Ancient Foodie Survival Guide Chapter 49
Translated by Serena Love
Edited by Azure
Chapter 49: Pork Jerky
Jiang Shuyao hasn't seen Zhou-shi for several days. Before, she used to come to Shouning Hall every day for the morning greeting.
Zhou-shi does not have virtuous filial piety engraved in the bones like Xu-shi. It is not unreasonable that she learned Xu-shi's gentleness and dignity, but it is hard to learn to be generous and dignified.
Jiang Shuyao doesn't like Zhou-shi. Zhou-shi hadn't looked at her with a nice expression since she got married. Of course, she didn't have a nice face on anyone, as if she was always holding back a grudge.
Although she doesn't know much about Zhou-shi, she can roughly piece together her from just a few words. It would seem a bit exaggerated to say that she was aggrieved for her, but thinking about Lin-shi's experience, Jiang Shuyao would inevitably have sympathy for Zhou-shi.
Seeing her expression look bad, Xu-shi guessed that she was still caring about what happened that day and advised, "Don't think too much. Third brother is different from second brother."
Xu-shi, who had always been introverted, said something like this. Jiang Shuyao was a little surprised, "No, I'm not worried and thankful... My husband might take a concubine one day, but I feel uncomfortable for second sister-in-law."
Xu-shi's eyebrows instantly softened a lot after she heard this.
She took Jiang Shuyao's hand to comfort her and stopped persuading her.
After the two were separated, Jiang Shuyao walked to the Bamboo Courtyard. When passing by the courtyard of the second branch, she looked far away and sighed softly.
"What are you looking at?" There was a sudden voice behind her.
Jiang Shuyao was taken aback, and turned around to see. Who knew since Zhou-shi stood behind her? Her eyebrows made a sharp expression.
She used to imitate how Xu-shi acted, suppressing her heroic spirit and pretending to be humble and dignified, which inevitably seemed a bit funny. Today, she didn't deliberately dress up like Xu-shi. Jiang Shuyao realized that Zhou-shi's appearance was somewhat similar to her, and they were both bright and beautiful.
"I... just passing by." What else could she see, of course, she saw the second branch.
Of course, Zhou-shi knew about this. That day, she made a big fuss and was seen by the whole mansion as a joke. Now she met Jiang Shuyao, who was present at the time, and she was a little embarrassed.
But she has been holding back her hostile temper for so many years. Naturally, she would not soften because of her embarrassment. On the contrary, she became sharper, and her tone was irritable, "Then you go quickly, don't stand here."
Jiang Shuyao let out an "Oh," turned and left without replying.
Zhou-shi looked at her back, with mixed feelings in her heart.
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Zhou-shi's body was full of thorns, and everyone was scared. No one wants to provoke her, but some things can't be avoided without trying to hide.
The old lady believed in Buddha and would go to the temple for a few days every year. The female members of Duke Xie's mansion naturally accompanied her.
Jiang Shuyao got into the carriage. At first glance, she saw the hostile Zhou-shi sitting in the corner. When she turned her head, Xie Pei, who had always disliked her, sat next to her.
Originally, Xie Pei would ride the same carriage with the old madam, but she felt that the old madam's carriage would be too boring. She did not want to ride with the children, so in the end, she could only ride in the same carriage as Jiang Shuyao.
Hey. Jiang Shuyao sighed silently.
Rather than staying with the old madam and serving her with Xu-shi, Jiang Shuyao looked at the two people in the carriage with a calm face and felt that it was not intolerable.
The carriage drove steadily and slowly, but Jiang Shuyao couldn't sit still after a while.
She lifted the curtain to look outside. The view was nice, but it was still dull and boring after a long time.
She lowered the curtain and lifted the food container that she had brought.
What did you do when you were bored? Of course it was to eat.
Jiang Shuyao pulled a water sac out, and the rich and long sweet smell instantly spread throughout the carriage.
Speaking of a trip, how can we miss milk tea?
Thinking of sitting on the carriage for a few hours, she deliberately made a few more cups. Anyway, it was hot at the moment, so drinking cold milk tea is just right.
Smelling the sweetness, Zhou-shi and Xie Pei unanimously frowned and looked at her.
Jiang Shuyao was always happy when she ate. She didn't mind the eyes of the two and drank a sip of milk tea with her heads up.
The sweet but not greasy milk fragrance spread in the mouth with the refreshing aroma of black tea, and the coolness slipped into the stomach all the way, immediately relieving her irritability.
