Miao Chu

Chapter 155 Favorable Wind
While Song Miao was cooking, Lu Wenming in the kitchen was eating steamed buns.

He and several students in his group only returned yesterday, and were so busy that they went to bed late at night. They had only gotten half a day off today, and were just looking for something to eat in the kitchen. They could clearly smell the aroma of duck meat getting stronger and stronger, but they felt a little numb.

He chewed a few bites of the steamed bun, but stood there without tasting it. He was still lost in thought, but because he was choking on the food, he finally came to his senses. Just as he was about to look for water, he heard two old women, Huang and Li, beside him. One was cleaning duck intestines and the other was washing vegetables. They had nothing to say, so they started to chat. Naturally, they were talking about how to get more people out of the countryside to serve in the army when they got back.

One person said, "It's easy to talk to my family. They just received the letter, but they've all suffered from disasters and don't know what will happen next. It's not good to rush to plant crops. As long as we mention it, they'll most likely come. But my daughter and son-in-law have to go to each village and town to run around, and it will take a lot of persuasion!"

Granny Li said, "It's no use me worrying about my son's affairs. I don't even know where he is or if he's come back. Even if he does, it's up to him how much he gets. I'll still go back to the countryside to make a quick buck. If I can get a few dozen or a hundred people and earn a string of cash, I can use it to find a good doctor in town for my daughter-in-law to get her medicine."

Grandma Huang then said, “You dote on your daughter-in-law, but you often see the mother-in-law tormenting her. When you get old, the daughter-in-law will turn around and torment the mother-in-law who can no longer move. The son will be like a dead man, not caring about his wife or his mother. If you are like this, your son must be a good one!”

Grandma Li made a few excuses, but her face was beaming as she said, "If I can't do anything else, I'll just be more diligent and good at sweet-talking people. I can sweet-talk my old mother and my daughter-in-law at the same time!"

But she paused here, then continued, "Old sister, you'll probably laugh when I say this, but even without the money, I'd still be willing to make this trip!"

The old woman turned to look at her in surprise.

Granny Li said, “I can tell from these scholars that they are all very serious about their work. You’ve only just arrived, so you probably don’t know, but last night after dinner, I overheard them talking about water depth, waterway, and waterway as they walked along the road. Although I didn’t understand the meaning, I could tell they were all very thoughtful.”

"If we can really divert the water to that Wangjing River, and they manage it well, we'll benefit too. I just hope there won't be floods every year. I'd be happy to give them a little extra effort, otherwise, with the water rising like this, how are we supposed to live?"

The old woman Huang was silent for a moment, then said, "There's nothing else, but I'm afraid it won't be useful."

Grandma Li said, "Who knows, it might come in handy this time—look at that young man, last night I felt stuffy, so I got up and opened the window, and I saw his light was still on in his room, and he was working! He's such a mature and capable person, I'm definitely going to lend a hand. It's just a favor, if it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out, but if it does work out, then I'm so grateful!"

As she spoke, she subtly pointed at Lu Wenming, who was standing there.

Inside, a fire was burning and cooking was taking place, creating a constant commotion. Since both women were elderly, their voices inevitably grew louder during their conversation. They thought they were having a private chat with their old friends, but in reality, they spoke with such conviction about their six-year-old grandson still wetting the bed that the whole house could hear them, let alone their blatant pointing and whispering.

Holding the steamed bun, Lu Wenming didn't even dare to look for water.

But Granny Huang looked him up and down carefully for a few moments before saying, "Yes, this one looks reliable. If all the people in the government office worked like this, the river would have been cured long ago!"

After saying that, he added, "Alas, it's a pity he's a workaholic who doesn't even know to add water when eating cold steamed buns."

After speaking, she shook the water off her hands, wiped them on the hem of her clothes, poured a bowl of water for Lu Wenming, and kindly called out, "Scholar, have some water! This steamed bread is making your throat choke!"

Lu Wenming hurriedly took it, mumbled a few words, and then gave a dry thank you. Just then, a messenger came to report that Han Li and the others had returned. He made an excuse that he had something to do, gulped down the water in a few mouthfuls, grabbed a steamed bun, and ran outside.

He was the oldest and always acted with composure; he rarely ran this fast.

When they got outside, they ran into Han Li as he was entering.

He stepped forward and called out, "Leader Han."

Han Li stopped, called out to him, and asked what his purpose was.

Lu Wenming said, "This time when we go to Weizhou, Leader Han has selected several people. I wonder if I could be included?"

Han Li said, "Brother Lu has just returned from the lower counties and townships, and he should take a rest. Besides, there is still surveying to do. I don't know when I will be able to return. I will have to trouble you to take care of me. Why don't you stay in the city?"

Lu Wenming had never disobeyed Han Li's orders before, but this time he shook his head without hesitation and said, "I was a little ashamed to say this, but given the current situation, I can't care about saving face anymore. I have a classmate from school. We shared a dormitory and a study room and studied together for eleven or twelve years. We have a very deep friendship. He was transferred to Weizhou two years ago and is now serving as the county magistrate in Ji County."

