Miao Chu

Chapter 253 Come to the door
In this quiz, Liang Yan came in first place among his peers.

Many of his fellow students who didn't get to see him shoot arrows later went out of their way to find his target.

The attitude of the crowd towards him changed very quickly; they stopped being careful and started to confront him cautiously.

After class, Liang Yan went to get his food box and bundle. Just as he was about to call out to Zhu Zhan, he heard someone call out from behind, "Liang Yan."

He turned his head and immediately bowed, saying, "Master Cheng!"

"Come with me for a moment."

The two walked together toward the church, one in front of the other.

Seeing that Liang Yan had a lot of bundles and large food boxes, Master Cheng took two from him and said with a smile, "What are these? They're quite heavy."

Liang Yan quickly replied, "It was food given to me by my sister."

As he spoke, he untied the last bundle on his back and said, "Master, would you like to try some? My sister Song's cooking is excellent!"

When the bundle was opened, Liang Yan breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing small packets of oil paper inside.

—Although Sister Song said that it would be good to eat it herself and share it, he really couldn't bear to share too much.

That's perfect. It's a small package, but it conveys the message without making me feel too bad about spending the money.

He took out two packets, but Master Cheng across from him smiled and waved his hand, saying, "These are your son's snacks, right? For your own consumption! I'm an adult, I don't like these!"

The two quickly went inside.

Master Cheng asked him to sit down, poured him tea, and then asked him if he had been at the martial arts school for a while and if he was used to it, and if he had encountered any difficulties in life, in his relationships with his fellow students, or in his martial arts studies.

Liang Yan shook his head, saying that everything was fine.

"Zhu Zhan got into a fight at noon. Do you know why?"

Liang Yan was taken aback and said in surprise, "I didn't know! Didn't we just have a fight?"

He only heard Zhu Zhan say that he had a dispute with someone, but he didn't know that there was a fight.

Looking back now, I realize why the other person's face was covered in black soot. I had initially thought it was from sweeping or mopping, but it turned out to be a cover-up for real injuries.

“Why should they have to sweep the outhouse after arguing? Sweep the yard!” Master Cheng laughed and explained what had happened.

Liang Yan fell silent for a moment, his heart filled with emotion.

Master Cheng then said, “I called you here for no other reason than that if you encounter any trouble in the future, don’t bear it on your own. Come to me, and it won’t count as coming to me. You can come to any other master as well.”

He told me about his younger sister.

“I’ve been in the martial arts school for years. When everyone saw that something like this happened to my family—and I couldn’t hide it anymore—they all wanted to help me out. Who knew it would involve you?”

He added, “I have already disciplined them and punished them by making them run around the training ground. This was all done by a bunch of brainless brats. But no matter where you go in the future, whether you go to the battlefield, join a security escort agency, or go anywhere else, your brotherhood will be different from others. There will be feelings between you. Don’t let this incident cause you any resentment.”

Liang Yan shook his head and said, "I can't!"

Master Cheng said, "You are very good. You are steady, broad-minded, and have excellent aptitude. Even if this hadn't happened today, I would have come to find you in a few days."

"Back in the army, I had a nickname called 'Hundred-Step Success,' which meant I could hit a willow leaf from a hundred paces. Unfortunately, I injured my leg and had to retire. I'm thinking of giving you an extra half hour of private practice before morning lessons starting tomorrow, to learn my archery skills. Would you be willing?"

Liang Yan felt his blood rushing to his head and stood up abruptly, saying, "Master, I'm willing!"

Master Cheng smiled and said, "Alright, go ahead. Be at the drill ground half an hour early tomorrow and wait for me!"

Liang Yan quickly thanked him and bowed with clasped hands.

Master Cheng picked up his bundle and took the food box, saying, "Go back now!"

As Liang Yan went to receive it, he was filled with excitement.

He wanted to express his gratitude, but he wasn't good at speaking and didn't have much else. The most valuable thing he had was the two bundles of food that Sister Song had given him.

The cold noodles were hard to divide, so he finally took several of the largest-looking oil paper packages and handed them over with both hands, saying, "Master, you really have to try it! My older sister's cooking is amazing; she runs a big eatery! People are always lining up to buy it!"

The disciple's heartfelt sincerity was met with a hearty laugh from Master Cheng, who casually picked up a packet and said, "Alright, I'll try it too. One packet will do! Thank you!"

Liang Yan couldn't tell whether he felt disappointed or relieved as he said goodbye.

No sooner had Liang Yan left than a group of five or six people walked in from the other side.

"Ugh, these brats! They've learned the moves I taught them seven or eight hundred times, and they still manage to get them wrong!"

"I teach that boxing style, and even if a monkey stood in front of me and watched it so many times, it should have learned how to fight by now. But for some reason, some people just can't learn it!"

"How many people can't learn it? They've only been practicing for ten days or so. If the people from other martial arts schools see this, they'll laugh themselves to death!"

