Miao Chu

Chapter 134 Evil Tiger
Song Miao understood immediately.

She asked, "Can we take care of it now?"

Han Li nodded, went back to his room to get a bag of money and gave it to Song Miao, saying, "I've left everything to you, so please take care of it and help with the repairs."

Song Miao would proactively ask for money even without it, let alone if she had money.

Including the caravan guards, there were more than forty people in the group. Although some had left, there were still quite a few. Since one family could not accommodate them all, they were scattered among the houses in various parts of the village.

Before setting off, she first asked Dabing and then asked the owners of the houses where she was staying to help her go from house to house to ask about the clothes and dirty wet shoes that everyone had changed out of the day before. She said that she would find someone to help wash them - of course, they hadn't washed them yet, and no one dared to wash them. Everyone was afraid that they would leave today and the clothes would not dry and would smell bad.

After marking each item carefully, she then asked about dietary restrictions.

No one dared to say they had any dietary restrictions.

After Han Li and his men left, Song Miao asked the host of the house where she was staying to help find some people to do laundry.

Now the floodwaters are rising and the rain is relentless. The fields are flooded and the water can't be drained all. Everywhere is a vast expanse of water, and everyone in the village is worried, not knowing where they can make a living. But these jobs have come along, and if you ask, no one will refuse.

Song Miao bought firewood from various households and asked someone to wash and dry the clothes.

Once this was settled, she asked where she could buy the supplies.

The village here is small, with no county or town in front or behind. There is a larger village about ten miles ahead, but it is only on the 2nd, 5th, or 8th of the month, and today happens to be the 11th. Even if it is a market day, according to the homeowner, you won't be able to buy anything there.

“The water level has risen sharply recently, and I heard that the roads leading out of many villages are completely blocked, so the market days were not opened the last two times.”

After the homeowner finished speaking, he asked, "What vegetables does the young lady want to buy? It's a pity that the vegetable garden behind my house was flooded. Otherwise, it would be the perfect time for cabbage to come out right now. I can't eat it all myself, and I can't sell it either. I would even pick it for free."

Song Miao had already guessed that the flooding in the capital would only worsen the situation outside.

Although she didn't bring many valuables, she did bring cooking utensils and a lot of durable ingredients. Hearing the hostess say this, she didn't ask about the meat, but only about the vegetables.

Upon learning that there were several small hills behind the village, and that some people had still managed to grow vegetables on the hills that hadn't been flooded, I asked them to take me there to buy some vegetables, which were just ordinary rapeseed and cabbage.

After everything was packed and we rested for a while, it was already afternoon.

Knowing that everyone had set off early in the morning and that it was raining and wet outside, they would most likely have to return early. Seeing that it was almost time, she called Dabing over to help prepare the dishes.

I made the steamed buns first.

She kneaded a portion of dough with Dabing, gradually explaining the ingredient ratios, how to make the starter, how to let it rise, and why it needed to rise in that way. Only after that dough had risen did she proceed with the other dough.

The ingredients we brought were packed with dried goods.

Wash the shiitake mushrooms, carrots, scallions, sausages, and cured pork. Soak the shiitake mushrooms and dried shrimp first. Once they are properly prepared, dice what needs to be diced and drain what needs to be drained.

—She was planning to make a messy, haphazard stewed rice dish.

The main ingredient is preserved meat, but the dish is mixed with other ingredients, so it can't really be called preserved meat rice.

Seeing that Da Bing was very solid in his work and effort, but his knife skills were somewhat casual, Song Miao went over and asked him, "When you cut vegetables like that, do you use your forearm a lot?"

The man had never thought about it, nor had anyone asked him about it. He simply did whatever was convenient. Upon hearing this, he tried it out himself and found it to be true. He nodded in agreement.

Song Miao said, "I see that you often press down with your arm and always use your forearm to exert force. If you press off to the wrong side, the blade will be at a different angle, and the food will be cut into different sizes. That's not all, it will also easily cause wrist pain."

He was also taught how to use his forearm to move his wrist, how to use his wrist to generate power, and how to make the knife follow his wrist, etc.

She was very meticulous when she taught Erniang before, and she is now teaching Dabing. She not only teaches verbally, but also guides you step by step.

Although it's not some kind of secret technique, but just common experience summarized by predecessors, it's still much better than a novice figuring things out on their own.

Dabing tried following Song Miao's instructions. At first, he wasn't used to it, since it was different from the way he used to make it. But as he gradually changed his approach and cut the pancake along the grain, it became much less tiring.

After watching him cut the cured meat for a while, Song Miao said, "Smoked cured meat is hard. The rice we are making today will be cooked in a clay pot, so we are not worried about it not being cooked through. But if we are going to stir-fry it, this kind of smoked food is extremely dry and hard. It is best to steam it once first so that it will be soft and easy to chew."

