are we having for dinner? How about hot pot?"
She stroked the violet kitten's head, and it purred contentedly.
Kuwano was just asking; she didn't expect them to give an answer. They always ate whatever Kuwano arranged, unless they had specific dietary preferences.
Unlike other hot pots, a copper pot is a ring-shaped pot with a built-in elongated firebox. Charcoal is placed inside the firebox as a heat source to cook the food. Copper pots are usually made of copper or brass. Copper has better thermal conductivity, and the inside is tin-plated to prevent the copper from directly contacting acidic foods during heating, thus preventing the formation of verdigris; it also prevents flavors from mixing.
The origin of this practice is unknown, but in human written records, it first appeared in the early period of a dynasty called "Qing".
But Sangye had known about this way of eating long before him.
Copper pot hot pot typically uses a clear broth, with goji berries, dried shrimp, red dates, ginger slices, scallions, and dried shiitake mushrooms as seasonings. The broth is placed on a bed of frozen spring water, and then charcoal is placed in a fire pit to melt the ice and cook the meat.
However, considering that different people have different tastes, Sangye made three pots at once: clear broth, tomato, and butter.
The broth is not much different from other hot pots.
However, there is a special sauce for hot pot: sesame sauce or "two-eight sauce".
The main ingredients of this sauce are sesame seeds and peanuts, mixed in a 2:8 ratio, hence the name "2:8 sauce".
Wash the peanuts thoroughly, peel them if desired, and drain them. Do not add any oil; simply put them directly into a pan and stir-fry until the peanuts lighten in color, release a slight aroma, and make a crackling sound. Then, place them in a flat-bottomed basket to cool.
Use the same method to fry white sesame seeds until they turn golden brown, then let them cool.
Then add white sesame seeds and peanuts to a blender in a 2:8 ratio and grind them thoroughly into a fine powder for a smoother texture.
Then add sesame oil, sugar, and salt, and continue stirring until fully mixed.
The resulting 28 sauce is delicate and rich, with the aroma of peanuts and the fragrance of sesame.
Kuwano didn't return early either. By the time he finished stir-frying the 28 sauce, he finally came to the kitchen through the courtyard, still damp with moisture.
The moon has risen and is shining in the courtyard. The air is filled with the fragrance of osmanthus. The name tags on the dog kennels are gently patting against the wooden huts in the wind, making a clattering sound.
The puppies rushed out of the kitchen, crowded around his legs, barking and wagging their tails happily.
He bent down, a strand of golden-red hair sliding down to the side of his face. He held three puppies in a row, cradling them in front of his chest, their chubby little bottoms bouncing in his arms.
The moonlight shone on him, highlighting his delicate and gentle features.
Lin Changli stepped into the kitchen.
Although Aso Ment is not good at skewering meat, he is very good at cutting meat.
Instead of using a straight knife, she chose a slightly curved one, the kind used to remove bone marrow.
The way he cut the meat was just as bold, slicing it into large pieces.
Jiang Sili held her daughters upright, resting her chin on her shoulder, and patted them to help them burp. The twins stared intently at their mother's actions; they found everything the adults did fascinating.
In contrast, Jiang Siwei's movements were not very skillful. She didn't dare to stand up and sat in the chair, imitating Jiang Sili's movements.
"You're back?" Sangye greeted her, handing over the chopping to her. "You chop, I'll call Melusin over for dinner."
Lin Changli responded, put down the puppies, and washed his hands again.
Speaking of Melusin, Sangye suddenly remembered that she had mentioned introducing her sister to Black Tower Star for research. The contract was already signed, but the sister was nowhere to be found.
Melusin arrived quickly. She is usually slow and deliberate, but she becomes very active and energetic when it comes to meals.
Looking at the group of people in the kitchen, Sangye thought it was incredible that such a small planet like Black Tower was full of talented people gathered in this kitchen.
Everyone took their seats in turn, sitting in front of their favorite pots—Wu Jia Ning was forcibly carried by Du Yuan to the middle of the tomato pot and the clear water pot.
