Chapter 106

On the evening of the second day, the courtyard of the Jiao family was overflowing with fragrance.

A deer leg was skewered on a grill, and the two men took turns turning it continuously. Oil mixed with cooking wine kept dripping down, making the oak bonfire below crackle.

Next to the grill was an iron square oven with two layers. Charcoal was placed below, and on the grate, slices of deer tenderloin marinated in scallion white, salt, and fermented bean sauce were being roasted.

To the left of the oven was a large round food tray, on which were arranged pieces of deer head meat, two fingers wide, with skin and meat attached. The dipping sauce placed next to the meat was a special pork sauce, a method of eating that first became popular among the Qiang people and later spread to the Central Plains. At that time, it was called "Qiang Stew."

There was also a large steamer in the kitchen, steaming deer tail.

Jiao Zheng had really racked his brains for this deer meat meal. First, he bought a small deer just caught from a hunter outside the city, and then he specially hired two chefs to cook at home. Since he didn't know what Wang Yang's taste was, he simply made it "four ways to eat a deer," striving to make Wang Yang satisfied.

But after waiting for nearly an hour, Wang Yang just wouldn't come!

Deer meat is easily fishy, and this cycle of cold and heat ruined the texture, destroying the "deer feast" that Jiao Zheng had carefully prepared!

It was also his fault for lacking experience in entertaining guests; he didn't even know to buy an extra deer as a backup. If this were a small purchasing manager in a high-ranking noble household, he wouldn't be qualified.

Now that it was dark and the city gates were closed, there was nowhere to buy more, so he had to order the kitchen staff to prepare again with the remaining deer meat.

While complaining in his heart, Jiao Zheng calculated the strange things he had encountered in the past two days.

First, he noticed that he was being followed when he went out!

At first, he thought he was overthinking it, but even his wife and daughter said they were followed on the street, which made him take it seriously.

Then he discovered someone watching outside his house. He sent guards to chase them, but they didn't catch anyone.

On the second day, he received an order from the Sima Mansion, asking him to write a resume, saying it was for the year-end assessment.

He felt something was wrong immediately!

It was only the end of April; what kind of assessment was this?

Besides, a low-level military officer like him had never had to write a resume.

Even if he had to write one, it should be about his time as a military advisor! Now that he was asked to write about his previous experience and duties, and also to state his merits and demerits, what was this for?

Immediately after, someone asked the neighbors about the people coming and going in his house and the price of the house. The neighbors thought it was strange and came to tell him. It was said that the people who came all spoke with a capital accent and were unfamiliar faces.

His heart skipped a beat when he heard about the capital accent.

As a sesame-sized official with no roots or foundation, his only connection to the capital was the few years he served in the Imperial Guard. If someone came from the capital to investigate him... could it be because of that incident?

These anomalies made him restless, like needles on his back, but the more critical the situation, the more he should befriend the Langya Wang clan.

So he suppressed his anxiety and braced himself to prepare the deer feast, but who knew Wang Yang wouldn't come at all!

Just as he was about to send someone to the Commandery School to inquire about Wang Yang, Wang Yang arrived late, followed by a beautiful guard.

"Sorry, sorry! Someone from the capital came to handle a case, and my second uncle asked me to entertain them, so I couldn't get away. You've been waiting a long time, haven't you?"

Hearing "someone from the capital came to handle a case," Jiao Zheng's heart shook violently, and he hurriedly said:

"Not long, not long! This deer leg takes a long time to roast anyway. Arriving early is not as good as arriving at the right time! It is the young master's good fortune that the deer leg is just roasted! I will order the food to be served now! Young master, please try this roasted deer tenderloin first."

Wang Yang tasted a chopstick full: "Hmm! The taste is not bad! Old Jiao, you have put in the effort!"

Jiao Zheng was all smiles: "Young master, what are you saying! It is my good fortune to be able to eat such good deer meat thanks to you!"

"Hmm? This is your food, why do you say it's thanks to me?"

