Heavenly Blessed Baby: Fleeing Famine, Busy to Prosper!-Chapter 41: What Are Your Intentions?
The bones have been blanched once; now they are simmering, but the aroma isn’t as rich as other people’s.
Yi Meng isn’t in a hurry.
She scoops out the de-blooded meat, dries the remaining water in the pot, and adds a small spoonful of lard.
As the lard melts, a distinct fragrance of oil fills the air.
However, each household is minding its own simmering meat, and the Qi Family is located downwind, so the aroma isn’t quite noticeable.
Once the lard has melted, she adds the blanched meat and begins to stir-fry.
The blanched meat appears cooked on the surface, but as it fries, some fat still releases oil.
Without wasting much time, Yi Meng watches the fats start to release and throws in some Cornelian Cherry.
Cornelian Cherry has a spicy flavor, and considering there are kids around, Yi Meng adds just a bit for flavor.
After another bout of stir-frying, the unique aroma of Cornelian Cherry wafts out, though very faint, undetectable unless close by.
Once the bone broth comes to a boil, she pours it into the stir-fried meat, adding a touch of Dried Tangerine Peel and licorice, then salt just before it’s done, making this stew complete.
Dried Tangerine Peel and licorice were things Yi Meng had previously bought from the pharmacy.
Unfortunately, this era lacks rich seasonings, and many are just herbal medicines from pharmacies.
The village folks near the Qi Family saw Yi Meng close the lid and laughed, "Aiyo, Mrs. Qi, didn’t know you were such a good cook!"
Yi Meng, neither embarrassed nor annoyed, replied with a smile, "It’s nothing special, just trying out some methods I read about in books."
"Books teach cooking too?"
The woman seemed very surprised.
Yi Meng nodded: "Books are all-encompassing, teaching many things, and cooking is naturally one of them."
"My heavens! If books teach this, then why don’t we see the scholars cooking? They always talk about gentlemen staying far away from the kitchen."
The woman exclaimed with disbelief.
It’s no wonder she’s skeptical; in this era, scholars have an almost deified status.
As if once educated, one is bound to succeed.
The kitchen, on the contrary, is opposed to that success; being a scholar fish aiming to leap over the dragon gate, they must steer clear of the kitchen.
Yi Meng despises such circumstances but doesn’t react too vehemently.
Others can do as they please; at least, the Qi Family doesn’t subscribe to that notion.
Yi Meng smiled, "Saying gentlemen stay away from the kitchen is flawed. Every day’s food comes from the kitchen. If avoiding the kitchen were true, then all related activities should be avoided."
"It’s simply an excuse for them not wanting to catch the scent of oil and smoke!"
With such a playful answer, Yi Meng went looking for Qi Quanjin, not giving the woman further chance to speak.
The woman stood stunned for a while, suddenly slapped her leg, and exclaimed, startling those around.
She excitedly said, "The educated certainly speak differently. If gentlemen truly avoid the kitchen, how can they consume things from it? Those gentlemen might as well live on air!"
Ignoring the reactions, she herself couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
Others, not understanding why, laughed along seeing her laugh.
For a moment, the atmosphere was very harmonious.
This harmonious atmosphere was broken even before everyone sat down to eat.
"Village Chief, you can’t ignore me and my mother! We’re also from Yongping Village and fled together with everyone. You all eat meat, but my mother and I can only have porridge. How can you bear this?"
Er Laizi squatted by the Village Chief, his eyes fixated on the chief’s iron pot.
The Village Chief had many people, and they gathered lots of game. Currently, their pot was filled with venison, two wild chickens, and a hare.
The aroma wafted into Er Laizi’s nose.
If it weren’t for the Qi Family’s numbers making resistance futile, he would have rushed to eat by the pot.
After a exhausting day, the Village Chief was no longer energetic, now irritated by Er Laizi’s pestering.
"How should I help you? Yesterday, I mentioned going to the mountain today, advised everyone to prepare, your family didn’t, how is it my problem?"
"And the meat, wasn’t it all gathered by the men of each household? Er Laizi, you’re a lad with working limbs, why can’t you gather on your own?"
"In the time spent pestering here, you could’ve found a wild chicken or something!"
The Village Chief’s tone was harsh.
If a family member, he’d have smacked him with a shoe.
Er Laizi grinned, seeing the Village Chief’s displeased look, quickly restrained his smile, and feigned hardship: "Uncle, that’s not how it is! You have big families, I don’t."
"Climbing the mountain was exhausting, not to mention my mother, she’s old, fainted twice. Can I leave her on the ground unattended?"
"I need to care for my mother, how can I gather meat? Village Chief, you have many people and much meat, could you spare a rabbit or, at least one?"
"Let my mother and I enjoy a taste, settle our nerves, alright?"
Er Laizi spoke while eyeing the Village Chief’s pot.
Seeing him like that angered the Village Chief but his words held some reason.
Thinking about it, after all, being from the same village, Er Laizi, though not commendable, cared for his mother.
Feeling softened, just as he was about to instruct his family to serve meat, his eldest daughter-in-law interrupted.
"Er Laizi, are your eyes blind? The family with the most meat isn’t ours. You said it, our family is large, meaning more mouths to feed too. Seek from wealthier homes, why rob us of a bite? What’s your motive?"
Duan Cuihua had been watching since Er Laizi arrived.
Married into the Ji Family for years, she knew her father-in-law’s cold yet soft-natured personality very well.
Listening to Er Laizi and observing her father-in-law’s expression, she knew the old man was softening.
If she didn’t interrupt, their pot’s meat would soon diminish.
The meat her men struggled to gather, why let outsiders take it?
No way!
She must intervene!