He also told him that when making braised rice, the cured pork and sausage should be sliced ​​thinly and diagonally so that the meat is as close to the rice as possible and the oil and aroma can penetrate into it. However, the slices should not be too thin, otherwise the flavor of the cured pork and sausage will be too bland.

Dabing had worked under a master for two years, doing odd jobs for others, so he knew all too well how difficult it was to learn a skill.

He had previously been obedient and full of admiration for Song Miao, and now that he had cooked a meal for her, he became even more like a little chick, treating Song Miao as the first living creature he had seen when he hatched, following her everywhere and doing everything she said.

Seeing that the child was full of energy, Song Miao didn't discourage him, but instead guided him slowly and taught him carefully.

Once the ingredients were prepared, she watched the time and used lard to stir-fry half of the sausage and cured meat pieces. Then she added diced shiitake mushrooms, diced scallions, and diced carrots, stir-fried them until fragrant, added salt, and then gently stir-fried the soaked rice together.

Once the rice grains are evenly mixed with all the ingredients, add a little soy sauce and enough water to cover the raw rice by half a finger. Then, divide the rice into three large earthenware pots. Any rice that cannot fit in the pot is left in a large iron pot.

The rice was only half-cooked when a commotion of voices could be heard outside.

The homeowner rushed in and said, "The scholars outside have returned!"

***
At the village entrance, watching the young students run so fast, dashing into the houses like monkeys, Lu Wenming, who was lagging behind, couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

He was over forty years old and could not compare to the vigor and energy of these young people.

I've been out and about all day, hiking and wading through rivers, and just now when I was taking measurements, I slipped and my right foot, shoelace, and trouser leg all got wet.

I didn't bring many changes of clothes, and only three pairs of shoes. In the past few days, I had been traveling and inevitably got them dirty and wet. Now, these are the last pairs of shoes I have, and they are all soaked in muddy water. Every step I take is wet, and it's really uncomfortable.

He was very troubled, but had nowhere to vent his frustration and no way to express it.

At this age, with elderly parents and young children to support, and having studied for many years without achieving academic success, he didn't want to be supported by his parents and wife for the rest of his life. So, he asked someone to introduce him to a position as a staff member under an official. He worked diligently for many years, considering himself to be a conscientious worker, and despite doing the most work, he was never as favored by the official as others.

This time, when Old Man Min came to our door looking for someone to go to Huazhou, the official was selecting people from among the common people. Everyone knew that these were all hard laborers with no benefits, so everyone was pushing the responsibility onto each other, and no one was willing to go.

In the end, he was forcibly dragged out again, and there was no way to push him away.

The scholars and guests who had been discussing leaving yesterday naturally invited him as well.

But he couldn't act so recklessly.

Firstly, having made a promise, it was impossible to simply walk away without a special reason. Secondly, if he did leave, how could he explain to his husband, who was receiving a monthly allowance, and how could his husband explain to Old Master Min?
After enduring a whole night and measuring hydrology all day, I only ate cold, hard dry food in the morning and at noon. Now I'm soaking wet, hungry, tired, and my clothes and shoes are sticky.

Even though he's no longer a young man, Lu Wenming still couldn't help but feel a lump in his throat.

It's so hard.

He didn't know how much longer he could endure this, so he could only tough it out.

He entered the house in his leaky shoes, and as soon as he opened the door, his roommate called out, "Brother Lu, are your clothes wet? Hurry up and change, it's time to eat—the homeowner just came and said he'd take us to the ancestral hall later, and Miss Song has prepared food."

Lu Wenming knew that the young lady Song was invited by Han Li to Huazhou to manage the meals. Although he didn't know how she managed them or why such a young lady was chosen, he really didn't have the energy to criticize her at the moment.

Hearing that there was food to eat and he no longer had to eat dry rations, he hurriedly went to the bedside, quickly changed his pants, took off his shoes, and was about to walk barefoot when the student next to him said, "There are new shoes here, Brother Lu, wear these!"

Lu Wenming took a look and saw that they were a pair of bamboo shoes, very simple, but with high heels, so that the feet would not get wet easily on such a rainy day, and they were also more breathable.

He was somewhat surprised and asked, "Where did you come from?"

"The host said that Miss Song bought it and delivered it according to Han Li's instructions."

After saying that, she pointed to a chair next to the bed and said, "We've washed and dried our clothes and shoes—you know what, I was just worried about this. The outfit I'm wearing today is the last one I have. If I wash it, it won't dry, and if I don't wash it, I have nothing to change into!"

Lu Wenming went over to take a look, and touched them. Sure enough, the clothes and shoes were not only clean, but also very dry and still a little warm to the touch, probably because they had just been dried.

He had only received a set of clean clothes, shoes, and socks, and a pair of bamboo shoes, which would normally be insignificant, but at this moment, they instantly dispelled much of the annoyance in his heart.