"Four more! Oh my god, I even held back for them. I need to go check on them later—has the food arrived?"

"No, this place has been opening later and later lately! And the taste isn't as good as it used to be!"

"They also said the portions were smaller, and we should take turns eating them, otherwise they'll think they've got us figured out and are taking advantage of us!"

"I'll skip dinner, it's okay to go hungry, but breakfast has been late several times too!! I've had to go to class on an empty stomach, and my legs are sore from practicing with the knife!"

A group of martial arts instructors entered the room talking, and when they saw Master Cheng inside, they all greeted him.

Everyone drank water, wiped their sweat, and rested. After a while, one person couldn't help but say, "No, the food is still not here! I'm starving, does anyone have anything to eat to tide me over?"

A group of people each contribute their own efforts.

"Here, the half-eaten pancake I had left over this morning."

"I didn't eat the sweet cake you gave me last time, here it is, take it!"

"I have some braised tofu here, from lunchtime. Smell it and see if it's gone bad..."

Amidst the pile of leftover food, Master Cheng's voice stood out as particularly moving.

"I have a bag of snacks that some students gave me, could you take them to tide you over?"

"Sigh, it's always good to be mature!"

The man hurriedly stepped forward.

Master Cheng took the oil paper package, opened it, and said, "I don't know what it is yet. It was given to me by that new apprentice—the one named Liang Yan. I'll have a taste too!"

The oil paper was sealed very tightly, and inside there were two more small packets.

Master Cheng knew a few characters and recognized that the dates were written on them. He calculated that one was in five days and the other was in ten days.

Although he couldn't see what was inside yet, he could already smell a faint yet strong unfamiliar fragrance.

It's described as mild because the oil paper prevents the flavor from escaping, yet it's described as strong because the flavor is very noticeable; even a tiny bit is enough to make it impossible to ignore.

Master Cheng was stunned for a moment as soon as he opened the oil paper package.

There were seven or eight pieces of dried meat wrapped in an oiled paper. The pieces were dark brown and slightly thinner than copper coins. When you pinched one, it was slightly translucent, but it was also quite thick and large, with obvious textures—it was clearly made of solid, pure meat!

He took a closer sniff, and it smelled good, but it was just the usual meaty smell, completely different from the one he had smelled before. He then opened another oil paper package, and inside were thin strands, some of them quite thick, and the thickness was not very uniform. Although he had never seen ginseng before, Master Cheng immediately thought of ginseng rootlets.

As soon as you get close, or even without getting close—yes, that's it, it smells wonderful!
He immediately heard the man next to him exclaim, "Oh my! Dried meat!! What's that over there?"

Master Cheng shook his head and said, "I don't know."

He picked up a stick and put it in his mouth.

The moment it enters your mouth, you're greeted with a rich, fresh flavor.

The seasoning is absolutely wonderful!
Salty and fragrant, the saltiness is just right to bring out the concentrated sweetness of the sea, the aftertaste is very unique, with a rich sweetness, sweetness followed by sweetness, and then sweetness again, the several flavors blend together repeatedly.

Everyone says it's sweet, so sweet.

Master Cheng had always thought they were words put together, but as he chewed this one, he suddenly realized he could distinguish between "gan" and "tian".

It's very fragrant and has a chewy texture. The first bite is distinctly salty and savory, but as you chew, the sweetness emerges. Further on, the food itself releases a subtle sweetness, which is compressed deep inside. It's very chewy and becomes more and more delicious the more you chew.

Master Cheng was from the Central Plains, so naturally he didn't know that this was a characteristic of dried seafood.

He chewed on a thick, unidentifiable strand of shredded meat for a long time. Unlike eating other things, he couldn't stop eating this. If his teeth slacked off, the rich, fresh, and sweet flavor would be diluted by the saliva secreted in his mouth.

It is difficult to go from extravagance to frugality.

He tasted that strong flavor, and even though it was only for a moment, he couldn't stand the bland taste anymore!
Master Cheng remained silent. The man opposite him noticed that Master Cheng's cheeks were constantly moving, chewing on the left and then on the right, chewing on just a single strand of food as if he were trying to reach the ends of the earth. He couldn't help but say, "Old Cheng, there's no need to be so frugal!"

As he spoke, he popped one into his mouth and held up the small oil paper packet in his hand, asking the crowd behind him, "Has anyone seen this before? Do you recognize what it is?"

He froze as soon as he finished speaking, tears welling up in his eyes.

hot!
Spicy, spicy, spicy!!!
The spiciness surged forth instantly, not from dogwood, but from mustard seeds and the spiciness of mustard, with a powerful and pungent kick, so intense that his tongue didn't even have time to dodge, and he could only stare wide-eyed and hold his breath.

