Ancient Foodie Survival Guide Chapter 108
Translated by Serena Love
Edited by Azure
Chapter 108: Bonus Chapter - Mobei
In the cold spring, some people were practicing in the martial arts field. The slight coldness made them feel instantly refreshed.
There were many men in the Zhou family. Whether they were big or small, they were all full of energy. After practicing, they walked together towards the inner courtyard, which was very lively.
They were noisy, and their sound arrived before they entered the hall.
Someone said, "Sweat all over. Go freshen up and eat." The group of people muttered and went back to their rooms to wipe their sweat.
After freshening up, everyone was so hungry. As soon as they entered the hall, they couldn't wait to walk towards the dining table. As a result, there were only a pile of big white steamed buns on the table and no side dishes.
"Where's my little girl?" General Zhou had a booming voice. Even when he was simply speaking, it sounded as though he was shouting.
Even the juniors have also inherited this habit. Every time they talk, everyone can hear their voice from miles away. "Sister-in-law went to the restaurant again?"
There was a lot of noise. At this time, Zhou-shi stepped in from the outside with a big bowl, "Coming."
When everyone turned their heads, they saw the big pot of steaming soup in her hand. They suddenly became quiet and sat down obediently.
Someone started swallowing before the "today's meal" bowl was placed on the table.
Zhou-shi's sister-in-law followed in and said, "Today, Younger sister-in-law made bone soup. The big bones were left inside the soup."
Zhou-shi and Lin-shi decided after a long discussion. When Zhou-shi returned to Mobei, instead of doing business according to the capital city model, she first opened a small market, mainly selling simple and filling food and selling some sauces on the way.
Everyone knew that Zhou-shi’s cooking skill was superb, so after hearing about the big bones in soup, everyone picked up a steamed bun and was ready to rush for food.
The elders and the juniors were divided into three tables before they all sat at the same time. In the center of each table was a large bowl of bone soup, steaming and rich. Even though there was only this one dish, everyone felt very happy.
Zhou-shi had eaten earlier, so now she will not eat with them. After putting down the pot, she said, "I'm going to the shop first. I just hired a cook yesterday, so I have to teach them the craft."
The sisters-in-law said, "Eh." They put down the bowls and chopsticks in their hands and said, "Sister, I'll go with you."
Zhou-shi waved her hand and said, "No, it's nothing serious. You eat first."
The sisters-in-law had a small appetite and felt full after a few bites. Then, they went back to the room to pack up and prepare to go over there to take a look.
As soon as they left, the man in the house breathed a sigh of relief.
When their wives and sister were there, they didn't dare to gobble up and fight for food. Once they left, this group of people couldn't hold back.
At this time, they didn't care about any brothers, friends, or respect. They each pick up the biggest bones they could get and put them in their bowl.
The big bones in the soup varied in size and shape, and the meat was stuffed everywhere. The brown-red lean meat sucked up the sauce. It was shiny, wet, and sticky. It looked like the sauce was rich in flavor, fresh, and salty.
They picked up the two ends of the bones with both hands and sucked them with their mouth. The fresh and fragrant lean meat was peeled off, and when chewed, it was full of the aroma of the soup. They gnawed slowly next to the bones and couldn't let go of any trace of meat. At the end of the meal, they felt that even the bones were delicious.
Since arriving in Mobei, Zhou-shi had taken to cooking with bold, robust flavors, so the large bones in the soup were packed with a savory, slightly salty taste—perfectly paired with the steamed buns. The moment they bit into the large bones, the saltiness of the broth rushed to the base of their tongues, immediately clearing their minds.
There was no room for refinement when eating such big bones. The Zhou family members devoured the meat with abandon, tearing at the cartilage and sucking the marrow from the bones with vigor. The smooth, rich bone marrow was even more flavorful than the fat, and once finished, they eagerly chewed the bones, savoring every last bit.
The slurping sound of sucking bone marrow and the banging sound of people throwing bone were interlaced. After eating a big bone, the corners of their mouth were full of sauce. Then it was time to take the big white steamed bun, wipe it in the remaining soup, then stuffed it in the mouth. The soft and warm steamed bun with a meaty aroma made a lingering warmth, and they are full of satisfaction.
Since Zhou-shi’s return, the Zhou family had become addicted to the rich flavors of their meals. If anyone had told them before that bones could offer a flavor more exquisite than the meat itself, they would have scoffed at the idea, unable to imagine such a thing.