"My family just stews deer meat casually; what kind of cooking method is that? But it's different when you come. If I didn't study the cooking method carefully, how would I dare to offend your eyes? Now that I look at it, I have been wasting deer meat all these years!"

"Hahahaha, you really know how to talk..."

"Words from the heart, absolutely words from the heart! If you come a few more times, my family's chefs will have to improve by several grades..."

The two talked and laughed, and the atmosphere was harmonious.

Chen Qingshan stood behind Wang Yang with a blank expression, not looking at Jiao Zheng at all.

While flattering Wang Yang, Jiao Zheng was looking for an opportunity to inquire about the news. But the topic had passed, and although Jiao Zheng was anxious, it was not easy to ask about the "capital case" Wang Yang mentioned earlier after so many other sentences.

Wang Yang was also waiting for Jiao Zheng to ask.

But since Jiao Zheng didn't ask, Wang Yang couldn't bring it up again. He made up his mind that if he didn't say anything tonight, he would find another opportunity later. He would rather be slow than let Jiao Zheng become suspicious.

The two talked and chatted, superficially all about insignificant nonsense, but secretly each was trying to find an opportunity.

Finally,

When Jiao Zheng urged Wang Yang to eat some staple food, Wang Yang seized the opportunity and threw out the bait again, saying that he had already eaten while entertaining guests. Jiao Zheng was overjoyed and took the opportunity to ask:

"Anyone who can make the young master accompany them must have an extraordinary status!"

Wang Yang said lazily: "That's not it. It's just that my second uncle is in charge of this case, and the people handling it below are also considered my second uncle's subordinates. Besides, they are capital officials, so for my second uncle's sake, I have to go and socialize."

Jiao Zheng knew that Wang Yang's second uncle was a Cavalier Attendant-in-Ordinary. The Cavalier official was an attendant to the Son of Heaven, and since he was in charge of this case, it seemed he was acting under imperial orders.

He picked up his wine cup and pretended to ask casually: "What kind of case requires capital officials to come and investigate?"

"Hi, it's that, that Chen... Chen Tianfu, an old case from a few years ago..."

Jiao Zheng's face turned pale instantly!

His hand shook, and more than half of the wine in the cup spilled onto his body.

Chen Qingshan's eyes narrowed, but Wang Yang pretended not to notice.

Jiao Zheng steadied his trembling hand and forced a smile: "Wasn't that Chen Tianfu case closed long ago?"

"Yes! An old case, what is there to investigate? But it is said..." Wang Yang lowered his voice, pretending to be mysterious: "It is said that this involves deep connections behind the scenes..."

"Is that so?" Jiao Zheng barely squeezed out a smile.

"Actually, this case is not important. Do you think those people in the court care about the truth?"

Wang Yang shook his head and smiled:

"They want to use this case to make a big deal out of it."

"Make what kind of deal?" Jiao Zheng tried to keep his expression normal.

Wang Yang was cryptic: "Even my second uncle doesn't dare to say what kind of deal. Anyway, it's a huge deal. But if someone makes a deal, someone will break it. No matter if it's making or breaking, they are big shots that cannot be provoked. Those handling the case are caught in the middle; it's difficult! So they can only find a scapegoat. This way, both sides can save face, and it's easy to explain to the Son of Heaven."

"Scape... scapegoat?" Jiao Zheng's face looked ugly.

"Yes, haven't you heard of this term? Those killed to take the blame are scapegoats. I heard there are three candidates. One is surnamed Liu, who was Chen Tianfu's deputy commander in the Imperial Guard, called what... what was it..." Wang Yang rubbed his head, trying hard to recall.

Sweat seeped from Jiao Zheng's forehead: "Liu Mingche?"

————————

Note: "Essential Techniques for the Common People · Soup-making Method": "Qiang Stew Method: Take a good deer head, boil it until cooked, put it in water, wash and clean it, and cut it into pieces about two fingers wide. Mince pork into a stew, add scallion white, two inches long, one tiger's mouth wide. Finely mince ginger and orange peel, half a ladle each, and a little pepper. Add bitter wine. Salt and fermented bean sauce to taste."