"Last night, when I heard Granny Li talk about the way we came, it sounded familiar. When I got back in the middle of the night, I looked up the map and found out that the route came from Weizhou and passed through Ji County where he lives."

"Whether it's transporting people or grain, it's better to have a local help keep an eye on things than to be alone in an unfamiliar place! If I go with them, it would be good if I could find people, but even if I can't, I can still be of some use!"

Once Lu Wenming started speaking, he became more and more fluent.

Han Li sensed that he was being evasive, but he didn't ask any further questions. He simply nodded and said, "Brother Lu, since you've thought it through, go pack your things first, and we'll set off together this afternoon."

Upon receiving this, Lu Wenming readily agreed and, without further hesitation, turned and went back to his room.

He opened the door and saw a map spread out on the table inside. He took a few steps closer, looked at the names of the counties on it, and finally stared at the two characters "Ji County" and sighed.

He already knew his classmate was in Ji County last night, but it wasn't until just now that he finally made up his mind to talk things out with Han Li, and there was naturally another reason for it.

My classmate and roommate was five or six years younger than me.

I had always been better at learning than him, and I even taught him and helped him with his questions. But when I entered the state school, it seemed that my academic level was not much different from before. But for some reason, the name Lu Wenming was never appreciated by the examiners.

Meanwhile, his friend, after years of similar setbacks, suddenly obtained an official position.

Although Lu Wenming was happy for him, how could he not feel bitter?

Later, he failed repeatedly and ended up working as a staff member for others. Feeling ashamed and feeling heartbroken compared to his former friends, he was afraid of saying the wrong thing and making the other party think that he wanted something. So even if he received letters, he rarely replied, only one or two a year, and they were all general and rarely involved family matters.

Lu Wenming has been involved in digging the Wangjing River from beginning to end. Now, he's working for himself and is so eager to succeed that he kept thinking about it after receiving the news last night. He was a little too proud to admit it until he handed that old woman Huang a bowl of water, and finally made up his mind.

—If Han Li trusts him so much, and the other two old women are so willing to put in their efforts, what would Lu Wenming be if he still held back?
At this moment, seeing the map on the table, perhaps having made up his mind, he felt a sense of relief.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Song Miao had no idea why Lu Wenming had left in such a hurry, nor did she know that it was all because she had unintentionally bought Grandma Li's water celery and garlic leaves.

She was still focused on cooking.

The three-month-old Muscovy duck is transitioning from a duckling to an adult. Most of its tail feathers haven't turned green yet, but its wing feathers are already a bright, emerald green. It's not very appealing to look at, but it's perfect to eat—especially for stir-frying and braising. After braising it in cloudy wine for a little over fifteen minutes, the duck meat was about seven or eight tenths tender.

Seeing that there was still a little bit of broth left in the pot, add a lot of young ginger slices, add firewood to make a big fire, and use that fire to reduce the broth. Stir constantly until the broth is thick, and finally add lettuce chunks and soaked dried bean curd sticks - these two are used as side dishes.

The dish was ready in no time. The duck meat was glistening with oil, and the skin was a shade darker than golden yellow and a bit brighter than soy sauce. The steam from the duck carried its aroma everywhere.

One pot of duck meat, the rest chopped into small pieces, but there were a few duck legs that Song Miao had specifically requested to be prepared.

She first took out the whole leg separately, then selected some pieces of duck breast meat, let them cool slightly, shredded them into strips, and then picked out some duck gizzards, duck hearts, and duck intestines, wrapped them all in dried lotus leaves, added some juice, lots of ginger slices, some lettuce strips and dried bean curd sticks, and put them aside - these were the dry food and side dishes for everyone to take with them when they went out.

When the students came out of their rooms after packing their things, they saw two large bowls of dishes served up by Dabing.

A group of people swarmed around and practically fought over the food.

Lu Wenming had already put away the steamed buns, no longer looking silly in the kitchen. He was now more nimble, his mind was clearer, and he could even smell the aroma more clearly.

He quickly picked up a piece of meat, and as soon as he put it in his mouth, he couldn't help but laugh.

Perhaps he had let go of his worries, because he had an exceptionally good appetite today, and the duck tasted especially delicious.

It has a very rich aroma of animal fat, and because it is stir-fried raw without blanching, the original aroma of the duck meat is not lost at all.

Unlike other poultry, duck meat is more likely to have a gamey smell, but it is often fattier and the meat is more resistant to cooking. After stir-frying, the layer of fat between the skin and meat is sizzled and burst by the fire, mixing with the broth to create a very strong and savory aroma.

The savory aroma has completely blended with the broth. When you eat the meat, the flavor comes from chewing between the fibers of the meat. The meat is very meaty and firm, but not tough at all. It is very chewy and has a pleasant chewiness.

The duck skin is fried until crispy and fragrant before being braised, resulting in a dish that has both the aroma of a wok and the flavor of caramelized meat, yet remains soft and tender.

Whether it's the meat or the skin, it's already thoroughly infused with flavor. At first, you taste the salty, savory, and slightly numbing sauce and spices. Then, the ginger and spiciness gradually emerges, becoming more and more pronounced with each bite. It's practically everywhere, both fragrant and spicy.

