Chapter 156

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Protagonist:

Song Miao

While Song Miao was cooking here in the kitchen, Lu Wenming was eating flatbread.

He and several students from his group had only returned yesterday, busy until midnight before sleeping; today they got half a day's rest, and just now he was in the kitchen looking for food. He had clearly smelled the duck meat aroma growing stronger and stronger, yet he stood there somewhat woodenly.

He chewed a few mouthfuls of flatbread, tasting nothing, standing in place. He had been in a daze, but because he ate too fast and choked, finding it hard to swallow, he came to his senses somewhat. Just as he was about to find water, he heard the two old women, Huang and Li, one cleaning duck intestines and one washing vegetables, their mouths idle, looking for something to chat about. Naturally, they spoke of how to get more people from the countryside to come serve corvée labor when they returned.

One said: "My natal family's side is easy to talk to. They just received the letter, and they've all suffered disaster, and don't know what will happen later, so it's not good to rush planting. Just mention it, and most will be willing to come. It's just my daughter and son-in-law running to various villages and townships — that will take a lot of talking!"

That Li Popo said: "Worrying about my son's side is useless. I still don't know where he is, whether he's come back or not. Even if he comes back, whatever he gets at that time, I myself will still have to scrape together a handful back in the countryside — if I can recruit several dozen or a hundred people, get a string of cash, I can take my daughter-in-law to town to find a good doctor and buy medicine."

Huang A'po then said: "You really dote on your daughter-in-law. Year after year one sees mothers-in-law tormenting daughters-in-law; when they get old, the daughters-in-law turn around and torment the immobile mothers-in-law. That son is as good as dead — he cares for neither wife nor mother. You being like this, your son must be a good one!"

Li Popo demurred a few sentences, but her face showed a delighted expression. She said: "Other things I'm no good at, just hardworking, and my mouth can coax people. One moment coaxing this old mother, the next coaxing the daughter-in-law!"

But when she spoke to here, she paused, then said again: "Old sister, I say this, you'll probably laugh hearing it. Actually, even without this money, I'd still be willing to run this trip!"

That Huang A'po turned her head to look at her with some surprise.

Li A'po said: "I see these scholar-gentlemen, all look like they do things. You just came, so you probably don't know. Last night after I ate, I heard them walking on the road talking about water depth, water channels, waterways. Though I don't understand the meaning inside, I can also see they're all putting their hearts into it."

"If they can really draw water into that Wang Jing River, and they manage it well, our side will benefit too. Just don't have big floods year after year. Giving a bit of effort for free, I'd be more than happy. Otherwise with water rising like this, how are we to live our days……"

That Huang A'po also fell silent for a moment, then said: "Nothing else matters, just afraid it'll be useless."

Li A'po said: "Who knows, this time it might be useful — look at that young man. Last night I felt stifled, got up to open the window, and saw his room still had a lamp lit, he was working! Such a steady, capable person. I'm sure he'll help out. It's just a convenient thing. If it really doesn't work, then it doesn't work. But if it does work, wouldn't that be burning high incense that couldn't even be burned!"

As she spoke, she sneakily pointed at Lu Wenming who was standing there.

A fire burned in the room stir-frying dishes, with constant clamor; both were advanced in years, so when conversing their voices were inevitably loud. They thought they were whispering old-sister secrets, but actually even such things as the family's six-year-old Xiao Sun still wetting the bed were said with resonant force. The whole room could hear. How much more so such blatant pointing and gesturing.

Lu Wenming held his flatbread, for a moment not even daring to find water.

And that Huang A'po seriously raised her head and sized him up a few times, then said: "Indeed, this one looks reliable at a glance. If the yamen were full of people who work like this, perhaps the river would have been fixed long ago!"

Finished speaking, she added: "Alas, pity he's a hard worker who works foolishly. Eating cold flatbread and not even knowing to have water with it."

Words finished, she shook the water off her hand, wiped it twice on her lower hem, poured a bowl of water for Lu Wenming, and kindly called: "Scholar sir, drink water. This flatbread is dry and will choke your throat!"

Lu Wenming hurriedly received it, his mouth moving a few times, then drily gave thanks. Just then a courier came from outside to report, saying Han Li and the others had returned. He used the excuse of having business, gulped down that water in a few mouthfuls, grabbed the flatbread, and ran outside.

He was the oldest in age, always acted steadily. Rarely did he run this fast.

When he reached outside, sure enough he ran into Han Li who was just entering.

He stepped forward a few steps, called out "Han Leader".

Han Li halted, also called him once, and asked his purpose.

Lu Wenming said: "This trip to Weizhou, Han Leader selected several people. Don't know if you could add me as one?"

Han Li said: "Brother Lu just returned from the lower counties and villages, should rest and reorganize. Moreover, there's still surveying work later. I don't know when I'll be able to return this trip, and still need Brother Lu to expend a bit more heart. Better to stay in the city?"

Lu Wenming had never before disobeyed Han Li's instructions. This time, however, he rarely shook his head, no longer hesitating, and said: "I originally had some shame to speak. But given the current situation, face or no face, I can't care about that much anymore — I have a Xuezhong classmate, same Qinshe dormitory, same Xue Zhai study for eleven or twelve years. Very deep friendship. Two years ago he was transferred to Weizhou, now serving as County Sergeant in Jixian."