The table was laden with a dazzling array of ingredients: thinly sliced beef, lamb, and pork rolls, their flesh a vibrant red; freshly cut lamb, a dark red, with fat evenly distributed like frost; various meatballs arranged evenly on either side of the table; beef tripe and honeycomb tripe, black and white, displayed on ice; enoki mushrooms, bok choy, lettuce, yam, king oyster mushrooms, termite mushrooms, porcini mushrooms, morel mushrooms, and other vegetables, glistening with fresh dew; frozen tofu and fried gluten, coated with a thin layer of oil, a bright yellow and translucent...
The high-calcium mutton that Sangye specifically requested was placed in front of her; she absolutely loved this kind of mutton with cartilage attached.
Kuangye appeared carrying a heat-insulated container filled with refined silver charcoal.
Adding the charcoal to the fire pit, the embers flickered, and the spicy beef tallow broth was the first to boil, steam rising into the air carrying the aroma of Sichuan peppercorns; then came the tomatoes and clear broth, which, although overshadowed by the spiciness of the broth, still stubbornly exuded a sweet and sour fragrance.
The copper pot crackled with the sound of charcoal fire, its reddish-brown interior reflecting shimmering orange-red spots as wisps of steam rose. Slices of mutton tumbled in the boiling broth, instantly transforming from bright red to a deep hue. Each slice, glistening with fat, was dipped in a thick sauce made with a blend of sesame paste and other seasonings. The meat was chewy and flavorful, the juices and sauce filling the air with a delightful aroma. Beef tripe, glistening with chili oil and tomato juice, crackled and popped with each bite.
The taste of Erba sauce was different from all the sauces they had ever eaten before, and everyone found it novel.
Wu Jianing coaxed Du Yuan to pick out some crispy lamb bones from the spicy beef tallow hot pot and stir them into the 28 sauce, which helped to relieve the spiciness.
Aso Ment still felt it wasn't spicy enough, so in addition to the 8-spice sauce, she added several spoonfuls of chili oil to the condiment bowl in front of her.
The kittens and puppies could only watch the adults eat, deprived of their "dinner rights" by Du Yuan because they insisted on drinking milk before dinner. Lin Changli, seeing how pitiful they were, fed each of them a slice of mutton roll.
The puppies can't sit on the table, but the violets are different.
It crept furtively to the corner of the table, its tiny body going unnoticed, staring at the beef and mutton that the adults had placed on plates without any sauce.
Sang Sejin knew that Lin Changli was the most soft-hearted, so she stretched out her little paws and slowly hooked a piece of beef roll over.
With a "thud," Sangye used a chopstick to poke the beef roll, and poor Sangsejin only managed to hook a small piece of meat onto its paw. Even small pieces of meat are meat, it wasn't picky. Sangsejin immediately fed it into its mouth and swallowed it.
When it met Sangye's dangerous gaze, Sangye Jin meowed pitifully twice, tucked its tail between its legs, and quickly jumped off the dining table.
Beef and mutton are considered "heating" foods; eating them can make your hands and feet feel warm and your heart feel comforted.
Everyone ate until they were stuffed. After the meal, they all took a stroll around the base and then disappeared.
Jiang Sili added a blanket to the twins and lowered the cover of the stroller cradle to prevent the night wind from blowing directly on them.
The small basket under the stroller contains diapers, wet wipes, soft tissues, emergency baby clothes, bottles, formula, and all sorts of other baby supplies.
He then pushed the stroller beside Asso Ment, and the two eventually left the West Building.
Kuwano closed and locked the door.
The robot was busily tidying up the kitchen.
Lin Changli likes to soak in hot springs on the day he returns from a trip, and today is no exception.
However, Kuwano didn't want to let him off the hook because of the planet-buying incident.
She stood wrapped in a bath towel at the entrance of the hot spring fence, looking at the innocent-looking Lin Changli with a cold smile.
"What did I do wrong?" he asked hesitantly, trying to recall if he had done something wrong, but he couldn't remember anything.