The two changed their shoes and hurried to the ancestral hall.

Song Miaotong had been waiting in the ancestral hall for a while. Seeing that people were slowly arriving, she went back to the kitchen, stir-fried several pots of cauliflower with lard, and then started making soup.

Clear broth is the quickest to make.

There was already a large pot of boiling water nearby. She heated an empty pot, used a little oil to lightly toast ginger slices, and then slowly stir-fried dried shrimp until it released the aroma of seafood. Because pepper was too expensive, she couldn't bear to add it, so she added a little Sichuan peppercorn to stir-fry together.

Once the aroma is fully released, pour boiling water into the pot, simmer briefly, then remove and discard the ginger slices and Sichuan peppercorns. Add a small amount of fish sauce, and then throw in three or four cakes of roasted seaweed.

As soon as the seaweed was cooked, the stove door was closed. Then, the hand was raised high and the beaten egg liquid was poured down in a circular motion. Salt and oil were added only when the pot was removed from the stove, and a handful of chopped green onions were sprinkled on top.

A large steamer of buns, a large pot of soup, and several large clay pots of rice were placed on the table. Although they were all covered, the aroma still kept wafting out from the gaps.

So after everyone dried their heads and bodies, washed their hands, changed into dry clothes, and arrived one after another in wooden clogs and bamboo shoes, they couldn't help but sniff the air before even entering the door.

It has the aroma of cured meat, with a slight smokiness and a hint of alcohol from semi-fermentation and semi-curing.

After a long day of hunger, who could resist such a delicious aroma?

The crowd rushed in.

Song Miao greeted everyone with a smile and said, "Young Master Han specifically instructed me this morning that you all have worked hard these past few days and asked me to make some hot food—but there's really nothing around here, and with the rain blocking the way, I can't buy anything, so I could only put together some random things. Please forgive me."

He added, "Since it's money that Young Master Han subsidized himself, the amount is more than enough. If you're still hungry, just come to me, and it'll be my fault!"

As he spoke, he and Dabing lifted all the pot lids together.

The aroma was already irresistible even with the pot lid on, and when the lid was lifted, many people sitting nearby were immediately greeted by the steaming fragrance, their eyes widening in surprise.

In the large earthenware pots, sausages are sliced ​​thinly, revealing a glossy red color between crimson and jujube red. Cured pork is also sliced ​​thinly, half lean and half fat. The lean part is amber-colored and oily, while the fat part is transparent, crystal clear and shiny.

The rice, soaked in the oil rendered from the sausage and cured meat slices cooked in a clay pot over high heat, and then stir-fried and simmered again, is exceptionally tempting, with each grain distinct.

Bowls of rice were served in front of everyone and placed on the table.

The group of people only made a token gesture of politeness before grabbing their chopsticks like ferocious tigers.

Lu Wenming, who is over forty years old, has unleashed the speed and strength that he had when he was twenty.

He was so hungry that he started fighting with a group of young men for food. He showed no signs of fatigue from before. He put a mouthful of rice into his mouth, chewed it haphazardly a couple of times, and swallowed it. But as soon as he swallowed it, he regretted it.

A bunch of delicious foods are fighting in my mouth, each with its own strengths. The sausage slices have a sweet and mellow wine aroma, the cured pork slices have a smoky and salty fragrance, and each bite is a soft yet chewy piece of lean meat. The lean meat becomes more and more fragrant with each bite, and the texture and flavor are tightly packed together. You have to chew it a few more times to slowly release them. Then, take another bite of the juicy fat.

The fatty meat, after being marinated, fermented, air-dried, and smoked, and then sliced ​​to the perfect thickness, doesn't taste greasy at all. Instead, it has an indescribable flavor—not greasy, not fatty, crispy, truly bursting with oil, and incredibly fragrant.

Both carrots and scallions are very sweet and cooked until soft. When you eat them, they roll from the tip of your tongue to the back of your tongue and then down your throat. Relying on their natural sweetness, they stand up to the rich, oily aroma of other sausages and cured meats, giving them a good fight.

What's even more outrageous is the rice. The grains are plump and fragrant, yet they've absorbed the essence of the preserved meat, carrots, scallions, and mushrooms, resulting in a flavorful blend of salty, savory, and slightly sweet taste. There's even a small bite, probably from near the bottom of the pot, with some crispy rice crust.

The rice crust was about the thickness of a grain of rice, and its color was even a shade darker than golden yellow. It smelled incredibly fragrant, and it was crunchy and crisp when you chewed it, without sticking to your teeth at all.

It's not hard and crispy, but purely crunchy. As you bite into it, the aroma of oil explodes in your mouth, so fragrant that it makes you feel inexplicably guilty, as if you would not regret dying if you could eat a few more bites.

(End of this chapter)