Drinking milk tea was a bit monotonous, so she had grilled some pork jerky in advance.
The pork jerky was sliced into square slices. The color was brownish-red. Because it was brushed with a layer of honey, the surface wawas shiny, and the sesame on the top looked delicious.
Jiang Shuyao made several flavors of jerky. The original flavor is sweet and salty, the darker color one is the spicy flavor, and there is also brown cumin flavor. Each jerky is neatly stacked in the food box.
She wiped her hands, picked up a strip of dried pork, and brought it to her lips. The piece was perfectly thick, just enough to draw out its moisture during roasting. The flavor was dry, yet not overly so, offering a satisfying chew. It was both salty and sweet, with a savory richness that didn’t veer into the overly gamey, leaving behind a lingering, delightful aftertaste.
After eating a few slices of dried pork and drinking a portion of milk tea, she can bear it no matter how boring the journey was.
Xie Pei was at that indulgent age, where every sight of food stirred her cravings. Watching Jiang Shuyao eat so contentedly only deepened her sense of longing. There were pastries in the carriage, but she couldn’t bring herself to take one out. It would reveal her unseemly hunger, exposing her gluttonous nature.
Jiang Shuyao ate happily, one piece after another. From time to time, she would bite one end of the jerky, slowly tear a small strip with her teeth, and then put it in her mouth and chew it carefully. Xie Pei's heart felt itchy. She wanted to know what the pork jerky tasted like.
The lid of the food box was open, and the delicious aroma of dried pork remained for a long time. Xie Pei's gaze fell on the neat and crystal clear jerky, and she swallowed secretly.
Zhou-shi was twisting around, but Xie Pei is awkward and stubborn. She looked at Jiang Shuyao and wanted to make trouble.
"Have you eaten enough? The carriage is full of smells."
Jiang Shuyao didn't catch her sarcasm and opened the curtain, "Is this better?"
Xie Pei felt stunned; it was as if her fist had fallen on cotton.
Jiang Shuyao had a good sense of ritual for drinking milk tea, and she brought a reed tube, so the carriage was full of the sound of her drinking milk tea.
"Gulp—Gulp—Gulp—"
Xie Pei was suddenly thirsty.
"Gulp—Gulp—Gulp—"
Xie Pei picked up her teacup and drank a cup of tea. The tip of her nosesmelled sweet and fragrant, but the tea in her mouth tasted dull and bitter.
Seeing Jiang Shuyao about to drink again, Xie Pei couldn't help but say, "Drinking so much, aren't you afraid that you won't find a place to go to the toilet later?"
Her words reminded Jiang Shuyao. There were no public toilets in ancient times. It was a problem if she needed to go to the toilet after drinking too much.
She looked down at the several water sacs she had prepared and was silent for a few seconds, but then she suddenly said, "Do you want to drink?" She wouldn’t be able to hold it alone, but she could drag one of them into the water.
Xie Pei did not expect that she would take the initiative to invite her to drink. She was taken aback when she heard the words, and her expression became even more awkward.
She mumbled, "I won't drink it."
But after a while...
"Gulp—Gulp—Gulp—"
Zhou-shi looked at the two people in the car drinking milk tea frantically, and her temple pulsed a few times.
She had been criticized for not being a dignified lady, but what happened to these two in the carriage? Even if it were her, she wouldn't make such a sound when she drank water, but these people were such beautiful, noble ladies from the capital.
"You guys—" She was already in an irritable mood, but now she was even more short-tempered. Just as she was about to scold people, Jiang Shuyao interrupted her suddenly.
"Second sister, do you want to try some?"
Looking at the food box handed in front of her, Zhou-shi was taken aback.
She indeed had a bad temper, but it was also true that she did not feel any kindness from others after she married into the capital. To put it bluntly, she was too sensitive and had become what she was now.
For Jiang Shuyao, it was a customary question. After all, in the previous life, everyone would casually ask people around them before eating something. But it was different for Zhou-shi. She didn't treat her well after Jiang Shuyao got married. She even disliked her reputation and didn't want to keep in touch with her.
She clenched her fists and looked embarrassed.
When she first arrived in Chang’an, everyone thought she was rude and unruly, and she was a frequent joke at banquets. She cried so many times, worked hard, and finally perfected the appearance of a lady in Chang’an. But she had become the most mean and picky person that she used to hate. And because Jiang Shuyao had a bad reputation, she has never liked her and deliberately drew a line with her, as if she could completely throw away her crude past.