"If you asked me, these big bones should be served with wine." Brother Zhou squeezed the last bit of steamed buns, dipped them in the soup, and stuffed them into his mouth. He had eaten several big steamed buns, but not only did it not relieve his hunger, but evoked more gluttony.
Someone next to him agreed, "Anyway, Little sister is not here, my wife is not here, then let's drink some."
They wanted to get the wine, and the juniors at the next table were also bewitched and eagerly prepared to drink.
Just when they were about to act, a person stepped in slowly outside the room and asked in an extremely plain and gentle tone, "What did uncles just say? Are you drinking?"
Everyone who had been eating wildly in the room suddenly calmed down, not even grabbing big bones anymore. One was quieter and more honest than the other.
"No, no, Ah Sheng, you got it wrong."
"Yes, how come? It is broad daylight. We are not the kind of people who waste good wine."
The most feared person in the Zhou family besides Zhou-shi was Xie Sheng. Don't look at the little girl's calmness and almost dullness, but between her words and deeds, she revealed a force that made people afraid to yell in front of her, for fear that the little niece would be upset.
Xie Sheng glanced at them, and whoever the gaze fell will have a guilty conscience.
"That's good. If the mother knows it, she will be angry." Xie Sheng said unhurriedly, "Although drinking can warm the body, drinking too much will eventually hurt you. My mother said, ‘if it is cold, it's good to eat some lamb, pepper, etc’."
A group of people nodded dully.
Xie Sheng smiled. Although she was still stiff, she was a lot better than when she first came to Mobei. "I have packed up my baggage and am ready to leave. Now I come to say goodbye to my uncle and cousins."
"Leaving?" Someone said in surprise, "Where are you going?"
Xie Sheng knew the sloppy character of this family and said helplessly, "Qingzhou. I said before that I would meet my father after the early spring snow melts."
Everyone suddenly remembered. After thinking about it carefully, the day decided a month ago seemed to be today. It was just that Zhou-shi was devoted to business and didn’t want to think about anything related to Xie Lang. The rest of the Zhou family also felt that separation meant separation, so no one had the heart to remember Xie Lang. So they took it for granted and forgot about it.
Xie Sheng saluted, "The coachman is already waiting outside the house. I won't delay anymore." After speaking, she turned and walked out of the hall. The group of people hurriedly stood up and called her to stop.
Naturally, Xie Sheng was escorted by personal soldiers, but the Zhou family was still worried and sent four juniors to escort her to Qingzhou.
After arriving in Qingzhou, he didn't find Xie Lang at the prefect's mansion. After asking someone, she knew that Xie Lang had gone to inspect the spring plowing.
Xie Sheng waited for a while in the mansion, but seeing that Xie Lang was late, she asked the guards to go with her to find Xie Lang outside the city.
The heavy snow infiltrated the land last winter, and the people were looking forward to spring plowing. Coupled with Xie Lang, the newly appointed official, the spring plowing was much more lively than in previous years.
When Xie Sheng got out of the carriage, he was infected by the atmosphere of work. The people were filled with joy, and the subordinates worked neatly. This kind of scene always made people feel a kind of practical pleasure.
Xie Sheng's embroidered shoes were soiled by the mud, and she didn't care about it. She slowly shuttled among the people, muttering to herself, "Is this the farming scene mentioned in the book?"
She went around for a long time without seeing Xie Lang. The soldiers felt sorry for the little lady, so they let her wait in place, and they went to find Xie Lang.
Xie Sheng nodded obediently, and the soldiers appreciate this action very much. They were tortured by the Zhou family, who jumped up and down and saw the quiet Xie Sheng. They felt that she was the best child in the world.
Xie Sheng stood there for a while, during which people kept casting curious eyes. Even though she was dressed very plainly, she still felt a little uncomfortable, so she turned around casually.
Suddenly, she heard a girl's voice, "My lord, what kind of house do you live in Chang’an?"
Xie Sheng moved her ears and looked in the direction of the sound.
A group of people was squatting on the rice paddies, and one of them was tall and handsome. Even wearing linen clothes, he couldn't hide his charm.
The child was rude, and her parents stood anxiously after hearing her ask this question for fear of offending the prefect from the capital city.
Unexpectedly, the gentle and elegant prefect was not angry. He chuckled lightly, picked up the girl, and wiped the mud off her face. "The house is all the same, with a roof to protect it from rain and walls to protect it from the wind."