"Last night hearing Li Popo speak of the route, I felt it familiar. In the middle of the night I went back and checked the map, and it turned out this route from Weizhou passes through the Jixian where he is."

"Whether transporting people or grain, if there's a local helping to keep watch, it's better than one person alone in unfamiliar territory! If I go along, finding someone would be good. If not finding someone, I can still serve as a man!"

Once Lu Wenming opened his mouth, he spoke more and more smoothly.

Han Li heard there was something concealed in his words, but didn't ask further, only nodded: "Since Brother Lu has considered clearly, go pack your things first. Let's depart together this afternoon."

Getting this sentence, Lu Wenming agreed in one breath, no longer hesitating, turned and returned to his room.

A moment later he opened the room door, saw the map spread open on the table inside. He walked a few steps closer, looked at the county names on it, and finally stared at the two characters "Jixian", sighing.

He had already known last night that his classmate was in Jixian, but until just now he finally made up his mind to make things clear with Han Li. Naturally there was another reason.

Classmate, same dormitory. That one was still five or six years younger than himself.

He had always done better in studies before, even taught and guided him, resolving his doubts. By the time they entered Zhou Xue, clearly the academic level seemed no different from before, yet for some reason, these three characters Lu Wenming never gained the examiners' appreciation.

At the same time, his friend, after similarly wasting many years, one time suddenly succeeded in gaining office in one stroke.

Lu Wenming was happy for him, but how could his heart not have sour bitterness.

Later he repeatedly tried and repeatedly failed, sinking to being a Mufu for others. Feeling ashamed, and feeling that compared to his old friend, it was truly heart-piercing. More afraid that speaking wrong would make the other think he wanted to ask for something, he simply even when receiving letters rarely replied. Only one or two letters a year, all empty words, rarely touching on family matters.

Digging through Wang Jing River, Lu Wenming had followed from start to finish. By now, it was completely his own mentality of working for himself. He very much wanted success, to the extent that last night getting the news, he tossed and turned, ultimately somewhat unable to let go of face. Until just now when that Huang A'po delivered a bowl of water to his hand, he finally steeled his heart.

— Na Han Li trusts him so much. Additionally, one or two old women are so willing to exert themselves. If he, Lu Wenming, still hides and conceals, what would he count as?

At this moment, seeing the map on the table, not knowing if it was because he had made up his mind, his whole person instead relaxed.

And in the kitchen, Song Miao completely still didn't know why Lu Wenming left in such a hurry, even more didn't know all this was brought about unintentionally by her buying Li A'po's water celery and garlic leaves.

She was still single-mindedly cooking.

Three-month-old mallard ducks, already crossing from ducklings toward adult ducks. Tail feathers mostly hadn't turned green yet, wing feathers showed some sparrow-green shine. Not good-looking to see, but right for eating — especially suitable for stir-frying and braising.

Braised with turbid wine for over a quarter-hour, the duck meat was seven or eight parts tender.

Seeing the pot still had a little less than half broth left, at this time adding a great many ginger slices, adding firewood for high fire, using that fire to reduce the sauce, constantly stir-frying, frying until the broth was thick. Only at the end adding lettuce stem chunks and soaked dried tofu skin — these two were used as accompanying side dishes.

In a moment the dish was done. Duck meat glossy with oil, skin color a bit heavier than golden yellow, a bit brighter than soy sauce color. Heat all over carrying aroma scattering everywhere.

A pot of duck meat, the rest all chopped small. But there were several duck legs Song Miao had instructed, specially to keep whole.

She first took out the whole legs separately, also selected some duck breast chunks, waited for them to cool slightly, tore into strips, also picked out some duck gizzards, duck hearts, duck intestines and such, together wrapped in dried lotus leaves, gave a bit of sauce, many ginger slices, some lettuce stem strips and dried tofu skin, packed well and set aside — this was for everyone to carry as dry rations and side dishes when going out.

When the students all packed their things from their respective rooms and came out, they saw large flatbreads brought up along with two big basins of lively dishes.

A group of people swarmed up, almost scrambling to eat.

Lu Wenming had already put away that flatbread from before, no longer the foolish, dazed appearance from earlier in the kitchen. Hands and feet also nimble, mind also clear, even his nose could smell the aroma more clearly.

He hurriedly picked up a piece of meat, just put it in his mouth, and couldn't help laughing.

Don't know if it was because he let go of his heart knot, but today his appetite was especially good, the duck especially fragrant.

It was a rich animal fat aroma, and since it was stir-fried raw without blanching, the duck's original scent wasn't lost at all.

Unlike other poultry, duck meat tends to be gamey, but its fat is often thicker and the meat more durable; after stir-frying, the layer of fat between skin and meat is seared and bursts, mixing with the juices into a meaty aroma with strong presence.

That meaty aroma had fully merged with the juices; when eating the meat, the flavor is chewed out from between the muscle fibers—the meat has a real meaty feel, firm yet not tough, very chewy, and oddly satisfying to bite.