As Sangye approached, his two long, strong legs gleamed with a healthy, well-trained white sheen, positioned where Lin Changli could see but not touch.
“You don’t know? Let me remind you.” Sangye raised an eyebrow and uttered four words, “Planet, price.”
Lin Changli looked as if he had just realized something.
He replied, "The situation on this planet is quite complex. There are unmined veins, raw stones that have been mined but not processed, black crystals that have been processed but not sold, as well as the subsequent division of base finances, personnel evacuation, and account division after the current executive officer leaves office... The property rights liquidation is very complicated. The royal finance department is still calculating."
He stared intently at Sangye: "If you agree to give it away, it will become very simple."
Sangye didn't move: "I have a good idea."
"What?"
Lin Changli seemed to be looking forward to it.
"Give it to Melusin. I believe she'll be happy to help me with this."
Lin Changli choked, and under Sangye's piercing gaze, he suddenly did something mischievous, reaching forward and grabbing Sangye's ankle.
"Hey hey hey!" Sangye was caught off guard and pulled into the water, falling into his arms. How could she compare to the speed and strength of the sentry?
Lin Changli silenced her as she tried to curse, deepening the kiss.
Sangye struggled a few times but couldn't break free. He was a little annoyed, but he quickly lost focus on the problem.
She just didn't understand why Lin Changli kept avoiding this topic.
*---*
Half-asleep, Sangye heard Lin Changli ask, "The goat milk powder is all gone. Do you have any left?"
Sangye took off his storage ring and handed it to him: "There should be more, take out more."
Lin Changli responded. Sangye felt the bed beside him lighten, his footsteps were light, and the door closed softly.
When the door opened again, the four little ones, whose hands and feet had been washed, were placed beside the pillow.
They huddled together, warm and cozy, smelling like puppies mixed with the fresh scent of shower gel.
Sangye felt that Lin Changli was actually a bit doting. Even someone as fastidious as him could accept cats and dogs going to bed without being bathed, turning a blind eye and pretending not to see or smell them.
*
The next morning, before Sangye was fully awake, Lin Changli was already dressed. He patted the cat and dog, who were sleeping soundly and even trying to steal the blanket from him, and then stroked Sangye's fluffy red hair. He leaned down and said to Sangye, "The base's research institute has made new progress in weapons development and has asked me to come over to conduct the first batch of tests. We might go to the snow-capped mountains and the uninhabited areas of Chaohai to test their power. Don't wait for me for dinner these next few days; I'll find something to eat when I get back."
This was common at the base. Previously, Lin Changli wished he could isolate himself from the world, so these difficult tasks were assigned to a few senior officers, and sometimes even Jiang Sili would be pulled out.
He has become much more approachable now, and researchers prefer to find stronger people to test the power of weapons.
Sangye nodded, indicating that he understood.
The little phoenix in Lin Changli's mind swayed gently. Under the tree, the little phoenix, which rarely came out recently, was sleeping. It had been sleeping a lot lately and would hardly come out unless Lin Changli called it, which was quite different from its usual self.
Xiao Wutong's voice entered Lin Changli's mind: "You're not being good, you lied to her."
Lin Changli replied: "So, are you going to tell her?"
Xiao Wutong knew what Lin Changli wanted to do, and she hesitated.
She is Kuwano's spiritual entity, and in principle, she should always share all information with Kuwano.
However, what Lin Changli wanted to do was exactly what Sangye had always wanted.
Xiao Wutong didn't know what to do. She wanted to ask the main spirit, but she was afraid of revealing it to Sangye and "confessing without being asked."
"I'm not doing anything bad, I just want to give her a surprise. You won't tell her, right?" Lin Changli coaxed gently.
The somewhat naive little sycamore swayed a few times before finally making up its mind, "Okay, okay, but you can't do this again next time. I am her spirit, I can't lie to her. You've dragged me into this."
She spoke with such conviction that she looked exactly like Sangye.
Lin Changli gave a faint smile.
-----------------------
Author's Note: Feel free to suggest what you'd like to eat, and I'll decide based on the plot. [doge emoji with rose in hand]
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