He looked at the little twitch on the top of the girl's hair and sighed, "My daughter was about the same age as you now three years ago, but why did she never have this kind of bun before?"
The people around were stunned by the question. No one knows how to answer this question.
Of course, Xie Lang didn't want an answer. He just sighed casually.
The girl blinked and asked, "Is the lord's daughter in the capital?"
He put down the girl, shook his head, and said, "No, she is also in Mobei. She said that she would come to see me when the cold in early spring has receded." He said so, his expression on his face became more and more serious. He was gentle. Rubbing the top of the girl's hair, he raised his head, and his gaze fell on Xie Sheng, who was standing not far away.
There was a smile on his face, and before the people around him reacted, he strode towards Xie Sheng in a hurry.
"Ah Sheng." He couldn't hide his excitement. "Why are you here?" He thought the Zhou family wouldn't let Xie Sheng come over so early. After all, it was still cold.
Without waiting for Xie Sheng to reply, he said, "Get on the carriage first. It's cold outside."
Xie Sheng nodded and followed him to the carriage. After getting on the carriage, Xie Lang did not follow in but stood outside.
"Father?" She was puzzled.
"I have dirt on my body." Xie Lang explained.
Xie Sheng nodded, and the father and daughter fell silent for a while.
Xie Sheng said first, "Father has changed a lot."
Xie Lang was taken aback. He shook his head and smiled, "It's just a few months. Where is there any change?"
Xie Sheng said, "Father, see if I have changed."
Xie Lang looked at Xie Sheng carefully after hearing this and said, "You have changed." It seemed that a few months could really change a person. At least Xie Sheng was not as cold and silent as before, just like an untouched orchid in the house. She was finally covered with the morning dew and mist.
He felt quite emotional. Xie Sheng and Zhou-shi had different temperaments, but the mother and daughter were mothers and daughters. They were more suitable for Mobei.
A faint smile appeared on Xie Sheng's face, "It seems that changes can be made in a few months."
The two fell into silence again.
Xie Sheng's gaze fell on Xie Lang's face. After looking for a while, she suddenly said, "Mother is doing well recently."
Xie Lang was slightly startled. He didn't want Xie Sheng to feel difficult, so he did not ask her about Zhou-shi, but Xie Sheng saw his thoughts.
He didn't know how to react for a while. Finally, he sighed, shook his head, and smiled. "Thank you."
"Perhaps in a while, you will be able to hear the reputation of the sauce shop opened by my mother."
Xie Lang leaned against the carriage, pretending to be exaggerated, "That is great. The food here is really hard to eat."
Xie Sheng didn't answer, but Xie Lang didn't feel embarrassed after years of getting used to her. The father and daughter looked at the work on the ridge together without any words.
The breeze was blowing across their faces, mixed with the chill of early spring, and the people's accented conversations were heard in the background.
"But I like it here." Xie Sheng said.
Xie Lang turned to look at her.
"I want to stay here forever." She also turned to look at Xie Lang.
Xie Lang looked at her, but she didn't mean to shy away at all. Her tone remained as if she was talking about a trivial thing, "I like it here, I like the Zhou family, and I don't like Chang’an. Uncles said that they would take me to see more extensively in the future. My cousins said that I could walk sideways with them in Mobei, and my mother said that if I am willing, I will do business with her when I grow up. Here, I can see the world described in the book, and I can walk freely. In Fushang Street, the people are also very simple and enthusiastic. In short, I like it very much."
After saying these words, she felt a little nervous. After all, no matter how precocious she was, she was still a child. She still was afraid of being scolded by her elders after revealing her inner thoughts.
Unexpectedly, Xie Lang smiled at the rare expression of anxiety on her face, his brows and eyes melted into a warm color, and he said softly, "If you want to stay, then stay."
It was such a big thing, but after only the father and daughter talked back and forth, the matter was settled. Xie Sheng felt that Mobei was good, and she spoke her thoughts smoothly. Xie Lang felt that it was good for his daughter to be happy, so they talked about such an important matter under the buzzing spring plowing scene. In addition to the internal harmony between mother and daughter, father and daughter also have things in common.
Xie Sheng nodded, her uneasy expression faded, and her usual plain expression was restored.
The two fell into silence again, but this silence was not depressing. It was a tacit understanding that belonged exclusively to the Xie family's father and daughter.
In just a few months, a person's temperament can change a lot, and perhaps in a few years, the two can break this tacit understanding.
But who knew about the future? The future was uncertain and full of expectations.
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