Just when the initial spiciness subsided and I was about to move away a bit, the burning sensation vanished in an instant, like morning mist dissipating after the sun comes out. Before I could even blink a few times, it was all gone.

After you tentatively chew a couple of times, ready and waiting for the spiciness to come, the salty, savory, and sweet flavor with a hint of smoky aroma emerges.

At this point, the teeth will start chewing wildly and haphazardly, as if they've grown their own brains.

The meat is very firm. Although it is very fine, the muscle texture is still coarse, both elastic and tough. It is extremely difficult to bite through in one bite, and even two or three bites are not enough. You need to keep working on the left side of your mouth. When your jaw gets tired, you can switch to the right side to tear and grind it.

But when you chew it, you can clearly feel this dried, fragrant thing slowly being moistened in your mouth. As you chew, it gradually becomes loose. Although it is still chewy, it finally softens.

The looser and softer it is, the more the salty, savory, and charcoal-grilled aroma seeps out, faster and more abundantly.

Umami is accumulated, layer upon layer, constantly released and added. At this point, it's as if not only your tongue has a brain, but your hands also have consciousness, and you can't help but stuff one new dish after another into your mouth.

So the flavor in my mouth became stronger and fresher.

If this person could free his mouth, he would definitely shout – “I’m so hungry I could die!”

He would rather die a quick and painless death!
The two of them chewed without looking up, while several masters gathered around to study the food.

"what is this?"

"I've never seen it before!"

Several hands, full of inquisitive spirit, reached out, each picking up one and stuffing it into their mouths.

Some people who tasted the original flavor immediately enjoyed it, while others who tasted wasabi were so spicy that they froze and it took them a while to recover before they started chewing frantically.

The food wrapped in oil paper looked like a lot, but in reality, there were only about a dozen or so pieces, which were quickly devoured by a few people.

"What kind of food is this? It's making me completely confused!"

"It's so fresh! It must be from the sea. How strange, how can it be so fresh!"

As they chewed further, the umami flavor could no longer be extracted, and everyone had no choice but to swallow it in batches. When the food passed the back of their tongues, it was another torrential burst of umami.

One of them hesitated and said, "It looks like the squid jerky I ate when I was stationed in Quanzhou! Only this one is fresher, more fragrant, and sweeter... If it's squid jerky, it's not cheap—Lao Cheng, did you pay your students?"

Immediately someone said, "That's too little, not even enough to fill a tooth gap!"

"Oh dear, this food is wonderful in every way, but there's just one problem: it gets stuck in my teeth! My teeth are sore!"

"Then don't eat it!"

"If you're worried about it getting stuck between your teeth, then don't eat it! Is this cuttlefish shreds? I don't think there's anything wrong with it. If there's anything wrong, it's your own teeth. If it doesn't have any gaps, then how could cuttlefish shreds get stuck?"

"Old Cheng, which disciple gave it to you?"

"Didn't he just say that Liang Yan gave it to him?"

"Ask Liang Yan where he found them; I'd like to buy some too!"

"Buy some for me too—this stuff is perfect for filling my stomach, and I want the non-spicy kind!"

"I want them all, spicy and non-spicy, and I want this jerky too..."

"Is dried meat tasty too?"

A group of people started heading towards the dried meat.

"Wow! This is delicious too!!!"

"This meat is so satisfying! It smells amazing! Is this pork? Give me more of this!"

"My goodness, these dried meats! If I ever get a day off and have them with some alcohol—I can't even imagine what that would taste like!"

"Hey Lao Cheng, can you ask me about the price?"

So, before the next day was even dark, Master Cheng came knocking on the door again.

"Hey, Liang Yan, what's the name of that packet of food you gave me today? Can I buy it?"

***
Master Cheng arrived at the door at noon the next day.

At this moment, Song Miao was seeing off a group of old scholars onto a carriage.

Today, Song Ji's small dining table serves seven dishes and one soup, but the portions are also controlled, just enough to fill you up without making you feel stuffed.

The consistent quality and delicious taste left the old men wanting more. Although they knew that this was the proper way to maintain health and cherish blessings, they couldn't help but secretly regret not being able to eat one more bite.

In any other day, everyone would have been talking non-stop, but today, for some reason, almost everyone was in a bad mood, and some even avoided looking at Song Miao.

Song Miao naturally noticed it.

She could guess a bit of what was going on, but she didn't ask any more questions. She just smiled and said goodbye to everyone. Just as she was about to go back to her house, she saw a person walking towards her from the opposite direction, looking around and staring at the doors of each house.

The man was in his thirties, dressed in shorts, not very tall, but lean and energetic. He walked with a slight limp, but it wasn't very noticeable.

Upon seeing the person approaching, Song Miao's mind stirred slightly, and she stopped in her tracks.

Sure enough, the other party stepped forward, clasped his hands in a salute to Song Miao, and asked, "May I ask, young lady, is this the Song Family Restaurant?"

(End of this chapter)