The entire process uses alcohol, not water. The duck meat has only the aroma of alcohol, not the taste of alcohol. On the contrary, the alcohol effectively removes the duck's gamey smell, giving the meat a natural wheat aroma and sweetness, and making the meat even softer.

Young ginger is naturally crisper and more juicy than old ginger. When braised in wine, the spiciness of the ginger becomes much milder, making it easy to eat and enjoy. It's spicy on the tongue but not in the throat, and leaves a warm feeling in the stomach.

The duck meat is rich and fresh, and with the help of the young ginger, it's not greasy at all. It's very meaty and juicy.

After eating the duck meat, the ginger slices were refreshing, spicy, and crunchy, instantly cleansing the palate.

Aside from the duck meat, the dried bean curd was soaked in the broth, soft and fluffy, with the aroma of beans and the rich fragrance of duck meat. The lettuce was crisp and slightly sweet, with not much juice, but very tender, not overpowering the other flavors, but obediently helping to clean up the battlefield in the mouth that had been attacked by the aroma of duck meat and the spiciness of ginger.

This dish is naturally perfect with rice.

Lu Wenming ate only one piece of duck before shoveling several mouthfuls of rice into his mouth.

After he picked up a few more pieces, the rice in his bowl was gradually soaked with the soup.

The broth blends the savory aroma of duck, the refreshing spiciness of young ginger, and the rich flavor of soy sauce and fermented bean curd. When it coats rice, it's fragrant, slightly spicy, and incredibly delicious—it's both enticing and irresistible.

At another table in the corner of the hall, knowing that the two old women would not be comfortable eating with the students outside, Song Miao set aside a bowl for them to share with her and the flatbread.

This large bowl was simmered for a longer time, making the meat even softer and more tender. It also contained quite a few duck innards, which was to make it easier for the elderly to chew.

Split the duck heart in half, separate the duck liver according to the liver compartments, and gently separate the duck intestines with a small bamboo skewer. Clean them thoroughly and cut them into palm-length pieces.

All the duck parts are added in sequence to ensure cooking time and texture. The duck intestines are added last, so they are cooked through with minimal shrinkage. They are crisp and tender with a slightly powdery texture and a particularly sweet taste – a natural sweetness from the duck intestines, combined with the spiciness of ginger, leaving a lingering aftertaste.

Duck liver isn't as tender as chicken liver, but it's more flavorful and aromatic. Duck blood is smooth and spicy. The two old ladies ate so much that they forgot all about their daily lives.

Only Granny Li grumbled, deeply regretting that her teeth were too weak to properly gnaw on the duck necks, while Granny Huang complained that although she was born in the Year of the Ox, it was a waste of her zodiac sign, as she couldn't grow four stomachs like an ox to eat a few more bites.

After the meal, everyone packed their things and prepared to leave. Song Miao and Da Bing brought over a basket of dried lotus leaf packets, two packets for each person, including the two old ladies.

She opened one of the packages to show everyone. One of the lotus leaf packages contained three-layered flatbread and barley cake, while the other package contained braised duck with ginger and wine, along with side dishes.

"We ate lunch early. If we walk along the mountain path, we'll probably be hungry by mid-afternoon. In that case, you can use these three flatbreads to wrap the vegetables and eat them. The weather is warm, so we don't have to worry about them getting greasy."

"This package contains barley cakes. I fried them in oil. They can be eaten cold, but if you have a fire, you can bake them for a while to make them taste even better."

After she finished speaking, everyone thanked her and lined up to get their bags. Some took whole bags, while others carried their shoes.

Only Han Li came out last. He clearly heard the conversation outside, but he didn't go up to take it. Seeing that everyone had dispersed, and because Song Miao was standing by the table, he walked to the adjacent spot, took off his bundle, carefully unpacked it, and slowly put away the two lotus leaf pouches that were left for him.

After he had slung his bundle over his shoulder, he had only taken two steps when he turned back and asked, "I am about to embark on a journey."

Song Miao was taken aback, then smiled and wished him a safe journey, young master.

　Thank you to the kind-hearted bystander Xiaowei for giving me the spirit beast egg. It's huge, a truly wonderful egg! I am deeply grateful for the generous reward from Alliance Leader Xiaowei, and I accept it with great humility.

　　But I want to emphasize again, really, really, there's no need for large donations. Your subscriptions are already the biggest support you can give me. If you want to express your appreciation, a small amount like a lucky charm is enough to make me extremely happy. Such large donations are way too much. I want to thank you at the same time, but I strongly condemn them!! I'd like to make a deal with everyone, this is the last time.

　　Thank you to the loyal follower of Director Hua of Axe Mountain for gifting me a left-handed He Shi Bi jade disc. Little Axe, is this left-handed jade disc for me or for Xiao Qi? I'll accept it for him first, and then decide whether to give it to him based on his behavior later.
　　Thank you to Jade Green Radish and Master Le for each gifting me a sachet :)

　　Thank you so much, Agent Cat, for the lucky charm! ^_^
　　(End of this chapter)