The pork butcher is smoother than a pig butcher!

Chapter 75 A Gift in Return
Zuo Wenkang put the "guaranteed teaching and learning" approach into practice.

Except for a few who were not good at embroidery, all the military dependents were taught how to embroider in one afternoon.

Once you've mastered the basic weaving techniques, the only way to reach the level of the masters is through more practice.

The centurion in charge of the matter praised the masters repeatedly.

Finally, quite embarrassed, he made the following request:
"Scholar Zuo, we soldiers wear straw-soled hemp shoes all year round! Do you have any ideas on how to improve them for us? We don't care about fancy designs, we just want something practical!"

His tone was incredibly sincere.

Zuo Wenkang was indifferent to the simple shoes the soldiers were wearing, but the generals of the matriarchal Phoenix Dynasty had high standards for clothing.

The soldiers, though the same type, all wore different styles of hemp shoes.

During his campaigns, the War King was fond of eating and living with his soldiers, and the hemp shoes she wore were all handmade by him.

How to make durable, breathable hemp shoes suitable for long-distance travel.

No one understands it better than him!
Judging from his hesitant expression, the centurion knew that he had something on his mind.

They quickly promised that if his improvements were successful, their garrison would reward him handsomely.

Zuo Wenkang had no choice but to agree in the end.

The centurion simply had everyone stay at the chiliarch's office and sent someone back to deliver a message to their families at the post station.

After the Lü family and others started taking customers, the Huang family leaders and their associates gained income again.

Staying one more night means earning more money.

After deciding to leave Sweetwater County, they allowed the exiled prisoners to travel light, covering a few more miles each day to make up for lost time.

Gan Minglan and the others were now completely free.

The officials naturally wouldn't allow them to wander around the post station during the day.

She would catch up on sleep during the day and use the night to go into the Divine Wood Space to consolidate her level 5 wood-type ability.

The wheat that was smuggled into the space in Lushan County was grown to more than 1,000 jin by her bare hands in less than three nights.

The wheat grains produced by supernatural abilities are twice the size of ordinary wheat grains, and the kernels are quite plump.

Even King Atu, who usually only eats dog rice grass, was willing to eat some, and his thirty-six mountain rat underlings regarded the barley as divine food.

The soldiers clumsily learned to make simple hemp shoes in two days before they were ready.

Zuo Wenkang was so exhausted that his throat became red and swollen, and his voice became hoarse, making it impossible for him to speak.

The hands of the clansmen who helped him twist hemp rope were bright red.

Fortunately, the soldiers didn't let them work for nothing. They gave each of them five taels of silver and prepared a sumptuous dinner for them.

The centurion greeted everyone warmly:

"Everyone, please take your seats quickly! Today we have all the main dishes! This is our chef's specialty, a medicinal chicken soup that's incredibly nourishing! And there's also a large carp from the Zhuohe River; it's cooked this way for the best flavor."

Chicken, duck, fish, and braised pork hock were all served in basins.

This large serving is enough for fifty people!

The boys once again revered the insights their cousin had once shared about how a man should be virtuous.

Check it out!

Haven't they earned money and enjoyed fine meals now thanks to one of the skillful techniques they learned?
Having endured wind and rain along the way, what they need most now is nourishment.

Medicinal chicken soup is more popular than any other dish.

Having had the experience of eating roasted lamb laced with aphrodisiacs at a roadside inn, Zuo Wenkang is now more wary of food not prepared by his own people.

He only picked up the dishes that the two centurions had eaten, and devoted most of his attention to chatting with the two centurions.

At 7:00 PM, Liu Wu, a personal guard of the deputy commander, arrived at the post station.

He said to Gan Minglan and the others:

"The teaching of Scholar Zuo and his group has been very effective these past few days. To express our gratitude, our commander prepared a farewell feast for them. However, Scholar Zuo and his group refused to eat alone and wanted the children under ten years old in your clan to come along and have some meat, so they sent me to pick them up."

Upon hearing this, the father's cousins ​​were overflowing with gratitude towards Zuo Wenkang.

He even brings his children along when he eats meat; what an amazing cousin!

Children under ten years old who were eligible to attend the banquet cheered with joy.

They want to eat meat!

After Fatty finished eating the last handful of meat floss, his stomach hadn't had any oil or fat for several days.

The little guy twisted his chubby bottom into a worm shape and insisted, "Mom, go eat some meat, and Grandma, eat some meat too!"

Several little ones his age also clung to their mother's legs and wouldn't let go.

Gan Minglan didn't want to disappoint the cheap man's love for their child, nor did she feel comfortable handing the fat boy over to a stranger.

Dilemma.

Liu Wu seemed to have read her mind and generously said:
"Children who can't bear to be apart from their mothers, bring your mothers with you! Our cooks have prepared plenty of meat and vegetables today!"

By the way, who is Master Zuo Chixia's mother?
The young apprentice really went to great lengths; he repeatedly told me to bring his mother along.

Hearing that her son was so filial, Madam She's eyes immediately welled up with tears. She wiped her eyes with her sleeve and said, "How can I possibly accept this?"

Liu Wu laughed heartily:
"In fact, we're the ones who benefit. Scholar Zuo's straw sandal weaving skills have been lost! From now on, our military dependents can earn dozens of taels of silver a month just by relying on this skill. What's a meal compared to that?"

Seeing his sincerity, what mother wouldn't want to give her child a little more meat?

In no time, all the children under ten years old were neatly dressed.

The young women discussed it for a long time, and in the end only six of them went.

Gan Minglan touched her slightly swollen belly with her left hand and held the hand of her bouncy baby with her right hand, walking steadily.

Tonight is another full moon night.

The moonlight seemed to gild the twilight with a silvery edge.

You can see the road ahead clearly without needing a lantern.

The Qianhu Office was about five li away from the post station, and it took about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea to get there.

Liu Wu led everyone to a side gate: "Ladies, please keep your children in check. No loud noises are allowed inside the Thousand Household Office!"

The mischievous children covered their mouths one by one, imitating the adults by keeping their faces serious and not daring to laugh.

Children are born with the ability to read people's expressions and moods.

Their experiences in the past few months have made them much more sensible.

Thirty-odd children and six adults were led into a restaurant in the second courtyard of the government office.

Various meat dishes were already laid out on the long dining table in the restaurant.

However, there was no sign of Zuo Wenkang and others.

Liu Wu explained:
"Our centurion and several centurions are having dinner with Scholar Zuo and the others. We arranged a separate table for you because we were worried that you would feel uncomfortable eating in front of other men."

She had previously thought it was very rude of the soldiers to stare at them so intently.

Only then did I realize that I had been overthinking things.

He hurriedly laughed and said:

"The military officer's arrangements are very thoughtful. It's perfect for us to dine here with our children."

Liu Wu didn't say much, he just invited everyone to sit down at the table.

He introduced the dishes on the table with a smile:

"Our centurion specifically instructed the cook to stew all this chicken and pork hock until they're very tender, so the children can digest them easily! You should eat more meat and less bread, and if you're full, drink some chicken soup to fill the gaps."

(End of this chapter)