The duck skin is stir-fried until fragrant and charred, then simmered; it has both wok aroma and charred flavor, yet is oddly soft and glutinous.

Whether meat or skin, both were thoroughly flavored; at first comes a salty-fresh sauce taste with a hint of numbness and spice, then the ginger heat gradually emerges, growing more obvious the more you eat, everywhere, fragrant and spicy.

Wine is used throughout instead of water; the duck meat tastes only of wine fragrance, not wine flavor, and the wine actually draws out the ducky gaminess, giving the meat a natural wheat aroma and wheat sweetness, and making the meat softer.

Young ginger is naturally fresher and crisper than old ginger, with plenty of moisture; simmered in wine, besides its own fresh spiciness, the heat becomes much softer—easy to eat, easy to chew, gentle on the tongue without burning the throat, leaving the stomach warm.

The duck meat is rich and fresh, not greasy thanks to the young ginger, full of meaty feel, with abundant meat juices.

After eating the duck meat, eating ginger slices is refreshing and crisp, instantly cleansing the palate.

Besides the duck meat, the yuba soaked up the juices, soft, carrying bean fragrance and rich duck aroma; the lettuce stems are crisp with a hint of sweetness, not much juice but very tender, not competing for attention, just obediently helping clean the battlefield in the mouth attacked by duck aroma and ginger heat.

This dish is naturally a rice accompaniment.

Lu Wenming had eaten one piece of duck and then took several more mouthfuls of rice in succession.

After he took several more pieces, the rice in his bowl was gradually soaked through by the juices.

The juices fused the duck's meaty aroma, the young ginger's spicy freshness, and the richness of soy sauce and fermented bean curd; draped over the rice, fragrant, clean and spicy, the flavor is exquisite, soul-stirring, tongue-tantalizing.

At another table in the corner of the front hall, Song Miao knew the two old women wouldn't be used to eating out with the students outside, so she set aside a bowl for them to eat with herself and the flatbread.

This large bowl was simmered longer, the meat softer and more tender, with plenty of duck offal inside, so the elderly could chew easily.

Duck hearts halved, duck livers separated by liver lobes, and duck intestines gently opened with small bamboo skewers, washed clean, cut into palm-length sections.

All duck items were added in sequence, ensuring doneness and texture, especially the duck intestines added last, just cooked through, shrinking little, crisp and tender with a bit of intestinal starchy texture, the sweetness especially strong—this sweetness is the duck intestines' own, paired with ginger heat, the aftertaste lingers long.

Duck liver isn't as tender as chicken liver, but once flavored, the aroma is fuller; duck blood is tender, smooth, and spicy, making the two old women forget to exchange family news while eating.

Only Li Popo muttered and grumbled, deeply regretting her bad teeth that couldn't properly gnaw duck necks, while Huang A'po complained she was clearly born in the Year of the Ox, such a good zodiac sign wasted, unable to grow the ox's four stacked stomachs to eat a couple more bites.

After the meal, everyone packed up and prepared to depart; Song Miao sent a basket of dried lotus leaf wraps with the flatbread delivery, two per person, including the two old women.

She opened one portion to show everyone; one lotus leaf wrap contained three flatbreads and Hulless Barley cakes, the other contained the meat and side dishes from the young ginger wine-simmered duck.

"We ate early at noon; if taking the mountain route, we might be hungry by mid-afternoon, so everyone first take these three flatbreads to wrap vegetables; the weather is warm, no need to worry about oil solidifying."

"This pack is Hulless Barley cakes, pan-fried by me, edible cold; but if there's fire, lightly toast them, roast them, and the flavor will be better."

After she finished speaking, everyone thanked her and crowded forward in line to take them; after taking, some took whole packs, some took their shoes.

Only Han Li came out last; he clearly heard people talking outside but didn't go forward to take any. Seeing everyone disperse, since Song Miao stood by the table, he walked to a spot beside her and stood, untied his bundle, carefully opened it, and slowly put away the two lotus leaf wraps left for himself.

After shouldering his bundle, the man had taken two steps, then turned back and said, "Han is about to set out on a journey."

Song Miao was startled, then smiled and wished, "Young Master, may you have smooth winds all the way."

?? Thank you to the kind onlooker Xiao Wei for gifting me a Ling Beast Egg, so big, such a big egg! Alliance Leader Xiao Wei, generous reward, grateful tears, shamefully accepted.

? But I still want to emphasize, really truly no need for large rewards; everyone being able to subscribe is already my greatest support. If you want to express your liking, a small Peace Talisman or something is already enough to make me spin in circles. Such large rewards are too too too excessive; I want to thank on one hand and strongly condemn on the other!! Let's discuss with everyone, the last time, last time, okay.

? Thank you to Baozi Shan Hualiu Zuo's loyal believer for gifting me a Zuo Jue He Bi; is this Zuo Jue jade bi for me or for Xiao Qi? I'll help him keep it first, and later decide whether to give it to him based on his performance~

? Thank you to Feicui Green Radish and Le San Ye for each gifting me a Sachet: )

? Thank you to Special Agent Cat Cat for gifting me a Peace Talisman ^_^