She lowered her eyes and hesitantly raised her hand to pick up a piece of dried pork. Her voice was dry. "Thank you."
Her voice was too small, completely covered by the sound of the carriage's wheels.
Jiang Shuyao didn't hear it and continued drinking milk tea and looking out the window.
Zhou-shi was embarrassed but had nowhere to hide. She was so ashamed that she was about to squeeze the handkerchief in her hands. After she repeated it several times, she finally put the pork jerky in her mouth.
A sweet and salty taste replaced the bitterness in her mouth. There was a thin layer of honey juice on the pork surface, which allowed the pork's umami taste to be fully displayed. The meat was roasted until it was dry and tough. It was spicy, rich in flavor and had an endless aftertaste.
It was very delicious, but she didn't want to take a second slice. She faced the wall of the carriage, and her heart was bitter.
Xie Pei's fondness for milk tea far exceeded Jiang Shuyao's imagination, and she drank a bag of water in just a short moment.
She drank too quickly, and after a while, she was eager to urinate.
After holding back for a few moments, she couldn't help it. With a flushed face, she asked Jiang Shuyao if she wanted to go to the toilet.
Jiang Shuyao thought about it, and the two people stopped the carriage in embarrassment.
It was the first time Xie Pei went to the toilet in the wilderness. She couldn't wait to get into a mouse hole. She quickly led Jiang Shuyao into the woods.
The maids followed from a distance but not daring to provoke this ashamed big lady.
"Alright, that's it." Jiang Shuyao didn't want to go further.
Xie Pei nodded in agreement after making sure that no maids could see them.
The two of them resolved their eagerness and went back, only to find that the maids who were guarding from a distance had disappeared.
"Did we go in the wrong direction?" Jiang Shuyao asked in confusion.
Xie Pei didn't know the direction either, just said, "Maybe."
So the two changed directions again but still did not see the maids.
Jiang Shuyao was speechless, "It shouldn’t be, can we get lost while going to the toilet?"
Xie Pei was even more embarrassed, her mouth slumped.
The two turned around again, and they were stunned when they turned around.
It was dark in front of them.
A group of brawny men with mountain-like bodies and scars on their faces blocked their way.
The leader still has injuries on his body. Before Jiang Shuyao could react, he ordered his men, "Knock them out and take them away."
It happened so suddenly that Xie Pei fainted before she could scream. Jiang Shuyao's body reacted faster than her brain, and she turned around and ran.
The men gritted their teeth and chased her immediately.
After all, Jiang Shuyao was a woman. She can't run faster than a gangster who was tall and strong, and her hair was pulled within a few steps.
At this moment, a shout came from not far away, "It's been so long. Why are you not finished?"
It's Zhou-shi!
Jiang Shuyao's heart shrank sharply. It was a special situation, so Zhou-shi would never bring a guard when she came over. Wasn’t it just hitting the muzzle of a gun if she comes here?
Her call for help was immediately replaced with, "Run!"
The man pulled off her hair fiercely and whispered, "Chase her!"
Jiang Shuyao was anxious, praying that Zhou-shi would run fast.
However, before the gangsters stepped forward to chase, a familiar figure emerged from the woods in front of them.
Zhou-shi looked at the scene in front of her. Although she was astonished, she did not show any fear. She said solemnly, "Let go of them. The guards are behind me, and they will be here soon."
Jiang Shuyao listened to the gangster behind her, breathing for a while.
Just when she thought that they were going to let them go, the leader suddenly laughed, "Then we can't let you go. You are the bargaining chip."
When he finished his words, someone ran towards Zhou-shi.
Zhou-shi's face was tense, without the slightest intention of running away.
Just when the gangster was about to touch her, she suddenly lifted her skirt. Her figure was like lightning, lifting her leg to kick his abdomen.
The gangster shrank, and she immediately leaned sideways and drew out her knife "Whoo-."
In the blink of an eye, blood sprayed. The brawny man's eyes widened, and he fell to the ground.
The knife was shining like frost, reflecting Zhou-shi's face with cold light.
She casually wiped the sticky blood on her face with her sleeve and repeated herself, "Let them go."
Jiang Shuyao heard the people behind her whirring and panting. Obviously, they were very angry.
There was a thick and uneasy silence all around them, which sounds like it was about to erupt.
With a violent sound, the gangsters behind her drew their swords and rushed towards Zhou-shi.
It was a scene that Jiang Shuyao had to face in the frontline. But suddenly, a sharp pain came from the back of her neck, her eyes went dark, and she fell softly to the ground.
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